Were Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay really the first people to reach the top of the world’s highest mountain?（埃德蒙·希拉里和丹增·诺盖真的是最先登顶世界第一高峰的勇士吗？） Some believe that British climbers George Mallory and Andrew Irvine reached the summit before them in June 1924.（不少人深信，英国登山家乔治·马洛里（George Mallory）和安德鲁·欧文（Andrew Irvine）早在1924年6月就已成功登顶。） Unfortunately, this is difficult to prove because both men vanished somewhere high on the mountain.（遗憾的是，这一悬案极难考证，因为两位先驱当年在珠峰极高处离奇失踪、下落不明。）

In 1999, a team of climbers visited the mountain, hoping to solve this mystery.（1999年，一支装备精良的登山考察队再攀珠峰，誓要解开这桩世纪之谜。） Near the First Step, on the way to the summit, the team found Mallory’s oxygen tank—evidence that he and Irvine had been near the top.（在通往顶峰的“第一台阶”附近，队员们找到了马洛里遗落的氧气瓶——这确凿证明他与欧文当年确实已极度逼近顶峰。） Close by, a member of the team—Conrad Anker—discovered Mallory’s body.（在不远处，考察队员康拉德·安克（Conrad Anker）震惊地发现了马洛里冰封的遗体。）

When the team examined Mallory’s body, they found items like a knife and matches, but no photos.（当队员们搜寻马洛里的遗物时，找到了小折刀和火柴等随身物品，却唯独没有发现任何照片。） Why is this important? Mallory had carried a photo of his wife with him.（为何这至关重要？因为马洛里生前一直随身携带着爱妻的珍贵照片。） He had planned to leave the photo at the top of the mountain, if he reached it.（他曾立下深情誓言：只要能成功登顶，必定将妻子的照片永留在世界之巅。）

Did Mallory and Irvine achieve their goal and reach the summit?（马洛里和欧文当年真的达成了夙愿、踏上了世界之巅吗？） Probably not, according to Anker. Here are some reasons for his conclusion.（在安克看来，答案大概是否定的。以下是他得出这一结论的研判依据。）

Difficult path / Poor equipment: Mallory and Irvine were last seen near the mountain’s Second Step. This is a 27-meter wall of rock.（险恶绝壁与简陋装备：人们最后一次目击到马洛里和欧文的身影，是在山巅险隘“第二台阶”附近。这是一堵高达27米垂直光滑的险峻岩壁。） Climbing this section is extremely difficult, even with modern climbing equipment.（即便换作今日配备顶尖现代器材的攀登健将，翻越这段岩壁也堪称九死一生。） Without the right tools, it is unlikely that Mallory and Irvine were able to continue to the top.（在缺乏先进装备的当年，马洛里和欧文绝不可能凭血肉之躯翻过这道天堑登顶。）

No frostbite: Mallory and Irvine were seen near the summit late in the day.（无冻伤痕迹：人们在临近傍晚时分目睹他们接近顶峰。） Climbers who reach the summit at this time need to camp at the top. If you do this, it is common to suffer from frostbite.（在此刻登顶的攀登者必须在峰顶极寒中露宿扎营。而在那种绝境下露营，遭遇极重度冻伤在所难免。） But Mallory’s body had no signs of frostbite.（然而马洛里的遗体上，却完全没有任何遭受冻伤的痕迹。）

So what happened to Mallory and Irvine? Anker thinks they probably turned back just after the First Step.（那么，马洛里和欧文当年究竟经历了什么？安克推断他们很可能在刚刚越过第一台阶后就做出了艰难折返的决定。） When Mallory was going down the mountain, perhaps he accidentally fell. Irvine’s body has never been found.（在下撤途中，马洛里或许不慎失足滑坠罹难。而欧文的遗骸至今仍未被寻获。） Whatever happened, they will always be remembered as early mountaineering heroes.（无论真相如何，他们将作为人类早期无畏探索的登山先锋与不朽英雄，被后世永远缅怀。）