But the people had listened to these rumors with only half an ear;they were poor and fated to be poor;they did not want to fight anybody, they only wanted to be left alone.

• 对于这些传闻，人们将信将疑．他们认为自己受苦受穷是命中注定的，他们无意冒犯任何人，只求苟且偷安。