In the end, however, Aravis managed to make her friend believe that she was in earnest and even to discuss plans. There would be no difficulty now about getting the two horses out of the North gate and then on to the Tombs. No one would stop or question a groom in fine clothes leading a war horse and a lady's saddle horse down to the river, and Lasaraleen had plenty of grooms to send. It wasn't so easy to decide what to do about Aravis herself. She suggested that she could be carried out in the litter with the curtains drawn. But Lasaraleen told her that litters were only used in the city and the sight of one going out through the gate would be certain to lead to questions.
可是，说到后来，阿拉维斯还是设法使她的朋友相信她是认真的，甚至讨论起计划来了。现在两匹马儿要出北城城门赶到坟场去，是不会有什么困难的了。没有人会阻挡或盘问一个衣服华丽的侍从带着一匹战马和一位女士的坐骑到河滨去的，拉斯阿拉莉恩家有许多侍从可以随意差遣。不容易决定的事情是阿拉维斯本人该怎么办。她提议她可以坐在轿子里，拉下轿帘，让人抬出城去。但拉斯阿拉莉恩告诉她，轿子只在城里使用，看到一顶轿子出城门而去，一定会引起人们的疑问。
When they had talked for a long time - and it was all the longer because Aravis found it hard to keep her friend to the point-at last Lasaraleen clapped her hands and said, "Oh, I have an idea. There is one way of getting out of the city without using the gates. The Tisroc's garden (may he live for ever!) runs right down to the water and there is a little water-door. Only for the palace people of course - but then you know, dear (here she tittered a little) we almost are palace people. I say, it is lucky for you that you came to me. The dear Tisroc (may he live for ever!) is so kind. We're asked to the palace almost every day and it is like a second home. I love all the dear princes and princesses and I positively adore Prince Rabadash. I might run in and see any of the palace ladies at any hour of the day or night. Why shouldn't I slip in withyou, after dark, and let you out by the water-door? There are always a few punts and things tied up outside it. And even if we were caught-"
她们已经讨论了好长一段时间——阿拉维斯发觉很难使她的朋友不要离题太远，所以时间就拖得格外长了——拉斯阿拉莉恩终于拍手说道，“呀，我想到一个主意了。有一个办法可以不穿过城门而走出塔什班城去。蒂斯罗克(愿他万寿无疆！)的花园从山上绵延而下，直达河流，那儿有个水门。当然，仅仅供王宫里的人使用——不过，你要知道，亲爱的(说到这儿她哧哧地笑了一下)，我们几乎是王宫里的人物了。我说，你来找我，是你运道好。亲爱的蒂斯罗克(愿他万寿无疆！)是那么和蔼可亲，几乎每天都召我们进宫去，王宫就像是我们第二个家。我敬爱所有亲爱的王子和公主，我十分崇拜王子拉巴达什。不论白天黑夜，不论哪一个时辰，我都可以跑去见王宫里不论哪一位夫人。天黑以后，为什么我不带着你溜进宫去，然后从水门把你放出城去?水门外总是有些平底船之类系在那儿。而且，哪怕我们被逮住了——”
"All would be lost," said Aravis.
“那就一切都完了。”阿拉维斯说。
"Oh darling, don't get so excited," said Lasaraleen. "I was going to say, even if we were caught everyone would only say it was one of my mad jokes. I'm getting quite well known for them. Only the other day- do listen, dear, this is frightfully funny-"
“宝贝儿，别那么激动啊，”拉斯阿拉莉恩说道，“我要说的是如果我们被逮住了，人人都会说，这不过是我开的一疯狂的玩笑罢了。我的开玩笑正在变得十分出名。就在几天之前——亲爱的，你听呀，真是有趣得可怕——”
"I meant, all would be lost for me," said Aravis a little sharply.
“我的意思是说对我说来，就一切都完了。”阿拉维斯有点生气地说道。
"Oh - ah - yes - I do see what you mean, darling. Well, can you think of any better plan?"
“唷——啊——是呀——我听明白你的意思了，宝贝儿。喂，你可想得出其他好计划吗?”
Aravis couldn't, and answered, "No. We'll have to risk it. When can we start?"
阿拉维斯想不出好办法，答道，“我没有办法。我们不得不冒险了。我们能在什么时候开始行动呢？”
"Oh, not tonight," said Lasaraleen. "Of course not tonight. There's a great feast on tonight (I must start getting my hair done for it in a few minutes) and the whole place will be a blaze of lights. And such a crowd too! It would have to be tomorrow night."
“啊，今夜不行，”拉斯阿拉莉恩说道，“今夜当然不行。今夜要举行一个盛大宴会(我必须在几分钟之内做好头发去赴宴)，整个王宫将是一片灯火辉煌。而且还有那么一大群人。只好改到明天夜里了。”
This was bad news for Aravis, but she had to make the best of it. The afternoon passed very slowly and it was a relief when Lasaraleen went out to the banquet, for Aravis was very tired of her giggling and her talk about dresses and parties, weddings and engagements and scandals. She went to bed early and that part she did enjoy: it was so nice to have pillows and sheets again.
对于阿拉维斯，这是个坏消息，但她不得不充分利用这个机会。那天下午过得很慢，而拉斯阿拉莉恩出去赴宴的时候倒是个解脱，因为阿拉维斯十分厌倦她那格格的笑声，她那关于服装、舞会、结婚、订婚和丑闻的闲谈。她很早就上床了，有一点她倒很欣赏：重新睡在枕头和被单上毕竟是十分舒适的。
But the next day passed very slowly. Lasaraleen wanted to go back on the whole arrangement and kept on telling Aravis that Narnia was a country of perpetual snow and ice inhabited by demons and sorcerers, and she was mad to think of going there. "And with a peasant boy, too!" said Lasaraleen. "Darling, think of it! It's not Nice." Aravis had thought of it a good deal, but she was so tired of Lasaraleen's silliness by now that, for the first time, she began to think that travelling with Shasta was really rather more fun than fashionable life in Tashbaan. So she only replied, "You forget that I'll be nobody, just like him, when we get to Narnia. And anyway, I promised."
但第二天过得十分缓慢。拉斯阿拉莉恩想要取消原来的整个安排，不断地告诉阿拉维斯，纳尼亚是个永远下雪结冰的国家，住着恶魔和巫师，她要到那儿去简直是发疯。“而且和一个乡下孩子同去！”拉斯阿拉莉恩说道，“宝贝儿，你倒考虑考虑！那可不妙。”阿拉维斯考虑过很多，但如今她对拉斯阿拉莉恩的糊涂无知实在感觉厌倦了，她第一次开始想到同沙斯塔一起旅行赶路，确实比塔什班城里时髦的上流社会生活要有趣得多。所以她只是答道“你忘记了一点：我们到达纳尼亚时，我便将是个无名小卒了，就像他一样。而且，无论如何，原是我答允了一起去的。”
"And to think," said Lasaraleen, almost crying, "that if only you had sense you could be the wife of a Grand Vizier!" Aravis went away to have a private word with the horses.
“你倒想想看，”拉斯阿拉莉恩说，几乎是在嚷嚷了，“只要你自己有头脑，你就可以做大臣的妻子了！”阿拉维斯跑了出去，和两匹马儿说些悄悄话。
"You must go with a groom a little before sunset down to the Tombs," she said. "No more of those packs. You'll be saddled and bridled again. But there'll have to be food in Hwin's saddle-bags and a full water-skin behind yours, Bree. The man has orders to let you both have a good long drink at the far side of the bridge."
“你们必须跟一个侍从赶在日落之前的那会儿到达坟场，”她说，“不再背这些个驮包了。重新给你们配上鞍子和辔头。但赫温的鞍囊里得放些食品，布里，你背上得装满满一皮袋水。侍从奉命让你们在远离大桥的岸边花点时间美美地把水喝足。”
"And then, Narnia and the North!" whispered Bree. "But what if Shasta is not at the Tombs."
“喝足了水，直奔纳尼亚和北方！”布里低声说道，“但如果沙斯塔不在坟场里怎么办呢?”
"Wait for him of course," said Aravis. "I hope you've been quite comfortable."
“当然要等他啦，”阿拉维斯说，“我想你在这儿过得挺舒适吧。”
"Never better stabled in my life," said Bree. "But if the husband of that tittering Tarkheena friend of yours is paying his head groom to get the best oats, then I think the head groom is cheating him."
“我生平从来没待过比这更好的马厩，”布里说道，“但你那位朋友，吃吃笑的泰克希娜，如果她的丈夫付给侍从头儿的是买最好的燕麦的钱，那么，我认为那侍从头儿是在欺骗主人了。”
Aravis and Lasaraleen had supper in the pillared room.
阿拉维斯和拉斯阿拉莉恩在圆柱房间里吃晚饭。
About two hours later they were ready to start. Aravis was dressed to look like a superior slave-girl in a great house and wore a veil over her face. They had agreed that if any questions were asked Lasaraleen would pretend that Aravis was a slave she was taking as a present to one of the princesses.
两个钟头以后，她们准备出发了。阿拉维斯穿戴得像个大户人家的高级女奴，脸上还戴了一个面纱。她们已经商量妥当，如果有人问起，拉斯阿拉莉恩就装模作样地说：阿拉维斯是个女奴，她要把这女奴作为礼物献给某一位公主。
The two girls went out on foot. A very few minutes brought them to the palace gates. Here there were of course soldiers on guard but the officer knew Lasaraleen quite well and called his men to attention and saluted. They passed at once into the Hall of Black Marble. A fair number of courtiers, slaves and others were still moving about here but this only made the two girls less conspicuous. They passed on into the Hall of Pillars and then into the Hall of Statues and down the colonnade, passing the great beatencopper doors of the throne room. It was all magnificent beyond description; what they could see of it in the dim light of the lamps.
两个姑娘光着脚走出门去。没有几分钟就到了王宫大门口。门口当然有士兵警卫，但军官对拉斯阿拉莉恩十分熟稔，他叫他的士兵立正、敬礼。她们立刻走进了黑大理石大厅。好多廷臣、奴隶和其他人等仍在厅里走动，这倒使这两个姑娘更加不引人注目了。她们继续前行，进入圆柱大厅，然后又进入雕像大厅，沿着柱廊行去，经过了觐见室的铜箔大门。她们在朦胧灯光中所能见到的一切，全都是富丽堂皇，非言语所能形容。
Presently they came out into the garden-court which sloped downhill in a number of terraces. On the far side of that they came to the Old Palace. It had already grown almost quite dark and they now found themselves in a maze of corridors lit only by occasional torches fixed in brackets to the walls. Lasaraleen halted at a place where you had to go either left or right.
不久她们就出了宫殿，进入御花园，花园依着山势经过许多台地迤逦而下。她们在花园另一边来到旧王宫。天色已经变得十分昏暗了，现在她们发觉自己置身于回廊的迷宫之中，墙上偶尔有个托架插着火炬照明。拉斯阿拉莉恩在一个岔路口停步不前了:非此即彼，你要么往左走，要么往右走。
"Go on, do go on," whispered Aravis, whose heart was beating terribly and who still felt that her father might run into them at any corner.
“往前走啊，往前走啊。”阿拉维斯低声催促道，她的心怦怦地跳得可怕，她仍旧觉得她的父亲很可能在任何一个角落里撞见她们。
"I'm just wondering..." said Lasaraleen. "I'm not absolutely sure which way we go from here. I think it's the left. Yes, I'm almost sure it's the left. What fun this is!"
“我正在琢磨…”拉斯阿拉莉恩说道，“我们从这儿出去，该从哪一条路走，我没有绝对的把握。我想是左边那一条。是的，我几乎确信是左边那一条了。这多么有趣！”
They took the left hand way and found themselves in a passage that was hardly lighted at all and which soon began going down steps.
她们走上了左边的那条路，发觉置身在一条压根儿没有什么亮光的通道里，这通道不久就变成了一级又一级向下延伸的台阶。
"It's all right," said Lasaraleen. "I'm sure we're right now. I remember these steps." But at that moment a moving light appeared ahead. A second later there appeared from round a distant corner, the dark shapes of two men walking backwards and carrying tall candles. And of course it is only before royalties that people walk backwards. Aravis felt Lasaraleen grip her arm - that sort of sudden grip which is almost a pinch and which means that the person who is gripping you is very frightened indeed. Aravis thought it odd that Lasaraleen should be so afraid of the Tisroc if he were really such a friend of hers, but there was no time to go on thinking. Lasaraleen was hurrying her back to the top of the steps, on tiptoes, and groping wildly along the wall.
“对了，”拉斯阿拉莉恩说道，“我有把握我们现在是走对了。我记得这一级级的台阶。”但就在这当儿，前面出现一个移动的亮光。一秒钟后，从一个遥远的角落里出现了两个人的黑影，他们手执高大的蜡烛，正在往后倒退着走哩。当然啰，只有在国王和王族面前，人们才倒退着走的。阿拉维斯觉得拉斯阿拉莉恩抓住她的手臂——这种突然一抓，几乎是拧了一把，意味着那伸手抓的人实际上十分惶恐。阿拉维斯认为这事很奇怪，拉斯阿拉莉恩竟会那么害怕蒂斯罗克，如果蒂斯罗克确实是她的朋友；但阿拉维斯也没有时间继续思考这个问题。拉斯阿拉莉恩正催促她赶紧返回台阶的顶上，发疯似的沿着墙垣摸索前进。
"Here's a door," she whispered. "Quick."
“这儿是门，”她悄悄说道，“快。”
They went in, drew the door very softly behind them, and found themselves in pitch darkness. Aravis could hear by Lasaraleen's breathing that she was terrified.
她们走进门去，轻轻地把身后的门关上，发觉自己置身在一团漆黑之中。阿拉维斯能从拉斯阿拉莉恩的呼吸声里听出她是诚惶诚恐的。
"Tash preserve us!" whispered Lasaraleen. "What shall we do if he comes in here. Can we hide?"
“塔什神救命啊！”拉斯阿拉莉恩低声说道，“如果他走进这儿，我们怎么办呢?我们能躲藏起来吗?”
There was a soft carpet under their feet. They groped forward into the room and blundered on to a sofa.
她们的脚下有一块地毯。她们摸索着进入房间，慌慌张张撞在一张沙发上。
"Let's lie down behind it," whimpered Lasaraleen. "Oh, I do wish we hadn't come."
“让我们在沙发背后躺下来，”拉斯阿拉莉恩呜呜咽咽地说道，“啊，我但愿我们没有来。”
There was just room between the sofa and the curtained wall and the two girls got down. Lasaraleen managed to get the better position and was completely covered. The upper part of Aravis's face stuck out beyond the sofa, so that if anyone came into that room with a light and happened to look in exactly the right place they would see her. But of course, because she was wearing a veil, what they saw would not at once look like a forehead and a pair of eyes. Aravis shoved desperately to try to make Lasaraleen give her a little more room. But Lasaraleen, now quite selfish in her panic, fought back and pinched her feet. They gave it up and lay still, panting a little. Their own breath semed dreadfully noisy, but there was no other noise.
沙发与幕墙之间恰好有地方给这两个姑娘躺下。拉斯阿拉莉恩设法占据较好的位置，把自己的身体完全遮住了。阿拉维斯上半个脸在沙发背后露了出来，所以，如果有什么人手中拿着个灯走进房间，碰巧朝这个角落一望，就会看见她了。当然，由于她戴着面纱，乍一看倒不会像是一个前额和一双眼睛。阿拉维斯拼命推搡，竭力使拉斯阿拉莉恩腾一点儿地方给她。但拉斯阿拉莉恩如今在惊慌失措中十分自私，她把对方挤回去，还拧她的脚。她们绝望了，动也不动地躺着，稍微有点儿气喘。她们的呼吸似乎响得可怕，但室内没有其他声音。
"Is it safe?" said Aravis at last in the tiniest possible whisper.
“这儿安全吗?”阿拉维斯终于尽可能低声地说道。
"I - I - think so," began Lasaraleen. "But my poor nerves -" and then came the most terrible noise they could have heard at that moment: the noise of the door opening. And then came light. And because Aravis couldn't get her head any further in behind the sofa, she saw everything.
“我——我——我想是安全的，”拉斯阿拉莉恩说道，“我那可怜的神经…”于是传来了此时此刻她们所能听到的最最可怕的声音。开门的声音。然后是灯光。因为阿拉维斯在沙发背后可以伸长脖子，她什么都看在眼里。
First came the two slaves (deaf and dumb, as Aravis rightly guessed, and therefore used at the most secret councils) walking backwards and carrying the candles. They took up their stand one at each end of the sofa. This was a good thing, for of course it was now harder for anyone to see Aravis once a slave was in front of her and she was looking between his heels. Then came an old man, very fat, wearing a curious pointed cap by which she immediately knew that he was the Tisroc. The least of the jewels with which he was covered was worth more than all the clothes and weapons of the Narnian lords put together: but he was so fat and such a mass of frills and pleats and bobbles and buttons and tassels and talismans that Aravis couldn't help thinking the Narnian fashions (at any rate for men) looked nicer. After him came a tall young man with a feathered and jewelled turban on his head and an ivory-sheathed scimitar at his side. He seemed very excited and his eyes and teeth flashed fiercely in the candlelight. Last of all came a little hump-backed, wizened old man in whom she recognized with a shudder the new Grand Vizier and her own betrothed husband, Ahoshta Tarkaan himself.
首先进来两个奴隶(又聋又哑，正如阿拉维斯所猜到的，以便开最秘密的会议)，手持蜡烛，倒退着走进来。他们站定在沙发的两头。这倒是件好事，因为一旦阿拉维斯的前面站了个奴隶，当然任何人就更难看到她了，而她却可以在奴隶的两个脚跟之间向外张望。接着进来的是一个老头儿，很胖，戴一顶稀奇古怪的尖顶帽子，凭着这帽子，她立刻知道他就是蒂斯罗克了。他浑身上下都是珠宝首饰，其价值至少也要超过纳尼亚王族所有衣服和武器加起来的总价值，但他是那么胖，还有那么一大堆饰边、皱裙、小羊毛球、纽扣、流苏、辟邪物，阿拉维斯禁不住想到纳尼亚的时装(无论如何是给人穿的)看上去要雅致得多了。蒂斯罗克之后，来了个高大的年轻人，头上裹着一个插羽毛、镶珠宝的头巾，身边佩一把象牙鞘的弯刀。他似乎很激动，他的眼睛和牙齿凶狠地在烛光里闪烁。最后，进来一个驼背、枯搞的小老头儿，她浑身不寒而栗，认出小老头儿就是新首相，自己新订婚的丈夫，泰坎阿霍什塔本人。
As soon as all three had entered the room and the door was shut, the Tisroc seated himself on the divan with a sigh of contentment, the young man took his place, standing before him, and the Grand Vizier got down on his knees and elbows and laid his face flat on the carpet.
这三个人一进房间，门就关上了，蒂斯罗克在长沙发上落座，嘘了一口心满意足的气，年轻人也就了位，站在蒂斯罗克的面前，首相双膝跪了下来，两肘撑着，俯首把脸伏在地毯上。
Chapter 8
第八章
IN THE HOUSE OF THE TISROC
在蒂斯罗克的密室里
"OH-my-father-and-oh-the-delight-of-my-eyes," began the young man, muttering the words very quickly and sulkily and not at all as if the Tisroc were the delight of his eyes. "May you live for ever, but you have utterly destroyed me. If you had given me the swiftest of the galleys at sunrise when I first saw that the ship of the accursed barbarians was gone from her place I would perhaps have overtaken them. But you persuaded me to send first and see if they had not merely moved round the point into better anchorage. And now the whole day has been wasted. And they are gone - gone - out of my reach! The false jade, the-" and here he added a great many descriptions of Queen Susan which would not look at all nice in print. For of course this young man was Prince Rabadash and of course the false jade was Susan of Narnia.
“啊——我的父亲，我——眼睛——中——的——喜悦，”年轻人开言道，咕咕哝哝，吐字很快，很不开心，压根儿不像他所说的蒂斯罗克是他眼中的喜悦。“愿你万寿无疆，但你已经把我完全毁了。如果你在日出时给了我最快的单层甲板大帆船，如果我最初看见那该死的外邦人的船开出去时就追的话，说不定已经追上他们了。可是你劝我先送行，瞧瞧他们是否只是绕着海岬找个更好的碇泊所。如今整整一天已经浪费了。而他们走掉了——走掉了——走得我们追不上了！那个虚假的女人，那个……”他在这儿还加了许多对女王苏珊的形容词，如果印出来，就压根儿不雅观了。因为，这个年轻人当然是王子拉巴达什，那个虚假的女人当然是纳尼亚的苏珊。
"Compose yourself, O my son," said the Tisroc. "For the departure of guests makes a wound that is easily healed in the heart of a judicious host."
“我的儿子啊，把你的情绪镇静下来，”蒂斯罗克说道，“因为，客人的离去所造成的创伤，在一个明智的主人的心里是容易治好的。”
"But I want her," cried the Prince. "I must have her. I shall die if I do not get her- false, proud, black-hearted daughter of a dog that she is! I cannot sleep and my food has no savour and my eyes are darkened because of her beauty. I must have the barbarian queen."
“可是我要她，”王子大声嚷嚷道，“我必须占有她。如果我弄不到她，我就要死了。她是一只老狗的虚伪的、骄傲的、黑心肠的女儿。我没法睡觉，我吃东西不香，没有滋味，由于她的美丽，我的眼睛都发黑了。我一定要把这外邦的女王弄到手。”
"How well it was said by a gifted poet," observed the Vizier, raising his face (in a somewhat dusty condition) from the carpet, "that deep draughts from the fountain of reason are desirable in order to extinguish the fire of youthful love."
“一位天才诗人说得好，”首相说道，从地毯上抬起他那满是灰尘的脸，“为了消灭年轻的爱情之火，从理智的泉水深饮几口是合乎需要的。”
This seemed to exasperate the Prince. "Dog," he shouted, directing a series of well-aimed kicks at the hindquarters of the Vizier, "do not dare to quote the poets to me. I have had maxims and verses flung at me all day and I can endure them no more." I am afraid Aravis did not feel at all sorry for the Vizier.
这话似乎激怒了王子。“狗东西，”他吼道，一连几脚对准首相的屁股踢去，“别对我放肆引证诗人的话。整天都有格言和诗句向我扔过来，我再也忍受不了啦！”我想，阿拉维斯恐怕压根儿不为大臣感到难过。
The Tisroc was apparently sunk in thought, but when, after a long pause, he noticed what was happening, he said tranquilly:
蒂斯罗克显然陷入了沉思，但过了半晌，当他注意到正发生什么事情时，他平静地答道：
"My son, by all means desist from kicking the venerable and enlightened Vizier: for as a costly jewel retains its value even if hidden in a dung-hill, so old age and discretion are to be respected even in the vile persons of our subjects. Desist therefore, and tell us what you desire and propose."
“我的儿子，无论如何，别再踢年高德劭和博学开明的大臣了；正如昂贵的珠宝，即使藏在粪堆里，也仍旧保持它的价值，所以老年和谨慎都是该尊敬的，即使它们存在于我们臣民中微不足道的人身上。因此，别再踢了，把你的愿望和建议告诉我们吧。”
"I desire and propose, O my father," said Rabadash, "that you immediately call out your invincible armies and invade the thrice-accursed land of Narnia and waste it with fire and sword and add it to your illimitable empire, killing their High King and all of his blood except the queen Susan. For I must have her as my wife, though she shall learn a sharp lesson first."
“我的父亲啊，我的愿望和建议是，”拉巴达什说，“你立刻召集你那战无不胜的军队，入侵纳尼亚这万分该死的土地，用火和剑扫荡这个国家，把它吞并到你无限的帝国里来，杀掉它的至尊王以及他的王族，只放过女王苏珊一人。因为我一定要娶她作我的妻子，尽管她得先领教一下辛辣的教训。”
"Understand, O my son," said the Tisroc, "that no words you can speak will move me to open war against Narnia."
“我的儿子啊，明白了，”蒂斯罗克说道，“你说的话怂恿不了我公开同纳尼亚作战。”
"If you were not my father, O ever-living Tisroc, " said the Prince, grinding his teeth, "I should say that was the word of a coward."
“万寿无疆的蒂斯罗克啊，如果你不是我的父亲，”王子咬牙切齿地说道，“我就会说这是懦夫的言语。”
"And if you were not my son, O most inflammable Rabadash," replied his father, "your life would be short and your death slow when you had said it." (The cool, placid voice in which he spoke these words made Aravis's blood run cold.)
“最容易激动的拉巴达什啊，如果你不是我的儿子，”他的父亲答道，“当你说这话时，你就会短寿促命，而你的死亡将会是缓慢的。”（他说这些话时所用的冷冰冰的平静声调使阿拉维斯毛骨悚然。）
"But why, O my father," said the Prince - this time in a much more respectful voice, "why should we think twice about punishing Narnia any more than about hanging an idle slave or sending a worn-out horse to be made into dog'smeat? It is not the fourth size of one of your least provinces. A thousand spears could conquer it in five weeks. It is an unseemly blot on the skirts of your empire."
“我的父亲啊，可是为什么，”王子说道，这回用的是尊敬得多的声调了，“为什么关于惩罚纳尼亚王国的事，我们要再三考虑呢?这件事跟绞死一个游手好闲的奴隶或是把筋疲力尽的老马送去充作狗食一样不必多加考虑。这个国家还赶不上你最小的省四分之一的面积。上千枝长矛，不出五个星期，就能把它征服了。这是你帝国边境上的一个不相宜的污点。”
"Most undoubtedly," said the Tisroc. "These little barbarian countries that call themselves free (which is as much as to say, idle, disordered, and unprofitable) are hateful to the gods and to all persons of discernment."
“毫无疑问之至，”蒂斯罗克说道，“这些个小小的外邦国家自称是自由的(这等于说，游手好闲，目无秩序，无利无益)，嫌恶神灵和一切明眼人。”
"Then why have we suffered such a land as Narnia to remain thus long unsubdued?"
“那么我们为什么容忍像纳尼亚这样一个国家继续存在下去，长期不去征服它呢?”
"Know, O enlightened Prince," said the Grand Vizier, "that until the year in which your exalted father began his salutary and unending reign, the land of Narnia was covered with ice and snow and was moreover ruled by a most powerful enchantress."
“开明的王子啊，要知道，”首相说，“在你高贵的父亲开始他有效而永恒的统治那一年之前，纳尼亚的国土上到处都是冰雪，而且是由一个最强有力的女巫统治着的。”
"This I know very well, O loquacious Vizier," answered the Prince. "But I know also that the enchantress is dead. And the ice and snow have vanished, so that Narnia is now wholesome, fruitful, and delicious."
“饶舌的首相啊，这个我知道得很清楚了，”王子答道，“可我也知道女巫死了，冰雪消失了，所以纳尼亚王国现在清新健康，水果遍地，美味可口。”
"And this change, O most learned Prince, has doubtless been brought to pass by the powerful incantations of those wicked persons who now call themselves kings and queens of Narnia."
“最有学问的王子啊，这个变化，无疑是那些坏人强有力的魔法造成的，他们还自称为纳尼亚的国王和女王哩。”
"I am rather of the opinion," said Rabadash, "that it has come about by the alteration of the stars and the operation of natural causes."
“我倒是有这样的看法，”拉巴达什说道，“这种变化是由于星宿的改变和自然界的作用造成的。”
"All this," said the Tisroc, "is a question for the disputations of learned men. I will never believe that so great an alteration, and the killing of the old enchantress, were effected without the aid of strong magic. And such things are to be expected in that land, which is chiefly inhabited by demons in the shape of beasts that talk like men, and monsters that are half man and half beast. It is commonly reported that the High King of Narnia (whom may the gods utterly reject) is supported by a demon of hideous aspect and irresistible maleficence who appears in the shape of a Lion. Therefore the attacking of Narnia is a dark and doubtful enterprise, and I am determined not to put my hand out farther than I can draw it back."
“这一切，”蒂斯罗克说道，“是个由有学问的人们来争论的问题。我永远不会相信，这样大的变化，杀死老女巫等等，没有强大魔法的帮助，就会马到成功。这样的魔术妖法，在那个国土上是可以指望得到的，那儿主要住着魔鬼(外形是野兽，却像人一样说话)，还有半人半兽的妖怪。通常的报告都说，纳尼亚的至尊王(愿众神都抛弃他)是由一个恶魔给他撑腰的。那恶魔外貌丑陋，其罪恶行径不可抗拒，出现时化身为一头狮子。因此，攻打纳尼亚是一种凶险而可疑的冒险举动，我决心不要弄到手伸了出去却缩不回来的地步。”
"How blessed is Calormen," said the Vizier, popping up his face again, "on whose ruler the gods have been pleased to bestow prudence and circumspection! Yet as the irrefutable and sapient Tisroc has said it is very grievous to be constrained to keep our hands off such a dainty dish as Narnia. Gifted was that poet who said -" but at this point Ahoshta noticed an impatient movement of the Prince'? toe and became suddenly silent.
“卡乐门王国真是有福气，”首相重新抬起头来，说道，“神灵乐于将谨慎小心和周密思虑赋予它的国王！然而，正如无可辩驳、足智多谋的蒂斯罗克已经说过的，被迫对纳尼亚这样的美餐迟迟不下手，倒是十分令人痛惜的。天才诗人说……”但讲到这里时，阿霍什塔注意到了王子的脚趾不耐烦的动作，他就突然默不作声了。
"It is very grievous," said the Tisroc in his deep, quiet voice. "Every morning the sun is darkened in my eyes, and every night my sleep is the less refreshing, because I remember that Narnia is still free."
“这是十分令人痛惜的，”蒂斯罗克用他那深沉而平静的声调说道，“每天早晨，太阳在我的眼睛里是发黑的，每天夜间，我的睡眠总是不大能使我醒来时神清气爽，因为我总是念念不忘纳尼亚王国仍旧是自由的。”
"O my father," said Rabadash. "How if I show you a way by which you can stretch out your arm to take Narnia and yet draw it back unharmed if the attempt prove unfortunate?"
“我的父亲啊，”拉巴达什说道，“我给你想个办法怎么样?凭着这办法，你可以伸出手去攫取纳尼亚，万一不顺利，还可以不受伤害地把手缩回来。”
"If you can show me that, O Rabadash," said the Tisroc, "you will be the best of sons."
“啊，拉巴达什，如果能替我想出这个办法来，”蒂斯罗克说道，“你就是我最好的儿子了。”
"Hear then, O father. This very night and in this hour I will take but two hundred horse and ride across the desert. And it shall seem to all men that you know nothing of my going. On the second morning I shall be at the gates of King Lune's castle of Anvard in Archenland. They are at peace with us and unprepared and I shall take Anvard before they have bestirred themselves. Then I will ride through the pass above Anvard and down through Narnia to Cair Paravel. The High King will not be there; when I left them he was already preparing a raid against the giants on his northern border. I shall find Cair Paravel, most likely with open gates, and ride in. I shall exercise prudence and courtesy and spill as little Narnian blood as I can. And what then remains but to sit there till the Splendour Hyaline puts in, with Queen Susan on board, catch my strayed bird as she sets foot ashore, swing her into the saddle, and then, ride, ride, ride back to Anvard."
“父亲啊，你听着。就在今天夜里，眼前这个时辰里，我要率领仅仅二百人马穿过沙漠。事情要做得大家都认为你压根儿不知道我的行动。第二天早晨，我就到了阿钦兰的安瓦德，国王伦恩的堡垒的大门口。他们是同我们和平共处的，也是毫无准备的，我在他们有所动作以前，就把安瓦德占领了。然后我要放马驰过安瓦德上边的关隘，长驱直入纳尼亚，到达凯尔帕拉维尔。至尊王不会在那儿；我离开他们时，他已经在准备袭击北方边界上的巨人。很可能我会看到凯尔帕拉维尔城门大开，我将纵马入城，我将谨慎从事，彬彬有礼，尽我所能叫纳尼亚人少流点儿血。剩下来的事只不过是坐待‘灿烂晶莹'号进港了，而女王苏珊就在船上，当她的脚一踏上陆地，我就立刻逮住我那走失的鸟儿，把她甩到马鞍上，然后我就纵马奔驰，奔驰，奔回安瓦德。”
"But is it not probable, O my son," said the Tisroc, "that at the taking of the woman either King Edmund or you will lose his life?"
“然而，我的儿子啊，很有可能，”蒂斯罗克说，“在抢走这女人时，不是国王爱德蒙，便是你，要丢掉性命，不是吗?”
"They will be a small company," said Rabadash, "and I will order ten of my men to disarm and bind him: restraining my vehement desire for his blood so that there shall be no deadly cause of war between you and the High King."
“他们是个小小连队，”拉巴达什说道，“我会命令我手下的十个士兵解除他的武装，把他捆绑起来：我会克制暴烈的想叫他流血的欲望，这样，你和至尊王之间就不会有不共戴天的非战不可的因由了。”
"And how if the Splendour Hyaline is at Cair Paravel before you?"
“如果‘灿烂晶莹'号比你先到达凯尔帕拉维尔，那又怎么办呢?”
"I do not look for that with these winds, O my father."
“父亲啊，按照风的情况，我看这船早到不了。”
"And lastly, O my resourceful son," said the Tisroc, "you have made clear how all this might give you the barbarian woman, but not how it helps me to the over-throwing of Narnia."
“我的足智多谋的儿子啊，最后一个问题是，”蒂斯罗克说，“你已经讲清楚了，这一切行动将如何给你搞到那个女人，可如何帮助我战胜纳尼亚王国，你并没有讲清楚啊。”
"O my father, can it have escaped you that though I and my horsemen will come and go through Narnia like an arrow from a bow, yet we shall have Anvard for ever? And when you hold Anvard you sit in the very gate of Narnia, and your garrison in Anvard can be increased by little and little till it is a great host."
“我的父亲啊，这可逃不过你的眼睛:尽管我和我的人马，像一支从弓上射出的箭，在纳尼亚境内飞速来去，然而我们将永远占领安瓦德。占领了安瓦德，你就是稳坐在纳尼亚的大门口了，你的守卫部队可以逐渐增加，形成巨大的优势。”
"It is spoken with understanding and foresight. But how do I draw back my arm if all this miscarries?"
“说得很有眼光和见地。然而，如果这一切都失算和失败了，我怎样缩回我那伸出去的手臂呢?”
"You shall say that I, did it without your knowledge and against your will, and without your blessing, being constrained by the violence of my love and the impetuosity of youth."
“你可以说是我擅自干的，你毫不知情，也违背了你的心愿，并没有得到你的批准，是强烈的爱情和年少气盛把我逼到这个地步的。”
"And how if the High King then demands that we send back the barbarian woman, his sister?"
“如果至尊王那时要求我们把那个外邦女人，他的嫡亲妹妹送回去，又怎么办呢?”
"O my father, be assured that he will not. For though the fancy of a woman has rejected this marriage, the High King Peter is a man of prudence and understanding who will in no way wish to lose the high honour and advantage of being allied to our House and seeing his nephew and grand nephew on the throne of Calormen."
“我的父亲啊，管保他不会提这种要求的。虽然女人的幻想曾拒绝这桩婚姻，但至尊王彼得是个谨慎而又明白事理的人，他是无论如何不肯丧失同我们这种王室联姻的光荣和利益的，他还要看到他的外甥和外孙坐上卡乐门的王位哩。”
"He will not see that if I live for ever as is no doubt your wish," said the Tisroc in an even drier voice than usual.
“如果我真的万寿无疆(正如你毫无疑问地愿望的那样)，他就看不到这种局面了。”蒂斯罗克用一种甚至比平常还要干巴巴的语调说道。
"And also, O my father and O the delight of my eyes," said the Prince, after a moment of awkward silence, "we shall write letters as if from the Queen to say that she loves me and has no desire to return to Narnia. For it is well known that women are as changeable as weathercocks. And even if they do not wholly believe the letters, they will not dare to come to Tashbaan in arms to fetch her."
“我的父亲，我眼中的喜悦，还有，”经过了片刻尴尬的沉默以后，王子说道，“我们要写信去仿佛是女王说她爱我，不想回纳尼亚了。因为，大家都知道的，女人善变，像风信鸡随风变换方向一样。哪怕他们并不完全相信这些信件，他们也不敢武装来到塔什班城，夺她回去。”
"O enlightened Vizier," said the Tisroc, "bestow your wisdom upon us concerning this strange proposal."
“开明多智的首相啊，”蒂斯罗克说道，“对于这个新奇的建议，请发表高见指教吧。”
"O eternal Tisroc," answered Ahosta, "the strength of paternal affection is not unknown to me and I have often heard that sons are in the eyes of their fathers more precious than carbuncles. How then shall I dare freely to unfold to you my mind in a matter which may imperil the life of this exalted Prince?"
“蒂斯罗克万万岁，”阿霍什塔答道，“父子情深的力量，我不是不知道的，我时常听说，儿子在父亲的眼睛里看来，比红宝石还要珍贵。对于这件也许会危害这位意气风发的王子的生命的大事，我怎么敢放肆地向你陈述我的愚见呢?”
"Undoubtedly you will dare," replied the Tisroc."Because you will find that the dangers of not doing so are at least equally great."
“毫无疑问你会敢于陈述的，”蒂斯罗克答道，“因为，你会发现:不这么干危险至少是同样巨大的。”
"To hear is to obey," moaned the wretched man. "Know then, O most reasonable Tisroc, in the first place, that the danger of the Prince is not altogether so great as might appear. For the gods have withheld from the barbarians the light of discretion, as that their poetry is not, like ours, full of choice apophthegms and useful maxims, but is all of love and war. Therefore nothing will appear to them more noble and admirable than such a mad enterprise as this of ow!" For the Prince, at the word "mad", had kicked him again.
“听到命令，就遵命照办。”为难的首相呜呜咽咽地说道，“最最通情达理的蒂斯罗克啊，那么，第一，须知王子的危险并不像看起来那么大。因为神灵没有赐给外邦人谨慎小心之光，他们的诗歌不像我们的诗歌那样充满精美的箴言和有用的格言，却全是讴歌爱情和战争的。因此，在他们看来，啥也不及像这样疯狂的冒险更加崇高更加令人钦佩的了——唷！”因为王子听到“疯狂”两字时又踢他了。
"Desist, O my son," said the Tisroc. "And you, estimable Vizier, whether he desists or not, by no means allow the flow of your eloquence to be interrupted. For nothing is more suitable to persons of gravity and decorum than to endure minor inconveniences with constancy."
“我的儿子啊，别踢，”蒂斯罗克说，“而你，值得尊重的首相，不论他踢不踢你，无论如何也不要中断你滔滔不绝的议论。因为，对于庄严而彬彬有礼的人，以坚定不变的态度忍受小小的不方便，是再合适也没有的了。”
"To hear is to obey," said the Vizier, wriggling himself round a little so as to get his hinder parts further away from Rabadash's toe. "Nothing, I say, will seem as pardonable, if not estimable, in their eyes as this - er - hazardous attempt, especially because it is undertaken for the love of a woman. Therefore, if the Prince by misfortune fell into their hands, they would assuredly not kill him. Nay, it may even be, that though he failed to carry off the queen, yet the sight of his great valour and of the extremity of his passion might incline her heart to him."
“听到命令，就遵命照办。”首相说道；他扭动着，把自己的身体缩得圆一点儿，使屁股离拉巴达什的脚趾远一点儿。“像这样的冒险行动，特别是为了对一个女人的爱情而采取这样的行动，在他们的眼睛里看来，如果不是值得尊敬的，也似乎是可以原谅的。所以，如果王子不幸落到他们手里，管保他们不会杀死他的。不，说不定甚至会出现这种情况，尽管他想抢走女王是失败了，然而看到了他伟大的英勇气概和登峰造极的热情，女王可能倾心于他。”
"That is a good point, old babbler," said Rabadash. "Very good, however it came into your ugly head."
“这倒是个好观点，你这唠唠叨叨的老头儿，”拉巴达什说道，“十分高明的观点毕竟进入了你那丑陋的头脑。”
"The praise of my masters is the light of my eyes," said Ahoshta. "And secondly, O Tisroc, whose reign must and shall be interminable, I think that with the aid of the gods it is very likely that Anvard will fall into the Prince's hands. And if so, we have Narnia by the throat."
“明主的称赞就是眼睛里的光明，”阿霍什塔说道，“蒂斯罗克啊，你的统治是没有止境的，其次，得到众神的帮助，安瓦德落到王子手中是十分可能的。果然如此的话，我们就扼住了纳尼亚的咽喉。”
There was a long pause and the room became so silent that the two girls hardly dared to breathe. At last the Tisroc spoke.
讨论出现了长时间的停顿，房间里变得那么寂静，以致两个姑娘都不敢呼吸了。最后蒂斯罗克终于说话了。
"Go, my son," he said. "And do as you have said. But expect no help nor countenance from me. I will not avenge you if you are killed and I will not deliver you if the barbarians cast you into prison. And if, either in success or failure, you shed a drop more than you need of Narnian noble blood and open war arises from it, my favour shall never fall upon you again and your next brother shall have your place in Calormen. Now go. Be swift, secret, and fortunate. May the strength of Tash the inexorable, the irresistible be in your sword and lance."
“去吧，我的儿子，”他说道，“按照你所说的计划去干吧。然而，别指望我给你支援和鼓励。如果你被杀害了，我不会替你报仇雪恨，如果外邦人把你关进监狱，我也不会营救你。而且，不论成败，如果你超过必要性而多流了一滴纳尼亚人的血，因此引起两国公开的战争，我的宠爱将永远不再落到你的身上，你的大弟弟将取代你在卡乐门的地位。现在你去吧。要干得迅速、秘密、顺利。愿坚定不屈、不可抗拒的塔什神的力量，附在你的刀剑和长矛上。”
"To hear is to obey," cried Rabadash, and after kneeling for a moment to kiss his father's hands he rushed from the room. Greatly to the disappointment of Aravis, who was now horribly cramped, the Tisroc and Vizier remained.
“听到命令，就遵命照办。”拉巴达什大声说道，他跪下来吻一会儿他父亲的双手，之后便冲出房间去了。阿拉维斯现在是被可怕地束缚住了，使她大为失望的是，蒂斯罗克和大臣竟留下不走。
"O Vizier," said the Tisroc, "is it certain that no living soul knows of this council we three have held here tonight?"
“大臣啊，”蒂斯罗克问道，“今夜我们三个人在这里举行的会议，你可以肯定没有一个活人知道吗?”
"O my master," said Ahoshta, "it is not possible that any should know. For that very reason I proposed, and you in your wisdom agreed, that we should meet here in the Old Palace where no council is ever held and none of the household has any occasion to come."
“我的圣上啊，”阿霍什塔答道，“不可能有什么人会知道的。出于这个理由，我建议，并且由一贯正确的圣上批准，我们应在老王宫这个房间里开会，以前这儿从未开过会，宫庭里也没有任何人有什么机会来过这儿。”
"It is well," said the Tisroc. "If any man knew, I would see to it that he died before an hour had passed. And do you also, O prudent Vizier, forget it. I sponge away from my own heart and from yours all knowledge of the Prince's plans. He is gone without my knowledge or my consent, I know not whither, because of his violence and the rash and disobedient disposition of youth. No man will be more astonished than you and I to hear that Anvard is in his hands."
“这就妥了，”蒂斯罗克说，“如果有什么人知道了，务必叫他在一个钟头之内死去。谨慎的大臣啊，你也得把它忘掉。我从我的心里，也从你的心里，把我们所知道的王子的计划，统统消灭干净了。他去了，可我不知道，也没有得到我的同意，我也不知道他到哪儿去了，这都是由于他年少气盛，狂暴，鲁莽，不听话。至于听说安瓦德落到了他手里，没有人将比你和我更感到惊讶。”
"To hear is to obey," said Ahoshta.
“听到命令，就遵命照办。”阿霍什塔说道。
"That is why you will never think even in your secret heart that I am the hardest hearted of fathers who thus send my first-born son on an errand so likely to be his death; pleasing as it must be to you who do not love the Prince. For 1 see into the bottom of your mind."
“那就是为什么你(即使在你最秘密的内心)也永远不会想到我是父亲中心肠最硬的，竟派我的长子去完成一个几乎等于叫他去送死的使命，我这么做必定使你感到高兴，你可并不爱王子啊。因为我看到了你的内心深处。”
"O impeccable Tisroc," said the Vizier. "In comparison with you I love neither the Prince nor my own life nor bread nor water nor the light of the sun."
“毫无瑕疵的蒂斯罗克啊，”大臣说道，“同圣上相比，我既不爱王子，也不爱我自己的生命，也不爱面包、水和阳光。”
"Your sentiments," said the Tisroc, "are elevated and correct. I also love none of these things in comparison with the glory and strength of my throne. If the Prince succeeds, we have Archenland, and perhaps hereafter Narnia. If he fails - I have eighteen other sons and Rabadash, after the manner of the eldest sons of kings, was beginning to be dangerous. More than five Tisrocs in Tashbaan have died before their time because their eldest sons, enlightened princes, grew tired of waiting for their throne. He had better cool his blood abroad than boil it in inaction here. And now, O excellent Vizier, the excess of my paternal anxiety inclines me to sleep. Command the musicians to my chamber. But before you lie down, call back the pardon we wrote for the third cook. I feel within me the manifest prognostics of indigestion."
“你的情操，”蒂斯罗克说道，“是高尚而正确的。同王位的光荣和威力相比，这些个东西我也一点儿不爱。如果王子成功了，我们就占领了阿钦兰，也许以后还要占领纳尼亚。如果他失败了，我还有十八个儿子；而拉巴达什呢，为人处世依照国王长子的老作风，正在开始变得危险起来了。塔什班城里有五个以上的蒂斯罗克，都已早死，未能享受他们的天年，因为他们的长子，开明的王子，都变得对王位迫不及待了。他在国外使自己的血液冷静下来，较之在国内无所事事而弄得血液沸腾要好得多。啊，杰出的首相，作为父亲，过分的焦虑使我累得想睡觉了。请嘱咐乐师们到我的寝宫里来吧。但躺下之前，要把我们写给第三个厨子的赦罪书追回来。我感觉到我肚子里有明显的消化不良症候。”
"To hear is to obey," said the Grand Vizier. He crawled backwards on all fours to the door, rose, bowed, and went out. Even then the Tisroc remained seated in silence on the divan till Aravis almost began to be afraid that he had dropped asleep. But at last with a great creaking and sighing he heaved up his enormous body, signed to the slaves to precede him with the lights, and went out. The door closed behind him, the room was once more totally dark, and the two girls could breathe freely again.
“听到命令，就遵命照办。”首相说道。他双手双足着地，倒退着爬行到房门口，这才站起身来，鞠躬如也，退出去了。即使在这个时候，蒂斯罗克也仍旧默默地坐在长沙发上，一直坐到阿拉维斯开始担心他说不定已经沉沉入睡。但最后，随着一阵吱吱嘎嘎的声音和一声叹息，他抬起他庞大的躯体，做手势叫奴隶掌着烛火走在他前面。然后他就走出去了。房门在他背后砰地关上，房间里再一次漆黑一团，两个姑娘倒能够重新自由呼吸了。
Chapter 9
第九章
ACROSS THE DESERT
穿过大沙漠
"Hove dreadful! How perfectly dreadful!" whimpered Lasaraleen. "Oh darling, I am so frightened. I'm shaking all over. Feel me."
“多么可怕啊！真是可怕之至啊！”拉斯阿拉莉恩呜呜咽咽地说道，“啊，宝贝儿，我真吓坏了。我浑身都在发抖。你摸摸我。”
"Come on," said Aravis, who was trembling herself. "They've gone back to the new palace. Once we're out of this room we're safe enough. But it's wasted a terrible time. Get me down to that water-gate as quick as you can."
“走吧，”阿拉维斯说，她自己也在发抖，“他们回到帝王宫去了。我们出了这个房间就安全了。但已经浪费了不少时间。你要尽你所能，赶快把我带到山下的水门去。”
"Darling, how can you?" squeaked Lasaraleen. "I can't do anything - not now. My poor nerves! No: we must just lie still a bit and then go back."
“宝贝儿，你怎么能这样逼我呢?”拉斯阿拉莉恩尖声叫道，“我啥也干不了——现在不行。我那可怜的神经！不！我们必须静静地躺一会儿，然后回去。”
"Why back?" asked Aravis.
“为什么回去?”阿拉维斯问道。
"Oh, you don't understand. You're so unsympathetic," said Lasaraleen, beginning to cry. Aravis decided it was no occasion for mercy.
“啊，你不了解。你那么缺少同情心。”拉斯阿拉莉恩说，而且开始哭起来了。阿拉维斯心中打定主意：这可不是怜悯同情的时刻和场合。
"Look here!" she said, catching Lasaraleen and giving her a good shake. "If you say another word about going back, and if you don't start taking me to that water-gate at once - do you know what I'll do? I'll rush out into that passage and scream. Then we'll both be caught."
“你听着！”她抓住拉斯阿拉莉恩，猛烈摇动她的身体，说道，“如果你再说一句要回去，如果你不立刻开始领我到水门去——你可知道我要干什么?我要跑到通道里去大叫大喊。这一叫，我们两个就都要给逮住了。”
"But we shall both be k-k-killed!" said Lasaraleen. "Didn't you hear what the Tisroc (may he live for ever) said?"
“那我们两个就都要被杀死了啊！”拉斯阿拉莉恩说道，“你可听见蒂斯罗克(愿他万寿无疆！)说的话吗?”
"Yes, and I'd sooner be killed than married to Ahoshta. So come on."
“听见，与其嫁给阿霍什塔，我宁可早点被杀死。”
"Oh you are unkind," said Lasaraleen. "And I in such a state!"
“啊，你是冷酷无情的，”拉斯阿拉莉恩说，“我竟落到了这种处境！”
But in the end she had to give in to Aravis. She led the way down the steps they had already descended, and along another corridor and so finally out into the open air. They were now in the palace garden which sloped down in terraces to the city wall. The moon shone brightly. One of the drawbacks about adventures is that when you come to the most beautiful places you are often too anxious and hurried to appreciate them; so that Aravis (though she remembered them years later) had only a vague impression of grey lawns, quietly bubbling fountains, and the long black shadows of cypress trees.
但最后她还是不得不向阿拉维斯屈服了。她带路走下她们刚才下去过的石级，沿着另一条通道走去，终于走到了空旷的地方。现在她们是在御花园里了，花园的一层层台阶迤逦而下，直达城墙。月亮明朗地照耀着。冒险行动中的一大缺憾是：当你来到最美丽的地方时，你往往太焦急、太匆忙，无法欣赏当前美景，所以，阿拉维斯只有一个模模糊糊的印象(虽然几年后还记得很牢):银灰色的草地，安静的汩汩流动的泉水，以及柏树的长长的黑色阴影。
When they re"ached the very bottom and the wall rose frowning above them, Lasaraleen was shaking so that she could not unbolt the gate. Aravis did it. There, at last, was the river, full of reflected moonlight, and a little landing stage and a few pleasure boats.
当她们到达山麓，墙垣颦眉蹙额地耸立在她们面前时，拉斯阿拉莉恩浑身发抖，无力打开水门上的门闩。阿拉维斯把门打开。最后终于看到了河流，河上到处反照着月光，还有一个小小的码头，几艘游艇。
"Good-bye," said Aravis, "and thank you. I'm sorry if I've been a pig. But think what I'm flying from!"
“再会了，”阿拉维斯说道，“谢谢你了。我很抱歉，如果我曾经固执得像猪一样。可是，请想想我是在逃亡啊！”
"Oh Aravis darling," said Lasaraleen. "Won't you change your mind? Now that you've seen what a very great man Ahoshta is!"
“啊，阿拉维斯，宝贝儿，”拉斯阿拉莉恩说道，“你可否改变主意呢?现在你已经亲眼目睹阿霍什塔是个多么伟大的人物了！”
"Great man!" said Aravis. "A hideous grovelling slave who flatters when he's kicked but treasures it all up and hopes to get his own back by egging on that horrible Tisroc to plot his son's death. Faugh! I'd sooner marry my father's scullion than a creature like that."
“好一个伟大人物！”阿拉维斯说道，“他是个骇人听闻的卑躬屈节的奴隶，人家踢他屁股时他还拍马阿谀，还把这件事珍藏在心里，怂恿可怕的蒂斯罗克设计置儿子于死地，希望借此给自己报仇雪恨。”
"Oh Aravis, Aravis! How can you say such dreadful things; and about the Tisroc (may he live for ever) too. It must be right if he's going to do it!"
“啊，阿拉维斯，阿拉维斯！你怎么能说出如此可怕的话来，而且还牵涉到蒂斯罗克(愿他万寿无疆！)哩。如果他去干这件事，那就必定是正确的。”
"Good-bye," said Aravis, "and I thought your dresses lovely. And I think your house is lovely too. I'm sure you'll have a lovely life - though it wouldn't suit me. Close the door softly behind me."
“再会了，”阿拉维斯说，“我认为你的衣裳很美丽可爱，我认为你的住宅也很美丽可爱，我深信你将过一种美丽可爱的生活——尽管这种生活跟我不合适。轻轻地关上我背后的门吧。”
She tore herself away from her friend's affectionate embraces, stepped into a punt, cast off, and a moment later was out in midstream with a huge real moon overhead and a huge reflected moon down, deep down, in the river. The air was fresh and cool and as she drew near the farther bank she heard the hooting of an owl. "Ah! That's better!" thought Aravis. She had always lived in the country and had hated every minute of her time in Tashbaan.
她从朋友的多情拥抱中挣脱出来，踏上一条方头平底船，用篙子把船撑离河岸，一会儿船就到了河中间。头上是一轮巨大的真正的明月，河底深处是一个巨大明月的倒影。空气新鲜而凉爽，船靠近对岸时，她听到了一只猫头鹰的叫声。“啊！好极了。”她一直生活在乡村里，因此憎恨她住在塔什班城里的每一分钟。
When she stepped ashore she found herself in darkness for the rise of the ground, and the trees, cut off the moonlight. But she managed to find the same road that Shasta had found, and came just as he had done to the end of. the grass and the beginning of the sand, and looked (like him) to her left and saw the big, black Tombs. And now at last, brave girl though she was, her heart quailed. Supposing the others weren't there! Supposing the ghouls were! But she stuck out her chin (and a little bit of her tongue too) and went straight towards them.
她登上对岸时，由于地势上升，树木遮住了月光，她觉得自己置身于黑暗之中了。但她设法找到了沙斯塔发现的那条路，就像他一样走到了妻萎芳草的尽头和沙漠的开端，(像他一样)向左望去，瞧见了巨大的黑魆魆的坟场。尽管她是个勇敢的姑娘，现在她的心里终于害怕起来了。说不定其他人马不在那儿！说不定食尸鬼倒在那儿！她冒险伸出下巴颏儿(舌头也伸出了一点儿)，笔直地向坟场走去。
But before she had reached them she saw Bree and Hwin and the groom.
但她还没有走到校场就看到了布里、赫温和那个侍从。
"You can go back to your mistress now," said Aravis (quite forgetting that he couldn't, until the city gates opened next morning). "Here is money for your pains."
“现在你可以回到你的女主人那儿去了，”阿拉维斯说道(完全忘了在第二天清晨打开城门之前那侍从是无法回去的)，“这儿是给你的酬劳。”
"To hear is to obey," said the groom, and at once set off at a remarkable speed in the direction of the city. There was no need to tell him to make haste: he also had been thinking a good deal about ghouls.
“听到命令，就遵命照办。”侍从说道，立刻以相当快的速度向塔什班城跑去。无需告诉他赶紧回去，他也已经对食尸鬼想得很多了。
For the next few seconds Aravis was busy kissing the noses and patting the necks of Hwin and Bree just as if they were quite ordinary horses.
接下来的几秒钟，阿拉维斯便忙于吻赫温和布里的鼻子，拍拍它们的脖子，倒像它们是普普通通的马儿似的。
"And here comes Shasta! Thanks be to the Lion!" said Bree.
“沙斯塔来了！感谢狮王！”布里说道。
Aravis looked round, and there, right enough, was Shasta who had come out of hiding the moment he saw the groom going away.
阿拉维斯向周围打量，一点不错，沙斯塔看见侍从走了，便立刻从他躲藏的地方走了出来。
"And now," said Aravis. "There's not a moment to lose." And in hasty words she told them about Rabadash's expedition.
“注意啦，”阿拉维斯说道，“片刻时间也不能丧失。”她匆匆忙忙地讲了拉巴达什的出征阴谋。
"Treacherous hounds!" said Bree, shaking his mane and stamping with his hoof. "An attack in time of peace, without defiance sent! But we'll grease his oats for him. We'll be there before he is."
“奸诈的狗东西，”布里挥动鬃毛，蹬着四蹄，说道，“在和平的时候进攻，连个挑战书也不送！不过我们会替他把燕麦拌上油的。我们会赶在他前面到达那儿的。”
"Can we?" said Aravis, swinging herself into Hwin's saddle. Shasta wished he could mount like that.
“我们能吗?”阿拉维斯跳上赫温的马鞍子，问道。沙斯塔但愿他也能这样跳上马去。
"Brooh-hoo!" snorted Bree. "Up you get, Shasta. Can we! And with a good start too!"
“布罗赫一霍赫！”布里喷着鼻息，“你上来呀，沙斯塔。我们能！而且还有一个良好的开端！”
"He said he was going to start at once," said Aravis.
“他说他立刻就出发。”阿拉维斯说道。
"That's how humans talk," said Bree. "But you don't get a company of two hundred horse and horsemen watered and victualled and armed and saddled and started all in a minute. Now: what's our direction? Due North?
“人们就是这样夸口的，”布里说道，“然而，你要叫两百人马的连队统统喝足水、吃饱饭、配备武器、上好鞍子，在一分钟内一齐出发，那可是办不到的。喂，我朝哪个方向走?正北吗?”
"No," said Shasta. "I know about that. I've drawn a line. I'll explain later. Bear a bit to our left, both you horses. Ah here it is!"
“不，”沙斯塔说，“我知道方向。我已经划了条沟。我以后讲给你们听。你们两位都要稍微靠我们左边一点儿。啊，这就对了。”
"Now," said Bree. "All that about galloping for a day and a night, like in stories, can't really be done. It must be walk and trot: but brisk trots and short walks. And whenever we walk you two humans can slip off and walk too. Now. Are you ready, Hwin? Off we go. Narnia and the North!"
“听我说，”布里说道，“像故事里那样飞驰一天一夜，事实上是无法办到的。必须是行走和小跑互相配合调剂：轻快的小跑，短时间的行走。我们行走时，你们两个也可以下来散散步。喂，你们准备好了吗，赫温?我们走吧。奔向纳尼亚，奔向北方！”
At first it was delightful. The night had now been going on for so many hours that the sand had almost finished giving back all the sun-heat it had received during the day, and the air was cool, fresh, and clear. Under the moonlight the sand, in every direction and as far as they could see, gleamed as if it were smooth water or a great silver tray. Except for the noise of Bree's and Hwin's hoofs there was not a sound to be heard. Shasta would nearly have fallen asleep if he had not had to dismount and walk every now and then.
开头是愉快的。黑夜已经持续了好几个小时，沙漠已经把它在白天吸收进去的太阳的热量差不多散发掉了，空气是凉快、新鲜和纯净的。四面八方极目可见的沙漠，在月光之下闪闪发亮，仿佛是一泓光滑平静的水，或是一只巨大银盆。除了布里和赫温的蹄声外，一点儿别的声音也听不见。沙斯塔几乎要沉沉入睡了，若不是他不得不时而爬下马来散步的话。
This seemed to last for hours. Then there came a time when there was no longer any moon. They seemed to ride in the dead darkness for hours and hours. And after that there came a moment when Shasta noticed that he could see Bree's neck and head in front of him a little more clearly than before; and slowly, very slowly, he began to notice the vast grey flatness on every side. It looked absolutely dead, like something in a dead world; and Shasta felt quite terribly tired and noticed that he was getting cold and that his lips were dry. And all the time the squeak of the leather, the jingle of the bits, and the noise of the hoofs-not Propputtypropputty as it would be on a hard road, but Thubbudythubbudy on the dry sand.
这种情况似乎持续了几个钟头。接下来一段时间，不再见到明月。他们仿佛是在死一般的黑暗中一个钟头又一个钟头地奔驰着。这之后，有一会儿，沙斯塔注意到他能看见前面布里的脖子和脑袋，比先前看得清楚一点儿；于是，慢慢地，十分缓慢地，他开始看到前后左右辽阔而平坦的灰茫茫的大漠。看上去绝对没有生命，像是阴间地府的什么东西似的；而沙斯塔感到疲倦得可怕，注意到自己在发冷，嘴唇是干燥的。自始至终，但听得皮带吱嘎作响，马嚼子丁丁当当，马蹄声不断——不是踩在坚硬道路上的嗒嗒声，而是踏在干燥沙子上的沙沙声。
At last, after hours of riding, far away on his right there came a single long streak of paler grey, low down on the horizon. Then a streak of red. It was the morning at last, but without a single bird to sing about it. He was glad of the walking bits now, for he was colder than ever.
骑马走了几个钟头以后，终于在他右边的远方出现了一道淡灰色，低低地镶在天边上。随后是一道红色。终于是早晨了，但没有一只鸟来歌唱早晨。现在他倒高兴散散步了，因为他比先前更觉得冷。
Then suddenly the sun rose and everything changed in a moment. The grey sand turned yellow and twinkled as if it was strewn with diamonds. On their left the shadows of Shasta and Hwin and Bree and Aravis, enormously long, raced beside them. The double peak of Mount Pire, far ahead, flashed in the sunlight and Shasta saw they were a little out of the course. "A bit left, a bit left," he sang out. Best of all, when you looked back, Tashbaan was already small and remote. The Tombs were quite invisible: swallowed up in that single, jagged-edged hump which was the city of the Tisroc. Everyone felt better.
然后太阳突然升起来了，片刻之间一切都变了。灰色的沙漠变成黄色，闪闪烁烁，仿佛里边撒满了钻石。沙斯塔、赫温、布里、阿拉维斯的影子又长又大，在他们的左边竞逐。皮尔峰的双峰在前边的远方，在阳光中熠熠生辉。沙斯塔看出他们走得稍微有点儿偏。“靠左边一点儿，靠左边一点儿。”他叫道。最妙的是，当你回头望时，塔什班城已经又小又遥远了。坟场完全看不见了，被吞没在边缘参差不齐的驼峰里了，那驼峰就是蒂斯罗克的城市。大家都觉得比刚才好多了。
But not for long. Though Tashbaan looked very far away when they first saw it, it refused to look any further away as they went on. Shasta gave up looking back at it, for it only gave him the feeling that they were not moving at all. Then the light became a nuisance. The glare of the sand made his eyes ache: but he knew he mustn't shut them. He must screw them up and keep on looking ahead at Mount Pire and shouting out directions. Then came the heat. He noticed it for the first time when he had to dismount and walk: as he slipped down to the sand the heat from it struck up into his face as if from the opening of an oven door. Next time it was worse. But the third time, as his bare feet touched the sand he screamed with pain and got one foot back in the stirrup and the other half over Bree's back before you could have said knife.
然而好景不长。他们第一次回头望塔什班城时，虽然看上去已经距离很远了，可他们继续前进时，这城却不见得更远些。沙斯塔不再回头望，因为遥望之际，给了他压根儿滞留原地未动的感觉。于是光芒也变成了讨厌的东西。沙漠炫目的反光使他眼睛发痛，但他知道不能闭上眼睛。他必须使劲儿眯起眼睛，不断地瞅着前边的皮尔峰，大声喊出前进的方向来。随之而来的是炙热。他不得不下马散步时，第一次感觉到了炙热；他从马身上滑到沙地上，沙地上腾起的热气往他的脸上直冲过来，就像从炉灶门口冲出来的。第二次下马时更糟。第三次，他的光脚丫子刚碰到沙子就痛得叫喊起来，说时迟那时快，他一只脚缩回马镫上，另一只脚半已跨到了布里的脊背上。
"Sorry, Bree," he gasped. "I can't walk. It burns my feet."
“对不起，布里，”他气喘吁吁地说道，“我没法儿走路。沙子烫脚。”
"Of course!" panted Bree. "Should have thought of that myself. Stay on. Can't be helped."
“当然啰！”布里喘息着说道，“我自己应该想到这一层的。待在背上吧，没有法子。”
"It's all right for you," said Shasta to Aravis who was walking beside Hwin. "You've got shoes on."
“你倒还行，”沙斯塔对正在赫温身旁步行的阿拉维斯说道，“你穿着鞋啊。”
Aravis said nothing and looked prim. Let's hope she didn't mean to, but she did.
阿拉维斯啥也不说，一本正经地绷着脸。让我们希望她不是故意的吧，但她确实有意如此。
On again, trot and walk and trot, jingle-jingle-jingle, squeak-squeak-squeak, smell of hot horse, smell of hot self, blinding glare, headache. And nothing at all different for mile after mile. Tashbaan would never look any further away. The mountains would never look any nearer. You felt this had been going on for always - jingle-jingle-jingle, squeaksqueak-squeak, smell of hot horse, smell of hot self.
重新赶路小跑、行走、小跑，丁当、丁当、丁当，吱嘎、吱嘎、吱嘎，马儿热得出汗的气味，炎热本身的气味，炫目的反光，头痛脑涨。一英里又一英里的老样子，压根儿没有什么不同。塔什班城看上去永远不会离得更远，大山大岭看上去永远不会变得更近。你觉得始终在周而复始——丁当、丁当、丁当，吱嘎、吱嘎、吱嘎，马儿热得出汗的气味，炎热本身的气味。
Of course one tried all sorts of games with oneself to try to make the time pass: and of course they were all no good. And one tried very hard not to think of drinks-iced sherbet in a palace in Tashbaan, clear spring water tinkling with a dark earthy sound, cold, smooth milk just creamy enough and not too creamy - and the harder you tried not to think, the more you thought.
当然，人们会竭力用各种各样的游戏来消磨时间:当然，各种游戏都毫无用处。他们竭力不去想到饮料——在塔什班城一个王宫里唱的冰凉果汁，来自黑沉沉大地的津津清泉，乳酪丰富而不油不腻、冰凉柔和的牛奶——愈是竭力不要去想它，却愈是想得厉害啊。
At last there was something different - a mass of rock sticking up out of the sand about fifty yards long and thirty feet high. It did not cast much shadow, for the sun was now very high, but it cast a little. Into that shade they crowded. There they ate some food and drank a little water. It is not easy giving a horse a drink out of a skin bottle, but Bree and Hwin were clever with their lips. No one had anything like enough. No one spoke. The Horses were flecked with foam and their breathing was noisy. The children were pale.
最后终于出现了个有点儿不同的东西——沙土里隆起一大块石头，高三十英尺，长五十码光景。大石头并不投下多少阴影，因为此刻太阳升得高高的，只形成一点儿遮阴的地方。他们挤到遮阴之处，在那儿吃些食物，喝了一点儿水。盛在皮囊里的水是很难给马喝的，但布里和赫温都巧妙地运用了它们的嘴唇。谁也没有吃够喝够。谁也不说话。马儿浑身都是斑斑点点的汗渍，呼吸的声音很大。孩子们脸色苍白。
After a very short rest they went on again. Same noises, same smells, same glare, till at last their shadows began to fall on their right, and then got longer and longer till they seemed to stretch out to the Eastern end of the world. Very slowly the sun drew nearer to the Western horizon. And now at last he was down and, thank goodness, the merciless glare was gone, though the heat coming up from the sand was still as bad as ever. Four pairs of eyes were looking out eagerly for any sign of the valley that Sallowpad the Raven had spoken about. But, mile after mile, there was nothing but level sand. And now the day was quite definitely done, and most of the stars were out, and still the Horses thundered on and the children rose and sank in their saddles, miserable with thirst and weariness. Not till the moon had risen did Shasta - in the strange, barking voice of someone whose mouth is perfectly dry-shout out:
休息短短一会儿后又重新赶路了。同样的声音，同样的气味，同样的眩目的反光，终于，影子开始落在他们的右边，愈来愈长，仿佛要伸展到世界的尽头。太阳十分缓慢地挨近西边的地平线，现在太阳终于落山了，感谢老天爷，残酷的反射光芒消失了，尽管从沙漠里升腾起来的热气仍旧咄咄逼人。四对眼睛都在迫切地张望着山谷的踪影，萨罗帕德和渡鸦都提到过山谷的。然而，一英里一英里地走过去了，依旧只见一片平沙。如今白昼肯定是完全结束了，大部分的星星也都出来了，马儿仍旧嘚嘚前行，孩子们在马鞍上起伏不定，又渴又累，苦极了。月亮还没有升上来，沙斯塔用嘴里干到极点的人那种奇怪的粗糙声音喊道：
"There it is!"
“前面就到了！”
There was no mistaking it now. Ahead, and a little to their right, there was at last a slope: a slope downward and hummocks of rock on each side. The Horses were far too tired to speak but they swung round towards it and in a minute or two they were entering the gully. At first it was worse in there than it had been out in the open desert, for there was a breathless stuffiness between the rocky walls and less moonlight. The slope continued steeply downwards and the rocks on either hand rose to the height of cliffs. Then they began to meet vegetation - prickly cactus-like plants and coarse grass of the kind that would prick your fingers. Soon the horse-hoofs were falling on pebbles and stones instead of sand. Round every bend of the valley - and it had many bends - they looked eagerly for water. The Horses were nearly at the end of their strength now, and Hwin, stumbling and panting; was lagging behind Bree. They were almost in despair before at last they came to a little muddiness and a tiny trickle of water through softer and better grass. And the trickle became a brook, and the brook became a stream with bushes on each side, and the stream became a river and there came (after more disappointments than I could possibly describe) -a moment when Shasta, who had been in a kind of doze, suddenly realized that Bree had stopped and found himself slipping off. Before them a little cataract of water poured into a broad pool: and both the Horses were already in the pool with their heads down, drinking, drinking, drinking.
现在可错不了啦。前边，稍稍偏右，终于出现了一个斜坡:一个迤逦而下的斜坡，两边都是石块垒成的小丘。马儿累得话也说不出来，只是摇摇晃晃地向前跑去，一两分钟后他们就进了隘谷。一开头，在隘谷里要比在空旷的沙漠上更不舒服，因为夹在石墙之间，闷热得气也透不过来，而且月光也少了。斜坡峻急地往下延伸，两边的岩石高耸成峭壁。接着，他们开始遇见植物了——仙人掌似的多刺植物，以及会扎痛手指的粗糙野草。不久，马蹄不复踏在沙上了，而是踏在卵石上了。他们在山谷的每一个转弯处——拐弯可多哩——迫不及待地寻找着水。马儿几乎到了筋疲力尽的地步，赫温脚步蹒跚、气喘吁吁，落在布里的后面。终于在他们几乎绝望时遇到了一点儿泥浆，和一条从茂盛柔软的青草之间渗过来的涓滴细流。细流变成了小溪，小溪变成了两岸灌木丛生的小河，小河又变成了大河。在经历了我无法形容的许多失望之后，竟出现了喜出望外的时刻：一直处于瞌睡状态的沙斯塔，突然发觉布里停步不走了，他自己也滑下马来了。他们面前有一道小瀑布泻入一个宽阔的水池:两匹马儿已经在水池里了，它们低着脑袋，喝啊，喝啊，喝啊。
"O-o-oh," said Shasta and plunged in - it was about up to his knees - and stooped his head right into the cataract. It was perhaps the loveliest moment in his life.
“噢——噢——喔。”沙斯塔说，向池塘里跳了进去——池水漫到他的膝头上——他干脆把脑袋伸到小瀑布里去。也许这是他生平最轻松愉快的时刻了。
It was about ten minutes later when all four of them (the two children wet nearly all over) came out and began to notice their surroundings. The moon was now high enough to peep down into the valley. There was soft grass on both sides of the river, and beyond the grass, trees and bushes sloped up to the bases of the cliffs. There must have been some wonderful flowering shrubs hidden in that shadowy undergrowth for the whole glade was full of the coolest and most delicious smells. And out of the darkest recess among the trees there came a sound Shasta had never heard beforea nightingale.
大约十分钟以后，他们四个(两个孩子几乎浑身上下都湿透了)才从池塘里出来，看看周围的环境。月亮现在升得高高的，足以照进山谷里来。大河的两边都长着柔嫩的青草，青草外，大树和灌木往上绵延到悬崖绝壁的底部。在那阴暗的灌木丛里必定隐藏着一些奇花香草，因为林中空地里弥漫着最清凉最芳香的气息。从树木间最幽暗的隐秘之地传来了一个声音——沙斯塔以前从未听见过的——夜莺的歌声。
Everyone was much too tired to speak or to eat. The Horses, without waiting to be unsaddled, lay down at once. So did Aravis and Shasta.
大家都太疲倦了，懒得说话，也懒得吃东西。马儿不待解下鞍子便立刻躺下了。阿拉维斯和沙斯塔也躺下了。
About ten minutes later the careful Hwin said, "But we mustn't go to sleep. We've got to keep ahead of that Rabadash."
大约十分钟后，谨慎小心的赫温说道，“可是我们必须不要睡觉才好。我们要赶在拉巴达什的前面。”
"No," said Bree very slowly. "Mustn't go sleep. Just a little rest."
“是啊，”布里慢吞吞地说道，“必须不睡。光是休息一会儿。”
Shasta knew (for a moment) that they would all go to sleep if he didn't get up and do something about it, and felt that he ought to. In fact he decided that he would get up and persuade them to go on. But presently; not yet: not just yet...
沙斯塔明白(片刻之间):如果他不站起来，做点什么的话，他们大家都会沉沉入睡的，他觉得他应该做点什么。事实上，他下定决心自己要站起来，还要劝他们大家继续赶路。但不一会儿他又改变主意了；等一下，只不过稍微等一下……
Very soon the moon shone and the nightingale sang over two horses and two human children, all fast asleep.
不久，月亮便照到两匹马儿和两个孩子身上，夜莺的歌声也传到了两匹马儿和两个孩子的耳边，可他们大家都睡熟了。
It was Aravis who awoke first. The sun was already high in the heavens and the cool morning hours were already wasted. "It's my fault," she said to herself furiously as she jumped up and began rousing the others. "One wouldn't expect Horses to keep awake after a day's work like that, even if they can talk. And of course that Boy wouldn't; he's had no decent training. But I ought to have known better."
首先醒来的是阿拉维斯。太阳已经升得高高的，清晨凉快的时光已经浪费掉了。“这是我的过错。”她愤愤地对自己说道，一面跳起身来，开始叫醒别人。“马儿像这样跑了一天的路，不该指望它们不睡觉的，即使它们是能说人话的马儿。当然也不该指望这男孩子不睡，他没有教养。但我应该更加懂事明理啊。”
The others were dazed and stupid with the heaviness of their sleep.
其他人马都酣睡得迷迷糊糊，都睡傻了。
"Neigh-ho - broo-hoo," said Bree. "Been sleeping in my saddle, eh? I'll never do that again. Most uncomfortable-"
“嗨——嘀！——布罗——呵！”布里说，“不解鞍子就睡熟了，嗯?我再也不这么干了。最最不舒服的是……”
"Oh come on, come on," said Aravis. "We've lost half the morning already. There isn't a moment to spare."
“走吧，走吧，”阿拉维斯说道，“我们已经损失了半个早晨。再也没有多余的时间了。”
"A fellow's got to have a mouthful of grass," said Bree.
“总得吃一口青草吧。”布里说。
"I'm afraid we can't wait," said Aravis.
“恐怕我们不能等待了。”阿拉维斯说。
"What's the terrible hurry?" said Bree. "We've crossed the desert, haven't we?"
“干吗这么可怕地急急忙忙呢?”布里说，“我们穿过了沙漠，不是吗?”
"But we're not in Archenland yet," said Aravis. "And we've got to get there before Rabadash."
“可我们还没有进入阿钦兰，”阿拉维斯说，“我们得在拉巴达什之前赶到那儿。”
"Oh, we must be miles ahead of him," said Bree. "Haven't we been coming a shorter way? Didn't that Raven friend of yours say this was a short cut, Shasta?"
“噢，我们一定在他前面好几英里了，”布里说，“我们不是走了一条比较近的路吗?沙斯塔，你那渡鸦朋友不是说过这是条捷径吗?”
"He didn't say anything about shorter," answered Shasta. "He only said better, because you got to a river this way. If the oasis is due North of Tashbaan, then I'm afraid this may be longer."
“它并没说比较近，”沙斯塔答道，“它只是说比较好，因为在这条路上你碰得到一条河流。如果绿洲是在塔什班城的正北方，那么我想那条路就可能要长些。”
"Well I can't go on without a snack," said Bree. "Take my bridle off, Shasta."
“我不吃一顿，没法儿赶路，”布里说，“沙斯塔，替我解下鞍子。”
"P-please," said Hwin, very shyly, "I feel just like Bree that I can't go on. But when Horses have humans (with spurs and things) on their backs, aren't they often made to go on when they're feeling like this? and then they find they can. I m-mean - oughtn't we to be able to do even more, now that we're free. It's all for Narnia."
“对不起，”赫温十分腼腆地说道，“我的感觉跟布里一样，没法儿赶路了。但有人骑在马背上(还配上了马刺之类的东西)，马儿不是在感到饥饿时也往往被驱策着赶路吗?那时，马儿发觉它们能赶路。我的意思是说——现在我们既然自由了，那就应该能赶更多的路。这全是为了纳尼亚啊。”
"I think, Ma'am," said Bree very crushingly, "that I know a little more about campaigns and forced marches and what a horse can stand than you do."
“我想，女士，”布里以压倒对方的口气说道，“关于战争、急行军、马儿的承受力等等，我懂得要比你多一点儿。”
To this Hwin made no answer, being, like most highly bred mares, a very nervous and gentle person who was easily put down. In reality she was quite right, and if Bree had had a Tarkaan on his back at that moment to make him go on, he would have found that he was good for several hours' hard going. But one of the worst results of being a slave and being forced to do things is that when there is no one to force you any more you find you have almost lost the power of forcing yourself.
赫温对此未作答复，像出身高贵的马儿一样，秉性胆怯温和，是容易被吃瘪的。事实上，它的意见是十分正确的，如果此时此刻有个泰坎骑在布里的背上，布里是能拼命跑上好几个钟头的。但作着奴隶而又被迫干活的最坏结果是:没有人强迫你干活时，你发觉自己几乎已经丧失了强迫自己干活的力量。
So they had to wait while Bree had a snack and a drink, and of course Hwin and the children had a snack and a drink too. It must have been nearly eleven o'clock in the morning before they finally got going again. And even then Bree took things much more gently than yesterday. It was really Hwin, though she was the weaker and more tired of the two, who set the pace.
所以，他们不得不等待布里吃东西唱水；当然，赫温和孩子们也跟着吃一点喝一点。他们最后重新赶路时，必定是上午靠近十一点钟光景了。而且即使到了这个时辰，布里干起活来也比昨天更加斯文了。虽然赫温是两匹马儿中比样弱小和更加疲乏的，真正领先的倒是赫温。
The valley itself, with its brown, cool river, and grass and moss and wild flowers and rhododendrons, was such a pleasant place that it made you want to ride slowly.
山谷本身以及山谷里棕色的清凉河流，青草、苍苔、野花和杜鹊花，是那么赏心悦目，使你很想放慢驰骋的脚步。
Chapter 10
第十章
THE HERMIT OF THE SOUTHERN MARCH
南征隐士
AFTER they had ridden for several hours down the valley, it widened out and they could see what was ahead of them. The river which they had been following here joined a broader river, wide and turbulent, which flowed from their left to their right, towards the east. Beyond this new river a delightful country rose gently in low hills, ridge beyond ridge, to the Northern Mountains themselves. To the right there were rocky pinnacles, one or two of them with snow clinging to the ledges. To the left, pine-clad slopes, frowning cliffs, narrow gorges, and blue peaks stretched away as far as the eye could reach. He could no longer make out Mount Pire. Straight ahead the mountain range sank to a wooded saddle which of course must be the pass from Archenland into Narnia.
他们在山谷里骑马驰骋了几个钟头之后，山谷豁然开阔，他们看得见前边的景物了。他们沿着一路走过来的那条河流，在这儿跟一条更宽阔的汹涌大河相汇合，大河从他们的左边流向右边，往东奔腾而去。这新的大河后面，绵亘着一个美丽宜人的国度，山丘逐渐增高，山脊外还有山脊，直连接到北方群山。右边有几个塔状尖岩，其中两三个的突出部分还积着雪。左边是松树密布的山坡，颦眉蹙额的峭壁，狭窄的山谷，蔚蓝的山峰，一直伸展到极目可见之处。他们再也认不出皮尔峰了。在笔直的正前方，山脉凹了下去，形成一个林木森然的马鞍，这地方必定是由阿钦兰进入纳尼亚的关隘。
"Broo-hoo-hoo, the North, the green North!" neighed Bree: and certainly the lower hills looked greener and fresher than anything that Aravis and Shasta, with their southern-bred eyes, had ever imagined. Spirits rose as they clattered down to the water's-meet of the two rivers.
“布罗——嗬嗬，北方，绿色的北方。”布里嘶鸣道。阿拉维斯和沙斯塔的眼睛都是在南方培养起来的，所以低矮小山显得比他们生平所想像的任何东西都更加苍翠、更加鲜嫩了。当他们哗啦哗啦走到两条河的交汇处时，他们来劲了。
The eastern-flowing river, which was pouring from the higher mountains at the western end of the range, was far too swift and too broken with rapids for them to think of swimming it; but after some casting about, up and down the bank, they found a place shallow enough to wade. The roar and clatter of water, the great swirl against the horses' fetlocks, the cool, stirring air and the darting dragon-flies, filled Shasta with a strange excitement.
向东流去的大河是从西端的高山上倾泻而下的，奔腾得太快，被湍滩打断之处太多，他们不敢游过去，在岸上来来回回几番焦急地寻找，终于找到一个浅浅的可以涉水而过的地方。哗啦哗啦的水声，冲在马蹄茸毛上的旋涡，清凉、动荡的空气，飞来飞去的蜻蜓，都使沙斯塔心里充满了新奇的激动之情。
"Friends, we are in Archenland!" said Bree proudly as he splashed and churned his way out on the Northern bank. "I think that river we've just crossed is called the Winding Arrow."
“朋友们，咱们进入阿钦兰了！”布里溅泼着水、摇摇晃晃爬上北岸时，自豪地说道，“我想我们刚才渡过的河流叫作旋箭河。”
"I hope we're in time," murmured Hwin.
“我希望我们及时赶到了。”赫温喃喃说道。
Then they began going up, slowly and zigzagging a good deal, for the hills were steep. It was all open park-like country with no roads or houses in sight. Scattered trees, never thick enough to be a forest, were everywhere. Shasta, who had lived all his life in an almost tree-less grassland, had never seen so many or so many kinds. If you had been there you would probably have known (he didn't) that he was seeing oaks, beeches, silver birches, rowans, and sweet chestnuts. Rabbits scurried away in every direction as they advanced, and presently they saw a whole herd of fallow deer making off among the trees.
于是他们开始攀登而上，走得很慢，曲曲折折，因为小山很陡。这是空旷的、公园似的乡野，看不见道路和房子。疏疏朗朗的树木到处都是，可总是没有密集到蔚然成林的。沙斯塔一向住在一个几乎没有树木的草原上，从未看见过这么多的树，这么多各种各样的树，如果你也在那儿，你就可能知道(他可不知道)，他正瞧见橡树、山毛棒、白桦、花楸、栗子树哩。他们前进时，野兔向四面八方乱窜，不久他们又看见一大群黄棕色黇鹿从林木之间逃逸而去。
"Isn't it simply glorious!" said Aravis.
“这真是美丽极了！”阿拉维斯说。
At the first ridge Shasta turned in the saddle and looked back. There was no sign of Tashbaan; the desert, unbroken except by the narrow green crack which they had travelled down, spread to the horizon.
走到第一个山脊上，沙斯塔在马鞍上转过身来回头望去，塔什班城已经无影无踪了；茫茫大沙漠一直绵延到天边上，唯一隔断沙漠的，就是刚才他们走过来的那狭狭的一道苍翠裂痕而已。
"Hullo!" he said suddenly. "What's that!"
“喂！”他突然说道，“那是什么呀?”
"What's what?" said Bree, turning round. Hwin and Aravis did the same.
“什么?”布里说道，它转过身来瞧瞧。赫温和阿拉维斯同样转过身来。
"That," said Shasta, pointing. "It looks like smoke. Is it a fire?"
“那个，”沙斯塔用手指点着，说道，“它看上去像一团烟。是一场大火吗?”
"Sand-storm, I should say," said Bree.
“据我看来，是沙暴。”布里说。
"Not much wind to raise it," said Aravis.
“风不大，扬不起沙暴。”阿拉维斯说。
"Oh!" exclaimed Hwin. "Look! There are things flashing in it. Look! They're helmets - and armour. And it's moving: moving this way."
“啊！”赫温叫道，“瞧！其中有东西在闪闪发光。瞧！是钢盔——盔甲。而且它在运动：向这边运动。”
"By Tash!" said Aravis. "It's the army. It's Rabadash."
“塔什神啊！”阿拉维斯说道，“这是军队。这是拉巴达什。”
"Oh course it is," said Hwin. "Just what I was afraid of. Quick! We must get to Anvard before it." And without another word she whisked round and began galloping North. Bree tossed his head and did the same.
“当然是拉巴达什的军队，”赫温说，“这正是我所担心的事。快！我们必须比军队先赶到安瓦德。”赫温二话不说，转过身来，开始向北驰骋。布里晃晃脑袋，同样向北奔驰而去。
"Come on, Bree, come on," yelled Aravis over her shoulder.
“赶上来吧，布里，赶上来吧。”阿拉维斯回头叫唤道。
The race was very gruelling for the Horses. As they topped each ridge they found another valley and another ridge beyond it; and though they knew they were going in more or less the right direction, no one knew how far it was to Anvard. From the top of the second ridge Shasta looked back again. Instead of a dust-cloud well out in the desert he now saw a black, moving mass, rather like ants, on the far bank of the Winding Arrow. They were doubtless looking for a ford.
对马儿来说，这是一场极度紧张的竞赛。它们到每个山脊的顶上时，总是发现前面还有山谷或山脊，虽然它们知道自己走的是大致正确的方向，却不知道离安瓦德还有多远。沙斯塔在第二个山脊上回头望去，现在看到的不是从大沙漠里冒起来的一股尘烟，而是一团黑魆魆的东西，倒有点儿像蚂蚁，正在叫作”盘旋的箭”的河岸上蠕动。毫无疑问，他们是在寻找可以涉水而过的地方。
"They're on the river!" he yelled wildly.
“他们到河边上了！”他疯狂地叫喊道。
"Quick! Quick!" shouted Aravis. "We might as well not have come at all if we don't reach Anvard in time. Gallop, Bree, gallop. Remember you're a war-horse."
“快！快！”阿拉维斯大声喊道，“如果我们不是及时赶到安瓦德，我们就等于压根儿没有来。快跑，布里，快跑。记住了，你是战马啊。”
It was all Shasta could do to prevent himself from shouting out similar instructions; but he thought, "The poor chap's doing all he can already," and held his tongue. And certainly both Horses were doing, if not all they could, all they thought they could; which is not quite the same thing. Bree had caught up with Hwin and they thundered side by side over the turf. It didn't look as if Hwin could possibly keep it up much longer.
沙斯塔能做的，只有克制自己，不要叫出类似的指示，他心里想，”这可怜的家伙已经把它所有的力气都使出来了。”但他没有说出口来。而这两匹马儿，如果不是竭尽全力，也都自以为竭尽全力了——这两者可不是一回事。布里已经追上赫温，它们并驾齐驱地隆隆驰过草地。看来赫温不可能这样坚持多久了。
At that moment everyone's feelings were completely altered by a sound from behind. It was not the sound they had been expecting to hear - the noise of hoofs and jingling armour, mixed, perhaps, with Calormene battle-cries. Yet Shasta knew it at once. It was the same snarling roar he had heard that moonlit night when they first met Aravis and Hwin. Bree knew it too. His eyes gleamed red and his ears lay flat back on his skull. And Bree now discovered that he had not really been going as fast - not quite as fast - as he could. Shasta felt the change at once. Now they were really going all out. In a few seconds they were well ahead of Hwin.
就在这关键时刻，大家的感觉都被背后的吼声完全改变了。这不是他们意料中的声音——马蹄嘚嘚声和盔甲丁当声，或者还夹杂着卡乐门人挑战的呐喊声。然而沙斯塔立刻听出来这是什么声音了。他们在月明之夜第一次遇见阿拉维斯和赫温时，听到的是同样的咆哮声。布里也立刻明白了。它的眼睛发亮，它的两个耳往后平贴在脑袋上。布里这时才发现，它并未确确实实地尽最大的力量快跑——跑得并不太快。现在可真的使足劲儿飞跑了。不出几秒钟，它就超过赫温好多了。
"It's not fair," thought Shasta. "I did think we'd be safe from lions here!"
“真是不顺利，”沙斯塔心中想道，“我还认为这儿比较安全、远离狮子哩！”
He looked over his shoulder. Everything was only too clear. A huge tawny creature, its body low to the ground, like a cat streaking across the lawn to a tree when a strange dog has got into the garden, was behind them. And it was nearer every second and half second.
他转过头去瞧瞧。一切看得分明极了。一头黄褐色的大型动物，躯体低垂及地，正尾随在他们的后面，仿佛一只陌生的狗闯进花园时，一只猫飞跑过草地要蹿到树上去的模样。眨眼之间，那动物愈逼愈近了。
He looked forward again and saw something which he did not take in, or even think about. Their way was barred by a smooth green wall about ten feet high. In the middle of that wall there was a gate, open. In the middle of the gateway stood a tall man dressed, down to his bare feet, in a robe coloured like autumn leaves, leaning on a straight staff. His beard fell almost to his knees.
他向前看看，瞧到了他没注意甚至没想到的事情。他们前进的道路被一道十英尺高的平整的绿色墙垣挡住了。墙垣的中间有个大门，洞开着。门里站着一个身材高大的人，赤脚穿一件秋叶色长袍，身子斜靠在一根笔直的手杖上。他的胡须很长，几乎下垂到膝头。
Shasta saw all this in a glance and looked back again. The lion had almost got Hwin now. It was making snaps at her hind legs, and there was no hope now in her foamflecked, wide-eyed face.
沙斯塔一眼便看到了这一切，他重新回过头去望。狮子现在几乎要抓住赫温了。狮子正在向赫温的后腿扑呀扑的，此刻赫温汗迹斑斑、两眼圆睁的脸上已经露出绝望的神色。
"Stop," bellowed Shasta in Bree's ear. "Must go back. Must help!"
“停步，”沙斯塔在布里的耳朵边大声叫嚷，“必须回去。必须救命去！”
Bree always said afterwards that he never heard, or never understood this; and as he was in general a very truthful horse we must accept his word.
布里事后老是说它从来没有听到这话，或是从来没有听懂这话；一般说来，它是匹十分忠实的马儿，我们必须相信它的话。
Shasta slipped his feet out of the stirrups, slid both his legs over the left side, hesitated for one hideous hundredth of a second, and jumped. It hurt horribly and nearly winded him; but before he knew how it hurt him he was staggering back to help Aravis. He had never done anything like this in his life before and hardly knew why he was doing it now.
沙斯塔从马镫里抽出两只脚，犹豫了可怕的百分之一秒钟，便从左边跳下马来。他受了重伤，几乎闪了腰，但他还没弄明白受了什么伤，便蹒跚着走回去拯救阿拉维斯了。他生平从未做过类似的事，现在也不知道他为什么要这样做。
One of the most terrible noises in the world, a horse's scream, broke from Hwin's lips. Aravis was stooping low over Hwin's neck and seemed to be trying to draw her sword. And now all three - Aravis, Hwin, and the lion were almost on top of Shasta. Before they reached him the lion rose on its hind legs, larger than you would have believed a lion could be, and jabbed at Aravis with its right paw. Shasta could see all the terrible claws extended. Aravis screamed and reeled in the saddle. The lion was tearing her shoulders. Shasta, half mad with horror, managed to lurch towards the brute. He had no weapon, not even a stick or a stone. He shouted out, idiotically, at the lion as one would at a dog. "Go home! Go home!" For a fraction of a second he was staring right into its wideopened, raging mouth. Then, to his utter astonishment, the lion, still on its hind legs, checked itself suddenly, turned head over heels, picked itself up, and rushed away.
世界上最最可怕的声音，一匹马儿的哀鸣，从赫温的嘴里迸发出来了。阿拉维斯正俯下身来伏在赫温的脖子上，似乎企图拔出刀来。如今她们三个——阿拉维斯、赫温和狮子，几乎就在沙斯塔的头顶之上。她们尚未靠近他，那狮子便用后腿站了起来(它躯体之巨大，你简直没法儿相信)，伸出前腿的右爪，猛扑阿拉维斯。沙斯塔看得见那伸开来的所有爪子。阿拉维斯尖声叫喊，在马鞍上摇摇晃晃。狮子在扯她的肩膀。沙斯塔惊惶得半疯半癫，设法向那野兽扑过去。他没有武器，连一根木棒或一块石头也没有。他傻瓜似的向狮子大喊，仿佛人们冲狗儿叫喊一样。“回家去！回家去！”在一秒钟不到的时间里，他瞪眼望着那张得大大的、凶猛的狮子嘴巴。接着，却使他诧异之至，那仍旧用后腿站着的狮子，突然克制自己，变得俯首贴地了，它随即抬起身子，迅速跑掉了。
Shasta did not for a moment suppose it had gone for good. He turned and raced for the gate in the green wall which, now for the first time, he remembered seeing. Hwin, stumbling and nearly fainting, was just entering the gate: Aravis still kept her seat but her back was covered with blood.
沙斯塔一时间还认为狮子不是真的跑掉了。他转过身来，向那绿色墙垣跑去，现在他是第一次记起他见过那墙垣。赫温，脚步蹒跚，快要昏过去了，刚进入大门；阿拉维斯仍旧坐在马鞍子上，但她的背上全是血。
"Come in, my daughter, come in," the robed and bearded man was saying, and then "Come in, my son" as Shasta panted up to him. He heard the gate closed behind him; and the bearded stranger was already helping Aravis off her horse.
“进来吧，我的女儿，进来吧。”穿袍子的长须老人说道。当沙斯塔上气不接下气地向他跑去时，他又说”进来吧，我的儿子。“沙斯塔听见他背后大门关上了，长须陌生人已经在帮助阿拉维斯下马。
They were in a wide and perfectly circular enclosure, protected by a high wall of green turf. A pool of perfectly still water, so full that the water was almost exactly level with the ground, lay before him. At one end of the pool, completely overshadowing it with its branches, there grew the hugest and most beautiful tree that Shasta had ever seen. Beyond the pool was a little low house of stone roofed with deep and ancient thatch. There was a sound of bleating and over at the far side of the enclosure there were some goats. The level ground was completely covered with the finest grass.
他们是在一个宽大的圆形围场里，四周有一道草皮叠成的绿色高墙保护。他们的面前是一浊十分平静的池水，水面几乎同地面齐平。池水的另一头，生长着沙斯塔从未见过的、最大最美丽的树木，枝繁叶茂，遮蔽着池水。池塘后面是一间低矮的小石头房子，茅草屋顶又厚又陈旧。还传来咩咩的羊鸣声，有些山羊在围场远远的一边。平坦的地面上铺满了鲜美的青草。
"Are - are - are you," panted Shasta. "Are you King Lune of Archenland?"
“你是——”沙斯塔气喘吁吁地问道，“你是阿钦兰的伦恩国王吗？”
The old man shook his head. "No," he replied in a quiet voice, "I am the Hermit of the Southern March. And now, my son, waste no time on questions, but obey. This damsel is wounded. Your horses are spent. Rabadash is at this moment finding a ford over the Winding Arrow. If you run now, without a moment's rest, you will still be in time to warn King Lune."
老人摇摇头。“不，”他答道，声音轻轻的，”我是南征隐士。听着，我的儿子，别浪费时间打听了，照我的话办吧。这位小姐受伤了。你们的马筋疲力尽了。拉巴达什此刻在旋箭河上已经找到了可以涉水而过的地点。如果你现在就飞跑而去，一刻也不休息，你将仍旧来得及向伦恩国王报警。”
Shasta's heart fainted at these words for he felt he had no strength left. And he writhed inside at what seemed the cruelty and unfairness of the demand. He had not yet learned that if you do one good deed your reward usually is to be set to do another and harder and better one. But all he said out loud was:
沙斯塔听到这话心凉了半截，因为他觉得他的力气已经用尽了，一点也不剩了。他内心苦恼，觉得对他的要求似乎太冷酷、太不公平了。他还没有懂得如果你做了一桩好事情，给你的报酬往往是叫你去干另一桩更艰难更高尚的事情。但沙斯塔只是大声问道:

返回书籍页