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3、能言马和男孩

_5 刘易斯 (英)
Shasta nodded: hoping he didn't look as frightened as felt.
沙斯塔点点头:希望他外表上不像他心里所感觉到的那么害怕。
The trumpet at last! On the move now - now trotting the banner streaming out in the wind. They had topped low ridge now, and below them the whole scene sudden opened out; a little, many-towered castle with its gate towards them. No moat, unfortunately, but of course the gate shut and the portcullis down. On the walls they could see, like little white dots, the faces of the defenders. Down below, about fifty of the Calormenes, dismounted, were steadily swinging a great tree trunk against the gate. But at once the scene changed. The main bulk of Rabadash's men had been on foot ready to assault the gate. But now he had seen the Narnians sweeping down from the ridge. There is no doubt those Calormenes are wonderfully trained. It seemed to Shasta only a second before a whole line of the enemy were on horseback again, wheeling round to meet them, swinging towards them.
喇叭声终于响了!现在部队行动起来了——现在马儿小跑着——旗帜在风中飘扬翻动着。现在他们爬上一个低低的山脊,山下整个景色突然展开在他们的面前。一个多塔楼小城堡,城门正对着他们。不幸没有护城河:城门当然是关上的,吊闸放下来了。他们望得见城墙上保卫者的脸,像小小的白点子。城下,大约五十个卡乐门人下了马,正稳稳地晃动着一根大树干撞击城门。但这景象立刻就发生变化了。拉巴达什的主力部队一直是下马步行准备攻击城门的,现在他们看到纳尼亚军队从山脊上奔腾而下。毫无疑问,这些卡乐门部队训练有素。沙斯塔觉得敌人在一秒钟内都上了马,形成整齐的一列队伍,拨转马头,向他们迎过来。
And now a gallop. The ground between the two armies grew less every moment. Faster, faster. All swords out now, all shields up to the nose, all prayers said, all teeth clenched. Shasta was dreadfully frightened. But it suddenly came into his head, "If you funk this, you'll funk every battle all your life. Now or never."
现在是一阵小跑,两军之间的距离时时刻刻都在缩短。跑得愈来愈快,愈来愈快。所有的刀剑都出鞘了,所有的盾牌都举到鼻子跟前了,所有的祷告都做过了,所有的牙齿都咬紧了。沙斯塔惊惶得厉害。但他脑子里突然想到:“这次你如果畏缩害怕,那么,你这一生,每打一次仗,都要畏缩害怕了。千载难逢,机不可失!”
But when at last the two lines met he had really very littler idea of what happened. There was a frightful confusion`; and an appalling noise. His sword was knocked clean out of his hand pretty soon. And he'd got the reins tangled somehow. Then he found himself slipping. Then a spear came straight at him and as he ducked to avoid it he rolled right off his horse, bashed his left knuckles terribly against someone else's armour, and then - But it is no use trying to describe the battle from Shasta's point of view; he understood too little of the fight in general and even of his own part in it. The best way I can tell you what really happened is to take you some miles away to where the Hermit of the Southern March sat gazing into the smooth pool beneath the spreading tree, with Bree and Hwin and Aravis beside him.
然而,最后两军相遇时,他确实对于现场发生的事情一点也不清楚。可怕的混乱和骇人听闻的呐喊。他手中的刀不久就干脆被打掉了。他手中的缰绳不知怎么也搞丢了。他发觉自己正在滑下马来。一枝长矛笔直地向他刺过来,他低头避开时从马上滚了下来,左膝关节猛烈地撞在别人的盔甲上,于是…….但试图从沙斯塔的观点去描写战争是毫无用处的;他对一般战斗懂得太少,连他自己在战斗中所扮演的角色他也不明白。把战役实际情况告诉你,最好的办法就是带你到几英里之外的南征隐士家里去,他正在大树的树荫下向平静的池水里目不转睛地凝视,布里、赫温和阿拉维斯都在他身边。
For it was in this pool that the Hermit looked when he wanted to know what was going on in the world outside the green walls of his hermitage. There, as in a mirror, he could see, at certain times, what was going on in the streets of cities far farther south than Tashbaan, or what ships were putting into Redhaven in the remote Seven Isles, or what robbers or wild beasts stirred in the great Western forests between Lantern Waste and Telmar. And all this day he had hardly left his pool, even to eat or drink, for he knew that great events were on foot in Archenland. Aravis and the Horses gazed into it too. They could see it was a magic pool: instead of reflecting the tree and the sky it revealed cloudy and coloured shapes moving, always moving, in its depths. But they could see nothing clearly. The Hermit could and from time to time he told them what he saw. A little while before Shasta rode into his first battle, the Hermit had begun speaking like this:
隐士想知道他隐居的绿墙之外的世界上正在发生的事情时,他就朝这池水里张望。在池水里,正如在镜子里一样,他能看得见在某一个特定的时间里,远在塔什班南方的城市里街道上正在发生的事情,或是什么船在遥远的七群岛驶进了红港,或是什么强盗或野兽在灯柱野林和台尔马之间的西部大森林里骚扰。这一天隐士一整天没有离开池塘,哪怕吃饭喝水也不离开,因为他知道有重大事件正在阿钦兰发生着。阿拉维斯和两匹马儿也在朝池塘里张望。她们看得出,这是一池魔水。水中不反映绿树蓝天,却在深处反映出那始终在活动着的、云雾似的彩色形象。但她们什么都看不清楚。隐士看得清,他时常把他所见到的告诉她们。沙斯塔骑马进入他初次作战的战场之前一会儿,隐士便这样讲道:
"I see one - two - three eagles wheeling in the gap by Stormness Head. One is the oldest of all the eagles. He would not be out unless battle was at hand. I see him wheel to and fro, peering down sometimes at Anvard and sometimes to the east, behind Stormness. Ah - I see now what Rabadash and his men have been so busy at all day. They have felled and lopped a great tree and they are now coming out of the woods carrying it as a ram. They have learned something from the failure of last night's assult. He would have been wiser if he had set his men to making ladders: but it takes too long and he is impatient. Fool that he is! He ought to have ridden back to Tashbaan as soon as the first attack failed, for his whole plan depended on speed and surprise. Now they are bringing their ram into position. King Lune's men are shooting hard from the walls. Five Calormenes have fallen: but not many will. They have their shields above their heads. Rabadash is giving his orders now. With him are his most trusted lords, fierce Tarkaans from the eastern provinces. I can see their faces. There is Corradin of Castle Tormunt, and Azrooh, and Chlamash, and Ilgamuth of the twisted lip, and a tall Tarkaan with a crimson beard -"
“我看见一只——两只——三只鹰在暴风雨峰的豁口里盘旋。有一只鹰是年纪最大的。除非战斗迫在眉睫,它是不会飞出来的。我看见它来回盘旋,有时俯瞰安瓦德,有时俯瞰暴风雨峰背后的东方。啊——现在我看到拉巴达什和他的部队整天在忙些什么了。他们伐倒一棵大树,锯了一大段树干,现在掮着树干从树林里出来了,要把树干当作攻城槌用。他们昨夜的攻击失败了,从失败中学到了一点儿东西。如果他叫他的部队制造云梯,他就更聪明了:但做云梯更费时间,他不耐烦,等不及。他真是个傻瓜!初战失败,他应该立刻骑马奔回塔什班去,因为他的整个作战计划,靠的是速度和出人意外。现在他们把攻城槌部署好了。伦恩国王的士兵从城上往下拼命射箭。五个卡乐门兵倒下了;但不会有许多人倒下的,他们的头上有盾牌挡着。现在拉巴达什发布命令了。跟他一起的,有他最信赖的王公大人,从东部各省来的凶猛的泰坎们。我看得见他们的脸。有托芒城堡的科拉丁、阿兹鲁、奇拉马什,歪嘴伊尔加默思,还有一个红胡子的泰坎——”
"By the Mane, my old master Anradin!" said Bree.
“天哪,我的老东家安拉丁啊!”布里说。
"S-s-sly" said Aravis.
“嘶——嘘。”阿拉维斯说。
"Now the ram has started. If I could hear as well as see, what a noise that would make! Stroke after stroke: and no gate can stand it for ever. But wait! Something up by Stormness has scared the birds. They're coming out in masses. And wait again . . . I can't see yet . . . ah! Now I can. The whole ridge, up on the east, is black with horsemen. If only the wind would catch that standard and spread it out. They're over the ridge now, whoever they are. Aha! I've seen the banner now. Narnia, Narnia! It's the red lion. They're in full career down the hill now. I can see King Edmund. There's a woman behind among the archers. Oh! -"
“现在攻城槌开始撞击了。如果我看得见也听得见就好了,那玩意儿会发出好大好大的声音啊!一槌又一槌的!没有一个城门能永远顶得住受得了的。且慢!暴风雨峰附近有什么东西惊动了飞鸟。鸟儿大群大群地飞出来了。再等一下……我还看不出……啊!现在我看得见了。东边高处,整个山脊上黑压压的全是骑兵。但愿风吹在军旗上把旗子展开就好了。不管他们是谁,现在他们越过山脊了。啊哈!我现在看到旗子了。纳尼亚,纳尼亚啊!是红狮旗。他们现在全速冲下山来了。我看见国王爱德蒙。殿后的弓箭手中有个女人。唷!——”
"What is it?" asked Hwin breathlessly.
“那些是什么东西啊?”赫温屏息静气地问道。
"All his Cats are dashing out from the left of the line."
“全部猫科野兽都从左边队伍里冲出来了。”
"Cats?" said Aravis.
“猫科吗?”阿拉维斯说。
"Great cats, leopards and such," said the Hermit impatiently. "I see, I see. The Cats are coming round in a circle to get at the horses of the dismounted men. A good stroke. The Calormene horses are mad with terror already. Now the Cats are in among them. But Rabadash has reformed his line and has a hundred men in the saddle. They're riding to meet the Narnians. There's only a hundred yards between the two lines now. Only fifty. I can see King Edmund, I can see the Lord Peridan. There are two mere children in the Narnian line. What can the King be about to let them into battle? Only ten yards - the lines have met. The Giants on the Narnian right are doing wonders . . . but one's down . . . shot through the eye, I suppose. The centre's all in a muddle. I can see more on the left. There are the two boys again. Lion alive! one is Prince Corm. The other, like him as two peas. It's your little Shasta. Corm is fighting like a man. He's killed a Calormene. I 'can see a bit of the centre now. Rabadash and Edmund almost met then, but the press has separated them -"
“猫科大野兽,豹子和豹子之类的野兽。”隐士不耐烦地说道,“我明白了,我明白了。猫科野兽要围成一圈,去逮住那些已经无人乘坐的马。好高明的一着棋。卡乐门的马已经害怕得发疯。现在猫科野兽又冲进这些马中间去了。但拉巴达什重新调整了他的队伍,有百来个骑兵坐上马鞍了。他们纵马迎战纳尼亚人。现在双方队伍相距不过一百码光景。不过五十码了。我看得见国王爱德蒙,我看得见珀里丹勋爵。纳尼亚队伍里有两个人,都不过是孩子。国王怎么能让孩子参加战斗呢?双方相距只有十码了——双方队伍接触了。纳尼亚一方,右边的巨人正在创造奇迹般的功勋……但有个巨人倒下了……给射中了眼睛,我猜想。中心是一场混战。左边我倒看到更多。又是那两个孩子。天哪,一个是科林王子。另一个很像科林,两人像两只梨一样相似。这另一个,就是你们的小沙斯塔。科林像个男子汉似的在作战。他杀死了一个卡乐门人。现在我看得见一点中心的情况了。这时拉巴达什和爱德蒙几乎撞上了,但被蜂拥上前的人群把他们分开了——”
"What about Shasta?" said Aravis.
“沙斯塔怎么样了?”阿拉维斯问。
"Oh the fool!" groaned the Hermit. "Poor, brave little fool. He knows nothing about this work. He's making no use at all of his shield. His whole side's exposed. He hasn't the faintest idea what to do with his sword. Oh, he's remembered it now. He's waving it wildly about . . . nearly cut his own pony's head off, and he will in a moment if he's not careful. It's been knocked out of his hand now. It's mere murder sending a child into the battle; he can't live five minutes. Duck you fool - oh, he's down."
“这傻瓜啊!”隐士叹息着说道,“可怜的、勇敢的小傻瓜。他对打仗啥也不知道。他压根儿没有使用他的盾牌。他的两胁都暴露在外面。他一点儿也不懂得怎样使用他的剑啊,现在他想起来要用剑了。他疯狂地挥舞着剑……几乎把他自己的马驹子的脑袋砍了下来。现在他手里的剑被人打落了。把孩子送上战场,只不过是谋杀罢了;他活不到五分钟了。你这傻瓜,低下脑袋呀——啊,他从马上跌下来了。”
"Killed?" asked three voices breathlessly.
“给杀死了吗?”三个声音屏息问道。
"How can I tell?" said the Hermit. "The Cats have done their work. All the riderless horses are dead or escaped now: no retreat for the Calormenes on them. Now the Cats are turning back into the main battle. They're leaping on the rams-men. The ram is down. Oh, good! good! The gates are opening from the inside: there's going to be a sortie. The first three are out. It's King Lune in the middle: the brothers Dar and Darrin on each side of him. Behind them are Tran and Shar and Cole with his brother Colin. There are ten - twenty - nearly thirty of them out by now. The Calormen line is being forced back upon them. King Edmund is dealing marvellous strokes. He's just slashed Corradin's head off. Lots of Calormenes have thrown down their arms and are running for the woods. Those that remain are hard pressed. The Giants are closing in on the right - Cats on the left - King Lune from their rear. The Calormenes are a little knot now, fighting back to back. Your Tarkaan's down, Bree. Lune and Azrooh are fighting hand to hand; the King looks like winning - the King is keeping it up well - the King has won. Azrooh's down. King Edmund's down - no, he's up again: he's at it with Rabadash. They're fighting in the very gate of the castle. Several Calormenes have surrendered. Darrin has killed Ilgamuth. I can't see what's happened to Rabadash. I think he's dead, leaning against the castle wall, but I don't know. Chlamash and King Edmund are still fighting but the battle is over everywhere else. Chlamash has surrendered. The battle is over. The Calormenes are utterly defeated."
“我怎么知道呢?”隐士说道,“猫科野兽完成了它们的战斗任务,无人骑的马不是死了就是逃散了:骑这些马的卡乐门人无生还的希望了。现在猫科野兽回转身来投入主要的战斗。它们扑到使用攻城槌的人们身上。攻城槌掉到地上了。啊,妙!妙!城门正在从里边儿打开:就要有一番突围出击了。开头出来三个人。国王伦恩在中间,达尔和达兰两兄弟在他的左右两边。他们的后面是特兰、沙尔、科尔和科临兄弟。现在他们出来了十个——二十个——三十个光景的将士。卡乐门队伍被迫后退了。国王爱德蒙正东砍西杀,发挥不可思议的威力。他刚把科拉丁的脑袋砍了下来。许多卡乐门士卒丢下武器,向树林里逃跑。留下的那些人被狠狠地紧逼着,巨人从右边,猫科野兽从左边,国王伦恩从他们的后面,一起进逼过来。现在卡乐门人腹背受敌,有点儿慌乱紧张,他们背靠背地应战。布里,你的那位泰坎倒下了。伦恩国王和阿兹鲁正徒手作战;国王看上去要赢了——国王保持着优势——国王已经赢了。阿兹鲁倒下了。国王爱德蒙倒下了——不,他重新站起来了:他是在和拉巴达什交手。他们就在城堡的大门口作战。好几个卡乐门人都投降了。达兰杀了伊尔加默思。我看不见拉巴达什出了什么事。我认为他是死了,身体靠在城墙上,不过我弄不明白。奇拉马什和国王爱德蒙仍在作战,但其他地方的战斗都结束了。奇拉马什投降了。战争结束了。卡乐门人完全被打败了。”
When Shasta fell off his horse he gave himself up for lost. But horses, even in battle, tread on human beings very much less than you would suppose. After a very horrible ten minutes or so Shasta realized suddenly that there were no longer any horses stamping about in the immediate neighbourhood and that the noise (for there were still a good many noises going on) was no longer that of a battle. He sat up and stared about him. Even he, little as he knew of battles, could soon see that the Archenlanders and Narnians had won. The only living Calormenes he could see were prisoners, the castle gates were wide open, and King Lune and King Edmund were shaking hands across the battering ram. From the circle of lords and warriors around them there arose a sound of breathless and excited, but obviously cheerful conversation. And then, suddenly, it all united and swelled into a great roar of laughter.
沙斯塔从马上跌下来时,他认为自己没有命了。但马踩人踏人,即使在战场上,也远比你料想的要少得多。非常恐怖的十分钟过去以后,沙斯塔突然发现:在邻近的地方不再有什么马在跺脚了,而喧闹的声音(因为仍旧有许许多多持续的喧闹声)不再是战争的声音了。他坐了起来,瞪眼打量着周围。虽然他对战争什么也不知道,但连他也很快就看出来了:阿钦兰人和纳尼亚人已经胜利了。他所看见的活着的卡乐门人便是俘虏。城堡的大门大开着,伦恩国王和爱德蒙国王正越过攻城槌彼此握手。在他们周围的一圈王公大人和战士们中间,响起了一阵激动不已但显然很愉快的谈话。接着,谈话声突然联结起来,扩展成为轰然大笑的声音。
Shasta picked himself up, feeling uncommonly stiff, and ran towards the sound to see what the joke was. A very curious sight met his eyes. The unfortunate Rabadash appeared to be suspended from the castle walls. His feet, which were about two feet from the ground, were kicking wildly. His chain-shirt was somehow hitched up so that it was horribly tight under the arms and came half way over his face. In fact he looked just as a man looks if you catch him in the very act of getting into a stiff shirt that is a little too small for him. As far as could be made out afterwards (and you may be sure the story was well talked over for many a day) what happened was something like this. Early in the battle one of the Giants had made an unsuccessful stamp at Rabadash with his spiked boot: unsuccessful because it didn't crush Rabadash, which was what the Giant had intended, but not quite useless because one of the spikes tore the chain mail, just as you or I might tear an ordinary shirt. So Rabadash, by the time he encountered Edmund at the gate, had a hole in the back of his hauberk. And when Edmund pressed him back nearer and nearer to the wall, he jumped up on a mounting block and stood there raining down blows on Edmund from above. But then, finding that this position, by raising him above the heads of everyone else, made him a mark for every arrow from the Narnian bows, he decided to jump down again. And he meant to look and sound - no doubt for a moment he did look and sound - very grand and very dreadful as he jumped, crying, "The bolt of Tash falls from above." But he had to jump sideways because the crowd in front of him left him no landing place in that direction. And then, in the neatest way you could wish, the tear in the back of his hauberk caught on a hook in the wall. (Ages ago this hook had had a ring in it for tying horses to.) And there he found himself, like a piece of washing hung up to dry, with everyone laughing at him.
沙斯塔爬起身来,觉得四肢异乎寻常地不灵活,他朝着哄笑声跑过去,去看看闹的是什么笑话。他所见到的,是一幅十分奇怪的景象。倒霉的拉巴达什看来被悬挂在城堡的墙上。他的脚离地两英尺光景,正疯狂地乱踢着。他的锁子甲有点儿被吊了起来,腋下紧得可怕,中间遮住了半个脸。事实上,他看上去就像一个人正把一件尺寸太小的衬衫硬穿上身去时的模样儿。就后来尽可能收集到的材料看来(你可以确信无疑,这个故事被人们反复讲了好多天),事情的经过大致是这样的:刚开仗时,有个巨人用他的尖钉大靴子不成功地踩了拉巴达什一脚;不成功,是指他未能如愿以偿地把拉巴达什踩个稀巴烂;但也不是毫无作用,因为靴子上的尖钉刺破了锁子甲,就像你或我可能撕破一件普通的衬衫一样。所以,拉巴达什正和爱德蒙在城门口交手搏斗时,他那锁子甲的背后有个窟窿。当爱德蒙逼得他愈来愈靠近城墙时,他跳上了一个高台,他站在台上,手中的剑雨点般向爱德蒙攻击。但接着他就觉得这个地位既使他高出于众人之上,又使他成为纳尼亚弓箭手的众矢之的,他决定重新跳下台来。他有意要观察风色,试探试探——毫无疑问,他确实观察试探了一会儿——他跳得十分庄严十分可怕,口中大声喊道:”塔什神的雷霆从天上打下来了。”但他不得不朝旁边跳,因为他前边儿的人群很挤,正前方已没有他插足的地方。接着,用你可以期望的最简洁的方式来说,他背部锁子甲上的窟窿,被墙上一个钩子钩住了(几百年前,这钩子曾经是个系马的铁圈)。他发现自己像是一件洗好的、挂在那儿晾干的衣服,人人都在嘲笑他哩。
"Let me down, Edmund," howled Rabadash. "Let me down and fight me like a king and a man; or if you are too great a coward to do that, kill me at once."
“爱德蒙,放我下来,”拉巴达什号叫道,“放我下来,像个国王和男子汉那样同我作战;如果你是个大懦夫,不敢放我下来,就立刻杀了我。”
"Certainly," began King Edmund, but King Lune interrupted.
“当然可以。”国王爱德蒙开始说话了,但伦恩国王打断了他的话。
"By your Majesty's good leave," said King Lune to Edmund. "Not so." Then turning to Rabadash he said, "Your royal Highness, if you had given that challenge a week ago, I'll answer for it there was no one in King Edmund's dominion, from the High King down to the smallest Talking Mouse, who would have refused it. But by attacking our castle of Anvard in time of peace without defiance sent, you have proved yourself no knight, but a traitor, and one rather to be whipped by the hangman than to be suffered to cross swords with any person of honour. Take him down, bind him, and carry him within till our pleasure is further known."
“请陛下允许我插一句,”国王伦恩对爱德蒙说道,“不要这样。”然后,他转过来对拉巴达什说道:“殿下,如果你曾在一个星期前提出挑战书,我就会保证:在国王爱德蒙的国土内,上至至尊王,下至最小的会说人话的耗子,谁也不会拒绝你的请求。然而,你在和平时期,挑战书也不送一份,就进攻我们的安瓦德城堡,你的行为证明你自己不是什么真正的武士,而是个奸贼,是个只配由刽子手来鞭打的家伙,不配由任何高贵的人持刀与之交锋。把他带下去,把他绑起来,带他到城里去,等我们公布了我们欢乐的大喜事以后再说。”
Strong hands wrenched Rabadash's sword from him and he was carried away into the castle, shouting, threatening, cursing, and even crying. For though he could have faced torture he couldn't bear being made ridiculous. In Tashbaan everyone had always taken him seriously.
强壮的手从拉巴达什手里夺走了他的剑,他被带进城堡里去了,他叫喊着,威吓着,咒骂着,甚至大号大哭着。因为,尽管他能面对严刑拷打,却受不了人们的嘲弄耻笑。在塔什班城,人人都是严肃认真地对待他的。
At that moment Corin ran up to Shasta, seized his hand and started dragging him towards King Lune. "Here he is, Father, here he is," cried Corin.
就在这个时候,科林向沙斯塔跑来,抓住他的手,开始拖着他向国王走去。“他在这儿了,父亲,他在这儿了。”科林大声说道。
"Aye, and here thou art, at last," said the King in a very gruff voice. "And bast been in the battle, clean contrary to your obedience. A boy to break a father's heart! At your age a rod to your breech were fitter than a sword in your fist, ha!" But everyone, including Corin, could see that the King was very proud of him.
“呀,你还是到这儿来了,”国王用一种十分粗暴的声音说道,“而且压根不听话,竟参加了战斗。一个叫父亲担忧心碎的孩子啊。以你这般年纪,屁股后插根棍棒要比手中拿把剑合适得多。哈哈!”但包括科林在内,人人都看得出国王十分以他自豪。
"Chide him no more, Sire, if it please you," said Lord Darrin. "His Highness would not be your son if he did not inherit your conditions. It would grieve your Majesty more if he had to be reproved for the opposite fault."
“陛下,对不起,别再责备他了,”达兰勋爵说道,“如果他不继承你的英雄气概的话,殿下就不可能是你的儿子了。如果他应该为相反的错误而受责备的话,那就会使陛下更加伤心了。”
"Well, well," grumbled the King. "We'll pass it over for this time. And now -"
“行了,行了,”国王咕咕哝哝地说道,“我们这一回就放过他吧。现在……”
What came next surprised Shasta as much as anything that had ever happened to him in his life. He found himself suddenly embraced inn bear-like hug by King Lune and kissed on both cheeks. Then the King set him down again and said, "Stand here together, boys, and let all the court see you. Hold up your heads. Now, gentlemen, look on them both. Has any man any doubts?"
继之而来的事情使沙斯塔感到的惊讶,丝毫不亚于他生平遭遇到的任何事情。他发觉国王伦恩突然像熊一样把他紧紧抱住,亲吻他的双颊。然后国王把他重新放下,说道:“孩子们一起站在这儿吧,让朝廷上的人都来看看你们。昂起你们的头来。现在,先生们,瞧瞧他们两个人吧。还有什么人会有什么怀疑吗?”
And still Shasta could not understand why everyone stared at him and at Corin nor what all the cheering was about.
而沙斯塔依旧不明白:为什么人人都目不转晴地瞧着他和科林?这一切欢呼又是怎么一回事呢?
Chapter 14
第十四章
HOW BREE BECAME A WISER HORSE
布里怎样变成一匹聪明的马儿
WE must now return to Aravis and the Horses. The Hermit, watching his pool, was able to tell them that Shasta was not killed or even seriously wounded, for he saw him get up and saw how affectionately he was greeted by King Lune. But as he could only see, not hear, he did not know what anyone was saying and, once the fighting had stopped and the talking had begun, it was not worth while looking in the pool any longer.
现在我们必须回过来说说阿拉维斯和马儿们了。隐士注视着他的池水,能够告诉她们沙斯塔并没给杀死,或是甚至没受重伤,因为他看见他站了起来,看见他受到国王伦恩慈爱的接待。但因为他只能看,却听不见,他就不知道什么人正在说些什么话,而且,一旦战斗停止,谈话开始,也就不值得再往池水里张望了。
Next morning, while the Hermit was indoors, the three of them discussed what they should do next.
第二天早晨,隐士还在屋子里时,她们三个讨论起下一步该怎么办来了。
"I've had enough of this," said Hwin. "The Hermit has been very good to us and I'm very much obliged to him I'm sure. But I'm getting as fat as a pet pony, eating all day and getting no exercise. Let's go on to Narnia."
“这种生活,我觉得已经过够了,”赫温说,“隐士待我们很好,我自问确实十分感激他。但我整天吃呀吃的,一点运动也没有,正在胖得像匹供玩赏的小马驹了。让我们继续向纳尼亚前进吧。”
"Oh not today, Ma'am," said Bree. "I wouldn't hurry things. Some other day, don't you think?"
“啊,今天不走,女士,”布里说道,“我不喜欢匆匆忙忙的。再过几天,你看怎么样?”
"We must see Shasta first and say good-bye to him - and - and apologize," said Aravis.
“我必须首先看到沙斯塔,跟他告别——而且——而且向他道歉。”阿拉维斯说。
"Exactly!" said Bree with great enthusiasm. "Just what I was going to say."
“确实应该如此!”布里十分热情地说道,“这正是我要说的意思。”
"Oh, of course," said Hwin. "I expect he is in Anvard. Naturally we'd look in on him and say good-bye. But that's on our way. And why shouldn't we start at once? After all, I thought it was Narnia we all wanted to get to?"
“啊,当然啦,”赫温说,“我料想他是在安瓦德,自然我们要去看看他,同他道别。但那是我们顺路就可以办到的。我们干吗不立刻就走呢?总而言之,我认为我们大家都想去的地方就是纳尼亚。”
"I suppose so," said Aravis. She was beginning to wonder what exactly she would do when she got there and was feeling a little lonely.
“我看是这样。”阿拉维斯说道。她正开始考虑她到达纳尼亚时究竟要做什么事情,同时感到有点儿寂寞。
"Of course, of course," said Bree hastily. "But there's no need to rush things, if you know what I mean."
“当然,当然,”布里急忙说道,“然而无需急急忙忙的啊,如果你了解我心里的意思的话。”
"No, I don't know what you mean," said Hwin. "Why don't you want to go?"
“不,我不了解你的意思,”赫温说,“为什么你不想走呢?”
"M-m-m, broo-hoo," muttered Bree. "Well, don't you see, Ma'am - it's an important occasion - returning to one's country - entering society - the best society - it is so essential to make a good impression - not perhaps looking quite ourselves, yet, eh?"
“呣——呣——呣,布罗——呼,”布里含含糊糊地说道,“呀,你不明白吗,女士——这是个重要时机——回到自己的祖国——进入社交界——最高尚的社交界——给人一个好印象,是非常重要的——然而我们看上去还没恢复本来面目,是不是?”
Hwin broke out into a horse-laugh. "It's your tail, Bree! I see it all now. You want to wait till your tail's grown again! And we don't even know if tails are worn long in Narnia. Really, Bree, you're as vain as that Tarkheena in Tashbaan!"
赫温爆发出一阵马儿的哈哈大笑。“布里,你考虑的是你的尾巴!现在我完全明白了。你想等到你的尾巴重新长出来!而我们甚至并不知道,在纳尼亚马儿是否留长尾巴呢。布里啊,确确实实,你虚荣心很强,就跟那位塔什班城里的泰克希娜一模一样。”
"You are silly, Bree," said Aravis.
“你真憨,布里。”阿拉维斯说。
"By the Lion's Mane, Tarkheena, I'm nothing of the sort," said Bree indignantly. "I have a proper respect for myself and for my fellow horses, that's all."
“凭狮王的鬃毛起誓,我丝毫不是泰克希娜那种人物,”布里愤愤地说道,“我对我自己,对我的马儿伙伴,我抱有一种恰如其分的尊重,如此而已。”
"Bree," said Aravis, who was not very interested in the cut of his tail, "I've been wanting to ask you something for a long time. Why do you keep on swearing By the Lion and By the Lion's Mane? I thought you hated lions."
“布里,”阿拉维斯说,她对割短尾巴的事不太感兴趣,“我好久以来一直想问你一些事情。为什么你不断地‘凭狮子’、‘凭狮子的鬃毛’起誓赌咒?我竟以为你憎恨狮子哩。”
"So I do," answered Bree. "But when I speak of the Lion of course I mean Aslan, the great deliverer of Narnia who drove away the Witch and the Winter. All Narnians swear by him."
“我是憎恨狮子的,”布里答道,“但我说起狮子时,当然是指阿斯兰,纳尼亚的伟大救星,是它把女巫和冬天驱逐的。所有纳尼亚人都是以阿斯兰起誓的。”
"But is he a lion?"
“然而,它是头狮子吗?”
"No, no, of course not," said Bree in a rather shocked voice.
“不,不,当然不是。”布里用颇为惊惶的声调说道。
"All the stories about him in Tashbaan say he is," replied Aravis. "And if he isn't a lion why do you call him a lion?"
“在塔什班,所有的故事都说它是狮子。”阿拉维斯说道,“如果它不是一头狮子,你又干吗称它为狮子呢?”
"Well, you'd hardly understand that at your age," said Bree. "And I was only a little foal when I left so I don't quite fully understand it myself."
“以你这般年龄,是很难搞明白的,”布里说,“我离开纳尼亚时,只不过是匹未满一岁的小驹子,所以我自己也搞不大明白。”
Bree was standing with his back to the green wall while he said this, and the other two were facing him. He was talking in rather a superior tone with his eyes half shut; that was why he didn't see the changed expression in the faces of Hwin and Aravis. They had good reason to have open mouths and staring eyes; because while Bree spoke they saw an enormous lion leap up from outside and balance itself on the top of the green wall; only it was a brighter yellow and it was bigger and more beautiful and more alarming than any lion they had ever seen. And at once it jumped down inside the wall and began approaching Bree from behind. It made no noise at all. And Hwin and Aravis couldn't make any noise themselves, no more than if they were frozen.
布里说这话时是背对着绿色墙垣的,其他两位则面对着布里。布里半闭着眼睛,以一种长辈的口气说着话儿,所以它没看见赫温和阿拉维斯脸上表情的变化。她们张大嘴巴、睁大眼睛,是大有理由的,因为布里说话时,她们看见一头巨大的狮子从墙外蹿起来,稳稳地落在绿色墙头上:跟她们见过的任何狮子比起来,它只是颜色黄得更加发亮发光,躯体更加粗壮,更加美丽,也更加令人害怕。它立刻跳进墙里,开始从背后走近布里。它压根儿没有弄出什么声音来。赫温和阿拉维斯吓得什么声音也发不出来了,仿佛冻僵了似的。
"No doubt," continued Bree, "when they speak of him as a Lion they only mean he's as strong as a lion or (to our enemies, of course) as fierce as a lion. Or something of that kind. Even a little girl like you, Aravis, must see that it would be quite absurd to suppose he is a real lion. Indeed it would be disrespectful. If he was a lion he'd have to be a Beast just like the rest of us. Why!" (and here Bree began to laugh) "If he was a lion he'd have four paws, and a tail, and Whiskers! . . . Aie, ooh, hoo-hoo! Help!"
“毫无疑问,”布里继续说道,“人家把它当做一头狮子讲起它时,他们的意思不过是指它强壮如一头狮子,或者(当然是对我们的敌人而言)凶猛如一头狮子;或者是诸如此类的意思。阿拉维斯,哪怕是像你这样的一个小姑娘,也必须留神啊,你若认为它是头真正的狮子,那就是荒谬绝伦了。确实会失礼失敬哩。如果它是头狮子,那么,它就同我们其他的马儿一样,非得是兽类不可了。呃!”(说到这儿,布里开始哈哈大笑。)“如果它是头狮子,它就得生着四只脚爪,一条尾巴,还有胡子!……阿艾伊,呜,嗬——嗬!救命呀!”
For just as he said the word Whiskers one of Aslan's had actually tickled his ear. Bree shot away like an arrow to the other side of the enclosure and there turned; the wall was too high for him to jump and he could fly no farther. Aravis and Hwin both started back. There was about a second of intense silence.
因为恰巧在布里说到“胡子”两字时,阿斯兰的一根胡子竟然痒痒地触到了它的耳朵。布里像枝箭似的蹿到了围墙的另一边,然后转过身来:可是墙太高,它跳不过去,它没法儿逃得更远了。阿拉维斯和赫温都吓得往后退缩。大约有一秒钟光景,紧张得寂静无声。
Then Hwin, though shaking all over, gave a strange little neigh, and trotted across to the Lion.
接着,赫温虽然浑身发抖,却发出一声奇怪的低低的嘶鸣,跨着小步向狮子走过去。
"Please," she said, "you're so beautiful. You may eat me if you like. I'd sooner be eaten by you than fed by anyone else."
“对不起,”赫温说,“你是那么美丽。你不妨把我吃掉,如果你想吃的话。我宁可早点被你吃掉,而不愿由别的什么人来喂我。”
"Dearest daughter," said Aslan, planting a lion's kiss on her twitching, velvet nose, "I knew you would not be long in coming to me. Joy shall be yours."
“亲爱的女儿,”阿斯兰说道,在它那翕动的天鹅绒般的鼻子上印了个狮子的亲吻,“我知道你不久就会来到我身边的。欢乐必将归你所有。”
Then he lifted his head and spoke in a louder voice.
然后它抬起头来,用更响亮的声音说话。
"Now, Bree," he said, "you poor, proud frightened Horse, draw near. Nearer still, my son. Do not dare not to dare. Touch me. Smell me. Here are my paws, here is my tail, these are my whiskers. I am a true Beast."
“布里啊,”它说,“你这可怜巴巴、骄傲自大、大吃一惊的马儿,靠拢我吧。再靠拢一点,我的儿子。不该胆大的,不要胆大妄为。你摸摸我。闻闻我。这儿是我的脚爪,这儿是我的尾巴,这些是我的胡子。我是一头真正的野兽。”
"Aslan," said Bree in a shaken voice, "I'm afraid I must be rather a fool."
“阿斯兰,”布里用一种颤抖的声调说道,“我担心我必定是个地道的傻瓜。”
"Happy the Horse who knows that while he is still young. Or the Human either. Draw near, Aravis my daughter. See! My paws are velveted. You will not be torn this time."
“马儿在仍然年轻时明白这个道理,是幸福的。人也一样。靠拢来吧,我的女儿阿拉维斯,瞧!我的脚爪像天鹅绒一般。这一次你不会被抓伤的。”
"This time, sir?" said Aravis.
“先生,这一次吗?”阿拉维斯说道。
"It was I who wounded you," said Aslan. "I am the only lion you met in all your journeyings. Do you know why I tore you?"
“上一次抓伤你的,就是我,”阿斯兰说,“我是你在整个旅途中碰到的唯一一头狮子。你可知道,为什么我抓伤你?”
"No, sir."
“不知道,先生。”
"The scratches on your back, tear for tear, throb for throb, blood for blood, were equal to the stripes laid on the back of your stepmother's slave because of the drugged sleep you cast upon her. You needed to know what it felt like."
“你背上的伤痕,皮破对皮破,疼痛对疼痛,血痕对血痕,跟你后母的女奴背上的鞭痕是相对应的,因为你叫她吃了药沉睡,害她挨打。”
"Yes, sir. Please-"
“是的,先生。对不起——”
"Ask on, my dear," said Aslan.
“再问吧,我亲爱的。”阿斯兰说。
"Will any more harm come to her by what I did?"
“因为我捉弄得她睡熟了,她还会受到其他伤害吗?”
"Child," said the Lion, "I am telling you your story, not hers. No one is told any story but their own." Then he shook his head and spoke in a lighter voice.
“孩子,”狮子说道,“我要告诉你的,是你自己的故事,不是那女奴的。我对哪一个人都是只讲他自己的故事。”然后它就摇摇头,改用比较轻快的声调说话。
"Be merry, little ones," he said. "We shall meet soon again. But before that you will have another visitor." Then in one bound he reached the top of the wall and vanished from their sight.
“小家伙,高兴起来吧,”它说,“我们不久会重新见面的。然而,在此之前,你将有另一个客人来访。”于是它一跳便蹿上墙头,消失了,她们看不见它了。
Strange to say, they felt no inclination to talk to one another about him after he had gone. They all moved slowly away to different parts of the quiet grass and there paced to and fro, each alone, thinking.
说也奇怪,阿斯兰走了以后,她们都无意在背后互相谈论它。她们大家都慢慢地走开去了,走到宁静的草地上不同的角落里去了,独自在那儿蹀躞,沉思又沉思。
About half an hour later the two Horses were summoned to the back of the house to eat something nice that the Hermit had got ready for them and Aravis, still walking and thinking, was startled by the harsh sound of a trumpet outside the gate.
半个钟头以后,两匹马儿被叫到屋子后面去吃些隐士为它们准备好的好东西,而阿拉维斯仍在散步、思索,大门外一阵喇叭声吓了她一跳。
"Who is there?" asked Aravis.
“门外是谁啊?”阿拉维斯说。
"His Royal Highness Prince Cor of Archenland," said a voice from outside.
“阿钦兰的王子科奥殿下。”有个声音在门外说道。
Aravis undid the door and opened it, drawing back a little way to let the strangers in.
阿拉维斯拔掉门闩,打开大门,稍稍退后一点儿,让陌生人进来。
Two soldiers with halberds came first and took their stand at each side of the entry. Then followed a herald, and the trumpeter.
两个持戟士卒先走进门来,在入口处的两旁站岗。跟着进来的是个传令官,还有号手。
"His Royal Highness Prince Cor of Archenland desires an audience of the Lady Aravis," said the Herald. Then he and the trumpeter drew aside and bowed and the soldiers saluted and the Prince himself came in. All his attendants withdrew and closed the gate behind them.
“阿钦兰的王子科奥殿下要接见阿拉维斯女士。”传令官说道。然后他和号手退到一边,鞠躬,兵士敬礼,王子本人进门来了。他所有的随从都退了出去,随手把大门关上。
The Prince bowed, and a very clumsy bow for a Prince it was. Aravis curtsied in the Calormene style (which is not at all like ours) and did it very well because, of course, she had been taught how. Then she looked up and saw what sort of person this Prince was.
王子鞠躬,就一位王子而言,这是个笨拙的鞠躬。阿拉维斯按照卡乐门的方式行礼(压根儿跟我们的屈膝礼不一样),当然,她行的礼中规中矩、像模像样,因为父母教过她怎样行礼。然后她抬起头来,瞧瞧这位王子是何等样人。
She saw a mere boy. He was bare-headed and his fair hair was encircled with a very thin band of gold, hardly thicker than a wire. His upper tunic was of white cambric, as fine as a handkerchief, so that the bright red tunic beneath it showed through. His left hand, which rested on his enamelled sword hilt, was bandaged.
她看到他不过是个毛孩子。他没戴帽子,漂亮的金发上裹了一条薄薄的黄金带子,不过一根铁丝那么厚。他的紧身短外衣是白麻布做的,细洁得像手绢儿一样,所以明显地映出了里边鲜亮的红色内衣。他那按在宝剑珐琅柄上的左手外面裹着绷带。
Aravis looked twice at his face before she gasped and said, "Why! It's Shasta!"
阿拉维斯再次凝视着他的脸,这才吁出一口气,说道:“呀!你是沙斯塔啊!”
Shasta all at once turned very red and began speaking very quickly. "Look here, Aravis," he said, "I do hope you won't think I'm got up like this (and the trumpeter and all) to try to impress you or make out that I'm different or any rot of that sort. Because I'd far rather have come in my old clothes, but they're burnt now, and my father said -"
沙斯塔立刻涨得满脸通红,赶快说道,“你听我说,阿拉维斯,我真希望你不要认为我这副打扮(以及号手等等的这种排场)是为了使你印象深刻,或是显得我与众不同,或诸如此类的摆阔炫耀。因为我倒宁可穿着我的旧衣服来见你,但旧衣服现在已经被烧掉了,而且我的父亲说——”
"Your father?" said Aravis.
“你的父亲?”阿拉维斯说。
"Apparently King Lune is my father," said Shasta. "I might really have guessed it. Corin being so like me. We were twins, you see. Oh, and my name isn't Shasta, it's Cor."
“国王伦恩显然是我的父亲,”沙斯塔说道,“我确实应该猜得到的。科林是那么像我。你瞧,我们是孪生兄弟。啊,我的名字不叫沙斯塔,我叫科奥。”
"Cor is a nicer name than Shasta," said Aravis.
“科奥这名字,比沙斯塔好。”阿拉维斯说。
"Brothers' names run like that in Archenland," said Shasta (or Prince Cor as we must now call him). "Like Dar and Darrin, Cole and Colin and so on."
“在阿钦兰,兄弟们的名字是这样的,”沙斯塔(或者是王子科奥,现在我们必须这样称呼他了)说道,“例如达尔和达兰,科尔和科临,依此类推。”
"Shasta - I mean Cor," said Aravis. "No, shut up. There's something I've got to say at once. I'm sorry I've been such a pig. But I did change before I knew you were a Prince, honestly I did: when you went back, and faced the Lion."
“沙斯塔——我心里想说的是科奥,”阿拉维斯说道,“不,你别说话。有些事情我得立刻说出来。我很抱歉,我曾经是一头蠢猪。但在知道你是王子之前,我已经改变了,说老实话:你跑回来对抗狮子时,我真的改变了。”
"It wasn't really going to kill you at all, that Lion," said Cor.
“那狮子,压根儿不是真的要杀死你。”科奥说。
"I know," said Aravis, nodding. Both were still and solemn for a moment as each saw that the other knew about Aslan.
“我知道,”阿拉维斯点点头说道。彼此都看出对方了解阿斯兰时,有好一会儿,两个人变得沉默无言、严肃庄重。
Suddenly Aravis remembered Cor's bandaged hand. "I say!" she cried, "I forgot! You've been in a battle. Is that a wound?"
阿拉维斯突然记起科奥裹着绷带的手。“啊呀!”她大声叫道,“我竟忘记了!你参加了战斗。这是受的伤吗?”
"A mere scratch," said Cor, using for the first time a rather lordly tone. But a moment later he burst out laughing and said, "If you want to know the truth, it isn't a proper wound at all. I only took the skin off my knuckles just as any clumsy fool might do without going near a battle."
“不过擦破一点皮。”科奥说道,第一次用了王公大臣的口气。但一会儿后他哈哈大笑着说道,“如果你想知道真相,那就压根儿不算是正式受伤。我只不过是在指关节上擦掉了皮,没有接近过战场的任何笨拙的傻瓜,都会这样受伤的。”
"Still you were in the battle," said Aravis. "It must have been wonderful."
“可你毕竟是参加了战斗,”阿拉维斯说,“这必定是了不得、不得了的。”
"It wasn't at all like what I thought," said Cor.
“压根儿不像我原先想像的那样。”科奥说。
"But Sha - Cor, I mean - you haven't told me anything yet about King Lune and how he found out who you were."
“但沙——我本来想说科奥——关于国王伦恩和他怎样发现你是谁的事,你还一点儿也没有跟我谈起呢。”
"Well, let's sit down," said Cor. "For it's rather a long story. And by the way, Father's an absolute brick. I'd be just as pleased - or very nearly - at finding he's my father even if he wasn't a king. Even though Education and all sorts of horrible things are going to happen to me. But you want the story. Well, Corin and I were twins. And about a week after we were both born, apparently, they took us to a wise old Centaur in Narnia to be blessed or something. Now this Centaur was a prophet as a good many Centaurs are. Perhaps you haven't seen any Centaurs yet? There were some in the battle yesterday. Most remarkable people, but I can't say I feel quite at home with them yet. I say, Aravis, there are going to be a lot of things to get used to in these Northern countries."
“好吧,让我们坐下来谈,”科奥说,“因为这是很长的故事。顺便说一句,父亲是个绝对的好心人。发现他是我的父亲,哪怕他不是个国王,我也会同样高兴的;尽管教育和其他种种可怕的事情都要逼到我头上来了。但你要听的是故事。哦,原来科林和我是孪生兄弟。很明显,我们俩出生后一个星期,他们就把我们带到纳尼亚一个年迈聪明的人头马家里,去接受祝福什么的。却说这怪物是个预言家,就像许多优秀的人马那样。昨天的战斗中也有几个人马,确是最最杰出的人物:但我跟它们在一起还不能感到十分自在。我说,阿拉维斯,在这些北方国家里,我们有许多东西必须习惯起来才好。”
"Yes, there are," said Aravis. "But get on with the story."
“是的,有好多哩,”阿拉维斯说道,“可你把故事讲下去啊!”
"Well, as soon as he saw Corin and me, it seems this Centaur looked at me and said, A day will come when that boy will save Archenland from the deadliest danger in which ever she lay. So of course my Father and Mother were very pleased. But there was someone present who wasn't. This was a chap called the Lord Bar who had been Father's Lord Chancellor. And apparently he'd done something wrong - bezzling or some word like that - I didn't understand that part very well - and Father had had to dismiss him. But nothing else was done to him and he was allowed to go on living in Archenland. But he must have been as bad as he could be, for it came out afterwards he had been in the pay of the Tisroc and had sent a lot of secret information to Tashbaan. So as soon as he heard I was going to save Archenland from a great danger he decided I must be put out of the way. Well, he succeeded in kidnapping me (I don't exactly know how) and rode away down the Winding Arrow to the coast. He'd had everything prepared and there was a ship manned with his own followers lying ready for him and he put out to sea with me on board. But Father got wind of it, though not quite in time, and was after him as quickly as he could. The Lord Bar was already at sea when Father reached the coast, but not out of sight. And Father was embarked in one of his own warships within twenty minutes.
“哦,一看见科林和我,这怪物似乎瞧着我说道:有朝一日,这孩子将把阿钦兰从它从未遇到过的致命危险中拯救出来。所以,我的父亲和母亲当然十分高兴。然而,有个在场的人并不高兴。这是个叫作巴尔勋爵的家伙,他曾经作过我父亲手下的大法官。显然他犯了些错误——贪污渎职或者类似这样的词儿——这段情节我不大明白——父亲不得不解除他的职务,但没有对他作其他惩罚,仍旧允许他继续生活在阿钦兰。但他必定是尽可能为非作歹,因为后来查明,他曾经接受蒂斯罗克的收买,把许多秘密情报送到了塔什班城。所以,他一听见我将把阿钦兰从极大的危险中拯救出来,就下定决心必须把我除掉。接着,他成功地绑架了我(我不知道究竟怎样绑架的),骑马沿着旋箭河跑往海滩。他把一切都准备好了,有一条由他的随从们控制的船在那儿等他,他带着我上船出海去了。但我父亲风闻其事,虽然不太及时,还是尽力地追赶。父亲到达海滩时,巴尔勋爵已经出海,但还望得见。父亲在二十分钟之内便跳上了他的一艘战舰。
"It must have been a wonderful chase. They were six days following Bar's galleon and brought her to battle on the seventh. It was a great sea-fight (I heard a lot about it yesterday evening) from ten o'clock in the morning till sunset. Our people took the ship in the end. But I wasn't there. The Lord Bar himself had been killed in the battle. But one of his men said that, early that morning, as soon as he saw he was certain to be overhauled, Bar had given me to one of his knights and sent us both away in the ship's boat. And that boat was never seen again. But of course that was the same boat that Aslan (he seems to be at the back of all the stories) pushed ashore at the right place for Arsheesh to pick me up. I wish I knew that knight's name, for he must have kept me alive and starved himself to do it."
“这必定是一场了不得的跟踪追击。他们追赶巴尔的大帆船六天六夜,第七天逼得他交战。这是一次伟大的海战(昨儿晚上我听到人家讲了许许多多),从上午十点钟一直打到日落西山。我们的士卒终于占领了那条大帆船。但我不在那船上。巴尔勋爵本人在战斗中给杀死了。但他手下的一个人说,那天大清早,他刚发觉他必将被追上时,便把我交给了一个武士,用一只小艇把我们两人送走了。那小艇永远没有人再见到过。但是,当然啰,阿斯兰(看来一切故事的背后都有阿斯兰在安排哩)把它推到海滩上恰当的地方,以便阿什伊什把我捡起来的,便是这只小艇。我希望我能知道这位武士的姓名,因为他为保住我的生命,自己忍饥挨饿,把一切留给我吃。”
"I suppose Aslan would say that was part of someone else's story," said Aravis.
“我想,阿斯兰会说,这一部分是另一个人的故事了。”阿拉维斯说。
"I was forgetting that," said Cor.
“我倒忘了这一点了。”科奥说。
"And I wonder how the prophecy will work out," said Aravis, "and what the great danger is that you're to save Archenland from."
“我很想知道这预言是怎样成为事实的,”阿拉维斯说道,“阿钦兰碰到的究竟是什么大危险,需要你去把它拯救出来?”
"Well," said Cor rather awkwardly, "they seem to think I've done it already."
“哦,哦,”科奥相当尴尬地说道,“他们好像认为我已经救了阿钦兰了。”
Aravis clapped her hands. "Why, of course!" she said. "How stupid I am. And how wonderful! Archenland can never be in much greater danger than it was when Rabadash had crossed the Arrow with his two hundred horse and you hadn't yet got through with your message. Don't you feel proud?"
阿拉维斯双手鼓掌。“噢,当然啦!”她说道,“我多么愚蠢。你多么了不起啊!拉巴达什带着他的二百人马渡过旋箭河,而你还没有把讯息送到,那时候阿钦兰的危险大到了极点。你不觉得自豪吗?”
"I think I feel a bit scared," said Cor.
“我认为我觉得有点儿惶恐。”科奥说。
"And you'll be living at Anvard now," said Aravis rather wistfully.
“现在你将在安瓦德生活下去了。”阿拉维斯若有所思地说道。
"Oh!" said Cor, "I'd nearly forgotten what I came about. Father wants you to come and live with us. He says there's been no lady in the court (they call it the court, I don't know why) since Mother died. Do, Aravis. You'll like Father - and Corin. They're not like me; they've been properly brought up. You needn't be afraid that -"
“啊!”科奥说道,“我几乎把我上这儿来的使命忘了。父亲要你来和我们住在一起。他说他宫廷里(他们都管它叫宫廷,我不知道为什么)自从母亲去世以来,一直没有女士。来吧,阿拉维斯。你会喜欢父亲——和科林的。他们不像我:他们都是合乎体统地培养大的。你无需害怕……”
"Oh stop it," said Aravis, "or we'll have a real fight. Of course I'll come."
“噢,别说了,”阿拉维斯说,“不然我们真要打架了。当然我会来的。”
"Now let's go and see the Horses," said Cor.
“现在让我们去看看马儿。”科奥说。
There was a great and joyous meeting between Bree and Cor, and Bree, who was still in a rather subdued frame of mind, agreed to set out for Anvard at once: he and Hwin would cross into Narnia on the following day. All four bade an affectionate farewell to the Hermit and promised that they would soon visit him again. By about the middle of the morning they were on their way. The Horses had expected that Aravis and Cor would ride, but Cor explained that except in war, where everyone must do what he can do best, no one in Narnia or Archenland ever dreamed of mounting a Talking Horse.
布里和科奥的相见,十分了得,也十分快乐,布里仍处于压抑状态,但它同意立刻向安瓦德出发:它同赫温将在翌日经由安瓦德进入纳尼亚境内。四个人马一齐跟隐士依依告别,答应不久再来拜望他。上午过了一半,他们就上路了。马儿们料想阿拉维斯和科奥会乘马走的,但科奥解释道,除非遇到人人必须尽其所能地贡献最大力量的战争,不论在纳尼亚或阿钦兰,没有一个人会梦想骑那会说人话的马儿代步的。
This reminded poor Bree again of how little he knew about Narnian customs and what dreadful mistakes he might make. So while Hwin strolled along in a happy dream, Bree got more nervous and more self-conscious with every step he took.
这事再次提醒布里:它对纳尼亚的风俗习惯知道得那么少,很可能犯可怕的错误。所以,赫温作着好梦一路走去时,布里变得每走一步便越发忐忑不安和忸怩不自然了。
"Buck up, Bree," said Cor. "It's far worse for me than for you. You aren't going to be educated. I shall be learning reading and writing and heraldry and dancing and history and music while you'll be galloping and rolling on the hills of Narnia to your heart's content."
“布里,振作起来吧,”科奥说道,“我的处境远比你难熬哩。我要去接受教育,我要去学习读书、写字、纹章、跳舞、历史、音乐等等,而你可以在纳尼亚的小山上驰骋、打滚,玩个心满意足啊。”
"But that's just the point," groaned Bree. "Do Talking Horses roll? Supposing they don't? I can't bear to give it up. What do you think, Hwin?"
“但这正好是个问题,”布里咕哝道,“说人话的马儿打滚吗?如果它们不打滚呢?要放弃打滚,我可受不了。赫温,你怎么想呢?”
"I'm going to roll anyway," said Hwin. "I don't suppose any of them will care two lumps of sugar whether you roll or not."
“我无论如何要打滚的,”赫温说道,“你是否打滚,我看它们随便哪一个都不会介意的。”
"Are we near that castle?" said Bree to Cor.
“我们走近城堡了吗?”布里对科奥说道。
"Round the next bend," said the Prince.
“转过下一个弯就是了。”王子道。
"Well," said Bree, "I'm going to have a good one now: it may be the last. Wait for me a minute."
“好吧,”布里说,“现在我要好好地打一个滚儿,也许这是最后一次打滚了。请等我一会儿。”
It was five minutes before he rose again, blowing hard and covered with bits of bracken.
五分钟后,布里打过滚从地上站起来了,剧烈地喷着鼻息,浑身都是斑斑点点的羊齿植物。
"Now I'm ready," he said in a voice of profound gloom. "Lead on, Prince Cor, Narnia and the North."
“现在我准备好了,”布里用一种深沉的愁闷声调说道,“科奥王子,带路吧。走向纳尼亚和北方。”
But he looked more like a horse going to a funeral than a long-lost captive returning to home and freedom.
然而,布里的神情,与其说是一个长期流落他乡的俘虏回到了它的家乡和自由天地,不如说是一匹马儿走向它的殡葬地。
Chapter 15
第十五章
RABADASH THE RIDICULOUS
可笑的拉巴达什
THE next turn of the road- brought them out from among the trees and there, across green lawns, sheltered from the north wind by the high wooded ridge at its back, they saw the castle of Anvard. It was very old and built of a warm, reddish-brown stone.
道路再转一个弯,他们便出了树林;越过苍翠的连片草地,就望得见安瓦德的城堡了。城堡的背后是高高的、林木森森的山脊,给它挡住了北风。城堡很古老,用暖红棕色石头砌成。
Before they had reached the gate King Lune came out to meet them, not looking at all like Aravis's idea of a king and wearing the oldest of old clothes; for he had just come from making a round of the kennels with his Huntsman and had only stopped for a moment to wash his doggy hands. But the bow with which he greeted Aravis as he took her hand would have been stately enough for an Emperor.
他们还没有走到城门口,国王伦恩就出来迎接他们了,看上去压根不像阿拉维斯心目中的国王,竟穿着旧衣服中最旧的衣服哩;因为他刚带着他的猎人们巡视他的养狗场回来,才歇一歇洗洗他那碰过狗儿的手。但他搀着阿拉维斯的手向她鞠躬致意时,其风度之庄严堂皇,就足以表明他像个皇帝了。
"Little lady," he said, "we bid you very heartily welcome. If my dear wife were still alive we could make you better cheer but could not do it with a better will. And I am sorry that you have had misfortunes and been driven from your father's house, which cannot but be a grief to you. My son Cor has told me about your adventures together and all your valour."
“小姐,”他说,“我们由衷地欢迎你。如果我亲爱的妻子还健在,我们能让你更加兴高采烈,但现在是心有余而力不足了。我感到惋惜:你遭到了不幸,被令尊逐出家庭,这对你必然是件伤心事。我的儿子科奥跟我讲过你们一起经历的惊险事件和你的种种勇敢的行为。”
"It was he who did all that, Sir," said Aravis. "Why, he rushed at a lion to save me."
“一切勇敢的行为都是他干出来的,陛下,”阿拉维斯说道,“他还冲到一头狮子跟前去救我哩。”
"Eh, what's that?" said King Lune, his face brightening. "I haven't heard that part of the story."
“啊,那是怎么一回事?”国王伦恩说,面露喜色,“那段故事我没听他说过呀。”
Then Aravis told it. And Cor, who had very much wanted the story to be known, though he felt he couldn't tell it himself, didn't enjoy it so much as he had expected, and indeed felt rather foolish. But his father enjoyed it very much indeed and in the course of the next few weeks told it to so many people that Cor wished it had never happened.
于是阿拉维斯便讲了这段故事。科奥原是很想让人知道这故事的,尽管他觉得不好意思由他自己讲出来;听她讲时,他却并不像原来期待的那样欣赏这件事了,倒觉得愚蠢可笑。可他的父亲确实十分欣赏,在接连几个星期里一直讲给许多人听,弄得科奥但愿这件事从来没有发生过。
Then the King turned to Hwin and Bree and was just as polite to them as to Aravis, and asked them a lot of questions about their families and where they had lived in Narnia before they had been captured. The Horses were rather tongue-tied for they weren't yet used to being talked to as equals by Humans grown-up Humans, that is. They didn't mind Aravis and Cor.
国王随即转向赫温和布里,对待它们像对待阿拉维斯一样客气,问起它们许多问题:它们的家庭,被俘之前住在纳尼亚的什么地方。马儿们张口结舌,说不出话来,因为它们还不习惯于人们平等地跟它们说话——当然是指大人们。对阿拉维斯和科奥这样的孩子,它们倒不拘束。
Presently Queen Lucy came out from the castle and joined them and King Lune said to Aravis, "My dear, here is a loving friend of our house, and she has been seeing that your apartments are put to rights for you better than I could have done it."
露茜女王不久从城堡里出来,跟他们待在一起,国王伦恩对阿拉维斯说,“我亲爱的,我们家的一位可爱的朋友来了,她已经在关心你那居室的安排;由她经管,要比由我来办好得多。”
"You'd like to come and see them, wouldn't you?" said Lucy, kissing Aravis. They liked each other at once and soon went away together to talk about Aravis's bedroom and Aravis's boudoir and about getting clothes for her, and all the sort of things girls do talk about on such an occasion.
“你愿意来看看吗?”露茜亲吻阿拉维斯,说道。她们立刻互相喜欢起对方来了,不久就一同走开去,谈起阿拉维斯的寝室和梳妆室,谈起要给阿拉维斯穿的衣服,以及姑娘们在这种场合总要谈起的诸如此类的事情。
After lunch, which they had on the terrace (it was cold birds and cold game pie and wine and bread and cheese), King Lune ruffled up his brow and heaved a sigh and said, "Heigh-ho! We have still that sorry creature Rabadash on our hands, my friends, and must needs resolve what to do with him."
他们在阳台上吃午饭(冷盘鸟肉、冷盘野味馅饼、酒、面包、干酪),饭后,国王伦恩皱皱眉头,叹了一口气,说道:“嗨!我的朋友们,我们手里还有个丑角拉巴达什,必须决定如何处理他才好。”
Lucy was sitting on the King's right and Aravis on his left. King Edmund sat at one end of the table and the Lord Darrin faced him at the other. Dar and Peridan and Cor and Corin were on the same side as the King.
露茜正坐在国王的右边,阿拉维斯坐在他的左边。国王爱德蒙坐在桌子的一头,达兰勋爵坐在面对他的另一头。达尔、珀里丹、科奥、科林都坐在国王的同一边。
"Your Majesty would have a perfect right to strike off his head," said Peridan. "Such an assault as he made puts him on a level with assassins."
“陛下完全有权利砍掉他的脑袋,”珀里丹说,“他进行这样的突然袭击,就把他自己放到跟刺客相同的地位上了。”
"It is very true," said Edmund. "But even a traitor may mend. I have known one that did." And he looked very thoughtful.
“这是十分确实的,”爱德蒙说,“但即使是奸细也可以改过。我就认识一个改邪归正的奸细。”他显得深思熟虑。
"To kill this Rabadash would go near to raising war with the Tisroc," said Darrin.
“杀掉拉巴达什就接近于向蒂斯罗克挑动战争。”达兰说道。
"A fig for the Tisroc," said King Lune. "His strength is in numbers and numbers will never cross the desert. But I have no stomach for killing men (even traitors) in cold blood. To have cut his throat in the battle would have eased my heart mightily, but this is a different thing."
“蒂斯罗克算什么,”国王伦恩说道,“他的力量在于人多势众,而人多就永远穿越不了大沙漠。但我没有冷酷地杀人的心肠,哪怕他是个奸细。在战场上砍断他的喉管我倒十分心安理得:但这是截然不同的。”
"By my counsel," said Lucy, "your Majesty shall give him another trial. Let him go free on strait promise of fair dealing in the future. It may be that he will keep his word."
“我的建议是,”露茜说,“陛下再给他一次考验。可以放他自由回去,如果他作出严格的承诺,保证将来光明磊落,公平待人。说不定他会信守诺言的。”
"Maybe Apes will grow honest, Sister," said Edmund. "But, by the Lion, if he breaks it again, may it be in such time and place that any of us could swap off his head in clean battle."
“妹妹,也许无尾猿会变得诚实的吧。”爱德蒙说,“不过,凭狮子起誓,如果他再破坏诺言,那么到那时,我们任何人都可以在干净利落的战争中砍掉他的脑袋。”
"It shall be tried," said the King: and then to one of the attendants, "Send for the prisoner, friend."
“试试看吧,”国王说,然后吩咐侍从道,“朋友,把俘虏带上来。”
Rabadash was brought before them in chains. To look at him anyone would have supposed that he had passed the night in a noisome dungeon without food or water; but in reality he had been shut up in quite a comfortable room and provided with an excellent supper. But as he was sulking far too furiously to touch the supper and had spent the whole night stamping and roaring and cursing, he naturally did not now look his best.
戴着铁链的拉巴达什给带了上来。瞧瞧他的模样,任何人都会猜想他是在一个喧闹的地牢里过了一夜,既没有食物,又没有水喝;事实上他却是给关在一个十分舒服的房间里,供他吃的伙食也十分精美。但因为他生气得非常厉害,晚饭一点也不肯吃,又整夜顿足、吼叫、咒骂,现在看上去自然不是他最好的模样儿了。
"Your royal Highness needs not to be told," said King Lune, "that by the law of nations as well as by all reasons of prudent policy, we have as good right to your head as ever one mortal man had against another. Nevertheless, in consideration of your youth and the ill nurture, devoid of all gentilesse and courtesy, which you have doubtless had in the land of slaves and tyrants, we are disposed to set you free, unharmed, on these conditions: first, that-"
“无需多说,殿下也知道,”国王伦恩说道,“根据国家的法律,根据审慎的政策的种种理由,我们有权要求砍掉你的脑袋,正如一个人有权处置另一个不共戴天的敌人一样。然而,考虑到你年纪还轻,天性粗暴,缺少各种教养和礼貌,凡此无疑都是在一个暴君和奴隶的国度里沾染上的恶习,我们倾向于不加害于你,释放你回家,条件是:第一……”
"Curse you for a barbarian dog!" spluttered Rabadash. "Do you think I will even hear your conditions? Faugh! You talk very largely of nurture and I know not what. It's easy, to a man in chains, ha! Take off these vile bonds, give me a sword, and let any of you who dares then debate with me."
“我咒骂你这野蛮的狗东西!“拉巴达什唾沫四溅地嚷嚷道,“你以为我会听你的条件吗?呸!你大谈天性和其他不知所云的话。对一个用链条束缚着的人说这种话是容易的,哼!解开这些该死的链条,给我一把剑,那时,你们哪一个敢来和我辩论!”
Nearly all the lords sprang to their feet, and Corin shouted:
几乎所有的王子贵族都跳了起来,科林大声叫道:
"Father! Can I box him? Please."
“父王!我能揍他吗?行吗?”
"Peace! Your Majesties! My Lords!" said King Lune. "Have we no more gravity among us than to be so chafed by the taunt of a pajock? Sit down, Corin, or shaft leave the table. I ask your Highness again, to hear our conditions."
“安静下来!陛下,各位王子、贵族!”国王伦恩说道,“难道我们没有涵养到如此地步,一个混蛋的辱骂就把我们激怒了?坐下,科林,不然你就离开桌子吧。我再次要求殿下仔细听听我们的条件。”
"I hear no conditions from barbarians and sorcerers," said Rabadash. "Not one of you dare touch a hair of my head. Every insult you have heaped on me shall be paid with oceans of Narnian and Archenlandish blood. Terrible shall the vengeance of the Tisroc be: even now. But kill me, and the burnings and torturings in these northern lands shall become a tale to frighten the world a thousand years hence. Beware! Beware! Beware! The bolt of Tash falls from above!"
“我不听外邦人和术士提出的条件,”拉巴达什说道,“你们没有一个人敢碰我脑袋上的一根头发,你们对我的种种侮辱,将要用纳尼亚人和阿钦兰人的血海来偿还,蒂斯罗克的报复是可怕的,哪怕现在也是可怕的。如果杀了我,那么,在北方土地上的焚烧和折磨之灾,将成为今后一千年震惊世界的故事。小心!小心!小心!小心塔什神的雷霆从天上打下来!”
"Does it ever get caught on a hook half-way?" asked Corin.
“雷霆会中途在钩子上钩住吗?”科林问道。
"Shame, Corin," said the King. "Never taunt a man save when he is stronger than you: then, as you please."
“你太不像话了,科林,”国王说,“永远别取笑奚落人,除非对方比你强大;对方比你强时,那就悉听尊便了。”
"Oh you foolish Rabadash," sighed Lucy.
“你这愚蠢的拉巴达什啊。”露茜叹息道。
Next moment Cor wondered why everyone at the table had risen and was standing perfectly still. Of course he did the same himself. And then he saw the reason. Aslan was among them though no one had seen him coming. Rabadash started as the immense shape of the Lion paced softly in between him and his accusers.
接下来的刹那间,科奥心中纳罕:为什么坐在桌子旁的所有人都站起来了,而且都一动也不动地站在那儿。当然,他自己也站起来了。这时他才明白了其中的缘故。阿斯兰跟他们在一起,虽然没有一个人看见他进来。狮子巨大的躯体在拉巴达什和谴责他的人们之间轻轻地来回踱步时,拉巴达什吃了一惊。
"Rabadash," said Aslan. "Take heed. Your doom is very near, but you may still avoid it. Forget your pride (what have you to be proud of?) and your anger (who has done you wrong?) and accept the mercy of these good kings."
“拉巴达什,”阿斯兰说道,“别掉以轻心了。你的厄运近在眼前,但你仍旧可以避免厄运的。忘掉你的骄傲(你有什么可骄傲的?),忘掉你的愤怒(有谁损害你来着?),接受这些善良的国王们的怜悯慈悲吧。”
Then Rabadash rolled his eyes and spread out his mouth into a horrible, long mirthless grin like a shark, and wagged his ears up and down (anyone can learn how to do this if they take the trouble). He had always found this very effective in Calormen. The bravest had trembled when he made these faces, and ordinary people had fallen to the floor, and sensitive people had often fainted. But what Rabadash hadn't realized is that it is very easy to frighten people who know you can have them boiled alive the moment you give the word. The grimaces didn't look at all alarming in Archenland; indeed Lucy only thought Rabadash was going to be sick.
拉巴达什这时转动眼珠,张开嘴巴,像鲨鱼似的发出可怕而沉闷的露齿狞笑,上下摆动着耳朵(如果肯费工夫,任何人都能学会的)。从前在卡乐门他这一套总是很奏效的。他作这鬼脸时,最勇敢的人发抖,普普通通的人倒在地上,神经过敏的人往往昏厥过去。然而拉巴达什不曾认识到的事实是:老百姓知道,你只要下个命令便可立刻把他们活活煮死,要吓唬他们自然是容易的。在阿钦兰,扮鬼脸看来压根儿不惊人;事实上,露茜只觉得拉巴达什大概快要生病了。
"Demon! Demon! Demon!" shrieked the Prince. "I know you. You are the foul fiend of Narnia. You are the enemy of the gods. Learn who I am, horrible phantasm. I am descended from Tash, the inexorable, the irresistible. the curse of Tash is upon you. Lightning in the shape of scorpions shall be rained on you. The mountains of Narnia shall be ground into dust. The-"
“魔鬼!魔鬼!魔鬼!”王子尖声叫道,“我知道你。你是纳尼亚的邪恶的魔王。你是众神的仇敌。可怕的幽灵,叫你知道我是谁吧。我是毫不宽容、不可抗拒的塔什神的后裔。塔什神的诅咒落在你头上。蝎子形的闪电将像雨点般打在你身上。纳尼亚的火山将化为尘土……”
"Have a care, Rabadash," said Aslan quietly. "The doom is nearer now: it is at the door: it has lifted the latch."
“留点儿神,拉巴达什,”阿斯兰平静地说道,“厄运如今更逼近了,厄运就在门外,厄运拔掉门闩了。”
"Let the skies fall," shrieked Rabadash. "Let the earth gape! Let blood and fire obliterate the world! But be sure I will never desist till I have dragged to my palace by her hair the barbarian queen, the daughter of dogs, the -"
“让天塌下来吧,”拉巴达什尖声叫道,“让地裂开来吧!让血与火湮没这世界吧!但是我管保决不断念、罢休,我一定要揪住那狗东西的女儿,揪住那外邦女王的头发,把她拖到我的王宫里去……”
"The hour has struck," said Aslan: and Rabadash saw, to his supreme horror, that everyone had begun to laugh.
“时辰到了。”阿斯兰说道,拉巴达什看到人人都开始哈哈大笑,心里惶恐之至。
They couldn't help it. Rabadash had been wagging his ears all the time and as soon as Aslan said, "The hour has struck!" the ears began to change. They grew longer and more pointed and soon were covered with grey hair. And while everyone was wondering where they had seen ears like that before, Rabadash's face began to change too. It grew longer, and thicker at the top and larger eyed, and the nose sank back into the face (or else the face swelled out and became all nose) and there was hair all over it. And his arms grew longer and came down in front of him till his hands were resting on the ground: only they weren't hands, now, they were hoofs. And he was standing on all fours, and his clothes disappeared, and everyone laughed louder and louder (because they couldn't help it) for now what had been Rabadash was, simply and unmistakably, a donkey. The terrible thing was that his human speech lasted just a moment longer than his human shape, so that when he realized the change that was coming over him, he screamed out:
他们没法儿不笑。拉巴达什一直在上下摆动着耳朵,阿斯兰刚说“时辰到了”,那双耳朵便开始变化。耳朵愈变愈长、愈尖,不久耳朵上又长满了灰色的毛。大伙正琢磨着以前在什么地方见过这样的耳朵时,拉巴达什的脸也开始变化了。脸变得长了,顶上变厚了,眼睛变大了,鼻子陷进脸蛋里去了(不然的话,就是脸鼓出来了,变成全是鼻子了),脸上到处都是毛。他的胳膊变长,在前边儿垂了下来,直至双手碰到地面:不过现在不是手了,而是蹄子了。他四脚落地站在那儿,他身上的衣服也消失了,人人哈哈大笑,愈笑愈响(他们不由自主地要笑),因为当初的拉巴达什如今干干脆脆地变成一头驴子。可怕的是,他那人的语言比他那人的形体仅仅多保留了一会儿时间,当他认识到他身上所发生的变化时,他叫喊道:
"Oh, not a Donkey! Mercy! If it were even a horse - e'en - a hor - eeh - auh, eeh-auh." And so the words died away into a donkey's bray.
“啊,不要变成一头驴子!可怜可怜吧。哪怕是变成一匹马——哪怕是——匹马——嗯—啊—霍—伊赫—奥赫,伊赫—奥赫。”语言便消失在驴叫声里了。
"Now hear me, Rabadash," said Aslan. "Justice shall be mixed with mercy. You shall not always be an Ass."
“拉巴达什,你听着。”阿斯兰说道,“公正的审判里将包含着大慈大悲。你将来不会永远是头驴子的。”
At this of course the Donkey twitched its ears forward and that also was so funny that everybody laughed all the more. They tried not to, but they tried in vain.
阿斯兰说这话的过程中,驴子把它的耳朵向前扭过来静听——这副形状也十分可笑,大家越发哈哈大笑了。他们竭力克制,可是克制不了。
"You have appealed to Tash," said Aslan. "And in the temple of Tash you shall be healed. You must stand before the altar of Tash in Tashbaan at the great Autumn Feast this year and there, in the sight of all Tashbaan, your ass's shape will fall from you and all men will know you for Prince Rabadash. But as long as you live, if ever you go more than ten miles away from the great temple in Tashbaan you shall instantly become again as you now are. And from that second change there will be no return."
“你曾诉之于塔什神,”阿斯兰说道,“你将在塔什神的神庙里得到康复。今年伟大的秋节里,你必须站在塔什班城塔什神的祭台跟前,当着全部塔什班人的面,你那驴子的形体将从你身上脱落,大家都将认出你就是王子拉巴达什。然而,在你活着的时候,如果你走到离塔什班城伟大神庙十英里之外的地方,你就会立刻重新变成你现在那副模样。若你第二次变成驴子,那就万劫不复了。”
There was a short silence and then they all stirred and looked at one another as if they were waking from sleep. Aslan was gone. But there was a brightness in the air and on the grass, and a joy in their hearts, which assured them that he had been no dream: and anyway, there was the donkey in front of them.
短短的一阵寂静,然后他们都动弹起来了,你看我我看你,倒像刚从睡梦中醒来似的。阿斯兰走了。但空气中、草地上留有一道光华,他们的心里留有一股欢欣,凡此都向他们保证阿斯兰可不是梦幻;而且,无论如何,他们眼前就有一头驴子。
King Lune was the kindest-hearted of men and on seeing his enemy in this regrettable condition he forgot all his anger.
国王伦恩是男子汉中最为慈悲心肠的,眼见他的敌人处于这种懊悔不迭的境地,他把愤怒全都忘记了。
"Your royal Highness," he said. "I am most truly sorry that things have come to this extremity. Your Highness will bear witness that it was none of our doing. And of course we shall be delighted to provide your Highness with shipping back to Tashbaan for the - er - treatment which Aslan has prescribed. You shall have every comfort which your Highness's situation allows: the best of the cattleboats - the freshest carrots and thistles -"
“殿下,”他说道,“事情弄到这般极端的地步,我确实深感遗憾。殿下亲眼目睹,这一点儿也不是我们搞出来的。我们当然乐于提供船只,送殿下回塔什班去,按照阿斯兰的处方,求得康复。殿下将得到眼前你的处境所容许的各种舒舒服服的招待:最好的装载牲口的船——最新鲜的胡萝卜和野蓟……”
But a deafening bray from the Donkey and a well-aimed kick at one of the guards made it clear that these kindly offers were ungratefully received.
但震耳欲聋的一声驴叫,以及瞄准警卫的狠狠一脚,清清楚楚地证明:这些好心的优待,对方可毫不领情。
And here, to get him out of the way, I'd better finish off the story of Rabadash. He (or it) was duly sent back by boat to Tashbaan and brought into the temple of Tash at the great Autumn Festival, and then he became a man again. But of course four or five thousand people had seen the transformation and the affair could not possibly be hushed up. And after the old Tisroc's death when Rabadash became Tisroc in his place he turned out the most peaceable Tisroc Calormen had ever known. This was because, not daring to go more than ten miles from Tashbaan, he could never go on a war himself: and he didn't want his Tarkaans to win fame in the wars at his expense, for that is the way Tisrocs get overthrown. But though his reasons were selfish, it made things much more comfortable for all the smaller countries round Calormen. His own people never forgot that he had been a donkey. During his reign, and to his face, he was called Rabadash the Peacemaker, but after his death and behind his back he was called Rabadash the Ridiculous, and if you look him up in a good History of Calormen (try the local library) you will find him under that name. And to this day in Calormene schools, if you do anything unusually stupid, you are very likely to be called "a second Rabadash".
这儿,为了不再提到他,我还是把拉巴达什的故事讲完为好。他(或是它)被及时用船送回塔什班城,并在伟大的秋节被送进塔什神的神庙,于是重新变成了一个人。当然有四五千人亲眼目睹了他的这一变化,这件事就没法儿秘而不宣了。老蒂斯罗克去世了,拉巴达什便代替他做了蒂斯罗克,他变成了有史以来卡乐门最和平的蒂斯罗克。这是因为他不敢跑到离塔什班城十英里以外的地方;他就没法儿亲自参加战争,而他又不愿意让他手下的泰坎们在损害他权势的条件下从战争中获得声誉,因为蒂斯罗克们都是这样被推翻的。但尽管他的动机是自私自利的,却使卡乐门周围的小国家日子过得舒服多了。他自己的老百姓可从来没有忘记他曾经是一头驴子。在他统治期间,当着他的面,人们称他为”和平缔造者”,但在他死后以及在他背后,人们称他为“可笑的拉巴达什”,如果你在一本优秀的《卡乐门史》里(不妨到地方图书馆去找一下)查找他的事迹,你就会发现他是被列在“可笑的拉巴达什”那个条目下的。直到今天,在卡乐门的学校里,如果你做了什么异乎寻常地愚蠢的事情,你就很可能被称为“第二个拉巴达什”。
Meanwhile at Anvard everyone was very glad that he had been disposed of before the real fun began, which was a grand feast held that evening on the lawn before the castle, with dozens of lanterns to help the moonlight. And the wine flowed and tales were told and jokes were cracked, and then silence was made and the King's poet with two fiddlers stepped out into the middle of the circle. Aravis and Cor prepared themselves to be bored, for the only poetry they knew was the Calormene kind, and you know now what that was like. But at the very first scrape of the fiddles a rocket seemed to go up inside their heads, and the poet sang the great old lay of Fair Olvin and how he fought the Giant Pire and turned him into stone (and that is the origin of Mount Pire - it was a two-headed Giant) and won the Lady Liln for his bride; and when it was over they wished it was going to begin again. And though Bree couldn't sing he told the story of the fight at Zalindreh. And Lucy told again (they had all, except Aravis and Cor, heard it many times but they all wanted it again) the tale of the Wardrobe and how she and King Edmund and Queen Susan and Peter the High King had first come into Narnia.
在此期间,在安瓦德城里人人都十分高兴,拉巴达什已经遣送回去了,城里真正的赏心乐事便开始了。那是个盛大的宴会,当天晚上在城堡前的草坪上举行,张着几十盏灯,灯光同月光互相辉映。酒像水一样流淌。人们讲着故事,说着笑话,然后是一片寂静,国王的诗人带着两个提琴手走进人们围成的圈子中央。阿拉维斯和科奥原是准备忍受沉闷无聊的,因为他们懂得的诗篇不过是卡乐门的那种诗歌,而现在才知道诗歌是什么玩艺儿了。但提琴刚演奏开头的曲调,就仿佛有个火箭飞进了他们的头脑里,诗人唱着伟大的古老歌谣,关于漂亮的奥尔文的歌谣,关于他怎样和巨人皮尔作战,把巨人变成了石头(这就是皮尔峰的来历——一个生着两个脑袋的巨人),并且赢得莉尔恩小姐作他的新娘。歌谣唱完时,他们真希望诗人重新再唱一遍。布里虽然不会唱,却讲了扎林德雷之战的故事。露茜又讲了大衣柜以及她和国王爱德蒙、女王苏珊以及至尊王彼得最初进入纳尼亚的故事。除开阿拉维斯和科奥,他们大家都听她讲过好几遍了,但他们都想再听一遍。
And presently, as was certain to happen sooner or later, King Lune said if was time for young people to be in bed. "And tomorrow, Cor," he added, "shalt come over all the castle with me and see the estres and mark all its strength and weakness: for it will be thine to guard when I'm gone."
不久,国王伦恩说话了,他迟早总要说的:该是年轻人上床睡觉的时候了。“明天,科奥,”他补充道,“你要同我一起去视察所有的城堡,瞧瞧城堡的状况,判明它的一切力量和弱点:因为我离开人世的时候,城堡就属于你、由你来保卫了。”
"But Corin will be the King then, Father," said Cor.
“但父王,那时科林就是国王了。”
"Nay, lad," said King Lune, "thou art my heir. The crown comes to thee."
“不,孩子,”国王伦恩说道,“你是我的继承人。王冠要传给你的。”
"But I don't want it," said Cor. "I'd far rather-"
“但我不要王冠,”科奥说,“我倒宁可……”
"'Tis no question what thou wantest, Cor, nor I either. 'Tis in the course of law."
“这不是你要不要的问题,科奥,也不是我要不要的问题。这是法律所规定的。”
"But if we're twins we must be the same age."
“但如果我们是孪生兄弟,我们必定是同年的啊。”
"Nay," said the King with a laugh. "One must come first. Art Corin's elder by full twenty minutes. And his better too, let's hope, though that's no great mastery." And he looked at Corin with a twinkle in his eyes.
“不然,”国王哈哈笑着说道,“必定有一个先生出来的。你是科林的哥哥,比他早生足足三十分钟。你也比他好,让我们希望如此,尽管那也不是什么了不得的优势。”他瞧着科林,眼睛里闪闪发亮。
"But, Father, couldn't you make whichever you like to be the next King?"
“但父王,你不能让你所喜欢的儿子作下一任国王吗?”
"No. The king's under the law, for it's the law makes him a king. Hast no more power to start away from thy crown than any sentry from his post."
“不能。国王是受法律制约的,因为规定他作国王的是法律。国王无权脱离王冠,正如哨兵无权脱离岗位一样。”
"Oh dear," said Cor. "I don't want to at all. And Corin - I am most dreadfully sorry. I never dreamed my turning up was going to chisel you out of your kingdom."
“天啊,”科奥说,“我压根儿不要作国王。科林呀——我万分诚惶诚恐地感到抱歉,我做梦也没有想到我的出现,会把你从你的王国里排挤出去啊。”
"Hurrah! Hurrah!" said Corin. "I shan't have to be King. I shan't have to be King. I'll always be a prince. It's princes have all the fun."
“乌拉!乌拉!”科林说道,“我不用作国王了,我不用作国王了。我将永远作个王子。作王子最开心最好玩。”
"And that's truer than thy brother knows, Cor," said King Lune. "For this is what it means to be a king: to be first in every desperate attack and last in every desperate retreat, and when there's hunger in the land (as must be now and then in bad years) to wear finer clothes and laugh louder over a scantier meal than any man in your land."
“科奥啊,你兄弟只知道玩儿,更正确的道理是,”国王伦恩说,“作一个国王,就是意味着在每次拼命的战斗中身先士卒,在每次亡命的退却中沉着殿后,国土上出现饥馑的时候(歉收的年头必定时常要闹饥荒的),倒要衣服穿得好一点,对着不够吃饱的饭食,也要比你国土上任何人笑得更响亮。”
When the two boys were going upstairs to bed Cor again asked Corin if nothing could be done about it. And Corin said:
两个孩子到楼上去睡觉时,科奥又问科林,这事是否就这么定了,就毫无办法可想了。科林说:
"If you say another word about it, I'll - I'll knock you down."
“如果你再提到这件事,我就——我就把你打倒在地。”
It would be nice to end the story by saying that after that the two brothers never disagreed about anything again, but I am afraid it would not be true. In reality they quarrelled and fought just about as often as any other two boys would, and all their fights ended (if they didn't begin) with Cor getting knocked down. For though, when they had both grown up and become swordsmen, Cor was the more dangerous man in battle, neither he nor anyone else in the North Countries could ever equal Corin as a boxer. That was how he got his name of Corin Thunder-Fist; and how he performed his great exploit against the Lapsed Bear of Stormness, which was really a Talking Bear but had gone back to Wild Bear habits. Corm climbed up to its lair on the Narnian side of Stormness one winter day when the snow was on the hills and boxed it without a time-keeper for thirty-three rounds. And at the end it couldn't see out of its eyes and became a reformed character.
故事结束时最好交代一下:从此以后,两兄弟之间就永远再也没有什么意见分歧了;但我担心这样讲是不确实的。事实上他们俩时常吵架打架,就像任何两个孩子一样,而他俩的打架(如果真的打起来了),结果总是科奥被打倒在地。他们俩长大成人时,都成了武士,虽然科奥在战斗中是更加凶猛的,然而,作为拳击手,科奥也好,北方各国里的任何英雄好汉也好,都不能同科林媲美。他便是如此这般获得了“霹雳拳击手科林”的美名的,便是如此这般压倒了暴风雨峰“堕落的熊”,建立了巨大功勋的。它原来确实是头会说人话的熊,后来却倒退到野熊的习性和习惯中去了。在山中积雪的一个冬日里,科林攀登暴风雨峰纳尼亚一侧,走到熊窝那儿,计时器也不带,挥拳猛击那熊三十三个回合。打到后来,那熊眼睛发黑,看也没法儿看了,是那熊又被改变过来了。
Aravis also had many quarrels (and, I'm afraid, even fights) with Cor, but they always made it up again: so that years later, when they were grown up, they were so used to quarrelling and making it up again that they got married so as to go on doing it more conveniently. And after King Lune's death they made a good King and Queen of Archenland and Ram the Great, the most famous of all the kings of Archenland, was their son. Bree and Hwin lived happily to a great age in Narnia and both got married but not to one another. And there weren't many months in which one or both of them didn't come trotting over the pass to visit their friends at Anvard.
阿拉维斯和科奥也吵了许多架(我担心甚至打过架哩),但他们总是又言归于好。好几年以后,他们都长大成人了,他们还是习惯于吵架又重新和好,所以他们干脆就结了婚,以求吵了又和好起来更加方便。国王伦恩去世后,他们便成了阿钦兰优秀的国王和王后;他俩所生的儿子伟大的拉姆,是阿钦兰历代国王中最著名的。布里和赫温都在纳尼亚幸福地活到了高龄,都结婚了,但它们并未结为夫妇。往往隔不了几个月,它们之中的一个或它们两个,总要小跑着经过关隘,来拜访它们的在安瓦德的老朋友。
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