第五章 科林王子
"MY dear sister and very good Lady," said King Edmund, "you must now show your courage.For I tell you plainly we are in no small danger."
“我最親愛,最善良的姐姐。”國王愛德蒙說著,“你現(xiàn)在必須拿出你所有的勇氣。因為,我要誠實地告訴你,我們現(xiàn)在的處境十分危險。”
"What is it, Edmund ?" asked the Queen.
“怎么了,親愛的愛德蒙?”女王問道。
"It is this," said Edmund."I do not think we shall find it easy to leave Tashbaan.While the Prince had hope that you would take him,we were honoured guests.But by the Lion' s Mane, I think that as soon as he has your flat denial we shall be no better than prisoners."
“是這樣的。”愛德蒙回答道,“我并不認為我們可以輕而易舉地離開塔什班城。因為王子希望你能夠接受他,雖然現(xiàn)在我們?nèi)允撬馁F賓,但我以獅子的鬃毛起誓,一旦他遭到你直接的拒絕,我們的處境將和囚徒?jīng)]有什么兩樣。”
One of the Dwarfs gave a low whistle.
這時,一個小矮人發(fā)出了一聲輕微的口哨聲。
"I warned your Majesties, I warned you," said Sallowpad the Raven. "Easily in but not easily out, as the lobster said in the lobster pot !"
“陛下,我警告過你,警告過你的。”烏鴉薩羅帕德說道,“就如同龍蝦在捕蝦簍中所說的那樣——進來容易出去難啊!”
"I have been with the Prince this morning," continued Edmund. "He is little used (more's the pity) to having his will crossed.And he is very chafed at your long delays and doubtful answers. This morning he pressed very hard to know your mind. I put it aside—meaning at the same time to diminish his hopes-with some light common jests about women's fancies, and hinted that his suit was likely to be cold. He grew angry and dangerous. There was a sort of threatening, though still veiled under a show of courtesy, in every word he spoke. "
“今天早上我一直和王子在一起。”愛德蒙補充說道,“更加遺憾的是,他一點也不習(xí)慣自己的意愿遭到忤逆。而且,他對于你長時間的拖延和含糊其辭的答復(fù)已經(jīng)感到惱火了。今天早上他十分努力地想要知道你的心意。我將他的問題放置一邊——同時也是為了減弱他的期待——通過說一些關(guān)于女人的幻想一類的輕松笑話,來暗示他求婚可能會遭到冷漠的對待,他就生起氣來。盡管他仍然帶著謙遜有禮的面紗,但是他說的每一句話,都包含了某種威脅的意味。”
"Yes," said Tumnus. "And when I supped with the Grand Vizier last night, it was the same. He asked me how I like Tashbaan. And I (for I could not tell him I hated every stone of it and I would not lie) told him that now, when high summer was coming on, my heart turned to the cool woods and dewy slopes of Narnia. He gave a smile that meant no good and said, 'There is nothing to hinder you from dancing there again, little goatfoot; always provided you leave us in exchange a bride for our prince.
“沒錯。”圖姆納斯說道,“昨晚我和大臣共進晚餐的時候,也遇到了類似的情況。他詢問我有多么喜歡塔什班城,而我告訴他,現(xiàn)在,當(dāng)盛夏降臨之時,我的整顆心都向往著納尼亞涼爽的樹林和露珠晶瑩的山坡。因為我不能告訴他我憎恨城里的每一塊石頭并且我又不愿意說謊。他回以我一個不懷好意的微笑,同時說道“小小的羊腳啊,沒有什么會阻止你再次在納尼亞起舞,只要你們給我們的王子留下一位新娘作為交換。”
"Do you mean he would make me his wife by force ?" exclaimed Susan.
“你是說他會強迫我成為他的妻子?”蘇珊大聲嚷道。
"That's my fear, Susan," said Edmund. "Wife: or slave which is worse."
“蘇珊,這正是我的擔(dān)心,”愛德蒙說,“成為妻子,更糟的或者變成奴隸。”
"But how can he ? Does the Tisroc think our brother the High King would suffer such an outrage ?"
“但是他怎么能這樣?難道太洛帝認為我們的哥哥至尊王會容忍這種可惡的暴行嗎?”
"Sire," said Peridan to the King."They would not be so mad.Do they think there are no swords and spears in Narnia ?"
“陛下,”帕里丹對國王說道,“他們不會那么不理智的。難道他們以為納尼亞王國沒有寶劍和長矛嗎?”
"Alas," said Edmund. "My guess is that the Tisroc has very small fear of Narnia. We are a little land. And little lands on the borders of a great empire were always hateful to the lords of the great empire.He longs to blot them out,gobble them up.When first he suffered the Prince to come to Cair Paravel as your lover, sister, it may be that he was only seeking an occasion against us. Most likely he hopes to make one mouthful of Narnia and Archenland both."
“唉,”愛德蒙嘆息地說道,“我推測太洛帝對納尼亞王國沒有什么畏懼。我們的國土小,而且處在各個大帝國的邊緣小國總是對大帝國的君主抱有憎恨,太洛帝想要抹殺并分割這些小國。最初他讓王子作為愛慕者前來凱爾帕拉維爾宮的時候,也許僅僅是為了尋找一個借口來反對我們。很可能他希望一口就將納尼亞和阿欽蘭兩個國家同時吞并掉。”
"Let him try,"said the second Dwarf. "At sea we are as big as he is. And if he assaults us by land, he has the desert to cross."
“讓他盡管嘗試吧。”第二個小矮人說道,“我們在海上和他一樣強大。況且只要他從陸地進攻,就不得不穿過大沙漠。”
"True, friend," said Edmund. "But is the desert a sure defence ? What does Sallowpad say ?"
“你說得對,我的朋友,”愛德蒙說道,“但是沙漠真的是個可靠的屏障嗎?薩羅帕德你是怎么看的?”
"I know that desert well," said the Raven. "For I have flown above it far and wide in my younger days," (you may be sure that Shasta pricked up his ears at this point). "And this is certain;that if the Tisroc goes by the great oasis he can never lead a great army across it into Archenland. For though they could reach the oasis by the end of their first day' s march, yet the springs there would be too little for the thirst of all those soldiers and their beasts. But there is another way."
“我非常了解這個大沙漠,”烏鴉說,“在我年輕的時候,我曾在大沙漠的上空飛過,飛得又遠又廣。”你可以確信沙斯塔聽到這里的時候豎起了耳朵。“有一點是毋庸置疑的,如果太洛帝從大綠洲進軍,他永遠不可能帶領(lǐng)一支龐大的軍隊穿過沙漠進入阿欽蘭。因為雖然他們可以在第一天行軍的最后到達綠洲,但是那里的泉水對于所有那些饑渴的士兵以及他們的坐騎來說太少了。但是,還有另外一條路徑。”
Shasta listened more attentively still.
沙斯塔仍然一動不動,只是更加專注地聽著。
"He that would find that way," said the Raven, "must start from the Tombs of the Ancient Kings and ride northwest so that the double peak of Mount Pire is always straight ahead of him. And so, in a day' s riding or a little more, he shall come to the head of a stony valley, which is so narrow that a man might be within a furlong of it a thousand times and never know that it was there. And looking down this valley he will see neither grass nor water nor anything else good.But if he rides on down it he will come to a river and can ride by the water all the way into Archenland. "
“要想找到這條路,”烏鴉說道,“必須從古代國王的墳場出發(fā),朝著西北進發(fā),以保證皮爾峰的雙峰總是筆直地在路的正前方。而且,保持這樣一天甚至一天多一點兒的騎行后,就會來到一個石頭山谷的入口處。那個入口非常狹窄,一個人可能上千次地僅僅距離它只有二百米左右,卻仍然無法知道它就在那里。而且,從山谷向下望,也不會看到任何青草、水或者任何好的東西。但是如果繼續(xù)騎馬向山谷下前進,就會來到一條河邊,沿著河邊騎行就能一路直接到達阿欽蘭境內(nèi)。”
"And do the Calormenes know of this Western way ?" asked the Queen.
“卡樂門人知道這條朝西的路嗎?”女王問道。
"Friends, friends/' said Edmund, "what is the use of all this discourse ? We are not asking whether Narnia or Calormen would win if war arose between them. We are asking how to save the honour of the Queen and our own lives out of this devilish city. For though my brother, Peter the High King, defeated the Tisroc a dozen times over, yet long before that day our throats would be cut and the Queen' s grace would be the wife, or more likely, the slave, of this prince. "
“朋友們,各位朋友們。”愛德蒙說道,“討論這些有什么用呢?我們現(xiàn)在討論的并不是如果戰(zhàn)爭發(fā)生在納尼亞王國和卡樂門王國之間,哪個國家會勝利的問題。我們在討論的是如何離開這個魔鬼的城市,拯救女王的尊榮和我們自己的性命。就算我的哥哥至尊王彼得會把太洛帝打敗十幾次,但是在那之前我們的脖子已經(jīng)被砍斷了,女王也已經(jīng)成為了王子的妻子,或者更有可能地,成為了他的奴隸。”
"We have our weapons, King," said the first Dwarf. "And this is a reasonably defensible house."
“國王,我們也有我們的武器。”第一個小矮人說道,“而且這是一個完全可以用來防御的房屋。”
"As to that,"said the King,"I do not doubt that every one of us would sell our lives dearly in the gate and they would not come at the Queen but over our dead bodies. Yet we should be merely rats fighting in a trap when all' s said."
“關(guān)于這一點。”國王說道,“我毫不懷疑,我們每一個人都愿意在門口拼上我們的性命,除非敵人踏著我們的尸體過來,否則休想侵犯女王。然而我們不過是已經(jīng)中了圈套而在陷阱中戰(zhàn)斗的老鼠罷了。”
"Very true," croaked the Raven. "These last stands in a house make good stories, but nothing ever came of them. After their first few repulses the enemy always set the house on fire."
“的確是這樣,”烏鴉哇哇叫道,“那些在房子里堅守到最后的人,雖然成為了美談,但卻沒有一點效果。當(dāng)他們最初幾次打敗敵人之后,敵人總是直接將房屋付之一炬。”
"I am the cause of all this," said Susan, bursting into tears."Oh, if only I had never left Cair Paravel. Our last happy day was before those ambassadors came from Calormen. The Moles were planting an orchard for us---oh---oh. " And she buried her face in her hands and sobbed.
“都是我造成的。”蘇珊哭著說道,“啊,要是我從未離開過凱爾帕拉維爾就好了。那些卡樂門的大使們到來之前,是我們最后的歡樂時光。摩爾人也正在為我們種植一個花園……啊……啊。”她雙手捂住自己的臉啜泣道。
"Courage,Su, courage," said Edmund. "Remember-but what is the matter with you, Master Tumnus ?" For the Faun was holding both his horns with his hands as if he were trying to keep his head on by them and writhing to and fro as if he had a pain in his inside.
“勇氣,蘇珊,你要有勇氣,”愛德蒙說道,“記住……但是圖姆納斯師傅,你怎么啦?”因為那個半羊人正在用雙手緊緊握住他自己的兩只角,就好像它要借此來保住它的腦袋。同時它左右扭動著自己的身體,就好像它身體的內(nèi)部都在疼痛一樣。
"Don't speak to me, don't speak to me," said Tumnus. "I'm thinking.I'm thinking so that I can hardly breathe. Wait, wait,do wait. "There was a moment' s puzzled silence and then the Faun looked up, drew a long breath, mopped its forehead and said:"The only difficulty is how to get down to our ship—with some stores, too—without being seen and stopped. "
“不要和我說話,不要和我說話。”圖姆納斯說道,“我正在思考,思考得快無法呼吸了。等一等,等一等,請等一下。”令人感到困惑的緘默只持續(xù)了一段時間,半羊人抬起頭來,長長地吸了口氣,然后擦了擦它的前額說道:“我們唯一的困難是如何在不被人看見也不被人阻止的情況下將一些儲備運到我們的船上。”
"Yes," said a Dwarf dryly. "Just as the beggar's only difficulty about riding is that he has no horse."
“對啊。”一個小矮人干巴巴地說道,“這就好像是乞丐想要騎馬,唯一的困難是他沒有馬。”
"Wait, wait," said Mr. Tumnus impatiently. "All we need is some pretext for going down to our ship today and taking stuff on board.""Yes," said King Edmund doubtfully.
“等一等,等一等,”圖姆納斯先生極不耐煩地說道,“我們需要的只是找到一個借口今天上船,同時攜帶一些東西到船上去。” “哦。”國王愛德蒙懷疑地應(yīng)道。
"Well, then," said the Faun, "how would it be if your majesties bade the Prince to a great banquet to be held on board our own galleon, the Spendour Hyaline, tomorrow night ? And let the message be worded as graciously as the Queen can contrive without pledging her honour: so as to give the Prince a hope that she is weakening."
“那么,這樣,”半羊人說道,“如果我們的陛下邀請王子出席明晚在我們自己船上‘燦爛晶瑩號’舉辦的一個盛大筵席,這個理由怎么樣?而且要讓這個消息的措辭盡可能地親切,就好像女王可以放下她的尊榮。這樣就可以給王子一個希望,認為女王的心已經(jīng)在軟化了。”
"This is very good counsel,Sire," croaked the Raven.
“陛下,這確實是個很好的主意。”烏鴉嚷道。
"And then," continued Tumnus excitedly, "everyone will expect us to be going down to the ship all day, making preparations for our guests. And let some of us go to the bazaars and spend every minim we have at the fruiterers and the sweetmeat sellers and the wine merchants, just as we would if we were really giving a feast. And let us order magicians and jugglers and dancing girls and flute players,all to be on board tomorrow night."
“而且這樣的話,”圖姆納斯興奮地繼續(xù)說道,“每個人都會希望我們整天都待在船上,為迎接我們的客人們做準(zhǔn)備。我們中的一些可以到市場上去,在水果店,糖果店,酒商那里花光我們所有的錢,就好像我們真的要開一個盛宴一樣。我們也要預(yù)約一些魔術(shù)師、雜耍演員、舞娘和吹長笛的樂師們,請他們明晚都到船上來。”
"I see, I see," said King Edmund, rubbing his hands.
“我懂了,我懂了。”愛德蒙邊搓著雙手邊說道。
"And then," said Tumnus, "we'll all be on board tonight. And as soon as it is quite dark—"
“接下來,”圖姆納斯說道,“我們今晚將都在船上。只要天一黑……”
"Up sails and out oars—!" said the King.
“就揚起篷帆,劃起漿來……”國王說道。
"And so to sea," cried Tumnus, leaping up and beginning to dance.
“然后就到了海上。”圖姆納斯大聲說道,蹦蹦跳跳的,并且開始跳起舞來。
"And our nose Northward," said the first Dwarf."Running for home ! Hurrah for Narnia and the North !"said the other.
“奔向家園啦!奔往納尼亞和北方!”另一個說道。
"And the Prince waking next morning and finding his birds flown !"said Peridan, clapping his hands.
“等到王子第二天早上醒來,就會發(fā)現(xiàn)他的鳥兒全都飛走了。”帕里丹拍著雙手說道。
"Oh Master Tumnus,dear Master Tumnus," said the Queen,catching his hands and swinging with him as he danced. "You have saved us all. "
“噢,圖姆納斯師傅,親愛的圖姆納斯師傅啊。”女王握住圖姆納斯的手,仿佛和他跳舞一樣搖晃著他的身體說道:“你救了我們所有人。”
"The Prince will chase us," said another lord, whose name Shasta had not heard.
“王子將會追捕我們的。”另外一個王爺說道,他的名字叫什么,沙斯塔還沒有聽說過。
"That's the least of my fears," said Edmund. "I have seen all the shipping in the river and there' s no tall ship of war nor swift galley there. I wish he may chase us ! For the Splendour Hyaline could sink anything he has to send after her—if we were overtaken at all."
“那是我最不擔(dān)心的事情,”愛德蒙說道,“我觀察過河流里所有的船只,那里既沒有一艘高大的戰(zhàn)船,也沒有快速的大帆船。我倒是希望他會追捕我們。因為‘燦爛晶瑩號’有能力擊沉一切在他后面追蹤的船,如果我們被追上的話。”
"Sire," said the Raven. "You shall hear no better plot than the Faun' s though we sat in council for seven days. And now, as we birds say, nests before eggs. Which is as much as to say, let us all take our food and then at once be about our business."
“陛下,”烏鴉說道,“即使我們坐在評議會里商議七天,你也不會聽到比半羊人的計策更加高明的了。現(xiàn)在,就如同鳥兒們說的,要想生蛋,先要筑巢。也就是說,我們必須先吃飯,然后立即著手辦事。”
Everyone arose at this and the doors were opened and the lords and the creatures stood aside for the King and Queen to go out first .Shasta wondered what he ought to do,but Mr.Tumnus said,
聽到這里,每個人都站起來了,旁門打開之后,王爺和其他的隨從主動站在一邊,以便讓國王和女王先行通過。沙斯塔想知道他應(yīng)該做什么,但是圖姆納斯先生說道:
"Lie there, your Highness, and I will bring you up a little feast to yourself in a few moments. There is no need for you to move until we are all ready to embark."Shasta laid his head down again on the pillows and soon he was alone in the room.
“殿下,請?zhí)稍谶@里。我稍后就替你送來佳肴。在我們大家準(zhǔn)備好之前,您無需行動。”沙斯塔只好將他的腦袋重新放回到枕頭上,不一會兒屋子里就只剩下他一個人了。
"This is perfectly dreadful/' thought Shasta. It never came into his head to tell these Narnians the whole truth and ask for their help. Having been brought up by a hard, closefisted man like Arsheesh, he had a fixed habit of never telling grown-ups anything if he could help it: he thought they would always spoil or stop whatever you were trying to do. And he thought that even if the Narnian King might be friendly to the two horses, because they were Talking Beasts of Narnia, he would hate Aravis, because she was a Calormene, and either sell her for a slave or send her back to her father. As for himself, "I simply daren't tell them I'm not Prince Corin now," thought Shasta. "I've heard all their plans. If they knew I wasn't one of themselves, they'd never let me out of this house alive. They' d be afraid I' d betray them to the Tisroc. They'd kill me. And if the real Corin turns up, it'll all come out,and they will !" He had,you see,no idea of how noble and free-born people behave.
“這情況極其可怕。”沙斯塔心中想著。他從來沒有想過告訴納尼亞人全部的真相,并且請求他們的幫助。從小被一個心腸堅硬,拳頭大的男人帶大的他,養(yǎng)成了一個固定不變的習(xí)慣,如果他能夠找到方法,他就什么都不會告訴成年人。他認為成年人總是會破壞或者是阻止一切他想要嘗試去做的事情。而且他還認為,即使納尼亞的國王可能很友好地對待兩匹馬,因為它們是納尼亞會說話的動物。納尼亞的國王仍然會憎恨阿拉維斯,因為她是一個卡樂門人,而且不是把她當(dāng)做奴隸賣掉就是將她送回到她的父親那里去。至于他自己,“我簡直不能告訴他們,我現(xiàn)在不是王子科林。”沙斯塔想,“我已經(jīng)知道了他們的全部計劃。如果他們知道我不是他們的一員,他們絕對不會讓我活著離開這間房子。他們會擔(dān)心我將他們出賣給太洛帝。如果真正的王子科林出現(xiàn),一切就都拆穿了,他們會殺掉我的。”你看,他對于高尚且天生自由的人們?nèi)绾螢槿颂幨?,毫無概念。
"What am I to do ? What am I to do ?" he kept saying to himself. "What-hullo, here comes that goaty little creature again. "
“我該怎么辦呢?我該怎么做呢?”他不斷地對自己說著,“怎么回事……呀,那個羊一樣的小家伙又回來了。”
The Faun trotted in, half dancing, with a tray in its hands which was nearly as large as itself. This he set on an inlaid table beside Shasta's sofa, and sat down himself on the carpeted floor with his goaty legs crossed.
半羊人雙手捧著個幾乎和他身體一樣大的盤子,一邊跳舞,一邊小跑地走進房間。他把盤子放在沙斯塔沙發(fā)旁邊的一張鑲嵌著螺鈿的桌子上,然后就交叉著羊腿坐在鋪著地毯的地板上。
"Now,princeling/' he said. "Make a good dinner. It will be your last meal in Tashbaan."
“現(xiàn)在,小王子,”他說,“好好地吃一頓晚飯吧,這將是你在塔什班的最后一餐了。”
It was a fine meal after the Calormene fashion. I don' t know whether you would have liked it or not, but Shasta did. There were lobsters, and salad, and snipe stuffed with almonds and truffles, and a complicated dish made of chickenlivers and rice and raisins and nuts, and there were cool melons and gooseberry fools and mulberry fools, and every kind of nice thing that can be made with ice. There was also a little flagon of the sort of wine that is called"white"though it is really yellow.
這是一頓具有卡樂門風(fēng)味的美餐。我不知道你是否喜歡,但是沙斯塔喜歡。這里有龍蝦,沙拉,肚子里塞了菌類和杏仁的鵲,有雞肝,米粒,葡萄干,果仁炒的什錦,還有甜瓜冰凌,奶油醋栗,奶油桑葚,以及每一種能夠與米飯一起煮來吃的好東西。還有一小壺被稱為“白葡萄酒”,盡管實質(zhì)是黃色的一種酒。
While Shasta was eating, the good little Faun, who thought he was still dazed with sunstroke, kept talking to him about the fine times he would have when they all got home;about his good old father King Lune of Archenland and the little castle where he lived on the southern slopes of the pass. "And don't forget," said Mr.Tumnus,"that you are promised your first suit of armour and your first war horse on your next birthday. And then your Highness will begin to learn how to tilt and joust. And in a few years, if all goes well,King Peter has promised your royal father that he himself will make you Knight at Cair Paravel. And in the meantime there will be plenty of comings and goings between Narnia and Archenland across the neck of the mountains. And of course you remember you have promised to come for a whole week to stay with me for the Summer Festival, and there'll be bonfires and all-night dances of Fauns and Dryads in the heart of the woods and, who knows ? We might see Aslan himself !"
當(dāng)沙斯塔吃飯的時候,善良的小半羊人認為他仍然因為中暑而頭暈?zāi)垦?,便不斷地講一些事情給他聽:他們大家一起回到家鄉(xiāng)后,他將會擁有的美好時光;講起了他那善良的老父親,阿欽蘭的國王倫恩,以及在要隘南坡國王所住的小城堡。
When the meal was over the Faun told Shasta to stay quietly where he was. "And it wouldn't do you any harm to have a little sleep," he added. "I'll call you in plenty of time to get on board. And then, Home.Narnia and the North !"
“但是你可別忘了,”圖姆納斯先生說道,“承諾過你的,在你下一個生日時,你會得到你的第一套盔甲和第一匹戰(zhàn)馬的。然后殿下你就要開始學(xué)習(xí)騎馬持矛沖刺和比武了。幾年以后,如果一切順利的話,至尊王彼得已經(jīng)答允你的父王,他要親自封你為凱爾帕拉維爾的騎士。在此期間,會有許多俠士在納尼亞和阿欽蘭的群山之間來回穿梭。當(dāng)然你記得你曾答應(yīng)要來和我一起待上一個星期,過盛夏節(jié),那時會有很大的篝火,在森林的中心會有半羊人和樹精的通宵跳舞,而且,誰知道呢?說不定我們還會看到阿斯蘭本人呢!”
Shasta had so enjoyed his dinner and all the things Tumnus had been telling him that when he was left alone his thoughts took a different turn. He only hoped now that the real Prince Corin would not turn up until it was too late and that he would be taken away to Narnia by ship. I am afraid he did not think at all of what might happen to the real Corin when he was left behind in Tashbaan. He was a little worried about Aravis and Bree waiting for him at the Tombs. But then he said to himself, "well, how can I help it ?" and, "anyway, that Aravis thinks she's too good to go about with me, so she can jolly well go alone," and at the same time he couldn' t help feeling that it would be much nicer going to Narnia by sea than toiling across the desert.
吃完飯后,半羊人囑咐沙斯塔安靜地待在原來的地方休息。“你稍稍睡一覺也沒事,”他補充說道,“我要過好久才會來叫你上船呢。上了船后,就能回家了。直奔納尼亞和北方!”沙斯塔十分享受他的晚飯以及圖姆納斯告訴他的所有事情,以至于當(dāng)他一個人在房間的時候,他的思想發(fā)生了截然不同的轉(zhuǎn)變。他現(xiàn)在只是希望真正的王子科林遲遲不要到來,這樣他就可以通過船只被帶到納尼亞去了??峙滤麎焊鶅壕蜎]想到:被留在塔什班城的那個真科林會碰到什么樣的危險。他只是有點擔(dān)心在墳場上等候他的阿拉維斯和布里。但馬上他又跟自己說道,“哎,我能幫上什么忙呢?”還有,“不管怎樣,那個阿拉維斯覺得她太善良才愿意跟我混在一起,現(xiàn)在她便可以高高興興地獨自走了。”同時,他又忍不住地想到,從海上坐船到納尼亞去比辛辛苦苦穿越大沙漠舒服多了。沙斯塔想著這一切的時候,不知不覺地睡著了。
When he had thought all this he did what I expect you would have done if you had been up very early and had a long walk and a great deal of excitement and then a very good meal,and were lying on a sofa in a cool room with no noise in it except when a bee came buzzing in through the wide open windows.He fell asleep.
如果你也曾經(jīng)大清早起身,行走了漫長的路,經(jīng)歷了極大的興奮,然后又吃了一頓美餐,同時還躺在涼快房間里的一張沙發(fā)上,四周都寂靜無聲,只有一只從打開著的窗戶飛來的蜜蜂在小聲地嗡嗡叫著,你也會睡著的。
What woke him was a loud crash. He jumped up off the sofa, staring. He saw at once from the mere look of the room— the lights and shadows all looked different—that he must have slept for several hours. He saw also what had made the crash: a costly porcelain vase which had been standing on the window-sill lay on-the floor broken into about thirty pieces. But he hardly noticed all these things. What he did notice was two hands gripping the windowsill from outside. They gripped harder and harder (getting white at the knuckles) and then up came a head and a pair of shoulders. A moment later there was a boy of Shasta' s own age sitting astride the sill with one leg hanging down inside the room.
突然“砰”的一聲,一個響亮的碰撞聲把他驚醒了。他立即從沙發(fā)上跳起身,瞪著眼睛環(huán)顧左右。單從房間里的情形來看,光和影看起來都不一樣了,他立刻明白他肯定已經(jīng)睡了好幾個時辰。他才發(fā)現(xiàn)了是什么弄出的啪啦聲:原本放在窗臺上的一個昂貴的瓷花瓶,在地板上被摔碎成了數(shù)不清的小碎片。但他卻沒有在意這些事情,他注意的是有兩只從外面進來的手,正抓住窗臺。那兩只手愈抓愈緊,指關(guān)節(jié)都開始發(fā)白了,接著就出現(xiàn)一個腦袋和一副肩膀。幾分鐘之后,便冒出一個年齡同沙斯塔相仿還跨坐在窗臺上的孩子了,一條腿正伸到房間里面。
Shasta had never seen his own face in a looking-glass. Even if he had, he might not have realized that the other boy was (at ordinary times) almost exactly like himself. At the moment this boy was not particularly like anyone for he had the finest black eye you ever saw, and a tooth missing, and his clothes (which must have been splendid ones when he put them on) were torn and dirty, and there was both blood and mud on his face.
沙斯塔從來沒有在鏡子里看到過他自己的臉。即使他曾經(jīng)看見過,他也可能意識不到這個孩子在平常時候幾乎和自己長得一模一樣。此時此刻,這個男孩并不特別像任何其他人,因為他擁有你見過的最漂亮的黑眼睛,還掉了一顆牙齒,他的衣服破破爛爛的,盡管他穿到身上的時候挺華麗的,而且他的臉上既有鮮血又有污泥。
"Who are you ?" said the boy in a whisper.
“你是誰?”那孩子低聲詢問道。
"Are you Prince Corin ?" said Shasta.
“你是王子科林嗎?”沙斯塔問道。
"Yes, of course," said the other. "But who are you ?"
“是啊,我當(dāng)然是王子科林。”那孩子說道,“但是你是誰呢?”
"I'm nobody,nobody in particular,I mean," said Shasta."King Edmund caught me in the street and mistook me for you. I suppose we must look like one another. Can I get out the way you' ve got in ?"
“我誰也不是,我的意思是,我不是什么特別的人。”沙斯塔說道,“愛德蒙國王在街上逮捕了我,并且錯把我當(dāng)作是你。我猜想我們肯定長得很像對方。我能從你剛進來的地方出去嗎?”
"Yes, if you're any good at climbing," said Corin. "But why are you in such a hurry ? I say: we ought to be able to get some fun out of this being mistaken for one another."
“可以,如果你會攀登的話,”科林說,“可你為什么這么匆忙呢?你聽我說,我們應(yīng)該就人家把我們誤認這一點找點樂子啊。”
"No, no," said Shasta. "We must change places at once. It' ll be simply frightful if Mr. Tumnus comes back and finds us both here.I' ve had to pretend to be you.And you' re starting tonight-secretly.And where were you all this time ?"
“不,不要,”沙斯塔說道,“我們必須立刻換回位置。如果圖姆納斯先生回來,發(fā)現(xiàn)我們兩個都在這里,那情形簡直就叫人害怕了。我曾經(jīng)不得不假裝是你。而且你今天夜里就得出發(fā)——秘密地。你這段時間去哪里了?”
"A boy in the street made a beastly joke about Queen Susan," said Prince Corin, "so I knocked him down. He ran howling into a house and his big brother came out. So I knocked the big brother down. Then they all followed me until we ran into three old men with spears who are called the Watch. So I fought the Watch and they knocked me down. It was getting dark by now. Then the Watch took me along to lock me up somewhere. So I asked them if they' d like a stoup of wine and they said they didn' t mind if they did. Then I took them to a wine shop and got them some and they all sat down and drank till they feel asleep. I thought it was time for me to be off so I came out quietly and then I found the first boy-the one who had started all the trouble-still hanging about. So I knocked him down again. After that I climbed up a pipe on to the roof of a house and lay quiet till it began to get light this morning. Ever since that I' ve been finding my way back. I say, is there anything to drink ?"
“街上有個孩子對女王蘇珊開了個惡劣的玩笑,”王子科林說,“所以我就把他打倒在地。他邊跑邊哭地進了一幢房子里,他的哥哥從里面跑出來。我也把那哥哥打倒在地。接著他們兩個都來追我,直至我們撞見了三個被稱為警衛(wèi)的持矛老人。我就和警衛(wèi)打起來了,警衛(wèi)把我打倒了。這時天色變得暗了下來。警衛(wèi)們把我?guī)ё?,要把我關(guān)在什么地方。所以我就問他們是否愿意喝壺酒?他們說,喝喝也沒事。于是我就帶著他們?nèi)チ艘患揖起^,幫他們要了些酒,他們便都坐下來開始喝酒,一直喝到都睡著了。我想,這正是我逃跑的最佳時機,于是我悄悄地走出了酒館,便發(fā)現(xiàn)了那第一個孩子——就是引起這場麻煩的小家伙還在附近閑蕩,所以我再次把他打倒在地。緊接著,我攀著一個水管一直向上爬,到了一幢房子的屋頂上,然后在屋頂上靜靜地躺著,一直躺到今天早晨快要天亮的時候,之后我一直在找回家的路。我說,這里有什么可以喝的?”
"No, I drank it," said Shasta."And now,show me how you got in. There's not a minute to lose. You'd better lie down on the sofa and pretend—but I forgot. It'll be no good with all those bruises and black eye. You'll just have to tell them the truth, once I'm safely away. "
“沒,我把酒喝了。”沙斯塔說,“現(xiàn)在你來告訴我,你是如何進來的。一分鐘也不能耽擱了。你最好還是躺在沙發(fā)上吧,假裝……但是我忘了,你臉上那青一塊紫一塊的,眼眶都發(fā)黑了,沒辦法隱瞞下去了。一旦我安全地離開后,你就要把真相全部告訴他們。”
"What else did you think I'd be telling them ?" asked the Prince with a rather angry look. "And who are you ?"
“你認為我會告訴他們其他的什么嗎?”王子帶著相當(dāng)憤怒的神色問道:“你究竟是什么樣的人?”
"There's no time," said Shasta in a frantic whisper. "I'm a Narnian,I believe;something Northern anyway.But I've been brought up all my life in Calormen. And I'm escaping: across the desert;with a talking Horse called Bree.And now, quick ! How do I get away ?"
“來不及說了,”沙斯塔用激動得快要發(fā)瘋的聲音低聲說道,“我是個納尼亞人,無論如何我相信我是在北方出生的。但我已經(jīng)在卡樂門長大。我正要逃跑,要穿過一個大沙漠,跟一匹叫做布里的說人話的馬兒一起走?,F(xiàn)在,快!我怎么出去?”
"Look," said Corin. "Drop from this window on to the roof of the verandah. But you must do it lightly, on your toes, or someone will hear you. Then along to your left and you can get up to the top of that wall if you' re any good at all as a climber. Then along the wall to the corner. Drop onto the rubbish heap you will find outside, and there you are. "
“你看,”科林說道,“從這個窗口跳下去,就可以到游廊的屋頂上。但你必須要輕輕地走,踮著腳尖走,要不然別人就會聽見的。然后你一路向左走,就可以爬到墻頭上去,如果你是個爬墻高手的話。然后沿著墻頭一直走到角落里。你就會看到墻外有堆垃圾,你就往下跳,這就可以了。”
"Thanks," said Shasta, who was already sitting on the sill. The two boys were looking into each other' s faces and suddenly found that they were friends.
“謝謝。”沙斯塔說道。他已經(jīng)坐在窗臺上了。這兩個孩子互相看著對方的臉,突然發(fā)現(xiàn)他們已經(jīng)成為好朋友了。
"Good-bye," said Corin. "And good luck. I do hope you get safe away."
“那再見了,”科林說,“希望你好運,我真希望你能安全地走出去。”
"Good-bye," said Shasta. "I say, you have been having some adventures."
“再見,”沙斯塔說,“我說,你已經(jīng)度過危險,但危險還沒有完全過去呢!”
"Nothing to yours," said the Prince. "Now drop;lightly I say," he added as Shasta dropped. "I hope we meet in Archenland.Go to my father King Lune and tell him you're a friend of mine. Look out !I hear someone coming."
“跟你的危險性相比,那根本算不了什么。”王子說,“你現(xiàn)在往下跳吧,輕輕地——嘿,”沙斯塔跳下去時,王子補充道,“我希望我們能在阿欽蘭境內(nèi)見面。你去見我的父王倫恩,然后告訴他你是我的朋友。小心點!我聽到有人過來了。”