《能言馬與男孩》 第十三章 安瓦德之戰(zhàn)

CHAPTER THIRTEEN THE FIGHT AT ANVARD

第十三章　安瓦德之戰(zhàn)

BY about eleven o clock the whole company was once more on the march, riding westward with the mountains on their left. Corin and Shasta rode right at the rear with the Giants immediately in front of them. Lucy and Edmund and Peridan were busy with their plans for the battle and though Lucy once said,"But where is his goosecap Highness ?"Edmund only replied,,Not in the front, "and that s good news enough."Leave well alone."

大概十一點(diǎn)的時(shí)候，部隊(duì)開始向西疾行，大山在左邊若隱若現(xiàn)。巨人在前面，科林和沙斯塔墊后。露茜、愛德蒙和帕里丹忙于商量作戰(zhàn)計(jì)劃;雖然露茜女王也提到了：“滑稽的王子殿下去哪了?”愛德蒙簡單回答:“不在先頭部隊(duì)里，這就已經(jīng)夠好了。隨他去吧。”

Shasta told Corin most of his adventures and explained that he had learned all his riding from a horse and didn t really know how to use the reins. Corin instructed him in this, besides telling him all about their secret sailing from Tashbaan.

沙斯塔將他大部分歷險(xiǎn)告訴了科林，并且告訴他是跟一匹馬學(xué)習(xí)騎術(shù)的，這就是為什么他不會用韁繩的原因?？屏志椭笇?dǎo)他怎樣使用韁繩，還把他們從塔什班城秘密出行的經(jīng)歷告訴他。

"And where is the Queen Susan ?"

“那么蘇珊女王在哪兒?”

"At Cair Paravel,"said Corin.,She s not like Lucy, you know, who s as good as a man, or at any rate as good as a boy. Queen Susan is more like an ordinary grown-up lady.She doesn t ride to the wars, though she is an excellent archer."

“在凱爾帕拉維爾，”科林說，“她不像露茜那樣像個男子漢，或者至少像個男孩子。蘇珊女王更像大家閨秀。就算她箭術(shù)不錯，也不會去騎馬打仗。”

The hillside path which they were following became narrower all the time and the drop on their right hand became steeper. At last they were going in single file along the edge of a precipice and Shasta shuddered to think that he had done the same last night without knowing it.,But of course,"he thought,"I was quite safe. That is why the Lion kept on my left. He was between me and the edge all the time."

山路越來越窄，旁邊的山坡也更加陡峭。最后他們不得不一前一后，沿著懸崖邊緣走。當(dāng)想到自己那個晚上是否也是這樣走的，就不寒而栗。“當(dāng)然，”他自我安慰，“我十分安全。獅子一直在我左邊，一直在我和懸崖之間。”

Then the path went left and south away from the cliff and there were thick woods on both sides of it and they went steeply up and up into the pass. There would have been a splendid view from the top if it were open ground but among all those trees you could see nothing-only, every now and then, some huge pinnacle of rock above the tree-tops, and an eagle or two wheeling high up in the blue air.

山路開始向左延伸，背著懸崖向南而去，兩邊是茂密的樹林，山路險(xiǎn)峻陡峭，他們向上攀爬，終于到了山口。如果山口開闊，從山頂俯瞰，景色優(yōu)美，但是周圍樹木茂盛，就什么也看不到了——只是偶爾看到樹頂上出現(xiàn)的石峰，一兩只盤旋在藍(lán)天之上的鷹。

"They smell battle,"said Corin,pointing at the birds.,They know we re preparing a feed for them." Shasta didn t like this at all.

“鷹嗅到了戰(zhàn)爭的氣息，”科林指著那些鳥說，“他們知道將會有豐盛的一餐了。”沙斯塔對這種俏皮話興趣不大。

When they had crossed the neck of the pass and come a good deal lower they reached more open ground and from here Shasta could see all Archenland, blue and hazy, spread out below him and even (he thought) a hint of the desert beyond it. But the sun, which had perhaps two hours or so to go before it set, was in his eyes and he couldn t make things out distinctly.

他們過了山口，走了挺長一段路，開始逐漸開闊起來，沙斯塔能眺望整個阿欽蘭國土，藍(lán)藍(lán)的，霧蒙蒙的，在他腳下鋪展開來( 他認(rèn)為)，他甚至能夠隱約看到更加遙遠(yuǎn)的大沙漠。但是，太陽將要下山，射進(jìn)眼睛的光芒讓他目眩，他沒法把景物看得很清楚。

Here the army halted and spread out in a line, and there was a great deal of rearranging. A whole detachment of very dangerous-looking Talking Beasts whom Shasta had not noticed before and who were mostly of the cat kind (leopards, panthers, and the like) went padding and growling to take up their positions on the left. The giants were ordered to the right, and before going there they all took off something they had been carrying on their backs and sat down for a moment. Then Shasta saw that what they had been carrying and were now putting on were pairs of boots: horrid, heavy, spiked boots which came up to their knees. Then they sloped their huge clubs over their shoulders and marched to their battle position. The archers, with Queen Lucy, fell to the rear and you could first see them bending their bows and then hear the twangtwang as they tested the strings. And wherever you looked you could see people tightening girths, putting on helmets, drawing swords, and throwing cloaks to the ground. There was hardly any talking now. It was very solemn and very dreadful. "I m in for it now—I really am in for it now,"thought Shasta. Then there came noises far ahead: the sound of many men shouting and a steady thud-thud-thud.

軍隊(duì)在此止步，排列成一條戰(zhàn)線，國王做了新的作戰(zhàn)計(jì)劃。一整隊(duì)會說話的野獸，沙斯塔以前沒有注意過;大部分是貓科動物( 花豹、黑豹等等)，咆哮著、大踏步走到左邊去列成陣地。巨人奉命開拔到右邊，進(jìn)入陣地前，它們卸下背上的東西，坐下休息了一會兒。沙斯塔這才有機(jī)會看清巨人背的東西，還有腳上穿的是一雙雙靴子：難看的、沉重的、底部有尖釘、長及膝頭，接著巨人就扛著大棒進(jìn)入陣地。露茜和弓箭手被安排在后方，他們在試弓，然后能聽到拉緊弓弦的嘣嘣聲。不論何處，人們都在系緊腰帶，戴上頭盔，抽出刀劍，把大麾放在地上。場面肅穆，無人交談。“現(xiàn)在沒法當(dāng)逃兵了——真的不能當(dāng)逃兵了。”沙斯塔想。陣地前方聲音嘈雜：人們大嚷大叫，還有一種沉重的砰砰聲。

"Battering ram,"whispered Corin."They re battering the gate."

“攻城槌，”科林小聲說，“敵人想打破城門。”。

Even Corin looked quite serious now.

連科林也開始嚴(yán)肅起來了

"Why doesn t King Edmund get on ?"he said.,I can t stand this waiting about.Chilly too."

“為什么愛德蒙國王不出擊?”他說，“我受不了這種等待。渾身冰冷。”

Shasta nodded: hoping he didn t look as frightened as felt.

沙斯塔點(diǎn)點(diǎn)頭：希望他不像外在表現(xiàn)的那樣害怕。

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.

喇叭聲終于響起!部隊(duì)開始出兵——馬兒疾奔——旗幟飄揚(yáng)。他們爬上了一個山脊，山下景色一覽無遺。一個多城樓的小城堡，城門正對他們。不幸的是沒有護(hù)城河，城門緊閉，吊閘落下。城墻上保衛(wèi)者的臉像一個個小白點(diǎn)，大約五十個卡樂門人下了馬，用一根大樹干牢牢的撞擊城門，但是這情景轉(zhuǎn)瞬即逝。羅八達(dá)的主力部隊(duì)早已下馬步行，做好攻擊城門的準(zhǔn)備，當(dāng)他們看到奔騰而下的納尼亞軍隊(duì)時(shí)，這些訓(xùn)練有素的卡樂門部隊(duì)幾乎一秒內(nèi)就上了馬，調(diào)轉(zhuǎn)馬頭，排好隊(duì)列，開始迎戰(zhàn)。

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."

隨著一陣狂奔，兩軍之間的距離急劇縮短，越來越快，越來越快。刀劍出鞘，盾牌舉起，禱告已宣，牙關(guān)緊咬，沙斯塔惶恐至極。但一個想法突然冒出來：“這次害怕，那么今后就無法面對戰(zhàn)爭，時(shí)不我待!”

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;

但是兩軍短兵相接的時(shí)候，他對現(xiàn)場情況毫不知情，加上可怕的混亂和恐怖的慘叫，他手中的刀很快就被直接打落，韁繩也不知弄哪兒去了。他發(fā)覺自己正滑下馬，一支長矛筆直地刺過來，他低頭躲避，滑落下馬，左膝猛地撞在別人的盔甲上，然后……但試圖從沙斯塔的角度去描繪戰(zhàn)爭毫無意義，他對戰(zhàn)斗了解甚少，甚至不了解自己在戰(zhàn)爭中扮演何種角色。如果想要知道發(fā)生了什么，最好的辦法就是帶你到幾英里外，那里的南征隱士正在目不轉(zhuǎn)睛地凝視平靜的池水，樹影蔭蔽，布里、赫溫和阿拉維斯都在他身邊。

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.

如果想要知道自己世外桃源外的世界在發(fā)生什么，隱士就朝池水張望。在像鏡子一樣的池水里，他能看到在特定的時(shí)間，遠(yuǎn)在塔什班南方的城市街道上發(fā)生的事情，諸如什么船在遙遠(yuǎn)的七群島駛進(jìn)了紅港，或者強(qiáng)盜或野獸在燈柱野林和臺爾馬之間的西部大森林里搗亂。這天隱士在池邊寸步不離，吃飯和喝水也不離開，因?yàn)樗?，阿欽蘭有重大事件發(fā)生。

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:

阿拉維斯和另兩匹馬也朝水里張望，他們看得出，這水有魔力。水中沒有綠樹藍(lán)天的倒影，卻有活動的、模糊的彩色影像。但是他們什么也看不清，看得清的隱士便把看到的告訴他們。沙斯塔騎上馬，進(jìn)入人生中第一次戰(zhàn)爭前的一會兒，隱士便這樣說道：

"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—"

“我看到一只、兩只、三只鷹，在暴風(fēng)雨山的山口盤旋。其中那只年紀(jì)最大的，沒有一觸即發(fā)的戰(zhàn)爭它是不會出來的。它來回盤旋，時(shí)而俯瞰安瓦德，時(shí)而俯瞰暴風(fēng)雨山背后的東方。啊!現(xiàn)在我知道羅八達(dá)和他的部隊(duì)整天在忙什么了。他們砍了一棵大樹，鋸掉一段，掮著它出了樹林，想把樹干用作攻城槌。他們從昨晚的失敗中吸取了一點(diǎn)教訓(xùn)，如果他讓部隊(duì)制作云梯顯然更好：但制作云梯很費(fèi)時(shí)間，他等不及。真是愚蠢!初戰(zhàn)失利，應(yīng)該立刻策馬回塔什班，因?yàn)樗恼麄€作戰(zhàn)計(jì)劃，靠的是速度和出其不意?，F(xiàn)在他部署好了攻城槌。倫恩國王的士兵在城墻上拼命射箭，五個卡樂門士兵倒下了;但不會有更多人倒下，因?yàn)樗麄冇枚芘茡踔?。羅八達(dá)已經(jīng)下令，他最信賴的主公，從東部各地來的兇殘的泰坎，都和他一起。我看得見泰坎的臉，托芒城堡的安拉丁、阿茲魯、奇拉馬什，歪嘴伊爾加默思，還有個紅胡子的泰坎……”

"By the Mane,my old master Anradin !"said Bree. "S-s-sh"said Aravis.

“天啊，那是我的老主人安拉丁!”布里說。

"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 !—"

“噓……”阿拉維斯說。“攻城槌開始撞擊了。如果我能聽見，那東西會發(fā)出多大的聲音啊!一槌又一槌!沒有一個城門扛得住。且慢!暴風(fēng)雨山附近的鳥兒受到了驚動，大群的飛了出來。再等等……我還看不到……啊!現(xiàn)在看見了。東邊高地，山脊上全是黑壓壓的騎兵。風(fēng)能把軍旗吹開就好了。不管他們是誰，現(xiàn)在都越過山脊了。啊!我看到旗子了。納尼亞，是納尼亞!紅獅旗!他們?nèi)傧律?。我看到愛德蒙國王。陣地后方有個女弓箭手。哦!”

"What is it ?"asked Hwin breathlessly.

“那是什么東西?”赫溫屏息靜氣的問。

"All his Cats are dashing out from the left of the line."

“所有貓科動物從左翼攻了過去。”

"Cats ?"said Aravis. "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—"

“貓科動物?”阿拉維斯問。“巨大的貓科動物，雪豹之類的，”隱士有點(diǎn)焦躁，“我明白了，明白了。貓科動物要圍成一圈，去逮那些無人騎的馬。好高明的一著棋。卡樂門的馬已經(jīng)恐懼不已了。這些貓科動物又沖進(jìn)了馬群中。但羅八達(dá)調(diào)整了隊(duì)伍，百來個士兵上了馬，他們縱馬迎戰(zhàn)納尼亞人，現(xiàn)在兩邊隊(duì)伍不到一百碼，現(xiàn)在不到五十碼了。我看見愛德蒙國王和帕麗丹勛爵，納尼亞隊(duì)伍中有兩個孩子模樣的人，國王怎么可以讓孩子參加戰(zhàn)斗?雙方距離只有十碼了——短兵相接。納尼亞右翼的巨人們正在大殺四方……但有個巨人倒下了，我猜是眼睛被射中了。中間在混戰(zhàn)，左邊的能夠看到更多，又是那兩個孩子。天哪，一個是科林王子，另一個和科林一模一樣，就是你們的小沙斯塔?？屏窒駛€男子漢一樣戰(zhàn)斗，他殺死了一個卡樂門人?，F(xiàn)在能夠看見一點(diǎn)中間的戰(zhàn)況了。羅八達(dá)和愛德蒙幾乎要面對面了，但蜂擁而上的士兵沖散了他們……”

"What about Shasta ?"said Aravis.

“沙斯塔怎么樣了?”阿拉維斯問。

"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."

“這個傻瓜!”隱士不禁嘆息，“可憐的、勇敢的小傻瓜。他不了解打仗。他根本就沒有使用盾牌，要害都暴露在外。他也不知道怎么用他的劍，現(xiàn)在他想起來用劍了。他胡亂揮舞……差點(diǎn)把自己小馬的腦袋砍下來?，F(xiàn)在他的劍被打落了，讓孩子上戰(zhàn)場，簡直就是謀殺;他只有不到五分鐘可活了。你這傻瓜，低頭啊……啊，他從馬上跌下來了。”

"Killed ?" asked three voices breathlessly.

“死了?”三個聲音屏息問道。

"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.

“我該怎么說呢?”隱士說，“貓科動物完成了戰(zhàn)斗任務(wù)，無人騎的馬非死即散：騎這些馬的卡樂門人必死無疑?，F(xiàn)在貓科動物重新全力投入戰(zhàn)斗，他們向用攻城槌的人撲去，攻城槌掉在地上了。啊，妙!妙!城門由里打開：馬上就有一番突圍了。打頭三個人，倫恩國王在中間，達(dá)爾達(dá)蘭兄弟在其左右。特蘭、沙爾、柯爾和科林兄弟緊隨其后?，F(xiàn)在有十個、二十個、三十個左右的戰(zhàn)士出來了?？烽T軍隊(duì)被逼退后，愛德蒙國王勇猛奮起，威力無比。他剛砍下安拉丁的腦袋，卡樂門戰(zhàn)士丟盔棄甲，向樹林逃竄。巨人在左翼，貓科動物在右翼，倫恩國王在后面，步步緊逼余下的隊(duì)伍?？烽T隊(duì)伍腹背受敵，緊張慌亂，他們圍成圈子守備。布里，你的老主人倒下了。倫恩國王和阿茲魯短兵相接;國王優(yōu)勢明顯——國王保持著優(yōu)勢——國王贏了，阿茲魯?shù)瓜铝恕鯋鄣旅傻瓜铝擞终玖似饋恚核诤土_八達(dá)搏斗。

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."

他們在城堡門口交戰(zhàn)，好多卡樂門人投降了，達(dá)蘭殺了伊爾加默思。我不知道羅八達(dá)怎么樣了，他緊靠城墻，我不清楚他是否已經(jīng)死了。奇拉馬什仍在茍延殘喘，但剩下隊(duì)伍大勢已去。奇拉馬什投降，戰(zhàn)爭結(jié)束?？烽T人徹底輸了。”

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.

沙斯塔跌落下馬的時(shí)候，認(rèn)為自己已經(jīng)死了。但馬踩人的情況在戰(zhàn)場上，遠(yuǎn)比他想的要少?？植赖氖昼娺^去了，沙斯塔突然發(fā)現(xiàn)：附近的馬已經(jīng)寥寥無幾，而喧鬧的聲音( 因?yàn)楦浇男[聲仍在持續(xù))不再是交戰(zhàn)的聲音了。他坐起來自己打量四周，雖然他對戰(zhàn)爭不熟悉，但他也很快看出來：阿欽蘭人和納尼亞人取得了勝利?；钪目烽T人已經(jīng)淪為俘虜，城堡大門洞開，倫恩國王和愛德蒙國王手握著槌越過攻城。一群王公大臣和戰(zhàn)士圍在周圍，激動、愉快地交談著，突然談話聲變成了一陣哄堂大笑。

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 halfway 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.

沙斯塔爬起來，覺得四肢不受控制。他朝人群跑去，想看看笑聲的源頭在哪里。他看到一副有趣的景象，倒霉的羅八達(dá)被懸在城墻上，腳離地兩英尺，胡亂地踢著。鎖子甲被吊了起來，勒緊了他的腋下，中間的鎖子甲遮住半邊臉。事實(shí)上，他看上去就像一個人正把一件尺寸太小的襯衫硬穿上身時(shí)的模樣。沙斯塔后來得知( 你可以確信，這個故事后來廣為流傳)，事情的經(jīng)過大致如此：剛開戰(zhàn)時(shí)，一個巨人用他的尖釘靴子踩了羅八達(dá)一腳。但未能如愿的把羅八達(dá)踩個稀巴爛;幸運(yùn)的是也有點(diǎn)作用，因?yàn)檠プ酉衲阄宜洪_一件普通襯衫那樣，刺破了鎖子甲。所以，羅八達(dá)和愛德蒙在城門搏斗時(shí)，背后有個大窟窿。愛德蒙向城墻方向步步緊逼，羅八達(dá)跳上一個高臺，他在臺上，用雨點(diǎn)般的劍法攻擊愛德蒙。但他覺得自己的位置太顯眼，容易成為弓箭手的眾矢之的，所以決定跳下來。在跳下來前，他察言觀色——毫無疑問，他確實(shí)試探了一會兒，然后莊嚴(yán)地跳了下來，口中大喊：“塔什神的雷霆將懲罰你們。”但前面的人太多，沒有落腳的地方，所以不得不朝旁邊跳，接著，簡單來說，他鎖子甲上的窟窿，被墻上的一個鉤子鉤住了( 幾百年前，這鉤子是用來系馬的鐵圈)。他發(fā)現(xiàn)自己成為了洗凈待晾干的衣服，人人都在嘲笑他。

"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."

“愛德蒙，放我下來，”羅八達(dá)號叫道，“放我下來，以國王的身份，像男子漢那樣和我戰(zhàn)斗，如果你是個懦夫，不敢放我下來，那就立馬殺了我。”

"Certainly," began King Edmund, but King Lune interrupted.

“當(dāng)然可以。”愛德蒙國王說，但倫恩國王打斷了他。

"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."

“請?jiān)试S我插一句，”倫恩國王對愛德蒙說，“別這樣。”然后，他轉(zhuǎn)過來對羅八達(dá)說道：“殿下，如果你在一個星期前就下了挑戰(zhàn)書，我會保證：整個愛德蒙國土，上至皇帝，下至最小的會說話的號手，都不會拒絕你的請求。但你在和平時(shí)期，連挑戰(zhàn)書也不下，就貿(mào)然攻擊安瓦德，你不配做一個真正的武士，只配做個挨劊子手鞭打的奸賊，不配任何高貴的人和你交戰(zhàn)。把他綁起來，帶到城里去，等我們宣告了勝利的消息，再作定奪。”

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.

羅八達(dá)的劍被強(qiáng)硬地奪走，他被帶到城里去了，他叫喊、威嚇、咒罵，甚至大聲哭號。因?yàn)?，他能忍受?yán)刑拷打，卻難以忍受嘲弄恥笑。在塔什班城，人人都懾于他的威嚴(yán)。

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.

就在這時(shí)，科林跑過來，抓著沙斯塔的手把他拖到國王跟前。“他在這兒，父親，他在這兒。”科林大聲說。

"Aye,and here thou art,at last," said the King in a very gruff voice."And hast 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，你還是來這兒了，”國王粗魯?shù)卣f，“而且不聽我的話，參加了戰(zhàn)斗。一個讓父親擔(dān)憂心碎的孩子!你這樣的年紀(jì)，要你拿劍還不如在你身上插根棍子呢。哈哈!”但包括科林在內(nèi)的所有人，都看出國王自豪不已。

"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."

“對不起，陛下，不要責(zé)備他了，”達(dá)蘭勛爵說，“國王的兒子就要繼承國王的英雄氣概。如果他不敢參加戰(zhàn)爭，那才是最讓陛下傷心的吧。”

"Well, well," grumbled the King."We'll pass it over for this time.And now—"

“好吧，好吧，”國王咕咕噥噥的說，“下不為例?，F(xiàn)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 ?"

接下來的事情，比平生遭遇的事情，更讓沙斯塔驚訝不已。倫恩國王像熊一樣緊緊地抱住他，親吻他的臉。然后國王放下他，說：“站在這兒，孩子們，讓王公貴族們都看看你們。昂起頭來?，F(xiàn)在，先生們，瞧瞧這兩人。還有什么值得懷疑的嗎?”

And still Shasta could not understand why everyone stared at him and at Corin nor what all the cheering was about.

而沙斯塔一頭霧水：為什么人們在目不轉(zhuǎn)睛地盯著他和科林?他們在歡呼什么?