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《凯斯宾王子》8 启程

发布时间:2021-06-26 11:05:47

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CHAPTER EIGHT HOW THEY LEFT THE ISLAND

八 启程

"AND so,"said Trumpkin (for,as you have realized,it was he who had been telling all this story to the four children,sitting on the grass in the ruined hall of Cair Paravel)-"and so I put a crust or two in my pocket,left behind all weapons but my dagger,and took to the woods in the grey of the morning.I'd been plugging away for many hours when there came a sound that I'd never heard the like of in my born days.Eh,I won't forget that.The whole air was full of it,loud as thunder but far longer,cool and sweet as music over water,but strong enough to shake the woods.And I said to myself,'If that's not the Horn,call me a rabbit. ' And a moment later I wondered why he hadn't blown it sooner-"

"事情就是这样的,"杜鲁普金说。到这里你们都该知道了吧,坐在凯尔帕拉维尔城堡废墟的草地上给四个孩子讲故事的,就是他。"我卸下身上的武器,只带了一短剑,往兜里随便塞了两片面包,就趁着暮,走向森林深处了。我低着头向前走了很久,突然听到一种我从未听过的声音。那连绵不绝的声音响彻天空,分外优美欢快,有种春风拂面的感觉,但又有种足以撼动整片森林的力量。我对自己说'我敢打赌如果不是那只号的神力,你们就管我叫兔子。'我很是不解,他为什么不早点儿把号角吹响呢?"

"What time was it?"asked Edmund.

"那时是几点?"德蒙问。

"Between nine and ten of the clock,"said Trumpkin.

"九点到十点之间吧。"杜鲁普金说。

"Just when we were at the railway station!"said all the children,and looked at one another with shining eyes.

"那时候我们正在火车站!"孩子们眼睛里闪烁着激动的光芒,异口同声地说。

"Please go on,"said Lucy to the Dwarf.

"你接着说。"露茜对小矮人说。

I could pelt.I kept on all night-and then,when it was half light this morning,as if I'd no more sense than a Giant,I risked a short cut across open country to cut off a big loop of the river,and was caught.Not by the army,but by a pompous old fool who has charge of a little castle which is Miraz's last stronghold towards the coast.I needn't tell you they got no true tale out of me,but I was a Dwarf and that was enough.But,lobsters and lollipops! it is a good thing the seneschal was a pompous fool.Anyone else would have run me through there and then.But nothing would do for him short of a grand execution: sending me down' to the ghosts'in the full ceremonial way.And then this young lady",(he nodded at Susan)"does her bit of archery-and it was pretty shooting,let me tell you-and here we are.And without my armour,for of course they took that."He knocked out and refilled his pipe.

"嗯,听到号声之后,我立刻信心倍增,继续向前走去,一直走了一天一夜。后来在破晓时分,我做了一件比巨人还傻的事。我为了省事不去绕那条河,冒险抄近路。当我正穿过一片开阔地时,就被他们捉住了。不过抓住我的不是军队,而是一个自命清高的老笨蛋。他驻守在一个小城堡里,那是通往海岸的必经之中,弥若兹设的最后一个关卡。我没有多说什么,他们也休想从我嘴里听到任何消息。可是我是小矮人,这一点已经足够给我判罪了。但是,哎呀,那个管事的老家伙还真不错,要是换了别人,我肯定当场就被干掉了。可是,他认为只有把我送到'幽灵'那儿去才是最大的惩罚。结果,我就被这位年轻的小姐给救了(说着他冲苏珊点了点头)。遗憾的是我身上的盔甲都没有了,被他们剥走了。"他说着,又为自己的烟斗装上一斗烟。

"Great Scott!"said Peter."So it was the horn-your own horn,Su-that dragged us all off that seat on the platform yesterday morning! I can hardly believe it; yet it all fits in."

"乖乖!"彼得说,"这么说,真的是那只号--你的那只神号,苏珊在昨天早上把我们从站台的座位上给拽到这儿来的!简直让人难以置信,可这一切的的确确发生了。"

"I don't know why you shouldn't believe it,"said Lucy,"if you believe in magic at all.Aren't there lots of stories about magic forcing people out of one place-out of one world-into another? I mean,when a magician in The Arabian Nights calls up a Jinn,it has to come.We had to come,just like that."

"我不明白你为什么会不信,"露茜说,"你是相信魔法的呀。好多故事都有说魔法能带人离开某个地方,或者是某个世界,再到另一个世界去。比如《一千零一夜》中的魔法师一念咒语,灵马上就会出现在他的面前。我们会回到纳尼亚,正是同样的道理。"

"Yes,"said Peter,"I suppose what makes it feel so queer is that in the stories it's always someone in our world who does the calling.One doesn't really think about where the Jinn's coming from."

"没错,"彼得说,"我觉得奇怪的是念咒语的总是我们这个世界里的人,可到底有没有人认真想过,灵到底是从哪儿来的呢。"

"And now we know what it feels like for the Jinn,"said Edmund with a chuckle."Golly! It's a bit uncomfortable to know that we can be whistled for like that.It's worse than what Father says about living at the mercy of the telephone."

"现在我们都知道灵的感受了。"德蒙笑了,"天哪!拿起号角就那么一吹,我们便不受自己控制地来了,这还真的有点不太自在。比爸爸说的被电话呼来唤去的还不好受。"

"But we want to be here,don't we,"said Lucy,"if Aslan wants us?"

"但是我们都愿意来这儿,不是吗?"露茜说,"如果是阿斯兰要我们来的呢?"

"Meanwhile,"said the Dwarf,"what are we to do? I suppose I'd better go back to King Caspian and tell him no help has come."

"那现在怎么办?"小矮人说,"我想我最好马上回去,告诉国王我们并无援兵可指望,只能另想办法。"

"No help?"said Susan."But it has worked.And here we are."

"没有援兵?"苏珊说,"那号角不是已经把我们召来了吗?"

"Um-um-yes,to be sure.I see that,"said the Dwarf,whose pipe seemed to be blocked (at any rate he made himself very busy cleaning it)."But-well-I mean-"

"嘿......嘿......是的,当然啰,我知道啊。"小矮人说,他的烟斗似乎是堵住了(他努力假装自己正忙着清理烟斗),"但是......那个......我的意思是......"

"But don't you yet see who we are?"shouted Lucy."You are stupid."

"你现在还不知道我们是谁吗?"露茜叫道,"你可够笨的!"

"I suppose you are the four children out of the old stories,"said Trumpkin.And I'm very glad to meet you of course.And it's very interesting,no doubt.But-no offence?-and he hesitated again.

"我猜你们就是传说中的那四个孩子吧,"杜鲁普金说,"我当然很高兴见到你们。毫无疑问,这很有意思。可是......我没有意思冒犯你们吧"他又犹豫了。

"Do get on and say whatever you're going to say,"said Edmund.

"你想说什么,就说出来吧。"德蒙说。

"Well,then-no offence,"said Trumpkin."But,you know,the King and Trufflehunter and Doctor Cornelius were expecting-well,if you see what I mean,help.To put it in another way,I think they'd been imagining you as great warriors.As it is-we're awfully fond of children and all that,but just at the moment,in the middle of a war-but I'm sure you understand."

"嗯,那个......我不是故意冒犯你们,"杜鲁普金说,"你们知道,凯斯宾国王、特鲁佛汉特和克奈尔斯博士都在期待,你们知道我在说什么--他们在期待着强有力的援兵,也就是说我原本以为你们应该是那种高大威猛、骁勇善战的勇士。可现实是你们还只是孩子。没错,我们都很喜欢孩子,但是在这样紧要的关头,在战斗中你们又能做些什么呢?你们能理解我的意思吧。"

"You mean you think we're no good,"said Edmund,getting red in the face.

"你的意思是你认为我们什么忙也帮不上。"德蒙说话的时候,脸都气红了。

"Now pray don't be offended,"interrupted the Dwarf."I assure you,my dear little friends-"

"不要生气,"小矮人打断了他的话,"我向你们保证,亲的小朋友们......"

"Little from you is really a bit too much,"said Edmund,jumping up."I suppose you don't believe we won the Battle of Beruna? Well,you can say what you like about me because I know-"

"'小'朋友!你也太小看我们了吧!"德蒙跳了起来,"我认为,你不会相信是我们打赢了柏卢纳战役吧?你怎么说就怎么说好了,我知道......"

"There's no good losing our tempers,"said Peter."Let's fit him out with fresh armour and fit ourselves out from the treasure chamber,and have a talk after that."

"现在不是发脾气的时候,"彼得说,"咱们先给他配一套盔甲,然后我们也马上武装起来,别的以后再说。"

"I don't quite see the point-"began Edmund,but Lucy whispered in his ear,"Hadn't we better do what Peter says? He is the High King,you know.And I think he has an idea."So Edmund agreed and by the aid of his torch they all,including Trumpkin,went down the steps again into the dark coldness and dusty splendour of the treasure house.

"我看不出这么做......"德蒙这话刚出口,露茜立刻对他轻轻耳语:"咱们应该按彼得说的去做。他是我们的至尊王,我想他已经有办法了。"德蒙当即点点头,拿起手电筒带领大家和杜鲁普金,又一次走下台阶,来到那个又黑又冷,满是灰尘的宝库。

The Dwarf's eyes glistened as he saw the wealth that lay on the shelves (though he had to stand on tiptoes to do so) and he muttered to himself,"It would never do to let Nikabrik see this; never."They found easily enough a mail shirt for him,a sword,a helmet,a shield,a bow and quiverful of arrows,all of dwarfish size.The helmet was of copper,set with rubies,and there was gold on the hilt of the sword: Trumpkin had never seen,much less carried,so much wealth in all his life.The children also put on mail shirts and helmets; a sword and shield were found for Edmund and a bow for Lucy-Peter and Susan were of course already carrying their gifts.As they came back up the stairway,jingling in their mail,and already looking and feeling more like Narnians and less like schoolchildren,the two boys were behind,apparently making some plan.Lucy heard Edmund say,"No,let me do it.It will be more of a sucks for him if I win,and less of a let-down for us all if I fail."

小矮人一看到架子上那些宝贝,眼睛就开始放光(尽管他要踮脚才能看到),嘴里不断地念叨着:"可不能让尼克布瑞克看到这些,绝不能!" 很快孩子们就给他找到了一套合身的锁子甲、一顶头盔、一把宝剑、一块盾牌、一张弓和满满一筒箭,这些都是专为小矮人们量身订做的。所以不仅大小合适,而且做工非常细,材料也是上乘的。铜制的头盔上还嵌着宝石,剑是纯金铸成的。杜鲁普金这辈子都没见过,更没想过能拥有这么奢华的东西,所以他高兴得都不知说什么了。四个孩子也相继穿上盔甲。一锋利的宝剑,以及一块小巧的皮质盾牌归了德蒙;一张弓是为露茜准备的;彼得和苏珊早已带上他们各自的宝物。当他们顺着台阶走出宝库时,身上的锁子甲叮当作响,俨然是纳尼亚最好的勇士,哪还像是只知道读书玩耍的学生。两个男孩跟在后面,很快他们就制定了一套行动方案。露茜只听德蒙说道,"不,让我来,要是我胜了他就显得更丢人。万一我输了,也不至于很丢脸。"

"All right,Ed,"said Peter.

"那好吧,德蒙。"彼得同意了。

When they came out into the daylight Edmund turned to the Dwarf very politely and said,"I've got something to ask you.Kids like us don't often have the chance of meeting a great warrior like you.Would you have a little fencing match with me? It would be frightfully decent."

他们又重新来到光下。这时德蒙很有礼貌地把身子转向小矮人,对他说,"我有个请求,希望你同意。要知道我们这样的小孩子,是不可能常常遇到像你这样伟大的勇士的,你愿意和我比比剑术吗?这样比较合乎礼仪。"

"But,lad,"said Trumpkin,"these swords are sharp."

"可是,小朋友,"杜鲁普金说,"这些剑都很锋利呢。"

"I know,"said Edmund."But I'll never get anywhere near you and you'll be quite clever enough to disarm me without doing me any damage."

"我知道啊,"德蒙说,"我的剑不可能碰到你,而你也可以轻松地解除我的武装,却不伤我半分。"

"It's a dangerous game,"said Trumpkin."But since you make such a point of it,I'll try a pass or two."

"这个游戏很危险,"杜鲁普金说,"不过既然是你提出来的,我就陪你玩个一两局吧。"

Both swords were out in a moment and the three others jumped off the dais and stood watching.It was well worth it.It was not like the silly fighting you see with broad swords on the stage.It was not even like the rapier fighting which you sometimes see rather better done.This was real broad-sword fighting.The great thing is to slash at your enemy'slegs and feet because they are the part that have no armour.And when he slashes at yours you jump with both feet off the ground so that his blow goes under them.This gave the Dwarf an advantage because Edmund,being much taller,had to be always stooping.I don't think Edmund would have had a chance if he had fought Trumpkin twenty-four hours earlier.But the air of Narnia had been working upon him ever since they arrived on the island,and all his old battles came back to him,and his arms and fingers remembered their old skill.He was King Edmund once more.Round and round the two combatants circled,stroke after stroke they gave,and Susan (who never could learn to like this sort of thing) shouted out,"Oh,do be careful."And then,so quickly that no one (unless they knew,as Peter did) could quite see how it happened,Edmund flashed his sword round with a peculiar twist,the Dwarf's sword flew out of his grip,and Trumpkin was wringing his empty hand as you do after a"sting"from a cricket-bat.

一时之间,两把宝剑"唰"地一下子被出来,另外三个孩子则跳下台来,在一旁观战。这可是一场真实战,跟戏台上用木头道具打给人看的小把戏完全不同,甚至连运动会上的击剑比赛也不可比拟,这可是一次战士间的格斗。最彩的便是用宝剑劈对方的和脚,因为只有那里没有盔甲防护。当对方用剑劈来的那一刻,你必须迅速跳起来,这剑才会从你脚下快速掠过。这对小矮人是有利的,因为德蒙个子高,不得不蹲下子去攻击对手。如果是在一天前,他和杜鲁普金进行比赛,德蒙根本没什么胜算。 可他们一来到小岛,纳尼亚的空气便潜移默化地给了他很多魔力。他回想起从前的战斗,胳膊和手指瞬间恢复了力气。现在,他又像是当年的国王德蒙了。两个战士在打了几个回合后,苏珊(她怎么也没法喜欢这种事情)不停地高声提醒道,"噢!小心啊!"就在一眨眼的功夫,德蒙使了一个花剑招数,打飞了小矮人的剑。杜鲁普金看着自己空空的右手,只能无辜地眨着眼睛。

"Not hurt,I hope,my dear little friend?"said Edmund,panting a little and returning his own sword to its sheath.

"没受伤吧,我亲的小朋友?"德蒙轻喘着气,把宝剑插进剑鞘。

"I see the point,"said Trumpkin drily."You know a trick I never learned."

"我看懂了,"杜鲁普金灰溜溜地说,"你的这招我根本没学过。"

"That's quite true,"put in Peter."The best swordsman in the world may be disarmed by a trick that's new to him.I think it's only fair to give Trumpkin a chance at something else.Will you have a shooting match with my sister? There are no tricks in archery,you know."

"没错,"彼得说,"世上最好的击剑手也有可能被一个他不知道的绝招给击溃。这样吧,再给你一次机会,咱们换一种武器比试,这样才公平合理,对不对,朋友?你想要和我妹妹比射箭吗?那可没有花招可耍了,相信你很清楚。"

"Ah,you're jokers,you are,"said the Dwarf."I begin to see.As if I didn't know how she can shoot,after what happened this morning.All the same,I'll have a try."He spoke gruffly,but his eyes brightened,for he was a famous bowman among his own people.

"哈,开玩笑啊,你......"小矮人说,"她今天早上救了我,那时我就知道她有多厉害了。不过,没关系,我也愿意再试一试。"他一副不高兴的样子,但眼里却满是欣慰,因为他能感觉到自己的阵营里多了几个不容小觑的主力军。

All five of them came out into the courtyard.

他们五个一同来到了院子里。

"What's to be the target?"asked Peter.

"用什么当靶子呢?"彼得问。

"I think that apple hanging over the wall on the branch there would do,"said Susan.

"我觉得树枝上那只苹果就行。"苏珊说。

"That'll do nicely,lass,"said Trumpkin."You mean the yellow one near the middle of the arch?"

"那不错,"杜鲁普金痛快地答道,"是说靠近树杈的那只黄苹果吗?"

"No,not that,"said Susan."The red one up above-over the battlement."

"不是那只,"苏珊说,"我指的是树顶上的那只红苹果。"

The Dwarf's face fell."Looks more like a cherry than an apple,"he muttered,but he said nothing out loud.

小矮人的脸当即沉下来,嘴里喃喃地说着,"这苹果比樱桃还像樱桃。"但他没有说出来。

They tossed up for first shot (greatly to the interest of Trumpkin,who had never seen a coin tossed before) and Susan lost.They were to shoot from the top of the steps that led from the hall into the courtyard.Everyone could see from the way the Dwarf took his position and handled his bow that he knew what he was about.

他们决定用掷硬币来决定谁先射箭。杜鲁普金很有兴趣,他还从来没有玩过这种游戏。结果是苏珊在后。他们必须要先选好角度才能射中苹果,因为从大殿到花园之间有一段台阶。就凭小矮人的站位和拉弓的姿势,大家看得出来他也是个行家。

Twang went the string.It was an excellent shot.The tiny apple shook as the arrow passed,and a leaf came fluttering down.Then Susan went to the top of the steps and strung her bow.She was not enjoying her match half so much as Edmund had enjoyed his; not because she had any doubt about hitting the apple but because Susan was so tender-hearted that she almost hated to beat someone who had been beaten already.The Dwarf watched her keenly as she drew the shaft to her ear.A moment later,with a little soft thump which they could all hear in that quiet place,the apple fell to the grass with Susan's arrow in it.

"嗖"的一声,箭射出去了,这一箭很漂亮。一箭过去,小苹果只是摆了一摆,倒是旁边的一片树叶飘然落下。下面到苏珊上场了。她站到了台阶上,拉开了弓。她对这场比赛不太有兴趣,倒不是因为她没有信心射中苹果,而是她心地善良不想去伤害已经吃了一场败仗的对手。小矮人仔细地看着她。苏珊把弓弦拉到耳边,只一瞬间,一声弦响,那颗苹果便应声落地了。苏珊的箭正中苹果中心。

"Oh,well done,Su,"shouted the other children.

"哦!做得好,苏珊!"其他几个孩子欢呼起来。

"It wasn't really any better than yours,"said Susan to the Dwarf."I think there was a tiny breath of wind as you shot."

"我没有你厉害,"苏珊对小矮人说,"因为,你射的时候,我感觉到一阵风。"

"No,there wasn't,"said Trumpkin."Don't tell me.I know when I am fairly beaten.I won't even say that the scar of my last wound catches me a bit when I get my arm well back-"

"不,没有风,"杜鲁普金说,"你不用安慰我,我知道你们已经打败我了。可我刚才是因为肩膀的伤感到很痛......"

"Oh,are you wounded?"asked Lucy."Do let me look."

"啊,你受伤了吗?"露茜问,"快给我看看。"

"It's not a sight for little girls,"began Trumpkin,but then he suddenly checked himself."There I go talking like a fool again,"he said"I suppose you're as likely to be a great surgeon as your brother was to be a great swordsman or your sister to be a great archer."He sat down on the steps and took off his hauberk and slipped down his little shirt,showing an arm hairy and muscular (in proportion) as a sailor's though not much bigger than a child's.There was a clumsy bandage on the shoulder which Lucy proceeded to unroll.Underneath,the cut looked very nasty and there was a good deal of swelling."Oh,poor Trumpkin,"said Lucy."How horrid."Then she carefully dripped on to it one single drop of the cordial from her flask.

"小姑,你看了也没用。"杜鲁普金此话一出,立即感到不妥,然后赶紧改口,"对不起,我又说傻话了。你的哥哥是出的击剑家,你的姐姐是了不起的射手,我猜你应该是个高明的医生。"他坐到台阶上,解开锁子甲,脱掉了贴身的小衬衫,像水手一般多且肌肉发达的胳膊露了出来。大家看到他肩膀的伤口被马虎地包扎着。露茜解开看了一下,绷带下是一条很深的刀伤,已经发炎了,周围都又红又肿。"哦,可怜的杜鲁普金,"露茜说,"这伤口好可怕。"说着她从手中的小瓶里小心翼翼地倒出一滴神水,滴在伤口上。

"Hullo.Eh? What have you done?"said Trumpkin.But however he turned his head and squinted and whisked his beard to and fro,he couldn't quite see his own shoulder.Then he felt it as well as he could,getting his arms and fingers into very difficult positions as you do when you're trying to scratch a place that is just out of reach.Then he swung his arm and raised it and tried the muscles,and finally jumped to his feet crying,"Giants and junipers! It's cured!It's as good as new."After that he burst into a great laugh and said,"Well,I've made as big a fool of myself as ever a Dwarf did.No offence,I hope? My humble duty to your Majesties all-humble duty.And thanks for my life,my cure,my breakfast-and my lesson."

"哎,嗯?你刚才做了什么啊?"杜鲁普金说着转过头来,却不由大吃一惊,"咦,我的伤口怎么不见了?"他摆动着小胡子到处看来看去,还仔仔细细把胳膊了一遍。最后,他舒展着胳膊活动了一下肌肉,跳起来大喊道,"神啊!我身上的伤口好啦!我的胳膊现在跟没受伤一样!"接着他又大笑着说,"啊,我怎么这么笨!你们都别跟我一般见识,我向各位陛下致敬......虽然这敬意微不足道。非常感谢你们救了我,治好了我的伤,用丰盛的早餐款待我......还有给我'上了一课'。"

The children all said it was quite all right and not to mention it.

四个孩子都说,这只是小事,不值一提。

"And now,"said Peter,"if you've really decided to believe in us-"

"那么现在,"彼得说,"你应该已经相信我们了。"

"I have,"said the Dwarf.

"当然。"小矮人说。

"It's quite clear what we have to do.We must join King Caspian at once."

"我们必须马上启程,好尽快与凯斯宾国王会合。"

"The sooner the better,"said Trumpkin."My being such a fool has already wasted about an hour."

"而且越快越好,"杜鲁普金说,"我真是个傻瓜,已经耽误了将近一个钟头的时间。"

"It's about two days'journey,the way you came,"said Peter."For us,I mean.We can't walk all day and night like you Dwarfs."Then he turned to the others."What Trumpkin calls Aslan's How is obviously the Stone Table itself.You remember it was about half a day's march,or a little less,from there down to the Fords of Beruna-"

"如果沿你的来路过去,大概要两天时间,"彼得说,"但我们无法像你们小矮人那样日夜兼程。"说着他转向其他人,"杜鲁普金说的阿斯兰堡垒应该就是那个大石桌。你们应该还记得,从那儿往下走,到柏卢纳渡口只要半天就够了。"

"Beruna's Bridge,we call it,"said Trumpkin.

"我们把那儿叫做柏卢纳大桥。"杜鲁普金说。

"There was no bridge in our time,"said Peter."And then from Beruna down to here was another day and a bit.We used to get home about teatime on the second day,going easily.Going hard,we could do the whole thing in a day and a half perhaps."

"在我们时代,那儿还没有桥,"彼得说,"那时从柏卢纳到这儿需要一天,通常我们都是在第二天吃晚饭时到家的。如果走得快一点,一天半应该可以赶到那儿。"

"But remember it's all woods now,"said Trumpkin,"and there are enemies to dodge."

"可现在到处都是森林,"杜鲁普金提醒说,"而且还有敌人在那儿呢。"

"Look here,"said Edmund,"need we go by the same way that Our Dear Little Friend came?"

"我想问,"德蒙开口道,"我们只能走这位小朋友来时走的那条路吗?"

"No more of that,your Majesty,if you love me,"said the Dwarf.

"陛下别再叫我小朋友啦,留点面子给我吧。"小矮人说。

"Very well,"said Edmund."May I say our D.L.F.?"

"好吧,"德蒙说,"那我能管你叫我们的小不点吗?"

"Oh,Edmund,"said Susan."Don't keep on at him like that."

"喂,德蒙,"苏珊说,"干吗总是对人家不依不饶的。"

"That's all right,lass-I mean your Majesty,"said Trumpkin with a chuckle."A jibe won't raise a blister."(And after that they often called him the D.L.F.till they'd almost forgotten what it meant.)

"没关系的,小姑......哦,我是说女王陛下。"杜鲁普金笑着说,"这只是在开玩笑,没关系的。"(从那以后,他们就亲切地叫他小不点了,以致于到后来,这个称呼的真正含义倒是几乎被忘掉了。)

"As I was saying,"continued Edmund,"we needn't go that way.Why shouldn't we row a little south till we come to Glasswater Creek and row up it? That brings us up behind the Hill of the Stone Table,and we'll be safe while we're at sea.If we start at once,we can be at the head of Glasswater before dark,get a few hours' sleep,and be with Caspian pretty early tomorrow."

"我刚才是要说,"德蒙继续说,"咱们不用走那儿,只要乘船向南经过清水溪,然后逆流而上,就可以直达大石桌的后山。我觉得我们走水路会比较安全。如果我们马上出发,在天黑之前就可以赶到清水溪的入口处,然后休息几个小时,明天一大早就可以见到凯斯宾了。"

"What a thing it is to know the coast,"said Trumpkin."None of us know anything about Glasswater."

"真了不起啊!你知道那么多关于海岸的事。"杜鲁普金说,"我们还对清水溪这一路一无所知呢。"

"What about food?"asked Susan.

"还有,食物问题又怎么解决?"苏珊问。

"Oh,we'll have to do with apples,"said Lucy."Do let's get on.We've done nothing yet,and we've been here nearly two days."

"噢,我们还有苹果,"露茜说,"快点走吧,都过了两天了,我们还什么事儿都没做呢。"

"And anyway,no one's going to have my hat for a fish-basket again,"said Edmund.

"不管怎样,谁也别再用我的帽子当篮子了。"德蒙说。

They used one of the raincoats as a kind of bag and put a good many apples in it.Then they all had a good long drink at the well (for they would meet no more fresh water till they landed at the head of the Creek) and went down to the boat.The children were sorry to leave Cair Paravel,which,even in ruins,had begun to feel like home again.

于是,他们把雨衣改成了一个袋子,装了很多苹果,又到井边喝足了水,因为在到达清水溪之前,很可能没有淡水。然后,他们上了小船,望着将要离开的凯尔帕拉维尔城堡,孩子们的心里不禁怅然。虽然那儿已是一片废墟,可还是像他们的第二故乡一样亲切。

"The D.L.F.had better steer,"said Peter,"and Ed and I will take an oar each.Half a moment,though.We'd better take off our mail: we're going to be pretty warm before we're done.The girls had better be in the bows and shout directions to the D.L.F.because he doesn't know the way.You'd better get us a fair way out to sea till we've passed the island."

"小不点a,最好由你来掌舵,"彼得说,"我和德蒙划桨。虽然路不远,咱们最好还是脱掉身上的锁子甲,不然划不了多久就会热得受不了。你们两个女孩子,就坐在船头,给小不点指示方向吧,他还不知道方向呢。你们最好让船直接驶进大海里,绕开这座岛。"

And soon the green,wooded coast of the island was falling away behind them,and its little bays and headlands were beginning to look flatter,and the boat was rising and falling in the gentle swell.The sea began to grow bigger around them and,in the distance,bluer,but close round the boat it was green and bubbly.Everything smelled salt and there was no noise except the swishing of water and the clop-clop of water against the sides and the splash of the oars and the jolting noise of the rowlocks.The sun grew hot.

很快,他们把这座森林覆盖的绿小岛远远抛在了后面,小船在海中颠簸着。周围的海域愈发辽阔了起来,向远处眺望那蓝蓝的海水望不着边际。近处有小船荡起的碧波,花在船边上翻滚。空气里是海水微涩的咸味。海上非常寂静,只有海水撞击船舷、船桨拍打水面的哗哗声和船桨发出的嘎吱声。天气更热了。

It was delightful for Lucy and Susan in the bows,bending over the edge and trying to get their hands in the sea which they could never quite reach.The bottom,mostly pure,pale sand but with occasional patches of purple seaweed,could be seen beneath them.

露茜和苏珊开心地坐在船头。她们弯下身把手伸在到船边,想要玩玩海水,可总是够不到。不过她们可以清楚地看见海底月白的沙子,是那么地纯净。当然,偶尔还能看到一片片紫红的海藻。

"It's like old times,"said Lucy."Do you remember our voyage to Terebinthia-and Galma-and Seven Isles-and the Lone Islands?"

"好像时光倒流的感觉呢,"露茜说,"还记得我们航行到特里宾西亚......还有卡尔马......还有七岛......还有孤独岛的时光吗?"

"Yes,"said Susan,"and our great ship the Splendour Hyaline,with the swan's head at her prow and the carved swan' wings coming back almost to her waist?"

"当然记得,"苏珊应道,"还有我们的'辉煌海尔兰号',

"And the silken sails,and the great stern lanterns?"

那船头镶有天鹅头雕塑,雕刻出来的天鹅翅膀一直伸到船的中部。"

"And the feasts on the poop and the musicians."

"有绸子做的帆船尾还有个巨大的灯笼?"

"Do you remember when we had the musicians up in the rigging playing flutes so that it sounded like music out of the sky?"

"还有摆在甲板上的盛宴和那些乐师。你们记不记得,有位乐师还爬到船帆的缆绳上去吹笛子?那声音简直就像天籁。"

Presently Susan took over Edmund's oar and he came forward to join Lucy.They had passed the island now and stood closer in to the shore-all wooded and deserted.They would have thought it very pretty if they had not remembered the time when it was open and breezy and full of merry friends.

他们边走边回忆,当苏珊去接德蒙的班划桨的时候,他们已经过了一大半路程。海岸越来越近了,他们记得当年的这里还只是一片开阔地,很多人在此聚会。现在却杂草丛生无比荒凉,让人颇为感慨。

"Phew! This is pretty gruelling work,"said Peter."Can't I row for a bit?"said Lucy.

"呼!这活儿还真是累人。"彼得说。"那让我来替你一会儿吧?"露茜说。

"The oars are too big for you,"said Peter shortly,not because he was cross but because he had no strength to spare for talking.

"不行,你划不动。"彼得的话很简短,并不是因为发火,而是累得没力气说话了。

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