3、能言马和男孩

The Horse and His Boy能言马与男孩Chapter 1第一章HOW SHASTA SET OUT ON HIS TRAVELS沙斯塔出奔THIS is the story of an adventure that happened in Narnia and Calormen and the lands between, in the Golden Age when Peter was High King in Narnia and his brother and his two sisters were King and Queens under him.这是个惊险故事，发生在黄金时代的纳尼亚王国和卡乐门王国，以及两国之间的地方。当年彼得是纳尼亚王国的至尊王，他的弟弟和两个妹妹，都是在他领导下的国王和女王。In those days, far south in Calormen on a little creek of the sea, there lived a poor fisherman called Arsheesh, and with him there lived a boy who called him Father. The boy's name was Shasta. On most days Arsheesh went out in his boat to fish in the morning, and in the afternoon he harnessed his donkey to a cart and loaded the cart with fish and went a mile or so southward to the village to sell it. If it had sold well he would come home in a moderately good temper and say nothing to Shasta, but if it had sold badly he would find fault with him and perhaps beat him. There was always something to find fault with for Shasta had plenty of work to do, mending and washing the nets, cooking the supper, and cleaning the cottage in which they both lived.在那些岁月里，在卡乐门王国遥远的南方，大海之滨的一个小港湾里，住着一个穷苦的渔夫叫作阿什伊什，有个孩子跟他一起住在那儿，管他叫爸爸。这孩子的名字叫沙斯塔。在大部分日子里，阿什伊什早晨坐船出去打鱼，下午把他的驴子安上一辆货车，把鱼装在车子里，走上一英里光景的路，到南边的村子里去出售。如果鱼卖得顺利，他回家时脾气就比较温和，对沙斯塔也不噜苏；然而，如果卖鱼的生意不好，他就会找沙斯塔的错儿，或者打他一顿。总是可以找到沙斯塔的错的，因为沙斯塔得干许许多多的活儿：修网洗网啰，做晚饭啰，打扫他们俩合住的房屋啰。Shasta was not at all interested in anything that lay south of his home because he had once or twice been to the village with Arsheesh and he knew that there was nothing very interesting there. In the village he only met other men who were just like his father - men with long, dirty robes, and wooden shoes turned up at the toe, and turbans on their heads, and beards, talking to one another very slowly about things that sounded dull. But he was very interested in everything that lay to the North because no one ever went that way and he was never allowed to go there himself. When he was sitting out of doors mending the nets, and all alone, he would often look eagerly to the North. One could see nothing but a grassy slope running up to a level ridge and beyond that the sky with perhaps a few birds in it.沙斯塔对他家南边的任何东西压根儿都不感兴趣，因为他跟阿什伊什到村子里去过一两次，知道那儿没什么有趣的事物。他在村子里只遇见跟他父亲一模一样的人们——穿着肮脏的长袍，脚蹬足尖翘起的木头鞋子，头戴缠头巾，满脸胡子，慢吞吞地讲些听起来单调乏味的话。但他对北边的一切东西都很感兴趣，因为没有人往北边去过，也从来不许他到北边去。他独自一人坐在屋子外补网时，时常充满渴望地朝北方眺望。望出去却只能见到一个青草茂盛的山坡，往上延伸到一个平坦的山脊，山脊外便是天空了，也许空中有几只飞鸟。Sometimes if Arsheesh was there Shasta would say, "O my Father, what is there beyond that hill?" And then if the fisherman was in a bad temper he would box Shasta's ears and tell him to attend to his work. Or if he was in a peaceable mood he would say, "O my son, do not allow your mind to be distracted by idle questions. For one of the poets has said, `Application to business is the root of prosperity, but those who ask questions that do not concern them are steering the ship of folly towards the rock of indigence'."有时候，如果阿什伊什在他身边，沙斯塔会说：“我的父亲啊，小山外是什么地方?”如果渔夫心情不好，他就要打沙斯塔的耳光，叫他专心干好他的话儿。或者，如果他碰巧心平气和，他就会教诲他道：“我的儿子啊，别让不相干的问题分了你的心。有位诗人说道：心思用在生意上，乃是发财致富的根本；凡是打听与此无关的问题的人，便是正在把愚蠢的船向贫穷的礁石撞去。”Shasta thought that beyond the hill there must be some delightful secret which his father wished to hide from him. In reality, however, the fisherman talked like this because he didn't know what lay to the North. Neither did he care. He had a very practical mind.沙斯塔认为：小山外必定有些令人愉快的秘密，他的爸爸却希望瞒过他，不让他知道。然而，事实上，渔夫之所以这样说，是因为他自己也不知道北方是什么地方。他并不关心这种问题。他的头脑是十分讲究实际的。One day there came from the South a stranger who was unlike any man that Shasta had seen before. He rode upon a strong dappled horse with flowing mane and tail and his stirrups and bridle were inlaid with silver. The spike of a helmet projected from the middle of his silken turban and he wore a shirt of chain mail. By his side hung a curving scimitar, a round shield studded with bosses of brass hung at his back, and his right hand grasped a lance. His face was dark, but this did not surprise Shasta because all the people of Calormen are like that; what did surprise him was the man's beard which was dyed crimson, and curled and gleaming with scented oil. But Arsheesh knew by the gold on the stranger's bare arm that he was a Tarkaan or great lord, and he bowed kneeling before him till his beard touched the earth and made signs to Shasta to kneel also.有一天，从南方来了一个陌生人，他跟沙斯塔以前见过的任何人都截然不同。他骑一匹强壮的花斑马，鬃毛和尾巴飘扬摇晃，马镫和马笼头都是镶银的。头盔的尖端从他那丝绸缠头巾中间突了出来，他上身穿一件锁子甲。他的身边挂一把弯弯的短刀，背后插一个圆圆的嵌着铜块的盾牌，右手握一柄长矛。他的脸是黧黑的，但沙斯塔对此并不感到奇怪，因为所有卡乐门王国的人都是这个样子的；使他诧异的是：那个人的胡子染得血红，拳曲而闪闪发光，还散发出阵阵油香。但阿什伊什凭着陌生人赤裸胳膊上的金环，认出他是个“泰坎”，或大王爷，他弯腰跪在泰坎的面前，直至胡子碰到了地面，他还作手势叫沙斯塔也跪下来。The stranger demanded hospitality for the night which of course the fisherman dared not refuse. All the best they had was set before the Tarkaan for supper (and he didn't think much of it) and Shasta, as always happened when the fisherman had company, was given a hunk of bread and turned out of the cottage. On these occasions he usually slept with the donkey in its little thatched stable. But it was much too early to go to sleep yet, and Shasta, who had never learned that it is wrong to listen behind doors, sat down with his ear to a crack in the wooden wall of the cottage to hear what the grown-ups were talking about. And this is what he heard.陌生人要求招待他住一宿，渔夫当然不敢拒绝。他们把最好的食物都摆在泰坎面前，作为他的晚餐(他可都瞧不上眼)；至于沙斯塔呢，就像以往渔夫有客人时那样，给了他一大块面包就把他打发出屋子去了。遇到这种情况，沙斯塔总是跟驴子一起睡在它小小的茅草棚里。然而，睡觉还太早，沙斯塔坐下来，把耳朵凑在屋子木板墙的一条裂缝上，听大人们正在进行的谈话。沙斯塔从来不懂得，在门外窃听是错误的。下面便是他听到的谈话。"And now, O my host," said the Tarkaan, "I have a mind to buy that boy of yours."“哦，我的主人啊，”泰坎说道，“我有意买下你那个孩子。”"O my master," replied the fisherman (and Shasta knew by the wheedling tone the greedy look that was probably coming into his face as he said it), "what price could induce your servant, poor though he is, to sell into slavery his only child and his own flesh? Has not one of the poets said, `Natural affection is stronger than soup and offspring more precious than carbuncles?"'“啊，我的王爷，”渔夫答道(沙斯塔从那阿谀谄媚的声调就想象得出他说话时可能在脸上露出来的贪婪神色)，“你的仆人尽管很穷，你出多大的价可以促使他把他的独生子、亲骨肉出卖为奴呢?不是有一位诗人说过吗：‘天生的慈爱比羹汤更浓，子孙比红宝石更有价值？’”"It is even so," replied the guest dryly. "But another poet has likewise said, "He who attempts to deceive the judicious is already baring his own back for the scourge." Do not load your aged mouth with falsehoods. This boy is manifestly no son of yours, for your cheek is as dark as mine but the boy is fair and white like the accursed but beautiful barbarians who inhabit the remote North."“尽管如此，”客人冷冰冰地答道，“另一位诗人说过这样的话：‘企图欺骗明智审慎者的人，已经暴露出他的背脊，快要挨鞭笞了。’你年迈的嘴巴可别谎话连篇。这孩子显然不是你的亲生儿子，因为你的面颊跟我的面颊一样漆黑，而这孩子的面颊生得漂亮雪白，就像住在遥远北方的、受到指责却很美丽的野蛮人一样。”"How well it was said," answered the fisherman, "that Swords can be kept off with shields but the Eye of Wisdom pierces through every defence! Know then, O my formidable guest, that because of my extreme poverty I have never married and have no child. But in that same year in which the Tisroc (may he live for ever) began his august and beneficent reign, on a night when the moon was at her full, it pleased the gods to deprive me of my sleep. Therefore I arose from my bed in this hovel and went forth to the beach to refresh myself with looking upon the water and the moon and breathing the cool air. And presently I heard a noise as of oars coming to me across the water and then, as it were, a weak cry. And shortly after, the tide brought to the land a little boat in which there was nothing but a man lean with extreme hunger and thirst who seemed to have died but a few moments before (for he was still warm), and an empty water-skin, and a child, still living. "Doubtless," said I, "these unfortunates have escaped from the wreck of a great ship, but by the admirable designs of the gods, the elder has starved himself to keep the child alive and has perished in sight of land." Accordingly, remembering how the gods never fail to reward those who befriend the destitute, and being moved by compassion (for your servant is a man of tender heart) -"“有句话说得真好，”渔夫答道，“刀剑可以用盾牌抵挡，智慧的眼睛却洞穿一切防御。我的令人生畏的客人啊，因为我穷得厉害，我从来没有结过婚，更没有儿子。但就在蒂斯罗克(愿他万寿无疆)开始他威严而造福的统治那一年里，一天晚上，月亮圆圆的，众神一时高兴，使我睡不成觉。所以我就在这小屋里起了床，走出家门，到海滩上去，看看海水和月亮，呼吸呼吸凉快的空气，给自己提神醒脑。不一会儿我便听见一个声音，像是桨在水面上向我划过来的声音，接着，我又听见了一种仿佛是微弱的哭泣的声音。不久，湖水把一条小船冲上岸来，船里别无他物，只有一个因极端饥渴而瘦弱的男子(他似乎是几分钟以前才死去的，因为他的身体依旧是温暖的)，一只空空的贮水皮囊，以及一个还活着的孩了。‘毫无疑问，’我说，‘这两个不幸的人是从一艘失事大船中逃出来的，但出于神祗的令人钦佩的设计，年长的那一位自己不吃不喝，使孩子得以活了下来，他自己见到陆地时便死了。’所以，牢记着神祗从来不会不嘉奖同赤贫者友好的人，受怜悯之心的推动(因为你的仆人是个软心肠的人)——”"Leave out all these idle words in your own praise," interrupted the Tarkaan. "It is enough to know that you took the child - and have had ten times the worth of his daily bread out of him in labour, as anyone can see. And now tell me at once what price you put on him, for I am wearied with your loquacity."“撇开你所有这些自我称赞的废话吧，”泰坎打断他的话，说道，“你收下了这个孩子，我知道这一点就足够了——随便什么人都看得出来，你从这孩子的劳动中获得的利益，其价值十倍于他日常吃的面包。你对这孩子要价多少，现在就立刻告诉我吧，我对你那滔滔不绝的说话，已经感到厌倦了。”"You yourself have wisely said," answered Arsheesh, "that the boy's labour has been to me of inestimable value. This must be taken into account in fixing the price. For if I sell the boy I must undoubtedly either buy or hire another to do his work."“你自己已经明智地说过了，”阿什伊什回答道，“这孩子的劳动对我有无法估计的价值。因为，如果我把这孩子卖掉，毫无疑问，我就得另外买一个或租一个孩子，来干他所干的活儿。”"I'll give you fifteen crescents for him," said the Tarkaan.“我愿意出十五个克利申买这孩子。”泰坎说。"Fifteen!" cried Arsheesh in a voice that was something between a whine and a scream. "Fifteen! For the prop of my old age and the delight of my eyes! Do not mock my grey beard, Tarkaan though you be. My price is seventy."“十五个！”阿什伊什叫了起来，那声调介于呜咽和尖叫之间。“十五个克利申！出这点钱就想弄走我老年的依靠和心中的喜悦！别嘲弄我这把白胡子了，尽管你是位泰坎。我定的价钱是七十个克利申。”At this point Shasta got up and tiptoed away. He had heard all he wanted, for he had open listened when men were bargaining in the village and knew how it was done. He was quite certain that Arsheesh would sell him in the end for something much more than fifteen crescents and much less than seventy, but that he and the Tarkaan would take hours in getting to an agreement.沙斯塔听到这儿便站起身来，掂着脚走开了。他已经听见了他要听到的一切，因为他时常听见大人们在村子里讨价还价，知道交易是怎么做成的。他心里已经十分肯定，阿什伊什末了会以大大超过十五个克利申又大大低于七十个克利申的价格把他卖出去的，但阿什伊什和泰坎还要磨上好几个钟头才能达成协议哩。You must not imagine that Shasta felt at all as you and I would feel if we had just overheard our parents talking about selling us for slaves. For one thing, his life was already little better than slavery; for all he knew, the lordly stranger on the great horse might be kinder to him than Arsheesh. For another, the story about his own discovery in the boat had filled him with excitement and with a sense of relief. He had often been uneasy because, try as he might, he had never been able to love the fisherman, and he knew that a boy ought to love his father. And now, apparently, he was no relation to Arsheesh at all. That took a great weight off his mind. "Why, I might be anyone!" he thought. "I might be the son of a Tarkaan myself - or the son of the Tisroc (may he live for ever) or of a god!"你可千万别认为，沙斯塔会像我们一样感到难过——如果我们偷听到我们的父母谈论把我们卖身为奴的话。他压根儿不难受。一则是他的生活已经比奴隶生活好不了多少，说不定那位骑着大马的王爷似的陌生人，会比阿什伊什待他仁慈一点也未可知哩；二则是那个说是在小船里发现了他的故事，使他心中十分激动，而且还有一种安慰之感。他曾经时常于心不安：无论他怎么努力，他可从来没有爱过这渔夫，而他心里是明白的，一个孩子应该爱他的父亲。可现在，事情明明白白，他压根儿跟阿什伊什毫无血缘关系。这就把他心上的沉重负担卸掉了。“呀，我可能是随便什么人！”他想，“我可能就是—个泰坎的亲生儿子——或者是蒂斯罗克(愿他万寿无疆)的儿子——或者是一个神祗的儿子！”He was standing out in the grassy place before the cottage while he thought these things. Twilight was coming on apace and a star or two was already out, but the remains of the sunset could still be seen in the west. Not far away the stranger's horse, loosely tied to an iron ring in the wall of the donkey's stable, was grazing. Shasta strolled over to it and patted its neck. It went on tearing up the grass and took no notice of him.他心中想着这些事情时，正站在屋子外的草地上。暮色迅速降临，有—两颗星星已经出现了，而西方夕照的余霞依稀可见。不远处，陌生人的马儿正在吃草，它被松松地系在驴棚墙上的一个铁圈里。沙斯塔踅过去，拍拍马儿的颈子。马儿继续把青草拉起来咬嚼，没注意沙斯塔。Then another thought came into Shasta's mind. "I wonder what sort of a man that Tarkaan is," he said out loud. "It would be splendid if he was kind. Some of the slaves in a great lord's house have next to nothing to do. They wear lovely clothes and eat meat every day. Perhaps he'd take me to the wars and I'd save his life in a battle and then he'd set me free and adopt me as his son and give me a palace and a chariot and a suit of armour. But then he might be a horrid cruel man. He might send me to work on the fields in chains. I wish I knew. How can I know? I bet this horse knows, if only he could tell me."接着，沙斯塔又想到了一个念头。“我不知道这泰坎是哪一种人，”他大声说道，“如果他是仁慈和蔼的，那就好极了。在大王爷的王府里，有些奴隶几乎是不干什么活儿的。他们穿上漂亮的衣服，天天吃肉。也许他会带我去打仗，我又在一场战斗中救了他的命，他就会解除我的奴隶身份，收我作他的义子，赐给我一个王宫，一辆战车，一套盔甲。不过他也可能是个可怕的残酷的人。他会叫我戴上锁链到田里去干活，我希望我知道他是个怎样的人。我怎么才能知道呢，我敢打赌，这马儿是知道的，如果它能告诉我就好了。”The Horse had lifted its head. Shasta stroked its smooth-as-satin nose and said, "I wish you could talk, old fellow."马儿抬起头来。沙斯塔抚摩着它那光滑得像缎子一样的鼻子，说道：“老人家，我但愿你能说话啊。”And then for a second he thought he was dreaming, for quite distinctly, though in a low voice, the Horse said, "But I can."接着，他一时间认为他是在做梦，因为，尽管声音低沉，马儿十分清晰地开口道：“我是能够说话的。”Shasta stared into its great eyes and his own grew almost as big, with astonishment.沙斯塔盯住马儿的大眼睛直瞧，他自己的眼睛也惊讶得睁大了，几乎跟马眼一般大。"How ever did you learn to talk?" he asked.“你究竟怎么学会说话的呀?”他问。"Hush! Not so loud," replied the Horse. "Where I come from, nearly all the animals talk."“别嚷嚷！嗓门儿不用这么大，”马儿回答道，“我原来住的地方，几乎所有的动物都说话。”"Wherever is that?" asked Shasta.“那个地方究竟在哪儿?”沙斯塔问。"Narnia," answered the Horse. "The happy land of Narnia - Narnia of the heathery mountains and the thymy downs, Narnia of the many rivers, the plashing glens, the mossy caverns and the deep forests ringing with the hammers of the Dwarfs. Oh the sweet air of Narnia! An hour's life there is better than a thousand years in Calormen." It ended with a whinny that sounded very like a sigh.“在纳尼亚，”马儿答道，“纳尼亚乐土——纳尼亚有着石南茂盛的山岭和百里香遍地的丘陵。纳尼亚河流众多，峡谷水声温湿，山洞长满苍苔，幽深的树林里响彻小矮人的锤声。纳尼亚的空气多么芬芳啊！纳尼亚生活一小时胜过在卡乐门生活一千年。”结尾是一声马嘶，听上去很像一声长叹。"How did you get here?" said Shasta.“你怎么上这儿来的?”沙斯塔问。"Kidnapped," said the Horse. "Or stolen, or captured whichever you like to call it. I was only a foal at the time. My mother warned me not to range the Southern slopes, into Archenland and beyond, but I wouldn't heed her. And by the Lion's Mane I have paid for my folly. All these years I have been a slave to humans, hiding my true nature and pretending to be dumb and witless like their horses."“给绑架来的，”马儿说道，“也可以说是给偷来或俘虏来的——你爱怎么说都行。我那时不过是一头小马驹。我的母亲警告过我，叫我别逛到南边的山坡去，别闯进阿钦兰或阿钦兰之外的地方去，可是我不肯听它的话。天哪，我为我的愚蠢付出了代价。所有这些年月，我一直是人的奴隶，隐藏我真正的本性，假装哑巴，假装愚蠢，假装就像他们的马儿那样。”"Why didn't you tell them who you were?"“为什么你不告诉他们你是谁呢?”"Not such a fool, that's why. If they'd once found out I could talk they would have made a show of me at fairs and guarded me more carefully than ever. My last chance of escape would have been gone."“我才不是那种傻瓜呢。一旦他们发现了我是谁，他们就会送我到市场上去展览，比过去更加小心地看管我。我逃走的最后机会也就完蛋了。”"And why -" began Shasta, but the Horse interrupted him.“那又为什么——”沙斯塔开始说道，可是马儿打断了他的话。"Now look," it said, "we mustn't waste time on idle questions. You want to know about my master the Tarkaan Anradin. Well, he's bad. Not too bad to me, for a war horse costs too much to be treated very badly. But you'd better be lying dead tonight than go to be a human slave in his house tomorrow."“注意啰，”马儿说，“我们千万不要把时间浪费在不相干的问题上了。你要打听我的主人泰坎安拉丁?哦，他是个坏人，他对待我可不太坏，因为过分亏待一匹战马，后果就太严重了。然而，你与其明天到他王府里去做一个奴隶，还不如今天夜里躺下去死掉的好。”"Then I'd better run away," said Shasta, turning very pale.“那么我还是逃跑的好。”沙斯塔说道，脸色都急得煞白了。"Yes, you had," said the Horse. "But why not run away with me?"“是的，你还是逃跑的好，”马儿说，“可你为什么不跟我一起逃跑呢?”"Are you going to run away too?" said Shasta.“你也要逃跑吗?”沙斯塔说。"Yes, if you'll come with me," answered the Horse. "This is the chance for both of us. You see if I run away without a rider, everyone who sees me will say "Stray horse" and be after me as quick as he can. With a rider I've a chance to get through. That's where you can help me. On the other hand, you can't get very far on those two silly legs of yours (what absurd legs humans have!) without being overtaken. But on me you can outdistance any other horse in this country. That's where I can help you. By the way, I suppose you know how to ride?"“是的，如果你愿意跟我一起走的话。”马儿答道，“对咱们俩，这都是个机会。你瞧，如果我自己跑出去，却没有个骑马的人，每个看见我的人都会说我是一头‘走失的马’，就会拼命来追我了。有个骑马的人，我才能通行无阻。那就是你可以帮我忙的地方。另一方面，靠你那愚蠢可笑的两腿，(人的腿真是荒唐可笑！)你是没法儿走远的，总要被追上来逮住的。然而骑在我身上，你就可以把这个国家里其他任何马儿都远远地抛在后面。那就是我可以帮你忙的地方。顺便问一句，你大概懂得怎样骑马吧?”"Oh yes, of course," said Shasta. "At least, I've ridden the donkey."“是啊，当然会骑的呀。”沙斯塔说，“至少我骑过驴子。”"Ridden the what?" retorted the Horse with extreme contempt. (At least, that is what he meant. Actually it came out in a sort of neigh - "Ridden the wha-ha-ha-ha-ha." Talking horses always become more horsy in accent when they are angry.)“骑过什么?”马儿十分鄙夷地反唇相讥道。（至少，马儿是这个意思。实际上它发出了一种嘶鸣的声音：“骑过哇——哈——哈——哈。”会说话的马儿，当它们愤怒的时候，马腔马调就更加浓重了。）"In other words," it continued, "you can't ride. That's a drawback. I'll have to teach you as we go along. If you can't ride, can you fall?"“换句话说，”马儿继续说道，“你不会骑马。那倒是个麻烦。一路上我得教你骑马。如果你不会骑马，你会跌跤吗?”"I suppose anyone can fall," said Shasta.“我想谁都会跌跤的吧。”沙斯塔说。"1 mean can you fall and get up again without crying and mount again and fall again and yet not be afraid of falling?"“我的意思是，你有没有这个能耐：从马上摔下来了，就一声不吭地从地上爬起来，重新爬到马背上，再一次从马背上摔下来，然而依旧不害怕跌跤?”"I - I'll try," said Shasta.“我——我试试吧。”沙斯塔说。"Poor little beast," said the Horse in a gentler tone. "I forget you're only a foal. We'll make a fine rider of you in time. And now - we mustn't start until those two in the but are asleep. Meantime we can make our plans. My Tarkaan is on his way North to the great city, to Tashbaan itself and the court of the Tisroc -"“可怜的小牲口，”马儿用比较温和的语调说道，“我忘了你不过是头小驹子。我要及时地把你训练成一个好骑手。眼下——屋子里那两个人睡熟之前，我们千万不要动身。在这段时间里，我们可以把计划商量好。我那泰坎是在往北到大城市去的途中，他要到塔什班城，要到蒂斯罗克的宫廷——”"I say," put in Shasta in rather a shocked voice, "oughtn't you to say `May he live for ever'?"“我说，”沙斯塔用吓了一跳的声音插嘴道，“你应该说‘愿他万寿无疆’吧?”"Why?" asked the Horse. "I'm a free Narnian. And why should I talk slaves' and fools' talk? I don't want him to live for ever, and I know that he's not going to live for ever whether I want him to or not. And I can see you're from the free North too. No more of this Southern jargon between you and me! And now, back to our plans. As I said, my human was on his way North to Tashbaan."“为什么?”马儿问道，“我是头自由的纳尼亚马，为什么我该像奴隶和傻瓜一样说话?我并不要他万寿无疆，而且我也知道，不论我要不要，他是不会万寿无疆的。你和我之间别再说这种南方的屁话了！现在回到我们的计划上来吧。就像我说过的，我的那个人正往北方走，要到塔什班去。”"Does that mean we'd better go to the South?"“你的意思是说，我们还是往南方去的好?”"I think not," said the Horse. "You see, he thinks I'm dumb and witless like his other horses. Now if I really were, the moment I got loose I'd go back home to my stable and paddock; back to his palace which is two days' journey South. That's where he'll look for me. He'd never dream of my going on North on my own. And anyway he will probably think that someone in the last village who saw him ride through has followed us to here and stolen me."“我不是这个意思。”马儿道，“你瞧，他认为我不会说话，毫不聪明，就跟他其他的马儿一样。这样的话，他认为我走散后会回到家里。走进我的马厩和围场。回他的王府要向南走两天的路程，他会在那儿寻找我。他做梦也想不到我会按照自己的意思往北走的。再说，他很可能认为有人看见他骑马走过最后一个村子时，钉上了我们的梢，到这儿便把我偷走了。”"Oh hurrah!" said Shasta. "Then we'll go North. I've been longing to go to the North all my life."“啊，好极了！”沙斯塔说道，“那么我们就决定往北走。我一生都渴望着要到北方去啊。”"Of course you have," said the Horse. "That's because of the blood that's in you. I'm sure you're true Northern stock. But not too loud. I should think they'd be asleep soon now."“当然你曾经渴望过的，”马儿说，“那是由于你身体里的血统的缘故。我确信你是真正的北方种。可是说话别太响了。我倒认为现在他们快要睡熟了。”"I'd better creep back and see," suggested Shasta.“我还是爬回去瞧瞧的好。”沙斯塔建议。"That's a good idea," said the Horse. "But take care you're not caught."“那是个好主意，”马儿说，“不过你要留神别给逮住。”It was a good deal darker now and very silent except for the sound of the waves on the beach, which Shasta hardly noticed because he had been hearing it day and night as long as he could remember. The cottage, as he approached it, showed no light. When he listened at the front there was no noise. When he went round to the only window, he could hear, after a second or two, the familiar noise of the old fisherman's squeaky snore. It was funny to think that if all went well he would never hear it again. Holding his breath and feeling a little bit sorry, but much less sorry than he was glad, Shasta glided away over the grass and went to the donkey's stable, groped along to a place he knew where the key was hidden, opened the door and found the Horse's saddle and bridle which had been locked up there for the night. He bent forward and kissed the donkey's nose. "I'm sorry we can't take you," he said.现在天黑得多了，也十分寂静，只听见海滩上的涛声；沙斯塔可毫不注意涛声，因为就他能记事的岁月以来，他日日夜夜听到的就是涛声。他走近时，屋子里没露出灯光来。他在前门侧耳静听，没有声音。他绕到唯一的一个窗子下面，过了一两秒钟，他能听到熟悉的老渔夫的呼呼鼾声了。想起来也好笑，如果一切顺利，他就会从此不再听到这鼾声了。他屏息静气，稍稍感到有点儿遗憾，但毕竟是快乐多于遗憾。沙斯塔悄悄走过草地，走到驴棚去。他摸索着走到一个他知道是藏钥匙的地方，打开门，找到了马鞍子和马笼头(那是搁在那儿过夜的)。他俯下身来吻吻驴子的鼻子。“我很抱歉，不能带你一起走。”他说。"There you are at last," said the Horse when he got back to it. "I was beginning to wonder what had become of you."“你终于来了，”他回去时马儿说道，“我正琢磨你到哪儿去了呢。”"I was getting your things out of the stable," replied Shasta. "And now, can you tell me how to put them on?"“我从驴棚里把你的东西拿了出来，”沙斯塔答道，“你能告诉我怎样把它们放到你身上去吗?”For the next few minutes Shasta was at work, very cautiously to avoid jingling, while the Horse said things like, "Get that girth a bit tighter," or "You'll find a buckle lower down," or "You'll need to shorten those stirrups a good bit." When all was finished it said:"Now; we've got to have reins for the look of the thing, but you won't be using them. Tie them to the saddle-bow: very slack so that I can do what I like with my head. And, remember - you are not to touch them."接下来的几分钟沙斯塔就忙着干活了，小心翼翼地避免发出丁丁当当的声音，马儿则说些类似这样的话：“把肚带收紧一点儿”，或是“再往下一点你就找到带扣了”，或是“你必须把马镫缩短一点才行。” 当一切都装配好了，马儿说道：“好了，为了装门面，咱们得配上缰绳，但你可用不着缰绳。缚在鞍子的前弯上好了；要缚得十分宽松，让我的脑袋可以自由活动。而且记住了——你可别去碰那缰绳。”For the next few minutes Shasta was at work, very cautiously to avoid jingling, while the Horse said things like, "Get that girth a bit tighter," or "You'll find a buckle lower down," or "You'll need to shorten those stirrups a good bit." When all was finished it said:"Now; we've got to have reins for the look of the thing, but you won't be using them. Tie them to the saddle-bow: very slack so that I can do what I like with my head. And, remember - you are not to touch them."接下来的几分钟沙斯塔就忙着干活了，小心翼翼地避免发出丁丁当当的声音，马儿则说些类似这样的话：“把肚带收紧一点儿”，或是“再往下一点你就找到带扣了”，或是“你必须把马镫缩短一点才行。”当一切都装配好了，马儿说道：“好了，为了装门面，咱们得配上缰绳，但你可用不着缰绳。缚在鞍子的前弯上好了；要缚得十分宽松，让我的脑袋可以自由活动。而且记住了——你可别去碰那缰绳。”"What are they for, then?" asked Shasta.“那么缰绳有什么用处呢?”沙斯塔问道。"Ordinarily they are for directing me," replied the Horse. "But as I intend to do all the directing on this journey, you'll please keep your hands to yourself. And there's another thing. I'm not going to have you grabbing my mane."“寻常是用来给我指引方向的，”马儿道，“然而这次行动我要由我自己来指引方向，所以就请你袖手旁观吧。还有一件事，我可不要你揪住我的鬃毛。”"But I say," pleaded Shasta. "If I'm not to hold on by the reins or by your mane, what am I to hold on by?"“可是，请问，”沙斯塔恳求道，“如果我不抓住缰绳也不揪住你的鬃毛，我怎么能坐稳身体呢?”"You hold on with your knees," said the Horse. "That's the secret of good riding. Grip my body between your knees as hard as you like; sit straight up, straight as a poker; keep your elbows in. And by the way, what did you do with the spurs?"“用你的双膝夹住我。”马儿道，“那才是骑马骑得高明的诀窍，用你的双膝把我的身体夹住，你爱夹多紧就夹多紧；你要坐得笔直，像根拨火棒，肘拐儿要收拢。顺便问一句，你怎么处理马刺呢?”"Put them on my heels, of course," said Shasta. "I do know that much."“当然装在我的脚后跟上啦，”沙斯塔说，“我就知道这么点儿。”"Then you can take them off and put them in the saddlebag. We may be able to sell them when we get to Tashbaan. Ready? And now I think you can get up."“那你不妨把马刺卸下来，搁在鞍囊里。我们到达塔什班时，也许能把马刺卖了。准备好了?那么我想现在你可以跳上来了。”"Ooh! You're a dreadful height," gasped Shasta after his first, and unsuccessful, attempt.“啊！你高大得好可怕啊！”第一次试图跳上马去，却没有成功，他气喘吁吁地说道。"I'm a horse, that's all," was the reply. "Anyone would think I was a haystack from the way you're trying to climb up me! There, that's better. Now sit up and remember what I told you about your knees. Funny to think of me who has led cavalry charges and won races having a potato-sack like you in the saddle! However, off we go." It chuckled, not unkindly.“我是一匹马，不过是一匹马罢了。”这是马儿的回答，“从你竭力爬到我背上来的模样儿看来，随便什么人都会认为我是个高高的干草堆了。行，这回好多了。身体坐直，牢记我讲过的夹紧双膝的话。我当年在骑兵队冲锋时—马当先，在赛马时获得胜利，如今却在背上驮了个像袋土豆似的你，想想也觉得好笑！不管怎么样，咱们还是出发吧。”马儿并无恶意地偷偷暗笑。And it certainly began their night journey with great caution. First of all it went just south of the fisherman's cottage to the little river which there ran into the sea, and took care to leave in the mud some very plain hoof-marks pointing South. But as soon as they were in the middle of the ford it turned upstream and waded till they were about a hundred yards farther inland than the cottage. Then it selected a nice gravelly bit of bank which would take no footprints and came out on the Northern side. Then, still at a walking pace, it went Northward till the cottage, the one tree, the donkey's stable, and the creek - everything, in fact, that Shasta had ever known - had sunk out of sight in the grey summer-night darkness. They had been going uphill and now were at the top of the ridge - that ridge which had always been the boundary of Shasta's known world. He could not see what was ahead except that it was all open and grassy. It looked endless: wild and lonely and free.马儿确实十分小心翼翼地开始了夜间跋涉。它首先朝渔夫屋子的南边走去，一直走到小河边(小河在那儿奔流入海)，故意在泥沙上留下一些十分明显的往南而去的蹄痕。但当他们到了小河中可以涉水而过的地方时，便转过身来逆流而上，涉水走去，走得比渔夫的屋子还要深入内陆一百码光景，然后选定一小块适宜的、不会留下足迹的砾石河岸，登上了河流的北岸。接着、仍旧慢步向北走去，一直走到那渔夫的屋子，那一棵树，那驴棚，那河流——事实上，沙斯塔熟悉的一切——都融入夏夜苍茫的黑暗之中，看也看不见了。他们走的是上坡路，现在他们来到山脊的顶上了——就是这个山脊，曾经是沙斯塔所知道的世界的边界。沙斯培看不清前边是什么，只看见这地方十分开阔，青草萋萋。这地方一望无际；荒野、寂寞、自由自在。"I say!" observed the Horse. "What a place for a gallop, eh!"马儿评论道，“好一个放马驰骋的地方！可不是吗？”"Oh don't let's," said Shasta. "Not yet. I don't know how to - please, Horse. I don't know your name."“啊，可别跑快了，”沙斯塔说，“还不能飞跑，我不知道怎样——请你告诉我，马儿，我不知道你的名字。”"Breehy-hinny-brinny-hooky-hah," said the Horse.“布里海一希尼一布林尼一霍海一哈。”马儿说。"I'll never be able to say that," said Shasta. "Can I call you Bree?"“我永远说不了那么长的名字，”沙斯塔说，“我能管你叫布里吗?”"Well, if it's the best you can do, I suppose you must," said the Horse. "And what shall I call you?"“可以，如果你竭尽全力也只能叫我布里的话。”马儿说，“那么我叫你什么呢?”"I'm called Shasta."“我叫沙斯塔。”"H'm," said Bree. "Well, now, there's a name that's really hard to pronounce. But now about this gallop. It's a good deal easier than trotting if you only knew, because you don't have to rise and fall. Grip with your knees and keep your eyes straight ahead between my ears. Don't look at the ground. If you think you're going to fall just grip harder and sit up straighter. Ready? Now: for Narnia and the North."“嗯，”布里说道，“啊，那倒是个真正难以发音的名字。可是，谈谈驰骋飞跑吧。那可比你所知道的小跑容易得多哩，因为你用不到起伏颠簸。你用双膝夹住，眼睛从我两耳之间笔直望着前方。别看地面。如果你觉得你快要摔下来了，你就夹得更紧、坐得更直。准备好了?现在直奔纳尼亚，直奔北方。Chapter 2第二章A WAYSIDE ADVENTURE道旁遇险IT was nearly noon on the following day when Shasta was wakened by something warm and soft moving over his face. He opened his eyes and found himself staring into the long face of a horse; its nose and lips were almost touching his. He remembered the exciting events of the previous night and sat up. But as he did so he groaned.第二天靠近中午时分，沙斯塔被他脸蛋上方移动着的某种温暖而柔软的东西弄醒了。他睁开眼睛，发现自己正凝望着一张长长的马脸：马的鼻子和嘴唇几乎碰到了他的鼻子和嘴唇。他记起上一夜激动人心的事件，便坐了起来。但他坐起来时便呻吟开了。"Ow, Bree," he gasped. "I'm so sore. All over. I can hardly move."“唷，布里，”他气喘吁吁地说，“我痛得厉害。浑身疼痛。我动弹不了啦。”"Good morning, small one," said Bree. "I was afraid you might feel a bit stiff. It can't be the falls. You didn't have more than a dozen or so, and it was all lovely, soft springy turf that must have been almost a pleasure to fall on. And the only one that might have been nasty was broken by that gorse bush. No: it's the riding itself that comes hard at first. What about breakfast? I've had mine."“早上好，小家伙，”布里说，“我担心你会觉得有点儿手脚僵硬。不可能是跌跤跌的。你不过跌了十二三回罢了，全都是在美丽可爱、柔软而有弹性的草皮上，跌在这种草皮上几乎是种赏心乐事。只有一回可能是别扭的，被荆棘的尖刺划破了。不，首先是骑马本身把你累垮了。你早餐吃什么呢，我可已经吃过早餐了。”"Oh bother breakfast. Bother everything," said Shasta. "I tell you I can't move." But the horse nuzzled at him with its nose and pawed him gently with a hoof till he had to get up. And then he looked about him and saw where they were. Behind them lay a little copse. Before them the turf, dotted with white flowers, sloped down to the brow of a cliff. Far below them, so that the sound of the breaking waves was very faint, lay the sea. Shasta had never seen it from such a height and never seen so much of it before, nor dreamed how many colours it had. On either hand the coast stretched away, headland after headland, and at the points you could see the white foam running up the rocks but making no noise because it was so far off. There were gulls flying overhead and the heat shivered on the ground; it was a blazing day. But what Shasta chiefly noticed was the air. He couldn't think what was missing, until at last he realized that there was no smell of fish in it. For of course, neither in the cottage nor among the nets, had he ever been away from that smell in his life. And this new air was so delicious, and all his old life seemed so far away, that he forgot for a moment about his bruises and his aching muscles and said:"I say, Bree, didn't you say something about breakfast?"“呀，讨厌的早餐，讨厌的一切，”沙斯塔说，“我告诉你我动弹不了啦。”但马儿用它的鼻子擦他，用它的蹄子温柔地搔他，他终于只好起来了。接着他向四周瞧瞧，看看他们是在什么地方。他们的后边是一个小灌木林，他们的前面是缀着白花的草皮，往下绵延到一个悬崖的顶。在他们的下方远处，躺着大海，海涛的冲击声十分微弱。沙斯塔以前从来没有在那么高的地方看过大海，他既没有看到过那么辽阔的大海，连做梦也没梦见过大海竟有那么多色彩。海岸从两边伸展开去，海岬紧接着海岬，你看得见海岬尖端海浪冲在岩石上溅起的白色泡沫，声音可听不到了，因为距离太远了。海鸥在头上飞翔，热气在地上哆嗦，这是一个烈日炎炎的日子。但沙斯塔主要注意的是空气，他想不起来缺少点儿什么，最后才恍然大悟，空气中没有鱼腥味了。因为在他的生活里，不论待在房屋里还是待在渔网之间，当然都离不开鱼腥味儿。这儿清新的空气是那么美妙，他的一切旧生活便仿佛是那么遥远了，因而他暂时忘掉了他的伤痕和疼痛的肌肉。他说道：“喂，布里，你没提起过吃早餐的事吧？”"Yes, I did," answered Bree. "I think you'll find something in the saddle-bags. They're over there on that tree where you hung them up last night - or early this morning, rather."“是的，我提起过，”布里答道，“我想你在鞍囊里会找到东西的。鞍囊就在那边树上，你昨天夜里——还不如说是今儿早晨——挂上去的。”They investigated the saddle-bags and the results were cheering- a meat pasty, only slightly stale, a lump of dried figs and another lump of green cheese, a little flask of wine, and some money; about forty crescents in all, which was more than Shasta had ever seen.他们查看了鞍囊，结果令人很是高兴——一块肉馅饼，只是稍稍有点儿干瘪走味，一大堆无花果干，大块发绿的干酪，小瓶酒；还有一些钱，总共大约四十个克利申光景，沙斯塔迹从来没有见过这么多的钱呢。While Shasta sat down - painfully and cautiously - with his back against a tree and started on the pasty, Bree had a few more mouthfuls of grass to keep him company.沙斯塔痛苦而又小心翼翼地坐下来，背靠在树上，开始吃那肉馅饼，这时布里便吃几口青草陪伴着他。"Won't it be stealing to use the money?" asked Shasta.“花掉这笔钱，岂不是偷窃行为吗？”沙斯塔问。"Oh," said the Horse, looking up with its mouth full of grass, "I never thought of that. A free horse and a talking horse mustn't steal, of course. But I think it's all right. We're prisoners and captives in enemy country. That money is booty, spoil. Besides, how are we to get any food for you without it? I suppose, like all humans, you won't eat natural food like grass and oats."“噢，”马儿满口青草，抬起头来，“我从来没考虑这个问题。一匹自由的马，一匹能说话的马，当然绝不应偷窃。但我认为我们花掉这钱也是对的。我们是在敌国作囚徒和俘虏。这笔钱是缴获品，战利品。再说呢，没有这笔钱，我们怎么去搞到你吃的东西呢7我想，你像所有的人一样，是不肯吃草和燕麦之类的天然食物的。”"I can't."“我吃不了。”"Ever tried?"“从前试过吗？”"Yes, I have. I can't get it down at all. You couldn't either if you were me."“是的，试过。我压根儿咽不下去。如果你是我，你也咽不下去的。”"You're rum little creatures, you humans," remarked Bree.“你们是离奇古怪的小动物，你们人类。”布里评论道。When Shasta had finished his breakfast (which was by far the nicest he had ever eaten), Bree said, "I think I'll have a nice roll before we put on that saddle again." And he proceeded to do so. "That's good. That's very good," he said, rubbing his back on the turf and waving all four legs in the air. "You ought to have one too, Shasta," he snorted. "It's most refreshing."沙斯塔吃完了他的早餐(这是他所吃过的早餐中最最精美的一餐)，布里说道，“在重新装上马鞍子以前，我想我要美美地打个滚。”它说罢就开始打滚。“舒服，舒服极了。”它说，一面在草皮上摩擦它的背脊，四脚朝天在空中晃动。“你应该也来打个滚儿，沙斯塔，”它喷着鼻息，“这是最最振作精神的了。”But Shasta burst out laughing and said,"You do look funny when you're on your back!"但沙斯塔哈哈大笑道，“你四脚朝天时，瞧上去可笑极了。”"I look nothing of the sort," said Bree. But then suddenly he rolled round on his side, raised his head and looked hard at Shasta, blowing a little.“我看起来丝毫也不可笑。”布里说道。但这当儿它却突然翻身侧卧，抬起头来，紧瞅着沙斯塔，还稍稍有点儿气喘。"Does it really look funny?" he asked in an anxious voice.“真的看上去可笑吗？”它用急躁的声音问道。"Yes, it does," replied Shasta. "But what does it matter?"“是的，可笑。”沙斯塔答道，“但那又有什么大不了呢？”"You don't think, do you," said Bree, "that it might be a thing talking horses never do - a silly, clownish trick I've learned from the dumb ones? It would be dreadful to find, when I get back to Narnia, that I've picked up a lot of low, bad habits. What do you think, Shasta? Honestly, now. Don't spare my feelings. Should you think the real, free horses - the talking kind - do roll?"“你是否认为，”布里说，“说话的马儿可能从来不干这种事情，那是我跟哑巴马儿们学来的愚蠢粗鲁的把戏？回到纳尼亚时，如果发现我沾染了许多下贱的坏习惯，那就很可怕了。沙斯塔，你怎么想呢，老老实实说吧，别照顾我的感情。你究竟认为真正的自由的马儿——说话的那种马儿——打滚吗？”"How should I know? Anyway I don't think I should bother about it if I were you. We've got to get there first. Do you know the way?"“我怎么会知道呢？无论如何，假如我就是你，我想我是不会为此烦恼的。我们首先要到达纳尼亚。你认得路吗？”"I know my way to Tashbaan. After that comes the desert. Oh, we'll manage the desert somehow, never fear. Why, we'll be in sight of the Northern mountains then. Think of it! To Narnia and the North! Nothing will stop us then. But I'd be glad to be past Tashbaan. You and I are safer away from cities."“我认识到塔什班去的路。这之后就是大沙漠。啊，我们无论如何会想办法穿过沙漠的，别害怕。晤，然后我们就会望见北方的崇山峻岭。想想吧！到纳尼亚去，到北方去。那时，什么也阻挡不了我们。但绕过塔什班我是高兴的。我和你远离城市都是比较安全的。”"Can't we avoid it?"“我们能避开城市吗？”"Not without going along way inland, and that would take us into cultivated land and main roads; and I wouldn't know the way. No, we'll just have to creep along the coast. Up here on the downs we'll meet nothing but sheep and rabbits and gulls and a few shepherds. And by the way, what about starting?"那就非得朝内陆走一段路不可，那就要走进耕地走上大路而我不认识路。不，我们还是要沿着海岸悄悄走过去。从这儿往前走，在丘陵地带上我们碰不到什么，只会遇见羊、野兔、海鸥和几个牧羊人。顺便说句，咱们这就出发，好不好？”Shasta's legs ached terribly as he saddled Bree and climbed into the saddle, but the Horse was kindly to him and went at a soft pace all afternoon. When evening twilight came they dropped by steep tracks into a valley and found a village. Before they got into it Shasta dismounted and entered it on foot to buy a loaf and some onions and radishes. The Horse trotted round by the fields in the dusk and met Shasta at the far side. This became their regular plan every second night.沙斯塔给马儿装上马鞍并攀上去时，两腿痛得厉害，但马儿对他很照顾，整个下午它走的都是种柔和的步子。当暮色降临时，他们经由陡峭的小道进入一个山谷，在那儿找到一个村庄。进山谷之前，沙斯塔先下了马，步行到村庄里去买个面包，买些洋葱和小萝卜。马儿在田地附近的黑暗中溜达，在远离村庄的一边和沙斯塔相会。这种办法变成了接下来几夜的定规。These were great days for Shasta, and every day better than the last as his muscles hardened and he fell less often. Even at the end of his training Bree still said he sat like a bag of flour in the saddle. "And even if it was safe, young 'un, I'd be ashamed to be seen with you on the main road." But in spite of his rude words Bree was a patient teacher. No one can teach riding so well as a horse. Shasta learned to trot, to canter, to jump, and to keep his seat even when Bree pulled up suddenly or swung unexpectedly to the left or the right - which, as Bree told him, was a thing you might have to do at any moment in a battle. And then of course Shasta begged to be told of the battles and wars in which Bree had carried the Tarkaan. And Bree would tell of forced marches and the fording of swift rivers, of charges and of fierce fights between cavalry and cavalry when the war horses fought as well as the men, being all fierce stallions, trained to bite and kick, and to rear at the right moment so that the horse's weight as well as the rider's would come down on a enemy's crest in the stroke of sword or battleaxe. But Bree did not want to talk about the wars as often as Shasta wanted to hear about them. "Don't speak of them, youngster," he would say. "They were only the Tisroc's wars and I fought in them as a slave and a dumb beast. Give me the Narnian wars where I shall fight as a free Horse among my own people! Those will be wars worth talking about. Narnia and the North! Bra-ha-ha! Broo hoo!"对沙斯塔说来，这几天真是了不得的日子，而且一天好似一天，因为他的肌肉都比较结实了，摔下马来的次数也少了。甚至训练已经结束了，布里还是说他坐在马鞍子上像一袋面粉。“哪怕你是坐稳了，小家伙，在大路上被人看见你坐在我身上，我真是感到羞耻。”尽管布里言语粗鲁生硬，它还是个有耐心的教练。没有人教授骑马术能像一匹马儿那样教得地道了。沙斯塔学会了骑马小跑、骑马慢跑和骑马跳跃，即使布里突然停下或出乎意外地左右摇晃——布里告诉他，在一场战斗中，随时都可能非做出这种动作不可——他仍能稳如泰山地坐在鞍座上。当然啦，沙斯塔这就恳求布里讲讲那些它驮着泰坎所参加的战斗和战争。布里便讲起急行军、涉水强渡激流、骑兵和骑兵之间的冲锋与恶战，这当儿战马跟士兵一样拼命战斗，它们都是凶猛的公马，训练得能咬善踢，并且在恰当的时刻用后腿站将起来，使得剑或斧向敌人猛砍过去时，马和骑兵的全部重量都压在对手的头盔上。但布里不肯像沙斯塔希望的那样时常讲起打仗的事。“别提那些了，小家伙。”它总是说，“那都是蒂斯罗克的战争，我只是作为一个奴隶和匹哑巴牲口参加战争的。让我参加纳尼亚的战争，我就将在我自己的人民中间，作为一匹自由的马儿去作战。这些才是值得谈论的战争。纳尼亚和北方！布拉一哈一哈！布鲁一胡！”Shasta soon learned, when he heard Bree talking like that, to prepare for a gallop.沙斯塔不久就明白了，他听到布里这样呼叫时，就该准备驰骋了。After they had travelled on for weeks and weeks past more bays and headlands and rivers and villages than Shasta could remember, there came a moonlit night when they started their journey at evening, having slept during the day. They had left the downs behind them and were crossing a wide plain with a forest about half a mile away on their left. The sea, hidden by low sandhills, was about the same distance on their right. They had jogged along for about an hour, sometimes trotting and sometimes walking, when Bree suddenly stopped.他们一个星期又一个星期地往前跋涉，经过的海湾、海岬、河流和村庄沙斯塔记也记不清。这之后的一个月夜，他们正赶路——他们是白天睡觉，黄昏时上路的。他们把丘陵地带甩在后面了，正在穿过一个辽阔的平原，平原左边半里之遥有个树林。大海在他们的右边差不多远，被低低的沙丘挡住了，他们已经慢吞吞地走了大约半个钟头光景，有时小跑，有时溜达。布里突然站住了。"What's up?" said Shasta.“出了什么事？”沙斯塔问。"S-s-ssh!" said Bree, craning his neck round and twitching his ears. "Did you hear something? Listen."“嘘——嘘。”布里说道，它伸长着脖子张望，扇动着耳朵。“你可听到什么声音？仔细听听。”"It sounds like another horse - between us and the wood," said Shasta after he had listened for about a minute.“那像是另一匹马儿的声音——就在咱们和那树林之间。”沙斯塔静听了一会儿后说道。"It is another horse," said Bree. "And that's what I don't like."“那是另外一匹马儿，”布里说，“那可是我不喜欢的局面。”"Isn't it probably just a farmer riding home late?" said Shasta with a yawn.“说不定是个农民刚好骑马晚归。”沙斯塔打了个呵欠说道。"Don't tell me!" said Bree. "That's not a farmer's riding. Nor a farmer's horse either. Can't you tell by the sound? That's quality, that horse is. And it's being ridden by a real horseman. I tell you what it is, Shasta. There's a Tarkaan under the edge of that wood. Not on his war horse - it's too light for that. On a fine blood mare, I should say."“不会吧！”布里说，“那可不是农民骑马的声音。也不是农民的马儿的脚步声。你能辨别声音吗？那马儿的脚步声挺帅，而且骑马的是个真正的骑手。我告诉你真相吧，沙斯塔。有个泰坎在树林边缘。他骑的不是战马——战马的脚步声重得多，这声音太轻飘了。他骑的是匹纯种好马，我敢说。”"Well, it's stopped now, whatever it is," said Shasta.“哦，现在它停步了，不管它是什么马儿。”沙斯塔说。"You're right," said Bree. "And why should he stop just when we do? Shasta, my boy, I do believe there's someone shadowing us at last."“你说得对，”布里说，“为什么我们刚停步它也就停步了呢？沙斯塔，我的孩子，我深信有人终于像影子一样盯上我们了。”"What shall we do?" said Shasta in a lower whisper than before. "Do you think he can see us as well as hear us?"“我们怎么办呢？”沙斯塔低语道，声音比以前更低了，“你认为他能听见我们、看见我们吗？”"Not in this light so long as we stay quite still," answered Bree. "But look! There's a cloud coming up. I'll wait till that gets over the moon. Then we'll get off to our right as quietly as we can, down to the shore. We can hide among the sandhills if the worst comes to the worst."“在这种光线里，只要我们悄没声儿地待着，他就看不见我们。”布里答道，“瞧有大块云上来了。等到那块云遮住了月亮，我们就赶快逃到右边去，逃到下面的海岸上去。万一发生最糟糕的情况，我们就可以在沙丘之间藏身。”They waited till the cloud covered the moon and then, first at a walking pace and afterwards at a gentle trot, made for the shore.他们等到那云遮住了月亮，就奔海岸而去，开头是不紧不慢的步子，后来就改为小跑了。The cloud was bigger and thicker than it had looked at first and soon the night grew very dark. Just as Shasta was saying to himself, "We must be nearly at those sandhills by now," his heart leaped into his mouth because an appalling noise had suddenly risen up out of the darkness ahead; a long snarling roar, melancholy and utterly savage. Instantly Bree swerved round and began galloping inland again as fast as he could gallop.云块比最初看去时更大更厚实，夜晚很快就变得十分黑暗。正当沙斯塔在心里跟自己说“现在我们必定快要到达那些沙丘了”时，他的心跳到他的嘴巴里来了，因为突然之间从前面的黑暗中发出一个令人丧胆的声音，那是一声长长的咆哮，忧郁而又十分野蛮。布里立刻转过身来，开始重新向内陆奔驰，尽其所能地迅速奔驰。"What is it?" gasped Shasta.“这是什么？”沙斯塔气喘吁吁地问道。"Lions!" said Bree, without checking his pace or turning his head.“狮子！”布里说道，既不放慢脚步，也不转过头来。After that there was nothing but sheer galloping for some time. At last they splashed across a wide, shallow stream and Bree came to a stop on the far side. Shasta noticed that he was trembling and sweating all over.最后，他们水花四溅地横渡一条宽阔而不深的溪流，到了对岸布里这才站住了。沙斯塔注意到他自己浑身发抖，全身都在冒冷汗。"That water may have thrown the brute off our scent," panted Bree when he had partly got his breath again. "We can walk for a bit now."“那水，也许会使那野兽嗅不到我们的气味，”布里略微缓过气来时，喘息着说道，“现在我们可以放慢步子走会儿了。”As they walked Bree said, "Shasta, I'm ashamed of myself. I'm just as frightened as a common, dumb Calor mene horse. I am really. I don't feel like a Talking Horse at all. I don't mind swords and lances and arrows but I can't bear - those creatures. I think I'll trot for a bit."他们慢步行走时，布里说道：“沙斯塔，我为我自己感到羞耻。我竟吓得像匹卡乐门的平平常常的哑巴马儿一样。我确实如此。我的感觉压根儿不像能说话的马儿。对于剑呀矛呀箭呀，我都满不在呼，但我受不了——这些动物。我想我又要小跑会儿了。”About a minute later, however, he broke into a gallop again, and no wonder. For the roar broke out again, this time on their left from the direction of the forest.然而，一分钟以后，它又开始奔驰起来了。那也没有什么可奇怪的，因为咆哮声又响起来了，这回是从他们左边树林那个方向传来的。"Two of them," moaned Bree.“两头狮子哩。”布里哀叹道。When they had galloped for several minutes without any further noise from the lions Shasta said, "I say! That other horse is galloping beside us now. Only a stone's throw away."他们奔驰了好几分钟，不复有狮子的声音传来时，沙斯塔说道，“喂，另一匹马儿现在在我们的旁边奔驰了。”"All the b-better," panted Bree. "Tarkaan on it - will have a sword - protect us all."“那就更好了，”布里气喘吁吁地说道，“泰坎骑在马上——必定有把剑——保护我们大家。”"But, Bree!" said Shasta. "We might just as well be killed by lions as caught. Or 1 might. They'll hang me for horsestealing." He was feeling less frightened of lions than Bree because he had never met a lion; Bree had.“可是，布里啊！”沙斯塔说，“我们若是被人逮住，倒不如被狮子杀死的好。要是被逮住，他们会把我吊起来绞死，因为我偷马。’他不像布里那么害怕狮子，因为他从来没有遇见过狮子，布里可遇见过。Bree only snorted in answer but he did sheer away to his right. Oddly enough the other horse seemed also to be sheering away to the left, so that in a few seconds the space between them had widened a good deal. But as soon as it did so there came two more lions' roars, immediately after one another, one on the right and the other on the left, the horses began drawing nearer together. So, apparently, did the lions. The roaring of the brutes on each side was horribly close and they seemed to be keeping up with the galloping horses quite easily. Then the cloud rolled away. The moonlight, astonishingly bright, showed up everything almost as if it were broad day. The two horses and two riders were galloping neck to neck and knee to knee just as if they were in a race. Indeed Bree said (afterwards) that a finer race had never been seen in Calormen.布里只是喷着气，没有回答，但它的确向右转了。很奇怪，另一匹马似乎也向左转了。因此不会儿，它们之间的距离就增大了。但就在这时，紧接着又传来两声狮吼，声在右声在左。两匹马开始靠拢。显然，狮子们也在靠拢。两边猛兽的吼声近得可怕，似乎它们很容易就可以赶上正飞驰的马儿。随后云散了，亮得出奇的月光把一切照得如同白昼。两匹马和两个骑手几乎是肩并肩腿碰腿地在飞驰，就好像他们是在比赛。布里后来的确说，在卡乐门从未见过这么好的比赛。Shasta now gave himself up for lost and began to wonder whether lions killed you quickly or played with you as a cat plays with a mouse and how much it would hurt. At the same time (one sometimes does this at the most frightful moments) he noticed everything. He saw that the other rider was a very small, slender person, mail-clad (the moon shone on the mail) and riding magnificently. He had no beard.沙斯塔此时不知所措，他开始想道，狮子是很快把你杀死呢，还是会像猫戏弄老鼠一样戏弄你，他还在想狮子伤起人来有多厉害。与此同时，他注意着一切(个人在极度恐惧时有时会这样)。他看见另一位骑手是个小而瘦削的人，穿着铠甲(月光照在铠甲上)，骑马的样子很威严。他没有胡子。Something flat and shining was spread out before them. Before Shasta had time even to guess what it was there was a great splash and he found his mouth half full of salt water. The shining thing had been a long inlet of the sea. Both horses were swimming and the water was up to Shasta's knees. There was an angry roaring behind them and looking back Shasta saw a great, shaggy, and terrible shape crouched on the water's edge; but only one. "We must have shaken off the other lion," he thought.有个平坦发亮的东两铺开在他们两面前。沙斯塔还来不及想是什么，哗啦啦一阵子泼将过来，他发觉半个嘴巴里都是咸水了。原来这发亮的东西是大海的一个长长的港湾。两匹马儿都在游泳，海水漫到沙斯塔的膝盖上。他们的背后是阵愤怒的狮吼，沙斯塔回头一望，但见一个毛发蓬松的可怕的巨大形体蹲伏在水滨，然而只有一头狮子。“我们必定把另一头狮子甩掉了。”他心里想。The lion apparently did not think its prey worth a wetting; at any rate it made no attempt to take the water in pursuit. The two horses, side by side, were now well out into the middle of the creek and the opposite shore could be clearly seen. The Tarkaan had not yet spoken a word. "But he will," thought Shasta. "As soon as we have landed. What am I to say? I must begin thinking out a story."这狮子显然认为不值得涉水捕食猎物。无论如何，它不想在追逐他们时喝几口咸海水。两匹马儿并肩而行，现在已经进入港湾的中流，对岸已经清晰地看得见了。那泰坎声也没吭过。“但他必定会开口的，”沙斯塔心中想道，“我们一登上陆地他就要说话了。我该说什么呢？我必须开始编造一个故事。”Then, suddenly, two voices spoke at his side.接着，突然之间，他身边两个声音说起话来了。"Oh, I am so tired," said the one. "Hold your tongue, Hwin, and don't be a fool," said the other.“啊，我真是疲倦极了。”一个声音说。“住口，赫温，别作傻瓜。”另一个声音说道。"I'm dreaming," thought Shasta. "I could have sworn that other horse spoke."“我在做梦，”沙斯塔心中想道，“我能对天发誓，另一匹马儿在说话哩。”Soon the horses were no longer swimming but walking and soon with a great sound of water running off their sides and tails and with a great crunching of pebbles under eight hoofs, they came out on the farther beach of the inlet. The Tarkaan, to Shasta's surprise, showed no wish to ask questions. He did not even look at Shasta but seemed anxious to urge his horse straight on. Bree, however, at once shouldered himself in the other horse's way.两匹马儿不久就不再游泳，而是踏步行走起来。伴着海水从它们身体两侧和尾巴上哗啦哗啦泻将下来的声音，和八只蹄子踩在卵石上嘎啦嘎啦的声音，他们出了港湾，踏上了远在另一头的海滩。使沙斯塔惊异的是，那泰坎毫无想提出问题的表示。他甚至连瞧也不瞧沙斯塔，却仿佛急于要策马趱奔。然而，布里立刻用自己的肩胛挡住了另一匹马的路。"Broo-hoo-hah!" he snorted. "Steady there! I heard you, I did. There's no good pretending, Ma'am. 1 heard you. You're a Talking Horse, a Narnian horse just like me."“布鲁——霍——哈！”它喷着气，“慢着我听到了，我听到你说话了。女士，假装是没有好处的。我听到你说话了。你是一匹说话的马儿。一匹像我一样的纳尼亚马儿。”"What's it got to do with you if she is?" said the strange rider fiercely, laying hand on sword-hilt. But the voice in which the words were spoken had already told Shasta something.“如果它是纳尼亚马儿，跟你又有什么相干，”奇怪的骑手凶狠地说道，手都按在剑柄上了。但说出这些话的声音已经向沙斯塔泄露了一些真相。"Why, it's only a girl!" he exclaimed.“呀，她不过是个小姑娘！”他大声嚷道。"And what business is it of yours if I am only a girl?" snapped the stranger. "You're probably only a boy: a rude, common little boy - a slave probably, who's stolen his master's horse."“如果我是个小姑娘，跟你又有什么相干？”陌生人厉声说道，“你不过是个男孩子：一个粗鲁无礼、平平凡凡的小男孩儿——可能是个奴隶，偷了他主人的马儿。”"That's all you know," said Shasta.“你知道的就是这么一点儿。”沙斯塔说。"He's not a thief, little Tarkheena," said Bree. "At least, if there's been any stealing, you might just as well say I stole him. And as for its not being my business, you wouldn't expect me to pass a lady of my own race in this strange country without speaking to her? It's only natural I should."“他不是贼，小泰克希娜，”布里说道，“至少，如果有什么偷窃行为，你倒不妨说是我偷了他。但这事与我不相干。你总不会指望我在这个奇怪的国家里，遇到我自己种族的一位女士而不跟它说说话吧。我跟它说说话倒是十分自然的。”"I think it's very natural too," said the mare.“我也认为这是十分自然的。”母马说。"I wish you'd held your tongue, Hwin," said the girl. "Look at the trouble you've got us into."“我希望你闭嘴，赫温，”小姑娘说道，“瞧你替我们招来麻烦了。”"I don't know about trouble," said Shasta. "You can clear off as soon as you like. We shan't keep you."“我可不知道什么麻烦，”沙斯塔说，“你高兴快走就快走吧。我们不会留你。”"No, you shan't," said the girl.“不，你们留不住我。”小姑娘说。"What quarrelsome creatures these humans are," said Bree to the mare. "They're as bad as mules. Let's try to talk a little sense. I take it, ma'am, your story is the same as mine? Captured in early youth - years of slavery among the Calormenes?"“这些人类多么喜欢吵嘴。”布里对母马说，“他们糟糕得像驴子一样。让我们谈点儿有道理的。女士，我认为你的身世大概跟我的身世是一个样儿的：少年时代被俘——在卡乐门人中间度过了多年的奴隶生活。”"Too true, sir," said the mare with a melancholy whinny.“千真万确，先生。”母马用忧郁的嘶声说道。"And now, perhaps - escape?"“而现在呢，也许是——逃走？”"Tell him to mind his own business, Hwin," said the girl.“赫温，叫他管他自己的事情，别管闲事。”小姑娘说。"No, I won't, Aravis," said the mare putting her ears back. "This is my escape just as much as yours. And I'm sure a noble war-horse like this is not going to betray us. We are trying to escape, to get to Narnia."“不，我不愿这样，阿拉维斯，”母马收拢耳朵，说道，“这是我的出逃，就跟你一样。我深信一匹像你这样高贵的战马是不会出卖我们的。我们都是在设法逃走，逃到纳尼亚去。”"And so, of course, are we," said Bree. "Of course you guessed that at once. A little boy in rags riding (or trying to ride) a war-horse at dead of night couldn't mean anything but an escape of some sort. And, if I may say so, a highborn Tarkheena riding alone at night - dressed up in her brother's armour - and very anxious for everyone to mind their own business and ask her no questions - well, if that's not fishy, call me a cob!"“我们当然是这么一回事，”布里说，“你当然猜就猜到了。一个小男孩，穿得破破烂烂的，深更半夜，骑着——或者是勉强骑着匹战马，这种情况只能意味着是逃走之类。同时，如果我可以这么说，一位出身高贵的泰克希娜，深夜里单人匹马，身穿她哥哥的盔甲——急于要人人只管他自己的事情，可别向她提什么问题——哦，如果不是其中有鬼，你们管我叫傻瓜蛋就是了。”"All right then," said Aravis. "You've guessed it. Hwin and I are running away. We are trying to get to Narnia. And now, what about it?"“行了，”阿拉维斯说，“你已经猜对了。赫温和我是在逃跑。我们试图到纳尼亚去。哦，这又怎么样？”"Why, in that case, what is to prevent us all going together?" said Bree. "I trust, Madam Hwin, you will accept such assistance and protection as I may be able to give you on the journey?"“呀，既然如此，咱们何妨一起走呢？”布里说，“赫温女士，我深信你会接受我在旅途中也许能为你提供的帮助和保护！”"Why do you keep talking to my horse instead of to me?" asked the girl.“为什么你老是跟我的马儿说话，却不向我说话呢？”小姑娘问道。"Excuse me, Tarkheena," said Bree (with just the slightest backward tilt of his ears), "but that's Calormene talk. We're free Narnians, Hwin and I, and I suppose, if you're running away to Narnia, you want to be one too. In that case Hwin isn't your horse any longer. One might just as well say you're her human."“请原谅我，泰克希娜，”布里说(它把双耳稍稍向后翘起一点儿)，“不过那是卡乐门式的对话。赫温和我，我们是纳尼亚的自由的马儿，依我的猜想，如果你到了纳尼亚，你也想做个自由民的。在那种情况下，赫温就不再是属于你的马儿了。人家倒可能说你是属于它的人了。”The girl opened her mouth to speak and then stopped. Obviously she had not quite seen it in that light before.小姑娘要开口说话，却又闭嘴不说了。很明显，她过去从来没有用这种观点看问题。"Still," she said after a moment's pause, "I don't know that there's so much point in all going together. Aren't we more likely to be noticed?"“我还是不明白，”小姑娘沉默了一会儿又说道，“在大家一起赶路这件事情上，竟有那么多的论点。咱们一起走，是否更可能招人注意？”"Less," said Bree; and the mare said, "Oh do let's. I should feel much more comfortable. We're not even certain of the way. I'm sure a great charger like this knows far more than we do."“更不可能招人注意。”布里说，而母马道：“噢，让我们一起走吧。我会感到更舒服。我们甚至对路径还没有把握。像它这样的一匹战马，懂得的东西远比我们多啊。”"Oh come on, Bree," said Shasta, "and let them go their own way. Can't you see they don't want us?"“走吧，布里，”沙斯塔说道，“让她们走她们的路吧。你看不出她们不需要我们吗？”"We do," said Hwin."We do," said Hwin.“我们需要你们。”赫温说。"Look here," said the girl. "I don't mind going with you, Mr War-Horse, but what about this boy? How do I know he's not a spy?"“喂，”小姑娘说，“战马先生，我和你一起走倒并不介意，可是这孩子怎么办呢？我怎么知道他不是个密探呢？”"Why don't you say at once that you think I'm not good enough for you?" said Shasta.“你为什么不干干脆脆说我高攀不上你呢？”沙斯塔说。"Be quiet, Shasta," said Bree. "The Tarkheena's question is quite reasonable. I'll vouch for the boy, Tarkheena. He's been true to me and a good friend. And he's certainly either a Narnian or an Archenlander."“安静点儿，沙斯塔，”布里说道，“泰克希娜的问题是很合情理的。泰克希娜，我愿为这孩子担保。他对我一向忠诚，是个好朋友。他肯定不是纳尼亚人便是阿钦兰人。”"All right, then. Let's go together." But she didn't say anything to Shasta and it was obvious that she wanted Bree, not him.“那就行了，让咱们一起走吧。”但她什么话也没跟沙斯塔说。十分明显，她要的是布里，不是他。"Splendid!" said Bree. "And now that we've got the water between us and those dreadful animals, what about you two humans taking off our saddles and our all having a rest and hearing one another's stories."“好极了！”布里说，“现在我们和那些可怕的野兽之间隔着片大水，你们两个人把我们的鞍子卸下来，我们大家休息一下，听听彼此的经历，可好？”Both the children unsaddled their horses and the horses had a little grass and Aravis produced rather nice things to eat from her saddle-bag?But Shasta sulked and said No thanks, and that he wasn't hungry. And he tried to put on what he thought very grand and stiff manners, but as a fisherman's but is not usually a good place for learning grand manners, the result was dreadful. And he half knew that it wasn't a success and then became sulkier and more awkward than ever. Meanwhile the two horses were getting on splendidly. They remembered the very same places in Narnia - "the grasslands up above Beaversdam" and found that they were some sort of second cousins once removed. This made things more and more uncomfortable for the humans until at last Bree said, "And now, Tarkheena, tell us your story. And don't hurry it - I'm feeling comfortable now."两个孩子都给马儿卸下了鞍子，两匹马儿吃了点青草，阿拉维斯从鞍囊里拿出颇为精美的食物来吃。但沙斯塔怄气，他说不，谢谢，他肚子不饿。他竭力要摆出他认为是十分崇高十分刚强的态度来，可渔夫的小屋往往不是学习崇高风度的好地方，其后果因而十分可怕。他一半儿知道自己并未获得成功，这就变得比往常更加气恼更加尴尬。与此同时，两匹马儿倒相处得极好。它们记起了纳尼亚的同一个地方：“海狸水坝上边儿的大草地”，并且发现它们原来还是第二代的表兄妹哩。这就搞得两个人之间的关系越发不舒畅了，布里终于说道：“泰克希娜，现在把你的故事讲给我们听吧。可也不必匆匆忙忙——我现在正感觉轻松自在哩。”Aravis immediately began, sitting quite still and using a rather different tone and style from her usual one. For in Calormen, story-telling (whether the stories are true or made up) is a thing you're taught, just as English boys and girls are taught essay-writing. The difference is that people want to hear the stories, whereas I never heard of anyone who wanted to read the essays.阿拉维斯立刻讲起来了，她一动也不动地坐着，用的是跟平常截然不同的声调和风格。因为在卡乐门王国，讲故事(不论是真实的还是编造出来的故事)是教出来的，就像英国男孩女孩写散文是教出来的一样。不同之处是：人们要听故事，而我从来没听说过有什么人要听散文哩。Chapter 3第三章AT THE GATES OF TASHBAAN在塔什班城门口"Mr name," said the girl at once, "is Aravis Tarkheena and I am the only daughter of Kidrash Tarkaan, the son of Rishti Tarkaan, the son of Kidrash Tarkaan, the son of Ilsombreh Tisroc, the son of Ardeeb Tisroc who was descended in a right line from the god Tash. My father is the lord of the province of Calavar and is one who has the right of standing on his feet in his shoes before the face of Tisroc himself (may he live for ever). My mother (on whom be the peace of the gods) is dead and my father has married another wife. One of my brothers has fallen in battle against the rebels in the far west and the other is a child. Now it came to pass that my father's wife, my step-mother, hated me, and the sun appeared dark in her eyes as long as I lived in my father's house. And so she persuaded my father to promise me in marriage to Ahoshta Tarkaan. Now this Ahoshta is of base birth, though in these latter years he has won the favour of the Tisroc (may he live for ever) by flattery and evil counsels, and is now made a Tarkaan and the lord of many cities and is likely to be chosen as the Grand Vizier when the present Grand Vizier dies. Moreover he is at least sixty years old and has a hump on his back and his face resembles that of an ape. Nevertheless my father, because of the wealth and power of this Ahoshta, and being persuaded by his wife, sent messengers offering me in marriage, and the offer was favourably accepted and Ahoshta sent word that he would marry me this very year at the time of high summer.“我是泰克希娜阿拉维斯，”小姑娘立刻说道，“我是泰坎基特拉什的独生女儿。基特拉什是泰坎里什蒂的儿子，里什蒂是泰坎老基特拉什的儿子，老基特拉什是蒂斯罗克伊尔松布勒的儿子，伊尔松布勒是蒂斯罗克阿尔地布的儿子，都是从塔什神一脉相承地繁衍下来的。我的父亲是卡拉瓦尔省的省长，是个有权利穿着靴子站在蒂斯罗克(愿他万寿无疆)本人面前的官儿。我的母亲死了(愿众神赐给她平安)，我的父亲娶了另一个妻子。我的哥哥在遥远的西方讨伐叛乱的战争中牺牲了，我的弟弟还是个小娃娃。却说我父亲的妻子，我那位后母，憎恶我，只要我住在我父亲的家里，她就觉得太阳也变得黑暗了。所以她就劝我的父亲把我许给泰坎阿霍什塔为妻。而这位阿霍什塔出身贫贱，这几年他凭着谄媚阿谀和出坏主意，赢得了蒂斯罗克(愿他万寿无疆)的宠爱，现在被封为泰坎，作了好几个城市的父母官，将来现任大臣死了，他就很可能被选中为大臣。而且，他至少已有六十岁了，还是个驼背，脸长得像无尾猿。尽管如此，一则由于这位阿霍什塔有财有势，二则我后母竭力劝说，我的父亲便派媒人去说亲。一说即合，阿霍什塔叫人捎信来，说今年盛夏就要娶亲成婚。”"When this news was brought to me the sun appeared dark in my eyes and I laid myself on my bed and wept for a day. But on the second day I rose up and washed my face and caused my mare Hwin to be saddled and took with me a sharp dagger which my brother had carried in the western wars and rode out alone. And when my father's house was out of sight and I was come to a green open place in a certain wood where there were no dwellings of men, I dismounted from Hwin my mare and took out the dagger. Then I parted my clothes where I thought the readiest way lay to my heart and I prayed to all the gods that as soon as I was dead I might find myself with my brother. After that I shut my eyes and my teeth and prepared to drive the dagger into my heart. But before I had done so, this mare spoke with the voice of one of the daughters of men and said, ‘O my mistress, do not by any means destroy yourself, for if you live you may yet have good fortune but all the dead are dead alike.’"“这个消息传到我耳朵里时，我心目中的太阳变得漆黑了，我躺在床上，哭了一天。但第二天我起了床，洗了脸，关照人给母马赫温上了鞍子，我随身带了把锋利的匕首(我哥哥在西部战争中带在身边的)，便独自骑马出去了。走得已经看不见我父亲的府邸时，我来到一个森林中的一片绿色空地上，那儿没有人住家。我从母马赫温身上跨将下来，抽出匕首。我解开衣服，露出我认为最便于刺中心脐的地方，我向众神祷告，但求我一死便可同我哥哥聚会。这之后，我就闭上眼睛，咬紧牙齿，准备把匕首刺进心脏。但我还没有刺下去，这马儿就用人类的女孩儿声音说道：‘我的女主人啊，无论如何不要毁灭你自己，因为如果你活着，你还会有好运气，但死人同样都是死人。’”"I didn't say it half so well as that," muttered the mare.“我说得还没有这话一半巧妙啊。”母马喃喃自语。"Hush, Ma'am, hush," said Bree, who was thoroughly enjoying the story. "She's telling it in the grand Calormene manner and no story-teller in a Tisroc's court could do it better. Pray go on, Tarkheena."“莫作声，女士，莫作声。”布里说道，它正在全身心地欣赏着这故事。“她正用卡乐门崇高的风格讲故事，蒂斯罗克宫廷早没有人能讲得比她更好的了。请你讲下去吧，泰克希娜。”"When I heard the language of men uttered by my mare," continued Aravis, "I said to myself, the fear of death has disordered my reason and subjected me to delusions. And I became full of shame for none of my lineage ought to fear death more than the biting of a gnat. Therefore I addressed myself a second time to the stabbing, but Hwin came near to me and put her head in between me and the dagger and discoursed to me most excellent reasons and rebuked me as a mother rebukes her daughter. And now my wonder was so great that I forgot about killing myself and about Ahoshta and said, `O my mare, how have you learned to speak like one of the daughters of men?' And Hwin told me what is known to all this company, that in Narnia there are beasts that talk, and how she herself was stolen from thence when she was a little foal. She told me also of the woods and waters of Narnia and the castles and the great ships, till I said, `In the name of Tash and Azaroth and Zardeenah Lady of the Night, I have a great wish to be in that country of Narnia.' `O my mistress,' answered the mare, `if you were in Narnia you would be happy, for in that land no maiden is forced to marry against her will.'“当我听到我的母马口出人言，”阿拉维斯继续讲道，“我对我自己说：死的恐惧已经使我理智混乱，受幻觉支配了。我变得十分羞愧，因为我的家族里没有一个人应该怕死超过怕被虫子咬的。于是我再一次举手要自杀，但赫温跑进来了，把它的脑袋挡在我和匕首之间，用最最透彻的道理同我谈话，像个母亲训斥她的女儿般训斥我。却说我心里奇怪极了，我忘了自杀，忘了阿霍什塔，问道我的母马啊，你怎样学会像人类的女儿样说话的？赫温把在座各位都知道的情况告诉我：在纳尼亚王国里有的是会说人话的野兽，而她自己还是匹小驹子时便被人从纳尼亚盗走了。她也跟我讲起纳尼亚王国的森林和河流、堡垒和大船，直讲得我这样起誓道：‘我以塔什神和阿扎罗斯神之名，以黑夜女神扎迪娜之名起誓，我有一个最大的愿望，就是要生活在纳尼亚王国里。’‘我的女主人啊，’母马答道，‘如果你生活在纳尼亚王国里，你就会十分幸福，因为在那个王国里，决不会强迫哪一个姑娘违背自己的心愿出嫁成亲的。’”"And when we had talked together for a great time hope returned to me and I rejoiced that I had not killed myself. Moreover it was agreed between Hwin and me that we should steal ourselves away together and we planned it in this fashion. We returned to my father's house and I put on my gayest clothes and sang and danced before my father and pretended to be delighted with the marriage which he had prepared for me. Also I said to him, `O my father and O the delight of my eyes, give me your licence and permission to go with one of my maidens alone for three days into the woods to do secret sacrifices to Zardeenah, Lady of the Night and of Maidens, as is proper and customary for damsels when they must bid farewell to the service of Zardeenah and prepare themselves for marriage.' And he answered, `O my daughter and O the delight of my eyes, so shall it be.'“我们一起谈了好久，我重新看到了希望，我为没有自杀而庆幸。此外，我和赫温还秘密约定，我们要一起偷偷逃跑，而且如此这般地定下了计划。我们回到我父亲的府邸里，我穿上我鲜艳的衣服，在我父亲面前唱歌跳舞，假装对他为我安排的婚姻很是乐意。我还跟父亲说：‘我的父亲啊，我心目中的快乐啊，给我发个许可证，允许我带上个姑娘独自到森林里去，向黑夜和处女之神扎迪娜做秘密献祭，当少女们必须告别对扎迪娜的侍奉、准备出嫁成亲时，做这样的献祭是恰当的，符合习俗的。’于是父亲答道，‘我的女儿，我心目中的快乐啊，你可以这么办。’”"But when I came out from the presence of my father I went immediately to the oldest of his slaves, his secretary, who had dandled me on his knees when I was a baby and loved me more than the air and the light. And I swore him to be secret and begged him to write a certain letter for me. And he wept and implored me to change my resolution but in the end he said, `To hear is to obey,' and did all my will. And I sealed the letter and hid it in my bosom."“我从父亲那儿出来以后，立刻就去找他的最老的奴隶，也就是他的秘书，在我是个婴儿的时候，他曾在他膝头上播弄我逗我，他爱我甚于爱空气和阳光。我叫他起誓保守秘密，并且求他替我写了封信。他哭泣，求我改变主意，但他最后终于说道，‘听到下令，就遵命照办。’并且按照我的一切愿望把事情办了。我封好了信，藏在怀中。”"But what was in the letter?" asked Shasta.“信里说些什么呢？”沙斯塔问。"Be quiet, youngster," said Bree. "You're spoiling the story. She'll tell us all about the letter in the right place. Go on, Tarkheena."“别插嘴，小家伙，”布里说，“你打断了故事。她会在恰当的地方把信上的一切都告诉我们的。讲下去吧，泰克希娜。”"Then I called the maid who was to go with me to the woods and perform the rites of Zardeenah and told her to wake me very early in the morning. And I became merry with her and gave her wine to drink; but I had mixed such things in her cup that I knew she must sleep for a night and a day. As soon as the household of my father had committed themselves to sleep I arose and put on an armour of my brother's which I always kept in my chamber in his memory. I put into my girdle all the money I had and certain choice jewels and provided myself also with food, and saddled the mare with my own hands and rode away in the second watch of the night. I directed my course not to the woods where my father supposed that I would go but north and east to Tashbaan.“于是我叫唤那跟我一起到森林里去献祭扎迪娜的丫头，关照她大清早就要叫醒我。我跟她谈得很开心，我给她酒喝，但我在她的酒杯里掺了点儿东西，我知道她必定要睡上一夜再加一天。我父亲府邸里的人都上床睡觉后，我穿上了我哥哥的盔甲，那是我一直留在房间里做纪念的。我把我所有的钱和一些珠宝精品都放进我的腰带里，也给自己准备好了食物，我亲手给母马上了鞍子，二更时分，我就骑马出奔了。我走的路不是我父亲所料想的向森林而去，而是朝塔什班的东北方而去。”"Now for three days and more I knew that my father would not seek me, being deceived by the words I had said to him. And on the fourth day we arrived at the city of Azim Balda. Now Azim Balda stands at the meeting of many roads and from it the posts of the Tisroc (may he live for ever) ride on swift horses to every part of the empire: and it is one of the rights and privileges of the greater Tarkaans to send messages by them. I therefore went to the Chief of the Messengers in the House of Imperial Posts in Azim Balda and said, `O dispatcher of messages, here is a letter from my uncle Ahoshta Tarkaan to Kidrash Tarkaan lord of Calavar. Take now these five crescents and cause it to be sent to him.' And the Chief of the Messengers said, `To hear is to obey.'“我知道，父亲被我跟他所说的话欺骗了，三四天内是不会寻找我的。我在第四天到达了阿齐姆.巴尔达城。却说阿齐姆.巴尔达城坐落在许多道路的交汇处，蒂斯罗克(愿他万寿无疆)的邮差骑着快马奔向王国的四面八方，高级泰坎们有权利和特许，可以叫邮差们送信。所以我就到阿齐姆.巴尔达城的帝国邮政大厦去找邮政局长，说道：‘传递讯息的官儿啊，这儿是封信，是我伯父泰坎阿霍什塔寄给卡拉瓦尔省长泰坎基特拉什的。拿着这五个克利申，把这信给他送去吧。’邮政局长说道‘听到命令就遵命照办。’”"This letter was feigned to be written by Ahoshta and this was the signification of the writing: `Ahoshta Tarkaan to Kidrash Tarkaan, salutation and peace. In the name of Tash the irresistible, the inexorable. Be it known to you that as I made my journey towards your house to perform the contract of marriage between me and your daughter Aravis Tarkheena, it pleased fortune and the gods that I fell in with her in the forest when she had ended the rites and sacrifices of Zardeenah according to the custom of maidens. And when I learned who she was, being delighted with her beauty and discretion, I became inflamed with love and it appeared to me that the sun would be dark to me if I did not marry her at once. Accordingly I prepared the necessary sacrifices and married your daughter the same hour that I met her and have returned with her to my own house. And we both pray and charge you to come hither as speedily as you may that we may be delighted with your face and speech; and also that you may bring with you the dowry of my wife, which, by reason of my great charges and expenses, I require without delay. And because thou and I are brothers I assure myself that you will not be angered by the haste of my marriage which is wholly occasioned by the great love I bear your daughter. And I commit you to the care of all the gods.'“这封信冒充是阿霍什塔写的，它的大意是：‘泰坎阿霍什塔向泰坎基特拉什致敬问安。以不可抗拒的、不屈不挠的塔什神的名义，敬启者，我在去府上订定我和令媛泰克希娜阿拉维斯的婚约的途中，托众神和命运的福，在森林里与她不期而遇，那时她已按照少女的习俗，完成了向扎迪娜献祭的仪式。当我获悉她是什么人时，由于欣赏她的美貌和慎重周到，我变得热情如焚，心里觉得如果我不立刻同她结婚成亲，太阳就会漆黑一团了。我相应地准备了必要的祭品，就在我遇到你女儿的时刻同她结了婚，而且带她回到我自己的家里来了。我俩都祈求和要求你尽可能赶紧到这儿来，让我们可以开心地见到你，听到你的谈笑，也指望你会带来我妻子的嫁妆，由于我巨大的开销花费，我要毫不耽误地得到嫁妆。因为你和我像兄弟一样，我确信你不会因我的匆促结婚而生气，我之所以如此，完全是由于我对你女儿的巨大爱情造成的。我求众神保佑你。’”"As soon as I had done this I rode on in all haste from Azim Balda, fearing no pursuit and expecting that my father, having received such a letter, would send messages to Ahoshta or go to him himself, and that before the matter was discovered I should be beyond Tashbaan. And that is the pith of my story until this very night when I was chased by lions and met you at the swimming of the salt water."“我办完了这件事就急急忙忙骑马从阿齐姆.巴尔达赶出来了，我倒不怕被人追逐，而是希望我父亲接到这封信，便会寄信给阿霍什塔，或者亲自到他那儿去，这样一来，及至事情被拆穿，我早已过了塔什班城了。在我被狮子追逐、在海水里游泳而遇到你们的那一夜之前，那一段便是我故事里最精彩的了。”"And what happened to the girl - the one you drugged?" asked Shasta.“那个丫头后来如何呢——你给她吃了药的那个？”沙斯塔问。"Doubtless she was beaten for sleeping late," said Aravis coolly. "But she was a tool and spy of my stepmother's. I am very glad they should beat her."“毫无疑问，她因为醒得太晚便挨打了。”阿拉维斯冷冷地答道，“不过，她是我后母的一个工具，一个密探。他们要是打了她，我才高兴哩。”"I say, that was hardly fair," said Shasta.“我说，那可不大公平。”沙斯塔说。"I did not do any of these things for the sake of pleasing you," said Aravis.“我做的这些事情，哪一件也不是为了取悦于你才做的。”阿拉维斯道。"And there's another thing I don't understand about that story," said Shasta. "You're not grown up, I don't believe you're any older than I am. I don't believe you're as old. How could you be getting married at your age?"“故事里还有件事情我不太明白，”沙斯塔说，“你还没有长大成人，我不相信你的年龄会比我大。我不相信你有我一般大。以你这种年龄，你怎么能结婚呢？”Aravis said nothing, but Bree at once said, "Shasta, don't display your ignorance. They're always married at that age in the great Tarkaan families."阿拉维斯啥也不说，但布里立刻回答道，“沙斯塔，别卖弄你的愚蠢了。在大泰坎家族里，他们总是在这种年龄结婚的。”Shasta turned very red (though it was hardly light enough for the others to see this) and felt snubbed. Aravis asked Bree for his story. Bree told it, and Shasta thought that he put in a great deal more than he needed about the falls and the bad riding. Bree obviously thought it very funny, but Aravis did not laugh. When Bree had finished they all went to sleep.沙斯塔脸变得通红通红(尽管光线太暗淡了，其他的人看不大见)，觉得自己被怠慢了。阿拉维斯请布里讲它的故事，布里讲了。沙斯塔认为它无需在跌跤和骑术拙劣方面添油加醋地说上一大堆。布里显然觉得这很有趣，但阿拉维斯并没有哈哈大笑。布里讲完故事，他们大家都去睡觉了。Next day all four of them, two horses and two humans, continued their journey together. Shasta thought it had been much pleasanter when he and Bree were on their own. For now it was Bree and Aravis who did nearly all the talking. Bree had lived a long time in Calormen and had always been among Tarkaans and Tarkaans' horses, and so of course he knew a great many of the same people and places that Aravis knew. She would always be saying things like, "But if you were at the fight of Zulindreh you would have seen my cousin Alimash," and Bree would answer, "Oh, yes, Alimash, he was only captain of the chariots, you know. I don't quite hold with chariots or the kind of horses who draw chariots. That's not real cavalry. But he is a worthy nobleman. He filled my nosebag with sugar after the taking of Teebeth." Or else Bree would say, "I was down at the lake of Mezreel that summer," and Aravis would say, "Oh, Mezreel! I had a friend there, Lasaraleen Tarkheena. What a delightful place it is. Those gardens, and the Valley of the Thousand Perfumes!" Bree was not in the least trying to leave Shasta out of things, though Shasta sometimes nearly thought he was. People who know a lot of the same things can hardly help talking about them, and if you're there you can hardly help feeling that you're out of it.第二天，他们四位，两匹马和两个人，一起继续赶路。沙斯塔认为光是他和布里一起走时要愉快得多，因为现在是布里和阿拉维斯几乎包揽了全部谈话。布里在卡乐门生活了好长段时间，而且总是同泰坎及他们的马儿在一起，所以它当然知道阿拉维斯所知道的人和地方。她总是提起类似这样的事情：“如果你参加过齐尤林德雷之战，你就会看见过我的堂兄阿里马什了。”于是布里答道：“噢，是的，阿里马什，他是战车队唯一的上尉，不是吗？我不大赞成战车或是拉战车的那种马儿。那可不是真正的骑兵。不过阿里马什是一位可尊敬的贵族。攻克蒂贝思之后，他在我草料袋里放满了糖。”此外布里还会说“那年夏天我到了米兹里尔湖。”于是阿拉维斯便接口道，“噢，米兹里尔湖我在那儿有个朋友，泰克希娜拉沙扣里恩。好个赏心悦目的地方。那些花园，还有那千香幽谷！”布里决不想把沙斯塔丢在一边，尽管沙斯塔有时差不多认为自己是被丢在一边了。见识过许许多多同样的事物的人们，情不自禁地要讲起这些事物，如果你也在场，你就不由得感到自己被丢在一边了。Hwin the mare was rather shy before a great war-horse like Bree and said very little. And Aravis never spoke to Shasta at all if she could help it.母马赫温在布里这样一匹了不得的战马面前怯生生的，它很少说话。而阿拉维斯呢，如果她能避免的话，她就压根儿不跟沙斯塔说话。Soon, however, they had more important things to think of. They were getting near Tashbaan. There were more, and larger, villages, and more people on the roads. They now did nearly all their travelling by night and hid as best they could during the day. And at every halt they argued and argued about what they were to do when they reached Tashbaan. Everyone had been putting off this difficulty, but now it could be put off no longer. During these discussions Aravis became a little, a very little, less unfriendly to Shasta; one usually gets on better with people when one is making plans than when one is talking about nothing in particular.然而，不久他们就有更加重大的事情要考虑了。他们正在走近塔什班城，路上有更多更大的村庄，和为数更多的人们。如今他们差不多都是在夜间赶路，到了白天就尽可能地躲藏起来。每次暂时歇脚，他们总是再三讨论，到达塔什班时他们该怎么办？大家都把这个困难问题往下拖延，如今不能再拖下去了。在这些讨论中，阿拉维斯对待沙斯塔的不友好态度，倒是一点儿一点儿地减少了，人在商量计划时往往比闲谈聊天时相处得好些。Bree said the first thing now to do was to fix a place where they would all promise to meet on the far side of Tashbaan even if, by any ill luck, they got separated in passing the city. He said the best place would be the Tombs of the Ancient Kings on the very edge of the desert. "Things like great stone bee-hives," he said, "you can't possibly miss them. And the best of it is that none of the Calormenes will go near them because they think the place is haunted by ghouls and are afraid of it." Aravis asked if it wasn't really haunted by ghouls. But Bree said he was a free Narnian horse and didn't believe in these Calormene tales. And then Shasta said he wasn't a Calormene either and didn't care a straw about these old stories of ghouls. This wasn't quite true. But it rather impressed Aravis (though at the moment it annoyed her too) and of course she said she didn't mind any number of ghouls either. So it was settled that the Tombs should be their assembly place on the other side of Tashbaan, and everyone felt they were getting on very well till Hwin humbly pointed out that the real problem was not where they should go when they had got through Tashbaan but how they were to get through it.布里说，第一桩要办的事情就是先确定一个地方，要是运气不好，穿过城市时走散了，大家也要约定在塔什班城另一边会合。它说最好的地方是古代国王的坟场，就在大沙漠的边缘。“就像巨大的石头蜂房似的东西，”它说，“你不可能错过的。最大的优点是，没有一个卡乐门人会走近这古坟场，因为他们认为那个地方是食尸鬼出没之处，他们害怕它。”阿拉维斯问，是否真的有食尸鬼出没？布里说，它是匹自由的纳尼亚马儿，不相信这些卡乐门的传说。接着，沙斯塔说，他也不是个卡乐门人，对于这些个老掉了牙的食尸鬼传说，他可丝毫不怕。这话可并不十分确实，但这话给阿拉维斯的印象倒很深(虽然当时很叫她恼火)。当然啦，她说，有多少食尸鬼她也不怕。所以，事情就这么决定下来了，古坟场应是他们在塔什班城那边会合的地点，大家都觉得他们的讨论进步很大，后来赫温谦逊地指出，真正的问题不在于他们穿过了塔什班城应该到什么地方去会合，而在于如何穿过塔什班城。But it wasn't easy to settle. Aravis's first suggestion was that they should swim across the river below the city during the night and not go into Tashbaan at all. But Bree had two reasons against this. One was that the river-mouth was very wide and it would be far too long a swim for Hwin to do, especially with a rider on her back. (He thought it would be too long for himself too, but he said much less about that). The other was that it would be full of shipping and of course anyone on the deck of a ship who saw two horses swimming past would be almost certain to be inquisitive.然而，要安排好并不容易。阿拉维斯第一个建议是：他们应该在夜间游泳横渡城外的河流，而根本不进入塔什班城。但布里反对，理由有两条。一是河口很阔，赫温要游过去的话，路程可太长了，特别是它背上还骑着一个人。(它认为，对它自己说来，路程也太长，但对此它说得很少。)另一条理由是河上往来船只繁多，当然啰，坐在甲板上的任何人，看到两匹马儿游泳渡河，定会问长问短的。Shasta thought they should go up the river above Tashbaan and cross it where it was narrower. But Bree explained that there were gardens and pleasure houses on both banks of the river for miles and that there would be Tarkaans and Tarkheenas living in them and riding about the roads and having water parties on the river. In fact it would be the most likely place in the world for meeting someone who would recognize Aravis or even himself.沙斯塔主张到塔什班以北的上游去，那儿的河流比较狭窄，容易横渡。但布里解释道，那儿好几里长的河流两岸，都有花园和游乐场所，泰坎和泰克希娜们很可能就住在那儿的屋子里面，并且在大路上骑马，在河上举行社交聚会。事实上，这很可能是世界上最容易遇到熟人，把阿拉维斯或布里认出来的地方。"We'll have to have a disguise," said Shasta.“我们只好乔装改扮了。”沙斯塔说。Hwin said it looked to her as if the safest thing was to go right through the city itself from gate to gate because one was less likely to be noticed in the crowd. But she approved of the idea of disguise as well. She said, "Both the human will have to dress in rags and look like peasants or slaves And all Aravis's armour and our saddles and things must be made into bundles and put on our backs, and the children must pretend to drive us and people will think we're on pack-horses."赫温说，据它看来，最安全的办法是干脆从城门到城门直接穿过这个城市，因为在人群之中是比较不容易被人注意的。不过，它同时也赞成乔装改扮的办法。它说：“两个人都得穿上破烂衣衫，看上去像农民或奴隶。阿拉维斯的全部盔甲、我们的马鞋子以及其他东西，必须卷成捆，放在我们的背上，孩子们必须假装鞭打我们，人们就会认为我们不过是两匹驮马罢了。”"My dear Hwin!" said Aravis rather scornfully. "As anyone could mistake Bree for anything but a war-hors however you disguised him!"“我亲爱的赫温，”阿拉维斯鄙夷地说道，“不论你怎样把布里乔装改扮，别人也未必看不出它是匹战马啊。”"I should think not, indeed," said Bree, snorting an letting his ears go ever so little back.“确确实实，我也这么想。”布里说道，它喷着鼻息，让双耳稍稍往后靠拢。"I know it's not a very good plan," said Hwin. "But I think it's our only chance. And we haven't been groomed for ages and we're not looking quite ourselves (at least, I'm sure I'm not). I do think if we get well plastered with mud and go along with our heads down as if we're tired and lazy -and don't lift our hooves hardly at all - we might not be noticed. And our tails ought to be cut shorter: not neatly, you know, but all ragged."“我知道这不是个很好的计划，”赫温说，“但我想这是我们唯一的机会了。而且我们已经好久好久没梳理修饰了，看上去不大像原来的样子了(至少，我确信我是不像从前的模样了)。我真的认为，如果我们身上恰到好处地涂上烂泥，耷拉着脑袋一路走去，仿佛又疲倦又懒惰——压根儿难得抬起我们的马蹄来人家就可能不注意我们了。还有，我们的尾巴应该割得短一点儿：不是整洁光滑，而是毛发蓬乱。”"My dear Madam," said Bree. "Have you pictured to yourself how very disagreeable it would be to arrive in Narnia in that condition?"“我亲爱的女士啊，”布里说道，“你自己可曾设想过，弄成这副模样，我们回到纳尼亚时，将是多么别扭啊，”