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"Oh, that's quite out of the question, "he said.
"啊, 那我可做不到, "他说,
"It is an economic impossibility-- er--your Majesty must be joking. "
"我没那么多钱, 嗯, 陛下一定是在开玩笑吧。"
Inside, he was wondering if there were any way of getting rid of these unwelcome visitors.
其实他心里在想办法摆脱这些不速之客。
Had he known that Caspian had only one ship and one ship's company with him, he would have spoken soft words for the moment, and hoped to have them all surrounded and killed during the night.
假如他知道凯斯宾只有一条船, 只带了一船人, 他会嘴上先说些软话, 暗地里想在夜里把他们全部包围杀光。
But he had seen a ship of war sail down the straits yesterday and seen it signalling, as he supposed, to its consorts.
不过昨天他亲眼看见一条战船顺着海峡开来, 还看见船上在打信号, 好像是打给跟从的船只。
He had not then known it was the King's ship for there was not wind enough to spread the flag out and make the golden lion visible, so he had waited further developments.
当时他不知道这就是国王的船, 因为风力不够大, 旗帜飘得不够高, 上面的金狮像看不出全貌, 所以他只好等待事情进一步发展。
Now he imagined that Caspian had a whole fleet at Bernstead.
此刻, 他想象着凯斯宾在伯恩斯坦有整整一支舰队。
It would never have occurred to Gumpas that anyone would walk into Narrowhaven to take the islands with less than fifty men;it was certainly not at all the kind of thing he could imagine doing himself.
冈帕斯万万没料到居然有人带了不到五十个人就拿下了这个群岛, 当然这种事是他想象不到的。
"Secondly, "said Caspian, "I want to know why you have permitted this abominable and unnatural traffic in slaves to grow up here, contrary to the ancient custom and usage of our dominions. "
"其次, "凯斯宾说, "我想知道, 你为什么允许贩卖奴隶这种伤天害理的勾当在本地进行?这违背了本国领地的风俗习惯。"
"Necessary, unavoidable, "said his Sufficiency. "An essential part of the economic development of the islands, I assure you. Our present burst of prosperity depends on it. "
"这是出于需要, 当然不能废除, "总督说, "我向您保证, 这是本岛经济发展的命脉, 本岛的兴衰全靠这个买卖了。"
"What need have you of slaves ?"
"你们要那么多奴隶干什么?"
"For export, your Majesty. Sell'em to Calormen mostly; and we have other markets. We are a great center of the trade. "
"当然是用来出口了, 陛下。绝大部分会卖给卡乐门, 还有其他的市场, 这里可是买卖的一大中心。"
"In other words, "said Caspian, "you don't need them. Tell me what purpose they serve except to put money into the pockets of such as Pug ?"
"换句话说, "凯斯宾说, "你不需要他们。你说说看, 这些奴隶除了养肥普格这种人之外, 还能干什么?"
"Your Majesty's tender years, "said Gumpas, with what was meant to be a fatherly smile, "hardly make it possible that you should understand the economic problem involved. I have statistics, I have graphs, I have--"
"陛下您还年轻, "冈帕斯摆出一副父辈的笑容说, "还无法理解这些和经济相关的问题。我有统计数据、图表, 还有……"
"Tender as my years may be, "said Caspian, "I believe I understand the slave trade from within quite as well as your Sufficiency.
"我是还年轻, "凯斯宾说, "可是我相信, 我对奴隶买卖实质的了解同阁下一样清楚。
And I do not see that it brings into the islands meat or bread or beer or wine or timber or cabbages or books or instruments of music or horses or armour or anything else worth having. But whether it does or not, it must be stopped. "
我看这项买卖未必能给本岛带来肉类、面包、啤酒、葡萄酒、木材、白菜、书本、乐器、马匹、盔甲或其他任何有价值的东西。无论如何, 这项买卖必须终止。"
"But that would be putting the clock back, "gasped the governor. "Have you no idea of progress, of development ?"
"不过, 这样的话, 经济就衰退了, "总督喘着粗气说, "你知道什么是进步, 什么是发展吗?"
"I have seen them both in an egg, "said Caspian. "We call it ‘Going Bad' in Narnia. This trade must stop. "
"我看到的是这种进步和发展的本质。"凯斯宾说, "我们纳尼亚把它叫做腐败, 这项买卖必须终止。"
"I can take no responsibility for any such measure, "said Gumpas.
"我决定不采取任何措施来执行这个命令。"冈帕斯说。
"Very well, then, "answered Caspian, "we relieve you of your office. My Lord Bern, come here. "
"好吧, "凯斯宾答道, "我们只好免你的职。伯恩公爵, 过来。"
And before Gumpas quite realized what was happening, Bern was kneeling with his hands between the King's hands and taking the oath to govern the Lone Islands in accordance with the old customs, rights, usages and laws of Narnia.
冈帕斯还没搞清是怎么回事, 伯恩已经跪下, 双手放在国王双手间, 宣誓根据纳尼亚古时的风俗习惯、权利和法律来接管孤独群岛。
And Caspian said, "I think we have had enough of governors, "and made Bern a Duke, the Duke of the Lone Islands.
凯斯宾说, "我看, 这个群岛有一个总督已经足够了。"于是当场封伯恩为公爵, 孤独群岛公爵。
"As for you, my Lord, "he said to Gumpas, "I forgive you your debt for the tribute.
"至于阁下你, "他对冈帕斯说, "我赦免你拖欠进贡,
But before noon tomorrow you and yours must be out of the castle, which is now the Duke's residence. "
明天中午之前, 你和你的家人必须搬出城堡, 现在这里是伯恩总督府。"
"Look here, this is all very well, "said one of Gumpas's secretaries, "but suppose all you gentlemen stop play--acting and we do a little business. The question before us really is--"
"听我说句话, 好吧, "冈帕斯的一个秘书说, "你们别再装腔作势了, 我们来做笔小交易吧。我们面前的问题是……"
"The question is, "said the Duke, "whether you and the rest of the rabble will leave without a flogging or with one. You may choose which you prefer. "
"问题是, "公爵说, "你和你的余党, 愿意服从我的安排, 还是愿意挨顿打再走呢?你们自己来选择。"
