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Nevertheless, only a few feet away from her, a voice spoke. And what it said was："Mates, now's our chance. "
尽管这样, 在离她只有两三步的地方有个声音在说："伙计们, 我们的机会终于来了。"
Instantly a whole chorus of other voices replied, "Hear him. Hear him. Now's our chance', he said.
突然, 其他人齐声说："听, 你们听, 他说我们的机会终于来了。
Well done, Chief. You never said a truer word. "
你说得太好了, 老大。"
"What I say, "continued the first voice, "is, get down to the shore between them and their boat, and let every mother's son look to his weapons.
"我是说, "那声音继续说, "到岸边去拦住他们, 不让他们上小船, 你们都拿好家伙,
Catch'em when they try to put to sea. "
他们要是到海上就抓住他们。"
"Eh, that's the way, "shouted all the other voices. "You never made a better plan, Chief. Keep it up, Chief. You couldn't have a better plan than that. "
"对, 就是这样, "其他声音非常一致, "你这办法太妙了, 老大, 然后呢, 你这想法再妙不过了。"
"Lively, then, mates, lively, "said the first voice. "Off we go.
"伙计们, 那赶紧吧, 加油, "那个声音说, "出发。"
"Right again, Chief, "said the others. "Couldn't have a better order. Just what we were going to say ourselves. Off we go. "
"太对了, 老大。"其他声音说, "这决定再好不过了。我们也这么想呢, 走吧。"
Immediately the thumping began again--very loud at first but soon fainter and fainter, till it died out in the direction of the sea.
"砰砰"声又响起来了----一开始很响, 慢慢地越来越弱, 越来越弱, 然后消失在海岸边。
Lucy knew there was no time to sit puzzling as to what these invisible creatures might be.
露茜没有工夫管这些看不见的怪物是什么东西。
As soon as the thumping noise had died away she got up and ran along the path after the others as quickly as her legs would carry her.
等"砰砰"的声音一消失, 她就站起来, 沿着小路跑, 去追大家,
They must at all costs be warned.
无论如何也要告诉他们。
While this had been happening the others had reached the house.
这个时候, 他们已经走到那座房子边。
It was a low building-only two stories high made of a beautiful mellow stone, many-windowed, and partially covered with ivy.
矮房子有两层----是用光滑漂亮的石块建造的, 有很多窗子, 墙上爬着常春藤,
Everything was so still that Eustace said, "I think it's empty, "but Caspian silently pointed to the column of smoke which rose from one chimney.
一切都很宁静。尤斯塔斯说："我看这是空房。"可是凯斯宾一声不吭, 指着冒烟的烟囱。
They found a wide gateway open and passed through it into a paved courtyard.
他们看到门开着, 就直接走进那个铺着石板的院子。
And it was here that they had their first indication that there was something odd about this island.
正是在这里，他们第一次发现了这个岛有些奇怪的迹象。
In the middle of the courtyard stood a pump, and beneath the pump a bucket.
院子里有个水泵, 水泵下有个水桶,
There was nothing odd about that. But the pump handle was moving up and down, though there seemed to be no one moving it.
这倒是没什么稀奇, 稀奇的是没有人摇动把手, 水泵的把手就上下摇动。
"There's some magic at work here, "said Caspian.
"这是魔法。"凯斯宾说。
"Machinery !"said Eustace. "I do believe we've come to a civilized country at last. "
"是机器!"尤斯塔斯说, "我相信我们到了一个文明的国度。"
At that moment Lucy, hot and breathless, rushed into the courtyard behind them.
这个时候, 露茜风风火火, 气喘吁吁地跑进院子。
In a low voice she tried to make them understand what she had overheard.
她压低声音跟他们说她听到的消息,
And when they had partly understood it even the bravest of them did not look very happy.
等到他们听明白怎么回事, 连最勇敢的人脸色都变了。
"Invisible enemies, "muttered Caspian. "And cutting us off from the boat. This is an ugly furrow to plough. "
"看不见的敌人, "凯斯宾嘀咕, "切断我们上船的路, 这一关不好过啊。"
"You've no idea what sort of creatures they are, Lu ?"asked Edmund.
"你不知道他们是什么怪物吗, 露茜?"爱德蒙问。
"How can I, Ed, when I couldn't see them ?"
"我怎么能知道呢, 爱德蒙, 我又看不见他们。"
"Did they sound like humans from their footsteps ?"
"你听着他们的脚步声像人类吗?"
"I didn't hear any noise of feet--only voices and this frightful thudding and thumping-like a mallet. "
"我没听到脚步声----只听到‘砰砰砰'这样的声音----像用木槌捶打的一样。"
"I wonder, "said Reepicheep, "do they become visible when you drive a sword into them ?"
"我倒是想知道, "雷佩契普说, "如果把剑刺进他们的身体, 不知道他们会不会露出原形。"
"It looks as if we shall find out, "said Caspian.
"看来我们必须要弄明白, "凯斯宾说,
"But let's get out of this gateway. There's one of these gentry at that pump listening to all we say. "
"不过我们还是先出去吧。水泵旁边有一个家伙在听我们说话。"
They came out and went back on to the path where the trees might possibly make them less conspicuous.
他们走出大门, 回到那条小路, 路边有树可以隐蔽。
"Not that it's any good really, "said Eustace, "trying to hide from people you can't see. They may be all round us. "
"其实想躲开你看不见的人, 一点用也没有。因为他可能已经在我们周围了。" 尤斯塔斯说。
"Now, Drinian, "said Caspian.
"好吧, 德里宁, "凯斯宾说,
"How would it be if we gave up the boat for lost, went down to another part of the bay, and signalled to the Dawn Treader to stand in and take us aboard ?"
"如果我们确定回小船没有可能的话, 不如到海湾那边给黎明踏浪号发信号, 让他们把船开到海岸边来接我们上船, 你觉得怎么样?"
"Not depth for her, Sire, "said Drinian.
"这边水太浅, 容易抛锚, 陛下。"德里宁回答。
"We could swim, "said Lucy.
"我们也可以游过去。"露茜说。
"Your Majesties all, "said Reepicheep, "hear me.
"三位陛下听我说, "雷佩契普说,
It is folly to think of avoiding an invisible enemy by any amount of creeping and skulking.
"想偷偷摸摸, 避开看不见的敌人, 简直就是妄想。
If these creatures mean to bring us to battle, be sure they will succeed.
如果这些怪物等着跟我们打一场, 肯定能得逞。
And whatever comes of it I'd sooner meet them face to face than be caught by the tail. "
无论如何, 我认为与其让他们牵着我们走, 不如正面交锋。"
