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For the truth was that in that golden age when the Witch and the Winter had gone and Peter the High King ruled at Cair Paravel, the smaller woodland people of Narnia were so safe and happy that they were getting a little careless.
事实的真相是：在那个黄金时代，女巫和萧条都被赶走，至尊王彼得治理着凯尔帕拉维尔，纳尼亚小林区的居民生活安定幸福，以至他们有点麻痹大意了。
Presently, however, two more practical people arrived in the little wood. One was a Red Dwarf whose name appeared to be Duffle.
不过，很快就有两个比较像样的居民来了。一个是红的小矮人，叫德夫尔。
The other was a stag, a beautiful lordly creature with wide liquid eyes, dappled flanks and legs so thin and graceful that they looked as if you could break them with two fingers.
另一个是一头漂亮的牡鹿，眼睛宽大，四肢修长，看上去好像用两根手指就能折断。
"Lion alive!" roared the Dwarf as soon as he had heard the news. "And if that's so, why are we all standing still, chattering? Enemies at Anvard! News must be sent to Cair Paravel at once. The army must be called out. Narnia must go to the aid of King Lune."
“狮子还活着！”德夫尔听到消息就大声嚷嚷，“如果真是这样，那么就别站在这儿闲谈了，敌人在进攻安瓦德！要立刻把消息送到凯尔帕拉维尔去。组织军队，纳尼亚必须去支援伦恩国王。”
"Ah!" said the Hedgehog. "But you won't find the High King at the Cair. He's away to the North trouncing those giants. And talking of giants, neighbours, that puts me in mind-"
“啊！”刺猬说，“但是皇帝现在不在凯尔帕拉维尔。他已经北上去讨伐巨人。说到巨人，我想起了...”
"Who'll take our message?" interrupted the Dwarf. "Anyone here got more speed than me?" "I've got speed," said the Stag. "What's my message? How many Calormenes?"
“谁去送信？”小矮人打断刺猬，“这儿有谁比我跑得快？”“我，”牡鹿说，“我怎么说？有多少卡乐门人？”
"Two hundred: under Prince Rabadash. And-" But the Stag was already away-all four legs off the ground at once, and in a moment its white stern had disappeared among the remoter trees.
“罗八达王子率领两百人马，还有...”但牡鹿已经跑了--四肢飞奔，白色的臀部很快消失在遥远的树木之间。
"Wonder where he's going," said a Rabbit. "He won't find the High King at Cair Paravel, you know."
“他要去哪儿，”一只兔子说，“要知道，皇帝现在不在凯尔帕拉维尔。”
"He'll find Queen Lucy," said Duffle. "And then hullo! What s wrong with the Human? It looks pretty green. Why, I do believe it s quite faint. Perhaps it s mortal hungry. When did you last have a meal, youngster?"
“可以找露茜女王，”德夫尔说，“然后...喂！这个人怎么了？脸色发青。我想他快要昏过去了。可能是太饿了。你上一顿饭是什么时候吃的，小家伙？”
"Yesterday morning," said Shasta weakly. "Come on, then, come on," said the Dwarf, at once throwing his thick little arms round Shasta s waist to support him.
“昨天早晨。”沙斯塔虚弱无力。“来，来，”德夫尔说，立刻用他的小细手臂撑住沙斯塔。
"Why, neighbours, we ought all to be ashamed of ourselves! You come with me, lad.Breakfast! Better than talking."
“喂，邻居们！我们应该感到羞愧！来，小子。吃早饭!别说话了，吃早饭。”
With a great deal of bustle, muttering reproaches to itself, the Dwarf half led and half supported Shasta at a great speed further into the wood and a little downhill.
小矮人一阵手忙脚乱，喃喃的责备自己，将沙斯塔搀扶着走进树林，带下山一点儿。
It was a longer walk than Shasta wanted at that moment and his legs had begun to feel very shaky before they came out from the trees on to bare hillside.
这段路真是很长，还没等走出树林，到达光秃秃的山坡，他就感觉两腿颤抖。
There they found a little house with a smoking chimney and an open door, and as they came to the doorway Duffle called out, "Hey, brothers! A visitor for breakfast."
他们来到山坡上的一个小屋子，炊烟袅袅，门户洞开，在门口的时候，德夫尔就喊道：“嘿，兄弟！有位客人来吃早饭了。”
And immediately, mixed with a sizzling sound, there came to Shasta a simply delightful smell.
随着一阵嘶嘶的油炸声，一股令人垂涎欲滴的香味飘来。
It was one he had never smelled in his life before, but I hope you have. It was, in fact, the smell of bacon and eggs and mushrooms all frying in a pan.
此前沙斯塔从未闻过这种香味，但我肯定你闻过。事实上，这是咸肉、鸡蛋、蘑菇一起炸的香味。
"Mind your head, lad," said Duffle a moment too late, for Shasta had already bashed his forehead against the low lintel of the door.
“留神你的脑袋，小子。”但是沙斯塔的额头已经撞到了低低的门楣上。
"Now," continued the Dwarf, "sit you down. The table s a bit low for you, but then the stool s low too. That s right. And here s porridge-and here s a jug of cream-and here s a spoon."
“现在，”德夫尔继续说，“坐下吧。虽然桌子和凳子都有点矮。但是足够了。这是粥，这是奶油，这个是勺子。”
By the time Shasta had finished his porridge, the Dwarf s two brothers (whose names were Rogin and Bricklethumb) were putting the dish of bacon and eggs and mushrooms, and the coffee pot and the hot milk,and the toast,on the table.
沙斯塔刚喝完粥，德夫尔的两个兄弟（他们叫罗金和布里克尔森姆），就把盛着鸡蛋、咸肉、蘑菇的盘子，以及热牛奶和吐司放在桌上。
It was all new and wonderful to Shasta for Calormene food is quite different. He didn't even know what the slices of brown stuff were, for he had never seen toast before.
对沙斯塔来说，这顿早餐新奇不已，因为卡乐门的食物和其他地方完全不同。他甚至不知道这一片片的棕色东西是什么，因为他从没见过吐司。
He didn't know what the yellow soft thing they smeared on the toast was, because in Calormen you nearly always get oil instead of butter.
他不知道涂在吐司上的柔软的黄色的是什么，因为在卡乐门，总是用食用油代替黄油。
And the house itself was quite different from the dark, frowsty, fish-smelling but of Arsheesh and from the pillared and carpeted halls in the palaces of Tashbaan.
这屋子和阿什伊什黑暗、发霉、有鱼腥味的小屋不同，和塔什班城珠帘画栋的宫殿也不同。
The roof was very low, and everything was made of wood, and there was a cuckoo-clock and a red-and-white checked table-cloth and a bowl of wild flowers and little curtains on the thick-paned windows.
屋子低矮，一切都是木头做的，有一个杜鹃报时的钟，一块红白格子台布，放在碗里的野花，后玻璃窗上有小小的白色窗帘。
It was also rather troublesome having to use dwarf cups and plates and knives and forks.
但是用小矮人的餐具是件麻烦事。
