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It was a dreadful question. What had been the use of promising one another that they would not on any account set the Knight free, if they were now to do so the first time he happened to call upon a name they really cared about?
这真是个难题。他们已经向骑士保证了无论如何都不会解开绳子，难道现在果真要因为听见一次阿斯兰的名字就破坏先前的誓言吗？那发誓的意义何在呢？
On the other hand, what had been the use of learning the signs if they weren't going to obey them?
但另一方面，知道了暗示的内容却不遵守，那所谓的暗示又有什么用呢？
Yet could Aslan have really meant them to unbind anyone—even a lunatic—who asked it in his name? Could it be a mere accident?
难道阿斯兰真的想让他们释放一个疯子吗（以他的名义）？会不会只是个巧合？
Or how if the Queen of the Underworld knew all about the signs and had made the Knight learn this name simply in order to entrap them?
又或者是地下王国的女王早获知了阿斯兰的暗示，所以故意让骑士这么说来引他们上钩的？
But then, supposing this was the real sign?...They had muffed three already; they daren't muff the fourth. "Oh, if only we knew!" said Jill. "I think we do know," said Puddleglum.
但万一这真是暗示呢？……他们已经错过了三个，不能再错过第四个了。“哦，我们要能辨真假就好了！”吉尔说。“我认为我们能。”帕德格莱姆说。
"Do you mean you think everything will come right if we do untie him?" said Scrubb.
“你的意思是帮他松绑就搞定一切了？”斯库波问。
"I don't know about that," said Puddleglum. "You see, Aslan didn't tell Pole what would happen. He only told her what to do. That fellow will be the death of us once he's up, I shouldn't wonder. But that doesn't let us off following the sign."
“我不知道。”帕德格莱姆说，“你看，阿斯兰并没告诉吉尔究竟会发生什么，他只告诉她要去做什么。那家伙一旦站起来，我们就死定了，我一点都不怀疑。但那并不影响我们遵守阿斯兰的训告。”
They all stood looking at one another with bright eyes. It was a sickening moment. "All right!" said Jill suddenly. "Let's get it over. Good-bye, everyone…!"
他们三人睁大眼睛瞪着对方。这真是个让人难挨的时刻。“好吧！”吉尔突然说，“我们上吧。拜拜了，各位……”
They all shook hands. The Knight was screaming by now; there was foam on his cheeks. "Come on, Scrubb," said Puddleglum.
他们互相握了握手。骑士正在尖叫，嘴边泛起白沫。“来吧，斯库波。”帕德格莱姆说。
He and Scrubb drew their swords and went over to the captive. "In the name of Aslan," they said and began methodically cutting the cords.
他和斯库波提着剑朝骑士走去。“以阿斯兰的名义。”他们俩边喊边逐根把绳子斩断。
The instant the prisoner was free, he crossed the room in a single bound, seized his own sword (which had been taken from him and laid on the table), and drew it.
骑士刚恢复自由，就一步跨过房间，抄起自己的剑，提了起来。（他的剑被没收了，放在桌上。）
"You first!" he cried and fell upon the silver chair. That must have been a good sword.
“你是第一个。”骑士咆哮着举剑砍向银椅子。那肯定是把好剑。
The silver gave way before its edge like string, and in a moment a few twisted fragments, shining on the floor, were all that was left.
椅子立马被劈成碎片，散落于地，闪闪发亮，它在宝剑面前简直如丝线般脆弱。
But as the chair broke, there came from it a bright flash, a sound like small thunder, and (for one moment) a loathsome smell.
椅子碎开后，里面突然一闪，接着发出一声闷雷般的声音，而且还伴着恶臭。（气味持续了一阵。）
"Lie there, vile engine of sorcery," he said, "lest your mistress should ever use you for another victim."
“这就是邪恶魔法的源泉所在。”他说，“把它毁了，以防它的主人再拿它加害他人。”
Then he turned and surveyed his rescuers; and the something wrong, whatever it was, had vanished from his face.
骑士转过身，仔细端详着这几位救命恩人，他脸上那不对劲的东西（不知是什么）全消失了。
"What?" he cried, turning to Puddleglum. "Do I see before me a Marsh-wiggle—a real, live, honest, Narnian Marsh-wiggle?" "Oh, so you have heard of Narnia after all?" said Jill.
“什么？”骑士对帕德格莱姆大声嚷道，“站在我面前的难道是沼泽人？一个真正的，活生生的，正直的纳尼亚沼泽人？”“哦，你听说过纳尼亚？”吉尔说。
"Had I forgotten it when I was under the spell?" asked the Knight. "Well, that and all other bedevilments are now over. You may well believe that I know Narnia, for I am Rilian, Prince of Narnia, and Caspian the great King is my father."
“难道我中魔咒时把它忘了？”骑士问，“如今所有的邪恶都结束了。你们一定要坚信我知道纳尼亚，因为我是瑞廉，纳尼亚王子，伟大的凯斯宾国王是我父亲。”
"Your Royal Highness," said Puddleglum, sinking on one knee (and the children did the same) , "we have come hither for no other end than to seek you."
“尊贵的殿下，”帕德格莱姆说，他单膝跪地（两个孩子也效仿着），“我们正是来这找您的。”
"And who are you, my other deliverers?" said the Prince to Scrubb and Jill.
“你们是谁，我的另外两位救命恩人？”王子问斯库波和吉尔。
"We were sent by Aslan himself from beyond the world's end to seek your Highness," said Scrubb. "I am Eustace who sailed with him to the island of Ramandu."
“我们受阿斯兰之托，从世界尽头之外远道来此寻找您。”斯库波说，“我叫尤斯塔斯，曾经和阿斯兰一起出航到拉曼度岛。”
"I owe all three of you a greater debt than I can ever pay," said Prince Rilian. "But my father?Is he yet alive?"
“我欠你们的一辈子也还不完。”瑞廉王子说，“我父亲呢？他还活着吗？”
"He sailed east again before we left Narnia, my lord," said Puddleglum. "But your Highness must consider that the King is very old. It is ten to one his Majesty must die on the voyage."
“在我们离开纳尼亚前他又前往东方了，殿下。”帕德格莱姆说，“但殿下一定知道国王已经非常老了。十有八九国王会在航行中死去。”
"He is old, you say. How long then have I been in the power of the witch?"
“你说他非常老了？我究竟被女巫控制了多久？”
"It is more than ten years since your Highness was lost in the woods at the north side of Narnia."
“自从您在纳尼亚北面的森林失踪已经过去十年了。”
"Ten years!" said the Prince, drawing his hand across his face as if to rub away the past.
“十年！”王子说，他用手抹了把脸，好像要把过去的痕迹抹掉，
"Yes, I believe you. For now that I am myself I can remember that enchanted life, though while I was enchanted I could not remember my true self. And now, fair friends—but wait!
“好的，我相信你。现在我已经复原了，能够记起那段被魔法控制的日子。但当时我却想不起真实的自己。现在，亲爱的朋友们……等会儿！
I hear their feet (does it not sicken a man, that padding woolly tread! faugh!) on the stairs. Lock the door, boy. Or stay. I have a better thought than that. I will fool these Earthmen, if Aslan gives me the wit. Take your cue from me."
我听见他们正在上楼，走路就像踩着羊毛，呸！这难道不令人恶心吗？男孩，把门锁上。站着别动，我有个更好的办法。如果阿斯兰赐予我智慧的话，我要好好整整这帮洞穴人。看我的暗示。”
He walked resolutely to the door and flung it wide open.
王子坚定地走到门边将门完全敞开。
