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Soon there would be total darkness everywhere except on the road they were following; and even on the lower part of it behind them, though no lamps had yet gone out, the lamplight shone on water.
很快，除了这条路有灯以外，其他地方完全是漆黑一片。甚至在他们身后的低洼处，虽然灯没完全熄灭，但灯光下已经成了水泽地带。
Although they had good reason for hurrying, the horses could not go on for ever without a rest. They halted: and in silence they could hear the lapping of water.
尽管人可以不休息，但马却跑不动了，于是他们暂时停了下来。寂静中还能听到水浪拍击墙体的声音。
"I wonder is what's his name—Father Time—flooded out now," said Jill. "And all those queer sleeping animals."
“那个叫什么时间老人的应该已经被淹没了吧。”吉尔说，“还有那些沉睡的动物。”
"I don't think we're as high as that," said Eustace. "Don't you remember how we had to go downhill to reach the sunless sea? I shouldn't think the water has reached Father Time's cave yet."
“这个地方和他们那里应该一样高。”斯库波说，“你不记得我们走了好一段下坡路才到达无阳海的吗？洪水应该还没到时间老人那。”
"That's as may be," said Puddleglum. "I'm more interested in the lamps on this road. Look a bit sickly, don't they?" "They always did," said Jill.
“也许吧。”帕德格莱姆说，“我对这条路上的灯更感兴趣。看上去没什么生气，是吧？”“它们一向如此。”吉尔说。
"Ah," said Puddleglum. "But they're greener now." "You don't mean to say you think they're going out?" cried Eustace.
“没错。但灯光比以前更绿了。”帕德格莱姆说。“你不会是想说它们要熄灭了吧？”斯库波大喊。
"Well, however they work, you can't expect them to last for ever, you know," replied the Marsh-wiggle. "But don't let your spirits down, Scrubb. I've got my eye on the water too, and I don't think it's rising so fast as it did."
“嗯，不管它能亮多久，反正不会一直亮下去。”沼泽人回答，“但别灰心，斯库波。我观察了一下洪水，在我看来，它不会涨得太快。”
"Small comfort, friend," said the Prince. "If we cannot find our way out. I cry you mercy, all. I am to blame for my pride and fantasy which delayed us by the mouth of the land of Bism. Now, let us ride on."
“这确实对我们有点帮助，朋友们。”王子说，“如果我们走不出去的话，我要请求你们的原谅。都因为我太骄傲，太爱幻想，所以才在比斯姆王国边上耽误了那么长时间。现在我们起程吧。”
During the hour or so that followed Jill sometimes thought that Puddleglum was right about the lamps, and sometimes thought it was only her imagination.
接下来的一小时左右，吉尔有时认为帕德格莱姆关于灯的看法是正确的，而有时却觉得那也许只是自己的错觉。
Meanwhile the land was changing. The roof of Underland was so near that even by that dull light they could now see it quite distinctly.
与此同时，地形开始发生变化。现在地下王国的天花板离他们很近，即使灯光如此昏暗，他们也能看得清清楚楚。
And the great, rugged walls of Underland could be seen drawing closer on each side. The road, in fact, was leading them up into a steep tunnel.
两侧的围墙既广阔又崎岖不平，越向前延伸，两边靠得越近。实际上，这条路将他们带入了一个陡峭的地道。
They began to pass picks and shovels and barrows and other signs that the diggers had recently been at work.
地道中都是被扔掉的工具：鹤嘴锄、铲子、手推车等，看来最近地精们正是在这里挖隧道。
If only one could be sure of getting out, all this was very cheering. But the thought of going on into a hole that would get narrower and narrower, and harder to turn back in, was very unpleasant.
只要能从这里逃到地上，那眼前的一切还是让人兴奋的。然而一想到还要钻入洞穴，越走路越窄，想转个身都难，他们又有些郁闷。
At last the roof was so low that Puddleglum and the Prince knocked their heads against it. The party dismounted and led the horses.
最后，天花板简直矮得要命，甚至撞到了帕德格莱姆和王子的头。他们只能下马往前走。
The road was uneven here and one had to pick one's steps with some care. That was how Jill noticed the growing darkness. There was no doubt about it now.
路面高低不平，每迈出一步都得小心翼翼。吉尔注意到洞里越来越黑。这次是真的。
The faces of the others looked strange and ghastly in the green glow. Then all at once (she couldn't help it) Jill gave a little scream.
其他三人的脸在绿灯下显得既怪异又可怕。突然，吉尔低声尖叫了一下（她忍不住了）。
One light, the next one ahead, went out altogether. The one behind them did the same. Then they were in absolute darkness.
同时，前面的一盏灯灭了，紧接着，后面的灯也灭了。他们周围一片漆黑。
"Courage, friends," came Prince Rilian's voice. "Whether we live or die Aslan will be our good lord."
“拿出勇气来，朋友们。”瑞廉王子的声音传来，“无论我们是生是死，阿斯兰都是我们伟大的国王。”
"That's right, Sir," said Puddleglum's voice. "And you must always remember there's one good thing about being trapped down here: it'll save funeral expenses." Jill held her tongue.
“你说得对，先生。”帕德格莱姆说。“你必须永远记住，被困在这里有一个好处：可以省下丧葬费。” 吉尔保持沉默。吉尔闭嘴不说话了。
(If you don't want other people to know how frightened you are, this is always a wise thing to do; it's your voice that gives you away.)
（如果你不想让别人知道自己害怕，闭嘴绝对是明智的选择，因为你的声音会出卖你的恐惧。）
"We might as well go on as stand here," said Eustace; and when she heard the tremble in his voice, Jill knew how wise she'd been not to trust her own.
“我们还是继续走吧，总比原地待着强。”斯库波说。吉尔觉出了他语调中的颤抖，感到自己保持沉默真是聪明的选择。
Puddleglum and Eustace went first with their arms stretched out in front of them, for fear of blundering into anything; Jill and the Prince followed, leading the horses.
帕德格莱姆和斯库波在前面探路，平伸着两只胳膊在黑暗中摸索，怕撞到什么东西。吉尔和王子在后面牵马跟着。
"I say," came Eustace's voice much later, "are my eyes going queer or is there a patch of light up there?"
“我说，”过了好一会儿，斯库波说，“是我眼睛花了还是前面真有一束光？”
Before anyone could answer him, Puddleglum called out: "Stop. I'm up against a dead end. And it's earth, not rock. What were you saying, Scrubb?"
别人还没来得及搭话，帕德格莱姆突然说道：“停！前面是死胡同。那是土不是石头。斯库波你刚才说什么？”
"By the Lion," said the Prince, "Eustace is right. There is a sort of——" "But it's not daylight," said Jill. "It's only a cold blue sort of light."
“以狮子的名义。”王子说，“斯库波是对的。确实有……”“但不是太阳光。”吉尔说，“是一道冷冷的蓝光。”
"Better than nothing, though," said Eustace. "Can we get up to it?"
“那也比一点光都没有强吧。”斯库波说，“我们能爬上去吗？”
"It's not right overhead," said Puddleglum. "It's above us, but it's in this wall that I've run into. How would it be, Pole, if you got on my shoulders and saw whether you could get up to it?"
“它不在正上方。”帕德格莱姆说。“它在上面，就在我撞上的这堵墙的上面。波尔，爬到我肩上试试，看看你能爬上去吗？”
