评论
打印
Chapter 2 The Rashness of the King
第2章 国王的鲁莽
About three weeks later the last of the Kings of Narnia sat under the great oak which grew beside the door of his little hunting lodge, where he often stayed for ten days or so in the pleasant spring weather. It was a low, thatched building not far from the Eastern end of Lantern Waste and some way above the meeting of the two rivers. He loved to live there simply and at ease, away from the state and pomp of Cair Paravel, the royal city. His name was King Tirian, and he was between twenty and twenty-five years old; his shoulders were already broad and strong and his limbs full of hard muscle, but his beard was still scanty. He had blue eyes and a fearless, honest face.
大约三个星期以后，纳尼亚王国的最后一位国王，坐在他小小的持猎屋门旁一棵大橡树底下。在赏心悦目的春季好天气里，他时常到守猎小屋来住上十天光景的。这是个茅草屋顶的低矮建筑物，离灯柱野林的东端不远，在两条河流交汇处稍稍上游一点儿。他喜欢住在那儿过简单朴素和逍遥自在的生活，远离王城凯尔帕拉维尔的政府和豪华气派。人们管他叫国王蒂莲，他的年龄在二十与二十五岁之间，他的肩膀已经宽阔而强壮了，他的四肢肌肉坚实，但他的胡子仍旧是稀稀拉拉的。他生着蓝蓝的眼睛和一张无所畏惧的诚实的脸。
There was no one with him that spring morning except his dearest friend, Jewel the Unicorn. They loved each other like brothers and each had saved the other's life in the wars. The lordly beast stood close beside the King's chair, with its neck bent round polishing its blue horn against the creamy whiteness of its flank.
那个春天的早晨，国王左右没有侍从，只有一个他最亲密的朋友：独角兽①珍宝。他们相亲相爱有如兄弟，在战争中互相救过彼此的性命。这贵族气派的野兽站在国王的御座近旁，把脖子弯过来，在奶油似的白色腹部擦亮它蓝色的角。
"I cannot set myself to any work or sport today, Jewel," said the King. "I can think of nothing but this wonderful news. Think you we shall hear any more of it today?"
“珍宝啊，我今天没法叫我自己干什么活儿或搞什么体育活动了。”国王说道，“我啥也不能考虑，只能想着这个奇怪的消息。你可认为我们今天还会听到更多的消息吗？”
"They are the most wonderful tidings ever heard in our days or our fathers' or our grandfathers' days, Sire," said Jewel, "if they are true."
“陛下，如果这些消息是真实的，”珍宝说道，“那么，它们就是我们这一代里，我们的父亲那一代里，我们的祖父那一代里，所听到的最最奇怪的新闻了。”
“How can they choose but be true?” said the King. “It is more than a week ago that the first birds came flying over us saying, Aslan is here, Aslan has come to Narnia again. And after that it was the squirrels. They had not seen him, but they said it was certain he was in the woods. Then came the Stag. He said he had seen him with his own eyes, a great way off, by moonlight, in Lantern Waste. Then came that dark Man with the beard, the merchant from Calormen. The Calormenes care nothing for Aslan as we do; but the man spoke of it as a thing beyond doubt. And there was the Badger last night; he too had seen Aslan.”
“这些消息不能不是真实的啊！”国王说，“一个多星期以前，第一批飞过我们这里的鸟儿就说——阿斯兰来了，阿斯兰重新到纳尼亚来了。这之后是松鼠。它们没见到阿斯兰，可它们说阿斯兰肯定在树林里。然后是鹿。它说它亲眼看见阿斯兰了，距离很远，在月光下，在灯柱野林里。接着是黑皮肤的长着胡子的人来了，他是从卡乐门来的商人。卡乐门人跟我们不一样，他们对阿斯兰压根儿不关心；可那人也把阿斯兰来了说成是件毫无疑问的事实。昨儿夜里灌来了，它也看见过阿斯兰。”
"Indeed, Sire," answered Jewel, "I believe it all. If I seem not to, it is only that my joy is too great to let my belief settle itself. It is almost too beautiful to believe."
“陛下，事实上，”珍宝说道，“这种种新闻，我都相信。如果我仿佛不大相信，只是因为我心里的欢喜之情太大了，大得无从置信了。几乎是太美了，美得没法儿信以为真了。”
"Yes," said the King with a great sigh, almost a shiver, of delight. "It is beyond all that I ever hoped for in all my life."
“是啊，”国王说道，喜悦得长长地吁了口气，几乎要发抖，“大大超过我生平的各种希望了。”
"Listen!" said Jewel, putting his head on one side and cocking his ears forward.
“你听！”珍宝说道，把脑袋侧向一边，把耳朵朝前竖了起来。
"What is it?" asked the King.
“这是什么声音？”国王问道。
"Hoofs, Sire," said Jewel. "A galloping horse. A very heavy horse. It must be one of the Centaurs. And look, there he is."
“是马蹄声，陛下，”珍宝答道，“一匹奔腾的马。一匹分量很重的马。必定是个人头马。瞧，他来到了。
A great, golden bearded Centaur, with man's sweat on his forehead and horse's sweat on his chestnut flanks, dashed up to the King, stopped, and bowed low. "Hail, King," it cried in a voice as deep as a bull's.
一个巨大的、金色胡须的人头马，前额上是人的汗珠，栗色两肋上是马的汗水，他直奔到国王面前，这才停下步来，低头鞠躬。“国王万岁。”他用公牛一样深沉的声音呼喊道。
"Ho, there!" said the King, looking over his shoulder towards the door of the hunting lodge. "A bowl of wine for the noble Centaur. Welcome, Roonwit. When you have found your breath you shall tell us your errand."
“嗬，来人啊！”国王说道，眼睛越过肩膀朝着持猎小屋的门瞧去，“给高贵的客人端一碗酒来。欢迎你，龙威特。等你喘息停当时再把你带来的讯息告诉我们吧。”
A page came out of the house carrying a great wooden bowl, curiously carved, and handed it to the Centaur. The Centaur raised the bowl and said,
一个侍从从狩猎小屋里走了出来，手里拿着一只雕刻新奇的大木碗，他把木碗递给人头马。
"I drink first to Aslan and truth, Sire, and secondly to your Majesty."
“陛下，我首先为阿斯兰和真理干杯，然后再为国王干杯。”
He finished the wine (enough for six strong men) at one draught and handed the empty bowl back to the page.
他一口气就把那一碗酒(足够六个壮汉喝的量)喝完了，随即把木碗还给侍从。
"Now, Roonwit," said the King. "Do you bring us more news of Aslan?"
“说说吧，龙威特，”国王说道，“你可带来更多的关于阿斯兰的消息？”
Roonwit looked very grave, frowning a little.
龙威特神情十分严肃，稍稍皱着眉头。
