《能言马与男孩》第一章　冒险的开端

CHAPTER ONE HOW SHASTA SET OUT ON HIS TRAVELS

第一章　冒险的开端

THIS is the story of an adventure that happened in Narnia and Calormen and the lands between， in the Golden Age when Peter was High King in Narnia and his brother and his two sisters were King and Queens under him.

这是个冒险故事，发生在纳尼亚王国和卡乐门王国，还有它们之间的地方。那是一个黄金时代，那时纳尼亚的国王叫至尊王彼得，而他的弟弟和两个妹妹则是从属的国王和女王。

In those days， far south in Calormen on a little creek of thesea， there lived a poor fisherman called Arsheesh， and withhim there lived a boy who called him Father. The boy’s name wasShasta. On most days Arsheesh went out in his boat to fish in themorning， and in the afternoon he harnessed his donkey to a cartand loaded the cart with fish and went a mile or so southward tothe village to sell it.If it had sold well he would come home ina moderately good temper and say nothing to Shasta， but if ithad sold badly he would find fault with him and perhaps beat him.There was always something to find fault with for Shasta had plentyof work to do， mending and washing the nets， cooking thesupper， and cleaning the cottage in which they both lived.

那时候，远在卡乐门王国南部的小港湾，住着一位叫阿什伊什的贫穷渔夫，还有一位叫他父亲的小男孩沙斯塔。平时，阿什伊什早上出海打鱼，下午再用驴车将鱼拉到更南边的村子里卖掉。如果生意好，阿什伊什的脾气就会不错，对沙斯塔也不说什么;如果生意不好，他就会找沙斯塔的茬，甚至打他。沙斯塔每天要干很多活儿，比如修补渔网、做饭、收拾房间等等。因此阿什伊什想挑沙斯塔的错简直太容易了。

Shasta was not at all interested in anything that lay south of his home because he had once or twice been to the village with Arsheesh and he knew that there was nothing very interesting there. In the village he only met other men who were just like his father— men with long, dirty robes, and wooden shoes turned up at the toe, and turbans on their heads, and beards, talking to one another very slowly about things that sounded dull. But he was very interested in everything that lay to the North because no one ever went that way and he was never allowed to go there himself. When he was sitting out of doors mending the nets, and all alone, he would often look eagerly to the North. One could see nothing but a grassy slope running up to a level ridge and beyond that the sky with perhaps a few birds in it.

沙斯塔对他们家南边的一切都没兴趣。因为他曾跟着阿什伊什到那些村子里去过几次。那里除了和他父亲一样穿着破烂、胡子拉碴、讲话单调乏味的人外，没有任何有趣的事物。不过沙斯塔却对北边充满了好奇。也许是因为从来没有人去过吧，所以他也被禁止去北边。每当他独自在屋外补渔网时，总对着遥远的北方出神。可他看到的除了长满野草的山坡，或者远处的山脊、天空，也许就只有几只飞鸟了。

Sometimes if Arsheesh was there Shasta would say,"O my Father, what is there beyond that hill ?" And then if the fisherman was in a bad temper he would box Shasta's ears and tell him to attend to his work. Or if he was in a peaceable mood he would say,"O my son, do not allow your mind to be distracted by idle questions. For one of the poets has said, 'Application to business is the root of prosperity, but those who ask questions that do not concern them are steering the ship of folly towards the rock of indigence'. "

有时沙斯塔也会问阿什伊什：“爸爸，山的那边是什么?”如果阿什伊什心情不好，他就会被打耳光，然后要他专心干活。如果阿什伊什心情好，就会劝他：“儿子，别因为愚蠢的问题分心。一个诗人曾说：‘专注生意，才能发财;谁若分心，必致贫穷’。”

Shasta thought that beyond the hill there must be some delightful secret which his father wished to hide from him. In reality, however, the fisherman talked like this because he didn' t know what lay to the North. Neither did he care. He had a very practical mind.

沙斯塔却觉得山外肯定有很多有趣的秘密，只是爸爸想瞒着他罢了。其实，阿什伊什之所以那么说，是因为他自己也不知道北边是什么样子的。不过，他从来不关心那个，他只想着那些实际的东西，比如赚钱。

One day there came from the South a stranger who was unlike any man that Shasta had seen before. He rode upon a strong dappled horse with flowing mane and tail and his stirrups and bridle were inlaid with silver. The spike of a helmet projected from the middle of his silken turban and he wore a shirt of chain mail. By his side hung a curving scimitar, a round shield studded with bosses of brass hung at his back, and his right hand grasped a lance. His face was dark, but this did not surprise Shasta because all the people of Calormen are like that; what did surprise him was the man's beard which was dyed crimson, and curled and gleaming with scented oil. But Arsheesh knew by the gold on the stranger's bare arm that he was a Tarkaan or great lord, and he bowed kneeling before him till his beard touched the earth and made signs to Shasta to kneel also.

一天，从南边来了一位骑着马的陌生人。他和沙斯塔以前见过的所有人都不同。那人脸色黝黑，和所有卡乐门王国的人一样，穿着铠甲，拿着长矛，身上挂着把短弯刀，背后还背着圆盾牌。他的花斑马高大又强壮，尾巴和鬃毛随风飘扬，马镫和马笼头都是镶银的。但让沙斯塔觉得奇怪的是，那人卷曲的胡子不仅被染成了血红色，还散发出一股油香味。阿什伊什根据那人胳膊上的金环判断出他是个“泰坎”，或者什么王爷。因此，他连忙跪倒在陌生人的面前，并叫沙斯塔也照他的做。

The stranger demanded hospitality for the night which of course the fisherman dared not refuse. All the best they had was set before the Tarkaan for supper (and he didn't think much of it) and Shasta, as always happened when the fisherman had company, was given a hunk of bread and turned out of the cottage. On these occasions he usually slept with the donkey in its little thatched stable. But it was much too early to go to sleep yet, and Shasta, who had never learned that it is wrong to listen behind doors, sat down with his ear to a crack in the wooden wall of the cottage to hear what the grown-ups were talking about. And this is what he heard.

那人提出晚上要在这里借宿，阿什伊什没敢拒绝。父子俩用最好的食物款待他，可那人似乎不领情。和往常一样，沙斯塔就拿着一块面包住到驴棚里去了。每当家里来了客人，沙斯塔就得这样，早就习惯了。然而，这个时间睡觉还太早，沙斯塔便把耳朵贴在墙上，偷听“泰坎”和阿什伊什的谈话。谁都没有教过他偷听是不道德的行为。于是他听到了这些：

"And now, O my host," said the Tarkaan,"I have a mind to buy that boy of yours."

“伙计，跟你商量个事儿，”泰坎说，“我想买下你的孩子。”

"O my master/' replied the fisherman (and Shasta knew by the wheedling tone the greedy look that was probably coming into his face as he said it),"what price could induce your servant, poor though he is, to sell into slavery his only child and his own flesh ? Has not one of the poets said, 'Natural affection is stronger than soup and offspring more precious than carbuncles ?'

“哎呀，王爷，”渔夫回答道，沙斯塔听着这谄媚的语气就能想象出渔夫是有多贪婪了，“虽然我很穷，但我怎会因你出高价就把独子卖了呢?不是有诗人说过‘血浓于水，亲情无价’吗?”

"It is even so,"replied the guest dryly."But another poet has likewise said,"He who attempts to deceive the judicious is already baring his own back for the scourge."Do not load your aged mouth with falsehoods. This boy is manifestly no son of yours, for your cheek is as dark as mine but the boy is fair and white like the accursed but beautiful barbarians who inhabit the remote North."

“尽管这样，”客人冷冷地说，“还有诗人说‘欺骗智者，早晚会玩火自焚’。你一把年纪却满嘴谎言，那孩子根本不是你亲生的。看你那张黑脸，再看那孩子白皙的面孔，他就像令人讨厌但美丽的北方人，你们怎么可能是父子呢?”

"How well it was said," answered the fisherman,"that Swords can be kept off with shields but the Eye of Wisdom pierces through every defence ! Know then, O my formidable guest, that because of my extreme poverty I have never married and have no child. But in that same year in which the Tisroc (may he live forever) began his august and beneficent reign, on a night when the moon was at her full, it pleased the gods to deprive me of my sleep. Therefore I arose from my bed in this hovel and went forth to the beach to refresh myself with looking upon the water and the moon and breathing the cool air. And presently I heard a noise as of oars coming to me across the water and then, as it were, a weak cry.And shortly after, the tide brought to the land a little boat in which there was nothing but a man lean with extreme hunger and thirst who seemed to have died but a few moments before (for he was still warm), and an empty water-skin, and a child, still living."Doubtless,"said I,"these unfortunates have escaped from the wreck of a great ship, but by the admirable designs of the gods, the elder has starved himself to keep the child alive and has perished in sight of land."Accordingly, remembering how the gods never fail to reward those who befriend the destitute, and being moved by compassion (for your servant is a man of tender heart) —"

“俗话说得好，”阿什伊什答道，“明人不说暗话，我也不瞒您啦，尊贵的老爷。我实在是太穷了，根本没钱娶老婆，更没儿子。但在万寿无疆的太洛帝登上王位的那年，有天晚上月亮特别圆，我睡不着，就去了海滩。本来我想着看看海水和月亮，呼吸点儿新鲜空气，让自己平静些就去睡觉。可我却听到了划桨声，混合着微弱的哭声。过了一会儿，一只小船被冲到了岸上。我上前一看，发现船里有个死去的瘦弱男子，一个空水袋和一个气息微弱的孩子。从男人尸体的温热我判断，他可能才刚刚死去。估计他们是从失事的大船上逃出来的，那男人可能把所有食物和水都留给了孩子，并坚持到靠近陆地时才死去。当然，也是因为我心肠好，老爷，不然上天也不会将这个孩子赐给我。”

"Leave out all these idle words in your own praise, " interrupted the Tarkaan."It is enough to know that you took the child— and have had ten times the worth of his daily bread out of him in labour, as anyone can see. And now tell me at once what price you put on him, for I am wearied with your loquacity."

“别说那些自夸的废话了，”泰坎打断阿什伊什说，“我知道这个孩子是你收养的就行了。谁都看得出来，这孩子给你带来的好处，远比你养他所付出的多。你打算多少钱才把他卖给我，直说吧，我不想再听你啰唆了!”

"You yourself have wisely said, " answered Arsheesh, "that the boy' s labour has been to me of inestimable value.This must be taken into account in fixing the price. For if I sell the boy I must undoubtedly either buy or hire another to do his work."

“您看，老爷，您自己也说了，”阿什伊什回答，“这个孩子对我大有用处，如果我把他卖给您，我还得再买或租个孩子来代替他干活儿。”

"I'll give you fifteen crescents for him," said the Tarkaan.

“我出15 个克利申买他。”泰坎说。

"Fifteen!" cried Arsheesh in a voice that was something between a whine and a scream."Fifteen !For the prop of my old age and the delight of my eyes !Do not mock my grey beard, Tarkaan though you be. My price is seventy. "

“十五个?”阿什伊什夸张地惊叫，“您出十五个克利申就想把我预备养老的儿子买走?虽然您是泰坎老爷，但也不能这样嘲弄我这老头子呀。至少七十个克利申。”

At this point Shasta got up and tiptoed away. He had heard all he wanted, for he had open listened when men were bargaining in the village and knew how it was done. He was quite certain that Arsheesh would sell him in the end for something much more than fifteen crescents and much less than seventy, but that he and the Tarkaan would take hours in getting to an agreement.

听到这里，沙斯塔便走开了。他已经知道了一切。因为常在村里听大人们讨价还价，沙斯塔很清楚怎么做生意。他明白，自己最终会以高于十五克利申又低于七十克利申的价格被卖掉。为了达成这次生意，阿什伊什和泰坎至少还得磨好几个小时。

You must not imagine that Shasta felt at all as you and I would feel if we had just overheard our parents talking about selling us for slaves. For one thing, his life was already little better than slavery;for all he knew, the lordly stranger on the great horse might be kinder to him than Arsheesh. For another, the story about his own discovery in the boat had filled him with excitement and with a sense of relief.He had often been uneasy because, try as he might, he had never been able to love the fisherman, and he knew that a boy ought to love his father. And now, apparently, he was no relation to Arsheesh at all.That took a great weight off his mind."Why, I might be anyone !"he thought.'! might be the son of a Tarkaan myself—or the son of the Tisroc (may he live for ever) or of a god !"

虽然沙斯塔听到了自己要被阿什伊什卖做奴隶的消息，可是他一点儿也不难过。首先，他目前的生活比奴隶强不了多少，说不定那泰坎老爷还仁慈些;其次，那个关于他来历的故事，让他特别激动，甚至得到了某种安慰。以前他常感到不安，因为他知道孩子应该爱自己的父亲，可是无论怎么努力，他从来不爱阿什伊什。现在明白了，原来他们没有血缘关系，他顿时感觉很轻松。“我会是什么人呢?”沙斯塔忍不住想，“一个泰坎的儿子?一个普通人的儿子?是太洛帝的儿子也说不定!也有可能是神的儿子呢!”

He was standing out in the grassy place before the cottage while he thought these things. Twilight was coming on apace and a star or two was already out, but the remains of the sunset could still be seen in the west. Not far away the stranger' s horse, loosely tied to an iron ring in the wall of the donkey' s stable, was grazing. Shasta strolled over to it and patted its neck. It went on tearing up the grass and took no notice of him.

沙斯塔站在屋外的草地上，心里想着这些事，暮色开始降临，虽然天边已经出现了几颗星星，但落霞余晖仍在。泰坎的马被松松地系在驴棚的铁圈上，正在不远处吃草，沙斯塔便走过去拍了拍马的脖子。马儿继续吃草，并不理会沙斯塔。

Then another thought came into Shasta's mind."I wonder what sort of a man that Tarkaan is," he said out loud."It would be splendid if he was kind. Some of the slaves in a great lord's house have next to nothing to do. They wear lovely clothes and eat meat every day. Perhaps he'd take me to the wars and I'd save his life in a battle and then he' d set me free and adopt me as his son and give me a palace and a chariot and a suit of armour. But then he might be a horrid cruel man. He might send me to work on the fields in chains. I wish I knew. How can I know ? I bet this horse knows, if only he could tell me."

沙斯塔又猜想起来。“这个泰坎到底是什么样的人呢?”他自言自语地说道，“如果他是个和蔼的人那就太好了。在王爷家里，有些奴隶都不用干活，他们穿着好衣服，每天吃肉。说不定他会带我去打仗，而我又在战场上救了他的命，他收我为义子，赐我王宫战车盔甲，我就不用再当奴隶了……不过他也有可能是个残忍的人，会给我戴上锁链把我赶到地里干活儿。唉，到底怎样才能知道呢?马儿，你肯定知道，如果你能告诉我就好了。”

The Horse had lifted its head. Shasta stroked its smooth—as— satin nose and said,"I wish you could talk, old fellow."

这时，马抬起了头，沙斯塔抚摸着他丝绸般光滑的鼻子说：“老伙计，如果你会说话该多好。”

And then for a second he thought he was dreaming, for quite distinctly, though in a low voice, the Horse said,"But I can."

接下来的事，让沙斯塔一度觉得自己是在做梦。尽管声音低沉，他还是清楚地听到马儿说：“我会说话。”

Shasta stared into its great eyes and his own grew almost as big, with astonishment.

沙斯塔和马对视着，惊呆了，他的眼睛瞪得像马的眼睛一样大。

"How ever did you learn to talk ?" he asked.

“你到底怎么学会说话的?”沙斯塔惊讶地问。

"Hush !Not so loud," replied the Horse."Where I come from, nearly all the animals talk."

“小点儿声，”马儿回答，“我以前住的地方，几乎所有的动物都会说话。”

"Wherever is that ?" asked Shasta.

“那地方在哪里?”沙斯塔忙问。

"Narnia," answered the Horse."The happy land of Narnia—Narnia of the heathery mountains and the thymy downs, Narnia of the many rivers, the plashing glens, the mossy caverns and the deep forests ringing with the hammers of the Dwarfs. Oh the sweet air of Narnia ! An hour' s life there is better than a thousand years in Calormen."It ended with a whinny that sounded very like a sigh.

“纳尼亚，”马儿回答，“纳尼亚是人间乐土。那里山丘长满石楠，遍地是百里香。纳尼亚到处流水潺潺，还有长满苍苔的山洞，小矮人的锤声不时在森林深处响起，连空气都是如此芬芳!在那里生活一小时比在卡乐门生活一千年还要强得多。”马儿长嘶一声，仿佛深深叹了口气。

"How did you get here ?" said Shasta.

“那你怎么到这儿来了呢?”沙斯塔问。

"Kidnapped," said the Horse."Or stolen, or captured whichever you like to call it. I was only a foal at the time. My mother warned me not to range the Southern slopes, into Archenland and beyond, but I wouldn' t heed her. And by the Lion' s Mane I have paid for my folly. All these years I have been a slave to humans, hiding my true nature and pretending to be dumb and witless like their horses."

“被绑架过来的。”马儿回答，“那时我还是一头调皮的小马驹，不听母亲的劝告闯进了阿钦兰。以狮王的鬃毛发誓，我为此付出了沉重的代价，这些年我一直装作一只普通的马，当一个愚蠢的哑巴，隐藏本性。”

"Why didn't you tell them who you were ?"

“为什么你不告诉他们这些呢?”沙斯塔又问。

"Not such a fool, that's why. If they'd once found out I could talk they would have made a show of me at fairs and guarded me more carefully than ever. My last chance of escape would have been gone."

“我才不那么傻呢。他们如果发现我是谁，肯定会把我送到集市上展览，并且更加严格的看管我，那我更没机会逃跑了。”

"And why—"began Shasta, but the Horse interrupted him.

“那你为什么……”沙斯塔还想问，但是马儿打断了他的话。

"Now look," it said," we mustn't waste time on idle questions. You want to know about my master the Tarkaan Anradin. Well, he' s bad. Not too bad to me, for a war horse costs too much to be treated very badly. But you' d better be lying dead tonight than go to be a human slave in his house tomorrow."

“好了，”马儿说，“别把时间浪费在无关紧要的问题上了。你不是想知道我的主人泰坎安拉丁是什么样的人吗?告诉你吧，他可不是什么好人，虽然对我还不算坏，因为虐待一匹战马就太得不偿失了。不过，与给他当奴隶相比，你还是现在死掉好。”

"Then I'd better run away," said Shasta, turning very pale.

“那我现在还是逃跑吧!”沙斯塔急得脸都白了。

"Yes, you had," said the Horse."But why not run away with me ?"

“嗯，你的确该逃，”马儿回答，“不如和我一起逃吧?”

"Are you going to run away too ?" said Shasta. "Yes, if you'll come with me," answered the Horse."This is the chance for both of us.You see if I run away without a rider, everyone who sees me will say' Stray horse' and be after me as quick as he can. With a rider I' ve a chance to get through. That' s where you can help me. On the other hand, you can' t get very far on those two silly legs of yours (what absurd legs humans have!) without being overtaken. But on me you can outdistance any other horse in this country. That' s where I can help you. By the way,I suppose you know how to ride ?"

“你也要逃吗?”沙斯塔问。“嗯，如果你愿意，那对我们俩都好。”马儿继续说道，“如果我自己逃，别人会认为我是‘无主的马’，就都想来抓我了，不过有你骑着我就安全多了。而你，仅凭两条腿，人类可笑的腿!根本走不了多远，很快就会被抓回来的。但骑着我，你会比全国骑马的都快。所以我们俩一起逃是最好的办法。不过，你会骑马吗?”

"Oh yes, of course," said Shasta."At least, I've ridden the donkey."

“当然，我会骑。”沙斯塔回答，“至少我骑过驴。”

"Ridden the what ?" retorted the Horse with extreme contempt. (At least,that is what he meant. Actually it came out in a sort of neigh— "Ridden the wha-ha-ha-ha-ha."Talking horses always become more horsy in accent when they are angry.)

“骑过什么?”马儿鄙视地问道。至少它是这个意思。事实上它发出了一种类似愤怒的嘶鸣。“骑过……什……么……啊……哈?”会说话的马生气了，就会发出这种马的嘶鸣。

"In other words," it continued," you can't ride. That's a drawback. I' ll have to teach you as we go along. If you can' t ride, can you fall ?"

“也就是说，”马儿继续问，“你不会骑马。这就麻烦了，看来我得先教你怎么骑马。如果你不会骑，那你会跌倒吗?”

"I suppose anyone can fall," said Shasta.

“这谁不会?”沙斯塔反问道。

"I mean can you fall and get up again without crying and mount again and fall again and yet not be afraid of falling ?"

“我是说，你有没有本事从马上摔下来也不哭，继续爬到马背上，就算继续骑，再摔下来也不害怕?”

"I—I'll try,"said Shasta."Poor little beast,"said the Horse in a gentler tone."I forget you're only a foal. We'll make a fine rider of you in time. And now—we mustn't start until those two in the but are asleep. Meantime we can make our plans. My Tarkaan is on his way North to the great city, to Tashbaan itself and the court of the Tisroc—"

“我，我尽量。”沙斯塔回答。“可怜的小家伙，”马儿和蔼地说，“我忘了你还是个孩子。不过，我会让你成为好骑手的。记住，在屋子里的那两人睡着之前，我们不能行动。我们还需要再商量一下逃跑的具体计划。泰坎会朝北往塔什班城的方向走，因为他要去太洛帝的宫殿……”

"I say, " put in Shasta in rather a shocked voice,"oughtn't you to say 'May he live for ever'?"

“天哪，”沙斯塔相当震惊，“提到‘太洛帝’你怎么不说万岁呢?”

"Why ?"asked the Horse."I'm a free Narnian. And why should I talk slaves' and fools' talk ? I don' t want him to live for ever, and I know that he' s not going to live for ever whether I want him to or not. And I can see you' re from the free North too. No more of this Southern jargon between you and me ! And now, back to our plans. As I said, my human was on his way North to Tashbaan."

“为什么要说?”马儿问，“我是自由的纳尼亚马，为什么要像奴隶和傻瓜那样说话?况且无论我说不说他都不可能‘万岁’的。我看得出你也是来自自由的北方。好了，不要再说这些南方的废话啦，继续说我们的计划吧。刚才说到我的主人要朝北走去塔什班城……”

"Does that mean we'd better go to the South ?"

“你是说我们该往南走吗?”

"I think not," said the Horse. "You see, he thinks I'm dumb and witless like his other horses. Now if I really were, the moment I got loose I' d go back home to my stable and paddock; back to his palace which is two days' journey South. That' s where he' ll look for me. He' d never dream of my going on North on my own. And anyway he will probably think that someone in the last village who saw him ride through has followed us to here and stolen me."

“我不是那个意思，”马儿回答，“泰坎觉得我就是一匹普通的马，因此他会以为我走失了以后会自己回家。所以他会往南找我。但是他不会想到，其实我往北走了。而且他很可能觉得是我们经过的上一个村子里的人跟踪他到这儿来把我偷走了。”

"Oh hurrah !" said Shasta."Then we'll go North. I've been longing to go to the North all my life."

“啊，太好了!”沙斯塔叫道，“那我们就往北走吧，我一直都想去北边呢!”

"Of course you have," said the Horse."That's because of the blood that' s in you. I' m sure you' re true Northern stock. But not too loud. I should think they' d be asleep soon now."

“你当然想去北边，那是你身体里流着的血决定的。我敢肯定你是北边的人。好了小声点，我觉得他们快睡熟了。”马儿说。

"I'd better creep back and see," suggested Shasta.

“要不我去看看吧。”沙斯塔建议。

"That's a good idea," said the Horse."But take care you're not caught."

“好主意!”马儿回答，“不过要小心别被他们发现了。”

It was a good deal darker now and very silent except for the sound of the waves on the beach, which Shasta hardly noticed because he had been hearing it day and night as long as he could remember. The cottage, as he approached it, showed no light. When he listened at the front there was no noise. When he went round to the only window, he could hear, after a second or two, the familiar noise of the old fisherman' s squeaky snore. It was funny to think that if all went well he would never hear it again. Holding his breath and feeling a little bit sorry, but much less sorry than he was glad, Shasta glided away over the grass and went to the donkey' s stable, groped along to a place he knew where the key was hidden, opened the door and found the Horse' s saddle and bridle which had been locked up there for the night. He bent forward and kissed the donkey's nose."I'm sorry we can't take you," he said.

天已经全黑了，寂静的夜里只能听见海涛的声音。不过沙斯塔并没有注意这些从他记事时起每天都听得到的声音。他悄悄地靠近屋子，发现屋里的灯已经熄灭了。于是他把耳朵贴到门上，小心地听着里面的动静，里面没有任何声音。他又绕到唯一的窗子下，几秒钟后他听到了渔夫熟悉的鼾声。想到以后可能再也听不到这鼾声了，沙斯塔竟觉得有点遗憾。不过逃走的兴奋很快冲淡了那点遗憾。他又小心翼翼地穿过草地走进驴棚，找到了藏起来的钥匙，打开门拿走锁在那儿过夜的马鞍子和马笼头。临走时，沙斯塔还吻了吻驴的鼻子跟它告别：“对不起，我们没法带你走。”

"There you are at last," said the Horse when he got back to it."I was beginning to wonder what had become of you."

“你终于回来了，”他回去时马儿说，“我正担心你呢。”

"I was getting your things out of the stable," replied Shasta."And now, can you tell me how to put them on ?"

“我去驴棚取你的东西了。”沙斯塔回答，“你能告诉我怎么样把这些放到你身上吗?”

For the next few minutes Shasta was at work, very cautiously to avoid jingling, while the Horse said things like, "Get that girth a bit tighter, " or "You'll find a buckle lower down, " or"You'll need to shorten those stirrups a good bit."When all was finished it said:

接下来的一段时间，沙斯塔净忙着这件事儿了。他小心翼翼地尽量不弄出动静来，而马儿则时不时提醒他“肚带收紧一些”、“往下找找带扣”、“马镫缩短点儿”之类的事。装配好了一切，马儿又说：

"Now,we've got to have reins for the look of the thing, but you won' t be using them. Tie them to the saddle-bow: very slack so that I can do what I like with my head. And, remember¬ you are not to touch them."

“为了像那么回事儿，你还得给我戴上缰绳。不过你用不着它，只要绑在马鞍子上就好了，记得绑松些，要保证我的头可以自由活动。另外，一定要记住，你不许碰缰绳!”

"What are they for, then ?" asked Shasta.

“那要缰绳有什么用呢?”沙斯塔问。

"Ordinarily they are for directing me," replied the Horse."But as I intend to do all the directing on this journey, you' ll please keep your hands to yourself. And there' s another thing. I' m not going to have you grabbing my mane."

“缰绳一般是用来给我指引方向的。”马儿回答，“不过这次我自己来把控方向，所以用不着它。你的手就随便放吧。还有，你不许揪我的鬃毛!”

"But I say," pleaded Shasta."If I'm not to hold on by the reins or by your mane, what am I to hold on by ?"

“可是，”沙斯塔恳切地问道，“如果什么都不抓，我怎么能在背上坐稳呢?”

"You hold on with your knees," said the Horse."That's the secret of good riding. Grip my body between your knees as hard as you like; sit straight up, straight as a poker; keep your elbows in. And by the way,what did you do with the spurs ?"

“用你的膝盖夹住我。”马儿回答，“骑马的诀窍就是身体坐直，要直得像个拨火棍，膝盖夹的越紧越好，胳膊肘别往两边甩。再问一下，你打算怎么处理马刺呢?”

"Put them on my heels, of course," said Shasta."I do know that much."

“当然是装在我的脚后跟上。”沙斯塔回答，“这我还是知道的。”

"Then you can take them off and put them in the saddle-bag. We may be able to sell them when we get to Tashbaan. Ready ? And now I think you can get up."

“把它卸下来放到鞍囊里吧，到了塔什班城或许还能卖掉。现在准备好了吗?那么就上来吧!”马儿说道。

"Ooh ! You're a dreadful height," gasped Shasta after his first,and unsuccessful, attempt.

“天哪!你高得吓人。”沙斯塔第一次上马失败后气喘吁吁地说。

"I'm a horse, that's all," was the reply."Anyone would think I was a haystack from the way you' re trying to climb up me ! There, that' s better. Now sit up and remember what I told you about your knees. Funny to think of me who has led cavalry charges and won races having a potato—sack like you in the saddle ! However,off we go."It chuckled, not unkindly.

“我不过是一匹马而已，可是看你费劲往我背上爬的样子，简直就像在爬一个高高的柴火堆。”马儿回答。经过一番努力，沙斯塔终于爬上了马背。“现在好多了，身体坐直，双腿夹紧，按照我讲的那些要领做就好了。真是滑稽，想当初我是一匹多么威风的战马啊，还总能赢得赛马比赛。没想到现在竟然驮着像袋土豆一样的你。好了，现在出发咯。”马儿开玩笑地说。

And it certainly began their night journey with great caution.

就这样沙斯塔和马儿开始了夜间旅程。

First of all it went just south of the fisherman' s cottage to the little river which there ran into the sea, and took care to leave in the mud some very plain hoof-marks pointing South. But as soon as they were in the middle of the ford it turned upstream and waded till they were about a hundred yards farther inland than the cottage. Then it selected a nice gravelly bit of bank which would take no footprints and came out on the Northern side. Then, still at a walking pace, it went Northward till the cottage, the one tree, the donkey' s stable, and the creek—everything, in fact, that Shasta had ever known—had sunk out of sight in the grey summer-night darkness. They had been going uphill and now were at the top of the ridge— that ridge which had always been the boundary of Shasta' s known world. He could not see what was ahead except that it was all open and grassy. It looked endless: wild and lonely and free.

马儿走得十分小心，它先朝渔夫屋子的南边走了一段，走近流向大海的一条小河边，故意在泥沙上留了些往南去的蹄印。走进小河里后又返回头从河水中逆流而上往北走。就这样走了一百码远，他们才选了一块不会留下蹄印的砾石河岸从水中走出来。接下来，他们一直朝着北边的方向前进着。慢慢地，渔夫的屋子、驴棚、河流、沙斯塔熟悉的一切都消失在茫茫的黑暗之中。很快他们登上了一个山脊，沙斯塔曾经无数次望着这里想象那边的世界。此时，他就站在它的顶端。虽然他现在什么都看不见，但是他能感觉到这开阔的荒野带给他的自由，还有寂寞。

"I say !" observed the Horse."What a place for a gallop, eh !"

“这里真是一个纵马奔驰的好地方啊!”马儿感叹道。

"Oh don't let's," said Shasta."Not yet. I don't know how to—please, Horse. I don' t know your name."

“呀，别跑太快了，”沙斯塔恳求道，“我还不知道该怎样做……请你教我。马儿，对不起，我还不知道你的名字。”

"Breehy—hinny—brinny—hooky—hah," said the Horse.

“我叫布里海•希尼•布林尼•霍海•哈。”马儿回答。

"I'll never be able to say that," said Shasta."Can I call you Bree ?"

“那么长的名字我可记不住，”沙斯塔说，“我叫你布里好吗?”

"Well,if it's the best you can do,I suppose you must, said the Horse."And what shall I call you ?" "I'm called Shasta."

“好吧，如果你竭尽所能也只能记住我叫布里的话。”马儿又问，“可是我怎么称呼你呢?”“我叫沙斯塔。”

"Hm," said Bree."Well, now, there's a name that's really hard to pronounce. But now about this gallop. It' s a good deal easier than trotting if you only knew, because you don' t have to rise and fall. Grip with your knees and keep your eyes straight ahead between my ears. Don't look at the ground. If you think you're going to fall just grip harder and sit up straighter. Ready ? Now:for Narnia and the North. "

“嗯，”布里说，“你的名字才难发音呢。不过现在让我们聊聊怎么飞驰奔跑吧。这可比你知道的小跑要轻松得多。因为你不用被颠簸得起伏不定了。现在听我说，双膝夹紧，两眼直视前方，不要看地面。如果觉得要摔下来了你就夹得再紧些，身体坐得再直些。现在准备好了吗?面向纳尼亚，面向北方出发啦!”