《能言马与男孩》 第十二章 沙斯塔在纳尼亚

CHAPTER TWELVE SHASTA IN NARNIA

第十二章 沙斯塔在纳尼亚

"WAS it all a dream ?" wondered Shasta. But it couldn't have been a dream for there in the grass before him he saw the deep, large print of the Lion' s front right paw. It took one' s breath away to think of the weight that could make a footprint like that. But there was something more remarkable than the size about it. As he looked at it, water had already filled the bottom of it. Soon it was full to the brim, and then overflowing, and a little stream was running downhill,past him,over the grass.

“这是个梦?”沙斯塔疑惑不已。但当他看到在面前草地上，有个又大又深的狮子右爪爪印的时候，就知道这不是梦。能造成这样的爪印的力量，想想也叫人透不过气来。当他看到爪印的时候，发生了比爪印更奇怪的事，水已经浸满爪印底部，很快就溢了出来，形成了一条小溪，经过他身边，经过青草，向山下奔流而去。

Shasta stooped and drank-a very long drink-and then dipped his face in and splashed his head. It was extremely cold, and clear as glass, and refreshed him very much. After that he stood up, shaking the water out of his ears and flinging the wet hair back from his forehead,and began to take stock of his surroundings.

沙斯塔弯下身子喝水——喝了很久，然后把脸浸在水里，用水泼头。水很凉，清澈透亮，沙斯塔神清气爽。然后他起身，甩掉耳朵里的水，把额前湿漉漉的头发撩到后面，开始观察周围的环境。

Apparently it was still very early morning. The sun had only just risen, and it had risen out of the forests which he saw low down and far away on his right.The country which he was looking at was absolutely new to him. It was a green valley-land dotted with trees through which he caught the gleam of a river that wound away roughly to the North-West. On the far side of the valley there were high and even rocky hills, but they were lower than the mountains he had seen yesterday. Then he began to guess where he was. He turned and looked behind him and saw that the slope on which he was standing belonged to a range of far higher mountains.

显然天色尚早，太阳刚刚升起，他看到右手边有茂密的森林，太阳就是从那儿出来的。他眺望这片土地，新奇不已。这儿溪流潺潺，树木茂盛，他瞥见一条熠熠生光的河流，拐了个弯，大致向西北方向奔流而去。溪谷对岸是高高的石头小山，但是比起昨天看到的山峰要低，他开始猜测自己身处何地。他转过身，看到自己身后是层层叠叠的山峰。

"I see," said Shasta to himself. "Those are the big mountains between Archenland and Narnia. I was on the other side of them yesterday. I must have come through the pass in the night. What luck that I hit it ! At least it wasn' t luck at all really, it was Him.And now I' m in Narnia."

“我知道了，”沙斯塔自言自语，“这些就是介于阿钦兰和纳尼亚之间的大山。昨晚我在山的那边。我肯定是在夜晚穿过了山口。多幸运啊——可能压根就不是幸运，是那头狮子。我现在在纳尼亚国境了。”

He turned and unsaddled his horse and took off its bridle-"Though you are a perfectly horrid horse,"he said.It took no notice of this remark and immediately began eating grass. That horse had a very low opinion of Shasta.

他又转过身，给马卸下了缰绳和鞍子——“尽管你是一匹特别讨人厌的马。”他说。但是马毫不理会，开始吃草。马对沙斯塔评价同样不高。

"I wish I could eat grass !" thought Shasta. "It's no good going back to Anvard, it' ll all be besieged. I' d better get lower down into the valley and see if I can get anything to eat."

“真希望我能吃草!”沙斯塔想，“回到安瓦德毫无意义，这个城将被围攻。我还不如到下面的山谷中找点吃的。”

So he went on downhill (the thick dew was cruelly cold to his bare feet) till he came into a wood.There was a kind of track running through it and he had not followed this for many minutes when he heard a thick and rather wheezy voice saying to him. "Good morning, neighbour. " Shasta looked round eagerly to find the speaker and presently saw a small, prickly person with a dark face who had just come out from among the trees. At least, it was small for a person but very big indeed for a hedgehog,which was what it was.

然后他就下山去( 露水浓重，让他的赤脚冰凉)，一直走到一个林场。他沿着一条贯穿林场的小路走了没几分钟，就听到一个沙哑的嗓音，呼哧呼哧的和他讲话。“早安，邻居。”沙斯塔急忙四顾，想找出谁在说话，很快他就看到一个身材短小、黑脸多刺的小人，从树丛里走出来。作为一个人，显得有点小，但是作为一只刺猬，着实有点大了。但是它就是一只刺猬。

"Good morning," said Shasta. "But I'm not a neighbour. In fact I' m a stranger in these parts."

“早安，”沙斯塔说，“可我并不是你的邻居，事实上我对这儿并不熟。”

"Ah ?" said the Hedgehog inquiringly.

“啊?”刺猬充满疑问。

"I 've come over the mountains-from Archenland, you know."

“我来自山那边——阿钦兰，你知道的。”

"Ah, Archenland," said the Hedgehog."That's a terrible long way.Never been there myself."

“啊，阿钦兰，”刺猬说，“实在太远了。我自己从没去过。”

"And I think, perhaps," said Shasta, "someone ought to be told that there s an army of savage Calormenes attacking Anvard at this very moment."

“我想，你们应该了解，”沙斯塔说，“安瓦德城此时正在受到野蛮的卡乐门军队的进攻。”

"You don't say so !" answered the Hedgehog. "Well, think of that.And they do say that Calormen is hundreds and thousands of miles away, right at the world s end,across a great sea of sand."

“不是吧!”刺猬答道，“好吧，想想吧，他们不是说卡乐门在成千上百里外吗，在世界尽头，需要越过一个大沙漠。”

"It's not nearly as far as you think," said Shasta. "And oughtn t something to be done about this attack on Anvard ? Oughtn t your High King to be told ?"

“没有那么远，”沙斯塔说，“难道不应该解救一下安瓦德城吗?不应该禀报一下你们至高无上的国王吗?”

"Certain sure, something ought to be done about it,"said the Hedgehog. "But you see I'm just on my way to bed for a good day s sleep. Hullo,neighbour !"

“确实如此，得干点事儿。”刺猬说，“但你瞧，我正要到床上去享受安眠。喂，邻居!”最后一句是对一只巨大的淡褐色兔子说的，刚才兔子脑袋从小径底下突然冒出来。刺猬立刻把沙斯塔告诉它的转告给兔子。兔子也认为这个消息惊人，应该发动群众做点事情。

The last words were addressed to an immense biscuit-coloured rabbit whose head had just popped up from somewhere beside the path.The Hedgehog immediately told the Rabbit what it had just learned from Shasta. The Rabbit agreed that this was very remarkable news and that somebody ought to tell someone about it with a view to doing something.

一传十十传百。每隔几分钟就有新的生物加入进来，有的来自头顶的树枝，有的来自脚下的地底小屋。最后，这一帮子共有五只兔子、一只松鼠、两只喜鹊、一个长着羊脚的怪物和一只老鼠，他们议论纷纷，最终同意刺猬的意见。

And so it went on. Every few minutes they were joined by other creatures, some from the branches overhead and some from little underground houses at their feet, till the party consisted of five rabbits, a squirrel, two magpies, a goat-foot faun, and a mouse, who all talked at the same time and all agreed with the Hedgehog. 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. 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.

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。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.

“谁去送信?”小矮人打断刺猬，

"Anyone here got more speed than me ?"

“这儿有谁比我跑得快?”

"I've got speed,"said the Stag."What's my message? How many Calormenes ?"

“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.

“昨天早晨。”沙斯塔虚弱无力。

"Come on, then, come on," said the Dwarf, at once throwing his thick little arms round Shasta s waist to support him.

“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。”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。

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. 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. There they found a little house with a smoking chimney and an open door,and as they came to the doorway Duffle called out,

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。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：

"Hey, brothers ! A visitor for breakfast." And immediately,mixed with a sizzling sound,there came to Shasta a simply delightful smell. 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.

“嘿，兄弟!有位客人来吃早饭了。”随着一阵嘶嘶的油炸声，一股令人垂涎欲滴的香味飘来。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."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."

“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。“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. 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. 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. 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. It was also rather troublesome having to use dwarf cups and plates and knives and forks. This meant that helpings were very small, but then there were a great many helpings, so that Shasta s plate or cup was being filled every moment, and every moment the Dwarfs themselves were saying,"Butter please", or"Another cup of coffee", or"I'd like a few more mushrooms", or"What about frying another egg or so ?"And when at last they had all eaten as much as they possibly could the three Dwarfs drew lots for who would do the washing-up, and Rogin was the unlucky one. Then Duffle and Bricklethumb took Shasta outside to a bench which ran against the cottage wall, and they all stretched out their legs and gave a great sigh of contentment and the two Dwarfs lit their pipes. The dew was off the grass now and the sun was warm;indeed, if there hadn t been a light breeze, it would have been too hot.

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。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。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。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。但是用小矮人的餐具是件麻烦事。也意味着必须少食多餐，所以沙斯塔一直在添饭。小矮人们也一直在说“再来点黄油”，“给我杯咖啡”，或是“再要点蘑菇”，还有“再来份煎鸡蛋好吗?”，当大家都八九分饱的时候，就抓阄决定谁洗盘子，结果是罗金倒霉。于是德夫尔、布里克尔森姆和沙斯塔一起，坐在墙边的一张长凳上;大家伸直双腿，心满意足地长呼一口气，两个小矮人还开始摆弄烟斗。露水蒸发，暖阳融融，一阵阵的清风让他们感觉凉爽不已。

"Now, Stranger," said Duffle, "I'll show you the lie of the land. You can see nearly all South Narnia from here, and we re rather proud of the view. Right away on your left, beyond those near hills, you can just see the Western Mountains. And that round hill away on your right is called the Hill of the Stone Table. Just beyond—"

“现在，陌生人，”德夫尔说，“我来给你指指这儿的地形。从这儿你能看到几乎整个南纳尼亚，这儿的景色让我们自豪。在你左边，那些小山后，你能看到南部群山。你右手边那个圆圆的小山，叫作石台。就在那后面……”

But at that moment he was interrupted by a snore from Shasta who, what with his night s journey and his excellent breakfast, had gone fast asleep. The kindly Dwarfs, as soon as they noticed this, began making signs to each other not to wake him, and indeed did so much whispering and nodding and getting up and-tiptoeing away that they certainly would have waked him if he had been less tired.

但是他被沙斯塔的鼾声打断了，沙斯塔长途奔波，又吃了很棒的早餐，疲惫不已。善良的小矮人发现他睡着了，就打手势告诉别人安静。他们窃窃私语，点头会意，踮着脚尖走路，事实上，如果不是沙斯塔太过疲倦，一定会被他们惊醒。

He slept pretty well-nearly all day but woke up in time for supper. The beds in that house were all too small for him but they made him a fine bed of heather on the floor, and he never stirred nor dreamed all night. Next morning they had just finished breakfast when they heard a shrill, exciting sound from outside.

沙斯塔几乎睡了一天，在晚饭的时候醒来。屋子里的床太小，但是他们将蕨类植物铺在地上，给他做了一张很棒的床，他睡在床上，一夜无梦。第二天早上，刚吃完早饭，他们就听到一个激动尖锐的声音。

"Trumpets !" said all the Dwarfs,as they and Shasta all came running out.

“喇叭声!”小矮人们异口同声，他们立刻和沙斯塔跑了出去。

The trumpets sounded again: a new noise to Shasta, not huge and solemn like the horns of Tashbaan nor gay and merry like King Lune s hunting horn, but clear and sharp and valiant. The noise was coming from the woods to the East, and soon there was a noise of horse-hoofs mixed with it. A moment later the head of the column came into sight.

喇叭声又响起来：对沙斯塔来说，这是种崭新的声音，既不像塔什班城号角那样沉重洪亮，也不像伦恩国王的狩猎号角那样轻松欢快，这种声音清晰、尖锐、豪迈。喇叭声从树林的东边传来，很快又出现了嗒嗒的马蹄声。一会儿，他们就看到了先头部队。

First came the Lord Peridan on a bay horse carrying the great banner of Narnia-a red lion on a green ground. Shasta knew him at once. Then came three people riding abreast, two on great chargers and one on a pony. The two on the chargers were King Edmund and a fair-haired lady with a very merry face who wore a helmet and a mail shirt and carried a bow across her shoulder and a quiver full of arrows at her side. ("The Queen Lucy"whispered Duffle.) But the one on the pony was Corin. After that came the main body of the army: men on ordinary horses, men on Talking Horses (who didn t mind being ridden on proper occasions, as when Narnia went to war), centaurs, stern, hard-bitten bears, great Talking Dogs, and last of all six giants. For there are good giants in Narnia.But though he knew they were on the right side Shasta at first could hardly bear to look at them;there are some things that take a lot of getting used to.

打头的是帕里丹勋爵，骑栗色马，手执纳尼亚大旗——青绿底上一头红色狮子。沙斯塔立刻认出了他。紧跟着三个并驾齐驱的人，两人骑战马，一人骑小马。战马上一个是爱德蒙国王，另一个是兴高采烈的金发女郎，头戴钢盔，穿锁子甲，肩上背弓，身边有装满箭的箭袋(“露茜女王”德夫尔低声说)。骑着小马的是科林。接下来就是军队：骑在普通马上的士兵、骑着会说话的马的军人( 遇到紧急情况，例如纳尼亚发生战争时，这种马并不在意被骑)、人头马、顽强的熊、大的会说话的狗，最后是六个巨人，在纳尼亚有好巨人，尽管他知道巨人站在正义这边，但起先他还是不敢抬头看;要习惯某些东西，需要很长时间。

Just as the King and Queen reached the cottage and the Dwarfs began making low bows to them,King Edmund called out:

国王和女王到了小屋门口，小矮人们开始鞠躬，国王爱德蒙大喊：

"Now, friends ! Time for a halt and a morsel !" and at once there was a great bustle of people dismounting and haversacks being opened and conversation beginning when Corm came running up to Shasta and seized both his hands and cried:

“朋友们!吃点东西，歇一歇吧。”于是立刻一阵喧闹，人们纷纷下马，打开干粮袋，开始交谈，这时科林向沙斯塔跑来，抓住他的双手喊道：

"What ! You here ! So you got through all right ? I am glad. Now we shall have some sport. And isn t it luck ! We only got into harbour at Cair Paravel yesterday morning and the very first person who met us was Chervy the Stag with all this news of an attack on Anvard.Don t you think—"

“啊!你在这儿!你平安无事?我太高兴了。现在我们可以活动活动了，真是幸运!昨天早上我们刚到凯尔帕拉维尔港口，就碰到了牡鹿彻耳，它把敌人进攻安瓦德的全部消息带来了。你认为……”

"Who is your Highness's friend ?" said King Edmund who had just got off his horse.

“这是你的朋友?”刚下马的爱德蒙国王问。

"Don't you see, Sire ?" said Corin. "It's my double: the boy you mistook me for at Tashbaan."

“难道您没看出来吗，陛下?”科林说，“这就是我的翻版：你在塔什班城错把他当成我了。”

"Why, so he is your double, " exclaimed Queen Lucy. "As like as two twins.This is a marvellous thing."

“呀，他就是和你很相似的那个人，”露茜女王叫道，“简直就像双胞胎，真是不可思议。”

"Please, your Majesty," said Shasta to King Edmund, "I was no traitor,really I wasn't.And I couldn't help hearing your plans.But I d never have dreamed of telling them to your enemies."

“陛下，”沙斯塔向爱德蒙国王说，“我真的不是奸细，我不小心听到了您的计划。但我从没想过要泄密。”

"I know now that you were no traitor, boy," said King Edmund, laying his hand on Shasta's head. "But if you would not be taken for one,another time try not to hear what s meant for other ears.But all s well."

“我知道你不是奸细，孩子，”爱德蒙国王用手抚摸沙斯塔的额头，“如果你不想被当作奸细，就不要听你不应该听到的事情。那么一切就会很完美。”

After that there was so much bustle and talk and coming and going that Shasta for a few minutes lost sight of Corin and Edmund and Lucy. But Corin was the sort of boy whom one is sure to hear of pretty soon and it wasn t very long before Shasta heard King Edmund saying in a loud voice:

这之后，又有无数的交谈、人来人往，有那么几分钟，沙斯塔竟看不到科林、爱德蒙和露茜了。但是科林不是那种特别老实的孩子;果然没过多久，就听到爱德蒙国王大声喊：

"By the Lion's Mane, prince, this is too much ! Will your Highness never be better ? You are more of a heart s-scald than our whole army together ! I d as lief have a regiment of hornets in my command as you."

“天啊，王子，你够了!难道你永远不长进吗?整个军队加起来也没有你事多!我宁愿去管理一个大黄蜂的团也不想去管你了!”

Shasta wormed his way through the crowd and there saw Edmund, looking very angry indeed, Corin looking a little ashamed of himself, and a strange Dwarf sitting on the ground making faces. A couple of fauns had apparently just been helping it out of its armour.

沙斯塔穿过人群，看到了愤怒不已的爱德蒙国王，科林有点不好意思，一个奇怪的小矮人坐在地上扮鬼脸。两只半羊人刚刚帮助小矮人卸下盔甲。

"If I had but my cordial with me, "Queen Lucy was saying, "I could soon mend this. But the High King has so strictly charged me not to carry it commonly to the wars and to keep it only for great extremities !"

“如果我带了药酒，”露茜女王说，“那我很快就能治好他。但皇帝不让我随意使用，要留到紧要关头再用!”

What had happened was this. As soon as Corin had spoken to Shasta, Corin s elbow had been plucked by a Dwarf in the army called Thornbut.

事情原来是这样，科林刚同沙斯塔说过话，就被小矮人抓住了胳膊。军队里把小矮人叫做“刺头儿”。

,What is it, Thornbut ?"Corin had said.

“干什么，刺头儿?”

,Your Royal Highness,"said Thornbut, drawing him aside,,our march today will bring us through the pass and right to your royal father s castle.We may be in battle before night."

“王子殿下，”刺头儿把他拉到一边，“我们今天行军会经过关卡，直达你父王的城堡。午夜之前就会发生战斗。”

"I know,"said Corin.,Isn t it splendid !"

“我知道，”科林说，“战争很壮观!”

"Splendid or not,"said Thornbut,"I have the strictest orders from King Edmund to see to it that your Highness is not in the fight. You will be allowed to see it, and that s treat enough for your Highness s little years."

“壮观也好不壮观也罢，”刺头儿说，“国王严厉命令我，留意不要让你参与战争。你可以旁观;以王子殿下的年龄，这种待遇最恰当了。”

"Oh what nonsense !" Corin burst out. "Of course I'm going to fight. Why, the Queen Lucy s going to be with the archers."

“胡说八道!”科林很生气，“我当然要打仗。露茜女王都能带着弓箭手打仗，为什么我不可以?”

"The Queen s grace will do as she pleases,"said Thornbut. ,But you are in my charge. Either I must have your solemn and princely word that you ll keep your pony beside mine-not half a neck ahead-till I give your Highness leave to depart: or else-it is his Majesty s word—we must go with our wrists tied together like two prisoners."

“女王慈悲为怀，能随心所欲，”刺头儿说，“现在我看管你。你的马必须和我的并驾齐驱——超过一点儿也不行——直到我允许殿下离开：或者如陛下所说，咱俩必须像囚徒一样，把手腕绑在一起。”

"I ll knock you down if you try to bind me,"said Corm.

“你要敢绑我，我就揍你。”科林说。

"I d like to see your Highness do it,"said the Dwarf.

“我倒是很期望呢。”小矮人说。

That was quite enough for a boy like Corin and in a second he and the Dwarf were at it hammer and tongs. It would have been an even match for, though Corin had longer arms and more height, the Dwarf was older and tougher. But it was never fought out (that's the worst of fights on a rough hillside) for by very bad luck Thornbut trod on a loose stone, came flat down on his nose, and found when he tried to get up that he had sprained his ankle: a real excruciating sprain which would keep him from walking or riding for at least a fortnight.

这句话足以惹恼科林这样的孩子，他立刻和小矮人陷入了激烈的搏斗。本来势均力敌，但科林手长脚长，小矮人老道健壮。搏斗最终没有分出结果( 这是山坡上最糟糕的一次搏斗)，刺头儿倒霉，踩在一块不牢靠的石头上，鼻子着地倒下了，想要站起来但是发现脚扭了：扭伤疼痛难忍，至少两个星期不能骑马走路。

"See what your Highness has done,"said King Edmund.

“瞧瞧殿下的所作所为吧，”爱德蒙国王说，

"Deprived us of a proved warrior on the very edge of battle."

“战争一触即发，我却失去了一个久经沙场的战士。”

"I ll take his place, Sire,"said Corin.

“我会替代他的，陛下。”科林说。

"Pshaw,"said Edmund.,No one doubts your courage. But a boy in battle is a danger only to his own side."

“呸，”爱德蒙说，“你的勇气毋庸置疑，但是孩子在战争中不过是累赘。”

At that moment the King was called away to attend to something else, and Corin, after apologizing handsomely to the Dwarf,rushed up to Shasta and whispered,

科林趁着国王被请去安排别的事情，向小矮人真诚地道了个歉，便跑到沙斯塔身边，悄悄说：

"Quick. There s a spare pony now, and the Dwarf s armour.Put it on before anyone notices."

“赶快。这儿有一匹备用的小马，还有小矮人的盔甲。趁没人注意，你赶紧穿上。”

"What for ?"said Shasta.

“干吗?”沙斯塔说。

"Why, so that you and I can fight in the battle of course ! Don t you want to ?"

“当然是去打仗了!难道你不想打仗吗?”

"Oh-ah, yes, of course,"said Shasta. But he hadn t been thinking of doing so at all, and began to get a most uncomfortable prickly feeling in his spine.

“啊，是的，当然想，”沙斯塔说。但他压根没想过去打仗，从骨子里感觉到不舒服。

"That s right,"said Corin.,Over your head. Now the sword-belt. But we must ride near the tail of the column and keep as quiet as mice. Once the battle begins everyone will be far too busy to notice us."

“这就对了，”科林说，“戴上头盔，佩上剑带。但我们必须不声不响地跟在队伍最后，像老鼠一样。战争一旦打响，就没人注意我们了。”