《黎明踏浪号》第四章 凯斯宾略施巧计

CHAPTER FOUR WHAT CASPIAN DID THERE
第四章　凯斯宾略施巧计

Next morning the Lord Bern called his guests early，and after breakfast he asked Caspian to order every man he had into full armour.“And above all，”he added，“let everything be as trim and scoured as if it were the morning of the first battle in a great war between noble kings with all the world looking on.”This was done;and then in three boatloads Caspian and his people，and Bern with a few of his，put out for Narrowhaven.The King’s flag flew in the stern of his boat and his trumpeter was with him.
第二天，伯恩一早就来看他的客人。吃过早餐，他请求凯斯宾下令让所有的手下都穿好铠甲，戴好头盔。“最重要的是，”他又加上一句，“把一切都收拾得整整齐齐，整理得干干净净的，就像今天早上尊贵的国王要公开进行一场战役。”这一切都安排好之后，凯斯宾和他的手下，还有伯恩就分乘三船，向狭港出发。他们还带了号手随行，国王的战旗在船尾飘扬，非常醒目。
When they reached the jetty at Narrowhaven，Caspian found a considerable crowd assembled to meet them.“This is what I sent word about last night，”said Bern.“They are all friends of mine and honest people.”And as soon as Caspian stepped ashore the crowd broke out into hurrahs and shouts of，“Narnia ! Narnia ! Long live the King.”At the same moment—and this was also due to Bern’s messengers—bells began ringing from many parts of the town.Then Caspian caused his banner to be advanced and his　trumpet to be blown and every man drew his sword and set his face into a joyful sternness，and they marched up the street so that the street shook，and their armour shone(for it was a sunny morning)so that one could hardly look at it steadily.
他们到达港口码头的时候，一大批民众早已聚在一起欢迎他们。“这就是我昨晚传话要准备的事情，”伯恩说，“他们都是我的朋友， 绝对靠得住。”凯斯宾一上岸，民众就高呼：“纳尼亚!纳尼亚!国王万岁!”同时，也是因为伯恩信使的安排——镇上所有的地方都钟鼓齐鸣。于是凯斯宾传令旗手开道，吹响号角。每个人都刀剑出鞘， 齐步行进，庄严肃穆。整个街面都为之震动，这一天艳阳高照，他们的铠甲闪闪发亮，光芒让人睁不开眼睛。
At first the only people who cheered were those who had been warned by Bern’s messenger and knew what was happening and wanted it to happen.But then all the children joined in because they liked a procession and had seen very few.And then all the schoolboys joined in because they also liked processions and felt that the more noise and disturbance there was the less likely they would be to have any school that morning.And then all the old women put their heads out of doors and windows and began chattering and cheering because it was a king，and what is a governor compared with that ?And all the young women joined in for the same reason and also because Caspian and Drinian and the rest were so handsome.And then all the young men came to see what the young women were looking at，so that by the time Caspian reached the castle gates，nearly the whole town was shouting;and where Gumpas sat in the castle，muddling and messing about with accounts and forms and rules and regulations， he heard the noise.
最开始欢呼的是伯恩的信使事先安排好的亲信，他们都知道这些情况，早就期待着这么一天。后来所有的孩子都加入了游行的队伍， 因为这种盛大的场面太少见了。再后来好多学生也加入其中，因为外面那么乱恐怕学校里也不会开课了。再后来，老太太们也从窗户探出头来，高声欢呼，他们说这到底是国王的阵势啊，总督哪里比得上。接着所有的妇女们也都好奇地出来凑热闹。凯斯宾和德里宁这些人都非常英俊，几乎所有的年轻男人也都出来看这些女人在议论什么。等到凯斯宾到达城堡的时候，全城的人都开始欢呼。而此时，坐在城堡里正摆弄那些账目和条条框框的冈帕斯，也听到了外面的喧闹声。
At the castle gate Caspian’s trumpeter blew a blast and cried， “Open for the King of Narnia，come to visit his trusty and well— beloved servant the governor of the Lone Islands.”In those days everything in the islands was done in a slovenly，slouching manner. Only the little postern opened，and out came a tousled fellow with　a dirty old hat on his head instead of a helmet，and a rusty old pike in his hand.He blinked at the flashing figures before him.“Carn— seez—fishansy，”he mumbled (which was his way of saying， “You can’t see His Sufficiency”).“No interviews without ‘pointments’cept‘tween nine’n’ ten p.m. second Saturday every month.”
凯斯宾的号子手在城堡大门口吹响号角，并大喊：“请为纳尼亚国王打开城门，国王驾到，来看他忠诚、可靠、受人尊敬的总督了。” 那些年月的孤独群岛一切事物都破烂不堪，守卫们也是懒懒散散。城门只打开了一个偏门，走出来了一个蓬头垢面，没有头盔，只戴着破帽子的家伙，手里拎着一支旧长矛。他挤着眼看着这些浑身金光闪闪的人。“大人不见……”这家伙言辞不清地说，“没约好一律不见， 只有每个月第二个星期六晚上九点到十点才接见。”
“Uncover before Narnia，you dog，”thundered the Lord Bern，and dealt him a rap with his gauntleted hand which sent his hat flying from his head.
“你这个看门狗，在纳尼亚国王的面前，竟然不行礼!”伯恩公爵怒吼的声音如雷贯耳。然后一巴掌把他头上的帽子给打飞了。
“Ere ?Wot’s it all about ?”began the doorkeeper，but no one took any notice of him.Two of Caspian’s men stepped through the postern and after some struggling with bars and bolts(for everything was rusty)flung both wings of the gate wide open.Then the King and his followers strode into the courtyard.Here a number of the governor’s guards were lounging about and several more(they were mostly wiping their mouths)came tumbling out of various doorways. Though their armour was in a disgraceful condition，these were fellows who might have fought if they had been led or had known what was happening;so this was the dangerous moment.Caspian gave them no time to think.
“嗯?这是怎么回事?”守门人迷迷糊糊地问，却没人搭理他。凯斯宾手下的两个人直接跨过偏门，费了好大力气才把生了锈的两扇大门打开。凯斯宾国王和随从从正门直接进院里了。院子里有不少警卫，一些人一边从各个门口慌忙出来，还一边在擦嘴。虽然他们衣衫褴褛，装备破旧，但如果有人带领他们好好整编，或许还能和凯斯宾打上一场恶战。在这个危险时刻，凯斯宾不会给他们时间，让这些人想到这些。
“Where is the captain ?”he asked.
“你们的首领在哪儿?”
“I am，more or less，if you know what I mean，”said a languid and rather dandified young person without any armour at all.
“我或多或少算一个，如果你明白我的意思。”一个看上去很没精神的年轻人说。他没有穿铠甲，身上的衣服花里胡哨的。
“It is our wish，”said Caspian，“that our royal visitation to our realm of the Lone Islands should，if possible，be an occasion of joy and not of terror to our loyal subjects.If it were not for that，I should have something to say about the state of your men’s armour and weapons.As it is，you are pardoned.Command a cask of wine to be opened that your men may drink our health.But at noon tomorrow I wish to see them here in this courtyard looking like men-at-arms and not like vagabonds.See to it on pain of our extreme displeasure.”
“我们希望，”凯斯宾说，“这次御驾亲临孤独群岛，如果可能的话，应该是普天同庆，而不是引起百姓的恐慌。如果不是这样， 恐怕你们的盔甲和武器的状况就该受到批评了。当然，今天我会赦免你们。拿酒来，让我和将士们一起举杯。不过，明天这个时候，我希望看到院里的是将士，而不是流浪汉。违令者一律以触犯君王罪论处。”
The captain gaped but Bern immediately cried，“Three. cheers for the King，”and the soldiers，who had understood about the cask of wine even if they understood nothing else，joined in.Caspian then ordered most of his own men to remain in the courtyard.He， with Bern and Drinian and four others，went into the hall.
那个所谓的长官目瞪口呆，可是伯恩突然喊：“让我们三呼国王万岁。”那些士兵虽然不明所以，但一看到酒桶，就一起欢呼起来。凯斯宾命令大部分人留在院子里，他带着伯恩、德里宁和其他四个人走进了大厅。
Behind a table at the far end with various secretaries about him sat his Sufficiency，the Governor of the Lone Islands.Gumpas was a bilious-looking man with hair that had once been red and was now mostly grey.He glanced up as the strangers entered and then looked down at his papers saying automatically，“No interviews without appointments except between nine and ten p.m. on second Saturdays.”
大厅那头的一张桌子后面，坐着孤独群岛的总督冈帕斯，周围坐着很多秘书。冈帕斯看上去就不像个好脾气的人。头发本来是红色的，现在大多都已成灰白色。他抬眼看到一行陌生人进去，没有理会， 而是低头继续看他的文件，同时说了句：“没预约一律不见，只有每个月第二个星期六晚上九点到十点才接见。”
Caspian nodded to Bern and then stood aside.Bern and Drinian took a step forward and each seized one end of the table. They lifted it，and flung it on one side of the hall where it rolled over，scattering a cascade of letters，dossiers，ink-pots，pens， sealing-wax and documents.Then，not roughly but as firmly as if their hands were pincers of steel，they plucked Gumpas out of his chair and deposited him，facing it，about four feet away.Caspian at once sat down in the chair and laid his naked sword across his knees.
凯斯宾对伯恩示意之后，站到一边。伯恩和德里宁上前一步， 各自抓住桌子的一头，然后抬起桌子一扔，桌子就滚到了大厅一边， 信件、档案、墨水瓶、笔、封蜡和公文撒了一地。然后他们伸出手， 一下把冈帕斯从椅子上揪到四英尺开外的地方。凯斯宾在椅子上坐下，把出鞘的剑横放在双膝上。
“My Lord，”said he，fixing his eyes on Gumpas，“you have not given us quite the welcome we expected.We are the King of Narnia.”
“阁下，”他盯着冈帕斯说，“你本应该隆重地欢迎我们，我是纳尼亚的国王。”
“Nothing about it in the correspondence，”said the governor. “Nothing in the minutes.We have not been notified of any such thing.All irregular.Happy to consider any applications—”
“任何来信中都没提到这件事，”总督说，“会议记录里也没有。我们没接到任何通知。这完全不符合法律程序，不过如果你们有什么请求，我倒是可以考虑……”
“And we are come to enquire into your Sufficiency’s conduct of your office，”continued Caspian.“There are two points especially on which I require an explanation.Firstly I find no record that the tribute due from these Islands to the crown of Narnia has been received for about a hundred and fifty years.”
“我们前来查访阁下是否履行了自己的职责，”凯斯宾继续说， “有两点我必须特别作出解释。首先，我在档案中查出纳尼亚国王已经有一百五十年没有收到这个群岛的进贡了。”
“That would be a question to raise at the Council next month，”said Gumpas.“If anyone moves that a commission of enquiry be set up to report on the financial history of the islands at the first meeting next year，why then...”
“这个问题要等下个月提交议事时，才会讨论，”冈帕斯说，“如果有人提议成立一个调查委员会，在明年第一次会议上作个本岛财政历史的报告，说明当时……”
“I also find it very clearly written in our laws，”Caspian went on，“that if the tribute is not delivered the whole debt has to be paid by the Governor of the Lone Islands out of his private purse.”
“本国法律很清楚地写道，”凯斯宾接着说，“如果贡品没有及时送到，积累的全部欠款由孤独群岛的总督个人支付。”
At this Gumpas began to pay real attention.“Oh，that’s quite out of the question，”he said.“It is an economic impossibility— er—your Majesty must be joking.”
冈帕斯听了这句话才打起精神来，“啊，那我可做不到，”他说， “我没那么多钱，嗯，陛下一定是在开玩笑吧。”
Inside，he was wondering if there were any way of getting rid of these unwelcome visitors.Had he known that Caspian had only one ship and one ship’s company with him，he would have spoken soft words for the moment，and hoped to have them all surrounded and killed during the night.But he had seen a ship of war sail down the straits yesterday and seen it signalling，as he supposed， to its consorts.He had not then known it was the King’s ship for there was not wind enough to spread the flag out and make the golden lion visible，so he had waited further developments. Now he imagined that Caspian had a whole fleet at Bernstead.It would never have occurred to Gumpas that anyone would walk into Narrowhaven to take the islands with less than fifty men;it was certainly not at all the kind of thing he could imagine doing himself.
其实他心里在想办法摆脱这些不速之客。假如他知道凯斯宾只有一条船，只带了一船人，他会嘴上先说些软话，暗地里想在夜里把他们全部包围杀光。不过昨天他亲眼看见一条战船顺着海峡开来， 还看见船上在打信号，好像是打给跟从的船只。当时他不知道这就是国王的船，因为风力不够大，旗帜飘得不够高，上面的金狮像看不出全貌，所以他只好等待事情进一步发展。此刻，他想象着凯斯宾在伯恩斯坦有整整一支舰队。冈帕斯万万没料到居然有人带了不到五十个人就拿下了这个群岛，当然这种事是他想象不到的。
“Secondly，”said Caspian，“I want to know why you have permitted this abominable and unnatural traffic in slaves to grow up here，contrary to the ancient custom and usage of our dominions.”
“其次，”凯斯宾说，“我想知道，你为什么允许贩卖奴隶这种伤天害理的勾当在本地进行?这违背了本国领地的风俗习惯。”
“Necessary，unavoidable，”said his Sufficiency.“An essential part of the economic development of the islands，I assure you.Our present burst of prosperity depends on it.”
“这是出于需要，当然不能废除，”总督说，“我向您保证， 这是本岛经济发展的命脉，本岛的兴衰全靠这个买卖了。”
“What need have you of slaves ?”
“你们要那么多奴隶干什么?”
“For export，your Majesty.Sell’em to Calormen mostly; and we have other markets.We are a great center of the trade.”
“当然是用来出口了，陛下。绝大部分会卖给卡乐门，还有其他的市场，这里可是买卖的一大中心。”
“In other words，”said Caspian，“you don’t need them.Tell me what purpose they serve except to put money into the pockets of such as Pug ?”
“换句话说，”凯斯宾说，“你不需要他们。你说说看，这些奴隶除了养肥普格这种人之外，还能干什么?”
“Your Majesty’s tender years，”said Gumpas，with what was meant to be a fatherly smile，“hardly make it possible that you should understand the economic problem involved.I have statistics，I have graphs，I have—”
“陛下您还年轻，”冈帕斯摆出一副父辈的笑容说，“还无法理解这些和经济相关的问题。我有统计数据、图表，还有……”
“Tender as my years may be，”said Caspian，“I believe I understand the slave trade from within quite as well as your　Sufficiency.And I do not see that it brings into the islands meat or bread or beer or wine or timber or cabbages or books or instruments of music or horses or armour or anything else worth having.But whether it does or not，it must be stopped.”
“我是还年轻，”凯斯宾说，“可是我相信，我对奴隶买卖实质的了解同阁下一样清楚。我看这项买卖未必能给本岛带来肉类、面包、啤酒、葡萄酒、木材、白菜、书本、乐器、马匹、盔甲或其他任何有价值的东西。无论如何，这项买卖必须终止。”
“But that would be putting the clock back，”gasped the governor.“Have you no idea of progress，of development ?”
“不过，这样的话，经济就衰退了，”总督喘着粗气说，“你知道什么是进步，什么是发展吗?”
“I have seen them both in an egg，”said Caspian.“We call it ‘Going Bad’ in Narnia.This trade must stop.”
“我看到的是这种进步和发展的本质。”凯斯宾说，“我们纳尼亚把它叫做腐败，这项买卖必须终止。”
“I can take no responsibility for any such measure，”said Gumpas.
“我决定不采取任何措施来执行这个命令。”冈帕斯说。
“Very well，then，”answered Caspian，“we relieve you of your office.My Lord Bern，come here.”And before Gumpas quite realized what was happening，Bern was kneeling with his hands between the King’s hands and taking the oath to govern the Lone Islands in accordance with the old customs，rights，usages and laws of Narnia.And Caspian said，“I think we have had enough of governors，”and made Bern a Duke，the Duke of the Lone Islands.
“好吧，”凯斯宾答道，“我们只好免你的职。伯恩公爵，过来。” 冈帕斯还没搞清是怎么回事，伯恩已经跪下，双手放在国王双手间， 宣誓根据纳尼亚古时的风俗习惯、权利和法律来接管孤独群岛。凯斯宾说，“我看，这个群岛有一个总督已经足够了。”于是当场封伯恩为公爵，孤独群岛公爵。
“As for you，my Lord，”he said to Gumpas，“I forgive you your debt for the tribute.But before noon tomorrow you and yours must be out of the castle，which is now the Duke’s residence.”
“至于阁下你，”他对冈帕斯说，“我赦免你拖欠进贡，明天中午之前，你和你的家人必须搬出城堡，现在这里是伯恩总督府。”
“Look here，this is all very well，”said one of Gumpas’s secretaries，“but suppose all you gentlemen stop play—acting and we do a little business.The question before us really is—”
“听我说句话，好吧，”冈帕斯的一个秘书说，“你们别再装腔作势了，我们来做笔小交易吧。我们面前的问题是……”
“The question is，”said the Duke，“whether you and the rest of the rabble will leave without a flogging or with one.You may choose which you prefer.”
“问题是，”公爵说，“你和你的余党，愿意服从我的安排， 还是愿意挨顿打再走呢?你们自己来选择。”
When all this had been pleasantly settled，Caspian ordered horses，of which there were a few in the castle，though very ill-groomed and he，with Bern and Drinian and a few others，rode out into the town and made for the slave market.It was a long low building near the harbour and the scene which they found going on inside was very much like any other auction;that is to say，there was a great crowd and Pug，on a platform，was roaring out in a raucous voice：
等到这一切都解决之后，凯斯宾就下令备马。城堡里倒有几匹马， 但喂养得不好，他和伯恩、德里宁还有三两个人骑上马，进城直奔向奴隶市场。市场是港口附近一排长长的矮房，他们看到里面的情景跟其他拍卖行差不多：里面有一大批人，普格在平台上，正在用沙哑的嗓子大声吆喝：
“Now，gentlemen，lot twenty-three.Fine Terebinthian agricultural labourer，suitable for the mines or the galleys.Under twenty-five years of age.Not a bad tooth in his head.Good， brawny fellow.Take off his shirt，Tacks，and let the gentlemen see.There’s muscle for you !Look at the chest on him.Ten crescents from the gentleman in the corner.You must be joking， sir.Fifteen ! Eighteen ! Eighteen is bidden for lot twenty-three.Any advance on eighteen ?Twenty-one.Thank you，sir.Twenty-one is bidden—”
“嗨，先生们，二十三号货。特里宾西亚的庄稼好手，适合开矿或船上划桨。不到二十五岁，一嘴好牙，身体健康，肌肉结实。脱掉他的衬衫，塔克斯，让诸位先生看看。一身肌肉!瞧他的胸膛。角落那位先生出十个月牙。你一定是在开玩笑吧，阁下。十五!十八! 有人出价十八买二十三号。还有谁加价?二十一。谢谢你，阁下。出二十……”
But Pug stopped and gaped when he saw the mail-clad figures who had clanked up to the platform.
普格看见披着铠甲的人，哐当作响地走向他，顿时停了下来， 哑口无声。
“On your knees，every man of you，to the King of Narnia，”said the Duke.Everyone heard the horses jingling and stamping outside and many had heard some rumour of the landing and the events at the castle.Most obeyed.Those who did not were pulled down by their neighbours.Some cheered.
“所有人都给纳尼亚国王跪下。”公爵说。大家听到外面的马蹄声，一些人也听到了国王登陆的传说和城堡里的大事，所以多数人都听从了。一些不肯听从的人，也都被身边的人拖住跪下了，有几个人还在欢呼。
“Your life is forfeit，Pug，for laying hands on our royal person yesterday，”said Caspian.“But your ignorance is pardoned.The slave trade was forbidden in all our dominions quarter of an hour ago.I declare every slave in this market free.”
“普格，昨天你抓了王室成员，本来是要偿命的，”凯斯宾说， “不过我决定原谅你的无知。在一刻钟前，本国所有领土都已经禁止买卖奴隶。我在此宣布奴隶市场的每一个奴隶从此自由了。”
He held up his hand to check the cheering of the slaves and went on，“Where are my friends ?”
他举起手示意不让奴隶们欢呼，问道：“我的朋友现在在哪里呢?”
“That dear little gel and the nice young gentleman ?”said Pug with an ingratiating smile.“Why，they were snapped up at once—”
“是那个小姑娘和长相英俊的小少爷吗?”普格一脸讨好地笑着说，“哎呀，刚把他们带来就被买走了。”
“We’re here，we’re here，Caspian，”cried Lucy and Edmund together and，“At your service，Sire，”piped Reepicheep from another corner.They had all been sold but the men who had bought them were staying to bid for other slaves and so they had not yet been taken away.The crowd parted to let the three of them out and there was great hand—clasping and greeting between them and Caspian.Two merchants of Calormen at once approached. The Calormen have dark faces and long beards.They wear flowing robes and orange-coloured turbans，and they are a wise， wealthy，courteous，cruel and ancient people.They bowed most politely to Caspian and paid him long compliments，all about the fountains of prosperity irrigating the gardens of prudence and virtue—and things like that—but of course what they wanted was the money they had paid.
“我们在这儿，我们在这儿，凯斯宾!”露茜和爱德蒙一齐叫道。“随时听命，陛下!”雷佩契普从另一个角落里叫道。他们本来已经被卖掉了，买主还想开价再买几个奴隶，所以还没带走他们。三个人走出人群，同凯斯宾紧紧握手，相互问候。两个卡乐门的商人也立刻走上前。卡乐门人长着深色脸庞，留着长胡子。他们是聪明、富裕、谦恭和强悍的古老民族。他们穿着长袍，扎着橙红色头巾，极其恭敬地向凯斯宾鞠躬，对他说了许许多多恭维的话，无外乎是那些繁荣昌盛的源泉灌溉出贤明和德行的花园的话——以及类似的话——不过他们的目的当然是想拿回付出的那笔钱。
“That is only fair，sirs，”said Caspian.“Every man who has bought a slave today must have his money back.Pug，bring out your takings to the last minim.”(A minim is the fortieth part of a crescent.)
“为了公平起见，各位，”凯斯宾说，“今天买下奴隶的人个个都必须收回钱。普格，把你拿到的钱都拿出来，一滴滴都不能留。”( 四十个滴滴等于一个月牙)
“Does your good Majesty mean to beggar me ?”whined Pug.
“陛下存心要把我变成穷光蛋吗?”普格哭诉道。
“You have lived on broken hearts all your life，”said Caspian， “and if you are beggared，it is better to be a beggar than a slave. But where is my other friend ?”
“你这辈子一直在靠干这些伤天害理的勾当过日子，”凯斯宾说， “即使变成了穷光蛋，也比做个奴隶强。我另外一个朋友在哪儿?”
“Oh him ?”said Pug.“Oh take him and welcome.Glad to have him off my hands.I’ve never seen such a drug in the market in all my born days.Priced him at five crescents in the end and even so nobody’d have him.Threw him in free with other lots and still no one would have him.Wouldn’t touch him.Wouldn’t look at him.Packs，bring out Sulky.”
“哦，他吗?”普格说，“唉，欢迎把他领回去。我巴不得把他脱手呢。我有生以来，第一次在市场里遇见这么个卖不掉的货。最后把他定价五个月牙，这么低的价还是没人要。我把他跟其他的货搭配白送，还是没人要，别人看都不愿看他一眼。塔克斯，把那个倒霉鬼带来。”
Thus Eustace was produced，and sulky he certainly looked; for though no one would want to be sold as a slave，it is perhaps even more galling to be a sort of utility slave whom no one will buy.He walked up to Caspian and said，“I see.As usual.Been enjoying yourself somewhere while the rest of us were prisoners.I suppose you haven’t even found out about the British Consul.Of course not.”
尤斯塔斯哭丧着脸出来了。虽然没人愿意被别人当奴隶卖掉， 不过成了没人愿意买的奴隶，也许更让人恼火。他走近凯斯宾，说：“原来如此，老把戏了。我们其他人当俘虏，你自己在别的地方逍遥自在。我看，你没打听到英国领事馆的事吧，这儿肯定没有。”
That night they had a great feast in the castle of Narrowhaven and then，“Tomorrow for the beginning of our real adventures !”said Reepicheep when he had made his bows to everyone and went to bed.But it could not really be tomorrow or anything like it.For now they were preparing to leave all known lands and seas behind them and the fullest preparations had to be made.The Dawn Treader was emptied and drawn on land by eight horses over rollers and every bit of her was gone over by the most skilled shipwrights.Then she was launched again and victualled and watered as full as she could hold—that is to say for twenty-eight days.Even this，as Edmund noticed with disappointment，only gave them a fortnight’s eastward sailing before they had to abandon their quest.
那天晚上，他们在狭港的城堡里举行一场盛大宴会。之后，雷佩契普向大家鞠躬行礼，说道：“明天，我们真正的冒险生活就要开始了!”说完他就去睡了。没想到，第二天大家却没办法走了。他们现在要准备离开已经探明的陆地和海面，必须得做好准备。黎明踏浪号被清空了，被放置在滚轴上，靠着八匹马拖上陆地，熟练的修船工检测了船的每个小细节。然后再试着下水，船上准备了充足的粮食和饮用水——用上二十八天都没问题。爱德蒙注意到尽管准备得如此充足，他们也只有十四天的时间可以向东航行，此后就不得不放弃搜寻计划了，不禁大为扫兴。
While all this was being done Caspian missed no chance of questioning all the oldest sea captains whom he could find in Narrowhaven to learn if they had any knowledge or even any rumours of land further to the east.He poured out many a flagon of the castle ale to weather-beaten men with short grey beards and clear blue eyes，and many a tall yarn he heard in return.But those who seemed the most truthful could tell of no lands beyond the Lone Islands，and many thought that if you sailed too far east you would come into the surges of a sea without lands that swirled perpetually round the rim of the world—“And that，I reckon，is where your Majesty’s friends went to the bottom.”The rest had only wild stories of islands inhabited by headless men，floating islands， waterspouts，and a fire that burned along the water.Only one，to Reepicheep’s delight，said，“And beyond that，Aslan’s country. But that’s beyond the end of the world and you can’t get there.”But when they questioned—him he could only say that he’d heard it from his father.
做好这一切的同时，凯斯宾又趁机在狭港召集到最老的船长们， 向他们打听继续往东行驶，还会有什么陆地，哪怕他们只是听回来的。凯宾斯把城堡内的酒打开，招待那些水手，他们饱经风雨，长着灰白的短胡须，清澈的蓝眼睛，他们曾听过许许多多的海上传说。无奈的是，诚实的水手们根本说不清，除了孤独群岛，这里是否还存在陆地。大家一致认为，一直向东航行，肯定会撞进茫茫的大海中，看不到陆地，只有汹涌的波涛，围绕着世界的边缘不停打转…… “我认为，那里就是陛下的朋友们卷入海底的地方。”其他的谈话更是天方夜谭了，都是些无头人的岛屿，漂浮的岛屿，龙卷风卷起的水之柱，或者海面上曾燃烧起大火之类的传说。只有一个人的说辞， 让雷佩契普颇为动心。他说：“外面应该是阿斯兰的王国了。可惜那是世界的尽头，你们无法到达。”当大家追问他时，他只是说这是从父亲那里听到的故事。
Bern could only tell them that he had seen his six companions sail away eastward and that nothing had ever been heard of them again.He said this when he and Caspian were standing on the highest point of Avra looking down on the eastern ocean.“I’ve often been up here of a morning，”said the Duke，“and seen the sun come up out of the sea，and sometimes it looked as if it were only a couple of miles away.And I’ve wondered about my friends　and wondered what there really is behind that horizon.Nothing， most likely，yet I am always half ashamed that I stayed behind. But I wish your Majesty wouldn’t go.We may need your help here. This closing the slave market might make a new world;war with Calormen is what I foresee.My liege，think again.”
伯恩告诉他们，当初看到自己的六个伙伴，一直向东航行而去， 此后就再也没有打听到他们的下落。说这话时，他正和凯宾斯站在东大洋阿芙拉岛的最高处。“我常常在早晨来这里，”公爵说，“太阳从海面升起，仿佛离自己只有两三英里那么远。我很想知道朋友们在哪里，想知道遥远的天际外究竟是怎样的。也许什么都没有吧，我为自己当初选择留下来深感内疚。不过，我还是劝陛下不要冒险。我们这里依旧需要您的帮助。这次，虽然成功地取缔了奴隶市场，但我有种预感，我们同卡乐门会有一场战争，望您三思。”
“I have an oath，my lord Duke，”said Caspian.“And anyway，what could I say to Reepicheep ?”
“我发誓，公爵阁下”，凯斯宾说，“不管怎样，我对雷佩契普也应该有个交代吧?”