牛津书虫系列 格列佛游记 3 Lilliput at war

3 Lilliput at war

3 利力浦特的战争

The island of Blefuscu is only about a kilometre to the north of Lilliput.I knew that just beyond the narrow sea separating the two countries there were at least fifty war-ships ready to attack us，with many other smaller ships.But I kept away from that side of the coast，so that the people of Blefuscu would not see me.I had a secret plan.

不来夫斯古岛离利力浦特北部只有大约1公里。我知道把两国分开的狭仄海水那边至少有50只战船准备袭击我们，此外还有许多小船。可是我不在那侧海岸出现，我有一个秘密计划。

From the King's workmen I ordered fifty heavy metal hooks，each fastened to a piece of strong rope.I took off my coat and shoes， and walked into the sea with the hooks and ropes in my hands.The water was deep in the middle，so I had to swim for a few metres. But it only took me half an hour to get to Blefuscu.

我向国王的工匠定做了50个很重的金属钩，每个都固定在一条结实的绳上。我脱下外衣和鞋，手中拿着钩和绳走下海水。海峡中间水比较深，所以我不得不游了几米，不过我只用了半个小时就到了不来夫斯古。

When the Blefuscans saw me，they were so frightened that they jumped out of their ships and swam to the beach.I then used one hook for each ship，and tied all the ropes together at one end.While I was doing this， the enemy shot thousands of arrows at me，which caused me a lot of pain.I was afraid of getting an arrow in my eyes，but I suddenly remembered I still had an old pair of reading glasses in my pocket，so I put them on and continued my work.When I was ready，I started walking into the shallow water away from Blefuscu.As I walked through the waves，I pulled the enemy's warships be-hind me.When the people of Blefuscu realized that all their warships were disappearing，their cries were terrible to hear.

当不来夫斯古人看见我，他们吓得从船上跳下去游向岸边。我每只船用一个钩子，把所有的绳在一端系在一起。当我这样干着时，敌人向我射出了好几千只箭，弄得我很痛。我怕箭射中我的眼睛，不过我猛然记起我衣袋里还有副旧的眼镜，就取出来戴上继续干。我作好后，就开始离开不来夫斯古走进浅水。我在波浪中走着，身后拖着敌人的战船。当不来夫斯古人看出来他们所有的战船离他们而去时，他们的哭叫声听来真是可怕。

As I came nearer to Lilliput，I saw the King and all his lords and ladies standing on the beach.They could only see Blefuscu's warships coming closer，as I was swimming and my head was occasionally under the water.Therefore，they sup-posed that I had drowned，and that the Blefuscan ships were attacking.But when they saw me walking out of the sea， they welcomed me warmly with cries of astonishment and delight.The King himself came down to the water to meet me.

当我走近利力浦特，看见国王和他所有的王公及贵妇们站在海边。他们只是看见不来夫斯古的战船越来越近，因为我正在游泳，头不时藏在水下，所以他们以为我已经淹死了，而不来夫斯古的战船正来袭击。当他们看见我从水中走出来时，他们热情地欢迎我，充满了惊讶和喜悦。国王本人则下到水里来接我。

‘Everyone in Lilliput is grateful to you!’he cried.‘For your bravery，you will be one of my lords from now on.’

“每个利力浦特人都感激你!”他说，“鉴于你的英勇，从现在起你将作我的一个王公。”

‘Thank you，sir，’I replied.

“谢谢您，先生。”我回答。

‘And now，’he continued，‘go back and steal all the ene-my's ships，so that we can defeat Blefuscu for ever! We'll de-stroy the Big-Endians，and I'll become King of the whole world!’

“现在，”他接着说，“回去把敌人的所有战船都偷过来，以便我们能彻底打败不来夫斯古!我将消灭大端派人，我将成为整个世界之王。”

But I would not agree to this plan.

可是我不能同意他的计划。

‘Sir，’I replied，‘I will never help to take a brave nation's freedom away.Lilliput and Blefuscu should live in peace now.

“先生，”我回答，“我永远也不会帮助剥夺一个勇敢民族的自由。利力浦特和不来夫斯古现在应该和平相处。”

The King could not persuade me，and unfortunately he nev-er forgot that I had refused to do what he wanted.Although I had saved his country from attack by Blefuscan warships， he preferred to remember my refusal.

国王无法说服我，不幸的是，他从不忘记我曾经拒绝做他想做的事，尽管我使他的国家免遭不来夫斯古战船的攻击，他更愿意记住我对他的拒绝。

From this time on，I heard from my friends that there were secret conversations in the palace between the King and some of his lords，who were jealous of me.These conversations nearly led to my death in the end.

从这时起，我从几个朋友那儿得知国王和几个嫉妒我的王公在宫里秘密商议。这些密谈后来几乎要了我的命。

About three weeks later，the King of Blefuscu sent his offi-cials to ask for peace between the two countries.After the Ble-fuscans had arranged everything with the Lilliputian officials，they came to visit me.They had heard how I had prevented the King from destroying all their ships.After thanking me，they invited me to visit their country.

大约3周后，不来夫斯古国王派官员来求和。不来夫斯古人与利力浦特官员安排好一切事之后，他们来拜访我。他们已经听说了我如何阻止国王摧毁他们所有的船只。道谢后，他们邀请我去访问他们的国家。

However，when I asked the King of Lilliput if I could visit Blefuscu， he agreed，but very coldly.I learnt later that he and some of his lords considered I was wrong to have a conversa-tion with enemies of Lilliput.Now I was beginning to under-stand how difficult and dangerous political life can be.

可是，当我问利力浦特国王我是否可以拜访不来夫斯古时，他同意了，不过很冷淡。我后来得知他和几个王公认为我不该与利力浦特的敌人会谈。现在我开始明白政治生活是多么艰难而危险。

A few days later I had another chance to help the King. I was woken at midnight by the cries of hundreds of Lilliputians outside my house.

几天后，我又有一次机会帮助国王。半夜里我被我房子外面几百名利力浦特人的叫喊声吵醒。

‘Fire!Fire!’they shouted.‘The Queen's rooms in the palace are burning!Come quickly，Man-Mountain!’

“救火!救火!”他们大叫。“宫里王后的屋子着火啦!快来呀，人山!”

So I pulled on my clothes and hurried to the palace. A large part of the building was in flames.People were climbing lad-ders up the walls，and throwing water on the flames， but the fire was burning more strongly every minute.At least the Queen and her ladies had escaped，but there seemed to be no way of saving this beautiful palace.Suddenly I had an idea.The evening before，I had drunk a lot of good wine，and very luckily I had not made water since then.In three minutes I managed to put out the whole fire， and the lovely old building was safe.

所以我披上衣服就赶往王宫。王宫的很大一部分腾着火焰。人们爬上竖在墙上的梯子向火焰泼水，但是火势仍然有增无减。幸好王后和她的贵妇们已经脱险了，但是似乎没有办法挽救这座美丽的宫殿。我忽然有了主意。那夜前，我喝了不少酒，而且这之后我幸好还没有撒尿。只用3分钟我就把火整个儿扑灭了，美丽的古老建筑得救了。

I went home without waiting for the King's thanks，because I was not sure what he would say.Although I had certainly saved the palace，I knew it was a crime，punishable by death，to make water anywhere near the palace.I heard later that the Queen was so angry that she refused to enter any of the dam-aged rooms ever again，and promised to take her revenge on me.

我没有等国王致谢就回家了，因为我不敢肯定国王会怎么说。虽然我肯定是救了宫殿，我也知道在宫殿附近撒尿是犯罪，罪可处死。我后来听说王后极为生气，拒绝再进入受损的房屋一步，而且扬言要报复我。