《能言马与男孩》第二章 沿途遇险

CHAPTER TWO A WAYSIDE ADVENTURE

第二章　沿途遇险

IT was nearly noon on the following day when Shasta was wakened by something warm and soft moving over his face. He opened his eyes and found himself staring into the long face of a horse; its nose and lips were almost touching his. He remembered the exciting events of the previous night and sat up. But as he did so he groaned.

第二天快到中午的时候，沙斯塔是被一个舔他脸的热热软软的东西惊醒的。他张开眼睛，看到一张长长的马脸，而它的鼻子和嘴唇都快贴到他脸上去了。他这才想起昨晚种种惊险刺激的遭遇，于是连忙坐了起来。但他才动了一下，就忍不住发出一声呻吟。

"Ow, Bree," he gasped."I'm so sore.All over.I can hardly move."

“噢，布里，”他喘着气说，“好痛喔。我全身都在发疼。根本动不了。”

"Good morning, small one," said Bree. "I was afraid you might feel a bit stiff. It can't be the falls. You didn't have more than a dozen or so, and it was all lovely, soft springy turf that must have been almost a pleasure to fall on. And the only one that might have been nasty was broken by that gorse bush. No, it' s the riding itself that comes hard at first. What about breakfast ? I' ve had mine."

“早安，小家伙，”布里说，“恐怕你会觉得肌肉有些痛。但不会是摔伤。你也不过摔了十多次，而且全都是跌到又厚又软的美丽草地上，摔在上面简直是种享受呢。唯一摔得最严重的那次，也只是掉到一丛金雀花灌木上，绝不是摔伤。刚学骑马，难免会吃些苦头。要不要吃点儿早餐?我已经吃饱了。”

"Oh bother breakfast.Bother everything," said Shasta."I tell you I can't move. " But the horse nuzzled at him with its nose and pawed him gently with a hoof till he had to get up. And then he looked about him and saw where they were. Behind them lay a little copse. Before them the turf, dotted with white flowers, sloped down to the brow of a cliff. Far below them, so that the sound of the breaking waves was very faint, lay the sea. Shasta had never seen it from such a height and never seen so much of it before, nor dreamed how many colours it had. On either hand the coast stretched away, headland after headland, and at the points you could see the white foam running up the rocks but making no noise because it was so far off. There were gulls flying overhead and the heat shivered on the ground;it was a blazing day. But what Shasta chiefly noticed was the air. He couldn't think what was missing, until at last he realized that there was no smell of fish in it. For of course, neither in the cottage nor among the nets, had he ever been away from that smell in his life. And this new air was so delicious, and all his old life seemed so far away, that he forgot for a moment about his bruises and his aching muscles and said:

“我不想吃早餐，我什么都不想吃，”沙斯塔说，“我告诉你，我根本就动不了。”

但马儿还是用鼻子顶他，并伸出一只马蹄轻轻推他，逼得他不得不站了起来。他望了望四周，这才看清周遭的环境。他们背后有一小丛矮树林。前方是向下通往悬崖边缘的点缀着大片白色野花的草坡。在悬崖下方是一片汪洋，但距离他们十分遥远，因此只能隐约听见微弱的海浪声。

沙斯塔这辈子从来没在这么高的地方看过海，也从未见过如此浩瀚无垠的宽阔海面，而他连做梦也想不到的是，海洋竟然可以呈现出如此丰富多变的色彩。他往左右两边望去，全都是一片连绵不尽的海岸，海岬多得几乎数不清，你可以看到翻飞的白浪一波波地涌上礁岩，但距离太过遥远，因此完全听不见一丝声响。海鸥在天空盘旋飞舞，地上冒出蒸腾的热气，这是个炎热的晴天。但沙斯塔最先注意到的，却是这里的空气。

刚开始他还搞不懂究竟有哪里不太对劲，但想了一会儿，他终于明白过来，这里的空气完全没有半点儿鱼腥味。当然啦，自他出生以来，不论是在小屋里，或是在门前补渔网，都不曾摆脱过这样的气味。这种新鲜的空气是如此清冽甜美，过去的生活似乎已被远远抛在背后，他在那一瞬间，完全忘了身上的瘀青和酸痛的肌肉，开口问道：

"I say, Bree, didn't you say something about breakfast ?"

“对了，布里，你刚才不是说要我吃早餐吗?”

"Yes, I did," answered Bree."I think you'll find something in the saddle-bags. They're over there on that tree where you hung them up last night—or early this morning, rather. "

“是呀，”布里答道，“我想你可以在鞍囊里找到一些食物。就在那儿，你昨晚把马鞍挂在那棵树上——或者应该说是今天一大早。”

They investigated the saddle-bags and the results were cheering—a meat pasty, only slightly stale, a lump of dried figs and another lump of green cheese,a little flask of wine, and

他们检查了鞍囊，结果令他们十分满意──一个只有一点点不新鲜的肉馅饼、一大堆无花果干和绿奶酪、一小瓶酒，

some money;about forty crescents in all, which was more than Shasta had ever seen.

另外还有一些钱;大约有四十枚克利申，沙斯塔这辈子从来没见过这么多钱。

While Shasta sat down-painfully and cautiously-with his back against a tree and started on the pasty, Bree had a few more mouthfuls of grass to keep him company.

沙斯塔坐下来──他努力忍住疼痛，小心翼翼地把背靠在一棵树上，开始吃肉馅饼。布里为了陪他，也低头再多嚼了几口青草。

"Won't it be stealing to use the money ?" asked Shasta.

“用这些钱算不算是偷东西啊?”沙斯塔问道。

"Oh," said the Horse, looking up with its mouth full of grass,"I never thought of that. A free horse and a talking horse mustn' t steal, of course. But I think it' s all right. We' re prisoners and captives in enemy country. That money is booty, spoil. Besides, how are we to get any food for you without it ? I suppose, like all humans, you won' t eat natural food like grass and oats."

“喔，”塞了满嘴青草的马儿抬起头来说，“我可从来没想到这一点。一头会说话的自由马儿，当然是不能去偷东西。但我想这应该没什么关系啦。我们可是困在敌国的囚犯和俘虏呀。那些钱全都是他们抢来的战利品和赃物。何况，我们要是没钱的话，要到哪儿去给你找东西吃啊?我想你就跟所有人类一样，绝对不肯吃青草和燕麦这些自然食物对吧?”

I can t.

“这些东西我不能吃呀。”

"Ever tried ?"

“有没有试过?”

"Yes,I have.I can't get it down at all.You couldn't either if you were me."

“有，我试过。就是吞不下去。你要是我的话，一定也吞不下去的。”

"You're rum little creatures, you humans," remarked Bree. When Shasta had finished his breakfast (which was by far the nicest he had ever eaten), Bree said,"I think I 'll have a nice roll before we put on that saddle again."And he proceeded to do so.

“你们人类这种小动物还真是麻烦啊!”布里作出评论。等沙斯塔吃完这辈子从来没吃过的这么好吃的早餐后，布里开口说：“在重新装上马鞍前，我想先在草地上好好打个滚，”他说做就做，

"That's good. That's very good," he said, rubbing his back on the turf and waving all four legs in the air."You ought to have one too,Shasta," he snorted."It's most refreshing. "

“真舒服，真是舒服死了。”他说，用背在草地上磨蹭，四脚在空中乱踢乱蹬，“你也来滚一下吧，沙斯塔，”他喷着鼻息说，“这是最佳的提神妙方。”

But Shasta burst out laughing and said,"You do look funny when you're on your back !"

但沙斯塔却忽然放声大笑道：“你四脚朝天的样子，看起来好滑稽啊!”

"I look nothing of the sort," said Bree. But then suddenly he rolled round on his side, raised his head and looked hard at Shasta,blowing a little.

“才不会呢，”布里说。但接着他就突然翻过来，抬起头，轻轻喘着气，紧紧盯着沙斯塔。

"Does it really look funny ?" he asked in an anxious voice.

“这样看起来真的很滑稽吗?”他的语气显得相当不安。

"Yes, it does," replied Shasta. "But what does it matter ?"

“是啊，滑稽死了，”沙斯塔答道，“但这有什么关系呢?”

"You don't think, do you," said Bree, " that it might be a thing talking horses never do—a silly, clownish trick I ve learned from the dumb ones ?It would be dreadful to find,when I get back to Narnia, that I' ve picked up a lot of low,bad habits. What do you think, Shasta? Honestly,now.Don't spare my feelings. Should you think the real,free horses—the talking kind—do roll ?"

“你有没有想过，”布里说，“会说话的马儿说不定从来都不做这种事──这会不会是我跟那些哑巴笨马学来的愚蠢把戏?要是等我回到纳尼亚王国，结果却发现自己染上了许多低级的坏习惯，那不是很糟糕吗?你觉得怎么样，沙斯塔?跟我说实话。别怕伤害我的感情。你觉得那些真正自由的马儿──那些会说话的马儿──会在地上打滚吗?”

"How should I know ? Anyway I don't think I should bother about it if I were you. We ve got to get there first. Do you know the way ?"

“这我怎么会知道?再说，我要是你的话，我才没空去担心这些事呢。我们得先赶到那儿才行呀。你到底知不知道路啊?”

"I know my way to Tashbaan.After that comes the desert. Oh,we ll manage the desert somehow,never fear. Why, we ll be in sight of the Northern mountains then.Think of it ! To Narnia and the North !Nothing will stop us then.But I d be glad to be past Tashbaan.You and I are safer away from cities."

“我知道怎么去塔什班。在那后面就是一片沙漠。喔，我们会有办法穿越沙漠的，不用担心。为什么呢，因为那时候我们就可以看到北方的山峦了啊。你想想看!我们就要去纳尼亚和北方了呀!没有任何事物能挡得了我们。要是能够顺利通过塔什班，我可就大大松一口气了。我们两个还是离城市远一点比较安全。”

"Can't we avoid it ?"

“我们不能避开它吗?”

"Not without going a long way inland, and that would take us into cultivated land and main roads;and I wouldn t know the way. No, we'll just have to creep along the coast. Up here on the downs we ll meet nothing but sheep and rabbits and gulls and afew shepherds.And by the way, what about starting ?"

“可以是可以，但那得往内陆的方向绕很大一段路，这样我们就会经过繁华的地区和主要大道;而且我也不熟那边的路。不，我们只能沿着海岸偷偷溜过去。待在这片高原上，除了绵羊、兔子、海鸥和几个牧羊人之外，什么人也不会碰到。好了，现在可以上路了吧?”

Shasta s legs ached terribly as he saddled Bree and climbed into the saddle, but the Horse was kindly to him and went at a soft pace all afternoon. When evening twilight came they dropped by steep tracks into a valley and found a village. Before they got into it Shasta dismounted and entered it on foot to buy a loaf and some onions and radishes. The Horse trotted round by the fields in the dusk and met Shasta at the far side. This became their regular plan every second night.

沙斯塔替布里套上鞍具，然后再爬到马鞍上，他的双腿痛得要命，但马儿很体贴，整个下午都刻意放轻了脚步。黄昏来临时，他们沿着一条陡峭的下坡路走到一个山谷，在那儿找到了一个村庄。进村前，沙斯塔就先下马，独自步行走进村子里，买了一条面包和一些洋葱跟萝卜。马儿在暮色中从田野绕过去，在村庄另一头跟沙斯塔会合。此后，这成了他们每隔两天的固定行程。

These were great days for Shasta, and every day better than the last as his muscles hardened and he fell less often. Even at the end of his training Bree still said he sat like a bag of flour in the saddle."And even if it was safe, young' un, I'd be ashamed to be seen with you on the main road."But in spite of his rude words Bree was a patient teacher. No one can teach riding so well as a horse. Shasta learned to trot, to canter, to jump, and to keep his seat even when Bree pulled up suddenly or swung unexpectedly to the left or the right-which, as Bree told him, was a thing you might have to do at any moment in a battle. And then of course Shasta begged to be told of the battles and wars in which Bree had carried the Tarkaan. And Bree would tell of forced marches and the fording of swift rivers, of charges and of fierce fights between cavalry and cavalry when the war horses fought as well as the men, being all fierce stallions, trained to bite and kick, and to rear at the right moment so that the horse s weight as well as the rider s would come down on a enemy s crest in the stroke of sword or battleaxe. But Bree did not want to talk about the wars as often as Shasta wanted to hear about them."Don't speak of them, youngster," he would say."They were only the Tisroc's wars and I fought in them as a slave and a dumb beast. Give me the Narnian wars where I shall fight as a free Horse among my own people ! Those will be wars worth talking about. Narnia and the North ! Bra-ha-ha ! Broo hoo !"

沙斯塔觉得这种生活非常快乐，随着他的肌肉日渐强壮，摔跤的次数越来越少，这段行程也就变得越来越愉快了。即使在沙斯塔从布里的骑术训练课程毕业之后，布里仍常爱数落他，说他软趴趴地瘫在马鞍上，活像个面粉袋似的。

“就算不用考虑安全问题，小鬼头呀，我也不敢载着你在大路上走，要是被人看到的话，那我不是丢脸丢到家了。”布里嘴巴虽然犀利，却是个很有耐心的老师。

绝对不会有人比马儿更加在行骑术教学了。沙斯塔学会了骑马小跑、慢跑、蹦跳，甚至在布里突然停下来，或是毫无预警地猛然转向时，他也能稳稳坐在马鞍上不掉下来──布里告诉他，这些全都是在战场上应对突发状况所必备的技巧。

然后沙斯塔自然就哀求布里说一些他载着泰坎上战场打仗的事情。于是布里开始述说艰苦的行军旅途与涉过激流的危险行动，述说骑兵队两兵交战的惨烈战况，在激战中马儿也像人类一样参与战役，这些凶猛的种马受过严格的训练，善于撕咬踢蹬，并会在适当的时刻像人一样站立起来。这样，当骑士用宝剑或战斧发动攻击时，就可以借着马儿和他本身的重量，以雷霆万钧之势劈向敌人的头颅。

沙斯塔虽然很爱听，但布里却不太喜欢谈到打仗的事。“别再提这些事了，小伙子，”他会说，“这全都是太洛帝的战争，而我只是以一个奴隶，一头哑巴笨马的身份参战。我更愿意在纳尼亚王国参与战争，以一匹自由马儿的身份，站在我自己的同胞之中上战场作战!这样的战役才真正值得一提。前往纳尼亚，前往北方!布拉……哈……哈!布噜……呵!”

Shasta soon learned,when he heard Bree talking like that, to prepare for a gallop.

After they had travelled on for weeks and weeks past more bays and headlands and rivers and villages than Shasta could remember, there came a moonlit night when they started their journey at evening, having slept during the day. They had left the downs behind them and were crossing a wide plain with a forest about half a mile away on their left. The sea, hidden by low sandhills, was about the same distance on their right. They had jogged along for about an hour, sometimes trotting and sometimes walking, when Bree suddenly stopped. "What's up ?" said Shasta.

沙斯塔很快就懂得，每当布里这么说的时候，就表示他要开始放足狂奔了。

他们就这样走了好几个礼拜，经过许许多多的海湾、海岬、河流和村庄，数量多得让沙斯塔都无法记得清。一天，在一个月光皎洁的夜晚，他们白天睡饱了觉，傍晚踏上了旅程。

他们此时已离开高地，踏上一片宽广的平原，在距离他们左边半里前后的地方，有座森林，在他们右边大约同样的距离，则是一片隐藏在低矮沙丘后方的浩瀚汪洋。他们时而小跑，时而漫步，就这样徐行了一个钟头之后，布里突然停下脚步。

“怎么啦?”沙斯塔问道。

"S-s-ssh !" said Bree, craning his neck round and twitching his ears."Did you hear something ? Listen. "

“嘘……嘘……嘘嘘!”布里说，他伸长脖子东张西望，耳朵迅速抽动，“你有没有听到什么声音?仔细听。”

"It sounds like another horse—between us and the wood,"said Shasta after he had listened for about a minute.

“听起来好像是有另外一匹马儿──就在我们和树林中间。”沙斯塔凝神听了大约一分钟后说道。

"It is another horse," said Bree. " And that's what I don't like."

“这的确是另外一匹马儿，”布里说，“我担心的就是这个。”

"Isn't it probably just a farmer riding home late ?" said Shasta with a yawn.

“大概只是一个比较晚回家的骑着马的农夫吧?”沙斯塔边说边打了个呵欠。

"Don't tell me ! " said Bree." That's not a farmer's riding. Nor a farmer' s horse either. Can' t you tell by the sound ? That' s quality,that horse is.And it's being ridden by a real horseman I. tell you what it is,Shasta.There' s a Tarkaan under the edge of that wood.Not on his war horse—it' s too light for that.On a fine blood mare,I should say."

“开什么玩笑!”布里说，“那绝不会是农夫骑马，也绝不会是农夫的马儿。你难道听不出来吗?那可是一匹高贵的骏马呀。骑马的人也是一位优秀的骑士。我告诉你这是怎么回事，沙斯塔。有个泰坎正沿着树林边缘往前走。他骑的不是战马，战马的脚步声没那么轻。在我看来，他骑的应该是一匹品种优良的母马。”

"Well, it's stopped now, whatever it is," said Shasta.

“好吧，不管那是什么，反正它现在已经停下来了。”沙斯塔说。

"You're right,"said Bree."And why should he stop just when we do ? Shasta, my boy, I do believe there' s someone shadowing us at last."

“没错，”布里说，“那为什么我们一停下来，他也跟着不走啦?沙斯塔，我的孩子啊，这下我们终于被人盯上啦。”

"What shall we do ?" said Shasta in a lower whisper than before."Do you think he can see us as well as hear us ?"

“那我们该怎么办?”沙斯塔压低声音说，“你觉得他可以看见我们，或是听到我们的声音吗?”

"Not in this light so long as we stay quite still," answered Bree."But look ! There's a cloud coming up. I'll wait till that gets over the moon. Then we' ll get off to our right as quietly as we can, down to the shore. We can hide among the sandhills if the worst comes to the worst."

“就算我们静静待着不动，在这么亮的月光下，迟早会被他发现，”布里答道，“但你看!那儿有一朵云飘过来了。等它一遮住月亮，我们就尽量放轻脚步往右边走，悄悄溜到海岸边。要是情况不妙，我们就躲到沙丘中藏身。”

They waited till the cloud covered the moon and then, first at a walking pace and afterwards at a gentle trot, made for the shore.

他们等云遮住月亮，就悄悄往海边走去，一开始还缓步徐行，但没过多久，他们就开始轻轻跑了起来。

The cloud was bigger and thicker than it had looked at first and soon the night grew very dark. Just as Shasta was saying to himself,"We must be nearly at those sandhills by now," his heart leaped into his mouth because an appalling noise had suddenly risen up out of the darkness ahead;a long snarling roar, melancholy and utterly savage.Instantly Bree swerved round and began galloping inland again as fast as he could gallop. "What is it ?" gasped Shasta.

那朵云比原先看起来更大更厚，四周很快就变得一片漆黑。就在沙斯塔暗暗替自己打气：“马上就会走到沙丘了，”时，他的心猛然一跳，因为在前方的黑暗中，突然响起一阵骇人的声响;那是一声长而凄厉的吼叫，听起来抑郁悲壮又野性十足。布里赶紧掉转方向，用最快的速度重新朝内陆的方向狂奔过去。“那是什么东西啊?”沙斯塔喘着气问道。

"Lions !" said Bree, without checking his pace or turning his head.

“狮群!”布里说，他并没有停下脚步，也不曾回头看上一眼。

After that there was nothing but sheer galloping for some time. At last they splashed across a wide, shallow stream and Bree came to a stop on the far side. Shasta noticed that he was trembling and sweating all over.

接下来他们没再多做交流，只是一个劲儿往前奔驰。直到他们噼里啪啦地涉过一条清浅的溪流，终于登上河对岸的土地时，布里才总算停了下来。沙斯塔注意到布里浑身是汗，而且还在发抖。

"That water may have thrown the brute off our scent," panted Bree when he had partly got his breath again."We can walk for a bit now."

“河水会洗去我们的气味，这样那头野兽就找不到我们了。”布里才稍稍缓过气来，就接着说，“我们现在可以慢慢走一会儿了。”

As they walked Bree said, "Shasta,I'm ashamed of myself. I m just as frightened as a common,dumb Calormene horse. I am really.I don t feel like a Talking Horse at all.I don t mind swords and lances and arrows but I can t bear—those creatures. I think I ll trot for a bit."

他们开始往前走，布里又开口说：“沙斯塔，我觉得自己好丢脸哦。活像是那些又笨又哑的普通马儿，吓得死去活来。实在太不像话了。我觉得自己根本就不像是一只能言马。什么宝剑啦、长矛啦、弓箭啦，我全都不当一回事，但我就是受不了那些生物。我想我还是小跑一下好了。”

About a minute later, however, he broke into a gallop again, and no wonder. For the roar broke out again, this time on their left from the direction of the forest.

但才过了一分钟，他又开始拔足狂奔，这不能怪他。因为吼叫声又再度响起，而且这次是从左边森林那儿传过来的。

"Two of them," moaned Bree. When they had galloped for several minutes without any further noise from the lions Shasta said,"I say !That other horse is galloping beside us now.Only a stone s throw away."

“有两只。”布里呻吟道。他们继续往前奔驰了好几分钟，并没有再听到吼叫声，然后沙斯塔突然开口说：“哎呀!另外一匹马现在就在我们旁边跑呀。离我们大概只隔了十几步远。”

"All the b-better," panted Bree."Tarkaan on it-will have a sword-protect us all."

“太好……好了，”布里气喘吁吁地说，“骑马的人是个泰坎……他身上肯定会带宝剑……这样他就可以保护我们。”

"But,Bree !" said Shasta. "We might just as well be killed by lions as caught. Or I might. They'll hang me for horse-stealing."He was feeling less frightened of lions than Bree because he had never met a lion;Bree had.

“你真是搞不清状况，布里!”沙斯塔说，“我们要是被抓到的话就没命了，那还不如干脆被狮子吃掉。至少我是不想活命。他们会以偷马的罪名把我吊死。”他不像布里那么怕狮子，因为他这辈子从来就没见过这种动物;但布里可是领教过狮子的厉害的。

Bree only snorted in answer but he did sheer away to his right. Oddly enough the other horse seemed also to be sheering away to the left, so that in a few seconds the space between them had widened a good deal. But as soon as it did so there came two more lions roars, immediately after one another, one on the right and the other on the left, the horses began drawing nearer together. So, apparently, did the lions. The roaring of the brutes on each side was horribly close and they seemed to be keeping up with the galloping horses quite easily. Then the cloud rolled away. The moonlight, astonishingly bright, showed up everything almost as if it were broad day. The two horses and two riders were galloping neck to neck and knee to knee just as if they were in a race. Indeed Bree said (afterwards) that a finer race had never been seen in Calormen.

布里什么也没说，只是哼了一声，但接着他就掉头转向右方。奇怪的是，另外一匹马似乎也立刻转向左方，因此才短短几秒，两匹马儿之间的距离就大幅拉开。但他们才刚分开，又此起彼落地接连响起两声狮吼，听起来正好一只在右边，一只在左边，于是两匹马儿又吓得重新靠拢。

两头狮子显然也跟他们越靠越近。两旁的兽吼听起来近得吓人，似乎可以轻而易举地赶上马儿疾驰的脚步。过了一会儿，云层渐渐散去。明亮无比的月光将黑夜照得亮如白昼，使周遭的一切全都显得异常清晰。两匹马儿和两名骑士仿佛是在赛马场似的，肩贴着肩，腿挨着腿，并驾齐驱地往前飞奔。事实上，布里后来表示，这可算是卡乐门国有史以来最精彩的一场赛马比赛了。

Shasta now gave himself up for lost and began to wonder whether lions killed you quickly or played with you as a cat plays with a mouse and how much it would hurt. At the same time (one sometimes does this at the most frightful moments) he noticed everything. He saw that the other rider was a very small, slender person, mail-clad (the moon shone on the mail) and riding magnificently.He had no beard.

沙斯塔觉得自己是死定了，他开始胡思乱想，揣测狮子杀戮时究竟是立刻一口毙命，还是像猫抓老鼠那样，先玩上一阵子再痛下杀手，他甚至还想到，被狮子咬死不知道会有多痛呢。但他同时也清楚地注意到周遭的一切。你在最害怕的时候，有时会出现这样的情况。他看到另外一名骑士穿着一身盔甲，月光把盔甲照得闪闪发亮，身材非常纤细瘦小，骑术看来十分精湛。他脸上并没有胡子。

Something flat and shining was spread out before them. Before Shasta had time even to guess what it great splash and he found his mouth half full of salt water. The shining thing had been a long inlet of the sea. Both horses were swimming and the water was up to Shasta' s knees. There was an angry roaring behind them and looking back Shasta saw a great, shaggy, and terrible shape crouched on the water' s edge;but only one."We must have shaken off the other lion," he thought.

他们的前方出现一大片平坦而闪亮的东西。沙斯塔还来不及猜测那到底是什么，就听到一阵哗啦哗啦的水声，并发现自己吞了半口咸水。原来，那片闪亮的东西是一个狭长的海湾。两匹马儿正在往前泅泳，海水直淹到沙斯塔的膝盖。他们背后响起一声愤怒的吼叫，沙斯塔回过头来，看到一个庞大而毛茸茸的可怕身影蹲伏在水边;但是仅有一只。“我们想必已经甩掉另外一头狮子了。”他心想。

The lion apparently did not think its prey worth a wetting;at any rate it made no attempt to take the water in pursuit. The two horses, side by side, were now well out into the middle of the creek and the opposite shore could be clearly seen. The Tarkaan had not yet spoken a word."But he will," thought Shasta.

狮子似乎认为，这些猎物并不值得让它弄湿身体;至少它并没有跳到水里来追赶他们。两匹马儿肩并肩地朝前泅泳，游到了海湾中央，在这里可以清楚看到对面的海岸。那个泰坎到现在都还没说过一句话。“但只要等我们登上海岸，”沙斯塔心想，

"As soon as we have landed. What am I to say ? I must begin thinking out a story."

“他就一定会开口询问。那我该怎么说才好?得赶快编个故事。”

Then,suddenly, two voices spoke at his side.

然后，他突然听到有两个不同的嗓音在他身边交谈。

"Oh,I am so tired," said the one."Hold your tongue, Hwin, and don' t be a fool,"said the other.

“哎哟，我好累哦，”一个声音说。“闭嘴，赫温，别当个笨蛋。”另一个声音说。

"I'm dreaming/' thought Shasta."I could have sworn that other horse spoke."

“我这是在做梦吧，”沙斯塔心想，“我发誓我听到另外一匹马儿开口说话了。”

Soon the horses were no longer swimming but walking and soon with a great sound of water running off their sides and tails and with a great crunching of pebbles under eight hoofs, they came out on the farther beach of the inlet. The Tarkaan, to Shasta' s surprise, showed no wish to ask questions. He did not even look at Shasta but seemed anxious to urge his horse straight on. Bree, however,at once shouldered himself in the other horse' s way.

没过多久，两匹马儿就停止游泳，开始踏水而行。才一会儿，在一阵冲过他们腹侧和尾巴的哗啦水声和八只马蹄踏过碎石的嘎嗒嘎嗒声中，他们终于登上了峡湾另一边的海滩。沙斯塔惊愕地发现，那个泰坎竟然无意多询问。他甚至连看都没看沙斯塔一眼，反倒急着催促他的马儿继续往前走。但布里却一个箭步赶上前来，挡住了另一匹马儿的去路。

"Broo-hoo-hah !" he snorted."Steady there !I heard you, I did.There' s no good pretending, Ma' am.I heard you. You' re a Talking Horse, a Narnian horse just like me."

“布噜……呵……哈!”他喷着鼻息说，“别急着走!我听到你说话了，听得一清二楚。没必要再装了，夫人。我已经听到你说话了。你跟我一样，也是一匹会说话的马儿，纳尼亚王国的能言马。”

"What's it got to do with you if she is ?" said the strange rider fiercely, laying hand on sword-hilt. But the voice in which the words were spoken had already told Shasta something.

“就算她会说话，那也不干你的事，”那名陌生的骑士凶巴巴地说，并用手按住剑柄。但她的嗓音却已向沙斯塔透露了一个事实。

"Why, it's only a girl !" he exclaimed.

“哎呀，是个女孩子嘛!”沙斯塔惊呼。

"And what business is it of yours if I am only a girl ?" snapped the stranger. "You're probably only a boy: a rude, common little boy-a slave probably,who' s stolen his master' s horse."

“我是一个女孩子，又关你什么事啊?”陌生人厉声吼道，“你也只是一个男孩子：一个粗鲁、平凡的小男孩，八成还是个偷了主人马匹的奴隶。”

"That's all you know," said Shasta.

“这个你也知道?”沙斯塔说。

"He's not a thief, little Tarkheena," said Bree. "At least, if there' s been any stealing, you might just as well say I stole him. And as for its not being my business,you wouldn' t expect me to pass a lady of my own race in this strange country without speaking to her ? It' s only natural I should."

“这位泰坎希娜(女泰坎)，他不是小偷，”布里说，“至少，就算真有谁偷了东西，那也该说是我偷走了他。再说，这虽然不关我的事，但你总不会以为，我在异国路上碰到一位女同胞，竟然连话都不跟她说一声就匆匆走开吧。我当然要跟她打个招呼啊，这是天经地义的事嘛。”

"I think it's very natural too," said the mare.

“我也觉得这是天经地义的事。”母马说。

"I wish you'd held your tongue, Hwin, "said the girl. "Look at the trouble you' ve got us into."

“你给我闭嘴，赫温，”女孩说，“看看你给我们惹来什么麻烦。”

"I don't know about trouble," said Shasta. "You can clear off as soon as you like.We shan' t keep you."

“我看不出这有什么好麻烦的，”沙斯塔说，“你要走就快走啊。又没人拦着你。”

"No, you shan't," said the girl.

“你就算想拦也拦不住。”女孩说。

"What quarrelsome creatures these humans are," said Bree to the mare. "They're as bad as mules.Let's try to talk a little sense. I take it,ma' am,your story is the same as mine ? Captured in early youth—years of slavery among the Calormenes ?"

“人类这种动物还真是爱吵架，”布里对母马说，“他们简直就跟骡子一样难缠。别理他们了，我们来好好聊一聊。依我推断，你的身世大概跟我差不多吧?小时候被抓到这儿来，在卡乐门国做了好多年的奴隶，我没猜错吧?”

"Too true,sir," said the mare with a melancholy whinny. "And now, perhaps-escape ?"

“的确是这样，先生。”母马答道，并发出一声忧伤的嘶鸣。“那现在呢，你也许是在逃亡吧?”

"Tell him to mind his own business,Hwin," said the girl.

“叫他少管闲事，赫温。”女孩说。

"No, I won't, Aravis," said the mare putting her ears back. "This is my escape just as much as yours. And I'm sure a noble warhorse like this is not going to betray us. We are trying to escape, to get to Narnia."

“我才不要呢，阿拉维斯，”母马说，耳朵贴向脑后，“又不是只有你一个人在逃亡，我同样也在逃亡啊。而且我相信，像他这样高贵的战马，是绝不会出卖我们的。我们是在逃亡，想逃到纳尼亚王国。”

"And so, of course, are we," said Bree. "Of course you guessed that at once. A little boy in rags riding (or trying to ride) a warhorse at dead of night couldn t mean anything but an escape of some sort. And, if I may say so, a high-born Tarkheena riding alone at night-dressed up in her brother s armour-and very anxious for everyone to mind their own business and ask her no questions-well, if that s not fishy, call me a cob !"

“好，那我告诉你，我们也是一样，”布里说，“这你肯定早就猜到了。一个穿得破破烂烂的小男孩，在三更半夜骑着一匹战马奔驰，这显然是在逃亡。不过呢，请原谅我这么说，一位出身高贵的泰坎希娜，在深夜孤零零地骑马狂奔，身上穿着她兄弟的盔甲，而且还神经兮兮地要大家少管闲事，不准别人问她问题。好，要是其中没有蹊跷的话，那你们就把我叫作做粗活的劣马好了!”

"All right then," said Aravis."You've guessed it. Hwin and I are running away. We are trying to get to Narnia. And now, what about it ?"

“那好吧，”阿拉维斯说，“被你猜中了。赫温和我的确是逃家了。我们想要到纳尼亚去。好了，那你说你到底想怎么样?”

"Why, in that case, what is to prevent us all going together ?" said Bree."I trust, Madam Hwin, you will accept such assistance and protection as I may be able to give you on the journey ?"

“哎呀，既然这样的话，那我们为什么不干脆一块儿走呢?”布里说，“我相信，赫温夫人呐，你应该会愿意接受我这份心意，让我在路上帮助你、保护你吧?”

"Why do you keep talking to my horse instead of to me ?"asked the girl.

“你干吗老是不理我，反倒去跟我的马儿说话呀?”女孩问道。

"Excuse me, Tarkheena," said Bree (with just the slightest backward tilt of his ears), "but that' s Calormene talk. We 're free Narnians,Hwin and I,and I suppose,if you re running away to Narnia, you want to be one too. In that case Hwin isn t your horse any longer.One might just as well say you re her human."

“对不起，泰坎希娜，”布里说，耳朵微微歪向后方，“但这是只有卡乐门国的人才会说的话。赫温和我可是自由的纳尼亚子民呐，而我猜想，既然你现在是要逃到纳尼亚王国，那就表示你自己也想做个纳尼亚人。这样的话，赫温就不再是你的马儿了。说不定还会有人说你是她的人呢。”

The girl opened her mouth to speak and then stopped. Obviously she had not quite seen it in that light before.

女孩张开嘴想说些什么，但接着又闭上嘴。显然，她过去从来没想到过这些。

"Still," she said after a moment's pause,"I don't know that there s so much point in all going together. Aren t we more likely to be noticed ?"

“但事情还是一样，”过了一会儿她又开口说，“我看不出我们一起走有什么好处。这样不是更容易引人注目吗?”

"Less," said Bree;and the mare said,"Oh do let's. I should feel much more comfortable. We re not even certain of the way.I m sure a great charger like this knows far more than we do."

“正好相反。”布里说，母马也说：“喔，拜托让我们一起走吧。这样我会觉得放心多了。我们甚至连该走哪条路都搞不清。我相信像他这样杰出的战马，一定比我们懂得多了。”

"Oh come on, Bree," said Shasta, "and let them go their own way.Can t you see they don t want us ?"

“喔，好了啦，布里，”沙斯塔说，“就让她们自己走算了。难道你还看不出，她们根本不想跟我们一起走吗?”

"We do," said Hwin.”

“我们想啊!”赫温说。

"Look here," said the girl. "I don't mind going with you, Mr.War-Horse,but what about this boy ?How do I know he s not a spy ?"

“听着，”女孩说，“我是不反对跟你一起走，战马先生，但这个男孩呢?我怎么知道他会不会是奸细?”

"Why don't you say at once that you think I'm not good enough for you ?"said Shasta.

“你凭什么一眼就认定我会对你不利?”沙斯塔说。

"Be quiet, Shasta," said Bree. "The Tarkheena's question is quite reasonable. I ll vouch for the boy, Tarkheena. He s been true to me and a good friend. And he s certainly either a Narnian or an Archenlander."

“安静，沙斯塔，”布里说，“泰坎希娜的疑问相当合理。我可以替这个男孩做担保，泰坎希娜。他是我的好朋友，对我一直都非常忠实真诚。而且照我看来，他要不是纳尼亚人，就一定是阿钦兰人。”

"All right, then. Let's go together. " But she didn't say anything to Shasta and it was obvious that she wanted Bree, not him.

“那好吧。我们就一起走好了。”但她还是没跟沙斯塔说话，很明显，她愿意跟布里一起走，却懒得理会沙斯塔。

"Splendid !" said Bree. "And now that we've got the water between us and those dreadful animals, what about you two humans taking off our saddles and our all having a rest and hearing one another' s stories."

“太棒了!”布里说，“现在隔了一道海湾，那头可怕的野兽就抓不到我们了，所以呢，现在请你们这两位人类替我们把马鞍卸下来，大家休息一会儿，好好聊一聊，彼此认识一下。”

Both the children unsaddled their horses and the horses had a little grass and Aravis produced rather nice things to eat from her saddle-bag ? But Shasta sulked and said No thanks, and that he wasn' t hungry. And he tried to put on what he thought very grand and stiff manners, but as a fisherman' s but is not usually a good place for learning grand manners, the result was dreadful. And he half knew that it wasn' t a success and then became sulkier and more awkward than ever. Meanwhile the two horses were getting on splendidly. They remembered the very same places in Narnia-"the grasslands up above Beaversdam"and found that they were some sort of second cousins once removed. This made things more and more uncomfortable for the humans until at last Bree said, "And now, Tarkheena, tell us your story. And don' t hurry it-I' m feeling comfortable now."

两个孩子各自替他们的马儿卸下马鞍，两头马儿吃了一点儿青草，阿拉维斯也从她的马鞍袋里取出一些相当美味的食物来。但沙斯塔现在正生着闷气，因此他只是逞强地说谢谢，不用客气，他一点儿也不饿。然后故意抬头挺胸，努力摆出一副他自认为最威严、最高贵的高尚风度，但可惜的是，渔夫住的小屋通常并不是学习高尚风度的好地方，所以结果可想而知。他心里也有些意识到自己的表现有多糟糕，这让他的心情变得更加闷闷不乐，举止也显得比先前更加笨拙。但两匹马儿却聊得兴高采烈，交情越来越好了。他们一起回忆纳尼亚王国的情景，都对一些同样的地方念念不忘：“海狸水坝”上面那片牧草地，还发现他们竟然是远房表亲。这种情形使两个人类感到越来越不自在，最后布里终于开口说：“好了，泰坎希娜，跟我们说说你的故事吧。不用讲得太快，我现在觉得很舒服，可以慢慢听你说。”

Aravis immediately began,sitting quite still and using a rather different tone and style from her usual one.For in Calormen,story-telling (whether the stories are true or made up) is a thing you're taught,just as English boys and girls are taught essay-writing.The difference is that people want to hear the stories,whereas I never heard of anyone who wanted to read the essays.

阿拉维斯立刻开始述说，她马上把身子坐得挺直，不论是语气声调，或是遣词用句，都变得跟平常很不一样。这是因为在卡乐门王国中，说故事是一项必修课，不管故事是真的还是杜撰的，就跟英国的小男孩和小女孩得学写作文一样。不同的是，大家都喜欢听故事，但我可从来没听说有哪个人想要读作文的。