《能言马与男孩》 第三章 到达塔什班城
第三章 到达塔什班城
"MY name," said the girl at once, "is Aravis Tarkheena and I am the only daughter of Kidrash Tarkaan, the son of Rishti Tarkaan, the son of Kidrash Tarkaan, the son of Ilsombreh Tisroc, the son of Ardeeb Tisroc who was descended in a right line from the god Tash. My father is the lord of the province of Calavar and is one who has the right of standing on his feet in his shoes before the face of Tisroc himself (may he live for ever). My mother (on whom be the peace of the gods) is dead and my father has married another wife. One of my brothers has fallen in battle against the rebels in the far west and the other is a child. Now it came to pass that my father' s wife, my stepmother, hated me, and the sun appeared dark in her eyes as long as I lived in my father' s house. And so she persuaded my father to promise me in marriage to Ahoshta Tarkaan. Now this Ahoshta is of base birth, though in these latter years he has won the favour of the Tisroc (may he live for ever) by flattery and evil counsels,and is now made a Tarkaan and the lord of many cities and is likely to be chosen as the Grand Vizier when the present Grand Vizier dies. Moreover he is at least sixty years old and has a hump on his back and his face resembles that of an ape. Nevertheless my father, because of the wealth and power of this Ahoshta, and being persuaded by his wife, sent messengers offering me in marriage, and the offer was favourably accepted and Ahoshta sent word that he would marry me this very year at the time of high summer.
“我的名字，”女孩立刻开口说，“叫做阿拉维斯泰坎希娜，我是齐拉希泰坎的独生女。他的父亲是李西堤泰坎，祖父是齐拉希泰坎，曾祖是艾索瑞太洛帝，而曾曾祖则是身为塔什神嫡系子裔的亚狄太洛帝。
我的父亲是卡拉华省的领主，同时也是少数不用在太洛帝面前屈膝跪拜的重臣之一，愿吾皇万寿无疆。我的母亲早已过世，愿她在神的怀抱中安息，我的父亲又娶了另一名女子为妻。
我有一个哥哥在遥远的北方对抗叛军时，不幸在战场上为国捐躯，而我其他兄弟的年纪都还很小。现在该提到我父亲的新妻子了，我的后母痛恨我，只要我住在父亲家中，在她眼中甚至连太阳都变得黯淡无光。
于是她劝我父亲把我嫁给艾好大泰坎。这个艾好大出身卑微，但近几年来靠拍马屁和进谗言博得了太洛帝的宠爱，愿吾皇万寿无疆，现在艾好大已受封为泰坎，也是名下拥有众多城市的大领主，而且很可能在目前的首相去世之后接替他的位子。
可是他少说也有六十岁了，背上还有个丑陋的驼峰，脸孔长得活像是一只大猩猩。但我的父亲却看中艾好大的财富和权势，再加上他的新妻子在一旁煽动，于是他派遣使者去向艾好大表示，想要将我许配给他，艾好大欢天喜地地答应了这门婚事，并派使者告诉我父亲，他将在今年仲夏时前来迎娶。
"When this news was brought to me the sun appeared dark in my eyes and I laid myself on my bed and wept for a day.But on the second day I rose up and washed my face and caused my mare Hwin to be saddled and took with me a sharp dagger which my brother had carried in the western wars and rode out alone. And when my father' s house was out of sight and I was come to a green open place in a certain wood where there were no dwellings of men,I dismounted from Hwin my mare and took out the dagger. Then I parted my clothes where I thought the readiest way lay to my heart and I prayed to all the gods that as soon as I was dead I might find myself with my brother. After that I shut my eyes and my teeth and prepared to drive the dagger into my heart.But before I had done so,this mare spoke with the voice of one of the daughters of men and said,"O my mistress,do not by any means destroy yourself,for if you live you may yet have good fortune but all the dead are dead alike."
这个消息传到我耳中，对我来说简直是晴天霹雳，我躺在床上哭了一整天。到了第二天，我就站起来，把脸洗干净，替我的母马赫温套上鞍具，带着一把我哥哥曾在西方战场上使用过的锋利匕首，独自骑马离开家门。
到了完全看不到我父亲房子的地方，踏入一片宽敞碧绿的林中空地，我就从母马赫温身上跳下来，取出匕首。然后用刀锋顶住我认为最接近心脏的部位，将我的衣衫割破，祈求天上所有神明，让我在死去之后能与哥哥重逢。然后我就闭上眼睛，咬紧牙关，准备将匕首刺入心脏。就在我下手之前，这只母马突然用人类少女的声音开口说：‘喔，我的主人啊，你可千万不要寻死啊，留得青山在，不怕没柴烧，只要活着就有希望找到幸福，但如果死了就一切都完了。’”
"I didn't say it half so well as that," muttered the mare.
“我才没说得那么好呢。”赫温嘟囔着说。
"Hush,Ma'am,hush," said Bree,who was thoroughly enjoying the story. "She's telling it in the grand Calormene manner and no story-teller in a Tisroc' s court could do it better. Pray go on,Tarkheena."
“嘘，夫人，别打岔，”布里说，这个故事让他听得十分入迷，“她是用华丽的卡乐门叙事风格述说这个故事，就算是太洛帝宫中的御用说书人，也不会说得比她更好。拜托你快点讲下去，泰坎希娜。”
"When I heard the language of men uttered by my mare," continued Aravis, "I said to myself the fear of death has disordered my reason and subjected me to delusions.And I became full of shame for none of my lineage ought to fear death more than the biting of a gnat. Therefore I addressed myself a second time to the stabbing,but Hwin came near to me and put her head in between me and the dagger and discoursed to me most excellent reasons and rebuked me as a mother rebukes her daughter. And now my wonder was so great that I forgot about killing myself and about Ahoshta and said, 'O my mare,how have you learned to speak like one of the daughters of men ? ' And Hwin told me what is known to all this company,that in Narnia there are beasts that talk,and how she herself was stolen from thence when she was a little foal.She told me also of the woods and waters of Narnia and the castles and the great ships,till I said, 'In the name of Tash and Azaroth and Zardeenah Lady of the Night,I have a great wish to be in that country of Narnia. 'O my mistress,' answered the mare, 'if you were in Narnia you would be happy,for in that land no maiden is forced to marry against her will.
“当我听到我的母马竟然口吐人言时，”阿拉维斯继续说，“我告诉自己，死亡的恐惧已让我失去理智，因而产生了错觉。我感到万分羞愧，因为我们家族向来都是把生死置之度外，死亡对我们来说就像蚊子叮咬一样，没人会放在心上。于是我又再度抓紧匕首，用力往下刺，但赫温却连忙赶过来，把头塞到我胸前，挡住了匕首，苦口婆心地劝我不要寻死，并像母亲责怪女儿般地骂我不懂事。我实在太惊讶，完全忘了要自杀，甚至把艾好大的事情都抛到九霄云外，只是急急追问她：‘喔，我的马儿呀，你是怎么学会用人类少女的声音说话的呢?’于是她对我透露你们都已经知晓的事情，告诉我在纳尼亚王国有许多会说话的动物，当她还是一匹小马的时候，就不幸被人偷走，被迫离开了家乡。她同时也给我描绘纳尼亚王国的幽深树林与湖泊河流，还有那里高耸的城堡与雄伟的大船，最后我忍不住说：‘我以塔什神、阿札罗神，以及夜之女神茶迪娜等诸神的圣名起誓，我极度渴望能生活在那个国家。’‘我的主人啊，’马儿答道，‘你在纳尼亚王国一定会过得十分幸福快乐，因为在那儿没有人会强迫女孩子嫁给她们不爱的人。’”
"And when we had talked together for a great time hope returned to me and I rejoiced that I had not killed myself. Moreover it was agreed between Hwin and me that we should steal ourselves away together and we planned it in this fashion. We returned to my father s house and I put on my gayest clothes and sang and danced before my father and pretended to be delighted with the marriage which he had prepared for me. Also I said to him, 'O my father and O the delight of my eyes,give me your licence and permission to go with one of my maidens alone for three days into the woods to do secret sacrifices to Zardeenah,Lady of the Night and of Maidens,as is proper and customary for damsels when they must bid farewell to the service of Zardeenah and prepare themselves for marriage. ' And he answered, 'O my daughter and O the delight of my eyes,so shall it be.
“我们就这样谈了许久，我心中又再度燃起了希望，并暗自庆幸自己没有自杀成功。然后我跟赫温约好一起偷偷溜走，并拟定了一个计划。我们先回到我父亲家，换上我最鲜艳华丽的衣裳，在父亲面前开心地歌唱舞蹈，假装对他安排的这门亲事感到十分满意。同时我还对他说：‘喔，我最敬爱的父亲啊，请允许我带一名侍女独自到森林里待上三天，在那里举行秘密祭典，祭拜夜之女神与少女的守护神茶迪娜。’按照习俗，这是每个少女在即将嫁为人妇，脱离茶迪娜庇护时所应尽的礼节。而他答道：‘喔，我最心爱的女儿啊，该做的你就去做吧。’”
"But when I came out from the presence of my father I went immediately to the oldest of his slaves,his secretary,who had dandled me on his knees when I was a baby and loved me more than the air and the light. And I swore him to be secret and begged him to write a certain letter for me. And he wept and implored me to change my resolution but in the end he said, 'To hear is to obey,' and did all my will. And I sealed the letter and hid it in my bosom."
“但我一离开父亲，就赶紧去找他最年老的一名奴隶，也就是他的秘书。当我还在襁褓中的时候，他常把我抱在膝上逗我玩耍，在他眼中，我甚至比空气与阳光还要珍贵。我要他发誓替我保密，哀求他替我写一封信。他听了不禁老泪纵横，苦苦哀求我改变心意，但最后还是拗不过我，只好说：‘属下遵命’，并完全照我的意思去做。我把信封好，藏在怀中。”
"But what was in the letter ?" asked Shasta.
“信里写了些什么啊?”沙斯塔问道。
"Be quiet, youngster," said Bree."You're spoiling the story. She'll tell us all about the letter in the right place. Go on, Tarkheena."
“安静，小伙子，”布里说，“你这样会破坏听故事的乐趣。她待会儿就会在适当的时候对我们透露信件的内容。赶快再继续说下去吧，泰坎希娜。”
"Then I called the maid who was to go with me to the woods and perform the rites of Zardeenah and told her to wake me very early in the morning. And I became merry with her and gave her wine to drink;but I had mixed such things in her cup that I knew she must sleep for a night and a day. As soon as the household of my father had committed themselves to sleep I arose and put on an armour of my brother s which I always kept in my chamber in his memory. I put into my girdle all the money I had and certain choice jewels and provided myself also with food, and saddled the mare with my own hands and rode away in the second watch of the night. I directed my course not to the woods where my father supposed that I would go but north and east to Tashbaan.
“然后我把那名要跟我一起去祭拜茶迪娜的侍女召过来，吩咐她一大早就唤我起床。我故意在她面前强颜欢笑，并赏她酒喝;但我暗地里在她的杯子里下药，这样她就会昏睡一天一夜。等我父亲家里的人全都入睡之后，我就立刻爬下床，穿上我哥哥留下的一副盔甲，他死后我一直把它留在房中作为纪念。我把自己的财产和一些高级珠宝塞进腰带，另外也替自己准备了些食物，然后亲手替马儿套上鞍具，在午夜过后第二班守门人换岗时骑马离开家门。我并未走向父亲以为我会前往的树林，而是朝东北方出发前往塔什班。
"Now for three days and more I knew that my father would not seek me, being deceived by the words I had said to him. And on the fourth day we arrived at the city of Azim Balda. Now Azim Balda stands at the meeting of many roads and from it the posts of the Tisroc (may he live for ever) ride on swift horses to every part of the empire: and it is one of the rights and privileges of the greater Tarkaans to send messages by them. I therefore went to the Chief of the Messengers in the House of Imperial Posts in Azim Balda and said, 'O dispatcher of messages, here is a letter from my uncle Ahoshta Tarkaan to Kidrash Tarkaan lord of Calavar. Take now these five crescents and cause it to be sent to him. ' And the Chief of the Messengers said, 'To hear is to obey.
我知道父亲会相信我的谎言，因此他在三天之内并不会来寻找我。而在第四天，我们到达了阿齐姆•巴尔达城。阿齐姆•巴尔达位于众多道路的交会点，太洛帝，愿吾皇万寿无疆，在此建了邮务中心，信差可以利用这个绝佳位置，快马加鞭地将讯息传送到帝国各个角落，而身份高贵的泰坎享有派遣他们送信的特权。因此我前往阿齐姆•巴尔达城的皇家邮局，直接去找邮务长，告诉他：‘喔，帝国的邮件总管啊，这里有一封我叔父艾好大泰坎，要寄给卡拉华省领主齐拉希泰坎的信函。收下这五枚克利申，将这封信安全送达他手中。’邮务局长答道：‘属下遵命。’
"This letter was feigned to be written by Ahoshta and this was the signification of the writing:'Ahoshta Tarkaan to Kidrash Tarkaan, salutation and peace. In the name of Tash the irresistible, the inexorable. Be it known to you that as I made my journey towards your house to perform the contract of marriage between me and your daughter Aravis Tarkheena, it pleased
这封信是假冒艾好大的手笔，内容大约如下：‘艾好大泰坎奉神威无敌且铁面无私的塔什神之圣名，谨在此向齐拉希泰坎问候致意，并祝福阁下福寿安康。在此禀告阁下，在我前往阁下领土，履行我与阁下之女阿拉维斯泰坎希娜的婚约途中，由于诸神的眷顾，我有幸与她在树林中巧遇，在此禀告阁下，在我前往阁下领土，履行我与阁下之女阿拉维斯泰坎希娜的婚约途中，由于诸神的眷顾，我有幸与她在树林中巧遇，
fortune and the gods that I fell in with her in the forest when she had ended the rites and sacrifices of Zardeenah according to the custom of maidens. And when I learned who she was, being delighted with her beauty and discretion, I became inflamed with love and it appeared to me that the sun would be dark to me if I did not marry her at once. Accordingly I prepared the necessary sacrifices and married your daughter the same hour that I met her and have returned with her to my own house. And we both pray and charge you to come hither as speedily as you may that we may be delighted with your face and speech; and also that you may bring with you the dowry of my wife, which, by reason of my great charges and expenses, I require without delay. And because thou and I are brothers I assure myself that you will not be angered by the haste of my marriage which is wholly occasioned by the great love I bear your daughter.And I commit you to the care of all the gods. '
当时她依照少女婚嫁前的习俗，刚完成祭拜茶迪娜女神的仪式。当我知晓她的真实身份，而她的美貌端庄又令我大为倾倒，心中立刻燃起了熊熊爱火，我感到，若是不能立刻与她成婚，太阳将变得黯无光彩。因此在我巧遇阁下女儿的一个时辰之内，就举行了必要的仪式，将她迎娶过门，并带她返回我的家乡。我们夫妻俩都十分渴望阁下能尽快赶到此地，使我俩有幸亲睹慈颜并聆听教诲;同时也请阁下将我妻子的嫁妆一并带过来，因为我必须负担庞大的开销，希望阁下切莫搁延推托。此外，基于我与阁下长久的兄弟情谊，我相信阁下并不会因我们仓促成婚而大发雷霆，因为这完全是出于我对贵千金的浓烈的爱。我在此诚心祈祷阁下能获得诸神的眷顾。’
"As soon as I had done this I rode on in all haste from Azim Balda, fearing no pursuit and expecting that my father,having received such a letter, would send messages to Ahoshta or go to him himself, and that before the matter was discovered I should be beyond Tashbaan. And that is the pith of my story until this very night when I was chased by lions and met you at the swimming of the salt water.
我一处理完这件事，就立刻离开阿齐姆•巴尔达城，此时我已不再害怕会被人追捕，并暗自盼望我父亲在收到这样一封信以后，会派遣使者去找艾好大，或是亲自跑一趟，这样等事情败露时，我早已通过塔什班远走高飞了。以上就是我过去生活事迹的概略，然后我们就在惨遭狮子追逐，游过海水的那天晚上与你们相遇。”
"And what happened to the girl—the one you drugged ?" asked Shasta.
“但那个女孩子后来怎么样了……就是那个被你下药昏睡过去的女孩?”沙斯塔问道。
"Doubtless she was beaten for sleeping late," said Aravis coolly. "But she was a tool and spy of my stepmother's.I am very glad they should beat her."
“想必会因为睡过头而被毒打一顿，”阿拉维斯冷酷地说，“不过她本来就是我后母派过来监视我的奸细。她挨打是活该，打得越重我越高兴。”
"I say, that was hardly fair," said Shasta.
“哎呀，我觉得那真的很不公平。”沙斯塔说。
"I did not do any of these things for the sake of pleasing you," said Aravis.
“哼，我才懒得管你怎么想呢。”阿拉维斯说。
"And there's another thing I don't understand about that story," said Shasta. "You're not grown up,I don't believe you're any older than I am.I don't believe you're as old.How could you be getting married at your age ?"
“而且这故事还有个让我觉得完全说不通的地方，”沙斯塔说，“你还没长大呢，我看你不会比我大多少。不对，我看你年纪根本比我还要小。你这么小怎么可以结婚呢?”
Aravis said nothing,but Bree at once said, "Shasta,don't display your ignorance.They' re always married at that age in the great Tarkaan families."
阿拉维斯什么也没说，但布里却立刻开口解释：“沙斯塔，干吗暴露你的无知呢，地位较高的泰坎家庭，本来就是在这种年纪结婚的啊。”
Shasta turned very red (though it was hardly light enough for the others to see this) and felt snubbed. Aravis asked Bree for his story.Bree told it,and Shasta thought that he put in a great deal more than he needed about the falls and the bad riding.Bree obviously thought it very funny,but Aravis did not laugh.When Bree had finished they all went to sleep.
沙斯塔的脸涨得通红，幸好四周的光线非常黯淡，其他人都没发现，他觉得自己受到奚落。阿拉维斯请布里述说他的故事。布里开始述说，而沙斯塔越听越不自在，觉得布里实在花太多时间来描绘沙斯塔差劲的骑术和摔跤的惨状。布里显然是觉得这样很好玩，但阿拉维斯却依然板着一张脸，从头到尾没笑过一声。等布里说完之后，他们全都沉沉睡去了。
Next day all four of them ,two horses and two humans, continued their journey together.Shasta thought it had been much pleasanter when he and Bree were on their own.For now it was Bree and Aravis who did nearly all the talking.Bree had lived a long time in Calormen and had always been among Tarkaans and Tarkaans' horses, and so of course he knew a great many of the same people and places that Aravis knew. She would always be saying things like,"But if you were at the fight of Zulindreh you would have seen my cousin Alimash,"and Bree would answer,
第二天，他们四个，也就是两匹马儿和两个人类，再度踏上了他们的旅程。沙斯塔感到，还是他和布里两个一起走的时候比较愉快。因为现在主要都是布里和阿拉维斯在聊天，别人根本就插不上嘴。布里在卡乐门王国住了很长的一段日子，总是跟泰坎们和他们的战马们待在一块儿，因此他自然跟阿拉维斯有许多共同认识的人和共同去过的地方。她每隔一阵子就会这么说：“要是你参加过祖林德战役，那你一定见过我的艾立马表哥。”而布里就会答道：
"Oh, yes, Alimash, he was only captain of the chariots, you know. I don' t quite hold with chariots or the kind of horses who draw chariots. That's not real cavalry. But he is a worthy nobleman. He filled my nosebag with sugar after the taking of Teebeth." Or else Bree would say, "I was down at the lake of Mezreel that summer," and Aravis would say, "Oh, Mezreel! I had a friend there, Lasaraleen Tarkheena. What a delightful place it is. Those gardens, and the Valley of the Thousand Perfumes !" Bree was not in the least trying to leave Shasta out of things, though Shasta sometimes nearly thought he was. People who know a lot of the same things can hardly help talking about them, and if you' re there you can hardly help feeling that you' re out of it.
“喔，没错，艾立马，他是战车部队的队长。但我对所谓的战车部队和那些拉战车的马儿，说实话并不是很赞同。他们根本就不能算是真正的骑兵队。不过呢，他倒算是一位相当令人钦佩的贵族。在我们攻下踢北城以后，他在我的粮秣袋里装满了糖呢。”要不然就是布里提起：“那年夏天我待在梅蕊湖边。”而阿拉维斯就会接口说：“喔，梅蕊!我有个朋友就住在那儿，她叫雷莎琳泰坎希娜。那真是个令人愉快的好地方。那些花园，还有那令人流连忘返的‘千香谷’!”布里完全无意要将沙斯塔排除在外，但沙斯塔有时还是会觉得，布里根本就是故意要冷落他。有共同话题的人总是会忍不住说个不停，而你若是在场的话，同样也会感到自己受到了冷落。
Hwin the mare was rather shy before a great warhorse like Bree and said very little. And Aravis never spoke to Shasta at all if she could help it.
母马赫温在像布里这样的战马面前是害羞沉默多了。至于阿拉维斯呢，她根本就不想跟沙斯塔说话。
Soon, however, they had more important things to think of. They were getting near Tashbaan. There were more, and larger, villages, and more people on the roads. They now did nearly all their travelling by night and hid as best they could during the day. And at every halt they argued and argued about what they were to do when they reached Tashbaan. Everyone had been putting off this difficulty, but now it could be put off no longer. During these discussions Aravis became a little, a very little, less unfriendly to Shasta;one usually gets on better with people when one is making plans than when one is talking about nothing in particular.
不过呢，他们很快就得考虑一些更重要的问题。他们越来越接近塔什班了。
途中经过的村庄变得越来越多，规模也越来越大，而路上遇见人的概率也随之大幅增加。于是，他们白天就尽量躲起来，等到天黑以后才继续赶路。每次一停下来休息，他们就开始你一言我一语地说个不停，争论到了塔什班以后究竟该怎么做。在这之前，每个人都刻意避开这个难题，但现在已没办法再逃避下去了。
大家在进行讨论的时候，阿拉维斯对沙斯塔的态度会稍稍地好一些。人通常是在讨论重要的事情时比漫无目的地闲聊时要容易相处。
Bree said the first thing now to do was to fix a place where they would all promise to meet on the far side of Tashbaan even if, by any ill luck, they got separated in passing the city. He said the best place would be the Tombs of the Ancient Kings on the very edge of the desert. "Things like great stone beehives”he said,
布里表示，他们现在的首要要务，就是约好一个地点，万一大家不幸在通过城市时失散了的话，都可以各自按照约定到塔什班另一端去跟其他人会合。他认为最适当的地点，就是位于沙漠边缘的“古帝王墓”。“那儿就像是巨大的石头蜂窝，”他说，
"you can't possibly miss them. And the best of it is that none of the Calormenes will go near them because they think the place is haunted by ghouls and are afraid of it."Aravis asked if it wasn' t really haunted by ghouls. But Bree said he was a free Narnian horse and didn' t believe in these Calormene tales. And then Shasta said he wasn' t a Calormene either and didn' t care a straw about these old stories of ghouls. This wasn' t quite true. But it rather impressed Aravis (though at the moment it annoyed her too) and of course she said she didn' t mind any number of ghouls either. So it was settled that the Tombs should be their assembly place on the other side of Tashbaan, and everyone felt they were getting on very well till Hwin humbly pointed out that the real problem was not where they should go when they had got through Tashbaan but how they were to get through it.
“一眼就会注意到那儿。而那儿最大的优点就是卡乐门王国的人绝对不敢靠近那儿，他们认为那儿有恶灵作祟，怕得要死呢。”
阿拉维斯问布里，那里是否真的闹鬼。布里却很了不起地表示，他可是自由的纳尼亚马儿，才不信卡乐门这一套呢。接着沙斯塔也表示，他也不是卡乐门王国的人，才不会相信什么恶灵作祟的无稽之谈呢。这当然不是实话，但这句宣言让阿拉维斯对沙斯塔感到相当佩服，但同时也觉得很不高兴，所以只好硬着头皮说，不管那儿有多少恶灵，她全都不放在心上。
于是事情就这么决定了，大家把“古帝王墓”定为到达塔什班另一端以后的会合地点，然后他们一下子全都觉得轻松了许多，感到事情几乎全都解决了。但接着赫温就用十分谦逊的态度指出，他们真正的问题，并不是他们通过塔什班以后该到哪里会合，而是该如何通过那个城市。
"We'll settle that tomorrow,Ma'am," said Bree. "Time for a little sleep now."
“这等明天再想办法，夫人，”布里说，“现在该睡了。”
But it wasn' t easy to settle. Aravis' s first suggestion was that they should swim across the river below the city during the night and not go into Tashbaan at all. But Bree had two reasons against this. One was that the river-mouth was very wide and it would be far too long a swim for Hwin to do,especially with a rider on her back. (He thought it would be too long for himself too, but he said much less about that). The other was that it would be full of shipping and of course anyone on the deck of a ship who saw two horses swimming past would be almost certain to be inquisitive.
但这个办法并不好想。阿拉维斯最初的提议是，他们干脆趁夜摸黑跳进河里，从城市下方游过去，这样就根本不用踏入塔什班一步。但布里提出两个理由反驳她。首先呢，河口实在太宽阔，赫温本来就没办法游那么远，而且背上还得载一个人。其实连他自己也没办法游那么远，但他却刻意避开这一点不提。还有呢，河面上到处都是船只，只要有人在甲板上看到，居然有两匹马游过河面，必定会起疑，非得追究个水落石出不可。
Shasta thought they should go up the river above Tashbaan and cross it where it was narrower. But Bree explained that there were gardens and pleasure houses on both banks of the river for miles and that there would be Tarkaans and Tarkheenas living in them and riding about the roads and having water parties on the river. In fact it would be the most likely place in the world for meeting someone who would recognize Aravis or even himself.
沙斯塔则认为，他们应该沿着河流走到塔什班上方，找个河面较窄的地方游过去。但布里对他解释，那儿的河流两岸，有着长达数里的花园和游乐中心，有许多泰坎和泰坎希娜在那里寻欢作乐，他们常常会骑马在道路上奔驰，要不然就是在河面上举行水上宴会。事实上，那里可算是阿拉维斯和他最容易被人认出来的地方。
"We' ll have to have a disguise,"said Shasta. Hwin said it looked to her as if the safest thing was to go right through the city itself from gate to gate because one was less likely to be noticed in the crowd. But she approved of the idea of disguise as well. She said, "both the human will have to dress in rags and look like peasants or slaves And all Aravis' s armour and our saddles and things must be made into bundles and put on our backs, and the children must pretend to drive us and people will think we' re on pack-horses."
“那我们就得乔装打扮了。”沙斯塔说。“那我们就得乔装打扮了。”沙斯塔说。
赫温表示，在她看来最安全的方法就是直接从城门走过去，因为挤在人群中，比较不容易引起注意。但她也觉得乔装打扮是个好主意。
她说：“他们两个人都得穿得破破烂烂的，打扮成乡下人或是奴隶的模样。而阿拉维斯的盔甲、我们的鞍具和其他配备，都得装进包裹里，放在我们背上，这样孩子们只要假装牵着我们走，别人就会以为我们只是运货的驮马了。”
"My dear Hwin !" said Aravis rather scornfully. "As if anyone could mistake Bree for anything but a warhors however you disguised him !"
“我亲爱的赫温!”阿拉维斯用一种相当不屑的语气说，“不管你怎么替布里乔装改扮，大家还是一眼就可以看出他是一匹战马!”
"I should think not, indeed," said Bree, snorting an letting his ears go ever so little back.
“老实说，我也觉得这主意行不通，”布里喷着鼻息说，耳朵微微倾向后方。
"I know it's not a very good plan," said Hwin."But I think it' s our only chance. And we haven' t been groomed for ages and we' re not looking quite ourselves (at least, I' m sure I' m not). I do think if we get well plastered with mud and go along with our heads down as if we' re tired and lazy-and don' t lift our hooves hardly at all-we might not be noticed. And our tails ought to be cut shorter: not neatly, you know, but all ragged. "
“我也觉得，这并不是一个非常好的计划，”赫温说，“但我认为这是我们唯一的机会。况且，我们已经有好久没梳理皮毛了，我们的外表已不再像以前那么光鲜亮丽，至少我确定自己是如此。我真的认为，只要我们在身上涂满污泥，走路时低着头，装出一副又累又懒的模样，并且脚步放重一些，故意拖着脚走，大概就不会有人注意到我们。还有，我们的尾巴也得修短一点儿：不能剪得太整齐，你们懂吧，得把毛弄得参差不齐，像狗啃的才行。”
"My dear Madam," said Bree. "Have you pictured to yourself how very disagreeable it would be to arrive in Narnia in that condition ?"
“我亲爱的夫人，”布里说，“你难道没想过，要是以那副德行踏入纳尼亚王国，那会有多狼狈、多丢人吗?”
"Well/said Hwin humbly (she was a very sensible mare), "the main thing is to get there."
“这个嘛，”赫温谦逊地表示，她是一匹非常明理的母马，“最重要的还是先到达那里，其他的再说吧。”
Though nobody much liked it, it was Hwin' s plan which had to be adopted in the end. It was a troublesome one and involved a certain amount of what Shasta called stealing, and Bree called,raiding". One farm lost a few sacks that evening and another lost a coil of rope the next: but some tattered old boy' s clothes for Aravis to wear had to be fairly bought and paid for in a village. Shasta returned with them in triumph just as evening was closing in. The others were waiting for him among the trees at the foot of a low range of wooded hills which lay right across their path.Everyone was feeling excited because this was the last hill; when they reached the ridge at the top they would be looking down on Tashbaan.,I do wish we were safely past it,"muttered Shasta to Hwin.,Oh I do, I do,"said Hwin fervently.
虽然大家都不太喜欢这种做法，但最后还是不得不采用赫温的计划。这个计划执行起来相当麻烦，而且还牵涉到一种沙斯塔称之为偷窃，而布里美其名为“突袭”的行动。今天晚上有个村庄掉了几个袋子，明天又有另一个村庄不见了一捆绳索;但要给阿拉维斯穿的破烂旧男孩衣服，还是得到村子里花钱去买。沙斯塔在天黑时得意洋洋地抱着衣服凯旋。他途中必须穿越一连串林木丛生的低矮山丘，而其他人此时就躲在山脚下的树林中等待沙斯塔。大家都感到非常兴奋，因为现在只要再越过一座山丘，就可以到达目的地;等他们一登上这座山丘的峰顶，就可以低头俯瞰塔什班了。“我真希望我们能安全通过那座城市。”沙斯塔轻声跟赫温说。“喔，我也是，我也是，”赫温热烈附和。
That night they wound their way through the woods up to the ridge by a wood—cutter' s track.And when they came out of the woods at the top they could see thousands of lights in the valley down below them. Shasta had had no notion of what a great city would be like and it frightened him. They had their supper and the children got some sleep. But the horses woke them very early in the morning.
那天晚上，他们沿着一条樵夫劈出的蜿蜒小径，穿越树林爬上山坡。他们一登上山顶走出树林，就清楚看到下方谷地中的万家灯火。沙斯塔对于城市究竟是什么模样，完全没有半点儿概念，而眼前的景象让他不禁吓了一跳。吃完晚餐后，两个孩子睡了一会儿。但马儿一大早就把他们叫醒了。
The stars were still out and the grass was terribly cold and wet, but daybreak was just beginning, far to their right across the sea. Aravis went a few steps away into the wood and came back looking odd in her new, ragged clothes and carrying her real ones in a bundle. These, and her armour and shield and scimitar and the two saddles and the rest of the horses' fine furnishings were put into the sacks. Bree and Hwin had already got themselves as dirty and bedraggled as they could and it remained to shorten their tails. As the only tool for doing this was Aravis' s scimitar, one of the packs had to be undone again in order to get it out. It was a longish job and rather hurt the horses.
星星依然高挂天空，草地又湿又冷，但在右边远处的大海尽头，已开始露出一丝曙光。阿拉维斯走到附近的树林中，然后穿着一身破衣裳走出来，看起来有些怪模怪样。她把原来的衣服塞进包裹，而这些衣物，和她的盔甲、盾牌、偃月弯刀、两副鞍具，以及马儿其他所有精美的配备，全都装进了袋子里。布里和赫温已尽可能把自己弄得十分邋遢肮脏，就只剩下尾巴还没修短。由于唯一能用的工具就是阿拉维斯的偃月弯刀，所以他们只好再重新打开袋子，把刀取出来。这件事做起来很费工夫，而且让两匹马儿都痛得半死。
"My word !"said Bree,,if I wasn' t a Talking Horse what a lovely kick in the face I could give you !I thought you were going to cut it, not pull it out.That' s what it feels like."
“哎哟!”布里说，“我要不是一只能言马的话，我真恨不得朝你脸上狠狠踹上一脚!你应该是用刀去割，而不是像这样胡拉乱扯。我觉得你简直就是在用蛮力硬拔啊。”
But in spite of semi—darkness and cold fingers all was done in the end, the big packs bound on the horses, the rope halters (which they were now wearing instead of bridles and reins) in the children' s hands, and the journey began.
虽然四周光线昏暗，大家的手指又冻得发僵，最后总算把一切安排妥当：大袋子安安稳稳地捆在马儿背上，用绳子胡乱绑成的缰绳紧紧握在孩子手中，他们又再度踏上旅程。
"Remember," said Bree. "Keep together if we possibly can. If not, meet at the Tombs of the Ancient Kings, and whoever gets there first must wait for the others."
“大家别忘了，”布里说，“尽量待在一块儿不要分开。要是不幸失散的话，就到古帝王墓那儿会合，先到的人一定要待在那儿，等所有人到齐再走，大家不见不散。”
"And remember,"said Shasta.,Don' t you two horses forget yourselves and start talking, whatever happens."
“还有一点要特别注意，”沙斯塔说，“不管发生任何事，你们两匹马儿都千万别急昏了头，大喇喇地开口说话。”
