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双语·黎明踏浪号 第三章 孤独群岛

所属教程:译林版·黎明踏浪号

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2022年04月22日

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CHAPTER THREE:

THE LONE ISLANDS

“LAND in sight,” shouted the man in the bows.

Lucy, who had been talking to Rhince on the poop, came pattering down the ladder and raced forward. As she went she was joined by Edmund, and they found Caspian, Drinian and Reepicheep already on the forecastle. It was a coldish morning, the sky very pale and the sea very dark blue with little white caps of foam, and there, a little way off on the starboard bow, was the nearest of the Lone Islands, Felimath, like a low green hill in the sea, and behind it, further off, the grey slopes of its sister Doorn.

“Same old Felimath! Same old Doorn,” said Lucy, clapping her hands. “Oh—Edmund, how long it is since you and I saw them last!”

“I’ve never understood why they belong to Narnia,” said Caspian.“Did Peter the High King conquer them?”

“Oh no,” said Edmund. “They were Narnian before our time—in the days of the White Witch.”

(By the way, I have never yet heard how these remote islands became attached to the crown of Narnia; if I ever do, and if the story is at all interesting, I may put it in some other book.)

“Are we to put in here, Sire?” asked Drinian.

“1 shouldn’t think it would be much good landing on Felimath,” said Edmund. “It was almost uninhabited in our days and it looks as if it was the same still. The people lived mostly on Doorn and a little on Avra—that’s the third one; you can’t see it yet. They only kept sheep on Felimath.”

“Then we’ll have to double that cape, I suppose,” said Drinian, “and land on Doorn. That’ll mean rowing.”

“I’m sorry we’re not landing on Felimath,” said Lucy. “I’d like to walk there again. It was so lonely—a nice kind of loneliness, and all grass and clover and soft sea air.”

“I’d love to stretch my legs too,” said Caspian. “I tell you what. Why shouldn’t we go ashore in the boat and send it back, and then we could walk across Felimath and let the Dawn Treader pick us up on the other side?”

If Caspian had been as experienced then as he became later on in this voyage he would not have made this suggestion; but at the moment it seemed an excellent one. “Oh do let’s,” said Lucy.

“You’ll come, will you?” said Caspian to Eustace, who had come on deck with his hand bandaged.

“Anything to get off this blasted boat,” said Eustace.

“Blasted?” said Drinian. “How do you mean?”

“In a civilized country like where I come from,” said Eustace, “the ships are so big that when you’re inside you wouldn’t know you were at sea at all.”

“In that case you might just as well stay ashore,” said Caspian. “Will you tell them to lower the boat, Drinian?”

The King, the Mouse, the two Pevensies, and Eustace all got into the boat and were pulled to the beach of Felimath. When the boat had left them and was being rowed back they all turned and looked round. They were surprised at how small the Dawn Treader looked.

Lucy was of course barefoot, having kicked off her shoes while swimming, but that is no hardship if one is going to walk on downy turf. It was delightful to be ashore again and to smell the earth and grass, even if at first the ground seemed to be pitching up and down like a ship, as it usually does for a while if one has been at sea. It was much warmer here than it had been on board and Lucy found the sand pleasant to her feet as they crossed it. There was a lark singing.

They struck inland and up a fairly steep, though low, hill. At the top of course they looked back, and there was the Dawn Treader shining like a great bright insect and crawling slowly north-westward with her oars. Then they went over the ridge and could see her no longer.

Doorn now lay before them, divided from Felimath by a channel about a mile wide; behind it and to the left lay Avra. The little white town of Narrowhaven on Doorn was easily seen.

“Hullo! What’s this?” said Edmund suddenly.

In the green valley to which they were descending six or seven rough-looking men, all armed, were sitting by a tree.

“Don’t tell them who we are,” said Caspian.

“And pray, your Majesty, why not?” said Reepicheep who had consented to ride on Lucy’s shoulder.

“It just occurred to me,” replied Caspian, “that no one here can have heard from Narnia for a long time. It’s just possible they may not still acknowledge our over-lordship. In which case it might not be quite safe to be known as the King.”

“We have our swords, Sire,” said Reepicheep.

“Yes, Reep, I know we have,” said Caspian. “But if it is a question of re-conquering the three islands, I’d prefer to come back with a rather larger army.”

By this time they were quite close to the strangers, one of whom—a big black-haired fellow—shouted out, “A good morning to you.”

“And a good morning to you,” said Caspian. “Is there still a Governor of the Lone Islands?”

“To be sure there is,” said the man, “Governor Gumpas. His Sufficiency is at Narrowhaven. But you’ll stay and drink with us.”

Caspian thanked him, though neither he nor the others much liked the look of their new acquaintance, and all of them sat down. But hardly had they raised their cups to their lips when the black-haired man nodded to his companions and, as quick as lightning, all the five visitors found themselves wrapped in strong arms. There was a moment’s struggle but all the advantages were on one side, and soon everyone was disarmed and had their hands tied behind their backs—except Reepicheep, writhing in his captor’s grip and biting furiously.

“Careful with that beast, Tacks,” said the Leader. “Don’t damage him. He’ll fetch the best price of the lot, I shouldn’t wonder.”

“Coward! Poltroon!” squeaked Reepicheep. “Give me my sword and free my paws if you dare.”

“Whew!” whistled the slave merchant(for that is what he was).“It can talk! Well I never did. Blowed if I take less than two hundred crescents for him.” The Calormen crescent, which is the chief coin in those parts, is worth about a third of a pound.

“So that’s what you are,” said Caspian. “A kidnapper and slaver. I hope you’re proud of it.”

“Now, now, now, now,” said the slaver. “Don’t you start any jaw. The easier you take it, the pleasanter all round, see? I don’t do this for fun. I’ve got my living to make same as anyone else.”

“Where will you take us?” asked Lucy, getting the words out with some difficulty.

“Over to Narrowhaven,” said the slaver. “For market day tomorrow.”

“Is there a British Consul there?” asked Eustace.

“Is there a which?” said the man.

But long before Eustace was tired of trying to explain, the slaver simply said, “Well, I’ve had enough of this jabber. The Mouse is a fair treat but this one would talk the hind leg off a donkey. Off we go, mates.”

Then the four human prisoners were roped together, not cruelly but securely, and made to march down to the shore. Reepicheep was carried. He had stopped biting on a threat of having his mouth tied up, but he had a great deal to say, and Lucy really wondered how any man could bear to have the things said to him which were said to the slave dealer by the Mouse. But the slave dealer, far from objecting, only said “Go on” whenever Reepicheep paused for breath, occasionally adding, “It’s as good as a play,” or, “Blimey, you can’t help almost thinking it knows what it’s saying!” or “Was it one of you what trained it?” This so infuriated Reepicheep that in the end the number of things he thought of saying all at once nearly suffocated him and he became silent.

When they got down to the shore that looked towards Doorn they found a little village and a long-boat on the beach and, lying a little further out, a dirty bedraggled looking ship.

“Now, youngsters,” said the slave dealer, “let’s have no fuss and then you’ll have nothing to cry about. All aboard.”

At that moment a fine-looking bearded man came out of one of the houses(an inn, I think)and said:

“Well, Pug. More of your usual wares?”

The slaver, whose name seemed to be Pug, bowed very low, and said in a wheedling kind of voice, “Yes, please your Lordship.”

“How much do you want for that boy?” asked the other, pointing to Caspian.

“Ah,” said Pug, “I knew your Lordship would pick on the best. No deceiving your Lordship with anything second rate. That boy, now, I’ve taken a fancy to him myself. Got kind of fond of him, I have. I’m that tender-hearted I didn’t ever ought to have taken up this job. Still, to a customer like your Lordship—”

“Tell me your price, carrion,” said the Lord sternly. “Do you think I want to listen to the rigmarole of your filthy trade?”

“Three hundred crescents, my Lord, to your honourable Lordship, but to anyone else—”

“I’ll give you a hundred and fifty.”

“Oh please, please,” broke in Lucy. “Don’t separate us, whatever you do. You don’t know—” But then she stopped for she saw that Caspian didn’t even now want to be known.

“A hundred and fifty, then,” said the Lord. “As for you, little maiden, I am sorry I cannot buy you all. Unrope my boy, Pug. And look—treat these others well while they are in your hands or it’ll be the worse for you.”

“Well!” said Pug. “Now who ever heard of a gentleman in my way of business who treated his stock better than what I do? Well? Why, I treat ’em like my own children.”

“That’s likely enough to be true,” said the other grimly.

The dreadful moment had now come. Caspian was untied and his new master said, “This way, lad,” and Lucy burst into tears and Edmund looked very blank. But Caspian looked over his shoulder and said, “Cheer up. I’m sure it will come all right in the end. So long.”

“Now, missie,” said Pug. “Don’t you start taking on and spoiling your looks for the market tomorrow. You be a good girl and then you won’t have nothing to cry about, see?”

Then they were rowed out to the slave-ship and taken below into a long, rather dark place, none too clean, where they found many other unfortunate prisoners; for Pug was of course a pirate and had just returned from cruising among the islands and capturing what he could. The children didn’t meet anyone whom they knew; the prisoners were mostly Galmians and Terebinthians. And there they sat in the straw and wondered what was happening to Caspian and tried to stop Eustace talking as if everyone except himself was to blame.

Meanwhile Caspian was having a much more interesting time. The man who had bought him led him down a little lane between two of the village houses and so out into an open place behind the village. Then he turned and faced him.

“You needn’t be afraid of me, boy,” he said. “I’ll treat you well. I bought you for your face. You reminded me of someone.”

“May I ask of whom, my Lord?” said Caspian.

“You remind me of my master, King Caspian of Narnia.”

Then Caspian decided to risk everything on one stroke.

“My Lord,” he said, “I am your master. I am Caspian, King of Narnia.”

“You make very free,” said the other. “How shall I know this is true?”

“Firstly by my face,” said Caspian. “Secondly because I know within six guesses who you are. You are one of those seven lords of Narnia whom my Uncle Miraz sent to sea and whom I have come out to look for—Argoz, Bern, Octesian, Restimar, Mavramorn, or—or—I have forgotten the others. And finally, if your Lordship will give me a sword I will prove on any man’s body in clean battle that I am Caspian the son of Caspian, lawful King of Narnia, Lord of Cair Paravel, and Emperor of the Lone Islands.”

“By heaven,” exclaimed the man, “it is his father’s very voice and trick of speech. My liege—your Majesty—” And there in the field he knelt and kissed the King’s hand.

“The moneys your Lordship disbursed for our person will be made good from our own treasury,” said Caspian.

“They’re not in Pug’s purse yet, Sire,” said the Lord Bern, for he it was. “And never will be, I trust. I have moved His Sufficiency the Governor a hundred times to crush this vile traffic in man’s flesh.”

“My Lord Bern,” said Caspian, “we must talk of the state of these Islands. But first what is your Lordship’s own story?”

“Short enough, Sire,” said Bern. “I came thus far with my six fellows, loved a girl of the islands, and felt I had had enough of the sea. And there was no purpose in returning to Narnia while your Majesty’s uncle held the reins. So I married and have lived here ever since.”

“And what is this governor, this Gumpas, like? Does he still acknowledge the King of Narnia for his lord?”

“In words, yes. All is done in the King’s name. But he would not be best pleased to find a real, live King of Narnia coming in upon him. And if your Majesty came before him alone and unarmed—well he would not deny his allegiance, but he would pretend to disbelieve you. Your Grace’s life would be in danger. What following has your Majesty in these waters?”

“There is my ship just rounding the point,” said Caspian. “We are about thirty swords if it came to fighting. Shall we not have my ship in and fall upon Pug and free my friends whom he holds captive?”

“Not by my counsel,” said Bern. “As soon as there was a fight two or three ships would put out from Narrowhaven to rescue Pug. Your Majesty must work by a show of more power than you really have, and by the terror of the King’s name. It must not come to plain battle. Gumpas is a chicken-hearted man and can be over-awed.”

After a little more conversation Caspian and Bern walked down to the coast a little west of the village and there Caspian winded his horn. (This was not the great magic horn of Narnia, Queen Susan’s Horn: he had left that at home for his regent Trumpkin to use if any great need fell upon the land in the King’s absence.)Drinian, who was on the lookout for a signal, recognized the royal horn at once and the Dawn Treader began standing in to shore. Then the boat put off again and in a few moments Caspian and the Lord Bern were on deck explaining the situation to Drinian. He, just like Caspian, wanted to lay the Dawn Treader alongside the slave-ship at once and board her, but Bern made the same objection.

“Steer straight down this channel, captain,” said Bern, “and then round to Avra where my own estates are. But first run up the King’s banner, hang out all the shields, and send as many men to the fighting top as you can. And about five bowshots hence, when you get open sea on your port bow, run up a few signals.”

“Signals? To whom?” said Drinian.

“Why, to all the other ships we haven’t got but which it might be well that Gumpas thinks we have.”

“Oh, I see,” said Drinian rubbing his hands. “And they’ll read our signals. What shall I say? Whole fleet round the South of Avra and assemble at—?”

“Bernstead,” said the Lord Bern. “That’ll do excellently. Their whole journey—if there were any ships—would be out of sight from Narrowhaven.”

Caspian was sorry for the others languishing in the hold of Pug’s slave-ship, but he could not help finding the rest of that day enjoyable. Late in the afternoon(for they had to do all by oar), having turned to starboard round the northeast end of Doorn and port again round the point of Avra, they entered into a good harbour on Avra’s southern shore where Bern’s pleasant lands sloped down to the water’s edge. Bern’s people, many of whom they saw working in the fields, were all freemen and it was a happy and prosperous fief. Here they all went ashore and were royally feasted in a low, pillared house overlooking the bay. Bern and his gracious wife and merry daughters made them good cheer. But after dark Bern sent a messenger over by boat to Doorn to order some preparations(he did not say exactly what)for the following day.

第三章 孤独群岛

“前面有陆地。”船头的瞭望员喊了一声。

露西一直在船尾跟莱斯聊天,听到这声喊就急匆匆地走下楼梯,跑了过来。路上艾德蒙跟上了她,等他们到了船头,发现凯斯宾、德里宁和雷佩契普都已经在那里了。那是一个清冷的早晨,天空颜色暗淡,深蓝色的大海上白色的浪花泛着水沫。右舷船头外的不远处,就是孤独群岛中最近的一座——费利梅斯岛,它就像是大海上的一座小绿山,这座岛后面更远一点儿的地方,就是它的姊妹岛多恩岛的灰色斜坡。

“费利梅斯岛一点儿没变!多恩岛也是!”露西拍着手说,“哦——艾德蒙,上次过后,我跟你有多久没见到这些岛了!”

“我一直无法理解它们为什么是纳尼亚的领土,”凯斯宾说,“是至尊王彼得征服了这里吗?”

“不,不是,”艾德蒙说,“在我们统治纳尼亚之前,这里就属于纳尼亚了——那还是白女巫统治纳尼亚的时候呢。”

(顺便说一下,我也没听说过这些遥远的岛是怎么成为纳尼亚的国土的;如果我知道了的话,要是故事真的有趣,我也许会把它写进别的书里。)

“陛下,我们就在这里靠岸吗?”德里宁问。

“我觉得在费利梅斯岛登陆可能不是个好主意,”艾德蒙说,“在我们那会儿,这里几乎没人居住,现在看起来依然这样。大部分人都住在多恩岛,还有一小部分住在阿芙拉岛——就是第三座岛,你们现在还看不到。人们只在费利梅斯岛上放放羊。”

“看来,我们得绕过这个海角了,”德里宁说,“我们要到多恩岛上岸,那么得划桨了。”

“真遗憾我们不能去费利梅斯岛了,”露西说,“我还想再去那儿走走呢。那座岛很孤独——一种美好的孤独,那里长满了野草和三叶草,海风柔和地吹着。”

“连我都想舒展舒展我的腿了,”凯斯宾说,“我跟你说,我们划小船上岸,再让人把小船划回来,这样我们就能走着穿过费利梅斯岛,让黎明踏浪号在岛的那头接我们,怎么样?”

如果凯斯宾像这次航行之后那样有经验,他就不会提出这样的想法了。但是在当时,这个主意看起来太棒了。

“哎呀,就这么定了。”露西说。

“你来吗?”凯斯宾对已经包扎好手到甲板上来的尤斯塔斯说。

“只要能离开这该死的船,干什么都行。”尤斯塔斯说。

“该死的?”德里宁说,“你是什么意思?”

“在我们那种文明的地方,”尤斯塔斯说,“船都是很大的,你在船上时根本不会感觉到自己在海上。”

“既然如此,我看你还是待在岸上好了。”凯斯宾说,“德里宁,你能让他们把小船放下来吗?”

于是,国王、老鼠、佩文西兄妹和尤斯塔斯一行人都上了小船,划到了费利梅斯岛的沙滩上。小船把他们留在岸上后,又划回了大船,他们都转过身来环顾四周,黎明踏浪号看上去那么小,他们都不禁感到惊讶。

露西当然是光着脚的,她游泳时就把鞋子给踢掉了。但是你要是打算走在软绵绵的草地上,不穿鞋也没什么难的。能再次上岸,闻到土地和野草的香味,真叫人心里高兴,哪怕开头踏在土地上好像还在船里那样天旋地转。如果你在海上,往往有一阵子会有这种感觉。这里比船上暖和多了,他们走过沙地时,沙子擦过露西的趾尖,她觉得舒服极了。云雀也在歌唱。

他们来到了内陆,登上了一个低矮但是陡峭的山坡。在山顶,他们回头看到黎明踏浪号就像一只亮闪闪的虫子,正划着桨缓缓地向西北方向爬行。等到他们越过山脊,船就看不见了。

多恩岛就在眼前了,它与费利梅斯岛隔着一条约一英里宽的海峡,它后面的左边就是阿芙拉岛。他们一眼就能看到多恩岛上白色的小镇——狭港。

“喂!这是什么?”艾德蒙突然问。

在他们往下走的一个绿色的峡谷那儿,有六七个模样粗野的大汉坐在一棵树下,全副武装。

“别告诉他们我们是谁。”凯斯宾说。

“陛下,为什么不能告诉他们?”答应坐在露西肩膀上的雷佩契普说。

“我刚刚才想到,”凯斯宾说,“这里的人很久没有收到过纳尼亚的音信了,也许他们已经不再承认我们的君主地位了。所以,要是被人知道我是纳尼亚的国王,可能不太安全。”

“陛下,我们有剑。”雷佩契普说。

“嗯,我知道我们有剑,”凯斯宾说,“但是如果我们要再次征服这三座岛,我们得带一支大军前来。”

这时,他们已经离那些陌生人很近了,其中一个黑头发的大个子对他们喊:“早上好啊。”

“早上好,”凯斯宾说,“孤独群岛现在还有统治者吗?”

“当然有了,”那个人说,“是冈帕斯总督。总督在狭港。不过你们可以留下来和我们一起喝酒。”

凯斯宾谢过了他,尽管他和其他人都不太喜欢这些新结识的人的长相。他们都坐了下来。但是酒杯还没来得及举到嘴边,这个黑发男人就对他的同伴点了点头,以迅雷不及掩耳之势把他们一行五人给控制住了。他们挣扎了一阵,但是形势不利,完全敌不过对方。不一会儿,他们几人的武器就被缴去了,双手被绑到背后。只有雷佩契普还在抓着他的人手里挣扎,对人一阵猛咬。

“塔克斯,小心那只畜生,”他们的头头说,“别弄伤了他。我觉得他能卖个好价钱。”

“懦夫!胆小鬼!”雷佩契普吱吱大叫,“要是你够胆,就把我松开,把我的剑还回来。”

“哟!”奴隶贩子(这群人就是奴隶贩子)吹了声口哨,“它还会说话呢!我从来没见过。我不吹牛,他起码能卖到两百月牙。”月牙就是他们那里的货币,一月牙大概值三分之一英镑。

“原来你是干这个的,”凯斯宾说,“你是个绑匪,还是个奴隶贩子。我希望你以此为荣。”

“好了好了,”奴隶贩子说,“别再开口教训我了。你要是乖乖的,就能舒服点儿,知道了吗?我做这个不是为了寻开心。我也像其他人一样要谋生活。”

“你要把我们带去哪里?”露西好不容易才开口问。

“去狭港,”奴隶贩子说,“明天有集市。”

“那里有英国领事馆吗?”尤斯塔斯问。

“有什么?”那人问。

还没等尤斯塔斯解释清楚,那奴隶贩子就说:“行了,这样乱七八糟的胡话我听够了。老鼠倒是很有趣,但是这只说得太烦了。伙计们,我们走。”

接着他们四个被绑在了一起,虽然动作算不得粗暴,但是仍旧绑得很结实。他们被押着往岸边走去。雷佩契普被握在手上。他们威胁他说要把他的嘴绑起来,吓得他不敢再咬人,但是他一直喋喋不休。露西很好奇,这只老鼠和奴隶贩子说这些话,他们怎么受得了。但是那奴隶贩子倒是一点儿也不嫌烦,只是在雷佩契普停下来歇一歇的时候说一声“继续说”,偶尔还会加上句“他就像在说戏”。或者,“啊呀,我都忍不住要想,他真的明白自己说的话呀!”又或者是,“这是你们谁教他的吗?”这彻底激怒了雷佩契普,到最后,他把那一大堆想说的话都憋了回去,开始一言不发。

他们来到了多恩岛那侧的岸边,发现了一个小村庄,沙滩上还停着一艘大艇,不远处还有一艘又脏又破的船。

“年轻人,”奴隶贩子说,“你们不要没事找事,我们就不会为难你们了。都上船吧。”

这时,一个有胡子的俊美男子从一个房子里走出来(我觉得是个客栈),说:“哟,普格,又是你常卖的那种货?”

那个叫普格的奴隶贩子毕恭毕敬地鞠了一躬,用谄媚的声音说:“是的,请大人您尽管选。”

“那个男孩子你卖多少钱?”那人指着凯斯宾问。

“哎呀,”普格说,“我就知道大人您眼光好,一挑就挑中个最好的。什么次等货都瞒不过您的眼睛。那个男孩子,我自己也挺中意的,我有点儿喜欢他。我就是个软心肠的人,我就不应该干这个行当。当然啦,对于大人您这样的顾客来说——”

“你这烂人,到底多少钱,”那位大人毫不客气地说,“你觉得我想听你那些肮脏的废话吗?”

“三百月牙,大人,这是给尊敬的大人您的价钱,要是别人的话——”

“我给你一百五十月牙。”

“哦,求求你,”露西插话进来,“不管怎么样,不要把我们分开。你不知道——”但是她立马止住了,因为她看出即使到了这个地步,凯斯宾还是不想暴露身份。

“好了,一百五十,”那位大人说,“至于你,小姐,抱歉我不能把你们都买下来。普格,把我买的那个男孩子放开吧。还有——你手上还有其他人,好好对待他们,不然有你好看。”

“好吧!”普格说,“跟我做同样行当的人里面,还有人比我对自己的货物更好的吗?没有吧?就是因为我对他们像对待自己的孩子一样。”

“听起来像真的一样。”那人冷酷地说。

可怕的时刻终于到了。凯斯宾被松了绑,他的新主人说:“小伙子,往这里走。”露西一下子哭了起来,艾德蒙却一脸茫然。凯斯宾回过头来,说:“打起精神来,我相信到最后一切都会好起来的。再见。”

“好了,小姐,”普格说,“别再哭了,再哭这张脸就毁了,明天还要去集市呢。你乖乖的,没什么好哭的,知道吗?”

接着他们被送到了一艘奴隶船上,被带到了一个又长又黑的地方,一点儿也不干净。那里还关着很多不幸的人。普格是一个海盗,出没在附近岛屿,抓了很多人,刚刚回来。孩子们没碰到一个认识的人,那些被关着的人大部分都是加尔马人和泰瑞宾西亚人。他们都坐在稻草堆里,想着凯斯宾怎么样了,还要让尤斯塔斯停止抱怨,好像人人都有错,只有他自己无辜似的。

凯斯宾这会儿可比他们过得有趣多了。那个买走他的人带他穿过村子里两排房子中间的一条小巷,走到了村子后面的一块空地上,然后转过身来面对着他。

“孩子,你不用怕我,”他说,“我会好好对你的。我是因为你的长相才买下你的,你让我想起了一个人。”

“大人,能告诉我是谁吗?”凯斯宾说。

“你让我想起了我的主人,纳尼亚的凯斯宾国王。”

这让凯斯宾决定孤注一掷。

“大人,”他说,“我就是你的主人。我就是纳尼亚的凯斯宾国王。”

“你说得这么随意,”那人说,“我怎么知道这是不是真的呢?”

“首先是因为我的脸,”凯斯宾说,“其次,我能在六次之内猜中你是谁。你是被我叔叔米拉兹派出海的七位勋爵之一,我此次出来就是为了寻找他们的。他们是阿尔格兹、伯恩、奥克特西安、雷斯蒂玛、马夫拉蒙,还有……还有……我忘了其他的人了。最后,如果大人您能给我一把剑的话,我能在任何人身上通过正当的决斗来证明我就是凯斯宾,老凯斯宾国王的儿子,纳尼亚的合法国王,凯尔帕拉维尔城堡的主人,孤独群岛的君王。”

“天哪,”那人惊呼,“这声音和说话的方式简直和他父亲一个样。我的国王——陛下——”他在这片土地上跪下来亲吻了凯斯宾的手。

“大人您赎我们花的钱会从国库里补偿给您的。”凯斯宾说。

“陛下,那钱还没到普格的口袋里呢,”伯恩勋爵说,他就是伯恩勋爵本人,“而且我相信那钱永远不会是他的。我已经向这里的总督提议过很多次了,让他取缔这里邪恶的人口交易。”

“伯恩勋爵,”凯斯宾说,“我们得谈谈这些岛的状况。但是您能不能先说说自己的故事?”

“陛下,我的故事很短,”伯恩说,“我和其他六位同伴一起来到这里,爱上了岛上的一个女孩,也厌倦了航海。再者,只要您的叔叔还在执政,回到纳尼亚去也没有意义。所以我就结了婚,从那以后就定居在这里了。”

“这个冈帕斯总督怎么样?他还承认纳尼亚的国王是这里的君主吗?”

“他嘴巴上是这么说的,什么事都是以国王的名义进行。可是,要是看到真正的纳尼亚国王活生生地出现在这里,他可不会高兴。要是陛下您手无寸铁地单独去见他——他不会否认他忠诚,但是他会假装不相信你。陛下您的生命就会受到威胁。陛下在附近的海域可有什么追随者?”

“我的船正绕行在这个岛的周围,”凯斯宾说,“如果要打起来的话,我们有三十个人的兵力。要不要把我的船开过来攻打普格,把我的朋友从他那里救出来?”

“我建议您不要这么做,”伯恩说,“一旦打起来,会有两三艘船从狭港开过来援救普格。陛下您必须虚张声势,表现得比真实情况要厉害,还要以国王之名对他们进行威慑。可不能硬碰硬地打。冈帕斯是个胆小鬼,他会被吓住的。”

又一阵讨论之后,凯斯宾和伯恩走到了村子西边不远处的海岸上,凯斯宾在那里吹响了自己的号角。(这不是苏珊女王用的那支纳尼亚魔法号角,凯斯宾把那支魔法号角留给了摄政王杜鲁普金,以备国王不在时有什么急需。)德里宁正在瞭望,等待着信号,立即听出了国王的号角,于是黎明踏浪号开始驶向海岸。救生艇又被派了出来,不一会儿凯斯宾和伯恩勋爵就在甲板上向德里宁解释了目前的情势。德里宁像凯斯宾一样,想把黎明踏浪号开到奴隶船边上,然后登上那艘船。但是伯恩同样不同意他的想法。

“船长,我们沿着这条海峡直下,”伯恩说,“绕到阿芙拉岛,我的宅邸就在那里。但是首先要把国王的旗帜升起来,挂起所有的盾牌,尽可能多地把人派到桅顶的观测台上。等到左舷船头向着公海开出五箭之地后,就发出一些信号。”

“发信号?给谁?”德里宁说。

“哎呀,给那些我们根本没有的船,如果冈帕斯以为我们还有其他的船,那应该对我们有利。”

“哦,我懂了,”德里宁搓着手说,“那他们就会解读我们的信号。我该在信号里说什么呢?就说全体舰队包围阿芙拉岛南部,集合在——”

“伯恩斯丹,”伯恩勋爵说,“好极了。就算有什么船,从狭港也看不到凯斯宾的整个航程。”

想到还在奴隶船上受煎熬的其他人,凯斯宾为他们感到难过,但是他又忍不住觉得那一天余下的时间过得十分愉快。他们转向右舷绕过了多恩岛的东北端,又转向左舷绕过了阿芙拉岛的一端,下午很晚(由于他们全得靠划桨)才进入了阿芙拉岛南部海岸上的一个港口。伯恩的土地在这里向海边倾斜。那是一片幸福又丰饶的封地,那里的人们大多都在田间干活,都是自由人。他们从这里上岸,来到了一处有廊柱的低矮房子里。那房子俯瞰大海,他们就在那里享受了皇家盛宴。伯恩和他亲切的妻子以及快乐的女儿一起款待了他们,大家十分尽兴。天黑以后,伯恩派了一位信使乘小船去多恩岛,为第二天做一些准备(他没具体说是什么准备)。

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