《能言馬與男孩》第71期:沙斯塔在納尼亞(6)
After that there was so much bustle and talk and coming and going that Shasta for a few minutes lost sight of Corin and Edmund and Lucy. But Corin was the sort of boy whom one is sure to hear of pretty soon and it wasn't very long before Shasta heard King Edmund saying in a loud voice:
"By the Lion's Mane, prince, this is too much! Will your Highness never be better? You are more of a heart's-scald than our whole army together! I'd as lief have a regiment of hornets in my command as you."
“憑着獅王的鬃毛，王子，這是太過分了。殿下永遠不會長進嗎?我們整個軍隊加在一起也不及你那麼讓人火燒火燎的！指揮你，我寧願指揮一個團的大黃蜂。”"Shasta wormed his way through the crowd and there saw Edmund, looking very angry indeed, Corin looking a little ashamed of himself, and a strange Dwarf sitting on the ground making faces. A couple of fauns had apparently just been helping it out of its armour.
沙斯塔在人羣中鑽過去，終於看到了國王愛德蒙，他看上去確實十分憤怒，科林呢，看上去有點兒不好意思，還有一個奇怪的小矮人正坐在地上做鬼臉。顯而易見，兩個羊怪剛幫助那小矮人卸下盔甲。
"If I had but my cordial with me," Queen Lucy was saying, "I could soon mend this. But the High King has so strictly charged me not to carry it commonly to the wars and to keep it only for great extremities!"
“如果我把藥酒帶來的話，”露茜女王說，”我很快就能替他治癒的。但至尊王嚴格地要求我別稀鬆平常地把它帶到戰場上來，要留待非常危險時使用！”What had happened was this. As soon as Corin had spoken to Shasta, Corin's elbow had been plucked by a Dwarf in the army called Thornbut.
事情原來是這樣的。科林剛同沙斯塔說過話，他的肘拐兒便被一個小矮人抓住了。軍隊裏管這個小矮人叫”刺兒頭”。"What is it, Thornbut?" Corin had said.
“你這是幹什麼，刺兒頭?”科林說。"Your Royal Highness," said Thornbut, drawing him aside, "our march today will bring us through the pass and right to your royal father's castle. We may be in battle before night."
“王子殿下，”刺兒頭把他拉到一邊說，”我們今天的行軍會帶我們穿過關隘，直接開到你父王的城堡。黑夜以前我們也許就要參加戰鬥了。”"I know," said Corin. "Isn't it splendid!"
“我知道，”科林說，”戰爭不是很壯觀嗎?”"Splendid or not," said Thornbut, "I have the strictest orders from King Edmund to see to it that your Highness is not in the fight. You will be allowed to see it, and that's treat enough for your Highness's little years."
“壯觀也好，不壯觀也好，”刺兒頭說，”我可奉到國王愛德蒙最最嚴厲的命令，要我留神不讓你殿下參加戰鬥。可以容許你在旁觀戰；以殿下的年齡，這種待遇已經夠意思的了。”"Oh what nonsense!" Corin burst out. "Of course I'm going to fight. Why, the Queen Lucy's going to be with the archers."
“真是胡說八道！”科林發作道，”當然我要去打仗的。爲什麼露茜女王帶着她的弓箭手一同去打仗呢?”"The Queen's grace will do as she pleases," said Thornbut. "But you are in my charge. Either I must have your solemn and princely word that you'll keep your pony beside mine - not half a neck ahead - till I give your Highness leave to depart: or else - it is his Majesty's word - we must go with our wrists tied together like two prisoners."
“女王通情達理，可以隨心所欲，”刺兒頭說，”但你是由我看管的。要麼，我必須得到你王子的莊嚴諾言：你得使你的馬駒子在我的馬兒旁邊並駕齊驅，超前半個脖子也不行，直至我同意你離開爲止；要麼——這是陛下親口說的——咱倆必須把咱們的手腕縛在一起，像囚徒一樣。”"I'll knock you down if you try to bind me," said Corm.
“如果你想縛我，我就把你打倒在地。”科林說。"I'd like to see your Highness do it," said the Dwarf.
“我倒很想瞧瞧殿下動手打人。”小矮人說道。
