《最後一戰》第4期:國王的魯莽(1)
Chapter 2 The Rashness of the King
About three weeks later the last of the Kings of Narnia sat under the great oak which grew beside the door of his little hunting lodge, where he often stayed for ten days or so in the pleasant spring weather. It was a low, thatched building not far from the Eastern end of Lantern Waste and some way above the meeting of the two rivers. He loved to live there simply and at ease, away from the state and pomp of Cair Paravel, the royal city. His name was King Tirian, and he was between twenty and twenty-five years old; his shoulders were already broad and strong and his limbs full of hard muscle, but his beard was still scanty. He had blue eyes and a fearless, honest face.
大約三個星期以後，納尼亞王國的最後一位國王，坐在他小小的持獵屋門旁一棵大橡樹底下。在賞心悅目的春季好天氣裏，他時常到守獵小屋來住上十天光景的。這是個茅草屋頂的低矮建築物，離燈柱野林的東端不遠，在兩條河流交匯處稍稍上游一點兒。他喜歡住在那兒過簡單樸素和逍遙自在的生活，遠離王城凱爾帕拉維爾的政府和豪華氣派。人們管他叫國王蒂蓮，他的年齡在二十與二十五歲之間，他的肩膀已經寬闊而強壯了，他的四肢肌肉堅實，但他的鬍子仍舊是稀稀拉拉的。他生着藍藍的眼睛和一張無所畏懼的誠實的臉。There was no one with him that spring morning except his dearest friend, Jewel the Unicorn. They loved each other like brothers and each had saved the other's life in the wars. The lordly beast stood close beside the King's chair, with its neck bent round polishing its blue horn against the creamy whiteness of its flank.
那個春天的早晨，國王左右沒有侍從，只有一個他最親密的朋友：獨角獸①珍寶。他們相親相愛有如兄弟，在戰爭中互相救過彼此的性命。這貴族氣派的野獸站在國王的御座近旁，把脖子彎過來，在奶油似的白色腹部擦亮它藍色的角。
"I cannot set myself to any work or sport today, Jewel," said the King. "I can think of nothing but this wonderful news. Think you we shall hear any more of it today?"
“珍寶啊，我今天沒法叫我自己幹什麼活兒或搞什麼體育活動了。”國王說道，“我啥也不能考慮，只能想着這個奇怪的消息。你可認爲我們今天還會聽到更多的消息嗎？”"They are the most wonderful tidings ever heard in our days or our fathers' or our grandfathers' days, Sire," said Jewel, "if they are true."
“陛下，如果這些消息是真實的，”珍寶說道，“那麼，它們就是我們這一代裏，我們的父親那一代裏，我們的祖父那一代裏，所聽到的最最奇怪的新聞了。”“How can they choose but be true?” said the King. “It is more than a week ago that the first birds came flying over us saying, Aslan is here, Aslan has come to Narnia again. And after that it was the squirrels. They had not seen him, but they said it was certain he was in the woods. Then came the Stag. He said he had seen him with his own eyes, a great way off, by moonlight, in Lantern Waste. Then came that dark Man with the beard, the merchant from Calormen. The Calormenes care nothing for Aslan as we do; but the man spoke of it as a thing beyond doubt. And there was the Badger last night; he too had seen Aslan.”
“這些消息不能不是真實的啊！”國王說，“一個多星期以前，第一批飛過我們這裏的鳥兒就說——阿斯蘭來了，阿斯蘭重新到納尼亞來了。這之後是松鼠。它們沒見到阿斯蘭，可它們說阿斯蘭肯定在樹林裏。然後是鹿。它說它親眼看見阿斯蘭了，距離很遠，在月光下，在燈柱野林裏。接着是黑皮膚的長着鬍子的人來了，他是從卡樂門來的商人。卡樂門人跟我們不一樣，他們對阿斯蘭壓根兒不關心；可那人也把阿斯蘭來了說成是件毫無疑問的事實。昨兒夜裏灌來了，它也看見過阿斯蘭。”"Indeed, Sire," answered Jewel, "I believe it all. If I seem not to, it is only that my joy is too great to let my belief settle itself. It is almost too beautiful to believe."
“陛下，事實上，”珍寶說道，“這種種新聞，我都相信。如果我彷彿不大相信，只是因爲我心裏的歡喜之情太大了，大得無從置信了。幾乎是太美了，美得沒法兒信以爲真了。”"Yes," said the King with a great sigh, almost a shiver, of delight. "It is beyond all that I ever hoped for in all my life."
“是啊，”國王說道，喜悅得長長地吁了口氣，幾乎要發抖，“大大超過我生平的各種希望了。”"Listen!" said Jewel, putting his head on one side and cocking his ears forward.
“你聽！”珍寶說道，把腦袋側向一邊，把耳朵朝前豎了起來。"What is it?" asked the King.
“這是什麼聲音？”國王問道。"Hoofs, Sire," said Jewel. "A galloping horse. A very heavy horse. It must be one of the Centaurs. And look, there he is."
“是馬蹄聲，陛下，”珍寶答道，“一匹奔騰的馬。一匹分量很重的馬。必定是個人頭馬。瞧，他來到了。A great, golden bearded Centaur, with man's sweat on his forehead and horse's sweat on his chestnut flanks, dashed up to the King, stopped, and bowed low. "Hail, King," it cried in a voice as deep as a bull's.
一個巨大的、金色鬍鬚的人頭馬，前額上是人的汗珠，栗色兩肋上是馬的汗水，他直奔到國王面前，這才停下步來，低頭鞠躬。“國王萬歲。”他用公牛一樣深沉的聲音呼喊道。"Ho, there!" said the King, looking over his shoulder towards the door of the hunting lodge. "A bowl of wine for the noble Centaur. Welcome, Roonwit. When you have found your breath you shall tell us your errand."
“嗬，來人啊！”國王說道，眼睛越過肩膀朝着持獵小屋的門瞧去，“給高貴的客人端一碗酒來。歡迎你，龍威特。等你喘息停當時再把你帶來的訊息告訴我們吧。”A page came out of the house carrying a great wooden bowl, curiously carved, and handed it to the Centaur. The Centaur raised the bowl and said,
一個侍從從狩獵小屋裏走了出來，手裏拿着一隻雕刻新奇的大木碗，他把木碗遞給人頭馬。"I drink first to Aslan and truth, Sire, and secondly to your Majesty."
“陛下，我首先爲阿斯蘭和真理乾杯，然後再爲國王乾杯。”He finished the wine (enough for six strong men) at one draught and handed the empty bowl back to the page.
他一口氣就把那一碗酒(足夠六個壯漢喝的量)喝完了，隨即把木碗還給侍從。"Now, Roonwit," said the King. "Do you bring us more news of Aslan?"
“說說吧，龍威特，”國王說道，“你可帶來更多的關於阿斯蘭的消息？”Roonwit looked very grave, frowning a little.
龍威特神情十分嚴肅，稍稍皺着眉頭。
