《能言馬與男孩》第13期:在塔什班城門口(2)

"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.'

“當我聽到我的母馬口出人言，”阿拉維斯繼續講道，”我對我自己說：死的恐具已經使我理智混亂，受幻覺支配了。我變得十分羞愧，因爲我的家族裏沒有一個人應該怕死超過怕被蟲子咬的。於是我再一次舉手要自殺，但赫溫胞進來了，把它的腦袋擋在我和匕首之間，用最最透徹的道理同我談話，像個母親訓斥她的女兒般訓斥我。卻說我心裏奇怪極了，我忘了自殺，忘了阿霍什塔，問道我的母馬啊，你怎樣學會像人類的女兒樣說話的々赫溫恆把在座各位都知道的情況告訴我：在納尼亞王國裏有的是會說人話的野獸，而它自己還是匹小駒子時便被人從納尼亞盜走了。已也跟我講起納尼亞王國的森林和河流、堡壘和大船，直講得我這樣起誓道：‘我以塔什神和阿扎羅斯神之名，以黑夜女神扎迪娜之名起誓，我有一個最大的願望，就是要生活在納尼亞王國裏。’‘我的女主人啊，’母馬答道，‘如果你生活在納尼亞王國裏，你就會十分幸福，因爲存那個王國裏，決不會強迫哪一個姑娘違背自己的心願出嫁成親的。

"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.'

“我們起談了好久，我重新看到了希望，我爲沒有自殺而慶幸。此外，我和赫溫還祕密約定，我們要起偷偷逃跑，而且如此這般地定下了計劃。我們回到我父親的府邸裏，我穿上我鮮豔的衣服，在我父親面前唱歌跳舞，假裝對他爲我安排的婚姻很是樂意。我還跟父親說：‘我的父親啊，我心目中的快樂啊，給我發個許可證，允許我帶上個姑娘獨自到森林裏去，向黑夜和處女之神扎迪娜做祕密獻祭，當少女們必須告別對扎迪娜的侍奉、準備出嫁成親時，做這樣的獻祭足恰當的，符合習俗的。’於是父親答道，‘我的女兒，我心目中的快樂啊，你可以這麼辦。’

"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."

“我從父親那兒出來以後，立刻就去找他的最老的奴隸，也就是他的祕書，在我足個嬰兒的時候，他曾在他膝頭上播弄我逗我，他愛我甚於愛空氣和陽光。我叫他起誓保守祕密，並且求他替我寫了封信。他哭泣，求我改變主意，但他最後終於說道，‘聽到下令，就遵命照辦。’並且按照我的一切願望把事情辦了。我封好了信，藏在懷中。”

"But what was in the letter?" asked Shasta.

“信裏說些什麼呢”沙斯塔問。

"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."

“別插嘴，小傢伙，”布里說，”你打斷了故事。她會在恰當的地方把信上的切都告訴我們的。講下去吧，泰克希娜。”