《黎明踏浪號》第四章 凱斯賓略施巧計

CHAPTER FOUR WHAT CASPIAN DID THERE
第四章　凱斯賓略施巧計

Next morning the Lord Bern called his guests early，and after breakfast he asked Caspian to order every man he had into full armour.“And above all，”he added，“let everything be as trim and scoured as if it were the morning of the first battle in a great war between noble kings with all the world looking on.”This was done;and then in three boatloads Caspian and his people，and Bern with a few of his，put out for Narrowhaven.The King’s flag flew in the stern of his boat and his trumpeter was with him.
第二天，伯恩一早就來看他的客人。吃過早餐，他請求凱斯賓下令讓所有的手下都穿好鎧甲，戴好頭盔。“最重要的是，”他又加上一句，“把一切都收拾得整整齊齊，整理得干干凈凈的，就像今天早上尊貴的國王要公開進(jìn)行一場戰(zhàn)役。”這一切都安排好之后，凱斯賓和他的手下，還有伯恩就分乘三船，向狹港出發(fā)。他們還帶了號手隨行，國王的戰(zhàn)旗在船尾飄揚，非常醒目。
When they reached the jetty at Narrowhaven，Caspian found a considerable crowd assembled to meet them.“This is what I sent word about last night，”said Bern.“They are all friends of mine and honest people.”And as soon as Caspian stepped ashore the crowd broke out into hurrahs and shouts of，“Narnia ! Narnia ! Long live the King.”At the same moment—and this was also due to Bern’s messengers—bells began ringing from many parts of the town.Then Caspian caused his banner to be advanced and his　trumpet to be blown and every man drew his sword and set his face into a joyful sternness，and they marched up the street so that the street shook，and their armour shone(for it was a sunny morning)so that one could hardly look at it steadily.
他們到達(dá)港口碼頭的時候，一大批民眾早已聚在一起歡迎他們。“這就是我昨晚傳話要準(zhǔn)備的事情，”伯恩說，“他們都是我的朋友， 絕對靠得住。”凱斯賓一上岸，民眾就高呼：“納尼亞!納尼亞!國王萬歲!”同時，也是因為伯恩信使的安排——鎮(zhèn)上所有的地方都鐘鼓齊鳴。于是凱斯賓傳令旗手開道，吹響號角。每個人都刀劍出鞘， 齊步行進(jìn)，莊嚴(yán)肅穆。整個街面都為之震動，這一天艷陽高照，他們的鎧甲閃閃發(fā)亮，光芒讓人睜不開眼睛。
At first the only people who cheered were those who had been warned by Bern’s messenger and knew what was happening and wanted it to happen.But then all the children joined in because they liked a procession and had seen very few.And then all the schoolboys joined in because they also liked processions and felt that the more noise and disturbance there was the less likely they would be to have any school that morning.And then all the old women put their heads out of doors and windows and began chattering and cheering because it was a king，and what is a governor compared with that ?And all the young women joined in for the same reason and also because Caspian and Drinian and the rest were so handsome.And then all the young men came to see what the young women were looking at，so that by the time Caspian reached the castle gates，nearly the whole town was shouting;and where Gumpas sat in the castle，muddling and messing about with accounts and forms and rules and regulations， he heard the noise.
最開始?xì)g呼的是伯恩的信使事先安排好的親信，他們都知道這些情況，早就期待著這么一天。后來所有的孩子都加入了游行的隊伍， 因為這種盛大的場面太少見了。再后來好多學(xué)生也加入其中，因為外面那么亂恐怕學(xué)校里也不會開課了。再后來，老太太們也從窗戶探出頭來，高聲歡呼，他們說這到底是國王的陣勢啊，總督哪里比得上。接著所有的婦女們也都好奇地出來湊熱鬧。凱斯賓和德里寧這些人都非常英俊，幾乎所有的年輕男人也都出來看這些女人在議論什么。等到凱斯賓到達(dá)城堡的時候，全城的人都開始?xì)g呼。而此時，坐在城堡里正擺弄那些賬目和條條框框的岡帕斯，也聽到了外面的喧鬧聲。
At the castle gate Caspian’s trumpeter blew a blast and cried， “Open for the King of Narnia，come to visit his trusty and well— beloved servant the governor of the Lone Islands.”In those days everything in the islands was done in a slovenly，slouching manner. Only the little postern opened，and out came a tousled fellow with　a dirty old hat on his head instead of a helmet，and a rusty old pike in his hand.He blinked at the flashing figures before him.“Carn— seez—fishansy，”he mumbled (which was his way of saying， “You can’t see His Sufficiency”).“No interviews without ‘pointments’cept‘tween nine’n’ ten p.m. second Saturday every month.”
凱斯賓的號子手在城堡大門口吹響號角，并大喊：“請為納尼亞國王打開城門，國王駕到，來看他忠誠、可靠、受人尊敬的總督了。” 那些年月的孤獨群島一切事物都破爛不堪，守衛(wèi)們也是懶懶散散。城門只打開了一個偏門，走出來了一個蓬頭垢面，沒有頭盔，只戴著破帽子的家伙，手里拎著一支舊長矛。他擠著眼看著這些渾身金光閃閃的人。“大人不見……”這家伙言辭不清地說，“沒約好一律不見， 只有每個月第二個星期六晚上九點到十點才接見。”
“Uncover before Narnia，you dog，”thundered the Lord Bern，and dealt him a rap with his gauntleted hand which sent his hat flying from his head.
“你這個看門狗，在納尼亞國王的面前，竟然不行禮!”伯恩公爵怒吼的聲音如雷貫耳。然后一巴掌把他頭上的帽子給打飛了。
“Ere ?Wot’s it all about ?”began the doorkeeper，but no one took any notice of him.Two of Caspian’s men stepped through the postern and after some struggling with bars and bolts(for everything was rusty)flung both wings of the gate wide open.Then the King and his followers strode into the courtyard.Here a number of the governor’s guards were lounging about and several more(they were mostly wiping their mouths)came tumbling out of various doorways. Though their armour was in a disgraceful condition，these were fellows who might have fought if they had been led or had known what was happening;so this was the dangerous moment.Caspian gave them no time to think.
“嗯?這是怎么回事?”守門人迷迷糊糊地問，卻沒人搭理他。凱斯賓手下的兩個人直接跨過偏門，費了好大力氣才把生了銹的兩扇大門打開。凱斯賓國王和隨從從正門直接進(jìn)院里了。院子里有不少警衛(wèi)，一些人一邊從各個門口慌忙出來，還一邊在擦嘴。雖然他們衣衫襤褸，裝備破舊，但如果有人帶領(lǐng)他們好好整編，或許還能和凱斯賓打上一場惡戰(zhàn)。在這個危險時刻，凱斯賓不會給他們時間，讓這些人想到這些。
“Where is the captain ?”he asked.
“你們的首領(lǐng)在哪兒?”
“I am，more or less，if you know what I mean，”said a languid and rather dandified young person without any armour at all.
“我或多或少算一個，如果你明白我的意思。”一個看上去很沒精神的年輕人說。他沒有穿鎧甲，身上的衣服花里胡哨的。
“It is our wish，”said Caspian，“that our royal visitation to our realm of the Lone Islands should，if possible，be an occasion of joy and not of terror to our loyal subjects.If it were not for that，I should have something to say about the state of your men’s armour and weapons.As it is，you are pardoned.Command a cask of wine to be opened that your men may drink our health.But at noon tomorrow I wish to see them here in this courtyard looking like men-at-arms and not like vagabonds.See to it on pain of our extreme displeasure.”
“我們希望，”凱斯賓說，“這次御駕親臨孤獨群島，如果可能的話，應(yīng)該是普天同慶，而不是引起百姓的恐慌。如果不是這樣， 恐怕你們的盔甲和武器的狀況就該受到批評了。當(dāng)然，今天我會赦免你們。拿酒來，讓我和將士們一起舉杯。不過，明天這個時候，我希望看到院里的是將士，而不是流浪漢。違令者一律以觸犯君王罪論處。”
The captain gaped but Bern immediately cried，“Three. cheers for the King，”and the soldiers，who had understood about the cask of wine even if they understood nothing else，joined in.Caspian then ordered most of his own men to remain in the courtyard.He， with Bern and Drinian and four others，went into the hall.
那個所謂的長官目瞪口呆，可是伯恩突然喊：“讓我們?nèi)魢跞f歲。”那些士兵雖然不明所以，但一看到酒桶，就一起歡呼起來。凱斯賓命令大部分人留在院子里，他帶著伯恩、德里寧和其他四個人走進(jìn)了大廳。
Behind a table at the far end with various secretaries about him sat his Sufficiency，the Governor of the Lone Islands.Gumpas was a bilious-looking man with hair that had once been red and was now mostly grey.He glanced up as the strangers entered and then looked down at his papers saying automatically，“No interviews without appointments except between nine and ten p.m. on second Saturdays.”
大廳那頭的一張桌子后面，坐著孤獨群島的總督岡帕斯，周圍坐著很多秘書。岡帕斯看上去就不像個好脾氣的人。頭發(fā)本來是紅色的，現(xiàn)在大多都已成灰白色。他抬眼看到一行陌生人進(jìn)去，沒有理會， 而是低頭繼續(xù)看他的文件，同時說了句：“沒預(yù)約一律不見，只有每個月第二個星期六晚上九點到十點才接見。”
Caspian nodded to Bern and then stood aside.Bern and Drinian took a step forward and each seized one end of the table. They lifted it，and flung it on one side of the hall where it rolled over，scattering a cascade of letters，dossiers，ink-pots，pens， sealing-wax and documents.Then，not roughly but as firmly as if their hands were pincers of steel，they plucked Gumpas out of his chair and deposited him，facing it，about four feet away.Caspian at once sat down in the chair and laid his naked sword across his knees.
凱斯賓對伯恩示意之后，站到一邊。伯恩和德里寧上前一步， 各自抓住桌子的一頭，然后抬起桌子一扔，桌子就滾到了大廳一邊， 信件、檔案、墨水瓶、筆、封蠟和公文撒了一地。然后他們伸出手， 一下把岡帕斯從椅子上揪到四英尺開外的地方。凱斯賓在椅子上坐下，把出鞘的劍橫放在雙膝上。
“My Lord，”said he，fixing his eyes on Gumpas，“you have not given us quite the welcome we expected.We are the King of Narnia.”
“閣下，”他盯著岡帕斯說，“你本應(yīng)該隆重地歡迎我們，我是納尼亞的國王。”
“Nothing about it in the correspondence，”said the governor. “Nothing in the minutes.We have not been notified of any such thing.All irregular.Happy to consider any applications—”
“任何來信中都沒提到這件事，”總督說，“會議記錄里也沒有。我們沒接到任何通知。這完全不符合法律程序，不過如果你們有什么請求，我倒是可以考慮……”
“And we are come to enquire into your Sufficiency’s conduct of your office，”continued Caspian.“There are two points especially on which I require an explanation.Firstly I find no record that the tribute due from these Islands to the crown of Narnia has been received for about a hundred and fifty years.”
“我們前來查訪閣下是否履行了自己的職責(zé)，”凱斯賓繼續(xù)說， “有兩點我必須特別作出解釋。首先，我在檔案中查出納尼亞國王已經(jīng)有一百五十年沒有收到這個群島的進(jìn)貢了。”
“That would be a question to raise at the Council next month，”said Gumpas.“If anyone moves that a commission of enquiry be set up to report on the financial history of the islands at the first meeting next year，why then...”
“這個問題要等下個月提交議事時，才會討論，”岡帕斯說，“如果有人提議成立一個調(diào)查委員會，在明年第一次會議上作個本島財政歷史的報告，說明當(dāng)時……”
“I also find it very clearly written in our laws，”Caspian went on，“that if the tribute is not delivered the whole debt has to be paid by the Governor of the Lone Islands out of his private purse.”
“本國法律很清楚地寫道，”凱斯賓接著說，“如果貢品沒有及時送到，積累的全部欠款由孤獨群島的總督個人支付。”
At this Gumpas began to pay real attention.“Oh，that’s quite out of the question，”he said.“It is an economic impossibility— er—your Majesty must be joking.”
岡帕斯聽了這句話才打起精神來，“啊，那我可做不到，”他說， “我沒那么多錢，嗯，陛下一定是在開玩笑吧。”
Inside，he was wondering if there were any way of getting rid of these unwelcome visitors.Had he known that Caspian had only one ship and one ship’s company with him，he would have spoken soft words for the moment，and hoped to have them all surrounded and killed during the night.But he had seen a ship of war sail down the straits yesterday and seen it signalling，as he supposed， to its consorts.He had not then known it was the King’s ship for there was not wind enough to spread the flag out and make the golden lion visible，so he had waited further developments. Now he imagined that Caspian had a whole fleet at Bernstead.It would never have occurred to Gumpas that anyone would walk into Narrowhaven to take the islands with less than fifty men;it was certainly not at all the kind of thing he could imagine doing himself.
其實他心里在想辦法擺脫這些不速之客。假如他知道凱斯賓只有一條船，只帶了一船人，他會嘴上先說些軟話，暗地里想在夜里把他們?nèi)堪鼑鷼⒐?。不過昨天他親眼看見一條戰(zhàn)船順著海峽開來， 還看見船上在打信號，好像是打給跟從的船只。當(dāng)時他不知道這就是國王的船，因為風(fēng)力不夠大，旗幟飄得不夠高，上面的金獅像看不出全貌，所以他只好等待事情進(jìn)一步發(fā)展。此刻，他想象著凱斯賓在伯恩斯坦有整整一支艦隊。岡帕斯萬萬沒料到居然有人帶了不到五十個人就拿下了這個群島，當(dāng)然這種事是他想象不到的。
“Secondly，”said Caspian，“I want to know why you have permitted this abominable and unnatural traffic in slaves to grow up here，contrary to the ancient custom and usage of our dominions.”
“其次，”凱斯賓說，“我想知道，你為什么允許販賣奴隸這種傷天害理的勾當(dāng)在本地進(jìn)行?這違背了本國領(lǐng)地的風(fēng)俗習(xí)慣。”
“Necessary，unavoidable，”said his Sufficiency.“An essential part of the economic development of the islands，I assure you.Our present burst of prosperity depends on it.”
“這是出于需要，當(dāng)然不能廢除，”總督說，“我向您保證， 這是本島經(jīng)濟(jì)發(fā)展的命脈，本島的興衰全靠這個買賣了。”
“What need have you of slaves ?”
“你們要那么多奴隸干什么?”
“For export，your Majesty.Sell’em to Calormen mostly; and we have other markets.We are a great center of the trade.”
“當(dāng)然是用來出口了，陛下。絕大部分會賣給卡樂門，還有其他的市場，這里可是買賣的一大中心。”
“In other words，”said Caspian，“you don’t need them.Tell me what purpose they serve except to put money into the pockets of such as Pug ?”
“換句話說，”凱斯賓說，“你不需要他們。你說說看，這些奴隸除了養(yǎng)肥普格這種人之外，還能干什么?”
“Your Majesty’s tender years，”said Gumpas，with what was meant to be a fatherly smile，“hardly make it possible that you should understand the economic problem involved.I have statistics，I have graphs，I have—”
“陛下您還年輕，”岡帕斯擺出一副父輩的笑容說，“還無法理解這些和經(jīng)濟(jì)相關(guān)的問題。我有統(tǒng)計數(shù)據(jù)、圖表，還有……”
“Tender as my years may be，”said Caspian，“I believe I understand the slave trade from within quite as well as your　Sufficiency.And I do not see that it brings into the islands meat or bread or beer or wine or timber or cabbages or books or instruments of music or horses or armour or anything else worth having.But whether it does or not，it must be stopped.”
“我是還年輕，”凱斯賓說，“可是我相信，我對奴隸買賣實質(zhì)的了解同閣下一樣清楚。我看這項買賣未必能給本島帶來肉類、面包、啤酒、葡萄酒、木材、白菜、書本、樂器、馬匹、盔甲或其他任何有價值的東西。無論如何，這項買賣必須終止。”
“But that would be putting the clock back，”gasped the governor.“Have you no idea of progress，of development ?”
“不過，這樣的話，經(jīng)濟(jì)就衰退了，”總督喘著粗氣說，“你知道什么是進(jìn)步，什么是發(fā)展嗎?”
“I have seen them both in an egg，”said Caspian.“We call it ‘Going Bad’ in Narnia.This trade must stop.”
“我看到的是這種進(jìn)步和發(fā)展的本質(zhì)。”凱斯賓說，“我們納尼亞把它叫做腐敗，這項買賣必須終止。”
“I can take no responsibility for any such measure，”said Gumpas.
“我決定不采取任何措施來執(zhí)行這個命令。”岡帕斯說。
“Very well，then，”answered Caspian，“we relieve you of your office.My Lord Bern，come here.”And before Gumpas quite realized what was happening，Bern was kneeling with his hands between the King’s hands and taking the oath to govern the Lone Islands in accordance with the old customs，rights，usages and laws of Narnia.And Caspian said，“I think we have had enough of governors，”and made Bern a Duke，the Duke of the Lone Islands.
“好吧，”凱斯賓答道，“我們只好免你的職。伯恩公爵，過來。” 岡帕斯還沒搞清是怎么回事，伯恩已經(jīng)跪下，雙手放在國王雙手間， 宣誓根據(jù)納尼亞古時的風(fēng)俗習(xí)慣、權(quán)利和法律來接管孤獨群島。凱斯賓說，“我看，這個群島有一個總督已經(jīng)足夠了。”于是當(dāng)場封伯恩為公爵，孤獨群島公爵。
“As for you，my Lord，”he said to Gumpas，“I forgive you your debt for the tribute.But before noon tomorrow you and yours must be out of the castle，which is now the Duke’s residence.”
“至于閣下你，”他對岡帕斯說，“我赦免你拖欠進(jìn)貢，明天中午之前，你和你的家人必須搬出城堡，現(xiàn)在這里是伯恩總督府。”
“Look here，this is all very well，”said one of Gumpas’s secretaries，“but suppose all you gentlemen stop play—acting and we do a little business.The question before us really is—”
“聽我說句話，好吧，”岡帕斯的一個秘書說，“你們別再裝腔作勢了，我們來做筆小交易吧。我們面前的問題是……”
“The question is，”said the Duke，“whether you and the rest of the rabble will leave without a flogging or with one.You may choose which you prefer.”
“問題是，”公爵說，“你和你的余黨，愿意服從我的安排， 還是愿意挨頓打再走呢?你們自己來選擇。”
When all this had been pleasantly settled，Caspian ordered horses，of which there were a few in the castle，though very ill-groomed and he，with Bern and Drinian and a few others，rode out into the town and made for the slave market.It was a long low building near the harbour and the scene which they found going on inside was very much like any other auction;that is to say，there was a great crowd and Pug，on a platform，was roaring out in a raucous voice：
等到這一切都解決之后，凱斯賓就下令備馬。城堡里倒有幾匹馬， 但喂養(yǎng)得不好，他和伯恩、德里寧還有三兩個人騎上馬，進(jìn)城直奔向奴隸市場。市場是港口附近一排長長的矮房，他們看到里面的情景跟其他拍賣行差不多：里面有一大批人，普格在平臺上，正在用沙啞的嗓子大聲吆喝：
“Now，gentlemen，lot twenty-three.Fine Terebinthian agricultural labourer，suitable for the mines or the galleys.Under twenty-five years of age.Not a bad tooth in his head.Good， brawny fellow.Take off his shirt，Tacks，and let the gentlemen see.There’s muscle for you !Look at the chest on him.Ten crescents from the gentleman in the corner.You must be joking， sir.Fifteen ! Eighteen ! Eighteen is bidden for lot twenty-three.Any advance on eighteen ?Twenty-one.Thank you，sir.Twenty-one is bidden—”
“嗨，先生們，二十三號貨。特里賓西亞的莊稼好手，適合開礦或船上劃槳。不到二十五歲，一嘴好牙，身體健康，肌肉結(jié)實。脫掉他的襯衫，塔克斯，讓諸位先生看看。一身肌肉!瞧他的胸膛。角落那位先生出十個月牙。你一定是在開玩笑吧，閣下。十五!十八! 有人出價十八買二十三號。還有誰加價?二十一。謝謝你，閣下。出二十……”
But Pug stopped and gaped when he saw the mail-clad figures who had clanked up to the platform.
普格看見披著鎧甲的人，哐當(dāng)作響地走向他，頓時停了下來， 啞口無聲。
“On your knees，every man of you，to the King of Narnia，”said the Duke.Everyone heard the horses jingling and stamping outside and many had heard some rumour of the landing and the events at the castle.Most obeyed.Those who did not were pulled down by their neighbours.Some cheered.
“所有人都給納尼亞國王跪下。”公爵說。大家聽到外面的馬蹄聲，一些人也聽到了國王登陸的傳說和城堡里的大事，所以多數(shù)人都聽從了。一些不肯聽從的人，也都被身邊的人拖住跪下了，有幾個人還在歡呼。
“Your life is forfeit，Pug，for laying hands on our royal person yesterday，”said Caspian.“But your ignorance is pardoned.The slave trade was forbidden in all our dominions quarter of an hour ago.I declare every slave in this market free.”
“普格，昨天你抓了王室成員，本來是要償命的，”凱斯賓說， “不過我決定原諒你的無知。在一刻鐘前，本國所有領(lǐng)土都已經(jīng)禁止買賣奴隸。我在此宣布奴隸市場的每一個奴隸從此自由了。”
He held up his hand to check the cheering of the slaves and went on，“Where are my friends ?”
他舉起手示意不讓奴隸們歡呼，問道：“我的朋友現(xiàn)在在哪里呢?”
“That dear little gel and the nice young gentleman ?”said Pug with an ingratiating smile.“Why，they were snapped up at once—”
“是那個小姑娘和長相英俊的小少爺嗎?”普格一臉討好地笑著說，“哎呀，剛把他們帶來就被買走了。”
“We’re here，we’re here，Caspian，”cried Lucy and Edmund together and，“At your service，Sire，”piped Reepicheep from another corner.They had all been sold but the men who had bought them were staying to bid for other slaves and so they had not yet been taken away.The crowd parted to let the three of them out and there was great hand—clasping and greeting between them and Caspian.Two merchants of Calormen at once approached. The Calormen have dark faces and long beards.They wear flowing robes and orange-coloured turbans，and they are a wise， wealthy，courteous，cruel and ancient people.They bowed most politely to Caspian and paid him long compliments，all about the fountains of prosperity irrigating the gardens of prudence and virtue—and things like that—but of course what they wanted was the money they had paid.
“我們在這兒，我們在這兒，凱斯賓!”露茜和愛德蒙一齊叫道。“隨時聽命，陛下!”雷佩契普從另一個角落里叫道。他們本來已經(jīng)被賣掉了，買主還想開價再買幾個奴隸，所以還沒帶走他們。三個人走出人群，同凱斯賓緊緊握手，相互問候。兩個卡樂門的商人也立刻走上前。卡樂門人長著深色臉龐，留著長胡子。他們是聰明、富裕、謙恭和強悍的古老民族。他們穿著長袍，扎著橙紅色頭巾，極其恭敬地向凱斯賓鞠躬，對他說了許許多多恭維的話，無外乎是那些繁榮昌盛的源泉灌溉出賢明和德行的花園的話——以及類似的話——不過他們的目的當(dāng)然是想拿回付出的那筆錢。
“That is only fair，sirs，”said Caspian.“Every man who has bought a slave today must have his money back.Pug，bring out your takings to the last minim.”(A minim is the fortieth part of a crescent.)
“為了公平起見，各位，”凱斯賓說，“今天買下奴隸的人個個都必須收回錢。普格，把你拿到的錢都拿出來，一滴滴都不能留。”( 四十個滴滴等于一個月牙)
“Does your good Majesty mean to beggar me ?”whined Pug.
“陛下存心要把我變成窮光蛋嗎?”普格哭訴道。
“You have lived on broken hearts all your life，”said Caspian， “and if you are beggared，it is better to be a beggar than a slave. But where is my other friend ?”
“你這輩子一直在靠干這些傷天害理的勾當(dāng)過日子，”凱斯賓說， “即使變成了窮光蛋，也比做個奴隸強。我另外一個朋友在哪兒?”
“Oh him ?”said Pug.“Oh take him and welcome.Glad to have him off my hands.I’ve never seen such a drug in the market in all my born days.Priced him at five crescents in the end and even so nobody’d have him.Threw him in free with other lots and still no one would have him.Wouldn’t touch him.Wouldn’t look at him.Packs，bring out Sulky.”
“哦，他嗎?”普格說，“唉，歡迎把他領(lǐng)回去。我巴不得把他脫手呢。我有生以來，第一次在市場里遇見這么個賣不掉的貨。最后把他定價五個月牙，這么低的價還是沒人要。我把他跟其他的貨搭配白送，還是沒人要，別人看都不愿看他一眼。塔克斯，把那個倒霉鬼帶來。”
Thus Eustace was produced，and sulky he certainly looked; for though no one would want to be sold as a slave，it is perhaps even more galling to be a sort of utility slave whom no one will buy.He walked up to Caspian and said，“I see.As usual.Been enjoying yourself somewhere while the rest of us were prisoners.I suppose you haven’t even found out about the British Consul.Of course not.”
尤斯塔斯哭喪著臉出來了。雖然沒人愿意被別人當(dāng)奴隸賣掉， 不過成了沒人愿意買的奴隸，也許更讓人惱火。他走近凱斯賓，說：“原來如此，老把戲了。我們其他人當(dāng)俘虜，你自己在別的地方逍遙自在。我看，你沒打聽到英國領(lǐng)事館的事吧，這兒肯定沒有。”
That night they had a great feast in the castle of Narrowhaven and then，“Tomorrow for the beginning of our real adventures !”said Reepicheep when he had made his bows to everyone and went to bed.But it could not really be tomorrow or anything like it.For now they were preparing to leave all known lands and seas behind them and the fullest preparations had to be made.The Dawn Treader was emptied and drawn on land by eight horses over rollers and every bit of her was gone over by the most skilled shipwrights.Then she was launched again and victualled and watered as full as she could hold—that is to say for twenty-eight days.Even this，as Edmund noticed with disappointment，only gave them a fortnight’s eastward sailing before they had to abandon their quest.
那天晚上，他們在狹港的城堡里舉行一場盛大宴會。之后，雷佩契普向大家鞠躬行禮，說道：“明天，我們真正的冒險生活就要開始了!”說完他就去睡了。沒想到，第二天大家卻沒辦法走了。他們現(xiàn)在要準(zhǔn)備離開已經(jīng)探明的陸地和海面，必須得做好準(zhǔn)備。黎明踏浪號被清空了，被放置在滾軸上，靠著八匹馬拖上陸地，熟練的修船工檢測了船的每個小細(xì)節(jié)。然后再試著下水，船上準(zhǔn)備了充足的糧食和飲用水——用上二十八天都沒問題。愛德蒙注意到盡管準(zhǔn)備得如此充足，他們也只有十四天的時間可以向東航行，此后就不得不放棄搜尋計劃了，不禁大為掃興。
While all this was being done Caspian missed no chance of questioning all the oldest sea captains whom he could find in Narrowhaven to learn if they had any knowledge or even any rumours of land further to the east.He poured out many a flagon of the castle ale to weather-beaten men with short grey beards and clear blue eyes，and many a tall yarn he heard in return.But those who seemed the most truthful could tell of no lands beyond the Lone Islands，and many thought that if you sailed too far east you would come into the surges of a sea without lands that swirled perpetually round the rim of the world—“And that，I reckon，is where your Majesty’s friends went to the bottom.”The rest had only wild stories of islands inhabited by headless men，floating islands， waterspouts，and a fire that burned along the water.Only one，to Reepicheep’s delight，said，“And beyond that，Aslan’s country. But that’s beyond the end of the world and you can’t get there.”But when they questioned—him he could only say that he’d heard it from his father.
做好這一切的同時，凱斯賓又趁機(jī)在狹港召集到最老的船長們， 向他們打聽繼續(xù)往東行駛，還會有什么陸地，哪怕他們只是聽回來的。凱賓斯把城堡內(nèi)的酒打開，招待那些水手，他們飽經(jīng)風(fēng)雨，長著灰白的短胡須，清澈的藍(lán)眼睛，他們曾聽過許許多多的海上傳說。無奈的是，誠實的水手們根本說不清，除了孤獨群島，這里是否還存在陸地。大家一致認(rèn)為，一直向東航行，肯定會撞進(jìn)茫茫的大海中，看不到陸地，只有洶涌的波濤，圍繞著世界的邊緣不停打轉(zhuǎn)…… “我認(rèn)為，那里就是陛下的朋友們卷入海底的地方。”其他的談話更是天方夜譚了，都是些無頭人的島嶼，漂浮的島嶼，龍卷風(fēng)卷起的水之柱，或者海面上曾燃燒起大火之類的傳說。只有一個人的說辭， 讓雷佩契普頗為動心。他說：“外面應(yīng)該是阿斯蘭的王國了?？上鞘鞘澜绲谋M頭，你們無法到達(dá)。”當(dāng)大家追問他時，他只是說這是從父親那里聽到的故事。
Bern could only tell them that he had seen his six companions sail away eastward and that nothing had ever been heard of them again.He said this when he and Caspian were standing on the highest point of Avra looking down on the eastern ocean.“I’ve often been up here of a morning，”said the Duke，“and seen the sun come up out of the sea，and sometimes it looked as if it were only a couple of miles away.And I’ve wondered about my friends　and wondered what there really is behind that horizon.Nothing， most likely，yet I am always half ashamed that I stayed behind. But I wish your Majesty wouldn’t go.We may need your help here. This closing the slave market might make a new world;war with Calormen is what I foresee.My liege，think again.”
伯恩告訴他們，當(dāng)初看到自己的六個伙伴，一直向東航行而去， 此后就再也沒有打聽到他們的下落。說這話時，他正和凱賓斯站在東大洋阿芙拉島的最高處。“我常常在早晨來這里，”公爵說，“太陽從海面升起，仿佛離自己只有兩三英里那么遠(yuǎn)。我很想知道朋友們在哪里，想知道遙遠(yuǎn)的天際外究竟是怎樣的。也許什么都沒有吧，我為自己當(dāng)初選擇留下來深感內(nèi)疚。不過，我還是勸陛下不要冒險。我們這里依舊需要您的幫助。這次，雖然成功地取締了奴隸市場，但我有種預(yù)感，我們同卡樂門會有一場戰(zhàn)爭，望您三思。”
“I have an oath，my lord Duke，”said Caspian.“And anyway，what could I say to Reepicheep ?”
“我發(fā)誓，公爵閣下”，凱斯賓說，“不管怎樣，我對雷佩契普也應(yīng)該有個交代吧?”