《黎明踏浪號》第十三章 三個沉睡的公爵

CHAPTER THIRTEEN THE THREE SLEEPERS
第十三章　三個沉睡的公爵

THE wind never failed but it grew gentler every day till at length the waves were little more than ripples，and the ship glided on hour after hour almost as if they were sailing on a lake.And every night they saw that there rose in the east new constellations which no one had ever seen in Narnia and perhaps，as Lucy thought with a mixture of joy and fear，no living eye had seen at all.Those new stars were big and bright and the nights were warm.Most of them slept on deck and talked far into the night or hung over the ship’s side watching the luminous dance of the foam thrown up by their bows.
風沒停過，卻也一天比一天小，到最后浪花變成了漣漪，船一個小時接著一個小時行駛著，仿佛行駛在湖面上似的。每天夜里他們都看見東方升起新的星辰，在納尼亞可沒人見過這些星辰。正如露茜驚喜地琢磨著，也許任何肉眼凡胎的人都根本沒見過吧。那些星星又大又亮，夜間天氣很是暖和，他們大半人睡在甲板上，有人一直談到深更半夜，有人在船舷徘徊，看船頭激起的泡沫，像是在觀看舞蹈一樣。
On an evening of startling beauty，when the sunset behind them was so crimson and purple and widely spread that the very sky itself seemed to have grown larger，they came in sight of land on their starboard bow.It came slowly nearer and the light behind them made it look as if the capes and headlands of this new country were all on fire.But presently they were sailing along its coast and its western cape now rose up astern of them，black against the red sky and sharp as if it was cut out of cardboard，and then they could see better what this country was like.It had no mountains but many gentle hills with slopes like pillows.An attractive smell came from it-what Lucy called“a dim，purple kind of smell”，which Edmund said(and Rhince thought)was rot，but Caspian said，“I know what you mean.”
有一天，黃昏驚人的美。船后面的夕陽紅彤彤的，映紅了漫天的晚霞，使天空更加空曠。突然，他們看見右舷船頭那邊有陸地。陸地越來越近，后面的霞光照得這個地方所有的海角如同著了火。不久他們就沿著海岸行駛了，漸漸在他們船尾方向看到西部海角，黑乎乎的，襯著紅彤彤的天，輪廓分明，猶如剪影一般。他們這才看得清這地方。陸地上沒有大山，只有許多小山包，像枕頭一樣。陸地上飄來一股誘人的氣息——露茜說那“是一種輕淡的，華麗的氣味”。愛德蒙說這是胡話( 賴因斯也這么想)，可是凱斯賓卻說：“我知道你的意思。”
They sailed on a good way，past point after point，hoping to find a nice deep harbour，but had to content themselves in the end with a wide and shallow bay.Though it had seemed calm out at sea there was of course surf breaking on the sand and they could not bring the Dawn Treader as far in as they would have liked. They dropped anchor a good way from the beach and had a wet and tumbling landing in the boat.The Lord Rhoop remained on board the Dawn Treader.He wished to see no more islands.All the time that they remained in this country the sound of the long breakers was in their ears.
他們開了很長一段路程，開過一個海角又一個海角，希望能找一個深水良港，可是最后只能在一個又寬又淺的海灘將就一下。雖然外邊的海面風平浪靜，可是沙灘上還是有小波浪拍打水岸，他們沒法把黎明踏浪號按心里想的那樣開進去，只好在離開海灘很遠的地方拋錨，再坐小船，每個人都渾身濕淋淋，跌跌撞撞地上了岸。羅普公爵依然留在黎明踏浪號上，他不希望再看見什么島嶼了。他們留在島上的時候，長長的海浪拍打海岸的聲音一直回旋在耳邊。
Two men were left to guard the boat and Caspian led the others inland，but not far because it was too late for exploring and the light would soon go.But there was no need to go far to find an adventure.The level valley which lay at the head of the bay showed no road or track or other sign of habitation.Underfoot was tine springy turf dotted here and there with a low bushy growth which Edmund and Lucy took for heather.Eustace，who was really rather good at botany;said it wasn’t，and he was probably right;but it was something of very much the same kind.
凱斯賓留下兩個人守護著小船，他帶其他人到陸地上去，但沒走遠，天色就黑了下來。因為天太晚了，所以無法探測。不過要探索也用不著走太遠，灘頭那片平地看不見道路，也看不見足跡，更沒有人煙。腳下到處都是細軟濕潤的草皮，還有一種低矮的叢生植物，愛德蒙和露茜認為那是石南。尤斯塔斯相當精通植物學，他說不是石南， 也許是吧，反正這東西跟石南大同小異。
When they had gone less than a bowshot from the shore， Drinian said，“Look ! What’s that ?”and everyone stopped.
他們走到離岸不到一箭遠的地方，德里寧說：“看，那是什么?” 大家聽了都站住了。
“Are they great trees ?”said Caspian.
“是一棵大樹嗎?”凱斯賓說。
“Towers，l think，”said Eustace.
“我感覺是塔。”尤斯塔斯說。
“It might be giants，”said Edmund in a lower voice.
“是巨人吧。”愛德蒙放低聲音說。
“The way to find out is to go right iv among them，”said Reepicheep，drawing his sword and pattering off ahead of everyone else.
“想知道是什么就直接過去看看。”雷佩契普拔出劍來，啪嗒啪嗒地走在了前邊。
“I think it’s a ruin，”said Lucy when they had got a good deal nearer，and her guess was the best so far.What they now saw was a wide oblong space flagged with smooth stones and surrounded by grey pillars but unroofed.And from end to end of it ran a long table laid with a rich crimson cloth that came down nearly to the pavement.At either side of it were many chairs of stone richly carved and with silken cushions upon the seats.But on the table itself there was set out such a banquet as had never been seen， not even when Peter the High King kept his court at Cair Paravel. There were turkeys and geese and peacocks，there were boars’ heads and sides of venison，there were pies shaped like ships under full sail or like dragons and elephants，there were ice puddings and bright lobsters and gleaming salmon，there were nuts and grapes， pineapples and peaches，pomegranates and melons and tomatoes. There were flagons of gold and silver and curiouslywrought glass; and the smell of the fruit and the wine blew towards them like a promise of all happiness.
"“我覺得是座廢墟。”當他們走近時，露茜說。顯然她的猜測是最正確的。他們眼前是一塊寬闊的長方形空地，地面鋪著光滑的卵石，四下都是灰色的柱子，沒有屋頂。從這一端到那一端的中間是一張長長的桌子，桌上鋪著快要拖到石板地上的大紅桌布。桌子周圍有許多精工細雕的石椅，鋪著綢緞墊子。上面還擺了一桌從未見過的豐盛宴席，相信至尊王彼得在凱爾帕拉維爾執(zhí)政時也從未見過這樣豐盛的宴席。

上面有火雞、鵝和孔雀，有野豬頭、鹿脯，有餡餅，有的形狀像張開帆的大船，有的像巨龍，有的像大象。有冰鎮(zhèn)布丁，有鮮艷的龍蝦、閃亮的鮭魚，有果仁、葡萄、菠蘿，有桃子、石榴、蜜瓜和番茄。還有金酒壺、銀酒壺、制作奇巧的玻璃酒杯，水果和美酒的香味向他們迎面撲來，頓時他們覺得非常興奮。
"
“I say !”said Lucy.
“好豐盛!”露茜說。
They came nearer and nearer，all very quietly.
他們越來越近，大家都不說話了。
“But where are the guests ?”asked Eustace.
“客人在哪兒呢?”尤斯塔斯問。
“We can provide that，Sir，”said Rhince.
“我們來湊個數(shù)，閣下。”賴因斯說。
“Look !”said Edmund sharply.They were actually within the pillars now and standing on the pavement.Everyone looked where Edmund had pointed.The chairs were not all empty.At the head of the table and in the two places beside it there was something-or possibly three somethings.
“瞧!”愛德蒙驚叫道。眼下他們已經到柱子圍著的石地板上了。大家都朝愛德蒙所指的地方看去。原來椅子不全是空座，在桌子首席和左右兩邊座位上大概有三個什么東西。
“What are those ?”asked Lucy in a whisper.“It looks like three beavers sitting on the table.”
“那是什么?”露茜悄聲問，“很像三個坐在席上的海貍。”
“Or a huge bird’s nest，”said Edmund.
“應該是個大鳥巢。”愛德蒙說。
“It looks more like a haystack to me，”said Caspian.
“我看更像干草堆。”凱斯賓說。
Reepicheep ran forward，jumped on a chair and thence on to the table，and ran along it，threading his way as nimbly as a dancer between jewelled cups and pyramids of fruit and-ivory salt-cellars.He ran right up to the mysterious grey mass at the end： peered，touched，and then called out：
雷佩契普奔上前，跳到椅子上，再跳到桌子上，順著桌子跑過去， 像個舞蹈家一樣靈活地穿行在鑲珠嵌寶的酒杯和堆得像金字塔一樣的水果和象牙鹽瓶之間。一直跑到桌子盡頭那堆灰不溜秋的神秘東西旁邊，東張西望，還碰了幾下，然后叫道：
“These will not fight，I think.”
“我感覺它們是沒有攻擊性的。”
Everyone now came close and saw that what sat in those three chairs was three men，though hard to recognize as men till you looked closely.Their hair，which was grey，had grown over their eyes till it almost concealed their，faces，and their beards had grown over the table，climbing pound and entwining plates and goblets as brambles;entwine a fence，until，all mixed in one great mat of hair，they flowed over the edge and down to the floor.And from their heads the hair hung over the backs of their chairs so that they were wholly hidden.In fact the three men were;nearly all hair.
這時大家都走近了，看到那三個座位上坐著的是三個人，不湊近還真看不出來呢。他們的頭發(fā)灰白，蓋過眼睛，幾乎遮住了臉; 他們的胡子長得蓋住桌子，沿著桌子像荊棘繞籬笆似的盤繞著杯盤， 一大簇毛發(fā)垂在桌沿，拖到地面上。他們的頭發(fā)絲還披散到椅背上，把身體全遮住了，實際上這三個人就像三團毛。
“Dead ?”said Caspian.
“死了嗎?”凱斯賓說。
“I think not，Sire，”said Reepicheep，lifting one of their hands out of its tangle of hair in his two paws.“This one is warm and his pulse beats.”
“我看沒死，陛下。”雷佩契普說，它兩只爪抓起那簇毛發(fā)， 舉起其中一個人的手，說：“至少他的手是溫熱的，脈搏在跳動。”
“This one，too，and this，”said Drinian.
“他也是，還有他。”德里寧說。
“Why，they’re only asleep，”said Eustace.
“好吧，他們只是睡著了而已。”尤斯塔斯說。
“It’s been a long sleep，though，”said Edmund，“to let their hair grow like this.”
“可是，讓頭發(fā)長到這樣，他們已經睡了很久了啊。”愛德蒙說。
“It must be an enchanted sleep，”said Lucy.“I felt the moment we landed on this island that it was full of magic.Oh !do you think we have perhaps come here to break it ?”
“很有可能是中了魔法。”露茜說，“我們一踏上這個島，我就感到這里充滿了魔力。哦，你們不認為，我們到這兒來，就是來破解這種魔法的嗎?”
“Out oars for Narnia，eh ?”said Drinian.
“準備劃船到納尼亞去，嗯?”德里寧說。
“Yes，”said Caspian，“you are right，Drinian.I think our quest is at an end.Let’s look at their rings.Yes，these are their devices.This is the Lord Revilian.This is the Lord Argoz：and this，the Lord Mavramorn.”
“是啊，”凱斯賓說，“你說得不錯，德里寧。我想，我們的尋訪快要結束了。我們來瞧瞧他們的戒指吧?？?，這就是他們的紋章， 他是雷維廉公爵，他是阿爾戈茲公爵，他則是馬弗拉蒙公爵。”
“But we can’t wake them，”said Lucy.“What are we to do ?”
“我們卻叫不醒他們啊，”露茜說，“該怎么辦才好呢?”
“Begging your Majesties’ pardons all，”said Rhince，“but why not fall to while you’re discussing it ? We don’t see a dinner like this every day.”
“請各位陛下原諒，”賴因斯說，“為什么不趁你們討論的時候先開始用餐呢?這樣的美餐我們可不是天天都能享受的啊。”
“Not for your life !”said Caspian.
“千萬不能吃!”凱斯賓說。
“That’s right，that’s right，”said several of the sailors.
“就是啊，就是啊，”幾個水手說，
“Too much magic about here.The sooner we’re back on board the better.”
“這里到處是魔法，我們還是趁早回船為好。”
“Depend upon it，”said Reepicheep，“it was from eating this food that these three lords came by a seven years’ sleep.”
“的確，”雷佩契普說，“這三位公爵一定是吃了這桌酒菜， 才睡了七年之久。”
“I wouldn’t touch it to save my life，”said Drinian.
“我不想死，我才不想碰這些酒菜呢。”德里寧說。
“The light’s going uncommon quick，”said Rynelf.
“天色很快就變暗了。”賴尼夫說。
“Back to ship，back to ship，”muttered the men.
“回去吧，回去吧。”其他人念叨著說。
“I really think，”said Edmund，“they’re right.We can decide what to do with the three sleepers tomorrow.We daren’t eat the food and there’s no point in staying here for the night.The whole place smells of magic-and danger.”
“我認為，”愛德蒙說，“他們說得對。明天我們再決定怎么喚醒這三個沉睡的人吧。我們不敢吃這頓酒菜，待在這里過夜也沒意思了。這片土地處處都有魔法和危險的氣息。”
“I am entirely of King Edmund’s opinion，”said Reepicheep，“as far as concerns the ship’s company in general.But I myself will sit at this table till sunrise.”
“我完全贊同愛德蒙國王對全體成員的意見，”雷佩契普說，“不過我倒愿意在這兒一直坐到天亮。”
“Why on earth ?”said Eustace.
“為什么呢?”尤斯塔斯說。
“Because，”said the Mouse，“this is a very great adventure， and no danger seems to me so great as that of knowing when I get back to Narnia that I left a mystery behind me through fear.”
“因為這是一次很了不起的奇遇，”老鼠說，“對我而言任何危險我都不怕，要是回到了納尼亞，心里會一直想，由于害怕有一個謎沒解開，那才要命呢。”
“I’ll stay with you，Reep，”said Edmund.
“我陪你，雷佩契普。”愛德蒙說。
“And I too，”said Caspian.
“我也是。”凱斯賓說。
“And me，”said Lucy.And then Eustace volunteered also. This was very brave of him because never having read of such things or even heard of them till he joined the Dawn Treader made it worse for him than for the others.
“我也是。”露茜說。然后尤斯塔斯也自告奮勇留下。對他而言， 這是非常勇敢的行為，他沒登上黎明踏浪號之前，從來沒在書上看到過這樣的故事，連聽都沒聽說過，所以這個決定對他而言比對其他人更難。
“I beseech your Majesty—”began Drinian.
“懇求陛下……”德里寧開口說。
“No，my Lord，”said Caspian.“Your place is with the ship， and you have had a day’s work while we five have idled.”There was a lot of argument about this but in the end Caspian had his way. As the crew marched off to the shore in the gathering dusk none of the five watchers，except perhaps Reepicheep，could avoid a cold feeling in the stomach.
“不，公爵，”凱斯賓說，“你的崗位在船上，你工作了整整一天， 可我們五個卻一直閑著。”爭論這件事費了不少口舌，到最后還是凱斯賓說了算。暮色蒼茫中，船員出發(fā)到海岸去，留下了他們五個守夜的人，除了雷佩契普，其他人都感到肚子有些冰涼。
They took some time choosing their seats at the perilous table. Probably everyone had the same reason but no one said it out loud.For it was really a rather nasty choice.One could hardly bear to sit all night next to those three terrible hairy objects which， if not dead，were certainly not alive in the ordinary sense.On the other hand，to sit at the far end，so that you would see them less and less as the night grew darker，and wouldn’t know if they were moving，and perhaps wouldn’t see them at all by about two o’clock no，it was not to be thought of.So they sauntered round and round the table saying，“What about here ?”and“Or perhaps a bit further on，”or，“Why not on this side ?”till at last they settled down somewhere about the middle but nearer to the sleepers than to the other end.It was about ten by now and almost dark.Those strange new constellations burned in the east.Lucy would have liked it better if they had been the Leopard and the Ship and other old friends of the Narnian sky.
他們花了很長時間，才在這張危機四伏的桌上挑好座位，其實每個人的原因都相同，但是沒人說出口。因為這確實是一件令人討厭的選擇。你要整夜坐在三個渾身長著嚇人長毛的怪物旁邊，這實在無法忍受，即使這三個人不是死人，但也不是一般的活人。可是用另一種方法呢，遠離他們而坐，但天色越來越黑，慢慢就會看不見他們， 也不知道他們是不是有動靜，也許到半夜兩點鐘就根本也看不見他們了……不，不能繼續(xù)想了。他們就繞著桌子走了一圈又一圈，嘴里說：“這兒怎么樣?” 一會兒說：“還是坐得遠一點兒更好吧。”一會兒又說：“為什么不坐在這邊呢?”最后他們決定坐在中間，離三個沉睡的人更近一些。這時大約十點鐘，天算是很黑了。陌生的星星在東方閃閃發(fā)光，如果這是豹子座和船星座，也就是在納尼亞的上空看到過的老朋友，露茜會更加放松。
They wrapped themselves in their sea cloaks and sat still and waited.At first there was some attempt at talk but it didn’t come to much.And they sat and sat.And all the time they heard the waves breaking on the beach.
他們裹著航海外套，一動不動，靜靜地等待著。一開始他們也試圖談談，可是談不出什么話題來。于是大家只好坐著，耳邊一直回旋著浪花拍岸的聲音。
After hours that seemed like ages there came a moment when they all knew they had been dozing a moment before but were all suddenly wide awake.The stars were all in quite different positions from those they had last noticed.The sky was very black except for the faintest possible greyness in the east.They were cold， though thirsty，and stiff.And none of them spoke because now at last something was happening.
幾個小時過去了，仿佛好幾個世紀剛剛走完的感覺，他們都明白剛才已經打過一會兒盹，突然一下子全都清醒了。星座的方位都跟剛剛看到的，完全不同了。天空很黑，只有東方隱隱約約有些灰白。他們不僅口渴，身上又冷又僵，卻沒人愿意說話，終于又一次出現(xiàn)了些神奇的事情。
Before them，beyond the pillars，there was the slope of a low hill.And now a door opened in the hillside，and light appeared in the doorway，and a figure came out，and the door shut behind it.The figure carried a light，and this light was really all that they could see distinctly.It came slowly nearer and nearer till at last it stood right at the table opposite to them.Now they could see that it was a tall girl，dressed in a single long garment of clear blue which left her arms bare.She was bareheaded and her yellow hair hung down her back.And when they looked at her they thought they had never before known what beauty meant.
在他們前面，柱子外有座低矮的小山坡。這時，坡上一扇門打開了，門口有些許亮光，有一個人從里面走出來，背后的門自己關上了。那人手里拿著燈火，這一抹光亮其實就是他們唯一能看得清的東西。燈火慢慢越來越近，越來越近，最后正對著他們放在桌子對面。他們終于看清來者是個高個姑娘，穿著一件藍色露臂長袍。姑娘沒戴帽子，金發(fā)披散在背后。他們看到她，不由地感慨，活到現(xiàn)在才終于知道什么是美人了。
The light which she had been carrying was a tall candle in a silver candlestick which she now set upon the table.If there had been any wind off the sea earlier in the night it must have died down by now，for the flame of the candle burned as straight and still as if it were in a room with the windows shut and the curtains drawn. Gold and silver on the table shone in its light.
她剛才拿著的燈火原來是支插在銀燭臺上的長燭。她把燭臺擱在桌上。如果上半夜刮過海風的話，這會兒一定是停了，燭火筆直不動，像是擱在一間關緊窗戶拉上窗簾的屋里似的，桌上的那些金銀餐具在燭光下反射著光芒。
Lucy now noticed something lying lengthwise on the table which had escaped her attention before.It was a knife of stone， sharp as steel，a cruel-looking，ancient looking thing.
露茜這才注意到桌子那頭放著一件東西，之前她沒在意。那是把石刀，像鋼一樣鋒利，是件樣子古老的且充滿殺氣的東西。
No one had yet spoken a word.Then-Reepicheep first，and Caspian next-they all rose to their feet，because they felt that she was a great lady.
直到現(xiàn)在，依舊沒人說話。然后——雷佩契普和凱斯賓先后站了起來，接著大家都跟著站了起來，因為他們覺得她必定很高貴。
“Travellers who have come from far to Aslan’s table，”said the girl.“Why do you not eat and drink ?”
“遠道來到的阿斯蘭的客人們，”那姑娘說，“為什么，你們不吃不喝啊?”
“Madam，”said Caspian，“we feared the food because we thought it had cast our friends into an enchanted sleep.”
“姑娘，”凱斯賓說，“我們不敢吃，我們覺得自己的朋友可能就是吃了這些酒菜，才中了魔法并且長睡不醒。”
“They have never tasted it，”she said.
“他們根本沒吃過這些。”她說。
“Please，”said Lucy，“what happened to them ?”
“那請問，”露茜說，“他們到底發(fā)生了什么事情?”
“Seven years ago，”said the girl，“they came here in a ship whose sails were rags and timbers ready to fall apart.There were a few others with them，sailors，and when they came to this table one said，Here is the good place.Let us set sail and reef sail and row no longer but sit down and end our days in peace !‘And the second said，No，let us re-embark and sail for Narnia and the west;it may be that Miraz is dead.’But the third，who was a very masterful man，leaped up and said，No，by heaven.We are men and Telmarines，not brutes.What should we do but seek adventure after adventure ? We have not long to live in any event.Let us spend what is left in seeking the unpeopled world behind the sunrise.And as they quarrelled he caught up the Knife of Stone which lies there on the table and would have fought with his comrades.But it is a thing not right for him to touch.And as his fingers closed upon the hilt，deep sleep fell upon all the three. And till the enchantment is undone they will never wake.”
“七年前，”那姑娘說，“他們乘了一條船來到這兒，船帆都成了碎布條，船骨也幾乎散架了。他們帶著幾個水手，走到這張餐桌前。一個人說，‘這里真好。我們就此解開帆篷，不再劃槳，坐在這里安享天年吧!’第二個人說，‘不，我們還是重新上船，開到納尼亞去，回到西方去，說不定彌若茲已經死了呢。’第三個人非常專橫，暴跳如雷地說，‘不，上帝看著我們呢!我們是男子漢大丈夫， 是臺爾馬人，不是畜生。我們除了不斷探險獵奇，還該干什么呢?反正我們活不久了。不如利用剩下的生命去探索太陽后面那個無人的世界吧。’他們一邊說一邊爭吵起來，他操起一把放在桌上的石刀， 想跟伙伴干上一架。誰知那把刀是動不得的。他手指剛拿住刀把，這三個人就一起陷入了沉睡中，要睡到魔法破除才會醒來。”
“What is this Knife of Stone ?”asked Eustace.
“這把石刀有什么特別呢?”尤斯塔斯問。
“Do none of you know it ?”said the girl.
“你們都不知道嗎?”那姑娘說。
“I—I think，”said Lucy，“I’ve seen something like it before.It was a knife like it that the White Witch used when she killed Aslan at the Stone Table long ago.”
“我……我想，”露茜說，“我以前見過類似這樣的刀。這把刀像很久之前，白女巫在石桌上殺死阿斯蘭的那把刀。”
“It was the same.，”said the girl，“and it was brought here to be kept in honour while the world lasts.”
“就是這把，”那姑娘說，“這把刀被帶到這里保存起來作個紀念。”
Edmund，who had been looking more and more uncomfortable for the last few minutes，now spoke.
愛德蒙剛才神色越來越難看，這個時候他開口了。
“Look here，”he said，“I hope I’m not a coward-about eating this food，I mean-and I’m sure I don’t mean to be rude.But we have had a lot of queer adventures on this voyage of ours and things aren’t always what they seem.When I look in your face I can’t help believing all you say：but then that’s just what might happen with a witch too.How are we to know you’re a friend ?”
“聽著，”他說，“其實我不是個膽小鬼——可是我覺得吃這些酒菜……我也并非存心冒犯。我們這次遠航的路上經歷了不少稀奇古怪的事情，而且事情從不像是表面上那樣。當我看著你臉時，我只能相信你說的一切。萬一碰到女巫，我也只能選擇相信她。我們怎么知道你其實是我們的朋友呢?”
“You can’t know，”said the girl.“You can only believe or not.”
“沒有辦法知道，”姑娘說，“信不信由你了。”
After a moment’s pause Reepicheep’s small voice was heard.
片刻之后，只聽到雷佩契普小聲說話。
“Sire，”he said to Caspian，“of your courtesy fill my cup with wine from that flagon：it is too big for me to lift.I will drink to the lady.”
“陛下，”它對凱斯賓說，“勞駕您從那個酒壺里替我斟杯酒： 這壺太大，我拿不動。我要為這位姑娘祝酒。”
Caspian obeyed and the Mouse，standing on the table，held up a golden cup between its tiny paws and said，“Lady，I pledge you.”Then it fell to on cold peacock，and in a short while everyone else followed its example.All were very hungry and the meal，if not quite what you wanted for a very early breakfast，was excellent as a very late supper.
凱斯賓照做了，老鼠站在餐桌上，兩個小爪子捧著金杯說：“姑娘，敬您一杯。”說罷它就吃起冷孔雀肉來。一會兒，大家都跟著它開始吃喝。大家很餓，即使這頓酒菜不適合作早餐，可是作為一頓夜宵來說再好不過了。
“Why is it called Aslan’s table ?”asked Lucy presently.
“為什么稱這是阿斯蘭的餐桌?”不一會兒露茜問。
“It is set here by his bidding，”said the girl，“for those who come so far.Some call this island the World’s End，for though you can sail further，this is the beginning of the end.”
“餐桌是按照他的囑咐擺在這里的，”那姑娘說，“專門招待那些遠道而來的人。有人把這島稱作世界的盡頭，雖然你們還可以再往遠處開，但這里是盡頭的開端。”
“But how does the food keep ?”asked the practical Eustace.
“這些酒菜是怎么保鮮的?”務實的尤斯塔斯問。
“It is eaten，and renewed every day，”said the girl.“This you will see.”
“每天吃掉了再重新做，”那姑娘說，“一會兒就知道了。”
“And what are we to do about the Sleepers ?”asked Caspian.“In the world from which my friends come”(here，he nodded at Eustace and the Pevensies)“they have a story of a prince or a king coming to a castle where all the people lay in an enchanted sleep.In that story he could not dissolve the enchantment until he had kissed the Princess.”
“這幾個沉睡的人怎么辦?”凱斯賓問，“在我這幾位朋友的世界里，”說到這里他朝尤斯塔斯和佩文西兄妹點點頭，“流傳著一個故事，有個王子或國王來到一個城堡，城堡里的人全都中了魔法沉睡不醒。在那故事里，他吻了公主，并且解除了魔法。”
“But here，”said the girl，“it is different.Here he cannot kiss the Princess till he has dissolved the enchantment.”
“這兒的情況卻不同，”姑娘說，“這里是要解除了魔法，才能吻公主。”
“Then，”said Caspian，“in the name of Aslan，show me how to set about that work at once.”
“如此說來，”凱斯賓說，“以阿斯蘭的名義，我該做些什么。”
“My father will teach you that，”said the girl.
“我父親會告訴你的。”姑娘說。
“Your father !”said everyone.“Who is he? And where?”
“你父親!”大家說，“他是什么人?在哪里?”
“Look，”said the girl，turning round and pointing at the door in the hillside.They could see it more easily now，for while they had been talking the stars had grown fainter and great gaps of white light were appearing in the greyness of the eastern sky.
“你看”姑娘回過頭，指著山坡上那扇門說。此刻看起來已經非常清楚了，在他們談話那會兒，星星開始暗淡了，東方灰蒙蒙的天空已經露出大片白色的曙光。
“We can try，”said Caspian，and began shaking the nearest of the three sleepers.For a moment everyone thought he was going to be successful，for the man breathed hard and muttered，“I’ll go eastward no more.Out oars for Narnia.”But he sank back almost at once into a yet deeper sleep than before：that is，his heavy head sagged a few inches lower towards the table and all efforts to rouse him again were useless.With the second it was much the same. “Weren’t born to live like animals.Get to the east while you’ve a chance-lands behind the sun，”and sank down.And the third only said，“Mustard，please，”and slept hard.
“可以試試。”凱斯賓說著開始搖三個沉睡的人中最靠近他的一個。有那么一會兒大家以為他就要成功了，因為那人拼命吸著氣，嘟囔：“我再也不往東了，我準備劃船到納尼亞去。” 可是說完一下子又睡著了，而且睡得比之前還要沉。他的腦袋還往桌子下低下幾英寸，任你再怎么吵都吵不醒。第二個人和第一個人如出一轍，叨念了幾句：“我們不是生來就得做牛做馬才可以生活下去。你有機會就到東方去吧，到太陽后面的陸地上去。”說著就不省人事了。第三個人只說了一句：“請把芥末遞給我。”說完又大睡了。