牛津書蟲系列 曾達的囚徒 6 An adventure with a teatable

6 An adventure with a teatable

6 茶桌歷險

One day Sapt brought me some news he had found out where the King was.Duke Michael was holding him prisoner somewhere in the Castle of Zenda.

有一天薩普特帶來了一個消息——他發(fā)現(xiàn)了國王在哪兒。邁克爾公爵把他關(guān)在曾達城堡里的什么地方。

Sapt also brought me a letter.It was in a woman's handwriting.

薩普特還給我?guī)砹艘环庑?，是一個女人的筆跡。

'To know what you most wish to know，'the letter began，'meet me tonight in the garden of the big house in New Avenue.Come at midnight，and come alone.'

“要想知道你最想知道的事，”這封信的開頭這樣寫著，“請今晚去新馬路大房子的花園見我。半夜12點，一個人來。”

There was another note on the back of the letter.'Ask yourself which woman does not want Black Michael to marry the Princess.A.de M.'

信封的背面還有一句話：“問問你自己哪個女人不想讓黑邁克爾和公主結(jié)婚。A.deM.”

'Antoinette de Mauban!'I cried.'She wants to marry the Duke.'

“安東納特·德·莫班!”我叫了起來，“她想嫁給公爵。”

'That's true，'Sapt said.'But you won't go，of course.They'll kill you!Duke Michael made her write this letter!'

“確實如此。”薩普特說，“但是你可不能去。當(dāng)然不行，他們會殺了你的!是邁克爾公爵讓她寫這封信的!”

'I must，'I replied.'Every day we play this game there's more danger.I could make a mistake at any time，and，if I do，we'll all die.Don't you see?I have to go tonight.We can't go on much longer.'

“我得去。”我說。“我們玩這場游戲，每過一天，危險就增加一分。我隨時可能出錯，而一出錯我們就都完了。還不明白嗎?我今晚必須去。我們沒法老這樣繼續(xù)下去。”

'Then I'm coming too，'said Sapt.

“那我也去。”薩普特說。

So，at half-past eleven that night，Sapt and I rode out to the house in New Avenue.We left Fritz to watch my room in the palace.The night was dark，so I took a lamp.I also had my revolver and a knife.

于是，那天晚上11點半，薩普特和我騎馬去新馬路的那所大房子。我們把弗里茨留下來照應(yīng)我在王宮中的屋子。夜很黑，我?guī)Я艘槐K燈。我還帶了我的左輪手槍和一把刀。

We soon reached the house，and came to a gate in the wall.I got off my horse.

很快我們來到那所大房子跟前。圍墻中間有一座大門，我下了馬。

'I'll wait here，'said Sapt.'If I hear anything，I'll-'

“我在這兒等著。”薩普特說，“假如我聽見什么動靜，我就……”

'Stay where you are!'I answered quickly.'It's the King's only chance.They mustn't kill you too!'

“你就在這兒呆著!”我很快地回答，“這是國王唯一的機會。他們不會連你也一塊殺的。”

'You're right，'said Sapt.'Good luck!'

“你說得對。”薩普特說，“祝你好運!”

Silently，I opened the gate and went into the garden.In front of me I could see the dark shape of a summer-house and I moved towards it.Without a sound，I went up the steps，pushed open the door and went in.A woman hurried over to me and took me by the hand.I turned my lamp on her.She was beautiful.

我靜悄悄地開了門，走進花園。我眼前能看見的是一所避暑別墅的昏暗輪廓。我朝它走去。我悄悄地走上臺階，推門進去。一個女人急步走過來拉住我的手。我用燈照著她，她很美。

'Close the door!'she said.'We must be quick，Mr Rassendyll!Michael made me write the letter-three men are coming to kill you-three of the Six!They'll tell everyone that Sapt and Fritz von Tarlenheim murdered you.Then Michael will make himself King and marry the Princess.'Antoinette's beautiful eyes were sad as she added softly，'I can't let him marry her.I love him!'

“關(guān)上門!”她說。“我們得快一點，拉森狄爾先生。是邁克爾讓我寫這封信的，有三個人會來殺你——那六個人中的三個。他們會告訴每個人薩普特和弗里茨·馮·塔倫漢姆殺了你。然后邁克爾會登上王位，并且和公主結(jié)婚。”安冬納特美麗的眼睛露出悲哀，低聲說，“我不能讓他娶她，我愛他。”

'But the king，'I said.'I know he's in the Castle of Zenda -but where?'

“我知道國王在曾達的城堡里，”我說，“但他在哪里?”

'Go across the drawbridge and you come to a heavy door …Listen!What's that?They're coming!They're too soon!Put out your lamp!'she cried，her eyes filled with fear.'Quickly!You must go.There's a ladder at the end of the garden，against the wall!'

“過了吊橋你能看見一座厚重的大門……聽!什么聲兒?他們來啦!他們太快了!把燈滅了!”她說，眼睛里滿是驚恐。“快點兒!你得走?；▓@盡頭有一個梯子靠在墻上!”

But it was too late.The three men were already outside.There was a small hole in the door，and I put my eye to it.My hand was on my revolver.It was no good!There were three of them.I could kill one perhaps，but then…

但是已經(jīng)太晚了。那三個人已經(jīng)來到屋外，門上有一個小洞，我從洞里向外看。我的手放在左輪手槍上。這不管用!他們有三個人，我也許能打中其中的一個，但是……

A voice came from outside.'Mr Rassendyll…'It was the Englishman.'We only want to talk to you.Open the door.'

外面響起一個聲音：“拉森狄爾先生……”是那個英國人。“我們只是想跟你談?wù)劊_門。”

'We can talk through the door，'I replied.I looked through the hole again and saw that they were on the top step.When I opened the door，they would run at me.

“我們可以隔著門談。”我回答。我又從小洞往外看，見他們已經(jīng)上到了最高一層的臺階。假如我開門，他們就會朝我撲過來。

'We'll let you go if you leave the country and we'll give you fifty thousand English pounds，'continued Detchard，the Englishman.

“假如你離開這個國家，我們會讓你走，而且會給你五萬英鎊。”戴查德，那個英國人說。

'Give me a minute to think，'I answered.

“讓我想一想。”我回答。

Wildly，I looked around the summer-house and saw a metal garden table and some chairs.I picked up the table and held it in front of me，by the legs.Then I went to the back of the room and waited.

慌亂中我朝房子四周掃了一眼，看見了一個金屬的花園用的桌子和一些椅子。我抓著桌腿把它擋在身體前，然后退到房子的盡頭等著。

'All right，I agree，'I called.'Open the door!'

“好吧，我同意了。”我高聲說：“開門吧!”

I heard them arguing with each other，and then Detchard said to the Belgian，'Why，Bersonin，are you afraid of one man?'

我聽見他們互相吵嚷，然后戴查德對那個比利時人說：“伯索寧，難道你還怕一個人嗎?”

A second later the door opened.

片刻之后，門就開了。

De Gautet，the Frenchman，was with the other two，and the three men were standing there with their revolvers ready.With a shout，I ran at them as hard as I could.They tried to shoot me，but the bullets hit the table.The next second the table knocked them to the ground and we all fell on top of each other.Quickly，I picked myself up and ran for my life through the trees.I could hear them coming after me.Was Antoinette right?Was there really a ladder by the wall?I reached the end of the garden.The ladder was there!In a minute I was up it and over the wall.

德·高蒂特，那個法國人和另外兩個人在一起。他們?nèi)齻€端著上了鏜的左輪手槍站在那兒。我大叫一聲，用盡全力向他們沖去。他們向我開槍，但是子彈打在了桌子上。緊接著桌子打倒了他們。我們都倒下了，你壓著我，我壓著你。很快我爬了起來，穿過樹林飛快逃走。我聽見他們追了上來。安冬納特沒說錯吧?墻上真有一個梯子嗎?我跑到了花園的盡頭，梯子真的在那里!一剎那間我就登上了梯子越過了圍墻。

Sapt was waiting with the horses and seconds later we were on our way home.And，as we rode，we laughed because I had fought Duke Michael's dangerous men-with a tea-table!

薩普特牽著馬在等我。幾秒鐘后我們就已經(jīng)在回去的路上了。我們一邊騎著馬，一邊大笑。因為我已經(jīng)和邁克爾公爵的殺手斗了一場，而且只用了一張茶桌!