MEANWHILE Trumpkin and the two boys arrived at the dark little stone archway which led into the inside of the Mound, and two sentinel badgers (the white patches on their cheeks were all Edmund could see of them) leaped up with bared teeth and asked them in snarling voices, "Who goes there?" 这时候，杜鲁普金和两个男孩已经来到了通往堡垒内部的那个黑暗、狭窄的门廊。两只负责守卫的獾跳起来，一边露出雪白锋利的牙齿尖声问道：“谁在那里?” "Trumpkin," said the Dwarf. "Bringing the High King of Narnia out of the far past." “杜鲁普金，”小矮人回答，“我把纳尼亚的先王们从遥远的过去带到这里来了。” The badgers nosed at the boys' hands. "At last," they said. "At last." 獾卫士低下头来闻一闻孩子们的手。“终于来了，谢天谢地!” "Give us a light, friends," said Trumpkin. “给点儿光亮，伙计们!”小矮人亲切地招呼着。 The badgers found a torch just inside the arch and Peter lit it and handed it to Trumpkin. "The D.L.F. had better lead," he said. "We don't know our way about this place." 那身材比较高大的獾从门后取出一支火把。彼得将火把点燃后交给杜鲁普金。“请DLF在前面领路，”他说，“我们不熟悉这里的地形。” Trumpkin took the torch and went ahead into the dark tunnel. It was a cold, black, musty place, with an occasional bat fluttering in the torchlight, and plenty of cobwebs. The boys, who had been mostly in the open air since that morning at the railway station, felt as if they were going into a trap or a prison. 杜鲁普金接过火把，领头向黑暗的通道走去。这是个阴冷、黑暗、潮湿的地方，到处都是蜘蛛网，偶尔还会飞过一只蝙蝠。孩子们自火车站的那个早晨起就一直在室外，这时不由感到好像正走入一个陷阱或者监狱。 "I say, Peter," whispered Edmund. "Look at those carvings on the walls. Don't they look old? And yet we're older than that. When we were last here, they hadn't been made." “彼得，”爱德蒙小声说，“你看石墙上那些壁画，是不是好多年以前的?可咱们的年龄比它还大!咱们上次来的时候，这儿连石墙都还没有呢!” "Yes," said Peter. "That makes one think." “不错，”彼得说，“这使人想起了许多往事。” The Dwarf went on ahead and then turned to the right, and then to the left, and then down some steps, and then to the left again. Then at last they saw a light ahead - light from under a door. And now for the first time they heard voices, for they had come to the door of the central chamber. The voices inside were angry ones. Someone was talking so loudly that the approach of the boys and the Dwarf had not been heard. 小矮人继续往前走，然后向右拐，又向左拐，下几级台阶，走一段又向左拐。这时，他们看到了前面有一线光亮——门下透出的微光。同时，他们听到有说话的声音。小矮人告诉他们，堡垒的中心到了，屋里传出的讲话声好像十分愤怒，由于声音太高，屋里的人没有注意到外面有人走来。" "Don't like the sound of that," whispered Trumpkin to Peter. "Let's listen for a moment." All three stood perfectly still on the outside of the door. “我不喜欢那样高声讲话，”杜鲁普金轻声对彼得说，“咱们停一下，听他们在说些什么。”于是，他们三个人一动不动地在门外停了下来。 "You know well enough," said a voice ("That's the King," whispered Trumpkin), "why the Horn was not blown at sunrise this morning. Have you forgotten that Miraz fell upon us almost before Trumpkin had gone, and we were fighting for our lives for the space of three hours and more? I blew it when first I had a breathing space." “你知道得很清楚，”一个声音说，(“这是国王。”小矮人轻声说。)“你问为什么那天早晨太阳升起时没有吹响号角，难道你已经忘记，杜鲁普金刚刚动身，弥若兹的军队就向我们扑来了?为了生存，我们浴血奋战，连续三个多小时。刚有喘息的机会，我就吹响了那支神奇的号。” "I'm not likely to forget it," came the angry voice, "when my Dwarfs bore the brunt of the attack and one in five of them fell." ("That's Nikabrik," whispered Trumpkin.) “这个我当然没有忘记。”这是那愤怒的声音，“那时我的部下战斗在最危险的地方，每五个小矮人中就有一个倒下去了。”“这是尼克布瑞克。”杜鲁普金小声说。 "For shame, Dwarf," came a thick voice ("Trufflehunter's," said Trumpkin). "We all did as much as the Dwarfs and none more than the King." “真不害臊，矮子!”一个粗哑的声音说，(“这是特鲁佛汉特。”)“我们大家和小矮人们同样卖力，而谁都比不上凯斯宾国王陛下。” "Tell that tale your own way for all I care," answered Nikabrik. "But whether it was that the Horn was blown too late, or whether there was no magic in it, no help has come. You, you great clerk, you master magician, you know-all; are you still asking us to hang our hopes on Aslan and King Peter and all the rest of it?" “你爱怎么说就怎么说好了，”尼克布瑞克忿忿地说，“问题是，那号吹得太迟了。要不然就是它根本没有什么魔力。反正至今我们没有得到丝毫的帮助。你，你这伟大的教士，万能的术士，你这无所不知的家伙!你现在还指望我们对阿斯兰、对彼得国王和其他的一切抱什么希望?” "I must confess - I cannot deny it - that I am deeply disappointed in the result of the operation," came the answer. ("That'll be Doctor Cornelius," said Trumpkin.) “我必须承认——我无法否认——我对那神号的效力深感失望。”有人回答道。(“那是克奈尔斯博士。”小矮人说。 "To speak plainly," said Nikabrik, "your wallet's empty, your eggs addled, your fish uncaught, your promises broken. Stand aside then and let others work. And that is why -" “说穿了，你的宝贝没用，你的预言失灵，你现在已是山穷水尽、无计可施了。”尼克布瑞克尖刻地挖苦忠厚的博士，“那么，你最好站到一边去，看别人怎么干。这就是为什么我要——” "The help will come," said Trufflehunter. "I stand by Aslan. Have patience, like us beasts. The help will come. It may be even now at the door." “凭阿斯兰的名义起誓!我们一定能够得到神灵的帮助。”特鲁佛汉特说，“耐心些，学学我们的样子。那帮助会来的，没准已经在门口了。” "Pah!" snarled Nikabrik. "You badgers would have us wait till the sky falls and we can all catch larks. I tell you we can't wait. Food is running short; we lose more than we can afford at every encounter; our followers are slipping away." “呸!”尼克布瑞克根本听不进去，“你们这些獾就知道让我们等待，等待，耐心等待，一直等到天塌下来，大家同归于尽。我告诉你们，我们不再等了。食物眼看就要吃光了。每次战斗我们都付出沉重的代价，我们的军队开始有人开小差了。” "And why?" asked Trufflehunter. "I'll tell you why. Because it is noised among them that we have called on the Kings of old and the Kings of old have not answered. The last words Trumpkin spoke before he went (and went, most likely, to his death) were, `If you must blow the Horn, do not let the army know why you blow it or what you hope from it.' But that same evening everyone seemed to know." “为什么?”特鲁佛汉特说，“我来告诉你原因吧：这是因为战士们纷纷传言，说我们已经召唤古代君王请他帮助却毫无结果。杜鲁普金临行前说(那可能就是他的遗言了)，假如你们不得已吹响那只号角，不要让部队知道其中的原委，也不要让大家知道我们的期望。结果怎样呢?就在当天晚上，一切秘密已尽人皆知。” "You'd better have shoved your grey snout in a hornets' nest, Badger, than suggest that I am the blab," said Nikabrik. "Take it back, or-" “闭上你的臭嘴!”尼克布瑞克恼羞成怒了，“你胆敢暗示我泄露了机密!把话收回去，否则——” "Oh, stop it, both of you," said King Caspian. "I want to know what it is that Nikabrik keeps on hinting we should do. But before that, I want to know who those two strangers are whom he has brought into our council and who stand there with their ears open and their mouths shut." “你们两个听着，别吵了!”凯斯宾国王打断小矮人的话，“我倒想要知道，尼克布瑞克一直在暗示的是什么。你认为我们现在该怎么办，尼克布瑞克?不过在你发表高见之前，请你先告诉大家，你带到我们指挥部来的，一直竖起耳朵却紧闭嘴巴的这两个陌生人是干什么的。” "They are friends of mine," said Nikabrik. "And what better right have you yourself to be here than that you are a friend of Trumpkin's and the Badger's? And what right has that old dotard in the black gown to be here except that he is your friend? Why am I to be the only one who can't bring in his friends?" “他们是我的朋友，”尼克布瑞克说，“你本人若不是杜鲁普金和獾的朋友，又有什么资格站在这里?还有那个穿着黑袍子的混血老家伙，要不是你的朋友，他又有什么资格站在这儿?为什么惟独我不可以带自己的朋友来呢?” "His Majesty is the King to whom you have sworn allegiance," said Trufflehunter sternly. “陛下是一国之君，别忘了你发过誓要效忠于他。”特鲁佛汉特严肃地提醒他。 "Court manners, court manners," sneered Nikabrik. "But in this hole we may talk plainly. You know - and he knows that this Telmarine boy will be king of nowhere and nobody in a week unless we can help him out of the trap in which he sits." “对，对对，君臣之礼不可逾越嘛。”尼克布瑞克嘲笑道，“可是在这个暗无天日的山洞里，我们的谈话还是坦率些好。你知道——当然，他也很清楚——如果我们一周内再不设法帮助他逃出这个险境，那么这台尔马小子还想当谁的国王?哼!那时候，他将什么也不是!”- "Perhaps," said Cornelius, "your new friends would like to speak for themselves? You there, who and what are you?" “或许，你的新朋友们愿意自己说些什么。”克奈尔斯说着，转向那两个陌生人，“喂，你们是谁?干什么的?” "Worshipful Master Doctor," came a thin, whining voice. "So please you, I'm only a poor old woman, I am, and very obliged to his Worshipful Dwarfship for his friendship, I'm sure. His Majesty, bless his handsome face, has no need to be afraid of an old woman that's nearly doubled up with the rheumatics and hasn't two sticks to put under her kettle. I have some poor little skill - not like yours, Master Doctor, of course - in small spells and cantrips that I'd be glad to use against our enemies if it was agreeable to all concerned. For I hate 'em. Oh yes. No one hates better than me." “尊敬的博士，”这是一个尖细的、哭腔哭调的声音，“我是个可怜的老妇人，我对可敬的小矮人阁下以及他的真诚友谊感激万分。国王陛下，赞美上苍赐予你这张英俊的面孔。你完全可以不必提防我这样一个因患严重风湿病身子已缩成一团、必须借助拐杖才能行走的老妇人。我会几样微不足道的小法术——当然无法与您相比，尊敬的博士——如果在座各位允许的话，我很乐意念几段咒语，以抗击我们的敌人。因为我恨他们，相信我，没有谁比我恨得更加厉害了。” "That is all most interesting and - er - satisfactory," said Doctor Cornelius. "I think I now know what you are, Madam. Perhaps your other friend, Nikabrik, would give some account of himself?" “非常有趣，而且——呃——很令人满意。”克奈尔斯博士说，“我想现在我知道你是谁了，夫人。尼克布瑞克，也许你的另一位朋友也乐意做一番自我介绍吧?” A dull, grey voice at which Peter's flesh crept replied, "I'm hunger. I'm thirst. Where I bite, I hold till I die, and even after death they must cut out my mouthful from my enemy's body and bury it with me. I can fast a hundred years and not die. I can lie a hundred nights on the ice and not freeze. I can drink a river of blood and not burst. Show me your enemies." 一个呆板的声音响了起来，彼得身上立刻起了一层鸡皮疙瘩。“我饥饿，我口渴，一旦咬住了敌人，我死也不松口。即便我那样英勇战死，也只有把我嘴里那块肉从敌人的身上割下来，与我一同埋入坟墓。一百年不吃不喝，我也死不了：在冰面上躺一百个通宵，我也冻不坏。我还能一口气饮下血水汇成的河流，肚子也撑不破。告诉我，你们的仇人在哪里。” "And it is in the presence of these two that you wish to disclose your plan?" said Caspian. “你特地带这两个人来宣布你的计划，是这样吗?”凯斯宾问。 "Yes," said Nikabrik. "And by their help that I mean to execute it." “不错，”尼克布瑞克说，“我想在他们的帮助下实施这个计划。” There was a minute or two during which Trumpkin and the boys could hear Caspian and his two friends speaking in low voices but could not make out what they were saying. Then Caspian spoke aloud. 下面的一两分钟里，杜鲁普金和两个男孩只听到凯斯宾和他的朋友们低声商量什么，具体内容却听不清楚。又过了一会，凯斯宾大声说道： "Well, Nikabrik," he said, "we will hear your plan." “好吧，尼克布瑞克，我们就来听听你的计划。” There was a pause so long that the boys began to wonder if Nikabrik was ever going to begin; when he did, it was in a lower voice, as if he himself did not much like what he was saying. 接着是很长一段时间的沉默，直到孩子们开始怀疑那小矮人是否还打算讲话。这时，尼布瑞克开口了，他把声音压得很低，似乎连他自己都不太喜欢将要说出来的一席话。 "All said and done," he muttered, "none of us knows the truth about the ancient days in Narnia. Trumpkin believed none of the stories. I was ready to put them to the trial. We tried first the Horn and it has failed. If there ever was a High King Peter and a Queen Susan and a King Edmund and a Queen Lucy, then either they have not heard us, or they cannot come, or they are our enemies -" “该说的都说了，该做的也都做了。我们大家谁都不知道古老纳尼亚究竟是真是假。杜鲁普金根本不相信那些传说，我当初倒想试一试。于是我们吹响了那只神奇的号角，结果怎样呢?假设这世上真有国王彼得与他的弟妹，那他们要么听不到我们的求援，要么无法前来，要么已经变成了我们的敌人——” "Or they are on the way," put in Trufflehunter. “没准他们正在路上呢?”特鲁佛汉特打断他的话。 "You can go on saying that till Miraz has fed us all to his dogs. As I was saying, we have tried one link in the chain of old legends, and it has done us no good. Well. But when your sword breaks, you draw your dagger. The stories tell of other powers beside the ancient Kings and Queens. How if we could call them up?" “这话你可以一直说下去，直到弥若兹把我们大家都捉去喂他的狗。正如我方才所说，我们已经用古老传说中的一件宝物做了试验，结果全无用处。情况就是这样。俗话说，宝剑折了，还有匕首；古老传说中除了国王和女王，还有别的势力存在。我们为什么不试着求助于别的势力呢?” "If you mean Aslan," said Trufflehunter, "it's all one calling on him and on the Kings. They were his servants. If he will not send them (but I make no doubt he will), is he more likely to come himself?" “假如你是指阿斯兰，”特鲁佛汉特说，“它和古代君王们是连在一起的。他们是它的奴仆。如果它不肯派他们来——我相信它会的——它会不会亲自来呢?” "No. You're right there," said Nikabrik. "Aslan and the Kings go together. Either Aslan is dead, or he is not on our side. Or else something stronger than himself keeps him back. And if he did come - how do we know he'd be our friend? He was not always a good friend to Dwarfs by all that's told. Not even to all beasts. Ask the Wolves. And anyway, he was in Narnia only once that I ever heard of, and he didn't stay long. You may drop Aslan out of the reckoning. I was thinking of someone else." “阿斯兰和诸王是连在一起的，这一点你说对了，”尼克布瑞克说，“他们一同行动。那么，阿斯兰要么已经死了，要么不站在我们一边，或者，某种更强大的力量使它无法前来。就算它真的来了，我们又怎么知道，它肯定会是我们的朋友呢?在许多古老的传说中，它与我们小矮人的交往并不是十分友好，对有些动物来说也同样如此，不信问问野狼。话又说回来，据我所知，阿斯兰到纳尼亚只来过一次，而且呆的时间很短。我们可以不必考虑阿斯兰。我想到了另一个人。”

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