凱斯賓王子 第五章　凱斯賓的神奇探險之旅（上）

C. S. 劉易斯 （吳民　譯）

After this， Caspian and his Tutor had many more secret conversations on the top of the Great Tower， and at each conversation Caspian learned more about Old Narnia， so that thinking and dreaming about the old days， and longing that they might come back， filled nearly all his spare hours. But， of course， he had not many hours to spare， for now his education was beginning in earnest. He learned sword-fighting and riding， swimming and diving， how to shoot with the bow and play on the recorder and the theorbo， how to hunt the stag and cut him up when he was dead， besides Cosmography， Rhetoric， Heraldry， Versification， and of course History， with a little Law， Physic， Alchemy， and Astronomy. Of Magic he learned only the theory， for Doctor Cornelius said the practical part was not proper study for princes. “And I myself，” he added， “am only a very imperfect magician and can do only the smallest experiments.” Of Navigation （“Which is a noble and heroical art，” said the Doctor） he was taught nothing， because King Miraz disapproved of ships and the sea.

He also learned a great deal by using his own eyes and ears. As a little boy， he had often wondered why he disliked his aunt， Queen Prunaprismia; he now saw that it was because she disliked him. He also began to see that Narnia was an unhappy country. The taxes were high and the laws were stern and Miraz was a cruel man.

那以后的時光，凱斯賓和他的老師便常常在塔頂密談，每一次談話后，古老的納尼亞在凱賓斯的腦海中越來越清晰。那個奇妙的世界引起了這位年輕王子的無限憧憬和向往。他多想重返古老的納尼亞啊。然而，并沒有多少時間給他遐想，因為這時，他已經(jīng)開始接受正統(tǒng)教育，擊劍、騎馬、游泳和潛水都是必修課，此外，射箭、狩獵、吹豎笛、彈琵琶也必須掌握。當(dāng)然了，這還不夠，還要學(xué)習(xí)宇宙學(xué)、修辭學(xué)、紋章學(xué)、詩體韻律，以及歷史、法律、物理、煉金術(shù)和天文學(xué)。關(guān)于占星術(shù)，他只學(xué)了一些基礎(chǔ)理論，因為克奈爾斯博士說實際操作不宜教授給王子?！岸易约海彼a充道，“也只是一個很不成熟的占星家，只能做最簡單的試驗。”他沒有上航海課，（“這是一門高尚而又富有英雄色彩的學(xué)問?！辈┦空f。）這是因為國王彌若茲反對提到船舶和大海。

王子依靠聰慧的頭腦和勤勉的學(xué)習(xí)態(tài)度，掌握了不少其他學(xué)問。當(dāng)他還是個孩子的時候，他就經(jīng)常思考為什么他不喜歡自己的嬸嬸——普魯娜普瑞絲彌爾王后?，F(xiàn)在他明白了，那是因為王后不喜歡他。同時他漸漸發(fā)現(xiàn)，現(xiàn)在的納尼亞是一個不幸福的國家，稅收過重，法律嚴(yán)酷，而叔父彌若茲更是一個十足的暴君。

After some years there came a time when the Queen seemed to be ill and there was a great deal of bustle and pother about her in the castle and doctors came and the courtiers whispered. This was in early summertime. And one night， while all this fuss was going on， Caspian was unexpectedly wakened by Doctor Cornelius， after he had been only a few hours in bed.

“Are we going to do a little Astronomy， Doctor？” said Caspian.

“Hush！” said the Doctor. “Trust me and do exactly as I tell you. Put on all your clothes; you have a long journey before you.”

Caspian was very surprised， but he had learned to have confidence in his Tutor and he began doing what he was told at once. When he was dressed， the Doctor said， “I have a wallet for you. We must go into the next room and fill it with victuals from your Highnesss supper table.”

“My gentlemen-in-waiting will be there，” said Caspian.

“They are fast asleep and will not wake，” said the Doctor. “I am a very minor magician， but I can at least contrive a charmed sleep.”

They went into the antechamber and there， sure enough， the two gentlemen-in-waiting were， sprawling on chairs and snoring hard. Doctor Cornelius quickly cut up the remains of a cold chicken and some slices of venison and put them with bread and an apple or so and a little flask of good wine， into the wallet which he then gave to Caspian. It fitted on by a strap over Caspians shoulder， like a satchel you would use for taking books to school.

“Have you taken your sword？” asked the Doctor.

時間過得真快啊，一晃幾年過去了。近來，王后好像病倒了，整個城堡都因此顯得忙碌和不安，成群的醫(yī)生被召入宮，侍臣們都在議論紛紛。舉國上下陷入一種莫名的恐慌中。那時是初夏，一天夜里，凱斯賓剛?cè)胨痪?，便意外地被克奈爾斯博士搖醒了。

“我們要講一點兒天文學(xué)嗎，博士？”凱斯賓睡眼惺忪地問。

“噓！”博士低聲說，“什么也別說，你要相信我，按照我說的做。穿上衣服，馬上離開這里?！?/p>

凱斯賓感到十分詫異，但他完全信任自己的老師，便立刻照博士的吩咐做了。穿好衣服之后，博士遞給他一件東西：“我這兒給你準(zhǔn)備了一個旅行袋，我們馬上到隔壁房間，從你晚餐桌上取些吃的，把袋子裝滿?！?/p>

“那兒有我的仆人，他們總是寸步不離的?！?/p>

“他們都睡著了，放心好了?！辈┦空f，“我這個蹩腳的魔法師想讓別人昏睡一會兒還是沒問題的。”

他們一齊來到前廳。果然，兩個仆人仰靠在椅子上，鼾聲如雷。博士迅速地切碎餐桌上剩下的涼拌雞和幾片鹿肉，連同面包、一個蘋果及其他的一些食物和一小瓶好酒一起放進那個旅行袋里，像上學(xué)背的包一樣，捆扎好，讓王子背在身上。

“寶劍帶上了嗎？”博士問。

Word Study

earnest /'??n?st/ adj. 非常認(rèn)真的;誠實的;真誠的

in earnest（更加）嚴(yán)肅地，認(rèn)真地，堅定的

The work on the house will begin in earnest on Monday.

heroical /h?'r???k?l/ adj. 英雄的

bustle /'b?sl/ n. 忙亂嘈雜;喧鬧

contrive /k?n'tra?v/ v.（不顧困難而）設(shè)法做到;巧妙地策劃;精巧地制造

“Yes，” said Caspian.

“Then put this mantle over all to hide the sword and the wallet. Thats right. And now we must go to the Great Tower and talk.”

When they had reached the top of the Tower （it was a cloudy night， not at all like the night when they had seen the conjunction of Tarva and Alambil） Doctor Cornelius said，

“Dear Prince， you must leave this castle at once and go to seek your fortune in the wide world. Your life is in danger here.”

“Why？” asked Caspian.

“Because you are the true King of Narnia： Caspian the Tenth， the true son and heir of Caspian the Ninth. Long life to your Majesty”—and suddenly， to Caspians great surprise， the little man dropped down on one knee and kissed his hand.

“What does it all mean？ I dont understand，” said Caspian.

“I wonder you have never asked me before，” said the Doctor， “why， being the son of King Caspian， you are not King Caspian yourself. Everyone except your Majesty knows that Miraz is a usurper. When he first began to rule， he did not even pretend to be the King： he called himself Lord Protector. But then your royal mother died， the good Queen and the only Telmarine who was ever kind to me. And then， one by one， all the great lords， who had known your father， died or disappeared. Not by accident， either. Miraz weeded them out. Belisar and Uvilas were shot with arrows on a hunting party： by chance， it was pretended. All the great house of the Passarids he sent to fight giants on the northern frontier till one by one they fell. Arlian and Erimon and a dozen more he executed for treason on a false charge. The two brothers of Beaversdam he shut up as madmen. And finally， he persuaded the seven noble lords， who alone among all the Telmarines did not fear the sea， to sail away and look for new lands beyond the Eastern Ocean， and， as he intended， they never came back. And when there was no one left who could speak a word for you， then his flatterers （as he had instructed them） begged him to become King. And of course he did.”

“帶著呢?！眲P斯賓說。

“那就快披上這件斗篷，把寶劍和旅行袋都遮住。嗯，好。咱們現(xiàn)在到塔頂上去，我有幾句話對您講。”

這時已是深夜，塔頂上黑漆漆的，寒氣襲人，一切都仿佛籠罩在不祥的氛圍中，讓人覺得莫名地恐怖。這跟往日他們坐在這里一起看塔瓦星和阿拉姆畢爾星相會的感覺太不一樣了。

“親愛的王子，不要留戀這里，到更廣袤的世界追求您的價值和幸福吧。在這里您隨時都會有生命危險！”

“為什么？”凱斯賓驚愕地問。

“因為您才是納尼亞真正的國王：凱斯賓十世——凱斯賓九世的親生兒子和繼承人。陛下萬歲——”說著，這小人兒突然單膝跪地，親吻了王子的手，這使凱斯賓大吃一驚。

“博士，你怎么啦？我都糊涂了?！?/p>

“難道您從來沒有想過嗎？”博士說，“為什么作為凱斯賓國王的兒子，您卻不是納尼亞的國王。除您之外，人人都知道彌若茲是個篡位奪權(quán)的小人。一開始，他還不敢自稱國王，而稱自己為‘君王的保護人。后來，您的母后去世了。她是一位賢德的王后，也是唯一一位待我寬厚仁慈的臺爾馬人。此后，您父親的肱骨舊臣，要么一個個離奇地死去，要么就失蹤了。這當(dāng)然不是巧合，都是彌若茲干的。伯力沙和猶威拉思在一場狩獵中被暗箭射死，對外卻說是失手誤傷;彌若茲把所有伯薩瑞德的望族都派到北邊戰(zhàn)場上與巨人作戰(zhàn)，直到他們一個個戰(zhàn)死疆場;阿康和艾瑞蒙還有其他的十幾個人，以莫須有的叛國罪被處以極刑;海貍大壩的兩兄弟被當(dāng)作瘋子關(guān)了起來;最后，彌若茲說服了臺爾馬人中唯獨不怕大海的七位爵爺航行到東海彼岸去尋找新大陸，正如他計劃的一樣，他們從此一去不返。再也沒有人站在您這一邊了，只剩下那些阿諛奉承之輩，在彌若茲的授意下，大家請求他做納尼亞的國王。當(dāng)然，他欣然接受了這請求?！?/p>

“Do you mean he now wants to kill me too？” said Caspian.

“That is almost certain，” said Doctor Cornelius.

“But why now？” said Caspian. “I mean， why didnt he do it long ago if he wanted to？ And what harm have I done him？”

“He has changed his mind about you because of something that happened only two hours ago. The Queen has had a son.”

“I dont see what thats got to do with it，” said Caspian.

“Dont see！” exclaimed the Doctor. “Have all my lessons in History and Politics taught you no more than that？ Listen. As long as he had no children of his own， he was willing enough that you should be King after he died. He may not have cared much about you， but he would rather you should have the throne than a stranger. Now that he has a son of his own he will want his own son to be the next King. You are in the way. Hell clear you out of the way.”

“Is he really as bad as that？” said Caspian. “Would he really murder me？”

“He murdered your Father，” said Doctor Cornelius.

Caspian felt very queer and said nothing.

“I can tell you the whole story，” said the Doctor. “But not now. There is no time. You must fly at once.”

“Youll come with me？” said Caspian.

“I dare not，” said the Doctor. “It would make your danger greater. Two are more easily tracked than one. Dear Prince， dear King Caspian， you must be very brave. You must go alone and at once. Try to get across the southern border to the court of King Nain of Archenland. He will be good to you.”

“你的意思是他現(xiàn)在也想除掉我嗎？”凱斯賓問。

“毫無疑問?！笨四螤柌┦空f。

“可是為什么要等到現(xiàn)在？這么多年，為什么他不下手，是因為我近來得罪了他嗎？”凱斯賓問。

“他改變主意是因為兩個小時前發(fā)生的一件事，徹底改變了您的命運——王后生了個兒子。”

“我不明白這與我有什么關(guān)系?！眲P斯賓仍然迷惑不解。

“還不明白！”博士叫道，“我給您上的那些歷史課和政治課，就沒讓您更加聰明一些嗎？聽著，在他還沒有自己的兒子時，只好由您來繼承王位，雖然他并不愛您，但他寧可把王位傳給您，而不愿傳給一個外人?，F(xiàn)在他有了兒子，自然希望自己的兒子來繼承王位。這時您就變得礙事了，他當(dāng)然要清除你這個障礙。

“他真有那么壞嗎？”凱斯賓感到震驚，“他真的會謀害我嗎？”

“他已經(jīng)謀殺了您的父親！”克奈爾斯博士回答。

凱斯賓難受極了，半天沒開口。

“我可以把事情的來龍去脈都告訴您?！辈┦空f，“但不是現(xiàn)在，時間來不及了，您必須趕緊離開這里?！?/p>

“我們一起走嗎？”凱斯賓問。

“恐怕不行，拖著我您會更危險。兩個人一起更容易被發(fā)現(xiàn)。親愛的王子，親愛的凱斯賓國王，勇敢些！您必須一個人立刻走。向南越過國境，去投奔阿欽蘭國的國王奈恩。他會好好待你的。”

Word Study

heir /e?（r）/ n.繼承人;后嗣

execute /'eks?kju?t/ v. 處決，處死

fly /fla?/ v.（從……）逃走，逃跑

“Shall I never see you again？” said Caspian in a quavering voice.

“I hope so， dear King，” said the Doctor. “What friend have I in the wide world except your Majesty？ And I have a little magic. But in the meantime， speed is everything. Here are two gifts before you go. This is a little purse of gold alas， all the treasure in this castle should be your own by rights. And here is something far better.”

He put in Caspians hands something which he could hardly see but which he knew by the feel to be a horn.

“That，” said Doctor Cornelius， “is the greatest and most sacred treasure of Narnia. Many terrors I endured， many spells did I utter， to find it， when I was still young. It is the magic horn of Queen Susan herself which she left behind her when she vanished from Narnia at the end of the Golden Age. It is said that whoever blows it shall have strange help—no one can say how strange. It may have the power to call Queen Lucy and King Edmund and Queen Susan and High King Peter back from the past， and they will set all to rights. It may be that it will call up Asian himself. Take it， King Caspian： but do not use it except at your greatest need. And now， haste， haste， haste. The little door at the very bottom of the Tower， the door into the garden， is unlocked. There we must part.”

“Can I get my horse Destrier？” said Caspian.

“那我再也見不著您了嗎？”凱斯賓的聲音有些顫抖。

“我衷心希望我們還有再見的那天，親愛的國王?！辈┦康哪樕嫌行┍瘋?，“您是我在這個世界上唯一的朋友！我會一些小小的法術(shù)，可現(xiàn)在速度就是一切。您走之前，這里有兩件小禮物，必須交給您。這是一小袋金子——這是微不足道的，因為本來整個城堡都應(yīng)屬于您。不過還有一件比這珍貴千倍的東西?！?/p>

博士把一件東西放在凱斯賓的手上。雖然看不清楚，但凱斯賓握在手里能夠感覺到那是一把號。

“這是納尼亞的神圣之號，是納尼亞最偉大、最神圣的珍寶，我年輕時歷經(jīng)磨難，念了無數(shù)遍咒語才得到它。這號本來屬于蘇珊女王，她離開納尼亞之前遺落在這里。據(jù)說，只要吹響它，就能得到神靈的幫助——但是我也不知道具體是什么幫助。也許它能把女王露茜、國王愛德蒙、女王蘇珊和至尊王彼得召喚回來吧。又或者能夠把阿斯蘭喚回來，那時候，正義一定能夠得到伸張，苦難一定能夠得到解脫。帶著它吧，凱斯賓國王！但是，千萬記住，不到萬不得已，絕不能吹響它?？熳?！我已經(jīng)幫您打開了高塔通往花園的小門，您必須從那里開始一個人的逃亡了?！?/p>

“我能帶上我的馬戴思特里爾嗎？”凱斯賓露出不舍的眼神。

“He is already saddled and waiting for you just at the corner of the orchard.”

During the long climb down the winding staircase Cornelius whispered many more words of direction and advice. Caspians heart was sinking， but he tried to take it all in. Then came the fresh air in the garden， a fervent handclasp with the Doctor， a run across the lawn， a welcoming whinny from Destrier， and so King Caspian the Tenth left the castle of his fathers. Looking back， he saw fireworks going up to celebrate the birth of the new prince.

All night he rode southward， choosing by-ways and bridle paths through woods as long as he was in country that he knew; but afterwards he kept to the high road. Destrier was as excited as his master at this unusual journey， and Caspian， though tears had come into his eyes at saying good-bye to Doctor Cornelius， felt brave and， in a way， happy， to think that he was King Caspian riding to seek adventures， with his sword on his left hip and Queen Susans magic horn on his right. But when day came， with a sprinkle of rain， and he looked about him and saw on every side unknown woods， wild heaths， and blue mountains， he thought how large and strange the world was and felt frightened and small.

“嗯，它正在果園邊上等著您呢?！?/p>

快步走下那長長的旋轉(zhuǎn)樓梯，克奈爾斯博士抓緊這最后的寶貴時光又交代叮嚀了許多指示和建議。凱斯賓心里亂糟糟的，但仍然努力把每個字都記在心里。推開塔底的小門，一股清新的夜風(fēng)撲面而來，耳畔傳來戴思特里爾的蹄聲和親熱的嘶叫聲。王子翻身上馬，惜別了自己最敬愛的老師，快馬加鞭往城外疾馳。至此，凱斯賓十世離開了他父王的城堡。驀然回首，他看見慶祝新生兒誕生的禮花綻放。

王子一路向南方飛馳，沿途盡量抄小路快行，伏兵已經(jīng)被遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)甩在身后。凱斯賓王子激動萬分，之前的逃亡的傷感和眼淚汪汪的告別似乎都被甩到了身后。他覺得暢快起來，內(nèi)心漸漸充滿了勇氣。這逃亡的路上，處處充滿了自由的氣息。他覺得自己就像是凱斯賓國王，左手執(zhí)劍右手拿號，一路披荊斬棘，所向披靡。拂曉時分，天空飄起了絲絲細(xì)雨，凱斯賓勒住韁繩，四周除了無盡的森林，便是雜亂盛開的野菊花，遠(yuǎn)處是青黛色的群山。在這遼闊、陌生的世界里，王子感到自己是那么渺小，不禁有些害怕起來。

Word Study

endure /?n'dj??（r）/ v. 忍耐;忍受

They had to endure a long wait before the case came to trial.

haste /he?st/n. 急速;匆忙;倉促

fervent /'f??v?nt/ adj. 熱情的;熱誠的;熱烈的

sprinkle /'spr??kl/ n. 少量;少數(shù)