《黎明踏浪号》第四章（下）

“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 Kings 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.

“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 Dukes residence.”

“Look here， this is all very well，” said one of Gumpass secretaries， “but suppose all you gentlemen stop playacting and we do a little business. The question before us really is—”

“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.”

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：

“哦，是嗎？那很好。”凯斯宾说，“这样我就马上免你的职。我的波恩爵士，请上前来。”岗帕斯还没有回过神来搞明白发生了什么，波恩爵士就已经面向国王凯斯宾跪在地上。他的双手被凯斯宾握在手中，然后他向凯斯宾发誓：遵守纳尼亚的全部传统和习俗，承认纳尼亚的主权以及法律，以此作为在孤岛群岛实施统治的基础。之后，凯斯宾说：“孤岛群岛有你这一个总督就足够了。”凯斯宾还授予波恩总督公爵头衔，就是孤岛群岛的公爵。

“至于你，我的大人，”凯斯宾转向岗帕斯，“我赦免你应当缴纳的贡赋。但在明天中午以前，你和你的人必须从这座城堡里离开。因为这里现在已经成为波恩公爵的属邑了。”

“噢，看看这儿，这倒真是不错。”岗帕斯的一个秘书接嘴说道，“可是各位尊敬的先生，要是你们全都停止做戏，让我们认真地做点实在的事情，那么摆在我们面前的真正的问题在于……”

“真正的问题在于，”波恩公爵打断了他的话，说道，“你和你们这群乌合之众是想挨了鞭子再离开呢，还是现在就赶紧走？你想选择哪个，悉听尊便。”

当所有这些安排最终一一完成之后，大家都觉得欢欣鼓舞。凯斯宾吩咐备马。总督城堡里有一些马儿，只不过没得到好好地照料。凯斯宾、波恩公爵、德瑞尼亚，还有几名卫兵，一起骑马来到城堡外面。他们的目的地是奴隶市场——这是临近码头的一座低矮建筑，里面的空间很大。其内部的情形与任何一个拍卖会都相差无几。这也就是说，里面人声嘈杂，帕格这个奴隶贩子的头，正站在一个台子上，用沙哑的声音高声招揽着生意：

“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. Theres 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—”

“先生们，先生们！下一个拍卖品，第二十三号。啊，这是特里宾希亚的农夫，身体强壮，非常适合下矿或者上船干活儿。还不到二十五岁呢。再看看他的牙口，看起来不坏吧？真有一把好力气啊。塔克斯，把他的上衣脱掉，让各位先生看看他的身板儿。这一身肌肉能给您卖不少力气呢！看看他胸脯上的腱子肉。好，那边角落里的先生出价了，十个新月币。唉，先生，您是在开玩笑吧？好，十五！十八！第二十三号出价十八个新月币。还有人出更高的价吗？哦，二十一！谢谢您，先生！第二十三号出价二十一个新……”

But Pug stopped and gaped when he saw the mail-clad figures who had clanked up to the platform.

“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.

“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.”

He held up his hand to check the cheering of the slaves and went on， “Where are my friends？”

“That dear little gel and the nice young gentleman？” said Pug with an ingratiating smile. “Why， they were snapped up at once—”

帕格突然住嘴了。他目瞪口呆地看著几个全副武装、浑身披挂的人冲上了台子。

“这里的所有人，向纳尼亚国王行跪拜礼。”波恩公爵大声说道。每个人都听到了外面马匹摇晃铃铛和踱步的声音，还有很多人也都风闻了纳尼亚国王到了岛上的消息，更不用说刚刚发生在总督城堡里的变故。大多数人都照波恩公爵的话做了。还有些迟疑的人则被他们身边的同伴给拉着跪下，有些人则开始欢呼起来。

凯斯宾说：“你完蛋了，帕格。因为你昨天胆敢向皇家的人下手。我姑念你并不知道我们的身份，因此赦免你这一次。一个小时以前，奴隶贸易在我领地的任何一个地方都已经明令禁止了。现在我宣布，这个市场里的所有奴隶全部自由了。”

在场的所有奴隶爆发出震天的欢呼声。凯斯宾举起双手示意他们安静下来。等欢呼声停下来后，凯斯宾继续问道：“我的朋友们在哪里？”

“您是说那位可爱的小姐和另一位年轻的绅士吗？”帕格带着谄媚的笑容说道，“他们刚一上市就被人抢购走了……”

“Were here， were 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 handclasp 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.

“凯斯宾，我们在这儿，我们在这儿！”露茜和爱德蒙一起喊道。市场内的另一个角落里还传来另一个声音：“我的陛下，听您差遣。”啊，这是雷佩契普。他们确实已经被人买走了，只不过买他们的人还想买更多的奴隶，所以他们还没有被带走。民众让开一条路，让三人走上前来。他们的手和凯斯宾紧紧地握在一起，相互致意。而两名卡罗门商人趁机走了过来。卡罗门人有着黑黑的脸庞，喜欢留长长的胡子。他们总是穿着飘逸的长袍，头上裹一块橘红色的头巾。这是一个古老的民族，他们兼有智慧和财富，为人彬彬有礼，同时也残酷无情。他们向凯斯宾深深地鞠躬行礼，口中长篇大套地说着一篇颂扬国王洪恩的祝词。其内容无非就是把国王的恩泽比喻为财富的源泉，浇灌着审慎与美德的花园一类的。但其实他们真心希望的，是想要回他们购买露茜等人所花的钱。

“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.）

“Does your good Majesty mean to beggar me？” whined Pug.

“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？”

“Oh him？” said Pug. “Oh take him and welcome. Glad to have him off my hands. Ive never seen such a drug in the market in all my born days. Priced him at five crescents in the end and even so nobodyd have him. Threw him in free with other lots and still no one would have him. Wouldnt touch him. Wouldnt look at him. Packs， bring out Sulky.”

“先生們，这要求并不过分。”凯斯宾说，“今天这里任何一个购买了奴隶的人都可以把自己的钱拿回去。帕格，把你赚的钱拿出来，还给下面的买主，还到最后一滴滴为止。”（一滴滴等于1/40新月币）

“陛下，您这意思难道是要我将来只能乞讨过活了吗？”帕格语带哭腔地说。

凯斯宾斥责道：“你大半辈子过的都是丧尽天良的生活。如果你变成乞丐，总好过当奴隶。可我还有一个朋友在哪儿呢？”

“哦，那个家伙。”帕格说，“快快把他领走，我谢谢您！很高兴终于能够甩掉他了。我做这行这么多年，还从来没有见到过这么一个滞销货。我最后只给他标价五个新月币，可就是这样都没人愿意买他。后来我只好把他算作其他奴隶的添头。谁要是买了别的奴隶，就可以把他带走，白送不要钱，可这样也没人要他。没人愿意碰他一下，没人愿意看他一眼。塔克斯，把那家伙带出来。”

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 havent even found out about the British Consul. Of course not.”

尤斯塔斯被带出来的时候一副气急败坏的样子;没有人愿意被卖为奴隶，可是如果知道自己是个没人愿意买的奴隶，那感觉肯定更加糟糕。尤斯塔斯走到凯斯宾面前，一如既往地抱怨道：“我知道，你一定是到什么地方自顾自地逍遥快活去了，丝毫不理会我们几个成为人家的阶下囚。我猜你肯定没有找到英国领事，毫无疑问！”

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 fortnights eastward sailing before they had to abandon their quest.

那天晚上，大家在窄港的总督城堡里举行了一个盛大的宴会。雷佩契普在晚上就寝以前，对每一个人都弯腰鞠躬，口中念念有詞地说：“明天我们的探险将真正开始！”不过实际上，明天或者此后的几天，恐怕他们还没法立马就再次上路。因为从孤岛群岛开始，他们将进入此前从未涉足过的陆地和海洋，对此他们得做好万全的准备才行。大家首先清空了黎明踏浪号装载的全部物资。人们利用滑轮，用八匹马把船给拖上了海岸。船身上的每一处伤痕都由最有经验的造船师傅给修补好了。之后再把船放回水里，装上粮食和淡水。船上能放多少就放多少——或者更准确地说，黎明踏浪号总的粮食和淡水储备够全船的人用上二十八天。即便如此，爱德蒙还是非常失望地意识到，这样的补给储备最多只能供他们向东航行两周。两周之后，他们就得放弃前行，掉头返航。

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 Majestys 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 Reepicheeps delight， said， “And beyond that， Aslan country. But thats beyond the end of the world and you cant get there.” But when they questioned him， he could only say that hed heard it from his father.

在做这些准备的时候，凯斯宾抓住一切机会走访他在窄港能找到的有经验的老船长，问问他们可否知道从这里往东，是否还有陆地。他想知道任何关于孤岛群岛以东的情况，哪怕仅仅是些传闻也行。总督城堡里的麦芽酒被凯斯宾一壶一壶地拿出来请客，请那些饱经风霜的老海员喝。这些老人有着短短的灰胡子和清澈的蓝眼睛。老人们喝了酒以后，就告诉凯斯宾许许多多奇闻怪谈。其中那些看上去最值得信赖的人告诉凯斯宾，在孤岛群岛以东，没有任何陆地。还有很多人相信，如果你往东航行得太远太远，最终也只有一片海域。那儿没有任何陆地，巨浪在世界的边缘永久地翻滚，形成一个巨大的漩涡。“我认为，陛下您的朋友就会被卷进那个巨浪，沉到底。”其余的人讲的，则完全是些荒诞不经的故事了，比如无头人居住的小岛、飘荡在空中的小岛、海龙卷，还有在海水的边缘燃烧不熄的火焰。不过有一个老水手的故事非常对雷佩契普的胃口。“在东边的东边，是阿斯兰的国家。不过那是在整个世界的范围之外，你没法到达那里。”可是当大家再问他有关这个传闻的详细情况时，他也只是说这个故事是从他父亲那里听来的。

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. “Ive 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 Ive 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 wouldnt go. We may need your help here. This closing of the slave market might make a new world; war with Calormen is what I foresee. My liege， think again.”

“I have an oath， my lord Duke，” said Caspian. “And anyway， what could I say to Reepicheep？”

波恩公爵能说出来的东西也不多。他只是说亲眼看到他其余的六个爵士伙伴继续向东而去，但是从那之后，就再也没有听到任何关于他们的消息了。他说这话的时候，是同凯斯宾一起站在艾弗拉岛的最高端，眺望着东边的大海。“我早上经常在天亮以前起床来到这里，”波恩公爵说，“眺望着太阳从海中升起。有时候太阳看上去很近很近，仿佛就在几英里之外。这时候我总是会想起我的那些朋友，想着在天际线的后面到底还有什么。很有可能，什么也没有，然而我还是会为我自己没能继续前行感到一丝丝的羞愧。可是尽管如此，我还是希望陛下您不要继续前行了。我们这里一样需要您。关闭这里的奴隶市场一定会惹出一些麻烦，我预感到我们和卡罗门人之间会爆发一场战争。我的陛下，望您三思。”

凯斯宾说：“我的好爵爷，这次出航我是发了誓的。再说，我该如何说服雷佩契普留下来？”