牛津書蟲系列 曾達的囚徒 2 The colour of men's hair

2 The colour of men's hair

2 頭發(fā)的顏色

On the way to Ruritania I decided to spend a night in Paris with a friend.The next morning he came with me to the station，and as we waited for the train，we watched the crowds.We noticed a tall，dark，very fashionable lady，and my friend told me who she was.

去盧里塔尼亞的途中我決定在巴黎的一個朋友處過一夜。第二天早晨他跟我一起來到火車站，等車時我們看著站臺上的人群，我們看到一位個子高、膚色棕黑、非常時髦的女士。我的朋友告訴我她的身份。

'That's Madame Antoinette de Mauban.She's travelling on the same train as you，but don't fall in love with her.'

“那位是安東納特·德·莫班女士，她和你坐同一列火車，但是你可別愛上她。”

'Why not?'I asked，amused.

“為什么不行?”我覺得很有意思。

'Ah，'said my friend，'all Paris knows that she's in love with Duke Michael of Strelsau.And he，as you know，is the half-brother of the new King of Ruritania.Although he's only the second son and will never be king himself，he's still an important man and very popular，I hear，with many Ruritanians.The lovely Madame Antoinette won't look twice at you，Rudolf.'

“哎呀，”我的朋友說，“全巴黎都知道她愛著斯特萊索的邁克爾公爵，他是盧里塔尼亞新國王同父異母的兄弟。雖然他只不過是次子，他也決不能當(dāng)國王，他仍然是個重要人物，而且我聽說他也受到許多人的愛戴。魯?shù)婪颍俏豢蓯鄣陌捕{特女士不會朝你看第二眼的。”

I laughed，but he had woken my interest in the lady.I did not speak to her during the journey，and when we arrived in Ruritania，I left the train at Zenda，a small town outside the capital.But I noticed that Madame de Mauban went on to Strelsau，the capital.

我笑了，但他的話引起了我對那位女士的興趣。旅途中我沒跟她說話。我們到達盧里塔尼亞以后，我在靠近首都的小城曾達下了車，但我注意到莫班女士去了首都斯特萊索。

I was welcomed very kindly at my hotel.It belonged to a fat old lady and her pretty daughter.From them I learned that the coronation was to be on the day after next，and not in three weeks.

在旅店我受到了很熱情的接待。這家旅店是一位胖老太太和她可愛的女兒開的。從她們那兒我聽說加冕典禮是后天而不是三星期后舉行。

The old lady was more interested in Duke Michael of Strelsau than in the new King.The Castle of Zenda and all the land around it belonged to the Duke，but the old lady said，'It's not enough.Duke Michael should be king.He spends all his time with us.Every Ruritanian knows him，but we never see the new King.'

老太太對邁克爾公爵比對新國王更感興趣。雖然曾達城堡和附近所有的土地都屬于這位公爵，老太太卻說，“這些還不夠，邁克爾公爵應(yīng)該當(dāng)國王。他總是和我們在一起，每個盧里塔尼亞人都認(rèn)識他，而新國王我們卻從來沒見過。”

But the daughter cried，'Oh no，I hate Black Michael.I want a red Elphberg-and the King，our friend Johann says，is very red.Johann works for the Duke and he's seen the King.In fact，the King's staying just outside Zenda now，'she added.'He's resting at the Duke's house in the forest before going on to Strelsau on Wednesday for his coronation.The Duke's already in Strelsau，getting everything ready.'

她女兒卻說，“哦，不，我討厭黑邁克爾!我希望一個紅頭發(fā)的艾爾弗伯格當(dāng)國王。聽我們的朋友約翰說，新國王的頭發(fā)非常紅。他見過國王。事實上，國王現(xiàn)在就在曾達。”她又說，“他星期五去斯特萊索加冕。在此之前，他呆在公爵的林中住地休養(yǎng)。公爵已經(jīng)去了斯特萊索，為國王準(zhǔn)備好一切。”

'They're friends?'I asked.

“他們是朋友嗎?”

'Friends who want the same place and the same wife，'the pretty girl replied.'The Duke wants to marry his cousin，Princess Flavia，but people say she's going to be King Rudolf's wife and the Queen.'

“朋友，只不過兩人想得到同樣的地方和同一個女人。”漂亮姑娘回答，“公爵想和他的表妹弗蕾維亞公主結(jié)婚，可是據(jù)說弗蕾維亞會成為國王魯?shù)婪虻钠拮雍屯鹾蟆?rdquo;

Just then their friend，Johann，entered the room.

就在這時，她們的朋友約翰走進了房間。

'We have a visitor，Johann，'the girl's mother said，and Johann turned towards me.But when he saw me，he stepped back，with a look of wonder on his face.

“我們來了個客人，約翰。”姑娘的母親說。約翰就轉(zhuǎn)向我。當(dāng)他看見我后，他后退了一步，臉上露出驚奇的表情。

'What's the matter，Johann?'the daughter asked.

“怎么啦?”姑娘問。

'Good evening，sir，'Johann said，still staring at me.He did not seem to like what he saw.

“晚上好，先生。”約翰說，仍然緊盯著我。他看上去不喜歡他所看見的東西。

The girl began to laugh.'It's the colour of your hair，sir，'she explained.'We don't often see that colour here. It's the Elphberg red-not Johann's favourite colour.'

姑娘笑了起來。“是因為你的頭發(fā)，先生。”她解釋道。“我們在這兒不常見到這種顏色的頭發(fā)。這是艾爾弗伯格家族的紅色。這可不是約翰最喜歡的顏色。”

The next day I decided to walk through the forest for a few miles and take the train to Strelsau from a little station along the road.I sent my luggage on by train and after lunch，I started out on foot.First，I wanted to see the Castle of Zenda and in half an hour I had climbed the hill to it.There were two buildings the old one，with a moat around it，and the new，modern building.Duke Michael could have friends to stay with him in the new castle，but he could go into the old castle when he wanted to be alone.The water in the moat was deep，and if he pulled up the drawbridge over the moat，no one could get to him.

第二天，我決定步行數(shù)英里穿過森林，然后從路邊的一個小站上火車去斯特萊索。我把行李交火車托運了。午飯后我開始步行。首先我想看看曾達的城堡。半小時后我爬到了城堡所在的山上。那兒有兩幢建筑物，一舊一新，舊的被一道護城河所環(huán)繞，新的是一座現(xiàn)代的建筑。邁克爾公爵可以和朋友一起呆在新城堡里，但假如他想要一個人呆著，他可以去舊城堡。壕溝里的水很深，如果他拉起跨越壕溝的吊橋，沒人能靠近他。

I stayed there for some time and looked at the castle，and then I walked on through the forest for about an hour.It was beautiful and I sat down to enjoy it.Before I knew what had happened，I was asleep.

我在那兒呆了一會兒，看著城堡，然后我走了差不多一個小時穿過森林。森林很美，我坐下來欣賞。一會兒我就睡著了。

Suddenly I heard a voice say，'Good heavens!He looks just like the King!'

突然間我聽到一個聲音說：“天哪，他真像國王!”

When I opened my eyes，there were two men in front of me.One of them came nearer.

我睜開眼睛，面前站著兩個人，其中一個走近我。

'May I ask your name?'he said.

“請問您尊姓大名?”

'Well，why don't you tell me your names first?'I replied.

“可是，您干嗎不先告訴我您的姓名呢?”我回答。

The younger of the two men said，'This is Captain Sapt，and I am Fritz von Tarlenheim.We work for the King of Ruritania.

兩人中年輕的一位說：“這位是薩普特上尉，我是弗里茨·馮·塔倫漢姆。我們是盧里塔尼亞國王手下的。”

'And I am Rudolf Rassendyll，'I answered，'a traveller from England.My brother is Lord Burlesdon.'

“我是魯?shù)婪?middot;拉森狄爾，”我回答說，“我是從英國來的游客，我哥哥是伯利斯頓勛爵。”

'Of course!The hair!'Sapt cried.'You know the story，F(xiàn)ritz?'

“當(dāng)然啦!瞧那頭發(fā)!”薩普特叫道，“你知道那個故事吧，弗里茨?”

Just then a voice called out from the trees behind us.'Fritz!Fritz!Where are you，man?'

正在這時，一個聲音從我們背后的樹林里傳來：“弗里茨!你在哪兒呢，伙計?”

'It's the King!'Fritz said，and Sapt laughed.

“是國王。”弗里茨說。薩普特笑了。

Then a young man jumped out from behind a tree.I gave a cry，and when he saw me，he stepped back in sudden surprise.The King of Ruritania looked just like Rudolf Rassendyll，and Rudolf Rassendyll looked just like the King!

然后一個年輕人從一棵樹后面跳了出來，我叫了一聲，當(dāng)他看見我時，驚愕地后退了一步。盧里塔尼亞國王看上去正像魯?shù)婪?middot;拉森狄爾，魯?shù)婪?middot;拉森狄爾看上去正像盧里塔尼亞國王。

For a moment the King said nothing，but then he asked，'Captain…Fritz…who is this?'

有一小會兒國王什么也沒說，然后他問：“上尉……弗里茨……，這是誰?”

Sapt went to the King and spoke quietly in his ear.The King's surprise changed slowly to an amused smile，then suddenly he began to laugh loudly.'Well met，cousin!'he cried.'Where are you travelling to?'

薩普特走上去對著他的耳朵輕輕說了幾句，國王驚訝的表情慢慢變成了一個感到有趣的微笑。“幸會，表弟!”他突然高聲叫道，“你打算去哪兒?”

'To Strelsau，sirto the coronation.'

“去斯特萊索，去看加冕典禮。”

The King looked at his friends，and，for a moment，he was serious.But then he began to laugh again.'Wait until brother Michael sees that there are two of us!'he cried.

國王看看他的朋友，嚴(yán)肅了一會兒。然后他又笑起來了，“等著吧，讓邁克爾老弟看看我們有兩個。”

'Perhaps it isn't a very good idea for Mr Rassendyll to go to Strelsau，'Fritz said，worried，and Sapt agreed with him.

“也許，拉森狄爾先生不應(yīng)該去斯特萊索。”弗里茨擔(dān)心地說。薩普特也同意他的看法。

'Oh，we'll think about the coronation tomorrow，the Kingsaid.'Tonight we'll enjoy ourselves.Come，cousin!'

“哦，我們明天再談加冕的事吧。”國王說，“今晚我們要好好樂一樂。來吧，表弟!”

We returned to the Duke's house in the forest，where we had an excellent dinner.The King called loudly for wine，and Captain Sapt and Fritz seemed worried.Clearly，the King liked his wine a little too much.

我們回到公爵的林中住宅，在那兒吃了一頓非常不錯的晚餐。國王嚷嚷著要酒，而上尉薩普特和弗里茨看上去很焦慮不安。很顯然，國王過于喜歡喝酒了。

'Remember the coronation is tomorrow，'warned old Sapt.

“記住，明天就加冕了。”老薩普特警告說。

But the King was only interested in enjoying himself tonight，so we all drank and talked，and drank again.At last the King put down his glass and said，'I've drunk enough.'

可是國王只對今晚讓自己好好樂一樂感興趣，所以我們都喝酒，說話，然后又喝酒。最后國王放下杯子說：“我已經(jīng)喝得夠多的了。”

As he said that，old Josef，the King's servant，came in.He put some very special old wine on the table in front of the King and said，'Duke Michael offers you this wine and asks you to drink it for love of him.'

這時，國王的仆人約瑟夫進來了，他把一瓶非常古老特別的酒放在國王面前的桌子上說道：“邁克爾公爵奉上這瓶酒，并請您為了他對您的愛而喝了它。”

'Well done，Black Michael!'the King cried.'Well，I'm not afraid to drink your wine!'

“干得好，黑邁克爾!”國王叫道，“好吧，我才不怕喝你的酒呢!”

And he drank every drop of wine in the bottle，himself.Then his head fell forward on to the table，and soon afterwards I too remembered no more of that wild evening.

他一個人喝干了瓶里的最后一滴酒。然后他的頭伏在了桌子上。很快我自己也記不清那個瘋狂的夜晚發(fā)生的別的事情了。