牛津書蟲系列 曾達的囚徒 4 My adventures begin

4 My adventures begin

4 我的歷險開始了

As we made our way to the palace，I began to feel that I really was the King of Ruritania，with Marshal Strakencz，the head of the army，on my right and old Sapt on my left.I could see that Strelsau was really two towns the Old Town and the New Town.The people of the Old Town，who were poor，wanted Duke Michael to be their King，but the people of the New Town wanted King Rudolf.We went through the New Town first，and it was bright and colourful，with the ladies'dresses and the red roses of the Elphbergs.The people shouted loudly for their King as we passed through the streets.But when we came to the Old Town，the Marshal and Sapt moved nearer to my horse，and I could see that they were afraid for me.

在去王宮的路上，軍隊的首領斯特肯茨元帥站在我的右邊，老薩普特站在我的左邊，我開始感到自己真的是盧里塔尼亞的國王了。我看到斯特萊索實際上是兩個城——老城和新城。老城的人是窮人，他們想要邁克爾公爵當國王。新城的人卻希望魯?shù)婪虍攪?。我們先?jīng)過新城，城里女人們的衣飾和艾爾弗伯格紅玫瑰使得城市明亮艷麗。我們經(jīng)過大街時，人們高聲為國王歡呼。但當我們來到老城時，元帥和老薩普特靠近我的馬，我能看出他們?yōu)槲覔摹?/p>

'Stay back!'I called.'I'll show my people that I'm not afraid of them.'Some of the crowd were pleased when they heard this，but most of them watched me in silence.

“退回去!”我叫道：“我要讓我的人民看看我并不害怕他們。”人群中有些人聽到了我的話感到很高興，但大多數(shù)人沉默地看著我。

Finally，we reached the great church of Strelsau.I remember very little of the coronation-only two faces.One was a beauti ful girl with wonderful red hair，the Princess Flavia.The other was the face of a man with black hair and dark，deep eyes-Black Michael.When he saw me，his face turned white.Clearly，he was surprised and deeply unhappy to see me.

終于我們來到了斯特萊索大教堂，大典的事兒我差不多都記不得了，除了兩張面孔以外。一張是一個漂亮姑娘的，她長了一頭絕妙的紅頭發(fā)。她是弗蕾維亞公主。另一張臉是一個男人的，他長著黑頭發(fā)，深黑色的眼睛。他就是黑邁克爾。當他看見我時，他的面色發(fā)白了。很清楚，他見到我很吃驚，而且非常不快。

The coronation seemed to last for hours，but I managed to say and do all the right things.At last it was over，and I was now the King of Ruritania!As Princess Flavia and I drove back to the palace in an open car，one man in the crowd called out，'When's the wedding?'

加冕典禮持續(xù)了幾個小時，但我總算說對了也做對了所有的事兒。最后儀式終于結(jié)束了，現(xiàn)在我是盧里塔尼亞國王了!當弗蕾維亞公主和我乘著敞篷車回宮殿時，人群中有人對我們喊道：“什么時候舉行婚禮?”

The Princess's face went a little pink when she heard this.After a while she said，'You seem different today，Rudolf.Quieter and more serious.Are you going to become a more sensible person now?'

公主聽到這話時她的臉有點兒發(fā)紅。過了一會兒她說：“魯?shù)婪?，你看起來不大一樣，你變得安靜嚴肅了。你現(xiàn)在會變得更明智些了吧?”

The Princess，I realized，did not think very highly of the King.As for me，I thought the King was a very lucky man.

我明白了，公主對國王的評價不太高。在我看來，國王是一個非常幸運的人。

'If that will please you，I'll try to do it，'I said softly.

“如果那樣能使你高興的話，我就試試這么做。”我柔和地說。

The Princess's face went pink again.Then she said，'You must be careful of Michael.You know.'

公主的臉紅了，然后她說：“你得小心邁克爾，你知道……”

'I know，'I said，'that he wants what I have，and also what I hope to have one day.'As I spoke，I looked at her，and she smiled at me prettily.

“我知道，”我說，“他想得到我所擁有的，還想得到我有朝一日想得到的。”我這么說的時候眼睛看著她，她對我微笑著，很可愛。

'I wonder what the King's doing now，'I thought.

“我真想知道國王現(xiàn)在在干嘛?”我暗想。

The royal dinner went on for a long time，but at last Fritz，Sapt，and I were alone in the King's dressing-room.

宮廷晚宴持續(xù)了很長時間，不過弗里茨、薩普特和我總算單獨呆在國王的更衣室里了。

'You did well，'Fritz said，'but，Rassendyll，be careful!Black Michael looked blacker than ever today-because you and the Princess had so much to say to each other.'

“你干得不錯，”弗里茨說，“但是拉森狄爾，小心一點!黑邁克爾今天看起來特別黑，因為你和公主兩人有那么多可說的。”

'She's very beautiful，'I replied.

“她美極了。”我回答。

'Come on，'Sapt cried.'There's no time for that now.We must leave for Zenda at once，to find the King!If we're caught，we'll all be killed!Black Michael has had a letter from Zenda，so perhaps he knows already.Don't unlock the door，F(xiàn)ritz，while we're away，or you'll be a dead man.Say the King must be left alone to rest.Now，come on.The horses are ready.'

“得了，”薩普特說，“現(xiàn)在沒工夫說這些了，我們得立即去曾達，去找國王!假如我們被逮住了，我們都得死!黑邁克爾收到了一封曾達來的信，所以他也許已經(jīng)知道了。我們不在的時候你別開門，弗里茨，不然你會死的。你就說國王得一個人呆著休息?，F(xiàn)在，走吧，馬已經(jīng)準備好了。”

Fritz and I shook hands，then I covered my red hair and most of my face.Sapt and I left the room by a secret door，and we found ourselves outside，at the back of the palace gardens.A man was waiting there with two horses.

弗里茨和我握握手，然后我擋上我的頭發(fā)和大半個臉。薩普特和我從一個秘密的門出了房間，就到了宮殿的花園后面，一個人正牽著兩匹馬等著我們。

Soon we left the town behind us，and we were out in the country.We rode like the wind and by ten o'clock had come to the edge of the forest of Zenda.

很快我們將城市拋在了身后，進入了鄉(xiāng)間。我們騎著馬像風一樣快，10點鐘時我們已經(jīng)來到了曾達的森林邊。

Suddenly Sapt stopped.'Listen!'he said quietly.'Horses behind us!Quick!Get down!The castle's to the left，'he continued.'Our road's to the right.'

突然薩普特停住了。“聽!”他悄悄地說，“我們后面有馬蹄聲!快!下馬!去城堡走左邊的路，我們的路是右邊這條。”

We hid in the thick trees，and we waited and watched.The men came nearer.It was Black Michael and another man.When they came to the two roads，they stopped.

我們躲在密密的樹林里，等待著，注視著。那些人走近了，是黑邁克爾和另一個男人。當他們走到兩條路口時，他們停住了。

'Which way?'the Duke asked.

“怎么走?”公爵問。

'To the castle!'the other man cried'They'll know there what's been happening.'

“去城堡!”另一個說，“他們會知道那兒出了什么事。”

The Duke waited for a moment.'To Zenda then!'he cried finally，and the two men took the road to the left.

公爵等了一會兒。“那就去曾達!”他終于說道。然后兩人就朝左邊的路走了。

We waited for ten more minutes，and then we hurried on.

我們又等了十多分鐘，然后趕緊上路。

When we arrived at the house in the forest，we ran to the underground rooms.The one where Sapt had locked up the old woman was empty.She had escaped!The other room was locked.Sapt's face was white with fear.Between us，we broke down the door and ran in.I found a light and looked round the room.The servant Josef was on the floor-dead!I held up the light and looked in every corner of the room.

我們到達林中小屋，沖進地下室。薩普特老太太的那間房間空了。她逃走了!另一間房子鎖著。薩普特的臉因為緊張而發(fā)白。我倆砸開門沖了進去，我找到一盞燈，朝四周看去，老仆人約瑟夫躺在地板上死了。我舉著燈，把房間的每一個角落都看遍了。

'The King isn't herer!'I said.

“國王不在這兒。”我說。