《能言馬與男孩》第81期:布里怎樣變成一匹聰明的馬兒(5)
"And I wonder how the prophecy will work out," said Aravis, "and what the great danger is that you.#39;re to save Archenland from."
"Well," said Cor rather awkwardly, "they seem to think I've done it already."
“哦，哦，”科奧相當尷尬地說道，”他們好像認爲我已經救了阿欽蘭了。”Aravis clapped her hands. "Why, of course!" she said. "How stupid I am. And how wonderful! Archenland can never be in much greater danger than it was when Rabadash had crossed the Arrow with his two hundred horse and you hadn't yet got through with your message. Don't you feel proud?"
阿拉維斯雙手鼓掌。”噢，當然啦！”她說道，”我多麼愚蠢。你多麼了不起啊！拉巴達什帶着他的二百人馬渡過旋箭河，而你還沒有把訊息送到，那時候阿欽蘭的危險大到了極點。你不覺得自豪嗎?”
"I think I feel a bit scared," said Cor.
“我認爲我覺得有點兒惶恐。”科奧說。"And you'll be living at Anvard now," said Aravis rather wistfully.
“現在你將在安瓦德生活下去了。”阿拉維斯若有所思地說道。"Oh!" said Cor, "I'd nearly forgotten what I came about. Father wants you to come and live with us. He says there's been no lady in the court (they call it the court, I don't know why) since Mother died. Do, Aravis. You'll like Father - and Corin. They're not like me; they've been properly brought up. You needn't be afraid that -"
“啊！”科奧說道，”我幾乎把我上這兒來的使命忘了。父親要你來和我們住在一起。他說他宮廷裏(他們都管它叫宮廷，我不知道爲什麼)自從母親去世以來，一直沒有女士。來吧，阿拉維斯。你會喜歡父親——和科林的。他們不像我：他們都是合乎體統地培養大的。你無需害怕……”"Oh stop it," said Aravis, "or we'll have a real fight. Of course I'll come."
“噢，別說了，”阿拉維斯說，”不然我們真要打架了。當然我會來的。”"Now let's go and see the Horses," said Cor.
“現在讓我們去看看馬兒。”科奧說。There was a great and joyous meeting between Bree and Cor, and Bree, who was still in a rather subdued frame of mind, agreed to set out for Anvard at once: he and Hwin would cross into Narnia on the following day. All four bade an affectionate farewell to the Hermit and promised that they would soon visit him again. By about the middle of the morning they were on their way. The Horses had expected that Aravis and Cor would ride, but Cor explained that except in war, where everyone must do what he can do best, no one in Narnia or Archenland ever dreamed of mounting a Talking Horse.
布里和科奧的相見，十分了得，也十分快樂，布里仍處於壓抑狀態，但它同意立刻向安瓦德出發：它同赫溫將在翌日經由安瓦德進入納尼亞境內。四個人馬一齊跟隱士依依告別，答應不久再來拜望他。上午過了一半，他們就上路了。馬兒們料想阿拉維斯和科奧會乘馬走的，但科奧解釋道，除非遇到人人必須盡其所能地貢獻最大力量的戰爭，不論在納尼亞或阿欽蘭，沒有一個人會夢想騎那會說人話的馬兒代步的。This reminded poor Bree again of how little he knew about Narnian customs and what dreadful mistakes he might make. So while Hwin strolled along in a happy dream, Bree got more nervous and more self-conscious with every step he took.
這事再次提醒布里：它對納尼亞的風俗習慣知道得那麼少，很可能犯可怕的錯誤。所以，赫溫做着好夢一路走去時，布里變得每走一步便越發忐忑不安和忸怩不自然了。"Buck up, Bree," said Cor. "It's far worse for me than for you. You aren't going to be educated. I shall be learning reading and writing and heraldry and dancing and history and music while you'll be galloping and rolling on the hills of Narnia to your heart's content."
“布里，振作起來吧，”科奧說道，”我的處境遠比你難熬哩。我要去接受教育，我要去學習讀書、寫字、紋章、跳舞、歷史、音樂等等，而你可以在納尼亞的小山上馳騁、打滾，玩個心滿意足啊。”"But that's just the point," groaned Bree. "Do Talking Horses roll? Supposing they don't? I can't bear to give it up. What do you think, Hwin?"
“但這正好是個問題，”布里咕噥道，”說人話的馬兒打滾嗎?如果它們不打滾呢?要放棄打滾，我可受不了。赫溫，你怎麼想呢?”"I'm going to roll anyway," said Hwin. "I don't suppose any of them will care two lumps of sugar whether you roll or not."
“我無論如何要打滾的，”赫溫說道，”你是否打滾，我看它們隨便哪一個都不會介意的。”"Are we near that castle?" said Bree to Cor.
“我們走近城堡了嗎?”布里對科奧說道。"Round the next bend," said the Prince.
“轉過下一個彎就是了。”王子道。”"Well," said Bree, "I'm going to have a good one now: it may be the last. Wait for me a minute."
“好吧，”布里說，”現在我要好好地打一個滾兒，也許這是最後一次打滾了。請等我一會兒。”It was five minutes before he rose again, blowing hard and covered with bits of bracken.
五分鐘後，布里打過滾從地上站起來了，劇烈地噴着鼻息，渾身都是斑斑點點的羊齒植物。"Now I'm ready," he said in a voice of profound gloom. "Lead on, Prince Cor, Narnia and the North."
“現在我準備好了，”布里用一種深沉的愁悶聲調說道，”科奧王子，帶路吧。走向納尼亞和北方。”But he looked more like a horse going to a funeral than a long-lost captive returning to home and freedom.
然而，布里的神情，與其說是一個長期流落他鄉的俘虜回到了它的家鄉和自由天地，不如說是一匹馬兒走向它的殯葬地。
