[小说]距离以外

距 离 以 外

　　 第一章

　　短信提示音滴滴地响了两次，我打开手机一看是赵艳的号码，里面有句这样的话：以手机短信消磨时间称为信生活，只收不发称为信冷淡，狂发一气称为信亢奋，发错对象是信骚扰，收发出问题是信障碍，你属哪一种？

　　看信息的当口我正在开车，这段挑逗的文字弄得我浑身直痒痒。赵艳这只波斯猫我瞄了她一二三年，令我气愤万丈的是到现在我都没能闻到一丁点这猫咪的腥味。从大学时期一路瞄到社会洪流，这期间我对她是使尽了泡妞的聪明才智，最初时我上大三她大二，这一路走来，由我导演的苦男戏连我自己都记不清有多少场了，从英雄救美节食送花到后来的扮大款金钱利诱，十八般武艺样样打了水漂漂，后来我终于贼心大死，这只猫就此成了我人生的一大憾事。用我从大学一直到现在都粘在一团的铁杆郝宇的话最为贴切。

　　壮士追猫历万载，

　　几欲断头猫不睬，

　　终不得手，

　　遗憾，遗憾

　　莫长叹……

　　大概四个月前这猫不知从哪弄了我的手机号码，没头没脑的给我打了一个电话。说她去深圳淘金子去了，我说你丫头有病啊，这都什么年头了，别人去那淘金早几年就淘完回家了，留一座废城你还能淘个屁啊。当时赵艳嘴还挺硬，一句是个屁我也要淘回来看看将我的话筒噎了半死。接完那个莫名其妙的电话后我顺手将她的号码存到了手机里，手机指令输入姓名时我揣着及其复杂的心情输了三个字————酸葡萄。

　　心里琢磨着酸葡萄，车已经开到了定王台书市门前的立交桥下。麻糊糊的桥墩下面塞满了车，左顾右看后就只剩下朱眼镜的破鸡吧桑塔娜边有个空位。一想起这厮就不爽，这厮和我同在书市里捣书，每天隔店相望，掰着手指算来，这头戴眼镜的猪摊着我的财气也参合着发了几年横财了。当初我做年历一个春节就挣了N多万，第二年双眼胀急了红丝的朱眼镜嗅着我的屁味也做年历，抢了我不少生意不算数，结果还大发了一笔财。后来年历不好做了我便做书，这厮又跟上我的屁，凡是我进的品种他都照搬。有次弄得我恼羞成怒故意透风说作家出版社最近出了一本《猪眼哈哈镜》在北京书市特火，这蠢货还真去打听这本书，我躲在自家店的隔断里阴笑了一整个上午，只差没将牙给蹦出来。

　　朱眼镜的长相也是有目共睹，书市俗称八戒再世，腰臂丰硕面容庞大，留一小平头。有点特色的是耳小如猕，梁上架一副超小圆边金丝镜，两只乌溜溜的大猪眼藏在镜片后贼亮贼亮。我不准备给谁留下本人刻意去诋毁这厮的把柄，我只是实话实说而已。朱眼镜大名好像是叫朱什么非，但众人皆已习惯称其为朱眼镜，在长沙话的方言里镜与睛同音，这样也好，与他打招呼时我都是大大咧咧的直呼其绰号————猪眼睛，这厮每次总背着手笑盈盈的回问我：何安，今天又进了多少张四人头咯？一般我只是对他做一点点面部稍微扩张，但心里默念“你他妈真是一头猪”在简短的数秒内估计已是万遍有余。

　　我悻悻的将车泊在猪车边往书市里走，临进门时又回头望了一眼，只见我的丰田佳美牛逼的卧在破桑旁边，将朱眼镜的坐骑直直比了下去，心中不禁爽意横生。

　　随地吐了一把甜腻腻的口水，嘴里忽觉草瘾突发。定王台的大门口有几处凌乱不堪的杂食摊，我随便走到一个摊子买了包黄爷槟榔，像吸毒般迫不及待地撕包装袋往嘴里扔入一颗毒草止瘾。

　　所谓草瘾，是指长沙人的一大独特嗜好——嚼槟榔。

　　这东西食用前先要蒸制，然后再往果子上涂抹一点名为敌敌畏的毒药。赵艳从前常指责我说：长沙男人有毒，在寻不到解药的万般无奈下被迫发明了这样一种新型疗法。我便反击说：你就是这么浅薄，欧阳锋都知道运用以毒攻毒来修练蛤蟆功，未必长沙男人就不能想法子给自己增加点功力。弄得这只波斯猫买来一整包槟榔塞到我打饭的铝盒内，在大食堂里当着众学友的面逼着我当午饭咽下。

　　嘴里一边嚼着槟榔心内边想，这人生就他妈如同一场没头绪的梦，时光一转，眨眼间我就从一名青春学子变成了一个侩气彰目的书贩子。转身时远远望见陈海跨着海步从街对面的一家茶室朝这边走过来，这狗日的东西是我旗下的一个业务经理，前些天被我大骂了一顿。

　　那天我溜到仓库里搞突袭检查，这个招千刀杀的狗东西居然在我装着码洋三百多万块的仓库里当着其他员工的面抽烟。那仓库里遍地是书，只要一丁点火星就他妈足以让老子倾家荡产。那会气上心来我没顾其他，从这狗东西祖宗八代以前的性行为骂起一直追溯到他爹娘日出来他为止，后来我又在本文化传播公司的管事级常委扩大会议上再次将这个狗日的东西痛斥一番，连同这狗东西从前虚报差旅费应酬费，私自盗用本公司旗号贩书牟利，被我一直强忍下来的数件可耻勾当在众人面前一一抖了出来。这狗东西坐在角落里涨着脸听得连屁都不敢放，会上我当场剥夺了这狗东西领取当月九百块保底工资的劳动报酬权。这才初步解了我的气。

　　就是现在我一想起这事还隐隐生恨。这大白天的拿老子饷银不去做业务却跑到街对面蹲茶室，如若换了平日，我不立即上前逮住这厮大骂一番我就不姓何。但最近这厮行为有点诡异，在没捏住他肚里藏的那根鬼肠子前我不准备让自己轻举妄动。想想也只好暂时忍下，于是夹着包径直朝市场内走去。

　　先在书市的店里视察了一番，范薇翘着圆润的屁股领着三俩个人在里面料理。范薇这妹子算我摊子里最能干得力的一个，无论我在不在前后表现都是一个样，这类员工做老板的没谁会不喜欢。当然，我喜欢她不光只是她工作表现如何如何，关键是范薇那惹眼的身段和一对诱人的大波波再加上一双水灵灵的眸子，我敢打赌没哪个功能齐备的男人能在如此尤物面前不让裤裆下面的东西上演直立状。

　　古人云：近水楼台先得月。

　　如果我要弄范薇上床那是易如反掌，这样说范薇并不是贬低她，她不是那种轻薄的风尘女子，我的意思是说凭本人的五子优势，包括本子（学历）面子（人品外貌）房子票子和鬼点子给范薇上一堂生理探索课是伸手擒来的事。我只是琢磨着如果我真这么做了，说不定到哪天我将范薇玩腻了，到时我上哪去再找一个这等百里挑一的生意助手啊。别的不说，光范薇的那股女人味就替我额外引来了不少醉翁之意不在酒的客户。我承认我有嫖客倾向，但我首先是一十足的商人，说白了还有点奸。

　　所以古人又曰：兔子不吃窝边草。

　　我现在确实是商人了，不过二十多年来我压根都没想过在某天我会蜕变成商人。我小学入少先队时最大的雄心大志是长大后做一名军人飞行员，那次放学后我领披鲜艳的红领巾腰挎我哥用过的黄布书包兴冲冲的往家赶，兴奋的小红脸一进门就气喘吁吁的向我爸报告，我说爸，儿今天入少先队了，儿一定努力学习，长大了去当军人飞行员做一名光荣的烈士回来给您争气。那当口我爸正蹲在坡子街我们家巷子口修那辆公家的凤凰牌28自行车，我记得就在我说争气的气字还没发出全音时我爸就冲我抡起了巴掌。好在后来他那一巴掌在半空中停住了没朝我小脸上掴下来，不然我保证我会记恨他一辈子。说出来不怕谁笑话，关于烈士一词直到小学毕业我都没真正弄明白到底是怎么回事。不过有一点是肯定清楚的，光荣嘛。

　　到初中时我的志向又变了，我觉得我该成为一名优秀的体育运动员，我坚信自己绝对能炼出一身金庸笔下的绝世轻功，然后去国际田径赛场上为我们国家拼夺奥运金牌。期间有一整个学期我的两条腿上一边绑了五公斤的沙袋，上学放学全是小跑前进。升入高中后我的运动员梦最终破灭了，不过高三时我又有了新的志向，这时我已长大成一名自认绝对成熟的青年，我要当诗人，并且我还在心里默默的将诗人前面加了一个附加词———伟大的。我的伟大诗人梦一直伴随我进入大学，就是到了大二我都没放弃过这个梦想，那时我还用诗词抨击过从冰天雪地的辽宁奔来长沙念书的郝宇发明的新文学主义，曰其：

　　自喻才疏无颜言.

　　 何来新说翘屁眼.

　　______何安 . 赠郝宇兄

　　那晚上在宿舍郝宇看到这段诗时整脸刹青，当着我的面将拳头拧得嘣嘣响，这家伙那会已经初步长成了一头体魄雄宏的东北大汉，我这南方小生怎能敌过他，一时吓白了脸的我连呼君子动笔不动手。当时要不是泡妞未遂早归的李铁卫及时出现，我多半能尝到郝宇君子的拳头味。

　　到了大二末期我的人生终于第一次失去了理想和奋斗目标，某天我突然发现对伟大诗人已不感兴趣了，具体原因有N多个，但究竟是什么触使我放弃了伟大的诗人梦想我自己都没能揪出其直接原因，可能根本就没原因，像我这等思想日新月异的人在大学混长时间了反倒麻木了，好好的我干嘛要去弄什么伟大诗人啊。

　　那时的大学生群体属于七十年代出生的改革前后断层群，校园以外的世界正上演精彩分呈，而原本醇和的校园受季风影响也在逐渐形成一股思想混沌的青春蠢蠢欲动潮，并且有愈演愈现代的潮湿味。那时候估计还没发明无厘头这个词，不过我敢说无厘头就是从那时萌生出嫩芽的。大学成了自由的天堂，男生喝啤酒打电游请宴泡妞DISCO，预备刚刚从地球西角流行到东角的情人节圣诞节甚至什么愚人节礼物，接着资助女生坠胎，而后摆地摊做生意挣几块钱再来重复前面的几种现代行为。至于学业只要能混个毕业证就行。关于女生就甭说了，那时我居然听到过这样的新闻，邻校一女生将胎坠在了W.C里面，令我反胃呕吐二天无法进食。

　　当别人都在轰轰烈烈的进行绝对大学生活完整版时，我的思想在那个时期进入了真空期，我无法明确自己该做什么或是要做什么。和我高中一直同校升大学并且同住一间寝室的李铁卫用莫须有的语调不下十次鼓励我荣登傻逼王宝座，最终导致我勃然大怒，那天我当着全寝室男生一口气灌下四瓶啤酒畅言拜李铁卫为师，专攻泡妞秘籍。此前李铁卫已连破三道处女膜，成为男七号寝室的首席楷模。我将四瓶啤酒一咕噜灌下后所有在场人员全体傻眼，李铁卫拍拍我泛红的光膀子说：兄弟如此海量此事准成……。后面的话我听不见了，我顺着李铁卫的手就那么直挺挺的躺到地上了，据说醒来时已是第二天下午。

　　那四瓶啤酒还真起了作用，直接效应就是导致我的雄性激素分泌高潮提前来临。这个东西让我十分恼火，我不像李铁卫有处可去，这团火烧在身上撩拨到我的每个神经原弄得整个人如同一只羞于叫春的公猫。在无计可施的背景音乐下我只好首度尝试了打手枪的方式来缓解生理的煎熬。有次我躲在上铺干这勾当时被李铁卫逮了个正着，李铁卫一把夺过卫生纸，先以尊师前辈的身份对我进行了一番教育，然后是理解同时表示不提倡，见我总不说话最后干脆破口大骂：何安你他妈给老子起来，撑直腰板子出去找一器官真枪实弹的干。

　　尔后数日李铁卫悉心向我授以秘籍方略，第一招厚颜无耻，第二招动之以情，第三招借用孙子兵法的意欲取之必先予之，最后一招就不用说了。迫于寝室群雄的压力及本人的男子汉尊严，我什么都豁出去了，就那么按部就班的行动了起来。结果不出四个月这个躲上铺打手枪的家伙就接连攻入了本系两位女生的体内。从此我在男七号寝室名声大振，直接排在第二位，人称“后来枭雄”，仅次于尊师“擒花狂魔”李铁卫。

　　从那时起我想我完了，因为我已经没远大志向也没理想了。我也试问过自己从前的那个理想在哪，要是我遵循了它它会离我有多远。然后我又问自己理想到底是什么，小时候做飞行员，稍大一点是运动员，再大一点是伟大诗人，那后面该不会是蠢到再设计一个地球总统吧。这样躺在拥挤邋遢的寝室里想了千回百遍也没弄出个所以然，后来干脆懒得想了，累。

　　我就这样堕落了，这是当时的想法。当时我确实用堕落这词来定义过自己，不过现在想来要是当初我不去进行所谓的堕落，现在我的日子估计不会有这般滋润。因为堕落了，我后来才会在没钱泡妞时跑到大街上摆地摊，才会在寒暑假里跑到黄泥街书市做帮工，才会发现书市这地方有钱挣而在毕业时扔掉已定的工作去捣书。要是我一直守着那个从前的诗人梦，既没房子没车的还没钱，我还怎么去滋润啊。

　　在大学攻击肉体的光辉岁月里我一共弄破了三个，就时间间距来说大大打破了李铁卫一年三膜的纪录，我破的三个女生都在本系发生，总共时差是六个月零二十一天。寝室里有好事顽童欲给我授一奖牌被我婉言辞谢，不为别的，我只是为照顾照顾师尊李铁卫的颜面。要不是后来遇到赵艳，我真不敢保证往后的“后来枭雄”还将令多少无知少女尽折腰。

　　首先必须承认的是小我三岁的赵艳确实将我迷住了。当时从长沙一名牌高中毕业的赵艳与我同校念大二，这只秀发飘逸白衣连裙的波斯猫最开始只是被她们班男生勘为班花，越一年也就是我大学最后一年被她们外语系男生捧为系花，在我泡其未遂悻悻毕业后据说赵艳又夺走了校花称号。

　　起初我只是怀着猎艳的心态如前三次一样小心靠近再准备伺隙擒来，可是这只波斯猫不像一般的无知少女，我使完了李氏秘籍的前三招后怎么也到不了我的目的地第四招“善解人衣”。

　　令我追悔莫及的是到后来我发现我真的喜欢上了她，而赵艳对我这个臭名昭著却又沾了几分才气的风流大亨并没有拒于千里之外，双双散步看电影书信字条于礼尚往来之事都一一应之，但就是不许肌肤之亲，哪怕我能偶尔拿拿她的手都算莫大恩惠。

　　和李铁卫一番战事研讨后两人一致得出功力不够的结论，于是我又自创了几个招数，其中包括英雄救美，此招再度问斩后我虽是贼心不死却已斗志大涣，我不得不在某次寝室群雄啤酒宴中彻底承认了这世界存在爱情这个字眼，那晚我喝着混杂了泪水的啤酒当着各路豪杰的面沮泪长吟：//爱我的人对我痴心不悔//我却为我爱的人流泪狂乱心碎//爱与不爱同样受罪//为什么不懂拒绝痴情的包围//

　　我相信那段时间我遭遇了爱情，只可惜操作失误没能溅出火花。痴恋中人就是蠢，眼看大学只剩最后半学期了，为了表示绝对忠诚，某个月光明媚的夜晚我向赵艳倒豆子般将我从前泡mm的事情一一坦白，那会我已是黔驴技穷，再糊涂的人都不会蠢到如此地步。当时听我虚心阐述的赵艳坐在草地上寂静如斯，未了红唇微跃：风流何安早有耳闻，须不知已流到如此境界。然后对着我怒眼轻抿：我是你的第几号猎物？！我连声疾呼不不不，我只爱……。怎耐此猫已拂袖而离。至此死也不肯见我，我在赵艳闺寝附近眼巴巴的守了数日，其闺中舍友传话曰：凡何安者不见。

　　吃了闭门羹后的短短几十天我连发书信百封却一一石沉大海。那些日子我想我是写完了一生的爱情诗词，连一直不入浊流的郝宇都大叹我是徐志摩他弟。郝宇是男七号寝室唯一坚守纯真的伟大人物，此人不像我，从来不被李铁卫等人恶语攻击所动，他誓文学为己命，将爱情当成生命，把乱情喻为亡命。后来有一女生主动向其示爱，二人耕耘数年终成正果，只是此女属地长沙，视爱情如生命的郝宇毕业后便永生滞留在长沙。因为我曾经与郝宇有过共同梦想，两人虽然发生过文学大战但关系仍如铁一般坚硬。而今见我如此消沉他也是万般难过。

　　看着日渐憔悴的何安，李铁卫总怕我一时想不开学楚王自刎整天跟着我屁股后面转，某个时辰李铁卫冲我骂：不就是一女人吗，天底下少了一个赵艳还有二三十亿，你伢子犯不着弄出一苦瓜脸让人急吧。再过一个时辰李铁卫又有话说：何安啊，你别急，就算毕业了你和赵艳都还在长沙，不是没机会。我对李铁卫抬手就是一拳：我不急？！你他妈知不知道赵艳屁股后面盯了多少双色眼，老子这一走那些个绿苍蝇还不把赵艳给淹了。李铁卫捂着肩膀愣住不做声。

　　最后赵艳还是见了我一面，那是离校的前一天，我写了一封四千字的帖子托师尊李铁卫递给赵艳。文中大意一改常态，先将美好往昔用旁观者姿态叙述一番，后面大体是说我要走了，虽然我们住同一座城市，但我仍希望能在校园里见上你最后一次，往后我不会打扰也不再见你了……望念朋雀之情校友之谊赴此终约。

　　那天我将见面地点设在我和赵艳从前一起漫步过的湘江河畔。一是这里离学校不远，二来这里人迹稀疏便于交谈。那天晚上月光明媚依然，我提前抵达沙地悉心静候。其实赵艳是否会来我心里没一丁点底，说不好那封信她连看都没看就撕了也说不准。最好的预想就是赵艳在某女的陪同下赏我这痞子最后一次面子。结果是赵艳真还来了，并且是只身一人。两人在沙滩上徘徊数小时，我先前想好的一大堆说词临到场上一个字眼都没吐出来，只零零星星的侃了几句不入主题的话，不过后来想起那晚我的表现确实非同凡响，刚毅果敢，与上月那个一见赵艳就舍魂的痴情小子判若两人。

　　那晚赵艳穿着我第一次见到她时的那件纯白连衣裙，秀发飘逸如初。见我时表情惊讶的说我消瘦了，脸也憔悴了不少，赵艳说这话时我借助月光捕捉到了一个隐藏很深的微妙动作，她那只令我梦寐过无数次的玉手出现了一个意欲伸往我这张痞脸的意向，但仅仅是意向，并没有进一步往前发展。我说临毕业了不少外地同学都在弄辞行宴，我每晚通宵喝酒打牌DISCO几乎没时间睡觉。赵艳哦了一声好像对此回答颇感失望。那晚的赵艳看上去精神也不怎么好，不过我可没巴望她会因我而发生了憔悴现象。我说我是痞子，你不带个伴来赴约就不怕我垂死挣扎原形毕露。赵艳发出一阵鸡圈的咯咯声，大有怕死不做刘胡兰之意。说____

　　何安，你还是那张痞子嘴，人虽然是坏了点，但心暂时还没到腐烂发霉的地步，不过已经黑到差不多了。

　　这句话算是赵艳给我的毕业留言了，也算是我追其近两年后对我的总结。我说我就是痞子胚，没指望哪天能变好人。我又突发奇想的说今天来之前我藏了一把刀在裤管里，准备在逼急了时行凶用 。这样一说我倒希望赵艳做出受惊状，也好让我出一口恶气。可惜这猫镇定自若将话锋一转挪到了我那封四千字的帖子上，仍是红唇微跃：你我仍算是朋友，犯不着要毕业了就给我来一张什么不再见面断交之类的陈词滥调吧。这话让我只差没气出个七窍流血，心内默念我靠靠靠靠，这两月来到底是谁不见谁！我现在都不敢相信那刻我是如何做到忍住悲愤而后还能用微笑去面对赵艳。

　　后来李铁卫对我这次的表现大肆赞扬，说何安在最后时刻保住了男人尊严，具有超凡个性。

　　那晚的后半部分我和赵艳基本没再谈什么东西，唯一的收获就是享受了数小时四只脚睬在河滩上发出的沙沙声，如天籁般烦躁。临到要离开那片滩地了，最后我差点还是没能忍住对赵艳说出我是真的爱过你之类的愚蠢之词。我让赵艳先走，最后孤单一人对着那片空旷的沙地朝泱泱河水狂狮怒吼万遍：赵艳，我他妈是真的爱你，你他妈为什么要不爱我……！！！

　　我一直就那么狂吼着直到流泪，为赵艳这只波斯猫而流。那些泪珠子最终应该是被干涸的沙子吞噬了，犹如我的爱情被我那痞子形象湮没了般毫无出头之日。

　　未完待续

一、试译龙骨椅（续前）

　　　　After a moment's careful inspection of Morgenes, to make sure that the last speech was not just another tease, Simon at last permitted himself a shy grin. He liked being called "young hawk."

　　经过一会儿小心审视Morgenes的表情，确信他说的最后一番话不是另一次的取笑，Simon最终露出羞涩的笑容。他喜欢被称作“年轻的雄鹰”。

　　　　"Very well, then. And I am sorry that I told you a lie. But if I have keen wit, why will you not show me anything important?"

　　“很好，那么。我也很抱歉骗了你。可如果我真的有敏锐的才智，为什么你不教我更重要的事情？”

　　　　"Like what?" Morgenes asked, his smile fading.

　　“类似于什么？”Morgenes问，脸上的微笑减退了。

　　　　“Oh, I don't know. Magic... or something."

　　“哦，我不知道。魔法……或什么。”

　　　　"Magic!" Morgenes hissed. "Is that all you think about, boy? Do you think I am some hedge-wizard, some cheap-cloth court conjuror, that I should show you tricks?" Simon said nothing. "I am still angry with you for lying to me," the doctor added. "Why should I reward you?"

　　“魔法！”Morgenes嘶嘶地说。“你想的就是这个，孩子？你认为我是个挥着魔杖的巫师，穿着便宜衣服的朝廷魔术师，我能给你展示一些魔术？”Simon什么也没有说。“我还因为你对我说谎生气，”大夫补充说。“为什么我要奖赏你？”

　　　　"I will do any chores you want, at any hour," Simon said. "I'll even wash the ceiling."

　　“我会做你要我做的任何家务，在任何时间都行，”Simon说。“我甚至可以清洗天花板。”

　　　　"Here now," Morgenes responded, "I will not be bullied. I tell you what, boy: leave off this endless fascination with magic and I will answer all your other questions for a month entire, and you shall not have to write down a one! How's that, hey?"

　　“现在，这样，”Morgenes回答，“我不会威吓你。我告诉你，孩子：停止这些对魔法的无休无止的迷恋，我会用一整个月的时间回答你所有的其他的问题，这些问题你一个也不用把它写下来！怎么样，嗨？”

　　　　Simon squinted, but said nothing.

　　Simon斜着眼睛看着，什么也没说。

　　　　"Well then, I shall let you read my manuscript on the life of Prester John!" the doctor offered. "I remember you asked about that once or twice."

　　“那好，我可以让你读我写的长老John的一生的手稿！”大夫提议。“我记得你有一两次说想看看这本书。”

　　　　Simon squinted harder. "If you'll teach me magic," he suggested, "I'll bring you one of Judith's pies every week, and a barrel of Stanshire Dark from the larder."

　　Simon用力地斜着眼睛。“如果你教我魔法，”他提议，“我每个星期都给你拿一个Judith做的馅饼，还从贮藏室给你拿一桶Stanshire Dark啤酒。”

　　　　"There now!" Morgenes barked triumphantly. "See?! Do you see, boy? So convinced are you that magical tricks will bring you power and good luck that you are quite willing to steal to bribe me into teaching you! No, Simon, I cannot make bargains with you over this."

　　“现在！瞧瞧！”Morgenes胜利地叫起来。“看看？！看到了吗，孩子？你这么确信那些魔法的技量会带给你权力和好运，你宁愿想去偷东西贿赂我教你！不，Simon，我不能在这件事上跟你谈交易。”

　　　　Simon was angry again, but took a deep breath and pinched his arm. "Why are you so set against it, Doctor?" he asked when he felt calmer. "Because I am a scullion?"

　　Simon再次生起气来，但他深吸一口气，夹紧胳膊。“为什么你这么反对这件事，大夫？”他觉得自己平静下来以后再问。“因为我是个洗碟碗的仆人？”

　　　　Morgenes smiled. "Even if you still labor in the scullery, Simon-lad, you are no scullion. You are my apprentice. No, there is no deficiency in you—except for your age and immaturity. You simply do not comprehend what you are asking."

　　Morgenes微笑起来。“即使是你仍然在碗碟洗涤处工作，Simon，孩子，你并不是洗碟碗的仆人。你是我的学徒。不，并不是因为你有什么不足——除了你的年纪和不成熟。你完全不了解你所要的是什么。”

　　　　Simon slumped onto a stool. "I don't understand," he murmured.

　　Simon泄气地坐回椅子上。“我不懂。”他小声说。

　　　　"Exactly." Morgenes downed another gulp of ale. "What you call 'magic' is really only the action of things of nature, elemental forces much like fire and wind. They respond to natural laws—but those laws are very hard to leam and understand. Many may never be understood."

　　“当然。” Morgenes喝下另一口酒。“你所说的‘魔法’，从真正意义上说，只是自然事物的行为，元素的力量很象火和风。它们对自然法则作出相应的反应——而这些法则非常难学，非常难懂。很多根本就不可能明白。”

　　　　"But why don't you teach me the laws'?"

　　“可为什么你不教我这些法则？”

　　　　"For the same reason I wouldn't give a burning torch to an infant sitting on a pile of straw. The infant—and no insult is meant, Simon—is not prepared for the responsibility. Only those who have studied many years in many other subjects and disciplines can begin to master the Art that fascinates you so. Even then they are not necessarily fit to wield any power." The old man drank again, wiped his lips and smiled. "By the time most of us are capable of using the Art, we are old enough to know better. It is too dangerous for the young, Simon."

　　“如同我不会把一只燃烧的火炬，交给一个坐在一堆稻草上的婴儿。那个婴儿——我没有侮辱你的意思，Simon——还没有准备好承担这一责任。只有那些经过很多很多年，刻苦研究过很多其他主题和学科的人，才开始掌握你所迷恋的这种艺术。尽管如此，他们也并不一定适合支配这种艺术的任何力量。”老人又喝了一口酒，擦擦嘴唇，笑起来。“等到我们中的很多人都有能力使用这种艺术的时候，我们的年纪都已经够大了，也就对这种艺术更了解了。对年轻人来说它太危险了，Simon。”

　　　　"But..."

　　“但是……”

　　　　"If you say: 'But Pryrates...' I shall kick you," Morgenes said. "I told you once, he is a madman—or as good as. He sees only the power to be gained from wielding the Art, and ignores the consequences. Ask me about the consequences, Simon."

　　“如果你说：‘可Pryrates……’我会踢你，”Morgenes说。“我告诉过你，他是一个疯子——或者说他相当于一个疯子。支配这艺术的时候，他只看到自己获得了力量，而忽略了结果。问问我会有什么样的结果，Simon。”

　　　　He asked dully: "What about the con..."

　　他干巴巴地问：“会有什么结果？”

　　　　"You cannot exert force without paying for it, Simon. If you steal a pie, someone else goes hungry. If you ride a horse too fast, the horse dies. If you use the Art to open doors, Simon, you have little choice of houseguests."

　　“你不能在得到力量的时候，不去偿还它，Simon。如果你偷了一个馅饼，别人就会饥饿。如果你骑马的时候让马跑得太快，马就会死。如果你用这艺术去开门，Simon，你选择来拜访你的朋友的范围就不大了。”

　　　　Simon, disappointed, glared around the dusty room. "Why do you have those signs painted over your door, Doctor?" he asked at last.

　　Simon非常失望地朝着这满是灰尘的房间怒目而视。“为什么你要在门上画这些符号，大夫？”他最后问。

　　　　"So no one else's houseguests come a-visiting me." Morgenes stooped to put his flagon down, and as he did so something gold and shining fell out of the collar of his gray robe, tumbling down to dangle swinging on its chain. The doctor seemed not to notice. "I should send you back, now. But remember this lesson, Simon, one fit for kings... or the sons of kings. Nothing is without cost. There is a price to all power, and it is not always obvious. Promise me you will remember that."

　　“这样，就会没有别人家的访客会来我这里拜访。” Morgenes弯腰放下酒壶，这时候，他灰色袍子的领口，有什么金色的闪光的东西掉了出来，跌下去，坠在挂着它的项链上面，摇摆着。大夫看起来没有注意。“现在你回去吧。可是记得这个教训，Simon，它也适合国王……或王子。没有什么可以不花钱就得到的东西。所有力量的使用，都会有它的代价，而且这代价不一定总表现得那么明显。向我保证你会记得这个。”

　　　　"I promise, Doctor." Simon, feeling the effects of the earlier crying and shouting, was as lightheaded as if he had run a race. "What is that thing?" he asked, bending forward to watch the golden object pendulum back and forth. Morgenes held it out on his palm, giving Simon a brief look.

　　“我保证，大夫。” Simon，经过之前的哭泣和大叫，这个时候头晕眼花得象是他刚跑完了步。“那是个什么？”他问，向前俯下身子去看那个左右摇摆的黄金的物件。Morgenes把它放在手掌上，伸出手，让Simon匆匆看了一眼。

　　　　"It's a feather," the doctor said shortly. As he dropped the gleaming thing back into his robe, Simon saw that the quill end of the golden feather was attached to a writing scroll carved of pearly white stone.

　　“是个羽毛，”大夫简短地说。他把那个闪光的东西放回袍子里，Simon看到那只金色羽毛末端的羽茎，附在一个用珍珠般白色的石头，雕刻着的书写用的卷轴。

　　　　"No, ifs a pen," he said wonderingly, "—a quill pen, isn't it?"

　　“不，是一只笔，”他惊奇地说，“——一只翎毛笔，不是吗？”

　　　　"Very well, it's a pen." Morgenes growled. "Now if you have nothing better to do than interrogate me about my personal ornaments, be off with you! And don't forget your promise! Remember!"

　　“不错，是只笔。”Morgenes咆哮着。“如果你除了审问我关于我的这个私人装饰品的事，就没有什么别的事要做了，那就走吧！而且别忘了你的保证！记住！”

　　　　Wandering back to the servants' quarters across the hedged courtyard gardens, Simon wondered at the events of a strange morning. The doctor had found out about the letter, but didn't punish him, or throw him out, never to return. However, he had also refused to teach Simon anything about magic. And why had his assertion about the quill-pendant irritated the old man so?

　　漫不经心地返回仆人的住处，路上经过院子里篱笆围起的花园的时候，Simon好奇地回想起今天这个奇怪的早晨发生的事情。大夫发现了那封信，可是没有责罚他，也没有把他撵出去，不让他再回来做他的学徒。然而，他还是不愿意教Simon魔法的事情。还有，为什么他向大夫说那是个翎毛的饰物是一只笔的时候，使这个老人这么生气？

　　　　Pondering, plucking absently at the dry, unbudded rosebushes, Simon pricked his finger on a hidden thorn. Cursing, he held up his hand. The bright blood was a red bead on his fingertip, a single crimson pearl. He stuck his finger in his mouth and tasted salt.

　　想着这些，心不在焉地揪着干枯的、没有发芽的墙薇，Simon的手指被一只他没有看到的刺扎了一下。咒骂着，他抬起手。指尖上鲜亮的的血，象一个红色的珠子，一个深红色的珍珠。他把手指放进嘴里，尝着它的咸味儿。

　　　　In the darkest part of the night, on the very cusp of All Fools' Day, a tremendous crash reverberated through the Hayholt. It rattled sleepers awake in their beds and drew a long, sympathetic hum from the dark bell clusters in Green Angel Tower.

　　当晚，最黑暗的时候，愚人节的黎明，一个巨大的碰撞声响彻了Hayholt城堡。它把熟睡的人从床上摇醒，又惊起了绿色天使之塔上黑色的那些钟，响起了长长的应和的嗡鸣声。

　　　　Some of the young priests, gleefully ignoring midnight prayers on this, their once-yearly night of freedom, were struck from their stools as they sat swilling wine and insulting Bishop Domitis; the concussive force of the blow was so great that even the drunkest felt a wave of terror run through them, as though in a deep-sunken part of themselves they had known all along that God would eventually make his displeasure felt.

　　一些年轻的神父，在他们这一年一次的自由的夜晚，很高兴他们可以不必做午夜的祈祷，此时，从他们坐着痛饮、侮辱着Domitis主教的凳子上，站了起来；这震动的冲击波非常强大，即使是醉得最厉害的人，也感觉到一阵恐惧刺透了他们，就象是他们身体内，埋藏最深的那部分，始终都知道，上帝最终会表现出他的不满。

　　　　But when the ragged, startled crew milled out to the courtyard to see what had happened, shaven acolyte heads like so many pale mushrooms in the silky moonlight, there was no shape of the universal cataclysm they had all expected. Except for a few faces of other recently-wakened castle-dwellers peering curiously from the windows, the night was untroubled and clear.

　　当这些震惊的人们，三三两两慢慢来到院子里，去看发生了什么事情的时候，削发的神父的头，看起来就象是在这丝绸般的月光下，那么多的白蘑菇，不象他们所期待的，看起来，没有任何人们所熟知的灾难的迹象。除了几个其他刚刚醒来的城堡的居民，好奇地从窗户往外观看，这个夜晚平安无事，而且非常清澈。

　　　　Simon was dreaming in his spare, curtained bed, nested among the treasures he had so carefully collected; in his dream he climbed a pillar of black ice, every straining inch upward eroded by a nearly identical slip backward. He clutched a parchment in his teeth, a message of some sort. At the topmost point of the cold-burning pillar was a door; in the doorway a dark presence crouched, waiting for him... waiting for the message.

　　Simon在分给他的、帘子围着的小床上，依偎在他精心收集的珍宝中，做着梦，梦里，他爬上一根黑色的冰做成的柱子，每向上方好不容易爬上一英寸，就几乎向后滑下一英寸。他嘴里咬着一只羊皮纸，上面写着什么消息。在这极其寒冷的柱子的最顶端，是一扇门；门口蹲着一个黑色的什么，正在等着他……等着这个消息。

　　　　As he finally reached the threshold a hand snaked out, grasping the parchment in an inky, vaporous fist. Simon tried to slide back, to fall away, but another dark claw jabbed out from the doorway and caught his wrist. He was drawn upward toward a pair of eyes, red-bright as paired crimson holes in the belly of an infernal black oven...

　　最后，他到了那个门口，一只手伸了出来，把羊皮纸抓过去，握在漆黑的、冒着蒸气的拳头里。Simon想滑回去，想离开，可是另一只黑爪子从门口猛地伸出，抓住他的手腕。他被提起来，向一双红色的闪亮的眼睛，就象是阴间的一个黑炉子的腹部，一对深红色的洞，扯去……

　　　　As he woke gasping from sleep he heard the sullen voices of the bells, moaning their displeasure as they descended back into cold, brooding sleep.

　　从睡梦中喘着气醒来，他听到阴沉的钟声，呻吟着它们的不快，再次陷入寒冷、沉思的睡眠。

　　　　Only one person in all the great castle claimed to have seen anything. Caleb the horse-boy, Shem's slow-witted assistant, had been terribly excited and unable to sleep all night. The next morning he was to be crowned King of Fools, and carried on the shoulders of the young priests as they marched through the castle singing bawdy songs and tossing oats and flower petals. They would take him to the refectory hall where he would preside over the All Fools' banquet from his mock throne built of Gleniwent river reeds.

　　在这巨大的城堡里，只有一个人，声称自己看到了什么。 Caleb，在马房做事的男孩，Shem的笨笨的助手，由于极度地兴奋，整个晚上不能安睡。因为第二天早上，他会被封为愚人们的国王，被年轻神父们抗在肩头，唱着淫秽的歌，一路扔着燕麦片和花瓣，穿过城堡。他们会把他抗到餐厅，他会坐在用 Gleniwent河的芦苇做成的假的王座上，主持愚昧人节的宴会。

　　　　Caleb had heard the great roar, he told any who would listen, but he had also heard words, a booming voice speaking a language that the stable boy could only say was "bad." He also seemed to think he had seen a great snake of fire leap from the window of Hjeldin's Tower, looping itself around the spire in flaming coils and then splintering into a shower of sparks.

　　Caleb告诉听他讲这个故事的人，他听到了这巨大的碰撞声，可他也听到了说话的声音，这隆隆的声音说着一种语言，而这个马厩里干活的男孩，听不懂这种语言，只能说它很“坏”。他也觉得自己看到了一个巨大的火蛇，从 Hjeldin塔的窗户跳了出去，缠绕在塔尖上，形成燃烧的一圈圈火环，然后，裂成碎片四散开去，如同流星火雨。

　　　　No one paid Caleb's story much heed—there was a reason the simpleminded boy had been chosen King of Fools. Also, the dawn brought something to the Hayholt that eclipsed any thunder in the night, and even the prospects of Fools' Day.

　　对Caleb的故事，没有人多加留意——这个头脑简单的男孩被选中为愚人们的国王，当然不是没有原因的。另外，黎明给Hayholt城堡带来了一样东西，消除了昨晚的撞击声留给人们的印象，甚至对愚人节的期望也减退了。

　　　　Daylight revealed a line of clouds—rain clouds—crouching on the northern horizon like a flock of fat, gray sheep.

　　白天，出现了一排云——雨云——蜷缩在北方的地平线，象一群肥大的灰色绵羊。

　　　　"By Dror's becrimsoned mallet, Udun's one dread eye, and… and… and our Lord Usires! Something must be done!"

　　“以古老的战神Dror的深红色的棒槌的名义，以古老的天空之神Udun的一只恐惧的眼睛的名义，还有……还有……还有以我们伟大的Usires的名义！一定要做点儿什么了！”

　　　　Duke Isgrimnur, nearly forgetting his Aedonite piety in his wrath, brought his scarred, fur-knuckled fist down on the Great Table hard enough to make the crockery jump six feet away. His broad body swayed like an over-cargoed ship in a squall as he cast his eyes from one end of the table to the other, then brought his fist down again. A goblet teetered briefly, then surrendered to gravity.

　　Isgrimnur公爵，在他的盛怒之下，几乎忘了他对Aedonite的虔诚，把他结着伤疤的、指节生有寒毛的拳头，砸在这朝廷上的盛大的会议桌上，因为太用力了，把桌上的那只陶器震飞了六英尺远。他一个挨着一个地扫视着坐在桌子上的这些人，他那宽大的身体，就象在一场暴风中，承载过重的船，摇摆着，接着，他又向桌上砸了一拳。一只酒杯短暂地摇摇欲坠之后，向地心引力投降了。

　　　　"Steps must be taken, sire!" he roared, and tugged angrily at his belt-length whiskers. "The Frostmarch is in a state of bedamned anarchy! While I sit here with my men like so many knots on a log, the Frostmarch Road has become a byway for bandits! And I have had no word from Elvritshalla for two months or more!" The duke blew out a great gust of air that made his mustache flutter. "My son is in dread need, and I can do nothing! Where is the High King's ward of safety, my Lord?"

　　“必须要采取措施了，陛下！”他吼叫着，生气地捋着带子般长的胡须。“Frostmarch那个地方，陷入该死的政治混乱！ 我和我带来的人坐在这里，就象是一根圆木上系着的结，一动也不能动，而Frostmarch路却成为了强盗出没的小道！而且，我已经有两个月甚至是两个多月都没有收到Elvritshalla领地的消息了！”公爵长长呼出一口气，使他的胡须抖动起来。“我儿子陷入了极端的危急，而我什么都做不了！我们至高的国王的手下，那些安全保卫在哪儿呢，陛下？”

　　　　Reddening like a beet the Rimmersman dropped back into his chair, Elias raised a languid eyebrow and surveyed the other knights scattered about the circumference of the table, far outnumbered by the empty chairs between them. The torches in the wall sconces threw long wavering shadows onto the high tapestries.

　　这个Rimmersman人坐回椅子上，涨红的脸象是红色的甜菜根，Elias无精打采地挑起一条眉毛，环视围绕这桌子，分散而坐的别的爵士们，而在这些人中间，空出来的椅子比到这儿来的人还多。墙上，壁式烛台的火把，把长而飘动的影子，投射到高高的挂毯上。

　　　　"Well, now that the aged but honorable Duke has made himself known, would anyone else like to join his suit?" Elias toyed with his own gold goblet, scuffing it along the crescent-shaped scars in the oak. "Is there anyone else who feels that the High King of Osten Ard had deserted his subjects?" At the king's right hand Guthwulf smirked.

　　“现在，上年纪的可敬的公爵已经表达了他的意思，有没有别人同意他的意见？”Elias把玩着他自己的黄金的酒杯，沿着橡木桌上的新月形的疤，磨着。“是不是还有别人认为，Osten Ard大陆的至高的国王丢弃了他的下属们？”在国王的右手边坐着的Guthwulf笑了起来。

　　　　Isgrimnur, smarting, began to climb back to his feet, but Eolair of Nad Mullach laid a restraining hand on the old duke's arm.

　　Isgrimnur，敏捷地想站起来，而Mullach沼泽的Eolair一只手拉住公爵的手臂，示意他不要妄动。

　　　　"Sire," Eolair said, "neither Isgrimnur nor anyone else who has spoken is accusing you of anything." The Hernystirman placed his palms flat on the table. "What we are all saying then, is that we are asking—entreating, my lord—that you pay more heed to the problems of those of your subjects who live outside your view here at the Hayholt." Perhaps thinking his words too harsh, Eolair summoned a smile onto his mobile face. "The problems, they are there," he continued. "Outlawry is everywhere in the north and west. Starving men have few scruples, and the drought just ended has brought out the worst... in everyone."

　　 “陛下，”Eolair说，“不管是Isgrimnur还是别人，他们的发言都不是指责你什么。”这个Hernystirman民族的人，把两只手掌平放在桌面上。“我们这些人所说的，是我们的请求——恳求，陛下——更多地注意那些Hayholt城堡之外的，不在你的视线范围内的你的下属们，所面临的问题。”可能觉得自己的话太刺耳了，Eolair易变的脸上，露出一点微笑。“那些问题，它们在那里，”他继续说。“不法的行为发生在北方和西方的每个地方。饥饿的人们没有顾忌，刚刚结束的干旱给每个人都带来了灾难。”

　　 Elias, unspeaking, continued to stare at Eolair after the westerner had finished. Isgrimnur couldn't help noticing how pale the king looked. It reminded the older man of the time in the southern islands that he had nursed Elias' father John through a bout of fever.

　　Elias，什么话也不说，等Eolair这个西方人讲完以后，继续凝视着他。Isgrimnur不禁注意到，国王看上去是多么苍白。这老人又回想起他在南方岛屿上的时候，曾经照顾Elias的父亲John那一次高烧。

　　　　That bright eye, he thought, that nose like a hunting bird. Odd how these bits, these brief expressions and reminders, go on generation after generation—long after the man and his works are dead.

　　那样明亮的眼睛，他想，那象一只打猎的鸟儿的鼻子。奇怪这些五官，这些短暂的表情和提示，一代传一代——即使这个人死了，他本人的身体特征消失了，可还是能继续传承下去。

　　　　Isgrimnur thought of Miriamele, Elias' pretty, melancholy child. He wondered what baggage of her father's she would carry on, what disparate images of her beautiful haunted mother, dead ten years now—or was it twelve?

　　Isgrimnur想起Miriamele，Elias漂亮的忧郁的孩子。他奇怪，她会从她父亲身上承袭什么呢，又会承袭她经常回想的母亲的不同的容貌呢，她的母亲已经死了十年了——还是十二年？

　　　　Across the table Elias shook his head slowly, as if waking from a dream or trying to dispel the wine fumes from his head. Isgrimnur saw Pryrates, seated at the king's left side, quickly withdraw his pale hand from Elias' sleeve. There was something abhorrent about the priest, Isgrimnur thought, not for the first time, something far deeper than merely his hairiessness and scratchy voice.

　　桌子对面， Elias慢慢摇摇头，象是从梦中醒来，或是试图在驱散脑袋里的残酒。Isgrimnur看到Pryrates，坐在国王的左边，快速地从Elias的衣袖里抽出他苍白的手。这神父身上有种很可恶的东西，Isgrimnur已经不是第一次这样想了，那种可恶，深埋在这单纯的秃头、还有刺耳的声音下面。

　　　　"Well, Count Eolair," the king said, an elusive smile briefly twitching on his lips, "as long as we are speaking of'obligations' and such, what does your kinsman King Lluth have to say about the message I sent him?" He leaned forward with apparent interest, his powerful hands folded on the table.

　　“好，Eolair伯爵，”国王说，嘴唇扭曲成一个短暂的难懂的微笑，“只要我们谈到‘义务’还有诸如此类的话，我们的意见就不一致，那么你的亲戚Lluth国王，对于我送给他的消息是怎么说的呢？”他带着明显的兴趣，身子前倾过去，他有力的手，交叠放在桌面上。

　　　　Eolair replied in measured tones, choosing his words with care. "As always. Lord, he sends his respects and love to noble Erkynland. He does feel, though, that he cannot afford to send more in the way of taxes..."

　　Eolair回答的时候，注意着他的语气，小心地选择着措辞。“象过去一样。陛下，他向Erkynland此地的贵族，表达他的敬意和热爱。我觉得，虽然，他交不出更多的税金……”

　　　　"Tribute!" snorted Guthwulf, picking his nails with a slim poniard.

　　“是贡品！”Guthwulf轻蔑地哼着，用一只纤细的匕首修着他的指甲。

　　　　"... In the way of taxes right now," Eolair finished, ignoring the interruption.

　　“……他目前交不出更多的税金，”Eolair说完了这句话，没有被刚才的打断所影响。

　　　　"Is that so?" Elias asked, and smiled again.

　　“是这样吗？”Elias问，又微笑起来。

　　　　"Actually, my lord," Eolair deliberately misread the smile's import, "he sent for me to ask you for royal help. You know the troubles the drought has caused, and the plague. The Erkynguard must work with us to keep the trade roads open."

　　“确实如此，陛下，” Eolair故意地误解国王的笑意，“他让我寻求王室的帮助。你知道干旱所带来的麻烦，还有瘟疫。Erkynguard的卫兵必须要和我们一起合作，保持商道的畅通。”

　　　　"Oh, they must, must they?" King Elias' eyes glinted, and a tiny throb began between the strong cords of his neck. "It is 'must' now, is it?" He leaned farther forward, shaking off Pryrates' serpent-swift restraining hand. "And who are you," he growled, "the weanling stepcousin of a sheepherder-king—who is only a king at all by my father's weak-willed forebearance!—who are you to tell me 'must'!?"

　　“哦，他们一定要这样，是吗？”Elias目光闪烁，脖子上的血管间，有了细微的抽动。“现在‘必须’要这样，是吗？”他再向前探了探身，甩掉Pryrates蛇一般迅速抓住他的手。“你算什么人，”他咆哮着，“一个牧羊人的国王刚断奶的堂兄弟——这个国王，只不过是由于我父亲意志薄弱的克制，而当上的国王！——你算什么人，告诉我‘必须’这么做！？”

　　　　"My Lord!" cried old Fluiren of Nabban in horror, flapping his spotted hands—mighty hands once, now bent and curled like a hawk's feet. "My Lord," he panted, "your anger is kingly, but Hernystir is a trusted ally under your father's High Ward—not to mention his country was the birth-land of your saintly mother, rest her soul! Please, sire, do not speak so of Lluth!"

　　“陛下！”Nabban民族的老爵士Fluiren惊恐地叫起来，拍着他布满斑纹的手——那曾是一双有力的手，现在弯曲得象只鹰爪。“陛下，”他喘息着，“你的愤怒是君王式的，但这个Hernystir民族的人，是你父亲的最高守卫下，忠实的同盟——不用说他的国家是你的圣洁的母亲的出生地，希望她的灵魂安息！请你，陛下，不要对Lluth说这样的话！”

　　　　Elias swung his emerald gaze to Fluiren, and seemed about to focus his wrath on that diminished hero, but Pryrates tugged the king's dark sleeve again and leaned close to mouth a few words in Elias' ear. The king's expression softened, but the line of his jaw remained taut as a bowstring. Even the air over the table seemed pulled tight, a grinding net of awful possibility.

　　Elias用他祖母绿的目光投向Fluiren，看上去想要把他的愤怒都发泄到这个曾经是个英雄的人的身上，但是Pryrates又扯扯国王的黑色衣袖，俯身在Elias的耳边小声说了几句话。国王的表情柔和下来，但是他的下巴仍然紧绷着，象是弓弦。即使这桌上的气氛看起来也拉紧了，象一个正在酝酿着可能会发生极度糟糕的事情的网。

　　　　"Forgive me for the unforgivable. Count Eolair," Elias said at last, a strange, stupid grin stretching the corners of his mouth wide. "Forgive me my harsh, causeless words. It has been less than a month since the rains began, and it was a difficult twelvemonth for us all before that."

　　“原谅我这些不可饶恕的行为。 Eolair伯爵，”Elias 最后说，唇角扯出一个奇怪的、傻傻的笑容。“原谅我的刺耳的、无缘无故的话。现在距离下雨还不到一个月，而且之前的十二个月对我们来说都是很艰难的。”

　　　　Eolair nodded, his clever eyes uneasy. "Of course. Highness. I understand. Please, you'll grant me your pardon for provoking you." Across the oval table Fluiren folded his mottled hands with a satisfied nod.

　　Eolair点点头，他聪明的眼睛流露着不安。“当然。陛下。我明白。请为我的激怒于你，而原谅我吧。”这椭圆形的桌子对面，Fluiren斑驳的双手叠在一起，满意地点点头。

　　　　Isgrimnur now rose to his feet, ponderous as a brown bear climbing an ice floe. "I, too, Sire, shall try to speak in a gentle fashion, though you all know it is clean against my soldier's nature."

　　Isgrimnur现在站了起来，沉重得象一只褐色的熊，爬上一块浮冰。“我，也是，陛下，试着用柔和的方式说话，虽然你们大家都知道，这样做是和我的军人的天性相悖的。”

　　　　Elias' cheerful grimace remained. "Very good. Uncle Bear-skin—we will all practice gentility together. What would you of your king?"

　　Elias的脸上仍然保留着高兴的样子。“很好。披着熊皮的叔叔——我们全都尝试用文雅的方式交谈。你对你的国王有什么要求？”

　　　　The Duke of Elvritshalla took a deep breath, nervously finger-tangling his beard. "Mine and Eolair's people are in dire need, Lord. For the first time since the earliest part of John Presbyter's reign, the Frostmarch Road has again become impassable—blizzards in the north, highway robbers further south. The royal North Road past Wealdhelm is not much better. We need these roads open, and kept so." Isgrimnur leaned to the side and spat on the floor. Fluiren winced. "Many of the clan-villages, according to my son Isorn's last letter, are suffering for lack of food. We cannot trade our goods, we cannot keep contact with the more remote clans."

　　这Elvritshalla领地的公爵深吸一口气，紧张地用手指捋着他的胡须。“我和Eolair的人们都处在极度的危急之中，陛下。自从John长老建立统治的早期至今，这是第一次， Frostmarch路又成为了不可通行之路——北方，是一场一场的暴风雪，遥远的南方，是道路上的一群群劫匪。皇家通过Wealdhelm的北方之路，相较之下，也好不了多少。我们需要这些道路畅通，而且保持畅通。”Isgrimnur斜过身子，吐了一口吐沫。Fluiren退缩一下。“很多部落的乡村，依照我儿子Isorn最后 所说，由于食物的缺乏而深受其苦。我们不能把货物运出去和他们交易，我们不能和最近的偏远部落保持联系。”

　　　　Guthwulf, carving at the table's edge, yawned conspicuously. Heahferth and Godwig, two younger barons wearing prominent green sashes, quietly tittered.

　　　Guthwulf，在桌旁修剪着指甲，这时，明显地打了个呵欠。Heahferth和Godwig，两个年轻的男爵，佩着惹人注目的绿色肩带，悄悄地窃笑着。

　　　　"Surely, Duke," Guthwulf drawled, leaning back against the arm of his chair like a sun-warmed cat, "you don't blame us for that. Has our lord the king powers like God Almighty—to stop the snows and storms with a wave of his hand?"

　　“的确，公爵，”Guthwulf懒洋洋地说，靠在椅子把上，象一只晒太阳的猫。“你不能为此而指责我们。我们的国王的力量能象全能的上帝——仅仅挥挥手，就能让大雪和风暴停止了吗？”

　　　　"I do not suggest that he should!" Isgrimnur rumbled.

　　“我的意思不是说让他使风雪停下来！”Isgrimnur声音低沉地说。

　　　　"Perhaps," Pryrates said from the head of the table, his wide smile strangely inappropriate, "you also blame the king for his brother's disappearance, as we have heard it rumored?"

　　“也许，”Pryrates从桌子的上首说，他脸上明显的微笑奇怪地和现场的话题不相称，“你也指责国王，要对他弟弟的失踪负责，象我们所听到的谣言里说的那样？”

　　　　"Never!" Isgrimnur was genuinely shocked. Beside him Eolair narrowed his eyes, as if seeing something unexpected. "Never!" the duke repeated, looking helplessly at Elias.

　　“决不会！” Isgrimnur真诚地为之震惊。他的旁边，Eolair眯起眼睛，仿佛看到了什么意想不到的事情。“决不会！”公爵重复着，求助地看着Elias。

　　　　"Now, men, I know Isgrimnur would never think such a thing," the king said, waving a listless hand. "Why, old Uncle Bear-skin dandled both Josua and myself on his knees. I hope, of course, that Josua has suffered no harm—the fact that he has not appeared at Naglimund in all this time is troubling—but if anything foul is afoot it is not my conscience that will need soothing " But as he finished, for a moment Elias did look troubled, staring at nothing as though he wandered through a confusing memory

　　“不，先生们，我知道Isgrimnur决不会有这样的想法，”国王说，淡淡地挥挥手。“为什么这么说呢，披着熊皮的老叔叔曾在膝上逗Josua和我一起玩。我希望，当然， Josua没有受到伤害——他没有回到他的领地Naglimund ，这一事实在目前这种环境中，确实是很让人担忧的——但是，如果有什么邪恶的事正在发生着，那么，并不是我的良心需要被安抚。”但是他说完的时候，有那么一会儿，Elias看上去确实心里不平静，目光呆滞，好象他正徘徊在一个混乱的记忆中。

　　　　"Let me get back to the point. Lord," Isgrimnur said. "The northern roads are not safe, and weather is not the only factor My earls are spread too thin. We need more men—strong men to make the Frostmarch safe again. The marchland is aswann with robbers and outlaws and... and worse things, some say."

　　“让我们回到重点。陛下。” Isgrimnur说。“北方的那些道路都不安全，天气并不是唯一使我的伯爵们都进展很慢的的原因。我们需要更多的人——身体强壮的人，恢复Frostmarch的路的安全。边疆地区充满了强盗、歹徒，还有……还有更糟的东西，有人说。”

　　　　Pryrates leaned forward interestedly, chin perched on long-fingered hands like a child watching ram through a window, sunken eyes catching the torches* gleam. "What 'worse things,' noble Isgrimnur?"

　　Pryrates感兴趣地往前倾着身子，下巴放在手指长长的双手上，象一个正在望着穿外，眼窝深陷的眼睛注意着火把的微光。“什么样的‘更糟的东西’，尊贵的Isgrimnur？”

　　　　"It's not important People think… things, that is all You know how the marchdwellers are..." The Rimmersman trailed off, taking an embarrassed draft of his wine.

　　“是那些平民们想的……东西，你知道，那些住在边疆的人们都……”这个 Rimmersman人说不下去了，尴尬地喝了一口酒。

　　　　Eolair rose. "If he will not voice his thoughts, what we have heard in the markets and among the servants, I will. The northern people are afraid. There are things going about that cannot be explained by deadly weather and bad harvests In my land we do not need to name things angels or devils We of Hernystir—we of the West—know that things walk upright on this earth that are not men... and we know whether to fear them or not. We Hernystiri knew the Sithi when they still lived in our fields, when the high mountains and wide meadows of Erkynland were theirs."

　　Eolair站起来。“如果他不愿说出他的想法，就是那些我们在集市上听到的仆人间的传闻，那么我来说吧。北方的人们怕了。那些传闻中的东西，不能被极度的坏天气和不好的收成所解释。在我的土地上，我们不必把这些东西说成是天使或是魔鬼。我们Hernystir民族的人——我们西方的人们——知道那些在这个世上直立行走的东西不是人类……不管我们害怕不害怕他们，我们都知道他们不是人类。我们Hernystiri民族的人们，早在Sithi种族仍然生活在我们的土地上的时候，就知道他们了，那个时候，Erkynland土地上，高高的山峦辽阔的牧场都是他们的。”

　　　　The torches were guttering now, and Eolair's high forehead and cheeks seemed to shine with a faint scarlet radiance. "We have not forgotten," he said quietly. His voice carried even to half-sleeping Godwig, who lifted his drunken head like a hound hearing a distant call. "We, the Hernystiri, remember the days of the giants, and the days of the northern curse, the White Foxes, so now we speak plainly: evil is abroad in this ill-omened winter and spring. It is not only the bandits that prey on travelers, and who cause the disappearance of isolated farmers. The people of the North are afraid.

　　此刻，四周火把的光芒摇曳不定，Eolair高高的前额和双颊，似乎在闪着微弱的红光。“我们没有忘记，”他平静地说。他的声音甚至惊动了半睡的Godwig，后者猛地抬起醉薰薰的脑袋，象是一只听到远处呼唤的猎犬。“我们，Hernystiri民族的人，记得那些巨人们出现的日子，那些北方受到诅咒的日子，还有那些白狐，所以现在我们可以坦白地说：邪恶在这个有恶兆的冬季和春季传播开去。并不仅仅是强盗抢劫旅人，而是导致了那些孤立的农夫们失踪的真正原因。北方的人们对此非常恐惧。”

　　　　" 'We the Hernystiri'" Pryrates' mocking voice lanced out through the silence, skewering the spell of otherworidliness. " 'We the Hernystin.' Our noble pagan friend claims to speak plainly!" Pryrates traced an exaggerated Tree on the breast of his unpriestly red vestments. Elias' expression turned to sly good humor. "Very well!" the priest continued. "He has delivered us the plainest pack of riddles and shadow-talk I have ever heard. ' Giants and elves.'" Pryrates flicked his hand, and his sleeve fluttered above the dinner plates. "As if his majesty the king did not have enough to worry about—his brother vanished, his subjects hungry and frightened—as if even the king's great heart was not near-to-breaking' And you, Eolair, you bring him pagan ghost stones from the mouths of old wives."

　　“‘我们Hernystiri民族的人’”Pryrates嘲弄的声音撕破了宁静，带着阴间炙烤。“‘我们Hernystiri民族的人’我们尊贵的异教徒朋友声称要坦白地说！”Pryrates 在他不适于教士所穿的红色外衣的前胸，夸张地画了一个树的手势。Elias现出诡秘的高兴的表情。“太好了！”神父接着说。“他给了我们最坦白的谈话，里面是一堆谜语和遮遮掩掩的话。‘巨人和精灵’。”Pryrates摆了摆手，袖子在餐盘上飘动。“象是我们伟大的国王什么都不担心——他弟弟失踪了，他的下属又饿又怕——似乎国王伟大的心还没有到几近破碎的地步。而你， Eolair，你却告诉国王，那些老妇人们的嘴里说的，那些异教徒的神出鬼没的石头的传闻。”

　　　　"He be pagan, yes," growled Isgrimnur, "but there be more Aedomte good will in Eolair than in the pack of lazy pups I have seen lolling around this court..."—Baron Heahferth barked, drawing drunken laughter from Godwig—"lolling around while the people have been living on meager hope and less harvest!"

　　“他是个异教徒，不错，” Isgrimnur咆哮着，“但Eolair有许多Aedomte的好意，比我在这个朝廷所看到的，那一群懒洋洋的的小狗们要好得多……”——Heahferth男爵叫了起来，引出Godwig喝醉了的大笑声——“在这朝廷里懒洋洋地什么也不做，而人们已经在几乎没有希望、没有多少收成的情况下生活着！”

　　　　"It's all right then, Isgrimnur," said Eolair wearily.

　　“不用再说了，Isgrimnur，”Eolair疲倦地说。

　　　　"My lords!" Fluiren flapped.

　　“大人们！”Fluiren拍着桌子。

　　　　"Well, I will not hear you insulted so for your honesty!" Isgrimnur rumbled at Eolair. He lifted his fist to hammer the table again, then thought better of it, bunging it instead to his breast, where it enfolded the wooden Tree hanging there. "Forgive my outburst, my king, but Count Eolair tells the truth. Whether their fears have substance or no, the people do fear."

　　“好，你的诚实不能受到这样的侮辱！”Isgrimnur低声向Eolair说。他举起拳头砸向桌子，又打消了这个念头，把拳头砸到自己胸口上，那里，衣服里面，悬挂着一个木雕的树。“原谅我的冲动，陛下，可是Eolair伯爵说的是事实。不管人们怕的是不是真实存在的东西，他们的确是很害怕。”

　　　　"And what do they fear, dear old Uncle Bear-skin?" asked the king as he held his goblet for Guthwulf to refill.

　　“那他们怕的是什么，亲爱的老熊皮叔叔？”国王问，他举起酒杯，示意Guthwulf斟满。

　　　　"They fear the dark," the old man said, all dignity now. "They fear the winter's dark, and they fear the world will grow darker still"

　　“他们害怕黑暗，”老人非常有尊严地说。“他们害怕冬天的黑暗，他们害怕世界会变得更加黑暗。”

　　　　Eolair turned his empty cup upside-down on the table. "In Erchester's market the few merchants who have been able to come south fill the people's ears with news of a strange vision. I have heard the same story so many times that I do not doubt everyone in the town has heard it, too." Eolair paused and looked at the Rimmersman, who nodded once, gravely, creasing the gray-shot beard.

　　Eolair把他的空酒杯颠倒着放在桌上。“在Erchester地方的集市上，少数到过南方的商人，告诉这里的人们他们所看到的一些奇怪的现象。这同样的故事我听过很多次了，我不怀疑在Erchester城镇的每个人也都听到过。”Eolair停了一下，看看这个Rimmersman人，后者严肃地点了一下头，捋着灰色的胡须。

　　　　"Well," said Elias impatiently.

　　“怎么，” Elias不耐烦地说。

　　　　"In the Frostmarch wastes at night, a wonderful thing has been seen—a cart, a black cart, drawn by white horses."

　　“晚上，在Frostmarch的荒地，有人看到过一只漂亮的东西——一辆大车，黑色的大车，被白马拉着。”

　　　　"How unusual'" Guthwulf sneered, but Pryrates and Elias locked eyes of a sudden. The king raised an eyebrow as he rechanneled his gaze to the westerner.

　　“真是不同寻常。”Guthwulf嘲笑着，但是Pryrates和Elias突然对视了一眼。国王挑起一只眉毛，又把目光投向这个西方人。

　　　　"Go on "

　　“说下去。”

　　　　"Those who have seen it say it appeared a few days after All Fools' Day. They say the can bears a casket, and that black-robed monks walk behind it."

　　“那些看到这辆车的人说，它出现在愚人节之后的几天以后。他们说，车里有一个棺材，黑袍的神父们走在后面。”

　　　　"And to what heathen nature-sprite do the peasants attribute this vision?" Elias leaned slowly backward in his chair, until he was looking down the bridge of his nose at the Hernystirman.

　　“那些农民们，对他们看到的这异教徒的自然界的鬼怪，有什么看法？” Elias慢慢把身子靠回到椅子里，直到他的目光朝下看着鼻梁，从余光中看着这个Hernystirman人。

　　　　"They say, my king, that it is your father's death-cart—begging your pardon, sire—and that as long as the land suffers, he shall not sleep peacefully in his barrow."

　　“他们说，陛下，那是你父亲的灵车——请原谅，陛下——而且只要这个大地遭受着苦难，他在他的坟墓里不会平静地安睡。”

　　　　After an interval the king spoke, his voice barely louder than the hissing of the torches.

　　过了一会儿，国王开了口，他的声音比火把的嘶嘶声仅仅高一点儿。

　　　　"Well, then," he said, "we will have to make sure my father gets his well-earned rest, will we not?"

　　“那么，好，”他说，“我们必须确信我的父亲得到了完全的安息，不是吗？”

二、