《能言馬與男孩》第72期:沙斯塔在納尼亞(7)
That was quite enough for a boy like Corin and in a second he and the Dwarf were at it hammer and tongs. It would have been an even match for, though Corin had longer arms and more height, the Dwarf was older and tougher. But it was never fought out (that's the worst of fights on a rough hillside) for by very bad luck Thornbut trod on a loose stone, came flat down on his nose, and found when he tried to get up that he had sprained his ankle: a real excruciating sprain which would keep him from walking or riding for at least a fortnight.
"See what your Highness has done," said King Edmund. "Deprived us of a proved warrior on the very edge of battle."
“瞧瞧殿下的所作所爲吧，”國王愛德蒙說道，”馬上就要打仗了，你卻剝奪了我們一個久經考驗的戰士。”"I'll take his place, Sire," said Corin.
“我一定代替他作戰，陛下。”科林說。
"Pshaw," said Edmund. "No one doubts your courage. But a boy in battle is a danger only to his own side."
“呸！”愛德蒙說，”沒有人懷疑你的勇氣。但戰鬥中的孩子，只不過是他自己那一方的一個危險而已。”At that moment the King was called away to attend to something else, and Corin, after apologizing handsomely to the Dwarf, rushed up to Shasta and whispered,
就在這當兒，國王被請去安排別的事情了，而科林呢，漂亮地向小矮人道歉以後，便跑到沙斯塔身邊，悄悄說道："Quick. There's a spare pony now, and the Dwarf's armour. Put it on before anyone notices."
“趕快。現在有一匹備用的馬駒子，還有小矮人的那副盔甲。趁着還沒有人注意，你就穿上吧。”"What for?" said Shasta.
“穿上幹嗎?”沙斯塔說。"Why, so that you and I can fight in the battle of course! Don't you want to?"
“呀，當然是爲了你和我能參加打仗啊！你可願意去打仗嗎?”"Oh - ah, yes, of course," said Shasta. But he hadn't been thinking of doing so at all, and began to get a most uncomfortable prickly feeling in his spine.
“啊——啊，是的，當然願意囉。”沙斯塔說。但他壓根兒沒想到去打仗，而且脊骨裏開始有種極不舒服的刺痛之感。"That's right," said Corin. "Over your head. Now the sword-belt. But we must ride near the tail of the column and keep as quiet as mice. Once the battle begins everyone will be far too busy to notice us."
“這就對了，”科林說，”套在你腦袋上。再把劍帶束在腰間。但我們必須騎馬走在縱隊的尾巴附近，而且不聲不響，像老鼠一樣。一旦戰鬥打響，大家就忙碌極了，不會注意我們了。”
