《魔法師的外甥》第56期:迪格雷和他的舅舅又陷困境(6)
The Cabby swallowed hard two or three times and cleared his throat.
"Begging your pardon, sir," he said, "and thanking you very much I'm sure (which my Missus does the same) but I ain't no sort of a chap for a job like that. I never 'ad much eddycation, you see."
"Well," said Aslan,"can you use a spade and a plough and raise food out of the earth?"
"Yes, sir, I could do a bit of that sort of work: being brought up to it, like."
"Can you rule these creatures kindly and fairly, remembering that they are not slaves like the dumb beasts of the world you were born in, but Talking Beasts and free subjects?"
"I see that, sir," replied the Cabby. "I'd try to do the square thing by them all."
"And would you bring up your children and grandchildren to do the same?"
"It'd be up to me to try, sir. I'd do my best: wouldn't we, Nellie?"
"And you wouldn't have favourites either among your own children or among the other creatures or let any hold another under or use it hardly?"
"I never could abide such goings on, sir, and that's the truth. I'd give 'em what for if I caught 'em at it," said the Cabby. (All through this conversation his voice was growing slower and richer. More like the country voice he must have had as a boy and less like the sharp, quick voice of a cockney.)
"And if enemies came against the land (for enemies will arise) and there was war, would you be the first in the charge and the last in the retreat?"
"Well, sir," said the Cabby very slowly, "a chap don't exactly know till he's been tried. I dare say I might turn out ever such a soft 'un. Never did no fighting except with my fists. I'd try -that is, I 'ope I'd try - to do my bit."
"Then," said Aslan,, "You will have done all that a King should do. Your coronation will be held presently. And you and your children and grandchildren shall be blessed, and some will be Kings of Narnia, and others will be Kings of Archenland which lies yonder over the Southern Mountains. And you, little Daughter (here he turned to Polly) are welcome. Have you forgiven the Boy for the violence he did you in the Hall of Images in the desolate palace of accursed Charn?"
"Yes, Aslan, we've made it up," said Polly.
"That is well," said Aslan. "And now for the Boy himself."
馬車伕用力吞了幾次口水，清了清嗓子。
“請您原諒，閣下，”他說，“非常感謝你(我太太也感謝你)，但我幹不了這種事情。你知道，我沒有受過很多教育。”
“那麼，”阿斯蘭說，“你會使用鏟子和犁嗎？會在地裏種莊稼嗎？”
“是的，閣下，我會幹這種活兒，可以說從小就會。”
“你能善良地、公正地對待這些動物嗎？記住，它們不像你出生的那個世界裏的啞獸，是奴隸，它們是會說話的野獸，是自由的。”
“我懂，閣下，”馬車伕回答，“我會公正地對待所有的動物。”
“你會教你的兒女、你的孫子孫女們這麼做嗎？”
“這需要我努力去做，閣下。我會盡全力的，是嗎，蕾麗？”
“你不會在你的兒女中或在其他動物中培植親信，讓一些壓制和奴役另一些吧？”
“我決不會容忍這種行爲的，真的，閣下。如果我撞見誰幹這種事一定會懲罰他們的。”馬車伕說。(在這場談話中，馬車伕的聲音越來越慢，越變越渾厚，更像他小時候在鄉下時的聲音，而不像他當倫敦馬車伕時那種尖而快的聲音。
“如果敵人來犯(因爲敵人會來犯)，戰爭打響，你會衝鋒在前、撤退在後嗎？”
“閣下，”馬車伕緩緩地說，“一個人不經磨練很難真正看清楚。我敢說，我最終還是個溫和的人，最多隻用拳頭打過架。但我會努力——就是說，我希望努力去儘自己的職責。”
“好，”阿斯蘭說，“你將做一個國王該做的一切事情。你的加冕儀式即將舉行。你和你的兒孫會得到保佑，有的將是納尼亞的國王，有的將是南山那邊阿欽蘭的國王。至於你，小姑娘(他轉向波莉)，我們歡迎你。在恰恩廢墟塑像廳裏他傷了你，你已經原諒他了嗎？”
“是的，阿斯蘭，我們已經和好了。”波莉說。
“這樣很好。”阿斯蘭說，“現在，該輪到小夥子了。”
