本帖最后由 ヮ成熟、羙° 于 2014-5-3 15:57 编辑
魔马（三） 荷叶/译 于是，王子从波斯一年一度举办的Nedrouz节开始说起，他讲到了节日庆典的宏大场面。但当他谈到魔马时，公主声称她无法想象这样神奇的事情。“那么，”王子接着说：“你会很容易地想象，我的父王，一个热衷于各种稀奇古怪的东西的人，会突发奇想，想占有这匹马，让印度人开个价。” “这个人的回答绝对荒唐，我告诉你后，你一定会和我有同感，他要娶我妹妹为妻。但尽管所有旁观者都在嘲笑，我已怒不可遏，令我绝望的是，我看出父王并没下定决心一口回决这个傲慢的提议。我试图争辩，可无济于事。他只是让我检验一下这匹马，想让我更加明白它的价值，这一点我早就明白。” “为了让父王高兴，我上了马，没等听印度人的指点，就转动了我看他转过的那个机关。我立刻飞上了天空，比任何一支箭飞得都快，我觉得自己一定挨着天边了，都快碰到自己的头了。下面的东西我什么也看不见，有一段时间我甚至不知自己朝什么方向飞。最后，天黑了，我找到另一个机关，转动了一下，这匹马开始慢慢地降落到地面。我只能听天由命，看看命运给我准备了些什么。午夜时分，我发现自己降落在一个宫殿的屋顶。我顺着小楼梯爬了下来，看到一扇打开的门透出了光亮，我直接朝亮光走去，小心地朝里张望，你猜得出，我看到了睡在地上的太监。我知道自己身处险境，但我顾不上这些了，我悄悄地安全地通过了卫兵，来到了掩蔽你门口的帘子前。 “剩下的，公主，您已经知道。现在只剩下对您的善意，表达我的感激之情。根据国家律法，我现在已经是您的奴隶，现在我只剩下这一颗心还属于我，我要把它献给您。我在说什么呢？我自己的？唉，公主，从我看见您的那一刻起，它就已经是您的了！” 他说这些话的神态，使公主一点也没有怀疑自己的魅力，她脸上生出的娇羞，更增添了她的妩媚。 “王子，”她先是不知所措，然后，回答道：“你给我带来了极大的快乐，我一直密切追随着你的奇遇，虽然你明明白白地坐在我面前，我还在为你在高空中的惊险感到颤抖。我要说我感激老天把你送到了这所房子，你进了哪所房子都不会比这里得到更热情的欢迎。至于说你成为一个奴隶，这当然只是个玩笑，我对你的接待足已证明你和在你父王的王国里一样自由。至于你的心，”她以鼓励的口吻说道：“我敢确信一定在很久以前就交给了一个配得到它的公主了，我不想因为自己让你对她不忠。” 菲鲁王子正要说他没有和任何女子订立前盟，但一个侍卫走进来，打断了他的话，通知晚餐已备好，毕竟双方谁也没为这次打扰感到遗憾。 晚宴备在一个华丽的房间，桌子上摆满了各种美味水果，进餐期间，许多衣着华丽的女子伴着丝竹管弦轻歌曼舞。王子和公主进完餐，来到了一个装饰成天蓝和金黄的小房间，外面是长满鲜花和杨梅树的花园，和波斯王国所能见到的景色大大不同。 “公主，”王子说：“来此以前，我一直认为可以夸耀在地球上没有一个国家的宫殿比波斯的更精美，没有一个国家的花园比波斯的更可爱。但现在我的眼界打开了，我开始认为只要有伟大国王的地方，他周围就有配得上的他的建筑。” “王子，”孟加拉国公主回答道：“我不知道波斯宫殿的样子，因此不能进行比较。我不想贬损自己的宫殿，但我可以保证，和我父王的宫殿相比，它太逊色了。当你去拜见他时，你就会同意我的看法，我希望你立刻去见他。” 此时，公主希望通过使父王和王子见面，父王会被王子高贵的气质和优雅的举止所打动，会答应把自己许配给他。但王子的回答却大大出乎她的意料。 “公主，”他说：“经您介绍，参观孟加拉国国王的宫殿，不仅可以满足我的好奇心，也可以表达我对他的万分景仰之情。但，公主，我深信，您会和我有同感，我不能不带着适合我身份的侍从，就到如此伟大的君主面前，他会认为我是个流浪儿。” “如果只是这些，”她回答：“你想要多少侍从都可以从这里得到。这里有许多波斯商人，至于金钱，我的金库时刻向你开放。想要什么就拿什么。” 菲鲁王子猜到了令公主如此友好的原因，并且被深深打动了。尽管他的感情在时刻增加，但他并没有忘记自己的责任。因此，他毫不犹豫地回答： “公主，我不知道如何表达对您热情相助的感激之情，如果不是想到了我父王正在为我承受着极大不安的话，我很愿意立刻接受。父王对我倾注了无限的爱，如果不在第一时间回到他身边，我会真的是忘恩负义。因为，当我享受着和世上最和蔼可亲的公主在一起的美好时光时，我敢确信，他正沉浸在再也见不到儿子的巨大悲伤之中。我相信你会理解我的处境，会感到如果我在外面不必要地多停留片刻，对我来说都是忘恩负义，甚至是犯罪，因为我怎么会知道，我的不在会不会使他伤心欲绝呢？”
“但，”王子继续说：“承蒙您准许，，我会服从我内心的声音，翘首以待亲自到孟加拉国的时刻，不是作为一个流浪儿，而为作为一个王子，去向您求婚。我父王总是告诉说，在婚姻方面，我有很大的自由。但我深信，只要我向他说出您的慷慨，他一定会成全我的愿望。” 孟加拉国公主非常理性，她理解王子的理由，但她一想到王子要立刻离开，就感到很不安。她怕王子一离开她，对她的印象就会慢慢淡去。因此，她向他保证自己完全同意他对父王的挂念，但还是努力挽留他，请他再陪她一两天。 附；原文 The Enchanted Horse 3 So the prince began at the beginning, and told all the story of the festival of Nedrouz held yearly in Persia, and of the splendid spectacles celebrated in its honour. But when he came to the enchanted horse,the princess declared that she could never have imagined anything half sosurprising. "Well then," continued the prince, "you can easilyunderstand how the King my father, who has a passion for all curious things,was seized with a violent desire to possess this horse, and asked the Indian what sum he would take for it. "The man's answer was absolutely absurd, as you will agree, when I tell you that it was nothingless than the hand of the princess my sister; but though all the bystanders laughed and mocked, and I was beside myself with rage, I saw to my despair that my father could not make up his mind to treat the insolent proposal as itdeserved. I tried to argue with him, but in vain. He only begged me to examinethe horse with a view (as I quite understood) of making me more sensible of itsvalue." "To please my father, I mounted the horse, and, without waiting forany instructions from the Indian, turned the peg as I had seen him do. In aninstant I was soaring upwards, much quicker than an arrow could fly, and I feltas if I must be getting so near the sky that I should soon hit my head against it! I could see nothing beneath me, and for some time was so confused that Idid not even know in what direction I was travelling. At last, when it was growing dark, I found another screw, and on turning it, the horse began slowly to sink towards the earth. I was forced to trust to chance, and to see whatfate had in store, and it was already past midnight when I found myself on theroof of this palace. I crept down the little staircase, and made directly for a light which I perceived through an open door--I peeped cautiously in, and saw,as you will guess, the eunuchs lying asleep on the floor. I knew the risks I ran, but my need was so great that I paid no attention to them, and stole safely past your guards, to the curtainwhich concealed your doorway. "The rest, Princess, you know; and it only remains for me to thankyou for the kindness you have shown me, and to assure you of my gratitude. Bythe law of nations, I am already your slave, and I have only my heart, that ismy own, to offer you. But what am I saying? My own? Alas, madame, it was yours from the first moment I beheld you!" The air with which he said these words could have left no doubt on themind of the princess as to the effect of her charms, and the blush whichmounted to her face only increased her beauty. "Prince," returned she as soon as her confusion permitted her tospeak, "you have given me the greatest pleasure, and I have followed youclosely in all your adventures, and though you are positively sitting beforeme, I even trembled at your danger in the upper regions of the air! Let me saywhat a debt I owe to the chance that has led you to my house; you could have entered none which would have given you a warmer welcome. As to your being aslave, of course that is merely a joke, and my reception must itself have assured you that you are as free here as at your father's court. As to yourheart," continued she in tones of encouragement, "I am quite sure that must have been disposed of long ago, to some princess who is well worthy of it, and I could not think of being the cause of your unfaithfulness toher." Prince Firouz Schah was about to protest that there was no lady with any prior claims, but he was stopped by the entrance of one of the princess's attendants, who announced that dinner was served, and, after all, neither wassorry for the interruption. "Princess," observed the young man, "till now I had always believed that Persia could boast finer palaces and more lovely gardens than any kingdom upon earth.But my eyes have been opened, and I begin to perceive that, wherever there is a great king he will surround himself with buildings worthy of him." Dinner was laid in a magnificent apartment, and the table was covered with delicious fruits; while during the repast richly dressed girls sang softly and sweetly to stringed instruments. After the prince and princess had finished,they passed into a small room hung with blue and gold, looking out into agarden stocked with flowers and arbutus trees,quite different from any that were to be found in Persia. "Prince," replied the Princess of Bengal,"I have no idea what a Persian palace is like, so I am unable to make comparisons. I do not wish to depreciate my own palace, but I can assure youthat it is very poor beside that of the King my father, as you will agree whenyou have been there to greet him, as I hope you will shortly do." Now the princess hoped that, by bringing about a meeting between the prince and her father, the King would be so struck with the young man's distinguished air and fine manners, that he would offer him his daughter towife. But the reply of the Prince of Persia to her suggestion was notquite what she wished. "Madame," he said, "by taking advantage of your proposal tovisit the palace of the King of Bengal, I should satisfy not merely my curiosity, but also the sentiments of respect with which I regard him. But, Princess, I am persuaded that you will feel with me,that I cannot possibly present myself before so great a sovereign without theattendants suitable to my rank. He would think me an adventurer." "If that is all," she answered, "you can get as manyattendants here as you please. There are plenty of Persian merchants, and as for money, my treasury is always open to you. Take what you please." Prince Firouz Schah guessed what prompted so much kindness on the part of the princess, and was much touched by it. Still his passion, which increased every moment, did not make him forget his duty. So he replied withouthesitation: "I do not know, Princess, how to express my gratitude for yourobliging offer, which I would accept at once if it were not for the recollection of all the uneasiness the King my father must be suffering on my account. I should be unworthy indeed of all the love he showers upon me, if I did not return to him at the first possible moment. For, while I am enjoying the society of the most amiable of all princesses, he is, I am quite convinced,plunged in the deepest grief, having lost all hope of seeing me again. I am sure you will understand my position, and will feel that to remain away one instant longer than is necessary would not only be ungrateful on my part, but perhaps even a crime, for how do I know if my absence may not break hisheart? "But," continued the prince, "having obeyed the voice of my conscience, I shall count the moments when, with your gracious permission, Imay present myself before the King of Bengal,not as a wanderer, but as a prince, to implore the favour of your hand. My father has always informed me that in my marriage I shall be left quite free,but I am persuaded that I have only to describe your generosity, for my wishesto become his own." The Princess of Bengal was too reasonable not to accept the explanation offered by Prince Firouz Schah, but she was much disturbed at his intention ofdeparting at once, for she feared that, no sooner had he left her, than the impression she had made on him would fade away. So she made one more effort to keep him, and after assuring him that she entirely approved of his anxiety tosee his father, begged him to give her a day or two more of his company. | 
发表于 2014-5-3 15:51:46
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