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Chapter 3 AT The Gates of Tashbaan
第3章 在塔什班城门口
"Mr name," said the girl at once, "is Aravis Tarkheena and I am the only daughter of Kidrash Tarkaan, the son of Rishti Tarkaan, the son of Kidrash Tarkaan, the son of Ilsombreh Tisroc, the son of Ardeeb Tisroc who was descended in a right line from the god Tash. My father is the lord of the province of Calavar and is one who has the right of standing on his feet in his shoes before the face of Tisroc himself (may he live for ever). My mother (on whom be the peace of the gods) is dead and my father has married another wife. One of my brothers has fallen in battle against the rebels in the far west and the other is a child. Now it came to pass that my father's wife, my step-mother, hated me, and the sun appeared dark in her eyes as long as I lived in my father's house. And so she persuaded my father to promise me in marriage to Ahoshta Tarkaan. Now this Ahoshta is of base birth, though in these latter years he has won the favour of the Tisroc (may he live for ever) by flattery and evil counsels, and is nowmade a Tarkaan and the lord of many cities and is likely to be chosen as the Grand Vizier when the present Grand Vizier dies. Moreover he is at least sixty years old and has a hump on his back and his face resembles that of an ape. Nevertheless my father, because of the wealth and power of this Ahoshta, and being persuaded by his wife, sent messengers offering me in marriage, and the offer was favourably accepted and Ahoshta sent word that he would marry me this very year at the time of high summer.
“我是泰克希娜阿拉维斯，”小姑娘立刻说道，”我是泰坎基特拉什的独生女儿。基特扣什是泰坎里什蒂的儿子，里什蒂是泰坎老基特拉什的儿子，老基特拉什是蒂斯罗克伊尔松布勒的儿子，伊尔松布勒是蒂斯罗克阿尔地布的儿子，都是从塔什神一脉相承地繁衍下来的。我的父亲是卡拉瓦尔省的省长，是个有权利穿着靴子站在蒂斯罗克(愿他万寿无疆)本人面前的官儿。被的母亲死了(愿众神赐给她平安)，我的父亲娶了另一个妻子。我的哥哥存遥远的两方讨伐叛乱的战争中牺牲了，我的弟弟还是个小娃娃。却说我父亲的妻子，我那位后母，憎恶我，只要我住在我父亲的家里，她就觉得太阳也变得黑暗了。所以她就劝我的父亲把我许给泰坎阿霍什塔为妻。而这位阿霍什塔出身贫贱，这几年他凭着谄媚阿谀和出坏主意，赢得了蒂斯罗克(愿他万寿无疆)的宠爱，现在被封为泰坎，做了好几个城市的父母官，将来现任大臣死了，他就很可能被选中为大臣。而且，他至少已有六十岁了，还是个驼背，胎长得像无尾猿。尽管如此，一则由于这位阿霍什塔有财有势，二则我后母竭力劝说，我的父亲便派媒人去说亲。一说即合，阿霍什塔叫人捎信来，说今年盛夏就要娶亲成婚。
"When this news was brought to me the sun appeared dark in my eyes and I laid myself on my bed and wept for a day. But on the second day I rose up and washed my face and caused my mare Hwin to be saddled and took with me a sharp dagger which my brother had carried in the western wars and rode out alone. And when my father's house was out of sight and I was come to a green open place in a certain wood where there were no dwellings of men, I dismounted from Hwin my mare and took out the dagger. Then I parted my clothes where I thought the readiest way lay to my heart and I prayed to all the gods that as soon as I was dead I might find myself with my brother. After that I shut my eyes and my teeth and prepared to drive the dagger into my heart. But before I had done so, this mare spoke with the voice of one of the daughters of men and said, "O my mistress, do not by any means destroy yourself, for if you live you may yet have good fortune but all the dead are dead alike."
“这个消息传到我耳朵里时，我心目中的太阳变得漆黑了，我躺在床上，哭了一天。但第二天我起了床，洗了脸，关照人给母马赫温上了鞍子，我随身带了把锋利的匕首(我哥哥在西部战争中带在身边的)，便独自骑马出去了。走得已经看不见我父亲的府邸时，我来到一个森林中的片绿色空地上，那儿没有人住家。我从母马赫温身上跨将下来，抽出匕首。我解开衣服，露出我认为最便于刺中心脐的地方，我向众砷祷告，但求我一死便可同我哥哥聚会。这之后，我就闭上眼睛，咬紧牙齿，准备把匕首剌进心脏。但我还没有刺下去，这马儿就用人类的女孩儿声音说道：”我的女主人啊，无论如何不要毁灭你自己，因为如果你活着，你还会有好运气，但死人同样都是死人。”
"I didn't say it half so well as that," muttered the mare.
“我说得还没有这话一半巧妙啊。”母马喃喃自语。
"Hush, Ma'am, hush," said Bree, who was thoroughly enjoying the story. "She's telling it in the grand Calormene manner and no story-teller in a Tisroc's court could do it better. Pray go on, Tarkheena."
“莫作声，女士，莫作声。”布里说道，它正在全身心地欣赏着这故事。”她正用卡乐门崇高的风格讲故事，蒂斯罗克宫廷早没有人能讲得比她更好的了。请你讲下去吧，泰克希娜。”
