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Chapter 3 The King goes to his coronation
第3章 国王加冕
I do not know how long I was asleep，but when I woken I was cold and wet．Sapt and Fritz stood there looking at me．'We had to wake you，'Sapt said．'Gold water was the only way．'
我不知道自己睡了多长时间，醒来时我发觉又冷又湿。萨普特和弗里茨站在那儿看着我。“我们得弄醒你，”萨普特说，“凉水是唯一的办法。”
Fritz took my arm and turned me round．'Look！'he said．
弗里茨抓住我的胳膊让我转过身：“你看，”他说。
The King was on the floor，and when Sapt pushed him with his foot，he did not move．
国王在地板上。萨普特用脚碰他，但是他不动。
'We've been trying to wake him for half an hour，'said Fritz．'But he's sleeping like a dead man．'
“我们一直在想弄醒他，都有半个小时了。”弗里茨说，“可他睡得像死人一样。”
The three of us looked at each other．
我们三人你看看我，我看看你。
'Was there something in that last bottle of wine？'I asked．
“最后那瓶酒里有什么东西吧？”
'I don't know，'Sapt said，'but if be doesn't get to his coronation today，there'll never be a coronation for him．
“我不知道。”萨普特说，“不过假如他今天不去加冕，他就永远别想有另一个加冕典礼。
All Ruritania is waiting for him in Strelsau and Black Michael with half the army，too．We can't tell them that the King is too drunk to go to his own coronation！'
所有的卢里塔尼亚人都在斯特莱索等着他。黑迈克尔也在那儿，还带着一半儿军队。我们没法告诉他们国王醉得太厉害，参加不了自己的加冕大典。”
'You can say he's ill，' I said．
“你可以说他病了。”我说。
'Ill！'Sapt laughed angrily．'Everybody will know what that means．He's been“ill”too many times before．'
“病了！”萨普特冷笑道，“谁都知道病了是什么意思。他以前已经病得太多了。”
'Tell me，do you think somebody put something in his wine？'I asked．
“告诉我，你们想会不会有人把什么东西放在他的酒里了？”我问。
'It was Black Michael！'Fritz replied．'We all know he wants to be King himself．'
“是黑迈克尔干的！”弗里茨回答，“我们都知道他自己想当国王。”
For a moment or two we were all silent，and then Sapt looked at me，'You must go to Strelsau and take his place！'
有那么一会儿我们都没说话，然后萨普特看着我，“你必须去斯特莱索代替他。”
I stared at him．'You're crazy，man！How can I do that？The King…'
我紧紧盯着他，“你疯了！我怎么能干这个！国王他……”
'It's dangerous，I know，'said Sapt．'But it's our only chance．If you don't go，Black Michael will be King and the real king will be dead or a prisoner．'
“这很危险，我明白，”萨普特说，“但这是我们唯一的机会，要是你不去的话，黑迈克尔就会成为国王，而真正的国王就会死去或者成为一名囚徒。”
How could I refuse？It took me two minutes to decide．
我怎么能拒绝呢？我想了两分钟就下了决心。
'I'll go！'I said．
“我去！”我说。
'Well done，boy！'cried Sapt．He went on quickly and quietly．'After the coronation they'll take us to the palace for the night．
“太好了，小伙子！”萨普特叫道。他快速而小声地说下去，“大典之后，他们会带我们去王宫过夜，
When we're alone，you and I will leave and ride back here to fetch the King．He'll be all right by then．
等到就剩我们的时候，你和我骑马回来接国王。他那时就没事了。
