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4
Prisoners:
Their Secrets Are Taken from Them
第四章 囚犯：泄露的秘密
THE MEN IN yellow armour saw Elric and Cymoril as the two approached the smallest of the eastern gates.
当Elric与Cymoril来到城市东侧最小的一道门口时，身着黄色盔甲的守卫们发现了他们。
'They have found us at last,' smiled Elric through the rain, 'but somewhat belatedly, eh, Cymoril?'
“他们终于找到我们了，”Elric在雨中微笑，“只可惜晚了一点，呃，Cymoril？”
Cymoril, still embattled with her sense of doom, merely nodded and tried to smile in reply.
依然在于自己的宿命感抗争的Cymoril，只是点了点头，试着以微笑作答。
Elric took this as an expression of disappointment, nothing more, and called to his guards: 'Ho, men! Soon we shall all be dry again!'
Elric只把这当成失望的表情，并没有多想。他招呼自己的守卫：“喂！我们很快就会擦干的！”
But the captain of the guard rode up urgently, crying: 'My lord emperor is needed at Monshanjik Tower where spies are held.'
但卫兵的领队却急切地骑上前来，呼喊道：“陛下请立刻前往Monshanjik之塔，几个间谍正被关押在那里。”
'Spies?'
“间谍？”
'Aye, my lord.' The man's face was pale. Water cascaded from his helm and darkened his thin cloak. His horse was hard to control and kept sidestepping through pools of water, which had gathered wherever the road was in disrepair. 'Caught in the maze this morning. Southern barbarians, by their chequered dress. We are holding them until the emperor himself can question them.'
“是的，陛下。”话者的面色苍白。雨水沿着他的头盔不住地往下流，将他轻薄的斗篷浸成了深色。他胯下的马难以驾驭，不断将蹄踩进失修的路面上坑洼处的水塘。“今天早晨在迷宫里抓到的。从他们的格子装束看，是些南方野蛮人。他们一直被关押在塔中，等待陛下亲自审问。”
Elric waved his hand. 'Then lead on, captain. Let's see the brave fools who dare Melnibone's sea-maze.'
Elric挥一挥手。“那么带路吧，卫队长。就让我们认识一下这些胆敢闯入Melnibone海上迷宫的愚勇蠢货，究竟是些什么人。”
xxx
The Tower of Monshanjik had been named for the wizard-architect who had designed the sea-maze millennia before. The maze was the only means of reaching the great harbour of Imrryr and its secrets had been carefully guarded, for it was their greatest protection against sudden attack. The maze was complicated and pilots had to be specially trained to steer ships through it. Before the maze had been built, the harbour had been a kind of 'inland lagoon, fed by the sea which swept in through a system of natural caverns in the towering cliff which rose between lagoon and ocean. There were five separate routes through the sea-maze and any individual pilot knew but one. In the outer wall of the cliff there were five entrances. Here Young Kingdom ships waited until a pilot came aboard. Then one of the gates to one of the entrances would be lifted, all aboard the ship would be blindfolded and sent below save for the oar-master and the steersman who would also be masked in heavy steel helms so that they could see nothing, do nothing but obey the complicated instructions of the pilot. And if a Young Kingdom ship should fail to obey any of those instructions and should crush itself against the rock walls, well Melnibone did not mourn for it and any survivors from the crew would be taken as slaves. All who sought to trade with the Dreaming City understood the risks, but scores of merchants came every month to dare the dangers of the maze and trade their own poor goods for the splendid riches of Melnibone.
Monshanjik之塔，是以一千年前设计海上迷宫的建筑师兼巫师的名字命名的。迷宫是通往Imrryr那宏伟港口的唯一路径，它的秘密被小心地守护，因为这道设施是防御突袭的最主要防线。迷宫错综复杂，领航员必须受过特殊训练，才能引导船只驶入。在迷宫建造之前，港口本身形状有点像一个内陆环礁，只有穿过一系列自环礁上耸立而起的高耸悬崖间的天然洞穴，港口才能与外海相连。分别有五条不同的路线能穿过海上迷宫，而每个领航员只知道其中一条。悬崖外侧，有五个不同的入口。幼国的船只在那里等待领航员登船。然后其中一个入口的大门会敞开，除了桨手指挥和舵手之外的所有船员，会被蒙上眼睛，送到甲板下；而这两个人会被戴上沉重的钢制面具，这样他们就什么也看不见，什么也做不了，只能听从领航员复杂的指导来驾驶船只。如果有幼国的船只没能遵从这些指示中的任何一条，不慎撞上岩壁的话，没有Melnibone人会替他们哀悼，所有活下来的船员都会被抓为奴隶。所有那些想与梦之城有贸易来往的人都知道这样做的风险，但依然有络绎不绝的商人每月前来，用自己寒酸的货物换取Melnibone精致的财富。
The Tower of Monshanjik stood overlooking the harbour and the massive mole which jutted out into the middle of the lagoon. It was a sea-green tower and was squat compared with most of those in Imrryr, though still a beautiful and tapering construction, with wide windows so that the whole of the harbour could be seen from it. From Monshanjik Tower most of the business of the harbour was done and in its lower cellars were kept any prisoners who had broken any of the myriad rules governing the functioning of the harbour. Leaving Cymoril to return to the palace with a guard, Elric entered the tower, riding through the great archway at the base, scattering not a few merchants who were waiting for permission to begin their bartering, for the whole of the ground floor was full of sailors, merchants and Melnibonean officials engaged in the business of trade, though it was not here that the actual wares were displayed. The great echoing babble of a thousand voices engaged in a thousand separate aspects of bargaining slowly stilled as Elric and his guard rode arrogantly through to another dark arch at the far end of the hall. This arch opened onto a ramp which sloped and curved down into the bowels of the tower.
Monshanjik之塔俯瞰着港口，它那巨大的防波堤突出在环礁的中央。蓝绿色的塔身相较于Imrryr的其他建筑而言，显得较为宽矮，但依然不失为一座美丽的尖耸型建筑。自它那宽敞的窗户眺望而出，可将整座港口尽收眼底。Monshanjik塔内大部分与港口有关的事务都已经停止了，而在它下层的监狱中，关押着任何违法为维持港口运行而制定的无数律法中任何一条的犯人。Elric骑行入塔中，穿过底层宽阔的拱廊，无暇顾及等待获取贸易许可的商人。因为整个底层都被水手、商人和Melnibone官员占满，为交易事项而忙碌，尽管真正的商品经营并非在这里进行。Cymoril则已在守卫的陪同下返回宫殿。无数种喧哗与无数次议价糅合而成的嘈杂回响，随着Elric与其卫兵傲慢地在他们之间穿梭而过，进入大厅远端另一扇昏暗的拱门，而慢慢停止。这扇大门后方的坡道蜿蜒下行，通往塔楼的核心。
Down this ramp clattered the horsemen, passing slaves, servants and officials who stepped hastily aside, bowing low as they recognised the emperor. Great brands illuminated the tunnel, guttering and smoking and casting distorted shadows onto the smooth, obsidian walls. A chill was in the air now, and a dampness, for water washed about the outer walls below the quays of Imrryr. And still the emperor rode on and still the ramp struck lower through the glassy rock. And then a wave of heat rose to meet them and shifting light could be seen ahead and they passed into a chamber that was full of smoke and the scent of fear. From the low ceiling hung chains and from eight of the chains, swinging by their feet, hung four people. Their clothes had been torn from them, but their bodies were clothed in blood from tiny wounds, precise but severe, made by the artist who stood, scalpel in hand, surveying his handiwork.
这一行人向着坡道深处健行，沿途的奴隶、佣人与官员急忙闪到两旁，在皇帝面前深深鞠躬。明亮的灯火照亮了通道，火光摇曳、烟雾缭绕，将扭曲的影子投射在光滑的黑曜石墙壁上。空气现在逐渐变得阴冷、潮湿，因为海水冲刷着Imrryr码头底部的外墙。但是皇帝依然没有停止骑行的步伐，坡道亦继续向下延伸入如镜的石墙深处。接着一股热气袭面而来，可见前方闪动着亮光，他们进入一间被烟雾与恐惧的气息充斥的房间。低矮的天花板上垂挂着铁索，其中的八根铁链上，倒吊着四个人。他们遮体的衣物已被剥去，但自细小的伤口中渗出的鲜血覆满了他们全身，那些伤口十分精细却手法凶残，是出自一位的艺术家之手。他手执手术刀，正仔细地端详着自己的作品。
The artist was tail and very thin, almost like a skeleton in his stained, white garments. His lips were thin, his eyes were slits, his fingers were thin, his hair was thin and the scalpel he held was thin, too, almost invisible save when it flashed in the light from the fire which erupted from a pit on the far side of the cavern. The artist was named Doctor Jest and the art he practised was a performing art rather than a creative one (though he could argue otherwise with some conviction): the art of drawing secrets from those who kept them. Doctor Jest was the Chief Interrogator of Melnibone. He turned sinuously as Elric entered, the scalpel held between the thin thumb and the thin forefinger of his fight hand; he stood poised and expectant, almost like a dancer, and then bowed from the waist.
这位艺术家外形精瘦，像一副骨架般撑在他那沾满血渍的外衣中。他的嘴唇是细薄的，他的眼睛细得像两条缝，他的手指细长，发丝纤细，手中的解剖刀也是细薄的，若不是刀锋上不时反射着自洞穴远端的火堆中迸射出的火光，否则几乎薄到看不见。这位艺术家名叫逗乐博士，而他所专精的，与其说是创造性艺术，不如说是门行为艺术（虽然他很确定实际情况是反过来的）：一门从他人腹中挖掘秘密的艺术。逗乐博士是Melnibone的首席审讯师。Elric进入房间时，他如蛇般转动细腰，手术刀夹在那纤细的大拇指与食指之间；他的身姿仿佛一位舞者，镇定自若又带着期待，接着他弯腰致敬。
'My sweet emperor!' His voice was thin. It rushed from his thin throat as if bent on escape and one was inclined to wonder if one had heard the words at all, so quickly had they come and gone.
“亲爱的皇上！”他的嗓音是轻细的。声音仿佛急于逃脱般地冲破他那尖细的喉咙，轻快地响起又消失，让人不禁怀疑，自己是否真的抓住了那句话。
'Doctor. Are these the southlanders caught this morning?'
“博士。这几个就是今天早晨抓到的南方人吗？”
'Indeed they are, my lord.' Another sinuous bow. 'For your pleasure.'
“正是，陛下。”他又柔柔地鞠了一躬。“待陛下赏光。”
Coldly Elric inspected the prisoners. He felt no sympathy for them. They were spies. Their actions had led them to this pass. They had known what would happen to them if caught. But one of them was a boy and another a woman, it appeared, though they writhed so in their chains it was quite difficult to tell at first. It seemed a shame. Then the woman snapped what remained of her teeth at him and hissed: 'Demon!' And Elric stepped back, saying:
Elric冷冷地检视这些囚犯。他对他们并不抱有同情。毕竟这些人是间谍。是他们自己将自己置于如今的处境。他们清楚一旦被抓，就会面临什么样的下场。但他们中有一个女人，另一个是小孩，至少看起来是这样的，可惜他们已经在铁夹中被折磨得不成人形，很难在一开始就分辨出来。这是他们的悲哀。接着那女人猛嗑仅剩的几颗牙齿，对他嘶声道：“魔鬼！”Elric退后一步，问道：
'Have they informed you of what they were doing in our maze, doctor?'
“这些人把在迷宫里做什么的事告诉你了吗，博士？”
'They still tantalise me with hints. They have a fine sense of drama. I appreciate that. They are here, I would say, to map a route through the maze which a force of raiders might then follow: But they have so far withheld the details. That is the game. We ail understand how it must be played.'
“他们还在用若有似无的线索逗我玩呢。多有幽默感啊，我好欣赏他们。想必他们此行的目的，是绘制出穿越迷宫的路线图，以便日后的侵略舰队通过——但他们到目前为止还是对行动的细节守口如瓶。游戏不就是这样玩的嘛，但我们都知道，这场游戏会以怎样的方式结束。”
'And when will they tell you, Doctor Jest?'
“他们准备什么时候告诉你，逗乐博士？”
'Oh, very soon, my lord.'
“哦，就快了，陛下。”
'It would be best to know if we are to expect attackers. The sooner we know, the less time we shall lose dealing with the attack when it comes. Do you not agree, doctor?'
“最好让我们知道要面对的是何种袭击。越早知道，当侵略发生时就有越多时间来准备。你同意我的观点吗，博士？”
'I do, my lord.'
“同意，陛下。”
'Very well.' Elric was irritated by this break in his day. It had spoiled the pleasure of the ride, it had brought him face to face with his duties too quickly.
“很好。”偏偏在今日发生这件不期而至的事，让Elric感到恼怒。这完全败坏了骑行的快乐，让他过于迅速地被拖回日常的职务中。
Doctor Jest returned to his charges and, reaching out with his free hand, expertly seized the genitals of one of the male prisoners. The scalpel flashed. There was a groan. Doctor Jest tossed something onto the fire. Elric sat in the chair prepared for him. He was bored rather than disgusted by the rituals attendant upon the gathering of information and the discordant screams, the clash of the chains, the thin whisperings of Doctor Jest, all served to ruin the feeling of well-being he had retained even as he reached the chamber. But it was one of his kingly duties to attend such rituals and attend this one he must until the information was presented to him and he could congratulate his Chief Interrogator and issue orders as to the means of dealing with any attack and even when that was over he must confer with admirals and with generals, probably through the rest of the night, choosing between arguments, deciding on the deposition of men and ships. With a poorly disguised yawn he leaned back and watched as Doctor Jest ran fingers and scalpel, tongue, tongs and pincers over the bodies. He was soon thinking' of other matters: philosophical problems which he had still failed to resolve.
逗乐博士重新投入到他的审讯中，他伸出空着的那只手，老练地抓起其中一名男性囚犯的生殖器。手术刀闪出光芒。一声哀嚎。逗乐博士把什么东西抛进火堆中。Elric坐在专为他准备的座位上。这场为获取情报所举行的仪礼，这刺耳的尖叫，锁链的碰撞，逗乐博士的轻声细语，与其说令他厌恶，不如说让他感到无聊。从踏进这个房间开始，直到现在的一言一行，都只将他心中刚刚取得的安宁消磨殆尽。但这是他作为一国之君必须出席的场合之一，而这次他必须等到首席审讯师亲自将情报呈报给他，然后他要恭贺审讯师，再就以何种方式应对袭击作进一步的安排，而这还没有完，之后他要与军官与海军将领会面，商讨人员与船只部署，决定对策，可能一直要讨论到早上。Elric打了一个掩饰得很糟的哈欠，让自己陷进椅背，看着逗乐博士灵敏的双手操作手术刀，镊子，钳子，在肉体上夹来夹去。他的思绪很快就转向其他地方：那些他依然无法解决的哲学问题。
It was not that Elric was inhumane; it was that he was, still, a Melnibonean. He had been used to such sights since childhood. He could not have saved the prisoners, even if he had desired, without going against every tradition of the Dragon Isle. And in this case it was a simple matter of a threat being met by the best methods available. He had become used to shutting off those feelings which conflicted with his duties as emperor. If there had been any point in freeing the four who danced now at Doctor Jest's pleasure he would have freed them, but there was no point and the four would have been astonished if they had received any other treatment than this. Where moral decisions were concerned Elric was, by and large, practical. He would make his decision in the context of what action he could take. In this case, he could take no action. Such a reaction had become second nature to him. His desire was not to reform Melnibone but to reform himself, not to initiate action but to know the best way of responding to the actions of others. Here, the decision was easy to make. A spy was an aggressor. One defended oneself against aggressors in the best possible way. The methods employed by Doctor Jest were the best methods.
并不是因为Elric冷漠无情，而是因为，他依然是个Melnibone人。他从小就已经习惯于这样的场景。即便想救，他也救不了这些囚犯，除非颠覆整个Melnibone的行为模式。当前的这种做法，只是一种处理侵略问题的最可行方法。他已经习惯于将与君主的职责相冲突的感情隔离在外。如果释放这在逗乐博士刀下舞动的四人起得到任何作用的话，他立即就会将他们释放。但那样做没有任何用处，用其他方式对待他们，连犯人自己都会感到惊讶。Elric总体而言是以实际的方式来决定是否该做出道德的考量。他会根据自己行动的可能性来作出决定。在目前的情况下，他无法采取任何行动。这样的反应已经成了他的第二天性。他想要的并非是改造Melnibone，而是改变他自己，不是采取行动，而是知道该以何种方式应对他人行动。此刻，决定来得容易。间谍就是侵略者。就要以可行的最佳方式阻止他人的入侵。逗乐博士的方式就是最佳方式。
'My lord?'
“陛下？”
Absently, Elric looked up.
Elric茫然地抬起头。
'We have the information now, my lord.' Doctor Jest's thin voice whispered across the chamber. Two sets of chains were now empty and slaves were gathering things up from the floor and flinging them on the fire. The two remaining shapeless lumps reminded Elric of meat carefully prepared by a chef.
“我们已经取得情报了，陛下。”逗乐博士的轻细话语声在房间中回荡。其中两幅锁链上现在已经空无一物，奴隶们前来将地上的残骸收拾起来，丢入火堆中。剩下的两具人形全无的东西，让Elric想起由厨师小心切割的肉块。
One of the lumps still quivered a little, but the other was still.
其中一团肉块还在微微颤抖，另一团则已经没有动静。
Doctor Jest slid his instruments into a thin case he carried in a pouch at his belt. His white garments were almost completely covered in stains.
逗乐博士将他的工具插进系在腰带上的一个薄薄的盒子中。他白色的外套几乎已经完全被血迹沾满。
'It seems there have been other spies before these,' Doctor Jest told his master. 'These came merely to confirm the route. If they do not return in time, the barbarians will still sail.'
“看起来，在他们之前还来过其他间谍，”逗乐博士这样对他的主人说。“这些人只是来确定路线的正确性。如果他们未能及时返回的话，那些野蛮人还是会照常进发。”
'But surely they will know that we expect them?' Elric said.
“但他们一定知道行动暴露了吧？”Elric说。
'Probably not, my lord. Rumours have been spread amongst the Young Kingdom merchants and sailors that four spies were seen in the maze and were speared--slain whilst trying to escape.'
“未必知道，陛下。我们已经在幼国的商人和水手中放出风声，说在迷宫中发现四个彼此失散的间谍，他们已经在试图逃跑的途中被杀。”
'I see.' Elric frowned. 'Then our best plan will be to lay a trap for the raiders.'
“明白了。”Elric皱起眉头。“那么我们的最佳计划应该是设下陷阱等待袭击者落网。”
'Aye, my lord.'
“是，陛下。”
'You know the route they have chosen?'
“你知道他们选择哪条路径了吗？”
'Aye, my lord.'
“知道，陛下。”
Elric turned to one of his guards. 'Have messages sent to all our generals and admirals. What's the hour?'
Elric转身对他的一个守卫说，“通知我们的所有海军将领。现在几点？”
'The hour of sunset is just past, my liege.'
“刚过日落时分，陛下。”
'Tell them to assemble before the Ruby Throne at two hours past sunset.'
“让他们日落后两个小时在红宝石王座前集合。”
Wearily, Elric rose. 'You have done well, as usual, Doctor Jest.'
Elric疲惫地站起身。“干得漂亮，逗乐博士，就像往常一样。”
The thin artist bowed low, seeming to fold himself in two. A thin and somewhat unctuous sigh was his reply.
这位纤细的艺术家深深鞠躬，就想要把自己折成两段一样。一声带着几分假殷勤的轻细声响就是他的回应。
——第四章完——
——第五章——
——返回第一卷第一章——
（可能有错，求抓虫）
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发表于 2013-11-20 23:57:06