卷二第三章

nidhogg

A Traditional Justice
第三章 传统判决
   
    'NOW INDEED I shall rule as you would have had me rule, cousin.' Elric watched as Dyvim Tvar's soldiers surrounded the would-be usurper and seized his arms, relieving him of his weapons.
“现在，我的统治将终于如你所望，表兄。”Elric看着Dyvim Tvar的士兵包围这篡位未遂者，他们擒住他的双臂，解除他的武器。

    Yyrkoon panted like a captured wolf. He glared around him as if hoping to find support from the assembled warriors, but they stared back at him either neutrally or with open contempt.
Yyrkoon像一头被捕的恶狼般直喘粗气。他环顾四周，仿佛想从成群士兵中找到自己的支持者，但他们不是目无表情地看着他，就是对他露出明显的鄙视。

    'And you, Prince Yyrkoon, will be the first to benefit from this new rule of mine. Are you pleased?'
“至于你，Yyrkoon王子，你将是我这全新统治的首个受益人。你满意了吗？”

    Yyrkoon lowered his head. He was trembling now. Elric laughed, 'Speak up, cousin.'
Yyrkoon垂下头。他开始颤抖。Elric笑了：“说话啊，表兄。”

    'May Arioch and all the Dukes of Hell torment you for eternity,' growled Yyrkoon. He flung back his head, his wild eyes rolling, his lips curling: 'Arioch! Arioch! Curse this feeble albino! Arioch! Destroy him or see Melnibone fall!'
“愿Arioch和每一个地狱公爵折磨你永生永世，”Yyrkoon咆哮道。他仰起头，双眼疯狂地转动，双唇扭曲变形：“Arioch！Arioch！诅咒这个虚弱的白子吧！Arioch！他若不死，就让Melnibone覆灭吧！”

    Elric continued to laugh. 'Arioch does not hear you. Chaos is weak upon the earth now. It needs a greater sorcery than yours to bring the Chaos Lords back to aid you as they aided our ancestors. And now, Yyrkoon, tell me--where is the Lady Cymoril?'
Elric继续笑着。“Arioch听不到你的。混沌的力量已经在世间削弱。要让混沌之主如协助我们的祖先般协助你，需要比你强大得多的法力。现在，Yyrkoon，告诉我——Cymoril女士在哪里？”

    But Yyrkoon had lapsed, again, into a sullen silence.
但Yyrkoon再次让自己陷入愠怒的沉默。

    'She is at her own tower, my emperor,' said Magum Colim.
“她在自己的塔楼里，吾皇。”Magum Colim说。

    'A creature of Yyrkoon's took her there,' said Dyvim Tvar. 'The captain of Cymoril's own guard, he slew a warrior who tried to defend his mistress against Yyrkoon. It could be that Princess Cymoril is in danger, my lord.'
“Yyrkoon的一个喽啰将她抓去那里，”Dyvim Tvar说。“此人是Cymoril自己护卫队的队长，他杀了一个试图保护女士不受Yyrkoon伤害的战士。Cymoril公主现在很有可能身处险境，陛下。”

    'Then go quickly to the tower. Take a force of men. Bring both Cymoril and the captain of her guard to me.'
“那么快带上一队人，前去塔楼。将Cymoril和她的卫队长一起带来见我。”

    'And Yyrkoon, my lord?' asked Dyvim Tvar.
“Yyrkoon怎么办，陛下？”Dyvim Tvar问。

    'Let him remain here until his sister returns.'
“让他留在这里等他妹妹。”

    Dyvim Tvar bowed and, selecting a body of warriors, left the throne room. All noticed that Dyvim Tvar's step was lighter and his expression less grim than when he had first approached the throne room at Prince Yyrkoon's back.
Dyvim Tvar行礼，接着挑选了一队士兵离开王座厅。所有人都注意到，Dyvim Tvar的步履显得更轻快了，面容也不如他初次随Yyrkoon王子进入王座厅时那般严峻。

    Yyrkoon straightened his head and looked about the court. For a moment he seemed like a pathetic and bewildered child. All the lines of hate and anger had disappeared and Elric felt sympathy for his cousin growing again within him. But this time Elric quelled the feeling.
Yyrkoon挺起头，环顾宫廷。有那么一刻，他显得好似一个可怜又困惑的孩子。一切憎恨和愤怒的话语都消失了，Elric再次感觉到对他表兄的同情在心中油然而生。但是这一次，Elric将这种感情压了下去。

    'Be grateful, cousin, that for a few hours you were totally powerful, that you enjoyed domination over all the folk of Melnibone.'
“你应心存感激，表兄。因为在那么数小时当中，你拥有的无上全力，让你得以享受统治全部Melnibone人民的喜悦。”

    Yyrkoon said in a small, puzzled voice: 'How did you escape? You had no time for making a sorcery, no strength for it. You could barely move your limbs and your armour must have dragged you deep to the bottom of the sea so that you should have drowned. It is unfair, Elric. You should have drowned.'
Yyrkoon用充满困惑的声音细声问道：“你是怎么逃脱的？你没有时间，也没有力气施法。你连抬起四肢的力气都没有，你的盔甲一定会把你拖到最深的海底，让你淹死才对。这不公平，Elric。你应该淹死才对。”

    Elric shrugged, 'I have friends in the sea. They recognise my royal blood and my right to rule if you do not.'
Elric耸耸肩，“海中有我的盟友。他们在我身上认出了你所缺乏的皇室血统，以及统治的权力。”

    Yyrkoon tried to disguise the astonishment he felt. Evidently his respect for Elric had increased, as had his hatred for the albino emperor. 'Friends.'
Yyrkoon想掩饰自己心中的震惊。显而易见，他对Elric的敬意增加了，就如同他对这白子皇帝的恨意一样。“盟友。”

    'Aye,' said Elric with a thin grin.
“对。”Elric带着一丝笑意说道。

    'I--I thought, too, you had vowed not to use your powers of sorcery.'
“我——我还以为，你也发过誓不使用你的巫术力量。”

    'But you thought that a vow which was unbefitting for a Melnibonean monarch to make, did you not? Well, I agree with you. You see, Yyrkoon, you have won a victory, after all.'
“但你不是认为这一誓言与Melnibone君主的身份不符吗？我同意你的看法。你看，Yyrkoon，你毕竟还是赢了一次。”

    Yyrkoon stared narrowly at Elric, as if trying to divine a secret meaning behind Elric's words. 'You will bring back the Chaos Lords?'
Yyrkoon眯起眼盯着Elric，仿佛想要挖掘Elric这番话背后的深意。“你打算将混沌之主唤回世界？”

    'No sorcerer, however powerful, can summon the Chaos Lords or, for that matter, the Lords of Law, if they do not wish to be summoned. That you know. You must know it, Yyrkoon. Have you not, yourself, tried. And Arioch did not come, did he? Did he bring you the gift you sought--the gift of the two black swords?'
“无论你有多强的法力，也不可能召唤混沌之主，秩序之主同样如此，除非他们希望被你召唤。这点你是知道的。你一定知道，Yyrkoon。你自己，不是也尝试过吗？Arioch没有降临，不是吗？他有将你寻找的武器——那两把黑剑——赐予你吗？”

    'You know that?'
“这事你知道？”

    'I did not. I guessed. Now I know.'
“不知道。我猜的。现在我知道了。”

    Yyrkoon tried to speak but his voice would not form words, so angry was he. Instead, a strangled growl escaped his throat and for a few moments he struggled in the grip of his guards.
Yyrkoon想开口答话，但他愤怒至极，竟无以言兑。只有一声压抑的怒吼自他的喉咙中逃逸，令他在守卫的擒拿中挣扎片刻。
   
***

    Dyvim Tvar returned with Cymoril. The girl was pale but she was smiling. She ran into the throne room. 'Elric!'
Dyvim Tvar带着Cymoril回来了。女孩虽脸色苍白，但面露笑颜。她跑着进入王座厅。“Elric！”

    'Cymoril! Are you harmed?'
“Cymoril！你受伤没有？”

    Cymoril glanced at the crestfallen captain of her guard who had been brought with her. A look of disgust crossed her fine face. Then she shook her head. 'No. I am not harmed.'
Cymoril瞥了一眼随她一同被带来的垂丧着脸的卫队长。一阵厌恶的表情扫过她标致的面庞。接着她摇摇头。“没有。我没有受伤。”

    The captain of Cymoril's guard was shaking with terror. He looked pleadingly at Yyrkoon as if hoping that his fellow prisoner could help him. But Yyrkoon continued to stare at the floor.
Cymoril的卫队长因恐惧而颤抖。他用乞求的眼神看着Yyrkoon，仿佛指望这个同样被俘的盟友给予他帮助。但Yyrkoon只是一味盯着地面。

    'Have that one brought closer.' Elric pointed at the captain of the guard. The man was dragged to the foot of the steps leading to the Ruby Throne. He moaned. 'What a petty traitor you are,' said Elric. 'At least Yyrkoon had the courage to attempt to slay me. And his ambitions were high. Your ambition was merely to become one of his pet curs. So you betrayed your mistress and slew one of your own men. What is your name?'
“把那个人带近些。”Elric指着卫队长。那人被带到通往红宝石王座的阶梯底下。他发出哀吟。“多么可悲的叛徒，”Elric说道。“至少Yyrkoon有尝试刺杀我的勇气。他野心可嘉。你的野心，不过只是变成一条被他宠玩的走狗。这么说来，你背叛了你的女主人，并杀了你自己的一名部下。你叫什么名字？”

    The man had difficulty speaking, but at last he murmured, 'It is Valharik, my name. What could I do? I serve the Ruby Throne, whoever sits upon it.'
这个人连说话都困难，但至少他还能碎碎作声，“叫Valharik，我叫Valharik。我还能怎么做？我服侍的只是红宝石王座，无关上面坐的人啊。”

    'So the traitor claims that loyalty motivated him. I think not.'
“叛徒竟声称自己的动机是忠诚。我不赞同。”

    'It was, my lord. It was.' The captain began to whine. He fell to his knees. 'Slay me swiftly. Do not punish me more.'
“是真的，陛下。我说的是实话。”卫队长发出哀号。他跪倒在地。“迅速处死我吧。不要再多处罚我了。”

    Elric's impulse was to heed the man's request, but he looked at Yyrkoon and then remembered the expression on Cymoril's face when she had looked at the guard. He knew that he must make a point now, whilst making an example of Captain Valharik. So he shook his head. 'No. I will punish you more. Tonight you will die here according to the traditions of Melnibone, while my nobles feast to celebrate this new era of my rule.'
Elric有一种想满足此人请求的冲动。但他看了一眼Yyrkoon，想起Cymoril看着卫队长时脸上的表情。他知道此刻自己必须表明态度，对卫队长Valharik的处罚将用以警示其余人。因此他摇头。“不行。我将对你施以进一步的处罚。今晚你将在此按照Melnibone的传统被处死，同时诸位尊贵将举办盛宴，庆祝我全新统治的开始。”

    Valharik began to sob. Then he stopped himself and got slowly to his feet, a Melnibonean again. He bowed low and stepped backward, giving himself into the grip of his guards.
Valharik开始啜泣。接着他控制住自己，并慢慢站起身，重新恢复一个Melnibone人的样子。他深深鞠躬后退身，将自己交回到卫兵的手中。

    'I must consider a way in which your fate may be shared with the one you wished to serve,' Elric went on. 'How did you slay the young warrior who sought to obey Cymoril?'
“我必须设想一种方法，让你的命运与你所选择的主子相牵连，”Elric继续说道。“你是如何杀死那个效忠Cymoril的士兵的？”

    'With my sword. I cut him down. It was a clean stroke. But one.'
“用我的剑。我将他砍倒。干净利落，只用一击。”

    'And what became of the corpse.'
“他的尸体后来怎么样了。”

    'Prince Yyrkoon told me to feed it to Princess Cymoril's slaves.'
“Yyrkoon王子让我把它喂给Cymoril公主的奴隶。”

    'I understand. Very well, Prince Yyrkoon, you may join us at the feast tonight while Captain Valharik entertains us with his dying.'
“明白了。很好，Yyrkoon王子，今晚你与我们一同赴宴，Valharik队长将以自己的死亡为我们助乐。”

    Yyrkoon's face was almost as pale as Elric's. 'What do you mean?'
Yyrkoon的脸几乎变得像Elric一样苍白。“你是什么意思？”

    'The little pieces of Captain Valharik's flesh which our Doctor Jest will carve from his limbs will be the meat on which you feast. You may give instructions as to how you wish the captain's flesh prepared. We should not expect you to eat it raw, cousin.'
“我们的逗乐博士将为你呈上自Valharik队长四肢上割下的肉片，作为你晚宴的主食。你可以为如何预备队长的肉施加指导。毕竟我们不准备让你生吃，表兄。”

    Even Dyvim Tvar looked astonished at Elric's decision. Certainly it was in the spirit of Melnibone and a clever irony improving on Prince Yyrkoon's own idea, but it was unlike Elric-- or, at least, it was unlike the Elric he had known up until a day earlier.
即使是Dyvim Tvar也对Elric的决定感到吃惊。这确实秉承了Melnibone的精神，且也是对Yyrkoon王子自身之意绝妙的讽刺性改良。但这不像Elric——或者说，至少不像一天之前他所认识的那个Elric。

    As he heard his fate, Captain Valharik gave a great scream of terror and glared at Prince Yyrkoon as if the would-be usurper were already tasting his flesh. Yyrkoon tried to turn away, his shoulders shaking.
得知自己的命运之后，Valharik队长发出惊恐的狂啸，他瞪着Yyrkoon王子，仿佛这篡位未遂者已经开始品尝起他身上的肉块。Yyrkoon企图别过身去，他的肩膀在颤抖。

    'And that will be the beginning of it,' said Elric. 'The feast will start at midnight. Until that time, confine Yyrkoon to his own tower.'
“这将是一切的开始，”Elric说道。“宴席将在午夜举行。至此之前，先将Yyrkoon监禁在他的塔楼。”
   
***

    After Prince Yyrkoon and Captain Valharik had been led away, Dyvim Tvar and Princess Cymoril came and stood beside Elric who had sunk back in his great throne and was staring bitterly into the middle-distance.
Yyrkoon王子和Valharik队长被带走之后，Dyvim Tvar和Cymoril公主走上前，站到已陷进自己的高大王座，苦涩地凝视着眼前虚空的Elric身边。

    'That was a clever cruelty,' Dyvim Tvar said. Cymoril said: 'It is what they both deserve.'
“这是绝妙的残酷，”Dyvim Tvar说道。Cymoril说：“他俩应得如此下场。”

    'Aye,' murmured Elric. 'It is what my father would have done. It is what Yyrkoon would have done had our positions been reversed. I but follow the traditions. I no longer pretend that I am my own man. Here I shall stay until I die, trapped upon the Ruby Throne--serving the Ruby Throne as Valharik claimed to serve it,'
“没错，”Elric低语道。“这是我父亲会采取的做法。如果我们的位置互换，这也是Yyrkoon会用的做法。我不过只是跟随传统而已。我放弃了以为我属于自己的自欺想法。我会被困在红宝石王座里，呆到死为止——服侍红宝石王座，就像Valharik声称的那样。”

    'Could you not kill them both quickly?' Cymoril asked. 'You know that I do not plead for my brother because he is my brother. I hate him most of all. But it might destroy you, Elric, to follow through with your plan.'
“为何不将他们俩直接处死？”Cymoril问。“你知道我不会以血亲之情为我哥哥求饶。最恨他的人正是我。但这样的计划执行到最后是会毁了你的，Elric。”

    'What if it does? Let me be destroyed. Let me merely become an unthinking extension of my ancestors. The puppet of ghosts and memories, dancing to strings which extend back through time for ten thousand years.'
“那又如何？就让我毁灭吧。就让我变成我祖先盲目的延伸吧。让我做鬼魂与记忆的玩物，被延伸了万年之久的牵线提着跳舞。”

    'Perhaps if you slept...' Dyvim Tvar suggested.
“或许等你先睡一觉……”Dyvim Tvar提议。

    'I shall not sleep, I feel, for many nights after this. But your brother is not going to die, Cymoril. After his punishment--after he has eaten the flesh of Captain Valharik--I intend to send him into exile. He will go alone into the Young Kingdoms and he will not be allowed to take his grimoires with him. He must make his way as best he can in the lands of the barbarian. That is not too severe a punishment, I think.'
“我不能睡觉。我觉得，今后的许多夜都将再也无法入眠。但你的哥哥不会死，Cymoril。在他接受了惩罚之后——在他吃了Valharik队长的肉之后——我打算将他流放。他将独身前往幼国，禁止携带任何法术书籍。他必须竭尽所能在蛮人的国土活下去。我想这不算太严厉的处罚。”

    'It is too lenient,' said Cymoril. 'You would be best advised to slay him. Send soldiers now. Give him no time to consider counterplots.'
“太仁慈了，”Cymoril说。“你最好将他处死。现在就派士兵去。让他没机会制定对抗的策略。”

    'I do not fear his counterplots.' Elric rose wearily. 'Now I should like it if you would both leave me, until an hour or so before the feasting begins. I must think.'
“我不怕他的设计。”Elric疲惫地站起身。“现在有请你们先退下，等到一小时左右之后，宴会开始前再见。我必须思考。”

    'I will return to my tower and prepare myself for tonight,' said Cymoril. She kissed Elric lightly upon his pale forehead. He looked up, filled with love and tenderness for her. He reached out and touched her hair and her cheek. 'Remember that I love you, Elric,' she said.
“那么我就回塔楼，为今晚做准备去了，”Cymoril说。她轻吻Elric苍白的额头。他抬起头看着她，眼中充满了爱与温柔。他伸出手，触碰她的秀发与脸颊。“记住，我爱你，Elric，”她说。

    'I will see that you are safely escorted homeward,' Dyvim Tvar said to her. 'And you must choose a new commander of your guard. Can I assist in that?'
“我来护送你安全返家，”Dyvim Tvar对她说。“如今你只能重新挑选一个卫队长了。人选方面需要我协助吗？”

    'I should be grateful, Dyvim Tvar.'
“非常感激，Dyvim Tvar。”

    They left Elric still upon the Ruby Throne, still staring into space. The hand that he lifted from time to time to his pale head shook a little and now the torment showed in his strange, crimson eyes.
他们离开了，只留Elric依然坐在红宝石王座上，依然凝视着虚空。那只时不时抬起放置于苍白额头上的手在微微发抖，此刻苦恼，开始在他那双奇异的绯红眼眸中流露。

    Later, he rose up from the Ruby Throne and walked slowly, head bowed, to his own apartments, followed by his guards. He hesitated at the door which led onto the steps going up to the library. Instinctively he sought the consolation and forgetfulness of a certain kind of knowledge, but at that moment he suddenly hated his scrolls and his books. He blamed them for his ridiculous concerns regarding 'morality' and 'justice'; he blamed them for the feelings of guilt and despair which now filled him as a result of his decision to behave as a Melnibonean monarch was expected to behave. So he passed the door to the library and went on to his apartments, but even his apartments displeased him now. They were austere. They were not furnished according to the luxurious tastes of all Melniboneans (save for his father) with their delight in lush mixtures of colour and bizarre design. He would have them changed as soon as possible. He would give himself up to those ghosts who ruled him. For some time he stalked from room to room, trying to push back that part of him which demanded he be merciful to Valharik and to Yyrkoon--at very least to slay them and be done with it or, better, to send them both into exile. But it was impossible to reverse his decision now.
稍后，他从红宝石王座上起身，慢慢地埋头走开，前往他自己的寓所，他的守卫跟随在身后。他在通往图书馆的台阶门前迟疑了。本能地，他想通过获取某种知识来给予自己慰藉与片刻遗忘。但此时此刻，他突然恨起自己的那些书籍和卷轴。他责怪这些东西让他不合时宜地关心起“道德”与“公正”；责怪它们让他内心充满自罪与绝望，只因他决定表现出一个Melnibone君王应有的作风。因此他忽略通往图书馆的大门，继续向自己房间走去，但即便是他的房间，现在也变得令人讨厌。它们太朴素了。房中的家具皆没有按照其他Melnibone人（除去他父亲）所喜好的，混合明快的鲜丽色彩与奇异设计的奢华品味布置。他会尽快让人把它们都换掉。他会将自己完全交给那些主宰他的幽灵。有那么一会儿，他从一间房间踱步到另一间房间，想要抑制心中那要求自己对Valharik和Yyrkoon施以怜悯的一面——至少杀了他们，尽快将事情了结，或者，送他们双双去流放更好。但现在反悔自己的决定已经太迟了。

    At last he lowered himself to a couch which rested beside a window looking out over the whole of the city. The sky was still full of turbulent cloud, but now the moon shone through, like the yellow eye of an unhealthy beast. It seemed to stare with a certain triumphant irony at him, as if relishing the defeat of his conscience. Elric sank his head into his arms.
终于，他让自己躺进一张倚着窗檐的睡椅，窗外整座城市一览无余。湍动的云层依旧遮蔽天空，但至少现在月光透了出来，仿佛一头患病野兽的黄色眼珠。它似乎以一种胜利者的讽刺姿态凝视着他，好像在品尝他的良知挫败的滋味。Elric将头埋进手臂。

    Later the servants came to tell him that the courtiers were assembling for the celebration feast. He allowed them to dress him in his yellow robes of state and to place the dragon crown upon his head and then he returned to the throne room to be greeted by a mighty cheer, more wholehearted than any he had ever received before. He acknowledged the greeting and then seated himself in the Ruby Throne, looking out over the banqueting tables which now filled the hall. A table was brought and set before him and two extra seats were brought, for Dyvim Tvar and Cymoril would sit beside him. But Dyvim Tvar and Cymoril were not yet here and neither had the renegade Valharik been brought. And where was Yyrkoon? They should, even now, be at the centre of the hall--Valharik in chains and Yyrkoon seated beneath him. Doctor Jest was there, heating his brazier on which rested his cooking pans, testing and sharpening his knives. The hall was filled with excited talk as the court waited to be entertained. Already the food was being brought in, though no one might eat until the emperor ate first.
晚些时候，仆人们前来告诉他，朝臣已为参加庆祝宴会而到齐。他任由仆人为自己穿上黄色的礼袍，为他将龙冠戴在头上，接着他返回王座厅，迎接如雷的欢呼，这欢呼声比他以往任何时候听过的都更加由衷。他回应人们的致意，随后让自己坐进红宝石王座，目光眺过现已摆满整个大厅的宴会桌。一张桌子被放置在他跟前，桌边增加了两个座位，Dyvim Tvar和Cymoril将同席在他身边。但Dyvim Tvar和Cymoril却还没有出现，叛徒Yyrkoon同样没被带来。Yyrkoon在哪里？他们现在早就应该出现在大厅中央——Valharik拴在铁镣上，Yyrkoon坐在近旁。逗乐博士已经在那里，边为他已放置了平底锅的火盆加温，边测试打磨他的小刀。大厅中充满心奋不已的谈话声，朝臣们等着好戏上演。食物已经陆续被端上来，不过在皇帝动口之前，没有人能先吃。

    Elric signed to the commander of his own guard. 'Has the Princess Cymoril or Lord Dyvim Tvar arrived at the tower yet?'
Elric对他自己守卫的队长示意。“Cymoril公主和Dyvim Tvar抵达塔楼没有？”

    'No, my lord.'
“没有，陛下。”

    Cymoril was rarely late and Dyvim Tvar never. Elric frowned. Perhaps they did not relish the entertainment.
Cymoril很少迟到，Dyvim Tvar更是从不如此。Elric皱起眉。或许他们并不欣赏这娱乐。

    'And what of the prisoners?'
“那么犯人呢？”

    'They have been sent for, my lord.'
“他们已经被传唤了，陛下。”

    Doctor Jest looked up expectantly, his thin body tensed in anticipation.
逗乐博士用盼望的神情仰望，他纤瘦的身体因期待而紧绷。

    And then Elric heard a sound above the din of the conversation. A groaning sound which seemed to come from all around the tower. He bent his head and listened closely.
接着Elric听到在人们谈话的喧嚣之外还有另一个声音。一种呻吟声，似乎从塔楼的四面八方传来。他别过头仔细聆听。

    Others were hearing it now. They stopped talking and also listened intently. Soon the whole hall was in silence and the groaning increased.
其他人现在也听到了。他们停止交谈，同样专注地听着。很快整个大厅都安静下来，唯那有呻吟在增强。

    Then, all at once, the doors of the throne room burst open and there was Dyvim Tvar, gasping and bloody, his clothes slashed and his flesh gashed. And following him in came a mist--a swirling mist of dark purples and unpleasant blues and it was this mist that groaned.
接着，猛然地，王座厅的门被撞开，Dyvim Tvar出现在门口，衣衫被撕破，皮肉被割出深长的伤痕。紧跟着他他而入的是一片雾气——一片翻滚搅动着的，深紫与恶蓝夹杂的迷雾，而正是这片雾气在发出哀吟。

    Elric sprang from his throne and knocked the table aside. He leapt down the steps towards his friend. The groaning mist began to creep further into the throne room, as if reaching out for Dyvim Tvar.
Elric猛地从王座上起身，将桌子掀到一边。他冲下台阶跑向他的朋友。哀吟的雾气开始更进一步逼入王座厅，仿佛想要抓住Dyvim Tvar。

    Elric took his friend in his arms. 'Dyvim Tvar! What is this sorcery?'
Elric将他的朋友抱到怀里。“Dyvim Tvar！这究竟是在搞什么鬼？”

    Dyvim Tvar's face was full of horror and his lips seemed frozen until at last he said:
Dyvim Tvar的脸上充满恐惧，他的嘴似乎僵硬得无法开口，接着他终于说道：

    'It is Yyrkoon's sorcery. He conjured the groaning mist to aid him in his escape. I tried to follow him from the city but the mist engulfed me and I lost my senses. I went to his tower to bring him and his accessory here, but the sorcery had already been accomplished.'
“Yyrkoon干的好事。他召唤出这片呻吟的迷雾协助他逃脱。我试图从城里跟踪他，但是迷雾吞没了我，我失去了知觉。我赶去他的塔楼，想将他和他的同犯带过来，但是法术已经成功了。”

    'Cymoril? Where is she?'
“Cymoril呢？她在哪里？”

    'He took her, Elric. She is with him. Valharik is with him and so are a hundred warriors who remained secretly loyal to him.'
“他把她抓走了，Elric。她在他那里。Valharik和一百个仍然忠于他的士兵也和他在一起。”

    'Then we must pursue him. We shall soon capture him.'
“我们必须追上他。我们一定会很快抓到他的。”

    'You can do nothing against the groaning mist. Ah! It comes!'
“在呻吟的迷雾面前你无能为力。啊！它来了！”

    And sure enough the mist was beginning to surround them. Elric tried to disperse it by waving his arms, but then it had gathered thickly around him and its melancholy groaning filled his ears, its hideous colours blinded his eyes. He tried to rush through it, but it remained with him. And now he thought he heard words amongst the groans. 'Elric is weak. Elric is foolish. Elric must die!'
接着雾气果然开始包围他们。Elric试图挥手将它们驱散，但是雾气已经紧紧聚集在他周围，忧郁的哀吟充斥在耳际，可怕的色彩让他无法视物。他试图冲出迷雾，但雾气紧裹着他。现在他觉得开始在那呻吟声中听见话语。“Elric是懦夫。Elric是蠢货。Elric必须死！”

    'Stop this!' he cried. He bumped into another body and fell to his knees. He began to crawl, desperately trying to peer through the mist. Now faces formed in the mist--frightful faces, more terrifying than any he had ever seen, even in his worst nightmares.
“住口！”他高喊道。他撞到另一个人，摔倒了。他开始向前爬，绝望地想看清迷雾外的东西。接着一些面孔开始出现在雾气中——可怕的面孔，比他曾经见过的任何东西更恐怖，甚至胜于他的噩梦。

    'Cymoril!' he cried. 'Cymoril!'
“Cymoril！”他高呼。“Cymoril！”

    And one of the faces became the face of Cymoril--a Cymoril who leered at him and mocked him and whose face slowly aged until he saw a filthy crone and, ultimately, a skull on which the flesh rotted. He closed his eyes, but the image remained.
接着其中的一张脸变成了Cymoril——一个用恶意的眼神嘲笑他的Cymoril，他看着这张脸慢慢衰老，直至变成一个丑陋的干瘪老妪，最终成为一颗骷髅，脸上的肉老朽腐烂。他闭上眼睛，但是影像没有消失。

    'Cymoril,' whispered the voices. 'Cymoril,'
“Cymoril，”那些声音低语。“Cymoril。”

    And Elric grew weaker as he became more desperate. He cried out for Dyvim Tvar, but heard only a mocking echo of the name, as he had heard Cymoril's. He shut his lips and he shut his eyes and, still crawling, tried to free himself from the groaning mist. But hours seemed to pass before the groans became whines and the whines became faint strands of sound and he tried to rise, opening his eyes to see the mist fading, but then his legs buckled and he fell down against the first step which led to the Ruby Throne. Again he had ignored Cymoril's advice concerning her brother--and again she was in danger. Elric's last thought was a simple one:
Elric渐渐变得更为虚弱，也更为绝望。他高呼Dyvim Tvar的名字，但是就像Cymoril一般，他只听到那名字嘲弄似的回声。他闭上嘴唇，闭上双眼，继续向前爬，试图爬出这片呻吟的雾气。但在呻吟变成哀叹，而哀叹变为细碎的悉索声之前，似乎已经过去好几个小时。他睁开眼看见迷雾终于消散，试图起身，但是却绊住了自己的腿，摔倒在通往红宝石王座的第一级台阶上。他又一次无视Cymoril关于她兄长的建议——让她又一次身处险境。Elric的最后一丝意识很简单：

    'I am not fit to live,' he thought.
“我不配活着，”他想。


——第三章完——

（这个填坑的速度令人捉急。）

Jim Cawthorn图

请叫我瓦肯人……