诗翁彼豆故事集 第19期:兔子巴比蒂和她的呱呱树桩(3)

 　　The following morning all the lords and ladies of the kingdom assembled in the palace grounds. 第二天早晨，王国里所有的王公贵族都聚集在宫殿的庭院里。

　　The King climbed on to a stage in front of them, with the charlatan 1 by his side. 国王登上了他们面前的一个舞台，江湖骗子站在他身边。
　　“I shall firstly make this lady's hat disappear!” cried the King, pointing his twig 2 at a noble- woman. “首先，我要让这位女士的帽子消失！”国王用他的树枝指着一个贵妇人，大声说道。
　　From inside a bush nearby, Babbitty pointed 3 her wand at the hat and caused it to vanish. 从旁边的灌木丛里，巴比蒂用她的魔杖一指那顶帽子，让帽子消失了。
　　Great was the astonishment 4 and admiration 5 of the crowd, and loud their applause for the jubilant King. 观众们非常惊讶，赞不绝口，并为欢欣鼓舞的国王大声喝彩。
　　“Next, I shall make that horse fly!” cried the King, pointing his twig at his own steed. “接着，我要让那匹马飞起来！”国王用他的树枝指着自己的坐骑，大声说道。
　　From inside the bush, Babbitty pointed her wand at the horse and it rose high into the air. 在灌木丛中，巴比蒂用她的魔杖一指那匹马，马就高高地升上了的天空。
　　The crowd was still more thrilled and amazed, and they roared their appreciation 6 of their magical King. 观众们更加兴奋诧异，大声地表达着他们对有着高超魔力的国王的欣赏。
　　“And now,” said the King, looking all around for an idea; and the Captain of his Brigade of Witch-Hunters ran forwards. “现在——”国王说着环顾四周打着主意。这时女巫追捕小分队的队长跑上前来。
　　“Your Majesty 7,” said the Captain, “this very morning, Sabre died of eating a poisonous toadstool! Bring him back to life, Your Majesty, with your wand!” “陛下，”小队长说，“就在今天早晨，沙伯吃了一个毒蘑菇死了！陛下，用您的魔杖，让它起死回生吧！”
　　And the Captain heaved on to the stage the lifeless body of the largest of the witch-hunting hounds. 说着，那位队长把追捕女巫小分队的那条最大猎狗的尸体呈上了舞台。
　　The foolish King brandished 8 his twig and pointed it at the dead dog. 愚蠢的国王一挥他的树枝，用它指着死狗。
　　But inside the bush, Babbitty smiled, and did not trouble to lift her wand, for no magic can raise the dead. 然而在灌木丛中，巴比蒂微微笑着，并没有举起她的魔杖，因为没有一种魔法能够起死回生。
　　When the dog did not stir, the crowd began first to whisper, and then to laugh. 看到死狗一动不动，人们起初开始窃窃私语，接着便大笑起来。
　　They suspected that the King's first two feats 9 had been mere 10 tricks after all. 他们怀疑国王的前两个魔法只是变变戏法而已。
　　“Why doesn't it work?” the King screamed at the charlatan, who bethought himself of the only ruse 11 left to him. “为什么不管用？”国王冲着江湖骗子嚷道，江湖骗子想起了他仅存的一个诡计。
　　“There, Your Majesty, there!” he shouted, pointing at the bush where Babbitty sat concealed 12. “你瞧，陛下，你瞧！”他指着巴比蒂隐藏的灌木喊道。
　　“I see her plain, a wicked witch who is blocking your magic with her own evil spells! Seize her, somebody, seize her!” “我看得清清楚楚，一个邪恶的女巫用她邪恶的咒语挡住了您的魔法！”抓住她，来人，抓住她！”
　　Babbitty fled from the bush, and the Brigade of Witch-Hunters set off in pursuit, unleashing 13 their hounds, who bayed for Babbitty's blood. 巴比蒂从灌木丛中逃了出来，女巫追捕小分队立刻追了上去。他们放开那些猎狗，猎狗吠叫着追寻巴比蒂的气味。
　　But as she reached a low hedge, the little witch vanished from sight, and when the King, the charlatan and all the courtiers gained the other side, they found the pack of witch-hunting hounds barking and scrabbling around a bent 14 and aged 15 tree. 可是当她跑到一片低矮的篱笆前，小个子女巫一下子就消失在了视线中，等国王、江湖骗子和所有的朝臣绕到篱笆另一边时，发现那群追捕女巫的猎狗正围着一颗弯弯曲曲的老树狂吠、抓挠。
　　“She has turned herself into a tree!” screamed the charlatan and, dreading 16 lest Babbitty turn back into a woman and denounce him, he added, “Cut her down, Your Majesty, that is the way to treat evil witches!” “她把自己变成了一棵树！”江湖骗子嚷道，惟恐巴比蒂变回女人后揭发他的真面目，便又说，“把她砍掉，陛下，就该这样对付邪恶的女巫！”