??Lord Spittleworth’s Plan
斯气度沃斯爵士的狡计
When the fog cleared at last, it revealed a very different party of men to those who’d arrived at the edge of the marsh an hour earlier.
终极，当迷雾散去，闪现出了一个和一个小时前抵达池沼边缘的部队截然不一样的部队容貌。
Quite apart from their shock at the sudden death of Major Beamish, a few of the Royal Guard were confused by the explanation they’d been given. Here were the two lords, the king and the hastily promoted Major Roach, all swearing that they’d come face-to-face with a monster that all but the most foolish had dismissed for years as a fairy tale. Could it really be true that beneath the tightly wrapped cloaks, Beamish’s body bore the tooth and claw marks of the Ickabog?
除抵挡比姆世首级遽然消亡的颤动以外，还有一部分皇家侍卫抵挡他们给以的诠释很隐晦。两个爵士，国王还有草率就任的罗池首级都立誓他们面临面的看到了一个怪物，阿谁怪物就连最蠢的人许多多少年前就晓得那是个幻想的故事。在斗篷下牢牢包裹的比姆世身体上的窟窿是艾卡伯格喽啰的遗址，这真的是真的吗？
‘Are you calling me a liar?’ Major Roach growled into the face of a young private.
“你认为我在说谎吗？”罗池首级对着年青兵士的脸吼道。
‘Are you calling the kinga liar?’ barked Lord Flapoon.
“你是说国王在说谎吗？”菲莱普恩爵士吼道。
The private didn’t dare question the word of the king, so he shook his head. Captain Goodfellow, who’d been a particular friend of Major Beamish’s, said nothing. However, there was such an angry and suspicious look on Goodfellow’s face that Roach ordered him to go and pitch the tents on the most solid bit of ground he could find, and be quick about it, because the dangerous fog might yet return.
阿谁年青兵士是不敢质疑国王的话的，是以他摇了摇头。古德佛罗，是首级比姆世曾的好朋友，他甚么也没说。可是，当罗池号令他找个最巩固的地上然后建立帐子而且催他必需快点以防迷雾再次来袭时，脸上布满了愤慨和猜忌。
In spite of the fact that he had a straw mattress, and that blankets were taken from the soldiers to ensure his comfort, King Fred had never spent a more unpleasant night. He was tired, dirty, wet, and, above all, frightened.
尽管他铺着稻草垫子和为保证他舒从命兵士那拿的毯子，国王弗雷德历来没有过比今日加倍难熬哀痛的晚上。他很累，身上很脏而且湿润，最首要的是，很惧怕。
‘What if the Ickabog comes looking for us, Spittleworth?’ the king whispered in the dark. ‘What if it tracks us by our scent? It’s already had a taste of poor Beamish. What if it comes looking for the rest of the body?’
“如果艾卡伯格回来来找咱们怎样办，斯气度沃斯？”国王在黑漆黑低声问。“如果它能经由进程气味寻找咱们怎样办？它已咬了不幸的比姆世，如果它回来来寻找剩下的尸身怎样办？”
Spittleworth attempted to soothe the king.
沃斯试着劝慰国王。
‘Do not fear, Your Majesty, Roach has ordered Captain Goodfellow to keep watch outside your tent. Whoever else gets eaten, you will be the last.’
“不要惧怕，陛下，罗池已号令古德佛罗在帐子外巡查。若有任何人被吃，您也会是最终一个。”
It was too dark for the king to see Spittleworth grinning. Far from wanting to reassure the king, Spittleworth hoped to fan the king’s fears. His entire plan rested on a king who not only believed in an Ickabog, but who was scared it might leave the marsh to chase him.
因为是晚上是以国王看不到沃斯的奸刁的笑。除劝慰国王以外，沃斯更多的是想揶揄国王的惧怕。他的悉数方案就是不但让国王信赖艾卡伯格的存在，而且还让他（国王）惧怕艾卡伯格可以分隔池沼去追逐他。
The following morning, the king’s party set off back to Jeroboam. Spittleworth had sent a message ahead to tell the Mayor of Jeroboam that there had been a nasty accident at the marsh, so the king didn’t want any trumpets or corks greeting him. Thus, when the king’s party arrived, the city was silent.
Townsfolk pressing their faces to their windows, or peeking around their doors, were shocked to see the king so dirty and miserable, but not nearly as shocked as they were to see a body wrapped in cloaks, tied to Major Beamish’s steel-grey horse.
次日清晨，国王的部队返程杰若保母。沃斯早已捎信儿给杰若保母市长，奉告他在池沼里发生了痛楚的意外，是以国王不想要任何的仪仗队或老苍生的招待。是以当国王的部队来到时，悉数都会是恬静的。市民们或脸贴着窗户，或在门缝里眯着眼看，当他们看到国王是如斯的龌龊悲惨很是颤动，但加倍颤动的是看到在斗篷里包裹着的尸身系在了首级比姆世健旺的灰登时。
When they reached the inn, Spittleworth took the landlord aside.
当他们抵达旅馆时，沃斯把店东叫到一边。
‘We require some cold, secure place, perhaps a cellar, where we can store a body for the night, and I shall need to keep the key myself.’
“咱们必要一个冷的，平安的场所，比如地窖，在那儿咱们可以保存尸身过夜，而且钥匙我本身要藏着。”
‘What happened, my lord?’ asked the innkeeper, as Roach carried Beamish down the stone steps into the cellar.
“发生了甚么，爵士周围？”店东问道，当罗池携着比姆世尸身走在进入地窖的石阶上。
‘I shall tell you the truth, my good man, seeing as you have looked after us so well, but it must go no further,’ said Spittleworth in a low, serious voice. ‘The Ickabog is real and has savagely killed one of our men. You understand, I’m sure, why this must not be widely broadcast.
“我应当奉告你原形，我的贵人，鉴于你赐顾帮衬咱们是如斯的周到。艾卡伯格是真的，它蛮横的杀死了咱们的人，我信赖你晓得，这事必定不克不及别传的缘由。”沃斯以一个极低且严肃的声响说道。
There would be instant panic. The king is returning with all speed to the palace, where he and his advisors – myself, of course, included – will begin work at once on a set of measures to secure our country’s safety.’
“（如果别传的话）这会引焦虑速焦虑的。国王正在全速回王宫，在那儿他可以和军师团们——我当然也在内——起头采用一系列办法来保证咱们国度的平安。”
‘The Ickabog? Real?’ said the landlord, in astonishment and fear.
“艾卡伯格？真的？”店东非常颤动和惧怕的说道。
‘Real and vengeful and vicious,’ said Spittleworth. ‘But, as I say, this must go no further. Widespread alarm will benefit nobody.’
“真实且横暴且冲击心重，但正如我说的，必定不克不及想别传。多说无益。”沃斯说。
In fact, widespread alarm was precisely what Spittleworth wanted, because it was essential for the next phase of his plan. Just as he’d expected, the landlord waited only until his guests had gone to bed, then rushed to tell his wife, who ran to tell the neighbours, and by the time the king’s party set off for Kurdsburg the following morning, they left behind them a city where panic was fermenting as busily as the wine.
实际上，广泛传布恰是沃斯想要的，因为那样是他下一步方案的需要条件。正如爵士想的那样，店东等到宾客们都睡下后就火烧眉毛的奉告他的老婆，然继配子奉告了邻人，等到次日清晨国王和步队向科德斯伯格启航时，给这个都会留下的焦虑如葡萄酒那样连续发酵着。
Spittleworth sent a message ahead to Kurdsburg, warning the cheesemaking city not to make a fuss of the king either, so it too was dark and silent when the royal party entered its streets. The faces at the windows were already scared. It so happened that a merchant from Jeroboam, with an especially fast horse, had carried the rumour about the Ickabog to Kurdsburg an hour previously.
沃斯早年就给科德斯伯格捎过信息，劝诫这个奶酪之城切莫做招待国王典礼之类的事，是以当国王和部队进入城内时，是如斯的昏暗恬静。窗户后的我们都早已吓坏了。（因为）恰巧有个杰若保母的商人，在一个小时前，骑着特快马，带着艾卡伯格的鬼话来到了科德斯伯格。
Once again, Spittleworth requested the use of a cellar for Major Beamish’s body, and once again confided to the landlord that the Ickabog had killed one of the king’s men. Having seen Beamish’s body safely locked up, Spittleworth went upstairs to bed.
再次，沃斯恳求使用地窖用来存放比姆式的尸身，相同的，向店东流露了艾卡伯格杀人的秘要。等到比姆式的尸身平安锁好后，沃斯回来了楼上去了。
He was just rubbing ointment into the blisters on his bottom when he received an urgent su小妹ons to go and see the king. Smirking, Spittleworth pulled on his pantaloons, winked at Flapoon, who was enjoying a cheese and pickle sandwich, picked up his candle and proceeded along the corridor to King Fred’s room.
当他正在在屁股上擦洗着药膏,沃斯收到了国王的紧迫呼喊。沃斯穿上裤子，假笑这朝着享受着奶酪和三明治的菲莱普恩眨双眼，然后沃斯拿上烛炬沿着走廊向国王的房间走去。
The king was huddled in bed wearing his silk nightcap, and as soon as Spittleworth closed the bedroom door, Fred said:
国王穿戴丝绸睡帽蜷缩在床上，沃斯一关上门国王弗里德就起头说：
‘Spittleworth, I keep hearing whispers about the Ickabog. The stable boys were talking, and even the maid who just passed by my bedroom door. Why is this? How can they know what happened?’
“沃斯，我不竭听到关于艾卡伯格的窃窃耳语。马棚男孩刚在谈判，就连刚始末我卧室的侍女也在谈判。怎样会多么，他们怎样晓得发生了甚么。”
‘Alas, Your Majesty,’ sighed Spittleworth, ‘I’d hoped to conceal the truth from you until we were safely back at the palace, but I should have known that Your Majesty is too shrewd to be fooled. Since we left the marsh, sire, the Ickabog has, as Your Majesty feared, become much more aggressive.’
“哎呀，陛下，”沃斯叹气道，“我正本期望向您躲藏究竟直到咱们平安回到王宫，但我早该想到您是如斯的耀眼是不成能被隐秘的。事端是多么的，自从咱们分隔池沼，正如陛下生怕的那样，艾卡伯格变得很是浮躁有侵略性。”
‘Oh, no!’ whimpered the king.
“噢，不！”国王啼哭道。
‘I’m afraid so, sire. But after all, attacking it was bound to make it more dangerous.’
“生怕如斯，究竟??成果，侵略它没来就会使其加倍损伤。”
‘But who attacked it?’ said Fred.
?致运耍俊备ダ锏滤?
‘Why, you did, Your Majesty,’ said Spittleworth. ‘Roach tells me your sword was embedded in the monster’s neck when it ran— I’m sorry, Your Majesty, did you speak?’
“你呀，陛下，”沃斯说。“罗池奉告我您的宝剑就插在那怪物的脖子上——不好心思，陛下您说甚么？”
The king had, in fact, let out a sort of hum, but after a second or two, he shook his head. He’d considered correcting Spittleworth – he was sure he’d told the story differently – but his horrible experience in the fog sounded much better the way Spittleworth told it now: that he’d stood his ground and fought the Ickabog, rather than simply dropping his sword and running away.
真实，国王嘟囔了一些甚么，但一两秒过后，他摇了摇脑壳。正本他想更正沃斯——因为国王奉告沃斯的事是纷歧样的，但在迷雾中糟的经历用沃斯的话来讲听起来许多多少了：他与艾卡伯格打架的究竟就座实了，而不是只是掉了宝剑后出逃了。
‘But this is awful, Spittleworth,’ whispered the king. ‘What will become of us all, if the monster has become more ferocious?’
“太糟了，沃斯，”国王低声说。“接下来咱们会怎样样，如果怪物变得加倍凶狠。”
‘Never fear, Your Majesty,’ said Spittleworth, approaching the king’s bed, the candlelight illuminating his long nose and his cruel smile from below. ‘I intend to make it my life’s work to protect you and the kingdom from the Ickabog.’
“不要惧怕，陛下，”沃斯说着，接近国王的床，微小的烛光映射着沃斯长长的鼻子和刻毒的浅笑：“我会用余生来保护您和这个国度以避免艾卡伯格的侵袭。”
‘Th-thank you, Spittleworth. You are a true friend,’ said the king, deeply moved, and he fumbled to extract a hand from the eiderdown, and clasped that of the cunning lord.
“谢谢，谢谢你，沃斯，你是个真实的朋友。”国王被深深的颤动，他笨手笨脚的从蜷缩的身体里抽脱手，牢牢的捉住了狡猾的爵士的手。
