3 The Knights of the Roand Table

Chapter 3 The Nights of the Round Table A pair of torches dimly lit the drafty entrance hall of the castle. Shadows danced on the worn tapestries. Wait here, said Morgan. I will tell the King of your arrival. She headed through the huge stone archway that led to the great hall. Let's begin, Annie said to Jack. Jack pushed his glasses into place. He and Annie walked quietly over to the big arch and peered in.

第三章 圆桌骑士的夜晚 两支火把昏暗地照着城堡通风的门厅，影子在 破旧的挂毯上晃动。 “在这儿等着，”摩根说，“我去把你们到来的消息告诉国王。” 她穿过通往大殿的巨型石拱门走了进去。 “我们开始吧。”安妮对杰克说。 杰克推了推滑下来的眼镜，和安妮轻手轻脚走到大拱门 朝里面张望。

The ceiling of the great hall towered high above a stone floor. At the far end of the room, King Arthur and his knights were sitting around a huge round table. They all wore brown tunics. They had shaggy hair and beards.

大殿的天花板高耸在石质地板的上方。 在屋子的尽头，亚瑟王和他的骑士们正围坐在一张巨大的圆桌旁。 他们都穿着棕色束腰外衣，头发和胡子都乱蓬蓬的。

Their names were carved in gold letters on the backs of their chairs. The Knights of the Round Table whispered Jack.

他们的名字用金色的字样刻在椅背上。 “是圆桌骑士。”杰克小声说道。

Morgan was talking to King Arthur. Beside the king sat a woman in a plain gray robe. She had pale skin and brown curly hair. Queen Guinevere! whispered Annie. Morgan left the king and Jack and Annie moved quickly back into the shadows. A moment later Morgan appeared. I told the king that two special friends of his have just arrived. She said, Come with me. As they walked with Morgan through the great hall, Jack shivered. The huge room was drafty and damp. There was no fire in the fireplace. The stone floor was so cold that Jack could feel the chill through his sneakers. They stopped near the round table. King Arthur stared at them with his piercing gray eyes. Greetings from Frog Creek! Annie said to the king and queen. Annie bowed and Jack bowed too. The queen smiled but King Arthur did not.

摩根正在和亚瑟王说话，国王身旁坐着一位穿素色灰长袍的女士。 她皮肤白皙，有着棕色的卷发。 “是桂妮薇儿王后！”安妮小声叫道。 摩根离开国王那边，杰克和安妮赶紧躲回阴影里。 过了一小会儿，摩根出现了。 “我跟国王说他的两位特别的朋友刚到。” 她说道：“跟我来。” 跟着摩根穿过大殿的时候，杰克打了个寒颤。 这个大房间通风又潮湿，壁炉里一点火都没有。 石地板冷得厉害，杰克隔着运动鞋都能感觉到寒气。 他们在圆桌旁停了下来，亚瑟王用锐利的灰眼睛盯着他们。 “我们从青蛙溪来，向你们问好！”安妮对国王和王后说。 安妮鞠了一躬，杰克也跟着鞠了一躬。 王后笑了笑，但亚瑟王没有笑。

"'Your Majesty, you remember Jack and Annie,' said Morgan. "'You met them last summer in my library.' "'Indeed. I shall never forget them,' King Arthur said softly. "'Greetings, Annie. Greetings, Jack. How do you come to be in Camelot on this bleak night?' "'We came in the Magic Tree House,' said Annie. A shadow crossed the King's face. He looked at Morgan. "'No, Your Majesty. I did not use my magic to bring them here,' she said. Perhaps a bit of magic still lingers in the Tree House, and it traveled on its own.' "'What's going on?' Jack wondered. Why does King Arthur seem unhappy about the Magic Tree House?' King Arthur looked back at Jack and Annie.

“陛下，您还记得杰克和安妮吧？”摩根说。 “去年夏天您在我的藏书室见过他们。” “当然。” “我永远不会忘记他们。”亚瑟王柔声说道。 “你好啊，安妮。” “你好啊，杰克。” “这么冷的夜晚，你们怎么会来到卡美洛呢？” “我们坐魔法树屋来的。”安妮说。 国王的脸上掠过一丝阴影。 他看向摩根。 “不是的，陛下。” “我没有用魔法把他们带到这儿来。”她说。 “可能树屋里还残留着一点魔力，自己就跑过来了。” “发生什么事了？”杰克心里纳闷。 为什么亚瑟王听到魔法树屋好像不太高兴？ 亚瑟王把视线转回到杰克和安妮身上。

However you have come, you are welcome in my kingdom," he said. He turned to the Queen. Gwynevere, these are the two friends who once gave me hope and courage in a time of need. Queen Gwynevere smiled again, but there was a sad look in her eyes. I have heard much about you, she said. I have heard about you too, said Annie. Allow me to present my knights, said King Arthur. Sir Bors, Sir Kay, Sir Tristram. As the King named each knight, Jack and Annie nodded shyly. The knights nodded at them in return. Jack waited to hear the name Sir Lancelot, the most famous of Camelot's knights, but the King never said it. And finally, Sir Bedevire and Sir Gawain, King Arthur said. The King then turned to three empty chairs at the table. And there, one sat three who are lost to us now, he said. Lost how? wondered Jack. You may sit at their places and join our dinner, King Arthur said.

“不管你们是怎么来的，我的王国都欢迎你们。”他说。 他转向王后。 “桂妮薇儿，就是这两个朋友，曾经在我急需帮助的时候给了我希望和勇气。” 桂妮薇儿王后又笑了笑，但她的眼里带着忧伤。 “我听过好多关于你们的事呢。”她说。 “我也听过好多关于您的事呢。”安妮说。 “我来给你们介绍我的骑士们。”亚瑟王说。 “鲍斯爵士，凯爵士，特里斯坦爵士。” 国王每念到一位骑士的名字，杰克和安妮就害羞地点点头。 骑士们也对着他们点头回礼。 杰克等着听卡美洛最有名的骑士兰斯洛特爵士的名字，可国王一直没说。 “最后，是贝狄威尔爵士和高文爵士。”亚瑟王说。 国王接着转向桌子旁的三张空椅子。 “那儿，本来坐着三位我们现在已经失去的骑士。”他说。 “怎么失去了？”杰克心里嘀咕。 “你们可以坐在他们的位置上，和我们一起用餐。”亚瑟王说。