14 Retarn

CHAPTER XIV. RETURN. The three knights gazed in wonder at the white stag. "'Here, take this,' Annie said to Jack. She handed him the silver cup, then she slipped off the back of Lancelot's horse and ran to the stag. "'Thanks for coming for us,' she cried, throwing her arms around his neck. The three knights looked at Jack. "'That's the white stag,' said Jack. He brought us here. "'Are you wizards?' Sir Percival asked in a hushed voice.

第十四章 返程 三位骑士惊奇地盯着那只白鹿。 “来，拿着这个。”安妮对杰克说。她把银杯子递给他，然后轻巧地 从兰斯洛特的马背上滑下来，朝着白鹿跑去。 “谢谢你来接我们。”她大叫着伸手环住它的脖子。三位骑士 都看向杰克。 “那就是白鹿，”杰克说，“是它带我们来这儿的。” “你们是巫师吗？”珀西瓦尔爵士压低声音问道。

No, just ordinary kids," said Jack. But I know he's magic. We got here from Camelot in no time at all. I guess he's come to take us back." "'Then you must go with him,' said Sir Lancelot. "'You will have a much faster journey, I can assure you.'" Sir Lancelot held the silver cup as Jack slipped down from the black horse. Then Jack took the cup and carefully climbed onto the back of the stag behind Annie. He held the cup with both hands as the stag stood up. "'Tell King Arthur we will return to Camelot before the first night of the New Year,' said Sir Lancelot. "'Farewell, Jack and Annie,' said Sir Galahad. "'Godspeed,' said Sir Percival. "'Same to you,' said Annie. "'Have a safe trip,' said Jack. The knights solemnly bowed. The white stag blew out a puff of frosty air. Then he started down the mountainside.

“不是哦，我们只是普通小孩。”杰克说。 不过我知道它有魔法。 我们从卡美洛到这儿根本没用多久。 我猜它是来接我们回去的。 “那你们必须跟它走。”兰斯洛特爵士说。 “我保证，你们这趟路会快得多。” 杰克从黑马上滑下来的时候，兰斯洛特爵士扶着银杯子。 接着杰克接过杯子，小心翼翼地爬到白鹿背上安妮的身后。 白鹿站起身的时候，他双手紧紧捧着杯子。 “麻烦告诉亚瑟王，我们会在新年第一晚之前回到卡美洛。” 兰斯洛特爵士说。 “再见啦，杰克，安妮。”加拉哈德爵士说。 “一路顺风。”珀西瓦尔爵士说。 “你们也是哦。”安妮说。 “一路平安。”杰克说。 骑士们郑重地鞠了一躬。 白鹿呼出一口带着霜的白气。 接着它就动身朝山下走去。

When the stag came to the base of the mountain, he took off again like a white comet. The red cloak billowed around Jack and Annie, keeping them warm and safe. The stag dashed across the wintry fields. He ran past quiet stables and thatched huts. He ran past flocks of sheep and herds of goats asleep in meadows. He leaped over frozen streams and stone walls and hedgerows. The stag ran on and on through the starry night, until he brought Jack and Annie back to the dark castle grounds of Camelot. He walked over the frozen grass of the outer courtyard. He came to a halt near the grove below the treehouse. He knelt in the grass and Jack and Annie climbed off his back. Miraculously, the silver cup still brimmed with water from the cauldron. Not a drop had spilled out. We'd better leave the cloak here, said Jack, so I don't trip on it. Jack carefully set the cup on the ground. Annie helped him unbutton the red velvet cloak from around his neck. Then she draped it over the stag's back.

白鹿跑到山脚下的时候，又像一颗白色彗星似的飞奔起来。 红色斗篷在杰克和安妮身边鼓荡着，为他们保暖，护着他们的安全。 白鹿冲过冬日的原野。 它跑过静悄悄的马厩和茅草小屋。 它跑过牧场上沉睡的绵羊群和山羊群。 它跳过结了冰的溪流、石墙还有灌木树篱。 白鹿在星光闪烁的夜色里跑啊跑，终于把杰克和安妮带回了 卡美洛那黑漆漆的城堡领地。 它踩过外院结了霜的草地。 它在树屋下方的小树林旁停了下来。 它跪伏在草地上，杰克和安妮从它背上爬了下来。 神奇的是，银杯子里还满满装着从大锅取来的水。 一滴都没有洒出来。 “我们最好把斗篷留在这儿，”杰克说，“免得我被它绊倒。” 杰克小心翼翼地把杯子放到地上。 安妮帮他解开脖子上那件红色天鹅绒斗篷的扣子。 接着她把斗篷披到了白鹿的背上。

To keep you warm and safe," she whispered to him, "...and thanks for everything." Yeah, thanks, said Jack. Goodbye. The white stag stared at them with his mysterious amber eyes. He nodded once, then he turned and headed into the darkness. Jack picked up the cup. Come on, he said. He started walking quickly through the outer courtyard. Careful, careful, said Annie. I got it, I got it, said Jack. They crossed the drawbridge to the inner courtyard of the castle, then they pushed open the giant arched doors. The Great Hall was just as they had left it, dimly lit and freezing cold. King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, the Knights of the Round Table, and Morgan Le Fay were all still frozen and silent. What do we do now? said Jack.

“这样你就能暖暖和和，平平安安的啦。”她轻声对它说， “……还有，谢谢你为我们做的一切。” “对呀，谢谢你。”杰克说。 再见啦。 白鹿用它那双神秘的琥珀色眼睛望着他们。 它点了一下头，转身走进了黑暗里。 杰克捡起了杯子。 “走吧。”他说。 他开始快步穿过外院。 “小心点，小心点。”安妮说。 “我拿稳了，拿稳了。”杰克说。 他们穿过吊桥来到城堡的内院， 接着推开了巨大的拱形门。 大厅还和他们离开时一模一样，光线昏暗，冷得要命。 亚瑟王、桂妮薇儿王后、圆桌骑士们， 还有摩根·勒·菲都还是一动不动，安安静静地僵在原地。 “我们现在该怎么做？”杰克说。

Let's try putting a drop of water on each of them. Margin first," said Annie. Okay," said Jack. Come on.

我们试试往他们每个人身上滴一滴水吧。 “先给摩根滴。”安妮说。 “好的。”杰克说，“走吧。”

Holding his breath and keeping his eyes on the cup, Jack walked carefully toward the round table. Suddenly his left foot stepped on the shoelace of his right sneaker and he stumbled. Jack! yelled Annie. Jack tried to regain his balance, but it was too late. As he fell to the floor, the silver cup slipped from his hands.

杰克屏住呼吸，眼睛紧紧盯着杯子，小心翼翼地朝着 圆桌走去。突然他的左脚踩到了右脚运动鞋的鞋带，他 绊了一下。 “杰克！”安妮大叫。杰克努力想找回平衡，但已经太晚了。他摔倒的时候 摔到地上，银杯子从他手里滑了出去。