冰与火之歌系列之《权力的游戏》第20期:第一章 布兰(5)

 So deep in thought was he that he never heard the rest of the party until his father moved up to ride beside him. 太过专注於沉思的他，丝毫没注意到其他队伍赶上自己，百到父亲骑到他身边，

Are you well, Bran? he asked, not unkindly. 语带关切地问道：“布兰，你还好吧？”

Yes, Father, Bran told him. He looked up. “父亲大人，我很好。”布兰应答，他抬头仰望父亲，

Wrapped in his furs and leathers, mounted on his great warhorse, his lord father loomed¹ over him like a giant. 父亲穿著毛皮大衣和皮革护甲，骑在雄骏战马上如同巨人般笼罩住他。

Robb says the man died bravely, but Jon says he was afraid. “罗柏说刚才那个人死得很勇敢，琼恩却说他死的时候很害怕。”

What do you think? his father asked. “你自己怎麽想呢？”他的父亲问道。

Bran thought about it. Can a man still be brave if he's afraid? 布兰寻思片刻後反问：“一个人害怕的时候还能够勇敢麽?”

That is the only time a man can be brave, his father told him. Do you understand why I did it? “一个人唯有在害怕的时候才能够勇敢。”父亲告诉他：“你知道为什麽我要杀他麽？”

He was a wildling, Bran said. They carry off women and sell them to the Others. “因为他是野人，”布兰回答，“他们绑架女人，然後把她们卖给异鬼。”

His lord father smiled. Old Nan has been telling you stories again. 父亲微笑道：“老奶妈又跟你说那些故事了。

In truth, the man was an oathbreaker, a deserter from the Night's Watch. 那人其实是个逃兵，背弃了守夜人的誓言。

No man is more dangerous. The deserter knows his life is forfeit² if he is taken, 世间最危险的人莫过於此，因为他们知道自己一旦被捕，只有死路一条，

so he will not flinch³ from any crime, no matter how vile⁴. But you mistake me. 於是恶向胆边生，再怎麽伤天害理的事也干得出来。不过你误解我的意思了，

The question was not why the man had to die, but why I must do it. 我不是问你他为什麽要死，而是我为何要亲自行刑。”

Bran had no answer for that. King Robert has a headsman, he said, uncertainly. 布兰想不出答案。“我只知道劳勃国王有个刽子手。”他不太确定地说。

He does, his father admitted. As did the Targaryen kings before him. Yet our way is the older way. “他确实是有刽子手代劳，”他父亲承认，“在他之前的坦格利安王朝也是如此。但我们遵循古老的传统，

The blood of the First Men still flows in the veins⁵ of the Starks, 史塔克家的人体内仍流有先民的血液，

and we hold to the belief that the man who passes the sentence should swing the sword. 而我们相信判决死刑的人必须亲自动手。

If you would take a man's life, you owe it to him to look into his eyes and hear his final words. 如果你要取人性命，你至少应该注视他的双眼，聆听他的临终遗言。

And if you cannot bear to do that, then perhaps the man does not deserve to die. 假如做不到这点，那麽或许他罪不致死。”

 

1 loomed   

v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• A dark shape loomed up ahead of us. 一个黑糊糊的影子隐隐出现在我们的前面。
• The prospect of war loomed large in everyone's mind. 战事将起的庞大阴影占据每个人的心。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 forfeit   

vt.丧失；n.罚金，罚款，没收物

参考例句：

• If you continue to tell lies,you will forfeit the good opinion of everyone.你如果继续撒谎，就会失掉大家对你的好感。
• Please pay for the forfeit before you borrow book.在你借书之前请先付清罚款。

3 flinch   

v.畏缩，退缩

参考例句：

• She won't flinch from speaking her mind.她不会讳言自己的想法。
• We will never flinch from difficulties.我们面对困难决不退缩。

4 vile   

adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的

参考例句：

• Who could have carried out such a vile attack?会是谁发起这么卑鄙的攻击呢？
• Her talk was full of vile curses.她的话里充满着恶毒的咒骂。

5 veins   

n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理

参考例句：

• The blood flows from the capillaries back into the veins. 血从毛细血管流回静脉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I felt a pleasant glow in all my veins from the wine. 喝过酒后我浑身的血都热烘烘的，感到很舒服。 来自《简明英汉词典》