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Chapter 3 The King goes to his coronation
第3章 國王加冕
I do not know how long I was asleep，but when I woken I was cold and wet．Sapt and Fritz stood there looking at me．'We had to wake you，'Sapt said．'Gold water was the only way．'
我不知道自己睡了多長時間，醒來時我發覺又冷又濕。薩普特和弗里茨站在那兒看著我。“我們得弄醒你，”薩普特說，“涼水是唯一的辦法。”
Fritz took my arm and turned me round．'Look！'he said．
弗里茨抓住我的胳膊讓我轉過身：“你看，”他說。
The King was on the floor，and when Sapt pushed him with his foot，he did not move．
國王在地板上。薩普特用腳碰他，但是他不動。
'We've been trying to wake him for half an hour，'said Fritz．'But he's sleeping like a dead man．'
“我們一直在想弄醒他，都有半個小時了。”弗里茨說，“可他睡得像死人一樣。”
The three of us looked at each other．
我們三人你看看我，我看看你。
'Was there something in that last bottle of wine？'I asked．
“最后那瓶酒里有什么東西吧？”
'I don't know，'Sapt said，'but if be doesn't get to his coronation today，there'll never be a coronation for him．
“我不知道。”薩普特說，“不過假如他今天不去加冕，他就永遠別想有另一個加冕典禮。
All Ruritania is waiting for him in Strelsau and Black Michael with half the army，too．We can't tell them that the King is too drunk to go to his own coronation！'
所有的盧里塔尼亞人都在斯特萊索等著他。黑邁克爾也在那兒，還帶著一半兒軍隊。我們沒法告訴他們國王醉得太厲害，參加不了自己的加冕大典。”
'You can say he's ill，' I said．
“你可以說他病了。”我說。
'Ill！'Sapt laughed angrily．'Everybody will know what that means．He's been“ill”too many times before．'
“病了！”薩普特冷笑道，“誰都知道病了是什么意思。他以前已經病得太多了。”
'Tell me，do you think somebody put something in his wine？'I asked．
“告訴我，你們想會不會有人把什么東西放在他的酒里了？”我問。
'It was Black Michael！'Fritz replied．'We all know he wants to be King himself．'
“是黑邁克爾干的！”弗里茨回答，“我們都知道他自己想當國王。”
For a moment or two we were all silent，and then Sapt looked at me，'You must go to Strelsau and take his place！'
有那么一會兒我們都沒說話，然后薩普特看著我，“你必須去斯特萊索代替他。”
I stared at him．'You're crazy，man！How can I do that？The King…'
我緊緊盯著他，“你瘋了！我怎么能干這個！國王他……”
'It's dangerous，I know，'said Sapt．'But it's our only chance．If you don't go，Black Michael will be King and the real king will be dead or a prisoner．'
“這很危險，我明白，”薩普特說，“但這是我們唯一的機會，要是你不去的話，黑邁克爾就會成為國王，而真正的國王就會死去或者成為一名囚徒。”
How could I refuse？It took me two minutes to decide．
我怎么能拒絕呢？我想了兩分鐘就下了決心。
'I'll go！'I said．
“我去！”我說。
'Well done，boy！'cried Sapt．He went on quickly and quietly．'After the coronation they'll take us to the palace for the night．
“太好了，小伙子！”薩普特叫道。他快速而小聲地說下去，“大典之后，他們會帶我們去王宮過夜，
When we're alone，you and I will leave and ride back here to fetch the King．He'll be all right by then．
等到就剩我們的時候，你和我騎馬回來接國王。他那時就沒事了。
