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LESSON 32 The Saxon and the Gael
第三十二課 撒克遜人和蓋爾人
The Chief in silence strode before,
酋長悶聲不語，大步向前走，
And reached that torrent's sounding shore,
來到滾滾河水的岸邊，
Which, daughter of three mighty lakes，
那是三個大湖匯成的河，
From Vennachar in silver breaks,
從惟那恰銀白色的斷巖中流出，
Sweeps through the plain and ceaseless mines
流經平原和博卡斯托
On Bochastle the mouldering lines,
到處崩塌的礦山，
Where Rome, the empress of the world,
那里曾是世界征服者
Of yore her eagle-wings unfurled.
羅馬人的天下。
And here his course the Chieftain stayed,
酋長在這里停下，
Threw down his target and his plaid,
他在這里表明他的目標，
And to the Lowland warrior said:
對蘇格蘭低地的將士們說：
"Bold Saxon! to his promise just,“
勇敢的撒克遜人！為了承諾過的公平，
Vich-Alpine has discharged his trust.
我們已經得到了高地人的信任。
This murderous Chief, this ruthless man,
這個好殺、無情的人，
This head of a rebellious clan,
這個叛逆家族的首領，
Hath led thee safe through watch and ward,
他日夜守衛保證你們的安全，
Far past Clan-Alpine's outmost guard.
他的防衛工作比克蘭阿爾派恩山上的要好得多。
Now, man to man, and steel to steel,
現在，我們要短兵相接了，
A Chieftain's vengeance thou shalt feel!
你就要感受到一個酋長的復仇了！
See here, all vantageless I stand,
看，我站在這里
Armed, like thyself, with single brand:
和你們一樣，全副武裝
For this is Coilantogle ford,
因為這里是柯蘭拖歌渡口，
And thou must keep thee with thy sword."
你們必須緊隨我之后。“
The Saxon paused:—"I ne'er delayed,
撒克遜人停頓了一下，說：——“當敵人前來，”
When foeman bade me draw my blade;
我會毫不遲疑拔劍；
Nay, more, brave Chief, I vowed thy death;
不僅如此，勇敢的酋長，我們用生命對你起誓；
Yet sure thy fair and generous faith,
我們不懷疑您公正的信仰，
And my deep debt for life preserved,
我的生命中欠有重債，
A better meed have well deserved:
應該得到更好的獎勵：
Can nought but blood our feud atone?
我們只有用鮮血來贖罪嗎？
Are there no means—?" "No, Stranger, none?
沒有辦法了嗎？“”不，沒有了
And hear,—to fire thy flagging zeal,—
聽著，——不要萎靡不振，
The Saxon cause rests on thy steel;
你們手中的劍決定撒克遜的命運；
For thus spoke Fate, by prophet bred
預言家們所說的命運
Between the living and the dead:
在生與死之間：
'Who spills the foremost foeman's life,‘
誰能殺死敵軍統帥，
His party conquers in the strife.'
"—誰就能在這場戰爭中取勝。“
"Then, by my word," the Saxon said,“
那么，要我說，“撒克遜人說，
"The riddle is already read.“
謎底已經揭曉。
Seek yonder brake beneath the cliff,—
去那邊的山崖下，——
There lies Red Murdoch, stark and stiff
那里躺著身體僵硬的雷德·默多克
Thus Fate has solved her prophecy;
命運已經解答了她的預言；
Then yield to Fate, and not to me.
那么向命運低頭吧，而不要向我低頭。
