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CHAPTER SEVEN
FIERS AND DEMONS
第七章
残暴与恶魔
What is bravery? Are those who fight in a hopeless cause brave, for they die for their beliefs?
bravery: 勇气 hopeless: 绝望的 brave: 勇敢的 belief: 信仰
什么是勇气？是在绝望中仍勇敢搏斗，为信仰而死？
Are those who run from death brave, for it is easier to die than live?
run: 与…赛跑 death: 死亡 brave: 勇敢的
还是奋力与死亡相搏，虽然求死总比求生容易？
Or is bravery instead pushing aside one’s fear to do what is necessary, be it to live or die?
bravery: 英勇 instead: 代替 push aside: 消除 fear: 恐惧 necessary: 必需的
抑或者英勇只是一种需要，要么拥有它活下去，要么死亡，正如克服恐惧一样？
—Godfrey of Westmarch, Questions
questions: 语录
——Westmarch的Godfrey《语录》
Siggard and Sarnakyle pounded through the streets of Brennor, desperately racing eastwards where the fire burned.
pound: 蹒跚地走 desperately: 拼命地 eastward: 向东的 burn: 燃烧
Siggard和Sarnakyle跌跌撞撞的穿过Brennor的大街小巷，不顾一切的向西边失火的地点赶去。
As he ran, Siggard searched his memory for what was in that section of the town, from the few times he had visited with his father or wife.
search: 搜寻 memory: 记忆 section: 剖面
Siggard回忆着城里各处的布局，短短几分钟他又忆起了他的父亲和妻子。
There was the service entrance to the castle, along with the main barracks and armory . . .
service: 维护 entrance: 入口 castle: 城堡 barrack: 兵营 armory: 兵工厂
兵营和兵工厂那儿有一条通往城堡的仆人专用通道…
A cold chill began to run down Siggard’s back. If the demons destroyed the armory, the town would be lost. Brennor had already been cut off from any new supplies.
chill: 寒意 run down: 往下流 destroy: 摧毁 armory: 兵工厂 cut off: 切断 supply: 供给
Siggard感到脊背上产生了阵阵凉意。如果恶魔摧毁了兵营，城就会失守。Brennor的物资供应早就被切断了。
He cursed and skidded to a stop. They faced a dead end, terminating in a small shop selling wicker baskets.
curse: 诅咒 skid: 滑动刹车 dead end: 死巷 terminate: 尽头 wicker: 柳条 basket: 筐
他心中暗暗诅咒着急停下来。死胡同，尽头是一个卖柳条筐的小商店。
The shop was closed for the night, and a wooden sign hung from the oaken door informing all who could read when it would be opening the next morning.
wooden: 木制的 sign: 招牌 hung: 挂 oaken: 橡木制的 informing: 提供消息的 read:阅读
商店在夜晚已经歇业，一个木牌挂在橡木门外提示人们小店明早还将开门营业。
They whirled about and raced towards a side street. “This place is a labyrinth,” Sarnakyle called.
whirl: 循环而行 side street: 小巷 labyrinth: 迷宫
他们在四周找了一圈后向一条小巷跑去。“这儿就是座迷宫，”Sarnakyle叫道。
“Do your people not plan their towns carefully, so that it is easy to get from place to place?”
plan: 设计 carefully: 认真的
“难道这儿的人们就不好好规划一下，让从一处前往另一处简单些？”
Siggard panted and shook his head. “Most towns just grow in Entsteig. People find a good place and live there.
pant: 气喘吁吁地说 shake: 摇动 grow: 发展
Siggard摇摇头气喘吁吁的说：“Entsteig的城市都是慢慢发展起来的。人们发现了好地方就在那定居。
I’ve heard the capital is even more of a maze than Brennor. There was a left turn back there. If we take that, we should be able to find our way.”
capital: 首都 even: 甚至 maze: 使迷惑
我听说首都的道路比这复杂多了。这后面可以左转，我们就能找到路了。”
His robes and cloak flapping, Sarnakyle shouted, “Right!”
robe: 长袍 cloak: 斗篷 flapping: 摇摆运动 shout: 呼喊
Sarnakyle的斗篷，长袍飘动着，他喊道：“好的！”
They wound their way quickly through the maze of streets and alleys, passing several ladies of the night who barely had time to call out their wares even as the two passed.
wind: 曲折而行 maze: 迷宫 alley: 小巷 ladies of the night: 妓女 barely: 勉强 call out:大声叫喊 ware: 当心
他们快速穿行在迷宫般的街巷中，几位路过的妓女甚至来不及发出“小心”的喊叫。
After several turns, always keeping the plume of smoke in sight, they nearly collided with a fire brigade.
turn: 转弯 plume: 羽毛状 smoke: 烟 collide: 碰撞 fire brigade: 消防队
转过几道弯后，羽状烟雾仍在眼前，他们几乎撞上消防队。
“Damnation,” Siggard muttered. “It’s begun.”
damnation: 该死 mutter: 抱怨
“该死的，”Siggard抱怨道，“已经开始了。”
Siggard and Sarnakyle slowed to walk down the side street, passing the guardsmen. One of the guards turned and called after them to stop, but they both ignored him.
walk down: 沿行 side street: 边道 guardsmen: 卫兵 guard: 守卫 call after: 追在…的后面叫喊 ignored: 忽视
Siggard和Sarnakyle放慢速度，顺着街道走着，超过了守卫。一名卫兵转身叫他们停下，但他们俩都没有理他。
The street emptied out into a small square, where Siggard saw several soldiers crowded into a circle, desperately fighting for their lives.
empty: 空的 square: 广场 several: 几个 soldier: 士兵 crowded: 拥挤在一起的 circle:圆圈 desperately: 拼命地 fight for: 为…而战
街的尽头是一个小空场，Siggard看到空场上几个士兵围成一圈为保护自己而努力搏斗着。
They were surrounded by froglike creatures that appeared strangely indistinct, as though they were here and yet not.
surrounded: 被…围困 froglike: 像青蛙的 creature: 生物 appear: 显得 strangely: 奇怪地 indistinct: 模糊的 as though: 仿佛
他们被青蛙一样的怪物围住。怪物身影模糊，位置飘忽不定。
Behind the battle stood the stone walls of the barracks, fire belching forth from every window to sear the air.
stone wall: 石墙 barrack: 兵营 belch: 喷出 forth: 向外 window: 窗户 sear: 烤焦
战场后是兵营的石墙，火焰从窗子中喷出，烤炙着空气。
Siggard felt rage begin to take hold, and he drew Guthbreoht.
rage: 愤怒 take hold: 充满 draw: 拔出
Siggard怒火中烧，拔出了Guthbreoht。
The sword’s song filled his being, fueling his fury, and he screamed an ancient battle cry whose words were older than the world itself.
fill: 充满 being: 身心 fuel: 点燃 fury: 愤怒 scream: 大叫 ancient: 远古的 battle: 战争 cry: 呼喊
剑的歌声使他身心充盈，点燃了他的怒气。他发出一声远古的战争吼叫，这吼叫甚至比这个世界还要古老。
He rushed into the fray, cutting down one of the demonic things with such force that the monster was sliced in half.
rush: 冲 fray: 冲突 cut down: 砍倒 force: 力气 monster: 怪物 slice: 切片
他冲入战团中，砍倒了一个恶魔。他用力如此之猛以致于将那个怪物劈成了两半。
His sword sang in exaltation as he turned to the next demon, quickly spilling its guts onto the cobbled road.
exaltation: 得意 demon: 恶魔 spill: 使流出 guts: 内脏 cobble: 鹅卵石
当他转身攻击另一个恶魔，划开它肚子使它肠子流了一地时，剑唱的更为得意了。
Had anybody been watching, they would have wondered if he wielded the sword or vice versa.
wonder: 惊叹 wield: 使用 vice: 代替 versa: 反
如果有人看到这一切，他们会惊叹到底他是在使用剑还是剑控制了他。
He heard a shout from Sarnakyle, and a bolt of fire struck behind him. He turned away from the heat to see one of the demons staggering back, its body a living torch.
shout: 呼喊 bolt: 矢 strike: 打击 heat: 热力 demon: 恶魔 staggering: 摇晃欲倒的 torch: 像火炬一样燃烧
他听到了Sarnakyle发出的喊叫，一个火球飞向他身后。他躲开烈焰，看到一个恶魔满身是火，摇摇晃晃的向后倒下。
With a quick thrust Siggard pierced it through, and turned again to barely dodge another demon’s lunge.
thrust: 刺入 pierce: 刺穿 barely: 勉强 dodge: 闪开 lunge: 猛扑
Siggard一剑刺穿了它，回身躲过了另一个恶魔的攻击。
The claws of the thing scraped past him, and Siggard’s blow severed the monster’s spine.
claw: 爪子 scrape: 擦伤 blow: 打击 sever: 切断 spine: 脊柱
怪物的爪子在他身边划过，Siggard奋力斩断了怪物的脊椎。
He looked to see the soldiers forming into a shield wall and charging. His frantic attack had distracted at least half of the demons, giving the guardsmen a chance to rally.
soldier: 士兵 form into: 组成 shield wall: 盾墙 charge: 攻击 frantic: 狂暴的 distract:分心 at least: 至少 demon: 恶魔 guardsmen: 卫兵 rally: 重整
他看到士兵们组成盾墙准备反击。他狂暴的攻击转移了至少半数恶魔的注意力，也给了守卫重组战队的机会。
Two of the monsters fell to the soldiers’ swinging blades, but the melee was not without a cost.
monster: 怪物 fall: 倒下 swing: 挥舞 melee: 混战 cost: 代价
两个怪物倒在士兵挥舞的剑锋下，但混战并非没有代价。
One of the guards went down, clutching at his gaping throat as his lifeblood poured out in a scarlet rush to stain the ground crimson.
guard: 守卫 clutch: 抓紧 gape: 裂开 throat: 喉咙 lifeblood: 鲜血 pour: 流出 scarlet:深红色的 rush: 急流 stain: 染色 crimson: 深红色
一名守卫倒下了，他紧紧捂住颈部的伤口，但鲜血仍喷涌而出，染红了地面。
Siggard began to work his way towards the wall, suddenly realizing that if he didn’t join the other soldiers, he could be surrounded and killed.
toward: 朝 suddenly: 突然地 realize: 察觉 join: 加入 soldier: 士兵 surround: 包围
Siggard向着盾墙杀开一条血路，他猛然间意识到他如果不与其他士兵联手，他将被围攻致死。
Two more creatures fell to his sword, Guthbreoht’s song becoming stronger with each demonic life it took.
creature: 生物 fall: 倒下 sword: 剑 become: 变得 strong: 有力的
又有两个怪物倒在他的剑下，Guthbreoht每杀死一个恶魔，它的歌声就变得更加有力。
Just before he reached the advancing shield wall, he felt an evil presence behind him.
reach:到达 advance: 推进 shield wall: 盾墙 evil: 邪恶的 presence: 存在
在他就要冲到盾墙的时候，他感到身后有股邪灵之力。
He reversed his grip and struck, feeling the sword pass through flesh and bone, but when he turned to look he saw that the steel impaled thin air.
reverse: 倒转 grip: 紧握 strike: 刺入 pass through: 刺穿 flesh: 肉 bone: 骨头 steel:剑 impale: 刺穿 thin: 稀薄的 air: 空气
他将剑刺向身后，感到剑锋穿过了皮肉与骨头，但当他转过身去看时，却发现剑插在了稀薄的空气中。
An ichorous blood began to run from the blade, and one of the creatures slowly started to appear, Guthbreoht transfixed in its neck.
ichorous: 腐液的 blood: 血液 run: 流淌 blade: 剑锋 creature: 生物 appear: 显现 transfix: 刺穿 neck: 脖子
浊液般的血开始顺着剑锋向下流淌，一只怪物缓缓现身，Guthbreoht正插在它的颈上。
Siggard wrenched the sword clear, levering off the demon’s head.
wrench: 猛扭 sword: 剑 lever: 撬开
Guthbreoht正插在它的颈上。 Siggard猛扭宝剑，撬飞了恶魔的头。
And then the shield wall overtook and engulfed him, and he took his place at its head. The soldiers continued to advance, cutting down every demon in their path.
shield wall: 盾墙 overtake: 赶上 engulf: 覆盖 soldier: 士兵 continue: 继续 advance:前进 cut down: 杀死 demon: 恶魔 path: 道路
随后盾墙接纳并护住他，他站在了队伍的最前列。士兵们继续前进，杀死行进路线上的每一个恶魔。
With Siggard in their ranks, they had become unstoppable, his sword destroying a monster with every stroke.
ranks: 队伍 unstoppable: 势不可挡的 destroy: 杀死 monster: 怪物 strike: 打击
Siggard加入战队后，他们所向披靡，他每一击都能杀死一个怪物。
Several bolts of lightning struck down from the sky, killing the last of the demons.
several: 几个 bolt: 雷电 lightning: 闪电 strike: 打击
几道电光从天而降，杀死了仅剩的几个恶魔。
Siggard turned to see Sarnakyle nearly staggering from exertion, his face a sweaty mask. The wizard was reaching towards the heavens, and where he pointed a small cloud had formed.
staggering: 蹒跚的 exertion: 费力 sweaty: 满是汗的 wizard: 法师 heaven: 天堂 form:形成
Siggard转身看到Sarnakyle近乎蹒跚的吃力走着，他的脸上满是汗水。召唤那片雷雨云已经耗干了法师的力量，他现在看上去随时都会接受天堂的召唤。
Finally, Sarnakyle lowered his hand, the thunderhead above vanishing into a bluish mist.
lower: 降低 thunderhead: 雷暴云团 vanishing: 消失 bluish: 淡蓝的 mist: 雾
最后，他放下手，闪着雷暴的云团消散成了一阵青雾。
Even as the firemen rushed past them, the captain of the guard, a large mustached man with a slight limp, stepped up to Siggard.
firemen: 消防员 captain: 队长 guard: 守卫 mustache: 胡子 slight: 无力的 limp: 跛行 step up: 走近
在消防员从他们身边飞奔而过的时候，大胡子的护卫队队长一瘸一拐的走向Siggard。
“Sir, I thank you. If it hadn’t been for you, they would have destroyed us and burnt down the armory.”
destroy: 杀死 burnt down: 烧毁 armory: 兵工厂
“谢谢你，先生。要不是你，它们也许已经杀死我们并且烧毁兵工厂了。”
“So long as the armory is safe,” Siggard said, feeling the exhaustion as the adrenaline left his system.
so long as: 只要 armory: 兵工厂 exhaustion: 疲惫 adrenaline: 肾上腺素 system: 身体
“只要兵工厂安全就好。”Siggard说。他觉得他累得仿佛已经耗尽了肾上腺素。
He stepped over to one of the dead soldiers and said a small prayer, then wiped his sword clean on the body’s tabard.
step over: 跨过 soldier: 士兵 prayer: 祷告 wipe: 擦拭 tabard: 纹章战袍
他走过一位死去的士兵，轻声祈祷着。然后他在那人的战袍上擦净了剑上的血。
He didn’t know if blood would rust a blade forged by Velund, but he didn’t want to take any risks.
blood: 血液 rust: 使…生锈 forge: 锻造的 risk: 风险
他不清楚Velund锻造的剑是否会因沾血而生锈，但他不想冒这个风险。
Strangely, the edge was not dulled at all, as though he had been cutting through cloth rather than flesh and bone.
strangely: 奇怪地 edge: 剑刃 dull: 钝的 cut through: 切开 rather: 相当 flesh: 肉 bone: 骨头
很奇怪，剑刃一点也不钝，切开布料比刺穿骨肉还要快。
He sheathed Guthbreoht and sat on a wooden bench at the edge of the square, watching as the bucket brigade formed and dashed water on the billowing flames.
sheathe: 入鞘 wooden: 木制的 bench: 长凳 edge: 边缘 square: 广场 bucket: 水桶 brigade: 组 dash:泼溅 billowing: 翻滚的 flame: 火焰
他将Guthbreoht收回鞘中，坐在空场边的木头长凳上看着一桶桶水不断的泼洒在烈焰上。
Sarnakyle walked over and sat beside him. “Given the clear skies, I didn’t know if that lightning spell would work. I’m glad it did.”
walk over: 走过 lightning: 闪电 spell: 咒语 glad: 高兴的
Sarnakyle走过来坐在他身旁。“要是天空晴朗，我就不知道电系法术能不能奏效了。幸亏法术还能用。”
Siggard patted the wizard on the back. “You did well, my friend.”
pat: 轻拍 wizard: 法师
Siggard轻轻拍着法师的后背：“干得漂亮，朋友。”
“Do you suppose the steward will allow us to see the earl now?”
suppose: 认为 steward: 管家 allow: 允许 earl: 伯爵
“你觉得现在管家会允许我们见伯爵了吗？”
Siggard raised his head and surveyed the square. The firemen continued to pour bucket after bucket into the rising flames and choking smoke.
raise: 升高 survey: 审视 firemen: 消防员 pour: 倾泻 bucket: 水桶 rising: 上升的 flame: 火焰 choking:窒息的 smoke: 烟
Siggard抬头向空场看了看。消防员还在一桶接一桶的向火焰和浓烟泼水。
“They won’t be able to put it out, will they?” Siggard mused, wrinkling his nose at the acrid smell.
put out: 扑灭 muse: 沉思 wrinkling: 起皱 nose: 鼻子 acrid: 辛辣的 smell: 气味
“他们没法扑灭它，不是吗？”Siggard吸进了些刺激性的烟，他皱了皱鼻翼，若有所思。
Sarnakyle shook his head. “It is too far gone. I only hope that nobody was trapped inside.”
shake: 摇动 trap: 陷入困境
Sarnakyle摇头道：“还差的远。但愿没人被困在里面。”
“We should probably help.”
probably: 或许
“我们也许帮的上忙。”
“Probably.”
probably: 或许
“没准。”
“In a moment.”
in a moment: 马上
“现在。”
“Yes,” the wizard agreed, wiping the sweat from his brow. “Once we’re rested.”
wizard: 法师 wipe: 擦拭 sweat: 汗 brow: 额头
“好的。”法师擦了擦额头的汗，赞同道，“除非有人强迫我们休息。”
Two more people entered the square, both wearing tunics of office and rich cloaks.
enter: 进入 square: 广场 wearing: 穿着 tunic: 束衣 rich: 华丽的 cloak: 斗篷
又有两个披着华丽斗篷，穿着官员制服的人来到了广场。
One, a tall red-bearded figure, wore an ornamental mace at his side. The other was shorter and rotund.
bearded: 有胡须的 figure: 外貌 wear: 佩带着 ornamental: 装饰的mace: 权杖rotund: 圆胖的
那个高个儿蓄着红色胡须，身旁佩戴着一根装饰用权杖。另一个矮些的人则有些肥胖。
They talked to the captain of the guard for a moment, who pointed first at several of the monstrous bodies lying on the ground and then at Siggard and Sarnakyle.
captain: 队长 guard: 守卫 point: 指着 several: 几个 monstrous: 怪物的 lie: 躺着
他们与护卫队队长交谈了一会，队长先指了指地上的怪物尸体，又向Siggard和Sarnakyle指了指。
They spoke a few words more, then the two newcomers strode towards the weary pair.
newcomer: 新来的人 stride: 大步走 toward: 朝 weary: 疲倦的 pair: 一对
他们又说了几句，然后刚来的两个人便大步向那两个疲倦的家伙走去。
Siggard sighed in frustration when he realized that the first man was Hunfrith.
sigh: 叹气 frustration: 失望 realize: 察觉
当Siggard认出其中一个人是Hunfrith的时候十分失望。
He didn’t recognize the second man, though. As they approached, Siggard stood, Sarnakyle following his lead.
recognize: 认识 approach: 靠近
不过他并不认识另一个人。他们走近时，Siggard站了起来，Sarnakyle也站了起来。
“These are the men who sought an audience with me earlier today?” the strange man asked Hunfrith.
sought: 寻求 audience: 召见 strange: 陌生的
“这就是早些时候想与我会面的人？”陌生人问Hunfrith。
The steward nodded, and Siggard realized who the tall man was.
steward: 管家 nod: 点头 realize: 察觉
管家点点头，Siggard立刻就明白了高个男人的身份。
“It is an honor to meet you, your lordship,” Siggard said, bowing. “Siggard of Bear’s Hill and Sarnakyle of Kehjistan, at your service.”
honor: 荣誉 lordship: 大人 bow: 鞠躬 at your service: 乐意效劳
“见到您是我的荣幸，伯爵大人。”Siggard鞠了一躬，说道，“从Bear's hill 来的Siggard和来自Kehjistan的Sarnakyle愿为您效劳。”
“From what Captain Hagan has told me, I owe both of you several debts of gratitude,” Earl Tilgar said.
captain: 队长 owe: 欠 debt: 债务 gratitude: 感激之情 earl: 伯爵
“从Hagan队长讲的情况来看，我可欠你们一笔人情债了。”Tilgar伯爵说。
“You may have saved our town. You may have however many rings you wish from my treasury.”
save: 拯救 ring: 戒指 treasury: 宝库
“你们拯救了我们的城镇，我甚至应该授予你我的宝库中任意一枚你想要的戒指。”
“We have more important matters,” Sarnakyle stated. “This town may be under siege by a powerful demon within a matter of days. We request an audience so that we may tell you what we know.”
matter: 事件 state: 说 siege: 围攻 powerful: 强大的 demon: 恶魔 request: 请求 audience: 召见
“我们还有更重要的事情。”Sarnakyle说道，“要不了几天这座城市也许就会被一个力量超凡的恶魔围攻。我们要求会见您以便将我们所知的告诉您。”
Tilgar nodded. “I will see you at midday tomorrow. Come to my castle, tell the guards your names, and they will bring you to me.
nod: 点头 midday: 正午 castle: 城堡 guard: 守卫
Tilgar点点头：“明天中午会面，来我的城堡，告诉卫兵你们的名字，他们会带你们来见我。
Hunfrith will take care of any arrangements. If you will excuse me, there are several things I must do now.”
arrangement: 安排 excuse: 原谅
Hunfrith负责安排所有事宜。很抱歉，我现在还有些要紧事。”
Siggard and Sarnakyle both bowed as the earl turned and walked back to the captain of the guard. Hunfrith remained and wrung his hands uneasily.
bow: 鞠躬 earl: 伯爵 captain: 队长 guard: 守卫 remain: 逗留 wring: 扭 uneasily:不安地
Siggard和Sarnakyle都鞠了一躬，伯爵转身向护卫队队长走去。Hunfrith没走，他两只手不安的绞来绞去。
“I believe I owe both of you a grave apology,” the steward said.
owe: 欠 grave: 庄重的 apology: 道歉 steward: 管家
“实在是对不起，”管家说。
“Please pardon me. We have heard many strange stories about the death of the old earl and prince, and it is easy to be suspicious.”
pardon: 原谅 strange: 奇怪的 death: 死亡 earl: 伯爵 prince: 王子 suspicious: 怀疑的
“请原谅我。我听说了太多关于老伯爵和王子的死的离奇故事，因此很容易对你们产生怀疑。”
“I understand,” Siggard said. “I too have witnessed many things that I would not have believed a year ago.”
understand: 理解 witness: 目击
“我能理解。”Siggard说，“我也目击了许多以前我不相信的事情。”
“I will see you both tomorrow then,” Hunfrith said, bowing. “It would be good decorum to wear your finest. The earl is a royal cousin, and there are matters of politics to be aware of.”
bow: 鞠躬 decorum: 礼仪 wear: 穿着 finest: 最好的 earl: 伯爵 royal: 皇家的 cousin: 表亲 politic: 慎重的 aware of: 知道
“那么我们明天见，”Hunfrith向他们鞠躬，说道，“穿上你们最好的衣服，这是很好的礼节。伯爵是皇族的血亲，有很多礼仪要注意。”
With that, Hunfrith returned to the earl. Sarnakyle shrugged to Siggard, and the two strode back through the winding streets to their inn.
with that: 随即 return: 返回 earl: 伯爵 shrug: 耸肩 stride: 大步走 winding: 蜿蜒的 inn: 旅店
说完，Hunfrith转身走回伯爵身边。Sanrakyle冲Siggard耸耸肩，然后两人便顺着曲曲折折的小巷回到了他们的旅店。
When they reached their room, Siggard removed his cloak, sword, and tunic, fell onto the bed, and within moments was in a blessedly dreamless sleep.
reach: 抵达 remove: 脱掉 cloak: 斗篷 tunic: 上衣 fall: 倒下 within: 不出 blessedly:幸福地 dreamless: 无梦的
他们回到房间，Siggard便脱下了他的长袍，上衣，摘下宝剑，倒在床上，不一会便沉沉的睡着了，没有再做恶梦。
作者：Robert B. Marks 翻译：生物学教授
解析：Wayne 编辑：Wayne
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