提示：网站右上角“在线笔记本”可以保存文字信息(好的单词，短语，句子等等) 
CHAPTER EIGHT
WARNINGS
第八章
警报
It is possible to have freedom, and it is possible to have peace.
possible: 可能的 freedom: 自由 peace: 和平
自由与和平并不难取得。
It is rare to have both.
rare: 罕见的
难的是两者兼得。
—Dil’Gerran of Kehjistan, Sayings of the Northmen
saying: 谚语 northmen: 北方的
——Kehjistan的Dil'Gerran《北部谚语》
Siggard was up at the crack of dawn. He rose from the bed and opened the shutters to watch the town come to life.
crack: 瞬间 dawn: 黎明 rise: 起身 shutter: 百叶窗
黎明即将到来的时候，Siggard醒了过来。他从床上爬起来打开百叶窗，看着城镇又恢复了生机。
First the merchants began to open their shops, and then the apprentices came out,
merchant: 商人 apprentice: 学徒 come out: 出来
第一位商人出现了，他打开了商铺，学徒也走了出来，
buying the items their masters would need to go about their business, cleaning out windows, and preparing the displays.
item: 物品 master: 师父 business: 生意 clean out: 把…打扫干净 window: 窗户 prepare: 准备 display: 陈列
有的去买他们师父做活需要的东西，有的擦亮了橱窗，还有的在布置陈设。
The street peddlers arrived next, jockeying for position to hock the passersby.
peddler: 摊贩 jockey: 调整 position: 位置 passersby: 行人
街头小贩也来了，小贩们摆好摊子吆喝着自己的商品。
After them came the retainers of the minor nobles’ houses in the city, and the streets filled with the sounds of vendors calling out their wares.
retainer: 仆人 minor: 级别低的 noble: 贵族 fill: 充满 vendor: 小贩 call out: 大声喊叫 ware: 货物
随后低等贵族的仆人也走出了房子来到街上。街市上充斥着小贩们的叫卖声。
From Siggard’s few trips to Brennor, he knew that this was just the surface.
trip: 旅行 surface: 表面
从Siggard仅有的到Brennor的经历来看，他清楚这一切不过是表面现象。
Inside, the blacksmiths would begin to forge iron and steel, and bladesmiths would prepare new arms and armor for the city guard.
blacksmith: 铁匠 forge: 打铁 iron: 铁 steel: 钢 bladesmith: 武器师 prepare: 准备 arms: 武器 armor: 盔甲 guard: 保卫
在房子里，铁匠开始锤打钢铁，而武器商们则为保卫城市准备着新的武器与护甲。
There were also illuminators who would even now be drawing new illustrations on their manuscripts, artisans creating tapestries, bards composing the next saga of Arkaine,
illuminator: 学者 draw: 绘制 illustration: 插图 manuscript: 手稿 artisan: 工匠 tapestry: 挂毯 bard: 吟游诗人 compose: 创作 saga: 传说
学者们可能正在为他们的新书绘制插图，匠人们则在编织挂毯，吟游诗人在创作Arkaine新的传奇故事，
and any number of other artists and master craftsmen plying their trades.
artist: 手艺人 master: 师傅 craftsmen: 技工 ply: 经营 trade: 贸易
数不清的工匠和手艺人们正在为生意而奔波。
With a start, Siggard realized that it was not just a fortified town that hung in the balance, it was an entire civilization.
with a start: 猛然 realize: 察觉 fortify: 设防 hung: 吊 balance: 天平 entire: 整个的 civilization: 文明
Siggard猛地意识到它不仅仅是一座安危未定的坚固石堡，它更象征着整个文明。
He turned away from the window to see Sarnakyle beginning to stir, wiping his hands on his white underrobe.
turn away: 转过脸去 stir: 苏醒 wipe: 擦拭 underrobe: 内袍
他离开窗边，看到Sarnakyle醒了，双手在内袍上摩挲着。
Once the wizard was up and about, they would go to the castle and seek their audience with Earl Tilgar. Before that, though, they would have to be ready.
wizard: 法师 castle: 城堡 seek: 寻求 audience: 会面 earl: 伯爵
只要法师精神恢复后，他们就能去城堡请求会见Tilgar伯爵。不过在此之前他们必须先做好准备。
Siggard picked up his tunic and frowned. The once-gray shirt had become covered with brown bloodstains.
pick up: 拾起 tunic: 上衣 frown: 皱眉 shirt: 衬衫 cover: 覆盖 brown: 棕色的 bloodstain: 血迹
Siggard拾起上衣，他皱了皱眉。这件灰色衬衫已经沾满了棕色的血迹。
He would be able to wear it while he bought a new one, but it would certainly not serve when he went to see Earl Tilgar.
wear: 穿着 certainly: 无疑地 serve: 适合 earl: 伯爵
他去买件新衬衣之前还能穿一阵，但肯定不能穿着它去见Tilgar伯爵。
He watched Sarnakyle blink the sleep out of his eyes and sighed. There was so much to do, and so little time.
blink: 眨眼 sigh: 叹气
他在一旁看着，Sarnakyle挤了挤眼睛摆脱睡意，这才睁开了双眼。事情太多，时间太少。
They were able to find Siggard some new clothes at a shop close to the inn.
inn: 旅店 clothes: 衣服
他们在旅店附近的一家商店为Siggard买了些新衣服。
Once again, he found himself dressed in a gray tunic and black cloak, but of a much finer cut than he had worn before.
dress: 穿着 tunic: 上衣 cloak: 斗篷 finer: 好的 cut: 剪裁 wear: 穿
他又一次穿上了灰上衣和黑色斗篷，不过这些衣服比他以前穿的剪裁要好得多。
Sarnakyle not only happily paid for it all, telling Siggard that it was the least he could do for somebody who had lost so much, but also handed him a small jingling coin purse.
pay: 付款 least: 最少的 hand: 交给 jingling: 叮当响的 coin: 钱币 purse: 钱包
Sarnakyle不仅高高兴兴的付了钱，告诉Siggard他至少能为一个已经失去这么多的人做些什么，而且还递给他一只小小的，钱币在里面叮当作响的钱包。
Although Siggard couldn’t be sure, it seemed that there was something more on Sarnakyle’s mind, but the wizard revealed nothing to him.
seem: 似乎 wizard: 法师 reveal: 透露
看起来似乎Sarnakyle还有些心事，但法师什么也没说。
Sarnakyle wore his usual reddish robes and cloak. Siggard wondered for a moment if he would ever see the man dressed in any other color, but then dismissed the thought as unimportant.
wear: 穿 reddish: 红色的 robe: 长袍 cloak: 斗篷 wonder: 想知道 dress: 穿着 dismiss: 不再考虑 thought: 想法 unimportant: 不重要的
Sarnakyle穿着他平时穿的红色外衣和斗篷。 Siggard花了点时间回忆他是否见过这个男人穿其它颜色的衣服，但很快他就放弃了这个不重要的想法。
They ate a light breakfast of milk and freshly baked bread at a local bakery, and then made their way to the castle. By the time they got there, the sun was high in a cloudless sky.
light: 清淡的 freshly: 新鲜的 bake: 烤 bread: 面包 bakery: 面包店 castle: 城堡 cloudless: 晴朗的
他们简单的在面包店里要了些刚出炉的面包，喝了些牛奶，就算吃过了早餐，然后便向城堡走去。他们到达时，太阳已高悬在了晴朗的天空。
They gave their names to the guard, a massive man bearing Earl Tilgar’s crimson colors.
guard: 守卫 massive: 大块的 bear: 带有 earl: 伯爵 crimson: 深红色的
他们向一名穿着Tilgar伯爵那样的鲜红色外衣的大块头守卫报了姓名。
Siggard could only assume that he was part of Tilgar’s housecarls, the earl’s personal warband, rather than the city guard.
assume: 设想 housecarl: 侍卫 earl: 伯爵 personal: 私人的 warband: 卫队 guard: 守卫
Siggard猜测他是Tilgar的侍卫，属于伯爵的私人军队而不是城市护卫。
The guard passed a message inside, and very quickly Siggard and Sarnakyle were greeted by Hunfrith, who led them deep into the castle.
guard: 守卫 greet: 迎接 lead: 带领 deep: 深的 castle: 城堡
守卫向里面通报了一声。很快Hunfrith就出来迎接Siggard和Sarnakyle，并领着他们向城堡深处走去。
They were taken up several flights of stairs to a bright office where Earl Tilgar and three soldiers were waiting.
take up: 从事 several: 几个 flight: 阶段 stair: 楼梯 bright: 明亮的 office: 办公室 earl: 伯爵soldier: 士兵
他们走上几级台阶，进入了一间明亮的办公室，那里Tilgar伯爵和三名士兵正在等着他们。
A large table stood in the center of the room, several maps spread across its oaken surface.
stand in: 位于 center: 中央 map: 地图 spread: 摊开 spread across: 铺满 oaken: 橡木制的 surface: 表面
屋子中央是一张大橡木桌子，上面摊着几张地图。
From the window Siggard could easily see the battlements and towers of the castle and town walls.
window: 窗户 battlement: 城垛 tower: 塔楼 castle: 城堡
从窗口Siggard可以清楚的看到城堡的城垛与塔楼，还有城镇的高墙。
“I am glad you are both here,” Tilgar said. “Don’t bother to bow; this is a war council, and I understand there is very little time. Please allow me to introduce you to my companions.”
glad: 高兴的 bother: 费心 bow: 鞠躬 council: 会议 allow: 允许 introduce: 介绍 companion: 助手
“你们两位能来到这里我感到很荣幸，”Tilgar说，“不必行礼；这是一次战时会议，我很清楚我们没有多少时间了。请允许我向你们介绍一下我的助手。”
He pointed at the first man, dressed in a deep blue, who Siggard remembered from the battle outside the barracks. “Captain Hagan, who commands the city guard.”
point: 指着 dress: 穿着 deep blue: 深蓝色 remember: 记得 battle: 战斗 barrack: 兵营 captain: 队长 command: 管辖 guard: 防卫
他指着一位穿深蓝色战袍的人，Siggard忆起他曾在兵营外的战斗中见过他。“Hagan队长，负责城市防务。”
He pointed at the second man, a red-bearded warrior who wore Tilgar’s personal colors. “Wulfgar, the commander of my housecarls.”
beard: 胡须 warrior: 战士 wear: 穿着 personal: 私人的 commander: 指挥官 housecarl: 侍卫
他指着另一位留着红色胡须，穿着Tilgar私人卫队制服的人，介绍道：“Wulfgar，我的卫队指挥官。”
Finally, he pointed at the third man, a wiry gentleman in royal purple. “Guthwulf, the commander of the King’s men stationed here.”
point: 指着 wiry: 健壮的 gentleman: 绅士 royal: 皇家的 purple: 紫色 commander: 指挥官 station: 驻地
他指了指最后那个穿着紫色皇家战袍的彪悍绅士：“Guthwulf，驻扎在此地的国王卫队分队的指挥官。”
“A pleasure to meet you all,” Siggard said, bowing just in case. As he rose, he noticed a look of approval from Guthwulf.
bow: 鞠躬 just in case: 以防万一 rise: 起身 notice: 注意 approval: 赞许
“很高兴见到你们，”Siggard说着，还是鞠了躬。他起身时注意到Guthwulf正赞许的看着他。
Tilgar pointed to the map. “It has now been a week and a half since we have had any word from the villages around the seat of Brennor, and our scouts have yet to report.
point: 指着 a week and a half: 一周半 word: 消息 village: 村庄 seat: 所在地 scout:侦查员 report: 报告
Tilgar指着地图：“我们已经有十天没有收到来自Brennor周边村庄的任何消息了，侦察兵也还未发回报告。
Our supplies are now running low, and we have perhaps a reserve of one month before people start starving. I understand that Siggard and Sarnakyle have information pertaining to this?”
supply: 补给 run low: 短缺 reserve: 储备 starve: 挨饿 understand: 获悉 information:情报 pertaining: 有关系的
供给正在减少，也许一个月以后就会出现饥荒。我听说Siggard和Sarnakyle有相关情报?”
Siggard nodded and stepped forward. “Your lordship, I fear that there is little or no relief coming. The settlements that supply the town have been destroyed by a demonic army.”
nod: 点头 step: 行走 forward: 向前的 your lordship: 大人 fear: 恐怕 relief: 缓解 settlement: 居留地 supply: 供给 destroy: 摧毁 demonic: 恶魔的 army: 军队
Siggard点点头向前迈了一步。“伯爵大人，我恐怕现状不会有所缓和。能向城市提供物资的定居点已经被恶魔军队所摧毁。”
Hunfrith raised his hand. “I will vouch for them. We have all seen the bodies found after the attack on the main barracks. They were not human.”
raise: 举起 vouch: 担保 body: 尸体 attack: 攻击 barrack: 兵营
Hunfrith举起手来：“我能为他所说的这一切担保。我们都看到了发生在兵营的那场激战所留下的尸体。它们不是人类。”
“Your lordship, if I may,” Sarnakyle broke in. “I fought at Viz-jun against Bartuc, the Warlord of Blood.
your lordship: 大人 break in: 插嘴 against: 对抗 Warlord of Blood: 血战之王
“伯爵大人，请允许我说两句。”Sarnakyle打断了刚才的对话，“我在Viz－jun曾与血战之王巴特克交战。
He was one of our number who had become, for all intents and purposes, an archdemon. He followed a similar strategy against us.
become: 变成 intent: 意图 purpose: 目的 archdemon: 大恶魔 similar: 相同的 strategy: 战略 against: 对抗
他曾是我们中的一员，但因由于种种原因而堕落成为了恶魔头目。他在与我们交战的时候使用过相同的战略。
First he destroyed all the settlements supporting the city, and then he assailed the city itself.
destroy: 摧毁 settlement: 居留地 supporting: 支援的 assail: 攻击
他先破坏支持城市运转的周边村落，然后再进攻城市。
If this attack last night is any indication, the main army of whatever archdemon we face will be here within days.”
indication: 前兆 main army: 主力部队 archdemon: 大恶魔 face: 面对 within: 不出
昨晚的攻击也许是一种前兆，它表明我们将要面对的，由恶魔头目率领的大部队将在几天后到达。”
Guthwulf looked at Siggard for a moment. “I understand you were at Blackmarch, and that we will be fighting the same enemy. What did you see there?”
understand: 听说 enemy: 敌人
Guthwulf盯着Siggard看了一会：“我听说你曾在Blackmarch，我们将要抗击相同的敌人，你在那儿看到了什么？”
“We formed a shield wall on the highest ground we could find,” Siggard reported. “None of us expected a demonic army, but we were able to hold our own for a while.
form: 组成 shield wall: 盾墙 high ground: 高地 report: 报告 expect: 预料 demonic:恶魔的 army: 军队 hold own: 坚守住 for a while: 一会儿
“我们在能找到的高地上组成了盾墙，”Siggard报告道，“我们谁也没想到要面对恶魔军团，但我们还是坚持抵抗了一会儿。
There were creatures that seemed to be walking goats, bearing bows, axes, and clubs. The archers were very accurate, and every shaft found its mark.
creature: 生物 seem: 像是 goat: 山羊 bear: 携带 bow: 弓 axe: 斧 club: 棍棒 archer: 射手 accurate:精准的 shaft: 发射物 mark: 靶子
那些生物像是会走路的山羊，拿着弓，斧或是棍棒。它们中射手的命中率极高，几乎百发百中。
There were also some smaller monsters resembling dogs, carrying axes.
monster: 怪物 resemble: 类似 axe: 斧
也有些个头小的像拿着斧头的狗一样的怪物。
They seemed to have some sort of missile weapons, and there were these shadowy things near the archdemon. I didn’t see what they actually did.”
seem: 似乎 sort: 种类 missile: 可投射的 weapon: 武器 shadowy: 阴影的 archdemon:大恶魔 actually: 实际上
它们似乎还有几种投掷武器，在恶魔头目附近还有阴影一样的怪物，我不清楚它们的作用。”
“What were the numbers like?” Hagan asked.
number: 数量
“那么数量呢？”Hagan问。
Siggard shrugged. “We seemed to outnumber each charge fivefold, but there were far more coming. I would guess we were facing about five thousand, but I cannot be certain.
shrug: 耸肩 seem: 看上去 outnumber: 数量上超过 fivefold: 五倍的 far more: 多得多 guess: 猜测 face: 面对 certain: 肯定的
Siggard耸耸肩，“每一波攻击，我们的人看起来是它们的五倍，但它们越来越多。我猜我们面对着五千个敌人，但我不敢肯定。
I got caught in a crush when they broke through the shield wall, and I don’t remember anything after that.”
get caught: 被困 crush: 被压倒 break through: 突破 shield wall: 盾墙
当它们突破盾墙的时候我被压在了下面，然后就什么也记不清了。”
“How did they break through?” Tilgar said, leaning forward on the map table.
break through: 突破 leaning: 倾斜
“它们是怎么突破防御的？”Tilgar的身体向地图桌倾了倾，问道。
Siggard shook his head. “I just don’t know. The line was solid, then the archdemon appeared, and suddenly these creatures were among us, killing every man they could.”
shake: 摇动 solid: 坚固的 archdemon: 大恶魔 appear: 出现 suddenly: 突然的 creature: 生物 among:在…之中
Siggard摇了摇头：“我不知道。防线很坚固，随后恶魔头目出现了，瞬间怪物就出现在我们之中，杀死了它们所及的人。”
“We Vizjerei call them ‘Hiddens,’” Sarnakyle cut in. “We don’t have a better name for them. They were at Viz-jun, though.
Hidden: 潜伏者 cut in: 插嘴
“在Vizjerei我们管它们叫‘潜伏者’，”Sarnakyle打断了他们的对话，“我们想不出更好的名字。那次它们出现在Viz－jun。
They were probably within the ranks before the battle even began, waiting for the archdemon’s signal.
probably: 或许 within: 在内 ranks: 队伍 battle: 战斗 waiting for: 等待 archdemon: 大恶魔 signal: 信号
它们可能在战斗前已经安排好，只等恶魔头目的命令。
Bartuc used that tactic as well. Those creatures we fought last night were also a sort of Hidden.”
tactic: 策略 as well: 也 creature: 生物 sort: 种类 Hidden: 潜伏者
巴特克也使用了相同的策略。昨晚我们攻击的那些生物就是一队‘潜伏者’。”
Tilgar scratched his beard. “Could we be facing this ‘Bartuc’ you mentioned?”
scratch: 搔痒 beard: 胡须 face: 面对 mention: 提及
Tilgar捋了捋胡须：“我们会面对你提到的‘巴特克’吗？”
Sarnakyle shook his head. “The Warlord died two years ago at Viz-jun. I helped kill him, and I saw the body.”
shake: 摇动 warlord: 战神 body: 尸体
Sarnakyle摇摇头：“战神两年前在Viz－jun已经死了。我协助杀死了他，并且亲眼看到了尸体。”
“So it is some other demon, using Bartuc’s tactics,” Hagan mused.
demon: 恶魔 tactic: 战术 muse: 沉思
“那么就是其它恶魔，它们在用巴特克的战术，”Hagan思索着。
“Using his strategies,” Sarnakyle corrected. “I do not know what this archdemon will do once the siege begins.
strategy: 战略 correct: 纠正 archdemon: 大恶魔 siege: 围攻
“用他的战略，”Sarnakyle纠正道，“我不清楚一旦围攻开始恶魔头目会做些什么。
The demonic forces are chaotic at best, and it would be very dangerous for us to assume anything.
demonic: 恶魔的 force: 军队 chaotic: 混乱的 dangerous: 危险的 assume: 设想
恶魔军团的组织十分混乱，我们做出任何一种假设都将是危险的。
The only way the armies of Hell have ever been consistent has been in how they approach a walled town. They cut it off, then they attack.”
army: 军队 Hell: 地狱 consistent: 一致的 approach: 迫近 cut off: 切断 attack: 攻击
只有当地狱军团接近一座有城墙的城市时，它们的战略才是确定的，那就是切断补给，然后进攻。”
“We’ll need to prepare for a full siege,” Tilgar stated, turning to his commanders.
prepare: 准备 full: 完全地 siege: 围攻 state: 说 turn to: 转向 commander: 指挥官
“我们要准备抵御全面进攻，”Tilgar转向他的指挥官。
“Hagan, pull the catapults out from the armory and put a full guard on it. Also, put your men on alert; there may be more of these Hidden creatures to deal with.
catapult: 投石机 armory: 军械库 guard: 守卫 alert: 警戒的 Hidden: 潜伏者 creature:生物 deal with: 应付
“Hagan，将投石机拉出军械库并备齐守卫。还有，让你的人处于警戒状态；也许我们还要应对更多潜伏的怪物。
Guthwulf, I’ll need some advance scouts to scour the land. Find out where this demonic army is, how many of them there are, and how long it will take for them to get here.
advance: 增加 scout: 侦查员 scour: 搜索 find out: 找出 demonic: 恶魔的army: 军队take for: 认为 get here: 到这里
Guthwulf，我需要更多侦察兵对周边进行搜索。找出恶魔军团的位置，确定它们的数量及它们抵达这里所需的时间。
Wulfgar, get the housecarls ready for battle, and prepare the tunnels underneath the town. We may have to evacuate the city if the worst comes to pass.”
housecarl: 侍卫 battle: 战斗 prepare: 预备 tunnel: 地下道 underneath: 在下面 have to: 必须 evacuate: 撤出 come to pass: 发生
Wulfgar，让侍卫们准备作战，并检查城底的地下通道。最糟的情况时我们可能要放弃城市。”
“There is one hope,” Sarnakyle said. “The other demons are being kept here by the power of the archdemon. In order to exist on this plane, it will have had to possess a mortal body.
demon: 恶魔 archdemon: 大恶魔 in order to: 为了 exist: 存在 plane: 平面 possess:占有 mortal: 凡人的 body: 身体
“还有一线希望。”Sarnakyle说，“其它恶魔都被恶魔头目的力量所掌控。而它必须占据一个人的躯体才能在人间存在。
If we can kill this baron of Hell, the other demons will be banished from this plane.
baron: 男爵 Hell: 地狱 demon: 恶魔 banish: 驱逐 plane: 平面
如果我们杀死了这个来自地狱的男爵，其它恶魔便会土崩瓦解。
Be wary, though; Siggard has told me that the archdemon is enchanted with a glyph of power, so it will be difficult to destroy at best.”
be wary: 留神 archdemon: 大恶魔 enchanted: 被施魔法的 glyph: 符号 power: 力量 destroy: 杀死
不过请注意，Siggard告诉我恶魔头目被赋予了某种力量，因此它将极难被消灭。
“We will find a way,” Tilgar promised.
way: 方法 promise: 承诺
“我们会找出办法的。”Tilgar保证道。
“The elder earl prided himself in his ability to keep his people from harm, and I am my father’s son. If this archdemon attacks the walls of Brennor, it will die here.”
elder: 长辈 earl: 伯爵 pride: 以…自豪 ability: 能力 harm: 伤害 son: 儿子 archdemon: 大恶魔 attack: 攻击
“老伯爵以保护他的人民不受伤害为傲，而我是他的儿子。如果恶魔头目进攻Brennor，它就死定了。”
The wizard smiled. “That is all one could ask.”
wizard: 法师
法师笑了笑。“那已经是一个人能问的所有问题了。”
Tilgar nodded. “I will have Hunfrith find rooms for you in the castle. You’re your experience, Sarnakyle, I feel it would be good to have you close by.”
nod: 点头 castle: 城堡 experience: 经验 close by: 在附近
Tilgar点点头。“我让Hunfrith给你在城堡里准备一间房。Sarnakyle，你经验丰富，我觉得有你在身边会好些。”
Sarnakyle shook his head. “With all due respect, your lordship, we already have suitable accommodations. The comradery of the inn will be good for both of us, I think.”
shake: 摇动 due: 足够的 respect: 重视 your lordship: 大人 suitable: 适宜的 accommodation: 住处 comradery: 友情 inn: 旅店
Sarnakyle摇了摇头。“伯爵大人，太感谢您了。我们已经找到了合适的住所。我觉得我们两人最好住在一起。”
Tilgar shook the hands of both Siggard and Sarnakyle. “Very well, then. You two should go and rest. Inform Hunfrith of where you are staying, and any news will be sent to you.”
shake: 摇动 rest: 休息 inform: 告诉 news: 消息 sent: 寄送
Tilgar与Siggard和Sarnakyle都握了手。“那么，好吧。你们回去休息吧。把你们的住址告诉Hunfrith，有消息我会派人通知你们的。”
Siggard and Sarnakyle nodded, bowed, and allowed themselves to be shown out.
nod: 点头 bow: 鞠躬 allow: 容许 show out: 把..送出去
Siggard和Sarnakyle点了点头，向他鞠躬，然后转身离开。
The waiting proved to be much worse than the fighting had been.
waiting: 等待 prove: 证明 fighting: 战斗
等待比战斗更加难熬。
They stood on the town wall and watched as the mounted scouts left the city, breaking off in several directions to search for the demonic army.
mount: 乘马 scout: 侦查员 break off: 分开 several: 几个 direction: 方向 search: 搜寻 demonic: 恶魔的 army: 军队
他们站在城墙上看着侦察兵骑马离开，分头向几个方向搜寻恶魔军团。
And then the hours began to pass, the sun set, and Siggard was left tossing and turning in his bed, longing for the touch of his sweet Emilye.
set: 落下去 toss: 辗转 turn: 翻转 longing: 渴望 touch: 感受
几个小时过去了，太阳落山，Siggard躺在床上辗转反侧，渴望得到Emilye 的抚慰。
He spent the next morning tending to Guthbreoht, whose song had become soothing and gentle.
spent: 花费 tend: 护理 soothing: 安慰的 gentle: 温和的
第二天他花了一早上的时间擦拭Guthbreoht，剑的歌声变得更柔和驯顺了。
After the sword was oiled to a mirror polish, he sheathed it and walked downstairs to the inn’s common room to wait for news.
oil: 涂油 mirror: 镜子 polish: 光泽 sheathe: 入鞘 inn: 旅店 common: 公共的 news:消息
他给剑上了油，剑锋如镜子一般光亮。他将剑收回鞘中，走下楼梯到了旅馆的公共休息室等消息。
No word came that day, although several bards sang epics of the hero Arkaine, who had won some great victory in the east against demonic forces.
word: 消息 several: 几个 bard: 吟游诗人 epic: 叙事诗 against: 对抗 demonic: 恶魔的 force: 军队
那天什么也没有发生，只有几个吟游诗人在讲述在东方数次大胜恶魔军团的英雄Arkaine的故事。
The mood of the town had changed overnight.
mood: 气氛 overnight: 晚上的
小城在夜晚完全变了样。
Where before the inn’s common room had been filled with life and laughter, now everybody was grim, waiting for the battle they knew would come.
inn: 旅店 common: 公共的 fill: 充满 laughter: 笑声 grim: 无情的 battle: 战斗
曾坐满了人，充满了欢声笑语的旅店公共休息室现在一片寂静，人人都在等待即将到来的战斗。
When Siggard watched Brennor come to life the next morning, after another nearly sleepless night,
come to life: 变得活跃 sleepless: 不眠的
又一个难眠之夜过后，Siggard看到Brennor 恢复了生机。
the denizens seemed to go through their daily business as though it was just a routine and nothing more.
denizen: 居民 go through: 度过 daily: 日常的 business: 事务 routine: 日常工作 nothing more: 而已
居民们例行公事的过着自己的生活，与平时别无二致。
He oiled his sword once again, went downstairs, listened to more epics, and waited for news.
oil: 涂油 sword: 剑 once again: 再次 epic: 叙事诗
他又给剑上了油，走下楼，听着史诗等待着消息。
And, as another night fell, still no word came, and he was almost sick of hearing tales about Arkaine slaughtering demons with superhuman strength.
fall: 来临 word: 消息 sick: 腻烦的 tale: 故事 slaughter: 宰杀 demon: 恶魔 superhuman: 超人的 strength:力量
然而当夜幕降临的时候，仍没有任何信息，他几乎厌倦了听有关Arkaine以超人之力消灭恶魔的故事。
Sarnakyle was not much help. The wizard spent most of his time in the room, reading some old books he had stored in his pack.
wizard: 法师 reading: 阅读 store: 储存 pack: 包
Sarnakyle帮不上什么忙。他将时间几乎全部都花在了阅读几本他随身带着的古老卷轴上。
When Siggard had asked him what they were, he had been told they were spellbooks. The answer had been curt, though, unlike Sarnakyle’s usually kind demeanor.
spellbook: 法术书 curt: 简短的 unlike: 不同的 usually: 通常 demeanor: 行为
Siggard问他那些是什么东西，他回答是法术书。回答如此简洁，一点也不像他平时所表现出的那样。
That night he dreamed of Emilye, but her face was ancient and decaying, and no matter how hard he tried to hold on to her, she slipped from his grasp and turned to dust.
dream: 做梦 face: 面容 ancient: 古老的 decaying: 颓坏 hold on: 抓住 slip: 溜走 grasp: 抓紧 turn to: 变成 dust: 尘埃
那一夜他梦到了Emilye，但她的面孔模糊不清。无论他如何试图抓住她，她都摆脱他化为了灰烬。
He awoke in tears, the pain of her death fresh once more, and silently wept for almost an hour before the sun rose.
awake: 醒来 tear: 流泪 pain: 悲痛 fresh: 新近的 silently: 寂静地 weep: 流泪 rise:升起
他哭着醒来，悲痛得如同她刚刚死去一般。他静静的流泪，直到一个小时后太阳升起。
That morning, after he had oiled his sword and gone down into the common room for a bite to eat, the innkeeper handed him a message.
oil: 涂油 common: 公共的 a bite to eat: 随便吃点东西 innkeeper: 旅店老板 hand: 交给
早晨，他给剑涂好油，下楼到休息室准备吃点东西的时候，旅店老板递给他一封信。
“Just came in for you, sir,” the innkeeper said. “Has Earl Tilgar’s personal seal, it does.”
innkeeper: 旅店老板 earl: 伯爵 personal: 私人的 seal: 火漆封印
“给你的，先生，”旅店老板说，“上面有Tilgar伯爵的私人火漆封印，真的。”
Siggard handed the man a silver coin and opened the paper.
hand: 交给 silver coin: 银币
Siggard递给他一枚银币然后打开了信。
He read it quickly, the elegant script suddenly reminding him of Emilye’s gentle reading lessons, and felt absolute dread curl around in his stomach.
elegant: 优雅的 script: 笔迹 suddenly: 突然地 remind: 使想起 gentle: 文雅的absolute:完全的 dread: 恐惧 curl: 卷曲 stomach: 胃
他快速的读着，优雅的行文是他回忆起Emilye给他上的阅读课，这使他胃部一阵剧痛。
He rushed upstairs, and threw open the door to their room, startling Sarnakyle, who was carefully going over a passage in his codex.
rush: 冲 upstairs: 楼上 throw: 冲撞 startling: 令人吃惊的 carefully: 仔细的 go over:审阅 passage: 一段文章 codex: 古抄本
他冲上楼，撞开他们屋子的门，将正在仔细研读书籍的Sarnakyle吓了一跳。
“Read this,” Siggard said, handing the parchment to the wizard. Sarnakyle’s eyes widened when he looked at the page.
hand: 交给 parchment: 羊皮纸 wizard: 法师 widen: 扩大
“看看这个，”Siggard边说边将羊皮纸递给法师。Sarnakyle看着信件的时候吃惊的瞪大了眼睛。
“Army will arrive within a day from the east,” he read aloud.
within: 不出 aloud: 大声地
“军团将在一日后从东边到达，”他大声的读了出来。
“The demons number between three and four thousand. All nearby villages are destroyed, and all roads are blocked. We are completely isolated.”
demon: 恶魔 number: 总数 nearby: 附近的 village: 村庄 destroy: 摧毁 block: 封锁 completely: 完全地 isolated: 隔离的
“恶魔总数在三千到四千之间。附近所有村庄均被毁，所有道路均被封锁。我们被完全隔离了。”
Siggard shook his head. “If we are truly cut off, then if the town is evacuated, there will be nowhere for the people to go. The demons will destroy them at will.”
shake: 摇动 cut off: 切断 evacuate: 撤出 demon: 恶魔 destroy: 毁灭 will: 意愿
Siggard摇着头：“如果我们真的被被包围，那么如果弃城而走，那么人们就会无处可去。恶魔们就能如愿的毁灭一切了。”
“I have not seen a situation this bad since Viz-jun,” Sarnakyle stated. “We must prepare ourselves. Tomorrow, darkness falls upon Brennor.”
situation: 形势 state: 说 prepare: 准备 darkness: 黑暗 fall: 来临
“在Viz－jun之后我还从来没见到过这么糟糕的形势，”Sarnakyle说，“我们自己要准备好。明天，黑暗将降临在Brennor。”
作者：Robert B. Marks 翻译：生物学教授
解析：Wayne 编辑：Wayne
评 论
