冰与火之歌系列之《权力的游戏》第62期:第四章 艾德 (12)

 In peace, the title is only an honor. Let the boy keep it.  这头衔在承平时期不过是个荣誉职，就让那孩子保留这个称号吧。

For his father’s sake if not his own. Surely you owe Jon that much for his service. 就算不是为了他，为了他那一生为国鞠躬尽瘁的父亲，也是应该的。

The king was not pleased. He took his arm from around Ned’s shoulders.  国王听了不大高兴，把手从奈德肩膀上抽了回来说：

Jon’s service was the duty he owed his liege lord. I am not ungrateful, Ned.  琼恩鞠躬尽瘁是他职责所在，他本来就该对他的君主效忠。奈德，

You of all men ought to know that. But the son is not the father. A mere¹ boy cannot hold the east. 我不是不知感恩的人，这点你应该最清楚。但那孩子可不是他父亲，一个稚龄幼儿绝对治理不了东方。

Then his tone softened². Enough of this. There is a more important office to discuss, and I would not argue with you.” 他的语气缓和了下来，不说这些了，我有更要紧的事要跟你商量，而且这次我不准你跟我争辩。

Robert grasped Ned by the elbow. I have need of you, Ned.” 劳勃紧握住奈德的手肘说：奈德，我有事情需要你帮忙。

I am yours to command, Your Grace. Always.” 陛下，我永远任您差遣。

 They were words he had to say, and so he said them, apprehensive³ about what might come next. 虽然他很担心国王的下一步又是什麽，却不得不这麽说。

Robert scarcely seemed to hear him. Those years we spent in the Eyrie. gods, those were good years.  劳勃好像根本就没听见他说的话，只是仍然自顾自地说：想想我们一起在鹰巢城曾经度过的那几年……妈的，真是一段的快乐时光！

I want you at my side again, Ned.  奈德，我希望你能够再次陪在我身边，

I want you down in King’s Landing, not up here at the end of the world where you are no damned use to anybody. 我希望你能够南下到君临与我共商国事，而不是一个人躲在这个世界的尽头，毫无用武之地。

Robert looked off into the darkness, for a moment as melancholy⁴ as a Stark⁵.  劳勃望向远处的黑暗，突然像个史塔克族人般忧郁地说：

I swear to you, sitting a throne is a thousand times harder than winning one.  我向你发誓，坐在皇座上管理国政，要比夺得王位难上千倍。

Laws are a tedious business and counting coppers⁶ is worse. And the people. there is no end of them.  法律仲裁是件十分累人的事，清算国库更糟。然後还有那些没完没了的平民百姓，

I sit on that damnable iron chair and listen to them complain until my mind is numb⁷ and my ass⁸ is raw.  我成天坐在那该死的铁椅子上听他们抱怨东抱怨西，听到我脑筋麻木，屁股酸痛。

They all want something, money or land or justice. The lies they tell...and my lords and ladies are no better.  每个人一开口就是要钱，不然就是要土地或法律仲裁。全是些满口胡言的家伙，偏偏我的大臣贵妇们也好不到哪里去。

I am surrounded by flatterers and fools. It can drive a man to madness, Ned.  我身边净是些白痴和马屁精，奈德，这更会把人逼疯的。

Half of them don’t dare tell me the truth, and the other half can’t find it.  他们不是谎话连篇，就是完全搞不清楚状况。

There are nights I wish we had lost at the Trident. Ah, no, not truly, but. 有时候我睡觉，还夏希望我们当年在三叉戟河吃了败仗。啊，我不是说真的吃了败仗，只是……

 

1 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

2 softened   

（使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰

参考例句：

• His smile softened slightly. 他的微笑稍柔和了些。
• The ice cream softened and began to melt. 冰淇淋开始变软并开始融化。

3 apprehensive   

adj.担心的，恐惧的，善于领会的

参考例句：

• She was deeply apprehensive about her future.她对未来感到非常担心。
• He was rather apprehensive of failure.他相当害怕失败。

4 melancholy   

n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的

参考例句：

• All at once he fell into a state of profound melancholy.他立即陷入无尽的忧思之中。
• He felt melancholy after he failed the exam.这次考试没通过，他感到很郁闷。

5 stark   

adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地

参考例句：

• The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。
• He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。

6 coppers   

铜( copper的名词复数 )； 铜币

参考例句：

• I only paid a few coppers for it. 我只花了几个铜板买下这东西。
• He had only a few coppers in his pocket. 他兜里仅有几个铜板。

7 numb   

adj.麻木的，失去感觉的；v.使麻木

参考例句：

• His fingers were numb with cold.他的手冻得发麻。
• Numb with cold,we urged the weary horses forward.我们冻得发僵，催着疲惫的马继续往前走。

8 ass   

n.驴；傻瓜，蠢笨的人

参考例句：

• He is not an ass as they make him.他不象大家猜想的那样笨。
• An ass endures his burden but not more than his burden.驴能负重但不能超过它能力所负担的。