“Hear what you’ve denied the Realms, what you’ve denied yourselves,” the prisoner muttered as he raised the chordal horn to his lips.“听听你们不肯给予诸界、不肯给予自己的东西吧。”囚犯低声说道，将和弦号角举到唇边。1
His breath flowed through the instrument’s chambers with the steady force of a trade wind, and his fingers danced gracefully over the horn’s holes and keys.他的气息以信风般稳定的力道流过乐器的各个音腔，手指则轻盈地飞舞于号角的音孔与按键之上。2
Sweet music filled the prison cell, slipped through the iron bars set in the cell door, swirled down the hallways of the Tower of Ashaba, and entered, unbidden, into the courtroom.美妙的乐声充满牢房，穿过牢门上的铁栅，沿阿沙巴塔的走廊盘旋而下，又不请自来地飘进了审判庭。3
The tune echoed along the bare stone walls of the chamber and danced about the Harpers’ courtroom.曲调在厅堂光秃秃的石墙间回荡，翩然萦绕于竖琴手同盟的审判庭中。4
There, seated at a table before a tribunal of three Harpers, sat Elminster the Sage, about to offer his own counsel concerning the prisoner.智者伊尔明斯特正坐在三名竖琴手同盟成员组成的审判席前，准备就那名囚犯提出自己的意见。5
Elminster paused before beginning his opening statement and closed his eyes to listen to the tune.伊尔明斯特没有立即开始陈词，而是闭上眼睛，聆听那支曲子。6
It took him only a moment to catch the gist of the spell it was meant to weave.他只花了片刻，便领会了曲中意图编织的法术大意。7
Ah, Nameless, will ye never change? he thought.唉，无名者，你就永远不肯改吗？他心想。8
A penitent man would plead for his freedom, a righteous man demand it.悔罪之人会恳求自由，正直之人会要求自由。9
Is seduction all ye knowest?难道你只懂得诱惑这一套？10
Morala of Milil, the eldest of the three judges, scowled at the musical interruption.三名法官中最年长的米利尔的莫拉拉因这阵乐声的打扰而沉下了脸。11
Her eyes nearly disappeared in the wrinkles that creased her face.她的双眼几乎消失在满脸的皱纹之中。12
A lock of her snow-white hair fell forward, and she shoved it impatiently back into the gold hairnet at the nape of her neck.一绺雪白的头发垂到面前，她不耐烦地将它塞回脑后颈窝处的金色发网里。13
She, too, recognized the spell wrapped within the melody, and when she caught Elminster’s eye, she folded her frail arms across her chest and smiled coldly.她也认出了旋律中包裹的法术；当她与伊尔明斯特目光相接时，便将瘦弱的双臂抱在胸前，冷冷一笑。14
Elminster smiled back, as if oblivious to the ancient priestess’s hostility.伊尔明斯特也报以微笑，仿佛全然没有察觉这位年迈女祭司的敌意。15
He thought with some annoyance, Why did the Harpers have to choose thee for this tribunal?他有些恼火地想：竖琴手同盟为何偏要选你来参加这次审判？16
Ye could hardly be considered unbiased.你怎么也算不上公正无偏。17
Ye never liked Nameless.你从来就不喜欢无名者。18
Morala had been one of the judges who had sentenced Nameless at his first trial.无名者第一次受审时，莫拉拉便是判决他的法官之一。19
Of course, Elminster knew that was exactly why she was here now.当然，伊尔明斯特知道，这也正是她如今会在这里的原因。20
Someone had to represent the past, someone who knew the Nameless of old and recognized his tricks, tricks such as the one Nameless was engaging in at this very moment.总得有人代表过去，有人熟知昔日的无名者，也能识破他的伎俩——比如无名者此时此刻正在施展的这一招。21
“It wouldn’t kill thee to enjoy the melody, Morala,” the sage muttered under his breath.“欣赏一下这支曲子又不会要你的命，莫拉拉。”智者低声咕哝道。22
“A mere tune could hardly corrupt a pillar of stone like thyself.”“区区一支曲子，怎么可能腐化你这样一根石柱。”23
Morala gave the sage a harsh glare, as if she’d heard his remark.莫拉拉狠狠瞪了贤者一眼，仿佛听见了他的嘀咕。24
Uncertain just how good her hearing was, Elminster shuffled a stack of scrolls across the table as if he were preoccupied with his defense and did not hear the music.伊尔明斯特拿不准她的听力究竟有多敏锐，便在桌上来回翻动一摞卷轴，装作正全神贯注地准备辩护，根本没有听见音乐。25
When he sensed that Morala had turned her attention away from him, the sage sneaked a glance at the other two judges.察觉莫拉拉的注意力已经从自己身上移开后，贤者偷偷瞥了另外两位审判官一眼。26
Not surprisingly, Breck Orcsbane, the youngest of the three judges, seemed delighted with the music.毫不意外，三位审判官中最年轻的布雷克·奥克斯班似乎听得兴高采烈。27
The ranger’s head bobbed in time with the music, setting his long plait of yellow hair swaying like a pendulum.游侠的脑袋随着音乐打着拍子，带动他那条长长的金黄色发辫如钟摆般来回晃荡。28
Elminster half-expected the brawny woodsman to get up and dance a jig.伊尔明斯特几乎以为这个壮硕的林中汉子会站起来跳一曲吉格舞。29
Morala had already expressed her displeasure that someone of Breck’s simplicity had been chosen for the tribunal, but Elminster was relieved to discover that at least one of the judges knew how to enjoy life.莫拉拉早已表达过不满，认为像布雷克这样头脑简单的人不该被选入审判庭，但伊尔明斯特发现审判官中至少还有一个懂得享受生活的人，不禁松了口气。30
Only the bard, Kyre, displayed a completely neutral reaction to the music.唯有吟游诗人凯尔对这音乐表现得完全无动于衷。31
The beautiful half-elven woman tilted her head to listen, but Elminster suspected that her technical analysis of the tune precluded experiencing it on any emotional level.这位美丽的半精灵女子侧过头聆听着，但伊尔明斯特怀疑，她对曲调纯粹从技法层面的分析，令她无法在情感上产生任何感受。32
The sage wished he could tell what she thought of it.贤者真希望自己能看出她对此有何想法。33
He wished he could tell what she thought of anything.他真希望自己能看出她对任何事有何想法。34
Kyre was so remote and stiff whenever he addressed her that Elminster felt as if he were speaking with the dead, an experience with which he was not unfamiliar.每当伊尔明斯特与凯尔说话时，她总是那么冷漠而拘谨，令他觉得自己仿佛是在同死人交谈——而这种经历，他并不陌生。35
As if to compensate for her reserved nature, Kyre wore a vivid red orchid in her lustrous black hair.凯尔乌黑亮泽的头发上戴着一朵鲜红的兰花，仿佛是为了弥补她那含蓄内敛的性情。36
Tb bloom in this climate, the sage realized, the orchid had to be enchanted, but who, he was left to wonder, was she trying attract with it?贤者意识到，兰花要在这种气候下盛开，必定受过魔法加持；可他不由得纳闷，她究竟想用这朵花吸引谁？37
“Heth,” Morala said, addressing the tower page assigned to the Harpers.“赫斯，”莫拉拉对被派来侍候竖琴手同盟的塔楼侍童说道。38
“Request the captain of the guard to do something about that noise,” she commanded, “and close the door on your way out.”“请卫队长设法处理一下那噪音，”她命令道，“你出去时把门关上。”39
“Oh, that won’t be necessary,” Breck said.“哦，那就不必了，”布雷克说道。40
“The music’s not half bad.”“这音乐还不赖。”41
Heth hesitated at the doorway.赫斯在门口迟疑了。42
Morala’s eyes narrowed as she looked to Kyre for support.莫拉拉眯起眼睛，望向凯尔，想得到她的支持。43
Kyre shrugged, indifferent to the priestess’s annoyance.凯尔耸了耸肩，对女祭司的不悦毫不在意。44
“The sound does not disturb me,” the half-elf said flatly.“这声音并没有打扰我。”半精灵语气平板地说道。45
“Elminster?“伊尔明斯特？46
Aren’t you distracted by the noise?”这噪声不会让你分心吗？”47
Morala asked, hoping the sage would at least have the decency to admit the inappropriateness of the music at the trial.莫拉拉问道，希望这位贤者至少还识趣，肯承认在审判时奏乐并不合宜。48
They had already agreed that Nameless should not appear before the tribunal.他们早已一致同意，不该让无名者出现在审判庭上。49
Morala feared he might charm the younger Harpers with his wit, while Elminster feared he might disgust them with his ego.莫拉拉担心他会用机智迷住那些年轻的竖琴手同盟成员，伊尔明斯特则担心他的自负会令他们厌恶。50
It certainly did not seem appropriate to the priestess that the man’s music should be heard.在女祭司看来，让众人听见那人的音乐显然也不合适。51
It was just such music that Nameless had used to justify his crimes, and the Harpers had not yet repealed their original judgment that all the prisoner’s music be banished from the Realms.无名者当初正是用这样的音乐为自己的罪行辩解，而竖琴手同盟尚未撤销最初的裁决：将这名囚犯的所有音乐逐出诸界。52
“I’m sorry, Morala,” Elminster replied.“抱歉，莫拉拉，”伊尔明斯特答道。53
“My hearing’s not what it once was.“我的耳朵不如从前了。54
Didst ye ask if I heard boys?”你方才是问我有没有听见男孩子吗？”55
Morala let her breath out in a huff.莫拉拉气呼呼地吐出一口气。56
She motioned the page to sit.她示意侍童坐下。57
“Please, continue with your argument, wise Elminster,” Morala prompted.“请继续陈述你的论点吧，睿智的伊尔明斯特。”莫拉拉催促道。58
Having gained the upper hand with Morala on so small a matter, Elminster hesitated before moving on to the more important issue at hand.在这样一件小事上压过莫拉拉一头后，伊尔明斯特迟疑了一下，才准备转入眼下更为重要的问题。59
Do I really dare speak on Nameless’s behalf? he wondered.我真的敢为无名者说话吗？他心想。60
Nameless’s ordeals don’t seem to have humbled him any.无名者经历的那些磨难似乎丝毫没有让他变得谦卑。61
Is he any wiser for all his suffering?受了这么多苦，他是否变得更有智慧了？62
The sage sighed to himself and shook his head in an attempt to clear away his doubts.贤者暗自叹了口气，摇摇头，试图驱散心中的疑虑。63
He had said he would speak on the prisoner’s behalf, so he would.他既然说过会为这名囚犯说话，就一定会说到做到。64
He could only hope that the collective decision of the tribunal would prove at least as wise as his own uncertain counsel.他只能寄望于审判庭的集体裁决，至少会和他自己这番犹疑不定的意见一样明智。65
The sage rose to his feet and cleared his throat.贤者站起身来，清了清嗓子。66
“At my request,” he explained, “the Harpers have agreed to reconsider the case of the Nameless Bard.“应我的请求，”他解释道，“竖琴手同盟已同意重新审议吟游诗人无名者一案。67
They have chosen ye from among their ranks to represent them and serve on this tribunal.他们从同盟成员中选出了诸位，代表同盟参加这次审判。68
For the benefit of Kyre and Breck Orcsbane, who were not yet born when Nameless was first tried, I will review the circumstances of his trial and the outcome.凯尔和布雷克·奥克斯班在无名者初次受审时尚未出生，为了让他们了解情况，我会回顾一下当时审判的缘由和结果。69
If it please thy grace,” the sage said, nodding politely in Morala’s direction, “feel free to add to or correct me at any point.若阁下不介意，”贤者朝莫拉拉礼貌地点点头，说道，“请随时补充或纠正我的话。70
Ye knew Nameless as well as I.”您和我一样了解无名者。”71
Morala nodded politely in return, but Elminster realized it was unlikely she would interrupt him.莫拉拉也礼貌地点头回应，但伊尔明斯特明白，她不大可能打断他。72
His report would be scrupulously accurate, and Morala was astute enough to know she would only look like a fussy old woman if she began correcting him.他的陈述必定会准确得无可挑剔，而莫拉拉也足够精明，知道若是开口纠正他，只会显得自己像个吹毛求疵的老妇人。73
Elminster began his tale.伊尔明斯特开始讲述往事。74
“The Nameless Bard was born three hundred and fifty years ago in a small village in one of the northern nations, the second son of local gentry.“吟游诗人无名者出生于三百五十年前，故乡是北方某个国家的一座小村庄，他是当地一户乡绅人家的次子。75
At an early age, he completed his training at a renowned barding college and graduated with highest honors.他年纪轻轻便在一所著名的吟游诗人学院完成了学业，并以最优等成绩毕业。76
He chose the life of a wandering adventurer, and his songs became popular wherever in the Realms he roamed.他选择了四处漂泊、闯荡冒险的生活；无论他游历到诸界的何处，他的歌谣都会广为传唱。77
While he relished his fame, he also put it to good use, attracting other young adventurers to help in any cause he felt worthy.他固然享受自己的盛名，却也善加利用，吸引其他年轻冒险者前来，为任何他认为值得的事业效力。78
Thus he and his companions became the founding fathers of the Harpers.就这样，他和同伴们成了竖琴手同盟的创立者。79
“With the blessings of his gods and such aid as magic can give, he lived well beyond the natural span of years given to a human, yet there came a time when his mortality began to prey greatly on his mind.“凭借诸神的赐福和魔法所能给予的助力，他活过了远远超出人类自然寿数的岁月；然而终有一天，死亡的阴影开始沉重地压在他的心头。80
The bard became obsessed with preserving his songs for posterity.这位吟游诗人开始执迷于要将自己的歌谣留传后世。81
He was never satisfied with any other person’s performance of his works, so he would not settle for the tradition among most bards of passing the work on orally or leaving a written record.他从不满意任何其他人对自己作品的演绎，因此不肯像大多数吟游诗人那样，只靠口耳相传来传承作品，或是留下文字记录。82
He began to experiment with magical means of recording his work and thus created a most marvelous piece of magic—the finder’s stone.”他开始尝试用魔法手段记录自己的作品，由此创造出了一件无比奇妙的魔法物品——寻路者之石。”83
Elminster paused a moment and glanced at Morala, wondering if she would object to his mentioning the name of the magic device.伊尔明斯特停顿片刻，瞥了莫拉拉一眼，心想她会不会反对他提起这件魔法器物的名字。84
Morala, however, chose to ignore Elminster’s mischief and waved her hand impatiently for him to proceed.然而，莫拉拉选择无视伊尔明斯特的促狭，只是不耐烦地挥挥手，示意他继续。85
“The stone was originally a very minor artifact that would serve any person as a compass of detection.“这块石头最初只是一件效力很小的神器，任何人都可以把它当作探测目标的罗盘使用。86
Basically its wielder needed only to think of a person, and the stone would send out a beam of light indicating a path to that person,” the sage explained.简单来说，持有者只需想着某个人，石头便会射出一道光束，指出通往那个人所在之处的路径，”贤者解释道。87
“It also protected itself from theft as well as it could with a blinding light spell.“它还会用一道致盲强光法术尽可能保护自己不被偷走。88
Occasionally it was known to direct its wielder without instruction, as if it had a mind of its own, so that the stone was said to help the lost find their way.有时，它甚至会在没有指令的情况下为持有者指引方向，仿佛拥有自己的意志一般，因此人们都说，这块石头能帮助迷途者找到方向。”89
“The Nameless Bard experimented with altering the artifact’s nature, something only the most skilled or the most foolish magic-wielder would dare to try.“无名者诗人曾试图改变这件神器的本质，只有技艺最高超或最愚蠢的施法者才敢作此尝试。90
Into the crystal’s heart he inserted a shard of enchanted para-elemental ice.他在水晶的核心嵌入了一块附魔的准元素冰碎片。91
Having survived such a risky undertaking, Nameless reaped a great reward.无名者从这场危险的尝试中幸存下来，并获得了丰厚的回报。92
In his hands or those of his kin, the stone acted as a rechargeable wand holding those spells Nameless had acquired.在他或他的亲族手中，这块石头就如同一根可以反复充能的魔杖，储存着无名者掌握的那些法术。93
Like the blank pages of a journal, the stone could store other information as well.如同一本日志里的空白书页，这块石头也能储存其他信息。94
Nameless claimed it could recall for him an entire library of tomes.无名者声称，它能替他记住整整一座图书馆的典籍。95
It could also recall his songs and ‘sing’ them, as it were, in Nameless’s voice, exactly as he sang them.它也能记住他的歌，并且可以说是用无名者本人的声音把歌‘唱’出来，唱得与他一模一样。96
He added other enchantments so it could project the illusion that he was actually sitting there, singing the song.”他还加上了其他魔法，让它能够投射出幻象，仿佛他本人当真坐在那里唱着那首歌。”97
“A little stuck on himself, wasn’t he?”“他有点太自恋了，是不是？”98
Breck noted with a grin.布雷克咧嘴笑着说道。99
Morala huffed in agreement.莫拉拉哼了一声，表示赞同。100
“More than a little, good ranger,” Elminster replied, smiling at Breck.“可不只是有点，游侠先生。”伊尔明斯特微笑着望向布雷克，答道。101
The sage was pleased that the young man wasn’t afraid to speak out and even more pleased that the failings of others amused rather than annoyed the ranger.年轻人敢于直言，令贤者颇感欣慰；更令他高兴的是，旁人的缺点只会逗乐这名游侠，而不会使他恼怒。102
“Despite all that he had accomplished,” Elminster went on, “Nameless still was not satisfied.“尽管取得了这一切成就，”伊尔明斯特继续说道，“无名者仍不满足。103
The stone’s illusion of himself needed to be commanded when to sing and told what to sing.石头幻化出的他必须有人命令才会开口歌唱，而且还得有人告诉它唱什么。104
It had no vital force to sing of its own will, or judgment to choose a song appropriate to the moment, or ability to gauge an audience’s reaction and build upon their emotions.它没有生命力，无法凭自己的意愿歌唱；没有判断力，不能选择适合当下情形的歌曲；也没有能力揣摩听众的反应，顺势激发他们的情绪。105
So Nameless abandoned the stone as a failure.因此，无名者认定这块石头是个失败之作，将它弃置一旁。106
He planned next to build a powerful simulacrum of himself.他接下来打算制造一个强大的自己的人造复制体。107
The creature was to have Nameless’s own personality as well as all the knowledge Nameless had placed in the finder’s stone.这个生物不仅要拥有无名者本人的性格，还要掌握无名者存入寻人石中的全部知识。108
So that none would shun it as an abomination, Nameless researched ways to make it indistinguishable from a true human.为了不让任何人把它视为怪物而排斥它，无名者钻研了如何使它与真正的人类毫无区别。109
Finally, he intended to give it immortality.”最后，他还打算赋予它永生。”110
Breck gave a low whistle of amazement.布雷克惊叹地低声吹了个口哨。111
The priestess Morala shuddered, even though she was already familiar with the story.女祭司莫拉拉打了个寒战，尽管她早已听过这个故事。112
Kyre’s expression remained neutral—interested, but emotionless.凯尔神情依旧平静——虽有兴趣，却不露丝毫情绪。113
The tune from the prisoner’s cell swelled into a bold fanfare.囚室中传来的曲调渐渐高昂，化作一段豪迈的号角曲。114
Elminster continued.伊尔明斯特继续讲了下去。115
“Having found it useful in his alterations of the finder’s stone, Nameless obtained another shard of para-elemental ice for the heart of the simulacrum.”“无名者发现准元素冰在改造寻觅者之石时很有用，于是又弄来一块，作为拟像的核心。”116
The sage paused.贤者停顿了一下。117
It was easy enough for Elminster to speak of Nameless’s brilliance and daring, and even his obsession and vanity, but the sage’s heart ached to recall the bard’s crime.谈起无名者的才华与胆识，甚至他的执迷与虚荣，对伊尔明斯特来说并不困难；然而一想到这位吟游诗人犯下的罪行，贤者便心痛不已。118
It was better he should tell it, though, than let Morala give the account.不过，由他来讲述，总比让莫拉拉来说要好。119
“Yet, for all his brilliance and natural ability with magic,” Elminster explained, “Nameless was a bard, not a trained magic-user.“然而，尽管无名者才华横溢，又有施展魔法的天赋，”伊尔明斯特解释道，“他终究是个吟游诗人，而不是受过训练的施法者。120
He recognized his own limitations and tried to enlist the aid of several different wizards, but without success.他清楚自己的局限，曾试图请几位不同的法师相助，却都没有成功。121
There were not many people whom he had not offended with his arrogance.很少有人不曾被他的傲慢冒犯过。122
Among those mages he counted as friends, many thought his project silly, a waste of time and energy.即使在那些被他视为朋友的法师中，也有许多人认为他的计划十分愚蠢，只是在浪费时间和精力。123
Some did not believe it would even work.有些人甚至不相信它能成功。124
Others thought the creation he proposed to be a heinous act.另一些人则认为，他打算创造这种东西，是一种令人发指的行径。125
A few pointed out that the creation could be copied and used by malicious beings for evil purposes.还有少数人指出，这种造物可能会被复制，并被心怀恶意者用于邪恶目的。126
They tried to convince him that he should be satisfied with the finder’s stone’s recreation of his music.他们试图说服他，要他满足于寻觅者之石对他音乐的再现。127
Whatever their opinion, every mage he spoke with told him the project was too dangerous.无论看法如何，所有与他谈过的法师都告诉他，这个计划太危险了。128
It would prove fatal to himself or some other.”它最终会害死他自己，或是其他什么人。”129
“He went ahead and did it anyway, didn’t he?”“可他还是一意孤行，把它造出来了，对不对？”130
Breck asked, as eager as a child to hear the outcome of Elminster’s story.布雷克问道，他像个急着听到故事结局的孩子一样迫不及待。131
The sage nodded.贤者点了点头。132
“Yes, he did.“是的，他还是那么做了。133
With the aid of his apprentices, he built the simulacrum’s body in his own home.在学徒们的帮助下，他在自己家中造出了拟像的躯体。134
As he began casting the spell that would animate the creature, however, something went wrong.然而，就在他开始施展法术、准备赋予这个造物生命时，出了岔子。135
The para-elemental ice exploded.准元素冰爆炸了。136
The simulacrum was destroyed, and one apprentice died instantly.拟像被摧毁，一名学徒当场身亡。137
Another lost her voice, and all attempts to heal her failed.”另一名学徒失去了声音，而所有治愈她的尝试都失败了。”138
“She killed herself later,” Morala interrupted with a trace of anger.“后来她自杀了。”莫拉拉打断道，语气中带着一丝怒意。139
“Yes,” Elminster admitted, then hastily added, “but that was after the time of which I speak.“是的，”伊尔明斯特承认道，随即又赶忙补充，“但那是在我所说的这件事之后。140
When Nameless summoned help for his wounded apprentice, he freely admitted how she had sustained her injuries.无名者召人来救治受伤的学徒时，坦然承认了她是如何受伤的。141
The other Harpers were appalled that he had risked his own apprentices in so dangerous a task, all for the sake of his obsession with his music.竖琴手同盟的其他成员无不骇然：他竟为了自己对音乐的痴迷，让亲手培养的学徒冒险执行如此危险的任务。142
They summoned him to judgment and found him guilty of slaying one apprentice and injuring another.他们召他前来受审，判定他杀死一名学徒、伤害另一名学徒，罪名成立。143
They determined a punishment to fit his crime.他们为他定下了与其罪行相称的惩罚。144
“His music and his name were to be banished from the Realms.“他的音乐和名字都要从诸界放逐。145
To keep him from thwarting them in this goal, and also to keep him from trying his reckless experiment again, the Harpers removed the bard’s own name from his memory and banished him from the Realms, exiling him to a border region of the positive plane of life, where, due to the nature of that region, he would live in good health and relative immortality.为了防止他阻挠这一目标，也为了防止他再次进行那场鲁莽的实验，竖琴手同盟从这位吟游诗人的记忆中抹去了他自己的名字，并将他逐出诸界，流放到生命正能量位面的一处边缘区域；由于那里的特性，他将一直身体康健，近乎不朽。146
He was condemned, however, to live in complete solitude.”然而，他也被判永远孑然一身，与世隔绝。”147
Elminster paused again.伊尔明斯特再次停顿下来。148
Nameless’s tune switched to a plaintive minor key as Morala, Orcsbane, and Kyre sat contemplating their fellow Harper’s crime and his punishment.无名者奏出的曲调转入哀婉的小调，莫拉拉、奥克斯班和凯尔则坐在那里，思索着这位同为竖琴手的同伴所犯的罪及其受到的惩罚。149
It almost seemed as if Nameless was aware of what point in his story Elminster had reached.无名者仿佛知道伊尔明斯特已经讲到了他故事中的哪一段。150
Morala glanced suspiciously at the sage, but he seemed not to notice the tune at all.莫拉拉狐疑地瞥了这位贤者一眼，但他似乎完全没有留意那曲调。151
Actually Elminster’s attention at the moment was attracted to a fluttering shadow behind the tribunal.其实，此刻吸引伊尔明斯特注意的，是审判席后方一道晃动的影子。152
The sage made no sound or movement to call attention to the small figure he spotted skulking along the courtroom wall.贤者没有发出任何声音，也没有做出任何动作，以免引人注意那个正沿法庭墙边鬼鬼祟祟潜行的小小身影。153
It was only the halfling, Olive Ruskettle.那不过是半身人奥利芙·拉斯凯特尔。154
Elminster could see no harm in her unauthorized presence.伊尔明斯特觉得，她未经许可出现在这里也没什么坏处。155
After all, she knew Nameless’s story already.毕竟，她早已知道无名者的故事。156
The sage made a mental note, though, to chide Lord Mourngrym about the quality of the tower guard.不过，贤者还是暗自记下，要就塔楼守卫的素质训斥莫恩格林领主几句。157
In the courtroom, the halfling was nearly impossible to spot, adept as she was at hiding in the shadows, but she should not have been able to pass through the tower’s front gate in broad daylight unchallenged by the guards.在法庭里，这个半身人几乎无人能够察觉，因为她极善于藏身阴影之中；但她本不该能在光天化日之下穿过塔楼正门，而不受守卫盘问。158
Unaware she had been observed by the sharp-eyed sage, the halfling sneaked out of the courtroom and down the corridor toward the prisoner’s cell.那半身人并不知道自己已经被目光锐利的贤者发现，偷偷溜出法庭，沿走廊向囚犯的牢房走去。159
If ye have plans to visit thy friend Nameless, ye little sneak thief, ye are in for a surprise, Elminster thought, suppressing a grin.你这小毛贼，若是打算去探望你的朋友无名者，保准有个惊喜等着你，伊尔明斯特暗想，强忍住笑意。160
He focused his attention again on the judges.他再次将注意力集中到几位审判者身上。161
“Two hundred years have passed since the exile of the Nameless Bard—”“自无名吟游诗人被流放以来，已经过去了两百年——”162
“Excuse me, Elminster,” Kyre interrupted, “but are we to continue calling this man Nameless throughout this hearing?“抱歉，伊尔明斯特，”凯尔打断道，“难道整场听证会期间，我们都得称这个人为无名者吗？163
Surely we can be trusted with his name.他的名字总该可以放心告诉我们吧。164
It would simplify things, would it not?”这样事情也会简单些，不是吗？”165
“No!”“不行！”166
Morala objected.莫拉拉反对道。167
“It is we who made him Nameless.“是我们让他成了无名者。168
Nameless he will remain.”他也将继续做无名者。”169
Elminster sighed at the old priestess’s vehemence.见老女祭司态度如此激烈，伊尔明斯特叹了口气。170
“It is the purpose of this tribunal to decide not only whether or not to free Nameless, but whether or not Nameless’s name should be restored to the Realms.“这个审判庭不只要裁定是否释放无名者，还要裁定是否应当让无名者的名字重现于诸界。171
Morala and I have both taken an oath not to reveal the name unless the Harpers decide otherwise.莫拉拉和我都曾立誓，除非竖琴手同盟另有决定，否则绝不透露那个名字。172
So we must continue to refer to him as Nameless, at least until the end of this trial.”所以我们必须继续称他为无名者，至少在这场审判结束前如此。”173
“I see,” Kyre replied, nodding her head slightly.“我明白了，”凯尔微微点头答道。174
“Excuse my interruption.”“请原谅我打断了你。”175
Elminster nodded and once again began the second half of his tale.伊尔明斯特点点头，再次讲起了故事的后半部分。176
“Nameless remained in exile for two centuries.“无名者被流放了整整两个世纪。177
Then certain evil powers deliberately sought him out and freed him from his place of exile.”后来，某些邪恶势力蓄意找到他，将他从流放之地释放了出来。”178
The tune coming from the bard’s prison ceased abruptly.吟游诗人牢中传出的曲调戛然而止。179
Morala’s lips curled ever so slightly in satisfaction while Elminster stroked his beard thoughtfully, wondering just what Nameless was up to now.莫拉拉的唇角因满意而极轻微地翘起，伊尔明斯特则若有所思地捋着胡须，暗自揣测无名者这会儿究竟在搞什么名堂。180
In his prison cell, Nameless lowered the chordal horn and glared at his cell door.囚室里，无名者放下和弦号角，怒视着牢门。181
Something was jiggling in the lock.有东西正在锁孔里晃动。182
Elminster had given the guards specific instructions to show the prisoner every courtesy possible, including always knocking before opening his door.伊尔明斯特曾明确吩咐守卫，要尽可能以礼相待，包括每次开门前都必须先敲门。183
The prisoner scowled in anticipation of delivering a scathing reprimand to whichever guard had been so foolish to interrupt him in the middle of his composition.囚犯皱起眉头，准备狠狠训斥那个愚蠢到在他作曲途中打扰他的守卫。184
The door swung open slowly.门缓缓打开了。185
A female halfling stood in the doorway.一个半身人女子站在门口。186
Her hazel eyes sparkled, and she winked conspiratorially as she slid a copper wire into her russet hair.她那双淡褐色的眼睛闪闪发亮，一边心照不宣地眨了眨眼，一边把一根铜丝插进赤褐色的头发里。187
“Nice ditty,” she quipped.“小曲不错嘛，”她打趣道。188
“Has it got any lyrics?”“有歌词吗？”189
“Naturally,” the prisoner replied, relaxing his angry face.“当然有，”囚犯回答，脸上的怒容缓和了下来。190
“Would you like me to write them down for you, Mistress Ruskettle?” he asked.“要我把歌词替您写下来吗，拉斯凯特尔女士？”他问。191
“That’d be great,” the small woman said, stepping into the cell.“那太好了，”小个子女人边说边走进牢房。192
She pushed the door almost, but not quite, closed behind her.她把身后的门推得几乎关上了，却又留了一条缝。193
Her furry bare feet padded silently across the plush wool Calimshan carpeting.她毛茸茸的赤脚踩过柔软的卡林珊羊毛地毯，悄无声息。194
She slipped off her knapsack and her wet cloak and checked to be sure the back of her tunic and pants were dry before seating herself on a tapestry-covered footstool.她脱下背包和湿斗篷，又确认了一下束腰外衣和长裤的后面都是干的，这才在一张蒙着织锦的脚凳上坐下。195
The Nameless Bard lay the chordal horn down on the table.无名吟游诗人把和弦号放在桌上。196
“Come in, Mistress Ruskettle.“请进，拉斯凯特尔女士。197
Have a seat and make yourself at home,” he said, though he knew sarcasm was wasted on halflings in general and on Olive Ruskettle in particular.请坐，别拘束，”他说，尽管他知道，挖苦对一般的半身人毫无作用，对奥利芙·拉斯凯特尔尤其如此。198
“Thank you, Nameless,” Olive replied.“谢谢你，无名者，”奥利芙答道。199
“Nice quarters you have here,” she said as her eyes inspected the polished furniture, the velvet drapes, the brass-bound clothes chest, the silk bedspread, the gold candelabrum, the crystal wine decanter, and all the other luxuries Nameless’s captors had provided for his cell.“你这住处可真不错，”她说道，目光逐一扫过抛光的家具、天鹅绒帷幔、黄铜包边的衣箱、丝绸床罩、金烛台、水晶醒酒瓶，以及无名者的囚禁者为这间牢房提供的其他种种奢侈品。200
“You’re looking well,” she added, grinning at the fine silken shirt, fur-trimmed tunic, wool pants, and leather boots he wore.“你气色也不错，”她又说，望着他身上的精美丝绸衬衫、毛皮镶边的束腰外衣、羊毛长裤和皮靴，咧嘴笑了起来。201
Nameless grinned back as he seated himself cross-legged on the bed.无名者也咧嘴一笑，盘腿坐到床上。202
He never could remain annoyed with Olive for long.他对奥利芙的恼火从来维持不了多久。203
She had, after all, rescued him from the dungeon of the cruel sorceress Cassana and also helped him free his singer, Alias, from Cassana.毕竟，她曾把他从残酷女术士卡萨娜的地牢中救出来，也曾帮他将自己的歌手阿莉亚丝从卡萨娜手中解救出来。204
It wasn’t just gratitude, however, that made him fond of the halfling thief; Olive’s brash nerve amused him.不过，他喜欢这个半身人女贼并不只是出于感激；奥利芙那股胆大妄为的劲头总能逗乐他。205
It reminded him of himself.那让他想起了自己。206
“What have you been up to?” the bard asked.“你最近都在忙些什么？”吟游诗人问。207
“It’s been over a year since I’ve seen you last.”“我上次见你，已经是一年多以前了。”208
“Yes.“是啊。209
Sorry about that.对不住了。210
This summer’s been rather chaotic, as you’ve probably heard.这个夏天乱得很，你大概也听说了。211
I was staying with friends in Immersea, who talked me out of traveling until the trouble died down.我一直住在伊默海的朋友家里，他们劝我等乱子平息后再出门旅行。212
If I’d known you were wasting away in prison, I would have come sooner,” the halfling said.要是知道你在牢里受苦，我早就来了。”半身人说道。213
From a silver bowl piled with fruit, she plucked a large, juicy plum and ate the delicacy in several dainty, but quick, bites.她从一只堆满水果的银碗里拈起一颗硕大多汁的李子，斯斯文文却又飞快地几口吃掉了这美味。214
“My imprisonment is a mere formality until the new trial is over,” Nameless said.“在新的审判结束之前，关押我不过是走个形式。”无名者说道。215
“That door wasn’t even kept locked until that old bat Morala arrived and caused a stink.”那个老巫婆莫拉拉来这里大闹一场之前，这扇门甚至都不上锁。”216
“She’s the priestess of Milil?”“她就是米利尔的女祭司？”217
Olive asked.奥利芙问道。218
“The one who has it in for you?”“就是那个处处针对你的人？”219
“You’ve met?”“你见过她？”220
Nameless asked.无名者问道。221
“I’ve seen her around.”“我在附近见过她。”222
“Have you seen Alias?”“你见过阿莉亚丝吗？”223
“Actually, I came to see you the moment I hit town,” Olive said.“其实，我一进城就马上来看你了。”奥利芙说道。224
The halfling didn’t care much for Alias.这个半身人并不怎么喜欢阿莉亚丝。225
Olive realized, however, that Nameless thought of the singing swordswoman as a daughter, so in an effort to be polite, she asked the bard, “How is dear Alias?”不过，奥利芙知道无名者把那位会唱歌的女剑士当作女儿，于是出于礼貌，她问吟游诗人：“亲爱的阿莉亚丝近来怎么样？”226
“I don’t know,” Nameless huffed.“我不知道。”无名者气呼呼地说道。227
“She and Dragonbait arrived in Shadowdale a day after Morala, and Morala won’t allow me any visitors.“她和龙饵比莫拉拉晚一天到达阴影谷，可莫拉拉不准任何人来探望我。228
How did you get past the guard at the tower gate?”你是怎么通过塔楼门口的守卫的？”229
“You know,” the halfling said, pulling out a silver pin from her cloak pocket, “it really is amazing how much respect the local constabulary has for this silly harp-and-moon symbol, even when it’s pinned to the breast of a short person with no visible weapons.”“你知道吗，”半身人一边说，一边从斗篷口袋里掏出一枚银别针，“当地治安官居然这么敬重这个傻乎乎的竖琴与月亮标志，实在令人惊讶——哪怕它别在一个身上看不见任何武器的矮个子胸前也一样。”230
Nameless grinned at the irony.无名者想到其中的讽刺意味，咧嘴笑了。231
He’d given the halfling thief his old Harper’s pin.他把自己那枚旧竖琴手徽针给了这个半身人女贼。232
According to custom, Olive would need him to vouch for her until she was accepted by the other Harpers, but he was a disgraced Harper.按照惯例，在奥利芙获得竖琴手同盟其他成员接纳之前，都需要由他为她担保，可他却是个名誉扫地的竖琴手。233
Now she’d used the pin to break a rule made by Morala—a Master Harper.如今，她却用这枚徽针违反了莫拉拉定下的规矩——而莫拉拉是一位竖琴手大师。234
There was nothing like the chaos a halfling—or a woman—could cause, Nameless thought, and Olive is both.无名者心想，再没有什么比一个半身人——或一个女人——更能制造混乱了，而奥利芙两者皆是。235
“You realize,” Nameless asked aloud, “you’ll have some problems being accepted by the Harpers until I have reestablished myself?”“你明白吧，”无名者开口问道，“在我恢复自己的地位之前，你想得到竖琴手同盟的接纳，恐怕会遇到些麻烦？”236
“You realize,” Olive retorted, “that I’ll have some problems accepting the Harpers if they don’t get off their high horses and forget this banishment business.“你也明白吧，”奥利芙反唇相讥，“要是竖琴手同盟还不肯放下架子，把放逐这回事抛到脑后，我要接受他们也会遇到些麻烦。”237
In the meantime, you can’t stay in this dump.“眼下，你不能待在这个破地方。”238
I’ve got a horse and provisions for you hidden at the edge of town.”“我在镇子边上给你藏了一匹马和一些补给。”239
“Why, that’s awfully thoughtful of you, Mistress Ruskettle.”“哎呀，你可真是体贴周到啊，拉斯凯特尔女士。”240
“So let’s go,” Olive said, hopping up from the footstool and standing beside the bed, tapping her foot in mock impatience.“那我们走吧。”奥利芙说着，从脚凳上一跃而起，站到床边，装出不耐烦的样子用脚点着地。241
Nameless leaned forward, reached out a hand, and stroked her hair.无名者俯身向前，伸出一只手，轻抚她的头发。242
Ordinarily Olive couldn’t stand having humans patting her on the head, but Nameless hadn’t actually patted her, and she liked him more than any other human she’d ever met, so she could forgive him a good deal.通常，奥利芙最受不了人类拍她的脑袋，可无名者其实并没有拍她，而且她喜欢他胜过自己遇见过的任何一个人类，所以许多事她都可以原谅他。243
She looked up at him, puzzled that he’d even touched her at all.她抬头望着他，不明白他怎么会突然碰她。244
“Oh, Olive,” he said with a rueful smile.“唉，奥利芙。”他带着苦笑说道。245
“What’s wrong?” she asked, not failing to note he had used her given name, something he’d never done before.“怎么了？”她问道，同时敏锐地注意到，他用了她的名字——这是他以前从未做过的事。246
“Did you think me incapable of arranging my own escape, Olive?”“你以为我连自己的逃跑都安排不了吗，奥利芙？”247
Nameless asked.无名者问道。248
“You’re still here, aren’t you?”“可你不是还在这里吗？”249
Olive pointed out, growing annoyed.奥利芙指出，心里渐渐恼火起来。250
“Yes, but not due to any lack of skill with locks,” Nameless said, holding out his hand and presenting the halfling with the copper wire he’d just slipped from her hair.“是的，但可不是因为我不擅长开锁。”无名者说着摊开手，把刚从半身人头发里抽出的那根铜丝亮给她看。251
Dexterously he twirled the shining metal strand through his fingers, then made it vanish so quickly that Olive couldn’t be certain if he’d flipped it away or slipped it up his sleeve.他灵巧地让那根闪亮的金属丝在指间旋转，随即又快得令人眼花地让它消失了，以至于奥利芙无法确定他究竟是把它弹开了，还是藏进了袖子里。252
“All right, I’m impressed.“好吧，我服了。”253
Can I have my pick-bone back?” the halfling asked.“能把我的开锁骨针还给我吗？”半身人问道。254
“It’s in your hair, Olive, right where you put it,” replied Nameless.“就在你头发里，奥利芙，还是你原来放它的地方。”无名者答道。255
Olive ran her fingers through her hair and found the wire lodged behind her ear exactly where she’d put it.奥利芙用手指梳过头发，果然在耳后找到了那根细丝，正是她先前放的位置。256
“An illusion, right?” she guessed.“是幻术，对吧？”她猜道。257
Nameless did not reply.无名者没有回答。258
Instead, his eyes twinkled with mischief.相反，他眼中闪烁着顽皮的光芒。259
“I hate it when you do things like that,” Olive huffed.“我最讨厌你玩这种把戏了。”奥利芙气呼呼地说。260
“You love it when I do things like that,” Nameless countered.“你明明最喜欢我玩这种把戏。”无名者反驳道。261
“You just hate that you can’t do them yet.”“你只是讨厌自己还不会罢了。”262
“All right.“好吧。263
So you didn’t need my help to escape.这么说，你根本不需要我帮忙也能逃出去。264
Why are you still here?” she demanded.那你为什么还待在这里？”她追问道。265
“Because I have no desire to become a hunted fugitive when I don’t have to.“因为没必要的话，我可不想变成一个遭人追捕的逃犯。266
The Harpers will come to their senses and release me.”竖琴手同盟会清醒过来，放我走的。”267
“That’s what you thought when you turned yourself over to them two hundred years ago,” Olive argued.“两百年前你向他们自首时也是这么想的。”奥利芙争辩道。268
“What makes you think this trial’s going to end any different from the first one?”“你凭什么认为这次审判的结果会和第一次有什么不同？”269
“Elminster is speaking in my defense this time,” Nameless replied confidently.“这一次，伊尔明斯特会为我辩护。”无名者自信地答道。270
“You put a lot of store in that old coot.”“你还真把那个老家伙当回事。”271
“The Harpers have grown accustomed to abiding by Elminster’s counsel.”“竖琴手同盟早已习惯听从伊尔明斯特的忠告了。”272
Olive sniffed.奥利芙哼了一声。273
“And you expect them to forgive all, to take you back into their fold and restore you to your position as a Master Harper?“所以你指望他们既往不咎，重新接纳你，还让你恢复竖琴手大师的职位？”274
“Naturally,” the bard said coolly.“当然。”吟游诗人淡淡地说道。275
“What then?”“然后呢？”276
Olive snapped.奥利芙厉声说道。277
“Engagements at all the royal courts?“受邀前往各国王廷献艺？278
A few noble titles granted in honor of your talents?凭你的才华获封几个贵族头衔？279
Wizards begging for your secrets?让威世智求着你吐露秘法？280
Flocks of apprentices ready to serve under you?”再来一大群学徒，争着拜入你的门下？”281
“Why should it be any different than it was before?”“为什么不能和从前一样？”282
Nameless asked with a cocky grin.无名者带着自负的笑容问道。283
“You’re dreaming, pal!”“你在做梦呢，老兄！”284
Olive shouted, completely frustrated with his vanity and unrelenting certainty.奥利芙大喊道，他的虚荣与固执己见让她彻底忍无可忍。285
“Wake up and smell the bacon!“醒醒吧，闻闻培根味儿！286
Not even the great Elminster is going to bring Morala around.就算是伟大的伊尔明斯特，也说服不了莫拉拉。287
As for the other two, the ranger might take pity on you, but that half-elf bard’s got all the compassion of an iron golem.至于另外两个，那个游侠或许会可怜你，可那个半精灵吟游诗人的同情心，跟铁魔像不相上下。288
You need—” Olive halted, alarmed at the way her voice echoed through the cell and annoyed that this stupid human had made her lose her self-control.你得——”奥利芙猛然打住。她的声音在牢房里回荡，令她心中警铃大作；而这个愚蠢的人类竟害她失去自制，也让她恼火不已。289
“You need a contingency plan,” the halfling whispered.“你得准备个应急方案。”半身人低声说道。290
“Just in case I’m right and you’re wrong.”“以防我是对的，而你是错的。”291
“I have too much to lose if I flee now and you’re wrong,” Nameless retorted heatedly.“要是我现在逃走，而你又错了，我会失去太多东西。”无名者激动地反驳道。292
“You have too much to lose if you don’t. Security isn’t going to get any more lax if they condemn you, you know.“要是你不逃，也会失去太多东西。你要知道，一旦他们判你有罪，守卫可不会比现在更松懈。293
Since you’ve already broken out of the Citadel of White Exile, they’ll have to find some place even worse—if you can imagine any place worse than that.”既然你已经从白色流放堡逃出来过一次，他们就只好另找一个更糟糕的地方关你——如果你能想象出还有什么地方比那里更糟的话。”294
Nameless fought to control a tremor in his lip.无名者竭力控制着嘴唇的颤抖。295
For two centuries, he’d lived in the Citadel of White Exile, able to scry on the happenings in the Realms but completely unable to participate.整整两个世纪，他都生活在白色流放堡，虽能用魔法窥探诸界发生的一切，却完全无法参与其中。296
It had been torture for him, but he could imagine worse things.那对他而言无异于酷刑，但他想象得出更糟糕的事。297
He had other objections to trying to escape, though.不过，他反对尝试逃跑还有别的理由。298
“You forget we’re talking about the Harpers,” he said.“你忘了，我们说的可是竖琴手同盟。”他说。299
“They’ll have no trouble tracking me down.”“他们要追踪到我，根本不费吹灰之力。”300
“You’re a Harper yourself,” Olive pointed out.“你自己不也是个竖琴手吗？”奥利芙指出。301
“If you weren’t so eager to rest on your laurels, you could keep a step ahead of them.“你要不是这么急着躺在功劳簿上睡大觉，本可以一直领先他们一步。302
I’ve got a place where you could hide, too—somewhere you’ll be welcome, and no one would ever be able to detect you magically.”我还有个地方能让你藏身——在那里你会受到欢迎，也绝不会有人能用魔法探测到你。”303
“You want me to hide behind Alias’s shield,” Nameless replied, referring to the misdirection spell cast on the swordswoman, a spell which made her and anyone she traveled with completely undetectable by magical means.“你想让我躲在阿莉亚丝的庇护之下。”无名者答道，指的是施加在那名女剑士身上的误导法术；这个法术能让她以及与她同行的任何人彻底避开魔法探测。304
“Forget it,” Nameless said vehemently.“想都别想。”无名者语气激烈地说。305
“I’m not getting her involved in this.”“我不会把她牵扯进来的。”306
“I wasn’t talking about Alias,” Olive said.“我说的不是阿莉亚丝。”奥利芙说。307
“Give me credit for some sense.“你总该相信我还有点判断力。308
She’s too obvious.她太显眼了。309
I wasn’t talking about a magic dead zone, either.我说的也不是什么魔法失效区。310
That’s too obvious, too; besides, there’s too much riffraff in places like that.那也太显眼了；再说，那种地方的乌合之众也太多。311
I have someplace even better in mind.我想到的是一个更好的地方。312
With any luck, the Harpers will waste their time checking out Alias and the dead zones and miss us altogether.运气好的话，竖琴手同盟会把时间浪费在搜查阿莉亚丝和那些魔法失效区上，彻底漏掉我们。313
The Harpers aren’t perfect.竖琴手同盟并非完美无缺。314
They make mistakes.他们也会犯错。315
Why do you give them so much power over you?”你为什么要让他们对你有这么大的影响力？”316
“Because,” Nameless hissed angrily, “they have my name.”“因为，”无名者愤怒地嘶声说道，“他们掌握了我的名字。”317
Olive shrugged her shoulders and helped herself to another plum.奥利芙耸了耸肩，又拿了一颗李子吃。318
“Big deal.“那又怎样。319
So do I. It’s Finder.我也知道。是芬德。320
Finder Wyvernspur, from the clan Wyvernspur of Immersea, in Cormyr,” she said nonchalantly.芬德·飞龙刺，出身科米尔伊默海的飞龙刺家族。”她若无其事地说。321
She stifled a mock yawn before adding, “Your older brother was Gerrin Wyvernspur.她故意打了个哈欠，又强忍住，接着说道：“你的哥哥是杰林·飞龙刺。322
Your mother’s name was Amalee Winter, and your father was Lord Gould.你的母亲名叫阿玛莉·温特，父亲是古尔德勋爵。323
Your grandfather was the Paton Wyvernspur.你的祖父是佩顿·飞龙刺。324
Sound familiar?”听着耳熟吗？”325
The bard leaned back against the wall, staring at the halfling with undisguised amazement.吟游诗人向后靠在墙上，毫不掩饰地惊讶地盯着半身人。326
Silently, with his eyes closed as if he were reciting an oft-repeated prayer from childhood, the bard mouthed the names Olive had given him.吟游诗人闭着眼睛，仿佛在默诵一篇从小念惯了的祷文，无声地翕动嘴唇，重复着奥利芙告诉他的那些名字。327
“Surprised?”“很惊讶？”328
Olive asked, unable to keep from grinning.奥利芙问道，忍不住咧嘴笑了起来。329
The bard looked at the halfling and nodded, still dumbfounded.吟游诗人看着半身人，点了点头，仍旧目瞪口呆。330
“I’ve got something else for you, Finder,” Olive said, pulling something from her cloak pocket.“我还有样东西要给你，芬德。”奥利芙说着，从斗篷口袋里掏出一件东西。331
She laid it down on the bed in front of the bard.她把它放在吟游诗人面前的床上。332
“Recognize this?”“认得这个吗？”333
Finder looked down at the halfling’s gift.芬德低头看着半身人送来的礼物。334
It was a sparkling yellow crystal, multifaceted and roughly egg-shaped, somewhat larger than a hen’s egg.那是一块闪闪发光的黄色水晶，表面有许多切面，形状大致如卵，比鸡蛋稍大一些。335
The bard gasped.吟游诗人倒吸了一口气。336
Then he whooped once with pleasure, leaped from the bed, snatched Olive up in the air, and swung her around, laughing with delight.接着，他欣喜地欢呼一声，从床上一跃而起，一把将奥利芙举到空中，抱着她转起圈来，开怀大笑。337
“You stole the finder’s stone!“你把芬德之石偷来了！”338
You incredible halfling!“你这个了不起的半身人！”339
I could kiss you!”“我真想亲你一口！”340
“Well, I suppose I deserve it,” Olive said, turning her head and pointing to her cheek.“嗯，我想这是我应得的。”奥利芙说着，转过头，指了指自己的脸颊。341
Finder pressed his lips against her flushed face.芬德把嘴唇贴在她泛红的脸颊上。342
Then he laughed and spun around again, with Olive still in his arms.随后他大笑起来，抱着奥利芙又转了一圈。343
“I’ll lose that plum I just ate if you don’t set me down,” Olive threatened.“你再不放我下来，我刚吃的那颗李子可就要吐出来了。”奥利芙威胁道。344
Finder lowered the halfling gently to the bed.芬德轻轻地把半身人放回床上。345
Olive bounced once on the mattress and snatched up the crystal.奥利芙在床垫上弹了一下，一把抓起水晶。346
“Is this thing still loaded with magic?” she asked, tossing the stone to the bard.“这东西里面还有魔力吗？”她问着，把石头抛给吟游诗人。347
Finder caught the crystal with one hand.芬德单手接住了水晶。348
He sang a short, clear G-sharp and peered into the stone’s depths.他唱出一个短促清亮的升G音，凝视着水晶深处。349
“Yes!” he announced.“还有魔力！”他宣布道。350
“I don’t believe it.“真不敢相信。351
Elminster didn’t give this to you, did he?这不是伊尔明斯特给你的，对吧？352
You did steal it, didn’t you?”是你偷来的，对不对？”353
Olive grinned.奥利芙咧嘴一笑。354
“No and no. Elminster gave it to Alias last year.“都不是。去年，是伊尔明斯特把它送给阿莉亚丝的。355
Maybe he felt she had some right to it, seeing how she’s related to you.也许他觉得，既然她和你有亲缘关系，她也算有资格得到它。356
We lost it outside of Westgate, but I ran into the man who found it and convinced him to part with it.”我们在西门城外把它弄丢了，不过我碰巧遇上了捡到它的那个人，还说服他把它让了出来。”357
“And my name?“那我的名字呢？358
Who parted with that?”又是谁把它透露出去的？”359
Finder asked.芬德问道。360
“That’s a longer story.“那说来话长。361
Why don’t we save it for later?不如留到以后再说？362
Let’s go, huh?”我们走吧，好不好？”363
Finder sat down on the footstool.芬德在脚凳上坐了下来。364
“There’s no hurry now,” he insisted.“现在不必着急了，”他坚持道。365
“We can leave anytime.“我们随时都能离开。366
There’s a teleport spell in the crystal.”水晶里有一道传送法术。”367
“Which won’t work if Elminster’s cast some sort of anti-magic shell around this cell,” Olive argued.“可要是伊尔明斯特在这间牢房周围施了某种反魔法护罩，那法术就不会生效，”奥利芙反驳道。368
“The finder’s stone is an artifact.“芬德之石是一件神器。369
Not even Elminster’s magic can stop spells cast from it,” Finder declared.就连伊尔明斯特的魔法也阻止不了用它施展的法术。”芬德断言道。370
He picked out a plum from the bowl and took a bite, slurping noisily.他从碗里挑出一颗李子，咬了一口，吃得啧啧有声。371
“I want to give Elminster the chance to argue my case before the Harpers as he should have done the first time.“我想给伊尔明斯特一个机会，让他在竖琴手同盟面前为我申辩——他第一次就该这么做。372
If he fails to convince them to pardon me, then we’ll leave.”如果他说服不了他们赦免我，我们再走。”373
“I have a bad feeling about this, Finder.“我对此有种不祥的预感，芬德。374
Let’s go now, please,” Olive pleaded.求你了，我们现在就走吧。”奥利芙恳求道。375
“Relax, Olive.“放松点，奥利芙。376
I have everything under control.一切都在我的掌控之中。377
Here, have another plum.”来，再吃颗李子。”378
Finder held out the silver fruit bowl toward Olive.芬德把银果盘递到奥利芙面前。379
Olive crossed her arms, determined not to encourage her friend’s indifference to his own peril.奥利芙抱起双臂，决意不再纵容朋友对自身危险满不在乎的态度。380
Finder waved the bowl enticingly under her nose.芬德把果盘放在她鼻子底下，诱人地晃了晃。381
Unable to resist the smell, the halfling chose a second plum.半身人抵挡不住果香，又挑了一颗李子。382
“Finder.“芬德。383
Such a proper name,” the bard mused as he set the bowl back on the table.真是个恰如其分的名字。”吟游诗人一边沉吟，一边把果盘放回桌上。384
The halfling suppressed an unexplainable shiver and bit into her plum.半身人莫名地打了个寒战，却强忍住了，随后咬了一口李子。385
While Olive Ruskettle was trying her best to convince the Nameless Bard that Elminster might fail to get him freed, the sage himself was explaining to the Harpers how the alliance of evil beings that had freed Nameless had managed to trick the bard into building a new version of his simulacrum for them.奥利芙·拉斯凯特尔正竭力想让无名者吟游诗人相信，伊尔明斯特未必能让他获释；与此同时，这位贤者本人正在向竖琴手同盟解释：那群释放了无名者的邪恶生物究竟是如何哄骗吟游诗人，让他为它们制造出一个新版拟像的。386
Morala shook her head and bit her tongue, but she could no longer hold back her annoyance.莫拉拉摇了摇头，强忍着没有开口，但她再也压不住心中的恼怒了。387
“This is just what I warned him would happen when he was planning the first simulacrum.“这正是他筹划制作第一个拟像时，我警告过他会发生的事。388
Evil cannot disguise itself from good unless good looks the other way.除非善良选择视而不见，否则邪恶无法在善良面前隐藏自己。389
Nameless’s own arrogance blinded him to their nature.”是无名者自己的傲慢蒙蔽了他的双眼，让他看不清它们的本性。”390
“That may be, thy grace,” Elminster replied, “but he did not hesitate to act against these evil beings when he finally recognized their true nature.“或许如此，大人，”伊尔明斯特答道，“但当他终于认清这些邪恶生物的真面目时，并未迟疑，立刻采取行动对付它们。391
He did his best to keep them from gaining control of the simulacrum.他竭尽全力阻止它们控制那个拟像。392
He freed her so that she and her companions were able to return and destroy all of the members of the consortium, the sorceress Cassana, the lich Prakis, the Fire Knives Assassins Guild, the Tarterean fiend Phalse, and even Moander the Darkbringer.”他释放了她，使她和同伴得以回来，将这个邪恶联盟的所有成员尽数消灭：女术士卡萨娜、巫妖普拉基斯、火刀刺客公会、来自塔尔塔罗斯的邪魔法尔斯，甚至还有黑暗使者莫安德。”393
“She?“她？394
You mean the simulacrum?”你是说那个拟像体？”395
Breck asked.布雷克问道。396
“He succeeded in animating it, then?”“这么说，他成功让它动起来了？”397
Morala asked with a defeated sigh.莫拉拉挫败地叹了口气，问道。398
“Actually, she’s more than animated.“其实，她可不只是动起来了。399
She’s very much alive and possessed of her very own soul and spirit.她真真切切地活着，拥有完全属于自己的灵魂和精神。400
Not even ye, thy grace, could tell she was unborn.”就连您，殿下，也看不出她并非由母体所生。”401
“Impossible!” the priestess declared.“不可能！”女祭司断言道。402
“Impossible for Nameless and the evil beings who backed him, but not impossible for a god.”“对无名者和那些支持他的邪恶存在而言，这是不可能的，但对神祇来说却并非如此。”403
“Moander is the Darkbringer.“莫安德是黑暗使者。404
He could not give her a soul,” Morala insisted.他不可能赋予她灵魂。”莫拉拉坚持道。405
“I did not speak of Moander,” Elminster said.“我说的不是莫安德。”伊尔明斯特说道。406
“What god, then, Elminster?”“那是哪位神，伊尔明斯特？”407
Kyre asked.凯尔问道。408
“I’m not certain.“我不确定。409
The fiend Phalse kidnapped a paladin from another world to supply the simulacrum with a soul, but the paladin still lives.恶魔法尔斯从另一个世界绑架了一名圣武士，想用他的灵魂赋予拟像体灵魂，但那名圣武士依然活着。410
Somehow his soul doubled, and a shard of his spirit broke off.不知怎的，他的灵魂一分为二，一片精神碎片也从他身上剥离了下来。411
Both grew inside Nameless’s creation.两者都在无名者的造物体内成长。412
It is possible one of the paladin’s gods made this possible.或许是那名圣武士所信奉的诸神之一促成了这一切。413
I also suspect that the goddess of luck, Tymora, may have interfered in the creation.我还怀疑，幸运女神泰摩拉可能也干预了这次创造。414
Nameless still invokes her name on occasion, and the simulacrum seems to have an affinity for Lady Luck.无名者至今仍偶尔呼唤她的名字，而那个拟像体似乎也与幸运女士颇为投缘。415
Perhaps it was a joint effort of these gods.也许这是这些神祇联手所为。416
Whatever the case, the woman lives.”无论如何，那个女人活着。”417
“Why did Nameless make this creation a woman?”“无名者为什么要把这个造物塑造成女人？”418
Breck asked.布雷克问道。419
“For her own vile reasons, the sorceress Cassana insisted it be made in her image,” the sage explained.“出于她自己那些邪恶的缘由，女术士卡萨娜坚持要让这个造物以她的形象塑成，”贤者解释道。420
“Perhaps that was for the best.“也许这样反而最好。421
Nameless gave the simulacrum much of his personality, but in an effort to make her a more ‘ideal’ woman, in his own view, he created in her a tender and nobler side Nameless himself had never displayed.无名者赋予了这个拟像许多自己的性格，但为了依照他自己的看法，把她塑造成一个更‘理想’的女人，他在她身上创造出了温柔而高尚的一面，而这是无名者本人从未展现过的。422
She has already made a name for herself as a brave and clever sell-sword.她已经凭借勇敢与机智的雇佣剑客身份闯出了名声。423
The paladin I mentioned before, a noble saurial known here in the Realms as ‘Dragonbait,’ travels in her company, totally convinced of her goodness.”我刚才提到的那位圣武士，是一名高贵的蜥蜴人，在诸界这里被称为‘龙饵’；他与她结伴同行，并且深信她生性善良。”424
Breck gasped.布雷克倒吸了一口气。425
“You don’t mean Alias of Westgate!”“你说的该不会是西门城的阿莉亚丝吧！”426
“The very same, good ranger,” Elminster replied.“正是她，善良的游侠，”伊尔明斯特答道。427
“You have met the lady, then?”“这么说，你见过这位女士？”428
“Well, not exactly,” Orcsbane admitted.“唔，也不算真正见过，”奥克斯班承认道。429
“I’ve seen her down at The Old Skull tavern, though, and listened to her sing.“不过我在老骷髅旅店见过她，还听过她唱歌。430
She has a voice like a bird—sings some of the most moving songs I’ve ever heard.”她的嗓音宛如鸟鸣——唱的那些歌，是我听过最动人的曲子之一。”431
“She sings!”“她唱歌！”432
Morala shouted angrily.莫拉拉愤怒地喊道。433
“She sings his songs, doesn’t she, Elminster?“她唱的是他的歌，对不对，伊尔明斯特？434
And you’ve done nothing about it!”而你居然什么也没做！”435
“What could I do, thy grace?“我又能做什么呢，尊驾？436
She is a free woman who has committed no crime.她是个自由之身的女人，又没有犯下任何罪行。437
The people of Shadowdale consider her a hero.阴影谷的百姓视她为英雄。438
The time is long past when the Harpers could intimidate ordinary folk into obedience, let alone demand it of heroes.”竖琴手同盟可以恫吓普通人、迫使他们服从的时代早已过去，更不用说要求英雄服从了。”439
Elminster could tell Morala was struggling to control her rage.伊尔明斯特看得出，莫拉拉正在竭力压制怒火。440
The priestess was breathing deeply, with her eyes closed and her jaw set.女祭司双眼紧闭，牙关紧咬，正深深地呼吸。441
The sage had no desire to anger Morala, but he would not be reprimanded for behaving in a civilized fashion.贤者无意激怒莫拉拉，但他不会因为自己以文明的方式行事而甘受斥责。442
“Perhaps we should meet this woman,” Kyre suggested calmly.“或许我们应该见见这位女子。”凯尔平静地提议道。443
“Will she speak with us if she is summoned forth?”“若是把她召来，她会同我们谈吗？”444
Elminster nodded.伊尔明斯特点了点头。445
“She is eager to speak if there is a chance it will help Nameless.”“只要有机会帮助无名者，她很愿意开口。”446
“Ah-ha!”“啊哈！”447
Morala cried.莫拉拉叫道。448
“She is his creature indeed.”“她果然是他的人。”449
“No, Morala,” Elminster snapped back, fighting hard to keep his own anger in check.“不，莫拉拉，”伊尔明斯特厉声反驳，竭力压住自己的怒火。450
“She is her own creature.“她只属于她自己。451
She is fond of Nameless, though, as any generous and good woman would be of a father who nurtured her as best he could.”不过她确实很喜欢无名者；任何慷慨善良的女子，都会喜欢一个尽己所能将她养育成人的父亲。”452
Morala looked down at her hands, fearing that she had aroused the sage’s wrath.莫拉拉低头看着自己的双手，担心自己惹恼了这位贤者。453
As old as she was, Elminster was many years her senior, and he was the Harpers’ most powerful ally and advisor.尽管她已年事甚高，伊尔明斯特却还要年长她许多，而且他还是竖琴手同盟最强大的盟友与顾问。454
“We should hear her speak,” she agreed softly.“我们应该听听她怎么说。”她轻声赞同道。455
Kyre signaled the page and ordered him, “Find Alias of Westgate and request that she come before this tribunal.”凯尔向侍童示意，命令他道：“去找西门城的阿莉亚丝，请她到审判庭来。”456
Heth stood up, bowed before the tribunal and hurried out of the courtroom to fetch the Nameless Bard’s singer, Alias.赫斯站起身，向审判庭鞠了一躬，随即匆匆走出法庭，去请无名者吟游诗人的歌手阿莉亚丝。457