The cook at Redstone lacked Thomas’s talents with sauces and seasonings, but Gaylyn’s company added considerable cheer to the lunch.红石的厨子在调制酱汁和运用香料方面不及托马斯，但有盖琳作伴，这顿午餐着实增添了不少欢乐。1
She was shrewd enough not to ask about Cat in front of Aunt Dorath, but she regaled them with funny stories of the naughty things she did as a child.她很精明，没有当着多拉丝姑妈的面询问凯特的事，却绘声绘色地给他们讲了许多自己小时候淘气捣蛋的趣事。2
Olive got the impression the lady would turn out to be a pretty permissive parent.奥利芙觉得，这位夫人将来多半会是个相当宽容的母亲。3
Steele never showed up for the meal, which also added to everyone’s lightheartedness.斯蒂尔始终没有露面用餐，这也让大家的心情更加轻松愉快。4
Sudacar did show, and, giving Giogi one of his sly winks, seated himself beside Julia and attended to her every word.苏达卡倒是来了；他狡黠地朝乔吉眨了眨眼，便在朱莉娅身旁坐下，全神贯注地听她说的每一句话。5
Giogi and Olive both felt very strange watching Julia’s behavior in Sudacar’s presence.看着朱莉娅在苏达卡面前的举止，乔吉和奥利芙都觉得十分古怪。6
She’d become the model of a sweet, modest young lady in the Lord of Immersea’s presence.在伊默海领主面前，她俨然成了一位温柔端庄的年轻淑女典范。7
Giogi’s feeling of family loyalty struggled with his urge to warn Sudacar of Julia’s natural viciousness.乔吉一方面顾念亲情，一方面又忍不住想警告苏达卡，告诉他朱莉娅生性恶毒，两种心情在他心中激烈交战。8
Olive, for her part, was reminded of Cat, who kept her sardonic nature around Giogi in check to keep his favor, and around Flattery to keep her head from being staved in.至于奥利芙，她则想起了凯特：凯特在乔吉身边时会收敛自己尖刻讥诮的本性，好保住他的欢心；在弗拉特里身边时也会收敛，好保住自己的脑袋不被砸烂。9
Near the end of the meal, Gaylyn excused herself to check on the baby, and Aunt Dorath went with her.快用完餐时，盖琳告辞去看孩子，多拉丝姑妈也随她去了。10
In his aunt’s absence, Giogi asked Olive to tell them all about her travels last season with Alias of Westgate, and Frefford insisted.趁姑妈不在，乔吉请奥利芙把上一季她与西门城的阿莉亚丝一同旅行的经历全讲给大家听，弗雷福德也坚持要她讲。11
So the halfling complied, without actually mentioning the secret of Alias’s—and Jade’s and Cat’s—origins.于是半身人答应了，只是绝口未提阿莉亚丝——以及杰德和凯特——身世的秘密。12
She made a point of mentioning the help they had from the Nameless Bard, but none of the Wyvernspurs seemed to have heard of their black sheep ancestor.她特意提到他们曾得到无名者吟游诗人的帮助，但飞龙刺家族的人似乎没有一个听说过这位家族中的败类先祖。13
As she spoke, Olive grew aware that Lord Sudacar was studying her more intensely than he ever had when she had told the same story in the Five Fine Fish.说着说着，奥利芙察觉到苏达卡大人正格外专注地打量她，远比她先前在五条好鱼酒馆讲述同一个故事时看得更仔细。14
Then she remembered that she still wore the device of the Harpers.这时她才想起，自己还佩戴着竖琴手同盟的徽记。15
The king’s man did not interrupt her, however, nor question her about the pin.然而，这位国王的手下既没有打断她，也没有询问那枚别针的事。16
Her story carried them to the end of the meal, and when Giogi announced that they must be going, Olive sighed inwardly in relief to be escaping Sudacar’s stare.她的故事一直讲到用餐结束；乔吉宣布他们必须告辞时，奥利芙暗自松了口气，庆幸终于能逃离苏达卡的注视。17
In the tavern he seemed just a retired adventurer, but here he represented the law of the land, and Olive was always uncomfortable with laws.在酒馆里，他看起来不过是个退隐的冒险者，可在这里，他代表的却是王国的律法，而奥利芙面对律法总觉得不自在。18
The sky was still clear and bright, and the sun still high in the sky, when Olive and Giogi climbed into their rented carriage.奥利芙和乔吉登上租来的马车时，天空依旧晴朗明亮，太阳也依旧高悬天际。19
Olive sat beside Giogi on the driver’s seat, partly to keep him company and partly to avoid the crush of food boxes they’d been volunteered to take up to the temple for that evening’s memorial service.奥利芙在车夫座上挨着乔吉坐下，一来是为了陪他，二来则是为了避开那一大堆食盒——别人已经替他们揽下了差事，要他们把这些食盒送到神殿，供当晚的追悼仪式使用。20
Dorath apparently expected a big turnout and didn’t want to be caught short.多拉丝显然料定会有许多人出席，不想届时准备不足。21
“I’ve spent all winter here in Immersea,” Olive said as they pulled away from the castle, “but I’ve yet to visit this temple.“我整个冬天都待在伊默海，”马车驶离城堡时，奥利芙说道，“可我还没来过这座神殿。22
People tell me it’s very impressive.听人说，这里气派极了。23
I’ve never met Mother Lleddew, either.我也从没见过莱杜嬷嬷。24
She’s a bit of a recluse, I understand.我听说她有点离群索居。25
What’s she like?”她是个怎样的人？”26
“I don’t know exactly,” Giogi said.“我也说不太准，”乔吉说。27
“I haven’t seen her since I was a boy.我从小以后就没见过她了。28
My parents took me up to the temple a few times to have tea with her.我父母曾带我来过几次神殿，和她一起喝茶。29
After my parents died, Uncle Drone only took me up there to watch eclipses, and then there were so many people there that I never really got to see much of her.父母去世以后，德罗恩叔叔只在观赏日食或月食时才带我来，而那时人实在太多，我根本没什么机会见到她。30
When I got sick or hurt, Aunt Dorath took me to the shrine of Chauntea.我生病或受伤时，多拉丝姑妈会带我去裳禔亚的圣所。31
I think Aunt Dorath disapproves of Selune, but I don’t know why.我觉得多拉丝姑妈不赞同塞露恩，但我不知道为什么。32
“Anyway, from what I remember, Mother Lleddew was a big woman, older than Aunt Dorath, with shaggy black hair and funny brown eyes.“总之，据我记忆，莱杜嬷嬷是个身材高大的女人，比多拉丝姑妈年长，长着一头蓬乱的黑发，还有一双古怪的棕色眼睛。33
Her temple is all open, just pillars and a floor and a roof.她的神殿四面敞开，只有柱子、地面和屋顶。34
I never figured out where she lived.我一直没弄明白她住在哪里。35
When we came for tea, my parents and I, it was more like a picnic.我和父母来喝茶时，倒更像是在野餐。36
We’d sit in the surrounding meadow beside a little fire.我们会坐在周围的草地上，旁边生着一小堆火。37
Mother Lleddew would serve berries and fresh herb teas.莱杜嬷嬷会拿浆果和新鲜的花草茶招待我们。38
“There’s a silver bell you ring, and she shows up.“那里有一只银铃，只要摇响它，她就会出现。39
Mischievous kids used to sneak up the hill, ring the bell, and run off, watching from the woods, but she always seemed to know when it was a practical joke, and never showed up.”从前有些淘气的孩子会偷偷爬上山，摇响铃铛后拔腿就跑，躲在树林里看热闹；可她似乎总能知道那只是恶作剧，从来不会现身。”40
“Any of those mischievous kids used to live at Redstone?”“那些淘气的孩子里，有没有谁以前住在红石？”41
Olive asked.奥利芙问道。42
Giogi grinned.乔吉咧嘴一笑。43
“Some of them.“有几个。44
According to Sudacar, Lleddew adventured with my father, but she never travels anymore.据苏达卡说，莱杜曾和我父亲一起冒险，但如今她再也不出远门了。45
Frefford said he tried to get her to go down to Suzail to officiate at his wedding, but she wouldn’t leave the temple.”弗雷福德说，他曾想请她去苏萨尔主持自己的婚礼，可她不肯离开神殿。”46
“There was a priestess of Selune at the wedding, though,” Olive recalled.“不过，婚礼上倒是有一位塞露恩的女祭司。”奥利芙回忆道。47
Giogi nodded.乔吉点了点头。48
“She was someone from Suzail.“她是从苏萨尔来的。49
Couldn’t have a Wyvernspur wedding without Selune’s blessing.飞龙刺家的婚礼可少不了塞露恩的赐福。50
Paton Wyvernspur—our family’s founder—was said to be favored by her.”据说，我们家族的始祖佩顿·飞龙刺深受她的眷顾。”51
They reached the intersection of the two main roads that ran through Immersea.他们来到贯穿伊默海的两条主要道路的交叉口。52
Giogi steered the horses west and had to slow the carriage for the tradesmen, teamsters, and fishmongers who crowded the streets.乔吉驾着马向西拐去，又不得不放慢马车，好避让挤满街道的商贩、车夫和鱼贩。53
“Mistress Ruskettle, could I ask your advice on something?” the noble asked.“拉斯凯特尔女士，有件事我能请教一下您的意见吗？”贵族青年问道。54
“Never play dice with anyone named High-Roll,” Olive said.“千万别跟名叫‘豪掷’的人玩骰子。”奥利芙说。55
“Pardon?”“什么？”56
“Just a little joke.“只是开个小玩笑。57
Sorry.抱歉。58
Of course, Master Giogioni.当然可以，乔吉奥尼少爷。59
Please feel free to confide in me at any time.”无论什么时候，您都尽管向我吐露心事。”60
“Well, if you had someone who was a friend, not someone you knew really well but someone you thought was a capital fellow, and he became involved with someone else who you thought might not be so capital but who was a member of your family, for instance, do you think you would tell the capital fellow?”“嗯，假如你有个朋友，虽说不算特别熟，但你觉得他是个很不错的人；后来他和另一个人有了牵扯，而你觉得那人也许没那么不错，却又是你的家人——比方说吧——那你会把这事告诉那个很不错的人吗？”61
“No,” Olive replied at once.“不会。”奥利芙立刻答道。62
“No?”“不会？”63
Giogi asked.乔吉问。64
“No,” Olive repeated.“不会。”奥利芙重复道。65
“But, I mean, maybe he would want to know.“可是，我是说，也许他会想知道。66
I would want to know.”换作我，我就会想知道。”67
“No, you wouldn’t,” Olive said, thinking of Cat and Flattery.“不，你不会的。”奥利芙说，心里想到了凯特和弗拉特里。68
“Yes, I would.”“会，我会的。”69
“No, you wouldn’t. Believe me.“不，你不会。相信我。70
As for telling Samtavan Sudacar that you think your Cousin Julia is a schemer, I think you should butt out.”至于要不要告诉萨姆塔万·苏达卡，说你觉得你的表亲朱莉娅是个心机深沉的人，我看你还是别插手为好。”71
Giogi stared at Olive as if she’d just sprouted wings.乔吉盯着奥利芙，仿佛她刚刚长出了一双翅膀。72
“How did you know?“你怎么知道的？73
What are you?你到底是什么人？74
Some kind of mind reader?”某种会读心术的人吗？”75
Olive laughed.奥利芙笑了。76
“No, just a student of human nature.“不是，我只是研究过人性。77
Men never want to hear anything bad about women they think they’re in love with.男人绝不愿意听别人说他们自以为爱上的女人有什么不好。78
Period.没得商量。79
Besides, Sudacar seems to be a good influence on her.”再说了，苏达卡似乎给她带来了好影响。”80
“You don’t know, though—Steele wants to find the spur first so that he can keep it for himself, and Julia’s already done something that wasn’t very nice to help him.”“可你不知道——斯蒂尔想先找到那只马刺，好据为己有，而朱莉娅已经为了帮他，做过一件不太光彩的事了。”81
“Does Steele have anything to hold over her?”“斯蒂尔手里有什么能要挟她的把柄吗？”82
Olive asked, already knowing the answer.奥利芙问道，其实早已知道答案。83
“Just his bullying,” Giogi said.“不过是仗势欺人罢了，”乔吉说。84
“What about money?”“钱呢？”85
Olive suggested.奥利芙提示道。86
“Halfling sons and daughters inherit equally in their parents property, but you Cormyrian nobles have this barbarous practice of cheating your daughters out of their inheritance by marrying them off with a pittance of a dowry.”“半身人的儿女能够平等继承父母的财产，可你们这些身为科米尔人的贵族却有一种野蛮习俗，只给女儿一丁点嫁妆就把她们嫁出去，骗走她们应得的遗产。”87
“Julia’s father left her a very large dowry,” Giogi objected.“朱莉娅的父亲给她留下了一笔非常丰厚的嫁妆，”乔吉反驳道。88
“And she can just hand this dowry over to any husband she chooses?”“而她可以把这笔嫁妆交给任何一个她自己选中的丈夫吗？”89
Olive asked.奥利芙问道。90
“Well, no. As her older brother, Steele would have to approve—” Giogi broke off, finally getting the gist of Olive’s argument.“嗯，不行。作为她的哥哥，斯蒂尔必须同意才——”乔吉戛然而止，终于明白了奥利芙这番话的意思。91
“And Steele doesn’t care for Sudacar,” he recalled aloud.“而且斯蒂尔不喜欢苏达卡，”他大声回想道。92
“But Sudacar wouldn’t care if Julia had a dowry or not,” Giogi insisted.“但苏达卡才不在乎朱莉娅有没有嫁妆呢，”乔吉坚持道。93
“He’s not that kind of man.”“他不是那种人。”94
“So certain of that, are you?”“你就这么肯定吗？”95
Olive said, finding it hard to believe that any man would be just as happy with a poor wife as a rich one.奥利芙说道。她很难相信，任何男人娶个穷妻子会和娶个富妻子一样幸福。96
Humans had such romantic notions.人类总爱抱着这种浪漫的想法。97
“That’s not the point, though, Master Giogioni,” Olive explained.“不过，关键不在这里，乔吉奥尼少爷，”奥利芙解释道。98
“It would matter to Julia.“这对朱莉娅来说很重要。99
She’d be too proud to go into a marriage penniless.她自尊心太强，不会身无分文地嫁人。100
Most women would be.”大多数女人都会如此。”101
“That shouldn’t matter if she’s really in love,” Giogi said.“如果她真的爱他，这就不该有什么要紧的，”乔吉说道。102
“Ever been penniless, Master Giogioni?”“你身无分文过吗，乔吉奥尼少爷？”103
Olive asked.奥利芙问道。104
“Um, well, no,” Giogi admitted.“呃，这个，没有，”乔吉承认道。105
“Now, some women, myself for instance, know that their worth has nothing to do with money.“有些女人——比如我自己——知道自身的价值与金钱无关。106
I don’t suspect anyone has ever told that to your Cousin Julia, though.不过我想，从来没人对你的表姐朱莉娅说过这番话。107
Certainly not her brother.”她哥哥肯定没说过。”108
Giogi considered Olive’s words silently for a few minutes.乔吉默默琢磨了几分钟奥利芙的话。109
Finally, he said, “You must be awfully wise, Mistress Ruskettle.”最后，他说道：“你一定非常有智慧，拉斯凯特尔女士。”110
“Just experienced,” Olive replied.“只是阅历丰富罢了，”奥利芙答道。111
If only I’d been turned into an ass earlier and had witnessed the theft of the spur, the halfling thought, he’d be proclaiming me Cormyr’s greatest sage.要是我早些变成驴子，亲眼看见马刺被偷就好了，半身人想，那样他准会宣称我是科米尔最伟大的智者。112
Giogi passed his townhouse and continued west out of town.乔吉经过自己的联排宅邸，继续向西出了城。113
“Isn’t the town graveyard out this way?”“镇上的墓地不是在这个方向吗？”114
Olive asked.奥利芙问道。115
“Yes, but we turn off before then.“是的，不过我们在到墓地之前就要拐弯。116
The temple road is that one on our left, just up ahead.”前面不远处左手边那条路，就是通往神殿的路。”117
Olive’s eyes followed the temple road’s progress south through fields of winter wheat, to the base of a high tree-ringed hill, where it began its ascent, winding to the west.奥利芙的目光沿着神殿路向南而去，只见它穿过一片片冬小麦田，延伸到一座绿树环绕的高丘脚下，随后蜿蜒向西，开始上坡。118
Olive squinted in the sunshine at the cleared hilltop.奥利芙迎着阳光眯起眼睛，望向被清理得空荡荡的山顶。119
She could just make out a blob of white that might be the temple.她勉强能看清一团白色，那或许就是神殿。120
One lone cloud, an ominous shade of gray, hung in the sky to the east of the hill’s peak—a blot on an otherwise perfect picture.一朵孤零零的云悬在峰顶以东的天空中，呈现出不祥的灰色——给原本完美无瑕的景致添上了一块污迹。121
Giogi turned the carriage off the cobbled main road and onto the muddy temple road.乔吉驾着马车拐下铺着石块的大路，驶上泥泞的神殿路。122
The wheels sank a few inches into the mire, but not so deep that the horses were unable to cope.车轮陷进泥沼几英寸，不过还没深到让马匹无法应付的地步。123
Once they entered the woods and reached the hill’s slope, the going got even slower.进入树林、来到山坡上后，他们走得更慢了。124
The forest around them grew dark.四周的森林暗了下来。125
Olive craned her neck to look up at the sky.奥利芙伸长脖子，抬头望向天空。126
The lone cloud she’d noticed before was now overhead, visible through the barely budding branches.她先前注意到的那朵孤云如今已经飘到头顶，透过刚刚萌芽的枝条依稀可见。127
A large black bird swooped down from the cloud and disappeared behind the tree line, on their uphill side.一只黑色的大鸟从云中俯冲而下，消失在他们上坡一侧的林木后方。128
Toward the temple.朝着神殿去了。129
“What was that?”“那是什么？”130
Olive asked.奥利芙问道。131
“What was what?”“什么是什么？”132
Giogi asked.乔吉问道。133
“There,” Olive said, pointing up to the cloud as a second dark shape plummeted earthward.“那里，”奥利芙说着指向那朵云，这时第二个黑影猛然朝地面坠去。134
There’s another, and another—a flock of somethings.”“又来一个，还有一个——是一群不知道什么东西。”135
“I’ve never seen anything like them before, “Giogi admitted, squinting at the creatures far overhead.“我以前从没见过这样的东西，”乔吉承认道，眯起眼睛望着高空中遥远的生物。136
“They all seem to be carrying something.”“它们好像都带着什么东西。”137
“Maybe Mother Lleddew trains giant crows or bats or something,” Olive muttered.“也许莱杜嬷嬷训练了巨型乌鸦、蝙蝠什么的。”奥利芙低声说道。138
Trees overhanging the road obscured their line of sight until they reached the high stone bridge crossing the Immer Stream.道路上方交错的树枝遮住了他们的视线，直到他们抵达横跨伊默溪的高大石桥。139
The woods were thinner along the stream bed, and now Olive could make out the pillars and roof of the House of the Lady, above the cascading waters.溪床两岸的树林稀疏一些，此刻奥利芙已经能看清飞瀑上方圣女之家的立柱和屋顶。140
The hill was entirely shaded by the lone cloud, so that, despite the afternoon sunshine, it was as dark as twilight.整座山丘都笼罩在那朵孤云的阴影下，因此尽管午后的阳光依旧灿烂，那里却暗得如同黄昏。141
Olive could just make out several shadowy figures surrounding the temple, milling about in the meadow around it.奥利芙勉强能看见几个模糊的身影围在神殿四周，在周围的草地上来回走动。142
“Could those be people arriving extra early for the memorial service?” the halfling asked Giogi.“那些会不会是来参加追悼仪式的人，只是到得特别早？”半身人问乔吉。143
“Maybe,” the nobleman replied uncertainly.“也许吧。”贵族不太确定地答道。144
Once across the bridge, the road became firmer and the trees thicker, and human and halfling lost sight of the hilltop again.过了桥，道路变得更加坚实，树木也越发茂密，人类和半身人再次看不见山顶了。145
On the hillside above them, something large rustled and snapped through the undergrowth.在他们上方的山坡上，有个庞然大物穿过灌木丛，一路弄得枝叶簌簌作响、断枝咔嚓作声。146
Olive kept her eyes wide, expecting a deer or bear to come bounding across the road.奥利芙瞪大眼睛，料想会有一头鹿或熊蹦过道路。147
Suddenly something heavy dropped onto the carriage roof with a thump.突然，一个沉重的东西砰的一声落在马车顶上。148
“What was that?”“那是什么？”149
Giogi cried out.乔吉惊叫起来。150
Olive turned around and stood up on the driver’s seat.奥利芙转过身，站到车夫座上。151
Something vaguely humanlike was crawling across the carriage roof in their direction.一个依稀有几分人形的东西正在车顶上朝他们爬来。152
Its sharp fingernails dug into the painted wood, and its long tongue flicked at the air through sharp teeth, like a serpent.它尖利的指甲抠进漆过的木板，长长的舌头从利齿间探出，像蛇一样在空中吞吐。153
The right half of its face had been staved in, and it glared at the halfling through empty eye sockets, which dripped a milky fluid.它右半边脸已经被砸塌了，正从空洞的眼眶里瞪着半身人，眼眶中还淌着乳白色的液体。154
With a gasp, Olive dropped down to the seat beside Giogi and grabbed the reins from his hands.奥利芙倒吸一口凉气，跌坐到乔吉身旁，一把从他手中夺过缰绳。155
She slapped the leather straps hard against the horses’ backs, shouting “Eeeee-Yah!”她用皮缰绳狠狠抽打马背，高喊：“咿——驾！”156
The horses took off, and the carriage jolted behind them.两匹马猛地冲了出去，马车在后面剧烈颠簸。157
Giogi let out a surprised yelp.乔吉猝不及防地尖叫一声。158
Behind her Olive heard the scrabble of nails trying to gain purchase on the carriage roof and the thunk of their unwanted passenger striking the ground.奥利芙听见身后传来指甲在车顶上抓挠、试图攀稳的声音，紧接着，那名不速之客砰的一声摔在了地上。159
Her grin of satisfaction was quickly stanched by the sight of three more figures ahead, stumbling out of the forest and onto the road.可她得意的笑容很快便消失了：前方又有三个身影踉踉跄跄地走出森林，来到路上。160
Two appeared normal, but the third leaned heavily to one side, as if favoring a leg injury.其中两个看起来还算正常，第三个却严重偏向一侧，仿佛有一条腿受了伤。161
The halfling smashed the reins down on the horses again, hollering at the top of her lungs, “Giddy, giddy, go!”半身人再次用缰绳狠狠抽打马背，扯着嗓子大喊：“驾，驾，快跑！”162
The horses plowed through the creatures trying to intercept them.两匹马径直撞开了那些企图拦截他们的生物。163
The creatures made no motion to get out of the way.那些生物丝毫没有避让的意思。164
The carriage tilted to one side for a moment as the wheels ran over their bodies, and the boxes within slammed from one side of the carriage to the other.车轮从它们身上碾过时，马车一度向一侧倾斜，车里的箱子也从一边猛撞到另一边。165
“Mistress Ruskettle!”“拉斯凯特尔女士！”166
Giogi shouted as he turned to stare in horror at the corpses in the road.乔吉转过头，惊恐地盯着路上的尸体，大声喊道。167
“You just ran those poor people over!”“你刚才从那些可怜人身上碾过去了！”168
“Those weren’t poor people, Master Giogioni.“那些可不是什么可怜人，乔吉奥尼少爷。169
Those were dead people.那些是死人。170
Ghouls, by the looks of them.”看样子，是食尸鬼。”171
Olive’s initial triumphant glee had turned to fearful concern.奥利芙起初那种胜利的喜悦已经化作了恐惧和担忧。172
“Ghouls!“食尸鬼！173
Last night it was lacedons!昨晚还是海尸鬼！174
Should we try to turn around and go back, do you think?”你觉得我们该不该设法掉头回去？”175
Giogi asked nervously, studying the road ahead for a wide spot.乔吉紧张地问道，一边打量前方的道路，想找一处宽敞的地方。176
“Is the road clear behind us?”“我们身后的路畅通吗？”177
Olive asked.奥利芙问道。178
Giogi looked behind them.乔吉回头望去。179
At least a dozen figures poured onto the road from the way they’d come.至少有十二道人影从他们来时的方向涌上了道路。180
“Um, no,” he said, turning around again quickly—horrified by the creatures’ twitchy, marionettelike movements.“呃，不通。”他说着，连忙又转回身去——那些怪物抽搐不定、宛如提线木偶般的动作令他毛骨悚然。181
“Then we keep going up,” Olive shouted over the noise of the horses’ hooves.“那我们就继续往上走！”奥利芙迎着马蹄声大喊。182
“How can all these evil things dare to tread a hill sacred to Selune?”“这些邪恶之物怎么胆敢踏上塞露恩的圣山？”183
“They’re probably more afraid of something else than they are of Selune.”“它们大概是更害怕别的什么东西，而不是塞露恩。”184
“But what?”“可那会是什么？”185
Giogi asked.乔吉问道。186
“Flattery would be my first guess.“我第一个想到的就是弗拉特里。187
He’s a pretty scary guy, and he’s partial to the undead.他是个相当可怕的家伙，而且对不死生物情有独钟。188
How much farther to the top?”离山顶还有多远？”189
The young noble’s face was pale.年轻贵族脸色苍白。190
“Two more bends, I think.“我想，再拐两个弯就到了。191
What are we going to do once we reach the top?”到了山顶以后，我们怎么办？”192
“Ring the bell and hope Mother Lleddew doesn’t mistake us for children playing a practical joke.“敲钟，然后祈祷莱杜嬷嬷别把我们当成恶作剧的小孩子。193
You have the potion Cat gave you?”凯特给你的药水带了吗？”194
Olive asked.奥利芙问道。195
“Yes, in my belt.“带了，在腰带里。196
Should I drink it now?”我现在该喝吗？”197
“Not yet.“还不用。198
Hold off until we’re sure you need to.等确定非喝不可时再喝。199
Here, take these,” Olive ordered, handing the nobleman the reins.来，拿着这个。”奥利芙命令道，把缰绳递给了那位贵族。200
“If it’s ugly, run over it.”“要是碰上什么丑东西，就从它身上碾过去。”201
Once her hands were free, Olive reached into her shirt pocket and drew out the potion Cat had selected for her.腾出双手后，奥利芙把手伸进衬衫口袋，掏出了凯特为她挑选的药水。202
The carriage rounded the last curve in the hillside road and rumbled to the top of the hill.马车绕过山路最后一道弯，隆隆驶上山顶。203
The clearing at the top was a meadow about twenty-five yards across.山顶的空地是一片约二十五码宽的草地。204
The temple took up about a third of that space.神殿占据了其中大约三分之一的地方。205
Throngs of disgusting undead creatures shambled about the meadow.成群令人作呕的不死生物在草地上蹒跚游荡。206
More were raining down into the clearing, dropped by giant vultures that looked no more healthy than their cargo.更多不死生物正如雨般落入空地，是被一群巨鹫扔下来的；那些巨鹫看起来并不比它们运载的东西健康多少。207
A few of the birds mistimed their drops; as Olive watched, one zombie smashed into the temple’s domed roof, rolled off to the ground, and lay unmoving on the temple’s granite steps.有几只鸟没拿捏好松爪的时机；奥利芙眼看着一具僵尸重重撞上神殿的穹顶，滚落到地上，躺在神殿的花岗岩台阶上一动不动。208
The horses tried rearing in their harnesses once, then froze in place, petrified with terror.马匹套在挽具里，试着扬蹄挣扎了一次，随后便僵在原地，吓得动弹不得。209
Giogi slapped the reins again, but the beasts were rooted in place.乔吉又抽了一下缰绳，可那些牲口像在地上生了根似的，一步也不肯挪。210
About a dozen zombies, moaning pitifully, shambled slowly toward the carriage.大约十二具僵尸哀怨地呻吟着，拖着蹒跚的脚步缓缓逼近马车。211
They all wore dirty uniforms.它们全都穿着肮脏的军服。212
They weren’t as badly decayed as most zombies, but each sported some gruesome mortal injury—a severed arm, a slit throat.它们腐烂得不像大多数僵尸那么严重，但每一具身上都有一道骇人的致命伤——有的断了一条胳膊，有的喉咙被割开。213
Their corpses had obviously been raided from a battlefield.很显然，它们的尸体是从战场上搜罗来的。214
From the dented, red-plumed helmets of most of the zombies and the tattered and torn black capes of the rest, Olive guessed they’d been Hillsfar and Zhentil Keep forces—victims of their cities’ perennial war over the ruins of Yulash.从大多数僵尸头上凹陷的红缨头盔，以及其余僵尸身上破烂不堪的黑斗篷来看，奥利芙猜想，它们生前分别隶属于希尔斯法和散提尔堡的军队——都是两座城市为争夺尤拉什废墟而常年交战的牺牲品。215
“Giogi, you need to drink that potion now,” Olive said decisively, unstoppering her own vial and quaffing the gray mixture in three gulps.“乔吉，你现在得把那瓶药水喝下去。”奥利芙果断地说着，拔掉自己那只小瓶的塞子，分三大口灌下了灰色药液。216
It slid down her throat like a lump of mercury and left a cold feeling in her stomach.那东西像一团水银似的滑过她的喉咙，在她胃里留下一股寒意。217
Giogi dropped the reins and pulled out his potion.乔吉扔下缰绳，掏出了自己的药水。218
As he poured it down his throat, Olive stood up on the driver’s seat and surveyed the zombies imperiously.就在他把药水灌进喉咙时，奥利芙站到车夫座位上，威严地扫视着那些僵尸。219
The cold in her stomach spread to her heart.她胃里的寒意蔓延到了心脏。220
She felt a surge of power in her spirit.她感到一股力量在灵魂中奔涌。221
It was a moment before she recovered sufficiently to issue a command.过了一会儿，她才缓过劲来，终于能够发号施令。222
“Get thee hence, vile creatures,” she ordered the undead, waving her hand in the directions of the trees.“滚开，你们这些卑劣的东西。”她一边命令那些不死生物，一边朝树林的方向挥了挥手。223
The zombies ceased moaning and looked up at the halfling.僵尸们停止呻吟，抬头望向那个半身人。224
Then they shuffled a little more quickly in the direction of the carriage.接着，它们加快了一点蹒跚的步伐，朝马车走来。225
“Well, that worked real well,” Olive muttered, pitching the empty potion bottle at the forehead of the lead zombie.“嗯，这可真是太管用了。”奥利芙咕哝着，把空药水瓶朝领头那具僵尸的额头掷去。226
She wondered if Cat had made an honest mistake.她怀疑凯特是不是无心弄错了。227
At least it wasn’t poison, the halfling thought as she scrambled into the carriage through the front window.至少这不是毒药，半身人一边想着，一边从前窗爬进马车。228
Recovering from the first dizzying effect of the golden potion, Giogi shouted, “What now?”乔吉从金色药水最初引起的眩晕中缓过来，大喊道：“现在怎么办？”229
“Draw your weapon and defend yourself,” Olive hollered from inside the carriage.“拔出武器，保护好自己！”奥利芙从马车里高声喊道。230
“What are you doing?” the nobleman shouted back, teasing out the peace knot that bound his foil to its sheath.“你在干什么？”贵族大声回问，同时一点点解开把花剑缚在剑鞘上的和平结。231
“Getting ammo,” Olive explained.“找弹药。”奥利芙解释道。232
“Gee, its a mess in here.”“天哪，这里面可真乱。”233
The lead pair of horses broke down entirely, dropping to their knees as the undead approached.领头的那对马彻底撑不住了，随着亡灵逼近，它们跪倒在地。234
The zombies shambled past them, ignoring their panic-stricken neighing.僵尸蹒跚着从它们身边走过，对它们惊恐的嘶鸣置若罔闻。235
Instead, the undead surrounded the carriage and began beating on the sides.亡灵反而包围了马车，开始捶打车厢两侧。236
A few started to climb up it.有几个开始往车上爬。237
Giogi took a deep breath.乔吉深吸了一口气。238
Suddenly he felt quite clear-headed and calm.突然间，他觉得头脑异常清醒，内心也十分平静。239
All he had to do was stab the foul creatures.他只需要刺那些恶心的怪物就行了。240
What could be simpler? he thought.还有什么能比这更简单？他想。241
He plunged his foil in and out of the throat of a zombie that was trying to climb the step to the driver’s seat.一只僵尸正试图爬上通往车夫座位的踏板，乔吉用花剑反复刺进它的喉咙，又拔出来。242
When the monster kept coming at him, Giogi stabbed it again.那怪物仍继续朝他扑来，乔吉便又刺了它一剑。243
The zombie teetered toward him, but with a swift kick, the nobleman sent it falling backward to knock over two of its fellow creatures.僵尸摇摇晃晃地向他倒来，但贵族飞起一脚，将它踹得向后摔去，撞倒了两个同类。244
“How are we going to ring for Mother Lleddew?” the nobleman called to Olive.“我们要怎么摇铃召唤莱杜嬷嬷？”贵族朝奥利芙喊道。245
“Don’t need to.“不用了。246
I think she knows,” Olive shouted back.我想她已经知道了。”奥利芙高声回应。247
“She’s at the temple.”“她就在神殿那边。”248
Giogi looked over the heads of the zombies.乔吉越过僵尸们的头顶望去。249
On the temple steps stood a very large woman wearing only a brown shift and sandals.神殿的台阶上站着一个身材极其高大的女人，身上只穿着一件棕色长衫，脚踏凉鞋。250
A ring of ghouls, like the first undead that had landed on their coach, surrounded the priestess.一群食尸鬼围住了那位女祭司，它们和最先落到马车上的那个亡灵一样。251
She leaned on an oaken staff while the monsters hissed and screeched at her.她倚着一根橡木法杖，任由那些怪物冲她嘶吼尖啸。252
None of the undead, though, drew close enough to attack her.然而，没有一个亡灵敢靠近到足以攻击她的距离。253
Giogi lanced another zombie, then shouted out, “Mother Lleddew!”乔吉又刺中一只僵尸，随即高喊：“莱杜嬷嬷！”254
The priestess waved Giogi away.女祭司挥手示意乔吉离开。255
“Stay back!” she warned with a bellow that could have carried to the foot of Spring Hill.“别过来！”她放声警告，那声吼叫几乎能一直传到春山脚下。256
The pack of ghouls surrounding the priestess looked in Giogi’s direction.围住女祭司的那群尸鬼全都朝乔吉这边望来。257
They hissed and screeched as they turned toward the carriage.它们嘶叫尖啸着，转身扑向马车。258
A large carrion bird swooped toward the carriage as well.一只巨大的食腐鸟也朝马车俯冲下来。259
Giogi could see bones protruding from its withered wings.乔吉能看见它枯萎的翅膀上支棱着骨头。260
He ducked just in time, and the vulture crashed into the trees beyond the clearing.他及时低下头，秃鹫越过空地，一头撞进了树林。261
Olive climbed back out of the carriage’s front window, laden with two heavy sacks.奥利芙带着两个沉甸甸的袋子，又从马车前窗爬了出来。262
“Give me a hand up to the roof,” she said.“搭把手，把我送到车顶上去。”她说。263
“What about Mother Lleddew?”“那莱杜嬷嬷怎么办？”264
Giogi asked.乔吉问道。265
“She’s got some protection of her own.“她自有办法保护自己。266
The undead aren’t bothering her,” Olive huffed.亡灵没在找她的麻烦。”奥利芙气喘吁吁地说。267
She took a swing at an overzealous zombie with one of the sacks and knocked the monster off its perch on the front carriage wheel.一只过分冒进的丧尸攀在马车前轮上，她抡起一只袋子砸过去，把那怪物打落下来。268
“They’re coming after younger prey now—namely us.“它们现在要来抓更年轻的猎物了——也就是我们。269
Give me a boost.”托我一把。”270
Giogi hefted Olive onto the top of the carriage.乔吉把奥利芙举上了马车顶。271
The halfling pulled the sling out of her garter and grabbed a handful of ammo pilfered from Uncle Drone’s memorial feast.半身人从吊袜带里抽出投石索，又抓起一把从德罗恩叔叔的追悼宴上偷来的弹药。272
She loaded a golden apple into her sling and whipped it around.她把一只金黄色的苹果装进投石索，飞快地甩动起来。273
“Have some apple sauce!” she yelled, loosing the fruit down on the crowd of zombies.“尝尝苹果酱吧！”她大喊着，将那只苹果射向下面挤成一团的丧尸。274
“Go on, get out of here.”“快走，离开这儿。”275
The ripe apple caught an undead square in the forehead, and it toppled backward.熟透的苹果正中一个亡灵的前额，它仰面栽倒。276
By the time it hit the ground, two more apples were zinging with halfling accuracy through the ranks of the undead.等它摔到地上时，又有两只苹果带着半身人特有的准头，嗖嗖飞过亡灵的队伍。277
Those monsters that came close enough to climb the coach were met by Giogi’s merciless foil.那些靠得够近、试图攀上马车的怪物，全都遭到了乔吉毫不留情的花剑迎击。278
The nobleman parried their clawlike hands and stabbed at them fiercely.贵族挥剑格开它们利爪般的手，凶狠地刺向它们。279
Their lack of self-preservation appalled him.它们毫无自保之意，令他心惊。280
At the same time, he worried about his own preservation.与此同时，他也开始担心起自己的安危。281
Just how long will this magic potion last? he wondered as sweat began breaking out on his forehead.“这魔法药水的效力究竟能维持多久？”他额头开始冒汗，心中暗想。282
Will I be able to tell right away?“药效一消失，我能马上察觉吗？”283
Giogi glanced toward the temple, but Mother Lleddew had abandoned her defense of the stairs.乔吉朝神殿瞥了一眼，却发现莱杜嬷嬷已经放弃守卫台阶。284
She was heading toward the carriage, wading through the crowd of zombies, jostling them as she went.她正朝马车走来，从成群的僵尸中涉行而过，一路把它们挤得东倒西歪。285
The creatures paid no more attention to her than they did to each other.那些怪物根本不理会她，就像它们彼此之间也互不理会一样。286
“Giogi!“乔吉！287
Look out!”小心！”288
Olive cried, snapping an apple at a ghoul that had managed to climb up to the driver’s seat.奥利芙大喊着，将一只苹果猛掷向一只已经爬上车夫座位的食尸鬼。289
The red missile splattered in the middle of the undead’s shredded face, but the ghoul kept coming.那枚红色飞弹在亡灵支离破碎的脸中央迸裂开来，可食尸鬼仍继续逼近。290
A hissing snarl escaped its torn lips and the ghoul leaped on Giogi.它撕裂的嘴唇间发出一声嘶嘶低吼，纵身扑向乔吉。291
In a moment, the creature had Giogi bent backward, its claws securely fastened on the noble’s shoulders.转眼间，那怪物便将乔吉压得向后仰去，双爪牢牢扣住了贵族的肩膀。292
A paralyzing coldness crept from the ghoul’s fingers, and Giogi felt himself go numb.一股令人麻痹的寒意从食尸鬼的手指间蔓延开来，乔吉感觉自己的身体渐渐失去了知觉。293
His foil fell from his unfeeling fingers and clattered to the driver’s seat.细剑从他毫无知觉的手指间滑落，铿锵一声掉在车夫座位上。294
The ghoul’s ruined mouth smiled and opened, displaying a row of fanglike teeth.食尸鬼那张残破的嘴咧开一笑，随即张开，露出一排獠牙般的牙齿。295
Olive ran across the carriage roof and kicked the monster in the head before it managed to sink its teeth into Giogi’s throat.奥利芙从车顶飞奔而过，赶在怪物把牙齿刺进乔吉喉咙之前，一脚踢中了它的脑袋。296
The ghoul loosed its grip, but Giogi was unable to move to balance himself, and he toppled from the driver’s seat into the zombie horde below.食尸鬼松开了爪子，可乔吉动弹不得，无法稳住身体，从车夫座位上一头栽进了下方的僵尸群。297
A collective “Ah!” of undead delight issued from the mouths of nearby zombies.附近的僵尸齐齐发出一声欣喜的“啊！”298
They fell on top of the man and began pummeling him with their corpse-white hands.它们一拥而上，压住乔吉，用尸体般惨白的双手不断捶打他。299
Olive screamed and began pelting the zombies below with apples thrown by hand.奥利芙尖叫起来，开始抓起苹果，用手接连砸向下方的僵尸。300
A few fell back, but more took their place.几只僵尸被打退了，可更多僵尸立刻补上了空缺。301
The halfling was just wondering if it would be worth risking her life to jump down on top of the fray when something grabbed her ankle.半身人正思忖着，冒生命危险跳下去落入混战之中是否值得，忽然有什么东西抓住了她的脚踝。302
Olive twisted around.奥利芙猛地转过身。303
The ghoul who had paralyzed Giogioni had not fallen over with the nobleman.那个使乔吉奥尼全身麻痹的食尸鬼并没有和贵族一起摔下去。304
Now the monster was dragging Olive toward the edge of the carriage roof.此刻，怪物正拖着奥利芙，把她拽向马车车顶边缘。305
“Let me go, you ghoul!”“放开我，你这食尸鬼！”306
Olive shouted, reaching frantically for the dagger she kept up her sleeve.奥利芙大喊着，慌忙伸手去摸藏在袖中的匕首。307
The ghoul laughed until Olive slashed off its hand at the wrist.食尸鬼一直在笑，直到奥利芙一刀从腕部斩断了它的手。308
She jerked her leg back and gave the undead another kick—sending it into the hordes below.她猛地抽回腿，又踹了这个不死生物一脚——把它踹进了下方的尸群。309
She poked with her dagger at the fingers of the dismembered hand until it fell away from her ankle.她用匕首戳着那只断手的手指，直到它从自己的脚踝上脱落。310
On the ground below, Giogi was wondering if the potion had already worn off.在下方的地面上，乔吉正琢磨着药水是否已经失效。311
The fists of the zombies rained down on him in a torrent.丧尸的拳头如暴雨般落在他身上。312
He could never recall hurting so badly in his life, and the paralyzation was like a nightmare.他不记得自己这辈子何曾疼得如此厉害，而全身麻痹的感觉更像是一场噩梦。313
The worst part, though, was his inability to breathe.但最糟糕的，还是他无法呼吸。314
One of the zombies had enough sense left in its undead brain to throttle him.有一只丧尸那不死的脑子里还残存着几分理智，懂得掐住他的脖子。315
It knelt beside him and gripped his neck in the bony vise of its fingers.它跪在他身旁，用枯骨般的手指像铁钳一样死死扼住他的脖颈。316
The other zombies pulled back and watched their compatriot choke the noble.其他丧尸纷纷退开，看着它们的同伴勒死这名贵族。317
Dark spots danced in front of Giogi’s eyes.黑色的斑点在乔吉眼前跳动。318
Somewhere in the distance, Olive shouted.远处某个地方，奥利芙在高声呼喊。319
Something warm touched Giogi on the face.某种温热的东西触到了乔吉的脸。320
The warmth spread downward to his torso and then to his arms and legs.那股暖意向下蔓延到他的躯干，继而传至四肢。321
In a moment, he felt his muscles relax, and in another, he could move again.片刻后，他感觉肌肉放松下来；又过了片刻，他便能动弹了。322
He brought a fist up sharply in the face of the zombie who was choking him.他猛地一拳打在那个正扼住他的丧尸脸上。323
The creature fell backward from the sudden assault.那怪物遭到突袭，向后倒去。324
The noble kicked and pounded and stabbed at the zombies who tried to close on top him.乔吉对着那些试图扑上来压住他的丧尸又踢又打，还用匕首猛刺。325
Strong hands, warm and living, latched about his arm and helped him to his feet.一双强壮、温暖而充满生命力的手牢牢抓住他的胳膊，扶他站了起来。326
Mother Lleddew stood beside him.莱杜嬷嬷站在他身旁。327
“Get back up on the carriage and take the reins,” she ordered, “I’ll clear a path for you to turn around.”“回到马车上，抓住缰绳，”她命令道，“我来替你清出一条路，好让你掉头。”328
Looking up, Giogi saw Olive squaring off with a noseless zombie on the drivers seat.乔吉抬头一看，只见奥利芙正在车夫座上与一具没有鼻子的僵尸对峙。329
Giogi plucked his foil up from the seat.乔吉从座位上抄起花剑。330
Leaping up the carriage step, he thrust his weapon into the zombie’s back.他跃上马车踏板，一剑刺进僵尸的后背。331
The creature crumpled.那怪物瘫倒下来。332
Giogi withdrew the foil and pushed the zombie from the carriage.乔吉抽回花剑，把僵尸推下马车。333
The noble took his place on the driver’s seat.这位贵族随即坐上了车夫的位置。334
“Better hold on, Mistress Ruskettle,” he warned Olive.“最好抓稳了，拉斯凯特尔女士，”他提醒奥利芙。335
“We’ll be moving soon.”“我们马上就要动身了。”336
Mother Lleddew moved forward toward the horses, whispering and patting them comfortingly.莱杜嬷嬷朝马匹走去，一边低声安抚，一边轻轻拍着它们。337
The ghouls drew back from her.食尸鬼纷纷从她面前退开。338
The zombies remained all around both her and the horses, though they did not attack.僵尸仍围在她和马匹四周，却没有发动攻击。339
Slowly the woman spoke into the lead mare’s ear, and the horse rose from its knees, pulling its companion to its feet as well.女人缓缓凑到领头母马耳边说着话，那匹马从跪伏中站了起来，也将同伴拉起身来。340
The priestess placed herself in front of the lead right horse and began muttering loudly.女祭司站到右侧领头马前方，开始高声念诵。341
The zombies suddenly noticed her presence and began crushing in on her, trying to drive her under the mass of bodies.僵尸突然察觉到她的存在，纷纷朝她挤压过去，试图将她压倒在重重躯体之下。342
Mother Lleddew held up a platinum engraving of Selune’s sign and cried out, “Return thou to dust!”莱杜嬷嬷高举一块刻有塞露恩圣徽的白金牌，厉声喝道：“归于尘土吧！”343
The engraving glowed, and the zombies in the carriage’s path ignited with a mystic blue fire.白金牌亮起光芒，挡在马车前方的僵尸燃起了神秘的蓝色火焰。344
In another moment, they’d crumbled to gray ash.转眼之间，它们便坍散成了灰烬。345
Mother Lleddew stepped aside and smacked the lead horse’s rump.莱杜嬷嬷闪到一旁，在领头马的臀部猛拍了一记。346
It charged forward.那匹马向前猛冲。347
More zombies rushed to fill the gap left by those the priestess had disintegrated, but the horses trampled over them.更多僵尸冲上来，想填补被女祭司化为灰烬的同伴留下的缺口，但马匹从它们身上践踏而过。348
The priestess grabbed hold of the carriage door as it shot past.马车疾驰而过时，女祭司一把抓住了车门。349
The carriage shifted precariously from her weight until she managed to scramble up to the roof.她的重量压得马车危险地倾斜起来，直到她终于手脚并用地爬上车顶。350
For a bulky old priestess, she’s pretty spry, Olive thought, clutching the back of the driver’s seat.这么个身材壮硕的老祭司，动作倒真够敏捷的，奥利芙一边紧抓着车夫座的靠背，一边想道。351
The carriage shot across the meadow toward the temple, the horses trampling undead and the carriage wheels crushing them.马车朝神殿飞驰着穿过草地，马蹄践踏着不死生物，车轮则从它们身上碾过。352
Giogi yelled and steered the horses so the carriage made a wide turn back in the direction of the road.乔吉大声吆喝着驾驭马匹，让马车拐了个大弯，重新朝道路的方向驶去。353
Overhead, the great carrion birds wheeled beneath the shadowy, solitary cloud.头顶上，那群巨大的食腐鸟在孤零零的阴云下盘旋。354
“You, halfling,” Lleddew called, pulling from her shift pocket a fragile glass vial of clear liquid and tossing it to Olive, “try this.”“你，半身人，”莱杜从贴身衬裙的口袋里掏出一只装着透明液体的易碎玻璃小瓶，扔给奥利芙，喊道，“试试这个。”355
“Holy water?”“圣水？”356
Olive guessed.奥利芙猜道。357
“Yes.“对。358
Don’t bother with anything on the ground.别管地上的那些东西。359
Get one of the vultures in the air.”打下一只天上的秃鹫。”360
“The vultures?”“秃鹫？”361
“Yes.“对。362
They’re undead as well.”它们也是不死生物。”363
A vulture swooped overhead with a ghoul in its claws.一只秃鹫用爪子抓着一只食尸鬼，从他们头顶俯冲而过。364
Olive shot at it as it banked toward them.它侧身转向他们时，奥利芙朝它射了一发。365
The vial of water smashed into the vulture’s wing.水瓶砸碎在秃鹫的翅膀上。366
The bird dropped its cargo as its wing burst into smoke.它的翅膀猛然化作烟雾，那只鸟也松爪扔下了猎物。367
It crashed to the ground, smashing several zombies beneath it.它一头栽到地上，压碎了下面的好几只僵尸。368
“Nice!“漂亮！369
Got any more?”还有吗？”370
Olive asked with delight.奥利芙兴奋地问道。371
Mother Lleddew handed her another vial and Olive loaded it into her sling.莱杜嬷嬷又递给她一只小瓶，奥利芙把它装进投石索。372
The carriage pulled out of the hilltop clearing and into the light cover of the trees.马车驶出山顶的空地，进入树木稀疏的林间。373
Olive hit a second undead vulture with a holy water missile.奥利芙用一发圣水弹击中了第二只不死秃鹫。374
The bony creature broke up in the air and crashed into the temple pillars.那具白骨嶙峋的怪物在空中散了架，撞上了神殿的立柱。375
It lay still, but in the temple behind it something else moved.它躺在那里一动不动，但在它身后的神殿里，有别的什么东西动了起来。376
Olive’s mouth fell open as she caught sight of what caused the movement.奥利芙看清是什么引起了那阵动静，顿时张大了嘴。377
“There’s a girl back there!” she gasped.“后面有个女孩！”她倒吸着气说。378
“Where?”“在哪儿？”379
Giogi cried, pulling back on the horse’s reins.乔吉喊道，同时拉紧了马的缰绳。380
“Don’t stop!”“别停！”381
Mother Lleddew ordered, her wrinkled face tight with panic.莱杜嬷嬷命令道，她那布满皱纹的脸因惊慌而绷得紧紧的。382
Giogi stood in his seat and looked at the temple.乔吉从座位上站起身，望向神殿。383
It was the girl he’d spoken with the night before.那正是前一天晚上和他说过话的女孩。384
“We can’t leave her!” he objected.“我们不能丢下她！”他反驳道。385
“You must,” the priestess insisted.“你们必须走，”女祭司坚持道。386
“She’s a Shard.“她是碎片。387
It’s her duty to protect the temple.保护神殿是她的职责。388
Mine is to protect you.我的职责是保护你们。389
Now go!”现在快走！”390
Giogi stared at the girl, shimmering still like a moonbeam in the shadow.乔吉凝视着那个女孩，她在阴影中依旧闪烁着微光，宛如一道月华。391
“But she’s just a girl,” he said, unable to bring himself to abandon so helpless a creature.“可她只是个女孩，”他说，实在无法狠下心来抛弃这样一个无助的人。392
“She just looks like a girl,” Lleddew argued, moving forward to take the reins from Giogi.“她只是看起来像个女孩，”莱杜反驳道，一边上前从乔吉手中接过缰绳。393
A pair of ghouls dropped onto the carriage roof from an overhead branch.两只食尸鬼从头顶的一根树枝上跳落到马车顶上。394
One slammed into Mother Lleddew and succeeded at knocking her to the ground.其中一只猛撞在莱杜嬷嬷身上，成功将她撞倒在地。395
The other lunged at Olive.另一只则扑向奥利芙。396
Giogi stopped the carriage immediately.乔吉立刻停下了马车。397
These ghouls stank with an overwhelming odor of rotting meat.这些食尸鬼散发着一股令人无法忍受的腐肉恶臭。398
The halfling doubled over with nausea, but managed to sidestep the undead attack anyway.半身人恶心得弯下了腰，却还是设法侧身躲开了不死生物的攻击。399
Brandishing her dagger, she whirled about to keep the creature in sight.她挥舞着匕首，猛地转过身，始终让那怪物处于自己的视线之内。400
“You really need a bath, pal,” she gasped.“伙计，你真该洗个澡了。”她喘着气说。401
“Why don’t you go jump in the lake?”“你何不去跳湖呢？”402
To Olive’s astonishment, the creature immediately turned from her, hopped off the carriage roof, and headed down the hill.令奥利芙惊讶的是，那怪物立刻转身离开她，跳下车顶，朝山坡下走去。403
Realization and recognition flamed in the halfling’s mind.半身人脑中灵光一闪，顿时恍然大悟。404
“It just obeyed me.“它刚才听从我的命令了。405
A ghast!妖鬼！406
That was a ghast!那是一只妖鬼！407
I just commanded a ghast!” she cried excitedly.我刚才命令了一只妖鬼！”她兴奋地叫道。408
“The potion only works on ghasts!”“那药水只对妖鬼有效！”409
Suddenly remembering Mother Lleddew, Olive looked down at the ground.奥利芙突然想起莱杜嬷嬷，连忙朝地面望去。410
The other ghast had the priestess pinned to the ground with its inhuman strength.另一只妖鬼正凭借非人的力量，把女祭司死死压在地上。411
Olive scrambled down from the carriage roof and gave the creature a kick, trying not to inhale its odor.奥利芙从车顶爬下来，踢了那怪物一脚，同时竭力不吸入它散发的恶臭。412
“Get off her, you stupid undead,” Olive ordered the ghast.“从她身上滚开，你这愚蠢的亡灵！”奥利芙命令那只妖鬼。413
The ghast stood up and blinked its bloodshot eyes in confusion.妖鬼站起身，困惑地眨了眨布满血丝的眼睛。414
“Go away!”“滚开！”415
Olive shouted.奥利芙喊道。416
The ghast stumbled off into the woods.妖鬼踉踉跄跄地走进了树林。417
“Ugh!”“呃！”418
Olive grunted.奥利芙哼了一声。419
She bent over the priestess.她俯身察看女祭司。420
“Are you all right?” she asked.“你没事吧？”她问道。421
Mother Lleddew groaned.莱杜嬷嬷呻吟了一声。422
Her shift had been slashed in a dozen places, and she was bleeding profusely.她的衬衣被划破了十几处，鲜血汩汩直流。423
Her breath was husky and labored, and the whites of her eyes had gone strangely dark.她呼吸粗哑而艰难，眼白也诡异地变暗了。424
Olive couldn’t tell if these were symptoms of an injury or an effect of the ghast’s touch.奥利芙分辨不出这些究竟是受伤的症状，还是尸妖碰触造成的影响。425
She tried to pull the large woman to her feet, but Lleddew slumped against the halfling, driving Olive to her knees.她试图把这个高大的女人扶起来，可莱杜却瘫倒在半身人身上，压得奥利芙跪倒在地。426
“Damn!“该死！427
Giogi, give me a hand here!”乔吉，快来搭把手！”428
Olive cried.奥利芙喊道。429
Oblivious to the undead closing in on the carriage, Giogi stood on the driver’s seat, watching with horror the undead surrounding the dark-skinned, silver-haired girl.乔吉站在车夫座上，对正逼近马车的亡灵浑然不觉，只是惊恐地看着那些围住深色皮肤、银发少女的亡灵。430
The girl shone now more like a powerful magic light, and the undead nearest her covered their eyes with their hands.此刻，那女孩散发出的光芒更像是一道强烈的魔法之光，离她最近的亡灵纷纷用手遮住眼睛。431
Olive looked up at the nobleman and noticed with panic the ghouls coming down upon them.奥利芙抬头望向那位贵族，惊慌地发现食尸鬼正朝他们扑来。432
“Giogi!” she shrieked.“乔吉！”她尖叫道。433
Huge arms lifted Olive from behind and tossed her onto the top of the coach.一双粗壮的手臂从背后举起奥利芙，把她扔到了车厢顶上。434
Olive looked down to see Mother Lleddew, once again on her feet, facing the pack of ghouls with her arms outstretched.奥利芙低头一看，只见莱杜嬷嬷又一次站了起来，张开双臂，面对着那群食尸鬼。435
Her whiteless eyes held a manic gleam.她那双不见眼白的眼睛里闪烁着疯狂的光芒。436
The priestess roared a guttural, incoherent cry of rage.女祭司从喉咙深处发出一声含混不清的愤怒咆哮。437
Then the ghouls were upon her, toppling her and burying her with their bodies.随即，食尸鬼一拥而上，将她扑倒，用身体把她淹没。438
Olive shouted Giogi’s name again.奥利芙再次大喊乔吉的名字。439
The roar, and Olive’s shouts, finally attracted the noble’s attention from the girl at the temple.那声咆哮和奥利芙的呼喊，终于把那位贵族的注意力从神殿边的女孩身上吸引了过来。440
He looked down to where Olive pointed frantically just in time to see Lleddew disappear under a torrent of undead.他顺着奥利芙狂乱指点的方向低头望去，正好看见莱杜被亡灵的洪流吞没。441
Like a man awakening from a dream, Giogi whispered, “No, no,” and then shook himself to action, screaming, “No!”乔吉像一个从梦中惊醒的人，低声喃喃道：“不，不。”随后他猛地回过神来，一边行动，一边尖叫：“不！”442
He leaped down and began stabbing like a madman at the pile of ghouls.他纵身跳下，像疯子一样朝那堆食尸鬼猛刺。443
Olive wondered if, by now, it wasn’t too late for the priestess when the pile of undead began to shift and grow, like a swelling seed.奥利芙正想着，事到如今要救女祭司是否已经太迟了，那堆亡灵却开始蠕动、膨胀，仿佛一颗正在胀大的种子。444
A huge paw broke through one side of the pile, flinging a pair of ghouls off.一只巨爪从尸堆一侧破出，将两只食尸鬼掀飞出去。445
Then a second paw shot out, spearing a ghoul clean through the chest with its claws.紧接着，第二只巨爪猛然探出，利爪将一只食尸鬼的胸膛整个刺穿。446
A huge black bear waded out of the pile of ghouls, shaking their broken bodies off it like they were hunting dogs.一头巨大的黑熊从食尸鬼堆里蹚了出来，把挂在身上的残破躯体甩掉，仿佛它们是一群猎犬。447
The bear’s forehead and chest were marked with silver-haired crescents, and Olive saw Mother Lleddew’s manic gleam in the beast’s eyes.巨熊的额头和胸前都有银色毛发形成的月牙纹，奥利芙从野兽眼中看到了莱杜嬷嬷那狂乱的光芒。448
The great bear roared, a roar more powerful than the one Lleddew had made a moment before.巨熊发出一声咆哮，比莱杜片刻前的吼声更加震撼。449
The remaining ghouls broke away from the pile and fled from the bear.剩下的食尸鬼纷纷脱离尸堆，逃离了巨熊。450
An eerie keening rose from atop the hill.山顶响起一阵诡异的哀号。451
Giogi looked back at the temple.乔吉回头望向神殿。452
He could no longer make out the girl who Mother Lleddew had called a Shard.他已经看不清那个被莱杜嬷嬷称作碎片的女孩了。453
There was nothing but a white fire burning at the heart of the temple.神殿中央只剩一团白色火焰在燃烧。454
The undead on the hilltop were fleeing into the woods.山顶的不死生物正纷纷逃进树林。455
The bear fell to all fours and wobbled unsteadily.巨熊落回四肢着地，摇摇晃晃，站立不稳。456
Its front paws looked as if they’d been caught in a trap, and its massive shoulders slumped.它的两只前爪仿佛被捕兽夹夹过，硕大的双肩也耷拉下来。457
Olive scrambled down from the coach once more and checked the bear’s wounds.奥利芙再次从马车上爬下来，查看巨熊的伤势。458
They were many and deep.伤口又多又深。459
“Get the carriage door,” Olive ordered Giogi.“去开车门。”奥利芙命令乔吉。460
The nobleman obeyed automatically; his attention was fixed on the hilltop.贵族青年下意识地照做了，目光却始终锁定着山顶。461
The bright white flames seemed to be dying down, and the noble caught sight again of the Shard, but she seemed to fade with the fire.明亮的白色火焰似乎正在熄灭，贵族青年再次看见了碎片，但她仿佛也在随着火焰一同消退。462
A thick, glittering fog rolled around her, and she seemed to grow as one with the mist, which drifted out the open sides of the House of the Lady.浓密而闪耀的雾气在她周围翻涌，她仿佛与雾气融为一体，一同扩展开来；那雾气从女神之殿敞开的四面飘了出去。463
Olive looked at the mysterious, growing fog with anxiety.奥利芙焦虑地望着那片神秘而不断扩散的雾气。464
“Hop in, Mother Lleddew,” the halfling said.“上车吧，莱杜嬷嬷。”半身人说道。465
She gave Giogi a sharp nudge.她猛推了乔吉一把。466
“Get up there and drive,” she ordered.“爬上去赶车。”她命令道。467
The bear scrabbled into the carriage and collapsed onto the boxes of food.巨熊连扒带蹬地钻进马车，瘫倒在装着食物的箱子上。468
Olive slammed the door and climbed up beside Giogi.奥利芙砰地关上车门，爬到乔吉身旁坐下。469
The nobleman turned about and looked over the roof of the carriage.那位贵族转过身，越过车顶望去。470
The Shard had vanished.碎片已经消失了。471
The cloud roiled and bubbled as it descended the hill, and the undead fled before it.云雾翻涌着、沸腾着滚下山坡，亡灵纷纷在它面前逃窜。472
Those who were caught in its coils screamed and then collapsed beneath it and were silent.被云雾卷住的亡灵发出惨叫，随即倒在它下面，再无声息。473
Suddenly a single lance of white light shot up from the center of the temple, pierced through the roof, and struck the lone dark cloud overhead.突然，一道白色光柱从神殿中央直冲而起，穿透屋顶，击中了高空中那一团孤零零的乌云。474
As if it were a wounded beast, the cloud shot away from the light striking it.那乌云仿佛一头受伤的野兽，猛地从击中它的光芒旁逃开。475
Afternoon sunlight returned to the hill immediately.午后的阳光立刻重临山坡。476
The fog became milky white and began dissipating in the warm spring sunshine.浓雾变成了乳白色，开始在温暖的春日阳光中消散。477
“She’s gone,” Giogi whispered.“她走了。”乔吉低声说道。478
With a sigh, Olive took up the reins and slapped the horses into motion.奥利芙叹了口气，拿起缰绳，挥鞭催马前行。479
The unevaporated edges of the fog slid beneath the carriage and through the horse’s feet.雾气尚未蒸散的边缘从马车底下滑过，穿行于马蹄之间。480
The mist hid the road from their sight, but caused them no harm.薄雾遮住了他们眼前的道路，却没有伤害他们。481
Of the undead that had haunted the woods beside the road there was no sign.曾在路旁树林里出没的亡灵全都不见了踪影。482
From inside the carriage, the bear echoed the Shard’s keening with a plaintive wail of its own.车厢里，那头熊也发出一声凄切的长嚎，仿佛在应和碎片的哀鸣。483