From the journal of Giogioni Wyvernspur:摘自乔吉奥尼·飞龙刺的日记：1
The 19th of Ches, in the Year of the Shadows阴影之年，切斯月十九日2
Late last night I returned home from my duties as royal envoy, to find my kin in a greater uproar than the southern city I had left behind.昨夜深更时分，我结束王室特使的公务回到家中，却发现族人闹得比我刚刚离开的那座南方城市还要沸反盈天。3
Ten months of Westgate’s problems shrivel to insignificance when compared to the tragedy that has befallen the clan of the Wyvernspurs of Immersea.与伊默海飞龙刺家族遭逢的这场悲剧相比，西门城十个月来的种种麻烦都显得微不足道。4
How could the flattening of an entire neighborhood by a dragon corpse, followed by an earthquake and an underworld power-struggle, hope to compete with the theft of a family heirloom no larger than a zucchini and uglier than three-week-old sa usage?先是整片街区被一具巨龙尸骸夷为平地，继而又发生地震和地下世界的权力争斗——可这一切，怎么比得上一件传家宝失窃呢？那东西不过西葫芦大小，却比放了三个星期的香肠还难看。5
“A hunk of junk” is what Uncle Drone has always called the wyvern’s spur (said heirloom), and, considering all the trouble it has been, I am inclined to agree with him.德罗恩叔叔一向把那根飞龙爪刺（也就是上述传家宝）叫作“一坨破烂”；考虑到它惹出的所有麻烦，我也倾向于赞同他的说法。6
No doubt the family would have donated it to a church rummage generations ago if not for the detestable prophesy that came with it.若不是随它而来的那则可恶预言，毫无疑问，家族早在好几代以前就会把它捐给某座教堂义卖了。7
According to family legend, the wyvern who presented it to old Paton Wyvernspur, way back when, promised that the family line would never die out as long as we held on to the gruesome chunk of mummified beastie.据家族传说，很久很久以前，那头把爪刺赠给老佩顿·飞龙刺的飞龙曾许诺，只要我们保管着这块阴森可怖的木乃伊化兽体，家族血脉就永远不会断绝。8
Logically it doesn’t follow that losing the dratted thing guarantees our demise, but we’ve always been a superstitious lot, we Wyvernspurs, so there is a family conclave tonight in Aunt Dorath’s lair at Redstone Castle.照理说，丢了那该死的东西并不意味着我们必然灭亡；但我们飞龙刺家族向来迷信，所以今晚全族要在红石城堡多拉丝姑婆的巢穴里召开秘密会议。9
Although I have not yet unpacked from my journeys on behalf of the crown, I am expected to attend.尽管我出门替王室办事归来，连行李都还没收拾，却仍被要求出席。10
Someone will need to comfort Aunt Dorath.总得有人安慰多拉丝姑婆。11
An oldest nephew’s lot is never easy.当大侄子从来不是件轻松的差事。12
Giogi laid his quill pen on the writing table and left the journal open for the ink to dry.乔吉把羽毛笔搁在写字台上，摊着日记，好让墨迹晾干。13
He didn’t feel it necessary to add that his great-aunt would find his presence comforting only insofar as it would give her something else to criticize.他觉得没必要补充说明，他这位姑婆只有在能挑出些新毛病来数落时，才会觉得他的出现颇具慰藉。14
He planned to leave his journal to posterity someday, and there were some things posterity just didn’t need to know.他打算有朝一日把日记留给后人，而有些事情，后人实在没必要知道。15
As far as Aunt Dorath was concerned, Giogi had dishonored the Wyvernspur family last year with his disgraceful—but, as Giogi would put it, dead-on—imitation of King Azoun IV, which had resulted in Giogi’s near assassination by the cursed sell-sword Alias of Westgate and the disruption of an entire wedding reception.在多拉丝姑婆看来，乔吉去年那场可耻的模仿玷污了飞龙刺家族的名声——他模仿的是阿祖恩四世国王，虽说按乔吉自己的话，那叫惟妙惟肖——结果害得自己险些遭到西门城受诅咒的佣兵阿莉亚丝刺杀，还把整场婚宴搅得一团糟。16
Nor had Dorath, the matriarch of clan Wyvernspur, been impressed by her nephew’s tale of his subsequent hair-raising encounter with a red dragon named Mist.后来，侄子又讲述了自己与一头名叫米斯特的红龙惊险相遇的经历，但身为飞龙刺家族族长的多拉丝也没有因此对他刮目相看。17
To her mind, any young man who could not avoid entanglements with assassins and monsters needed to be sent far away for an extended period.在她看来，任何一个连刺客和怪物的纠缠都避不开的年轻人，都该被远远打发出去，待上很长一段时间。18
Aunt Dorath had assumed that His Majesty Azoun had exiled Giogi in disgrace for those transgressions.多拉丝姑婆一直以为，阿祖恩陛下因乔吉犯下的那些过错而将他不光彩地流放了。19
What Dorath, and most of the general population, had not known, was that King Azoun actually had assigned Giogi a secret mission, to discover the whereabouts of Alias of Westgate, the king’s potential assassin.多拉丝以及大多数普通民众都不知道的是，阿祖恩国王其实交给了乔吉一项秘密任务：查明西门城的阿莉亚丝——那名可能刺杀国王的人——究竟身在何处。20
Not that I needed to be assigned, Giogi thought.其实根本用不着别人派我去，乔吉心想。21
I seem destined to run into the woman—or her relatives—wherever I roam.无论我走到哪里，似乎都注定会撞见那个女人——或者她的亲戚。22
Yet, after Giogi had spotted her near Westgate that summer, she seemed to have vanished from the Realms entirely.然而，那年夏天乔吉在西门城附近发现她的踪迹后，她似乎便彻底从诸界消失了。23
Giogi rose from his writing desk and stretched.乔吉从书桌前站起身，伸了个懒腰。24
His fingertips brushed against one of the overhead chandeliers.他的指尖擦过头顶一盏枝形吊灯。25
He was a very tall young man, a legacy from both his father and his mother.他是个身材极高的年轻人，这一点同时承袭自父亲和母亲。26
Last year he’d been slender and clean-cut, but his travels had left him gaunt and his hair in desperate need of a trim.去年，他还身形修长、衣冠整洁，可旅途奔波已令他清瘦憔悴，一头头发也亟须修剪。27
His sandy-brown locks straggled down his sunburned neck in back and into his muddy brown eyes in front.他那沙褐色的头发凌乱地披在晒伤的后颈上，前面的发绺则垂进了泥褐色的眼睛里。28
His long face made his features seem less plain than they were.一张长脸让他的五官显得没那么平凡。29
He bore no resemblance, however, to the other living members of the Wyvernspur family, who all had thin lips, hawklike noses, blue eyes, pale skin, and dark hair.不过，他与飞龙刺家族其他在世成员毫无相似之处；他们无不嘴唇薄削、鼻如鹰钩、眼睛湛蓝、肤色苍白、头发乌黑。30
Taking up his goblet of mulled wine, Giogi crossed the parlor to the fireplace, where he warmed his fingers by the flames.乔吉端起那杯香料热葡萄酒，穿过起居室走到壁炉前，伸手在火焰旁取暖。31
It would take a day or two of blazing fires to chase the last of the winter chill and damp from the parlor.得让炉火熊熊烧上一两天，才能驱尽起居室里冬日残留的阴冷与潮气。32
Uncertain as to his master’s return, Thomas, Giogi’s manservant, had decided not to waste wood and effort heating an empty house.乔吉的男仆托马斯不确定主人何时回来，便决定不浪费木柴和力气去给一座空宅子取暖。33
Giogi shuddered to think of the effect that ten months of such neglect had on the plush wool Calimshan carpeting, the brilliant Sembian satin furniture coverings, and the Cormyrian duskwood paneling.一想到十个月来这般疏于照料，会给卡林珊的长绒羊毛地毯、鲜亮的桑比亚缎面家具罩和科米尔人的暮木护墙板造成什么影响，乔吉便不寒而栗。34
At least, it being the month of Ches, the returning spring sunshine kept ice from forming on the leaded glass windows.至少眼下正值切斯月，回归的春日阳光使那些铅条玻璃窗不至于结冰。35
It had come as quite a shock to Giogi, though, to find no candle burning in those windows upon his return, neither literally nor figuratively.然而，回来时发现那些窗户里竟没有一支蜡烛燃烧，无论是从字面上还是从象征意义上来说，这都着实令乔吉大吃一惊。36
The young noble wondered whether a mere fire laid in the hearth could burn off the strange and unwelcome feeling he now sensed in his home.这位年轻贵族暗自思忖，仅凭壁炉里生起的一把火，是否就能驱散他此刻在家中感受到的那种陌生而又不受欢迎的感觉。37
Everything was familiar and in its proper place, but the townhouse felt empty.一切都很熟悉，也都各归其位，可这栋联排宅邸却显得空空荡荡。38
After months spent at inns, aboard ships, and in traveling with strangers, now being alone left Giogi disquieted.几个月来，他一直住在旅店、搭乘船只，又和陌生人结伴赶路，如今独自一人反倒让乔吉心神不宁。39
He took a long swig of wine to shake off his gloom.他猛喝了一大口酒，想要摆脱心头的阴郁。40
On the mantlepiece lay the most interesting souvenir of his travels: a large yellow crystal.壁炉台上放着他旅途中带回的最有趣的纪念品：一块硕大的黄色水晶。41
Giogi had found it in the grass outside Westgate, and he was sure there was something special about the stone besides its beauty and financial value.乔吉是在西门城外的草丛里发现它的；他确信，除了美丽的外观和金钱价值之外，这块石头还有某种特别之处。42
The crystal shone in the dark like a great firefly, and Giogi felt quite comforted whenever he held it.这块水晶在黑暗中如一只硕大的萤火虫般发光，而每当乔吉把它握在手中，心里都会感到十分慰藉。43
He considered showing it to his Uncle Drone, but he decided against the idea, afraid that the old wizard would tell him the stone was dangerous and take it away.他曾考虑把它拿给德罗恩叔叔看，但最后还是打消了这个念头，因为他担心那位老法师会说这块石头很危险，然后把它拿走。44
Giogi polished off his drink and placed the empty silver goblet on the mantlepiece, then picked up the yellow crystal.乔吉喝光杯中酒，把空空的银高脚杯放到壁炉台上，随后拿起了那块黄色水晶。45
Cradling it in both hands, he flopped back into his favorite stuffed chair and propped his feet up on a cushioned footstool.他双手捧着水晶，一屁股坐回自己最喜欢的软垫扶手椅里，又把双脚架在带软垫的脚凳上。46
He turned the crystal over in his hands, watching the firelight sparkle in each facet.他在手中翻转着水晶，看着炉火的光芒在每一个切面上闪烁。47
The crystal was roughly egg-shaped but far larger than any bird egg—smaller, though, than a wyvern’s egg.这块水晶大致呈蛋形，却比任何鸟蛋都大得多——不过，还是比双足飞龙的蛋小。48
It was the color of the finest mead and faintly warm to the touch.它有着上等蜂蜜酒般的色泽，摸起来微微发暖。49
Where the facets met, the edges were not sharp but beveled smooth.各个切面相交处的棱边并不锋利，而是磨得平滑圆润。50
Giogi held the stone at arm’s length, closed one eye, and tried to divine if it held some secret within its depths, but he could make out only the firelight shining through it and his own reflection broken by the facets.乔吉把石头举到一臂之外，闭上一只眼睛，试图窥出它深处是否藏着什么秘密，可他只看得见透过它的火光，以及被各个切面割裂的自己的倒影。51
“Now, what would be the best way to display you?” he asked the crystal.“那么，把你摆在哪里展示最好呢？”他问水晶。52
There was no sense in having a case made for it, he realized.他意识到，没必要专门为它定做一个展示盒。53
Taking it out every time he wanted to handle it would be a bother, but it was too large to wear from a neck chain.每次想拿在手里把玩都要取出来，未免太麻烦，可它又太大，没法用链子挂在脖子上。54
On the road, he had kept it tucked in the top of his boot, where most adventurers kept their daggers.在路上时，他一直把它塞在靴筒上端，也就是大多数冒险者藏匕首的地方。55
The boots would have to suffice this evening, he decided at last.他最后决定，今晚还是用靴子将就一下吧。56
Although he didn’t plan to show it to Uncle Drone and the rest of his family, he very much wanted to show the stone to his pals at the Immer Inn.虽然他没打算把它给德罗恩叔叔和家里的其他人看，却非常想让伊默旅店的伙伴们瞧瞧这块石头。57
With any luck, Aunt Dorath would dismiss him from the family gathering early enough for him to slip back into town before closing hour.运气好的话，多拉丝姑妈会早早准他离开家庭聚会，让他能在打烊前溜回城里。58
That matter resolved, Giogi bounced back to his feet and wandered from the parlor to his home’s entrance.这件事拿定主意后，乔吉一跃而起，从起居室溜达到了家门口。59
With the stone tucked awkwardly in his belt, he rummaged through the hall closet under the stairs.他把石头别扭地塞在腰带里，在楼梯下的门厅壁橱中翻找起来。60
He’d left his boots in the front of the closet, but they had somehow vanished.他明明把靴子放在壁橱前面，可不知怎么竟不见了。61
He rustled about the cloaks and capes hanging from their separate hooks, and kicked through a number of shoes that littered the floor.他拨弄着分别挂在各自衣钩上的斗篷和披风，又踢开散落在地板上的一双双鞋。62
Then he began pulling from the closet all manner of walking sticks, abandoned clothing, and curios—which were gifts from relatives, and so could not be thrown away, but which were too ugly to place anywhere but in the relative darkness of the closet.接着，他开始把各式各样的手杖、弃置不用的衣物和稀奇古怪的小玩意儿一件件拖出壁橱——这些都是亲戚送的礼物，因此不能扔掉，却又丑得无处可放，只配藏在壁橱相对昏暗的角落里。63
Finally, having moved half the closet’s interior into the hall, the young noble gave up and let out a bellow.最后，年轻的贵族把壁橱里一半的东西都搬到了门厅，终于放弃寻找，扯开嗓子大吼一声。64
“Thomas!” he shouted toward the back hallway.“托马斯！”他朝后面的走廊喊道。65
“Where are my boots?”“我的靴子在哪儿？”66
Alerted by the sound of chests, shoes, and walking sticks being thumped about, Thomas had already decided to investigate the racket and had put aside the silver tureen he’d been polishing.托马斯听见箱子、鞋和手杖被翻得砰砰作响，早已决定去查个究竟，并放下了正在擦拭的银汤盅。67
He was just coming out from the kitchen as Giogi called his name.乔吉喊他名字时，他正从厨房里出来。68
Beneath the archway separating the front hall from what Giogi termed “Servant Land,” the gentleman’s gentleman paused.在分隔前厅与乔吉所谓“仆役之国”的拱门下，这位贴身男仆停住了脚步。69
Thomas looked askance at the closet’s contents strewn about the hallway and tried not to blanch.托马斯斜眼看着散落在门厅各处的壁橱杂物，竭力不让自己脸色发白。70
He wasn’t more than three years Giogi’s senior, but many more years of responsibility had given him an aged, wiser-than-thou look.他只比乔吉年长三岁，可多年来肩负的种种责任，却令他显出一副老成而自以为高明的神态。71
It was a look that the servant used now on his employer.此刻，这名仆人便用这种神态看着自己的主人。72
“Is there something that Sir requires?”“少爷有什么吩咐吗？”73
Thomas asked evenly.托马斯平静地问道。74
“I can’t find my boots,” Giogi declared.“我找不到我的靴子了，”乔吉说道。75
“I know I left them in here.”“我明明把它们放在这里了。”76
From the chaos before him, Thomas drew out a pair of recently polished black boots with narrow heels and sharp, pointed toes.托马斯从眼前的一片狼藉中抽出一双刚擦亮的黑靴子，鞋跟细窄，鞋头尖锐。77
“Here you are, sir,” he said without a trace of annoyance.“在这里，少爷。”他说道，语气中没有一丝不耐烦。78
“Not those things.“不是那双玩意儿。79
I won’t wear them ever again.我再也不穿它们了。80
They pinch my feet.它们挤脚。81
Take them away and burn them.拿走烧掉。82
I want the boots I bought in Westgate.我要我在西门城买的那双靴子。83
The knee-high, brown-suede clodders with wide brims.就是那双高及膝盖、靴口宽大的棕色麂皮厚底靴。84
They’re the most comfortable boots in the Realms.”那可是诸界最舒服的靴子。”85
Thomas raised a single eyebrow.托马斯挑起一边眉毛。86
“Comfortable they may be, sir, but they are hardly a gentleman’s boot.”“舒服或许是舒服，少爷，但那实在不像绅士该穿的靴子。”87
“Tish!“啧！88
I’m a gentleman, and they’re my boots, ergo, argumentum ab auctoritate,” came Giogi’s riposte.我是绅士，而那是我的靴子，ergo，argumentum ab auctoritate。”乔吉反驳道。89
“Et cetera,” he added.“Et cetera。”他又补充了一句。90
“I thought, sir, now that your travels are through, that you would wish to dispense with the accoutrements of your journey.“我原以为，少爷，既然您的旅途已经结束，您会想把旅途中的行头都收起来。91
I have already retired the boots.”我已经把那双靴子收起来了。”92
“Well, bring them out of retirement, and please hurry.“那就让它们重出江湖吧，麻烦快一点。93
I need to leave for Redstone.”我得去红石。”94
“I understood that your Aunt Dorath was not expecting you until after supper.”“我听说您的多拉丝姑妈要到晚饭后才等您过去。”95
“That’s right, and since I thought I would walk to Redstone and would like to arrive on time, I need to leave now.”“没错，而且既然我打算步行去红石，又想准时到达，我现在就得出发。”96
Giogi sat on the hall bench and kicked off his silk slippers, anticipating that Thomas would produce his boots out of thin air.乔吉在门厅的长凳上坐下，踢掉脚上的丝绸便鞋，等着托马斯凭空变出他的靴子来。97
Thomas surveyed his master with disbelief.托马斯难以置信地打量着主人。98
“Walk, sir?”“走路去，先生？”99
“Yes.“对。100
You know, one foot in front of the other,” Giogi explained patiently.你知道的，就是一只脚迈到另一只脚前面。”乔吉耐心地解释道。101
“But what about your own supper, sir?”“可您自己的晚饭怎么办，先生？”102
“Supper?“晚饭？103
Oh, sorry, Thomas.哦，抱歉，托马斯。104
Write supper off.晚饭就取消吧。105
After that magnificent lunch and all those wonderful raisin cakes at tea, I’m completely full up.吃过那么丰盛的午餐，下午茶时又吃了那么多美味的葡萄干蛋糕，我现在已经撑得不得了。106
Couldn’t eat another thing.再也吃不下任何东西了。107
Thanks anyway.”不过还是谢谢你。”108
Thomas’s look of incredulity turned to one of concern.托马斯脸上的难以置信变成了担忧。109
“Are you feeling all right, sir?”“您没事吧，先生？”110
“Splendid, except that my feet are getting cold,” Giogi said with a grin.“好极了，就是脚越来越冷。”乔吉咧嘴笑着说。111
Without another word, Thomas spun about and disappeared through the archway into Servant Land.托马斯二话没说，猛地转过身，穿过拱门，消失在仆役们的天地里。112
Giogi twisted sideways on the bench to keep his stockinged feet off the chilly floorboards.乔吉在长凳上侧过身子，好让穿着长袜的双脚不碰到冰凉的地板。113
He ran a finger along the smooth parquetry worked into the wooden bench’s high back.他用一根手指沿着木凳高靠背上镶嵌的光滑拼花纹路划过。114
One of his earliest childhood memories was of his father explaining to him the picture in the bench.他童年最早的记忆之一，就是父亲向他讲解长凳上的这幅图画。115
It depicted the moment the family had gotten its patronymic, “way back,” as his father used to say, “in the days before we knew which spoon to use for the soup course.”画中描绘的是这个家族得到姓氏的那一刻；用他父亲过去常说的话，就是“很久很久以前，在我们还不知道喝汤该用哪把勺子的年代”。116
In the design, Paton Wyvernspur, the family founder, stood before a great female wyvern.图案中，家族的始祖佩顿·飞龙刺站在一头巨大的雌性飞龙面前。117
Two tiny hatchling wyverns played at the monster’s feet, and behind her lay the corpse of her mate.两只刚孵化的小飞龙在那头巨兽脚边嬉戏，她身后躺着配偶的尸体。118
Bandits had killed her mate and stolen her eggs from her nest, but Paton had tracked down and vanquished the thieves and restored the young wyverns to their mother.强盗杀死了她的配偶，又从巢中偷走了她的蛋，但佩顿追踪并击败了那些窃贼，把幼小的飞龙送还给了它们的母亲。119
In gratitude, the female wyvern had sliced off her mate’s right spur and conferred it upon Giogi’s forefather with the promise that his family line would never dwindle while the spur remained in the family’s possession.为了报恩，雌性飞龙割下了配偶右脚上的距刺，将它赐予乔吉的先祖，并许诺，只要这根距刺仍由这个家族持有，他的家族便永远不会人丁凋零。120
Later, when he was older and had learned that wyverns weren’t considered very nice beasts, Giogi often wondered why Paton had helped the female wyvern.后来，乔吉长大了，也知道飞龙并不是什么招人喜欢的野兽，便常常纳闷佩顿为什么要帮助那条母飞龙。121
By that time, though, Giogi’s father and mother were both dead, and Giogi couldn’t bring himself to ask Aunt Dorath or Uncle Drone.可那时，乔吉的父母都已去世，而乔吉又鼓不起勇气去问多拉丝姑妈或德罗恩叔叔。122
He sensed instinctively that it would be branded a question only a fool such as himself would ask.他本能地感觉到，这准会被斥为只有他这种傻瓜才问得出的问题。123
He wasn’t fool enough to part with the bench, though.不过，他还没傻到舍得把长凳送人。124
It had been a wedding gift from his mother to his father, and while the other Wyvernspurs scorned the wealthy carpenter’s daughter that Cole Wyvernspur had wed, they all coveted the bench.那是他母亲送给父亲的新婚礼物；飞龙刺家族的其他人虽然都瞧不起科尔·飞龙刺娶的这个富有木匠的女儿，却个个都觊觎这张长凳。125
The carpentry was solid, and the parquetry picture positively hypnotic.长凳的木工结实牢靠，镶嵌画更是迷人得简直叫人挪不开眼。126
Aunt Dorath had suggested a number of times that the bench ought to sit in the hall of Redstone, the family manor, and last year, before his marriage to Gaylyn Dimswart, Giogi’s second Cousin Frefford had hinted it would make a lovely wedding gift, but Giogi declined to part with it.多拉丝姑妈曾几次提出，这张长凳应该摆在家族庄园红石的大厅里；而去年，乔吉的二代表亲弗雷福德在迎娶盖琳·迪姆斯沃特之前，也曾暗示它会是一件很不错的新婚礼物，但乔吉拒绝把它送出去。127
Bored by inactivity, Giogi bounced to his stocking feet and began tossing back into the closet all the things he’d tossed out.乔吉闲得无聊，一跃而起，穿着袜子站到地上，开始把刚才扔出来的东西统统扔回壁橱。128
Thomas appeared in the archway, holding out the knee-high, brown-suede clodders, which, by his master’s own declaration, were the most comfortable pair in the Realms.托马斯出现在拱门口，手里捧着那双高及膝盖的棕色绒面革厚靴；照他主人自己的说法，这是诸界最舒服的一双靴子。129
“Please, sir,” the servant requested, “don’t trouble yourself with putting those things away.“求您了，先生，”仆人恳求道，“那些东西您就别费心收拾了。130
I’ll be happy to do it.”我很乐意替您收拾。”131
Giogi halted in midtoss of a lone wool mitten.乔吉正要把一只孤零零的羊毛连指手套扔出去，动作却停在了半途。132
Something in Thomas’s tone revealed the servant’s anxiety.托马斯的语气中流露出一丝焦虑。133
Giogi noticed that the inside of the closet was now as untidy as the outside.乔吉这才注意到，壁橱里面如今和外面一样凌乱。134
“Sorry, Thomas,” he apologized meekly.“对不起，托马斯。”他温顺地道了歉。135
“That’s quite all right, sir,” Thomas said, setting the boots beside the bench.“完全没关系，先生。”托马斯一边说，一边把靴子放在长凳旁。136
“Ah, my boots!“啊，我的靴子！”137
Excellent!”“太好了！”138
Giogi sat back down on the bench and pulled the right boot on, then slipped the stone into the brim.乔吉重新在长凳上坐下，穿上右脚的靴子，然后把那块石头塞进靴口。139
“Are you certain, sir, you wouldn’t rather ride?”“先生，您确定不想骑马去吗？”140
Thomas asked.托马斯问道。141
Giogi, one foot still unshod, looked up at his manservant.乔吉一只脚还没穿靴子，抬头望向自己的贴身男仆。142
“It may surprise you to know, Thomas, that when I was on my mission for the crown, I often walked great distances.”“托马斯，你也许会很惊讶：我替王室执行任务的时候，经常要徒步走很远的路。”143
Giogi did not feel it necessary to add that he had walked great distances whenever forced to because some scurrilous cove had stolen his horse or some equally evil beast had devoured his mount.乔吉觉得没必要再补充说，每当他被迫长途跋涉时，不是因为某个无耻的恶棍偷了他的马，就是因为某种同样凶恶的野兽吞掉了他的坐骑。144
“Indeed, sir.“是的，先生。145
I did not mean to suggest you weren’t up to the task.我并不是说您胜任不了。146
I just thought that after your strenuous journey you might prefer the luxury of riding.我只是觉得，经过这一路奔波，您或许更愿意舒舒服服地坐车去。147
If not in the carriage, I can saddle Daisyeye.”要是不坐马车，我可以给雏菊眼备鞍。”148
“No, thank you, Thomas,” Giogi said, finally pulling on the other boot.“不必了，谢谢你，托马斯。”乔吉说着，终于穿上了另一只靴子。149
“Daisyeye deserves a good, long rest, and I really want to walk.”“雏菊眼该好好休息上一阵了，而且我确实想走走。”150
He rose, whipped his cloak about him with a flourish, and stomped to the front door.他站起身，潇洒地一甩披风裹住自己，重步走向前门。151
“Don’t bother to wait up for me,” he suggested.“不用等我回来。”他说道。152
“I expect I’ll be quite late.“我想我会很晚才回来。153
Good night,” he called out before he plunged outside.晚安。”他喊了一声，便一头冲进了屋外。154
In town, everything was brown; the buildings, the grass, the muddy roads, the wooden carts, even the horses and oxen, were shades of umber and tan.镇里的一切都是褐色的；房屋、草地、泥泞的道路、木车，甚至马匹和牛，全都是深褐与黄褐的色调。155
Townhouses blocked out the late afternoon sun and cast long chocolate shadows on the earth.一幢幢镇宅挡住了傍晚的阳光，在地面投下巧克力色的长影。156
Women shouted out the windows at dirt-caked children in the streets.女人们从窗口探出头，冲着街上满身泥垢的孩子叫喊。157
It was as if the gods had run out of other colors by the time they reached that part of Immersea, left it etched in one shade, then hadn’t bothered to mix new paint to fill in the color.仿佛诸神为伊默海这一带着色时，其他颜料已经用尽，只用一种色调勾勒出这里，之后也懒得再调配新颜料来填上色彩。158
Giogi walked east, away from the center of town, then turned south onto a trail that led from town to the Wyvernspur estate.乔吉向东走去，离开镇中心，随后转向南边，踏上一条从镇上通往飞龙刺庄园的小径。159
A low wall surrounded the land, and the lanky noble swung his legs over it easily and entered another world, one that the gods had colored.一道矮墙围着这片土地，身材瘦长的贵族轻轻松松地抬腿翻过墙，进入了另一个世界——一个被诸神染上色彩的世界。160
Stalks of winter rye glittered like jade in the setting sunlight; purple-specked crocuses sparkled with gemlike raindrops; a great flock of wild geese honked overhead in the deepening blue sky.冬黑麦的秆茎在夕阳下如翡翠般闪耀；缀着紫斑的番红花上，宝石般的雨珠熠熠生辉；一大群野雁鸣叫着从头顶飞过，掠过愈发深蓝的天空。161
Giogi felt his spirits rise and shook off the gloom that had gripped him in his own house.乔吉心情振奋起来，摆脱了在自己家中一直笼罩着他的阴郁。162
He struck out along the path through the fields.他沿着穿过田野的小径大步走去。163
As the town founders, the Wyvernspurs held title to nearly all the land south of town.飞龙刺家族是这座城镇的奠基者，镇南几乎所有土地都归他们所有。164
Most of the land was set aside for hunting and riding.大部分土地都留作狩猎和骑马之用。165
The highest hill was dedicated to the goddess Selune, and the temple at its peak was left to the administration of her priestess, ancient Mother Lleddew.最高的山丘被奉献给女神塞露恩，山顶的神殿则交由她的女祭司、年迈的莱杜嬷嬷掌管。166
The Wyvernspurs resisted, however, cultivating much of the land, felling many trees, or clearing many fields for cattle.然而，飞龙刺家族不愿开垦大片土地，也不愿砍伐许多树木，或清理出大片田野来放牧牲畜。167
They were nobles, not farmers or foresters or ranchers.他们是贵族，不是农夫、林务员或牧场主。168
The Cormaerils—the only other titled family in Immersea—regularly planted nearly a hundred acres, but had been nobility for only four generations.科梅里尔家族——伊默海唯一另一个拥有爵位的家族——经常耕种近百英亩土地，但他们成为贵族不过四代。169
Giogi feared that, after fifteen generations, the Wyvernspurs were too entrenched in relying on the family fortune as their only source of revenue.乔吉担心，历经十五代之后，飞龙刺家族已经太过习惯把家族财富当作唯一的收入来源。170
As Giogi emerged from the fields of rye, the sun was no more than half a palm’s width from the horizon, and the air was already turning chill.乔吉走出黑麦田时，太阳离地平线已不过半掌之宽，空气也开始转凉。171
The path wound down into the valley of the Immer Stream.小径蜿蜒而下，通往伊默溪的河谷。172
The noble kept up a quick pace to keep warm, but as he approached the northern bank of the stream he was forced to proceed more cautiously.为了取暖，这位贵族一直快步前行，但走近溪流北岸时，他不得不更加小心。173
The trail grew marshy, and he picked his way from one tuft of dry grass to the next.小径变得泥泞沼泽化，他只得从一簇干草小心踩到下一簇。174
His boots were reasonably waterproof, but he didn’t want to arrive at Aunt Dorath’s looking a mess.他的靴子防水性还算不错，可他不想一身狼狈地到多拉丝姑妈家。175
Finally, after a long period of testing footfalls and doubling back, he reached the footbridge that crossed the stream.他试探着落脚，又几度折返，折腾了许久，终于抵达横跨溪流的步行桥。176
To the west of the trail, the Immer Stream flowed down from the hill dedicated to Selune.在小径西边，伊默溪从奉献给塞露恩的山丘上流淌而下。177
To the south of the stream, the trail climbed onto drier ground and up to Redstone Castle, ancestral home of the Wyvernspurs.溪流南边，小径攀上较为干燥的地面，一路通往红石城堡——飞龙刺家族的祖宅。178
Just as Giogi clomped onto the bridge, a fine white strand of something whipped out in front of him.就在乔吉咚咚地踏上桥时，一缕细细的白色东西忽然甩到他面前。179
With a shriek the nobleman leaped backward with visions of giant spiders and a sudden irrational belief in the curse of the wyvern’s spur.这位贵族尖叫一声，猛地向后一跃，脑中浮现出巨型蜘蛛的景象，还突然毫无道理地相信了飞龙刺的诅咒。180
The white strand was not followed by others, though, giving Giogi the opportunity to clutch his chest in relief and spot the silhouette of a man on the southern shore.不过，那道白丝后面并没有更多白丝接踵而来，乔吉这才如释重负地按住胸口，并看见南岸有一个男人的剪影。181
“Cole?” the silhouette gasped.“科尔？”那剪影倒抽着气问道。182
“No, of course not.“不，当然不是。183
It’s Giogioni, isn’t it?是乔吉奥尼，对吧？184
You gave me a fright, boy.你吓了我一跳，小子。185
Looked for a moment just like your old man in that getup.”你穿着这身行头，刚才有那么一瞬间看起来简直和你老爹一模一样。”186
Giogi squinted in the gloomy light.乔吉在昏暗的光线中眯起眼睛。187
The sun had nearly set, but he could make out the tall, broad form of a man on the far bank.太阳已近落山，但他仍能辨认出对岸一个高大魁梧的男人身影。188
The man’s erect stance and bearing reflected a military background.那人挺拔的站姿和举止显露出他的军旅背景。189
His dark hair was short and just beginning to gray at the temples.他的黑发剪得很短，两鬓刚开始泛白。190
He had a warm, perfect smile, which set Giogi at ease.他脸上挂着温暖而无可挑剔的笑容，令乔吉放松下来。191
“Sudacar?“苏达卡？192
Samtavan Sudacar, is that you?萨姆塔万·苏达卡，是你吗？193
What are you doing out here?”你在这儿干什么？”194
“Getting in a little casting.“随便甩上几竿。195
Sorry about the line.钓线的事，对不住了。196
My technique’s gotten a little rusty over the winter.”过了一个冬天，我的手法有点生疏了。”197
Sudacar tugged at the string hanging from his fishing rod until it slipped off the footbridge and into the water with a small splash.苏达卡扯动垂在钓竿上的钓线，直到钓线从人行桥上滑落，扑通一声轻轻掉进水里。198
As he jerked the line through the water, tiny minnows chased after the lure.他猛地将钓线拖过水面时，一群小鱼追在拟饵后面。199
Giogi crossed the bridge and picked his way along the south bank until he stood beside Samtavan Sudacar, the man appointed by none other than King Azoun himself to defend Immersea, dispense the king’s justice, keep the peace, and, of course, collect taxes.乔吉走过桥，又沿南岸小心前行，来到萨姆塔万·苏达卡身旁；此人正是阿祖恩国王亲自任命的，负责保卫伊默海、代国王执法、维持治安，当然，还有征收税款。200
“Taking a break from your pressing administrative duties, eh?”“百忙之中抽空歇一会儿，是吧？”201
Giogi asked.乔吉问道。202
Sudacar snorted.苏达卡哼了一声。203
“Keeping out of Culspiir’s way is more like it.“其实是不给卡尔斯皮尔碍事。204
Behind every local lord, my boy, is a trained herald making him look good.孩子，每个地方领主背后，都有一位训练有素的传令官替他撑门面。205
As long as I keep delegating authority to Culspiir, I’ll be a great success at this job.”只要我继续把权力交给卡尔斯皮尔，我干这份差事就一定会大获成功。”206
Sudacar continued casting, watching his lure all the while.苏达卡继续抛竿，始终盯着自己的拟饵。207
“Why isn’t Culspiir the local lord, then?”“那为什么不让卡尔斯皮尔来当地方领主呢？”208
Giogi asked meekly.乔吉怯生生地问。209
“If he had my job, who would we get to do his job?”“要是他干了我的差事，那他的差事又找谁来干？”210
“Good point,” Giogi admitted.“有道理。”乔吉承认道。211
“Besides, Culspiir never slew a giant.”“再说了，卡尔斯皮尔可从没杀过巨人。”212
“Is that a prerequisite for your job?”“这是干你这份差事的先决条件吗？”213
“Got to make a name for yourself at court.“想在宫廷里出人头地，就得闯出点名堂。214
Slew a frost giant that was terrorizing merchants in Gnoll Pass.我杀过一个霜巨人，那家伙当时正在豺狼人隘口一带祸害商旅。215
That’s how I got into politics—a service like that has to be recognized officially.”我就是这样踏进政界的——立下这种功劳，官方总得有所表示。”216
Giogi nodded in agreement, though he knew not all the other members of his family felt the same way.乔吉赞同地点了点头，尽管他知道，家族里的其他人并非个个都这么想。217
Samtavan Sudacar had not been born to nobility, nor was he a native of Immersea.萨姆塔万·苏达卡并非贵族出身，也不是伊默海本地人。218
Nonetheless, King Azoun had named Sudacar Lord of Immersea when that position fell vacant by the death of Giogi’s father’s cousin, Lord Wohl Wyvernspur.尽管如此，乔吉父亲的堂兄、伊默海领主沃尔·飞龙刺去世，职位空缺后，阿祖恩国王还是任命苏达卡为伊默海领主。219
Wohl’s son, Frefford, had still been a boy, so the family had accepted Sudacar graciously enough.沃尔的儿子弗雷福德当时还是个孩子，因此飞龙刺家族也还算大度地接受了苏达卡。220
They’d even invited the middle-aged bachelor to make his home with them in Redstone Castle.他们甚至还邀请这位中年单身汉住进红石城堡，与他们同住。221
When Frefford reached majority, though, His Majesty hadn’t assigned the young Wyvernspur to the post.然而，等弗雷福德成年后，国王陛下却没有任命这位年轻的飞龙刺接掌那个职位。222
That’s when Aunt Dorath had begun to consider Sudacar not just an upstart, but an interloper and a usurper as well.从那时起，多拉丝姑妈便不再只把苏达卡视为暴发户，还把他当成了外来者和篡位者。223
Giogi knew, though, that Frefford had been secretly relieved.不过乔吉知道，弗雷福德其实暗自松了一口气。224
Aunt Dorath and Cousin Steele had taken the most offense.多拉丝姑妈和斯蒂尔表兄对此最为愤慨。225
Pride and loyalty to the king prohibited the family’s asking Sudacar to leave Redstone.出于骄傲，也出于对国王的忠诚，飞龙刺家族不能开口请苏达卡离开红石。226
When Giogi had left Immersea last spring, an uneasy truce had existed between the Wyvernspurs of Redstone Castle and the Lord of Immersea.去年春天乔吉离开伊默海时，红石城堡的飞龙刺家族与伊默海领主之间维持着一种岌岌可危的休战状态。227
Giogi, since he chose to live in town instead of at the castle, had never really gotten to know Sudacar very well.乔吉选择住在镇上，而不是城堡里，因此一直没能真正了解苏达卡。228
They didn’t travel in the same circles.他们来往的圈子并不相同。229
Now, though, Giogi realized, he had to learn something more about Sudacar.可现在，乔吉意识到，自己必须多了解一些苏达卡的事。230
“If you’re from Suzail originally,” he asked, “how did you know my father?”“既然您原本是苏萨尔人，”他问道，“那您是怎么认识我父亲的？”231
“Cole?“科尔？232
Met him at court a few times.我在宫廷里见过他几次。233
Slew his share of giants, your father did.”你父亲也杀过不少巨人。”234
“He did?”“他真的杀过？”235
Giogi asked with surprise.乔吉惊讶地问道。236
His father had died when Giogi was only eight, so he hadn’t known him very well.乔吉才八岁时，父亲就去世了，因此他对父亲并不十分了解。237
But he was certain no one had ever mentioned that Cole had slain giants.但他确信，从来没有人提过科尔杀过巨人。238
“Served His Majesty with honor, like generations of your family before him,” Sudacar said, pulling his dripping line from the water and adjusting it behind his back.“他忠心耿耿地为陛下效力，就像你们家族世世代代的先人一样。”苏达卡一边说，一边把滴着水的钓线从水中拉出来，在背后重新理好。239
“Aunt Dorath told me he was a trade envoy.”“多拉丝姑婆告诉我，他是个贸易使节。”240
“He might have been that as well,” Sudacar said, whipping the line out over the stream again.“或许他也当过贸易使节。”苏达卡说着，再次挥动钓线，将它甩向溪流。241
“As well?“也当过？”242
As well as what?”“除了什么以外？”243
“He was a warrior adventurer.“他是个四处冒险的战士。”244
Your aunt never told you that?”“你姑婆从没告诉过你？”245
“No,” Giogi admitted.“没有。”乔吉承认道。246
Loyally, he added, “It must have slipped her mind.”出于对姑婆的维护，他又补充道：“她一定是一时忘了。”247
Sudacar snorted.苏达卡哼了一声。248
“Wouldn’t have considered that a proper occupation for a Wyvernspur, would she?“她准是觉得，这算不上飞龙刺家的人该干的正经营生，是吧？”249
I’m surprised Drone never mentioned it.”“真没想到德罗恩也从没提起过。”250
So was Giogi, though he did not say so aloud.乔吉同样感到意外，只是没有说出口。251
Drone Wyvernspur was Giogi’s great-aunt Dorath’s cousin and therefore Giogi’s first cousin twice removed, but out of respect and affection, Giogi called him Uncle Drone.德罗恩·飞龙刺是乔吉的姑婆多拉丝的表亲，因此也是乔吉相差两辈的表亲；但出于敬爱，乔吉一直称他为德罗恩叔祖。252
When Giogi’s mother had died a year after her husband, Aunt Dorath had taken care of Giogi, but Uncle Drone had been assigned the task of completing the masculine aspects of Giogi’s education.乔吉的母亲在丈夫去世一年后也死了，此后一直由多拉丝姑婆照料乔吉，而教会乔吉身为男子应当懂得的那些事，则成了德罗恩叔祖的任务。253
An unmarried wizard of sedentary habits, Uncle Drone had not exactly been the most useful source of information about women, hunting, or horses.德罗恩叔祖是个未婚的法师，平日里又不爱走动，所以在女人、狩猎和马匹这些方面，他实在算不上多么有用的消息来源。254
Drone knew a good deal, though, about wine and gambling, and something of politics and religion, and, armed with this learning, Giogi usually managed to hold his own in taverns and after-dinner conversations.不过，德罗恩对美酒和赌博颇为精通，对政治和宗教也略知一二；凭着这些学问，乔吉通常都能在酒馆里和餐后的闲谈中应付自如。255
The wizard had told Giogi plenty of stories about his mother, Bette, and her father, the carpenter, even though Aunt Dorath had never approved of Cole’s wife’s family.这位法师给乔吉讲过许多关于他母亲贝特，以及贝特那位木匠父亲的故事，尽管多拉丝姑婆从来都不认可科尔妻子的娘家人。256
Why, though, Giogi wondered, hadn’t Uncle Drone told me Cole was an adventurer?可是，乔吉心想，德罗恩叔祖为什么没告诉过我，科尔曾是个冒险者呢？257
“Would you care to walk back to Redstone with me?” he asked Sudacar, hoping to hear more about his father, something he could confront Uncle Drone with.“您愿意和我一起走回红石吗？”他问苏达卡，希望能再多听些父亲的事，好拿去当面质问德罗恩叔祖。258
The lord shook his head.领主摇了摇头。259
“Everything’s at sixes and sevens up there.“那边现在乱成了一团。260
Culspiir and I offered our assistance, but your Aunt Dorath as much as told us to keep our noses out of Wyvernspur business.卡尔斯皮尔和我都提出要帮忙，可你多拉丝姑妈差不多就是明说了，让我们别插手飞龙刺家的事。261
She doesn’t want an interloper like me involved.她不想让我这样的外人掺和进去。262
I’ll tucker in at the Five Fine Fish and creep back to the castle in the small hours.我会住进五条好鱼旅店，等到凌晨再悄悄回城堡。263
Safer for all involved that way.”这样对大家都更安全。”264
“Oh.”“哦。”265
Disappointed, Giogi stood beside Sudacar, racking his head for something else to say to keep the conversation going.乔吉大失所望，站在苏达卡身旁，绞尽脑汁地想再找点什么话题，好让交谈继续下去。266
His wits failed him, as they were wont to do, so he stood wordlessly beside Sudacar as the shadows lengthened.可他脑子不争气——一向如此——只得默默站在苏达卡身边，看着暮色渐浓。267
Sudacar cast his line twice more.苏达卡又抛了两次钓线。268
Farther upstream there was a hooting and a sudden flurry of wings, followed by a splash.上游远处传来一声鸣叫，翅膀突然扑棱起来，紧接着响起了落水声。269
An owl fished the waters as well.一只猫头鹰也在水中捕鱼。270
Finally Sudacar spoke.最后，苏达卡开口了。271
“Thought I’d seen a ghost when I saw you on the opposite bank, in those boots with that cloak.“刚才看见你站在对岸，穿着那双靴子，披着那件斗篷，我还以为自己见了鬼。272
You haven’t got Cole’s face, but you have his shape, his stance, his walk.”你的脸不像科尔，可你的身形、站姿和走路的样子都像他。”273
Sudacar cast his line again.苏达卡再次抛出钓线。274
“If you’d care to talk about your father,” he offered, “stop in at the Fish later, and we’ll raise a mug in his honor.”“要是你愿意聊聊你父亲，”他提议道，“晚些时候就来五条好鱼旅店吧，我们一起举杯纪念他。”275
Giogi grinned with pleasure.乔吉高兴地咧嘴笑了。276
“If I can escape Aunt Dorath’s clutches, I’ll do just that,” he agreed.“要是我能逃出多拉丝姑妈的魔掌，我一定去。”他答应道。277
Just then, a sudden chill made him realize the warmth had gone with the sunlight.就在这时，一阵突如其来的寒意让他意识到，阳光消失后，暖意也随之退去了。278
He pulled his cloak closer to his body.他把斗篷往身上裹紧了些。279
“I’d better be going.“我最好该走了。280
They’re expecting me up at the castle.”城堡那边还等着我呢。”281
Sudacar nodded without taking his eyes off the lure he tugged through the water.苏达卡点了点头，目光始终没有离开被他拖过水面的鱼饵。282
Giogi left the Lord of Immersea by the water and hurried up the trail.乔吉把伊默海领主留在水边，自己沿小径匆匆而上。283
It was dark and cold by the time he reached the walls surrounding Redstone Castle, but he still didn’t relish the thought of entering.等他抵达红石城堡的围墙时，天色已黑，寒意逼人，但他仍不愿踏入其中。284
The castle was wrapped in shades of gray and black.城堡笼罩在深深浅浅的灰黑色调中。285
The reddish pallor of its stonework, which gave it its name, was absent in the darkness.令它得名的石墙本泛着暗红色泽，此刻却隐没在黑暗里。286
The castle squatted on the low hill overlooking the Immer Stream, the town of Immersea, and the Wyvernwater—a great lake east of Cormyr—beyond, like a dragon watching a merchant road.城堡盘踞在一座低矮的山丘上，俯瞰着伊默河、伊默海镇，以及更远处的飞龙湖——科米尔东部的一座大湖——犹如一条监视商道的巨龙。287
Looking up at the brooding monstrosity as he approached, Giogi was reminded again of the dragon that had fallen on Westgate and the earthquakes and underworld power-struggle that had ensued.走近时，乔吉仰望着这个阴森的庞然大物，又一次想起那条袭击西门城的巨龙，以及随后发生的地震和黑道权力之争。288
Having dealt with all those things, Giogi assured himself, coping with this family crisis shouldn’t be too difficult.乔吉安慰自己，既然那些事都应付过来了，处理这场家族危机应该也不会太难。289