美國語文第四冊 第161期：阿爾弗雷德大帝（02）
For some time he dressed as a peasant, and lived in the cottage of a cowherd,
阿爾弗雷德一度裝扮成農民，住在一個牧民家里，
who was so careful of his king's safety that he did not even tell his wife who he was.
牧民對國王的安全小心謹慎，即使對他的妻子也沒透露。
So she treated the king as a common peasant,
因此牧民的妻子對國王就像對待普通的農民一樣，
and one day gave him a sharp scolding because he allowed some cakes to burn on the griddle, after she had left him to watch them.
有一天還狠狠責備了他，因為他照看的蛋糕烤糊了。
She told him he was clever enough at eating cakes though he managed so badly at baking them.
牧民的妻子對他說，你吃蛋糕的本事可比烤蛋糕強多了。
When the search for him grew less active, Alfred gradually collected some of his followers, with whom he encamped on a small spot of firm ground in the center of a bog.
當?shù)溔朔潘蓪λ乃巡兜臅r候，阿爾弗雷德漸漸聚攏起一些追隨者，他們駐扎在沼澤中心一小塊結實的平地上。
It was surrounded by almost impassable forests, and Alfred fortified the place so that it could not well be taken.
四周都是密林，難以通過，加之阿爾弗雷德構筑了防御工事，因此易守難攻。
Then he made frequent sudden and successful attacks on the enemy until his troops and the people became encouraged.
他頻繁地襲擊敵人，都很成功，軍隊和人民很受鼓舞。
One victory in particular, when they captured a banner which the Danes thought enchanted, led Alfred to take bolder steps.
在一次勝利中，他們奪取了一面丹麥人認為施了魔法的旗幟，這促使阿爾弗雷德采取更大膽的行動。
He wished to find out the exact condition of the enemy, and, for this purpose, disguised himself as a harper and entered their camp.
他希望準確地了解敵人的情況，因此，他假扮成豎琴師，混進了敵營。
He was so successful in his disguise that he remained there some days, even being admitted to the tent of the Danish leader Guthrum.
他偽裝得很成功，在敵營住了很多天，甚至還得到允許進入了丹麥首領古特倫的營帳。
He found their entire army living in careless security,
他發(fā)現(xiàn)丹麥軍隊紀律松弛，
and so he determined to make a sudden and bold attack on them, to try and rid his country once more of these cruel invaders.
因此決定對他們采取大膽的突襲，把這些殘酷的侵略者趕出英格蘭。
He summoned his people about him from far and wide.
他召集遠近的人民。
Many of them had long thought their beloved king dead, but now all eagerly obeyed his call.
很多人原以為他們熱愛的國王已經死了，現(xiàn)在紛紛響應他的命令。
He at once led them against that part of the camp which he had seen to be most unguarded.
他帶領軍隊襲擊了敵人防備最松弛的部位。
The attack was entirely unexpected; and, although the Danes were greater in numbers, they were defeated with great slaughter.
丹麥人卻毫無準備，盡管人數(shù)眾多，吃了敗仗，死傷慘重。
Some of them, with their leader, fled to a fortified place, but were soon obliged to surrender.
他們的領袖帶著一部分人逃到一個堡壘，可是很快就不得不投降了。
