04-02-04-格列佛游记 [5]
入了我们在不来夫斯古的敌人一边。不来夫斯古的国王早就想在战争中打败利力浦特，而现在我们听说他已经准备了大量的战船，不久就要进攻我们。所以，你看，我的朋友，为了打败他的敌人，我们的国王多么需要你的帮助。”
我一点也没犹豫。“请转告国王，”我热情地回答，“为了救他和他的国家我宁愿牺牲生命。”
■ 3 Lilliput at war
The island of Blefuscu is only about a kilometre to the north of Lilliput．I knew that just beyond the narrow sea separating the two countries there were at least fifty war－ships ready to attack us，with many other smaller ships．But I kept away from that side of the coast，so that the people of Blefuscu would not see me．I had a secret plan．
From the King's workmen I ordered fifty heavy metal hooks，each fastened to a piece of strong rope．I took off my coat and shoes， and walked into the sea with the hooks and ropes in my hands．The water was deep in the middle，so I had to swim for a few metres． But it only took me half an hour to get to Blefuscu．
When the Blefuscans saw me，they were so frightened that they jumped out of their ships and swam to the beach．I then used one hook for each ship，and tied all the ropes together at one end．While I was doing this， the enemy shot thousands of arrows at me，which caused me a lot of pain．I was afraid of getting an arrow in my eyes，but I suddenly remembered I still had an old pair of reading glasses in my pocket，so I put them on and continued my work．When I was ready，I started walking into the shallow water away from Blefuscu．As I walked through the waves，I pulled the enemy's warships be－hind me．When the people of Blefuscu realized that all their warships were disappearing，their cries were terrible to hear．
As I came nearer to Lilliput，I saw the King and all his lords and ladies standing on the beach．They could only see Blefuscu's warships coming closer，as I was swimming and my head was occasionally under the water．Therefore，they sup－posed that I had drowned，and that the Blefuscan ships were attacking．But when they saw me walking out of the sea， they welcomed me warmly with cries of astonishment and delight．The King himself came down to the water to meet me．
‘Everyone in Lilliput is grateful to you！’he cried．‘For your bravery，you will be one of my lords from now on．’
‘Thank you，sir，’I replied．
‘And now，’he continued，‘go back and steal all the ene－my's ships，so that we can defeat Blefuscu for ever！ We'll de-stroy the Big-Endians，and I'll become King of the whole world！’
But I would not agree to this plan．
‘Sir，’I replied，‘I will never help to take a brave nation's freedom away．Lilliput and Blefuscu should live in peace now．
The King could not persuade me，and unfortunately he nev-er forgot that I had refused to do what he wanted．Although I had saved his country from attack by Blefuscan warships， he preferred to remember my refusal．
From this time on，I heard from my friends that there were secret conversations in the palace between the King and some of his lords，who were jealous of me．These conversations nearly led to my death in the end．
About three weeks later，the King of Blefuscu sent his offi-cials to ask for peace between the two countries．After the Ble－fuscans had arranged everything with the Lilliputian officials，they came to visit me．They had heard how I had prevented the King from destroying all their ships．After thanking me，they invited me to visit their country．
However，when I asked the King of Lilliput if I could visit Blefuscu， he agreed，but very coldly．I learnt later that he and some of his lords considered I was wrong to have a conversa-tion with enemies of Lilliput．Now I was beginning to under-stand how difficult and dangerous political life can be．
A few days later I had another chance to help the King． I was woken at midnight by the cries of hundreds of Lilliputians outside my house．
‘Fire！Fire！’they shouted．‘The Queen's rooms in the palace are burning！Come quickly，Man-Mountain！’
So I pulled on my clothes and hurried to the palace． A large part of the building was in flames．People were climbing lad-ders up the walls，and throwing water on the flames， but the fire was burning more strongly every minute．At least the Queen and her ladies had escaped，but there seemed to be no way of saving this beautiful palace
我一点也没犹豫。“请转告国王，”我热情地回答，“为了救他和他的国家我宁愿牺牲生命。”
■ 3 Lilliput at war
The island of Blefuscu is only about a kilometre to the north of Lilliput．I knew that just beyond the narrow sea separating the two countries there were at least fifty war－ships ready to attack us，with many other smaller ships．But I kept away from that side of the coast，so that the people of Blefuscu would not see me．I had a secret plan．
From the King's workmen I ordered fifty heavy metal hooks，each fastened to a piece of strong rope．I took off my coat and shoes， and walked into the sea with the hooks and ropes in my hands．The water was deep in the middle，so I had to swim for a few metres． But it only took me half an hour to get to Blefuscu．
When the Blefuscans saw me，they were so frightened that they jumped out of their ships and swam to the beach．I then used one hook for each ship，and tied all the ropes together at one end．While I was doing this， the enemy shot thousands of arrows at me，which caused me a lot of pain．I was afraid of getting an arrow in my eyes，but I suddenly remembered I still had an old pair of reading glasses in my pocket，so I put them on and continued my work．When I was ready，I started walking into the shallow water away from Blefuscu．As I walked through the waves，I pulled the enemy's warships be－hind me．When the people of Blefuscu realized that all their warships were disappearing，their cries were terrible to hear．
As I came nearer to Lilliput，I saw the King and all his lords and ladies standing on the beach．They could only see Blefuscu's warships coming closer，as I was swimming and my head was occasionally under the water．Therefore，they sup－posed that I had drowned，and that the Blefuscan ships were attacking．But when they saw me walking out of the sea， they welcomed me warmly with cries of astonishment and delight．The King himself came down to the water to meet me．
‘Everyone in Lilliput is grateful to you！’he cried．‘For your bravery，you will be one of my lords from now on．’
‘Thank you，sir，’I replied．
‘And now，’he continued，‘go back and steal all the ene－my's ships，so that we can defeat Blefuscu for ever！ We'll de-stroy the Big-Endians，and I'll become King of the whole world！’
But I would not agree to this plan．
‘Sir，’I replied，‘I will never help to take a brave nation's freedom away．Lilliput and Blefuscu should live in peace now．
The King could not persuade me，and unfortunately he nev-er forgot that I had refused to do what he wanted．Although I had saved his country from attack by Blefuscan warships， he preferred to remember my refusal．
From this time on，I heard from my friends that there were secret conversations in the palace between the King and some of his lords，who were jealous of me．These conversations nearly led to my death in the end．
About three weeks later，the King of Blefuscu sent his offi-cials to ask for peace between the two countries．After the Ble－fuscans had arranged everything with the Lilliputian officials，they came to visit me．They had heard how I had prevented the King from destroying all their ships．After thanking me，they invited me to visit their country．
However，when I asked the King of Lilliput if I could visit Blefuscu， he agreed，but very coldly．I learnt later that he and some of his lords considered I was wrong to have a conversa-tion with enemies of Lilliput．Now I was beginning to under-stand how difficult and dangerous political life can be．
A few days later I had another chance to help the King． I was woken at midnight by the cries of hundreds of Lilliputians outside my house．
‘Fire！Fire！’they shouted．‘The Queen's rooms in the palace are burning！Come quickly，Man-Mountain！’
So I pulled on my clothes and hurried to the palace． A large part of the building was in flames．People were climbing lad-ders up the walls，and throwing water on the flames， but the fire was burning more strongly every minute．At least the Queen and her ladies had escaped，but there seemed to be no way of saving this beautiful palace