And really it was uncommonly like Nothing. There were no stars. It was so dark that they couldn 8217;t see one another at all and it made no difference whether you kept your eyes shut or open. Under their feet there was a cool, flat something which might have been earth, and was certainly not grass or wood. The air was cold and dry and there was no wind.
确实，这是个罕见的虚无国。天空没有星星，四下一团漆黑，谁也看不见谁，眼睛睁开和闭上都是一样。他们脚下平整、凉爽的东西肯定不是草地或者木头，而可能是泥土。空气干燥、凛冽，一丝风也没有。
8220;My doom has come upon me, 8221; said the Witch in a voice of horrible calmness.
“我的末日到了。”女巫的声膏里有一种可怕的平静。
8220;Oh don 8217;t say that, 8221; babbled Uncle Andrew. 8220;My dear young lady, pray don 8217;t say such things. It can 8217;t be as bad as that. Ah 8211; Cabman 8211; my good man 8211; you don 8217;t happen to have a flask about you? A drop of spirits is just what I need. 8221;
“噢，别这样说，”安德鲁舅舅唠叨起来，“我亲爱的年轻女士，求求你，别说这种话。事情不会那么严重。啊——马车夫——我的好人——你身上没带着酒瓶吗？我需要一口烈酒。”
8220;Now then, now then, 8221; came the Cabby 8217;s voice, a good firm, hardy voice. 8220;Keep cool everyone, that 8217;s what I say. No bones broken, anyone? Good. Well there 8217;s something to be thankful for straight away, and more than anyone could expect after falling all that way. Now, if we 8217;ve fallen down some diggings 8211; as it might be for a new station on the Underground 8211; someone will come and get us out presently, see! And if we 8217;re dead 8211; which I don 8217;t deny it might be 8211; well, you got to -remember that worse things 8216;appen at sea and a chap 8217;s got to die sometime. And there ain 8217;t nothing to be afraid of if a chap 8217;s led a decent life. And if you ask me, I think the best thing we could do to pass the time would be sing a 8216;ymn. 8221;
“喂，喂，”马车夫有一副好嗓子，他用坚强的口吻说，“我想说，大家都冷静下来。没有人摔断骨头，是吧，好。实在应该感到欣慰。像这样摔下来，结果比任何人估计的都要好。假如我们是掉进了一些房屋里——例如地铁的一个新站头——很快就会有人把我们救出去的，对不对！要是我们死了——我不否认有这种可能——那么，你们该记得有时海上会发生比这更坏的事，总有人要死的。如果一个人曾经体面地生活过，便没什么可怕的。你们如果问我，我想，我们打发时间的最好办法就是唱一首圣歌。”
And he did. He struck up at once a harvest thanksgiving hymn, all about crops being 8220;safely gathered in 8221;. It was not very suitable to a place which felt as if nothing had ever grown there since the beginning of time, but it was the one he could remember best. He had a fine voice and the children joined in; it was very cheering. Uncle Andrew and the Witch did not join in.
他马上就唱起了一首收获时节感恩的圣歌，唱的是庄稼被“圆满地收创归仓”。在一个似乎从一开始就没有牛长过东西的地方唱这种歌并不十分合适，但这是他记得最清楚的一首歌。他的音色优美，孩子们也跟着唱了起来。气氛欢畅愉快。安德鲁舅舅和女巫没有加入进去。
Towards the end of the hymn Digory felt someone plucking at his elbow and from a general smell of brandy and cigars and good clothes he decided that it must be Uncle Andrew. Uncle Andrew was cautiously pulling him away from the others. When they had gone a little distance, the old man put his mouth so close to Digory 8217;s ear that it tickled, and whispered:
圣歌接近尾声时，迪格雷觉得有人在拉他的胳膊，那股白兰地和雪茄的气味以及那身很好的衣服告诉他，是安德鲁舅舅。安德公舅舅小心地将他朝旁边拉。和其他人隔开一段距离后，这老家伙把嘴巴凑到迪格雷的耳边，弄得他耳朵发痒。他悄悄说：
8220;Now, my boy. Slip on your ring. Let 8217;s be off. 8221;
“孩子，戴上戒指，我们走吧。”
But the Witch had very good ears. 8220;Fool! 8221; came her voice and she leaped off the horse. 8220;Have you forgotten that I can hear men 8217;s thoughts? Let go the boy. If you attempt treachery I will take such vengeance upon you as never was heard of in all worlds from the beginning. 8221;
女巫的耳朵非常灵敏。“蠢货！”她的声音传了过来，“你忘了我能听见人的想法吗？放开那小孩。如果你想耍花招，我会用任何世界都没有听说过的办法报复你。”
8220;And, 8221; added Digory, 8220;if you think I 8217;m such a mean pig as to go off and leave Polly 8211; and the Cabby 8211; and the horse in a place like this, you 8217;re well mistaken. 8221;
“而且，”迪格雷补充一句，“如果你以为我是一头卑鄙的猪，可以把波莉、马车夫和那匹马丢在这样的地方自己逃走，那你就大错而特错了。”
8220;You are a very naughty and impertinent little boy, 8221; said Uncle Andrew.
“你是个非常调皮、不懂礼貌的小孩。”安德鲁舅舅说。
8220;Hush! 8221; said the Cabby. They all listened.
“嘘！”马车夫说。他们都在听着。