第 9 课 · Royal Espionage

Royal espionage

王室间谍活动

Alfred the Great acted as his own spy, visiting Danish camps disguised as a minstrel.

阿尔弗雷德大帝亲自做起了自己的间谍，装扮成吟游诗人走访丹麦人的军营。

In those days wandering minstrels were welcome everywhere.

在那个年代，四处流浪的吟游诗人到处都受欢迎。

They were not fighting men, and their harp was their passport.

他们不是当兵打仗的人，竖琴就是他们的通行证。

Alfred had learned many of their ballads in his youth and could vary his programme with acrobatic tricks and simple conjuring.

阿尔弗雷德年轻时学过他们的许多歌谣，还会用杂技把戏和简单的小戏法来给自己的表演换花样。

While Alfred's little army slowly began to gather at Athelney, the king himself set out to penetrate the camp of Guthrum, the commander of the Danish invaders.

当阿尔弗雷德的小股部队开始在阿塞尔内（Athelney）缓慢集结时，国王亲自动身，潜入丹麦入侵军统帅古思鲁姆（Guthrum）的军营。

These had settled down for the winter at Chippenham: thither Alfred went.

这些丹麦人已在切本哈姆（Chippenham）安营过冬；阿尔弗雷德就去了那里。

He noticed at once that discipline was slack: the Danes had the self-confidence of conquerors, and their security precautions were casual.

他立刻注意到军纪涣散：丹麦人带着征服者的自负，安全防范措施十分马虎。

They lived well, on the proceeds of raids on neighbouring regions.

他们日子过得很阔绰，靠的是对邻近地区劫掠的所得。

There they collected women as well as food and drink, and a life of ease had made them soft.

他们在那里不仅搜罗食物和酒，还掳掠妇女；安逸的生活已使他们丧失了锐气。

Alfred stayed in the camp a week before he returned to Athelney.

阿尔弗雷德在敌营待了一个星期，才返回阿塞尔内（Athelney）。

The force there assembled was trivial compared with the Danish horde.

他在那里集结起来的兵力，与丹麦大军相比少得可怜。

But Alfred had deduced that the Danes were no longer fit for prolonged battle: and that their commissariat had no organization, but depended on irregular raids.

但阿尔弗雷德已推断出：丹麦人已打不了持久战，而且他们的后勤补给毫无章法，只靠零星的劫掠。

So, faced with the Danish advance, Alfred did not risk open battle but harried the enemy.

因此，面对丹麦人的推进，阿尔弗雷德不去冒险正面决战，而是不断袭扰敌军。

He was constantly on the move, drawing the Danes after him.

他不停地转移，牵着丹麦人跟在自己后面跑。

His patrols halted the raiding parties: hunger assailed the Danish army.

他的巡逻队拦截了对方的劫掠小队：饥饿开始折磨丹麦大军。

Now Alfred began a long series of skirmishes -- and within a month the Danes had surrendered.

这时，阿尔弗雷德开始了一连串的小规模战斗——不到一个月，丹麦人就投降了。

The episode could reasonably serve as a unique epic of royal espionage!

这段插曲完全称得上一部独一无二的王室间谍史诗！