诗翁彼豆故事集 第27期:三兄弟的传说(4)

 　　In spite of the fact that, according to Beedle, two of the three objects are highly dangerous, in spite of the clear message that Death comes for us all in the end, a tiny minority of the wizarding community persists in believing that Beedle was sending them a coded message, which is the exact reverse of the one set down in ink, and that they alone are clever enough to understand it. 尽管如彼豆所说，那三件东西里有两件极端危险，而且故事的寓意很清楚：死神最终都会带走我们，但是巫师界有一小部分人仍始终相信，彼豆向他们传递了一个隐秘的信息，这个信息与白纸黑字写的正好相反，只有他们才有足够的智慧能够参透。

　　Their theory (or perhaps “desperate hope” might be a more accurate term) is supported by little actual evidence. 他们的理论（也许用“迫切的希望”更为准确）背后并没有多少实际的证据。

　　True Invisibility Cloaks, though rare, exist in this world of ours; however, the story makes it clear that Death's Cloak is of a uniquely durable¹ nature. 真正的隐形衣，尽管稀罕，确实存在于我们的世界上，但是故事里说得很清楚，死神的隐形衣具有独特的耐久性。

　　(Note 3: Invisibility Cloaks are not, generally, infallible. （注释三：一般来说，隐形衣并不是绝对可靠的。

　　They may rip or grow opaque² with age, of the charms placed upon them may wear off, or be countered by charms of revealment. 天长日久，它们会被撕裂或变得不透明，它们所承载的咒语会逐渐失效，或被暴露咒所抵消。

　　This is why witches and wizards usually turn, in the first instance, to Disillusionment Charms for self-camouflage or concealment³. 因此，巫师想要伪装或隐藏，一般首先考虑使用幻身咒。

　　Albus Dumbledore was known to be able to perform a Disillusionment Charm so powerful as to render himself invisible without the need for a Cloak. JKR) 据知，阿不思·邓布利多的幻身咒技艺十分高超，他不需要隐形衣就能使自己隐形——J.K。罗琳注）

　　Through all the centuries that have intervened between Beedle's day and our own, nobody has ever claimed to have found Death's Cloak. 从彼豆讲故事的年代到我们今天，多少个世纪过去了，没有一个人声称找到了死神的隐形衣。

　　This is explained away by true believers thus: either the third brother's descendants do not know where their Cloak came from, or they know and are determined⁴ to show their ancestor's wisdom by not trumpeting⁵ the fact. 因而诚笃的信徒是这样辩解的：老三的后人并不知道他们的隐形衣是从哪里来的，或者，他们决定表现出先人的智慧，不事张扬。

　　Naturally enough, the stone has never been found, either. 很自然地，那块石头也始终没有找到。

　　As I have already noted⁶ in the commentary for “Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump”, we remain incapable⁷ of raising the dead, and there is every reason to suppose that this will never happen. 正如我在《兔子巴比蒂和她的呱呱树桩》的评论里已经说过的，我们仍然无力起死回生，而且有足够的理由断定这种事情永远不会发生。

　　Vile⁸ substitutions have, of course, been attempted by Dark wizards, who have created Inferi, (Note 4: Inferi are corpses⁹ reanimated by Dark Magic.) but these are ghastly puppets, not truly reawaken humans. 当然啦，黑巫师尝试了一些邪恶的替代品，制造出阴尸，（注释四：阴尸是被黑魔法唤醒的死尸——J.K。罗琳注）但阴尸并不是真正被唤醒的人，而是幽灵般的僵尸。

1 durable   

adj.持久的，耐久的

参考例句：

• This raincoat is made of very durable material.这件雨衣是用非常耐用的料子做的。
• They frequently require more major durable purchases.他们经常需要购买耐用消费品。

2 opaque   

adj.不透光的；不反光的，不传导的；晦涩的

参考例句：

• The windows are of opaque glass.这些窗户装着不透明玻璃。
• Their intentions remained opaque.他们的意图仍然令人费解。

3 concealment   

n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒

参考例句：

• the concealment of crime 对罪行的隐瞒
• Stay in concealment until the danger has passed. 把自己藏起来，待危险过去后再出来。

4 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

5 trumpeting   

大声说出或宣告（trumpet的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• She is always trumpeting her son. 她总是吹嘘她儿子。
• The wind is trumpeting, a bugle calling to charge! 风在掌号。冲锋号！ 来自汉英文学 - 散文英译

6 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

7 incapable   

adj.无能力的，不能做某事的

参考例句：

• He would be incapable of committing such a cruel deed.他不会做出这么残忍的事。
• Computers are incapable of creative thought.计算机不会创造性地思维。

8 vile   

adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的

参考例句：

• Who could have carried out such a vile attack?会是谁发起这么卑鄙的攻击呢？
• Her talk was full of vile curses.她的话里充满着恶毒的咒骂。

9 corpses   

n.死尸，尸体( corpse的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The living soldiers put corpses together and burned them. 活着的战士把尸体放在一起烧了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Overhead, grayish-white clouds covered the sky, piling up heavily like decaying corpses. 天上罩满了灰白的薄云，同腐烂的尸体似的沉沉的盖在那里。 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说