第9课

旁白 neutral

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

阿尔弗雷德大帝亲自充当间谍，乔装成吟游诗人，拜访丹麦营地。

旁白 neutral

In those days wandering minstrels were welcome everywhere.

在那些日子里，四处游荡的吟游诗人在任何地方都受到欢迎。

旁白 neutral

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

他们不是战士，他们的竖琴就是他们的通行证。

旁白 neutral

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许多他们的民谣，并能通过杂技表演和简单的魔术来丰富他的节目。

旁白 neutral

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.

当阿尔弗雷德的小部队在阿瑟尔尼缓慢集结时，国王亲自出发，潜入丹麦入侵者指挥官古特伦的营地。

旁白 neutral

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

他们在奇彭纳姆安顿下来过冬，阿尔弗雷德也去了那里。

旁白 neutral

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

他立刻注意到纪律松懈：丹麦人有征服者的自信，他们的安全防范措施很随意。

旁白 neutral

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

他们靠掠夺邻近地区的收益过着富裕的生活。

旁白 neutral

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

他们在那里搜罗了妇女、食物和饮料，安逸的生活使他们变得软弱。

旁白 neutral

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

阿尔弗雷德在营地待了一周才返回阿瑟尔尼。

旁白 neutral

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

在那里集结的部队与丹麦大军相比微不足道。

旁白 neutral

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.

但阿尔弗雷德推断丹麦人已不再适合持久战，而且他们的军需供应没有组织，只依赖于不规律的突袭。

旁白 neutral

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

因此，面对丹麦人的进攻，阿尔弗雷德没有冒险进行公开战斗，而是骚扰敌人。

旁白 neutral

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

他不断移动，将丹麦人吸引到他身后。

旁白 neutral

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

他的巡逻队阻止了突袭队伍：饥饿侵袭着丹麦军队。

旁白 neutral

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

接着，阿尔弗雷德开始了一系列漫长的遭遇战——一个月内丹麦人就投降了。

旁白 neutral

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

这一事件完全可以作为一场独特的王室谍报史诗！