新概念英語第四冊
Lesson 9 Royal espionage
1 . Alfred had learned many of their ballads in his youth,阿爾弗德年輕時學過許多民歌，
2 . The force there assembled was trivial compared with the Danish horde.他集結在那裡的軍隊和丹麥大軍相比是微不足道的，
3 . Alfred the Great acted his own spy,阿爾弗雷德大帝曾親自充當間諜。
4 . His patrols halted the raiding parties: hunger assailed the Danish army.他派出巡邏隊阻止敵人搶劫，因而飢餓威脅著丹麥軍隊。
5 . visiting Danish camps disguised as a minstrel.他扮作吟遊歌手到丹麥軍隊的營地裡偵察。
6 . These had settled down for the winter at Chippenham: thither Alfred went.丹麥軍已在切本哈姆紮下營準備過冬，阿爾弗雷便來到此地。
7 . So, faced with the Danish advance, Alfred did not risk open battle but harried the enemy.因此，面對丹麥人的進攻，阿爾弗雷德沒有貿然同敵人作戰，而是採用騷擾敵人的戰術。
8 . He noticed at once that discipline was slack: the Danes had the self-confidence of conquerors, and their security precautions were casual.他馬上發現丹麥軍紀律鬆弛，他們以征服者自居，安全措施馬馬虎虎。
9 . While Alfred's little army slowly began to gather at Athelney,阿爾弗雷德人數不多的軍隊開始在阿塞爾納慢慢集結時，
10 . Now Alfred began a long series of skirmishes -- and within a month the Danes had surrendered.這時，阿爾弗雷德發起一連串小規模的進攻，結果不出一個月，丹麥人就投降了。
11 . But Alfred had deduced that the Danes were no longer fit for prolonged battle:然而，阿爾弗雷德斷定，丹麥人已不再適應持久的戰爭，
12 . There they collected women as well as food and drink, and a life of ease had made them soft.他們不僅搜刮吃的喝的，而且搶掠婦女，安逸的生活已使丹麥軍隊變得軟弱無力。
13 . They were not fighting men, and their harp was their passport.他們不是作戰人員，豎琴就是他們的通行證。
14 . The episode could reasonably serve as a unique epic of royal espionage!這一幕歷史可以說是王室諜報活動中最精彩的篇章。
15 . the king himself set out to penetrate the camp of Guthrum, the commander of the Danish invaders.他親自潛入丹麥入侵司令官古瑟羅姆的營地。
16 . and could vary his programme with acrobatic tricks and simple conjuring.並能穿插演一些雜技和小魔術使自己的節目多樣化。
17 . Alfred stayed in the camp a week before he returned to Athelney.阿爾弗雷德在敵營呆了一個星期後，回到了阿塞爾納。
18 . He was constantly on the move, drawing the Danes after him.他的部隊不停地移動，牽著敵人的鼻子，讓他們跟著跑。
19 . In those days wandering minstrels were welcome everywhere.當時，浪跡天涯的吟遊歌手到處受歡迎，
20 . They lived well, on the proceeds of raids on neighbouring regions.他們靠掠奪附近的地區的財物過著舒適的生活。
21 . and that their commissariat had no organization, but depended on irregular raids.他們的軍需供應處於無組織狀態，只是靠臨時搶奪來維持。