$课文9 谍报活动

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

阿尔弗雷德大帝曾亲自充当间谍。他扮作吟游歌手到丹麦军队的营地里侦察。

135. In those days wandering minstrels were welcome everywhere.

当时，浪迹天涯的吟游歌手到处受欢迎，

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

他们不是作战人员，竖琴就是他们的通行证。

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

阿尔弗德年轻时学过许多民歌，并能穿插演一些杂技和小魔术使自己的节目多样化。

138. 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.

阿尔弗雷德人数不多的军队开始在阿塞尔纳慢慢集结时，他亲自潜入丹麦入侵司令官古瑟罗姆的营地。

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

丹麦军已在切本哈姆扎下营准备过冬，阿尔弗雷便来到此地。

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

他马上发现丹麦军纪律松弛，他们以征服者自居，安全措施马马虎虎。