the last battle_c·s·刘易斯-第14部分

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　lot　of　them　would　have　been　rushing　forward　and　trying　to　crowd　into　the　stable　　door　all　together。　but　the　ape　shouted：　　〃get　back！　quiet！　not　so　fast。鈥�

the　beasts　stopped；　many　of　them　with　one　paw　in　the　with　tails　wagging；　　and　all　of　them　with　heads　on　one　side。

〃i　thought　you　said；〃　began　the　bear；　but　shift　interrupted。

〃anyone　can　go　in；〃　he　said。　〃but；　one　at　a　time。　wholl　go　first？　he　　didnt　say　he　was　feeling　very　kind。　hes　been　licking　his　lips　a　lot　since　he　swallowed　up　　the　wicked　king　the　other　night。　hes　been　growling　a　good　deal　this　morning。　i　wouldnt　　much　like　to　go　into　that　stable　myself　tonight。　but　just　as　you　please。　whod　like　to　go　　in　first？　dont　blame　me　if　he　swallows　you　whole　or　blasts　you　into　a　cinder　with　the　mere　　terror　of　his　eyes。　thats　your　affair。　now　then！　whos　first？　what　about　one　of　you　　dwarfs？鈥�

〃dilly；　dilly；　e　and　be　killed！〃　sneered　griffle。　〃how　do　we　know　what　　youve　got　in　there？鈥�

〃ho…ho！〃　cried　the　ape。　〃so　youre　beginning　to　think　theres　something　　there；　eh？　well；　all　you　beasts　were　making　noise　enough　a　minute　ago。　whats　struck　you　all　　dumb？

whos　going　in　first？鈥�

but　the　beasts　all　stood　looking　at　one　another　and　began　backing　away　from　　the　stable。

very　few　tails　were　wagging　now。　the　ape　waddled　to　and　fro　jeering　at　　them。　〃ho…ho…ho！〃　he　chuckled。　〃i　thought　you　were　all　so　eager　to　see　tashlan　face　to　　face！　changed　your　mind；　eh？鈥�

tirian　bent　his　head　to　hear　something　that　jill　was　trying　to　whisper　in　　his　ear。　〃what　do　you　think　is　really　inside　the　stable？〃　she　said。　〃who　knows？〃　said　tirian。　　〃two　calormenes　with　drawn　swords；　as　likely　as　not；　one　on　each　side　of　the　　door。〃　〃you　dont　think；〃　said　jill；　〃it　might　be　。　。　。　you　know　。　。　。　that　horrid　　thing　we　saw？〃　〃tash　himself？〃　whispered　tirian。　〃theres　no　knowing。　but　courage；　child：　we　are　　all　between　the　paws　of　the　true　aslan。鈥�

then　a　most　surprising　thing　happened。　ginger　the　cat　said　in　a　cool；　clear　　voice；　not　at　all　as　if　he　was　excited；　〃ill　go　in；　if　you　like。鈥�

every　creature　turned　and　fixed　its　eyes　on　the　cat。　〃mark　their　　subtleties；　sire；〃　said　poggin　to　the　king。　〃this　cursed　cat　is　in　the　plot；　in　the　very　centre　of　　it。　whatever　is　in　the　stable　will　not　hurt　him；　ill　be　bound。　then　ginger　will　e　out　　again　and　say　that　he　has　seen　some　wonder。鈥�

but　tirian　had　no　time　to　answer　him。　the　ape　was　calling　the　cat　to　e　　forward。

〃ho…ho！〃　said　the　ape。　〃so　you；　a　pert　puss；　would　look　upon　him　face　to　　face。　e　on；　then！　ill　open　the　door　for　you。　dont　blame　me　if　he　scares　the　whiskers　　off　your　face。

thats　your　affair。鈥�

and　the　cat　got　up　and　came　out　of　its　place　in　the　crowd；　walking　primly　　and　daintily；　with　its　tail　in　the　air；　not　one　hair　on　its　sleek　coat　out　of　place。　it　　came　on　till　it　had　passed　the　fire　and　was　so　close　that　tirian；　from　where　he　stood　with　his　　shoulder　against　the　end…wall　of　the　stable；　could　look　right　into　its　face。　its　big　　green　eyes　never　blinked。　（〃cool　as　a　cucumber；〃　muttered　eustace。　〃it　knows　it　has　nothing　　to　fear。〃）　the　ape；　chuckling　and　making　faces；　shuttled　across　beside　the　cat：　put　up　his　　paw：　drew　　

the　bolt　and　opened　the　door。　tirian　thought　he　could　hear　the　cat　purring　　as　it　walked　into　the　dark　doorway。

〃aii…aii…aouwee！　…〃　the　most　horrible　caterwaul　you　ever　heard　made　　everyone　jump。

you　have　been　wakened　yourself　by　cats　quarrelling　or　making　love　on　the　　roof　in　the　middle　of　the　night：　you　know　the　sound。

this　was　worse。　the　ape　was　knocked　head　over　heels　by　ginger　ing　back　　out　of　the　stable　at　top　speed。　if　you　had　not　known　he　was　a　cat；　you　might　have　　thought　he　was　a　ginger…coloured　streak　of　lightning。　he　shot　across　the　open　grass；　back　　into　the　crowd。

no　one　wants　to　meet　a　cat　in　that　state。　you　could　see　animals　getting　out　　of　his　way　to　left　and　right。　he　dashed　up　a　tree；　whisked　around；　and　hung　head　　downwards。　his　tail　was　bristled　out　till　it　was　nearly　as　thick　as　his　whole　body：　his　eyes　　were　like　saucers　of　green　fire：　along　his　back　every　single　hair　stood　on　end。

〃id　give　my　beard；〃　whispered　poggin；　〃to　know　whether　that　brute　is　only　　acting　or　whether　it　has　really　found　something　in　there　that　frightened　it！鈥�

〃peace；　friend；〃　said　tirian；　for　the　captain　and　the　ape　were　also　　whispering　and　he　wanted　to　hear　what　they　said。　he　did　not　succeed；　except　that　he　heard　the　　ape　once　more　whimpering　〃my　head；　my　head；〃　but　he　got　the　idea　that　those　two　were　　almost　as　puzzled　by　the　cats　behaviour　as　himself。

〃now；　ginger；〃　said　the　captain。　〃enough　of　that　noise。　tell　them　what　thou　　hast　seen。鈥�

〃aii　…　aii　…　aaow　…　awah；〃　screamed　the　cat。

〃art　thou　not　called　a　talking　beast？〃　said　the　captain。　〃then　hold　thy　　devilish　noise　and　talk。鈥�

what　followed　was　rather　horrible。　tirian　felt　quite　certain　（and　so　did　　the　others）　that　the　cat　was　trying　to　say　something：　but　nothing　came　out　of　his　mouth　except　　the　ordinary；　ugly　cat…noises　you　might　hear　from　any　angry　or　frightened　old　tom　in　a　　backyard　in　england。　and　the　longer　he　caterwauled　the　less　like　a　talking　beast　he　　looked。　uneasy　whimperings　and　little　sharp　squeals　broke　out　from　among　the　other　　animals。

〃look；　look！〃　said　the　voice　of　the　bear。　〃it　cant　talk。　it　has　forgotten　　how　to　talk！　it　has　gone　back　to　being　a　dumb　beast。　look　at　its　face。〃　everyone　saw　that　it　　was　true。　and　then　the　greatest　terror　of　all　fell　upon　those　narnians。　for　every　one　of　　them　had　been　taught　…　when　it　was　only　a　chick　or　a　puppy　or　a　cub　…　how　aslan　at　the　　beginning　of　the　world　had　turned　the　beasts　of　narnia　into　talking　beasts　and　warned　them　　that　if　they　werent　good　they　might　one　day　be　turned　back　again　and　be　like　the　poor　　witless　animals　one　meets　in　other　countries。　〃and　now　it　is　ing　upon　us；〃　they　　moaned。

〃mercy！　mercy！〃　wailed　the　beasts。　〃spare　us；　lord　shift；　stand　between　us　　and　aslan；　you　must　always　go　in　and　speak　to　him　for　us。　we　darent；　we　darent。鈥�

ginger　disappeared　further　up　into　the　tree。　no　one　ever　saw　him　again。

tirian　stood　with　his　hand　on　his　sword…hilt　and　his　head　bowed。　he　was　　dazed　with　the　horrors　of　that　night。　sometimes　he　thought　it　would　be　best　to　draw　his　　sword　at　once　and　rush　upon　the　calormenes：　then　next　moment　he　thought　it　would　be　　better　to　wait　and　see　what　new　turn　affairs　might　take。　and　now　a　new　turn　came。

〃my　father；〃　came　a　clear；　ringing　voice　from　the　left　of　the　crowd。　tirian　　knew　at　once　that　it　was　one　of　the　calormenes　speaking；　for　in　the　tisrocs　army　the　　mon　soldiers　call　the　officers　〃my　master〃　but　the　officers　call　their　senior　officers　　〃my　father〃。　jill　and　eustace　didnt　know　this　but；　after　looking　this　way　and　that；　they　saw　　the　speaker；　for　of　course　people　at　the　sides　of　the　crowd　were　easier　to　see　than　　people　in　the　middle　where　the　glare　of　the　fire　made　all　beyond　it　look　rather　black。　he　was　　young　and　tall　and　slender；　and　even　rather　beautiful　in　the　dark；　haughty；　calormene　way。

〃my　father；〃　he　said　to　the　captain；　〃i　also　desire　to　go　in。鈥�

〃peace；　emeth；〃　said　the　captain；　〃who　called　thee　to　counsel？　does　it　　bee　a　boy　to　speak？鈥�

〃my　father；〃　said　emeth。　〃truly　i　am　younger　than　thou；　yet　i　also　am　of　　the　blood　of　the　tarkaans　even　as　thou　art；　and　i　also　am　the　servant　of　tash。　therefore　。　。　　。鈥�

〃silence；〃　said　rishda　tarkaan。　〃am　not　i　thy　captain？　thou　hast　nothing　to　　do　with　this　stable。　it　is　for　the　narnians。鈥�

〃nay；　my　father；〃　answered　emeth。　〃thou　hast　said　that　their　aslan　and　our　　tash　are　all　one。　and　if　that　is　the　truth；　then　tash　himself　is　in　yonder。　and　how　then　　sayest　thou　that　i　have　nothing　to　do　with　him？　for　gladly　would　i　die　a　thousand　　deaths　if　i　might　look　once　on　the　face　of　tash。鈥�

〃thou　art　a　fool　and　understandest　nothing；〃　said　rishda　tarkaan。　〃these　be　　high　matters。鈥�

emeths　face　grew　sterner。　〃is　it　then　not　true　that　tash　and　aslan　are　all　　one？〃　he　asked。

〃has　the　ape　lied　to　us？鈥�

〃of　course　theyre　all　one；〃　said　the　ape。

〃swear　it；　ape；〃　said　emeth。

〃oh　dear！〃　whimpered　shift；　〃i　wish　youd　all　stop　bothering　me。　my　head　　does　ache。

yes；　yes；　i　swear　it。鈥�

〃then；　my　father；〃　said　emeth；　〃i　am　utterly　determined　to　go　in。鈥�

〃fool；〃　began　rishda　tarkaan；　but　at　once　the　dwarfs　began　shouting：　〃e　　along；　darkie。　why　dont　you　let　him　in？　why　do　you　let　narnians　in　and　keep　your　　own　people　out？　what　have　you　got　in　there　that　you　dont　want　your　own　men　to　meet？鈥�

tirian　and　his　friends　could　only　see　the　back　of　rishda　tarkaan；　so　they　　never　knew　what　his　face　looked　like　as　he　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　said；　〃bear　　witness　all　that　i　am　guiltless　of　this　young　fools　blood。　get　thee　in；　rash　boy；　and　make　　haste。鈥�

then；　just　as　ginger　had　done；　emeth　came　walking　forward　into　the　open　　strip　of　grass　between　the　bonfire　and　the　stable。　his　eyes　were　shining；　his　face　very　　solemn；　his　hand　was　on　his　sword…hilt；　and　he　carried　his　head　high。　jill　felt　like　crying　　when　she　looked　at　his　face。　and　jewel　whispered　in　the　kings　ear；　〃by　the　lions　mane；　i　　almost　love　this　young　warrior；　calormene　though　he　be。　he　is　worthy　of　a　better　god　　than　tash。鈥�

〃i　do　wish　we　knew　what　is　really　inside　there；〃　said　eustace。

emeth　opened　the　door　and　went　in；　into　the　black　mouth　of　the　stable。　he　　closed　the　door　behind　him。　only　a　few　moments　passed　…　but　it　seemed　longer　before　　the　door　opened　again。　a　figure　in　calormene　armour　reeled　out；　fell　on　its　back；　　and　lay　still：　the　door　closed　behind　it。　the　captain　leaped　towards　it　and　bent　down　to　stare　　at　its　face。　he　gave　a　start　of　surprise。　then　he　recovered　himself　and　turned　to　the　　crowd；　crying　out：　　〃the　rash　boy　has　had　his　will。　he　has　looked　on　tash　and　is　dead。　take　　warning；　all　of　you。鈥�

〃we　will；　we　will；〃　said　the　poor　beasts。　but　tirian　and　his　friends　stared　　at　the　dead　calormene　and　then　at　one　another。　for　they；　being　so　close；　could　see　what　　the　crowd；　being　further　off　and　beyond　the　fire；　could　not　see：　this　dead　man　was　not　　emeth。　he　was　quite　different：　an　older　man；　thicker　and　not　so　tall；　with　a　big　　beard。

〃ho…ho…ho；〃　chuckled　the　ape。　〃any　more？　anyone　else　want　to　go　i