prince caspian_c·s·刘易斯-第16部分

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lucy　noticed　that　there　was　no　sign　of　weariness　in　their　faces：　both　the　　high　king　and　king　edmund　looked　more　like　men　than　boys。

the　girls　watched　them　out　of　sight；　standing　close　beside　aslan。　the　light　　was　changing。

low　down　in　the　east；　aravir；　the　morning　star　of　narnia；　gleamed　like　a　　little　moon。

aslan；　who　seemed　larger　than　before；　lifted　his　head；　shook　his　mane；　and　　roared。

the　sound；　deep　and　throbbing　at　first　like　an　organ　beginning　on　a　low　　note；　rose　and　became　louder；　and　then　far　louder　again；　till　the　earth　and　air　were　　shaking　with　it。　it　rose　up　from　that　hill　and　floated　across　all　narnia。　down　in　mirazs　camp　　men　woke；　stared　palely　in　one　anothers　faces；　and　grasped　their　weapons。　down　below　　that　in　the　great　river；　now　at　its　coldest　hour；　the　heads　and　shoulders　of　the　　nymphs；　and　the　great　weedy…bearded　head　of　the　river…god；　rose　from　the　water。　beyond　it；　in　　every　field　and　wood；　the　alert　ears　of　rabbits　rose　from　their　holes；　the　sleepy　heads　of　　birds　came　out　from　under　wings；　owls　hooted；　vixens　barked；　hedgehogs　grunted；　the　trees　　stirred。　in　towns　and　villages　mothers　pressed　babies　close　to　their　breasts；　staring　　with　wild　eyes；　dogs　whimpered；　and　men　leaped　up　groping　for　lights。　far　away　on　the　　northern　frontier　the　mountain　giants　peered　from　the　dark　gateways　of　their　castles。

what　lucy　and　susan　saw　was　a　dark　something　ing　to　them　from　almost　　every　direction　across　the　hills。　it　looked　first　like　a　black　mist　creeping　on　　the　ground；　then　like　the　stormy　waves　of　a　black　sea　rising　higher　and　higher　as　it　came　on；　and　　then；　at　last；　like　what　it　was　woods　on　the　move。　all　the　trees　of　the　world　appeared　to　　be　rushing　towards　aslan。　but　as　they　drew　nearer　they　looked　less　like　trees；　and　　when　the　whole　crowd；　bowing　and　curtsying　and　waving　thin　long　arms　to　aslan；　were　all　　around　lucy；　she　saw　that　it　was　a　crowd　of　human　shapes。　pale　birch…girls　were　tossing　　their　heads；　willowwomen　pushed　back　their　hair　from　their　brooding　faces　to　gaze　on　　aslan；　the　queenly　beeches　stood　still　and　adored　him；　shaggy　oak…men；　lean　and　　melancholy　elms；　shockheaded　hollies　（dark　themselves；　but　their　wives　all　bright　with　　berries）　and　gay　rowans；　all　bowed　and　rose　again；　shouting；　〃aslan；　aslan！〃　in　their　　various　husky　or　creaking　or　wave…like　voices。

the　crowd　and　the　dance　round　aslan　（for　it　had　bee　a　dance　once　more）　　grew　so　thick　and　rapid　that　lucy　was　confused。　she　never　saw　where　certain　other　　people　came　from　who　were　soon　capering　about　among　the　trees。　one　was　a　youth；　dressed　　only　in　a　fawn…skin；　with　vine…leaves　wreathed　in　his　curly　hair。　his　face　would　have　　been　almost　too　pretty　for　a　boys；　if　it　had　not　looked；　so　extremely　wild。　you　felt；　　as　edmund　said　when　he　saw　him　a　few　days　later；　〃theres　a　chap　who　might　do　anything　　absolutely　anything。〃　he　seemed　to　have　a　great　many　names　…　bromios；　bassareus；　and　　the　ram　were　three　of　them。　there　were　a　lot　of　girls　with　him；　as　wild　as　he。　　there　was　even；　unexpectedly；　someone　on　a　donkey。　and　everybody　was　laughing：　and　　everybody　was　shouting　out；　〃euan；　euan；　eu…oi…oi…oi。鈥�

〃is　it　a　romp；　aslan？〃　cried　the　youth。　and　apparently　it　was。　but　nearly　　everyone　seemed　to　have　a　different　idea　as　to　what　they　were　playing。　it　may　have　　been　tig；　but　lucy　never　discovered　who　was　it。　it　was　rather　like　blind　mans　buff；　only　　everyone　behaved　as　if　they　were　blindfolded。　it　was　not　unlike　hunt　the　slipper；　　but　the　slipper　was　never　found。　what　made　it　more　plicated　was　that　the　man　on　the　　donkey；　who　was　old　and　enormously　fat；　began　calling　out　at　once；　〃refreshments！　time　　for　refreshments；〃　and　falling　off　his　donkey　and　being　bundled　on　to　it　again　　by　the　others；　while　the　donkey　was　under　the　impression　that　the　whole　thing　was　a　circus　　and　tried　to　give　a　display　of　walking　on　its　hind　legs。　and　all　the　time　there　were　　more　and　more　vine　leaves　everywhere。　and　soon　not　only　leaves　but　vines。　they　were　　climbing　up　everything。　they　were　running　up　the　legs　of　the　tree　people　and　circling　　round　their　necks。　lucy　put　up　her　hands　to　push　back　her　hair　and　found　she　was　　pushing　back　vine　branches。　the　donkey　was　a　mass　of　them。　his　tail　was　pletely　entangled　　and　something　dark　was　nodding　between　his　ears。　lucy　looked　again　and　saw　it　　was　a　bunch　of　grapes。　after　that　it　was　mostly　grapes　overhead　and　underfoot　and　all　　around。

〃refreshments！　refreshments；〃　roared　the　old　man。

everyone　began　eating；　and　whatever　hothouses　your　people　may　have；　you　　have　never　tasted　such　grapes。　really　good　grapes；　firm　and　tight　on　the　outside；　but　　bursting　into　cool　sweetness　when　you　put　them　into　your　mouth；　were　one　of　the　things　　the　girls　had　never　had　quite　enough　of　before。　here；　there　were　more　than　anyone　could　　possibly　want；　and　rib　table…manners　at　all。　one　saw　sticky　and　stained　fingers　　everywhere；　and；　though　mouths　were　full；　the　laughter　never　ceased　nor　the　yodelling　cries　　of　euan；　euan；　eu…oi…oi…oi…oi；　till　all　of　a　sudden　everyone　felt　at　the　same　moment　that　　the　game　（whatever　it　was）；　and　the　feast；　ought　to　be　over；　and　everyone　flopped　　down　breathless　on　the　ground　and　turned　their　faces　to　aslan　to　hear　what　he　would　say　　next。

at　that　moment　the　sun　was　just　rising　and　lucy　remembered　something　and　　whispered　to　susan；　　〃i　say；　su；　i　know　who　they　are。鈥�

〃who？鈥�

〃the　boy　with　the　wild　face　is　bacchus　and　the　old　one　on　the　donkey　is　　silenus。　dont　you　remember　mr　tumnus　telling　us　about　them　long　ago？鈥�

〃yes；　of　course。　but　i　say；　lu　鈥�

〃what？鈥�

〃i　wouldnt　have　felt　safe　with　bacchus　and　all　his　wild　girls　if　wed　met　　them　without　aslan。鈥�

〃i　should　think　not；〃　said　lucy。

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CHAPTER　TWELVE

灏彛昏�磘；xt；澶�；鍫�
sorcery　and　sudden　vengeance　　meanwhile　trumpkin　and　the　two　boys　arrived　at　the　dark　little　stone　　archway　which　led　into　the　inside　of　the　mound；　and　two　sentinel　badgers　（the　white　　patches　on　their　cheeks　were　all　edmund　could　see　of　them）　leaped　up　with　bared　teeth　and　　asked　them　in　snarling　voices；　〃who　goes　there？鈥�

〃trumpkin；〃　said　the　dwarf。　〃bringing　the　high　king　of　narnia　out　of　the　　far　past。鈥�

the　badgers　nosed　at　the　boys　hands。　〃at　last；〃　they　said。　〃at　last。鈥�

〃give　us　a　light；　friends；〃　said　trumpkin。

the　badgers　found　a　torch　just　inside　the　arch　and　peter　lit　it　and　handed　　it　to　trumpkin。

〃the　d。l。f。　had　better　lead；〃　he　said。　〃we　dont　know　our　way　about　this　　place。鈥�

trumpkin　took　the　torch　and　went　ahead　into　the　dark　tunnel。　it　was　a　cold；　　black；　musty　place；　with　an　occasional　bat　fluttering　in　the　torchlight；　and　plenty　of　　cobwebs。　the　boys；　who　had　been　mostly　in　the　open　air　since　that　morning　at　the　railway　　station；　felt　as　if　they　were　going　into　a　trap　or　a　prison。

〃i　say；　peter；〃　whispered　edmund。　〃look　at　those　carvings　on　the　walls。　　dont　they　look　old？　and　yet　were　older　than　that。　when　we　were　last　here；　they　hadnt　　been　made。鈥�

〃yes；〃　said　peter。　〃that　makes　one　think。鈥�

the　dwarf　went　on　ahead　and　then　turned　to　the　right；　and　then　to　the　left；　　and　then　down　some　steps；　and　then　to　the　left　again。　then　at　last　they　saw　a　light　ahead　　…　light　from　under　a　door。　and　now　for　the　first　time　they　heard　voices；　for　they　had　　e　to　the　door　　

of　the　central　chamber。　the　voices　inside　were　angry　ones。　someone　was　　talking　so　loudly　that　the　approach　of　the　boys　and　the　dwarf　had　not　been　heard。

〃dont　like　the　sound　of　that；〃　whispered　trumpkin　to　peter。　〃lets　listen　　for　a　moment。鈥�

all　three　stood　perfectly　still　on　the　outside　of　the　door。

〃you　know　well　enough；〃　said　a　voice　（〃thats　the　king；〃　whispered　　trumpkin）；　〃why　the　horn　was　not　blown　at　sunrise　this　morning。　have　you　forgotten　that　　miraz　fell　upon　us　almost　before　trumpkin　had　gone；　and　we　were　fighting　for　our　lives　for　　the　space　of　three　hours　and　more？　i　blew　it　when　first　i　had　a　breathing　space。鈥�

〃im　not　likely　to　forget　it；〃　came　the　angry　voice；　〃when　my　dwarfs　bore　　the　brunt　of　the　attack　and　one　in　five　of　them　fell。〃　（〃thats　nikabrik；〃　whispered　　trumpkin。）

〃for　shame；　dwarf；〃　came　a　thick　voice　（〃trufflehunters；〃　said　trumpkin）。　　〃we　all　did　as　much　as　the　dwarfs　and　none　more　than　the　king。鈥�

〃tell　that　tale　your　own　way　for　all　i　care；〃　answered　nikabrik。　〃but　　whether　it　was　that　the　horn　was　blown　too　late；　or　whether　there　was　no　magic　in　it；　no　help　　has　e。　you；　you　great　clerk；　you　master　magician；　you　know…all；　are　you　still　asking　us　　to　hang　our　hopes　on　aslan　and　king　peter　and　all　the　rest　of　it？鈥�

〃i　must　confess　…　i　cannot　deny　it　…　that　i　am　deeply　disappointed　in　the　　result　of　the　operation；〃　came　the　answer。　（〃thatll　be　doctor　cornelius；〃　said　　trumpkin。）

〃to　speak　plainly；〃　said　nikabrik；　〃your　wallets　empty；　your　eggs　addled；　　your　fish　uncaught；　your　promises　broken。　stand　aside　then　and　let　others　work。　and　　that　is　why　…鈥�

〃the　help　will　e；〃　said　trufflehunter。　〃i　stand　by　aslan。　have　patience；　　like　us　beasts。　the　help　will　e。　it　may　be　even　now　at　the　door。鈥�

〃pah！〃　snarled　nikabrik。　〃you　badgers　would　have　us　wait　till　the　sky　falls　　and　we　can　all　catch　larks。　i　tell　you　we　cant　wait。　food　is　running　short；　we　lose　　more　than　we　can　afford　at　every　encounter；　our　followers　are　slipping　away。鈥�

〃and　why？〃　asked　trufflehunter。　〃ill　tell　you　why。　because　it　is　noised　　among　them　that　we　have　called　on　the　kings　of　old　and　the　kings　of　old　have　not　answered。　　the　last　words　trumpkin　spoke　before　he　went　（and　went；　most　likely；　to　his　death）　　were；　‘if　you　must　blow　the　horn；　do　not　let　the　army　know　why　you　blow　it　or　what　you　　hope　from　it。　but　that　same　evening　everyone　seemed　to　know。鈥�

〃youd　better　have　shoved　your　grey　snout　in　a　hornets　nest；　badger；　than　　suggest　that　i　am　the　blab；〃　said　nikabrik。　〃take　it　back；　or…鈥�

〃oh；　stop　it；　both　of　you；〃　said　king　caspian。　〃i　want　to　know　what　it　is　　that　nikabrik　keeps　on　hinting　we　should　do。　but　before　that；　i　want　to　know　who　those　　two　strangers　　

are　whom　he　has　brought　into　our　council　and　who　stand　there　with　their　　ears　open　and　their　mouths　shut。鈥�

〃they　are　friends　of　mine；〃　said　nikabrik。　〃and　what　better　right　have　you　　yourself　to