prince caspian_c·s·刘易斯-第4部分

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〃but；　peter；〃　said　lucy；　〃look　here。　i　know　i　cant　swim　for　nuts　at　home　…　　in　england；　i　mean。　but　couldnt　we　all　swim　long　ago　…　if　it　was　long　ago　…　when　we　were　　kings　and　queens　in　narnia？　we　could　ride　then　too；　and　do　all　sorts　of　things。　dont　　you　think　…？鈥�

〃ah；　but　we　were　sort　of　grown…up　then；〃　said　peter。

〃we　reigned　for　years　and　years　and　learned　to　do　things。　arent　we　just　　back　at　our　proper　ages　again　now？鈥�

〃oh！〃　said　edmund　in　a　voice　which　made　everyone　stop　talking　and　listen　to　　him。

〃ive　just　seen　it　all；〃　he　said。

〃seen　what？〃　asked　peter。

〃why；　the　whole　thing；〃　said　edmund。　〃you　know　what　we　were　puzzling　about　　last　night；　that　it　was　only　a　year　ago　since　we　left　narnia　but　everything　　looks　as　if　no　one　had　lived　in　cair　paravel　for　hundreds　of　years？　well；　dont　you　see？　you　　know　that；　however　long　we　seemed　to　have　lived　in　narnia；　when　we　got　back　through　　the　wardrobe　it　seemed　to　have　taken　no　time　at　all？鈥�

〃go　on；〃　said　susan。　〃i　think　im　beginning　to　understand。鈥�

〃and　that　means；〃　continued　edmund；　〃that；　once　youre　out　of　narnia；　you　　have　no　idea　how　narnian　time　is　going。　why　shouldnt　hundreds　of　years　have　gone　past　　in　narnia　while　only　one　year　has　passed　for　us　in　england？鈥�

〃by　jove；　ed；〃　said　peter。　〃i　believe　youve　got　it。　in　that　sense　it　　really　was　hundreds　of　years　ago　that　we　lived　in　cair　paravel。　and　now　were　ing　back　to　　narnia　just　as　if　we　were　crusaders　or　anglo…saxons　or　ancient　britons　or　someone　ing　back　　to　modern　england？鈥�

〃how　excited　theyll　be　to　see　us　…〃　began　lucy；　but　at　the　same　moment　　everyone　else　said；　〃hush！〃　or　〃look！〃　for　now　something　was　happening。

there　was　a　wooded　point　on　the　mainland　a　little　to　their　right；　and　they　　all　felt　sure　that　just　beyond　that　point　must　be　the　mouth　of　the　river。　and　now；　round　that　　point　there　came　into　sight　a　boat。　when　it　had　cleared　the　point；　it　turned　and　began　　ing　along　the　channel　towards　them。　there　were　two　people　on　board；　one　rowing；　the　　other　sitting　in　the　stern　and　holding　a　bundle　that　twitched　and　moved　as　if　it　were　　alive。　both　these　people　seemed　to　be　soldiers。　they　had　steel　caps　on　their　heads　and　light　　shirts　of　chain…mail。　their　faces　were　bearded　and　hard。　the　children　drew　back　from　the　　beach　into　the　wood　and　watched　without　moving　a　finger。

〃thisll　do；〃　said　the　soldier　in　the　stern　when　the　boat　had　e　about　　opposite　to　them。

〃what　about　tying　a　stone　to　his　feet；　corporal？〃　said　the　other；　resting　　on　his　oars。

〃garn！〃　growled　the　other。　〃we　dont　need　that；　and　we　havent　brought　one。　　hell　drown　sure　enough　without　a　stone；　as　long　as　weve　tied　the　cords　right。〃　with　　these　words　he　rose　and　lifted　his　bundle。　peter　now　saw　that　it　was　really　alive　and　was　　in　fact　a　dwarf；　bound　hand　and　foot　but　struggling　as　hard　as　he　could。　next　moment　he　　heard　a　twang　just　beside　his　ear；　and　all　at　once　the　soldier　threw　up　his　arms；　　dropping　the　dwarf　into　the　bottom　of　the　boat；　and　fell　over　into　the　water。　he　floundered　away　to　　the　far　bank　and　peter　knew　that　susans　arrow　had　struck　on　his　helmet。　he　turned　and　　saw　that　she　was　very　pale　but　was　already　fitting　a　second　arrow　to　the　string。　but　it　　was　never　used。

as　soon　as　he　saw　his　panion　fall；　the　other　soldier；　with　a　loud　cry；　　jumped　out　of　the　boat　on　the　far　side；　and　lie　also　floundered　through　the　water　（which　　was　apparently　just　in　his　depth）　and　disappeared　into　the　woods　of　the　mainland。

〃quick！　before　she　drifts！〃　shouted　peter。　he　and　susan；　fully　dressed　as　　they　were；　plunged　in；　and　before　the　water　was　up　to　their　shoulders　their　hands　were　　on　the　side　of　the　boat。　in　a　few　seconds　they　had　hauled　her　to　the　bank　and　lifted　the　　dwarf　out；　and　edmund　was　busily　engaged　in　cutting　his　bonds　with　the　pocket　knife。　　（peters　sword　would　have　been　sharper；　but　a　sword　is　very　inconvenient　for　this　sort　of　　work　because　you　cant　hold　it　anywhere　lower　than　the　hilt。）　when　at　last　the　dwarf　was　　free；　he　sat　up；　rubbed　his　arms　and　legs；　and　exclaimed：　　〃well；　whatever　they　say；　you　dont　feel　like　ghosts。鈥�

like　most　dwarfs　he　was　very　stocky　and　deep…chested。　he　would　have　been　　about　three　feet　high　if　he　had　been　standing　up；　and　an　immense　beard　and　whiskers　of　　coarse　red　hair　left　little　of　his　face　to　be　seen　except　a　beak…like　nose　and　　twinkling　black　eyes。

〃anyway；〃　he　continued；　〃ghosts　or　not；　youve　saved　my　life　and　im　　extremely　obliged　to　you。鈥�

〃but　why　should　we　be　ghosts？〃　asked　lucy。

〃ive　been　told　all　my　life；〃　said　the　dwarf；　〃that　these　woods　along　the　　shore　were　as　full　of　ghosts　as　they　were　of　trees。　thats　what　the　story　is。　and　thats　why；　　when　they　want　to　get　rid　of　anyone；　they　usually　bring　him　down　here　（like　they　were　　doing　with　me）

and　say　theyll　leave　him　to　the　ghosts。　but　i　always　wondered　if　they　　didnt　really　drown　em　or　cut　their　throats。　i　never　quite　believed　in　the　ghosts。　but　those　　two　cowards　youve　just　shot　believed　all　right。　they　were　more　frightened　of　taking　me　　to　my　death　than　i　was　of　going！鈥�

〃oh；〃　said　susan。　〃so　thats　why　they　both　ran　away。鈥�

〃eh？　whats　that？〃　said　the　dwarf。

〃they　got　away；〃　said　edmund。　〃to　the　mainland。鈥�

〃i　wasnt　shooting　to　kill；　you　know；〃　said　susan。　she　would　not　have　liked　　anyone　to　think　she　could　miss　at　such　a　short　range。

〃hm；〃　said　the　dwarf。　〃thats　not　so　good。　that　may　mean　trouble　later　on。　　unless　they　hold　their　tongues　for　their　own　sake。鈥�

〃what　were　they　going　to　drown　you　for？〃　asked　peter。

〃oh；　im　a　dangerous　criminal；　i　am；〃　said　the　dwarf　cheerfully。　〃but　　thats　a　long　story。

meantime；　i　was　wondering　if　perhaps　you　were　going　to　ask　me　to　breakfast？　　youve　no　idea　what　an　appetite　it　gives　one；　being　executed。〃　　　〃theres　only　apples；〃　said　lucy　dolefully。

〃better　than　nothing；　but　not　so　good　as　fresh　fish；〃　said　the　dwarf。　〃it　　looks　as　if　ill　have　to　ask　you　to　breakfast　instead。　i　saw　some　fishing　tackle　in　that　　boat。　and　anyway；　we　must　take　her　round　to　the　other　side　of　the　island。　we　dont　want　　anyone　from　the　mainland　ing　down　and　seeing　her。鈥�

〃i　ought　to　have　thought　of　that　myself；〃　said　peter。

the　four　children　and　the　dwarf　went　down　to　the　waters　edge；　pushed　off　　the　boat　with　some　difficulty；　and　scrambled　aboard。　the　dwarf　at　once　took　charge。　the　　oars　were　of　course　too　big　for　him　to　use；　so　peter　rowed　and　the　dwarf　steered　them　　north　along　the　channel　and　presently　eastward　round　the　tip　of　the　island。　from　here　the　　children　could　see　right　up　the　river；　and　all　the　bays　and　headlands　of　the　coast　beyond　　it。　they　thought　they　could　recognize　bits　of　it；　but　the　woods；　which　had　grown　up　since　　their　time；　made　everything　look　very　different。

when　they　had　e　round　into　open　sea　on　the　east　of　the　island；　the　dwarf　　took　to　fishing。　they　had　an　excellent　catch　of　pavenders；　a　beautiful　rainbow…　coloured　fish　which　they　all　remembered　eating　in　cair　paravel　in　the　old　days。　when　they　　had　caught　enough　they　ran　the　boat　up　into　a　little　creek　and　moored　her　to　a　tree。　　the　dwarf；　who　was　a　most　capable　person　（and；　indeed；　though　one　meets　bad　dwarfs；　i　　never　heard　of　a　dwarf　who　was　a　fool）；　cut　the　fish　open；　cleaned　them；　and　said：　　〃now；　what　we　want　next　is　some　firewood。鈥�

〃weve　got　some　up　at　the　castle；〃　said　edmund。

the　dwarf　gave　a　low　whistle。　〃beards　and　bedsteads！〃　he　said。　〃so　there　　really　is　a　castle；　after　all？鈥�

〃its　only　a　ruin；〃　said　lucy。

the　dwarf　stared　round　at　all　four　of　them　with　a　very　curious　expression　　on　his　face。

〃and　who　on　earth　…　？〃　he　began；　but　then　broke　off　and　said；　〃no　matter。　　breakfast　first。

but　one　thing　before　we　go　on。　can　you　lay　your　hand　on　your　hearts　and　　tell　me　im　really　alive？　are　you　sure　i　wasnt　drowned　and　were　not　all　ghosts　　together？鈥�

when　they　had　all　reassured　him；　the　next　question　was　how　to　carry　the　　fish。　they　had　nothing　to　string　them　on　and　no　basket。　they　had　to　use　edmunds　hat　in　　the　end　because　no　one　else　had　a　hat。　he　would　have　made　much　more　fuss　about　this　　if　he　had　not　by　now　been　so　ravenously　hungry。

at　first　the　dwarf　did　not　seem　very　fortable　in　the　castle。　he　kept　　looking　round　and　sniffing　and　saying；　〃hm。　looks　a　bit　spooky　after　all。　smells　like　　ghosts；　too。〃　but　he　cheered　up　when　it　came　to　lighting　the　fire　and　showing　them　how　to　roast　　the　fresh　pavenders　in　the　embers。　eating　hot　fish　with　no　forks；　and　one　pocket　　knife　between　five　people；　is　a　messy　business　and　there　were　several　burnt　fingers　before　the　　meal　was　ended；　but；　as　it　was　now　nine　oclock　and　they　had　been　up　since　five；　　nobody　minded　the　burns　so　much　as　you　might　have　expected。　when　everyone　had　finished　　off　with　a　drink　from　the　well　and　an　apple　or　so；　the　dwarf　produced　a　pipe　about　the　　size　of　his　own　arm；　filled　it；　lit　it；　blew　a　great　cloud　of　fragrant　smoke；　and　said；　　〃now。鈥�

〃you　tell　us　your　story　first；〃　said　peter。　〃and　then　well　tell　you　ours。鈥�

〃well；〃　said　the　dwarf；　〃as　youve　saved　my　life　it　is　only　fair　you　should　　have　your　own　way。　but　i　hardly　know　where　to　begin。　first　of　all　im　a　messenger　of　king　　caspians。鈥�

〃whos　he？〃　asked　four　voices　all　at　once。

〃caspian　the　tenth；　king　of　narnia；　and　long　may　he　reign！〃　answered　the　　dwarf。　〃that　is　to　say；　he　ought　to　be　king　of　narnia　and　we　hope　he　will　be。　at　present　　he　is　only　king　of　us　old　narnians　…　鈥�

〃what　do　you　mean　by　old　narnians；　please？〃　asked　lucy。

〃why；　thats　us；〃　said　the　dwarf。　〃were　a　kind　of　rebellion；　i　suppose。鈥�

〃i　see；〃　said　peter。　〃and　caspian　is　the　chief　old　narnian。鈥�

〃well；　in　a　manner　of　speaking；〃　said　the　dwarf；　scratching　his　head。　〃but　　hes　really　a　new　narnian　himself；　a　telmarine；　if　you　follow　me。鈥�

〃i　dont；〃　said　edmund。

〃its　worse　than　the　wars　of　the　roses；〃　said　lucy。

〃oh　dear；〃　said　the　dwarf。　〃im　doing　this　very　badly。　look　here：　i　think　　ill　have　to　go　right　back　to　the　beginning　and　tell　you　how　caspian　grew　up　in　his　uncles　　court　and　how　he　es　to　be　on　our　side　at　all。　but　itll　be　a　long　story。鈥�

〃all　the　better；〃　said　lucy。　〃we　love　stories。鈥�

so　the　dwarf　settled　down　and　told　his　tale。　i　shall　not　give　it　to　you　in　　his　words；　putt