prince caspian_c·s·刘易斯-第9部分

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mes　by　night　as　well；　but　caspians　party　had　on　the　whole　the　worst　of　it。

at　last　there　came　a　night　when　everything　had　gone　as　badly　as　possible；　　and　the　rain　which　had　been　falling　heavily　all　day　had　ceased　at　nightfall　only　to　give　　place　to　raw　cold。　that　morning　caspian　had　arranged　what　was　his　biggest　battle　yet；　　and　all　had　hung　their　hopes　on　it。　he；　with　most　of　the　dwarfs；　was　to　have　fallen　on　　the　kings　right　wing　at　daybreak；　and　then；　when　they　were　heavily　engaged；　giant　wimbleweather；　with　the　centaurs　and　some　of　the　fiercest　beasts；　was　to　　have　broken　out　from　another　place　and　endeavoured　to　cut　the　kings　right　off　from　the　　rest　of　the　army。　but　it　had　all　failed。　no　one　had　warned　caspian　（because　no　one　in　　these　later　days　of　　narnia　remembered）　that　giants　are　not　at　all　clever。　poor　wimbleweather；　　though　as　brave　as　a　lion；　was　a　true　giant　in　that　respect。　he　had　broken　out　at　the　　wrong　time　and　from　the　wrong　place；　and　both　his　party　and　caspians　had　suffered　badly　　and　done　the　enemy　little　harm。　the　best　of　the　bears　had　been　hurt；　a　centaur　terribly　　wounded；　and　there　were　few　in　caspians　party　who　had　not　lost　blood。　it　was　a　gloomy　　pany　that　huddled　under　the　dripping　trees　to　eat　their　scanty　supper。

the　gloomiest　of　all　was　giant　wimbleweather。　he　knew　it　was　all　his　fault。　　he　sat　in　silence　shedding　big　tears　which　collected　on　the　end　of　his　nose　and　then　　fell　off　with　a　huge　splash　on　the　whole　bivouac　of　the　mice；　who　had　just　been　beginning　　to　get　warm　and　drowsy。　they　all　jumped　up；　shaking　the　water　out　of　their　ears　and　　wringing　their　little　blankets；　and　asked　the　giant　in　shrill　but　forcible　voices　whether　　he　thought　they　werent　wet　enough　without　this　sort　of　thing。　and　then　other　people　woke　　up　and　told　the　mice　they　had　been　enrolled　as　scouts　and　not　as　a　concert　party；　and　asked　　why　they　couldnt　keep　quiet。　and　wimbleweather　tiptoed　away　to　find　some　place　　where　he　could　be　miserable　in　peace　and　stepped　on　somebodys　tail　and　somebody　（they　　said　afterwards　it　was　a　fox）　bit　him。　and　so　everyone　was　out　of　temper。

but　in　the　secret　and　magical　chamber　at　the　heart　of　the　how；　king　　caspian；　with　cornelius　and　the　badger　and　nikabrik　and　trumpkin；　were　at　council。　thick　　pillars　of　ancient　workmanship　supported　the　roof。　in　the　centre　was　the　stone　itself　　…　a　stone　table；　split　right　down　the　centre；　and　covered　with　what　had　once　been　writing　of　　some　kind：　but　ages　of　wind　and　rain　and　snow　had　almost　worn　them　away　in　old　times　　when　the　　

stone　table　had　stood　on　the　hilltop；　and　the　mound　had　not　yet　been　built　　above　it。　they　were　not　using　the　table　nor　sitting　round　it：　it　was　too　magic　a　thing　for　　any　mon　use。　they　sat　on　logs　a　little　way　from　it；　and　between　them　was　a　rough　　wooden　table；　on　which　stood　a　rude　clay　lamp　lighting　up　their　pale　faces　and　throwing　　big　shadows　on　the　walls。

〃if　your　majesty　is　ever　to　use　the　horn；〃　said　trufflehunter；　〃i　think　the　　time　has　now　e。〃　caspian　had　of　course　told　them　of　his　treasure　several　days　ago。

〃we　are　certainly　in　great　need；〃　answered　caspian。　〃but　it　is　hard　to　be　　sure　we　are　at　our　greatest。　supposing　there　came　an　even　worse　need　and　we　had　already　　used　it？鈥�

〃by　that　argument；〃　said　nikabrik；　〃your　majesty　will　never　use　it　until　it　　is　too　late。鈥�

〃i　agree　with　that；〃　said　doctor　cornelius。

〃and　what　do　you　think；　trumpkin？〃　asked　caspian。

〃oh；　as　for　me；〃　said　the　red　dwarf；　who　had　been　listening　with　plete　　indifference；　〃your　majesty　knows　i　think　the　horn　…　and　that　bit　of　broken　stone　over　　there　and　your　great　king　peter　…　and　your　lion　aslan　…　are　all　eggs　in　moonshine。　its　　all　one　to　me　when　your　majesty　blows　the　horn。　all　i　insist　on　is　that　the　army　is　told　　nothing　about　it。　theres　no　good　raising　hopes　of　magical　help　which　（as　i　think）　are　　sure　to　be　disappointed。鈥�

〃then　in　the　name　of　aslan　we　will　wind　queen　susans　horn；〃　said　caspian。

〃there　is　one　thing；　sire；〃　said　doctor　cornelius；　〃that　should　perhaps　be　　done　first。　we　do　not　know　what　form　the　help　will　take。　it　might　call　aslan　himself　from　　oversea。　but　i　think　it　is　more　likely　to　call　peter　the　high　king　and　his　mighty　consorts　　down　from　the　high　past。　but　in　either　case；　i　do　not　think　we　can　be　sure　that　the　help　　will　e　to　this　very　spot　…鈥�

〃you　never　said　a　truer　word；〃　put　in　trumpkin。

〃i　think；〃　went　on　the　learned　man；　〃that　they　…　or　he　will　e　back　to　　one　or　other　of　the　ancient　places　of　narnia。　this；　where　we　now　sit；　is　the　most　ancient　　and　most　deeply　magical　of　all；　and　here；　i　think；　the　answer　is　likeliest　to　e。　　but　there　are　two　others。　one　lantern　waste；　up…river；　west　of　beaversdam；　where　the　royal　　children　first　appeared　in　narnia；　as　the　records　tell　the　other　is　down　at　the　river…　mouth；　where　their　castle　of　cair　paravel　once　stood。　and　if　aslan　himself　es；　that　would　　be　the　best　place　for　meeting　him　too；　for　every　story　says　that　he　is　the　son　of　the　　great　emperor…over…the…sea；　and　over　the　sea　he　will　pass。　i　should　like　very　much　to　　send　messengers　to　both　places；　to　lantern　waste　and　the　river…mouth；　to　receive　them　…　or　　him　or　it。鈥�

〃just　as　i　thought；〃　muttered　trumpkin。　〃the　first　result　of　all　this　　foolery　is　not　to　bring　us　help　but　to　lose　us　two　fighters。鈥�

〃who　would　you　think　of　sending；　doctor　cornelius？〃　asked　caspian。

〃squirrels　are　best　for　getting　through　enemy　country　without　being　　caught；〃　said　trufflehunter。

〃all　our　squirrels　（and　we　havent　many）；〃　said　nikabrik；　〃are　rather　　flighty。　the　only　one　id　trust　on　a　job　like　that　would　be　pattertwig。鈥�

〃let　it　be　pattertwig；　then；〃　said　king　caspian。　〃and　who　for　our　other　　messenger？　i　know　youd　go；　trufflehunter；　but　you　havent　the　speed。　nor　you；　doctor　　cornelius。鈥�

〃i　wont　go；〃　said　nikabrik。　〃with　all　these　humans　and　beasts　about；　there　　must　be　a　dwarf　here　to　see　that　the　dwarfs　are　fairly　treated。鈥�

〃thimbles　and　thunderstorms！〃　cried　trumpkin　in　a　rage。　〃is　that　how　you　　speak　to　the　king？　send　me；　sire；　ill　go。鈥�

〃but　i　thought　you　didnt　believe　in　the　horn；　trumpkin；〃　said　caspian。

〃no　more　i　do；　your　majesty。　but　whats　that　got　to　do　with　it？　i　might　as　　well　die　on　a　wild　goose　chase　as　die　here。　you　are　my　king。　i　know　the　difference　　between　giving　advice　and　taking　orders。　youve　had　my　advice；　and　now　its　the　time　for　　orders。鈥�

〃i　will　never　forget　this；　trumpkin；〃　said　caspian。　〃send　for　pattertwig；　　one　of　you。　and　when　shall　i　blow　the　horn？鈥�

〃i　would　wait　for　sunrise；　your　majesty；〃　said　doctor　cornelius。　〃that　　sometimes　has　an　effect　in　operations　of　white　magic。鈥�

a　few　minutes　later　pattertwig　arrived　and　had　his　task　explained　to　him。　　as　he　was；　like　many　squirrels；　full　of　courage　and　dash　and　energy　and　excitement　and　　mischief　（not　to　say　conceit）；　he　no　sooner　heard　it　than　he　was　eager　to　be　off。　it　was　　arranged　that　he　should　run　for　lantern　waste　while　trumpkin　made　the　shorter　journey　to　the　　river…mouth。　after　a　hasty　meal　they　both　set　off　with　the　fervent　thanks　and　　good　wishes　of　the　king；　the　badger；　and　cornelius。

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CHAPTER　EIGHT

灏彛胯�矗縯xt？澶╁爞
how　they　left　the　island　　

〃and　so；〃　said　trumpkin　（for；　as　you　have　realized；　it　was　he　who　had　been　　telling　all　this　story　to　the　four　children；　sitting　on　the　grass　in　the　ruined　hall　of　　cair　paravel）　…　〃and　so　i　put　a　crust　or　two　in　my　pocket；　left　behind　all　weapons　but　my　　dagger；　and　took　to　the　woods　in　the　grey　of　the　morning。　id　been　plugging　away　for　　many　hours　when　there　came　a　sound　that　id　never　heard　the　like　of　in　my　born　days。　　eh；　i　wont　forget　that。　the　whole　air　was　full　of　it；　loud　as　thunder　but　far　longer；　　cool　and　sweet　as　music　over　water；　but　strong　enough　to　shake　the　woods。　and　i　said　to　　myself；　‘if　thats　not　the　horn；　call　me　a　rabbit。　and　a　moment　later　i　wondered　why　he　　hadnt　blown　it　sooner…鈥�

〃what　time　was　it？〃　asked　edmund。

〃between　nine　and　ten　of　the　clock；〃　said　trumpkin。

〃just　when　we　were　at　the　railway　station！〃　said　all　the　children；　and　　looked　at　one　another　with　shining　eyes。

〃please　go　on；〃　said　lucy　to　the　dwarf。

〃well；　as　i　was　saying；　i　wondered；　but　i　went　on　as　hard　as　i　could　pelt。　　i　kept　on　all　night　…　and　then；　when　it　was　half　light　this　morning；　as　if　id　no　more　　sense　than　a　giant；　i　risked　a　short　cut　across　open　country　to　cut　off　a　big　loop　of　the　　river；　and　was　caught。

not　by　the　army；　but　by　a　pompous　old　fool　who　has　charge　of　a　little　　castle　which　is　mirazs　last　stronghold　towards　the　coast。　i　neednt　tell　you　they　got　no　　true　tale　out　of　me；　but　i　was　a　dwarf　and　that　was　enough。　but；　lobsters　and　lollipops！　it　　is　a　good　thing　the　seneschal　was　a　pompous　fool。　anyone　else　would　have　run　me　through　　there　and　then。　but　nothing　would　do　for　him　short　of　a　grand　execution：　sending　me　　down　‘to　the　ghosts　in　the　full　ceremonial　way。　and　then　this　young　lady〃；　（he　nodded　at　　susan）　〃does　her　bit　of　archery　and　it　was　pretty　shooting；　let　me　tell　you　…　and　here　　we　are。　and　without　my　armour；　for　of　course　they　took　that。〃　he　knocked　out　and　　refilled　his　pipe。

〃great　scott！〃　said　peter。　〃so　it　was　the　horn　…　your　own　horn；　su　…　that　　dragged　us　all　off　that　seat　on　the　platform　yesterday　morning！　i　can　hardly　believe　it；　yet　　it　all　fits　in。鈥�

〃i　dont　know　why　you　shouldnt　believe　it；〃　said　lucy；　〃if　you　believe　in　　magic　at　all。

arent　there　lots　of　stories　about　magic　forcing　people　out　of　one　place　…　　out　of　one　world　…　into　another？　i　mean；　when　a　magician　in　the　arabian　nights　calls　up　a　　jinn；　it　has　to　e。　we　had　to　e；　just　like　that。鈥�

〃yes；〃　said　peter；　〃i　suppose　what　makes　it　feel　so　queer　is　that　in　the　　stories　its　always　someone　in　our　world　who　does　the　calling。　one　doesnt　really　think　about　　where　the　jinns　ing　from。鈥�

〃and　now　we　know　what　it　feels　like　for　the　jinn；〃　said　edmund　with　a　　chuckle。　〃golly！

its　a　bit　unfortable　to　know　that　we　can　be　whistled　for　like　that。　　its　worse　than　what　father　says　about　living　at　the　mercy　of　the　telephone。鈥�

〃but　we　want　to　be　here；　dont　we；〃　said　lucy；　〃if　aslan　wants　us？鈥�

〃meanwhile；〃　said　the　dwarf；　〃what　are　we　to　do？　i　suppose　id　better　go　　ba