the last battle_c·s·刘易斯-第11部分

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after　one　look　at　it　puzzle　gave　a　screaming　bray　and　darted　into　the　　tower。　and　jill　（who　was　no　coward；　as　you　know）　hid　her　face　in　her　hands　to　shut　out　the　　sight　of　it。

the　others　watched　it　for　perhaps　a　minute；　until　it　streamed　away　into　the　　thicker　trees　on　their　right　and　disappeared。　then　the　sun　came　out　again；　and　the　birds　　once　more　began　to　sing。

everyone　started　breathing　properly　again　and　moved。　they　had　all　been　　still　as　statues　while　it　was　in　sight。

〃what　was　it？〃　said　eustace　in　a　whisper。

〃i　have　seen　it　once　before；〃　said　tirian。　〃but　that　time　it　was　carved　in　　stone　and　overlaid　with　gold　and　had　solid　diamonds　for　eyes。　it　was　when　i　was　no　　older　than　thou；　and　had　gone　as　a　guest　to　the　tisrocs　court　in　tashbaan。

he　took　me　into　the　great　temple　of　tash。　there　i　saw　it；　carved　above　the　　altar。鈥�

〃then　that　…　that　thing　…　was　tash？〃　said　eustace。

but　instead　of　answering　him　tirian　slipped　his　arm　behind　jills　shoulders　　and　said；　〃how　is　it　with　you；　lady？鈥�

〃a…all　right；〃　said　jill；　taking　her　hands　away　from　her　pale　face　and　　trying　to　smile。　〃im　all　right。　it　only　made　me　feel　a　little　sick　for　a　moment。鈥�

〃it　seems；　then；〃　said　the　unicorn；　〃that　there　is　a　real　tash；　after　all。鈥�

〃yes；〃　said　the　dwarf。　〃and　this　fool　of　an　ape；　who　didnt　believe　in　　tash；　will　get　more　than　he　bargained　for！　he　called　for　tash：　tash　has　e。鈥�

〃where　has　it　…　he　…　the　thing　…　gone　to？〃　said　jill。

〃north　into　the　heart　of　narnia；〃　said　tirian。　〃it　has　e　to　dwell　among　　us。　they　have　called　it　and　it　has　e。鈥�

〃ho；　ho；　ho！〃　chuckled　the　dwarf；　rubbing　his　hairy　hands　together。　〃it　　will　be　a　surprise　for　the　ape。　people　shouldnt　call　for　demons　unless　they　really　mean　what　　they　say。鈥�

〃who　knows　if　tash　will　be　visible　to　the　ape？〃　said　jewel。

〃where　has　puzzle　got　to？〃　said　eustace。

they　all　shouted　out　puzzles　name　and　jill　went　round　to　the　other　side　of　　the　tower　to　see　if　he　had　gone　there。

they　were　quite　tired　of　looking　for　him　when　at　last　his　large　grey　head　　peered　cautiously　out　of　the　doorway　and　he　said；　〃has　it　gone　away？〃　and　when　at　　last　they　got　him　to　e　out；　he　was　shivering　the　way　a　dog　shivers　before　a　　thunderstorm。

〃i　see　now；〃　said　puzzle；　〃that　i　really　have　been　a　very　bad　donkey。　i　　ought　never　to　have　listened　to　shift。　i　never　thought　things　like　this　would　begin　to　　happen。鈥�

〃if　youd　spent　less　time　saying　you　werent　clever　and　more　time　trying　to　　be　as　clever　as　you　could　…〃　began　eustace　but　jill　interrupted　him。

〃oh　leave　poor　old　puzzle　alone；〃　she　said。　〃it　was　all　a　mistake；　wasnt　　it；　puzzle　dear？鈥�

and　she　kissed　him　on　the　nose。

though　rather　shaken　by　what　they　had　seen；　the　whole　party　now　sat　down　　again　and　went　on　with　their　talk。

jewel　had　little　to　tell　them。　while　he　was　a　prisoner　he　had　spent　nearly　　all　his　time　tied　up　at　the　back　of　the　stable；　and　had　of　course　heard　none　of　the　enemies　　plans。　he　had　been　kicked　（hed　done　some　kicking　back　too）　and　beaten　and　threatened　　with　death　unless　he　would　say　that　he　believed　it　was　aslan　who　was　brought　out　and　　shown　to　them　by　firelight　every　night。　in　fact　he　was　going　to　be　executed　this　　very　morning　if　he　had　not　been　rescued。　he　didnt　know　what　had　happened　to　the　lamb。

the　question　they　had　to　decide　was　whether　they　would　go　to　stable　hill　　again　that　night；　show　puzzle　to　the　narnians　and　try　to　make　them　see　how　they　had　　been　tricked；　or　whether　they　should　steal　away　eastward　to　meet　the　help　which　roonwit　　the　centaur　was　bringing　up　from　cair　paravel　and　return　against　the　ape　and　his　　calormenes　in　force。　tirian　would　very　much　like　to　have　followed　the　first　plan：　he　　hated　the　idea　of　leaving　the　ape　to　bully　his　people　one　moment　longer　than　need　be。　on　the　　other　hand；　the　way　the　dwarfs　had　behaved　last　night　was　a　warning。　apparently　one　　couldnt　be　sure　how　people　would　take　it　even　if　he　showed　them　puzzle。　and　there　were　　the　calormene　soldiers　to　be　reckoned　with。　poggin　thought　there　were　about　　thirty　of　them。

tirian　felt　sure　that　if　the　narnians　all　rallied　to　his　side；　he　and　jewel　　and　the　children　and　poggin　（puzzle　didnt　count　for　much）　would　have　a　good　chance　of　　beating　them。

but　how　if　half　the　narnians　…　including　all　the　dwarfs　…　just　sat　and　　looked　on？　or　even　fought　against　him？　the　risk　was　too　great。　and　there　was；　too；　the　cloudy　　shape　of　tash。

what　might　it　do？

and　then；　as　poggin　pointed　out；　there　was　no　harm　in　leaving　the　ape　to　　deal　with　his　own　difficulties　for　a　day　or　two。　he　would　have　no　puzzle　to　bring　out　and　　show　now。　it　　

wasnt　easy　to　see　what　story　he　…　or　ginger　could　make　up　to　explain　that。　　if　the　beasts　asked　night　after　night　to　see　aslan；　and　no　aslan　was　brought　out；　surely　　even　the　simplest　of　them　would　get　suspicious。

in　the　end　they　all　agreed　that　the　best　thing　was　to　go　off　and　try　to　　meet　roonwit。

as　soon　as　they　had　decided　this；　it　was　wonderful　how　much　more　cheerful　　everyone　became。　i　dont　honestly　think　that　this　was　because　any　of　them　was　afraid　　of　a　fight　（except　perhaps　jill　and　eustace）。　but　i　daresay　that　each　of　them；　deep　　down　inside；　was　very　glad　not　to　go　any　nearer　…　or　not　yet　…　to　that　horrible　bird…headed　　thing　which；　visible　or　invisible；　was　now　probably　haunting　stable　hill。　anyway；　one　　always　feels　better　when　one　has　made　up　ones　mind。

tirian　said　they　had　better　remove　their　disguises；　as　they　didnt　want　to　　be　mistaken　for　calormenes　and　perhaps　attacked　by　any　loyal　narnians　they　might　meet。　the　　dwarf　made　up　a　horrid…looking　mess　of　ashes　from　the　hearth　and　grease　out　of　　the　jar　of　grease　which　was　kept　for　rubbing　on　swords　and　spear…heads。　then　they　took　　off　their　calormene　armour　and　went　down　to　the　stream。　the　nasty　mixture　made　a　　lather　just　like　soft　soap：　it　was　a　pleasant；　homely　sight　to　see　tirian　and　the　two　　children　kneeling　beside　the　water　and　scrubbing　the　backs　of　their　necks　or　puffing　and　　blowing　as　they　splashed　the　lather　off。　then　they　went　back　to　the　tower　with　red；　shiny　　faces；　like　people　who　have　been　given　an　extra　good　wash　before　a　party。　they　re…armed　themselves　in　true　narnian　style；　with　straight　swords　and　three…cornered　　shields。　〃body　of　me；〃　said　tirian。　〃that　is　better。　i　feel　a　true　man　again。鈥�

puzzle　begged　very　hard　to　have　the　lion…skin　taken　off　him。　he　said　it　was　　too　hot　and　the　way　it　was　rucked　up　on　his　back　was　unfortable：　also；　it　made　him　　look　so　silly。

but　they　told　him　he　would　have　to　wear　it　a　bit　longer；　for　they　still　　wanted　to　show　him　in　that　get…up　to　the　other　beasts；　even　though　they　were　now　going　to　meet　　roonwit　first。

what　was　left　of　the　pigeon…meat　and　rabbit…meat　was　not　worth　bringing　　away　but　they　took　some　biscuits。　then　tirian　locked　the　door　of　the　tower　and　that　was　　the　end　of　their　stay　there。

it　was　a　little　after　two　in　the　afternoon　when　they　set　out；　and　it　was　　the　first　really　warm　day　of　that　spring。　the　young　leaves　seemed　to　be　much　further　out　than　　yesterday：　the　snow…drops　were　over；　but　they　saw　several　primroses。　the　sunlight　slanted　　through　the　trees；　birds　sang；　and　always　（though　usually　out　of　sight）　there　was　the　　noise　of　running　water。　it　was　hard　to　think　of　horrible　things　like　tash。　the　children　　felt；　〃this　is　really　narnia　at　last。〃　even　tirians　heart　grew　lighter　as　he　walked　ahead　of　　them；　humming　an　old　narnian　marching　song　which　had　the　refrain：　　ho；　rumble；　rumble；　rumble；　rumble　drum　belaboured。

after　the　king　came　eustace　and　poggin　the　dwarf。　poggin　was　telling　　eustace　the　names　of　all　the　narnian　trees；　birds；　and　plants　which　he　didnt　know　　already。

sometimes　eustace　would　tell　him　about　english　ones。

after　them　came　puzzle；　and　after　him　jill　and　jewel　walking　very　close　　together。　jill　had；　as　you　might　say；　quite　fallen　in　love　with　the　unicorn。　she　thought…　　and　she　wasnt　far　wrong　…　that　he　was　the　shiningest；　delicatest；　most　graceful　animal　　she　had　ever　met：　and　he　was　so　gentle　and　soft　of　speech　that；　if　you　hadnt　known；　you　　would　hardly　have　believed　how　fierce　and　terrible　he　could　be　in　battle。

〃oh；　this　is　nice！〃　said　jill。　〃just　walking　along　like　this。　i　wish　there　　could　be　more　of　this　sort　of　adventure。　its　a　pity　theres　always　so　much　happening　in　　narnia。鈥�

but　the　unicorn　explained　to　her　that　she　was　quite　mistaken。　he　said　that　　the　sons　and　daughters　of　adam　and　eve　were　brought　out　of　their　own　strange　world　into　　narnia　only　at　times　when　narnia　was　stirred　and　upset；　but　she　mustnt　think　it　　was　always　like　that。　in　between　their　visits　there　were　hundreds　and　thousands　of　years　　when　peaceful　king　followed　peaceful　king　till　you　could　hardly　remember　their　names　or　　count　their　numbers；　and　there　was　really　hardly　anything　to　put　into　the　history　　books。　and　he　went　on　to　talk　of　old　queens　and　heroes　whom　she　had　never　heard　of。　he　　spoke　of　swanwhite　the　queen　who　had　lived　before　the　days　of　the　white　witch　and　　the　great　winter；　who　was　so　beautiful　that　when　she　looked　into　any　forest　pool　the　　reflection　of　her　face　shone　out　of　the　water　like　a　star　by　night　for　a　year　and　a　day　　afterwards。　he　spoke　of　moonwood　the　hare　who　had　such　ears　that　he　could　sit　by　caldron　　pool　under　the　thunder　of　the　great　waterfall　and　hear　what　men　spoke　in　whispers　at　　cair　paravel。

he　told　how　king　gale；　who　was　ninth　in　descent　from　frank　the　first　of　all　　kings；　had　sailed　far　away　into　the　eastern　seas　and　delivered　the　lone　islanders　from　　a　dragon　and　how；　in　return；　they　had　given　him　the　lone　islands　to　be　part　of　the　royal　　lands　of　narnia　for　ever。　he　talked　of　whole　centuries　in　which　all　narnia　was　so　happy　　that　notable　dances　and　feasts；　or　at　most　tournaments；　were　the　only　things　that　could　　be　remembered；　and　every　day　and　week　had　been　better　than　the　last。　and　as　he　　went　on；　the　picture　of　all　those　happy　years；　all　the　thousands　of　them；　piled　up　　in　jills　mind　till　it　was　rather　like　looking　down　from　a　high　hill　on　to　a　rich；　lovely　plain　　full　of　woods　and　waters　and　cornfields；　which　spread　away　and　away　till　it　got　thin　and　　misty　from　distance。　and　she　said：　　〃oh；　i　do　hope　we　can　soon　settle　the