the last battle_c·s·刘易斯-第12部分

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。　and　she　said：　　〃oh；　i　do　hope　we　can　soon　settle　the　ape　and　get　back　to　those　good；　　ordinary　times。

and　then　i　hope　theyll　go　on　for　ever　and　ever　and　ever。　our　world　is　　going　to　have　an　end　some　day。　perhaps　this　one　wont。　oh　jewel　wouldnt　it　be　lovely　if　　narnia　just　went　on　and　on　…　like　what　you　said　it　has　been？鈥�

〃nay；　sister；〃　answered　jewel；　〃all　worlds　draw　to　an　end；　except　aslans　　own　country。鈥�

〃well；　at　least；〃　said　jill；　〃i　hope　the　end　of　this　one　is　millions　of　　millions　of　millions　of　years　away　…　hallo！　what　are　we　stopping　for？鈥�

the　king　and　eustace　and　the　dwarf　were　all　staring　up　at　the　sky。　jill　　shuddered；　remembering　what　horrors　they　had　seen　already。　but　it　was　nothing　of　that　　sort　this　time。

it　was　small；　and　looked　black　against　the　blue。

〃i　dare　swear；〃　said　the　unicorn；　〃from　its　flight；　that　it　is　a　talking　　bird。鈥�

〃so　think　i；〃　said　the　king。　〃but　is　it　a　friend；　or　a　spy　of　the　apes？鈥�

〃to　me；　sire；〃　said　the　dwarf；　〃it　has　a　look　of　far…sight　the　eagle。鈥�

〃ought　we　to　hide　under　the　trees？〃　said　eustace。

〃nay；〃　said　tirian；　〃best　stand　still　as　rocks。　he　would　see　us　for　certain　　if　we　moved。鈥�

〃look！　he　wheels；　he　has　seen　us　already；〃　said　jewel。　〃he　is　ing　down　　in　wide　circles。鈥�

〃arrow　on　string；　lady；〃　said　tirian　to　jill。　〃but　by　no　means　shoot　till　i　　bid　you。　he　may　be　a　friend。鈥�

if　one　had　known　what　was　going　to　happen　next　it　would　have　been　a　treat　　to　watch　the　grace　and　ease　with　which　the　huge　bird　glided　down。　he　alighted　on　a　rocky　　crag　a　few　feet　from　tirian；　bowed　his　crested　head；　and　said　in　his　strange　eagles…　voice；　〃hail；　king。鈥�

〃hail；　farsight；〃　said　tirian。　〃and　since　you　call　me　king；　i　may　well　　believe　you　are　not　a　follower　of　the　ape　and　his　false　aslan。　i　am　right　glad　of　your　ing。鈥�

〃sire；〃　said　the　eagle；　〃when　you　have　heard　my　news　you　will　be　sorrier　of　　my　ing　than　of　the　greatest　woe　that　ever　befell　you。鈥�

tirians　heart　seemed　to　stop　beating　at　these　words；　but　he　set　his　teeth　　and　said；　〃tell　on。鈥�

〃two　sights　have　i　seen；〃　said　farsight。　〃one　was　cair　paravel　filled　with　　dead　narnians　and　living　calormenes：　the　tisrocs　banner　advanced　upon　your　royal　　battlements：　and　your　subjects　flying　from　the　city　…　this　way　and　that；　into　the　woods。　　cair　paravel　was　taken　from　the　sea。　twenty　great　ships　of　calormen　put　in　there　in　the　dark　　of　the　night　before　last　night。鈥�

no　one　could　speak。

〃and　the　other　sight；　five　leagues　nearer　than　cair　paravel；　was　roonwit　　the　centaur　lying　dead　with　a　calormene　arrow　in　his　side。　i　was　with　him　in　his　last　　hour　and　he　gave　me　this　message　to　your　majesty：　to　remember　that　all　worlds　draw　to　　an　end　and　that　noble　death　is　a　treasure　which　no　one　is　too　poor　to　buy。鈥�

〃so；〃　said　the　king；　after　a　long　silence；　〃narnia　is　no　more。鈥�

　



CHAPTER　NINE

灏忚�磘xt澶╁爞
the　great　meeting　on　stable　hill　　　fop；　a　long　time　they　could　not　speak　nor　even　shed　a　tear。　then　the　　unicorn　stamped　the　ground　with　his　hoof；　and　shook　his　mane；　and　spoke。

〃sire；〃　he　said；　〃there　is　now　no　need　of　counsel。　we　see　that　the　apes　　plans　were　laid　deeper　than　we　dreamed　of。　doubtless　he　has　been　long　in　secret　traffic　　with　the　tisroc；　and　as　soon　as　he　had　found　the　lion…skin　he　sent　him　word　to　make　ready　　his　navy　for　the　taking　of　cair　paravel　and　all　narnia。　nothing　now　remains　for　us　seven　　but　to　go　back　to　stable　hill；　proclaim　the　truth；　and　take　the　adventure　that　aslan　　sends　us。　and　if；　by　a　great　marvel；　we　defeat　those　thirty　calormenes　who　are　with　the　ape；　　then　to　turn　again　and　die　in　battle　with　the　far　greater　host　of　them　that　will　soon　　march　from　cair　paravel。鈥�

tirian　nodded。　but　he　turned　to　the　children　and　said：　〃now；　friends；　it　is　　time　for　you　to　go　hence　into　your　own　world。　doubtless　you　have　done　all　that　you　were　　sent　to　do。鈥�

〃b　…　but　weve　done　nothing；〃　said　jill　who　was　shivering；　not　with　fear　　exactly　but　because　everything　was　so　horrible。

〃nay；〃　said　the　king；　〃you　loosed　me　from　the　tree：　you　glided　before　me　　like　a　snake　last　night　in　the　wood　and　took　puzzle：　and　you；　eustace；　killed　your　man。　　but　you　are　too　young　to　share　in　such　a　bloody　end　as　we　others　must　meet　tonight　or；　　it　may　be；　three　days　hence。　i　entreat　you　…　nay；　i　mand　you　…　to　return　to　your　　own　place。　i　should　be　put　to　shame　if　i　let　such　young　warriors　fall　in　battle　on　my　　side。鈥�

〃no；　no；　no；〃　said　jill　（very　white　when　she　began　speaking　and　then　　suddenly　very　red　and　then　white　again。）　〃we　wont；　i　dont　care　what　you　say。　were　going　to　　stick　to　you　whatever　happens；　arent　we；　eustace？鈥�

〃yes；　but　theres　no　need　to　get　so　worked　up　about　it；〃　said　eustace　who　　had　stuck　his　hands　in　his　pockets　（forgetting　how　very　odd　that　looks　when　you　are　　wearing　a　mail　shirt）。　〃because；　you　see；　we　havent　any　choice。　whats　the　good　of　　talking　about　our　going　back！　how？　weve　got　no　magic　for　doing　it！鈥�

this　was　very　good　sense　but；　at　the　moment；　jill　hated　eustace　for　saying　　it。　he　was　fond　of　being　dreadfully　matter…of…fact　when　other　people　got　excited。

when　tirian　realized　that　the　two　strangers　could　not　get　home　（unless　　aslan　suddenly　whisked　them　away）；　he　next　wanted　them　to　go　across　the　southern　mountains　　into　archenland　where　they　might　possibly　be　safe。　but　they　didnt　know　their　　way　and　there　was　no　one　to　send　with　them。　also；　as　poggin　said；　once　the　calormenes　had　　narnia　they　would　certainly　take　archenland　in　the　next　week　or　so：　the　tisroc　had　　always　wanted　to　have　these　northern　countries　for　his　own。　in　the　end　eustace　and　　jill　begged　so　hard　that　tirian　said　they　could　e　with　him　and　take　their　chance　…　　or；　as　he　much　more　sensibly　called　it；　〃the　adventure　that　aslan　would　send　them〃。

the　kings　first　idea　was　that　they　should　not　go　back　to　stable　hill　…　　they　were　sick　of　the　very　name　of　it　by　now　till　after　dark。　but　the　dwarf　told　them　that　if　　they　arrived　there　by　daylight　they　would　probably　find　the　place　deserted；　except　　perhaps　for　a　calormene　sentry。　the　beasts　were　far　too　frightened　by　what　the　ape　（and　　ginger）　had　told　them　about　this　new　angry　aslan　…　or　tashlan　…　to　go　near　it　except　　when　they　were　called　together　for　these　horrible　midnight　meetings。　and　calormenes　are　　never　good　woodsmen。　poggin　thought　that　even　by　daylight　they　could　easily　get　round　　to　somewhere　behind　the　stable　without　being　seen。　this　would　be　much　harder　　to　do　when　the　night　had　e　and　the　ape　might　be　calling　the　beasts　together　and　all　　the　calormenes　were　on　duty。　and　when　the　meeting　did　begin　they　could　leave　　puzzle　at　the　back　of　the　stable；　pletely　out　of　sight；　till　the　moment　at　which　they　　wanted　to　produce　him。　this　was　obviously　a　good　thing：　for　their　only　chance　was　to　　give　the　narnians　a　sudden　surprise。

everyone　agreed　and　the　whole　party　set　off　on　a　new　line　…　north…west　…　　towards　the　hated　hill。　the　eagle　sometimes　flew　to　and　fro　above　them；　sometimes　he　　sat　perched　on　puzzles　back。　no　one　…　not　even　the　king　himself　except　in　some　great　　need　…　would　dream　of　riding　on　a　unicorn。

this　time　jill　and　eustace　walked　together。　they　had　been　feeling　very　　brave　when　they　were　begging　to　be　allowed　to　e　with　the　others；　but　now　they　didnt　　feel　brave　at　all。

〃pole；〃　said　eustace　in　a　whisper。　〃i　may　as　well　tell　you　ive　got　the　　wind　up。鈥�

〃oh　youre　all　right；　scrubb；〃　said　jill。　〃you　can　fight。　but　i　…　im　just　　shaking；　if　you　want　to　know　the　truth。鈥�

〃oh　shakings　nothing；〃　said　eustace。　〃im　feeling　im　going　to　be　sick。鈥�

〃dont　talk　about　that；　for　goodness　sake；〃　said　jill。

they　went　on　in　silence　for　a　minute　or　two。

〃pole；〃　said　eustace　presently。

〃what？〃　said　she。

〃whatll　happen　if　we　get　killed　here？鈥�

〃well　well　be　dead；　i　suppose。鈥�

〃but　i　mean；　what　will　happen　in　our　own　world？　shall　we　wake　up　and　find　　ourselves　back　in　that　train？　or　shall　we　just　vanish　and　never　be　heard　of　any　more？　　or　shall　we　be　dead　in　england？鈥�

〃gosh。　i　never　thought　of　that。鈥�

〃itll　be　rum　for　peter　and　the　others　if　they　saw　me　waving　out　of　the　　window　and　then　when　the　train　es　in　were　nowhere　to　be　found！　or　if　they　found　two　…　i　　mean；　if　were　dead　over　there　in　england。鈥�

〃ugh！〃　said　jill。　〃what　a　horrid　idea。鈥�

〃it　wouldnt　be　horrid　for　us；〃　said　eustace。　〃we　shouldnt　be　there。鈥�

〃i　almost　wish　…　no　i　dont；　though；〃　said　jill。

〃what　were　you　going　to　say？鈥�

〃i　was　going　to　say　i　wished　wed　never　e。　but　i　dont；　i　dont；　i　　dont。　even　if　we　are　killed。　id　rather　be　killed　fighting　for　narnia　than　grow　old　and　stupid　　at　home　and　perhaps　go　about　in　a　bath…chair　and　then　die　in　the　end　just　the　same。鈥�

〃or　be　smashed　up　by　british　railways！鈥�

〃why　dyou　say　that？鈥�

〃well　when　that　awful　jerk　came　…　the　one　that　seemed　to　throw　us　into　　narnia　…　i　thought　it　was　the　beginning　of　a　railway　accident。　so　i　was　jolly　glad　to　find　　ourselves　here　instead。鈥�

while　jill　and　eustace　were　talking　about　this；　the　others　were　discussing　　their　plans　and　being　less　miserable。　that　was　because　they　were　now　thinking　of　what　　was　to　be　done　this　very　night　and　the　thought　of　what　had　happened　to　narnia　…　the　　thought　that　all　her　glories　and　joys　were　over　…　was　pushed　away　into　the　back　part　of　　their　minds。　the　moment　they　stopped　talking　it　would　e　out　and　make　them　wretched　again：　　but　they　kept　on　talking。　poggin　was　really　quite　cheerful　about　the　nights　work　　they　had　to　do。

he　was　sure　that　the　boar　and　the　bear；　and　probably　all　the　dogs　would　　e　over　to　their　side　at　once。　and　he　couldnt　believe　that　all　the　other　dwarfs　would　　stick　to　griffle。

and　fighting　by　firelight　and　in　and　out　among　trees　would　be　an　advantage　　to　the　weaker　side。　and　then；　if　they　could　win　tonight；　need　they　really　throw　their　　lives　away　by　meeting　the　main　calormene　army　a　few　days　later？

why　not　hide　in　the　woods；　or　even　up　in　the　western　waste　beyond　the　great　　waterfall　and　live　like　outlaws？　and　then　they　might　gradually　get　stronger　and　　stronger；　for　talking　beasts　and　archenlanders　would　be　joining　them　every　day。　and　at　　last　theyd　e　out　of　hiding　and　sweep　the　calormenes　（who　would　have　got　careles