the last battle_c·s·刘易斯-第16部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



〃little　swine；〃　shrieked　eustace；　dancing　in　his　rage。　〃dirty；　filthy；　　treacherous　little　brutes。〃　even　jewel　said；　〃shall　i　run　after　those　dwarfs；　sire；　and　spit　　ten　of　them　on　my　horn　at　each　plunge？〃　but　tirian　with　his　face　as　stern　as　stone；　said；　　〃stand　fast；　jewel。

if　you　must　weep；　sweetheart　（this　was　to　jill）；　turn　your　face　aside　and　　see　you　wet　not　your　bow…string。　and　peace；　eustace。　do　not　scold；　like　a　kitchen…girl。　no　　warrior　scolds。

courteous　words　or　else　hard　knocks　are　his　only　language。鈥�

but　the　dwarfs　jeered　back　at　eustace。　〃that　was　a　surprise　for　you；　little　　boy；　eh？

thought　we　were　on　your　side；　did　you？　no　fear。　we　dont　want　any　talking　　horses。　we　dont　want　you　to　win　any　more　than　the　other　gang。　you　cant　take　us　in。　　the　dwarfs　are　for　the　dwarfs。鈥�

rishda　tarkaan　was　still　talking　to　his　men；　doubtless　making　arrangements　　for　the　next　attack　and　probably　wishing　he　had　sent　his　whole　force　into　the　first。　the　　drum　boomed　on。　then；　to　their　horror；　tirian　and　his　friends　heard；　far　fainter　as　if　　from　a　long　way　off；　an　answering　drum。　another　body　of　calormenes　had　heard　rishdas　　signal　and　were　ing　to　support　him。　you　would　not　have　known　from　tirians　face　that　he　　had　now　given　up　all　hope。

〃listen；〃　he　whispered　in　a　matter…of…fact　voice；　〃we　must　attack　now；　　before　yonder　miscreants　are　strengthened　by　their　friends。鈥�

〃bethink　you；　sire；〃　said　poggin；　〃that　here　we　have　the　good　wooden　wall　　of　the　stable　at　our　backs。　if　we　advance；　shall　we　not　be　encircled　and　get　sword…points　　between　our　shoulders？鈥�

〃i　would　say　as　you　do；　dwarf；〃　said　tirian。　〃were　it　not　their　very　plan　　to　force　us　into　the　stable？　the　further　we　are　from　its　deadly　door；　the　better。鈥�

〃the　king　is　right；〃　said　farsight。　〃away　from　this　accursed　stable；　and　　whatever　goblin　lives　inside　it；　at　all　costs。鈥�

〃yes；　do　lets；〃　said　eustace。　〃im　ing　to　hate　the　very　sight　of　it。鈥�

〃good；〃　said　tirian。　〃now　look　yonder　to　our　left。　you　see　a　great　rock　　that　gleams　white　like　marble　in　the　firelight。　first　we　will　fall　upon　those　calormenes。　　you；　maiden；　shall　move　out　on　our　left　and　shoot　as　fast　as　ever　you　may　into　their　ranks：　　and　you；　eagle；　fly　at　their　faces　from　the　right。　meanwhile　we　others　will　be　charging　　them。　when　we　are　so　close；　jill；　that　you　can　no　longer　shoot　at　them　for　fear　of　　striking　us；　go　back　to　the　white　rock　and　wait。　you　others；　keep　your　ears　wide　even　in　the　　fighting。　we　must　put　them　to　flight　in　a　few　minutes　or　else　not　at　all；　for　we　are　fewer　　than　they。　as　soon　as　i　call　back；　then　rush　to　join　jill　at　the　white　rock；　where　we　shall　　have　protection　behind　us　and　can　breathe　awhile。　now；　be　off；　jill。鈥�

feeling　terribly　alone；　jill　ran　out　about　twenty　feet；　put　her　right　leg　　back　and　her　left　leg　forward；　and　set　an　arrow　to　her　string。　she　wished　her　hands　were　not　　shaking　so。

〃thats　a　rotten　shot！〃　she　said　as　her　first　arrow　sped　towards　the　enemy　　and　flew　over　their　heads。　but　she　had　another　on　the　string　next　moment：　she　knew　that　　speed　was　what　mattered。　she　saw　something　big　and　black　darting　into　the　faces　of　　the　calormenes。　that　was　farsight。　first　one　man；　and　then　another；　dropped　　his　sword　and　put　up　both　his　hands　to　defend　his　eyes。　then　one　of　her　own　arrows　hit　a　　man；　and　another　hit　a　narnian　wolf；　who　had；　it　seemed；　joined　the　enemy。　but　she　　had　been　shooting　only　for　a　few　seconds　when　she　had　to　stop。　with　a　flash　of　　swords　and　of　the　boars　tusks　and　jewels　horn；　and　with　deep　baying　from　the　dogs；　tirian　　and　his　party　were　rushing　on　their　enemies；　like　men　in　a　hundred　yards　race。　jill　was　　astonished　to　see　how　unprepared　the　calormenes　seemed　to　be。　she　did　not　realize　that　　this　was　the　result　of　her　work　and　the　eagles。　very　few　troops　can　keep　on　looking　　steadily　to　the　front　if　they　are　getting　arrows　in　their　faces　from　one　side　and　being　　pecked　by　an　eagle　on　the　other。

〃oh　well　done。　well　done！〃　shouted　jill。　the　kings　party　were　cutting　　their　way　right　into　the　enemy。　the　unicorn　was　tossing　men　as　youd　toss　hay　on　a　fork。　　even　eustace　seemed　to　jill　（who　after　all　didnt　know　very　much　about　swordsmanship）　to　　be　fighting　brilliantly。　the　dogs　were　at　the　calormenes　throats。　it　was　going　to　　work！　it　was　victory　at　last　…　with　a　horrible；　cold　shock　jill　noticed　a　strange　thing。　　though　calormenes　were　falling　at　each　narnian　sword…stroke；　they　never　seemed　to　　get　any　fewer。　in　fact；　there　were　actually　more　of　them　now　than　when　the　fight　　began。　there　were　more　every　second。　they　were　running　up　from　every　side。　they　were　new　calormenes。　these　new　ones　had　spears。　there　was　such　a　crowd　of　them　that　　she　could　hardly　see　her　own　friends。　then　she　heard　tirians　voice　crying：　　　

〃back！　to　the　rock！鈥�

the　enemy　had　been　reinforced。　the　drum　had　done　its　work。

w锛贰�w。xia　oshuotx锛础ｏ迹om



CHAPTER　TWELVE

銆傚皬％璇碸t*xt…澶�。鍫�
through　the　stable　door　　　jill　ought　to　have　been　back　at　the　white　rock　already　but　she　had　quite　　forgotten　that　part　of　her　orders　in　the　excitement　of　watching　the　fight。　now　she　　remembered。　she　turned　at　once　and　ran　to　it；　and　arrived　there　barely　a　second　before　the　　others。　it　thus　happened　that　all　of　them；　for　a　moment；　had　their　backs　to　the　enemy。　they　　all　wheeled　round　the　moment　they　had　reached　it。　a　terrible　sight　met　their　eyes。

a　calormene　was　running　towards　the　stable　door　carrying　something　that　　kicked　and　struggled。　as　he　came　between　them　and　the　fire　they　could　see　clearly　both　　the　shape　of　the　man　and　the　shape　of　what　he　carried。　it　was　eustace。

tirian　and　the　unicorn　rushed　out　to　rescue　him。　but　the　calormene　was　now　　far　nearer　to　the　door　then　they。　before　they　had　covered　half　the　distance　he　had　　flung　eustace　in　and　shut　the　door　on　him。　half　a　dozen　more　calormenes　had　run　up　behind　　him。　they　formed　a　line　on　the　open　space　before　the　stable。　there　was　no　getting　at　　it　now。

even　then　jill　remembered　to　keep　her　face　turned　aside；　well　away　from　her　　bow。　〃even　if　i　cant　stop　blubbing；　i　wont　get　my　string　wet；〃　she　said。

〃ware　arrows；〃　said　poggin　suddenly。

everyone　ducked　and　pulled　his　helmet　well　over　his　　nose。　the　dogs　crouched　behind。　but　though　a　few　arrows　came　their　way　it　　soon　became　clear　that　they　were　not　being　shot　at。　griffle　and　his　dwarfs　were　　at　their　archery　again。　this　time　they　were　coolly　shooting　at　the　calormenes。

〃keep　it　up；　boys！〃　came　griffles　voice。　〃all　together。　carefully。　we　　dont　want　darkies　any　more　than　we　want　monkeys　…　or　lions　…　or　kings。　the　dwarfs　are　for　the　　dwarfs。鈥�

whatever　else　you　may　say　about　dwarfs；　no　one　can　say　they　arent　brave。　　they　could　easily　have　got　away　to　some　safe　place。　they　preferred　to　stay　and　kill　as　　many　of　both　sides　as　they　could；　except　when　both　sides　were　kind　enough　to　save　them　　trouble　by　killing　one　another。　they　wanted　narnia　for　their　own。

what　perhaps　they　had　not　taken　into　account　was　that　the　calormenes　were　　mail…clad　and　the　horses　had　had　no　protection。　also　the　calormenes　had　a　leader。　　rishda　tarkaans　voice　cried　out：　　〃thirty　of　you　keep　watch　on　those　fools　by　the　white　rock。　the　rest；　after　　me；　that　we　may　teach　these　sons　of　earth　a　lesson。鈥�

tirian　and　his　friends；　still　panting　from　their　fight　and　thankful　for　a　　few　minutes　rest；　stood　and　looked　on　while　the　tarkaan　led　his　men　against　the　dwarfs。　it　　was　a　strange　scene　by　now。　the　fire　had　sunk　lower：　the　light　it　gave　was　now　less　and　　of　a　darker　red。

as　far　as　one　could　see；　the　whole　place　of　assembly　was　now　empty　except　　for　the　dwarf　and　the　calormenes。　in　that　light　one　couldnt　make　out　much　of　what　　was　happening。　it　sounded　as　if　the　dwarfs　were　putting　up　a　good　fight。　tirian　　could　hear　griffle　using　dreadful　language；　and　every　now　and　then　the　tarkaan　　calling；　〃take　all　you　can　alive！　take　them　alive！鈥�

whatever　that　fight　may　have　been　like；　it　did　not　last　long。　the　noise　of　　it　died　away。

then　jill　saw　the　tarkaan　ing　back　to　the　stable：　eleven　men　followed　　him；　dragging　eleven　bound　dwarfs。　（whether　the　others　had　all　been　killed；　or　whether　　some　of　them　had　got　away；　was　never　known。）

〃throw　them　into　the　shrine　of　tash；〃　said　rishda　tarkaan。

and　when　the　eleven　dwarfs；　one　after　the　other；　had　been　flung　or　kicked　　into　that　dark　doorway　and　the　door　had　been　shut　again；　he　bowed　low　to　the　stable　and　　said：　　〃these　also　are　for　thy　burnt　offering；　lord　tash。鈥�

and　all　the　calormenes　banged　the　flats　of　their　swords　on　their　shields　　and　shouted；　〃tash！　tash！　the　great　god　tash！　inexorable　tash！〃　（there　was　no　nonsense　　about　〃tashlan〃　now。）

the　little　party　by　the　white　rock　watched　these　doings　and　whispered　to　　one　another。

they　had　found　a　trickle　of　water　ing　down　the　rock　and　all　had　drunk　　eagerly　…　jill　and　poggin　and　the　king　in　their　hands；　while　the　four…footed　ones　lapped　　from　the　little　pool　which　it　had　made　at　the　foot　of　the　stone。　such　was　their　thirst　that　　it　seemed　the　most　delicious　drink　they　had　ever　had　in　their　lives；　and　while　they　were　　drinking　they　were　perfectly　happy　and　could　not　think　of　anything　else。

〃i　feel　in　my　bones；〃　said　poggin；　〃that　we　shall　all；　one　by　one；　pass　　through　that　dark　door　before　morning。　i　can　think　of　a　hundred　deaths　i　would　rather　have　　died。鈥�

〃it　is　indeed　a　grim　door；〃　said　tirian。　〃it　is　more　like　a　mouth。鈥�

〃oh；　cant　we　do　anything　to　stop　it？〃　said　jill　in　a　shaken　voice。

〃nay；　fair　friend；〃　said　jewel；　nosing　her　gently。　〃it　may　be　for　us　the　　door　to　aslans　country　and　we　shall　sup　at　his　table　tonight。鈥�

rishda　tarkaan　turned　his　back　on　the　stable　and　walked　slowly　to　a　place　　in　front　of　the　white　rock。

〃hearken；〃　he　said。　〃if　the　boar　and　the　dogs　and　the　unicorn　will　e　　over　to　me　and　put　themselves　in　my　mercy；　their　lives　shall　be　spared。　the　boar　shall　go　　to　a　cage　in　the　tisrocs　garden；　the　dogs　to　the　tisrocs　kennels；　and　the　unicorn；　　when　i　have　sawn　his　horn　off；　shall　draw　a　cart。　but　the　eagle；　the　children；　and　he　　who　was　the　king　shall　be　offered　to　tash　this　night。鈥�

the　only　answer　was　growls。

〃get　on；　warriors；〃　said　the　tarkaan。　〃kill　the　beasts；　but　take　t