the last battle_c·s·刘易斯-第19部分

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me？鈥�

〃how　in　the　name　of　all　humbug　can　i　see　what　aint　there？　and　how　can　i　　see　you　any　more　than　you　can　see　me　in　this　pitch　darkness？鈥�

〃but　i　can　see　you；〃　said　lucy。　〃ill　prove　i　can　see　you。　youve　got　a　　pipe　in　your　mouth。鈥�

〃anyone　that　knows　the　smell　of　baccy　could　tell　that；〃　said　diggle。

〃oh　the　poor　things！　this　is　dreadful；〃　said　lucy。　then　she　had　an　idea。　　she　stopped　and　picked　some　wild　violets。　〃listen；　dwarf；〃　she　said。　〃even　if　your　eyes　are　　wrong；　perhaps　your　nose　is　all　right：　can　you　smell　that？〃　she　leaned　across　and　　held　the　fresh；　damp　flowers　to　diggles　ugly　nose。　but　she　had　to　jump　back　quickly　in　　order　to　avoid　a　blow　from　his　hard　little　fist。

〃none　of　that！〃　he　shouted。　〃how　dare　you！　what　do　you　mean　by　shoving　a　　lot　of　filthy　stable…litter　in　my　face？　there　was　a　thistle　in　it　too。　its　like　your　　sauce！　and　who　are　you　anyway？鈥�

〃earth…man；〃　said　tirian；　〃she　is　the　queen　lucy；　sent　hither　by　aslan　out　　of　the　deep　past。　and　it　is　for　her　sake　alone　that　i；　tirian　your　lawful　king；　do　not　　cut　all　your　heads　from　your　shoulders；　proved　and　twice…proved　traitors　that　you　are。鈥�

〃well　if　that　doesnt　beat　everything！〃　exclaimed　diggle。　〃how　can　you　go　　on　talking　all　that　rot？　your　wonderful　lion　didnt　e　and　help　you；　did　he？　thought　　not。　and　now　…　even　now　…　when　youve　been　beaten　and　shoved　into　this　black　hole；　just　　the　same　as　the　rest　of　us；　youre　still　at　your　old　game。　starting　a　new　lie！　trying　to　　make　us　believe　were　none　of　us　shut　up；　and　it　aint　dark；　and　heaven　knows　what。鈥�

〃there　is　no　black　hole；　save　in　your　own　fancy；　fool；〃　cried　tirian。　〃e　　out　of　it。鈥�

and；　leaning　forward；　he　caught　diggle　by　the　belt　and　the　hood　and　swung　　him　right　out　of　the　circle　of　dwarfs。　but　the　moment　tirian　put　him　down；　diggle　darted　　back　to　his　place　among　the　others；　rubbing　his　nose　and　howling：　　〃ow！　ow！　what　dyou　do　that　for！　banging　my　face　against　the　wall。　youve　　nearly　broken　my　nose。鈥�

〃oh　dear！〃　said　lucy；　〃what　are　we　to　do　for　them？鈥�

〃let　em　alone；〃　said　eustace：　but　as　he　spoke　the　earth　trembled。　the　　sweet　air　grew　suddenly　sweeter。　a　brightness　flashed　behind　them。　all　turned。　tirian　　turned　last　because　he　was　afraid。　there　stood　his　hearts　desire；　huge　and　real；　the　　golden　lion；　aslan　himself；　and　already　the　others　were　kneeling　in　a　circle　round　his　　forepaws　and　burying　their　hands　and　faces　in　his　mane　as　he　stooped　his　great　head　to　　touch　them　with　his　tongue。　then　he　fixed　his　eyes　upon　tirian；　and　tirian　came　near；　　trembling；　and　flung　himself　at　the　lions　feet；　and　the　lion　kissed　him　and　said；　〃well　　done；　last　of　the　kings　of　narnia　who　stood　firm　at　the　darkest　hour。鈥�

〃aslan；〃　said　lucy　through　her　tears；　〃could　you　…　will　you　…　do　something　　for　these　poor　dwarfs？鈥�

〃dearest；〃　said　aslan；　〃i　will　show　you　both　what　i　can；　and　what　i　cannot；　　do。〃　he　came　close　to　the　dwarfs　and　gave　a　low　growl：　low；　but　it　set　all　the　air　　shaking。　but　the　dwarfs　said　to　one　another；　〃hear　that？　thats　the　gang　at　the　other　end　of　　the　stable。

trying　to　frighten　us。　they　do　it　with　a　machine　of　some　kind。　dont　take　　any　notice。

they　wont　take　us　in　again！鈥�

aslan　raised　his　head　and　shook　his　mane。　instantly　a　glorious　feast　　appeared　on　the　dwarfs　knees：　pies　and　tongues　and　pigeons　and　trifles　and　ices；　and　each　　dwarf　had　a　goblet　of　good　wine　in　his　right　hand。　but　it　wasnt　much　use。　they　began　　eating　and　drinking　greedily　enough；　but　it　was　clear　that　they　couldnt　taste　it　　properly。　they　thought　they　were　eating　and　drinking　only　the　sort　of　things　you　might　　find　in　a　stable。

one　said　he　was　trying　to　eat　hay　and　another　said　he　had　a　bit　of　an　old　　turnip　and　a　third　said　hed　found　a　raw　cabbage　leaf。　and　they　raised　golden　goblets　of　rich　　red　wine　to　their　lips　and　said　〃ugh！　fancy　drinking　dirty　water　out　of　a　trough　that　a　　donkeys　been　at！　never　thought　wed　e　to　this。〃　but　very　soon　every　dwarf　began　　suspecting　that　every　other　dwarf　had　found　something　nicer　than　he　had；　and　they　started　　grabbing　and　snatching；　and　went　on　to　quarrelling；　till　in　a　few　minutes　there　was　a　　free　fight　and　all　the　good　food　was　smeared　on　their　faces　and　clothes　or　trodden　under　foot。　　but　when　at　last　they　sat　down　to　nurse　their　black　eyes　and　their　bleeding　noses；　they　　all　said：　　〃well；　at　any　rate　theres　no　humbug　here。　we　havent　let　anyone　take　us　　in。　the　dwarfs　are　for　the　dwarfs。鈥�

〃you　see；　〃　said　aslan。　〃they　will　not　let　us　help　them。　they　have　chosen　　cunning　instead　of　belief。　their　prison　is　only　in　their　own　minds；　yet　they　are　in　　that　prison；　and　so　afraid　of　being　taken　in　that　they　cannot　be　taken　out。　but　e；　　children。　i　have　other　work　to　do。鈥�

he　went　to　the　door　and　they　all　followed　him。　he　raised　his　head　and　　roared；　〃now　it　is　time！〃　then　louder；　〃time！〃；　then　so　loud　that　it　could　have　shaken　the　　stars；　〃time。鈥�

the　door　flew　open。

w锛穡锛氾紵



CHAPTER　FOURTEEN

銆�灏忥伎璇磘xt澶�'鍫�
night　falls　on　narnia　　　they　all　stood　beside　aslan；　on　his　right　side；　and　looked　through　the　open　　doorway。

the　bonfire　had　gone　out。　on　the　earth　all　was　blackness：　in　fact　you　could　　not　have　told　that　you　were　looking　into　a　wood　if　you　had　not　seen　where　the　dark　shapes　　of　the　trees　ended　and　the　stars　began。　but　when　aslan　had　roared　yet　again；　out　on　　their　left　they　saw　another　black　shape。　that　is；　they　saw　another　patch　where　there　were　　no　stars：　and　the　patch　rose　up　higher　and　higher　and　became　the　shape　of　a　man；　the　　hugest　of　all　giants。　they　all　knew　narnia　well　enough　to　work　out　where　he　must　be　　standing。　he　must　be　on　the　high　moorlands　that　stretch　away　to　the　north　beyond　the　　river　shribble。

then　jill　and　eustace　remembered　how　once　long　ago；　in　the　deep　caves　　beneath　those　moors；　they　had　seen　a　great　giant　asleep　and　been　told　that　his　name　was　　father　time；　and　that　he　would　wake　on　the　day　the　world　ended。

〃yes；〃　said　aslan；　though　they　had　not　spoken。　〃while　he　lay　dreaming　his　　name　was　time。　now　that　he　is　awake　he　will　have　a　new　one。鈥�

then　the　great　giant　raised　a　horn　to　his　mouth。　they　could　see　this　by　the　　change　of　the　black　shape　he　made　against　the　stars。　after　that　…　quite　a　bit　later；　　because　sound　travels　so　slowly　…　they　heard　the　sound　of　the　horn：　high　and　terrible；　yet　of　a　　strange；　deadly　beauty。

immediately　the　sky　became　full　of　shooting　stars。　even　one　shooting　star　　is　a　fine　thing　to　see；　but　these　were　dozens；　and　then　scores；　and　then　hundreds；　till　it　　was　like　silver　rain：　and　it　went　on　and　on。　and　when　it　had　gone　on　for　some　while；　one　or　　two　of　them　began　to　think　that　there　was　another　dark　shape　against　the　sky　as　well　as　　the　giants。　it　was　in　a　different　place；　right　overhead；　up　in　the　very　roof　of　the　sky　as　　you　might　call　it。

〃perhaps　it　is　a　cloud；〃　thought　edmund。　at　any　rate；　there　were　no　stars　　there：　just　blackness。　but　all　around；　the　downpour　of　stars　went　on。　and　then　the　　starless　patch　　

began　to　grow；　spreading　further　and　further　out　from　the　centre　of　the　　sky。　and　presently　a　quarter　of　the　whole　sky　was　black；　and　then　a　half；　and　at　last　the　rain　　of　shooting　stars　was　going　on　only　low　down　near　the　horizon。

with　a　thrill　of　wonder　（and　there　was　some　terror　in　it　too）　they　all　　suddenly　realized　what　was　happening。　the　spreading　blackness　was　not　a　cloud　at　all：　it　was　　simply　emptiness。　the　black　part　of　the　sky　was　the　part　in　which　there　were　no　　stars　left。　all　the　stars　were　falling：　aslan　had　called　them　home。

the　last　few　seconds　before　the　rain　of　stars　had　quite　ended　were　very　　exciting。　stars　began　falling　all　round　them。　but　stars　in　that　world　are　not　the　great　　flaming　globes　they　are　in　ours。　they　are　people　（edmund　and　lucy　had　once　met　one）。　so　now　　they　found　showers　of　glittering　people；　all　with　long　hair　like　burning　silver　and　　spears　like　white…hot　metal；　rushing　down　to　them　out　of　the　black　air；　swifter　than　falling　　stones。　they　made　a　hissing　noise　as　they　landed　and　burnt　the　grass。　and　all　these　　stars　glided　past　them　and　stood　somewhere　behind；　a　little　to　the　right。

this　was　a　great　advantage；　because　otherwise；　now　that　there　were　no　stars　　in　the　sky；　everything　would　have　been　pletely　dark　and　you　could　have　seen　nothing。　　as　it　was；　the　crowd　of　stars　behind　them　cast　a　fierce；　white　light　over　their　　shoulders。　they　could　see　mile　upon　mile　of　narnian　woods　spread　out　before　them；　looking　as　if　　they　were　floodlit。　every　bush　and　almost　every　blade　of　grass　had　its　black　shadow　　behind　it。　the　edge　of　every　leaf　stood　out　so　sharp　that　youd　think　you　could　cut　your　　finger　on　it。

on　the　grass　before　them　lay　their　own　shadows。　but　the　great　thing　was　　aslans　shadow。

it　streamed　away　to　their　left；　enormous　and　very　terrible。　and　all　this　　was　under　a　sky　that　would　now　be　starless　forever。

the　light　from　behind　them　（and　a　little　to　their　right）　was　so　strong　that　　it　lit　up　even　the　slopes　of　the　northern　moors。　something　was　moving　there。　enormous　animals　　were　crawling　and　sliding　down　into　narnia：　great　dragons　and　giant　lizards　and　　featherless　birds　with　wings　like　bats　wings。　they　disappeared　into　the　woods　and　for　　a　few　minutes　there　was　silence。　then　there　came　…　at　first　from　very　far　off　…　sounds　of　　wailing　and　then；　from　every　direction；　a　rustling　and　a　pattering　and　a　sound　of　　wings。　it　came　nearer　and　nearer。　soon　one　could　distinguish　the　scamper　of　little　feet　from　the　　padding　of　big　paws；　and　the　clack…clack　of　light　little　hoofs　from　the　thunder　of　great　　ones。　and　then　one　could　see　thousands　of　pairs　of　eyes　gleaming。　and　at　last；　out　of　the　　shadow　of　the　trees；　racing　up　the　hill　for　dear　life；　by　thousands　and　by　millions；　came　　all　kinds　of　creatures　…　talking　beasts；　dwarfs；　satyrs；　fauns；　giants；　calormenes；　men　　from　archenland；　monopods；　and　strange　unearthly　things　from　the　remote　islands　　of　the　unknown　western　lands。　and　all　these　ran　up　to　the　doorway　where　aslan　　stood。

this　part　of　the　adventure　was　the　only　one　which　seemed　rather　like　a　　dream　at　the　time　and　rather　hard　to　remember　properly　afterwards。　especially；　one　couldnt　　say　how　long　it　had　taken。　sometimes　it　seemed　t