the last battle_c·s·刘易斯-第2部分

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ass　overhead　　and　shift　would　stop　his　work；　looking　anxiously　up。　he　did　not　want　anyone　to　see　　what　he　was　doing。　but　none　of　the　birds　he　saw　were　talking　birds；　so　it　didnt　　matter。

late　in　the　afternoon　puzzle　came　back。　he　was　not　trotting　but　only　　plodding　patiently　along；　the　way　donkeys　do。

〃there　werent　any　oranges；〃　he　said；　〃and　there　werent　any　bananas。　and　　im　very　tired。〃　he　lay　down。

〃e　and　try　on　your　beautiful　new　lion…skin　coat；〃　said　shift。

〃oh　bother　that　old　skin；〃　said　puzzle。　〃ill　try　it　on　in　the　morning。　im　　too　tired　tonight。鈥�

〃you　are　unkind；　puzzle；〃　said　shift。　〃if　youre　tired　what　do　you　think　i　　am？　all　day　long；　while　youve　been　having　a　lovely　refreshing　walk　down　the　valley；　　ive　been　working　hard　to　make　you　a　coat。　my　paws　are　so　tired　i　can　hardly　hold　　these　scissors。

and　you　wont　say　thank　you　…and　you　wont　even　look　at　the　coat　…and　you　　dont　care　…　and…　and…鈥�

〃my　dear　shift；〃　said　puzzle　getting　up　at　once；　〃i　am　so　sorry。　ive　been　　horrid。　of　course　id　love　to　try　it　on。　and　it　looks　simply　splendid。　do　try　it　on　me　　at　once。　please　do。鈥�

〃well；　stand　still　then；〃　said　the　ape。　the　skin　was　very　heavy　for　him　to　　lift；　but　in　the　end；　with　a　lot　of　pulling　and　pushing　and　puffing　and　blowing；　he　got　it　　on　to　the　donkey。　he　tied　it　underneath　puzzles　body　and　he　tied　the　legs　to　　puzzles　legs　and　the　tail　to　puzzles　tail。　a　good　deal　of　puzzles　grey　nose　and　face　could　be　　seen　through　the　open　mouth　of　the　lions　head。　no　one　who　had　ever　seen　a　real　lion　would　　have　been　taken　in　for　a　moment。　but　if　someone　who　had　never　seen　a　lion　looked　at　　puzzle　in　his　lion…skin　he　just　might　mistake　him　for　a　lion；　if　he　didnt　e　too　　close；　and　if　the　light　was　not　too　good；　and　if　puzzle　didnt　let　out　a　bray　and　didnt　make　any　　noise　with　his　hoofs。

〃you　look　wonderful；　wonderful；〃　said　the　ape。　〃if　anyone　saw　you　now；　　theyd　think　you　were　aslan；　the　great　lion；　himself。鈥�

〃that　would　be　dreadful；〃　said　puzzle。

〃no　it　wouldnt；〃　said　shift。　〃everyone　would　do　whatever　you　told　them。鈥�

〃but　i　dont　want　to　tell　them　anything。鈥�

〃but　you　think　of　the　good　we　could　do！〃　said　shift。　〃youd　have　me　to　　advise　you；　you　know。　id　think　of　sensible　orders　for　you　to　give。　and　everyone　would　have　　to　obey　us；　even　the　king　himself。　we　would　set　everything　right　in　narnia。鈥�

〃but　isnt　everything　right　already？〃　said　puzzle。

〃what！〃　cried　shift。　〃everything　right？…when　there　are　no　oranges　or　　bananas？鈥�

〃well；　you　know；〃　said　puzzle；　〃there　arent　many　people　…　in　fact；　i　dont　　think　theres　anyone　but　yourself　who　wants　those　sort　of　things。鈥�

〃theres　sugar　too；〃　said　shift。

〃hm　yes；〃　said　the　ass。　〃it　would　be　nice　if　there　was　more　sugar。鈥�

〃well　then；　thats　settled；〃　said　the　ape。　〃you　will　pretend　to　be　aslan；　　and　ill　tell　you　what　to　say。鈥�

〃no；　no；　no；〃　said　puzzle。　〃dont　say　such　dreadful　things。　it　would　be　　wrong；　shift。　i　maybe　not　very　clever　but　i　know　that　much。　what　would　bee　of　us　if　the　　real　aslan　turned　up？鈥�

〃i　expect　hed　be　very　pleased；〃　said　shift。　〃probably　he　sent　us　the　lion　…skin　on　purpose；　so　that　we　could　set　things　to　right。　anyway；　he　never　does　turn　up；　you　　know。　not　nowadays。鈥�

at　that　moment　there　came　a　great　thunderclap　right　overhead　and　the　ground　　trembled　with　a　small　earthquake。　both　the　animals　lost　their　balance　and　were　flung　　on　their　faces。

〃there！〃　gasped　puzzle；　as　soon　as　he　had　breath　to　speak。　〃its　a　sign；　a　　warning。　i　knew　we　were　doing　something　dreadfully　wicked。　take　this　wretched　skin　off　me　　at　once。鈥�

〃no；　no；〃　said　the　ape　（whose　mind　worked　very　quickly）。　〃its　a　sign　the　　other　way。　i　was　just　going　to　say　that　if　the　real　aslan；　as　you　call　him；　meant　us　to　　go　on　with　this；　he　would　send　us　a　thunderclap　and　an　earth…tremor。　it　was　just　on　the　tip　　of　my　tongue；　only　the　sign　itself　came　before　i　could　get　the　words　out。　youve　got　to　　do　it　now；　puzzle。　and　please　dont　let　us　have　any　more　arguing。　you　know　you　dont　　understand　these　things。　what　could　a　donkey　know　about　signs？鈥�

ww锛枫��



CHAPTER　TWO

灏彛昏�矗籺锛寈t；澶�；鍫�
the　rashness　of　the　king　　　about　three　weeks　later　the　last　of　the　kings　of　narnia　sat　under　the　great　　oak　which　grew　beside　the　door　of　his　little　hunting　lodge；　where　he　often　stayed　for　　ten　days　or　so　in　the　pleasant　spring　weather。　it　was　a　low；　thatched　building　not　far　　from　the　eastern　end　of　lantern　waste　and　some　way　above　the　meeting　of　the　two　rivers。　he　　loved　to　live　there　simply　and　at　ease；　away　from　the　state　and　pomp　of　cair　paravel；　the　　royal　city。

his　name　was　king　tirian；　and　he　was　between　twenty　and　twenty…five　years　　old；　his　shoulders　were　already　broad　and　strong　and　his　limbs　full　of　hard　muscle；　　but　his　beard　was　still　scanty。　he　had　blue　eyes　and　a　fearless；　honest　face。

there　was　no　one　with　him　that　spring　morning　except　his　dearest　friend；　　jewel　the　unicorn。　they　loved　each　other　like　brothers　and　each　had　saved　the　others　　life　in　the　wars。　the　lordly　beast　stood　close　beside　the　kings　chair；　with　its　neck　　bent　round　polishing　its　blue　horn　against　the　creamy　whiteness　of　its　flank。

〃i　cannot　set　myself　to　any　work　or　sport　today；　jewel；〃　said　the　king。　〃i　　can　think　of　nothing　but　this　wonderful　news。　think　you　we　shall　hear　any　more　of　it　　today？鈥�

〃they　are　the　most　wonderful　tidings　ever　heard　in　our　days　or　our　fathers　　or　our　grandfathers　days；　sire；〃　said　jewel；　〃if　they　are　true。鈥�

〃how　can　they　choose　but　be　true？〃　said　the　king。　〃it　is　more　than　a　week　　ago　that　the　first　birds　came　flying　over　us　saying；　aslan　is　here；　aslan　has　e　to　　narnia　again。

and　after　that　it　was　the　squirrels。　they　had　not　seen　him；　but　they　said　　it　was　certain　he　was　in　the　woods。　then　came　the　stag。　he　said　he　had　seen　him　with　his　own　　eyes；　a　great　way　off；　by　moonlight；　in　lantern　waste。　then　came　that　dark　man　with　　the　beard；　the　merchant　from　calormen。　the　calormenes　care　nothing　for　aslan　as　we　do；　　but　the　man　spoke　of　it　as　a　thing　beyond　doubt。　and　there　was　the　badger　last　　night；　he　too　had　seen　aslan。鈥�

〃indeed；　sire；〃　answered　jewel；　〃i　believe　it　all。　if　i　seem　not　to；　it　is　　only　that　my　joy　is　too　great　to　let　my　belief　settle　itself。　it　is　almost　too　beautiful　to　　believe。鈥�

〃yes；〃　said　the　king　with　a　great　sigh；　almost　a　shiver；　of　delight。　〃it　is　　beyond　all　that　i　ever　hoped　for　in　all　my　life。鈥�

〃listen！〃　said　jewel；　putting　his　head　on　one　side　and　cocking　his　ears　　forward。

〃what　is　it？〃　asked　the　king。

〃hoofs；　sire；〃　said　jewel。　〃a　galloping　horse。　a　very　heavy　horse。　it　must　　be　one　of　the　centaurs。　and　look；　there　he　is。鈥�

a　great；　golden　bearded　centaur；　with　mans　sweat　on　his　forehead　and　　horses　sweat　on　his　chestnut　flanks；　dashed　up　to　the　king；　stopped；　and　bowed　low。　〃hail；　　king；〃　it　cried　in　a　voice　as　deep　as　a　bulls。

〃ho；　there！〃　said　the　king；　looking　over　his　shoulder　towards　the　door　of　　the　hunting　lodge。　〃a　bowl　of　wine　for　the　noble　centaur。　wele；　roonwit。　when　you　　have　found　your　breath　you　shall　tell　us　your　errand。鈥�

a　page　came　out　of　the　house　carrying　a　great　wooden　bowl；　curiously　　carved；　and　handed　it　to　the　centaur。　the　centaur　raised　the　bowl　and　said；　　〃i　drink　first　to　aslan　and　truth；　sire；　and　secondly　to　your　majesty。鈥�

he　finished　the　wine　（enough　for　six　strong　men）　at　one　draught　and　handed　　the　empty　bowl　back　to　the　page。

〃now；　roonwit；〃　said　the　king。　〃do　you　bring　us　more　news　of　aslan？鈥�

roonwit　looked　very　grave；　frowning　a　little。

〃sire；〃　he　said。　〃you　know　how　long　i　have　lived　and　studied　the　stars；　for　　we　centaurs　live　longer　than　you　men；　and　even　longer　than　your　kind；　unicorn。　never　in　　all　my　days　have　i　seen　such　terrible　things　written　in　the　skies　as　　there　have　been　　nightly　since　this　year　began。　the　stars　say　　nothing　of　the　ing　of　aslan；　nor　of　peace；　　nor　of　joy。　i　　know　by　my　art　that　there　have　not　been　such　disastrous　conjunctions　of　the　　planets　for　five　hundred　years。　it　was　already　in　my　mind　to　e　and　warn　your　majesty　　that　some　great　evil　hangs　over　narnia。　but　last　night　the　rumour　reached　me　that　　aslan　is　abroad　in　narnia。　sire；　do　not　believe　this　tale。　it　cannot　be。　the　stars　never　lie；　　but　men　and　beasts　do。　if　aslan　were　really　ing　to　narnia　the　sky　would　have　foretold　it。　　if　he　were　really　e；　all　the　most　gracious　stars　would　be　assembled　in　his　honour。　　it　is　all　a　lie。鈥�

〃a　lie！〃　said　the　king　fiercely。　〃what　creature　in　narnia　or　all　the　world　　would　dare　to　lie　on　such　a　matter？〃　and；　without　knowing　it；　he　laid　his　hand　on　his　sword　　hilt。

〃that　i　know　not；　lord　king；〃　said　the　centaur。　〃but　i　know　there　are　liars　　on　earth；　there　are　none　among　the　stars。鈥�

〃i　wonder；〃　said　jewel；　〃whether　aslan　might　not　e　though　all　the　stars　　foretold　otherwise。　he　is　not　the　slave　of　the　stars　but　their　maker。　is　it　not　said　　in　all　the　old　stories　that　he　is　not　a　tame　lion。鈥�

〃well　said；　well　said；　jewel；〃　cried　the　king。　〃those　are　the　very　words：　　not　a　tame　lion。

it　es　in　many　tales。鈥�

roonwit　had　just　raised　his　hand　and　was　leaning　forward　to　say　something　　very　earnestly　to　the　king　when　all　three　of　them　turned　their　heads　to　listen　　to　a　wailing　sound　that　was　quickly　drawing　nearer。　the　wood　was　so　thick　to　the　west　of　　them　that　they　could　not　see　the　newer　yet。　but　they　could　soon　hear　the　words。

〃woe；　woe；　woe！〃　called　the　voice。　〃woe　for　my　brothers　and　sisters！　woe　　for　the　holy　trees！　the　woods　are　laid　waste。　the　axe　is　loosed　against　us。　we　are　being　　felled。　great　trees　are　falling；　falling；　falling。鈥�

with　the　last　〃falling〃　the　speaker　came　in　sight。　she　was　like　a　woman　but　　so　tall　that　her　head　was　on　a　level　with　the　centaurs　yet　she　was　like　a　tree　too。　it　　is　hard　to　explain　if　you　have　never　seen　a　dryad　but　quite　unmistakable　once　you　have　…　　something　different　in　the　colour；　the　voice；　and　the　hair。　king　tirian　and　the　two　　beasts　knew　at　once　that　she　was　the　nymph　of　a　beech　tree。

〃justice；　lord　king！〃　she　cried。　〃e　to　our　aid。　protect　your　people。　　they　are　felling　us　in　lantern　waste。

forty　great　trunks　of　my　brothers　and　sisters　are　already　on　the　ground。鈥�

〃what；　lady！　fellin