the last battle_c·s·刘易斯-第4部分

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ar　that　aslan　has　e　and　is　not　like　the　aslan　we　have　believed　in　and　　longed　for？　it　is　as　if　the　sun　rose　one　day　and　were　a　black　sun。鈥�

〃i　know；〃　said　jewel。　〃or　as　if　you　drank　water　and　it　were　dry　water。　you　　are　in　the　right；　sire。　this　is　the　end　of　all　things。　let　us　go　and　give　ourselves　　up。鈥�

〃there　is　no　need　for　both　of　us　to　go。鈥�

〃if　ever　we　loved　one　another；　let　me　go　with　you　now；〃　said　the　unicorn。　　〃if　you　are　dead　and　if　aslan　is　not　aslan；　what　life　is　left　for　me？鈥�

they　turned　and　walked　back　together；　shedding　bitter　tears。

as　soon　as　they　came　to　the　place　where　the　work　was　going　on　the　　calormenes　raised　a　cry　and　came　towards　them　with　their　weapons　in　hand。　but　the　king　held　out　　his　sword　with　the　hilt　towards　them　and　said：　　〃i　who　was　king　of　narnia　and　am　now　a　dishonoured　knight　give　myself　up　to　　the　justice　of　aslan。　bring　me　before　him。鈥�

〃and　i　give　myself　up　too；〃　said　jewel。

then　the　dark　men　came　round　them　in　a　thick　crowd；　smelling　of　garlic　and　　onions；　their　white　eyes　flashing　dreadfully　in　their　brown　faces。　they　put　a　rope　halter　　round　jewels　neck。　they　took　the　kings　sword　away　and　tied　his　hands　behind　his　back。　　one　of　the　calormenes；　who　had　a　helmet　instead　of　a　turban　and　seemed　to　be　in　　mand；　snatched　the　gold　circlet　off　tirians　head　and　hastily　put　it　away　　somewhere　among　his　clothes。　they　led　the　two　prisoners　uphill　to　a　place　where　there　was　a　big　　clearing。　and　this　was　what　the　prisoners　saw。　　　at　the　centre　of　the　clearing；　which　was　　also　the　highest　point　of　the　hill；　there　was　a　little　hut　like　a　stable；　with　a　　thatched　roof。　its　door　was　shut。　on　the　grass　in　front　of　the　door　there　sat　an　ape。　tirian　and　　jewel；　who　had　been　expecting　to　see　aslan　and　had　heard　nothing　about　an　ape　yet；　were　　very　bewildered　when　they　saw　it。　the　ape　was　of　course　shift　himself；　but　he　　looked　ten　times　uglier　than　when　he　lived　by　caldron　pool；　for　he　was　now　dress…　ed　　up。　he　was　wearing　a　scarlet　jacket　which　did　not　fit　him　very　well；　having　been　made　　for　a　dwarf。

he　had　jewelled　slippers　on　his　hind　paws　which　would　not　stay　on　properly　　because；　as　you　know；　the　hind　paws　of　an　ape　are　really　like　hands。　he　wore　what　　seemed　to　be　a　paper　crown　on　his　head。　there　was　a　great　pile　of　nuts　beside　him　and　he　　kept　cracking　nuts　with　his　jaws　and　spitting　out　the　shells。　and　he　also　kept　on　pulling　　up　the　scarlet　jacket　to　scratch　himself。　a　great　number　of　talking　beasts　stood　facing　　him；　and　nearly　every　face　in　that　crowd　looked　miserably　worried　and　bewildered。　when　they　　saw　who　the　prisoners　were　they　all　groaned　and　whimpered。

〃o　lord　shift；　mouthpiece　of　aslan；〃　said　the　chief　calormene。　〃we　bring　　you　prisoners。

by　our　skill　and　courage　and　by　the　permission　of　the　great　god　tash　we　　have　taken　alive　these　two　desperate　murderers。鈥�

〃give　me　that　mans　sword；〃　said　the　ape。　so　they　took　the　kings　sword　and　　handed　it；　with　the　sword…belt　and　all；　to　the　monkey。　and　he　hung　it　round　his　own　　neck：　and　it　made　him　look　sillier　than　ever。

〃well　see　about　those　two　later；〃　said　the　ape；　spitting　out　a　shell　in　　the　direction　of　the　two　prisoners。　〃i　got　some　other　business　first。　they　can　wait。　now　listen　　to　me；　everyone。　the　first　thing　i　want　to　say　is　about　nuts。　wheres　that　head　　squirrel　got　to？鈥�

〃here；　sir；〃　said　a　red　squirrel；　ing　forward　and　making　a　nervous　　little　bow。

〃oh　you　are；　are　you？〃　said　the　ape　with　a　nasty　look。　〃now　attend　to　me。　i　　want　…　i　mean；　aslan　wants　…　some　more　nuts。　these　youve　brought　arent　anything　　like　enough。

you　must　bring　some　more；　do　you　hear？　twice　as　many。　and　theyve　got　to　be　　here　by　sunset　tomorrow；　and　there　mustnt　be　any　bad　ones　or　any　small　ones　among　　them。鈥�

a　murmur　of　dismay　ran　through　the　other　squirrels；　and　the　head　squirrel　　plucked　up　courage　to　say：　　〃please；　would　aslan　himself　speak　to　us　about　it？　if　we　might　be　allowed　　to　see　him　…鈥�

〃well　you　wont；〃　said　the　ape。　〃he　may　be　very　kind　（though　its　a　lot　　more　than　most　of　you　deserve）　and　e　out　for　a　few　minutes　tonight。　then　you　can　all　　have　a　look　at　him。　but　he　will　not　have　you　all　crowding　round　him　and　pestering　him　with　　questions。

anything　you　want　to　say　to　him　will　be　passed　on　through　me：　if　i　think　　its　worth　bothering　him　about。　in　the　meantime　all　you　squirrels　had　better　go　and　　see　about　the　nuts。　and　make　sure　they　are　here　by　tomorrow　evening　or；　my　word！　youll　　catch　it。鈥�

the　poor　squirrels　all　scampered　away　as　if　a　dog　were　after　them。　this　new　　order　was　terrible　news　for　them。　the　nuts　they　had　carefully　hoarded　for　the　winter　　had　nearly　all　been　eaten　by　now；　and　of　the　few　that　were　left　they　had　already　given　the　　ape　far　more　than　they　could　spare。

then　a　deep　voice　…　it　belonged　to　a　great　tusked　and　shaggy　boar　…　spoke　　from　another　part　of　the　crowd。

〃but　why　cant　we　see　aslan　properly　and　talk　to　him？〃　it　said。　〃when　he　　used　to　appear　in　narnia　in　the　old　days　everyone　could　talk　to　him　face　to　face。鈥�

〃dont　you　believe　it；〃　said　the　ape。　〃and　even　if　it　was　true；　times　have　　changed。　aslan　says　hes　been　far　too　soft　with　you　before；　do　you　see？　well；　he　isnt　　going　to　be　soft　any　more。　hes　going　to　lick　you　into　shape　this　time。　hell　teach　you　to　think　　hes　a　tame　lion！鈥�

a　low　moaning　and　whimpering　was　heard　among　the　beasts；　and；　after　that；　a　　dead　silence　which　was　more　miserable　still。

〃and　now　theres　another　thing　you　got　to　learn；〃　said　the　ape。　〃i　hear　　some　of　you　are　saying　im　an　ape。　well；　im　not。　im　a　man。　if　i　look　like　an　ape；　thats　　because　im　so　very　old：　hundreds　and　hundreds　of　years　old。　and　its　because　im　so　old　　that　im　so　wise。　and　its　because　im　so　wise　that　im　the　only　one　aslan　is　ever　　going　to　speak　to。

he　cant　be　bothered　talking　to　a　lot　of　stupid　animals。　hell　tell　me　what　　youve　got　to　do；　and　ill　tell　the　rest　of　you。　and　take　my　advice；　and　see　you　do　it　in　　double　quick　time；　for　he　doesnt　mean　to　stand　any　nonsense。鈥�

there　was　a　dead　silence　except　for　the　noise　of　a　very　young　badger　crying　　and　its　mother　trying　to　make　it　keep　quiet。

〃and　now　heres　another　thing；〃　the　ape　went　on；　fitting　a　fresh　nut　into　　its　cheek；　〃i　hear　some　of　the　horses　are　saying；　lets　hurry　up　and　get　this　job　of　carting　　timber　over　as　quickly　as　we　can；　and　then　well　be　free　again。　well；　you　can　get　that　　idea　out　of　your　heads　at　once。　and　not　only　the　horses　either。　everybody　who　can　work　is　　going　to　be　made　to　work　in　future。　aslan　has　it　all　settled　with　the　king　of　calormen　　…　the　tisroc；　as　our　dark　faced　friends　the　calormenes　call　him。　all　you　horses　and　bulls　　and　donkeys　are　to　be　sent　down　into　calormen　to　work　for　your　living　…　pulling　and　　carrying　the　way　horses　and　such…like　do　in　other　countries。　and　all　you　digging　animals　　like　moles　and　rabbits　and　dwarfs　are　going　down　to　work　in　the　tisrocs　mines。　and　…鈥�

〃no；　no；　no；〃　howled　the　beasts。　〃it　cant　be　true。　aslan　would　never　sell　　us　into　slavery　to　the　king　of　calormen。鈥�

〃none　of　that！　hold　your　noise！〃　said　the　ape　with　a　snarl。　〃who　said　　anything　about　slavery？　you　wont　be　slaves。　youll　be　paid　…　very　good　wages　too。　that　is　　to　say；　your　pay　will　be　paid　into　aslans　treasury　and　he　will　use　it　all　for　　everybodys　good。〃　then　he　glanced；　and　almost　winked；　at　the　chief　calormene。　the　calormene　bowed　　and　replied；　in　the　pompous　calormene　way：　　〃most　sapient　mouthpiece　of　aslan；　the　tisroc　（may　he…live…forever）　is　　wholly　of　one　mind　with　your　lordship　in　this　judicious　plan。鈥�

〃there！　you　see！〃　said　the　ape。　〃its　all　arranged。　and　all　for　your　own　　good。　well　be　able；　with　the　money　you　earn；　to　make　narnia　a　country　worth　living　in。　　therell　be　oranges　and　bananas　pouring　in　…　and　roads　and　big　cities　and　schools　and　　offices　and　whips　and　muzzles　and　saddles　and　cages　and　kennels　and　prisons　…　oh；　　everything。鈥�

〃but　we　dont　want　all　those　things；〃　said　an　old　bear。　〃we　want　to　be　　free。　and　we　want　to　hear　aslan　speak　himself。鈥�

〃now　dont　you　start　arguing；〃　said　the　ape；　〃for　its　a　thing　i　wont　　stand。　im　a　man：　youre　only　a　fat；　stupid　old　bear。　what　do　you　know　about　freedom？　you　　think　freedom　means　doing　what　you　like。　well；　youre　wrong。　that　isnt　true　freedom。　　true　freedom　means　doing　what　i　tell　you。鈥�

〃h…n…n…h；〃　grunted　the　bear　and　scratched　its　head；　it　found　this　sort　of　　thing　hard　to　understand。

〃please；　please；〃　said　the　high　voice　of　a　woolly　lamb；　who　was　so　young　　that　everyone　was　surprised　he　dared　to　speak　at　all。

〃what　is　it　now？〃　said　the　ape。　〃be　quick。鈥�

〃please；〃　said　the　lamb；　〃i　cant　understand。　what　have　we　to　do　with　the　　calormenes？

we　belong　to　aslan。　they　belong　to　tash。　they　have　a　god　called　tash。　they　　say　he　has　four　arms　and　the　head　of　a　vulture。　they　kill　men　on　his　altar。　i　dont　　believe　theres　any　such　person　as　tash。　but　if　there　was；　how　could　aslan　be　friends　with　　him？鈥�

all　the　animals　cocked　their　heads　sideways　and　all　their　bright　eyes　　flashed　towards　the　ape。　they　knew　it　was　the　best　question　anyone　had　asked　yet。

the　ape　jumped　up　and　spat　at　the　lamb。

〃baby！〃　he　hissed。　〃silly　little　bleater！　go　home　to　your　mother　and　drink　　milk。　what　do　you　understand　of　such　things？　but　the　others；　listen。　tash　is　only　another　　name　for　aslan。　all　that　old　idea　of　us　being　right　and　the　calormenes　wrong　is　　silly。　we　know　better　now。　the　calormenes　use　different　words　but　we　all　mean　the　same　　thing。　tash　and　aslan　are　only　two　different　names　for　you　know　who。　thats　why　there　　can　never　be　any　quarrel　between　them。　get　that　into　your　heads；　you　stupid　brutes。　　tash　is　aslan：　aslan　is　tash。鈥�

you　know　how　sad　your　own　dogs　face　can　look　sometimes。　think　of　that　and　　then　think　of　all　the　faces　of　those　talking　beasts　…　all　those　honest；　humble；　　bewildered　birds；　bears；　badgers；　rabbits；　moles；　and　mice　…　all　far　sadder　than　that。　every　　tail　was　down；　every　whisker　drooped。　it　would　have　broken　your　heart　with　very　pity　to　　see　their　faces。

there　was　only　one　who　did　not　look　at　all　unhappy。

it　was　a　ginger　cat　…　a　great　big　tom　in　the　prime　of　life　…　who　sat　bolt　　upright　with　his　tail　curled　round　his　toes；　in　the　very　front　row　of　all　t