the last battle_c·s·刘易斯-第6部分

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he　northern　giants。　but　then　it　had　all　e；　right　in　the　end；　for　two　　mysterious　　

children　had　suddenly　appeared　from　the　land　beyond　the　worlds　end　and　had　　rescued　him　so　that　he　came　home　to　narnia　and　had　a　long　and　prosperous　reign。　　〃its　not　like　that　with　me；〃　said　tirian　to　himself。　then　he　went　further　back　and：　　thought　about　rilians　father；　caspian　the　seafarer；　whose　wicked　uncle　king　miraz　had　　tried　to　murder　him　and　how　caspian　had　fled　away　into　the　woods　and　lived　among　the　　dwarfs。　but　that　story　too　had　all　e　right　in　the　end：　for　caspian　also　had　been　helped　　by　children　…　only　there　were　four　of　them　that　time　…　who　came　from　somewhere　beyond　the　　world　and　fought　a　great　battle　and　set　him　on　his　fathers　throne。　〃but　it　was　　all　long　ago；〃　said　tirian　to　himself。　〃that　sort　of　thing　doesnt　happen　now。〃　and　then　he　　remembered　（for　he　had　always　been　good　at　history　when　he　was　a　boy）　how　those　same　four　　children　who　had　helped　caspian　had　been　in　narnia　over　a　thousand　years　before；　and　　it　was　then　that　they　had　done　the　most　remarkable　thing　of　all。　for　then　they　had　　defeated　the　terrible　white　witch　and　ended　the　hundred　years　of　winter；　and　after　that　　they　had　reigned　（all　four　of　them　together）　at　cair　paravel；　till　they　were　no　　longer　children　but　great　kings　and　lovely　queens；　and　their　reign　had　been　the　golden　age　of　　narnia。　and　aslan　had　e　into　that　story　a　lot。　he　had　e　into　all　the　other　　stories　too；　as　tirian　now　remembered。　〃aslan　…　and　children　from　another　world；〃　thought　tirian。　　〃they　have　always　e　in　when　things　were　at　their　worst。　oh；　if　only　they　could　　now。鈥�

and　he　called　out　〃aslan！　aslan！　aslan！　e　and　help　us　now。鈥�

but　the　darkness　and　the　cold　and　the　quietness　went　on　just　the　same。

〃let　me　be　killed；〃　cried　the　king。　〃i　ask　nothing　for　myself。　but　e　and　　save　all　narnia。鈥�

and　still　there　was　no　change　in　the　night　or　the　wood；　but　there　began　to　　be　a　kind　of　change　inside　tirian。　without　knowing　why；　he　began　to　feel　a　faint　hope。　　and　he　felt　somehow　stronger。　〃oh　aslan；　aslan；〃　he　whispered。　〃if　you　will　not　e　　yourself；　at　least　send　me　the　helpers　from　beyond　the　world。　or　let　me　call　them。　let　　my　voice　carry　beyond　the　world。〃　then；　hardly　knowing　that　he　was　doing　it；　he　suddenly　　cried　out　in　a　great　voice：　　〃children！　children！　friends　of　narnia！　quick。　e　to　me。　across　the　　worlds　i　call　you；　i　tirian；　king　of　narnia；　lord　of　cair　paravel；　and　emperor　of　the　　lone　islands！鈥�

and　immediately　he　was　plunged　into　a　dream　（if　it　was　a　dream）　more　vivid　　than　any　he　had　had　in　his　life。

he　seemed　to　be　standing　in　a　lighted　room　where　seven　people　sat　round　a　　table。　it　looked　as　if　they　had　just　finished　their　meal。　two　of　those　people　were　　very　old；　an　old　man　with　a　white　beard　and　an　old　woman　with　wise；　merry；　twinkling　eyes。　　he　who　sat　at　the　right　hand　of　the　old　man　was　hardly　full　grown；　certainly　younger　　than　tirian　himself；　but　his　face　had　already　the　look　of　a　king　and　a　warrior。　and　you　　could　almost　say　the　same　of　the　other　youth　who　sat　at　the　right　hand　of　the　old　woman。　　facing　tirian　across　the　table　sat　a　fair…haired　girl　younger　than　either　of　these；　and　　on　either　side　of　her　　

a　boy　and　girl　who　were　younger　still。　they　were　all　dressed　in　what　seemed　　to　tirian　the　oddest　kind　of　clothes。

but　he　had　no　time　to　think　about　details　like　that；　for　instantly　the　　younger　boy　and　both　the　girls　started　to　their　feet；　and　one　of　them　gave　a　little　scream。　the　　old　woman　started　and　drew　in　her　breath　sharply。　the　old　man　must　have　made　some　sudden　　movement　too　for　the　wine　glass　which　stood　at　his　right　hand　was　swept　off　the　table：　　tirian　could　hear　the　tinkling　noise　as　it　broke　on　the　floor。

then　tirian　realized　that　these　people　could　see　him；　they　were　staring　at　　him　as　if　they　saw　a　ghost。　but　he　noticed　that　the　king…like　one　who　sat　at　the　old　mans　　right　never　moved　（though　he　turned　pale）　except　that　he　clenched　his　hand　very　tight。　　then　he　said：　　〃speak；　if　youre　not　a　phantom　or　a　dream。　you　have　a　narnian　look　about　　you　and　we　are　the　seven　friends　of　narnia。鈥�

tirian　was　longing　to　speak；　and　he　tried　to　cry　out　aloud　that　he　was　　tirian　of　narnia；　in　great　need　of　help。　but　he　found　（as　i　have　sometimes　found　in　dreams　too）　　that　his　voice　made　no　noise　at　all。

the　one　who　had　already　spoken　to　him　rose　to　his　feet。　〃shadow　or　spirit　　or　whatever　you　are；〃　he　said；　fixing　his　eyes　full　upon　tirian。　〃if　you　are　from　　narnia；　i　charge　you　in　the　name　of　aslan；　speak　to　me。　i　am　peter　the　high　king。鈥�

the　room　began　to　swim　before　tirians　eyes。　he　heard　the　voices　of　those　　seven　people　all　speaking　at　once；　and　all　getting　fainter　every　second；　and　they　were　　saying　things　like；　〃look！　its　fading。〃　〃its　melting　away。〃　〃its　vanishing。〃　next　　moment　he　was　wide　awake；　still　tied　to　the　tree；　colder　and　stiffer　than　ever。　the　wood　was　　full　of　the　pale；　dreary　light　that　es　before　sunrise；　and　he　was　soaking　wet　with　dew；　it　　was　nearly　morning。

that　waking　was　about　the　worst　moment　he　had　ever　had　in　his　life。

xiaoshuot锛竧锛宑o锛�



CHAPTER　FIVE

灏忚�础璽xt澶╁爞
how　help　came　to　the　king　　　bur　his　misery　did　not　last　long。　almost　at　once　there　came　a　bump；　and　　then　a　second　bump；　and　two　children　were　standing　before　him。　the　wood　in　front　of　him　　had　been　quite　empty　a　second　before　and　he　knew　they　had　not　e　from　behind　his　　tree；　for　he　would　have　heard　them。　they　had　in　fact　simply　appeared　from　nowhere。　he　　saw　at　a　glance　that　they　were　wearing　the　same　queer；　dingy　sort　of　clothes　as　the　　people　in　his　　

dream；　and　he　saw；　at　a　second　glance；　that　they　were　the　youngest　boy　and　　girl　out　of　that　party　of　seven。

〃gosh！〃　said　the　boy；　〃that　took　ones　breath　away！　i　thought　…鈥�

〃hurry　up　and　get　him　untied；〃　said　the　girl。　〃we　can　talk；　afterwards。〃　　then　she　added；　turning　to　tirian；　〃im　sorry　weve　been　so　long。　we　came　the　moment　we　　could。鈥�

while　she　was　speaking　the　boy　produced　a　knife　from　his　pocket　and　was　　quickly　cutting　the　kings　bonds：　too　quickly；　in　fact；　for　the　king　was　so　stiff　　and　numb　that　when　the　last　cord　was　cut　he　fell　forward　on　his　hands　and　knees。　he　　couldnt　get　up　again　till　he　had　brought　some　life　back　into　his　legs　by　a　good　rubbing。

〃i　say；〃　said　the　girl。　〃it　was　you；　wasnt　it；　who　appeared　to　us　that　　night　when　we　were　all　at　supper？　nearly　a　week　ago。鈥�

〃a　week；　fair　maid？〃　said　tirian。　〃my　dream　led　me　into　your　world　scarce　　ten　minutes　since。鈥�

〃its　the　usual　muddle　about　times；　pole；〃　said　the　boy。

〃i　remember　now；〃　said　tirian。　〃that　too　es　in　all　the　old　tales。　the　　time　of　your　strange　land　is　different　from　ours。　but　if　we　speak　of　time；　tis　time　to　　be　gone　from　here：　for　my　enemies　are　close　at　hand。　will　you　e　with　me？鈥�

〃of　course；〃　said　the　girl。　〃its　you　weve　e　to　help。鈥�

tirian　got　to　his　feet　and　led　them　rapidly　down　hill；　southward　and　away　　from　the　stable。　he　knew　where　he　meant　to　go　but　his　first　aim　was　to　get　to　rocky　　places　where　they　would　leave　no　trail；　and　his　second　to　cross　some　water　so　that　they　　would　leave　no　scent。　this　took　them　about　an　hours　scrambling　and　wading　and　while　that　　was　going　on　nobody　had　any　breath　to　talk。　but　even　so；　tirian　kept　on　stealing　　glances　at　his　panions。　the　wonder　of　walking　beside　the　creatures　from　another　world　　made　him　feel　a　little　dizzy：　but　it　also　made　all　the　old　stories　seem　far　more　　real　than　they　had　ever　seemed　before　。　。　。　anything　might　happen　now。

〃now；〃　said　tirian　as　they　came　to　the　head　of　a　little　valley　which　ran　　down　before　them　among　young　birch　trees；　〃we　are　out　of　danger　of　those　villains　for　a　　space　and　may　walk　more　easily。〃　the　sun　had　risen；　dew…drops　were　twinkling　on　every　　branch；　and　birds　were　singing。

〃what　about　some　grub？　…　i　mean　for　you；　sir；　we　two　have　had　our　　breakfast；〃　said　the　boy。

tirian　wondered　very　much　what　he　meant　by　〃grub〃；　but　when　the　boy　opened　　a　bulgy　satchel　which　he　was　carrying　and　pulled　out　a　rather　greasy　and　squashy　　packet；　he　understood。　he　was　ravenously　hungry；　though　he　hadnt　thought　about　it　　till　that　moment。　there　were　two　hard…boiled　egg　sandwiches；　and　two　cheese　　sandwiches；　and　two　with　some　kind　of　paste　in　them。　if　he　hadnt　been　so　hungry　he　　wouldnt　have　thought　much　of　the　paste；　for　that　is　a　sort　of　food　nobody　eats　in　　narnia。　by　the　time　he　had　eaten　all　six　sandwiches　they　had　e　to　the　bottom　of　the　valley　and　　there　they　found　a　mossy　cliff　with　a　little　fountain　bubbling　out　of　it。　all　three　　stopped　and　drank　and　splashed　their　hot　faces。

〃and　now；〃　said　the　girl　as　she　tossed　her　wet　hair　back　from　her　forehead；　　〃arent　you　going　to　tell　us　who　you　are　and　why　you　were　tied　up　and　what　its　all　　about？鈥�

〃with　a　good　will；　damsel；〃　said　tirian。　〃but　we　must　keep　on　the　march。〃　　so　while　they　went　on　walking　he　told　them　who　he　was　and　all　the　things　that　had　　happened　to　him。

〃and　now；〃　he　said　at　the　end；　〃i　am　going　to　a　certain　tower；　one　of　three　　that　were　built　in　my　grandsires　time　to　guard　lantern　waste　against　certain　perilous　　outlaws　who　dwelled　there　in　his　day。　by　aslans　good　will　i　was　not　robbed　of　my　keys。　　in　that　tower　we　shall　find　stores　of　weapons　and　mail　and　some　victuals　also；　though　no　　better　than　dry　biscuit。　there　also　we　can　lie　safe　while　we　make　our　plans。　and　now；　　prithee；　tell　me　who　you　two　are　and　all　your　story。鈥�

〃im　eustace　scrubb　and　this　is　jill　pole；〃　said　the　boy。　〃and　we　were　here　　once　before；　ages　and　ages　ago；　more　than　a　year　ago　by　our　time；　and　there　was　a　chap　　called　prince　rilian；　and　they　were　keeping　this　chap　underground；　and　puddleglum　put　his　　foot　in　…鈥�

〃ha！〃　cried　tirian；　〃are　you　then　that　eustace　and　that　jill　who　rescued　　king　rilian　from　his　long　enchantment？鈥�

〃yes；　thats　us；〃　said　jill。　〃so　hes　king　rilian　now；　is　he？　oh　of　course　　he　would　be。　i　forgot…鈥�

〃nay；〃　said　tirian；　〃i　am　the　seventh　in　descent　from　him。　he　has　been　dead　　over　two　hundred　years。鈥�

jill　made　a　face。　〃ugh！〃　she　said。　〃thats　the　horrid　part　about　ing　　back　to　narnia。鈥�

but　eustace　went　on。

〃well　now　you　know　who　we　are；　sire；〃　he　said。　〃and　it　was　like　th