the last battle_c·s·刘易斯-第16章

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d　in　england。　and　the　longer　he　caterwauled　the　less　like　a　talking　beast　he　　looked。　uneasy　whimperings　and　little　sharp　squeals　broke　out　from　among　the　other　　animals。

〃look；　look！〃　said　the　voice　of　the　bear。　〃it　cant　talk。　it　has　forgotten　　how　to　talk！　it　has　gone　back　to　being　a　dumb　beast。　look　at　its　face。〃　everyone　saw　that　it　　was　true。　and　then　the　greatest　terror　of　all　fell　upon　those　narnians。　for　every　one　of　　them　had　been　taught　…　when　it　was　only　a　chick　or　a　puppy　or　a　cub　…　how　aslan　at　the　　beginning　of　the　world　had　turned　the　beasts　of　narnia　into　talking　beasts　and　warned　them　　that　if　they　werent　good　they　might　one　day　be　turned　back　again　and　be　like　the　poor　　witless　animals　one　meets　in　other　countries。　〃and　now　it　is　ing　upon　us；〃　they　　moaned。

〃mercy！　mercy！〃　wailed　the　beasts。　〃spare　us；　lord　shift；　stand　between　us　　and　aslan；　you　must　always　go　in　and　speak　to　him　for　us。　we　darent；　we　darent。鈥�

ginger　disappeared　further　up　into　the　tree。　no　one　ever　saw　him　again。

tirian　stood　with　his　hand　on　his　sword…hilt　and　his　head　bowed。　he　was　　dazed　with　the　horrors　of　that　night。　sometimes　he　thought　it　would　be　best　to　draw　his　　sword　at　once　and　rush　upon　the　calormenes：　then　next　moment　he　thought　it　would　be　　better　to　wait　and　see　what　new　turn　affairs　might　take。　and　now　a　new　turn　came。

〃my　father；〃　came　a　clear；　ringing　voice　from　the　left　of　the　crowd。　tirian　　knew　at　once　that　it　was　one　of　the　calormenes　speaking；　for　in　the　tisrocs　army　the　　mon　soldiers　call　the　officers　〃my　master〃　but　the　officers　call　their　senior　officers　　〃my　father〃。　jill　and　eustace　didnt　know　this　but；　after　looking　this　way　and　that；　they　saw　　the　speaker；　for　of　course　people　at　the　sides　of　the　crowd　were　easier　to　see　than　　people　in　the　middle　where　the　glare　of　the　fire　made　all　beyond　it　look　rather　black。　he　was　　young　and　tall　and　slender；　and　even　rather　beautiful　in　the　dark；　haughty；　calormene　way。

〃my　father；〃　he　said　to　the　captain；　〃i　also　desire　to　go　in。鈥�

〃peace；　emeth；〃　said　the　captain；　〃who　called　thee　to　counsel？　does　it　　bee　a　boy　to　speak？鈥�

〃my　father；〃　said　emeth。　〃truly　i　am　younger　than　thou；　yet　i　also　am　of　　the　blood　of　the　tarkaans　even　as　thou　art；　and　i　also　am　the　servant　of　tash。　therefore　。　。　　。鈥�

〃silence；〃　said　rishda　tarkaan。　〃am　not　i　thy　captain？　thou　hast　nothing　to　　do　with　this　stable。　it　is　for　the　narnians。鈥�

〃nay；　my　father；〃　answered　emeth。　〃thou　hast　said　that　their　aslan　and　our　　tash　are　all　one。　and　if　that　is　the　truth；　then　tash　himself　is　in　yonder。　and　how　then　　sayest　thou　that　i　have　nothing　to　do　with　him？　for　gladly　would　i　die　a　thousand　　deaths　if　i　might　look　once　on　the　face　of　tash。鈥�

〃thou　art　a　fool　and　understandest　nothing；〃　said　rishda　tarkaan。　〃these　be　　high　matters。鈥�

emeths　face　grew　sterner。　〃is　it　then　not　true　that　tash　and　aslan　are　all　　one？〃　he　asked。

〃has　the　ape　lied　to　us？鈥�

〃of　course　theyre　all　one；〃　said　the　ape。

〃swear　it；　ape；〃　said　emeth。

〃oh　dear！〃　whimpered　shift；　〃i　wish　youd　all　stop　bothering　me。　my　head　　does　ache。

yes；　yes；　i　swear　it。鈥�

〃then；　my　father；〃　said　emeth；　〃i　am　utterly　determined　to　go　in。鈥�

〃fool；〃　began　rishda　tarkaan；　but　at　once　the　dwarfs　began　shouting：　〃e　　along；　darkie。　why　dont　you　let　him　in？　why　do　you　let　narnians　in　and　keep　your　　own　people　out？　what　have　you　got　in　there　that　you　dont　want　your　own　men　to　meet？鈥�

tirian　and　his　friends　could　only　see　the　back　of　rishda　tarkaan；　so　they　　never　knew　what　his　face　looked　like　as　he　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　said；　〃bear　　witness　all　that　i　am　guiltless　of　this　young　fools　blood。　get　thee　in；　rash　boy；　and　make　　haste。鈥�

then；　just　as　ginger　had　done；　emeth　came　walking　forward　into　the　open　　strip　of　grass　between　the　bonfire　and　the　stable。　his　eyes　were　shining；　his　face　very　　solemn；　his　hand　was　on　his　sword…hilt；　and　he　carried　his　head　high。　jill　felt　like　crying　　when　she　looked　at　his　face。　and　jewel　whispered　in　the　kings　ear；　〃by　the　lions　mane；　i　　almost　love　this　young　warrior；　calormene　though　he　be。　he　is　worthy　of　a　better　god　　than　tash。鈥�

〃i　do　wish　we　knew　what　is　really　inside　there；〃　said　eustace。

emeth　opened　the　door　and　went　in；　into　the　black　mouth　of　the　stable。　he　　closed　the　door　behind　him。　only　a　few　moments　passed　…　but　it　seemed　longer　before　　the　door　opened　again。　a　figure　in　calormene　armour　reeled　out；　fell　on　its　back；　　and　lay　still：　the　door　closed　behind　it。　the　captain　leaped　towards　it　and　bent　down　to　stare　　at　its　face。　he　gave　a　start　of　surprise。　then　he　recovered　himself　and　turned　to　the　　crowd；　crying　out：　　〃the　rash　boy　has　had　his　will。　he　has　looked　on　tash　and　is　dead。　take　　warning；　all　of　you。鈥�

〃we　will；　we　will；〃　said　the　poor　beasts。　but　tirian　and　his　friends　stared　　at　the　dead　calormene　and　then　at　one　another。　for　they；　being　so　close；　could　see　what　　the　crowd；　being　further　off　and　beyond　the　fire；　could　not　see：　this　dead　man　was　not　　emeth。　he　was　quite　different：　an　older　man；　thicker　and　not　so　tall；　with　a　big　　beard。

〃ho…ho…ho；〃　chuckled　the　ape。　〃any　more？　anyone　else　want　to　go　in？　well；　　as　youre　all　shy；　ill　choose　the　next。　you；　you　boar！　on　you　e。　drive　him　up；　　calormenes。　he　shall　see　tashlan　face　to　face。鈥�

〃o…o…mph；〃　grunted　the　boar；　rising　heavily　to　his　feet。　〃e　on；　then。　　try　my　tusks。鈥�

when　tirian　saw　that　brave　beast　getting　ready　to　fight　for　its　life　…　and　　calormene　soldiers　beginning　to　close　in　on　it　with　their　drawn　scimitars　…　and　no　　one　going　to　its　help　…　something　seemed　to　burst　inside　him。　he　no　longer　cared　if　this　was　　the　best　moment　to　interfere　or　not。

〃swords　out；〃　he　whispered　to　the　others。　〃arrow　on　string。　follow。鈥�

next　moment　the　astonished　narnians　saw　seven　figures　leap　forth　in　front　　of　the　stable；　four　of　them　in　shining　mail。　the　kings　sword　flashed　in　the　firelight　as　　he　waved　it　above　his　head　and　cried　in　a　great　voice：　　〃here　stand　i；　tirian　of　narnia；　in　aslans　name；　to　prove　with　my　body　　that　tash　is　a　foul　fiend；　the　ape　a　manifold　traitor；　and　these　calormenes　worthy　of　　death。　to　my　side；　all　true　narnians。　would　you　wait　till　your　new　masters　have　killed　you　all　　one　by　one？鈥�

　ww銆�w。x锛゛oshuotxt。銆�



CHAPTER　ELEVEN

灏忥伎璇矗�txt=锛垮ぉ。鍫�
the　pace　quickens　　　quick　as　lightning；　rishda　tarkaan　leaped　back　out　of　reach　of　the　kings　　sword。　he　was　no　coward；　and　would　have　fought　single…handed　against　tirian　and　the　　dwarf　if　need　were。　but　he　could　not　take　on　the　eagle　and　the　unicorn　as　well。　he　　knew　how　eagles　can　fly　into　your　face　and　peck　at　your　eyes　and　blind　you　with　　their　wings。　and　he　had　heard　from　his　father　（who　had　met　narnians　in　battle）　that　no　man；　　except　with　arrows；　or　a　long　spear；　can　match　a　unicorn；　for　it　rears　on　its　hind　legs　　as　it　falls　upon　you　and　then　you　have　its　hoofs　and　its　horn　and　its　teeth　to　deal　with　all　　at　once。　so　he　rushed　into　the　crowd　and　stood　calling　out：　　〃to　me；　to　me；　warriors　of　the　tisroc；　may…he…liveforever。　to　me；　all　loyal　　narnians；　lest　the　wrath　of　tashlan　fall　upon　you！鈥�

while　this　was　happening　two　other　things　happened　as　well。　the　ape　had　not　　realized　his　danger　as　quickly　as　the　tarkaan。　for　a　second　or　so　he　remained　　squatting　beside　the　fire　staring　at　the　newers。　then　tirian　rushed　upon　the　wretched　　creature；　picked　it　up　by　the　scruff　of　the　neck；　and　dashed　back　to　the　stable　shouting；　〃open　　the　door！鈥�

poggin　opened　it。　〃go　and　drink　your　own　medicine；　shift！〃　said　tirian　and　　hurled　the　ape　through　into　the　darkness。　but　as　the　dwarf　banged　the　door　shut　again；　　a　blinding　greenish…blue　light　shone　out　from　the　inside　of　the　stable；　the　earth　　shook；　and　there　was　a　strange　noise　…　a　clucking　and　screaming　as　if　it　was　the　hoarse　voice　of　　some　monstrous　bird。　the　beasts　moaned　and　howled　and　called　out　〃tashlan！　hide　　us　from　him！〃　and　many　fell　down；　and　many　hid　their　faces　in　their　wings　or　paws。　　no　one　except　farsight　the　eagle；　who　has　the　best　eyes　of　all　living　things；　　noticed　the　face　of　rishda　tarkaan　at　that　moment。　and　from　what　farsight　saw　there　he　knew　at　　once　that　rishda　was　just　as　surprised；　and　nearly　frightened；　as　everyone　else。　　〃there　goes　one；鈥�

thought　farsight；　〃who　has　called　on　gods　he　does　not　believe　in。　how　will　　it　be　with　him　if　they　have　really　e？鈥�

the　third　thing　…　which　also　happened　at　the　same　moment　…　was　the　only　　really　beautiful　thing　that　night。　every　single　talking　dog　in　the　whole　meeting　（there　were　　fifteen　of　　

them）　came　bounding　and　barking　joyously　to　the　kings　side。　they　were　　mostly　great　big　dogs　with　thick　shoulders　and　heavy　jaws。　their　ing　was　like　the　　breaking　of　a　great　wave　on　the　seabeach：　it　nearly　knocked　you　down。　for　though　they　　were　talking　dogs　they　were　just　as　doggy　as　they　could　be：　and　they　all　stood　up　and　　put　their　front　paws　on　the　shoulders　of　the　humans　and　licked　their　faces；　all　saying　at　　once：　〃wele！　wele！　well　help；　well　help；　help；　help。　show　us　how　to　help；　　show　us　how；　how。　how…how…how？鈥�

it　was　so　lovely　that　it　made　you　want　to　cry。　this；　at　last；　was　the　sort　　of　thing　they　had　been　hoping　for。　and　when；　a　moment