the last battle_c·s·刘易斯-第5章

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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　the　beasts。　he　had　　been　staring　hard　at　the　ape　and　the　calormene　captain　all　the　time　and　had　never　once　　blinked　his　eyes。

〃excuse　me；〃　said　the　cat　very　politely；　〃but　this　interests　me。　does　your　　friend　from　calormen　say　the　same？鈥�

〃assuredly；〃　said　the　calormene。　〃the　enlightened　ape　…　man；　i　mean　…　is　in　　the　right。

aslan　means　neither　less　nor　more　than　tash。鈥�

〃especially；　aslan　means　no　more　than　tash？〃　suggested　the　cat。

〃no　more　at　all；〃　said　the　calormene；　looking　the　cat　straight　in　the　face。

〃is　that　good　enough　for　you；　ginger？〃　said　the　ape。

〃oh　certainly；〃　said　ginger　coolly。　〃thank　you　very　much。　i　only　wanted　to　　be　quite　clear。　i　think　i　am　beginning　to　understand。鈥�

up　till　now　the　king　and　jewel　had　said　nothing：　they　were　waiting　until　　the　ape　should　bid　them　speak；　for　they　thought　it　was　no　use　interrupting。　but　now；　as　　tirian　looked　round　on　the　miserable　faces　of　the　narnians；　and　saw　how　they　would　all　　believe　that　aslan　and　tash　were　one　and　the　same；　he　could　bear　it　no　longer。

〃ape；〃　he　cried　with　a　great　voice；　〃you　lie　damnably。　you　lie　like　a　　calormene。　you　lie　like　an　ape。鈥�

he　meant　to　go　on　and　ask　how　the　terrible　god　tash　who　fed　on　the　blood　of　　his　people　could　possibly　be　the　same　as　the　good　lion　by　whose　blood　all　narnia　was　　saved。　if　he　had　been　allowed　to　speak；　the　rule　of　the　ape　might　have　ended　that　day；　　the　beasts　might　have　seen　the　truth　and　thrown　the　ape　down。　but　before　he　could　say　　another　word　two　calormenes　struck　him　in　the　mouth　with　all　their　force；　and　a　　third；　from　behind；　kicked　his　feet　from　under　him。　and　as　he　fell；　the　ape　squealed　in　　rage　and　terror。

〃take　him　away。　take　him　away。　take　him　where　he　cannot　hear　us；　nor　we　　hear　him。

there　tie　him　to　a　tree。　i　will　…　i　mean；　aslan　will　…　do　justice　on　him　　later。鈥�

w锛穡锛氾紵



CHAPTER　FOUR

锝炲皬　　璇磘　　xt　澶�；鍫�
what　happened　that　night

the　king　was　so　dizzy　from　being　knocked　down　that　he　hardly　knew　what　was　happening　until　the　calormenes　untied　his　wrists　and　put　his　arms　straight　　down　by　his　sides　and　set　him　with　his　back　against　an　ash　tree。　then　they　bound　ropes　　round　his　ankles　and　his　knees　and　his　waist　and　his　chest　and　left　him　there。　what　　worried　him　worst　at　the　moment　…　for　it　is　often　little　things　that　are　hardest　to　　stand　…　was　that　his　lip　was　bleeding　where　they　had　hit　him　and　he　couldnt　wipe　the　little　trickle　　of　blood　away　although　it　tickled　him。

from　where　he　was　he　could　still　see　the　little　stable　on　the　top　of　the　　hill　and　the　ape　sitting　in　front　of　it。　he　could　just　hear　the　apes　voice　still　going　on　　and；　every　now　and　then；　some　answer　from　the　crowd；　but　he　could　not　make　out　the　words。

〃i　wonder　what　theyve　done　to　jewel；〃　thought　the　king。

presently　the　crowd　of　beasts　broke　up　and　began　going　away　in　different　　directions。

some　passed　close　to　tirian。　they　looked　at　him　as　if　they　were　both　　frightened　and　sorry　to　see　him　tied　up　but　none　of　them　spoke。　soon　they　had　all　gone　and　　there　was　silence　in　the　wood。　then　hours　and　hours　went　past　and　tirian　became　first　　very　thirsty　and　then　very　hungry；　and　as　the　afternoon　dragged　on　and　turned　into　　evening；　he　became　cold　too。　his　back　was　very　sore。　the　sun　went　down　and　it　began　to　　be　twilight。

when　it　was　almost　dark　tirian　heard　a　light　pitter…patter　of　feet　and　saw　　some　small　creatures　ing　towards　him。　the　three　on　the　left　were　mice；　and　there　　was　a　rabbit　in　the　middle：　on　the　right　were　two　moles。　both　these　were　carrying　little　　bags　on　their　backs　which　gave　them　a　curious　look　in　the　dark　so　that　at　first　he　　wondered　what　kind　of　beasts　they　were。　then；　in　a　moment；　they　were　all　standing　up　on　their　　hind　legs；　laying　their　cool　paws　on　his　knees　and　giving　his　knees　snuffly　animal　　kisses。　（they　could　reach　his　knees　because　narnian　talking　beasts　of　that　sort　are　　bigger　than　the　dumb　beasts　of　the　same　kind　in　england。）

〃lord　king！　dear　lord　king；〃　said　their　shrill　voices；　〃we　are　so　sorry　for　　you。　we　darent　untie　you　because　aslan　might　be　angry　with　us。　but　weve　brought　　you　your　supper。鈥�

at　once　the　first　mouse　climbed　nimbly　up　till　he　was　perched　on　the　rope　　that　bound　tirians　chest　and　was　wrinkling　his　blunt　nose　in　front　of　tirians　face。　　then　the　second　mouse　climbed　up　and　hung　on　just　below　the　first　mouse。　the　other　beasts　　stood　on　the　ground　and　began　handing　things　up。

〃drink；　sire；　and　then　youll　find　you　are　able　to　eat；〃　said　the　topmost　　mouse；　and　tirian　found　that　a　little　wooden　cup　was　being　held　to　his　lips。　it　was　only　the　　size　of　an　egg　cup　so　that　he　had　hardly　tasted　the　wine　in　it　before　it　was　empty。　but　　then　the　mouse　passed　it　down　and　the　others　re…filled　it　and　it　was　passed　up　again　and　　tirian　emptied　it　a　second　time。　in　this　way　they　went　on　till　he　had　quite　a　good　drink；　　which　was　all　the　better　for　ing　in　little　doses；　for　that　is　more　thirst…quenching　than　　one　long　draught。

〃here　is