the horse and his boy_c·s·刘易斯-第28章

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presently　queen　lucy　came　out　from　the　castle　and　joined　them　and　king　lune　　said　to　aravis；　〃my　dear；　here　is　a　loving　friend　of　our　house；　and　she　has　been　　seeing　that　your　apartments　are　put　to　rights　for　you　better　than　i　could　have　done　it。鈥�

〃youd　like　to　e　and　see　them；　wouldnt　you？〃　said　lucy；　kissing　aravis。　　they　liked　each　other　at　once　and　soon　went　away　together　to　talk　about　araviss　　bedroom　and　araviss　boudoir　and　about　getting　clothes　for　her；　and　all　the　sort　of　　things　girls　do　talk　about　on　such　an　occasion。

after　lunch；　which　they　had　on　the　terrace　（it　was　cold　birds　and　cold　game　　pie　and　wine　and　bread　and　cheese）；　king　lune　ruffled　up　his　brow　and　heaved　a　sigh　and　　said；　〃heigh…ho！　we　have　still　that　sorry　creature　rsh　on　our　hands；　my　　friends；　and　must　needs　resolve　what　to　do　with　him。鈥�

lucy　was　sitting　on　the　kings　right　and　aravis　on　his　left。　king　edmund　　sat　at　one　end　of　the　table　and　the　lord　darrin　faced　him　at　the　other。　dar　and　peridan　　and　cor　and　corin　were　on　the　same　side　as　the　king。

〃your　majesty　would　have　a　perfect　right　to　strike　off　his　head；〃　said　　peridan。　〃such　an　assault　as　he　made　puts　him　on　a　level　with　assassins。鈥�

〃it　is　very　true；〃　said　edmund。　〃but　even　a　traitor　may　mend。　i　have　known　　one　that　did。鈥�

and　he　looked　very　thoughtful。

〃to　kill　this　rsh　would　go　near　to　raising　war　with　the　tisroc；〃　said　　darrin。

〃a　fig　for　the　tisroc；〃　said　king　lune。　〃his　strength　is　in　numbers　and　　numbers　will　never　cross　the　desert。　but　i　have　no　stomach　for　killing　men　（even　　traitors）　in　cold　blood。　to　have　cut　his　throat　in　the　battle　would　have　eased　my　heart　　mightily；　but　this　is　a　different　thing。鈥�

〃by　my　counsel；〃　said　lucy；　〃your　majesty　shall　give　him　another　trial。　let　　him　go　free　on　strait　promise　of　fair　dealing　in　the　future。　it　may　be　that　he　will　　keep　his　word。鈥�

〃maybe　apes　will　grow　honest；　sister；〃　said　edmund。　〃but；　by　the　lion；　if　　he　breaks　it　again；　may　it　be　in　such　time　and　place　that　any　of　us　could　swap　off　his　　head　in　clean　battle。鈥�

〃it　shall　be　tried；〃　said　the　king：　and　then　to　one　of　the　attendants；　　〃send　for　the　prisoner；　friend。鈥�

rsh　was　brought　before　them　in　chains。　to　look　at　him　anyone　would　　have　supposed　that　he　had　passed　the　night　in　a　noisome　dungeon　without　food　or　　water；　but　in　reality　he　had　been　shut　up　in　quite　a　fortable　room　and　provided　with　　an　excellent　supper。　but　as　he　was　sulking　far　too　furiously　to　touch　the　supper　and　had　　spent　the　whole　night　stamping　and　roaring　and　cursing；　he　naturally　did　not　now　look　　his　best。

〃your　royal　highness　needs　not　to　be　told；〃　said　king　lune；　〃that　by　the　　law　of　nations　as　well　as　by　all　reasons　of　prudent　policy；　we　have　as　good　right　to　your　　head　as　ever　one　mortal　man　had　against　another。　nevertheless；　in　consideration　of　your　　youth　and　the　ill　nurture；　devoid　of　all　gentilesse　and　courtesy；　which　you　have　　doubtless　had　in　the　land　of　slaves　and　tyrants；　we　are　disposed　to　set　you　free；　unharmed；　on　　these　conditions：　first；　that…鈥�

〃curse　you　for　a　barbarian　dog！〃　spluttered　rsh。　〃do　you　think　i　will　　even　hear　your　conditions？　faugh！　you　talk　very　largely　of　nurture　and　i　know　not　　what。　its　easy；　to　a　man　in　chains；　ha！　take　off　these　vile　bonds；　give　me　a　sword；　and　let　　any　of　you　who　dares　then　debate　with　me。鈥�

nearly　all　the　lords　sprang　to　their　feet；　and　corin　shouted：　　

〃father！　can　i　box　him？　please。鈥�

〃peace！　your　majesties！　my　lords！〃　said　king　lune。　〃have　we　no　more　gravity　　among　us　than　to　be　so　chafed　by　the　taunt　of　a　pajock？　sit　down；　corin；　or　shaft　　leave　the　table。

i　ask　your　highness　again；　to　hear　our　conditions。鈥�

〃i　hear　no　conditions　from　barbarians　and　sorcerers；〃　said　rsh。　〃not　　one　of　you　dare　touch　a　hair　of　my　head。　every　insult　you　have　heaped　on　me　shall　be　　paid　with　oceans　of　narnian　and　archenlandish　blood。　terrible　shall　the　vengeance　of　　the　tisroc　be：　even　now。　but　kill　me；　and　the　burnings　and　torturings　in　these　　northern　lands　shall　bee　a　tale　to　frighten　the　world　a　thousand　years　hence。　beware！　beware！　　beware！

the　bolt　of　tash　falls　from　above！鈥�

〃does　it　ever　get　caught　on　a　hook　half…way？〃　asked　corin。

〃shame；　corin；〃　said　the　king。　〃never　taunt　a　man　save　when　he　is　stronger　　than　you：　then；　as　you　please。鈥�

〃oh　you　foolish　rsh；〃　sighed　lucy。

next　moment　cor　wondered　why　everyone　at　the　table　had　risen　and　was　　standing　perfectly　still。　of　course　he　did　the　same　himself。　and　then　he　saw　the　　reason。　aslan　was　among　them　though　no　one　had　seen　him　ing。　rsh　started　as　the　　immense　shape　of　the　lion　paced　softly　in　between　him　and　his　accusers。

〃rsh；〃　said　aslan。　〃take　heed。　your　doom　is　very　near；　but　you　may　　still　avoid　it。

forget　your　pride　（what　have　you　to　be　proud　of？）　and　your　anger　（who　has　　done　you　wrong？）　and　accept　the　mercy　of　these　good　kings。鈥�

then　rsh　rolled　his　eyes　and　spread　out　his　mouth　into　a　horrible；　　long　mirthless　grin　like　a　shark；　and　wagged　his　ears　up　and　down　（anyone　can　learn　how　to　　do　this　if　they　take　the　trouble）。　he　had　always　found　this　very　effective　in　　calormen。　the　bravest　had　trembled　when　he　made　these　faces；　and　ordinary　people　had　fallen　to　　the　floor；　and　sensitive　people　had　often　fainted。　but　what　rsh　hadnt　realized　is　　that　it　is　very　easy　to　frighten　people　who　know　you　can　have　them　boiled　alive　the　moment　　you　give　the　word。　the　grimaces　didnt　look　at　all　alarming　in　archenland；　indeed　　lucy　only　thought　rsh　was　going　to　be　sick。

〃demon！　demon！　demon！〃　shrieked　the　prince。　〃i　know　you。　you　are　the　foul　　fiend　of　narnia。　you　are　the　enemy　of　the　gods。　learn　who　i　am；　horrible　phantasm。　i　　am　descended　from　tash；　the　inexorable；　the　irresistible。　the　curse　of　tash　is　　upon　you。

lightning　in　the　shape　of　scorpions　shall　be　rained　on　you。　the　mountains　　of　narnia　shall　be　ground　into　dust。　the…鈥�

〃have　a　care；　rsh；〃　said　aslan　quietly。　〃the　doom　is　nearer　now：　it　is　　at　the　door：　it　has　lifted　the　latch。鈥�

〃let　the　skies　fall；〃　shrieked　rsh。　〃let　the　earth　gape！　let　blood　and　　fire　obliterate　the　world！　but　be　sure　i　will　never　desist　till　i　have　dragged　to　my　palace　　by　her　hair　the　barbarian　queen；　the　daughter　of　dogs；　the　…鈥�

〃the　hour　has　struck；〃　said　aslan：　and　rsh　saw；　to　his　supreme　horror；　　that　everyone　had　begun　to　laugh。

they　couldnt　help　it。　rsh　had　been　wagging　his　ears　all　the　time　and　　as　soon　as　aslan　said；　〃the　hour　has　struck！〃　the　ears　began　to　change。　they　grew　　longer　and　more　pointed　and　soon　were　covered　with　grey　hair。　and　while　everyone　was　　wondering　where　they　had　seen　ears　like　that　before；　rshs　face　began　to　change　too。　　it　grew　longer；　and　thicker　at　the　top　and　larger　eyed；　and　the　nose　sank　back　into　the　　face　（or　else　the　face　swelled　out　and　became　all　nose）　and　there　was　hair　all　over　it。　and　　his　arms　grew　longer　and　came　down　in　front　of　him　till　his　hands　were　resting　on　the　　ground：　only　they　werent　hands；　now；　they　were　hoofs。　and　he　was　standing　on　all　fours；　and　　his　clothes　disappeared；　and　everyone　laughed　louder　and　louder　（because　they　couldnt　　help　it）　for　now　what　had　been　rsh　was；　simply　and　unmistakably；　a　donkey。　the　　terrible　thing　was　that　his　human　speech　lasted　just　a　moment　longer　than　his　human　shape；　　so　that　when　he　realized　the　change　that　was　ing　over　him；　he　screamed　out：　　〃oh；　not　a　donkey！　mercy！　if　it　were　even　a　horse　…　een　…　a　hor　…　eeh　…　　auh；　eeh…auh。鈥�

and　so　the　words　died　away　into　a　donkeys　bray。

〃now　hear　me；　rsh；〃　said　aslan。　〃justice　shall　be　mixed　with　mercy。　　you　shall　not　always　be　an　ass。鈥�

at　this　of　course　the　donkey　twitched　its　ears　forward　and　that　also　was　so　　funny　that　everybody　laughed　all　the　more。　they　tried　not　to；　but　they　tried　in　vain。

〃you　have　appealed　to　tash；〃　said　aslan。　〃and　in　the　temple　of　tash　you　　shall　be　healed。

you　must　stand　before　the　altar　of　tash　in　tashbaan　at　the　great　autumn　　feast　this　year　and　there；　in　the　sight　of　all　tashbaan；　your　asss　shape　will　fall　from　　you　and　all　men　will　know　you　for　prince　rsh。　but　as　long　as　you　live；　if　ever　you　go　　more　than　ten　miles　away　from　the　great　temple　in　tashbaan　you　shall　instantly　bee　　again　as　you　now　are。　and　from　that　second　change　there　will　be　no　return。鈥�

there　was　a　short　silence　and　then　they　all　stirred　and　looked　at　one　　another　as　if　they　were　waking　from　sleep。　aslan　was　gone。　but　there　was　a　brightness　in　the　　air　and　on　the　grass；　and　a　joy　in　their　hearts；　which　assured　them　that　he　had　been　no　　dream：　and　anyway；　there　was　the　donkey　in　front　of　them。

king　lune　was　the　kindest…hearted　of　men　and　on　seeing　his　enemy　in　this　　regrettable　condition　he　forgot　all　his　anger。

〃your　royal　highness；〃　he　said。　〃i　am　most　truly　sorry　that　things　have　　e　to　this　extremity。　your　highness　will　bear　witness　that　it　was　none　of　our　doing。　　and　of　course　we　shall　be　delighted　to　provide　your　highness　with　shipping　back　to　　tashbaan　for　the　…　er　…　treatment　which　aslan　has　prescribed。　you　shall　have　every　fort　　which　your　highnesss　situation　allows：　the　best　of　the　cattleboats　…　the　freshest　　carrots　and　thistles　…鈥�

but　a　deafening　bray　from　the　donkey　and　a　well…aimed　kick　at　one　of　t