the last battle_c·s·刘易斯-第23章

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strike　some　and　spare　　others。

but　at　the　very　moment　when　the　door　opened；　all　of　a　sudden　tash　was　　there；　on　this　side　of　the　door；　none　of　us　saw　where　he　came　from。　and　through　the　door　　there　came　a　big　cat。　it　gave　one　look　at　tash　and　ran　for　its　life：　just　in　time；　for　　he　pounced　at　it　and　the　door　hit　his　beak　as　it　was　shut。　the　man　could　see　tash。　he　turned　　very　pale　and　bowed　down　before　the　monster：　but　it　vanished　away。

〃then　we　waited　a　long　time　again。　at　last　the　door　opened　for　the　third　　time　and　there　came　in　a　young　calormene。　i　liked　him。　the　sentinel　at　the　door　started；　　and　looked　very　surprised；　when　he　saw　him。　i　think　hed　been　expecting　someone　quite　　different　…鈥�

〃i　see　it　all　now；〃　said　eustace　（he　had　the　bad　habit　of　interrupting　　stories）。　〃the　cat　was　to　go　in　first　and　the　sentry　had　orders　to　do　him　no　harm。　then　the　cat　　was　to　e　out　and　say　hed　seen　their　beastly　tashlan　and　pretend　to　be　frightened　so　as　　to　scare　the　other　animals。　but　what　shift　never　guessed　was　that　the　real　tash　would　　turn　up；　so　ginger　came　out　really　frightened。　and　after　that；　shift　would　send　in　　anyone　he　wanted　to　get　rid　of　and　the　sentry　would　kill　them。

and　…鈥�

〃friend；〃　said　tirian　softly；　〃you　hinder　the　lady　in　her　tale。鈥�

〃well；〃　said　lucy；　〃the　sentry　was　surprised。　that　gave　the　other　man　just　　time　to　get　on　guard。　they　had　a　fight。　he　killed　the　sentry　and　flung　him　outside　the　　door。　then　he　came　walking　slowly　forward　to　where　we　were。　he　could　see　us；　and　　everything　else。

we　tried　to　talk　to　him　but　he　was　rather　like　a　man　in　a　trance。　he　kept　　on　saying　tash；　tash；　where　is　tash？　i　go　to　tash。　so　we　gave　it　up　and　he　went　away　　somewhere　…　over　there。　i　liked　him。　and　after　that　。。。　ugh！〃　lucy　made　a　face。

〃after　that；〃　said　edmund；　〃someone　flung　a　monkey　through　the　door。　and　　tash　was　there　again。　my　sister　is　so　tender…hearted　she　doesnt　like　to　tell　you　　that　tash　made　one　peck　and　the　monkey　was　gone！鈥�

〃serve　him　right！〃　said　eustace。　〃all　the　same；　i　hope　hell　disagree　with　　tash　too。鈥�

〃and　after　that；〃　said　edmund；　〃came　about　a　dozen　dwarfs：　and　then　jill；　　and　eustace；　and　last　of　all　yourself。鈥�

〃i　hope　tash　ate　the　dwarfs　too；〃　said　eustace。　〃little　swine。鈥�

〃no；　he　didnt；〃　said　lucy。　〃and　dont　be　horrid。　theryre　still　here。　in　　fact　you　can　see　them　from　here。　and　ive　tried　and　tried　to　make　friends　with　them　but　its　　no　use。鈥�

〃friends　with　them！〃　cried　eustace。　〃if　you　knew　how　those　dwarfs　have　been　behaving！鈥�

〃oh　stop　it；　eustace；〃　said　lucy。　〃do　e　and　see　them。　king　tirian；　　perhaps　you　could　do　something　with　them。鈥�

〃i　can　feel　no　great　love　for　dwarfs　today；〃　said　tirian。　〃yet　at　your　　asking；　lady；　i　would　do　a　greater　thing　than　this。鈥�

lucy　led　the　way　and　soon　they　could　all　see　the　dwarfs。　they　had　a　very　　odd　look。　they　werent　strolling　about　or　enjoying　themselves　（although　the　cords　with　　which　they　had　been　tied　seemed　to　have　vanished）　nor　were　they　lying　down　and　having　a　　rest。　they　were　sitting　very　close　together　in　a　little　circle　facing　one　another。　　they　never　looked　round　or　took　any　notice　of　the　humans　till　lucy　and　tirian　were　almost　　near　enough　to　touch　them。　then　the　dwarfs　all　cocked　their　heads　as　if　they　couldnt　see　　anyone　but　were　listening　hard　and　trying　to　guess　by　the　sound　what　was　happening。

〃look　out！〃　said　one　of　them　in　a　surly　voice。　〃mind　where　youre　going。　　dont　walk　into　our　faces！鈥�

〃all　right！〃　said　eustace　indignantly。　〃were　not　blind。　weve　got　eyes　in　　our　heads。鈥�

〃they　must　be　darn　good　ones　if　you　can　see　in　here；〃　said　the　same　dwarf　　whose　name　was　diggle。

〃in　where？〃　asked　edmund。

〃why　you　bone…head；　in　here　of　course；〃　said　diggle。　〃in　this　pitch…black；　　poky；　smelly　little　hole　of　a　stable。鈥�

〃are　you　blind？〃　said　tirian。

〃aint　we　all　blind　in　the　dark！〃　said　diggle。

〃but　it　isnt　dark；　you　poor　stupid　dwarfs；〃　said　lucy。　〃cant　you　see？　　look　up！　look　round！　cant　you　see　the　sky　and　the　trees　and　the　flowers？　cant　you　see　　me？鈥�

〃how　in　the　name　of　all　humbug　can　i　see　what　aint　there？　and　how　can　i　　see　you　any　more　than　you　can　see　me　in　this　pitch　darkness？鈥�

〃but　i　can　see　you；〃　said　lucy。　〃ill　prove　i　can　see　you。　youve　got　a　　pipe　in　your　mouth。鈥�

〃anyone　that　knows　the　smell　of　baccy　could　tell　that；〃　said　diggle。

〃oh　the　poor　things！　this　is　dreadful；〃　said　lucy。　then　she　had　an　idea。　　she　stopped　and　picked　some　wild　violets。　〃listen；　dwarf；〃　she　said。　〃even　if　your　eyes　are　　wrong；　perhaps　your　nose　is　all　right：　can　you　smell　that？〃　she　leaned　across　and　　held　the　fresh；　damp　flowers　to　diggles　ugly　nose。　but　she　had　to　jump　back　quickly　in　　order　to　avoid　a　blow　from　his　hard　little　fist。

〃none　of　that！〃　he　shouted。　〃how　dare　you！　what　do　you　mean　by　shoving　a　　lot　of　filthy　stable…litter　in　my　face？　there　was　a　thistle　in　it　too。　its　like　your　　sauce！　and　who　are　you　anyway？鈥�

〃earth…man；〃　said　tirian；　〃she　is　the　queen　lucy；　sent　hither　by　aslan　out　　of　the　deep　past。　and　it　is　for　her　sake　alone　that　i；　tirian　your　lawful　king；　do　not　　cut　all　your　heads　from　your　shoulders；　proved　and　twice…proved　traitors　that　you　are。鈥�

〃well　if　that　doesnt　beat　everything！〃　exclaimed　diggle。　〃how　can　you　go　　on　talking　all　that　rot？　your　wonderful　lion　didnt　e　and　help　you；　did　he？　thought　　not。　and　now　…　even　now　…　when　youve　been　beaten　and　shoved　into　this　black　hole；　just　　the　same　as　the　rest　of　us；　youre　still　at　your　old　game。　starting　a　new　lie！　trying　to　　make　us　believe　were　none　of　us　shut　up；　and　it　aint　dark；　and　heaven　knows　what。鈥�

〃there　is　no　black　hole；　save　in　your　own　fancy；　fool；〃　cried　tirian。　〃e　　out　of　it。鈥�

and；　leaning　forward；　he　caught　diggle　by　the　belt　and　the　hood　and　swung　　him　right　out　of　the　circle　of　dwarfs。　but　the　moment　tirian　put　him　down；　diggle　darted　　back　to　his　place　among　the　others；　rubbing　his　nose　and　howling：　　〃ow！　ow！　what　dyou　do　that　for！　banging　my　face　against　the　wall。　youve　　nearly　broken　my　nose。鈥�

〃oh　dear！〃　said　lucy；　〃what　are　we　to　do　for　them？鈥�

〃let　em　alone；〃　said　eustace：　but　as　he　spoke　the　earth　trembled。　the　　sweet　air　grew　suddenly　sweeter。　a　brightness　flashed　behind　them。　all　turned。　tirian　　turned　last　because　he　was　afraid。　there　stood　his　hearts　desire；　huge　and　real；　the　　golden　lion；　aslan　himself；　and　already　the　others　were　kneeling　in　a　circle　round　his　　forepaws　and　burying　their　hands　and　faces　in　his　mane　as　he　stooped　his　great　head　to　　touch　them　with　his　tongue。　then　he　fixed　his　eyes　upon　tirian；　and　tirian　came　near；　　trembling；　and　flung　himself　at　the　lions　feet；　and　the　lion　kissed　him　and　said；　〃well　　done；　last　of　the　kings　of　narnia　who　stood　firm　at　the　darkest　hour。鈥�

〃aslan；〃　said　lucy　through　her　tears；　〃could　you　…　will　you　…　do　something　　for　these　poor　dwarfs？鈥�

〃dearest；〃　said　aslan；　〃i　will　show　you　both　what　i　can；　and　what　i　cannot；　　do。〃　he　came　close　to　the　dwarfs　and　gave　a　low　growl：　low；　but　it　set　all　the　air　　shaking。　but　the　dwarfs　said　to　one　another；　〃hear　that？　thats　the　gang　at　the　other　end　of　　the　stable。

trying　to　frighten　us。　they　do　it　with　a　machine　of　some　kind。　dont　take　　any　notice。

they　wont　take　us　in　again！鈥�

aslan　raised　his　head　and　shook　his　mane。　instantly　a　glorious　feast　　appeared　on　the　dwarfs　knees：　pies　and　tongues　and　pigeons　and　trifles　and　ices；　and　each　　dwarf　had　a　goblet　of　good　wine　in　his　right　hand。　but　it　wasnt　much　use。　they　began　　eating　and　drinking　greedily　enough；　but　it　was　clear　that　they　couldnt　taste　it　　properly。　they　thought　they　were　eating　and　drinking　only　the　sort　of　things　you　might　　find　in　a　stable。

one　said　he　was　trying　to　eat　hay　and　another　said　he　had　a　bit　of　an　old　　turnip　and　a　third　said　hed　found　a　raw　cabbage　leaf。　and　they　raised　golden　goblets　of　rich　　red　wine　to　their　lips　and　said　〃ugh！　fancy　drinking　dirty　water　out　of　a　trough　that　a　　donkeys　been　at！　never　thought　wed　e　to　this。〃　but　very　soon　every　dwarf　began　　suspecting　that　every　other　dwarf　had　found　something　nicer　than　he　had；　and　they　started　　grabbing　and　snatching；　and　went　on　to　quarrelling；　till　in　a　few　minutes　there　was　a　　free