prince caspian_c·s·刘易斯-第13部分

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〃there　is　one　thing；　sire；〃　said　doctor　cornelius；　〃that　should　perhaps　be　　done　first。　we　do　not　know　what　form　the　help　will　take。　it　might　call　aslan　himself　from　　oversea。　but　i　think　it　is　more　likely　to　call　peter　the　high　king　and　his　mighty　consorts　　down　from　the　high　past。　but　in　either　case；　i　do　not　think　we　can　be　sure　that　the　help　　will　e　to　this　very　spot　…鈥�

〃you　never　said　a　truer　word；〃　put　in　trumpkin。

〃i　think；〃　went　on　the　learned　man；　〃that　they　…　or　he　will　e　back　to　　one　or　other　of　the　ancient　places　of　narnia。　this；　where　we　now　sit；　is　the　most　ancient　　and　most　deeply　magical　of　all；　and　here；　i　think；　the　answer　is　likeliest　to　e。　　but　there　are　two　others。　one　lantern　waste；　up…river；　west　of　beaversdam；　where　the　royal　　children　first　appeared　in　narnia；　as　the　records　tell　the　other　is　down　at　the　river…　mouth；　where　their　castle　of　cair　paravel　once　stood。　and　if　aslan　himself　es；　that　would　　be　the　best　place　for　meeting　him　too；　for　every　story　says　that　he　is　the　son　of　the　　great　emperor…over…the…sea；　and　over　the　sea　he　will　pass。　i　should　like　very　much　to　　send　messengers　to　both　places；　to　lantern　waste　and　the　river…mouth；　to　receive　them　…　or　　him　or　it。鈥�

〃just　as　i　thought；〃　muttered　trumpkin。　〃the　first　result　of　all　this　　foolery　is　not　to　bring　us　help　but　to　lose　us　two　fighters。鈥�

〃who　would　you　think　of　sending；　doctor　cornelius？〃　asked　caspian。

〃squirrels　are　best　for　getting　through　enemy　country　without　being　　caught；〃　said　trufflehunter。

〃all　our　squirrels　（and　we　havent　many）；〃　said　nikabrik；　〃are　rather　　flighty。　the　only　one　id　trust　on　a　job　like　that　would　be　pattertwig。鈥�

〃let　it　be　pattertwig；　then；〃　said　king　caspian。　〃and　who　for　our　other　　messenger？　i　know　youd　go；　trufflehunter；　but　you　havent　the　speed。　nor　you；　doctor　　cornelius。鈥�

〃i　wont　go；〃　said　nikabrik。　〃with　all　these　humans　and　beasts　about；　there　　must　be　a　dwarf　here　to　see　that　the　dwarfs　are　fairly　treated。鈥�

〃thimbles　and　thunderstorms！〃　cried　trumpkin　in　a　rage。　〃is　that　how　you　　speak　to　the　king？　send　me；　sire；　ill　go。鈥�

〃but　i　thought　you　didnt　believe　in　the　horn；　trumpkin；〃　said　caspian。

〃no　more　i　do；　your　majesty。　but　whats　that　got　to　do　with　it？　i　might　as　　well　die　on　a　wild　goose　chase　as　die　here。　you　are　my　king。　i　know　the　difference　　between　giving　advice　and　taking　orders。　youve　had　my　advice；　and　now　its　the　time　for　　orders。鈥�

〃i　will　never　forget　this；　trumpkin；〃　said　caspian。　〃send　for　pattertwig；　　one　of　you。　and　when　shall　i　blow　the　horn？鈥�

〃i　would　wait　for　sunrise；　your　majesty；〃　said　doctor　cornelius。　〃that　　sometimes　has　an　effect　in　operations　of　white　magic。鈥�

a　few　minutes　later　pattertwig　arrived　and　had　his　task　explained　to　him。　　as　he　was；　like　many　squirrels；　full　of　courage　and　dash　and　energy　and　excitement　and　　mischief　（not　to　say　conceit）；　he　no　sooner　heard　it　than　he　was　eager　to　be　off。　it　was　　arranged　that　he　should　run　for　lantern　waste　while　trumpkin　made　the　shorter　journey　to　the　　river…mouth。　after　a　hasty　meal　they　both　set　off　with　the　fervent　thanks　and　　good　wishes　of　the　king；　the　badger；　and　cornelius。

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CHAPTER　EIGHT

灏彛胯�矗縯xt？澶╁爞
how　they　left　the　island　　

〃and　so；〃　said　trumpkin　（for；　as　you　have　realized；　it　was　he　who　had　been　　telling　all　this　story　to　the　four　children；　sitting　on　the　grass　in　the　ruined　hall　of　　cair　paravel）　…　〃and　so　i　put　a　crust　or　two　in　my　pocket；　left　behind　all　weapons　but　my　　dagger；　and　took　to　the　woods　in　the　grey　of　the　morning。　id　been　plugging　away　for　　many　hours　when　there　came　a　sound　that　id　never　heard　the　like　of　in　my　born　days。　　eh；　i　wont　forget　that。　the　whole　air　was　full　of　it；　loud　as　thunder　but　far　longer；　　cool　and　sweet　as　music　over　water；　but　strong　enough　to　shake　the　woods。　and　i　said　to　　myself；　‘if　thats　not　the　horn；　call　me　a　rabbit。　and　a　moment　later　i　wondered　why　he　　hadnt　blown　it　sooner…鈥�

〃what　time　was　it？〃　asked　edmund。

〃between　nine　and　ten　of　the　clock；〃　said　trumpkin。

〃just　when　we　were　at　the　railway　station！〃　said　all　the　children；　and　　looked　at　one　another　with　shining　eyes。

〃please　go　on；〃　said　lucy　to　the　dwarf。

〃well；　as　i　was　saying；　i　wondered；　but　i　went　on　as　hard　as　i　could　pelt。　　i　kept　on　all　night　…　and　then；　when　it　was　half　light　this　morning；　as　if　id　no　more　　sense　than　a　giant；　i　risked　a　short　cut　across　open　country　to　cut　off　a　big　loop　of　the　　river；　and　was　caught。

not　by　the　army；　but　by　a　pompous　old　fool　who　has　charge　of　a　little　　castle　which　is　mirazs　last　stronghold　towards　the　coast。　i　neednt　tell　you　they　got　no　　true　tale　out　of　me；　but　i　was　a　dwarf　and　that　was　enough。　but；　lobsters　and　lollipops！　it　　is　a　good　thing　the　seneschal　was　a　pompous　fool。　anyone　else　would　have　run　me　through　　there　and　then。　but　nothing　would　do　for　him　short　of　a　grand　execution：　sending　me　　down　‘to　the　ghosts　in　the　full　ceremonial　way。　and　then　this　young　lady〃；　（he　nodded　at　　susan）　〃does　her　bit　of　archery　and　it　was　pretty　shooting；　let　me　tell　you　…　and　here　　we　are。　and　without　my　armour；　for　of　course　they　took　that。〃　he　knocked　out　and　　refilled　his　pipe。

〃great　scott！〃　said　peter。　〃so　it　was　the　horn　…　your　own　horn；　su　…　that　　dragged　us　all　off　that　seat　on　the　platform　yesterday　morning！　i　can　hardly　believe　it；　yet　　it　all　fits　in。鈥�

〃i　dont　know　why　you　shouldnt　believe　it；〃　said　lucy；　〃if　you　believe　in　　magic　at　all。

arent　there　lots　of　stories　about　magic　forcing　people　out　of　one　place　…　　out　of　one　world　…　into　another？　i　mean；　when　a　magician　in　the　arabian　nights　calls　up　a　　jinn；　it　has　to　e。　we　had　to　e；　just　like　that。鈥�

〃yes；〃　said　peter；　〃i　suppose　what　makes　it　feel　so　queer　is　that　in　the　　stories　its　always　someone　in　our　world　who　does　the　calling。　one　doesnt　really　think　about　　where　the　jinns　ing　from。鈥�

〃and　now　we　know　what　it　feels　like　for　the　jinn；〃　said　edmund　with　a　　chuckle。　〃golly！

its　a　bit　unfortable　to　know　that　we　can　be　whistled　for　like　that。　　its　worse　than　what　father　says　about　living　at　the　mercy　of　the　telephone。鈥�

〃but　we　want　to　be　here；　dont　we；〃　said　lucy；　〃if　aslan　wants　us？鈥�

〃meanwhile；〃　said　the　dwarf；　〃what　are　we　to　do？　i　suppose　id　better　go　　back　to　king　caspian　and　tell　him　no　help　has　e。鈥�

〃no　help？〃　said　susan。　〃but　it　has　worked。　and　here　we　are。鈥�

〃um　…　um　…　yes；　to　be　sure。　i　see　that；〃　said　the　dwarf；　whose　pipe　seemed　　to　be　blocked　（at　any　rate　he　made　himself　very　busy　cleaning　it）。　〃but…　well　…　i　mean　…鈥�

〃but　dont　you　yet　see　who　we　are？〃　shouted　lucy。　〃you　are　stupid。鈥�

〃i　suppose　you　are　the　four　children　out　of　the　old　stories；〃　said　　trumpkin。　〃and　im　very　glad　to　meet　you　of　course。　and　its　very　interesting；　no　doubt。　but　…　no　　offence？…　and　he　hesitated　again。

〃do　get　on　and　say　whatever　youre　going　to　say；〃　said　edmund。

〃well；　then　…　no　offence；〃　said　trumpkin。　〃but；　you　know；　the　king　and　　trufflehunter　and　doctor　cornelius　were　expecting　…　well；　if　you　see　what　i　mean；　help。　　to　put　it　in　another　way；　i　think　theyd　been　imagining　you　as　great　warriors。　as　it　is　　…　were　awfully　fond　of　children　and　all　that；　but　just