prince caspian_c·s·刘易斯-第29部分

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　river　in　the　hope　of　crossing　the　bridge　to　the　town　of　　beruna　and　there　defending　themselves　behind　ramparts　and　closed　gates。

they　reached　the　river；　but　there　was　no　bridge。　it　had　disappeared　since　　yesterday。　then　utter　panic　and　horror　fell　upon　them　and　they　all　surrendered。

but　what　had　happened　to　the　bridge？

early　that　morning；　after　a　few　hours　sleep；　the　girls　had　waked；　to　see　　aslan　standing　over　them　and　to　hear　his　voice　saying；　〃we　will　make　holiday。〃　they　rubbed　　their　eyes　and　looked　round　them。　the　trees　had　all　gone　but　could　still　be　seen　　moving　away　towards　aslans　how　in　a　dark　mass。　bacchus　and　the　maenads　…　his　fierce；　　madcap　girls　…　and　silenus　were　still　with　them。　lucy；　fully　rested；　jumped　up。　everyone　　was　awake；　everyone　was　laughing；　flutes　were　playing；　cymbals　clashing。　animals；　not　　talking　animals；　were　crowding　in　upon　them　from　every　direction。

〃what　is　it；　aslan？〃　said　lucy；　her　eyes　dancing　and　her　feet　wanting　to　　dance。

〃e；　children；〃　said　he。　〃ride　on　my　back　again　today。鈥�

〃oh；　lovely！〃　cried　lucy；　and　both　girls　climbed　on　to　the　warm　golden　back　　as　they　had　done　no　one　knew　how　many　years　before。　then　the　whole　party　moved　off　　aslan　　

leading；　bacchus　and　his　maenads　leaping；　rushing；　and　turning　somersaults；　　the　beasts　frisking　round　them；　and　silenus　and　his　donkey　bringing　up　the　rear。

they　turned　a　little　to　the　right；　raced　down　a　steep　hill；　and　found　the　　long　bridge　of　beruna　in　front　of　them。　before　they　had　begun　to　cross　it；　however；　up　out　　of　the　water　came　a　great　wet；　bearded　head；　larger　than　a　mans；　crowned　with　rushes。　　it　looked　at　aslan　and　out　of　its　mouth　a　deep　voice　came。

〃hail；　lord；〃　it　said。　〃loose　my　chains。鈥�

〃who　on　earth　is　that？〃　whispered　susan。

〃i　think　its　the　river…god；　but　hush；〃　said　lucy。

〃bacchus；〃　said　aslan。　〃deliver　him　from　his　chains。鈥�

〃that　means　the　bridge；　i　expect；〃　thought　lucy。　and　so　it　did。　bacchus　and　　his　people　splashed　forward　into　the　shallow　water；　and　a　minute　later　the　most　　curious　things　began　happening。　great；　strong　trunks　of　ivy　came　curling　up　all　the　piers　of　the　　bridge；　growing　as　quickly　as　a　fire　grows；　wrapping　the　stones　round；　splitting；　　breaking；　separating　them。　the　walls　of　the　bridge　turned　into　hedges　gay　with　　hawthorn　for　a　moment　and　then　disappeared　as　the　whole　thing　with　a　rush　and　a　rumble　　collapsed　into　the　swirling　water。　with　much　splashing；　screaming；　and　laughter　the　　revellers　waded　or　swam　or　danced　across　the　ford　（〃hurrah！　its　the　ford　of　beruna　again　　now！〃　cried　the　girls）　and　up　the　bank　on　the　far　side　and　into　the　town。

everyone　in　the　streets　fled　before　their　faces。　the　first　house　they　came　　to　was　a　school：　a　girls　school；　where　lot　of　narnian　girls；　with　their　hair　done　very　　tight　and　ugly　tight　collars　round　their　necks　and　thick　tickly　stockings　on　their　legs；　were　　having　a　history　lesson。　the　sort　of　〃history〃　that　was　taught　in　narnia　under　mirazs　rule　　was　duller　than　the　truest　history　you　ever　read　and　less　true　than　the　most　exciting　　adventure　story。

〃if　you　dont　attend；　gwendolen；〃　said　the　mistress；　and　stop　looking　out　　of　the　window；　i　shall　have　to　give　you　an　order…mark。鈥�

〃but　please；　miss　prizzle　…〃　began　gwendolen。

〃did　you　hear　what　i　said；　gwendolen？〃　asked　miss　prizzle。

〃but　please；　miss　prizzle；〃　said　gwendolen；　〃theres　a　lion！鈥�

〃take　two　order…marks　for　talking　nonsense；〃　said　miss　prizzle。　〃and　now　…〃　　a　roar　interrupted　her。　ivy　came　curling　in　at　the　windows　of　the　classroom。　the　　walls　became　a　mass　of　shimmering　green；　and　leafy　branches　arched　overhead　where　the　　ceiling　had　been。　miss　prizzle　found　she　was　standing　on　grass　in　a　forest　glade。　she　　clutched　at　her　desk　to　steady　herself；　and　found　that　the　desk　was　a　rose…bush。　wild　　people　such　as　she　　

had　never　even　imagined　were　crowding　round　her。　then　she　saw　the　lion；　　screamed　and　fled；　and　with　her　fled　her　class；　who　were　mostly　dumpy；　prim　little　girls　　with　fat　legs。

gwendolen　hesitated。

〃youll　stay　with　us；　sweetheart？〃　said　aslan。

〃oh；　may　i？　thank　you；　thank　you；〃　said　gwendolen。　instantly　she　joined　　hands　with　two　of　the　maenads；　who　whirled　her　round　in　a　merry　dance　and　helped　her　take　　off　some　of　the　unnecessary　and　unfortable　clothes　that　she　was　wearing。

wherever　they　went　in　the　little　town　of　beruna　it　was　the　same。　most　of　　the　people　fled；　a　few　joined　them。　when　they　left　the　town　they　were　a　larger　and　a　merrier　　pany。

they　swept　on　across　the　level　fields　on　the　north　bank；　or　left　bank；　of　　the　river。　at　every　farm　animals　came　out　to　join　them。　sad　old　donkeys　who　had　never　　known　joy　grew　suddenly　young　again；　chained　dogs　broke　their　chains；　horses　kicked　　their　carts　to　pieces　and　came　trotting　along　with　them　…　clop…clop　…　kicking　up　the　mud　　and　whinnying。

at　a　well　in　a　yard　they　met　a　man　who　was　beating　a　boy。　the　stick　burst　　into　flower　in　the　mans　hand。　he　tried　to　drop　it；　but　it　stuck　to　his　hand。　his　arm　　became　a　branch；　his　body　the　trunk　of　a　tree；　his　feet　took　root。　the　boy；　who　had　been　crying　　a　moment　before；　burst　out　laughing　and　joined　them。

at　a　little　town　half…way　to　beaversdam；　where　two　rivers　met；　they　came　to　　another　school；　where　a　tiredlooking　girl　was　teaching　arithmetic　to　a　number　of　　boys　who　looked　very　like　pigs。　she　looked　out　of　the　window　and　saw　the　divine　revellers　　singing　up　the　street　and　a　stab　of　joy　went　through　her　heart。　aslan　stopped　right　under　　the　window　and　looked　up　at　her。

〃oh；　dont；　dont；〃　she　said。　〃id　love　to。　but　i　mustnt。　i　must　stick　to　　my　work。　and　the　children　would　be　frightened　if　they　saw　you。鈥�

〃frightened？〃　said　the　most　pig…like　of　the　boys。　〃whos　she　talking　to　out　　of　the　window？　lets　tell　the　inspector　she　talks　to　people　out　of　the　window　when　　she　ought　to　be　teaching　us。鈥�

〃lets　go　and　see　who　it　is；〃　said　another　boy；　and　they　all　came　crowding　　to　the　window。

but　as　soon　as　their　mean　little　faces　looked　out；　bacchus　gave　a　great　cry　　of　euan；　euoi…oi…oi…of　and　the　boys　all　began　howling　with　fright　and　trampling　one　　another　down　to　get　out　of　the　door　and　jumping　out　of　the　windows。　and　it　was　said　　afterwards　（whether　truly　or　not）　that　those　particular　little　boys　were　never　seen　again；　but　　that　there　were　a　lot　of　very　fine　little　pigs　in　that　part　of　the　country　which　had　never　　been　there　before。

〃now；　dear　heart；〃　said　aslan　to　the　mistress；　and　she　jumped　down　and　　joined　them。

at　beaversdam　they　re…crossed　the　river　and　came　east　again　along　the　　southern　bank。

they　came　to　a　little　cottage　where　a　child　stood　in　the　doorway　crying。　　〃why　are　you　crying；　my　love？〃　asked　aslan。　the　child；　who　had　never　seen　a　picture　of　a　　lion；　was　not　afraid　of　him。　〃aunties　very　ill；〃　she　said。　〃shes　going　to　die。〃　then　　aslan　went　to　go　in　at　the　door　of　the　cottage；　but　it　was　too　small　for　him。　so；　when　he　had　　got　his　head　through；　he　pushed　with　his　shoulders　（lucy　and　susan　fell　off　when　he　did　　this）　and　lifted　the　whole　house　up　and　it　fell　backwards　and　apart。　and　there；　still　　in　her　bed；　though　the　bed　was　now　in　the　open　air；　lay　a　little　old　woman　who　looked　　a