小说园

chater even ld narnia danr（第1页）

THEPLACEwheretheyhadmettheFaunswas，ofcourse，DancingLawnitself，andhereCaspianandhisfriendsremainedtillthenightofthegreatCouncil．Tosleepunderthestars，todrinknothingbutwellwaterandtolivechieflyonnutsandwildfruit，wasastrangeexperienceforCaspianafterhisbedwithsilkensheetsinatapestriedchamberatthecastle，withmealslaidoutongoldandsilverdishesintheanteroom，andattendantsreadyathiscall．Buthehadneverenjoyedhimselfmore．Neverhadsleepbeenmorerefreshingnorfoodtastedmoresavoury，andhebeganalreadytohardenandhisfaceworeakinglierlook．

Whenthegreatnightcame，andhisvariousstrangesubjectscamestealingintothelawnbyonesandtwosandthreesorbysixesandsevens—themoonthenshiningalmostatherfull—hisheartswelledashesawtheirnumbersandheardtheirgreetings．Allwhomhehadmetwerethere:BulgyBearsandRedDwarfsandBlackDwarfs，MolesandBadgers，HaresandHedgehogs，andotherswhomhehadnotyetseen—fiveSatyrsasredasfoxes，thewholecontingentofTalkingMice，armedtotheteethandfollowingashrilltrumpet，someOwls，theOldRavenofRavenscaur．Lastofall（andthistookCaspian’sbreathaway），withtheCentaurscameasmallbutgenuineGiant，WimbleweatherofDeadman’sHill，carryingonhisbackabasketfulofrathersea-sickDwarfswhohadacceptedhisofferofaliftandwerenowwishingtheyhadwalkedinstead．

TheBulgyBearswereveryanxioustohavethefeastfirstandleavethecounciltillafterwards:perhapstilltomorrow．ReepicheepandhisMicesaidthatcouncilsandfeastscouldbothwait，andproposedstormingMirazinhisowncastlethatverynight．PattertwigandtheotherSquirrelssaidtheycouldtalkandeatatthesametime，sowhynothavethecouncilandfeastallatonce？TheMolesproposedthrowingupentrenchmentsroundtheLawnbeforetheydidanythingelse．TheFaunsthoughtitwouldbebettertobeginwithasolemndance．TheOldRaven，whileagreeingwiththeBearsthatitwouldtaketoolongtohaveafullcouncilbeforesupper，beggedtobeallowedtogiveabriefaddresstothewholecompany．ButCaspianandtheCentaursandtheDwarfsoverruledallthesesuggestionsandinsistedonholdingarealcouncilofwaratonce。

Whenalltheothercreatureshadbeenpersuadedtositdownquietlyinagreatcircle，andwhen（withmoredifficulty）theyhadgotPattertwigtostoprunningtoandfroandsaying“Silence！Silence，everyone，fortheKing’sspeech”，Caspian，feelingalittlenervous，gotup．“Narnians！”hebegan，buthenevergot

anyfurther，foratthatverymomentCamillotheHaresaid，“Hush！There’saMansomewherenear．”

Theywereallcreaturesofthewild，accustomedtobeinghunted，andtheyallbecamestillasstatues．ThebeastsallturnedtheirnosesinthedirectionwhichCamillohadindicated．

“SmellslikeManandyetnotquitelikeMan，”whisperedTrufflehunter．

“It’sgettingsteadilynearer，”saidCamillo．

“TwobadgersandyouthreeDwarfs，withyourbowsatthe-ready，gosoftlyofftomeetit，”saidCaspian．

“We’llsettle’un，”saidaBlackDwarfgrimly，fittingashafttohisbowstring．

Don’tshootifitisalone，”saidCaspian．“Catchit．”

“Why？”askedtheDwarf．

“Doasyou’retold，”saidGlenstormtheCentaur．

EveryonewaitedinsilencewhilethethreeDwarfsandtwoBadgerstrottedstealthilyacrosstothetreesonthenorthwestsideoftheLawn．Thencameasharpdwarfishcry，“Stop！Whogoesthere？”andasuddenspring．Amomentlateravoice，whichCaspianknewwell，couldheheardsaying，“Allright，allright，I’munarmed．Takemywristsifyoulike，worthyBadgers，butdon’tbiterightthroughthem．IwanttospeaktotheKing．”

“DoctorCornelius！”criedCaspianwithjoy，andrushedforwardtogreethisoldtutor．Everyoneelsecrowdedround．

“Pah！”saidNikabrik．“ArenegadeDwarf．Ahalf-and-halfer！ShallIpassmyswordthroughitsthroat？”

“Bequiet，Nikabrik，”saidTrumpkin．“Thecreaturecan’thelpitsancestry．”

“Thisismygreatestfriendandthesaviourofmylife，”saidCaspian．“Andanyonewhodoesn’tlikehiscompanymayleavemyarmy:atonce．Dearestdoctor，Iamgladtoseeyouagain．Howeverdidyoufindusout？”

“Byalittleuseofsimplemagic，yourMajesty，”saidtheDoctor，whowasstillpuffingandblowingfromhavingwalkedsofast．“Butthere’snotimetogointothatnow．Wemustallflyfromthisplaceatonce．YouarealreadybetrayedandMirazisonthemove．Beforemiddaytomorrowyouwillbesurrounded．”

“Betrayed！”saidCaspian．“Andbywhom？”

“AnotherrenegadeDwarf，nodoubt，”saidNikabrik．

“ByyourhorseDestrier，”saidDoctorCornelius．“Thepoorbruteknewnobetter．Whenyouwereknockedoff，ofcourse，hewentdawdlingbacktohisstableinthecastle．Thenthesecretofyourflightwasknown．Imademyselfscarce，havingnowishtobequestionedaboutitinMiraz’storturechamber．IhadaprettygoodguessfrommycrystalastowhereIshouldfindyou。Butallday—hatwasthedaybeforeyesterday—IsawMiraz’strackingpartiesoutinthewoods．YesterdayIlearnedthathisarmyisout．Idon’tthinksomeofyour—um—pure-bloodedDwarfshaveasmuchwoodcraftasmightbeexpected．You’velefttracksallovertheplace．Greatcarelessness．AtanyratesomethinghaswarnedMirazthatOldNarniaisnotsodeadashehadhoped，andheisonthemove．”

“Hurrah！”saidaveryshrillandsmallvoicefromsomewhereattheDoctor’sfeet．“Letthemcome！AllIaskisthattheKingwillputmeandmypeopleinthefront．”

“Whatonearth？”saidDoctorCornelius．“HasyourMajestygotgrasshoppers—ormosquitoes—inyourarmy？”Thenafterstoopingdownandpeeringcarefullythroughhisspectacles，hebrokeintoalaugh．

“BytheLion，”heswore，“it’samouse．SigniorMouse，Idesireyourbetteracquaintance．Iamhonouredbymeetingsovaliantabeast．”

“Myfriendshipyoushallhave，learnedMan，”pipedReepicheep．“AndanyDwarf—orGiant—inthearmywhodoesnotgiveyougoodlanguageshallhavemyswordtoreckonwith．”

“Istheretimeforthisfoolery？”askedNikabrik．“Whatareourplans？Battleorflight？”

“Battleifneedbe，”saidTrumpkin．“Butwearehardlyreadyforityet，andthisisnoverydefensibleplace．”

“Idon’tliketheideaofrunningaway，”saidCaspian．

“Hearhim！Hearhim！”saidtheBulgyBears．“Whateverwedo，don’tlet’shaveanyrunning．Especiallynotbeforesupper;andnottoosoonafteritneither．”

“Thosewhorunfirstdonotalwaysrunlast，”saidtheCentaur．“Andwhyshouldwelettheenemychooseourpositioninsteadofchoosingitourselves？Letusfindastrongplace．”

“That’swise，yourMajesty，that’swise，”saidTrufflehunter．

“Butwherearewetogo？”askedseveralvoices．

“YourMajesty，”saidDoctorCornelius，“andallyouvarietyofcreatures，Ithinkwemustflyeastanddowntherivertothegreatwoods．TheTelmarineshatethatregion．Theyhavealwaysbeenafraidoftheseaandofsomethingthatmaycomeoverthesea．Thatiswhytheyhaveletthegreatwoodsgrowup．Iftraditionsspeaktrue，theancientCairParavelwasattheriver-mouth．Allthatpartisfriendlytousandhatefultoourenemies．WemustgotoAslan’sHow．”

“Aslan’sHow？”saidseveralvoices．“Wedonotknowwhatitis．”

“ItlieswithintheskirtsoftheGreatWoodsanditisahugemoundwhichNarniansraisedinveryancienttimesoveraverymagicalplace，wheretherestood—andperhapsstillstands—averymagicalStone．TheMoundisallhollowedoutwithinintogalleriesandcaves，andtheStoneisinthecentralcaveofall．Thereisroominthemoundforallourstores，andthoseofuswhohavemostneedofcoverandaremostaccustomedtoundergroundlifecanbelodgedinthecaves．Therestofuscanlieinthewood．Atapinchallofus（exceptthisworthyGiant）couldretreatintotheMounditself，andthereweshouldbebeyondthereachofeverydangerexceptfamine．”

“Itisagoodthingwehavealearnedmanamongus，”saidTrufflehunter;butTrumpkinmutteredunderhisbreath，“Soupandcelery！Iwishourleaderswouldthinklessabouttheseoldwives’talesandmoreaboutvictualsandarms．”ButallapprovedofCornelius’sproposalandthatverynight，halfanhourlater，theywereonthemarch．BeforesunrisetheyarrivedatAslan’sHow．

Itwascertainlyanawesomeplace，aroundgreenhillontopofanotherhill，longsincegrownoverwithtrees，andonelittle，lowdoorwayleadingintoit．Thetunnelsinsidewereaperfectmazetillyougottoknowthem，andtheywerelinedandroofedwithsmoothstones，andonthestones，peeringinthetwilight，Caspiansawstrangecharactersandsnakypatterns，andpicturesinwhichtheformofaLionwasrepeatedagainandagain．ItallseemedtobelongtoanevenolderNarniathantheNarniaofwhichhisnursehadtoldhim．

ItwasaftertheyhadtakenuptheirquartersinandaroundtheHowthatfortunebegantoturnagainstthem．KingMiraz’sscoutssoonfoundtheirnewlair，andheandhisarmyarrivedontheedgeofthewoods．Andassooftenhappens，theenemyturnedoutstrongerthantheyhadreckoned．Caspian’sheartsankashesawcompanyaftercompanyarriving．AndthoughMiraz’smenmayhavebeenafraidofgoingintothewood，theywereevenmoreafraidofMiraz，andwithhimincommandtheycarriedbattledeeplyintoitandsometimesalmosttotheHowitself．Caspianandothercaptainsofcoursemademanysortiesintotheopencountry．Thustherewasfightingonmostdaysandsometimesbynightaswell;butCaspian’spartyhadonthewholetheworstofit．

Atlasttherecameanightwheneverythinghadgoneasbadlyaspossible，andtherainwhichhadbeenfallingheavilyalldayhadceasedatnightfallonlytogiveplacetorawcold．ThatmorningCaspianhadarrangedwhatwashisbiggestbattleyet，andallhadhungtheirhopesonit．He，withmostoftheDwarfs，wastohavefallenontheKing’srightwingatdaybreak，andthen，whentheywereheavilyengaged，GiantWimbleweather，withtheCentaursandsomeofthefiercestbeasts，wastohavebrokenoutfromanotherplaceandendeavouredtocuttheKing’srightofffromtherestofthearmy．Butithadallfailed．NoonehadwarnedCaspian（becausenooneintheselaterdaysofNarniaremembered）thatGiantsarenotatallclever．PoorWimbleweather，thoughasbraveasalion，wasatrueGiantinthatrespect．Hehadbrokenoutatthewrongtimeandfromthewrongplace，andbothhispartyandCaspian’shadsufferedbadlyanddonetheenemylittleharm．ThebestoftheBearshadbeenhurt，aCentaurterriblywounded，andtherewerefewinCaspian’spartywhohadnotlostblood．Itwasagloomycompanythathuddledunderthedrippingtreestoeattheirscantysupper．