小说园

chater eight hw they left the ind（第1页）

“ANDso，”saidTrumpkin（for，asyouhaverealized，itwashewhohadbeentellingallthisstorytothefourchildren，sittingonthegrassintheruinedhallofCairParavel）—“andsoIputacrustortwoinmypocket，leftbehindallweaponsbutmydagger，andtooktothewoodsinthegreyofthemorning．I’dbeenpluggingawayformanyhourswhentherecameasoundthatI’dneverheardthelikeofinmyborndays．Eh，Iwon’tforgetthat．Thewholeairwasfullofit，loudasthunderbutfarlonger，coolandsweetasmusicoverwater，butstrongenoughtoshakethewoods．AndIsaidtomyself，‘Ifthat’snottheHorn，callmearabbit．’AndamomentlaterIwonderedwhyhehadn’tblownitsooner—”

“Whattimewasit？”askedEdmund．

“Betweennineandtenoftheclock，”saidTrumpkin．

“Justwhenwewereattherailwaystation！”saidallthechildren，andlookedatoneanotherwithshiningeyes．

“Pleasegoon，”saidLucytotheDwarf．

Icouldpelt．Ikeptonallnight—andthen，whenitwashalflightthismorning，asifI’dnomoresensethanaGiant，Iriskedashortcutacrossopencountrytocutoffabigloopoftheriver，andwascaught．Notbythearmy，butbyapompousoldfoolwhohaschargeofalittlecastlewhichisMiraz’slaststrongholdtowardsthecoast．Ineedn’ttellyoutheygotnotruetaleoutofme，butIwasaDwarfandthatwasenough．But，lobstersandlollipops！itisagoodthingtheseneschalwasapompousfool．Anyoneelsewouldhaverunmethroughthereandthen．Butnothingwoulddoforhimshortofagrandexecution:sendingmedown‘totheghosts’inthefullceremonialway．Andthenthisyounglady”，（henoddedatSusan）“doesherbitofarchery—anditwasprettyshooting，letmetellyou—andhereweare．Andwithoutmyarmour，forofcoursetheytookthat．”Heknockedoutandrefilledhispipe．

“GreatScott！”saidPeter．“Soitwasthehorn—yourownhorn，Su—thatdraggedusalloffthatseatontheplatformyesterdaymorning！Icanhardlybelieveit;yetitallfitsin．”

“Idon’tknowwhyyoushouldn’tbelieveit，”saidLucy，“ifyoubelieveinmagicatall．Aren’ttherelotsofstoriesaboutmagicforcingpeopleoutofoneplace—outofoneworld—intoanother？Imean，whenamagicianinTheArabianNightscallsupaJinn，ithastocome．Wehadtocome，justlikethat．”

“Yes，”saidPeter，“Isupposewhatmakesitfeelsoqueeristhatinthestoriesit’salwayssomeoneinourworldwhodoesthecalling．Onedoesn’treallythinkaboutwheretheJinn’scomingfrom．”

“AndnowweknowwhatitfeelslikefortheJinn，”saidEdmundwithachuckle．“Golly！It’sabituncomfortabletoknowthatwecanbewhistledforlikethat．It’sworsethanwhatFathersaysaboutlivingatthemercyofthetelephone．”

“Butwewanttobehere，don’twe，”saidLucy，“ifAslanwantsus？”

“Meanwhile，”saidtheDwarf，“whatarewetodo？Isuppose

I’dbettergobacktoKingCaspianandtellhimnohelphascome．”

“Nohelp？”saidSusan．“Butithasworked．Andhereweare．”

“Um—um—yes，tobesure．Iseethat，”saidtheDwarf，whosepipeseemedtobeblocked（atanyratehemadehimselfverybusycleaningit）．“But—well—Imean—”

“Butdon’tyouyetseewhoweare？”shoutedLucy．“Youarestupid．”

“Isupposeyouarethefourchildrenoutoftheoldstories，”saidTrumpkin．AndI’mverygladtomeetyouofcourse．Andit’sveryinteresting，nodoubt．But—nooffence？—andhehesitatedagain。

“Dogetonandsaywhateveryou’regoingtosay，”saidEdmund。

“Well，then—nooffence，”saidTrumpkin．“But，youknow，theKingandTrufflehunterandDoctorCorneliuswereexpecting—well，ifyouseewhatImean，help．Toputitinanotherway，Ithinkthey’dbeenimaginingyouasgreatwarriors．Asitis—we’reawfullyfondofchildrenandallthat，butjustatthemoment，inthemiddleofawar—butI’msureyouunderstand．”

“Youmeanyouthinkwe’renogood，”saidEdmund，gettingredintheface．

“Nowpraydon’tbeoffended，”interruptedtheDwarf．“Iassureyou，mydearlittlefriends—”

“Littlefromyouisreallyabittoomuch，”saidEdmund，jumpingup．“Isupposeyoudon’tbelievewewontheBattleofBeruna？Well，youcansaywhatyoulikeaboutmebecauseIknow—”