小说园

chater elve rcery and udden venance（第1页）

MEANWHILETrumpkinandthetwoboysarrivedatthedarklittlestonearchwaywhichledintotheinsideoftheMound，andtwosentinelbadgers（thewhitepatchesontheircheekswereallEdmundcouldseeofthem）leapedupwithbaredteethandaskedtheminsnarlingvoices，“Whogoesthere？”

“Trumpkin，”saidtheDwarf．“BringingtheHighKingofNarniaoutofthefarpast．”

Thebadgersnosedattheboys’hands．“Atlast，”theysaid。“Atlast．”

“Giveusalight，friends，”saidTrumpkin．

ThebadgersfoundatorchjustinsidethearchandPeterlititandhandedittoTrumpkin．“TheD．L．F．hadbetterlead，”hesaid。“Wedon’tknowourwayaboutthisplace．”

Trumpkintookthetorchandwentaheadintothedarktunnel．Itwasacold，black，mustyplace，withanoccasionalbatflutteringinthetorchlight，andplentyofcobwebs．Theboys，whohadbeenmostlyintheopenairsincethatmorningattherailwaystation，feltasiftheyweregoingintoatraporaprison．

“Isay，Peter，”whisperedEdmund．“Lookatthosecarvingsonthewalls．Don’ttheylookold？Andyetwe’reolderthanthat．Whenwewerelasthere，theyhadn’tbeenmade．”

“Yes，”saidPeter．“Thatmakesonethink．”

TheDwarfwentonaheadandthenturnedtotheright，andthentotheleft，andthendownsomesteps，andthentotheleftagain．Thenatlasttheysawalightahead-lightfromunderadoor．Andnowforthefirsttimetheyheardvoices，fortheyhadcometothedoorofthecentralchamber．Thevoicesinsidewereangryones．SomeonewastalkingsoloudlythattheapproachoftheboysandtheDwarfhadnotbeenheard．

“Don’tlikethesoundofthat，”whisperedTrumpkintoPeter。“Let’slistenforamoment．”Allthreestoodperfectlystillontheoutsideofthedoor．

“Youknowwellenough，”saidavoice（“That’stheKing，”whisperedTrumpkin），“whytheHornwasnotblownatsunrisethismorning．HaveyouforgottenthatMirazfelluponusalmostbeforeTrumpkinhadgone，andwewerefightingforourlivesforthespaceofthreehoursandmore？IblewitwhenfirstIhadabreathingspace．”

“I’mnotlikelytoforgetit，”cametheangryvoice，“whenmyDwarfsborethebruntoftheattackandoneinfiveofthemfell．”（“That’sNikabrik，”whisperedTrumpkin．）

“Forshame，Dwarf，”cameathickvoice（“Trufflehunter’s，”saidTrumpkin）．“WealldidasmuchastheDwarfsandnonemorethantheKing．”

“TellthattaleyourownwayforallIcare，”answeredNikabrik。“

ButwhetheritwasthattheHornwasblowntoolate，orwhethertherewasnomagicinit，nohelphascome．You，yougreatclerk，youmastermagician，youknow-all;areyoustillaskingustohangourhopesonAslanandKingPeterandalltherestofit？”

“Imustconfess—Icannotdenyit—thatIamdeeplydisappointedintheresultoftheoperation，”cametheanswer。（“That’llbeDoctorCornelius，”saidTrumpkin．）

“Tospeakplainly，”saidNikabrik，“yourwallet’sempty，youreggsaddled，yourfishuncaught，yourpromisesbroken．Standasidethenandletotherswork．Andthatiswhy—”

“Thehelpwillcome，”saidTrufflehunter．“IstandbyAslan．Havepatience，likeusbeasts．Thehelpwillcome．Itmaybeevennowatthedoor．”

“Pah！”snarledNikabrik．“Youbadgerswouldhaveuswaittilltheskyfallsandwecanallcatchlarks．Itellyouwecan’twait．Foodisrunningshort;welosemorethanwecanaffordateveryencounter;ourfollowersareslippingaway．”

“Andwhy？”askedTrufflehunter．“I’lltellyouwhy．BecauseitisnoisedamongthemthatwehavecalledontheKingsofoldandtheKingsofoldhavenotanswered．ThelastwordsTrumpkinspokebeforehewent（andwent，mostlikely，tohisdeath）were，IfyoumustblowtheHorn，donotletthearmyknowwhyyoublowitorwhatyouhopefromit．Butthatsameeveningeveryoneseemedtoknow．”

“You’dbetterhaveshovedyourgreysnoutinahornets’nest，Badger，thansuggestthatIamtheblab，”saidNikabrik．“Takeitback，or—”

“Oh，stopit，bothofyou，”saidKingCaspian．“IwanttoknowwhatitisthatNikabrikkeepsonhintingweshoulddo．Butbeforethat，Iwanttoknowwhothosetwostrangersarewhomhehasbroughtintoourcouncilandwhostandtherewiththeirearsopenandtheirmouthsshut．”

“Theyarefriendsofmine，”saidNikabrik．“AndwhatbetterrighthaveyouyourselftobeherethanthatyouareafriendofTrumpkin’sandtheBadger’s？Andwhatrighthasthatolddotardintheblackgowntobehereexceptthatheisyourfriend？WhyamItobetheonlyonewhocan’tbringinhisfriends？”

“HisMajestyistheKingtowhomyouhaveswornallegiance，”