小说园

chater elve rcery and udden venance（第2页）

saidTrufflehuntersternly．

“Courtmanners，courtmanners，”sneeredNikabrik．“Butinthisholewemaytalkplainly．Youknow—andheknowsthatthisTelmarineboywillbekingofnowhereandnobodyinaweekunlesswecanhelphimoutofthetrapinwhichhesits．”

“Perhaps，”saidCornelius，“yournewfriendswouldliketospeakforthemselves？Youthere，whoandwhatareyou？”

“WorshipfulMasterDoctor，”cameathin，whiningvoice．“Sopleaseyou，I’monlyapooroldwoman，Iam，andveryobligedtohisWorshipfulDwarfshipforhisfriendship，I’msure．HisMajesty，blesshishandsomeface，hasnoneedtobeafraidofanoldwomanthat’snearlydoubledupwiththerheumaticsandhasn’ttwostickstoputunderherkettle．Ihavesomepoorlittleskill—notlikeyours，MasterDoctor，ofcourse—insmallspellsandcantripsthatI’dbegladtouseagainstourenemiesifitwasagreeabletoallconcerned．ForIhate’em．Ohyes．Noonehatesbetterthanme．”

“Thatisallmostinterestingand—er—satisfactory，”saidDoctorCornelius．“IthinkInowknowwhatyouare，Madam．Perhapsyourotherfriend，Nikabrik，wouldgivesomeaccountofhimself？”

Adull，greyvoiceatwhichPeter’sfleshcreptreplied，“I’mhunger．I’mthirst．WhereIbite，IholdtillIdie，andevenafterdeaththeymustcutoutmymouthfulfrommyenemy’sbodyandburyitwithme．Icanfastahundredyearsandnotdie．Icanlieahundrednightsontheiceandnotfreeze．Icandrinkariverofbloodandnotburst．Showmeyourenemies．”

“Anditisinthepresenceofthesetwothatyouwishtodiscloseyourplan？”saidCaspian．

“Yes，”saidNikabrik．“AndbytheirhelpthatImeantoexecuteit．”

TherewasaminuteortwoduringwhichTrumpkinandtheboyscouldhearCaspianandhistwofriendsspeakinginlowvoicesbutcouldnotmakeoutwhattheyweresaying．ThenCaspianspokealoud．

“Well，Nikabrik，”hesaid，“wewillhearyourplan．”

TherewasapausesolongthattheboysbegantowonderifNikabrikwasevergoingtobegin;whenhedid，itwasinalowervoice，asifhehimselfdidnotmuchlikewhathewassaying．

“Allsaidanddone，”hemuttered，“noneofusknowsthetruthabouttheancientdaysinNarnia．Trumpkinbelievednoneofthestories．Iwasreadytoputthemtothetrial．WetriedfirsttheHornandithasfailed．IfthereeverwasaHighKingPeterandaQueenSusanandaKingEdmundandaQueenLucy，theneithertheyhavenotheardus，ortheycannotcome，ortheyareourenemies—”

“Ortheyareontheway，”putinTrufflehunter．

“YoucangoonsayingthattillMirazhasfedusalltohisdogs．AsIwassaying，wehavetriedonelinkinthechainofoldlegends，andithasdoneusnogood．Well．Butwhenyourswordbreaks，youdrawyourdagger．ThestoriestellofotherpowersbesidetheancientKingsandQueens．Howifwecouldcallthemup？”

“IfyoumeanAslan，”saidTrufflehunter，“it’sallonecallingonhimandontheKings．Theywerehisservants．Ifhewillnotsendthem（butImakenodoubthewill），ishemorelikelytocomehimself？”

“No．You’rerightthere，”saidNikabrik．“AslanandtheKingsgotogether．EitherAslanisdead，orheisnotonourside。Orelsesomethingstrongerthanhimselfkeepshimback．Andifhedidcome-howdoweknowhe’dbeourfriend？HewasnotalwaysagoodfriendtoDwarfsbyallthat’stold．Noteventoallbeasts．AsktheWolves．Andanyway，hewasinNarniaonlyoncethatIeverheardof，andhedidn’tstaylong．YoumaydropAslanoutofthereckoning．Iwasthinkingofsomeoneelse．”

Therewasnoanswer，andforafewminutesitwassostillthatEdmundcouldhearthewheezyandsnufflingbreathoftheBadger．

“Whodoyoumean？”saidCaspianatlast．

“ImeanapowersomuchgreaterthanAslan’sthatitheldNarniaspellboundforyearsandyears，ifthestoriesaretrue．”

“TheWhiteWitch！”criedthreevoicesallatonce，andfromthenoisePeterguessedthatthreepeoplehadleapedtotheirfeet．

“Yes，”saidNikabrikveryslowlyanddistinctly，“ImeantheWitch．Sitdownagain．Don’talltakefrightatanameasifyouwerechildren．Wewantpower:andwewantapowerthatwillbeonourside．Asforpower，donotthestoriessaythattheWitchdefeatedAslan，andboundhim，andkilledhimonthatverystonewhichisoverthere，justbeyondthelight？”

“Buttheyalsosaythathecametolifeagain，”saidtheBadgersharply．

“Yes，theysay，”answeredNikabrik，“butyou’llnoticethatwehearpreciouslittleaboutanythinghedidafterwards．Hejustfadesoutofthestory．Howdoyouexplainthat，ifhereallycametolife？Isn’titmuchmorelikelythathedidn’t，andthatthestoriessaynothingmoreabouthimbecausetherewasnothingmoretosay？”