小说园

chater fifteen an ake a dr the air（第1页）

ATthesightofAslanthecheeksoftheTelmarinesoldiersbecamethecolourofcoldgravy，theirkneesknockedtogether，andmanyfellontheirfaces．Theyhadnotbelievedinlionsandthismadetheirfeargreater．EventheRedDwarfs，whoknewthathecameasafriend，stoodwithopenmouthsandcouldnotspeak．SomeoftheBlackDwarfs，whohadbeenofNikabrik’sparty，begantoedgeaway．ButalltheTalkingBeastssurgedroundtheLion，withpurrsandgruntsandsqueaksandwhinneysofdelight，fawningonhimwiththeirtails，rubbingagainsthim，touchinghimreverentlywiththeirnosesandgoingtoandfrounderhisbodyandbetweenhislegs．Ifyouhaveeverseenalittlecatlovingabigdogwhomitknowsandtrusts，youwillhaveaprettygoodpictureoftheirbehaviour．ThenPeter，leadingCaspian，forcedhiswaythroughthecrowdofanimals。

“ThisisCaspian，Sir，”hesaid．AndCaspiankneltandkissedtheLion’spaw．

“Welcome，Prince，”saidAslan．“DoyoufeelyourselfsufficienttotakeuptheKingshipofNarnia？”

“I—Idon’tthinkIdo，Sir，”saidCaspian．“I’monlyakid．”

“Good，”saidAslan．“Ifyouhadfeltyourselfsufficient，itwouldhavebeenaproofthatyouwerenot．Therefore，underusandundertheHighKing，youshallbeKingofNarnia，LordofCairParavel，andEmperoroftheLoneIslands．Youandyourheirswhileyourracelasts．Andyourcoronation—butwhathavewehere？”Foratthatmomentacuriouslittleprocessionwasapproaching—elevenMice，sixofwhomcarriedbetweenthemsomethingonalittermadeofbranches，butthelitterwasnobiggerthanalargeatlas．Noonehaseverseenmicemorewoebegonethanthese．Theywereplasteredwithmud—somewithbloodtoo—andtheirearsweredownandtheirwhiskersdroopedandtheirtailsdraggedinthegrass，andtheirleaderpipedonhisslenderpipeamelancholytune．Onthelitterlaywhatseemedlittlebetterthanadampheapoffur;allthatwasleftofReepicheep．Hewasstillbreathing，butmoredeadthanalive，gashedwithinnumerablewounds，onepawcrushed，and，wherehistailhadbeen，abandagedstump．

“Now，Lucy，”saidAslan．

Lucyhadherdiamondbottleoutinamoment．ThoughonlyadropwasneededoneachofReepicheep’swounds，thewoundsweresomanythattherewasalongandanxioussilencebeforeshehadfinishedandtheMasterMousesprangfromthelitter．Hishandwentatoncetohisswordhilt，withtheotherhetwirledhiswhiskers．Hebowed．

“Hail，Aslan！”camehisshrillvoice．“Ihavethehonour—”Butthenhesuddenlystopped．

Thefactwasthathestillhadnotail—whetherthatLucyhadforgottenitorthathercordial，thoughitcouldhealwounds，couldnotmakethingsgrowagain．Reepicheepbecameawareofhislossashemadehisbow;perhapsitalteredsomethinginhisbalance．Helookedoverhisrightshoulder．Failingtoseehistail，hestrainedhisneckfurthertillhehadtoturnhisshouldersandhiswholebodyfollowed．Butbythattimehishind-quartershadturnedtooandwereoutofsight．Thenhestrainedhisnecklookingoverhisshoulderagain，withthesameresult．Onlyafterhehadturnedcompletelyroundthreetimesdidherealizethedreadfultruth．

“Iamconfounded，”saidReepicheeptoAslan．“Iamcompletelyoutofcountenance．Imustcraveyourindulgenceforappearinginthisunseemlyfashion．”

“Itbecomesyouverywell，SmallOne，”saidAslan．

“Allthesame，”repliedReepicheep，“ifanythingcouldbedone…PerhapsherMajesty？”andherehebowedtoLucy．

“Butwhatdoyouwantwithatail？”askedAslan．

“Sir，”saidtheMouse，“IcaneatandsleepanddieformyKingwithoutone．ButatailisthehonourandgloryofaMouse．”

“Ihavesometimeswondered，friend，”saidAslan，“whetheryoudonotthinktoomuchaboutyourhonour．”

“HighestofallHighKings，”saidReepicheep，“permitmetoremindyouthataverysmallsizehasbeenbestowedonusMice，andifwedidnotguardourdignity，some（whoweighworthbyinches）wouldallowthemselvesveryunsuitablepleasantriesatourexpense．ThatiswhyIhavebeenatsomepainstomakeitknownthatnoonewhodoesnotwishtofeelthisswordasnearhisheartasIcanreachshalltalkinmypresenceaboutTrapsorToastedCheeseorCandles:no，Sir—notthetallestfoolinNarnia！”HereheglaredveryfiercelyupatWimbleweather，buttheGiant，whowasalwaysastagebehindeveryoneelse，hadnotyetdiscoveredwhatwasbeingtalkedaboutdownathisfeet，andsomissedthepoint．

“Whyhaveyourfollowersalldrawntheirswords，mayIask？”saidAslan．

“MayitpleaseyourHighMajesty，”saidthesecondMouse，whosenamewasPeepiceek，“weareallwaitingtocutoffourowntailsifourChiefmustgowithouthis．WewillnotbeartheshameofwearinganhonourwhichisdeniedtotheHighMouse．”

“Ah！”roaredAslan．“Youhaveconqueredme．Youhavegreathearts．Notforthesakeofyourdignity，Reepicheep，butforthelovethatisbetweenyouandyourpeople，andstillmoreforthekindnessyourpeopleshowedmelongagowhenyouateawaythecordsthatboundmeontheStoneTable（anditwasthen，thoughyouhavelongforgottenit，thatyoubegantobeTalkingMice），youshallhaveyourtailagain．”

BeforeAslanhadfinishedspeakingthenewtailwasinitsplace．Then，atAslan’scommand，PeterbestowedtheKnighthoodoftheOrderoftheLiononCaspian，andCaspian，assoonashewasknighted，himselfbestoweditonTrufflehunterandTrumpkinandReepicheep，andmadeDoctorCorneliushisLordChancellor，oftheLists．Andtherewasgreatapplause．

AfterthistheTelmarinesoldiers，firmlybutwithouttauntsorblows，weretakenacrossthefordandallputunderlockandkeyinthetownofBerunaandgivenbeefandbeer．Theymadeagreatfussaboutwadingintheriver，fortheyallhatedandfearedrunningwaterjustasmuchastheyhatedandfearedwoodsandanimals．Butintheendthenuisancewasover:andthenthenicestpartsofthatlongdaybegan．

Lucy，sittingclosetoAslananddivinelycomfortable，wonderedwhatthetreesweredoing．Atfirstshethoughttheyweremerelydancing;theywerecertainlygoingroundslowlyintwocircles，onefromlefttorightandtheotherfromrighttoleft．Thenshenoticedthattheykeptthrowingsomethingdowninthecentreofbothcircles．Sometimesshethoughttheywerecuttingofflongstrandsoftheirhair;atothertimesitlookedasiftheywerebreakingoffbitsoftheirfingers—but，ifso，theyhadplentyoffingerstospareanditdidnothurtthem．Butwhatevertheywerethrowingdown，whenitreachedtheground，itbecamebrushwoodordrysticks．ThenthreeorfouroftheRedDwarfscameforwardwiththeirtinderboxesandsetlighttothepile，whichfirstcrackled，andthenblazed，andfinallyroaredasawoodlandbonfireonmidsummernightoughttodo．Andeveryonesatdowninawidecircleroundit．

ThenBacchusandSilenusandtheMaenadsbeganadance，farwilderthanthedanceofthetrees;notmerelyadanceforfunandbeauty（thoughitwasthattoo）butamagicdanceofplenty，andwheretheirhandstouched，andwheretheirfeetfell，thefeastcameintoexistence—sidesofroastedmeatthatfilledthegrovewithdelicioussmell，andwheatencakesandoatencakes，honeyandmany-colouredsugarsandcreamasthickasporridgeandassmoothasstillwater，peaches，nectarines，pomegranates，pears，grapes，strawberries，raspberries—pyramidsandcataractsoffruit．Then，ingreatwoodencupsandbowlsandmazers，wreathedwithivy，camethewines;dark，thickoneslikesyrupsofmulberryjuice，andclearredoneslikeredjelliesliquefied，andyellowwinesandgreenwinesandyellow-greenandgreenish-yellow．

Butforthetreepeopledifferentfarewasprovided．WhenLucysawClodsleyShovelandhismolesscufflinguptheturfinvariousplaces（whichBacchushadpointedouttothem）andrealizedthatthetreesweregoingtoeatearthitgaveherratherashudder．Butwhenshesawtheearthsthatwereactuallybroughttothemshefeltquitedifferent．Theybeganwitharichbrownloamthatlookedalmostexactlylikechocolate;solikechocolate，infact，thatEdmundtriedapieceofit，buthedidnotfinditatallnice．Whentherichloamhadtakentheedgeofftheirhunger，thetreesturnedtoanearthofthekindyouseeinSomerset，whichisalmostpink．Theysaiditwaslighterandsweeter．Atthecheesestagetheyhadachalkysoil，andthenwentontodelicateconfectionsofthefinestgravelspowderedwithchoicesilversand．Theydrankverylittlewine，anditmadetheHolliesverytalkative:forthemostparttheyquenchedtheirthirstwithdeepdraughtsofmingleddewandrain，flavouredwithforestflowersandtheairytasteofthethinnestclouds．

ThusAslanfeastedtheNarnianstilllongafterthesunsethaddiedaway，andthestarshadcomeout;andthegreatfire，nowhotterbutlessnoisy，shonelikeabeaconinthedarkwoods，andthefrightenedTelmarinessawitfromfarawayandwonderedwhatitmightmean．Thebestthingofallaboutthisfeastwasthattherewasnobreakinguporgoingaway，butasthetalkgrewquieterandslower，oneafteranotherwouldbegintonodandfinallydropofftosleepwithfeettowardsthefireandgoodfriendsoneitherside，tillatlasttherewassilenceallroundthecircle，andthechatteringofwateroverstoneattheFordofBerunacouldbeheardoncemore．ButallnightAslanandtheMoongazeduponeachotherwithjoyfulandunblinkingeyes．

Nextdaymessengers（whowerechieflysquirrelsandbirds）weresentalloverthecountrywithaproclamationtothescatteredTelmarines—including，ofcourse，theprisonersinBeruna．TheyweretoldthatCaspianwasnowKingandthatNarniawouldhenceforthbelongtotheTalkingBeastsandtheDwarfsandDryadsandFaunsandothercreaturesquiteasmuchastothemen．Anywhochosetostayunderthenewconditionsmightdoso;butforthosewhodidnotliketheidea，Aslanwouldprovideanotherhome．AnyonewhowishedtogotheremustcometoAslanandtheKingsattheFordofBerunabynoononthefifthday．Youmayimaginethatthiscausedplentyofhead-scratchingamongtheTelmarines．Someofthem，chieflytheyoungones，had，likeCaspian，heardstoriesoftheOldDaysandweredelightedthattheyhadcomeback．Theywerealreadymakingfriendswiththecreatures．ThesealldecidedtostayinNarnia．Butmostoftheoldermen，especiallythosewhohadbeenimportantunderMiraz，weresulkyandhadnowishtoliveinacountrywheretheycouldnotruletheroost．“Liveherewithalotofbloomingperforminganimals！Nofear，”theysaid．“Andghoststoo，”someaddedwithashudder．“That’swhatthosethereDryadsreallyare．It’snotcanny．”Theywerealsosuspicious．“Idon’ttrust’em，”theysaid。“NotwiththatawfulLionandall．Hewon’tkeephisclawsoffuslong，you’llsee．”Butthentheywereequallysuspiciousofhisoffertogivethemanewhome．“Takeusofftohisdenandeatusonebyonemostlikely，”theymuttered．Andthemoretheytalkedtooneanotherthesulkierandmoresuspicioustheybecame．Butontheappointeddaymorethanhalfofthemturnedup．

AtoneendofthegladeAslanhadcausedtobesetuptwostakesofwood，higherthanaman’sheadandaboutthreefeetapart．Athird，andlighter，pieceofwoodwasboundacrossthematthetop，unitingthem，sothatthewholethinglookedlikeadoorwayfromnowhereintonowhere．InfrontofthisstoodAslanhimselfwithPeteronhisrightandCaspianonhisleft．GroupedroundthemwereSusanandLucy，TrumpkinandTrufflehunter，theLordCornelius，Glenstorm，Reepicheep，andothers．ThechildrenandtheDwarfshadmadegooduseoftheroyalwardrobesinwhathadbeenthecastleofMirazandwasnowthecastleofCaspian，andwhatwithsilkandclothofgold，withsnowylinenglancingthroughslashedsleeves，withsilvermailshirtsandjewelledsword—hilts，withgilthelmetsandfeatheredbonnets，theywerealmosttoobrighttolookat．Eventhebeastsworerichchainsabouttheirnecks．Yetnobody’seyeswereonthemorthechildren．ThelivingandstrokablegoldofAslan’smaneoutshonethemall．TherestoftheOldNarniansstooddowneachsideoftheglade．AtthefarendstoodtheTelmarines．Thesunshonebrightlyandpennantsflutteredinthelightwind．

“MenofTelmar，”saidAslan，“youwhoseekanewland，hearmywords．Iwillsendyoualltoyourowncountry，whichIknowandyoudonot．”

“Wedon’trememberTelmar．Wedon’tknowwhereitis．Wedon’tknowwhatitislike，”grumbledtheTelmarines．

“YoucameintoNarniaoutofTelmar，”saidAslan．“ButyoucameintoTelmarfromanotherplace．Youdonotbelongtothisworldatall．Youcamehither，certaingenerationsago，outofthatsameworldtowhichtheHighKingPeterbelongs．”

Atthis，halftheTelmarinesbeganwhimpering，“Thereyouare．Toldyouso．He’sgoingtokillusall，sendusrightoutoftheworld，”andtheotherhalfbeganthrowingouttheirchestsandslappingoneanotheronthebackandwhispering，“Thereyouare．Mighthaveguessedwedidn’tbelongtothisplacewithallitsqueer，nasty，unnaturalcreatures．We’reofroyalblood，you’llsee．”AndevenCaspianandCorneliusandthechildrenturnedtoAslanwithlooksofamazementontheirfaces。

“Peace，”saidAslaninthelowvoicewhichwasnearesttohisgrowl．Theearthseemedtoshakealittleandeverylivingthinginthegrovebecamestillasstone．