prince caspian_c·s·刘易斯-第14章

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h　he　sat　to　steer　had　been　made　for　men；　not　dwarfs；　　and　his　feet　did　not　reach　the　floor…boards；　and　everyone　knows　how　unfortable　that　　is　even　for　　

ten　minutes。　and　as　they　all　grew　more　tired；　their　spirits　fell。　up　till　　now　the　children　had　only　been　thinking　of　how　to　get　to　caspian。　now　they　wondered　what　　they　would　do　when　they　found　him；　and　how　a　handful　of　dwarfs　and　woodland　creatures　　could　defeat　an　army　of　grown…up　humans。

twilight　was　ing　on　as　they　rowed　slowly　up　the　windings　of　glasswater　　creek　…　a　twilight　which　deepened　as　the　banks　drew　closer　together　and　the　　overhanging　trees　began　almost　to　meet　overhead。　it　was　very　quiet　in　here　as　the　sound　of　　the　sea　died　away　behind　them；　they　could　even　hear　the　trickle　of　the　little　streams　　that　poured　down　from　the　forest　into　glasswater。

they　went　ashore　at　last；　far　too　tired　to　attempt　lighting　a　fire；　and　　even　a　supper　of　apples　（though　most　of　them　felt　that　they　never　wanted　to　see　an　apple　　again）　seemed　better　than　trying　to　catch　or　shoot　anything。　after　a　little　silent　　munching　they　all　huddled　down　together　in　the　moss　and　dead　leaves　between　four　large　beech　　trees。

everyone　　except　lucy　went　to　sleep　at　once。　lucy；　being　far　less　tired；　　found　it　hard　to　get　fortable。　also；　she　had　forgotten　till　now　that　all　dwarfs　snore。　　she　knew　that　one　of　the　best　ways　of　getting　to　sleep　is　to　stop　trying；　so　she　opened　her　　eyes。

through　a　gap　in　the　bracken　and　branches　she　could　just　see　a　patch　of　　water　in　the　creek　and　the　sky　above　it。　then；　with　a　thrill　of　memory；　she　saw　again；　　after　all　those　years；　the　bright　narnian　stars。　she　had　once　known　them　better　than　the　　stars　of　our　own　world；　because　as　a　queen　in　narnia　she　had　gone　to　bed　much　later　than　as　　a　child　in　england。　and　there　they　were　…　at　least；　three　of　the　summer　constellations　　could　be　seen　from　where　she　lay：　the　ship；　the　hammer；　and　the　leopard。　〃dear　old　　leopard；〃　she　murmured　happily　to　herself。

instead　of　getting　drowsier　she　was　getting　more　awake　…　with　an　odd；　　night…time；　dreamish　kind　of　wakefulness。　the　creek　was　growing　brighter。　she　knew　now　　that　then　moon　was　on　it；　though　she　couldnt　see　the　moon。　and　now　she　began　to　feel　　that　the　whole　forest　was　ing　awake　like　herself。　hardly　knowing　why　she　did　it；　　she　got　up　quickly　and　walked　a　little　distance　away　from　their　bivouac。

〃this　is　lovely；〃　said　lucy　to　herself。　it　was　cool　and　fresh；　delicious　　smells　were　floating　everywhere。

somewhere　close　by　she　heard　the　twitter　of　a　nightingale　beginning　to　　sing；　then　stopping；　then　beginning　again。　it　was　a　little　lighter　ahead。　she　went　　towards　the　light　and　came　to　a　place　where　there　were　fewer　trees；　and　whole　patches　or　　pools　of　moonlight；　but　the　moonlight　and　the　shadows　so　mixed　that　you　could　hardly　　be　sure　where　anything　was　or　what　it　was。　at　the　same　moment　the　nightingale；　　satisfied　at　last　with　his　tuning　up；　burst　into　full　song。

lucys　eyes　began　to　grow　accustomed　to　the　light；　and　she　saw　the　trees　　that　were　nearest　her　more　distinctly。　a　great　longing　for　the　old　days　when　the　　trees　could　talk　in　　

narnia　came　over　her。　she　knew　exactly　how　each　of　these　trees　would　talk　　if　only　she　could　wake　them；　and　what　sort　of　human　form　it　would　put　on。　she　looked　at　　a　silver　birch：　it　would　have　a　soft；　showery　voice　and　would　look　like　a　slender　　girl；　with　hair　blown　all　about　her　face；　and　fond　of　dancing。　she　looked　at　the　oak：　he　　would　be　a　wizened；　but　hearty　old　man　with　a　frizzled　beard　and　warts　on　his　face　and　　hands；　and　hair　growing　out　of　the　warts。　she　looked　at　the　beech　under　which　she　was　　standing。　ah！

she　would　be　the　best　of　all。　she　would　be　a　gracious　goddess；　smooth　and　　stately；　the　lady　of　the　wood。

〃oh；　trees；　trees；　trees；〃　said　lucy　（though　she　had　not　been　intending　to　　speak　at　all）。

〃oh；　trees；　wake；　wake；　wake。　dont　you　remember　it？　dont　you　remember　me？　　dryads　and　hamadryads；　e　out；　e　to　me。鈥�

though　there　was　not　a　breath　of　wind　they　all　stirred　about　her。　the　　rustling　noise　of　the　leaves　was　almost　like　words。　the　nightingale　stopped　singing　as　if　to　　listen　to　it。

lucy　felt　that　at　any　moment　she　would　begin　to　understand　what　the　trees　　were　trying　to　say。　but　the　moment　did　not　e。　the　rustling　died　away。　the　nightingale　　resumed　its　song。　even　in　the　moonlight　the　wood　looked　more　ordinary　again。　yet　lucy　　had　the　feeling　（as　you　sometimes　have　when　you　are　trying　to　remember　a　name　or　a　　date　and　almost　get　it；　but　it　vanishes　before　you　really　do）　that　she　had　just　　missed　something：　as　if　she　had　spoken　to　the　trees　a　split　second　too　soon　or　a　split　second　　too　late；　or　used　all　the　right　words　except　one；　or　put　in　one　word　that　was　just　wrong。

quite　suddenly　she　began　to　feel　tired。　she　went　back　to　the　bivouac；　　snuggled　down　between　susan　and　peter；　and　was　asleep　in　a　few　minutes。

it　was　a　cold　and　cheerless　waking　for　them　all　next　morning；　with　a　grey　　twilight　in　the　wood　（for　the　sun　had　not　yet　risen）　and　everything　damp　and　dirty。

〃apples；　heigh…ho；〃　said　trumpkin　with　a　rueful　grin。　〃i　must　say　you　　ancient　kings　and　queens　dont　overfeed　your　courtiers！鈥�

they　stood　up　and　shook　themselves　and　looked　about。　the　trees　were　thick　　and　they　could　see　no　more　than　a　few　yards　in　any　direction。

〃i　suppose　your　majesties　know　the　way　all　right？〃　said　the　dwarf。

〃i　dont；〃　said　susan。　〃ive　never　seen　these　woods　in　my　life　before。　in　　fact　i　thought　all　along　that　we　ought　to　have　gone　by　the　river。鈥�

〃then　i　think　you　might　have　said　so　at　the　time；〃　answered　peter；　with　　pardonable　sharpness。

〃oh；　dont　take　any　notice　of　her；〃　said　edmund。　〃she　always　is　a　wet　　blanket。　youve　got　that　pocket　pass　of　yours；　peter；　havent　you？　well；　then；　were　as　　right　as　rain。　weve　　

only　got　to　keep　on　going　north…west　…　cross　that　little　river；　the　what…　do…you…call…it？　…　the　rush　…鈥�

〃i　know；〃　said　peter。　〃the　one　that　joins　the　big　river　at　the　fords　of　　beruna；　or　berunas　bridge；　as　the　d。l。f。　calls　it。鈥�

〃thats　right。　cross　it　and　strike　uphill；　and　well　be　at　the　stone　table　　（aslans　how；　i　mean）　by　eight　or　nine　oclock。　i　hope　king　caspian　will　give　us　a　good　　breakfast！鈥�

〃i　hope　youre　right；〃　said　susan。　〃i　cant　remember　all　that　at　all。鈥�

〃thats　the　worst　of　girls；〃　said　edmund　to　peter　and　the　dwarf。　〃they　　never　carry　a　map　in　their　heads。鈥�

〃thats　because　our　heads　have　something　inside　them；〃　said　lucy。

at　first　things　seemed　to　be　going　pretty　well。　they　even　…thought　they　had　　struck　an　old　path；　but　if　you　know　anything　about　woods；　you　will　know　that　one　is　　always　finding　imaginary　paths。　they　disappear　after　about　five　minutes　and　then　you　think　　you　have　found　another　（and　hope　it　is　not　another　but　more　of　the　same　one）　and　it　　also　disappears；　and　after　you　have　been　well　lured　out　of　your　right　direction　　you　realize　that　none　of　them　were　pats　at　all。　the　boys　and　the　dwarf；　however；　were　used　　to　woods　and　were　not　taken　in　for　more　than　a　few　seconds。

they　had　plodded　on　for　about　half　an　hour　（three　of　them　very　stiff　from　　yesterdays　rowing）　when　trumpkin　suddenly　whispered；　〃stop。〃　they　all　stopped。　　〃theres　something　following　us；〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice。　〃or　rather；　something　　keeping　up　with　us：　over　there　on　the　left。〃　they　all　stood　still；　listening　and　staring　　till　their　ears　and　eyes　ached。　〃you　and　id　better　each　have　an　arrow　on　the　string；〃　said　susan　to　　trumpkin。

the　dwarf　nodded；　and　when　both　bows　were　ready　for　action　the　party　went　　on　again。

they　went　a　few　dozen　yards　through　fairly　open　woodland；　keeping　a　sharp　　look…out。

then　they　came　to　a　place　where　the　undergrowth　thickened　and　they　had　to　　pass　nearer　to　it。　just　as　they　were　passing　the　place；　there　came　a　sudden　something　　that　snarled　and　flashed；　rising　out　from　the　breaking　twigs　like　a　thunderbolt。　lucy　was　　knocked　down　and　winded；　hearing　the　twang　of　a　bowstring　as　she　fell。　when　she　was　able　　to　take　notice　of　things　again；　she　saw　a　great　grim…looking　grey　bear　lying　dead　　with　trumpkins　arrow　in　its　side。

〃the　d。l。f。　beat　you　in　that　shooting　match；　su；〃　said　#peter；　with　a　　slightly　f