prince caspian_c·s·刘易斯-第21章

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〃they　are　friends　of　mine；〃　said　nikabrik。　〃and　what　better　right　have　you　　yourself　to　be　here　than　that　you　are　a　friend　of　trumpkins　and　the　badgers？　and　what　　right　has　that　old　dotard　in　the　black　gown　to　be　here　except　that　he　is　your　friend？　why　　am　i　to　be　the　only　one　who　cant　bring　in　his　friends？鈥�

〃his　majesty　is　the　king　to　whom　you　have　sworn　allegiance；〃　said　　trufflehunter　sternly。

〃court　manners；　court　manners；〃　sneered　nikabrik。　〃but　in　this　hole　we　may　　talk　plainly。

you　know　…　and　he　knows　that　this　telmarine　boy　will　be　king　of　nowhere　and　　nobody　in　a　week　unless　we　can　help　him　out　of　the　trap　in　which　he　sits。鈥�

〃perhaps；〃　said　cornelius；　〃your　new　friends　would　like　to　speak　for　　themselves？　you　there；　who　and　what　are　you？鈥�

〃worshipful　master　doctor；〃　came　a　thin；　whining　voice。　〃so　please　you；　im　　only　a　poor　old　woman；　i　am；　and　very　obliged　to　his　worshipful　dwarfship　for　his　　friendship；　im　sure。　his　majesty；　bless　his　handsome　face；　has　no　need　to　be　afraid　of　an　　old　woman　thats　nearly　doubled　up　with　the　rheumatics　and　hasnt　two　sticks　to　put　　under　her　kettle。

i　have　some　poor　little　skill　…　not　like　yours；　master　doctor；　of　course　…　　in　small　spells　and　cantrips　that　id　be　glad　to　use　against　our　enemies　if　it　was　　agreeable　to　all　concerned。　for　i　hate　em。　oh　yes。　no　one　hates　better　than　me。鈥�

〃that　is　all　most　interesting　and　…　er　…　satisfactory；〃　said　doctor　　cornelius。　〃i　think　i　now　know　what　you　are；　madam。　perhaps　your　other　friend；　nikabrik；　would　give　　some　account　of　himself？鈥�

a　dull；　grey　voice　at　which　peters　flesh　crept　replied；　〃im　hunger。　im　　thirst。　where　i　bite；　i　hold　till　i　die；　and　even　after　death　they　must　cut　out　my　mouthful　　from　my　enemys　body　and　bury　it　with　me。　i　can　fast　a　hundred　years　and　not　die。　i　　can　lie　a　hundred　nights　on　the　ice　and　not　freeze。　i　can　drink　a　river　of　blood　and　　not　burst。　show　me　your　enemies。鈥�

〃and　it　is　in　the　presence　of　these　two　that　you　wish　to　disclose　your　　plan？〃　said　caspian。

〃yes；〃　said　nikabrik。　〃and　by　their　help　that　i　mean　to　execute　it。鈥�

there　was　a　minute　or　two　during　which　trumpkin　and　the　boys　could　hear　　caspian　and　his　two　friends　speaking　in　low　voices　but　could　not　make　out　what　they　　were　saying。

then　caspian　spoke　aloud。

〃well；　nikabrik；〃　he　said；　〃we　will　hear　your　plan。鈥�

there　was　a　pause　so　long　that　the　boys　began　to　wonder　if　nikabrik　was　　ever　going　to　begin；　when　he　did；　it　was　in　a　lower　voice；　as　if　he　himself　did　not　much　　like　what　he　was　saying。

〃all　said　and　done；〃　he　muttered；　〃none　of　us　knows　the　truth　about　the　　ancient　days　in　narnia。　trumpkin　believed　none　of　the　stories。　i　was　ready　to　put　them　to　　the　trial。　we　tried　first　the　horn　and　it　has　failed。　if　there　ever　was　a　high　king　peter　　and　a　queen　susan　and　a　king　edmund　and　a　queen　lucy；　then　either　they　have　not　heard　　us；　or　they　cannot　e；　or　they　are　our　enemies　…鈥�

〃or　they　are　on　the　way；〃　put　in　trufflehunter。

〃you　can　go　on　saying　that　till　miraz　has　fed　us　all　to　his　dogs。　as　i　was　　saying；　we　have　tried　one　link　in　the　chain　of　old　legends；　and　it　has　done　us　no　good。　　well。　but　when　your　sword　breaks；　you　draw　your　dagger。　the　stories　tell　of　other　powers　　beside　the　ancient　kings　and　queens。　how　if　we　could　call　them　up？鈥�

〃if　you　mean　aslan；〃　said　trufflehunter；　〃its　all　one　calling　on　him　and　　on　the　kings。

they　were　his　servants。　if　he　will　not　send　them　（but　i　make　no　doubt　he　　will）；　is　he　more　likely　to　e　himself？鈥�

〃no。　youre　right　there；〃　said　nikabrik。　〃aslan　and　the　kings　go　together。　　either　aslan　is　dead；　or　he　is　not　on　our　side。　or　else　something　stronger　than　himself　　keeps　him　back。

and　if　he　did　e　…　how　do　we　know　hed　be　our　friend？　he　was　not　always　a　　good　friend　to　dwarfs　by　all　thats　told。　not　even　to　all　beasts。　ask　the　　wolves。　and　anyway；　he　was　in　narnia　only　once　that　i　ever　heard　of；　and　he　didnt　stay　long。　　you　may　drop　aslan　out　of　the　reckoning。　i　was　thinking　of　someone　else。鈥�

there　was　no　answer；　and　for　a　few　minutes　it　was　so　still　that　edmund　　could　hear　the　wheezy　and　snuffling　breath　of　the　badger。

〃who　do　you　mean？〃　said　caspian　at　last。

〃i　mean　a　power　so　much　greater　than　aslans　that　it　held　narnia　spellbound　　for　years　and　years；　if　the　stories　are　true。鈥�

〃the　white　witch！〃　cried　three　voices　all　at　once；　and　from　the　noise　peter　　guessed　that　three　people　had　leaped　to　their　feet。

〃yes；〃　said　nikabrik　very　slowly　and　distinctly；　〃i　mean　the　witch。　sit　　down　again。　dont　all　take　fright　at　a　name　as　if　you　were　children。　we　want　power：　and　we　　want　a　power　that　will　be　on　our　side。　as　for　power；　do　not　the　stories　say　that　the　　witch　defeated　aslan；　and　bound　him；　and　killed　him　on　that　very　stone　which　is　over　　there；　just　beyond　the　light？鈥�

〃but　they　also　say　that　he　came　to　life　again；〃　said　the　badger　sharply。

〃yes；　they　say；〃　answered　nikabrik；　〃but　youll　notice　that　we　hear　　precious　little　about　anything　he　did　afterwards。　he　just　fades　out　of　the　story。　how　do　you　　explain　that；　if　he　really　came　to　life？　isnt　it　much　more　likely　that　he　didnt；　and　that　the　　stories　say　nothing　more　about　him　because　there　was　nothing　more　to　say？鈥�

〃he　established　the　kings　and　queens；〃　said　caspian。

〃a　king　who　has　just　won　a　great　battle　can　usually　establish　himself　　without　the　help　of　a　performing　lion；〃　said　nikabrik。　there　was　a　fierce　growl；　probably　from　　trufflehunter。

〃and　anyway；〃　nikabrik　continued；　〃what　came　of　the　kings　and　their　reign？　　they　faded　too。　but　its　very　different　with　the　witch。　they　say　she　ruled　for　a　　hundred　years：　a　hundred　years　of　winter。　theres　power；　if　you　like。　theres　something　　practical。鈥�

〃but；　heaven　and　earth！〃　said　the　king；　〃havent　we　always　been　told　that　　she　was　the　worst　enemy　of　all？　wasnt　she　a　tyrant　ten　times　worse　than　miraz？鈥�

〃perhaps；〃　said　nikabrik　in　a　cold　voice。　〃perhaps　she　was　for　you　humans；　　if　there　were　any　of　you　in　those　days。　perhaps　she　was　for　some　of　the　beasts。　she　　stamped　out　the　beavers；　i　dare　say；　at　least　there　are　none　of　them　in　narnia　now。　but　she　　got　on　all　right　with　us　dwarfs。　im　a　dwarf　and　i　stand　by　my　own　people。　were　not　afraid　　of　the　witch。鈥�

〃but　youve　joined　with　us；〃　said　trufflehunter。

〃yes；　and　a　lot　of　good　it　has　done　my　people；　so　far；〃　snapped　nikabrik。　　〃who　is　sent　on　all　the　dangerous　！；　raids？　the　dwarfs。　who　goes　short　when　the　rations　　fail？　the　dwarfs。　who　…？鈥�

〃lies！　all　lies！〃　said　the　badger。

〃and　so；〃　said　nikabrik；　whose　voice　now　rose　to　a　scream；　〃if　you　cant　　help　my　people；　ill　go　to　someone　who　can。鈥�

〃is　this　open　treason；　dwarf？〃　asked　the　king。

〃put　that　sword　back　in　its　sheath；　caspian；〃　said　nikabrik。　〃murder　at　　council；　eh？　is　that　your　game？　dont　be　fool　enough　to　try　it。　do　you　think　im　afraid　of　　you？　theres　three　on　my　side；　and　three　on　yours。鈥�

〃e　on；　then；〃　snarled　trufflehunter；　but　he　was　immediately　interrupted。

〃stop；　stop；　stop；〃　said　doctor　cornelius。　〃you　go　on　too　fast。　the　witch　　is　dead。　all　the　stories　agree　on　that。　what　does　nikabrik　mean　by　calling　on　the　witch？鈥�

that　grey　and　terrible　voice　which　had　spoken　only　once　before　said；　〃oh；　　is　she？鈥�

and　then　the　shrill；　whining　voice　began；　〃oh；　bless　his　heart；　his　dear　　little　majesty　neednt　mind　about　the　white　lady　…　thats　what　we　call　her　…　being　dead。　　the　worshipful　master　doctor　is　only　making　game　of　a　poor　old　woman　like　me　when　he　says　　that。

sweet　mastery　doctor；　learned　master　doctor；　who　ever　heard　of　a　witch　that　　really　died？　you　can　always　get　them　back。鈥�

〃call　her　up；〃　said　the　grey　voice。　〃we　are　all　ready。　draw　the　circle。　　prepare　the　blue　fire。鈥�

above　the　steadily　increasing　growl　of　the　badger　and　corneliuss　sharp　　〃what？〃　rose　the　voice　of　king　caspian　like　thunder。

〃so　that　is　your　plan；　nikabrik！　black　sorcery　and　the　calling　up　of　an　　accursed　ghost。

and　i　see　who　your　panions　are…a　hag　and　a　werewolf！鈥�

the　next　minute　or　so　was　very　confused。　there　was　an　animal　roaring；　a　　clash　of　steel；　the　boys　and　trumpkin　rushed　in；　peter　had　a　glimpse　of　a　horrible；　grey；　　gaunt　creature；　half　man　and　half　wo