prince caspian_c·s·刘易斯-第25章

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lips　till　the　blood　came；　as　the　sword　　flashed　down　on　peter。　it　looked　as　if　it　would　slash　off　his　head。　thank　heavens！　it　had　　glanced　down　his　right　shoulder。　the　dwarf…wrought　mail　was　sound　and　did　not　break。

〃great　scott！〃　cried　edmund。　〃hes　up　again。　peter；　go　it；　peter。鈥�

〃i　couldnt　see　what　happened；〃　said　the　doctor。　〃how　did　he　do　it？鈥�

〃grabbed　mirazs　arm　as　it　came　down；〃　said　trumpkin；　dancing　with　delight。　　〃theres　a　man　for　you！　uses　his　enemys　arm　as　a　ladder。　the　high　king！　the　high　　king！　up；　old　narnia！鈥�

〃look；〃　said　trufflehunter。　〃miraz　is　angry。　it　is　good。〃　they　were　　certainly　at　it　hammer　and　tongs　now：　such　a　flurry　of　blows　that　it　seemed　impossible　for　either　　not　to　be　killed。

as　the　excitement　grew；　the　shouting　almost　died　away。　the　spectators　were　　holding　their　breath。　it　was　most　horrible　and　most　magnificent。

a　great　shout　arose　from　the　old　narnians。　miraz　was　a　down　…　not　struck　by　　peter；　but　face　downwards；　having　tripped　on　a　tussock。　peter　stepped　back；　waiting　　for　him　to　rise。

〃oh　bother；　bother；　bother；〃　said　edmund　to　himself。　〃need　he　be　as　　gentlemanly　as　all　that？　i　suppose　he　must。　es　of　being　a　knight　and　a　high　king。　i　suppose　　it　is　what　aslan　would　like。　but　that　brute　will　be　up　again　in　a　minute　and　then　…鈥�

but　〃that　brute〃　never　rose。　the　lords　glozelle　and　sopespian　had　their　own　　plans　ready。

as　soon　as　they　saw　their　king　down　they　leaped　into　the　lists　crying；　　〃treachery！

treachery！　the　narnian　traitor　has　stabbed　him　in　the　back　while　he　lay　　helpless。　to　arms！　to　arms；　telmar！鈥�

peter　hardly　understood　what　was　happening。　he　saw　two　big　men　running　　towards　him　with　drawn　swords。　then　the　third　telmarine　had　leaped　over　the　ropes　on　　his；　left。　〃to　arms；　narnia！　treachery！〃　peter　shouted。　if　all　three　had　set　upon　him　at　　once　he　would　never　have　spoken　again。　but　glozelle　stopped　to　stab　his　own　king　dead　　where　he　lay：　〃thats　for　your　insult；　this　morning；〃　he　whispered　as　the　blade　went　　home。　　peter　swung　to　face　sopespian；　slashed　his　legs　from　under　him　and；　with　the　back…cut　　of　the　same　stroke；　walloped　off　his　head　edmund　was　now　at　his　side　crying；　〃narnia；　　narnia！　the　lion！〃　the　whole　telmarine　army　was　rushing　toward　them。　but　now　the　giant　　was　stamping　forward；　stooping　low　and　swinging　his　club。　the　centaurs　charged。　　twang；　　

twang　behind　and　hiss；　hiss　overhead　came　the　archery　of　dwarfs。　trumpkin　　was　fighting　at　his　left。　full　battle　was　joined。

〃e　back；　reepicheep；　you　little　ass！〃　shouted　peter。　〃youll　only　be　　killed。　this　is　no　place　for　mice。〃　but　the　ridiculous　little　creatures　were　dancing　in　and　　out　among　the　feet　of　both　armies；　jabbing　with　their　swords。　many　a　telmarine　warrior　that　　day　felt　his　foot　suddenly　pierced　as　if　by　a　dozen　skewers；　hopped　on　one　leg　cursing　the　　pain；　and　fell　as　often　as　not。　if　he　fell；　the　mice　finished　him　off；　if　he　did　not；　someone　　else　did。

but　almost　before　the　old　narnians　were　really　warmed　to　their　work　they　　found　the　enemy　giving　way。　toughlooking　warriors　turned　white；　gazed　in　terror　not　　on　the　old　narnians　but　on　something　behind　them；　and　then　flung　down　their　weapons；　　shrieking；　〃the　wood！　the　wood！　the　end　of　the　world！鈥�

but　soon　neither　their　cries　nor　the　sound　of　weapons　could　be　heard　any　　more；　for　both　were　drowned　in　the　ocean…like　roar　of　the　awakened　trees　as　they　plunged　　through　the　ranks　of　peters　army；　and　then　on；　in　pursuit　of　the　telmarines。　have　you　　ever　stood　at　the　edge　of　a　great　wood　on　a　high　ridge　when　a　wild　south…wester　broke　　over　it　in　full　fury　on　an　autumn　evening？　imagine　that　sound。　and　then　imagine　that　the　　wood；　instead　of　being　fixed　to　one　place；　was　rushing　at　you；　and　was　no　longer　trees　　but　huge　people；　yet　still　like　trees　because　their　long　arms　waved　like　branches　and　their　　heads　tossed　and　leaves　fell　round　them　in　showers。　it　was　like　that　for　the　telmarines。　it　　was　a　little　alarming　even　for　the　narnians。　in　a　few　minutes　all　mirazs　followers　were　　running　down　to　the　great　river　in　the　hope　of　crossing　the　bridge　to　the　town　of　　beruna　and　there　defending　themselves　behind　ramparts　and　closed　gates。

they　reached　the　river；　but　there　was　no　bridge。　it　had　disappeared　since　　yesterday。　then　utter　panic　and　horror　fell　upon　them　and　they　all　surrendered。

but　what　had　happened　to　the　bridge？

early　that　morning；　after　a　few　hours　sleep；　the　girls　had　waked；　to　see　　aslan　standing　over　them　and　to　hear　his　voice　saying；　〃we　will　make　holiday。〃　they　rubbed　　their　eyes　and　looked　round　them。　the　trees　had　all　gone　but　could　still　be　seen　　moving　away　towards　aslans　how　in　a　dark　mass。　bacchus　and　the　maenads　…　his　fierce；　　madcap　girls　…　and　silenus　were　still　with　them。　lucy；　fully　rested；　jumped　up。　everyone　　was　awake；　everyone　was　laughing；　flutes　were　playing；　cymbals　clashing。　animals；　not　　talking　animals；　were　crowding　in　upon　them　from　every　direction。

〃what　is　it；　aslan？〃　said　lucy；　her　eyes　dancing　and　her　feet　wanting　to　　dance。

〃e；　children；〃　said　he。　〃ride　on　my　back　again　today。鈥�

〃oh；　lovely！〃　cried　lucy；　and　both　girls　climbed　on　to　the　warm　golden　back　　as　they　had　done　no　one　knew　how　many　years　before。　then　the　whole　party　moved　off　　aslan　　

leading；　bacchus　and　his　maenads　leaping；　rushing；　and　turning　somersaults；　　the　beasts　frisking　round　them；　and　silenus　and　his　donkey　bringing　up　the　rear。

they　turned　a　little　to　the　right；　raced　down　a　steep　hill；　and　found　the　　long　bridge　of　beruna　in　front　of　them。　before　they　had　begun　to　cross　it；　however；　up　out　　of　the　water　came　a　great　wet；　bearded　head；　larger　than　a　mans；　crowned　with　rushes。　　it　looked　at　aslan　and　out　of　its　mouth　a　deep　voice　came。

〃hail；　lord；〃　it　said。　〃loose　my　chains。鈥�

〃who　on　earth　is　that？〃　whispered　susan。

〃i　think　its　the　river…god；　but　hush；〃　said　lucy。

〃bacchus；〃　said　aslan。　〃deliver　him　from　his　chains。鈥�

〃that　means　the　bridge；　i　expect；〃　thought　lucy。　and　so　it　did。　bacchus　and　　his　people　splashed　forward　into　the　shallow　water；　and　a　minute　later　the　most　　curious　things　began　happening。　great；　strong　trunks　of　ivy　came　curling　up　all　the　piers　of　the　　bridge；　growing　as　quickly　as　a　fire　grows；　wrapping　the　stones　round；　splitting；　　breaking；　separating　them。　the　walls　of　the　bridge　turned　into　hedges　gay　with　　hawthorn　for　a　moment　and　then　disappeared　as　the　whole　thing　with　a　rush　and　a　rumble　　collapsed　into　the　swirling　water。　with　much　splashing；　screaming；　and　laughter　the　　revellers　waded　or　swam　or　danced　across　the　ford　（〃hurrah！　its　the　ford　of　beruna　again　　now！〃　cried　the　girls）　and　up　the　bank　on　the　far　side　and　into　the　town。

everyone　in　the　streets　fled　before　their　faces。　the　first　house　they　came　　to　was　a　school：　a　girls　school；　where　lot　of　narnian　girls；　with　their　hair　done　very　　tight　and　ugly　tight　collars　round　their　necks　and　thick　tickly　stockings　on　their　legs；　were　　having　a　history　lesson。　the　sort　of　〃history〃　that　was　taught　in　narnia　under　mirazs　rule　　was　duller　than　the　truest　history　you　ever　read　and　less　true　than　the　most　exciting　　adventure　story。

〃if　you　dont　attend；　gwendolen；〃　said　the　mistress；　and　stop　looking　out　　of　the　window；　i　shall　have　to　give　you　an　order…mark。鈥�

〃but　please；　miss　prizzle　…〃　began　gwendolen。

〃did　you　hear　what　i　said；　gwendolen？〃　asked　miss　prizzle。

〃but　please；　miss　prizzle；〃　said　gwendolen；　〃theres　a　lion！鈥�

〃take　two　order…marks　for　talking　nonsense；〃　said　miss　prizzle。　〃and　now　…〃　　a　roar　interrupted　her。　ivy　came　curling　in　at　the　windows　of　the　classroom。　the　　walls　became　a　mass　of　shimmering　green；　and　leafy　branches　arched　overhead　where　the　　ceiling　had　been。　miss　prizzle　found　she　was　standing　on　grass　in　a　forest　glade。　she　　clutched　at　her　desk　to　steady　herself；　and　found　that　the　desk　was　a　rose…bush。　wild　　people　such　as　she　　

had　never　even　imagined　were　crowding　round　her。　then　she　saw　the　lion；　　screamed　and　fled；　and　with　her　fled　her　class；　who　were　mostly　dumpy；　prim　little　girls　　with　fat　legs。

gwendolen　hesitated。

〃youll　stay　with　us；　sweetheart？〃　said　aslan。

〃oh；　may　i？　thank　you；　thank　you；〃　said　gwendolen。　instantly　s