The Last Battle- 第19部分

there　was　a　deafening　noise。　as　when　the　ape　had　been　flung　in；　the　earth　　shook　and　there　was　a　blinding　light。

the　calormene　soldiers　outside　screamed。　〃tash；　tash！〃　and　banged　the　door。　　if　tash　wanted　their　own　captain；　tash　must　have　him。　they；　at　any　rate；　did　not　　want　to　meet　tash。

for　a　moment　or　two　tirian　did　not　know　where　he　was　or　even　who　he　was。　　then　he　steadied　himself；　blinked；　and　looked　around。　it　was　not　dark　inside　the　　stable；　as　he　had　expected。　he　was　in　strong　light：　that　was　why　he　was　blinking。

he　turned　to　look　at　rishda　tarkaan；　but　rishda　was　not　looking　at　him。　　rishda　gave　a　great　wail　and　pointed；　then　he　put　his　hands　before　his　face　and　fell　　flat；　face　downwards；　on　the　ground。　tirian　looked　in　the　direction　where　the　tarkaan　　had　pointed。

and　then　he　understood。

a　terrible　figure　was　ing　towards　them。　it　was　far　smaller　than　the　　shape　they　had　seen　from　the　tower；　though　still　much　bigger　than　a　man；　and　it　was　the　　same。　it　had　a　vultures　head　and　four　arms。　its　beak　was　open　and　its　eyes　blazed。　a　　croaking　voice　came　from　its　beak。

〃thou　hast　called　me　into　narnia；　rishda　tarkaan。　here　i　am。　what　hast　thou　　to　say？”

but　the　tarkaan　neither　lifted　his　face　from　the　ground　nor　said　a　word。　he　　was　shaking　like　a　man　with　a　bad　hiccup。　he　was　brave　enough　in　battle：　but　half　his　　courage　had　left　him　earlier　that　night　when　he　first　began　to　suspect　that　there　might　be　a　　real　tash。　the　rest　of　it　had　left　him　now。

with　a　sudden　jerk　…like　a　hen　stooping　to　pick　up　a　worm　…　tash　pounced　on　　the　miserable　rishda　and　tucked　him　under　the　upper　of　his　two　right　arms。　then　　tash　turned　his　head　sidewise　to　fix　tirian　with　one　of　his　terrible　eyes：　for　of　　course；　having　a　birds　head；　he　couldnt　look　at　you　straight。

but　immediately；　from　behind　tash；　strong　and　calm　as　the　summer　sea；　a　　voice　said：　　〃begone；　monster；　and　take　your　lawful　prey　to　your　own　place：　in　the　name　　of　aslan　and　aslans　great　father　the　emperor…over…the…sea。”

the　hideous　creature　vanished；　with　the　tarkaan　still　under　its　arm。　and　　tirian　turned　to　see　who　had　spoken。

and　what　he　saw　then　set　his　heart　beating　as　it　had　never　beaten　in　any　　fight。

seven　kings　and　queens　stood　before　him；　all　with　crowns　on　their　heads　and　　all　in　glittering　clothes；　but　the　kings　wore　fine　mail　as　well　and　had　their　　swords　drawn　in　their　hands。　tirian　bowed　courteously　and　was　about　to　speak　when　the　　youngest　of　the　queens　laughed。　he　stared　hard　at　her　face；　and　then　gasped　with　amazement；　　for　he　knew　her。　it　was　jill：　but　not　jill　as　he　had　last　seen　her；　with　her　face　　all　dirt　and　tears　and　an　old　drill　dress　half　slipping　off　one　shoulder。　now　she　looked　cool　　and　fresh；　as　fresh　as　if　she　had　just　e　from　bathing。　and　at　first　he　thought　she　　looked　older；　but　then　didnt；　and　he　could　never　make　up　his　mind　on　that　point。　and　then　he　　saw　that　the　youngest　of　the　kings　was　eustace：　but　he　also　was　changed　as　jill　was　　changed。

tirian　suddenly　felt　awkward　about　ing　among　these　people　with　the　blood　　and　dust　and　sweat　of　a　battle　still　on　him。　next　moment　he　realized　that　he　was　not　　in　that　state　at　all。　he　was　fresh　and　cool　and　clean；　and　dressed　in　such　clothes　as　he　　would　have　worn　for　a　great　feast　at　cair　paravel。　（but　in　narnia　your　good　clothes　were　　never　your　unfortable　ones。　they　knew　how　to　make　things　that　felt　beautiful　as　　well　as　looking　beautiful　in　narnia：　and　there　was　no　such　thing　as　starch　or　flannel　or　　elastic　to　be　found　from　one　end　of　the　country　to　the　other。）

〃sire；〃　said　jill　ing　forward　and　making　a　beautiful　curtsey；　〃let　me　　make　you　known　to　peter　the　high　king　over　all　kings　in　narnia。”

tirian　had　no　need　to　ask　which　was　the　high　king；　for　he　remembered　his　　face　（though　here　it　was　far　nobler）　from　his　dream。　he　stepped　forward；　sank　on　one　　knee　and　kissed　peters　hand。

〃high　king；〃　he　said。　〃you　are　wele　to　me。”

and　the　high　king　raised　him　and　kissed　him　on　both　cheeks　as　a　high　king　　should。

then　he　led　him　to　the　eldest　of　the　queens　…　but　even　she　was　not　old；　and　　there　were　no　grey　hairs　on　her　head　and　no　wrinkles　on　her　cheek　…　and　said；　〃sir；　this　　is　that　lady　polly　who　came　into　narnia　on　the　first　day；　when　aslan　made　the　trees　grow　　and　the　beasts　talk。〃　he　brought　him　next　to　a　man　whose　golden　beard　flowed　over　　his　breast　and　whose　face　was　full　of　wisdom。　〃and　this；〃　he　said；　〃is　the　lord　digory　　who　was　with　her　on　that　day。　and　this　is　my　brother；　king　edmund：　and　this　my　　sister；　the　queen　lucy。”

〃sir；〃　said　tirian；　when　he　had　greeted　all　these。　〃if　i　have　read　the　　chronicle　aright；　there　should　be　another。　has　not　your　majesty　two　sisters？　where　is　queen　susan？”

〃my　sister　susan；〃　answered　peter　shortly　and　gravely；　〃is　no　longer　a　　friend　of　narnia。”

〃yes；〃　said　eustace；　〃and　whenever　youve　tried　to　get　her　to　e　and　talk　　about　narnia　or　do　anything　about　narnia；　she　says；　‘what　wonderful　memories　you　have！　　fancy　your　still　thinking　about　all　those　funny　games　we　used　to　play　when　we　were　　children。“

〃oh　susan！〃　said　jill。　〃shes　interested　in　nothing　nowadays　except　nylons　　and　lipstick　and　invitations。　she　always　was　a　jolly　sight　too　keen　on　being　grown…up。”

〃grown…up；　indeed；〃　said　the　lady　polly。　〃i　wish　she　would　grow　up。　she　　wasted　all　her　school　time　wanting　to　be　the　age　she　is　now；　and　shell　waste　all　the　rest　　of　her　life　trying　to　stay　that　age。　her　whole　idea　is　to　race　on　to　the　silliest　time　of　　ones　life　as　quick　as　she　can　and　then　stop　there　as　long　as　she　can。”

〃well；　dont　lets　talk　about　that　now；〃　said　peter。　〃look！　here　are　lovely　　fruit…trees。　let　us　taste　them。”

and　then；　for　the　first　time；　tirian　looked　about　him　and　realized　how　very　　queer　this　adventure　was。

。。



CHAPTER　THIRTEEN

@小‘说〃网
how　the　dwarfs　refused　to　be　taken　in　　　tirian　had　thought　…　or　he　would　have　thought　if　he　had　time　to　think　at　　all　…　that　they　were　inside　a　little　thatched　stable；　about　twelve　feet　long　and　six　feet　　wide。　in　reality　they　stood　on　grass；　the　deep　blue　sky　was　overhead；　and　the　air　which　blew　　gently　on　their　faces　was　that　of　a　day　in　early　summer。　not　far　away　from　them　rose　　a　grove　of　trees；　thickly　leaved；　but　under　every　leaf　there　peeped　out　the　gold　or　　faint　yellow　or　purple　or　glowing　red　of　fruits　such　as　no　one　has　seen　in　our　world。　the　　fruit　made　tirian　feel　that　it　must　be　autumn　but　there　was　something　in　the　feel　of　　the　air　that　told　him　it　could　not　be　later　than　june。　they　all　moved　towards　the　trees。

everyone　raised　his　hand　to　pick　the　fruit　he　best　liked　the　look　of；　and　　then　everyone　paused　for　a　second。　this　fruit　was　so　beautiful　that　each　felt　〃it　cant　　be　meant　for　me。。。　　surely　were　not　allowed　to　pluck　it。”

〃its　all　right；〃　said　peter。　〃i　know　what　were　all　thinking。　but　im　　sure；　quite　sure；　we　neednt。　ive　a　feeling　weve　got　to　the　country　where　everything　is　　allowed。”

〃here　goes；　then！〃　said　eustace。　and　they　all　began　to　eat。

what　was　the　fruit　like？　unfortunately　no　one　can　describe　a　taste。　all　i　　can　say　is　that；　pared　with　those　fruits；　the　freshest　grapefruit　youve　ever　eaten　was　　dull；　and　the　juiciest　orange　was　dry；　and　the　most　melting　pear　was　hard　and　woody；　and　　the　sweetest　wild　strawberry　was　sour。　and　there　were　no　seeds　or　stones；　and　no　wasps。　　if　you　had　once　eaten　that　fruit；　all　the　nicest　things　in　this　world　would　taste　like　　medicines　after　it。

but　i　cant　describe　it。　you　cant　find　out　what　it　is　like　unless　you　can　　get　to　that　country　and　taste　it　for　yourself。

when　they　had　eaten　enough；　eustace　said　to　king　peter；　〃you　havent　yet　　told　us　how　you　got　here。　you　were　just　going　to；　when　king　tirian　turned　up。”

〃theres　not　much　to　tell；〃　said　peter。　〃edmund　and　i　were　standing　on　the　　platform　and　we　saw　your　train　ing　in。　i　remember　thinking　it　was　taking　the　bend　far　　too　fast。　and　i　remember　thinking　how　funny　it　was　that　our　people　were　probably　in　the　　same　train　though　lucy　didnt　know　about　it　…”

〃your　people；　high　king？〃　said　tirian。

〃i　mean　my　father　and　mother　…　edmunds　and　lucys　and　mine。”

〃why　were　they？〃　asked　jill。　〃you　dont　mean　to　say　they　know　about　　narnia？”

〃oh　no；　it　had　nothing　to　do　with　narnia。　they　were　on　their　way　to　　bristol。　id　only　heard　they　were　going　that　morning。　but　edmund　said　theyd　be　bound　to　be　　going　by　that　train。〃　（edmund　was　the　sort　of　person　who　knows　about　railways。）

〃and　what　happened　then？〃　said　jill。

〃well；　its　not　very　easy　to　describe；　is　it；　edmund？〃　said　the　high　king。

〃not　very；〃　said　edmund。　〃it　wasnt　at　all　like　that　other　time　when　we　　were　pulled　out　of　our　own　world　by　magic。　there　was　a　frightful　roar　and　something　hit　me　　with　a　bang；　but　it　didnt　hurt。　and　i　felt　not　so　much　scared　as　…　well；　excited。　oh　…　　and　this　is　one　queer　thing。

id　had　a　rather　sore　knee；　from　a　hack　at　rugger。　i　noticed　it　had　　suddenly　gone。　and　i　felt　very　light。　and　then　…　here　we　were。”

〃it　was　much　the　same　for　us　in　the　railway　carriage；〃　said　the　lord　　digory；　wiping　the　last　traces　of　the　fruit　from　his　golden　beard。　〃only　i　think　you　and　i；　　polly；　chiefly　felt　　

that　wed　been　unstiffened。　you　youngs