The Last Battle- 第6部分

〃you　neednt；　you　neednt；〃　said　the　little　voices。　〃what　else　could　we　do？　　we　dont　want　any　other　king。　were　your　people。　if　it　was　only　the　ape　and　the　　calormenes　who　were　against　you　we　would　have　fought　till　we　were　cut　into　pieces　before　wed　　let　them　tie　you　up。　we　would；　we　would　indeed。　but　we　cant　go　against　aslan。”

〃do　you　think　it　really　is　aslan？〃　asked　the　king。

〃oh　yes；　yes；〃　said　the　rabbit。　〃he　came　out　of　the　stable　last　night。　we　　all　saw　him。”

〃what　was　he　like？〃　said　the　king。

〃like　a　terrible；　great　lion；　to　be　sure；〃　said　one　of　the　mice。

〃and　you　think　it　is　really　aslan　who　is　killing　the　wood…nymphs　and　making　　you　all　slaves　to　the　king　of　calormen？”

〃ah；　thats　bad；　isnt　it？〃　said　the　second　mouse。　〃it　would　have　been　　better　if　wed　died　before　all　this　began。　but　theres　no　doubt　about　it。　everyone　says　it　is　　aslans　orders。

and　weve　seen　him。　we　didnt　think　aslan　would　be　like　that。　why；　we　…　we　　wanted　him　to　e　back　to　narnia。”

〃he　seems　to　have　e　back　very　angry　this　time；〃　said　the　first　mouse。　　〃we　must　all　have　done　something　dreadfully　wrong　without　knowing　it。　he　must　be　　punishing　us　for　something。　but　i　do　think　we　might　be　told　what　it　was！”

〃i　suppose　what　were　doing　now　may　be　wrong；〃　said　the　rabbit。

〃i　dont　care　if　it　is；〃　said　one　of　the　moles。　〃id　do　it　again。”

but　the　others　said；　〃oh　hush；〃　and　〃do　be　careful；〃　and　then　they　all　　said；　〃were　sorry；　dear　king；　but　we　must　go　back　now。　it　would　never　do　for　us　to　be　caught　　here。”

〃leave　me　at　once；　dear　beasts；〃　said　tirian。　〃i　would　not　for　all　narnia　　bring　any　of　you　into　danger。”

〃goodnight；　goodnight；〃　said　the　beasts；　rubbing　their　noses　against　his　　knees。　〃we　will　e　back　…　if　we　can。〃　then　they　all　pattered　away　and　the　wood　seemed　　darker　and　colder　and　lonelier　than　it　had　been　before　they　came。

the　stars　came　out　and　time　went　slowly　on　…　imagine　how　slowly　…　while　　that　last　king　of　narnia　stood　stiff　and　sore　and　upright　against　the　tree　in　his　bonds。　　but　at　last　something　happened。

far　away　there　appeared　a　red　light。　then　it　disappeared　for　a　moment　and　　came　back　again；　bigger　and　stronger。　then　he　could　see　dark　shapes　going　to　and　fro　　on　this　side　of　the　light　and　carrying　bundles　and　throwing　them　down。　he　knew　now　what　he　　was　looking　at。　it　was　a　bonfire；　newly　lit；　and　people　were　throwing　bundles　　of　brushwood　on　to　it。　presently　it　blazed　up　and　tirian　could　see　that　it　was　on　the　　very　top　of　the　hill。

he　could　see　quite　clearly　the　stable　behind　it；　all　lit　up　in　the　red　　glow；　and　a　great　crowd　of　beasts　and　men　between　the　fire　and　himself。　a　small　figure；　hunched　up　　beside　the　fire；　must　be　the　ape。　it　was　saying　something　to　the　crowd；　but　he　could　　not　hear　what。

then　it　went　and　bowed　three　times　to　the　ground　in　front　of　the　door　of　　the　stable。　then　it　got　up　and　opened　the　door。　and　something　on　four　legs　…　something　that　　walked　rather　stiffly　…　came　out　of　the　stable　and　stood　facing　the　crowd。

a　great　wailing　or　howling　went　up；　so　loud　that　tirian　could　hear　some　of　　the　words。

〃aslan！　aslan！　aslan！〃　cried　the　beasts。　〃speak　to　us。　fort　us。　be　angry　　with　us　no　more。”

from　where　tirian　was　he　could　not　make　out　very　clearly　what　the　thing　　was；　but　he　could　see　that　it　was　yellow　and　hairy。　he　had　never　seen　the　great　lion。　　he　had　never　seen　a　mon　lion。　he　couldnt　be　sure　that　what　he　saw　was　not　the　real　　aslan。　he　had　not　expected　aslan　to　look　like　that　stiff　thing　which　stood　and　said　　nothing。　but　how　could　one　be　sure？　for　a　moment　horrible　thoughts　went　through　his　mind：　　then　he　remembered　the　nonsense　about　tash　and　aslan　being　the　same　and　knew　that　　the　whole　thing　must　be　a　cheat。

the　ape　put　his　head　close　up　to　the　yellow　things　head　as　if　he　were　　listening　to　something　it　was　whispering　to　him。　then　he　turned　and　spoke　to　the　crowd；　　and　the　crowd　wailed　again。　then　the　yellow　thing　turned　clumsily　round　and　walked　　…　you　might　almost　say；　waddled　…　back　into　the　stable　and　the　ape　shut　the　door　behind　　it。　after　that　the　fire　must　have　been　put　out　for　the　light　vanished　quite　suddenly；　and　　tirian　was　once　more　alone　with　the　cold　and　the　darkness。

he　thought　of　other　kings　who　had　lived　and　died　in　narnia　in　old　times　and　　it　seemed　to　him　that　none　of　them　had　ever　been　so　unlucky　as　himself。　he　thought　of　　his　great…grandfathers　great…grandfather　king　rilian　who　had　been　stolen　away　by　a　　witch　when　he　was　only　a　young　prince　and　kept　hidden　for　years　in　the　dark　caves　　beneath　the　land　of　the　northern　giants。　but　then　it　had　all　e；　right　in　the　end；　for　two　　mysterious　　

children　had　suddenly　appeared　from　the　land　beyond　the　worlds　end　and　had　　rescued　him　so　that　he　came　home　to　narnia　and　had　a　long　and　prosperous　reign。　　〃its　not　like　that　with　me；〃　said　tirian　to　himself。　then　he　went　further　back　and：　　thought　about　rilians　father；　caspian　the　seafarer；　whose　wicked　uncle　king　miraz　had　　tried　to　murder　him　and　how　caspian　had　fled　away　into　the　woods　and　lived　among　the　　dwarfs。　but　that　story　too　had　all　e　right　in　the　end：　for　caspian　also　had　been　helped　　by　children　…　only　there　were　four　of　them　that　time　…　who　came　from　somewhere　beyond　the　　world　and　fought　a　great　battle　and　set　him　on　his　fathers　throne。　〃but　it　was　　all　long　ago；〃　said　tirian　to　himself。　〃that　sort　of　thing　doesnt　happen　now。〃　and　then　he　　remembered　（for　he　had　always　been　good　at　history　when　he　was　a　boy）　how　those　same　four　　children　who　had　helped　caspian　had　been　in　narnia　over　a　thousand　years　before；　and　　it　was　then　that　they　had　done　the　most　remarkable　thing　of　all。　for　then　they　had　　defeated　the　terrible　white　witch　and　ended　the　hundred　years　of　winter；　and　after　that　　they　had　reigned　（all　four　of　them　together）　at　cair　paravel；　till　they　were　no　　longer　children　but　great　kings　and　lovely　queens；　and　their　reign　had　been　the　golden　age　of　　narnia。　and　aslan　had　e　into　that　story　a　lot。　he　had　e　into　all　the　other　　stories　too；　as　tirian　now　remembered。　〃aslan　…　and　children　from　another　world；〃　thought　tirian。　　〃they　have　always　e　in　when　things　were　at　their　worst。　oh；　if　only　they　could　　now。”

and　he　called　out　〃aslan！　aslan！　aslan！　e　and　help　us　now。”

but　the　darkness　and　the　cold　and　the　quietness　went　on　just　the　same。

〃let　me　be　killed；〃　cried　the　king。　〃i　ask　nothing　for　myself。　but　e　and　　save　all　narnia。”

and　still　there　was　no　change　in　the　night　or　the　wood；　but　there　began　to　　be　a　kind　of　change　inside　tirian。　without　knowing　why；　he　began　to　feel　a　faint　hope。　　and　he　felt　somehow　stronger。　〃oh　aslan；　aslan；〃　he　whispered。　〃if　you　will　not　e　　yourself；　at　least　send　me　the　helpers　from　beyond　the　world。　or　let　me　call　them。　let　　my　voice　carry　beyond　the　world。〃　then；　hardly　knowing　that　he　was　doing　it；　he　suddenly　　cried　out　in　a　great　voice：　　〃children！　children！　friends　of　narnia！　quick。　e　to　me。　across　the　　worlds　i　call　you；　i　tirian；　king　of　narnia；　lord　of　cair　paravel；　and　emperor　of　the　　lone　islands！”

and　immediately　he　was　plunged　into　a　dream　（if　it　was　a　dream）　more　vivid　　than　any　he　had　had　in　his　life。

he　seemed　to　be　standing　in　a　lighted　room　where　seven　people　sat　round　a　　table。　it　looked　as　if　they　had　just　finished　their　meal。　two　of　those　people　were　　very　old；　an　old　man　with　a　white　beard　and　an　old　woman　with　wise；　merry；　twinkling　eyes。　　he　who　sat　at　the　right　hand　of　the　old　man　was　hardly　full　grown；　certainly　younger　　than　tirian　himself；　but　his　face　had　already　the　look　of　a　king　and　a　warrior。　and　you　　could　almost　say　the　same　of　the　other　youth　who　sat　at　the　right　hand　of　the　old　woman。　　facing　tirian　across　the　table　sat　a　fair…haired　girl　younger　than　either　of　these；　and　　on　either　side　of　her　　

a　boy　and　girl　who　were　younger　still。　they　were　all　dressed　in　what　seemed　　to　tirian　the　oddest　kind　of　clothes。

but　he　had　no　time　to　think　about　details　like　that；　for　instantly　the　　younger　boy　and　both　the　girls　started　to　their　feet；　and　one　of　them　gave　a　little　scream。　the　　old　woman　started　and　drew　in　her　breath　sharply。　the　old　man　must　have　made　some　sudden　　movement　too　for　the　wine　glass　which　stood　at　his　right　hand　was　swept　off　the　table：　　tirian　could　hear　the　tinkling　noise　as　it　broke　on　the　floor。

then　tirian　realized　that　these　people　could　see　him；　they　were　staring　at　　him　as　if　they　saw　a　ghost。　but　he　noticed　that　the　king…like　one　who　sat　at　the　old　mans　　right　never　moved　（though　he　turned　pale）　except　that　he　clenched　his　hand　very　tight。　　then　he　said：　　〃speak；　if　youre　not　a　phantom　or　a　dream。　you　have　a　narnian　look　about　　you　and　we　are　the　seven　friends　of　narnia。”

tirian　was　longing　to　speak；　and　he　tried　to　cry　out　aloud　that　he　was　　tirian　of　narnia；　in　great　need　of　help。　but　he　found　（as　i　have　sometimes　found　in　dreams　too）　　that　his　voice　made　no　noise　at　all。

the　one　who　had　already　spoken　to　him　rose　to　his　feet。　〃shadow　or　spirit　　or　whatever　you　are；〃　he　said；　fixing　his　eyes　full　upon　tirian。　〃if　you　are　from　　narnia；　i　charge　you　in　the　name　of　aslan；　speak　to　me。　i　am　peter　the　high　king。”

the　room　began　to　swim　before　tirians　eyes。　he　heard　the　voices　of　those　　seven