PRINCE CASPIAN- 第15部分

it　was　heart…breaking　work　…　all　uphill　again；　back　over　the　ground　they　　had　already　travelled。　when　they　felt　that　they　really　couldnt　run　any　more；　even　to　　save　their　lives；　they　all　dropped　down　in　the　damp　moss　beside　a　waterfall　and　behind　a　big　　boulder；　panting。　they　were　surprised　to　see　how　high　they　had　already　got。

they　listened　intently　and　heard　no　sound　of　pursuit。

〃so　thats　all　right；〃　said　trumpkin；　drawing　a　deep　breath。　〃theyre　not　　searching　the　wood。　only　sentries；　i　expect。　but　it　means　that　miraz　has　an　outpost　down　　there。　bottles　and　battledores！　though；　it　was　a　near　thing。”

〃i　ought　to　have　my　head　smacked　for　bringing　us　this　way　at　all；〃　said　　peter。

〃on　the　contrary；　your　majesty；〃　said　the　dwarf。　〃for　one　thing　it　wasnt　　you；　it　was　your　royal　brother；　king　edmund；　who　first　suggested　going　by　glasswater。”

〃im　afraid　the　d。l。f。s　right；〃　said　edmund；　who　had　quite　honestly　　forgotten　this　ever　since　things　began　going　wrong。

〃and　for　another；〃　continued　trumpkin；　〃if　wed　gone　my　way；　wed　have　　walked　straight　into　that　new　outpost；　most　likely；　or　at　least　had　just　the　same　　trouble　avoiding　it。　i　think　this　glasswater　route　has　turned　out　for　the　best。”

〃a　blessing　in　disguise；〃　said　susan。

〃some　disguise！〃　said　edmund。

〃i　suppose　well　have　to　go　right　up　the　gorge　again　now；〃　said　lucy。

〃lu；　youre　a　hero；〃　said　peter。　〃thats　the　nearest　youve　got　today　to　　saying　i　told　you　so。　lets　get　on。”

〃and　as　soon　as　were　well　up　into　the　forest；〃　said　trumpkin；　〃whatever　　anyone　says；　im　going　to　light　a　fire　and　cook　supper。　but　we　must　get　well　away　from　　here。”

there　is　no　need　to　describe　how　they　toiled　back　up　the　gorge。　it　was　　pretty　hard　work；　but　oddly　enough　everyone　felt　more　cheerful。　they　were　getting　their　　second　wind；　and　the　word　supper　had　had　a　wonderful　effect。

they　reached　the　fir　wood　which　had　caused　them　so　much　trouble　while　it　　was　still　daylight；　and　bivouacked　in　a　hollow　just　above　it。　it　was　tedious　　gathering　the　firewood；　but　it　was　grand　when　the　fire　blazed　up　and　they　began　producing　the　damp　　and　smeary　parcels　of　bear…meat　which　would　have　been　so　very　unattractive　to　anyone　　who　had　spent　the　day　indoors。　the　dwarf　had　splendid　ideas　about　cookery。　each　　apple　（they　still　had　a　few　of　these）　was　wrapped　up　in　bears　meat　…　as　if　it　was　to　be　　apple　dumpling　with　meat　instead　of　pastry；　only　much　thicker　…　and　spiked　on　a　sharp　　stick　and　then　roasted。　and　the　juice　of　the　apple　worked　all　through　the　meat；　like　apple　　sauce　with　roast　pork。　bear　that　has　lived　too　much　on　other　animals　is　not　very　nice；　　but　bear　that　has　had　plenty　of　honey　and　fruit　is　excellent；　and　this　turned　out　to　be　　that　sort　of　bear。　it　was　a　truly　glorious　meal。　and；　of　course；　no　washing　up　…　only　lying　back　　and　watching　the　smoke　from　trumpkins　pipe　and　stretching　ones　tired　legs　and　　chatting。　everyone　felt　quite　hopeful　now　about　finding　king　caspian　tomorrow　and　defeating　　miraz　in　a　few　days。　it　may　not　have　been　sensible　of　them　to　feel　like　this；　but　they　　did。

they　dropped　off　to　sleep　one　by　one；　but　all　pretty　quickly。

lucy　woke　out　of　the　deepest　sleep　you　can　imagine；　with　the　feeling　that　　the　voice　she　liked　best　in　the　world　had　been　calling　her　name。　she　thought　at　first　it　　was　her　fathers　voice；　but　that　did　not　seem　quite　right。　then　she　thought　it　was　peters　　voice；　but　that　did　not　seem　to　fit　either。　she　did　not　want　to　get　up；　not　because　she　was　　still　tired　…　on　the　contrary　she　was　wonderfully　rested　and　all　the　aches　had　gone　from　her　　bones　…　but　because　she　felt　so　extremely　happy　and　fortable。　she　was　looking　　straight　up　at　the　narnian　moon；　which　is　larger　than　ours；　and　at　the　starry　sky；　for　the　　place　where　they　had　bivouacked　was　paratively　open。

〃lucy；〃　came　the　call　again；　neither　her　fathers　voice　nor　peters。　she　　sat　up；　trembling　with　excitement　but　not　with　fear。　the　moon　was　so　bright　that　the　whole　　forest　landscape　around　her　was　almost　as　clear　as　day；　though　it　looked　wilder。　　behind　her　was　the　fir　wood；　away　to　her　right　the　jagged　cliff…tops　on　the　far　side　of　　the　gorge；　straight　ahead；　open　grass　to　where　a　glade　of　trees　began　about　a　bow…shot　away。　　lucy　looked　very　hard　at　the　trees　of　that　glade。

〃why；　i　do　believe　theyre　moving；〃　she　said　to　herself。　〃theyre　walking　　about。”

she　got　up；　her　heart　beating　wildly；　and　walked　towards　them。　there　was　　certainly　a　noise　in　the　glade；　a　noise　such　as　trees　make　in　a　high　wind；　though　there　　was　no　wind　tonight。　yet　it　was　not　exactly　an　ordinary　treenoise　either。　lucy　felt　　there　was　a　tune　in　　

it；　but　she　could　not　catch　the　tune　any　more　than　she　had　been　able　to　　catch　the　words　when　the　trees　had　so　nearly　talked　to　her　the　night　before。　but　there　was；　　at　least；　a　lilt；　she　felt　her　own　feet　wanting　to　dance　as　she　got　nearer。　and　now　there　was　　no　doubt　that　the　trees　were　really　moving　moving　in　and　out　through　one　another　as　if　in　　a　plicated　country　dance。　（〃and　i　suppose；〃　thought　lucy；　〃when　trees　　dance；　it　must　be　a　very；　very　country　dance　indeed。）　she　was　almost　among　them　now。

the　first　tree　she　looked　at　seemed　at　first　glance　to　be　not　a　tree　at　all　　but　a　huge　man　with　a　shaggy　beard　and　great　bushes　of　hair。　she　was　not　frightened：　she　　had　seen　such　things　before。　but　when　she　looked　again　he　was　only　a　tree；　though　he　was　　still　moving。

you　couldnt　see　whether　he　had　feet　or　roots；　of　course；　because　when　　trees　move　they　dont　walk　on　the　surface　of　the　earth；　they　wade　in　it　as　we　do　in　water。　　the　same　thing　happened　with　every　tree　she　looked　at。　at　one　moment　they　seemed　to　be　the　　friendly；　lovely　giant　and　giantess　forms　which　the　tree…people　put　on　when　some　good　　magic　has　called　them　into　full　life：　next　moment　they　all　looked　like　trees　again。　　but　when　they　looked　like　trees；　it　was　like　strangely　human　trees；　and　when　they　looked　　like　people；　it　was　like　strangely　branchy　and　leafy　people　…　and　all　the　time　that　queer　　lilting；　rustling；　cool；　merry　noise。

〃they　are　almost　awake；　not　quite；〃　said　lucy。　she　knew　she　herself　was　　wide　awake；　wider　than　anyone　usually　is。

she　went　fearlessly　in　among　them；　dancing　herself　as　she　leaped　this　way　　and　that　to　avoid　being　run　into　by　these　huge　partners。　but　she　was　only　half　　interested　in　them。　she　wanted　to　get　beyond　them　to　something　else；　it　was　from　beyond　them　that　　the　dear　voice　had　called。

she　soon　got　through　them　（half　wondering　whether　she　had　been　using　her　　arms　to　push　branches　aside；　or　to　take　hands　in　a　great　chain　with　big　dancers　who　　stooped　to　reach　her）　for　they　were　really　a　ring　of　trees　round　a　central　open　place。　she　　stepped　out　from　among　their　shifting　confusion　of　lovely　lights　and　shadows。

a　circle　of　grass；　smooth　as　a　lawn；　met　her　eyes；　with　dark　trees　dancing　　all　round　it。

and　then　…　oh　joy！　for　he　was　there：　the　huge　lion；　shining　white　in　the　　moonlight；　with　his　huge　black　shadow　underneath　him。

but　for　the　movement　of　his　tail　he　might　have　been　a　stone　lion；　but　lucy　　never　thought　of　that。　she　never　stopped　to　think　whether　he　was　a　friendly　lion　or　not。　　she　rushed　to　him。　she　felt　her　heart　would　burst　if　she　lost　a　moment。　and　the　next　　thing　she　knew　was　that　she　was　kissing　him　and　putting　her　arms　as　far　round　his　neck　as　　she　could　and　burying　her　face　in　the　beautiful　rich　silkiness　of　his　mane。

〃aslan；　aslan。　dear　aslan；〃　sobbed　lucy。　〃at　last。”

the　great　beast　rolled　over　on　his　side　so　that　lucy　fell；　half　sitting　and　　half　lying　between　his　front　paws。　he　bent　forward　and　just　touched　her　nose　with　his　　tongue。　his　warm　breath　came　all　round　her。　she　gazed　up　into　the　large　wise　face。

〃wele；　child；〃　he　said。

〃aslan；〃　said　lucy；　〃youre　bigger。”

〃that　is　because　you　are　older；　little　one；〃　answered　he。

〃not　because　you　are？”

〃i　am　not。　but　every　year　you　grow；　you　will　find　me　bigger。”

for　a　time　she　was　so　happy　that　she　did　not　want　to　speak。　but　aslan　　spoke。

〃lucy；〃　he　said；　〃we　must　not　lie　here　for　long。　you　have　work　in　hand；　and　　much　time　has　been　lost　today。”

〃yes；　wasnt　it　a　shame？〃　said　lucy。　〃i　saw　you　all　right。　they　wouldnt　　believe　me。

theyre　all　so　…”

from　somewhere　deep　inside　aslans　body　there　came　the　faintest　suggestion　　of　a　growl。

〃im　sorry；〃　said　lucy；　who　understood　some　of　his　moods。　〃i　didnt　mean　to　　start　slanging　the　others。　but　it　wasnt　my　fault　anyway；　was　it？”

the　lion　looked　straight　into　her　eyes。

〃oh；　aslan；〃　said　lucy。　〃you　dont　mean　it　was？　how　could　i　…　i　couldnt　　have　left　the　others　and　e　up　to　you　alone；　how　could　i？　dont　look　at　me　like　that　。　　。　。　oh　well；　i　suppose　i　could。　yes；　and　it　wouldnt　have　been　alone；　i　know；　not　if　i　was　　with　you。　but　what　would　have　been　the　good？”

aslan　said　nothing。

〃you　mean；〃　said　lucy　rather　faintly；　〃that　it　would　have　turned　out　all　　right　…　somehow？

but　how？　please；　aslan！　am　i　not　to　know？”

〃to　know　what　would　have　happened；　child？〃　said　aslan。　〃no。　nobody　is　ever　　told　that。”

〃oh　dear；〃　said　lucy。

〃but　anyone　can　find　out　what　will　happen；〃　said　aslan。　〃if　you　go　back　to　　the　others　now；　and　wake　them　up；　and　tell　them　you　h