THE place where they had met the Fauns was, of course, Dancing Lawn itself, and here Caspian and his friends remained till the night of the great Council. To sleep under the stars, to drink nothing but well water and to live chiefly on nuts and wild fruit, was a strange experience for Caspian after his bed with silken sheets in a tapestried chamber at the castle, with meals laid out on gold and silver dishes in the anteroom, and attendants ready at his call. But he had never enjoyed himself more. Never had sleep been more refreshing nor food tasted more savoury, and he began already to harden and his face wore a kinglier look.
When the great night came, and his various strange subjects came stealing into the lawn by ones and twos and threes or by sixes and sevens—the moon then shining almost at her full—his heart swelled as he saw their numbers and heard their greetings. All whom he had met were there: Bulgy Bears and Red Dwarfs and Black Dwarfs, Moles and Badgers, Hares and Hedgehogs, and others whom he had not yet seen— five Satyrs as red as foxes, the whole contingent of Talking Mice, armed to the teeth and following a shrill trumpet, some Owls, the Old Raven of Ravenscaur. Last of all (and this took Caspian's breath away), with the Centaurs came a small but genuine Giant, Wimbleweather of Deadman's Hill, carrying on his back a basketful of rather sea-sick Dwarfs who had accepted his offer of a lift and were now wishing they had walked instead.
The Bulgy Bears were very anxious to have the feast first and leave the council till afterwards: perhaps till tomorrow. Reepicheep and his Mice said that councils and feasts could both wait, and proposed storming Miraz in his own castle that very night. Pattertwig and the other Squirrels said they could talk and eat at the same time, so why not have the council and feast all at once? The Moles proposed throwing up entrenchments round the Lawn before they did anything else. The Fauns thought it would be better to begin with a solemn dance. The Old Raven, while agreeing with the Bears that it would take too long to have a full council before supper, begged to be allowed to give a brief address to the whole company. But Caspian and the Centaurs and the Dwarfs over-ruled all these suggestions and insisted on holding a real council of war at once.
When all the other creatures had been persuaded to sit down quietly in a great circle, and when (with more difficulty) they had got Pattertwig to stop running to and fro and saying “Silence! Silence, everyone, for the King's speech,” Caspian, feeling a little nervous, got up. “Narnians!” he began, but he never got any further, for at that very moment Camillo the Hare said, “Hush! There's a Man somewhere near.”
They were all creatures of the wild, accustomed to being hunted, and they all became still as statues. The beasts all turned their noses in the direction which Camillo had indicated.
“Smells like Man and yet not quite like Man,” whispered Trufflehunter.
“It's getting steadily nearer,” said Camillo.
“Two badgers and you three Dwarfs, with your bow at the ready, go softly off to meet it,” said Caspian.
“We'll settle 'un,” said a Black Dwarf grimly, fitting a shaft to his bowstring.
“Don't shoot if it is alone,” said Caspian. “Catch it.”
“Why?” asked the Dwarf.
“Do as you're told,” said Glenstorm the Centaur.
Everyone waited in silence while the three Dwarfs and two Badgers trotted stealthily across to the trees on the north-west side of the Lawn. Then came a sharp dwarfish cry, “Stop! Who goes there?” and a sudden spring. A moment later a voice, which Caspian knew well, could be heard saying, “All right, all right, I'm unarmed. Take my wrists if you like, worthy Badgers, but don't bite right through them. I want to speak to the King.”
“Doctor Cornelius!” cried Caspian with joy, and rushed forward to greet his old master. Everyone else crowded round.
“Pah!” said Nikabrik. “A renegade Dwarf. A half-and-halfer! Shall I pass my sword through its throat?”
“Be quiet, Nikabrik,” said Trumpkin. “The creature can't help its ancestry.”
“This is my greatest friend and the saviour of my life,” said Caspian. “And anyone who doesn't like his company may leave my army: at once. Dearest Doctor, I am glad to see you again. How ever did you find us out?”
“By a little use of simple magic, your Majesty,” said the Doctor, who was still puffing and blowing from having walked so fast. “But there's no time to go into that now. We must all fly from this place at once. You are already betrayed and Miraz is on the move. Before mid-day tomorrow you will be surrounded.”
“Betrayed!” said Caspian. “And by whom?”
“Another renegade Dwarf, no doubt,” said Nikabrik.
“By your horse Destrier,” said Doctor Cornelius. “The poor brute knew no better. When you were knocked off, of course, he went dawdling back to his stable in the castle. Then the secret of your flight was known. I made myself scarce, having no wish to be questioned about it in Miraz's torture chamber. I had a pretty good guess from my crystal as to where I should find you. But all day—that was the day before yesterday—I saw Miraz's tracking parties out in the woods. Yesterday I learned that his army is out. I don't think some of your—um—pure-blooded Dwarfs have as much woodcraft as might be expected. You've left tracks all over the place. Great carelessness. At any rate something has warned Miraz that Old Narnia is not so dead as he had hoped, and he is on the move.”
“Hurrah!” said a very shrill and small voice from somewhere at the Doctor's feet. “Let them come! All I ask is that the King will put me and my people in the front.”
“What on earth?” said Doctor Cornelius. “Has your Majesty got grasshoppers—or mosquitoes—in your army?” Then after stooping down and peering carefully through his spectacles, he broke into a laugh.
“By the Lion,” he swore, “it's a mouse. Signior Mouse, I desire your better acquaintance. I am honoured by meeting so valiant a beast.”
“My friendship you shall have, learned Man,” piped Reepicheep. “And any Dwarf—or Giant—in the army who does not give you good language shall have my sword to reckon with.”
“Is there time for this foolery?” asked Nikabrik. “What are our plans? Battle or flight?”
“Battle if need be,” said Trumpkin. “But we are hardly ready for it yet, and this is no very defensible place.”
“I don't like the idea of running away,” said Caspian.
“Hear him! Hear him!” said the Bulgy Bears. “Whatever we do, don't let's have any running. Especially not before supper; and not too soon after it neither.”
“Those who run first do not always run last,” said the Centaur. “And should we let the enemy choose our position instead of choosing it ourselves? Let us find a strong place.”
“That's wise, your Majesty, that's wise,” said Trufflehunter.
“But where are we to go?” asked several voices.
“Your Majesty,” said Doctor Cornelius, “and all you variety of creatures, I think we must fly east and down the river to the great woods. The Telmarines hate that region. They have always been afraid of the sea and of something that may come over the sea. That is why they have let the great woods grow up. If traditions speak true, the ancient Cair Paravel was at the river-mouth. All that part is friendly to us and hateful to our enemies. We must go to Aslan's How.”
“Aslan's How?” said several voices. “We do not know what it is.”
“It lies within the skirts of the Great Woods and it is a huge mound which Narnians raised in very ancient times over a very magical place, where there stood—and perhaps still stands—a very magical Stone. The Mound is all hollowed out within into galleries and caves, and the Stone is in the central cave of all. There is room in the mound for all our stores, and those of us who have most need of cover and are most accustomed to underground life can be lodged in the caves. The rest of us can lie in the wood. At a pinch all of us (except this worthy Giant) could retreat into the Mound itself, and there we should be beyond the reach of every danger except famine.”
“It is a good thing we have a learned man among us,” said Trufflehunter; but Trumpkin muttered under his breath, “Soup and celery! I wish our leaders would think less about these old wives' tales and more about victuals and arms.” But all approved of Cornelius's proposal and that very night, half an hour later, they were on the march. Before sunrise they arrived at Aslan's How.
It was certainly an awesome place, a round green hill on top of another hill, long since grown over with trees, and one little, low doorway leading into it. The tunnels inside were a perfect maze till you got to know them, and they were lined and roofed with smooth stones, and on the stones, peering in the twilight, Caspian saw strange characters and snaky patterns, and pictures in which the form of a Lion was repeated again and again. It all seemed to belong to an even older Narnia than the Narnia of which his nurse had told him.
It was after they had taken up their quarters in and around the How that fortune began to turn against them. King Miraz's scouts soon found their new lair, and he and his army arrived on the edge of the woods. And as so often happens, the enemy turned out stronger than they had reckoned. Caspian's heart sank as he saw company after company arriving. And though Miraz's men may have been afraid of going into the wood, they were even more afraid of Miraz, and with him in command they carried battle deeply into it and sometimes almost to the How itself. Caspian and other captains of course made many sorties into the open country. Thus there was fighting on most days and sometimes by night as well; but Caspian's party had on the whole the worst of it.
At last there came a night when everything had gone as badly as possible, and the rain which had been falling heavily all day had ceased at nightfall only to give place to raw cold. That morning Caspian had arranged what was his biggest battle yet, and all had hung their hopes on it. He, with most of the Dwarfs, was to have fallen on the King's right wing at daybreak, and then, when they were heavily engaged, Giant Wimbleweather, with the Centaurs and some of the fiercest beasts, was to have broken out from another place and endeavoured to cut the King's right off from the rest of the army. But it had all failed. No one had warned Caspian (because no one in these later days of Narnia remembered) that Giants are not at all clever. Poor Wimbleweather, though as brave as a lion, was a true Giant in that respect. He had broken out at the wrong time and from the wrong place, and both his party and Caspian's had suffered badly and done the enemy little harm. The best of the Bears had been hurt, a Centaur terribly wounded, and there were few in Caspian's party who had not lost blood. It was a gloomy company that huddled under the dripping trees to eat their scanty supper.
The gloomiest of all was Giant Wimbleweather. He knew it was all his fault. He sat in silence shedding big tears which collected on the end of his nose and then fell off with a huge splash on the whole bivouac of the Mice, who had just been beginning to get warm and drowsy. They all jumped up, shaking the water out of their ears and wringing their little blankets, and asked the Giant in shrill but forcible voices whether he thought they weren't wet enough without this sort of thing. And then other people woke up and told the Mice they had been enrolled as scouts and not as a concert party, and asked why they couldn't keep quiet. And Wimbleweather tiptoed away to find some place where he could be miserable in peace and stepped on somebody's tail and somebody (they said afterwards it was a fox) bit him. And so everyone was out of temper.
But in the secret and magical chamber at the heart of the How, King Caspian, with Cornelius and the Badger and Nikabrik and Trumpkin, were at council. Thick pillars of ancient workmanship supported the roof. In the centre was the Stone itself—a stone table, split right down the centre, and covered with what had once been writing of some kind: but ages of wind and rain and snow had almost worn them away in old times when the Stone Table had stood on the hilltop, and the Mound had not yet been built above it. They were not using the Table nor sitting round it: it was too magic a thing for any common use. They sat on logs a little way from it, and between them was a rough wooden table, on which stood a rude clay lamp lighting up their pale faces and throwing big shadows on the walls.
“If your Majesty is ever to use the Horn,” said Trufflehunter, “I think the time has now come.” Caspian had of course told them of this treasure several days ago.
“We are certainly in great need,” answered Caspian. “But it is hard to be sure we are at our greatest. Supposing there came an even worse need and we had already used it?”
“By that argument,” said Nikabrik, “your Majesty will never use it until it is too late.”
“I agree with that,” said Doctor Cornelius.
“And what do you think, Trumpkin?” asked Caspian.
“Oh, as for me,” said the Red Dwarf, who had been listening with complete indifference, “your Majesty knows I think the Horn—and that bit of broken stone over there—and your great King Peter—and your Lion Aslan—are all eggs in moonshine. It's all one to me when your Majesty blows the Horn. All I insist is that the army is told nothing about it. There's no good raising hopes of magical help which (as I think) are sure to be disappointed.”
“Then in the name of Aslan we will wind Queen Susan's Horn,” said Caspian.
“There is one thing, Sire,” said Doctor Cornelius, “that should perhaps be done first. We do not know what form the help will take. It might call Aslan himself from oversea. But I think it is more likely to call Peter the High King and his mighty consorts down from the high past. But in either case, I do not think we can be sure that the help will come to this very spot—”
“You never said a truer word,” put in Trumpkin.
“I think,” went on the learned man, “that they—or he—will come back to one or other of the Ancient Places of Narnia. This, where we now sit, is the most ancient and most deeply magical of all, and here, I think, the answer is likeliest to come. But there are two others. One is Lantern Waste, up-river, west of Beaversdam, where the Royal Children first appeared in Narnia, as the records tell. The other is down at the river-mouth, where their castle of Cair Paravel once stood. And if Aslan himself comes, that would be the best place for meeting him too, for every story says that he is the son of the great Emperor-over-Sea, and over the sea he will pass. I should like very much to send messengers to both places, to Lantern Waste and the river-mouth, to receive them—or him—or it.”
“Just as I thought,” muttered Trumpkin. “The first result of all this foolery is not to bring us help but to lose us two fighters.”
“Who would you think of sending, Doctor Cornelius?” asked Caspian.
“Squirrels are best for getting through enemy country without being caught,” said Trufflehunter.
“All our squirrels (and we haven't many),” said Nikabrik, “are rather flighty. The only one I'd trust on a job like that would be Pattertwig.”
“Let it be Pattertwig, then,” said King Caspian. “And who for our other messenger? I know you'd go, Trufflehunter, but you haven't the speed. Nor you, Doctor Cornelius.”
“I won't go,” said Nikabrik. “With all these Humans and beasts about, there must be a Dwarf here to see that the Dwarfs are fairly treated.”
“Thimbles and thunderstorms!” cried Trumpkin in a rage. “Is that how you speak to the King? Send me, Sire, I'll go.”
“But I thought you didn't believe in the Horn, Trumpkin,” said Caspian.
“No more I do, your Majesty. But what's that got to do with it? I might as well die on a wild goose chase as die here. You are my King. I know the difference between giving advice and taking orders. You've had my advice, and now it's the time for orders.”
“I will never forget this, Trumpkin,” said Caspian. “Send for Pattertwig, one of you. And when shall I blow the Horn?”
“I would wait for sunrise, your Majesty,” said Doctor Cornelius. “That sometimes has an effect in operations of White Magic.”
A few minutes later Pattertwig arrived and had his task explained to him. As he was, like many squirrels, full of courage and dash and energy and excitement and mischief (not to say conceit), he no sooner heard it than he was eager to be off. It was arranged that he should run for Lantern Waste while Trumpkin made the shorter journey to the river-mouth. After a hasty meal they both set off with the fervent thanks and good wishes of the King, the Badger, and Cornelius.
他們昨晚遇到羊人的地方就是那片跳舞草坪,凱斯賓和他的朋友們一直待在那里,等待開會那晚的到來。在星空下露宿,僅靠井水解渴,主要以堅果和野果為食,這對凱斯賓來說是一種從未有過的經(jīng)歷,他以前住的是繡帷裝飾的城堡房間,睡的是鋪著絲綢床單的床,吃的是擺在前廳、盛在金銀食器里的美食,有侍從隨時待命??伤麖奈聪瘳F(xiàn)在這般開心。如今的睡眠讓他有一種從未有過的精神煥發(fā),食物也更美味,他變得堅強起來,臉上帶有更多的王者之氣。
那重要的夜晚來臨時,他的各色古怪朋友或獨來獨往,或三三兩兩或成群結(jié)伙地溜進了草坪,月色皎潔,時近滿月。見到來了那么多人,聽到他們的招呼,他的心激動起來。他見過的都到場了——胖熊、紅矮人、黑矮人、鼴鼠、獾、野兔、刺猬,還有他沒見過的——五個紅得跟紅毛狐貍一樣的羊怪,那一窩會說話的老鼠,全副武裝,踏著刺耳的喇叭的拍子行進。還有幾只貓頭鷹,來自烏鴉斷崖的老烏鴉,最后進場的(讓凱斯賓嘆為觀止)是跟在馬人身后如假包換的巨人,他是住在死人山的威伯維德,背上背著一筐暈頭轉(zhuǎn)向的矮人,巨人請他們搭順風車,他們接受了邀請,可現(xiàn)在寧愿自己走著來。
三只胖熊急迫地要求先吃飯后開會,要么飯后開要么明天再開。里皮契普和他的鼠軍則提議開會和吃飯可以緩一緩,建議當晚突襲城堡,攻打米亞茲。帕特維格及其松鼠伙伴們則建議吃飯開會兩不誤,干嗎不同時進行?鼴鼠們主張首要任務是在草坪周圍挖壕溝。羊人認為跳場莊嚴的舞蹈作為開場會更好。老烏鴉雖然同意胖熊的意見,認為飯前開會花費的時間太長,可又懇求大家讓他先給大家做個小小的致辭。凱斯賓、馬人,以及矮人們都否決了這些建議,堅持要馬上開戰(zhàn)爭動員會。
他們好不容易說服大家安靜,圍成一大圈坐下,并費了很大的勁制止帕特維跑來跑去地嚷嚷。“安靜!安靜!大家聽國王演講?!眲P斯賓站起身來,略有點兒緊張?!凹{尼亞人!”他剛開口,還沒來得及繼續(xù),這時野兔卡米洛開口道:“噓!附近有人。”
他們都是野生的生物,習慣了被追捕,因此都像雕像一樣一動不動。野獸們轉(zhuǎn)身嗅著卡米洛所指的方向。
“聞起來像是人的氣味,但又不太像。”特魯弗亨特低語。
“他越來越近了。”卡米洛說。
“兩只獾,還有你們?nèi)齻€矮人,把你們的弓箭準備好,輕輕地上前打探。”凱斯賓下令。
“我們干掉他。”一個黑矮人冷酷地說,箭搭上了弓弦。
“如果是單獨一個,別射箭,”凱斯賓指示,“抓活的。”
“為什么?”矮人問。
“照命令做?!瘪R人格蘭斯托姆說。
大家靜靜地等著,那三個矮人和那兩只獾躡手躡腳地走過草坪,來到西北方的樹叢中。接著傳來一聲矮人的尖叫?!安辉S動!誰在那兒?”然后是猛地一躍。過了一會兒,傳來一個凱斯賓很熟悉的聲音:“好了,好了,我沒帶武器。尊敬的獾們,要是愿意的話,抓著我的手腕,但可別咬穿了我的手。我有話要跟國王說?!?/p>
“科涅利爾斯博士!”凱斯賓高興地叫道,沖上前去迎接他的老導師。其余人都圍了上來。
“呸!”尼克布里克說,“一個變節(jié)的矮人。一個雜種!要不要用劍刺穿他的喉嚨?”
“少安毋躁,尼克布里克,”特魯普金說,“這家伙沒法選擇自己的出身?!?/p>
“他是我最親密的朋友和救命恩人,”凱斯賓說,“不愿與他相處的人可以離開我的隊伍:馬上走。最親愛的博士,很高興能再次見面。你是如何找到我們的?”
“用了一點兒簡單的魔法,陛下。”博士說,因為剛才行走匆忙,現(xiàn)在還氣喘吁吁的,“現(xiàn)在沒時間細談了。我們必須馬上離開這里。你的行蹤被出賣了,米亞茲正在采取行動。明天中午前你們就會被包圍?!?/p>
“出賣!”凱斯賓說道,“誰干的?”
“準是另一個變節(jié)的矮人,毫無疑問。”尼克布里克說。
“你的馬,德斯契爾泄的密,”科涅利爾斯博士說,“那可憐的畜生沒腦子。你暈倒后,很自然地,它逛回了城堡的馬廄。就這樣,你逃走的秘密被人知曉了。我趕緊溜走,可不想被關在米亞茲的刑訊室里受審問。至于上哪兒去找你,我從我的水晶球里能大致猜到。那一整天——那是前天了——我在森林里見到米亞茲的搜索部隊。昨天我聽說他派出了軍隊。我覺得你們有些矮人,嗯,所謂的純種矮人,沒有多少森林生存技巧,沒有預料中的那么好。你們到處留下蹤跡。太大意了。不管怎么說,某些東西警示了米亞茲,老納尼亞沒有像他所希望的那樣消失,他追來了。”
“好哇!”博士腳下某處傳來一個尖細的嗓音,“他們盡管來!我堅決要求國王把我和我的伙伴們派往前線。”
“到底是什么?”科涅利爾斯博士說,“難道陛下把蚱蜢或是蚊子也收進了部隊?”他彎下腰去,透過眼鏡仔細查看,忽然笑了起來。
“以獅子的名義起誓,”他說道,“原來是只老鼠。老鼠先生,幸會。能見到如此勇敢的野獸,我感到很榮幸?!?/p>
“我們將成為朋友,博學的人,”里皮契普尖聲說,“要是隊伍里有任何矮人或是巨人對你言語不敬,我會用劍對付他們?!?/p>
“還有時間說這些蠢話嗎?”尼克布里克發(fā)問,“我們的計劃是什么?是戰(zhàn),是逃?”
“戰(zhàn)吧,如果情勢需要,”特魯普金說,“可我們幾乎還沒做好應戰(zhàn)準備,而且這里根本不適合防守?!?/p>
“我不愿意逃跑?!眲P斯賓說。
“聽他的!聽他的!”胖熊說,“不管要做什么,我們都不要跑。特別是不要在晚飯前跑,飯后也不要急著跑?!?/p>
“那些最能跑的不見得總要拖到最后才逃跑,”馬人說,“再說,我們?yōu)槭裁匆寯橙藶槲覀冞x擇陣地,而自己卻不主動選擇呢?讓我們找一個更有利的地形?!?/p>
“明智的提議,陛下,這提議明智?!碧佤敻ズ嗵卣f。
“可我們要轉(zhuǎn)移到哪兒去呢?”幾個聲音問道。
“陛下,”科涅利爾斯博士說,“還有你們這些各色各樣的家伙,我覺得我們必須趕緊往東走,沿著河流去大森林。臺爾馬人討厭那個區(qū)域。他們一直害怕大海,害怕從海上來的某種東西。這就是為什么他們?nèi)斡蓞擦致?。要是傳言不假,那座古老的凱爾帕拉維爾城堡就坐落在河口。那一帶對我們友善,又憎恨我們的敵人。我們必須去阿斯蘭堡壘?!?/p>
“阿斯蘭堡壘?”幾個聲音同時說道,“我們對此一無所知?!?/p>
“它坐落在大森林邊上,那是一個巨大的土丘,納尼亞人在古代于一個神奇的地方建造了它,那里有一塊非常神奇的石頭,也許如今還在。土丘是中空的,里面有很多走廊和洞穴,那塊石頭就在正中的一個洞穴里。土丘有足夠的空間存放我們的儲備,我們當中那些最需要隱藏的,還有那些習慣地下生存的,都可以住在洞穴里。其余的待在樹林里。必要時,我們所有人(除了這位可敬的巨人)可以全部撤入土丘,在那里我們可以避過除饑荒外的諸多危險?!?/p>
“我們當中有一個博學的人真是好事?!碧佤敻ズ嗵卣f;但特魯普金低聲嘟囔:“無稽之談!(1)我希望我們的頭領不要對這些鬼話感興趣,還是多考慮食物和武器的問題?!钡蠹叶纪饪颇麪査沟奶嶙h。那天晚上,半個小時后,他們開始行軍。天沒亮他們就抵達了阿斯蘭堡壘。
果然是一個很棒的地方,一座綠色的圓形山丘坐落在另一座山丘之上,那里早已被樹林覆蓋,有一個低矮的小出入口通向里面。對于不熟悉其中的人,里面的通道像迷宮一樣錯綜復雜,墻上和天花板壘著光滑的石頭,借著晨光,凱斯賓在石頭上發(fā)現(xiàn)了奇怪的人物和彎彎曲曲的圖案,以及很多獅形圖畫。這一切似乎屬于更古老的納尼亞,比他的保姆給他講述的那個納尼亞還要久遠。
等他們在堡壘里面或周邊安頓好,命運開始與他們作對了。米亞茲國王的偵察兵很快就發(fā)現(xiàn)了他們的新巢穴。國王與他的大軍來到了森林邊緣。敵人比預想的還要強大,這種情形并不少見。當看到敵軍一個連隊接著一個連隊地擁來,凱斯賓的心沉重起來。雖然米亞茲的士兵害怕進入樹林,可他們更害怕米亞茲,在他的指揮下,他們深入樹林作戰(zhàn),有時幾乎挨近了堡壘。凱斯賓和其他隊長也多次出擊,一直打到開闊地。他們多在白天打仗,有時夜里也打;總的來說,凱斯賓這一方損失更慘重。
最后,到了那天夜里,形勢糟得不能再糟了,下了一整天的暴雨,到了傍晚總算停了,但冷得刺骨。那天早晨凱斯賓部署了他們迄今為止最大的戰(zhàn)役,大家都對此寄予希望。他率領大多數(shù)的矮人要在黎明時分攻擊國王的右翼,在他們激烈作戰(zhàn)時,巨人威伯維德、馬人和一些最兇猛的野獸要從另一處殺出來,奮力切斷國王的右翼與大部隊的聯(lián)系。但計劃失敗了。沒人提醒凱斯賓(在現(xiàn)如今的納尼亞沒人記得這回事),巨人的腦子不靈活??蓱z的威伯維德,盡管跟獅子一樣勇敢,卻有一個不折不扣的巨人腦袋。他在錯誤的時間錯誤的地點出擊,導致他和凱斯賓的隊伍損失慘重,可敵人卻沒什么損失。最勇猛的一頭熊受了傷,有個馬人也受傷嚴重,凱斯賓的隊伍里只有少數(shù)幾個沒有流血負傷。一幫沮喪的人擠在滴雨的樹下,吃著那少得可憐的晚餐。
最傷心的要數(shù)巨人威伯維德了。他知道這都是他的錯。他默默地坐著,流下大滴大滴的眼淚,淚水凝聚在他的鼻端,落下時濺在那窩露營剛開始覺得暖和,正昏昏入睡的老鼠身上。這下他們都跳了起來,抖落耳朵里的水,擰著小毯子,用尖細有力的嗓音質(zhì)問巨人,他是否還嫌他們不夠濕,非得再添點兒水。接著,其他人也被吵醒,跟老鼠們說招他們來是當偵察員,不是來開演唱會的,質(zhì)問他們干嗎吵吵嚷嚷。威伯維德只好踮著腳離開,想找個能讓他靜靜地傷心的角落,卻踩到了某個家伙的尾巴(后來說是一只狐貍),那個家伙咬了他一口。這下人人都開始大發(fā)脾氣了。
在堡壘正中那個秘密而神奇的房間里,凱斯賓國王正跟科涅利爾斯、獾、尼克布里克和特魯普金開會。古代工藝造的粗柱子支撐著屋頂。洞穴的中間就是那塊石頭——那是一個石桌,石頭當中開裂,上面原刻有某些文字。但歲月的風霜雨雪幾乎侵蝕掉了那些文字,侵蝕發(fā)生在古代,那時的石桌就在山頂上,還沒有在其上建起堡壘。他們沒有用這張石桌,也沒有坐在石桌旁:這石頭太神奇,不適合當平常物件使用。他們坐在離石桌不遠的木頭上,面前是一張粗糙的木桌,桌上擺著一盞簡陋的泥燈,燈光照亮了他們蒼白的臉,把長長的影子投在墻上。
“如果陛下想用那個號角的話,”特魯弗亨特說,“我想現(xiàn)在是時候了?!碑斎?,凱斯賓幾天前跟他們提過他的寶物。
“我們的確處于危難中,”凱斯賓回答,“但很難確定我們真到了最危難的時候。想想看,要是到了更危急的時刻,而我們又已經(jīng)用了它了?”
“照這么說,”尼克布里克說,“陛下現(xiàn)在不肯用,等用的時候就太晚了?!?/p>
“我同意你的說法?!笨颇麪査共┦空f。
“你怎么想,特魯普金?”凱斯賓問道。
“唉,就我而言,”紅矮人說,他剛才一直漠不關心地聽著,“陛下知道的,我覺得那個號角——那邊那塊斷裂的石頭——你們偉大的彼得王——還有你們說的獅子阿斯蘭——都是空想。陛下吹不吹響號角,對我都沒分別。有一點我很堅持,就是不要讓軍隊聽到這些話。勾起他們對神奇援助的希望,而希望又肯定會落空,這絕不是什么好事?!?/p>
“好吧,以阿斯蘭之名,我們將會吹響蘇珊女王的號角?!眲P斯賓說。
“還有一件事,陛下,”科涅利爾斯博士說,“也許應該先辦好。我們不知道這個援助將以何種形式到來。可能會召喚阿斯蘭親自從海上來。可我覺得它更可能會召喚至尊王彼得以及他強大的伙伴們從遠古來。不管哪種情形,我想我們無法確定那援助會降臨到眼下這塊地方——”
“你總算說了句大實話?!碧佤斊战鸩遄?。
“我認為,”那個博學的人繼續(xù)道,“他們或他會回到納尼亞某個古老的地方。這里,我們所坐之處,是所有地方中最古老、最神奇的地方,所以,我認為,這里是最有可能得到回應的地方。但還有其他兩處地方。一處是藍登荒原,在河流上游,河貍壩以西,據(jù)記載,那里是當初那些高貴的孩子頭一次在納尼亞露面的地方。另一處在河口下游,他們的城堡凱爾帕拉維爾原來就坐落在那里。假如阿斯蘭親自來臨,那里也是迎接他的最好地點,因為所有的傳說都說他是偉大的海王之子,他會從海上來。我想派兩個信使去這兩個地點,即藍登荒原和河口,去迎接他們——或他——或它?!?/p>
“我剛才就想,”特魯普金小聲咕噥著,“這些蠢事的第一個效果不是給我們帶來援手,而是讓我們兩個士兵喪命?!?/p>
“你想派誰去,科涅利爾斯博士?”凱斯賓問。
“松鼠是最好人選,他們能夠穿越敵方地盤,又不會被逮住?!碧佤敻ズ嗵亟ㄗh。
“我們的松鼠(我們并沒有多少只),”尼克布里克說,“都是很不負責任的。我唯一信任、能勝任這個工作的就是帕特維格?!?/p>
“好吧,那就派遣帕特維格,”凱斯賓國王說,“誰當另一個信使?我知道你想去,特魯弗亨特,可你速度不快。你也不行,科涅利爾斯博士?!?/p>
“我不愿意離開,”尼克布里克說,“這里周圍都是人類和野獸,必須有個矮人在場以確保矮人們得到公正的對待?!?/p>
“胡言亂語!(2)”特魯普金憤怒地嚷道,“你就這么和國王說話嗎?派我去,陛下,我愿意去?!?/p>
“可我以為你不相信號角的魔力,特魯普金?!眲P斯賓說。
“現(xiàn)在也不信,陛下??蛇@有什么關系呢?死于徒勞的尋找和死在這里,有什么分別呢。你是我的國王。提建議和聽從命令是兩碼事。我已經(jīng)給出了我的建議,而現(xiàn)在是時候服從命令了?!?/p>
“我永遠不會忘記這點的,特魯普金,”凱斯賓說,“你們中的哪個去把帕特維格找來。我將在什么時候吹響號角?”
“我認為等到太陽升起的時刻,陛下,”科涅利爾斯博士說,“那樣有時能讓善意的法術更靈驗。”
幾分鐘后,帕特維格來了,向他交代了任務。事實上,跟很多松鼠一樣,他斗志昂揚,精神抖擻,充滿激情,也很淘氣(更不用說自大了),他聽令后就急切地要出發(fā)。他被派往藍登荒原,而特魯普金則趕去近一些的河口。匆忙吃了飯后,兩人帶上國王、獾和科涅利爾斯的熱烈感謝和祝福出發(fā)了。
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(1) Soup and celery:直譯為“湯和芹菜”,這兩個英文單詞押頭韻,不作字面義解,用作感嘆詞或語氣詞。
(2) Thimbles and thunderstorms:直譯為“頂針和雷雨”,這兩個英文單詞押頭韻,不作字面義解,用作感嘆詞或語氣詞。