For, a long time they could not speak nor even shed a tear. Then the Unicorn stamped the ground with his hoof, and shook his mane, and spoke.
“Sire,” he said, “there is now no need of counsel. We see that the Ape's plans were laid deeper than we dreamed of. Doubtless he has been long in secret traffic with The Tisroc, and as soon as he had found the lion-skin he sent him word to make ready his navy for the taking of Cair Paravel and all Narnia. Nothing now remains for us seven but to go back to Stable Hill, proclaim the truth, and take the adventure that Aslan sends us. And if, by a great marvel, we defeat those thirty Calormenes who are with the Ape, then to turn again and die in battle with the far greater host of them that will soon march from Cair Paravel.”
Tirian nodded. But he turned to the children and said: “Now, friends, it is time for you to go hence into your own world. Doubtless you have done all that you were sent to do.”
“B—but we've done nothing,” said Jill who was shivering, not with fear exactly but because everything was so horrible.
“Nay,” said the King, “you loosed me from the tree: you glided before me like a snake last night in the wood and took Puzzle: and you, Eustace, killed your man. But you are too young to share in such a bloody end as we others must meet tonight or, it may be, three days hence. I entreat you—nay, I command you—to return to your own place. I should be put to shame if I let such young warriors fall in battle on my side.”
“No, no, no,” said Jill (very white when she began speaking and then suddenly very red and then white again). “We won't, I don't care what you say. We're going to stick to you whatever happens, aren't we, Eustace?”
“Yes, but there's no need to get so worked up about it,” said Eustace who had stuck his hands in his pockets (forgetting how very odd that looks when you are wearing a mail shirt). “Because, you see, we haven't any choice. What's the good of talking about our going back! How? We've got no magic for doing it!”
This was very good sense but, at the moment, Jill hated Eustace for saying it. He was fond of being dreadfully matter-of-fact when other people got excited.
When Tirian realized that the two strangers could not get home (unless Aslan suddenly whisked them away), he next wanted them to go across the Southern mountains into Archenland where they might possibly be safe. But they didn't know their way and there was no one to send with them. Also, as Poggin said, once the Calormenes had Narnia they would certainly take Archenland in the next week or so: The Tisroc had always wanted to have these Northern countries for his own. In the end Eustace and Jill begged so hard that Tirian said they could come with him and take their chance—or, as he much more sensibly called it, “the adventure that Aslan would send them.”
The King's first idea was that they should not go back to Stable Hill—they were sick of the very name of it by now till after dark. But the Dwarf told them that if they arrived there by daylight they would probably find the place deserted, except perhaps for a Calormene sentry. The Beasts were far too frightened by what the Ape (and Ginger) had told them about this new angry Aslan—or Tashlan—to go near it except when they were called together for these horrible midnight meetings. And Calormenes are never good woodsmen. Poggin thought that even by daylight they could easily get round to somewhere behind the stable without being seen. This would be much harder to do when the night had come and the Ape might be calling the Beasts together and all the Calormenes were on duty. And when the meeting did begin they could leave Puzzle at the back of the stable, completely out of sight, till the moment at which they wanted to produce him. This was obviously a good thing: for their only chance was to give the Narnians a sudden surprise.
Everyone agreed and the whole party set off on a new line—North-West—towards the hated Hill. The Eagle sometimes flew to and fro above them, sometimes he sat perched on Puzzle's back. No one—not even the King himself except in some great need—would dream of riding on a Unicorn.
This time Jill and Eustace walked together. They had been feeling very brave when they were begging to be allowed to come with the others, but now they didn't feel brave at all.
“Pole,” said Eustace in a whisper. “I may as well tell you I've got the wind up.”
“Oh you're all right, Scrubb,” said Jill. “You can fight. But I—I'm just shaking, if you want to know the truth.”
“Oh shaking's nothing,” said Eustace. “I'm feeling I'm going to be sick.”
“Don't talk about that, for goodness' sake,” said Jill.
They went on in silence for a minute or two.
“Pole,” said Eustace presently.
“What?” said she.
“What'll happen if we get killed here?”
“Well we'll be dead, I suppose.”
“But I mean, what will happen in our own world? Shall we wake up and find ourselves back in that train? Or shall we just vanish and never be heard of any more? Or shall we be dead in England?”
“Gosh. I never thought of that.”
“It'll be rum for Peter and the others if they saw me waving out of the window and then when the train comes in we're nowhere to be found! Or if they found two—I mean, if we're dead over there in England.”
“Ugh!” said Jill. “What a horrid idea.”
“It wouldn't be horrid for us,” said Eustace. “We shouldn't be there.”
“I almost wish—no I don't, though,” said Jill.
“What were you going to say?”
“I was going to say I wished we'd never come. But I don't, I don't, I don't. Even if we are killed. I'd rather be killed fighting for Narnia than grow old and stupid at home and perhaps go about in a bath-chair and then die in the end just the same.”
“Or be smashed up by British Railways!”
“Why d'you say that?”
“Well when that awful jerk came—the one that seemed to throw us into Narnia—I thought it was the beginning of a railway accident. So I was jolly glad to find ourselves here instead.”
While Jill and Eustace were talking about this, the others were discussing their plans and becoming less miserable. That was because they were now thinking of what was to be done this very night and the thought of what had happened to Narnia—the thought that all her glories and joys were over—was pushed away into the back part of their minds. The moment they stopped talking it would come out and make them wretched again: but they kept on talking. Poggin was really quite cheerful about the night's work they had to do. He was sure that the Boar and the Bear, and probably all the Dogs would come over to their side at once. And he couldn't believe that all the other Dwarfs would stick to Griffle. And fighting by firelight and in and out among trees would be an advantage to the weaker side. And then, if they could win tonight, need they really throw their lives away by meeting the main Calormene army a few days later?
Why not hide in the woods, or even up in the Western Waste beyond the great waterfall and live like outlaws? And then they might gradually get stronger and stronger, for Talking Beasts and Archenlanders would be joining them every day. And at last they'd come out of hiding and sweep the Calormenes (who would have got careless by then) out of the country and Narnia would be revived. After all, something very like that had happened in the time of King Miraz!
And Tirian heard all this and thought “But what about Tash?” and felt in his bones that none of it was going to happen. But he didn't say so.
When they got nearer to Stable Hill of course everyone became quiet. Then the real wood-work began. From the moment at which they first saw the Hill to the moment at which they all arrived at the back of the stable, it took them over two hours. It's the sort of thing one couldn't describe properly unless one wrote pages and pages about it. The journey from each bit of cover to the next was a separate adventure, and there were very long waits in between, and several false alarms. If you are a good Scout or a good Guide you will know already what it must have been like. By about sunset they were all safe in a clump of holly trees about fifteen yards behind the stable. They all munched some biscuit and lay down.
Then came the worst part, the waiting. Luckily for the children they slept for a couple of hours, but of course they woke up when the night grew cold, and what was worse, woke up very thirsty and with no chance of getting a drink. Puzzle just stood, shivering a little with nervousness, and said nothing. But Tirian, with his head against Jewel's flank, slept as soundly as if he were in his royal bed at Cair Paravel, till the sound of a gong beating awoke him and he sat up and saw that there was firelight on the far side of the stable and knew that the hour had come.
“Kiss me, Jewel,” he said. “For certainly this is our last night on earth. And if ever I offended against you in any matter great or small, forgive me now.”
“Dear King,” said the Unicorn, “I could almost wish you had, so that I might forgive it. Farewell. We have known great joys together. If Aslan gave me my choice I would choose no other life than the life I have had and no other death than the one we go to.”
Then they woke up Farsight, who was asleep with his head under his wing (it made him look as if he had no head at all), and crept forward to the stable. They left Puzzle (not without a kind word, for no one was angry with him now) just behind it, telling him not to move till someone came to fetch him, and took up their position at one end of the stable.
The bonfire had not been lit for long and was just beginning to blaze up. It was only a few feet away from them, and the great crowd of Narnian creatures were on the other side of it, so that Tirian could not at first see them very well, though of course he saw dozens of eyes shining with the reflection of the fire, as you've seen a rabbit's or cat's eyes in the headlights of a car. And just as Tirian took his place, the gong stopped beating and from somewhere on his left three figures appeared. One was Rishda Tarkaan the Calormene Captain. The second was the Ape. He was holding on to the Tarkaan's hand with one paw and kept whimpering and muttering, “Not so fast, don't go so fast, I'm not at all well. Oh my poor head! These midnight meetings are getting too much for me. Apes aren't meant to be up at night: It's not as if I was a rat or a bat—oh my poor head.”
On the other side of the Ape, walking very soft and stately, with his tail straight up in the air, came Ginger the Cat. They were heading for the bonfire and were so close to Tirian that they would have seen him at once if they had looked in the right direction. Fortunately they did not. But Tirian heard Rishda say to Ginger in a low voice:
“Now, Cat, to thy post. See thou play thy part well.”
“Miaow, miaow. Count on me!” said Ginger. Then he stepped away beyond the bonfire and sat down in the front row of the assembled Beasts: in the audience, as you might say.
For really, as it happened, the whole thing was rather like a theatre. The crowd of Narnians were like the people in the seats; the little grassy place just in front of the stable, where the bonfire burned and the Ape and the Captain stood to talk to the crowd, was like the stage; the stable itself was like the scenery at the back of the stage; and Tirian and his friends were like people peering round from behind the scenery. It was a splendid position. If any of them stepped forward into the full firelight, all eyes would be fixed on him at once: on the other hand, so long as they stood still in the shadow of the end-wall of the stable, it was a hundred to one against their being noticed.
Rishda Tarkaan dragged the Ape up close to the fire. The pair of them turned to face the crowd, and this of course meant that their backs were towards Tirian and his friends.
“Now, Monkey,” said Rishda Tarkaan in a low voice. “Say the words that wiser heads have put into thy mouth. And hold up thy head.” As he spoke he gave the Ape a little prod or kick from behind with the point of his toe.
“Do leave me alone,” muttered Shift. But he sat up straighter and began, in a louder voice—“Now listen, all of you. A terrible thing has happened. A wicked thing. The wickedest thing that ever was done in Narnia. And Aslan—”
“Tashlan, fool,” whispered Rishda Tarkaan.
“Tashlan I mean, of course,” said the Ape, “is very angry about it.”
There was a terrible silence while the Beasts waited to hear what new trouble was in store for them. The little party by the end-wall of the stable also held their breath. What on earth was coming now?
“Yes,” said the Ape. “At this very moment, when the Terrible One himself is among us—there in the stable just behind me-one wicked Beast has chosen to do what you'd think no one would dare to do even if He were a thousand miles away. It has dressed itself up in a lion-skin and is wandering about in these very woods pretending to be Aslan.”
Jill wondered for a moment if the Ape had gone mad. Was he going to tell the whole truth? A roar of horror and rage went up from the Beasts. “Grrr!” came the growls. “Who is he? Where is he? Just let me get my teeth into him!”
“It was seen last night,” screamed the Ape, “but it got away. It's a Donkey! A common, miserable Ass! If any of you see that Ass—”
“Grrr!” growled the Beasts. “We will, we will. He'd better keep out of our way.”
Jill looked at the King: his mouth was open and his face was full of horror. And then she understood the devilish cunning of the enemies' plan. By mixing a little truth with it they had made their lie far stronger. What was the good, now, of telling the Beasts that an ass had been dressed up as a lion to deceive them? The Ape would only say, “That's just what I've said.” What was the good of showing them Puzzle in his lion-skin? They would only tear him in pieces.
“That's taken the wind out of our sails,” whispered Eustace.
“The ground is taken from under our feet,” said Tirian.
“Cursed, cursed cleverness!” said Poggin. “I'll be sworn that this new lie is of Ginger's making.”
他們很長時間沒有說話,也沒有流淚。最后獨角獸用蹄子跺了跺地面,晃了晃鬃毛,開口說:
“陛下,現(xiàn)在也用不著再商量了。我們已經看到,猿猴的詭計比我們想象的要陰險得多。他顯然早就跟提斯羅克私下勾結,等到發(fā)現(xiàn)獅皮,他便即刻傳話給他,讓他召集海軍奪取凱爾帕拉維爾,侵占整個納尼亞。我們七位現(xiàn)在能做的只有返回馬廄山,宣布事情的真相,進行這一次阿斯蘭指派的冒險。如果出現(xiàn)奇跡,打敗了跟猿猴在一起的三十個卡樂門人,那時我們就回身再戰(zhàn)從凱爾帕拉維爾來的敵軍。他們的人數(shù)遠遠超過我們,那時我們也只有捐軀沙場了?!?/p>
提里安點了點頭。他轉身對兩個孩子說:“兩位朋友,你們就從這里返回自己的世界去吧。你們顯然已經做了你們應該做的事?!?/p>
“但——但我們什么也沒做呀,”吉爾說,她的身子在顫抖,不完全因為害怕,也是因為局勢險惡。
“不能這么說,”國王說,“你們解救了我;昨天晚上你又像蛇一樣悄然無聲地在我前面滑行,牽出了帕塞爾;你,尤斯塔斯,還殺死了一個卡樂門人。但在今天晚上,或者在這兩三天中,我們必須面對一場血腥的決戰(zhàn),你們實在太年輕,經受不起的。我因此懇求你們——不,我要命令你們——回到你們的世界。如果讓如此年輕的戰(zhàn)士為了我捐軀沙場,那我真要慚愧得無地自容了?!?/p>
“不,不,不,”吉爾說(她的臉一會兒紅,一會兒白),“不管你們怎么說,我們都不回去。不管發(fā)生什么事,我們都要跟你在一起。尤斯塔斯,你說呢?”
“是的。對于這件事,根本沒有必要提起,”尤斯塔斯說話時將雙手插進口袋(這個動作看上去顯得怪異,因為他忘記身上穿著鎖子甲),“你們知道,我們也別無選擇。空談回去不回去,那有什么好處呢?怎么回去?沒有魔法,我們根本就回不去!”
道理是對的,但吉爾仍然覺得尤斯塔斯不應該說這話。當別人情緒激動時,尤斯塔斯其實是就事論事。
提里安也開始意識到兩個小客人一時回不了家(除非阿斯蘭突然打發(fā)他們走),他于是提議他們翻越南部高山,進入相對安全的阿欽蘭。但他們并不認識去阿欽蘭的路,這里又派不出人來送他們。再說(誠如波金所言),卡樂門人一旦占領納尼亞,不出一星期一定會去攻占阿欽蘭:提斯羅克早就想將這幾個北方國家一概納入自己的版圖。最后,在尤斯塔斯和吉爾一再懇求下,提里安答應他們先跟著他碰碰運氣——用他的一句更合情理的話說是:“冒一冒阿斯蘭指派的風險?!?/p>
按國王最初的想法,他們最好等天黑以后再回馬廄山(現(xiàn)在一提起這個地名,他們就有惡心之感)。但小矮人對他們說,如果白天到達那里,他們也許會發(fā)現(xiàn)馬廄山除了一兩個哨兵不會有其他的人。由于猿猴(和大黃貓)一直在說新來的阿斯蘭(或者塔什蘭)在生大家的氣,野獸們都害怕得不敢走近這座山了,除非半夜里被召集起來在那里開會。再說,卡樂門人向來不善于林間生活。波金因此覺得大白天反而更容易繞到馬廄的背后而不被發(fā)現(xiàn)。如果夜幕降臨,猿猴開始召集各種動物,所有的卡樂門人戒備森嚴起來,那時反而很難采取行動。會議開始后,他們可以悄悄地把帕塞爾帶到附近,等待動物們要求謁見阿斯蘭的那一刻。這顯然是個好辦法:要把納尼亞人爭取過來,唯一的勝機在于給他們一個大大的意外。
大家都同意這個方案。這個團體于是踏上一條新路——向著西北方向——朝那個可恨的山頭走去。老鷹時而在他們頭頂盤旋,時而停息在帕塞爾的背上。誰都沒想過去騎獨角獸——就連國王不到萬不得已,也不會去騎如此高貴的動物。
這一次吉爾跟尤斯塔斯走在了一起。剛才懇求國王帶上他們時,他們覺得自己很勇敢,但現(xiàn)在又有些膽怯了。
“波爾,”尤斯塔斯小聲地說,“跟你說句實話,我現(xiàn)在很緊張?!?/p>
“你沒事的,斯克羅布,”吉爾說,“你能打仗。但我——實話對你說吧,我已經在發(fā)抖了。”
“咳,發(fā)抖不要緊的,”尤斯塔斯說,“我感到有點惡心了?!?/p>
“看在上帝的分上,別說它了,”吉爾說。
他們在沉默中走了一兩分鐘。
“波爾,”尤斯塔斯又說了起來。
“什么?”吉爾說。
“如果我們在這里被殺了,那會怎么樣???”
“那我們就死了,我想?!?/p>
“我的意思是,在我們自己那個世界,會怎么樣呢?我們會不會蘇醒過來,發(fā)現(xiàn)自己回到了那列火車上?或者我們就從此消失,人們再也聽不到我們的消息?在英格蘭,我們是不是也死了呢?”
“我的天,這我倒沒有想過。”
“如果彼得和其他人看見我們向窗外招手,但火車進站時又不見我們的人影,他們一定會覺得事情太離奇了!或者他們發(fā)現(xiàn)我們兩人——我的意思是說,如果我們在英格蘭那邊死了?!?/p>
“呸!”吉爾說,“你的想法真可怕。”
“對我們來說倒并不可怕,”尤斯塔斯說,“我們不會死在那里的?!?/p>
“我真希望——噢,不對,我不是那個意思,當然,”吉爾說。
“你打算說什么?”
“我正想說,我希望我們從未來過這里。但我不是這意思,不是,不是。即便我們被殺了,那也是為了納尼亞而被殺,這比在英格蘭一天天變老變蠢,也許還得坐在輪椅里轉來轉去,最后仍不免一死要好得多?!?/p>
“也許我們已經被英國火車撞死了?!?/p>
“你這話怎么說?”
“我說,當火車突然震動起來時——當我們被拋進納尼亞時——我想,當時發(fā)生的就是一次交通事故。最后發(fā)現(xiàn)我們已經來到這里,這當然是令人喜出望外的?!?/p>
當吉爾和尤斯塔斯這樣說著話時,其他的人正在討論行動計劃,每人的心情也不那么沉重了。這是因為他們現(xiàn)在滿腦子想的是今天晚上要做的事,至于納尼亞所蒙受的災難——對她過去的輝煌和幸福的懷念——都暫時被拋在腦后。一旦停止交談,這種思想又會冒出,讓他們再度陷入悲傷之中;好在他們都在不停地說話。波金對于晚上的行為甚至十分樂觀:他確信野豬和熊,可能還有所有的狗,都會立刻站到他們這一邊來。波金相信并非所有的小矮人都會支持格里佛爾。在篝火旁作戰(zhàn),出沒于叢林中,也將更有利于弱勢的一方。如果今晚取勝了,而后的幾天難道他們非得迎戰(zhàn)卡樂門的主力軍,讓自己去送死嗎?
他們?yōu)槭裁床豢梢远氵M叢林,或者進入大瀑布那邊的西部荒野,像亡命之徒那樣繼續(xù)戰(zhàn)斗呢?那時,會說話的野獸和阿欽蘭的人都會來投奔他們,他們的力量必然會一天天壯大起來。最后他們就可以走出叢林,將疏于防范的卡樂門人一掃而光,納尼亞王國便可復興了。這樣的事在彌勒茲國王時代就發(fā)生過!
提里安聽著大家說話,心里在想:“那塔什會有什么舉動呢?”在他的內心深處,總覺得這樣的好事是不會發(fā)生的。但這話他沒有說出口。
當快到馬廄山時,大家都安靜了下來。真正的林中冒險開始了。從看見馬廄山那一刻起,到最后到達馬廄的背后,一共花了他們兩個多小時。這個過程是很難細述的,除非你不惜篇幅記起流水賬。從這個隱蔽處到另一個隱蔽處,這中間的旅程就是一段不同的冒險,有時是長時間的等待,還有一次次的虛驚。如果你是一個優(yōu)秀的偵察兵,或者是一個好向導,你一定知道其中的艱辛。太陽快下山時,他們終于安全地進入一片冬青叢中,那里離馬廄背后只有十五英尺的距離。大家吃了些餅干,就地躺了下來。
此后的等待是難耐的。幸好兩個孩子睡著了一兩個小時,當然,當他們醒過來時,天有些涼了;更糟糕的是,他們感到口渴,但沒有解渴的水。帕塞爾站在那里,沒有說一句話,他的身子因緊張而微微顫抖。提里安把頭枕在珠厄兒的肚子上睡得很香,好像這里就是凱爾帕拉維爾王宮的御床,直到一陣鑼聲將他喚醒。他坐了起來,看見馬廄那邊已經有了火光,他知道決戰(zhàn)的時刻到了。
“吻吻我吧,珠厄兒,”他說,“今天晚上必定是我們在這個世界最后的一晚了。如果我在大大小小的各種事務中曾經冒犯過你,請你寬恕我吧。”
“親愛的國王,”獨角獸說,“我真希望你曾經冒犯過我,這樣我就可以寬恕你了。再見吧。我們已經在一起度過許多快樂的日子。如果阿斯蘭允許我選擇,我會選擇來世繼續(xù)這樣生活,繼續(xù)這樣去犧牲?!?/p>
他們隨后喚醒了千里眼(他睡覺時把頭埋進翅膀,看上去就好像是無頭的),朝著馬廄匍匐而行。他們把帕塞爾留在馬廄背后(大家都好言安慰他,因為誰也不再生他的氣),告訴他不要隨便走動,要一直等到有人來牽他。他們自己則在馬廄旁邊的一個地方隱藏起來。
篝火剛點燃不久,正開始旺旺地燃燒。篝火離他們只有幾英尺遠,納尼亞的動物們就聚集在篝火的那一邊,因此,提里安一開始看不清他們:借著火光的反射,他能看見的只是那一雙雙的眼睛,就像你借著汽車前燈的亮光看見兔子和貓的眼睛那樣。提里安剛站好位置,鑼聲就停了,從他左側的某個地方出現(xiàn)了三個人影:一個是卡樂門人的頭領利什達王爺;第二個是猿猴,他用爪子抓住王爺?shù)氖?,嘴里一個勁地咕噥著,抱怨著,“別走太快,別走太快,我身體不好。喲,我可憐的頭!這些午夜大會真讓我挺不住了。我們猿猴晚上都不活動的。我們猿猴比不得老鼠和蝙蝠——哎呀,我可憐的頭?!?/p>
猿猴的一側是大黃貓,他的尾巴在空中高高豎起,腳步既輕盈又莊重。他們徑直走向篝火;距離提里安很近,如果他們朝右側張望一下,就一定能發(fā)現(xiàn)他們。幸運的是他們沒有這樣做。提里安聽見利什達低聲對大黃貓說:
“貓兄弟,到你的崗位上去吧。一定要扮演好你的角色。”
“喵,喵。放心吧!”大黃貓應了一聲,隨即繞過篝火,在聚集的動物的前排坐下;你可以說,他是觀眾中的一員了。
真的,隨著事情的發(fā)展,整個過程越來越像一部戲劇了。納尼亞的動物們就像觀眾席坐著的觀眾;馬廄前那片草坪,即篝火燃燒的地方,就像舞臺;猿猴和卡樂門人的頭領站在臺上跟觀眾說話;馬廄本身就像舞臺的布景;提里安和他的朋友就像在布景背后偷看演出的觀眾。他們的位置是很特殊的:如果他們中有人向前邁幾步走到火光底下,所有的眼睛即刻會注視到他的身上。但從另一方面說,只要他們始終站在馬廄背后的陰影中不動,他們不被人發(fā)現(xiàn)也是有百分之九十九的保證的。
利什達王爺拉著猿猴來到篝火跟前,面對著觀眾;他們的后背不用說就朝著提里安和他的朋友們了。
“猴子兄弟,”利什達王爺輕聲對猿猴說,“運用你聰明的頭腦,說幾句話吧。把頭抬起來?!闭f話間他還用腳戳了他一下(或者說踢了他一下)。
“放開我,”雪夫特咕噥著說。隨后他挺直腰桿,扯大嗓門說:
“諸位!你們聽著,一件可怕的事發(fā)生了。一件邪惡的事,一件在納尼亞聞所未聞的最邪惡的事。阿斯蘭——”
“塔什蘭,傻瓜!”利什達王爺?shù)吐暭m正它。
“當然,我是說塔什蘭,”猿猴說,“為了這件事,已經大發(fā)雷霆了?!?/p>
一片可怕的沉默。眾動物在凝神諦聽,想知道又有什么新的災難降臨在他們身上。馬廄背后的那一班也屏住了呼吸。猿猴到底在玩什么把戲呢?
“是的,”猿猴說,“就在此時,當可怕的大神來到我們中間——進入我身后的馬廄時——有那么一頭可惡的畜生,居然冒天下之大不韙,做了一件讓你們想都不敢想的事。他用獅子皮把自己打扮起來,在這里的樹林里走來走去,冒充阿斯蘭。”
一時間,吉爾懷疑猿猴是不是瘋了。他這不是在揭露事情的真相嗎?動物們爆發(fā)出一陣恐懼而憤怒的吼叫?!皢鑶瑁∷钦l?他在哪里?讓我咬死他!”
“昨天晚上還看見他的,”猿猴尖叫著說,“但他逃走了。他就是驢!一頭普普通通、可憐巴巴的驢!如果有誰看見這頭驢——”
“嗚嗚!”動物們在都吼叫,“我們會的,我們會咬死他的。必須把他清理出我們的隊伍。”
吉爾看了看國王。提里安嘴巴張得大大的,臉上顯露出恐懼。她明白:這是敵人該死的詭計。謊言中摻和一點兒事實,他們就使謊言變強大了。現(xiàn)在再向動物們說有一頭披著獅皮的驢在欺騙他們,還能有什么好處呢?猿猴會說:“這話是我剛才說過的。”讓帕塞爾穿著獅子皮示眾,結果會怎么樣?他們一定會把他撕成碎片!
“他們這是釜底抽薪啊,”尤斯塔斯自言自語地說。
“我們的立足之地被挖了,”提里安國王說。
“該詛咒的奸計!”波金說,“我敢打賭,這新的謊言一定是大黃貓編造的?!?/p>