the last battle_c·s·刘易斯-第17部分

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it　was　so　lovely　that　it　made　you　want　to　cry。　this；　at　last；　was　the　sort　　of　thing　they　had　been　hoping　for。　and　when；　a　moment　later；　several　little　animals　（mice　and　　moles　and　a　squirrel　or　so）　came　pattering　up；　squealing　with　joy；　and　saying　〃see；　　see。　were　here；鈥�

and　when；　after　that；　the　bear　and　the　boar　came　too；　eustace　began　to　feel　　that　perhaps；　after　all；　everything　might　be　going　to　e　right。　but　tirian　gazed　round　　and　saw　how　very　few　of　the　animals　had　moved。

〃to　me！　to　me！〃　he　called。　〃have　you　all　turned　cowards　since　i　was　your　　king？鈥�

〃we　darent；〃　whimpered　dozens　of　voices。　〃tashlan　would　be　angry。　shield　　us　from　tashlan。鈥�

〃where　are　all　the　talking　horses？〃　said　tirian　to　the　boar。

〃weve　seen；　weve　seen；〃　squealed　the　mice。　〃the　ape　has　made　them　work。　　theyre　all　tied　…　down　at　the　bottom　of　the　hill。鈥�

〃then　all　you　little　ones；〃　said　tirian；　〃you　nibblers　and　gnawers　and　　nutcrackers；　away　with　you　as　fast　as　you　can　scamper　and　see　if　the　horses　are　on　our　side。　　and　if　they　are；　get　your　teeth　into　the　ropes　and　gnaw　till　the　horses　are　free　and　bring　　them　hither。鈥�

〃with　a　good　will；　sire；〃　came　the　small　voices；　and　with　a　whisk　of　tails　　those　sharp…eyed　and　sharp…toothed　folk　were　off。　tirian　smiled　for　mere　love　as　he　saw　　them　go。　but　it　was　already　time　to　be　thinking　of　other　things。　rishda　tarkaan　was　　giving　his　orders。

〃forward；〃　he　said。　〃take　all　of　them　alive　if　you　can　and　hurl　them　into　　the　stable　or　drive　them　into　it。　when　they　are　all　in　we　will　put　fire　to　it　and　make　　them　an　offering　to　the　great　god　tash。鈥�

〃ha！〃　said　farsight　to　himself。　〃so　that　is　how　he　hopes　to　win　tashs　　pardon　for　his　unbelief。鈥�

the　enemy　line　…　about　half　of　rishdas　force　…　was　now　moving　forward；　and　　tirian　had　barely　time　to　give　his　orders。

〃out　on　the　left；　jill；　and　try　to　shoot　all　you　may　before　they　reach　us。　　boar　and　bear　next　to　her。　poggin　on　my　left；　eustace　on　my　right。　hold　the　right　wing；　　jewel。　stand　by　　

him；　puzzle；　and　use　your　hoofs。　hover　and　strike；　farsight。　you　dogs；　just　　behind　us。

go　in　among　them　after　the　sword…play　has　begun。　aslan　to　our　aid！鈥�

eustace　stood　with　his　heart　beating　terribly；　hoping　and　hoping　that　he　　would　be　brave。

he　had　never　seen　anything　（though　he　had　seen　both　a　dragon　and　a　　seaserpent）　that　made　his　blood　run　so　cold　as　that　line　of　dark…faced　bright…eyed　men。　　there　were　fifteen　calormenes；　a　talking　bull　of　narnia；　slinkey　the　fox；　and　wraggle　the　　satyr。　then　he　heard　twang…and…zipp　on　his　left　and　one　calormene　fell：　then　twang…andzipp　　again　and　the　satyr　was　down。　〃oh；　well　done；　daughter！〃　came　tirians　voice；　and　　then　the　enemy　were　upon　them。

eustace　could　never　remember　what　happened　in　the　next　two　minutes。　it　was　　all　like　a　dream　（the　sort　you　have　when　your　temperature　is　over　100）　until　he　heard　　rishda　tarkaans　voice　calling　out　from　the　distance：　　〃retire。　back　hither　and　re…form。鈥�

then　eustace　came　to　his　senses　and　saw　the　calormenes　scampering　back　to　　their　friends。　but　not　all　of　them。　two　lay　dead；　pierced　by　jewels　horn；　one　by　　tirians　sword。　the　fox　lay　dead　at　his　own　feet；　and　he　wondered　if　it　was　he　who　　had　killed　it。

the　bull　also　was　down；　shot　through　the　eye　by　an　arrow　from　jill　and　　gashed　in　his　side　by　the　boars　tusk。　but　our　side　had　its　losses　too。　three　dogs　were　　killed　and　a　fourth　was　hobbling　behind　the　line　on　three　legs　and　whimpering。　the　bear　　lay　on　the　ground；　moving　feebly。　then　it　mumbled　in　its　throaty　voice；　bewildered　to　　the　last；　〃i　…　i　dont　understand；〃　laid　its　big　head　down　on　the　grass　as　quietly　as　a　　child　going　to　sleep；　and　never　moved　again。

in　fact；　the　first　attack　had　failed。　eustace　didnt　seem　able　to　be　glad　　about　it：　he　was　so　terribly　thirsty　and　his　arm　ached　so。

as　the　defeated　calormenes　went　back　to　their　mander；　the　dwarfs　began　　jeering　at　them。

〃had　enough；　darkies？〃　they　yelled。　〃dont　you　like　it？　why　doesnt　your　　great　tarkaan　go　and　fight　himself　instead　of　sending　you　to　be　killed？　poor　darkies！鈥�

〃dwarfs；〃　cried　tirian。　〃e　here　and　use　your　swords；　not　your　tongues。　　there　is　still　time。　dwarfs　of　narnia！　you　can　fight　well；　i　know。　e　back　to　your　　allegiance。鈥�

〃yah！〃　sneered　the　dwarfs。　〃not　likely。　youre　just　as　big　humbugs　as　the　　other　lot。　we　dont　want　any　kings。　the　dwarfs　are　for　the　dwarfs。　boo！鈥�

then　the　drum　began：　not　a　dwarf　drum　this　time；　but　a　big　bulls　hide　　calormene　drum。

the　children　from　the　very　first　hated　the　sound。　boom　…　boom　…　ba…ba…boom　　it　went。　but　they　would　have　hated　it　far　worse　if　they　had　known　what　it　meant。　tirian　　did。　it　meant　that　there　were　other　calormene　troops　somewhere　near　and　that　rishda　　tarkaan　was　　

calling　them　to　his　aid。　tirian　and　jewel　looked　at　one　another　sadly。　they　　had　just　begun　to　hope　that　they　might　win　that　night：　but　it　would　be　all　over　with　them　　if　new　enemies　appeared。

tirian　gazed　despairingly　round。　several　narnians　were　standing　with　the　　calormenes；　whether　through　treachery　or　in　honest　fear　of　〃tashlan〃。　others　were　　sitting　still；　staring；　not　likely　to　join　either　side。　but　there　were　fewer　animals　now：　the　crowd　　was　much　smaller。　clearly；　several　of　them　had　just　crept　quietly　away　during　the　　fighting。

boom　…　boom　…　ba…ba…boom　went　the　horrible　drum。　then　another　sound　began　　to　mix　with　it。　〃listen！〃　said　jewel：　and　then　〃look！〃　said　farsight。　a　moment　　later　there　was　no　doubt　what　it　was。　with　a　thunder　of　hoofs；　with　tossing　heads；　widened　　nostrils；　and　waving　manes；　over　a　score　of　talking　horses　of　narnia　came　charging　up　the　　hill。　the　gnawers　and　nibblers　had　done　their　work。

poggin　the　dwarf　and　the　children　opened　their　mouths　to　cheer　but　that　　cheer　never　came。　suddenly　the　air　was　full　of　the　sound　of　twanging　bow…strings　and　　hissing　arrows。

it　was　the　dwarfs　who　were　shooting　and　…　for　a　moment　jill　could　hardly　　believe　her　eyes　…　they　were　shooting　the　horses。　dwarfs　are　deadly　archers。　horse　　after　horse　rolled　over。　not　one　of　those　noble　beasts　ever　reached　the　king。

〃little　swine；〃　shrieked　eustace；　dancing　in　his　rage。　〃dirty；　filthy；　　treacherous　little　brutes。〃　even　jewel　said；　〃shall　i　run　after　those　dwarfs；　sire；　and　spit　　ten　of　them　on　my　horn　at　each　plunge？〃　but　tirian　with　his　face　as　stern　as　stone；　said；　　〃stand　fast；　jewel。

if　you　must　weep；　sweetheart　（this　was　to　jill）；　turn　your　face　aside　and　　see　you　wet　not　your　bow…string。　and　peace；　eustace。　do　not　scold；　like　a　kitchen…girl。　no　　warrior　scolds。

courteous　words　or　else　hard　knocks　are　his　only　language。鈥�

but　the　dwarfs　jeered　back　at　eustace。　〃that　was　a　surprise　for　you；　little　　boy；　eh？

thought　we　were　on　your　side；　did　you？　no　fear。　we　dont　want　any　talking　　horses。　we　dont　want　you　to　win　any　more　than　the　other　gang。　you　cant　take　us　in。　　the　dwarfs　are　for　the　dwarfs。鈥�

rishda　tarkaan　was　still　talking　to　his　men；　doubtless　making　arrangements　　for　the　next　attack　and　probably　wishing　he　had　sent　his　whole　force　into　the　first。　the　　drum　boomed　on。　then；　to　their　horror；　tirian　and　his　friends　heard；　far　fainter　as　if　　from　a　long　way　off；　an　answering　drum。　another　body　of　calormenes　had　heard　rishdas　　signal　and　were　ing　to　support　him。　you　would　not　have　known　from　tirians　face　that　he　　had　now　given　up　all　hope。

〃listen；〃　he　whispered　in　a　matter…of…fact　voice；　〃we　must　attack　now；　　before　yonder　miscreants　are　strengthened　by　their　friends。鈥�

〃bethink　you；　sire；〃　said　poggin；　〃that　here　we　have　the　good　wooden　wall　　of　the　stable　at　our　backs。　if　we　advance；　shall　we　not　be　encircled　and　get　sword…points　　between　our　shoulders？鈥�

〃i　would　say　as　you　do；　dwarf；〃　said　tirian。　〃were　it　not　their　very　plan　　to　force　us　into　the　stable？　the　further　we　are　from　its　deadly　door；　the　better。鈥�

〃the　king　is　right；〃　said　farsight。　〃away　from　this　accursed　stable；　and　　whatever　goblin　lives　inside　it；　at　all　costs。鈥�

〃yes；　do　lets；〃　said　eustace。　〃im　ing　to　hate　the　very　sight　of　it。鈥�

〃good；〃　said　tirian。　〃now　look　yonder　to　our　left。　you　see　a　great　rock　　that　gleams　white　like　marble　in　the　firelight。　first　we　will　fall　upon　those　calormenes。　　you；　maiden；　shall　move　out　on　our　left　and　shoot　as　fast　as　ever　you　may　into　their　ranks：　　and　you；　eagle；　fly　at　their　faces　from　the　right。　meanwhile　we　others　will　be　charging　　them。　when　we　are　so　close；　jill；　that　you　can　no　longer　shoot　at　them　for　fear　of　　striking　us；　go　back　to　the　white　rock　and　wait。　you　others；　keep　your　ears　wide　even　in　the　　fighting。　we　must　put　them　to　flight　in　a　few　minutes　or　else　not　at　all；　for　we　are　fewer　　than　they。　as　soon　as　i　call　back；　then　rush　to　join　jill　at　the　white　rock；　where　we　shall　　have　protection　behind　us　and　can　breathe　awhile。　now；　be　off；　jill。鈥�

feeling　terribly　alone；　jill　ran　out　about　twenty　feet；　put　her　right　leg　　back　and　her　left　leg　forward；　and　set　an　arrow　to　her　string。　she　wished　her　hands　were　not　　shaking　so。

〃thats　a　rotten　shot！〃　she　said　as　her　first　arrow　sped　towards　the　enemy　　and　flew　over　their　heads。　but　she　had　another　on　the　string　next　moment：　she　knew　that　　speed　was　what　mattered。　she　saw　something