the last battle_c·s·刘易斯- 第18部分

what　was　the　fruit　like？　unfortunately　no　one　can　describe　a　taste。　all　i　　can　say　is　that；　pared　with　those　fruits；　the　freshest　grapefruit　youve　ever　eaten　was　　dull；　and　the　juiciest　orange　was　dry；　and　the　most　melting　pear　was　hard　and　woody；　and　　the　sweetest　wild　strawberry　was　sour。　and　there　were　no　seeds　or　stones；　and　no　wasps。　　if　you　had　once　eaten　that　fruit；　all　the　nicest　things　in　this　world　would　taste　like　　medicines　after　it。

but　i　cant　describe　it。　you　cant　find　out　what　it　is　like　unless　you　can　　get　to　that　country　and　taste　it　for　yourself。

when　they　had　eaten　enough；　eustace　said　to　king　peter；　〃you　havent　yet　　told　us　how　you　got　here。　you　were　just　going　to；　when　king　tirian　turned　up。鈥�

〃theres　not　much　to　tell；〃　said　peter。　〃edmund　and　i　were　standing　on　the　　platform　and　we　saw　your　train　ing　in。　i　remember　thinking　it　was　taking　the　bend　far　　too　fast。　and　i　remember　thinking　how　funny　it　was　that　our　people　were　probably　in　the　　same　train　though　lucy　didnt　know　about　it　…鈥�

〃your　people；　high　king？〃　said　tirian。

〃i　mean　my　father　and　mother　…　edmunds　and　lucys　and　mine。鈥�

〃why　were　they？〃　asked　jill。　〃you　dont　mean　to　say　they　know　about　　narnia？鈥�

〃oh　no；　it　had　nothing　to　do　with　narnia。　they　were　on　their　way　to　　bristol。　id　only　heard　they　were　going　that　morning。　but　edmund　said　theyd　be　bound　to　be　　going　by　that　train。〃　（edmund　was　the　sort　of　person　who　knows　about　railways。）

〃and　what　happened　then？〃　said　jill。

〃well；　its　not　very　easy　to　describe；　is　it；　edmund？〃　said　the　high　king。

〃not　very；〃　said　edmund。　〃it　wasnt　at　all　like　that　other　time　when　we　　were　pulled　out　of　our　own　world　by　magic。　there　was　a　frightful　roar　and　something　hit　me　　with　a　bang；　but　it　didnt　hurt。　and　i　felt　not　so　much　scared　as　…　well；　excited。　oh　…　　and　this　is　one　queer　thing。

id　had　a　rather　sore　knee；　from　a　hack　at　rugger。　i　noticed　it　had　　suddenly　gone。　and　i　felt　very　light。　and　then　…　here　we　were。鈥�

〃it　was　much　the　same　for　us　in　the　railway　carriage；〃　said　the　lord　　digory；　wiping　the　last　traces　of　the　fruit　from　his　golden　beard。　〃only　i　think　you　and　i；　　polly；　chiefly　felt　　

that　wed　been　unstiffened。　you　youngsters　wont　understand。　but　we　stopped　　feeling　old。鈥�

〃youngsters；　indeed！〃　said　jill。　〃i　dont　believe　you　two　really　are　much　　older　than　we　are　here。鈥�

〃well　if　we　arent；　we　have　been；〃　said　the　lady　polly。

〃and　what　has　been　happening　since　you　got　here？〃　asked　eustace。

〃well；〃　said　peter；　〃for　a　long　time　（at　least　i　suppose　it　was　a　long　　time）　nothing　happened。　then　the　door　opened　…鈥�

〃the　door？〃　said　tirian。

〃yes；〃　said　peter。　〃the　door　you　came　in　…　or　came　out　…　by。　have　you　　forgotten？鈥�

〃but　where　is　it？鈥�

〃look；〃　said　peter　and　pointed。

tirian　looked　and　saw　the　queerest　and　most　ridiculous　thing　you　can　　imagine。　only　a　few　yards　away；　clear　to　be　seen　in　the　sunlight；　there　stood　up　a　rough　　wooden　door　and；　round　it；　the　framework　of　the　doorway：　nothing　else；　no　walls；　no　roof。　he　　walked　towards　it；　bewildered；　and　the　others　followed；　watching　to　see　what　he　　would　do。　he　walked　round　to　the　other　side　of　the　door。　but　it　looked　just　the　same　　from　the　other　side：　he　was　still　in　the　open　air；　on　a　summer　morning。　the　door　was　　simply　standing　up　by　itself　as　if　it　had　grown　there　like　a　tree。

〃fair　sir；〃　said　tirian　to　the　high　king；　〃this　is　a　great　marvel。鈥�

〃it　is　the　door　you　came　through　with　that　calormene　five　minutes　ago；〃　　said　peter　smiling。

〃but　did　i　not　e　in　out　of　the　wood　into　the　stable？　whereas　this　seems　　to　be　a　door　leading　from　nowhere　to　nowhere。鈥�

〃it　looks　like　that　if　you　walk　round　it；〃　said　peter。　〃but　put　your　eye　to　　that　place　where　there　is　a　crack　between　two　of　the　planks　and　look　through。鈥�

tirian　put　his　eye　to　the　hole。　at　first　he　could　see　nothing　but　　blackness。　then；　at　his　eyes　grew　used　to　it；　he　saw　the　dull　red　glow　of　a　bonfire　that　was　nearly　　going　out；　and　above　that；　in　a　black　sky；　stars。　then　he　could　see　dark　figures　moving　　about　or　standing　between　him　and　the　fire：　he　could　hear　them　talking　and　their　voices　were　　like　those　of　calormenes。　so　he　knew　that　he　was　looking　out　through　the　stable　door　into　　the　darkness　of　lantern　waste　where　he　had　fought　his　last　battle。　the　men　were　　discussing　　

whether　to　go　in　and　look　for　rishda　tarkaan　（but　none　of　them　wanted　to　do　　that）　or　to　set　fire　to　the　stable。

he　looked　round　again　and　could　hardly　believe　his　eyes。　there　was　the　blue　　sky　overhead；　and　grassy　country　spreading　as　far　as　he　could　see　in　every　　direction；　and　his　new　friends　all　round　him　laughing。

〃it　seems；　then；〃　said　tirian；　smiling　himself；　〃that　the　stable　seen　from　　within　and　the　stable　seen　from　without　are　two　different　places。鈥�

〃yes；〃　said　the　lord　digory。　〃its　inside　is　bigger　than　its　outside。鈥�

〃yes；〃　said　queen　lucy。　〃in　our　world　too；　a　stable　once　had　something　　inside　it　that　was　bigger　than　our　whole　world。〃　it　was　the　first　time　she　had　spoken；　and　　from　the　thrill　in　her　voice；　tirian　now　knew　why。　she　was　drinking　everything　in　even　more　　deeply　than　the　others。　she　had　been　too　happy　to　speak。　he　wanted　to　hear　her　speak　　again；　so　he　said：　　〃of　your　courtesy；　madam；　tell　on。　tell　me　your　whole　adventure。鈥�

〃after　the　shock　and　the　noise；〃　said　lucy；　〃we　found　ourselves　here。　and　　we　wondered　at　the　door；　as　you　did。　then　the　door　opened　for　the　first　time　（we　saw　　darkness　through　the　doorway　when　it　did）　and　there　came　through　a　big　man　with　a　naked　　sword。　we　saw　by　his　arms　that　he　was　a　calormene。　he　took　his　stand　beside　the　door　with　　his　sword　raised；　resting　on　his　shoulder；　ready　to　cut　down　anyone　who　came　through。　　we　went　to　him　and　spoke　to　him；　but　we　thought　he　could　neither　see　nor　hear　us。　and　　he　never　looked　round　on　the　sky　and　the　sunlight　and　the　grass：　i　think　he　couldnt　　see　them　either。　so　then　we　waited　a　long　time。　then　we　heard　the　bolt　being　drawn　　on　the　other　side　of　the　door。　but　the　man　didnt　get　ready　to　strike　with　his　sword　　till　he　could　see　who　was　ing　in。　so　we　supposed　he　had　been　told　to　strike　some　and　spare　　others。

but　at　the　very　moment　when　the　door　opened；　all　of　a　sudden　tash　was　　there；　on　this　side　of　the　door；　none　of　us　saw　where　he　came　from。　and　through　the　door　　there　came　a　big　cat。　it　gave　one　look　at　tash　and　ran　for　its　life：　just　in　time；　for　　he　pounced　at　it　and　the　door　hit　his　beak　as　it　was　shut。　the　man　could　see　tash。　he　turned　　very　pale　and　bowed　down　before　the　monster：　but　it　vanished　away。

〃then　we　waited　a　long　time　again。　at　last　the　door　opened　for　the　third　　time　and　there　came　in　a　young　calormene。　i　liked　him。　the　sentinel　at　the　door　started；　　and　looked　very　surprised；　when　he　saw　him。　i　think　hed　been　expecting　someone　quite　　different　…鈥�

〃i　see　it　all　now；〃　said　eustace　（he　had　the　bad　habit　of　interrupting　　stories）。　〃the　cat　was　to　go　in　first　and　the　sentry　had　orders　to　do　him　no　harm。　then　the　cat　　was　to　e　out　and　say　hed　seen　their　beastly　tashlan　and　pretend　to　be　frightened　so　as　　to　scare　the　other　animals。　but　what　shift　never　guessed　was　that　the　real　tash　would　　turn　up；　so　ginger　came　out　really　frightened。　and　after　that；　shift　would　send　in　　anyone　he　wanted　to　get　rid　of　and　the　sentry　would　kill　them。

and　…鈥�

〃friend；〃　said　tirian　softly；　〃you　hinder　the　lady　in　her　tale。鈥�

〃well；〃　said　lucy；　〃the　sentry　was　surprised。　that　gave　the　other　man　just　　time　to　get　on　guard。　they　had　a　fight。　he　killed　the　sentry　and　flung　him　outside　the　　door。　then　he　came　walking　slowly　forward　to　where　we　were。　he　could　see　us；　and　　everything　else。

we　tried　to　talk　to　him　but　he　was　rather　like　a　man　in　a　trance。　he　kept　　on　saying　tash；　tash；　where　is　tash？　i　go　to　tash。　so　we　gave　it　up　and　he　went　away　　somewhere　…　over　there。　i　liked　him。　and　after　that　。。。　ugh！〃　lucy　made　a　face。

〃after　that；〃　said　edmund；　〃someone　flung　a　monkey　through　the　door。　and　　tash　was　there　again。　my　sister　is　so　tender…hearted　she　doesnt　like　to　tell　you　　that　tash　made　one　peck　and　the　monkey　was　gone！鈥�

〃serve　him　right！〃　said　eustace。　〃all　the　same；　i　hope　hell　disagree　with　　tash　too。鈥�

〃and　after　that；〃　said　edmund；　〃came　about　a　dozen　dwarfs：　and　then　jill；　　and　eustace；　and　last　of　all　yourself。鈥�

〃i　hope　tash　ate　the　dwarfs　too；〃　said　eustace。　〃little　swine。鈥�

〃no；　he　didnt；〃　said　lucy。　〃and　dont　be　horrid。　theryre　still　here。　in　　fact　you　can　see　them　from　here。　and　ive　tried　and　tried　to　make　friends　with　them　but　its　　no　use。鈥�

〃friends　with　them！〃　cried　eustace。　〃if　you　knew　how　those　dwarfs　have　been　behaving！鈥�

〃oh　stop　it；　eustace；〃　said　lucy。　〃do　e　and　see　them。　king　tirian；　　perhaps　you　could　do　something　with　them。鈥�

〃i　can　feel　no　great　love　for　dwarfs　today；〃　said　tirian。　〃yet　at　your　　asking；　lady；　i　would　do　a　greater　thing　than　this。鈥�

lucy　led　the　way　and　soon　they　could　all　see　the　dwarfs。　they　had　a　very　　odd　look。　they　werent　strolling　about　or　enjoying　themselves　（although　the　cords　with　　which　they　had　been　tied　seemed　to　have　vanished）　nor　were　they　lying　down　and　having　a　　rest。　they　were　sitting　very　close　together　in　a　little　circle　facing　one　another。　　they　never　looked　round　or　took　any　notice　of　the　humans　till　lucy　and　tirian　were　almost　　near　enough　to　touch　them。　then　the　dwarfs　all　cocked　their　heads　as　if　they　couldnt　see　　anyone　but　were　listening　hard　and　trying　to　guess　by　the　sound　what　was　happening。

〃look　out！〃　said　one　of　them　in　a　surly　voice。　〃mind　where　youre　going。　　dont　walk　into　our　faces！鈥�

〃all　right！〃　said　eustace　indignantly。　〃were　not　blind。　weve　got　eyes　in　　our　heads。鈥�

〃they　must　be　darn　good　ones　if　you　can　see　in　here；〃　said　the　same　dwarf　　whose　name　was　diggle。

〃in　where？〃　asked　edmund。

〃why　you　bone…head；　in　here　of　course；〃　said　diggle。　〃in　this　pitch…black；　　poky；　smelly　little　hole　of　a　stable。鈥�

〃are　you　blind？〃　said　tirian。

〃aint　we　all　blind　in　the　dark！〃　said　diggle。

〃but　it　isnt　dark；　you　poor　stupid　dwarfs；〃　said　lucy。　〃cant　you　see？　　look　up！　look　round！　cant　you　see　the　sky　and　the　trees　and　the　flowers？　cant　you　see　　me？鈥�

〃how　in　the　name　of　a