the last battle_c·s·刘易斯- 第7部分

jill　made　a　face。　〃ugh！〃　she　said。　〃thats　the　horrid　part　about　ing　　back　to　narnia。鈥�

but　eustace　went　on。

〃well　now　you　know　who　we　are；　sire；〃　he　said。　〃and　it　was　like　this。　the　　professor　and　aunt　polly　had　got　all　us　friends　of　narnia　together　…鈥�

〃i　know　not　these　names；　eustace；〃　said　tirian。

〃theyre　the　two　who　came　into　narnia　at　the　very　beginning；　the　day　all　　the　animals　learned　to　talk。鈥�

〃by　the　lions　mane；〃　cried　tirian。　〃those　two！　the　lord　digory　and　the　　lady　polly！

from　the　dawn　of　the　world！　and　still　in　your　place？　the　wonder　and　the　　glory　of　it！　but　tell　me；　tell　me。鈥�

〃she　isnt　really　our　aunt；　you　know；〃　said　eustace。　〃shes　miss　plummer；　　but　we　call　her　aunt　polly。　well　those　two　got　us　all　together　partly　just　for　fun；　so　that　　we　could　all　have　a　good　jaw　about　narnia　（for　of　course　theres　no　one　else　we　can　ever　　talk　to　about　things　like　that）　but　partly　because　the　professor　had　a　feeling　that　we　　were　somehow　wanted　over　here。　well　then　you　came　in　like　a　ghost　or　goodness…knows…what　　and　nearly　frightened　the　lives　out　of　us　and　vanished　without　saying　a　word。　　after　that；　we　knew　for　certain　there　was　something　up。

the　next　question　was　how　to　get　here。　you　cant　go　just　by　wanting　to。　so　　we　talked　and　talked　and　at　last　the　professor　said　the　only　way　would　be　by　the　magic　　rings。　it　was　by　those　rings　that　he　and　aunt　polly　got　here　long；　long　ago　when　they　were　　only　kids；　years　before　we　younger　ones　were　born。　but　the　rings　had　all　been　buried　　in　the　garden　of　a　house　in　london　（thats　our　big　town；　sire）　and　the　house　had　been　　sold。　so　then　the　problem　was　how　to　get　at　them。　youll　never　guess　what　we　did　in　the　end！　　peter　and　edmund　…　thats　the　high　king　peter；　the　one　who　spoke　to　you　…　went　up　to　　london　to　get　into　the　garden　from　the　back；　early　in　the　morning　before　people　were　　up。　they　were　dressed　like　workmen　so　that　if　anyone　did　see　them　it　would　look　as　if　　theyd　e　to　do　something　about　the　drains。　i　wish　id　been　with　them：　it　must　have　been　　glorious　fun。

and　they　must　have　succeeded　for　next　day　peter　sent　us　a　wire　…　thats　a　　sort　of　message；　sire；　ill　explain　about　it　some　other　time　…　to　say　hed　got　the　rings。　　and　the　day　after　that　was　the　day　pole　and　i　had　to　go　back　to　school　…　were　the　only　two　　who　are　still　at　school　and　were　at　the　same　one。　so　peter　and　edmund　were　to　meet　us　at　a　　place　on　the　way　down　to　school　and　hand　over　the　rings。　it　had　to　be　us　two　who　were　to　　go　to　narnia；　you　see；　because　the　older　ones　couldnt　e　again。　so　we　got　into　　the　train　thats　a　kind　of　thing　people　travel　in　in　our　world：　a　lot　of　wagons　　chained　together　…　and　the　professor　and　aunt　polly　and　lucy　came　with　us。　we　wanted　to　keep　　together　as　long　as　we　could。　well　there　we　were　in　the　train。　and　we　were　just　getting　to　　the　station　where　the　others　were　to　meet　us；　and　i　was　looking　out　of　the　window　to　　see　if　i　could　see　them　when　suddenly　there　came　a　most　frightful　jerk　and　a　noise：　and　　there　we　were　in　narnia　and　there　was　your　majesty　tied　up　to　the　tree。鈥�

〃so　you　never　used　the　rings？〃　said　tirian。

〃no；〃　said　eustace。　〃never　even　saw　them。　aslan　did　it　all　for　us　in　his　　own　way　without　any　rings。鈥�

〃but　the　high　king　peter　has　them；〃　said　tirian。

〃yes；〃　said　jill。　〃but　we　dont　think　he　can　use　them。　when　the　two　other　　pevensies　…　king　edmund　and　queen　lucy　…　were　last　here；　aslan　said　they　would　never　　e　to　narnia　again。　and　he　said　something　of　the　same　sort　to　the　high　king；　only　　longer　ago。

you　may　be　sure　hell　e　like　a　shot　if　hes　allowed。鈥�

〃gosh！〃　said　eustace。　〃its　getting　hot　in　this　sun。　are　we　nearly　there；　　sire？鈥�

〃look；〃　said　tirian　and　pointed。　not　many　yards　away　grey　battlements　rose　　above　the　tree…tops；　and　after　a　minutes　more　walking　they　came　out　in　an　open　　grassy　space。　a　stream　ran　across　it　and　on　the　far　side　of　the　stream　stood　a　squat；　　square　tower　with　very　few　and　narrow　windows　and　one　heavy…looking　door　in　the　wall　that　　faced　them。

tirian　looked　sharply　this　way　and　that　to　make　sure　that　no　enemies　were　　in　sight。　then　he　walked　up　to　the　tower　and　stood　still　for　a　moment　fishing　up　his　bunch　　of　keys　which　he　wore　inside　his　hunting…dress　on　a　narrow　silver　chain　that　went　　round　his　neck。

it　was　a　nice　bunch　of　keys　that　he　brought　out；　for　two　were　golden　and　　many　were　richly　ornamented：　you　could　see　at　once　that　they　were　keys　made　for　　opening　solemn　and　secret　rooms　in　palaces；　or　chests　and　caskets　of　sweet…smelling　wood　　that　contained　royal　treasures。　but　the　key　which　he　now　put　into　the　lock　of　the　door　was　　big　and　plain　and　more　rudely　made。　the　lock　was　stiff　and　for　a　moment　tirian　began　to　　be　afraid　that　he　would　not　be　able　to　turn　it：　but　at　last　he　did　and　the　door　swung　open　　with　a　sullen　creak。

〃wele　friends；〃　said　tirian。　〃i　fear　this　is　the　best　palace　that　the　　king　of　narnia　can　now　offer　to　his　guests。鈥�

tirian　was　pleased　to　see　that　the　two　strangers　had　been　well　brought　up。　　they　both　said　not　to　mention　it　and　that　they　were　sure　it　would　be　very　nice。

as　a　matter　of　fact　it　was　not　particularly　nice。　it　was　rather　dark　and　　smelled　very　damp。

there　was　only　one　room　in　it　and　this　room　went　right　up　to　the　stone　　roof：　a　wooden　staircase　in　one　corner　led　up　to　a　trap　door　by　which　you　could　get　out　on　　the　battlements。　there　were　a　few　rude　bunks　to　sleep　in；　and　a　great　many　　lockers　and　bundles。　there　was　also　a　hearth　which　looked　as　if　nobody　had　lit　a　fire　　in　it　for　a　great　many　years。

〃wed　better　go　out　and　gather　some　firewood　first　thing；　hadnt　we？〃　said　　jill。

〃not　yet；　rade；〃　said　tirian。　he　was　determined　that　they　should　not　be　　caught　unarmed；　and　began　searching　the　lockers；　thankfully　remembering　that　he　　had　always　been　careful　to　have　these　garrison　towers　inspected　once　a　year　and　to　　make　sure　that　they　were　stocked　with　all　things　needful。　the　bow　strings　were　there　in　　their　coverings　of　oiled　silk；　the　swords　and　spears　were　greased　against　rust；　and　the　　armour　was　kept　bright　in　its　wrappings。　but　there　was　something　even　better。　〃look　you！〃　　said　tirian　as　he　drew　out　a　long　mail　shirt　of　a　curious　pattern　and　flashed　it　before　　the　childrens　eyes。

〃thats　funny…looking　mail；　sire；〃　said　eustace。

〃aye；　lad；〃　said　tirian。　〃no　narnian　dwarf　smithied　that。　tis　mail　of　　calormen；　outlandish　gear。　i　have　ever　kept　a　few　suits　of　it　in　readiness；　for　i　　never　knew　when　i　or　　

my　friends　might　have　reason　to　walk　unseen　in　the　tisrocs　land。　and　look　　on　this　stone　bottle。　in　this　there　is　a　juice　which；　when　we　have　rubbed　it　on　our　hands　　and　faces；　will　make　us　brown　as　calormenes。鈥�

〃oh　hurrah！〃　said　jill。　〃disguise！　i　love　disguises。鈥�

tirian　showed　them　how　to　pour　out　a　little　of　the　juice　into　the　palms　of　　their　hands　and　then　rub　it　well　over　their　faces　and　necks；　right　down　to　the　shoulders；　　and　then　on　their　hands；　right　up　to　the　elbows。　he　did　the　same　himself。

〃after　this　has　hardened　on　us；〃　he　said；　〃we　may　wash　in　water　and　it　will　　not　change。

nothing　but　oil　and　ashes　will　make　us　white　narnians　again。　and　now；　sweet　　jill；　let　us　go　see　how　this　mail　shirt　bees　you。　tis　something　too　long；　yet　not　so　　much　as　i　feared。　doubtless　it　belonged　to　a　page　in　the　train　of　one　of　their　　tarkaans。鈥�

after　the　mail　shirts　they　put　on　calormene　helmets；　which　are　little　round　　ones　fitting　tight　to　the　head　and　having　a　spike　on　top。　then　tirian　took　long　rolls　of　　some　white　stuff　out　of　the　locker　and　wound　them　over　the　helmets　till　they　became　　turbans：　but　the　little　steel　spike　still　stuck　up　in　the　middle。　he　and　eustace　took　curved　　calormene　swords　and　little　round　shields。　there　was　no　sword　light　enough　for　jill；　　but　he　gave　her　a　long；　straight　hunting　knife　which　might　do　for　a　sword　at　a　pinch。

〃hast　any　skill　with　the　bow；　maiden？〃　said　tirian。

〃nothing　worth　talking　of；〃　said　jill；　blushing。　〃scrubbs　not　bad。鈥�

〃dont　you　believe　her；　sire；〃　said　eustace。　〃weve　both　been　practising　　archery　ever　since　we　got　back　from　narnia　last　time；　and　shes　about　as　good　as　me　now。　　not　that　either　of　us　is　much。鈥�

then　tirian　gave　jill　a　bow　and　a　quiver　full　of　arrows。　the　next　business　　was　to　light　a　fire；　for　inside　that　tower　it　still　felt　more　like　a　cave　than　like　　anything　indoors　and　set　one　shivering。　but　they　got　warm　gathering　wood　…　the　sun　was　now　at　its　　highest　…　and　once　the　blaze　was　roaring　up　the　chimney　the　place　began　to　look　cheerful。　　dinner　was；　however；　a　dull　meal；　for　the　best　they　could　do　was　to　pound　up　some　of　　the　hard　biscuit　which　they　found　in　a　locker　and　pour　it　into　boiling　water；　with　salt；　so　　as　to　make　a　kind　of　porridge。　and　of　course　there　was　nothing　to　drink　but　water。

〃i　wish　wed　brought　a　packet　of　tea；〃　said　jill。

〃or　a　tin　of　cocoa；〃　said　eustace。

〃a　firkin　or　so　of　good　wine　in　each　of　these　towers　would　not　have　been　　amiss；〃　said　tirian。

ww锛枫��



CHAPTER　SIX

灏�*璇�**t*xt**澶�*鍫�
a　good　nights　work　　about　four　hours　later　tirian　flung　himself　into　one　of　the　bunks　to　snatch　　a　little　sleep。　the　two　children　were　already　snoring：　he　had　made　them　go　to　bed　　before　he　did　because　they　would　have　to　be　up　most　of　the　night　and　he　knew　that　at　　their　age　they　couldnt　do　without　sleep。　also；　he　had　tired　them　out。　first　he　had　given　　jill　some　practice　in　archery　and　found　that；　though　not　up　to　narnian　standards；　she　　was　really　not　too　bad。　indeed　she　had　succeeded　in　shooting　a　rabbit　（not　a　talking　　rabbit；　of　course：　there　are　lots　of　the　ordinary　kind　about　in　western　narnia）　and　it　was　　already　skinned；　cleaned；　and　hanging　up。　he　had　found　that　both　the　children　knew　all　about　　this　chilly　and　smelly　job；　they　had　learned　that　kind　of　thing　on　their　great　journey　　through　giant…land　in　the　days　of　prince　rilian。　then　he　had　tried　to　teach　eustace　how　　to　use　his　sword　and　shield。　eustace　had　learned　quite　a　lot　about　sword　fighting　on　　his　earlier　adventures　but　that　had　been　all　with　a　straight　narnian　sword。　he　had　　never　handled　a　curved　calormene　scimitar　and　that　made　it　hard；　for　many　of　the　strokes　　are　quite　different　and　some　of　the　habits　he　had　learned　wit