csl.thelionthewitchandthewardrobe-第21节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　on　the　ground。　Somewhere　just　by　my　feet　it　was。〃　But　when　everyone　had　shouted　up　to　him　to　explain　what　had　really　happened；　and　when　the　Giant　had　put　his　hand　to　his　ear　and　got　them　to　repeat　it　all　again　so　that　at　last　he　understood；　then　he　bowed　down　till　his　head　was　no　further　off　than　the　top　of　a　haystack　and　touched　his　cap　repeatedly　to　Aslan；　beaming　all　over　his　honest　ugly　face。　（Giants　of　any　sort　are　now　so　rare　in　England　and　so　few　giants　are　good…tempered　that　ten　to　one　you　have　never　seen　a　giant　when　his　face　is　beaming。　It's　a　sight　well　worth　looking　at。）
　　
　　〃Now　for　the　inside　of　this　house！〃　said　Aslan。　〃Look　alive；　everyone。　Up　stairs　and　down　stairs　and　in　my　lady's　chamber！　Leave　no　corner　unsearched。　You　never　know　where　some　poor　prisoner　may　be　concealed。〃
　　
　　And　into　the　interior　they　all　rushed　and　for　several　minutes　the　whole　of　that　dark；　horrible；　fusty　old　castle　echoed　with　the　opening　of　windows　and　with　everyone's　voices　crying　out　at　once；　〃Don't　forget　the　dungeons…Give　us　a　hand　with　this　door！　Here's　another　little　winding　stair…Oh！　I　say。　Here's　a　poor　kangaroo。　Call　Aslan…Phew！　How　it　smells　in　here…Look　out　for　trap…doors…Up　here！　There　are　a　whole　lot　more　on　the　landing！〃　But　the　best　of　all　was　when　Lucy　came　rushing　upstairs　shouting　out；
　　
　　〃Aslan！　Aslan！　I've　found　Mr　Tumnus。　Oh；　do　e　quick。〃
　　
　　A　moment　later　Lucy　and　the　little　Faun　were　holding　each　other　by　both　hands　and　dancing　round　and　round　for　joy。　The　little　chap　was　none　the　worse　for　having　been　a　statue　and　was　of　course　very　interested　in　all　she　had　to　tell　him。
　　
　　But　at　last　the　ransacking　of　the　Witch's　fortress　was　ended。　The　whole　castle　stood　empty　with　every　door　and　window　open　and　the　light　and　the　sweet　spring　air　flooding　into　all　the　dark　and　evil　places　which　needed　them　so　badly。　The　whole　crowd　of　liberated　statues　surged　back　into　the　courtyard。　And　it　was　then　that　someone　（Tumnus；　I　think）　first　said；
　　
　　〃But　how　are　we　going　to　get　out？〃　for　Aslan　had　got　in　by　a　jump　and　the　gates　were　still　locked。
　　
　　〃That'll　be　all　right；〃　said　Aslan；　and　then；　rising　on　his　hind…legs；　he　bawled　up　at　the　Giant。　〃Hi！　You　up　there；〃　he　roared。　〃What's　your　name？〃
　　
　　〃Giant　Rumblebuffin；　if　it　please　your　honour；〃　said　the　Giant；　once　more　touching　his　cap。
　　
　　〃Well　then；　Giant　Rumblebuffin；〃　said　Aslan；　〃just　let　us　out　of　this；　will　you？〃
　　
　　〃Certainly；　your　honour。　It　will　be　a　pleasure；〃　said　Giant　Rumblebuffin。　〃Stand　well　away　from　the　gates；　all　you　little　'uns。〃　Then　he　strode　to　the　gate　himself　and　bang…bang…bang…went　his　huge　club。　The　gates　creaked　at　the　first　blow；　cracked　at　the　second；　and　shivered　at　the　third。　Then　he　tackled　the　towers　on　each　side　of　them　and　after　a　few　minutes　of　crashing　and　thudding　both　the　towers　and　a　good　bit　of　the　wall　on　each　side　went　thundering　down　in　a　mass　of　hopeless　rubble；　and　when　the　dust　cleared　it　was　odd；　standing　in　that　dry；　grim；　stony　yard；　to　see　through　the　gap　all　the　grass　and　waving　trees　and　sparkling　streams　of　the　forest；　and　the　blue　hills　beyond　that　and　beyond　them　the　sky。
　　
　　〃Blowed　if　I　ain't　all　in　a　muck　sweat；〃　said　the　Giant；　puffing　like　the　largest　railway　engine。　〃es　of　being　out　of　condition。　I　suppose　neither　of　you　young　ladies　has　such　a　thing　as　a　pocket…handkerchee　about　you？〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　I　have；〃　said　Lucy；　standing　on　tip…toes　and　holding　her　handkerchief　up　as　far　as　she　could　reach。
　　
　　〃Thank　you；　Missie；〃　said　Giant　Rumblebuffin；　stooping　down。　Next　moment　Lucy　got　rather　a　fright　for　she　found　herself　caught　up　in　mid…air　between　the　Giant's　finger　and　thumb。　But　just　as　she　was　getting　near　his　face　he　suddenly　started　and　then　put　her　gently　back　on　the　ground　muttering；　〃Bless　me！　I've　picked　up　the　little　girl　instead。　I　beg　your　pardon；　Missie；　I　thought　you　was　the　handkerchee！〃
　　
　　〃No；　no；〃　said　Lucy　laughing；　〃here　it　is！〃　This　time　he　managed　to　get　it　but　it　was　only　about　the　same　size　to　him　that　a　saccharine　tablet　would　be　to　you；　so　that　when　she　saw　him　solemnly　rubbing　it　to　and　fro　across　his　great　red　face；　she　said；　〃I'm　afraid　it's　not　much　use　to　you；　Mr　Rumblebuffin。〃
　　
　　〃Not　at　all。　Not　at　all；〃　said　the　giant　politely。　〃Never　met　a　nicer　handkerchee。　So　fine；　so　handy。　So…I　don't　know　how　to　describe　it。〃
　　
　　〃What　a　nice　giant　he　is！〃　said　Lucy　to　Mr　Tumnus。
　　
　　〃Oh　yes；〃　replied　the　Faun。　〃All　the　Buffins　always　were。　One　of　the　most　respected　of　all　the　giant　families　in　Narnia。　Not　very　clever；　perhaps　（I　never　knew　a　giant　that　was）；　but　an　old　family。　With　traditions；　you　know。　If　he'd　been　the　other　sort　she'd　never　have　turned　him　into　stone。〃
　　
　　At　this　point　Aslan　clapped　his　paws　together　and　called　for　silence。
　　
　　〃Our　day's　work　is　not　yet　over；〃　he　said；　〃and　if　the　Witch　is　to　be　finally　defeated　before　bed…time　we　must　find　the　battle　at　once。〃
　　
　　〃And　join　in；　I　hope；　sir！〃　added　the　largest　of　the　Centaurs。
　　
　　〃Of　course；〃　said　Aslan。　〃And　now！　Those　who　can't　keep　up…that　is；　children；　dwarfs；　and　small　animals…must　ride　on　the　backs　of　those　who　can…that　is；　lions；　centaurs；　unicorns；　horses；　giants　and　eagles。　Those　who　are　good　with　their　noses　must　e　in　front　with　us　lions　to　smell　out　where　the　battle　is。　Look　lively　and　sort　yourselves。〃
　　
　　And　with　a　great　deal　of　bustle　and　cheering　they　did。　The　most　pleased　of　the　lot　was　the　other　lion　who　kept　running　about　everywhere　pretending　to　be　very　busy　but　really　in　order　to　say　to　everyone　he　met。　〃Did　you　hear　what　he　said？　Us　Lions。　That　means　him　and　me。　Us　Lions。　That's　what　I　like　about　Aslan。　No　side；　no　stand…off…ishness。　Us　Lions。　That　meant　him　and　me。〃　At　least　he　went　on　saying　this　till　Aslan　had　loaded　him　up　with　three　dwarfs；　one　dryad；　two　rabbits；　and　a　hedgehog。　That　steadied　him　a　bit。
　　
　　When　all　were　ready　（it　was　a　big　sheep…dog　who　actually　helped　Aslan　most　in　getting　them　sorted　into　their　proper　order）　they　set　out　through　the　gap　in　the　castle　wall。　At　first　the　lions　and　dogs　went　nosing　about　in　all　directions。　But　then　suddenly　one　great　hound　picked　up　the　scent　and　gave　a　bay。　There　was　no　time　lost　after　that。　Soon　all　the　dogs　and　lions　and　wolves　and　other　hunting　animals　were　going　at　full　speed　with　their　noses　to　the　ground；　and　all　the　others；　streaked　out　for　about　half　a　mile　behind　them；　were　following　as　fast　as　they　could。　The　noise　was　like　an　English　fox…hunt　only　better　because　every　now　and　then　with　the　music　of　the　hounds　was　mixed　the　roar　of　the　other　lion　and　sometimes　the　far　deeper　and　more　awful　roar　of　Aslan　himself。　Faster　and　faster　they　went　as　the　scent　became　easier　and　easier　to　follow。　And　then；　just　as　they　came　to　the　last　curve　in　a　narrow；　winding　valley；　Lucy　heard　above　all　these　noises　another　noise…a　different　one；　which　gave　her　a　queer　feeling　inside。　It　was　a　noise　of　shouts　and　shrieks　and　of　the　clashing　of　metal　against　metal。
　　
　　Then　they　came　out　of　the　narrow　valley　and　at　once　she　saw　the　reason。　There　stood　Peter　and　Edmund　and　all　the　rest　of　Aslan's　army　fighting　desperately　against　the　crowd　of　horrible　creatures　whom　she　had　seen　last　night；　only　now；　in　the　daylight；　they　looked　even　stranger　and　more　evil　and　more　deformed。　There　also　seemed　to　be　far　more　of　them。　Peter's　army…which　had　their　backs　to　her　looked　terribly　few。　And　there　werestatues　dotted　all　over　the　battlefield；　so　apparently　the　Witch　had　been　using　her　wand。　But　she　did　not　seem　to　be　using　it　now。　She　was　fighting　with　her　stone　knife。　It　was　Peter　she　was　fightin…both　of　them　going　at　it　so　hard　that　Lucy　could　hardly　make　out　what　was　happening；　she　only　saw　the　stone　knife　and　Peter's　sword　flashing　so　quickly　that　they　looked　like　three　knives　and　three　swords。　That　pair　were　in　the　centre。　On　each　side　the　line　stretched　out。　Horrible　things　were　happening　wherever　she　looked。
　　
　　〃Off　my　back；　children；〃　shouted　Aslan。　And　they　both　tumbled　off。　Then　with　a　roar　that　shook　all　Narnia　from　the　western　lamp…post　to　the　shores　of　the　eastern　sea　the　great　beast　flung　himself　upon　the　White　Witch。　Lucy　saw　her　face　lifted　towards　him　for　one　second　with　an　expression　of　terror　and　amazement。　Then　Lion　and　Witch　had　rolled　over　together　but　with　the　Witch　underneath；　and　at　the　same　moment　all　war…like　creatures　whom　Aslan　had　led　from　the　Witch's　house　rushed　madly　on　the　enemy　lines；　dwarfs　with　their　battleaxes；　dogs　with　teeth；　the　Giant　with　his　club　（and　his　feet　also　crushed　dozens　of　the　foe）；　unicorns　with　their　horns；　centaurs　with　swords　and　hoofs。　And　Peter's　tired　army　cheered；　and　the　newers　roared；　and　the　enemy　squealed　and　gibbered　till　the　wood　re…echoed　with　the　din　of　that　onset。
　　
　　
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　SEVENTEEN
　　
　　THE　HUNTING　OF　THE　WHITE　STAG
　　
　　THE　battle　was　all　over　a　few　minutes　after　their　arrival。　Most　of　the　enemy　had　been　killed　in　the　first　charge　of　Aslan　and　his…panions；　and　when　those　who　were　still　living　saw　that　the　Witch　was　dead　they　either　gave　themselves　up　or　took　to　flight。　The　next　thing　that　L