《The Horse and His Boy》第33章

〃i　see；〃　said　shasta　to　himself。　〃those　are　the　big　mountains　between archenland　and　narnia。　i　was　on　the°。　other　side　of　them　yesterday。　i　must　have　e through　the　pass　in　the　night。　what　luck　that　i　hit　it！　…　at　least　it　wasnt　luck　at　all really；　it　was　him。　and　now　im　in　narnia。”
he　turned　and　unsaddled　his　horse　and　took　off　its　bridle　…　〃though　you　are a　perfectly　horrid　horse；〃　he　said。　it　took　no　notice　of　this　remark　and　immediately began　eating　grass。　that　horse　had　a　very　low　opinion　of　shasta。
〃i　wish　i　could　eat　grass！〃　thought　shasta。　〃its　no　good　going　back　to anvard；　itll　all　be　besieged。　id　better　get　lower　down　into　the　valley　and　see　if　i　can　get anything　to　eat。”
so　he　went　on　downhill　（the　thick　dew　was　cruelly　cold　to　his　bare　feet） till　he　came　into　a　wood。　there　was　a　kind　of　track　running　through　it　and　he　had　not followed　this　for　many　minutes　when　he　heard　a　thick　and　rather　wheezy　voice　saying　to　him。
〃good　morning；　neighbour。”
shasta　looked　round　eagerly　to　find　the　speaker　and　presently　saw　a　small； prickly　person　with　a　dark　face　who　had　just　e　out　from　among　the　trees。　at　least；　it was　small　for　a　person　but　very　big　indeed　for　a　hedgehog；　which　was　what　it　was。
〃good　morning；〃　said　shasta。　〃but　im　not　a　neighbour。　in　fact　im　a stranger　in　these　parts。”
〃ah？〃　said　the　hedgehog　inquiringly。
〃ive　e　over　the　mountains　…　from　archenland；　you　know。”
〃ha；　archenland；〃　said　the　hedgehog。　〃thats　a　terrible　long　way。　never been　there　myself。”
〃and　i　think；　perhaps；〃　said　shasta；　〃someone　ought　to　be　told　that　theres an　army　of　savage　calormenes　attacking　anvard　at　this　very　moment。”
〃you　dont　say　so！〃　answered　the　hedgehog。　〃well；　think　of　that。　and　they do　say　that　calormen　is　hundreds　and　thousands　of　miles　away；　right　at　the　worlds　end； across　a　great　sea　of　sand。”
〃its　not　nearly　as　far　as　you　think；〃　said　shasta。　〃and　oughtnt　something to　be　done　about　this　attack　on　anvard？　oughtnt　your　high　king　to　be　told？”
〃certain　sure；　something　ought　to　be　done　about　it；〃　said　the　hedgehog。 〃but　you　see　im　just　on　my　way　to　bed　for　a　good　days　sleep。　hullo；　neighbour！”
the　last　words　were　addressed　to　an　immense　biscuitcoloured　rabbit　whose head　had　just　popped　up　from　somewhere　beside　the　path。　the　hedgehog　immediately　told　the rabbit　what　it　had　just　learned　from　shasta。　the　rabbit　agreed　that　this　was　very remarkable　news　and　that　somebody　ought　to　tell　someone　about　it　with　a　view　to　doing something。
and　so　it　went　on。　every　few　minutes　they　were　joined　by　other　creatures； some　from　the　branches　overhead　and　some　from　little　underground　houses　at　their　feet； till　the　party　consisted　of　five　rabbits；　a　squirrel；　two　magpies；　a　goat…foot　faun；　and　a mouse；　who　all　talked　at　the　same　time　and　all　agreed　with　the　hedgehog。　for　the　truth　was that　in　that　golden　age　when　the　witch　and　the　winter　had　gone　and　peter　the　high　king ruled　at　cair　paravel；　the　smaller　woodland　people　of　narnia　were　so　safe　and　happy that　they　were　getting　a　little　careless。
presently；　however；　two　more　practical　people　arrived　in　the　little　wood。 one　was　a　red　dwarf　whose　name　appeared　to　be　duffle。　the　other　was　a　stag；　a　beautiful lordly　creature　with　wide　liquid　eyes；　dappled　flanks　and　legs　so　thin　and graceful　that　they　looked　as　if　you　could　break　them　with　two　fingers。
〃lion　alive！〃　roared　the　dwarf　as　soon　as　he　had　heard　the　news。　〃and　if thats　so；　why　are　we　all　standing　still；　chattering？　enemies　at　anvard！　news　must　be　sent to　cair　paravel　at　once。　the　army　must　be　called　out。　narnia　must　go　to　the　aid　of king　lune。”
〃ah！〃　said　the　hedgehog。　〃but　you　wont　find　the　high　king　at　the　cair。 hes　away　to　the　north　trouncing　those　giants。　and　talking　of　giants；　neighbours；　that　puts me　in　mind　…”
〃wholl　take　our　message？〃　interrupted　the　dwarf。　〃anyone　here　got　more speed　than　me？”
〃ive　got　speed；〃　said　the　stag。　〃whats　my　message？　how　many　calormenes？”
〃two　hundred：　under　prince　rabadash。　and　…〃　but　the　stag　was　already　away　… all　four　legs　off　the　ground　at　once；　and　in　a　moment　its　white　stern　had disappeared　among　the　remoter　trees。
〃wonder　where　hes　going；〃　said　a　rabbit。　〃he　wont　find　the　high　king　at cair　paravel；　you　know。”
〃hell　find　queen　lucy；〃　said　duffle。　〃and　then　hullo！　whats　wrong　with the　human？　it　looks　pretty　green。　why；　i　do　believe　its　quite　faint。　perhaps　its　mortal hungry。　when　did　you　last　have　a　meal；　youngster？”
〃yesterday　morning；〃　said　shasta　weakly。
〃e　on；　then；　e　on；〃　said　the　dwarf；　at　once　throwing　his　thick　little arms　round　shastas　waist　to　support　him。　〃why；　neighbours；　we　ought　all　to　be　ashamed of　ourselves！　you　e　with　me；　lad。　breakfast！　better　than　talking。”
with　a　great　deal　of　bustle；　muttering　reproaches　to　itself；　the　dwarf half　led　and　half　supported　shasta　at　a　great　speed　further　into　the　wood　and　a　little downhill。　it　was　a　longer　walk　than　shasta　wanted　at　that　moment　and　his　legs　had　begun　to feel　very　shaky　before　they　came　out　from　the　trees　on　to　bare　hillside。　there　they　found　a little　house　with　a　smoking　chimney　and　an　open　door；　and　as　they　came　to　the　doorway duffle　called　out； 〃hey；　brothers！　a　visitor　for　breakfast。”
and　immediately；　mixed　with　a　sizzling　sound；　there　came　to　shasta　a　simply delightful　smell。　it　was　one　he　had　never　smelled　in　his　life　before；　but　i　hope　you have。　it　was；　in　fact；　the　smell　of　bacon　and　eggs　and　mushrooms　all　frying　in　a　pan。
〃mind　your　head；　lad；〃　said　duffle　a　moment　too　late；　for　shasta　had already　bashed　his　forehead　against　the　low　lintel　of　the　door。　〃now；〃　continued　the　dwarf； 〃sit　you　down。
the　tables　a　bit　low　for　you；　but　then　the　stools　low　too。　thats　right。 and　heres　porridge　…　and　heres　a　jug　of　cream　…　and　heres　a　spoon。”
by　the　time　shasta　had　finished　his　porridge；　the　dwarfs　two　brothers （whose　names　were　rogin　and　bricklethumb）　were　putting　the　dish　of　bacon　and　eggs　and mushrooms；　and　the　coffee　pot　and　the　hot　milk；　and　the　toast；　on　the　table。
it　was　all　new　and　wonderful　to　shasta　for　calormene　food　is　quite different。　he　didnt　even　know　what　the　s