《PRINCE CASPIAN》第24章

〃aslan！〃　said　edmund；　jumping　up。　〃hurray！　where？”
lucy　turned　back　to　where　she　could　see　the　lion　waiting；　his　patient　eyes fixed　upon　her。　〃there；〃　she　said；　pointing。
〃where？〃　asked　edmund　again。
〃there。　there。　dont　you　see？　just　this　side　of　the　trees。”
edmund　stared　hard　for　a　while　and　then　said；　〃no。　theres　nothing　there。 youve　got　dazzled　and　muddled　with　the　moonlight。　one　does；　you　know。　i　thought　i　saw　something　for　a　moment　myself。　its　only　an　optical　what…do…you…call…it。”
〃i　can　see　him　all　the　time；〃　said　lucy。　〃hes　looking　straight　at　us。”
〃then　why　cant　i　see　him？”
〃he　said　you　mightnt　be　able　to。”
〃why？”
〃i　dont　know。　thats　what　he　said。”
〃oh；　bother　it　all；〃　said　edmund。　〃i　do　wish　you　wouldnt　keep　on　seeing things。　but　i　suppose　well　have　to　wake　the　others。”
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CHAPTER　ELEVEN
小说
the　lion　roars when　the　whole　party　was　finally　awake　lucy　had　to　tell　her　story　for　the fourth　time。
the　blank　silence　which　followed　it　was　as　discouraging　as　anything　could be。
〃i　cant　see　anything；〃　said　peter　after　he　had　stared　his　eyes　sore。　〃can you；　susan？”
〃no；　of　course　i　cant；〃　snapped　susan。　〃because　there　isnt　anything　to see。　shes　been　dreaming。　do　lie　down　and　go　to　sleep；　lucy。”
〃and　i　do　hope；〃　said　lucy　in　a　tremulous　voice；　〃that　you　will　all　e with　me。
because　…　because　ill　have　to　go　with　him　whether　anyone　else　does　or not。”
〃dont　talk　nonsense；　lucy；〃　said　susan。　〃of　course　you　cant　go　off　on your　own。　dont　let　her；　peter。　shes　being　downright　naughty。”
〃ill　go　with　her；　if　she　must　go；〃　said　edmund。　〃shes　been　right　before。”
〃i　know　she　has；〃　said　peter。　〃and　she　may　have　been　right　this　morning。　we certainly　had　no　luck　going　down　the　gorge。　still　…　at　this　hour　of　the　night。　and why　should　aslan　be　invisible　to　us？　he　never　used　to　be。　its　not　like　him。　what　does　the d。l。f。　say？”
〃oh；　i　say　nothing　at　all；〃　answered　the　dwarf。　〃if　you　all　go；　of　course； ill　go　with　you；　and　if　your　party　splits　up；　ill　go　with　the　high　king。　thats　my　duty　to him　and　king　caspian。　but；　if　you　ask　my　private　opinion；　im　a　plain　dwarf　who　doesnt think　theres　much　chance　of　finding　a　road　by　night　where　you　couldnt　find　one　by　day。 and　i　have　no　use　for　magic　lions　which　are　talking　lions　and　dont　talk；　and　friendly lions　though　they　dont　do　us　any　good；　and　whopping　big　lions　though　nobody　can　see them。　its　all　bilge　and　beanstalks　as　far　as　i　can　see。”
〃hes　beating　his　paw　on　the　ground　for　us　to　hurry；〃　said　lucy。　〃we　must go　now。　at　least　i　must。”
〃youve　no　right　to　try　to　force　the　rest　of　us　like　that。　its　four　to　one and　youre　the　youngest；〃　said　susan。
〃oh；　e　on；〃　growled　edmund。　〃weve　got　to　go。　therell　be　no　peace　till we　do。〃　he　fully　intended　to　back　lucy　up；　but　he　was　annoyed　at　losing　his　nights sleep　and　was　making　up　for　it　by　doing　everything　as　sulkily　as　possible。
〃on　the　march；　then；〃　said　peter；　wearily　fitting　his　arm　into　his　shield…　strap　and　putting　his　helmet　on。　at　any　other　time　he　would　have　said　something　nice　to　lucy； who　was　his　favourite　sister；　for　he　knew　how　wretched　she　must　be　feeling；　and　he　knew that；
whatever　had　happened；　it　was　not　her　fault。　but　he　couldnt　help　being　a little　annoyed　with　her　all　the　same。
susan　was　the　worst。　〃supposing　i　started　behaving　like　lucy；〃　she　said。　〃i might　threaten　to　stay　here　whether　the　rest　of　you　went　on　or　not。　i　jolly　well think　i　shall。”
〃obey　the　high　king；　your　majesty；〃　said　trumpkin；　〃and　lets　be　off。　if im　not　to　be　allowed　to　sleep；　id　as　soon　march　as　stand　here　talking。”
and　so　at　last　they　got　on　the　move。　lucy　went　first；　biting　her　lip　and trying　not　to　say　all　the　things　she　thought　of　saying　to　susan。　but　she　forgot　them　when　she fixed　her　eyes　on　aslan。　he　turned　and　walked　at　a　slow　pace　about　thirty　yards　ahead　of them。　the　others　had　only　lucys　directions　to　guide　them；　for　aslan　was　not　only invisible　to　them　but　silent　as　well。　his　big　cat…like　paws　made　no　noise　on　the　grass。
he　led　them　to　the　right　of　the　dancing　trees　…　whether　they　were　still dancing　nobody　knew；　for　lucy　had　her　eyes　on　the　lion　and　the　rest　had　their　eyes　on　lucy …　and　nearer　the　edge　of　the　gorge。　〃cobbles　and　kettledrums！〃　thought　trumpkin。　〃i　hope this　madness　isnt　going　to　end　in　a　moonlight　climb　and　broken　necks。”
for　a　long　way　aslan　went　along　the　top　of　the　precipices。　then　they　came to　a　place　where　some　little　trees　grew　right　on　the　edge。　he　turned　and　disappeared among　them。
lucy　held　her　breath；　for　it　looked　as　if　he　had　plunged　over　the　cliff； but　she　was　too　busy　keeping　him　in　sight　to　stop　and　think　about　this。　she　quickened　her pace　and　was　soon　among　the　trees　herself。　looking　down；　she　could　see　a　steep　and narrow　path　going　slantwise　down　into　the　gorge　between　rocks；　and　aslan　descending　it。　he turned　and　looked　at　her　with　his　happy　eyes。　lucy　clapped　her　hands　and　began　to scramble　down　after　him。　from　behind　her　she　heard　the　voices　of　the　others　shouting； 〃hi！　lucy！　look　out；　for　goodness　sake。　youre　right　on　the　edge　of　the　gorge。　e　back　… 〃and　then；　a　moment　later；　edmunds　voice　saying；　〃no；　shes　right。　there　is　a　way down。”
half…way　down　the　path　edmund　caught　up　with　her。
〃look！〃　he　said　in　great　excitement。　〃look！　whats　that　shadow　crawling down　in　front　of　us？”
〃its　his　shadow；〃　said　lucy。
〃i　do　believe　youre　right；　lu；〃　said　edmund。　〃i　cant　think　how　i　didnt see　it　before。　but　where　is　he？”
〃with　his　shadow；　of　course。　cant　you　see　him？”
〃well；　i　almost　thought　i　did　…　for　a　moment。　its　such　a　rum　light。”
〃get　on；　king　edmund；　get　on；〃　came　trumpkins　voice　from　behind　and　above： and　then；　farther　behind　and　still　nearly　at　the　top；　peters　voice　saying； 〃oh；　buck　up；　susan。
give　me　your　hand。　why；　a　baby　could　get　down　here。　and　do　stop　grousing。”
in　a　few　minutes　they　were　at　the　bottom　and　the　roaring　of　water　filled their　ears。
treading　delicately；　like　a　cat；　aslan　stepped　from　stone　to　stone　across the　stream。　in　the　middle　he　stopped；　bent　down　to　drink；　and　as　he　raised　his　shaggy　head； dripp