《PRINCE CASPIAN》第27章

〃yes；〃　said　peter。　〃that　makes　one　think。”
the　dwarf　went　on　ahead　and　then　turned　to　the　right；　and　then　to　the　left； and　then　down　some　steps；　and　then　to　the　left　again。　then　at　last　they　saw　a　light　ahead …　light　from　under　a　door。　and　now　for　the　first　time　they　heard　voices；　for　they　had e　to　the　door
of　the　central　chamber。　the　voices　inside　were　angry　ones。　someone　was talking　so　loudly　that　the　approach　of　the　boys　and　the　dwarf　had　not　been　heard。
〃dont　like　the　sound　of　that；〃　whispered　trumpkin　to　peter。　〃lets　listen for　a　moment。”
all　three　stood　perfectly　still　on　the　outside　of　the　door。
〃you　know　well　enough；〃　said　a　voice　（〃thats　the　king；〃　whispered trumpkin）；　〃why　the　horn　was　not　blown　at　sunrise　this　morning。　have　you　forgotten　that miraz　fell　upon　us　almost　before　trumpkin　had　gone；　and　we　were　fighting　for　our　lives　for the　space　of　three　hours　and　more？　i　blew　it　when　first　i　had　a　breathing　space。”
〃im　not　likely　to　forget　it；〃　came　the　angry　voice；　〃when　my　dwarfs　bore the　brunt　of　the　attack　and　one　in　five　of　them　fell。〃　（〃thats　nikabrik；〃　whispered trumpkin。）
〃for　shame；　dwarf；〃　came　a　thick　voice　（〃trufflehunters；〃　said　trumpkin）。 〃we　all　did　as　much　as　the　dwarfs　and　none　more　than　the　king。”
〃tell　that　tale　your　own　way　for　all　i　care；〃　answered　nikabrik。　〃but whether　it　was　that　the　horn　was　blown　too　late；　or　whether　there　was　no　magic　in　it；　no　help has　e。　you；　you　great　clerk；　you　master　magician；　you　know…all；　are　you　still　asking　us to　hang　our　hopes　on　aslan　and　king　peter　and　all　the　rest　of　it？”
〃i　must　confess　…　i　cannot　deny　it　…　that　i　am　deeply　disappointed　in　the result　of　the　operation；〃　came　the　answer。　（〃thatll　be　doctor　cornelius；〃　said trumpkin。）
〃to　speak　plainly；〃　said　nikabrik；　〃your　wallets　empty；　your　eggs　addled； your　fish　uncaught；　your　promises　broken。　stand　aside　then　and　let　others　work。　and that　is　why　…”
〃the　help　will　e；〃　said　trufflehunter。　〃i　stand　by　aslan。　have　patience； like　us　beasts。　the　help　will　e。　it　may　be　even　now　at　the　door。”
〃pah！〃　snarled　nikabrik。　〃you　badgers　would　have　us　wait　till　the　sky　falls and　we　can　all　catch　larks。　i　tell　you　we　cant　wait。　food　is　running　short；　we　lose more　than　we　can　afford　at　every　encounter；　our　followers　are　slipping　away。”
〃and　why？〃　asked　trufflehunter。　〃ill　tell　you　why。　because　it　is　noised among　them　that　we　have　called　on　the　kings　of　old　and　the　kings　of　old　have　not　answered。 the　last　words　trumpkin　spoke　before　he　went　（and　went；　most　likely；　to　his　death） were；　‘if　you　must　blow　the　horn；　do　not　let　the　army　know　why　you　blow　it　or　what　you hope　from　it。　but　that　same　evening　everyone　seemed　to　know。”
〃youd　better　have　shoved　your　grey　snout　in　a　hornets　nest；　badger；　than suggest　that　i　am　the　blab；〃　said　nikabrik。　〃take　it　back；　or…”
〃oh；　stop　it；　both　of　you；〃　said　king　caspian。　〃i　want　to　know　what　it　is that　nikabrik　keeps　on　hinting　we　should　do。　but　before　that；　i　want　to　know　who　those two　strangers
are　whom　he　has　brought　into　our　council　and　who　stand　there　with　their ears　open　and　their　mouths　shut。”
〃they　are　friends　of　mine；〃　said　nikabrik。　〃and　what　better　right　have　you yourself　to　be　here　than　that　you　are　a　friend　of　trumpkins　and　the　badgers？　and　what right　has　that　old　dotard　in　the　black　gown　to　be　here　except　that　he　is　your　friend？　why am　i　to　be　the　only　one　who　cant　bring　in　his　friends？”
〃his　majesty　is　the　king　to　whom　you　have　sworn　allegiance；〃　said trufflehunter　sternly。
〃court　manners；　court　manners；〃　sneered　nikabrik。　〃but　in　this　hole　we　may talk　plainly。
you　know　…　and　he　knows　that　this　telmarine　boy　will　be　king　of　nowhere　and nobody　in　a　week　unless　we　can　help　him　out　of　the　trap　in　which　he　sits。”
〃perhaps；〃　said　cornelius；　〃your　new　friends　would　like　to　speak　for themselves？　you　there；　who　and　what　are　you？”
〃worshipful　master　doctor；〃　came　a　thin；　whining　voice。　〃so　please　you；　im only　a　poor　old　woman；　i　am；　and　very　obliged　to　his　worshipful　dwarfship　for　his friendship；　im　sure。　his　majesty；　bless　his　handsome　face；　has　no　need　to　be　afraid　of　an old　woman　thats　nearly　doubled　up　with　the　rheumatics　and　hasnt　two　sticks　to　put under　her　kettle。
i　have　some　poor　little　skill　…　not　like　yours；　master　doctor；　of　course　… in　small　spells　and　cantrips　that　id　be　glad　to　use　against　our　enemies　if　it　was agreeable　to　all　concerned。　for　i　hate　em。　oh　yes。　no　one　hates　better　than　me。”
〃that　is　all　most　interesting　and　…　er　…　satisfactory；〃　said　doctor cornelius。　〃i　think　i　now　know　what　you　are；　madam。　perhaps　your　other　friend；　nikabrik；　would　give some　account　of　himself？”
a　dull；　grey　voice　at　which　peters　flesh　crept　replied；　〃im　hunger。　im thirst。　where　i　bite；　i　hold　till　i　die；　and　even　after　death　they　must　cut　out　my　mouthful from　my　enemys　body　and　bury　it　with　me。　i　can　fast　a　hundred　years　and　not　die。　i can　lie　a　hundred　nights　on　the　ice　and　not　freeze。　i　can　drink　a　river　of　blood　and not　burst。　show　me　your　enemies。”
〃and　it　is　in　the　presence　of　these　two　that　you　wish　to　disclose　your plan？〃　said　caspian。
〃yes；〃　said　nikabrik。　〃and　by　their　help　that　i　mean　to　execute　it。”
there　was　a　minute　or　two　during　which　trumpkin　and　the　boys　could　hear caspian　and　his　two　friends　speaking　in　low　voices　but　could　not　make　out　what　they were　saying。
then　caspian　spoke　aloud。
〃well；　nikabrik；〃　he　said；　〃we　will　hear　your　plan。”
there　was　a　pause　so　long　that　the　boys　began　to　wonder　if　nikabrik　was ever　going　to　begin；　when　he　did；　it　was　in　a　lower　voice；　as　if　he　himself　did　not　much like　what　he　was　saying。
〃all　said　and　done；〃　he　muttered；　〃none　of　us　knows　the　truth　about　the ancient　days　in　narnia。　trumpkin　believed　none　of　the　stories。　i　was　ready　to　put　them　to the　trial。　we　tried　first　the　horn　and　it　has　failed。　if　there　ever　was　a　high　king　peter and　a　queen　susan　and　a　king　edmund　and　a　queen　lucy；　then　either　they　have　not　heard us；　or　they　cannot　e；　or　they　are　our　enemies　…”
〃or　they　are　on　the　way；〃　put　in　trufflehunter。
〃you　can　go　on　saying　that　till　miraz　has　fed