《The Last Battle》第24章

l　felt　like　crying when　she　looked　at　his　face。　and　jewel　whispered　in　the　kings　ear；　〃by　the　lions　mane；　i almost　love　this　young　warrior；　calormene　though　he　be。　he　is　worthy　of　a　better　god than　tash。”
〃i　do　wish　we　knew　what　is　really　inside　there；〃　said　eustace。
emeth　opened　the　door　and　went　in；　into　the　black　mouth　of　the　stable。　he closed　the　door　behind　him。　only　a　few　moments　passed　…　but　it　seemed　longer　before the　door　opened　again。　a　figure　in　calormene　armour　reeled　out；　fell　on　its　back； and　lay　still：　the　door　closed　behind　it。　the　captain　leaped　towards　it　and　bent　down　to　stare at　its　face。　he　gave　a　start　of　surprise。　then　he　recovered　himself　and　turned　to　the crowd；　crying　out： 〃the　rash　boy　has　had　his　will。　he　has　looked　on　tash　and　is　dead。　take warning；　all　of　you。”
〃we　will；　we　will；〃　said　the　poor　beasts。　but　tirian　and　his　friends　stared at　the　dead　calormene　and　then　at　one　another。　for　they；　being　so　close；　could　see　what the　crowd；　being　further　off　and　beyond　the　fire；　could　not　see：　this　dead　man　was　not emeth。　he　was　quite　different：　an　older　man；　thicker　and　not　so　tall；　with　a　big beard。
〃ho…ho…ho；〃　chuckled　the　ape。　〃any　more？　anyone　else　want　to　go　in？　well； as　youre　all　shy；　ill　choose　the　next。　you；　you　boar！　on　you　e。　drive　him　up； calormenes。　he　shall　see　tashlan　face　to　face。”
〃o…o…mph；〃　grunted　the　boar；　rising　heavily　to　his　feet。　〃e　on；　then。 try　my　tusks。”
when　tirian　saw　that　brave　beast　getting　ready　to　fight　for　its　life　…　and calormene　soldiers　beginning　to　close　in　on　it　with　their　drawn　scimitars　…　and　no one　going　to　its　help　…　something　seemed　to　burst　inside　him。　he　no　longer　cared　if　this　was the　best　moment　to　interfere　or　not。
〃swords　out；〃　he　whispered　to　the　others。　〃arrow　on　string。　follow。”
next　moment　the　astonished　narnians　saw　seven　figures　leap　forth　in　front of　the　stable；　four　of　them　in　shining　mail。　the　kings　sword　flashed　in　the　firelight　as he　waved　it　above　his　head　and　cried　in　a　great　voice： 〃here　stand　i；　tirian　of　narnia；　in　aslans　name；　to　prove　with　my　body that　tash　is　a　foul　fiend；　the　ape　a　manifold　traitor；　and　these　calormenes　worthy　of death。　to　my　side；　all　true　narnians。　would　you　wait　till　your　new　masters　have　killed　you　all one　by　one？”
。。
CHAPTER　ELEVEN
小=＿说。网
the　pace　quickens quick　as　lightning；　rishda　tarkaan　leaped　back　out　of　reach　of　the　kings sword。　he　was　no　coward；　and　would　have　fought　single…handed　against　tirian　and　the dwarf　if　need　were。　but　he　could　not　take　on　the　eagle　and　the　unicorn　as　well。　he knew　how　eagles　can　fly　into　your　face　and　peck　at　your　eyes　and　blind　you　with their　wings。　and　he　had　heard　from　his　father　（who　had　met　narnians　in　battle）　that　no　man； except　with　arrows；　or　a　long　spear；　can　match　a　unicorn；　for　it　rears　on　its　hind　legs as　it　falls　upon　you　and　then　you　have　its　hoofs　and　its　horn　and　its　teeth　to　deal　with　all at　once。　so　he　rushed　into　the　crowd　and　stood　calling　out： 〃to　me；　to　me；　warriors　of　the　tisroc；　may…he…liveforever。　to　me；　all　loyal narnians；　lest　the　wrath　of　tashlan　fall　upon　you！”
while　this　was　happening　two　other　things　happened　as　well。　the　ape　had　not realized　his　danger　as　quickly　as　the　tarkaan。　for　a　second　or　so　he　remained squatting　beside　the　fire　staring　at　the　newers。　then　tirian　rushed　upon　the　wretched creature；　picked　it　up　by　the　scruff　of　the　neck；　and　dashed　back　to　the　stable　shouting；　〃open the　door！”
poggin　opened　it。　〃go　and　drink　your　own　medicine；　shift！〃　said　tirian　and hurled　the　ape　through　into　the　darkness。　but　as　the　dwarf　banged　the　door　shut　again； a　blinding　greenish…blue　light　shone　out　from　the　inside　of　the　stable；　the　earth shook；　and　there　was　a　strange　noise　…　a　clucking　and　screaming　as　if　it　was　the　hoarse　voice　of some　monstrous　bird。　the　beasts　moaned　and　howled　and　called　out　〃tashlan！　hide us　from　him！〃　and　many　fell　down；　and　many　hid　their　faces　in　their　wings　or　paws。 no　one　except　farsight　the　eagle；　who　has　the　best　eyes　of　all　living　things； noticed　the　face　of　rishda　tarkaan　at　that　moment。　and　from　what　farsight　saw　there　he　knew　at once　that　rishda　was　just　as　surprised；　and　nearly　frightened；　as　everyone　else。 〃there　goes　one；”
thought　farsight；　〃who　has　called　on　gods　he　does　not　believe　in。　how　will it　be　with　him　if　they　have　really　e？”
the　third　thing　…　which　also　happened　at　the　same　moment　…　was　the　only really　beautiful　thing　that　night。　every　single　talking　dog　in　the　whole　meeting　（there　were fifteen　of
them）　came　bounding　and　barking　joyously　to　the　kings　side。　they　were mostly　great　big　dogs　with　thick　shoulders　and　heavy　jaws。　their　ing　was　like　the breaking　of　a　great　wave　on　the　seabeach：　it　nearly　knocked　you　down。　for　though　they were　talking　dogs　they　were　just　as　doggy　as　they　could　be：　and　they　all　stood　up　and put　their　front　paws　on　the　shoulders　of　the　humans　and　licked　their　faces；　all　saying　at once：　〃wele！　wele！　well　help；　well　help；　help；　help。　show　us　how　to　help； show　us　how；　how。　how…how…how？”
it　was　so　lovely　that　it　made　you　want　to　cry。　this；　at　last；　was　the　sort of　thing　they　had　been　hoping　for。　and　when；　a　moment　later；　several　little　animals　（mice　and moles　and　a　squirrel　or　so）　came　pattering　up；　squealing　with　joy；　and　saying　〃see； see。　were　here；”
and　when；　after　that；　the　bear　and　the　boar　came　too；　eustace　began　to　feel that　perhaps；　after　all；　everything　might　be　going　to　e　right。　but　tirian　gazed　round and　saw　how　very　few　of　the　animals　had　moved。
〃to　me！　to　me！〃　he　called。　〃have　you　all　turned　cowards　since　i　was　your king？”
〃we　darent；〃　whimpered　dozens　of　voices。　〃tashlan　would　be　angry。　shield us　from　tashlan。”
〃where　are　all　the　talking　horses？〃　said　tirian　to　the　boar。
〃weve　seen；　weve　seen；〃　squealed　the　mice。　〃the　ape　has　made　them　work。 theyre　all　tied　…　down　at　the　bottom　of　the　hill。”
〃then　all　you　little　ones；〃　said　tirian；　〃you　nibblers　and　gnawers　and nutcrackers；　away　with　you　as　fast　as　you　can　scamper　and　see　if　the　horses　are　on　our　side。 and　if　they　are；　get　your　teeth　into　the　ropes　and　gnaw