《The Last Battle》第30章

een　too　happy　to　speak。　he　wanted　to　hear　her　speak again；　so　he　said： 〃of　your　courtesy；　madam；　tell　on。　tell　me　your　whole　adventure。”
〃after　the　shock　and　the　noise；〃　said　lucy；　〃we　found　ourselves　here。　and we　wondered　at　the　door；　as　you　did。　then　the　door　opened　for　the　first　time　（we　saw darkness　through　the　doorway　when　it　did）　and　there　came　through　a　big　man　with　a　naked sword。　we　saw　by　his　arms　that　he　was　a　calormene。　he　took　his　stand　beside　the　door　with his　sword　raised；　resting　on　his　shoulder；　ready　to　cut　down　anyone　who　came　through。 we　went　to　him　and　spoke　to　him；　but　we　thought　he　could　neither　see　nor　hear　us。　and he　never　looked　round　on　the　sky　and　the　sunlight　and　the　grass：　i　think　he　couldnt see　them　either。　so　then　we　waited　a　long　time。　then　we　heard　the　bolt　being　drawn on　the　other　side　of　the　door。　but　the　man　didnt　get　ready　to　strike　with　his　sword till　he　could　see　who　was　ing　in。　so　we　supposed　he　had　been　told　to　strike　some　and　spare others。
but　at　the　very　moment　when　the　door　opened；　all　of　a　sudden　tash　was there；　on　this　side　of　the　door；　none　of　us　saw　where　he　came　from。　and　through　the　door there　came　a　big　cat。　it　gave　one　look　at　tash　and　ran　for　its　life：　just　in　time；　for he　pounced　at　it　and　the　door　hit　his　beak　as　it　was　shut。　the　man　could　see　tash。　he　turned very　pale　and　bowed　down　before　the　monster：　but　it　vanished　away。
〃then　we　waited　a　long　time　again。　at　last　the　door　opened　for　the　third time　and　there　came　in　a　young　calormene。　i　liked　him。　the　sentinel　at　the　door　started； and　looked　very　surprised；　when　he　saw　him。　i　think　hed　been　expecting　someone　quite different　…”
〃i　see　it　all　now；〃　said　eustace　（he　had　the　bad　habit　of　interrupting stories）。　〃the　cat　was　to　go　in　first　and　the　sentry　had　orders　to　do　him　no　harm。　then　the　cat was　to　e　out　and　say　hed　seen　their　beastly　tashlan　and　pretend　to　be　frightened　so　as to　scare　the　other　animals。　but　what　shift　never　guessed　was　that　the　real　tash　would turn　up；　so　ginger　came　out　really　frightened。　and　after　that；　shift　would　send　in anyone　he　wanted　to　get　rid　of　and　the　sentry　would　kill　them。
and　…”
〃friend；〃　said　tirian　softly；　〃you　hinder　the　lady　in　her　tale。”
〃well；〃　said　lucy；　〃the　sentry　was　surprised。　that　gave　the　other　man　just time　to　get　on　guard。　they　had　a　fight。　he　killed　the　sentry　and　flung　him　outside　the door。　then　he　came　walking　slowly　forward　to　where　we　were。　he　could　see　us；　and everything　else。
we　tried　to　talk　to　him　but　he　was　rather　like　a　man　in　a　trance。　he　kept on　saying　tash；　tash；　where　is　tash？　i　go　to　tash。　so　we　gave　it　up　and　he　went　away somewhere　…　over　there。　i　liked　him。　and　after　that　。。。　ugh！〃　lucy　made　a　face。
〃after　that；〃　said　edmund；　〃someone　flung　a　monkey　through　the　door。　and tash　was　there　again。　my　sister　is　so　tender…hearted　she　doesnt　like　to　tell　you that　tash　made　one　peck　and　the　monkey　was　gone！”
〃serve　him　right！〃　said　eustace。　〃all　the　same；　i　hope　hell　disagree　with tash　too。”
〃and　after　that；〃　said　edmund；　〃came　about　a　dozen　dwarfs：　and　then　jill； and　eustace；　and　last　of　all　yourself。”
〃i　hope　tash　ate　the　dwarfs　too；〃　said　eustace。　〃little　swine。”
〃no；　he　didnt；〃　said　lucy。　〃and　dont　be　horrid。　theryre　still　here。　in fact　you　can　see　them　from　here。　and　ive　tried　and　tried　to　make　friends　with　them　but　its no　use。”
〃friends　with　them！〃　cried　eustace。　〃if　you　knew　how　those　dwarfs　have　been　behaving！”
〃oh　stop　it；　eustace；〃　said　lucy。　〃do　e　and　see　them。　king　tirian； perhaps　you　could　do　something　with　them。”
〃i　can　feel　no　great　love　for　dwarfs　today；〃　said　tirian。　〃yet　at　your asking；　lady；　i　would　do　a　greater　thing　than　this。”
lucy　led　the　way　and　soon　they　could　all　see　the　dwarfs。　they　had　a　very odd　look。　they　werent　strolling　about　or　enjoying　themselves　（although　the　cords　with which　they　had　been　tied　seemed　to　have　vanished）　nor　were　they　lying　down　and　having　a rest。　they　were　sitting　very　close　together　in　a　little　circle　facing　one　another。 they　never　looked　round　or　took　any　notice　of　the　humans　till　lucy　and　tirian　were　almost near　enough　to　touch　them。　then　the　dwarfs　all　cocked　their　heads　as　if　they　couldnt　see anyone　but　were　listening　hard　and　trying　to　guess　by　the　sound　what　was　happening。
〃look　out！〃　said　one　of　them　in　a　surly　voice。　〃mind　where　youre　going。 dont　walk　into　our　faces！”
〃all　right！〃　said　eustace　indignantly。　〃were　not　blind。　weve　got　eyes　in our　heads。”
〃they　must　be　darn　good　ones　if　you　can　see　in　here；〃　said　the　same　dwarf whose　name　was　diggle。
〃in　where？〃　asked　edmund。
〃why　you　bone…head；　in　here　of　course；〃　said　diggle。　〃in　this　pitch…black； poky；　smelly　little　hole　of　a　stable。”
〃are　you　blind？〃　said　tirian。
〃aint　we　all　blind　in　the　dark！〃　said　diggle。
〃but　it　isnt　dark；　you　poor　stupid　dwarfs；〃　said　lucy。　〃cant　you　see？ look　up！　look　round！　cant　you　see　the　sky　and　the　trees　and　the　flowers？　cant　you　see me？”
〃how　in　the　name　of　all　humbug　can　i　see　what　aint　there？　and　how　can　i see　you　any　more　than　you　can　see　me　in　this　pitch　darkness？”
〃but　i　can　see　you；〃　said　lucy。　〃ill　prove　i　can　see　you。　youve　got　a pipe　in　your　mouth。”
〃anyone　that　knows　the　smell　of　baccy　could　tell　that；〃　said　diggle。
〃oh　the　poor　things！　this　is　dreadful；〃　said　lucy。　then　she　had　an　idea。 she　stopped　and　picked　some　wild　violets。　〃listen；　dwarf；〃　she　said。　〃even　if　your　eyes　are wrong；　perhaps　your　nose　is　all　right：　can　you　smell　that？〃　she　leaned　across　and held　the　fresh；　damp　flowers　to　diggles　ugly　nose。　but　she　had　to　jump　back　quickly　in order　to　avoid　a　blow　from　his　hard　little　fist。
〃none　of　that！〃　he　shouted。　〃how　dare　you！　what　do　you　mean　by　shoving　a lot　of　filthy　stable…litter　in　my　face？　there　was　a　thistle　in　it　too。　its　like　your sauce！　and　who　are　you　anyway？”
〃earth…man；〃　said　tirian；　〃she　is　the　queen　lucy；　sent　hither　by　aslan　out of　the　deep　past。　and　it　is　for　her　sake　alone　that　i；　tirian　your　lawful　king；　do　not cut　all　your　heads　from　your　shoulders；　proved　and　twice…proved　traitors　that　you　are。”
〃well　if　that　doesnt　be