最后一战 The Last Battle 英文  中文  双语对照  双语交替 首页  目录  上一章   下一章

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CHAPTER SIX A GOOD NIGHT'S WORK

6、成功的夜袭

ABOUT four hours later Tirian flung himself into one of the bunks to snatch a little sleep. The two children were already snoring: he had made them go to bed before he did because they would have to be up most of the night and he knew that at their age they couldn't do without sleep. Also, he had tired them out. First he had given Jill some practice in archery and found that, though not up to Narnian standards, she was really not too bad. Indeed she had succeeded in shooting a rabbit (not a Talking rabbit, of course: there are lots of the ordinary kind about in Western Narnia) and it was already skinned, cleaned, and hanging up. He had found that both the children knew all about this chilly and smelly job; they had learned that kind of thing on their great journey through Giant-Land in the days of Prince Rilian. Then he had tried to teach Eustace how to use his sword and shield. Eustace had learned quite a lot about sword fighting on his earlier adventures but that had been all with a straight Narnian sword. He had never handled a curved Calormene scimitar and that made it hard, for many of the strokes are quite different and some of the habits he had learned with the long sword had now to be unlearned again. But Tirian found that he had a good eye and was very quick on his feet. He was surprised at the strength of both children: in fact they both seemed to be already much stronger and bigger and more grown-up than they had been when he first met them a few hours ago. It is one of the effects which Narnian air often has on visitors from our world.

四个钟头以后，蒂莲倒在一张床铺上，抓紧时间稍稍睡上一觉。两个孩子已经在打呼噜。他自己睡觉之前，已经叫孩子们上床了，因为夜间大部分时间他们都将没有工夫睡觉，他知道这种年龄的孩子不睡一会儿是不行的。而且，他也弄得他们极为疲倦。他首先让吉尔练练拉弓射箭，发觉她虽然没有达到纳尼亚标准，技术倒确实不算太坏。事实上，她成功地射中了一只野兔(当然不是会说人话的兔子，在纳尼亚王国的西部，有许许多多普通寻常的兔子)，这野兔已经剥了皮，洗得干干净净，挂起来晾着了。他发觉这两个孩子熟悉这种冷冰冰的气味难闻的活儿的一切窍门；他们在瑞廉王子的时代，在巨人之乡作那了不得的旅行时已经学会干这种事了。接着他又教尤斯塔斯如何使用他的刀剑和盾牌。尤斯塔斯在他早期的冒险中曾学习过不少斗剑的本领，但那时使用的全是笔直的纳尼亚剑。他从来没使用过一把卡乐门弯刀，这就难了，因为弯刀的许多砍法跟他所学习的使用长剑的习惯是截然不同的，他现在得重新摆脱这种习惯。但蒂莲发觉他眼睛锐利、脚步敏捷。他对两个孩子的体力也感到惊讶：事实上，他们较之几个钟头前和他初次见面时已经长得更壮、更大、更加成熟了。从我们这个世界到纳尼亚去做客的人，纳尼亚的空气时常对他们产生这种效果。

All three of them agreed that the very first thing they must do was to go back to Stable Hill and try to rescue Jewel the Unicorn. After that, if they succeeded, they would try to get away Eastward and meet the little army which Roonwit the Centaur would be bringing from Cair Paravel.

三个人一致同意他们必须干的第一桩事情就是回到马厩所在的山上，把独角兽珍宝救出来。如果此举成功，他们就要设法向东突出去，同人头马龙威特从凯尔帕拉维尔带来的一支小部队会师。

An experienced warrior and huntsman like Tirian can always wake up at the time he wants. So he gave himself till nine o'clock that night and then put all worries out of his head and fell asleep at once. It seemed only a moment later when he woke but he knew by the light and the very feel of things that he had timed his sleep exactly. He got up, put on his helmet-and-turban (he had slept in his mail shirt), and then shook the other two till they woke up. They looked, to tell the truth, very grey and dismal as they climbed out of their bunks and there was a good deal of yawning.

像蒂莲这样的有经验的战士和猎人，始终能在他要想醒的时间醒来。所以那天夜里他先规定自己睡到九点钟醒来，然后排除头脑里一切烦恼，立刻便睡熟了。仿佛不过是一会儿以后他就醒了，但是他凭着外界的光线以及对事物的感觉，知道自己把睡眠的时间掌握得十分确切。他起了床，戴上头盔和缠头巾(他穿着锁子甲睡觉的)，然后摇得那两个孩子醒来。说实在的，孩子们从床上爬起来时，脸色十分苍白，神情忧郁，哈欠连连。

"Now," said Tirian, "we go due North from here - by good fortune 'tis a starry night - and it will be much shorter than our journey this morning, for then we went round-about but now we shall go straight. If we are challenged, then do you two hold your peace and I will do my best to talk like a curst, cruel, proud lord of Calormen. If I draw my sword then thou, Eustace, must do likewise and let Jill leap behind us and stand with an arrow on the string. But if I cry `Home', then fly for the Tower both of you. And let none try to fight on - not even one stroke after I have given the retreat: such false valour has spoiled many notable plans in the wars. And now, friends, in the name of Aslan let us go forward."

"听着，"蒂莲说，"现在我们从这儿朝正北方向走去——我们运气好，今夜繁星满天——这条路线要比我们今天早晨走的路短得多，因为那时我们绕来绕去，现在我们笔直走去。如果我们受到挑战，你们俩要沉住气，别吭声，我会尽我最大的力量谈判的，变得就像一个残酷骄傲、爱吵架的卡乐门王爷一样。如果我拔出剑来，尤斯塔斯，你必须也拔出刀来，还要让吉尔跳到我们的背后，站着张起弓来，箭按在弦上。但，如果我叫道，'回家'，你们俩就要向堡垒飞奔而回。我发出退却命令后，谁也别试图打下去——哪怕是打一下也别打——在战争中，这种虚假的勇敢破坏了许多宏大的作战计划。朋友们，以阿斯兰的名义，现在让我们前进吧。"

Out they went into the cold night. All the great Northern stars were burning above the tree-tops. The North-Star of that world is called the Spear-Head: it is brighter than our Pole Star.

他们走进了寒冷的黑夜。北方所有的壮丽星星都在树顶上空燃烧着。那个世界的北辰星，叫做矛尖，比我们的北极星还要明亮。

有一阵子，他们能笔直地朝着矛尖星的方向前进，但不久便遇到一个浓密的灌木丛林，他们就不得不离开这个方向绕道而行了。这之后——因为他们仍被树枝笼罩着——要择定方位就难了。使他们重新走上正确方向的，乃是吉尔，她在英国是个优秀的向导。她在纳尼亚荒野的北方土地上跑过许多地方，她当然认识纳尼亚的星辰，矛尖星被遮掩时，她还可以凭着其他星辰判明方向。蒂莲一发觉她是他们三人中最好的探路人，他立刻叫她走在他们的前面。接着，他又惊讶地发觉她竟寂静无声地、几乎是无影无踪地悄然前行。

For a time they could go straight towards the Spear-Head but presently they came to a dense thicket so that they had to go out of their course to get round it. And after that -for they were still overshadowed by branches - it was hard to pick up their bearings. It was Jill who set them right again: she had been an excellent Guide in England. And of course she knew her Narnian stars perfectly, having travelled so much in the wild Northern Lands, and could work out the direction from other stars even when the Spear-Head was hidden. As soon as Tirian saw that she was the best pathfinder of the three of them he put her in front. And then he was astonished to find how silently and almost invisibly she glided on before them.

"天哪！"他对尤斯塔斯低声说道，"这个女孩是个神奇的森林姑娘。如果她身上有树精的血统，也不可能干得更高明哩。"

"By the Mane!" he whispered to Eustace. "This girl is a wondrous wood-maid. If she had Dryad's blood in her she could scarce do it better."

"她个儿小，这也助她一臂之力。"尤斯塔斯低声道。但吉尔在前边儿说"嘘，嘘，声音轻点儿。"

"She's so small, that's what helps," whispered Eustace. But Jill from in front said: "S-s-s-h, less noise."

周围的树木是十分寂静的。确实是太静了，静得过分了。寻常的纳尼亚之夜，是应该有点儿声音的——一只刺猎偶然发出的愉快的"晚安"，头顶上一只猫头鹰的号叫，或是表明半人半羊的怪物正在跳舞的遥远笛声，或是从地底下小矮人们那儿传来的震动和锤打的声音，这一切声音都消失了；幽暗和恐惧笼罩着纳尼亚。

All round them the wood was very quiet. Indeed it was far too quiet. On an ordinary Narnia night there ought to have been noises - an occasional cheery "Goodnight" from a Hedgehog, the cry of an Owl overhead, perhaps a flute in the distance to tell of Fauns dancing, or some throbbing, hammering noises from Dwarfs underground. All that was silenced: gloom and fear reigned over Narnia.

过了一段时间，他们开始走上陡坡，树木和树木之间的距离拉开了。蒂莲能朦胧地望见那著名的山顶和马厩。吉尔

After a time they began to go steeply uphill and the trees grew further apart. Tirian could dimly make out the wellknown hill-top and the stable. Jill was now going with more and more caution: she kept on making signs to the others with her hand to do the same. Then she stopped dead still and Tirian saw her gradually sink down into the grass and disappear without a sound. A moment later she rose again, put her mouth close to Tirian's ear, and said in the lowest possible whisper, "Get down. Thee better." She said thee for see not because she had a lisp but because she knew the hissing letter S is the part of a whisper most likely to be overheard. Tirian at once lay down, almost as silently as Jill, but not quite, for he was heavier and older. And once they were down, he saw how from that position you could see the edge of the hill sharp against the star-strewn sky. Two black shapes rose against it: one was the stable, and the other, a few feet in front of it, was a Calormene sentry. He was keeping very ill watch: not walking or even standing but sitting with his spear over his shoulder and his chin on his chest. "Well done," said Tirian to Jill. She had shown him exactly what he needed to know.

现在走得越来越小心翼翼：她不断地向其他的人做手势，叫他们也要小心。接着，她站定了，一动也不动，蒂莲看见她逐渐沉到青草里，毫无声息地消失了。片刻以后她又站了起来，把她的嘴巴凑近蒂莲的耳朵，以尽可能最低的声音说道"趴下。看得更清。"她说得极简短，没有说"看得更清楚"，因为说多了，容易被对方听到。蒂莲立刻趴下，几乎跟吉尔一样悄没声儿，但多少有点儿声音，因为他年纪比较大，身体也比较重。他们一旦趴下了，从这个地位就可以看到小山的边缘鲜明地映衬在繁星满天的夜空里。山上冒出两个黑影，一个是马厩，另一个在马厩前几英尺的地方，是个卡乐门哨兵。他的守卫工作做得很差：既不走动，又不站岗，肩上扛着长矛坐在那儿，下巴额儿靠在胸膛上。"你干得真好。"蒂莲对吉尔说。她已使他看到了恰好是他所需要看到的事物。"

They got up and Tirian now took the lead. Very slowly, hardly daring to breathe, they made their way up to a little clump of trees which was not more than forty feet away from the sentinel.

"你叫喊就没有命，"蒂莲在他的耳边说道，"告诉我独角兽在哪儿，我就饶你一命。"

"Wait here till I come again," he whispered to the other two. "If I miscarry, fly." Then he sauntered out boldly in full view of the enemy. The man started when he saw him and was just going to jump to his feet: he was afraid Tirian might be one of his own officers and that he would get into trouble for sitting down. But before he could get up Tirian had dropped on one knee beside him, saying:

"我的主啊，在——在马厩背后。"这不幸的人结结巴巴地说道。"好吧。站起来，领我上它那儿去。"

"Art thou a warrior of the Tisroc's, may he live for ever? It cheers my heart to meet thee among all these beasts and devils of Narnians. Give me thy hand, friend."

岗哨站起来后，匕首的刀尖从未离开过他的脖子。蒂莲在他前后时，匕首只是绕着脖子移动(冰冷而又令人痒痒的)，后来在他耳朵下一个方便的地方停住了。哨兵颤栗着绕到了马厩背后。

Before he well knew what was happening the Calormene sentry found his right hand seized in a mighty grip. Next instant someone was kneeling on his legs and a dagger was pressed against his neck.

虽然天色黑暗，蒂莲立刻看到了珍宝的白色形体。

"One noise and thou art dead," said Tirian in his ear. "Tell me where the Unicorn is and thou shalt live."

"嘘!"他说，"不，别嘶鸣。是的，珍宝，是我呀。他们怎么缚住你的?""把我四条腿拴住，用一根马勒把我缚车在马厩里的一个铁环上。"传来珍宝的声音。

"B - behind the stable, O My Master," stammered the unfortunate man.

"哨兵，站在那儿，背靠着墙。就这样。听着，珍宝，用你独角的尖端，顶住这卡乐门人的胸膛。"

"Good. Rise up and lead me to him."

"一定尽心竭力，陪下。"珍宝说。

As the man got up the point of the dagger never left his neck. It only travelled round (cold and rather ticklish) as Tirian got behind him and settled it at a convenient place under his ear. Trembling he went round to the back of the stable.

"如果他动一动，你就直捅到他的心脏。"蒂莲在几钟之内就把绳索割断了。他用那剩下的绳索拴住哨兵的手脚。最后叫他张开嘴巴，给他塞得满嘴青草，从头皮到下巴颊儿缚得牢牢的，使他没法儿叫出声音来，还把这人压到坐着的姿势，背靠着墙头。

Though it was dark Tirian could see the white shape of Jewel at once.

"士兵，我对你做了些不礼貌的事，"蒂莲说道，"但我必须这么做。如果我们再见面的话，我说不定会较好地款待你一番。珍宝，现在让我们悄悄地走吧。"

"Hush!" he said. "No, do not neigh. Yes, Jewel, it is I. How have they tied thee?"

他用左臂抱住独角兽的颈子，俯下来吻它的鼻子，彼此都很开心。他们尽可能悄悄地回到他留下孩子们的地方。那儿树木底下更加黑暗，他在看到尤斯塔斯之前，几乎撞在对方的怀里。

"Hobbled by all four legs and tied with a bridle to a ring in the stable wall," came Jewel's voice.

"一切顺利，"蒂莲低语道，"一次成功的夜袭。现在回家吧。"

"Stand here, sentry, with your back to the wall. So. Now, Jewel: set the point of your horn against this Calormene's breast."

他们转过身去，还没走几步，尤斯塔斯说道"波尔，你在哪儿?"没有回答。"陛下，吉尔可在你那边?"他问。"什么?"蒂莲说，"难道她不在你那吗?"这是个可怕的时刻。他们不敢大声叫喊，但他们以尽可能最响的低语呼唤她的名字。可是没有回答的声音。"我出去的时候，她离开你没有?"蒂莲问。"我没有看见或听见她离开，"尤斯塔斯说，"但她能做到她走掉而我却不知不觉。她能做到像猫一样的悄没声儿，你自己亲眼看见过的。"

"With a good will, Sire," said Jewel.

就在这时候，远远传来打鼓的声音。珍宝把耳朵往前探索。"小矮人们。"它说。

"If he moves, rive him to the heart." Then in a few seconds Tirian cut the ropes. With the remains of them he bound the sentry hand and foot. Finally he made him open his mouth, stuffed it full of grass and tied him up from scalp to chin so that he could make no noise, lowered the man into a sitting position and set him against the wall.

"背信弃义的小矮人，很可能是敌人。"蒂莲咕咕哝哝地说道。

"I have done thee some discourtesy, soldier," said Tirian. "But such was my need. If we meet again I may happen to do thee a better turn. Now, Jewel, let us go softly."

两个人和一头独角兽呆呆地站在那儿，动也不动。现在有许多不同的事情要担忧烦恼，弄得他们不知道怎么办了。蹄声得得，稳稳地愈走愈近。接着，紧挨着他们，一个声音轻轻说道"哈啰l你们大家都在这儿吗?"

He put his left arm round the beast's neck and bent and kissed its nose and both had great joy. They went back as quietly as possible to the place where he had left the children. It was darker in there under the trees and he nearly ran into Eustace before he saw him.

谢天谢地，这是吉尔的声音啊。

"All's well," whispered Tirian. "A good night's work. Now for home."

"你究竟上哪儿去了?"尤斯塔斯用愤怒的低语说道，因为他曾为她非常惊惶焦急。

They turned and had gone a few paces when Eustace said, "Where are you, Pole?" There was no answer. "Is Jill on the other side of you, Sire?" he asked.

"在马厩里。"吉尔喘着气说道，但这是尽力克制大笑时的那种喘息。"啊，"尤斯塔斯咕噜道，"你以为有趣可笑，是吗?我能说的却只是 "陛下，你把珍宝救出来了?"吉尔问。

"What?" said Tirian. "Is she not on the other side of your"

"是的。它就在这里。那跟你在一起的是什么牲口?"

It was a terrible moment. They dared not shout but they whispered her name in the loudest whisper they could manage. There was no reply.

"那就是它呀，"吉尔说道，"但，让我们趁着谁也没醒来时先回家去吧。"但重新又传来爆发出来的小小的笑声。其他的人立刻服从，因为他们在那危险地点逗留得够长久了，而小矮人们的鼓声似乎又近了一点儿。他们向南才走了几分钟，尤斯塔斯说道：

"Did she go from you while I was away?" asked Tirian.

"逮住了它?你的意思是指什么呢?"

"I didn't see or hear her go," said Eustace. "But she could have gone without my knowing. She can be as quiet as a cat; you've seen for yourself."

"伪阿斯兰。"吉尔说。"什么?"蒂莲说道，"你到过什么地方?你做了什么事情?"

At that moment a far off drum beat was heard. Jewel moved his ears forward. "Dwarfs," he said.

"哎，陛下，"吉尔说，"我一看见你已经把哨兵引开去，心里就想，我倒不如去瞧瞧马厩的内部，看明白那儿实实在在有什么东西。所以我一路爬过去，拉开马厩的门闩，易如反掌。里边当然一团漆黑，气味也跟任何马厩一样。于是我点亮一个火，但见——你们相信吗?——里边压根儿什么都没有，只有这一头老驴子，身上缚着一张狮子毛皮。我就拔出刀来，叫它跟我一起走。事实上，我也无需用刀子威逼它走。它对那马厩厌倦极了，十分情愿跟我来——亲爱的迷惑，是不是这样?"

"And treacherous Dwarfs, enemies, as likely as not," muttered Tirian.

"真了不得I"尤斯塔斯说道，"我呀——我真该死，刚才我还为你大发脾气哩，我现在仍旧认为你背着我们大家偷偷溜走是讨厌的，然而，我又必须承认——哦，我的意思是说——你干了件十分漂亮的事情。如果她是个男孩，她会被封为武士的，陛下，你说是吗?".

"And here comes something on hoofs, much nearer," said Jewel.

"如果她是个男孩，"蒂莲说，"因为不服从命令，她会挨鞭子的。"黑暗之中也看不出他是皱着眉头还是微笑着说这话的。接下来便听到金属铿锵摩擦的声音。

The two humans and the Unicorn stood dead still. There were now so many different things to worry about that they didn't know what to do. The noise of hoofs came steadily nearer. And then, quite close to them, a voice whispered:

"陛下，你在干吗?"独角兽警惕地问道。"拔出我的剑来，砍掉这该死的驴子的脑袋，"蒂莲用可怕的声音说，"闪开，小姑娘。""啊，别，请你别杀它，"吉尔说，"说真的，你不能杀它。这可不是它的过错。全是无尾猿搞的鬼。它可没有看透。它是十分懊恼的。它是十分懊恼的。它是一头不坏的驴子。它的名字叫迷惑。我的双臂抱着它的颈子哩。"

"Hallo! Are you all there?"

"吉尔，"蒂莲说道，"你是我的一切国民中最勇敢最聪明的人，但也是最鲁莽最不听话的人。得了，就饶这驴子一命吧。驴子，你可有什么话要为你自己辩护的?"

Thank heaven, it was Jill's.

"陛下，我吗?"传来了驴子的声音，"如果我犯了错误，我相信我是十分懊悔的。无尾猿说，阿斯兰要我这样穿衣打扮。我以为无尾猿会知道的。我不及无尾猿聪明。我只不过是干了它叫我干的事。生活在马厩里，我自己可毫无趣味。我甚至连外边正发生什么事也不知道。除了夜间出去一两分钟，无尾猿从来不放我出去。有些日子，他们连水也忘了给我喝。", "陛下，"珍宝说，"小矮人们正愈走愈近，我们要跟他们见面吗?"蒂莲思索了一会儿，接着就扬声大笑。于是他说话了，这回可不是压低声音的耳语。"狮王在上，"他说，"我变得脑子迟钝了！跟他们见面吗?我们一定要跟他们见面。现在我们要跟任何人见面。我们要把这驴子给他们看看，让他们看看以前他们曾经害怕的曾经向它卑躬屈膝的东西。我们可以拆穿无尾猿邪恶阴谋的真相。它的秘密暴露无遗。潮流变了。明天我们要把无尾猿悬挂在纳尼亚最高的树木上。再也用不着切窃私语、偷偷摸摸和乔装改扮了。那些诚实的小矮人在哪儿?我们有好消息告诉他们。"好几个钟头一直低声耳语，任何人响亮的讲话声都有一种神奇的激动人心的效果。大伙儿开始说说笑笑，甚至迷惑也抬起脑袋，发出一种洪亮的声音"哈一唏一哈一唏一唏I"无尾猿已有好几天不准它这样呜叫了。接着，他们就朝着鼓声的方向走去。鼓声稳定地愈来愈响，不久他们就看得见火炬了。贯穿灯柱野林的，有好几条高低不平的道路(在英国，我们就不该管它们叫道路了)，他们从其中一条道路上走来。壮健地迈步向前的，是三十名光景的小矮人，肩上都扛着小铁锹和鹤嘴锄。两个武装的卡乐门人带头走在纵队的前面，还有两个卡乐门人殿后。)

"Where the devil have you been to?" said Eustace in a furious whisper, for he had been very frightened.

"站住！"蒂莲走上大路，雷鸣似的喝道，"站住，士兵们，你们把这些纳尼亚小矮人带到哪儿去?是谁下的命令?

"In the stable," gasped Jill, but it was the sort of gasp you give when you're struggling with suppressed laughter.

"Oh," growled Eustace, "you think it funny, do you? Well all I can say is -"

"Have you got Jewel, Sire?" asked Jill.

"Yes. Here he is. What is that beast with you?"

"That's him," said Jill. "But let's be off home before anyone wakes up." And again there came little explosions of laughter.

The others obeyed at once for they had already lingered long enough in that dangerous place and the Dwarf drums seemed to have come a little nearer. It was only after they had been walking Southward for several minutes that Eustace said:

"Got him? What do you mean?"

"The false Aslan," said Jill.

"What?" said Tirian. "Where have you been? What have you done?"

"Well, Sire," said Jill. "As soon as I saw that you'd got the sentry out of the way I thought hadn't I better have a look inside the stable and see what really is there? So I crawled along. It was as easy as anything to draw the bolt.

Of course it was pitch black inside and smelled like any other stable. Then I struck a light and - would you believe it? - there was nothing at all there but this old donkey with a bundle of lion-skin tied on to his back. So I drew my knife and told him he'd have to come along with me. As a matter of fact I needn't have threatened him with the knife at all. He was very fed up with the stable and quite ready to come - weren't you, Puzzle dear?"

"Great Scott!" said Eustace. "Well I'm - jiggered. I was jolly angry with you a moment ago, and I still think it was mean of you to sneak off without the rest of us: but I must admit - well, I mean to say - well it was a perfectly gorgeous thing to do. If she was a boy she'd have to be knighted, wouldn't she, Sire?"

"If she was a boy," said Tirian, "she'd be whipped for disobeying orders." And in the dark no one could see whether he said this with a frown or a smile. Next minute there was a sound of rasping metal.

"What are you doing, Sire?" asked Jewel sharply.

"Drawing my sword to smite off the head of the accursed Ass," said Tirian in a terrible voice. "Stand clear, girl."

"Oh don't, please don't," said Jill. "Really, you mustn't. It wasn't his fault. It was all the Ape. He didn't know any better. And he's very sorry. And he's a nice Donkey. His name's Puzzle. And I've got my arms round his neck."

"Jill," said Tirian, "you are the bravest and most woodwise of all my subjects, but also the most malapert and disobedient. Well: let the Ass live. What have you to say for yourself, Ass?"

"Me, Sire?" came the Donkey's voice. "I'm sure I'm very sorry if I've done wrong. The Ape said Aslan wanted me to dress up like that. And I thought he'd know. I'm not clever like him. I only did what I was told. It wasn't any fun for me living in that stable. I don't even know what's been going on outside. He never let me out except for a minute or two at night. Some days they forgot to give me any water too."

"Sire," said Jewel. "Those Dwarfs are coming nearer and nearer. Do we want to meet them?"

Tirian thought for a moment and then suddenly gave a great laugh out loud. Then he spoke, not this time in a whisper. "By the Lion," he said, "I am growing slow witted! Meet them? Certainly we will meet them. We will meet anyone now. We have this Ass to show them. Let them see the thing they have feared and bowed to. We can show them the truth of the Ape's vile plot. His secret's out. The tide's turned. Tomorrow we shall hang that Ape on the highest tree in Narnia. No more whispering and skulking and disguises. Where are these honest Dwarfs? We have good news for them."

When you have been whispering for hours the mere sound of anyone talking out loud has a wonderfully stirring effect. The whole party began talking and laughing: even Puzzle lifted up his head and gave a grand Haw-hee-haw-hee-hee; a thing the Ape hadn't allowed him to do for days. Then they set off in the direction of the drumming. It grew steadily louder and soon they could see torchlight as well. They came out on one of those rough roads (we should hardly call them roads at all in England) which ran through Lantern Waste. And there, marching sturdily along, were about thirty Dwarfs, all with their little spades and mattocks over their shoulders. Two armed Calormenes led the column and two more brought up the rear.

"Stay!" thundered Tirian as he stepped out on the road. "Stay, soldiers. Whither do you lead these Narnian Dwarfs and by whose orders?"

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