迪文小说

chater thirteen the fight at anvard（第1页）

BYaboutelevenoclockthewholecompanywasoncemoreonthemarch，ridingwestwardwiththemountainsontheirleft。CorinandShastaroderightattherearwiththeGiantsimmediatelyinfrontofthem。LucyandEdmundandPeridanwerebusywiththeirplansforthebattleandthoughLucyoncesaid，"ButwhereishisgoosecapHighness?"Edmundonlyreplied，，Notinthefront，"andthatsgoodnewsenough。"Leavewellalone。"

ShastatoldCorinmostofhisadventuresandexplainedthathehadlearnedallhisridingfromahorseanddidntreallyknowhowtousethereins。Corininstructedhiminthis，besidestellinghimallabouttheirsecretsailingfromTashbaan。

"AndwhereistheQueenSusan?"

"AtCairParavel，"saidCorin。，ShesnotlikeLucy，youknow，whosasgoodasaman，oratanyrateasgoodasaboy。QueenSusanismorelikeanordinarygrown-uplady。Shedoesntridetothewars，thoughsheisanexcellentarcher。"

Thehillsidepathwhichtheywerefollowingbecamenarrowerallthetimeandthedropontheirrighthandbecamesteeper。AtlasttheyweregoinginsinglefilealongtheedgeofaprecipiceandShastashudderedtothinkthathehaddonethesamelastnightwithoutknowingit。，Butofcourse，"hethought，"Iwasquitesafe。ThatiswhytheLionkeptonmyleft。Hewasbetweenmeandtheedgeallthetime。"

Thenthepathwentleftandsouthawayfromthecliffandtherewerethickwoodsonbothsidesofitandtheywentsteeplyupandupintothepass。Therewouldhavebeenasplendidviewfromthetopifitwereopengroundbutamongallthosetreesyoucouldseenothing-only，everynowandthen，somehugepinnacleofrockabovethetree-tops，andaneagleortwowheelinghighupintheblueair。

"Theysmellbattle，"saidCorin，pointingatthebirds。，Theyknowwerepreparingafeedforthem。"Shastadidntlikethisatall。

WhentheyhadcrossedtheneckofthepassandcomeagooddeallowertheyreachedmoreopengroundandfromhereShastacouldseeallArchenland，blueandhazy，spreadoutbelowhimandeven（hethought）ahintofthedesertbeyondit。Butthesun，whichhadperhapstwohoursorsotogobeforeitset，wasinhiseyesandhecouldntmakethingsoutdistinctly。

Herethearmyhaltedandspreadoutinaline，andtherewasagreatdealofrearranging。Awholedetachmentofverydangerous-lookingTalkingBeastswhomShastahadnotnoticedbeforeandwhoweremostlyofthecatkind（leopards，panthers，andthelike）wentpaddingandgrowlingtotakeuptheirpositionsontheleft。Thegiantswereorderedtotheright，andbeforegoingtheretheyalltookoffsomethingtheyhadbeencarryingontheirbacksandsatdownforamoment。ThenShastasawthatwhattheyhadbeencarryingandwerenowputtingonwerepairsofboots:horrid，heavy，spikedbootswhichcameuptotheirknees。Thentheyslopedtheirhugeclubsovertheirshouldersandmarchedtotheirbattleposition。Thearchers，withQueenLucy，felltotherearandyoucouldfirstseethembendingtheirbowsandthenhearthetwangtwangastheytestedthestrings。Andwhereveryoulookedyoucouldseepeopletighteninggirths，puttingonhelmets，drawingswords，andthrowingcloakstotheground。Therewashardlyanytalkingnow。Itwasverysolemnandverydreadful。"Iminforitnow—Ireallyaminforitnow，"thoughtShasta。Thentherecamenoisesfarahead:thesoundofmanymenshoutingandasteadythud-thud-thud。

"Batteringram，"whisperedCorin。"Theyrebatteringthegate。"

EvenCorinlookedquiteseriousnow。

"WhydoesntKingEdmundgeton?"hesaid。，Icantstandthiswaitingabout。Chillytoo。"

Shastanodded:hopinghedidntlookasfrightenedasfelt。

Thetrumpetatlast!Onthemovenow-nowtrottingthebannerstreamingoutinthewind。Theyhadtoppedlowridgenow，andbelowthemthewholescenesuddenopenedout;alittle，many-toweredcastlewithitsgatetowardsthem。Nomoat，unfortunately，butofcoursethegateshutandtheportcullisdown。Onthewallstheycouldsee，likelittlewhitedots，thefacesofthedefenders。Downbelow，aboutfiftyoftheCalormenes，dismounted，weresteadilyswingingagreattreetrunkagainstthegate。Butatoncethescenechanged。ThemainbulkofRabadashsmenhadbeenonfootreadytoassaultthegate。ButnowhehadseentheNarnianssweepingdownfromtheridge。ThereisnodoubtthoseCalormenesarewonderfullytrained。ItseemedtoShastaonlyasecondbeforeawholelineoftheenemywereonhorsebackagain，wheelingroundtomeetthem，swingingtowardsthem。

Andnowagallop。Thegroundbetweenthetwoarmiesgrewlesseverymoment。Faster，faster。Allswordsoutnow，allshieldsuptothenose，allprayerssaid，allteethclenched。Shastawasdreadfullyfrightened。Butitsuddenlycameintohishead，，Ifyoufunkthis，youllfunkeverybattleallyourlife。Nowornever。"

Butwhenatlastthetwolinesmethehadreallyverylittlerideaofwhathappened。Therewasafrightfulconfusion;andanappallingnoise。Hisswordwasknockedcleanoutofhishandprettysoon。Andhedgotthereinstangledsomehow。Thenhefoundhimselfslipping。Thenaspearcamestraightathimandasheduckedtoavoiditherolledrightoffhishorse，bashedhisleftknucklesterriblyagainstsomeoneelsesarmour，andthen-ButitisnousetryingtodescribethebattlefromShastaspointofview;

heunderstoodtoolittleofthefightingeneralandevenofhisownpartinit。ThebestwayIcantellyouwhatreallyhappenedistotakeyousomemilesawaytowheretheHermitoftheSouthernMarchsatgazingintothesmoothpoolbeneaththespreadingtree，withBreeandHwinandAravisbesidehim。

ForitwasinthispoolthattheHermitlookedwhenhewantedtoknowwhatwasgoingonintheworldoutsidethegreenwallsofhishermitage。There，asinamirror，hecouldsee，atcertaintimes，whatwasgoingoninthestreetsofcitiesfarfarthersouththanTashbaan，orwhatshipswereputtingintoRedhavenintheremoteSevenIsles，orwhatrobbersorwildbeastsstirredinthegreatWesternforestsbetweenLanternWasteandTelmar。Andallthisdayhehadhardlylefthispool，eventoeatordrink，forheknewthatgreateventswereonfootinArchenland。AravisandtheHorsesgazedintoittoo。Theycouldseeitwasamagicpool:insteadofreflectingthetreeandtheskyitrevealedcloudyandcolouredshapesmoving，alwaysmoving，initsdepths。Buttheycouldseenothingclearly。TheHermitcouldandfromtimetotimehetoldthemwhathesaw。AlittlewhilebeforeShastarodeintohisfirstbattle，theHermithadbegunspeakinglikethis:

"Iseeone-two-threeeagleswheelinginthegapbyStormnessHead。Oneistheoldestofalltheeagles。Hewouldnotbeoutunlessbattlewasathand。Iseehimwheeltoandfro，peeringdownsometimesatAnvardandsometimestotheeast，behindStormness。Ah-IseenowwhatRabadashandhismenhavebeensobusyatallday。Theyhavefelledandloppedagreattreeandtheyarenowcomingoutofthewoodscarryingitasaram。Theyhavelearnedsomethingfromthefailureoflastnightsassult。Hewouldhavebeenwiserifhehadsethismentomakingladders:butittakestoolongandheisimpatient。Foolthatheis!HeoughttohaveriddenbacktoTashbaanassoonasthefirstattackfailed，forhiswholeplandependedonspeedandsurprise。Nowtheyarebringingtheirramintoposition。KingLunesmenareshootinghardfromthewalls。FiveCalormeneshavefallen:butnotmanywill。Theyhavetheirshieldsabovetheirheads。Rabadashisgivinghisordersnow。Withhimarehismosttrustedlords，fierceTarkaansfromtheeasternprovinces。Icanseetheirfaces。ThereisCorradinofCastleTormunt，andAzrooh，andChlamash，andIlgamuthofthetwistedlip，andatallTarkaanwithacrimsonbeard—"

"BytheMane，myoldmasterAnradin!"saidBree。"S-s-sh"saidAravis。

"Nowtheramhasstarted。IfIcouldhearaswellassee，whatanoisethatwouldmake!Strokeafterstroke:andnogatecanstanditforever。Butwait!SomethingupbyStormnesshasscaredthebirds。Theyrecomingoutinmasses。Andwaitagain---Ican'tseeyet---ah!NowIcan。Thewholeridge，upontheeast，isblackwithhorsemen。Ifonlythewindwouldcatchthatstandardandspreaditout。Theyreovertheridgenow，whoevertheyare。Aha!Iveseenthebannernow。Narnia，Narnia!Itstheredlion。Theyreinfullcareerdownthehillnow。IcanseeKingEdmund。Theresawomanbehindamongthearchers。Oh!—"

"Whatisit?"askedHwinbreathlessly。

"AllhisCatsaredashingoutfromtheleftoftheline。"

"Cats?"saidAravis。"Greatcats，leopardsandsuch，"saidtheHermitimpatiently。"Isee，Isee。TheCatsarecomingroundinacircletogetatthehorsesofthedismountedmen。Agoodstroke。TheCalormenehorsesaremadwithterroralready。NowtheCatsareinamongthem。ButRabadashhasreformedhislineandhasahundredmeninthesaddle。TheyreridingtomeettheNarnians。Theresonlyahundredyardsbetweenthetwolinesnow。Onlyfifty。IcanseeKingEdmund，IcanseetheLordPeridan。TherearetwomerechildrenintheNarnianline。WhatcantheKingbeabouttoletthemintobattle?Onlytenyards-thelineshavemet。TheGiantsontheNarnianrightaredoingwonders-butonesdown-shotthroughtheeye，Isuppose。Thecentresallinamuddle。Icanseemoreontheleft。Therearethetwoboysagain。Lionalive!oneisPrinceCorm。Theother，likehimastwopeas。ItsyourlittleShasta。Cormisfightinglikeaman。HeskilledaCalormene。Icanseeabitofthecentrenow。RabadashandEdmundalmostmetthen，butthepresshasseparatedthem—"

"WhataboutShasta?"saidAravis。

"Ohthefool!"groanedtheHermit。，Poor，bravelittlefool。Heknowsnothingaboutthiswork。Hesmakingnouseatallofhisshield。Hiswholesidesexposed。Hehasntthefaintestideawhattodowithhissword。Oh，hesremembereditnow。Heswavingitwildlyabout-nearlycuthisownponysheadoff，andhewillinamomentifhesnotcareful。Itsbeenknockedoutofhishandnow。Itsmeremurdersendingachildintothebattle;hecan'tlivefiveminutes。Duckyoufool-oh，hesdown。"

"Killed?"askedthreevoicesbreathlessly。

"HowcanItell?"saidtheHermit。"TheCatshavedonetheirwork。Alltheriderlesshorsesaredeadorescapednow:noretreatfortheCalormenesonthem。NowtheCatsareturningbackintothemainbattle。Theyreleapingontherams-men。Theramisdown。Oh，good!good!Thegatesareopeningfromtheinside:theresgoingtobeasortie。Thefirstthreeareout。ItsKingLuneinthemiddle:thebrothersDarandDarrinoneachsideofhim。BehindthemareTranandSharandColewithhisbrotherColin。Thereareten—twenty—nearlythirtyofthemoutbynow。TheCalormenlineisbeingforcedbackuponthem。KingEdmundisdealingmarvellousstrokes。He'sjustslashedCorradin'sheadoff。LotsofCalormeneshavethrowndowntheirarmsandarerunningforthewoods。Thosethatremainarehardpressed。TheGiantsareclosinginontheright-Catsontheleft-KingLunefromtheirrear。TheCalormenesarealittleknotnow，fightingbacktoback。YourTarkaan'sdown，Bree。LuneandAzrooharefightinghandtohand;theKinglookslikewinning-theKingiskeepingitupwell—theKinghaswon。Azroohsdown。KingEdmundsdown—no，hesupagain:hesatitwithRabadash。