迪文小说

chater fifteen further u and further（第1页）

“KNOW，OWarlikeKings，”saidEmeth，“andyou，Oladieswhosebeautyilluminatestheuniverse，thatIamEmeththeseventhsonofHarphaTarkaanofthecityofTehishbaan，Westwardbeyondthedesert。IcamelatelyintoNarniawithnineandtwentyothersunderthecommandofRishdaTarkaanNowwhenIfirstheardthatweshouldmarchuponNarniaIrejoiced;forIhadheardmanythingsofyourLandanddesiredgreatlytomeetyouinbattle。ButwhenIfoundthatweweretogoindisguisedasmerchants（whichisashamefuldressforawarriorandthesonofaTarkaan）andtoworkbyliesandtrickery，thenmyjoydepartedfromme。AndmostofallwhenIfoundwemustwaituponaMonkey，andwhenitbegantobesaidthatTashandAslanwereone，thentheworldbecamedarkinmyeyes。ForalwayssinceIwasaboyIhaveservedTashandmygreatdesirewastoknowmoreofhim，ifitmightbe，tolookuponhisface。ButthenameofAslanwashatefultome．”

And，asyouhaveseen，wewerecalledtogetheroutsidethestraw-roofedhovel，nightafternight，andthefirewaskindled，andtheApebroughtforthoutofthehovelsomethinguponfourlegsthatIcouldnotwellsee。AndthepeopleandtheBeastsboweddownanddidhonourtoit。ButIthought，theTarkaanisdeceivedbytheApe：forthisthingthatcomesoutofthestableisneitherTashnoranyothergod。ButwhenIwatchedtheTarkaan’sface，andmarkedeverywordthathesaidtotheMonkey，thenIchangedmymind：forIsawthattheTarkaandidnotbelieveinithimself。AndthenIunderstoodthathedidnotbelieveinTashatall：forifhehad，howcouldhedaretomockhim？

“WhenIunderstoodthis，agreatragefelluponmeandIwonderedthatthetrueTashdidnotstrikedownboththeMonkeyandtheTarkaanwithfirefromheaven。NeverthelessIhidmyangerandheldmytongueandwaitedtoseehowitwouldend。Butlastnight，assomeofyouknow，theMonkeybroughtnotforththeyellowthingbutsaidthatallwhodesiredtolookuponTashlan-forsotheymixedthetwowordstopretendthattheywereallone-mustpassonebyoneintothehovel。AndIsaidtomyself，Doubtlessthisissomeotherdeception。ButwhentheCathadfollowedinandhadcomeoutagaininamadnessofterror，thenIsaidtomyself，SurelythetrueTash，whomtheycalledonwithoutknowledgeorbelief，hasnowcomeamongus，andwillavengehimself。AndthoughmyheartwasturnedintowaterinsidemebecauseofthegreatnessandterrorofTash，yetmydesirewasstrongerthanmyfear，andIputforceuponmykneestostaythemfromtrembling，andonmyteeththattheyshouldnotchatter，andresolvedtolookuponthefaceofTashthoughheshouldslayme。SoIofferedmyselftogointothehovel;andtheTarkaan，thoughunwillingly，letmego．”

AssoonasIhadgoneinatthedoor，thefirstwonderwasthatIfoundmyselfinthisgreatsunlight（asweallarenow）thoughtheinsideofthehovelhadlookeddarkfromoutside。ButIhadnotimetomarvelatthis，forimmediatelyIwasforcedtofightformyheadagainstoneofourownmen。AssoonasIsawhimIunderstoodthattheMonkeyandtheTarkaanhadsethimtheretoslayanywhocameinifhewerenotintheirsecrets：sothatthismanalsowasaliarandamockerandnotrueservantofTash。Ihadthebetterwilltofighthim;andhavingslainthevillain，Icasthimoutbehindmethroughthedoor．

“ThenIlookedaboutmeandsawtheskyandthewidelands，andsmelledthesweetness。AndIsaid，BytheGods，thisisapleasantplace：itmaybethatIamcomeintothecountryofTash。AndIbegantojourneyintothestrangecountryandtoseekhim．”

SoIwentovermuchgrassandmanyflowersandamongallkindsofwholesomeanddelectabletreestilllo!inanarrowplacebetweentworockstherecametomeetmeagreatLion。Thespeedofhimwasliketheostrich，andhissizewasanelephant’s;hishairwaslikepuregoldandthebrightnessofhiseyeslikegoldthatisliquidinthefurnace。HewasmoreterriblethantheFlamingMountainofLagour，andinbeautyhesurpassedallthatisintheworldevenastheroseinbloomsurpassesthedustofthedesert。ThenIfellathisfeetandthought，Surelythisisthehourofdeath，fortheLion（whoisworthyofallhonour）willknowthatIhaveservedTashallmydaysandnothim。Nevertheless，itisbettertoseetheLionanddiethantobeTisrocoftheworldandliveandnottohaveseenhim。ButtheGloriousOnebentdownhisgoldenheadandtouchedmyforeheadwithhistongueandsaid，Son，thouartwelcome。ButIsaid，Alas，Lord，IamnosonofthinebuttheservantofTash。Heanswered，Child，alltheservicethouhastdonetoTash，Iaccountasservicedonetome。Thenbyreasonsofmygreatdesireforwisdomandunderstanding，IovercamemyfearandquestionedtheGloriousOneandsaid，Lord，isitthentrue，astheApesaid，thatthouandTashareone？TheLiongrowledsothattheearthshook（buthiswrathwasnotagainstme）andsaid，Itisfalse。NotbecauseheandIareone，butbecauseweareopposites，Itaketometheserviceswhichthouhastdonetohim。ForIandheareofsuchdifferentkindsthatnoservicewhichisvilecanbedonetome，andnonewhichisnotvilecanbedonetohim。ThereforeifanymanswearbyTashandkeephisoathfortheoath’ssake，itisbymethathehastrulysworn，thoughheknowitnot，anditisIwhorewardhim。Andifanymandoacrueltyinmyname，then，thoughhesaysthenameAslan，itisTashwhomheservesandbyTashhisdeedisaccepted。Dostthouunderstand，Child？Isaid，Lord，thouknowesthowmuchIunderstand。ButIsaidalso（forthetruthconstrainedme），YetIhavebeenseekingTashallmydays。Beloved，saidtheGloriousOne，unlessthydesirehadbeenformethouwouldstnothavesoughtsolongandsotruly。Forallfindwhattheytrulyseek．

“Thenhebreatheduponmeandtookawaythetremblingfrommylimbsandcausedmetostanduponmyfeet。Andafterthat，hesaidnotmuch，butthatweshouldmeetagain，andImustgofurtherupandfurtherin。Thenheturnedhimaboutinastormandflurryofgoldandwasgonesuddenly．

“Andsincethen，OKingsandLadies，Ihavebeenwanderingtofindhimandmyhappinessissogreatthatitevenweakensmelikeawound。Andthisisthemarvelofmarvels，thathecalledmeBeloved，mewhoambutasadog-”

“Eh？What’sthat？”saidoneoftheDogs．

“Sir，”saidEmeth。“ItisbutafashionofspeechwhichwehaveinCalormen。”

“Well，Ican’tsayit’soneIlikeverymuch，”saidtheDog．

“Hedoesn’tmeananyharm，”saidanolderDog．

“Afterall，wecallourpuppiesBoyswhentheydon’tbehaveproperly。”

“Sowedo，”saidthefirstDog。“Orgirls。”

“S-s-sh!”saidtheOldDog。“That’snotanicewordtouse。Rememberwhereyouare。”

“Look!”saidJillsuddenly。Someonewascoming，rathertimidly，tomeetthem;agracefulcreatureonfourfeet，allsilvery-grey。Andtheystaredathimforawholetensecondsbeforefiveorsixvoicessaidallatonce，“Why，it’soldPuzzle!”Theyhadneverseenhimbydaylightwiththelion-skinoff，anditmadeanextraordinarydifference。Hewashimselfnow：abeautifuldonkeywithsuchasoft，greycoatandsuchagentle，honestfacethatifyouhadseenhimyouwouldhavedonejustwhatJillandLucydid-rushedforwardandputyourarmsroundhisneckandkissedhisnoseandstrokedhisears．

Whentheyaskedhimwherehehadbeenhesaidhehadcomeinatthedooralongwithalltheothercreaturesbuthehad-well，totellthetruth，hehadbeenkeepingoutoftheirwayasmuchashecould;andoutofAslan’sway。ForthesightoftherealLionhadmadehimsoashamedofallthatnonsenseaboutdressingupinalion-skinthathedidnotknowhowtolookanyoneintheface。ButwhenhesawthatallhisfriendsweregoingawayWestward，andafterhehadhadamouthfulorsoofgrass（“AndI’venevertastedsuchgoodgrassinmylife，”saidPuzzle），hepluckeduphiscourageandfollowed。“ButwhatI’lldoifIreallyhavetomeetAslan，I’msureIdon’tknow，”headded．

“You’llfinditwillbeallrightwhenyoureallydo，”saidQueenLucy．

Thentheyallwentforwardtogether，alwaysWestward，forthatseemedtobethedirectionAslanhadmeantwhenhecriedout，“Furtherupandfutherin。”Manyothercreatureswereslowlymovingthesameway，butthatgrassycountrywasverywideandtherewasnocrowding．

Itstillseemedtobeearly，andthemorningfreshnesswasintheair。Theykeptonstoppingtolookroundandtolookbehindthem，partlybecauseitwassobeautifulbutpartlyalsobecausetherewassomethingaboutitwhichtheycouldnotunderstand．

“Peter，”saidLucy，“whereisthis，doyousuppose？”

“Idon’tknow，”saidtheHighKing。“ItremindsmeofsomewherebutIcan’tgiveitaname。Coulditbesomewhereweoncestayedforaholidaywhenwewerevery，verysmall？”

“Itwouldhavetohavebeenajollygoodholiday，”saidEustace。“Ibetthereisn’tacountrylikethisanywhereinourworld。Lookatthecolours!Youcouldn’tgetablueliketheblueonthosemountainsinourworld。”

“IsitnotAslan’scountry？”saidTirian．

“NotlikeAslan’scountryontopofthatmountainbeyondtheEasternendoftheworld，”saidJill。“I’vebeenthere。”

“Ifyouaskme，”saidEdmund，“it’slikesomewhereintheNarnianworld。Lookatthosemountainsahead-andthebigice-mountainsbeyondthem。Surelythey’reratherlikethemountainsweusedtoseefromNarnia，theonesupWestwardbeyondtheWaterfall？”

“Yes，sotheyare，”saidPeter。“Onlythesearebigger。”

“Idon’tthinkthoseonesaresoverylikeanythinginNarnia，”saidLucy。“Butlookthere。”ShepointedSouthwardtotheirleft，andeveryonestoppedandturnedtolook。“Thosehills，”saidLucy，“thenicewoodyonesandtheblueonesbehind-aren’ttheyveryliketheSouthernborderofNarnia？”

“Like!”criedEdmundafteramoment’ssilence。“Why，they’reexactlylike。Look，there’sMountPirewithhisforkedhead，andthere’sthepassintoArchenlandandeverything!”

“Andyetthey’renotlike，”saidLucy。“They’redifferent。TheyhavemorecoloursonthemandtheylookfurtherawaythanIrememberedandthey’remore。。。more。。。oh，Idon’tknow。。。”

“Moreliketherealthing，”saidtheLordDigorysoftly．

SuddenlyFarsighttheEaglespreadhiswings，soaredthirtyorfortyfeetupintotheair，circledroundandthenalightedontheground．

“KingsandQueens，”hecried，“wehaveallbeenblind。Weareonlybeginningtoseewhereweare。FromupthereIhaveseenitall-Ettinsmuir，Beaversdam，theGreatRiver，andCairParavelstillshiningontheedgeoftheEasternSea。Narniaisnotdead。ThisisNarnia。”