迪文小说

chater even aly abut dwarf（第1页）

THEtwoCalormenesoldiersattheheadofthecolumn，seeingwhattheytookforaTarkaanorgreatlordwithtwoarmedpages，cametoahaltandraisedtheirspearsinsalute．

“OMyMaster，”saidoneofthem，“weleadthesemanikinstoCalormentoworkintheminesofTheTisroc，may-he-live-forever。”

“BythegreatgodTash，theyareveryobedient，”saidTirian。ThensuddenlyheturnedtotheDwarfsthemselves。Aboutoneinsixofthemcarriedatorchandbythatflickeringlighthecouldseetheirbeardedfacesalllookingathimwithgrimanddoggedexpressions。“HasTheTisrocfoughtagreatbattle，Dwarfs，andconqueredyourland？”heasked，“thatthusyougopatientlytodieinthesalt-pitsofPugrahan？”

ThetwosoldiersglaredathiminsurprisebuttheDwarfsallanswered，“Aslan’sorders，Aslan’sorders。He’ssoldus。Whatcanwedoagainsthim？”

“Tisrocindeed!”addedoneandspat。“I’dliketoseehimtryit!”

“Silence，dogs!”saidthechiefsoldier．

“Look!”saidTirian，pullingPuzzleforwardintothelight。“Ithasallbeenalie。AslanhasnotcometoNarniaatall。YouhavebeencheatedbytheApe。Thisisthethinghebroughtoutofthestabletoshowyou。Lookatit。”

WhattheDwarfssaw，nowthattheycouldseeitclose，wascertainlyenoughtomakethemwonderhowtheyhadeverbeentakenin。Thelion-skinhadgotprettyuntidyalreadyduringPuzzle’simprisonmentinthestableandithadbeenknockedcrookedduringhisjourneythroughthedarkwood。Mostofitwasinabiglumpononeshoulder。Thehead，besidesbeingpushedsideways，hadsomehowgotveryfarbacksothatanyonecouldnowseehissilly，gentle，donkeyishfacegazingoutofit。Somegrassstuckoutofonecornerofhismouth，forhe’dbeendoingalittlequietnibblingastheybroughthimalong。Andhewasmuttering，“Itwasn’tmyfault，I’mnotclever。IneversaidIwas。”

ForonesecondalltheDwarfswerestaringatPuzzlewithwideopenmouthsandthenoneofthesoldierssaidsharply，“Areyoumad，MyMaster？Whatareyoudoingtotheslaves？”andtheothersaid，“Andwhoareyou？”Neitheroftheirspearswasatthesalutenow-bothweredownandreadyforaction．

“Givethepassword，”saidthechiefsoldier．

“Thisismypassword，”saidtheKingashedrewhissword。“Thelightisdawning，theliebroken。Nowguardthee，miscreant，forIamTirianofNarnia。”

Heflewuponthechiefsoldierlikelightning。Eustace，whohaddrawnhisswordwhenhesawtheKingdrawhis，rushedattheotherone：hisfacewasdeadlypale，butIwouldn’tblamehimforthat。Andhehadtheluckthatbeginnerssometimesdohave。HeforgotallthatTirianhadtriedtoteachhimthatafternoon，slashedwildly（indeedI’mnotsurehiseyesweren’tshut）andsuddenlyfound，tohisowngreatsurprise，thattheCalormenelaydeadathisfeet。Andthoughthatwasagreatrelief，itwas，atthemoment，ratherfrightening。TheKing’sfightlastedasecondortwolonger：thenhetoohadkilledhismanandshoutedtoEustace，“‘Waretheothertwo。”

ButtheDwarfshadsettledthetworemainingCalormenes。Therewasnoenemyleft．

“Wellstruck，Eustace!”criedTirian，clappinghimontheback。“Now，Dwarfs，youarefree。TomorrowIwillleadyoutofreeallNarnia。ThreecheersforAslan!”

Buttheresultwhichfollowedwassimplywretched。TherewasafeebleattemptfromafewDwarfs（aboutfive）whichdiedawayallatonce：fromseveralothersthereweresulkygrowls。Manysaidnothingatall．

“Don’ttheyunderstand？”saidJillimpatiently。“What’swrongwithallyouDwarfs？Don’tyouhearwhattheKingsays？It’sallover。TheApeisn’tgoingtoruleNarniaanylonger。Everyonecangobacktoordinarylife。Youcanhavefunagain。Aren’tyouglad？”

Afterapauseofnearlyaminuteanot-very-nice-lookingDwarfwithhairandbeardasblackassootsaid：“Andwhomightyoube，Missie？”

“I’mJill，”shesaid。“ThesameJillwhorescuedKingRilianfromtheenchantment-andthisisEustacewhodidittoo-andwe’vecomebackfromanotherworldafterhundredsofyears。Aslansentus。”

TheDwarfsalllookedatoneanotherwithgrins;sneeringgrins，notmerryones．

“Well，”saidtheBlackDwarf（whosenamewasGriffle），“Idon’tknowhowallyouchapsfeel，butIfeelI’veheardasmuchaboutAslanasIwanttofortherestofmylife。”

“That’sright，that’sright，”growledtheotherDwarfs。“It’sallaplant，allabloomingplant。”

“Whatdoyoumean？”saidTirian。Hehadnotbeenpalewhenhewasfightingbuthewaspalenow。Hehadthoughtthiswasgoingtobeabeautifulmoment，butitwasturningoutmorelikeabaddream．

“Youmustthinkwe’rebloomingsoftinthehead，thatyoumust，”saidGriffle。“We’vebeentakeninonceandnowyouexpectustobetakeninagainthenextminute。We’venomoreuseforstoriesaboutAslan，see!Lookathim!Anoldmokewithlongears!”