迪文小说

chater fifteen an ake a dr the air（第2页）

“You，SirCaspian，”saidAslan，“mighthaveknownthatyoucouldbenotrueKingofNarniaunless，liketheKingsofold，youwereasonofAdamandcamefromtheworldofAdam’ssons．Andsoyouare．Manyyearsagointhatworld，inadeepseaofthatworldwhichiscalledtheSouthSea，ashiploadofpiratesweredrivenbystormonanisland．Andtheretheydidaspirateswould:killedthenativesandtookthenativewomenforwives，andmadepalmwine，anddrankandweredrunk，andlayintheshadeofthepalmtrees，andwokeupandquarrelled，andsometimeskilledoneanother．Andinoneofthesefrayssixwereputtoflightbytherestandfledwiththeirwomenintothecentreoftheislandandupamountain，andwent，astheythought，intoacavetohide．Butitwasoneofthemagicalplacesofthatworld，oneofthechinksorchasmsbetweenchatworldandthis．Thereweremanychinksorchasmsbetweenworldsinoldtimes，buttheyhavegrownrarer．Thiswasoneofthelast:Idonotsaythelast．Andsotheyfell，orrose，orblundered，ordroppedrightthrough，andfoundthemselvesinthisworld，intheLandofTelmarwhichwasthenunpeopled．Butwhyitwasunpeopledisalongstory:Iwillnottellitnow．AndinTelmartheirdescendantslivedandbecameafierceandproudpeople;andaftermanygenerationstherewasafamineinTelmarandtheyinvadedNarnia，whichwastheninsomedisorder（butthatalsowouldbealongstory），andconquereditandruledit．Doyoumarkallthiswell，KingCaspian？”

“Idoindeed，Sir，”saidCaspian．“IwaswishingthatIcameofamorehonourablelineage．”

“YoucomeoftheLordAdamandtheLadyEve，”saidAslan。“Andthatisbothhonourenoughtoerecttheheadofthepoorestbeggar，andshameenoughtobowtheshouldersofthegreatestemperoronearth．Becontent．”

Caspianbowed．

“Andnow，”saidAslan，“youmenandwomenofTelmar，willyougobacktothatislandintheworldofmenfromwhichyourfathersfirstcame？Itisnobadplace．Theraceofthosepirateswhofirstfoundithasdiedout，anditiswithoutinhabitants．Therearegoodwellsoffreshwater，andfruitfulsoil，andtimberforbuilding，andfishinthelagoons;andtheothermenofthatworldhavenotyetdiscoveredit．Thechasmisopenforyourreturn;butthisImustwarnyou，thatonceyouhavegonethrough，itwillclosebehindyouforever．Therewillbenomorecommercebetweentheworldsbythatdoor．”

Therewassilenceforamoment．Thenaburly，decentlookingfellowamongtheTelmarinesoldierspushedforwardandsaid:

“Well，I’lltaketheoffer．”

“Itiswellchosen，”saidAslan．“Andbecauseyouhavespokenfirst，strongmagicisuponyou．Yourfutureinthatworldshallbegood．Comeforth．”

Theman，nowalittlepale，cameforward．Aslanandhiscourtdrewaside，leavinghimfreeaccesstotheemptydoorwayofthestakes．

“Gothroughit，myson，”saidAslan，bendingtowardshimandtouchingtheman’snosewithhisown．AssoonastheLion’sbreathcameabouthim，anewlookcameintotheman’seyes—startled，butnotunhappy—asifheweretryingtoremembersomething．ThenhesquaredhisshouldersandwalkedintotheDoor。

Everyone’seyeswerefixedonhim．Theysawthethreepiecesofwood，andthroughthemthetreesandgrassandskyofNarnia．Theysawthemanbetweenthedoorposts:then，inonesecond，hehadvanishedutterly．

FromtheotherendofthegladetheremainingTelmarinessetupawailing．“Ugh！What’shappenedtohim？Doyoumeantomurderus？Wewon’tgothatway．”AndthenoneofthecleverTelmarinessaid:

“Wedon’tseeanyotherworldthroughthosesticks．Ifyouwantustobelieveinit，whydoesn’toneofyougo？Allyourownfriendsarekeepingwellawayfromthesticks．”

InstantlyReepicheepstoodforwardandbowed．“Ifmyexamplecanbeofanyservice，Aslan，”hesaid，“Iwilltakeelevenmicethroughthatarchatyourbiddingwithoutamoment’sdelay．”

“Nay，littleone，”saidAslan，layinghisvelvetypaweversolightlyonReepicheep’shead．“Theywoulddodreadfulthingstoyouinthatworld．Theywouldshowyouatfairs．Itisotherswhomustlead．”

“Comeon，”saidPetersuddenlytoEdmundandLucy．“Ourtime’sup．”

“Whatdoyoumean？”saidEdmund．

“Thisway，”saidSusan，whoseemedtoknowallaboutit．“Backintothetrees．We’vegottochange．”

“Changewhat？”askedLucy．

“Ourclothes，ofcourse，”saidSusan．“Nicefoolswe’dlookontheplatformofanEnglishstationinthese．”

“ButourotherthingsareatCaspian’scastle，”saidEdmund．

“No，they’renot，”saidPeter，stillleadingthewayintothethickestwood．“They’reallhere．Theywerebroughtdowninbundlesthismorning．It’sallarranged．”

“WasthatwhatAslanwastalkingtoyouandSusanaboutthismorning？”askedLucy．

“Yes-thatandotherthings，”saidPeter，hisfaceverysolemn．“Ican’ttellittoyouall．TherewerethingshewantedtosaytoSuandmebecausewe’renotcomingbacktoNarnia．”

“Never？”criedEdmundandLucyindismay．

“Oh，youtwoare，”answeredPeter．“Atleast，fromwhathesaid，I’mprettysurehemeansyoutogetbacksomeday．ButnotSuandme．Hesayswe’regettingtooold．”

“Oh，Peter，”saidLucy．“Whatawfulbadluck．Canyoubearit？”

“Well，IthinkIcan，”saidPeter．“It’sallratherdifferentfromwhatIthought．You’llunderstandwhenitcomestoyourlasttime．But，quick，hereareourthings．”

Itwasodd，andnotverynice，totakeofftheirroyalclothesandtocomebackintheirschoolthings（notveryfreshnow）intothatgreatassembly．OneortwoofthenastierTelmarinesjeered．ButtheothercreaturesallcheeredandroseupinhonourofPetertheHighKing，andQueenSusanoftheHorn，andKingEdmund，andQueenLucy．Therewereaffectionateand（onLucy’spart）tearfulfarewellswithalltheiroldfriends—animalkisses，andhugsfromBulgyBears，andhandswrungbyTrumpkin，andalasttickly，whiskerishembracewithTrufflehunter．AndofcourseCaspianofferedtheHornbacktoSusanandofcourseSusantoldhimtokeepit．Andthen，wonderfullyandterribly，itwasfarewelltoAslanhimself，andPetertookhisplacewithSusan’shandsonhisshouldersandEdmund’sonhersandLucy’sonhisandthefirstoftheTelmarine’sonLucy’s，andsoinalonglinetheymovedforwardtotheDoor．Afterthatcameamomentwhichishardtodescribe，forthechildrenseemedtobeseeingthreethingsatonce．OnewasthemouthofacaveopeningintotheglaringgreenandblueofanislandinthePacific，wherealltheTelmarineswouldfindthemselvesthemomenttheywerethroughtheDoor．ThesecondwasagladeinNarnia，thefacesofDwarfsandBeasts，thedeepeyesofAslan，andthewhitepatchesontheBadger’scheeks．Butthethird（whichrapidlyswalloweduptheothertwo）wasthegrey，gravellysurfaceofaplatforminacountrystation，andaseatwithluggageroundit，wheretheywereallsittingasiftheyhadnevermovedfromit—alittleflatanddrearyforamomentafteralltheyhadbeenthrough，butalso，unexpectedly，niceinitsownway，whatwiththefamiliarrailwaysmellandtheEnglishskyandthesummertermbeforethem．

“Well！”saidPeter．“Wehavehadatime．”

“Bother！”saidEdmund．“I’veleftmynewtorchinNarnia．