prince caspian_c·s·刘易斯-第10部分
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ng miraz in his own castle that very night。
pattertwig and the other squirrels said they could talk and eat at the same time； so why not have the council and feast all at once？ the moles proposed throwing up entrenchments round the lawn before they did anything else。 the fauns thought it would be better to begin with a solemn dance。 the old raven； while agreeing with the bears that it would take too long to have a full council before supper； begged to be allowed to give a brief address to the whole pany。 but caspian and the centaurs and the dwarfs overruled all these suggestions and insisted on holding a real council of war at once。
when all the other creatures had been persuaded to sit down quietly in a great circle； and when （with more difficulty） they had got pattertwig to stop running to and fro and saying 〃silence！ silence； everyone； for the kings speech〃； caspian； feeling a little nervous； got up。 〃narnians！〃 he began； but he never got any further； for at that very moment camillo the hare said； 〃hush！ theres a man somewhere near。鈥�
they were all creatures of the wild； accustomed to being hunted； and they all became still as statues。 the beasts all turned their noses in the direction which camillo had indicated。
〃smells like man and yet not quite like man；〃 whispered trufflehunter。
〃its getting steadily nearer；〃 said camillo。
〃two badgers and you three dwarfs； with your bows at the … ready； go softly off to meet it；〃 said caspian。
〃well settle un；〃 said a black dwarf grimly； fitting a shaft to his bowstring。
〃dont shoot if it is alone；〃 said caspian。 〃catch it。鈥�
〃why？〃 asked the dwarf。
〃do as youre told；〃 said glenstorm the centaur。
everyone waited in silence while the three dwarfs and two badgers trotted stealthily across to the trees on the northwest side of the lawn。 then came a sharp dwarfish cry； 〃stop！ who goes there？〃 and a sudden spring。 a moment later a voice； which caspian knew well； could he heard saying； 〃all right； all right； im unarmed。 take my wrists if you like； worthy badgers； but dont bite right through them。 i want to speak to the king。鈥�
〃doctor cornelius！〃 cried caspian with joy； and rushed forward to greet his old tutor。
everyone else crowded round。
〃pah！〃 said nikabrik。 〃a renegade dwarf。 a half…and…halfer！ shall i pass my sword through its throat？鈥�
〃be quiet； nikabrik；〃 said trumpkin。 〃the creature cant help its ancestry。鈥�
〃this is my greatest friend and the saviour of my life；〃 said caspian。 〃and anyone who doesnt like his pany may leave my army： at once。 dearest doctor； i am glad to see you again。 how ever did you find us out？鈥�
〃by a little use of simple magic； your majesty；〃 said the doctor； who was still puffing and blowing from having walked so fast。 〃but theres no time to go into that now。 we must all fly from this place at once。 you are already betrayed and miraz is on the move。
before midday tomorrow you will be surrounded。鈥�
〃betrayed！〃 said caspian。 〃and by whom？鈥�
〃another renegade dwarf； no doubt；〃 said nikabrik。
〃by your horse destrier；〃 said doctor cornelius。 〃the poor brute knew no better。 when you were knocked off； of course； he went dawdling back to his stable in the castle。 then the secret of your flight was known。 i made myself scarce； having no wish to be questioned about it in mirazs torture chamber。 i had a pretty good guess from my crystal as to where i should find you。 but all day … that was the day before yesterday … i saw mirazs tracking parties out in the woods。 yesterday i learned that his army is out。 i dont think some of your … um … pure…blooded dwarfs have as much woodcraft as might be expected。 youve left tracks all over the place。 great carelessness。 at any rate something has warned miraz that old narnia is not so dead as he had hoped； and he is on the move。鈥�
〃hurrah！〃 said a very shrill and small voice from somewhere at the doctors feet。 〃let them e！ all i ask is that the king will put me and my people in the front。鈥�
〃what on earth？〃 said doctor cornelius。 〃has your majesty got grasshoppers … or mosquitoes … in your army？〃 then after stooping down and peering carefully through his spectacles； he broke into a laugh。
〃by the lion；〃 he swore； 〃its a mouse。 signior mouse； i desire your better acquaintance。
i am honoured by meeting so valiant a beast。鈥�
〃my friendship you shall have； learned man；〃 piped reepicheep。 〃and any dwarf … or giant … in the army who does not give you good language shall have my sword to reckon with。鈥�
〃is there time for this foolery？〃 asked nikabrik。 〃what are our plans？ battle or flight？鈥�
〃battle if need be；〃 said trumpkin。 〃but we are hardly ready for it yet； and this is no very defensible place。鈥�
〃i dont like the idea of running away；〃 said caspian。
〃hear him！ hear him！〃 said the bulgy bears。 〃whatever we do； dont lets have any running。 especially not before supper； and not too soon after it neither。鈥�
〃those who run first do not always run last；〃 said the centaur。 〃and why should we let the enemy choose our position instead of choosing it ourselves？ let us find a strong place。鈥�
〃thats wise； your majesty； thats wise；〃 said trufflehunter。
〃but where are we to go？〃 asked several voices。
〃your majesty；〃 said doctor cornelius； 〃and all you variety of creatures； i think we must fly east and down the river to the great woods。 the telmarines hate that region。 they have always been afraid of the sea and of something that may e over the sea。 that is why they have let the great woods grow up。 if traditions speak true； the ancient cair paravel was at the river…mouth。 all that part is friendly to us and hateful to our enemies。
we must go to aslans how。鈥�
〃aslans how？〃 said several voices。 〃we do not know what it is。鈥�
〃it lies within the skirts of the great woods and it is a huge mound which narnians raised in very ancient times over a very magical place； where there stood … and perhaps still stands … a very magical stone。 the mound is all hollowed out within into galleries and caves； and the stone is in the central cave of all。 there is room in the mound for all our stores； and those of us who have most need of cover and are most accustomed to underground life can be lodged in the caves。 the rest of us can lie in the wood。 at a pinch all of us （except this worthy giant） could retreat into the mound itself； and there we should be beyond the reach of every danger except famine。鈥�
〃it is a good thing we have a learned man among us；〃 said trufflehunter； but trumpkin muttered under his breath； 〃soup and celery！ i wish our leaders would think less about these old wives tales and more about victuals and arms。〃 but all approved of corneliuss proposal and that very night； half an hour later； they were on the march。 before sunrise they arrived at aslans how。
it was certainly an awesome place； a round green hill on top of another hill； long since grown over with trees； and one little； low doorway leading into it。 the tunnels inside were a perfect maze till you got to know them； and they were lined and roofed with smooth stones； and on the stones； peering in the twilight； caspian saw strange characters and snaky patterns； and pictures in which the form of a lion was repeated again and
again。 it all seemed to belong to an even older narnia than the narnia of which his nurse had told him。
it was after they had taken up their quarters in and around the how that fortune began to turn against them。 king mirazs scouts soon found their new lair； and he and his army arrived on the edge of the woods。 and as so often happens； the enemy turned out stronger than they had reckoned。 caspians heart sank as he saw pany after pany arriving。
and though mirazs men may have been afraid of going into the wood； they were even more afraid of miraz； and with him in mand they carried battle deeply into it and sometimes almost to the how itself。 caspian and other captains of course made many sorties into the open country。 thus there was fighting on most days and sometimes by night as well； but caspians party had on the whole the worst of it。
at last there came a n
