prince caspian_c·s·刘易斯-第7部分

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ion　has　not　　occurred　for　two　hundred　years；　and　your　highness　will　not　live　to　see　it　again。　it　will　be　　best　if　you　go　to　bed　a　little　earlier　than　usual。　when　the　time　of　the　conjunction　draws　　near　i　will　e　and　wake　you。鈥�

this　didnt　seem　to　have　anything　to　do　with　old　narnia；　which　was　what　　caspian　really　wanted　to　hear　about；　but　getting　up　in　the　middle　of　the　night　is　always　　interesting　and　he　was　moderately　pleased。　when　he　went　to　bed　that　night；　he　thought　at　　first　that　he　would　not　be　able　to　sleep；　but　he　soon　dropped　off　and　it　seemed　only　a　　few　minutes　before　he　felt　someone　gently　shaking　him。

he　sat　up　in　bed　and　saw　that　the　room　was　full　of　moonlight。　doctor　　cornelius；　muffled　in　a　hooded　robe　and　holding　a　small　lamp　in　his　hand；　stood　by　the　　bedside。

caspian　remembered　at　once　what　they　were　going　to　do。　he　got　up　and　put　on　　some　clothes。　athough　it　was　a　summer　night　he　felt　colder　than　he　had　expected　　and　was　quite　glad　when　the　doctor　wrapped　him　in　a　robe　like　his　own　and　gave　him　a　pair　　of　warm；　soft　buskins　for　his　feet。　a　moment　later；　both　muffled　so　that　they　could　　hardly　be　seen　in　the　dark　corridors；　and　both　shod　so　that　they　made　almost　no　noise；　　master　and　pupil　left　the　room。

caspian　followed　the　doctor　through　many　passages　and　up　several　　staircases；　and　at　last；　through　a　little　door　in　a　turret；　they　came　out　upon　the　leads。　on　　one　side　were　the　battlements；　on　the　other　a　steep　roof；　below　them；　all　shadowy　and　　shimmery；　the　castle　gardens；　above　them；　stars　and　moon。　presently　they　came　to　another　door；　　which　led　into　the　great　central　tower　of　the　whole　castle：　doctor　cornelius　unlocked　it　　and　they　began　to　climb　the　dark　winding　stair　of　the　tower。　caspian　was　being　excited；　　he　had　never　been　allowed　up　this　stair　before。

it　was　long　and　steep；　but　when　they　came　out　on　the　roof　of　the　tower　and　　caspian　had　got　his　breath；　he　felt　that　it　had　been　well　worth　it。　away　on　his　right　　he　could　see；　rather　indistinctly；　the　western　mountains。　on　his　left　was　the　gleam　of　the　great　　river；　and　everything　was　so　quiet　that　he　could　hear　the　sound　of　the　waterfall　at　　beaversdam；　a　mile　away。　there　was　no　difficulty　in　picking　out　the　two　stars　they　had　　e　to　see。

they　hung　rather　low　in　the　southern　sky；　almost　as　bright　as　two　little　　moons　and　very　close　together。

〃are　they　going　to　have　a　collision？〃　he　asked　in　an　awestruck　voice。

〃nay；　dear　prince；〃　said　the　doctor　（and　he　too　spoke　in　a　whisper）。　〃the　　great　lords　of　the　upper　sky　know　the　steps　of　their　dance　too　well　for　that。　look　well　　upon　them。　their　meeting　is　fortunate　and　means　some　great　good　for　the　sad　realm　of　narnia。　　tarva；　the　lord　of　victory；　salutes　alambil；　the　lady　of　peace。　they　are　just　ing　　to　their　nearest。鈥�

〃its　a　pity　that　tree　gets　in　the　way；〃　said　caspian。　〃wed　really　see　　better　from　the　west　tower；　though　it　is　not　so　high。鈥�

doctor　cornelius　said　nothing　for　about　two　minutes；　but　stood　still　with　　his　eyes　fixed　on　tarva　and　alambil。　then　he　drew　a　deep　breath　and　turned　to　caspian。

〃there；〃　he　said。　〃you　have　seen　what　no　man　now　alive　has　seen；　nor　will　　see　again。

and　you　are　right。　we　should　have　seen　it　even　better　from　the　smaller　　tower。　i　brought　you　here　for　another　reason。鈥�

caspian　looked　up　at　him；　but　the　doctors　hood　concealed　most　of　his　face。

〃the　virtue　of　this　tower；〃　said　doctor　cornelius；　〃is　that　we　have　six　　empty　rooms　beneath　us；　and　a　long　stair；　and　the　door　at　the　bottom　of　the　stair　is　　locked。　we　cannot　be　overheard。鈥�

〃are　you　going　to　tell　me　what　you　wouldnt　tell　me　the　other　day？〃　said　　caspian。

〃i　am；〃　said　the　doctor。　〃but　remember。　you　and　i　must　never　talk　about　　these　things　except　here　…　on　the　very　top　of　the　great　tower。鈥�

〃no。　thats　a　promise；〃　said　caspian。　〃but　do　go　on；　please。鈥�

〃listen；〃　said　the　doctor。　〃all　you　have　heard　about　old　narnia　is　true。　it　　is　not　the　land　of　men。　it　is　the　country　of　aslan；　the　country　of　the　waking　trees　and　　visible　naiads；　of　fauns　and　satyrs；　of　dwarfs　and　giants；　of　the　gods　and　the　centaurs；　of　　talking　beasts。　it　was　against　these　that　the　first　caspian　fought。　it　is　you　　telmarines　who　silenced　the　beasts　and　the　trees　and　the　fountains；　and　who　killed　and　　drove　away　the　dwarfs　and　fauns；　and　are　now　trying　to　cover　up　even　the　memory　of　them。　　the　king　does　not　allow　them　to　be　spoken　of。鈥�

〃oh；　i　do　wish　we　hadnt；〃　said　caspian。　〃and　i　am　glad　it　was　all　true；　　even　if　it　is　all　over。鈥�

〃many　of　your　race　wish　that　in　secret；〃　said　doctor　cornelius。

〃but；　doctor；〃　said　caspian；　〃why　do　you　say　my　race？　after　all；　i　suppose　　youre　a　telmarine　too。鈥�

〃am　i？〃　said　the　doctor。

〃well；　youre　a　man　anyway；〃　said　caspian。

〃am　i？〃　repeated　the　doctor　in　a　deeper　voice；　at　the　same　moment　throwing　　back　his　hood　so　that　caspian　could　see　his　face　clearly　in　the　moonlight。

all　at　once　caspian　realized　the　truth　and　felt　that　he　ought　to　have　　realized　it　long　before。　doctor　cornelius　was　so　small；　and　so　fat；　and　had　such　a　very　long　　beard。　two　thoughts　came　into　his　head　at　the　same　moment。　one　was　a　thought　of　terror　　…　〃hes　not　a　real　man；　not　a　man　at　all；　hes　a　dwarf；　and　hes　brought　me　up　here　to　　kill　me。〃　the　other　was　sheer　delight　…　〃there　are　real　dwarfs　still；　and　ive　seen　one　　at　last。鈥�

〃so　youve　guessed　it　in　the　end；〃　said　doctor　cornelius。　〃or　guessed　it　　nearly　right。　im　not　a　pure　dwarf。　i　have　human　blood　in　me　too。　many　dwarfs　escaped　in　the　　great　battles　and　lived　on；　shaving　their　beards　and　wearing　highheeled　shoes　and　　pretending　to　be　men。　they　have　mixed　with　your　telmarines。　i　am　one　of　those；　only　a　　halfdwarf；　and　if　any　of　my　kindred；　the　true　dwarfs；　are　still　alive　anywhere　in　the　　world；　doubtless　they　would　despise　me　and　call　me　a　traitor。　but　never　in　all　these　years　　have　we　forgotten　our　own　people　and　all　the　other　happy　creatures　of　narnia；　and　　the　long…lost　days　of　freedom。鈥�

〃im　…　im　sorry；　doctor；〃　said　caspian。　〃it　wasnt　my　fault；　you　know。鈥�

〃i　am　not　saying　these　things　in　blame　of　you；　dear　prince；〃　answered　the　　doctor。　〃you　may　well　ask　why　i　say　them　at　all。　but　i　have　two　reasons。　firstly；　　because　my　old　heart　has　carried　these　secret　memories　so　long　that　it　aches　with　them　and　would　　burst　if　i　did　not　whisper　them　to　you。　but　secondly；　for　this：　that　when　you　bee　king　　you　may　help　us；　for　i　know　that　you　also；　telmarine　though　you　are；　love　the　old　　things。鈥�

〃i　do；　i　do；〃　said　caspian。　〃but　how　can　i　help？鈥�

〃you　can　be　kind　to　the　poor　remnants　of　the　dwarf　people；　like　myself。　you　　can　gather　learned　magicians　and　try　to　find　a　way　of　awaking　the　trees　once　more。　you　　can　search　through　all　the　nooks　and　wild　places　of　the　land　to　see　if　any　fauns　or　　talking　beasts　or　dwarfs　are　perhaps　still　alive　in　hiding。鈥�

〃do　you　think　there　are　any？〃　asked　caspian　eagerly。

〃i　dont　know　…　i　dont　know；〃　said　the　doctor　with　a　deep　sigh。　〃sometimes　　i　am　afraid　there　cant　be。　i　have　been　looking　for　traces　of　them　all　my　life。　　sometimes　i　have　thought　i　heard　a　dwarf…drum　in　the　mountains。　sometimes　at　night；　in　the　　woods；　i　thought　i　had　caught　a　glimpse　of　fauns　and　satyrs　dancing　a　long　way　off；　　but　when　i　came　to　the　place；　there　was　never　anything　there。　i　have　often　despaired；　　but　something　always　happens　to　start　me　hoping　again。　i　dont　know。　but　at　least　you　can　　try　to　be　a　king　like　the　high　king　peter　of　old；　and　not　like　your　uncle。鈥�

〃then　its　true　about　the　kings　and　queens　too；　and　about　the　white　witch？〃　　said　caspian。

〃certainly　it　is　true；〃　said　cornelius。　〃their　reign　was　the　golden　age　in　　narnia　and　the　land　has　never　forgotten　them。鈥�

〃did　they　live　in　this　castle；　doctor？鈥�

〃nay；　my　dear；〃　said　the　old　man。　〃this　castle　is　a　thing　of　yesterday。　　your　great…great…grandfather　built　it。　but　when　the　two　sons　of　adam　and　the　two　daughters　　of　eve　were　made　kings　and　queens　of　narnia　by　aslan　himself；　they　lived　in　the　castle　　of　cair　paravel。　no　man　alive　has　seen　that　blessed　place　and　perhaps　even　the　　ruins　of　it　have　now　vanished。　but　we　believe　it　was　far　from　here；　down　at　the　mouth　of　the　　great　river；　on　the　v