kv44最后一战 《最后一战》第25期:成功的夜袭(5)

《最后一战》第25期:成功的夜袭(5)  

"What are you doing
Sire?" asked Jewel sharply.
"Drawing my sword to smite off the head of the accursed Ass
" said Tirian in a terrible voice. "Stand clear
girl."
"Oh don't
please don't
" said Jill. "Really
you mustn't. It wasn't his fault. It was all the Ape. He didn't know any better. And he's very sorry. And he's a nice Donkey. His name's Puzzle. And I've got my arms round his neck."
"Jill
" said Tirian
"you are the bravest and most woodwise of all my subjects
but also the most malapert and disobedient. Well: let the Ass live. What have you to say for yourself
Ass?"
"Me
Sire?" came the Donkey's voice. "I'm sure I'm very sorry if I've done wrong. The Ape said Aslan wanted me to dress up like that. And I thought he'd know. I'm not clever like him. I only did what I was told. It wasn't any fun for me living in that stable. I don't even know what's been going on outside. He never let me out except for a minute or o at night. Some days they fot to give me any water too."
"Sire
" said Jewel. "Those Dwarfs are ing nearer and nearer. Do we want to meet them?"
Tirian thought for a moment and then suddenly gave a great laugh out loud. Then he spoke
not this time in a whisper. "By the Lion
" he said
"I am growing slow witted! Meet them? Certainly we will meet them. We will meet anyone now. We have this Ass to show them. Let them see the thing they have feared and bowed to. We can show them the truth of the Ape's vile plot. His secret's out. The tide's turned. Tomorrow we shall hang that Ape on the highest tree in Narnia. No more whispering and skulking and disguises. Where are these honest Dwarfs? We have good news for them."
When you have been whispering for hours the mere sound of anyone talking out loud has a wonderfully stirring effect. The whole party began talking and laughing: even Puzzle lifted up his head and gave a grand Haw-hee-haw-hee-hee; a thing the Ape hadn't allowed him to do for days. Then they set off in the direction of the drumming. It grew steadily louder and soon they could see torchlight as well. They came out on one of those rough roads (we should hardly call them roads at all in England) which ran through Lantern Waste. And there
marching sturdily along
were about thirty Dwarfs
all with their little spades and mattocks over their shoulders. Two armed Calormenes led the column and o more brought up the rear.
"Stay!" thundered Tirian as he stepped out on the road. "Stay
soldiers. Whither do you lead these Narnian Dwarfs and by whose orders?"