按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃nay；〃 said the king； 〃you loosed me from the tree： you glided before me like a snake last night in the wood and took puzzle： and you； eustace； killed your man。 but you are too young to share in such a bloody end as we others must meet tonight or； it may be； three days hence。 i entreat you … nay； i mand you … to return to your own place。 i should be put to shame if i let such young warriors fall in battle on my side。鈥�
〃no； no； no；〃 said jill （very white when she began speaking and then suddenly very red and then white again。） 〃we wont； i dont care what you say。 were going to stick to you whatever happens； arent we； eustace？鈥�
〃yes； but theres no need to get so worked up about it；〃 said eustace who had stuck his hands in his pockets （forgetting how very odd that looks when you are wearing a mail shirt）。 〃because； you see； we havent any choice。 whats the good of talking about our going back！ how？ weve got no magic for doing it！鈥�
this was very good sense but； at the moment； jill hated eustace for saying it。 he was fond of being dreadfully matter…of…fact when other people got excited。
when tirian realized that the two strangers could not get home （unless aslan suddenly whisked them away）； he next wanted them to go across the southern mountains into archenland where they might possibly be safe。 but they didnt know their way and there was no one to send with them。 also； as poggin said； once the calormenes had narnia they would certainly take archenland in the next week or so： the tisroc had always wanted to have these northern countries for his own。 in the end eustace and jill begged so hard that tirian said they could e with him and take their chance … or； as he much more sensibly called it； 〃the adventure that aslan would send them〃。
the kings first idea was that they should not go back to stable hill … they were sick of the very name of it by now till after dark。 but the dwarf told them that if they arrived there by daylight they would probably find the place deserted； except perhaps for a calormene sentry。 the beasts were far too frightened by what the ape （and ginger） had told them about this new angry aslan … or tashlan … to go near it except when they were called together for these horrible midnight meetings。 and calormenes are never good woodsmen。 poggin thought that even by daylight they could easily get round to somewhere behind the stable without being seen。 this would be much harder to do when the night had e and the ape might be calling the beasts together and all the calormenes were on duty。 and when the meeting did begin they could leave puzzle at the back of the stable； pletely out of sight； till the moment at which they wanted to produce him。 this was obviously a good thing： for their only chance was to give the narnians a sudden surprise。
everyone agreed and the whole party set off on a new line … north…west … towards the hated hill。 the eagle sometimes flew to and fro above them； sometimes he sat perched on puzzles back。 no one … not even the king himself except in some great need … would dream of riding on a unicorn。
this time jill and eustace walked together。 they had been feeling very brave when they were begging to be allowed to e with the others； but now they didnt feel brave at all。
〃pole；〃 said eustace in a whisper。 〃i may as well tell you ive got the wind up。鈥�
〃oh youre all right； scrubb；〃 said jill。 〃you can fight。 but i … im just shaking； if you want to know the truth。鈥�
〃oh shakings nothing；〃 said eustace。 〃im feeling im going to be sick。鈥�
〃dont talk about that； for goodness sake；〃 said jill。
they went on in silence for a minute or two。
〃pole；〃 said eustace presently。
〃what？〃 said she。
〃whatll happen if we get killed here？鈥�
〃well well be dead； i suppose。鈥�
〃but i mean； what will happen in our own world？ shall we wake up and find ourselves back in that train？ or shall we just vanish and never be heard of any more？ or shall we be dead in england？鈥�
〃gosh。 i never thought of that。鈥�
〃itll be rum for peter and the others if they saw me waving out of the window and then when the train es in were nowhere to be found！ or if they found two … i mean； if were dead over there in england。鈥�
〃ugh！〃 said jill。 〃what a horrid idea。鈥�
〃it wouldnt be horrid for us；〃 said eustace。 〃we shouldnt be there。鈥�
〃i almost wish … no i dont； though；〃 said jill。
〃what were you going to say？鈥�
〃i was going to say i wished wed never e。 but i dont； i dont； i dont。 even if we are killed。 id rather be killed fighting for narnia than grow old and stupid at home and perhaps go about in a bath…chair and then die in the end just the same。鈥�
〃or be smashed up by british railways！鈥�
〃why dyou say that？鈥�
〃well when that awful jerk came … the one that seemed to throw us into narnia … i thought it was the beginning of a railway accident。 so i was jolly glad to find ourselves here instead。鈥�
while jill and eustace were talking about this； the others were discussing their plans and being less miserable。 that was because they were now thinking of what was to be done this very night and the thought of what had happened to narnia … the thought that all her glories and joys were over … was pushed away into the back part of their minds。 the moment they stopped talking it would e out and make them wretched again： but they kept on talking。 poggin was really quite cheerful about the nights work they had to do。
he was sure that the boar and the bear； and probably all the dogs would e over to their side at once。 and he couldnt believe that all the other dwarfs would stick to griffle。
and fighting by firelight and in and out among trees would be an advantage to the weaker side。 and then； if they could win tonight； need they really throw their lives away by meeting the main calormene army a few days later？
why not hide in the woods； or even up in the western waste beyond the great waterfall and live like outlaws？ and then they might gradually get stronger and stronger； for talking beasts and archenlanders would be joining them every day。 and at last theyd e out of hiding and sweep the