《獅子女巫與魔衣櫥》第12章:彼得初戰告捷
WHILE the dwarf and the White Witch were saying this, miles away the Beavers and the children were walking on hour after hour into what seemed a delicious dream. Long ago they had left the coats behind them. And by now they had even stopped saying to one another, "Look! there's a kingfisher," or "I say, bluebells!" or "What was that lovely smell?" or "Just listen to that thrush!" They walked on in silence drinking it all in, passing through patches of warm sunlight into cool, green thickets and out again into wide mossy glades where tall elms raised the leafy roof far overhead, and then into dense masses of flowering currant and among hawthorn bushes where the sweet smell was almost overpowering.
They had been just as surprised as Edmund when they saw the winter vanishing and the whole wood passing in a few hours or so from January to May. They hadn't even known for certain (as the Witch did) that this was what would happen when Aslan came to Narnia. But they all knew that it was her spells which had produced the endless winter; and therefore they all knew when this magic spring began that something had gone wrong, and badly wrong, with the Witch's schemes. And after the thaw had been going on for some time they all realized that the Witch would no longer be able to use her sledge. After that they didn't hurry so much and they allowed themselves more rests and longer ones. They were pretty tired by now of course; but not what I'd call bitterly tired - only slow and feeling very dreamy and quiet inside as one does when one is coming to the end of a long day in the open. Susan had a slight blister on one heel.
They had left the course of the big river some time ago; for one had to turn a little to the right (that meant a little to the south) to reach the place of the Stone Table. Even if this had not been their way they couldn't have kept to the river valley once the thaw began, for with all that melting snow the river was soon in flood - a wonderful, roaring, thundering yellow flood - and their path would have been under water.
And now the sun got low and the light got redder and the shadows got longer and the flowers began to think about closing.
"Not long now," said Mr Beaver, and began leading them uphill across some very deep, springy moss (it felt nice under their tired feet) in a place where only tall trees grew, very wide apart. The climb, coming at the end of the long day, made them all pant and blow. And just as Lucy was wondering whether she could really get to the top without another long rest, suddenly they were at the top. And this is what they saw.
They were on a green open space from which you could look down on the forest spreading as far as one could see in every direction - except right ahead. There, far to the East, was something twinkling and moving. "By gum!" whispered Peter to Susan, "the sea!" In the very middle of this open hill-top was the Stone Table. It was a great grim slab of grey stone supported on four upright stones. It looked very old; and it was cut all over with strange lines and figures that might be the letters of an unknown language. They gave you a curious feeling when you looked at them. The next thing they saw was a pavilion pitched on one side of the open place. A wonderful pavilion it was - and especially now when the light of the setting sun fell upon it - with sides of what looked like yellow silk and cords of crimson and tent-pegs of ivory; and high above it on a pole a banner which bore a red rampant lion fluttering in the breeze which was blowing in their faces from the far-off sea. While they were looking at this they heard a sound of music on their right; and turning in that direction they saw what they had come to see.
Aslan stood in the centre of a crowd of creatures who had grouped themselves round him in the shape of a half-moon. There were Tree-Women there and Well-Women (Dryads and Naiads as they used to be called in our world) who had stringed instruments; it was they who had made the music. There were four great centaurs. The horse part of them was like huge English farm horses, and the man part was like stern but beautiful giants. There was also a unicorn, and a bull with the head of a man, and a pelican, and an eagle, and a great Dog. And next to Aslan stood two leopards of whom one carried his crown and the other his standard.
But as for Aslan himself, the Beavers and the children didn't know what to do or say when they saw him. People who have not been in Narnia sometimes think that a thing cannot be good and terrible at the same time. If the children had ever thought so, they were cured of it now. For when they tried to look at Aslan's face they just caught a glimpse of the golden mane and the great, royal, solemn, overwhelming eyes; and then they found they couldn't look at him and went all trembly.
"Go on," whispered Mr Beaver.
"No," whispered Peter, "you first."
"No, Sons of Adam before animals," whispered Mr Beaver back again.
"Susan," whispered Peter, "What about you? Ladies first."
"No, you're the eldest," whispered Susan. And of course the longer they went on doing this the more awkward they felt. Then at last Peter realized that it was up to him. He drew his sword and raised it to the salute and hastily saying to the others "Come on. Pull yourselves together," he advanced to the Lion and said:
"We have come - Aslan."
"Welcome, Peter, Son of Adam," said Aslan. "Welcome, Susan and Lucy, Daughters of Eve. Welcome He-Beaver and She-Beaver."
His voice was deep and rich and somehow took the fidgets out of them. They now felt glad and quiet and it didn't seem awkward to them to stand and say nothing.
"But where is the fourth?" asked Aslan.
"He has tried to betray them and joined the White Witch, O Aslan," said Mr Beaver. And then something made Peter say,
"That was partly my fault, Aslan. I was angry with him and I think that helped him to go wrong."
And Aslan said nothing either to excuse Peter or to blame him but merely stood looking at him with his great unchanging eyes. And it seemed to all of them that there was nothing to be said.
"Please - Aslan," said Lucy, "can anything be done to save Edmund?"
"All shall be done," said Aslan. "But it may be harder than you think." And then he was silent again for some time. Up to that moment Lucy had been thinking how royal and strong and peaceful his face looked; now it suddenly came into her head that he looked sad as well. But next minute that expression was quite gone. The Lion shook his mane and clapped his paws together ("Terrible paws," thought Lucy, "if he didn't know how to velvet them!") and said,
"Meanwhile, let the feast be prepared. Ladies, take these Daughters of Eve to the pavilion and minister to them."
When the girls had gone Aslan laid his paw - and though it was velveted it was very heavy - on Peter's shoulder and said, "Come, Son of Adam, and I will show you a far-off sight of the castle where you are to be King."
And Peter with his sword still drawn in his hand went with the Lion to the eastern edge of the hilltop. There a beautiful sight met their eyes. The sun was setting behind their backs. That meant that the whole country below them lay in the evening light - forest and hills and valleys and, winding away like a silver snake, the lower part of the great river. And beyond all this, miles away, was the sea, and beyond the sea the sky, full of clouds which were just turning rose colour with the reflection of the sunset. But just where the land of Narnia met the sea - in fact, at the mouth of the great river - there was something on a little hill, shining. It was shining because it was a castle and of course the sunlight was reflected from all the windows which looked towards Peter and the sunset; but to Peter it looked like a great star resting on the seashore.
"That, O Man," said Aslan, "is Cair Paravel of the four thrones, in one of which you must sit as King. I show it to you because you are the first-born and you will be High King over all the rest."
And once more Peter said nothing, for at that moment a strange noise woke the silence suddenly. It was like a bugle, but richer.
"It is your sister's horn," said Aslan to Peter in a low voice; so low as to be almost a purr, if it is not disrespectful to think of a Lion purring.
For a moment Peter did not understand. Then, when he saw all the other creatures start forward and heard Aslan say with a wave of his paw, "Back! Let the Prince win his spurs," he did understand, and set off running as hard as he could to the pavilion. And there he saw a dreadful sight.
The Naiads and Dryads were scattering in every direction. Lucy was running towards him as fast as her short legs would carry her and her face was as white as paper. Then he saw Susan make a dash for a tree, and swing herself up, followed by a huge grey beast. At first Peter thought it was a bear. Then he saw that it looked like an Alsatian, though it was far too big to be a dog. Then he realized that it was a wolf - a wolf standing on its hind legs, with its front paws against the tree-trunk, snapping and snarling. All the hair on its back stood up on end. Susan had not been able to get higher than the second big branch. One of her legs hung down so that her foot was only an inch or two above the snapping teeth. Peter wondered why she did not get higher or at least take a better grip; then he realized that she was just going to faint and that if she fainted she would fall off.
Peter did not feel very brave; indeed, he felt he was going to be sick. But that made no difference to what he had to do. He rushed straight up to the monster and aimed a slash of his sword at its side. That stroke never reached the Wolf. Quick as lightning it turned round, its eyes flaming, and its mouth wide open in a howl of anger. If it had not been so angry that it simply had to howl it would have got him by the throat at once. As it was - though all this happened too quickly for Peter to think at all - he had just time to duck down and plunge his sword, as hard as he could, between the brute's forelegs into its heart. Then came a horrible, confused moment like something in a nightmare. He was tugging and pulling and the Wolf seemed neither alive nor dead, and its bared teeth knocked against his forehead, and everything was blood and heat and hair. A moment later he found that the monster lay dead and he had drawn his sword out of it and was straightening his back and rubbing the sweat off his face and out of his eyes. He felt tired all over.
Then, after a bit, Susan came down the tree. She and Peter felt pretty shaky when they met and I won't say there wasn't kissing and crying on both sides. But in Narnia no one thinks any the worse of you for that.
"Quick! Quick!" shouted the voice of Aslan. "Centaurs! Eagles! I see another wolf in the thickets. There - behind you. He has just darted away. After him, all of you. He will be going to his mistress. Now is your chance to find the Witch and rescue the fourth Son of Adam." And instantly with a thunder of hoofs and beating of wings a dozen or so of the swiftest creatures disappeared into the gathering darkness.
Peter, still out of breath, turned and saw Aslan close at hand.
"You have forgotten to clean your sword," said Aslan.
It was true. Peter blushed when he looked at the bright blade and saw it all smeared with the Wolf's hair and blood. He stooped down and wiped it quite clean on the grass, and then wiped it quite dry on his coat.
"Hand it to me and kneel, Son of Adam," said Aslan. And when Peter had done so he struck him with the flat of the blade and said, "Rise up, Sir Peter Wolf's-Bane. And, whatever happens, never forget to wipe your sword."
Now we must get back to Edmund. When he had been made to walk far further than he had ever known that anybody could walk, the Witch at last halted in a dark valley all overshadowed with fir trees and yew trees. Edmund simply sank down and lay on his face doing nothing at all and not even caring what was going to happen next provided they would let him lie still. He was too tired even to notice how hungry and thirsty he was. The Witch and the dwarf were talking close beside him in low tones.
"No," said the dwarf, "it is no use now, O Queen. They must have reached the Stone Table by now."
"Perhaps the Wolf will smell us out and bring us news," said the Witch.
"It cannot be good news if he does," said the dwarf.
"Four thrones in Cair Paravel," said the Witch. "How if only three were filled? That would not fulfil the prophecy."
"What difference would that make now that He is here?" said the dwarf. He did not dare, even now, to mention the name of Aslan to his mistress.
"He may not stay long. And then - we would fall upon the three at Cair."
"Yet it might be better," said the dwarf, "to keep this one" (here he kicked Edmund) "for bargaining with."
或“聽聽那隻畫眉！”他們默默走着，深深陶醉其中，從暖和的太陽地裏走進陰涼、碧綠的灌木叢中、又走到寬闊、長滿苔蘚的林間空地，空地上高高的榆樹當頭搭起枝葉茂密的綠蔭，然後他們又走進密密麻麻一大片開着花的紅醋栗中，走到山楂叢中，那兒的香味幾乎能醉倒人。
他們眼看冬天消失，整個森林在幾小時內就從一月到了五月，也跟愛德蒙一樣感到驚奇。他們甚至沒有像妖婆那樣肯定這是阿斯蘭到了納尼亞纔會出現的事，但他們都知道是妖婆的咒語變出了沒完沒了的冬天；因此他們全知道這個不可思議的春天一開始，妖婆的陰謀詭計就失敗了，而且大大失敗了。融雪持續了一段時間，他們大家都明白妖婆再也不能用雪橇了。此後他們就不再匆匆忙忙趕路，也容許自己多休息幾回，休息時間更長一些。他們眼下當然很疲勞；但不是那種所謂筋疲力盡——只是沒精打采，覺得恍恍惚惚的，而且心裏很平靜，就像在戶外待了漫長一天，終於到頭時的感覺。蘇珊一隻腳後跟磨起了一個小水皰。
他們早就離開了那條大河的河道，因爲必需稍稍往右轉(就是說稍稍向南)才能到達石桌那兒。即使這條路不是他們該走的路，一旦融雪開始，他們也不能老沿着河谷走，因爲有了那麼多融雪，河裏很快就發大水了——一股來勢驚人、咆哮轟鳴的黃濁洪水——他們走的小路就會淹在水裏了。
這會兒太陽快下山了，天色更紅，影子也拉長了，花兒也開始要收攏了。
“現在不遠了。”海狸先生說着開始帶領他們上山，穿過一段深深的、鬆軟的青苔(他們疲勞的雙腳踩在上面倒覺得很舒服)，那地方只稀稀拉拉長着一些高大的樹木。在漫長的白天結束時爬山，大家都喘不過氣來。露茜心裏正在想，不好好休息一陣子，自己能不能爬上山頂；但突然間，他們就到山頂上了。
他們站在一片綠油油的空地上，在那兒你可以俯瞰森林，除了正前方，目光所及都是綿延不絕的森林。東邊遠處，有什麼東西閃閃發亮，還在晃動。“天哪！”彼得悄聲對蘇珊說，“大海！”山頂這塊空地的正中就是石桌。那是一塊很大的灰色石板，下面撐着四塊筆直的石頭。石桌看上去年代悠久，上面刻滿了奇怪的線條和符號，可能是一種無名語言的字母吧。你看着這些符號．一種好奇的感覺就會油然而生。他們看到的第二件東西是空地一邊搭起的一個帳篷，那是一個奇妙的帳篷——尤其是這會兒落日的餘暉正照在帳篷上——帳篷面子看上去像杏黃緞子，深紅的繩索，象牙色的帳篷樁；帳篷的支柱上，高高掛着一面繡着一隻騰躍的紅色獅子的旗子，正迎風飄揚，這陣從遠處海面吹來的微風也輕拂着他們的臉。他們正看着這帳篷，只聽見右面傳來一陣音樂，便不由向那邊轉過身去，這纔看見了他們特地來看的東西。
阿斯蘭站在一羣生物中間，它們圍着它形成一個半月形。有樹精和水精(在我們的世界裏稱爲森林女神和水仙女)，她們都有絃樂器;音樂就是她們演奏的。有四隻巨大的人頭馬，身體像英國飼養場裏的駿馬，頭部像嚴厲而俊美的巨人。還有一匹獨角獸，一匹人頭牛，一隻鵜鶘，一隻鷹和一條大狗。阿斯蘭身邊站着兩頭豹，一頭拿着它的王冠，另一頭舉着它的旗幟。
說到阿斯蘭，海狸夫婦和孩子們都不知道看見它時該怎麼辦、怎麼說。沒有到過納尼亞的人往往認爲決不會有好人讓人見了害怕的。如果孩子們以前這麼認爲，眼下他們已經糾正了這種想法。因爲當他們想看看阿斯蘭的臉時，只看了一眼金色的鬃毛和那雙威武、高貴、莊嚴、懾人的眼睛，他們就覺得自己不能正眼看它了，大家都不禁在發抖。
“去吧。”海狸先生悄聲說。
“不，”彼得悄聲說，“你先走。”
“不，亞當的兒子走在動物前面。”海狸先生又悄悄回了他一句。
“蘇珊，”彼得悄聲說，“你怎麼樣？女土先走嘛。”
“不，你年齡最大。”蘇珊悄聲說。當然他們這樣拖得越長，就越感到尷尬。後來彼得才終於明白這事全靠他了。他抽出劍來，舉斂致敬，匆匆對其他幾個說：“快來吧，你們定下神來。”他向獅王走去，說道：
“我們來了——阿斯蘭。”
“歡迎，彼得，亞當的兒子，”阿斯蘭說，“歡迎，蘇珊和露茜，夏娃的女兒。歡迎，公海狸和母海狸。”
它的聲音深沉、圓潤，不知怎麼竟消除了他們的不安。他們如今只覺得又高興又平靜，站在那兒不說話也不覺得尷尬了。
“可是第四個在哪兒呢？”阿斯蘭問。
“他想要出賣他們，投靠白妖婆，哦，阿斯蘭。”海狸先生說。於是彼得只好說：
“這事多少得怪我，阿斯蘭。我對他發脾氣，我想那反而促使他變壞了。”
阿斯蘭不吭聲，既沒說原諒彼得，也沒責怪他，只是站在那兒，金色的大眼睛直望着他。大夥覺得似乎沒什麼可說的了。
“請問——阿斯蘭，”露茜說，“有什麼辦法救救愛德蒙嗎？”
“要想盡辦法，”阿斯蘭說，“不過這事可能比你們想象的更困難。”接着它又沉默了一會。直到那一刻，露茜還始終認爲它的臉看上去多麼高貴、剛毅、寧靜；如今她突然發覺它看上去也很憂傷。不過這種神情一會兒就過去了。獅王搖搖鬃毛，兩隻爪子一拍(露茜想，“要是它不知道剛中帶柔，這對爪子可嚇人呢。”)，開口說道：
“現在準備好宴席，女士們，把夏娃的女兒帶到帳篷裏去，照顧好她們。”
女孩子走了以後，阿斯蘭伸出一隻爪子擱在彼得肩膀上——雖然動作輕柔，卻十分有力——說道，“來吧，亞當的兒子，我將指給你看你將來當國王的那座城堡的遠景。”
彼得仍然一手握劍，跟着獅王一起來到山頂的東邊。一幅美景出現在他們眼前。太陽已經落在他們背後。他們下面的整個國土都籠罩在暮色中——森林和小山，山谷，以及像條銀蛇般蜿蜒流過的大河的下游。那邊幾英里以外是大海，大海以外是天空，落日映照下滿是玫瑰色的雲層。但就在納尼亞國土近海的地方——其實就是那條大河的入海口——
有什麼東西屹立在一座小山上閃閃發光。因爲這是一座城堡，朝彼得這邊的窗戶當然都映出落日的餘輝；不過彼得覺得城堡就像海岸上的一顆大星星。 # ]# ,
“男子漢啊，”阿斯蘭說，“那就是有四個寶座的凱爾帕拉維爾，你必須以國王的身分坐上其中一個寶座。我指給你看是因爲你是老大，你要當個地位高於其他人的至尊王。”
彼得又一次什麼也沒說，因爲這時一種奇怪的聲音突然打破了這片沉默。像一隻軍號，不過聲音更圓潤。
“這是你妹妹的號角，”阿斯蘭低聲對彼得說，如果說獅子咕嚕咕嚕叫不算大不敬的話，那麼這聲音低得簡直就是咕嚕咕嚕的。
彼得一時不明白。後來，他看見所有的生物都擁上前來，只聽得阿斯蘭揮揮爪子說：“退下！讓王子立個頭功吧。”
他才明白，於是他飛快地奔向帳篷。在那兒，他看見了一幕可怕的情景。
水仙女和森林女神正四下奔逃。露茜臉色蒼白，撒開兩條短腿朝他跑來。接着他看見蘇珊向一棵樹衝去，縱身爬上了樹，後面有一頭灰色的巨獸在追她。開頭彼得以爲那是一隻熊。後來他看出這頭野獸很像一條德國狼狗，然而又比狗大多了。後來他纔想到這是一匹狼——一匹狼後腿站着，前爪撲在樹幹上又咬又吼，背上的毛根根豎起。蘇珊只攀上第二根大樹枝，再也沒法爬高。她一條腿吊在下面，這隻腳離開亂咬的狼牙只有一兩英寸。彼得不知道她爲什麼不爬得高一點，至少也要抓牢些嘛；後來他才明白她快暈過去了，如果她暈過去，那就會摔下來。
彼得並不覺得自己十分勇敢；說真的，他感到自己快要嘔吐了。不過這並不影響他的使命，他筆直衝向那頭猛獸，瞄準它肋間猛刺一劍。這一下子並沒刺中那匹狼。它閃電般轉過身來，眼睛兇焰灼人，嘴巴張得老大，狂嚎一陣。要不是它怒氣衝衝，非得嚎叫一通才痛快，它就會立刻咬住彼得的喉嚨了。事實上——儘管這一切都太快，彼得根本來不及想——他只來得及彎下身子，使盡渾身力氣，把劍刺進那猛獸前腿之間，刺中了心臟。接下來一段工夫又可怕又混亂，就像惡夢中的情景。他用力拖啊，拉啊，那匹狼既不像死了，也不像活着，露出一口利牙磕在他的額頭上，一切都沾滿了血、熱氣和皮毛。又過了一會，他才發現那頭巨獸已經倒地死去。他拔出劍，挺直腰板，擦去滿頭滿臉的開。他覺得累壞了。過了一會兒，蘇珊才從樹上下來。她見到彼得時兩人都覺得有點搖搖晃晃。不用說，雙方見了不免又是親吻又是哭泣。不過在納尼亞，沒人會爲這事而把你往壞處想的。
“快！快！”只聽得阿斯蘭的聲音在大聲喊叫，“人頭馬！雄鷹！我看見灌木叢中還有一匹狼。瞧——在你們後面！它要到它的女主人那兒去了。現在正是你們找到妖婆和救出第四個亞當的兒子的好機會。”話音剛落，頓時響起一陣雷鳴般的馬蹄聲和翅膀撲棱聲，約有十幾只動作最迅速的動物消失在暮色中。
彼得還沒喘過氣來，轉過身，看見阿斯蘭就在他身邊。
你忘了把劍擦乾淨。”阿斯蘭說。
這話不錯，彼得看到那把光亮的劍已經被狼的毛和血弄污了，不由漲紅了臉。他彎下腰，在草地上把劍擦乾淨，再在自己衣服上把劍擦乾。
“把劍遞給我，跪下，亞當的兒子。”阿斯蘭說。彼得遵命跪下以後，它用劍的平面拍了他一下，說道，“起來吧，彼得·
芬瑞斯—貝思閣下。不管出了什麼事，永遠別忘記擦乾淨你的劍。”
