The Last Battle-第25章

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　quite　impossible　in　our　world。　even　if　you　　hadnt　been　drowned；　you　would　have　been　smashed　to　pieces　by　the　terrible　weight　of　　water　against　the　countless　jags　of　rock。　but　in　that　world　you　could　do　it。　you　went　on；　　up　and　up；　with　all　kinds　of　reflected　lights　flashing　at　you　from　the　water　and　all　　manner　of　coloured　stones　flashing　through　it；　till　it　seemed　as　if　you　were　climbing　　up　light　itself　…　and　always　higher　and　higher　till　the　sense　of　height　would　have　terrified　　you　if　you　could　be　terrified；　but　later　it　was　only　gloriously　exciting。　and　then　at　　last　one　came　to　the　lovely；　smooth　green　curve　in　which　the　water　poured　over　the　top　and　　found　that　one　was　out　on　the　level　river　above　the　waterfall。　the　current　was　racing　away　　behind　you；　　

but　you　were　such　a　wonderful　swimmer　that　you　could　make　headway　against　　it。　soon　they　were　all　on　the　bank；　dripping　buthappy。

a　long　valley　opened　ahead　and　great　snow…mountains；　now　much　nearer；　stood　　up　against　the　sky。

〃further　up　and　further　in；〃　cried　jewel　and　instantly　they　were　off　again。

they　were　out　of　narnia　now　and　up　into　the　western　wild　which　neither　　tirian　nor　peter　nor　even　the　eagle　had　ever　seen　before。　but　the　lord　digory　and　the　　lady　polly　had。　〃do　you　remember？　do　you　remember？〃　they　said　…　and　said　it　in　steady　　voices　too；　without　panting；　though　the　whole　party　was　now　running　faster　than　an　　arrow　flies。

〃what；　lord？〃　said　tirian。　〃is　it　then　true；　as　stories　tell；　that　you　two　　journeyed　here　on　the　very　day　the　world　was　made？”

〃yes；〃　said　digory；　〃and　it　seems　to　me　as　if　it　were　only　yesterday。”

〃and　on　a　flying　horse？〃　asked　tirian。　〃is　that　part　true？”

〃certainly；〃　said　digory。　but　the　dogs　barked；　〃faster；　faster！”

so　they　ran　faster　and　faster　till　it　was　more　like　flying　than　running；　　and　even　the　eagle　overhead　was　going　no　faster　than　they。　and　they　went　through　winding　　valley　after　winding　valley　and　up　the　steep　sides　of　hills　and；　faster　than　ever；　down　　the　other　side；　following　the　river　and　sometimes　crossing　it　and　skimming　across　　mountainlakes　as　if　they　were　living　speed…boats；　till　at　last　at　the　far　end　of　one　long　lake　　which　looked　as　blue　as　a　turquoise；　they　saw　a　smooth　green　hill。　its　sides　were　as　steep　　as　the　sides　of　a　pyramid　and　round　the　very　top　of　it　ran　a　green　wall：　but　above　the　wall　　rose　the　branches　of　trees　whose　leaves　looked　like　silver　and　their　fruit　like　　gold。

〃further　up　and　further　in！〃　roared　the　unicorn；　and　no　one　held　back。　they　　charged　straight　at　the　foot　of　the　hill　and　then　found　themselves　running　up　it　　almost　as　water　from　a　broken　wave　runs　up　a　rock　out　at　the　point　of　some　bay。　though　the　　slope　was　nearly　as　steep　as　the　roof　of　a　house　and　the　grass　was　smooth　as　a　　bowling　green；　no　one　slipped。　only　when　they　had　reached　the　very　top　did　they　slow　up；　that　　was　because　they　found　themselves　facing　great　golden　gates。　and　for　a　moment　none　of　　them　was　bold　enough　to　try　if　the　gates　would　open。　they　all　felt　just　as　they　had　　felt　about　the　fruit　〃dare　we？　is　it　right？　can　it　be　meant　for　us？”

but　while　they　were　standing　thus　a　great　horn；　wonderfully　loud　and　sweet；　　blew　from　somewhere　inside　that　walled　garden　and　the　gates　swung　open。

tirian　stood　holding　his　breath　and　wondering　who　would　e　out。　and　what　　came　was　the　last　thing　he　had　expected：　a　little；　sleek；　bright…eyed　talking　mouse　　with　a　red　　

feather　stuck　in　a　circlet　on　its　head　and　its　left　paw　resting　on　a　long　　sword。　it　bowed；　a　most　beautiful　bow；　and　said　in　its　shrill　voice：　　〃wele；　in　the　lions　name。　e　further　up　and　further　in。”

then　tirian　saw　king　peter　and　king　edmund　and　queen　lucy　rush　forward　to　　kneel　down　and　greet　the　mouse　and　they　all　cried　out　〃reepicheep！〃　and　tirian　　breathed　fast　with　the　sheer　wonder　of　it；　for　now　he　knew　that　he　was　looking　at　one　of　　the　great　heroes　of　narnia；　reepicheep　the　mouse　who　had　fought　at　the　great　battle　　of　beruna　and　afterwards　sailed　to　the　worlds　end　with　king　caspian　the　seafarer。　　but　before　he　had　had　much　time　to　think　of　this　he　felt　two　strong　arms　thrown　about　him　　and　felt　a　bearded　kiss　on　his　cheeks　and　heard　a　well　remembered　voice　saying：　　〃what；　lad？　art　thicker　and　taller　since　i　last　touched　thee！”

it　was　his　own　father；　the　good　king　erlian：　but　not　as　tirian　had　seen　him　　last　when　they　brought　him　home　pale　and　wounded　from　his　fight　with　the　giant；　nor　even　　as　tirian　remembered　him　in　his　later　years　when　he　was　a　grey…headed　warrior。　this　　was　his　father；　young　and　merry；　as　he　could　just　remember　him　from　very　early　days　　when　he　himself　had　been　a　little　boy　playing　games　with　his　father　in　the　castle　　garden　at　cair　paravel；　just　before　bedtime　on　summer　evenings。　the　very　smell　of　the　　bread…and…milk　he　used　to　have　for　supper　came　back　to　him。

jewel　thought　to　himself；　〃i　will　leave　them　to　talk　for　a　little　and　then　　i　will　go　and　greet　the　good　king　erlian。　many　a　bright　apple　has　he　given　me　when　i　was　but　a　　colt。〃　but　next　moment　he　had　something　else　to　think　of；　for　out　of　the　gateway　there　　came　a　horse　so　mighty　and　noble　that　even　a　unicorn　might　feel　shy　in　its　presence：　a　　great　winged　horse。　it　looked　a　moment　at　the　lord　digory　and　the　lady　polly　and　neighed　　out　〃what；　cousins！〃　and　they　both　shouted　〃fledge！　good　old　fledge！〃　and　rushed　to　　kiss　it。

but　by　now　the　mouse　was　again　urging　them　to　e　in。　so　all　of　them　　passed　in　through　the　golden　gates；　into　the　delicious　smell　that　blew　towards　them　　out　of　that　garden　and　into　the　cool　mixture　of　sunlight　and　shadow　under　the　trees；　　walking　on　springy　turf　that　was　all　dotted　with　white　flowers。　the　very　first　thing　　which　struck　everyone　was　that　the　place　was　far　larger　than　it　had　seemed　from　outside。　　but　no　one　had　time　to　think　about　that　for　people　were　ing　up　to　meet　the　　newers　from　every　direction。

everyone　you　had　ever　heard　of　（if　you　knew　the　history　of　these　countries）　　seemed　to　be　there。　there　was　glimfeather　the　owl　and　puddleglum　the　marshwiggle；　and　　king　rilian　the　disenchanted；　and　his　mother　the　stars　daughter　and　his　great　father　　caspian　himself。

and　close　beside　him　were　the　lord　drinian　and　the　lord　berne　and　trumpkin　　the　dwarf　and　truffle…hunter　the　good　badger　with　glenstorm　the　centaur　and　a　　hundred　other　heroes　of　the　great　war　of　deliverance。　and　then　from　another　side　　came　cor　the　king　of　archenland　with　king　lune　his　father　and　his　wife　queen　aravis　and　　the　brave　prince　corin　thunder…fist；　his　brother；　and　bree　the　horse　and　hwin　the　　mare。　and　then　　

…　which　was　a　wonder　beyond　all　wonders　to　tirian　…　there　came　from　further　　away　in　the　past；　the　two　good　beavers　and　tumnus　the　faun。　and　there　was　greeting　and　　kissing　and　hand…shaking　and　old　jokes　revived；　（youve　no　idea　how　good　an　old　　joke　sounds　when　you　take　it　out　again　after　a　rest　of　five　or　six　hundred　years）　and　　the　whole　pany　moved　forward　to　the　centre　of　the　orchard　where　the　phoeniat　in　　a　tree　and　looked　down　upon　them　all；　and　at　the　foot　of　that　tree　were　two　thrones　　and　in　those　two　thrones　a　king　and　queen　so　great　and　beautiful　that　everyone　bowed　down　　before　them。

and　well　they　might；　for　these　two　were　king　frank　and　queen　helen　from　　whom　all　the　most　ancient　kings　of　narnia　and　archenland　are　descended。　and　tirian　felt　　as　you　would　feel　if　you　were　brought　before　adam　and　eve　in　all　their　glory。

about　half　an　hour　later　…　or　it　might　have　been　half　a　hundred　years　　later；　for　time　there　is　not　like　time　here　…　lucy　stood　with　her　dear　friend；　her　oldest　narnian　　friend；　the　faun　tumnus；　looking　down　over　the　wall　of　that　garden；　and　seeing　all　narnia　　spread　out　below。　but　when　you　looked　down　you　found　that　this　hill　was　much　higher　　than　you　had　thought：　it　sank　down　with　shining　cliffs；　thousands　of　feet　below　them　and　　trees　in　that　lower　world　looked　no　bigger　than　grains　of　green　salt。　then　she　turned　　inward　again　and　stood　with　her　back　to　the　wall　and　looked　at　the　garden。

〃i　see；〃　she　said　at　last；　thoughtfully。　〃i　see　now。　this　garden　is　like　　the　stable。　it　is　far　bigger　inside　than　it　was　outside。”

〃of　course；　daughter　of　eve；〃　said　the　faun。　〃the　further　up　and　the　　further　in　you　go；　the　bigger　everything　gets。　the　inside　is　larger　than　the　outside。”

lucy　looked　hard　at　the　garden　and　saw　that　it　was　not　really　a　garden　but　　a　whole　world；　with　its　own　rivers　and　woods　and　sea　and　mountains。　but　they　were　not　　strange：　she　knew　them　all。

〃i　see；〃　she　said。　〃this　is　still　narnia；　and　more　real　and　more　beautiful　　then　the　narnia　down　below；　just　as　it　was　more　real　and　more　beautiful　than　the　narnia　　outside　the　stable　door！　i　see。。。　world　within　world；　narnia　within　narnia。。。”

〃yes；〃　said　mr　tumnus；　〃like　an　onion：　except　that　as　you　go　in　and　in；　　each　circle　is　larger　than　the　last。”

and　lucy　looked　this　way　and　that　and　soon　found　that　a　new　and　beautiful　　thing　had　happened　to　her。　whatever　she　looked　at；　however　far　away　it　might　be；　once　　she　had　fixed　her　eyes　steadily　on　it；　became　quite　clear　and　close　as　if　she　were　　looking　through　a　telescope。　she　could　see　the　whole　southern　desert　and　beyond　it　the　　great　city　of　tas