PRINCE CASPIAN 第6部分

theirnextvisitwastothesevenbrothersofshudderingwood.trumpkinledthewaybacktothesaddleandthendowneastwardonthenorthernslopeofthemountainstilltheycametoaverysolemnplaceamongrocksandfirtrees.theywentveryquietlyandpresentlycaspiancouldfeelthegroundshakeunderhisfeetasifsomeonewerehammeringdownbelow.trumpkinwenttoaflatstoneaboutthesizeofthetopofawater-butt,andstampedonitwithhisfoot.afteralongpauseitwasmovedawaybysomeoneorsomethingunderneath,andtherewasadark,roundholewithagooddealofheatandsteamcomingoutofitandinthemiddleoftheholetheheadofadwarfveryliketrumpkinhimself.therewasalongtalkhereandthedwarfseemedmoresuspiciousthanthesquirrelorthebulgybearshadbeen,butintheendthewholepartywereinvitedtocomedown.caspianfoundhimselfdescendingadarkstairwayintotheearth,butwhenhecametothebottomhesawfirelight.itwasthelightofafurnace.thewholeplacewasasmithy.asubterraneanstreamranpastononesideofit.twodwarfswereatthebellows,anotherwasholdingapieceofred-hotmetalontheanvilwithapairoftongs,afourthwashammeringit,andtwo,wipingtheirhornylittlehandsonagreasycloth,werecomingforwardtomeetthevisitors.ittooksometimetosatisfythemthatcaspianwasafriendandnotanenemy,butwhentheydid,theyallcried,"longlivetheking,"andtheirgiftswerenoble-mailshirtsandhelmetsandswordsforcaspianandtrumpkinandnikabrik.thebadgercouldhavehadthesameifhehadliked,buthesaidhewasabeast,hewas,andifhisclawsandteethcouldnotkeephisskinwhole,itwasntworthkeeping.theworkmanshipofthearmswasfarfinerthananycaspianhadeverseen,andhegladlyacceptedthedwarf-madeswordinsteadofhisown,whichlooked,incomparison,asfeebleasatoyandasclumsyasastick.thesevenbrothers(whowereallreddwarfs)promisedtocometothefeastatdancinglawn.

alittlefartheron,inadry,rockyravinetheyreachedthecaveoffiveblackdwarfs.

theylookedsuspiciouslyatcaspian,butintheendtheeldestofthemsaid,"ifheisagainstmiraz,wellhavehimforking."andthenextoldestsaid,"shallwegofartherupforyou,uptothecrags?theresanogreortwoandahagthatwecouldintroduceyouto,upthere.”

"certainlynot,"saidcaspian.

"ishouldthinknot,indeed,"saidtrufflehunter."wewantnoneofthatsortonourside.”

nikabrikdisagreedwiththis,buttrumpkinandthebadgeroverruledhim.itgavecaspianashocktorealizethatthehorriblecreaturesoutoftheoldstories,aswellastheniceones,hadsomedescendantsinnarniastill.

"weshouldnothaveaslanforfriendifwebroughtinthatrabble,"saidtrufflehunterastheycameawayfromthecaveoftheblackdwarfs.

"oh,aslan!"saidtrumpkin,cheerilybutcontemptuously."whatmattersmuchmoreisthatyouwouldnthaveme.”

"doyoubelieveinaslan?"saidcaspiantonikabrik.

"illbelieveinanyoneoranything,"saidnikabrik,"thatllbatterthesecursedtelmarinebarbarianstopiecesordrivethemoutofnarnia.anyoneoranything,aslanorthewhitewitch,doyouunderstand?”

"silence,silence,"saidtrufflehunter."youdonotknowwhatyouaresaying.shewasaworseenemythanmirazandallhisrace.”

"nottodwarfs,shewasnt,"saidnikabrik.

theirnextvisitwasapleasanterone.astheycamelowerdown,themountainsopenedoutintoagreatglenorwoodedgorgewithaswiftriverrunningatthebottom.theopenplacesneartheriversedgewereamassoffoxglovesandwildrosesandtheairwasbuzzingwithbees.heretrufflehuntercalledagain,"glenstorm!glenstorm!"andafterapausecaspianheardthesoundofhoofs.itgrewloudertillthevalleytrembledandatlast,breakingandtramplingthethickets,therecameinsightthenoblestcreaturesthatcaspianhadyetseen,thegreatcentaurglenstormandhisthreesons.hisflankswereglossychestnutandthebeardthatcoveredhisbroadchestwasgoldenred.hewasaprophetandastar-gazerandknewwhattheyhadcomeabout.

"longlivetheking,"hecried."iandmysonsarereadyforwar.whenisthebattletobejoined?”

uptillnowneithercaspiannortheothershadreallybeenthinkingofawar.theyhadsomevagueidea,perhaps,ofanoccasionalraidonsomehumanfarmsteadorofattackingapartyofhunters,ifitventuredtoofarintothesesouthernwilds.but,inthemain,theyhadthoughtonlyoflivingtothemselvesinwoodsandcavesandbuildingupanattemptatoldnarniainhiding.assoonasglenstormhadspokeneveryonefeltmuchmoreserious.

"doyoumeanarealwartodrivemirazoutofnarnia?"askedcaspian.

"whatelse?"saidthecentaur."whyelsedoesyourmajestygocladinmailandgirtwithsword?”

"isitpossible,glenstorm?"saidthebadger.

"thetimeisripe,"saidglenstorm."iwatchtheskies,badger,foritisminetowatch,asitisyourstoremember.tarvaandalambilhavemetinthehallsofhighheaven,andonearthasonofadamhasoncemorearisentoruleandnamethecreatures.thehourhasstruck.ourcouncilatthedancinglawnmustbeacouncilofwar."hespokeinsuchavoicethatneithercaspiannortheothershesitatedforamoment:itnowseemedtothemquitepossiblethattheymightwinawarandquitecertainthattheymustwageone.

asitwasnowpastthemiddleoftheday,theyrestedwiththecentaursandatesuchfoodasthecentaursprovidedcakesofoatenmeal,andapples,andherbs,andwine,andcheese.

thenextplacetheyweretovisitwasquitenearathand,buttheyhadtogoalongwayroundinordertoavoidaregioninwhichmenlived.itwaswellintotheafternoonbeforetheyfoundthemselvesinlevelfields,warmbetweenhedgerows.theretrufflehuntercalledatthemouthofalittleholeinagreenbankandoutpoppedthelastthingcaspianexpected-atalkingmouse.hewasofcoursebiggerthanacommonmouse,welloverafoothighwhenhestoodonhishindlegs,andwithearsnearlyaslongas(thoughbroaderthan)arabbits.hisnamewasreepicheepandhewasagayandmartialmouse.heworeatinylittlerapierathissideandtwirledhislongwhiskersasiftheywereamoustache.

"therearetwelveofus,sire,"hesaidwithadashingandgracefulbow,"andiplacealltheresourcesofmypeopleunreservedlyatyourmajestysdisposal."caspiantriedhard(andsuccessfully)nottolaugh,buthecouldnthelpthinkingthatreepicheepandallhispeoplecouldveryeasilybeputinawashingbasketandcarriedhomeononesback.

itwouldtaketoolongtomentionallthecreatureswhomcaspianmetthatday-clodsleyshovelthemole,thethreehardbiters(whowerebadgersliketrufflehunter),camillothehare,andhogglestockthehedgehog.theyrestedatlastbesideawellattheedgeofawideandlevelcircleofgrass,borderedwithtallelmswhichnowthrewlongshadowsacrossit,forthesunwassetting,thedaisiesclosing,andtherooksflyinghometobed.

heretheysuppedonfoodtheyhadbroughtwiththemandtrumpkinlithispipe(nikabrikwasnotasmoker).

"now,"saidthebadger,"ifonlywecouldwakethespiritsofthesetreesandthiswell,weshouldhavedoneagooddayswork.”

"cantwe?"saidcaspian.

"no,"saidtrufflehunter."wehavenopoweroverthem.sincethehumanscameintotheland,fellingforestsanddefilingstreams,thedryadsandnaiadshavesunkintoadeepsleep.whoknowsifevertheywillstiragain?andthatisagreatlosstoourside.thetelmarinesarehorriblyafraidofthewoods,andoncethetreesmovedinanger,ourenemieswouldgomadwithfrightandbechasedoutofnarniaasquickastheirlegscouldcarrythem.”

"whatimaginationsyouanimalshave!"saidtrumpkin,whodidntbelieveinsuchthings."butwhystopattreesandwaters?wouldntitbeevennicerifthestonesstartedthrowingthemselvesatoldmiraz?”

thebadgeronlygruntedatthis,andafterthattherewassuchasilencethatcaspianhadnearlydroppedofftosleepwhenhethoughtheheardafaintmusicalsoundfromthedepthofthewoodsathisback.thenhethoughtitwasonlyadreamandturnedoveragain;butassoonashiseartouchedthegroundhefeltorheard(itwashardtotellwhich)afaintbeatingordrumming.heraisedhishead.thebeatingnoiseatonce

becamefainter,butthemusicreturned,clearerthistime.itwaslikeflutes.hesawthattrufflehunterwassittingupstaringintothewood.themoonwasbright;caspianhadbeenasleeplongerthanhethought.nearerandnearercamethemusic,atunewildandyetdreamy,andthenoiseofmanylightfeet,tillatlast,outfromthewoodintothemoonlight,camedancingshapessuchascaspianhadbeenthinkingofallhislife.theywerenotmuchtallerthandwarfs,butfarslighterandmoregraceful.theircurlyheadshadlittlehorns,theupperpartoftheirbodiesgleamednakedinthepalelight,buttheirlegsandfeetwerethoseofgoats.

"fauns!"criedcaspian,jumpingup,andinamomenttheywereallroundhim.ittooknexttonotimetoexplainthewholesituationtothemandtheyacceptedcaspianatonce.

beforeheknewwhathewasdoinghefoundhimselfjoininginthedance.trumpkin,withheavierandjerkiermovements,didlikewiseandeventrufflehunterhoppedandlumberedaboutasbesthecould.onlynikabrikstayedwherehewas,lookingoninsilence.thefaunsfooteditallroundcaspiantotheirreedypipes.theirstrangefaces,whichseemedmournfulandmerryallatonce,lookedintohis;dozensoffauns,mentiusandobentinusanddumnus,voluns,voltinus,girbius,nimienus,nausus,andoscuns.

pattertwighadsentthemall.

whencaspianawokenextmorninghecouldhardlybelievethatithadnotallbeenadream;butthegrasswascoveredwithlittleclovenhoof-marks.

CHAPTERSEVEN

oldnarniaindangertheplacewheretheyhadmetthefaunswas,ofcourse,dancinglawnitself,andherecaspianandhisfriendsremainedtillthenightofthegreatcouncil.tosleepunderthestars,todrinknothingbutwellwaterandtolivechieflyonnutsandwildfruit,wasastrangeexperienceforcaspianafterhisbedwithsilkensheetsinatapestriedchamberatthecastle,withmealslaidoutongoldandsilverdishesintheanteroom,andattendantsreadyathiscall.buthehadneverenjoyedhimselfmore.neverhadsleepbeenmorerefreshingnorfoodtastedmoresavoury,andhebeganalreadytohardenandhisfaceworeakinglierlook.

whenthegreatnightcame,andhisvariousstrangesubjectscamestealingintothelawnbyonesandtwosandthreesorbysixesandsevens-themoonthenshiningalmostatherfull-hisheartswelledashesawtheirnumbersandheardtheirgreetings.allwhomhehadmetwerethere:bulgybearsandreddwarfsandblackdwarfs,molesandbadgers,haresandhedgehogs,andotherswhomhehadnotyetseen-fivesatyrsasredasfoxes,thewholecontingentoftalkingmice,armedtotheteethandfollowingashrilltrumpet,someowls,theoldravenofravenscaur.lastofall(andthistookcaspiansbreathaway),withthecentaurscameasmallbutgenuinegiant,wimbleweatherofdeadmans

hill,carryingonhisbackabasketfulofrathersea-sickdwarfswhohadacceptedhisofferofaliftandwerenowwishingtheyhadwalkedinstead.

thebulgybearswereveryanxioustohavethefeastfirstandleavethecounciltillafterwards:perhapstilltomorrow.reepicheepandhismicesaidthatcouncilsandfeastscouldbothwait,andproposedstormingmirazinhisowncastlethatverynight.