SHASTA IN NARNIA
"WAS it all a dream?" wondered Shasta. But it couldn't have been a dream for there in the grass before him he saw the deep, large print of the Lion's front right paw. It took one's breath away to think of the weight that could make a footprint like that. But there was something more remarkable1 than the size about it. As he looked at it, water had already filled the bottom of it. Soon it was full to the brim, and then overflowing2, and a little stream was running downhill, past him, over the grass.
Shasta stooped and drank - a very long drink - and then dipped his face in and splashed his head. It was extremely cold, and clear as glass, and refreshed him very much. After that he stood up, shaking the water out of his ears and flinging the wet hair back from his forehead, and began to take stock of his surroundings.
Apparently3 it was still very early morning. The sun had only just risen, and it had risen out of the forests which he saw low down and far away on his right. The country j which he was looking at was absolutely new to him. It was t a green valley-land dotted with trees through which he caught the gleam of a river that wound away roughly to the North-West. On the far side of the valley there were high and even rocky hills, but they were lower than the mountains he had seen yesterday. Then he began to guess where he was. He turned and looked behind him and saw that the slope on which he was standing4 belonged to a range of far higher mountains.
"I see," said Shasta to himself. "Those are the big mountains between Archenland and Narnia. I was on the? other side of them yesterday. I must have come through the pass in the night. What luck that I hit it! - at least it wasn't luck at all really, it was Him. And now I'm in Narnia."
He turned and unsaddled his horse and took off its bridle5 - "Though you are a perfectly6 horrid7 horse," he said. It took no notice of this remark and immediately began eating grass. That horse had a very low opinion of Shasta.
"I wish I could eat grass!" thought Shasta. "It's no good going back to Anvard, it'll all be besieged8. I'd better get lower down into the valley and see if I can get anything to eat."
So he went on downhill (the thick dew was cruelly cold to his bare feet) till he came into a wood. There was a kind of track running through it and he had not followed this for many minutes when he heard a thick and rather wheezy voice saying to him.
"Good morning, neighbour."
Shasta looked round eagerly to find the speaker and presently saw a small, prickly person with a dark face who had just come out from among the trees. At least, it was small for a person but very big indeed for a hedgehog, which was what it was.
"Good morning," said Shasta. "But I'm not a neighbour. In fact I'm a stranger in these parts."
"Ah?" said the Hedgehog inquiringly.
"I've come over the mountains - from Archenland, you know."
"Ha, Archenland," said the Hedgehog. "That's a terrible long way. Never been there myself."
"And I think, perhaps," said Shasta, "someone ought to be told that there's an army of savage9 Calormenes attacking Anvard at this very moment."
"You don't say so!" answered the Hedgehog. "Well, think of that. And they do say that Calormen is hundreds and thousands of miles away, right at the world's end, across a great sea of sand."
"It's not nearly as far as you think," said Shasta. "And oughtn't something to be done about this attack on Anvard? Oughtn't your High King to be told?"
"Certain sure, something ought to be done about it," said the Hedgehog. "But you see I'm just on my way to bed for a good day's sleep. Hullo, neighbour!"
The last words were addressed to an immense biscuitcoloured rabbit whose head had just popped up from somewhere beside the path. The Hedgehog immediately told the Rabbit what it had just learned from Shasta. The Rabbit agreed that this was very remarkable news and that somebody ought to tell someone about it with a view to doing something.
And so it went on. Every few minutes they were joined by other creatures, some from the branches overhead and some from little underground houses at their feet, till the party consisted of five rabbits, a squirrel, two magpies10, a goat-foot faun, and a mouse, who all talked at the same time and all agreed with the Hedgehog. For the truth was that in that golden age when the Witch and the Winter had gone and Peter the High King ruled at Cair Paravel, the smaller woodland people of Narnia were so safe and happy that they were getting a little careless.
Presently, however, two more practical people arrived in the little wood. One was a Red Dwarf11 whose name appeared to be Duffle. The other was a stag, a beautiful lordly creature with wide liquid eyes, dappled flanks and legs so thin and graceful12 that they looked as if you could break them with two fingers.
"Lion alive!" roared the Dwarf as soon as he had heard the news. "And if that's so, why are we all standing still, chattering13? Enemies at Anvard! News must be sent to Cair Paravel at once. The army must be called out. Narnia must go to the aid of King Lune."
"Ah!" said the Hedgehog. "But you won't find the High King at the Cair. He's away to the North trouncing those giants. And talking of giants, neighbours, that puts me in mind -"
"Who'll take our message?" interrupted the Dwarf. "Anyone here got more speed than me?"
"I've got speed," said the Stag. "What's my message? How many Calormenes?"
"Two hundred: under Prince Rabadash. And -" But the Stag was already away - all four legs off the ground at once, and in a moment its white stern had disappeared among the remoter trees.
"Wonder where he's going," said a Rabbit. "He won't find the High King at Cair Paravel, you know."
"He'll find Queen Lucy," said Duffle. "And then hullo! What's wrong with the Human? It looks pretty green. Why, I do believe it's quite faint. Perhaps it's mortal hungry. When did you last have a meal, youngster?"
"Yesterday morning," said Shasta weakly.
"Come on, then, come on," said the Dwarf, at once throwing his thick little arms round Shasta's waist to support him. "Why, neighbours, we ought all to be ashamed of ourselves! You come with me, lad. Breakfast! Better than talking."
With a great deal' of bustle14, muttering reproaches to itself, the Dwarf half led and half supported Shasta at a great speed further into the wood and a little downhill. It was a longer walk than Shasta wanted at that moment and his legs had begun to feel very shaky before they came out from the trees on to bare hillside. There they found a little house with a smoking chimney and an open door, and as they came to the doorway15 Duffle called out,
"Hey, brothers! A visitor for breakfast."
And immediately, mixed with a sizzling sound, there came to Shasta a simply delightful16 smell. It was one he had never smelled in his life before, but I hope you have. It was, in fact, the smell of bacon and eggs and mushrooms all frying in a pan.
"Mind your head, lad," said Duffle a moment too late, for Shasta had already bashed his forehead against the low lintel of the door. "Now," continued the Dwarf, "sit you down. The table's a bit low for you, but then the stool's low too. That's right. And here's porridge - and here's a jug17 of cream - and here's a spoon."
By the time Shasta had finished his porridge, the Dwarf's two brothers (whose names were Rogin and Bricklethumb) were putting the dish of bacon and eggs and mushrooms, and the coffee pot and the hot milk, and the toast, on the table.
It was all new and wonderful to Shasta for Calormene food is quite different. He didn't even know what the slices of brown stuff were, for he had never seen toast before. He didn't know what the yellow soft thing they smeared18 on the toast was, because in Calormen you nearly always get oil instead of butter. And the house itself was quite different from the dark, frowsty, fish-smelling but of Arsheesh and from the pillared and carpeted halls in the palaces of Tashbaan. The roof was very low, and everything was made of wood, and there was a cuckoo-clock and a red-and-white checked table-cloth and a bowl of wild flowers and little curtains on the thick-paned windows. It was also rather troublesome having to use dwarf cups and plates and knives and forks. This meant that helpings20 were very small, but then there were a great many helpings, so that Shasta's plate or cup was being filled every moment, and every moment the Dwarfs21 themselves were saying, "Butter please", or "Another cup of coffee," or "I'd like a few more mushrooms," or "What about frying another egg or so?" And when at last they had all eaten as much as they possibly could the three Dwarfs drew lots for who would do the washing-up, and Rogin was the unlucky one. Then Duffle and Bricklethumb took Shasta outside to a bench which ran against the cottage wall, and they all stretched out their legs and gave a great sigh of contentment and the two Dwarfs lit their pipes. The dew was off the grass now and the sun was warm; indeed, if there hadn't been a light breeze, it would have been too hot.
"Now, Stranger," said Duffle, "I'll show you the lie of the land. You can see nearly all South Narnia from here, and we're rather proud of the view. Right away on your left, beyond those near hills, you can just see the Western Mountains. And that round hill away on your right is called the Hill of the Stone Table. Just beyond -"
But at that moment he was interrupted by a snore from Shasta who, what with his night's journey and his excellent breakfast, had gone fast asleep. The kindly22 Dwarfs, as soon as they noticed this, began making signs to each other not to wake him, and indeed did so much whispering and nodding and getting up and -tiptoeing away that they certainly would have waked him if he had been less tired.
He slept pretty well -nearly all day but woke up in time for supper. The beds in that house were all too small for him but they made him a fine bed of heather on the floor, and he never stirred nor dreamed all night. Next morning they had just finished breakfast when they heard a shrill23, exciting sound from outside.
"Trumpets24!" said all the Dwarfs, as they and Shasta all came running out.
The trumpets sounded again: a new noise to Shasta, not huge and solemn like the horns of Tashbaan nor gay and merry like King Lune's hunting horn, but clear and sharp and valiant25. The noise was coming from the woods to the East, and soon there was a noise of horse-hoofs mixed with it. A moment later the head of the column came into sight.
First came the Lord Peridan on a bay horse carrying the great banner of Narnia - a red lion on a green ground. Shasta knew him at once. Then came three people riding abreast26, two on great chargers and one on a pony27. The two on the chargers were King Edmund and a fair-haired lady with a very merry face who wore a helmet and a mail shirt and carried a bow across her shoulder and a quiver full of arrows at her side. ("The Queen Lucy," whispered Duffle.) But the one on the pony was Corin. After that came the main body of the army: men on ordinary horses, men on Talking Horses (who didn't mind being ridden on proper occasions, as when Narnia went to war), centaurs28, stern, hard-bitten bears, great Talking Dogs, and last of all six giants. For there are good giants in Narnia. But though he knew they were on the right side Shasta at first could hardly bear to look at them; there are some things that take a lot of getting used to.
Just as the King and Queen reached the cottage and the Dwarfs began making low bows to them, King Edmund called out,
"Now, friends! Time for a halt and a morsel29!" and at once there was a great bustle of people dismounting and haversacks being opened and conversation beginning when Corm came running up to Shasta and seized both his hands and cried,
"What! You here! So you got through all right? I am glad. Now we shall have some sport. And isn't it luck! We only got into harbour at Cair Paravel yesterday morning and the very first person who met us was Chervy the Stag with all this news of an attack on Anvard. Don't you think -"
"Who is your Highness's friend?" said King Edmund who had just got off his horse.
"Don't you see, Sire?" said Corin. "It's my double: the boy you mistook me for at Tashbaan."
"Why, so he is your double," exclaimed Queen Lucy. "As like as two twins. This is a marvellous thing."
"Please, your Majesty," said Shasta to King Edmund, "I was no traitor30, really I wasn't. And I couldn't help hearing your plans. But I'd never have dreamed of telling them to your enemies."
"I know now that you were no traitor, boy," said King Edmund, laying his hand on Shasta's head. "But if you would not be taken for one, another time try not to hear what's meant for other ears. But all's well."
After that there was so much bustle and talk and coming and going that Shasta for a few minutes lost sight of Corin and Edmund and Lucy. But Corin was the sort of boy whom one is sure to hear of pretty soon and it wasn't very long before Shasta heard King Edmund saying in a loud voice:
"By the Lion's Mane, prince, this is too much! Will your Highness never be better? You are more of a heart's-scald than our whole army together! I'd as lief have a regiment31 of hornets in my command as you."
Shasta wormed his way through the crowd and there saw Edmund, looking very angry indeed, Corin looking a little ashamed of himself, and a strange Dwarf sitting on the ground making faces. A couple of fauns had apparently just been helping19 it out of its armour32.
"If I had but my cordial with me," Queen Lucy was saying, "I could soon mend this. But the High King has so strictly33 charged me not to carry it commonly to the wars and to keep it only for great extremities34!"
What had happened was this. As soon as Corin had spoken to Shasta, Corin's elbow had been plucked by a Dwarf in the army called Thornbut.
"What is it, Thornbut?" Corin had said.
"Your Royal Highness," said Thornbut, drawing him aside, "our march today will bring us through the pass and right to your royal father's castle. We may be in battle before night."
"I know," said Corin. "Isn't it splendid!"
"Splendid or not," said Thornbut, "I have the strictest orders from King Edmund to see to it that your Highness is not in the fight. You will be allowed to see it, and that's treat enough for your Highness's little years."
"Oh what nonsense!" Corin burst out. "Of course I'm going to fight. Why, the Queen Lucy's going to be with the archers35."
"The Queen's grace will do as she pleases," said Thornbut. "But you are in my charge. Either I must have your solemn and princely word that you'll keep your pony beside mine - not half a neck ahead - till I give your Highness leave to depart: or else - it is his Majesty's word - we must go with our wrists tied together like two prisoners."
"I'll knock you down if you try to bind36 me," said Corm.
"I'd like to see your Highness do it," said the Dwarf.
That was quite enough for a boy like Corin and in a second he and the Dwarf were at it hammer and tongs37. It would have been an even match for, though Corin had longer arms and more height, the Dwarf was older and tougher. But it was never fought out (that's the worst of fights on a rough hillside) for by very bad luck Thornbut trod on a loose stone, came flat down on his nose, and found when he tried to get up that he had sprained39 his ankle: a real excruciating sprain38 which would keep him from walking or riding for at least a fortnight.
"See what your Highness has done," said King Edmund. "Deprived us of a proved warrior40 on the very edge of battle."
"I'll take his place, Sire," said Corin.
"Pshaw," said Edmund. "No one doubts your courage. But a boy in battle is a danger only to his own side."
At that moment the King was called away to attend to something else, and Corin, after apologizing handsomely to the Dwarf, rushed up to Shasta and whispered,
"Quick. There's a spare pony now, and the Dwarf's armour. Put it on before anyone notices."
"What for?" said Shasta.
"Why, so that you and I can fight in the battle of course! Don't you want to?"
"Oh - ah, yes, of course," said Shasta. But he hadn't been thinking of doing so at all, and began to get a most uncomfortable prickly feeling in his spine41.
"That's right," said Corin. "Over your head. Now the sword-belt. But we must ride near the tail of the column and keep as quiet as mice. Once the battle begins everyone will be far too busy to notice us."
十二、沙斯塔在纳尼亚
“这一切是个梦?”沙斯塔心中疑惑。但这不可能是个梦，因为他看到前面草地上有个狮子右前蹄的又深又大的印子，能造成这样的蹄印的重量，想想也叫人透不过气来。但还有比蹄印大小深浅更令人奇怪的事哩。当他瞧着那蹄印时，水已经铺满它的底部了。不多一会儿，水就漫到边上来了，往外溢出来了，一条小小溪水，流过青草，经过他的身边，奔流下山去了。
沙斯塔俯下身去喝水——喝了好久——然后把脸浸在水里，把水泼在头上。水极冷，清澄如玻璃，他喝了神清气爽。这之后，他站起身来，把耳朵里的水甩掉，把潮湿的头发从前额上撩到后面去，开始观察周围环境。
显然还是挺早的清晨。太阳不过刚刚升起，他望见右首山下远方有许多森林，太阳就是从森林那儿冒出来的。他正遥望的国土，对他说来是绝对新鲜的。这是一片苍翠的溪谷之地，树木星罗棋布，他瞥见树木之间有一条河流闪闪生光，这河拐了个弯，向大致是西北方向奔腾而去。溪谷对岸是高高的石头小山，但它们比他昨天看到的山岭要低。于是他开始琢磨，他如今身在何处。他转过身来，向后瞧瞧，看到他所站立的山坡是处在更多更高的崇山峻岭之中。
“我明白了，”沙斯塔跟他自己说道，”这些就是介乎阿钦兰和纳尼亚之间的大山大岭。我昨天是在大山的那一边。我必定是在夜间穿过山隘的。我碰巧走对了，运道真好！——实际上，这压根儿不是运道好，这是它帮了大忙。现在我是在纳尼亚境内了。”
他再转过身去，给马儿卸下了鞍子，取下了马勒——”尽管你是一匹完全令人厌恶的马儿。”他说道。马儿不理会他的批评，立刻开始吃起青草来了。那马儿对沙斯塔的评价不高。
“我但愿我能吃草啊！”沙斯塔心中想道，”回到安瓦德去毫无用处，这城将被团团围攻。我还不如到下边儿的山谷里去，瞧瞧能否弄到点儿东西吃。”
所以他就走下山去(浓重的露水，让他的光脚丫子冷极了)，一直走进一个树林。有一条踏出来的小路贯穿树林，他沿着这小路走了没有几分钟，就听到一个沙哑而呼哧呼哧的声音同他说话。
“早安，邻居。”
沙斯塔热切地向四周打量，想要找到说话的人，他立刻看见了刚从树林里出来的一个身材短小、黑脸多刺的人。至少，作为一个人，它是太小了，但作为一只刺猬，却是很大的了：它就是一只刺猬。
“早安，”沙斯塔说道，”但我不是你的邻居。事实上，我是这地方的一个陌生人。”
“啊?”刺猬询问地说道。
“我越过大山而来——你要知道，我是从阿钦兰来的。”
“呀，阿钦兰，”刺猬说道，”离这儿远得可怕。我自己从没去过。”
“而且我认为，”沙斯塔说道，”也许应该告诉人们：此时此刻，有一支野蛮的卡乐门军队正在进攻安瓦德城。”
“不会这样吧！”刺猬答道，”哦，想想吧。不是据说卡乐门在几百、几千里之外，在世界的尽头，跟这儿还隔着一个大沙漠吗?”
“不像你所想像的那么遥远，”沙斯塔说道，”关于这次对安瓦德的进攻，总该做点儿事吧。总该禀告你们的至尊王吧?”
“确实如此，总该为此干点儿事情。”刺猬说道，”但，你瞧，我正要到床上去，美美地睡它一个白昼啊。哈啰，邻居！”
最后一句话是对一只巨大的淡褐色兔子说的，兔子的脑袋刚从小径旁的地底下突然冒出来。刺猬立刻把它从沙斯塔那里听来的事情告诉兔子。兔子同意这是个惊人的消息，应该有人去告诉别人，以便为此干点儿事。
于是就这样纷纷传开去了。每隔几分钟，就有别的生物参加进来，有的来自头上的树枝，有的来自脚下的地底小屋：这一帮子，终于包含了五只兔子、一只松鼠、两只喜鹊、一个羊脚怪物以及一只耗子，它们大家同时说着话儿，大家都同意刺猬的意见。因为，事情的真相是：在那黄金时代里，女巫和冬天已经被赶走，至尊王彼得治理着凯尔帕拉维尔，纳尼亚较小林地里的居民们是那么安宁和幸福，所以它们有点儿麻痹大意了。
不过，又有两个小树林里比较实际的居民来了。一个是红色小矮人，名叫德夫尔。另一个是一头牡鹿，一只美丽华贵的生物，眼睛大大的水汪汪的，两胁斑斑点点，两腿又纤细又雅致，看上去仿佛用两个手指就能把那腿折断似的。
“狮子还活着！”小矮人听到消息就大声嚷嚷，”如果真是这么一回事，咱们大家为什么仍旧站着闲谈呢?敌人猛攻安瓦德！必须立刻把消息送到凯尔帕拉维尔去。必须把军队动员起来。纳尼亚必须去支援国王伦恩。”
“啊！”刺猬说，”可是你在凯尔帕拉维尔找不到至尊王。他正北上讨伐巨人们。讲到巨人们，邻居们，使我想起了——”
“我们谁去送信?”小矮人说，”有谁跑得比我还快吗?”
“我跑得快，”牡鹿说，”我怎么说?有多少卡乐门人?”
“二百人马，由王子拉巴达什统率，还有……”但牡鹿已经跑掉了——立刻四脚腾空地飞跑，片刻之间，它的白色臀部便在遥远的树木之间消失了。
“不明白它跑到什么地方去，”一只兔子说道，”要知道，它在凯尔帕拉维尔是找不到至尊王的。”
“它可以找到露茜女王，”德夫尔说道，”然后……喂！喂！这个人有什么毛病呀?他的脸色发青。咳，我相信他要昏过去了。说不定这就是人的饥饿。小家伙，你最后一顿饭是什么时候吃的?”
“昨天早晨。”沙斯塔虚弱无力地说道。
“来吧，那么，来吧。”小矮人说道，立刻用他胖胖的小手臂抱住沙斯塔的腰，扶着他。”喂！邻居，我们大家都应该为自己感到羞耻。孩子，你跟我来巴。早餐！吃早餐比谈话好。”
小矮人大大的一阵忙乱，喃喃地责备着自己，半搀半扶地赶快把沙斯塔带进树林，稍稍走下山去一点儿。走的这段路比沙斯塔此刻所愿意走的要长得多，他们还没有走出树林，还没有到达光秃秃的山坡上，他已经开始感觉到两腿在发抖了。他们在山坡上找到一个小屋子，烟囱里在冒烟，门户洞开，当他们来到门口时，德夫尔喊道：
“嗨，兄弟们！有位客人来吃早饭了。”
伴随着咝咝的油炸之声，立刻向沙斯塔飘来了令人垂涎欲滴的香味。这是一种他生平从未闻到过的香味，但我希望你是闻到过的。事实上，这是咸猪肉、鸡蛋和蘑菇在锅里油炸的香味。
“留神你的脑袋，孩子。”德夫尔说得晚了一点儿，因为沙斯塔的前额已经撞在低低的门楣上了。”现在，”小矮人继续说道，”你坐下吧。对于你，桌子是低了一点儿，凳子也低了一点儿。这就行了。这儿是粥——这儿是壶奶油——这儿是个调羹。”
沙斯塔喝完粥时，小矮人的两个兄弟(他们叫罗金和布里克尔森姆)正在把咸猪肉、鸡蛋和蘑菇，以及咖啡壶、热牛奶和吐司放到桌子上。
对沙斯塔来说，这顿早餐全然是新奇的、了不起的，因为卡乐门的食物是完全不同的。他甚至不知道这一片片棕色的东西是什么玩意儿，因为他以前从未见过吐司。他不知道涂在吐司上的黄色柔软的东西是什么玩意儿，因为在卡乐门几乎总是用油来代替白脱的。而这屋子本身也跟阿什伊什黑暗、霉臭、鱼腥的小屋不同，跟塔什班城王宫里圆柱耸立、毯子铺地的大厅截然不同。屋顶很低，一切都是木头做的，有一只以杜鹃叫声报时的钟，一块红白格子台布，一碗野花，厚玻璃窗上还挂着小小的白色窗帘。不得不用小矮人的杯子、盘子、刀叉，也是很麻烦的事。这意味着每份食品都很少，却又有许多份，所以沙斯塔的盘子或是杯子，时时刻刻都在重新添盛，而小矮人们自己也时时刻刻在说：”请来点儿白脱”，”再来一杯咖啡”，或是”我再要些蘑菇”，或是”再来一份煎鸡蛋好吗?”最后，当大家尽量吃饱以后，三个小矮人便拈阄决定由谁洗盘子，结果是罗金倒霉。于是德夫尔和布里克尔森姆便领沙斯塔到屋子外的一条长凳上坐下，那长凳靠着小屋的墙垣；于是他们大家都伸直了腿，心满意足地吁出一口气来，两个小矮人还点上了烟斗。现在青草上的露水不见了，太阳是温暖的，确实，如果没有一阵阵清风的话，天气就会显得太热了。"
“陌生人啊，”德夫尔说，”我来把地形地势指给你看。你从这儿几乎可以看见整个儿南部纳尼亚，我们是很以这景色自豪的。向你的左边望过去，越过那些附近的小山，你正好能望见西部群山。在你右边那个圆圆的小山，叫做石桌山。就在它外边儿……”
但这时候他被沙斯塔的鼾声打断了，沙斯塔经过一夜奔波，吃了一顿美美的早餐，很快就睡熟了。好心的小矮人们一发现他睡着了，就立刻互相做手势：不要去惊醒他：事实上，他们彼此窃窃私语，点头会意，站起身来，踮着脚尖走动，好不热闹，若不是沙斯塔十分困倦，他倒是一定会被惊醒的。
沙斯塔几乎睡了整整一天，醒来时刚赶上吃晚饭。屋子里的床给他睡是太小了，但他们在地上给他铺了一个极好的石南床，他睡在那床上，整夜没有动弹，整夜没有做梦。第二天早晨他们刚吃完早餐，便听到从屋子外传来一个尖锐而激动的声音。
“喇叭声！，”小矮人们一齐说道，这时他们和沙斯塔都跑出门外去了。
喇叭声又响起来了：对沙斯塔说来，的确是个崭新的声音，既不像塔什班城的号角那么洪亮庄重，又不像国王伦恩的狩猎号角那么轻快欢乐，却清晰、尖厉、豪迈。喇叭声是从树林传到东边来的，不久又有马蹄嘚嘚声同喇叭声混合在一起。一会儿之后，纵队的先锋就看得见了。
走在第一个的是珀里丹勋爵，骑一匹栗色马，手执纳尼亚大旗——青绿底色上一头红狮子。沙斯塔立刻认出他来了。接着是三个并驾齐驱的人，两个人跨着战马，一个人骑着马驹子。骑在战马上的一个是爱德蒙国王，另一个是金发女郎，满脸兴高采烈的神色，头戴头盔，身穿锁子甲，肩上背着一只弓，身边挂着装满箭的箭袋。(“露茜女王。”德夫尔低声说道。)骑在马驹子上的是科林。这三人之后，是军队的主体：骑在寻常马儿身上的士卒、骑在会说人话的马儿身上的军人(遇到正当情况，例如纳尼亚要作战时，这种马儿并不在意被人骑)、人头马、咬起来凶狠的板着脸的熊、了不得的会说人话的狗，最后是六个巨人。然而，尽管他知道他们是站在正义一边的，沙斯塔开头还是不大敢看他们：有些事情要经过很多时间才能看得惯哩。
正当国王和女王到达小屋门前、小矮人们开始向他们鞠躬时，国王爱德蒙大声喊道：
“朋友们！该歇一歇、吃一口东西了。”于是立刻出现了一阵忙乱，人们纷纷跳下马来，打开干粮袋，开始交谈起来，这时科林向沙斯塔跑过来，抓住他的双手，叫喊道：
“啊！你在这儿！那么你是一路平安地过来了?我很高兴。如今我们将参加游戏了，这岂不是好运道！我们在凯尔帕拉维尔刚进港，第一个遇见我们的是牡鹿彻耳，它带来了敌人进攻安瓦德的全部消息。你可认为……”
“殿下的朋友是谁呀?”刚下马的国王爱德蒙问道。
“陛下，你可看出来了?”科林说道，”他就是跟我极相似的人：你在塔什班城错把他当做我了。”
“呀，他就是跟你极相似的人，”露茜女王叫道，”跟孪生兄弟一样相像。真是件不可思议的事情。”
“禀告陛下，”沙斯塔对国王爱德蒙说道，”我不是奸细，我确实不是。我不由自主地听到了你们的计划。但我做梦也想不到把这计划告诉你的敌人。”
“孩子，我现在知道你并不是奸细，”国王爱德蒙的手按在沙斯塔的头上，说道，”但如果你不愿意被当做奸细，下次就要竭力不去听那原是要讲给别的耳朵听的话。但一切很顺利。”
这之后，又有许多忙乱，许多谈话，许多来来往往，不到几分钟，沙斯塔就看不见科林、爱德蒙和露茜了。但科林是不久就会让人听到有关他的消息的那种孩子；过不了多久，沙斯塔果然就听到国王爱德蒙大声说道：
“凭着狮王的鬃毛，王子，这是太过分了。殿下永远不会长进吗?我们整个军队加在一起也不及你那么让人火烧火燎的！指挥你，我宁愿指挥一个团的大黄蜂。”"
沙斯塔在人群中钻过去，终于看到了国王爱德蒙，他看上去确实十分愤怒，科林呢，看上去有点儿不好意思，还有一个奇怪的小矮人正坐在地上做鬼脸。显而易见，两个羊怪刚帮助那小矮人卸下盔甲。
“如果我把药酒带来的话，”露茜女王说，”我很快就能替他治愈的。但至尊王严格地要求我别稀松平常地把它带到战场上来，要留待非常危险时使用！”
事情原来是这样的。科林刚同沙斯塔说过话，他的肘拐儿便被一个小矮人抓住了。军队里管这个小矮人叫”刺儿头”。
“你这是干什么，刺儿头?”科林说。
“王子殿下，”刺儿头把他拉到一边说，”我们今天的行军会带我们穿过关隘，直接开到你父王的城堡。黑夜以前我们也许就要参加战斗了。”
“我知道，”科林说，”战争不是很壮观吗?”
“壮观也好，不壮观也好，”刺儿头说，”我可奉到国王爱德蒙最最严厉的命令，要我留神不让你殿下参加战斗。可以容许你在旁观战；以殿下的年龄，这种待遇已经够意思的了。”
“真是胡说八道！”科林发作道，”当然我要去打仗的。为什么露茜女王带着她的弓箭手一同去打仗呢?”
“女王通情达理，可以随心所欲，”刺儿头说，”但你是由我看管的。要么，我必须得到你王子的庄严诺言：你得使你的马驹子在我的马儿旁边并驾齐驱，超前半个脖子也不行，直至我同意你离开为止；要么——这是陛下亲口说的——咱俩必须把咱们的手腕缚在一起，像囚徒一样。”
“如果你想缚我，我就把你打倒在地。”科林说。
“我倒很想瞧瞧殿下动手打人。”小矮人说道。
这句话就足够把科林这样的孩子惹恼了，他和小矮人立刻激烈地打起来了。这本来是一场势均力敌的搏斗，因为虽然科林身高手长，小矮人却比较年长、健壮。但这场搏斗没有能一决雌雄(这是崎岖山坡上最糟糕的一次打架)，因为刺儿头大倒其霉，踩在一块活动的石头上，鼻子朝地跌了下去，竭力站起来时发觉踝关节扭伤了：一种造成剧烈疼痛的扭伤，至少两个星期不能走路或骑马。
“瞧瞧殿下的所作所为吧，”国王爱德蒙说道，”马上就要打仗了，你却剥夺了我们一个久经考验的战士。”
“我一定代替他作战，陛下。”科林说。
“呸！”爱德蒙说，”没有人怀疑你的勇气。但战斗中的孩子，只不过是他自己那一方的一个危险而已。”
就在这当儿，国王被请去安排别的事情了，而科林呢，漂亮地向小矮人道歉以后，便跑到沙斯塔身边，悄悄说道：
“赶快。现在有一匹备用的马驹子，还有小矮人的那副盔甲。趁着还没有人注意，你就穿上吧。”
“穿上干吗?”沙斯塔说。
“呀，当然是为了你和我能参加打仗啊！你可愿意去打仗吗?”
“啊——啊，是的，当然愿意啰。”沙斯塔说。但他压根儿没想到去打仗，而且脊骨里开始有种极不舒服的刺痛之感。
“这就对了，”科林说，”套在你脑袋上。再把剑带束在腰间。但我们必须骑马走在纵队的尾巴附近，而且不声不响，像老鼠一样。一旦战斗打响，大家就忙碌极了，不会注意我们了。”
收听单词发音 |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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overflowing
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| n. 溢出物,溢流 adj. 充沛的，充满的 动词overflow的现在分词形式 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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bridle
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| n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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besieged
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| 包围，围困，围攻( besiege的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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magpies
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| 喜鹊（magpie的复数形式） | |
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dwarf
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| n.矮子，侏儒，矮小的动植物；vt.使…矮小 | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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chattering
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| n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
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bustle
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| v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹 | |
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doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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jug
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| n.(有柄，小口，可盛水等的)大壶，罐，盂 | |
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smeared
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| 弄脏； 玷污； 涂抹； 擦上 | |
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helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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helpings
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| n.（食物）的一份( helping的名词复数 )；帮助，支持 | |
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dwarfs
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| n.侏儒，矮子（dwarf的复数形式）vt.（使）显得矮小（dwarf的第三人称单数形式） | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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trumpets
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| 喇叭( trumpet的名词复数 )； 小号； 喇叭形物； （尤指）绽开的水仙花 | |
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valiant
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| adj.勇敢的，英勇的；n.勇士，勇敢的人 | |
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abreast
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| adv.并排地；跟上(时代)的步伐，与…并进地 | |
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pony
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| adj.小型的；n.小马 | |
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centaurs
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| n.（希腊神话中）半人半马怪物( centaur的名词复数 ) | |
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morsel
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| n.一口，一点点 | |
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traitor
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| n.叛徒，卖国贼 | |
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regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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armour
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| （=armor）n.盔甲；装甲部队 | |
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strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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extremities
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| n.端点( extremity的名词复数 )；尽头；手和足；极窘迫的境地 | |
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archers
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| n.弓箭手，射箭运动员( archer的名词复数 ) | |
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bind
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| vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬 | |
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tongs
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| n.钳；夹子 | |
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sprain
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| n.扭伤,扭筋 | |
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sprained
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| v.&n. 扭伤 | |
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warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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spine
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| n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊 | |
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