Chapter 16: What Happened about the Statues
第十六章 石像的遭遇
"WHAT an extraordinary place!" cried Lucy. "All those stone animals -and people too! It's -it's like a museum."
“多怪的地方!”露茜叫道,“所有那些石頭動(dòng)物——還有石人!就像——就像一個(gè)博物館。” )
"Hush," said Susan, "Aslan's doing something."
“噓!”蘇珊說,“阿斯蘭在施什么法了。”
He was indeed. He had bounded up to the stone lion and breathed on him. Then without waiting a moment he whisked round - almost as if he had been a cat chasing its tail -and breathed also on the stone dwarf, which (as you remember) was standing a few feet from the lion with his back to it. Then he pounced on a tall stone dryad which stood beyond the dwarf, turned rapidly aside to deal with a stone rabbit on his right, and rushed on to two centaurs. But at that moment Lucy said,
它果然在施法。它跳到石獅面前,對(duì)石獅吹了口氣。接著突然轉(zhuǎn)過身去——幾乎像貓?jiān)谧纷约旱奈舶?mdash;—對(duì)那個(gè)石頭小矮人也吹口氣,你們大概還記得,這小矮人正背對(duì)著石獅,站在相隔一兩英尺的地方。然后它又突然撲向站在小矮人那邊的一個(gè)高大石頭樹精,又趕快轉(zhuǎn)到另一邊去對(duì)付它右面的一只石兔,再?zèng)_到兩個(gè)人頭馬身邊。但就在這時(shí)露茜說:
"Oh, Susan! Look! Look at the lion."
“哦,蘇珊,瞧!瞧那只獅子。”
I expect you've seen someone put a lighted match to a bit of newspaper which is propped up in a grate against an unlit fire. And for a second nothing seems to have happened; and then you notice a tiny streak of flame creeping along the edge of the newspaper. It was like that now. For a second after Aslan had breathed upon him the stone lion looked just the same. Then a tiny streak of gold began to run along his white marble back then it spread - then the colour seemed to lick all over him as the flame licks all over a bit of paper - then, while his hindquarters were still obviously stone, the lion shook his mane and all the heavy, stone folds rippled into living hair. Then he opened a great red mouth, warm and living, and gave a prodigious yawn. And now his hind legs had come to life. He lifted one of them and scratched himself. Then, having caught sight of Aslan, he went bounding after him and frisking round him whimpering with delight and jumping up to lick his face.
我想你們都見過人家點(diǎn)上一根火柴,湊到壁爐架里一團(tuán)沒點(diǎn)燃的報(bào)紙前那種情況。開頭的一剎那似乎毫無動(dòng)靜,接著你們就看到一絲小小的火焰在報(bào)紙的邊緣蔓延。此時(shí)的情況正是如此。阿斯蘭對(duì)石獅吹了口氣以后,有一剎那,那只石獅看上去并沒什么兩樣。后來它那白色大理石的背上開始掠過一小縷金色——然后金色蔓延開了——后來金色似乎在它全身掠過,就像火焰吞沒了那一團(tuán)報(bào)紙一樣——然后,盡管它的后腿是石頭,這只獅子卻用力抖動(dòng)鬃毛,所有那些沉甸甸的石頭褶痕都飄動(dòng)起來,成了活生生的鬃毛。它這才張開血盆大嘴,呼出生氣和熱氣,打了一個(gè)大大的呵欠。這會(huì)兒它的后腿也活過來了。它抬起一條后腿在身上搔搔。接著,它看見阿斯蘭,就跳到獅王后面,在阿斯蘭身邊又蹦又跳,高興得哭了起來,還跳起來舔舔阿斯蘭的臉。
Of course the children's eyes turned to follow the lion; but the sight they saw was so wonderful that they soon forgot about him. Everywhere the statues were coming to life. The courtyard looked no longer like a museum; it looked more like a zoo. Creatures were running after Aslan and dancing round him till he was almost hidden in the crowd. Instead of all that deadly white the courtyard was now a blaze of colours; glossy chestnut sides of centaurs, indigo horns of unicorns, dazzling plumage of birds, reddy-brown of foxes, dogs and satyrs, yellow stockings and crimson hoods of dwarfs; and the birch-girls in silver, and the beech-girls in fresh, transparent green, and the larch-girls in green so bright that it was almost yellow. And instead of the deadly silence the whole place rang with the sound of happy roarings, brayings, yelpings, barkings, squealings, cooings, neighings, stampings, shouts, hurrahs, songs and laughter.
兩個(gè)女孩子的眼睛當(dāng)然都跟著獅子轉(zhuǎn);不過她們看到的景象那么奇妙,因此很快就把它忘了。到處都是活過來的石像。這院子不再像一個(gè)博物館,倒像一個(gè)動(dòng)物園了。動(dòng)物們都跟著阿斯蘭跑,圍著它跳舞,到后來它幾乎被大伙兒遮住看不見了。院子里本來是一片慘白,如今卻是色彩斑斕;人頭馬栗色的馬身,獨(dú)角獸深藍(lán)色的角,百鳥絢爛的羽毛,紅棕色的孤貍,狗和森林神,穿黃襪子戴紅風(fēng)帽的小矮人,一身銀裝的白樺姑娘,晶瑩碧綠的山毛櫸姑娘,還有落葉松姑娘,一身蒼翠的衣裝鮮艷得都快發(fā)黃了。這地方原來死氣沉沉,一片寂靜,如今整個(gè)院子里都回蕩著歡樂的喧鬧聲:獅吼,虎嘯,驢叫,狗吠,鴿咕,馬嘶,還有尖叫聲、頓腳聲、吶喊聲、歡呼聲、歌聲和笑聲。
"Oh!" said Susan in a different tone. "Look! I wonder - I mean, is it safe?"
“哦,”蘇珊說話的聲音都變了,“瞧!不知道——我是說,不會(huì)傷人嗎?”
Lucy looked and saw that Aslan had just breathed on the feet of the stone giant.
露茜一看,只見阿斯蘭朝一個(gè)石頭巨人的兩腳吹了口氣。
"It's all right!" shouted Aslan joyously. "Once the feet are put right, all the rest of him will follow."
“沒事兒!”阿斯蘭興沖沖地大聲喊叫,“只要這雙腳治好了,其余的部位就會(huì)跟著好起來。”
"That wasn't exactly what I meant," whispered Susan to Lucy. But it was too late to do anything about it now even if Aslan would have listened to her. The change was already creeping up the Giant's legs. Now he was moving his feet. A moment later he lifted his club off his shoulder, rubbed his eyes and said,
“我不完全是這個(gè)意思。”蘇珊悄聲對(duì)露茜說。不過即使阿斯蘭聽到她的話,這會(huì)兒也來不及了。巨人兩腿已經(jīng)漸漸有了起色。目前他正挪動(dòng)雙腳,過了一會(huì)他拿下肩膀上那根大棒,揉揉眼睛說:
"Bless me! I must have been asleep. Now! Where's that dratted little Witch that was running about on the ground. Somewhere just by my feet it was." But when everyone had shouted up to him to explain what had really happened, and when the Giant had put his hand to his ear and got them to repeat it all again so that at last he understood, then he bowed down till his head was no further off than the top of a haystack and touched his cap repeatedly to Aslan, beaming all over his honest ugly face. (Giants of any sort are now so rare in England and so few giants are good-tempered that ten to one you have never seen a giant when his face is beaming. It's a sight well worth looking at.)
“天哪!我一定睡著了。嗨!那個(gè)在地上跑來跑去的該死的小妖婆上哪兒去了?剛才她還在我腳邊什么地方呢。”當(dāng)大伙兒都抬頭對(duì)他大聲喊著解釋這兒真正出了什么事時(shí),巨人把手放在耳邊讓他們?cè)僬f一遍,最后才算聽明白了。接著他深深低頭一躬,腦袋低得只有干草堆的頂那么高,還不斷摸著帽檐向阿斯蘭致意,他那張誠(chéng)實(shí)而丑陋的臉滿面笑容。(如今在英國(guó)無論哪種巨人都難得一見,而脾氣好的巨人更少見,你們十之八九就從來沒見過一個(gè)滿面笑容的巨人,這情景倒很值得一看。
"Now for the inside of this house!" said Aslan. "Look alive, everyone. Up stairs and down stairs and in my lady's chamber! Leave no corner unsearched. You never know where some poor prisoner may be concealed."
“現(xiàn)在該上屋里去了!”阿斯蘭說,“大家趕快。樓上,樓下,還有妖婆的房間!每個(gè)角落都要搜。你們根本不知道那些可憐的囚犯會(huì)給藏在哪兒。”
And into the interior they all rushed and for several minutes the whole of that dark, horrible, fusty old castle echoed with the opening of windows and with everyone's voices crying out at once, "Don't forget the dungeons - Give us a hand with this door! Here's another little winding stair - Oh! I say. Here's a poor kangaroo. Call Aslan - Phew! How it smells in here - Look out for trap-doors - Up here! There are a whole lot more on the landing!" But the best of all was when Lucy came rushing upstairs shouting out,
于是他們?nèi)紱_了進(jìn)去。片刻工夫,那整座黑暗、恐怖、霉臭的舊城堡里響起了開窗戶和大伙兒喊叫的聲音:“別忘了地牢——幫我們打開這扇門!——這兒還有一條彎曲的樓梯——哦,我說,這兒有一只可憐的小袋鼠。叫阿斯蘭來——噓!這兒多難聞——小心那些暗門——到這兒來!樓梯平臺(tái)上還有好多呢!”不過最好的事要數(shù)露茜沖上樓去,嘴里大叫著:
"Aslan! Aslan! I've found Mr Tumnus. Oh, do come quick."
“阿斯蘭!阿斯蘭!我找到圖姆納斯先生啦。哦,快來吧!”
A moment later Lucy and the little Faun were holding each other by both hands and dancing round and round for joy. The little chap was none the worse for having been a statue and was of course very interested in all she had to tell him.But at last the ransacking of the Witch's fortress was ended. The whole castle stood empty with every door and window open and the light and the sweet spring air flooding into all the dark and evil places which needed them so badly. The whole crowd of liberated statues surged back into the courtyard. And it was then that someone (Tumnus, I think) first said, "But how are we going to get out?" for Aslan had got in by a jump and the gates were still locked.
過了一會(huì),露茜和那只小羊怪就手拉手跳著舞,高興地轉(zhuǎn)了一圈又一圈。這小家伙雖然給變成了石像,但并沒受傷,因此對(duì)她告訴他的一切當(dāng)然都十分感興趣。對(duì)妖婆堡壘的徹底搜查終于結(jié)束了。整個(gè)城堡都空了,門窗全都大開,陽光和芳香的春天氣息涌進(jìn)了所有那些黑暗而邪惡的地方,那些地方多么需要陽光和新鮮空氣啊。這一大群重新獲得生命的石像又擁回院子里。到了這時(shí)才有人(我想,是圖姆納斯吧)首先開口說:“可我們?cè)趺闯鋈ツ?” 因?yàn)榘⑺固m是跳進(jìn)來的,院子大門仍然鎖著呢。
"That'll be all right," said Aslan; and then, rising on his hind-legs, he bawled up at the Giant. "Hi! You up there," he roared. "What's your name?"
“那沒關(guān)系,”阿斯蘭說,隨即后腿直立起來,對(duì)巨人大聲喊叫。“嗨,你,上邊的,”它吼道,“你叫什么名字?”
"Giant Rumblebuffin, if it please your honour," said the Giant, once more touching his cap.
“報(bào)告大人,我是巨人倫波布芬。”巨人說著,摸摸帽子以示敬意。
"Well then, Giant Rumblebuffin," said Aslan, "just let us out of this, will you?"
“那好吧,巨人倫波布芬,”阿斯蘭說,“讓我們從這兒出去,好嗎?”
"Certainly, your honour. It will be a pleasure," said Giant Rumblebuffin. "Stand well away from the gates, all you little 'uns." Then he strode to the gate himself and bang - bang - bang - went his huge club. The gates creaked at the first blow, cracked at the second, and shivered at the third. Then he tackled the towers on each side of them and after a few minutes of crashing and thudding both the towers and a good bit of the wall on each side went thundering down in a mass of hopeless rubble; and when the dust cleared it was odd, standing in that dry, grim, stony yard, to see through the gap all the grass and waving trees and sparkling streams of the forest, and the blue hills beyond that and beyond them the sky.
“當(dāng)然可以,大人。樂意效勞。”巨人倫波布芬說,“你們這些小家伙都離大門遠(yuǎn)點(diǎn)!”接著他大步走到門口,掄起大棒,砰——砰——砰。第一下,大門吱吱嘎嘎響了,第二下,大門裂開了,第三下,大門成了碎片啦。隨后他又去對(duì)付大門兩邊的塔樓,又捶又搗,幾下子工夫,兩邊的塔樓和旁邊大部分高墻都轟隆隆倒下了,成了一大堆碎磚爛瓦;等到塵土散去,站在這個(gè)光禿禿、陰森森的石頭院子里看著豁口外那些草地,搖曳的樹木,森林中波光粼粼的溪流,以及溪流外的青山和山外的碧空,可真是別有風(fēng)味。
"Blowed if I ain't all in a muck sweat," said the Giant, puffing like the largest railway engine. "Comes of being out of condition. I suppose neither of you young ladies has such a thing as a pocket-handkerchee about you?"
“我要不是渾身臭汗才怪呢,”巨人說話時(shí)像大火車頭似的直喘,“由于條件差,我想你們這些年輕小姐身上都沒帶手絹吧?”
"Yes, I have," said Lucy, standing on tip-toes and holding her handkerchief up as far as she could reach.
“有,我有。”露茜說著踮起腳尖,盡量把她的手絹高高舉起。
"Thank you, Missie," said Giant Rumblebuffin, stooping down. Next moment Lucy got rather a fright for she found herself caught up in mid-air between the Giant's finger and thumb. But just as she was getting near his face he suddenly started and then put her gently back on the ground muttering, "Bless me! I've picked up the little girl instead. I beg your pardon, Missie, I thought you was the handkerchee!"
“謝謝你,小姐。”巨人倫波布芬說著彎下了腰。轉(zhuǎn)眼間露茜嚇了一大跳,因?yàn)樗恢挥X中竟被巨人兩個(gè)指頭捏住提到半空中了。不過就在她湊近他臉的時(shí)候,他突然一驚,隨即把她輕輕放回地上,嘴里還喃喃說,“老天爺,我竟把小姑娘拎起來了。對(duì)不起,小姐,我還以為你就是那塊手絹呢。”
"No, no," said Lucy laughing, "here it is!" This time he managed to get it but it was only about the same size to him that a saccharine tablet would be to you, so that when she saw him solemnly rubbing it to and fro across his great red face, she said, "I'm afraid it's not much use to you, Mr Rumblebuffin."
“不,不,”露茜笑著說,“手絹在這兒呢!”這一回他總算設(shè)法拿到了,不過對(duì)巨人來說手絹的大小就像你們的糖精片那么大,因此她看見他一本正經(jīng)地用這塊手絹在他那張又大又紅的臉上來回擦著,不由說,“倫波布芬先生,恐怖這塊手絹對(duì)你沒多大用處吧。”
"Not at all. Not at all," said the giant politely. "Never met a nicer handkerchee. So fine, so handy. So - I don't know how to describe it."
“哪兒的話,哪兒的話,”巨人有禮貌地說,“從來沒見過比這更好的手絹。這么精致,這么方便。所以——我都不知怎么形容了。”
"What a nice giant he is!" said Lucy to Mr Tumnus.
“他是個(gè)多么好的巨人啊!”露茜對(duì)圖姆納斯先生說。
"Oh yes," replied the Faun. "All the Buffins always were. One of the most respected of all the giant families in Narnia. Not very clever, perhaps (I never knew a giant that was), but an old family. With traditions, you know. If he'd been the other sort she'd never have turned him into stone."
“哦,是啊,”羊怪回答說,“布芬家的人全是那樣的。他們是納尼亞最受人尊敬的巨人家族之一。也許不太聰明(我從來就不知道有聰明的巨人),但他們是一個(gè)古老的家族。你知道,這是有傳統(tǒng)的。如果他是另外一種人,她也根本不會(huì)把他變成石頭了。”
At this point Aslan clapped his paws together and called for silence.
這時(shí)阿斯蘭拍拍爪子,叫大家安靜下來。
"Our day's work is not yet over," he said, "and if the Witch is to be finally defeated before bed-time we must find the battle at once."
“我們今天的工作還沒完呢,”它說,“如果要在睡覺前打敗妖婆,我們必須立刻找她們打一仗。”
"And join in, I hope, sir!" added the largest of the Centaurs.
“希望算我一個(gè),先生。”那最大的人頭馬加了一句。
"Of course," said Aslan. "And now! Those who can't keep up - that is, children, dwarfs, and small animals - must ride on the backs of those who can - that is, lions, centaurs, unicorns, horses, giants and eagles. Those who are good with their noses must come in front with us lions to smell out where the battle is. Look lively and sort yourselves." And with a great deal of bustle and cheering they did. The most pleased of the lot was the other lion who kept running about everywhere pretending to be very busy but really in order to say to everyone he met. "Did you hear what he said? Us Lions. That means him and me. Us Lions. That's what I like about Aslan. No side, no stand-off-ishness. Us Lions. That meant him and me." At least he went on saying this till Aslan had loaded him up with three dwarfs, one dryad, two rabbits, and a hedgehog. That steadied him a bit.
“當(dāng)然,”阿斯蘭說,“現(xiàn)在呢,那些跟不上的——就是說,孩子們、小矮人和小動(dòng)物們——必須騎在那些跟得上的動(dòng)物背上——就是說,獅子、人頭馬、獨(dú)角獸、馬、巨人和鷹。那些鼻子靈的必須跟我們獅子一起走在前頭,好聞出哪兒在打仗。趕快,你們自己分分類吧。”
When all were ready (it was a big sheep-dog who actually helped Aslan most in getting them sorted into their proper order) they set out through the gap in the castle wall. At first the lions and dogs went nosing about in all directions. But then suddenly one great hound picked up the scent and gave a bay. There was no time lost after that. Soon all the dogs and lions and wolves and other hunting animals were going at full speed with their noses to the ground, and all the others, streaked out for about half a mile behind them, were following as fast as they could. The noise was like an English fox-hunt only better because every now and then with the music of the hounds was mixed the roar of the other lion and sometimes the far deeper and more awful roar of Aslan himself. Faster and faster they went as the scent became easier and easier to follow. And then, just as they came to the last curve in a narrow, winding valley, Lucy heard above all these noises another noise - a different one, which gave her a queer feeling inside. It was a noise of shouts and shrieks and of the clashing of metal against metal.
接著就是一陣忙亂,一陣歡呼,它們都分好了。這里頭最高興的要算另外那頭獅子了,它一直東跑西顛裝做忙忙碌碌的樣子,其實(shí)是為了對(duì)它見到的每一個(gè)人說,“你聽見它說什么了嗎?我們獅子。那意思就是它和我呀。我們獅子。我就喜歡阿斯蘭這點(diǎn)。沒有架子,不盛氣凌人。我們獅子。那意思就是它和我呀。”它一直說來說去,至少說到阿斯蘭把三個(gè)小矮人、一個(gè)樹精、兩只兔子和一只刺猬放到它背上,這才把它穩(wěn)住了。一切都準(zhǔn)備好以后(原來竟是一條大牧羊犬幫著阿斯蘭讓大家各就各位的),他們就從城堡高墻的豁口處動(dòng)身了。開頭獅子和狗四處亂嗅??墒墙又袟l大獵狗忽然聞到了氣味,叫了起來。此后大家就抓緊時(shí)間。全部狗啊,獅啊,狼啊,還有其他參加追捕的動(dòng)物都把鼻子貼近地面,全速前進(jìn),其他的都在它們后面大約半英里處盡快跟著飛跑。這聲音倒像英國(guó)人在獵狐貍,因?yàn)榇蠹也粫r(shí)聽見獵犬的吠聲,夾雜著另一只獅子的吼聲,有時(shí)還有更深沉、更可怕的阿斯蘭自己的吼聲。氣味變得越來越容易跟蹤,他們也就跑得越來越快了。他們剛剛來到峽谷的最后一個(gè)轉(zhuǎn)彎處,露茜就聽出在所有這些聲音之外,又有另一種聲音——那是一種不同的聲音,她一聽心里就有一種怪異的感覺。那是些吶喊聲、尖叫聲和金屬撞擊聲。
Then they came out of the narrow valley and at once she saw the reason. There stood Peter and Edmund and all the rest of Aslan's army fighting desperately against the crowd of horrible creatures whom she had seen last night; only now, in the daylight, they looked even stranger and more evil and more deformed. There also seemed to be far more of them. Peter's army - which had their backs to her looked terribly few. And there werestatues dotted all over the battlefield, so apparently the Witch had been using her wand. But she did not seem to be using it now. She was fighting with her stone knife. It was Peter she was fightin - both of them going at it so hard that Lucy could hardly make out what was happening; she only saw the stone knife and Peter's sword flashing so quickly that they looked like three knives and three swords. That pair were in the centre. On each side the line stretched out. Horrible things were happening wherever she looked.
等她們走出峽谷,露茜立刻就明白其中的原因了。彼得和愛德蒙帶了阿斯蘭其余的軍隊(duì)正拼命跟她昨晚看見過的那群可怕的動(dòng)物戰(zhàn)斗,只不過如今在日光下,那些動(dòng)物看上去更怪、更惡、更丑,頭數(shù)也似乎多得多。阿斯蘭的軍隊(duì)——它們是背對(duì)著露茜的——看上去少得可憐。而且有好多石像散布在戰(zhàn)場(chǎng)上,顯然這是妖婆使過她的魔杖了。但這會(huì)兒她似乎沒使魔杖,她是用石刀在打仗。她在跟彼得作戰(zhàn)——雙方打得十分激烈,露茜簡(jiǎn)直看不清是怎么回事;她只看出刀光劍影飛閃,叫人眼花繚亂,看上去倒像有三把刀和三把劍了。這一對(duì)在中間廝殺,兩邊都排成一條戰(zhàn)線。不論她朝哪邊看,都是一片可怕的情景。
"Off my back, children," shouted Aslan. And they both tumbled off. Then with a roar that shook all Narnia from the western lamp-post to the shores of the eastern sea the great beast flung himself upon the White Witch. Lucy saw her face lifted towards him for one second with an expression of terror and amazement. Then Lion and Witch had rolled over together but with the Witch underneath; and at the same moment all war-like creatures whom Aslan had led from the Witch's house rushed madly on the enemy lines, dwarfs with their battle axes, dogs with teeth, the Giant with his club (and his feet also crushed dozens of the foe), unicorns with their horns, centaurs with swords and hoofs. And Peter's tired army cheered, and the newcomers roared, and the enemy squealed and gibbered till the wood re-echoed with the din of that onset.
“孩子們,快下來。”阿斯蘭叫道。她們倆就此翻滾下來。隨后一聲怒吼,震撼了西起路燈柱東到海邊的納尼亞整個(gè)土地,這只巨獸親自向白妖婆撲去。露茜看見剎那間妖婆抬起頭來看著它,臉上充滿了恐怖和驚訝。接著獅王和妖婆就滾成一團(tuán)了,但妖婆被壓在下面;這時(shí)阿斯蘭從妖婆老窩里帶來參戰(zhàn)的全部動(dòng)物都狂熱地朝敵陣中沖去,小矮人用戰(zhàn)斧,獵狗用牙齒,巨人用大棒(他的雙腳也踩死了好多敵人),獨(dú)角獸用角,人頭馬用劍和蹄子。彼得那支累壞了的軍隊(duì)立時(shí)士氣大振,新上陣的動(dòng)物們怒吼著,敵人嘰里呱啦,尖聲喊叫,鬧得樹林里殺聲震天。
Chapter 16: What Happened about the Statues
"WHAT an extraordinary place!" cried Lucy. "All those stone animals -and people too! It's -it's like a museum."
"Hush," said Susan, "Aslan's doing something."
He was indeed. He had bounded up to the stone lion and breathed on him. Then without waiting a moment he whisked round - almost as if he had been a cat chasing its tail -and breathed also on the stone dwarf, which (as you remember) was standing a few feet from the lion with his back to it. Then he pounced on a tall stone dryad which stood beyond the dwarf, turned rapidly aside to deal with a stone rabbit on his right, and rushed on to two centaurs. But at that moment Lucy said,
"Oh, Susan! Look! Look at the lion."
I expect you've seen someone put a lighted match to a bit of newspaper which is propped up in a grate against an unlit fire. And for a second nothing seems to have happened; and then you notice a tiny streak of flame creeping along the edge of the newspaper. It was like that now. For a second after Aslan had breathed upon him the stone lion looked just the same. Then a tiny streak of gold began to run along his white marble back then it spread - then the colour seemed to lick all over him as the flame licks all over a bit of paper - then, while his hindquarters were still obviously stone, the lion shook his mane and all the heavy, stone folds rippled into living hair. Then he opened a great red mouth, warm and living, and gave a prodigious yawn. And now his hind legs had come to life. He lifted one of them and scratched himself. Then, having caught sight of Aslan, he went bounding after him and frisking round him whimpering with delight and jumping up to lick his face.
Of course the children's eyes turned to follow the lion; but the sight they saw was so wonderful that they soon forgot about him. Everywhere the statues were coming to life. The courtyard looked no longer like a museum; it looked more like a zoo. Creatures were running after Aslan and dancing round him till he was almost hidden in the crowd. Instead of all that deadly white the courtyard was now a blaze of colours; glossy chestnut sides of centaurs, indigo horns of unicorns, dazzling plumage of birds, reddy-brown of foxes, dogs and satyrs, yellow stockings and crimson hoods of dwarfs; and the birch-girls in silver, and the beech-girls in fresh, transparent green, and the larch-girls in green so bright that it was almost yellow. And instead of the deadly silence the whole place rang with the sound of happy roarings, brayings, yelpings, barkings, squealings, cooings, neighings, stampings, shouts, hurrahs, songs and laughter.
"Oh!" said Susan in a different tone. "Look! I wonder - I mean, is it safe?"
Lucy looked and saw that Aslan had just breathed on the feet of the stone giant.
"It's all right!" shouted Aslan joyously. "Once the feet are put right, all the rest of him will follow."
"That wasn't exactly what I meant," whispered Susan to Lucy. But it was too late to do anything about it now even if Aslan would have listened to her. The change was already creeping up the Giant's legs. Now he was moving his feet. A moment later he lifted his club off his shoulder, rubbed his eyes and said,
"Bless me! I must have been asleep. Now! Where's that dratted little Witch that was running about on the ground. Somewhere just by my feet it was." But when everyone had shouted up to him to explain what had really happened, and when the Giant had put his hand to his ear and got them to repeat it all again so that at last he understood, then he bowed down till his head was no further off than the top of a haystack and touched his cap repeatedly to Aslan, beaming all over his honest ugly face. (Giants of any sort are now so rare in England and so few giants are good-tempered that ten to one you have never seen a giant when his face is beaming. It's a sight well worth looking at.)
"Now for the inside of this house!" said Aslan. "Look alive, everyone. Up stairs and down stairs and in my lady's chamber! Leave no corner unsearched. You never know where some poor prisoner may be concealed."
And into the interior they all rushed and for several minutes the whole of that dark, horrible, fusty old castle echoed with the opening of windows and with everyone's voices crying out at once, "Don't forget the dungeons - Give us a hand with this door! Here's another little winding stair - Oh! I say. Here's a poor kangaroo. Call Aslan - Phew! How it smells in here - Look out for trap-doors - Up here! There are a whole lot more on the landing!" But the best of all was when Lucy came rushing upstairs shouting out,
"Aslan! Aslan! I've found Mr Tumnus. Oh, do come quick."
A moment later Lucy and the little Faun were holding each other by both hands and dancing round and round for joy. The little chap was none the worse for having been a statue and was of course very interested in all she had to tell him.But at last the ransacking of the Witch's fortress was ended. The whole castle stood empty with every door and window open and the light and the sweet spring air flooding into all the dark and evil places which needed them so badly. The whole crowd of liberated statues surged back into the courtyard. And it was then that someone (Tumnus, I think) first said, "But how are we going to get out?" for Aslan had got in by a jump and the gates were still locked.
"That'll be all right," said Aslan; and then, rising on his hind-legs, he bawled up at the Giant. "Hi! You up there," he roared. "What's your name?"
"Giant Rumblebuffin, if it please your honour," said the Giant, once more touching his cap.
"Well then, Giant Rumblebuffin," said Aslan, "just let us out of this, will you?"
"Certainly, your honour. It will be a pleasure," said Giant Rumblebuffin. "Stand well away from the gates, all you little 'uns." Then he strode to the gate himself and bang - bang - bang - went his huge club. The gates creaked at the first blow, cracked at the second, and shivered at the third. Then he tackled the towers on each side of them and after a few minutes of crashing and thudding both the towers and a good bit of the wall on each side went thundering down in a mass of hopeless rubble; and when the dust cleared it was odd, standing in that dry, grim, stony yard, to see through the gap all the grass and waving trees and sparkling streams of the forest, and the blue hills beyond that and beyond them the sky.
"Blowed if I ain't all in a muck sweat," said the Giant, puffing like the largest railway engine. "Comes of being out of condition. I suppose neither of you young ladies has such a thing as a pocket-handkerchee about you?"
"Yes, I have," said Lucy, standing on tip-toes and holding her handkerchief up as far as she could reach.
"Thank you, Missie," said Giant Rumblebuffin, stooping down. Next moment Lucy got rather a fright for she found herself caught up in mid-air between the Giant's finger and thumb. But just as she was getting near his face he suddenly started and then put her gently back on the ground muttering, "Bless me! I've picked up the little girl instead. I beg your pardon, Missie, I thought you was the handkerchee!"
"No, no," said Lucy laughing, "here it is!" This time he managed to get it but it was only about the same size to him that a saccharine tablet would be to you, so that when she saw him solemnly rubbing it to and fro across his great red face, she said, "I'm afraid it's not much use to you, Mr Rumblebuffin."
"Not at all. Not at all," said the giant politely. "Never met a nicer handkerchee. So fine, so handy. So - I don't know how to describe it."
"What a nice giant he is!" said Lucy to Mr Tumnus.
"Oh yes," replied the Faun. "All the Buffins always were. One of the most respected of all the giant families in Narnia. Not very clever, perhaps (I never knew a giant that was), but an old family. With traditions, you know. If he'd been the other sort she'd never have turned him into stone."
At this point Aslan clapped his paws together and called for silence.
"Our day's work is not yet over," he said, "and if the Witch is to be finally defeated before bed-time we must find the battle at once."
"And join in, I hope, sir!" added the largest of the Centaurs.
"Of course," said Aslan. "And now! Those who can't keep up - that is, children, dwarfs, and small animals - must ride on the backs of those who can - that is, lions, centaurs, unicorns, horses, giants and eagles. Those who are good with their noses must come in front with us lions to smell out where the battle is. Look lively and sort yourselves." And with a great deal of bustle and cheering they did. The most pleased of the lot was the other lion who kept running about everywhere pretending to be very busy but really in order to say to everyone he met. "Did you hear what he said? Us Lions. That means him and me. Us Lions. That's what I like about Aslan. No side, no stand-off-ishness. Us Lions. That meant him and me." At least he went on saying this till Aslan had loaded him up with three dwarfs, one dryad, two rabbits, and a hedgehog. That steadied him a bit.
When all were ready (it was a big sheep-dog who actually helped Aslan most in getting them sorted into their proper order) they set out through the gap in the castle wall. At first the lions and dogs went nosing about in all directions. But then suddenly one great hound picked up the scent and gave a bay. There was no time lost after that. Soon all the dogs and lions and wolves and other hunting animals were going at full speed with their noses to the ground, and all the others, streaked out for about half a mile behind them, were following as fast as they could. The noise was like an English fox-hunt only better because every now and then with the music of the hounds was mixed the roar of the other lion and sometimes the far deeper and more awful roar of Aslan himself. Faster and faster they went as the scent became easier and easier to follow. And then, just as they came to the last curve in a narrow, winding valley, Lucy heard above all these noises another noise - a different one, which gave her a queer feeling inside. It was a noise of shouts and shrieks and of the clashing of metal against metal.
Then they came out of the narrow valley and at once she saw the reason. There stood Peter and Edmund and all the rest of Aslan's army fighting desperately against the crowd of horrible creatures whom she had seen last night; only now, in the daylight, they looked even stranger and more evil and more deformed. There also seemed to be far more of them. Peter's army - which had their backs to her looked terribly few. And there werestatues dotted all over the battlefield, so apparently the Witch had been using her wand. But she did not seem to be using it now. She was fighting with her stone knife. It was Peter she was fightin - both of them going at it so hard that Lucy could hardly make out what was happening; she only saw the stone knife and Peter's sword flashing so quickly that they looked like three knives and three swords. That pair were in the centre. On each side the line stretched out. Horrible things were happening wherever she looked.
"Off my back, children," shouted Aslan. And they both tumbled off. Then with a roar that shook all Narnia from the western lamp-post to the shores of the eastern sea the great beast flung himself upon the White Witch. Lucy saw her face lifted towards him for one second with an expression of terror and amazement. Then Lion and Witch had rolled over together but with the Witch underneath; and at the same moment all war-like creatures whom Aslan had led from the Witch's house rushed madly on the enemy lines, dwarfs with their battleaxes, dogs with teeth, the Giant with his club (and his feet also crushed dozens of the foe), unicorns with their horns, centaurs with swords and hoofs. And Peter's tired army cheered, and the newcomers roared, and the enemy squealed and gibbered till the wood re-echoed with the din of that onset.
第十六章 石像的遭遇
“多怪的地方!”露茜叫道,“所有那些石頭動(dòng)物——還有石人!就像——就像一個(gè)博物館。” )
“噓!”蘇珊說,“阿斯蘭在施什么法了。”
它果然在施法。它跳到石獅面前,對(duì)石獅吹了口氣。接著突然轉(zhuǎn)過身去——幾乎像貓?jiān)谧纷约旱奈舶?mdash;—對(duì)那個(gè)石頭小矮人也吹口氣,你們大概還記得,這小矮人正背對(duì)著石獅,站在相隔一兩英尺的地方。然后它又突然撲向站在小矮人那邊的一個(gè)高大石頭樹精,又趕快轉(zhuǎn)到另一邊去對(duì)付它右面的一只石兔,再?zèng)_到兩個(gè)人頭馬身邊。但就在這時(shí)露茜說:
“哦,蘇珊,瞧!瞧那只獅子。”
我想你們都見過人家點(diǎn)上一根火柴,湊到壁爐架里一團(tuán)沒點(diǎn)燃的報(bào)紙前那種情況。開頭的一剎那似乎毫無動(dòng)靜,接著你們就看到一絲小小的火焰在報(bào)紙的邊緣蔓延。此時(shí)的情況正是如此。阿斯蘭對(duì)石獅吹了口氣以后,有一剎那,那只石獅看上去并沒什么兩樣。后來它那白色大理石的背上開始掠過一小縷金色——然后金色蔓延開了——后來金色似乎在它全身掠過,就像火焰吞沒了那一團(tuán)報(bào)紙一樣——然后,盡管它的后腿是石頭,這只獅子卻用力抖動(dòng)鬃毛,所有那些沉甸甸的石頭褶痕都飄動(dòng)起來,成了活生生的鬃毛。它這才張開血盆大嘴,呼出生氣和熱氣,打了一個(gè)大大的呵欠。這會(huì)兒它的后腿也活過來了。它抬起一條后腿在身上搔搔。接著,它看見阿斯蘭,就跳到獅王后面,在阿斯蘭身邊又蹦又跳,高興得哭了起來,還跳起來舔舔阿斯蘭的臉。
兩個(gè)女孩子的眼睛當(dāng)然都跟著獅子轉(zhuǎn);不過她們看到的景象那么奇妙,因此很快就把它忘了。到處都是活過來的石像。這院子不再像一個(gè)博物館,倒像一個(gè)動(dòng)物園了。動(dòng)物們都跟著阿斯蘭跑,圍著它跳舞,到后來它幾乎被大伙兒遮住看不見了。院子里本來是一片慘白,如今卻是色彩斑斕;人頭馬栗色的馬身,獨(dú)角獸深藍(lán)色的角,百鳥絢爛的羽毛,紅棕色的孤貍,狗和森林神,穿黃襪子戴紅風(fēng)帽的小矮人,一身銀裝的白樺姑娘,晶瑩碧綠的山毛櫸姑娘,還有落葉松姑娘,一身蒼翠的衣裝鮮艷得都快發(fā)黃了。這地方原來死氣沉沉,一片寂靜,如今整個(gè)院子里都回蕩著歡樂的喧鬧聲:獅吼,虎嘯,驢叫,狗吠,鴿咕,馬嘶,還有尖叫聲、頓腳聲、吶喊聲、歡呼聲、歌聲和笑聲。
“哦,”蘇珊說話的聲音都變了,“瞧!不知道——我是說,不會(huì)傷人嗎?”
露茜一看,只見阿斯蘭朝一個(gè)石頭巨人的兩腳吹了口氣。
“沒事兒!”阿斯蘭興沖沖地大聲喊叫,“只要這雙腳治好了,其余的部位就會(huì)跟著好起來。”
“我不完全是這個(gè)意思。”蘇珊悄聲對(duì)露茜說。不過即使阿斯蘭聽到她的話,這會(huì)兒也來不及了。巨人兩腿已經(jīng)漸漸有了起色。目前他正挪動(dòng)雙腳,過了一會(huì)他拿下肩膀上那根大棒,揉揉眼睛說:
“天哪!我一定睡著了。嗨!那個(gè)在地上跑來跑去的該死的小妖婆上哪兒去了?剛才她還在我腳邊什么地方呢。”當(dāng)大伙兒都抬頭對(duì)他大聲喊著解釋這兒真正出了什么事時(shí),巨人把手放在耳邊讓他們?cè)僬f一遍,最后才算聽明白了。接著他深深低頭一躬,腦袋低得只有干草堆的頂那么高,還不斷摸著帽檐向阿斯蘭致意,他那張誠(chéng)實(shí)而丑陋的臉滿面笑容。(如今在英國(guó)無論哪種巨人都難得一見,而脾氣好的巨人更少見,你們十之八九就從來沒見過一個(gè)滿面笑容的巨人,這情景倒很值得一看。
“現(xiàn)在該上屋里去了!”阿斯蘭說,“大家趕快。樓上,樓下,還有妖婆的房間!每個(gè)角落都要搜。你們根本不知道那些可憐的囚犯會(huì)給藏在哪兒。”
于是他們?nèi)紱_了進(jìn)去。片刻工夫,那整座黑暗、恐怖、霉臭的舊城堡里響起了開窗戶和大伙兒喊叫的聲音:“別忘了地牢——幫我們打開這扇門!——這兒還有一條彎曲的樓梯——哦,我說,這兒有一只可憐的小袋鼠。叫阿斯蘭來——噓!這兒多難聞——小心那些暗門——到這兒來!樓梯平臺(tái)上還有好多呢!”不過最好的事要數(shù)露茜沖上樓去,嘴里大叫著:
“阿斯蘭!阿斯蘭!我找到圖姆納斯先生啦。哦,快來吧!”
過了一會(huì),露茜和那只小羊怪就手拉手跳著舞,高興地轉(zhuǎn)了一圈又一圈。這小家伙雖然給變成了石像,但并沒受傷,因此對(duì)她告訴他的一切當(dāng)然都十分感興趣。對(duì)妖婆堡壘的徹底搜查終于結(jié)束了。整個(gè)城堡都空了,門窗全都大開,陽光和芳香的春天氣息涌進(jìn)了所有那些黑暗而邪惡的地方,那些地方多么需要陽光和新鮮空氣啊。這一大群重新獲得生命的石像又擁回院子里。到了這時(shí)才有人(我想,是圖姆納斯吧)首先開口說:“可我們?cè)趺闯鋈ツ?” 因?yàn)榘⑺固m是跳進(jìn)來的,院子大門仍然鎖著呢。
“那沒關(guān)系,”阿斯蘭說,隨即后腿直立起來,對(duì)巨人大聲喊叫。“嗨,你,上邊的,”它吼道,“你叫什么名字?”
“報(bào)告大人,我是巨人倫波布芬。”巨人說著,摸摸帽子以示敬意。
“那好吧,巨人倫波布芬,”阿斯蘭說,“讓我們從這兒出去,好嗎?”
“當(dāng)然可以,大人。樂意效勞。”巨人倫波布芬說,“你們這些小家伙都離大門遠(yuǎn)點(diǎn)!”接著他大步走到門口,掄起大棒,砰——砰——砰。第一下,大門吱吱嘎嘎響了,第二下,大門裂開了,第三下,大門成了碎片啦。隨后他又去對(duì)付大門兩邊的塔樓,又捶又搗,幾下子工夫,兩邊的塔樓和旁邊大部分高墻都轟隆隆倒下了,成了一大堆碎磚爛瓦;等到塵土散去,站在這個(gè)光禿禿、陰森森的石頭院子里看著豁口外那些草地,搖曳的樹木,森林中波光粼粼的溪流,以及溪流外的青山和山外的碧空,可真是別有風(fēng)味。
“我要不是渾身臭汗才怪呢,”巨人說話時(shí)像大火車頭似的直喘,“由于條件差,我想你們這些年輕小姐身上都沒帶手絹吧?”
“有,我有。”露茜說著踮起腳尖,盡量把她的手絹高高舉起。
“謝謝你,小姐。”巨人倫波布芬說著彎下了腰。轉(zhuǎn)眼間露茜嚇了一大跳,因?yàn)樗恢挥X中竟被巨人兩個(gè)指頭捏住提到半空中了。不過就在她湊近他臉的時(shí)候,他突然一驚,隨即把她輕輕放回地上,嘴里還喃喃說,“老天爺,我竟把小姑娘拎起來了。對(duì)不起,小姐,我還以為你就是那塊手絹呢。”
“不,不,”露茜笑著說,“手絹在這兒呢!”這一回他總算設(shè)法拿到了,不過對(duì)巨人來說手絹的大小就像你們的糖精片那么大,因此她看見他一本正經(jīng)地用這塊手絹在他那張又大又紅的臉上來回擦著,不由說,“倫波布芬先生,恐怖這塊手絹對(duì)你沒多大用處吧。”
“哪兒的話,哪兒的話,”巨人有禮貌地說,“從來沒見過比這更好的手絹。這么精致,這么方便。所以——我都不知怎么形容了。”
“他是個(gè)多么好的巨人啊!”露茜對(duì)圖姆納斯先生說。
“哦,是啊,”羊怪回答說,“布芬家的人全是那樣的。他們是納尼亞最受人尊敬的巨人家族之一。也許不太聰明(我從來就不知道有聰明的巨人),但他們是一個(gè)古老的家族。你知道,這是有傳統(tǒng)的。如果他是另外一種人,她也根本不會(huì)把他變成石頭了。”
這時(shí)阿斯蘭拍拍爪子,叫大家安靜下來。
“我們今天的工作還沒完呢,”它說,“如果要在睡覺前打敗妖婆,我們必須立刻找她們打一仗。”
“希望算我一個(gè),先生。”那最大的人頭馬加了一句。
“當(dāng)然,”阿斯蘭說,“現(xiàn)在呢,那些跟不上的——就是說,孩子們、小矮人和小動(dòng)物們——必須騎在那些跟得上的動(dòng)物背上——就是說,獅子、人頭馬、獨(dú)角獸、馬、巨人和鷹。那些鼻子靈的必須跟我們獅子一起走在前頭,好聞出哪兒在打仗。趕快,你們自己分分類吧。”
接著就是一陣忙亂,一陣歡呼,它們都分好了。這里頭最高興的要算另外那頭獅子了,它一直東跑西顛裝做忙忙碌碌的樣子,其實(shí)是為了對(duì)它見到的每一個(gè)人說,“你聽見它說什么了嗎?我們獅子。那意思就是它和我呀。我們獅子。我就喜歡阿斯蘭這點(diǎn)。沒有架子,不盛氣凌人。我們獅子。那意思就是它和我呀。”它一直說來說去,至少說到阿斯蘭把三個(gè)小矮人、一個(gè)樹精、兩只兔子和一只刺猬放到它背上,這才把它穩(wěn)住了。一切都準(zhǔn)備好以后(原來竟是一條大牧羊犬幫著阿斯蘭讓大家各就各位的),他們就從城堡高墻的豁口處動(dòng)身了。開頭獅子和狗四處亂嗅??墒墙又袟l大獵狗忽然聞到了氣味,叫了起來。此后大家就抓緊時(shí)間。全部狗啊,獅啊,狼啊,還有其他參加追捕的動(dòng)物都把鼻子貼近地面,全速前進(jìn),其他的都在它們后面大約半英里處盡快跟著飛跑。這聲音倒像英國(guó)人在獵狐貍,因?yàn)榇蠹也粫r(shí)聽見獵犬的吠聲,夾雜著另一只獅子的吼聲,有時(shí)還有更深沉、更可怕的阿斯蘭自己的吼聲。氣味變得越來越容易跟蹤,他們也就跑得越來越快了。他們剛剛來到峽谷的最后一個(gè)轉(zhuǎn)彎處,露茜就聽出在所有這些聲音之外,又有另一種聲音——那是一種不同的聲音,她一聽心里就有一種怪異的感覺。那是些吶喊聲、尖叫聲和金屬撞擊聲。
等她們走出峽谷,露茜立刻就明白其中的原因了。彼得和愛德蒙帶了阿斯蘭其余的軍隊(duì)正拼命跟她昨晚看見過的那群可怕的動(dòng)物戰(zhàn)斗,只不過如今在日光下,那些動(dòng)物看上去更怪、更惡、更丑,頭數(shù)也似乎多得多。阿斯蘭的軍隊(duì)——它們是背對(duì)著露茜的——看上去少得可憐。而且有好多石像散布在戰(zhàn)場(chǎng)上,顯然這是妖婆使過她的魔杖了。但這會(huì)兒她似乎沒使魔杖,她是用石刀在打仗。她在跟彼得作戰(zhàn)——雙方打得十分激烈,露茜簡(jiǎn)直看不清是怎么回事;她只看出刀光劍影飛閃,叫人眼花繚亂,看上去倒像有三把刀和三把劍了。這一對(duì)在中間廝殺,兩邊都排成一條戰(zhàn)線。不論她朝哪邊看,都是一片可怕的情景。
“孩子們,快下來。”阿斯蘭叫道。她們倆就此翻滾下來。隨后一聲怒吼,震撼了西起路燈柱東到海邊的納尼亞整個(gè)土地,這只巨獸親自向白妖婆撲去。露茜看見剎那間妖婆抬起頭來看著它,臉上充滿了恐怖和驚訝。接著獅王和妖婆就滾成一團(tuán)了,但妖婆被壓在下面;這時(shí)阿斯蘭從妖婆老窩里帶來參戰(zhàn)的全部動(dòng)物都狂熱地朝敵陣中沖去,小矮人用戰(zhàn)斧,獵狗用牙齒,巨人用大棒(他的雙腳也踩死了好多敵人),獨(dú)角獸用角,人頭馬用劍和蹄子。彼得那支累壞了的軍隊(duì)立時(shí)士氣大振,新上陣的動(dòng)物們怒吼著,敵人嘰里呱啦,尖聲喊叫,鬧得樹林里殺聲震天。