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CHAPTER ELEVEN

  THEPACEQUISQUICKaslightning,RishdaTarkaanleapedbackoutofreachoftheKingssword.Hewasnocoward,andwouldhavefoughtsingle-handedagainstTirianandtheDwarfifneedwere.ButhecouldnottakeontheEagleandtheUniaswell.HeknewhowEaglesflyintoyourfadpeckatyoureyesandblindyouwiththeirwings.Andhehadheardfromhisfather(whohadmetNarniansinbattle)thatnoman,exceptwitharrows,oralongspear,mati,foritrearsonitshindlegsasitfallsuponyouandthenyouhaveitshoofsanditshornanditsteethtodealwithallatonce.Soherushedintothecrowdandstoodcallingout:"Tome,tome,warriorsofTheTisroc,may-he-liveforever.Tome,allloyalNarniahewrathofTashlanfalluponyou!”

  Whilethiseningtwootherthingshappenedaswell.TheApehadnotrealizedhisdangerasquicklyastheTarkaan.Forasedorsoheremainedsquattingbesidethefirestaringatthenewers.ThenTirianrushedupochedcreature,pickeditupbythescruffoftheneddashedbacktothestableshouting,"Openthedoor!”

  Pogginope."Goanddrinkyourownmedie,Shift!"saidTirianandhurledtheApethroughintothedarkness.ButastheDwarfbahedoorshutagain,ablindinggreenish-bluelightshofromtheihestable,theearthshook,andtherewasastrangenoise-aclugandscreamingasifitwasthehoarsevoiemonstrousbird.TheBeastsmoanedandhowledandcalledout"Tashlan!Hideusfromhim!"andmanyfelldown,andmanyhidtheirfatheirwingsorpaws.NooneexceptFarsighttheEagle,whohasthebesteyesofalllivingthings,noticedthefaceofRishdaTarkaanatthatmoment.AndfromwhatFarsightsawtherehekoRishdawasjustassurprised,andnearlyfrightened,aseveryoneelse."Theregoesone,”

  thoughtFarsight,"whohascalledongodshedoesnotbelievein.Howwillitbewithhimiftheyhavereallye?”

  Thethirdthing-whichalsohappehesamemoment-wastheonlyreallybeautifulthingthatnight.EverysialkingDoginthewholemeeting(therewerefifteenof

  them)cameboundingandbarkingjoyouslytotheKingsside.Theyweremostlygreatbigdogswiththickshouldersandheavyjaws.Theiringwaslikethebreakingofagreatwaveontheseabeach:itnearlyknockedyoudown.ForthoughtheywereTalkingDogstheywerejustasdoggyastheycouldbe:andtheyallstoodupandputtheirfrontpawsontheshouldersofthehumansandlickedtheirfaces,allsayingatonce:"Wele!Wele!Wellhelp,wellhelp,help,help.Showushowtohelp,showusho-how-how?”

  Itwassolovelythatitmadeyouwanttocry.This,atlast,wasthesortofthingtheyhadbeenhopingfor.Andwhen,amomentlater,severallittleanimals(midmolesandasquirrelorso)camepatteringup,squealingwithjoy,andsaying"See,see.Werehere,”

  andwhen,afterthat,theBearandtheBoarcametoo,Eustacebegahatperhaps,afterall,everythingmightbegoingtoeright.ButTiriangazedroundandsawhowveryfewoftheanimalshadmoved.

  "Tome!tome!"hecalled."HaveyouallturnedcowardssinceIwasy?”

  "Wedarent,"whimpereddozensofvoices."Tashlanwouldbeangry.ShieldusfromTashlan.”

  "WherearealltheTalkingHorses?"saidTiriantotheBoar.

  "Weveseen,weveseen,"squealedtheMice."TheApehasmadethemwork.Theyrealltied-downatthebottomofthehill.”

  "Thenallyoulittleones,"saidTirian,"younibblersandgnawersandnutcrackers,awaywithyouasfastasyouscamperaheHorsesareonourside.Andiftheyare,getyourteethintotheropesandgnawtilltheHorsesarefreeandbriher.”

  "Withagoodwill,Sire,"camethesmallvoices,andwithawhiskoftailsthosesharp-eyedandsharp-toothedfolkwereoff.Tiriansmiledformereloveashesawthemgo.Butitwasalreadytimetobethinkingofotherthings.RishdaTarkaanwasgivinghisorders.

  "Forward,"hesaid."Takeallofthemaliveifyoudhurlthemintothestableordrivethemintoit.WhentheyareallinwewillputfiretoitandmakethemantothegreatgodTash.”

  "Ha!"saidFarsighttohimself."Sothatishowhehopestoardonforhisunbelief.”

  Theenemyline-abouthalfofRishdasforce-wasnowmovingforward,andTirianhadbarelytimetogivehisorders.

  "Outo,Jill,andtrytoshootallyoumaybeforetheyreachus.BoarandBeargino,Eustayright.Holdtherightwing,Jewel.Standby

  him,Puzzle,anduseyourhoofs.Hoverandstrike,Farsight.YouDogs,justbehindus.

  Goinamoerthesword-playhasbegun.Aslantoouraid!”

  Eustacestoodwithhisheartbeatingterribly,hopingandhopingthathewouldbebrave.

  Hehadneverseenanything(thoughhehadseenbothadragonandaseaserpent)thatmadehisbloodrunsocoldasthatlineofdark-facedbright-eyedmen.TherewerefifteenealkingBullofNarnia,SliheFox,andWraggletheSatyr.Thewang-and-zipponhisleftandoneehentwang-andzippagainayrwasdown."Oh,welldone,daughter!"cameTiriansvoidthentheenemywereuponthem.

  Eustacecouldneverrememberpehewomiwasalllikeadream(thesortyouhavewhenyourtemperatureisover100)untilheheardRishdaTarkaansvoicecallingoutfromthedistance:"Retire.Backhitherandre-form.”

  Theacecametohissensesandsawtheenesscamperingbacktotheirfriends.Butnotallofthem.Twolaydead,piercedbyJewelshoririanssword.TheFoxlaydeadathisow,andhewonderedifitwashewhohadkilledit.

  TheBullalsowasdown,shhtheeyebyanarrowfromJillandgashedinhissidebytheBoarstusk.Butoursidehaditslossestoo.Threedogswerekilledandafourthwashobblingbehindthelihreelegsandwhimpering.TheBearlayontheground,movingfeebly.Thenitmumbledinitsthroatyvoice,bewilderedtothelast,"I-Idontuand,"laiditsbigheaddownonthegrassasquietlyasachildgoingtosleep,andnevermovedagain.

  Infact,thefirstattackhadfailed.Eustacedidntseemabletobegladaboutit:hewassoterriblythirstyandhisarmachedso.

  AsthedefeatedebacktotheiraheDwarfsbeganjeeringatthem.

  "Hadenough,Darkies?"theyyelled."Dontyoulikeit?WhydoesntyreatTarkaangoandfighthimselfinsteadofsendingyoutobekilled?PoorDarkies!”

  "Dwarfs,"criedTirian."ehereanduseyourswords,notyues.Thereisstilltime.DwarfsofNarnia!Youfightwell,Iknow.ebacktoyourallegiance.”

  "Yah!"sheDwarfs."Notlikely.Yourejustasbighumbugsastheotherlot.WedontwantanyKings.TheDwarfsarefortheDwarfs.Boo!”

  ThentheDrumbegan:notaDwarfdrumthistime,butabigbullshideenedrum.

  Thechildrenfromtheveryfirsthatedthesound.Boom-boom-ba-ba-boomitwent.Buttheywouldhavehateditfarworseiftheyhadknownwhatitmeant.Tiriandid.ItmeantthattherewereothereroopssomewherenearandthatRishdaTarkaanwas

  calliohisaid.TirianandJewellookedatohersadly.Theyhadjustbeguntohopethattheymightwinthatnight:butitwouldbealloverwiththemifnewenemiesappeared.

  Tiriangazeddespairinglyround.SeveralNarniaandingwiththeenes,whetherthroughtreacheryorifearof"Tashlan".Othersweresittingstill,staring,notlikelytojoiherside.Buttherewerefeweranimalsnow:thecrowdwasmuchsmaller.Clearly,severalofthemhadjustcreptquietlyawayduringthefighting.

  Boom-boom-ba-ba-boomwentthehorribledrum.Thenanothersouomixwithit."Listen!"saidJewel:andthen"Look!"saidFarsight.Amomentlatertherewasnodoubtwhatitwas.Withathunderofhoofs,withtossingheads,widenednostrils,andwavingmanes,overascoreofTalkingHorsesofNarniacamechargingupthehill.Thegnawersandnibblershaddoheirwork.

  PoggintheDwarfandthechildreheirmouthstocheerbutthatcheernevercame.Suddenlytheairwasfullofthesoundoftwangingbow-stringsandhissingarrows.

  ItwastheDwarfswhowereshootingand-foramomentJillcouldhardlybelievehereyes-theywereshootingtheHorses.Dwarfsaredeadlyarchers.HorseafterHorserolledover.NotohosenobleBeastseverreachedtheKing.

  "LittleSwine,"shriekedEustace,danginhisrage."Dirty,filthy,treacherouslittlebrutes."EvenJewelsaid,"ShallIruhoseDwarfs,Sire,andspittenofthemonmyhornateachplunge?"ButTirianwithhisfaceassternasstone,said,"Standfast,Jewel.

  Ifyoumustweep,sweetheart(thiswastoJill),turnyourfaceasideandseeyouwetnotyourbow-string.Andpeace,Eustace.Donotscold,likeakit-girl.Nowarriorscolds.

  Courteouswordsorelsehardknocksarehisonlylanguage.”

  ButtheDwarfsjeeredbackatEustace."Thatriseforyou,littleboy,eh?

  Thoughtwewereonyourside,didyou?Nofear.WedontwantanyTalkingHorses.Wedontwantyoutowinanymorethahergang.Youttakeusin.TheDwarfsarefortheDwarfs.”

  RishdaTarkaanwasstilltalkingtohismen,doubtlessmakingarrasforthetadprobablywishinghehadsenthiswholefortothefirst.Thedrumboomedootheirhorror,Tirianandhisfriendsheard,farfainterasiffromalongwayoff,anansweringdrum.AnotherbodyofeneshadheardRishdassignalandwereingtosupporthim.YouwouldnothaveknownfromTiriansfacethathehadnowgivenupallhope.

  "Listen,"hewhisperedinamatter-of-factvoice,"wemustattaow,beforeyondermistsarestrengtheheirfriends.”

  "Bethinkyou,Sire,"saidPoggin,"thatherewehavethegoodwoodenwallofthestableatourbacks.Ifweadvance,shallwenotbeencircledasword-poiweenourshoulders?”

  "Iwouldsayasyoudo,Dwarf,"saidTirian."Wereitnottheirveryplantoforceusintothestable?Thefurtherwearefromitsdeadlydoor,thebetter.”

  "TheKingisright,"saidFarsight."Awayfromthisaccursedstable,andwhatevergoblinlivesi,atallcosts.”

  "Yes,dolets,"saidEustace."Imingtohatetheverysightofit.”

  "Good,"saidTirian."Nowlookyooourleft.Youseeagreatrockthatgleamswhitelikemarbleinthefirelight.Firstwewillfalluponthoseenes.You,maiden,shallmoveoutonourleftandshootasfastaseveryoumayintotheirranks:andyou,Eagle,flyattheirfacesfromtheright.Meanwhileweotherswillbechargingthem.Whenwearesoclose,Jill,thatyouolongershootatthemforfearofstrikingus,gobacktothewhiterodwait.Youothers,keepyourearswideeveninthefightiputthemtoflightinafewminutesorelsenotatall,forwearefewerthanthey.AssoonasIcallBack,thenrushtojoinJillatthewhiterock,whereweshallhaveprotebehindusandbreatheawhile.Now,beoff,Jill.”

  Feelingterriblyalone,Jillranoutabouttwe,putherrightlegbadherleftlegforward,aanarrowtoherstring.Shewishedherhandswerenotshakingso.

  "Thatsarottenshot!"shesaidasherfirstarrowspedtowardstheenemyandflewovertheirheads.Butshehadahestrimoment:shekhatspeedwaswhatmattered.ShesawsomethingbigandblackdartingintothefacesoftheehatwasFarsight.Firstoneman,andthenanother,droppedhissutupbothhishandstodefendhiseyes.Thenoneofherownarrowshitaman,andaaNarnianwolf,whohad,itseemed,joiheenemy.Butshehadbeenshootingonlyforafewsedswheostop.WithaflashofswordsandoftheBoarstusksandJewelshorn,andwithdeepbayingfromthedogs,Tirianandhispartywererushingontheirenemies,likemeninahundredyardsrace.Jillwasastooseehowunpreparedtheenesseemedtobe.ShedidnotrealizethatthiswastheresultofherworkandtheEagles.Veryfewtroopskeeponlookingsteadilytothefrontiftheyaregettingarrowsintheirfacesfromonesideandbeingpeckedbyaneagleoher.

  "Ohwelldone.Welldone!"shoutedJill.TheKingspartywerecuttingtheirwayrightintotheeheUniwastossingmenasyoudtosshayonafork.EveaceseemedtoJill(whoafteralldidntknowverymuchaboutswordsmanship)tobefightingbrilliantly.TheDogswereattheehroats.Itwasgoingtowork!Itwasvictoryatlast-Withahorrible,coldshockJillnoticedastrahing.Thougheneswerefallingateaarniansword-stroke,theyneverseemedtogetanyfewer.Infact,therewereactuallymoreofthemnowthahefightbegan.Thereweremoreeverysed.Theywererunningupfromeveryside.Theywerenewehesenewoneshadspears.Therewassuchacrowdofthemthatshecouldhardlyseeherownfriends.ThensheheardTiriansvoiceg:

  "Back!Totherock!”

  Theenemyhadbeenreinforced.Thedrumhaddoswork.松语文学www.16sy.coM免费小说阅读