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双语·能言马与男孩 第十四章 布里如何变成一匹聪明的马儿

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2022年05月03日

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Chapter XIV HOW BREE BECAME A WISER HORSE

We must now return to Aravis and the Horses. The Hermit, watching his pool, was able to tell them that Shasta was not killed or even seriously wounded, for he saw him get up and saw how affectionately he was greeted by King Lune. But as he could only see, not hear, he did not know what anyone was saying and, once the fighting had stopped and the talking had begun, it was not worth while looking in the pool any longer.

Next morning, while the Hermit was indoors, the three of them discussed what they should do next.

“I've had enough of this,” said Hwin. “The Hermit has been very good to us and I'm very much obliged to him, I'm sure. But I'm getting as fat as a pet pony, eating all day and getting no exercise. Let's go on to Narnia.”

“Oh not today, Ma'am,” said Bree. “I wouldn't hurry things. Some other day, don't you think?”

“We must see Shasta first and say good-bye to him—and—and apologise,” said Aravis.

“Exactly!” said Bree with great enthusiasm. “Just what I was going to say.”

“Oh, of course,” said Hwin. “I expect he is in Anvard. Naturally we'd look in on him and say good-bye. But that's on our way. And why shouldn't we start at once? After all, I thought it was Narnia we all wanted to get to?”

“I suppose so,” said Aravis. She was beginning to wonder what exactly she would do when she got there and was feeling a little lonely. “Of course, of course,” said Bree hastily. “But there's no need to rush things, if you know what I mean.”

“No, I don't know what you mean,” said Hwin. “Why don't you want to go?”

“M-m-m, broo-hoo,” muttered Bree. “Well, don't you see, Ma'am—it's an important occasion—returning to one's own country—entering society—the best society—it is so essential to make a good impression—not perhaps looking quite ourselves, yet, eh?”

Hwin broke out into a horse-laugh. “It's your tail, Bree! I see it all now. You want to wait till your tail's grown again! And we don't even know if tails are worn long in Narnia. Really, Bree, you're as vain as that Tarkheena in Tashbaan!”

“You are silly, Bree,” said Aravis.

“By the Lion's Mane, Tarkheena, I'm nothing of the sort,” said Bree indignantly. “I have a proper respect for myself and for my fellow horses, that's all.”

“Bree,” said Aravis, who was not very interested in the cut of his tail, “I've been wanting to ask you something for a long time. Why do you keep on swearing By the Lion and By the Lion's Mane? I thought you hated lions.”

“So I do,” answered Bree. “But when I speak of the Lion of course I mean Aslan, the great deliverer of Narnia who drove away the Witch and the Winter. All Narnians swear by him.”

“But is he a lion?”

“No, no, of course not,” said Bree in a rather shocked voice.

“All the stories about him in Tashbaan say he is,” replied Aravis. “And if he isn't a lion why do you call him a lion?”

“Well, you'd hardly understand that at your age,” said Bree. “And I was only a little foal when I left so I don't quite fully understand it myself.”

(Bree was standing with his back to the green wall while he said this, and the other two were facing him. He was talking in rather a superior tone with his eyes half shut; that was why he didn't see the changed expression in the faces of Hwin and Aravis. They had good reason to have open mouths and staring eyes; because while Bree spoke they saw an enormous lion leap up from outside and balance itself on the top of the green wall; only it was a brighter yellow and it was bigger and more beautiful and more alarming than any lion they had ever seen. And at once it jumped down inside the wall and began approaching Bree from behind. It made no noise at all. And Hwin and Aravis couldn't make any noise themselves, no more than if they were frozen.)

“No doubt,” continued Bree, “when they speak of him as a Lion they only mean he's as strong as a lion or (to our enemies, of course) as fierce as a lion. Or something of that kind. Even a little girl like you, Aravis, must see that it would be quite absurd to suppose he is a real lion. Indeed it would be disrespectful. If he was a lion he'd have to be a Beast just like the rest of us. Why!” (and here Bree began to laugh) “If he was a lion he'd have four paws, and a tail, and Whiskers! ... Aie, ooh, hoo-hoo! Help!”

For just as he said the word Whiskers one of Aslan's had actually tickled his ear. Bree shot away like an arrow to the other side of the enclosure and there turned; the wall was too high for him to jump and he could fly no further. Aravis and Hwin both started back. There was about a second of intense silence.

Then Hwin, though shaking all over, gave a strange little neigh, and trotted across to the Lion.

“Please,” she said, “you're so beautiful. You may eat me if you like. I'd sooner be eaten by you than fed by anyone else.”

“Dearest daughter,” said Aslan, planting a lion's kiss on her twitching, velvet nose, “I knew you would not be long in coming to me. Joy shall be yours.”

Then he lifted his head and spoke in a louder voice.

“Now, Bree,” he said, “you poor, proud, frightened Horse, draw near. Nearer still, my son. Do not dare not to dare. Touch me. Smell me. Here are my paws, here is my tail, these are my whiskers. I am a true Beast.”

“Aslan,” said Bree in a shaken voice, “I'm afraid I must be rather a fool.”

“Happy the Horse who knows that while he is still young. Or the Human either. Draw near, Aravis my daughter. See! My paws are velveted. You will not be torn this time.”

“This time, Sir?” said Aravis.

“It was I who wounded you,” said Aslan. “I am the only lion you met in all your journeyings. Do you know why I tore you?”

“No, sir.”

“The scratches on your back, tear for tear, throb for throb, blood for blood, were equal to the stripes laid on the back of your stepmother's slave because of the drugged sleep you cast upon her. You needed to know what it felt like.”

“Yes, sir. Please—”

“Ask on, my dear,” said Aslan.

“Will any more harm come to her by what I did?”

“Child,” said the Lion, “I am telling you your story, not hers. No one is told any story but their own.” Then he shook his head and spoke in a lighter voice.

“Be merry, little ones,” he said. “We shall meet soon again. But before that you will have another visitor.” Then in one bound he reached the top of the wall and vanished from their sight.

Strange to say, they felt no inclination to talk to one another about him after he had gone. They all moved slowly away to different parts of the quiet grass and there paced to and fro, each alone, thinking.

About half an hour later the two Horses were summoned to the back of the house to eat something nice that the Hermit had got ready for them and Aravis, still walking and thinking, was startled by the harsh sound of a trumpet outside the gate.

“Who is there?” said Aravis.

“His Royal Highness Prince Cor of Archenland,” said a voice from outside.

Aravis undid the door and opened it, drawing back a little way to let the strangers in.

Two soldiers with halberds came first and took their stand at each side of the entry. Then followed a herald, and the trumpeter.

“His Royal Highness Prince Cor of Archenland desires an audience of the Lady Aravis,” said the Herald. Then he and the trumpeter drew aside and bowed and the soldiers saluted and the Prince himself came in. All his attendants withdrew and closed the gate behind them.

The Prince bowed, and a very clumsy bow for a Prince it was. Aravis curtsied in the Calormene style (which is not at all like ours) and did it very well because, of course, she had been taught how. Then she looked up and saw what sort of person this Prince was.

She saw a mere boy. He was bare-headed and his fair hair was encircled with a very thin band of gold, hardly thicker than a wire. His upper tunic was of white cambric, as fine as a handkerchief, so that the bright red tunic beneath it showed through. His left hand, which rested on his enamelled sword hilt, was bandaged.

Aravis looked twice at his face before she gasped and said, “Why! It's Shasta!”

Shasta all at once turned very red and began speaking very quickly. “Look here, Aravis,” he said, “I do hope you won't think I'm got up like this (and the trumpeter and all) to try to impress you or make out that I'm different or any rot of that sort. Because I'd far rather have come in my old clothes, but they're burnt now, and my father said—”

“Your father?” said Aravis.

“Apparently King Lune is my father,” said Shasta. “I might really have guessed it. Corin being so like me. We were twins, you see. Oh, and my name isn't Shasta, it's Cor.”

“Cor is a nicer name than Shasta,” said Aravis.

“Brothers' names run like that in Archenland,” said Shasta (or Prince Cor as we must now call him). “Like Dar and Darrin, Cole and Colin and so on.”

“Shasta—I mean Cor,” said Aravis. “No, shut up. There's something I've got to say at once. I'm sorry I've been such a pig. But I did change before I knew you were a Prince, honestly I did: when you went back, and faced the Lion.”

“It wasn't really going to kill you at all, that Lion,” said Cor.

“I know,” said Aravis, nodding. Both were still and solemn for a moment as each saw that the other knew about Aslan.

Suddenly Aravis remembered Cor's bandaged hand. “I say!” she cried, “I forgot! You've been in a battle. Is that a wound?”

“A mere scratch,” said Cor, using for the first time a rather lordly tone. But a moment later he burst out laughing and said, “If you want to know the truth, it isn't a proper wound at all. I only took the skin off my knuckles, just as any clumsy fool might do without going near a battle.”

“Still you were in the battle,” said Aravis. “It must have been wonderful.”

“It wasn't at all like what I thought,” said Cor.

“But Sha—Cor, I mean—you haven't told me anything yet about King Lune and how he found out who you were.”

“Well, let's sit down,” said Cor. “For it's rather a long story. And by the way, Father's an absolute brick. I'd be just as pleased— or very nearly—at finding he's my father even if he wasn't a king. Even though Education and all sorts of horrible things are going to happen to me. But you want the story. Well, Corin and I were twins. And about a week after we were both born, apparently, they took us to a wise old Centaur in Narnia to be blessed or something. Now this Centaur was a prophet as a good many Centaurs are. Perhaps you haven't seen any Centaurs yet? There were some in the battle yesterday. Most remarkable people, but I can't say I feel quite at home with them yet. I say, Aravis, there are going to be a lot of things to get used to in these Northern countries.”

“Yes, there are,” said Aravis. “But get on with the story.”

“Well, as soon as he saw Corin and me, it seems this Centaur looked at me and said, A day will come when that boy will save Archenland from the deadliest danger in which ever she lay. So of course my Father and Mother were very pleased. But there was someone present who wasn't. This was a chap called the Lord Bar who had been Father's Lord Chancellor. And apparently he'd done something wrong—bezzling or some word like that—I didn't understand that part very well—and Father had had to dismiss him. But nothing else was done to him and he was allowed to go on living in Archenland. But he must have been as bad as he could be, for it came out afterwards he had been in the pay of the Tisroc and had sent a lot of secret information to Tashbaan. So as soon as he heard I was going to save Archenland from a great danger he decided I must be put out of the way. Well, he succeeded in kidnapping me (I don't exactly know how) and rode away down the Winding Arrow to the coast. He'd had everything prepared and there was a ship manned with his own followers lying ready for him and he put out to sea with me on board. But Father got wind of it, though not quite in time, and was after him as quickly as he could. The Lord Bar was already at sea when Father reached the coast, but not out of sight. And Father was embarked in one of his own warships within twenty minutes.”

“It must have been a wonderful chase. They were six days following Bar's galleon and brought her to battle on the seventh. It was a great sea-fight (I heard a lot about it yesterday evening) from ten o'clock in the morning till sunset. Our people took the ship in the end. But I wasn't there. The Lord Bar himself had been killed in the battle. But one of his men said that, early that morning, as soon as he saw he was certain to be overhauled, Bar had given me to one of his knights and sent us both away in the ship's boat. And that boat was never seen again. But of course that was the same boat that Aslan (he seems to be at the back of all the stories) pushed ashore at the right place for Arsheesh to pick me up. I wish I knew that knight's name, for he must have kept me alive and starved himself to do it.”

“I suppose Aslan would say that was part of someone else's story,” said Aravis.

“I was forgetting that,” said Cor.

“And I wonder how the prophecy will work out,” said Aravis, “and what the great danger is that you're to save Archenland from.”

“Well,” said Cor rather awkwardly, “they seem to think I've done it already.”

Aravis clapped her hands. “Why, of course!” she said. “How stupid I am. And how wonderful! Archenland can never be in much greater danger than it was when Rabadash had crossed the Arrow with his two hundred horse and you hadn't yet got through with your message. Don't you feel proud?”

“I think I feel a bit scared,” said Cor.

“And you'll be living at Anvard now,” said Aravis rather wistfully.

“Oh!” said Cor, “I'd nearly forgotten what I came about. Father wants you to come and live with us. He says there's been no lady in the court (they call it the court, I don't know why) since Mother died. Do, Aravis. You'll like Father—and Corin. They're not like me; they've been properly brought up. You needn't be afraid that—”

“Oh stop it,” said Aravis, “or we'll have a real fight. Of course I'll come.”

“Now let's go and see the Horses,” said Cor.

There was a great and joyous meeting between Bree and Cor, and Bree, who was still in a rather subdued frame of mind, agreed to set out for Anvard at once: he and Hwin would cross into Narnia on the following day. All four bade an affectionate farewell to the Hermit and promised that they would soon visit him again. By about the middle of the morning they were on their way. The Horses had expected that Aravis and Cor would ride, but Cor explained that except in war, where everyone must do what he can do best, no one in Narnia or Archenland ever dreamed of mounting a Talking Horse.

This reminded poor Bree again of how little he knew about Narnian customs and what dreadful mistakes he might make. So while Hwin strolled along in a happy dream, Bree got more nervous and more self-conscious with every step he took.

“Buck up, Bree,” said Cor. “It's far worse for me than for you. You aren't going to be educated. I shall be learning reading and writing and heraldry and dancing and history and music while you'll be galloping and rolling on the hills of Narnia to your heart's content.”

“But that's just the point,” groaned Bree. “Do Talking Horses roll? Supposing they don't? I can't bear to give it up. What do you think, Hwin?”

“I'm going to roll anyway,” said Hwin. “I don't suppose any of them will care two lumps of sugar whether you roll or not.”

“Are we near that castle?” said Bree to Cor.

“Round the next bend,” said the Prince.

“Well,” said Bree, “I'm going to have a good one now: it may be the last. Wait for me a minute.”

It was five minutes before he rose again, blowing hard and covered with bits of bracken.

“Now I'm ready,” he said in a voice of profound gloom. “Lead on, Prince Cor. Narnia and the North.”

But he looked more like a horse going to a funeral than a long-lost captive returning to home and freedom.

第十四章 布里如何变成一匹聪明的马儿

现在我们必须得回头说说阿拉维斯和两匹马儿了。隐士边看着池水,边告诉他们沙斯塔并没有死,甚至都没受什么重伤,因为他瞧见沙斯塔站了起来,还受到了伦恩国王的热烈欢迎。可是,他只能看却不能听,因而他无从得知别人正在说什么,一旦战斗结束,人们谈起话来,就没必要再往池水里瞧了。

第二天早上,隐士还在屋里待着,他们三个就商量起了下一步该怎么做。

“这样的日子我已经过得够久了,”赫温说道,“隐士对我们很好,我的确十分感激他。但是,我现在成天吃个不停,还一点儿运动也不做,都快胖得像一匹宠物马了。让我们继续直奔纳尼亚吧。”

“噢,今天不行,女士,”布里说道,“我可不喜欢做事慌慌张张的。再等几天吧,你觉得呢?”

“我们必须先去见沙斯塔,和他好好道个别——并且——并且给他道个歉。”阿拉维斯说道。

“说得没错!”布里兴致勃勃地应和道,“这正是我想说的。”

“噢,当然啰,”赫温说道,“我想他就在安瓦德。我们自然应该去见见他,和他道个别。再说,我们去纳尼亚的路上也要经过安瓦德。我们何不马上就出发呢?毕竟,我想我们大家都想去纳尼亚不是吗?”

“我想是的。”阿拉维斯说。她开始琢磨起等自己到了纳尼亚,到底会做些什么呢,她想着想着便觉得有些落寞。

“这是当然,这是当然,”布里连忙说道,“但我们也没必要匆匆忙忙的啊,如果你明白我的心意的话。”

“不,我不明白你什么意思,”赫温说道,“你为什么不想出发呢?”

“额——额——额,布鲁——呼,”布里喃喃道,“嗯,女士,你不明白吗——这是一个很重要的时刻——回到我们自己的祖国——正式步入社交场合——上流社会——给人留下一个好印象是至关重要的——嗯,但我们瞧着还不大像自己本来的模样,不是吗?”

赫温突然哈哈大笑起来,“是因为你的尾巴吧,布里!我现在可算都明白啦。你是想等你的尾巴重新长出来吧!不过,我们甚至都不知道纳尼亚的马儿是不是还留着长尾巴哩。说真的,布里,你太爱慕虚荣啦,简直和塔什班城的那位泰克希娜一般无二。”

“你真傻,布里。”阿拉维斯说道。

“狮子的鬃毛为证,我才不是泰克希娜那样的人呢。”布里愤愤不平地说道,“我只不过是对自己和马儿同伴们,揣着一种恰如其分的尊重罢了,仅此而已。”

“布里,”阿拉维斯说道,她对布里的断尾巴不太感兴趣,“我一直想问你一些事。你为什么发誓的时候总说‘狮子为证’和‘狮子的鬃毛为证’呢?我还以为你讨厌狮子呢。”

“我的确讨厌狮子,”布里答道,“不过,当我说到狮子的时候,我当然指的是阿斯兰,纳尼亚伟大的救世主,是它赶走了女巫和严冬。所有的纳尼亚人都以阿斯兰为誓。”

“但它不是一头狮子吗?”

“不,不,当然不是。”布里大为吃惊地连连否认。

“在塔什班城,所有同它有关的故事都说它是头狮子呢,”阿拉维斯答道,“再说,如果它不是头狮子,你又为什么称它为狮子呢?”

“你还小,这确实很难理解,”布里说道,“我离开纳尼亚的时候,也只是一匹小马驹,所以这事我自己也不大明白。”

(布里说这番话时正背对着绿色的围墙,阿拉维斯和赫温则面对着它。布里半闭着眼睛,正神气十足地侃侃而谈;所以,它没注意到赫温和阿拉维斯神色大变。她们张大了嘴巴,瞪大眼睛直瞧,但这也是情有可原的;因为就在布里说着话时,她们瞧见一头巨大的狮子从围墙外头跳了进来,稳稳地站定在墙头上;比起她们所见过的其他狮子,这狮子也不过是毛色更鲜黄了些,体形更庞大了些,模样更英俊了些,瞧着更吓人些而已。狮子随即跳下墙头,从背后慢慢靠近布里。它走路悄无声息。赫温和阿拉维斯也吓得大气都不敢出了,就像被冻住了似的。)

“毫无疑问,”布里继续说道,“当人们称它为狮子时,人们只是觉得它像狮子一般强壮或者(当然,对我们的敌人而言)像狮子一般凶猛,或者诸如此类的意味。阿拉维斯,就算是像你这样的小女孩,也必须明白,要是你以为它是一头真正的狮子,那笑话可就闹大啦。那可真真切切是失敬于人呢。要是它真是一头狮子的话,它就同我们其他马儿一样,得是兽类的一员啦。这怎么可能呢!(说到这儿,布里哈哈大笑起来。)要是它是头狮子,它就得长着四只爪子,一条尾巴,还得有胡子呢!……哎哟喂,噢噢,嗬——嗬!救命啊!”

就在布里说到“胡子”两个字的时候,阿斯兰的一根胡子竟然真的撩拨到了它的耳朵。布里如离弦的箭一般,飞也似的跑到了围墙的另一头,接着转过身来;围墙太高了,它跳不出去,没法儿逃得更远了。阿拉维斯和赫温都吓得连连后退。一时间,大家都紧张得不敢说话。

接着,尽管赫温浑身颤抖,却发出了一小声奇怪的嘶鸣,小跑着来到狮子身边。

“拜托了,”赫温说道,“你长得真美丽。如果你想吃掉我的话,你就吃吧。我宁愿早点儿被你吃掉,也不愿去给他人填肚子。”

“我亲爱的女儿啊,”阿斯兰说着吻了吻它翕动的柔软的鼻子,“我知道你不久就会来到我的身边。欢乐必将归于你。”

说完,它抬起头来,声音更加洪亮。

“听着,布里,”它说道,“你这可怜、骄傲又受惊的马儿,过来点。再过来点,我的孩子。别害怕,别害怕。摸摸我,闻闻我。这是我的爪子,这是我的尾巴,这些是我的胡子。我是一头真正的野兽。”

“你是阿斯兰,”布里战战兢兢地说道,“我真是个傻瓜。”

“在年轻的时候就明白这些事,对马儿来说,是件幸事。对人来说,也是如此。过来点,阿拉维斯,我的孩子。你瞧!我的爪子柔软得像天鹅绒。这次你定不会被抓伤的。”

“先生,什么这次?”阿拉维斯说道。

“之前是我抓伤了你,”阿斯兰说道,“我就是你一路上遇到的那头狮子。你可知道我为什么要抓伤你吗?”

“我不知道,先生。”

“你背上的抓痕,每一道伤痕,每一次疼痛,每一滴血,都一一对应着你继母的女仆背上的鞭痕,因为你给她下了蒙汗药,连累她受罚。你也该尝尝这挨打的滋味。”

“您说得对,先生。请问——”

“但问无妨,亲爱的。”阿斯兰说道。

“我的所作所为还给她带去其他什么伤害吗?”

“孩子,”狮子说道,“我在讲的是你自己的故事,而不是她的故事。无论对着谁,我都只讲述他们自己的故事。”然后,它晃了晃脑袋,说话声更加明快了。

“小家伙们,开心点儿,”它说道,“我们很快就会再见面的。但在此之前,你们还会迎来一位访客。”接着,它一步跳上了墙头,消失在他们视线中了。

说来也奇怪,阿斯兰走了以后,他们都没有要和彼此谈论它的意思。大家都慢慢走开,在安静的草地上各自找个地方,独自一人在那儿来回踱步,陷入沉思。

大约半小时后,隐士唤两匹马儿到屋子后面去吃点他为它们准备的美餐,而阿拉维斯仍在边走边想着,这时门外传来一阵刺耳的喇叭声,吓了她一大跳。

“谁在门外?”阿拉维斯问道。

“阿钦兰的科奥殿下。”门外的声音说道。

阿拉维斯拔下门闩,把门打开,往后稍稍退了几步,让陌生的人们进屋。

两个手持战戟的士兵率先进屋,在门口两侧站岗。随后进来的是一名传令官,还有一名号手。

“阿钦兰的科奥殿下要面见阿拉维斯小姐。”传令官说道。然后,他和号手便退到一边,垂头而立,士兵敬礼,接着,王子走了进来。所有随从都退了出去,并将身后的大门关上。

王子鞠了一躬,要说这是个王子的鞠躬礼那也未免太笨手笨脚了些。阿拉维斯照卡乐门礼仪行了个屈膝礼(这可同我们的礼仪大不相同),当然啦,她的回礼优雅得体,因为她学过该怎么行礼。然后,她抬起头来,想瞧瞧这位王子究竟是何方神圣。

只见眼前不过是个乳臭未干的小毛孩。他没戴帽子,一条薄薄的金带束起一头金发,金带细若金属丝。他身着麻纱白葛布制成的束腰短外衣,如同手绢儿一般光洁细密,透出内里鲜红的上衣。他的左手缠着绷带,正按在珐琅剑柄上。

阿拉维斯又看了眼他的脸,然后说道:“天哪!你是沙斯塔!”

沙斯塔顿时涨得满脸通红,飞快地开口解释道:“你听我说,阿拉维斯。我希望你千万不要以为我打扮成这副模样(还带着号手和其他随从),是为了向你炫耀,或是为了显示我的与众不同,又或是为了哗众取宠之类的。我倒是宁愿穿着我的旧衣服来呢,可是旧衣服已经被烧掉了,而且我的父亲说——”

“你的父亲?”阿拉维斯疑惑不解。

“显而易见,伦恩国王就是我的父亲,”沙斯塔说道,“我早就该猜到的。科林和我长得那么像。你瞧,我们俩是双胞胎呢。对啦,现在我不叫沙斯塔了,我叫科奥。”

“科奥这名字听起来比沙斯塔好听。”阿拉维斯说。

“在阿钦兰,兄弟们就是这样取名的,”沙斯塔(或者现在我们该叫他科奥王子了)说道,“就像达尔和达兰两兄弟,科尔和科临两兄弟,诸如此类的。”

“沙斯塔——我是说科奥,”阿拉维斯说道,“不,你先别说话。有件事我必须马上说。我为我先前的愚蠢感到万分抱歉。在我知道你是王子之前,我就改变了对你的看法,老实说,在你跑回来同狮子搏斗时,我就对你刮目相看了。”

“那头狮子,它并不是真的想杀了你。”科奥说道。

“我知道,”阿拉维斯点头说道。一时间,两人都安静下来,神色凝重,都看出彼此知道阿斯兰的存在。

突然,阿拉维斯想起来科奥的手还缠着绷带。“哎呀!”她大声叫道,“我居然忘记了!你参与作战了呢。这是你受的伤吗?”

“只是擦伤了一小点,”科奥说道,他第一次用这种派头十足的语气回话。但过了一会儿,他就哈哈大笑起来,说道,“要是你知道真相的话,其实这压根儿都算不上受伤。我只不过是手指擦破了点皮,随便哪个笨手笨脚的傻瓜,就算没上过战场,都难免会受点伤的。”

“但你还是上了战场,”阿拉维斯说道,“这一定是十分了不起的经历。”

“打仗压根儿不像我原先想的那样。”科奥说道。

“但是沙斯——我是说,科奥——你都还没告诉我,你和伦恩国王是怎么一回事呢,还有他又是怎么得知你的身世的呢。”

“好啦,让我们坐下来好好说,”科奥说道,“因为这是一个很长的故事呢。我得插一句,父王他是个不折不扣的大好人。哪怕他不是一位国王,得知他就是我的父亲,我也一样会很高兴的。尽管接下来我得上课,还有各种可怕的事情在等着我。不过,你想知道的是事情的来龙去脉。话说科林和我本是孪生兄弟。在我们俩出生一个星期后,他们便带着我们去到纳尼亚一位睿智的老半人马家中,显然是为了去蒙受祝福之类的。却说这个半人马其实是个预言家,许多半人马都会未卜先知呢。你大概还没见过半人马吧?昨天有几个半人马也参战了。它们不愧是响当当的大人物,不过我得承认,和它们在一块儿我还是有些不自在。我说,阿拉维斯,在这些北方国家,我们还有一大堆事要去适应呢。”

“没错,是有许多这样的事呢,”阿拉维斯说道,“但你倒是快继续说下去呀。”

“话说,这半人马一瞧见我和科林,就看着我说道,有朝一日,这孩子将会救阿钦兰于前所未有的危险之中。听到这话,我的父王和母后自然是满心欢喜。但是,在场有一个人却并不高兴。这是个叫巴尔勋爵的家伙,他曾是父亲手下的大法官。显然他犯了什么事——贪污腐败,徇私舞弊之类的——这段故事我也弄不明白——于是,父亲只得罢去他的职位。不过,父亲没对他施加别的处罚,还准许他继续留在阿钦兰。但他一定是坏到骨子里了,因为后来经查证,他曾经受过蒂斯罗克的收买,向塔什班城提供了许多秘密情报。于是,他一听到将来我会救阿钦兰于生死存亡之中,便下定决心要除掉我。却说,他成功地绑架了我(我不知道具体是怎么绑架的),然后沿着旋箭河往海岸策马狂奔。一切都准备就绪了,他的随从已经在那儿为他备好了一艘船,他将我带上船,便驾着船出海去了。父亲听到风声,虽然并不是很及时,但还是竭尽全力地去追赶他。等父亲赶到海岸的时候,巴尔勋爵已经出海了,但好在还没驶出视线之外。接着,父亲赶在二十分钟之内就搭上了他的一艘战舰。”

“这定是一场惊心动魄的追逐战。他们整整追了巴尔的大帆船六天六夜,终于在第七天时,同他正面交战。这是一场伟大的海战(昨天晚上,我听了许多关于这场海战的故事),从早上十点钟一直打到了日沉西山。我们的人终于占领了那艘船。可我却不在船上。巴尔勋爵本人也在这场战斗中被杀身亡。但据巴尔的一个手下说,那天一大早,就在巴尔发觉自己一定会被追上的时候,他便把我交给了他手下的一位武士,放下帆船上的一条小船,把我们俩人都送走了。后来,就再也没有人见到过那条小船了。不过,当然啦,那条小船后来被阿斯兰给推上阿什伊什所住的那片海滩,好让阿什伊什捡到我(看来阿斯兰就是所有故事的幕后主人呢)。我真想知道那位武士尊姓大名,正是他不惜自己挨饿受冻,也要护我周全。”

“我猜阿斯兰一定会说,这一段就是别人的故事了。”

“我都快忘了这一点了。”科奥说道。

“我想知道,那预言是如何成真的?”阿拉维斯说道,“而你又是怎么救阿钦兰于生死存亡之中呢?”

“额,”科奥十分尴尬地说,“他们好像觉得我已经拯救了阿钦兰了。”

阿拉维斯连连拍手叫好道:“哎呀,这是当然啦!我真傻。你真是令人敬佩!那时,拉巴达什率领二百人马已经渡过了旋箭河,而你却尚未成功通风报信,那个时候阿钦兰确实是危在旦夕啊。你难道不为自己感到自豪吗?”

“我觉得我有些受宠若惊了。”科奥说。

“那么现在你就要一直待在安瓦德了。”阿拉维斯若有所思地说道。

“啊!”科奥说道,“我差点儿忘了我是要来干什么的啦。父王希望你能来与我们同住。他说自从母后去世后,王宫里(不知道为什么,他们都管它叫王宫)就再也没有住过夫人小姐了。来吧,阿拉维斯。你会喜欢父王——还有科林的。他们和我不一样,他们都是受过良好的教育的。这一点你无须担心——”

“噢,你可别再这么说了,”阿拉维斯说道,“不然,我可真生气了。我当然愿意去啦。”

“那我们现在就去瞧瞧马儿们吧。”科奥说道。

布里同科奥见面相谈甚欢,虽然布里依旧有些郁郁寡欢,但它还是同意即刻动身前往安瓦德。它和赫温则在次日经由安瓦德进入纳尼亚境内。他们都依依不舍地同隐士告别,答应不久后定会再来拜访他。大约正午时分,他们就上路了。马儿们以为阿拉维斯和科奥会选择骑马前进,然而科奥解释说,不管是在纳尼亚还是阿钦兰,除非是在战场上,人人都必须全力以赴,上阵杀敌,不然谁都不会想着要骑能言马代步的。

这番话再次提醒了可怜的布里,它对纳尼亚的风俗习惯着实知之甚少,这可能会铸成大错呢。所以,当赫温沉浸在美梦中,闲庭漫步一路前行的时候,布里却是每迈出一步都愈发地心神不宁且局促不安了。

“振作点儿,布里,”科奥说道,“我的处境可比你惨得多啦。你都不必去上课。我还得学习读书、写字、纹章、舞蹈、历史和音乐呢,而你却能在纳尼亚的小山坡上,跑跑步,打打滚儿,玩个痛快呢。”

“可这就是问题所在呀,”布里咕哝道,“能言马们会打滚儿吗?要是它们不打滚儿呢?我可是受不了不打滚儿。赫温,你觉得呢?”

“不管怎么说,我反正是要打滚儿的,”赫温说道,“依我看,它们压根儿才不会在乎你打不打滚儿呢。”

“我们快到城堡了吗?”布里问科奥。

“转过下一个路口就到了。”王子答道。

“那么,”布里说道,“现在我要好好打个滚儿啦,也许这是我最后一次打滚儿了。等我一分钟就好。”

过了五分钟,布里才重新爬起来,大口大口地喘着粗气,浑身沾满了小根的凤尾草。

“现在,我准备好了,”布里唉声叹气地说道,“继续带路吧,科奥王子,向着纳尼亚和北境。”

然而,布里瞧上去却不像是一个长久流落他乡,要回到家乡,重获自由的俘虏,倒是像一匹前去赴死的马儿哩。

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