PRINCE CASPIAN- 第24部分

〃i　am　confounded；〃　said　reepicheep　to　aslan。　〃i　am　pletely　out　of　　countenance。　i　must　crave　your　indulgence　for　appearing　in　this　unseemly　fashion。”

〃it　bees　you　very　well；　small　one；〃　said　aslan。

〃all　the　same；〃　replied　reepicheep；　〃if　anything　could　be　done。。。　perhaps　　her　majesty？”

and　here　he　bowed　to　lucy。

〃but　what　do　you　want　with　a　tail？〃　asked　aslan。

〃sir；〃　said　the　mouse；　〃i　can　eat　and　sleep　and　die　for　my　king　without　　one。　but　a　tail　is　the　honour　and　glory　of　a　mouse。”

〃i　have　sometimes　wondered；　friend；〃　said　aslan；　〃whether　you　do　not　think　　too　much　about　your　honour。”

〃highest　of　all　high　kings；〃　said　reepicheep；　〃permit　me　to　remind　you　that　　a　very　small　size　has　been　bestowed　on　us　mice；　and　if　we　did　not　guard　our　dignity；　　some　（who　weigh　worth　by　inches）　would　allow　themselves　very　unsuitable　pleasantries　　at　our　expense。　that　is　why　i　have　been　at　some　pains　to　make　it　known　that　no　one　　who　does　not　wish　to　feel　this　sword　as　near　his　heart　as　i　can　reach　shall　talk　in　　my　presence　about　traps　or　toasted　cheese　or　candles：　no；　sir　…　not　the　tallest　fool　in　　narnia！〃　here　he　glared　very　fiercely　up　at　wimbleweather；　but　the　giant；　who　was　always　a　　stage　behind　everyone　else；　had　not　yet　discovered　what　was　being　talked　about　down　at　　his　feet；　and　so　missed　the　point。

〃why　have　your　followers　all　drawn　their　swords；　may　i　ask？〃　said　aslan。

〃may　it　please　your　high　majesty；〃　said　the　second　mouse；　whose　name　was　　peepiceek；　〃we　are　all　waiting　to　cut　off　our　own　tails　if　our　chief　must　go　without　　his。　we　will　not　bear　the　shame　of　wearing　an　honour　which　is　denied　to　the　high　mouse。”

〃ah！〃　roared　aslan。　〃you　have　conquered　me。　you　have　great　hearts。　not　for　　the　sake　of　your　dignity；　reepicheep；　but　for　the　love　that　is　between　you　and　your　　people；　and　still　more　for　the　kindness　your　people　showed　me　long　ago　when　you　ate　away　the　　cords　that　bound　me　on　the　stone　table　（and　it　was　then；　though　you　have　long　　forgotten　it；　that　you　began　to　be　talking　mice）；　you　shall　have　your　tail　again。”

before　aslan　had　finished　speaking　the　new　tail　was　in　its　place。　then；　at　　aslans　mand；　peter　bestowed　the　knighthood　of　the　order　of　the　lion　on　caspian；　　and　caspian；　as　soon　as　he　was　knighted；　himself　bestowed　it　on　trufflehunter　　and　trumpkin　and　reepicheep；　and　made　doctor　cornelius　his　lord　chancellor；　and　　confirmed　the　bulgy　bear　in　his　hereditary　office　of　marshal　of　the　lists。　and　there　was　　great　applause。

after　this　the　telmarine　soldiers；　firmly　but　without　taunts　or　blows；　were　　taken　across　the　ford　and　all　put　under　lock　and　key　in　the　town　of　beruna　and　given　　beef　and　beer。

they　made　a　great　fuss　about　wading　in　the　river；　for　they　all　hated　and　　feared　running　water　just　as　much　as　they　hated　and　feared　woods　and　animals。　but　in　the　　end　the　nuisance　was　over：　and　then　the　nicest　parts　of　that　long　day　began。

lucy；　sitting　close　to　aslan　and　divinely　fortable；　wondered　what　the　　trees　were　doing。　at　first　she　thought　they　were　merely　dancing；　they　were　certainly　　going　round　slowly　in　two　circles；　one　from　left　to　right　and　the　other　from　right　to　　left。　then　she　noticed　that　they　kept　throwing　something　down　in　the　centre　of　both　　circles。　sometimes　she　thought　they　were　cutting　off　long　strands　of　their　hair；　at　other　　times　it　looked　as　if　they　were　breaking　off　bits　of　their　fingers　…　but；　if　so；　they　had　plenty　　of　fingers　to　spare　and　it　did　not　hurt　them。　but　whatever　they　were　throwing　down；　when　it　　reached　the　ground；　it　became　brushwood　or　dry　sticks。　then　three　or　four　of　the　red　　dwarfs　came　forward　with　their　tinder　boxes　and　set　light　to　the　pile；　which　first　　crackled；　and　then　blazed；　and　finally　roared　as　a　woodland　bonfire　on　midsummer　night　ought　　to　do。　and　everyone　sat　down　in　a　wide　circle　round　it。

then　bacchus　and　silenus　and　the　maenads　began　a　dance；　far　wilder　than　the　　dance　of　the　trees；　not　merely　a　dance　for　fun　and　beauty　（though　it　was　that　too）　　but　a　magic　dance　of　plenty；　and　where　their　hands　touched；　and　where　their　feet　fell；　　the　feast　came　into　existence　sides　of　roasted　meat　that　filled　the　grove　with　delicious　　smell；　and　wheaten　cakes　and　oaten　cakes；　honey　and　many…coloured　sugars　and　cream　as　　thick　as　porridge　and　as　smooth　as　still　water；　peaches；　nectarines；　pomegranates；　　pears；　grapes；　strawberries；　raspberries　pyramids　and　cataracts　of　fruit。　then；　in　great　　wooden　cups　and　bowls　and　mazers；　wreathed　with　ivy；　came　the　wines；　dark；　thick　ones　like　　syrups　of　mulberry　juice；　and　clear　red　ones　like　red　jellies　liquefied；　and　yellow　　wines　and　green　wines　and　yellow…green　and　greenish…yellow。

but　for　the　tree　people　different　fare　was　provided。　when　lucy　saw　clodsley　　shovel　and　his　moles　scuffling　up　the　turf　in　various　places　（which　bacchus　had　　pointed　out　to　them）

and　realized　that　the　trees　were　going　to　eat　earth　it　gave　her　rather　a　　shudder。　but　when　she　saw　the　earths　that　were　actually　brought　to　them　she　felt　quite　　different。　they　began　with　a　rich　brown　loam　that　looked　almost　exactly　like　chocolate；　so　like　　chocolate；　in　fact；　that　edmund　tried　a　piece　of　it；　but　he　did　not　find　it　at　all　nice。　　when　the　rich　loam　had　taken　the　edge　off　their　hunger；　the　trees　turned　to　an　earth　of　the　　kind　you　see　in　somerset；　which　is　almost　pink。　they　said　it　was　lighter　and　sweeter。　at　　the　cheese　stage　they　had　a　chalky　soil；　and　then　went　on　to　delicate　confections　of　the　　finest　gravels　powdered　with　choice　silver　sand。　they　drank　very　little　wine；　and　it　made　　the　hollies　very　talkative：　for　the　most　part　they　quenched　their　thirst　with　deep　　draughts　of　mingled　dew　and　rain；　flavoured　with　forest　flowers　and　the　airy　taste　of　the　　thinnest　clouds。

thus　aslan　feasted　the　narnians　till　long　after　the　sunset　had　died　away；　　and　the　stars　had　e　out；　and　the　great　fire；　now　hotter　but　less　noisy；　shone　like　a　　beacon　in　the　dark　woods；　and　the　frightened　telmarines　saw　it　from　far　away　and　wondered　what　　it　might　mean。　the　best　thing　of　all　about　this　feast　was　that　there　was　no　breaking　　up　or　going　　

away；　but　as　the　talk　grew　quieter　and　slower；　one　after　another　would　　begin　to　nod　and　finally　drop　off　to　sleep　with　feet　towards　the　fire　and　good　friends　on　　either　side；　till　at　last　there　was　silence　all　round　the　circle；　and　the　chattering　of　water　　over　stone　at　the　ford　of　beruna　could　be　heard　once　more。　but　all　night　aslan　and　the　moon　　gazed　upon　each　other　with　joyful　and　unblinking　eyes。

next　day　messengers　（who　were　chiefly　squirrels　and　birds）　were　sent　all　　over　the　country　with　a　proclamation　to　the　scattered　telmarines　…　including；　of　　course；　the　prisoners　in　beruna。　they　were　told　that　caspian　was　now　king　and　that　　narnia　would　henceforth　belong　to　the　talking　beasts　and　the　dwarfs　and　dryads　and　fauns　　and　other　creatures　quite　as　much　as　to　the　men。　any　who　chose　to　stay　under　the　new　　conditions　might　do　so；　but　for　those　who　did　not　like　the　idea；　aslan　would　provide　　another　home。

anyone　who　wished　to　go　there　must　e　to　aslan　and　the　kings　at　the　ford　　of　beruna　by　noon　on　the　fifth　day。　you　may　imagine　that　this　caused　plenty　of　head…　scratching　among　the　telmarines。　some　of　them；　chiefly　the　young　ones；　had；　like　　caspian；　heard　stories　of　the　old　days　and　were　delighted　that　they　had　e　back。　they　　were　already　making　friends　with　the　creatures。　these　all　decided　to　stay　in　narnia。　but　　most　of　the　older　men；　especially　those　who　had　been　important　under　miraz；　were　sulky　　and　had　no　wish　to　live　in　a　country　where　they　could　not　rule　the　roost。　〃live　here　　with　a　lot　of　blooming　performing　animals！　no　fear；〃　they　said。　〃and　ghosts　too；〃　some　　added　with　a　shudder。　〃thats　what　those　there　dryads　really　are。　its　not　canny。〃　they　　were　also　suspicious。　〃i　dont　trust　em；〃　they　said。　〃not　with　that　awful　lion　and　　all。　he　wont　keep　his　claws　off　us　long；　youll　see。〃　but　then　they　were　equally　suspicious　　of　his　offer　to　give　them　a　new　home。　〃take　us　off　to　his　den　and　eat　us　one　by　one　most　　likely；〃　they　muttered。　and　the　more　they　talked　to　one　another　the　sulkier　and　more　　suspicious　they　became。　but　on　the　appointed　day　more　than　half　of　them　turned　up。

at　one　end　of　the　glade　aslan　had　caused　to　be　set　up　two　stakes　of　wood；　　higher　than　a　mans　head　and　about　three　feet　apart。　a　third；　and　lighter；　piece　of　wood　　was　bound　across　them　at　the　top；　uniting　them；　so　that　the　whole　thing　looked　like　a　　doorway　from　nowhere　into　nowhere。　in　front　of　this　stood　aslan　himself　with　peter　on　　his　right　and　caspian　on　his　left。　grouped　round　them　were　susan　and　lucy；　trumpkin　and　trufflehunter；　the　lord　cornelius；　glenstorm；　reepicheep；　and　others。　the　　children　and　the　dwarfs　had　made　good　use　of　the　royal　wardrobes　in　what　had　been　the　　castle　of　miraz　and　was　now　the　castle　of　caspian；　and　what　with　silk　and　cloth　of　　gold；　with　snowy　linen　glancing　through　slashed　sleeves；　with　silver　mail　shirts　and　　jewelled　sword…hilts；　with　gilt　helmets　and　feathered　bonnets；　they　were　almost　too　bright　　to　look　at。

even　the　beasts　wore　rich　chains　about　their　necks。　yet　nobodys　eyes　were　　on　them　or　the　children。　the　living　and　strokable　gold　of　aslans　mane　outsh