《最後一戰》第28期:關於小矮人(3)

The moment those words were out of his mouth he realized that he had made a false move. The Dwarfs at once began repeating "not a tame lion, not a tame lion," in a jeering sing-song. "That's what the other lot kept on telling us," said one.

"Do you mean you don't believe in the real Aslan?" said Jill. "But I've seen him. And he has sent us two here out of a different world."

"Ah," said Griffle with a broad smile. "So you say. They've taught you your stuff all right. Saying your lessons, ain't you?"

"Churl," cried Tirian, "will you give a lady the lie to her very face?"

"You keep a civil tongue in your head, Mister," replied the Dwarf. "I don't think we want any more Kings - if you are Tirian, which you don't look like him - no more than we want any Aslans. We're going to look after ourselves from now on and touch our caps to nobody. See?"

"That's right," said the other Dwarfs. "We're on our own now. No more Aslan, no more Kings, no more silly stories about other worlds. The Dwarfs are for the Dwarfs." And they began to fall into their places and to get ready for marching back to wherever they had come from.

"Little beasts!" said Eustace. "Aren't you even going to say thank you for being saved from the salt-mines?"

"Oh, we know all about that," said Griffle over his shoulder. "You wanted to make use of us, that's why you rescued us. You're playing some game of your own. Come on you chaps."

And the Dwarfs struck up the queer little marching song which goes with the drum-beat, and off they tramped into the darkness.

Tirian and his friends stared after them. Then he said the single word "Come," and they continued their journey.

They were a silent party. Puzzle felt himself to be still in disgrace, and also he didn't really quite understand what had happened. Jill, besides being disgusted with the Dwarfs, was very impressed with Eustace's victory over the Calormene and felt almost shy. As for Eustace, his heart was still beating rather quickly. Tirian and Jewel walked sadly together in the rear. The King had his arm on the Unicorn's shoulder and sometimes the Unicorn nuzzled the King's cheek with his soft nose. They did not try to comfort one another with words. It wasn't very easy to think of anything to say that would be comforting. Tirian had never dreamed that one of the results of an Ape's setting up as a false Aslan would be to stop people from believing in the real one. He had felt quite sure that the Dwarfs would rally to his side the moment he showed them how they had been deceived. And then next night he would have led them to Stable Hill and shown Puzzle to all the creatures and everyone would have turned against the Ape and, perhaps after a scuffle with the Calormenes, the whole thing would have been over. But now, it seemed, he could count on nothing. How many other Narnians might turn the same way as the Dwarfs?

"Somebody's coming after us, I think," said Puzzle suddenly.

They stopped and listened. Sure enough, there was a thump-thump of small feet behind them.

"Who goes there!" shouted the King.

"Only me, Sire," came a voice. "Me, Poggin the Dwarf. I've only just managed to get away from the others. I'm on your side, Sire: and on Aslan's. If you can put a Dwarfish sword in my fist, I'd gladly strike a blow on the right side before all's done."

這最後一句話剛說出口，他就認識到他走錯了一步棋。小矮人們立刻用一種嘲弄的詠歎調開始唸叨"可不是頭馴服的獅子，可不是頭馴服的獅子。"一個小矮人說"這就是另一幫子不斷跟我們說的話啊。"

"你們的意思是說，你們並不相信真正的阿斯蘭。"吉爾說道，"但我見到過阿斯蘭。正是阿斯蘭把我們兩人從一個截然不同的世界送到這兒來的。"

"啊，"格里夫爾露出明顯的笑容，說道，"你開口說話了。他們已經把一套東西教得你滾瓜爛熟哩。你是在背書，是不是?"

"沒有教養的傢伙，"蒂蓮吼道，"你竟當着一位小姐的面胡說八道嗎?"

"你在你頭腦裏保留文明禮貌的語言吧，先生，"小矮人答道，"我可並不認爲我們還需要什麼國王了——如果你確實是蒂蓮的話；可你看上去不像蒂蓮——我們也不再要什麼阿斯蘭了。從現在起，我們要自己照料我們自己，不再向誰舉手到帽子邊敬禮了。明白嗎?"

"說得對，"其他小矮人們說道，"現在我們爲的是我們自己。再也沒有阿斯蘭了，再也沒有國王了，再也沒有關於其他世界的無聊故事了。小矮人就是要爲小矮人而奮鬥。"於是小矮人們開始在隊伍裏各就各位，準備走回去了，回到他們當初被叫來的地方去了。"

"小畜生！"尤斯塔斯說道，"把你們從鹽坑裏救了出來，你們竟連'謝謝'也不說一聲嗎?"

"啊，這一切我們全明白，"格里夫爾回過頭來說道，"你們要利用我們，那纔是你們爲什麼救我們的緣故。你們正在耍弄你們的把戲。夥計們，走吧。"

於是小矮人們唱起了古里古怪的小小進行曲，配合着鼓聲，邁步踏進黑暗中去了。

蒂蓮和他的朋友們瞪眼望着小矮人們遠去。然後蒂蓮簡簡單單說聲"走"，他們就繼續上路了。

他們是默默無言的一羣。迷惑覺得它自己仍舊不光彩，它也確實不大明白髮生了什麼事情。吉爾除了對小矮人感到厭惡外，對尤斯塔斯之戰勝卡樂門士兵印象深刻，自己幾乎感到羞愧。至於尤斯塔斯，他的心仍舊怦怦地跳得很快，蒂蓮和獨角獸悲哀地一起走在後面。國王的於臂擱在獨角獸的肩膀上，獨角獸有時用它柔軟的鼻子擦擦國王的面頰。他們不想用言詞互相安慰。想起足以安慰人的任何詞兒，都是很不容易的。蒂蓮做夢也沒有想到，無尾猿設置僞阿斯蘭的一個不良後果，竟是導致人們不再相信真正的阿斯蘭了。他本來深信不疑，只要他向小矮人們揭露了無尾猿怎樣使他們受騙上當，小矮人們就立刻會站到他這邊來的。第二夜他就可以率領他們上馬廄山，把迷惑的真相暴露在衆曰睽睽之下，大家就會起而反抗無尾猿。也許經過同卡樂門士兵的一場混戰，整個兒問題就會解決了。但，現在看起來，他什麼也不能指望。其他的納尼亞人，還有許多可能轉而採取小矮人一樣的態度哩。

"我覺得，有人在我們後面跟上來了。"迷惑突然說道。

他們停下步來靜聽。確實不錯，他們背後有一種小腳砰砰地走動的聲音。

"誰在那兒行走！"國王大聲喊道。

"是我呀，陛下，"傳來一個聲音道，"是我，小矮人波金。我剛設法擺脫了其他小矮人。陛下，我站在你這一邊，站在阿斯蘭這一邊。如果你能把一支小劍放在我的手掌裏，我一定在一切結束之前，欣然擊中對方要害。"