《最後一戰》第14期:夜裏發生的事(2)
"Drink, Sire, and then you'll find you are able to eat," said the topMost Mouse, and Tirian found that a little wooden cup was being held to his lips. It was only the size of an egg cup so that he had hardly tasted the wine in it before it was empty. But then the Mouse passed it down and the others re-filled it and it was passed up again and Tirian emptied it a second time. In this way they went on till he had quite a good drink, which was all the better for coming in little doses, for that is more thirst-quenching than one long draught.
"Here is cheese, Sire," said the first Mouse, "but not very much, for fear it would make you too thirsty." And after the cheese they fed him with oat-cakes and fresh butter, and then with some more wine.
"Now hand up the water," said the first Mouse, "and I'll wash the King's face. There is blood on it."
Then Tirian felt something like a tiny sponge dabbing his face, and it was most refreshing.
"Little friends," said Tirian, "how can I thank you for all this?"
"You needn't, you needn't," said the little voices. "What else could we do? We don't want any other King. We're your people. If it was only the Ape and the Calormenes who were against you we would have fought till we were cut into pieces before we'd let them tie you up. We would, we would indeed. But we can't go against Aslan."
"Do you think it really is Aslan?" asked the King.
"Oh yes, yes," said the Rabbit. "He came out of the stable last night. We all saw him."
"What was he like?" said the King.
"Like a terrible, great Lion, to be sure," said one of the Mice.
"And you think it is really Aslan who is killing the Wood-Nymphs and making you all slaves to the King of Calormen?"
"Ah, that's bad, isn't it?" said the second Mouse. "It would have been better if we'd died before all this began. But there's no doubt about it. Everyone says it is Aslan's orders. And we've seen him. We didn't think Aslan would be like that. Why, we - we wanted him to come back to Narnia."
"He seems to have come back very angry this time," said the first Mouse. "We must all have done something dreadfully wrong without knowing it. He must be punishing us for something. But I do think we might be told what it was!"
"I suppose what we're doing now may be wrong," said the Rabbit.
"I don't care if it is," said one of the Moles. "I'd do it again."
But the others said, "Oh hush," and "Do be careful," and then they all said, "We're sorry, dear King, but we must go back now. It would never do for us to be caught here."
"Leave me at once, dear Beasts," said Tirian. "I would not for all Narnia bring any of you into danger."
"Goodnight, goodnight," said the Beasts, rubbing their noses against his knees. "We will come back - if we can." Then they all pattered away and the wood seemed darker and colder and lonelier than it had been before they came.
The stars came out and time went slowly on - imagine how slowly - while that last King of Narnia stood stiff and sore and upright against the tree in his bonds. But at last something happened.
"這是乾酪，陛下，"第一隻老鼠說道，"可是東西不多，恐怕你多吃了會口渴。"幹酷之後，它們又喂國王吃燕麥餅和鮮黃油，然後又給他喝些酒。"現在把水遞上來，"第一隻老鼠說道，"我要給國王洗洗臉。臉上有血跡。"
接着蒂蓮覺得有一小塊像海綿似的東西輕輕抹着他的臉，這可是最涼快最舒適的。"小朋友們，"蒂蓮說道，"我能怎樣謝謝你們的一切照顧啊?""你不需要謝，你不需要謝，"小小的聲音說道，"除此之外，我們還能做什麼呢?我們不要任何其他的國王。我們是你的子民。如果反對你的只不過是無尾猿和卡樂門人，我們就會起來戰鬥，直戰到被砍成肉醬，纔會聽任他們把你綁起來的。我們會戰鬥的，真的會戰鬥的。然而，我們不能反抗阿斯蘭啊。"你們認爲真是阿斯蘭嗎?"國王問道。"啊，是的，是的，"兔子說道。"昨夜阿斯蘭從馬廄裏出來了。我們都看見他的。"
"阿斯蘭是什麼樣子的?"國王問。
"像一隻可怕的大獅子，真的是這樣。"一隻小老鼠說道。"你們以爲確實是阿斯蘭殺死林木精靈，使你們大家都成爲卡樂門國王的奴隸的嗎?""啊，那可糟透了，可不是嗎?"第二隻老鼠說道，"如果我們在這種局面開始之前就死了，那倒要好些。但其中毫無可疑之處。大家都說這是阿斯蘭的命令，我們也已經看見過他。我們並不認爲阿斯蘭會喜歡這種局面的。咳，我們——我們要阿斯蘭回到納尼亞來。"
"阿斯蘭這次回來好像十分憤怒，"第一隻老鼠說道，"我們大家必定犯了些可怕的錯誤而自己還不知道。他必定是爲了某些錯誤才懲罰我們的。但是我認爲，不妨告訴我們，我們究竟犯的是什麼錯誤啊!"
"我猜想我們現在正在乾的事情，也許是錯誤的。"兔子說道。"如果錯了，我也不在乎，"一隻眼鼠說，"我還要再幹的。"但其他小獸說道"別做聲。""小心啊。"於是它們大家都說道，"我們很抱歉，親愛的國王，現在我們必須回去了。我們在這兒給逮住了可就不好辦了。"
"親愛的小獸，立刻離開我吧，"蒂蓮說道，"爲了納尼亞全國的利益，我不願連累你們任何一位陷入危險境地。"
"晚安，晚安。"小獸們一邊說，一邊在國王的膝頭上擦着鼻子，"我們會回來的——如果我們辦得到的話。"於是大家窸窸窣窣地走掉了，同它們來到之前相比較，樹林似乎更加黑暗、更加寒冷、更加寂寞了。
繁星出來了，時間慢吞吞地過去——試想那時間過得多麼緩慢——在這過程中，納尼亞王國最後一位國王給綁在樹上，站得四肢僵硬，筋骨痠痛。但，最後，有件事情發生啦。
