how they left the island

"and so," said trumpkin (for, as you have realized, it was he who had been telling all this story to the four children, sitting on the grass in the ruined hall of cair paravel) - "and so i put a crust or two in my pocket, left behind all weapons but my dagger, and took to the woods in the grey of the morning. i'd been plugging away for many hours when there came a sound that i'd never heard the like of in my born days. eh, i won't forget that. the whole air was full of it, loud as thunder but far longer, cool and sweet as music over water, but strong enough to shake the woods. and i said to myself, `if that's not the horn, call me a rabbit.' and a moment later i wondered why he hadn't blown it sooner-"

"what time was it?" asked edmund.

"between nine and ten of the clock," said trumpkin.

"just when we were at the railway station!" said all the children, and looked at one another with shining eyes.

"please go on," said lucy to the dwarf.

"well, as i was saying, i wondered, but i went on as hard as i could pelt. i kept on all night - and then, when it was half light this morning, as if i'd no more sense than a giant, i risked a short cut across open country to cut off a big loop of the river, and was caught. not by the army, but by a pompous old fool who has charge of a little castle which is miraz's last stronghold towards the coast. i needn't tell you they got no true tale out of me, but i was a dwarf and that was enough. but, lobsters and lollipops! it is a good thing the seneschal was a pompous fool. anyone else would have run me through there and then. but nothing would do for him short of a grand execution: sending me down `to the ghosts in the full ceremonial way. and then this young lady", (he nodded at susan) "does her bit of archery and it was pretty shooting, let me tell you - and here we are. and without my armour, for of course they took that." he knocked out and refilled his pipe.

"great scott!" said peter. "so it was the horn - your own horn, su - that dragged us all off that seat on the platform yesterday morning! i can hardly believe it; yet it all fits in."

"i don't know why you shouldn't believe it," said lucy, "if you believe in magic at all. aren't there lots of stories about magic forcing people out of one place - out of one world - into another? i mean, when a magician in the arabian nights calls up a jinn, it has to come. we had to come, just like that."

"yes," said peter, "i suppose what makes it feel so queer is that in the stories it's always someone in our world who does the calling. one doesn't really think about where the jinn's coming from."

"and now we know what it feels like for the jinn," said edmund with a chuckle. "golly! it's a bit uncomfortable to know that we can be whistled for like that. it's worse than what father says about living at the mercy of the telephone."

"but we want to be here, don't we," said lucy, "if aslan wants us?"

"meanwhile," said the dwarf, "what are we to do? i suppose i'd better go back to king caspian and tell him no help has come."

"no help?" said susan. "but it has worked. and here we are."

"um - um - yes, to be sure. i see that," said the dwarf, whose pipe seemed to be blocked (at any rate he made himself very busy cleaning it). "but- well - i mean -"

"but don't you yet see who we are?" shouted lucy. "you are stupid."

"i suppose you are the four children out of the old stories," said trumpkin. "and i'm very glad to meet you of course. and it's very interesting, no doubt. but - no offence?'- and he hesitated again.

"do get on and say whatever you're going to say," said edmund.

"well, then - no offence," said trumpkin. "but, you know, the king and trufflehunter and doctor cornelius were expecting - well, if you see what i mean, help. to put it in another way, i think they'd been imagining you as great warriors. as it is - we're awfully fond of children and all that, but just at the moment, in the middle of a war but i'm sure you understand."

"you mean you think we're no good," said edmund, getting red in the face.

"now pray don't be offended," interrupted the dwarf. "i assure you, my dear little friends-"

"little from you is really a bit too much," said edmund, jumping up. "i suppose you don't believe we won the battle of beruna? well, you can say what you like about me because i know -"

"there's no good losing our tempers," said peter. "let's fit him out with fresh armour and fit ourselves out from the treasure chamber, and have a talk after that."

"i don't quite see the point -" began edmund, but lucy whispered in his ear, "hadn't we better do what peter says? he is the high king, you know. and i think he has an idea." so edmund agreed and by the aid of his torch they all, including trumpkin, went down the steps again into the dark coldness and dusty splendour of the treasure house.

the dwarf's eyes glistened as he saw the wealth that lay on the shelves (though he had to stand on tiptoes to do so) and he muttered to himself, "it would never do to let nikabrik see this; never." they found easily enough a mail shirt for him, a sword, a helmet, a shield, a bow and quiverful of arrows, all of dwarfish size. the helmet was of copper, set with rubies, and there was gold on the hilt of the sword: trumpkin had never seen, much less carried, so much wealth in all his life. the children also put on mail shirts and helmets; a sword and shield were found for edmund and a bow for lucy - peter and susan were of course already carrying their gifts. as they came back up the stairway, jingling in their mail, and already looking and feeling more like narnians and less like schoolchildren, the two boys were behind, apparently making some plan. lucy heard edmund say, "no, let me do it. it will be more of a sucks for him if i win, and less of a let-down for us all if i fail."

"all right, ed," said peter.

when they came out into the daylight edmund turned to the dwarf very politely and said, "i've got something to ask you. kids like us don't often have the chance of meeting a great warrior like you. would you have a little fencing match with me? it would be frightfully decent."

"but, lad," said trumpkin, "these swords are sharp."

"i know," said edmund. "but i'll never get anywhere near you and you'll be quite clever enough to disarm me without doing me any damage."

"it's a dangerous game," said trumpkin. "but since you make such a point of it, i'll try a pass or two."

both swords were out in a moment and the three others jumped off the dais and stood watching. it was well worth it. it was not like the silly fighting you see with broad swords on the stage. it was not even like the rapier fighting which you sometimes see rather better done. this was real broad-sword fighting. the great thing is to slash at your enemy's legs and feet because they are the part that have no armour. and when he slashes at yours you jump with both feet off the ground so that his blow goes under them. this gave the dwarf an advantage because edmund, being much taller, had to be always stooping. i don't think edmund would have had a chance if he had fought trumpkin twenty-four hours earlier. but the air of narnia had been working upon him ever since they arrived on the island, and all his old battles came back to him, and his arms and fingers remembered their old skill. he was king edmund once more. round and round the two combatants circled, stroke after stroke they gave, and susan (who never could learn to like this sort of thing) shouted out, "oh, do be careful." and then, so quickly that no one (unless they knew, as peter did) could quite see how it happened, edmund flashed his sword round with a peculiar twist, the dwarf's sword flew out of his grip, and trumpkin was wringing his empty hand as you do after a "sting" from a cricket-bat.

"not hurt, i hope, my dear little friend?" said edmund, panting a little and returning his own sword to its sheath.

"i see the point," said trumpkin drily. "you know a trick i never learned."

"that's quite true," put in peter. "the best swordsman in the world may be disarmed by a trick that's new to him. i think it's only fair to give trumpkin a chance at something else. will you have a shooting match with my sister? there are no tricks in archery, you know."

"ah, you're jokers, you are," said the dwarf. "i begin to see. as if i didn't know how she can shoot, after what happened this morning. all the same, i'll have a try." he spoke gruffly, but his eyes brightened, for he was a famous bowman among his own people.

all five of them came out into the courtyard.

"what's to be the target?" asked peter.

"i think that apple hanging over the wall on the branch there would do," said susan.

"that'll do nicely, lass," said trumpkin. "you mean the yellow one near the middle of the arch?"

"no, not that," said susan. "the red one up above - over the battlement."

the dwarf's face fell. "looks more like a cherry than an apple," he muttered, but he said nothing out loud.

they tossed up for first shot (greatly to the interest of trumpkin, who had never seen a coin tossed before) and susan lost. they were to shoot from the top of the steps that led from the hall into the courtyard. everyone could see from the way the dwarf took his position and handled his bow that he knew what he was about.

twang went the string. it was an excellent shot. the tiny apple shook as the arrow passed, and a leaf came fluttering down. then susan went to the top of the steps and strung her bow. she was not enjoying her match half so much as edmund had enjoyed his; not because she had any doubt about hitting the apple but because susan was so tenderhearted that she almost hated to beat someone who had been beaten already. the dwarf watched her keenly as she drew the shaft to her ear. a moment later, with a little soft thump which they could all hear in that quiet place, the apple fell to the grass with susan's arrow in it.

"oh, well done, su, " shouted the other children.

"it wasn't really any better than yours," said susan to the dwarf. "i think there was a tiny breath of wind as you shot."

"no, there wasn't," said trumpkin. "don't tell me. i know when i am fairly beaten. i won't even say that the scar of my last wound catches me a bit when i get my arm well back -"

"oh, are you wounded?" asked lucy. "do let me look."

"it's not a sight for little girls," began trumpkin, but then he suddenly checked himself. "there i go talking like a fool again," he said "i suppose you're as likely to be a great surgeon as your brother was to be a great swordsman or your sister to be a great archer." he sat down on the steps and took off his hauberk and slipped down his little shirt, showing an arm hairy and muscular (in proportion) as a sailor's though not much bigger than a child's. there was a clumsy bandage on the shoulder which lucy proceeded to unroll. underneath, the cut looked very nasty and there was a good deal of swelling. "oh, poor trumpkin," said lucy. "how horrid." then she carefully dripped on to it one single drop of the cordial from her flask.

"hullo. eh? what have you done?" said trumpkin. but however he turned his head and squinted and whisked his beard to and fro, he couldn't quite see his own shoulder. then he felt it as well as he could, getting his arms and fingers into very difficult positions as you do when you're trying to scratch a place that is just out of reach. then he swung his arm and raised it and tried the muscles, and finally jumped to his feet crying, "giants and junipers! it's cured! it's as good as new." after that he burst into a great laugh and said, "well, i've made as big a fool of myself as ever a dwarf did. no offence, i hope? my humble duty to your majesties all -humble duty. and thanks for my life, my cure, my breakfast - and my lesson."

the children all said it was quite all right and not to mention it.

"and now," said peter, "if you've really decided to believe in us-"

"i have," said the dwarf.

"it's quite clear what we have to do. we must join king caspian at once."

"the sooner the better," said trumpkin. "my being such a fool has already wasted about an hour."

"it's about two days' journey, the way you came," said peter. "for us, i mean. we can't walk all day and night like you dwarfs." then he turned to the others. "what trumpkin calls aslan's how is obviously the stone table itself. you remember it was about half a day's march, or a little less, from there down to the fords of beruna -"

"beruna's bridge, we call it," said trumpkin.

"there was no bridge in our time," said peter. "and then from beruna down to here was another day and a bit. we used to get home about teatime on the second day, going easily. going hard, we could do the whole thing in a day and a half perhaps."

"but remember it's all woods now," said trumpkin, "and there are enemies to dodge."

"look here," said edmund, "need we go by the same way that our dear little friend came?"

"no more of that, your majesty, if you love me," said the dwarf.

"very well," said edmund. "may i say our d.l.f.?"

"oh, edmund," said susan. "don't keep on at him like that."

"that's all right, lass - i mean your majesty," said trumpkin with a chuckle. "a jibe won't raise a blister." (and after that they often called him the d.l.f. till they'd almost forgotten what it meant.)

"as i was saying," continued edmund, "we needn't go that way. why shouldn't we row a little south till we come to glasswater creek and row up it? that brings us up behind the hill of the stone table, and we'll be safe while we're at sea. if we start at once, we can be at the head of glasswater before dark, get a few hours' sleep, and be with caspian pretty early tomorrow."

"what a thing it is to know the coast," said trumpkin. "none of us know anything about glasswater."

"what about food?" asked susan.

"oh, we'll have to do with apples," said lucy. "do let's get on. we've done nothing yet, and we've been here nearly two days."

"and anyway, no one's going to have my hat for a fishbasket again," said edmund.

they used one of the raincoats as a kind of bag and put a good many apples in it. then they all had a good long drink at the well (for they would meet no more fresh water till they landed at the head of the creek) and went down to the boat. the children were sorry to leave cair paravel, which, even in ruins, had begun to feel like home again.

"the d.l.f. had better steer," said peter, "and ed and i will take an oar each. half a moment, though. we'd better take off our mail: we're going to be pretty warm before we're done. the girls had better be in the bows and shout directions to the d.l.f. because he doesn't know the way. you'd better get us a fair way out to sea till we've passed the island."

and soon the green, wooded coast of the island was falling away behind them, and its little bays and headlands were beginning to look flatter, and the boat was rising and falling in the gentle swell. the sea began to grow bigger around them and, in the distance, bluer, but close round the boat it was green and bubbly. everything smelled salt and there was no noise except the swishing of water and the clop-clop of water against the sides and the splash of the oars and the jolting noise of the rowlocks. the sun grew hot.

it was delightful for lucy and susan in the bows, bending over the edge and trying to get their hands in the sea which they could never quite reach. the bottom, mostly pure, pale sand but with occasional patches of purple seaweed, could be seen beneath them.

"it's like old times," said lucy. "do you remember our voyage to terebinthia - and galma - and seven isles - and the lone islands?"

"yes," said susan, "and our great ship the splendour hyaline, with the swan's head at her prow and the carved swan's wings coming back almost to her waist?"

"and the silken sails, and the great stern lanterns?"

"and the feasts on the poop and the musicians."

"do you remember when we had the musicians up in the rigging playing flutes so that it sounded like music out of the sky?"

presently susan took over edmund's oar and he came forward to join lucy. they had passed the island now and stood closer in to the shore - all wooded and deserted. they would have thought it very pretty if they had not remembered the time when it was open and breezy and full of merry friends.

"phew! this is pretty gruelling work," said peter. "can't i row for a bit?" said lucy. "the oars are too big for you," said peter shortly, not because he was cross but because he had no strength to spare for talking.

8号角的魔力

"就这样，"杜鲁普金说(读到这里，你该知道了吧，坐在荒芜的凯尔帕拉维尔大殿的草地上给四个孩子讲故事的，正是小矮人杜鲁普金)——"就这样，我往口袋里塞了两片面包，卸下身上的武器，只带一柄短剑，便踏着朦胧的暮色，向林子深处走去。我低头向前走了很久，突然听到一种从来没有听见过的声音。那令人难忘的声音，响彻天空，经久不息。它明快优美，像拂过水面的春风，但又强烈得足以震撼森林。我对自己说”假如这不是那号角的话，就叫我变成一只兔子”我纳闷，他为什么不早点儿吹……

"那是什么时候？"爱德蒙问。

"大约在九点到十点之间。"杜鲁普金说。

"那时候我们刚好在火车站里！”破子们异口同声地说，眼睛里闪烁着激动的光。

"请讲下去!"露茜对小矮人说。

"好吧，听到号声，我立即感到信心倍增，便继续奋力向前走，整整走了一天一夜。后来，在破晓时分，我做了件蠢事——我为了不去绕那条河道，冒险抄近路穿过一片开阔地，结果被他们捉住了。抓住我的不是军队，而是一个高傲的老傻瓜。他驻守在一个小城堡里面，那是弥若兹在通往海岸的路上设下的最后一个关卡。我不必表白自己，但他们的确从我嘴里一句实话也没有得到。可是，我是个小矮人，这已经足够给我判罪了。哈，感谢上帝！那个管事儿的老傻瓜真不错，换了别人一定当场就把我干掉了。可是，他认为只有把我送到”鬼'那儿去，才是最解恨的惩罚。结果，承蒙这位年轻的小姐救了我(他冲苏珊点了点头)。遗憾的是我身上的盔甲都没有了，被他们拿走了。"他磕一磕手里的烟斗，又装上一斗烟。

"好家伙，"彼得说，"这么说，是那号角——你的那只神号，苏——昨天早上把我们大家从站台的座位上给拽到这儿来的！我简直不敢相信，可这一切都确确实实地发生了。"'

"不相信l为什么不相信。"露茜说，"好多故事都讲到，魔力能使人们离开某一个地方，或者离开某一个世界，到另一个世界去。比方说，《一千零一夜》故事中的法师一念秘诀，魔鬼马上便会出现在他的面前。我们突然回到纳尼亚，也正是这个原因。"

"不错，"彼得说，"奇怪的是故事里喊”魔鬼快来'的总是我们世界里的什么人，谁也没有认真想过，”魔鬼'究竟是从哪儿来的。"

"现在我们知道了，这和”魔鬼快来'是同一道理。"爱德蒙笑了起来，"天啊！拿起号角就那么一吹，我们便不由自主地被呼来唤去，这真让人觉得有点儿不自在。"

"好在我们都愿意到这儿来，不是吗？"露茜说，"要是阿斯兰想要我们来呢？"

"可是我们现在怎么办？"小矮人说，"我想我应该马上返回，向国王回禀，告诉他并无援助可指望，必须另谋良策。"

"没有援助？"苏珊说，"可那号角不是已经把我们召来了吗？"

"这个……这个……是的，当然啰，我已经看出来了。"

小矮人吞吞吐吐地说：他的烟斗好像给堵住了，他低下头，似乎忙着清理那烟斗。"可是…好吧…我是说…”

"你现在还不知道我们是谁吗？”露茜叫道，"你真笨。"

"我猜你们一定是古老传说中的四个孩子，"杜鲁普金说，"当然，我很高兴见到你们。当然这也是很有意思的事。可是……你们不生气吧？"——他又犹豫起来。

"快说吧，干脆些！”爱德蒙有点儿不耐烦了。

"好吧，那么……你们可别生气啊，"杜鲁普金不安地说，"你们知道，国王、特鲁佛汉特和克奈尔斯博士都在期待……嗯，你们知道我指的是什么——他们在期待着强有力的帮助，换句话说，我想他们一直把你们想象成高大健壮、能征善战的勇士。可是，你们都是些孩子，在这样的时刻，在战斗中……你们又能干什么呢？我相信你们是能理解的。"

"你的意思是说，我们全无用处？"爱德蒙脸红了。

"请千万别生气，"小矮人打断了他的话，"我向你们保证，我亲爱的小朋友……。”

“’小朋友’！这，这简直太小看我们了！"爱德蒙跳了起来，"我想你不会相信是我们打赢了柏卢纳战役的吧？好吧，你想说什么就说什么好啦，我知道…”

"现在发脾气有什么用？"彼得打断了他的话，"咱们先给他配备一套盔甲，我们也必须立刻武装起来，别的话以后再说。"

"是不是先商量一下……"爱德蒙没有动。可是露茜在他耳边悄悄地说，"咱们先按彼得说的去做。你知道，他是咱们的首领。我想他心中有数。"爱德蒙点点头，拿起手电筒，领着大家，包括杜鲁普金，又一次沿着台阶来到那漆黑寒冷而又布满灰尘的宝库。;

看到架子上那些宝贝，小矮人的眼睛直放光(尽管只有脏起脚尖才能看得到)，嘴里喃喃自语道"千万可别让尼克布瑞克看到这些，千万！”孩子们很快就为他找到了一套合身的锁子甲、一顶头盔、一把宝剑、一块盾牌、一张弓和满满的一壶箭，这些都是专为小矮人们制造的，不仅大小合适，而且做工精良，材料也属上乘。那头盔是铜制的，镶嵌着宝石，剑柄则是纯金铸成。杜鲁普金一辈子没见过，更不曾拥有过这么贵重的东西，一时高兴得不知说什么才好。孩子们也穿上了盔甲。爱德蒙挑选了一柄锋利的宝剑，一块皮制的、灵巧的盾牌：露茜挑选了一张弓：彼得和苏珊早已佩挂好了他们各自的宝物。当他们顺着台阶走出宝库时，身上的锁子甲丁丁当当地响着，看上去全然是纳尼亚的勇士，再不是只知道读书玩耍的小学生了。两个男孩走在后面，很快就制定出一套行动方案。露茜听爱德蒙说"不，让我来，要是我胜了，他的失败显得更惨。万一我输了，我们也不至于太丢脸。"

"那么好吧，爱德。"彼得答道。

他们重新回到阳光下。这时，爱德蒙彬彬有礼地把身子

转向小矮人，对他说"我有个请求，希望你不要拒绝。你知道，我们这样的小朋友并不常有机会遇到你这样伟大的勇士，你愿意和我比试比试剑术吗？这样才合乎礼仪。".

"可是，年轻人，"杜鲁普金说，"这些宝剑都很锋利，碰在身上可不是闹着玩的！”

"我知道，"爱德蒙说，"我绝不可能碰到你一点儿，而你却可以轻而易举地解除我的武装，又不伤我一根汗毛。"

"这可是个危险的游戏，"杜鲁普金说，"既然你已经提出来了，我就陪你一两个回合吧。"

霎时间，两把宝剑都抽了出来，另外三个孩子一齐跳下台来，站在一旁观战。这是一场真刀真枪的较量，绝不像戏台上用木头道具打给人看的花架子，甚至运动会上的击剑比赛也无法与之相比。这是战士间的格斗。最精彩的就是用宝剑去劈对方的腿和脚，因为这部分没有盔甲防护口当对方用剑劈来的一刹那，你就必须迅速跳起来，他这一击便从你脚下一掠而过。这当然对小矮人有利，因为爱德蒙个子高得多，只好不时地蹲下身子进攻对手。如果是在二十四小时以前和杜鲁普金比赛，爱德蒙就很难获胜了。可自从他们来到小岛上之后，纳尼亚的一切对他起了潜移默化的作用，使他回想起从前的战斗，他的胳膊和手指也恢复了从前的力量和技艺。他现在又是当年的国王爱德蒙了。两个斗士打了几个回合，苏珊(她怎么也没法喜欢这种事情)不停地高声喊着"噢！千万当心！"突然，爱德蒙翻腕使了一个花剑，把小矮人的剑打飞了。只见杜鲁普金望着那只空空的右手，不知所措地眨着眼睛。

"没有受伤吧，我亲爱的小朋友？"爱德蒙微微喘着气，把自己的宝剑插进剑鞘。

"我知道是怎么回事了，"杜鲁普金干巴巴地说，"你会的这个花招我没学过。"

"太对了，"彼得插了进来，"世上最好的击剑手都可能被一个他所不熟悉的绝招给解除武装。再给你次机会，咱们换一种武器再比试一下，那才算是公平合理，是不是，朋友？你乐意和我妹妹比赛射箭吗？射箭是没有花招可耍的，这你清楚。"

"哈，你真会开玩笑，你！”小矮人说，"从她今天早上救了我以后，我就知道她的箭术有多高明了。不过，那也没关系，我可以试一试。"他装出不高兴的样子，但眼睛里却发出欣慰的光来，因为他开始意识到自己的阵营里来了不可小看的生力军。

他们五个一齐来到院子里。

"拿什么做靶子呢？"彼得问。

"我看树枝上挂的那只苹果就行。"苏珊说。

"行，"杜鲁普金痛快地说，"你指的是靠近树权的那只黄苹果吗？"

"不，不是那只，是上面那只红的——在高处的那只。"小矮人的脸色沉了下来，嘴里嘟嚷着，"看上去简直像颗樱桃嘛，这苹果是怎么长的！”

他们投钱币来决定由谁先射(杜鲁普金大感兴趣，他从来没有玩过这种把戏)，结果是杜鲁普金先射。从大殿到花园有一段台阶，他们必须选好角度，才能射中苹果。从小矮人选择位置和拉弓的姿势，大家都看出来他是个内行。

只听嗖的一声，箭射出去了。这一箭射得很漂亮。箭到之处，小苹果摆了一摆，旁边的一片树叶飘然而落。下面轮到苏珊。她走到台阶上，拉开了弓。她对这场比赛并不感兴趣，这倒不是因为她对射中那只苹果没有信心，而是因为她心地善良，不愿意再去伤害一颗已经受到伤害的心。小矮人仔细观察着她如何把箭杆拉向耳边。刹那间，一声轻响，那苹果掉落在草地上，苏珊的箭插在正中间。

"好哇！射得漂亮，苏！"其他几个孩子欢呼起来。

"我并非真比你射得好，"苏珊安慰小矮人说，"你射的时候我觉得好像有一阵风。"

"不，没有风，"杜鲁普金诚实地说，"你不必安慰我，我明白我已经被你们彻底打败了。可我对你们不好明说，刚才我肩膀上的伤很痛………

"怎么，你受伤了？"露茜问，"快让我看看。"

"小姑娘，你看也没用。"杜鲁普金话一出口，立刻感到不妥当，赶紧检讨说，"对不起，我又像个傻瓜一样讲话了。你的哥哥是一名出色的击剑家，你的姐姐是一名了不起的射手，我猜你可能是位伟大的医生。"他坐在台阶上，解开身上的锁子甲，脱掉贴身的小衬衫，露出那水于一般多毛而又肌肉发达的胳膊。他肩膀上有一块包扎得十分马虎的绷带。解开一看，只见绷带下面有一条很深的刀伤，伤口已经发炎了，周围红肿得很厉害。"啧啧，可怜的杜鲁普金，"露茜同情地说，"太吓人了。"说着，她细心地从手中的小瓶里倒出一滴神水，滴在那伤口上。

"喂，你干什么呢?"杜鲁普金说。可当他转过头来，不由得大吃一惊，"咦，我的伤怎么没了?"只见他摆动着小胡子，斜着眼看来看去，然后又把那条胳膊上上下下摸了个遍。最后，他舒展几下胳膊，活动活动肌肉，跳起来大声叫道"嗨!伤口治好喽!我的胳膊像新的一样!"接着他大笑起来，说"唉|我怎么这么蠢，真是有眼不识泰山!你们都别生我的气，我向各位陛下致敬——虽然是微不足道的敬意。感谢你们救了我的命，治好了我的伤，以及那丰盛的早餐——还有使我了解了你们。"

四个孩子一齐说，那都不算什么，不值得一提。"现在，"彼得说，"假如你已经信任我们……"当然。"小矮人说。

"我们必须马上起身，尽快与凯斯宾国王会合。"

"而且越快越好，"杜鲁普金说，"由于我的愚蠢，已经耽误了将近一个钟头。"

"从你来的路走，大约要花两天时间，"彼得说，"因为我们不能像你们小矮人那样，日夜兼程。"说着，他转向他的弟弟妹妹，"杜鲁普金说的阿斯兰堡垒显然就是那个大石桌。你们还记得吧，从那儿往下走到柏卢纳渡口大约要走半天时间。"

"柏卢纳大桥，我们都这么叫它。"杜鲁普金说。

"在我们的时代，那儿没有桥，"彼得说，"那时候从柏卢纳到这儿大约要一天时间，我们通常在第二天吃晚饭时就能到家。要是走快点，也许我们一天半能赶到那儿。"

"可是你别忘了，现在到处是森林，"杜鲁普金说，"而且还要避开敌人。"

"听我说，"爱德蒙讲话了，"我们只能选择我们亲爱的小朋友来时走的那条路吗?"

"别叫我小朋友啦，陛下，给我留点面子吧。"小矮人脸又红了。

"那么好吧，"爱德蒙说，"我可以管你叫我们的dlf吗？"

"喂，爱德蒙，"苏珊说，"别这样，干吗老抓住人家不放。"

"没有什么，小姑娘——我是说，隆下，"杜鲁普金笑着说，"开开玩笑，不要紧的。"(从那以后，他们常亲切地叫他dlf，到后来，这戏称的真正含义几乎都被忘掉了。)

"我刚才是想说，"爱德蒙继续说，"咱们不必走那条道，我们可以乘船向南，先到清水湾，然后逆流而上，这么走可直达大石桌的后山。我们在水上会比较安全一些。要是马上出发，在天黑之前就可以到达清水湾的入口，然后睡几个小时，明天一大早就可以和凯斯宾见面了。"

1dlf是英语dearlittlefriend的缩略语，意思即"亲爱的小朋友"。"

"问题是我们必须知道沿岸的情况，"杜鲁普金说，"我们不清楚一路上的地形和敌情。"

"食品问题怎么解决?"苏珊问。

"哦，我们可以吃苹果充饥，"露茜说，"咱们快点走吧，两天过去了，我们什么事儿还没做呢。"

他们用一件雨衣做成一只袋子，装了不少苹果，又一齐来到井边喝足了水，因为在到达清水湾之前很可能再也找不到淡水了。然后，大家登上小船，望着将要离开的凯尔帕拉维尔，孩子们心里不禁一阵惆怅。尽管那儿已成为一堆废墟，可他们还是觉得十分亲切，仿佛那就是他们的第二故乡。

"dlf，你来掌舵，"彼得说，"我和爱德蒙划桨。虽然路不远，咱们最好还是脱掉这身锁子甲，免得划不了多久，就热得受不了。你们两个女孩子坐在船首，给dlf指示方向，因为他不知道路。"

不久，那被密林覆盖的绿色小岛就被他们远远地抛在了身后，小船随着海浪上下颠簸着。周围的海域越来越辽阔，向远处望去，蓝蓝的海水一望无边，近处是小船荡起的碧绿的波浪，浪花在船边翻滚。空气中充满了海水的咸味。海上安静极了，只听到海水撞击船舷和船桨拍打水面的哗哗声，以及桨架发出的嘎吱声。天气开始热了起来。

露茜和苏珊坐在船首，开心极了。她们从船边弯下身，试着把手伸到海水里去，可总是够不着。但她们能清楚地看见海底那极纯净的月白色沙子，有时候还可以看到一块块紫红色的海藻。

"真好像又回到了过去，"露茜说，"你们还记不记得我们航行到特里宾西亚……还有卡尔马……还有七群岛……还有孤独群岛？”

"当然记得，"苏珊说，"还有我们的大船‘辉煌海尔兰号，船头上镶着只天鹅头，那雕刻的天鹅翅膀直达船的中部。"

"还有绸子做的风帆和船尾巨大的灯笼。""还有甲板上的盛宴和那些乐师。"

"你们还记不记得，有位乐师爬到帆缆上吹笛子，那乐声听起来就像来自天边。"

就这样，他们一边走-边回忆着。当苏珊换下爱德蒙时，他们已经走了一大半路程。前面的海岸不远了——他们想起当年这里曾是一片开阔的平原，是许多好朋友聚会的地方，现在却长满了野树杂草，显得十分荒凉。触景生情，孩子们心中不由生出许多感慨。

"嘘!这还真是个累人的活儿。"彼得已是汗流浃背。"我来划一会儿吧?"露茜说。!

"不行，你太小。"彼得简短地回答，这并不是他光火了，而是因为他没有精神说话了。