how all were very busy

a little before two o'clock trumpkin and the badger sat with the rest of the creatures at the wood's edge looking across at the gleaming line of miraz's army which was about two arrow-shots away. in between, a square space of level grass had been staked for the combat. at the two far corners stood glozelle and sopespian with drawn swords. at the near corners were giant wimbleweather and the bulgy bear, who in spite of all their warnings was sucking his paws and looking, to tell the truth, uncommonly silly. to make up for this, glenstorm on the right of the lists, stock-still except when he stamped a hind hoof occasionally on the turf, looked much more imposing than the telmarine baron who faced him on the left. peter had just shaken hands with edmund and the doctor, and was now walking down to the combat. it was like the moment before the pistol goes at an important race, but very much worse.

"i wish aslan had turned up before it came to this," said trumpkin.

"so do i," said trufflehunter. "but look behind you."

"crows and crockery!" muttered the dwarf as soon as he had done so. "what are they? huge people - beautiful people - like gods and goddesses and giants. hundreds and thousands of them, closing in behind us. what are they?"

"it's the dryads and hamadryads and silvans," said trufflehunter. "aslan has waked them."

"humph!" said the dwarf. "that'll be very useful if the enemy try any treachery. but it won't help the high king very much if miraz proves handier with his sword."

the badger said nothing, for now peter and miraz were entering the lists from opposite ends, both on foot, both in chain shirts, with helmets and shields. they advanced till they were close together. both bowed and seemed to speak,, but it was impossible to hear what they said. next moment, the two swords flashed in the sunlight. for a second the clash could be heard but it was immediately drowned because both armies began shouting like crowds at a football match.

"well done, peter, oh, well done!" shouted edmund as he saw miraz reel back a whole pace and a half. "follow it up, quick!" and peter did, and for a few seconds it looked as if the fight might be won. but then miraz pulled himself together - began to make real use of his height and weight "miraz! miraz! the king! the king!" came the roar of the telmarines. caspian and edmund grew white with sickening anxiety.

"peter is taking some dreadful knocks," said edmund.

"hullo!" said caspian. "what's happening now?"

"both falling apart," said edmund. "a bit blown, expect. watch. ah, now they're beginning again, more scientifically this time. circling round and round, feeling each other's defences."

"i'm afraid this miraz knows his work," muttered the doctor. but hardly had he said this when there was such a clapping and baying and throwing up of hoods among the old narnians that it was nearly deafening.

"what was it? what was it?" asked the doctor. "my old eyes missed it."

"the high king has pricked him in the arm-pit," said caspian, still clapping. "just where the arm-hole of the hauberk let the point through. first blood.'

"it's looking ugly again now, though," said edmund. "peter's not using his shield properly. he must be hurt in the left arm."

it was only too true. everyone could see that peter's shield hung limp. the shouting of the telmarines redoubled.

"you've seen more battles than i," said caspian. "is there any chance now?"

"precious little," said edmund. "i suppose he might just do it. with luck."

"oh, why did we let it happen at all?" said caspian.

suddenly all the shouting on both sides died down. edmund was puzzled for a moment. then he said, "oh, i see. they've both agreed to a rest. come on, doctor. you and i may be able to do something for the high king.' they ran down to the lists and peter came outside the ropes to meet them, his face red and sweaty, his chest heaving.

"is your left arm wounded?" asked edmund.

"it's not exactly a wound," peter said. "i got the weight of his shoulder on my shield - like a load of bricks and the rim of the shield drove into my wrist. i don't think it's broken, but it might be a sprain. if you could tie it up very tight i think i could manage."

while they were doing this, edmund asked anxiously. "what do you think of him, peter?"

"tough," said peter. "very tough. i have a chance if can keep him on the hop till his weight and short wind come against him - in this hot sun too. to tell the truth, i haven't much chance else. give my love to - to everyone at home, ed, if he gets me. here he comes into the lists again

so long, old chap. good-bye, doctor. and i say, ed, say something specially nice to trumpkin. he's been a brick."

edmund couldn't speak. he walked back with the doctor to his own lines with a sick feeling in his stomach.

but the new bout went well. peter now seemed to be able to make some use of his shield, and he certainly made good use of his feet. he was almost playing tig with miraz now, keeping out of range, shifting his ground, making the enemy work.

"coward!" booed the telmarines. "why don't you stand up to him? don't you like it, eh? thought you'd come to fight, not dance. yah!"

"oh, i do hope he won't listen to them," said caspian.

"not he," said edmund. "you don't know him - oh!" for miraz had got in a blow at last, on peter's helmet. peter staggered, slipped sideways, and fell on one knee. the roar of the telmarines rose like the noise of the sea. "now, miraz," they yelled. "now. quick! quick! kill him." but indeed there was no need to egg the usurper on. he was on top of peter already. edmund bit his lips till the blood came, as the sword flashed down on peter. it looked as if it would slash off his head. thank heavens! it had glanced down his right shoulder. the dwarf-wrought mail was sound and did not break.

"great scott!" cried edmund. "he's up again. peter, go it, peter."

"i couldn't see what happened," said the doctor. "how did he do it?"

"grabbed miraz's arm as it came down," said trumpkin, dancing with delight. "there's a man for you! uses his enemy's arm as a ladder. the high king! the high king! up, old narnia!"

"look," said trufflehunter. "miraz is angry. it is good." they were certainly at it hammer and tongs now: such a flurry of blows that it seemed impossible for either not to be killed. as the excitement grew, the shouting almost died away. the spectators were holding their breath. it was most horrible and most magnificent.

a great shout arose from the old narnians. miraz was a down - not struck by peter, but face downwards, having tripped on a tussock. peter stepped back, waiting for him to rise.

"oh bother, bother, bother," said edmund to himself. "need he be as gentlemanly as all that? i suppose he must. comes of being a knight and a high king. i suppose it is what aslan would like. but that brute will be up again in a minute and then -"

but "that brute" never rose. the lords glozelle and sopespian had their own plans ready. as soon as they saw their king down they leaped into the lists crying, "treachery! treachery! the narnian traitor has stabbed him in the back while he lay helpless. to arms! to arms, telmar!"

peter hardly understood what was happening. he saw two big men running towards him with drawn swords. then the third telmarine had leaped over the ropes on his; left. "to arms, narnia! treachery!" peter shouted. if all three had set upon him at once he would never have spoken again. but glozelle stopped to stab his own king dead where he lay: "that's for your insult, this morning," he whispered as the blade went home. peter swung to face sopespian, slashed his legs from under him and, with the back-cut of the same stroke, walloped off his head edmund was now at his side crying, "narnia, narnia! the lion!" the whole telmarine army was rushing toward them. but now the giant was stamping forward, stooping low and swinging his club. the centaurs charged. twang, twang behind and hiss, hiss overhead came the archery of dwarfs. trumpkin was fighting at his left. full battle was joined.

"come back, reepicheep, you little ass!" shouted peter. "you'll only be killed. this is no place for mice." but the ridiculous little creatures were dancing in and out among the feet of both armies, jabbing with their swords. many a telmarine warrior that day felt his foot suddenly pierced as if by a dozen skewers, hopped on one leg cursing the pain, and fell as often as not. if he fell, the mice finished him off; if he did not, someone else did.

but almost before the old narnians were really warmed to their work they found the enemy giving way. toughlooking warriors turned white, gazed in terror not on the old narnians but on something behind them, and then flung down their weapons, shrieking, "the wood! the wood! the end of the world!"

but soon neither their cries nor the sound of weapons could be heard any more, for both were drowned in the ocean-like roar of the awakened trees as they plunged through the ranks of peter's army, and then on, in pursuit of the telmarines. have you ever stood at the edge of a great wood on a high ridge when a wild south-wester broke over it in full fury on an autumn evening? imagine that sound. and then imagine that the wood, instead of being fixed to one place, was rushing at you; and was no longer trees but huge people; yet still like trees because their long arms waved like branches and their heads tossed and leaves fell round them in showers. it was like that for the telmarines. it was a little alarming even for the narnians. in a few minutes all miraz's followers were running down to the great river in the hope of crossing the bridge to the town of beruna and there defending themselves behind ramparts and closed gates.

they reached the river, but there was no bridge. it had disappeared since yesterday. then utter panic and horror fell upon them and they all surrendered.

but what had happened to the bridge?

early that morning, after a few hours' sleep, the girls had waked, to see aslan standing over them and to hear his voice saying, "we will make holiday." they rubbed their eyes and looked round them. the trees had all gone but could still be seen moving away towards aslan's how in a dark mass. bacchus and the maenads - his fierce, madcap girls - and silenus were still with them. lucy, fully rested, jumped up. everyone was awake, everyone was laughing, flutes were playing, cymbals clashing. animals, not talking animals, were crowding in upon them from every direction.

"what is it, aslan?" said lucy, her eyes dancing and her feet wanting to dance.

"come, children," said he. "ride on my back again today."

"oh, lovely!" cried lucy, and both girls climbed on to the warm golden back as they had done no one knew how many years before. then the whole party moved off aslan leading, bacchus and his maenads leaping, rushing, and turning somersaults, the beasts frisking round them, and silenus and his donkey bringing up the rear.

they turned a little to the right, raced down a steep hill, and found the long bridge of beruna in front of them. before they had begun to cross it, however, up out of the water came a great wet, bearded head, larger than a man's, crowned with rushes. it looked at aslan and out of its mouth a deep voice came.

"hail, lord," it said. "loose my chains."

"who on earth is that?" whispered susan.

"i think it's the river-god, but hush," said lucy.

"bacchus," said aslan. "deliver him from his chains."

"that means the bridge, i expect," thought lucy. and so it did. bacchus and his people splashed forward into the shallow water, and a minute later the most curious things began happening. great, strong trunks of ivy came curling up all the piers of the bridge, growing as quickly as a fire grows, wrapping the stones round, splitting, breaking, separating them. the walls of the bridge turned into hedges gay with hawthorn for a moment and then disappeared as the whole thing with a rush and a rumble collapsed into the swirling water. with much splashing, screaming, and laughter the revellers waded or swam or danced across the ford ("hurrah! it's the ford of beruna again now!" cried the girls) and up the bank on the far side and into the town.

everyone in the streets fled before their faces. the first house they came to was a school: a girls' school, where lot of narnian girls, with their hair done very tight and ugly tight collars round their necks and thick tickly stockings on their legs, were having a history lesson. the sort of "history" that was taught in narnia under miraz's rule was duller than the truest history you ever read and less true than the most exciting adventure story.

"if you don't attend, gwendolen," said the mistress, and stop looking out of the window, i shall have to give you an order-mark."

"but please, miss prizzle -" began gwendolen.

"did you hear what i said, gwendolen?" asked miss prizzle.

"but please, miss prizzle," said gwendolen, "there's a lion!"

"take two order-marks for talking nonsense," said miss prizzle. "and now -" a roar interrupted her. ivy came curling in at the windows of the classroom. the walls became a mass of shimmering green, and leafy branches arched overhead where the ceiling had been. miss prizzle found she was standing on grass in a forest glade. she clutched at her desk to steady herself, and found that the desk was a rose-bush. wild people such as she had never even imagined were crowding round her. then she saw the lion, screamed and fled, and with her fled her class, who were mostly dumpy, prim little girls with fat legs. gwendolen hesitated.

"you'll stay with us, sweetheart?" said aslan.

"oh, may i? thank you, thank you," said gwendolen. instantly she joined hands with two of the maenads, who whirled her round in a merry dance and helped her take off some of the unnecessary and uncomfortable clothes that she was wearing.

wherever they went in the little town of beruna it was the same. most of the people fled, a few joined them. when they left the town they were a larger and a merrier company.

they swept on across the level fields on the north bank, or left bank, of the river. at every farm animals came out to join them. sad old donkeys who had never known joy grew suddenly young again; chained dogs broke their chains; horses kicked their carts to pieces and came trotting along with them - clop-clop - kicking up the mud and whinnying.

at a well in a yard they met a man who was beating a boy. the stick burst into flower in the man's hand. he tried to drop it, but it stuck to his hand. his arm became a branch, his body the trunk of a tree, his feet took root. the boy, who had been crying a moment before, burst out laughing and joined them.

at a little town half-way to beaversdam, where two rivers met, they came to another school, where a tiredlooking girl was teaching arithmetic to a number of boys who looked very like pigs. she looked out of the window and saw the divine revellers singing up the street and a stab of joy went through her heart. aslan stopped right under the window and looked up at her.

"oh, don't, don't," she said. "i'd love to. but i mustn't. i must stick to my work. and the children would be frightened if they saw you."

"frightened?" said the most pig-like of the boys. "who's she talking to out of the window? let's tell the inspector she talks to people out of the window when she ought to be teaching us."

"let's go and see who it is," said another boy, and they all came crowding to the window. but as soon as their mean little faces looked out, bacchus gave a great cry of euan, euoi-oi-oi-of and the boys all began howling with fright and trampling one another down to get out of the door and jumping out of the windows. and it was said afterwards (whether truly or not) that those particular little boys were never seen again, but that there were a lot of very fine little pigs in that part of the country which had never been there before.

"now, dear heart," said aslan to the mistress, and she jumped down and joined them.

at beaversdam they re-crossed the river and came east again along the southern bank. they came to a little cottage where a child stood in the doorway crying. "why are you crying, my love?" asked aslan. the child, who had never seen a picture of a lion, was not afraid of him. "auntie's very ill," she said. "she's going to die." then aslan went to go in at the door of the cottage, but it was too small for him. so, when he had got his head through, he pushed with his shoulders (lucy and susan fell off when he did this) and lifted the whole house up and it fell backwards and apart. and there, still in her bed, though the bed was now in the open air, lay a little old woman who looked as if she had dwarf blood in her. she was at death's door, but when she opened her eyes and saw the bright, hairy head of the lion staring into her face, she did not scream or faint. she said, "oh, aslan! i knew it was true. i've been waiting for this all my life. have you come to take me away?"

"yes, dearest," said aslan. "but not the long journey yet." and as he spoke, like the flush creeping along the underside of a cloud at sunrise, the colour came back to her white face and her eyes grew bright and she sat up and said, "why, i do declare i feel that better. i think i could take a little breakfast this morning."

"here you are, mother," said bacchus, dipping a pitcher in the cottage well and handing it to her. but what was in it now was not water but the richest wine, red as red-currant jelly, smooth as oil, strong as beef, warming as tea, cool as dew.

"eh, you've done something to our well," said the old woman. "that makes a nice change, that does." and she jumped out of bed.

"ride on me," said aslan, and added to susan and lucy, "you two queens will have to run now."

"but we'd like that just as well," said susan. and off they went again.

and so at last, with leaping and dancing and singing, with music and laughter and roaring and barking and neighing, they all came to the place where miraz's army stood flinging down their swords and holding up their hands, and peter's army, still holding their weapons and breathing hard, stood round them with stern and glad faces. and the first thing that happened was that the old woman slipped off aslan's back and ran across to caspian and they embraced one another; for she was his old nurse.

14解放

两点钟不到，杜鲁普金、獾和整个部队坐到树林的边缘；远远地望着几十米以外弥若兹的军队。两军中间有一块平坦的草地，已经圈了起来，准备用作决斗的战场。一边的两个角上站着手持宝剑的哥洛和索皮，站在另外两个角上的是巨人韦姆布威热和大棕熊。尽管同伴们再三警告，那大熊还是不停地吮爪子，那傻乎乎的样子十分可笑。彼得已经向爱德蒙和博士握手告别，此时正朝决斗场走去。场上气氛顿时紧张起来。'

“阿斯兰怎么还不来呢?”杜鲁普金担心地自言自语道。

“我也这么想，”特鲁佛汉特说，“可你往身后看。”

小矮人转身一看，不由大吃一惊：“我的老天!那是些什么人?巨人、仙女——哇!成千上万地从后面拥了过来……她们是谁?”

“她们是林中仙子、水族女神……阿斯兰把她们全召来了!”

“嘘!”小矮人做了个手势，“这下可不怕敌人玩什么鬼花招了。可是，万一在决斗中弥若兹技高一筹，那么援兵也无法把国王从困境中解救出来。”

獾没有再讲话，因为这时彼得和弥若兹已从两端步入场中，都是披盔戴甲，全副武装。只见他们彼此行礼，还说了几句话，只是距离太远，听不清说的是什么。转眼间，两把宝剑同时拔出了鞘，在阳光下闪闪发光。决斗开始了。击剑声开始还清晰可辨，但很快便被淹没在鼎沸的人声之中。两军的呐喊助威声此起彼伏，震耳欲聋，简直像世界足球大赛中的拉拉队那么热闹。

“打得好，哈，彼得，打得好!”看到弥若兹连连后退，爱德蒙不禁大声喝起彩来，“继续攻击，攻击呀!”

彼得果然乘胜进攻，有一刻简直就要打赢了。不想弥若兹抢得一个喘息的机会，马上抖擞精神，卷土重来。他充分发挥自己身高体重的优势，步步紧逼。“弥若兹，加油!国王，加油!”敌军疯狂地呼喊着，战场上的形势转而开始对彼得不利了。一直紧张观望的凯斯宾和爱德蒙头上冒出了冷汗，脸色也变了。

“彼得下杀招了!”爱德蒙说。

“快说，现在怎么样了?”雷佩契普个儿小看不清楚，不停地打听着战况。

“双方退到边线，想喘口气。”爱德蒙说，“看，他们又开始了。现在双方都比较谨慎，绕场，僵持，守住门户以免被攻破。”

“我看那弥若兹剑术精湛。”博士小声嘀咕着。他话音刚落，突然听到身边响起一阵震耳欲聋的掌声、叫声、跺脚声。“发生了什么事情?我老眼昏花，看不清楚了。”

“彼得刺中了他的臂弯!”凯斯宾一边拍手，一边说道，“剑从锁子甲关节处的空隙里扎了进去，弥若兹流血了。”

“不好!”爱德蒙突然紧张地说，“彼得使盾牌的手看起来很不灵便，他的左臂一定受伤了。”

果然，大家都注意到彼得手里的盾牌歪歪斜斜，有些拿不稳。台尔马阵营中的加油声一下增强了一倍。

“你经历的战斗比我多，”凯斯宾小声问爱德蒙，“我们还有希望吗?”

“还有一线希望。我看彼得正在寻找时机，这要看运气了。”

“唉，这场决斗完全可以避免的!”

双方阵营里的喊叫声突然一齐停了下来。爱德蒙愣了一下，马上明白过来：

“看样子，交战双方已同意暂停，休息片刻。跟我来，博士，咱们去看看能为彼得做些什么。”

说着，他俩朝决斗场走去。彼得跨过绳索，朝他们迎了过来。他脸色通红，汗流满面，胸脯急骤地上下起伏着。

“你的左臂是不是负伤了?”爱德蒙焦急地问。

“不能真正算负伤。他把整个肩膀的重量都压在我的盾牌上——简直像一堆砖头那么沉重——而盾把手的边缘紧卡着我的手腕……我相信手腕没有折，但肯定是扭伤了。只要用手绢紧紧地扎起来就可以了。”

爱德蒙一边给他包扎，一边担心地问：

“你有把握吗，彼得?”

“这家伙不大好对付，”彼得说着，擦擦脸上的汗水，“如果我能使他不停地移动，把他压在我身上的重量转移为他自己的负担，我就能够取胜。不然的话，老实说，十分危险。爱德，假若他把我打倒，请告诉家里每一个人，我爱他们。瞧，他上场了。再见，老朋友。再见，博士!记着，爱德，好好安慰杜鲁普金，他一直是可信赖的朋友。”

爱德蒙一句话也讲不出来。他心情沉重地和博士一起回到自己的阵营里。

令人振奋的是，第二个回合形势有所好转。彼得已经能够比较灵活地使用盾牌，脚步显然也灵活多了。只见他不停地在场上移动着，一边进攻，一边使自己与对手保持一定的距离。这样弥若兹便不得不跟着他满场转。

“懦夫!”台尔马的士兵开始起哄了，“你怎么不停下来和他打?害怕了吗，呃?原以为你是来决斗的，原来你是来跳舞的呀，哈哈哈……”

“千万别听他们的!”凯斯宾连忙喊。"

“放心吧，他不会的，”爱德蒙安慰他说，“你不了解他——哎呀!”

弥若兹终于得手，在彼得的头盔上猛击了一下。彼得一个踉跄，单腿跪在地上。台尔马人顿时如潮水汹涌般叫起来：“好畦，弥若兹!再来一下，快，干掉他!”那阴谋篡位者不需别人提醒，已经扑向地上的彼得。眼看着剑闪寒光向彼得刺去，爱德蒙把嘴唇都咬破了——弥若兹这一剑凶狠毒辣，看样子他决心要彼得的命。感谢上帝!那一剑劈在彼得的右臂上，万幸那锁子甲非常坚固，没有被劈开。

“好样的!”爱德蒙大叫起来，“看——他又站起来了!彼得，杀死他!”

“我看不清楚，”博士连声催问，“他怎么样了?”

“弥若兹的胳膊落下来时，被彼得抓住了。”杜鲁普金一边讲，一边兴奋得跳起来，“彼得!彼得!为古老的纳尼亚，站起来吧!”

“你们看，”特鲁佛汉特说，“弥若兹失去耐性了。这是好兆头。”

战斗这时已经到了白热化的阶段。每一击都那么沉重，仿佛打到身上便能置人于死地。阵前观战的双方军队随着激动和紧张感的增加，呐喊声反而渐渐消失了——大家都屏住了呼吸，那场面既可怕又壮观。

古老纳尼亚的军中突然一阵沸腾，原来弥若兹绊在一簇丛生草上，脸朝下重重地摔了一跤。彼得向后退去，等他爬起来。

“嘿!真是多此一举!”爱德蒙气恼地跺一下脚，“这节骨眼上还讲什么绅士风度!那个凶残的家伙站起身来，就会——”

然而，那凶残的家伙再也没能站起来了。他的宠臣哥洛和索皮早有阴谋。他们看到弥若兹摔倒在地上，马上跳入场内，大声叫嚷着：“阴谋!阴谋!我们尊敬的国王无助地躺在地上时被纳尼亚的阴谋家杀死啦!台尔马的勇士们，准备战斗!”

彼得简直无法相信眼前发生的事情。他看到弥若兹那两个身材高大的助手持剑扑来，接着，第三个台尔马人也从左边跳入决斗场。“纳尼亚，准备战斗!这是阴谋!”彼得终于喊起来。假如那三个台尔马人一齐向他进攻，也许他就不会有发号施令的机会了。哥洛径直冲到弥若兹的身边，一剑置他于死地，嘴里还狠狠地说：“这一剑为了你早上对我的侮辱!”彼得转身对付索皮。他一剑劈在索皮腿上，紧接着又是一剑，麻利地结果了他。爱德蒙此时已飞奔到哥哥的身旁，嘴里大声喊着：“纳尼亚，纳尼亚!伟大的雄狮!”这时候，整个台尔马军队向他们扑来，而这边的巨人已及时赶了过来，低低地弯下身子，用他手中的大棒扫向敌人。人头马奋勇出击，杜鲁普金则率领一群小矮人跟在它左边杀了过来——霎时间一片刀光剑影，杀声震天，两军打作一团。!

“雷佩契普，到后面去，你这小傻瓜!”彼得喊道，“这不是你们老鼠呆的地方，你们会被踩死的!”可那些发了疯似的小家伙根本不听命令。它们挥动着手中的短剑，在两军之中上蹿下跳，奋力拼杀。那天真有不少台尔马士兵突然感到脚上一阵钻心的疼痛，不得不一边大声诅咒着一边单脚跳着往后撤，不少人跌倒在地。在乱军中一旦摔倒在地上，那就没命了。不是老鼠便是其他的纳尼亚人会赶上来，一剑结果了他。

古老纳尼亚的战士们正杀在兴头上，却发现敌军士兵突然间失去了抵抗，脸色煞白，惊怒万状地盯着他们的身后，然后纷纷扔下武器，尖叫着：“树林!看那树林!世界末日来临啦!”

片刻之间，敌人的惊叫声和武器的撞击声便被一阵强烈的、海啸般的树声给淹没了。不计其数的被阿斯兰唤醒的树神绕过彼得的军队，以排山倒海之势向台尔马士兵扑了过去。你可曾在深秋的夜晚站在树林旁的山崖上感受那强劲的西南风?那劲风掠过树林，呼啸着，毫无遮拦地向你刮来。想像一下那声音!再想像一下那树林突然间变成了无数巨人扑向你。那些台尔马士兵当时的感觉就是这样。甚至在古老纳尼亚的军队看来，这情景也触目惊心。'

几分钟之后，弥若兹手下幸存的士兵便所剩无几，他们顺着通往大河的那条路仓皇逃命去了。他们打算越过柏卢纳大桥，占领那里的小村镇，然后坚守不出。

逃兵们来到河边，却找不到柏卢纳大桥!原来那桥昨天就神秘地消失了。在极度的恐惧和绝望中，他们只好缴械投降。

大桥是怎么回事呢?

那天凌晨，露茜和苏珊经过几小时酣睡之后醒了过来。她们睁眼看到阿斯兰正站在她们身边，对她们说：“起来吧，孩子们。今天将是我们的节日。”她们揉揉眼睛，看看四周。树神们已经离去，不过依然看得见它们黑压压的一片，朝阿斯兰堡垒的方向移动。巴库斯带着他那群充满野性的姑娘留了下来，塞利努斯也和他们在一起。露茜感到精力充沛，一下子跳起身来，大家也顿时清醒过来，空中立即又响起了歌声、笑声、口笛声和打闹声。各种各样的动物——都是些不会说话的动物——被这欢快的场面吸引，纷纷从四面八方向他们围拢过来。

“过来，孩子们!”阿斯兰高声叫道，“上来，坐到我的身上来。”

“哇!太棒了!”两个女孩欢呼着，像很多很多年以前那次一样，爬到阿斯兰温暖的、金黄色的背上。在阿斯兰的带领下，他们这一行人出发了。巴库斯和他的野姑娘们一路上不停地奔跑、跳跃、翻跟头；塞利努斯骑着毛驴跟在后面。

他们向右转个弯，冲下一个陡坡，来到柏卢纳大桥跟前。他们正要过河，突然水中冒出一个水淋淋的、须发丛生的大脑袋，上面戴着一顶乱蓬蓬的草环。它望着阿斯兰，用非常低沉的声音说道：

“大王，请松开我身上的锁链。”

“这是谁?”苏珊小声问。

“我猜它是河神，别讲话。”露茜说。

“巴库斯，”阿斯兰吩咐道，“给它解开锁链。”

“可能是指那座大桥。”露茜暗忖。果然，巴库斯和他的部下溅着水花来到一片浅水区。一分钟之后，非常奇妙的事情发生了。硕大、坚实的常春藤缠绕着桥墩飞快地长了起来，卷着每一块桥石。转眼间桥身变成了山楂树篱笆，迅速地分裂、瓦解，然后整个儿垮了下来，在河面上溅起了冲天的水花。野姑娘们使劲儿拍打着水面，尖声叫着，高声笑着，有的嬉水，有的游泳，还有的索性在河崖上跳起舞来。“啊，这又是当年的柏卢纳渡口了!”女孩们激动地回想起往事。

过了河，大家朝小镇走去。

大街上的行人见到他们都吓得纷纷逃散。他们首先来到一所女子学校。这里的女孩子一个个扎着僵直、难看的小辫儿，竖起的衣领紧紧地卡在脖子上，既不美观，又不舒服。这里正在上历史课，内容是弥若兹统治下的纳尼亚，净是些胡说八道，枯燥无味极了。

“格温多伦!假如你再不注意听讲，继续往窗外看的话，我将记下你的名字，扣你的分数!”严厉的女教师威胁一个女学生。

“可是，老师……”格温多伦想开口申辩。

“你没有听见我的话吗，格温多伦小姐?”

“可是，普蕾莱夫人……外面有一头狮子!”

“胡言乱语，扰乱课堂，扣两分!”夫人威严地宣称，“下面，让我们——”她的话被一声狮吼打断了。常春藤从窗外爬了进来，转眼间布满了墙壁和屋顶，给教室带来了勃勃生机。普蕾莱夫人突然发现自己站在林中的草地上，不由大吃一惊，连忙去扶桌子，以免摔倒。不料那桌子一下子变成了一簇玫瑰。一群她怎么也想像不出来的野姑娘正向她团团围过来。接着她又看到阿斯兰，立刻尖叫着逃开了。她那一班又矮又胖、一本正经的小姑娘也随之一哄而散，惟独格温多伦犹豫着没走开。

“可爱的小姑娘，愿意和我们在一起吗?”阿斯兰问她。

“我可以吗?谢谢你，太谢谢你了!”格温多伦脸上绽出开心的微笑，马上和身边两个野姑娘拉起手来。她们毫不迟疑地帮她脱下那身既不舒服又不好看的校服，教她跳起欢快的舞蹈。-

他们走到哪里，类似的情况就发生在哪里。多数居民逃开了，有一小部分加入了他们的行列。离开柏卢纳镇时，他们的队伍扩大了不少，也更显得兴高采烈。

他们越过平原，沿着河的北岸走去。每过一处农庄，就有不少家畜跑来入伙。从未有过欢乐的忧伤老驴突然变得年轻；看家狗第一次摆脱了束缚它们的锁链；马儿踢碎了套在身上的大车，尥着蹶子在队伍旁边来回奔跑着。

在一座院落的井旁，他们看到一个男人正在使劲抽打一个男孩。他手里的棍子突然变成了一支花。惶惑中他想扔掉那花，却怎么也丢不掉。渐渐地，他的胳膊变成了树枝，他的躯体变成了树干，他的脚在地上扎了根。刚才还在流泪求饶的孩子破涕为笑，蹦蹦跳跳地和他们一齐向前走去。

通往海狸大坝的路上有个小镇，这里是两条河交汇处。他们走进另一所学校，教室里一位满面倦容的姑娘正给一群男孩上数学课。那些男孩子一个个呆头呆脑，愚蠢得像猪一样，一点儿灵气也没有。那姑娘从窗户望出去，看见一个野姑娘边唱边跳地沿街走来。她的心情一下子愉快起来。阿斯兰来到窗前，直直地望着她。

“噢，不，不!”姑娘说，“我想和你们去，可我不能。我不能离开岗位。再说孩子们看见你会被吓坏的。”

“吓坏我们?”一个蠢孩子说，“她在和窗外什么人讲话?我们去报告校长，说她在教我们读书的时候与窗外的人说话。”

“我们去看看那是谁。”另一个孩子说。于是大家一齐拥到窗子跟前。他们那迟钝呆板的小脸刚从窗户上露出来，便听到巴库斯一声大叫，吓得他们掉头就跑，互相推搡着，践踏着，一时间哭声喊声乱成一片。据说打那以后(不知是真是假)，再没有人见过那帮蠢小子，而那一地区却出现了一些十分听话的小猪。

“没问题了，亲爱的姑娘?”阿斯兰微笑着向教室里望去。那姑娘欢快地跳出窗户，加入了他们的行列。

他们在海狸大坝再次渡河，然后沿南崖往东走。不久，他们来到一座农舍跟前，门外一个小孩正在啼哭。阿斯兰上前问道：“你为什么哭呀，小朋友?”那孩子显然不知道狮子为何物，所以并不惧怕。"

“姨妈病得十分厉害，她就要死了。”他哽咽道。

阿斯兰想要走进那小屋，无奈房子太小，进不去，他只好把头伸进门去，这下子露茜和苏珊都从它身上掉了下来。只见阿斯兰肩膀一抬就把那房子掮了起来，再一抖，房子稀里哗啦顿时变成一堆废墟。大家看到，露天的床上躺着一个弱小的老妇人(她显然是小矮人的后代)，已经奄奄一息。当她虚弱地睁开双眼，看到阿斯兰那毛茸茸的、硕大的头颅时，并不感到惊讶和恐惧。她说：“啊，阿斯兰!我知道这是真的。我一生都在等待。你是来接我的吧?”

“是的，可怜的好人，”阿斯兰轻声答道，“这是一次长途跋涉。”说话问，好似云开日出，一片红晕浮上了老妇人那苍白的面颊，她的目光也明亮起来。只见她坐起身说：“我感觉好多了，我觉得今天可以吃些东西了。”

“吃点儿东西吧，母亲，”巴库斯说，然后从附近的井里提来一桶水，递给了她，奇怪的是桶里的水已经变成了最香醇的美酒，像草莓那么鲜红，像蜂蜜那么甘甜，像牛肉那么耐饥，像晨露那么清凉

“这井水怎么这么好喝?哦——准是你在水里施了法术，真是太好了!”老妇人喝了几口后诧异地说，一边翻身跳下床来。

“我们十分愿意下来活动活动。”苏珊说。于是，大家继续赶路。

就这样，一路唱着，跳着，她们终于来到河边，正好看到弥若兹的败兵纷纷丢下武器举手投降。彼得的部队站在一边，手持武器，脸上洋溢着胜利的喜悦。突然，老妇人从阿斯兰的背上跳下来，朝凯斯宾奔去。两人见面抱在一起，激动得说不出话来。原来她正是凯斯宾的老保姆。