凯斯宾王子

C. S. 刘易斯 （吴民?译）

C. S.刘易斯（1898—1963），英国著名文学家。所著儿童故事集《纳尼亚传奇》七部曲，情节动人，妙趣横生。本文选自《纳尼亚传奇》第二部《凯斯宾王子》。

“We should not have Aslan for friend if we brought in that rabble，” said Trufflehunter as they came away from the cave of the Black Dwarfs.

“Oh， Aslan！” said Trumpkin， cheerily but contemptuously. “What matters much more is that you wouldnt have me.”

“Do you believe in Aslan？” said Caspian to Nikabrik.

“Ill believe in anyone or anything，” said Nikabrik， “thatll batter these cursed Telmarine barbarians to pieces or drive them out of Narnia. Anyone or anything， Aslan or the White Witch， do you understand？”

“Silence， silence，” said Trufflehunter. “You do not know what you are saying. She was a worse enemy than Miraz and all his race.”

“Not to Dwarfs， she wasnt，” said Nikabrik.

Their next visit was a pleasanter one. As they came lower down， the mountains opened out into a great glen or wooded gorge with a swift river running at the bottom. The open places near the rivers edge were a mass of foxgloves and wild roses and the air was buzzing with bees. Here Trufflehunter called again， “Glenstorm！ Glenstorm！” and after a pause Caspian heard the sound of hoofs. It grew louder till the valley trembled and at last， breaking and trampling the thickets， there came in sight the noblest creatures that Caspian had yet seen， the great Centaur Glenstorm and his three sons. His flanks were glossy chestnut and the beard that covered his broad chest was golden red. He was a prophet and a star-gazer and knew what they had come about.

“Long live the King，” he cried. “I and my sons are ready for war. When is the battle to be joined？”

Up till now neither Caspian nor the others had really been thinking of a war. They had some vague idea， perhaps， of an occasional raid on some Human farmstead or of attacking a party of hunters， if it ventured too far into these southern wilds. But， in the main， they had thought only of living to themselves in woods and caves and building up an attempt at Old Narnia in hiding. As soon as Glenstorm had spoken everyone felt much more serious.

“Do you mean a real war to drive Miraz out of Narnia？” asked Caspian.

“What else？” said the Centaur. “Why else does your Majesty go clad in mail and girt with sword？”

“Is it possible， Glenstorm？” said the Badger.

“要是我們收容了这些坏蛋，阿斯兰就不会站在我们这边了。”当他们从黑小矮人的山洞里走出来的时候，特鲁佛汉特说。

“哼，阿斯兰！”杜鲁普金似乎很不服气，“你们要是没有我这个朋友，那才不得了呢！”

“你不相信阿斯兰吗？”凯斯宾问尼克布瑞克。

“我相信一切能夠参战的生灵。”尼克布瑞克高声说，“只要能够铲除那些台尔马暴徒，把他们赶出纳尼亚，一切生灵，不管他叫阿斯兰，还是叫白女巫，你明白了吗？”

“你给我住嘴！”特鲁佛汉特说，“你知道自己在说什么吗？白女巫比弥若兹和他的同类还危险和可恶百倍！”

“可是对小矮人来讲，她不是。”尼克布瑞克说道。

接下来的旅程令人愉快。他们顺着山坡往下走，来到一个宽阔的幽谷。谷底有一条湍急的河，河岸边的空地上，大片大片的毛地黄和野玫瑰迎风怒放，蜜蜂嗡嗡地采着花蜜。特鲁佛汉特高声喊道：“格兰斯托姆！格兰斯托姆！”不一会儿，凯斯宾听到一阵马蹄声，那声音越来越近，气势震动山河。突然，几个高大的生灵冲出灌木丛跑了过来。这是凯斯宾平生见到的最奇异、最高贵的动物了——半人马格兰斯托姆，后面跟着它的三个儿子。它那强健的马身发出栗色的光泽，高贵的人头潇洒地扬起，一绺金红色的胡子在宽阔的胸前飘扬。它是位预言家，又是位占星家，完全了解客人来访的目的。

“国王万岁！”它高呼，“我和我的儿子们随时准备参加战斗。什么时候开始决战？”

直到现在，凯斯宾和其他几个人都没有想过打仗的事。他们只有一些模糊不清的设想，比方说，袭击农户和猎人——如果他们胆敢到这片野树林中来骚扰的话。他们原来只想隐居在森林中、洞穴里，建立起一个隐蔽的、传统的纳尼亚。格兰斯托姆的这句话，让大家开始反思。

“你是说，发动一场正义的战争，把弥若兹彻底赶出纳尼亚？”凯斯宾问。

“对！”半人马说，“陛下身穿盔甲，佩挂宝剑，难道不是为了战斗？”

“能成功吗？”獾将信将疑。

“The time is ripe，” said Glenstorm. “I watch the skies， Badger， for it is mine to watch， as it is yours to remember. Tarva and Alambil have met in the halls of high heaven， and on earth a son of Adam has once more arisen to rule and name the creatures. The hour has struck. Our council at the Dancing Lawn must be a council of war.” He spoke in such a voice that neither Caspian nor the others hesitated for a moment： it now seemed to them quite possible that they might win a war and quite certain that they must wage one.

As it was now past the middle of the day， they rested with the Centaurs and ate such food as the Centaurs provided—cakes of oaten meal， and apples， and herbs， and wine， and cheese.

The next place they were to visit was quite near at hand， but they had to go a long way round in order to avoid a region in which Men lived. It was well into the afternoon before they found themselves in level fields， warm between hedgerows. There Trufflehunter called at the mouth of a little hole in a green bank and out popped the last thing Caspian expected—a Talking Mouse. He was of course bigger than a common mouse， well over a foot high when he stood on his hind legs， and with ears nearly as long as （though broader than） a rabbits. His name was Reepicheep and he was a gay and martial mouse. He wore a tiny little rapier at his side and twirled his long whiskers as if they were a moustache. “There are twelve of us， Sire，” he said with a dashing and graceful bow， “and I place all the resources of my people unreservedly at your Majestys disposal.” Caspian tried hard （and successfully） not to laugh， but he couldnt help thinking that Reepicheep and all his people could very easily be put in a washing basket and carried home on ones back.

“Fauns！” cried Caspian， jumping up， and in a moment they were all round him. It took next to no time to explain the whole situation to them and they accepted Caspian at once. Before he knew what he was doing he found himself joining in the dance. Trumpkin， with heavier and jerkier movements， did likewise and even Trufflehunter hopped and lumbered about as best he could. Only Nikabrik stayed where he was， looking on in silence. The Fauns footed it all round Caspian to their reedy pipes. Their strange faces， which seemed mournful and merry all at once， looked into his; dozens of Fauns， Mentius and Obentinus and Dumnus， Voluns， Voltinus， Girbius， Nimienus， Nausus， and Oscuns. Pattertwig had sent them all.

When Caspian awoke next morning he could hardly believe that it had not all been a dream; but the grass was covered with little cloven hoof-marks.

“辦不到！”獾叹了一口气说，“我们无能为力。自从人类迁移到这片土地上之后，他们砍伐树木、污染河流，树神和水神都隐遁到不知哪里去了。谁也不知道它们是否还会显灵。这对我们来说是个很大的损失。那些台尔马人最怕这些大树，一旦大树们愤怒起来，他们就会发疯似的四处逃窜，尽可能快地逃出纳尼亚。”

“你们动物的想象力简直太丰富啦！”杜普鲁金不屑地说，“可是你为什么只讲到树和水，就不往下说了？假如石头全都能够自己飞起来，砸向弥若兹，那不是更妙吗？”

獾听了这话只是哼了一声，这以后是很长时间的沉默。凯斯宾倒在软软的草地上渐渐进入了梦乡。似睡非睡间，凯斯宾仿佛听到身后的树林深处传来了一阵低沉奇妙的音乐。开始他以为那是幻觉，翻个身打算继续睡，可当他耳刚一贴近地面，他感觉到或者说听到（这很难言明）一阵微弱的敲打声。他抬起头来，那打击声马上减弱，可音乐声又响了起来，并越来越清晰，好像是笛子的声音。这时候，他看见特鲁佛汉特坐起身来，两眼盯着树林。明月发出皎洁的光亮，凯斯宾似乎已经睡了一大觉，摇了摇头，想让自己变得清醒起来，再侧耳倾听——音乐声越来越近了，那是一种粗犷而又让人心驰神往的旋律。终于，伴随着轻捷的脚步声，一群翩翩舞动着的身影从树林里来到月光下——这些年来一直萦绕在凯斯宾心头的正是这些身影。它们不比小矮人高多少，可身材更苗条，体态更优美高雅。它们卷曲的头发上伸出两只角来，淡淡的月光映出它们赤裸的上身，可它们的腿脚都与山羊的一模一样。

“半人羊！”凯斯宾跳起身，惊叫起来。半人羊立马将凯斯宾围在当中。几乎对一切情况都不了解时，它们便很快承认凯斯宾是他们的领袖。凯斯宾还未明白过来之前已发现自己也不禁翩翩起舞。杜普鲁金肥嘟嘟的身子摇摇摆摆地也随着跳了起来，连特鲁佛汉特也使出浑身解数，不停地蹦着，扭摆着。只有尼克布瑞克一动不动地待在一边，沉默地看着。半人羊们围着凯斯宾用它们纤细的脚跳呀跳。那些面孔看上去时而悲伤，时而欢快。与它们为邻的还有几十个小矮人，曼蒂尤斯、奥本蒂纳斯、达姆纳斯，这时都被叫了过来，向新国王致敬。

第二天早晨，凯斯宾一觉醒来，对夜里发生的事记忆犹新。他简直不敢相信这一切都是真的，可是草地上分明布满了半人羊的足迹。