THEPLACEwheretheyhadmettheFaunswas,ofcourse,DancingLawnitself,andhereCaspianandhisfriendsremainedtillthenightofthegreatCouncil.Tosleepunderthestars,todrinknothingbutwellwaterandtolivechieflyonnutsandwildfruit,wasastrangeexperienceforCaspianafterhisbedwithsilkensheetsinatapestriedchamberatthecastle,withmealslaidoutongoldandsilverdishesintheanteroom,andattendantsreadyathiscall.Buthehadneverenjoyedhimselfmore.Neverhadsleepbeenmorerefreshingnorfoodtastedmoresavoury,andhebeganalreadytohardenandhisfaceworeakinglierlook.
Whenthegreatnightcame,andhisvariousstrangesubjectscamestealingintothelawnbyonesandtwosandthreesorbysixesandsevens—themoonthenshiningalmostatherfull—hisheartswelledashesawtheirnumbersandheardtheirgreetings.Allwhomhehadmetwerethere:BulgyBearsandRedDwarfsandBlackDwarfs,MolesandBadgers,HaresandHedgehogs,andotherswhomhehadnotyetseen—fiveSatyrsasredasfoxes,thewholecontingentofTalkingMice,armedtotheteethandfollowingashrilltrumpet,someOwls,theOldRavenofRavenscaur.Lastofall(andthistookCaspian’sbreathaway),withtheCentaurscameasmallbutgenuineGiant,WimbleweatherofDeadman’sHill,carryingonhisbackabasketfulofrathersea-sickDwarfswhohadacceptedhisofferofaliftandwerenowwishingtheyhadwalkedinstead.
TheBulgyBearswereveryanxioustohavethefeastfirstandleavethecounciltillafterwards:perhapstilltomorrow.ReepicheepandhisMicesaidthatcouncilsandfeastscouldbothwait,andproposedstormingMirazinhisowncastlethatverynight.PattertwigandtheotherSquirrelssaidtheycouldtalkandeatatthesametime,sowhynothavethecouncilandfeastallatonce?TheMolesproposedthrowingupentrenchmentsroundtheLawnbeforetheydidanythingelse.TheFaunsthoughtitwouldbebettertobeginwithasolemndance.TheOldRaven,whileagreeingwiththeBearsthatitwouldtaketoolongtohaveafullcouncilbeforesupper,beggedtobeallowedtogiveabriefaddresstothewholecompany.ButCaspianandtheCentaursandtheDwarfsoverruledallthesesuggestionsandinsistedonholdingarealcouncilofwaratonce。
Whenalltheothercreatureshadbeenpersuadedtositdownquietlyinagreatcircle,andwhen(withmoredifficulty)theyhadgotPattertwigtostoprunningtoandfroandsaying“Silence!Silence,everyone,fortheKing’sspeech”,Caspian,feelingalittlenervous,gotup.“Narnians!”hebegan,buthenevergot
anyfurther,foratthatverymomentCamillotheHaresaid,“Hush!There’saMansomewherenear.”
Theywereallcreaturesofthewild,accustomedtobeinghunted,andtheyallbecamestillasstatues.ThebeastsallturnedtheirnosesinthedirectionwhichCamillohadindicated.
“SmellslikeManandyetnotquitelikeMan,”whisperedTrufflehunter.
“It’sgettingsteadilynearer,”saidCamillo.
“TwobadgersandyouthreeDwarfs,withyourbowsatthe-ready,gosoftlyofftomeetit,”saidCaspian.
“We’llsettle’un,”saidaBlackDwarfgrimly,fittingashafttohisbowstring.
Don’tshootifitisalone,”saidCaspian.“Catchit.”
“Why?”askedtheDwarf.
“Doasyou’retold,”saidGlenstormtheCentaur.
EveryonewaitedinsilencewhilethethreeDwarfsandtwoBadgerstrottedstealthilyacrosstothetreesonthenorthwestsideoftheLawn.Thencameasharpdwarfishcry,“Stop!Whogoesthere?”andasuddenspring.Amomentlateravoice,whichCaspianknewwell,couldheheardsaying,“Allright,allright,I’munarmed.Takemywristsifyoulike,worthyBadgers,butdon’tbiterightthroughthem.IwanttospeaktotheKing.”
“DoctorCornelius!”criedCaspianwithjoy,andrushedforwardtogreethisoldtutor.Everyoneelsecrowdedround.
“Pah!”saidNikabrik.“ArenegadeDwarf.Ahalf-and-halfer!ShallIpassmyswordthroughitsthroat?”
“Bequiet,Nikabrik,”saidTrumpkin.“Thecreaturecan’thelpitsancestry.”
“Thisismygreatestfriendandthesaviourofmylife,”saidCaspian.“Andanyonewhodoesn’tlikehiscompanymayleavemyarmy:atonce.Dearestdoctor,Iamgladtoseeyouagain.Howeverdidyoufindusout?”
“Byalittleuseofsimplemagic,yourMajesty,”saidtheDoctor,whowasstillpuffingandblowingfromhavingwalkedsofast.“Butthere’snotimetogointothatnow.Wemustallflyfromthisplaceatonce.YouarealreadybetrayedandMirazisonthemove.Beforemiddaytomorrowyouwillbesurrounded.”
“Betrayed!”saidCaspian.“Andbywhom?”
“AnotherrenegadeDwarf,nodoubt,”saidNikabrik.
“ByyourhorseDestrier,”saidDoctorCornelius.“Thepoorbruteknewnobetter.Whenyouwereknockedoff,ofcourse,hewentdawdlingbacktohisstableinthecastle.Thenthesecretofyourflightwasknown.Imademyselfscarce,havingnowishtobequestionedaboutitinMiraz’storturechamber.IhadaprettygoodguessfrommycrystalastowhereIshouldfindyou。Butallday—hatwasthedaybeforeyesterday—IsawMiraz’strackingpartiesoutinthewoods.YesterdayIlearnedthathisarmyisout.Idon’tthinksomeofyour—um—pure-bloodedDwarfshaveasmuchwoodcraftasmightbeexpected.You’velefttracksallovertheplace.Greatcarelessness.AtanyratesomethinghaswarnedMirazthatOldNarniaisnotsodeadashehadhoped,andheisonthemove.”
“Hurrah!”saidaveryshrillandsmallvoicefromsomewhereattheDoctor’sfeet.“Letthemcome!AllIaskisthattheKingwillputmeandmypeopleinthefront.”
“Whatonearth?”saidDoctorCornelius.“HasyourMajestygotgrasshoppers—ormosquitoes—inyourarmy?”Thenafterstoopingdownandpeeringcarefullythroughhisspectacles,hebrokeintoalaugh.
“BytheLion,”heswore,“it’samouse.SigniorMouse,Idesireyourbetteracquaintance.Iamhonouredbymeetingsovaliantabeast.”
“Myfriendshipyoushallhave,learnedMan,”pipedReepicheep.“AndanyDwarf—orGiant—inthearmywhodoesnotgiveyougoodlanguageshallhavemyswordtoreckonwith.”
“Istheretimeforthisfoolery?”askedNikabrik.“Whatareourplans?Battleorflight?”
“Battleifneedbe,”saidTrumpkin.“Butwearehardlyreadyforityet,andthisisnoverydefensibleplace.”
“Idon’tliketheideaofrunningaway,”saidCaspian.
“Hearhim!Hearhim!”saidtheBulgyBears.“Whateverwedo,don’tlet’shaveanyrunning.Especiallynotbeforesupper;andnottoosoonafteritneither.”
“Thosewhorunfirstdonotalwaysrunlast,”saidtheCentaur.“Andwhyshouldwelettheenemychooseourpositioninsteadofchoosingitourselves?Letusfindastrongplace.”
“That’swise,yourMajesty,that’swise,”saidTrufflehunter.
“Butwherearewetogo?”askedseveralvoices.
“YourMajesty,”saidDoctorCornelius,“andallyouvarietyofcreatures,Ithinkwemustflyeastanddowntherivertothegreatwoods.TheTelmarineshatethatregion.Theyhavealwaysbeenafraidoftheseaandofsomethingthatmaycomeoverthesea.Thatiswhytheyhaveletthegreatwoodsgrowup.Iftraditionsspeaktrue,theancientCairParavelwasattheriver-mouth.Allthatpartisfriendlytousandhatefultoourenemies.WemustgotoAslan’sHow.”
“Aslan’sHow?”saidseveralvoices.“Wedonotknowwhatitis.”
“ItlieswithintheskirtsoftheGreatWoodsanditisahugemoundwhichNarniansraisedinveryancienttimesoveraverymagicalplace,wheretherestood—andperhapsstillstands—averymagicalStone.TheMoundisallhollowedoutwithinintogalleriesandcaves,andtheStoneisinthecentralcaveofall.Thereisroominthemoundforallourstores,andthoseofuswhohavemostneedofcoverandaremostaccustomedtoundergroundlifecanbelodgedinthecaves.Therestofuscanlieinthewood.Atapinchallofus(exceptthisworthyGiant)couldretreatintotheMounditself,andthereweshouldbebeyondthereachofeverydangerexceptfamine.”
“Itisagoodthingwehavealearnedmanamongus,”saidTrufflehunter;butTrumpkinmutteredunderhisbreath,“Soupandcelery!Iwishourleaderswouldthinklessabouttheseoldwives’talesandmoreaboutvictualsandarms.”ButallapprovedofCornelius’sproposalandthatverynight,halfanhourlater,theywereonthemarch.BeforesunrisetheyarrivedatAslan’sHow.
Itwascertainlyanawesomeplace,aroundgreenhillontopofanotherhill,longsincegrownoverwithtrees,andonelittle,lowdoorwayleadingintoit.Thetunnelsinsidewereaperfectmazetillyougottoknowthem,andtheywerelinedandroofedwithsmoothstones,andonthestones,peeringinthetwilight,Caspiansawstrangecharactersandsnakypatterns,andpicturesinwhichtheformofaLionwasrepeatedagainandagain.ItallseemedtobelongtoanevenolderNarniathantheNarniaofwhichhisnursehadtoldhim.
ItwasaftertheyhadtakenuptheirquartersinandaroundtheHowthatfortunebegantoturnagainstthem.KingMiraz’sscoutssoonfoundtheirnewlair,andheandhisarmyarrivedontheedgeofthewoods.Andassooftenhappens,theenemyturnedoutstrongerthantheyhadreckoned.Caspian’sheartsankashesawcompanyaftercompanyarriving.AndthoughMiraz’smenmayhavebeenafraidofgoingintothewood,theywereevenmoreafraidofMiraz,andwithhimincommandtheycarriedbattledeeplyintoitandsometimesalmosttotheHowitself.Caspianandothercaptainsofcoursemademanysortiesintotheopencountry.Thustherewasfightingonmostdaysandsometimesbynightaswell;butCaspian’spartyhadonthewholetheworstofit.
Atlasttherecameanightwheneverythinghadgoneasbadlyaspossible,andtherainwhichhadbeenfallingheavilyalldayhadceasedatnightfallonlytogiveplacetorawcold.ThatmorningCaspianhadarrangedwhatwashisbiggestbattleyet,andallhadhungtheirhopesonit.He,withmostoftheDwarfs,wastohavefallenontheKing’srightwingatdaybreak,andthen,whentheywereheavilyengaged,GiantWimbleweather,withtheCentaursandsomeofthefiercestbeasts,wastohavebrokenoutfromanotherplaceandendeavouredtocuttheKing’srightofffromtherestofthearmy.Butithadallfailed.NoonehadwarnedCaspian(becausenooneintheselaterdaysofNarniaremembered)thatGiantsarenotatallclever.PoorWimbleweather,thoughasbraveasalion,wasatrueGiantinthatrespect.Hehadbrokenoutatthewrongtimeandfromthewrongplace,andbothhispartyandCaspian’shadsufferedbadlyanddonetheenemylittleharm.ThebestoftheBearshadbeenhurt,aCentaurterriblywounded,andtherewerefewinCaspian’spartywhohadnotlostblood.Itwasagloomycompanythathuddledunderthedrippingtreestoeattheirscantysupper.
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