天锡小说网

chater elve thrugh the table dr（第2页）

RishdaTarkaanturnedhisbackonthestableandwalkedslowlytoaplaceinfrontofthewhiterock．

“Hearken，”hesaid。“IftheBoarandtheDogsandtheUnicornwillcomeovertomeandputthemselvesinmymercy，theirlivesshallbespared。TheBoarshallgotoacageinTheTisroc’sgarden，theDogstoTheTisroc’skennels，andtheUnicorn，whenIhavesawnhishornoff，shalldrawacart。ButtheEagle，thechildren，andhewhowastheKingshallbeofferedtoTashthisnight。”

Theonlyanswerwasgrowls．

“Geton，warriors，”saidtheTarkaan。“Killthebeasts，buttakethetwo-leggedonesalive。”

AndthenthelastbattleofthelastKingofNarniabegan．

Whatmadeithopeless，evenapartfromthenumbersoftheenemy，wasthespears。TheCalormeneswhohadbeenwiththeApealmostfromthebeginninghadhadnospears：thatwasbecausetheyhadcomeintoNarniabyonesandtwos，pretendingtobepeacefulmerchants，andofcoursetheyhadcarriednospearsforaspearisnotathingyoucanhide。Thenewonesmusthavecomeinlater，aftertheApewasalreadystrongandtheycouldmarchopenly。Thespearsmadeallthedifference。Withalongspearyoucankillaboarbeforeyouareinreachofhistusksandaunicornbeforeyouareinreachofhishorn;ifyouareveryquickandkeepyourhead。AndnowthelevelledspearswereclosinginonTirianandhislastfriends。Nextminutetheywereallfightingfortheirlives．

Inawayitwasn’tquitesobadasyoumightthink．Whenyouareusingeverymuscletothefull-duckingunderaspear-pointhere，leapingoveritthere，lungingforward，drawingback，wheelinground-youhaven’tmuchtimetofeeleitherfrightenedorsad。Tirianknewhecoulddonothingfortheothersnow;theywerealldoomedtogether。HevaguelysawtheBoargodownononesideofhim，andJewelfightingfuriouslyontheother。Outofthecornerofoneeyehesaw，butonlyjustsaw，abigCalormenepullingJillawaysomewherebyherhair。Buthehardlythoughtaboutanyofthesethings。Hisonlythoughtnowwastosellhislifeasdearlyashecould。Theworstofitwasthathecouldn’tkeeptothepositioninwhichhehadstarted，underthewhiterock。Amanwhoisfightingadozenenemiesatoncemusttakehischanceswhereverhecan;mustdartinwhereverheseesanenemy’sbreastorneckunguarded。Inaveryfewstrokesthismaygetyouquiteadistancefromthespotwhereyoubegan。Tiriansoonfoundthathewasgettingfurtherandfurthertotheright，nearertothestable。Hehadavagueideainhismindthattherewassomegoodreasonforkeepingawayfromit。Buthecouldn’tnowrememberwhatthereasonwas。Andanyway，hecouldn’thelpit．

Allatonceeverythingcamequiteclear。HefoundhewasfightingtheTarkaanhimself。Thebonfire（whatwasleftofit）wasstraightinfront。Hewasinfactfightingintheverydoorwayofthestable，forithadbeenopenedandtwoCalormeneswereholdingthedoor，readytoslamitshutthemomenthewasinside。Herememberedeverythingnow，andherealizedthattheenemyhadbeenedginghimtothestableonpurposeeversincethefightbegan。AndwhilehewasthinkingthishewasstillfightingtheTarkaanashardashecould．

AnewideacameintoTirian’shead。Hedroppedhissword，dartedforward，inunderthesweepoftheTarkaan’sscimitar，seizedhisenemybythebeltwithbothhands，andjumpedbackintothestable，shouting：

“ComeinandmeetTashyourself!”

Therewasadeafeningnoise。AswhentheApehadbeenflungin，theearthshookandtherewasablindinglight．

TheCalormenesoldiersoutsidescreamed。“Tash，Tash!”andbangedthedoor。IfTashwantedtheirownCaptain，Tashmusthavehim。They，atanyrate，didnotwanttomeetTash．

ForamomentortwoTiriandidnotknowwherehewasor

evenwhohewas。Thenhesteadiedhimself，blinked，andlookedaround。Itwasnotdarkinsidethestable，ashehadexpected。Hewasinstronglight：thatwaswhyhewasblinking．

HeturnedtolookatRishdaTarkaan，butRishdawasnotlookingathim。Rishdagaveagreatwailandpointed;thenheputhishandsbeforehisfaceandfellflat，facedownwards，ontheground。TirianlookedinthedirectionwheretheTarkaanhadpointed。Andthenheunderstood．

Aterriblefigurewascomingtowardsthem。ItwasfarsmallerthantheshapetheyhadseenfromtheTower，thoughstillmuchbiggerthanaman，anditwasthesame。Ithadavulture’sheadandfourarms。Itsbeakwasopenanditseyesblazed。Acroakingvoicecamefromitsbeak．

“ThouhastcalledmeintoNarnia，RishdaTarkaan。HereIam。Whathastthoutosay？”

ButtheTarkaanneitherliftedhisfacefromthegroundnorsaidaword。Hewasshakinglikeamanwithabadhiccup。Hewasbraveenoughinbattle：buthalfhiscouragehadlefthimearlierthatnightwhenhefirstbegantosuspectthattheremightbearealTash。Therestofithadlefthimnow．

Withasuddenjerk-likeahenstoopingtopickupaworm-TashpouncedonthemiserableRishdaandtuckedhimundertheupperofhistworightarms。ThenTashturnedhisheadsidewisetofixTirianwithoneofhisterribleeyes：forofcourse，havingabird’shead，hecouldn’tlookatyoustraight．

Butimmediately，frombehindTash，strongandcalmasthesummersea，avoicesaid：

“Begone，Monster，andtakeyourlawfulpreytoyourownplace：inthenameofAslanandAslan’sgreatFathertheEmperor-over-the-Sea。”