《魔法師的外甥》第60期:草莓遠征(4)

Now they were over the top of the cliffs and in a few minutes the valley land of Narnia had sunk out of sight behind them. They were flying over a wild country of steep hills and dark forests, still following the course of the river. The really big mountains loomed ahead. But the sun was now in the travellers' eyes and they couldn't see things very clearly in that direction. For the sun sank lower and lower till the western sky was all like one great furnace full of melted gold; and it set at last behind a jagged peak which stood up against the brightness as sharp and flat as if it were cut out of cardboard.

"It's none too warm up here," said Polly.

"And my wings are beginning to ache," said Fledge. There's no sign of the valley with a Lake in it, like what Aslan said. What about coming down and looking out for a decent spot to spend the night in? We shan't reach that place tonight."

"Yes, and surely it's about time for supper?" said Digory.

So Fledge came lower and lower. As they came down nearer to the earth and among the hills, the air grew warmer and after travelling so many hours with nothing to listen to but the beat of Fledge's wings, it was nice to hear the homely and earthy noises again - the chatter of the river on its stony bed and the creaking of trees in the light wind. A warm, good smell of sun-baked earth and grass and flowers came up to them. At last Fledge alighted. Digory rolled off and helped Polly to dismount. Both were glad to stretch their stiff legs.

The valley in which they had come down was in the heart of the mountains; snowy heights, one of them looking rosered in the reflections of the sunset, towered above them.

"I am hungry," said Digory.

"Well, tuck in," said Fledge, taking a big mouthful of grass. Then he raised his head, still chewing and with bits of grass sticking out on each side of his mouth like whiskers, and said, "Come on, you two. Don't be shy. There's plenty for us all."

"But we can't eat grass," said Digory.

"H'm, h'm," said Fledge, speaking with his mouth full. "Well - h'm - don't know quite what you'll do then. Very good grass too."

Polly and Digory stared at one another in dismay.

"Well, I do think someone might have arranged about our meals," said Digory.

"I'm sure Aslan would have, if you'd asked him," said Fledge.

"Wouldn't he know without being asked?" said Polly.

"I've no doubt he would," said the Horse (still with his mouth full). "But I've a sort of idea he likes to be asked."

"But what on earth are we to do?" asked Digory.

"I'm sure I don't know," said Fledge. "Unless you try the grass. You might like it better than you think."

"Oh, don't be silly," said Polly, stamping her foot. "Of course humans can't eat grass, any more than you could eat a mutton chop."

"For goodness' sake don't talk about chops and things," said Digory. "It only makes it worse."

他們已經飛上了懸崖之巔，幾分鐘後，納尼亞谷地就從後面的視野中消失了。他們沿着河流，飛行在一片蠻荒的土地上，下面是陡峭的山坡和黑魃魃的森林。前面隱隱出現雄偉的高山。陽光從正前方射來，使他們看不清前面的景物。這時，太陽正在落山，西邊的天空像一個巨大的熔爐，裝滿了熔化的黃金。終於，夕陽沉匿在鋸齒狀的山峯背後，一片輝煌映襯着彷彿從紙片上剪下的、清晰而失去了立體感的羣山。

“這兒一點也不暖和。”波莉說。

“我的翅膀開始痛了，”弗蘭奇說，“阿斯蘭說的那個有湖的山谷還看不見呢。下去找一個舒服的地方過夜怎麼樣？我們今天晚上到不了目的地。”

“好的，現在一定是晚飯時間了吧？”迪格雷說。

弗蘭奇越飛越低，當他們降到離地面很近的小山中時，天氣暖和起來。在那漫長的飛行中，除了弗蘭奇翅膀的扇動外什麼也聽不見。現在，又聽到地面上傳來各種親切的聲音，多麼令人愉快啊！水從石頭河牀上潺潺地流過，微風沙沙地拂過樹林。太陽炙烤下，泥土、青草和鮮花發出的沁人心脾的溫暖氣息撲面而來。弗蘭奇終於落地。迪格雷下來後又幫助波莉下了馬。兩人都很高興能舒展僵硬的腿了。

他們降落的山谷正好在羣山中心，兩邊的雪山俯瞰着他們，夕陽將其中的一座鍍上了一層玫瑰紅。

“我餓了。”迪格雷說。

“來，美美地吃上一頓。”弗蘭奇說着，咬下一大口草。然後它擡起頭，嚼着，嘴角邊像鬍鬚一樣支出幾根草節。“你們兩個快來吃。別不好意思，夠我們三人吃的。”

“可是我們不會吃草。”迪格雷說。

“嗯，嗯，”弗蘭奇嚼着滿口的草，說道，“哦，嗯，那麼，不知道你們要幹什麼。這麼好的草。”

波莉和迪格雷神情沮喪地面面相覷。

“我想一定有人已經給我們安排好了晚餐。”迪格雷說。

“我敢說，如果你懇求阿斯蘭，它會爲你想到的。”

“不懇求它就想不到嗎？”波莉說。

“毫無疑問它會的，”馬說(仍然嚼着滿口的草)，“但我認爲它喜歡別人請求它。”

“那我們到底該怎麼辦？”迪格雷問。

“我肯定不知道，”弗蘭奇說，“除非你們試着吃點兒草。可能會比你們想像的要好一些。”

“唉，別說傻話了，”波莉跺着腳說，“人當然沒法兒吃草，就像你不吃羊排一樣。”

“看在上帝分上，別提什麼羊排了。”迪格雷說，“這樣只會更糟。”