《凱斯賓王子》第8章:號角的魔力
"AND so," said Trumpkin (for, as you have realized, it was he who had been telling all this story to the four children, sitting on the grass in the ruined hall of Cair Paravel) - "and so I put a crust or two in my pocket, left behind all weapons but my dagger, and took to the woods in the grey of the morning. I'd been plugging away for many hours when there came a sound that I'd never heard the like of in my born days. Eh, I won't forget that. The whole air was full of it, loud as thunder but far longer, cool and sweet as music over water, but strong enough to shake the woods. And I said to myself, `If that's not the Horn, call me a rabbit.' And a moment later I wondered why he hadn't blown it sooner-"
"What time was it?" asked Edmund.
"Between nine and ten of the clock," said Trumpkin.
"Just when we were at the railway station!" said all the children, and looked at one another with shining eyes.
"Please go on," said Lucy to the Dwarf.
"Well, as I was saying, I wondered, but I went on as hard as I could pelt. I kept on all night - and then, when it was half light this morning, as if I'd no more sense than a Giant, I risked a short cut across open country to cut off a big loop of the river, and was caught. Not by the army, but by a pompous old fool who has charge of a little castle which is Miraz's last stronghold towards the coast. I needn't tell you they got no true tale out of me, but I was a Dwarf and that was enough. But, lobsters and lollipops! it is a good thing the seneschal was a pompous fool. Anyone else would have run me through there and then. But nothing would do for him short of a grand execution: sending me down `to the ghosts in the full ceremonial way. And then this young lady", (he nodded at Susan) "does her bit of archery and it was pretty shooting, let me tell you - and here we are. And without my armour, for of course they took that." He knocked out and refilled his pipe.
"Great Scott!" said Peter. "So it was the horn - your own horn, Su - that dragged us all off that seat on the platform yesterday morning! I can hardly believe it; yet it all fits in."
"I don't know why you shouldn't believe it," said Lucy, "if you believe in magic at all. Aren't there lots of stories about magic forcing people out of one place - out of one world - into another? I mean, when a magician in The Arabian Nights calls up a Jinn, it has to come. We had to come, just like that."
"Yes," said Peter, "I suppose what makes it feel so queer is that in the stories it's always someone in our world who does the calling. One doesn't really think about where the Jinn's coming from."
"And now we know what it feels like for the Jinn," said Edmund with a chuckle. "Golly! It's a bit uncomfortable to know that we can be whistled for like that. It's worse than what Father says about living at the mercy of the telephone."
"But we want to be here, don't we," said Lucy, "if Aslan wants us?"
"Meanwhile," said the Dwarf, "what are we to do? I suppose I'd better go back to King Caspian and tell him no help has come."
"No help?" said Susan. "But it has worked. And here we are."
"Um - um - yes, to be sure. I see that," said the Dwarf, whose pipe seemed to be blocked (at any rate he made himself very busy cleaning it). "But- well - I mean -"
"But don't you yet see who we are?" shouted Lucy. "You are stupid."
"I suppose you are the four children out of the old stories," said Trumpkin. "And I'm very glad to meet you of course. And it's very interesting, no doubt. But - no offence?'- and he hesitated again.
"Do get on and say whatever you're going to say," said Edmund.
"Well, then - no offence," said Trumpkin. "But, you know, the King and Trufflehunter and Doctor Cornelius were expecting - well, if you see what I mean, help. To put it in another way, I think they'd been imagining you as great warriors. As it is - we're awfully fond of children and all that, but just at the moment, in the middle of a war but I'm sure you understand."
"You mean you think we're no good," said Edmund, getting red in the face.
"Now pray don't be offended," interrupted the Dwarf. "I assure you, my dear little friends-"
"Little from you is really a bit too much," said Edmund, jumping up. "I suppose you don't believe we won the Battle of Beruna? Well, you can say what you like about me because I know -"
"There's no good losing our tempers," said Peter. "Let's fit him out with fresh armour and fit ourselves out from the treasure chamber, and have a talk after that."
"I don't quite see the point -" began Edmund, but Lucy whispered in his ear, "Hadn't we better do what Peter says? He is the High King, you know. And I think he has an idea." So Edmund agreed and by the aid of his torch they all, including Trumpkin, went down the steps again into the dark coldness and dusty splendour of the treasure house.
The Dwarf's eyes glistened as he saw the wealth that lay on the shelves (though he had to stand on tiptoes to do so) and he muttered to himself, "It would never do to let Nikabrik see this; never." They found easily enough a mail shirt for him, a sword, a helmet, a shield, a bow and quiverful of arrows, all of dwarfish size. The helmet was of copper, set with rubies, and there was gold on the hilt of the sword: Trumpkin had never seen, much less carried, so much wealth in all his life. The children also put on mail shirts and helmets; a sword and shield were found for Edmund and a bow for Lucy - Peter and Susan were of course already carrying their gifts. As they came back up the stairway, jingling in their mail, and already looking and feeling more like Narnians and less like schoolchildren, the two boys were behind, apparently making some plan. Lucy heard Edmund say, "No, let me do it. It will be more of a sucks for him if I win, and less of a let-down for us all if I fail."
"All right, Ed," said Peter.
When they came out into the daylight Edmund turned to the Dwarf very politely and said, "I've got something to ask you. Kids like us don't often have the chance of meeting a great warrior like you. Would you have a little fencing match with me? It would be frightfully decent."
"But, lad," said Trumpkin, "these swords are sharp."
"I know," said Edmund. "But I'll never get anywhere near you and you'll be quite clever enough to disarm me without doing me any damage."
"It's a dangerous game," said Trumpkin. "But since you make such a point of it, I'll try a pass or two."
Both swords were out in a moment and the three others jumped off the dais and stood watching. It was well worth it. It was not like the silly fighting you see with broad swords on the stage. It was not even like the rapier fighting which you sometimes see rather better done. This was real broad-sword fighting. The great thing is to slash at your enemy's legs and feet because they are the part that have no armour. And when he slashes at yours you jump with both feet off the ground so that his blow goes under them. This gave the Dwarf an advantage because Edmund, being much taller, had to be always stooping. I don't think Edmund would have had a chance if he had fought Trumpkin twenty-four hours earlier. But the air of Narnia had been working upon him ever since they arrived on the island, and all his old battles came back to him, and his arms and fingers remembered their old skill. He was King Edmund once more. Round and round the two combatants circled, stroke after stroke they gave, and Susan (who never could learn to like this sort of thing) shouted out, "Oh, do be careful." And then, so quickly that no one (unless they knew, as Peter did) could quite see how it happened, Edmund flashed his sword round with a peculiar twist, the Dwarf's sword flew out of his grip, and Trumpkin was wringing his empty hand as you do after a "sting" from a cricket-bat.
"Not hurt, I hope, my dear little friend?" said Edmund, panting a little and returning his own sword to its sheath.
"I see the point," said Trumpkin drily. "You know a trick I never learned."
"That's quite true," put in Peter. "The best swordsman in the world may be disarmed by a trick that's new to him. I think it's only fair to give Trumpkin a chance at something else. Will you have a shooting match with my sister? There are no tricks in archery, you know."
"Ah, you're jokers, you are," said the Dwarf. "I begin to see. As if I didn't know how she can shoot, after what happened this morning. All the same, I'll have a try." He spoke gruffly, but his eyes brightened, for he was a famous bowman among his own people.
All five of them came out into the courtyard.
"What's to be the target?" asked Peter.
"I think that apple hanging over the wall on the branch there would do," said Susan.
"That'll do nicely, lass," said Trumpkin. "You mean the yellow one near the middle of the arch?"
"No, not that," said Susan. "The red one up above - over the battlement."
The Dwarf's face fell. "Looks more like a cherry than an apple," he muttered, but he said nothing out loud.
They tossed up for first shot (greatly to the interest of Trumpkin, who had never seen a coin tossed before) and Susan lost. They were to shoot from the top of the steps that led from the hall into the courtyard. Everyone could see from the way the Dwarf took his position and handled his bow that he knew what he was about.
Twang went the string. It was an excellent shot. The tiny apple shook as the arrow passed, and a leaf came fluttering down. Then Susan went to the top of the steps and strung her bow. She was not enjoying her match half so much as Edmund had enjoyed his; not because she had any doubt about hitting the apple but because Susan was so tenderhearted that she almost hated to beat someone who had been beaten already. The Dwarf watched her keenly as she drew the shaft to her ear. A moment later, with a little soft thump which they could all hear in that quiet place, the apple fell to the grass with Susan's arrow in it.
"Oh, well done, Su, " shouted the other children.
"It wasn't really any better than yours," said Susan to the Dwarf. "I think there was a tiny breath of wind as you shot."
"No, there wasn't," said Trumpkin. "Don't tell me. I know when I am fairly beaten. I won't even say that the scar of my last wound catches me a bit when I get my arm well back -"
"Oh, are you wounded?" asked Lucy. "Do let me look."
"It's not a sight for little girls," began Trumpkin, but then he suddenly checked himself. "There I go talking like a fool again," he said "I suppose you're as likely to be a great surgeon as your brother was to be a great swordsman or your sister to be a great archer." He sat down on the steps and took off his hauberk and slipped down his little shirt, showing an arm hairy and muscular (in proportion) as a sailor's though not much bigger than a child's. There was a clumsy bandage on the shoulder which Lucy proceeded to unroll. Underneath, the cut looked very nasty and there was a good deal of swelling. "Oh, poor Trumpkin," said Lucy. "How horrid." Then she carefully dripped on to it one single drop of the cordial from her flask.
"Hullo. Eh? What have you done?" said Trumpkin. But however he turned his head and squinted and whisked his beard to and fro, he couldn't quite see his own shoulder. Then he felt it as well as he could, getting his arms and fingers into very difficult positions as you do when you're trying to scratch a place that is just out of reach. Then he swung his arm and raised it and tried the muscles, and finally jumped to his feet crying, "Giants and junipers! It's cured! It's as good as new." After that he burst into a great laugh and said, "Well, I've made as big a fool of myself as ever a Dwarf did. No offence, I hope? My humble duty to your Majesties all -humble duty. And thanks for my life, my cure, my breakfast - and my lesson."
The children all said it was quite all right and not to mention it.
"And now," said Peter, "if you've really decided to believe in us-"
"I have," said the Dwarf.
"It's quite clear what we have to do. We must join King Caspian at once."
"The sooner the better," said Trumpkin. "My being such a fool has already wasted about an hour."
"It's about two days' journey, the way you came," said Peter. "For us, I mean. We can't walk all day and night like you Dwarfs." Then he turned to the others. "What Trumpkin calls Aslan's How is obviously the Stone Table itself. You remember it was about half a day's march, or a little less, from there down to the Fords of Beruna -"
"Beruna's Bridge, we call it," said Trumpkin.
"There was no bridge in our time," said Peter. "And then from Beruna down to here was another day and a bit. We used to get home about teatime on the second day, going easily. Going hard, we could do the whole thing in a day and a half perhaps."
"But remember it's all woods now," said Trumpkin, "and there are enemies to dodge."
"Look here," said Edmund, "need we go by the same way that Our Dear Little Friend came?"
"No more of that, your Majesty, if you love me," said the Dwarf.
"Very well," said Edmund. "May I say our D.L.F.?"
"Oh, Edmund," said Susan. "Don't keep on at him like that."
"That's all right, lass - I mean your Majesty," said Trumpkin with a chuckle. "A jibe won't raise a blister." (And after that they often called him the D.L.F. till they'd almost forgotten what it meant.)
"As I was saying," continued Edmund, "we needn't go that way. Why shouldn't we row a little south till we come to Glasswater Creek and row up it? That brings us up behind the Hill of the Stone Table, and we'll be safe while we're at sea. If we start at once, we can be at the head of Glasswater before dark, get a few hours' sleep, and be with Caspian pretty early tomorrow."
"What a thing it is to know the coast," said Trumpkin. "None of us know anything about Glasswater."
"What about food?" asked Susan.
"Oh, we'll have to do with apples," said Lucy. "Do let's get on. We've done nothing yet, and we've been here nearly two days."
"And anyway, no one's going to have my hat for a fishbasket again," said Edmund.
They used one of the raincoats as a kind of bag and put a good many apples in it. Then they all had a good long drink at the well (for they would meet no more fresh water till they landed at the head of the Creek) and went down to the boat. The children were sorry to leave Cair Paravel, which, even in ruins, had begun to feel like home again.
"The D.L.F. had better steer," said Peter, "and Ed and I will take an oar each. Half a moment, though. We'd better take off our mail: we're going to be pretty warm before we're done. The girls had better be in the bows and shout directions to the D.L.F. because he doesn't know the way. You'd better get us a fair way out to sea till we've passed the island."
And soon the green, wooded coast of the island was falling away behind them, and its little bays and headlands were beginning to look flatter, and the boat was rising and falling in the gentle swell. The sea began to grow bigger around them and, in the distance, bluer, but close round the boat it was green and bubbly. Everything smelled salt and there was no noise except the swishing of water and the clop-clop of water against the sides and the splash of the oars and the jolting noise of the rowlocks. The sun grew hot.
It was delightful for Lucy and Susan in the bows, bending over the edge and trying to get their hands in the sea which they could never quite reach. The bottom, mostly pure, pale sand but with occasional patches of purple seaweed, could be seen beneath them.
"It's like old times," said Lucy. "Do you remember our voyage to Terebinthia - and Galma - and Seven Isles - and the Lone Islands?"
"Yes," said Susan, "and our great ship the Splendour Hyaline, with the swan's head at her prow and the carved swan's wings coming back almost to her waist?"
"And the silken sails, and the great stern lanterns?"
"And the feasts on the poop and the musicians."
"Do you remember when we had the musicians up in the rigging playing flutes so that it sounded like music out of the sky?"
Presently Susan took over Edmund's oar and he came forward to join Lucy. They had passed the island now and stood closer in to the shore - all wooded and deserted. They would have thought it very pretty if they had not remembered the time when it was open and breezy and full of merry friends.
"Phew! This is pretty gruelling work," said Peter. "Can't I row for a bit?" said Lucy. "The oars are too big for you," said Peter shortly, not because he was cross but because he had no strength to spare for talking.
"那是什麼時候？"愛德蒙問。
"大約在九點到十點之間。"杜魯普金說。
"那時候我們剛好在火車站裏！”破子們異口同聲地說，眼睛裏閃爍着激動的光。
"請講下去!"露茜對小矮人說。
"好吧，聽到號聲，我立即感到信心倍增，便繼續奮力向前走，整整走了一天一夜。後來，在破曉時分，我做了件蠢事——我爲了不去繞那條河道，冒險抄近路穿過一片開闊地，結果被他們捉住了。抓住我的不是軍隊，而是一個高傲的老傻瓜。他駐守在一個小城堡裏面，那是彌若茲在通往海岸的路上設下的最後一個關卡。我不必表白自己，但他們的確從我嘴裏一句實話也沒有得到。可是，我是個小矮人，這已經足夠給我判罪了。哈，感謝上帝！那個管事兒的老傻瓜真不錯，換了別人一定當場就把我幹掉了。可是，他認爲只有把我送到”鬼'那兒去，纔是最解恨的懲罰。結果，承蒙這位年輕的小姐救了我(他衝蘇珊點了點頭)。遺憾的是我身上的盔甲都沒有了，被他們拿走了。"他磕一磕手裏的菸斗，又裝上一斗煙。
"好傢伙，"彼得說，"這麼說，是那號角——你的那隻神號，蘇——昨天早上把我們大家從站臺的座位上給拽到這兒來的！我簡直不敢相信，可這一切都確確實實地發生了。"'
"不相信l爲什麼不相信。"露茜說，"好多故事都講到，魔力能使人們離開某一個地方，或者離開某一個世界，到另一個世界去。比方說，《一千零一夜》故事中的法師一念祕訣，魔鬼馬上便會出現在他的面前。我們突然回到納尼亞，也正是這個原因。"
"不錯，"彼得說，"奇怪的是故事裏喊”魔鬼快來'的總是我們世界裏的什麼人，誰也沒有認真想過，”魔鬼'究竟是從哪兒來的。"
"現在我們知道了，這和”魔鬼快來'是同一道理。"愛德蒙笑了起來，"天啊！拿起號角就那麼一吹，我們便不由自主地被呼來喚去，這真讓人覺得有點兒不自在。"
"好在我們都願意到這兒來，不是嗎？"露茜說，"要是阿斯蘭想要我們來呢？"
"可是我們現在怎麼辦？"小矮人說，"我想我應該馬上返回，向國王回稟，告訴他並無援助可指望，必須另謀良策。"
"沒有援助？"蘇珊說，"可那號角不是已經把我們召來了嗎？"
"這個……這個……是的，當然囉，我已經看出來了。"
小矮人吞吞吐吐地說：他的菸斗好像給堵住了，他低下頭，似乎忙着清理那菸斗。"可是…好吧…我是說…”
"你現在還不知道我們是誰嗎？”露茜叫道，"你真笨。"
"我猜你們一定是古老傳說中的四個孩子，"杜魯普金說，"當然，我很高興見到你們。當然這也是很有意思的事。可是……你們不生氣吧？"——他又猶豫起來。
"快說吧，乾脆些！”愛德蒙有點兒不耐煩了。
"好吧，那麼……你們可別生氣啊，"杜魯普金不安地說，"你們知道，國王、特魯佛漢特和克奈爾斯博士都在期待……嗯，你們知道我指的是什麼——他們在期待着強有力的幫助，換句話說，我想他們一直把你們想象成高大健壯、能征善戰的勇士。可是，你們都是些孩子，在這樣的時刻，在戰鬥中……你們又能幹什麼呢？我相信你們是能理解的。"
"你的意思是說，我們全無用處？"愛德蒙臉紅了。
"請千萬別生氣，"小矮人打斷了他的話，"我向你們保證，我親愛的小朋友……。”
“’小朋友’！這，這簡直太小看我們了！"愛德蒙跳了起來，"我想你不會相信是我們打贏了柏盧納戰役的吧？好吧，你想說什麼就說什麼好啦，我知道…”
"現在發脾氣有什麼用？"彼得打斷了他的話，"咱們先給他配備一套盔甲，我們也必須立刻武裝起來，別的話以後再說。"
"是不是先商量一下……"愛德蒙沒有動。可是露茜在他耳邊悄悄地說，"咱們先按彼得說的去做。你知道，他是咱們的首領。我想他心中有數。"愛德蒙點點頭，拿起手電筒，領着大家，包括杜魯普金，又一次沿着臺階來到那漆黑寒冷而又佈滿灰塵的寶庫。;
看到架子上那些寶貝，小矮人的眼睛直放光(儘管只有髒起腳尖才能看得到)，嘴裏喃喃自語道"千萬可別讓尼克布瑞克看到這些，千萬！”孩子們很快就爲他找到了一套合身的鎖子甲、一頂頭盔、一把寶劍、一塊盾牌、一張弓和滿滿的一壺箭，這些都是專爲小矮人們製造的，不僅大小合適，而且做工精良，材料也屬上乘。那頭盔是銅製的，鑲嵌着寶石，劍柄則是純金鑄成。杜魯普金一輩子沒見過，更不曾擁有過這麼貴重的東西，一時高興得不知說什麼纔好。孩子們也穿上了盔甲。愛德蒙挑選了一柄鋒利的寶劍，一塊皮製的、靈巧的盾牌：露茜挑選了一張弓：彼得和蘇珊早已佩掛好了他們各自的寶物。當他們順着臺階走出寶庫時，身上的鎖子甲丁丁當當地響着，看上去全然是納尼亞的勇士，再不是隻知道讀書玩耍的小學生了。兩個男孩走在後面，很快就制定出一套行動方案。露茜聽愛德蒙說"不，讓我來，要是我勝了，他的失敗顯得更慘。萬一我輸了，我們也不至於太丟臉。"
"那麼好吧，愛德。"彼得答道。
他們重新回到陽光下。這時，愛德蒙彬彬有禮地把身子
轉向小矮人，對他說"我有個請求，希望你不要拒絕。你知道，我們這樣的小朋友並不常有機會遇到你這樣偉大的勇士，你願意和我比試比試劍術嗎？這樣才合乎禮儀。".
"可是，年輕人，"杜魯普金說，"這些寶劍都很鋒利，碰在身上可不是鬧着玩的！”
"我知道，"愛德蒙說，"我絕不可能碰到你一點兒，而你卻可以輕而易舉地解除我的武裝，又不傷我一根汗毛。"
"這可是個危險的遊戲，"杜魯普金說，"既然你已經提出來了，我就陪你一兩個回合吧。"
霎時間，兩把寶劍都抽了出來，另外三個孩子一齊跳下臺來，站在一旁觀戰。這是一場真刀真槍的較量，絕不像戲臺上用木頭道具打給人看的花架子，甚至運動會上的擊劍比賽也無法與之相比。這是戰士間的格鬥。最精彩的就是用寶劍去劈對方的腿和腳，因爲這部分沒有盔甲防護口當對方用劍劈來的一剎那，你就必須迅速跳起來，他這一擊便從你腳下一掠而過。這當然對小矮人有利，因爲愛德蒙個子高得多，只好不時地蹲下身子進攻對手。如果是在二十四小時以前和杜魯普金比賽，愛德蒙就很難獲勝了。可自從他們來到小島上之後，納尼亞的一切對他起了潛移默化的作用，使他回想起從前的戰鬥，他的胳膊和手指也恢復了從前的力量和技藝。他現在又是當年的國王愛德蒙了。兩個鬥士打了幾個回合，蘇珊(她怎麼也沒法喜歡這種事情)不停地高聲喊着"噢！千萬當心！"突然，愛德蒙翻腕使了一個花劍，把小矮人的劍打飛了。只見杜魯普金望着那隻空空的右手，不知所措地眨着眼睛。
"沒有受傷吧，我親愛的小朋友？"愛德蒙微微喘着氣，把自己的寶劍插進劍鞘。
"我知道是怎麼回事了，"杜魯普金乾巴巴地說，"你會的這個花招我沒學過。"
"太對了，"彼得插了進來，"世上最好的擊劍手都可能被一個他所不熟悉的絕招給解除武裝。再給你次機會，咱們換一種武器再比試一下，那纔算是公平合理，是不是，朋友？你樂意和我妹妹比賽射箭嗎？射箭是沒有花招可耍的，這你清楚。"
"哈，你真會開玩笑，你！”小矮人說，"從她今天早上救了我以後，我就知道她的箭術有多高明瞭。不過，那也沒關係，我可以試一試。"他裝出不高興的樣子，但眼睛裏卻發出欣慰的光來，因爲他開始意識到自己的陣營裏來了不可小看的生力軍。
他們五個一齊來到院子裏。
"拿什麼做靶子呢？"彼得問。
"我看樹枝上掛的那隻蘋果就行。"蘇珊說。
"行，"杜魯普金痛快地說，"你指的是靠近樹權的那隻黃蘋果嗎？"
"不，不是那隻，是上面那隻紅的——在高處的那隻。"小矮人的臉色沉了下來，嘴裏嘟嚷着，"看上去簡直像顆櫻桃嘛，這蘋果是怎麼長的！”
他們投錢幣來決定由誰先射(杜魯普金大感興趣，他從來沒有玩過這種把戲)，結果是杜魯普金先射。從大殿到花園有一段臺階，他們必須選好角度，才能射中蘋果。從小矮人選擇位置和拉弓的姿勢，大家都看出來他是個內行。
只聽嗖的一聲，箭射出去了。這一箭射得很漂亮。箭到之處，小蘋果擺了一擺，旁邊的一片樹葉飄然而落。下面輪到蘇珊。她走到臺階上，拉開了弓。她對這場比賽並不感興趣，這倒不是因爲她對射中那隻蘋果沒有信心，而是因爲她心地善良，不願意再去傷害一顆已經受到傷害的心。小矮人仔細觀察着她如何把箭桿拉向耳邊。剎那間，一聲輕響，那蘋果掉落在草地上，蘇珊的箭插在正中間。
"好哇！射得漂亮，蘇！"其他幾個孩子歡呼起來。
"我並非真比你射得好，"蘇珊安慰小矮人說，"你射的時候我覺得好像有一陣風。"
"不，沒有風，"杜魯普金誠實地說，"你不必安慰我，我明白我已經被你們徹底打敗了。可我對你們不好明說，剛纔我肩膀上的傷很痛………
"怎麼，你受傷了？"露茜問，"快讓我看看。"
"小姑娘，你看也沒用。"杜魯普金話一出口，立刻感到不妥當，趕緊檢討說，"對不起，我又像個傻瓜一樣講話了。你的哥哥是一名出色的擊劍家，你的姐姐是一名了不起的射手，我猜你可能是位偉大的醫生。"他坐在臺階上，解開身上的鎖子甲，脫掉貼身的小襯衫，露出那水於一般多毛而又肌肉發達的胳膊。他肩膀上有一塊包紮得十分馬虎的繃帶。解開一看，只見繃帶下面有一條很深的刀傷，傷口已經發炎了，周圍紅腫得很厲害。"嘖嘖，可憐的杜魯普金，"露茜同情地說，"太嚇人了。"說着，她細心地從手中的小瓶裏倒出一滴神水，滴在那傷口上。
"喂，你幹什麼呢?"杜魯普金說。可當他轉過頭來，不由得大吃一驚，"咦，我的傷怎麼沒了?"只見他擺動着小鬍子，斜着眼看來看去，然後又把那條胳膊上上下下摸了個遍。最後，他舒展幾下胳膊，活動活動肌肉，跳起來大聲叫道"嗨!傷口治好嘍!我的胳膊像新的一樣!"接着他大笑起來，說"唉|我怎麼這麼蠢，真是有眼不識泰山!你們都別生我的氣，我向各位陛下致敬——雖然是微不足道的敬意。感謝你們救了我的命，治好了我的傷，以及那豐盛的早餐——還有使我瞭解了你們。"
四個孩子一齊說，那都不算什麼，不值得一提。"現在，"彼得說，"假如你已經信任我們……"當然。"小矮人說。
"我們必須馬上起身，儘快與凱斯賓國王會合。"
"而且越快越好，"杜魯普金說，"由於我的愚蠢，已經耽誤了將近一個鐘頭。"
"從你來的路走，大約要花兩天時間，"彼得說，"因爲我們不能像你們小矮人那樣，日夜兼程。"說着，他轉向他的弟弟妹妹，"杜魯普金說的阿斯蘭堡壘顯然就是那個大石桌。你們還記得吧，從那兒往下走到柏盧納渡口大約要走半天時間。"
"柏盧納大橋，我們都這麼叫它。"杜魯普金說。
"在我們的時代，那兒沒有橋，"彼得說，"那時候從柏盧納到這兒大約要一天時間，我們通常在第二天吃晚飯時就能到家。要是走快點，也許我們一天半能趕到那兒。"
"可是你別忘了，現在到處是森林，"杜魯普金說，"而且還要避開敵人。"
"聽我說，"愛德蒙講話了，"我們只能選擇我們親愛的小朋友來時走的那條路嗎?"
"別叫我小朋友啦，陛下，給我留點面子吧。"小矮人臉又紅了。
"那麼好吧，"愛德蒙說，"我可以管你叫我們的DLF嗎？"
"喂，愛德蒙，"蘇珊說，"別這樣，幹嗎老抓住人家不放。"
"沒有什麼，小姑娘——我是說，隆下，"杜魯普金笑着說，"開開玩笑，不要緊的。"(從那以後，他們常親切地叫他DLF，到後來，這戲稱的真正含義幾乎都被忘掉了。)
"我剛纔是想說，"愛德蒙繼續說，"咱們不必走那條道，我們可以乘船向南，先到清水灣，然後逆流而上，這麼走可直達大石桌的後山。我們在水上會比較安全一些。要是馬上出發，在天黑之前就可以到達清水灣的入口，然後睡幾個小時，明天一大早就可以和凱斯賓見面了。"
①DLF是英語DearLittleFriend的縮略語，意思即"親愛的小朋友"。"
"問題是我們必須知道沿岸的情況，"杜魯普金說，"我們不清楚一路上的地形和敵情。"
"食品問題怎麼解決?"蘇珊問。
"哦，我們可以吃蘋果充飢，"露茜說，"咱們快點走吧，兩天過去了，我們什麼事兒還沒做呢。"
他們用一件雨衣做成一隻袋子，裝了不少蘋果，又一齊來到井邊喝足了水，因爲在到達清水灣之前很可能再也找不到淡水了。然後，大家登上小船，望着將要離開的凱爾帕拉維爾，孩子們心裏不禁一陣惆悵。儘管那兒已成爲一堆廢墟，可他們還是覺得十分親切，彷彿那就是他們的第二故鄉。
"DLF，你來掌舵，"彼得說，"我和愛德蒙划槳。雖然路不遠，咱們最好還是脫掉這身鎖子甲，免得劃不了多久，就熱得受不了。你們兩個女孩子坐在船首，給DLF指示方向，因爲他不知道路。"
不久，那被密林覆蓋的綠色小島就被他們遠遠地拋在了身後，小船隨着海浪上下顛簸着。周圍的海域越來越遼闊，向遠處望去，藍藍的海水一望無邊，近處是小船蕩起的碧綠的波浪，浪花在船邊翻滾。空氣中充滿了海水的鹹味。海上安靜極了，只聽到海水撞擊船舷和船槳拍打水面的嘩嘩聲，以及槳架發出的嘎吱聲。天氣開始熱了起來。
露茜和蘇珊坐在船首，開心極了。她們從船邊彎下身，試着把手伸到海水裏去，可總是夠不着。但她們能清楚地看見海底那極純淨的月白色沙子，有時候還可以看到一塊塊紫紅色的海藻。
"真好像又回到了過去，"露茜說，"你們還記不記得我們航行到特里賓西亞……還有卡爾馬……還有七羣島……還有孤獨羣島？”
"當然記得，"蘇珊說，"還有我們的大船‘輝煌海爾蘭號，船頭上鑲着只天鵝頭，那雕刻的天鵝翅膀直達船的中部。"
"還有綢子做的風帆和船尾巨大的燈籠。""還有甲板上的盛宴和那些樂師。"
"你們還記不記得，有位樂師爬到帆纜上吹笛子，那樂聲聽起來就像來自天邊。"
就這樣，他們一邊走-邊回憶着。當蘇珊換下愛德蒙時，他們已經走了一大半路程。前面的海岸不遠了——他們想起當年這裏曾是一片開闊的平原，是許多好朋友聚會的地方，現在卻長滿了野樹雜草，顯得十分荒涼。觸景生情，孩子們心中不由生出許多感慨。
"噓!這還真是個累人的活兒。"彼得已是汗流浹背。"我來劃一會兒吧?"露茜說。!
"不行，你太小。"彼得簡短地回答，這並不是他光火了，而是因爲他沒有精神說話了。
