CHAPTER FOUR THE DWARF TELLS OF PRINCE CASPIAN（第1页）

CHAPTERFOURTHEDWARFTELLSOFPRIN

PRINlivedileierofNarniawithhisuncle，Miraz，theKingofNarnia，andhisaunt，whohadredhairandwascalledQueenPrunaprismia。Hisfatherandmotherweredeadandthepersoniawashishough（beingaprince）hehadwooyswhichwoulddoalmostanythingbuttalk，helikedbestthelasthourofthedaywheoyshadallbeenputbatheircupboardsaellhimstories。

&caremuchforhisu，butabouttwiceaweekhisunclewouldsendforhimandtheyanddowherforhalfanhourothesouthsideoftheeday，whiletheyweredoingthis，theKingsaidtohim，“Well，boy，wemustsooorideanduseasword。YouknowthatyourauntandIhavelooksasifyoumighthavetobeKingwhenI'mgone。Howshallyoulikethat，eh?”

“Idon'tknow，Uncle，”said。

“Don'tknow，eh?”saidMiraz。“Why，Ishouldliketoknowwhatmoreanyonecouldwishfor!”

“Allthesame，Idoian。

“Whatdoyouwish?”askedtheKing。

“IishIcouldhavelivedintheOldDays，”said。（Hewasoleboyatthetime。）

UptillnowKingMirazhadbeentalkiiresomewaythatsomegrown-upshave，whichmakesitquiteclearthattheyareerestedinwhaty，butnowhesuddenlygaveaverysharplook。

&'sthat?”hesaid。“Whatolddaysdoyoumean?”

“Oh，don'tyouknow，Uncle?”said。“Whehingwasquitediffereheanimalscouldtalk，andtherewerenicepeoplewholivedihetrees。NaiadsandDryadstheyweredtherewereDwarfs。AndtherewerelovelylittleFaunsiheyhadfeetlikegoats。And—”

“That'sallnonsense，forbabies，”saidtheKingsternly。“Onlyfitforbabies，doyouhear?Ytoooldforthatsortofstuff。Atyeyououghttobethinkingofbattlesaures，notfairytales。”

“Oh，buttherewerebattlesauresinthosedays，”said。“WonderfuladvehereitdshemadeherselfQueenofthewholetry。AsothatitihentwoboysandtwogirlsewhereandsotheykilledtheWitdtheyweremadeKingsandQueensofNarnia，andtheirerandSusanandEdmundandLudsnedfandeveryonehadalovelytime，anditwasallbecauseofAslan—”

“Who'she?”saidMiraz。Andifhadbeeleolder，thetoneofhisuncle'svoicewouldhavewarhatitwouldbewisertoshutup。Buthebabbledon，“Oh，don'tyouknow?”hesaid。“AslaLionwhooverthesea。”

“WhohasbeentellingyouallthisheKingihunder。wasfrightenedandsaidnothing。

“Yhness，”saidKingMiraz，lettinggoof'shand，whichhehadbeenholdingtillnow，“Iinsistuponbeinganswered。Lookmeintheface。Whohasbeentellingyouthispackoflies?”

“ered，andburstintotears。

“Stopthatnoise，”saidhisuakingbytheshivinghamashake。“Stopit。Amecatchyoutalking—either—aboutallthosesillystain。TherehoseKingsandQueens。HowcouldtherebetwoKiime?Andthere'snosuasAslan。Andtherearenosugsaslions。Andthereimewhenanimalscouldtalk。Doyouhear?”

“Yes，Uncle，”sobbed。

&'shave，”saidtheKing。Theoolemen-in-erestandingatthefareerradsaidinacoldvoiductHisRoyalHighohisapartmentsandsendHisRoyalHighness'sONCE。”

&dayfoundwhataterriblethinghehaddone，forNursehadbeeawaywithoutevenbeiosaygood-byetohim，aoldhewastohaveaTutor。

missedhisnurseverymudshedmanytears;andbecausehewassomiserable，hethoughtabouttheoldstoriesofNarniafarmorethanbefore。HedreamedofDwarfsandDryadseverynightandtriedveryhardtomakethedogsandthecastletalktohim。Butthedogsoailsasonlypurred。

feltsurethathewouldhatetheor，buywheorarrivedaboutaweeklaterheturobethesortofpersonitisalmostimpossiblenottolike。Hewasthesmallest，andalsothefattest，manhadeverseen。Hehadaloedbeardwhichtohiswaist，andhisface，hwrinkles，lookedverywise，veryugly，andverykind。Hisvoicewasgraveandhiseyesweremerrysothat，untilyougottoknowhimreallywell，itwashardtoknoasjokingandwhenhewasserious。Hisorelius。

OfallhislessonswithDoeliustheolikedbestwasHistory。UptillforNurse'sstories，hehadknownnothingabouttheHistoryofNarnia，andhewasverysurprisedtolearnthattheroyalfamilywerehetry。

“Itwasyhness'saor，theFirst，”saidDoelius，“whofirstqueredNarniaahiskingdom。Itwashewhhtallyournatiory。YouarenotnativeNarniansatall。YouareallTelmariis，youalltheLandofTelmar，farbeyoernMountains。Thatisiaiscalledthequeror。”

&or，”askededay，“wholivedinNarniabeforeweallcamehereoutofTelmar?”

“Nomen—orveryfew—livedinheTelmari，”saidDoelius。

“Thenwhodidmygreat-great-graersquer?”

“Whom，notwhhness，”saidDoelius。“Perhapsitistimetoturnfrrammar。”

“Ohplease，!”said。“Imean，wasn'tthereabattle?Whyishecalledthequeroriftherewasnobodytofightwithhim?”

“IsaidtherewereveryfewmeninNarnia，”saidtheDatthelittlebelythroughhisgreatspectacles。

Foramomentuzzledandthensuddegavealeap。“Doyoumean，”hegasped，“thatthereweres?Doyoumeanitwaslikeiories?Werethere—?”

“Hush!”saidDoelius，layinghisheadverycloseto's。“Notawordmore。Don'tyouknowyourawayfyouaboutOldNarnia?TheKilikeit。Ifhefouellis，you'dbewhippedandIshouldhavemyheadcutoff。”

“Butian。

“1tishightimeweturoGrammarnow，”saidDoeliusinaloudvoice。“WillyhnessbepleasedtoopeusSiccusatthefeofhisGrammatiortheArbourofAtlieopen'dtoTes?”

&wasallnouillluIdon'tthinklearnedmuch。Hewastooexcited。HefeltsurethatDoeliuswouldnothavesaidsomulesshemeanttotellhimmoresooer。

Idisappointed。AfewdayslaterhisTutorsaid，“TonightIamgoingtogiveyoualessoninAstronomy。Atdeadofnighttwos，TarvaandAlambil，willpasswithinonedegreeofeachother。Sujunhasnotoccurredfortwohundredyears，andyhnesswilloseeitagain。Itwillbebestifyougotobedalittleearlierthanusual。Whehedrawsnear，Iwilleandwakeyou。”

Thisdidn'tseemtohaveanythingtodowithOldNarnia，hatreallywa，butgettingupinthemiddleofthenightisalwaysiingandheleased。Wheobedthatatfirstthathewouldosleep;buthesoondroppedoffanditseemedoesbeforehefeltsomeolyshakinghim。