“Begging your pardon, sir,” he said, “and thanking you very much I‘m sure (which my Missus does the same) but I ain’t no sort of a chap for a job like that. I never ‘ad much eddycation, you see.”
“Well,” said Aslan, “can you use a spade and a plough and raise food out of the earth?”
“Yes, sir, I could do a bit of that sort of work: being brought up to it, like.”
“Can you rule these creatures kindly and fairly, remembering that they are not slaves like the dumb beasts of the world you were born in, but Talking Beasts and free subjects?”
“I see that, sir,” replied the Cabby. “I’d try to do the square thing by them all.”
“And would you bring up your children and grandchildren to do the same?”
“It‘d be up to me to try, sir. I’d do my best: wouldn‘t we, Nellie?” “And you wouldn’t have favourites either among your own children
or among the other creatures, or let any hold another under or use it hardly?”
“I never could abide such goings on, sir, and that‘s the truth. I’d give ‘em what for if I caught ’em at it,” said the Cabby. (All through this conversation his voice was growing slower and richer. More like the country voice he must have had as a boy and less like the sharp, quick voice of a cockney.)
“And if enemies came against the land (for enemies will arise) and there was war, would you be the first in the charge and the last in the retreat?”
“Well, sir,” said the Cabby very slowly, “a chap don‘t exactly know till he’s been tried. I dare say I might turn out ever such a soft ‘un. Never did no fighting except with my fists. I’d try.that is, I ‘ope I’d try.to do my bit.”
“Then,” said Aslan, “You will have done all that a King should do.
Your coronation will be held presently. And you and your children and grandchildren shall be blessed, and some will be Kings of Narnia, and others will be Kings of Archenland which lies yonder over the Southern Mountains. And you, little Daughter (here he turned to Polly) are welcome. Have you forgiven the Boy for the violence he did you in the hall of images in the desolate palace of accursed Charn?”
“Yes, Aslan, we‘ve made it up,” said Polly.
“That is well,” said Aslan. “And now for the Boy himself.”
中文阅读
你或许会想,动物们可真够蠢的,居然没有一眼就看出来,安德鲁舅舅和两个孩子及车夫是同一种生物。你必须记住,动物们对于衣服一无所知。它们认为,波利的连衣裤,迪戈里的诺福克套服,以及车夫的圆顶高帽都是身体的一部分,就像它们的毛皮和羽毛一样。如果不是跟他们交谈过,如果不是因为草莓是这么认为的话,它们甚至不会知道这三个人属于同一个物种。安德鲁舅舅比孩子们高得多,又比车夫消瘦。除了白马甲(现在已经说不上白了),他还穿着一身黑衣服,再加上他那一大把灰白的乱发(他的头发现在确实显得非常狂野),在它们看来,这些跟其他三个人类毫无相似之处。自然它们也会感到疑惑,尤其糟糕的是,他似乎不会说话。
他竭力想要说些什么。当看家犬跟他说话时(或者像他所以为的,它先龇牙低吼,然后又对他汪汪狂吠),他伸出颤抖的手,喘息着说:“好狗乖乖,别叫,可怜可怜老人家。”但是动物们听不懂他的话,正如他听不懂它们的话。它们没有听懂一个词儿,只听到模糊的呜哩哇啦声。没听懂也许是件好事。据我所知,没有狗,更不用说纳尼亚会说话的狗,愿意被称为一只“好狗乖乖”,正如你不愿意被人称作“我的小家伙”一样。
就在这时,安德鲁舅舅一头栽倒在地上,昏死过去。“你看!”疣猪说,“这就是一棵树。我一直都这么认为。”(记住,它们还从未见过有人昏厥,甚至连摔倒都没有见过。)看家犬在安德鲁舅舅身上到处嗅了一通,抬起头来说道:“这是一只动物。肯定是一只动物。说不定跟那几个是同一个种类。”“我可没看出来。”一头熊说:“动物绝不会那样栽倒。我们是动物,可我们不会栽倒。我们用腿站立,就像这个样子。”它用后腿直立起来,向后退了一步,被一根低垂的树枝绊了一下,仰面朝天地倒在了地上。
“第三个笑话,第三个笑话,第三个笑话!”寒鸦异常激动地嚷道。“我仍然坚持,这是某种树木。”疣猪说。“如果是棵树,”另一头熊说道,“没准儿上面会有一个蜂巢。”“我相信,这不是树。”獾说,“我觉得,它在倒下之前,正想说些什么。”“那只是树枝间的风声。”疣猪说。
“你的意思不会是说,”寒鸦对獾说,“你认为这是一只会说话的动物!它可什么话都没有说呀。”
“可是,你要知道,”大象说(当然这是母象,你还记得,它的丈夫被阿斯兰叫走了),“可是,你要知道,它也许是某种动物。说不定白不拉几的那一块儿就是它的脸呢?那些洞洞会不会是眼睛和嘴巴?没有鼻子,当然了。但是..啊咳..我们不能心胸狭隘。我们中间只有很少几个长着像样的鼻子。”它斜眼看了着自己的长鼻子。它的骄傲是可以理解的。
“我强烈反对这种言论。”看家犬说。“大象的话很有道理。”貘说。
“让我来告诉你们吧!”驴子机智地说道,“也许它是一只不会讲话,但自以为会讲话的动物。”
“能让它站起来吗?”大象关切地说。它用长鼻子轻轻地卷起安德鲁舅舅虚弱的躯体,将他竖了起来。很不幸的是头朝下放颠倒了,结果两枚半英镑的金币,三枚半克朗和一枚六便士的银币从他的口袋里掉了出来。这么做毫无用处,安德鲁舅舅又一次倒在了地上。
“你们看!”几个声音异口同声地说,“它根本不是动物。它不是活的。”“我告诉你们,这是一个动物。”看家犬说,“你们自己来闻闻。”“嗅觉并不能说明一切。”大象说。“噢,”看家犬说,“如果一个动物连自己的鼻子都不相信,它还能相信什么?”