《最後一戰》第41期:馬廄山的集會(6)

There was a terrible silence while the Beasts waited to hear what new trouble was in store for them. The little party by the end-wall of the stable also held their breath. What on earth was coming now?

"Yes," said the Ape. "At this very moment, when the Terrible One himself is among us - there in the stable just behind me - one wicked Beast has chosen to do what you'd think no one would dare to do even if He were a thousand miles away. It has dressed itself up in a lion-skin and is wandering about in these very woods pretending to be Aslan."

Jill wondered for a moment if the Ape had gone mad. Was he going to tell the whole truth? A roar of horror and rage went up from the Beasts. "Grrr!" came the growls. "Who is he? Where is he? Just let me get my teeth into him!"

"It was seen last night," screamed the Ape, "but it got away. It's a Donkey! A common, miserable Ass! If any of you see that Ass -"

"Grrr!" growled the Beasts. "We will, we will. He'd better keep out of our way."

Jill looked at the King: his mouth was open and his face was full of horror. And then she understood the devilish cunning of the enemies' plan. By mixing a little truth with it they had made their lie far stronger. What was the good, now, of telling the Beasts that an ass had been dressed up as a lion to deceive them? The Ape would only say, "That's just what I've said." What was the good of showing them Puzzle in his lion-skin? They would only tear him in pieces.

"That's taken the wind out of our sails," whispered Eustace.
"The ground is taken from under our feet," said Tirian.

"Cursed, cursed cleverness!" said Poggin. "I'll be sworn that this new lie is of Ginger's making."

衆野獸等待着要聽聽他們即將碰到什麼新的麻煩，當時草地上一片可怕的寂靜。馬廄牆腳邊的一夥也屏息靜氣。現在究竟會冒出什麼事情來呢?

"是的，"無尾猿說道，"就在此時此刻，可怕的神就在我們中間——而在我背後馬廄裏——一頭邪惡的野獸竟蓄意幹了一件十惡不赦的事情，你們都會認爲，即使神在幹裏之外，也沒有一個敢幹這樣的事的。它在身上披上了一張獅子皮毛，正在這些樹林裏跑來跑去，冒充是獅王阿斯蘭。"

吉爾有一會兒感到詫異——這無尾猿是否瘋了?它是否要把全部真相講出來?野獸羣中發出一陣恐怖和憤怒的吼聲。"該死！"發出吼聲來了，"它是什麼東西?它在哪兒?讓我們用牙齒咬死它!"

"昨兒夜間看見過它的，"無尾猿尖聲叫道，"但它逃走了。它是頭驢子!一頭普普通通的悽悽慘慘的驢子。如果你們有誰看見這驢子——"

"該死!"衆野獸咆哮道，"我們一定要，一定要咬死它。它最好別碰上我們。"

吉爾瞧瞧國王。國王的嘴巴張開着，臉上充滿恐怖的神情。這時他明白敵人計劃之邪惡詭譎了。加了一點兒真相，就使它們的謊言強大有力得多啦。現在，告訴野獸們說一頭驢子被打扮成一頭獅子，來欺騙它們——那還有什麼用處呢?無尾猿只要說一句"那就是我剛纔說過的情況嘛。"就夠了。把披着獅子毛皮的驢子示衆，還有什麼好處呢?野獸只會把驢子撕個稀爛。

"那是收掉了我們的篷帆上的風。"尤斯塔斯低聲說道。

"把我們立足的土地抽掉了。"蒂蓮說道。

"該死的，該死的小聰明！"波金說道，"我敢打賭，這新的謊言準是金格創造出來的。"