《最後一戰》第23期:成功的夜襲(3)
As the man got up the point of the dagger never left his neck. It only travelled round (cold and rather ticklish) as Tirian got behind him and settled it at a convenient place under his ear. Trembling he went round to the back of the stable.
Though it was dark Tirian could see the white shape of Jewel at once.
"Hush!" he said. "No, do not neigh. Yes, Jewel, it is I. How have they tied thee?"
"Hobbled by all four legs and tied with a bridle to a ring in the stable wall," came Jewel's voice.
"Stand here, sentry, with your back to the wall. So. Now, Jewel: set the point of your horn against this Calormene's breast."
"With a good will, Sire," said Jewel.
"If he moves, rive him to the heart." Then in a few seconds Tirian cut the ropes. With the remains of them he bound the sentry hand and foot. Finally he made him open his mouth, stuffed it full of grass and tied him up from scalp to chin so that he could make no noise, lowered the man into a sitting position and set him against the wall.
"I have done thee some discourtesy, soldier," said Tirian. "But such was my need. If we meet again I may happen to do thee a better turn. Now, Jewel, let us go softly."
He put his left arm round the beast's neck and bent and kissed its nose and both had great joy. They went back as quietly as possible to the place where he had left the children. It was darker in there under the trees and he nearly ran into Eustace before he saw him.
"All's well," whispered Tirian. "A good night's work. Now for home."
They turned and had gone a few paces when Eustace said, "Where are you, Pole?" There was no answer. "Is Jill on the other side of you, Sire?" he asked.
"What?" said Tirian. "Is she not on the other side of your"
It was a terrible moment. They dared not shout but they whispered her name in the loudest whisper they could manage. There was no reply.
"Did she go from you while I was away?" asked Tirian.
"I didn't see or hear her go," said Eustace. "But she could have gone without my knowing. She can be as quiet as a cat; you've seen for yourself."
At that moment a far off drum beat was heard. Jewel moved his ears forward. "Dwarfs," he said.
"And treacherous Dwarfs, enemies, as likely as not," muttered Tirian.
"And here comes something on hoofs, much nearer," said Jewel.
The two humans and the Unicorn stood dead still. There were now so many different things to worry about that they didn't know what to do. The noise of hoofs came steadily nearer. And then, quite close to them, a voice whispered:
"Hallo! Are you all there?"
Thank heaven, it was Jill's.
雖然天色黑暗，蒂蓮立刻看到了珍寶的白色形體。
"噓!"他說，"不，別嘶鳴。是的，珍寶，是我呀。他們怎麼縛住你的?""把我四條腿拴住，用一根馬勒把我縛車在馬廄裏的一個鐵環上。"傳來珍寶的聲音。
"哨兵，站在那兒，背靠着牆。就這樣。聽着，珍寶，用你獨角的尖端，頂住這卡樂門人的胸膛。"
"一定盡心竭力，陪下。"珍寶說。
"如果他動一動，你就直捅到他的心臟。"蒂蓮在幾鍾之內就把繩索割斷了。他用那剩下的繩索拴住哨兵的手腳。最後叫他張開嘴巴，給他塞得滿嘴青草，從頭皮到下巴頰兒縛得牢牢的，使他沒法兒叫出聲音來，還把這人壓到坐着的姿勢，背靠着牆頭。
"士兵，我對你做了些不禮貌的事，"蒂蓮說道，"但我必須這麼做。如果我們再見面的話，我說不定會較好地款待你一番。珍寶，現在讓我們悄悄地走吧。"
他用左臂抱住獨角獸的頸子，俯下來吻它的鼻子，彼此都很開心。他們儘可能悄悄地回到他留下孩子們的地方。那兒樹木底下更加黑暗，他在看到尤斯塔斯之前，幾乎撞在對方的懷裏。
"一切順利，"蒂蓮低語道，"一次成功的夜襲。現在回家吧。"
他們轉過身去，還沒走幾步，尤斯塔斯說道"波爾，你在哪兒?"沒有回答。"陛下，吉爾可在你那邊?"他問。"什麼?"蒂蓮說，"難道她不在你那嗎?"這是個可怕的時刻。他們不敢大聲叫喊，但他們以儘可能最響的低語呼喚她的名字。可是沒有回答的聲音。"我出去的時候，她離開你沒有?"蒂蓮問。"我沒有看見或聽見她離開，"尤斯塔斯說，"但她能做到她走掉而我卻不知不覺。她能做到像貓一樣的悄沒聲兒，你自己親眼看見過的。"
就在這時候，遠遠傳來打鼓的聲音。珍寶把耳朵往前探索。"小矮人們。"它說。
"背信棄義的小矮人，很可能是敵人。"蒂蓮咕咕噥噥地說道。
兩個人和一頭獨角獸呆呆地站在那兒，動也不動。現在有許多不同的事情要擔憂煩惱，弄得他們不知道怎麼辦了。蹄聲得得，穩穩地愈走愈近。接着，緊挨着他們，一個聲音輕輕說道"哈囉，你們大家都在這兒嗎?"
謝天謝地，這是吉爾的聲音啊。
