the last battle_c·s·刘易斯- 第2部分

this；　by　the　way；　was　true。　a　hunter；　a　man；　had　killed　and　skinned　this　　lion　somewhere　up　in　the　western　wild　several　months　before。　but　that　doesnt　e　into　　this　story。

〃all　the　same；　shift；〃　said　puzzle；　〃even　if　the　skin　only　belonged　to　a　　dumb；　wild　lion；　oughtnt　we　to　give　it　a　decent　burial？　i　mean；　arent　all　lions　rather　…　　well；　rather　solemn？

because　of　you　know　who。　dont　you　see？鈥�

〃dont　you　start　getting　ideas　into　your　head；　puzzle；〃　said　shift。　　〃because；　you　know；　thinking　isnt　your　strong　point。　well　make　this　skin　into　a　fine　warm　　winter　coat　for　you。鈥�

〃oh；　i　dont　think　id　like　that；〃　said　the　donkey。　〃it　would　look　…　i　　mean；　the　other　beasts　might　think　…　that　is　to　say；　i　shouldnt　feel　…鈥�

〃what　are　you　talking　about？〃　said　shift；　scratching　himself　the　wrong　way　　up　as　apes　do。

〃i　dont　think　it　would　be　respectful　to　the　great　lion；　to　aslan　himself；　　if　an　ass　like　me　went　about　dressed　up　in　a　lion…skin；〃　said　puzzle。

〃now　dont　stand　arguing；　please；〃　said　shift。　〃what　does　an　ass　like　you　　know　about　things　of　that　sort？　you　know　youre　no　good　at　thinking；　puzzle；　so　why　　dont　you　let　me　do　your　thinking　for　you？　why　dont　you　treat　me　as　i　treat　you？　i　dont　　think　i　can　do　everything。　i　know　youre　better　at　some　things　than　i　am。　thats　why　i　let　　you　go　into　the　pool；　i　knew　youd　do　it　better　than　me。　but　why　cant　i　have　my　turn　when　　it　es　to　something　i　can　do　and　you　cant？　am　i　never　to　be　allowed　to　do　anything？　　do　be　fair。

turn　and　turn　about。鈥�

〃oh；　well；　of　course；　if　you　put　it　that　way；〃　said　puzzle。

〃i　tell　you　what；〃　said　shift。　〃youd　better　take　a　good　brisk　trot　down　　river　as　far　as　chippingford　and　see　if　they　have　any　oranges　or　bananas。鈥�

〃but　im　so　tired；　shift；〃　pleaded　puzzle。

〃yes；　but　you　are　very　cold　and　wet；〃　said　the　ape。　〃you　want　something　to　　warm　you　up。　a　brisk　trot　would　be　just　the　thing。　besides；　its　market　day　at　　chippingford　today。鈥�

and　then　of　course　puzzle　said　he　would　go。

as　soon　as　he　was　alone　shift　went　shambling　along；　sometimes　on　two　paws　　and　sometimes　on　four；　till　he　reached　his　own　tree。　then　he　swung　himself　up　　from　branch　to　branch；　chattering　and　grinning　all　the　time；　and　went　into　his　little　　house。　he　found　needle　and　thread　and　a　big　pair　of　scissors　there；　for　he　was　a　clever　ape　　and　the　dwarfs　had　taught　him　how　to　sew。　he　put　the　ball　of　thread　（it　was　very　thick　　stuff；　more　like　cord　than　thread）　into　his　mouth　so　that　his　cheek　bulged　out　as　if　he　were　　sucking　a　big　bit　of　toffee。　he　held　the　needle　between　his　lips　and　took　the　scissors　in　　his　left　paw。

then　he　came　down　the　tree　and　shambled　across　to　the　lion…skin。　he　　squatted　down　and　got　to　work。

he　saw　at　once　that　the　body　of　the　lion…skin　would　be　too　long　for　puzzle　　and　its　neck　too　short。　so　he　cut　a　good　piece　out　of　the　body　and　used　it　to　make　a　　long　collar　for　puzzles　long　neck。　then　he　cut　off　the　head　and　sewed　the　collar　in　　between　the　head　and　the　shoulders。　he　put　threads　on　both　sides　of　the　skin　so　that　it　would　　tie　up　under　puzzles　chest　and　stomach。　every　now　and　then　a　bird　would　pass　overhead　　and　shift　would　stop　his　work；　looking　anxiously　up。　he　did　not　want　anyone　to　see　　what　he　was　doing。　but　none　of　the　birds　he　saw　were　talking　birds；　so　it　didnt　　matter。

late　in　the　afternoon　puzzle　came　back。　he　was　not　trotting　but　only　　plodding　patiently　along；　the　way　donkeys　do。

〃there　werent　any　oranges；〃　he　said；　〃and　there　werent　any　bananas。　and　　im　very　tired。〃　he　lay　down。

〃e　and　try　on　your　beautiful　new　lion…skin　coat；〃　said　shift。

〃oh　bother　that　old　skin；〃　said　puzzle。　〃ill　try　it　on　in　the　morning。　im　　too　tired　tonight。鈥�

〃you　are　unkind；　puzzle；〃　said　shift。　〃if　youre　tired　what　do　you　think　i　　am？　all　day　long；　while　youve　been　having　a　lovely　refreshing　walk　down　the　valley；　　ive　been　working　hard　to　make　you　a　coat。　my　paws　are　so　tired　i　can　hardly　hold　　these　scissors。

and　you　wont　say　thank　you　…and　you　wont　even　look　at　the　coat　…and　you　　dont　care　…　and…　and…鈥�

〃my　dear　shift；〃　said　puzzle　getting　up　at　once；　〃i　am　so　sorry。　ive　been　　horrid。　of　course　id　love　to　try　it　on。　and　it　looks　simply　splendid。　do　try　it　on　me　　at　once。　please　do。鈥�

〃well；　stand　still　then；〃　said　the　ape。　the　skin　was　very　heavy　for　him　to　　lift；　but　in　the　end；　with　a　lot　of　pulling　and　pushing　and　puffing　and　blowing；　he　got　it　　on　to　the　donkey。　he　tied　it　underneath　puzzles　body　and　he　tied　the　legs　to　　puzzles　legs　and　the　tail　to　puzzles　tail。　a　good　deal　of　puzzles　grey　nose　and　face　could　be　　seen　through　the　open　mouth　of　the　lions　head。　no　one　who　had　ever　seen　a　real　lion　would　　have　been　taken　in　for　a　moment。　but　if　someone　who　had　never　seen　a　lion　looked　at　　puzzle　in　his　lion…skin　he　just　might　mistake　him　for　a　lion；　if　he　didnt　e　too　　close；　and　if　the　light　was　not　too　good；　and　if　puzzle　didnt　let　out　a　bray　and　didnt　make　any　　noise　with　his　hoofs。

〃you　look　wonderful；　wonderful；〃　said　the　ape。　〃if　anyone　saw　you　now；　　theyd　think　you　were　aslan；　the　great　lion；　himself。鈥�

〃that　would　be　dreadful；〃　said　puzzle。

〃no　it　wouldnt；〃　said　shift。　〃everyone　would　do　whatever　you　told　them。鈥�

〃but　i　dont　want　to　tell　them　anything。鈥�

〃but　you　think　of　the　good　we　could　do！〃　said　shift。　〃youd　have　me　to　　advise　you；　you　know。　id　think　of　sensible　orders　for　you　to　give。　and　everyone　would　have　　to　obey　us；　even　the　king　himself。　we　would　set　everything　right　in　narnia。鈥�

〃but　isnt　everything　right　already？〃　said　puzzle。

〃what！〃　cried　shift。　〃everything　right？…when　there　are　no　oranges　or　　bananas？鈥�

〃well；　you　know；〃　said　puzzle；　〃there　arent　many　people　…　in　fact；　i　dont　　think　theres　anyone　but　yourself　who　wants　those　sort　of　things。鈥�

〃theres　sugar　too；〃　said　shift。

〃hm　yes；〃　said　the　ass。　〃it　would　be　nice　if　there　was　more　sugar。鈥�

〃well　then；　thats　settled；〃　said　the　ape。　〃you　will　pretend　to　be　aslan；　　and　ill　tell　you　what　to　say。鈥�

〃no；　no；　no；〃　said　puzzle。　〃dont　say　such　dreadful　things。　it　would　be　　wrong；　shift。　i　maybe　not　very　clever　but　i　know　that　much。　what　would　bee　of　us　if　the　　real　aslan　turned　up？鈥�

〃i　expect　hed　be　very　pleased；〃　said　shift。　〃probably　he　sent　us　the　lion　…skin　on　purpose；　so　that　we　could　set　things　to　right。　anyway；　he　never　does　turn　up；　you　　know。　not　nowadays。鈥�

at　that　moment　there　came　a　great　thunderclap　right　overhead　and　the　ground　　trembled　with　a　small　earthquake。　both　the　animals　lost　their　balance　and　were　flung　　on　their　faces。

〃there！〃　gasped　puzzle；　as　soon　as　he　had　breath　to　speak。　〃its　a　sign；　a　　warning。　i　knew　we　were　doing　something　dreadfully　wicked。　take　this　wretched　skin　off　me　　at　once。鈥�

〃no；　no；〃　said　the　ape　（whose　mind　worked　very　quickly）。　〃its　a　sign　the　　other　way。　i　was　just　going　to　say　that　if　the　real　aslan；　as　you　call　him；　meant　us　to　　go　on　with　this；　he　would　send　us　a　thunderclap　and　an　earth…tremor。　it　was　just　on　the　tip　　of　my　tongue；　only　the　sign　itself　came　before　i　could　get　the　words　out。　youve　got　to　　do　it　now；　puzzle。　and　please　dont　let　us　have　any　more　arguing。　you　know　you　dont　　understand　these　things。　what　could