Above the steadily increasing growl of the Badger and Cornelius’s sharp “What？” rose the voice of King Caspian like thunder.
“So that is your plan， Nikabrik！ Black sorcery and the calling up of an accursed ghost. And I see who your companions are-a Hag and a Werewolf！”
The next minute or so was very confused. There was an animal roaring， a clash of steel； the boys and Trumpkin rushed in； Peter had a glimpse of a horrible， grey， gaunt creature， half man and half wolf， in the very act of leaping upon a boy about his own age， and Edmund saw a badger and a Dwarf rolling on the floor in a sort of cat fight. Trumpkin found himself face to face with the Hag. Her nose and chin stuck out like a pair of nut-crackers， her dirty grey hair was flyingabout her face and she had just got Doctor Cornelius by the throat. At
one slash of Trumpkin‘s sword her head rolled on the floor. Then the light was knocked over and it was all swords， teeth， claws， fists， and boots for about sixty seconds. Then silence.
“Are you all right， Ed？”
“I-I think so，” panted Edmund. “I’ve got that brute Nikabrik， but he‘s still alive.”
“Weights and water-bottles！” came an angry voice. “It’s me you‘re sitting on. Get off. You’re like a young elephant.”
“Sorry， DLF，” said Edmund. “Is that better？”
“Ow！ No！” bellowed Trumpkin. “You‘re putting your boot in my mouth. Go away.”
“Is King Caspian anywhere？” asked Peter.
“I’m here，” said a rather faint voice. “Something bit me.”
They all heard the noise of someone striking a match. It was Edmund. The little flame showed his face， looking pale and dirty. He blundered about for a little， found the candle （they were no longer using the lamp， for they had run out of oil）， set it on the table， and lit it. When the flame rose clear， several people scrambled to their feet. Six faces blinked at one another in the candlelight.
“We don‘t seem to have any enemies left，” said Peter. “There’s the Hag， dead.” （He turned his eyes quickly away from her.） “And Nikabrik， dead too. And I suppose this thing is a Wer-Wolf. It‘s so long since I’ve seen one. Wolf ‘s head and man’s body. That means he was just turning from man into wolf at the moment he was killed. And you， I suppose， are King Caspian？”
“Yes，” said the other boy. “But I‘ve no idea who you are.” “It’s the High King， King Peter，” said Trumpkin.
“Your Majesty is very welcome，” said Caspian.
“And so is your Majesty，” said Peter. “I haven‘t come to take your place， you know， but to put you into it.”
“Your Majesty，” said another voice at Peter’s elbow. He turned and found himself face to face with the Badger. Peter leaned forward， put his arms round the beast and kissed the furry head： it wasn‘t a girlish thing for him to do， because he was the High King.
“Best of badgers，” he said. “You never doubted us all through.”
“No credit to me， your Majesty，” said Trufflehunter. “I’m a beast and we don‘t change. I’m a badger， what‘s more， and we hold on.”
“I am sorry for Nikabrik，” said Caspian， “though he hated me from the first moment he saw me. He had gone sour inside from long suffering and hating. If we had won quickly he might have become a good Dwarf in the days of peace. I don’t know which of us killed him. I‘m glad of that.”
“You’re bleeding，” said Peter.
“Yes， I‘m bitten，” said Caspian. “It was that-that wolf thing.” Cleaning and bandaging the wound took a long time， and when it was done Trumpkin said， “Now. Before everything else we want some breakfast.”
“But not here，” said Peter.
“No，” said Caspian with a shudder. “And we must send someone to take away the bodies.”
“Let the vermin be flung into a pit，” said Peter. “But the Dwarf we will give to his people to be buried in their own fashion.”
They breakfasted at last in another of the dark cellars of Aslan’s How. It was not such a breakfast as they would have chosen， for Caspian and Cornelius were thinking of venison pasties， and Peter and Edmund of buttered eggs and hot coffee， but what everyone got was a little bit of cold bear-meat （out of the boys‘ pockets）， a lump of hard cheese， an onion， and a mug of water. But， from the way they fell to， anyone would have supposed it was delicious.
中文阅读
与此同时，特伦普金和两个男孩子走到了阴暗的小石拱门，从那里进入通往土丘。两只站岗的獾（埃德蒙只能看出它们面颊上的白色斑块）呲牙咧嘴地跳了起来，厉声问道：“来者是谁？”
“特伦普金，”矮人说，“我带回了远古的纳尼亚大帝。”两只獾用鼻子在男孩子们的手上嗅了嗅。“终于到了，”它们说，“终于到了。”
“给我们点个灯，朋友们。”特伦普金说。獾从拱门里找来一只火把，彼得点燃后，递给特伦普金。“DLF最好你来带路，”他说，“我们不知道这里的路。”特伦普金接过火把，带头走进漆黑的隧道。这是一个寒冷、阴暗而发霉的地方，到处结满了蜘蛛网，偶尔有只蝙蝠在火把的光中飞过。自从火车站的那个早晨开始，男孩子们大多数时间都是在野外度过的，这会儿仿佛感觉自己进了一个陷阱或者是一座监狱。
“喂，彼得，”埃德蒙悄声说，“看看墙上那些雕刻。它们看起来是不是很古老？我们可要比那个古老多了。我们上次来纳尼亚时，这些东西还没有制作呢。”
“是啊，”彼得说，“这使人浮想联翩。”
矮人在前面不停地走着，一会儿往右转，一会儿往左拐，下了一些台阶，又往左转。最后他们看见前边出现了亮光--是从门下边透过来的。他们已经来到了指挥部的门口，听到了里面说话的声音。那是一些愤怒的声音，有个人在高声讲话，所以没有人注意到他们的脚步声。
“我不喜欢那个声音，”特伦普金低声对彼得说，“让我们先听一下。”他们三个一动不动地站在门外。
“你们清楚地知道，”一个声音说（“那是国王。”特伦普金低语道），“那天日出时为什么没有吹响号角。难道你们忘了，特伦普金前脚刚一离开，米拉兹就向我们发起了进攻，我们殊死战斗了三个多小时。一得到喘息的机会，我就吹响了号角。”
“我不可能忘记，”又是那个愤怒的声音，“我的矮人们首当其冲，总是在战斗最激烈的地方。有五分之一的矮人倒下了。”（“那是尼克布里克。”特伦普金悄声说道。）“去你的吧，矮人，”又传来一个沙哑的声音（“是特路弗汉特。”特伦普金说），“我们都像矮人一样英勇作战，但谁也都比不上国王勇猛。”
“我才不管你怎么瞎掰呢，”尼克布里克说道，“不知是号角吹晚了，还是它根本就没有魔力，任何增援都没有到来。你，你这个伟大的教士，你这个金牌魔法师，你这个百事通！你还想让我们把希望寄托在阿斯兰、彼得王等人身上吗？”
“我必须承认--我无法否认--对于交战的结果我深感失望，”一个声音答道。（“那是科尼利亚斯博士。”特伦普金说。）“咱们打开天窗说亮话，”尼克布里克说，“你的钱袋已经空无分文，你的鸡蛋已经变质发臭，你的鱼儿跑了，你的承诺没有兑现。那就站到一边去，让别人来干。那正是为什么--”
“援兵会来的，”特路弗汉特说，“我站在阿斯兰一边。请耐心一点，像我们动物一样。援兵会来的。没准儿现在已经到了门口。”
