CHAPTER THREE THE APE IN ITS GLORY(第4/4页)

“Is that good enough for you,Ginger ?”said the Ape.

“Oh certainly,”said Ginger coolly.“Thank you very much. I only wanted to be quite clear. I think I am beginning to understand.”

Up till now the King and Jewel had said nothing:they were waiting until the Ape should bid them speak,for they thought it was no use interrupting. But now,as Tirian looked round on the miserable faces of the Narnians,and saw how they would all believe that Aslan and Tash were one and the same,he could bear it no longer.

“Ape,”he cried with a great voice,“you lie damnably. You lie like a Calormene. You lie like an Ape.”

He meant to go on and ask how the terrible god Tash who fed on the blood of his people could possibly be the same as the good Lion by whose blood all Narnia was saved. If he had been allowed to speak,the rule of the Ape might have ended that day; the Beasts might have seen the truth and thrown the Ape down. But before he could say another word two Calormenes struck him in the mouth with all their force,and a third,from behind,kicked his feet from under him. And as he fell,the Ape squealed in rage and terror.

“Take him away. Take him away. Take him where he cannot hear us,nor we hear him. There tie him to a tree. I will-I mean, Aslan will-do justice on him later.”