本集演播：槑贰

后期：骐煜

英文对照在底部，请往下拉

第23章 科迪一家

科迪上山回家的时候也不吹哨也不唱歌，他说了，他生艾琳的气，怪她带他去见所谓的奶奶；他又生自己的气，怪自己冲公主说气话。妈妈见他回来了，高兴得哭了。她立马去给他做东西吃，一边又问个不停。科迪往常总是兴高采烈，今天回答起来却不一样。妈妈准备好吃的，留他一个人吃，然后匆匆去矿里给科迪爸爸报平安。回来的时候，她发现科迪在床上睡得很熟，夜晚爸爸回来了他还没醒。

等到他们吃晚饭的时候，妈妈说：“科迪，现在给我们说说整件事，从头到尾怎么回事都给说说。”

科迪一一说来，直说到他们从洞里出来，到了国王庄园里的花园草坪上。

“那之后呢？”妈妈问。“你没说完呢。从那些怪物手里逃了出来，你应该很 开心才对。但你反而垂头丧气的，我从没见你这样。肯定还发生了什么。还有，我想听你说说那个可爱的孩子，你没怎么说呢。她冒险救了你一命，怎么你好像觉得没什么。”

“她胡说八道，”科迪说，“跟我说了一大堆事情，根本不可能是真的。我接受不了。”

“说了什么？”爸爸问，“说不定你妈妈可以指点指点，帮你搞清楚。”

科迪一股脑都说了出来，把所有事情都告诉他们了。

他们好一会儿都不说话，琢磨着这件奇怪的事。最后科迪的妈妈开口了。

“孩子，你实话说，”她说，“这整件事你有没有什么不明白的？”

“当然了，妈妈。我不明白，连我都被困在里面，这个小孩对这座山一点儿都不清楚，怎么能自己一个人走了一路、直接找到我。她把我从洞里救出来，又带着我走出那座山。就算山里像外边这么亮，我也还是不知道该怎么走。”

“那你就不能说她撒谎。她确实把你带出来了，那就一定有什么东西指引着她。这样的话，一条蛛丝，绳子或者其他什么东西，怎么不可以呢？有些事你解释不了，那她的解释可能是对的。”

“她那根本就不算解释，妈妈。难以置信。”

“可能只是因为你无法理解。不然，可能你会发现这其实说得通，然后也就全相信了。你不相信，这我不怪你。可我怪你的是，居然认为这样一个孩子会故意欺骗你。她为什么要骗你？她明明就把她知道的都告诉你了。在找到更好的解释之前，你好歹不该就这么认定了。”

CHAPTER 23   Curdie and His Mother

Curdie went up the mountain neither whistling nor singing, for he was vexed with Irene for taking him in, as he called it; and he was vexed with himself for having spoken to her so angrily. His mother gave a cry of joy when she saw him, and at once set about getting him something to eat, asking him questions all the time, which he did not answer so cheerfully as usual. When his meal was ready, she left him to eat it, and hurried to the mine to let his father know he was safe. When she came back, she found him fast asleep upon her bed; nor did he wake until his father came home in the evening.

'Now, Curdie,' his mother said, as they sat at supper, 'tell us the whole story from beginning to end, just as it all happened.'

Curdie obeyed, and told everything to the point where they came out upon the lawn in the garden of the king's house.

'And what happened after that?' asked his mother. 'You haven't told us all. You ought to be very happy at having got away from those demons, and instead of that I never saw you so gloomy. There must be something more. Besides, you do not speak of that lovely child as I should like to hear you. She saved your life at the risk of her own, and yet somehow you don't seem to think much of it.'

'She talked such nonsense' answered Curdie, 'and told me a pack of things that weren't a bit true; and I can't get over it.'

'What were they?' asked his father. 'Your mother may be able to throw some light upon them.'

Then Curdie made a clean breast of it, and told them everything.

They all sat silent for some time, pondering the strange tale. At last Curdie's mother spoke.

'You confess, my boy,' she said, 'there is something about the whole affair you do not understand?'

'Yes, of course, mother,' he answered. 'I cannot understand how a child knowing nothing about the mountain, or even that I was shut up in it, should come all that way alone, straight to where I was; and then, after getting me out of the hole, lead me out of the mountain too, where I should not have known a step of the way if it had been as light as in the open air.'

'Then you have no right to say what she told you was not true. She did take you out, and she must have had something to guide her: why not a thread as well as a rope, or anything else? There is something you cannot explain, and her explanation may be the right one.'

'It's no explanation at all, mother; and I can't believe it.'

'That may be only because you do not understand it. If you did, you would probably find it was an explanation, and believe it thoroughly. I don't blame you for not being able to believe it, but I do blame you for fancying such a child would try to deceive you. Why should she? Depend upon it, she told you all she knew. Until you had found a better way of accounting for it all, you might at least have been more sparing of your judgement.'