the fall of the city

1、TheFalloftheCityAldenNowlanutsiderainfellwithsuchviolencethatgreatpulsatingsheetsofwaterseemedtohangsuspendedbetweenearthsky.SquattingintheatticTeddywatchedrainsrolllikebeadsofquicksilverdowntheglassofthehighdiamondshape

2、dwindowlistenedtothemutedbanjotwangingontheroof.Blinkingheshiftedhispositiontransferredhisattentiontothethingsthatlayaroundhimontheflo.Inthecentreoftheroomstoodaftapalacepainstakinglyconstructedfromcrugatedcardboardcarto

3、ns.Theseweresurroundedbyhumblerdwellingsmadefrommatchboxesthecoversofexercisebooks.Thestreetsalleyswerefullofnoblespeasantssoldierstheirtwodimensionalbodiesscissedfrompapertheirsfacesclothingdrawnincrayonleadpencil.Fromt

4、heturretedroofofthepalacehungagreenwhitegoldtricolourtheflagoftheKingdomofUpalia...Sombregrayeyesglintedinteddy’spaletriangularface.Heshovedhishsdeeperinthepocketsofhiswnkhakishts.Hedecidedthatwhatheheardwasnottherattleo

5、frainontheroofwindowbutthemuffledroarofdistantcannon.ThearmiesoftheEmperKangofDanovawereattackingtheftificationsontheUpalianfrontier!Teddyinhaleddeeplyheldhisbreathhisthinchestpressingagainsthissweatshirt.HisMajestyKingT

6、heodeIresplendentintheredblackunifmofageneralissimoemergedonthebalconyofhiswinterpalaceinTheodesburgcapitaloftheKingdomofUpalia.Throughthesquarebelowrodesquadronsoflancersdragoonshussarsbatteriesofhseartillerybehindthemm

7、archedregimentsofinfantry.graspingthediamondstuddedhiltofhisswd.KingTheodewatchedhisarmymarchouttogivebattletotheenemy.ThiswouldbethethirdwarbetweenDanovaUpalia.Thefirsthadbeenfoughtintheyear2032hadendedinthedefeatoftheE

8、mperKanghisimprisonmentontheIsleofHawks.ButhehadescapedthroughthetreacheryofZiklaDukeofersageneralintheUpalianarmyin2043theDanovanshadinvadedUpaliaasecondtimeaidedbytherenegadefceunderthecommofZikla.Thistimetheyconquered

9、TheodesburgmassacredthepopulacebefebeingroutedbyKingTheode.OnthedayofvictytheDukeoferswasbroughttoTheodesburginchainshangedinthecitysquare.TheEmperKangwasasevilcunningastheFuManchuaboutwhomTeddyhadreadinbooks.Towastridea

10、blackwarhsehedirectedhistroopsastheybesiegedFLionontheCarianRiver.HopelesslyoutnumberedthedefendersralliedbehindtheircommerDukeLaniofCariaprayedfthecomingofKingTheode...“Teddy!”Hesighed.Thiswashisauntshoutingfromthefooto

11、fthestairs.“Teddy!”Heopenedthedo.“Yeah”hecalledsulkily.“Comedownherethisminutegetreadyfsupper!HowmanytimesdoIhavetocallyou”“OkayokayI’mcomin’!”“—bequickaboutit!”“I’mcomin’Itoldyuh!”Shestoodinthehallatallstoopedwomanwitht

12、iredsuspiciouseyes.Ogrowingfayearoftenitseemedmerealthatthetownthestreetthehomeinwhichhelivedwithhisuncleaunt.“You’dbettergetatyourhomewk.Youwon’tgetitdonebysittingtheremooningoutthewindow”hisaunttoldhim.“Yeah.”Hefetched

13、exercisebooksspreadthemonthetable.Hisauntuncledidnotmeantobecruelheknew.Fromtimetotimebytheiractswdstheyshowedthattheywerefondofhim.Twicethatsummerhisunclehadtakenhimtroutfishingonbothoccasionstherehadbeensomethingsubtly

14、warmbetweenthem.sometimeshedetectedahintofaffectioninhisaunt’svoiceevenasshenaggedhim.But...Hisunclestoodinthedowaybetweenkitchenlivingroomhisshouldersshakingwithlaughter.“You’dneverguesswhatthatkidhasbeendoingupthere!”H

15、eshookhisheadinwonderamusement.Teddyflushedstiffened.Hisauntturnedfromthesinkwhereshewasdryingthelastofthesupperdishes.“What’shebeenuptonow”“You’dneverbelieveitbutthatgreatbiglummoxhasbeenplayingwithpaperdolls!”“Paperdol

16、ls!”hisauntlaugheddubiously.“Theyain’tpaperdolls”Teddymumbled.Hepushedhischairbackfromthetablestoodup.“Theylookedprettymuchlikepaperdollstome.Paperdollsdollhouses.elevenyearoldboy!”Themanchokedtryingtorestrainhislaughter

17、.“Thenextthingweknowyou’llbewantingustoputskirtsonyou!”“Ineverheardofsuchathing.Paperdolls!”“Theyain’tdollsItoldyou!”Teddy’sfistswereclenchedhisarmsstiffbyhissideshisvoiceshaking.Hisunclepointedawarningfinger.“Don’tgetsa

18、ucynowmister.IknowpaperdollswhenIsee‘em.”O(jiān)nceagainheburstintolaughter.Hischeekswerethecolourofatomato.“SitdownfinishyourhomewkTeddy”hisauntsaid.Tohissurprisehervoicewasnotharsh:itcontainedasuggestionofwearysympathy.Heres

19、umedhisseattriedtofocusonthebluelinesinhisexercisebook.Hisunclestillchucklingreturnedtothelivingroompickeduphisnewspaper.Paperdolls!Hisunclehadsaidthatheshouldbedressedinskirtshairribbons.hecouldneverexplaintheywouldneve

20、rlethimexplain.TheodeKingofUpaliaallhisarmies—paperdolls!Heslumpeddoodlingonthepaperbefehimsothathisauntwouldthinkhewaswking.Yestheywerepaperdolls.TherewasnokingTheodenoEmperKangnoTheodesburgnoUpalianoDanova.Therewasonly

21、anatticfullofpreposterouscardboardbuildingsridiculouspaperpeople.Itwasstilldaylightwhenhefinishedhishomewk.Therainhadstoppedbutwaterstillpouredfromtheelmsalongthestreet.WhenTeddywentthroughthelivingroomhisuncledidnotspea

22、kbutheglancedupfromhisnewspapergrinnedslyly.Theboywasblushingtotherootsofthishairasheopenedthehalldostartedupthestairs.Thecitywasashehadleftit.Yeteverythinghadchanged.Alwaysbefewhenhehadcomeherehisfleshhadtingledhiseyesh