THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER-第17章

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d　empty　as　if　it　were　an　uninhabited　land；　　but　before　them　there　were　level　lawns　in　which　the　grass　was　as　smooth　and　short　as　it　　used　to　be　in　the　grounds　of　a　great　english　house　where　ten　gardeners　were　kept。　the　trees；　　of　which　there　were　many；　all　stood　well　apart　from　one　another；　and　there　were　no　　broken　branches　and　no　leaves　lying　on　the　ground。　pigeons　sometimes　cooed　but　　there　was　no　other　noise。

presently　they　came　to　a　long；　straight；　sanded　path　with　not　a　weed　　growing　on　it　and　trees　on　either　hand。　far　off　at　the　other　end　of　this　avenue　they　now　　caught　sight　of　a　house　…　very　long　and　grey　and　quiet…looking　in　the　afternoon　sun。

almost　as　soon　as　they　entered　this　path　lucy　noticed　that　she　had　a　little　　stone　in　her　shoe。　in　that　unknown　place　it　might　have　been　wiser　for　her　to　ask　the　　others　to　wait　while　she　took　it　out。　but　she　didnt；　she　just　dropped　quietly　behind　and　　sat　down　to　take　off　her　shoe。　her　lace　had　got　into　a　knot。

before　she　had　undone　the　knot　the　others　were　a　fair　distance　ahead。　by　　the　time　she　had　got　the　stone　out　and　was　putting　the　shoe　on　again　she　could　no　longer　　hear　them。　but　almost　at　once　she　heard　something　else。　it　was　not　ing　from　the　　direction　of　the　house。

what　she　heard　was　a　thumping。　it　sounded　as　if　dozens　of　strong　workmen　　were　hitting　the　ground　as　hard　as　they　could　with　great　wooden　mallets。　and　it　was　very　　quickly　ing　nearer。　she　was　already　sitting　with　her　back　to　a　tree；　and　as　the　　tree　was　not　one　she　could　climb；　there　was　really　nothing　to　do　but　to　sit　dead　still　and　　press　herself　against　the　tree　and　hope　she　wouldnt　be　seen。

thump；　thump；　thump　。　。　。　and　whatever　it　was　must　be　very　close　now　for　　she　could　feel　the　ground　shaking。　but　she　could　see　nothing。　she　thought　the　thing　…　or　　things　must　be　just　behind　her。　but　then　there　came　a　thump　on　the　path　right　in　front　of　　her。　she　knew　it　was　on　the　path　not　only　by　the　sound　but　because　she　saw　the　sand　scatter　　as　if　it　had　been　struck　a　heavy　blow。　but　she　could　see　nothing　that　had　struck　it。　　then　all　the　thumping　noises　drew　together　about　twenty　feet　away　from　her　and　suddenly　　ceased。

then　came　the　voice。

it　was　really　very　dreadful　because　she　could　still　see　nobody　at　all。　the　　whole　of　that　park…like　country　still　looked　as　quiet　and　empty　as　it　had　looked　when　　they　first　landed。

nevertheless；　only　a　few　feet　away　from　her；　a　voice　spoke。　and　what　it　　said　was：　　〃mates；　nows　our　chance。”

instantly　a　whole　chorus　of　other　voices　replied；　〃hear　him。　hear　him。　‘now　　s　our　chance；　he　said。　well　done；　chief。　you　never　said　a　truer　word。”

〃what　i　say；〃　continued　the　first　voice；　〃is；　get　down　to　the　shore　between　　them　and　their　boat；　and　let　every　mothers　son　look　to　his　weapons。　catch　em　when　they　　try　to　put　to　sea。”

〃eh；　thats　the　way；〃　shouted　all　the　other　voices。　〃you　never　made　a　　better　plan；　chief。

keep　it　up；　chief。　you　couldnt　have　a　better　plan　than　that。”

〃lively；　then；　mates；　lively；〃　said　the　first　voice。　〃off　we　go。

〃right　again；　chief；〃　said　the　others。　〃couldnt　have　a　better　order。　just　　what　we　were　going　to　say　ourselves。　off　we　go。”

immediately　the　thumping　began　again　…　very　loud　at　first　but　soon　fainter　　and　fainter；　till　it　died　out　in　the　direction　of　the　sea。

lucy　knew　there　was　no　time　to　sit　puzzling　as　to　what　these　invisible　　creatures　might　be。

as　soon　as　the　thumping　noise　had　died　away　she　got　up　and　ran　along　the　　path　after　the　others　as　quickly　as　her　legs　would　carry　her。　they　must　at　all　costs　be　　warned。

while　this　had　been　happening　the　others　had　reached　the　house。　it　was　a　　low　building　…　only　two　stories　high　made　of　a　beautiful　mellow　stone；　many…windowed；　and　　partially　covered　with　ivy。　everything　was　so　still　that　eustace　said；　〃i　think　its　　empty；〃　but　caspian　silently　pointed　to　the　column　of　smoke　which　rose　from　one　　chimney。

they　found　a　wide　gateway　open　and　passed　through　it　into　a　paved　　courtyard。　and　it　was　here　that　they　had　their　first　indication　that　there　was　something　odd　　about　this　island。　in　the　middle　of　the　courtyard　stood　a　pump；　and　beneath　the　pump　a　　bucket。

there　was　nothing　odd　about　that。　but　the　pump　handle　was　moving　up　and　　down；　though　there　seemed　to　be　no　one　moving　it。

〃theres　some　magic　at　work　here；〃　said　caspian。

〃machinery！〃　said　eustace。　〃i　do　believe　weve　e　to　a　civilized　country　　at　last。”

at　that　moment　lucy；　hot　and　breathless；　rushed　into　the　courtyard　behind　　them。　in　a　low　voice　she　tried　to　make　them　understand　what　she　had　overheard。　and　when　　they　had　partly　understood　it　even　the　bravest　of　them　did　not　look　very　happy。

〃invisible　enemies；〃　muttered　caspian。　〃and　cutting　us　off　from　the　boat。　　this　is　an　ugly　furrow　to　plough。”

〃youve　no　idea　what　sort　of　creatures　they　are；　lu？〃　asked　edmund。

〃how　can　i；　ed；　when　i　couldnt　see　them？”

〃did　they　sound　like　humans　from　their　footsteps？”

〃i　didnt　hear　any　noise　of　feet　…　only　voices　and　this　frightful　thudding　　and　thumping　…　like　a　mallet。”

〃i　wonder；〃　said　reepicheep；　〃do　they　bee　visible　when　you　drive　a　sword　　into　them？”

〃it　looks　as　if　we　shall　find　out；〃　said　caspian。　〃but　lets　get　out　of　　this　gateway。　theres　one　of　these　gentry　at　that　pump　listening　to　all　we　say。”

they　came　out　and　went　back　on　to　the　path　where　the　trees　might　possibly　　make　them　less　conspicuous。　〃not　that　its　any　good　really；〃　said　eustace；　〃trying　to　　hide　from　people　you　cant　see。　they　may　be　all　round　us。”

〃now；　drinian；〃　said　caspian。　〃how　would　it　be　if　we　gave　up　the　boat　for　　lost；　went　down　to　another　part　of　the　bay；　and　signalled　to　the　dawn　treader　to　stand　　in　and　take　us　aboard？”

〃not　depth　for　her；　sire；〃　said　drinian。

〃we　could　swim；〃　said　lucy。

〃your　majesties　all；〃　said　reepicheep；　〃hear　me。　it　is　folly　to　think　of　　avoiding　an　invisible　enemy　by　any　amount　of　creeping　and　skulking。　if　these　creatures　　mean　to　bring　us　to　battle；　be　sure　they　will　succeed。　and　whatever　es　of　it　id　　sooner　meet　them　face　to　face　than　be　caught　by　the　tail。”

〃i　really　think　reep　is　in　the　right　this　time；〃　said　edmund。

〃surely；〃　said　lucy；　〃if　rhince　and　the　others　on　the　dawn　treader　see　us　　fighting　on　the　shore　theyll　be　able　to　do　something。”

〃but　they　wont　see　us　fighting　if　they　cant　see　any　enemy；〃　said　eustace　　miserably。

〃theyll　think　were　just　swinging　our　swords　in　the　air　for　fun。”

there　was　an　unfortable　pause。

〃well；〃　said　caspian　at　last；　〃lets　get　on　with　it。　we　must　go　and　face　　them。　shake　hands　all　round　…　arrow　on　the　string；　lucy　…　swords　out；　everyone　else　…　and　now　　for　it。　perhaps　theyll　parley。”

it　was　strange　to　see　the　lawns　and　the　great　trees　looking　so　peaceful　as　　they　marched　back　to　the　beach。　and　when　they　arrived　there；　and　saw　the　boat　lying　　where　they　had　left　her；　and　the　smooth　sand　with　no　one　to　be　seen　on　it；　more　than　one　　doubted　whether　lucy　had　not　merely　imagined　all　she　had　told　them。　but　before　they　reached　　the　sand；　a　voice　spoke　out　of　the　air。

〃no　further；　masters；　no　further　now；〃　it　said。　〃weve　got　to　talk　with　you　　first。　theres　fifty　of　us　and　more　here　with　weapons　in　our　fists。”

〃hear　him；　hear　him；〃　came　the　chorus。　〃thats　our　chief。　you　can　depend　on　　what　he　says。　hes　telling　you　the　truth；　he　is。”

〃i　do　not　see　these　fifty　warriors；〃　observed　reepicheep。

〃thats　right；　thats　right；〃　said　the　chief　voice。　〃you　dont　see　us。　and　　why　not？

because　were　invisible。”

〃keep　it　up；　chief；　keep　it　up；〃　said　the　other　voices。　〃youre　talking　　like　a　book。　they　couldnt　ask　for　a　better　answer　than　that。”

〃be　quiet；　reep；〃　said　caspian；　and　then　added　in　a　louder　voice；　〃you　　invisible　people；　what　do　you　want　with　us？　and　what　have　we　done　to　earn　your　enmity？”

〃we　want　something　that　little　girl　can　do　for　us；〃　said　the　chief　voice。　　（the　others　explained　that　this　was　just　what　they　would　have　said　themselves。）

〃little　girl！〃　said　reepicheep。　〃the　lady　is　a　queen。”

〃we　dont　know　about　queens；〃　said　the　chief　voice。

（〃no　more　we　do；　no　more　we　do；〃　chimed　in　the　others。）　〃but　we　want　　something　she　can　do。”

〃what　is　it？〃　said　lucy。

〃and　if　it　is　anything　against　her　majestys　honour　or　safety；〃　added　　reepicheep；　〃you　will　wonder　to　see　how　many　we　can　kill　before　we　die。”

〃well；〃　said　the　chief　voice。　〃its　a　long　story。　suppose　we　all　sit　down？〃　　；　　the　proposal　was　warmly　approved　by　the　other　voices　but　the　narnians　　remained　standing。

〃well；〃　said　the　chief　voice。　〃its　like　this。　this　island　has　been　the　　property　of　a　great　magician　time　out　of　mind。　and　we　all　are　…　or　perhaps　in　a　manner　of　　speaking；　i　might　say；　we　were　…　his　servants。　well；　to　cut　a　long　story　short；　this　magician　　that　i　was　speaking　about；　he　told　us　to　do　something　we　didnt　like。　and　why　not？　　because　we　didnt　want　to。　well；　then；　this　same　magician　he　fell　into　a　great　rage；　　for　i　ought　to　tell　you　he　owned　the　island　and　he　wasnt　used　to　being　crossed。　he　was　　terribly　downright；　you　know。　but　let　me　see；　where　am　i？　oh　yes；　this　magician　then；　he　goes　　upstairs　（for　you　must　know　he　kept　all　his　magic　things　up　there　and　we　all　lived　down　　b