THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER-第18章

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　he　goes　　upstairs　（for　you　must　know　he　kept　all　his　magic　things　up　there　and　we　all　lived　down　　below）；　i　say　he　goes　upstairs　and　puts　a　spell　on　us。　an　uglifying　spell。　if　you　saw　us　　now；　which　in　my　opinion　you　may　thank　your　stars　you　cant；　you　wouldnt　believe　what　we　　looked　like　before　we　were　uglified。　you　wouldnt　really。　so　there　we　all　were　so　ugly　　we　couldnt　bear　to　look　at　one　another。　so　then　what　did　we　do？　well；　ill　tell　you　　what　we　did。　we　waited　till　we　thought　this　same　magician　would　be　asleep　in　the　afternoon　　and　we　creep　upstairs　and　go　to　his　magic　book；　as　bold　as　brass；　to　see　if　we　can　do　　anything　about　this　uglification。　but　we　were　all　of　a　sweat　and　a　tremble；　so　i　wont　　deceive　you。　but；　believe　me　or　believe　me　not；　i　do　assure　you　that　we　couldnt　find　any　　thing　in　the　way　of　a　spell　for　taking　off　the　ugliness。　and　what　with　time　getting　on　and　　being　afraid　that　　

the　old　gentleman　might　wake　up　any　minute　…　i　was　all　of　a　muck　sweat；　so　　i　wont　deceive　you　…　well；　to　cut　a　long　story　short；　whether　we　did　right　or　　whether　we　did　wrong；　in　the　end　we　see　a　spell　for　making　people　invisible。　and　we　　thought　wed　rather　be　invisible　than　go　on　being　as　ugly　as　all　that。　and　why？　because　wed　　like　it　better。　so　my　little　girl；　whos　just　about　your　little　girls　age；　and　a　sweet　child　　she　was　before　she　was　uglified；　though　now　…　but　least　said　soonest　mended　…　i　say；　my　little　　girl　she　says　the　spell；　for　its　got　to　be　a　little　girl　or　else　the　magician　himself；　　if　you　see　my　meaning；　for　otherwise　it　wont　work。　and　why　not？　because　nothing　happens。　so　my　　clipsie　says　the　spell；　for　i　ought　to　have　told　you　she　reads　beautifully；　and　there　we　　all　were　as　invisible　as　you　could　wish　to　see。　and　i　do　assure　you　it　was　a　relief　not　　to　see　one　anothers　faces。　at　first；　anyway。　but　the　long　and　the　short　of　it　is　　were　mortal　tired　of　being　invisible。　and　theres　another　thing。　we　never　reckoned　on　this　　magician　（the　one　i　was　telling　you　about　before）　going　invisible　too。　but　we　havent　ever　seen　　him　since。　so　we　dont　know　if　hes　dead；　or　gone　。away；　or　whether　hes　just　sitting　　upstairs　being　invisible；　and　perhaps　ing　down　and　being　invisible　there。　and；　believe　　me；　its　no　manner　of　use　listening　because　he　always　did　go　about　with　his　bare　feet　　on；　making　no　more　noise　than　a　great　big　cat。　and　ill　tell　all　you　gentlemen　straight；　　its　getting　more　than　what　our　nerves　can　stand。”

such　was　the　chief　voices　story；　but　very　much　shortened；　because　i　have　　left　out　what　the　other　voices　said。　actually　he　never　got　out　more　than　six　or　seven　　words　without　being　interrupted　by　their　agreements　and　encouragements；　which　drove　the　　narnians　nearly　out　of　their　minds　with　impatience。　when　it　was　over　there　was　a　　very　long　silence。

〃but；〃　said　lucy　at　last；　〃whats　all　this　got　to　do　with　us？　i　dont　　understand。”

〃why；　bless　me；　if　i　havent　gone　and　left　out　the　whole　point；〃　said　the　　chief　voice。

〃that　you　have；　that　you　have；〃　roared　the　other　voices　with　great　　enthusiasm。　〃no　one　couldnt　have　left　it　out　cleaner　and　better。　keep　it　up；　chief；　keep　it　　up。”

〃well；　i　neednt　go　over　the　whole　story　again；〃　began　the　chief　voice。

〃no。　certainly　not；〃　said　caspian　and　edmund。

〃well；　then；　to　put　it　in　a　nutshell；〃　said　the　chief　voice；　〃weve　been　　waiting　for　ever　so　long　for　a　nice　little　girl　from　foreign　parts；　like　it　might　be　you；　　missie　…　that　would　go　upstairs　and　go　to　the　magic　book　and　find　the　spell　that　takes　off　the　　invisibleness；　and　say　it。　and　we　all　swore　that　the　first　strangers　as　landed　on　this　island　　（having　a　nice　little　girl　with　them；　i　mean；　for　if　they　hadnt　itd　be　another　matter）　　we　wouldnt　let　them　go　away　alive　unless　theyd　done　the　needful　for　us。　and　thats　why；　　gentlemen；　if　your　little　girl　doesnt　e　up　to　scratch；　it　will　be　our　painful　duty　to　cut　　all　your　throats。

merely　in　the　way　of　business；　as　you　might　say；　and　no　offence；　i　hope。”

〃i　dont　see　all　your　weapons；〃　said　reepicheep。　〃are　they　invisible　too？〃　　the　words　were　scarcely　out　of　his　mouth　before　they　heard　a　whizzing　sound　and　next　　moment　a　spear　had　stuck；　quivering；　in　one　of　the　trees　behind　them。

〃thats　a　spear；　that　is；〃　said　the　chief　voice。

〃that　it　is；　chief；　that　it　is；〃　said　the　others。　〃you　couldnt　have　put　it　　better。”

〃and　it　came　from　my　hand；〃　the　chief　voice　continued。　〃they　get　visible　　when　they　leave　us。”

〃but　why　do　you　want　me　to　do　this？〃　asked　lucy。

〃why　cant　one　of　your　own　people？　havent　you　got　any　girls？”

〃we　dursent；　we　dursent；〃　said　all　the　voices。　〃were　not　going　upstairs　　again。”

〃in　other　words；〃　said　caspian；　〃you　are　asking　this　lady　to　face　some　　danger　which　you　darent　ask　your　own　sisters　and　daughters　to　face！”

〃thats　right；　thats　right；〃　said　all　the　voices　cheerfully。　〃you　couldnt　　have　said　it　better。

eh；　youve　had　some　education；　you　have。　anyone　can　see　that。”

〃well；　of　all　the　outrageous　…　〃　began　edmund；　but　lucy　interrupted。

〃would　i　have　to　go　upstairs　at　night；　or　would　it　do　in　daylight？”

〃oh；　daylight；　daylight；　to　be　sure；〃　said　the　chief　voice。　〃not　at　night。　　no　ones　asking　you　to　do　that。　go　upstairs　in　the　dark？　ugh。”

〃all　right；　then；　ill　do　it；〃　said　lucy。　〃no；〃　she　said；　turning　to　the　　others；　〃dont　try　to　stop　me。　cant　you　see　its　no　use？　there　are　dozens　of　them　there。　we　　cant　fight　them。

and　the　other　way　there　is　a　chance。”

〃but　a　magician！〃　said　caspian。

〃i　know；〃　said　lucy。　〃but　he　maynt　be　as　bad　as　they　make　out。　dont　you　　get　the　idea　that　these　people　are　not　very　brave？”

〃theyre　certainly　not　very　clever；〃　said　eustace。

〃look　here；　lu；〃　said　edmund。　〃we　really　cant　let　you　do　a　thing　like　　this。　ask　reep；　im　sure　hell　say　just　the　same。”

〃but　its　to　save　my　own　life　as　well　as　yours；〃　said　lucy。　〃i　dont　want　　to　be　cut　to　bits　with　invisible　swords　any　more　than　anyone　else。”

〃her　majesty　is　in　the　right；〃　said　reepicheep。　〃if　we　had　any　assurance　of　　saving　her　by　battle；　our　duty　would　be　very…plain。　it　appears　to　me　that　we　have　none。　　and　the　service　they　ask　of　her　is　in　no　way　contrary　to　her　majestys　honour；　but　a　noble　　and　heroical　act。　if　the　queens　heart　moves　her　to　risk　the　magician；　i　will　not　speak　　against　it。”

as　no　one　had　ever　known　reepicheep　to　be　afraid　of　anything；　he　could　say　　this　without　feeling　at　all　awkward。　but　the　boys；　who　had　all　been　afraid　quite　often；　　grew　very　red。

none　the　less；　it　was　such　obvious　sense　that　they　had　to　give　in。　loud　　cheers　broke　from　the　invisible　people　when　their　decision　was　announced；　and　the　chief　voice　　（warmly　supported　by　all　the　others）　invited　the　narnians　to　e　to　supper　and　　spend　the　night。

eustace　didnt　want　to　accept；　but　lucy　said；　〃im　sure　theyre　not　　treacherous。　theyre　not　like　that　at　all；〃　and　the　others　agreed。　and　so；　acpanied　by　an　　enormous　noise　of　thumpings　（which　became　louder　when　they　reached　the　flagged　and　echoing　　courtyard）

they　all　went　back　to　the　house。

m。



CHAPTER　TEN

。
the　magicians　book　　the　invisible　people　feasted　their　guests　royally。　it　was　very　funny　to　see　　the　plates　and　dishes　ing　to　the　table　and　not　to　see　anyone　carrying　them。　it　would　　have　been　funny　even　if　they　had　moved　along　level　with　the　floor；　as　you　would　expect　　things　to　do　in　invisible　hands。　but　they　didnt。　they　progressed　up　the　long　dining…hall　　in　a　series　of　bounds　or　jumps。　at　the　highest　point　of　each　jump　a　dish　would　be　about　　fifteen　feet　up　in　the　air；　then　it　would　e　down　and　stop　quite　suddenly　about　three　　feet　from　the　floor。　when　the　dish　contained　anything　like　soup　or　stew　the　result　was　　rather　disastrous。

〃im　beginning　to　feel　very　inquisitive　about　these　people；〃　whispered　　eustace　to　edmund。　〃do　you　think　theyre　human　at　all？　more　like　huge　grasshoppers　or　　giant　frogs；　i　should　say。”

〃it　does　look　like　it；〃　said　edmund。　〃but　dont　put　the　idea　of　the　　grasshoppers　into　lucys　head。　shes　not　too　keen　on　insects；　especially　big　ones。”

the　meal　would　have　been　pleasanter　if　it　had　not　been　so　exceedingly　　messy；　and　also　if　the　conversation　had　not　consisted　entirely　of　agreements。　the　invisible　　people　agreed　about　everything。　indeed　most　of　their　remarks　were　the　sort　it　would　not　　be　easy　to　disagree　with：　〃what　i　always　say　is；　when　a　chaps　hungry；　he　likes　some　　victuals；〃　or　〃getting　dark　now；　always　does　at　night；〃　or　even　〃ah；　youve　e　over　the　　water。

powerful　wet　stuff；　aint　it？〃　and　lucy　could　not　help　looking　at　the　dark　　yawning　entrance　to　the　foot　of　the　staircase　…　she　could　see　it　from　where　she　sat　　…　and　wondering　what　she　would　find　when　she　went　up　those　stairs　next　morning。　but　it　was　　a　good　meal　　

otherwise；　with　mushroom　soup　and　boiled　chickens　and　hot　boiled　ham　and　gooseberries；　redcurrants；　curds；　cream；　milk；　and　mead。　the　others　liked　　the　mead　but　eustace　was　sorry　afterwards　that　he　had　drunk　any。

when　lucy　woke　up　next　morning　it　was　like　waking　up　on　the　day　of　an　　examination　or　a　day　when　you　are　going　to　the　dentist。　it　was　a　lovely　morning　with　bees　　buzzing　in　and　out　of　her　open　window　and　the　lawn　outside　looking　very　like　somewhere　in　　england。

she　g