THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER-第26章

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caspian　obeyed　and　the　mouse；　standing　on　the　table；　held　up　a　golden　cup　　between　its　tiny　paws　and　said；　〃lady；　i　pledge　you。〃　then　it　fell　to　on　cold　peacock；　　and　in　a　short　while　everyone　else　followed　its　example。　all　were　very　hungry　and　the　　meal；　if　not　quite　what　you　wanted　for　a　very　early　breakfast；　was　excellent　as　a　very　late　　supper。

〃why　is　it　called　aslans　table？〃　asked　lucy　presently。

〃it　is　set　here　by　his　bidding；〃　said　the　girl；　〃for　those　who　e　so　far。　　some　call　this　island　the　worlds　end；　for　though　you　can　sail　further；　this　is　the　　beginning　of　the　end。”

〃but　how　does　the　food　keep？〃　asked　the　practical　eustace。　　？

〃it　is　eaten；　and　renewed　every　day；〃　said　the　girl。　〃this　you　will　see。”

〃and　what　are　we　to　do　about　the　sleepers？〃　asked　caspian。　〃in　the　world　　from　which　my　friends　e〃　（here；　he　nodded　at　eustace　and　the　pevensies）　〃they　have　　a　story　of　a　prince　or　a　king　ing　to　a　castle　where　all　the　people　lay　in　an　　enchanted　sleep。　in　that　story　he　could　not　dissolve　the　enchantment　until　he　had　kissed　the　　princess。”

〃but　here；〃　said　the　girl；　〃it　is　different。　here　he　cannot　kiss　the　　princess　till　he　has　dissolved　the　enchantment。”

〃then；〃　said　caspian；　〃in　the　name　of　aslan；　show　me　how　to　set　about　that　　work　at　once。”

〃my　father　will　teach　you　that；〃　said　the　girl。

〃your　father！〃　said　everyone。　〃who　is　he？　and　where？”

〃look；〃　said　the　girl；　turning　round　and　pointing　at　the　door　in　the　　hillside。　they　could　see　it　more　easily　now；　for　while　they　had　been　talking　the　stars　had　grown　　fainter　and　great　gaps　of　white　light　were　appearing　in　the　greyness　of　the　eastern　　sky。

xs



CHAPTER　FOURTEEN

小？说网
the　beginning　of　the　end　of　the　world　　slowly　the　door　opened　again　and　out　there　came　a　figure　as　tall　and　　straight　as　the　girls　but　not　so　slender。　it　carried　no　light　but　light　seemed　to　e　from　it。　　as　it　came　nearer；　lucy　saw　that　it　was　like　an　old　man。　his　silver　beard　came　down　to　his　　bare　feet　in　front　and　his　saver　hair　hung　down　to　his　heels　behind　and　his　robe　appeared　to　　be　made　from　the　fleece　of　silver　sheep。　he　looked　so　mild　and　grave　that　once　more　all　　the　travellers　rose　to　their　feet　and　stood　in　silence。

but　the　old　man　came　on　without　speaking　to　the　travellers　and　stood　on　the　　other　side　of　the　table　opposite　to　his　daughter。　then　both　of　them　held　up　their　arms　　before　them　and　turned　to　face　the　east。　in　that　position　the　began　to　sing。　i　wish　i　could　　write　down　the　song；　but　one　who　was　present　could　remember　it。　lucy　said　afterwards　that　　it　was　high；　almost　shrill；　but　very　beautiful；　cold　kind　of　song；　an　early　morning　kind　　of　song。　and　they　sang；　the　grey　clouds　lifted　from　the　eastern　sky　a　the　white　patches　　grew　bigger　and　　

bigger　till　it　was　white；　and　the　sea　began　to　shine　like　silver。　and　long　　afterwards　（but　those　two　sang　all　the　time）　the　east　began　to　turn　red　and　at　last；　　unclouded；　the　sun　came　up　out　the　sea　and　its　long　level　ray　shot　down　the　length　of　the　　table　on　the　gold　and　silver　sand　on　the　stone　knife。

once　or　twice　before；　the　narnians　had　wondered　whether　the　sun　at　its　　rising　did　not　look　bigger　in　these　seas　than　it　had　looked　at　home。　this　time　they　we　　certain。　there　was　no　mistaking　it。　and　the　brightness　its　ray　on　the　dew　and　on　the　table　　was　far　beyond　an。　morning　brightness　they　had　ever　seen。　and　as　edmu　said　　afterwards；　〃though　lots　of　things　happened　on　that　trip　which　sound　more　exciting；　　that　moment　was　really　the　most　exciting。〃　for　now　they　knew　that　they　had　truly　e　　to　the　beginning　of　the　end　of　the　world。

then　something　seemed　to　be　flying　at　them　out　of　the　very　centre　of　the　　rising　sun：　but　of　course　one　couldnt　look　steadily　in　that　direction　to　make　sure。　but　　presently　the　air　became　full　of　voices　…　voices　which　took　up　same　song　that　the　lady　and　　her　father　were　singing；　but　in　far　wilder　tones　and　in　a　language　which　no　one　knew　　and　soon　after　that　the　owners　of　these　voices　could　be　seen。　they　were　birds；　large　and　　white；　and　they　came　hundreds　and　thousands　and　alighted　on　everything；　the　grass；　and　the　　pavement；　on　the　table；　on　your　shoulders；　your　hands；　and　your　head；　till　it　looked　　as　heavy　snow　had　fallen。　for；　like　snow；　they　not　only　make　everything　white　but　blurred　　and　blunted　all　shapes。　but　lucy；　looking　out　from　between　the　wings　of　the　birds　that　　covered　her；　saw　one　bird　fly　to　the　old　man　with　something　in　its　beak　that　looked　like　　a　little　fruit；　unless　it　was　a　little　live　coal；　which　it　might　have　been；　for　it　was　too　　bright　to　look　at。

and　the　bird　laid　it　in　the　old　mans　mouth。

then　the　birds　stopped　their　singing　and　appeared　to　be　very　busy　about　the　　table。　when　they　rose　from　it　again　everything　on　the　table　that　could　be　eaten　or　　drunk　had　disappeared。　these　birds　rose　from　their　meal　in　their　thousands　and　　hundreds　and　carried　away　all　the　things　that　could　not　be　eaten　or　drunk；　such　as　bones；　rinds；　　and　shells；　and　took　their　flight　back　to　the　rising　sun。　but　now；　because　they　were　not　　singing；　the　whir　of　their　wings　seemed　to　set　the　whole　air　a…tremble。　and　there　was　the　　table　pecked　clean　and　empty；　and　the　three　old　lords　of　narnia　still　fast　asleep。

now　at　last　the　old　man　turned　to　the　travellers　and　bade　them　wele。

〃sir；〃　said　caspian；　〃will　you　tell　us　how　to　undo　the　enchantment　which　　holds　these　three　narnian　lords　asleep。”

〃i　will　gladly　tell　you　that；　my　son；〃　said　the　old　man。　〃to　break　this　　enchantment　you　must　sail　to　the　worlds　end；　or　as　near　as　you　can　e　to　it；　and　you　　must　e　back　having　left　at　least　one　of　your　pany　behind。”

〃and　what　must　happen　to　that　one？〃　asked　reepicheep。

〃he　must　go　on　into　the　utter　east　and　never　return　into　the　world。”

〃that　is　my　hearts　desire；〃　said　reepicheep。

〃and　are　we　near　the　worlds　end　now；　sir？〃　asked　caspian。　〃have　you　any　　knowledge　of　the　seas　and　lands　further　east　than　this？”

〃i　saw　them　long　ago；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃but　it　was　from　a　great　height。　i　　cannot　tell　you　such　things　as　sailor　need　to　know。”

〃do　you　mean　you　were　flying　in　the　air？〃　eustace　blurted　out。

〃i　was　a　long　way　above　the　air；　my　son；〃　replied　the　old　man。　〃i　am　　ramandu。　but　i　see　that　you　stare　at　on　another　and　have　not　heard　this　name。　and　no　wonder；　　for　the　days　when　i　was　a　star　had　ceased　long　before　any　of　you　knew　this　world；　and　　all　the　constellations　have　changed。”

〃golly；〃　said　edmund　under　his　breath。　〃hes　a　retired　star。”

〃arent　you　a　star　any　longer？〃　asked　lucy。

〃i　am　a　star　at　rest；　my　daughter；〃　answered　ramandu　　〃when　i　set　for　the　last　time；　decrepit　and　old　beyond　all　that　you　can　　reckon；　i　was　carried　to　this　island。　i　am　not　so　old　now　as　i　was　then。　every　morning　a　　bird　brings　me　a　fire…berry　from　the　valleys　in　the　sun；　and　each　fire…berry　takes　away　a　　little　of　my　age。

and　when　i　have　bee　as　young　as　the　child　that　was　born　yesterday；　then　　i　shall　take　my　rising　again　（for　we　are　at　earths　eastern　rim）　and　once　more　tread　the　　great　dance。”

〃in　our　world；〃　said　eustace；　〃a　star　is　a　huge　ball　of　flaming　gas。”

〃even　in　your　world；　my　son；　that　is　not　what　a　star　is　but　only　what　it　is　　made　of。　and　in　this　world　you　ave　already　met　a　star；　for　i　think　you　have　been　with　　coriakin。”

〃is　he　a　retired　star；　too？〃　said　lucy。

〃well；　not　quite　the　same；〃　said　ramandu。　〃it　was　not　quite　as　a　rest　than　　he　was　set　to　govern　the　duffers。　you　might　call　it　a　punishment。　he　might　have　shone　for　　thousands　of　years　more　in　the　southern　winter　sky　if　all　had　gone　well。”

〃what　did　he　do；　sir？〃　asked　caspian。

〃my　son；〃　said　ramandu；　〃it　is　not　for　you；　a　son　of　adam；　to　know　what　　faults　a　star　can　mit。　but　e；　we　waste　time　in　such　talk。　are　you　yet　resolved？　will　　you　sail　further　east　and　e　again；　leaving　one　to　return　no　more；　and　so　break　　the　enchantment？　or　will　you　sail　westward？”

〃surely；　sire；〃　said　reepicheep；　〃there　is　no　question　about　that？　it　is　　very　plainly　part　of　our　quest　to　rescue　these　three　lords　from　enchantment。”

〃i　think　the　same；　reepicheep；〃　replied　caspian。　〃and　even　if　it　were　not　　so；　it　would　break　my　heart　not　to　go　as　near　the　worlds　end　as　the　dawn　treader　will　　take　us。　but　i　am　thinking　of　the　crew。　they　signed　on　to　seek　the　seven　lords；　not　to　　reach　the　rim　of　the　earth。　if　we　sail　east　from　here　we　sail　to　find　the　edge；　the　utter　　east。　and　not　one　knows　how　far　it　is。　theyre　brave　fellows；　but　i　set　signs　that　some　of　　them　are　weary　of　the　voyage　and　long　to　have　our　prow　pointing　to　narnia　again。　i　dont　　think　should　take　them　further　without　their　knowledge　an　consent。　and　then　theres　the　poor　　lord　rhoop。

hes　broken　man。”

〃my　son；〃　said　the　star；　〃it　would　be　no　use；　even　though　you　wished　it；　to　　sail　for　the　worlds　end　with　men　unwilling　or　men　deceived。　that　is　not　how　great　　unenchantments　are　achieved。　they　must　know　where　they　go　and　why。　but　who　is　this　broken　　man　you　speak　of？”

caspian　told　ramandu　the　story　of　rhoop。

〃i　can　give　him　what　he　needs　most；〃　said　ramandu。　〃i　this　island　there　is　　sleep　without　stint　or　measure；　and　sleep　in　which　no　faintest　footfall　of　a　dream　was　　ever　heard。　let　him　sit