THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER-第27章

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fall　of　a　dream　was　　ever　heard。　let　him　sit　beside　these　other　three　and　drink　oblivion　till　you　return。”

〃oh；　do　lets　do　that；　caspian；〃　said　lucy。　〃im　sure　its　just　what　he　　would　love。”

at　that　moment　they　were　interrupted　by　the　sound　of　many　feet　and　voices：　　drinian　and　the　rest　of　the　ship　pany　were　approaching。　they　halted　in　surprise　whey　　they　saw　ramandu　and　his　daughter；　and　then；　because　these　were　obviously　great　　people；　every　man　uncovered　his　head。　some　sailors　eyed　the　empty　dishes　and　flagons　on　　the　table　with　regret。

〃my　lord；〃　said　the　king　to　drinian；　〃pray　send　two　men　back　to　the　dawn　　treader　with　a　message　to　the　lord　rhoop。　tell　him　that　the　last　of　his　old　shipmates　　are　here　asleep　…　a　sleep　without　dreams　…　and　that　he　can　share　it。”

when　this　had　been　done；　caspian　told　the　rest　to　sit　down　and　laid　the　　whole　situation　before　them。　when　he　had　finished　there　was　a　long　silence　and　some　　whispering　until　presently　the　master　bowman　got　to　his　feet；　and　said：　　〃what　some　of　us　have　been　wanting　to　ask　for　a　long　time；　your　majesty；　is　　how　were　ever　to　get　home　when　we　do　turn；　whether　we　turn　here　or　somewhere　else。　　its　been　west　and　north…west　winds　all　the　way；　barring　an　occasional　calm。　and　if　　that　doesnt　change；　id　like　to　know　what　hopes　we　have　of　seeing　narnia　again。　theres　　not　much　chance　of　supplies　lasting　while　we　row　all　that　way。

〃thats　landsmans　talk；〃　said　drinian。　〃theres　always　a　prevailing　west　　wind　in　these　seas　all　through　the　late　summer；　and　it　always　changes　after　the　new　year。　　well　have　plenty　of　wind　for　sailing　westward；　more　than　we　shall　like　from　all　　accounts。”

〃thats　true；　master；〃　said　an　old　sailor　who　was　a　galmian　by　birth。　〃you　　get　some　ugly　weather　rolling　up　from　the　east　in　january　and　february。　and　by　your　　leave；　sire；　if　i　was　in　mand　of　this　ship　id　say　to　winter　here　and　begin　the　voyage　　home　in　march。”

〃whatd　you　eat　while　you　were　wintering　here？〃　asked　eustace。

〃this　table；〃　said　ramandu；　〃will　be　filled　with　a　kings　feast　every　day　　at　sunset。”

〃now　youre　talking！〃　said　several　sailors。

〃your　majesties　and　gentlemen　and　ladies　all；〃　said　rynelf；　〃theres　just　　one　thing　i　want　to　say。　theres　not　one　of　us　chaps　as　was　pressed　on　this　journey。　were　　volunteers。　and　theres　some　here　chat　are　looking　very　hard　at　that　table　and　thinking　　about　kings　feasts　who　were　talking　very　loud　about　adventures　on　the　day　we　sailed　from　cair　　paravel；　and　swearing　they　wouldnt　e　home　till　wed　found　the　end　of　the　world。　and　　there　were　some　standing　on　the　quay　who　would　have　given　all　they　had　to　e　with　　us。　it　was　thought　a　finer　thing　then　to　have　a　cabin…boys　berth　on　the　dawn　treader　　than　to　wear　a　knights　belt。　i　dont　know　if　you　get　the　hang　of　what　im　saying。　but　　what　i　mean　is　that　i　think　chaps　who　set　out　like　us　will　look　as　silly　as　…　as　those　　dufflepuds　…　if　we　e　home　and　say　we　got　to　the　beginning　of　the　worlds　end　and　hadnt　the　　heart　to　go　further。”

some　of　the　sailors　cheered　at　this　but　some　said　that　that　was　all　very　　well。

〃this　isnt　going　to　be　much　fun；〃　whispered　edmund　to　caspian。　〃what　are　　we　to　do　if　half　those　fellows　hang　back？”

〃wait；〃　caspian　whispered　back。　〃ive　still　a　card　to　play。”

〃arent　you　going　to　say　anything；　reep？〃　whispered　lucy。

〃no。　why　should　your　majesty　expect　it？〃　answered　reepicheep　in　a　voice　　that　most　people　heard。　〃my　owns　plans　are　made。　while　i　can；　i　sail　east　in　the　dawn　　treader。

when　she　fails　me；　i　paddle　east　in　my　coracle。　when　she　sinks；　i　shall　　swim　east　with　my　four　paws。　and　when　i　can　swim　no　longer；　if　i　have　not　reached　aslans　　country；　or　shot　over　the　edge　of　the　world　in　some　vast　cataract；　i　shall　sink　with　my　　nose　to　the　sunrise　and　peepiceek　will　be　head　of　the　talking　mice　in　narnia。”

〃hear；　hear；〃　said　a　sailor；　〃ill　say　the　same；　barring　the　bit　about　the　　coracle；　which　wouldnt　bear　me。〃　he　added　in　a　lower　voice；　〃im　not　going　to　be　outdone　　by　a　mouse。”

at　this　point　caspian　jumped　to　his　feet。　〃friends；〃　he　said；　〃i　think　you　　have　not　quite　understood　our　purpose。　you　talk　as　if　we　had　e　to　you　with　our　hat　in　　our　hand；　begging　for　shipmates。　it　isnt　like　that　at　all。　we　and　our　royal　brother　　and　sister　and　their　kinsman　and　sir　reepicheep；　the　good　knight；　and　the　lord　drinian　　have　an　errand　to　the　worlds　edge。　it　is　our　pleasure　to　choose　from　among　such　of　you　as　　are　willing　those　whom　we　deem　worthy　of　so　high　an　enterprise。　we　have　not　said　that　　any　can　e　for　the　asking。　that　is　why　we　shall　now　mand　the　lord　drinian　and　　master　rhince　to　consider　carefully　what　men　among　you　are　the　hardest　in　battle；　　the　most　skilled　seamen；　the　purest　in　blood；　the　most　loyal　to　our　person；　and　the　　cleanest　of　life　and　manners；　and　to　give　their　names　to　us　in　a　schedule。〃　he　paused　and　　went　on　in　a　quicker　voice；　〃aslans　mane！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃do　you　think　that　the　　privilege　of　seeing　the　last　things　is　to　be　bought　for　a　song？　why；　every　man　that　es　with　　us　shall　bequeath　the　title　of　dawn　treader　to　all　his　descendants；　and　when　we　land　　at　cair　paravel　on　the　homeward　voyage　he　shall　have　either　gold　or　land　enough　to　　make　him　rich　all　his　life。　now　…　scatter　over　the　island；　all　of　you。　in　half　an　　hours　time　i　shall　receive　the　names　that　lord　drinian　brings　me。”

there　was　rather　a　sheepish　silence　and　then　the　crew　made　their　bows　and　　moved　away；　one　in　this　direction　and　one　in　that；　but　mostly　in　little　knots　or　　bunches；　talking。

〃and　now　for　the　lord　rhoop；〃　said　caspian。

but　turning　to　the　head　of　the　table　he　saw　that　rhoop　was　already　there。　　he　had　arrived；　silent　and　unnoticed；　while　the　discussion　was　going　on；　and　was　seated　　beside　the　lord　argoz。　the　daughter　of　ramandu　stood　beside　him　as　if　she　had　just　helped　　him　into　his　chair；　ramandu　stood　behind　him　and　laid　both　his　hands　on　rhoops　grey　　head。　even　in　daylight　a　faint　silver　light　came　from　the　hands　of　the　star。　there　was　a　　smile　on　rhoops　haggard　face。　he　held　out　one　of　his　hands　to　lucy　and　the　other　to　　caspian。　for　a　moment　it　looked　as　if　he　were　going　to　say　something。　then　his　smile　　brightened　as　if　he　were　feeling）　some　delicious　sensation；　a　long　sigh　of　contentment　came　　from　his　lips；　his　head　fell　forward；　and　he　slept。

〃poor　rhoop；〃　said　lucy。　〃i　am　glad。　he　must　have　had　terrible　times。〃　　　〃dont　lets　even　think　of　it；〃　said　eustace。

meanwhile　caspians　speech；　helped　perhaps　by　some　magic　of　the　island；　was　　having　just　the　effect　he　intended。　a　good　many　who　had　been　anxious　enough　to　get　　out　of　the　voyage　felt　quite　differently　about　being　left　out　of　it。　and　of　course　　whenever　any　one　sailor　announced　that　he　had　made　up　his　mind　to　ask　for　permission　to　　sail；　the　ones　who　hadnt　said　this　felt　that　they　were　getting　fewer　and　more　unfortable。　　so　that　before　the　half…hour　was　nearly　over　several　people　were　positively　〃sucking　up〃　　to　drinian　and　rhince　（at　least　that　was　what　they　called　it　at　my　school）　to　get　a　good　　report。　and　soon　there　were　only　three　left　who　didnt　want　to　go；　and　those　three　were　　trying　very　hard　to　persuade　others　to　stay　with　them。　and　very　shortly　after　that　there　was　　only　one　left。

and　in　they　end　he　began　to　be　afraid　of　being　left　behind　all　on　his　own　　and　changed　his　mind。

at　the　end　of　the　half…hour　they　all　came　trooping　back　to　aslans　table　　and　stood　at　one　end　while　drinian　and　rhince　went　and　sat　down　with　caspian　and　made　their　　report；　and　caspian　accepted　all　the　man　but　that　one　whod　had　changed　his　mind　at　　the　last　moment。　his　name　was　pittencream　and　he　stayed　on　the　island　of　the　star　　all　the　time　the　others　were　away　looking　for　the　worlds　end；　and　he　very　much　wished　　he　had　gone　with　them。　he　wasnt　the　sort　of　man　who　could　enjoy　talking　to　ramandu　and　ramandus　daughter　（nor　they　to　him）；　and　it　rained　a　good　deal；　and　though　　there　was　a　wonderful　feast　on　the　table　every　night；　he　didnt　very　much　enjoy　it。　he　　said　it　gave　him　the　creeps　sitting　there　alone　（and　in　the　rain　as　likely　as　not）　with　　those　four　lords　asleep　at　the　end　of　the　table。　and　when　the　others　returned　he　felt　so　out　　of　things　that　he　deserted　on　the　voyage　home　at　the　lone　islands；　and　went　and　lived　in　　calormen；　where　he　told　wonderful　stories　about　his　adventures　at　the　end　of　the　　world；　until　at　last　he　came　to　believe　them　himself。　so　you　may　say；　in　a　sense；　that　he　lived　　happily　ever　after。　but　he　could　never　bear　mice。

that　night　they　all　ate　and　drank　together　at　the　great　table　between　the　　pillars　where　the　feast　was　magically　renewed：　and　next　morning　the　dawn　treader　set　sail　　once　more　just　when　the　great　birds　had　e　and　gone　again。

〃lady；〃　said　caspian；　〃i　hope　to　speak　with　you　again　when　i　have　broken　　the　enchantments。〃　and　ramandus　daughter　looked　at　him　and　smiled。

d　　



CHAPTER　FIFTEEN

［。小＾说）网）
the　wonders　of　the　last　sea　　very　soon　after　they　had　left　ramandus　country　they　began　to　feel　that　　they　had　already　sailed　beyond　the　world。　all　was　different。　for　one　thing　they　all　　found　that　they　were　needing　less　sleep。　one　did　not　want　to　go　to　bed。　nor　to　eat　much；　　nor　even　to　talk　except　in　low　voices。　another