THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER-第29章

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　one　position。　drinian　and　edmund　were　beside　her。

〃look；〃　she　said。

they　both　looked；　but　almost　at　once　drinian　said　in　a　low　voice：　　〃turn　round　at　once；　your　majesties　…　thats　right；　with　our　backs　to　the　　sea。　and　dont　look　as　if　we　were　talking　about　anything　important。”

〃why；　whats　the　matter？〃　said　lucy　as　she　obeyed。

〃itll　never　do　for　the　sailors　to　see　all　that；〃　said　drinian。　〃well　have　　men　falling　in　love　with　a　seawoman；　or　falling　in　love　with　the　under…sea　country　itself；　and　　jumping　overboard。　ive　heard　of　that　kind　of　thing　happening　before　in　strange　　seas。　its　always　unlucky　to　see　these　people。”

〃but　we　used　to　know　them；〃　said　lucy。　〃in　the　old　days　at　cair　paravel　　when　my　brother　peter　was　high　king。　they　came　to　the　surface　and　sang　at　our　　coronation。”

〃i　think　that　must　have　been　a　different　kind；　lu；〃　said　edmund。　〃they　　could　live　in　the　air　as　well　as　under　water。　i　rather　think　these　cant。　by　the　look　of　them　　theyd　have　surfaced　and　started　attacking　us　long　ago　if　they　could。　they　seem　very　　fierce。”

〃at　any　rate；〃　said　drinian；　but　at　that　moment　two　sounds　were　heard。　one　　was　a　plop。

the　other　was　a　voice　from　the　fighting　top　shouting；　〃man　overboard！〃　then　　everyone　was　busy。　some　of　the　sailors　hurried　aloft　to　take　in　the　sail：　others　　hurried　below　to　get　to　the　oars；　and　rhince；　who　was　on　duty　on　the　poop；　began　to　put　the　helm　　hard　over　so　as　to　e　round　and　back　to　the　man　who　had　gone　overboard。　but　by　now　　everyone　knew　that　it　wasnt　strictly　a　man。　it　was　reepicheep。

〃drat　that　mouse！〃　said　drinian。　〃its　more　trouble　than　all　the　rest　of　　the　ships　pany　put　together。　if　there　is　any　scrape　to　be　got　into；　in　it　will　get！　it　　ought　to　be　put　in　irons　…　keel…hauled　…　marooned　…　have　its　whiskers　cut　off。　can　anyone　see　the　　little　blighter？”

all　this　didnt　mean　that　drinian　really　disliked　reepicheep。　on　the　　contrary　he　liked　him　very　much　and　was　therefore　frightened　about　him；　and　being　frightened　put　　him　in　a　bad　temper　…　just　as　your　mother　is　much　angrier　with　you　for　running　out　into　　the　road　in　front　of　a　car　than　a　stranger　would　be。　no　one；　of　course；　was　afraid　of　　reepicheeps　drowning；　for　he　was　an　excellent　swimmer；　but　the　three　who　knew　what　was　　going　on　below　the　water　were　afraid　of　those　long；　cruel　spears　in　the　hands　of　the　　sea　people。

in　a　few　minutes　the　dawn　treader　had　e　round　and　everyone　could　see　the　　black　blob　in　the　water　which　was　reepicheep。　he　was　chattering　with　the　greatest　　excitement　but　as　his　mouth　kept　on　getting　filled　with　water　nobody　could　understand　　what　he　was　saying。

〃hell　blurt　the　whole　thing　out　if　we　dont　shut　him　up；〃　cried　drinian。　　to　prevent　this　he　rushed　to　the　side　and　lowered　a　rope　himself；　shouting　to　the　sailors；　　〃all　right；　all　right。

back　to　your　places。　i　hope　i　can　heave　a　mouse　up　without　help。〃　and　as　　reepicheep　began　climbing　up　the　rope　not　very　nimbly　because　his　wet　fur　made　him　　heavy　…　drinian　leaned　over　and　whispered　to　him；　　〃dont　tell。　not　a　word。”

but　when　the　dripping　mouse　had　reached　the　deck　it　turned　out　not　to　be　at　　all　interested　in　the　sea　people。

〃sweet！〃　he　cheeped。　〃sweet；　sweet！”

〃what　are　you　talking　about？〃　asked　drinian　crossly。　〃and　you　neednt　shake　　yourself　all　over　me；　either。”

〃i　tell　you　the　waters　sweet；〃　said　the　mouse。　〃sweet；　fresh。　it　isnt　　salt。”

for　a　moment　no　one　quite　took　in　the　importance　of　this。　but　then　　reepicheep　once　more　repeated　the　old　prophecy：　　〃where　the　waves　grow　sweet；　doubt　not；　reepicheep；　there　is　the　utter　　east。”

then　at　last　everyone　understood。

〃let　me　have　a　bucket；　rynelf；〃　said　drinian。

it　was　handed　him　and　he　lowered　it　and　up　it　came　again。　the　water　shone　　in　it　like　glass。

〃perhaps　your　majesty　would　like　to　taste　it　first；〃　said　drinian　to　　caspian。

the　king　took　the　bucket　in　both　hands；　raised　it　to　his　lips；　sipped；　then　　drank　deeply　and　raised　his　head。　his　face　was　changed。　not　only　his　eyes　but　everything　　about　him　seemed　to　be　brighter。

〃yes；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　sweet。　thats　real　water；　that。　im　not　sure　that　it　　isnt　going　to　kill　me。　but　it　is　the　death　i　would　have　chosen　…　if　id　known　about　it　till　　now。”

〃what　do　you　mean？〃　asked　edmund。

〃it　…　its　like　light　more　than　anything　else；〃　said　caspian。

〃that　is　what　it　is；〃　said　reepicheep。　〃drinkable　light。　we　must　be　very　　near　the　end　of　the　world　now。”

there　was　a　moments　silence　and　then　lucy　knelt　down　on　the　deck　and　drank　　from　the　bucket。

〃its　the　loveliest　thing　i　have　ever　tasted；〃　she　said　with　a　kind　of　　gasp。　〃but　oh　…　its　strong。　we　shant　need　to　eat　anything　now。”

and　one　by　one　everybody　on　board　drank。　and　for　a　long　time　they　were　all　　silent。　they　felt　almost　too　well　and　strong　to　bear　it；　and　presently　they　began　to　　notice　another　result。　as　i　have　said　before；　there　had　been　too　much　light　ever　since　　they　left　the　island　of　ramandu　…　the　sun　too　large　（though　not　too　hot）；　the　sea　too　bright；　　the　air　too　shining。　now；　the　light　grew　no　less　…　if　anything；　it　increased　…　but　they　　could　bear　it。

they　could　look　straight　up　at　the　sun　without　blinking。　they　could　see　　more　light　than　they　had　ever　seen　before。　and　the　deck　and　the　sail　and　their　own　faces　　and　bodies　became　brighter　and　brighter　and　every　rope　shone。　and　next　morning；　when　　the　sun　rose；　now　five　or　six　times　its　old　size；　they　stared　hard　into　it　and　　could　see　the　very　feathers　of　the　birds　that　came　flying　from　it。

hardly　a　word　was　spoken　on　board　all　that　day；　till　about　dinner…time　（no　　one　wanted　any　dinner；　the　water　was　enough　for　them）　drinian　said：　　〃i　cant　understand　this。　there　is　not　a　breath　of　wind。　the　sail　hangs　　dead。　the　sea　is　as　flat　as　a　pond。　and　yet　we　drive　on　as　fast　as　if　there　were　a　gale　behind　　us。”

〃ive　been　thinking　that；　too；〃　said　caspian。　〃we　must　be　caught　in　some　　strong　current。”

〃hm；〃　said　edmund。　〃thats　not　so　nice　if　the　world　really　has　an　edge　and　　were　getting　near　it。”

〃you　mean；〃　said　caspian；　〃that　we　might　be　just　well；　poured　over　it？”

〃yes；　yes；〃　cried　reepicheep；　clapping　his　paws　together。　〃thats　how　ive　　always　imagined　it　…　the　world　like　a　great　round　table　and　the　waters　of　all　the　　oceans　endlessly　pouring　over　the　edge。　the　ship　will　tip　up　stand　on　her　head　…　for　one　　moment　we　shall　see　over　the　edge　…　and　then；　down；　down；　the　rush；　the　speed　…”

〃and　what　do　you　think　will　be　waiting　for　us　at　the　bottom；　eh？〃　said　　drinian。

〃aslans　country　perhaps；〃　said　the　mouse；　its　eyes　shining。　〃or　perhaps　　there　isnt　any　bottom。　perhaps　it　goes　down　for　ever　and　ever。　but　whatever　it　is；　wont　　it　be　worth　anything　just　to　have　looked　for　one　moment　beyond　the　edge　of　the　world。”

〃but　look　…here；〃　said　eustace；　〃this　is　all　rot。　the　worlds　round　…　i　　mean；　round　like　a　ball；　not　like　a　table。”

〃our　world　is；〃　said　edmund。　〃but　is　this？”

〃do　you　mean　to　say；〃　asked　caspian；　〃that　you　three　e　from　a　round　　world　（round　like　a　ball）　and　youve　never　told　me！　its　really　too　bad　of　you。　because　　we　have　fairy…tales　in　which　there　are　round　worlds　and　i　always　loved　them。　i　never　　believed　there　were　any　real　ones。　but　ive　always　wished　there　were　and　ive　always　　longed　to　live　in　one。　oh；　id　give　anything　…　i　wonder　why　you　can　get　into　our　world　and　we　　never　get　into　yours？　if　only　i　had　the　chance！　it　must　be　exciting　to　live　on　a　　thing　like　a　ball。

have　you　ever　been　to　the　parts　where　people　walk　about　upside…down？”

edmund　shook　his　head。　〃and　it　isnt　like　that；〃　he　added。　〃theres　nothing　　particularly　exciting　about　a　round　world　when　youre　there。

……



CHAPTER　SIXTEEN

，小，说，网
the　very　end　of　the　world　　

reepicheep　was　the　only　person　on　board　besides　drinian　and　the　two　　pevensies　who　had　noticed　the　sea　people。　he　had　dived　in　at　once　when　he　saw　the　sea　　king　shaking　his　spear；　for　he　regarded　this　as　a　sort　of　threat　or　challenge　and　wanted　　to　have　the　matter　out　there　and　then。　the　excitement　of　discovering　that　the　water　was　　now　fresh　had　distracted　his　attention；　and　before　he　remembered　the　sea　people　again　　lucy　and　drinian　had　taken　him　aside　and　warned　him　not　to　mention　what　he　had　seen。

as　things　turned　out　they　need　hardly　have　bothered；　for　by　this　time　the　　dawn　treader　was　gliding　over　a　part　of　the　sea　which　seemed　to　be　uninhabited。　no　one　　except　lucy　saw　anything　more　of　the　people；　and　even　she　had　only　one　short　glimpse。　　all　morning　on　the　following　day　they　sailed　in　fairly　shallow　water　and　the　bottom　was　　weedy。　just　before　midday　lucy　saw　a　large　shoal　of　fishes　grazing　on　the　weed。　they　　were　all　eating　steadily　and　all　moving　in　the　same　direction。　〃just　like　a　flock　of　　sheep；〃　thought　lucy。

suddenly　she　saw　a　little　sea　girl　of　about　her　own　age　in　the　middle　of　　them　…　a　quiet；　lonely…looking　girl　with　a　sort　of　crook　in　her　hand。　lucy　felt　sure　that　　this　girl　must　be　a　shepherdess　…　or　perhaps　a　fish…herdess　and　that　the　shoal　was　really　a　　flock　at　pasture。

both　the　fishes　and　the　girl　were　quite　close　to　the　surface。　and　just　as　　the　girl；　gliding　in　the　shallow　water；　and　lucy；　leaning　over　the　bulwark；　came　opposite　to　one　　anoth