THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER-第30章

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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　　another；　the　girl　looked　up　and　stared　straight　into　lucys　face。　neither　could　speak　to　　the　other　and　in　a　moment　the　sea　girl　dropped　astern。　but　lucy　will　never　forget　her　face。　　it　did　not　look　frightened　or　angry　like　those　of　the　other　sea　people。　lucy　had　liked　that　　girl　and　she　felt　certain　the　girl　had　liked　her。　in　that　one　moment　they　had　somehow　　bee　friends。

there　does　not　seem　to　be　much　chance　of　their　meeting　again　in　that　world　　or　any　other。

but　if　ever　they　do　they　will　rush　together　with　their　hands　held　out。

after　that　for　many　days；　without　wind　in　her　shrouds　or　foam　at　her　bows；　　across　a　waveless　sea；　the　dawn　treader　glided　smoothly　east。　every　day　and　every　　hour　the　light　became　more　brilliant　and　still　they　could　bear　it。　no　one　ate　or　slept　and　　no　one　wanted　to；　but　they　drew　buckets　of　dazzling　water　from　the　sea；　stronger　than　　wine　and　somehow　wetter；　more　liquid；　than　ordinary　water；　and　pledged　one　another　　silently　in　deep　draughts　of　it。　and　one　or　two　of　the　sailors　who　had　been　oldish　men　　when　the　voyage　began　now　grew　younger　every　day。　everyone　on　board　was　filled　with　　joy　and　excitement；　but　not　an　excitement　that　made　one　talk。　the　further　they　　sailed　the　less　they　spoke；　and　then　almost　in　a　whisper。　the　stillness　of　that　last　sea　laid　　hold　on　them。

〃my　lord；〃　said　caspian　to　drinian　one　day；　〃what　do　you　see　ahead？”

〃sire；〃　said　drinian；　〃i　see　whiteness。　all　along　the　horizon　from　north　to　　south；　as　far　as　my　eyes　can　reach。”

〃that　is　what　i　see　too；〃　said　caspian；　〃and　i　cannot　imagine　what　it　is。”

〃if　we　were　in　higher　latitudes；　your　majesty；〃　said　drinian；　〃i　would　say　　it　was　ice。　but　it　cant　be　that；　not　here。　all　the　same；　wed　better　get　men　to　the　oars　　and　hold　the　ship　　

back　against　the　current。　whatever　the　stuff　is；　we　dont　want　to　crash　　into　it　at　this　speed！”

they　did　as　drinian　said；　and　so　continued　to　go　slower　and　slower。　the　　whiteness　did　not　get　any　less　mysterious　as　they…　approached　it。　if　it　was　land　it　must　　be　a　very　strange　land；　for　it　seemed　just　as　smooth　as　the　water　and　on　the　same　level　with　　it。　when　they　got　very　close　to　it　drinian　put　the　helm　hard　over　and　turned　the　dawn　　treader　south　so　that　she　was　broadside　on　to　the　current　and　rowed　a　little　way　southward　　along　the　edge　of　the　whiteness。　in　so　doing　they　accidentally　made　the　important　　discovery　that　the　current　was　only　about　forty　feet　wide　and　the　rest　of　the　sea　as　still　as　　a　pond。　this　was　good　news　for　the　crew；　who　had　already　begun　to　think　that　the　return　　journey　to　ramandus　land；　rowing　against　stream　all　the　way；　would　be　pretty　poor　　sport。　（it　also　explained　why　the　shepherd　girl　had　dropped　so　quickly　astern。　she　was　not　　in　the　current。　if　she　had　been　she　would　have　been　moving　east　at　the　same　speed　　as　the　ship。）

and　still　no　one　could　make　out　what　the　white　stuff　was。　then　the　boat　was　　lowered　and　it　put　off　to　investigate。　those　who　remained　on　the　dawn　treader　could　see　　that　the　boat　pushed　right　in　amidst　the　whiteness。　then　they　could　hear　the　voices　of　　the　party　in　the　boat　clear　across　the　still　water）　talking　in　a　shrill　and　surprised　way。　　then　there　was　a　pause　while　rynelf　in　the　bows　of　the　boat　took　a　sounding；　and　when；　after　　that；　the　boat　came　rowing　back　there　seemed　to　be　plenty　of　the　white　stuff　inside　her。　　everyone　crowded　to　the　side　to　hear　the　news。

〃lilies；　your　majesty！〃　shouted　rynelf；　standing　up　in　the　bows。

〃what　did　you　say？〃　asked　caspian。

〃blooming　lilies；　your　majesty；〃　said　rynelf。　〃same　as　in　a　pool　or　in　a　　garden　at　home。”

〃look！〃　said　lucy；　who　was　in　the　stern　of　the　boat。　she　held　up　her　wet　　arms　full　of　white　petals　and　broad　flat　leaves。

〃whats　the　depth；　rynelf？〃　asked　drinian。

〃thats　the　funny　thing；　captain；〃　said　rynelf。　〃its　still　deep。　three　and　　a　half　fathoms　clear。”

〃they　cant　be　real　lilies　…　not　what　we　call　lilies；〃　said　eustace。

probably　they　were　not；　but　they　were　very　like　them。　and　when；　after　some　　consultation；　the　dawn　treader　turned　back　into　the　current　and　began　to　glide　eastward　　through　the　lily　lake　or　the　silver　sea　（they　tried　both　these　names　but　it　was　the　　silver　sea　that　stuck　and　is　now　on　caspians　map）　the　strangest　part　of　their　travels　　began。　very　soon　the　open　sea　which　they　were　leaving　was　only　a　thin　rim　of　blue　on　the　　western　horizon。

whiteness；　shot　with　faintest　colour　of　gold；　spread　round　them　on　every　　side；　except　just　astern　where　their　passage　had　thrust　the　lilies　apart　and　left　an　open　　lane　of　water　that　　

shone　like　dark　green　glass。　to　look　at；　this　last　sea　was　very　like　the　　arctic；　and　if　their　eyes　had　not　by　now　grown　as　strong　as　eagles　the　sun　on　all　that　　whiteness　…　especially　at　early　morning　when　the　sun　was　hugest　would　have　been　unbearable。　and　　every　evening　the　same　whiteness　made　the　daylight　last　longer。　there　seemed　no　　end　to　the　lilies。　day　after　day　from　all　those　miles　and　leagues　of　flowers　there　　rose　a　smell　which　lucy　found　it　very　hard　to　describe；　sweet　…　yes；　but　not　at　all　sleepy　or　　overpowering；　a　fresh；　wild；　lonely　smell　that　seemed　to　get　into　your　brain　and　make　you　　feel　that　you　could　go　up　mountains　at　a　run　or　wrestle　with　an　elephant。　she　and　caspian　　said　to　one　another；　〃i　feel　that　i　cant　stand　much　more　of　this；　yet　i　dont　want　it　　to　stop。”

they　took　soundings　very　often　but　it　was　only　several　days　later　that　the　　water　became　shallower。　after　that　it　went　on　getting　shallower。　there　came　a　day　when　　they　had　to　row　out　of　the　current　and　feel　their　way　forward　at　a　snails　pace；　　rowing。　and　soon　it　was　clear　that　the　dawn　treader　could　sail　no　further　east。　indeed　it　was　　only　by　very　clever　handling　that　they　saved　her　from　grounding。

〃lower　the　boat；〃　cried　caspian；　〃and　then　call　the　men　aft。　i　must　speak　　to　them。”

〃whats　he　going　to　do？〃　whispered　eustace　to　edmund。　〃theres　a　queer　look　　in　his　eyes。”

〃i　think　we　probably　all　look　the　same；〃　said　edmund。

they　joined　caspian　on　the　poop　and　soon　all　the　men　were　crowded　together　　at　the　foot　of　the　ladder　to　hear　the　kings　speech。　〃friends；〃　said　caspian；　〃we　have　　now　fulfilled　the　quest　on　which　you　embarked。　the　seven　lords　are　all　accounted　for　and　　as　sir　reepicheep　has　sworn　never　to　return；　when　you　reach　ramandus　land　you　　will　doubtless　find　the　lords　revilian　and　argoz　and　mavramorn　awake。　to　you；　my　　lord　drinian；　i　entrust　this　ship；　bidding　you　sail　to　narnia　with　all　the　speed　　you　may；　and　above　all　not　to　land　on　the　island　of　deathwater。　and　instruct　my　regent；　　the　dwarf　trumpkin；　to　give　to　all　these；　my　shipmates；　the　rewards　i　promised　them。　　they　have　been　earned　well。　and　if　i　e　not　again　it　is　my　will　that　the　regent；　　and　master　cornelius；　and　trufflehunter　the　badger；　and　the　lord　drinian　choose　a　king　　of　narnia　with　the　consent…”

〃but；　sire；〃　interrupted　drinian；　〃are　you　abdicating？”

〃i　am　going　with　reepicheep　to　see　the　worlds　end；〃　said　caspian。

a　low　murmur　of　dismay　ran　through　the　sailors。

〃we　will　take　the　boat；〃　said　caspian。　〃you　will　have　no　need　of　it　in　　these　gentle　seas　and　you　must　build　a　new　one　in　ramandus　island。　and　now…”

〃caspian；〃　said　edmund　suddenly　and　sternly；　〃you　cant　do　this。”

〃most　certainly；〃　said　reepicheep；　〃his　majesty　cannot。”

〃no　indeed；〃　said　drinian。

〃cant？〃　said　caspian　sharply；　looking　for　a　moment　not　unlike　his　uncle　　miraz。

〃begging　your　majestys　pardon；〃　said　rynelf　from　the　deck　below；　〃but　if　　one　of　us　did　the　same　it　would　be　called　deserting。”

〃you　presume　too　much　on　your　long　service；　rynelf；〃　said　caspian。

〃no；　sire！　hes　perfectly　right；〃　said　drinian。

〃by　the　mane　of　aslan；〃　said　caspian；　〃i　had　thought　you　were　all　my　　subjects　here；　not　my　schoolmasters。”

〃im　not；〃　said　edmund；　〃and　i　say　you　can　not　do　this。”

〃cant　again；〃　said　caspian。　〃what　do　you　mean？”

〃if　it　please　your　majesty；　we　mean　shall　not；〃　said　reepicheep　with　a　very　　low　bow。

〃you　are　the　king　of　narnia。　you　break　faith　with　all　your　subjects；　and　　especially　with　trumpkin；　if　you　do　not　return。　you　shall　not　please　yourself　with　　adventures　as　if　you　were　a　private　person。　and　if　your　majesty　will　not　hear　reason　it　will　be　　the　truest　loyalty　of　every　man　on　board　to　follow　me　in　disarming　and　binding　you　　till　you　e　to　your　senses。”

〃quite　right；〃　said　edmund。　〃like　they　did　with　ulysses　when　he　wanted　to　　go　near　the　sirens。”

caspians　hand　had　gone　to　his　sword　hilt；　when　lucy　said；　〃and　youve　　almost　promised　ramandus　daughter　to　go　back。”

caspian　paused。　〃well；　yes。　there　is　that；〃　he　said。　he　stood　irresolute　　for　a　moment　and　then　shouted　out　to　the　ship　in　general。

〃well；　have　your　way。　the　quest　is　ended。　we　all　return。　get　the　boat　up　　again。”

〃sire；〃　said　reepicheep；　〃we　do　not　all　return。　i；　as　i　explained　before　…”

〃silence！〃　thundered　caspian。　〃ive　been　lessoned　but　ill　not　be　baited。　　will　no　one　silence　that　mouse？”

〃your　majesty　promised；〃　said　reepicheep；　〃to　b