THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER-第4章

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g　as　fast　as　they　could　towards　the　nearest　land　they　knew；　and　that　they　had　no　　more　power　of　sending　him　back　to　cambridge　…　which　was　where　uncle　harold　lived　…　　than　of　sending　him　to　the　moon。　after　that　he　sulkily　agreed　to　put　on　the　fresh　　clothes　which　had　been　put　out　for　him　and　e　on　deck。

caspian　now　showed　them　over　the　ship；　though　indeed　they　had　seen　most　it　　already。

they　went　up　on　the　forecastle　and　saw　the　look…out　man　standing　on　a　　little　shelf　inside　the　gilded　dragons　neck　and　peering　through　its　open　mouth。　inside　the　　forecastle　was　the　galley　（or　ships　kitchen）　and　quarters　for　such　people　as　the　　boatswain；　the　carpenter；　the　cook　and　the　master…archer。　if　you　think　it　odd　to　have　the　galley　in　　the　bows　and　imagine　the　smoke　from　its　chimney　streaming　back　over　the　ship；　that　is　　because　you　are　thinking　of　steamships　where　there　is　always　a　headwind。　on　a　sailing　ship　　the　wind　is　ing　from　behind；　and　anything　smelly　is　put　as　far　forward　as　possible。　　they　were　taken　up　to　the　fighting　top；　and　at　first　it　was　rather　alarming　to　rock　　to　and　fro　there　and　see　the　deck　looking　small　and　far　away　beneath。　you　realized　that　if　you　　fell　there　was　no　particular　reason　why　you　should　fall　on　board　rather　than　in　the　sea。　　then　they　were　taken　to　the　poop；　where　rhince　was　on　duty　with　another　man　at　the　great　　tiller；　and　behind　that　the　dragons　tail　rose　up；　covered　with　gilding；　and　round　　inside　it　ran　a　little　bench。　the　name　of　the　ship　was　dawn　treader。　she　was　only　a　little　bit　of　　a　thing　pared　with　one　of　our　i　ships；　or　even　with　the　cogs；　dromonds；　carracks　　and　galleons　which　narnia　had　owned　when　lucy　and　edmund　had　reigned　there　under　peter　　as　the　high　king；　for　nearly　all　navigation　had　died　out　in　the　reigns　of　　caspians　ancestors。

when　his　uncle；　miraz　the　usurper；　had　sent　the　seven　lords　to　sea；　they　　had　had　to　buy　a　galmian　ship　and　man　it　with　hired　galmian　sailors。　but　now　caspian　had　　begun　to　teach　the　narnians　to　be　sea…faring　folk　once　more；　and　the　dawn　treader　was　the　　finest　ship　he　had　built　yet。　she　was　so　small　that；　forward　of　the　mast；　there　was　　hardly　any　deck　room　between　the　central　hatch　and　the　ships　boat　on　one　side　and　the　hen　…coop　（lucy　fed　the　hens）　on　the　other。　but　she　was　a　beauty　of　her　kind；　a　〃lady〃　as　　sailors　say；　her　lines　perfect；　her　colours　pure；　and　every　spar　and　rope　and　pin　lovingly　　made。　eustace　of　course　would　be　pleased　with　nothing；　and　kept　on　boasting　about　liners　and　　motor…boats　and　aeroplanes　and　submarines　（〃as　if　he　knew　anything　about　them；〃　　muttered　edmund）；　but　the　other　two　were　delighted　with　the　dawn　treader；　and　when　　they　returned　aft　to　the　cabin　and　supper；　and　saw　the　whole　western　sky　lit　up　　with　an　immense　crimson　sunset；　and　felt　the　quiver　of　the　ship；　and　tasted　the　　salt　on　their　lips；　and　thought　of　unknown　lands　on　the　eastern　rim　of　the　world；　lucy　felt　　that　she　was　almost　too　happy　to　speak。

what　eustace　thought　had　best　be　told　in　his　own　words；　for　when　they　all　　got　their　clothes　back；　dried；　next　morning；　he　at　once　got　out　a　little　black　　notebook　and　a　pencil　and　started　to　keep　a　diary。　he　always　had　this　notebook　with　him　and　kept　　a　record　of　his　marks　in　it；　for　though　he　didnt　care　much　about　any　subject　for　its　　own　sake；　he　　

cared　a　great　deal　about　marks　and　would　even　go　to　people　and　say；　〃i　got　　so　much。

what　did　you　get？〃　but　as　he　didnt　seem　likely　to　get　many　marks　on　the　　dawn　treader　he　now　started　a　diary。　this　was　the　first　entry。

〃7　august。　have　now　been　twenty…four　hours　on　this　ghastly　boat　if　it　isnt　　a　dream。　all　the　time　a　frightful　storm　has　been　raging　（its　a　good　thing　im　not　　seasick）。　huge　waves　keep　ing　in　over　the　front　and　i　have　seen　the　boat　nearly　go　under　any　　number　of　times。　all　the　others　pretend　to　take　no　notice　of　this；　either　from　swank　　or　because　harold　says　one　of　the　most　cowardly　things　ordinary　people　do　is　to　shut　　their　eyes　to　facts。　its　madness　to　e　out　into　the　sea　in　a　rotten　little　thing　like　　this。　not　much　bigger　than　a　lifeboat。　and；　of　course；　absolutely　primitive　indoors。　no　　proper　saloon；　no　radio；　no　bathrooms；　no　deck…chairs。　i　was　dragged　all　over　it　yesterday　　evening　and　it　would　make　anyone　sick　to　hear　caspian　showing　off　his　funny　little　toy　　boat　as　if　it　was　the　queen　mary。　i　tried　to　tell　him　what　real　ships　are　like；　but　hes　too　　dense。　e。　and　l。；　o　f　course；　didnt　back　me　up。　i　suppose　a　kid　like　l。　doesnt　realize　the　　danger　and　e。　is　buttering　up　c。　as　everyone　does　here。　they　call　him　a　king。　i　said　i　was　a　　republican　but　he　had　to　ask　me　what　that　meant！　he　doesnt　seem　to　know　anything　at　　all。　needless　to　say　ive　been　put　in　the　worst　cabin　of　the　boat；　a　perfect　dungeon；　and　　lucy　has　been　given　a　whole　room　on　deck　to　herself；　almost　a　nice　room　pared　with　the　　rest　of　this　place。　c。　says　thats　because　shes　a　girl。　i　tried　to　make　him　see　what　　alberta　says；　that　all　that　sort　of　thing　is　really　lowering　girls　but　he　was　too　dense。　　still；　he　might　see　that　i　shall　be　ill　if　im　kept　in　that　hole　any　longer。　e。　says　we　mustnt　　grumble　because　c。　is　sharing　it　with　us　himself　to　make　room　for　l。　as　if　that　didnt　make　it　　more　crowded　and　far　worse。　nearly　forgot　to　say　that　there　is　also　a　kind　of　mouse　thing　　that　gives　everyone　the　most　frightful　cheek。　the　others　can　put　up　with　it　if　they　　like　but　i　shall　twist　his　tail　pretty　soon　if　he　tries　it　on　me。　the　food　is　frightful　　too。”

the　trouble　between　eustace　and　reepicheep　arrived　even　sooner　than　might　　have　been　expected。　before　dinner　next　day；　when　the　others　were　sitting　round　the　　table　；　waiting　（being　at　sea　gives　one　a　magnificent　appetite）；　eustace　came　rushing　in；　　wringing　his　hand　and　shouting　out：　　〃that　little　brute　has　half　killed　me。　i　insist　on　it　being　kept　under　　control。　i　could　bring　an　action　against　you；　caspian。　i　could　order　you　to　have　it　destroyed。”

at　the　same　moment　reepicheep　appeared。　his　sword　was　drawn　and　his　　whiskers　looked　very　fierce　but　he　was　as　polite　as　ever。

〃i　ask　your　pardons　all；〃　he　said；　〃and　especially　her　majestys。　if　i　had　　known　that　he　would　take　refuge　here　i　would　have　awaited　a　more　reasonable　time　for　his　　correction。”

〃what　on　earths　up？〃　asked　edmund。

what　had　really　happened　was　this。　reepicheep；　who　never　felt　that　the　ship　　was　getting　on　fast　enough；　loved　to　sit　on　the　bulwarks　far　forward　just　beside　the　　dragons　head；　gazing　out　at　the　eastern　horizon　and　singing　softly　in　his　little　　chirruping　voice　the　song　　

the　dryad　had　made　for　him。　he　never　held　on　to　anything；　however　the　ship　　pitched；　and　kept　his　balance　with　perfect　ease；　perhaps　his　long　tail；　hanging　down　to　　the　deck　inside　the　bulwarks；　made　this　easier。　everyone　on　board　was　familiar　with　this　　habit；　and　the　sailors　liked　it　because　when　one　was　on　look…out　duty　it　gave　one　somebody　　to　talk　to。

why　exactly　eustace　had　slipped　and　reeled　and　stumbled　all　the　way　forward　　to　the　forecastle　（he　had　not　yet　got　his　sea…legs）　i　never　heard。　perhaps　he　　hoped　he　would　see　land；　or　perhaps　he　wanted　to　hang　about　the　galley　and　scrounge　something。　　anyway；　as　soon　as　he　saw　that　long　tail　hanging　down　…　and　perhaps　it　was　rather　　tempting　…　he　thought　it　would　be　delightful　to　catch　hold　of　it；　swing　reepicheep　round　　by　it　once　or　twice　upside…down；　then　run　away　and　laugh；　at　first　the　plan　seemed　to　　work　beautifully。　the　mouse　was　not　much　heavier　than　a　very　large　cat。　eustace　　had　him　off　the　rail　in　a　trice　and　very　silly　he　looked　（thought　eustace）　with　his　　little　limbs　all　splayed　out　and　his　mouth　open。　but　unfortunately　reepicheep；　who　had　　fought　for　his　life　many　a　time；　never　lost　his　head　even　for　a　moment。　nor　his　skill。　it　　is　not　very　easy　to　draw　ones　sword　when　one　is　swinging　round　in　the　air　by　ones　tail；　　but　he　did。　and　the　next　thing　eustace　knew　was　two　agonizing　jabs　in　his　hand　which　made　　him　let　go　of　the　tail；　and　the　next　thing　after　that　was　that　the　mouse　had　picked　　itself　up　again　as　if　it　were　a　ball　bouncing　off　the　deck；　and　there　it　was　facing　him；　and　a　　horrid　long；　bright；　sharp　thing　like　a　skewer　was　waving　to　and　fro　within　an　inch　of　　his　stomach。

（this　doesnt　count　as　below　the　belt　for　mice　in　narnia　because　they　can　　hardly　be　expected　to　reach　higher。）

〃stop　it；〃　spluttered　eustace；　〃go　away。　put　that　thing　away。　its　not　　safe。　stop　it；　i　say。　ill　tell　caspian。

ill　have　you　muzzled　and　tied　up。”

〃why　do　you　not　draw　your　own　sword；　poltroon！〃　cheeped　the　mouse。　〃draw　　and　fight　or　ill　beat　you　black　and　blue　with　the　flat。”

〃i　havent　got　one；〃　said　eustace。　〃im　a　pacifist。　i　dont　believe　in　　fighting。”

〃do　i　understand；〃　said　reepicheep；　withdrawing　his　sword　for　a　moment　and　　speaking　very　sternly；　〃that　you　do　not　intend　to　give　me　satisfaction？”

〃i　dont　know　what　you　mean；〃　said　eustace；　nursing　his　hand。　〃if　you　dont　　know　how　to　take　a　joke　i　shant　bother　my　head　about　you。”

〃then　take　that；〃　said　reepicheep；　〃and　that　…　to　teach　you　manners　…　and　　the　respect　due　to　a　knight　…　and　a　mouse　…　and　a　mouses　tail　…〃　and　at　each　word　he　gave　　eustace　a　blow　with　the　side　of　his　rapier；　which　was　thin；　fine　dwarf…tempere