THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER-第5章

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at　each　word　he　gave　　eustace　a　blow　with　the　side　of　his　rapier；　which　was　thin；　fine　dwarf…tempered　steel　and　　as　supple　and　effective　as　a　birch　rod。　eustace　（of　course）　was　at　a　school　where　they　　didnt　have　corporal　punishment；　so　the　sensation　was　quite　new　to　him。　that　was　why；　　in　spite　of　having　no　sealegs；　it　took　him　less　than　a　minute　to　get　off　that　　forecastle　and　cover　the　whole　length　of　the　deck　and　burst　in　at　the　cabin　door　…　still　hotly　　pursued　by　　

reepicheep。　indeed　it　seemed　to　eustace　that　the　rapier　as　well　as　the　　pursuit　was　hot。　it　might　have　been　red…hot　by　the　feel。

there　was　not　much　difficulty　in　settling　the　matter　once　eustace　realized　　that　everyone　took　the　idea　of　a　duel　seriously　and　heard　caspian　offering　to　lend　him　a　　sword；　and　drinian　and　edmund　discussing　whether　he　ought　to　be　handicapped　in　some　　way　to　make　up　for　his　being　so　much　bigger　than　reepicheep。　he　apologized　sulkily　　and　went　off　with　lucy　to　have　his　hand　bathed　and　bandaged　and　then　went　to　his　　bunk。　he　was　careful　to　lie　on　his　side。

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CHAPTER　THREE

　生
the　lone　islands　　〃land　in　sight；〃　shouted　the　man　in　the　bows。

lucy；　who　had　been　talking　to　rhince　on　the　poop；　came　pattering　down　the　　ladder　and　raced　forward。　as　she　went　she　was　joined　by　edmund；　and　they　found　　caspian；　drinian　and　reepicheep　already　on　the　forecastle。　it　was　a　coldish　morning；　the　sky　　very　pale　and　the　sea　very　dark　blue　with　little　white　caps　of　foam；　and　there；　a　little　　way　off　on　the　starboard　bow；　was　the　nearest　of　the　lone　islands；　felimath；　like　a　low　　green　hill　in　the　sea；　and　behind　it；　further　off；　the　grey　slopes　of　its　sister　doorn。

〃same　old　felimath！　same　old　doorn；〃　said　lucy；　clapping　her　hands。　〃oh　…　　edmund；　how　long　it　is　since　you　and　i　saw　them　last！”

〃ive　never　understood　why　they　belong　to　narnia；〃　said　caspian。　〃did　peter　　the　high　king　conquer　them？”

〃oh　no；〃　said　edmund。　〃they　were　narnian　before　our　time　…　in　the　days　of　　the　white　witch。”

（by　the　way；　i　have　never　yet　heard　how　these　remote　islands　became　　attached　to　the　crown　of　narnia；　if　i　ever　do；　and　if　the　story　is　at　all　interesting；　i　　may　put　it　in　some　other　book。）

〃are　we　to　put　in　here；　sire？〃　asked　drinian。

〃1　shouldnt　think　it　would　be　much　good　landing　on　felimath；〃　said　edmund。　　〃it　was　almost　uninhabited　in　our　days　and　it　looks　as　if　it　was　the　same　still。　　the　people　lived　mostly　on　doorn　and　a　little　on　avra　…　thats　the　third　one；　you　cant　see　　it　yet。　they　only　kept　sheep　on　felimath。”

〃then　well　have　to　double　that　cape；　i　suppose；〃　said　drinian；　〃and　land　　on　doorn。

thatll　mean　rowing。”

〃im　sorry　were　not　landing　on　felimath；〃　said　lucy。　〃id　like　to　walk　　there　again。　it　was　so　lonely　…　a　nice　kind　of　loneliness；　and　all　grass　and　clover　and　soft　　sea　air。”

〃id　love　to　stretch　my　legs　now　too；〃　said　caspian。　〃i　tell　you　what。　why　　shouldnt　we　go　ashore　in　the　boat　and　send　it　back；　and　then　we　could　walk　across　felimath　　and　let　the　dawn　treader　pick　us　up　on　the　other　side？”

if　caspian　had　been　as　experienced　then　as　he　became　later　on　in　this　　voyage　he　would　not　have　made　this　suggestion；　but　at　the　moment　it　seemed　an　excellent　　one。　〃oh　do　lets；〃　said　lucy。

〃youll　e；　will　you？〃　said　caspian　to　eustace；　who　had　e　on　deck　with　　his　hand　bandaged。

〃anything　to　get　off　this　blasted　boat；〃　said　eustace。

〃blasted？〃　said　drinian。　〃how　do　you　mean？”

〃in　a　civilized　country　like　where　i　e　from；〃　said　eustace；　〃the　ships　　are　so　big　that　when　youre　inside　you　wouldnt　know　you　were　at　sea　at　all。”

〃in　that　case　you　might　just　as　well　stay　ashore；〃　said　caspian。　〃will　you　　tell　them　to　lower　the　boat；　drinian。”

the　king；　the　mouse；　the　two　pevensies；　and　eustace　all　got　into　the　boat　　and　were　pulled　to　the　beach　of　felimath。　when　the　boat　had　left　them　and　was　being　　rowed　back　they　all　turned　and　looked　round。　they　were　surprised　at　how　small　the　dawn　　treader　looked。

lucy　was　of　course　barefoot；　having　kicked　off　her　shoes　while　swimming；　　but　that　is　no　hardship　if　one　is　going　to　walk　on　downy　turf。　it　was　delightful　to　be　　ashore　again　and　to　smell　the　earth　and　grass；　even　if　at　first　the　ground　seemed　to　be　　pitching　up　and　down　like　a　ship；　as　it　usually　does　for　a　while　if　one　has　been　at　sea。　it　was　　much　warmer　here　than　it　had　been　on　board　and　lucy　found　the　sand　pleasant　to　her　feet　as　　they　crossed　it。

there　was　a　lark　singing。

they　struck　inland　and　up　a　fairly　steep；　though　low；　hill。　at　the　top　of　　course　they　looked　back；　and　there　was　the　dawn　treader　shining　like　a　great　bright　　insect　and　crawling　slowly　north…westward　with　her　oars。　then　they　went　over　the　ridge　　and　could　see　her　no　longer。

doom　now　lay　before　them；　divided　from　felimath　by　a　channel　about　a　mile　　wide；　behind　it　and　to　the　left　lay　avra。　the　little　white　town　of　narrowhaven　on　　doorn　was　easily　seen。

〃hullo！　whats　this？〃　said　edmund　suddenly。

in　the　green　valley　to　which　they　were　descending　six　or　seven　rough…　looking　men；　all　armed；　were　sitting　by　a　tree。

〃dont　tell　them　who　we　are；〃　said　caspian。

〃and　pray；　your　majesty；　why　not？〃　said　reepicheep　who　had　consented　to　　ride　on　lucys　shoulder。

〃it　just　occurred　to　me；〃　replied　caspian；　〃that　no　one　here　can　have　heard　　from　narnia　for　a　long　time。　its　just　possible　they　may　not　still　acknowledge　our　　over…lordship。　in　which　case　it　might　not　be　quite　safe　to　be　known　as　the　king。”

〃we　have　our　swords；　sire；〃　said　reepicheep。

〃yes；　reep；　i　know　we　have；〃　said　caspian。　〃but　if　it　is　a　question　of　re…　conquering　the　three　islands；　id　prefer　to　e　back　with　a　rather　larger　army。”

by　this　time　they　were　quite　close　to　the　strangers；　one　of　whom　…　a　big　　black…haired　fellow　…　shouted　out；　〃a　good　morning　to　you。”

〃and　a　good　morning　to　you；〃　said　caspian。　〃is　there　still　a　governor　of　　the　lone　islands？”

〃to　be　sure　there　is；〃　said　the　man；　〃governor　gumpas。　his　sufficiency　is　　at　narrowhaven。　but　youll　stay　and　drink　with　us。”

caspian　thanked　him；　though　neither　he　nor　the　others　much　liked　the　look　　of　their　new　acquaintance；　and　all　of　them　sat　down。　but　hardly　had　they　raised　their　　cups　to　their　lips　when　the　black…haired　man　nodded　to　his　panions　and；　as　quick　as　　lightning；　all　the　five　visitors　found　themselves　wrapped　in　strong　arms。　there　was　a　moments　　struggle　but　all　the　advantages　were　on　one　side；　and　soon　everyone　was　disarmed　and　　had　their　hands　tied　behind　their　backs　except　reepicheep；　writhing　in　his　captors　　grip　and　biting　furiously。

〃careful　with　that　beast；　tacks；〃　said　the　leader。　〃dont　damage　him。　hell　　fetch　the　best　price　of　the　lot；　i　shouldnt　wonder。”

〃coward！　poltroon！〃　squeaked　reepicheep。　〃give　me　my　sword　and　free　my　paws　　if　you　dare。”

〃whew！〃　whistled　the　slave　merchant　（for　that　is　what　he　was）。　〃it　can　　talk！　well　i　never　did。　blowed　if　i　take　less　than　two　hundred　crescents　for　him。〃　the　　calormen　crescent；　which　is　the　chief　coin　in　those　parts；　is　worth　about　a　third　of　a　pound。

〃so　thats　what　you　are；〃　said　caspian。　〃a　kidnapper　and　slaver。　i　hope　　youre　proud　of　it。”

〃now；　now；　now；　now；〃　said　the　slaver。　〃dont　you　start　any　jaw。　the　easier　　you　take　it；　the　pleasanter　all　round；　see？　i　dont　do　this　for　fun。　ive　got　my　living　　to　make　same　as　anyone　else。”

〃where　will　you　take　us？〃　asked　lucy；　getting　the　words　out　with　some　　difficulty。

〃over　to　narrowhaven；〃　said　the　slaver。　〃for　market　day　tomorrow。”

〃is　there　a　british　consul　there？〃　asked　eustace。

〃is　there　a　which？〃　said　the　man。

but　long　before　eustace　was　tired　of　trying　to　explain；　the　slaver　simply　　said；　〃well；　ive　had　enough　of　this　jabber。　the　mouse　is　a　fair　treat　but　this　one　would　　talk　the　hind　leg　off　a　donkey。　off　we　go；　mates。”

then　the　four　human　prisoners　were　roped　together；　not　cruelly　but　　securely；　and　made　to　march　down　to　the　shore。　reepicheep　was　carried。　he　had　stopped　biting　on　a　　threat　of　having　his　mouth　tied　up；　but　he　had　a　great　deal　to　say；　and　lucy　really　　wondered　how　any　man　could　bear　to　have　the　things　said　to　him　which　were　said　to　the　　slave　dealer　by　the　mouse。　but　the　slave　dealer；　far　from　objecting；　only　said　〃go　on〃　　whenever　reepicheep　paused　for　breath；　occasionally　adding；　〃its　as　good　as　a　　play；〃　or；　〃blimey；　you　cant　help　almost　thinking　it　knows　what　its　saying！〃　or　〃was　it　one　　of　you　what　trained　it？〃　this　so　infuriated　reepicheep　that　in　the　end　the　number　of　　things　he　thought　of　saying　all　at　once　nearly　suffocated　him　and　he　became　silent。

when　they　got　down　to　the　shore　that　looked　towards　doorn　they　found　a　　little　village　and　a　long…boat　on　the　beach　and；　lying　a　little　further　out；　a　dirty　　bedraggled　looking　ship。

〃now；　youngsters；〃　said　the　slave　dealer；　〃lets　have　no　fuss　and　then　　youll　have　nothing　to　cry　about。　all　aboard。”

at　that　moment　a　fine…looking　bearded　man　came　out　of　one　of　the　houses　（an　　inn；　i　think）　and　said：　　〃well；　pug。　more　of　your　usual　wares？”

the　slaver；　whose　name　seemed　to　be　pug；　bowed　very　low；　and　said　in　a　　wheedling　kind　of　voice；　〃yes；　please　your　lordship。”

〃how　much　do　you　want　for　that　boy？〃　asked　the　other；　pointing　to　caspian。