THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER-第7章

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ren　joined　in　because　they　liked　a　procession　and　had　seen　very　few。　　and　then　all　the　schoolboys　joined　in　because　they　also　liked　processions　and　felt　that　　the　more　noise　and　disturbance　there　was　the　less　likely　they　would　be　to　have　any　school　　that　morning。

and　then　all　the　old　women　put　their　heads　out　of　doors　and　windows　and　　began　chattering　and　cheering　because　it　was　a　king；　and　what　is　a　governor　　pared　with　that？　and　all　the　young　women　joined　in　for　the　same　reason　and　also　　because　caspian　and　drinian　and　the　rest　were　so　handsome。　and　then　all　the　young　men　came　　to　see　what　the　young　women　were　looking　at；　so　that　by　the　time　caspian　reached　the　　castle　gates；　nearly　the　whole　town　was　shouting；　and　where　gumpas　sat　in　the　castle；　　muddling　and　messing　about　with　accounts　and　forms　and　rules　and　regulations；　he　heard　　the　noise。

at　the　castle　gate　caspians　trumpeter　blew　a　blast　and　cried；　〃open　for　　the　king　of　narnia；　e　to　visit　his　trusty　and　wellbeloved　servant　the　governor　of　　the　lone　islands。〃　in　those　days　everything　in　the　islands　was　done　in　a　slovenly；　　slouching　manner。　only　the　little　postern　opened；　and　out　came　a　tousled　fellow　with　　a　dirty　old　hat　on　his　head　instead　of　a　helmet；　and　a　rusty　old　pike　in　his　hand。　he　　blinked　at　the　flashing　figures　before　him。　〃carn　…　seez　…　fishansy；〃　he　mumbled　which　was　　his　way　of　saying；　…〃you　cant　see　his　sufficiency〃）。　〃no　interviews　without　　pointments　cept　tween　nine　n　ten　p。m。　second　saturday　every　month。”

〃uncover　before　narnia；　you　dog；〃　thundered　the　lord　bern；　and　dealt　him　a　　rap　with　his　gauntleted　hand　which　sent　his　hat　flying　from　his　head。

〃ere？　wots　it　all　about？〃　began　the　doorkeeper；　but　no　one　took　any　　notice　of　him。　two　of　caspians　men　stepped　through　the　postern　and　after　some　struggling　with　　bars　and　bolts　（for　everything　was　rusty）　flung　both　wings　of　the　gate　wide　open。　　then　the　king　and　his　followers　strode　into　the　courtyard。　here　a　number　of　the　　governors　guards　were　lounging　about　and　several　more　（they　were　mostly　wiping　their　mouths）　came　　tumbling　out　of　various　doorways。　though　their　armour　was　in　a　disgraceful　　condition；　these　were　fellows　who　might　have　fought　if　they　had　been　led　or　had　known　what　was　　happening；　so　this　was　the　dangerous　moment。　caspian　gave　them　no　time　to　think。

〃where　is　the　captain？〃　he　asked。

〃i　am；　more　or　less；　if　you　know　what　i　mean；〃　said　a　languid　and　rather　　dandified　young　person　without　any　j　armour　at　all。

〃it　is　our　wish；〃　said　caspian；　〃that　our　royal　visitation　to　our　realm　of　　the　lone　islands　should；　if　possible；　be　an　occasion　of　joy　and　not　of　terror　to　our　loyal　　subjects。　if　it　were　not　for　that；　i　should　have　something　to　say　about　the　state　of　your　mens　　armour　and　weapons。　as　it　is；　you　are　pardoned。　mand　a　cask　of　wine　to　be　opened　　that；　your　men　may　drink　our　health。　but　at　noon　tomorrow　i　wish　to　see　them　here　in　　this　courtyard　looking　like　men…at…arms　and　not　like　vagabonds。　see　to　it　on　pain　of　our　　extreme　displeasure。”

the　captain　gaped　but　bern　immediately　cried；　〃three。　cheers　for　the　king；〃　　and　the　soldiers；　who　had　understood　about　the　cask　of　wine　even　if　they　understood　　nothing　else；　joined　in。　caspian　then　ordered　most　of　his　own　men　to　remain　in　the　　courtyard。　he；　with　bern　and　drinian　and　four　others；　went　into　the　hall。

behind　a　table　at　the　far　end　with　various　secretaries　about　him　sat　his　　sufficiency；　the　governor　of　the　lone　islands。　gumpas　was　a　bilious…looking　man　with　hair　　that　had　once　been　red　and　was　now　mostly　grey。　he　glanced　up　as　the　strangers　entered　　and　then　looked　down　at　his　papers　saying　automatically；　〃no　interviews　without　　appointments　except　between　nine　and　ten　p。m。　on　second　saturdays。”

caspian　nodded　to　bern　and　then　stood　aside。　bern　and　drinian　took　a　step　　forward　and　each　seized　one　end　of　the　table。　they　lifted　it；　and　flung　it　on　one　side　　of　the　hall　where　it　rolled　over；　scattering　a　cascade　of　letters；　dossiers；　ink…pots；　pens；　　sealing…wax　and　documents。　then；　not　roughly　but　as　firmly　as　if　their　hands　were　pincers　　of　steel；　they　plucked　gumpas　out　of　his　chair　and　deposited　him；　facing　it；　about　four　　feet　away。

caspian　at　once　sat　down　in　the　chair　and　laid　his　naked　sword　across　his　　knees。

〃my　lord；〃　said　he；　fixing　his　eyes　on　gumpas；　〃you　have　not　given　us　quite　　the　wele　we　expected。　i　am　the　king　of　narnia。”

〃nothing　about　it　in　the　correspondence；〃　said　the　governor。　〃nothing　in　　the　minutes。　we　have　not　been　notified　of　any　such　thing。　all　irregular。　happy　to　consider　　any　applications…”

〃and　we　are　e　to　enquire　into　your　sufficiencys　conduct　of　your　　office；〃　continued　caspian。　〃there　are　two　points　especially　on　which　i　require　an　　explanation。　firstly　i　find　no　record　that　the　tribute　due　from　these　islands　to　the　crown　of　narnia　　has　been　received　for　about　a　hundred　and　fifty　years。”

〃that　would　be　a　question　to　raise　at　the　council　next　month；〃　said　gumpas。　　〃if　anyone　moves　that　a　mission　of　enquiry　be　set　up　to　report　on　the　financial　　history　of　the　islands　at　the　first　meeting　next　year；　why　then　。　。　。”

〃i　also　find　it　very　clearly　written　in　our　laws；〃　caspian　went　on；　〃that　　if　the　tribute　is　not　delivered　the　whole　debt　has　to　be　paid　by　the　governor　of　the　lone　islands　　out　of　his　private　purse。”

at　this　gumpas　began　to　pay　real　attention。　〃oh；　thats　quite　out　of　the　　question；〃　he　said。

〃it　is　an　economic　impossibility　…　er　…　your　majesty　must　be　joking。”

inside；　he　was　wondering　if　there　were　any　way　of　getting　rid　of　these　　unwele　visitors。　had　he　known　that　caspian　had　only　one　ship　and　one　ships　　pany　with　him；　he　would　have　spoken　soft　words　for　the　moment；　and　hoped　to　have　them　all　　surrounded　and　killed　during　the　night。　but　he　had　seen　a　ship　of　war　sail　down　the　　straits　yesterday　and　seen　it　signalling；　as　he　supposed；　to　its　consorts。　he　had　not　then　　known　it　was　the　kings　ship　for　there　was　not　wind　enough　to　spread　the　flag　out　and　make　　the　golden　lion　visible；　so　he　had　waited　further　developments。　now　he　imagined　that　　caspian　had　a　whole　fleet　at　bernstead。　it　would　never　have　occurred　to　gumpas　that　　anyone　would　walk　into　narrowhaven　to　take　the　islands　with　less　than　fifty　men；　it　was　　certainly　not　at　all　the　kind　of　thing　he　could　imagine　doing　himself。

〃secondly；〃　said　caspian；　〃i　want　to　know　why　you　have　permitted　this　　abominable　and　unnatural　traffic　in　slaves　to　grow　up　here；　contrary　to　the　ancient　custom　　and　usage　of　our　dominions。”

〃necessary；　unavoidable；〃　said　his　sufficiency。　〃an　essential　part　of　the　　economic　development　of　the　islands；　i　assure　you。　our　present　burst　of　prosperity　　depends　on　it。”

〃what　need　have　you　of　slaves？”

〃for　export；　your　majesty。　sell　em　to　calormen　mostly；　and　we　have　other　　markets。　we　are　a　great　centre　of　the　trade。”

〃in　other　words；〃　said　caspian；　〃you　dont　need　them。　tell　me　what　purpose　　they　serve　except　to　put　money　into　the　pockets　of　such　as　pug？”

〃your　majestys　tender　years；〃　said　gumpas；　with　what　was　meant　to　be　a　　fatherly　smile；　〃hardly　make　it　possible　that　you　should　understand　the　economic　problem　　involved。　i　have　statistics；　i　have　graphs；　i　have…”

〃tender　as　my　years　be；〃　said　caspian；　〃i　believe　i　understand　the　slave　　trade　from　within　quite　as　well　as　your　sufficiency。　and　i　do　not　see　that　it　brings　　into　the　islands　meat　or　bread　or　beer　or　wine　or　timber　or　cabbages　or　books　or　instruments　　of　music　or　horses　or　armour　or　anything　else　worth　having。　but　whether　it　does　or　not；　　it　must　be　stopped。”

〃but　that　would　be　putting　the　clock　back；〃　gasped　the　governor。　〃have　you　　no　idea　of　progress；　of　development？”

〃i　have　seen　them　both　in　an　egg；〃　said　caspian。　〃we　call　it　‘going　bad　in　　narnia。　this　trade　must　stop。”

〃i　can　take　no　responsibility　for　any　such　measure；〃　said　gumpas。

〃very　well；　then；〃　answered　caspian；　〃we　relieve　you　of　your　office。　my　　lord　bern；　e　here。〃　and　before　gumpas　quite　realized　what　was　happening；　bern　was　　kneeling　with　his　hands　between　the　kings　hands　and　taking　the　oath　to　govern　the　　lone　islands　in　accordance　with　the　old　customs；　rights；　usages　and　laws　of　narnia。　and　　caspian　said；　〃i　think　we　have　had　enough　of　governors；〃　and　made　bern　a　duke；　the　duke　　of　the　lone　islands。

〃as　for　you；　my　lord；〃　he　said　to　gumpas；　〃i　forgive　you　your　debt　for　the　　tribute。　but　before　noon　tomorrow　you　and　yours　must　be　out　of　the　castle；　which　is　now　　the　dukes　residence。”

〃look　here；　this　is　all　very　well；〃　said　one　of　gumpass　secretaries；　〃but　　suppose　all　you　gentlemen　stop　playacting　and　we　do　a　little　business。　the　question　before　　us　really　is…”

〃the　question　is；〃　said　the　duke；　〃whether　you　and　the　rest　of　the　rabble　　will　leave　without　a　flogging　or　with　one。　you　may　choose　which　you　prefer。”

when　all　this　had　been　pleasantly　settled；　caspian　ordered　horses；　of　which　　there　were　a　few　in　the　castle；　though　very　ill…groomed　and　he；　with　bern　and　drinian　　and　a　few　others；　rode　out　into　the　town　and　made　for　the　slave　market。　it　was　a　long　　low　building　near　the　harbour　and　the　scene　which　they　found　going　on　inside　was　very　　much　like　any　other　auction；　tha