THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER-第8章

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he　harbour　and　the　scene　which　they　found　going　on　inside　was　very　　much　like　any　other　auction；　that　is　to　say；　there　was　a　great　crowd　and　pug；　on　a　　platform；　was　roaring　out　in　a　raucous　voice：　　〃now；　gentlemen；　lot　twenty…three。　fine　terebinthian　agricultural　labourer；　　suitable　for　the　mines　or　the　galleys。　under　twenty…five　years　of　age。　not　a　bad　tooth　　in　his　head。

good；　brawny　fellow。　take　off　his　shirt；　tacks；　and　let　the　gentlemen　see。　　theres　muscle　for　you！　look　at　the　chest　on　him。　ten　crescents　from　the　gentleman　in　the　　corner。　you　must　be　joking；　sir。　fifteen！　eighteen！　eighteen　is　bidden　for　lot　twenty…　three。　any　advance　on　eighteen？　twenty…one。　thank　you；　sir。　twenty…one　is　bidden…”

but　pug　stopped　and　gaped　when　he　saw　the　mail…clad　figures　who　had　clanked　　up　to　the　platform。

〃on　your　knees；　every　man　of　you；　to　the　king　of　narnia；〃　said　the　duke。　　everyone　heard　the　horses　jingling　and　stamping　outside　and　many　had　heard　some　　rumour　of　the　landing　and　the　events　at　the　castle。　most　obeyed。　those　who　did　not　were　　pulled　down　by　their　neighbours。　some　cheered。

〃your　life　is　forfeit；　pug；　for　laying　hands　on　our　royal　person　　yesterday；〃　said　caspian。

〃but　your　ignorance　is　pardoned。　the　slave　trade　was　forbidden　in　all　our　　dominions　quarter　of　an　hour　ago。　i　declare　every　slave　in　this　market　free。”

he　held　up　his　hand　to　check　the　cheering　of　the　slaves　and　went　on；　〃where　　are　my　friends？”

〃that　dear　little　gel　and　the　nice　young　gentleman？〃　said　pug　with　an　　ingratiating　smile。

〃why；　they　were　snapped　up　at　once…”

〃were　here；　were　here；　caspian；〃　cried　lucy　and　edmund　together　and；　〃at　　your　service；　sire；〃　piped　reepicheep　from　another　corner。　they　had　all　been　　sold　but　the　men　who　had　bought　them　were　staying　to　bid　for　other　slaves　and　so　they　had　　not　yet　been　taken　away。　the　crowd　parted　to　let　the　three　of　them　out　and　there　was　　great　handclasping　and　greeting　between　them　and　caspian。　two　merchants　of　　calormen　at　once　approached。　the　calormen　have　dark　faces　and　long　beards。　they　wear　　flowing　robes　and　orange…coloured　turbans；　and　they　are　a　wise；　wealthy；　courteous；　　cruel　and　ancient　people。　they　bowed　most　politely　to　caspian　and　paid　him　long　　pliments；　all　about　the　fountains　of　prosperity　irrigating　the　gardens　of　prudence　and　　virtue　…　and　things　like　that　…　but　of　course　what　they　wanted　was　the　money　they　had　　paid。

〃that　is　only　fair；　sirs；〃　said　caspian。　〃every　man　who　has　bought　a　slave　　today　must　have　his　money　back。　pug；　bring　out　your　takings　to　the　last　minim。〃　（a　　minim　is　the　fortieth　part　of　a　crescent。）

〃does　your　good　majesty　mean　to　beggar　me？〃　whined　pug。

〃you　have　lived　on　broken　hearts　all　your　life；〃　said　caspian；　〃and　if　you　　are　beggared；　it　is　better　to　be　a　beggar　than　a　slave。　but　where　is　my　other　friend？”

〃oh　him？〃　said　pug。　〃oh　take　him　and　wele。　glad　to　have　him　off　my　　hands。　ive　never　seen　such　a　drug　in　the　market　in　all　my　born　days。　priced　him　at　　five　crescents　in　the　end　and　even　so　nobodyd　have　him。　threw　him　in　free　with　other　lots　　and　still　no　one　would　have　him。　wouldnt　touch　him。　wouldnt　look　at　him。　packs；　bring　out　　sulky。”

thus　eustace　was　produced；　and　sulky　he　certainly　looked；　for　though　no　one　　would　want　to　be　sold　as　a　slave；　it　is　perhaps　even　more　galling　to　be　a　sort　of　　utility　slave　whom　no　one　will　buy。　he　walked　up　to　caspian　and　said；　〃i　see。　as　usual。　　been　enjoying　yourself　somewhere　while　the　rest　of　us　were　prisoners。　i　suppose　　you　havent　even　found　out　about　the　british　consul。　of　course　not。”

that　night　they　had　a　great　feast　in　the　castle　of　narrowhaven　and　then；　　〃tomorrow　for　the　beginning　of　our　real　adventures！〃　said　reepicheep　when　he　had　made　his　　bows　to　everyone　and　went　to　bed。　but　it　could　not　really　be　tomorrow　or　anything　　like　it。　for　now　they　were　preparing　to　leave　all　known　lands　and　seas　behind　them　and　　the　fullest　preparations　had　to　be　made。　the　dawn　treader　was　emptied　and　drawn　on　land　　by　eight　horses　over　rollers　and　every　bit　of　her　was　gone　over　by　the　most　skilled　　shipwrights。

then　she　was　launched　again　and　victualled　and　watered　as　full　as　she　could　　hold　…　that　is　to　say　for　twenty…eight　days。　even　this；　as　edmund　noticed　with　　disappointment；　only　gave　them　a　fortnights　eastward　sailing　before　they　had　to　abandon　their　　quest。

while　all　this　was　being　done　caspian　missed　no　chance　of　questioning　all　　the　oldest　sea　captains　whom　he　could　find　in　narrowhaven　to　learn　if　they　had　any　　knowledge　or　even　any　rumours　of　land　further　to　the　east。　he　poured　out　many　a　flagon　of　the　　castle　ale　to　weather…beaten　men　with　short　grey　beards　and　clear　blue　eyes；　and　many　a　　tall　yarn　he　heard　in　return。　but　those　who　seemed　the　most　truthful　could　tell　of　no　　lands　beyond　the　lone　islands；　and　many　thought　that　if　you　sailed　too　far　east　you　would　　e　into　the　surges　of　a　sea　without　lands　that　swirled　perpetually　round　the　rim　of　the　　world　…　〃and　that；　i　reckon；　is　where　your　majestys　friends　went　to　the　bottom。〃　the　　rest　had　only　wild　stories　of　islands　inhabited　by　headless　men；　floating　islands；　　waterspouts；　and　a　fire　that　burned　along　the　water。　only　one；　to　reepicheeps　delight；　said；　〃and　　beyond　that；　aslan　country。　but　thats　beyond　the　end　of　the　world　and　you　cant　get　there。〃　　but　when　they　questioned　…him　he　could　only　say　that　hed　heard　it　from　his　father。

bern　could　only　tell　them　that　he　had　seen　his　six　panions　sail　away　　eastward　and　that　nothing　had；　ever　been　heard　of　them　again。　he　said　this　when　he　and　　caspian　were　standing　on　the　highest　point　of　avra　looking　down　on　the　eastern　ocean。　　〃ive　often　been　up　here　of　a　morning；〃　said　the　duke；　〃ands　seen　the　sun　e　up　out　of　the　　sea；　and　sometimes　it　looked　as　if　it　were　only　a　couple　of　miles　away。　and　ive　　wondered　about　my　friends　and　wondered　what　there　really　is　behind　that　horizon。　nothing；　　most　likely；　　

yet　i　am　always　half　ashamed　that　i　stayed　behind。　but　i　wish　your　majesty　　wouldnt　go。

we　may　need　your　help　here。　this　closing　the　slave　market　might　make　a　new　　world；　war　with　calormen　is　what　i　foresee。　my　liege；　think　again。”

〃i　have　an　oath；　my　lord　duke；〃　said　caspian。　〃and　anyway；　what　could　i　say　　to　reepicheep？”

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CHAPTER　FIVE

～　　
the　storm　and　what　came　of　it　　it　was　nearly　three　weeks　after　their　landing　that　the　dawn　treader　was　　towed　out　of　narrowhaven　harbour。　very　solemn　farewells　had　been　spoken　and　a　great　　crowd　had　assembled　to　see　her　departure。　there　had　been　cheers；　and　tears　too；　when　　caspian　made　his　last　speech　to　the　lone　islanders　and　parted　from　the　duke　and　his　　family；　but　as　the　ship；　her　purple　sail　still　flapping　idly；　drew　further　from　the　shore；　and　　the　sound　of　caspians　trumpet　from　the　poop　came　fainter　across　the　water；　everyone　　became　silent。

then　she　came　into　the　wind。　the　sail　swelled　out；　the　tug　cast　off　and　　began　rowing　back；　the　first　real　wave　ran　up　under　the　dawn　treaders　prow；　and　she　was　　a　live　ship　again。　the　men　off　duty　went　below；　drinian　took　the　first　watch　on　the　　poop；　and　she　turned　her　head　eastward　round　the　south　of　avra。

the　next　few　days　were　delightful。　lucy　thought　she　was　the　most　fortunate　　girl　in　the　world；　as　she　woke　each　morning　to　see　the　reflections　of　the　sunlit　water　　dancing　on　the　ceiling　of　her　cabin　and　looked　round　on　all　the　nice　new　things　she　had　　got　in　the　lone　islands　…　seaboots　and　buskins　and　cloaks　and　jerkins　and　scarves。　and　then　　she　would　go　on　deck　and　take　a　look　from　the　forecastle　at　a　sea　which　was　a　brighter　　blue　each　morning　and　drink　in　an　air　that　was　a　little　warmer　day　by　day。　after　that　　came　breakfast　and　such　an　appetite　as　one　only　has　at　sea。

she　spent　a　good　deal　of　time　sitting　on　the　little　bench　in　the　stern　　playing　chess　with　reepicheep。　it　was　amusing　to　see　him　lifting　the　pieces；　which　were　far　　too　big　for　him；　with　both　paws　and　standing　on　tiptoes　if　he　made　a　move　near　the　centre　of　　the　board。

he　was　a　good　player　and　when　he　remembered　what　he　was　doing　he　usually　　won。　but　every　now　and　then　lucy　won　because　the　mouse　did　something　quite　　ridiculous　like　sending　a　knight　into　the　danger　of　a　queen　and　castle　bined。　this　　happened　because　he　had　momentarily　forgotten　it　was　a　game　of　chess　and　was　thinking　of　a　　real　battle　and　making　the　knight　do　what　he　would　certainly　have　done　in　its　place。　for　　his　mind　was　full　of　forlorn　hopes；　death…or…glory　charges；　and　last　stands。

but　this　pleasant　time　did　not　last。　there　came　an　evening　when　lucy；　　gazing　idly　astern　at　the　long　furrow　or　wake　they　were　leaving　behind　them；　saw　a　great　rack　　of　clouds　building　itself　up　in　the　west　with　amazing　speed。

then　a　gap　was　torn　in　it　and　a　yellow　sunset　poured　through　the　gap。　all　　the　waves　behind　them　seemed　to　take　on　unusual　shapes　and　the　sea　was　a　drab　or　　yellowish　colour　like　dirty　canvas。　the　air　grew　cold。　the　ship　seemed　to　move　uneasily　as　　if　she　felt　danger　behind　he　the　sail　would　be　flat　and　limp　one　minute　and　wildly　the　　next。　while　she　was　noting　these　things　and　wondering　at　a　sinister　change　which　had　　e　over　the　very　noise　the　wind；　drinian　cried；　〃all　hands　on　deck。〃　in　a　moment