THE SILVER CHAIR-第1章

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CHAPTER　ONE

^生。网！
behind　the　gym　　it　was　a　dull　autumn　day　and　jill　pole　was　crying　behind　the　gym。

she　was　crying　because　they　had　been　bullying　her。　this　is　not　going　to　be　　a　school　story；　so　i　shall　say　as　little　as　possible　about　jills　school；　which　is　not　a　　pleasant　subject。　it　was　〃co…educational；〃　a　school　for　both　boys　and　girls；　what　used　to　be　called　　a　〃mixed”

school；　some　said　it　was　not　nearly　so　mixed　as　the　minds　of　the　people　who　　ran　it。　these　people　had　the　idea　that　boys　and　girls　should　be　allowed　to　do　what　they　　liked。　and　unfortunately　what　ten　or　fifteen　of　the　biggest　boys　and　girls　liked　best　　was　bullying　the　others。　all　sorts　of　things；　horrid　things；　went　on　which　at　an　ordinary　　school　would　have　been　found　out　and　stopped　in　half　a　term；　but　at　this　school　they　werent。　　or　even　if　they　were；　the　people　who　did　them　were　not　expelled　or　punished。　the　head　said　　they　were　interesting　psychological　cases　and　sent　for　them　and　talked　to　them　for　　hours。　and　if　you　knew　the　right　sort　of　things　to　say　to　the　head；　the　main　result　was　that　　you　became　rather　a　favourite　than　otherwise。

that　was　why　jill　pole　was　crying　on　that　dull　autumn　day　on　the　damp　　little　path　which　runs　between　the　back　of　the　gym　and　the　shrubbery。　and　she　hadnt　nearly　　finished　her　cry　when　a　boy　came　round　the　corner　of　the　gym　whistling；　with　his　hands　　in　his　pockets。　he　nearly　ran　into　her。

〃cant　you　look　where　youre　going？〃　said　jill　pole。

〃all　right；〃　said　the　boy；　〃you　neednt　start　…〃　and　then　he　noticed　her　　face。　〃i　say；　pole；”

he　said；　〃whats　up？”

jill　only　made　faces；　the　sort　you　make　when　youre　trying　to　say　something　　but　find　that　if　you　speak　youll　start　crying　again。

〃its　them；　i　suppose　…　as　usual；〃　said　the　boy　grimly；　digging　his　hands　　farther　into　his　pockets。

jill　nodded。　there　was　no　need　for　her　to　say　anything；　even　if　she　could　　have　said　it。

they　both　knew。

〃now；　look　here；〃　said　the　boy；　〃theres　no　good　us　all　…”

he　meant　well；　but　he　did　talk　rather　like　someone　beginning　a　lecture。　　jill　suddenly　flew　into　a　temper　（which　is　quite　a　likely　thing　to　happen　if　you　have　been　　interrupted　in　a　cry）。

〃oh；　go　away　and　mind　your　own　business；〃　she　said。　〃nobody　asked　you　to　　e　barging　in；　did　they？　and　youre　a　nice　person　to　start　telling　us　what　we　　all　ought　to　do；　arent　you？　i　suppose　you　mean　we　ought　to　spend　all　our　time　sucking　up　to　　them；　and　currying　favour；　and　dancing　attendance　on　them　like　you　do。”

〃oh；　lor！〃　said　the　boy；　sitting　down　on　the　grassy　bank　at　the　edge　of　the　　shrubbery　and　very　quickly　getting　up　again　because　the　grass　was　soaking　wet。　his　name　　unfortunately　was　eustace　scrubb；　but　he　wasnt　a　bad　sort。

〃pole！〃　he　said。　〃is　that　fair？　have　i　been　doing　anything　of　the　sort　this　　term？　didnt　i　stand　up　to　carter　about　the　rabbit？　and　didnt　i　keep　the　secret　about　　spivvins　…　under　torture　too？　and　didnt　i　…”

〃i　d…dont　know　and　i　dont　care；〃　sobbed　jill。

scrubb　saw　that　she　wasnt　quite　herself　yet　and　very　sensibly　offered　her　　a　peppermint。

he　had　one　too。　presently　jill　began　to　see　things　in　a　clearer　light。

〃im　sorry；　scrubb；〃　she　said　presently。　〃i　wasnt　fair。　you　have　done　all　　that　…　this　term。”

〃then　wash　out　last　term　if　you　can；〃　said　eustace。　〃i　was　a　different　chap　　then。　i　was　…　gosh！　what　a　little　tick　i　was。”

〃well；　honestly；　you　were；〃　said　jill。

〃you　think　there　has　been　a　change；　then？〃　said　eustace。

〃its　not　only　me；〃　said　jill。　〃everyones　been　saying　so。　theyve　noticed　　it。　eleanor　blakiston　heard　adela　pennyfather　talking　about　it　in　our　changing　room　　yesterday。　she　said；　‘someones　got　hold　of　that　scrubb　kid。　hes　quite　unmanageable　this　　term。　we　shall　have　to　attend　to　him　next。“

eustace　gave　a　shudder。　everyone　at　experiment　house　knew　what　it　was　like　　being　〃attended　to〃　by　them。

both　children　were　quiet　for　a　moment。　the　drops　dripped　off　the　laurel　　leaves。

〃why　were　you　so　different　last　term？〃　said　jill　presently。

〃a　lot　of　queer　things　happened　to　me　in　the　hols；〃　said　eustace　　mysteriously。

〃what　sort　of　things？〃　asked　jill。

eustace　didnt　say　anything　for　quite　a　long　time。　then　he　said：　　〃look　here；　pole；　you　and　i　hate　this　place　about　as　much　as　anybody　can　　hate　anything；　dont　we？”

〃i　know　i　do；〃　said　jill。

〃then　i　really　think　i　can　trust　you。”

〃dam　good　of　you；〃　said　jill。

〃yes；　but　this　is　a　really　terrific　secret。　pole；　i　say；　are　you　good　at　　believing　things？　i　mean　things　that　everyone　here　would　laugh　at？”

〃ive　never　had　the　chance；〃　said　jill；　〃but　i　think　i　would　be。”

〃could　you　believe　me　if　i　said　id　been　right　out　of　the　world　…　outside　　this　world　…　last　hols？”

〃i　wouldnt　know　what　you　meant。”

〃well；　dont　lets　bother　about　that　then。　supposing　i　told　you　id　been　in　　a　place　where　animals　can　talk　and　where　there　are　…　er　…　enchantments　and　dragons　…　and　　well；　all　the　sorts　of　things　you　have　in　fairy…tales。〃　scrubb　felt　terribly　awkward　as　　he　said　this　and　got　red　in　the　face。

〃how　did　you　get　there？〃　said　jill。　she　also　felt　curiously　shy。

〃the　only　way　you　can　…　by　magic；〃　said　eustace　almost　in　a　whisper。　〃i　was　　with　two　cousins　of　mine。　we　were　just　…　whisked　away。　theyd　been　there　before。”

now　that　they　were　talking　in　whispers　jill　somehow　felt　it　easier　to　　believe。　then　suddenly　a　horrible　suspicion　came　over　her　and　she　said　（so　fiercely　that　　for　the　moment　she　looked　like　a　tigress）：　　〃if　i　find　youve　been　pulling　my　leg　ill　never　speak　to　you　again；　never；　　never；　never。”

〃im　not；〃　said　eustace。　〃i　swear　im　not。　i　swear　by　everything。”

（when　i　was　at　school　one　would　have　said；　〃i　swear　by　the　bible。〃　but　　bibles　were　not　encouraged　at　experiment　house。）

〃all　right；〃　said　jill；　〃ill　believe　you。”

〃and　tell　nobody？”

〃what　do　you　take　me　for？”

they　were　very　excited　as　they　said　this。　but　when　they　had　said　it　and　　jill　looked　round　and　saw　the　dull　autumn　sky　and　heard　the　drip　off　the　leaves　and　thought　　of　all　the　hopelessness　of　experiment　house　（it　was　a　thirteen…week　term　and　there　　were　still　eleven　weeks　to　e）　she　said：　　〃but　after　all；　whats　the　good？　were　not　there：　were　here。　and　we　jolly　　well　cant　get　there。　or　can　we？”

〃thats　what　ive　been　wondering；〃　said　eustace。　〃when　we　came　back　from　　that　place；　someone　said　that　the　two　pevensie　kids　（thats　my　two　cousins）　could　never　　go　there　again。　it　was　their　third　time；　you　see。　i　suppose　theyve　had　their　share。　　but　he　never　said　i　couldnt。　surely　he　would　have　said　so；　unless　he　meant　that　i　was　to　get　　back？　and　i　cant　help　wondering；　can　we　…　could　we　…？”

〃do　you　mean；　do　something　to　make　it　happen？”

eustace　nodded。

〃you　mean　we　might　draw　a　circle　on　the　ground　…　and　write　in　queer　letters　　in　it　…　and　stand　inside　it　…　and　recite　charms　and　spells？”

〃well；〃　said　eustace　after　he　had　thought　hard　for　a　bit。　〃i　believe　that　　was　the　sort　of　thing　i　was　thinking　of；　though　i　never　did　it。　but　now　that　it　es　to　　the　point；　ive　an　idea　that　all　those　circles　and　things　are　rather　rot。　i　dont　think　hed　　like　them。　it　would　look　as　if　we　thought　we　could　make　him　do　things。　but　really；　we　can　only　　ask　him。”

〃who　is　this　person　you　keep　on　talking　about？”

〃they　call　him　aslan　in　that　place；〃　said　eustace。

〃what　a　curious　name！”

〃not　half　so　curious　as　himself；〃　said　eustace　solemnly。　〃but　lets　get　on。　　it　cant　do　any　harm；　just　asking。　lets　stand　side　by　side；　like　this。　and　well　hold　out　　our　arms　in　front　of　us　with　the　palms　down：　like　they　did　in　ramandus　island　…”

〃whose　island？”

〃ill　tell　you　about　that　another　time。　and　he　might　like　us　to　face　the　　east。　lets　see；　where　is　the　east？”

〃i　dont　know；〃　said　jill。

〃its　an　extraordinary　thing　about　girls　that　they　never　know　the　points　of　　the　pass；”

said　eustace。

〃you　dont　know　either；〃　said　jill　indignantly。

〃yes　i　do；　if　only　you　didnt　keep　on　interrupting。　ive　got　it　now。　thats　　the　east；　facing　up　into　the　laurels。　now；　will　you　say　the　words　after　me？　　〃what　words？〃　asked　jill。

〃the　words　im　going　to　say；　of　course；〃　answered　eustace。　〃now　…”

and　he　began；　〃aslan；　aslan；　aslan！”

〃aslan；　aslan；　aslan；〃　repeated　jill。

〃please　let　us　two　go　into　…”

at　that　moment　a　voice　from　the　other　side　of　the　gym　was　heard　shouting　　out；　〃pole？

yes。　i　know　where　she　is。　shes　blubbing　behind　the　gym。　shall　i　fetch　her　　out？”

jill　and　eustace　gave　one　glance　at　each　other；　dived　under　the　laurels；　　and　began　scrambling　up　the　steep；　earthy　slope　of　the　shrubbery　at　a　speed　which　did　　them　great　credit。　（owing　to　the　curious　methods　of　teaching　at　experiment　house；　one　　did　not　learn　much　french　or　maths　or　latin　or　things　of　that　sort；　but　one　did　learn　a　　lot　about　getting　away　quickly　and　quietly　when　they　were　looking　for　one。）

after　about　a　minutes　scramble　they　stopped　to　listen；　and　knew　by　the　　noises　they　heard　that　they　were　being　followed。

〃if　only　the　door　was　open　again！〃　said　scrubb　as　they　went　on；　and　jill　　nodded。　for　at　the　top　of　the　shrubbery　was　a　high　stone　wall　and　in　that　wall　a　door　by　　which　you　could　get　out　on　to　open　moor。　this　doo