THE SILVER CHAIR-第10章

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wont　do　to　quarrel；　you　know。　at　any　rate；　dont　begin　it　too　soon。　i　know　　these　　

expeditions　usually　end　that　way：　knifing　one　another；　i　shouldnt　wonder；　　before　alls　done。　but　the　longer　we　can　keep　off　it…”

〃well；　if　you　feel　its　so　hopeless；〃　interrupted　scrubb；　〃i　think　youd　　better　stay　behind。

pole　and　i　can　go　on　alone；　cant　we；　pole？”

〃shut　up　and　dont　be　an　ass；　scrubb；〃　said　jill　hastily；　terrified　lest　　the　marsh…wiggle　should　take　him　at　his　word。

〃dont　you　lose　heart；　pole；〃　said　puddleglum。　〃im　ing；　sure　and　　certain。　im　not　going　to　lose　an　opportunity　like　this。　it　will　do　me　good。　they　all　say　…　　i　mean；　the　other　wiggles　all　say…that　im　too　flighty；　dont　take　life　seriously　enough。　if　　theyve　said　it　once；　theyve　said　it　a　thousand　times。　puddleglum；　theyve　said；　‘youre　　altogether　too　full　of　bobance　and　bounce　and　high　spirits。　youve　got　to　learn　that　life　　isnt　all　fricasseed　frogs　and　eel　pie。　you　want　something　to　sober　you　down　a　bit。　　were　only　saying　it　for　your　own　good；　puddleglum。　thats　what　they　say。　now　a　job　　like　this　…　a　journey　up　north　just　as　winters　beginning；　looking　for　a　prince　that　　probably　isnt　there；　by　way　of　a　ruined　city　that　no　one　has　ever　seen　…　will　be　just　the　thing。　　if　that　doesnt　steady　a　chap；　i　dont　know　what　will。〃　and　he　rubbed　his　big　frog…like　　hands　together　as　if　he　were　talking　of　going　to　a　party　or　a　pantomime。　〃and　now；〃　he　added；　　〃lets　see　how　those　eels　are　getting　on。”

when　the　meal　came　it　was　delicious　and　the　children　had　two　large　helpings　　each。　at　first　the　marsh…wiggle　wouldnt　believe　that　they　really　liked　it；　and　when　　they　had　eaten　so　much　that　he　had　to　believe　them；　he　fell　back　on　saying　that　it　would　　probably　disagree　with　them　horribly。　〃whats　food　for　wiggles　may　be　poison　for　　humans；　i　shouldnt　wonder；〃　he　said。　after　the　meal　they　had　tea；　in　tins　（as　youve　　seen　men　having　it　who　are　working　on　the　road）；　and　puddleglum　had　a　good　many　sips　　out　of　a　square　black　bottle。　he　offered　the　children　some　of　it；　but　they　thought　　it　very　nasty。

the　rest　of　the　day　was　spent　in　preparations　for　an　early　start　tomorrow　　morning。

puddleglum；　being　far　the　biggest；　said　he　would　carry　three　blankets；　with　　a　large　bit　of　bacon　rolled　up　inside　them。　jill　was　to　carry　the　remains　of　the　eels；　　some　biscuit；　and　the　tinder…box。　scrubb　was　to　carry　both　his　own　cloak　and　jills　when　they　　didnt　want　to　wear　them。　scrubb　（who　had　learned　some　shooting　when　he　sailed　to　the　east　　under　caspian）　had　puddleglums　secondbest　bow；　and　puddleglum　had　his　best　one；　　though　he　said　that　what　with　winds；　and　damp　bowstrings；　and　bad　light；　and　cold　　fingers；　it　was　a　hundred　to　one　against　either　of　them　hitting　anything。　he　and　scrubb　both　　had　swords　scrubb　had　brought　the　one　which　had　been　left　out　for　him　in　his　room　at　　cair　paravel；　but　jill　had　to　be　content　with　her　knife。　there　would　have　been　a　quarrel　　about　this；　but　as　soon　as　they　started　sparring　the　wiggle　rubbed　his　hands　and　said；　〃ah；　　there　you　are。

i　thought　as　much。　thats　what　usually　happens　on　adventures。〃　this　made　　them　both　shut　up。

all　three　went　to　bed　early　in　the　wigwam。　this　time　the　children　really　　had　a　rather　bad　night。　that　was　because　puddleglum；　after　saying；　〃youd　better　try　for　　some　sleep；　you　　

two；　not　that　i　suppose　any　of　us　will　close　an　eye　tonight；〃　instantly　　went　off　into　such　a　loud；　continuous　snore　that；　when　jill　at　last　got　to　sleep；　she　dreamed　　all　night　about　road…drills　and　waterfalls　and　being　in　express　trains　in　tunnels。

．．



CHAPTER　SIX

。小［说网｝
the　wild　waste　lands　of　the　north　　　at　about　nine　oclock　next　morning　three　lonely　figures　might　have　been　　seen　picking　their　way　across　the　shribble　by　the　shoals　and　stepping…stones。　it　was　a　　shallow；　noisy　stream；　and　even　jill　was　not　wet　above　her　knees　when　they　reached　the　　northern　bank。

about　fifty　yards　ahead；　the　land　rose　up　to　the　beginning　of　the　moor；　　everywhere　steeply；　and　often　in　cliffs。

〃i　suppose　thats　our　way！〃　said　scrubb；　pointing　left　and　west　to　where　a　　stream　flowed　down　from　the　moor　through　a　shallow　gorge。　but　the　marsh…wiggle　shook　his　　head。

〃the　giants　mainly　live　along　the　side　of　that　gorge；〃　he　said。　〃you　might　　say　the　gorge　was　like　a　street　to　them。　well　do　better　straight　ahead；　even　though　its　　a　bit　steep。”

they　found　a　place　where　they　could　scramble　up；　and　in　about　ten　minutes　　stood　panting　at　the　top。　they　cast　a　longing　look　back　at　the　valley…land　of　narnia　and　　then　turned　their　faces　to　the　north。　the　vast；　lonely　moor　stretched　on　and　up　as　far　　as　they　could　see。　on　their　left　was　rockier　ground。　jill　thought　that　must　be　the　edge　　of　the　giants　gorge　and　did　not　much　care　about　looking　in　that　direction。　they　set　out。

it　was　good；　springy　ground　for　walking；　and　a　day　of　pale　winter　sunlight。　　as　they　got　deeper　into　the　moor；　the　loneliness　increased：　one　could　hear　peewits　and　　see　an　occasional　hawk。　when　they　halted　in　the　middle　of　the　morning　for　a　rest　　and　a　drink　in　a　little　hollow　by　a　stream；　jill　was　beginning　to　feel　that　she　might　　enjoy　adventures　after　all；　and　said　so。

〃we　havent　had　any　yet；〃　said　the　marsh…wiggle。

walks　after　the　first　halt　…　like　school　mornings　after　break　or　railway　　journeys　after　changing　trains　…　never　go　on　as　they　were　before。　when　they　set　out　again；　　jill　noticed　that　the　rocky　edge　of　the　gorge　had　drawn　nearer。　and　the　rocks　were　less　　flat；　more　upright；　than　they　had　been。　in　fact　they　were　like　little　towers　of　rock。　　and　what　funny　shapes　they　were！

〃i　do　believe；〃　thought　jill；　〃that　all　the　stories　about　giants　might　have　　e　from　those　funny　rocks。　if　you　were　ing　along　here　when　it　was　half　dark；　you　could　　easily　think　those　piles　of　rock　were　giants。　look　at　that　one；　now！　you　could　almost　　imagine　that　the　lump　on　top　was　a　head。　it　would　be　rather　too　big　for　the　body；　but　it　　would　do　well　enough　for　an　ugly　giant。　and　all　that　bushy　stuff　…　i　suppose　its　heather　　and　birds　nests；　really　…　would　do　quite　well　for　hair　and　beard。　and　the　things　sticking　　out　on　each　side　are　quite　like　ears。　theyd　be　horribly　big；　but　then　i　dare　say　giants　　would　have　big　ears；　like　elephants。　and　…　o…o…o…h！　…”

her　blood　froze。　the　thing　moved。　it　was　a　real　giant。　there　was　no　　mistaking　it；　she　had　seen　it　turn　its　head。　she　had　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　great；　stupid；　　puffcheeked　face。　all　the　things　were　giants；　not　rocks。　there　were　forty　or　fifty　of　them；　all　　in　a　row；　obviously　standing　with　their　feet　on　the　bottom　of　the　gorge　and　their　　elbows　resting　on　the　edge　of　the　gorge；　just　as　men　might　stand　leaning　on　a　wall　…　lazy　　men；　on　a　fine　morning　after　breakfast。

〃keep　straight　on；〃　whispered　puddleglum；　who　had　noticed　them　too。　〃dont　　look　at　them。　and　whatever　you　do；　dont　run。　theyd　be　after　us　in　a　moment。”

so　they　kept　on；　pretending　not　to　have　seen　the　giants。　it　was　like　　walking　past　the　gate　of　a　house　where　there　is　a　fierce　dog；　only　far　worse。　there　were　dozens　　and　dozens　of　these　giants。　they　didnt　look　angry　…　or　kind　or　interested　at　all。　there　　was　no　sign　that　they　had　seen　the　travellers。

then　…　whizz…whizz…whizz　…　some　heavy　object　came　hurtling　through　the　air；　　and　with　a　crash　a　big　boulder　fell　about　twenty　paces　ahead　of　them。　and　then　…　thud！　　…　another　fell　twenty　feet　behind。

〃are　they　aiming　at　us？〃　asked　scrubb。

〃no；〃　said　puddleglum。　〃wed　be　a　good　deal　safer　if　they　were。　theyre　　trying　to　hit　that　…　that　cairn　over　there　to　the　right。　they　wont　hit　it；　you　know。　its　　safe　enough；　theyre　such　very　bad　shots。　they　play　cock…shies　most　fine　mornings。　about　the　　only　game　theyre　clever　enough　to　understand。”

it　was　a　horrible　time。　there　seemed　no　end　to　the　line　of　giants；　and　they　　never　ceased　hurling　stones；　some　of　which　fell　extremely　close。　quite　apart　from　the　　real　danger；　the　very　sight　and　sound　of　their　faces　and　voices　were　enough　to　scare　anyone。　　jill　tried　not　to　look　at　them。

after　about　twenty…five　minutes　the　giants　apparently　had　a　quarrel。　this　　put　an　end　to　the　cock…shies；　but　it　is　not　pleasant　to　be　within　a　mile　of　quarrelling　　giants。　they　stormed　and　jeered　at　one　another　in　long；　meaningless　words　of　about　　twenty　syllables　each。　they　foamed　and　gibbered　and　jumped　in　their　rage；　and　each　jump　　shook　the　earth　like　a　bomb。　they　lammed　each　other　on　the　head　with　great；　clumsy　stone　　hammers；　but　their　skulls　were　so　hard　that　the　hammers　bounced　off　again；　and　then　the　　monster　who　　

had　given　the　blow　would　drop　his　hammer　and　howl　with　pain　because　it　had　　stung　his　fingers。　but　he　was　so　stupid　that　he　would　do　exactly　the　same　thing　a　　minute　later。　this　was　a　good　thing　in　the　long　run；　for　by　the　end　of　an　hour　all　the　giants　　were　so　hurt　that　they　sat　down　and　began　to　cry。　when　they　sat　down；　their　heads　were　below　　the　edge　of　the　gorge；　so　that　you　saw　them　no　more；　but　jill　could　hear　them　howling　　and　blubbering　and　boo…booing　like　great　babies　even　after　the　place　was　a　mile　　behind。

that　night　they　bivouacked　on　the　bare　moor；　and　puddleglum　showed　the　　children　how　to　make　the　best　of　their　blankets　by　sleeping　back