THE SILVER CHAIR-第15章

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the　bed　was　not　a　giant　bed　but　only　a　big　four…poster；　like　what　you　might　　see　in　an　old…fashioned　hotel；　and　very　small　it　looked　in　that　enormous　room。　she　was　　very　glad　to　tumble　into　it。

〃is　it　still　snowing；　nurse？〃　she　asked　sleepily。

〃no。　raining　now；　ducky！〃　said　the　giantess。　〃rainll　wash　away　all　the　　nasty　snow。

precious　poppet　will　be　able　to　go　out　and　play　tomorrow！〃　and　she　tucked　　jill　up　and　said　good　night。

i　know　nothing　so　disagreeable　as　being　kissed　by　a　giantess。　jill　thought　　the　same；　but　was　asleep　in　five　minutes。

the　rain　fell　steadily　all　the　evening　and　all　the　night；　dashing　against　　the　windows　of　the　castle；　and　jill　never　heard　it　but　slept　deeply；　past　supper　time　and　past　　midnight。　and　　

then　came　the　deadest　hour　of　the　night　and　nothing　stirred　but　mice　in　the　　house　of　the　giants。　at　that　hour　there　came　to　jill　a　dream。　it　seemed　to　her　that　she　　awoke　in　the　same　room　and　saw　the　fire；　sunk　low　and　red；　and　in　the　firelight　the　　great　wooden　horse。　and　the　horse　came　of　its　own　will；　rolling　on　its　wheels　across　the　　carpet；　and　stood　at　her　head。　and　now　it　was　no　longer　a　horse；　but　a　lion　as　big　as　　the　horse。　and　then　it　was　not　a　toy　lion；　but　a　real　lion；　the　real　lion；　just　as　she　had　　seen　him　on　the　mountain　beyond　the　worlds　end。　and　a　smell　of　all　sweet…smelling　things　　there　are　filled　the　room。　but　there　was　some　trouble　in　jills　mind；　though　she　　could　not　think　what　it　was；　and　the　tears　streamed　down　her　face　and　wet　the　pillow。　the　　lion　told　her　to　repeat　the　signs；　and　she　found　that　she　had　forgotten　them　all。　at　　that；　a　great　horror　came　over　her。　and　aslan　took　her　up　in　his　jaws　（she　could　feel　his　lips　　and　his　breath　but　not　his　teeth）　and　carried　her　to　the　window　and　made　her　look　out。　the　　moon　shone　bright；　and　written　in　great　letters　across　the　world　or　the　sky　（she　did　　not　know　which）

were　the　words　under　me。　after　that；　the　dream　faded　away；　and　when　she　　woke；　very　late　next　morning；　she　did　not　remember　that　she　had　dreamed　at　all。

she　was　up　and　dressed　and　had　finished　breakfast　in　front　of　the　fire　when　　the　nurse　opened　the　door　and　said：　〃heres　pretty　poppets　little　friends　e　to　　play　with　her。”

in　came　scrubb　and　the　marsh…wiggle。

〃hullo！　good　morning；〃　said　jill。　〃isnt　this　fun？　ive　slept　about　fifteen　　hours；　i　believe。　i　do　feel　better；　dont　you？”

〃1　do；〃　said　scrubb；　〃but　puddleglum　says　he　has　a　headache。　hullo！　…　your　　window　has　a　window　seat。　if　we　got　up　on　that；　we　could　see　out。〃　and　at　once　they　all　　did　so：　and　at　the　first　glance　jill　said；　〃oh；　how　perfectly　dreadful！”

the　sun　was　shining　and；　except　for　a　few　drifts；　the　snow　had　been　almost　　pletely　washed　away　by　the　rain。　down　below　them；　spread　out　like　a　map；　lay　the　　flat　hill…top　which　they　had　struggled　over　yesterday　afternoon；　seen　from　the　castle；　it　　could　not　be　mistaken　for　anything　but　the　ruins　of　a　gigantic　city。　it　had　been　flat；　　as　jill　now　saw；　because　it　was　still；　on　the　whole；　paved；　though　in　places　the　pavement　　was　broken。　the　criss…cross　banks　were　what　was　left　of　the　walls　of　huge　buildings　which　　might　once　have　been　giants　palaces　and　temples。　one　bit　of　wall；　about　five　hundred　　feet　high；　was　still　standing；　it　was　that　which　she　had　thought　was　a　cliff。　the　things　　that　had　looked　like　factory　chimneys　were　enormous　pillars；　broken　off　at　unequal　heights；　　their　fragments　lay　at　their　bases　like　felled　trees　of　monstrous　stone。　the　　ledges　which　they　had　climbed　down　on　the　north　side　of　the　hill　…　and　also；　no　doubt　the　　other　ledges　which　they　had　climbed　up　on　the　south　side　…　were　the　remaining　steps　of　giant　　stairs。　to　crown　all；　in　large；　dark　lettering　across　the　centre　of　the　pavement；　ran　the　　words　under　me。

the　three　travellers　looked　at　each　other　in　dismay；　and；　after　a　short　　whistle；　scrubb　said　what　they　were　all　thinking；　〃the　second　and　third　signs　muffed。〃　and　at　　that　moment　jills　dream　rushed　back　into　her　mind。

〃its　my　fault；〃　she　said　in　despairing　tones。　〃i　…　id　given　up　repeating　　the　signs　every　night。　if　id　been　thinking　about　them　i　could　have　seen　it　was　the　city；　　even　in　all　that　snow。”

〃im　worse；〃　said　puddleglum。　〃i　did　see；　or　nearly。　i　thought　it　looked　　unmonly　like　a　ruined　city。”

〃youre　the　only　one　who　isnt　to　blame；〃　said　scrubb。　〃you　did　try　to　make　　us　stop。”

〃didnt　try　hard　enough；　though；〃　said　the　marshwiggle。　〃and　id　no　call　to　　be　trying。　i　ought　to　have　done　it。　as　if　i　couldnt　have　stopped　you　two　with　one　hand　　each！”

〃the　truth　is；〃　said　scrubb；　〃we　were　so　jolly　keen　on　getting　to　this　　place　that　we　werent　bothering　about　anything　else。　at　least　i　know　i　was。　ever　since　we　met　　that　woman　with　the　knight　who　didnt　talk；　weve　been　thinking　of　nothing　else。　wed　　nearly　forgotten　about　prince　rilian。”

〃i　shouldnt　wonder；〃　said　puddleglum；　〃if　that　wasnt　exactly　what　she　　intended。”

〃what　i　dont　quite　understand；〃　said　jill；　〃is　how　we　didnt　see　the　　lettering？　or　could　it　have　e　there　since　last　night。　could　he　…　aslan　…　have　put　it　there　in　　the　night？　i　had　such　a　queer　dream。〃　and　she　told　them　all　about　it。

〃why；　you　chump！〃　said　scrubb。　〃we　did　see　it。　we　got　into　the　lettering。　　dont　you　see？

we　got　into　the　letter　e　in　me。　that　was　your　sunk　lane。　we　walked　along　　the　bottom　stroke　of　the　e；　due　north　…　turned　to　our　right　along　the　upright　…　came　　to　another　turn　to　the　right　…　thats　the　middle　stroke　…　and　then　went　on　to　the　top　left…　hand　corner；　or　（if　you　like）　the　north…eastern　corner　of　the　letter；　and　came　back。　like　the　　bally　idiots　we　are。〃　he　kicked　the　window　seat　savagely；　and　went　on；　〃so　its　no　good；　　pole。　i　know　what　you　were　thinking　because　i　was　thinking　the　same。　you　were　thinking　　how　nice　it　would　have　been　if　aslan　hadnt　put　the　instructions　on　the　stones　of　the　　ruined　city　till　after　wed　passed　it。　and　then　it　would　have　been　his　fault；　not　ours。　so　　likely；　isnt　it？

no。　we　must　just　own　up。　weve　only　four　signs　to　go　by；　and　weve　muffed　　the　first　three。”

〃you　mean　i　have；〃　said　jill。　〃its　quite　true。　ive　spoiled　everything　　ever　since　you　brought　me　here。　all　the　same　…　im　frightfully　sorry　and　all　that　…　all　　the　same；　what　are　the　instructions？　under　me　doesnt　seem　to　make　much　sense。”

〃yes　it　does；　though；〃　said　puddleglum。　〃it　means　weve　got　to　look　for　the　　prince　under　that　city。”

〃but　how　can　we？〃　asked　jill。

〃thats　the　question；〃　said　puddleglum；　rubbing　his　big；　frog…like　hands　　together。　〃how　can　we　now？　no　doubt；　if　wed　had　our　minds　on　our　job　when　we　were　at　the　　ruinous　　

city；　wed　have　been　shown　how　…　found　a　little　door；　or　a　cave；　or　a　　tunnel；　met　someone　to　help　us。　might　have　been　（you　never　know）　aslan　himself。　wed　have　got　　down　under　those　paving…stones　somehow　or　other。　aslans　instructions　always　work：　　there　are　no　exceptions。　but　how　to　do　it　now　…　thats　another　matter。”

〃well；　we　shall　just　have　to　go　back；　i　suppose；〃　said　jill。

〃easy；　isnt　it？〃　said　puddleglum。　〃we　might　try　opening　that　door　to　begin　　with。〃　and　they　all　looked　at　the　door　and　saw　that　none　of　them　could　reach　the　　handle；　and　that　almost　certainly　no　one　could　turn　it　if　they　did。

〃do　you　think　they　wont　let　us　out　if　we　ask？〃　said　jill。　and　nobody　said；　　but　everyone　thought；　〃supposing　they　dont。”

it　was　not　a　pleasant　idea。　puddleglum　was　dead　against　any　idea　of　telling　　the　giants　their　real　business　and　simply　asking　to　be　let　out；　and　of　course　the　　children　couldnt　tell　without　his　permission；　because　they　had　promised。　and　all　three　felt　　pretty　sure　that　there　would　be　no　chance　of　escaping　from　the　castle　by　night。　once　they　　were　in　their　rooms　with　the　doors　shut；　they　would　be　prisoners　till　morning。　they　　might；　of　course；　ask　to　have　their　doors　left　open；　but　that　would　rouse　suspicions。

〃our　only　chance；〃　said　scrubb；　〃is　to　try　to　sneak　away　by　daylight。　　mightnt　there　be　an　hour　in　the　afternoon　when　most　of　the　giants　are　asleep？　…　and　if　we　could　　steal　down　into　the　kitchen；　mightnt　there　be　a　back　door　open？”

〃its　hardly　what　i　call　a　chance；〃　said　the　marshwiggle。　〃but　its　all　the　　chance　were　likely　to　get。〃　as　a　matter　of　fact；　scrubbs　plan　was　not　quite　so　　hopeless　as　you　might　think。　if　you　want　to　get　out　of　a　house　without　being　seen；　the　middle　of　　the　afternoon　is　in　some　ways　a　better　time　to　try　it　than　the　middle　of　the　night。　doors　　and　windows　are　more　likely　to　be　open；　and　if　you　are　caught；　you　can　always　pretend　you　　werent　meaning　to　go　far　and　had　no　particular　plans。　（it　is　very　hard　to　make　　either　giants　or　grown…ups　believe　this　if　youre　found　climbing　out　of　a　bedroom　window　at　　one　oclock　in　the　morning。）

〃we　must　put　them　off　their　guard；　though；〃　said　scrubb。　〃we　must　pretend　　we　love　being　here　and　are　longing　for　this　autumn　feast。”

〃thats　tomorrow　night；〃　said　puddleglum。　〃i　heard　one　of　them　say　so。”

〃i　see；〃　said　jill。　〃we　must　pretend　to　be　awfully　excited　about　it；　and　　keep　on　asking　questions。　they　think　were　absolute　infants　anyway；　which　will　make　it　　easier。”

〃gay；〃　said　puddleglum　with　a　deep　sigh。　〃thats　what　weve　got　to　be。　gay。　　as　if　we　hadnt　a　care　in　the　world。　frol