THE SILVER CHAIR-第17章

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〃dont　try　it　till　were　sure　shes　really　asleep；〃　whispered　scrubb。　〃or　　itll　spoil　everything。〃　so　they　all　huddled　at　the　kitchen　end；　waiting　and　watching。　　the　thought　that　the　hunters　might　e　back　at　any　moment　was　terrible。　and　the　　giantess　was　fidgety。　whenever　they　thought　she　had　really　gone　to　sleep；　she　moved。

〃i　cant　bear　this；〃　thought　jill。　to　distract　her　mind；　she　began　looking　　about　her。　just　in　front　of　her　was　a　clean　wide　table　with　two　clean　pie…dishes　on　it；　and　an　　open　book。

they　were　giant　pie…dishes　of　course。　jill　thought　that　she　could　lie　down　　just　fortably　in　one　of　them。　then　she　climbed　up　on　the　bench　beside　the　　table　to　look　at　the　book。　she　read：　　mallard。　this　delicious　bird　can　be　cooked　in　a　variety　of　ways。

〃its　a　cookery　book；〃　thought　jill　without　much　interest；　and　glanced　over　　her　shoulder。

the　giantesss　eyes　were　shut　but　she　didnt　look　as　if　she　were　properly　　asleep。　jill　glanced　back　at　the　book。　it　was　arranged　alphabetically：　and　at　the　very　　next　entry　her　heart　seemed　to　stop　beating；　it　ran　　man。　this　elegant　little　biped　has　long　been　valued　as　a　delicacy。　it　forms　　a　traditional　part　of　the　autumn　feast；　and　is　served　between　the　fish　and　the　joint。　　each　man。。。

but　she　could　not　bear　to　read　any　more。　she　turned　round。　the　giantess　had　　wakened　up　and　was　having　a　fit　of　coughing。　jill　nudged　the　other　two　and　pointed　to　　the　book。　they　also　mounted　the　bench　and　bent　over　the　huge　pages。　scrubb　was　still　　reading　about　how　to　cook　men　when　puddleglum　pointed　to　the　next　entry　below　it。　it　was　like　　this：　　marsh…wiggle。　some　authorities　reject　this　animal　altogether　as　unfit　for　　giants　consumption　because　of　its　stringy　consistency　and　muddy　flavour。　the　　flavour　can；　however；　be　greatly　reduced　if…　　jill　touched　his　feet；　and　scrubbs；　gently。　all　three　looked　back　at　the　　giantess。　her　mouth　was　slightly　open　and　from　her　nose　there　came　a　sound　which　at　that　　moment　was　　

more　wele　to　them　than　any　music；　she　snored。　and　now　it　was　a　question　　of　tiptoe　work；　not　daring　to　go　too　fast；　hardly　daring　to　breathe；　out　through　the　　scullery　（giant　sculleries　smell　horrid）；　out　at　last　into　the　pale　sunlight　of　a　winter　　afternoon。

they　were　at　the　top　of　a　rough　little　path　which　ran　steeply　down。　and；　　thank　heavens；　on　the　right　side　of　the　castle；　the　city　ruinous　was　in　sight。　in　a　few　　minutes　they　were　back　on　the　broad；　steep　road　which　led　down　from　the　main　gate　of　the　　castle。　they　were　also　in　full　view　from　every　single　window　on　that　side。　if　it　had　　been　one；　or　two；　or　five　windows　thered　be　a　reasonable　chance　that　no　one　might　be　looking　　out。　but　there　were　nearer　fifty　than　five。　they　now　realized；　too；　that　the　road　on　　which　they　were；　and　indeed　all　the　ground　between　them　and　the　city　ruinous；　didnt　　offer　as　much　cover　as　would　hide　a　fox；　it　was　all　coarse　grass　and　pebbles　and　flat　　stones。　to　make　matters　worse；　they　were　now　in　the　clothes　that　the　giants　had　provided　　for　them　last　night：　except　puddleglum；　whom　nothing　would　fit。　jill　wore　a　vivid　green　　robe；　rather　too　long　for　her；　and　over　that　a　scarlet　mantle　fringed　with　white　fur。　　scrubb　had　scarlet　stockings；　blue　tunic　and　cloak；　a　gold…hilted　sword；　and　a　feathered　　bonnet。

〃nice　bits　of　colour；　you　two　are；〃　muttered　puddleglum。　〃show　up　very　　prettily　on　a　winter　day。　the　worst　archer　in　the　world　couldnt　miss　either　of　you　if　　you　were　in　range。　and　talking　of　archers；　well　be　sorry　not　to　have　our　own　bows　　before　long；　i　shouldnt　wonder。　bit　thin；　too；　those　clothes　of　yours；　are　they？”

〃yes；　im　freezing　already；〃　said　jill。

a　few　minutes　ago　when　they　had　been　in　the　kitchen；　she　had　thought　that　　if　only　they　could　once　get　out　of　the　castle；　their　escape　would　be　almost　plete。　　she　now　realized　that　the　most　dangerous　part　of　it　was　still　to　e。

〃steady；　steady；〃　said　puddleglum。　〃dont　look　back。　dont　walk　too　　quickly。　whatever　you　do；　dont　run。　look　as　if　we　were　just　taking　a　stroll；　and　then；　if　　anyone　sees　us；　he　might；　just　possibly；　not　bother。　the　moment　we　look　like　people　running　　away；　were　done。”

the　distance　to　the　city　ruinous　seemed　longer　than　jill　would　have　　believed　possible。

but　bit　by　bit　they　were　covering　it。　then　came　a　noise。　the　other　two　　gasped。　jill；　who　didnt　know　what　it　was；　said；　〃whats　that？”

〃hunting　horn；〃　whispered　scrubb。

〃but　dont　run　even　now；〃　said　puddleglum。　〃not　until　i　give　the　word。”

this　time　jill　couldnt　help　glancing　over　her　shoulder。　there；　about　half　　a　mile　away；　was　the　hunt　returning　from　behind　them　on　the　left。

they　walked　on。　suddenly　a　great　clamour　of　giant　voices　arose：　then　shouts　　and　hollas。

〃theyve　seen　us。　run；〃　said　puddleglum。

jill　gathered　up　her　long　skirts　…　horrible　things　for　running　in　…　and　　ran。　there　was　no　mistaking　the　danger　now。　she　could　hear　the　music　of　the　hounds。　she　could　　hear　the　kings　voice　roaring　out；　〃after　them；　after　them；　or　well　have　no　man…　pies　tomorrow。”

she　was　last　of　the　three　now；　cumbered　with　her　dress；　slipping　on　loose　　stones；　her　hair　getting　in　her　mouth；　running…pains　across　her　chest。　the　hounds　were　much　　nearer。　now　she　had　to　run　uphill；　up　the　stony　slope　which　led　to　the　lowest　step　of　　the　giant　stairway。　she　had　no　idea　what　they　would　do　when　they　got　there；　or　how　　they　would　be　any　better　off　even　if　they　reached　the　top。

but　she　didnt　think　about　that。　she　was　like　a　hunted　animal　now；　as　long　　as　the　pack　was　after　her；　she　must　run　till　she　dropped。

the　marsh…wiggle　was　ahead。　as　he　came　to　the　lowest　step　he　stopped；　　looked　a　little　to　his　right；　and　all　of　a　sudden　darted　into　a　little　hole　or　crevice　at　the　　bottom　of　it。　his　long　legs；　disappearing　into　it；　looked　very　like　those　of　a　spider。　scrubb　　hesitated　and　then　vanished　after　him。　jill；　breathless　and　reeling；　came　to　the　place　　about　a　minute　later。　it　was　an　unattractive　hole　…　a　crack　between　the　earth　and　the　　stone　about　three　feet　long　and　hardly　more　than　a　foot　high。　you　had　to　fling　yourself　flat　on　　your　face　and　crawl　in。　you　couldnt　do　it　so　very　quickly　either。　she　felt　sure　that　a　　dogs　teeth　would　close　on　her　heel　before　she　had　got　inside。

〃quick；　quick。　stones。　fill　up　the　opening；〃　came　puddleglums　voice　in　the　　darkness　beside　her。　it　was　pitch　black　in　there；　except　for　the　grey　light　in　the　　opening　by　which　they　had　crawled　in。　the　other　two　were　working　hard。　she　could　see　　scrubbs　small　hands　and　the　marshwiggles　big；　frog…like　hands　black　against　the　light；　　working　desperately　to　pile　up　stones。　then　she　realized　how　important　this　was　and　　began　groping　for　large　stones　herself；　and　handing　them　to　the　others。　before　　the　dogs　were　baying　and　yelping　at　the　cave　mouth；　they　had　it　pretty　well　filled；　and　　now；　of　course；　there　was　no　light　at　all。

〃farther　in；　quick；〃　said　puddleglums　voice。

〃lets　all　hold　hands；〃　said　jill。

〃good　idea；〃　said　scrubb。　but　it　took　them　quite　a　long　time　to　find　one　　anothers　hands　in　the　darkness。　the　dogs　were　sniffing　at　the　other　side　of　the　barrier　　now。

〃try　if　we　can　stand　up；〃　suggested　scrubb。　they　did　and　found　that　they　　could。　then；　puddleglum　holding　out　a　hand　behind　him　to　scrubb；　and　scrubb　holding　a　　hand　out　behind　him　to　jill　（who　wished　very　much　that　she　was　the　middle　one　of　the　　party　and　not　the　last）；　they　began　groping　with　their　feet　and　stumbling　forwards　　into　the　blackness。　it　was　all　loose　stones　underfoot。　then　puddleglum　came　up　to　a　　wall　of　rock。

they　turned　a　little　to　their　right　and　went　on。　there　were　a　good　many　　more　twists　and　　

turns。　jill　had　now　no　sense　of　direction　at　all；　and　no　idea　where　the　　mouth　of　the　cave　lay。

〃the　question　is；〃　came　puddleglums　voice　out　of　the　darkness　ahead；　　〃whether；　taking　one　thing　with　another；　it　wouldnt　be　better　to　go　back　（if　we　can）　and　　give　the　giants　a　treat　at　that　feast　of　theirs；　instead　of　losing　our　way　in　the　guts　of　a　　hill　where；　ten　to　one；　theres　dragons　and　deep　holes　and　gases　and　water　and　…　ow！　let　go！　save　　yourselves。

im　…”

after　that　all　happened　quickly。　there　was　a　wild　cry；　a　swishing；　dusty；　　gravelly　noise；　a　rattle　of　stones；　and　jill　found　herself　sliding；　sliding；　hopelessly　　sliding；　and　sliding　quicker　every　moment　down　a　slope　that　grew　steeper　every　moment。　it　was　　not　a　smooth；　firm　slope；　but　a　slope　of　small　stones　and　rubbish。　even　if　you　　could　have　stood　up；　it　would　have　been　no　use。　any　bit　of　that　slope　you　had　put　your　foot　　on　would　have　slid　away　from　under　you　and　carried　you　down　with　it。　but　jill　was　more　　lying　than　standing。　and　the　farther　they　all　slid；　the　more　they　disturbed　all　the　　stones　and　earth；　so　that　the　general　downward　rush　of　everything　（including　themselves）　got　　faster　and　louder　and　dustier　and　dirtier。　from　the　sharp　cries　and　swearing　of　the　　other　two；　jill　got　the　idea　that　many　of　the　stones　which　she　was　dislodging　were　hitting　　scrubb　and　puddleglum　pretty　hard。　and　now　she　was　going　at　a　furious　rate　and　felt　　sure　she　would　be　broken　to　bits　at　the　bottom。

yet　somehow　they　werent。　they　were　a　mass　of　bruises；　and　the　wet　sticky　　stuff　on　her　face　appeared　to　be　blood。　and　su