THE SILVER CHAIR-第19章

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〃many　have　taken　ship　at　the　pale　beaches；〃　replied　the　warden；　〃and…”

〃yes；　i　know；〃　interrupted　puddleglum。　〃and　few　return　to　the　sunlit　lands。　　you　neednt　say　it　again。　you　are　a　chap　of　one　idea；　arent　you？”

the　children　huddled　close　together　on　each　side　of　puddleglum。　they　had　　thought　him　a　wet　blanket　while　they　were　still　above　ground；　but　down　here　he　seemed　the　　only　forting　thing　they　had。　then　the　pale　lantern　was　hung　up　amidships；　the　　earthmen　sat　to　the　oars；　and　the　ship　began　to　move。　the　lantern　cast　its　light　　only　a　very　short　way。　looking　ahead；　they　could　see　nothing　but　smooth；　dark　water；　fading　　into　absolute　blackness。

〃oh；　whatever　will　bee　of　us？〃　said　jill　despairingly。

〃now　dont　you　let　your　spirits　down；　pole；〃　said　the　marsh…wiggle。　　〃theres　one　thing　youve　got　to　remember。　were　back　on　the　right　lines。　we　were　to　go　under　　the　ruined　city；　and　we　are　under　it。　were　following　the　instructions　again。”

presently　they　were　given　food　…　flat；　flabby　cakes　of　some　sort　which　had　　hardly　any　taste。　and　after　that；　they　gradually　fell　asleep。　but　when　they　woke；　　everything　was　just　the　same；　the　gnomes　still　rowing；　the　ship　still　gliding　on；　still　dead　　blackness　ahead。

how　often　they　woke　and　slept　and　ate　and　slept　again；　none　of　them　could　　ever　remember。　and　the　worst　thing　about　it　was　that　you　began　to　feel　as　if　you　　had　always　lived　on　that　ship；　in　that　darkness；　and　to　wonder　whether　sun　and　blue　　skies　and　wind　and　birds　had　not　been　only　a　dream。

they　had　almost　given　up　hoping　or　being　afraid　about　anything　when　at　last　　they　saw　lights　ahead：　dreary　lights；　like　that　of　their　own　lantern。　then；　quite　　suddenly；　one　of　these　lights　came　close　and　they　saw　that　they　were　passing　another　ship。　　after　that　they　met　several　ships。　then；　staring　till　their　eyes　hurt；　they　saw　that　some　　of　the　lights　ahead　were　shining　on　what　looked　like　wharfs；　walls；　towers；　and　moving　crowds。　　but　still　there　was　hardly　any　noise。

〃by　jove；〃　said　scrubb。　〃a　city！〃　and　soon　they　all　saw　that　he　was　right。

but　it　was　a　queer　city。　the　lights　were　so　few　and　far　apart　that　they　　would　hardly　have　done　for　scattered　cottages　in　our　world。　but　the　little　bits　of　the　place　　which　you　could　see　by　the　lights　were　like　glimpses　of　a　great　seaport。　you　could　make　out　　in　one　place　a　whole　crowd　of　ships　loading　or　unloading；　in　another；　bales　of　stuff　and　　warehouses；　in　a　third；　walls　and　pillars　that　suggested　great　palaces　or　temples；　and　　always；　wherever　the　light　fell；　endless　crowds　…　hundreds　of　earthmen；　jostling　one　another　　as　they　padded　softly　about　their　business　in　narrow　streets；　broad　squares；　or　up　great　　flights　of　steps。

their　continued　movement　made　a　sort　of　soft；　murmuring　noise　as　the　ship　　drew　nearer　　

and　nearer；　but　there　was　not　a　song　or　a　shout　or　a　bell　or　the　rattle　of　　a　wheel　anywhere。

the　city　was　as　quiet；　and　nearly　as　dark；　as　the　inside　of　an　ant…hill。

at　last　their　ship　was　brought　alongside　a　quay　and　made　fast。　the　three　　travellers　were　taken　ashore　and　marched　up　into　the　city。　crowds　of　earthmen；　no　two　　alike；　rubbed　shoulders　with　them　in　the　crowded　streets；　and　the　sad　light　fell　on　many　　sad　and　grotesque　faces。　but　no　one　showed　any　interest　in　the　strangers。　every　　gnome　seemed　to　be　as　busy　as　it　was　sad；　though　jill　never　found　what　they　were　so　busy　　about。　but　the　endless　moving；　shoving；　hurrying；　and　the　soft　pad…pad…pad　went　on。

at　last　they　came　to　what　appeared　to　be　a　great　castle；　though　few　of　the　　windows　in　it　were　lighted。　here　they　were　taken　in　and　made　to　cross　a　courtyard；　and　to　　climb　many　staircases。　this　brought　them　in　the　end　to　a　great　murkily　lit　room。　but　　in　one　corner　of　it　…　oh　joy！　…　there　was　an　archway　filled　with　a　quite　different　sort　of　　light；　the　honest；　yellowish；　warm　light　of　such　a　lamp　as　humans　use。　what　showed　by　this　　light　inside　the　archway　was　the　foot　of　a　staircase　which　wound　upward　between　walls　of　　stone。　the　light　seemed　to　e　from　the　top。　two　earthmen　stood　one　on　each　side　of　　the　arch　like　sentries；　or　footmen。

the　warden　went　up　to　these　two；　and　said；　as　if　it　were　a　password：　　〃many　sink　down　to　the　underworld。”

〃and　few　return　to　the　sunlit　lands；〃　they　answered；　as　if　it　were　the　　countersign。　then　all　three　put　their　heads　together　and　talked。　at　last　one　of　the　two　gnomes…　in…waiting　said；　〃i　tell　you　the　queens　grace　is　gone　from　hence　on　her　great　affair。　we　　had　best　keep　these　top　dwellers　in　strait　prison　till　her　homeing。　few　return　to　the　　sunlit　lands。”

at　that　moment　the　conversation　was　interrupted　by　what　seemed　to　jill　the　　most　delightful　noise　in　the　world。　it　came　from　above；　from　the　top　of　the　　staircase；　and　it　was　a　clear；　ringing；　perfectly　human　voice；　the　voice　of　a　young　man。

〃what　coil　are　you　keeping　down　there；　mullugutherum？〃　it　shouted。　　〃overworlders；　ha！

bring　them　up　to　me；　and　that　presently。”

〃please　it　your　highness　to　remember；〃　began　mullugutherum；　but　the　voice　　cut　him　short。

〃it　pleases　my　highness　principally　to　be　obeyed；　old　mutterer。　bring　them　　up；〃　it　called。

mullugutherum　shook　his　head；　motioned　to　the　travellers　to　follow　and　　began　going　up　the　staircase。　at　every　step　the　light　increased。　there　were　rich　　tapestries　hanging　on　the　walls。　the　lamplight　shone　golden　through　thin　curtains　at　the　staircase…　head。　the　earthmen　parted　the　curtains　and　stood　aside。　the　three　passed　in。　they　　were　in　a　beautiful　room；　richly　tapestried；　with　a　bright　fire　on　a　clean　hearth；　　and　red　wine　and　cut　glass　sparkling　on　the　table。　a　young　man　with　fair　hair　rose　to　greet　　them。　he　was　　

handsome　and　looked　both　bold　and　kind；　though　there　was　something　about　　his　face　that　didnt　seem　quite　right。　he　was　dressed　in　black　and　altogether　looked　a　　little　bit　like　hamlet。

〃wele；　overworlders；〃　he　cried。　〃but　stay　a　moment！　i　cry　you　mercy！　i　　have　seen　you　two　fair　children；　and　this；　your　strange　governor；　before。　was　it　not　　you　three　that　met　me　by　the　bridge　on　the　borders　of　ettinsmoor　when　i　rode　there　by　my　　ladys　side？”

〃oh　。　。　。　you　were　the　black　knight　who　never　spoke？〃　exclaimed　jill。

〃and　was　that　lady　the　queen　of　underland？〃　asked　puddleglum；　in　no　very　　friendly　voice。　and　scrubb；　who　was　thinking　the　same；　burst　out；　〃because　if　it　　was；　i　think　she　was　jolly　mean　to　send　us　off　to　a　castle　of　giants　who　intended　to　eat　us。　　what　harm　had　we　ever　done　her；　i　should　like　to　know？”

〃how？〃　said　the　black　knight　with　a　frown。　〃if　you　were　not　so　young　a　　warrior；　boy；　you　and　i　must　have　fought　to　the　death　on　this　quarrel。　i　can　hear　no　　words　against　my　ladys　honour。　but　of　this　you　may　be　assured；　that　whatever　she　said　to　　you；　she　said　of　a　good　intent。　you　do　not　know　her。　she　is　a　nosegay　of　all　virtues；　as　　truth；　mercy；　constancy；　gentleness；　courage；　and　the　rest。　i　say　what　i　know。　her　　kindness　to　me　alone；　who　can　in　no　way　reward　her；　would　make　an　admirable　history。　but　　you　shall　know　and　love　her　hereafter。　meanwhile；　what　is　your　errand　in　the　deep　　lands？”

and　before　puddleglum　could　stop　her；　jill　blurted　out；　〃please　we　are　　trying　to　find　prince　rilian　of　narnia。〃　and　then　she　realized　what　a　frightful　risk　she　　had　taken；　these　people　might　be　enemies。　but　the　knight　showed　no　interest。

〃rilian？　narnia？〃　he　said　carelessly。　〃narnia？　what　land　is　that？　i　have　　never　heard　the　name。　it　must　be　a　thousand　leagues　from　those　parts　of　the　overworld　that　　i　know。　but　it　was　a　strange　fantasy　that　brought　you　seeking　this　…　how　do　you　call　him？　　…　billian？

trillian？　in　my　ladys　realm。　indeed；　to　my　certain　knowledge；　there　is　no　　such　man　here。〃　he　laughed　very　loudly　at　this；　and　jill　thought　to　herself；　〃i　　wonder　is　that　whats　wrong　with　his　face？　is　he　a　bit　silly？”

〃we　had　been　told　to　look　for　a　message　on　the　stones　of　the　city　ruinous；〃　　said　scrubb。

〃and　we　saw　the　words　under　me。”

the　knight　laughed　even　more　heartily　than　before。　〃you　were　the　more　　deceived；〃　he　said。　〃those　words　meant　nothing　to　your　purpose。　had　you　but　asked　my　　lady；　she　could　have　given　you　better　counsel。　for　those　words　are　all　that　is　left　　of　a　longer　script；　which　in　ancient　times；　as　she　well　remembers；　expressed　this　verse：　　though　under　earth　and　throneless　now　i　be；　yet；　while　i　lived；　all　earth　　was　under　me。

from　which　it　is　plain　that　some　great　king　of　the　ancient　giants；　who　lies　　buried　there；　caused　this　boast　to　be　cut　in　the　stone　over　his　sepulchre；　though　the　　breaking　up　of　　

some　stones；　and　the　carrying　away　of　others　for　new　buildings；　and　the　　filling　up　of　the　cuts　with　rubble；　has　left　only　two　words　that　can　still　be　read。　is　it　not　　the　merriest　jest　in　the　world　that　you　should　have　thought　they　were　written　to　you？”

this　was　like　cold　water　down　the　back　to　scrubb　and　　jill；　for　it　seemed　to　them　very　likely　that　the　words　had　nothing　to　do　　with　their　quest　at　all；　and　that　they　had　been　taken　in　by　a　mere　accident。

〃dont　you　mind　him；〃　said　puddleglum。　〃there　are　no　accidents。　our　guide　　is　aslan；　and　he　was　there　when　the　giant　king　caused　the　letters　to　be　cut；　and　he　knew　　already　all　things　that　would