THE SILVER CHAIR-第2章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


to　open　moor。　this　door　was　nearly　always　locked。　but　there　had　　been　times　when　people　had　found　it　open；　or　perhaps　there　had　been　only　one　time。　but　　you　may　imagine　how　the　memory　of　even　one　time　kept　people　hoping；　and　trying　the　　door；　for　if　it　should　happen　to　be　unlocked　it　would　be　a　splendid　way　of　getting　　outside　the　school　grounds　without　being　seen。

jill　and　eustace；　now　both　very　hot　and　very　grubby　from　going　along　bent　　almost　double　under　the　laurels；　panted　up　to　the　wall。　and　there　was　the　door；　shut　as　　usual。

〃its　sure　to　be　no　good；〃　said　eustace　with　his　hand　on　the　handle；　and　　then；　〃o…o…oh。　by　gum！！〃　for　the　handle　turned　and　the　door　opened。

a　moment　before；　both　of　them　had　meant　to　get　through　that　doorway　in　　double　quick　time；　if　by　any　chance　the　door　was　not　locked。　but　when　the　door　actually　　opened；　they　both　stood　stock　still。　for　what　they　saw　was　quite　different　from　what　　they　had　expected。

they　had　expected　to　see　the　grey；　heathery　slope　of　the　moor　going　up　and　　up　to　join　the　dull　autumn　sky。　instead；　a　blaze　of　sunshine　met　them。　it　poured　through　　the　doorway　as　the　light　of　a　june　day　pours　into　a　garage　when　you　open　the　door。　it　made　　the　drops　of　water　on　the　grass　glitter　like　beads　and　showed　up　the　dirtiness　of　jills　　tear…stained　face。

and　the　sunlight　was　ing　from　what　certainly　did　look　like　a　different　　world　…　what　they　could　see　of　it。　they　saw　smooth　turf；　smoother　and　brighter　than　jill　　had　ever　seen　before；　and　blue　sky；　and；　darting　to　and　fro；　things　so　bright　that　they　　might　have　been　jewels　or　huge　butterflies。

although　she　had　been　longing　for　something　like　this；　jill　felt　　frightened。　she　looked　at　scrubbs　face　and　saw　that　he　was　frightened　too。

〃e　on；　pole；〃　he　said　in　a　breathless　voice。

〃can　we　get　back？　is　it　safe？〃　asked　jill。

at　that　moment　a　voice　shouted　from　behind；　a　mean；　spiteful　little　voice。　　〃now　then；　pole；〃　it　squeaked。　〃everyone　knows　youre　there。　down　you　e。〃　it　was　　the　voice　of　edith　jackle；　not　one　of　them　herself　but　one　of　their　hangers…on　and　tale　…bearers。

〃quick！〃　said　scrubb。　〃here。　hold　hands。　we　mustnt　get　separated。〃　and　　before　she　quite　knew　what　was　happening；　he　had　grabbed　her　hand　and　pulled　her　　through　the　door；　out　of　the　school　grounds；　out　of　england；　out　of　our　whole　world　　into　that　place。

the　sound　of　edith　jackles　voice　stopped　as　suddenly　as　the　voice　on　the　　radio　when　it　is　switched　off。　instantly　there　was　a　quite　different　sound　all　about　them。　　it　came　from　those　bright　things　overhead；　which　now　turned　out　to　be　birds。　they　were　　making　a　riotous　noise；　but　it　was　much　more　like　music　…　rather　advanced　music　　which　you　dont　quite　take　in　at　the　first　hearing　…　than　birds　songs　ever　are　in　our　　world。　yet；　in　spite　of　the　singing；　there　was　a　sort　of　background　of　immense　silence。　that　　silence；　bined　with　the　freshness　of　the　air；　made　jill　think　they　must　be　on　the　top　of　a　　very　high　mountain。

scrubb　still　had　her　by　the　hand　and　they　were　walking　forward；　staring　　about　them　on　every　side。　jill　saw　that　huge　trees；　rather　like　cedars　but　bigger；　grew　　in　every　direction。

but　as　they　did　not　grow　close　together；　and　as　there　was　no　undergrowth；　　this　did　not　prevent　one　from　seeing　a　long　way　into　the　forest　to　left　and　right。　and　　as　far　as　jills　eye　could　reach；　it　was　all　the　same　…　level　turf；　darting　birds　with　　yellow；　or　dragonfly　blue；　or　rainbow　plumage；　blue　shadows；　and　emptiness。　there　was　not　a　　breath　of　wind　in　that　cool；　bright　air。　it　was　a　very　lonely　forest。

right　ahead　there　were　no　trees：　only　blue　sky。　they　went　straight　on　　without　speaking　till　suddenly　jill　heard　scrubb　say；　〃look　out！〃　and　felt　herself　jerked　　back。　they　were　at　the　very　edge　of　a　cliff。

jill　was　one　of　those　lucky　people　who　have　a　good　head　for　heights。　she　　didnt　mind　in　the　least　standing　on　the　edge　of　a　precipice。　she　was　rather　annoyed　with　　scrubb　for　pulling　her　back　…　〃just　as　if　i　was　a　kid〃；　she　said　and　she　wrenched　her　　hand　out　of　his。

when　she　saw　how　very　white　he　had　turned；　she　despised　him。

〃whats　the　matter？〃　she　said。　and　to　show　that　she　was　not　afraid；　she　　stood　very　near　the　edge　indeed；　in　fact；　a　good　deal　nearer　than　even　she　liked。　then　she　　looked　down。

she　now　realized　that　scrubb　had　some　excuse　for　looking　white；　for　no　　cliff　in　our　world　is　to　be　pared　with　this。　imagine　yourself　at　the　top　of　the　very　　highest　cliff　you　know。　and　imagine　yourself　looking　down　to　the　very　bottom。　and　then　　imagine　that　the　precipice　goes　on　below　that；　as　far　again；　ten　times　as　far；　twenty　times　　as　far。　and　when　youve　looked　down　all　that　distance　imagine　little　white　things　that　　might；　at　first　glance；　be　mistaken　for　sheep；　but　presently　you　realize　that　they　are　clouds　…　not　　little　wreaths　of　mist　but　the　enormous　white；　puffy　clouds　which　are　themselves　as　big　as　　most　mountains。　and　at　last；　in　between　those　clouds；　you　get　your　first　glimpse　　of　the　real　bottom；　so　far　away　that　you　cant　make　out　whether　its　field　or　wood；　or　　land　or　water：　farther　below　those　clouds　than　you　are　above　them。

jill　stared　at　it。　then　she　thought　that　perhaps；　after　all；　she　would　step　　back　afoot　or　so　from　the　edge；　but　she　didnt　like　to　for　fear　of　what　scrubb　would　think。　　then　she　suddenly　decided　that　she　didnt　care　what　he　thought；　and　that　she　would　　jolly　well　get　away　from　that　horrible　edge　and　never　laugh　at　anyone　for　not　liking　　heights　again。　but　when　she　tried　to　move；　she　found　she　couldnt。　her　legs　seemed　to　have　　turned　into　putty。　everything　was　swimming　before　her　eyes。

〃what　are　you　doing；　pole？　e　back…blithering　little　idiot！〃　shouted　　scrubb。　but　his　voice　seemed　to　he　ing　from　a　long　way　off。　she　felt　him　grabbing　at　　her。　but　by　now　she　had　no　control　over　her　own　arms　and　legs。　there　was　a　moments　　struggling　on　the　cliff　edge。　jill　was　too　frightened　and　dizzy　to　know　quite　what　she　was　　doing；　but　two　things　she　remembered　as　long　as　she　lived　（they　often　came　back　to　her　in　　dreams）。　one　was　that　she　had　wrenched　herself　free　of　scrubbs　clutches；　the　other　was　　that；　at　the　same　moment；　scrubb　himself；　with　a　terrified　scream；　had　lost　his　balance　　and　gone　hurtling　to　the　depths。

fortunately；　she　was　given　no　time　to　think　over　what　she　had　done。　some　　huge；　brightly　coloured　animal　had　rushed　to　the　edge　of　the　cliff。　it　was　lying　down；　　leaning　over；　and　（this　was　the　odd　thing）　blowing。　not　roaring　or　snorting；　but　just　blowing　　from　its　wide…opened　mouth；　blowing　out　as　steadily　as　a　vacuum　cleaner　sucks　in。　jill　　was　lying　so　close　to　the　creature　that　she　could　feel　the　breath　vibrating　steadily　　through　its　body。　she　was　lying　still　because　she　couldnt　get　up。　she　was　nearly　fainting：　　indeed；　she　wished　　

she　could　really　faint；　but　faints　dont　e　for　the　asking。　at　last　she　　saw；　far　away　below　her；　a　tiny　black　speck　floating　away　from　the　cliff　and　slightly　　upwards。　as　it　rose；　it　also　got　farther　away。　by　the　time　it　was　nearly　on　a　level　with　　the　cliff…top　it　was　so　far　off　that　she　lost　sight　of　it。　it　was　obviously　moving　away　from　　them　at　a　great　speed。　jill　couldnt　help　thinking　that　the　creature　at　her　side　was　　blowing　it　away。

so　she　turned　and　looked　at　the　creature。　it　was　a　lion。

　。。



CHAPTER　TWO

小？说网
jill　is　given　a　task　　　without　a　glance　at　jill　the　lion　rose　to　its　feet　and　gave　one　last　blow。　　then；　as　if　satisfied　with　its　work；　it　turned　and　stalked　slowly　away；　back　into　the　　forest。

〃it　must　be　a　dream；　it　must；　it　must；〃　said　jill　to　herself。　〃ill　wake　up　　in　a　moment。〃　but　it　wasnt；　and　she　didnt。

〃i　do　wish　wed　never　e　to　this　dreadful　place；〃　said　jill。　〃i　dont　　believe　scrubb　knew　any　more　about　it　than　i　do。　or　if　he　did；　he　had　no　business　to　bring　me　　here　without　warning　me　what　it　was　like。　its　not　my　fault　he　fell　over　that　cliff。　if　　hed　left　me　alone　we　should　both　be　all　right。〃　then　she　remembered　again　the　scream　that　　scrubb　had　given　when　he　fell；　and　burst　into　tears。

crying　is　all　right　in　its　way　while　it　lasts。　but　you　have　to　stop　sooner　　or　later；　and　then　you　still　have　to　decide　what　to　do。　when　jill　stopped；　she　found　she　was　　dreadfully　thirsty。　she　had　been　lying　face　downward；　and　now　she　sat　up。　the　birds　　had　ceased　singing　and　there　was　perfect　silence　except　for　one　small；　persistent　　sound；　which　seemed　to　e　from　a　good　distance　away。　she　listened　carefully；　and　felt　　almost　sure　it　was　the　sound　of　running　water。

jill　got　up　and　looked　round　her　very　carefully。　there　was　no　sign　of　the　　lion；　but　there　were　so　many　trees　about　that　it　might　easily　be　quite　close　without　her　　seeing　it。　for　all　she　knew；　there　might　be　several　lions。　but　her　thirst　was　very　bad　now；　　and　she　plucked　up　her　courage　to　go　and　look　for　that　running　water。　she　went　on　tiptoes；　　stealing　cautiously　from　tree　to　tree；　and　stopping　to　peer　round　her　at　every　step。

the　wood　was　so　still　that　it　was　not　difficult　to　decide　where　the　sound　　was　ing　from。　it　grew　clearer　every　moment　and；　sooner　than　she　expected；　she　came　　to　an　open　glade　and　saw　the　stream；　bright　as　glass；　running　across　the　turf　a　　stones　throw　away　from　her。　but　altho