THE SILVER CHAIR-第24章

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rilian　explained　that　there　were　quite　a　lot　of　outlets　by　which　one　could　　get　to　the　surface；　he　had　been　taken　out　through　most　of　them　at　one　time　or　another。　　but　he　had　never　gone　out　alone；　only　with　the　witch；　and　he　had　always　reached　these　　outlets　by　going　in　a　ship　across　the　sunless　sea。　what　the　earthmen　would　say　if　he　　went　down　to　the　harbour　without　the　witch；　and　with　four　strangers；　and　simply　ordered　　a　ship；　no　one　could　guess。　but　most　likely　they　would　ask　awkward　questions。　on　the　other　　hand　the　new　outlet；　the　one　for　the　invasion　of　overworld；　was　on　this　side　of　the　　sea；　and　only　a　few　miles　away。　the　prince　knew　that　it　was　nearly　finished；　only　a　few　　feet　of　earth　divided　the　diggings　from　the　outer　air。　it　was　even　possible　that　it　had　　now　been　quite　finished。　perhaps　the　witch　had　e　back　to　tell　him　this　and　to　start　the　　attack。　even　if　it　was　not；　they　could　probably　dig　themselves　out　by　that　route　in　a　few　　hours　…　if　they　could　only　get　there　without　being　stopped；　and　if　only　they　found　the　　diggings　unguarded。　but　those　were　the　difficulties。

〃if　you　ask　me　…〃　began　puddleglum；　when　scrubb　interrupted。

〃i　say；〃　he　asked；　〃whats　that　noise？”

〃ive　been　wondering　that　for　some　time！〃　said　jill。

they　had　all；　in　fact；　been　hearing　the　noise　but　it　had　begun　and　　increased　so　gradually　that　they　did　not　know　when　they　had　first　noticed　it。　for　a　time　it　had　　been　only　a　vague　disquiet　like　gentle　winds；　or　traffic　very　far　away。　then　it　swelled　to　a　　murmur　like　the　sea。　then　came　rumblings　and　rushings。　now　there　seemed　to　be　voices　as　　well　and　also　a　steady　roaring　that　was　not　voices。

〃by　the　lion；〃　said　prince　rilian；　〃it　seems　this　silent　land　has　found　a　　tongue　at　last。〃　he　rose；　walked　to　the　window；　and　drew　aside　the　curtains。　the　others　crowded　　round　him　to　look　out。

the　very　first　thing　they　noticed　was　a　great　red　glow。　its　reflection　made　　a　red　patch　on　the　roof　of　the　underworld　thousands　of　feet　above　them；　so　that　they　could　　see　a　rocky　ceiling　which　had　perhaps　been　hidden　in　darkness　ever　since　the　world　was　　made。　the　glow　itself　came　from　the　far　side　of　the　city　so　that　many　buildings；　grim　　and　great；　stood　up　blackly　against　it。　but　it　also　cast　its　light　down　many　streets　　that　ran　from　it　towards　the　castle。　and　in　those　streets　something　very　strange　was　going　　on。　the　closely…packed；　silent　crowds　of　earthmen　had　vanished。　instead；　there　were　　figures　darting　about　by　ones；　or　twos；　or　threes。　they　behaved　like　people　who　do　　not　want　to　be　seen：　lurking　in　shadow　behind　buttresses　or　in　doorways；　and　then　　moving　quickly　across　the　open　into　fresh　places　of　hiding。　but　the　strangest　thing　of　　all；　to　anyone　who　　

knew　the　gnomes；　was　the　noise。　shouts　and　cries　came　from　all　directions。　　but　from　the　harbour　there　came　a　low；　rumbling　roar　which　grew　steadily　louder　and　was　　already　shaking　the　whole　city。

〃whats　happened　to　the　earthmen？〃　said　scrubb。　〃is　it　them　shouting？”

〃tis　hardly　possible；〃　said　the　prince。　〃i　never　heard　one　of　the　rascals　　so　much　as　speak　with　a　loud　voice　in　all　the　weary　years　of　my　bondage。　some　new　devilry；　i　　dont　doubt。”

〃and　what　is　that　red　light　over　there？〃　asked　jill。　〃is　something　on　　fire？”

〃if　you　ask　me；〃　said　puddleglum；　〃i　should　say　that　was　the　central　fires　　of　the　earth　breaking　out　to　make　a　new　volcano。　well　be　in　the　middle　of　it；　i　　shouldnt　wonder。”

〃look　at　that　ship！〃　said　scrubb。　〃whys　it　ing　on　so　quickly？　no　ones　　rowing　it。”

〃look；　look！〃　said　the　prince。　〃the　ship　is　already　far　this　side　of　the　　harbour　…　it　is　in　the　street。　look！　all　the　ships　are　driving　into　the　city！　by　my　head；　the　　seas　rising。　the　flood　is　upon　us。　aslan　be　praised；　this　castle　stands　on　high　ground。　but　　the　water　es　on　grimly　fast。”

〃oh；　what　can　be　happening？〃　cried　jill。　〃fire　and　water　and　all　those　　people　dodging　about　the　streets。”

〃ill　tell　you　what　it　is；〃　said　puddleglum。　〃that　witch　has　laid　a　train　　of　magic　spells　so　that　whenever　she　was　killed；　at　that　same　moment　her　whole　kingdom　would　　fall　to　pieces。　shes　the　sort　that　wouldnt　so　much　mind　dying　herself　if　she　knew　　that　the　chap　who　killed　her　was　going　to　be　burned；　or　buried；　or　drowned　five　minutes　　later。”

〃hast　hit　it；　friend　wiggle；〃　said　the　prince。　〃when　our　swords　hacked　off　　the　witchs　head；　that　stroke　ended　all　her　magic　works；　and　now　the　deep　lands　are　　falling　to　pieces。　we　are　looking　on　the　end　of　underworld。”

〃thats　it；　sir；〃　said　puddleglum。　〃unless　it　should　happen　to　be　the　end　　of　the　whole　world。”

〃but　are　we　just　going　to　stay　here　and　…　wait？〃　gasped　jill。

〃not　by　my　counsel；〃　said　the　prince。　〃i　would　save　my　horse；　coalblack；　　and　the　witchs　snowflake　（a　noble　beast　and　worthy　of　a　better　mistress）　which　are　both　　stabled　in　the　courtyard。　after　that；　let　us　make　shift　to　get　out　to　high　ground　and　pray　　that　we　shall　find　an　outlet。　the　horses　can　carry　two　each　at　need；　and　if　we　put　them　　to　it　they　may　outstrip　the　flood。”

〃will　your　highness　not　put　on　armour？〃　asked　puddleglum。　〃i　dont　like　the　　look　of　those〃　…　and　he　pointed　down　to　the　street。　everyone　looked　down。　dozens　of　　creatures　　

（and　now　that　they　were　close；　they　obviously　were　earthmen）　were　ing　up　　from　the　direction　of　the　harbour。　but　they　were　not　moving　like　an　aimless　crowd。　　they　behaved　like　modern　soldiers　in　an　attack；　making　rushes　and　taking　cover；　anxious　　not　to　be　seen　from　the　castle　windows。

〃i　dare　not　see　the　inside　of　that　armour　again；〃　said　the　prince。　〃i　rode　　in　it　as　in　a　movable　dungeon；　and　it　stinks　of　magic　and　slavery。　but　i　will　take　the　　shield。”

he　left　the　room　and　returned　with　a　strange　light　in　his　eyes　a　moment　　later。

〃look；　friends；〃　he　said；　holding　out　the　shield　towards　them。　〃an　hour　ago　　it　was　black　and　without　device；　and　now；　this。〃　the　shield　had　turned　bright　as　silver；　　and　on　it；　redder　than　blood　or　cherries；　was　the　figure　of　the　lion。

〃doubtless；〃　said　the　prince；　〃this　signifies　that　aslan　　will　be　our　good　　lord；　whether　he　means　us　to　live　or　die。　and　alls　one；　for　that。　now；　by　my　counsel；　we　　shall　all　kneel　and　kiss　his　likeness；　and　then　all　shake　hands　one　with　another；　as　true　　friends　that　may　shortly　be　parted。　and　then；　let　us　descend　into　the　city　and　take　the　　adventure　that　is　sent　us。”

and　they　all　did　as　the　prince　had　said。　but　when　scrubb　shook　hands　with　　jill；　he　said；　〃so　long；　jill。　sorry　ive　been　a　funk　and　so　ratty。　i　hope　you　get　safe　　home；〃　and　jill　said；　〃so　long；　eustace。　and　im　sorry　ive　been　such　a　pig。〃　and　this　was　the　　first　time　they　had　ever　used　christian　names；　because　one　didnt　do　it　at　school。

the　prince　unlocked　the　door　and　they　all　went　down　the　stairs：　three　of　　them　with　drawn　swords；　and　jill　with　drawn　knife。　the　attendants　had　vanished　and　the　　great　room　at　the　foot　of　the　princes　stairs　was　empty。　the　grey；　doleful　lamps　were　still　　burning　and　by　their　light　they　had　no　difficulty　in　passing　gallery　after　gallery　and　　descending　stairway　after　stairway。　the　noises　from　outside　the　castle　were　not　so　easily　heard　　here　as　they　had　been　in　the　room　above。　inside　the　house　all　was　still　as　death；　and　　deserted。　it　was　as　they　turned　a　corner　into　the　great　hall　on　the　ground　floor　that　they　met　　their　first　earthman　…　a　fat；　whitish　creature　with　a　very　piglike　face　who　was　　gobbling　up　all　the　remains　of　food　on　the　tables。　it　squealed　（the　squeal　also　was　very　like　a　　pigs）　and　darted　under　a　bench；　whisking　its　long　tail　out　of　puddleglums　reach　in　　the　nick　of　time。

then　it　rushed　away　through　the　far　door　too　quickly　to　be　followed。

from　the　hall　they　came　out　into　the　courtyard。　jill；　who　went　to　a　riding　　school　in　the　holidays；　had　just　noticed　the　smell　of　a　stable　（a　very　nice；　honest；　　homely　smell　it　is　to　meet　in　a　place　like　underland）　when　eustace　said；　〃great　scott！　look　at　　that！〃　a　magnificent　rocket　had　risen　from　somewhere　beyond　the　castle　walls　and　　broken　into　green　stars。

〃fireworks！〃　said　jill　in　a　puzzled　voice。

〃yes；〃　said　eustace；　〃but　you　cant　imagine　those　earth　people　letting　them　　off　for　fun！　it　must　be　a　signal。”

〃and　means　no　good　to　us；　ill　be　bound；〃　said　puddleglum。

〃friends；〃　said　the　prince；　〃when　once　a　man　is　launched　on　such　an　　adventure　as　this；　he　must　bid　farewell　to　hopes　and　fears；　otherwise　death　or　deliverance　will　　both　e　too　late　to　save　his　honour　and　his　reason。　ho；　my　beauties〃　（he　was　now　　opening　the　stable　door）。　〃hey　cousins！　steady；　coalblack！　softly　now；　snowflake！　you　are　not　　forgotten。”

the　horses　were　both　frightened　by　the　strange　lights　and　the　noises。　jill；　　who　had　been　so　cowardly　about　going　through　a　black　hole　betweeen　one　cave　and　another；　　went　in　without　fear　between　the　stamping　and　snorting　beasts；　and　she　and　the　　prince　had　them　saddled　and　bridled　in　a　few　minutes。　very　fine　they　looked　as　they　came　　out　into　the　courtyard；　tossing　their　heads。　jill　mounted　snowflake；　and　puddleglum　got　　up　behind　her。　eustace　got　up　behind　the　prince　on　coalblack。　then　with　a　great　echo　　of　hoofs；　they　rode　out　of　the　main　gateway　into　the　street。

〃not　much　danger　of　being　burnt。