THE SILVER CHAIR-第26章

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ng　away。　it　looked　more　like　military　　formations；　if　you　ask　me。　do　you　look　me　in　the　face；　mr　golg；　and　tell　me　you　werent　　preparing　for　battle？”

〃of　course　we　were；　your　honour；〃　said　golg。　〃you　see；　we　didnt　know　the　　witch　was　dead。　we　thought　shed　be　watching　from　the　castle。　we　were　trying　to　slip　　away　without　being　seen。　and　then　when　you　three　came　out　with　swords　and　horses；　of　　course　everyone　says　to　himself；　here　it　es：　not　knowing　that　his　honour　wasnt　　on　the　witchs　side。　and　we　were　determined　to　fight　like　anything　rather　than　　give　up　the　hope　of　going　back　to　bism。”

〃ill　be　sworn　tis　an　honest　gnome；〃　said　the　prince。　〃let　go　of　it；　　friend　puddleglum。　as　for　me；　good　golg；　i　have　been　enchanted　like　you　and　your　fellows；　and　　have　but　newly　remembered　myself。　and　now；　one　question　more。　do　you　know　the　way　to　those　　new　diggings；　by　which　the　sorceress　meant　to　lead　out　an　army　against　　overland？”

〃ee…ee…ee！〃　squeaked　golg。　〃yes；　i　know　that　terrible　road。　i　will　show　you　　where　it　begins。　but　it　is　no　manner　of　use　your　honour　asking　me　to　go　with　you　on　　it。　ill　die　rather。”

〃why？〃　asked　eustace　anxiously。　〃whats　so　dreadful　about　it？”

〃too　near　the　top；　the　outside；〃　said　golg；　shuddering。　〃that　was　the　worst　　thing　the　witch　did　to　us。　we　were　going　to　be　led　out　into　the　open　…　on　to　the　　outside　of　the　world。　they　say　theres　no　roof　at　all　there；　only　a　horrible　great　　emptiness　called　the　sky。

and　the　diggings　have　gone　so　far　that　a　few　strokes　of　the　pick　would　　bring　you　out　to　it。

i　wouldnt　dare　go　near　them。”

〃hurrah！　now　youre　talking！〃　cried　eustace；　and　jill　said；　〃but　its　not　　horrid　at　all　up　there。　we　like　it。　we　live　there。”

〃i　know　you　overlanders　live　there；〃　said　golg。　〃but　i　thought　it　was　　because　you　couldnt　find　your　way　down　inside。　you　cant　really　like　it　…　crawling　　about　like　flies　on　the　top　of　the　world！”

〃what　about　showing　us　the　road　at　once？〃　said　puddleglum。

〃in　a　good　hour；〃　cried　the　prince。　the　whole　party　set　out。　the　prince　　remounted　his　charger；　puddleglum　climbed　up　behind　jill；　and　golg　led　the　way。　as　he　　went；　he　kept　shouting　out　the　good　news　that　the　witch　was　dead　and　that　the　four　　overlanders　were　not　dangerous。　and　those　who　heard　him　shouted　it　on　to　others；　so　that　in　　a　few　minutes　the　whole　of　underland　was　ringing　with　shouts　and　cheers；　and　gnomes　by　　hundreds　and　thousands；　leaping；　turning　cart…wheels；　standing　on　their　heads；　playing　　leap…frog；　and　letting　off　huge　crackers；　came　pressing　round　coalblack　and　snowflake。　and　　the　prince　had　to　tell　the　story　of　his　own　enchantment　and　deliverance　at　least　ten　　times。

in　this　way　they　came　to　the　edge　of　the　chasm。　it　was　about　a　thousand　　feet　long　and　perhaps　two　hundred　wide。　they　dismounted　from　their　horses　and　came　to　the　　edge；　and　looked　down　into　it。　a　strong　heat　smote　up　into　their　faces；　mixed　with　a　　smell　which　was　quite　unlike　any　they　had　ever　smelled。　it　was　rich；　sharp；　exciting；　　and　made　you　sneeze。　the　depth　of　the　chasm　was　so　bright　that　at　first　it　dazzled　their　　eyes　and　they　could　see　nothing。　when　they　got　used　to　it　they　thought　they　could　make　　out　a　river　of　fire；　and；　on　the　banks　of　that　river；　what　seemed　to　be　fields　and　groves　　of　an　unbearable；　hot　brilliance　…　though　they　were　dim　pared　with　the　river。　　there　were　blues；　reds；　greens；　and　whites　all　jumbled　together：　a　very　good　stained…　glass　window　with　the　tropical　sun　staring　straight　through　it　at　midday　might　have　　something　the　same　effect。　down　the　rugged　sides　of　the　chasm；　looking　black　like　flies　　against　all　that　fiery　light；　hundreds　of　earthmen　were　climbing。

〃your　honours；〃　said　golg　（and　when　they　turned　to　look　at　him　they　could　　see　nothing　but　blackness　for　a　few　minutes；　their　eyes　were　so　dazzled）。　〃your　　honours；　why　dont　　

you　e　down　to　bism？　youd　be　happier　there　than　in　that　cold；　　unprotected；　naked　country　out　on　top。　or　at　least　e　down　for　a　short　visit。”

jill　took　it　for　granted　that　none　of　the　others　would　listen　to　such　an　　idea　for　a　moment。

to　her　horror　she　heard　the　prince　saying：　　〃truly；　friend　golg；　i　have　half　a　mind　to　e　down　with　you。　for　this　is　　a　marvellous　adventure；　and　it　may　be　no　mortal　man　has　ever　looked　into　bism　before　or　　will　ever　have　the　chance　again。　and　i　know　not　how；　as　the　years　pass；　i　shall　bear　　to　remember　that　it　was　once　in　my　power　to　have　probed　the　uttermost　pit　of　earth　and　　that　i　forbore。

but　could　a　man　live　there？　you　do　not　swim　in　the　fire…river　itself？”

〃oh　no；　your　honour。　not　we。　its　only　salamanders　live　in　the　fire　　itself。”

〃what　kind　of　beast　is　your　salamander？〃　asked　the　prince。

〃it　is　hard　to　tell　their　kind；　your　honour；〃　said　golg。　〃for　they　are　too　　white…hot　to　look　at。　but　they　are　most　like　small　dragons。　they　speak　to　us　out　of　the　fire。　　they　are　wonderfully　clever　with　their　tongues：　very　witty　and　eloquent。”

jill　glanced　hastily　at　eustace。　she　had　felt　sure　that　he　would　like　the　　idea　of　sliding　down　that　chasm　even　less　than　she　did。　her　heart　sank　as　she　saw　that　his　　face　was　quite　changed。　he　looked　much　more　like　the　prince　than　like　the　old　scrubb　at　　experiment　house。　for　all　his　adventures；　and　the　days　when　he　had　sailed　with　king　　caspian；　were　ing　back　to　him。

〃your　highness；〃　he　said。　〃if　my　old　friend　reepicheep　the　mouse　were　here；　　he　would　say　we　could　not　now　refuse　the　adventures　of　bism　without　a　great　　impeachment　to　our　honour。”

〃down　there；〃　said　golg；　〃i　could　show　you　real　gold；　real　silver；　real　　diamonds。”

〃bosh！〃　said　jill　rudely。　〃as　if　we　didnt　know　that　were　below　the　　deepest　mines　even　here。”

〃yes；〃　said　golg。　〃i　have　heard　of　those　little　scratches　in　the　crust　that　　you　topdwellers　call　mines。　but　thats　where　you　get　dead　gold；　dead　silver；　dead　gems。　　down　in　bism　we　have　them　alive　and　growing。　there　ill　pick　you　bunches　of　rubies　that　you　　can　eat　and　squeeze　you　a　cup　full　of　diamond…juice。　you　wont　care　much　about　　fingering　the　cold；　dead　treasures　of　your　shallow　mines　after　you　have　tasted　the　live　ones　of　　bism。”

〃my　father　went　to　the　worlds　end；〃　said　rilian　thoughtfully。　〃it　would　be　　a　marvellous　thing　if　his　son　went　to　the　bottom　of　the　world。”

〃if　your　highness　wants　to　see　your　father　while　hes　still　alive；　which　i　　think　hed　prefer；〃　said　puddleglum；　〃its　about　time　we　were　getting　on　to　that　road　　to　the　diggings。”

〃and　i　wont　go　down　that　hole；　whatever　anyone　says；〃　added　jill。

〃why；　if　your　honours　are　really　set　to　go　back　to　overworld；〃　said　golg；　　〃there　is　one　bit　of　the　road　thats　rather　lower　than　this。　and　perhaps；　if　that　floods　　still　rising　…”

〃oh；　do；　do；　do　e　on！〃　begged　jill。

〃i　fear　it　must　be　so；〃　said　the　prince　with　a　deep　sigh。　〃but　i　have　left　　half　of　my　heart　in　the　land　of　bism。”

〃please！〃　begged　jill。

〃where　is　the　road？〃　asked　puddleglum。

〃there　are　lamps　all　the　way；〃　said　golg。　〃your　honour　can　see　the　　beginning　of　the　road　on　the　far　side　of　the　chasm。”

〃how　long　will　the　lamps　burn　for？〃　asked　puddleglum。

at　that　moment　a　hissing；　scorching　voice　like　the　voice　of　fire　itself　　（they　wondered　afterwards　if　it　could　have　been　a　salamanders）　came　whistling　up　out　of　　the　very　depths　of　bism。

〃quick！　quick！　quick！　to　the　cliffs；　to　the　cliffs；　to　the　cliffs！〃　it　　said。　〃the　rift　closes。　it　closes。　it　closes。　quick！　quick！〃　and　at　the　same　time；　with　ear…shattering　　cracks　and　creaks；　the　rocks　moved。　already；　while　they　looked；　the　chasm　was　　narrower。　from　every　side　belated　gnomes　were　rushing　into　it。　they　would　not　wait　to　　climb　down　the　rocks。　they　flung　themselves　headlong　and；　either　because　so　strong　a　blast　　of　hot　air　was　beating　up　from　the　bottom；　or　for　some　other　reason；　they　could　be　　seen　floating　downwards　like　leaves。　thicker　and　thicker　they　floated；　till　their　　blackness　almost　blotted　out　the　fiery　river　and　the　groves　of　live　gems。　〃good…bye　to　your　　honours。　im　off；〃　shouted　golg；　and　dived。　only　a　few　were　left　to　follow　him。　the　　chasm　was　now　no　broader　than　a　stream。　now　it　was　narrow　as　the　slit　in　a　pillarbox。　now　　it　was　only　an　intensely　bright　thread。　then；　with　a　shock　like　a　thousand　goods　trains　　crashing　into　a　thousand　pairs　of　buffers；　the　lips　of　rock　closed。　the　hot；　maddening　　smell　vanished。

the　travellers　were　alone　in　an　underworld　which　now　looked　far　blacker　　than　before。

pale；　dim；　and　dreary；　the　lamps　marked　the　direction　of　the　road。

〃now；〃　said　puddleglum；　〃its　ten　to　one　weve　already　stayed　too　long；　but　　we　may　as　well　make　a　try。　those　lamps　will　give　out　in　five　minutes；　i　shouldnt　　wonder。”

they　urged　the　horses　to　a　canter　and　thundered　along　the　dusky　road　in　　fine　style。　but　almost　at　once　it　began　going　downhill。　they　would　have　thought　golg　had　　sent　them　the　wrong　way　if　they　had　not　seen；　on　the　other　side　of　the　valley；　the　lamps　　going　on　and　upwards　as　far　as　the　eye　could　reach。　but　at　the　bottom　of　the　valley　the　　lamps　shone　on　moving　water。

〃haste；〃　cried　the　prince。　they　galloped　down　the　slope。　it　would　have　been　　nasty　enough　at　the　bottom　even　five　minutes　later　for　the　tide　was　running　up　　the　valley　like　a　mill…race；　an