THE SILVER CHAIR-第27章

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〃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；　and　if　it　had　e　to　swimming；　the　horses　could　hardly　have　won　　over。　but　it　was　still　only　a　foot　or　two　deep；　and　though　it　swished　terribly　round　the　　horses　legs；　they　reached　the　far　side　in　safety。

then　began　the　slow；　weary　march　uphill　with　nothing　ahead　to　look　at　but　　the　pale　lamps　which　went　up　and　up　as　far　as　the　eye　could　reach。　when　they　looked　　back　they　could　see　the　water　spreading。　all　the　hills　of　underland　were　now　islands；　　and　it　was　only　on　those　islands　that　the　lamps　remained。　every　moment　some　distant　　light　vanished。　soon　there　would　be　total　darkness　everywhere　except　on　the　road　　they　were　following；　and　even　on　the　lower　part　of　it　behind　them；　though　no　lamps　　had　yet　gone　out；　the　lamplight　shone　on　water。

although　they　had　good　reason　for　hurrying；　the　horses　could　not　go　on　for　　ever　without　a　rest。　they　halted：　and　in　silence　they　could　hear　the　lapping　of　water。

〃i　wonder　is　whats　his　name　…　father　time　…　flooded　out　now；〃　said　jill。　　〃and　all　those　queer　sleeping　animals。”

〃i　dont　think　were　as　high　as　that；〃　said　eustace。　〃dont　you　remember　　how　we　had　to　go　downhill　to　reach　the　sunless　sea？　i　shouldnt　think　the　water　has　reached　　father　times　cave　yet。”

〃thats　as　may　be；〃　said　puddleglum。　〃im　more　interested　in　the　lamps　on　　this　road。

look　a　bit　sickly；　dont　they？”

〃they　always　did；〃　said　jill。

〃aye；〃　said　puddleglum。　〃but　theyre　greener　now。”

〃you　dont　mean　to　say　you　think　theyre　going　out？〃　cried　eustace。

〃well；　however　they　work；　you　cant　expect　them　to　last　for　ever；　you　　know；〃　replied　the　marsh…wiggle。　〃but　dont　let　your　spirits　down；　scrubb。　ive　got　my　eye　on　　the　water　too；　and　i　dont　think　its　rising　so　fast　as　it　did。”

〃small　fort；　friend；〃　said　the　prince。　〃if　we　cannot　find　our　way　out。　i　　cry　you　mercy；　all。　i　am　to　blame　for　my　pride　and　fantasy　which　delayed　us　by　the　mouth　　of　the　land　of　bism。　now；　let　us　ride　on。”

during　the　hour　or　so　that　followed　jill　sometimes　thought　that　puddleglum　　was　right　about　the　lamps；　and　sometimes　thought　it　was　only　her　imagination。　　meanwhile　the　land　was　changing。　the　roof　of　underland　was　so　near　that　even　by　that　dull　　light　they　could　now　see　it　quite　distinctly。　and　the　great；　rugged　walls　of　underland　could　　be　seen　drawing　closer　on　each　side。　the　road；　in　fact；　was　leading　them　up　into　a　　steep　tunnel。

they　began　to　pass　picks　and　shovels　and　barrows　and　other　signs　that　the　　diggers　had　recently　been　at　work。　if　only　one　could　be　sure　of　getting　out；　all　this　　was　very　cheering。

but　the　thought　of　going　on　into　a　hole　that　would　get　narrower　and　　narrower；　and　harder　to　turn　back　in；　was　very　unpleasant。

at　last　the　roof　was　so　low　that　puddleglum　and　the　prince　knocked　their　　heads　against　it。

the　party　dismounted　and　led　the　horses。　the　road　was　uneven　here　and　one　　had　to　pick　ones　steps　with　some　care。　that　was　how　jill　noticed　the　growing　darkness。　　there　was　no　doubt　about　it　now。　the　faces　of　the　others　looked　strange　and　ghastly　　in　the　green　glow。　then　all　at　once　（she　couldnt　help　it）　jill　gave　a　little　scream。　　one　light；　the　next　one　ahead；　went　out　altogether。　the　one　behind　them　did　the　same。　then　they　　were　in　absolute　darkness。

〃courage；　friends；〃　came　prince　rilians　voice。　〃whether　we　live　or　die　　aslan　will　be　our　good　lord。”

〃thats　right；　sir；〃　said　puddleglums　voice。　〃and　you　must　always　remember　　theres　one　good　thing　about　being　trapped　down　here：　itll　save　funeral　expenses。”

jill　held　her　tongue。　（if　you　dont　want　other　people　to　know　how　　frightened　you　are；　this　is　always　a　wise　thing　to　do；　its　your　voice　that　gives　you　away。）

〃we　might　as　well　go　on　as　stand　here；〃　said　eustace；　and　when　she　heard　　the　tremble　in　his　voice；　jill　knew　how　wise　shed　been　not　to　trust　her　own。

puddleglum　and　eustace　went　first　with　their　arms　stretched　out　in　front　of　　them；　for　fear　of　blundering　into　anything；　jill　and　the　prince　followed；　leading　the　　horses。

〃i　say；〃　came　eustaces　voice　much　later；　〃are　my　eyes　going　queer　or　is　　there　a　patch　of　light　up　there？”

before　anyone　could　answer　him；　puddleglum　called　out：　〃stop。　im　up　　against　a　dead　end。　and　its　earth；　not　rock。　what　were　you　saying；　scrubb？”

〃by　the　lion；〃　said　the　prince；　〃eustace　is　right。　there　is　a　sort　of　…”

〃but　its　not　daylight；〃　said　jill。　〃its　only　a　cold　blue　sort　of　light。”

〃better　than　nothing；　though；〃　said　eustace。　〃can　we　get　up　to　it？”

〃its　not　right　overhead；〃　said　puddleglum。　〃its　above　us；　but　its　in　　this　wall　that　ive　run　into。　how　would　it　be；　pole；　if　you　got　on　my　shoulders　and　saw　whether　you　　could　get　up　to　it？”

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CHAPTER　FIFTEEN

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the　disappearance　of　jill　　　the　patch　of　light　did　not　show　up　anything　down　in　the　darkness　where　they　　were　standing。　the　others　could　only　hear；　not　see；　jills　efforts　to　get　on　to　　the　marsh…wiggles　back。　that　is；　they　heard　him　saying；　〃you　neednt　put　your　finger　in　my　　eye；〃　and；　〃nor　your　foot　in　my　mouth　either；〃　and；　〃thats　more　like　it；〃　and；　〃now；　ill　　hold　on　to　your　legs。　thatll　leave　your　arms　free　to　steady　yourself　against　the　earth。”

then　they　looked　up　and　soon　they　saw　the　black　shape　of　jills　head　　against　the　patch　of　light。

〃well？〃　they　all　shouted　up　anxiously。

〃its　a　hole；〃　called　jills　voice。　〃i　could　get　through　it　if　i　was　a　　little　bit　higher。”

〃what　do　you　see　through　it？〃　asked　eustace。

〃nothing　much　yet；〃　said　jill。　〃i　say；　puddleglum；　let　go　my　legs　so　that　i　　can　stand　on　your　shoulders　instead　of　sitting　on　them。　i　can　steady　myself　all　right　　against　the　edge。”

they　could　hear　her　moving　and　then　much　more　of　her　came　into　sight　　against　the　greyness　of　the　opening；　in　fact　all　of　her　down　to　the　waist。

〃i　say　…〃　began　jill；　but　suddenly　broke　off　with　a　cry：　not　a　sharp　cry。　　it　sounded　more　as　if　her　mouth　had　been　muffled　up　or　had　something　pushed　into　it。　after　　that　she　found　her　voice　and　seemed　to　be　shouting　out　as　loud　as　she　could；　but　they　　couldnt　hear　the　words。　two　things　then　happened　at　the　same　moment。　the　patch　of　light　was　　pletely　blocked　up　for　a　second　or　so；　and　they　heard　both　a　scuffling；　struggling　　sound　and　the　voice　of　the　marsh…wiggle　gasping：　〃quick！　help！　hold　on　to　her　legs。

someones　pulling　her。　there！　no；　here。　too　late！”

the　opening；　and　the　cold　light　which　filled　it；　were　now　perfectly　clear　　again。　jill　had　vanished。

〃jill！　jill！〃　they　shouted　frantically；　but　there　was　no　answer。

〃why　the　dickens　couldnt　you　have　held　her　feet？〃　said　eustace。

〃i　dont　know；　scrubb；〃　groaned　puddleglum。　〃born　to　be　a　misfit；　i　　shouldnt　wonder。

fated。　fated　to　be　poles　death；　just　as　i　was　fated　to　eat　talking　stag　at　　harfang。　not　that　it　isnt　my　own　fault　as　well；　of　course。”

〃this　is　the　greatest　shame　and　sorrow　that　could　have　fallen　on　us；〃　said　　the　prince。　〃we　have　sent　a　brave　lady　into　the　hands　of　enemies　and　stayed　behind　in　　safety。”

〃dont　paint　it　too　black；　sir；〃　said　puddleglum。　〃were　not　very　safe　　except　for　death　by　starvation　in　this　hole。”

〃i　wonder　am　i　small　enough　to　get　through　where　jill　did？〃　said　eustace。

what　had　really　happened　to　jill　was　this。　as　soon　as　she　got　her　head　out　　of　the　hole　she　found　that　she　was　looking　down　as　if　from　an　upstairs　window；　not　up　as　if　　through　a　trap…door。　she　had　been　so　long　in　the　dark　that　her　eyes　couldnt　at　first　　take　in　what　they　were　seeing：　except　that　she　was　not　looking　at　the　daylit；　sunny　world　　which　she　so　wanted　to　see。　the　air　seemed　to　be　deadly　cold；　and　the　light　was　pale　and　　blue。　there　was　also　a　good　deal　of　noise　going　on　and　a　lot　of　white　objects　flying　　about　in　the　air。　it　was　at　that　moment　that　she　had　shouted　down　to　puddleglum　to　let　her　stand　　up　on　his　shoulders。

when　she　had　done　this；　she　could　see　and　hear　a　good　deal　better。　the　　noises　she　had　been　hearing　turned　out　to　be　of　two　kinds：　the　rhythmical　thump　of　several　　feet；　and　the　music　of　four　fiddles；　three　flutes；　and　a　drum。　she　also　got　her　own　　position　clear。　she　was　looking　out　of　a　hole　in　a　steep　bank　which　sloped　down　and　reached　the　　level　about　fourteen　feet　below　her。　everything　was　very　white。　a　lot　of　people　were　　moving　about。

then　she　gasped！　the　people　were　trim　little　fauns；　and　dryads　with　　leafcrowned　hair　floating　behind　them。　for　a　second　they　looked　as　if　they　were　moving　　anyhow；　then　she　saw　that　they　were　really　doing　a　dance　…　a　dance　with　so　many　plicated　　steps　and　figures　that　it　took　you　some　time　to　understand　it。　then　it　came　over　her　　like　a　thunderclap　that　the　pale；　blue　light　was　really　moonlight；　and　the　white　　stuff　on　the　ground　was　really　snow。　and　of　course！　there　were　the　stars　staring　in　a　　black　frosty　sky　overhead。　and　the　tall　black　things　behind　the　dancers　were　trees。　they　had　　not　only　got　out　into　the　upper　world　at　last；　but　had　e　out　in　the　heart　of　narnia。　　jill　felt　she　could　have　fainted　with　delight；　and　the　music　…　the　wild　music；　intensely　sweet　　and　yet　just　the　least　bit　eerie　t