THE SILVER CHAIR-第3章

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nd　saw　the　stream；　bright　as　glass；　running　across　the　turf　a　　stones　throw　away　from　her。　but　although　the　sight　of　the　water　made　her　feel　ten　times　　thirstier　than　before；　she　didnt　rush　forward　and　drink。　she　stood　as　still　as　if　she　had　been　　turned　into　stone；　　

with　her　mouth　wide　open。　and　she　had　a　very　good　reason；　just　on　this　side　　of　the　stream　lay　the　lion。

it　lay　with　its　head　raised　and　its　two　fore…paws　out　in　front　of　it；　like　　the　lions　in　trafalgar　square。　she　knew　at　once　that　it　had　seen　her；　for　its　eyes　　looked　straight　into　hers　for　a　moment　and　then　turned　away　…　as　if　it　knew　her　quite　well　and　　didnt　think　much　of　her。

〃if　i　run　away；　itll　be　after　me　in　a　moment；〃　thought　jill。　〃and　if　i　go　　on；　i　shall　run　straight　into　its　mouth。〃　anyway；　she　couldnt　have　moved　if　she　had　tried；　　and　she　couldnt　take　her　eyes　off　it。　how　long　this　lasted；　she　could　not　be　sure；　　it　seemed　like　hours。　and　the　thirst　became　so　bad　that　she　almost　felt　she　would　not　mind　　being　eaten　by　the　lion　if　only　she　could　be　sure　of　getting　a　mouthful　of　water　first。

〃if　youre　thirsty；　you　may　drink。”

they　were　the　first　words　she　had　heard　since　scrubb　had　spoken　to　her　on　　the　edge　of　the　cliff。　for　a　second　she　stared　here　and　there；　wondering　who　had　　spoken。　then　the　voice　said　again；　〃if　you　are　thirsty；　e　and　drink；〃　and　of　course　she　　remembered　what　scrubb　had　said　about　animals　talking　in　that　other　world；　and　　realized　that　it　was　the　lion　speaking。　anyway；　she　had　seen　its　lips　move　this　time；　and　the　　voice　was　not　like　a　mans。　it　was　deeper；　wilder；　and　stronger；　a　sort　of　heavy；　golden　　voice。　it　did　not　make　her　any　less　frightened　than　she　had　been　before；　but　it　made　her　　frightened　in　rather　a　different　way。

〃are　you　not　thirsty？〃　said　the　lion。

〃im　dying　of　thirst；〃　said　jill。

〃then　drink；〃　said　the　lion。

〃may　i　…　could　i　…　would　you　mind　going　away　while　i　do？〃　said　jill。

the　lion　answered　this　only　by　a　look　and　a　very　low　growl。　and　as　jill　　gazed　at　its　motionless　bulk；　she　realized　that　she　might　as　well　have　asked　the　whole　　mountain　to　move　aside　for　her　convenience。

the　delicious　rippling　noise　of　the　stream　was　driving　her　nearly　frantic。

〃will　you　promise　not　to　…　do　anything　to　me；　if　i　do　e？〃　said　jill。

〃i　make　no　promise；〃　said　the　lion。

jill　was　so　thirsty　now　that；　without　noticing　it；　she　had　e　a　step　　nearer。

〃do　you　eat　girls？〃　she　said。

〃i　have　swallowed　up　girls　and　boys；　women　and　men；　kings　and　emperors；　　cities　and　realms；〃　said　the　lion。　it　didnt　say　this　as　if　it　were　boasting；　nor　as　　if　it　were　sorry；　nor　as　if　it　were　angry。　it　just　said　it。

〃i　darent　e　and　drink；〃　said　jill。

〃then　you　will　die　of　thirst；〃　said　the　lion。

〃oh　dear！〃　said　jill；　ing　another　step　nearer。　〃i　suppose　i　must　go　and　　look　for　another　stream　then。”

〃there　is　no　other　stream；〃　said　the　lion。

it　never　occurred　to　jill　to　disbelieve　the　lion　…　no　one　who　had　seen　his　　stern　face　could　do　that　…　and　her　mind　suddenly　made　itself　up。　it　was　the　worst　thing　she　　had　ever　had　to　do；　but　she　went　forward　to　the　stream；　knelt　down；　and　began　scooping　up　　water　in　her　hand。　it　was　the　coldest；　most　refreshing　water　she　had　ever　tasted。　you　　didnt　need　to　drink　much　of　it；　for　it　quenched　your　thirst　at　once。　before　she　tasted　it　　she　had　been　intending　to　make　a　dash　away　from　the　lion　the　moment　she　had　finished。　　now；　she　realized　that　this　would　be　on　the　whole　the　most　dangerous　thing　of　all。　　she　got　up　and　stood　there　with　her　lips　still　wet　from　drinking。

〃e　here；〃　said　the　lion。　and　she　had　to。　she　was　almost　between　its　　front　paws　now；　looking　straight　into　its　face。　but　she　couldnt　stand　that　for　long；　she　　dropped　her　eyes。

〃human　child；〃　said　the　lion。　〃where　is　the　boy？”

〃he　fell　over　the　cliff；〃　said　jill；　and　added；　〃sir。〃　she　didnt　know　what　　else　to　call　him；　and　it　sounded　cheek　to　call　him　nothing。

〃how　did　he　e　to　do　that；　human　child？”

〃he　was　trying　to　stop　me　from　falling；　sir。”

〃why　were　you　so　near　the　edge；　human　child？”

〃i　was　showing　off；　sir。”

〃that　is　a　very　good　answer；　human　child。　do　so　no　more。　and　now〃　（here　for　　the　first　time　the　lions　face　became　a　little　less　stern）　〃the　boy　is　safe。　i　have　　blown　him　to　narnia。　but　your　task　will　be　the　harder　because　of　what　you　have　done。”

〃please；　what　task；　sir？〃　said　jill。

〃the　task　for　which　i　called　you　and　him　here　out　of　your　own　world。”

this　puzzled　jill　very　much。　〃its　mistaking　me　for　someone　else；〃　she　　thought。　she　didnt　dare　to　tell　the　lion　this；　though　she　felt　things　would　get　into　a　　dreadful　muddle　unless　she　did。

〃speak　your　thought；　human　child；〃　said　the　lion。

〃i　was　wondering　…　i　mean　…　could　there　be　some　mistake？　because　nobody　　called　me　and　scrubb；　you　know。　it　was　we　who　asked　to　e　here。　scrubb　said　we　were　to　　call　to　…　to　somebody　…　it　was　a　name　i　wouldnt　know　…　and　perhaps　the　somebody　would　　let　us　in。

and　we　did；　and　then　we　found　the　door　open。　　〃you　would　not　have　called　to　me　unless　i　had　been　calling　to　you；〃　said　　the　lion。

〃then　you　are　somebody；　sir？〃　said　jill。

〃i　am。　and　now　hear　your　task。　far　from　here　in　the　land　of　narnia　there　　lives　an　aged　king　who　is　sad　because　he　has　no　prince　of　his　blood　to　be　king　after　him。　　he　has　no　heir　because　his　only　son　was　stolen　from　him　many　years　ago；　and　no　one　in　　narnia　knows　where　that　prince　went　or　whether　he　is　still　alive。　but　he　is。　i　lay　on　　you　this　mand；　that　you　seek　this　lost　prince　until　either　you　have　found　him　and　brought　　him　to　his　fathers　house；　or　else　died　in　the　attempt；　or　else　gone　back　into　your　　own　world。”

〃how；　please？〃　said　jill。

〃i　will　tell　you；　child；〃　said　the　lion。　〃these　are　the　signs　by　which　i　　will　guide　you　in　your　quest。　first；　as　soon　as　the　boy　eustace　sets　foot　in　narnia；　he　will　　meet　an　old　and　dear　friend。　he　must　greet　that　friend　at　once；　if　he　does；　you　will　both　　have　good　help。

second；　you　must　journey　out　of　narnia　to　the　north　till　you　e　to　the　　ruined　city　of　the　ancient　giants。　third；　you　shall　find　a　writing　on　a　stone　in　that　　ruined　city；　and　you　must　do　what　the　writing　tells　you。　fourth；　you　will　know　the　lost　prince　　（if　you　find　him）

by　this；　that　he　will　be　the　first　person　you　have　met　in　your　travels　who　　will　ask　you　to　do　something　in　my　name；　in　the　name　of　aslan。”

as　the　lion　seemed　to　have　finished；　jill　thought　she　should　say　something。　　so　she　said；　〃thank　you　very　much。　i　see。”

〃child；〃　said　aslan；　in　a　gentler　voice　than　he　had　yet　used；　〃perhaps　you　　do　not　see　quite　as　well　as　you　think。　but　the　first　step　is　to　remember。　repeat　to　me；　in　　order；　the　four　signs。”

jill　tried；　and　didnt　get　them　quite　right。　so　the　lion　corrected　her；　and　　made　her　repeat　them　again　and　again　till　she　could　say　them　perfectly。　he　was　very　patient　　over　this；　so　that；　when　it　was　done；　jill　plucked　up　courage　to　ask：　　〃please；　how　am　i　to　get　to　narnia？”

〃on　my　breath；〃　said　the　lion。　〃i　will　blow　you　into　the　west　of　the　world　　as　i　blew　eustace。”

〃shall　i　catch　him　in　time　to　tell　him　the　first　sign？　but　i　suppose　it　　wont　matter。　if　he　sees　an　old　friend；　hes　sure　to　go　and　speak　to　him；　isnt　he？”

〃you　will　have　no　time　to　spare；〃　said　the　lion。　〃that　is　why　i　must　send　　you　at　once。

e。　walk　before　me　to　the　edge　of　the　cliff。”

jill　remembered　very　well　that　if　there　was　no　time　to　spare；　that　was　her　　own　fault。　〃if　i　hadnt　made　such　a　fool　of　myself；　scrubb　and　i　would　have　been　going　　together。　and　hed　have　heard　all　the　instructions　as　well　as　me；〃　she　thought。　so　she　　did　as　she　was　told。　it　was　very　alarming　walking　back　to　the　edge　of　the　cliff；　　especially　as　the　lion　did　not　walk　with　her　but　behind　her　…　making　no　noise　on　his　soft　paws。

but　long　before　she　had　got　anywhere　near　the　edge；　the　voice　behind　her　　said；　〃stand　still。　in　a　moment　i　will　blow。　but；　first；　remember；　remember；　remember　　the　signs。　say　them　to　yourself　when　you　wake　in　the　morning　and　when　you　lie　down　at　　night；　and　when　you　wake　in　the　middle　of　the　night。　and　whatever　strange　things　may　　happen　to　you；　let　nothing　turn　your　mind　from　following　the　signs。　and　secondly；　i　　give　you　a　warning。　here　on　the　mountain　i　have　spoken　to　you　clearly：　i　will　not　　often　do　so　down　in　narnia。　here　on　the　mountain；　the　air　is　clear　and　your　mind　is　clear；　　as　you　drop　down　into　narnia；　the　air　will　thicken。　take　great　care　that　it　does　not　confuse　　your　mind。　and　the　signs　which　you　have　learned　here　will　not　look　at　all　as　you　expect　　them　to　look；　when　you　meet　them　there。　that　is　why　it　is　so　important　to　know　them　by　　heart　and　pay　no　attention　to　appearances。　remember　the　signs　and　believe　the　signs。　　nothing　else　matters。　and　now；　daughter　of　eve；　farewell　…”

the　voice　had　been　growing　softer　towards　the　end　of　this　speech　and　now　it　　faded　away　altogether。　jill　looked　behind　her。　to　her　astonishment　she　saw　the　cliff　　already　more　than　a　hundred　yards　behind　her；　and　the　lion　himself　a　speck　of　bright　　gold　on　the　edge　of　it。　she　had　been　setting　her　teeth　and　clenching　her　fists　for　a　　terrible　blast　of　lions　breath；　but　the　breath　had　really　been　so　gentle