THE SILVER CHAIR-第30章

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d　wigwam　again　either。　and　that　prince　…　hes　a　nice　　chap　…　but　do　you　　

think　hes　very　strong？　constitution　ruined　with　living　underground；　i　　shouldnt　wonder。

looks　the　sort　that　might　go　off　any　day。”

〃puddleglum！〃　said　jill。　〃youre　a　regular　old　humbug。　you　sound　as　doleful　　as　a　funeral　and　i　believe　youre　perfectly　happy。　and　you　talk　as　if　you　were　afraid　of　　everything；　when　youre　really　as　brave　as…as　a　lion。”

〃now；　speaking　of　funerals；〃　began　puddleglum；　but　jill；　who　heard　the　　centaurs　tapping　with　their　hoofs　behind　her；　surprised　him　very　much　by　flinging　her　arms　　round　his　thin　neck　and　kissing　his　muddy…looking　face；　while　eustace　wrung　his　hand。　then　　they　both　rushed　away　to　the　centaurs；　and　the　marsh…wiggle；　sinking　back　on　his　bed；　　remarked　to　himself；　〃well；　i　wouldnt　have　dreamt　of　her　doing　that。　even　though　i　am　　a　good…looking　chap。”

to　ride　on　a　centaur　is；　no　doubt；　a　great　honour　（and　except　jill　and　　eustace　there　is　probably　no　one　alive　in　the　world　today　who　has　had　it）　but　it　is　very　　unfortable。　for　no　one　who　valued　his　life　would　suggest　putting　a　saddle　on　a　centaur；　and　　riding　bare…back　is　no　fun；　especially　if；　like　eustace；　you　have　never　learned　to　ride　　at　all。　the　centaurs　were　very　polite　in　a　grave；　gracious；　grown…up　kind　of　way；　and　　as　they　cantered　through　the　narnian　woods　they　spoke；　without　turning　their　heads；　　telling　the　children　about　the　properties　of　herbs　and　roots；　the　influences　of　the　　planets；　the　nine　names　of　aslan　with　their　meanings；　and　things　of　that　sort。　but　however　　sore　and　jolted　the　two　humans　were；　they　would　now　give　anything　to　have　that　journey　over　　again：　to　see　those　glades　and　slopes　sparkling　with　last　nights　snow；　to　be　met　by　　rabbits　and　squirrels　and　birds　that　wished　you　good　morning；　to　breathe　again　the　air　　of　narnia　and　hear　the　voices　of　the　narnian　trees。

they　came　down　to　the　river；　flowing　bright　and　blue　in　winter　sunshine；　　far　below　the　last　bridge　（which　is　at　the　snug；　red…roofed　little　town　of　beruna）　and　　were　ferried　across　in　a　flat　barge　by　the　ferryman；　or　rather；　by　the　ferry…wiggle；　for　it　is　　marsh…wiggles　who　do　most　of　the　watery　and　fishy　kinds　of　work　in　narnia。　and　when　they　had　　crossed　they　rode　along　the　south　bank　of　the　river　and　presently　came　to　cair　paravel　　itself。　and　at　the　very　moment　of　their　arrival　they　saw　that　same　bright　ship　which　they　　had　seen　when　they　first　set　foot　in　narnia；　gliding　up　the　river　like　a　huge　bird。　all　　the　court　were　once　more　assembled　on　the　green　between　the　castle　and　the　quay　to　wele　king　　caspian　home　again。　rilian；　who　had　changed　his　black　clothes　and　was　now　dressed　　in　a　scarlet　cloak　over　silver　mail；　stood　close　to　the　waters　edge；　bare…headed；　to　　receive　his　father；　and　the　dwarf　trumpkin　sat　beside　him　in　his　little　donkey…chair。　the　　children　saw　there　would　be　no　chance　of　reaching　the　prince　through　all　that　crowd；　and；　　anyway；　they　now　felt　rather　shy。　so　they　asked　the　centaurs　if　they　might　go　on　sitting　on　　their　backs　a　little　longer　and　thus　see　everything　over　the　heads　of　the　courtiers。　and　　the　centaurs　said　they　might。

a　flourish　of　silver　trumpets　came　over　the　water　from　the　ships　deck：　the　　sailors　threw　a　rope；　rats　（talking　rats；　of　course）　and　marsh…wiggles　made　it　fast　ashore；　　and　the　ship　was　warped　in。　musicians；　hidden　somewhere　in　the　crowd；　began　to　play　　solemn；　　

triumphal　music。　and　soon　the　kings　galleon　was　alongside　and　the　rats　ran　　the　gangway　on　board　her。

jill　expected　to　see　the　old　king　e　down　it。　but　there　appeared　to　be　　some　hitch。　a　lord　with　a　pale　face　came　ashore　and　knelt　to　the　prince　and　to　trumpkin。　　the　three　were　talking　with　their　heads　close　together　for　a　few　minutes；　but　no　one　　could　hear　what　they　said。　the　music　played　on；　but　you　could　feel　that　everyone　was　　being　uneasy。　then　four　knights；　carrying　something　and　going　very　slowly；　　appeared　on　deck。

when　they　started　to　e　down　the　gangway　you　could　see　what　they　were　　carrying：　it　was　the　old　king　on　a　bed；　very　pale　and　still。　they　set　him　down。　the　　prince　knelt　beside　him　and　embraced　him。　they　could　see　king　caspian　raising　his　hand　　to　bless　his　son。　and　everyone　cheered；　but　it　was　a　half…hearted　cheer；　for　they　all　　felt　that　something　was　going　wrong。　then　suddenly　the　kings　head　fell　back　upon　his　　pillows；　the　musicians　stopped　and　there　was　a　dead　silence。　the　prince；　kneeling　by　　the　kings　bed；　laid　down　his　head　upon　it　and　wept。

there　were　whisperings　and　goings　to　and　fro。　then　jill　noticed　that　all　　who　wore　hats；　bonnets；　helmets；　or　hoods　were　taking　them　off　…　eustace　included。　then　　she　heard　a　rustling　and　flapping　noise　up　above　the　castle；　when　she　looked　she　saw　　that　the　great　banner　with　the　golden　lion　on　it　was　being　brought　down　to　half…mast。　and　　after　that；　slowly；　mercilessly；　with　wailing　strings　and　disconsolate　blowing　of　　horns；　the　music　began　again：　this　time；　a　tune　to　break　your　heart。

they　both　slipped　off　their　centaurs　（who　took　no　notice　of　them）。

〃i　wish　i　was　at　home；〃　said　jill。

eustace　nodded；　saying　nothing；　and　bit　his　lip。

〃i　have　e；〃　said　a　deep　voice　behind　them。　they　turned　and　saw　the　lion　　himself；　so　bright　and　real　and　strong　that　everything　else　began　at　once　to　look　pale　　and　shadowy　pared　with　him。　and　in　less　time　than　it　takes　to　breathe　jill　forgot　　about　the　dead　king　of　narnia　and　remembered　only　how　she　had　made　eustace　fall　over　the　　cliff；　and　how　she　had　helped　to　muff　nearly　all　the　signs；　and　about　all　the　　snappings　and　quarrellings。　and　she　wanted　to　say　〃im　sorry〃　but　she　could　not　speak。　　then　the　lion　drew　them　towards　him　with　his　eyes；　and　bent　down　and　touched　their　pale　　faces　with　his　tongue；　and　said：　　〃think　of　that　no　more。　i　will　not　always　be　scolding。　you　have　done　the　　work　for　which　i　sent　you　into　narnia。”

〃please；　aslan；〃　said　jill；　〃may　we　go　home　now？”

〃yes。　i　have　e　to　bring　you　home；〃　said　aslan。　then　he　opened　his　mouth　　wide　and　blew。　but　this　time　they　had　no　sense　of　flying　through　the　air：　instead；　　it　seemed　that　they　remained　still；　and　the　wild　breath　of　aslan　blew　away　the　ship　and　　the　dead　king　　

and　the　castle　and　the　snow　and　the　winter　sky。　for　all　these　things　　floated　off　into　the　air　like　wreaths　of　smoke；　and　suddenly　they　were　standing　in　a　great　　brightness　of　mid…summer　sunshine；　on　smooth　turf；　among　mighty　trees；　and　beside　a　fair；　　fresh　stream。

then　they　saw　that　they　were　once　more　on　the　mountain　of　aslan；　high　up　　above　and　beyond　the　end　of　that　world　in　which　narnia　lies。　but　the　strange　thing　　was　that　the　funeral　music　for　king　caspian　still　went　on；　though　no　one　could　tell　　where　it　came　from。　they　were　walking　beside　the　stream　and　the　lion　went　before　them：　　and　he　became　so　beautiful；　and　the　music　so　despairing；　that　jill　did　not　know　　which　of　them　it　was　that　filled　her　eyes　with　tears。

then　aslan　stopped；　and　the　children　looked　into　the　stream。　and　there；　on　　the　golden　gravel　of　the　bed　of　the　stream；　lay　king　caspian；　dead；　with　the　water　　flowing　over　him　like　liquid　glass。　his　long　white　beard　swayed　in　it　like　water…weed。　and　　all　three　stood　and　wept。　even　the　lion　wept：　great　lion…tears；　each　tear　more　precious　　than　the　earth　would　be　if　it　was　a　single　solid　diamond。　and　jill　noticed　that　eustace　　looked　neither　like　a　child　crying；　nor　like　a　boy　crying　and　wanting　to　hide　it；　but　like　　a　grownup　crying。　at　least；　that　is　the　nearest　she　could　get　to　it；　but　really；　as　　she　said；　people　dont　seem　to　have　any　particular　ages　on　that　mountain。

〃son　of　adam；〃　said　aslan；　〃go　into　that　thicket　and　pluck　the　thorn　that　　you　will　find　there；　and　bring　it　to　me。”

eustace　obeyed。　the　thorn　was　a　foot　long　and　sharp　as　a　rapier。

〃drive　it　into　my　paw；　son　of　adam；〃　said　aslan；　holding　up　his　right　fore　…paw　and　spreading　out　the　great　pad　towards　eustace。

〃must　i？〃　said　eustace。

〃yes；〃　said　aslan。

then　eustace　set　his　teeth　and　drove　the　thorn　into　the　lions　pad。　and　　there　came　out　a　great　drop　of　blood；　redder　than　all　redness　that　you　have　ever　seen　or　　imagined。

and　it　splashed　into　the　stream　over　the　dead　body　of　the　king。　at　the　same　　moment　the　doleful　music　stopped。　and　the　dead　king　began　to　be　changed。　his　white　　beard　turned　to　grey；　and　from　grey　to　yellow；　and　got　shorter　and　vanished　altogether；　　and　his　sunken　cheeks　grew　round　and　fresh；　and　the　wrinkles　were　smoothed；　and　his　eyes　　opened；　and　his　eyes　and　lips　both　laughed；　and　suddenly　he　leaped　up　and　stood　before　　them　…　a　very　young　man；　or　a　boy。　（but　jill　couldnt　say　which；　because　of　people　having　　no　particular　ages　in　aslans　country。　even　in　this　world；　of　course；　it　is　the　stupidest　　children　who　are　most　childish　and　the　stupidest　grown…ups　who　are　most　grownup。）　and　he　　rushed　to　aslan　and　flung　his　arms　as　far　as　they　would　go　round　the　huge　neck；　and　　he　gave　aslan　the　strong　kisses　of　a　king；　and　aslan　gave　him　the　wild　kisses　of　a　lion。

at　last　caspian　turned　to　the　others。　he　gave　a　great　laugh　of　astonished　　joy。

〃why！　eustace！〃　he　said。　〃eustace！　so　you　did　reach　the　end　of　the　world　　after　all。　what　about　my　second…best　sword　that　you　bro