THE SILVER CHAIR-第31章

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〃why！　eustace！〃　he　said。　〃eustace！　so　you　did　reach　the　end　of　the　world　　after　all。　what　about　my　second…best　sword　that　you　broke　on　the　sea…serpent？”

eustace　made　a　step　towards　him　with　both　hands　held　out；　but　then　drew　　back　with　a　somewhat　startled　expression。

〃look　here！　i　say；〃　he　stammered。　〃its　all　very　well。　but　arent　you？　…　i　　mean　didnt　you　…？”

〃oh；　dont　be　such　an　ass；〃　said　caspian。

〃but；〃　said　eustace；　looking　at　aslan。　〃hasnt　he　…　er　died？”

〃yes；〃　said　the　lion　in　a　very　quiet　voice；　almost　（jill　thought）　as　if　he　　were　laughing。

〃he　has　died。　most　people　have；　you　know。　even　i　have。　there　are　very　few　　who　havent。”

〃oh；〃　said　caspian。　〃i　see　whats　bothering　you。　you　think　im　a　ghost；　or　　some　nonsense。　but　dont　you　see？　i　would　be　that　if　i　appeared　in　narnia　now：　　because　i　dont　belong　there　any　more。　but　one　cant　be　a　ghost　in　ones　own　country。　i　　might　be　a　ghost　if　i　got　into　your　world。　i　dont　know。　but　i　suppose　it　isnt　yours　　either；　now　youre　here。”

a　great　hope　rose　in　the　childrens　hearts。　but　aslan　shook　his　shaggy　　head。　〃no；　my　dears；〃　he　said。　〃when　you　meet　me　here　again；　you　will　have　e　to　stay。　　but　not　now。

you　must　go　back　to　your　own　world　for　a　while。”

〃sir；〃　said　caspian；　〃ive　always　wanted　to　have　just　one　glimpse　of　their　　world。　is　that　wrong？”

〃you　cannot　want　wrong　things　any　more；　now　that　you　have　died；　my　son；〃　　said　aslan。

〃and　you　shall　see　their　world　…　for　five　minutes　of　their　time。　it　will　　take　no　longer　for　you　to　set　things　right　there。〃　then　aslan　explained　to　caspian　what　jill　　and　eustace　were　going　back　to　and　all　about　experiment　house：　he　seemed　to　know　it　　quite　as　well　as　they　did。

〃daughter；〃　said　aslan　to　jill；　〃pluck　a　switch　off　that　bush。〃　she　did；　　and　as　soon　as　it　was　in　her　hand　it　turned　into　a　fine　new　riding　crop。

〃now；　sons　of　adam；　draw　your　swords；〃　said　aslan。　〃but　use　only　the　flat；　　for　it　is　cowards　and　children；　not　warriors；　against　whom　1　send　you。”

〃are　you　ing　with　us；　aslan？〃　said　jill。

〃they　shall　see　only　my　back；〃　said　aslan。

he　led　them　rapidly　through　the　wood；　and　before　they　had　gone　many　paces；　　the　wall　of　experiment　house　appcared　before　them。　then　aslan　roared　so　that　the　sun　　shook　in　the　sky　and　thirty　feet　of　the　wall　fell　down　before　them。　they　looked　through　　the　gap；　down　into　the　school　shrubbery　and　on　to　the　roof　of　the　gym；　all　under　the　same　　dull　autumn　sky　which　they　had　seen　before　their　adventures　began。　aslan　turned　to　jill　　and　eustace　and　breathed　upon　them　and　touched　their　foreheads　with　his　tongue。　then　he　　lay　down　amid　the　gap　he　had　made　in　the　wall　and　turned　his　golden　back　to　england；　　and　his　lordly　face　towards　his　own　lands。　at　the　same　moment　jill　saw　figures　whom　　she　knew　only　too　well　running　up　through　the　laurels　towards　them。　most　of　the　gang　　were　there　adela　pennyfather　and　cholmondely　major；　edith　winterblott；　‘spotty　　sorrier；　big　bannister；　and　the　two　loathsome　garrett　twins。　but　suddenly　they　stopped。　　their　faces　changed；　and　all　the　meanness；　conceit；　cruelty；　and　sneakishness　almost　　disappeared　in　one　single　expression　of　terror。　for　they　saw　the　wall　fallen　down；　and　a　　lion　as　large　as　a　young　elephant　lying　in　the　gap；　and　three　figures　in　glittering　clothes　　with　weapons　in　their　hands　rushing　down　upon　them。　for；　with　the　strength　of　aslan　in　　them；　jill　plied　her　crop　on　the　girls　and　caspian　and　eustace　plied　the　flats　of　their　　swords　on　the　boys　so　well　that　in　two　minutes　all　the　bullies　were　running　like　mad；　crying　　out；　‘murder！

fascists！　lions！　it　isnt　fair。　and　then　the　head　（who　was；　by　the　way；　a　　woman）　came　running　out　to　see　what　was　happening。　and　when　she　saw　the　lion　and　the　　broken　wall　and　caspian　and　jill　and　eustace　（whom　she　quite　failed　to　recognize）　she　　had　hysterics　and　went　back　to　the　house　and　began　ringing　up　the　police　with　stories　　about　a　lion　escaped　from　a　circus；　and　escaped　convicts　who　broke　down　walls　and　　carried　drawn　swords。　in　the　midst　of　all　this　fuss　jill　and　eustace　slipped　quietly　　indoors　and　changed　out　of　their　bright　clothes　into　ordinary　things；　and　caspian　went　back　　into　his　own　world。　and　the　wall；　at　aslans　word；　was　made　whole　again。　when　the　police　　arrived　and　found　no　lion；　no　broken　wall；　and　no　convicts；　and　the　head　behaving　　like　a　lunatic；　there　was　an　inquiry　into　the　whole　thing。　and　in　the　inquiry　all　sorts　of　　things　about　experiment　house　came　out；　and　about　ten　people　got　expelled。　after　that；　　the　heads　friends　saw　that　the　head　was　no　use　as　a　head；　so　they　got　her　made　an　　inspector　to　interfere　with　other　heads。　and　when　they　found　she　wasnt　much　good　even　　at　that；　they　got　her　into　parliament　where　she　lived　happily　ever　after。

eustace　buried　his　fine　clothes　secretly　one　night　in　the　school　grounds；　　but　jill　smuggled　hers　home　and　wore　them　at　a　fancy…dress　ball　next　holidays。　and　from　that　　day　forth　things　changed　for　the　better　at　experiment　house；　and　it　became　quite　a　　good　school。

and　jill　and　eustace　were　always　friends。

but　far　off　in　narnia；　king　rilian　buried　his　father；　caspian　the　　navigator；　tenth　of　that　name；　and　mourned　for　him。　he　himself　ruled　narnia　well　and　the　land　was　　happy　in　his　days；　though　puddleglum　（whose　foot　was　as　good　as　new　in　three　weeks）　　often　pointed　out　that　bright　mornings　brought　on　wet　afternoons；　and　that　you　couldnt　　expect　good　times　to　last。　the　opening　into　the　hillside　was　left　open；　and　often　in　　hot　summer　days　the　narnians　go　in　there　with　ships　and　lanterns　and　down　to　the　water　and　　sail　to　and　fro；　singing；　on　the　cool；　dark　underground　sea；　telling　each　other　stories　of　　the　cities　that　lie　　

fathoms　deep　below。　if　ever　you　have　the　luck　to　go　to　narnia　yourself；　do　　not　forget　to　have　a　look　at　those　caves。

．co

　　，