THE SILVER CHAIR-第4章

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clenching　her　fists　for　a　　terrible　blast　of　lions　breath；　but　the　breath　had　really　been　so　gentle　that　she　had　not　even　　noticed　the　moment　at　which　she　left　the　earth。　and　now；　there　was　nothing　but　air　for　　thousands　upon　thousands　of　feet　below　her。

she　felt　frightened　only　for　a　second。　for　one　thing；　the　world　beneath　her　　was　so　very　far　away　that　it　seemed　to　have　nothing　to　do　with　her。　for　another；　　floating　on　the　breath　of　the　lion　was　so　extremely　fortable。　she　found　she　could　lie　on　her　　back　or　on　her　face　and　twist　any　way　she　pleased；　just　as　you　can　in　water　（if　youve　　learned　to　float　really　well）。　and　because　she　was　moving　at　the　same　pace　as　the　breath；　　there　was　no　wind；　and　the　air　seemed　beautifully　warm。　it　was　not　in　the　least　like　　being　in　an　aeroplane；　because　there　was　no　noise　and　no　vibration。　if　jill　had　ever　　been　in　a　balloon　she　might　have　thought　it　more　like　that；　only　better。

when　she　looked　back　now　she　could　take　in　for　the　first　time　the　real　size　　of　the　mountain　she　was　leaving。　she　wondered　why　a　mountain　so　huge　as　that　was　　not　covered　with　snow　and　ice　…　〃but　i　suppose　all　that　sort　of　thing　is　　different　in　this　world；”

thought　jill。　then　she　looked　below　her；　but　she　was　so　high　that　she　　couldnt　make　out　whether　she　was　floating　over　land　or　sea；　nor　what　speed　she　was　going　at。

〃by　jove！　the　signs！〃　said　jill　suddenly。　〃id　better　repeat　them。〃　she　was　　in　a　panic　for　a　second　or　two；　but　she　found　she　could　still　say　them　all　correctly。　〃so　　thats　all　right；”

she　said；　and　lay　back　on　the　air　as　if　it　was　a　sofa；　with　a　sigh　of　　contentment。

〃well；　i　do　declare；〃　said　jill　to　herself　some　hours　later；　〃ive　been　　asleep。　fancy　sleeping　on　air。　i　wonder　if　anyones　done　it　before。　i　dont　suppose　they　　have。　oh　bother　…　scrubb　probably　has！　on　this　same　journey；　a　little　bit　before　me。　lets　　see　what　it　looks　like　down　below。”

what　it　looked　like　was　an　enormous；　very　dark　blue　plain。　there　were　no　　hills　to　be　seen；　but　there　were　biggish　white　things　moving　slowly　across　it。　〃those　　must　be　clouds；〃　she　thought。　〃but　far　bigger　than　the　ones　we　saw　from　the　cliff。　　i　suppose　theyre　bigger　because　theyre　nearer。　i　must　be　getting　lower。　bother　this　　sun。”

the　sun　which　had　been　high　overhead　when　she　began　her　journey　was　now　　getting　into　her　eyes。　this　meant　that　it　was　getting　lower；　ahead　of　her。　scrubb　was　　quite　right　in　saying　that　jill　（i　dont　know　about　girls　in　general）　didnt　think　much　　about　points　of　the　pass。　otherwise　she　would　have　known；　when　the　sun　began　getting　in　her　　eyes；　that　she　was　travelling　pretty　nearly　due　west。

staring　at　the　blue　plain　below　her；　she　presently　noticed　that　there　were　　little　dots　of　brighter；　paler　colour　in　it　here　and　there。　〃its　the　sea！〃　thought　jill。　　〃i　do　believe　those　are　islands。〃　and　so　they　were。　she　might　have　felt　rather　jealous　if　she　　had　known　that　some　of　them　were　islands　which　scrubb　had　seen　from　a　ships　deck　and　even　　landed　on；　but　she　didnt　know　this。　then；　later　on；　she　began　to　see　that　there　were　　little　wrinkles　on　the　blue　flatness：　little　wrinkles　which　must　be　quite　big　ocean　waves　if　　you　were　down　among　them。　and　now；　all　along　the　horizon　there　was　a　thick　dark　line　　which　grew　thicker　and　darker　so　quickly　that　you　could　see　it　growing。　that　was　the　　first　sign　she　had　had　of　the　great　speed　at　which　she　was　travelling。　and　she　knew　that　　the　thickening　line　must　be　land。

suddenly　from　her　left　（for　the　wind　was　in　the　south）　a　great　white　cloud　　came　rushing　towards　her；　this　time　on　the　same　level　as　herself。　and　before　she　knew　　where　she　was；　she　had　shot　right　into　the　middle　of　its　cold；　wet　fogginess。　that　took　　her　breath　away；　but　she　was　in　it　only　for　a　moment。　she　came　out　blinking　in　the　sunlight　　and　found　her　clothes　wet。　（she　had　on　a　blazer　and　sweater　and　shorts　and　stockings　and　　pretty　thick　shoes；　it　had　been　a　muddy　sort　of　day　in　england。）　she　came　out　lower　than　　she　had　gone　in；　and　as　soon　as　she　did　so　she　noticed　something　which；　i　suppose；　　she　ought　to　have　been　expecting；　but　which　came　as　a　surprise　and　a　shock。　it　was　　noises。　up　till　then　she　had　travelled　in　total　silence。　now；　for　the　first　time；　she　heard　　the　noise　of　　

waves　and　the　crying　of　seagulls。　and　now；　too；　she　smelled　the　smell　of　　the　sea。　there　was　no　mistake　about　her　speed　now。　she　saw　two　waves　meet　with　a　smack　and　　a　spout　of　foam　go　up　between　them；　but　she　had　hardly　seen　it　before　it　was　a　　hundred　yards　behind　her。　the　land　was　getting　nearer　at　a　great　pace。　she　could　see　　mountains　far　inland；　and　other　nearer　mountains　on　her　left。　she　could　see　bays　and　　headlands；　woods　and　fields；　stretches　of　sandy　beach。　the　sound　of　waves　breaking　on　the　　shore　was　growing　louder　every　second　and　drowning　the　other　sea　noises。

suddenly　the　land　opened　right　ahead　of　her。　she　was　ing　to　the　mouth　of　　a　river。　she　was　very　low　now；　only　a　few　feet　above　the　water。　a　wave…top　came　against　　her　toe　and　a　great　splash　of　foam　spurted　up；　drenching　her　nearly　to　the　waist。　now　　she　was　losing　speed。　instead　of　being　carried　up　the　river　she　was　gliding　in　to　the　　river　bank　on　her　left。　there　were　so　many　things　to　notice　that　she　could　hardly　take　them　　all　in；　a　smooth；　green　lawn；　a　ship　so　brightly　coloured　that　it　looked　like　an　enormous　　piece　of　jewellery；　towers　and　battlements；　banners　fluttering　in　the　air；　a　crowd；　gay　　clothes；　armour；　gold；　swords；　a　sound　of　music。　but　this　was　all　jumbled。　the　first　thing　that　　she　knew　clearly　was　that　she　had　alighted　and　was　standing　under　a　thicket　of　trees　close　　by　the　river　side；　and　there；　only　a　few　feet　away　from　her；　was　scrubb。

the　first　thing　she　thought　was　how　very　grubby　and　untidy　and　generally　　unimpressive　he　looked。　and　the　second　was　〃how　wet　i　am！”

　。。　



CHAPTER　THREE

　小说
the　sailing　of　the　king　　　what　made　scrubb　look　so　dingy　（and　jill　too；　if　she　could　only　have　seen　　herself）　was　the　splendour　of　their　surroundings。　i　had　better　describe　them　at　once。

through　a　cleft　in　those　mountains　which　jill　had　seen　far　inland　as　she　　approached　the　land；　the　sunset　light　was　pouring　over　a　level　lawn。　on　the　far　side　of　　the　lawn；　its　weather…vanes　glittering　in　the　light；　rose　a　many…towered　and　many…　turreted　castle；　the　most　beautiful　castle　jill　had　ever　seen。　on　the　near　side　was　a　quay　of　　white　marble　and；　moored　to　this；　the　ship：　a　tall　ship　with　high　forecastle　and　high　poop；　　gilded　and　crimson；　with　a　great　flag　at　the　mast…head；　and　many　banners　waving　from　　the　decks；　and　a　row　of　shields；　bright　as　silver；　along　the　bulwarks。　the　gang…plank　　was　laid　to　her；　and　at　the　foot　of　it；　just　ready　to　go　on　board；　stood　an　old；　old　man。　he　　wore　a　rich　mantle　of　scarlet　which　opened　in　front　to　show　his　silver　mail　shirt。　　there　was　a　thin　circlet　of　gold　on　his　head。　his　beard；　white　as　wool；　fell　nearly　to　his　　waist。　he　stood　straight　enough；　leaning　one　hand　on　the　shoulder　of　a　richly　dressed　lord　　who　seemed　younger　than　himself：　but　you　could　see　he　was　very　old　and　frail。　he　　looked　as　if　a　puff　of　wind　could　blow　him　away；　and　his　eyes　were　watery。

immediately　in　front　of　the　king　…　who　had　turned　round　to　speak　to　his　　people　before　going　on　board　the　ship　…　there　was　a　little　chair　on　wheels；　and；　　harnessed　to　it；　a　little　donkey：　not　much　bigger　than　a　big　retriever。　in　this　chair　sat　a　fat　　little　dwarf。　he　was　as　richly　dressed　as　the　king；　but　because　of　his　fatness　and　because　he　was　　sitting　hunched　up　among　cushions；　the　effect　was　quite　different：　it　made　him　look　like　a　　shapeless　little　bundle　of　fur　and　silk　and　velvet。　he　was　as　old　as　the　king；　but　more　hale　　and　hearty；　with　very　keen　eyes。　his　bare　head；　which　was　bald　and　extremely　large；　　shone　like　a　gigantic　billiard　ball　in　the　sunset　light。

farther　back；　in　a　half…circle；　stood　what　jill　at　once　knew　to　be　the　　courtiers。　they　were　well　worth　looking　at　for　their　clothes　and　armour　alone。　as　far　as　that　　went；　they　looked　more　like　a　flower…bed　than　a　crowd。　but　what　really　made　jill　open　her　　eyes　and　mouth　as　wide　as　they　would　go；　was　the　people　themselves。　if　〃people〃　was　the　　right　word。　for　only　about　one　in　every　five　was　human。　the　rest　were　things　you　never　see　　in　our　world。

fauns；　satyrs；　centaurs：　jill　could　give　a　name　to　these；　for　she　had　seen　　pictures　of　them。

dwarfs　too。　and　there　were　a　lot　of　animals　she　knew　as　well；　bears；　　badgers；　moles；　leopards；　mice；　and　various　birds。　but　then　they　were　so　very　different　　from　the　animals　which　one　called　by　the　same　names　in　england。　some　of　them　were　much　　bigger　…　the　mice；　for　instance；　stood　on　their　hind　legs　and　were　over　two　feet　high。　　but　quite　apart　from　that；　they　all　looked　different。　you　could　see　by　the　expression　in　　their　faces　that　they　could　talk　and　think　just　as　well　as　you　could。

〃golly！〃　thought　jill。　〃so　its　true　after　all。〃　but　next　moment　she　added；　　〃i　wonder　are　they　friendly？〃　for　she　had　just　noticed；　on　the　outskirts　of　the　crowd；　　one　or　two　giants　and　some　people　whom　she　couldnt　give　a　name　to　at　all。

at　that　moment　aslan　and　the　signs　rushed　back　into　her　mind。　she　had　　forgotten　al