THE SILVER CHAIR-第6章

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west　into　the　strange　land　of　narnia；　and　　jill　saw　the　red　remains　of　the　sunset　still　glowing　behind　distant　mountains。　it　made　　her　long　for　more　adventures　and　feel　sure　that　this　was　only　the　beginning。

when　she　had　had　her　bath；　and　brushed　her　hair；　and　put　on　the　clothes　　that　had　been　laid　out　for　her　…　they　were　the　kind　that　not　only　felt　nice；　but　looked　　nice　and　smelled　nice　and　made　nice　sounds　when　you　moved　as　well　…　she　would　have　gone　back　　to　gaze　out　of　that　exciting　window；　but　she　was　interrupted　by　a　bang　on　the　door。

〃e　in；〃　said　jill。　and　in　came　scrubb；　also　bathed　and　splendidly　　dressed　in　narnian　clothes。　but　his　face　didnt　look　as　if　he　were　enjoying　it。

〃oh；　here　you　are　at　last；〃　he　said　crossly；　flinging　himself　into　a　chair。　　〃ive　been　trying　to　find　you　for　ever　so　long。”

〃well；　now　you　have；〃　said　jill。　〃i　say；　scrubb；　isnt　it　all　simply　too　　exciting　and　scrumptious　for　words。〃　she　had　forgotten　all　about　the　signs　and　the　lost　　prince　for　the　moment。

〃oh！　thats　what　you　think；　is　it？〃　said　scrubb：　and　then；　after　a　pause；　　〃i　wish　to　goodness　wed　never　e。”

〃why　on　earth？”

〃i　cant　bear　it；〃　said　scrubb。　〃seeing　the　king　caspian　…　a　doddering　old　　man　like　that。

its　…　its　frightful。”

〃why；　what　harm　does　it　do　you？”

〃oh；　you　dont　understand。　now　that　i　e　to　think　of　it；　you　couldnt。　i　　didnt　tell　you　that　this　world　has　a　different　time　from　ours。”

〃how　do　you　mean？”

〃the　time　you　spend　here　doesnt　take　up　any　of　our　time。　do　you　see？　i　　mean；　however　long　we　spend　here；　we　shall　still　get　back　to　experiment　house　at　the　　moment　we　left　it　…”

〃that　wont　be　much　fun。”

〃oh；　dry　up！　dont　keep　interrupting。　and　when　youre　back　in　england　…　in　　our　world　…　you　cant　tell　how　time　is　going　here。　it　might　be　any　number　of　years　in　　narnia　while　were　having　one　year　at　home。　the　pevensies　explained　it　all　to　me；　but；　　like　a　fool；　i　forgot　about　it。　and　now　apparently　its　been　about　seventy　years　narnian　　years　…　since　i　was　here　last。　do　you　see　now？　and　i　e　back　and　find　caspian　an　old；　old　　man。”

〃then　the　king　was　an　old　friend　of　yours！〃　said　jill。　a　horrid　thought　had　　struck　her。

〃i　should　jolly　well　think　he　was；〃　said　scrubb　miserably。　〃about　as　good　a　　friend　as　a　chap　could　have。　and　last　time　he　was　only　a　few　years　older　than　me。　and　　to　see　that　old　man　with　a　white　beard；　and　to　remember　caspian　as　he　was　the　morning　　we　captured　the　lone　islands；　or　in　the　fight　with　the　sea　serpent　…　oh；　its　　frightful。　its　worse　than　ing　back　and　finding　him　dead。”

〃oh；　shut　up；〃　said　jill　impatiently。　〃its　far　worse　than　you　think。　weve　　muffed　the　first　sign。〃　of　course　scrubb　did　not　understand　this。　then　jill　told　him　about　　her　conversation　with　aslan　and　the　four　signs　and　the　task　of　finding　the　lost　　prince　which　had　been　laid　upon　them。

〃so　you　see；〃　she　wound　up；　〃you　did　see　an　old　friend；　just　as　aslan　said；　　and　you　ought　to　have　gone　and　spoken　to　him　at　once。　and　now　you　havent；　and　everything　　is　going　wrong　from　the　very　beginning。”

〃but　how　was　i　to　know？〃　said　scrubb。

〃if　youd　only　listened　to　me　when　i　tried　to　tell　you；　wed　be　all　right；〃　　said　jill。

〃yes；　and　if　you　hadnt　played　the　fool　on　the　edge　of　that　cliff　and　jolly　　nearly　murdered　me　…　all　right；　i　said　murder；　and　ill　say　it　again　as　often　as　i　like；　so　　keep　your　hair　on　…　wed　have　e　together　and　both　known　what　to　do。”

〃i　suppose　he　was　the　first　person　you　saw？〃　said　jill。　〃you　must　have　been　　here　hours　before　me。　are　you　sure　you　didnt　see　anyone　else　first？”

〃i　was　only　here　about　a　minute　before　you；〃　said　scrubb。　〃he　must　have　　blown　you　quicker　than　me。　making　up　for　lost　time：　the　time　you　lost。”

〃dont　be　a　perfect　beast；　scrubb；〃　said　jill。　〃hallo！　whats　that？”

it　was　the　castle　bell　ringing　for　supper；　and　thus　what　looked　like　　turning　into　a　first…rate　quarrel　was　happily　cut　short。　both　had　a　good　appetite　by　this　time。

supper　in　the　great　hall　of　the　castle　was　the　most　splendid　thing　either　　of　them　had　ever　seen；　for　though　eustace　had　been　in　that　world　before；　he　had　spent　his　　whole　visit　at　sea　and　knew　nothing　of　the　glory　and　courtesy　of　the　narnians　at　home　in　their　　own　land。

the　banners　hung　from　the　roof；　and　each　course　came　in　with　trumpeters　and　kettledrums。　there　were　soups　that　would　make　your　mouth　water　to　think　of；　　and　the　lovely　fishes　called　pavenders；　and　venison　and　peacock　and　pies；　and　ices　　and　jellies　and　fruit　and　nuts；　and　all　manner　of　wines　and　fruit　drinks。　even　eustace　　cheered　up　and　admitted　that　it　was　〃something　like〃。　and　when　all　the　serious　eating　and　　drinking　was　over；　a　blind　poet　came　forward　and　struck　up　the　grand　old　tale　of　prince　　cor　and　aravis　and　the　horse　bree；　which　is　called　the　horse　and　his　boy　and　tells　of　an　　adventure　that　happened　in　narnia　and　calormen　and　the　lands　between；　in　the　golden　age　　when　peter　was　high　king　in　cair　paravel。　（i　havent　time　to　tell　it　now；　though　it　is　　well　worth　hearing。）

when　they　were　dragging　themselves　upstairs　to　bed；　yawning　their　heads　　off；　jill　said；　〃i　bet　we　sleep　well；　tonight〃；　for　it　had　been　a　full　day。　which　just　shows　　how　little　anyone　knows　what　is　going　to　happen　to　them　next。

　。。　



CHAPTER　FOUR

　　
a　parliament　of　owls　　　it　is　a　very　funny　thing　that　the　sleepier　you　are；　the　longer　you　take　　about　getting　to　bed；　especially　if　you　are　lucky　enough　to　have　a　fire　in　your　room。　jill　felt　　she　couldnt　even　start　undressing　unless　she　sat　down　in　front　of　the　fire　for　a　bit　first。　　and　once　she　had　sat　down；　she　didnt　want　to　get　up　again。　she　had　already　said　to　herself　　about　five　times；　〃i　must　go　to　bed〃；　when　she　was　startled　by　a　tap　on　the　window。

she　got　up；　pulled　the　curtain；　and　at　first　saw　nothing　but　darkness。　then　　she　jumped　and　started　backwards；　for　something　very　large　had　dashed　itself　against　　the　window；　giving　a　sharp　tap　on　the　glass　as。　it　did　so。　a　very　unpleasant　idea　came　　into　her　head　…　〃suppose　they　have　giant　moths　in　this　country！　ugh！〃　but　then　the　thing　　came　back；　and　this　time　she　was　almost　sure　she　saw　a　beak；　and　that　the　beak　had　made　　that　tapping　noise。　〃its　some　huge　bird；〃　thought　jill。　〃could　it　be　an　eagle？〃　she　　didnt　very　much　want　a　visit　even　from　an　eagle；　but　she　opened　the　window　and　looked　out。　　instantly；　with　a　great　whirring　noise；　the　creature　alighted　on　the　window…sill　and　　stood　there　filling　up　the　whole　window；　so　that　jill　had　to　step　back　to　make　room　for　　it。　it　was　the　owl。

〃hush；　hush！　tu…whoo；　tu…whoo；〃　said　the　owl。　〃dont　make　a　noise。　now；　are　　you　two　really　in　earnest　about　what　youve　got　to　do？”

〃about　the　lost　prince；　you　mean？〃　said　jill。　〃yes；　weve　got　to　be。〃　for　　now　she　remembered　the　lions　voice　and　face；　which　she　had　nearly　forgotten　during　　the　feasting　and　story…telling　in　the　hall。

〃good！〃　said　the　owl。　〃then　theres　no　time　to　waste。

you　must　get　away　from　here　at　once。　ill　go　and　wake　the　other　human。　then　　ill　e　back　for　you。　youd　better　change　those　court　clothes　and　put　on　something　　you　can　travel　in。　ill　be　back　in　two　twos。　tu…whoo！〃　and　without　waiting　for　an　　answer；　he　was　gone。

if　jill　had　been　more　used　to　adventures；　she　might　have　doubted　the　owls　　word；　but　this　never　occurred　to　her：　and　in　the　exciting　idea　of　a　midnight　escape　she　　forgot　her　sleepiness。　she　changed　back　into　sweater　and　shorts　there　was　a　guides　　knife　on　the　belt　of　the　shorts　which　might　e　in　useful　…　and　added　a　few　of　the　things　　that　had　been　left　in　the　room　for　her　by　the　girl　with　the　willowy　hair。　she　chose　a　　short　cloak　that　came　down　to　her　knees　and　had　a　hood　（〃just　the　thing；　if　it　rains；〃　she　　thought）；　a　few　handkerchiefs　and　a　b。　then　she　sat　down　and　waited。

she　was　getting　sleepy　again　when　the　owl　returned。

〃now　were　ready；〃　it　said。

〃youd　better　lead　the　way；〃　said　jill。　〃i　dont　know　all　these　passages　　yet。”

〃tu…whoo！〃　said　the　owl。　〃were　not　going　through　the　castle。　that　would　　never　do。　you　must　ride　on　me。　we　shall　fly。”

〃oh！〃　said　jill；　and　stood　with　her　mouth　open；　not　much　liking　the　idea。　　〃shant　i　be　too　heavy　for　you？”

〃tu…whoo；　tu…whoo！　dont　you　be　a　fool。　ive　already　carried　the　other　one。　　now。　but　well　put　out　that　lamp　first。”

as　soon　as　the　lamp　was　out；　the　bit　of　the　night　which　you　saw　through　the　　window　looked　less　dark　…　no　longer　black；　but　grey。　the　owl　stood　on　the　window…　sill　with　his　back　to　the　room　and　raised　his　wings。　jill　had　to　climb　on　to　his　short　　fat　body　and　get　her　knees　under　the　wings　and　grip　tight。　the　feathers　felt　beautifully　　warm　and　soft　but　there　was　nothing　to　hold　on　by。　〃i　wonder　how　scrubb　liked　his　ride！〃　　thought　jill。　and　just　as　she　was　thinking　this；　with　a　horrid　plunge　they　had　left　the　　window…sill；　and　the　wings　were　making　a　flurry　round　her　ears；　and　the　night　air；　rather　cool　　and　damp；　was　flying　in　her　face。

it　was　much　lighter　than　she　expected；　and　though　the　sky　was　overcast；　one　　patch　of　watery　silver　showed　where　the　moon　was　hiding　above　the　clouds。　the　fields　　beneath　her　looked　grey；　and　the　trees　black。　there　was　a　certain　amount　of　wind　…　　a　hushing；　ruffling　sort　of　wind　whi