THE SILVER CHAIR-第9章

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ew　from　that　direction　that　the　sea　lay　over　there。　to　the　north　there　were　low　pale…　coloured　hills；　in　places　bastioned　with　rock。　the　rest　was　all　flat　marsh。　it　would　have　been　　a　depressing　place　on　a　w　et　evening。　seen　under　a　morning　sun；　with　a　fresh　wind　　blowing；　and　the　air　filled　with　the　crying　of　birds；　there　was　something　fine　and　fresh　and　　clean　about　its　loneliness。　the　children　felt　their　spirits　rise。

〃where　has　the　thingummy　got　to；　i　wonder？〃　said　jill。

〃the　marsh…wiggle；〃　said　scrubb；　as　if　he　were　rather　proud　of　knowing　the　　word。　〃i　expect…hullo；　that　must　be　him。〃　and　then　they　both　saw　him；　sitting　with　　his　back　to　them；　fishing；　about　fifty　yards　away。　he　had　been　hard　to　see　at　first　　because　he　was　nearly　the　same　colour　as　the　marsh　and　because　he　sat　so　still。

〃i　suppose　wed　better　go　and　speak　to　him；〃　said　jill。　scrubb　nodded。　they　　both　felt　a　little　nervous。

as　they　drew　nearer；　the　figure　turned　its　head　and　showed　them　a　long　thin　　face　with　rather　sunken　cheeks；　a　tightly　shut　mouth；　a　sharp　nose；　and　no　beard。　he　　was　wearing　a　high；　pointed　hat　like　a　steeple；　with　an　enormously　wide　flat　brim。　the　　hair；　if　it　could　be　called　hair；　which　hung　over　his　large　ears　was　greeny…grey；　and　each　　lock　was　flat　rather　than　round；　so　that　they　were　like　tiny　reeds。　his　expression　was　　solemn；　his　plexion　muddy；　and　you　could　see　at　once　that　he　took　a　serious　view　of　　life。

〃good　morning；　guests；〃　he　said。　〃though　when　i　say　good　i　dont　mean　it　　wont　probably　turn　to　rain　or　it　might　he　snow；　or　fog；　or　thunder。　you　didnt　　get　any　sleep；　i　dare　say。

〃yes　we　did；　though；〃　said　jill。　〃we　had　a　lovely　night。”

〃ah；〃　said　the　marsh…wiggle；　shaking　his　head。　〃i　see　youre　making　the　　best　of　a　bad　job。

thats　right。　youve　been　well　brought　up；　you　have。　youve　learned　to　put　　a　good　face　on　things。”

〃please；　we　dont　know　your　name；〃　said　scrubb。

〃puddleglums　my　name。　but　it　doesnt　matter　if　you　forget　it。　i　can　always　　tell　you　again。”

the　children　sat　down　on　each　side　of　him。　they　now　saw　that　he　had　very　　long　legs　and　arms；　so　that　although　his　body　was　not　much　bigger　than　a　dwarfs；　he　　would　be　taller　than　most　men　when　he　stood　up。　the　fingers　of　his　hands　were　webbed　like　a　　frogs；　and　so　were　his　bare　feet　which　dangled　in　the　muddy　water。　he　was　dressed　in　　earthcoloured　clothes　that　hung　loose　about　him。

〃im　trying　to　catch　a　few　eels　to　make　an　eel　stew　for　our　dinner；〃　said　　puddleglum。

〃though　i　shouldnt　wonder　if　i　didnt　get　any。　and　you　wont　like　them　　much　if　i　do。”

〃why　not？〃　asked　scrubb。

〃why；　its　not　in　reason　that　you　should　like　our　sort　of　victuals；　though　　ive　no　doubt　youll　put　a　bold　face　on　it。　all　the　same；　while　i　am　a　catching　of　them；　　if　you　two　could　try　to　light　the　fire　…　no　harm　trying　…！　the　woods　behind　the　wigwam。　it　　may　be　wet。

you　could　light　it　inside　the　wigwam；　and　then　wed　get　all　the　smoke　in　　our　eyes。　or　you　could　light　it　outside；　and　then　the　rain　would　e　and　put　it　out。　heres　　my　tinder…box。

you　wont　know　how　to　use　it；　i　expect。”

but　scrubb　had　learned　that　sort　of　thing　on　his　last　adventure。　the　　children　ran　back　together　to　the　wigwam；　found　the　wood　（which　was　perfectly　dry）　and　　succeeded　in　lighting　a　fire　with　rather　less　than　the　usual　difficulty。　then　scrubb　sat　　and　took　care　of　it　while　jill　went　and　had　some　sort　of　wash　…　not　a　very　nice　one　…　in　the　　nearest　channel。

after　that　she　saw　to　the　fire　and　he　had　a　wash。　both　felt　a　good　deal　　fresher；　but　very　hungry。

presently　the　marsh…wiggle　joined　them。　in　spite　of　his　expectation　of　　catching　no　eels；　he　had　a　dozen　or　so；　which　he　had　already　skinned　and　cleaned。　he　put　a　　big　pot　on；　mended　the　fire；　and　lit　his　pipe。　marsh…wiggles　smoke　a　very　strange；　　heavy　sort　of　tobacco　（some　people　say　they　mix　it　with　mud）　and　the　children　noticed　the　　smoke　from　puddleglums　pipe　hardly　rose　in　the　air　at　all。　it　trickled　out　of　the　　bowl　and　downwards　and　drifted　along　the　ground　like　a　mist。　it　was　very　black　and　set　scrubb　　coughing。

〃now；〃　said　puddleglum。　〃those　eels　will　take　a　mortal　long　time　to　cook；　　and　either　of　you　might　faint　with　hunger　before　theyre　done。　i　knew　a　little　girl　…　but　　id　better　not　tell　　

you　that　story。　it　might　lower　your　spirits；　and　thats　a　thing　i　never　do。　　so；　to　keep　your　minds　off　your　hunger；　we　may　as　well　talk　about　our　plans。”

〃yes；　do　lets；〃　said　jill。　〃can　you　help　us　to　find　prince　rilian？”

the　marsh…wiggle　sucked　in　his　cheeks　till　they　were　hollower　than　you　　would　have　thought　possible。　〃well；　i　dont　know　that　youd　call　it　help；〃　he　said。　〃i　　dont　know　that　anyone　can　exactly　help。　it　stands　to　reason　were　not　likely　to　get　very　　far　on　a　journey　to　the　north；　not　at　this　time　of　the　year；　with　the　winter　ing　on　soon　and　　all。　and　an　early　winter　too；　by　the　look　of　things。　but　you　mustnt　let　that　make　you　　down…hearted。

very　likely；　what　with　enemies；　and　mountains；　and　rivers　to　cross；　and　　losing　our　way；　and　next　to　nothing　to　eat；　and　sore　feet；　well　hardly　notice　the　weather。　　and　if　we　dont　get　far　enough　to　do　any　good；　we　may　get　far　enough　not　to　get　back　in　a　　hurry。”

both　children　noticed　that　he　said　〃we〃；　not　〃you〃；　and　both　exclaimed　at　　the　same　moment。　〃are　you　ing　with　us？”

〃oh　yes；　im　ing　of　course。　might　as　well；　you　see。　i　dont　suppose　we　　shall　ever　see　the　king　back　in　narnia；　now　that　hes　once　set　off　for　foreign　parts；　and　　he　had　a　nasty　cough　when　he　left。　then　theres　trumpkin。　hes　failing　fast。　and　youll　　find　therell　have　been　a　bad　harvest　after　this　terrible　dry　summer。　and　i　shouldnt　wonder　　if　some　enemy　attacked　us。　mark　my　words。”

〃and　how　shall　we　start？〃　said　scrubb。

〃well；〃　said　the　marsh…wiggle　very　slowly；　〃all　the　others　who　ever　went　　looking　for　prince　rilian　started　from　that　same　fountain　where　the　lord　drinian　saw　　the　lady。　they　went　north；　mostly。　and　as　none　of　them　ever　came　back；　we　cant　exactly　　say　how　they　got　on。”

〃weve　got　to　start　by　finding　a　ruined　city　of　giants；〃　said　jill。　〃aslan　　said　so。”

〃got　to　start　by　finding　it；　have　we？〃　answered　puddleglum。　〃not　allowed　to　　start　by　looking　for　it；　i　suppose？”

〃thats　what　i　meant；　of　course；〃　said　jill。　〃and　then；　when　weve　found　　it…”

〃yes；　when！〃　said　puddleglum　very　drily。

〃doesnt　anyone　know　where　it　is？〃　asked　scrubb。

〃i　dont　know　about　anyone；〃　said　puddleglum。　〃and　i　wont　say　i　havent　　heard　of　that　ruined　city。　you　wouldnt　start　from　the　fountain；　though。　youd　have　to　go　　across　ettinsmoor。　thats　where　the　ruined　city　is；　if　its　anywhere。　but　ive　　been　as　far　in　that　direction　as　most　people　and　i　never　got　to　any　ruins；　so　i　wont　deceive　　you。”

〃wheres　ettinsmoor？〃　said　scrubb。

〃look　over　there　northward；〃　said　puddleglum；　pointing　with　his　pipe。　〃see　　those　hills　and　bits　of　cliff？　thats　the　beginning　of　ettinsmoor。　but　theres　a　river　　between　it　and　us；　the　river　shribble。　no　bridges；　of　course。”

〃i　suppose　we　can　ford　it；　though；〃　said　scrubb。

〃well；　it　has　been　forded；〃　admitted　the　marsh…wiggle。

〃perhaps　we　shall　meet　people　on　ettinsmoor　who　can　tell　us　the　way；〃　said　　jill。

〃youre　right　about　meeting　people；〃　said　puddleglum。

〃what　sort　of　people　live　there？〃　she　asked。

〃its　not　for　me　to　say　they　arent　all　right　in　their　own　way；〃　answered　　puddleglum。　〃if　you　like　their　way。”

〃yes；　but　what　are　they？〃　pressed　jill。　〃there　are　so　many　queer　creatures　　in　this　country。

i　mean；　are　they　animals；　or　birds；　or　dwarfs；　or　what？”

the　marsh…wiggle　gave　a　long　whistle。　〃phew！〃　he　said。　〃dont　you　know？　i　　thought　the　owls　had　told　you。　theyre　giants。”

jill　winced。　she　had　never　liked　giants　even　in　books；　and　she　had　once　met　　one　in　a　nightmare。　then　she　saw　scrubbs　face；　which　had　turned　rather　green；　and　　thought　to　herself；　〃i　bet　hes　in　a　worse　funk　than　i　am。〃　that　made　her　feel　braver。

〃the　king　told　me　long　ago；〃　said　scrubb　…　〃that　time　when　i　was　with　him　　at　sea…that　hed　jolly　well　beaten　those　giants　in　war　and　made　them　pay　him　tribute。”

〃thats　true　enough；〃　said　puddleglum。　〃theyre　at　peace　with　us　all　right。　　as　long　as　we　stay　on　our　own　side　of　the　shribble；　they　wont　do　us　any　harm。　over　on　　their　side；　on　the　moor　…　still；　theres　always　a　chance。　if　we　dont　get　near　any　of　　them；　and　if　none　of　them　forget　themselves；　and　if　were　not　seen；　its　just　possible　we　might　　get　a　long　way。”

〃look　here！〃　said　scrubb；　suddenly　losing　his　temper；　as　people　so　easily　　do　when　they　have　been　frightened。　〃i　dont　believe　the　whole　thing　can　be　half　as　bad　　as　youre　making　out；　any　more　than　the　beds　in　the　wigwam　were　hard　or　the　wood　was　wet。　i　　dont　think　aslan　would　ever　have　sent　us　if　there　was　so　little　chance　as　all　that。”

he　quite　expected　the　marsh…wiggle　to　give　him　an　angry　reply；　but　he　only　　said；　〃thats　the　spirit；　scrubb。　thats　the　way　to　talk。　put　a　good　face　on　it。　but　we　　all　need　to　be　very　careful　about　our　tempers；　seeing　all　the　hard　times　we　shall　have　to　go　　through　together。

wont　do　to　quarrel；　you　know。　at　any　rate；　dont　begin　it　too　soon。　i　know　　these　　

expeditions　usually　end　that　way：　knifing　one　another；　i　shouldnt　wonder；　　befor