PRINCE CASPIAN-第12章

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〃there　was　no　bridge　in　our　time；〃　said　peter。　〃and　then　from　beruna　down　　to　here　was　another　day　and　a　bit。　we　used　to　get　home　about　teatime　on　the　second　day；　　going　easily。　going　hard；　we　could　do　the　whole　thing　in　a　day　and　a　half　　perhaps。”

〃but　remember　its　all　woods　now；〃　said　trumpkin；　〃and　there　are　enemies　to　　dodge。”

〃look　here；〃　said　edmund；　〃need　we　go　by　the　same　way　that　our　dear　little　　friend　came？”

〃no　more　of　that；　your　majesty；　if　you　love　me；〃　said　the　dwarf。

〃very　well；〃　said　edmund。　〃may　i　say　our　d。l。f。？”

〃oh；　edmund；〃　said　susan。　〃dont　keep　on　at　him　like　that。”

〃thats　all　right；　lass　…　i　mean　your　majesty；〃　said　trumpkin　with　a　　chuckle。　〃a　jibe　wont　raise　a　blister。〃　（and　after　that　they　often　called　him　the　d。l。f。　till　　theyd　almost　forgotten　what　it　meant。）

〃as　i　was　saying；〃　continued　edmund；　〃we　neednt　go　that　way。　why　shouldnt　　we　row　a　little　south　till　we　e　to　glasswater　creek　and　row　up　it？　that　brings　us　　up　behind　the　hill　of　the　stone　table；　and　well　be　safe　while　were　at　sea。　if　we　start　　at　once；　we　can　be　at　the　head　of　glasswater　before　dark；　get　a　few　hours　sleep；　and　be　with　　caspian　pretty　early　tomorrow。”

〃what　a　thing　it　is　to　know　the　coast；〃　said　trumpkin。　〃none　of　us　know　　anything　about　glasswater。”

〃what　about　food？〃　asked　susan。

〃oh；　well　have　to　do　with　apples；〃　said　lucy。　〃do　lets　get　on。　weve　done　　nothing　yet；　and　weve　been　here　nearly　two　days。”

〃and　anyway；　no　ones　going　to　have　my　hat　for　a　fishbasket　again；〃　said　　edmund。

they　used　one　of　the　raincoats　as　a　kind　of　bag　and　put　a　good　many　apples　　in　it。　then　they　all　had　a　good　long　drink　at　the　well　（for　they　would　meet　no　more　　fresh　water　till　they　landed　at　the　head　of　the　creek）　and　went　down　to　the　boat。　the　　children　were　sorry　to　leave　cair　paravel；　which；　even　in　ruins；　had　begun　to　feel　like　home　　again。

〃the　d。l。f。　had　better　steer；〃　said　peter；　〃and　ed　and　i　will　take　an　oar　　each。　half　a　moment；　though。　wed　better　take　off　our　mail：　were　going　to　be　pretty　　warm　before　were　done。　the　girls　had　better　be　in　the　bows　and　shout　directions　to　the　　d。l。f。　because　he　doesnt　know　the　way。　youd　better　get　us　a　fair　way　out　to　sea　till　　weve　passed　the　island。”

and　soon　the　green；　wooded　coast　of　the　island　was　falling　away　behind　　them；　and　its　little　bays　and　headlands　were　beginning　to　look　flatter；　and　the　boat　was　　rising　and　falling　in　the　gentle　swell。　the　sea　began　to　grow　bigger　around　them　and；　　in　the　distance；　bluer；　but　close　round　the　boat　it　was　green　and　bubbly。　　everything　smelled　salt　and　there　was　no　noise　except　the　swishing　of　water　and　the　clop…clop　of　　water　against　the　sides　and　the　splash　of　the　oars　and　the　jolting　noise　of　the　rowlocks。　　the　sun　grew　hot。

it　was　delightful　for　lucy　and　susan　in　the　bows；　bending　over　the　edge　and　　trying　to　get　their　hands　in　the　sea　which　they　could　never　quite　reach。　the　bottom；　　mostly　pure；　pale　sand　but　with　occasional　patches　of　purple　seaweed；　could　be　seen　beneath　　them。

〃its　like　old　times；〃　said　lucy。　〃do　you　remember　our　voyage　to　　terebinthia　…　and　galma　…　and　seven　isles　…　and　the　lone　islands？”

〃yes；〃　said　susan；　〃and　our　great　ship　the　splendour　hyaline；　with　the　　swans　head　at　her　prow　and　the　carved　swans　wings　ing　back　almost　to　her　waist？”

〃and　the　silken　sails；　and　the　great　stern　lanterns？”

〃and　the　feasts　on　the　poop　and　the　musicians。”

〃do　you　remember　when　we　had　the　musicians　up　in　the　rigging　playing　flutes　　so　that　it　sounded　like　music　out　of　the　sky？”

presently　susan　took　over　edmunds　oar　and　he　came　forward　to　join　lucy。　　they　had　passed　the　island　now　and　stood　closer　in　to　the　shore　…　all　wooded　and　　deserted。　they　would　have　thought　it　very　pretty　if　they　had　not　remembered　the　time　when　　it　was　open　and　breezy　and　full　of　merry　friends。

〃phew！　this　is　pretty　gruelling　work；〃　said　peter。　〃cant　i　row　for　a　bit？〃　　said　lucy。　〃the　oars　are　too　big　for　you；〃　said　peter　shortly；　not　because　he　was　cross　but　　because　he　had　no　strength　to　spare　for　talking。

m。



CHAPTER　9

？小说、网
what　lucy　saw　　susan　and　the　two　boys　were　bitterly　tired　with　rowing　before　they　rounded　　the　last　headland　and　began　the　final　pull　up　glasswater　itself；　and　lucys　head　　ached　from　the　long　hours　of　sun　and　the　glare　on　the　water。　even　trumpkin　longed　for　the　　voyage　to　be　over。　the　seat　on　which　he　sat　to　steer　had　been　made　for　men；　not　dwarfs；　　and　his　feet　did　not　reach　the　floor…boards；　and　everyone　knows　how　unfortable　that　　is　even　for　　

ten　minutes。　and　as　they　all　grew　more　tired；　their　spirits　fell。　up　till　　now　the　children　had　only　been　thinking　of　how　to　get　to　caspian。　now　they　wondered　what　　they　would　do　when　they　found　him；　and　how　a　handful　of　dwarfs　and　woodland　creatures　　could　defeat　an　army　of　grown…up　humans。

twilight　was　ing　on　as　they　rowed　slowly　up　the　windings　of　glasswater　　creek　…　a　twilight　which　deepened　as　the　banks　drew　closer　together　and　the　　overhanging　trees　began　almost　to　meet　overhead。　it　was　very　quiet　in　here　as　the　sound　of　　the　sea　died　away　behind　them；　they　could　even　hear　the　trickle　of　the　little　streams　　that　poured　down　from　the　forest　into　glasswater。

they　went　ashore　at　last；　far　too　tired　to　attempt　lighting　a　fire；　and　　even　a　supper　of　apples　（though　most　of　them　felt　that　they　never　wanted　to　see　an　apple　　again）　seemed　better　than　trying　to　catch　or　shoot　anything。　after　a　little　silent　　munching　they　all　huddled　down　together　in　the　moss　and　dead　leaves　between　four　large　beech　　trees。

everyone　　except　lucy　went　to　sleep　at　once。　lucy；　being　far　less　tired；　　found　it　hard　to　get　fortable。　also；　she　had　forgotten　till　now　that　all　dwarfs　snore。　　she　knew　that　one　of　the　best　ways　of　getting　to　sleep　is　to　stop　trying；　so　she　opened　her　　eyes。

through　a　gap　in　the　bracken　and　branches　she　could　just　see　a　patch　of　　water　in　the　creek　and　the　sky　above　it。　then；　with　a　thrill　of　memory；　she　saw　again；　　after　all　those　years；　the　bright　narnian　stars。　she　had　once　known　them　better　than　the　　stars　of　our　own　world；　because　as　a　queen　in　narnia　she　had　gone　to　bed　much　later　than　as　　a　child　in　england。　and　there　they　were　…　at　least；　three　of　the　summer　constellations　　could　be　seen　from　where　she　lay：　the　ship；　the　hammer；　and　the　leopard。　〃dear　old　　leopard；〃　she　murmured　happily　to　herself。

instead　of　getting　drowsier　she　was　getting　more　awake　…　with　an　odd；　　night…time；　dreamish　kind　of　wakefulness。　the　creek　was　growing　brighter。　she　knew　now　　that　then　moon　was　on　it；　though　she　couldnt　see　the　moon。　and　now　she　began　to　feel　　that　the　whole　forest　was　ing　awake　like　herself。　hardly　knowing　why　she　did　it；　　she　got　up　quickly　and　walked　a　little　distance　away　from　their　bivouac。

〃this　is　lovely；〃　said　lucy　to　herself。　it　was　cool　and　fresh；　delicious　　smells　were　floating　everywhere。

somewhere　close　by　she　heard　the　twitter　of　a　nightingale　beginning　to　　sing；　then　stopping；　then　beginning　again。　it　was　a　little　lighter　ahead。　she　went　　towards　the　light　and　came　to　a　place　where　there　were　fewer　trees；　and　whole　patches　or　　pools　of　moonlight；　but　the　moonlight　and　the　shadows　so　mixed　that　you　could　hardly　　be　sure　where　anything　was　or　what　it　was。　at　the　same　moment　the　nightingale；　　satisfied　at　last　with　his　tuning　up；　burst　into　full　song。

lucys　eyes　began　to　grow　accustomed　to　the　light；　and　she　saw　the　trees　　that　were　nearest　her　more　distinctly。　a　great　longing　for　the　old　days　when　the　　trees　could　talk　in　　

narnia　came　over　her。　she　knew　exactly　how　each　of　these　trees　would　talk　　if　only　she　could　wake　them；　and　what　sort　of　human　form　it　would　put　on。　she　looked　at　　a　silver　birch：　it　would　have　a　soft；　showery　voice　and　would　look　like　a　slender　　girl；　with　hair　blown　all　about　her　face；　and　fond　of　dancing。　she　looked　at　the　oak：　he　　would　be　a　wizened；　but　hearty　old　man　with　a　frizzled　beard　and　warts　on　his　face　and　　hands；　and　hair　growing　out　of　the　warts。　she　looked　at　the　beech　under　which　she　was　　standing。　ah！

she　would　be　the　best　of　all。　she　would　be　a　gracious　goddess；　smooth　and　　stately；　the　lady　of　the　wood。

〃oh；　trees；　trees；　trees；〃　said　lucy　（though　she　had　not　been　intending　to　　speak　at　all）。

〃oh；　trees；　wake；　wake；　wake。　dont　you　remember　it？　dont　you　remember　me？　　dryads　and　hamadryads；　e　out；　e　to　me。”

though　there　was　not　a　breath　of　wind　they　all　stirred　about　her。　the　　rustling　noise　of　the　leaves　was　almost　like　words。　the　nightingale　stopped　singing　as　if　to　　listen　to　it。

lucy　felt　that　at　any　moment　she　would　begin　to　understand　what　the　trees　　were　trying　to　say。　but　the　moment　did　not　e。　the　rustling　died　away。　the　nightingale　　resumed　its　song。　even　in　the　moonlight　the　wood　looked　more　ordinary　again。　yet　lucy　　had　the　feeling　（as　you　sometimes　have　when　you　are　trying　to　remember　a　name　or　a　　date　and　almost　get　it；　but　it　vanishes　before　you　really　do）　that　she　had　just　　missed　something：　as　if　she　had　spoken　to　the　trees　a　split　second　too　soon　or　a　split　second　　too　late；　or　used　all　the　right　words　except　one；　or　put　in　one　word　that　was　just　wrong。

quite　suddenly　she　began　to　feel　tired。　she　went　b