THE SILVER CHAIR- 第8部分

one　evening　drinian　said　to　the　prince；　〃your　highness　must　soon　give　over　　seeking　the　worm。　there　is　no　true　vengeance　on　a　witless　brute　as　there　might　be　on　a　　man。　you　weary　yourself　in　vain。〃　the　prince　answered　him；　〃my　lord；　i　have　almost　　forgotten　the　worm　this　seven　days。〃　drinian　asked　him　why；　if　that　were　so；　he　rode　so　　continually　in　the　northern　woods。　〃my　lord；〃　said　the　prince；　〃i　have　seen　there　the　most　　beautiful　　

thing　that　was　ever　made。〃　〃fair　prince；〃　said　drinian；　〃of　your　courtesy　　let　me　ride　with　you　tomorrow；　that　i　also　may　see　this　fair　thing。〃　〃with　a　good　will；〃　　said　rilian。

then　in　good　time　on　the　next　day　they　saddled　their　horses　and　rode　a　　great　gallop　into　the　northern　woods　and　alighted　at　that　same　fountain　where　the　queen　got　　her　death。

drinian　thought　it　strange　that　the　prince　should　choose　that　place　of　all　　places；　to　linger　in。　and　there　they　rested　till　it　came　to　high　noon：　and　at　noon　drinian　　looked　up　and　saw　the　most　beautiful　lady　he　had　ever　seen；　and　she　stood　at　the　north　side　　of　the　fountain　and　said　no　word　but　beckoned　to　the　prince　with　her　hand　as　if　she　bade　　him　e　to　her。　and　she　was　tall　and　great；　shining；　and　wrapped　in　a　thin　garment　as　　green　as　poison。　and　the　prince　stared　at　her　like　a　man　out　of　his　wits。　but　　suddenly　the　lady　was　gone；　driman　knew　not　where；　and　the　two　returned　to　cair　paravel。　it　stuck　　in　drinians　mind　that　this　shining　green　woman　was　evil。

drinian　doubted　very　much　whether　he　ought　not　to　tell　this　adventure　to　　the　king；　but　he　had　little　wish　to　be　a　blab　and　a　tale…bearer　and　so　he　held　his　tongue。　　but　afterwards　he　wished　he　had　spoken。　for　next　day　prince　rilian　rode　out　alone。　that　night　　he　came　not　back；　and　from　that　hour　no　trace　of　him　was　ever　found　in　narnia　nor　any　　neighbouring　land；　and　neither　his　horse　nor　his　hat　nor　his　cloak　nor　anything　else　was　　ever　found。

then　drinian　in　the　bitterness　of　his　heart　went　to　caspian　and　said；　〃lord　　king；　slay　me　speedily　as　a　great　traitor：　for　by　my　silence　i　have　destroyed　your　son。〃　　and　he　told　him　the　story。　then　caspian　caught　up　a　battle…axe　and　rushed　upon　the　lord　　drinian　to　kill　him；　and　drinian　stood　still　as　a　stock　for　the　death　blow。　but　when　the　　axe　was　raised；　caspian　suddenly　threw　it　away　and　cried　out；　〃i　have　lost　my　queen　and　my　　son：　shall　i　lose　my　friend　also？〃　and　he　fell　upon　the　lord　drinians　neck　and　embraced　　him　and　both　wept；　and　their　friendship　was　not　broken。

such　was　the　story　of　rilian。　and　when　it　was　over；　jill　said；　〃i　bet　that　　serpent　and　that　woman　were　the　same　person。”

〃true；　true；　we　think　the　same　as　you；〃　hooted　the　owls。

〃but　we　dont　think　she　killed　the　prince；〃　said　glimfeather；　〃because　no　　bones　…”

〃we　know　she　didnt；〃　said　scrubb。　〃aslan　told　pole　he　was　still　alive　　somewhere。”

〃that　almost　makes　it　worse；〃　said　the　oldest　owl。　〃it　means　she　has　some　　use　for　him；　and　some　deep　scheme　against　narnia。　long；　long　ago；　at　the　very　beginning；　　a　white　witch　came　out　of　the　north　and　bound　our　land　in　snow　and　ice　for　a　　hundred　years。

and　we　think　this　may　be　some　of　the　same　crew。”

〃very　well；　then；〃　said　scrubb。　〃pole　and　i　have　got　to　‘find　this　prince。　　can　you　help　us？”

〃have　you　any　clue；　you　two？〃　asked　glimfeather。

〃yes；〃　said　scrubb。　〃we　know　weve　got　to　go　north。　and　w　e　know　weve　got　　to　reach　the　ruins　of　a　giant　city。”

at　this　there　was　a　greater　tu…whooing　than　ever；　and　noise　of　birds　　shifting　their　feet　and　ruffling　their　feathers；　and　then　all　the　owls　started　speaking　at　once。　　they　all　explained　how　very　sorry　they　were　that　they　themselves　could　not　go　with　the　　children　on　their　search　for　the　lost　prince　〃youd　want　to　travel　by　day；　and　wed　want　to　　travel　by　night；”

they　said。　〃it　wouldnt　do；　wouldnt　do。〃　one　or　two　owls　added　that　even　　here　in　the　ruined　tower　it　wasnt　nearly　so　dark　as　it　had　been　when　they　began；　and　　that　the　parliament　had　been　going　on　quite　long　enough。　in　fact；　the　mere　mention　　of　a　journey　to　the　ruined　city　of　giants　seemed　to　have　damped　the　spirits　of　those　　birds。　but　glimfeather　said：　　〃if　they　want　to　go　that　way　…　into　ettinsmoor　…　we　must　take　them　to　one　　of　the　marsh…wiggles。　theyre　the　only　people　who　can　help　them　much。”

〃true；　true。　do；〃　said　the　owls。

〃e　on；　then；〃　said　glimfeather。　〃ill　take　one。　wholl　take　the　other？　　it　must　be　done　tonight。”

〃i　will：　as　far　as　the　marsh…wiggles；〃　said　another　owl。

〃are　you　ready？〃　said　glimfeather　to　jill。

〃i　think　poles　asleep；〃　said　scrubb。

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CHAPTER　FIVE

小！说
puddleglum　　　jill。　was　asleep。　ever　since　the　owls　parliament　began　she　had　been　　yawning　terribly　and　now　she　had　dropped　off。　she　was　not　at　all　pleased　at　being　waked　　again；　and　at　finding　herself　lying　on　bare　boards　in　a　dusty　belfry　sort　of　place；　　pletely　dark；　and　almost　pletely　full　of　owls。　she　was　even　less　pleased　when　she　heard　　that　they　had　to　set　off　for　somewhere　else　…　and　not；　apparently；　for　bed　…　on　the　owls　　back。

〃oh；　e　on；　pole；　buck　up；〃　said　scrubbs　voice。　〃after　all；　it　is　an　　adventure。”

〃im　sick　of　adventures；〃　said　jill　crossly。

she　did；　however；　consent　to　climb　on　to　glimfeathers　back；　and　was　　thoroughly　waked　up　（for　a　while）　by　the　unexpected　coldness　of　the　air　when　he　flew　out　　with　her　into　the　night。　the　moon　had　disappeared　and　there　were　no　stars。　far　behind　her　she　　could　see　a　single　lighted　window　well　above　the　ground；　doubtless；　in　one　of　the　　towers　of　cair　paravel。　it　made　her　long　to　be　back　in　that　delightful　bedroom；　snug　in　　bed；　watching　the　firelight　on　the　walls。　she　put　her　hands　under　her　cloak　and　wrapped　it　　tightly　round　her。

it　was　uncanny　to　hear　two　voices　in　the　dark　air　a　little　distance　away；　　scrubb　and　his　owl　were　talking　to　one　another。　〃he　doesnt　sound　tired；〃　thought　jill。　　she　did　not　realize　that　he　had　been　on　great　adventures　in　that　world　before　and　that　the　　narnian　air　was　bringing　back　to　him　a　strength　he　had　won　when　he　sailed　the　eastern　seas　　with　king　caspian。

jill　had　to　pinch　herself　to　keep　awake；　for　she　knew　that　if　she　dozed　on　　glimfeathers　back　she　would　probably　fall　off。　when　at　last　the　two　owls　ended　their　　flight；　she　climbed　stiffly　off　glimfeather　and　found　herself　on　flat　ground。　a　chilly　　wind　was　blowing　and　they　appeared　to　be　in　a　place　without　trees。　〃tu…whoo；　tu…　whoo！”

glimfeather　was　calling。　〃wake　up；　puddleglum。　wake　up。　it　is　on　the　lions　　business。”

for　a　long　time　there　was　no　reply。　then；　a　long　way　off；　a　dim　light　　appeared　and　began　to　e　nearer。　with　it　came　a　voice。

〃owls　ahoy！〃　it　said。　〃what　is　it？　is　the　king　dead？　has　an　enemy　landed　in　　narnia？　is　it　a　flood？　or　dragons？”

when　the　light　reached　them；　it　turned　out　to　be　that　of　a　large　lantern。　　she　could　see　very　little　of　the　person　who　held　it。　he　seemed　to　be　all　legs　and　arms。　the　　owls　were　talking　to　him；　explaining　everything；　but　she　was　too　tired　to　listen。　she　tried　　to　wake　herself　up　a　bit　when　she　realized　that　they　were　saying　goodbye　to　her。　but　she　could　　never　afterwards　remember　much　except　that；　sooner　or　later；　she　and　scrubb　were　　stooping　to　enter　a　low　doorway　and　then　（oh；　thank　heavens）　were　lying　down　on　　something　soft　and　warm；　and　a　voice　was　saying：　　〃there　you　are。　best　we　can　do。　youll　lie　cold　and　hard。　damp　too；　i　　shouldnt　wonder。

wont　sleep　a　wink；　most　likely；　even　if　there　isnt　a　thunderstorm　or　a　　flood　or　the　wigwam　doesnt　fall　down　on　top　of　us　all；　as　ive　known　them　do。　must　make　　the　best　of　it　…〃　but　she　was　fast　asleep　before　the　voice　had　ended。

when　the　children　woke　late　next　morning　they　found　that　they　were　lying；　　very　dry　and　warm；　on　beds　of　straw　in　a　dark　place。　a　triangular　opening　let　in　the　　daylight。

〃where　on　earth　are　we？〃　asked　jill。

〃in　the　wigwam　of　a　marsh…wiggle；〃　said　eustace。

〃a　what？”

〃a　marsh…wiggle。　dont　ask　me　what　it　is。　i　couldnt　see　it　last　night。　im　　getting　up。　lets　go　and　look　for　it。”

〃how　beastly　one　feels　after　sleeping　in　ones　clothes；〃　said　jill；　sitting　　up。

〃i　was　just　thinking　how　nice　it　was　not　to　have　to　dress；〃　said　eustace。

〃or　wash　either；　i　suppose；〃　said　jill　scornfully。　but　scrubb　had　already　　got　up；　yawned；　shaken　himself；　and　crawled　out　of　the　wigwam。　jill　did　the　same。

what　they　found　outside　was　quite　unlike　the　bit　of　narnia　they　had　seen　on　　the　day　before。　they　were　on　a　great　flat　plain　which　was　cut　into　countless　little　　islands　by　countless　channels　of　water。　the　islands　were　covered　with　coarse　grass　and　　bordered　with　reeds　and　rushes。　sometimes　there　were　beds　of　rushes　about　an　acre　in　　extent。

clouds　of　birds　were　constantly　alighting　in　them　and　rising　from　them　　again…duck；　snipe；　bitterns；　herons。　many　wigwams　like　that　in　which　they　had　passed　　the　night　could　be　seen　dotted　about；　but　all　at　a　good　distance　from　one　another；　for　　marsh…wiggles　are　people　who　like　privacy。　except　for　the　fringe　of　the　forest　several　miles　　to　the　south　and　west　of　them；　there　was　not　a　tree　in　sight。　eastward　the　flat　marsh　　stretched　to　low　sand…hills　on　the　horizon；　and　you　could　tell　by　the　salt　tang　in　the　wind　which　　blew　from　that　directi