THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER- 第10部分

what　awaited　them　on　this　island　was　going　to　concern　eustace　more　than　　anyone　else；　but　it　cannot　be　told　in　his　words　because　after　september　11　he　forgot　　about　keeping　his　diary　for　a　long　time。

when　morning　came；　with　a　low；　grey　sky　but　very　hot；　the　adventurers　found　　they　were　in　a　bay　encircled　by　such　cliffs　and　crags　that　it　was　like　a　norwegian　　fjord。　in　front　of　　

them；　at　the　head　of　the　bay；　there　was　some　level　land　heavily　overgrown　　with　trees　that　appeared　to　be　cedars；　through　which　a　rapid　stream　came　out。　beyond　that　　was　a　steep　ascent　ending　in　a　jagged　ridge　and　behind　that　a　vague　darkness　of　　mountains　which　ran　into　dull…coloured　clouds　so　that　you　could　not　see　their　tops。　the　nearer　　cliffs；　at　each　side　of　the　bay；　were　streaked　here　and　there　with　lines　of　white　which　　everyone　knew　to　be　waterfalls；　though　at　that　distance　they　did　not　show　any　movement　or　　make　any　noise。　indeed　the　whole　place　was　very　silent　and　the　water　of　the　bay　as　　smooth　as　glass。

it　reflected　every　detail　of　the　cliffs。　the　scene　would　have　been　pretty　　in　a　picture　but　was　rather　oppressive　in　real　life。　it　was　not　a　country　that　weled　　visitors。

the　whole　ships　pany　went　ashore　in　two　boatloads　and　everyone　drank　　and　washed　deliciously　in　the　river　and　had　a　meal　and　a　rest　before　caspian　sent　four　　men　back　to　keep　the　ship；　and　the　days　work　began。　there　was　everything　to　be　done。　　the　casks　must　be　brought　ashore　and　the　faulty　ones　mended　if　possible　and　all　　refilled；　a　tree　…　a　pine　if　they　could　get　it　…　must　be　felled　and　made　into　a　new　mast；　sails　　must　be　repaired；　a　hunting　party　organized　to　shoot　any　game　the　land　might　yield；　clothes　　to　be　washed　and　mended；　and　countless　small　breakages　on　board　to　be　set　right。　for　the　　dawn　treader　herself　…　and　this　was　more　obvious　now　that　they　saw　her　at　a　　distance　…　could　hardly　be　recognized　as　the　same　gallant　ship　which　had　left　narrowhaven。　　she　looked　a　crippled；　discoloured　hulk　which　anyone　might　have　taken　for　a　wreck。　and　　her　officers　and　crew　were　no　better　…　lean；　pale；　red…eyed　from　lack　of　sleep；　and　　dressed　in　rags。

as　eustace　lay　under　a　tree　and　heard　all　these　plans　being　discussed　his　　heart　sank。　was　there　going　to　be　no　rest？　it　looked　as　if　their　first　day　on　the　longed…　for　land　was　going　to　be　quite　as　hard　work　as　a　day　at　sea。　then　a　delightful　idea　occurred　　to　him。　nobody　was　looking　they　were　all　chattering　about　their　ship　as　if　they　actually　　liked　the　beastly　thing。　why　shouldnt　he　simply　slip　away？　he　would　take　a　stroll　inland；　　find　a　cool；　airy　place　up　in　the　mountains；　have　a　good　long　sleep；　and　not　rejoin　the　　others　till　the　days　work　was　over。　he　felt　it　would　do　him　good。　but　he　would　take　great　care　　to　keep　the　bay　and　the　ship　in　sight　so　as　to　be　sure　of　his　way　back。　he　wouldnt　　like　to　be　left　behind　in　this　country。

he　at　once　put　his　plan　into　action。　he　rose　quietly　from　his　place　and　　walked　away　among　the　trees；　taking　care　to　go　slowly　and　in　an　aimless　manner　so　that　　anyone　who　saw　him　would　think　he　was　merely　stretching　his　legs。　he　was　surprised　to　　find　how　quickly　the　noise　of　conversation　died　away　behind　hiin　and　how　very　silent　　and　warm　and　dark　green　the　wood　became。　soon　he　felt　he　could　venture　on　a　quicker　　and　more　determined　stride。

this　soon　brought　him　out　of　the　wood。　the　ground　began　sloping　steeply　up　　in　front　of　him。　the　grass　was　dry　and　slippery　but　manageable　if　he　used　his　hands　as　　well　as　his　feet；　and　though　he　panted　and　mopped　his　forehead　a　good　deal；　he　plugged　　away　steadily。　this　showed；　by　the　way；　that　his　new　life；　little　as　he　　suspected　it；　had　already　done　him　some　good；　the　old　eustace；　harold　and　albertas　eustace；　would　　have　given　up　the　climb　after　about　ten　minutes。

slowly；　and　with　several　rests；　he　reached　the　ridge。　here　he　had　expected　　to　have　a　view　into　the　heart　of　the　island；　but　the　clouds　had　now　e　lower　and　nearer　　and　a　sea　of　fog　was　rolling　to　meet　him。　he　sat　down　and　looked　back。　he　was　now　so　　high　that　the　bay　looked　small　beneath　him　and　miles　of　sea　were　visible。　then　the　fog　　from　the　mountains　closed　in　all　round　him；　thick　but　not　cold；　and　he　lay　down　and　　turned　this　way　and　that　to　find　the　most　fortable　position　to　enjoy　himself。

but　he　didnt　enjoy　himself；　or　not　for　very　long。　he　began；　almost　for　the　　first　time　in　his　life；　to　feel　lonely。　at　first　this　feeling　grew　very　gradually。　and　then　　he　began　to　worry　about　the　time。　there　was　not　the　slightest　sound。　suddenly　it　occurred　to　　him　that　he　might　have　been　lying　there　for　hours。　perhaps　the　others　had　gone！　perhaps　　they　had　let　him　wander　away　on　purpose　simply　in　order　to　leave　him　behind！　he　leaped　　up　in　a　panic　and　began　the　descent。

at　first　he　tried　to　do　it　too　quickly；　slipped　on　the　steep　grass；　and　　slid　for　several　feet。

then　he　thought　this　had　carried　him　too　far　to　the　left　…　and　as　he　came　　up　he　had　seen　precipices　on　that　side。　so　he　clambered　up　again；　as　near　as　he　could　　guess　to　the　place　he　had　started　from；　and　began　the　descent　afresh；　bearing　to　his　right。　　after　that　things　seemed　to　be　going　better。　he　went　very　cautiously；　for　he　could　not　see　　more　than　a　yard　ahead；　and　there　was　still　perfect　silence　all　around　him。　it　is　very　　unpleasant　to　have　to　go　cautiously　when　there　is　a　voice　inside　you　saying　all　the　time；　〃hurry；　　hurry；　hurry。”

for　every　moment　the　terrible　idea　of　being　left　behind　grew　stronger。　if　　he　had　understood　caspian　and　the　pevensies　at　all　he　would　have　known；　of　course；　　that　there　was　not　the　least　chance　of　their　doing　any　such　thing。　but　he　had　　persuaded　himself　that　they　were　all　fiends　in　human　form。

〃at　last！〃　said　eustace　as　he　came　slithering　down　a　slide　of　loose　stones　　（scree；　they　call　it）　and　found　himself　on　the　level。　〃and　now；　where　are　those　trees？　there　　is　something　dark　ahead。　why；　i　do　believe　the　fog　is　clearing。”

it　was。　the　light　increased　every　moment　and　made　him　blink。　the　fog　　lifted。　he　was　in　an　utterly　unknown　valley　and　the　sea　was　nowhere　in　sight。

　％％。



CHAPTER　SIX

　小说
the　adventures　of　eustace　　at　that　very　moment　the　others　were　washing　hands　and　faces　in　the　river　　and　generally　getting　ready　for　dinner　and　a　rest。　the　three　best　archers　had　gone　up　　into　the　hills　north　of　the　bay　and　returned　laden　with　a　pair　of　wild　goats　which　were　now　　roasting　over　a　fire。　caspian　had　ordered　a　cask　of　wine　ashore；　strong　wine　of　archenland　　which　had　to　be　mixed　with　water　before　you　drank　it；　so　there　would　be　plenty　for　all。　　the　work　had　　

gone　well　so　far　and　it　was　a　merry　meal。　only　after　the　second　helping　of　　goat　did　edmund　say；　〃wheres　that　blighter　eustace？”

meanwhile　eustace　stared　round　the　unknown　valley。　it　was　so　narrow　and　　deep；　and　the　precipices　which　surrounded　it　so　sheer；　that　it　was　like　a　huge　pit　or　　trench。　the　floor　was　grassy　though　strewn　with　rocks；　and　here　and　there　eustace　saw　black　　burnt　patches　like　those　you　see　on　the　sides　of　a　railway　embankment　in　a　dry　summer。

about　fifteen　yards　away　from　him　was　a　pool　of　clear；　smooth　water。　there　　was；　at　first；　nothing　else　at　all　in　the　valley；　not　an　animal；　not　a　bird；　not　an　　insect。　the　sun　beat　down　and　grim　peaks　and　horns　of　mountains　peered　over　the　valleys　edge。

eustace　realized　of　course　that　in　the　fog　he　had　e　down　the　wrong　side　　of　the　ridge；　so　he　turned　at　once　to　see　about　getting　back。　but　as　soon　as　he　had　　looked　he　shuddered。　apparently　he　had　by　amazing　luck　found　the　only　possible　way　　down　…　a　long　green　spit　of　land；　horribly　steep　and　narrow；　with　precipices　on　　either　side。　there　was　no　other　possible　way　of　getting　back。　but　could　he　do　it；　now　that　he　　saw　what　it　was　really　like？　his　head　swam　at　the　very　thought　of　it。

he　turned　round　again；　thinking　that　at　any　rate　hed　better　have　a　good　　drink　from　the　pool　first。　but　as　soon　as　he　had　turned　and　before　he　had　taken　a　step　　forward　into　the　valley　he　heard　a　noise　behind　him。　it　was　only　a　small　noise　but　it　　sounded　loud　in　that　immense　silence。　it　froze　him　dead…still　where　he　stood　for　a　second。　then　　he　slewed　round　his　neck　and　looked。

at　the　bottom　of　the　cliff　a　little　on　his　left　hand　was　a　low；　dark　hole　…　　the　entrance　to　a　cave　perhaps。　and　out　of　this　two　thin　wisps　of　smoke　were　ing。　and　the　　loose　stones　just　beneath　the　dark　hollow　were　moving　（that　was　the　noise　he　had　heard）　　just　as　if　something　were　crawling　in　the　dark　behind　them。

something　was　crawling。　worse　still；　something　was　ing　out。　edmund　or　　lucy　or　you　would　have　recognized　it　at　once；　but　eustace　had　read　none　of　the　　right　books。　the　thing　that　came　out　of　the　cave　was　something　he　had　never　even　imagined　…　　along　lead…coloured　snout；　dull　red　eyes；　no　feathers　or　fur；　a　long　lithe　body　that　　trailed　on　the　ground；　legs　whose　elbows　went　up　higher　than　its　back　like　a　spiders　　cruel　claws；　bats　wings　that　made　a　rasping　noise　on　the　stones；　yards　of　tail。　and　the　lines　　of　smoke　were　ing　from　its　two　nostrils。　he　never　said　the　word　dragon　to　himself。　nor　　would　it　have　made　things　any　better　if　he　had。

but　perhaps　if　he　had　known　something　about　dragons　he　woul