PRINCE CASPIAN- 第2部分

edmund　said　they　must　gather　gulls　eggs　from　the　rocks；　but　when　they　came　　to　think　of　it　they　couldnt　remember　having　seen　any　gulls　eggs　and　wouldnt　be　able　　to　cook　them　if　they　found　any。　peter　thought　to　himself　that　unless　they　had　some　　stroke　of　luck　they　would　soon　be　glad　to　eat　eggs　raw；　but　he　didnt　see　any　point　in　saying　　this　out　loud。

susan　said　it　was　a　pity　they　had　eaten　the　sandwiches　so　soon。　one　or　two　　tempers　very　nearly　got　lost　at　this　stage。　finally　edmund　said：　　　

〃look　here。　theres　only　one　thing　to　be　done。　we　must　explore　the　wood。　　hermits　and　knights…errant　and　people　like　that　always　manage　to　live　somehow　if　　theyre　in　a　forest。

they　find　roots　and　berries　and　things。”

〃what　sort　of　roots？〃　asked　susan。

〃i　always　thought　it　meant　roots　of　trees；〃　said　lucy。

〃e　on；〃　said　peter；　〃ed　is　right。　and　we　must　try　to　do　something。　and　　itll　be　better　than　going　out　into　the　glare　and　the　sun　again。”

so　they　all　got　up　and　began　to　follow　the　stream。　it　was　very　hard　work。　　they　had　to　stoop　under　branches　and　climb　over　branches；　and　they　blundered　through　　great　masses　of　stuff　like　rhododendrons　and　tore　their　clothes　and　got　their　feet　wet　　in　the　stream；　and　still　there　was　no　noise　at　all　except　the　noise　of　the　stream　and　the　　noises　they　were　making　themselves。　they　were　beginning　to　get　very　tired　of　it　when　they　　noticed　a　delicious　smell；　and　then　a　flash　of　bright　colour　high　above　them　at　the　　top　of　the　right　bank。

〃i　say！〃　exclaimed　lucy。　〃i　do　believe　thats　an　apple　tree。”

it　was。　they　panted　up　the　steep　bank；　forced　their　way　through　some　　brambles；　and　found　themselves　standing　round　an　old　tree　that　was　heavy　with　large　　yellowishgolden　apples　as　firm　and　juicy　as　you　could　wish　to　see。

〃and　this　is　not　the　only　tree；〃　said　edmund　with　his　mouth　full　of　apple。　　〃look　there…and　there。”

〃why；　there　are　dozens　of　them；〃　said　susan；　throwing　away　the　core　of　her　　first　apple　and　picking　her　second。　〃this　must　have　been　an　orchard　…　long；　long　ago；　　before　the　place　went　wild　and　the　wood　grew　up。”

〃then　this　was　once　an　inhabited　island；〃　said　peter。

〃and　whats　that？〃　said　lucy；　pointing　ahead。

〃by　jove；　its　a　wall；〃　said　peter。　〃an　old　stone　wall。”

pressing　their　way　between　the　laden　branches　they　reached　the　wall。　it　was　　very　old；　and　broken　down　in　places；　with　moss　and　wallflowers　growing　on　it；　but　it　was　　higher　than　all　but　the　tallest　trees。　and　when　they　came　quite　close　to　it　they　found　　a　great　arch　which　must　once　have　had　a　gate　in　it　but　was　now　almost　filled　up　with　the　　largest　of　all　the　apple　trees。　they　had　to　break　some　of　the　branches　to　get　past；　and　　when　they　had　done　so　they　all　blinked　because　the　daylight　became　suddenly　much　　brighter。　they　found　themselves　in　a　wide　open　place　with　walls　all　round　it。　in　here　　there　were　no　trees；　only　level　grass　and　daisies；　and　ivy；　and　grey　walls。　it　was　a　bright；　　secret；　quiet　place；　　

and　rather　sad；　and　all　four　stepped　out　into　the　middle　of　it；　glad　to　be　　able　to　straighten　their　backs　and　move　their　limbs　freely。

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CHAPTER　TWO

　　
the　ancient　treasure　house　　〃this　wasnt　a　garden；〃　said　susan　presently。　〃it　was　a　castle　and　this　　must　have　been　the　courtyard。”

〃i　see　what　you　mean；〃　said　peter。　〃yes。　that　is　the　remains　of　a　tower。　　and　there　is　what　used　to　be　a　flight　of　steps　going　up　to　the　top　of　the　walls。　and　look　at　　those　other　steps　…　the　broad；　shallow　ones　…　going　up　to　that　doorway。　it　must　have　been　the　　door　into　the　great　hall。”

〃ages　ago；　by　the　look　of　it；〃　said　edmund。

〃yes；　ages　ago；〃　said　peter。　〃i　wish　we　could　find　out　who　the　people　were　　that　lived　in　this　castle；　and　how　long　ago。”

〃it　gives　me　a　queer　feeling；〃　said　lucy。

〃does　it；　lu？〃　said　peter；　turning　and　looking　hard　at　her。　〃because　it　　does　the　same　to　me。　it　is　the　queerest　thing　that　has　happened　this　queer　day。　i　wonder　　where　we　are　and　what　it　all　means？”

while　they　were　talking　they　had　crossed　the　courtyard　and　gone　through　the　　other　doorway　into　what　had　once　been　the　hall。　this　was　now　very　like　the　　courtyard；　for　the　roof　had　long　since　disappeared　and　it　was　merely　another　space　of　grass　　and　daisies；　except　that　it　was　shorter　and　narrower　and　the　walls　were　higher。　across　　the　far　end　there　was　a　kind　of　terrace　about　three　feet　higher　than　the　rest。

〃i　wonder；　was　it　really　the　hall？〃　said　susan。　〃what　is　that　terrace　kind　　of　thing？”

〃why；　you　silly；〃　said　peter　（who　had　bee　strangely　excited）；　〃dont　you　　see？　that　was　the　dais　where　the　high　table　was；　where　the　king　and　the　great　lords　　sat。　anyone　would　think　you　had　forgotten　that　we　ourselves　were　once　kings　and　queens　　and　sat　on　a　dais　just　like　that；　in　our　great　hall。”

〃in　our　castle　of　cair　paravel；〃　continued　susan　in　a　dreamy　and　rather　　sing…song　voice；　〃at　the　mouth　of　the　great　river　of　narnia。　how　could　i　forget？”

〃how　it　all　es　back！〃　said　lucy。　〃we　could　pretend　we　were　in　cair　　paravel　now。

this　hall　must　have　been　very　like　the　great　hall　we　feasted　in。”

〃but　unfortunately　without　the　feast；〃　said　edmund。　〃its　getting　late；　you　　know。　look　how　long　the　shadows　are。　and　have　you　noticed　that　it　isnt　so　hot？”

〃we　shall　need　a　camp…fire　if　weve　got　to　spend　the　night　here；〃　said　　peter。　〃ive　got　matches。　lets　go　and　see　if　we　can　collect　some　dry　wood。”

everyone　saw　the　sense　of　this；　and　for　the　next　halfhour　they　were　busy。　　the　orchard　through　which　they　had　first　e　into　the　ruins　turned　out　not　to　be　a　　good　place　for　firewood。　they　tried　the　other　side　of　the　castle；　passing　out　of　the　hall　　by　a　little　side　door　into　a　maze　of　stony　humps　and　hollows　which　must　once　have　been　　passages　and　smaller　rooms　but　was　now　all　nettles　and　wild　roses。　beyond　this　they　　found　a　wide　gap　in　the　castle　wall　and　stepped　through　it　into　a　wood　of　darker　and　bigger　　trees　where　they　found　dead　branches　and　rotten　wood　and　sticks　and　dry　leaves　and　fir　…cones　in　plenty。　they　went　to　and　fro　with　bundles　until　they　had　a　good　pile　on　the　　dais。　at　the　fifth　journey　they　found　the　well；　just　outside　the　hall；　hidden　in　weeds；　　but　clean　and　fresh　and　deep　when　they　had　cleared　these　away。

the　remains　of　a　stone　pavement　ran　half…way　round　it。　then　the　girls　went　　out　to　pick　some　more　apples　and　the　boys　built　the　fire；　on　the　dais　and　fairly　close　　to　the　corner　between　two　walls；　which　they　thought　would　be　the　snuggest　and　warmest　　place。　they　had　great　difficulty　in　lighting　it　and　used　a　lot　of　matches；　but　they　　succeeded　in　the　end。

finally；　all　four　sat　down　with　their　backs　to　the　wall　and　their　faces　to　　the　fire。　they　tried　roasting　some　of　the　apples　on　the　ends　of　sticks。　but　roast　apples　　are　not　much　good　without　sugar；　and　they　are　too　hot　to　eat　with　your　fingers　till　they　　are　too　cold　to　be　worth　eating。　so　they　had　to　content　themselves　with　raw　apples；　which；　　as　edmund　said；　made　one　realize　that　school　suppers　werent　so　bad　after　all　…　〃i　　shouldnt　mind　a　good　thick　slice　of　bread　and　margarine　this　minute；〃　he　added。　but　the　　spirit　of　adventure　was　rising　in　them　all；　and　no　one　really　wanted　to　be　back　at　　school。

shortly　after　the　last　apple　had　been　eaten；　susan　went　out　to　the　well　to　　get　another　drink。　when　she　came　back　she　was　carrying　something　in　her　hand。

〃look；〃　she　said　in　a　rather　choking　kind　of　voice。　〃i　found　it　by　the　　well。〃　she　handed　it　to　peter　and　sat　down。　the　others　thought　she　looked　and　sounded　as　if　she　　might　be　going　to　cry。　edmund　and　lucy　eagerly　bent　forward　to　see　what　was　in　　peters　hand　…　a　little；　bright　thing　that　gleamed　in　the　firelight。

〃well；　im　…　im　jiggered；〃　said　peter；　and　his　voice　also　sounded　queer。　　then　he　handed　it　to　the　others。

all　now　saw　what　it　was　…　a　little　chess…knight；　ordinary　in　size　but　　extraordinarily　heavy　because　it　was　made　of　pure　gold；　and　the　eyes　in　the　horses　head　were　two　　tiny　little　rubies　or　rather　one　was；　for　the　other　had　been　knocked　out。

〃why！〃　said　lucy；　〃its　exactly　like　one　of　the　golden　chessmen　we　used　to　　play　with　when　we　were　kings　and　queens　at　cair　paravel。”

〃cheer　up；　su；〃　said　peter　to　his　other　sister。

〃i　cant　help　it；〃　said　susan。　〃it　brought　back　…　oh；　such　lovely　times。　　and　i　remembered　playing　chess　with　fauns　and　good　giants；　and　the　mer…people　singing　in　the　　sea；　and　my　beautiful　horse　…　and　…　and　…”

〃now；〃　said　peter　in　a　quite　different　voice；　〃its　about　time　we　four　　started　using　our　brains。”

〃what　about？〃　asked　edmund。

〃have　none　of　you　guessed　where　we　are？〃　said　peter。

〃go　on；　go　on；〃　said　lucy。　〃ive　felt　for　hours　that　there　was　some　　wonderful　mystery　hanging　over　this　place。”

〃fire　ahead；　peter；〃　said　edmund。　〃were　all　listening。”

〃we　are　in　the　ruins　of　cair　paravel　itself；〃　said　peter。

〃but；　i　say；〃　replied　edmund。　〃i　mean；　how　do　you　make　that　out？　this　place　　has　been　ruined　for　ages。　look　at　all　those　big　trees　growing　right　up　to　the　gates。　　look　at　the　very　stones。　anyone　can　see　that　nobody　has　lived　here　for　hundreds　of　years。”

〃i　know；〃　said　peter。　〃that　is　the　difficulty。　but　lets　leave　that　out　for　　the　moment。　i　want　to　take　the　points　one