THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER-第16章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　have　lain　here　for　ages。”

〃narnian；　too；　by　the　look　of　it；〃　said　caspian；　as　they　all　crowded　round。

〃im　sitting　on　something　too；〃　said　lucy。　〃something　hard。〃　it　turned　out　　to　be　the　remains　of　a　mail…shirt。　by　this　time　everyone　was　on　hands　and　knees；　　feeling　in　the　thick　heather　in　every　direction。　their　search　revealed；　one　by　one；　a　　helmet；　a　dagger；　and　a　few　coins；　not　calormen　crescents　but　genuine　narnian　〃lions〃　and　　〃trees〃　such　as　you　might　see　any　day　in　the　market…place　of　beaversdam　or　beruna。

〃looks　as　if　this　might　be　all　thats　left　of　one　of　our　seven　lords；〃　said　　edmund。

〃just　what　i　was　thinking；〃　said　caspian。　〃i　wonder　which　it　was。　theres　　nothing　on　the　dagger　to　show。　and　i　wonder　how　he　died。”

〃and　how　we　are　to　avenge　him；〃　added　reepicheep。

edmund；　the　only　one　of　the　party　who　had　read　several　detective　stories；　　had　meanwhile　been　thinking。

〃look　here；〃　he　said；　〃theres　something　very　fishy　about　this。　he　cant　　have　been　killed　in　a　fight。”

〃why　not？〃　asked　caspian。

〃no　bones；〃　said　edmund。　〃an　enemy　might　take　the　armour　and　leave　the　　body。　but　who　ever　heard　of　a　chap　whod　won　a　fight　carrying　away　the　body　and　　leaving　the　armour？”

〃perhaps　he　was　killed　by　a　wild　animal；〃　lucy　suggested。

〃itd　be　a　clever　animal；〃　said　edmund；　〃that　would　take　a　mans　mail　shirt　　off。”

〃perhaps　a　dragon？〃　said　caspian。

〃nothing　doing；〃　said　eustace。　〃a　dragon　couldnt　do　it。　i　ought　to　know。”

〃well；　lets　get　away　from　the　place；　anyway；〃　said　lucy。　she　had　not　felt　　like　sitting　down　again　since　edmund　had　raised　the　question　of　bones。

〃if　you　like；〃　said　caspian；　getting　up。　〃i　dont　think　any　of　this　stuff　　is　worth　taking　away。”

they　came　down　and　round　to　the　little　opening　where　the　stream　came　out　of　　the　lake；　and　stood　looking　at　the　deep　water　within　the　circle　of　cliffs。　if　it　had　　been　a　hot　day；　no　doubt　some　would　have　been　tempted　to　bathe　and　everyone　would　have　had　a　　drink。

indeed；　even　as　it　was；　eustace　was　on　the　very　point　of　stooping　down　and　　scooping　up　some　water　in　his　hands　when　reepicheep　and　lucy　both　at　the　same　moment　　cried；　〃look；〃　so　he　forgot　about　his　drink　and　looked。

the　bottom　of　the　pool　was　made　of　large　greyish…blue　stones　and　the　water　　was　perfectly　clear；　and　on　the　bottom　lay　a　life…size　figure　of　a　man；　made　　apparently　of　gold。　it　lay　face　downwards　with　its　arms　stretched　out　above　its　head。　and　　it　so　happened　that　as　they　looked　at　it；　the　clouds　parted　and　the　sun　shone　　out。　the　golden　shape　was　lit　up　from　end　to　end。　lucy　thought　it　was　the　most　beautiful　　statue　she　had　ever　seen。

〃well！〃　whistled　caspian。　〃that　was　worth　ing　to　see！　i　wonder；　can　we　　get　it　out？”

〃we　can　dive　for　it；　sire；〃　said　reepicheep。

〃no　good　at　all；〃　said　edmund。　〃at　least；　if　its　really　gold　…　solid　gold　　…　itll　be　far　too　heavy　to　bring　up。　and　that　pools　twelve　or　fifteen　feet　deep　if　its　an　　inch。　half　a　moment；　though。　its　a　good　thing　ive　brought　a　hunting　spear　with　me。　　lets　see　what　the　depth　is　like。　hold　on　to　my　hand；　caspian；　while　i　lean　out　over　the　　water　a　bit。”

caspian　took　his　hand　and　edmund；　leaning　forward；　began　to　lower　his　spear　　into　the　water。

before　it　was　half…way　in　lucy　said；　〃i　dont　believe　the　statue　is　gold　at　　all。　its　only　the　light。　your　spear　looks　just　the　same　colour。”

〃whats　wrong？〃　asked　several　voices　at　once；　for　edmund　had　suddenly　let　　go　of　the　spear。

〃i　couldnt　hold　it；〃　gasped　edmund；　〃it　seemed　so　heavy。”

〃and　there　it　is　on　the　bottom　now；〃　said　caspian；　〃and　lucy　is　right。　it　　looks　just　the　same　colour　as　the　statue。”

but　edmund；　who　appeared　to　be　having　some　trouble　with　his　boots　…　at　　least　he　was　bending　down　and　looking　at　them　…　straightened　himself　all　at　once　and　　shouted　out　in　the　sharp　voice　which　people　hardly　ever　disobey：　　〃get　back！　back　from　the　water。　all　of　you。　at　once！！”

they　all　did　and　stared　at　him。

〃look；〃　said　edmund；　〃look　at　the　toes　of　my　boots。”

〃they　look　a　bit　yellow；〃　began　eustace。

〃theyre　gold；　solid　gold；〃　interrupted　edmund。　〃look　at　them。　feel　them。　　the　leathers　pulled　away　from　it　already。　and　theyre　as　heavy　as　lead。”

〃by　aslan！〃　said　caspian。　〃you　dont　mean　to　say…？”

〃yes；　i　do；〃　said　edmund。　〃that　water　turns　things　into　gold。　it　turned　the　　spear　into　gold；　thats　why　it　got　so　heavy。　and　it　was　just　lapping　against　my　feet　　（its　a　good　thing　i　wasnt　barefoot）　and　it　turned　the　toe…caps　into　gold。　and　that　poor　　fellow　on　the　bottom　…　well；　you　see。”

〃so　it　isnt　a　statue　at　all；〃　said　lucy　in　a　low　voice。

〃no。　the　whole　thing　is　plain　now。　he　was　here　on　a　hot　day。　he　undressed　　on　top　of　the　cliff　…　where　we　were　sitting。　the　clothes　have　rotted　away　or　been　taken　　by　birds　to　line　nests　with；　the　armours　still　there。　then　he　dived　and　…”

〃dont；〃　said　lucy。　〃what　a　horrible　thing。”

〃and　what　a　narrow　shave　weve　had；〃　said　edmund。

〃narrow　indeed；〃　said　reepicheep。　〃anyones　finger；　anyones　foot；　anyones　　whisker；　or　anyones　tail；　might　have　slipped　into　the　water　at　any　moment。”

〃all　the　same；〃　said　caspian；　〃we　may　as　well　test　it。〃　he　stooped　down　and　　wrenched　up　a　spray　of　heather。　then；　very　cautiously；　he　knelt　beside　the　pool　and　　dipped　it　in。　it　was　heather　that　he　dipped；　what　he　drew　out　was　a　perfect　model　of　heather　　made　of　the　purest　gold；　heavy　and　soft　as　lead。

〃the　king　who　owned　this　island；〃　said　caspian　slowly；　and　his　face　flushed　　as　he　spoke；　〃would　soon　be　the　richest　of　all　the　kings　of　the　world。　i　claim　this　land　　for　ever　as　a　narnian　possession。　it　shall　be　called　goldwater　island。　and　i　bind　all　of　　you　to　secrecy。

no　one　must　know　of　this。　not　even　drinian　…　on　pain　of　death；　do　you　　hear？”

〃who　are　you　talking　to？〃　said　edmund。　〃im　no　subject　of　yours。　if　　anything　its　the　other　way　round。　i　am　one　of　the　four　ancient　sovereigns　of　narnia　and　you　　are　under　allegiance　to　the　high　king　my　brother。”

〃so　it　has　e　to　that；　king　edmund；　has　it？〃　said　caspian；　laying　his　　hand　on　his　sword…hilt。

〃oh；　stop　it；　both　of　you；〃　said　lucy。　〃thats　the　worst　of　doing　anything　　with　boys。

youre　all　such　swaggering；　bullying　idiots　…　oooh！　…〃　her　voice　died　away　　into　a　gasp。

and　everyone　else　saw　what　she　had　seen。

across　the　grey　hillside　above　them　…　grey；　for　the　heather　was　not　yet　in　　bloom　…　without　noise；　and　without　looking　at　them；　and　shining　as　if　he　were　in　bright　　sunlight　though　the　sun　had　in　fact　gone　in；　passed　with　slow　pace　the　hugest　lion　that　human　　eyes　have　ever　seen。　in　describing　the　scene　lucy　said　afterwards；　〃he　was　the　size　of　an　　elephant；”

though　at　another　time　she　only　said；　〃the　size　of　a　cart…horse。〃　but　it　　was　not　the　size　that　mattered。　nobody　dared　to　ask　what　it　was。　they　knew　it　was　aslan。

and　nobody　ever　saw　how　or　where　he　went。　they　looked　at　one　another　like　　people　waking　from　sleep。

〃what　were　we　talking　about？〃　said　caspian。　〃have　i　been　making　rather　an　　ass　of　myself？”

〃sire；〃　said　reepicheep；　〃this　is　a　place　with　a　curse　on　it。　let　us　get　　back　on　board　at　once。　and　if　i　might　have　the　honour　of　naming　this　island；　i　should　call　　it　deathwater。”

〃that　strikes　me　as　a　very　good　name；　reep；〃　said　caspian；　〃though　now　that　　i　e　to　think　of　it；　i　dont　know　why。　but　the　weather　seems　to　be　settling　and　i　　dare　say　drinian　would　like　to　be　off。　what　a　lot　we　shall　have　to　tell　him。”

but　in　fact　they　had　not　much　to　tell　for　the　memory　of　the　last　hour　had　　all　bee　confused。

〃their　majesties　all　seemed　a　bit　bewitched　when　they　came　aboard；〃　said　　drinian　to　rhince　some　hours　later　when　the　dawn　treader　was　once　more　under　sail　and　deathwater　island　already　below　the　horizon。　〃something　happened　to　them　in　　that　place。

the　only　thing　i　could　get　clear　was　that　they　think　theyve　found　the　body　　of　one　of　these　lords　were　looking　for。”

〃you　dont　say　so；　captain；〃　answered　rhince。　〃well；　thats　three。　only　　four　more。　at　this　rate　we　might　be　home　soon　after　the　new　year。　and　a　good　thing　too。　　my　baccys　running　a　bit　low。　good　night；　sir。”

xs



CHAPTER　NINE


the　island　of　the　voices　　and　now　the　winds　which　had　so　long　been　from　the　north…west　began　to　blow　　from　the　west　itself　and　every　morning　when　the　sun　rose　out　of　the　sea　the　curved　　prow　of　the　dawn　treader　stood　up　right　across　the　middle　of　the　sun。　some　thought　that　　the　sun　looked　larger　than　it　looked　from　narnia；　but　others　disagreed。　and　they　　sailed　and　sailed　before　a　gentle　yet　steady　breeze　and　saw　neither　fish　nor　gull…　nor　ship　　nor　shore。　and　stores　began　to　get　low　again；　and　it　crept　into　their　hearts　that　perhaps　　they　might　have　e　to　a　sea　which　went　on　for　ever。　but　when　the　very　last　day　on　which　　they　thought　they　could　risk　continuing　their　eastward　voyage　dawned；　it　showed；　right　　ahead　between　them　and　the　sunrise；　a　low　land　lying　like　a　cloud。

they　made　harbour　in　a　wide　bay　about　the　middle　of　the　afternoon　and　　landed。　it　was　a　very　different　country　from　any　they　had　yet　seen。　for　when　they　had　　crossed　the　sandy　beach　they　found　all　silent　and　empty　as　if　it　were　an　uninhabited　land；　　but　before　them　there　were　level　lawns　in　which　the　gras