THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER-第2章

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re　was　a　second　of　　struggling　and　shouting；　and　just　as　they　thought　they　had　got　their　balance　a　great　blue　　roller　surged　up　round　them；　swept　them　off　their　feet；　and　drew　them　down　into　the　sea。　　eustaces　despairing　cry　suddenly　ended　as　the　water　got　into　his　mouth。

lucy　thanked　her　stars　that　she　had　worked　hard　at　her　swimming　last　summer　　term。　it　is　true　that　she　would　have　got　on　much　better　if　she　had　used　a　slower　　stroke；　and　also　that　the　water　felt　a　great　deal　colder　than　it　had　looked　while　it　was　only　a　　picture。　still；　she　kept　her　head　and　kicked　her　shoes　off；　as　everyone　ought　to　do　who　falls　　into　deep　water　in　their　clothes。　she　even　kept　her　mouth　shut　and　her　eyes　open。　they　were　　still　quite　near　the　ship；　she　saw　its　green　side　towering　high　above　them；　and　people　　looking　at　her　from　the　deck。　then；　as　one　might　have　expected；　eustace　clutched　at　her　in　　a　panic　and　down　they　both　went。

when　they　came　up　again　she　saw　a　white　figure　diving　off　the　ships　side。　　edmund　was　close　beside　her　now；　treading　water；　and　had　caught　the　arms　of　the　　howling　eustace。

then　someone　else；　whose　face　was　vaguely　familiar；　slipped　an　arm　under　　her　from　the　other　side。　there　was　a　lot　of　shouting　going　on　from　the　ship；　heads　　crowding　together　above　the　bulwarks；　ropes　being　thrown。　edmund　and　the　stranger　were　　fastening　ropes　round　her。　after　that　followed　what　seemed　a　very　long　delay　during　which　　her　face　got　blue　and　her　teeth　began　chattering。　in　reality　the　delay　was　not　very　　long；　they　were　waiting　till　the　moment　when　she　could　be　got　on　board　the　ship　without　　being　dashed　against　its　side。　even　with　all　their　best　endeavours　she　had　a　bruised　　knee　when　she　finally　stood；　dripping　and　shivering；　on　the　deck。　after　her　edmund　was　　heaved　up；　and　then　the　miserable　eustace。　last　of　all　came　the　stranger　…　a　golden…headed　　boy　some　years　older　than　herself。

〃ca　…　ca　…　caspian！〃　gasped　lucy　as　soon　as　she　had　breath　enough。　for　　caspian　it　was；　caspian；　the　boy　king　of　narnia　whom　they　had　helped　to　set　on　the　throne　　during　their　last　visit。　immediately　edmund　recognized　him　too。　all　three　shook　hands　　and　clapped　one　another　on　the　back　with　great　delight。

〃but　who　is　your　friend？〃　said　caspian　almost　at　once；　turning　to　eustace　　with　his　cheerful　smile。　but　eustace　was　crying　much　harder　than　any　boy　of　his　age　　has　a　right　to　cry　when　nothing　worse　than　a　wetting　has　happened　to　him；　and　would　only　　yell　out；　〃let　me　go。　let　me　go　back。　i　dont　like　it。”

〃let　you　go？〃　said　caspian。　〃but　where？”

eustace　rushed　to　the　ships　side；　as　if　he　expected　to　see　the　picture　　frame　hanging　above　the　sea；　and　perhaps　a　glimpse　of　lucys　bedroom。　what　he　saw　was　blue　　waves　flecked　with　foam；　and　paler　blue　sky；　both　spreading　without　a　break　to　the　　horizon。　perhaps　we　can　hardly　blame　him　if　his　heart　sank。　he　was　promptly　sick。

〃hey！　rynelf；〃　said　caspian　to　one　of　the　sailors。　〃bring　spiced　wine　for　　their　majesties。

youll　need　something　to　warm　you　after　that　dip。〃　he　called　edmund　and　　lucy　their　majesties　because　they　and　peter　and　susan　had　all　been　kings　and　queens　of　　narnia　long　before　his　time。　narnian　time　flows　differently　from　ours。　if　you　　spent　a　hundred　years　in　narnia；　you　would　still　e　back　to　our　world　at　the　very　same　　hour　of　the　very　same　day　on　which　you　left。　and　then；　if　you　went　back　to　narnia　after　　spending　a　week　here；　you　might　find　that　a　thousand　narnian　years　had　passed；　or　only　a　　day；　or　no　time　at　all。　you　never　know　till　you　get　there。　consequently；　when　the　pevensie　　children　had　returned　to　narnia　last　time　for　their　second　visit；　it　was　（for　the　　narnians）　as　if　king　arthur　came　back　to　britain；　as　some　people　say　he　will。　and　i　say　the　　sooner　the　better。

rynelf　returned　with　the　spiced　wine　steaming　in　a　flagon　and　four　silver　　cups。　it　was　just　what　one　wanted；　and　as　lucy　and　edmund　sipped　it　they　could　feel　the　　warmth　going　right　down　to　their　toes。　but　eustace　made　faces　and　spluttered　and　spat　it　　out　and　was　sick　again　and　began　to　cry　again　and　asked　if　they　hadnt　any　plumptrees　　vitaminized　nerve　food　and　could　it　be　made　with　distilled　water　and　anyway　he　insisted　　on　being　put　ashore　at　the　next　station。

〃this　is　a　merry　shipmate　youve　brought　us；　brother；〃　whispered　caspian　to　　edmund　with　a　chuckle；　but　before　he　could　say　anything　more　eustace　burst　out　　again。

〃oh！　ugh！　what　on　earths　that！　take　it　away；　the　horrid　thing。〃　。

he　really　had　some　excuse　this　time　for　feeling　a　little　surprised。　　something　very　curious　indeed　had　e　out　of　the　cabin　in　the　poop　and　was　slowly　approaching　　them。　you　might　call　it　…　and　indeed　it　was　…　a　mouse。　but　then　it　was　a　mouse　on　its　　hind　legs　and　stood　about　two　feet　high。　a　thin　band　of　gold　passed　round　its　head　under　　one　ear　and　over　the　other　and　in　this　was　stuck　a　long　crimson　feather。　（as　the　　mouses　fur　was　very　dark；　almost　black；　the　effect　was　bold　and　striking。）　its　left　paw　rested　　on　the　hilt　of　a　sword　very　nearly　as　long　as　its　tail。　its　balance；　as　it　paced　gravely　　along　the　swaying　deck；　was　perfect；　and　its　manners　courtly。　lucy　and　edmund　recognized　it　　at　once　reepicheep；　the　most　valiant　of　all　the　talking　beasts　of　narnia；　and　the　　chief　mouse。　it　had　won　undying　glory　in　the　second　battle　of　beruna。　lucy　longed；　as　she　　had　always　　

done；　to　take　reepicheep　up　in　her　arms　and　cuddle　him。　but　this；　as　she　　well　knew；　was　a　pleasure　she　could　never　have：　it　would　have　offended　him　deeply。　　instead；　she　went　down　on　one　knee　to　talk　to　him。

reepicheep　put　forward　his　left　leg；　drew　back　his　right；　bowed；　kissed　her　　hand；　straightened　himself；　twirled　his　whiskers；　and　said　in　his　shrill；　piping　　voice：　　〃my　humble　duty　to　your　majesty。　and　to　king　edmund；　too。〃　（here　he　bowed　　again。）

〃nothing　except　your　majesties　presence　was　lacking　to　this　glorious　　venture。”

〃ugh；　take　it　away；〃　wailed　eustace。　〃i　hate　mice。　and　i　never　could　bear　　performing　animals。　theyre　silly　and　vulgar　and…and　sentimental。”

〃am　i　to　understand；〃　said　reepicheep　to　lucy　after　a　long　stare　at　　eustace；　〃that　this　singularly　discourteous　person　is　under　your　majestys　protection？　because；　　if　not…”

at　this　moment　lucy　and　edmund　both　sneezed。

〃what　a　fool　i　am　to　keep　you　all　standing　here　in　your　wet　things；〃　said　　caspian。　〃e　on　below　and　get　changed。　ill　give　you　my　cabin　of　course；　lucy；　but　im　　afraid　we　have　no　womens　clothes　on　board。　youll　have　to　make　do　with　some　of　mine。　lead　　the　way；　reepicheep；　like　a　good　fellow。”

〃to　the　convenience　of　a　lady；〃　said　reepicheep；　〃even　a　question　of　honour　　must　give　way　…　at　least　for　the　moment　…〃　and　here　he　looked　very　hard　at　eustace。　　but　caspian　hustled　them　on　and　in　a　few　minutes　lucy　found　herself　passing　through　the　　door　into　the　stern　cabin。　she　fell　in　love　with　it　at　once　…　the　three　square　　windows　that　looked　out　on　the　blue；　swirling　water　astern；　the　low　cushioned　benches　round　three　　sides　of　the　table；　the　swinging　silver　lamp　overhead　（dwarfs　work；　she　knew　at　once　by　　its　exquisite　delicacy）　and　the　flat　gold　image　of　aslan　the　lion　on　the　forward　wall　　above　the　door。

all　this　she　took　in　in　a　flash；　for　caspian　immediately　opened　a　door　on　　the　starboard　side；　and　said；　〃thisll　be　your　room；　lucy。　ill　just　get　some　dry　things　　for　myself…〃　he　was　rummaging　in　one　of　the　lockers　while　he　spoke　…　〃and　then　leave　you　to　　change。　if　youll　fling　your　wet　things　outside　the　door　ill　get　them　taken　to　the　　galley　to　be　dried。”

lucy　found　herself　as　much　at　home　as　if　she　had　been　in　caspians　cabin　　for　weeks；　and　the　motion　of　the　ship　did　not　worry　her；　for　in　the　old　days　when　she　had　　been　a　queen　in　narnia　she　had　done　a　good　deal　of　voyaging。　the　cabin　was　very　tiny　but　　bright　with　painted　panels　（all　birds　and　beasts　and　crimson　dragons　and　vines）　and　　spotlessly　clean。

caspians　clothes　were　too　big　for　her；　but　she　could　manage。　his　shoes；　　sandals　and　sea…boots　were　hopelessly　big　but　she　did　not　mind　going　barefoot　on　board　　ship。　when　she　had　finished　dressing　she　looked　out　of　her　window　at　the　water　rushing　　past　and　took　a　long　deep　breath。　she　felt　quite　sure　they　were　in　for　a　lovely　time。

．。



CHAPTER　TWO

/小。说＋
on　board　the　dawn　treader　　〃ah；　there　you　are；　lucy；〃　said　caspian。　〃we　were　just　waiting　for　you。　　this　is　my　captain；　the　lord　drinian。”

a　dark…haired　man　went　down　on　one　knee　and　kissed　her　hand。　the　only　　others　present　were　reepicheep　and　edmund。

〃where　is　eustace？〃　asked　lucy。

〃in　bed；〃　said　edmund；　〃and　i　dont　think　we　can　do　anything　for　him。　it　　only　makes　him　worse　if　you　try　to　be　nice　to　him。”

〃meanwhile；〃　said　caspian；　〃we　want　to　talk。”

〃by　jove；　we　do；〃　said　edmund。　〃and　first；　about　time。　its　a　year　ago　by　　our　time　since　we　left　you　just　before　your　coronation。　how　long　has　it　been　in　narnia？”

〃exactly　three　years；〃　said　caspian。

〃all　going　well？〃　asked　edmund。

〃you　dont　suppose　id　have　left　my　kingdom　and　put　to　sea　unless　all　was　　well；”

answered　the　king。　〃it　couldnt　be　better。　theres　no　trouble　at　all　now　　between　telmarines；　dwarfs；　talking　beasts；　fauns　and　the　rest。　and　we　gave　those　　troublesome　g