THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER-第25章

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ntil；　all　mixed　in　one　great　mat　of　hair；　they　flowed　over　the　edge　　and　down　to　the　floor。　and　from　their　heads　the　hair　hung　over　the　backs　of　their　chairs　so　　that　they　were　wholly　hidden。　in　fact　the　three　men　were；　nearly　all　hair。

〃dead？〃　said　caspian。

〃i　think　not；　sire；〃　said　reepicheep；　lifting　one　of　their　hands　out　of　its　　tangle　of　hair　in　his　two　paws。　〃this　one　is　warm　and　his　pulse　beats。”

〃this　one；　too；　and　this；〃　said　drinian。

〃why；　theyre　only　asleep；〃　said　eustace。

〃its　been　a　long　sleep；　though；〃　said　edmund；　〃to　let　their　hair　grow　like　　this。”

〃it　must　be　an　enchanted　sleep；〃　said　lucy。　〃i　felt　the　moment　we　landed　on　　this　island　that　it　was　full　of　magic。　oh！　do　you　think　we　have　perhaps　e　here　to　　break　it？”

〃we　can　try；〃　said　caspian；　and　began　shaking　the　nearest　of　the　three　　sleepers。　for　a　moment　everyone　thought　he　was　going　to　be　successful；　for　the　man　breathed　　hard　and　muttered；　〃ill　go　eastward　no　more。　out　oars　for　narnia。〃　but　he　sank　back　　almost　at　once　into　a　yet　deeper　sleep　than　before：　that　is；　his　heavy　head　sagged　a　　few　inches　lower　towards　the　table　and　all　efforts　to　rouse　him　again　were　useless。　　with　the　second　it　was　much　the　same。　〃werent　born　to　live　like　animals。　get　to　the　east　　while　youve　a　chance　…　lands　behind　the　sun；〃　and　sank　down。　and　the　third　only　said；　　〃mustard；　please；〃　and　slept　hard。

〃out　oars　for　narnia；　eh？〃　said　drinian。

〃yes；〃　said　caspian；　〃you　are　right；　drinian。　i　think　our　quest　is　at　an　　end。　lets　look　at　their　rings。　yes；　these　are　their　devices。　this　is　the　lord　revilian。　this　　is　the　lord　argoz：　and　this；　the　lord　mavramorn。”

〃but　we　cant　wake　them；〃　said　lucy。　〃what　are　we　to　do？”

〃begging　your　majesties　pardons　all；〃　said　rhince；　〃but　why　not　fall　to　　while　youre　discussing　it？　we　dont　see　a　dinner　like　this　every　day。”

〃not　for　your　life！〃　said　caspian。

〃thats　right；　thats　right；〃　said　several　of　the　sailors。

〃too　much　magic　about　here。　the　sooner　were　back　on　board　the　better。”

〃depend　upon　it；〃　said　reepicheep；　〃it　was　from　eating　this　food　that　these　　three　lords　came　by　a　seven　years　sleep。”

〃i　wouldnt　touch　it　to　save　my　life；〃　said　drinian。

〃the　lights　going　unmon　quick；〃　said　rynelf。

〃back　to　ship；　back　to　ship；〃　muttered　the　men。

〃i　really　think；〃　said　edmund；　〃theyre　right。　we　can　decide　what　to　do　　with　the　three　sleepers　tomorrow。　we　darent　eat　the　food　and　theres　no　point　in　staying　　here　for　the　night。　the　whole　place　smells　of　magic　…　and　danger。”

〃i　am　entirely　of　king　edmunds　opinion；〃　said　reepicheep；　〃as　far　as　　concerns　the　ships　pany　in　general。　but　i　myself　will　sit　at　this　table　till　sunrise。”

〃why　on　earth？〃　said　eustace。

〃because；〃　said　the　mouse；　〃this　is　a　very　great　adventure；　and　no　danger　　seems　to　me　so　great　as　that　of　knowing　when　i　get　back　to　narnia　that　i　left　a　mystery　　behind　me　through　fear。”

〃ill　stay　with　you；　reep；〃　said　edmund。

〃and　i　too；〃　said　caspian。

〃and　me；〃　said　lucy。　and　then　eustace　volunteered　also。　this　was　very　brave　　of　him　because　never　having　read　of　such　things　or　even　heard　of　them　till　he　　joined　the　dawn　treader　made　it　worse　for　him　than　for　the　others。

〃i　beseech　your　majesty　…〃　began　drinian。

〃no；　my　lord；〃　said　caspian。　〃your　place　is　with　the　ship；　and　you　have　had　　a　days　work　while　we　five　have　idled。〃　there　was　a　lot　of　argument　about　this　but　　in　the　end　caspian　had　his　way。　as　the　crew　marched　off　to　the　shore　in　the　gathering　　dusk　none　of　the　five　watchers；　except　perhaps　reepicheep；　could　avoid　a　cold　feeling　in　　the　stomach。

they　took　some　time　choosing　their　seats　at　the　perilous　table。　probably　　everyone　had　the　same　reason　but　no　one　said　it　out　loud。　for　it　was　really　a　rather　nasty　　choice。　one　could　hardly　bear　to　sit　all　night　next　to　those　three　terrible　hairy　objects　　which；　if　not　dead；　were　certainly　not　alive　in　the　ordinary　sense。　on　the　other　hand；　to　sit　　at　the　far　end；　so　that　you　would　see　them　less　and　less　as　the　night　grew　darker；　and　　wouldnt　know　if　they　were　moving；　and　perhaps　wouldnt　see　them　at　all　by　about　two　oclock　no；　　it　was　not　to　be　thought　of。　so　they　sauntered　round　and　round　the　table　saying；　〃what　　about　here？”

and　〃or　perhaps　a　bit　further　on；〃　or；　〃why　not　on　this　side？〃　till　at　last　　they　settled　down　somewhere　about　the　middle　but　nearer　to　the　sleepers　than　to　the　other　　end。　it　was　about　　

ten　by　now　and　almost　dark。　those　strange　new　constellations　burned　in　the　　east。　lucy　would　have　liked　it　better　if　they　had　been　the　leopard　and　the　ship　and　　other　old　friends　of　the　narnian　sky。

they　wrapped　themselves　in　their　sea　cloaks　and　sat　still　and　waited。　at　　first　there　was　some　attempt　at　talk　but　it　didnt　e　to　much。　and　they　sat　and　sat。　and　　all　the　time　they　heard　the　waves　breaking　on　the　beach。

after　hours　that　seemed　like　ages　there　came　a　moment　when　they　all　knew　　they　had　been　dozing　a　moment　before　but　were　all　suddenly　wide　awake。　the　stars　　were　all　in　quite　different　positions　from　those　they　had　last　noticed。　the　sky　was　　very　black　except　for　the　faintest　possible　greyness　in　the　east。　they　were　cold；　though　　thirsty；　and　stiff。

and　none　of　them　spoke　because　now　at　last　something　was　happening。

before　them；　beyond　the　pillars；　there　was　the　slope　of　a　low　hill。　and　now　　a　door　opened　in　the　hillside；　and　light　appeared　in　the　doorway；　and　a　figure　came　out；　　and　the　door　shut　behind　it。　the　figure　carried　a　light；　and　this　light　was　really　all　　that　they　could　see　distinctly。　it　came　slowly　nearer　and　nearer　till　at　last　it　stood　right　at　　the　table　opposite　to　them。　now　they　could　see　that　it　was　a　tall　girl；　dressed　in　a　single　long　　garment　of　clear　blue　which　left　her　arms　bare。　she　was　bareheaded　and　her　yellow　hair　hung　　down　her　back。　and　when　they　looked　at　her　they　thought　they　had　never　before　known　　what　beauty　meant。

the　light　which　she　had　been　carrying　was　a　tall　candle　in　a　silver　　candlestick　which　she　now　set　upon　the　table。　if　there　had　been　any　wind　off　the　sea　earlier　in　　the　night　it　must　have　died　down　by　now；　for　the　flame　of　the　candle　burned　as　straight　and　　still　as　if　it　were　in　a　room　with　the　windows　shut　and　the　curtains　drawn。　gold　and　　silver　on　the　table　shone　in　its　light。

lucy　now　noticed　something　lying　lengthwise　on　the　table　which　had　escaped　　her　attention　before。　it　was　a　knife　of　stone；　sharp　as　steel；　a　cruel…looking；　　ancient　looking　thing。

no　one　had　yet　spoken　a　word。　then　…　reepicheep　first；　and　caspian　next　…　　they　all　rose　to　their　feet；　because　they　felt　that　she　was　a　great　lady。

〃travellers　who　have　e　from　far　to　aslans　table；〃　said　the　girl。　〃why　　do　you　not　eat　and　drink？”

〃madam；〃　said　caspian；　〃we　feared　the　food　because　we　thought　it　had　cast　　our　friends　into　an　enchanted　sleep。

〃they　have　never　tasted　it；〃　she　said。

〃please；〃　said　lucy；　〃what　happened　to　them？”

〃seven　years　ago；〃　said　the　girl；　〃they　came　here　in　a　ship　whose　sails　　were　rags　and　timbers　ready　to　fall　apart。　there　were　a　few　others　with　them；　sailors；　　and　when　they　came　to　this　table　one　said；　‘here　is　the　good　place。　let　us　set　sail　and　　reef　sail　and　row　no　longer　but　sit　down　and　end　our　days　in　peace！　and　the　second　said；　　‘no；　let　us　re…embark　and　sail　for　narnia　and　the　west；　it　may　be　that　miraz　is　dead。　but　　the　third；　who　was　a　very　masterful　man；　leaped　up　and　said；　‘no；　by　heaven。　we　are　men　　and　telmarines；　not　brutes。　what　should　we　do　but　seek　adventure　after　　adventure？　we　have　not　long　to　live　in　any　event。　let　us　spend　what　is　left　in　seeking　the　　unpeopled　world　behind　the　sunrise。　and　as　they　quarrelled　he　caught　up　the　knife　of　stone　　which　lies　there　on　the　table　and　would　have　fought　with　his　rades。　but　it　is　a　　thing　not　right　for　him　to　touch。　and　as　his　fingers　closed　upon　the　hilt；　deep　sleep　fell　upon　　all　the　three。

and　till　the　enchantment　is　undone　they　will　never　wake。”

〃what　is　this　knife　of　stone？〃　asked　eustace。

〃do　none　of　you　know　it？〃　said　the　girl。

〃i　…　i　think；〃　said　lucy；　〃ive　seen　something　like　it　before。　it　was　a　　knife　like　it　that　the　white　witch　used　when　she　killed　aslan　at　the　stone　table　long　ago。”

〃it　was　the　same。；〃　said　the　girl；　〃and　it　was　brought　here　to　be　kept　in　　honour　while　the　world　lasts。”

edmund；　who　had　been　looking　more　and　more　unfortable　for　the　last　few　　minutes；　now　spoke。

〃look　here；〃　he　said；　〃i　hope　im　not　a　coward　…　about　eating　this　food；　i　　mean　…　and　im　sure　i　dont　mean　to　be　rude。　but　we　have　had　a　lot　of　queer　adventures　on　　this　voyage　of　ours　and　things　arent　always　what　they　seem。　when　i　look　in　your　face　i　　cant　help　believing　all　you　say：　but　then　thats　just　what　might　happen　with　a　witch　　too。　how　are　we　to　know　youre　a　friend？”

〃you　cant　know；〃　said　the　girl。　〃you　can　only　believe　or　not。”

after　a　moments　pause　reepicheeps　small　voice　was　heard。

〃sire；〃　he　said　to　caspian；　〃of　your　courtesy　fill　my　cup　with　wine　from　　that　flagon：　it　is　too　big　for　me　to　lift。　i　will　drink　to　the　lady。”

caspian　obeyed　and　the　mouse；　standing　on　the　table；　held　up　a　golden　cup　　between　its　tiny　paws　and　said；　〃lady；　i　pledge　you。〃　then　it　fell　to　on　cold