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！
y to the waist。 now she was losing speed。 instead of being carried up the river she was gliding in to the river bank on her left。 there were so many things to notice that she could hardly take them all in； a smooth； green lawn； a ship so brightly coloured that it looked like an enormous piece of jewellery； towers and battlements； banners fluttering in the air； a crowd； gay clothes； armour； gold； swords； a sound of music。 but this was all jumbled。 the first thing that she knew clearly was that she had alighted and was standing under a thicket of trees close by the river side； and there； only a few feet away from her； was scrubb。
the first thing she thought was how very grubby and untidy and generally unimpressive he looked。 and the second was 〃how wet i am！”
。。
CHAPTER THREE
小说
the sailing of the king what made scrubb look so dingy （and jill too； if she could only have seen herself） was the splendour of their surroundings。 i had better describe them at once。
through a cleft in those mountains which jill had seen far inland as she approached the land； the sunset light was pouring over a level lawn。 on the far side of the lawn； its weather…vanes glittering in the light； rose a many…towered and many… turreted castle； the most beautiful castle jill had ever seen。 on the near side was a quay of white marble and； moored to this； the ship： a tall ship with high forecastle and high poop； gilded and crimson； with a great flag at the mast…head； and many banners waving from the decks； and a row of shields； bright as silver； along the bulwarks。 the gang…plank was laid to her； and at the foot of it； just ready to go on board； stood an old； old man。 he wore a rich mantle of scarlet which opened in front to show his silver mail shirt。 there was a thin circlet of gold on his head。 his beard； white as wool； fell nearly to his waist。 he stood straight enough； leaning one hand on the shoulder of a richly dressed lord who seemed younger than himself： but you could see he was very old and frail。 he looked as if a puff of wind could blow him away； and his eyes were watery。
immediately in front of the king … who had turned round to speak to his people before going on board the ship … there was a little chair on wheels； and； harnessed to it； a little donkey： not much bigger than a big retriever。 in this chair sat a fat little dwarf。 he was as richly dressed as the king； but because of his fatness and because he was sitting hunched up among cushions； the effect was quite different： it made him look like a shapeless little bundle of fur and silk and velvet。 he was as old as the king； but more hale and hearty； with very keen eyes。 his bare head； which was bald and extremely large； shone like a gigantic billiard ball in the sunset light。
farther back； in a half…circle； stood what jill at once knew to be the courtiers。 they were well worth looking at for their clothes and armour alone。 as far as that went； they looked more like a flower…bed than a crowd。 but what really made jill open her eyes and mouth as wide as they would go； was the people themselves。 if 〃people〃 was the right word。 for only about one in every five was human。 the rest were things you never see in our world。
fauns； satyrs； centaurs： jill could give a name to these； for she had seen pictures of them。
dwarfs too。 and there were a lot of animals she knew as well； bears； badgers； moles； leopards； mice； and various birds。 but then they were so very different from the animals which one called by the same names in england。 some of them were much bigger … the mice； for instance； stood on their hind legs and were over two feet high。 but quite apart from that； they all looked different。 you could see by the expression in their faces that they could talk and think just as well as you could。
〃golly！〃 thought jill。 〃so its true after all。〃 but next moment she added； 〃i wonder are they friendly？〃 for she had just noticed； on the outskirts of the crowd； one or two giants and some people whom she couldnt give a name to at all。
at that moment aslan and the signs rushed back into her mind。 she had forgotten all about them for the last half…hour。
〃scrubb！〃 she whispered； grabbing his arm。 〃scrubb； quick！ do you see anyone you know？”
〃so youve turned up again； have you？〃 said scrubb disagreeably （for which he had some reason）。 〃well； keep quiet； cant you？ i want to listen。”
〃dont be a fool；〃 said jill。 〃there isnt a moment to lose。 dont you see some old friend here？ because youve got to go and speak to him at once。”
〃what are you talking about？〃 said scrubb。
〃its aslan … the lion … says youve got to；〃 said jill despairingly。 〃ive seen him。”
〃oh； you have； have you？ what did he say？”
〃he said the very first person you saw in narnia would be an old friend； and youd got to speak to him at once。”
〃well； theres nobody here ive ever seen in my life before； and anyway； i dont know whether this is narnia。”
〃thought you said youd been here before；〃 said jill。
〃well； you thought wrong then。”
〃well； i like that！ you told me …”
〃for heavens sake dry up and lets hear what theyre saying。”
the king was speaking to the dwarf； but jill couldnt hear what he said。 and； as far as she could make out； the dwarf made no answer； though he nodded and wagged his head a great deal。 then the king raised his voice and addressed the whole court： but his voice was so old and cracked that she could understand very little of his speech … especially since it was all about people and places she had never heard of。 when the speech was over； the king stooped down and kissed the dwarf on both cheeks； straightened himself； raised his right hand as if in blessing； and went； slowly and with feeble steps； up the gangway and on board the ship。 the courtiers appeared to be greatly moved by his departure。 handkerchiefs were got out； sounds of sobbing were heard in every direction。
the gangway was cast off； trumpets sounded from the poop； and the ship moved away from the quay。 （it was being towed by a rowing…boat； but jill didnt see that。）
〃now …〃 said scrubb； but he didnt get any farther； because at that moment a large white object … jill thought for a second that it was a kite … came gliding through the air and alighted at his feet。 it was a white owl； but so big that it stood as high as a good…sized dwarf。
it blinked and peered as if it were short…sighted； and put its head a little on one side； and said in a soft； hooting kind of voice： 〃tu…whoo； tu…whoo！ who are you two？”
〃my names scrubb； and this is pole；〃 said eustace。 〃would you mind telling us where we are？”
〃in the land of narnia； at the kings castle of cair paravel。”
〃is that the king whos just taken ship？”
〃too true； too true；〃 said the owl sadly； shaking its big head。 〃but who are you？ theres something magic about you two。 i saw you arrive： you flew。 everyone else was so busy seeing the king off that nobody knew。 except me。 i happened to notice you； you flew。”
〃we were sent here by aslan；〃 said eustace in a low voice。
〃tu…whoo； tu…whoo！〃 said the owl； ruffling out its feathers。 〃this is almost too much for me； so early in the evening。 im not quite myself till the suns down。”
〃and weve been sent to find the lost prince；〃 said jill； who had been anxiously waiting to get into the conversation。
〃its the first ive heard about it；〃 said eustace。 〃what prince？”
〃you had better e and speak to the lord regent at once；〃 it said。 〃thats him； over there in the donkey carriage； trumpkin the dwarf。〃 the bird turned and began leading the way； muttering to itself； 〃whoo！ tu…whoo！ what a to…do！ i cant think clearly yet。 its too early。”
〃what is the kings name？〃 asked eustace。
〃caspian the tenth；〃 said the owl。 and jill wondered why scrubb had suddenly pulled up short in his walk and turned an extraordinary colour。 she thought she had never seen him look so sick about anything。 but before she had time to ask any questions they had reached the dwarf； who was just gathering up the reins of his donkey and preparing to drive back to the castle。 the crowd of courtiers had broken up and were going in