《THE SILVER CHAIR》第31章

ten　while　i　am　master　of　myself。　when　the　fit　is　upon　me； it　well　may　be　that　i　shall　beg　and　implore　you；　with　entreaties　and　threatenings；　to loosen　my　bonds。
they　say　i　do。　i　shall　call　upon　you　by　all　that　is　most　dear　and　most dreadful。　but　do　not　listen　to　me。　harden　your　hearts　and　stop　your　ears。　for　while　i　am　bound you　are　safe。
but　if　once　i　were　up　and　out　of　this　chair；　then　first　would　e　my　fury； and　after　that”
…　he　shuddered　…　〃the　change　into　a　loathsome　serpent。”
〃theres　no　fear　of　our　loosing　you；〃　said　puddleglum。　〃weve　no　wish　to meet　wild　men；　or　serpents　either。”
〃i　should　think　not；〃　said　scrubb　and　jill　together。
〃all　the　same；〃　added　puddleglum　in　a　whisper。　〃dont　lets　be　too　sure。 lets　be　on　our　guard。　weve　muffed　everything　else；　you　know。　hell　be　cunning；　i shouldnt　wonder；　once　he　gets　started。　can　we　trust　one　another？　do　we　all　promise　that whatever　he　says　we　dont　touch　those　cords？　whatever　he　says；　mind　you？”
〃rather！〃　said　scrubb。
〃theres　nothing　in　the　world　he　can　say　or　do　thatll　make　me　change　my mind；〃　said　jill。
〃hush！　somethings　happening；〃　said　puddleglum。
the　knight　was　moaning。　his　face　was　as　pale　as　putty；　and　he　writhed　in his　bonds。　and　whether　because　she　was　sorry　for　him；　or　for　some　other　reason；　jill thought　that　he　looked　a　nicer　sort　of　man　than　he　had　looked　before。
〃ah；〃　he　groaned。　〃enchantments；　enchantments　。　。　。　the　heavy；　tangled； cold；　clammy　web　of　evil　magic。　buried　alive。　dragged　down　under　the　earth；　down　into the　sooty
blackness　。　。　。　how　many　years　is　it？　。　。　。　have　i　lived　ten　years；　or　a thousand　years；　in　the　pit？　maggotmen　all　around　me。　oh；　have　mercy。　let　me　out；　let　me　go　back。 let　me　feel　the　wind　and　see　the　sky　。　。　。　there　used　to　be　a　little　pool。　when　you looked　down　into　it　you　could　see　all　the　trees　growing　upside…down　in　the　water；　all　green； and　below　them；　deep；　very　deep；　the　blue　sky。”
he　had　been　speaking　in　a　low　voice；　now　he　looked　up；　fixed　his　eyes　upon them；　and　said　loud　and　clear： 〃quick！　i　am　sane　now。　every　night　i　am　sane。　if　only　i　could　get　out　of this　enchanted　chair；　it　would　last。　i　should　be　a　man　again。　but　every　night　they　bind me；　and　so　every　night　my　chance　is　gone。　but　you　are　not　enemies。　i　am　not　your　prisoner。 quick！　cut　these　cords。”
〃stand　fast！　steady；〃　said　puddleglum　to　the　two　children。
〃i　beseech　you　to　hear　me；〃　said　the　knight；　forcing　himself　to　speak calmly。　〃have　they　told　you　that　if　i　am　released　from　this　chair　i　shall　kill　you　and　bee a　serpent？　i　see　by　your　faces　that　they　have。　it　is　a　lie。　it　is　at　this　hour　that　i　am　in my　right　mind：　it　is　all　the　rest　of　the　day　that　i　am　enchanted。　you　are　not　earthmen　nor witches。　why　should　you　be　on　their　side？　of　your　courtesy；　cut　my　bonds。”
〃steady！　steady！　steady！〃　said　the　three　travellers　to　one　another。
〃oh；　you　have　hearts　of　stone；〃　said　the　knight。　〃believe　me；　you　look　upon a　wretch　who　has　suffered　almost　more　than　any　mortal　can　bear。　what　wrong　have　i ever　done　you；　that　you　should　side　with　my　enemies　to　keep　me　in　such　miseries？　and the　minutes　are　slipping　past。　now　you　can　save　me；　when　this　hour　has　passed；　i　shall be　witless　again　…　the　toy　and　lap…dog；　nay；　more　likely　the　pawn　and　tool；　of　the most　devilish　sorceress　that　ever　planned　the　woe　of　men。　and　this　night；　of　all　nights； when　she　is　away！　you　take　from　me　a　chance　that　may　never　e　again。”
〃this　is　dreadful。　i　do　wish　wed　stayed　away　till　it　was　over；〃　said　jill。
〃steady！〃　said　puddleglum。
the　prisoners　voice　was　now　rising　into　a　shriek。　〃let　me　go；　i　say。　give me　my　sword。
my　sword！　once　i　am　free　i　shall　take　such　revenge　on　earthmen　that underland　will　talk　of　it　for　a　thousand　years！”
〃now　the　frenzy　is　beginning；〃　said　scrubb。　〃i　hope　those　knots　are　all right。”
〃yes；〃　said　puddleglum。　〃hed　have　twice　his　natural　strength　if　he　got free　now。　and　im　not　clever　with　my　sword。　hed　get　us　both；　i　shouldnt　wonder；　and　then pole　on　her　own　would　be　left　to　tackle　the　snake。”
the　prisoner　was　now　so　straining　at　his　bonds　that　they　cut　into　his wrists　and　ankles。
〃beware；〃　he　said。　〃beware。　one　night　i　did　break　them。　but　the　witch　was there　that　time。　you　will　not　have　her　to　help　you　tonight。　free　me　now；　and　i　am　your friend。　im　your　mortal　enemy　else。”
〃cunning；　isnt　he？〃　said　puddleglum。
〃once　and　for　all；〃　said　the　prisoner；　〃i　adjure　you　to　set　me　free。　by　all fears　and　all　loves；　by　the　bright　skies　of　overland；　by　the　great　lion；　by　aslan himself；　i　charge　you　…“
〃oh！〃　cried　the　three　travellers　as　though　they　had　been　hurt。　〃its　the sign；〃　said　puddleglum。　〃it　was　the　words　of　the　sign；〃　said　scrubb　more　cautiously。 〃oh；　what　are　we　to　do？〃　said　jill。
it　was　a　dreadful　question。　what　had　been　the　use　of　promising　one　another that　they　would　not　on　any　account　set　the　knight　free；　if　they　were　now　to　do　so　the first　time　he　happened　to　call　upon　a　name　they　really　cared　about？　on　the　other　hand； what　had　been　the　use　of　learning　the　signs　if　they　werent　going　to　obey　them？　yet　could aslan　have　really　meant　them　to　unbind　anyone　even　a　lunatic　…　who　asked　it　in　his name？　could　it　be　a　mere　accident？　or　how　if　the　queen　of　the　underworld　knew　all　about the　signs　and　had　made　the　knight　learn　this　name　simply　in　order　to　entrap　them？　but then；　supposing　this　was　the　real　sign？　。　。　。　they　had　muffed　three　already；　they　darent muff　the　fourth。
〃oh；　if　only　we　knew！〃　said　jill。
〃i　think　we　do　know；〃　said　puddleglum。
〃do　you　mean　you　think　everything　will　e　right　if　we　do　untie　him？〃　said scrubb。
〃i　dont　know　about　that；〃　said　puddleglum。　〃you　see；　aslan　didnt　tell pole　what　would　happen。　he　only　told　her　what　to　do。　that　fellow　will　be　the　death　of　us once　hes　up；　i　shouldnt　wonder。　but　that　doesnt　let　us　off　following　the　sign。”
they　all　stood　looking　at　one　another　with　bright　eyes。　it　was　a　sickening moment。　〃all　right！〃　said　jill　suddenly。　〃lets　get　it　over。　good…bye；　everyone　。。。！〃 they　all　shook　hands。　the　knight　was　screaming　by　now；　there　was　foam　on　his　cheeks。
〃e　on；　scrubb；〃　said　pu