《THE SILVER CHAIR》第33章

steady；　monotonous　thrumming　that　you　didnt　notice　after　a　few　minutes。 but　the　less　you　noticed　it；　the　more　it　got　into　your　brain　and　your　blood。　this　also made　it　hard　to　think。　after　she　had　thrummed　for　a　time　（and　the　sweet　smell　was　now strong）　she　began　speaking　in　a　sweet；　quiet　voice。
〃narnia？〃　she　said。　〃narnia？　i　have　often　heard　your　lordship　utter　that name　in　your　ravings。　dear　prince；　you　are　very　sick。　there　is　no　land　called　narnia。”
〃yes　there　is；　though；　maam；〃　said　puddleglum。　〃you　see；　i　happen　to　have lived　there　all　my　life。”
〃indeed；〃　said　the　witch。　〃tell　me；　i　pray　you；　where　that　country　is？”
〃up　there；〃　said　puddleglum；　stoutly；　pointing　overhead。　〃i　…　i　dont　know exactly　where。”
〃how？〃　said　the　queen；　with　a　kind；　soft；　musical　laugh。　〃is　there　a country　up　among　the　stones　and　mortar　of　the　roof？”
〃no；〃　said　puddleglum；　struggling　a　little　to　get　his　breath。　〃its　in overworld。”
〃and　what；　or　where；　pray　is　this　。　。　。　how　do　you　call　it。　。　。　overworld？”
〃oh；　dont　be　so　silly；〃　said　scrubb；　who　was　fighting　hard　against　the enchantment　of　the　sweet　smell　and　the　thrumming。　〃as　if　you　didnt　know！　its　up　above；　up where　you　can　see　the　sky　and　the　sun　and　the　stars。　why；　youve　been　there　yourself。　we met　you　there。”
〃i　cry　you　mercy；　little　brother；〃　laughed　the　witch　（you　couldnt　have heard　a　lovelier　laugh）。　〃i　have　no　memory　of　that　meeting。　but　we　often　meet　our　friends　in strange　places　when　we　dream。　and　unless　all　dreamed　alike；　you　must　not　ask　them to　remember　it。”
〃madam；〃　said　the　prince　sternly；　〃i　have　already　told　your　grace　that　i　am the　kings　son　of　narnia。”
〃and　shalt　be；　dear　friend；〃　said　the　witch　in　a　soothing　voice；　as　if　she was　humouring　a　child；　〃shalt　be　king　of　many　imagined　lands　in　thy　fancies。”
〃weve　been　there；　too；〃　snapped　jill。　she　was　very　angry　because　she　could feel　enchantment　getting　hold　of　her　every　moment。　but　of　course　the　very　fact that　she　could　still　feel　it；　showed　that　it　had　not　yet　fully　worked。
〃and　thou　art　queen　of　narnia　too；　i　doubt　not；　pretty　one；〃　said　the　witch in　the　same　coaxing；　half…mocking　tone。
〃im　nothing　of　the　sort；〃　said　jill；　stamping　her　foot。　〃we　e　from another　world。”
〃why；　this　is　a　prettier　game　than　the　other；〃　said　the　witch。　〃tell　us； little　maid；　where　is　this　other　world？　what　ships　and　chariots　go　between　it　and　ours？”
of　course　a　lot　of　things　darted　into　jills　head　at　once：　experiment house；　adela　pennyfather；　her　own　home；　radio…sets；　cinemas；　cars；　aeroplanes；　ration…　books；　queues。
but　they　seemed　dim　and　far　away。　（thrum　thrum　…　thrum　…　went　the　strings of　the　witchs　instrument。）　jill　couldnt　remember　the　names　of　the　things　in　our world。　and　this　time　it　didnt　e　into　her　head　that　she　was　being　enchanted；　for　now　the magic　was　in　its　full　strength；　and　of　course；　the　more　enchanted　you　get；　the　more certain　you　feel　that　you　are　not　enchanted　at　all。　she　found　herself　saying　（and　at　the　moment it　was　a　relief　to　say）： 〃no。　i　suppose　that　other　world　must　be　all　a　dream。”
〃yes。　it　is　all　a　dream；〃　said　the　witch；　always　thrumming。
〃yes；　all　a　dream；〃　said　jill。
〃there　never　was　such　a　world；〃　said　the　witch。
〃no；〃　said　jill　and　scrubb；　〃never　was　such　a　world。”
〃there　never　was　any　world　but　mine；〃　said　the　witch。
〃there　never　was　any　world　but　yours；〃　said　they。
puddleglum　was　still　fighting　hard。　〃i　dont　know　rightly　what　you　all　mean by　a　world；”
he　said；　talking　like　a　man　who　hasnt　enough　air。　〃but　you　can　play　that fiddle　till　your　fingers　drop　off；　and　still　you　wont　make　me　forget　narnia；　and　the　whole overworld　too。　well　never　see　it　again；　i　shouldnt　wonder。　you　may　have　blotted　it out　and　turned　it　dark　like　this；　for　all　i　know。　nothing　more　likely。　but　i　know　i　was there　once。　ive　seen　the　sky　full　of　stars。　ive　seen　the　sun　ing　up　out　of　the　sea　of　a morning　and　sinking　behind　the　mountains　at　night。　and　ive　seen　him　up　in　the　midday sky　when　i　couldnt　look　at　him　for　brightness。”
puddleglums　words　had　a　very　rousing　effect。　the　other　three　all　breathed again　and　looked　at　one　another　like　people　newly　awaked。
〃why；　there　it　is！〃　cried　the　prince。　〃of　course！　the　blessing　of　aslan upon　this　honest　marsh…wiggle。　we　have　all　been　dreaming；　these　last　few　minutes。　how　could we　have　forgotten　it？　of　course　weve　all　seen　the　sun。”
〃by　jove；　so　we　have！〃　said　scrubb。　〃good　for　you；　puddleglum！　youre　the only　one　of　us　with　any　sense；　i　do　believe。”
then　came　the　witchs　voice；　cooing　softly　like　the　voice　of　a　wood…pigeon from　the　high　elms　in　an　old　garden　at　three　oclock　in　the　middle　of　a　sleepy；　summer afternoon；　and　it　said： 〃what　is　this　sun　that　you　all　speak　of？　do　you　mean　anything　by　the　word？”
〃yes；　we　jolly　well　do；〃　said　scrubb。
〃can　you　tell　me　what　its　like？〃　asked　the　witch　（thrum；　thrum；　thrum； went　the　strings）。
〃please　it　your　grace；〃　said　the　prince；　very　coldly　and　politely。　〃you　see that　lamp。　it　is　round　and　yellow　and　gives　light　to　the　whole　room；　and　hangeth　moreover from　the　roof。
now　that　thing　which　we　call　the　sun　is　like　the　lamp；　only　far　greater　and brighter。　it　giveth　light　to　the　whole　overworld　and　hangeth　in　the　sky。”
〃hangeth　from　what；　my　lord？〃　asked　the　witch；　and　then；　while　they　were all　still　thinking　how　to　answer　her；　she　added；　with　another　of　her　soft；　silver laughs：　〃you　see？
when　you　try　to　think　out　clearly　what　this　sun　must　be；　you　cannot　tell me。　you　can　only　tell　me　it　is　like　the　lamp。　your　sun　is　a　dream；　and　there　is　nothing in　that　dream　that　was　not　copied　from　the　lamp。　the　lamp　is　the　real　thing；　the　sun　is but　a　tale；　a　childrens　story。”
〃yes；　i　see　now；〃　said　jill　in　a　heavy；　hopeless　tone。　〃it　must　be　so。〃　and while　she　said　this；　it　seemed　to　her　to　be　very　good　sense。
slowly　and　gravely　the　witch　repeated；　〃there　is　no　sun。〃　and　they　all　said nothing。　she　repeated；　in　a　softer　and　deeper　voice。　〃there　is　no　sun。〃　after　a　pause； and　after　a　struggle　in　their　minds；　all　four　of　them　said　together。　〃you　are　right。 there　is　no　sun。〃　it　was　such　a　relief　to　giv