《THE SILVER CHAIR》第36章

〃tis　hardly　possible；〃　said　the　prince。　〃i　never　heard　one　of　the　rascals so　much　as　speak　with　a　loud　voice　in　all　the　weary　years　of　my　bondage。　some　new　devilry；　i dont　doubt。”
〃and　what　is　that　red　light　over　there？〃　asked　jill。　〃is　something　on fire？”
〃if　you　ask　me；〃　said　puddleglum；　〃i　should　say　that　was　the　central　fires of　the　earth　breaking　out　to　make　a　new　volcano。　well　be　in　the　middle　of　it；　i shouldnt　wonder。”
〃look　at　that　ship！〃　said　scrubb。　〃whys　it　ing　on　so　quickly？　no　ones rowing　it。”
〃look；　look！〃　said　the　prince。　〃the　ship　is　already　far　this　side　of　the harbour　…　it　is　in　the　street。　look！　all　the　ships　are　driving　into　the　city！　by　my　head；　the seas　rising。　the　flood　is　upon　us。　aslan　be　praised；　this　castle　stands　on　high　ground。　but the　water　es　on　grimly　fast。”
〃oh；　what　can　be　happening？〃　cried　jill。　〃fire　and　water　and　all　those people　dodging　about　the　streets。”
〃ill　tell　you　what　it　is；〃　said　puddleglum。　〃that　witch　has　laid　a　train of　magic　spells　so　that　whenever　she　was　killed；　at　that　same　moment　her　whole　kingdom　would fall　to　pieces。　shes　the　sort　that　wouldnt　so　much　mind　dying　herself　if　she　knew that　the　chap　who　killed　her　was　going　to　be　burned；　or　buried；　or　drowned　five　minutes later。”
〃hast　hit　it；　friend　wiggle；〃　said　the　prince。　〃when　our　swords　hacked　off the　witchs　head；　that　stroke　ended　all　her　magic　works；　and　now　the　deep　lands　are falling　to　pieces。　we　are　looking　on　the　end　of　underworld。”
〃thats　it；　sir；〃　said　puddleglum。　〃unless　it　should　happen　to　be　the　end of　the　whole　world。”
〃but　are　we　just　going　to　stay　here　and　…　wait？〃　gasped　jill。
〃not　by　my　counsel；〃　said　the　prince。　〃i　would　save　my　horse；　coalblack； and　the　witchs　snowflake　（a　noble　beast　and　worthy　of　a　better　mistress）　which　are　both stabled　in　the　courtyard。　after　that；　let　us　make　shift　to　get　out　to　high　ground　and　pray that　we　shall　find　an　outlet。　the　horses　can　carry　two　each　at　need；　and　if　we　put　them to　it　they　may　outstrip　the　flood。”
〃will　your　highness　not　put　on　armour？〃　asked　puddleglum。　〃i　dont　like　the look　of　those〃　…　and　he　pointed　down　to　the　street。　everyone　looked　down。　dozens　of creatures
（and　now　that　they　were　close；　they　obviously　were　earthmen）　were　ing　up from　the　direction　of　the　harbour。　but　they　were　not　moving　like　an　aimless　crowd。 they　behaved　like　modern　soldiers　in　an　attack；　making　rushes　and　taking　cover；　anxious not　to　be　seen　from　the　castle　windows。
〃i　dare　not　see　the　inside　of　that　armour　again；〃　said　the　prince。　〃i　rode in　it　as　in　a　movable　dungeon；　and　it　stinks　of　magic　and　slavery。　but　i　will　take　the shield。”
he　left　the　room　and　returned　with　a　strange　light　in　his　eyes　a　moment later。
〃look；　friends；〃　he　said；　holding　out　the　shield　towards　them。　〃an　hour　ago it　was　black　and　without　device；　and　now；　this。〃　the　shield　had　turned　bright　as　silver； and　on　it；　redder　than　blood　or　cherries；　was　the　figure　of　the　lion。
〃doubtless；〃　said　the　prince；　〃this　signifies　that　aslan will　be　our　good lord；　whether　he　means　us　to　live　or　die。　and　alls　one；　for　that。　now；　by　my　counsel；　we shall　all　kneel　and　kiss　his　likeness；　and　then　all　shake　hands　one　with　another；　as　true friends　that　may　shortly　be　parted。　and　then；　let　us　descend　into　the　city　and　take　the adventure　that　is　sent　us。”
and　they　all　did　as　the　prince　had　said。　but　when　scrubb　shook　hands　with jill；　he　said；　〃so　long；　jill。　sorry　ive　been　a　funk　and　so　ratty。　i　hope　you　get　safe home；〃　and　jill　said；　〃so　long；　eustace。　and　im　sorry　ive　been　such　a　pig。〃　and　this　was　the first　time　they　had　ever　used　christian　names；　because　one　didnt　do　it　at　school。
the　prince　unlocked　the　door　and　they　all　went　down　the　stairs：　three　of them　with　drawn　swords；　and　jill　with　drawn　knife。　the　attendants　had　vanished　and　the great　room　at　the　foot　of　the　princes　stairs　was　empty。　the　grey；　doleful　lamps　were　still burning　and　by　their　light　they　had　no　difficulty　in　passing　gallery　after　gallery　and descending　stairway　after　stairway。　the　noises　from　outside　the　castle　were　not　so　easily　heard here　as　they　had　been　in　the　room　above。　inside　the　house　all　was　still　as　death；　and deserted。　it　was　as　they　turned　a　corner　into　the　great　hall　on　the　ground　floor　that　they　met their　first　earthman　…　a　fat；　whitish　creature　with　a　very　piglike　face　who　was gobbling　up　all　the　remains　of　food　on　the　tables。　it　squealed　（the　squeal　also　was　very　like　a pigs）　and　darted　under　a　bench；　whisking　its　long　tail　out　of　puddleglums　reach　in the　nick　of　time。
then　it　rushed　away　through　the　far　door　too　quickly　to　be　followed。
from　the　hall　they　came　out　into　the　courtyard。　jill；　who　went　to　a　riding school　in　the　holidays；　had　just　noticed　the　smell　of　a　stable　（a　very　nice；　honest； homely　smell　it　is　to　meet　in　a　place　like　underland）　when　eustace　said；　〃great　scott！　look　at that！〃　a　magnificent　rocket　had　risen　from　somewhere　beyond　the　castle　walls　and broken　into　green　stars。
〃fireworks！〃　said　jill　in　a　puzzled　voice。
〃yes；〃　said　eustace；　〃but　you　cant　imagine　those　earth　people　letting　them off　for　fun！　it　must　be　a　signal。”
〃and　means　no　good　to　us；　ill　be　bound；〃　said　puddleglum。
〃friends；〃　said　the　prince；　〃when　once　a　man　is　launched　on　such　an adventure　as　this；　he　must　bid　farewell　to　hopes　and　fears；　otherwise　death　or　deliverance　will both　e　too　late　to　save　his　honour　and　his　reason。　ho；　my　beauties〃　（he　was　now opening　the　stable　door）。　〃hey　cousins！　steady；　coalblack！　softly　now；　snowflake！　you　are　not forgotten。”
the　horses　were　both　frightened　by　the　strange　lights　and　the　noises。　jill； who　had　been　so　cowardly　about　going　through　a　black　hole　betweeen　one　cave　and　another； went　in　without　fear　between　the　stamping　and　snorting　beasts；　and　she　and　the prince　had　them　saddled　and　bridled　in　a　few　minutes。　very　fine　they　looked　as　they　came out　into　the　courtyard；　tossing　their　heads。　jill　mounted　snowflake；　and　puddleglum　got up　behind　her。　eustace　got　up　behind　the　prince　on　coalblack。　then　with　a　great　echo of　hoofs；　they　rode　out　of　the　main　gateway　into　the