《THE SILVER CHAIR》第37章

hey　rode　out　of　the　main　gateway　into　the　street。
〃not　much　danger　of　being　burnt。　thats　the　bright　side　of　it；〃　observed puddleglum；　pointing　to　their　right。　there；　hardly　a　hundred　yards　away；　lapping against　the　walls　of　the　houses；　was　water。
〃courage！〃　said　the　prince。　〃the　road　there　goes　down　steeply。　that　water has　climbed　only　half　up　the　greatest　hill　in　the　city。　it　might　e　so　near　in　the first　half…hour　and　e　no　nearer　in　the　next　two。　my　fear　is　more　of　that　…〃　and　he　pointed with　his　sword　to　a　great　tall　earthman　with　boars　tusks；　followed　by　six　others　of assorted　shapes　and　sizes　who　had　just　dashed　out　of　a　side　street　and　stepped　into　the　shadow of　the　houses　where　no　one　could　see　them。
the　prince　led　them；　aiming　always　in　the　direction　of　the　glowing　red light　but　a　little　to　the　left　of　it。　his　plan　was　to　get　round　the　fire　（if　it　was　a　fire）　on　to high　ground；　in　hope　that　they　might　find　their　way　to　the　new　diggings。　unlike　the　other　three； he　seemed　to　be　almost　enjoying　himself。　he　whistled　as　he　rode；　and　sang　snatches　of　an old　song　about　corin　thunder…fist　of　archenland。　the　truth　is；　he　was　so　glad　at being　free　from　his　long　enchantment　that　all　dangers　seemed　a　game　in　parison。　but　the rest　found　it　an　eerie　journey。
behind　them　was　the　sound　of　clashing　and　entangled　ships；　and　the　rumble of　collapsing　buildings。　overhead　was　the　great　patch　of　lurid　light　on　the　roof　of　the underworld。
ahead　was　the　mysterious　glow；　which　did　not　seem　to　grow　any　bigger。　from the　same　direction　came　a　continual　hubbub　of　shouts；　screams；　cat…calls；　laughter； squeals；　and　bellowings；　and　fireworks　of　all　sorts　rose　in　the　dark　air。　no　one　could guess　what　they　meant。　nearer　to　them；　the　city　was　partly　lit　up　by　the　red　glow；　and partly　by　the　very　different　light　of　the　dreary　gnome　lamps。　but　there　were　many　places　where neither　of　these　lights　fell；　and　those　places　were　jet…black。　and　in　and　out　of　those places　the　shapes　of　earthmen　were　darting　and　slipping　all　the　time；　always　with their　eyes　fixed
on　the　travellers；　always　trying　to　keep　out　of　sight　themselves。　there were　big　faces　and　little　faces；　huge　eyes　like　fishes　eyes　and　little　eyes　like　bears。 there　were　feathers　and　bristles；　horns　and　tusks；　noses　like　whipcord；　and　chins　so　long　that　they looked　like　beards。　every　now　and　then　a　group　of　them　would　get　too　big　or　e　too near。　then　the　prince　would　brandish　his　sword　and　make　a　show　of　charging　them。　and the　creatures；　with　all　manner　of　hootings；　squeakings；　and　cluckings；　would dive　away　into　the　darkness。
but　when　they　had　climbed　many　steep　streets　and　were　far　away　from　the flood；　and　almost　out　of　the　town　on　the　inland　side；　it　began　to　be　more　serious。 they　were　now　close　to　the　red　glow　and　nearly　on　a　level　with　it；　though　they　still could　not　see　what　it　really　was。　but　by　its　light　they　could　see　their　enemies　more　clearly。 hundreds　…　perhaps　a　few　thousands　…　of　gnomes　were　all　moving　towards　it。　but　they　were　doing so　in　short　rushes；　and　whenever　they　stopped；　they　turned　and　faced　the　travellers。
〃if　your　highness　asked　me；〃　said　puddleglum；　〃id　say　those　fellows　were meaning　to　cut　us　off　in　front。”
〃that　was　my　thought　too；　puddleglum；〃　said　the　prince。　〃and　we　can　never fight　our　way　through　so　many。　hark　you！　let　us　ride　forth　close　by　the　edge　of yonder　house。
and　even　as　we　reach　it；　do　you　slip　off　into　its　shadow。　the　lady　and　i will　go　forward　a　few　paces。　some　of　these　devils　will　follow　us；　i　doubt　not；　they　are thick　behind　us。　do　you；　who　have　long　arms；　take　one　alive　if　you　may；　as　it　passes　your ambush。　we　may　get　a　true　tale　of　it　or　learn　what　is　their　quarrel　against　us。”
〃but　wont　the　others　all　e　rushing　at　us　to　rescue　the　one　we　catch；〃 said　jill　in　a　voice　not　so　steady　as　she　tried　to　make　it。
〃then；　madam；〃　said　the　prince；　〃you　shall　see　us　die　fighting　around　you； and　you　must　mend　yourself　to　the　lion。　now；　good　puddleglum。”
the　marsh…wiggle　slipped　off　into　the　shadow　as　quickly　as　a　cat。　the others；　for　a　sickening　minute　or　so；　went　forward　at　a　walk。　then　suddenly　from　behind them　there　broke　out　a　series　of　blood…curdling　screams；　mixed　with　the　familiar　voice of　puddleglum；　saying；　〃now　then！　dont　cry　out　before　youre　hurt；　or　you will　be　hurt；　see？　anyone　would　think　it　was　a　pig　being　killed。”
〃that　was　good　hunting；〃　exclaimed　the　prince；　immediately　turning coalblack　and　ing　back　to　the　corner　of　the　house。　〃eustace；〃　he　said；　〃of　your courtesy；　take　coalblacks　head。〃　then　he　dismounted；　and　all　three　gazed　in　silence　while puddleglum　pulled　his　catch　out　into　the　light。　it　was　a　most　miserable　little　gnome； only　about　three　feet　long。　it　had　a　sort　of　ridge；　like　a　cocks　b　（only　hard）；　on　the top　of　its　head；　little　pink　eyes；　and　a　mouth　and　chin　so　large　and　round　that　its　face looked　like　that　of　a　pigmy　hippopotamus。　if　they　had　not　been　in　such　a　tight　place；　they　would have　burst　into　laughter　at　the　sight　of　it。
〃now；　earthman；〃　said　the　prince；　standing　over　it　and　holding　his　sword point　very　near　the　prisoners　neck；　〃speak；　up；　like　an　honest　gnome；　and　you　shall　go free。　play　the　knave　with　us；　and　you　are　but　a　dead　earthman。　good　puddleglum；　how　can　it speak　while　you　hold　its　mouth　tight　shut？”
〃no；　and　it　cant　bite　either；〃　said　puddleglum。　〃if　i　had　the　silly　soft hands　that　you　humans　have　（saving　your　highnesss　reverence）　id　have　been　all　over　blood by　now。
yet　even　a　marsh…wiggle　gets　tired　of　being　chewed。 〃sirrah；〃　said　the　prince　to　the　gnome；　〃one　bite　and　you　die。　let　its mouth　open；　puddleglum。”
〃oo…ee…ee；〃　squealed　the　earthman；　〃let　me　go；　let　me　go。　it　isnt　me。　i didnt　do　it。”
〃didnt　do　what？〃　asked　puddleglum。
〃whatever　your　honours　say　i　did　do；〃　answered　the　creature。
〃tell　me　your　name；〃　said　the　prince；　〃and　what　you　earthmen　are　all　about today。”
〃oh　please；　your　honours；　please；　kind　gentlemen；〃　whimpered　the　gnome。 〃promise　you　will　not　tell　the　queens　grace　anything　i　say。”
〃the　queens　grace；　as　you　call　her；〃　said　the　prince　sternly；　〃is　dead。　i killed　her