《THE SILVER CHAIR》第38章

ng　i　say。”
〃the　queens　grace；　as　you　call　her；〃　said　the　prince　sternly；　〃is　dead。　i killed　her　myself。”
〃what！〃　cried　the　gnome；　opening　its　ridiculous　mouth　wider　and　wider　in astonishment。
〃dead？　the　witch　dead？　and　by　your　honours　hand？〃　it　gave　a　huge　sigh　of relief　and　added；　〃why　then　your　honour　is　a　friend！”
the　prince　withdrew　his　sword　an　inch　or　so。　puddleglum　let　the　creature sit　up。　it　looked　round　on　the　four　travellers　with　its　twinkling；　red　eyes；　chuckled　once　or twice；　and　began。
。。
CHAPTER　FOURTEEN
the　bottom　of　the　world 〃my　name　is　golg；〃　said　the　gnome。　〃and　ill　tell　your　honours　all　i　know。 about　an　hour　ago　we　were　all　going　about　our　work　…　her　work；　i　should　say　…　sad and　silent；　same　as　weve　done　any　other　day　for　years　and　years。　then　there　came　a　great crash　and　bang。
as　soon　as　they　heard　it；　everyone　says　to　himself；　i　havent　had　a　song　or a　dance　or　let　off　a　squib　for　a　long　time；　whys　that？　and　everyone　thinks　to　himself； why；　i　must　have　been　enchanted。　and　then　everyone　says　to　himself；　im　blessed　if　i　know why　im　carrying　this　load；　and　im　not　going　to　carry　it　any　farther：　thats　that。 and　down　we　all　throw　our　sacks　and　bundles　and　tools。　then　everyone　turns　and　sees　the great　red　glow　over　yonder。　and　everyone　says　to　himself；　whats　that？　and　everyone answers　himself　and　says；　theres　a　crack　or　chasm　split　open　and　a　nice　warm　glow　ing up　through　it　from　the　really　deep　land；　a　thousand　fathom　under　us。”
〃great　scott；〃　exclaimed　eustace；　〃are　there　other　lands　still　lower　down？”
〃oh　yes；　your　honour；〃　said　golg。　〃lovely　places；　what　we　call　the　land　of bism。　this　country　where　we　are　now；　the　witchs　country；　is　what　we　call　the　shallow lands。　its　a　good　deal　too　near　the　surface　to　suit　us。　ugh！　you　might　almost　as　well　be living　outside；　on　the　surface　itself。　you　see；　were　all　poor　gnomes　from　bism whom　the　witch　has　called　up　here　by　magic　to　work　for　her。　but　wed　forgotten　all　about it　till　that　crash　came　and　the　spell　broke。　we　didnt　know　who　we　were　or　where　we　belonged。 we　couldnt　do　anything；　or　think　anything；　except　what　she　put　into　our heads。　and　it　was　glum　and　gloomy　things　she　put　there　all　those　years。　ive　nearly　forgotten how　to　make　a　joke　or　dance　a　jig。　but　the　moment　the　bang　came　and　the　chasm　opened　and the　sea　began　rising；　it　all　came　back。　and　of　course　we　all　set　off　as　quick　as　we could　to　get　down　the　crack　and　home　to　our　own　place。　and　you　can　see　them　over　there all　letting　off　rockets　and　standing　on　their　heads　for　joy。　and　ill　be　very　obliged to　your　honours　if　youll　soon　let　me　go　and　join　in。”
〃i　think　this　is　simply　splendid；〃　said　jill。　〃im　so　glad　we　freed　the gnomes　as　well　as　ourselves　when　we　cut　off　the　witchs　head！　and　im　so　glad　they　arent really　horrid　and　gloomy　any　more　than　the　prince　really　was　well；　what　he　seemed　like。”
〃thats　all　very　well；　pole；〃　said　puddleglum　cautiously。　〃but　those　gnomes didnt　look　to　me　like　chaps　who　were　just　running　away。　it　looked　more　like　military formations；　if　you　ask　me。　do　you　look　me　in　the　face；　mr　golg；　and　tell　me　you　werent preparing　for　battle？”
〃of　course　we　were；　your　honour；〃　said　golg。　〃you　see；　we　didnt　know　the witch　was　dead。　we　thought　shed　be　watching　from　the　castle。　we　were　trying　to　slip away　without　being　seen。　and　then　when　you　three　came　out　with　swords　and　horses；　of course　everyone　says　to　himself；　here　it　es：　not　knowing　that　his　honour　wasnt on　the　witchs　side。　and　we　were　determined　to　fight　like　anything　rather　than give　up　the　hope　of　going　back　to　bism。”
〃ill　be　sworn　tis　an　honest　gnome；〃　said　the　prince。　〃let　go　of　it； friend　puddleglum。　as　for　me；　good　golg；　i　have　been　enchanted　like　you　and　your　fellows；　and have　but　newly　remembered　myself。　and　now；　one　question　more。　do　you　know　the　way　to　those new　diggings；　by　which　the　sorceress　meant　to　lead　out　an　army　against overland？”
〃ee…ee…ee！〃　squeaked　golg。　〃yes；　i　know　that　terrible　road。　i　will　show　you where　it　begins。　but　it　is　no　manner　of　use　your　honour　asking　me　to　go　with　you　on it。　ill　die　rather。”
〃why？〃　asked　eustace　anxiously。　〃whats　so　dreadful　about　it？”
〃too　near　the　top；　the　outside；〃　said　golg；　shuddering。　〃that　was　the　worst thing　the　witch　did　to　us。　we　were　going　to　be　led　out　into　the　open　…　on　to　the outside　of　the　world。　they　say　theres　no　roof　at　all　there；　only　a　horrible　great emptiness　called　the　sky。
and　the　diggings　have　gone　so　far　that　a　few　strokes　of　the　pick　would bring　you　out　to　it。
i　wouldnt　dare　go　near　them。”
〃hurrah！　now　youre　talking！〃　cried　eustace；　and　jill　said；　〃but　its　not horrid　at　all　up　there。　we　like　it。　we　live　there。”
〃i　know　you　overlanders　live　there；〃　said　golg。　〃but　i　thought　it　was because　you　couldnt　find　your　way　down　inside。　you　cant　really　like　it　…　crawling about　like　flies　on　the　top　of　the　world！”
〃what　about　showing　us　the　road　at　once？〃　said　puddleglum。
〃in　a　good　hour；〃　cried　the　prince。　the　whole　party　set　out。　the　prince remounted　his　charger；　puddleglum　climbed　up　behind　jill；　and　golg　led　the　way。　as　he went；　he　kept　shouting　out　the　good　news　that　the　witch　was　dead　and　that　the　four overlanders　were　not　dangerous。　and　those　who　heard　him　shouted　it　on　to　others；　so　that　in a　few　minutes　the　whole　of　underland　was　ringing　with　shouts　and　cheers；　and　gnomes　by hundreds　and　thousands；　leaping；　turning　cart…wheels；　standing　on　their　heads；　playing leap…frog；　and　letting　off　huge　crackers；　came　pressing　round　coalblack　and　snowflake。　and the　prince　had　to　tell　the　story　of　his　own　enchantment　and　deliverance　at　least　ten times。
in　this　way　they　came　to　the　edge　of　the　chasm。　it　was　about　a　thousand feet　long　and　perhaps　two　hundred　wide。　they　dismounted　from　their　horses　and　came　to　the edge；　and　looked　down　into　it。　a　strong　heat　smote　up　into　their　faces；　mixed　with　a smell　which　was　quite　unlike　any　they　had　ever　smelled。　it　was　rich；　sharp；　exciting； and　made　you　sneeze。　the　depth　of　the　chasm　was　so　bright　that　at　first　it　dazzled　their eyes　and　they　could　see　nothing。　when　they　got　used