《THE SILVER CHAIR》第40章

〃haste；〃　cried　the　prince。　they　galloped　down　the　slope。　it　would　have　been nasty　enough　at　the　bottom　even　five　minutes　later　for　the　tide　was　running　up the　valley　like　a　mill…race；　and　if　it　had　e　to　swimming；　the　horses　could　hardly　have　won over。　but　it　was　still　only　a　foot　or　two　deep；　and　though　it　swished　terribly　round　the horses　legs；　they　reached　the　far　side　in　safety。
then　began　the　slow；　weary　march　uphill　with　nothing　ahead　to　look　at　but the　pale　lamps　which　went　up　and　up　as　far　as　the　eye　could　reach。　when　they　looked back　they　could　see　the　water　spreading。　all　the　hills　of　underland　were　now　islands； and　it　was　only　on　those　islands　that　the　lamps　remained。　every　moment　some　distant light　vanished。　soon　there　would　be　total　darkness　everywhere　except　on　the　road they　were　following；　and　even　on　the　lower　part　of　it　behind　them；　though　no　lamps had　yet　gone　out；　the　lamplight　shone　on　water。
although　they　had　good　reason　for　hurrying；　the　horses　could　not　go　on　for ever　without　a　rest。　they　halted：　and　in　silence　they　could　hear　the　lapping　of　water。
〃i　wonder　is　whats　his　name　…　father　time　…　flooded　out　now；〃　said　jill。 〃and　all　those　queer　sleeping　animals。”
〃i　dont　think　were　as　high　as　that；〃　said　eustace。　〃dont　you　remember how　we　had　to　go　downhill　to　reach　the　sunless　sea？　i　shouldnt　think　the　water　has　reached father　times　cave　yet。”
〃thats　as　may　be；〃　said　puddleglum。　〃im　more　interested　in　the　lamps　on this　road。
look　a　bit　sickly；　dont　they？”
〃they　always　did；〃　said　jill。
〃aye；〃　said　puddleglum。　〃but　theyre　greener　now。”
〃you　dont　mean　to　say　you　think　theyre　going　out？〃　cried　eustace。
〃well；　however　they　work；　you　cant　expect　them　to　last　for　ever；　you know；〃　replied　the　marsh…wiggle。　〃but　dont　let　your　spirits　down；　scrubb。　ive　got　my　eye　on the　water　too；　and　i　dont　think　its　rising　so　fast　as　it　did。”
〃small　fort；　friend；〃　said　the　prince。　〃if　we　cannot　find　our　way　out。　i cry　you　mercy；　all。　i　am　to　blame　for　my　pride　and　fantasy　which　delayed　us　by　the　mouth of　the　land　of　bism。　now；　let　us　ride　on。”
during　the　hour　or　so　that　followed　jill　sometimes　thought　that　puddleglum was　right　about　the　lamps；　and　sometimes　thought　it　was　only　her　imagination。 meanwhile　the　land　was　changing。　the　roof　of　underland　was　so　near　that　even　by　that　dull light　they　could　now　see　it　quite　distinctly。　and　the　great；　rugged　walls　of　underland　could be　seen　drawing　closer　on　each　side。　the　road；　in　fact；　was　leading　them　up　into　a steep　tunnel。
they　began　to　pass　picks　and　shovels　and　barrows　and　other　signs　that　the diggers　had　recently　been　at　work。　if　only　one　could　be　sure　of　getting　out；　all　this was　very　cheering。
but　the　thought　of　going　on　into　a　hole　that　would　get　narrower　and narrower；　and　harder　to　turn　back　in；　was　very　unpleasant。
at　last　the　roof　was　so　low　that　puddleglum　and　the　prince　knocked　their heads　against　it。
the　party　dismounted　and　led　the　horses。　the　road　was　uneven　here　and　one had　to　pick　ones　steps　with　some　care。　that　was　how　jill　noticed　the　growing　darkness。 there　was　no　doubt　about　it　now。　the　faces　of　the　others　looked　strange　and　ghastly in　the　green　glow。　then　all　at　once　（she　couldnt　help　it）　jill　gave　a　little　scream。 one　light；　the　next　one　ahead；　went　out　altogether。　the　one　behind　them　did　the　same。　then　they were　in　absolute　darkness。
〃courage；　friends；〃　came　prince　rilians　voice。　〃whether　we　live　or　die aslan　will　be　our　good　lord。”
〃thats　right；　sir；〃　said　puddleglums　voice。　〃and　you　must　always　remember theres　one　good　thing　about　being　trapped　down　here：　itll　save　funeral　expenses。”
jill　held　her　tongue。　（if　you　dont　want　other　people　to　know　how frightened　you　are；　this　is　always　a　wise　thing　to　do；　its　your　voice　that　gives　you　away。）
〃we　might　as　well　go　on　as　stand　here；〃　said　eustace；　and　when　she　heard the　tremble　in　his　voice；　jill　knew　how　wise　shed　been　not　to　trust　her　own。
puddleglum　and　eustace　went　first　with　their　arms　stretched　out　in　front　of them；　for　fear　of　blundering　into　anything；　jill　and　the　prince　followed；　leading　the horses。
〃i　say；〃　came　eustaces　voice　much　later；　〃are　my　eyes　going　queer　or　is there　a　patch　of　light　up　there？”
before　anyone　could　answer　him；　puddleglum　called　out：　〃stop。　im　up against　a　dead　end。　and　its　earth；　not　rock。　what　were　you　saying；　scrubb？”
〃by　the　lion；〃　said　the　prince；　〃eustace　is　right。　there　is　a　sort　of　…”
〃but　its　not　daylight；〃　said　jill。　〃its　only　a　cold　blue　sort　of　light。”
〃better　than　nothing；　though；〃　said　eustace。　〃can　we　get　up　to　it？”
〃its　not　right　overhead；〃　said　puddleglum。　〃its　above　us；　but　its　in this　wall　that　ive　run　into。　how　would　it　be；　pole；　if　you　got　on　my　shoulders　and　saw　whether　you could　get　up　to　it？”
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CHAPTER　FIFTEEN
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the　disappearance　of　jill the　patch　of　light　did　not　show　up　anything　down　in　the　darkness　where　they were　standing。　the　others　could　only　hear；　not　see；　jills　efforts　to　get　on　to the　marsh…wiggles　back。　that　is；　they　heard　him　saying；　〃you　neednt　put　your　finger　in　my eye；〃　and；　〃nor　your　foot　in　my　mouth　either；〃　and；　〃thats　more　like　it；〃　and；　〃now；　ill hold　on　to　your　legs。　thatll　leave　your　arms　free　to　steady　yourself　against　the　earth。”
then　they　looked　up　and　soon　they　saw　the　black　shape　of　jills　head against　the　patch　of　light。
〃well？〃　they　all　shouted　up　anxiously。
〃its　a　hole；〃　called　jills　voice。　〃i　could　get　through　it　if　i　was　a little　bit　higher。”
〃what　do　you　see　through　it？〃　asked　eustace。
〃nothing　much　yet；〃　said　jill。　〃i　say；　puddleglum；　let　go　my　legs　so　that　i can　stand　on　your　shoulders　instead　of　sitting　on　them。　i　can　steady　myself　all　right against　the　edge。”
they　could　hear　her　moving　and　then　much　more　of　her　came　into　sight against　the　greyness　of　the　opening；　in　fact　all　of　her　down　to　the　waist。
〃i　say　…〃　began　jill；　but　suddenly　broke　off　with　a　cry：　not　a　sharp　cry。 it　sounded　more　as　if　her　mouth　had　been　muffled　up　or　had　something　pushed　into　it。　after that　she　found　her　voice　and　seemed　to　be　shouting　out　as　loud　as　she　could；　b