《THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER》第38章

night　it　must　have　died　down　by　now；　for　the　flame　of　the　candle　burned　as　straight　and still　as　if　it　were　in　a　room　with　the　windows　shut　and　the　curtains　drawn。　gold　and silver　on　the　table　shone　in　its　light。
lucy　now　noticed　something　lying　lengthwise　on　the　table　which　had　escaped her　attention　before。　it　was　a　knife　of　stone；　sharp　as　steel；　a　cruel…looking； ancient　looking　thing。
no　one　had　yet　spoken　a　word。　then　…　reepicheep　first；　and　caspian　next　… they　all　rose　to　their　feet；　because　they　felt　that　she　was　a　great　lady。
〃travellers　who　have　e　from　far　to　aslans　table；〃　said　the　girl。　〃why do　you　not　eat　and　drink？”
〃madam；〃　said　caspian；　〃we　feared　the　food　because　we　thought　it　had　cast our　friends　into　an　enchanted　sleep。
〃they　have　never　tasted　it；〃　she　said。
〃please；〃　said　lucy；　〃what　happened　to　them？”
〃seven　years　ago；〃　said　the　girl；　〃they　came　here　in　a　ship　whose　sails were　rags　and　timbers　ready　to　fall　apart。　there　were　a　few　others　with　them；　sailors； and　when　they　came　to　this　table　one　said；　‘here　is　the　good　place。　let　us　set　sail　and reef　sail　and　row　no　longer　but　sit　down　and　end　our　days　in　peace！　and　the　second　said； ‘no；　let　us　re…embark　and　sail　for　narnia　and　the　west；　it　may　be　that　miraz　is　dead。　but the　third；　who　was　a　very　masterful　man；　leaped　up　and　said；　‘no；　by　heaven。　we　are　men and　telmarines；　not　brutes。　what　should　we　do　but　seek　adventure　after adventure？　we　have　not　long　to　live　in　any　event。　let　us　spend　what　is　left　in　seeking　the unpeopled　world　behind　the　sunrise。　and　as　they　quarrelled　he　caught　up　the　knife　of　stone which　lies　there　on　the　table　and　would　have　fought　with　his　rades。　but　it　is　a thing　not　right　for　him　to　touch。　and　as　his　fingers　closed　upon　the　hilt；　deep　sleep　fell　upon all　the　three。
and　till　the　enchantment　is　undone　they　will　never　wake。”
〃what　is　this　knife　of　stone？〃　asked　eustace。
〃do　none　of　you　know　it？〃　said　the　girl。
〃i　…　i　think；〃　said　lucy；　〃ive　seen　something　like　it　before。　it　was　a knife　like　it　that　the　white　witch　used　when　she　killed　aslan　at　the　stone　table　long　ago。”
〃it　was　the　same。；〃　said　the　girl；　〃and　it　was　brought　here　to　be　kept　in honour　while　the　world　lasts。”
edmund；　who　had　been　looking　more　and　more　unfortable　for　the　last　few minutes；　now　spoke。
〃look　here；〃　he　said；　〃i　hope　im　not　a　coward　…　about　eating　this　food；　i mean　…　and　im　sure　i　dont　mean　to　be　rude。　but　we　have　had　a　lot　of　queer　adventures　on this　voyage　of　ours　and　things　arent　always　what　they　seem。　when　i　look　in　your　face　i cant　help　believing　all　you　say：　but　then　thats　just　what　might　happen　with　a　witch too。　how　are　we　to　know　youre　a　friend？”
〃you　cant　know；〃　said　the　girl。　〃you　can　only　believe　or　not。”
after　a　moments　pause　reepicheeps　small　voice　was　heard。
〃sire；〃　he　said　to　caspian；　〃of　your　courtesy　fill　my　cup　with　wine　from that　flagon：　it　is　too　big　for　me　to　lift。　i　will　drink　to　the　lady。”
caspian　obeyed　and　the　mouse；　standing　on　the　table；　held　up　a　golden　cup between　its　tiny　paws　and　said；　〃lady；　i　pledge　you。〃　then　it　fell　to　on　cold　peacock； and　in　a　short　while　everyone　else　followed　its　example。　all　were　very　hungry　and　the meal；　if　not　quite　what　you　wanted　for　a　very　early　breakfast；　was　excellent　as　a　very　late supper。
〃why　is　it　called　aslans　table？〃　asked　lucy　presently。
〃it　is　set　here　by　his　bidding；〃　said　the　girl；　〃for　those　who　e　so　far。 some　call　this　island　the　worlds　end；　for　though　you　can　sail　further；　this　is　the beginning　of　the　end。”
〃but　how　does　the　food　keep？〃　asked　the　practical　eustace。 ？
〃it　is　eaten；　and　renewed　every　day；〃　said　the　girl。　〃this　you　will　see。”
〃and　what　are　we　to　do　about　the　sleepers？〃　asked　caspian。　〃in　the　world from　which　my　friends　e〃　（here；　he　nodded　at　eustace　and　the　pevensies）　〃they　have a　story　of　a　prince　or　a　king　ing　to　a　castle　where　all　the　people　lay　in　an enchanted　sleep。　in　that　story　he　could　not　dissolve　the　enchantment　until　he　had　kissed　the princess。”
〃but　here；〃　said　the　girl；　〃it　is　different。　here　he　cannot　kiss　the princess　till　he　has　dissolved　the　enchantment。”
〃then；〃　said　caspian；　〃in　the　name　of　aslan；　show　me　how　to　set　about　that work　at　once。”
〃my　father　will　teach　you　that；〃　said　the　girl。
〃your　father！〃　said　everyone。　〃who　is　he？　and　where？”
〃look；〃　said　the　girl；　turning　round　and　pointing　at　the　door　in　the hillside。　they　could　see　it　more　easily　now；　for　while　they　had　been　talking　the　stars　had　grown fainter　and　great　gaps　of　white　light　were　appearing　in　the　greyness　of　the　eastern sky。
xs
CHAPTER　FOURTEEN
小？说网
the　beginning　of　the　end　of　the　world slowly　the　door　opened　again　and　out　there　came　a　figure　as　tall　and straight　as　the　girls　but　not　so　slender。　it　carried　no　light　but　light　seemed　to　e　from　it。 as　it　came　nearer；　lucy　saw　that　it　was　like　an　old　man。　his　silver　beard　came　down　to　his bare　feet　in　front　and　his　saver　hair　hung　down　to　his　heels　behind　and　his　robe　appeared　to be　made　from　the　fleece　of　silver　sheep。　he　looked　so　mild　and　grave　that　once　more　all the　travellers　rose　to　their　feet　and　stood　in　silence。
but　the　old　man　came　on　without　speaking　to　the　travellers　and　stood　on　the other　side　of　the　table　opposite　to　his　daughter。　then　both　of　them　held　up　their　arms before　them　and　turned　to　face　the　east。　in　that　position　the　began　to　sing。　i　wish　i　could write　down　the　song；　but　one　who　was　present　could　remember　it。　lucy　said　afterwards　that it　was　high；　almost　shrill；　but　very　beautiful；　cold　kind　of　song；　an　early　morning　kind of　song。　and　they　sang；　the　grey　clouds　lifted　from　the　eastern　sky　a　the　white　patches grew　bigger　and
bigger　till　it　was　white；　and　the　sea　began　to　shine　like　silver。　and　long afterwards　（but　those　two　sang　all　the　time）　the　east　began　to　turn　red　and　at　last； unclouded；　the　sun　came　up　out　the　sea　and　its　long　level　ray　shot　down　the　length　of　the table　on　the　gold　and　silver　sand　on　the　stone　knife。
once　or　twice　before；　the　narnians　had　wondered　whether　the　sun　at　its rising　did　not　look　bigger　in　these　seas　than