《THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER》第39章

once　or　twice　before；　the　narnians　had　wondered　whether　the　sun　at　its rising　did　not　look　bigger　in　these　seas　than　it　had　looked　at　home。　this　time　they　we certain。　there　was　no　mistaking　it。　and　the　brightness　its　ray　on　the　dew　and　on　the　table was　far　beyond　an。　morning　brightness　they　had　ever　seen。　and　as　edmu　said afterwards；　〃though　lots　of　things　happened　on　that　trip　which　sound　more　exciting； that　moment　was　really　the　most　exciting。〃　for　now　they　knew　that　they　had　truly　e to　the　beginning　of　the　end　of　the　world。
then　something　seemed　to　be　flying　at　them　out　of　the　very　centre　of　the rising　sun：　but　of　course　one　couldnt　look　steadily　in　that　direction　to　make　sure。　but presently　the　air　became　full　of　voices　…　voices　which　took　up　same　song　that　the　lady　and her　father　were　singing；　but　in　far　wilder　tones　and　in　a　language　which　no　one　knew and　soon　after　that　the　owners　of　these　voices　could　be　seen。　they　were　birds；　large　and white；　and　they　came　hundreds　and　thousands　and　alighted　on　everything；　the　grass；　and　the pavement；　on　the　table；　on　your　shoulders；　your　hands；　and　your　head；　till　it　looked as　heavy　snow　had　fallen。　for；　like　snow；　they　not　only　make　everything　white　but　blurred and　blunted　all　shapes。　but　lucy；　looking　out　from　between　the　wings　of　the　birds　that covered　her；　saw　one　bird　fly　to　the　old　man　with　something　in　its　beak　that　looked　like a　little　fruit；　unless　it　was　a　little　live　coal；　which　it　might　have　been；　for　it　was　too bright　to　look　at。
and　the　bird　laid　it　in　the　old　mans　mouth。
then　the　birds　stopped　their　singing　and　appeared　to　be　very　busy　about　the table。　when　they　rose　from　it　again　everything　on　the　table　that　could　be　eaten　or drunk　had　disappeared。　these　birds　rose　from　their　meal　in　their　thousands　and hundreds　and　carried　away　all　the　things　that　could　not　be　eaten　or　drunk；　such　as　bones；　rinds； and　shells；　and　took　their　flight　back　to　the　rising　sun。　but　now；　because　they　were　not singing；　the　whir　of　their　wings　seemed　to　set　the　whole　air　a…tremble。　and　there　was　the table　pecked　clean　and　empty；　and　the　three　old　lords　of　narnia　still　fast　asleep。
now　at　last　the　old　man　turned　to　the　travellers　and　bade　them　wele。
〃sir；〃　said　caspian；　〃will　you　tell　us　how　to　undo　the　enchantment　which holds　these　three　narnian　lords　asleep。”
〃i　will　gladly　tell　you　that；　my　son；〃　said　the　old　man。　〃to　break　this enchantment　you　must　sail　to　the　worlds　end；　or　as　near　as　you　can　e　to　it；　and　you must　e　back　having　left　at　least　one　of　your　pany　behind。”
〃and　what　must　happen　to　that　one？〃　asked　reepicheep。
〃he　must　go　on　into　the　utter　east　and　never　return　into　the　world。”
〃that　is　my　hearts　desire；〃　said　reepicheep。
〃and　are　we　near　the　worlds　end　now；　sir？〃　asked　caspian。　〃have　you　any knowledge　of　the　seas　and　lands　further　east　than　this？”
〃i　saw　them　long　ago；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃but　it　was　from　a　great　height。　i cannot　tell　you　such　things　as　sailor　need　to　know。”
〃do　you　mean　you　were　flying　in　the　air？〃　eustace　blurted　out。
〃i　was　a　long　way　above　the　air；　my　son；〃　replied　the　old　man。　〃i　am ramandu。　but　i　see　that　you　stare　at　on　another　and　have　not　heard　this　name。　and　no　wonder； for　the　days　when　i　was　a　star　had　ceased　long　before　any　of　you　knew　this　world；　and all　the　constellations　have　changed。”
〃golly；〃　said　edmund　under　his　breath。　〃hes　a　retired　star。”
〃arent　you　a　star　any　longer？〃　asked　lucy。
〃i　am　a　star　at　rest；　my　daughter；〃　answered　ramandu 〃when　i　set　for　the　last　time；　decrepit　and　old　beyond　all　that　you　can reckon；　i　was　carried　to　this　island。　i　am　not　so　old　now　as　i　was　then。　every　morning　a bird　brings　me　a　fire…berry　from　the　valleys　in　the　sun；　and　each　fire…berry　takes　away　a little　of　my　age。
and　when　i　have　bee　as　young　as　the　child　that　was　born　yesterday；　then i　shall　take　my　rising　again　（for　we　are　at　earths　eastern　rim）　and　once　more　tread　the great　dance。”
〃in　our　world；〃　said　eustace；　〃a　star　is　a　huge　ball　of　flaming　gas。”
〃even　in　your　world；　my　son；　that　is　not　what　a　star　is　but　only　what　it　is made　of。　and　in　this　world　you　ave　already　met　a　star；　for　i　think　you　have　been　with coriakin。”
〃is　he　a　retired　star；　too？〃　said　lucy。
〃well；　not　quite　the　same；〃　said　ramandu。　〃it　was　not　quite　as　a　rest　than he　was　set　to　govern　the　duffers。　you　might　call　it　a　punishment。　he　might　have　shone　for thousands　of　years　more　in　the　southern　winter　sky　if　all　had　gone　well。”
〃what　did　he　do；　sir？〃　asked　caspian。
〃my　son；〃　said　ramandu；　〃it　is　not　for　you；　a　son　of　adam；　to　know　what faults　a　star　can　mit。　but　e；　we　waste　time　in　such　talk。　are　you　yet　resolved？　will you　sail　further　east　and　e　again；　leaving　one　to　return　no　more；　and　so　break the　enchantment？　or　will　you　sail　westward？”
〃surely；　sire；〃　said　reepicheep；　〃there　is　no　question　about　that？　it　is very　plainly　part　of　our　quest　to　rescue　these　three　lords　from　enchantment。”
〃i　think　the　same；　reepicheep；〃　replied　caspian。　〃and　even　if　it　were　not so；　it　would　break　my　heart　not　to　go　as　near　the　worlds　end　as　the　dawn　treader　will take　us。　but　i　am　thinking　of　the　crew。　they　signed　on　to　seek　the　seven　lords；　not　to reach　the　rim　of　the　earth。　if　we　sail　east　from　here　we　sail　to　find　the　edge；　the　utter east。　and　not　one　knows　how　far　it　is。　theyre　brave　fellows；　but　i　set　signs　that　some　of them　are　weary　of　the　voyage　and　long　to　have　our　prow　pointing　to　narnia　again。　i　dont think　should　take　them　further　without　their　knowledge　an　consent。　and　then　theres　the　poor lord　rhoop。
hes　broken　man。”
〃my　son；〃　said　the　star；　〃it　would　be　no　use；　even　though　you　wished　it；　to sail　for　the　worlds　end　with　men　unwilling　or　men　deceived。　that　is　not　how　great unenchantments　are　achieved。　they　must　know　where　they　go　and　why。　but　who　is　this　broken man　you　speak　of？”
caspian　told　ramandu　the　story　of　rhoop。
〃i　can　give　him　what　he　needs　most；〃　said　ramandu。　〃i　this　island　there　is sleep　without　stint　or　measure；　and　sleep　in　which　no　faintest　footfall　of　a　dream　was ever　heard。　let　him　sit　beside　these　other　three　and　drink　o