THE SILVER CHAIR- 第13部分

〃what　happens　farther　on？”

〃half　a　sec。　ill　go　and　see；〃　said　jill。　she　got　up　and　walked　along　the　　trench；　but　before　she　had　gone　far；　it　turned　sharply　to　the　right。　she　shouted　this　　information　back　to　the　others。

〃whats　round　the　corner？〃　asked　scrubb。

now　it　happened　that　jill　had　the　same　feeling　about　twisty　passages　and　　dark　places　underground；　or　even　nearly　underground；　that　scrubb　had　about　the　edges　of　　cliffs。　she　had　no　intention　of　going　round　that　corner　alone；　especially　when　she　　heard　puddleglum　bawling　out　from　behind　her：　　〃be　careful；　pole。　its　just　the　sort　of　place　that　might　lead　to　a　　dragons　cave。　and　in　a　giant　country；　there　might　be　giant　earth…worms　or　giant　beetles。”

〃i　dont　think　it　goes　anywhere　much；〃　said　jill；　ing　hastily　back。

〃im　jolly　well　going　to　have　a　look；〃　said　scrubb。　〃what　do　you　mean　by　　anywhere　much；　i　should　like　to　know？〃　so　he　sat　down　on　the　edge　of　the　trench　　（everyone　was　too　wet　by　now　to　bother　about　being　a　bit　wetter）　and　then　dropped　in。　he　　pushed　past　jill　and；　though　he　didnt　say　anything；　she　felt　sure　that　he　knew　she　had　　funked　it。　so　she　followed　him　close；　but　took　care　not　to　get　in　front　of　him。

it　proved；　however；　a　disappointing　exploration。　they　went　round　the　right　…hand　turn　and　straight　on　for　a　few　paces。　here　there　was　a　choice　of　ways：　straight　on　　again；　or　sharp　to　the　right。　〃thats　no　good；〃　said　scrubb；　glancing　down　the　right…hand　　turn；　〃that　would　be　taking　us　back　…　south。〃　he　went　straight　on；　but　once　more；　in　a　few　　steps；　they　found　a　second　turn　to　the　right。　but　this　time　there　was　no　choice　of　ways；　for　　the　trench　they　had　been　following　here　came　to　a　dead　end。

〃no　good；〃　grunted　scrubb。　jill　lost　no　time　in　turning　and　leading　the　way　　back。　when　they　returned　to　the　place　where　jill　had　first　fallen　in；　the　marsh…wiggle　　with　his　long　arms　had　no　difficulty　in　pulling　them　out。

but　it　was　dreadful　to　be　out　on　top　again。　down　in　those　narrow　slits　of　　trenches；　their　ears　had　almost　begun　to　thaw。　they　had　been　able　to　see　clearly　and　　breathe　easily　and　hear　each　other　speak　without　shouting。　it　was　absolute　misery　to　e　back　　into　the　withering　coldness。　and　it　did　seem　hard　when　puddleglum　chose　that　moment　　for　saying：　　〃are　you　still　sure　of　those　signs；　pole？　whats　the　one　we　ought　to　be　　after；　now？”

〃oh；　e　on！　bother　the　signs；〃　said　pole。　〃something　about　someone　　mentioning　aslans　name；　i　think。　but　im　jolly　well　not　going　to　give　a　recitation　　here。”

as　you　see；　she　had　got　the　order　wrong。　that　was　because　she　had　given　up　　saying　the　signs　over　every　night。　she　still　really　knew　them；　if　she　troubled　to　　think：　but　she　was　no　longer　so　〃pat〃　in　her　lesson　as　to　be　sure　of　reeling　them　off　in　the　　right　order　at　a　moments　notice　and　without　thinking。　puddleglums　question　annoyed　her　　because；　deep　down　inside　her；　she　was　already　annoyed　with　herself　for　not　knowing　the　　lions　lesson　　

quite　so　well　as　she　felt　she　ought　to　have　known　it。　this　annoyance；　added　　to　the　misery　of　being　very　cold　and　tired；　made　her　say；　〃bother　the　signs。〃　she　didnt　　perhaps　quite　mean　it。

〃oh；　that　was　next；　was　it？〃　said　puddleglum。　〃now　i　wonder；　are　you　right？　　got　em　mixed；　i　shouldnt　wonder。　it　seems　to　me；　this　hill；　this　flat　place　were　　on；　is　worth　stopping　to　have　a　look　at。　have　you　noticed　…”

〃oh　lor！〃　said　scrubb；　〃is　this　a　time　for　stopping　to　admire　the　view？　for　　goodness　sake　lets　get　on。”

〃oh；　look；　look；　look；〃　cried　jill　and　pointed。　everyone　turned；　and　　everyone　saw。　some　way　off　to　the　north；　and　a　good　deal　higher　up　than　the　tableland　on　which　　they　stood；　a　line　of　lights　had　appeared。　this　time；　even　more　obviously　than　when　the　　travellers　had　seen　them　the　night　before；　they　were　windows：　smaller　windows　that　made　　one　think　deliciously　of　bedrooms；　and　larger　windows　that　made　one　think　of　great　　halls　with　fires　roaring　on　the　hearth　and　hot　soup　or　juicy　sirloins　smoking　on　the　table。

〃harfang！〃　exclaimed　scrubb。

〃thats　all　very　well；〃　said　puddleglum。　〃but　what　i　was　saying　was　…”

〃oh；　shut　up；〃　said　jill　crossly。　〃we　havent　a　moment　to　lose。　dont　you　　remember　what　the　lady　said　about　their　locking　up　so　early？　we　must　get　there　in　time；　　we　must；　we　must。　well　die　if　were　shut　out　on　a　night　like　this。”

〃well；　it　isnt　exactly　a　night；　not　yet；〃　began　puddleglum；　but　the　two　　children　both　said；　〃e　on；〃　and　began　stumbling　forward　on　the　slippery　tableland　as　quickly　　as　their　legs　would　carry　them。　the　marsh…wiggle　followed　them：　still　talking；　but　　now　that　they　were　forcing　their　way　into　the　wind　again；　they　could　not　have　heard　him　　even　if　they　had　wanted　to。　and　they　didnt　want。　they　were　thinking　of　baths　and　beds　　and　hot　drinks；　and　the　idea　of　ing　to　harfang　too　late　and　being　shut　out　was　　almost　unbearable。

in　spite　of　their　haste；　it　took　them　a　long　time　to　cross　the　flat　top　of　　that　hill。　and　even　when　they　had　crossed　it；　there　were　still　several　ledges　to　climb　down　on　　the　far　side。

but　at　last　they　reached　the　bottom　and　could　see　what　harfang　was　like。

it　stood　on　a　high　crag；　and　in　spite　of　its　many　towers　was　more　a　huge　　house　than　a　castle。　obviously；　the　gentle　giants　feared　no　attack。　there　were　windows　　in　the　outside　wall　quite　close　to　the　ground　…　a　thing　no　one　would　have　in　a　serious　　fortress。　there　were　even　odd　little　doors　here　and　there；　so　that　it　would　be　quite　easy　　to　get　in　and　out　of　the　castle　without　going　through　the　courtyard。　this　raised　the　spirits　　of　jill　and　scrubb。　it　made　the　whole　place　look　more　friendly　and　less　forbidding。

at　first　the　height　and　steepness　of　the　crag　frightened　them；　but　　presently　they　noticed　that　there　was　an　easier　way　up　on　the　left　and　that　the　road　wound　up　　towards　it。　it　was　a　terrible　climb；　after　the　journey　they　had　already　had；　and　jill　nearly　　gave　up。　scrubb　and　puddleglum　had　to　help　her　for　the　last　hundred　yards。

but　in　the　end　they　stood　before　the　castle　gate。　the　portcullis　was　up　and　　the　gate　open。

however　tired　you　are；　it　takes　some　nerve　to　walk　up　to　a　giants　front　　door。　in　spite　of　all　his　previous　warnings　against　harfang；　it　was　puddleglum　who　showed　　most　courage。

〃steady　pace；　now；〃　he　said。　〃dont　look　frightened；　whatever　you　do。　weve　　done　the　silliest　thing　in　the　world　by　ing　at　all：　but　now　that　we　are　here；　　wed　best　put　a　bold　face　on　it。”

with　these　words　he　strode　forward　into　the　gateway；　stood　still　under　the　　arch　where　the　echo　would　help　his　voice；　and　called　out　as　loud　as　he　could。

〃ho！　porter！　guests　who　seek　lodging。”

and　while　he　was　waiting　for　something　to　happen；　he　took　off　his　hat　and　　knocked　off　the　heavy　mass　of　snow　which　had　gathered　on　its　wide　brim。

〃i　say；〃　whispered　scrubb　to　jill。　〃he　may　be　a　wet　blanket；　but　he　has　　plenty　of　pluck　…　and　cheek。”

a　door　opened；　letting　out　a　delicious　glow　of　firelight；　and　the　porter　　appeared。　jill　bit　her　lips　for　fear　she　should　scream。　he　was　not　a　perfectly　enormous　giant；　　that　is　to　say；　he　was　rather　taller　than　an　apple　tree　but　nothing　like　so　tall　as　a　　telegraph　pole。　he　had　bristly　red　hair；　a　leather　jerkin　with　metal　plates　fastened　all　over　it　　so　as　to　make　a　kind　of　mail　shirt；　bare　knees　（very　hairy　indeed）　and　things　like　puttees　on　　his　legs。　he　stooped　down　and　goggled　at　puddleglum。

〃and　what　sort　of　creature　do　you　call　yourself；〃　he　said。

jill　took　her　courage　in　both　hands。　〃please；〃　she　said；　shouting　up　at　the　　giant。　〃the　lady　of　the　green　kirtle　salutes　the　king　of　the　gentle　giants；　and　has　　sent　us　two　southern　children　and　this　marsh…wiggle　（his　names　puddleglum）　to　your　　autumn　feast。

…　if　its　quite　convenient；　of　course；〃　she　added。

〃oho！〃　said　the　porter。　〃thats　quite　a　different　story。　e　in；　little　　people；　e　in。

youd　best　e　into　the　lodge　while　im　sending　word　to　his　majesty。〃　he　　looked　at　the　children　with　curiosity。　〃blue　faces；〃　he　said。　〃i　didnt　know　they。　were　　that　colour。　dont　care　about　it　myself。　but　i　dare　say　you　look　quite　nice　to　one　another。　　beetles　fancy　other　beetles；　they　do　say。”

〃our　faces　are　only　blue　with　cold；〃　said　jill。　〃were　not　this　colour　　really。”

〃then　e　in　and　get　warm。　e　in；　little　shrimps；〃　said　the　porter。　they　　followed　him　into　the　lodge。　and　though　it　was　rather　terrible　to　hear　such　a　big　　door　clang　shut　behind　them；　they　forgot　about　it　as　soon　as　they　saw　the　thing　they　had　　been　longing　for　ever　since　supper　time　last　night　…　afire。　and　such　a　fire！　it　looked　as　if　　four　or　five　whole　trees　were　blazing　on　it；　and　it　was　so　hot　they　couldnt　go　within　yards　　of　it。　but　they　all　flopped　down　on　the　brick　floor；　as　near　as　they　could　bear　the　heat；　and　　heaved　great　sighs　of　relief。

〃now；　youngster；〃　said　the　porter　to　another　giant　who　had　been　sitting　in　　the　back　of　the　room；　staring　at　the　visitors　till　it　looked　as　if　his　eyes　would　start　out　　of　his　head；　〃run　across　with　this　message　to　the　house。〃　and　he　repeated　what　jill　had　said　　to　him。　the　younger　giant；　after　a　final　stare；　and　a　great　guffaw；　left　the　room。

〃now；　froggy；〃　said　the　porter　to　puddleglum；　〃you　look　as　if　you　wanted　　some　cheering　up。〃　he　produ