THE SILVER CHAIR- 第16部分

〃gay；〃　said　puddleglum　with　a　deep　sigh。　〃thats　what　weve　got　to　be。　gay。　　as　if　we　hadnt　a　care　in　the　world。　frolicsome。　you　two　youngsters　havent　always　　got　very　high　spirits；　ive　noticed。　you　must　watch　me；　and　do　as　i　do。　ill　be　gay。　like　　this〃　…　and　he　assumed　a　ghastly　grin。　〃and　frolicsome〃　…　here　he　cut　a　most　mournful　　caper。　〃youll　　

soon　get　into　it；　if　you　keep　your　eyes　on　me。　they　think　im　a　funny　　fellow　already；　you　see。　i　dare　say　you　two　thought　i　was　a　trifle　tipsy　last　night；　but　i　do　　assure　you　it　was　…　well；　most　of　it　was　…　put　on。　i　had　an　idea　it　would　e　in　useful；　　somehow。”

the　children；　when　they　talked　over　their　adventures　afterwards；　could　　never　feel　sure　whether　this　last　statement　was　quite　strictly　true；　but　they　were　sure　　that　puddleglum　thought　it　was　true　when　he　made　it。

〃all　right。　gays　the　word；〃　said　scrubb。　〃now；　if　we　could　only　get　　someone　to　open　this　door。　while　were　fooling　about　and　being　gay；　weve　got　to　find　out　　all　we　can　about　this　castle。”

luckily；　at　that　very　moment　the　door　opened；　and　the　giant　nurse　bustled　　in　saying；　〃now；　my　poppets。　like　to　e　and　see　the　king　and　all　the　court　setting　　out　on　the　hunting？　such　a　pretty　sight！”

they　lost　no　time　in　rushing　out　past　her　and　climbing　down　the　first　　staircase　they　came　to。　the　noise　of　hounds　and　horns　and　giant　voices　guided　them；　so　that　in　　a　few　minutes　they　reached　the　courtyard。　the　giants　were　all　on　foot；　for　there　are　no　　giant　horses　in　that　part　of　the　world；　and　the　giants　hunting　is　done　on　foot；　like　　beagling　in　england。

the　hounds　were　also　of　normal　size。　when　jill　saw　that　there　were　no　　horses　she　was　at　first　dreadfully　disappointed；　for　she　felt　sure　that　the　great　fat　queen　　would　never　go　after　hounds　on　foot；　and　it　would　never　do　to　have　her　about　the　house　all　　day。　but　then　she　saw　the　queen　in　a　kind　of　litter　supported　on　the　shoulders　of　six　　young　giants。　the　silly　old　creature　was　all　got　up　in　green　and　had　a　horn　at　her　side。

twenty　or　thirty　giants；　including　the　king；　were　assembled；　ready　for　the　　sport；　all　talking　and　laughing　fit　to　deafen　you：　and　down　below；　nearer　jills　　level；　there　were　wagging　tails；　and　barking；　and　loose；　slobbery　mouths　and　noses　of　dogs　　thrust　into　your　hand。　puddleglum　was　just　beginning　to　strike　what　he　thought　a　gay　and　　gamesome　attitude　（which　might　have　spoiled　everything　if　it　had　been　noticed）　when　　jill　put　on　her　most　attractively　childish　smile；　rushed　across　to　the　queens　litter　and　　shouted　up　to　the　queen。

〃oh；　please！　youre　not　going　away；　are　you？　you　will　e　back？”

〃yes；　my　dear；〃　said　the　queen。　〃ill　be　back　tonight。”

〃oh；　good。　how　lovely！〃　said　jill。　〃and　we　may　e　to　the　feast　tomorrow　　night；　maynt　we？　were　so　longing　for　tomorrow　night！　and　we　do　love　being　here。　　and　while　youre　out；　we　may　run　over　the　whole　castle　and　see　everything；　maynt　we？　　do　say　yes。”

the　queen　did　say　yes；　but　the　laughter　of　all　the　courtiers　nearly　drowned　　her　voice。

m。



CHAPTER　NINE

　生？
how　they　discovered　something　worth　knowing　　　the　others　admitted　afterwards　that　jill　had　been　wonderful　that　day。　as　　soon　as　the　king　and　the　rest　of　the　hunting　party　had　set　off；　she　began　making　a　tour　　of　the　whole　castle　and　asking　questions；　but　all　in　such　an　innocent；　babyish　way　that　　no　one　could　suspect　her　of　any　secret　design。　though　her　tongue　was　never　still；　you　　could　hardly　say　she　talked：　she　prattled　and　giggled。　she　made　love　to　everyone　…　the　　grooms；　the　porters；　the　housemaids；　the　ladies…in…waiting；　and　the　elderly　giant　lords　whose　　hunting　days　were　past。　she　submitted　to　being　kissed　and　pawed　about　by　any　number　of　　giantesses；　many　of　whom　seemed　sorry　for　her　and　called　her　〃a　poor　little　thing〃　　though　none　of　them　explained　why。　she　made　especial　friends　with　the　cook　and　discovered　　the　all…important　fact　there　was　a　scullery　door　which　let　you　out　through　the　　outer　wall；　so　that　you　did　not　have　to　cross　the　courtyard　or　pass　the　great　gatehouse。　in　the　　kitchen　she　pretended　to　be　greedy；　and　ate　all　sorts　of　scraps　which　the　cook　and　　scullions　delighted　to　give　her。　but　upstairs　among　the　ladies　she　asked　questions　about　how　　she　would　be　dressed　for　the　great　feast；　and　how　long　she　would　be　allowed　to　sit　up；　　and　whether　she　would　dance　with　some　very；　very　small　giant。　and　then　（it　made　her　hot　all　　over　when　she　remembered　it　afterwards）　she　would　put　her　head　on　one　side　in　an　　idiotic　fashion　which　grown…ups；　giant　and　otherwise；　thought　very　fetching；　and　shake　her　　curls；　and　fidget；　and　say；　〃oh；　i　do　wish　it　was　tomorrow　night；　dont　you？　do　you　　think　the　time　will　go　quickly　till　then？〃　and　all　the　giantesses　said　she　was　a　perfect　　little　darling；　and　some　of　them　dabbed　their　eyes　with　enormous　handkerchiefs　as　if　they　were　　going　to　cry。

〃theyre　dear　little　things　at　that　age；〃　said　one　giantess　to　another。　〃it　　seems　almost　a　pity　。　。　。”

scrubb　and　puddleglum　both　did　their　best；　but　girls　do　that　kind　of　thing　　better　than　boys。　even　boys　do　it　better　than　marsh…wiggles。

at　lunchtime　something　happened　which　made　all　three　of　them　more　anxious　　than　ever　to　leave　the　castle　of　the　gentle　giants。　they　had　lunch　in　the　great　hall　　at　a　little　table　of　their　own；　near　the　fireplace。　at　a　bigger　table；　about　twenty　yards　away；　　half　a　dozen　old　giants　were　lunching。　their　conversation　was　so　noisy；　and　so　high　up　in　　the　air；　that　the　children　soon　took　no　more　notice　of　it　than　you　would　of　hooters　outside　　the　window　or　traffic　noises　in　the　street。　they　were　eating　cold　venison；　a　kind　of　food　　which　jill　had　never　tasted　before；　and　she　was　liking　it。

suddenly　puddleglum　turned　to　them；　and　his　face　had　gone　so　pale　that　you　　could　see　the　paleness　under　the　natural　muddiness　of　his　plexion。　he　said：　　　

〃dont　eat　another　bite。”

〃whats　wrong？〃　asked　the　other　two　in　a　whisper。

〃didnt　you　hear　what　those　giants　were　saying？　‘thats　a　nice　tender　　haunch　of　venison；　said　one　of　them。　‘then　that　stag　was　a　liar；　said　another。　‘why？　said　　the　first　one。　‘oh；　said　the　other。　‘they　say　that　when　he　was　caught　he　said；　dont　kill　me；　　im　tough。　you　wont　like　me。〃　for　a　moment　jill　did　not　realize　the　full　meaning　of　　this。　but　she　did　when　scrubbs　eyes　opened　wide　with　horror　and　he　said：　　〃so　weve　been　eating　a　talking　stag。”

this　discovery　didnt　have　exactly　the　same　effect　on　all　of　them。　jill；　　who　was　new　to　that　world；　was　sorry　for　the　poor　stag　and　thought　it　rotten　of　the　giants　　to　have　killed　him。　scrubb；　who　had　been　in　that　world　before　and　had　at　least　one　talking　　beast　as　his　dear　friend；　felt　horrified；　as　you　might　feel　about　a　murder。　but　　puddleglum；　who　was　narnian　born；　was　sick　and　faint；　and　felt　as　you　would　feel　if　you　found　　you　had　eaten　a　baby。

〃weve　brought　the　anger　of　aslan　on　us；〃　he　said。　〃thats　what　es　of　　not　attending　to　the　signs。　were　under　a　curse；　i　expect。　if　it　was　allowed；　it　would　be　　the　best　thing　we　could　do；　to　take　these　knives　and　drive　them　into　our　own　hearts。”

and　gradually　even　jill　came　to　see　it　from　his　point　of　view。　at　any　rate；　　none　of　them　wanted　any　more　lunch。　and　as　soon　as　they　thought　it　safe　they　crept　　quietly　out　of　the　hall。

it　was　now　drawing　near　to　that　time　of　the　day　on　which　their　hopes　of　　escape　depended；　and　all　became　nervous。　they　hung　about　in　passages　and　waited　for　things　　to　bee　quiet。　the　giants　in　the　hall　sat　on　a　dreadfully　long　time　after　the　meal　　was　over。　the　bald　one　was　telling　a　story。　when　that　was　over；　the　three　travellers　　dawdled　down　to　the　kitchen。　but　there　were　still　plenty　of　giants　there；　or　at　least　in　the　　scullery；　washing　up　and　putting　things　away。　it　was　agonizing；　waiting　till　these　finished　　their　jobs　and；　one　by　one；　wiped　their　hands　and　went　away。　at　last　only　one　old　giantess　was　　left　in　the　room。　she　pottered　about；　and　pottered　about；　and　at　last　the　three　　travellers　realized　with　horror　that　she　did　not　intend　to　go　away　at　all。

〃well；　dearies；〃　she　said　to　them。　〃that　jobs　about　through。　lets　put　the　　kettle　there。

thatll　make　a　nice　cup　of　tea　presently。　now　i　can　have　a　little　bit　of　a　　rest。　just　look　into　the　scullery；　like　good　poppets；　and　tell　me　if　the　back　door　is　open。”

〃yes；　it　is；〃　said　scrubb。

〃thats　right。　i　always　leave　it　open　so　as　puss　can　get　in　and　out；　the　　poor　thing。”

then　she　sat　down　on　one　chair　and　put　her　feet　up　on　another。

〃i　dont　know　as　i　mightnt　have　forty　winks；〃　said　the　giantess。　〃if　only　　that　blarney　hunting　party　doesnt　e　back　too　soon。”

all　their　spirits　leaped　up　when　she　mentioned　forty　winks；　and　flopped　　down　again　when　she　mentioned　the　return　of　the　hunting　party。

〃when　do　they　usually　eback？〃　asked　jill。

〃you　never　can　tell；〃　said　the　giantess。　〃but　there；　go　and　be　quiet　for　a　　bit；　my　dearies。”

they　retreated　to　the　far　end　of　the　kitchen；　and　would　have　slipped　out　　into　the　scullery　there　and　then　if　the　giantess　had　not　sat　up；　opened　her　eyes；　and　brushed　　away　a　fly。

〃dont　try　it　till　were　sure　shes　really　asleep；〃　whispered　scrubb。　〃or　　itll　spoil　everything。〃　so　they　all　huddled　at　the　kitchen　end；　waiting　and　watch