PRINCE CASPIAN- 第3部分

〃i　know；〃　said　peter。　〃that　is　the　difficulty。　but　lets　leave　that　out　for　　the　moment。　i　want　to　take　the　points　one　by　one。　first　point：　this　hall　is　exactly　the　same　　shape　and　size　as　the　hall　at　cair　paravel。　just　picture　a　roof　on　this；　and　a　coloured　　pavement　instead　of　grass；　and　tapestries　on　the　walls；　and　you　get　our　royal　banqueting　hall。”

no　one　said　anything。

〃second　point；〃　continued　peter。　〃the　castle　well　is　exactly　where　our　well　　was；　a　little　to　the　south　of　the　great　hall；　and　it　is　exactly　the　same　size　and　shape。”

again　there　was　no　reply。

〃third　point：　susan　has　just　found　one　of　our　old　chessmen　…　or　something　　as　like　one　of　them　as　two　peas。”

still　nobody　answered。

〃fourth　point。　dont　you　remember　…　it　was　the　very　day　before　the　　ambassadors　came　from　the　king　of　calormen　dont　you　remember　planting　the　orchard　outside　　the　north　gate　of　cair　paravel？　the　greatest　of　all　the　wood…people；　pomona　herself；　　came　to　put　good　spells　on　it。　it　was　those　very　decent　little　chaps　the　moles　who　did　　the　actual　digging。　can　you　have　forgotten　that　funny　old　lilygloves；　the　chief　mole；　　leaning　on　his　spade　and　saying；　‘believe　me；　your　majesty；　youll　be　glad　of　these　fruit　　trees　one　day。　and　by　jove　he　was　right。”

〃i　do！　i　do！〃　said　lucy；　and　clapped　her　hands。

〃but　look　here；　peter；〃　said　edmund。　〃this　must　be　all　rot。　to　begin　with；　　we　didnt　plant　the　orchard　slap　up　against　the　gate。　we　wouldnt　have　been　such　fools。”

〃no；　of　course　not；〃　said　peter。　〃but　it　has　grown　up　to　the　gate　since。”

〃and　for　another　thing；〃　said　edmund；　〃cair　paravel　wasnt　on　an　island。”

〃yes；　ive　been　wondering　about　that。　but　it　was　a　what…do…you…call…it；　a　　peninsula。　jolly　nearly　an　island。　couldnt　it　have　been　made　an　island　since　our　time？　　somebody　has　dug　a　channel。”

〃but　half　a　moment！〃　said　edmund。　〃you　keep　on　saying　since　our　time。　but　　its　only　a　year　ago　since　we　came　back　from　narnia。　and　you　want　to　make　out　that　in　　one　year　castles　have　fallen　down；　and　great　forests　have　grown　up；　and　little　trees　　we　saw　planted　ourselves　have　turned　into　a　big　old　orchard；　and　goodness　knows　what　else。　　its　all　impossible。”

〃theres　one　thing；〃　said　lucy。　〃if　this　is　cair　paravel　there　ought　to　be　　a　door　at　this　end　of　the　dais。　in　fact　we　ought　to　be　sitting　with　our　backs　against　it　at　　this　moment。　you　know　…　the　door　that　led　down　to　the　treasure　chamber。”

〃i　suppose　there　isnt　a　door；〃　said　peter；　getting　up。

the　wall　behind　them　was　a　mass　of　ivy。

〃we　can　soon　find　out；〃　said　edmund；　taking　up　one　of　the　sticks　that　they　　had　laid　ready　for　putting　on　the　fire。　he　began　beating　the　ivied　wall。　tap…tap　went　the　　stick　against　the　stone；　and　again；　tap…tap；　and　then；　all　at　once；　boomboom；　with　a　quite　　different　sound；　a　hollow；　wooden　sound。

〃great　scott！〃　said　edmund。

〃we　must　clear　this　ivy　away；〃　said　peter。

〃oh；　do　lets　leave　it　alone；〃　said　susan。　〃we　can　try　it　in　the　morning。　　if　weve　got　to　spend　the　night　here　i　dont　want　an　open　door　at　my　back　and　a　great　big　　black　hole　that　anything　might　e　out　of；　besides　the　draught　and　the　damp。　and　itll　　soon　be　dark。”

〃susan！　how　can　you？〃　said　lucy　with　a　reproachful　glance。　but　both　the　　boys　were　too　much　excited　to　take　any　notice　of　susans　advice。　they　worked　at　the　ivy　　with　their　hands　and　with　peters　pocket…knife　till　the　knife　broke。　after　that　they　　used　edmunds。

soon　the　whole　place　where　they　had　been　sitting　was　covered　with　ivy；　and　　at　last　they　had　the　door　cleared。

〃locked；　of　course；〃　said　peter。

〃but　the　woods　all　rotten；〃　said　edmund。　〃we　can　pull　it　to　bits　in　no　　time；　and　it　will　make　extra　firewood。　e　on。”

it　took　them　longer　than　they　expected　and；　before　they　had　done；　the　great　　hall　had　grown　dusky　and　the　first　star　or　two　had　e　out　overhead。　susan　was　not　　the　only　one　who　felt　a　slight　shudder　as　the　boys　stood　above　the　pile　of　splintered　　wood；　rubbing　the　dirt　off　their　hands　and　staring　into　the　cold；　dark　opening　they　had　made。

〃now　for　a　torch；〃　said　peter。

〃oh；　what　is　the　good？〃　said　susan。　〃and　as　edmund　said　…”

〃im　not　saying　it　now；〃　edmund　interrupted。　〃i　still　dont　understand；　but　　we　can　settle　that　later。　i　suppose　youre　ing　down；　peter？”

〃we　must；〃　said　peter。　〃cheer　up；　susan。　its　no　good　behaving　like　kids　　now　that　we　are　back　in　narnia。

youre　a　queen　here。　and　anyway　no　one　could　go　to　sleep　with　a　mystery　　like　this　on　their　minds。”

they　tried　to　use　long　sticks　as　torches　but　this　was　not　a　success。　if　you　　held　them　with　the　lighted　end　up　they　went　out；　and　if　you　held　them　the　other　way　they　　scorched　your　hand　and　the　smoke　got　in　your　eyes。　in　the　end　they　had　to　use　edmunds　　electric　torch；　luckily　it　had　been　a　birthday　present　less　than　a　week　ago　and　the　battery　　was　almost　new。　he　went　first；　with　the　light。　then　came　lucy；　then　susan；　and　peter　　brought　up　the　rear。

〃ive　e　to　the　top　of　the　steps；〃　said　edmund。

〃count　them；〃　said　peter。

〃one　…　two　…　three；〃　said　edmund；　as　he　went　cautiously　down；　and　so　up　to　　sixteen。

〃and　this　is　the　bottom；〃　he　shouted　back。

〃then　it　really　must　be　cair　paravel；〃　said　lucy。　〃there　were　sixteen。〃　　nothing　more　was　said　till　all　four　were　standing　in　a　knot　together　at　the　foot　of　the　　stairway。　then　edmund　flashed　his　torch　slowly　round。

〃o　…　o　…　o　…　oh！！〃　said　all　the　children　at　once。

for　now　all　knew　that　it　was　indeed　the　ancient　treasure　chamber　of　cair　　paravel　where　they　had　once　reigned　as　kings　and　queens　of　narnia。　there　was　a　kind　of　　path　up　the　middle　（as　it　might　be　in　a　greenhouse）；　and　along　each　side　at　intervals　　stood　rich　suits　of　armour；　like　knights　guarding　the　treasures。　in　between　the　suits　of　　armour；　and　on　each　side　of　the　path；　were　shelves　covered　with　precious　things　…　　necklaces　and　arm　rings　and　finger　rings　and　golden　bowls　and　dishes　and　long　tusks　of　ivory；　　brooches　and　coronets　and　chains　of　gold；　and　heaps　of　unset　stones　lying　piled　anyhow　　as　if　they　were　marbles　or　potatoes　…　diamonds；　rubies；　carbuncles；　emeralds；　topazes；　and　　amethysts。

under　the　shelves　stood　great　chests　of　oak　strengthened　with　iron　bars　and　　heavily　padlocked。　and　it　was　bitterly　cold；　and　so　still　that　they　could　hear　　themselves　breathing；　and　the　treasures　were　so　covered　with　dust　that　unless　they　had　　realized　where　they　were　and　remembered　most　of　the　things；　they　would　hardly　have　known　　they　were　treasures。　there　was　something　sad　and　a　little　frightening　about　the　　place；　because　it　all　seemed　so　forsaken　and　long　ago。　that　was　why　nobody　said　anything　for　at　　least　a　minute。

then；　of　course；　they　began　walking　about　and　picking　things　up　to　look　at。　　it　was　like　meeting　very　old　friends。　if　you　had　been　there　you　would　have　heard　them　　saying　things　like；　〃oh　look！　our　coronation　rings　…　do　you　remember　first　wearing　this？　　…　why；　this　is　the　little　brooch　we　all　thought　was　lost　…　i　say；　isnt　that　the　armour　　you　wore　in　the　great　tournament　in　the　lone　islands？　…　do　you　remember　the　dwarf　making　that　for　　me？　…　do　you　remember　drinking　out　of　that　horn？　…　do　you　remember；　do　you　　remember？”

but　suddenly　edmund　said；　〃look　here。　we　mustnt　waste　the　battery：　　goodness　knows　how　often　we　shall　need　it。　hadnt　we　better　take　what　we　want　and　get　out　　again？”

〃we　must　take　the　gifts；〃　said　peter。　for　long　ago　at　a　christmas　in　narnia　　he　and　susan　and　lucy　had　been　given　certain　presents　which　they　valued　more　than　their　　whole　kingdom。　edmund　had　had　no　gift；　because　he　was　not　with　them　at　the　time。　　（this　was　his　own　fault；　and　you　can　read　about　it　in　the　other　book。）

they　all　agreed　with　peter　and　walked　up　the　path　to　the　wall　at　the　far　　end　of　the　treasure　chamber；　and　there；　sure　enough；　the　gifts　were　still　hanging。　　lucys　was　the　smallest　for　it　was　only　a　little　bottle。　but　the　bottle　was　made　of　　diamond　instead　of　glass；　and　it　was　still　more　than　half　full　of　the　magical　cordial　which　　would　heal　almost　every　wound　and　every　illness。　lucy　said　nothing　and　looked　very　solemn　as　　she　took　her　gift　down　from　its　place　and　slung　the　belt　over　her　shoulder　and　once　more　　felt　the　bottle　at　her　side　where　it　used　to　hang　in　the　old　days。　susans　gift　had　been　a　　bow　and　arrows　　

and　a　horn。　the　bow　was　still　there；　and　the　ivory　quiver；　full　of　　wellfeathered　arrows；　but　…　〃oh；　susan；〃　said　lucy。　〃wheres　the　horn？”

〃oh　bother；　bother；　bother；〃　said　susan　after　she　had　thought　for　a　moment。　　〃i　remember　now。　i　took　it　with　me　the　last　day　of　all；　the　day　we　went　hunting　the　　white　stag。　it　must　have　got　lost　when　we　blundered　back　into　that　other　place　…　england；　i　　mean。”

edmund　whistled。　it　was　indeed　a　shattering　loss；　for　this　was　an　enchanted　　horn　and；　whenever　you　blew　it；　help　was　certain　to　e　to　you；　wherever　you　were。

〃just　the　sort　of　thing　that　might　e　in　handy　in　a　place　like　this；〃　　said　edmund。

〃never　mind；〃　said　susan；　〃ive　still　got　the　bow。〃　and　she　took　it。

〃wont　the　string　be　perished；　su？〃　said　peter。

but　whether　by　some　magic　in　the　air　of　the　treasure　chamber　or　not；　the　　bow　was　still　in　working　order。　archery　and　swimming　were　the　things　susan　was　good　at。　in　a　　mom