THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER 第8部分

heatonceputhisplanintoaction.herosequietlyfromhisplaceandwalkedawayamongthetrees,takingcaretogoslowlyandinanaimlessmannersothatanyonewhosawhimwouldthinkhewasmerelystretchinghislegs.hewassurprisedtofindhowquicklythenoiseofconversationdiedawaybehindhiinandhowverysilentandwarmanddarkgreenthewoodbecame.soonhefelthecouldventureonaquickerandmoredeterminedstride.

thissoonbroughthimoutofthewood.thegroundbeganslopingsteeplyupinfrontofhim.thegrasswasdryandslipperybutmanageableifheusedhishandsaswellashisfeet,andthoughhepantedandmoppedhisforeheadagooddeal,hepluggedawaysteadily.thisshowed,bytheway,thathisnewlife,littleashesuspectedit,hadalreadydonehimsomegood;theoldeustace,haroldandalbertaseustace,wouldhavegivenuptheclimbafterabouttenminutes.

slowly,andwithseveralrests,hereachedtheridge.herehehadexpectedtohaveaviewintotheheartoftheisland,butthecloudshadnowcomelowerandnearerandaseaoffogwasrollingtomeethim.hesatdownandlookedback.hewasnowsohighthatthebaylookedsmallbeneathhimandmilesofseawerevisible.thenthefogfromthemountainsclosedinallroundhim,thickbutnotcold,andhelaydownandturnedthiswayandthattofindthemostcomfortablepositiontoenjoyhimself.

buthedidntenjoyhimself,ornotforverylong.hebegan,almostforthefirsttimeinhislife,tofeellonely.atfirstthisfeelinggrewverygradually.andthenhebegantoworryaboutthetime.therewasnottheslightestsound.suddenlyitoccurredtohimthathemighthavebeenlyingthereforhours.perhapstheothershadgone!perhapstheyhadlethimwanderawayonpurposesimplyinordertoleavehimbehind!heleapedupinapanicandbeganthedescent.

atfirsthetriedtodoittooquickly,slippedonthesteepgrass,andslidforseveralfeet.

thenhethoughtthishadcarriedhimtoofartotheleft-andashecameuphehadseenprecipicesonthatside.soheclamberedupagain,asnearashecouldguesstotheplacehehadstartedfrom,andbeganthedescentafresh,bearingtohisright.afterthatthingsseemedtobegoingbetter.hewentverycautiously,forhecouldnotseemorethanayardahead,andtherewasstillperfectsilenceallaroundhim.itisveryunpleasanttohavetogocautiouslywhenthereisavoiceinsideyousayingallthetime,"hurry,hurry,hurry.”

foreverymomenttheterribleideaofbeingleftbehindgrewstronger.ifhehadunderstoodcaspianandthepevensiesatallhewouldhaveknown,ofcourse,thattherewasnottheleastchanceoftheirdoinganysuchthing.buthehadpersuadedhimselfthattheywereallfiendsinhumanform.

"atlast!"saideustaceashecameslitheringdownaslideofloosestones(scree,theycallit)andfoundhimselfonthelevel."andnow,wherearethosetrees?thereissomethingdarkahead.why,idobelievethefogisclearing.”

itwas.thelightincreasedeverymomentandmadehimblink.thefoglifted.hewasinanutterlyunknownvalleyandtheseawasnowhereinsight.

CHAPTERSIX

theadventuresofeustaceatthatverymomenttheotherswerewashinghandsandfacesintheriverandgenerallygettingreadyfordinnerandarest.thethreebestarchershadgoneupintothehillsnorthofthebayandreturnedladenwithapairofwildgoatswhichwerenowroastingoverafire.caspianhadorderedacaskofwineashore,strongwineofarchenlandwhichhadtobemixedwithwaterbeforeyoudrankit,sotherewouldbeplentyforall.theworkhad

gonewellsofaranditwasamerrymeal.onlyafterthesecondhelpingofgoatdidedmundsay,"wheresthatblightereustace?”

meanwhileeustacestaredroundtheunknownvalley.itwassonarrowanddeep,andtheprecipiceswhichsurroundeditsosheer,thatitwaslikeahugepitortrench.thefloorwasgrassythoughstrewnwithrocks,andhereandthereeustacesawblackburntpatcheslikethoseyouseeonthesidesofarailwayembankmentinadrysummer.

aboutfifteenyardsawayfromhimwasapoolofclear,smoothwater.therewas,atfirst,nothingelseatallinthevalley;notananimal,notabird,notaninsect.thesunbeatdownandgrimpeaksandhornsofmountainspeeredoverthevalleysedge.

eustacerealizedofcoursethatinthefoghehadcomedownthewrongsideoftheridge,soheturnedatoncetoseeaboutgettingback.butassoonashehadlookedheshuddered.apparentlyhehadbyamazingluckfoundtheonlypossiblewaydown-alonggreenspitofland,horriblysteepandnarrow,withprecipicesoneitherside.therewasnootherpossiblewayofgettingback.butcouldhedoit,nowthathesawwhatitwasreallylike?hisheadswamattheverythoughtofit.

heturnedroundagain,thinkingthatatanyratehedbetterhaveagooddrinkfromthepoolfirst.butassoonashehadturnedandbeforehehadtakenastepforwardintothevalleyheheardanoisebehindhim.itwasonlyasmallnoisebutitsoundedloudinthatimmensesilence.itfrozehimdead-stillwherehestoodforasecond.thenheslewedroundhisneckandlooked.

atthebottomofthecliffalittleonhislefthandwasalow,darkhole-theentrancetoacaveperhaps.andoutofthistwothinwispsofsmokewerecoming.andtheloosestonesjustbeneaththedarkhollowweremoving(thatwasthenoisehehadheard)justasifsomethingwerecrawlinginthedarkbehindthem.

somethingwascrawling.worsestill,somethingwascomingout.edmundorlucyoryouwouldhaverecognizeditatonce,buteustacehadreadnoneoftherightbooks.thethingthatcameoutofthecavewassomethinghehadneverevenimagined-alonglead-colouredsnout,dullredeyes,nofeathersorfur,alonglithebodythattrailedontheground,legswhoseelbowswentuphigherthanitsbacklikeaspiderscruelclaws,batswingsthatmadearaspingnoiseonthestones,yardsoftail.andthelinesofsmokewerecomingfromitstwonostrils.heneversaidtheworddragontohimself.norwouldithavemadethingsanybetterifhehad.

butperhapsifhehadknownsomethingaboutdragonshewouldhavebeenalittlesurprisedatthisdragonsbehaviour.itdidnotsitupandclapitswings,nordiditshootoutastreamofflamefromitsmouth.thesmokefromitsnostrilswaslikethesmokeofafirethatwillnotlastmuchlonger.nordiditseemtohavenoticedeustace.itmovedveryslowlytowardsthepool-slowlyandwithmanypauses.eveninhisfeareustacefeltthatitwasanold,sadcreature.hewonderedifhedaredmakeadashfortheascent.butitmightlookroundifhemadeanynoise.itmightcomemoretolife.perhapsitwasonly

shamming.anyway,whatwastheuseoftryingtoescapebyclimbingfromacreaturethatcouldfly?

itreachedthepoolandsliditshorriblescalychindownoverthegraveltodrink:butbeforeithaddrunktherecamefromitagreatcroakingorclangingcryandafterafewtwitchesandconvulsionsitrolledroundonitssideandlayperfectlystillwithoneclawintheair.alittledarkbloodgushedfromitswide-openedmouth.thesmokefromitsnostrilsturnedblackforamomentandthenfloatedaway.nomorecame.thiswasthebrutestrick,thewayitluredtravellerstotheirdoom.butonecouldntwaitforever.hetookastepnearer,thentwosteps,andhaltedagain.thedragonremainedmotionless;henoticedtoothattheredfirehadgoneoutofitseyes.atlasthecameuptoit.hewasquitesurenowthatitwasdead.withashudderhetouchedit;nothinghappened.

thereliefwassogreatthateustacealmostlaughedoutloud.hebegantofeelasifhehadfoughtandkilledthedragoninsteadofmerelyseeingitdie.hesteppedoveritandwenttothepoolforhisdrink,fortheheatwasgettingunbearable.hewasnotsurprisedwhenheheardapealofthunder.almostimmediatelyafterwardsthesundisappearedandbeforehehadfinishedhisdrinkbigdropsofrainwerefalling.

theclimateofthisislandwasaveryunpleasantone.inlessthanaminuteeustacewaswettotheskinandhalfblindedwithsuchrainasoneneverseesineurope.therewasnousetryingtoclimboutofthevalleyaslongasthislasted.heboltedfortheonlyshelterinsight-thedragonscave.therehelaydownandtriedtogethisbreath.

mostofusknowwhatweshouldexpecttofindinadragonslair,but,asisaidbefore,eustacehadreadonlythewrongbooks.theyhadalottosayaboutexportsandimportsandgovernmentsanddrains,buttheywereweakondragons.thatiswhyhewassopuzzledatthesurfaceonwhichhewaslying.partsofitweretoopricklytobestonesandtoohardtobethorns,andthereseemedtobeagreatmanyround,flatthings,anditallclinkedwhenhemoved.therewaslightenoughatthecavesmouthtoexamineitby.

andofcourseeustacefoundittobewhatanyofuscouldhavetoldhiminadvance-treasure.therewerecrowns(thosewerethepricklythings),coins,rings,bracelets,ingots,cups,platesandgems.

eustace(unlikemostboys)hadneverthoughtmuchoftreasurebuthesawatoncetheuseitwouldbeinthisnewworldwhichhehadsofoolishlystumbledintothroughthepictureinlucysbedroomathome."theydonthaveanytaxhere,"hesaid,"andyoudonthavetogivetreasuretothegovernment.withsomeofthisstufficouldhavequiteadecenttimehere-perhapsincalormen.itsoundstheleastphoneyofthesecountries.iwonderhowmuchicancarry?thatbraceletnow-thosethingsinitareprobablydiamonds-illslipthatonmyownwrist.toobig,butnotifipushitrightuphereabovemyelbow.

thenfillmypocketswithdiamonds-thatseasierthangold.iwonderwhenthisinfernalrainsgoingtoletup?"hegotintoalessuncomfortablepartofthepile,whereitwasmostlycoins,andsettleddowntowait.butabadfright,whenonceitisover,andespeciallyabadfrightfollowingamountainwalk,leavesyouverytired.eustacefellasleep.

bythetimehewassoundasleepandsnoringtheothershadfinisheddinnerandbecameseriouslyalarmedabouthim.theyshouted,"eustace!eustace!coo-ee!"tilltheywerehoarseandcaspianblewhishorn.

"hesnowherenearorhedhaveheardthat,"saidlucywithawhiteface.

"confoundthefellow,"saidedmund."whatonearthdidhewanttoslinkawaylikethisfor?”

"butwemustdosomething,"saidlucy."hemayhavegotlost,orfallenintoahole,orbeencapturedbysavages.”

"orkilledbywildbeasts,"saiddrinian.

"andagoodriddanceifhehas,isay,"mutteredrhince.

"masterrhince,"saidreepicheep,"youneverspokeawordthatbecameyouless.thecreatureisnofriendofminebutheisofthequeensblood,andwhileheisoneofourfellowshipitconcernsourhonourtofindhimandtoavengehimifheisdead.”

"ofcoursewevegottofindhim(ifwecan),"saidcaspianwearily."thatsthenuisanceofit.itmeansasearchpartyandendlesstrouble.bothereustace.”

meanwhileeustacesleptandslept-andslept.whatwokehimwasapaininhisarm.themoonwasshininginatthemouthofthecave,andthebedoftreasuresseemedtohavegrownmuchmorecomfortable:infacthecouldhardlyfeelitatall.hewaspuzzledbythepaininhisarmatfirst,butpresentlyitoccurredtohimthatthebraceletwhichhehadshovedupabovehiselbowhadbecomestrangelytight.hisarmmusthaveswollenwhilehewasasleep(itwashisleftarm).

hemovedhisrightarminordertofeelhisleft,butstoppedbeforehehadmoveditaninchandbithislipinterror.forjustinfrontofhim,andalittleonhisright,wherethemoonlightfellclearonthefloorofthecave,hesawahideousshapemoving.heknewthatshape:itwasadragonsclaw.ithadmovedashemovedhishandandbecamestillwhenhestoppedmovinghishand.

"oh,whatafoolivebeen,"thoughteustace."ofcourse,thebrutehadamateanditslyingbesideme.”