纳尼亚传奇银椅 《银椅》第11章:在黑暗的城堡里

《银椅》第11章:在黑暗的城堡里  

WHEN the meal (which was pigeon pie
cold ham
salad
and cakes) had been brought
and all had drawn their chairs up to the table and begun
the Knight continued:
"You must understand
friends
that I know nothing of who I was and whence I came into this Dark World. I remember no time when I was not dwelling
as now
at the court of this all but heavenly Queen; but my thought is that she saved me from some evil enchantment and brought me hither of her exceeding bounty. (Honest Frogfoot
your cup is empty. Suffer me to refill it.) And this seems to me the likelier because even now I am bound by a spell
from which my Lady alone can free me. Every night there es an hour when my mind is most horribly changed
and
after my mind
my body. For first I bee furious and wild and would rush upon my dearest friends to kill them
if I were not bound. And soon after that
I turn into the likeness of a great serpent
hungry
fierce
and deadly. (Sir
be pleased to take another breast of pigeon
I entreat you.) So they tell me
and they certainly speak truth
for my Lady says the same. I myself know nothing of it
for when my hour is past I awake fetful of all that vile fit and in my proper shape and sound mind - saving that I am somewhat wearied. (Little lady
eat one of these honey cakes
which are brought for me from some barbarous land in the far south of the world.) Now the Queen's majesty knows by her art that I shall be freed from this enchantment when once she has made me king of a land in the Overworld and set its crown upon my head. The land is already chosen and the very place of our breaking out. Her Earthmen have worked day and night digging a way beneath it
and have now gone so far and so high that they tunnel not a score of feet beneath the very grass on which the Updwellers of that country walk. It will be very soon now that those Uplanders' fate will e upon them. She herself is at the diggings tonight
and I expect a message to go to her. Then the thin roof of earth which still keeps me from my kingdom will be broken through
and with her to guide me and a thousand Earthmen at my back
I shall ride forth in arms
fall suddenly on our enemies
slay their chief men
cast down their strong places
and doubtless be their crowned king within four and enty hours."
"It's a bit rough luck on them
isn't it?" said Scrubb.
"Thou art a lad of a wondrous
quick-working wit!" exclaimed the Knight. "For
on my honour
I had never thought of it so before. I see your meaning." He looked slightly
very slightly troubled for a moment or o; but his face soon cleared and he broke out
with another of his loud laughs
"But fie on gravity! Is it not the most ical and ridiculous thing in the world to think of them all going about their business and never dreaming that under their peaceful fields and floors
only a fathom down
there is a great army ready to break out upon them like a fountain! And they never to have suspected! Why
they themselves
when once the first smart of their defeat is over
can hardly choose but laugh at the thought!"
"I don't think it's funny at all
" said Jill. "I think you'll be a wicked tyrant."
"What?" said the Knight
still laughing and patting her head in a quite infuriating fashion. "Is our little maid a deep politician? But never fear
sweetheart. In ruling that land
I shall do all by the counsel of my Lady
who will then be my Queen too. Her word shall be my law
even as my word will be law to the people we have conquered."
"Where I e from
" said Jill
who was disliking him more every minute
"they don't think much of men who are bossed about by their wives."
"Shalt think otherwise when thou hast a man of thine own
I warrant you
" said the Knight
apparently thinking this very funny. "But with my Lady
it is another matter. I am well content to live by her word
who has already saved me from a thousand dangers. No mother has taken pains more tenderly for her child
than the Queen's grace has for me. Why
look you
amid all her cares and business
she rideth out with me in the Overworld many a time and oft to accustom my eyes to the sunlight. And then I must go fully armed and with visor down
so that no man may see my face
and I must speak to no one. For she has found out by art magical that this would hinder my deliverance from the grievous enchantment I lie under. Is not that a lady worthy of a man's whole worship?"
"Sounds a very nice lady indeed
" said Puddleglum in a voice which meant exactly the opposite.
They were thoroughly tired of the Knight's talk before they had finished supper. Puddleglum was thinking
"I wonder what game that witch is really playing with this young fool." Scrubb was thinking
"He's a great baby
really: tied to that woman's apron strings; he's a sap." And Jill was thinking
"He's the silliest
most conceited
selfish pig I've met for a long time." But when the meal was over
the Knight's mood had changed. There was no more laughter about him.
"Friends
" he said
"my hour is now very near. I am ashamed that you should see me yet I dread being left alone. They will e in presently and bind me hand and foot to yonder chair. Alas
so it must be: for in my fury
they tell me
I would destroy all that I could reach."
"I say
" said Scrubb
"I'm awfully sorry about your enchantment of course
but what will those fellows do to us when they e to bind you? They talked of putting us in prison. And we don't like all those dark places very much. We'd much rather stay here till you're . . . better . . . if we may."
"It is well thought of
" said the Knight. "By custom none but the Queen herself remains with me in my evil hour. Such is her tender care for my honour that she would not willingly suffer any ears but her own to hear the words I utter in that frenzy. But I could not easily persuade my attendant gnomes that you should be left with me. And I think I hear their soft feet even now upon the stairs. Go through yonder door: it leads into my other apartments. And there
either await my ing when they have unbound me; or
if you will
return and sit with me in my ravings."
They followed his directions and passed out of the room by a door which they had not yet seen opened. It brought them
they were pleased to see
not into darkness but into a lighted corridor. They tried various doors and found (what they very badly needed) water for washing and even a looking glass. "He never offered us a wash before supper
" said Jill
drying her face. "Selfish
selfcentred pig."
"Are we going back to watch the enchantment
or shall we stay here?" said Scrubb.
"Stay here
I vote
" said Jill. "I'd much rather not see it." But she felt a little inquisitive all the same.
"No
go back
" said Puddleglum. "We may pick up some information
and we need all we can get. I am sure that Queen is a witch and an enemy. And those Earthmen would knock us on the head as soon as look at us. There's a stronger smell of danger and lies and magic and treason about this land than I've ever smelled before. We need to keep our eyes and ears open."
They went back down the corridor and gently pushed the door open. "It's all right
" said Scrubb
meaning that there were no Earthmen about. Then they all came back into the room where they had supped.
The main door was now shut
concealing the curtain beeen which they had first entered. The Knight was seated in a curious silver chair
to which he was bound by his ankles
his knees
his elbows
his wrists
and his waist. There was sweat on his forehead and his face was filled with anguish.
"Come in
friends
" he said
glancing quickly up. "The fit is not yet upon me. Make no noise
for I told that prying chamberlain that you were in bed. Now . . . I can feel it ing. Quick! Listen while I am master of myself. When the fit is upon me
it well may be that I shall beg and implore you
with entreaties and threatenings
to loosen my bonds. They say I do. I shall call upon you by all that is most dear and most dreadful. But do not listen to me. Harden your hearts and stop your ears. For while I am bound you are safe. But if once I were up and out of this chair
then first would e my fury
and after that" - he shuddered - "the change into a loathsome serpent."
"There's no fear of our loosing you
" said Puddleglum. "We've no wish to meet wild men; or serpents either."
"I should think not
" said Scrubb and Jill together.
"All the same
" added Puddleglum in a whisper. "Don't let's be too sure. Let's be on our guard. We've muffed everything else
you know. He'll be cunning
I shouldn't wonder
once he gets started. Can we trust one another? Do we all promise that whatever he says we don't touch those cords? Whatever he says
mind you?"
"Rather!" said Scrubb.
"There's nothing in the world he can say or do that'll make me change my mind
" said Jill.
"Hush! Something's happening
" said Puddleglum.
The Knight was moaning. His face was as pale as putty
and he writhed in his bonds. And whether because she was sorry for him
or for some other reason
Jill thought that he looked a nicer sort of man than he had looked before.
"Ah
" he groaned. "Enchantments
enchantments . . . the heavy
tangled
cold
clammy web of evil magic. Buried alive. Dragged down under the earth
down into the sooty blackness . . . how many years is it? . . . Have I lived ten years
or a thousand years
in the pit? Maggotmen all around me. Oh
have mercy. Let me out
let me go back. Let me feel the wind and see the sky . . . There used to be a little pool. When you looked down into it you could see all the trees growing upside-down in the water
all green
and below them
deep
very deep
the blue sky."
He had been speaking in a low voice; now he looked up
fixed his eyes upon them
and said loud and clear:
"Quick! I am sane now. Every night I am sane. If only I could get out of this enchanted chair
it would last. I should be a man again. But every night they bind me
and so every night my chance is gone. But you are not enemies. I am not your prisoner. Quick! Cut these cords."
"Stand fast! Steady
" said Puddleglum to the o children.
"I beseech you to hear me
" said the Knight
forcing himself to speak calmly. "Have they told you that if I am released from this chair I shall kill you and bee a serpent? I see by your faces that they have. It is a lie. It is at this hour that I am in my right mind: it is all the rest of the day that I am enchanted. You are not Earthmen nor witches. Why should you be on their side? Of your courtesy
cut my bonds."
"Steady! Steady! Steady!" said the three travellers to one another.
"Oh
you have hearts of stone
" said the Knight. "Believe me
you look upon a wretch who has suffered almost more than any mortal can bear. What wrong have I ever done you
that you should side with my enemies to keep me in such miseries? And the minutes are slipping past. Now you can save me; when this hour has passed
I shall be witless again - the toy and lap-dog
nay
more likely the pawn and tool
of the most devilish sorceress that ever planned the woe of men. And this night
of all nights
when she is away! You take from me a chance that may never e again."
"This is dreadful. I do wish we'd stayed away till it was over
" said Jill.
"Steady!" said Puddleglum.
The prisoner's voice was now rising into a shriek. "Let me go
I say. Give me my sword. My sword! Once I am free I shall take such revenge on Earthmen that Underland will talk of it for a thousand years!"
"Now the frenzy is beginning
" said Scrubb. "I hope those knots are all right."
"Yes
" said Puddleglum. "He'd have ice his natural strength if he got free now. And I'm not clever with my sword. He'd get us both
I shouldn't wonder; and then Pole on her own would be left to tackle the snake."
The prisoner was now so straining at his bonds that they cut into his wrists and ankles. "Beware
" he said. "Beware. One night I did break them. But the witch was there that time. You will not have her to help you tonight. Free me now
and I am your friend. I'm your mortal enemy else."
"Cunning
isn't he?" said Puddleglum.
"Once and for all
" said the prisoner
"I adjure you to set me free. By all fears and all loves
by the bright skies of Overland
by the great Lion
by Aslan himself
I charge you -"
"Oh!" cried the three travellers as though they had been hurt. "It's the sign
" said Puddleglum. "It was the words of the sign
" said Scrubb more cautiously. "Oh
what are we to do?" said Jill.
It was a dreadful question. What had been the use of promising one another that they would not on any account set the Knight free
if they were now to do so the first time he happened to call upon a name they really cared about? On the other hand
what had been the use of learning the signs if they weren't going to obey them? Yet could Aslan have really meant them to unbind anyone even a lunatic - who asked it in his name? Could it be a mere accident? Or how if the Queen of the Underworld knew all about the signs and had made the Knight learn this name simply in order to entrap them? But then
supposing this was the real sign? . . . They had muffed three already; they daren't muff the fourth.
"Oh
if only we knew!" said Jill.
"I think we do know
" said Puddleglum.
"Do you mean you think everything will e right if we do untie him?" said Scrubb.
"I don't know about that
" said Puddleglum. "You see
Aslan didn't tell Pole what would happen. He only told her what to do. That fellow will be the death of us once he's up
I shouldn't wonder. But that doesn't let us off following the sign."
They all stood looking at one another with bright eyes. It was a sickening moment. "All right!" said Jill suddenly. "Let's get it over. Good-bye
everyone ...!" They all shook hands. The Knight was screaming by now; there was foam on his cheeks.
"Come on
Scrubb
" said Puddleglum. He and Scrubb drew their swords and went over to the captive.
"In the name of Aslan
" they said and began methodically cutting the cords. The instant the prisoner was free
he crossed the room in a single bound
seized his own sword (which had been taken from him and laid on the table)
and drew it.
"You first!" he cried and fell upon the silver chair. That must have been a good sword. The silver gave way before its edge like string
and in a moment a few isted fragments
shining on the floor
were all that was left. But as the chair broke
there came from it a bright flash
a sound like small thunder
and (for one moment) a loathsome smell.
"Lie there
vile engine of sorcery
" he said
"lest your mistress should ever use you for another victim." Then he turned and surveyed his rescuers; and the something wrong
whatever it was
had vanished from his face.
"What?" he cried
turning to Puddleglum. "Do I see before me a Marsh-wiggle - a real
live
honest
Narnian Marsh-wiggle?"
"Oh
so you have heard of Narnia after all?" said Jill.
"Had I fotten it when I was under the spell?" asked the Knight. "Well
that and all other bedevilments are now over. You may well believe that I know Narnia
for I am Rilian
Prince of Narnia
and Caspian the great King is my father."
"Your Royal Highness
" said Puddleglum
sinking on one knee (and the children did the same)
"we have e hither for no other end than to seek you."
"And who are you
my other deliverers?" said the Prince to Scrubb and Jill.
"We were sent by Aslan himself from beyond the world's end to seek your Highness
" said Scrubb. "I am Eustace who sailed with him to the island of Ramandu."
"I owe all three of you a greater debt than I can ever pay
" said Prince Rilian. "But my father? Is he yet alive?"
"He sailed east again before we left Narnia
my lord
" said Puddleglum. "But your Highness must consider that the King is very old. It is ten to one his Majesty must die on the voyage."
"He is old
you say. How long then have I been in the power of the witch?'
"It is more than ten years since your Highness was lost in the woods at the north side of Narnia."
"Ten years!" said the Prince
drawing his hand across his face as if to rub away the past. "Yes
I believe you. For now that I am myself I can remember that enchanted life
though while I was enchanted I could not remember my true self. And now
fair friends - but wait! I hear their feet (does it not sicken a man
that padding woolly tread! faugh!) on the stairs. Lock the door
boy. Or stay. I have a better thought than that. I will fool these Earthmen
if Aslan gives me the wit. Take your cue from me."
He walked resolutely to the door and flung it wide open.