哪些东西太阳出来就不见了 《银椅》第10章:不见太阳的旅行

《银椅》第10章:不见太阳的旅行  

"WHO's there?" shouted the three travellers.
"I am the Warden of the Marches of Underland
and with me stand a hundred Earthmen in arms
" came the reply. "Tell me quickly who you are and what is your errand in the Deep Realm?"
"We fell down by accident
" said Puddleglum
truthfully enough.
"Many fall down
and few return to the sunlit lands
" said the voice. "Make ready now to e with me to the Queen of the Deep Realm."
"What does she want with us?" asked Scrubb cautiously.
"I do not know
" said the voice. "Her will is not to be questioned but obeyed."
While he said these words there was a noise like a soft explosion and immediately a cold light
grey with a little blue in it
flooded the cavern. All hope that the speaker had been idly boasting when he spoke of his hundred armed followers died at once. Jill found herself blinking and staring at a dense crowd. They were of all sizes
from little gnomes barely a foot high to stately figures taller than men. All carried three-pronged spears in their hands
and all were dreadfully pale
and all stood as still as statues. Apart from that
they were very different; some had tails and others not
some wore great beards and others had very round
smooth faces
big as pumpkins. There were long
pointed noses
and long
soft noses like small trunks
and great blobby noses. Several had single horns in the middle of their foreheads. But in one respect they were all alike: every face in the whole hundred was as sad as a face could be. They were so sad that
after the first glance
Jill almost fot to be afraid of them. She felt she would like to cheer them up.
"Well!" said Puddleglum
rubbing his hands. "This is just what I needed. If these chaps don't teach me to take a serious view of life
I don't know what will. Look at that fellow with the walrus moustache - or that one with the -"
"Get up
" said the leader of the Earthmen.
There was nothing else to be done. The three travellers scrambled to their feet and joined hands. One wanted the touch of a friend's hand at a moment like that. And the Earthmen came all round them
padding on large
soft feet
on which some had ten toes
some elve
and others none.
"March
" said the Warden: and march they did.
The cold light came from a large ball on the top of a long pole
and the tallest of the gnomes carried this at the head of the procession. By its cheerless rays they could see that they were in a natural cavern; the walls and roof were knobbed
isted
and gashed into a thousand fantastic shapes
and the stony floor sloped downward as they proceeded. It was worse for Jill than for the others
because she hated dark
underground places. And when
as they went on
the cave got lower and narrower
and when
at last
the light-bearer stood aside
and the gnomes
one by one
stooped down (all except the very smallest ones) and stepped into a little dark crack and disappeared
she felt she could bear it no longer.
"I can't go in there
I can't! I can't! I won't
" she panted. The Earthmen said nothing but they all lowered their spears and pointed them at her.
"Steady
Pole
" said Puddleglum. "Those big fellows wouldn't be crawling in there if it didn't get wider later on. And there's one thing about this underground work
we shan't get any rain."
"Oh
you don't understand. I can't
" wailed Jill.
"Think how 1 felt on that cliff
Pole
" said Scrubb. "You go first
Puddleglum
and I'll e after her."
"That's right
" said the Marsh-wiggle
getting down on his hands and knees. "You keep a grip of my heels
Pole
and Scrubb will hold on to yours. Then we'll all be fortable."
"Comfortable!" said Jill. But she got down and they crawled in on their elbows. It was a nasty place. You had to go flat on your face for what seemed like half an hour
though it may really have been only five minutes. It was hot. Jill felt she was being smothered. But at last a dim light showed ahead
the tunnel grew wider and higher
and they came out
hot
dirty
and shaken
into a cave so large that it scarcely seemed like a cave at all.
It was full of a dim
drowsy radiance
so that here they had no need of the Earthmen's strange lantern. The floor was soft with some kind of moss and out of this grew many strange shapes
branched and tall like trees
but flabby like mushrooms. They stood too far apart to make a forest; it was more like a park. The light (a greenish grey) seemed to e both from them and from the moss
and it was not strong enough to reach the roof of the cave
which must have been a long way overhead. Across the mild
soft
sleepy place they were now made to march. It was very sad
but with a quiet sort of sadness like soft music.
Here they passed dozens of strange animals lying on the turf
either dead or asleep
Jill could not tell which. These were mostly of a dragonish or bat-like sort; Puddleglum did not know what any of them were.
"Do they grow here?" Scrubb asked the Warden. He seemed very surprised at being spoken to
but replied
"No. They are all beasts that have found their way down by chasms and caves
out of Overland into the Deep Realm. Many e down
and few return to the sunlit lands. It is said that they will all wake at the end of the world."
His mouth shut like a box when he had said this
and in the great silence of that cave the children felt that they would not dare to speak again. The bare feet of the gnomes
padding on the deep moss
made no sound. There was no wind
there were no birds
there was no sound of water. There was no sound of breathing from the strange beasts.
When they had walked for several miles
they came to a wall of rock
and in it a low archway leading into another cavern. It was not
however
so bad as the last entrance and Jill could go through it without bending her head. It brought them into a smaller cave
long and narrow
about the shape and size of a cathedral. And here
filling almost the whole length of it
lay an enormous man fast asleep. He was far bigger than any of the giants
and his face was not like a giant's
but noble and beautiful. His breast rose and fell gently under the snowy beard which covered him to the waist. A pure
silver light (no one saw where it came from) rested upon him.
"Who's that?" asked Puddleglum. And it was so long since anyone had spoken
that Jill wondered how he had the nerve.
"That is old Father Time
who once was a King in Overland
" said the Warden. "And now he has sunk down into the Deep Realm and lies dreaming of all the things that are done in the upper world. Many sink down
and few return to the sunlit lands. They say he will wake at the end of the world."
And out of that cave they passed into another
and then into another and another
and so on till Jill lost count
but always they were going downhill and each cave was lower than the last
till the very thought of the weight and depth of earth above you was suffocating. At last they came to a place where the Warden manded his cheerless lantern to be lit again. Then they passed into a cave so wide and dark that they could see nothing of it except that right in front of them a strip of pale sand ran down into still water. And there
beside a little jetty
lay a ship without mast or sail but with many oars. They were made to go on board her and led forward to the bows where there was a clear space in front of the rowers' benches and a seat running round inside the bulwarks.
"One thing I'd like to know
" said Puddleglum
"is whether anyone from our world - from up-a-top
I mean has ever done this trip before?"
"Many have taken ship at the pale beaches
" replied the Warden
"and-"
"Yes
I know
" interrupted Puddleglum. "And few return to the sunlit lands. You needn't say it again. You are a chap of one idea
aren't you?"
The children huddled close together on each side of Puddleglum. They had thought him a wet blanket while they were still above ground
but down here he seemed the only forting thing they had. Then the pale lantern was hung up amidships
the Earthmen sat to the oars
and the ship began to move. The lantern cast its light only a very short way. Looking ahead
they could see nothing but smooth
dark water
fading into absolute blackness.
"Oh
whatever will bee of us?" said Jill despairingly.
"Now don't you let your spirits down
Pole
" said the Marsh-wiggle. "There's one thing you've got to remember. We're back on the right lines. We were to go under the Ruined City
and we are under it. We're following the instructions again."
Presently they were given food - flat
flabby cakes of some sort which had hardly any taste. And after that
they gradually fell asleep. But when they woke
everything was just the same; the gnomes still rowing
the ship still gliding on
still dead blackness ahead. How often they woke and slept and ate and slept again
none of them could ever remember. And the worst thing about it was that you began to feel as if you had always lived on that ship
in that darkness
and to wonder whether sun and blue skies and wind and birds had not been only a dream.
They had almost given up hoping or being afraid about anything when at last they saw lights ahead: dreary lights
like that of their own lantern. Then
quite suddenly
one of these lights came close and they saw that they were passing another ship. After that they met several ships. Then
staring till their eyes hurt
they saw that some of the lights ahead were shining on what looked like wharfs
walls
towers
and moving crowds. But still there was hardly any noise.
"By Jove
" said Scrubb. "A city!" and soon they all saw that he was right.
But it was a queer city. The lights were so few and far apart that they would hardly have done for scattered cottages in our world. But the little bits of the place which you could see by the lights were like glimpses of a great seaport. You could make out in one place a whole crowd of ships loading or unloading; in another
bales of stuff and warehouses; in a third
walls and pillars that suggested great palaces or temples; and always
wherever the light fell
endless crowds - hundreds of Earthmen
jostling one another as they padded softly about their business in narrow streets
broad squares
or up great flights of steps. Their continued movement made a sort of soft
murmuring noise as the ship drew nearer and nearer; but there was not a song or a shout or a bell or the rattle of a wheel anywhere. The City was as quiet
and nearly as dark
as the inside of an ant-hill.
At last their ship was brought alongside a quay and made fast. The three travellers were taken ashore and marched up into the City. Crowds of Earthmen
no o alike
rubbed shoulders with them in the crowded streets
and the sad light fell on many sad and grotesque faces. But no one showed any interest in the strangers. Every gnome seemed to be as busy as it was sad
though Jill never found what they were so busy about. But the endless moving
shoving
hurrying
and the soft pad-pad-pad went on.
At last they came to what appeared to be a great castle
though few of the windows in it were lighted. Here they were taken in and made to cross a courtyard
and to climb many staircases. This brought them in the end to a great murkily lit room. But in one corner of it - oh joy! - there was an archway filled with a quite different sort of light; the honest
yellowish
warm light of such a lamp as humans use. What showed by this light inside the archway was the foot of a staircase which wound upward beeen walls of stone. The light seemed to e from the top. Two Earthmen stood one on each side of the arch like sentries
or footmen.
The Warden went up to these o
and said
as if it were a password:
"Many sink down to the Underworld."
"And few return to the sunlit lands
" they answered
as if it were the countersign. Then all three put their heads together and talked. At last one of the o gnomes-in-waiting said
"I tell you the Queen's grace is gone from hence on her great affair. We had best keep these top dwellers in strait prison till her homeing. Few return to the sunlit lands."
At that moment the conversation was interrupted by what seemed to Jill the most delightful noise in the world. It came from above
from the top of the staircase; and it was a clear
ringing
perfectly human voice
the voice of a young man.
"What coil are you keeping down there
Mullugutherum?" it shouted. "Overworlders
ha! Bring them up to me
and that presently."
"Please it your Highness to remember
" began Mullugutherum
but the voice cut him short.
"It pleases my Highness principally to be obeyed
old mutterer. Bring them up
" it called.
Mullugutherum shook his head
motioned to the travellers to follow and began going up the staircase. At every step the light increased. There were rich tapestries hanging on the walls. The lamplight shone golden through thin curtains at the staircase-head. The Earthmen parted the curtains and stood aside. The three passed in. They were in a beautiful room
richly tapestried
with a bright fire on a clean hearth
and red wine and cut glass sparkling on the table. A young man with fair hair rose to greet them. He was handsome and looked both bold and kind
though there was something about his face that didn't seem quite right. He was dressed in black and altogether looked a little bit like Hamlet.
"Wele
Overworlders
" he cried. "But stay a moment! I cry you mercy! I have seen you o fair children
and this
your strange governor
before. Was it not you three that met me by the bridge on the borders of Ettinsmoor when I rode there by my Lady's side?"
"Oh . . . you were the black knight who never spoke?" exclaimed Jill.
"And was that lady the Queen of Underland?" asked Puddleglum
in no very friendly voice. And Scrubb
who was thinking the same
burst out
"Because if it was
I think she was jolly mean to send us off to a castle of giants who intended to eat us. What harm had we ever done her
I should like to know?"
"How?" said the Black Knight with a frown. "If you were not so young a warrior
Boy
you and I must have fought to the death on this quarrel. I can hear no words against my Lady's honour. But of this you may be assured
that whatever she said to you
she said of a good intent. You do not know her. She is a nosegay of all virtues
as truth
mercy
constancy
gentleness
courage
and the rest. I say what I know. Her kindness to me alone
who can in no way reward her
would make an admirable history. But you shall know and love her hereafter. Meanwhile
what is your errand in the Deep Lands?"
And before Puddleglum could stop her
Jill blurted out
"Please we are trying to find Prince Rilian of Narnia." And then she realized what a frightful risk she had taken; these people might be enemies. But the Knight showed no interest.
"Rilian? Narnia?" he said carelessly. "Narnia? What land is that? I have never heard the name. It must be a thousand leagues from those parts of the Overworld that I know. But it was a strange fantasy that brought you seeking this - how do you call him? - Billian? Trillian? in my Lady's realm. Indeed
to my certain knowledge
there is no such man here." He laughed very loudly at this
and Jill thought to herself
"I wonder is that what's wrong with his face? Is he a bit silly?"
"We had been told to look for a message on the stones of the City Ruinous
" said Scrubb. "And we saw the words UNDER ME."
The Knight laughed even more heartily than before. "You were the more deceived
" he said. "Those words meant nothing to your purpose. Had you but asked my Lady
she could have given you better counsel. For those words are all that is left of a longer script
which in ancient times
as she well remembers
expressed this verse:
Though under Earth and throneless now I be
Yet
while I lived
all Earth was under me.
From which it is plain that some great king of the ancient giants
who lies buried there
caused this boast to be cut in the stone over his sepulchre; though the breaking up of some stones
and the carrying away of others for new buildings
and the filling up of the cuts with rubble
has left only o words that can still be read. Is it not the merriest jest in the world that you should have thought they were written to you?"
This was like cold water down the back to Scrubb and
Jill; for it seemed to them very likely that the words had nothing to do with their quest at all
and that they had been taken in by a mere accident.
"Don't you mind him
" said Puddleglum. "There are no accidents. Our guide is Aslan; and he was there when the giant King caused the letters to be cut
and he knew already all things that would e of them; including this."
"This guide of yours must be a long liver
friend
" said the Knight with another of his laughs.
Jill began to find them a little irritating.
"And it seems to me
Sir
" answered Puddleglum
"that this Lady of yours must be a long liver too
if she remembers the verse as it was when they first cut it."
"Very shrewd
Frog-face
" said the Knight
clapping Puddleglum on the shoulder and laughing again. "And you have hit the truth. She is of divine race
and knows neither age nor death. I am the more thankful to her for all her infinite bounty to such a poor mortal wretch as I. For you must know
Sirs
I am a man under most strange afflictions
and none but the Queen's grace would have had patience with me. Patience
said I? But it goes far beyond that. She has promised me a great kingdom in Overland
and
when I am king
her own most gracious hand in marriage. But the tale is too long for you to hear fasting and standing. Hi there
some of you! Bring wine and Updwellers' food for my guests. Please you
be seated
gentlemen. Little maiden
sit in this chair. You shall hear it all."