669小说网

chater n bard the dawn treader（第2页）

“That’sourposition，”hesaid，layinghisfingeronit．“Orwasatnoontoday．WehadafairwindfromCairParavelandstoodalittlenorthforGalma，whichwemadeonthenextday．Wewereinportforaweek，fortheDukeofGalmamadeagreattournamentforHisMajestyandthereheunhorsedmanyknights—”

“Andgotafewnastyfallsmyself，Drinian．Someofthebruisesaretherestill，”putinCaspian．

“—Andunhorsedmanyknights，”repeatedDrinianwithagrin。“WethoughttheDukewouldhavebeenpleasediftheKing’sMajestywouldhavemarriedhisdaughter，butnothingcameofthat—”

“Squints，andhasfreckles，”saidCaspian．

“Oh，poorgirl，”saidLucy．

“AndwesailedfromGalma，”continuedDrinian，“andranintoacalmforthebestpartoftwodaysandhadtorow，andthenhadwindagainanddidnotmakeTerebinthiatillthefourthdayfromGalma．AndtheretheirKingsentoutawarningnottolandfortherewassicknessinTerebinthia，butwedoubledthecapeandputinatalittlecreekfarfromthecityandwatered．ThenwehadtolieoffforthreedaysbeforewegotasoutheastwindandstoodoutforSevenIsles．Thethirddayoutapirate（Terebinthianbyherrig）overhauledus，butwhenshesawuswellarmedshestoodoffaftersomeshootingofarrowsoneitherpart—”

“Andweoughttohavegivenherchaseandboardedherandhangedeverymother’ssonofthem，”saidReepicheep．

“—AndinfivedaysmorewewereinsightofMuil，which，asyouknow，isthewesternmostoftheSevenIsles．ThenwerowedthroughthestraitsandcameaboutsundownintoRedhavenontheisleofBrenn，wherewewereverylovinglyfeastedandhadvictualsandwateratwill．WeleftRedhavensixdaysagoandhavemademarvellouslygoodspeed，sothatIhopetoseetheLoneIslandsthedayaftertomorrow．Thesumis，wearenownearlythirtydaysatseaandhavesailedmorethanfourhundredleaguesfromNarnia．”

“AndaftertheLoneIslands？”saidLucy．

“Nooneknows，yourMajesty，”answeredDrinian．“UnlesstheLoneIslandersthemselvescantellus．”

“Theycouldn’tinourdays，”saidEdmund．

“Then，”saidReepicheep，“itisaftertheLoneIslandsthattheadventurereallybegins．”

Caspiannowsuggestedthattheymightliketobeshownovertheshipbeforesupper，butLucy’sconsciencesmoteherandshesaid，“IthinkIreallymustgoandseeEustace．Seasicknessishorrid，youknow．IfIhadmyoldcordialwithmeIcouldcurehim．”

“Butyouhave，”saidCaspian．“I’dquiteforgottenaboutit．AsyouleftitbehindIthoughtitmightberegardedasoneoftheroyaltreasuresandsoIbroughtit—ifyouthinkitoughttobewastedonathinglikeseasickness．”

“It’llonlytakeadrop，”saidLucy．

CaspianopenedoneofthelockersbeneaththebenchandbroughtoutthebeautifullittlediamondflaskwhichLucyrememberedsowell．“Takebackyourown，Queen，”hesaid．Theythenleftthecabinandwentoutintothesunshine．

Inthedeckthereweretwolarge，longhatches，foreandaftofthemast，andbothopen，astheyalwayswereinfairweather，toletlightandairintothebellyoftheship．Caspianledthemdowna　ladderintotheafterhatch．Heretheyfoundthemselvesinaplacewherebenchesforrowingranfromsidetosideandthelightcameinthroughtheoarholesanddancedontheroof．OfcourseCaspian’sshipwasnotthathorriblething，agalleyrowedbyslaves．Oarswereusedonlywhenwindfailedorforgettinginandoutofharbourandeveryone（exceptReepicheepwhoselegsweretooshort）hadoftentakenaturn．Ateachsideoftheshipthespaceunderthebencheswasleftclearfortherowers’feet，butalldownthecentertherewasakindofpitwhichwentdowntotheverykeelandthiswasfilledwithallkindsofthings—sacksofflour，casksofwaterandbeer，barrelsofpork，jarsofhoney，skinbottlesofwine，apples，nuts，cheeses，biscuits，turnips，sidesofbacon．Fromtheroof—thatis，fromtheundersideofthedeck—hunghamsandstringsofonions，andalsothemenofthewatchoff—dutyintheirhammocks．Caspianledthemaft，steppingfrombenchtobench；atleast，itwassteppingforhim，andsomethingbetweenastepandajumpforLucy，andareallongjumpforReepicheep．Inthiswaytheycametoapartitionwithadoorinit．Caspianopenedthedoorandledthemintoacabinwhichfilledthesternunderneaththedeckcabinsinthepoop．Itwasofcoursenotsonice．Itwasverylowandthesidesslopedtogetherastheywentdownsothattherewashardlyanyfloor；andthoughithadwindowsofthickglass，theywerenotmadetoopenbecausetheywereunderwater．Infactatthisverymoment，astheshippitchedtheywerealternatelygoldenwithsunlightanddimgreenwiththesea．

“YouandImustlodgehere，Edmund，”saidCaspian．“We’llleaveyourkinsmanthebunkandslinghammocksforourselves．”

“IbeseechyourMajesty—”saidDrinian．

“No，noshipmate，”saidCaspian，“wehavearguedallthatoutalready．YouandRhince”（Rhincewasthemate）“aresailingtheshipandwillhavecaresandlaboursmanyanightwhenwearesingingcatchesortellingstories，soyouandhemusthavetheportcabinabove．KingEdmundandIcanlieverysnugherebelow．Buthowisthestranger？”

Eustace，verygreenintheface，scowledandaskedwhethertherewasanysignofthestormgettingless．ButCaspiansaid，“Whatstorm？”andDrinianburstoutlaughing．

“Storm，youngmaster！”heroared．“Thisisasfairweatherasamancouldaskfor．”

“Who’sthat？”saidEustaceirritably．“Sendhimaway．Hisvoicegoesthroughmyhead．”

“I’vebroughtyousomethingthatwillmakeyoufeelbetter，Eustace，”saidLucy．

“Oh，goawayandleavemealone，”growledEustace．Buthetookadropfromherflask，andthoughhesaiditwasbeastlystuff（thesmellinthecabinwhensheopeneditwasdelicious）itiscertainthathisfacecametherightcolourafewmomentsafterhehadswallowedit，andhemusthavefeltbetterbecause，insteadofwailingaboutthestormandhishead，hebegandemandingtobeputashoreandsaidthatatthefirstporthewould“lodgeadisposition”againstthemallwiththeBritishConsul．ButwhenReepicheepaskedwhatadispositionwasandhowyoulodgedit（Reepicheepthoughtitwassomenewwayofarrangingasinglecombat）Eustacecouldonlyreply，“Fancynotknowingthat．”IntheendtheysucceededinconvincingEustacethattheywerealreadysailingasfastastheycouldtowardsthenearestlandtheyknew，andthattheyhadnomorepowerofsendinghimbacktoCambridge—whichwaswhereUncleHaroldlived—thanofsendinghimtothemoon。Afterthathesulkilyagreedtoputonthefreshclotheswhichhadbeenputoutforhimandcomeondeck．