669小说网

chater three the lne ind（第2页）

“Andagoodmorningtoyou，”saidCaspian．“IstherestillaGovernoroftheLoneIslands？”

“Tobesurethereis，”saidtheman，“GovernorGumpas．HisSufficiencyisatNarrowhaven．Butyou’llstayanddrinkwithus．”

Caspianthankedhim，thoughneitherhenortheothersmuchlikedthelookoftheirnewacquaintance，andallofthemsatdown．Buthardlyhadtheyraisedtheircupstotheirlipswhentheblack-hairedmannoddedtohiscompanionsand，asquickaslightning，allthefivevisitorsfoundthemselveswrappedinstrongarms．Therewasamoment’sstrugglebutalltheadvantageswereononeside，andsooneveryonewasdisarmedandhadtheirhandstiedbehindtheirbacks—exceptReepicheep，writhinginhiscaptor’sgripandbitingfuriously．

“Carefulwiththatbeast，Tacks，”saidtheLeader．“Don’tdamagehim．He’llfetchthebestpriceofthelot，Ishouldn’twonder．”

“Coward！Poltroon！”squeakedReepicheep．“Givememyswordandfreemypawsifyoudare．”

“Whew！”whistledtheslavemerchant（forthatiswhathewas）。“Itcantalk！WellIneverdid．BlowedifItakelessthantwohundredcrescentsforhim．”TheCalormencrescent，whichisthechiefcoininthoseparts，isworthaboutathirdofapound．

“Sothat’swhatyouare，”saidCaspian．“Akidnapperandslaver．Ihopeyou’reproudofit．”

“Now，now，now，now，”saidtheslaver．“Don’tyoustartanyjaw．Theeasieryoutakeit，thepleasanterallround，see？Idon’tdothisforfun．I’vegotmylivingtomakesameasanyoneelse．”

“Wherewillyoutakeus？”askedLucy，gettingthewordsoutwithsomedifficulty．

“OvertoNarrowhaven，”saidtheslaver．“Formarketdaytomorrow．”

“IsthereaBritishConsulthere？”askedEustace．

“Isthereawhich？”saidtheman．

ButlongbeforeEustacewastiredoftryingtoexplain，theslaversimplysaid，“Well，I’vehadenoughofthisjabber．TheMouseisafairtreatbutthisonewouldtalkthehindlegoffadonkey．Offwego，mates．”

Thenthefourhumanprisonerswereropedtogether，notcruellybutsecurely，andmadetomarchdowntotheshore．Reepicheepwascarried．Hehadstoppedbitingonathreatofhavinghismouthtiedup，buthehadagreatdealtosay，andLucyreallywonderedhowanymancouldbeartohavethethingssaidtohimwhichweresaidtotheslavedealerbytheMouse．Buttheslavedealer，farfromobjecting，onlysaid“Goon”wheneverReepicheeppausedforbreath，occasionallyadding，“It’sasgoodasaplay，”or，“Blimey，youcan’thelpalmostthinkingitknowswhatit’ssaying！”or“Wasitoneofyouwhattrainedit？”ThissoinfuriatedReepicheepthatintheendthenumberofthingshethoughtofsayingallatoncenearlysuffocatedhimandhebecamesilent．

WhentheygotdowntotheshorethatlookedtowardsDoorntheyfoundalittlevillageandalong-boatonthebeachand，lyingalittlefurtherout，adirtybedraggledlookingship．

“Now，youngsters，”saidtheslavedealer，“let’shavenofussandthenyou’llhavenothingtocryabout．Allaboard．”

Atthatmomentafine-lookingbeardedmancameoutofoneofthehouses（aninn，Ithink）andsaid：

“Well，Pug．Moreofyourusualwares？”

Theslaver，whosenameseemedtobePug，bowedverylow，andsaidinawheedlingkindofvoice，“Yes，pleaseyourLordship．”

“Howmuchdoyouwantforthatboy？”askedtheother，pointingtoCaspian．

“Ah，”saidPug，“IknewyourLordshipwouldpickonthebest．NodeceivingyourLordshipwithanythingsecondrate．Thatboy，now，I’vetakenafancytohimmyself．Gotkindoffondofhim，Ihave．I’mthattender-heartedIdidn’teveroughttohavetakenupthisjob．Still，toacustomerlikeyourLordship—”

“Tellmeyourprice，carrion，”saidtheLordsternly．“DoyouthinkIwanttolistentotherigmaroleofyourfilthytrade？”

“Threehundredcrescents，myLord，toyourhonourableLordship，buttoanyoneelse—”

“I’llgiveyouahundredandfifty．”

“Ohplease，please，”brokeinLucy．“Don’tseparateus，whateveryoudo．Youdon’tknow—”ButthenshestoppedforshesawthatCaspiandidn’tevennowwanttobeknown．

“Ahundredandfifty，then，”saidtheLord．“Asforyou，littlemaiden，IamsorryIcannotbuyyouall．Unropemyboy，Pug．Andlook—treattheseotherswellwhiletheyareinyourhandsorit’llbetheworseforyou．”

“Well！”saidPug．“NowwhoeverheardofagentlemaninmywayofbusinesswhotreatedhisstockbetterthanwhatIdo？Well？Why，Itreat’emlikemyownchilden．”

“That’slikelyenoughtobetrue，”saidtheothergrimly．