波波小说

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chater eleven the dark catle(第1页)

WHENthemeal(whichwaspigeonpie,coldham,salad,andcakes)hadbeenbrought,andallhaddrawntheirchairsuptothetableandbegun,theKnightcontinued:“Youmustunderstand,friends,thatIknownothingofwhoIwasandwhenceIcameintothisDarkWorld.IremembernotimewhenIwasnotdwelling,asnow,atthecourtofthisallbutheavenlyQueen;butmythoughtisthatshesavedmefromsomeevilenchantmentandbroughtmehitherofherexceedingbounty.(HonestFrogfoot,yourcupisempty.Suffermetorefillit.)AndthisseemstomethelikelierbecauseevennowIamboundbyaspell,fromwhichmyLadyalonecanfreeme.Everynighttherecomesanhourwhenmymindismosthorriblychanged,and,aftermymind,mybody.ForfirstIbecomefuriousandwildandwouldrushuponmydearestfriendstokillthem,ifIwerenotbound.Andsoonafterthat,Iturnintothelikenessofagreatserpent,hungry,fierce,anddeadly.(Sir,bepleasedtotakeanotherbreastofpigeon,Ientreatyou.)Sotheytellme,andtheycertainlyspeaktruth,formyLadysaysthesame.Imyselfknownothingofit,forwhenmyhourispastIawakeforgetfulofallthatvilefitandinmypropershapeandsoundmind—savingthatIamsomewhatwearied.(Littlelady,eatoneofthesehoneycakes,whicharebroughtformefromsomebarbarouslandinthefarsouthoftheworld.)NowtheQueen’smajestyknowsbyherartthatIshallbefreedfromthisenchantmentwhenonceshehasmademekingofalandintheOverworldandsetitscrownuponmyhead.Thelandisalreadychosenandtheveryplaceofourbreakingout.HerEarthmenhaveworkeddayandnightdiggingawaybeneathit,andhavenowgonesofarandsohighthattheytunnelnotascoreoffeetbeneaththeverygrassonwhichtheUpdwellersofthatcountrywalk.ItwillbeverysoonnowthatthoseUplanders’fatewillcomeupontheSheherselfisatthediggingstonight,andIexpectamessagetogotoher.Thenthethinroofofearthwhichstillkeepsmefrommykingdomwillbebrokenthrough,andwithhertoguidemeandathousandEarthmenatmyback,Ishallrideforthinarms,fallsuddenlyonourenemies,slaytheirchiefmen,castdowntheirstrongplaces,anddoubtlessbetheircrownedkingwithinfourandtwentyhours.”

“It’sabitroughluckonthem,isn’tit?”saidScrubb.

“Thouartaladofawondrous,quick-workingwit!”exclaimedtheKnight.“For,onmyhonour,Ihadneverthoughtofitsobefore.Iseeyourmeaning.”Helookedslightly,veryslightlytroubledforamomentortwo;buthisfacesoonclearedandhebrokeout,withanotherofhisloudlaughs,“Butfieongravity!Isitnotthemostcomicalandridiculousthingintheworldtothinkofthemallgoingabouttheirbusinessandneverdreamingthatundertheirpeacefulfieldsandfloors,onlyafathomdown,thereisagreatarmyreadytobreakoutuponthemlikeafountain!Andtheynevertohavesuspected!Why,theythemselves,whenoncethefirstsmartoftheirdefeatisover,canhardlychoosebutlaughatthethought!”

“Idon’tthinkit’sfunnyatall,”saidJill.“Ithinkyou’llbeawickedtyrant.”

“What?”saidtheKnight,stilllaughingandpattingherheadinaquiteinfuriatingfashion.“Isourlittlemaidadeeppolitician?Butneverfear,sweetheart.Inrulingthatland,IshalldoallbythecounselofmyLady,whowillthenbemyQueentoo.Herwordshallbemylaw,evenasmywordwillbelawtothepeoplewehaveconquered.”

“WhereIcomefrom,”saidJill,whowasdislikinghimmoreeveryminute,“theydon’tthinkmuchofmenwhoarebossedaboutbytheirwives.”

“Shaltthinkotherwisewhenthouhastamanofthineown,Iwarrantyou,”saidtheKnight,apparentlythinkingthisveryfunny.“ButwithmyLady,itisanothermatter.Iamwellcontenttolivebyherword,whohasalreadysavedmefromathousanddangers.Nomotherhastakenpainsmoretenderlyforherchild,thantheQueen’sgracehasforme.Why,lookyou,amidallhercaresandbusiness,sheridethoutwithmeintheOverworldmanyatimeandofttoaccustommyeyestothesunlight.AndthenImustgofullyarmedandwithvisordown,sothatnomanmayseemyface,andImustspeaktonoone.ForshehasfoundoutbyartmagicalthatthiswouldhindermydeliverancefromthegrievousenchantmentIlieunder.Isnotthataladyworthyofaman’swholeworship?”

“Soundsaveryniceladyindeed,”saidPuddlegluminavoicewhichmeantexactlytheopposite.

TheywerethoroughlytiredoftheKnight’stalkbeforetheyhadfinishedsupper.Puddleglumwasthinking,“Iwonderwhatgamethatwitchisreallyplayingwiththisyoungfool.”Scrubbwasthinking,“He’sagreatbaby,really:tiedtothatwoman’sapronstrings;he’sasap.”AndJillwasthinking,“He’sthesilliest,mostconceited,selfishpigI’vemetforalongtime.”Butwhenthemealwasover,theKnight’smoodhadchanged.Therewasnomorelaughterabouthi

“Friends,”hesaid,“myhourisnowverynear.IamashamedthatyoushouldseemeyetIdreadbeingleftalone.Theywillcomeinpresentlyandbindmehandandfoottoyonderchair.Alas,soitmustbe:forinmyfury,theytellme,IwoulddestroyallthatIcouldreach.”

“Isay,”saidScrubb,“I’mawfullysorryaboutyourenchantmentofcourse,butwhatwillthosefellowsdotouswhentheycometobindyou?Theytalkedofputtingusinprison.Andwedon’tlikeallthosedarkplacesverymuch.We’dmuchratherstayheretillyou’re…better…ifwemay.”

“Itiswellthoughtof,”saidtheKnight.“BycustomnonebuttheQueenherselfremainswithmeinmyevilhour.SuchishertendercareformyhonourthatshewouldnotwillinglysufferanyearsbutherowntohearthewordsIutterinthatfrenzy.ButIcouldnoteasilypersuademyattendantgnomesthatyoushouldbeleftwithme.AndIthinkIheartheirsoftfeetevennowuponthestairs.Gothroughyonderdoor:itleadsintomyotherapartments.Andthere,eitherawaitmycomingwhentheyhaveunboundme;or,ifyouwill,returnandsitwithmeinmyravings.”

Theyfollowedhisdirectionsandpassedoutoftheroombyadoorwhichtheyhadnotyetseenopened.Itbroughtthem,theywerepleasedtosee,notintodarknessbutintoalightedcorridor.Theytriedvariousdoorsandfound(whattheyverybadlyneeded)waterforwashingandevenalookingglass.“Heneverofferedusawashbeforesupper,”saidJill,dryingherface.“Selfish,self-centredpig.”

“Arewegoingbacktowatchtheenchantment,orshallwestayhere?”saidScrubb.

“Stayhere,Ivote,”saidJill.“I’dmuchrathernotseeit.”Butshefeltalittleinquisitiveallthesame.

“No,goback,”saidPuddleglu“Wemaypickupsomeinformation,andweneedallwecanget.IamsurethatQueenisawitchandanenemy.AndthoseEarthmenwouldknockusontheheadassoonaslookatus.There’sastrongersmellofdangerandliesandmagicandtreasonaboutthislandthanI’veeversmelledbefore.Weneedtokeepoureyesandearsopen.”

Theywentbackdownthecorridorandgentlypushedthedooropen.“It’sallright,”saidScrubb,meaningthattherewerenoEarthmenabout.Thentheyallcamebackintotheroomwheretheyhadsupped.

Themaindoorwasnowshut,concealingthecurtainbetweenwhichtheyhadfirstentered.TheKnightwasseatedinacurioussilverchair,towhichhewasboundbyhisankles,hisknees,hiselbows,hiswrists,andhiswaist.Therewassweatonhisforeheadandhisfacewasfilledwithanguish.

“Comein,friends,”hesaid,glancingquicklyup.“Thefitisnotyetuponme.Makenonoise,forItoldthatpryingchamberlainthatyouwereinbed.Now...Icanfeelitcoming.Quick!ListenwhileIammasterofmyself.Whenthefitisuponme,itwellmaybethatIshallbegandimploreyou,withentreatiesandthreatenings,toloosenmybonds.TheysayIdo.Ishallcalluponyoubyallthatismostdearandmostdreadful.Butdonotlistentome.Hardenyourheartsandstopyourears.ForwhileIamboundyouaresafe.ButifonceIwereupandoutofthischair,thenfirstwouldcomemyfury,andafterthat”—heshuddered—“thechangeintoaloathsomeserpent.”

“There’snofearofourloosingyou,”saidPuddleglu“We’venowishtomeetwildmen;orserpentseither.”

“Ishouldthinknot,”saidScrubbandJilltogether.

“Allthesame,”addedPuddlegluminawhisper.“Don’tlet’sbetoosure.Let’sbeonourguard.We’vemuffedeverythingelse,youknow.He’llbecunning,Ishouldn’twonder,oncehegetsstarted.Canwetrustoneanother?Doweallpromisethatwhateverhesayswedon’ttouchthosecords?Whateverhesays,mindyou?”

“Rather!”saidScrubb.

“There’snothingintheworldhecansayordothat’llmakemechangemymind,”saidJill.

“Hush!Something’shappening,”saidPuddleglu

TheKnightwasmoaning.Hisfacewasaspaleasputty,andhewrithedinhisbonds.Andwhetherbecauseshewassorryforhim,orforsomeotherreason,Jillthoughtthathelookedanicersortofmanthanhehadlookedbefore.

“Ah,”hegroaned.“Enchantments,enchantments...theheavy,tangled,cold,clammywebofevilmagic.Buriedalive.Draggeddownundertheearth,downintothesootyblackness...howmanyyearsisit?...HaveIlivedtenyears,orathousandyears,inthepit?Maggotmenallaroundme.Oh,havemercy.Letmeout,letmegoback.Letmefeelthewindandseethesky...Thereusedtobealittlepool.Whenyoulookeddownintoityoucouldseeallthetreesgrowingupside-downinthewater,allgreen,andbelowthem,deep,verydeep,thebluesky.”

Hehadbeenspeakinginalowvoice;nowhelookedup,fixedhiseyesuponthem,andsaidloudandclear:

魔幻玩具铺  奇货7:杀破军  奇货:天地镜  奇货大结局:献祭井  诸天归来  神州快递(wan)  纳尼亚传奇5:黎明踏浪号(双语)  纳尼亚传奇2:狮王、女巫和魔衣橱(双语)  纳尼亚传奇3:能言马与男孩(双语)  奇货2:绝世楼  奇货3:合玉门  纳尼亚传奇1:魔法师的外甥(双语)  刺客正传1·刺客学徒  倾玉涟  奇货4:甲厝殿  纳尼亚传奇4:凯斯宾王子(双语)  奇货6:忽汗城  奇货5:九子图  仙帝打工记  神典  

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