in the dark castle

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 comes an hour when my mind is most horribly changed, and, after my mind, my body. for first i become 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 forgetful 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 come 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 twenty 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 two; but his face soon cleared and he broke out, with another of his loud laughs, "but fie on gravity! is it not the most comical 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 come 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 come 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 come 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 coming 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 between 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 coming. 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 come 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 two 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 become 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 come 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 twice 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 come 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 twisted 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 forgotten 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 come 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.

11、在黑暗的城堡里

等到上了饭莱(鸽肉馅饼、冷火腿、凉拌菜和糕饼)，大家都把椅子拉到桌边吃了起来，骑士就继续说道：

“你们一定得明白，朋友们，我并不知道自己是谁，什么时候来到这黑暗世界。我不记得住进这位简直举世无双的女王王宫之前的一切；但我的想法是她把我从邪恶的魔法里救出来，非常慷慨地把我带到这儿。(可敬的青蛙脚，你的酒杯空了，允许我替你斟满吧。)我觉得，这点似乎可能性大些，因为即使到现在，我还是受魔法的约束，只有夫

人能使我解脱。每天晚上都有一小时，我头脑里会起可怕的变化，先是头脑，后是身体。开头我会暴跳如雷，拼命撒野，如果不把我绑起来，我会冲到我最亲爱的朋友身边杀了他们。过后不久，我就变成类似一条大毒蛇的东西，又饿，又凶，又厉害。(阁下，请你再吃一块鸽胸肉吧。)他们这么告诉我，他们当然说的是真话，因为夫人也这么说。我本人则对此一无所知，因为过了这一个小时，我醒来时已经忘记了那一切恶性发作，而且恢复了原形，脑子也清楚了——只是有点儿累。(小姐，吃一块这种蜜糕吧，这是从世界上很远的南方什么蛮荒地方带来给我的。)现在女王陛下凭法术知道，一旦她让我成为上面世界一个国家的国王，为我加冕，我就从魔法里解脱出来了。那个国家已经选好了。还有我们破土而出的那个地方。她的地下人日日夜夜都在干活，在那个地方下面挖一条路，这条路已经挖得很远很高，离那个国家的上界居民走路的草地已不到二十英尺了。不久上界人的命运就要突变。女王本人今晚也亲自去挖了，我希望给她送个信。到那时把我和我的王国隔开的地面这层薄薄的顶层就要打通，前面有她为我带路，后面有一千地下人撑腰，我就要全副武装，骑马上阵，出其不意扑到我们的敌人身上，把他们的首领杀掉，扫平他们的据点，毫无疑义，在二十四小时之内就加冕做他们的国王。”

“那他们就有点倒霉了吧?”斯克罗布说。

“你这孩子头脑非常敏捷，”骑士失声喊道，“因为，凭良心说，我以前就从来没想到这点，我明白你的意思。”一时他看上去有一点点烦恼的样子；但他脸色很快就开朗了，又响亮地哈哈大笑起来。“呸，别一本正经了!想想看，他们全都在忙着自己的事，做梦也没想到在他们那宁静的田野和地板下面，只有六英尺以下，就有一支大军，准备着像喷泉一样冲出来打他们，这岂不是世界上最滑稽可笑的事吗?而且他们根本不会怀疑!嗨，他们吃过第一个大败仗的苦头之后就只好对这个妙计付之一笑了。”

“我认为这一点儿都不可笑，”吉尔说，“我认为你会当个恶毒的暴君。”

“什么?”骑士说着，一边还是笑个不停，一边激怒地拍拍她脑袋，“我们这位小姐竟是个深谋远虑的政治家?不过别害怕，宝贝儿。在统治那个国家时，我一切都要跟夫人商量，那时她也是我的王后了。她的话就是我的法律，甚至就像我的话将成为我们征服的人民的法律一样。”

“我来的那个地方，”吉尔说，她越来越不喜欢他了，“他们可看不起被自己老婆指挥的男人。”

“等你有了你自己的男人，包管你就不会那样想了。”骑士说，显然认为这话十分有趣，“不过跟夫人在一起，那是另一回事。我甘心情愿根据她的命令生活，她已经把我从无数次危险中拯救出来。没有一个母亲像女王陛下对我那样亲切地为孩子尽力。咳，听着，尽管她操劳的事这么多，还是常常陪我骑马到上面世界去，让我眼睛习惯阳光。那时我必须披甲挂胄，拉下面罩，这样就没人能看见我的脸，而且我千万不能跟任何人说话。因为她凭法术看出这样会妨碍我从可恶的魔法下解脱出来。难道那么一位夫人不值得男人全心全意崇拜吗?”

“听上去确实是一位非常好的夫人。”普德格伦说话的嗓音意味着他说的全是反话。"

他们还没吃完晚饭就对骑士的话厌烦透了。普德格伦心想，“我真想知道那个女巫究竟在这个小傻瓜身上搞了什么鬼把戏。”斯克罗布心想，“他真是一个大活宝：被那个女人牵着鼻子走：他是个笨蛋。”吉尔心想，“我好久没见过他这么愚蠢，这么自负，这么自私的粗坯了。”但等吃过饭以后，骑士的态度就改变了，再也听不见他笑了。

“朋友们，”他说，“我的时辰已经很近了，让你们看见我那副模样，我真羞愧，然而我又怕一个人待着。他们很快就要来把我手脚绑在那边的椅子上。唉，一定得那样干：因为他们告诉我，我发起火来会把够得到的一切都毁掉。”

“听着，”斯克罗布说，“我对你中了魔法当然感到非常遗憾，但那些家伙来绑你的时候又会怎样对待我们呢?他们说过要把我们关到牢里。我们可不大喜欢那种黑暗的地方。如果可以的话，我们宁可待在这儿，直到你……好转。”

“考虑得很周到，”骑士说，“习惯上，在我不幸发作的时刻里只有女王留在我身边。她对我的名誉如此关心体贴，除了她本人，她不愿让任何人听见我在昏乱中说的那些话。但我不容易说服那些小精灵随从让你们留在这儿陪我。而且我想我现在已经听见楼梯上有他们轻柔的脚步声了。你们从那边的门出去，门通向我另外的房间。你们或者在那儿等到他们给我松绑以后我过来；或者，你们愿意的话，在我说胡话的时候回到这儿来坐下陪着我。”

他们按照他的指点，从一扇没看见开过的门里走出房间。他们看到这扇门不是通向黑暗，而是通向一条有灯的走廊，心里很高兴。他们试着打开各扇门，找到了他们迫切需要用来洗洗脸的水，甚至还有一面镜子。“晚饭前他根本没请我们来洗一洗，”吉尔说着把脸擦干，“真是自私自利的粗坯。”

“我们回去看魔法吗?还是待在这儿?”斯克罗布说。

“我主张待在这儿，”吉尔说，“我情愿不看见这种事情。”但她心里还是觉得有点儿好奇。

“不，回去，”普德格伦说，“我们可能会打听到一些消息，而我们需要一切能得到的消息。我肯定那女王是个女巫，是敌人。而那些地下人一看见我们就会把我们打死。这地方充满了危险、谎言、魔法和反叛的气味，比我以前闻到的更强烈。我们需要多提防着点儿。”

他们从走廊走回去，轻轻推开门，“好了。”斯克罗布说，意思是那里没有地下人了。于是他们全都回到他们吃晚饭的那问房间里。

那扇大门这会儿已经关上了，遮住了他们最初进来时走过的门帘。骑士坐在一张古怪的银椅上，脚踝、膝部、肘部、手腕和腰部都绑在椅子上。他前额上全是汗，脸上神情非常痛苦。

“进来，朋友们，”他说，一边赶快看了他们一眼，“我还没开始发作。你们别出声，因为我告诉那爱打听的侍从你们已经睡觉去了。现在……我能感觉到就要发作了。快，趁我还作得了自己的主，听我说。当我发作时，我很可能会哀求你们，恳求你们给我松绑，又是软磨又是恐吓。他们说我会这样做。我会用一切最可爱和最可怕的话请求你们。但你们别听我的话。硬起心肠，堵起耳朵。因为我被绑着的时候你们就安全。但要是我一旦站起来，离开了这张椅子，那么我首先就要狂怒，过后”——他浑身发抖——“就变成一条可恶的毒蛇。”

“不用害怕我们放了你，”普德格伦说，“我们不希望遇见疯子，也不希望遇见毒蛇。”

“我也不想。”斯克罗布和吉尔异口同声说。

普德格伦悄悄说：“我们还是别太相信。要多留神。你们知道我们已经把别的一切都错过了。一旦他发作起来，他会很狡猾，这我不会奇怪。我们彼此信得过吗?我们大家不是都保证过无论他说什么，我们都不碰那些绳子吗?无论他说什么?”

“当然啦!”斯克罗布说。

“无论他说什么干什么都不能让我改变主意。”吉尔说。

“嘘，发生什么事了?”普德格伦说。

那骑士正在呻吟。他脸如死灰，身子在五花大绑中扭动。吉尔不知是不是为他难过，还是别的原因，竟觉得他比先前看上去更像个好点的人了。

“啊，”他呻吟道，“魔法，魔法……沉重，混乱，又冷又湿，邪恶的魔法网。活埋了。拖到地下，拖到黑暗里……有多少年了……我在这地狱里住了十年还是一千年?周围全是怪物。哦，可怜可怜吧。让我出去，让我回去。让我感受到风吹，看看天空……那儿以前有一个小水塘。你往水塘里看，就能看见所有的树在水中的倒影，一片绿色，树下面深处是蓝蓝的天。”

他一直在低声说话；这会儿他抬起头来，眼睛盯着他们，响亮而清楚地说：

“快!我现在神志清醒了。每天晚上我都是清醒的。只要我能从这把有魔法的骑子上起来，我就会一直清醒。我就又成了一个男子汉。但他们每天晚上都把我绑起来，因此每天晚上我的机会都消失了。但你们不是敌人。我不是你们的囚犯。快!砍掉这些绳子。”

“站好!沉住气。”普德格伦对两个孩子说。

“我恳求你们听我说，”骑士说，他强自镇定地说话，“他们有没有告诉你们，要是把我从这把椅子上放开，我就要杀掉你们，而且变成一条毒蛇?我从你们脸上就看出他们已经告诉你们了。这是谎言。实际上只有这一小时里我脑子才是清醒的：其余时间我都在魔法的迷惑下。你们不是地下人也不是女巫。你们干吗要站在他们一边?你们就行行好，给我松了绑吧。”

“沉住气!沉住气!沉住气!”他们三个相互提醒说。

“哦，你们真是铁石心肠，”骑士说，“相信我，你们面对一个不幸的人，他经受的折磨几乎是任何临死的人也忍受不了的。我有什么对不起你们的，你们竟站在我的敌人一边，让我经受这种痛苦?一分钟又一分钟过去了，现在只有你们能救我；等这一个小时过去了，我又要糊涂了——成为设计陷害男人的最毒辣的女巫的玩具，叭儿狗，不，十之八九是狗腿子和工具。惟独只有今天晚上，趁她不在的时候，你们才碰上一个千载难逢的机会。”

“这太可怕了。我真希望我们待在别的地方，等到他发作过后。”吉尔说。

“沉住气!”普德格伦说。

那个被绑着的人的声音这会儿变成尖叫了。“我说让我走。把我的剑给我。我的剑!一旦我自由了，我就要向地下人报仇，地下世界将千年万载议论我的复仇!”

“现在开始狂乱了，”斯克罗布说，“我希望那些绳结都牢靠。”

“是啊，”普德格伦说，“要是现在放开他，他会比原来的力量大上一倍。我的剑术不大好。他会杀死我们两个，这我不奇怪；这一来波尔就得独自对付那条蛇了。”

那个被绑住的人这会儿拼命使劲挣脱勒进他手腕和脚踝的绳索。“注意，”他说，“注意。有天晚上，我真的把绳子挣断了。但那时女巫在场。今晚你们可没有她帮你们。现在把我放了，我就是你们的朋友。否则我就是你们不共戴天的敌人。”

“他有多狡猾呀!”普德格伦说。

“我要求你们把我放了，”被绑住的人说，“爽快点。以全部的恐惧和全部的爱的名义，以上面世界明亮的天的名义，以伟大的狮王，以阿斯兰本人的名义，我命令你们——”

“啊呀!”他们三个像受了伤似的大叫起来。“这是指示，”普德格伦说，“这是指示里的话呀。”斯克罗布格外小心地说。“哦，我们怎么办呢?”吉尔说。

这问题倒难办了。要是他第一次偶然提起一个他们真正关心的名字，他们就把骑士放开，那么刚才彼此保证在任何情况下都不放开他又有什么用?反过来说，要是他们不打算遵照指示行事，那学指示还有什么用?不过，阿斯兰是否可能真的要他们给以他的名义提出松绑要求的任何人松绑呢——哪怕那人是个疯子?这会不会仅仅出于偶然呢?如果地下世界的女王知道有关指示的一切，就迫使骑士学说这个名字，就为了让他们落入圈套，那又怎么办呢?但是，假定这是真正的指示呢?……他们已经错过了三点，可不敢错过第四点了。

“哦，只要我们知道就好了!”吉尔说。

“我认为我们的确知道。”普德格伦说。

“你意思是说假如我们真的救了他，你认为一切都会好起来?”斯克罗布说。

“那个我不知道，”普德格伦说，“你瞧，阿斯兰并没告诉波尔会出什么事，他只告诉她干什么。那家伙一旦站起来，我们就死定了，这我不会奇怪。但放了他我们就不违背指示了。”

他们全都眼晴发亮，站在那儿你看看我，我看看你。这段时间可真难受。“好吧，”吉尔突然说，“让我们了结这件事吧。大家再见了……”他们互相握握手。骑士这会儿正在尖声喊叫，满脸全是汗。

“来吧，斯克罗布。”普德格伦说。它和斯克罗布抽出剑走到那个被绑住的人身边。

“以阿斯兰的名义，”他们说着开始井井有条地割断绳子。那人刚刚获得自由，就跳到房间那边，抓起他自己那把剑(那剑从他身上解下后就放在桌上)，抽出剑来。

“首先是你!”他叫着对准银椅劈下去。那一定是把好剑，银椅碰到剑锋就像绳子一样碎了，一会儿工夫，地板上就只剩下几块弯弯曲曲的碎片在发亮。不过椅子碎裂的时候，里面亮晃晃的一闪，有一种像打雷的声音，片刻间还有一种叫人恶心的味儿。)

“可恶的魔法工具，你就躺在那儿吧，”他说，“免得你的女主人把你再用在另一个受害人身上。”说着他转身打量他的救命恩人；脸上那种不知怎么总有点不对头的神情已经消失了。

“什么?”他转过身对普德格伦叫道，“难道我面前不是一个沼泽怪吗?——不是一个地地道道、活蹦乱跳的纳尼亚沼泽怪吗?”

“哦，原来你毕竟还是听说过纳尼亚的?”吉尔说。

“我中邪的时候忘记了纳尼亚吗?”骑士问，“好了，那一点和一切其他困扰都过去了。你们完全可以相信我知道纳尼亚，因为我就是纳尼亚的王子瑞廉，伟大的凯斯宾国王就是我父亲。”

“殿下，”普德格伦说着单腿跪下(两个孩子也照做)，“我们到这儿来的目的就是来找你的。”

“我的另两位救命恩人，你们是什么人啊?”王子问斯克罗布和吉尔。

“我们是阿斯兰本人从世界尽头以外派来寻找殿下的，”斯克罗布说，“我叫尤斯塔斯，曾经跟他一起航海到拉曼杜岛去。”

“我欠你们三个的情是我还也还不清的。”瑞廉王子说，“可我父亲呢?他还活着吗?”

“我们离开纳尼亚之前，他又乘船往东面去了，殿下，”普德格伦说，“但殿下必须考虑国王已经很老了。十有八九陛下必定死在半路上。”

“你说他老了。那我落到女巫手里有多久了呢?”

“自从殿下在纳尼亚北边的森林里失踪以来，已经十年多了。”

“十年!”王子说，一手在脸上擦了一把，像是要擦去往事。“是啊，我相信你。因为现在我清醒了，我能记起那段中了邪的生活，虽然我中邪时我记不得自己本来面貌。行啦，好朋友——可等一下!我听见楼梯上他们的脚步声了，(那种轻轻的，模模糊糊的脚步声，不是让人听了作呕吗?)呸!把门锁上，孩子。要不，还是待着吧。我有个比那更好的主意。要是阿斯兰给了我智慧，我就来骗骗这些地下人。你们看我的暗示行事。”

他果断地走到门口，把门打开。