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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：

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