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《銀椅子》 第十四章 地底層

所屬教程:納尼亞傳奇7本全

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2019年02月12日

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CHAPTER FOURTEEN THE BOTTOM OF THE WORLD

“MY name is Golg,”said the gnome. “And I’ll tell your Honours all I know. About an hour ago we were all going about our work—her work,I should say—sad and silent,same as we’ve done any other day for years and years. Then there came a great crash and bang. As soon as they heard it,everyone says to himself,I haven’t had a song or a dance or let off a squib for a long time;why’s that ? And everyone thinks to himself,Why, I must have been enchanted. And then everyone says to himself,I’m blessed if I know why I’m carrying this load,and I’m not going to carry it any farther:that’s that. And down we all throw our sacks and bundles and tools. Then everyone turns and sees the great red glow over yonder. And everyone says to himself,What’s that ? and everyone answers himself and says,There’s a crack or chasm split open and a nice warm glow coming up through it from the Really Deep Land,a thousand fathom under us.”
“Great Scott,”exclaimed Eustace,“are there other lands still lower down ?”
“Oh yes,your Honour,”said Golg. “Lovely places;what we call the Land of Bism. This country where we are now,the Witch’s country,is what we call the Shallow Lands. It’s a good deal too near the surface to suit us. Ugh ! You might almost as well be living outside,on the surface itself. You see,we’re all poor gnomes from Bism whom the Witch has called up here by magic to work for her. But we’d forgotten all about it till that crash came and the spell broke. We didn’t know who we were or where we belonged. We couldn’t do anything,or think anything,except what she put into our heads. And it was glum and gloomy things she put there all those years. I’ve nearly forgotten how to make a joke or dance a jig. But the moment the bang came and the chasm opened and the sea began rising,it all came back. And of course we all set off as quick as we could to get down the crack and home to our own place. And you can see them over there all letting off rockets and standing on their heads for joy. And I’ll be very obliged to your Honours if you’ll soon let me go and join in.”
“I think this is simply splendid,”said Jill. “I’m so glad we freed the gnomes as well as ourselves when we cut off the Witch’s head ! And I’m so glad they aren’t really horrid and gloomy any more than the Prince really was—well,what he seemed like.”
“That’s all very well,Pole,”said Puddleglum cautiously. “But those gnomes didn’t look to me like chaps who were just running away. It looked more like military formations,if you ask me. Do you look me in the face,Mr Golg,and tell me you weren’preparing for battle ?”
“Of course we were,your Honour,”said Golg. “You see,we didn’t know the Witch was dead. We thought she’d be watching from the castle. We were trying to slip away without being seen. And then when you four came out with swords and horses,of course everyone says to himself,Here it comes:not knowing that his Honour wasn’t on the Witch’s side. And we were determined to fight like anything rather than give up the hope of going back to Bism.”
“I’ll be sworn’t is an honest gnome,”said the Prince. “Let go of it,friend Puddleglum. As for me,good Golg,I have been enchanted like you and your fellows,and have but newly remembered myself. And now,one question more. Do you know the way to those new diggings,by which the sorceress meant to lead out an army against Overland ?”
“Ee-ee-ee !”squeaked Golg. “Yes,I know that terrible road. I will show you where it begins. But it is no manner of use your Honour asking me to go with you on it. I’ll die rather.”
“Why ?”asked Eustace anxiously. “What’s so dreadful about it ?”
“Too near the top,the outside,”said Golg,shuddering. “That was the worst thing the Witch did to us. We were going to be led out into the open—onto the outside of the world. They say there’s no roof at all there;only a horrible,great emptiness called the sky. And the diggings have gone so far that a few strokes of the pick would bring you out to it. I wouldn’t dare go near them.”
“Hurrah!Now you’re talking!”cried Eustace,and Jill said,“But it’s not horrid at all up there. We like it. We live there.”
“I know you Overlanders live there,”said Golg. “But I thought it was because you couldn’t find your way down inside. You can’t really like it—crawling about like flies on the top of the world !”
“What about showing us the road at once ?”said Puddleglum.
“In a good hour,”cried the Prince. The whole party set out. The Prince remounted his charger,Puddleglum climbed up behind Jill,and Golg led the way. As he went,he kept shouting out the good news that the Witch was dead and that the four Overlanders were not dangerous. And those who heard him shouted it on to others,so that in a few minutes the whole of Underland was ringing with shouts and cheers,and gnomes by hundreds and thousands,leaping,turning cart-wheels,standing on their heads,playing leap-frog,and letting off huge crackers,came pressing round Coalblack and Snowflake. And the Prince had to tell the story of his own enchantment and deliverance at least ten times.
In this way they came to the edge of the chasm. It was about a thousand feet long and perhaps two hundred wide. They dismounted from their horses and came to the edge,and looked down into it. A strong heat smote up into their faces,mixed with a smell which was quite unlike any they had ever smelled. It was rich,sharp,exciting,and made you sneeze. The depth of the chasm was so bright that at first it dazzled their eyes and they could see nothing. When they got used to it they thought they could make out a river of fire,and,on the banks of that river,what seemed to be fields and groves of an unbearable,hot brilliance—though they were dim compared with the river. There were blues,reds,greens,and whites all jumbled together:a very good stained-glass window with the tropical sun staring straight through it at midday might have something the same effect. Down the rugged sides of the chasm,looking black like flies against all that fiery light,hundreds of Earthmen were climbing.
“Your honours,”said Golg(and when they turned to look at him they could see nothing but blackness for a few minutes, their eyes were so dazzled). “Your honours,why don’t you come down to Bism ? You’d be happier there than in that cold, unprotected,naked country out on top. Or at least come down for a short visit.”
Jill took it for granted that none of the others would listen to such an idea for a moment. To her horror she heard the Prince saying: “Truly,friend Golg,I have half a mind to come down with you. For this is a marvellous adventure,and it may be no mortal man has ever looked into Bism before or will ever have the chance again. And I know not how,as the years pass,I shall bear to remember that it was once in my power to have probed the uttermost pit of Earth and that I forbore. But could a man live there ? You do not swim in the fire-river itself ?”
“Oh no,your Honour. Not we. It’s only salamanders live in the fire itself.”
“What kind of beast is your salamander ?”asked the Prince.
“It is hard to tell their kind,your Honour,”said Golg. “For they are too white-hot to look at. But they are most like small dragons. They speak to us out of the fire. They are wonderfully clever with their tongues:very witty and eloquent.”
Jill glanced hastily at Eustace. She had felt sure that he would like the idea of sliding down that chasm even less than she did. Her heart sank as she saw that his face was quite changed. He looked much more like the Prince than like the old Scrubb at Experiment House. For all his adventures,and the days when he had sailed with King Caspian,were coming back to him.
“Your Highness,”he said. “If my old friend Reepicheep the Mouse were here,he would say we could not now refuse the adventures of Bism without a great impeachment to our honour.”
“Down there,”said Golg,“I could show you real gold,real silver,real diamonds.”
“Bosh ! ”said Jill rudely. “As if we didn’t know that we’re below the deepest mines even here.”
“Yes,”said Golg. “I have heard of those little scratches in the crust that you Topdwellers call mines. But that’s where you get dead gold,dead silver,dead gems. Down in Bism we have them alive and growing. There I’ll pick you bunches of rubies that you can eat and squeeze you a cup full of diamond juice. You won’t care much about fingering the cold,dead treasures of your shallow mines after you have tasted the live ones of Bism.”
“My father went to the world’s end,”said Rilian thoughtfully. “It would be a marvellous thing if his son went to the bottom of the world.”
“If your Highness wants to see your father while he’s still alive,which I think he’d prefer,”said Puddleglum,“it’s about time we were getting on to that road to the diggings.”
“And I won’t go down that hole,whatever anyone says,” added Jill.
“Why,if your Honours are really set to go back to Overworld,”said Golg,“there is one bit of the road that’s rather lower than this. And perhaps,if that flood’s still rising—”
“Oh,do,do,do come on ! ”begged Jill.
“I fear it must be so,”said the Prince with a deep sigh. “But I have left half of my heart in the land of Bism.”
“Please !”begged Jill.
“Where is the road ? ”asked Puddleglum.
“There are lamps all the way,”said Golg. “Your Honour can see the beginning of the road on the far side of the chasm.”
“How long will the lamps burn for ? ”asked Puddleglum.
At that moment a hissing,scorching voice like the voice of Fire itself(they wondered afterwards if it could have been a salamander’s)came whistling up out of the very depths of Bism.
“Quick ! Quick ! Quick ! To the cliffs,to the cliffs,to the cliffs !”it said. “The rift closes. It closes. It closes. Quick ! Quick !”And at the same time,with ear-shattering cracks and creaks,the rocks moved. Already,while they looked,the chasm was narrower. From every side belated gnomes were rushing into it. They would not wait to climb down the rocks. They flung themselves headlong and,either because so strong a blast of hot air was beating up from the bottom,or for some other reason, they could be seen floating downwards like leaves. Thicker and thicker they floated,till their blackness almost blotted out the fiery river and the groves of live gems. “Good-bye to your Honours. I’m off,”shouted Golg,and dived. Only a few were left to follow him. The chasm was now no broader than a stream. Now it was narrow as the slit in a pillar box. Now it was only an intensely bright thread. Then,with a shock like a thousand goods trains crashing into a thousand pairs of buffers,the lips of rock closed. The hot,maddening smell vanished. The travellers were alone in an Underworld which now looked far blacker than before. Pale, dim,and dreary,the lamps marked the direction of the road.
“Now,”said Puddleglum,“it’s ten to one we’ve already stayed too long,but we may as well make a try. Those lamps will give out in five minutes,I shouldn’t wonder.”
They urged the horses to a canter and thundered along the dusky road in fine style. But almost at once it began going downhill. They would have thought Golg had sent them the wrong way if they had not seen,on the other side of the valley,the lamps going on and upwards as far as the eye could reach. But at the bottom of the valley the lamps shone on moving water.
“Haste,”cried the Prince. They galloped down the slope. It would have been nasty enough at the bottom even five minutes later for the tide was running up the valley like a mill-race,and if it had come to swimming,the horses could hardly have won over. But it was still only a foot or two deep,and though it swished terribly round the horses’ legs,they reached the far side in safety.
Then began the slow,weary march uphill with nothing ahead to look at but the pale lamps which went up and up as far as the eye could reach. When they looked back they could see the water spreading. All the hills of Underland were now islands,and it was only on those islands that the lamps remained. Every moment some distant light vanished. Soon there would be total darkness everywhere except on the road they were following;and even on the lower part of it behind them,though no lamps had yet gone out,the lamplight shone on water.
Although they had good reason for hurrying,the horses could not go on for ever without a rest. They halted:and in silence they could hear the lapping of water.
“I wonder is what’s his name—Father Time—flooded out now,”said Jill. “And all those queer sleeping animals.”
“I don’t think we’re as high as that,”said Eustace. “Don’t you remember how we had to go downhill to reach the sunless sea ? I shouldn’t think the water has reached Father Time’s cave yet.”
“That’s as may be,”said Puddleglum. “I’m more interested in the lamps on this road. Look a bit sickly,don’t they ?”
“They always did,”said Jill.
“Aye,”said Puddleglum. “But they’re greener now.”
“You don’t mean to say you think they’re going out ? ”cried Eustace.
“Well,however they work,you can’t expect them to last for- ever,you know,”replied the Marsh-wiggle. “But don’t let your spirits down,Scrubb. I’ve got my eye on the water too,and I don’t think it’s rising so fast as it did.”
“Small comfort,friend,”said the Prince. “If we cannot find our way out. I cry you mercy,all. I am to blame for my pride and fantasy which delayed us by the mouth of the land of Bism. Now, let us ride on.”
During the hour or so that followed Jill sometimes thought that Puddleglum was right about the lamps,and sometimes thought it was only her imagination. Meanwhile,the land was changing. The roof of Underland was so near that even by that dull light they could now see it quite distinctly. And the great,rugged walls of Underland could be seen drawing closer on each side. The road,in fact,was leading them up into a steep tunnel. They began to pass picks and shovels and barrows and other signs that the diggers had recently been at work. If only one could be sure of getting out,all this was very cheering. But the thought of going on into a hole that would get narrower and narrower,and harder to turn back in,was very unpleasant.
At last the roof was so low that Puddleglum and the Prince knocked their heads against it. The party dismounted and led the horses. The road was uneven here and one had to pick one’s steps with some care. That was how Jill noticed the growing darkness. There was no doubt about it now. The faces of the others looked strange and ghastly in the green glow. Then all at once(she couldn’t help it)Jill gave a little scream. One light,the next one ahead,went out altogether. The one behind them did the same. Then they were in absolute darkness.
“Courage,friends,”came Prince Rilian’s voice. “Whether we live or die Aslan will be our good lord.”
“That’s right,Sir,”said Puddleglum’s voice. “And you must always remember there’s one good thing about being trapped down here:it’ll save funeral expenses.”
Jill held her tongue. (If you don’t want other people to know how frightened you are,this is always a wise thing to do;it’s your voice that gives you away.)
“We might as well go on as stand here,”said Eustace;and when she heard the tremble in his voice,Jill knew how wise she’d been not to trust her own.
Puddleglum and Eustace went first with their arms stretched out in front of them,for fear of blundering into anything;Jill and the Prince followed,leading the horses.
“I say,”came Eustace’s voice much later,“are my eyes going queer or is there a patch of light up there ?”
Before anyone could answer him,Puddleglum called out: “Stop. I’m up against a dead end. And it’s earth,not rock. What were you saying,Scrubb ?”
“By the Lion,”said the Prince,“Eustace is right. There is a sort of—”
“But it’s not daylight,”said Jill. “It’s only a cold blue sort of light.”
“Better than nothing,though,”said Eustace. “Can we get up to it ?”
“It’s not right overhead,”said Puddleglum. “It’s above us, but it’s in this wall that I’ve run into. How would it be,Pole,if you got on my shoulders and saw whether you could get up to it ?”




第十四章 地底層

“我叫戈?duì)柛瘢?rdquo;小精靈說(shuō),“我會(huì)知無(wú)不言,言無(wú)不盡。差不多一個(gè)鐘頭以前,我們都在干活。大家憂(yōu)傷而沉默,多年如一日。突然不知哪里傳來(lái)一陣隆隆聲響。一聽(tīng)到這個(gè)聲音,大家突然發(fā)現(xiàn)自己已經(jīng)很久沒(méi)有唱歌、跳舞、放鞭炮了??蛇@是為什么呢?所有人都想不通,噢,一定是被魔法迷住了。然后我聽(tīng)見(jiàn)大家都在說(shuō),我要是知道自己為什么在這里干這么重的活兒就好了,我一定不會(huì)再干了, 就是這樣。于是我們把口袋、包袱和工具都扔掉了。大家都去看那片紅光。所有人都在自言自語(yǔ),那是什么?原來(lái)是幾千英里下,有一道溫暖的光透過(guò)地下裂縫照進(jìn)來(lái)了。
“天哪,”尤斯塔斯驚叫道,“還有比這里更深的地方嗎?”
“哦,是的。”戈?duì)柛裾f(shuō)。“那是個(gè)可愛(ài)的地方,我們叫它比瑟姆國(guó)。我們現(xiàn)在待的地方是女巫的國(guó)土,叫做淺地。對(duì)我們來(lái)說(shuō),這兒離地面太近,不適合居住。嗯,住這里還不如直接住到外面,到地面上去呢。瞧,我們都是從比瑟姆國(guó)來(lái)的精靈,是女巫用魔法把我們弄到這里來(lái)給她干活的。原本我們把這些事都忘記了,可是那一聲巨響過(guò)后魔法破解了,我們才想起來(lái)。這么多年來(lái)我們不知道自己是誰(shuí),從哪里來(lái)。腦子里全是她灌輸進(jìn)來(lái)的東西,什么也不會(huì)做,什么也不會(huì)想。
這么多年她給我們灌輸?shù)娜怯魫灐⒊羁嗟臇|西。我們幾乎忘記該怎么說(shuō)笑、怎么跳舞了??墒沁@轟隆一聲,地面裂開(kāi)了,海水漲起來(lái)了, 一切都被想起來(lái)了。所以我們大家都趕緊從裂縫下去,回到我們自己的地方。你看他們?cè)谀抢锓艧熁ǚ疃窇c祝呢。要是你們能放了我, 讓我跟大家一起回去,我會(huì)很感激的。”
“太好了!”姬爾說(shuō),“我真開(kāi)心,砍下女巫頭的同時(shí),不僅解救了自己,還解救了精靈們!我真開(kāi)心他們不再那么害怕和猶豫了,就像王子也不是……嗯,像之前那樣傻。”
“這當(dāng)然好,姬爾,”普德格勒姆謹(jǐn)慎地說(shuō),“可是在我看來(lái)這些精靈不止想逃跑。照我說(shuō),它們倒像是搞暴動(dòng)??粗业哪?,戈?duì)柛裣壬嬖V我,你們是在謀劃戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)嗎?”
“當(dāng)然,大人,”戈?duì)柛裾f(shuō),“不瞞您說(shuō),我們不知道女巫已經(jīng)死了。我們以為她會(huì)看到我們逃跑。后來(lái)你們四個(gè)人出來(lái)了,騎著馬,提著劍。大家就想,這就來(lái)了。我們不知道你們跟女巫不是一伙的,所以決定寧可戰(zhàn)斗到底,也絕不會(huì)放棄。
“我敢說(shuō)它是個(gè)誠(chéng)實(shí)的精靈,”王子說(shuō),“放開(kāi)他,我的朋友, 普德格勒姆。至于我,好心的戈?duì)柛?,我跟你和你的同胞一樣,曾?jīng)被魔法迷住了,也是剛剛恢復(fù)本性。現(xiàn)在我想問(wèn)你一個(gè)問(wèn)題,您知道怎么去新挖的那條坑道嗎?就是女巫說(shuō)要帶領(lǐng)軍隊(duì)攻打上面世界的那條地道?”
“嗯……嗯——啊,”戈?duì)柛窦饨兄?ldquo;我知道,那條路很可怕, 我可以給你們指路。但是如果想要叫我陪你們?nèi)ィ铱刹辉敢?,我情愿去死?rdquo;
“為什么?”尤斯塔斯急切地問(wèn),“那里有什么可怕的東西?”
“離上面,外面,非常近,”戈?duì)柛穸叨哙锣碌卣f(shuō),“這是女巫對(duì)我們做的最狠毒的事情。我們會(huì)被帶出去——帶到地面上。聽(tīng)說(shuō)那兒沒(méi)有頂層,只有一片可怕的空白,叫天空??拥劳诘煤芨?,再來(lái)幾鍬就能到外面去了,我可不敢去。”
“太好了!總算說(shuō)到點(diǎn)子上了!”尤斯塔斯高喊道。姬爾說(shuō),“上面一點(diǎn)都不恐怖,我們喜歡那兒,我們就住在那兒。”
“我知道那兒有人住,”戈?duì)柛裾f(shuō),“但我認(rèn)為這是因?yàn)槟銈冋也坏酵ㄍ叵碌穆?。你們不?huì)喜歡那兒的,像只蒼蠅一樣,在這個(gè)世界的上面爬來(lái)爬去。”
“請(qǐng)你現(xiàn)在給我們指路,好嗎?”普德格勒姆說(shuō)。
“真及時(shí)。”王子說(shuō)道,他們這就出發(fā)。王子騎上馬,普德格勒姆爬到姬爾后面,戈?duì)柛裨谇懊鎺贰K贿呑咭贿厒鞑バ畔?,說(shuō)女巫已經(jīng)死了。四個(gè)地上世界的人不是敵人。小精靈們把這消息一傳十,十傳百,一會(huì)兒工夫整個(gè)地下世界都?xì)g呼起來(lái)了。成千上萬(wàn)個(gè)小精靈跳啊,蹦啊,翻跟頭,豎蜻蜓,跳背,放鞭炮,還有很多人圍著黑炭和雪花。王子只好把他自己是怎么中了魔法,又怎么被解救出來(lái)的過(guò)程講了又講,最起碼說(shuō)了有十遍。
他們就這樣一路前進(jìn)來(lái)到裂縫處。裂縫約有一千英尺長(zhǎng),二百英尺寬。他們下了馬,從邊緣往下敲了敲。熱浪撲面而來(lái),攜帶著一種他們從來(lái)沒(méi)有聞過(guò)的氣味。又濃又辣又刺激,讓人忍不住打噴嚏。裂縫的深處很亮,一開(kāi)始把他們的眼睛都照花了,什么也看不清楚。等他們習(xí)慣之后才看出來(lái)是一條火河,河兩岸是田野和放著耀眼光芒的小樹(shù)林。跟那條河比起來(lái),這光芒不算什么。河里五顏六色的,藍(lán)色、紅色、綠色、白色混在一起,就像正午時(shí)分熱帶陽(yáng)光照射到一塊彩色玻璃上一樣。紅光下,他們看到成千上萬(wàn)名精靈正順著凹凸不平的裂縫向下爬,黑壓壓的像一群螞蟻。


“各位大人,”戈?duì)柛裾f(shuō)(他們回頭看時(shí)眼睛已經(jīng)花了眼前一片漆黑什么也看不見(jiàn)),“各位大人,你們?yōu)槭裁床坏奖壬啡ツ兀?在那兒可比上面那個(gè)冷冰冰、光禿禿、無(wú)遮無(wú)攔的國(guó)家快樂(lè)多了。去做個(gè)短暫的訪(fǎng)問(wèn)也好啊。”
姬爾想當(dāng)然地認(rèn)為不會(huì)有誰(shuí)同意這個(gè)餿主意的,令她吃驚的是, 她聽(tīng)見(jiàn)王子說(shuō):“說(shuō)實(shí)話(huà),我的朋友戈?duì)柛?,我也想跟你一起下去?因?yàn)檫@肯定很有意思,凡人肯定從來(lái)沒(méi)去過(guò)比瑟姆,以后也不一定會(huì)有機(jī)會(huì)去。當(dāng)一年一年過(guò)去,無(wú)論是誰(shuí),只要想起自己曾經(jīng)有機(jī)會(huì)去地球最深的地方探險(xiǎn),卻避而不去,肯定會(huì)懊惱不已的。但是人能在那里生活嗎?你們不會(huì)在那條火河里游來(lái)游去吧。”
“噢,不,大人,我們不?;鹕卟派钤诨鹄铩?rdquo;
“火蛇?是什么動(dòng)物?”王子問(wèn)。
“很難說(shuō)它是什么動(dòng)物,大人。”戈?duì)柛裾f(shuō),“因?yàn)樗鼈兲珶崃耍?眼睛受不了沒(méi)法看。不過(guò)它們大部分像小龍,常常在火焰外面和我們說(shuō)話(huà)。它們的口才好極了,能說(shuō)會(huì)道,說(shuō)起來(lái)沒(méi)個(gè)完。”
姬爾看了尤斯塔斯一眼。原本她堅(jiān)信尤斯塔斯跟她一樣討厭這個(gè)爬下裂縫去的主意??墒钱?dāng)她看到他的臉色時(shí),心不由得一沉??瓷先ニ瓜駛€(gè)王子,而不是實(shí)驗(yàn)中學(xué)里的那個(gè)尤斯塔斯了。因?yàn)樗肫鹱约焊鷦P斯賓國(guó)王一起航行的日子。
“殿下,”他說(shuō),“要是我的老朋友老鼠騎士雷佩契普在這兒, 他肯定會(huì)說(shuō)如果我們不去比瑟姆冒險(xiǎn),就不是男子漢。”
“到了下面,”戈?duì)柛裾f(shuō),“我能帶你們?nèi)タ凑嬲慕鹱?、銀子還有鉆石。”
“胡說(shuō),”姬爾粗魯?shù)夭遄欤?ldquo;難道我們不知道,這里已經(jīng)在最深的礦下面?”
“是的,”戈?duì)柛裾f(shuō),“我聽(tīng)說(shuō)過(guò)地殼上那些擦痕,地面上的人都把它叫做礦。那就是你們能弄到死了的金銀珠寶的地方。在比瑟姆,我們的金銀珠寶都是活的,還在生長(zhǎng)呢。在那里,我能給你們摘下一串串能吃的紅寶石,給你擠上一杯杯鉆石汁。一旦你嘗過(guò)比瑟姆活生生的珠寶,就不會(huì)去碰那些冷冰冰的、死了的金銀珠寶了。”
“我父親去世界盡頭了,”瑞利安沉思道,“要是他的兒子去地底層,倒也有趣。”
“要是殿下趁父親活著的時(shí)候再見(jiàn)到他,我想他會(huì)更高興的。” 普德格勒姆說(shuō),“我們?cè)撊フ铱拥懒恕?rdquo;
“我死都不愿意下去。”姬爾說(shuō)。
“哎呀,要是各位真的要?jiǎng)由砘氐降厣先ィ?rdquo;戈?duì)柛裾f(shuō),“有一段路比這里還要低呢,說(shuō)不定,如果洪水還在繼續(xù)上漲的話(huà)……”
“噢,走吧,求你們快走吧!”姬爾懇求。
“我們得走了,”王子深深地嘆了口氣,“我的半顆心留在比瑟姆了。”
“求你!”姬爾懇求著。
“路呢?”普德格勒姆問(wèn)道。
“那兒一路都有燈,”戈?duì)柛裾f(shuō),“在裂縫盡頭你能找到起點(diǎn)。”
“那些燈能持續(xù)多久?”普德格勒姆問(wèn)。
這時(shí),從比瑟姆最深處響起了一種奇怪的嘶響和熱辣辣的呼嘯聲。事后他們真想知道那是不是火蛇的聲音。
“快,快點(diǎn),快去,去懸崖,去懸崖,去懸崖!”他說(shuō),“裂縫就要合上了???!快!”與此同時(shí),巖石在震耳欲聾的響聲中慢慢移動(dòng)。他們回過(guò)神來(lái),裂縫已經(jīng)窄了很多。掉隊(duì)的小精靈們從兩邊沖過(guò)去,他們來(lái)不及爬的,就跳了下去,不知道是因?yàn)榈讓用吧蟻?lái)的熱氣太強(qiáng)烈了,還是因?yàn)閯e的什么原因,他們都像樹(shù)葉一樣漂下去了。小精靈越來(lái)越多,黑壓壓的一片,幾乎把火紅的河流和小樹(shù)林都遮住了。
“再見(jiàn),各位。我要走了。”戈?duì)柛袢氯轮?,也跳了進(jìn)去,最后幾個(gè)精靈也跟它一起去了。裂縫越來(lái)越窄,從一條小溪的寬度逐漸減小到郵筒的投信口那么窄,再到一條亮晶晶的細(xì)線(xiàn),最后砰的一聲, 就像數(shù)千節(jié)貨車(chē)撞上緩沖器那樣,合攏了。那股灼熱的讓人發(fā)瘋的氣味也消失了。只剩下他們四個(gè)人待在地下世界里,這里比之前更黑了。只有那些蒼白的、昏暗的、陰森森的路燈可以作為路標(biāo)。
“好了,”普德格勒姆說(shuō),“我們已經(jīng)耽誤很多時(shí)間了,但是我們還是要試一試。我敢說(shuō),那些燈五分鐘之內(nèi)就會(huì)熄滅。”
他們騎馬一路小跑,在昏暗的路上精神十足。剛開(kāi)始一路都是下坡,要不是他們看到山谷的另一邊也有燈,而且那些燈都是向上去的,他們肯定以為是戈?duì)柛裰稿e(cuò)了路。但是到了谷底之后燈光所到之處卻全是流水。
“趕快!”王子叫道。他們沿著斜坡飛奔而來(lái)。再晚上五分鐘就糟了。潮水像河渠里的水一樣滾滾而來(lái),兩匹馬游過(guò)去是不可能的。好在現(xiàn)在潮水只有一兩英尺深,所以盡管湍急的水流在馬腿出發(fā)出了可怕的響聲,他們還是安全抵達(dá)了對(duì)岸。
之后他們開(kāi)始緩慢的攀爬,除了那一眼望不到頭的蒼白燈光什么也沒(méi)有。他們回頭的時(shí)候,發(fā)現(xiàn)潮水開(kāi)始蔓延,很多地下世界的山頭此刻都變成了島嶼。有些燈還亮著,但是幾乎每一分鐘都有燈在熄滅。很快除了他們走的這條路到處都是一片黑暗,即便他們身后的那段路上燈還沒(méi)有熄滅,水已經(jīng)漫上來(lái)了。
雖然他們都知道必須要繼續(xù)趕路,可是馬已經(jīng)累得走不動(dòng)了。
他們只好停下來(lái)休息,沒(méi)有人說(shuō)話(huà),水的拍打聲格外清晰。
“我真想知道那個(gè)叫什么……時(shí)間老人……是不是也被大水沖出來(lái)了?”姬爾說(shuō),“還有那些睡著了的動(dòng)物。”
“我想我們沒(méi)有到那么高的地方,”尤斯塔斯說(shuō),“你記不記得我們是怎么到那個(gè)幽深海洋的?大水應(yīng)該還沒(méi)有涌到時(shí)間老人的那個(gè)洞。”
“可能吧,”普德格勒姆說(shuō),“我更感興趣的是這條路上的燈, 好像比之前暗了。”
“這些燈一直都很暗。”姬爾說(shuō)。
“是,”普德格勒姆說(shuō),“但是這會(huì)兒已經(jīng)開(kāi)始泛綠了。”
“你該不會(huì)是說(shuō)燈要滅了吧?”尤斯塔斯叫道。
“嗯,不管這些燈是怎么點(diǎn)亮的,但是它們總不會(huì)永遠(yuǎn)這么亮下去吧。”沼澤怪回答說(shuō),“不過(guò)你也別沮喪的,尤斯塔斯。我還留意著水呢,水上漲的速度好像慢了。”
“算是小小的安慰,朋友,”王子說(shuō),“我要懇求你們的原諒。我們要是找不到出路,都是我的錯(cuò),害得大家在比瑟姆國(guó)的入口處耽誤了。都是因?yàn)槲业淖宰鹦暮彤愊胩扉_(kāi),在地底層裂口耽誤了時(shí)間?,F(xiàn)在我們繼續(xù)趕路吧。”
之后的一個(gè)時(shí)辰,姬爾認(rèn)為普德格勒姆關(guān)于燈的看法是對(duì)的, 有時(shí)又覺(jué)得這不過(guò)是她的想象。她注意到地面的變化,地下世界的頂層已經(jīng)越來(lái)越近了,昏暗的燈光下,他們能看得一清二楚。兩片凹凸不平的巖壁在向他們靠攏。事實(shí)上,這條路把它們引進(jìn)了一條陡峭的地道。路上時(shí)不時(shí)會(huì)出現(xiàn)鐵鍬、鐵鎬、手推車(chē)和別的工具,說(shuō)明挖地道的人剛剛還在干活。只要能出去,這一切還真是令人振奮的。但是想到自己正走進(jìn)一個(gè)越來(lái)越窄的小洞,窄得無(wú)法轉(zhuǎn)身,還是讓人覺(jué)得不自在。
頂層變得越來(lái)越低,最后普德格勒姆和王子的頭都能碰到頂了, 他們不得不下馬。這里的路高低不平,走起來(lái)要格外小心。姬爾發(fā)現(xiàn)周?chē)呀?jīng)越來(lái)越黑了,毫無(wú)疑問(wèn)。其他人的臉在綠瑩瑩的燈光下像鬼魅一般。隨后姬爾尖叫了一聲,一盞燈,就是前面那盞,滅了,然后他們身后的那盞燈也滅了,他們被黑暗包圍了。
“鼓起勇氣來(lái),朋友們,”這是瑞利安王子,“無(wú)論是死是活, 阿斯蘭都是我們的神。”
“對(duì),殿下,”普德格勒姆說(shuō),“死在這里還有一個(gè)好處:連喪葬費(fèi)都省了。”
姬爾沒(méi)有說(shuō)話(huà)。(如果你不想讓別人發(fā)現(xiàn)你的慌亂,這是最好的辦法,言多必失。)
“與其站在這里不如繼續(xù)往前走。”尤斯塔斯說(shuō)。當(dāng)她聽(tīng)見(jiàn)他顫抖的話(huà)音時(shí),姬爾就知道剛才沉默是多么明智了。
普德格勒姆和尤斯塔斯怕撞上什么東西,只好伸出胳膊走在前面。姬爾和王子牽著馬緊隨其后。
“嘿,”好大一會(huì)兒之后,尤斯塔斯才說(shuō),“是我看錯(cuò)了嗎, 還是上面真的有光?”
還沒(méi)等人回答,普德格勒姆就叫了起來(lái)。“停,到頭了,這是泥土不是巖石。你剛說(shuō)什么,尤斯塔斯?”
“獅王在上,”王子說(shuō),“尤斯塔斯是對(duì)的,是有一種……”
“但這不是陽(yáng)光,”姬爾說(shuō),“是一種淡藍(lán)色的冷光。”
“不管怎么說(shuō),有光總比沒(méi)光好。”尤斯塔斯說(shuō),“能上去嗎?”
“光不在我們頭頂,”普德格勒姆說(shuō),“在我們上面,就在我撞的這堵墻里。姬爾,你爬到我肩上來(lái),試試能不能爬上去?”




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