CHAPTER ELEVEN 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 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 mein 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, self-centred 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.
第十一章 在黑暗城堡中
等到侍从端来了饭菜——有鸽肉馅饼、冷火腿、凉拌菜和糕饼，大家都把椅子拉到桌边吃了起来。骑士继续说道：“朋友们，你们要知道，我并不知道自己是谁，也不知道自己是什么时候来到这黑暗世界的。我不记得我在住进这位举世无双的女王的王宫前到底经历了什么。但我想，应该是她把我从邪恶的魔法中拯救出来，又非常慷慨地把我带到这儿。（青蛙怪，你的酒杯空了，我替你斟满吧。）我想这种情况的可能性大一些，因为即便到了现在，我还是受魔法的束缚，只有夫人才能使我解脱。每天晚上都会有一个小时，我的思想会发生可怕的变化，然后是我的身体。刚开始我会暴跳如雷，拼命挣扎，如果不把我绑起来，我很可能会冲到我最亲爱的朋友身边杀了他们。过后不久，我就要变成类似大毒蛇的生物，饥饿难忍，凶残无比，对任何人都是致命的威胁。（阁下，请你再吃一块鸽胸肉吧。）这些都是他们告诉我的，他们肯定说的是真话，因为夫人也这么说。而我自己对此却一无所知，因为这一个小时过后，等我醒来时就已经忘记了那一切，我的身体也会恢复原形，头脑也清楚了，只是有点儿累。（小姐，尝一块这种蜜糕吧，这是从很远的南方什么蛮荒地方运过来的。）女王陛下通过法术得知，一旦她让我成为上面世界的一个国王，为我加冕，我就能从魔法的诅咒里解脱出来了。那个国家已经选好了，我们也已经定好了突破口。女王的地下侍从日日夜夜忙着在那个国家的下面挖一条路，现在那条路已经挖得很远很高了，离那个国家上界居民的脚下已不到二十英尺了。不久那些百姓的命运就要发生翻天覆地的变化。女王今晚也亲自去挖了，我想给她送个信。到那时，我和我的王国之间隔开的这层薄薄的地面就会打通，前面有她为我带路，后面有一千地下侍从撑腰，我就要全副武装，骑马上阵，直接扑向我们的敌人，杀他个出其不意。杀掉他们的首领，再扫平他们的据点，无须等上二十四小时，我就能坐上国王的宝座。”
“这么做对百姓有些残酷了吧？”斯科拉博说。
“你这孩子很机敏，”骑士提高了嗓门说道，“凭良心说，我以前从来没有想到过，我明白你的意思。”他看起来有些苦恼；但他的脸色很快就明朗起来，又发出了一阵爆笑声。“呸，别这么认真了！想想看，他们都在各自忙着自己的事，做梦也没想到在他们那片宁静的大地下面，就有一支大军，和他们只相隔六英尺，正准备着像喷泉一样冲出来打他们。你们说这不是世界上最滑稽可笑的事吗？我敢说，这绝对是他们从来没有想过的事情！而且他们被击败之后就只能对我们这条妙计苦笑一阵了。”
“我一点儿都不觉得这个好笑，”吉尔说，“我觉得你会成为一个恶毒的暴君。”
“你说什么？”骑士还是笑个不停，一边带着些怒气拍拍吉尔的脑袋，“这位小姐竟是个深谋远虑的政治家？不过别害怕，小宝贝儿。在统治国家时，我一切都会跟夫人商量的，那时她也是我的王后了。她的话就是我的法律，就像我的话将成为我们征服的人民必须遵守的法律一样。”
“在我的家乡，”吉尔说，她越来越不喜欢他了，“人们可看不起被自己老婆指挥的男人。”
“等你有了自己的男人，我保证你就不会那样想了。”虽然，骑士觉得吉尔的这番话很有趣，“不过跟夫人在一起，那是另一回事。是我甘心情愿地听从她的命令，因为她把我从无数险境中拯救出来。没有一位母亲会像女王陛下那样视我为己出。即便她需要操劳那么多的事，她还是会常常陪我骑马到上面的世界去散心，让我的眼睛能够适应阳光。只是在上面的世界时，我必须披甲挂胄，拉下面罩，这样就没人能看见我的脸，而且我也绝对不能跟任何人说话。因为她通过法术得知，这会阻拦我从可恶的魔法下解脱。难道这样一位夫人，不值得男人全部的尊敬吗？”
“听起来，她确实是一位非常好的夫人。”普德格伦说话的语调带些讥讽。
还没等到吃完晚饭，他们就已经对骑士厌烦透了。普德格伦心想：“我真想知道那个女巫究竟在这个笨蛋身上施了什么鬼把戏。”斯科拉博心想：“他真是一个大活宝，居然被那个女人牵着鼻子走，实在是个笨蛋。”吉尔心想：“我好久没见过像他这么愚蠢、这么自负、这么自私的下等货色了。”不过等到他们吃过饭以后，骑士就一改之前的态度，再也不那样狂妄地大笑了。
“朋友们，”他说，“我的不幸时刻就要到来了，我没有脸面让你们看到自己那副样子，但是我又怕一个人待着。他们马上就要来把我手脚绑在那边的椅子上了。唉，每次都得那样做：他们告诉我，我一旦发起狂来会把够得到的所有东西都毁掉。”
“嗨，”斯科拉博说，“我们都很同情你的不幸，但那些家伙把你绑起来以后又会怎样对待我们呢？他们之前说要把我们关进牢里。我们都不大喜欢那种黑暗的地方。如果可以的话，我们更想待在这儿，直到你……好起来。”
“你考虑得很周到，”骑士说，“换作以前，我发作的时候只有女王留在我身边。她十分体贴我，不愿让我的名声受损。因此除了她本人，她不愿让任何人听见我癫狂状态下说的那些话。但要说服侍从让你们留在这儿陪我并不简单，而且我现在已经听见上楼梯的轻柔脚步声了。你们从那个门出去，那里通向我的其他房间。你们可以在那儿等到他们给我松绑以后再过来；或者，如果你们愿意，可以在我说胡话的时候回来坐下陪着我。”
他们按照他的指点，从一扇先前没见着打开的门里走出了房间。他们看到这扇门不是通向黑暗，而是通往一条亮着灯的走廊，心里十分欣慰。他们试着打开各扇门，找到了他们迫切需要的水用来洗脸，还找到了一面镜子。
“晚饭前他根本没请我们来洗一洗，”吉尔说着把脸擦干，“真是自私自利的粗人。”
“我们回去看他变身，还是待在这儿？”斯科拉博问。
“我主张待在这儿，”吉尔说，“我宁愿不看那种事情。”嘴上虽这样说，但她心里还是有点儿好奇。
“不，我们还是回去，”普德格伦说，“我们可能会打听到一些消息，我们现在要尽力搜索消息。我敢肯定那女王是个女巫，她是我们的敌人，而她的手下肯定一看见我们就会把我们打死。这地方充满了危险、谎言、魔法和背叛的气息，我从来没有过这么强烈的感觉。我们要多多提防着点儿。”
他们从走廊走回去，轻轻推开了门。“好了。”斯科拉博告诉后面两个伙伴，地下侍卫不在那里了。于是他们全都回到他们吃晚饭的那间房间里。
身后的大门随即合上，遮住了他们最初进去时走过的门帘。只见骑士坐在一张古怪的银椅上，他的脚踝、双膝、肘部、手腕和腰部都被绑在椅背上。他的前额全是汗，脸上十分痛苦。
“快来，朋友们，”他迅速地给他们递了一个眼神，“我现在还没开始发作。你们别出声，因为我告诉那些爱打听的侍从们说你们已经睡觉去了。现在……我能感觉到自己就要发作了。快，趁我还能控制得住自己，你们听我说。当我发作时，我很可能会哀求你们，恳求你们给我松绑，对你们软磨硬泡、各种央求。他们告诉我说，我会说尽所有最动听和最可怕的话请求你们给我松绑。但你们千万别听我的话，你们的心肠千万别软，堵住你们的耳朵别听。因为我只有被绑着的时候，你们才安全；相反，我一旦站起来，离开了这张椅子，我首先会雷霆大发，过后……”他浑身发抖着，“我就会变成一条可恶的毒蛇。”
“不用担心，我们不会给你松绑的，”普德格伦说，“我们不希望碰到疯子，也不希望碰到毒蛇。”
“我也不想。”斯科拉博和吉尔齐声说。
普德格伦悄悄说：“我们还是别太相信他的话，要多留神。你们也知道我们把之前的事都办砸了。一旦他发作起来，他会变得很狡猾，这一点都不奇怪。我们之间能互相信得过吗？我们大家都保证了无论他说什么，我们都不要碰那些绳子，无论他说什么都不要！”
“当然啦！”斯科拉博说。
“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。
只见那骑士正在*吟呻**。他面如死灰，身子在绳子中扭动。吉尔不知是不是为他难过，还是为别的原因，竟觉得他比先前看上去更像个好人了。
“啊，”他*吟呻**着，“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，可怜可怜我吧。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，树的倒影深处可以看到蓝天。”
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椅子上站起来，我就会一直清醒，我就又是一条好汉。但他们每天晚上都把我绑起来，因此我就没有机会了。但你们不是敌人，我不是你们的囚犯。快！快帮我砍掉这些绳子！”
“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，他强作镇定，“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？从你们脸上的表情就知道他们已经说过了。那是谎言。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。你们为什么要站在他们一边？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。
“唉，你们真是铁石心肠，”骑士说，“相信我，你们面前是一个不幸的人，他经受的折磨几乎是任何一个凡人也忍受不了的。我有什么对不起你们的，你们竟和我的敌人站在一边，让我饱受这种痛苦？现在时间在一分一分地流逝，只有你们能救我。等这一个小时过去了，我又要变糊涂了，成为那个专门陷害男人的心地毒辣的女巫的玩具，成为她的哈巴狗，不，更像是狗腿子和工具。唯独今天晚上，趁她不在，这是一个千载难逢的救我的机会。”
“这太可怕了。我真希望我们此刻待在别的地方，等到他发作过后再来。”吉尔说。
“沉住气！”普德格伦说。
那个被绑着的人这会儿开始尖叫了。“我都说了放我走。把我的剑给我。我的剑呢！一旦我自由了，我就要找地下人*仇报**，我的复仇将成为地下世界千年万载的谈资！”
“他开始狂乱了，”斯科拉博说，“希望那些绳结都足够牢靠。”
“是啊，”普德格伦说，“要是现在放开他，他的力量会放大一倍。我的剑术不大好，他无疑会杀死我们两个；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开始拼命挣脱勒进他手腕和脚踝的绳索。他说，“你们听好了！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，我还是你们的朋友。否则我们就是不共戴天的敌人。”
“他是多么狡猾呀！”普德格伦说。
“我命令你们把我放了，”被绑住的人说，“爽快点。以所有恐惧和爱的名义，以上面世界明亮苍穹的名义，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。”斯科拉博小心翼翼地说。“我们该怎么办呢？”吉尔也为难了。
这问题就难办了。要是因为他首次偶然提起一个他们关心的名字，就把骑士放开，那么刚才彼此保证无论如何都不放开又算什么呢？反过来说，要是他们不打算遵照指示，那当初学指示有什么用？不过，阿斯兰是否可能真的要让他们给以他的名义提出要求的任何人松绑呢——哪怕那人疯了？这会不会仅仅是偶然呢？如果地下世界的女王知道有关指示的一切，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，如果这是真正的指示呢？他们已经错过了三点，可不敢办砸第四点了。
“哦，要是我们知道到底是怎么回事就好了！”吉尔说。
“我觉得我们是知道真相的。”普德格伦说。
“你是说假如我们救了他，一切都会好起来？”斯科拉博说。
“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，这一点都不奇怪。但放了他，我们确实是在按照指示办事。”
听了这话他们都眼睛瞪得老大，站在那儿你看看我，我看看你。这真是一段难熬的时间。“好吧，”吉尔突然说，“让我们了结这件事吧。大家保重……”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，斯科拉博。”普德格伦说。他和斯科拉博抽出剑走到那个被绑住的人身边。
“以阿斯兰的名义，”他们说着开始认真地割断绳子。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），利剑出鞘。
“我先对付你！”他边叫着，边对准银椅劈了下去。那一定是柄好剑，银椅刚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曲的碎片在发亮。不过椅子碎裂时，发出亮晃晃的光，声音像打雷声，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，“免得你的女主人再拿你害人。”说着他转身打量他的救命恩人，脸上原本的那种不对劲的神情已经消失了。
“什么？”他转过身对普德格伦叫道，“我面前是一个沼泽怪吗？——不正是一个地地道道、活蹦乱跳的纳尼亚沼泽怪吗？”
“哦，原来你还是听说过纳尼亚的？”吉尔说。
“我中魔法的时候难道忘记了纳尼亚吗？”骑士问，“好了，所有蛊惑都过去了。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！”普德格伦单腿跪下，两个孩子也照做，“我们此行的目的就是来找你。”
“另外两位恩人，你们是什么人？”王子问斯科拉博和吉尔。
“我们是阿斯兰本人从世界尽头以外派来寻找殿下的，”斯科拉博说，“我叫尤斯塔斯，曾经跟他一起航海到拉曼杜岛。”
“我欠你们仨的情是还也还不清的。”瑞廉王子说，“不过我父亲怎么样？他还活着吗？”
“我们离开纳尼亚之前，他又乘船向东了，殿下，”普德格伦说，“但要知道国王已经很老了。十有八九陛下会倒在半路上。”
“你说他已经很老了。那我落到女巫手里有多久了呢？”
“距离殿下从纳尼亚北边森林里失踪，已经过去十年多了。”
“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。现在我清醒了，我能记起那段中了邪的生活，虽然我中邪时记不得自己的本来面貌。行啦，好朋友们——慢着，等一下！我听见楼梯上那些地下人的脚步声了，那种轻轻的、隐约可听到的脚步声，让人听了真是作呕！呸，把门锁上，孩子！要不，还是待着吧。我有个更好的主意。要是阿斯兰能赐我一点智慧，我就来骗骗这些地下人。你们看我的暗示行事。”
他坚定地走到门口，把门打开。
