小说园

chater five caian adventure the unta（第1页）

AFTERthis，CaspianandhisTutorhadmanymoresecretconversationsonthetopoftheGreatTower，andateachconversationCaspianlearnedmoreaboutOldNarnia，sothatthinkinganddreamingabouttheolddays，andlongingthattheymightcomeback，fillednearlyallhissparehours．Butofcoursehehadnotmanyhourstospare，fornowhiseducationwasbeginninginearnest．Helearnedsword-fightingandriding，swimminganddiving，howtoshootwiththebowandplayontherecorderandthetheorbo，howtohuntthestagandcuthimupwhenhewasdead，besidesCosmography，Rhetoric，Heraldry，Versification，andofcourseHistory，withalittleLaw，Physic，Alchemy，andAstronomy．OfMagichelearnedonlythetheory，forDoctorCorneliussaidthepracticalpartwasnotproperstudyforprinces．“AndImyself，”headded，“amonlyaveryimperfectmagicianandcandoonlythesmallestexperiments．”OfNavigation（“Whichisanobleandheroicalart，”saidtheDoctor）hewastaughtnothing，becauseKingMirazdisapprovedofshipsandthesea．

Healsolearnedagreatdealbyusinghisowneyesandears．Asalittleboyhehadoftenwonderedwhyhedislikedhisaunt，QueenPrunaprismia;henowsawthatitwasbecauseshedislikedhim．HealsobegantoseethatNarniawasanunhappycountry。ThetaxeswerehighandthelawsweresternandMirazwasacruelman。

AftersomeyearstherecameatimewhentheQueenseemedtobeillandtherewasagreatdealofbustleandpotheraboutherinthecastleanddoctorscameandthecourtierswhispered．Thiswasinearlysummertime．Andonenight，whileallthisfusswasgoingon，CaspianwasunexpectedlywakenedbyDoctorCorneliusafterhehadbeenonlyafewhoursinbed．

“ArewegoingtodoalittleAstronomy，Doctor？”saidCaspian。

“Hush！”saidtheDoctor．“TrustmeanddoexactlyasItellyou．Putonallyourclothes;youhavealongjourneybeforeyou．”

Caspianwasverysurprised，buthehadlearnedtohaveconfidenceinhisTutorandhebegandoingwhathewastoldatonce．WhenhewasdressedtheDoctorsaid，“Ihaveawalletforyou．WemustgointothenextroomandfillitwithvictualsfromyourHighness’ssuppertable．”

“Mygentlemen-in-waitingwillbethere，”saidCaspian．

“Theyarefastasleepandwillnotwake，”saidtheDoctor．“IamaveryminormagicianbutIcanatleastcontriveacharmedsleep．”

Theywentintotheantechamberandthere，sureenough，thetwogentlemen-in-waitingwere，sprawlingonchairsandsnoringhard．DoctorCorneliusquicklycutuptheremainsofacoldchickenandsomeslicesofvenisonandputthem，withbreadandanappleorsoandalittleflaskofgoodwine，intothewalletwhichhethengavetoCaspian．ItfittedonbyastrapoverCaspian’sshoulder，likeasatchelyouwouldusefortakingbookstoschool．

“Haveyouyoursword？”askedtheDoctor．

“Yes，”saidCaspian．

“Thenputthismantleoveralltohidetheswordandthewallet．That’sright．AndnowwemustgototheGreatTowerandtalk．”

WhentheyhadreachedthetopoftheTower（itwasacloudynight，notatalllikethenightwhentheyhadseentheconjunctionofTarvaandAlambil）DoctorCorneliussaid，

“DearPrince，youmustleavethiscastleatonceandgotoseekyourfortuneinthewideworld．Yourlifeisindangerhere．”

“Why？”askedCaspian．

"BecauseyouarethetrueKingofNarnia:CaspiantheTenth，thetruesonandheirofCaspiantheNinth．LonglifetoyourMajesty’—andsuddenly，toCaspian’sgreatsurprise，thelittlemandroppeddownononekneeandkissedhishand．

“Whatdoesitallmean？Idon’tunderstand，”saidCaspian．

“Iwonderyouhaveneveraskedmebefore，”saidtheDoctor，“why，beingthesonofKingCaspian，youarenotKingCaspianyourself．EveryoneexceptyourMajestyknowsthatMirazisausurper．WhenhefirstbegantorulehedidnotevenpretendtobetheKing:hecalledhimselfLordProtector．Butthenyourroyalmotherdied，thegoodQueenandtheonlyTelmarinewhowaseverkindtome．Andthen，onebyone，allthegreatlords，whohadknownyourfather，diedordisappeared．Notbyaccident，either．Mirazweededthemout．BelisarandUvilaswereshotwitharrowsonahuntingparty:bychance，itwaspretended．AllthegreathouseofthePassaridshesenttofightgiantsonthenorthernfrontiertillonebyonetheyfell．ArlianandErimonandadozenmoreheexecutedfortreasononafalsecharge．ThetwobrothersofBeaversdamheshutupasmadmen．Andfinallyhepersuadedthesevennoblelords，whoaloneamongalltheTelmarinesdidnotfearthesea，tosailawayandlookfornewlandsbeyondtheEasternOcean，and，asheintended，theynevercameback．Andwhentherewasnooneleftwhocouldspeakawordforyou，thenhisflatterers（ashehadinstructedthem）beggedhimtobecomeKing．Andofcoursehedid．”

“Doyoumeanhenowwantstokillmetoo？”saidCaspian．

“Thatisalmostcertain，”saidDoctorCornelius．

“Butwhynow？”saidCaspian．“Imean，whydidn’thedoitlongagoifhewantedto？AndwhatharmhaveIdonehim？”

“Hehaschangedhismindaboutyoubecauseofsomethingthathappenedonlytwohoursago．TheQueenhashadason．”

“Idon’tseewhatthat’sgottodowithit，”saidCaspian．

“Don’tsee！”exclaimedtheDoctor．“HaveallmylessonsinHistoryandPoliticstaughtyounomorethanthat？Listen．Aslongashehadnochildrenofhisown，hewaswillingenoughthatyoushouldbeKingafterhedied．Hemaynothavecaredmuchaboutyou，buthewouldratheryoushouldhavethethronethanastranger．NowthathehasasonofhisownhewillwanthisownsontobethenextKing．Youareintheway．He’llclearyououtoftheway．”

“Ishereallyasbadasthat？”saidCaspian．“Wouldhereallymurderme？”

“HemurderedyourFather，”saidDoctorCornelius．

Caspianfeltveryqueerandsaidnothing．

“Icantellyouthewholestory，”saidtheDoctor．“Butnotnow．Thereisnotime．Youmustflyatonce．”

“You’llcomewithme？”saidCaspian．

“Idarenot，”saidtheDoctor．“Itwouldmakeyourdangergreater．Twoaremoreeasilytrackedthanone．DearPrince，dearKingCaspian，youmustbeverybrave．Youmustgoaloneandatonce．TrytogetacrossthesouthernbordertothecourtofKingNainofArchenland．Hewillbegoodtoyou．”

“ShallIneverseeyouagain？”saidCaspianinaquaveringvoice．

“Ihopeso，dearKing，”saidtheDoctor．“WhatfriendhaveIinthewideworldexceptyourMajesty？AndIhavealittlemagic．Butinthemeantime，speediseverything．Herearetwogiftsbeforeyougo．Thisisalittlepurseofgold—alas，allthetreasureinthiscastleshouldbeyourownbyrights．Andhereissomethingfarbetter．”

HeputinCaspian’shandssomethingwhichhecouldhardlyseebutwhichheknewbythefeeltobeahorn．

“That，”saidDoctorCornelius，“isthegreatestandmostsacredtreasureofNarnia．ManyterrorsIendured，manyspellsdidIutter，tofindit，whenIwasstillyoung．ItisthemagichornofQueenSusanherselfwhichsheleftbehindherwhenshevanishedfromNarniaattheendoftheGoldenAge．Itissaidthatwhoeverblowsitshallhavestrangehelp—noonecansayhowstrange．ItmayhavethepowertocallQueenLucyandKingEdmundandQueenSusanandHighKingPeterbackfromthepast，andtheywillsetalltorights．ItmaybethatitwillcallupAslanhimself．Takeit，KingCaspian:butdonotuseitexceptatyourgreatestneed．Andnow，haste，haste，haste．ThelittledoorattheverybottomoftheTower，thedoorintothegarden，isunlocked．Therewemustpart．”

“CanIgetmyhorseDestrier？”saidCaspian．

“Heisalreadysaddledandwaitingforyoujustatthecorneroftheorchard．”

DuringthelongclimbdownthewindingstaircaseCorneliuswhisperedmanymorewordsofdirectionandadvice．Caspian’sheartwassinking，buthetriedtotakeitallin．Thencamethefreshairinthegarden，aferventhandclaspwiththeDoctor，arunacrossthelawn，awelcomingwhinnyfromDestrier，andsoKingCaspiantheTenthleftthecastleofhisfathers．Lookingback，hesawfireworksgoinguptocelebratethebirthofthenewprince．

Allnightherodesouthward，choosingby-waysandbridlepathsthroughwoodsaslongashewasincountrythatheknew;butafterwardshekepttothehighroad．Destrierwasasexcitedashismasteratthisunusualjourney，andCaspian，thoughtearshadcomeintohiseyesatsayinggood-byetoDoctorCornelius，feltbraveand，inaway，happy，tothinkthathewasKingCaspianridingtoseekadventures，withhisswordonhislefthipandQueenSusan’smagichornonhisright．Butwhendaycame，withasprinkleofrain，andhelookedabouthimandsawoneverysideunknownwoods，wildheaths，andbluemountains，hethoughthowlargeandstrangetheworldwasandfeltfrightenedandsmall．

Assoonasitwasfulldaylighthelefttheroadandfoundanopengrassyplaceamidawoodwherehecouldrest．HetookoffDestrier’sbridleandlethimgraze，atesomecoldchickenanddrankalittlewine，andpresentlyfellasleep．Itwaslateafternoonwhenheawoke．Heateamorselandcontinuedhisjourney，stillsouthward，bymanyunfrequentedlanes．Hewasnowinalandofhills，goingupanddown，butalwaysmoreupthandown．Fromeveryridgehecouldseethemountainsgrowingbiggerandblackerahead．Astheeveningclosedin，hewasridingtheirlowerslopes．Thewindrose．Soonrainfellintorrents．Destrierbecameuneasy;therewasthunderintheair．Andnowtheyenteredadarkandseeminglyendlesspineforest，andallthestoriesCaspianhadeverheardoftreesbeingunfriendlytoMancrowdedintohismind．Herememberedthathewas，afterall，aTelmarine，oneoftheracewhocutdowntreeswherevertheycouldandwereatwarwithallwildthings;andthoughhehimselfmightbeunlikeotherTelmarines，thetreescouldnotbeexpectedtoknowthis．