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and we think this may be some of the same crew。”
〃very well； then；〃 said scrubb。 〃pole and i have got to ‘find this prince。 can you help us？”
〃have you any clue； you two？〃 asked glimfeather。
〃yes；〃 said scrubb。 〃we know weve got to go north。 and w e know weve got to reach the ruins of a giant city。”
at this there was a greater tu…whooing than ever； and noise of birds shifting their feet and ruffling their feathers； and then all the owls started speaking at once。 they all explained how very sorry they were that they themselves could not go with the children on their search for the lost prince 〃youd want to travel by day； and wed want to travel by night；”
they said。 〃it wouldnt do； wouldnt do。〃 one or two owls added that even here in the ruined tower it wasnt nearly so dark as it had been when they began； and that the parliament had been going on quite long enough。 in fact； the mere mention of a journey to the ruined city of giants seemed to have damped the spirits of those birds。 but glimfeather said： 〃if they want to go that way … into ettinsmoor … we must take them to one of the marsh…wiggles。 theyre the only people who can help them much。”
〃true； true。 do；〃 said the owls。
〃e on； then；〃 said glimfeather。 〃ill take one。 wholl take the other？ it must be done tonight。”
〃i will： as far as the marsh…wiggles；〃 said another owl。
〃are you ready？〃 said glimfeather to jill。
〃i think poles asleep；〃 said scrubb。
x
CHAPTER FIVE
小！说
puddleglum jill。 was asleep。 ever since the owls parliament began she had been yawning terribly and now she had dropped off。 she was not at all pleased at being waked again； and at finding herself lying on bare boards in a dusty belfry sort of place； pletely dark； and almost pletely full of owls。 she was even less pleased when she heard that they had to set off for somewhere else … and not； apparently； for bed … on the owls back。
〃oh； e on； pole； buck up；〃 said scrubbs voice。 〃after all； it is an adventure。”
〃im sick of adventures；〃 said jill crossly。
she did； however； consent to climb on to glimfeathers back； and was thoroughly waked up （for a while） by the unexpected coldness of the air when he flew out with her into the night。 the moon had disappeared and there were no stars。 far behind her she could see a single lighted window well above the ground； doubtless； in one of the towers of cair paravel。 it made her long to be back in that delightful bedroom； snug in bed； watching the firelight on the walls。 she put her hands under her cloak and wrapped it tightly round her。
it was uncanny to hear two voices in the dark air a little distance away； scrubb and his owl were talking to one another。 〃he doesnt sound tired；〃 thought jill。 she did not realize that he had been on great adventures in that world before and that the narnian air was bringing back to him a strength he had won when he sailed the eastern seas with king caspian。
jill had to pinch herself to keep awake； for she knew that if she dozed on glimfeathers back she would probably fall off。 when at last the two owls ended their flight； she climbed stiffly off glimfeather and found herself on flat ground。 a chilly wind was blowing and they appeared to be in a place without trees。 〃tu…whoo； tu… whoo！”
glimfeather was calling。 〃wake up； puddleglum。 wake up。 it is on the lions business。”
for a long time there was no reply。 then； a long way off； a dim light appeared and began to e nearer。 with it came a voice。
〃owls ahoy！〃 it said。 〃what is it？ is the king dead？ has an enemy landed in narnia？ is it a flood？ or dragons？”
when the light reached them； it turned out to be that of a large lantern。 she could see very little of the person who held it。 he seemed to be all legs and arms。 the owls were talking to him； explaining everything； but she was too tired to listen。 she tried to wake herself up a bit when she realized that they were saying goodbye to her。 but she could never afterwards remember much except that； sooner or later； she and scrubb were stooping to enter a low doorway and then （oh； thank heavens） were lying down on something soft and warm； and a voice was saying： 〃there you are。 best we can do。 youll lie cold and hard。 damp too； i shouldnt wonder。
wont sleep a wink； most likely； even if there isnt a thunderstorm or a flood or the wigwam doesnt fall down on top of us all； as ive known them do。 must make the best of it …〃 but she was fast asleep before the voice had ended。
when the children woke late next morning they found that they were lying； very dry and warm； on beds of straw in a dark place。 a triangular opening let in the daylight。
〃where on earth are we？〃 asked jill。
〃in the wigwam of a marsh…wiggle；〃 said eustace。
〃a what？”
〃a marsh…wiggle。 dont ask me what it is。 i couldnt see it last night。 im getting up。 lets go and look for it。”
〃how beastly one feels after sleeping in ones clothes；〃 said jill； sitting up。
〃i was just thinking how nice it was not to have to dress；〃 said eustace。
〃or wash either； i suppose；〃 said jill scornfully。 but scrubb had already got up； yawned； shaken himself； and crawled out of the wigwam。 jill did the same。
what they found outside was quite unlike the bit of narnia they had seen on the day before。 they were on a great flat plain which was cut into countless little islands by countless channels of water。 the islands were covered with coarse grass and bordered with reeds and rushes。 sometimes there were beds of rushes about an acre in extent。
clouds of birds were constantly alighting in them and rising from them again…duck； snipe； bitterns； herons。 many wigwams like that in which they had passed the night could be seen dotted about； but all at a good distance from one another； for marsh…wiggles are people who like privacy。 except for the fringe of the forest several miles to the south and west of them； there was not a tree in sight。 eastward the flat marsh stretched to low sand…hills on the horizon； and you could tell by the salt tang in the wind which blew from that direction that the sea lay over there。 to the north there were low pale…