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ook hands。 the knight was screaming by now； there was foam on his cheeks。
〃e 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 e 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 worlds 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。
．co
CHAPTER TWELVE
？小说、网
the queen of underland two earthmen entered； but instead of advancing into the room； they placed themselves one on each side of the door； and bowed deeply。 they were followed immediately by the last person whom anyone had expected or wished to see： the lady of the green kirtle； the queen of underland。 she stood dead still in the doorway； and they could see her eyes moving as she took in the whole situation … the three strangers； the silver chair destroyed； and the prince free； with his sword in his hand。
she turned very white； but jill thought it was the sort of whiteness that es over some peoples faces not when they are frightened but when they are angry。 for a moment the witch fixed her eyes on the prince； and there was murder in them。 then she seemed to change her mind。
〃leave us；〃 she said to the two earthmen。 〃and let none disturb us till i call； on pain of death。〃 the gnomes padded away obediently； and the witch…queen shut and locked the door。
〃how now； my lord prince；〃 she said。 〃has your nightly fit not yet e upon you； or is it over so soon？ why stand you here unbound？ who are these aliens？ and is it they who have destroyed the chair which was your only safety？”
prince rilian shivered as she spoke to him。 and no wonder： it is not easy to throw off in half an hour an enchantment which has made one a slave for ten years。 then； speaking with a great effort； he said： 〃madam； there will be no more need of that chair。 and you； who have told me a hundred times how deeply you pitied me for the sorceries by which i was bound； will doubtless hear with joy that they are now ended for ever。 there was； it seems； some small error in your ladyships way of treating them。 these； my true friends； have delivered me。 i am now in my right mind； and there are two things i will say to you。 first … as for your ladyships design of putting me at the head of an army of earthmen so that i may break out into the overworld and there； by main force； make myself king over some nation that never did me wrong … murdering their natural lords and holding their throne as a bloody and foreign tyrant … now that i know myself； i do utterly abhor and renounce it as plain villainy。 and second： i am the kings son of narnia； rilian； the only child of caspian； tenth of that name； whom some call caspian the seafarer。 therefore； madam； it is my purpose； as it is also my duty； to depart suddenly from your highnesss court into my own country。 please it you to grant me and my friends safe conduct and a guide through your dark realm。”
now the witch said nothing at all； but moved gently across the room； always keeping her face and eyes very steadily towards the prince。 when she had e to a little ark set in the wall not far from the fireplace； she opened it； and took out first a handful of a green powder。 this she threw on the fire。 it did not blaze much； but a very sweet and drowsy smell came from it。 and all through the conversation which followed； that smell grew stronger； and filled the room； and made it harder to think。 secondly； she took out a musical instrument rather like a mandolin。 she began to play it with her fingers … a steady； monotonous thrumming that you didnt notice after a few minutes。 but the less you noticed i