按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
imagined that caspian had a whole fleet at bernstead。 it would never have occurred to gumpas that anyone would walk into narrowhaven to take the islands with less than fifty men； it was certainly not at all the kind of thing he could imagine doing himself。
〃secondly；〃 said caspian； 〃i want to know why you have permitted this abominable and unnatural traffic in slaves to grow up here； contrary to the ancient custom and usage of our dominions。”
〃necessary； unavoidable；〃 said his sufficiency。 〃an essential part of the economic development of the islands； i assure you。 our present burst of prosperity depends on it。”
〃what need have you of slaves？”
〃for export； your majesty。 sell em to calormen mostly； and we have other markets。 we are a great centre of the trade。”
〃in other words；〃 said caspian； 〃you dont need them。 tell me what purpose they serve except to put money into the pockets of such as pug？”
〃your majestys tender years；〃 said gumpas； with what was meant to be a fatherly smile； 〃hardly make it possible that you should understand the economic problem involved。 i have statistics； i have graphs； i have…”
〃tender as my years be；〃 said caspian； 〃i believe i understand the slave trade from within quite as well as your sufficiency。 and i do not see that it brings into the islands meat or bread or beer or wine or timber or cabbages or books or instruments of music or horses or armour or anything else worth having。 but whether it does or not； it must be stopped。”
〃but that would be putting the clock back；〃 gasped the governor。 〃have you no idea of progress； of development？”
〃i have seen them both in an egg；〃 said caspian。 〃we call it ‘going bad in narnia。 this trade must stop。”
〃i can take no responsibility for any such measure；〃 said gumpas。
〃very well； then；〃 answered caspian； 〃we relieve you of your office。 my lord bern； e here。〃 and before gumpas quite realized what was happening； bern was kneeling with his hands between the kings hands and taking the oath to govern the lone islands in accordance with the old customs； rights； usages and laws of narnia。 and caspian said； 〃i think we have had enough of governors；〃 and made bern a duke； the duke of the lone islands。
〃as for you； my lord；〃 he said to gumpas； 〃i forgive you your debt for the tribute。 but before noon tomorrow you and yours must be out of the castle； which is now the dukes residence。”
〃look here； this is all very well；〃 said one of gumpass secretaries； 〃but suppose all you gentlemen stop playacting and we do a little business。 the question before us really is…”
〃the question is；〃 said the duke； 〃whether you and the rest of the rabble will leave without a flogging or with one。 you may choose which you prefer。”
when all this had been pleasantly settled； caspian ordered horses； of which there were a few in the castle； though very ill…groomed and he； with bern and drinian and a few others； rode out into the town and made for the slave market。 it was a long low building near the harbour and the scene which they found going on inside was very much like any other auction； that is to say； there was a great crowd and pug； on a platform； was roaring out in a raucous voice： 〃now； gentlemen； lot twenty…three。 fine terebinthian agricultural labourer； suitable for the mines or the galleys。 under twenty…five years of age。 not a bad tooth in his head。
good； brawny fellow。 take off his shirt； tacks； and let the gentlemen see。 theres muscle for you！ look at the chest on him。 ten crescents from the gentleman in the corner。 you must be joking； sir。 fifteen！ eighteen！ eighteen is bidden for lot twenty… three。 any advance on eighteen？ twenty…one。 thank you； sir。 twenty…one is bidden…”
but pug stopped and gaped when he saw the mail…clad figures who had clanked up to the platform。
〃on your knees； every man of you； to the king of narnia；〃 said the duke。 everyone heard the horses jingling and stamping outside and many had heard some rumour of the landing and the events at the castle。 most obeyed。 those who did not were pulled down by their neighbours。 some cheered。
〃your life is forfeit； pug； for laying hands on our royal person yesterday；〃 said caspian。
〃but your ignorance is pardoned。 the slave trade was forbidden in all our dominions quarter of an hour ago。 i declare every slave in this market free。”
he held up his hand to check the cheering of the slaves and went on； 〃where are my friends？”
〃that dear little gel and the nice young gentleman？〃 said pug with an ingratiating smile。
〃why； they were snapped up at once…”
〃were here； were here； caspian；〃 cried lucy and edmund together and； 〃at your service； sire；〃 piped reepicheep from another corner。 they had all been sold but the men who had bought them were staying to bid for other slaves and so they had not yet been taken away。 the crowd parted to let the three of them out and there was great handclasping and greeting between them and caspian。 two merchants of calormen at once approached。 the calormen have dark faces and long beards。 they wear flowing robes and orange…coloured turbans； and they are a wise； wealthy； courteous； cruel and ancient people。 they bowed most politely to caspian and paid him long pliments； all about the fountains of prosperity irrigating the gardens of prudence and virtue … and things like that … but of course what they wanted was the money they had paid。
〃that is only fair； sirs；〃 said caspian。 〃every man who has bought a slave today must have his money back。 pug； bring out your takings to the last minim。〃 （a minim is the fortieth part of a crescent。）
〃does your good majesty mean to beggar me？〃 whined pug。
〃you have lived on broken hearts all your life；〃 said caspian； 〃and if you are beggared； it is better to be a beggar than a slave。 but where is my other friend？”
〃oh him？〃 said pug。 〃oh take him and wele。 glad to have him off my hands。 ive never seen such a drug in the market in all my born days。 priced him at five crescents in the end and even so nobodyd have him。 threw him in free with other lots and still no one would have him。 wouldnt touch him。 would