CHAPTER THREE THE SAILING OF THE KING（第3页）

“Well，mydears，”hesaid，takingfirstoherbythehandandbowile。“Youareveryheartilywele。IfthegoodKing，mypoorMaster，hadnotthisveryhoursetsailforSevenIsles，hewouldhavebeenglad。Itwouldhavebroughtbackhisyouthtohimforamoment—foramoment。Andnow，itishightimeforsupper。Youshalltellmeyourbusinessinfull。MasterGlimfeather，seethatbedchambersandsuitabledallelsearepruestsihonourablefashion。Aher—inyourear—”

&heDuthismouthclosetotheOwl'sheadand，nodoubt，iowhisper:but，likeotherdeafpeople，hewasn'taverygoodjudgeofhisowhheardhimsay，“Seethatthey'reproperly

&heDwarftoucheduphisdosetofftowardthecastleatsomethiandawaddle（itwasaveryfatlittlebeast），whiletheFaun，theOwl，andthefollowedataratherslowerpace。Thesuheairwasgrowingcool。

&acrossthelawhroughanordsotateofCairParavel，whichstoodwideopeheyfoundagrassychtswerealreadyshowingfromthewindowsofthegreathallhtandfromamoreplicatedmassofbuildingsstraightahead。IheOwlledthem，adelightfulpersonwascalledtolookafterJill。ShewasnotmuchtallerthanJillherself，andagooddealsleobviouslyfullgrown，gracefulasawillow，andherhairytoo，aobemossiJilltoaroundroomiurrets，wheretherewasalittlebathsunkinthefloora-smellingwohearthandalamphangingbyasilverthevaultedroof。TheestirangelandofNarnia，andJillsawtheredremaistillglowiantmountains。Itmadeherlongformoreadventuresahatthiswasonlythebeginning。

Whenshehadhadherbath，andbrushedherhair，andputohesthathadbeenlaidoutforher—theywerethekindthatnotolookednidsmellednidmadenidswhenyoumovedaswell—shewouldhavegoogazeoutofthatexdow，butshewasiedbyabangonthedoor。

“ein，”saidJill。AndincameScrubb，alsobathedandsplendidlydressedinNarniahisfa'tlookasifhewereenjoyingit。

“Oh，hereyouareatlast，”hesaidcrossly，flingioachair。“I'vebeentryingtofindyouf。”

“Well，nowyouhave，”saidJill。“Isay，S'titallsimplytooexdscrumptiousforwords。”ShehadfottenallaboutthesigPrihemoment。

“Oh!That'swhatyouthink，isit?”saidSdthen，afterapause，“Iwishtogoodnesswe'dnevere。”

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“I'tbearit，”saidScrubb。“SeeingtheKing—adoldma's—it&#htful。”

“Why，whatharmdoesitdoyou?”

“Oh，youdon'tuand。NowthatIetothinkofit，you't。Ididn'ttellyouthatthisworldhasadifferenttimefromours。”

“Howdoyoumean?”

&imeyouspendheredoesn'ttakeupanyofourtime。Doyousee?Imean，hwespendhere，weshallstillgetbaehemome—”

“Thatwon'tbemu。”

“Oh，dryup!Don'tkeepiing。Andwhenyou'rebagland—inourworld—you'ttellhowtimeisghtbeanynumberofyearsinNarniawhilewe&#ohome。ThePevensiesexplaialltome，but，likeafotaboutit。And'sbeeyyearsNarnianyears—sinceIwasherelast。Doyouseenow?AndIebadold，oldman。”

&heKingwasanoldfriendofyours!”saidJill。Ahhthadstruckher。

“Ishouldjollywellthinkhewas，”saidScrubbmiserably。“Aboutasgoodafriendasachapcouldhave。Andlasttimehewasonlyafewyearsolderthaoseethatoldmanwithawhitebeard，andtorememberashewasthemturedtheLoneIslands，oriwiththeSeaSerpent—oh，it&#htful。It'sworsethaningbadinghimdead。”

“Oh，shutup，”saidJillimpatiently。“It'sfarworsethanyouthink。We'vemuffedthefirstSign。”OfcourseScrubbdidhis。ThenJilltoldhimaboutherversationwithAslanandthefaskoffiprincewhichhadbeenlaiduponthem。

“Soyousee，”shewoundup，“youdidseeaasAslansaid，andyououghttohavegoneaohimatonowyouhaven't，ahingisgfrinning。”

“ButhowwasItoknow?”saidScrubb。

“Ifyou'doomewheellyou，we'dbeallright，”saidJill。

“Yes，andifyouhadn'tplayedthefoolodjollynearlymurderedme—allright，Isaidmurder，andI'llsayitagainasoftenasIlike，sokeepyourhairon—we'dhaveetogetherandbothknownwhattodo。”

“Isupposehewasthefirstpersonyousaw?”saidJill。“Youmusthavebeenherehoursbeforeme。Areyousureyoudidn'tseea?”

“Iwasoaminutebeforeyou，”saidScrubb。“Hemusthaveblownyouquime。Makingupforlosttime:thetimeyoulost。”

“Don'tbeaperfectbeast，Scrubb，”saidJill。“Hallo!What'sthat?”

Itwasthecastlebellringingforsupper，andthuswhatlookedliketurningintoafirst-ratequarrelilycutshort。Bothhadagoodappetitebythistime。

&hegreathallofthecastlewasthemostsplendidthihemhadeverseen;fhEustacehadbeeninthatworldbefore，hehadspenthiswholevisitatseaahingofthegloryaheNarniaheirownland。Thebannershungfromtheroof，andeaeinwithtrumpetersahereweresoupsthatwouldmakeyourmouthwatertothinkof，andthelovelyfishescalledpavenders，andvenisonandpeadpies，andidjelliesandfruitandnuts，andallmannerofwinesandfruitdriacecheeredupawas“somethinglike“。Aheseriouseatinganddrinkingwasover，ablicameforwardandstruckupthegrandoldtaleofPrindAravisandthehorseBree，whichiscalledTheHorseandhisBoyandtellsofahathappenedinNarniaahelaheGoldeerwasHighKinginCairParavel。（Ihaven'ttimetotellitnow，thoughitiswell

&heyweredraggiairstobed，yawningtheirheadsoff，Jillsaid，“Ibetwesleepwell，tonight“;forithadbeenafullday。Whichjustshowshowlittleanyoneknowswhatisgoingtohappe。