Slowlythedooropenedagainandouttherecameafigureastallandstraightasthegirl’sbutnotsoslender.Itcarriednolightbutlightseemedtocomefromit.Asitcamenearer,Lucysawthatitwaslikeanoldman.Hissilverbeardcamedowntohisbarefeetinfrontandhissaverhairhungdowntohisheelsbehindandhisrobeappearedtobemadefromthefleeceofsilversheep.Helookedsomildandgravethatoncemoreallthetravellersrosetotheirfeetandstoodinsilence.
Buttheoldmancameonwithoutspeakingtothetravellersandstoodontheothersideofthetableoppositetohisdaughter.Thenbothofthemhelduptheirarmsbeforethemandturnedtofacetheeast.Inthatpositionthebegantosing.IwishIcouldwritedownthesong,butonewhowaspresentcouldrememberit.Lucysaidafterwardsthatitwashigh,almostshrill,butverybeautiful,coldkindofsong,anearlymorningkindofsong.Andtheysang,thegreycloudsliftedfromtheeasternskyathewhitepatchesgrewbiggerandbiggertillitwaswhite,andtheseabegantoshinelikesilver.Andlongafterwards(butthosetwosangallthetime)theeastbegantoturnredandatlast,unclouded,thesuncameupouttheseaanditslonglevelrayshotdownthelengthofthetableonthegoldandsilversandontheStoneKnife.
Onceortwicebefore,theNarnianshadwonderedwhetherthesunatitsrisingdidnotlookbiggerintheseseasthanithadlookedathome.Thistimetheywecertain.Therewasnomistakingit.Andthebrightnessitsrayonthedewandonthetablewasfarbeyondan.morningbrightnesstheyhadeverseen.AndasEdmusaidafterwards,“Thoughlotsofthingshappenedonthattripwhichsoundmoreexciting,thatmomentwasreallythemostexciting.”FornowtheyknewthattheyhadtrulycometothebeginningoftheEndoftheWorld.
Thensomethingseemedtobeflyingatthemoutoftheverycentreoftherisingsun:butofcourseonecouldn’tlooksteadilyinthatdirectiontomakesure.Butpresentlytheairbecamefullofvoices-voiceswhichtookupsamesongthattheLadyandherFatherweresinging,butinfarwildertonesandinalanguagewhichnooneknewAndsoonafterthattheownersofthesevoicescouldbeseen.Theywerebirds,largeandwhite,andtheycamehundredsandthousandsandalightedoneverything;thegrass,andthepavement,onthetable,onyourshoulders,yourhands,andyourhead,tillitlookedasheavysnowhadfallen.For,likesnow,theynotonlymakeeverythingwhitebutblurredandbluntedallshapes.ButLucy,lookingoutfrombetweenthewingsofthebirdsthatcoveredher,sawonebirdflytotheOldManwithsomethinginitsbeakthatlookedlikealittlefruit,unlessitwasalittlelivecoal,whichitmighthavebeen,foritwastoobrighttolookat.AndthebirdlaiditintheOldMan’smouth.
Thenthebirdsstoppedtheirsingingandappearedtobeverybusyaboutthetable.Whentheyrosefromitagaineverythingonthetablethatcouldbeeatenordrunkhaddisappeared.Thesebirdsrosefromtheirmealintheirthousandsandhundredsandcarriedawayallthethingsthatcouldnotbeeatenordrunk,suchasbones,rinds,andshells,andtooktheirflightbacktotherisingsun.Butnow,becausetheywerenotsinging,thewhiroftheirwingsseemedtosetthewholeaira-tremble.Andtherewasthetablepeckedcleanandempty,andthethreeoldLordsofNarniastillfastasleep.
NowatlasttheOldManturnedtothetravellersandbadethemwelcome.
“Sir,”saidCaspian,“willyoutellushowtoundotheenchantmentwhichholdsthesethreeNarnianLordsasleep.”
“Iwillgladlytellyouthat,myson,”saidtheOldMan.“TobreakthisenchantmentyoumustsailtotheWorld’sEnd,orasnearasyoucancometoit,andyoumustcomebackhavingleftatleastoneofyourcompanybehind.”
“Andwhatmusthappentothatone?”askedReepicheep.
“Hemustgoonintotheuttereastandneverreturnintotheworld.”
“Thatismyheart’sdesire,”saidReepicheep.
“AndareweneartheWorld’sEndnow,Sir?”askedCaspian.“Haveyouanyknowledgeoftheseasandlandsfurthereastthanthis?”
“Isawthemlongago,”saidtheOldMan,“butitwasfromagreatheight.Icannottellyousuchthingsassailorneedtoknow.”
“Doyoumeanyouwereflyingintheair?”Eustaceblurtedout.
“Iwasalongwayabovetheair,myson,”repliedtheOldMan.“IamRamandu.ButIseethatyoustareatonanotherandhavenotheardthisname.Andnowonder,forthedayswhenIwasastarhadceasedlongbeforeanyofyouknewthisworld,andalltheconstellationshavechanged.”
“Golly,”saidEdmundunderhisbreath.“He’saretiredstar.”
“Aren’tyouastaranylonger?”askedLucy.
“Iamastaratrest,mydaughter,”answeredRamandu
“WhenIsetforthelasttime,decrepitandoldbeyondallthatyoucanreckon,Iwascarriedtothisisland.IamnotsooldnowasIwasthen.Everymorningabirdbringsmeafire-berryfromthevalleysintheSun,andeachfire-berrytakesawayalittleofmyage.AndwhenIhavebecomeasyoungasthechildthatwasbornyesterday,thenIshalltakemyrisingagain(forweareatearth’seasternrim)andoncemoretreadthegreatdance.”
“Inourworld,”saidEustace,“astarisahugeballofflaminggas.”
“Eveninyourworld,myson,thatisnotwhatastarisbutonlywhatitismadeof.Andinthisworldyouavealreadymetastar,forIthinkyouhavebeenwithCoriakin.”
请勿开启浏览器阅读模式,否则将导致章节内容缺失及无法阅读下一章。
相邻推荐:奇货大结局:献祭井 奇货4:甲厝殿 刺客正传1·刺客学徒 异现场调查科4:通灵 奇货7:杀破军 奇货6:忽汗城 纳尼亚传奇3:能言马与男孩(双语) 奇货5:九子图 纳尼亚传奇1:魔法师的外甥(双语) 奇货3:合玉门 异现场调查科2:神之刺青 纳尼亚传奇4:凯斯宾王子(双语) 魔王奶爸 异现场调查科前传2:追梦 有顶天家族 异现场调查科1:时空痕 奇货:天地镜 纳尼亚传奇2:狮王、女巫和魔衣橱(双语) 奇货2:绝世楼 魔幻玩具铺