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！
the valley； not an animal； not a bird； not an insect。 the sun beat down and grim peaks and horns of mountains peered over the valleys edge。
eustace realized of course that in the fog he had e down the wrong side of the ridge； so he turned at once to see about getting back。 but as soon as he had looked he shuddered。 apparently he had by amazing luck found the only possible way down … a long green spit of land； horribly steep and narrow； with precipices on either side。 there was no other possible way of getting back。 but could he do it； now that he saw what it was really like？ his head swam at the very thought of it。
he turned round again； thinking that at any rate hed better have a good drink from the pool first。 but as soon as he had turned and before he had taken a step forward into the valley he heard a noise behind him。 it was only a small noise but it sounded loud in that immense silence。 it froze him dead…still where he stood for a second。 then he slewed round his neck and looked。
at the bottom of the cliff a little on his left hand was a low； dark hole … the entrance to a cave perhaps。 and out of this two thin wisps of smoke were ing。 and the loose stones just beneath the dark hollow were moving （that was the noise he had heard） just as if something were crawling in the dark behind them。
something was crawling。 worse still； something was ing out。 edmund or lucy or you would have recognized it at once； but eustace had read none of the right books。 the thing that came out of the cave was something he had never even imagined … along lead…coloured snout； dull red eyes； no feathers or fur； a long lithe body that trailed on the ground； legs whose elbows went up higher than its back like a spiders cruel claws； bats wings that made a rasping noise on the stones； yards of tail。 and the lines of smoke were ing from its two nostrils。 he never said the word dragon to himself。 nor would it have made things any better if he had。
but perhaps if he had known something about dragons he would have been a little surprised at this dragons behaviour。 it did not sit up and clap its wings； nor did it shoot out a stream of flame from its mouth。 the smoke from its nostrils was like the smoke of a fire that will not last much longer。 nor did it seem to have noticed eustace。 it moved very slowly towards the pool … slowly and with many pauses。 even in his fear eustace felt that it was an old； sad creature。 he wondered if he dared make a dash for the ascent。 but it might look round if he made any noise。 it might e more to life。 perhaps it was only
shamming。 anyway； what was the use of trying to escape by climbing from a creature that could fly？
it reached the pool and slid its horrible scaly chin down over the gravel to drink： but before it had drunk there came from it a great croaking or clanging cry and after a few twitches and convulsions it rolled round on its side and lay perfectly still with one claw in the air。 a little dark blood gushed from its wide…opened mouth。 the smoke from its nostrils turned black for a moment and then floated away。 no more came。 this was the brutes trick； the way it lured travellers to their doom。 but one couldnt wait for ever。 he took a step nearer； then two steps； and halted again。 the dragon remained motionless； he noticed too that the red fire had gone out of its eyes。 at last he came up to it。 he was quite sure now that it was dead。 with a shudder he touched it； nothing happened。
the relief was so great that eustace almost laughed out loud。 he began to feel as if he had fought and killed the dragon instead of merely seeing it die。 he stepped over it and went to the pool for his drink； for the heat was getting unbearable。 he was not surprised when he heard a peal of thunder。 almost immediately afterwards the sun disappeared and before he had finished his drink big drops of rain were falling。
the climate of this island was a very unpleasant one。 in less than a minute eustace was wet to the skin and half blinded with such rain as one never sees in europe。 there was no use trying to climb out of the valley as long as this lasted。 he bolted for the only shelter in sight … the dragons cave。 there he lay down and tried to get his breath。
most of us know what we should expect to find in a dragons lair； but； as i said before； eustace had read only the wrong books。 they had a lot to say about exports and imports and governments and drains； but they were weak on dragons。 that is why he was so puzzled at the surface on which he was lying。 parts of it were too prickly to be stones and too hard to be thorns； and there seemed to be a great many round； flat things； and it all clinked when he moved。 there was light enough at the caves mouth to examine it by。
and of course eustace found it to be what any of us could have told him in advance … treasure。 there were crowns （those were the prickly things）； coins； rings； bracelets； ingots； cups； plates and gems。
eustace （unlike most boys） had never thought much of treasure but he saw at once the use it would be in this new world which he had so foolishly stumbled into through the picture in lucys bedroom at home。 〃they dont have any tax here；〃 he said； 〃and you dont have to give treasure to the government。 with some of this stuff i could have quite a decent time here … perhaps in calormen。 it sounds the least phoney of these countries。 i wonder how much i can carry？ that bracelet now … those things in it are probably diamonds … ill slip that on my own wrist。 too big； but not if i push it right up here above my elbow。
then fill my pockets with diamonds … thats easier than gold。 i wonder when this infernal rains going to let up？〃 he got into a less unfortable part of the pile； where it was mostly coins； and settled down to wait。 but a bad fright； when once it is over； and especially a bad fright following a mountain walk； leaves you very tired。 eustace fell asleep。
by the time he was sound asleep and snoring the others had finished dinner and became seriously alarmed about him。 they shouted； 〃eustace！ eustace！ coo…ee！〃 till they were hoarse and caspian blew his horn。
〃hes nowhere near or hed have heard that；〃 said lucy with a white face。
〃confound the fellow；〃 said edmund。 〃what on earth did he want to slink away like this for？”
〃but we must do something；〃 said lucy。 〃he may have got lost； or fallen into a hole； or been captured by savages。”
〃or killed by wild beasts；〃 said drinian。
〃and a good riddance if he has； i say；〃 muttered rhince。
〃master rhince；〃 said reepicheep； 〃you never spoke a word that became you less。 the creature is no friend of mine but he is of the queens blood； and while he is one of our fellowship it concerns our honour to find him and to avenge him if he is dead。”
〃of course weve got to find him （if we can）；〃 said caspian wearily。 〃thats the nuisance of it。 it means a search party and endless trouble。 bother eustace。”
meanwhile eustace slept and slept … and slept。 what woke him was a pain in his arm。 the moon was shining in at the mouth of the cave； and the bed of treasures seemed to have grown much more fortable： in fact he could hardly feel it at all。 he was puzzled by the pain in his arm at first； but presently it occurred to him that the bracelet which he had shoved up above his elbow had bee strangely tight。 his arm must have swollen while he was asleep （it was his left arm）。
he moved his right arm in order to feel his left； but stopped before he had moved it an inch and bit his lip in terror。 for just in front of him； and a little on his right； where the moonlight fell clear on the floor of the cave； he saw a hideous shape moving。 he knew that shape： it was a dragons claw。 it had moved as he moved his hand and became still when he stopped moving his hand。
〃oh； what a fool ive been；〃 thought eustace。 〃of course； the brute had a mate and its lying beside me。”
for several minutes he did not dare to move a muscle。 he saw two thin columns of smoke going up before his eyes； black against the moonlight； just as there had been smoke ing from the other dragons nose before it died。 this was so alarming that he he