CHAPTER NINE HOW THEY DISCOVERED SOMETHING WORTH KNOWING(第3/5页)
They were at the top of a rough little path which ran steeply down. And,thank heavens,on the right side of the castle;the City Ruinous was in sight. In a few minutes they were back on the broad,steep road which led down from the main gate of the castle. They were also in full view from every single window on that side. If it had been one,or two,or five windows there’d be a reasonable chance that no one might be looking out. But there were nearer fifty than five. They now realized,too,that the road on which they were,and indeed all the ground between them and the City Ruinous,didn’t offer as much cover as would hide a fox;it was all coarse grass and pebbles and flat stones. To make matters worse,they were now in the clothes that the giants had provided for them last night:except Puddleglum,whom nothing would fit. Jill wore a vivid green robe,rather too long for her, and over that a scarlet mantle fringed with white fur. Scrubb had scarlet stockings,blue tunic and cloak,a gold-hilted sword,and a feathered bonnet.
“Nice bits of colour,you two are,”muttered Puddleglum. “Show up very prettily on a winter day. The worst archer in the world couldn’t miss either of you if you were in range. And talking of archers,we’ll be sorry not to have our own bows before long,I shouldn’t wonder. Bit thin,too,those clothes of yours,are they ?”
“Yes,I’m freezing already,”said Jill.
A few minutes ago when they had been in the kitchen,she had thought that if only they could once get out of the castle,their escape would be almost complete. She now realized that the most dangerous part of it was still to come.
“Steady,steady,”said Puddleglum. “Don’t look back. Don’t walk too quickly. Whatever you do,don’t run. Look as if we were just taking a stroll,and then,if anyone sees us,he might, just possibly,not bother. The moment we look like people running away,we’re done.”
The distance to the City Ruinous seemed longer than Jill would have believed possible. But bit by bit they were covering it. Then came a noise. The other two gasped. Jill,who didn’t know what it was,said,“What’s that ?”
“Hunting horn,”whispered Scrubb.
“But don’t run even now,”said Puddleglum. “Not until I give the word.”
This time Jill couldn’t help glancing over her shoulder. There,about half a mile away,was the hunt returning from behind them on the left.
They walked on. Suddenly a great clamour of giant voices arose:then shouts and hollas.
“They’ve seen us. Run,”said Puddleglum.
Jill gathered up her long skirts—horrible things for running in—and ran. There was no mistaking the danger now. She could hear the music of the hounds. She could hear the King’s voice roaring out,“After them,after them,or we’ll have no man-pies tomorrow.”
She was last of the three now,cumbered with her dress, slipping on loose stones,her hair getting in her mouth,running-pains across her chest. The hounds were much nearer. Now she had to run uphill,up the stony slope which led to the lowest step of the giant stairway. She had no idea what they would do when they got there,or how they would be any better off even if they reached the top. But she didn’t think about that. She was like a hunted animal now;as long as the pack was after her,she must run till she dropped.
The Marsh-wiggle was ahead. As he came to the lowest step he stopped,looked a little to his right,and all of a sudden darted into a little hole or crevice at the bottom of it. His long legs, disappearing into it,looked very like those of a spider. Scrubb hesitated and then vanished after him. Jill,breathless and reeling, came to the place about a minute later. It was an unattractive hole— a crack between the earth and the stone about three feet long and hardly more than a foot high. You had to fling yourself flat on your face and crawl in. You couldn’t do it so very quickly either. She felt sure that a dog’s teeth would close on her heel before she had got inside.