“Oh！” cried the three travellers as though they had been hurt.
“It’s the sign，” said Puddleglum.
“It was the words of the sign，” said Scrubb more cautiously. “Oh， what are we to do？” said Jill.
It was a dreadful question. What had been the use of promising one another that they would not on any account set the Knight free， if they were now to do so the first time he happened to call upon a name they really cared about？ On the other hand， what had been the use of learning the signs if they weren‘t going to obey them？ Yet could Aslan have really meant them to unbind anyone-even a lunatic-who asked it in his name？ Could it be a mere accident？ Or how if the Queen ofthe Underworld knew all about the signs and had made the Knight learn this name simply in order to entrap them？ But then， supposing this was the real sign？ They had muffed three already； they daren’t muff the fourth.
“Oh， if only we knew！” said Jill.
“I think we do know，” said Puddleglum.
“Do you mean you think everything will come right if we do untie him？” said Scrubb.
“I don‘t know about that，” said Puddleglum. “You see， Aslan didn’t tell Pole what would happen. He only told her what to do. That fellow will be the death of us once he‘s up， I shouldn’t wonder. But that doesn‘t let us off following the sign.”
They all stood looking at one another with bright eyes. It was a sickening moment. “All right！” said Jill suddenly. “Let’s get it over. Goodbye， everyone！” They all shook hands. The Knight was screaming by now； there was foam on his cheeks.
“Come on， Scrubb，” said Puddleglum. He and Scrubb drew their swords and went over to the captive.
“In the name of Aslan，” they said and began methodically cutting the cords. The instant the prisoner was free， he crossed the room in a single bound， seized his own sword （which had been taken from him and laid on the table）， and drew it.
“You first！” he cried and fell upon the silver chair. That must have been a good sword. The silver gave way before its edge like string， and in a moment a few twisted fragments， shining on the floor， were all that was left. But as the chair broke， there came from it a bright flash， a sound like small thunder， and （for one moment） a loathsome smell.
“Lie there， vile engine of sorcery，” he said， “lest your mistress should ever use you for another victim.” Then he turned and surveyed his rescuers； and the something wrong， whatever it was， had vanished from his face.
“What？” he cried， turning to Puddleglum. “Do I see before me a Marsh-wiggle-a real， live， honest， Narnian Marsh-wiggle？”
“Oh， so you have heard of Narnia after all？” said Jill.
“Had I forgotten it when I was under the spell？” asked the Knight. “Well， that and all other bedevilments are now over. You may well believe that I know Narnia， for I am Rilian， Prince of Narnia， and Caspian the great King is my father.”
“Your Royal Highness，” said Puddleglum， sinking on one knee （and the children did the same）， “we have come hither for no other end than to seek you.”
“And who are you， my other deliverers？” said the Prince to Scrubb and Jill.
“We were sent by Aslan himself from beyond the world‘s end to seek your Highness，” said Scrubb. “I am Eustace who sailed with him to the island of Ramandu.”
“I owe all three of you a greater debt than I can ever pay，” said Prince Rilian. “But my father？ Is he yet alive？”
“He sailed east again before we left Narnia， my lord，” said Puddleglum. “But your Highness must consider that the King is very old. It is ten to one his Majesty must die on the voyage.”
“He is old， you say. How long then have I been in the power of the witch？’
“It is more than ten years since your Highness was lost in the woods at the north side of Narnia.”
“Ten years！” said the Prince， drawing his hand across his face as if to rub away the past. “Yes， I believe you. For now that I am myself I can remember that enchanted life， though while I was enchanted I could not remember my true self. And now， fair friends-but wait！ I hear their feet （does it not sicken a man， that padding woolly tread！ Faugh！） on the stairs. Lock the door， boy. Or stay. I have a better thought than that. I will fool these Earthmen， if Aslan gives me the wit. Take yourcue from me.”
He walked resolutely to the door and flung it wide open.
中文阅读
仆人端来了饭（鸽子馅饼、冷火腿、色拉和糕饼），大家把椅子往桌前拉了拉，吃了起来。骑士接着说道：
“朋友们，你们必须明白，我就连自己是谁，以及是如何进入这个黑暗世界的，全都一无所知。对于来到这个天仙般的女王宫中之前的事情，我一概都不记得了。但是我想，是她把我从某种邪恶的魔法中解救了出来。出于极大的恩惠，她把我带到了这里（诚实的青蛙脚，你的杯子空了。让我来给你斟上）。在我看来，很可能就是这么回事儿，因为直到目前我还受到一个咒语的束缚，只有我的女王才能把我从中解救出来。
“每天夜晚有一段时间，我的心智会发生可怕的变化，随即，我的身体也会发生变化。一开始，我会变得暴怒与疯狂，如果不把我捆绑起来，我会冲向最要好的朋友，把他们杀死。紧接着，我会化作一条大蟒的形状，饥饿、凶猛、剧毒无比。（先生，再来一块鸽脯，请你赏光。）他们是这么告诉我的，当然他们讲的是实话，因为跟我的女王说的一模一样。我自己对此一无所知，等那段时间过去，我苏醒过来，就完全忘记了那场可怕的发作，又恢复了自己正常的形状和清醒的头脑--只不过感到有些疲惫而已。（小姐，再吃一块蜂蜜糕点，这是专门为我从世界遥远的南方某个野蛮国家弄来的。）“如今女王陛下通过她的法术得知，一旦让我在地上世界的某个国家做王，把王冠戴在我的头上，我就会从魔咒中得到释放。这个国家已经选好，我们发起攻击的地点也已经确定。地下人正夜以继日地那下边开掘一条通道，目前这条隧道已经挖出得很远很高，距离那个国家地上居民所行走的草地还不到二十英尺。很快，那些地上居民的命运就将发生变化。女王自己今夜也去了挖掘现场，我正在等待着她的召唤。时辰一到，阻隔我和地上王国的那层薄薄的地面就要打通，她将会带领着我，后面紧紧跟随着一千名地下人。我要全副武装，策马奔驰，突然向敌人冲去，杀死他们的首领，推翻他们的坚强堡垒。毫无疑问，我将在二十四小时内加冕做他们的国王。”
“对他们来说，这实在非常不幸，不是吗？”斯克拉布说。“你真是个不寻常的、脑筋转得快的小伙子！”骑士惊呼道，“用我的名誉担保，我以前从来没有想到这一点。我明白你的意思了。”有一两分钟之久，他显得略微有一些不安。但他的面容马上就平静了下来，又一次哈哈大笑道，“不要那么严肃嘛！想想看，他们都在忙于自己的事情，做梦也没有想到，就在他们和平的田野和地面下边，仅仅一两米之下，有一支大军随时都会像喷泉一样奔涌而出，这难道不是世界上最滑稽可笑的事情吗？而且他们从来没有过丝毫的怀疑！嗯，等到战败的最初痛苦过去之后，就连他们自己也会忍不住对此感到好笑的！”
“我可一点也不觉得好笑，”吉尔说，“我想，你将成为一个邪恶的暴君。”“什么？”骑士说着，依然大声笑着，一边有些气恼地拍着她的脑袋，“我们的小丫头是个老谋深算的政客吗？不要害怕，心肝宝贝。在统治那个国家的时候，一切都将遵照我的女王的旨意去做，她那时就会成为我的王后。她的话就是我的法律，正如我的话将成为被征服人民的法律。”
