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CHAPTER FOUR WHAT CASPIAN DID THERE（第2页）

“YourMajesty'stenderyears，”saidGumpas，asmeaherlysmile，“hardlymakeitpossiblethatyoushoulduheeiinvolved。Ihavestatistics，Ihavegraphs，Ihave—”

“Tenderasmyyearsbe，”said，“IbelieveIuheslavetradefromwithinquiteaswellasyourSuffidIdobringsintotheislaorbreadorbeerorwiimberesorbooksorisofmusicorhorsesorarmelsew。Butwhetheritdoesornot，itmustbestopped。”

“Butthatwouldbeputtingtheclockback，”gaspedthegovernor。“Haveyounoidearess，ofdevelopment?”

“Ihaveseehinanegg，”said。“Wecallit'GoingBad'inNarnia。Thistrademuststop。”

“Ioresponsibilityforanysuchmeasure，”saidGumpas。

“Verywell，then，”ansian，“werelieveyouofyouroffice。MyLordBern，ehere。”Andbefumpasquiterealizedening，BerhhishaheKing'shandsandtakiogoverntheLoneIslandsinacewiththeolds，rights，usagesandlawsofNarnia。Andsaid，“Ithinkwehavehadenoughofgovernors，”andmadeBerheDukeoftheLoneIslands。

“Asforyou，myLord，”hesaidtoGumpas，“Ifiveyouyourdebtforthetribute。Butbeforenoontomorrowyouandyoursmustbeoutofthecastle，whiowtheDuke'sresidence。”

“Lookhere，thisisallverywell，”saidoneofGumpas'ssecretaries，“butsupposeallyougeopplayadwedoalittlebusiionbeforeusreallyis—”

&ionis，”saidtheDuke，“whetheryouaherabblewillleavewithoutafloggingorwithone。Youmaychoosewhichyouprefer。”

&hishadbeelysettled，orderedhorses，ofwhichtherewereafewile，throomedahBernandDriniahers，rodeoutiowheslavemarket。Itwasalonglowbuildiheharbourandthesewhichtheyfoundgoingoninsidewasverymuyotherau;thatistosay，therewasagreatdPug，onaplatfoutinaraucousvoiow，geweerebinthianagriculturallabourer，suitableforthemihegalleys。Uy-fiveyearsofage。Notabadtoothinhishead。Good，brawakeoffhisshirt，Tadletthegehere'smuscleforyou!Lookatthe。Tesfromthegeheustbejoking，sir。Fifteeeetwenty-three。Aeey-ohankyou，sir。Twenty-oneisbidden—”

ButPugstoppedandgapedwhehemail-cladfigureswhohadkeduptotheplatform。

“Onyourknees，everymanofyou，totheKingofNarnia，”saidtheDuke。Everyohehlingandstampingoutsideandmanyhadheardsomerumourofthelandisatthecastle。Mostobeyed。Thosewhodidnotwerepulleddownbytheirneighbours。Somecheered。

“Yourlifeisf，fhandsonourroyalpersoerday，”said。“Butynoranceispardoradewasforbiddeninallourdominionsquartero。Ideclareeveryslaveinthismarketfree。”

Hehelduphishahegoftheslavesaon，“Wherearemyfriends?”

“Thatdearlittlegelandtheniggentleman?”saidPugwithaningratiatiheyatonce—”

“We'rehere，we'rehere，，”criedLudEdmuherand，“Atyourservice，Sire，”pipedReepianotherer。Theyhadallbeensoldbutthemenwhohadboughtthemwerestayingtobidforotherslavesayetbeehecrowdpartedtoletthethreeofthemoutandtherewasgreathandgaweenthemand。Twomerenatonceapproached。Theenhavedarkfadloheywearflowingrobesande-coloredturbans，andtheyareawise，wealthy，courteous，daheybowedmostpolitelytodpaidhimlongents，allaboutthefountainsatingthegardensofprudeue—andthiofcoursewhattheywahemoheyhadpaid。

“Thatisonlyfair，sirs，”said。“Everymanwhohasboughtaslavetodaymusthavehismoneyback。Pug，bringstothelastminim。”（Amihpartofat。）

“DoodMajestymeantobeggarme?”whinedPug。

“Youhavelivedosallyourlife，”said，“andifyared，itisbettertobeabeggarthawhereismyotherfriend?”

“Ohhim?”saidPug。“Ohtakehimaohavehimoffmyhands。I'veneverseensuchadrugiinallmyborndays。Pricedhimatfivetsintheendandevensonobody'dhavehim。Threwhimiherlotsandstillnoonewouldhavehim。Wouldn'ttouchhim。Wouldn'tlookathim。'PagoutSulky。”

ThusEustacerodudsulkyhelylhnoonewouldwanttobesoldasaslave，itisperhapsevenmtobeasortofutilityslavewhomnoonewillbuy。Hetodsaid，“Isee。Asusual。Beenenjoyingyourselfsomewherewhiletherestofuswereprisoners。Isupposeyouhaven'tevenfoundoutabouttheBritishsul。Ofot。”

Thatnighttheyhadagreatfeastileofhen，“Tominningofourrealadventures!”saidReepihehadmadehisbowstoeveryoobed。Butitotreallybetlikeit。Fornowtheywerepreparingtoleaveallknownlandsahemapreparationshadtobemade。TheDawnTreadertiedanddrawnonlahorsesoverrollersaohemostskilledshipwrights。Thenshewaslaunandvictualledandwateredasfullasshecouldhold—thatistosayfortwedays。Eventhis，asEdmuhdisappoi，ohemafht'seastwardsailiheyhadtoaba。

&hiswasbeingdonemissedioniseaswhomhedinolearniftheyhadanyknowledgeorevenanyrumoursoflaheeast。Hepouredoutmanyaflagolealetoweather-beatehshraybeardsandclearblueeyes，andmanyatallyarnheheardithosewhoseemedthemosttruthfulcouldtellofnolaheLoneIslands，andmanythoughtthatifyousailedtoofareastyouwouldeintesofaseawithoutlandsthatswirledperpetuallyrouheworld—“Andthat，Ire，iswhereyourMajesty'sfriehebottom。”Theresthadonlywildstoriesofislandsinhabitedbyheadlessmen，floatingislas，aburhewater。OoReepicheep'sdelight，said，“A，Aslantry。Butthat'sbeyoheworldandyou'tgetthere。”Butwheioned—himhelysaythathe'dhearditfromhisfather。

Bernlytellthemthathehadseenhissixpanionssailawayeastwardandthatnothinghad，everbeehemagaihisiaandipointdowerno。“I'veoftenbeenuphere，”saidtheDuke，“ahesuofthesea，alookedasifitwereonlyailesaway。AndI'vewomyfriendsaherereallyisbehindthathorizon。Nothing，mostlikely，yetIamalwayshalfashamedthatIstayedbehind。ButIwishyourMajestywouldn'tgo。Wemayneedyourhelphere。ThisgtheslavemarketmightmakeaneitheniswhatIforesee。Myliege，thinkagain。”

“Ihaveanoath，mylordDuke，”said。“Andanyway，whatcouldIsaytoReepicheep?”