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but just at the moment； in the middle of a war but im sure you understand。鈥�
〃you mean you think were no good；〃 said edmund； getting red in the face。
〃now pray dont be offended；〃 interrupted the dwarf。 〃i assure you； my dear little friends…鈥�
〃little from you is really a bit too much；〃 said edmund； jumping up。 〃i suppose you dont believe we won the battle of beruna？ well； you can say what you like about me because i know …鈥�
〃theres no good losing our tempers；〃 said peter。 〃lets fit him out with fresh armour and fit ourselves out from the treasure chamber； and have a talk after that。鈥�
〃i dont quite see the point …〃 began edmund； but lucy whispered in his ear； 〃hadnt we better do what peter says？ he is the high king； you know。 and i think he has an idea。鈥�
so edmund agreed and by the aid of his torch they all； including trumpkin； went down the steps again into the dark coldness and dusty splendour of the treasure house。
the dwarfs eyes glistened as he saw the wealth that lay on the shelves （though he had to stand on tiptoes to do so） and he muttered to himself； 〃it would never do to let nikabrik see this； never。〃 they found easily enough a mail shirt for him； a sword； a helmet； a shield； a bow and quiverful of arrows； all of dwarfish size。 the helmet was of copper； set with rubies； and there was gold on the hilt of the sword： trumpkin had never seen； much less carried； so much wealth in all his life。 the children also put on mail shirts and helmets； a sword and shield were found for edmund and a bow for lucy … peter and susan were of course already carrying their gifts。 as they came back up the stairway； jingling in their mail； and already looking and feeling more like narnians and less like schoolchildren； the two boys were behind； apparently making some plan。 lucy heard edmund say； 〃no； let me do it。 it will be more of a sucks for him if i win； and less of a let…down for us all if i fail。鈥�
〃all right； ed；〃 said peter。
when they came out into the daylight edmund turned to the dwarf very politely and said； 〃ive got something to ask you。 kids like us dont often have the chance of meeting a great warrior like you。 would you have a little fencing match with me？ it would be frightfully decent。鈥�
〃but； lad；〃 said trumpkin； 〃these swords are sharp。鈥�
〃i know；〃 said edmund。 〃but ill never get anywhere near you and youll be quite clever enough to disarm me without doing me any damage。鈥�
〃its a dangerous game；〃 said trumpkin。 〃but since you make such a point of it； ill try a pass or two。鈥�
both swords were out in a moment and the three others jumped off the dais and stood watching。 it was well worth it。 it was not like the silly fighting you see with broad swords on the stage。 it was not even like the rapier fighting which you sometimes see rather better done。 this was real broad…sword fighting。 the great thing is to slash at your enemys legs and feet because they are the part that have no armour。 and when he slashes at yours you jump with both feet off the ground so that his blow goes under them。 this gave the dwarf an advantage because edmund； being much taller； had to be always stooping。 i dont think edmund would have had a chance if he had fought trumpkin twenty…four hours earlier。 but the air of narnia had been working upon him ever since they arrived on the island； and all his old battles came back to him； and his arms and fingers remembered their old skill。 he was king edmund once more。 round and round the two batants circled； stroke after stroke they gave； and susan （who never could learn to like this sort of thing） shouted out； 〃oh； do be careful。〃 and then； so quickly that no one （unless they knew； as peter did） could quite see how it happened； edmund flashed his sword round with a peculiar twist； the dwarfs sword flew out of his grip； and trumpkin was wringing his empty hand as you do after a 〃sting〃 from a cricket…bat。
〃not hurt； i hope； my dear little friend？〃 said edmund； panting a little and returning his own sword to its sheath。
〃i see the point；〃 said trumpkin drily。 〃you know a trick i never learned。鈥�
〃thats quite true；〃 put in peter。 〃the best swordsman in the world may be disarmed by a trick thats new to him。 i think its only fair to give trumpkin a chance at something else。
will you have a shooting match with my sister？ there are no tricks in archery； you know。鈥�
〃ah； youre jokers； you are；〃 said the dwarf。 〃i begin to see。 as if i didnt know how she can shoot； after what happened this morning。 all the same； ill have a try。〃 he spoke gruffly； but his eyes brightened； for he was a famous bowman among his own people。
all five of them came out into the courtyard。
〃whats to be the target？〃 asked peter。
〃i think that apple hanging over the wall on the branch there would do；〃 said susan。
〃thatll do nicely； lass；〃 said trumpkin。 〃you mean the yellow one near the middle of the arch？鈥�
〃no； not that；〃 said susan。 〃the red one up above … over the battlement。鈥�
the dwarfs face fell。 〃looks more like a cherry than an apple；〃 he muttered； but he said nothing out loud。
they tossed up for first shot （greatly to the interest of trumpkin； who had never seen a coin tossed before） and susan lost。 they were to shoot from the top of the steps that led from the hall into the courtyard。 everyone could see from the way the dwarf took his position and handled his bow that he knew what he was about。
twang went the string。 it was an excellent shot。 the tiny apple shook as the arrow passed； and a leaf came fluttering down。 then susan went to the top of the steps and strung her bow。 she was not enjoying her match half so much as edmund had enjoyed his； not because she had any doubt about hitting the apple but because susan was so tenderhearted that she almost hated to beat someone who had been beaten already。 the dwarf watched her keenly as she drew the shaft to her ear。 a moment later； with a little soft thump which they could all hear in that quiet place； the apple fell to the grass with susans arrow in it。
〃oh； well done； su； 〃 shouted the other children。
〃it wasnt really any better than yours；〃 said susan to the dwarf。 〃i think there was a tiny breath of wind as you shot。鈥�
〃no； there wasnt；〃 said trumpkin。 〃dont tell me。 i know when i am fairly beaten。 i wont even say that the scar of my last wound catches me a bit when i get my arm well back …鈥�
〃oh； are you wounded？〃 asked lucy。 〃do let me look。鈥�
〃its not a sight for little girls；〃 began trumpkin； but then he suddenly checked himself。
〃there i go talking like a fool again；〃 he said 〃i suppose youre as likely to be a great surgeon as your brother was to be a great swordsman or your sister to be a great archer。鈥�
he sat down on the steps and took off his hauberk and slipped down his little shirt； showing an arm hairy and muscular （in proportion） as a sailors though not much bigger than a childs。 there was a clumsy bandage on the shoulder which lucy proceeded to unroll。 underneath； the cut looked very nasty and there was a good deal of swelling。 〃oh； poor trumpkin；〃 said lucy。 〃how horrid。〃 then she carefully dripped on to it one single drop of the cordial from her flask。
〃hullo。 eh？ what have you done？〃 said trumpkin。 but however he turned his head and squinted and whisked his beard to and fro； he couldnt quite see his own shoulder。 then he felt it as well as he could； getting his arms and fingers into very difficult positions as you do when youre trying to scratch a place that is just out of reach。 then he swung his arm and raised it and tried the muscles； and finally jumped to his feet crying； 〃giants and junipers！ its cured！ its as good as new。〃 after that he burst into a great laugh and said； 〃well； ive made as big a fool of myself as ever a dwarf did。 no offence； i hope？ my humble duty to your majesties all …humble duty。 and thanks for my life； my cure； my breakfast … and my lesson。鈥�
the children all said it was quite all right and not to mention it。
〃and now；〃 said peter； 〃if youve really decided to believe in us…鈥�
〃i have；〃 said the dwarf。
〃its quite clear what we have to do。 we must join king caspian at once。鈥�
〃the sooner the better；〃 said trumpkin。 〃my being such a fool has already wasted about an hour。鈥�
〃its about two days journey； the way you came；〃 said peter。 〃for us； i mean。 we cant walk all day and night like you dwarfs。〃 then he turned to the others。 〃what trumpkin calls aslans how is obviously the stone table itself。 you remember it was about half a days march； or a little less； from there down to the fords of beruna …鈥�
〃berunas bridge； we call it；〃 said trumpkin。
〃there was no bridge in our time；〃 said peter。 〃and then from beruna down to here was another day and a bit。 we used to get home about teatime on the second day； going easily。 going hard； we could do the whole thing in a day and a half perhaps。鈥�
〃but remember its all woods now；〃 said trumpkin； 〃and there are enemies to dodge。鈥�
〃look here；〃 said edmund； 〃need we go by the same way that our dear little friend came？鈥�
〃no more of that； your majesty； if you love me；〃 said the dwarf。
〃very well；〃 said edmund。 〃may i say our d。l。f。？鈥�
〃oh； edmund；〃 said susan。 〃dont keep on at him like that。鈥�
〃thats all right； lass … i mean your majesty；〃 said trumpkin with a chuckle。 〃a jibe wont raise a blister。〃 （and after that they often called him the d。l。f。 till theyd almost forgotten what it meant。）
〃as i was saying；〃 continued edmund； 〃we neednt go that way。 why shouldnt we row a little south till we e to glasswater creek and row up it？ that brings us up behind the hill of the stone table； and well be safe while were at sea。 if we start at once； we can be at the head of glasswater before dark； get a few hours sleep； and be with caspian pretty early tomorrow。鈥�
〃what a thing it is to know the coast；〃 said trumpkin。 〃none of us know anything about glasswater。鈥�
〃what about food？〃 asked susan。
〃oh； well have to do with apples；〃 said lucy。 〃do lets get on。 weve done nothing yet； and weve been here nearly two days。鈥�
〃and anyway； no ones going to have my hat for a fishbasket again；〃 said edmund。
they used one of the raincoats as a kind of bag and put a good many apples in it。 then they all had a good long drink at the well （for they would meet no more fresh water till they landed at the head of the creek） and went down to the boat。 the children were sorry to leave cair paravel； which； even in ruins； had begun to feel like home again。
〃the d。l。f。 had better steer；〃 said peter； 〃and ed and i will take an oar each。 half a moment； though。 wed better take off our mail： were going to be pretty warm before were done。 the girls had better be in the bows and shout directions to the d。l。f。 because he doesnt know the way。 youd better get us a fair way out to sea till weve passed the island。鈥�
and soon the green； wooded coast of the island was falling away behind them； and its little bays and headlands were beginning to look flatter； and the boat was rising and falling in the gentle swell。 the sea began to grow bigger around them and； in the distance； bluer； but close round the boat it was green and bubbly。 everything smelled salt and there was no noise except the swishing of water and the clop…clop of water against the sides and the splash of the oars and the jolting noise of the rowlocks。 the sun grew hot。
it was delightful for lucy and susan in the bows； bending over the edge and trying to get their hands in the sea which they could never quite reach。 the bottom； mostly pure； pale sand but with occasional patches of purple seaweed； could be seen beneath them。
〃its like old times；〃 said lucy。 〃do you remember our voyage to terebinthia … and galma … and seven isles … and the lone islands？鈥�
〃yes；〃 said susan； 〃and our great ship the splendour hyaline； with the swans head at her prow and the carved swans wings ing back almost to her waist？鈥�
〃and the silken sails； and the great stern lanterns？鈥�
〃and the feasts on the poop and the musicians。鈥�
〃do you remember when we had the musicians up in the rigging playing flutes so that it sounded like music out of the sky？鈥�
presently susan took over edmunds oar and he came forward to join lucy。 they had passed the island now and stood closer in to the shore … all wooded and deserted。 they would have thought it very pretty if they had not remembered the time when it was open and breezy and full of merry friends。
〃phew！ this is pretty gruelling work；〃 said peter。 〃cant i row for a bit？〃 said lucy。 〃the oars are too big for you；〃 said peter shortly； not because he was cross but because he had no strength to spare for talking。
w锛穡锛氾紵
CHAPTER 9
？灏弜iaoshuo璇磘xt澶╁爞
what lucy saw susan and the two boys were bitterly tired with rowing before they rounded the last headland and began the final pull up glasswater itself； and lucys head ached from the long hours of sun and the glare on the water。 even trumpkin longed for the voyage to be over。 the seat on which he sat to steer had been made for men； not dwarfs； and his feet did not reach the floor…boards； a