CHAPTER FOUR A PARLIAMENT OF OWLS（第3/4页）

“I see,”said Scrubb. “Well now，let’s get on. Tell us all about the lost Prince.”Then an old owl，not Glimfeather，related the story.

About ten years ago，it appeared，when Rilian，the son of Caspian，was a very young knight，he rode with the Queen his mother on a May morning in the north parts of Narnia. They had many squires and ladies with them and all wore garlands of fresh leaves on their heads，and horns at their sides；but they had no hounds with them，for they were maying，not hunting. In the warm part of the day they came to a pleasant glade where a fountain flowed freshly out of the earth，and there they dismounted and ate and drank and were merry. After a time the Queen felt sleepy，and they spread cloaks for her on the grassy bank，and Prince Rilian with the rest of the party went a little way from her，that their tales and laughter might not wake her. And so，presently，a great serpent came out of the thick wood and stung the Queen in her hand. All heard her cry out and rushed towards her，and Rilian was first at her side. He saw the worm gliding away from her and made after it with his sword drawn. It was great，shining，and as green as poison，so that he could see it well：but it glided away into thick bushes and he could not come at it. So he returned to his mother， and found them all busy about her. But they were busy in vain，for at the first glance of her face Rilian knew that no physic in the world would do her good. As long as the life was in her she seemed to be trying hard to tell him something. But she could not speak clearly and，whatever her message was，she died without delivering it. It was then hardly ten minutes since they had first heard her cry.

They carried the dead Queen back to Cair Paravel，and she was bitterly mourned by Rilian and by the King，and by all Narnia. She had been a great lady，wise and gracious and happy，King Caspian’s bride whom he had brought home from the eastern end of the world. And men said that the blood of the stars flowed in her veins. The Prince took his mother’s death very hardly，as well he might. After that，he was always riding on the northern marches of Narnia，hunting for that venomous worm，to kill it and be avenged. No one remarked much on this，though the Prince came home from these wanderings looking tired and distraught. But about a month after the Queen’s death，some said they could see a change in him. There was a look in his eyes as of a man who has seen visions，and though he would be out all day，his horse did not bear signs of hard riding. His chief friend among the older courtiers was the Lord Drinian，he who had been his father’s captain on that great voyage to the east parts of the world.

One evening Drinian said to the Prince，“Your Highness must soon give over seeking the worm. There is no true vengeance on a witless brute as there might be on a man. You weary yourself in vain.”The Prince answered him，“My Lord，I have almost forgotten the worm this seven days.”Drinian asked him why，if that were so，he rode so continually in the northern woods. “My lord,”said the Prince，“I have seen there the most beautiful thing that was ever made.”“Fair Prince,”said Drinian，“of your courtesy let me ride with you tomorrow，that I also may see this fair thing.”“With a good will,”said Rilian.

Then in good time on the next day they saddled their horses and rode a great gallop into the northern woods and alighted at that same fountain where the Queen got her death. Drinian thought it strange that the Prince should choose that place of all places，to linger in. And there they rested till it came to high noon：and at noon Drinian looked up and saw the most beautiful lady he had ever seen；and she stood at the north side of the fountain and said no word but beckoned to the Prince with her hand as if she bade him come to her. And she was tall and great，shining，and wrapped in a thin garment as green as poison. And the Prince stared at her like a man out of his wits. But suddenly the lady was gone，Driman knew not where；and the two returned to Cair Paravel. It stuck in Drinian’s mind that this shining green woman was evil.

Drinian doubted very much whether he ought not to tell this adventure to the King，but he had little wish to be a blab and a tale-bearer and so he held his tongue. But afterwards he wished he had spoken. For next day Prince Rilian rode out alone. That night he came not back，and from that hour no trace of him was ever found in Narnia nor any neighbouring land，and neither his horse nor his hat nor his cloak nor anything else was ever found.

Then Drinian in the bitterness of his heart went to Caspian and said，“Lord King，slay me speedily as a great traitor：for by my silence I have destroyed your son.”And he told him the story. Then Caspian caught up a battle-axe and rushed upon the Lord Drinian to kill him，and Drinian stood still as a stock for the death blow. But when the axe was raised，Caspian suddenly threw it away and cried out，“I have lost my queen and my son：shall I lose my friend also ？”And he fell upon the Lord Drinian’s neck and embraced him and both wept，and their friendship was not broken.