CHAPTER ELEVEN IN THE DARK CASTLE（第4/4页）

“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 your cue from me.”

He walked resolutely to the door and flung it wide open.