chater eleven the dark catle (第4/7页)
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“Stand fast ！ Steady,”said Puddleglum to the two children.
“I beseech you to hear me,”said the Knight，forcing himself to speak calmly. “Have they told you that if I am released from this chair I shall kill you and become a serpent ？ I see by your faces that they have. It is a lie. It is at this hour that I am in my right mind：it is all the rest of the day that I am enchanted. You are not Earthmen nor witches. Why should you be on their side ？ Of your courtesy，cut my bonds.”
“Steady ！ Steady ！ Steady ！”said the three travellers to one another.
“Oh，you have hearts of stone,”said the Knight. “Believe me，you look upon a wretch who has suffered almost more than any mortal can bear. What wrong have I ever done you，that you should side with my enemies to keep me in such miseries ？ And the minutes are slipping past. Now you can save me；when this hour has passed，I shall be witless again—the toy and lap-dog， nay，more likely the pawn and tool，of the most devilish sorceress that ever planned the woe of men. And this night，of all nights， when she is away ！You take from me a chance that may never come again.”
“This is dreadful. I do wish we’d stayed away till it was over,”said Jill.
“Steady ！”said Puddleglum.
The prisoner’s voice was now rising into a shriek. “Let me go，I say. Give me my sword. My sword ！ Once I am free，I shall take such revenge on Earthmen that Underland will talk of it for a thousand years ！”
“Now the frenzy is beginning,”said Scrubb. “I hope those knots are all right.”
“Yes,”said Puddleglum. “He’d have twice his natural strength if he got free now. And I’m not clever with my sword. He’d get us both，I shouldn’t wonder；and then Pole on her own would be left to tackle the snake.”
