But when they had climbed many steep streets and were far away from the flood， and almost out of the town on the inland side， it began to be more serious. They were now close to the red glow and nearly on a level with it， though they still could not see what it really was. But by its light they could see their enemies more clearly. Hundreds-perhaps a few thousands-of gnomes were all moving towards it. But they were doing so in short rushes， and whenever they stopped， they turned and faced the travellers.
“If your Highness asked me，” said Puddleglum， “I’d say those fellows were meaning to cut us off in front.”
“That was my thought too， Puddleglum，” said the Prince. “And we can never fight our way through so many. Hark you！ Let us ride forth close by the edge of yonder house. And even as we reach it， do you slip off into its shadow. The Lady and I will go forward a few paces. Some of these devils will follow us， I doubt not； they are thick behind us. Do you， who have long arms， take one alive if you may， as it passes your ambush. We may get a true tale of it or learn what is their quarrel against us.”
“But won‘t the others all come rushing at us to rescue the one we catch，” said Jill in a voice not so steady as she tried to make it.
“Then， Madam，” said the Prince， “you shall see us die fighting around you， and you must commend yourself to the Lion. Now， good Puddleglum.”
The Marsh-wiggle slipped off into the shadow as quickly as a cat. The others， for a sickening minute or so， went forward at a walk. Then suddenly from behind them there broke out a series of blood- curdling screams， mixed with the familiar voice of Puddleglum， saying， “Now then！ Don’t cry out before you‘re hurt， or you will be hurt， see？ Anyone would think it was a pig being killed.”
“That was good hunting，” exclaimed the Prince， immediatelyturning Coalblack and coming back to the corner of the house. “Eustace，” he said， “of your courtesy， take Coalblack’s head.” Then he dismounted， and all three gazed in silence while Puddleglum pulled his catch out into the light. It was a most miserable little gnome， only about three feet long. It had a sort of ridge， like a cock‘s comb （only hard）， on the top of its head， little pink eyes， and a mouth and chin so large and round that its face looked like that of a pigmy hippopotamus. If they had not been in such a tight place， they would have burst into laughter at the sight of it.
“Now， Earthman，” said the Prince， standing over it and holding his sword point very near the prisoner’s neck， “speak， up， like an honest gnome， and you shall go free. Play the knave with us， and you are but a dead Earthman. Good Puddleglum， how can it speak while you hold its mouth tight shut？”
“No， and it can‘t bite either，” said Puddleglum. “If I had the silly soft hands that you humans have （saving your Highness’s reverence） I‘d have been all over blood by now. Yet even a Marsh-wiggle gets tired of being chewed.”
“Sirrah，” said the Prince to the gnome， “one bite and you die. Let its mouth open， Puddleglum.”
“Oo-ee-ee，” squealed the Earthman， “let me go， let me go. It isn’t me. I didn‘t do it.”
“Didn’t do what？” asked Puddleglum.
“Whatever your Honours say I did do，” answered the creature. “Tell me your name，” said the Prince， “and what you Earthmen areall about today.”
“Oh please， your Honours， please， kind gentlemen，” whimpered the gnome. “Promise you will not tell the Queen‘s grace anything I say.”
“The Queen’s grace， as you call her，” said the Prince sternly， “is dead. I killed her myself.”
“What！” cried the gnome， opening its ridiculous mouth wider and wider in astonishment. “Dead？ The Witch dead？ And by your Honour‘s hand？” It gave a huge sigh of relief and added， “Why， then your Honour is a friend！”
The Prince withdrew his sword an inch or so. Puddleglum let the creature sit up. It looked round on the four travellers with its twinkling， red eyes， chuckled once or twice， and began.
中文阅读
大伙儿觉得，他们赢得了斯克拉布所谓的“短暂的休息”。起初，女巫锁上房门，吩咐地下人不得来打扰她，所以目前没有受到干扰的危险。当然，他们首先要做的第一件事，就是包扎浦都格伦烧伤的脚。王子从卧室拿来两件干净衬衣，撕成一条一条的，在里面涂满了餐桌上的奶油和色拉油，就变成了相当不错的绷带。包扎完毕之后，他们坐下来，吃了一些东西，开始商讨从地下世界逃跑的计划。
瑞连解释说，通往地面的出口很多--时不时的，女巫会带他经由大多数出口到地面上去，但他从未单独出去过。每一次都需要乘船经过暗无天日的大海，才能到达那些出口。如果没有女巫，他们四个陌生人下到港口，单独要一条船，没有人能够预料到，那些地下人会怎么说。很可能他们会问一些难以回答的问题。从另一方面说，那个为了入侵地上世界而挖的新出口，正好位于大海的这一边，仅仅只有几英里的路。王子知道，那个出口差不多已经完工了，只剩下几英尺的泥土在阻隔着外面的空气。极有可能那里现在已经竣工。没准儿女巫回来，就是要告诉他这个消息，并准备发起进攻。即便还没有竣工，说不定他们自己在几个小时内也能打通那条道路--只要他们能够不受拦阻地到达那里，而且挖掘现场没有人守护。可是，这些正是困难之所在。
“如果你们问我--”浦都格伦开口说道，却被斯克拉布给打断了。“听，”他问道，“那是什么声音？”“响了好一会儿了，我也正在纳闷儿呢！”吉尔说道。其实，他们大家都听到那个声音了。从一开始，那个声音就在逐渐增加音量，他们不晓得，自己是在什么时候注意到它的。有一会儿，它就像是轻风，或者像远处的车马声，只是一种隐隐约约的骚动。后来，那个声音逐渐增大，就像是大海的波涛澎湃声。再往后，传来了轰鸣声与奔腾声。现在，外面不但人声鼎沸，还伴随着持续的隆隆声。
“以狮子的名义，”瑞连王子说，“看来这片死寂的领域终于要开口说话了。”他站起身来，走到窗前，拉开了窗帘。其他人也围拢过去，向外观看。
