CHAPTER SIX THE WILD WASTE LANDS OF THE NORTH(第5/5页)

In the second place,whatever the Lady had intended by telling them about Harfang,the actual effect on the children was a bad one. They could think about nothing but beds and baths and hot meals and how lovely it would be to get indoors. They never talked about Aslan,or even about the lost prince,now. And Jill gave up her habit of repeating the signs over to herself every night and morning. She said to herself,at first,that she was too tired,but she soon forgot all about it. And though you might have expected that the idea of having a good time at Harfang would have made them more cheerful,it really made them more sorry for themselves and more grumpy and snappy with each other and with Puddleglum.

At last they came one afternoon to a place where the gorge in which they were travelling widened out and dark fir woods rose on either side. They looked ahead and saw that they had come through the mountains. Before them lay a desolate,rocky plain:beyond it,further mountains capped with snow. But between them and those further mountains rose a low hill with an irregular flattish top.

“Look ! Look !”cried Jill,and pointed across the plain; and there,through the gathering dusk,from beyond the flat hill, everyone saw lights. Lights ! Not moonlight,nor fires,but a homely cheering row of lighted windows. If you have never been in the wild wilderness,day and night,for weeks,you will hardly understand how they felt.

“Harfang !”cried Scrubb and Jill in glad,excited voices; and“Harfang,”repeated Puddleglum in a dull,gloomy voice. But he added,“Hullo ! Wild geese !”and had the bow off his shoulder in a second. He brought down a good fat goose. It was far too late to think of reaching Harfang that day. But they had a hot meal and a fire,and started the night warmer than they had been for over a week. After the fire had gone out,the night grew bitterly cold,and when they woke next morning,their blankets were stiff with frost.

“Never mind !”said Jill,stamping her feet. “Hot baths tonight ! ”