CHAPTER ELEVEN IN THE DARK CASTLE（第3/5页）
“I should think not,”said Scrubb and Jill together.
“All the same,”added Puddleglum in a whisper. “Don’t let’s be too sure. Let’s be on our guard. We’ve muffed everything else，you know. He’ll be cunning，I shouldn’t wonder，once he gets started. Can we trust one another ？ Do we all promise that whatever he says we don’t touch those cords ？ Whatever he says， mind you ？”
“Rather ！”said Scrubb.
“There’s nothing in the world he can say or do that’ll make me change my mind,”said Jill.
“Hush ！ Something’s happening,”said Puddleglum.
The Knight was moaning. His face was as pale as putty，and he writhed in his bonds. And whether because she was sorry for him，or for some other reason，Jill thought that he looked a nicer sort of man than he had looked before.
“Ah,”he groaned. “Enchantments，enchantments...the heavy，tangled，cold，clammy web of evil magic. Buried alive. Dragged down under the earth，down into the sooty blackness...how many years is it ？ ...Have I lived ten years，or a thousand years，in the pit ？ Maggotmen all around me. Oh，have mercy. Let me out，let me go back. Let me feel the wind and see the sky...There used to be a little pool. When you looked down into it you could see all the trees growing upside-down in the water，all green，and below them，deep，very deep，the blue sky.”
He had been speaking in a low voice；now he looked up， fixed his eyes upon them，and said loud and clear：
“Quick ！ I am sane now. Every night I am sane. If only I could get out of this enchanted chair，it would last. I should be a man again. But every night they bind me，and so every night my chance is gone. But you are not enemies. I am not your prisoner. Quick ！ Cut these cords.”
“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.”
The prisoner was now so straining at his bonds that they cut into his wrists and ankles. “Beware,”he said. “Beware. One night I did break them. But the witch was there that time. You will not have her to help you tonight. Free me now，and I am your friend. I’m your mortal enemy else.”
“Cunning，isn’t he ？”said Puddleglum.