Mullugutherum shook his head， motioned to the travellers to follow and began going up the staircase. At every step the light increased. There were rich tapestries hanging on the walls. The lamplight shone golden through thin curtains at the staircase-head.
The Earthmen parted the curtains and stood aside. The three passedin. They were in a beautiful room， richly tapestried， with a bright fire on a clean hearth， and red wine and cut glass sparkling on the table. A young man with fair hair rose to greet them. He was handsome and looked both bold and kind， though there was something about his face that didn‘t seem quite right. He was dressed in black and altogether looked a little bit like Hamlet.
“Welcome， Overworlders，” he cried. “But stay a moment！ I cry you mercy！ I have seen you two fair children， and this， your strange governor， before. Was it not you three that met me by the bridge on the borders of Ettinsmoor when I rode there by my Lady’s side？”
“Oh . . . you were the black knight who never spoke？” exclaimed Jill.
“And was that lady the Queen of Underland？” asked Puddleglum， in no very friendly voice. And Scrubb， who was thinking the same， burst out， “Because if it was， I think she was jolly mean to send us off to a castle of giants who intended to eat us. What harm had we ever done her， I should like to know？”
“How？” said the Black Knight with a frown. “If you were not so young a warrior， Boy， you and I must have fought to the death on this quarrel. I can hear no words against my Lady‘s honour. But of this you may be assured， that whatever she said to you， she said of a good intent. You do not know her. She is a nosegay of all virtues， as truth， mercy， constancy， gentleness， courage， and the rest. I say what I know. Her kindness to me alone， who can in no way reward her， would make an admirable history. But you shall know and love her hereafter. Meanwhile， what is your errand in the Deep Lands？”
And before Puddleglum could stop her， Jill blurted out， “Please we are trying to find Prince Rilian of Narnia.” And then she realized what a frightful risk she had taken； these people might be enemies. But the Knight showed no interest.
“Rilian？ Narnia？” he said carelessly. “Narnia？ What land is that？ I have never heard the name. It must be a thousand leagues from those parts of the Overworld that I know. But it was a strange fantasy that brought you seeking this-how do you call him？ -Billian？ Trillian？ in my Lady’s realm. Indeed， to my certain knowledge， there is no such man here.” He laughed very loudly at this， and Jill thought to herself， “I wonder is that what‘s wrong with his face？ Is he a bit silly？”
“We had been told to look for a message on the stones of the City Ruinous，” said Scrubb. “And we saw the words UNDER ME.”
The Knight laughed even more heartily than before. “You were the more deceived，” he said. “Those words meant nothing to your purpose. Had you but asked my Lady， she could have given you better counsel. For those words are all that is left of a longer script， which in ancient times， as she well remembers， expressed this verse：
Though under Earth and throneless now I be， Yet， while I lived， all Earth was under me.
From which it is plain that some great king of the ancient giants， who lies buried there， caused this boast to be cut in the stone over his sepulchre； though the breaking up of some stones， and the carrying away of others for new buildings， and the filling up of the cuts with rubble， has left only two words that can still be read. Is it not the merriest jest in the world that you should have thought they were written to you？”
This was like cold water down the back to Scrubb and Jill； for it seemed to them very likely that the words had nothing to do with their quest at all， and that they had been taken in by a mere accident.
“Don’t you mind him，” said Puddleglum. “There are no accidents. Our guide is Aslan； and he was there when the giant King caused the letters to be cut， and he knew already all things that would come of them； including this.”
“This guide of yours must be a long liver， friend，” said the Knight with another of his laughs.
Jill began to find them a little irritating.
“And it seems to me， Sir，” answered Puddleglum， “that this Lady of yours must be a long liver too， if she remembers the verse as it was when they first cut it.”
“Very shrewd， Frog-face，” said the Knight， clapping Puddleglum on the shoulder and laughing again. “And you have hit the truth. She is of divine race， and knows neither age nor death. I am the more thankful to her for all her infinite bounty to such a poor mortal wretch as I. For you must know， Sirs， I am a man under most strange afflictions， and none but the Queen‘s grace would have had patience with me. Patience， said I？ But it goes far beyond that. She haspromised me a great kingdom in Overland and， when I am king， her own most gracious hand in marriage. But the tale is too long for you to hear fasting and standing. Hi there， some of you！ Bring wine and Updwellers’ food for my guests. Please you， be seated， gentlemen. Little maiden， sit in this chair. You shall hear it all.”
中文阅读
“是谁在那里？”三个旅行者大叫道。“我是地下世界边境的守护者，我身后站着一百个武装的地下人。”对方答复道，“快点告诉我，你们是谁？你们到地下王国来做什么？”“我们意外地掉了下来。”浦都格伦答道，他说的是实话。“许多人掉下来，很少有人返回到阳光照耀的土地。”那个声音说道，“现在准备好，跟我一起去见地下王国的女王。”“她为什么想要见我们？”斯克拉布谨慎地问道。“我不知道。”那个声音说，“她的意志不容置疑，只能服从。”就在他说话的时候，一个像是轻微爆炸的声音响了起来，一道灰中略带一点蓝色的冷光，立刻充满了宽敞的洞穴。当对方提起一百个武装的部下时，他们曾希望他是在自吹自擂，但这个希望刹那间破灭了。吉尔发现自己眨巴着眼睛，凝视着一大群人。他们的体型各不相同，有一英尺高的小地精，也有比人类更高的魁梧大汉。他们手里握着三齿长矛，一个个脸色惨白，全都像泥塑木雕般地静静站在那里。此外，他们的模样也千差万别；有的长着尾巴，有的没有尾巴，有的长着大胡子，有的则长着光滑的像南瓜一样大的圆脸。有的长着长而尖的鼻子，有的鼻子又长又软，就像是小象的鼻子；还有的长着肉疙瘩状的肥大鼻子；有几个前额上长着独角。但是有一点他们非常相似：整整一百张面孔，每一张都悲痛欲绝。他们看上去是那么悲伤，吉尔看了他们一眼之后，几乎忘记了惧怕他们，一心想要让他们高兴起来。
“嗨！”浦都格伦摩擦着双手说道，“这正是我所需要的。如果这些家伙还不能教会我如何严肃对待人生的话，我不知道还有什么可以做到。看看那个长着海象胡须的家伙--或者那个长着--”
“站起来。”地下人的头目说道。他们别无选择。三个旅行者挣扎着爬起身来，手拉着手。在那种时刻，人们往往想要握着朋友的手。地下人簇拥在他们周围，移动着柔软的大脚，有的脚上有十个脚趾，有的有十二个，有的则一个脚趾都没有。
“前进。”边防官说道。于是他们开始行进。
