AFTERthis,CaspianandhisTutorhadmanymoresecretconversationsonthetopoftheGreatTower,andateachconversationCaspianlearnedmoreaboutOldNarnia,sothatthinkinganddreamingabouttheolddays,andlongingthattheymightcomeback,fillednearlyallhissparehours.Butofcoursehehadnotmanyhourstospare,fornowhiseducationwasbeginninginearnest.Helearnedsword-fightingandriding,swimminganddiving,howtoshootwiththebowandplayontherecorderandthetheorbo,howtohuntthestagandcuthimupwhenhewasdead,besidesCosmography,Rhetoric,Heraldry,Versification,andofcourseHistory,withalittleLaw,Physic,Alchemy,andAstronomy.OfMagichelearnedonlythetheory,forDoctorCorneliussaidthepracticalpartwasnotproperstudyforprinces.“AndImyself,”headded,“amonlyaveryimperfectmagicianandcandoonlythesmallestexperiments.”OfNavigation(“Whichisanobleandheroicalart,”saidtheDoctor)hewastaughtnothing,becauseKingMirazdisapprovedofshipsandthesea.
Healsolearnedagreatdealbyusinghisowneyesandears.Asalittleboyhehadoftenwonderedwhyhedislikedhisaunt,QueenPrunaprismia;henowsawthatitwasbecauseshedislikedhim.HealsobegantoseethatNarniawasanunhappycountry。ThetaxeswerehighandthelawsweresternandMirazwasacruelman。
AftersomeyearstherecameatimewhentheQueenseemedtobeillandtherewasagreatdealofbustleandpotheraboutherinthecastleanddoctorscameandthecourtierswhispered.Thiswasinearlysummertime.Andonenight,whileallthisfusswasgoingon,CaspianwasunexpectedlywakenedbyDoctorCorneliusafterhehadbeenonlyafewhoursinbed.
“ArewegoingtodoalittleAstronomy,Doctor?”saidCaspian。
“Hush!”saidtheDoctor.“TrustmeanddoexactlyasItellyou.Putonallyourclothes;youhavealongjourneybeforeyou.”
Caspianwasverysurprised,buthehadlearnedtohaveconfidenceinhisTutorandhebegandoingwhathewastoldatonce.WhenhewasdressedtheDoctorsaid,“Ihaveawalletforyou.WemustgointothenextroomandfillitwithvictualsfromyourHighness’ssuppertable.”
“Mygentlemen-in-waitingwillbethere,”saidCaspian.
“Theyarefastasleepandwillnotwake,”saidtheDoctor.“IamaveryminormagicianbutIcanatleastcontriveacharmedsleep.”
Theywentintotheantechamberandthere,sureenough,thetwogentlemen-in-waitingwere,sprawlingonchairsandsnoringhard.DoctorCorneliusquicklycutuptheremainsofacoldchickenandsomeslicesofvenisonandputthem,withbreadandanappleorsoandalittleflaskofgoodwine,intothewalletwhichhethengavetoCaspian.ItfittedonbyastrapoverCaspian’sshoulder,likeasatchelyouwouldusefortakingbookstoschool.
“Haveyouyoursword?”askedtheDoctor.
“Yes,”saidCaspian.
“Thenputthismantleoveralltohidetheswordandthewallet.That’sright.AndnowwemustgototheGreatTowerandtalk.”
WhentheyhadreachedthetopoftheTower(itwasacloudynight,notatalllikethenightwhentheyhadseentheconjunctionofTarvaandAlambil)DoctorCorneliussaid,
“DearPrince,youmustleavethiscastleatonceandgotoseekyourfortuneinthewideworld.Yourlifeisindangerhere.”
“Why?”askedCaspian.
"BecauseyouarethetrueKingofNarnia:CaspiantheTenth,thetruesonandheirofCaspiantheNinth.LonglifetoyourMajesty’—andsuddenly,toCaspian’sgreatsurprise,thelittlemandroppeddownononekneeandkissedhishand.
“Whatdoesitallmean?Idon’tunderstand,”saidCaspian.
“Iwonderyouhaveneveraskedmebefore,”saidtheDoctor,“why,beingthesonofKingCaspian,youarenotKingCaspianyourself.EveryoneexceptyourMajestyknowsthatMirazisausurper.WhenhefirstbegantorulehedidnotevenpretendtobetheKing:hecalledhimselfLordProtector.Butthenyourroyalmotherdied,thegoodQueenandtheonlyTelmarinewhowaseverkindtome.Andthen,onebyone,allthegreatlords,whohadknownyourfather,diedordisappeared.Notbyaccident,either.Mirazweededthemout.BelisarandUvilaswereshotwitharrowsonahuntingparty:bychance,itwaspretended.AllthegreathouseofthePassaridshesenttofightgiantsonthenorthernfrontiertillonebyonetheyfell.ArlianandErimonandadozenmoreheexecutedfortreasononafalsecharge.ThetwobrothersofBeaversdamheshutupasmadmen.Andfinallyhepersuadedthesevennoblelords,whoaloneamongalltheTelmarinesdidnotfearthesea,tosailawayandlookfornewlandsbeyondtheEasternOcean,and,asheintended,theynevercameback.Andwhentherewasnooneleftwhocouldspeakawordforyou,thenhisflatterers(ashehadinstructedthem)beggedhimtobecomeKing.Andofcoursehedid.”
“Doyoumeanhenowwantstokillmetoo?”saidCaspian.
“Thatisalmostcertain,”saidDoctorCornelius.
“Butwhynow?”saidCaspian.“Imean,whydidn’thedoitlongagoifhewantedto?AndwhatharmhaveIdonehim?”
“Hehaschangedhismindaboutyoubecauseofsomethingthathappenedonlytwohoursago.TheQueenhashadason.”
“Idon’tseewhatthat’sgottodowithit,”saidCaspian.
“Don’tsee!”exclaimedtheDoctor.“HaveallmylessonsinHistoryandPoliticstaughtyounomorethanthat?Listen.Aslongashehadnochildrenofhisown,hewaswillingenoughthatyoushouldbeKingafterhedied.Hemaynothavecaredmuchaboutyou,buthewouldratheryoushouldhavethethronethanastranger.NowthathehasasonofhisownhewillwanthisownsontobethenextKing.Youareintheway.He’llclearyououtoftheway.”
“Ishereallyasbadasthat?”saidCaspian.“Wouldhereallymurderme?”
“HemurderedyourFather,”saidDoctorCornelius.
Caspianfeltveryqueerandsaidnothing.
“Icantellyouthewholestory,”saidtheDoctor.“Butnotnow.Thereisnotime.Youmustflyatonce.”
“You’llcomewithme?”saidCaspian.
“Idarenot,”saidtheDoctor.“Itwouldmakeyourdangergreater.Twoaremoreeasilytrackedthanone.DearPrince,dearKingCaspian,youmustbeverybrave.Youmustgoaloneandatonce.TrytogetacrossthesouthernbordertothecourtofKingNainofArchenland.Hewillbegoodtoyou.”
“ShallIneverseeyouagain?”saidCaspianinaquaveringvoice.
“Ihopeso,dearKing,”saidtheDoctor.“WhatfriendhaveIinthewideworldexceptyourMajesty?AndIhavealittlemagic.Butinthemeantime,speediseverything.Herearetwogiftsbeforeyougo.Thisisalittlepurseofgold—alas,allthetreasureinthiscastleshouldbeyourownbyrights.Andhereissomethingfarbetter.”
HeputinCaspian’shandssomethingwhichhecouldhardlyseebutwhichheknewbythefeeltobeahorn.
“That,”saidDoctorCornelius,“isthegreatestandmostsacredtreasureofNarnia.ManyterrorsIendured,manyspellsdidIutter,tofindit,whenIwasstillyoung.ItisthemagichornofQueenSusanherselfwhichsheleftbehindherwhenshevanishedfromNarniaattheendoftheGoldenAge.Itissaidthatwhoeverblowsitshallhavestrangehelp—noonecansayhowstrange.ItmayhavethepowertocallQueenLucyandKingEdmundandQueenSusanandHighKingPeterbackfromthepast,andtheywillsetalltorights.ItmaybethatitwillcallupAslanhimself.Takeit,KingCaspian:butdonotuseitexceptatyourgreatestneed.Andnow,haste,haste,haste.ThelittledoorattheverybottomoftheTower,thedoorintothegarden,isunlocked.Therewemustpart.”
“CanIgetmyhorseDestrier?”saidCaspian.
“Heisalreadysaddledandwaitingforyoujustatthecorneroftheorchard.”
DuringthelongclimbdownthewindingstaircaseCorneliuswhisperedmanymorewordsofdirectionandadvice.Caspian’sheartwassinking,buthetriedtotakeitallin.Thencamethefreshairinthegarden,aferventhandclaspwiththeDoctor,arunacrossthelawn,awelcomingwhinnyfromDestrier,andsoKingCaspiantheTenthleftthecastleofhisfathers.Lookingback,hesawfireworksgoinguptocelebratethebirthofthenewprince.
Allnightherodesouthward,choosingby-waysandbridlepathsthroughwoodsaslongashewasincountrythatheknew;butafterwardshekepttothehighroad.Destrierwasasexcitedashismasteratthisunusualjourney,andCaspian,thoughtearshadcomeintohiseyesatsayinggood-byetoDoctorCornelius,feltbraveand,inaway,happy,tothinkthathewasKingCaspianridingtoseekadventures,withhisswordonhislefthipandQueenSusan’smagichornonhisright.Butwhendaycame,withasprinkleofrain,andhelookedabouthimandsawoneverysideunknownwoods,wildheaths,andbluemountains,hethoughthowlargeandstrangetheworldwasandfeltfrightenedandsmall.
Assoonasitwasfulldaylighthelefttheroadandfoundanopengrassyplaceamidawoodwherehecouldrest.HetookoffDestrier’sbridleandlethimgraze,atesomecoldchickenanddrankalittlewine,andpresentlyfellasleep.Itwaslateafternoonwhenheawoke.Heateamorselandcontinuedhisjourney,stillsouthward,bymanyunfrequentedlanes.Hewasnowinalandofhills,goingupanddown,butalwaysmoreupthandown.Fromeveryridgehecouldseethemountainsgrowingbiggerandblackerahead.Astheeveningclosedin,hewasridingtheirlowerslopes.Thewindrose.Soonrainfellintorrents.Destrierbecameuneasy;therewasthunderintheair.Andnowtheyenteredadarkandseeminglyendlesspineforest,andallthestoriesCaspianhadeverheardoftreesbeingunfriendlytoMancrowdedintohismind.Herememberedthathewas,afterall,aTelmarine,oneoftheracewhocutdowntreeswherevertheycouldandwereatwarwithallwildthings;andthoughhehimselfmightbeunlikeotherTelmarines,thetreescouldnotbeexpectedtoknowthis.
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