And I do assure you it was a relief not to see one another‘s faces. At first， anyway. But the long and the short of it is we’re mortal tired of being invisible. And there‘s another thing. We never reckoned on this magician （the one I was telling you about before） going invisible too. But we haven’t ever seen him since. So we don‘t know if he’s dead， or gone away， or whether he‘s just sitting upstairs being invisible， and perhaps coming down and being invisible there. And， believe me， it’s no manner of use listening because he always did go about with his bare feet on， making no more noise than a great big cat. And I‘ll tell all you gentlemen straight， it’s getting more than what our nerves can stand.”
Such was the Chief Voice‘s story， but very much shortened， because I have left out what the Other Voices said. Actually he never got out more than six or seven words without being interrupted by their agreements and encouragements， which drove the Narnians nearly out of their minds with impatience. When it was over there was a very long silence.
“But，” said Lucy at last， “what’s all this got to do with us？ I don‘t understand.”
“Why， bless me， if I haven’t gone and left out the whole point，” said the Chief Voice.
“That you have， that you have，” roared the Other Voices with great enthusiasm. “No one couldn‘t have left it out cleaner and better. Keep it up， Chief， keep it up.”
“Well， I needn’t go over the whole story again，” began the Chief Voice.
“No. Certainly not，” said Caspian and Edmund.
“Well， then， to put it in a nutshell，” said the Chief Voice， “we‘ve been waiting for ever so long for a nice little girl from foreign parts， like it might be you， Missie-that would go upstairs and go to the magic book and find the spell that takes off the invisibleness， and say it. And we all swore that the first strangers as landed on this island （having a nice little girl with them， I mean， for if they hadn’t it‘d be another matter） we wouldn’t let them go away alive unless they‘d donethe needful for us. And that’s why， gentlemen， if your little girl doesn‘t come up to scratch， it will be our painful duty to cut all your throats. Merely in the way of business， as you might say， and no offence， I hope.”
“I don’t see all your weapons，” said Reepicheep. “Are they invisible too？” The words were scarcely out of his mouth before they heard a whizzing sound and next moment a spear had stuck， quivering， in one of the trees behind them.
“That‘s a spear， that is，” said the Chief Voice.
“That it is， Chief， that it is，” said the others. “You couldn’t have put it better.”
“And it came from my hand，” the Chief Voice continued. “They get visible when they leave us.”
“But why do you want me to do this？” asked Lucy.
“Why can‘t one of your own people？ Haven’t you got any girls？” “We dursen‘t， we dursen’t，” said all the Voices. “We‘re not goingupstairs again.”
“In other words，” said Caspian， “you are asking this lady to face some danger which you daren’t ask your own sisters and daughters to face！”
“That‘s right， that’s right，” said all the Voices cheerfully. “You couldn‘t have said it better. Eh， you’ve had some education， you have. Anyone can see that.”
“Wel l， of al l the outra geous-” began Edmund， but Lucy interrupted.
“Would I have to go upstairs at night， or would it do in daylight？” “Oh， daylight， daylight， to be sure，” said the Chief Voice. “Not atnight. No one‘s asking you to do that. Go upstairs in the dark？ Ugh.” “All right， then， I’ll do it，” said Lucy. “No，” she said， turning to
the others， “don‘t try to stop me. Can’t you see it‘s no use？ There are dozens of them there. We can’t fight them. And the other way there is a chance.”
“But a magician！” said Caspian.
“I know，” said Lucy. “But he mayn‘t be as bad as they make out. Don’t you get the idea that these people are not very brave？”
“They‘re certainly not very clever，” said Eustace.
“Look here， Lu，” said Edmund. “We really can’t let you do a thing like this. Ask Reep， I‘m sure he’ll say just the same.”
“But it‘s to save my own life as well as yours，” said Lucy. “I don’t want to be cut to bits with invisible swords any more than anyone else.”
“Her Majesty is in the right，” said Reepicheep. “If we had any assurance of saving her by battle， our duty would be very plain. It appears to me that we have none. And the service they ask of her is in no way contrary to her Majesty‘s honour， but a noble and heroical act. If the Queen’s heart moves her to risk the magician， I will not speak against it.”
As no one had ever known Reepicheep to be afraid of anything， he could say this without feeling at all awkward. But the boys， who had all been afraid quite often， grew very red. None the less， it was such obvious sense that they had to give in. Loud cheers broke from the invisible people when their decision was announced， and the Chief Voice （warmly supported by all the others） invited the Narnians to come to supper and spend the night. Eustace didn‘t want to accept， but Lucy said， “I’m sure they‘re not treacherous. They’re not like that at all，” and the others agreed. And so， accompanied by an enormous noise of thumpings （which became louder when they reached the flagged and echoing courtyard） they all went back to the house.
中文阅读
这会儿，刮了很久的西北风转成了西风。每天早上，当太阳从大海上升起，“黎明”号翘起的船头正好对着太阳的中心。有些人觉得，太阳看上去要比在纳尼亚大一些，其他人却不这么想。他们在温和而持续的西风吹送下，一往无前地顺风行驶。他们看不到鱼，看不到海鸥，也看不到船和海岸。水和食物不多了，他们在心里暗暗嘀咕，也许自己是航行在一个永远没有尽头的大海上。正当他们决定，再继续冒险向东航行最后一天时，那天早晨却发现，就在他们与初升的朝阳之间，有一块低矮的陆地，像片云一样浮在水面上。
午后大约三四点钟，他们划着小船进入了一个宽阔的海湾，在那里弃船登陆。这里跟他们所见过的任何地方都截然不同。穿过沙滩，他们发现到处空空荡荡，悄无声息，似乎这是一块无人居住的土地。但出现在他们面前的草坪非常平整，草儿修剪得很短，就像是一个英国豪宅的花园，有十来名园丁在精心护理着。岛上有很多树木，彼此都保持一定的距离，看不到任何残枝落叶。有时能听到鸽子的咕咕声，除此之外没有别的声音。
很快，他们来到一条长长的笔直的沙土路上，路上没有一棵杂草。道路两边生长着树木。远远在林荫道的尽头，他们可以看见一栋房子——一座很长的灰色房屋，安静地沐浴在午后的阳光之中。
刚一踏上林荫道，露西就觉察到，自己的鞋子里有一粒小石子。在那个陌生的地方，更明智的做法应该是，当她取出小石子的时候，应该请求其他人等她一下。可是她却没有这么做。她只是悄悄地落在后边，坐了下来，打算脱下鞋子。不料，她的鞋带却系了个死结。
还没等她解开鞋带，其他人已经走出了好远。等她把石子倒出来，再穿上鞋子，她基本上听不到他们的声音了。就在这时，她听到了另外一种声音。那个声音并不是来自房子的方向。