“Seven years ago，” said the girl， “they came here in a ship whose sails were rags and timbers ready to fall apart. There were a few others with them， sailors， and when they came to this table one said， `Here is the good place. Let us set sail and reef sail and row no longer but sit down and end our days in peace！‘ And the second said， `No， let us re- embark and sail for Narnia and the west； it may be that Miraz is dead.’ But the third， who was a very masterful man， leaped up and said， `No，by heaven. We are men and Telmarines， not brutes. What should we do but seek adventure after adventure？ We have not long to live in any event. Let us spend what is left in seeking the unpeopled world behind the sunrise.‘ And as they quarrelled he caught up the Knife of Stone which lies there on the table and would have fought with his comrades. But it is a thing not right for him to touch. And as his fingers closed upon the hilt， deep sleep fell upon all the three. And till the enchantment is undone they will never wake.”
“What is this Knife of Stone？” asked Eustace. “Do none of you know it？” said the girl.
“I-I think，” said Lucy， “I’ve seen something like it before. It was a knife like it that the White Witch used when she killed Aslan at the Stone Table long ago.”
“It was the same，” said the girl， “and it was brought here to be kept in honour while the world lasts.”
Edmund， who had been looking more and more uncomfortable for the last few minutes， now spoke.
“Look here，” he said， “I hope I‘m not a coward-about eating this food， I mean-and I’m sure I don‘t mean to be rude. But we have had a lot of queer adventures on this voyage of ours and things aren’t always what they seem. When I look in your face I can‘t help believing all you say： but then that’s just what might happen with a witch too. How are we to know you‘re a friend？”
“You can’t know，” said the girl. “You can only believe-or not.” After a moment‘s pause Reepicheep’s small voice was heard.
“Sire，” he said to Caspian， “of your courtesy fill my cup with wine from that flagon： it is too big for me to lift. I will drink to the lady.”
Caspian obeyed and the Mouse， standing on the table， held up a golden cup between its tiny paws and said， “Lady， I pledge you.” Then it fell to on cold peacock， and in a short while everyone else followed its example. All were very hungry and the meal， if not quite what you wanted for a very early breakfast， was excellent as a very late supper.
“Why is it called Aslan‘s table？” asked Lucy presently.
“It is set here by his bidding，” said the girl， “for those who come so far. Some call this island the World’s End， for though you can sail further， this is the beginning of the end.”
“But how does the food keep？” asked the practical Eustace. ？
“It is eaten， and renewed every day，” said the girl. “This you will see.” “And what are we to do about the Sleepers？” asked Caspian. “Inthe world from which my friends come” （here， he nodded at Eustace and the Pevensies） “they have a story of a prince or a king coming to a castle where all the people lay in an enchanted sleep. In that story he could not dissolve the enchantment until he had kissed the Princess.”
“But here，” said the girl， “it is different. Here he cannot kiss the Princess till he has dissolved the enchantment.”
“Then，” said Caspian， “in the name of Aslan， show me how to set about that work at once.”
“My father will teach you that，” said the girl.
“Your father！” said everyone. “Who is he？ And where？”
“Look，” said the girl， turning round and pointing at the door in the hillside. They could see it more easily now， for while they had been talking the stars had grown fainter and great gaps of white light were appearing in the greyness of the eastern sky.
中文阅读
那阵风一直在刮，但是每一天都变得越来越弱，到最后波浪变成了涟漪。船儿一个钟头又一个钟头地滑行，似乎是行驶在湖面上。每天夜晚，他们看到东方升起新的星座，在纳尼亚，从来没有人见过这些星座。露西心里怀着欣喜与畏惧地想道，也许从来没有人活着见到过这些星座。这些新星又大又亮，加上夜晚温暖宜人，大部分人都睡在甲板上，往往一聊就聊到深夜，再不然就伏在船的栏杆上，望着船头溅起的晶莹的泡沫四下里飞舞。
在一个美妙的傍晚，船后的西方残阳如血，红得发紫，余晖使天空看起来更加辽阔。在船头的右舷，他们看到了一块陆地。那个岛屿越来越近，他们身后的晚霞照着岛上的海角与陆岬，似乎整个地方都在燃烧。很快，他们就沿着岛的海岸在行驶，岛屿西边的海角耸立在船的后方，被红彤彤的天空映衬着，显得又黑又尖，就像是用纸板剪出来的。这时，他们能够看清楚这个地方了。岛上没有高山，只有很多平缓的丘陵，山坡像枕头一样微微起伏。岛上弥漫着一种好闻的气味——露西称之为“一种幽淡的紫色气味”，埃德蒙说（林思也这么认为）她胡扯，卡斯宾则说：“我明白你的意思。”
他们绕岛航行了很久，驶过一个又一个海岬，希望能找到一个优良的深水港。最后，只好将船停泊在一个比较浅的宽阔海湾里。虽说海上风平浪静，但是在沙滩上还是有海浪不停地打来。他们无法让“黎明”号靠近海岸，只好在远离海岸的地方抛了锚，然后再乘坐小船。他们身上被浪打得湿淋淋的，踉踉跄跄地上了岸。鲁普大臣留在“黎明”号上。他再也不想看到任何岛屿了。他们停留在岛上的时候，耳边一直回响着海浪拍岸的声音。
两个人留下来看守小船，卡斯宾带领其他人登上岛屿，但并没有走出多远，因为探索小岛已经太晚，天很快就要黑了，没有必要到远处去冒险。在海湾海角上平坦的峡谷里看不到任何道路和人迹。脚下是松软的草皮，到处疏疏落落地散布着一些低矮的灌木，埃德蒙和露西认为那是石南。尤斯塔斯对植物相当有研究，他说那不是石南。也许他是对的，但那是一个与石南同类种的植物。
他们向岛内还没有走出一箭之地，德利尼安说：“看！那是什么？”所有的人都停下了脚步。
“是一些大树吗？”卡斯宾说。“我想是塔楼。”尤斯塔斯说。“没准儿是巨人。”埃德蒙小声说道。
“发现真相的办法，就是走到它们中间去。”雷匹奇普说着，拔出剑来，啪嗒啪嗒带头向前走去。