CHAPTER FOURTEEN THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF THE WORLD（第1页）
CHAPTERFOURTEENTHEBEGINNIHEWORLD
Slowlythedooropenedagainandouttherecameafigureastallandstraightasthegirl'sbutolightbutlightseemedtoit。Asitearer，Lucysawthatitwaslikeanoldman。Hissilverbeardtohisbarefeetinfrontandhissaverhairhungdowntohisheelsbehindandhisrobeappearedtobemadefromthefleeceofsilversheep。Helookedsomildaohetravellersrosetotheirfeetandstoodinsilence。
Buttheoldmahoutspeakiravellersandstoodohersideofthetableoppositetohisdaughter。Thenbothofthemhelduptheirarmsbeforethemaofacetheeast。Inthatpositioosing。IwishIcouldwritedownthesong，butoneresentberit。Lucysaidafterwardthatitwashigh，almostshrill，butverybeautiful，dofsong，anearlymkindofsong。Ahegraycloudsliftedfromtheeasternskyathewhitepatches&#erawaswhite，aoshinelikesilver。Andlongafterward（butthosetwosaheeastbegantoturlast，uhesuheseaanditslonglevelrayshotdowhetableonthegoldandsilversaoneKnife。
&wicebefore，theNarnianshadwohesunatitsrisingdidnotlookbiggerihanithadlookedathome。Thistimetheywe。Therewasnomistakingit。Asrayonthedewaablewasfarbeyondan。mhtheyhadeverseen。AndasEdmusaidafterward，“Thoughlotsofthihattripwhioreexg，thatmomehemostexg。”ForhattheyhadtrulyetothebeginniheWorld。
&hiobeflyioftheverytersun:butofe'tlooksteadilyinthatdireakesure。Butpresentlytheairbecamefullofvoices—voiceswhiesongthattheLadyaherweresinging，butinfarwildertonesandinalanguagewhieknewAndsooheowhesevoicescouldbeseen。Theywerebirds，largeaheydredsandthousandsandalighted;thegrass，a，oable，onyourshoulders，yourhands，aillitlookedasheavysnowhadfallen。For，likesohiblurredandbluntedallshapes。ButLugoutfrombetweenthewihatcoveredher，sawonebirdflytotheOldManwithsomethingilookedlikealittlefruit，uwasalittlelivecoal，whichitmighthavebeen，foritwasthttolookat。AndthebirdlaiditintheOldMan'smouth。
&hebirdsstoppedtheirsingingaobeverybusyaboutthetable。Whentheyraihihatcouldbeeatenordrunkhaddisappeared。Thesebirdsrosefromtheirmealihousandsandhundredsandcarriedawayallthethingsthatotbeeatenordrunk，sues，rinds，andshells，andthtbacktsun。Butheywerenotsinging，thewhirsseemedtosetthewholeaira-tremble。Ahetablepeay，ahreeoldLordsofNarniastillfastasleep。
NowatlasttheOldMahetravellersahemwele。
“Sir，”said，“willyoutellushowtoumentwhichholdsthesethreeNarnianLordsasleep。”
“Iwillgladlytellyouthat，myson，”saidtheOldMahiseyoumustsailtotheWorld'sEnd，orasnearasyouetoit，andyoumustebagleftatleastoneofyourpanybehind。”
“Andwhatmusthappentothatone?”askedReepicheep。
&gooereastaurnintotheworld。”
“Thatismyheart'sdesire，”saidReepicheep。
“AheWorld'sEndnow，Sir?”asked。“Haveyouaheseasandlahanthis?”
“Isawthemlongago，”saidtheOldMan，“butitwasfrht。Iottellyousugsassailoroknow。”
“Doyoumeanyintheair?”Eustaceblurtedout。
“Iwasalongwayabovetheair，mysoheOldMan。“IamRamandu。ButIseethatyoustareatonanotheraheardthisname。AndhedayswhenIwasastarhadgbeforeanyofyoukhisworld，aellationshaveged。”
“Golly，”saidEdmundunderhisbreath。“He'saretiredstar。”
&yer?”askedLucy。
“Iamastaratrest，mydaughter，”ans>
&forthelasttime，dedoldbeyondallthatyou，Iwascarriedtothisisland。IamnotsooldnowasIwasthen。Everymabirdbringsmeafire-berryfromthevalleysintheSun，andeachfire-berrytakesawayalittleofmyage。AndwhenIhavebeeasyouhatwasborhenIshalltakemyrisingagaiearth'seasternrim）areadthegreatdance。”
“Inourworld，”saidEustace，“astarisahugeballofflaminggas。”
“Eveninyourworld，myson，thatisnotwhatastarisbutonlywhatitismadeof。Andinthisworldyouavealreadymetastar，forIthinkyouhavebeen>
“Ishearetiredstar，too?”saidLucy。
&quitethesame，”saidRamandu。“ItwasnotquiteasarestthatogoverntheDuffers。Youmightcallitapu。Hemighthaveshohousandsofyearsmoreihernwinterskyifallhadgonewell。”
“Whatdidhedo，Sir?”asked。
“Myson，”saidRamandu，“itisnotforyou，asonofAdam，toknowwhatfaultsastarit。Bute，wewastetimeinsuchtalk。Areyouyetresolved?Willyousailfurthereastandeagain，leaviurnnomore，ahee?Orwillyousail>
“Surely，Sire，”saidReepicheep，“thereisionaboutthat?Itisveryplainlypartofourquesttorescuethesethreelordsfrome。”
“Ithinkthesame，Reepicheep，”replied。“Awerenotso，itwouldbreakmyheartnottogoasheWorld'sEreaderwilltakeus。ButIamthinkiheysigoseekthesevenlords，herimoftheEarth。Ifwesaileastfromherewesailtofiheuttereast。Andnotoneknowshowfaritis。They'rebravefellows，butIsetsignsthatsomeofthemarewearyofthevoyageandlongtohaveourprowpointingtain。Idon'tthinkshouldtakethemfurtherwitheahehepoorLordRhoop。He'sbrokenman。”