第1107章 The Voyage of the Dawn Treader(232)

“Wait，” Caspian whispered back. “I’ve still a card to play.” “Aren‘t you going to say anything， Reep？” whispered Lucy. “No. Why should your Majesty expect it？” answered eepicheep in a voice that most people heard. “My owns lans are made. While I can， I sail east in the Dawn reader. When she fails me， I paddle east in my coracle. hen she sinks， I shall swim east with my four paws. And hen I can swim no longer， if I have not reached Aslan’s ountry， or shot over the edge of the world in some vast ataract， I shall sink with my nose to the sunrise and eepiceek will be head of the talking mice in Narnia.” “Hear， hear，” said a sailor， “I‘ll say the same， barring the it about the coracle， which wouldn’t bear me.” He addeda lower voice， “I‘m not going to be outdone by a mouse.” At this point Caspian jumped to his feet. “Friends，” he aid， “I think you have not quite understood our purpose. ou talk as if we had come to you with our hat in our and， begging for shipmates. It isn’t like that at all. We nd our royal brother and sister and their kinsman and Sir eepicheep， the good knight， and the Lord Drinian have n errand to the world‘s edge. It is our pleasure to choose om among such of you as are willing， those whom we eem worthy of so high an enterprise. We have not said hat any can come for the asking. That is why we shall now ommand the Lord Drinian and Master Rhince to consider arefully what men among you are the hardest in battle， the ost skilled seamen， the purest in blood， the most loyal o our person， and the cleanest of life and manners； and to ive their names to us in a schedule.” He paused and wenton in a quicker voice： “Aslan’s mane！” he exclaimed. “Do you think that the privilege of seeing the last things is to be bought for a song？ Why， every man that comes with us shall bequeath the title of Dawn Treader to all his descendants， and when we land at Cair Paravel on the homeward voyage he shall have either gold or land enough to make him rich all his life. Now.scatter over the island， all of you. In half an hour‘s time I shall receive the names that Lord Drinian brings me.”