本集演播：槑贰 

后期：Ning

英文对照文本在最底下，请往下拉到底。

第4节

“这位可敬的格鲁普向我们提供的信息，”他说，“在当前这样的时刻可能非常重要，但是之前已经提到过别的计划，所以自然先提到的优先。国王陛下不想采取极端手段，而这种办法早晚会导致剧烈反应，因此他才设计了一种更加稳妥和全面的办法，具体我就不再多说了。如果国王陛下成功了——谁敢怀疑这点？——并最终建立一个有益于地精王国的和平的时代，并以公主殿下和她的亲人的良好品行为宣誓，绝对保证它的安全。如果国王陛下失败了——谁敢哪怕是在脑子里偷偷地这么想一下？——那就采取格鲁普提出的那个更严厉的计划，现在我们万事俱备，只差最后一步。如果前一个失败，马上实施后一个计划。

科迪觉察到集会即将告终，应该不会有没发现的计划了，现在他想最好趁着地精开始解散之前逃走，于是静悄悄地溜走了。

地精现在都在他后面的宫殿里，所以不会有遇见他们的危险，但是因为没有灯，他可能会有走错路的危险，因此他不得不靠自己的记忆和双手的摸索。直到格鲁普的新住所的灯光也在他身后不见的时候，在他的眼前就彻底没有向导了。

他急迫地想要在地精回家拿剩下的家具之前从洞口出去。他倒是一点儿都不害怕地精，但当务之急是要彻底揭发他们正在酝酿的计划，他绝不能让他们有一丁点怀疑他们正在被一个矿工监视。

他用手在岩壁上摸索着出路快速向前。他如果不够勇敢的话，早就开始紧张了，阳光照不到这里，所以一旦迷路，想再找到出路基本上就是不可能的了。而且一旦地精发现这个特别会作诗折磨地精的人，他们是绝对不会让他好过的。他多希望自己随身带着灯和火石啊，可是他急着爬出来跟踪地精所以当时根本没想到！没过多久他就走进了死胡同，这下他更希望自己带着灯火了。往回走无济于事，因为他根本不知道自己是从哪儿开始走错的。但是，他依然机械地用手摸索着困住他的岩壁。突然摸到一处从岩石表面流过细小水流。

PART IV

'The information which the worthy Glump has given us,' he said, 'might have been of considerable import at the present moment, but for that other design already referred to, which naturally takes precedence. His Majesty, unwilling to proceed to extremities, and well aware that such measures sooner or later result in violent reactions, has excogitated a more fundamental and comprehensive measure, of which I need say no more. Should His Majesty be successful—as who dares to doubt?—then a peace, all to the advantage of the goblin kingdom, will be established for a generation at least, rendered absolutely secure by the pledge which His Royal Highness the prince will have and hold for the good behaviour of her relatives. Should His Majesty fail—which who shall dare even to imagine in his most secret thoughts?—then will be the time for carrying out with rigour the design to which Glump referred, and for which our preparations are even now all but completed. The failure of the former will render the latter imperative.'

Curdie, perceiving that the assembly was drawing to a close and that there was little chance of either plan being more fully discovered, now thought it prudent to make his escape before the goblins began to disperse, and slipped quietly away.

There was not much danger of meeting any goblins, for all the men at least were left behind him in the palace; but there was considerable danger of his taking a wrong turning, for he had now no light, and had therefore to depend upon his memory and his hands. After he had left behind him the glow that issued from the door of Glump's new abode, he was utterly without guide, so far as his eyes were concerned.

He was most anxious to get back through the hole before the goblins should return to fetch the remains of their furniture. It was not that he was in the least afraid of them, but, as it was of the utmost importance that he should thoroughly discover what the plans they were cherishing were, he must not occasion the slightest suspicion that they were watched by a miner.

He hurried on, feeling his way along the walls of rock. Had he not been very courageous, he must have been very anxious, for he could not but know that if he lost his way it would be the most difficult thing in the world to find it again. Morning would bring no light into these regions; and towards him least of all, who was known as a special rhymester and persecutor, could goblins be expected to exercise courtesy. Well might he wish that he had brought his lamp and tinder-box with him, of which he had not thought when he crept so eagerly after the goblins! He wished it all the more when, after a while, he found his way blocked up, and could get no farther. It was of no use to turn back, for he had not the least idea where he had begun to go wrong. Mechanically, however, he kept feeling about the walls that hemmed him in. His hand came upon a place where a tiny stream of water was running down the face of the rock.