csl.thelionthewitchandthewardrobe-第12节

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ssing　the　courtyard。　Right　in　the　very　middle　stood　a　huge　shape　like　a　man；　but　as　tall　as　a　tree；　with　a　fierce　face　and　a　shaggy　beard　and　a　great　club　in　its　right　hand。　Even　though　he　knew　that　it　was　only　a　stone　giant　and　not　a　live　one；　Edmund　did　not　like　going　past　it。
　　
　　He　now　saw　that　there　was　a　dim　light　showing　from　a　doorway　on　the　far　side　of　the　courtyard。　He　went　to　it；　there　was　a　flight　of　stone　steps　going　up　to　an　open　door。　Edmund　went　up　them。　Across　the　threshold　lay　a　great　wolf。
　　
　　〃It's　all　right；　it's　all　right；〃　he　kept　saying　to　himself；　〃it's　only　a　stone　wolf。　It　can't　hurt　me〃；　and　he　raised　his　leg　to　step　over　it。　Instantly　the　huge　creature　rose；　with　all　the　hair　bristling　along　its　back；　opened　a　great；　red　mouth　and　said　in　a　growling　voice：
　　
　　〃Who's　there？　Who's　there？　Stand　still；　stranger；　and　tell　me　who　you　are。〃
　　
　　〃If　you　please；　sir；〃　said　Edmund；　trembling　so　that　he　could　hardly　speak；　〃my　name　is　Edmund；　and　I'm　the　Son　of　Adam　that　Her　Majesty　met　in　the　wood　the　other　day　and　I've　e　to　bring　her　the　news　that　my　brother　and　sisters　are　now　in　Narnia…quite　close；　in　the　Beavers'　house。　She…she　wanted　to　see　them。〃
　　
　　〃I　will　tell　Her　Majesty；〃　said　the　Wolf。　〃Meanwhile；　stand　still　on　the　threshold；　as　you　value　your　life。〃　Then　it　vanished　into　the　house。
　　
　　Edmund　stood　and　waited；　his　fingers　aching　with　cold　and　his　heart　pounding　in　his　chest；　and　presently　the　grey　wolf；　Maugrim；　the　Chief　of　the　Witch's　Secret　Police；　came　bounding　back　and　said；　〃e　in！　e　in！　Fortunate　favourite　of　the　Queen…or　else　not　so　fortunate。〃
　　
　　And　Edmund　went　in；　taking　great　care　not　to　tread　on　the　Wolf's　paws。
　　
　　He　found　himself　in　a　long　gloomy　hall　with　many　pillars；　full；　as　the　courtyard　had　been；　of　statues。　The　one　nearest　the　door　was　a　little　faun　with　a　very　sad　expression　on　its　face；　and　Edmund　couldn't　help　wondering　if　this　might　be　Lucy's　friend。　The　only　light　came　from　a　single　lamp　and　close　beside　this　sat　the　White　Witch。
　　
　　〃I'm　e；　your　Majesty；〃　said　Edmund；　rushing　eagerly　forward。
　　
　　〃How　dare　you　e　alone？〃　said　the　Witch　in　a　terrible　voice。　〃Did　I　not　tell　you　to　bring　the　others　with　you？〃
　　
　　〃Please；　your　Majesty；〃　said　Edmund；　〃I've　done　the　best　I　can。　I've　brought　them　quite　close。　They're　in　the　little　house　on　top　of　the　dam　just　up　the　riverwith　Mr　and　Mrs　Beaver。〃
　　
　　A　slow　cruel　smile　came　over　the　Witch's　face。
　　
　　〃Is　this　all　your　news？〃　she　asked。
　　
　　〃No；　your　Majesty；〃　said　Edmund；　and　proceeded　to　tell　her　all　he　had　heard　before　leaving　the　Beavers'　house。
　　
　　〃What！　Aslan？〃　cried　the　Queen；　〃Aslan！　Is　this　true？　If　I　find　you　have　lied　to　me…〃
　　
　　〃Please；　I'm　only　repeating　what　they　said；〃　stammered　Edmund。
　　
　　But　the　Queen；　who　was　no　longer　attending　to　him；　clapped　her　hands。　Instantly　the　same　dwarf　whom　Edmund　had　seen　with　her　before　appeared。
　　
　　〃Make　ready　our　sledge；〃　ordered　the　Witch；　〃and　use　the　harness　without　bells。〃
　　
　　
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　TEN
　　
　　THE　SPELL　BEGINS　TO　BREAK
　　
　　Now　we　must　go　back　to　Mr　and　Mrs　Beaver　and　the　three　other　children。　As　soon　as　Mr　Beaver　said；　〃There's　no　time　to　lose；〃　everyone　began　bundling　themselves　into　coats；　except　Mrs　Beaver；　who　started　picking　up　sacks　and　laying　them　on　the　table　and　said：　〃Now；　Mr　Beaver；　just　reach　down　that　ham。　And　here's　a　packet　of　tea；　and　there's　sugar；　and　some　matches。　And　if　someone　will　get　two　or　three　loaves　out　of　the　crock　over　there　in　the　corner。〃
　　
　　〃What　are　you　doing；　Mrs　Beaver？〃　exclaimed　Susan。
　　
　　〃Packing　a　load　for　each　of　us；　dearie；〃　said　Mrs　Beaver　very　coolly。　〃You　didn't　think　we'd　set　out　on　a　journey　with　nothing　to　eat；　did　you？〃
　　
　　〃But　we　haven't　time！〃　said　Susan；　buttoning　the　collar　of　her　coat。　〃She　may　be　here　any　minute。〃
　　
　　〃That's　what　I　say；〃　chimed　in　Mr　Beaver。
　　
　　〃Get　along　with　you　all；〃　said　his　wife。　〃Think　it　over；　Mr　Beaver。　She　can't　be　here　for　quarter　of　an　hour　at　least。〃
　　
　　〃But　don't　we　want　as　big　a　start　as　we　can　possibly　get；〃　said　Peter；　〃if　we're　to　reach　the　Stone　Table　before　her？〃
　　
　　〃You've　got　to　remember　that；　Mrs　Beaver；〃　said　Susan。　〃As　soon　as　she　has　looked　in　here　and　finds　we're　gone　she'll　be　off　at　top　speed。〃
　　
　　〃That　she　will；〃　said　Mrs　Beaver。　〃But　we　can't　get　there　before　her　whatever　we　do；　for　she'll　be　on　a　sledge　and　we'll　be　walking。〃
　　
　　〃Then…have　we　no　hope？〃　said　Susan。
　　
　　〃Now　don't　you　get　fussing；　there's　a　dear；〃　said　Mrs　Beaver；　〃but　just　get　half　a　dozen　clean　handkerchiefs　out　of　the　drawer。　'Course　we've　got　a　hope。　We　can't　get　there　before　her　but　we　can　keep　under　cover　and　go　by　ways　she　won't　expect　and　perhaps　we'll　get　through。〃
　　
　　〃That's　true　enough；　Mrs　Beaver；〃　said　her　husband。　〃But　it's　time　we　were　out　of　this。〃
　　
　　〃And　don't　you　start　fussing　either；　Mr　Beaver；〃　said　his　wife。　〃There。　That's　better。　There's　five　loads　and　the　smallest　for　the　smallest　of　us：　that's　you；　my　dear；〃　she　added；　looking　at　Lucy。
　　
　　〃Oh；　do　please　e　on；〃　said　Lucy。
　　
　　〃Well；　I'm　nearly　ready　now；〃　answered　Mrs　Beaver　at　last；　allowing　her　husband　to　help　her　into；　her　snow…boots。　〃I　suppose　the　sewing　machine's　took　heavy　to　bring？〃
　　
　　〃Yes。　It　is；〃　said　Mr　Beaver。　〃A　great　deal　too　heavy。　And　you　don't　think　you'll　be　able　to　use　it　while　we're　on　the　run；　I　suppose？〃
　　
　　〃I　can't　abide　the　thought　of　that　Witch　fiddling　with　it；〃　said　Mrs　Beaver；　〃and　breaking　it　or　stealing　it；　as　likely　as　not。〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　please；　please；　please；　do　hurry！〃　said　the　three　children。　And　so　at　last　they　all　got　outside　and　Mr　Beaver　locked　the　door　（〃It'll　delay　her　a　bit；〃　he　said）　and　they　set　off；　all　carrying　their　loads　over　their　shoulders。
　　
　　The　snow　had　stopped　and　the　moon　had　e　out　when　they　began　their　journey。　They　went　in　single　file…first　Mr　Beaver；　then　Lucy；　then　Peter；　then　Susan；　and　Mrs　Beaver　last　of　all。　Mr　Beaver　led　them　across　the　dam　and　on　to　the　right　bank　of　the　river　and　then　along　a　very　rough　sort　of　path　among　the　trees　right　down　by　the　river…bank。　The　sides　of　the　valley；　shining　in　the　moonlight；　towered　up　far　above　them　on　either　hand。　〃Best　keep　down　here　as　much　as　possible；〃　he　said。　〃She'll　have　to　keep　to　the　top；　for　you　couldn't　bring　a　sledge　down　here。〃
　　
　　It　would　have　been　a　pretty　enough　scene　to　look　at　it　through　a　window　from　a　fortable　armchair；　and　even　as　things　were；　Lucy　enjoyed　it　at　first。　But　as　they　went　on　walking　and　walking…and　walking　and　as　the　sack　she　was　carrying　felt　heavier　and　heavier；　she　began　to　wonder　how　she　was　going　to　keep　up　at　all。　And　she　stopped　looking　at　the　dazzling　brightness　of　the　frozen　river　with　all　its　waterfalls　of　ice　and　at　the　white　masses　of　the　tree…tops　and　the　great　glaring　moon　and　the　countless　stars　and　could　only　watch　the　little　short　legs　of　Mr　Beaver　going　pad…pad…pad…pad　through　the　snow　in　front　of　her　as　if　they　were　never　going　to　stop。　Then　the　moon　disappeared　and　the　snow　began　to　fall　once　more。　And　at　last　Lucy　was　so　tired　that　she　was　almost　asleep　and　walking　at　the　same　time　when　suddenly　she　found　that　Mr　Beaver　had　turned　away　from　the　river…bank　to　the　right　and　was　leading　them　steeply　uphill　into　the　very　thickest　bushes。　And　then　as　she　came　fully　awake　she　found　that　Mr　Beaver　was　just　vanishing　into　a　little　hole　in　the　bank　which　had　been　almost　hidden　under　the　bushes　until　you　were　quite　on　top　of　it。　In　fact；　by　the　time　she　realized　what　was　happening；　only　his　short　flat　tail　was　showing。
　　
　　Lucy　immediately　stooped　down　and　crawled　in　after　him。　Then　she　heard　noises　of　scrambling　and　puffing　and　panting　behind　her　and　in　a　moment　all　five　of　them　were　inside。
　　
　　〃Wherever　is　this？〃　said　Peter's　voice；　sounding　tired　and　pale　in　the　darkness。　（I　hope　you　know　what　I　mean　by　a　voice　sounding　pale。）
　　
　　〃It's　an　old　hiding…place　for　beavers　in　bad　times；〃　said　Mr　Beaver；　〃and　a　great　secret。　It's　not　much　of　a　place　but　we　must　get　a　few　hours'　sleep。〃
　　
　　〃If　you　hadn't　all　been　in　such　a　plaguey　fuss　when　we　were　starting；　I'd　have　brought　some　pillows；〃　said　Mrs　Beaver。
　　
　　It　wasn't　nearly　such　a　nice　cave　as　Mr　Tumnus's；　Lucy　thought…just　a　hole　in　the　ground　but　dry　and　earthy。　It　was　very　small　so　that　when　they　all　lay　down　they　were　all　a　bundle　of　clothes　together；　and　what　with　that　and　being　warmed　up　by　their　long　walk　they　were　really　rather　snug。　If　only　the　floor　of　the　cave　had　been　a　little　smoother！　Then　Mrs　Beaver　handed　round　in　the　dark　a　little　flask　out　of　which　everyone　drank　something…it　made　one　cough　and　splutter　a　little　and　stung　the　throat；　but　it　also　made　you　feel　deliciously　warm　after　you'd　swallowed　it　and　everyone　went　straight　to　sleep。
　　
　　It　seemed　to　Lucy　only　the　next　minute　（though　really　it　was　hours　and　hours　later）　when　she　woke　up　feeling　a　little　cold　and　dreadfully　stiff　and　thinking　how　she　would　like　a　hot　bath。　Then　she　felt　a　set　of　long　whiskers　tickling　her　cheek