csl.thelionthewitchandthewardrobe-第17节

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　　Presently　the　centaurs　and　unicorns　and　deer　and　birds　（they　were　of　course　the　rescue　party　which　Aslan　had　sent　in　the　last　chapter）　all　set　off　to　go　back　to　the　Stone　Table；　carrying　Edmund　with　them。　But　if　they　could　have　seen　what　happened　in　that　valley　after　they　had　gone；　I　think　they　might　have　been　surprised。
　　
　　It　was　perfectly　still　and　presently　the　moon　grew　bright；　if　you　had　been　there　you　would　have　seen　the　moonlight　shining　on　an　old　tree…stump　and　on　a　fairsized　boulder。　But　if　you　had　gone　on　looking　you　would　gradually　have　begun　to　think　there　was　something　odd　about　both　the　stump　and　the　boulder。　And　next　you　would　have　thought　that　the　stump　did　look　really　remarkably　like　a　little　fat　man　crouching　on　the　ground。　And　if　you　had　watched　long　enough　you　would　have　seen　the　stump　walk　across　to　the　boulder　and　the　boulder　sit　up　and　begin　talking　to　the　stump；　for　in　reality　the　stump　and　the　boulder　were　simply　the　Witch　and　the　dwarf。　For　it　was　part　of　her　magic　that　she　could　make　things　look　like　what　they　aren't；　and　she　had　the　presence　of　mind　to　do　so　at　the　very　moment　when　the　knife　was　knocked　out　of　her　hand。　She　had　kept　hold　of　her　wand；　so　it　had　been　kept　safe；　too。
　　
　　When　the　other　children　woke　up　next　morning　（they　had　been　sleeping　on　piles　of　cushions　in　the　pavilion）　the　first　thing　they　heard…from　Mrs　Beaver…was　that　their　brother　had　been　rescued　and　brought　into　camp　late　last　night；　and　was　at　that　moment　with　Aslan。　As　soon　as　they　had　breakfasted4　they　all　went　out；　and　there　they　saw　Aslan　and　Edmund　walking　together　in　the　dewy　grass；　apart　from　the　rest　of　the　court。　There　is　no　need　to　tell　you　（and　no　one　ever　heard）　what　Aslan　was　saying；　but　it　was　a　conversation　which　Edmund　never　forgot。　As　the　others　drew　nearer　Aslan　turned　to　meet　them；　bringing　Edmund　with　him。
　　
　　〃Here　is　your　brother；〃　he　said；　〃and…there　is　no　need　to　talk　to　him　about　what　is　past。〃
　　
　　Edmund　shook　hands　with　each　of　the　others　and　said　to　each　of　them　in　turn；　〃I'm　sorry；〃　and　everyone　said；　〃That's　all　right。〃　And　then　everyone　wanted　very　hard　to　say　something　which　would　make　it　quite　clear　that　they　were　all　friends　with　him　again…something　ordinary　and　natural…and　of　course　no　one　could　think　of　anything　in　the　world　to　say。　But　before　they　had　time　to　feel　really　awkward　one　of　the　leopards　approached　Aslan　and　said；
　　
　　〃Sire；　there　is　a　messenger　from　the　enemy　who　craves　audience。〃
　　
　　〃Let　him　approach；〃　said　Aslan。
　　
　　The　leopard　went　away　and　soon　returned　leading　the　Witch's　dwarf。
　　
　　〃What　is　your　message；　Son　of　Earth？〃　asked　Aslan。
　　
　　〃The　Queen　of　Narnia　and　Empress　of　the　Lone　Islands　desires　a　safe　conduct　to　e　and　speak　with　you；〃　said　the　dwarf；　〃on　a　matter　which　is　as　much　to　your　advantage　as　to　hers。〃
　　
　　〃Queen　of　Narnia；　indeed！〃　said　Mr　Beaver。　〃Of　all　the　cheek…〃
　　
　　〃Peace；　Beaver；〃　said　Aslan。　〃All　names　will　soon　be　restored　to　their　proper　owners。　In　the　meantime　we　will　not　dispute　about　them。　Tell　your　mistress；　Son　of　Earth；　that　I　grant　her　safe　conduct　on　condition　that　she　leaves　her　wand　behind　her　at　that　great　oak。〃
　　
　　This　was　agreed　to　and　two　leopards　went　back　with　the　dwarf　to　see　that　the　conditions　were　properly　carried　out。　〃But　supposing　she　turns　the　two　leopards　into　stone？〃　whispered　Lucy　to　Peter。　I　think　the　same　idea　had　occurred　to　the　leopards　themselves；　at　any　rate；　as　they　walked　off　their　fur　was　all　standing　up　on　their　backs　and　their　tails　were　bristling…like　a　cat's　when　it　sees　a　strange　dog。
　　
　　〃It'll　be　all　right；〃　whispered　Peter　in　reply。　〃He　wouldn't　send　them　if　it　weren't。〃
　　
　　A　few　minutes　later　the　Witch　herself　walked　out　on　to　the　top　of　the　hill　and　came　straight　across　and　stood　before　Aslan。　The　three　children　who　had　not　seen　her　before　felt　shudders　running　down　their　backs　at　the　sight　of　her　face；　and　there　were　low　growls　among　all　the　animals　present。　Though　it　was　bright　sunshine　everyone　felt　suddenly　cold。　The　only　two　people　present　who　seemed　to　be　quite　at　their　ease　were　Aslan　and　the　Witch　herself。　It　was　the　oddest　thing　to　see　those　two　faces…the　golden　face　and　the　dead…white　face　so　close　together。　Not　that　the　Witch　looked　Aslan　exactly　in　his　eyes；　Mrs　Beaver　particularly　noticed　this。
　　
　　〃You　have　a　traitor　there；　Aslan；〃　said　the　Witch。　Of　course　everyone　present　knew　that　she　meant　Edmund。　But　Edmund　had　got　past　thinking　about　himself　after　all　he'd　been　through　and　after　the　talk　he'd　had　that　morning。　He　just　went　on　looking　at　Aslan。　It　didn't　seem　to　matter　what　the　Witch　said。
　　
　　〃Well；〃　said　Aslan。　〃His　offence　was　not　against　you。〃
　　
　　〃Have　you　forgotten　the　Deep　Magic？〃　asked　the　Witch。
　　
　　〃Let　us　say　I　have　forgotten　it；〃　answered　Aslan　gravely。　〃Tell　us　of　this　Deep　Magic。〃
　　
　　〃Tell　you？〃　said　the　Witch；　her　voice　growing　suddenly　shriller。　〃Tell　you　what　is　written　on　that　very　Table　of　Stone　which　stands　beside　us？　Tell　you　what　is　written　in　letters　deep　as　a　spear　is　long　on　the　firestones　on　the　Secret　Hill？　Tell　you　what　is　engraved　on　the　sceptre　of　the　Emperor…beyond…the…Sea？　You　at　least　know　the　Magic　which　the　Emperor　put　into　Narnia　at　the　very　beginning。　You　know　that　every　traitor　belongs　to　me　as　my　lawful　prey　and　that　for　every　treachery　I　have　a　right　to　a　kill。〃
　　
　　〃Oh；〃　said　Mr　Beaver。　〃So　that's　how　you　came　to　imagine　yourself　a　queen…because　you　were　the　Emperor's　hangman。　I　see。〃
　　
　　〃Peace；　Beaver；〃　said　Aslan；　with　a　very　low　growl。　〃And　so；〃　continued　the　Witch；　〃that　human　creature　is　mine。　His　life　is　forfeit　to　me。　His　blood　is　my　property。〃
　　
　　〃e　and　take　it　then；〃　said　the　Bull　with　the　man's　head　in　a　great　bellowing　voice。
　　
　　〃Fool；〃　said　the　Witch　with　a　savage　smile　that　was　almost　a　snarl；　〃do　you　really　think　your　master　can　rob　me　of　my　rights　by　mere　force？　He　knows　the　Deep　Magic　better　than　that。　He　knows　that　unless　I　have　blood　as　the　Law　says　all　Narnia　will　be　overturned　and　perish　in　fire　and　water。〃
　　
　　〃It　is　very　true；〃　said　Aslan；　〃I　do　not　deny　it。〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　Aslan！〃　whispered　Susan　in　the　Lion's　ear；　〃can't　we…I　mean；　you　won't；　will　you？　Can't　we　do　something　about　the　Deep　Magic？　Isn't　there　something　you　can　work　against　it？〃
　　
　　〃Work　against　the　Emperor's　Magic？〃　said　Aslan；　turning　to　her　with　something　like　a　frown　on　his　face。　And　nobody　ever　made　that　suggestion　to　him　again。
　　
　　Edmund　was　on　the　other　side　of　Aslan；　looking　all　the　time　at　Aslan's　face。　He　felt　a　choking　feeling　and　wondered　if　he　ought　to　say　something；　but　a　moment　later　he　felt　that　he　was　not　expected　to　do　anything　except　to　wait；　and　do　what　he　was　told。
　　
　　〃Fall　back；　all　of　you；〃　said　Aslan；　〃and　I　will　talk　to　the　Witch　alone。〃
　　
　　They　all　obeyed。　It　was　a　terrible　time　this…waiting　and　wondering　while　the　Lion　and　the　Witch　talked　earnestly　together　in　low　voices。　Lucy　said；　〃Oh；　Edmund！〃　and　began　to　cry。　Peter　stood　with　his　back　to　the　others　looking　out　at　the　distant　sea。　The　Beavers　stood　holding　each　other's　paws　with　their　heads　bowed。　The　centaurs　stamped　uneasily　with　their　hoofs。　But　everyone　became　perfectly　still　in　the　end；　so　that　you　noticed　even　small　sounds　like　a　bumble…bee　flying　past；　or　the　birds　in　the　forest　down　below　them；　or　the　wind　rustling　the　leaves。　And　still　the　talk　between　Aslan　and　the　White　Witch　went　on。
　　
　　At　last　they　heard　Aslan's　voice；　〃You　can　all　e　back；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　settled　the　matter。　She　has　renounced　the　claim　on　your　brother's　blood。〃　And　all　over　the　hill　there　was　a　noise　as　if　everyone　had　been　holding　their　breath　and　had　now　begun　breathing　again；　and　then　a　murmur　of　talk。
　　
　　The　Witch　was　just　turning　away　with　a　look　of　fierce　joy　on　her　face　when　she　stopped　and　said；
　　
　　〃But　how　do　I　know　this　promise　will　be　kept？〃
　　
　　〃Haa…a…arrh！〃　roared　Aslan；　half　rising　from　his　throne；　and　his　great　mouth　opened　wider　and　wider　and　the　roar　grew　louder　and　louder；　and　the　Witch；　after　staring　for　a　moment　with　her　lips　wide　apart；　picked　up　her　skirts　and　fairly　ran　for　her　life。
　　
　　
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　FOURTEEN
　　
　　THE　TRIUMPH　OF　THE　WITCH
　　
　　As　soon　as　the　Witch　had　gone　Aslan　said；　〃We　must　move　from　this　place　at　once；　it　will　be　wanted　for　other　purposes。　We　shall　encamp　tonight　at　the　Fords　of　Beruna。
　　
　　Of　course　everyone　was　dying　to　ask　him　how　he　had　arranged　matters　with　the　witch；　but　his　face　was　stern　and　everyone's　ears　were　still　ringing　with　the　sound　of　his　roar　and　so　nobody　dared。
　　
　　After　a　meal；　which　was　taken　in　the　open　air　on　the　hill…top　（for　the　sun　had　got　strong　by　now　and　dried　the　grass）；　they　were　busy　for　a　while　taking　the　pavilion　down　and　packing　things　up。　Before　two　o'clock　they　were　on　the　march　and　set　off　in　a　northeasterly　direction；　walking　at　an　easy　pace　for　they　had　not　far　to　go。
　　
　　During　the　first　part　of　the　journey　Aslan　explained　to　Peter　his　plan　of　campaign。　〃As　soon　as　she　has　finished　her　business　in　these　parts；〃　he　said；　〃the