csl.thelionthewitchandthewardrobe-第3节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　she'll　turn　me　into　stone　and　I　shall　be　only　statue　of　a　Faun　in　her　horrible　house　until　the　four　thrones　at　Cair　Paravel　are　filled　and　goodness　knows　when　that　will　happen；　or　whether　it　will　ever　happen　at　all。〃
　　
　　〃I'm　very　sorry；　Mr　Tumnus；〃　said　Lucy。　〃But　please　let　me　go　home。〃
　　
　　〃Of　course　I　will；〃　said　the　Faun。　〃Of　course　I've　got　to。　I　see　that　now。　I　hadn't　known　what　Humans　were　like　before　I　met　you。　Of　course　I　can't　give　you　up　to　the　Witch；　not　now　that　I　know　you。　But　we　must　be　off　at　once。　I'll　see　you　back　to　the　lamp…post。　I　suppose　you　can　find　your　own　way　from　there　back　to　Spare　Oom　and　War　Drobe？〃
　　
　　〃I'm　sure　I　can；〃　said　Lucy。
　　
　　〃We　must　go　as　quietly　as　we　can；〃　said　Mr　Tumnus。　〃The　whole　wood　is　full　of　her　spies。　Even　some　of　the　trees　are　on　her　side。〃
　　
　　They　both　got　up　and　left　the　tea　things　on　the　table；　and　Mr　Tumnus　once　more　put　up　his　umbrella　and　gave　Lucy　his　arm；　and　they　went　out　into　the　snow。　The　journey　back　was　not　at　all　like　the　journey　to　the　Faun's　cave；　they　stole　along　as　quickly　as　they　could；　without　speaking　a　word；　and　Mr　Tumnus　kept　to　the　darkest　places。　Lucy　was　relieved　when　they　reached　the　lamp…post　again。
　　
　　〃Do　you　know　your　way　from　here；　Daughter　o　Eve？〃　said　Tumnus。
　　
　　Lucy　looked　very　hard　between　the　trees　and　could　just　see　in　the　distance　a　patch　of　light　that　looked　like　daylight。　〃Yes；〃　she　said；　〃I　can　see　the　wardrobe　door。〃
　　
　　〃Then　be　off　home　as　quick　as　you　can；〃　said　the　Faun；　〃and…c…can　you　ever　forgive　me　for　what　meant　to　do？〃
　　
　　〃Why；　of　course　I　can；〃　said　Lucy；　shaking　him　heartily　by　the　hand。　〃And　I　do　hope　you　won't　get　into　dreadful　trouble　on　my　account。〃
　　
　　〃Farewell；　Daughter　of　Eve；〃　said　he。　〃Perhaps　I　may　keep　the　handkerchief？〃
　　
　　〃Rather！〃　said　Lucy；　and　then　ran　towards　the　far　off　patch　of　daylight　as　quickly　as　her　legs　would　carry　her。　And　presently　instead　of　rough　branch　brushing　past　her　she　felt　coats；　and　instead　of　crunching　snow　under　her　feet　she　felt　wooden　board　and　all　at　once　she　found　herself　jumping　out　of　the　wardrobe　into　the　same　empty　room　from　which　the　whole　adventure　had　started。　She　shut　the　wardrobe　door　tightly　behind　her　and　looked　around；　panting　for　breath。　It　was　still　raining　and　she　could　hear　the　voices　of　the　others　in　the　passage。
　　
　　〃I'm　here；〃　she　shouted。　〃I'm　here。　I've　e　back　I'm　all　right。〃
　　
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　THREE
　　
　　EDMUND　AND　THE　WARDROBE
　　
　　Lucy　ran　out　of　the　empty　room　into　the　passage　and　found　the　other　three。
　　
　　〃It's　all　right；〃　she　repeated；　〃I've　eback。〃
　　
　　〃What　on　earth　are　you　talking　about；　Lucy？〃　asked　Susan。
　　
　　〃Why？　said　Lucy　in　amazement；　〃haven't　you　all　been　wondering　where　I　was？〃
　　
　　〃So　you've　been　hiding；　have　you？〃　said　Peter。　〃Poor　old　Lu；　hiding　and　nobody　noticed！　You'll　have　to　hide　longer　than　that　if　you　want　people　to　start　looking　for　you。〃
　　
　　〃But　I've　been　away　for　hours　and　hours；〃　said　Lucy。
　　
　　The　others　all　stared　at　one　another。
　　
　　〃Batty！〃　said　Edmund；　tapping　his　head。　〃Quite　batty。〃
　　
　　〃What　do　you　mean；　Lu？〃　asked　Peter。
　　
　　〃What　I　said；〃　answered　Lucy。　〃It　was　just　after　breakfast　when　I　went　into　the　wardrobe；　and　I've　been　away　for　hours　and　hours；　and　had　tea；　and　all　sorts　of　things　have　happened。〃
　　
　　〃Don't　be　silly；　Lucy；〃　said　Susan。　〃We've　only　just　e　out　of　that　room　a　moment　ago；　and　you　were　there　then。〃
　　
　　〃She's　not　being　silly　at　all；〃　said　Peter；　〃she's　just　making　up　a　story　for　fun；　aren't　you；　Lu？　And　why　shouldn't　she？〃
　　
　　〃No；　Peter；　I'm　not；〃　she　said。　〃It's…it's　a　magic　wardrobe。　There's　a　wood　inside　it；　and　it's　snowing；　and　there's　a　Faun　and　a　Witch　and　it's　called　Narnia；　e　and　see。〃
　　
　　The　others　did　not　know　what　to　think；　but　Lucy　was　so　excited　that　they　all　went　back　with　her　into　the　room。　She　rushed　ahead　of　them；　flung　open　the　door　of　the　wardrobe　and　cried；　〃Now！　go　in　and　see　for　yourselves。〃
　　
　　〃Why；　you　goose；〃　said　Susan；　putting　her　head　inside　and　pulling　the　fur　coats　apart；　〃it's　just　an　ordinary　wardrobe；　look！　there's　the　back　of　it。〃
　　
　　Then　everyone　looked　in　and　pulled　the　coats　apart；　and　they　all　saw…Lucy　herself　saw…a　perfectly　ordinary　wardrobe。　There　was　no　wood　and　no　snow；　only　the　back　of　the　wardrobe；　with　hooks　on　it。　Peter　went　in　and　rapped　his　knuckles　on　it　to　make　sure　that　it　was　solid。
　　
　　〃A　jolly　good　hoax；　Lu；〃　he　said　as　he　came　out　again；　〃you　have　really　taken　us　in；　I　must　admit。　We　half　believed　you。〃
　　
　　〃But　it　wasn't　a　hoax　at　all；〃　said　Lucy；　〃really　and　truly。　It　was　all　different　a　moment　ago。　Honestly　it　was。　I　promise。〃
　　
　　〃e；　Lu；〃　said　Peter；　〃that's　going　a　bit　far。　You've　had　your　joke。　Hadn't　you　better　drop　it　now？〃
　　
　　Lucy　grew　very　red　in　the　face　and　tried　to　say　something；　though　she　hardly　knew　what　she　was　trying　to　say；　and　burst　into　tears。
　　
　　For　the　next　few　days　she　was　very　miserable。　She　could　have　made　it　up　with　the　others　quite　easily　at　any　moment　if　she　could　have　brought　herself　to　say　that　the　whole　thing　was　only　a　story　made　up　for　fun。　But　Lucy　was　a　very　truthful　girl　and　she　knew　that　she　was　really　in　the　right；　and　she　could　not　bring　herself　to　say　this。　The　others　who　thought　she　was　telling　a　lie；　and　a　silly　lie　too；　made　her　very　unhappy。　The　two　elder　ones　did　this　without　meaning　to　do　it；　but　Edmund　could　be　spiteful；　and　on　this　occasion　he　was　spiteful。　He　sneered　and　jeered　at　Lucy　and　kept　on　asking　her　if　she'd　found　any　other　new　countries　in　other　cupboards　all　over　the　house。　What　made　it　worse　was　that　these　days　ought　to　have　been　delightful。　The　weather　was　fine　and　they　were　out　of　doors　from　morning　to　night；　bathing；　fishing；　climbing　trees；　and　lying　in　the　heather。　But　Lucy　could　not　properly　enjoy　any　of　it。　And　so　things　went　on　until　the　next　wet　day。
　　
　　That　day；　when　it　came　to　the　afternoon　and　there　was　still　no　sign　of　a　break　in　the　weather；　they　decided　to　play　hide…and…seek。　Susan　was　〃It〃　and　as　soon　as　the　others　scattered　to　hide；　Lucy　went　to　the　room　where　the　wardrobe　was。　She　did　not　mean　to　hide　in　the　wardrobe；　because　she　knew　that　would　only　set　the　others　talking　again　about　the　whole　wretched　business。　But　she　did　want　to　have　one　more　look　inside　it；　for　by　this　time　she　was　beginning　to　wonder　herself　whether　Narnia　and　the　Faun　had　not　been　a　dream。　The　house　was　so　large　and　plicated　and　full　of　hiding…places　that　she　thought　she　would　have　time　to　have　one　look　into　the　wardrobe　and　then　hide　somewhere　else。　But　as　soon　as　she　reached　it　she　heard　steps　in　the　passage　outside；　and　then　there　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　jump　into　the　wardrobe　and　hold　the　door　closed　behind　her。　She　did　not　shut　it　properly　because　she　knew　that　it　is　very　silly　to　shut　oneself　into　a　wardrobe；　even　if　it　is　not　a　magic　one。
　　
　　Now　the　steps　she　had　heard　were　those　of　Edmund；　and　he　came　into　the　room　just　in　time　to　see　Lucy　vanishing　into　the　wardrobe。　He　at　once　decided　to　get　into　it　himself…not　because　he　thought　it　a　particularly　good　place　to　hide　but　because　he　wanted　to　go　on　teasing　her　about　her　imaginary　country。　He　opened　the　door。　There　were　the　coats　hanging　up　as　usual；　and　a　smell　of　mothballs；　and　darkness　and　silence；　and　no　sign　of　Lucy。　〃She　thinks　I'm　Susan　e　to　catch　her；〃　said　Edmund　to　himself；　〃and　so　she's　keeping　very　quiet　in　at　the　back。〃　He　jumped　in　and　shut　the　door；　forgetting　what　a　very　foolish　thing　this　is　to　do。　Then　he　began　feeling　about　for　Lucy　in　the　dark。　He　had　expected　to　find　her　in　a　few　seconds　and　was　very　surprised　when　he　did　not。　He　decided　to　open　the　door　again　and　let　in　some　light。　But　he　could　not　find　the　door　either。　He　didn't　like　this　at　all　and　began　groping　wildly　in　every　direction；　he　even　shouted　out；　〃Lucy！　Lu！　Where　are　you？　I　know　you're　here。〃
　　
　　There　was　no　answer　and　Edmund　noticed　that　his　own　voice　had　a　curious　sound…not　the　sound　you　expect　in　a　cupboard；　but　a　kind　of　open…air　sound。　He　also　noticed　that　he　was　unexpectedly　cold；　and　then　he　saw　a　light。
　　
　　〃Thank　goodness；〃　said　Edmund；　〃the　door　must　have　swung　open　of　its　own　accord。〃　He　forgot　all　about　Lucy　and　went　towards　the　light；　which　he　thought　was　the　open　door　of　the　wardrobe。　But　instead　of　finding　himself　stepping　out　into　the　spare　room　he　found　himself　stepping　out　from　the　shadow　of　some　thick　dark　fir　trees　into　an　open　place　in　the　middle　of　a　wood。
　　
　　There　was　crisp；　dry　snow　under　his　feet　and　more　snow　lying　on　the　branches　of　the　trees。　Overhead　there　was　pale　blue　sky；　the　sort　of　sky　one　sees　on　a　fine　winter　day　in　the　morning。　Straight　ahead　of　him　he　saw　between　the　tree…trunks　the　sun；　just　rising；　very　red　and　clear。　Everything　was　perfectly　still；　as　if　he　were　the　only　living　creature　in　that　country。　There　was　not　even　a　robin　or　a　squirrel　among　the　trees；　and　the　wood　stretched　as　far　as　he　could　see　in　every　direction。　He　shivered。
　　
　　He　now　remembered　that　he　had　been　looking　for　Lucy；　and　also　how　unpleasant