csl.thelionthewitchandthewardrobe-第5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！


it　me。〃
　　
　　〃Why　not　now？〃　said　Edmund。　His　face　had　bee　very　red　and　his　mouth　and　fingers　were　sticky。　He　did　not　look　either　clever　or　handsome；　whatever　the　Queen　might　say。
　　
　　〃Oh；　but　if　I　took　you　there　now；〃　said　she；　〃I　shouldn't　see　your　brother　and　your　sisters。　I　very　much　want　to　know　your　charming　relations。　You　are　to　be　the　Prince　and…later　on…the　King；　that　is　understood。　But　you　must　have　courtiers　and　nobles。　I　will　make　your　brother　a　Duke　and　your　sisters　Duchesses。〃
　　
　　〃There's　nothing　special　about　them；〃　said　Edmund；　〃and；　anyway；　I　could　always　bring　them　some　other　time。〃
　　
　　〃Ah；　but　once　you　were　in　my　house；〃　said　the　Queen；　〃you　might　forget　all　about　thern。　You　would　be　enjoying　yourself　so　much　that　you　wouldn't　want　the　bother　of　going　to　fetch　them。　No。　You　must　go　back　to　your　own　country　now　and　e　to　me　another　day；　with　them；　you　understand。　It　is　no　good　ing　without　them。〃
　　
　　〃But　I　don't　even　know　the　way　back　to　my　own　country；〃　pleaded　Edmund。　〃That's　easy；〃　answered　the　Queen。　〃Do　you　see　that　lamp？〃　She　pointed　with　her　wand　and　Edmund　turned　and　saw　the　same　lamp…post　under　which　Lucy　had　met　the　Faun。　〃Straight　on；　beyond　that；　is　the　way　to　the　World　of　Men。　And　now　look　the　other　way'…here　she　pointed　in　the　opposite　direction…〃and　tell　me　if　you　can　see　two　little　hills　rising　above　the　trees。〃
　　
　　〃I　think　I　can；〃　said　Edmund。
　　
　　〃Well；　my　house　is　between　those　two　hills。　So　next　time　you　e　you　have　only　to　find　the　lamp…post　and　look　for　those　two　hills　and　walk　through　the　wood　till　you　reach　my　house。　But　remember…you　must　bring　the　others　with　you。　I　might　have　to　be　very　angry　with　you　if　you　came　alone。〃
　　
　　〃I'll　do　my　best；〃　said　Edmund。
　　
　　〃And；　by　the　way；〃　said　the　Queen；　〃you　needn't　tell　them　about　me。　It　would　be　fun　to　keep　it　a　secret　between　us　two；　wouldn't　it？　Make　it　a　surprise　for　them。　Just　bring　them　along　to　the　two　hills…a　clever　boy　like　you　will　easily　think　of　some　excuse　for　doing　that…and　when　you　e　to　my　house　you　could　just　say　〃Let's　see　who　lives　here〃　or　something　like　that。　I　am　sure　that　would　be　best。　If　your　sister　has　met　one　of　the　Fauns；　she　may　have　heard　strange　stories　about　me…nasty　stories　that　might　make　her　afraid　to　e　to　me。　Fauns　will　say　anything；　you　know；　and　now…〃
　　
　　〃Please；　please；〃　said　Edmund　suddenly；　〃please　couldn't　I　have　just　one　piece　of　Turkish　Delight　to　eat　on　the　way　home？〃
　　
　　〃No；　no；〃　said　the　Queen　with　a　laugh；　〃you　must　wait　till　next　time。〃　While　she　spoke；　she　signalled　to　the　dwarf　to　drive　on；　but　as　the　sledge　swept　away　out　of　sight；　the　Queen　waved　to　Edmund；　calling　out；　〃Next　time！　Next　time！　Don't　forget。　e　soon。〃
　　
　　Edmund　was　still　staring　after　the　sledge　when　he　heard　someone　calling　his　own　name；　and　looking　round　he　saw　Lucy　ing　towards　him　from　another　part　of　the　wood。
　　
　　〃Oh；　Edmund！〃　she　cried。　〃So　you've　got　in　too！　Isn't　it　wonderful；　and　now…〃
　　
　　〃All　right；〃　said　Edmund；　〃I　see　you　were　right　and　it　is　a　magic　wardrobe　after　all。　I'll　say　I'm　sorry　if　you　like。　But　where　on　earth　have　you　been　all　this　time？　I've　been　looking　for　you　everywhere。〃
　　
　　〃If　I'd　known　you　had　got　in　I'd　have　waited　for　you；〃　said　Lucy；　who　was　too　happy　and　excited　to　notice　how　snappishly　Edmund　spoke　or　how　flushed　and　strange　his　face　was。　〃I've　been　having　lunch　with　dear　Mr　Tumnus；　the　Faun；　and　he's　very　well　and　the　White　Witch　has　done　nothing　to　him　for　letting　me　go；　so　he　thinks　she　can't　have　found　out　and　perhaps　everything　is　going　to　be　all　right　after　all。〃
　　
　　〃The　White　Witch？〃　said　Edmund；　〃who's　she？〃
　　
　　〃She　is　a　perfectly　terrible　person；〃　said　Lucy。　〃She　calls　herself　the　Queen　of　Narnia　though　she　has　no　right　to　be　queen　at　all；　and　all　the　Fauns　and　Dryads　and　Naiads　and　Dwarfs　and　Animals…at　least　all　the　good　ones…simply　hate　her。　And　she　can　turn　people　into　stone　and　do　all　kinds　of　horrible　things。　And　she　has　made　a　magic　so　that　it　is　always　winter　in　Narnia…always　winter；　but　it　never　gets　to　Christmas。　And　she　drives　about　on　a　sledge；　drawn　by　reindeer；　with　her　wand　in　her　hand　and　a　crown　on　her　head。〃
　　
　　Edmund　was　already　feeling　unfortable　from　having　eaten　too　many　sweets；　and　when　he　heard　that　the　Lady　he　had　made　friends　with　was　a　dangerous　witch　he　felt　even　more　unfortable。　But　he　still　wanted　to　taste　that　Turkish　Delight　again　more　than　he　wanted　anything　else。
　　
　　〃Who　told　you　all　that　stuff　about　the　White　Witch？〃　he　asked。
　　
　　〃Mr　Tumnus；　the　Faun；〃　said　Lucy。
　　
　　〃You　can't　always　believe　what　Fauns　say；〃　said　Edmund；　trying　to　sound　as　if　he　knew　far　more　about　them　than　Lucy。
　　
　　〃Who　said　so？〃　asked　Lucy。
　　
　　〃Everyone　knows　it；〃　said　Edmund；　〃ask　anybody　you　like。　But　it's　pretty　poor　sport　standing　here　in　the　snow。　Let's　go　home。〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　let's；〃　said　Lucy。　〃Oh；　Edmund；　I　am　glad　you've　got　in　too。　The　others　will　have　to　believe　in　Narnia　now　that　both　of　us　have　been　there。　What　fun　it　will　be！〃
　　
　　But　Edmund　secretly　thought　that　it　would　not　be　as　good　fun　for　him　as　for　her。　He　would　have　to　admit　that　Lucy　had　been　right；　before　all　the　others；　and　he　felt　sure　the　others　would　all　be　on　the　side　of　the　Fauns　and　the　animals；　but　he　was　already　more　than　half　on　the　side　of　the　Witch。　He　did　not　know　what　he　would　say；　or　how　he　would　keep　his　secret　once　they　were　all　talking　about　Narnia。
　　
　　By　this　time　they　had　walked　a　good　way。　Then　suddenly　they　felt　coats　around　them　instead　of　branches　and　next　moment　they　were　both　standing　outside　the　wardrobe　in　the　empty　room。
　　
　　〃I　say；〃　said　Lucy；　〃you　do　look　awful；　Edmund。　Don't　you　feel　well？〃
　　
　　〃I'm　all　right；〃　said　Edmund；　but　this　was　not　true。　He　was　feeling　very　sick。
　　
　　〃e　on　then；〃　said　Lucy；　〃let's　find　the　others。　What　a　lot　we　shall　have　to　tell　them！　And　what　wonderful　adventures　we　shall　have　now　that　we're　all　in　it　together。〃
　　
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　FIVE
　　
　　BACK　ON　THIS　SIDE　OF　THE　DOOR
　　
　　BECAUSE　the　game　of　hide…and…seek　was　still　going　on；　it　took　Edmund　and　Lucy　some　time　to　find　the　others。　But　when　at　last　they　were　all　together　（which　happened　in　the　long　room；　where　the　suit　of　armour　was）　Lucy　burst　out：
　　
　　〃Peter！　Susan！　It's　all　true。　Edmund　has　seen　it　too。　There　is　a　country　you　can　get　to　through　the　wardrobe。　Edmund　and　I　both　got　in。　We　met　one　another　in　there；　in　the　wood。　Go　on；　Edmund；　tell　them　all　about　it。〃
　　
　　〃What's　all　this　about；　Ed？〃　said　Peter。
　　
　　And　now　we　e　to　one　of　the　nastiest　things　in　this　story。　Up　to　that　moment　Edmund　had　been　feeling　sick；　and　sulky；　and　annoyed　with　Lucy　for　being　right；　but　he　hadn't　made　up　his　mind　what　to　do。　When　Peter　suddenly　asked　him　the　question　he　decided　all　at　once　to　do　the　meanest　and　most　spiteful　thing　he　could　think　of。　He　decided　to　let　Lucy　down。
　　
　　〃Tell　us；　Ed；〃　said　Susan。
　　
　　And　Edmund　gave　a　very　superior　look　as　if　he　were　far　older　than　Lucy　（there　was　really　only　a　year's　difference）　and　then　a　little　snigger　and　said；　〃Oh；　yes；　Lucy　and　I　have　been　playing…pretending　that　all　her　story　about　a　country　in　the　wardrobe　is　true。　just　for　fun；　of　course。　There's　nothing　there　really。〃
　　
　　Poor　Lucy　gave　Edmund　one　look　and　rushed　out　of　the　room。
　　
　　Edmund；　who　was　being　a　nastier　person　every　minute；　thought　that　he　had　scored　a　great　success；　and　went　on　at　once　to　say；　〃There　she　goes　again。　What's　the　matter　with　her？　That's　the　worst　of　young　kids；　they　always…〃
　　
　　〃Look　here；〃　said　Peter；　turning　on　him　savagely；　〃shut　up！　You've　been　perfectly　beastly　to　Lu　ever　since　she　started　this　nonsense　about　the　wardrobe；　and　now　you　go　playing　games　with　her　about　it　and　setting　her　off　again。　I　believe　you　did　it　simply　out　of　spite。〃
　　
　　〃But　it's　all　nonsense；〃　said　Edmund；　very　taken　aback。
　　
　　〃Of　course　it's　all　nonsense；〃　said　Peter；　〃that's　just　the　point。　Lu　was　perfectly　all　right　when　we　left　home；　but　since　we've　been　down　here　she　seems　to　be　either　going　queer　in　the　head　or　else　turning　into　a　most　frightful　liar。　But　whichever　it　is；　what　good　do　you　think　you'll　do　by　jeering　and　nagging　at　her　one　day　and　encouraging　her　the　next？〃
　　
　　〃I　thought…I　thought；〃　said　Edmund；　but　he　couldn't　think　of　anything　to　say。
　　
　　〃You　didn't　think　anything　at　all；〃　said　Peter；　〃it's　just　spite。　You've　always　liked　being　beastly　to　anyone　smaller　than　yourself；　we've　seen　that　at　school　before　now。〃
　　
　　〃Do　stop　it；〃　said　Susan；　〃it　won't　make　things　any　better　having　a　row　between　you　two。　Let's　go　and　find　Lucy。〃
　　
　　It　was　not　surprising　that　when　they　found　Lucy；　a　good　deal　later；　everyone　could　see　that　she　had　been　crying。　Nothing　they　could　say　to　her　made　any　difference。　She　stuck　to　her　story　and　said：
　　
　　〃I　don't　care　what　you　think；　and　I　don't　care　what　you　say。　You　can　tell　the　Professor　or　you　can　write　to　Mother　or　you　can　do　anything　you　like。　I　know　I've　met　a　Faun　in　there　and…I　wish　I'd　stayed　there　and　you　are　all　beasts；　beast