csl.themagiciansnephew-第11部分

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on　and　always　seem　to　smell　of　mutton。
　　
　　During　his　long　watching　and　waiting　one　small　thing　happened　which　I　shall　have　to　mention　because　something　important　came　of　it　later　on。　A　lady　called　with　some　grapes　for　Digory's　Mother；　and　as　the　dining…room　door　was　open；　Digory　couldn't　help　overhearing　Aunt　Letty　and　the　lady　as　they　talked　in　the　hall。
　　
　　〃What　lovely　grapes！〃　came　Aunt　Letty's　voice。　〃I'm　sure　if　anything　could　do　her　good　these　would。　But　poor；　dear　little　Mabel！　I'm　afraid　it　would　need　fruit　from　the　land　of　youth　to　help　her　now。　Nothing　in　this　world　will　do　much。〃　Then　they　both　lowered　their　voices　and　said　a　lot　more　that　he　could　not　hear。
　　
　　If　he　had　heard　that　bit　about　the　land　of　youth　a　few　days　ago　he　would　have　thought　Aunt　Letty　was　just　talking　without　meaning　anything　in　particular；　the　way　grown…ups　do；　and　it　wouldn't　have　interested　him。　He　almost　thought　so　now。　But　suddenly　it　flashed　upon　his　mind　that　he　now　knew　（even　if　Aunt　Letty　didn't）　that　there　really　were　other　worlds　and　that　he　himself　had　been　in　one　of　them。　At　that　rate　there　might　be　a　real　Land　of　Youth　somewhere。　There　might　be　almost　anything。　There　might　be　fruit　in　some　other　world　that　would　really　cure　his　mother！　And　oh；　oh…Well；　you　know　how　it　feels　if　you　begin　hoping　for　something　that　you　want　desperately　badly；　you　almost　fight　against　the　hope　because　it　is　too　good　to　be　true；　you've　been　disappointed　so　often　before。　That　was　how　Digory　felt。　But　it　was　no　good　trying　to　throttle　this　hope。　It　might　really；　really；　it　just　might　be　true。　So　many　odd　things　had　happened　already。　And　he　had　the　magic　rings。　There　must　be　worlds　you　could　get　to　through　every　pool　in　the　wood。　He　could　hunt　through　them　all。　And　then　Mother　well　again。　Everything　right　again。　He　forgot　all　about　watching　for　the　Witch。　His　hand　was　already　going　into　the　pocket　where　he　kept　the　yellow　ring；　when　all　at　once　he　herd　a　sound　of　galloping。
　　
　　〃Hullo！　What's　that？〃　thought　Digory。　〃Fire…engine？　I　wonder　what　house　is　on　fire。　Great　Scott；　it's　ing　here。　Why；　it's　Her。〃
　　
　　I　needn't　tell　you　who　he　meant　by　Her。
　　
　　First　came　the　hansom。　There　was　no　one　in　the　driver's　seat。　On　the　roof…not　sitting；　but　standing　on　the　roof　swaying　with　superb　balance　as　it　came　at　full　speed　round　the　corner　with　one　wheel　in　the　air…was　Jadis　the　Queen　of　Queens　and　the　Terror　of　Charn。　Her　teeth　were　bared；　her　eyes　shone　like　fire；　and　her　long　hair　streamed　out　behind　her　like　a　et's　tail。　She　was　flogging　the　horse　without　mercy。　Its　nostrils　were　wide　and　red　and　its　sides　were　spotted　with　foam。　It　galloped　madly　up　to　the　front　door；　missing　the　lamp…post　by　an　inch；　and　then　reared　up　on　its　hind　legs。　The　hansom　crashed　into　the　lamp…post　and　shattered　into　several　pieces。　The　Witch；　with　a　magnificent　jump；　had　sprung　clear　just　in　time　and　landed　on　the　horse's　back。　She　settled　herself　astride　and　leaned　forward；　whispering　things　in　its　ear。　They　must　have　been　things　meant　not　to　quiet　it　but　to　madden　it。　It　was　on　its　hind　legs　again　in　a　moment；　and　its　neigh　was　like　a　scream；　it　was　all　hoofs　and　teeth　and　eyes　and　tossing　mane。　Only　a　splendid　rider　could　have　stayed　on　its　back。
　　
　　Before　Digory　had　recovered　his　breath　a　good　many　other　things　began　to　happen。　A　second　hansom　dashed　up　close　behind　the　first：　out　of　it　there　jumped　a　fat　man　in　a　frock…coat　and　a　policeman。　Then　came　a　third　hansom　with　two　more　policemen　in　it。　After　it；　came　about　twenty　people　（mostly　errand　boys）　on　bicycles；　all　ringing　their　bells　and　letting　out　cheers　and　cat…calls。　Last　of　all　came　a　crowd　of　people　on　foot：　all　very　hot　with　running；　but　obviously　enjoying　themselves。　Windows　shot　up　in　all　the　houses　of　that　street　and　a　housemaid　or　a　butler　appeared　at　every　front　door。　They　wanted　to　see　the　fun。
　　
　　Meanwhile　an　old　gentleman　had　begun　to　struggle　shakily　out　of　the　ruins　of　the　first　hansom。　Several　people　rushed　forward　to　help　him；　but　as　one　pulled　him　one　way　and　another　another；　perhaps　he　would　have　got　out　quite　as　quickly　on　his　own。　Digory　guessed　that　the　old　gentleman　must　be　Uncle　Andrew　but　you　couldn't　see　his　face；　his　tall　hat　had　been　bashed　down　over　it。
　　
　　Digory　rushed　out　and　joined　the　crowd。
　　
　　〃That's　the　woman；　that's　the　woman；〃　cried　the　fat　man；　pointing　at　Jadis。　〃Do　your　duty；　Constable。　Hundreds　and　thousands　of　pounds'　worth　she's　taken　out　of　my　shop。　Look　at　that　rope　of　pearls　round　her　neck。　That's　mine。　And　she's　given　me　a　black　eye　too；　what's　more。〃
　　
　　〃That　she　'as；　guv'nor；〃　said　one　of　the　crowd。　〃And　as　lovely　a　black　eye　as　I'd　wish　to　see。　Beautiful　bit　of　work　that　must　'ave　been。　Gor！　ain't　she　strong　then！〃
　　
　　〃You　ought　to　put　a　nice　raw　beefsteak　on　it；　Mister；　that's　what　it　wants；〃　said　a　butcher's　boy。
　　
　　〃Now　then；〃　said　the　most　important　of　the　policemen；　〃what's　all　this　'ere？〃
　　
　　〃I　tell　you　she…〃　began　the　fat　man；　when　someone　else　called　out：
　　
　　〃Don't　let　the　old　cove　in　the　cab　get　away。　'E　put　'er　up　to　it。〃
　　
　　The　old　gentleman；　who　was　certainly　Uncle　Andrew；　had　just　succeeded　in　standing　up　and　was　rubbing　his　bruises。　〃Now　then；〃　said　the　policeman；　turning　to　him；　〃What's　all　this？〃
　　
　　〃Womfle…pomfy…shomf；〃　came　Uncle　Andrew's　voice　from　inside　the　hat。
　　
　　〃None　of　that　now；〃　said　the　policeman　sternly。　〃You'll　find　this　is　no　laughing　matter。　Take　that　'at　off；　see？〃
　　
　　This　was　more　easily　said　than　done。　But　after　Uncle　Andrew　had　struggled　in　vain　with　the　hat　for　some　time；　two　other　policemen　seized　it　by　the　brim　and　forced　it　off。
　　
　　〃Thank　you；　thank　you；〃　said　Uncle　Andrew　in　a　faint　voice。　〃Thank　you。　Dear　me；　I'm　terribly　shaken。　If　someone　could　give　me　a　small　glass　of　brandy…〃
　　
　　〃Now　you　attend　to　me；　if　you　please；〃　said　the　policeman；　taking　out　a　very　large　note　book　and　a　very　small　pencil。　〃Are　you　in　charge　of　that　there　young　woman？〃
　　
　　〃Look　out！〃　called　several　voices；　and　the　policeman　jumped　a　step　backwards　just　in　time。　The　horse　had　aimed　a　kick　at　him　which　would　probably　have　killed　him。　Then　the　Witch　wheeled　the　horse　round　so　that　she　faced　the　crowd　and　its　hind…legs　were　on　the　footpath。　She　had　a　long；　bright　knife　in　her　hand　and　had　been　busily　cutting　the　horse　free　from　the　wreck　of　the　hansom。
　　
　　All　this　time　Digory　had　been　trying　to　get　into　a　position　from　which　he　could　touch　the　Witch。　This　wasn't　at　all　easy　because；　on　the　side　nearest　to　him；　there　were　too　many　people。　And　in　order　to　get　round　to　the　other　side　he　had　to　pass　between　the　horse's　hoofs　and　the　railings　of　the　〃area〃　that　surrounded　the　house；　for　the　Ketterleys'　house　had　a　basement。　If　you　know　anything　about　horses；　and　especially　if　you　had　seen　what　a　state　that　horse　was　in　at　the　moment；　you　will　realize　that　this　was　a　ticklish　thing　to　do。　Digory　knew　lots　about　horses；　but　he　set　his　teeth　and　got　ready　to　make　a　dash　for　it　as　soon　as　he　saw　a　favourable　moment。
　　
　　A　red…faced　man　in　a　bowler　hat　had　now　shouldered　his　way　to　the　front　of　the　crowd。
　　
　　〃Hi！　P'leeceman；〃　he　said；　〃that's　my　'orse　what　she's　sitting　on；　same　as　it's　my　cab　what　she's　made　matchwood　of。〃
　　
　　〃One　at　a　time；　please；　one　at　a　time；〃　said　the　policeman。
　　
　　〃But　there　ain't　no　time；〃　said　the　Cabby。　〃I　know　that　'orse　better'n　you　do。　'Tain't　an　ordinary　'orse。　'Is　father　was　a　hofficer's　charger　in　the　cavalry；　'e　was。　And　if　the　young　woman　goes　on　hexcitin'　'im；　there'll　be　murder　done。　'Ere；　let　me　get　at　him。〃
　　
　　The　policeman　was　only　to　glad　to　have　a　good　reason　for　standing　further　away　from　the　horse。　The　Cabby　took　a　step　nearer；　looked　up　at　Jadis；　and　said　in　a　not　unkindly　voice：
　　
　　〃Now；　Missie；　let　me　get　at　'is　'ead；　and　just　you　get　off。　You're　a　Lidy；　and　you　don't　want　all　these　roughs　going　for　you；　do　you？　You　want　to　go　'ome　and　'ave　a　nice　cup　of　tea　and　a　lay　down　quiet　like；　then　you'll　feel　ever　so　much　better。〃　At　the　same　time　he　stretched　out　his　hand　towards　the　horse's　head　with　the　words；　〃Steady；　Strawberry；　old　boy。　Steady　now。〃
　　
　　Then　for　the　first　time　the　Witch　spoke。
　　
　　〃Dog！〃　came　her　cold；　clear　voice；　ringing　loud　above　all　the　other　noises。　〃Dog；　unhand　our　royal　charger。　We　are　the　Empress　Jadis。〃
　　
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　EIGHT
　　
　　THE　FIGHT　AT　THE　LAMP…POST
　　
　　〃Ho！　Her…ipress；　are　you？　We'll　see　about　that；〃　said　a　voice。　Then　another　voice　said；　〃Three　cheers　for　the　Hempress　of　Colney　'Atch〃　and　quite　a　number　joined　in。　A　flush　of　colour　came　into　the　Witch's　face　and　she　bowed　ever　so　slightly。　But　the　cheers　died　away　into　roars　of　laughter　and　she　saw　that　they　had　only　been　making　fun　of　her：　A　change　came　over　her　expression　and　she　changed　the　knife　to　her　left　hand。　Then；　without　warning；　she　did　a　thing　that　was　dreadful　to　see。　Lightly；　easily；　as　if　it　were　the　most　ordinary　thing　in　the　world；　she　stretched　up　her　right　arm　and　wrenched　off　one　of　the　cross…bars　of　the　lamp…post。　If　she　had　lost　some　magical　powers　in　our　world；　she　had　not　lost　her　strength；　she　could　break　an　iron　bar　as　if　it　were　a　stick　of　barleysugar。　She　tossed　her　new　weapon　up　in　the　air；　caught　it　again；　brandished　it；　and　urged　the　horse　forward。
　　
　　〃Now's　my　chance；〃　thought　Digory。　He　darted　between　the　horse　and　the　railings　and　began　going　forward。　If　only　the　brute　would　stay　still　for　a　moment　he　might　catch　the　Witch's　heel。　As　he　rushed；　he　heard　a　sickening　crash　and　a　thud。　The　Witch　had　brought　the　bar　down　on　the　chief　policeman's　helmet：　the　man　fell　like　a　nine…pin。
　　
　　〃Quick；　Digory。　This　must　be　stopped；〃　said　a　voice　beside　him。　It　was　Polly；　who　had　rushed　down　the　moment　she　was　allowed　out　of　bed。
　　
　　〃You　are　a　brick；〃　said　Digory。　〃Hold　on　to　me　tight。　You'd　have　to　manage　the　ring。　Yellow；　remember。　And　don't　put　it　on　till　I　shout。〃
　　
　　There　was　a　second　crash　and　another　policeman　crumpled　up。　There　came　an　angry　roar　from　the　crowd：　〃Pull　her　down。　Get　a　few　paving…stones。　Call　out　the　Military。〃　But　mos