csl.themagiciansnephew-第12部分

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　　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　most　of　them　were　getting　as　far　away　as　they　could。　The　Cabby；　however；　obviously　the　bravest　as　well　as　the　kindest　person　present；　was　keeping　close　to　the　horse；　dodging　this　way　and　that　to　avoid　the　bar；　but　still　trying　to　catch　Strawberry's　head。
　　
　　The　crowd　booed　and　bellowed　again。　A　stone　whistled　over　Digory's　head。　Then　came　the　voice　of　the　Witch；　clear　like　a　great　bell；　and　sounding　as　if；　for　once；　she　were　almost　happy。
　　
　　〃Scum！　You　shall　pay　dearly　for　this　when　I　have　conquered　your　world。　Not　one　stone　of　your　city　will　be　left。　I　will　make　it　as　Charn；　as　Felinda；　as　Sorlois；　as　Bramandin。〃
　　
　　Digory　as　last　caught　her　ankle。　She　kicked　back　with　her　heel　and　hit　him　in　the　mouth。　In　his　pain　he　lost　hold。　His　lip　was　cut　and　his　mouth　full　of　blood。　From　somewhere　very　close　by　came　the　voice　of　Uncle　Andrew　in　a　sort　of　trembling　scream。　〃Madam…my　dear　young　lady…for　heaven's　sake…pose　yourself。〃　Digory　made　a　second　grab　at　her　heel；　and　was　again　shaken　off。　More　men　were　knocked　down　by　the　iron　bar。　He　made　a　third　grab：　caught　the　heel：　held　on　tike　grim　death；　shouting　to　Polly　〃Go！〃　then　Oh；　thank　goodness。　The　angry；　frightened　faces　had　vanished。　The　angry；　frightened　voices　were　silenced。　All　except　Uncle　Andrew's。　Close　beside　Digory　in　the　darkness；　it　was　wailing　on　〃Oh；　oh；　is　this　delirium？　Is　it　the　end？　I　can't　bear　it。　It's　not　fair。　I　never　meant　to　be　a　Magician。　It's　all　a　misunderstanding。　It's　all　my　godmother's　fault；　I　must　protest　against　this。
　　
　　In　my　state　of　health　too。　A　very　old　Dorsetshire　family。〃
　　
　　〃Bother！〃　thought　Digory。　〃We　didn't　want　to　bring　him　along。　My　hat；　what　a　picnic。　Are　you　there；　Polly？〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　I'm　here。　Don't　keep　on　shoving。〃
　　
　　〃I'm　not；〃　began　Digory；　but　before　he　could　say　anything　more；　their　heads　came　out　into　the　warm；　green　sunshine　of　the　wood。　And　as　they　stepped　out　of　the　pool　Polly　cried　out：
　　
　　〃Oh　look！　We've…brought　the　old　horse　with　us　too。　And　Mr　Ketterley。　And　the　Cabby。　This　is　a　pretty　kettle　of　fish！〃
　　
　　As　soon　as　the　Witch　saw　that　she　was　once　more　in　the　wood　she　turned　pale　and　bent　down　till　her　face　touched　the　mane　of　the　horse。　You　could　see　she　felt　deadly　sick。　Uncle　Andrew　was　shivering。　But　Strawberry；　the　horse；　shook　his　head；　gave　a　cheerful　whinny；　and　seemed　to　feel　better。　He　became　quiet　for　the　first　time　since　Digory　had　seen　him。　His　ears；　which　had　been　laid　flat　back　on　his　skull；　came　into　their　proper　position；　and　the　fire　went　out　of　his　eyes。
　　
　　〃That's　right；　old　boy；〃　said　the　Cabby；　slapping　Strawberry's　neck。　〃That's　better。　Take　it　easy。〃
　　
　　Strawberry　did　the　most　natural　thing　in　the　world。　Being　very　thirsty　（and　no　wonder）　he　walked　slowly　across　to　the　nearest　pool　and　stepped　into　it　to　have　a　drink。　Digory　was　still　holding　the　Witch's　heel　and　Polly　was　holding　Digory's　hand。　One　of　the　Cabby's　hands　was　on　Strawberry；　and　Uncle　Andrew；　still　very　shaky；　had　just　grabbed　on　the　Cabby's　other　hand。
　　
　　〃Quick；〃　said　Polly；　with　a　look　at　Digory。　〃Greens！〃
　　
　　So　the　horse　never　got　his　drink。　Instead；　the　whole　party　found　themselves　sinking　into　darkness。　Strawberry　neighed；　Uncle　Andrew　whimpered。　Digory　said；　〃That　was　a　bit　of　luck。〃
　　
　　There　was　a　short　pause。　Then　Polly　said；　〃Oughtn't　we　to　be　nearly　there　now？〃
　　
　　〃We　do　seem　to　be　somewhere；〃　said　Digory。　〃At　least　I'm　standing　on　something　solid。〃
　　
　　〃Why；　so　am　I；　now　that　I　e　to　think　of　it；〃　said　Polly。　〃But　why's　it　so　dark？　I　say；　do　you　think　we　got　into　the　wrong　Pool？〃
　　
　　〃Perhaps　this　is　Charn；〃　said　Digory。　〃Only　we've　got　back　in　the　middle　of　the　night。〃
　　
　　〃This　is　not　Charn；〃　came　the　Witch's　voice。　〃This　is　an　empty　world。　This　is　Nothing。〃
　　
　　And　really　it　was　unmonly　like　Nothing。　There　were　no　stars。　It　was　so　dark　that　they　couldn't　see　one　another　at　all　and　it　made　no　difference　whether　you　kept　your　eyes　shut　or　open。　Under　their　feet　there　was　a　cool；　flat　something　which　might　have　been　earth；　and　was　certainly　not　grass　or　wood。　The　air　was　cold　and　dry　and　there　was　no　wind。
　　
　　〃My　doom　has　e　upon　me；〃　said　the　Witch　in　a　voice　of　horrible　calmness。
　　
　　〃Oh　don't　say　that；〃　babbled　Uncle　Andrew。　〃My　dear　young　lady；　pray　don't　say　such　things。　It　can't　be　as　bad　as　that。　Ah…Cabman…my　good　man…you　don't　happen　to　have　a　flask　about　you？　A　drop　of　spirits　is　just　what　I　need。〃
　　
　　〃Now　then；　now　then；〃　came　the　Cabby's　voice；　a　good　firm；　hardy　voice。　〃Keep　cool　everyone；　that's　what　I　say。　No　bones　broken；　anyone？　Good。　Well　there's　something　to　be　thankful　for　straight　away；　and　more　than　anyone　could　expect　after　falling　all　that　way。　Now；　if　we've　fallen　down　some　diggings…as　it　might　be　for　a　new　station　on　the　Underground…someone　will　e　and　get　us　out　presently；　see！　And　if　we're　dead…which　I　don't　deny　it　might　be…well；　you　got　to…remember　that　worse　things　'appen　at　sea　and　a　chap's　got　to　die　sometime。　And　there　ain't　nothing　to　be　afraid　of　if　a　chap's　led　a　decent　life。　And　if　you　ask　me；　I　think　the　best　thing　we　could　do　to　pass　the　time　would　be　sing　a　'ymn。〃
　　
　　And　he　did。　He　struck　up　at　once　a　harvest　thanksgiving　hymn；　all　about　crops　being　〃safely　gathered　in〃。　It　was　not　very　suitable　to　a　place　which　felt　as　if　nothing　had　ever　grown　there　since　the　beginning　of　time；　but　it　was　the　one　he　could　remember　best。　He　had　a　fine　voice　and　the　children　joined　in；　it　was　very　cheering。　Uncle　Andrew　and　the　Witch　did　not　join　in。
　　
　　Towards　the　end　of　the　hymn　Digory　felt　someone　plucking　at　his　elbow　and　from　a　general　smell　of　brandy　and　cigars　and　good　clothes　he　decided　that　it　must　be　Uncle　Andrew。　Uncle　Andrew　was　cautiously　pulling　him　away　from　the　others。　When　they　had　gone　a　little　distance；　the　old　man　put　his　mouth　so　close　to　Digory's　ear　that　it　tickled；　and　whispered：
　　
　　〃Now；　my　boy。　Slip　on　your　ring。　Let's　be　off。〃
　　
　　But　the　Witch　had　very　good　ears。　〃Fool！〃　came　her　voice　and　she　leaped　off　the　horse。　〃Have　you　forgotten　that　I　can　hear　men's　thoughts？　Let　go　the　boy。　If　you　attempt　treachery　I　will　take　such　vengeance　upon　you　as　never　was　heard　of　in　all　worlds　from　the　beginning。〃
　　
　　〃And；〃　added　Digory；　〃if　you　think　I'm　such　a　mean　pig　as　to　go　off　and　leave　Polly…and　the　Cabby…and　the　horse　in　a　place　like　this；　you're　well　mistaken。〃
　　
　　〃You　are　a　very　naughty　and　impertinent　little　boy；〃　said　Uncle　Andrew。
　　
　　〃Hush！〃　said　the　Cabby。　They　all　listened。
　　
　　In　the　darkness　something　was　happening　at　last。　A　voice　had　begun　to　sing。　It　was　very　far　away　and　Digory　found　it　hard　to　decide　from　what　direction　it　was　ing。　Sometimes　it　seemed　to　e　from　all　directions　at　once。　Sometimes　he　almost　thought　it　was　ing　out　of　the　earth　beneath　them。　Its　lower　notes　were　deep　enough　to　be　the　voice　of　the　earth　herself。　There　were　no　words。　There　was　hardly　even　a　tune。　But　it　was；　beyond　parison；　the　most　beautiful　noise　he　had　ever　heard。　It　was　so　beautiful　he　could　hardly　bear　it。　The　horse　seemed　to　like　it　too；　he　gave　the　sort　of　whinney　a　horse　would　give　if；　after　years　of　being　a　cab…horse；　it　found　itself　back　in　the　old　field　where　it　had　played　as　a　foal；　and　saw　someone　whom　it　remembered　and　loved　ing　across　the　field　to　bring　it　a　lump　of　sugar。
　　
　　〃Gawd！〃　said　the　Cabby。　〃Ain't　it　lovely？〃
　　
　　Then　two　wonders　happened　at　the　same　moment。　One　was　that　the　voice　was　suddenly　joined　by　other　voices；　more　voices　than　you　could　possibly　count。　They　were　in　harmony　with　it；　but　far　higher　up　the　scale：　cold；　tingling；　silvery　voices。　The　second　wonder　was　that　the　blackness　overhead；　all　at　once；　was　blazing　with　stars。　They　didn't　e　out　gently　one　by　one；　as　they　do　on　a　summer　evening。　One　moment　there　had　been　nothing　but　darkness；　next　moment　a　thousand；　thousand　points　of　light　leaped　out…single　stars；　constellations；　and　planets；　brighter　and　bigger　than　any　in　our　world。　There　were　no　clouds。　The　new　stars　and　the　new　voices　began　at　exactly　the　same　time。　If　you　had　seen　and　heard　it；　as　Digory　did；　you　would　have　felt　quite　certain　that　it　was　the　stars　themselves　which　were　singing；　and　that　it　was　the　First　Voice；　the　deep　one；　which　had　made　them　appear　and　made　them　sing。
　　
　　〃Glory　be！〃　said　the　Cabby。　〃I'd　ha'　been　a　better　man　all　my　life　if　I'd　known　there　were　things　like　this。〃
　　
　　The　Voice　on　the　earth　was　now　louder　and　more　triumphant；　but　the　voices　in　the　sky；　after　singing　loudly　with　it　for　a　time；　began　to　get　fainter。　And　now　something　else　was　happening。
　　
　　Far　away；　and　down　near　the　horizon；　the　sky　began　to　turn　grey。　A　light　wind；　very　fresh；　began　to　stir。　The　sky；　in　that　one　place；　grew　slowly　and　steadily　paler。　You　could　see　shapes　of　hills　standing　up　dark　against　it。　All　the　time　the　Voice　went　on　singing。
　　
　　There　was　soon　light　enough　for　them　to　see　one　another's　faces。　The　Cabby　and　the　two　children　had　open　mouths　and　shining　eyes；　they　were　drinking　in　the　sound；　and　they　looked　as　if　it　reminded　them　of　something。　Uncle　Andrew's　mouth　was　open　too；　but　not　open　with　joy。　He　looked　more　as　if　his　chin　had　simply　dropped　away　from　the　rest　of　his　face。　His　shoulders　were　stopped　and　his　knees　shook。　He　was　not　liking　the　Voice。　If　he　could　have　got　away　from　it　by　creeping　into　a　rat's　hole；　he　would　have　done　so。　But　the　Witch　looked　as　if；　in　a　way；　she　understood　the　music　better　than　any　of　them。　Her　mouth　was　shut；　her　lips　were　pressed　together；　and　her　fists　were　clenched。　Ever　since　the　song　began　she　had　felt　that　this　whole　world　was　filled　with　a　Magic　different　from　hers　and　stronger。　She　hated　it。　She　would　have　smashed　that　whole　world；　or　all　worlds；　to　pieces；　if　it　would　only　stop　the　singing。　The　horse　stood　with　its　ears　well　forward；　and　twitching。　Every　now　and　then　it　snorted　and　stamped　the　ground。　It　no　longer　looked　like　a　tired　old　cab…horse；　you　could