csl.themagiciansnephew-第14部分

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　　〃Guns　be　blowed；〃　said　the　Cabby。　〃I　think　I'll　go　and　see　if　I　can　give　Strawberry　a　rub　down。　That　horse　'as　more　sense　than　some　'umans　as　I　could　mention。〃　He　walked　back　to　Strawberry　and　began　making　the　hissing　noises　that　grooms　make。
　　
　　〃Do　you　still　think　that　Lion　could　be　killed　by　a　gun？〃　asked　Digory。　〃He　didn't　mind　the　iron　bar　much。〃
　　
　　〃With　all　her　faults；〃　said　Uncle　Andrew；　〃that's　a　plucky　gel；　my　boy。　It　was　a　spirited　thing　to　do。〃　He　rubbed　his　hands　and　cracked　his　knuckles；　as　if　he　were　once　more　forgetting　how　the　Witch　frightened　him　whenever　she　was　really　there。
　　
　　〃It　was　a　wicked　thing　to　do；〃　said　Polly。　〃What　harm　had　he　done　her？〃
　　
　　〃Hullo！　What's　that？〃　said　Digory。　He　had　darted　forward　to　examine　something　only　a　few　yards　away。　〃I　say；　Polly；〃　he　called　back。　〃Do　e　and　look。〃
　　
　　Uncle　Andrew　came　with　her；　not　because　he　wanted　to　see　but　because　he　wanted　to　keep　close　to　the　children　there　might　be　a　chance　of　stealing　their　rings。　But　when　he　saw　what　Digory　was　looking　at；　even　he　began　to　take　an　interest。　It　was　a　perfect　little　model　of　a　lamp…post；　about　three　feet　high　but　lengthening；　and　thickening　in　proportion；　as　they　watched　it；　in　fact　growing　just　as　the　trees　had　grown。
　　
　　〃It's　alive　too…I　mean；　it's　lit；〃　said　Digory。　And　so　it　was；　though　of　course；　the　brightness　of　the　sun　made　the　little　flame　in　the　lantern　hard　to　see　unless　your　shadow　fell　on　it。
　　
　　〃Remarkable；　most　remarkable；〃　muttered　Uncle　Andrew。　〃Even　I　never　dreamt　of　Magic　like　this。　We're　in　a　world　where　everything；　even　a　lamp…post；　es　to　life　and　grows。　Now　I　wonder　what　sort　of　seed　a　lamppost　grows　from？〃
　　
　　〃Don't　you　see？〃　said　Digory。　〃This　is　where　the　bar　fell…the　bar　she　tore　off　the　lamp…post　at　home。　It　sank　into　the　ground　and　now　it's　ing　up　as　a　young　lamppost。〃　（But　not　so　very　young　now；　it　was　as　tall　as　Digory　while　he　said　this。）
　　
　　〃That's　it！　Stupendous；　stupendous；〃　said　Uncle　Andrew；　rubbing　his　hands　harder　than　ever。　〃Ho；　ho！　They　laughed　at　my　Magic。　That　fool　of　a　sister　of　mine　thinks　I'm　a　lunatic。　I　wonder　what　they'll　say　now？　I　have　discovered　a　world　where　everything　is　bursting　with　life　and　growth。　Columbus；　now；　they　talk　about　Columbus。　But　what　was　America　to　this？　The　mercial　possibilities　of　this　country　are　unbounded。　Bring　a　few　old　bits　of　scrap　iron　here；　bury　'em；　and　up　they　e　as　brand　new　railway　engines；　battleships；　anything　you　please。　They'll　cost　nothing；　and　I　can　sell　'em　at　full　prices　in　England。　I　shall　be　a　millionaire。　And　then　the　climate！　I　feel　years　younger　already。　I　can　run　it　as　a　health　resort。　A　good　sanatorium　here　might　be　worth　twenty　thousand　a　year。　Of　course　I　shall　have　to　let　a　few　people　into　the　secret。　The　first　thing　is　to　get　that　brute　shot。〃
　　
　　〃You're　just　like　the　Witch；〃　said　Polly。　〃All　you　think　of　is　killing　things。〃
　　
　　〃And　then　as　regards　oneself；〃　Uncle　Andrew　continued；　in　a　happy　dream。　〃There's　no　knowing　how　long　I　might　live　if　I　settled　here。　And　that's　a　big　consideration　when　a　fellow　has　turned　sixty。　I　shouldn't　be　surprised　if　I　never　grew　a　day　older　in　this　country！　Stupendous！　The　land　of　youth！〃
　　
　　〃Oh！〃　cried　Digory。　〃The　land　of　youth！　Do　you　think　it　really　is？〃　For　of　course　he　remembered　what　Aunt　Letty　had　said　to　the　lady　who　brought　the　grapes；　and　that　sweet　hope　rushed　back　upon　him。　〃Uncle　Andrew〃；　he　said；　〃do　you　think　there's　anything　here　that　would　cure　Mother？〃
　　
　　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃　said　Uncle　Andrew。　〃This　isn't　a　chemist's　shop。　But　as　I　was　saying…〃
　　
　　　〃You　don't　care　twopence　about　her；〃　said　Digory　　savagely。　〃I　thought　you　might；　　after　all；　she's　your　sister　as　well　as　　my　Mother。　Well；　no　matter。　I'm　　jolly　well　going　to　ask　the　Lion　　himself　if　he　can　help　me。〃　And　he　turned　and　walked　briskly　away。　Polly　waited　for　a　moment　and　then　went　after　him。
　　
　　〃Here！　Stop！　e　back！　The　boy's　gone　mad；〃　said　Uncle　Andrew。　He　followed　the　children　at　a　cautious　distance　behind；　for　he　didn't　want　to　get　too　far　away　from　the　green　rings　or　too　near　the　Lion。
　　
　　In　a　few　minutes　Digory　came　to　the　edge　of　the　wood　and　there　he　stopped。　The　Lion　was　singing　still。　But　now　the　song　had　once　more　changed。　It　was　more　like　what　we　should　call　a　tune；　but　it　was　also　far　wilder。　It　made　you　want　to　run　and　jump　and　climb。　It　made　you　want　to　shout。　It　made　you　want　to　rush　at　other　people　and　either　hug　them　or　fight　them。　It　made　Digory　hot　and　red　in　the　face。　It　had　some　effect　on　Uncle　Andrew；　for　Digory　could　hear　him　saying；　〃A　spirited　gel；　sir。　It's　a　pity　about　her　temper；　but　a　dem　fine　woman　all　the　same；　a　dem　fine　woman。〃　But　what　the　song　did　to　the　two　humans　was　nothing　pared　with　what　it　was　doing　to　the　country。
　　
　　Can　you　imagine　a　stretch　of　grassy　land　bubbling　like　water　in　a　pot？　For　that　is　really　the　best　description　of　what　was　happening。　In　all　directions　it　was　swelling　into　humps。　They　were　of　very　different　sizes；　some　no　bigger　than　mole…hills；　some　as　big　as　wheel…barrows；　two　the　size　of　cottages。　And　the　humps　moved　and　swelled　till　they　burst；　and　the　crumbled　earth　poured　out　of　them；　and　from　each　hump　there　came　out　an　animal。　The　moles　came　out　just　as　you　might　see　a　mole　e　out　in　England。　The　dogs　came　out；　barking　the　moment　their　heads　were　free；　and　struggling　as　you've　seen　them　do　when　they　are　getting　through　a　narrow　hole　in　a　hedge。　The　stags　were　the　queerest　to　watch；　for　of　course　the　antlers　came　up　a　long　time　before　the　rest　of　them；　so　at　first　Digory　thought　they　were　trees。　The　frogs；　who　all　came　up　near　the　river；　went　straight　into　it　with　a　plop…plop　and　a　loud　croaking。　The　panthers；　leopards　and　things　of　that　sort；　sat　down　at　once　to　wash　the　loose　earth　off　their　hind　quarters　and　then　stood　up　against　the　trees　to　sharpen　their　front　claws。　Showers　of　birds　came　out　of　the　trees。　Butterflies　fluttered。　Bees　got　to　work　on　the　flowers　as　if　they　hadn't　a　second　to　lose。　But　the　greatest　moment　of　all　was　when　the　biggest　hump　broke　like　a　small　earthquake　and　out　came　the　sloping　back；　the　large；　wise　head；　and　the　four　baggy…trousered　legs　of　an　elephant。　And　now　you　could　hardly　hear　the　song　of　the　Lion；　there　was　so　much　cawing；　cooing；　crowing；　braying；　neighing；　baying；　barking；　lowing；　bleating；　and　trumpeting。
　　
　　But　though　Digory　could　no　longer　hear　the　Lion；　he　could　see　it。　It　was　so　big　and　so　bright　that　he　could　not　take　his　eyes　off　it。　The　other　animals　did　not　appear　to　be　afraid　of　it。　Indeed；　at　that　very　moment；　Digory　heard　the　sound　of　hoofs　from　behind；　a　second　later　the　old　cab…horse　trotted　past　him　and　joined　the　other　beasts。　（The　air　had　apparently　suited　him　as　well　as　it　had　suited　Uncle　Andrew。　He　no　longer　looked　like　the　poor；　old　slave　he　had　been　in　London；　he　was　picking　up　his　feet　and　holding　his　head　erect。）　And　now；　for　the　first　time；　the　Lion　was　quite　silent。　He　was　going　to　and　fro　among　the　animals。　And　every　now　and　then　he　would　go　up　to　two　of　them　（always　two　at　a　time）　and　touch　their　noses　with　his。　He　would　touch　two　beavers　among　all　the　beavers；　two　leopards　among　all　the　leopards；　one　stag　and　one　deer　among　all　the　deer；　and　leave　the　rest。　Some　sorts　of　animal　he　passed　over　altogether。　But　the　pairs　which　he　had　touched　instantly　left　their　own　kinds　and　followed　him。　At　last　he　stood　still　and　all　the　creatures　whom　he　had　touched　came　and　stood　in　a　wide　circle　around　him。　The　others　whom　he　had　not　touched　began　to　wander　away。　Their　noises　faded　gradually　into　the　distance。　The　chosen　beasts　who　remained　were　now　utterly　silent；　all　with　their　eyes　fixed　intently　upon　the　Lion。　The　cat…like　ones　gave　an　occasional　twitch　of　the　tail　but　otherwise　all　were　still。　For　the　first　time　that　day　there　was　plete　silence；　except　for　the　noise　of　running　water。　Digory's　heart　beat　wildly；　he　knew　something　very　solemn　was　going　to　be　done。　He　had　not　forgotten　about　his　Mother；　but　he　knew　jolly　well　that；　even　for　her；　he　couldn't　interrupt　a　thing　like　this。
　　
　　The　Lion；　whose　eyes　never　blinked；　stared　at　the　animals　as　hard　as　if　he　was　going　to　burn　them　up　with　his　mere　stare。　And　gradually　a　change　came　over　them。　The　smaller　ones…the　rabbits；　moles　and　such…like　grew　a　good　deal　larger。　The　very　big　ones…you　noticed　it　most　with　the　elephants…grew　a　little　smaller。　Many　animals　sat　up　on　their　hind　legs。　Most　put　their　heads　on　one　side　as　if　they　were　trying　very　hard　to　understand。　The　Lion　opened　his　mouth；　but　no　sound　came　from　it；　he　was　breathing　out；　a　long；　warm　breath；　it　seemed　to　sway　all　the　beasts　as　the　wind　sways　a　line　of　trees。　Far　overhead　from　beyond　the　veil　of　blue　sky　which　hid　them　the　stars　sang　again；　a　pure；　cold；　difficult　music。　Then　there　came　a　swift　flash　like　fire　（but　it　burnt　nobody）　either　from　the　sky　or　from　the　Lion　itself；　and　every　drop　of　blood　tingled　in　the　children's　bodies；　and　the　deepest；　wildest　voice　they　had　ever　heard　was　saying：
　　
　　〃Narnia；　Narnia；　Narnia；　awake。　Love。　Think。　Speak。　Be　walking　trees。　Be　talking　beasts。　Be　divine　waters。〃
　　
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　TEN
　　
　　THE　FIRST　JOKE　AND　OTHER　MATTERS
　　
　　IT　was　of　course　the　Lion's　voice。　The　children　had　long　felt　sure　that　he　could　speak：　yet　it　was　a　lovely　and　terrible　shock　when　he　did。
　　
　　Out　of　the　trees　wild　people　stepped　forth；　gods　and　goddesses　of　the　wood；　with　them　came　Fauns　and　Satyrs　and　Dwarfs。　Out　of　the　river　rose　the　river　god　with　his　Naiad　daughters。　And　all　these　and　all　the　beasts　and　birds　in　their　different　voices；　low　or　high　or　thick　or　clear；　replied：
　　
　　〃Hail；　Aslan。　We　hear　and　obey。　We　are　awake。　We　love。　We　think。　We　speak。　We　know。〃
　　
　　〃But　please；　we　don't　know　very　much　yet；〃　said　a　nosey　and　snorty　kind　of　voice。　And　that　really　did　make　the　children　jump；　for　it　was　the　cab…horse　who　had　spoken。
　　
　　〃Good　old　Strawberry；〃　said　Polly。　〃I　am　glad　he　was　one　of　the　ones　picked　out　to　be　a　Talking　Beast。〃　And　the　Cabby；　who　was　now　standing　beside　the　children；　said；　〃Strike　me　pink。　I　always　did　say　that