csl.themagiciansnephew-第18部分

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ve　brought　into　this　world　will　e　back　to　Narnia　again。　But　it　need　not　be　yet。　It　is　my　wish　to　plant　in　Narnia　a　tree　that　she　will　not　dare　to　approach；　and　that　tree　will　protect　Narnia　from　her　for　many　years。　So　this　land　shall　have　a　long；　bright　morning　before　any　clouds　e　over　the　sun。　You　must　get　me　the　seed　from　which　that　tree　is　to　grow。〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　Digory。　He　didn't　know　how　it　was　to　be　done　but　he　felt　quite　sure　now　that　he　would　be　able　to　do　it。　The　Lion　drew　a　deep　breath；　stooped　its　head　even　lower　and　gave　him　a　Lion's　kiss。　And　at　once　Digory　felt　that　new　strength　and　courage　had　gone　into　him。
　　
　　〃Dear　son；〃　said　Aslan；　〃I　will　tell　you　what　you　must　do。　Turn　and　look　to　the　West　and　tell　me　what　do　you　see？〃
　　
　　〃I　see　terribly　big　mountains；　Aslan；〃　said　Digory；　〃I　see　this　river　ing　down　cliffs　in　a　waterfall。　And　beyond　the　cliff　there　are　high　green　hills　with　forests。　And　beyond　those　there　are　higher　ranges　that　look　almost　black。　And　then；　far　away；　there　are　big　snowy　mountains　all　heaped　up　together…like　pictures　of　the　Alps。　And　behind　those　there's　nothing　but　the　sky。〃
　　
　　〃You　see　well；〃　said　the　Lion。　〃Now　the　land　of　Narnia　ends　where　the　waterfall　es　down；　and　once　you　have　reached　the　top　of　the　cliffs　you　will　be　out　of　Narnia　and　into　the　Western　Wild。　You　must　journey　through　those　mountains　till　you　find　a　green　valley　with　a　blue　lake　in　it；　walled　round　by　mountains　of　ice。　At　the　end　of　the　lake　there　is　a　steep；　green　hill。　On　the　top　of　that　hill　there　is　a　garden。　In　the　centre　of　that　garden　is　a　tree。　Pluck　an　apple　from　that　tree　and　bring　it　back　to　me。〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　Digory　again。　He　hadn't　the　least　idea　of　how　he　was　to　climb　the　cliff　and　find　his　way　among　all　the　mountains；　but　he　didn't　like　to　say　that　for　fear　it　would　sound　like　making　excuses。　But　he　did　say；　〃I　hope；　Aslan；　you're　not　in　a　hurry。　I　shan't　be　able　to　get　there　and　back　very　quickly。〃
　　
　　〃Little　son　of　Adam；　you　shall　have　help；〃　said　Aslan。　He　then　turned　to　the　Horse　who　had　been　standing　quietly　beside　them　all　this　time；　swishing　his　tail　to　keep　the　flies　off；　and　listening　with　his　head　on　one　side　as　if　the　conversation　were　a　little　difficult　to　understand。
　　
　　〃My　dear；〃　said　Aslan　to　the　Horse；　〃would　you　like　to　be　a　winged　horse？〃
　　
　　You　should　have　seen　how　the　Horse　shook　its　mane　and　how　its　nostrils　widened；　and　the　little　tap　it　gave　the　ground　with　one　back　hoof。　Clearly　it　would　very　much　like　to　be　a　winged　horse。　But　it　only　said：
　　
　　〃If　you　wish；　Aslan…if　you　really　mean…I　don't　know　why　it　should　be　me…I'm　not　a　very　clever　horse。〃
　　
　　〃Be　winged。　Be　the　father　of　all　flying　horses；〃　roared　Aslan　in　a　voice　that　shook　the　ground。　〃Your　name　is　Fledge。〃
　　
　　The　horse　shied；　just　as　it　might　have　shied　in　the　old；　miserable　days　when　it　pulled　a　hansom。　Then　it　roared。　It　strained　its　neck　back　as　if　there　were　a　fly　biting　its　shoulders　and　it　wanted　to　scratch　them。　And　then；　just　as　the　beasts　had　burst　out　of　the　earth；　there　burst　out　from　the　shoulders　of　Fledge　wings　that　spread　and　grew；　larger　than　eagles'；　larger　than　swans'；　larger　than　angels'　wings　in　church　windows。　The　feathers　shone　chestnut　colour　and　copper　colour。　He　gave　a　great　sweep　with　them　and　leaped　into　the　air。
　　
　　Twenty　feet　above　Aslan　and　Digory　he　snorted；　neighed；　and　curvetted。　Then；　after　circling　once　round　them；　he　dropped　to　the　earth；　all　four　hoofs　together；　looking　awkward　and　surprised；　but　extremely　pleased。
　　
　　〃Is　it　good；　Fledge？〃　said　Aslan。
　　
　　〃It　is　very　good；　Aslan；〃　said　Fledge。
　　
　　〃Will　you　carry　this　little　son　of　Adam　on　your　back　to　the　mountainvalley　I　spoke　of？〃
　　
　　〃What？　Now？　At　once？〃　said　Strawberry…or　Fledge；　as　we　must　now　call　him…〃Hurrah！　e；　little　one；　I've　had　things　like　you　on　my　back　before。
　　
　　Long；　long　ago。　When　there　were　green　fields；　and　sugar。〃
　　
　　〃What　are　the　two　daughters　of　Eve　whispering　about？〃　said　Aslan；　turning　very　suddenly　on　Polly　and　the　Cabby's　wife；　who　had　in　fact　been　making　friends。
　　
　　〃If　you　please；　sir；〃　said　Queen　Helen　（for　that　is　what　Nellie　the　cabman's　wife　now　was）；　〃I　think　the　little　girl　would　love　to　go　too；　if　it　weren't　no　trouble。〃
　　
　　〃What　does　Fledge　say　about　that？〃　asked　the　Lion。
　　
　　〃Oh；　I　don't　mind　two；　not　when　they're　little　ones；〃　said　Fledge。　〃But　I　hope　the　Elephant　doesn't　want　to　e　as　well。〃
　　
　　The　Elephant　had　no　such　wish；　and　the　new　King　of　Narnia　helped　both　the　children　up：　that　is；　he　gave　Digory　a　rough　heave　and　set　Polly　as　gently　and　daintily　on　the　horse's　back　as　if　she　were　made　of　china　and　might　break。　〃There　they　are；　Strawberry…Fledge；　I　should　say。　This　is　a　rum　go。〃
　　
　　〃Do　not　fly　too　high；〃　said　Aslan。　〃Do　not　try　to　go　over　the　tops　of　the　great　ice…mountains。　Look　out　for　the　valleys；　the　green　places；　and　fly　through　them。　There　will　always　be　a　way　through。　And　now；　begone　with　my　blessing。〃
　　
　　〃Oh　Fledge！〃　said　Digory；　leaning　forward　to　pat　the　Horse's　glossy　neck。　〃This　is　fun。　Hold　on　to　me　tight；　Polly。〃
　　
　　Next　moment　the　country　dropped　away　beneath　them；　and　whirled　round　as　Fledge；　like　a　huge　pigeon；　circled　once　or　twice　before　setting　off　on　his　long　westward　flight。　Looking　down；　Polly　could　hardly　see　the　King　and　the　Queen；　and　even　Aslan　himself　was　only　a　bright　yellow　spot　on　the　green　grass。　Soon　the　wind　was　in　their　faces　and　Fledges　wings　settled　down　to　a　steady　beat。
　　
　　All　Narnia；　many…coloured　with　lawns　and　rocks　and　heather　and　different　sorts　of　trees；　lay　spread　out　below　them；　the　river　winding　through　it　like　a　ribbon　of　quicksilver。　They　could　already　see　over　the　tops　of　the　low　hills　which　lay　northward　on　their　right；　beyond　those　hills　a　great　moorland　sloped　gently　up　and　up　to　the　horizon。　On　their　left　the　mountains　were　much　higher；　but　every　now　and　then　there　was　a　gap　when　you　could　see；　between　steep　pine　woods；　a　glimpse　of　the　southern　lands　that　lay　beyond　them；　looking　blue　and　far　away。
　　
　　〃That'll　be　where　Archenland　is；〃　said　Polly。
　　
　　〃Yes；　but　look　ahead！〃　said　Digory。
　　
　　For　now　a　great　barrier　of　cliffs　rose　before　them　and　they　were　almost　dazzled　by　the　sunlight　dancing　on　the　great　waterfall　by　which　the　river　roars　and　sparkles　down　into　Narnia　itself　from　the　high　western　lands　in　which　it　rises。　They　were　flying　so　high　already　that　the　thunder　of　those　falls　could　only　just　be　heard　as　a　small；　thin　sound；　but　they　were　not　yet　high　enough　to　fly　over　the　top　of　the　cliffs。
　　
　　〃We'll　have　to　do　a　bit　of　zig…zagging　here；〃　said　Fledge。　〃Hold　on　tight。〃
　　
　　He　began　flying　to　and　fro；　getting　higher　at　each　turn。　The　air　grew　colder；　and　they　heard　the　call　of　eagles　far　below　them。
　　
　　〃I　say；　look　back！　Look　behind；〃　said　Polly。
　　
　　There　they　could　see　the　whole　valley　of　Narnia　stretched　out　to　where；　just　before　the　eastern　horizon；　there　was　a　gleam　of　the　sea。　And　now　they　were　so　high　that　they　could　see　tiny…looking　jagged　mountains　appearing　beyond　the　northwest　moors；　and　plains　of　what　looked　like　sand　far　in　the　south。
　　
　　〃I　wish　we　had　someone　to　tell　us　what　all　those　places　are；〃　said　Digory。
　　
　　〃I　don't　suppose　they're　anywhere　yet；〃　said　Polly。　〃I　mean；　there's　no　one　there；　and　nothing　happening。　The　world　only　began　today。〃
　　
　　〃No；　but　people　will　get　there；〃　said　Digory。　〃And　then　they'll　have　histories；　you　know。〃
　　
　　〃Well；　it's　a　jolly　good　thing　they　haven't　now；〃　said　Polly。　〃Because　nobody　can　be　made　to　learn　it。　Battles　and　dates　and　all　that　rot。〃
　　
　　Now　they　were　over　the　top　of　the　cliffs　and　in　a　few　minutes　the　valley　land　of　Narnia　had　sunk　out　of　sight　behind　them。　They　were　flying　over　a　wild　country　of　steep　hills　and　dark　forests；　still　following　the　course　of　the　river。　The　really　big　mountains　loomed　ahead。　But　the　sun　was　now　in　the　travellers'　eyes　and　they　couldn't　see　things　very　clearly　in　that　direction。　For　the　sun　sank　lower　and　lower　till　the　western　sky　was　all　like　one　great　furnace　full　of　melted　gold；　and　it　set　at　last　behind　a　jagged　peak　which　stood　up　against　the　brightness　as　sharp　and　flat　as　if　it　were　cut　out　of　cardboard。
　　
　　〃It's　none　too　warm　up　here；〃　said　Polly。
　　
　　〃And　my　wings　are　beginning　to　ache；〃　said　Fledge。　There's　no　sign　of　the　valley　with　a　Lake　in　it；　like　what　Aslan　said。　What　about　ing　down　and　looking　out　for　a　decent　spot　to　spend　the　night　in？　We　shan't　reach　that　place　tonight。〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　and　surely　it's　about　time　for　supper？〃　said　Digory。
　　
　　So　Fledge　came　lower　and　lower。　As　they　came　down　nearer　to　the　earth　and　among　the　hills；　the　air　grew　warmer　and　after　travelling　so　many　hours　with　nothing　to　listen　to　but　the　beat　of　Fledge's　wings；　it　was　nice　to　hear　the　homely　and　earthy　noises　again…the　chatter　of　the　river　on　its　stony　bed　and　the　creaking　of　trees　in　the　light　wind。　A　warm；　good　smell　of　sun…baked　earth　and　grass　and　flowers　came　up　to　them。　At　last　Fledge　alighted。　Digory　rolled　off　and　helped　Polly　to　dismount。　Both　were　glad　to　stretch　their　stiff　legs。
　　
　　The　valley　in　which　they　had　e　down　was　in　the　heart　of　the　mountains；　snowy　heights；　one　of　them　looking　rosered　in　the　reflections　of　the　sunset；　towered　above　them。
　　
　　〃I　am　hungry；〃　said　Digory。
　　
　　〃Well；　tuck　in；〃　said　Fledge；　taking　a　big　mouthful　of　grass。　Then　he　raised　his　head；　still　chewing　and　with　bits　of　grass　sticking　out　on　each　side　of　his　mouth　like　whiskers；　and　said；　〃e　on；　you　two。　Don't　be　shy。　There's　plenty　for　us　all。〃
　　
　　〃But　we　can't　eat　grass；〃　said　Digory。
　　
　　〃H'm；　h'm；〃　said　Fledge；　speaking　with　his　mouth　full。　〃Well…h'm…don't　know　quite　what　you'll　do　then。　Very　good　grass　too。〃
　　
　　Polly　and　Digory　stared　at　one　another　in　dismay。
　　
　　〃Well；　I　do　think　someone　might　have　arranged　about　our　meals；〃　said　Digory。
　　
　　〃I'm　sure　Aslan　would　have；　if　you'd　asked　him；〃　said　Fledge。
　　
　　〃Wouldn't　he　know　without　being　asked？〃　said　Polly。
　　
　　〃I