csl.themagiciansnephew-第19部分

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　　〃I'm　sure　Aslan　would　have；　if　you'd　asked　him；〃　said　Fledge。
　　
　　〃Wouldn't　he　know　without　being　asked？〃　said　Polly。
　　
　　〃I've　no　doubt　he　would；〃　said　the　Horse　（still　with　his　mouth　full）。　〃But　I've　a　sort　of　idea　he　likes　to　be　asked。〃
　　
　　〃But　what　on　earth　are　we　to　do？〃　asked　Digory。
　　
　　〃I'm　sure　I　don't　know；〃　said　Fledge。　〃Unless　you　try　the　grass。　You　might　like　it　better　than　you　think。〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　don't　be　silly；〃　said　Polly；　stamping　her　foot。　〃Of　course　humans　can't　eat　grass；　any　more　than　you　could　eat　a　mutton　chop。〃
　　
　　〃For　goodness'　sake　don't　talk　about　chops　and　things；〃　said　Digory。　〃It　only　makes　it　worse。〃
　　
　　Digory　said　that　Polly　had　better　take　herself　home　by　ring　and　get　something　to　eat　there；　he　couldn't　himself　because　he　had　promised　to　go　straight　on　his　message　for　Aslan；　and；　if　once　he　showed　up　again　at　home；　anything　might　happen　to　prevent　his　getting　back。　But　Polly　said　she　wouldn't　leave　him；　and　Digory　said　it　was　jolly　decent　of　her。
　　
　　〃I　say；〃　said　Polly；　〃I've　still　got　the　remains　of　that　bag　of　toffee　in　my　jacket。　It'll　be　better　than　nothing。〃
　　
　　〃A　lot　better；〃　said　Digory；　〃But　be　careful　to　get　your　hand　into　your　pocket　without　touching　your　ring。〃
　　
　　This　was　a　difficult　and　delicate　job　but　they　managed　it　in　the　end。　The　little　paper　bag　was　very　squashy　and　sticky　when　they　finally　got　it　out；　so　that　it　was　more　a　question　of　tearing　the　bag　off　the　toffees　than　of　getting　the　toffees　out　of　the　bag。　Some　grown…ups　（you　know　how　fussy　they　can　be　about　that　sort　of　thing）　would　rather　have　gone　without　supper　altogether　than　eaten　those　toffees。　There　were　nine　of　them　all　told。　It　was　Digory　who　had　the　bright　idea　of　eating　four　each　and　planting　the　ninth；　for；　as　he　said；　〃if　the　bar　off　the　lamp…post　turned　into　a　little　light…tree；　why　shouldn't　this　turn　into　a　toffee…tree？〃　So　they　dibbled　a　small　hole　in　the　turf　and　buried　the　piece　of　toffee。　Then　they　ate　the　other　pieces；　making　them　last　as　long　as　they　could。　It　was　a　poor　meal；　even　with　all　the　paper　they　couldn't　help　eating　as　well。
　　
　　When　Fledge　had　quite　finished　his　own　excellent　supper　he　lay　down。　The　children　came　and　sat　one　on　each　side　of　him　leaning　against　his　warm　body；　and　when　he　had　spread　a　wing　over　each　they　were　really　quite　snug。　As　the　bright　young　stars　of　that　new　world　came　out　they　talked　over　everything：　how　Digory　had　hoped　to　get　something　for　his　Mother　and　how；　instead　of　that；　he　had　been　sent　on　this　message。　And　they　repeated　to　one　another　all　the　signs　by　which　they　would　know　the　places　they　were　looking　for…the　blue　lake　and　the　hill　with　a　garden　on　top　of　it。　The　talk　was　just　beginning　to　slow　down　as　they　got　sleepy；　when　suddenly　Polly　sat　up　wide　awake　and　said　〃Hush！〃
　　
　　Everyone　listened　as　hard　as　they　could。
　　
　　〃Perhaps　it　was　only　the　wind　in　the　trees；〃　said　Digory　presently。
　　
　　〃I'm　not　so　sure；〃　said　Fledge。　〃Anyway…wait！　There　it　goes　again。　By　Aslan；　it　is　something。〃
　　
　　The　horse　scrambled　to　its　feet　with　a　great　noise　and　a　great　upheaval；　the　children　were　already　on　theirs。　Fledge　trotted　to　and　fro；　sniffing　and　whinnying。　The　children　tip…toed　this　way　and　that；　looking　behind　every　bush　and　tree。　They　kept　on　thinking　they　saw　things；　and　there　was　one　time　when　Polly　was　perfectly　certain　she　had　seen…a　tall；　dark　figure　gliding　quickly　away　in　a　westerly　direction。　But　they　caught　nothing　and　in　the　end　Fledge　lay　down　again　and　the　children　re…snuggled　（if　that　is　the　right　word）　under　his　wings。　They　went　to　sleep　at　once。　Fledge　stayed　awake　much　longer　moving　his　ears　to　and　fro　in　the　darkness　and　sometimes　giving　a　little　shiver　with　his　skin　as　if　a　fly　had　lighted　on　him：　but　in　the　end　he　too　slept。
　　
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　THIRTEEN
　　
　　AN　UNEXPECTED　MEETING
　　
　　〃WAKE　up；　Digory；　wake　up；　Fledge；〃　came　the　voice　of　Polly。　〃It　has　turned　into　a　toffee　tree。　And　it's　the　loveliest　morning。〃
　　
　　The　low　early　sunshine　was　streaming　through　the　wood　and　the　grass　was　grey　with　dew　and　the　cobwebs　were　like　silver。　Just　beside　them　was　a　little；　very　darkwooded　tree；　about　the　size　of　an　apple　tree。　The　leaves　were　whitish　and　rather　papery；　like　the　herb　called　honesty；　and　it　was　loaded　with　little　brown　fruits　that　looked　rather　like　dates。
　　
　　〃Hurrah！〃　said　Digory。　〃But　I'm　going　to　have　a　dip　first。〃　He　rushed　through　a　flowering　thicket　or　two　down　to　the　river's　edge。　Have　you　ever　bathed　in　a　mountain　river　that　is　running　in　shallow　cataracts　over　red　and　blue　and　yellow　stones　with　the　sun　on　it？　It　is　as　good　as　the　sea：　in　some　ways　almost　better。　Of　course；　he　had　to　dress　again　without　drying　but　it　was　well　worth　it。　When　he　came　back；　Polly　went　down　and　had　her　bathe；　at　least　she　said　that　was　what　she'd　been　doing；　but　we　know　she　was　not　much　of　a　swimmer　and　perhaps　it　is　best　not　to　ask　too　many　questions。　Fledge　visited　the　river　too　but　he　only　stood　in　midstream；　stooping　down　for　a　long　drink　of　water　and　then　shaking　his　mane　and　neighing　several　times。
　　
　　Polly　and　Digory　got　to　work　on　the　toffee…tree。　The　fruit　was　delicious；　not　exactly　like　toffee…softer　for　one　thing；　and　juicy…but　like　fruit　which　reminded　one　of　toffee。　Fledge　also　made　an　excellent　breakfast；　he　tried　one　of　the　toffee　fruits　and　liked　it　but　said　he　felt　more　like　grass　at　that　hour　in　the　morning。　Then　with　some　difficulty　the　children　got　on　his　back　and　the　second　journey　began。
　　
　　It　was　even　better　than　yesterday；　partly　because　every　one　was　feeling　so　fresh；　and　partly　because　the　newly　risen　sun　was　at　their　backs　and；　of　course；　everything　looks　nicer　when　the　light　is　behind　you。　It　was　a　wonderful　ride。　The　big　snowy　mountains　rose　above　them　in　every　direction。　The　valleys；　far　beneath　them；　were　so　green；　and　all　the　streams　which　tumbled　down　from　the　glaciers　into　the　main　river　were　so　blue；　that　it　was　like　flying　over　gigantic　pieces　of　jewellery。　They　would　have　liked　this　part　of　the　adventure　to　go　on　longer　than　it　did。　But　quite　soon　they　were　all　sniffing　the　air　and　saying　〃What　is　it？〃　and　〃Did　you　smell　something？〃　and　〃Where's　it　ing　from？〃　For　a　heavenly　smell；　warm　and　golden；　as　if　from　all　the　most　delicious　fruits　and　flowers　of　the　world；　was　ing　up　to　them　from　somewhere　ahead。
　　
　　〃It's　ing　from　that　valley　with　the　lake　in　it；〃　said　Fledge。
　　
　　〃So　it　is；〃　said　Digory。　〃And　look！　There's　a　green　hill　at　the　far　end　of　the　lake。　And　look　how　blue　the　water　is。〃
　　
　　〃It　must　be　the　Place；〃　said　all　three。
　　
　　Fledge　came　lower　and　lower　in　wide　circles。　The　icy　peaks　rose　up　higher　and　higher　above。　The　air　came　up　warmer　and　sweeter　every　moment；　so　sweet　that　it　almost　brought　the　tears　to　your　eyes。　Fledge　was　now　gliding　with　his　wings　spread　out　motionless　on　each　side；　and　his　hoofs　pawing　for　the　ground。　The　steep　green　hill　was　rushing　towards　them。　A　moment　later　he　alighted　on　its　slope；　a　little　awkwardly。　The　children　rolled　off；　fell　without　hurting　themselves　on　the　warm；　fine　grass；　and　stood　up　panting　a　little。
　　
　　They　were　three…quarters　of　the　way　up　the　hill；　and　set　out　at　once　to　climb　to　the　top。　（I　don't　think　Fledge　could　have　managed　this　without　his　wings　to　balance　him　and　to　give　him　the　help　of　aflutter　now　and　then。）　All　round　the　very　top　of　the　hill　ran　a　high　wall　of　green　turf。　Inside　the　wall　trees　were　growing。　Their　branches　hung　out　over　the　wall；　their　leaves　showed　not　only　green　but　also　blue　and　silver　when　the　wind　stirred　them。　When　the　travellers　reached　the　top　they　walked　nearly　all　the　way　round　it　outside　the　green　wall　before　they　found　the　gates：　high　gates　of　gold；　fast　shut；　facing　due　east。
　　
　　Up　till　now　I　think　Fledge　and　Polly　had　had　the　idea　that　they　would　go　in　with　Digory。　But　they　thought　so　no　longer。　You　never　saw　a　place　which　was　so　obviously　private。　You　could　see　at　a　glance　that　it　belonged　to　someone　else。　Only　a　fool　would　dream　of　going　in　unless　he　had　been　sent　there　on　very　special　business。　Digory　himself　understood　at　once　that　the　others　wouldn't　and　couldn't　e　in　with　him。　He　went　forward　to　the　gates　alone。
　　
　　When　he　had　e　close　up　to　them　he　saw　words　written　on　the　gold　with　silver　letters；　something　like　this：
　　
　　e　in　by　the　gold　gates　or　not　at　all；　Take　of　my　fruit　for　others　or　forbear；　For　those　who　steal　or　those　who　climb　my　wall　Shall　find　their　heart's　desire　and　find　despair。
　　
　　〃Take　of　my　fruit　for　others；〃　said　Digory　to　himself。　〃Well；　that's　what　I'm　going　to　do。　It　means　I　mustn't　eat　any　myself；　I　suppose。　I　don't　know　what　all　that　jaw　in　the　last　line　is　about。　e　in　by　the　gold　gates。　Well　who'd　want　to　climb　a　wall　if　he　could　get　in　by　a　gates。‘　But　how　do　the　gates　open？〃　He　laid　his　hand　on　them：　and　instantly　they　swung　apart；　opening　inwards；　turning　on　their　hinges　without　the　least　noise。
　　
　　Now　that　he　could　see　into　the　place　it　looked　more　private　than　ever。　He　went　in　very　solemnly；　looking　about　him。　Everything　was　very　quiet　inside。　Even　the　fountain　which　rose　near　the　middle　of　the　garden　made　only　the　faintest　sound。　The　lovely　smell　was　all　round　him：　it　was　a　happy　place　but　very　serious。
　　
　　He　knew　which　was　the　right　tree　at　once；　partly　because　it　stood　in　the　very　centre　and　partly　because　the　great　silver　apples　with　which　it　was　loaded　shone　so　and　cast　a　light　of　their　own　down　on　the　shadowy　places　where　the　sunlight　did　not　reach。　He　walked　straight　across　to　it；　picked　an　apple；　and　put　it　in　the　breast　pocket　of　his　Norfolk　jacket。　But　he　couldn't　help　looking　at　it　and　smelling　it　before　he　put　it　away。
　　
　　It　would　have　been　better　if　he　had　not。　A　terrible　thirst　and　hunger　came　over　him　and　a　longing　to　taste　that　fruit。　He　put　it　hastily　into　his　pocket；　but　there　were　plenty　of　others。　Could　it　be　wrong　to　taste　one？　After　all；　he　thought；　the　notice　on　the　gate　might　not　have　been　exactly　an　order；　it　might　have　been　only　a　piece　of　advice…and　who　cares　about　advice？　Or　even　if　it　were　an　order；　would　he　be　diso