csl.themagiciansnephew-第2部分

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y's　curiosity　got　the　better　of　her。　She　blew　out　her　candle　and　stepped　out　into　the　strange　room；　making　no　more　noise　than　a　mouse。
　　
　　It　was　shaped；　of　course；　like　an　attic；　but　furnished　as　a　sitting…room。　Every　bit　of　the　walls　was　lined　with　shelves　and　every　bit　of　the　shelves　was　full　of　books。　A　fire　was　burning　in　the　grate　（you　remember　that　it　was　a　very　cold　wet　summer　that　year）　and　in　front　of　the　fire…place　with　its　back　towards　them　was　a　high…backed　armchair。　Between　the　chair　and　Polly；　and　filling　most　of　the　middle　of　the　room；　was　a　big　table　piled　with　all　sorts　of　things　printed　books；　and　books　of　the　sort　you　write　in；　and　ink　bottles　and　pens　and　sealing…wax　and　a　microscope。　But　what　she　noticed　first　was　a　bright　red　wooden　tray　with　a　number　of　rings　on　it。　They　were　in　pairs…a　yellow　one　and　a　green　one　together；　then　a　little　space；　and　then　another　yellow　one　and　another　green　one。　They　were　no　bigger　than　ordinary　rings；　and　no　one　could　help　noticing　them　because　they　were　so　bright。　They　were　the　most　beautiful　shiny　little　things　you　can　imagine。　If　Polly　had　been　a　very　little　younger　she　would　have　wanted　to　put　one　in　her　mouth。
　　
　　The　room　was　so　quiet　that　you　noticed　the　ticking　of　the　clock　at　once。　And　yet；　as　she　now　found；　it　was　not　absolutely　quiet　either。　There　was　a　faint…a　very；　very　faint…humming　sound。　If　Hoovers　had　been　invented　in　those　days　Polly　would　have　thought　it　was　the　sound　of　a　Hoover　being　worked　a　long　way　off…several　rooms　away　and　several　floors　below。　But　it　was　a　nicer　sound　than　that；　a　more　musical　tone：　only　so　faint　that　you　could　hardly　hear　it。
　　
　　〃It's　alright；　there's　no　one　here；〃　said　Polly　over　her　shoulder　to　Digory。　She　was　speaking　above　a　whisper　now。　And　Digory　came　out；　blinking　and　looking　extremely　dirty…as　indeed　Polly　was　too。
　　
　　〃This　is　no　good；〃　he　said。　〃It's　not　an　empty　house　at　all。　We'd　better　bunk　before　anyone　es。〃
　　
　　〃What　do　you　think　those　are？〃　said　Polly；　pointing　at　the　coloured　rings。'
　　
　　〃Oh　e　on；〃　said　Digory。　〃The　sooner…〃
　　
　　He　never　finished　what　he　was　going　to　say　for　at　that　moment　something　happened。　The　high…backed　chair　in　front　of　the　fire　moved　suddenly　and　there　rose　up　out　of　it…like　a　pantomime　demon　ing　up　out　of　a　trapdoor　the　alarming　form　of　Uncle　Andrew。　They　were　not　in　the　empty　house　at　all；　they　were　in　Digory's　house　and　in　the　forbidden　study！　Both　children　said　〃O…o…oh〃　and　realized　their　terrible　mistake。　They　felt　they　ought　to　have　known　all　along　that　they　hadn't　gone　nearly　far　enough。
　　
　　Uncle　Andrew　was　tall　and　very　thin。　He　had　a　long　clean…shaven　face　with　a　sharply…pointed　nose　and　extremely　bright　eyes　and　a　great　tousled　mop　of　grey　hair。
　　
　　Digory　was　quite　speechless；　for　Uncle　Andrew　looked　a　thousand　times　more　alarming　than　he　had　ever　looked　before。　Polly　was　not　so　frightened　yet；　but　she　soon　was。　For　the　very　first　thing　Uncle　Andrew　did　was　to　walk　across　to　the　door　of　the　room；　shut　it；　and　turn　the　key　in　the　lock。　Then　he　turned　round；　fixed　the　children　with　his　bright　eyes；　and　smiled；　showing　all　his　teeth。
　　
　　〃There！〃　he　said。　〃Now　my　fool　of　a　sister　can't　get　at　you！〃
　　
　　It　was　dreadfully　unlike　anything　a　grown…up　would　be　expected　to　do。　Polly's　heart　came　into　her　mouth；　and　she　and　Digory　started　backing　towards　the　little　door　they　had　e　in　by。　Uncle　Andrew　was　too　quick　for　them。　He　got　behind　them　and　shut　that　door　too　and　stood　in　front　of　it。　Then　he　rubbed　his　hands　and　made　his　knuckles　crack。　He　had　very　long；　beautifully　white；　fingers。
　　
　　〃I　am　delighted　to　see　you；〃　he　said。　〃Two　children　are　just　what　I　wanted。〃
　　
　　〃Please；　Mr　Ketterley；〃　said　Polly。　〃It's　nearly　my　dinner　time　and　I've　got　to　go　home。　Will　you　let　us　out；　please？〃
　　
　　〃Not　just　yet；〃　said　Uncle　Andrew。　〃This　is　too　good　an　opportunity　to　miss。　I　wanted　two　children。　You　see；　I'm　in　the　middle　of　a　great　experiment。　I've　tried　it　on　a　guinea…pig　and　it　seemed　to　work。　But　then　a　guinea…pig　can't　tell　you　anything。　And　you　can't　explain　to　it　how　to　e　back。〃
　　
　　〃Look　here；　Uncle　Andrew；〃　said　Digory；　〃it　really　is　dinner　time　and　they'll　be　looking　for　us　in　a　moment。　You　must　let　us　out。〃
　　
　　〃Must？〃　said　Uncle　Andrew。
　　
　　Digory　and　Polly　glanced　at　one　another。　They　dared　not　say　anything；　but　the　glances　meant　〃Isn't　this　dreadful？〃　and　〃We　must　humour　him。〃
　　
　　〃If　you　let　us　go　for　our　dinner　now；〃　said　Polly；　〃we　could　e　back　after　dinner。〃
　　
　　〃Ah；　but　how　do　I　know　that　you　would？〃　said　Uncle　Andrew　with　a　cunning　smile。　Then　he　seemed　to　change　his　mind。
　　
　　〃Well；　well；〃　he　said；　〃if　you　really　must　go；　I　suppose　you　must。　I　can't　expect　two　youngsters　like　you　to　find　it　much　fun　talking　to　an　old　buffer　like　me。〃　He　sighed　and　went　on。　〃You've　no　idea　how　lonely　I　sometimes　am。　But　no　matter。　Go　to　your　dinner。　But　I　must　give　you　a　present　before　you　go。　It's　not　every　day　that　I　see　a　little　girl　in　my　dingy　old　study；　especially；　if　I　may　say　so；　such　a　very　attractive　young　lady　as　yourself。〃
　　
　　Polly　began　to　think　he　might　not　really　be　mad　after　all。
　　
　　〃Wouldn't　you　like　a　ring；　my　dear？〃　said　Uncle　Andrew　to　Polly。
　　
　　〃Do　you　mean　one　of　those　yellow　or　green　ones？〃　said　Polly。　〃How　lovely！〃
　　
　　〃Not　a　green　one；〃　said　Uncle　Andrew。　〃I'm　afraid　I　can't　give　the　green　ones　away。　But　I'd　be　delighted　to　give　you　any　of　the　yellow　ones：　with　my　love。　e　and　try　one　on。〃
　　
　　Polly　had　now　quite　got　over　her　fright　and　felt　sure　that　the　old　gentleman　was　not　mad；　and　there　was　certainly　something　strangely　attractive　about　those　bright　rings。　She　moved　over　to　the　tray。
　　
　　〃Why！　I　declare；〃　she　said。　〃That　humming　noise　gets　louder　here。　It's　almost　as　if　the　rings　were　making　it。〃
　　
　　〃What　a　funny　fancy；　my　dear；〃　said　Uncle　Andrew　with　a　laugh。　It　sounded　a　very　natural　laugh；　but　Digory　had　seen　an　eager；　almost　a　greedy；　look　on　his　face。
　　
　　〃Polly！　Don't　be　a　fool！〃　he　shouted。　〃Don't　touch　them。〃
　　
　　It　was　too　late。　Exactly　as　he　spoke；　Polly's　hand　went　out　to　touch　one　of　the　rings。　And　immediately；　without　a　flash　or　a　noise　or　a　warning　of　any　sort；　there　was　no　Polly。　Digory　and　his　Uncle　were　alone　in　the　room。
　　
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　TWO
　　
　　DIGORY　AND　HIS　UNCLE
　　
　　IT　was　so　sudden；　and　so　horribly　unlike　anything　that　had　ever　happened　to　Digory　even　in　a　nightmare；　that　he　let　out　a　scream。　Instantly　Uncle　Andrew's　hand　was　over　his　mouth。　〃None　of　that！〃　he　hissed　in　Digory's　ear。　〃If　you　start　making　a　noise　your　Mother'll　hear　it。　And　you　know　what　a　fright　might　do　to　her。〃
　　
　　As　Digory　said　afterwards；　the　horrible　meanness　of　getting　at　a　chap　in　that　way；　almost　made　him　sick。　But　of　course　he　didn't　scream　again。
　　
　　〃That's　better；〃　said　Uncle　Andrew。　〃Perhaps　you　couldn't　help　it。　It　is　a　shock　when　you　first　see　someone　vanish。　Why；　it　gave　even　me　a　turn　when　the　guinea…pig　did　it　the　other　night。〃
　　
　　〃Was　that　when　you　yelled？〃　asked　Digory。
　　
　　〃Oh；　you　heard　that；　did　you？　I　hope　you　haven't　been　spying　on　me？〃
　　
　　〃No；　I　haven't；〃　said　Digory　indignantly。　〃But　what's　happened　to　Polly？〃
　　
　　〃Congratulate　me；　my　dear　boy；〃　said　Uncle　Andrew；　rubbing　his　hands。　〃My　experiment　has　succeeded。　The　little　girl's　gone…vanished…right　out　of　the　world。〃
　　
　　〃What　have　you　done　to　her？〃
　　
　　〃Sent　her　to…well…to　another　place。〃
　　
　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Digory。
　　
　　Uncle　Andrew　sat　down　and　said；　〃Well；　I'll　tell　you　all　about　it。　Have　you　ever　heard　of　old　Mrs　Lefay？〃
　　
　　〃Wasn't　she　a　great…aunt　or　something？〃　said　Digory。
　　
　　〃Not　exactly；〃　said　Uncle　Andrew。　〃She　was　my　godmother。　That's　her；　there；　on　the　wall。〃
　　
　　Digory　looked　and　saw　a　faded　photograph：　it　showed　the　face　of　an　old　woman　in　a　bonnet。　And　he　could　now　remember　that　he　had　once　seen　a　photo　of　the　same　face　in　an　old　drawer；　at　home；　in　the　country。　He　had　asked　his　Mother　who　it　was　and　Mother　had　not　seemed　to　want　to　talk　about　the　subject　much。　It　was　not　at　all　a　nice　face；　Digory　thought；　though　of　course　with　those　early　photographs　one　could　never　really　tell。
　　
　　〃Was　there…wasn't　there…something　wrong　about　her；　Uncle　Andrew？〃　he　asked。
　　
　　〃Well；〃　said　Uncle　Andrew　with　a　chuckle；　〃it　depends　what　you　call　wrong。　People　are　so　narrow…minded。　She　certainly　got　very　queer　in　later　life。　Did　very　unwise　things。　That　was　why　they　shut　her　up。〃
　　
　　〃In　an　asylum；　do　you　mean？〃
　　
　　〃Oh　no；　no；　no；〃　said　Uncle　Andrew　in　a　shocked　voice。　〃Nothing　of　that　sort。　Only　in　prison。〃
　　
　　〃I　say！〃　said　Digory。　〃What　had　she　done？〃
　　
　　〃Ah；　poor　woman；〃　said　Uncle　Andrew。　〃She　had　been　very　unwise。　There　were　a　good　many　different　things。　We　needn't　go　into　all　that。　She　was　always　very　kind　to　me。〃
　　
　　〃But　look　here；　what　has　all　this　got　to　do　with　Polly？　I　do　wish　you'd…〃
　　
　　〃All　in　good　time；　my　boy；〃　said　Uncle　Andrew。　〃They　let　old　Mrs　Lefay　out　before　she　died　and　I　was　one　of　the　very　few　people　whom　she　would　allow　to　see　her　in　her　last　illness。　She　had　got　to　dislike　ordinary；　ignorant　people；　you　understand。　I　do　myself。　But　she　and　I　were　interested　in　the　same　sort　of　things。　It　was　only　a　few　days　before　her　death　that　she　told　me　to　go　to　an　old　bureau　in　her　house　and　open　a　secret　drawer　and　bring　her　a　little　box　that　I　would　find　there。　The　moment　I　picked　up　that　box　I　could　tell　by　the　pricking　in　my　fingers　that　I　held　some　great　secret　in　my　hands。　She　gave　it　me　and　made　me　promise　that　as　soon　as　she　was　dead　I　would　burn　it；　unopened；　with　certain　ceremonies。　That　promise　I　did　not　keep。〃
　　
　　〃Well；　then；　it　was　jolly　rotten　of　you；〃　said　Digory。
　　
　　〃Rotten？〃　said　Uncle　Andrew　with　a　puzzled　look。
　　
　　〃Oh；　I　see。　You　mean　that　little　boys　ought　to　keep　their　promises。　Very　true：　most　right　and　proper；　I'm　sure；　and　I'm　very　glad　you　have　been　taught　to　do　it。　But　of　course　you　must　understand　that　rules　of　that　sort；　however　excellent　they　may　b