csl.themagiciansnephew-第20部分

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dvice？　Or　even　if　it　were　an　order；　would　he　be　disobeying　it　by　eating　an　apple？　He　had　already　obeyed　the　part　about　taking　one　〃for　others〃。
　　
　　While　he　was　thinking　of　all　this　he　happened　to　look　up　through　the　branches　towards　the　top　of　the　tree。　There；　on　a　branch　above　his　head；　a　wonderful　bird　was　roosting。　I　say　〃roosting〃　because　it　seemed　almost　asleep；　perhaps　not　quite。　The　tiniest　slit　of　one　eye　was　open。　It　was　larger　than　an　eagle；　its　breast　saffron；　its　head　crested　with　scarlet；　and　its　tail　purple。
　　
　　〃And　it　just　shows；〃　said　Digory　afterwards　when　he　was　telling　the　story　to　the　others；　〃that　you　can't　be　too　careful　in　these　magical　places。　You　never　know　what　may　be　watching　you。〃　But　I　think　Digory　would　not　have　taken　an　apple　for　himself　in　any　case。　Things　like　Do　Not　Steal　were；　I　think；　hammered　into　boys'　heads　a　good　deal　harder　in　those　days　than　they　are　now。　Still；　we　can　never　be　certain。
　　
　　Digory　was　just　turning　to　go　back　to　the　gates　when　he　stopped　to　have　one　last　look　around。　He　got　a　terrible　shock。　He　was　not　alone。　There；　only　a　few　yards　away　from　him；　stood　the　Witch。　She　was　just　throwing　away　the　core　of　an　apple　which　she　had　eaten。　The　juice　was　darker　than　you　would　expect　and　had　made　a　horrid　stain　round　her　mouth。　Digory　guessed　at　once　that　she　must　have　climbed　in　over　the　wall。　And　he　began　to　see　that　there　might　be　some　sense　in　that　last　line　about　getting　your　heart's　desire　and　getting　despair　along　with　it。　For　the　Witch　looked　stronger　and　prouder　than　ever；　and　even；　in　a　way；　triumphant；　but　her　face　was　deadly　white；　white　as　salt。
　　
　　All　this　flashed　through　Digory's　mind　in　a　second；　then　he　took　to　his　heels　and　ran　for　the　gates　as　hard　as　he　could　pelt；　the　Witch　after　him。　As　soon　as　he　was　out；　the　gates　closed　behind　him　of　their　own　accord。　That　gave　him　the　lead　but　not　for　long。　By　the　time　he　had　reached　the　others　and　was　shouting　out　〃Quick；　get　on；　Polly！　Get　up；　Fledge〃；　the　Witch　had　climbed　the　wall；　or　vaulted　over　it；　and　was　close　behind　him　again。
　　
　　〃Stay　where　you　are；〃　cried　Digory；　turning　round　to　face　her；　〃or　we'll　all　vanish。　Don't　e　an　inch　nearer。〃
　　
　　〃Foolish　boy；〃　said　the　Witch。　〃Why　do　you　run　from　me？　I　mean　you　no　harm。　If　you　do　not　stop　and　listen　to　me　now；　you　will　miss　some　knowledge　that　would　have　made　you　happy　all　your　life。〃
　　
　　〃Well　I　don't　want　to　hear　it；　thanks；〃　said　Digory。　But　he　did。
　　
　　〃I　know　what　errand　you　have　e　on；〃　continued　the　Witch。　〃For　it　was　I　who　was　close　beside　you　in　the　woods　last　night　and　heard　all　your　counsels。　You　have　plucked　fruit　in　the　garden　yonder。　You　have　it　in　your　pocket　now。　And　you　are　going　to　carry　it　back；　untasted；　to　the　Lion；　for　him　to　eat；　for　him　to　use。　You　simpleton！　Do　you　know　what　that　fruit　is？　I　will　tell　you。　It　is　the　apple　of　youth；　the　apple　of　life。　I　know；　for　I　have　tasted　it；　and　I　feel　already　such　changes　in　myself　that　I　know　I　shall　never　grow　old　or　die。　Eat　it；　Boy；　eat　it；　and　you　and　I　will　both　live　forever　and　be　king　and　queen　of　this　whole　world…or　of　your　world；　if　we　decide　to　go　back　there。〃
　　
　　〃No　thanks；〃　said　Digory；　〃I　don't　know　that　I　care　much　about　living　on　and　on　after　everyone　I　know　is　dead。　I'd　rather　live　an　ordinary　time　and　die　and　go　to　Heaven。〃
　　
　　〃But　what　about　this　Mother　of　yours　whom　you　pretend　to　love　so？〃
　　
　　〃What's　she　got　to　do　with　it？〃　said　Digory。
　　
　　〃Do　you　not　see；　Fool；　that　one　bite　of　that　apple　would　heal　her？　You　have　it　in　your　pocket。　We　are　here　by　ourselves　and　the　Lion　is　far　away。　Use　your　Magic　and　go　back　to　your　own　world。　A　minute　later　you　can　be　at　your　Mother's　bedside；　giving　her　the　fruit。　Five　minutes　later　you　will　see　the　colour　ing　back　to　her　face。　She　will　tell　you　the　pain　is　gone。　Soon　she　will　tell　you　she　feels　stronger。　Then　she　will　fall　asleep…think　of　that；　hours　of　sweet　natural　sleep；　without　pain；　without　drugs。　Next　day　everyone　will　be　saying　how　wonderfully　she　has　recovered。　Soon　she　will　be　quite　well　again。　All　will　be　well　again。　Your　home　will　be　happy　again。　You　will　be　like　other　boys。〃
　　
　　〃Oh！〃　gasped　Digory　as　if　he　had　been　hurt；　and　put　his　hand　to　his　head。　For　he　now　knew　that　the　most　terrible　choice　lay　before　him。
　　
　　〃What　has　the　Lion　ever　done　for　you　that　you　should　be　his　slave？〃　said　the　Witch。　〃What　can　he　do　to　you　once　you　are　back　in　your　own　world？　And　what　would　your　Mother　think　if　she　knew　that　you　could　have　taken　her　pain　away　and　given　her　back　her　life　and　saved　your　Father's　heart　from　being　broken；　and　that　you　wouldn't…that　you'd　rather　run　messages　for　a　wild　animal　in　a　strange　world　that　is　no　business　of　yours？〃
　　
　　〃I…I　don't　think　he　is　a　wild　animal；〃　said　Digory　in　a　dried…up　sort　of　voice。　〃He　is…I　don't　know…〃
　　
　　〃Then　he　is　something　worse；〃　said　the　Witch。　〃Look　what　he　has　done　to　you　already；　look　how　heartless　he　has　made　you。　That　is　what　he　does　to　everyone　who　listens　to　him。　Cruel；　pitiless　boy！　you　would　let　your　own　Mother　die　rather　than…〃
　　
　　〃Oh　shut　up；〃　said　the　miserable　Digory；　still　in　the　same　voice。　〃Do　you　think　I　don't　see？　But　I…I　promised。〃
　　
　　〃Ah；　but　you　didn't　know　what　you　were　promising。　And　no　one　here　can　prevent　you。〃
　　
　　〃Mother　herself；〃　said　Digory；　getting　the　words　out　with　difficulty；　〃wouldn't　like　it…awfully　strict　about　keeping　promises…and　not　stealing…and　all　that　sort　of　thing。　She'd　tell　me　not　to　do　it…quick　as　anything…if　she　was　here。〃
　　
　　〃But　she　need　never　know；〃　said　the　Witch；　speaking　more　sweetly　than　you　would　have　thought　anyone　with　so　fierce　a　face　could　speak。　〃You　wouldn't　tell　her　how　you'd　got　the　apple。　Your　Father　need　never　know。　No　one　in　your　world　need　know　anything　about　this　whole　story。　You　needn't　take　the　little　girl　back　with　you；　you　know。〃
　　
　　That　was　where　the　Witch　made　her　fatal　mistake。　Of　course　Digory　knew　that　Polly　could　get　away　by　her　own　ring　as　easily　as　he　could　get　away　by　his。　But　apparently　the　Witch　didn't　know　this。　And　the　meanness　of　the　suggestion　that　he　should　leave　Polly　behind　suddenly　made　all　the　other　things　the　Witch　had　been　saying　to　him　sound　false　and　hollow。　And　even　in　the　midst　of　all　his　misery；　his　head　suddenly　cleared；　and　he　said　（in　a　different　and　much　louder'　voice）：
　　
　　〃Look　here；　where　do　you　e　into　all　this？　Why　are　you　so　precious　fond　of　my　Mother　all　of　a　sudden？　What's　it　got　to　do　with　you？　What's　your　game？〃
　　
　　〃Good　for　you；　Digs；〃　whispered　Polly　in　his　ear。　〃Quick！　Get　away　now。〃　She　hadn't　dared　to　say　anything　all　through　the　argument　because；　you　see；　it　wasn't　her　Mother　who　was　dying。
　　
　　〃Up　then；〃　said　Digory；　heaving　her　on　to　Fledge's　back　and　then　scrambling　up　as　quickly　as　he　could。　The　horse　spread　its　wings。
　　
　　〃Go　then；　Fools；〃　called　the　Witch。　〃Think　of　me；　Boy；　when　you　lie　old　and　weak　and　dying；　and　remember　how　you　threw　away　the　chance　of　endless　youth！　It　won't　be　offered　you　again。〃
　　
　　They　were　already　so　high　that　they　could　only　just　hear　her。　Nor　did　the　Witch　waste　any　time　gazing　up　at　them；　they　saw　her　set　off　northward　down　the　slope　of　the　hill。
　　
　　They　had　started　early　that　morning　and　what　happened　in　the　garden　had　not　taken　very　long；　so　that　Fledge　and　Polly　both　said　they　would　easily　get　back　to　Narnia　before　nightfall。　Digory　never　spoke　on　the　way　back；　and　the　others　were　shy　of　speaking　to　him。　He　was　very　sad　and　he　wasn't　even　sure　all　the　time　that　he　had　done　the　right　thing；　but　whenever　he　remembered　the　shining　tears　in　Aslan's　eyes　he　became　sure。
　　
　　All　day　Fledge　flew　steadily　with　untiring　wings；　eastward　with　the　river　to　guide　him；　through　the　mountains　and　over　the　wild　wooded　hills；　and　then　over　the　great　waterfall　and　down；　and　down；　to　where　the　woods　of　Narnia　were　darkened　by　the　shadow　of　the　mighty　cliff；　till　at　last；　when　the　sky　was　growing　red　with　sunset　behind　them；　he　saw　a　place　where　many　creatures　were　gathered　together　by　the　riverside。　And　soon　he　could　see　Aslan　himself　in　the　midst　of　them。　Fledge　glided　down；　spread　out　his　four　legs；　closed　his　wings；　and　landed　cantering。　Then　he　pulled　up。　The　children　dismounted。　Digory　saw　all　the　animals；　dwarfs；　satyrs；　nymphs；　and　other　things　drawing　back　to　the　left　and　right　to　make　way　for　him。　He　walked　up　to　Aslan；　handed　him　the　apple　and　said：
　　
　　〃I've　brought　you　the　apple　you　wanted；　sir。〃
　　
　　
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　FOURTEEN
　　
　　THE　PLANTING　OF　THE　TREE
　　
　　〃WELL　done；〃　said　Aslan　in　a　voice　that　made　the　earth　shake。　Then　Digory　knew　that　all　the　Narnians　had　heard　those　words　and　that　the　story　of　them　would　be　handed　down　from　father　to　son　in　that　new　world　for　hundreds　of　years　and　perhaps　forever。　But　he　was　in　no　danger　of　feeling　conceited　for　he　didn't　think　about　it　at　all　now　that　he　was　face　to　face　with　Aslan。　This　time　he　found　he　could　look　straight　into　the　Lion's　eyes。　He　had　forgotten　his　troubles　and　felt　absolutely　content。
　　
　　〃Well　done；　son　of　Adam；〃　said　the　Lion　again。　〃For　this　fruit　you　have　hungered　and　thirsted　and　wept。　No　hand　but　yours　shall　sow　the　seed　of　the　Tree　that　is　to　be　the　protection　of　Narnia。　Throw　the　apple　towards　the　river　bank　where　the　ground　is　soft。〃
　　
　　Digory　did　as　he　was　told。　Everyone　had　grown　so　quiet　that　you　could　hear　the　soft　thump　where　it　fell　into　the　mud。
　　
　　〃It　is　well　thrown；〃　said　Aslan。　〃Let　us　now　proceed　to　the　Coronation　of　King　Frank　of　Narnia　and　Helen　his　Queen。〃
　　
　　The　children　now　noticed　these　two　for　the　first　time。　They　were　dressed　in　strange　and　beautiful　clothes；　and　from　their　shoulders　rich　robes　flowed　out　behind　them　to　where　four　dwarfs　held　up　the　King's　train　and　four　rivernymphs　the　Queen's。　Their　heads　were　bare；　but　Helen　had　let　her　hair　down　and　it　made　a　great　improvement　in　her　appearance。　But　it　was　neither　hair　nor　clothes　that　made　them　look　so　different　from　their　old　selves。　Their　faces　had　a　new　expression；　especially　the　King's。　All　the　sharpness　and　cunning　and　quarrelsomeness　which