csl.themagiciansnephew-第21部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


had　a　new　expression；　especially　the　King's。　All　the　sharpness　and　cunning　and　quarrelsomeness　which　he　had　picked　up　as　a　London　cabby　seemed　to　have　been　washed　away；　and　the　courage　and　kindness　which　he　had　always　had　were　easier　to　see。　Perhaps　it　was　the　air　of　the　young　world　that　had　done　it；　or　talking　with　Aslan；　or　both。
　　
　　〃Upon　my　word；〃　whispered　Fledge　to　Polly。　〃My　old　master's　been　changed　nearly　as　much　as　I　have！　Why；　he's　a　real　master　now。〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　but　don't　buzz　in　my　ear　like　that；〃　said　Polly。　〃It　tickles　so。〃
　　
　　〃Now；〃　said　Aslan；　〃some　of　you　undo　that　tangle　you　have　made　with　those　trees　and　let　us　see　what　we　shall　find　there。〃
　　
　　Digory　now　saw　that　where　four　trees　grew　close　together　their　branches　had　all　been　laced　together　or　tied　together　with　switches　so　as　to　make　a　sort　of　cage。　The　two　Elephants　with　their　trunks　and　a　few　dwarfs　with　their　little　axes　soon　got　it　all　undone。　There　were　three　things　inside。　One　was　a　young　tree　that　seemed　to　be　made　of　gold；　the　second　was　a　young　tree　that　seemed　to　be　made　of　silver；　but　the　third　was　a　miserable　object　in　muddy　clothes；　sitting　hunched　up　between　them。
　　
　　〃Gosh！〃　whispered　Digory。　〃Uncle　Andrew！〃
　　
　　To　explain　all　this　we　must　go　back　a　bit。　The　Beasts；　you　remember；　had　tried　planting　and　watering　him。　When　the　watering　brought　him　to　his　senses；　he　found　himself　soaking　wet；　buried　up　to　his　thighs　in　earth　（which　was　quickly　turning　into　mud）　and　surrounded　by　more　wild　animals　than　he　had　ever　dreamed　of　in　his　life　before。　It　is　perhaps　not　surprising　that　he　began　to　scream　and　howl。　This　was　in　a　way　a　good　thing；　for　it　at　last　persuaded　everyone　（even　the　Warthog）　that　he　was　alive。　So　they　dug　him　up　again　（his　trousers　were　in　a　really　shocking　state　by　now）。　As　soon　as　his　legs　were　free　he　tried　to　bolt；　but　one　swift　curl　of　the　Elephant's　trunk　round　his　waist　soon　put　an　end　to　that。　Everyone　now　thought　he　must　be　safely　kept　somewhere　till　Aslan　had　time　to　e　and　see　him　and　say　what　should　be　done　about　him。　So　they　made　a　sort　of　cage　or　coop　all　round　him。　They　then　offered　him　everything　they　could；　think　of　to　eat。
　　
　　The　Donkey　collected　great　piles　of　thistles　and　threw　them　in；　but　Uncle　Andrew　didn't　seem　to　care　about　them。　The　Squirrels　bombarded　him　with　volleys　of　nuts　but　he　only　covered　his　head　with　his　hands　and　tried　to　keep　out　of　the　way。　Several　birds　flew　to　and　fro　deligently　dropping　worms　on　him。　The　Bear　was　especially　kind。　During　the　afternoon　he　found　a　wild　bees'　nest　and　instead　of　eating　it　himself　（which　he　would　very　much　like　to　have　done）　this　worthy　creature　brought　it　back　to　Uncle　Andrew。　But　this　was　in　fact　the　worst　failure　of　all。　The　Bear　lobbed　the　whole　sticky　mass　over　the　top　of　the　enclosure　and　unfortunately　it　hit　Uncle　Andrew　slap　in　the　face　（not　all　the　bees　were　dead）。　The　Bear；　who　would　not　at　all　have　minded　being　hit　in　the　face　by　a　honeyb　himself；　could　not　understand　why　Uncle　Andrew　staggered　back；　slipped；　and　sat　down。　And　it　was　sheer　bad　luck　that　he　sat　down　on　the　pile　of　thistles。　〃And　anyway；〃　as　the　Warthog　said；　〃quite　a　lot　of　honey　has　got　into　the　creature's　mouth　and　that's　bound　to　have　done　it　some　good。〃　They　were　really　getting　quite　fond　of　their　strange　pet　and　hoped　that　Aslan　would　allow　them　to　keep　it。　The　cleverer　ones　were　quite　sure　by　now　that　at　least　some　of　the　noises　which　came　out　of　his　mouth　had　a　meaning。　They　christened　him　Brandy　because　he　made　that　noise　so　often。
　　
　　In　the　end；　however；　they　had　to　leave　him　there　for　the　night。　Aslan　was　busy　all　that　day　instructing　the　new　King　and　Queen　and　doing　other　important　things；　and　could　not　attend　to　〃poor　old　Brandy〃。　What　with　the　nuts；　pears；　apples；　and　bananas　that　had　been　thrown　in　to　him；　he　did　fairly　well　for　supper；　but　it　wouldn't　be　true　to　say　that　he　passed　an　agreeable　night。
　　
　　〃Bring　out　that　creature；〃　said　Aslan。　One　of　the　Elephants　lifted　Uncle　Andrew　in　its　trunk　and　laid　him　at　the　Lion's　feet。　He　was　too　frightened　to　move。
　　
　　〃Please；　Aslan；〃　said　Polly；　〃could　you　say　something　to…to　unfrighten　him？　And　then　could　you　say　something　to　prevent　him　from　ever　ing　back　here　again？〃
　　
　　〃Do　you　think　he　wants　to？〃　said　Aslan。
　　
　　〃Well；　Aslan；〃　said　Polly；　〃he　might　send　someone　else。　He's　so　excited　about　the　bar　off　the　lamp…post　growing　into　a　lamp…post　tree　and　he　thinks…〃
　　
　　〃He　thinks　great　folly；　child；〃　said　Aslan。　〃This　world　is　bursting　with　life　for　these　few　days　because　the　song　with　which　I　called　it　into　life　still　hangs　in　the　air　and　rumbles　in　the　ground。　It　will　not　be　so　for　long。　But　I　cannot　tell　that　to　this　old　sinner；　and　I　cannot　fort　him　either；　he　has　made　himself　unable　to　hear　my　voice。　If　I　spoke　to　him；　he　would　hear　only　growlings　and　roarings。　Oh　Adam's　sons；　how　cleverly　you　defend　yourselves　against　all　that　might　do　you　good！　But　I　will　give　him　the　only　gift　he　is　still　able　to　receive。〃
　　
　　He　bowed　his　great　head　rather　sadly；　and　breathed　into　the　Magician's　terrified　face。　〃Sleep；〃　he　said。　〃Sleep　and　be　separated　for　some　few　hours　from　all　the　torments　you　have　devised　for　yourself。〃　Uncle　Andrew　immediately　rolled　over　with　closed　eyes　and　began　breathing　peacefully。
　　
　　〃Carry　him　aside　and　lay　him　down；〃　said　Aslan。　〃Now；　dwarfs！　Show　your　smith…craft。　Let　me　see　you　make　two　crowns　for　your　King　and　Queen。〃
　　
　　More　Dwarfs　than　you　could　dream　of　rushed　forward　to　the　Golden　Tree。　They　had　all　its　leaves　stripped　off；　and　some　of　its　branches　torn　off　too；　before　you　could　say　Jack　Robinson。　And　now　the　children　could　see　that　it　did　not　merely　look　golden　but　was　of　real；　soft　gold。　It　had　of　course　sprung　up　from　the　half…sovereigns　which　had　fallen　out　of　Uncle　Andrew's　pocket　when　he　was　turned　upside　down；　just　as　the　silver　had　grown　up　from　the　half…crowns。　From　nowhere；　as　it　seemed；　piles　of　dry　brushwood　for　fuel；　a　little　anvil；　hammers；　tongs；　and　bellows　were　produced。　Next　moment　（how　those　dwarfs　loved　their　work！）　the　fire　was　blazing；　the　bellows　were　roaring；　the　gold　was　melting；　the　hammers　were　clinking。　Two　Moles；　whom　Aslan　had　set　to　dig　（which　was　what　they　liked　best）　earlier　in　the　day；　poured　out　a　pile　of　precious　stones　at　the　dwarfs'　feet。　Under　the　clever　fingers　of　the　little　smiths　two　crowns　took　shape…not　ugly；　heavy　things　like　modern　European　crowns；　but　light；　delicate；　beautifully　shaped　circles　that　you　could　really　wear　and　look　nicer　by　wearing。　The　King's　was　set　with　rubies　and　the　Queen's　with　emeralds。
　　
　　When　the　crowns　had　been　cooled　in　the　river　Aslan　made　Frank　and　Helen　kneel　before　him　and　he　placed　the　crowns　on　their　heads。　Then　he　said；　〃Rise　up　King　and　Queen　of　Narnia；　father　and　mother　of　many　kings　that　shall　be　in　Narnia　and　the　Isles　and　Archenland。　Be　just　and　merciful　and　brave。　The　blessing　is　upon　you。〃
　　
　　Then　everyone　cheered　or　bayed　or　neighed　or　trumpeted　or　clapped　its　wings　and　the　royal　pair　stood　looking　solemn　and　a　little　shy；　but　all　the　nobler　for　their　shyness。　And　while　Digory　was　still　cheering　he　heard　the　deep　voice　of　Aslan　beside　him；　saying：
　　
　　〃Look！〃
　　
　　Everyone　in　that　crowd　turned　its　head；　and　then　everyone　drew　a　long　breath　of　wonder　and　delight。　A　little　way　off；　towering　over　their　heads；　they　saw　a　tree　which　had　certainly　not　been　there　before。　It　must　have　grown　up　silently；　yet　swiftly　as　a　flag　rises　when　you　pull　it　up　on　a　flagstaff；　while　they　were　all　busied　about　the　coronation。　Its　spreading　branches　seemed　to　cast　a　light　rather　than　a　shade；　and　silver　apples　peeped　out　like　stars　from　under　every　leaf。　But　it　was　the　smell　which　came　from　it；　even　more　than　the　sight；　that　had　made　everyone　draw　in　their　breath。　For　a　moment　one　could　hardly　think　about　anything　else。
　　
　　〃Son　of　Adam；〃　said　Aslan；　〃you　have　sown　well。　And　you；　Narnians；　let　it　be　your　first　care　to　guard　this　Tree；　for　it　is　your　Shield。　The　Witch　of　whom　I　told　you　has　fled　far　away　into　the　North　of　the　world；　she　will　live　on　there；　growing　stronger　in　dark　Magic。　But　while　that　Tree　flourishes　she　will　never　e　down　into　Narnia。　She　dare　not　e　within　a　hundred　miles　of　the　Tree；　for　its　smell；　which　is　joy　and　life　and　health　to　you；　is　death　and　horror　and　despair　to　her。〃
　　
　　Everyone　was　staring　solemnly　at　the　Tree　when　Aslan　suddenly　swung　round　his　head　（scattering　golden　gleams　of　light　from　his　mane　as　he　did　so）　and　fixed　his　large　eyes　on　the　children。　〃What　is　it；　children？〃　he　said；　for　he　caught　them　in　the　very　act　of　whispering　and　nudging　one　another。
　　
　　〃Oh…Aslan；　sir；〃　said　Digory；　turning　red；　〃I　forgot　to　tell　you。　The　Witch　has　already　eaten　one　of　those　apples；　one　of　the　same　kind　that　Tree　grew　from。〃　He　hadn't　really　said　all　he　was　thinking；　but　Polly　at　once　said　it　for　him　（Digory　was　always　much　more　afraid　than　she　of　looking　a　fool。）
　　
　　〃So　we　thought；　Aslan；〃　she　said；　〃that　there　must　be　some　mistake；　and　she　can't　really　mind　the　smell　of　those　apples。〃
　　
　　〃Why　do　you　think　that；　Daughter　of　Eve？〃　asked　the　Lion。　'
　　
　　〃Well；　she　ate　one。〃
　　
　　〃Child；〃　he　replied；　〃that　is　why　all　the　rest　are　now　a　horror　to　her。　That　is　what　happens　to　those　who　pluck　and　eat　fruits　at　the　wrong　time　and　in　the　wrong　way。　The　fruit　is　good；　but　they　loathe　it　ever　after。〃
　　
　　〃Oh　I　see；〃　said　Polly。　〃And　I　suppose　because　she　took　it　in　the　wrong　way　it　won't　work　for　her。　I　mean　it　won't　make　her　always　young　and　all　that？〃
　　
　　〃Alas；〃　said　Aslan；　shaking　his　head。　〃It　will。　Things　always　work　according　to　their　nature。　She　has　won　her　heart's　desire；　she　has　unwearying　strength　and　endless　days　like　a　goddess。　But　length　of　days　with　an　evil　heart　is　only　length　of　misery　and　already　she　begins　to　know　it。　All　get　what　they　want；　they　do　not　always　like　it。〃
　　
　　〃I…I　nearly　ate　one　myself；　Aslan；〃　said　Digory。　〃Would　I…〃
　　
　　〃You　would；　child；〃　said　Aslan。　〃For　the　fruit　always　works…it　must　work…but　it　does　not　work　happily　for　any　who　pluck　it　at　their　own　will。　If　any　Narnian；　un