csl.themagiciansnephew-第22部分

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　　〃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；　unbidden；　had　stolen　an　apple　and　planted　it　here　to　protect　Narnia；　it　would　have　protected　Narnia。　But　it　would　have　done　so　by　making　Narnia　into　another　strong　and　cruel　empire　like　Charn；　not　the　kindly　land　I　mean　it　to　be。　And　the　Witch　tempted　you　to　do　another　thing；　my　son；　did　she　not？〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　Aslan。　She　wanted　me　to　take　an　apple　home　to　Mother。〃
　　
　　〃Understand；　then；　that　it　would　have　healed　her；　but　not　to　your　joy　or　hers。　The　day　would　have　e　when　both　you　and　she　would　have　looked　back　and　said　it　would　have　been　better　to　die　in　that　illness。〃
　　
　　And　Digory　could　say　nothing；　for　tears　choked　him　and　he　gave　up　all　hopes　of　saving　his　Mother's　life；　but　at　the　same　time　he　knew　that　the　Lion　knew　what　would　have　happened；　and　that　there　might　be　things　more　terrible　even　than　losing　someone　you　love　by　death。　But　now　Aslan　was　speaking　again；　almost　in　a　whisper：
　　
　　〃That　is　what　would　have　happened；　child；　with　a　stolen　apple。　It　is　not　what　will　happen　now。　What　I　give　you　now　will　bring　joy。　It　will　not；　in　your　world；　give　endless　life；　but　it　will　heal。　Go。　Pluck　her　an　apple　from　the　Tree。〃
　　
　　For　a　second　Digory　could　hardly　understand。　It　was　as　if　the　whole　world　had　turned　inside　out　and　upside　down。　And　then；　like　someone　in　a　dream；　he　was　walking　across　to　the　Tree；　and　the　King　and　Queen　were　cheering　him　and　all　the　creatures　were　cheering　too。　He　plucked　the　apple　and　put　it　in　his　pocket。　Then　he　came　back　to　Aslan。
　　
　　〃Please；〃　he　said；　〃may　we　go　home　now？〃　He　had　forgotten　to　say　〃Thank　you〃；　but　he　meant　it；　and　Aslan　understood。
　　
　　
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　FIFTEEN
　　
　　THE　END　OF　THIS　STORY　AND　THE　BEGINNING　OF　ALL　THE　OTHERS
　　
　　〃You　need　no　rings　when　I　am　with　you；〃　said　the　voice　of　Aslan。　The　children　blinked　and　looked　about　them。　They　were　once　more　in　the　Wood　between　the　Worlds；　Uncle　Andrew　lay　on　the　grass；　still　asleep；　Aslan　stood　beside　them。
　　
　　〃e；〃　said　Aslan；　〃it　is　time　that　you　went　back。　But　there　are　two　things　to　see　to　first；　a　warning；　and　a　mand。　Look　here；　children。〃
　　
　　They　looked　and　saw　a　little　hollow　in　the　grass；　with　a　grassy　bottom；　warm　and　dry。
　　
　　〃When　you　were　last　here；〃　said　Aslan；　〃that　hollow　was　a　pool；　and　when　you　jumped　into　it　you　came　to　the　world　where　a　dying　sun　shone　over　the　ruins　of　Charn。　There　is　no　pool　now。　That　world　is　ended；　as　if　it　had　never　been。　Let　the　race　of　Adam　and　Eve　take　warning。〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　Aslan；〃　said　both　the　children。　But　Polly　added；　〃But　we're　not　quite　as　bad　as　that　world；　are　we；　Aslan？〃
　　
　　〃Not　yet；　Daughter　of　Eve；〃　he　said。　〃Not　yet。　But　you　are　growing　more　like　it。　It　is　not　certain　that　some　wicked　one　of　your　race　will　not　find　out　a　secret　as　evil　as　the　Deplorable　Word　and　use　it　to　destroy　all　living　things。　And　soon；　very　soon；　before　you　are　an　old　man　and　an　old　woman；　great　nations　in　your　world　will　be　ruled　by　tyrants　who　care　no　more　for　joy　and　justice　and　mercy　than　the　Empress　Jadis。　Let　your　world　beware。　That　is　the　warning。　Now　for　the　mand。　As　soon　as　you　can；　take　from　this　Uncle　of　yours　his　magic　rings　and　bury　them　so　that　no　one　can　use　them　again。〃
　　
　　Both　the　children　were　looking　up　into　the　Lion's　face　as　he　spoke　these　words。　And　all　at　once　（they　never　knew　exactly　how　it　happened）　the　face　seemed　to　be　a　sea　of　tossing　gold　in　which　they　were　floating；　and　such　a　sweetness　and　power　rolled　about　them　and　over　them　and　entered　them　that　they　felt　they　had　never　really　been　happy　or　wise　or　good；　or　even　alive　and　awake；　before。　And　the　memory　of　that　moment　stayed　with　them　always；　so　that　as　long　as　they　both　lived；　if　ever　they　were　sad　or　afraid　or　angry；　the　thought　of　all　that　golden　goodness；　and　the　feeling　that　it　was　still　there；　quite　close；　just　round　some　corner　or　just　behind　some　door；　would　e　back　and　make　them　sure；　deep　down　inside；　that　all　was　well。　Next　minute　all　three　of　them　（Uncle　Andrew　now　awake）　came　tumbling　into　the　noise；　heat；　and　hot　smells　of　London。
　　
　　They　were　on　the　pavement　outside　the　Ketterleys'　front　door；　and　except　that　the　Witch；　the　Horse；　and　the　Cabby　were　gone；　everything　was　exactly　as　they　had　left　it。　There　was　the　lamp…post；　with　one　arm　missing；　there　was　the　wreck　of　the　hansom　cab；　and　there　was　the　crowd。　Everyone　was　still　talking　and　people　were　kneeling　beside　the　damaged　policeman；　saying　things　like；　〃He's　ing　round〃　or　〃How　do　you　feel　now；　old　chap？〃　or　〃The　Ambulance　will　be　here　in　a　jiffy。〃
　　
　　〃Great　Scott！〃　thought　Digory；　〃I　believe　the　whole　adventure's　taken　no　time　at　all。〃
　　
　　Most　people　were　wildly　looking　round　for　Jadis　and　the　horse。　No　one　took　any　notice　of　the　children　for　no　one　had　seen　them　go　or　noticed　them　ing　back。　As　for　Uncle　Andrew；　what　between　the　state　of　his　clothes　and　the　honey　on　his　face；　he　could　not　have　been　recognized　by　anyone。　Fortunately　the　front　door　of　the　house　was…open　and　the　housemaid　was　standing　in　the　doorway　staring　at　the　fun　（what　a　day　that　girl　was　having！）　so　the　children　had　no　difficulty　in　bustling　Uncle　Andrew　indoors　before　anyone　asked　any　questions。
　　
　　He　raced　up　the　stirs　before　them　and　at　first　they　were　very　afraid　he　was　heading　for　his　attic　and　meant　to　hide　his　remaining　magic　rings。　But　they　needn't　have　bothered。　What　he　was　thinking　about　was　the　bottle　in　his　wardrobe；　and　he　disappeared　at　once　into　his　bedroom　and　locked　the　door。　When　he　came　out　again　（which　was　not　for　a　long　time）　he　was　in　his　dressinggown　and　made　straight　for　the　bathroom。
　　
　　〃Can　you　get　the　other　rings；　Poll？〃　said　Digory。　〃I　want　to　go　to　Mother。〃
　　
　　〃Right。　See　you　later；〃　said　Polly　and　clattered　up　the　attic　stairs。
　　
　　Then　Digory　took　a　minute　to　get　his　breath；　and　then　went　softly　into　his　Mother's　room。　And　there　she　lay；　as　he　had　seen　her　lie　so　many　other　times；　propped　up　on　the　pillows；　with　a　thin；　pale　face　that　would　make　you　cry　to　look　at。　Digory　took　the　Apple　of　Life　out　of　his　pocket。
　　
　　And　just　as　the　Witch　Jadis　had　looked　different　when　you　saw　her　in　our　world　instead　of　in　her　own；　so　the　fruit　of　that　mountain　garden　looked　different　too。　There　were　of　course　all　sorts　of　coloured　things　in　the　bedroom；　the　coloured　counterpane　on　the　bed；　the　wallpaper；　the　sunlight　from　the　window；　and　Mother's　pretty；　pale　blue　dressing　jacket。　But　the　moment　Digory　took　the　Apple　out　of　his　pocket；　all　those　things　seemed　to　have　scarcely　any　colour　at　all。　Every　one　of　them；　even　the　sunlight；　looked　faded　and　dingy。　The　brightness　of　the　Apple　threw　strange　lights　on　the　ceiling。　Nothing　else　was　worth　looking　at：　you　couldn't　look　at　anything　else。　And　the　smell　of　the　Apple　of　Youth　was　as　if　there　was　a　window　in　the　room　that　opened　on　Heaven。
　　
　　〃Oh；　darling；　how　lovely；〃　said　Digory's　Mother。
　　
　　〃You　will　eat　it；　won't　you？　Please；〃　said　Digory。
　　
　　〃I　don't　know　what　the　Doctor　would　say；〃　she　answered。　〃But　really…I　almost　feel　as　if　I　could。〃
　　
　　He　peeled　it　and　cut　it　up　and　gave　it　to　her　piece　by　piece。　And　no　sooner　had　she　finished　it　than　she　smiled　and　her　head　sank　back　on　the　pillow　and　she　was　asleep：　a　real；　natural；　gentle　sleep；　without　any　of　those　nasty　drugs；　which　was；　as　Digory　knew；　the　thing　in　the　whole　world　that　she　wanted　most。　And　he　was　sure　now　that　her　face　looked　a　little　different。　He　bent　down　and　kissed　her　very　softly　and　stole　out　of　the　room　with　a　beating　heart；　taking　the　core　of　the　apple　with　him。　For　the　rest　of　that　day；　whenever　he　looked　at　the　things　about　him；　and　saw　how　ordinary　and　unmagical　they　were；　he　hardly　dared　to　hope；　but　when　he　remembered　the　face　of　Aslan　he　did　hope。
　　
　　That　evening　he　buried　the　core　of　the　Apple　in　the　back　garden。
　　
　　Next　morning　when　the　Doctor　made　his　usual　visit；　Digory　leaned　over　the　banisters　to　listen。　He　heard　the　Doctor　e　out　with　Aunt　Letty　and　say：
　　
　　〃Miss　Ketterley；　this　is　the　most　extraordinary　case　I　have　known　in　my　whole　medical　career。　It　is…it　is　like　a　miracle。　I　wouldn't　tell　the　little　boy　anything　at　present；　we　don't　want　to　raise　any　false　hopes。　But　in　my　opinion…〃　then　his　voice　became　too　low　to　hear。
　　
　　That　afternoon　he　went　down　the　garden　and　whistled　their　agreed　secret　signal　for　Polly　（she　hadn't　been　able　to　get　back　the　day　before）。
　　
　　〃What　luck？〃　said　Polly；　looking　over　the　wall。　〃I　mean；　about　your　Mother？〃
　　
　　〃I　think…I　think　it　is　going　to　be　alright；〃　said　Digory。　〃But　if　you　don't　mind　I'd　really　rather　not　talk　about　it　yet。　What　about　the　rings？〃
　　
　　〃I've　got　them　all；〃　said　Polly。　〃Look；　it's　alright；　I'm　wearing　gloves。　Let's　bury　them。〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　let's。　I've　marked　the　place　where　I　buried　the　core　of　the　Apple　yesterday。〃
　　
　　Then　Polly　came　over　the　wall　and　they　went　together　to　the　place。　But；　as　it　turned　out；　Digory　need　not　have　marked　the　place。　Something　was　already　ing　up。　It　was　not　growing　so　that　you　could　see　it　grow　as　the　new　trees　had　done　in　Narnia；　but　it　was　already　well　above　ground。　They　got　a　trowel　and　buried　all　the　magic　rings；　including　their　own　ones；　in　a　circle　round　it。
　　
　　About　a　week　after　this　it　was　quite　certain　that　Digory's　Mother　was　getting　better。　About　a　fortnight　later　she　was　able　to　sit　out　in　the　garden。　And　a　month　later　that　whole　house　had　bee　a　different　place。　Aunt　Letty　did　everything　that　Mother　liked；　windows　were　opened；　frowsy　curtains　were　drawn　back　to　brighten　up　the　rooms；　there　were　new　flowers　everywhere；　and　nicer　things　to　eat；　and　the　old　piano　was　tuned　and　Mother　took　up　her　singing　again；　and　had　such　games　with　Digory　and　Polly　that　Aunt　Letty　would　say　〃I　declare；　Mabel；　you're　the　biggest　baby　of　the　three。〃
　　
　　When　things　go　wrong；　you'll　find　they　usually　go　on　getting　worse　for　some　time；　but　when　things　once　start　going　right　they　often　go　on　getting　better　and　better。　After　about　six