csl.themagiciansnephew-第3部分

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ht　to　do　it。　But　of　course　you　must　understand　that　rules　of　that　sort；　however　excellent　they　may　be　for　little　boys…and　servants…and　women…and　even　people　in　general；　can't　possibly　be　expected　to　apply　to　profound　students　and　great　thinkers　and　sages。　No；　Digory。　Men　like　me；　who　possess　hidden　wisdom；　are　freed　from　mon　rules　just　as　we　are　cut　off　from　mon　pleasures。　Ours；　my　boy；　is　a　high　and　lonely　destiny。〃
　　
　　As　he　said　this　he　sighed　and　looked　so　grave　and　noble　and　mysterious　that　for　a　second　Digory　really　thought　he　was　saying　something　rather　fine。　But　then　he　remembered　the　ugly　look　he　had　seen　on　his　Uncle's　face　the　moment　before　Polly　had　vanished：　and　all　at　once　he　saw　through　Uncle　Andrew's　grand　words。　〃All　it　means；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃Is　that　he　thinks　he　can　do　anything　he　likes　to　get　anything　he　wants。〃
　　
　　〃Of　course；〃　said　Uncle　Andrew；　〃I　didn't　dare　to　open　the　box　for　a　long　time；　for　I　knew　it　might　contain　something　highly　dangerous。　For　my　godmother　was　a　very　remarkable　woman。　The　truth　is；　she　was　one　of　the　last　mortals　in　this　country　who　had　fairy　blood　in　her。　（She　said　there　had　been　two　others　in　her　time。　One　was　a　duchess　and　the　other　was　a　charwoman。）　In　fact；　Digory；　you　are　now　talking　to　the　last　man　（possibly）　who　really　had　a　fairy　godmother。　There！　That'll　be　something　for　you　to　remember　when　you　are　an　old　man　yourself。〃
　　
　　〃I　bet　she　was　a　bad　fairy；〃　thought　Digory；　and　added　out　loud。　〃But　what　about　Polly？〃
　　
　　〃How　you　do　harp　on　that！〃　said　Uncle　Andrew。　〃As　if　that　was　what　mattered！　My　first　task　was　of　course　to　study　the　box　itself。　It　was　very　ancient。　And　I　knew　enough　even　then　to　know　that　it　wasn't　Greek；　or　Old　Egyptian；　or　Babylonian；　or　Hittite；　or　Chinese。　It　was　older　than　any　of　those　nations。　Ah…that　was　a　great　day　when　I　at　last　found　out　the　truth。　The　box　was　Atlantean；　it　came　from　the　lost　island　of　Atlantis。　That　meant　it　was　centuries　older　than　any　of　the　stone…age　things　they　dig　up　in　Europe。　And　it　wasn't　a　rough；　crude　thing　like　them　either。　For　in　the　very　dawn　of　time　Atlantis　was　already　a　great　city　with　palaces　and　temples　and　learned　men。〃
　　
　　He　paused　for　a　moment　as　if　he　expected　Digory　to　say　something。　But　Digory　was　disliking　his　Uncle　more　every　minute；　so　he　said　nothing。
　　
　　〃Meanwhile；〃　continued　Uncle　Andrew；　〃I　was　learning　a　good　deal　in　other　ways　（it　wouldn't　be　proper　to　explain　them　to　a　child）　about　Magic　in　general。　That　meant　that　I　came　to　have　a　fair　idea　what　sort　of　things　might　be　in　the　box。　By　various　tests　I　narrowed　down　the　possibilities。　I　had　to　get　to　know　some…well；　some　devilish　queer　people；　and　go　through　some　very　disagreeable　experiences。　That　was　what　turned　my　head　grey。　One　doesn't　bee　a　magician　for　nothing。　My　health　broke　down　in　the　end。　But　I　got　better。　And　at　last　I　actually　knew。〃
　　
　　Although　there　was　not　really　the　least　chance　of　anyone　overhearing　them；　he　leaned　forward　and　almost　whispered　as　he　said：
　　
　　〃The　Atlantean　box　contained　something　that　had　been　brought　from　another　world　when　our　world　was　only　just　beginning。〃
　　
　　〃What？〃　asked　Digory；　who　was　now　interested　in　spite　of　himself。
　　
　　〃Only　dust；〃　said　Uncle　Andrew。　〃Fine；　dry　dust。　Nothing　much　to　look　at。　Not　much　to　show　for　a　lifetime　of　toil；　you　might　say。　Ah；　but　when　I　looked　at　that　dust　（I　took　jolly　good　care　not　to　touch　it）　and　thought　that　every　grain　had　once　been　in　another　world…I　don't　mean　another　planet；　you　know；　they're　part　of　our　world　and　you　could　get　to　them　if　you　went　far　enough…but　a　really　Other　World…another　Nature　another　universe…somewhere　you　would　never　reach　even　if　you　travelled　through　the　space　of　this　universe　for　ever　and　ever…a　world　that　could　be　reached　only　by　Magic…well！〃　Here　Uncle　Andrew　rubbed　his　hands　till　his　knuckles　cracked　like　fireworks。
　　
　　〃I　knew；〃　he　went　on；　〃that　if　only　you　could　get　it　into　the　right　form；　that　dust　would　draw　you　back　to　the　place　it　had　e　from。　But　the　difficulty　was　to　get　it　into　the　right　form。　My　earlier　experiments　were　all　failures。　I　tried　them　on　guinea…pigs。　Some　of　them　only　died。　Some　exploded　like　little　bombs…〃
　　
　　〃It　was　a　jolly　cruel　thing　to　do；〃　said　Digory　who　had　once　had　a　guinea…pig　of　his　own。
　　
　　〃How　you　do　keep　getting　off　the　point！〃　said　Uncle　Andrew。　〃That's　what　the　creatures　were　for。　I'd　bought　them　myself。　Let　me　see…where　was　I？　Ah　yes。　At　last　I　succeeded　in　making　the　rings：　the　yellow　rings。　But　now　a　new　difficulty　arose。　I　was　pretty　sure；　now；　that　a　yellow　ring　would　send　any　creature　that　touched　it　into　the　Other　Pace。　But　what　would　be　the　good　of　that　if　I　couldn't　get　them　back　to　tell　me　what　they　had　found　there？〃
　　
　　〃And　what　about　them？〃　said　Digory。　〃A　nice　mess　they'd　be　in　if　they　couldn't　get　back！〃
　　
　　〃You　will　keep　on　looking　at　everything　from　the　wrong　point　of　view；〃　said　Uncle　Andrew　with　a　look　of　impatience。　〃Can't　you　understand　that　the　thing　is　a　great　experiment？　The　whole　point　of　sending　anyone　into　the　Other　Place　is　that　I　want　to　find　out　what　it's　like。〃
　　
　　〃Well　why　didn't　you　go　yourself　then？〃
　　
　　Digory　had　hardly　ever　seen　anyone　so　surprised　and　offended　as　his　Uncle　did　at　this　simple　question。　〃Me？　Me？〃　he　exclaimed。　〃The　boy　must　be　mad！　A　man　at　my　time　of　life；　and　in　my　state　of　health；　to　risk　the　shock　and　the　dangers　of　being　flung　suddenly　into　a　different　universe？　I　never　heard　anything　so　preposterous　in　my　life！　Do　you　realize　what　you're　saying？　Think　what　Another　World　means…you　might　meet　anything　anything。〃
　　
　　〃And　I　suppose　you've　sent　Polly　into　it　then；〃　said　Digory。　His　cheeks　were　flaming　with　anger　now。　〃And　all　I　can　say；〃　he　added；　〃even　if　you　are　my　Uncle…is　that　you've　behaved　like　a　coward；　sending　a　girl　to　a　place　you're　afraid　to　go　to　yourself。〃
　　
　　〃Silence；　sir！〃　said　Uncle　Andrew；　bringing　his　hand　down　on　the　table。　〃I　will　not　be　talked　to　like　that　by　a　little；　dirty；　schoolboy。　You　don't　understand。　I　am　the　great　scholar；　the　magician；　the　adept；　who　is　doing　the　experiment。　Of　course　I　need　subjects　to　do　it　on。　Bless　my　soul；　you'll　be　telling　me　next　that　I　ought　to　have　asked　the　guinea…pigs'　permission　before　I　used　them！　No　great　wisdom　can　be　reached　without　sacrifice。　But　the　idea　of　my　going　myself　is　ridiculous。　It's　like　asking　a　general　to　fight　as　a　mon　soldier。　Supposing　I　got　killed；　what　would　bee　of　my　life's　work？〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　do　stop　jawing；〃　said　Digory。　〃Are　you　going　to　bring　Polly　back？〃
　　
　　〃I　was　going　to　tell　you；　when　you　so　rudely　interrupted　me；〃　said　Uncle　Andrew；　〃that　I　did　at　last　find　out　a　way　of　doing　the　return　journey。　The　green　rings　draw　you　back。〃
　　
　　〃But　Polly　hasn't　got　a　green　ring。〃
　　
　　〃No　〃　said　Uncle　Andrew　with　a
　　
　　cruel　smile。
　　
　　〃Then　she　can't　get　back；〃　shouted　Digory。　〃And　it's　exactly　the　same　as　if　you'd　murdered　her。
　　
　　〃She　can　get　back；〃　said　Uncle　Andrew；　〃if　someone　else　will　go　after　her；　wearing　a　yellow　ring　himself　and　taking　two　green　rings；　one　to　bring　himself　back　and　one　to　bring　her　back。〃
　　
　　And　now　of　course　Digory　saw　the　trap　in　which　he　was　caught：　and　he　stared　at　Uncle　Andrew；　saying　nothing；　with　his　mouth　wide　open。　His　cheeks　had　gone　very　pale。
　　
　　〃I　hope；〃　said　Uncle　Andrew　presently　in　a　very　high　and　mighty　voice；　just　as　if　he　were　a　perfect　Uncle　who　had　given　one　a　handsome　tip　and　some　good　advice；　〃I　hope；　Digory；　you　are　not　given　to　showing　the　white　feather。　I　should　be　very　sorry　to　think　that　anyone　of　our　family　had　not　enough　honour　and　chivalry　to　go　to　the　aid　of…er…a　lady　in　distress。〃
　　
　　〃Oh　shut　up！〃　said　Digory。　〃If　you　had　any　honour　and　all　that；　you'd　be　going　yourself。　But　I　know　you　won't。　Alright。　I　see　I've　got　to　go。　But　you　are　a　beast。　I　suppose　you　planned　the　whole　thing；　so　that　she'd　go　without　knowing　it　and　then　I'd　have　to　go　after　her。〃
　　
　　〃Of　course；〃　said　Uncle　Andrew　with　his　hateful　smile。
　　
　　〃Very　well。　I'll　go。　But　there's　one　thing　I　jolly　well　mean　to　say　first。　I　didn't　believe　in　Magic　till　today。　I　see　now　it's　real。　Well　if　it　is；　I　suppose　all　the　old　fairy　tales　are　more　or　less　true。　And　you're　simply　a　wicked；　cruel　magician　like　the　ones　in　the　stories。　Well；　I've　never　read　a　story　in　which　people　of　that　sort　weren't　paid　out　in　the　end；　and　I　bet　you　will　be。　And　serve　you　right。〃
　　
　　Of　all　the　things　Digory　had　said　this　was　the　first　that　really　went　home。　Uncle　Andrew　started　and　there　came　over　his　face　a　look　of　such　horror　that；　beast　though　he　was；　you　could　almost　feel　sorry　for　him。　But　a　second　later　he　smoothed　it　all　away　and　said　with　a　rather　forced　laugh；　〃Well；　well；　I　suppose　that　is　a　natural　thing　for　a　child　to　think…brought　up　among　women；　as　you　have　been。　Old　wives'　tales；　eh？　I　don't　think　you　need　worry　about　my　danger；　Digory。　Wouldn't　it　be　better　to　worry　about　the　danger　of　your　little　friend？　She's　been　gone　some　time。　If　there　are　any　dangers　Over　There…well；　it　would　be　a　pity　to　arrive　a　moment　too　late。〃
　　
　　〃A　lot　you　care；〃　said　Digory　fiercely。　〃But　I'm　sick　of　this　jaw。　What　have　I　got　to　do？〃
　　
　　〃You　really　must　learn　to　control　that　temper　of　yours；　my　boy；〃　said　Uncle　Andrew　coolly。　〃Otherwise　you'll　grow　up　like　your　Aunt　Letty。　Now。　Attend　to　me。〃
　　
　　He　got　up；　put　on　a　pair　of　gloves；　and　walked　over　to　the　tray　that　contained　the　rings。
　　
　　〃They　only　work；〃　he　said；　〃if　they're　actually　touching　your　skin。　Wearing　gloves；　I　can　pick　them　up…like　this…and　nothing　happens。　If　you　carried　one　in　your　pocket　nothing　would　happen：　but　of　course　you'd　have　to　be　careful　not　to　put　your　hand　in　your　pocket　and　touch　it　by　accident。　The　moment　you　touch　a　yellow　ring；　you　vanish　out　of　this　world。　When　you　are　in　the　Other　Place　I　expect…of　course　this　hasn't　been　tested　yet；　but　I　expect…that　the　moment　you　touch　a　green　ring　you　vanish　out　of　that　world　and…I　expect…reappear　in　this。　Now。　I　take　these　two　greens　and　drop　them　into　your　right…hand　pocket。　Remember　very　carefully　whic