csl.themagiciansnephew-第7部分

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her　wrist；　leaning　across　with　his　back　against　her　chest。　Then；　keeping　her　other　arm　out　of　the　way　with　his　other　elbow；　he　leaned　forward；　picked　up　the　hammer；　and　struck　the　golden　bell　a　light；　smart　tap。　Then　he　let　her　go　and　they　fell　apart　staring　at　each　other　and　breathing　hard。　Polly　was　just　beginning　to　cry；　not　with　fear；　and　not　even　because　he　had　hurt　her　wrist　quite　badly；　but　with　furious　anger。　Within　two　seconds；　however；　they　had　something　to　think　about　that　drove　their　own　quarrels　quite　out　of　their　minds。
　　
　　As　soon　as　the　bell　was　struck　it　gave　out　a　note；　a　sweet　note　such　as　you　might　have　expected；　and　not　very　loud。　But　instead　of　dying　away　again；　it　went　on；　and　as　it　went　on　it　grew　louder。　Before　a　minute　had　passed　it　was　twice　as　loud　as　it　had　been　to　begin　with。　It　was　soon　so　loud　that　if　the　children　had　tried　to　speak　（but　they　weren't　thinking　of　speaking　now…they　were　just　standing　with　their　mouths　open）　they　would　not　have　heard　one　another。　Very　soon　it　was　so　loud　that　they　could　not　have　heard　one　another　even　by　shouting。　And　still　it　grew：　all　on　one　note；　a　continuous　sweet　sound；　though　the　sweetness　had　something　horrible　about　it；　till　all　the　air　in　that　great　room　was　throbbing　with　it　and　they　could　feel　the　stone　floor　trembling　under　their　feet。　Then　at　last　it　began　to　be　mixed　with　another　sound；　a　vague；　disastrous　noise　which　sounded　first　like　the　roar　of　a　distant　train；　and　then　like　the　crash　of　a　falling　tree。　They　heard　something　like　great　weights　falling。　Finally；　with　a　sudden；　rush　and　thunder；　and　a　shake　that　nearly　flung　them　off　their　feet；　about　a　quarter　of　the　roof　at　one　end　of　the　room　fell　in；　great　blocks　of　masonry　fell　all　round　them；　and　the　walls　rocked。　The　noise　of　the　bell　stopped。　The　clouds　of　dust　cleared　away。　Everything　became　quiet　again。
　　
　　It　was　never　found　out　whether　the　fall　of　the　roof　was　due　to　Magic　or　whether　that　unbearably　loud　sound　from　the　bell　just　happened　to　strike　the　note　which　was　more　than　those　crumbling　walls　could　stand。
　　
　　〃There！　I　hope　you're　satisfied　now；〃　panted　Polly。
　　
　　〃Well；　it's　all　over；　anyway；〃　said　Digory。
　　
　　And　both　thought　it　was；　but　they　had　never　been　more　mistaken　in　their　lives。
　　
　　
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　FIVE
　　
　　THE　DEPLORABLE　WORD
　　
　　THE　children　were　facing　one　another　across　the　pillar　where　the　bell　hung；　still　trembling；　though　it　no　longer　gave　out　any　note。　Suddenly　they　heard　a　soft　noise　from　the　end　of　the　room　which　was　still　undamaged。　They　turned　quick　as　lightning　to　see　what　it　was。　One　of　the　robed　figures；　the　furthest…off　one　of　all；　the　woman　whom　Digory　thought　so　beautiful；　was　rising　from　its　chair。　When　she　stood　up　they　realized　that　she　was　even　taller　than　they　had　thought。　And　you　could　see　at　once；　not　only　from　her　crown　and　robes；　but　from　the　flash　of　her　eyes　and　the　curve　of　her　lips；　that　she　was　a　great　queen。　She　looked　round　the　room　and　saw　the　damage　and　saw　the　children；　but　you　could　not　guess　from　her　face　what　she　thought　of　either　or　whether　she　was　surprised。　She　came　forward　with　long；　swift　strides。
　　
　　〃Who　has　awaked　me？　Who　has　broken　the　spell？〃　she　asked。
　　
　　〃I　think　it　must　have　been　me；〃　said　Digory。
　　
　　〃You！〃　said　the　Queen；　laying　her　hand　on　his　shoulder…a　white；　beautiful　hand；　but　Digory　could　feel　that　it　was　strong　as　steel　pincers。　〃You？　But　you　are　only　a　child；　a　mon　child。　Anyone　can　see　at　a　glance　that　you　have　no　drop　of　royal　or　noble　blood　in　your　veins。　How　did　such　as　you　dare　to　enter　this　house？〃
　　
　　〃We've　e　from　another　world；　by　Magic；〃　said　Polly；　who　thought　it　was　high　time　the　Queen　took　some　notice　of　her　as　well　as　of　Digory。
　　
　　〃Is　this　true？〃　said　the　Queen；　still　looking　at　Digory　and　not　giving　Polly　even　a　glance。
　　
　　〃Yes；　it　is；〃　said　he。
　　
　　The　Queen　put　her　other　hand　under　his　chin　and　forced　it　up　so　that　she　could　see　his　face　better。　Digory　tried　to　stare　back　but　he　soon　had　to　let　his　eyes　drop。　There　was　something　about　hers　that　overpowered　him。
　　
　　After　she　had　studied　him　for　well　over　a　minute；　she　let　go　of　his　chin　and　said：
　　
　　〃You　are　no　magician。　The　mark　of　it　is　not　on　you。　You　must　be　only　the　servant　of　a　magician。　It　is　on　another's　Magic　that　you　have　travelled　here。〃
　　
　　〃It　was　my　Uncle　Andrew；〃　said　Digory。
　　
　　At　the　moment；　not　in　the　room　itself　but　from　somewhere　very　close；　there　came；　first　a　rumbling；　then　a　creaking；　and　then　a　roar　of　falling　masonry；　and　the　floor　shook。
　　
　　〃There　is　great　peril　here；〃　said　the　Queen。　〃The　whole　palace　is　breaking　up。　If　we　are　not　out　of　it　in　a　few　minutes　we　shall　be　buried　under　the　ruin。〃　She　spoke　as　calmly　as　if　she　had　been　merely　mentioning　the　time　of　day。　〃e；〃　she　added；　and　held　out　a　hand　to　each　of　the　children。　Polly；　who　was　disliking　the　Queen　and　feeling　rather　sulky；　would　not　have　let　her　hand　be　taken　if　she　could　have　helped　it。　But　though　the　Queen　spoke　so　calmly；　her　movements　were　as　quick　as　thought。　Before　Polly　knew　what　was　happening　her　left　hand　had　been　caught　in　a　hand　so　much　larger　and　stronger　than　her　own　that　she　could　do　nothing　about　it。
　　
　　〃This　is　a　terrible　woman；〃　thought　Polly。　〃She's　strong　enough　to　break　my　arm　with　one　twist。　And　now　that　she's　got　my　left　hand　I　can't　get　at　my　yellow　ring。　If　I　tried　to　stretch　across　and　get　my　right　hand　into　my　left　pocket　I　mightn't　be　able　to　reach　it；　before　she　asked　me　what　I　was　doing。　Whatever　happens　we　mustn't　let　her　know　about　the　rings。　I　do　hope　Digory　has　the　sense　to　keep　his　mouth　shut。　I　wish　I　could　get　a　word　with　him　alone。〃
　　
　　The　Queen　led　them　out　of　the　Hall　of　Images　into　a　long　corridor　and　then　through　a　whole　maze　of　halls　and　stairs　and　courtyards。　Again　and　again　they　heard　parts　of　the　great　palace　collapsing；　sometimes　quite　close　to　them。　Once　a　huge　arch　came　thundering　down　only　a　moment　after　they　had　passed　through　it。　The　Queen　was　walking　quickly…the　children　had　to　trot　to　keep　up　with　her　but　she　showed　no　sign　of　fear。　Digory　thought；　〃She's　wonderfully　brave。　And　strong。　She's　what　I　call　a　Queen！　I　do　hope　she's　going　to　tell　us　the　story　of　this　place。〃
　　
　　She　did　tell　them　certain　things　as　they　went　along：
　　
　　〃That　is　the　door　to　the　dungeons；〃　she　would　say；　or　〃That　passage　leads　to　the　principal　torture　chambers；〃　or　〃This　was　the　old　banqueting　hall　where　my　greatgrandfather　bade　seven　hundred　nobles　to　a　feast　and　killed　them　all　before　they　had　drunk　their　fill。　They　had　had　rebellious　thoughts。〃
　　
　　They　came　at　last　into　a　hall　larger　and　loftier　than　any　they　had　yet　seen。　From　its　size　and　from　the　great　doors　at　the　far　end；　Digory　thought　that　now　at　last　they　must　be　ing　to　the　main　entrance。　In　this　he　was　quite　right。　The　doors　were　dead　black；　either　ebony　or　some　black　metal　which　is　not　found　in　our　world。　They　were　fastened　with　great　bars；　most　of　them　too　high　to　reach　and　all　too　heavy　to　lift。　He　wondered　how　they　would　get　out。
　　
　　The　Queen　let　go　of　his　hand　and　raised　her　arm。　She　drew　herself　up　to　her　full　height　and　stood　rigid。　Then　she　said　something　which　they　couldn't　understand　（but　it　sounded　horrid）　and　made　an　action　as　if　she　were　throwing　something　towards　the　doors。　And　those　high　and　heavy　doors　trembled　for　a　second　as　if　they　were　made　of　silk　and　then　crumbled　away　till　there　was　nothing　left　of　them　but　a　heap　of　dust　on　the　threshold。
　　
　　〃Whew！〃　whistled　Digory。
　　
　　〃Has　your　master　magician；　your　uncle；　power　like　mine？〃　asked　the　Queen；　firmly　seizing　Digory's　hand　again。　〃But　I　shall　know　later。　In　the　meantime；　remember　what　you　have　seen。　This　is　what　happens　to　things；　and　to　people；　who　stand　in　my　way。〃
　　
　　Much　more　light　than　they　had　yet　seen　in　that　country　was　pouring　in　through　the　now　empty　doorway；　and　when　the　Queen　led　them　out　through　it　they　were　not　surprised　to　find　themselves　in　the　open　air。　The　wind　that　blew　in　their　faces　was　cold；　yet　somehow　stale。　They　were　looking　from　a　high　terrace　and　there　was　a　great　landscape　out　below　them。
　　
　　Low　down　and　near　the　horizon　hung　a　great；　red　sun；　far　bigger　than　our　sun。　Digory　felt　at　once　that　it　was　also　older　than　ours：　a　sun　near　the　end　of　its　life；　weary　of　looking　down　upon　that　world。　To　the　left　of　the　sun；　and　higher　up；　there　was　a　single　star；　big　and　bright。　Those　were　the　only　two　things　to　be　seen　in　the　dark　sky；　they　made　a　dismal　group。　And　on　the　earth；　in　every　direction；　as　far　as　the　eye　could　reach；　there　spread　a　vast　city　in　which　there　was　no　living　thing　to　be　seen。　And　all　the　temples；　towers；　palaces；　pyramids；　and　bridges　cast　long；　disastrous…looking　shadows　in　the　light　of　that　withered　sun。　Once　a　great　river　had　flowed　through　the　city；　but　the　water　had　long　since　vanished；　and　it　was　now　only　a　wide　ditch　of　grey　dust。
　　
　　〃Look　well　on　that　which　no　eyes　will　ever　see　again；〃　said　the　Queen。　〃Such　was　Charn；　that　great　city；　the　city　of　the　King　of　Kings；　the　wonder　of　the　world；　perhaps　of　all　worlds。　Does　your　uncle　rule　any　city　as　great　as　this；　boy？〃
　　
　　〃No；〃　said　Digory。　He　was　going　to　explain　that　Uncle　Andrew　didn't　rule　any　cities；　but　the　Queen　went　on：
　　
　　〃It　is　silent　now。　But　I　have　stood　here　when　the　whole　air　was　full　of　the　noises　of　Charn；　the　trampling　of　feet；　the　creaking　of　wheels；　the　cracking　of　the　whips　and　the　groaning　of　slaves；　the　thunder　of　chariots；　and　the　sacrificial　drums　beating　in　the　temples。　I　have　stood　here　（but　that　was　near　the　end）　when　the　roar　of　battle　went　up　from　every　street　and　the　river　of　Charn　ran　red。〃　She　paused　and　added；　〃All　in　one　moment　one　woman　blotted　it　out　for　ever。〃
　　
　　〃Who？〃　said　Digory　in　a　faint　voice；　but　he　had　already　guessed　the　answer。
　　
　　〃I；〃　said　the　Queen。　〃I；　Jadis　the　last　Queen；　but　the　Queen　of　the　World。〃
　　
　　The　two　children　stood　silent；　shivering　in　the　cold　wind。
　　
　　〃It　was　my　sister's　fault；〃　said　the　Queen。　〃She　drove　me　to　it。　May　the　curse　of　all　the　Powers　rest　upon　her　forever