csl.themagiciansnephew-第8部分

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　　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！　At　any　moment　I　was　ready　to　make　peace…yes　and　to　spare　her　life　too；　if　only　she　would　yield　me　the　throne。　But　she　would　not。　Her　pride　has　destroyed　the　whole　world。　Even　after　the　war　had　begun；　there　was　a　solemn　promise　that　neither　side　would　use　Magic。　But　when　she　broke　her　promise；　what　could　I　do？　Fool！　As　if　she　did　not　know　that　I　had　more　Magic　than　she！　She　even　knew　that　I　had　the　secret　of　the　Deplorable　Word。　Did　she　think…she　was　always　a　weakling…that　I　would　not　use　it？〃
　　
　　〃What　was　it？〃　said　Digory。
　　
　　〃That　was　the　secret　of　secrets；〃　said　the　Queen　Jadis。　〃It　had　long　been　known　to　the　great　kings　of　our　race　that　there　was　a　word　which；　if　spoken　with　the　proper　ceremonies；　would　destroy　all　living　things　except　the　one　who　spoke　it。　But　the　ancient　kings　were　weak　and　softhearted　and　bound　themselves　and　all　who　should　e　after　them　with　great　oaths　never　even　to　seek　after　the　knowledge　of　that　word。　But　I　learned　it　in　a　secret　place　and　paid　a　terrible　price　to　learn　it。　I　did　not　use　it　until　she　forced　me　to　it。　I　fought　to　overe　her　by　every　other　means。　I　poured　out　the　blood　of　my　armies　like　water…〃
　　
　　〃Beast！〃　muttered　Polly。
　　
　　〃The　last　great　battle；〃　said　the　Queen；　〃raged　for　three　days　here　in　Charn　itself。　For　three　days　I　looked　down　upon　it　from　this　very　spot。　I　did　not　use　my　power　till　the　last　of　my　soldiers　had　fallen；　and　the　accursed　woman；　my　sister；　at　the　head　of　her　rebels　was　halfway　up　those　great　stairs　that　lead　up　from　the　city　to　the　terrace。　Then　I　waited　till　we　were　so　close　that　we　could　see　one　another's　faces。　She　flashed　her　horrible；　wicked　eyes　upon　me　and　said；　〃Victory。〃　〃Yes；〃　said　I；　〃Victory；　but　not　yours。〃　Then　I　spoke　the　Deplorable　Word。　A　moment　later　I　was　the　only　living　thing　beneath　the　sun。〃；
　　
　　〃But　the　people？〃　gasped　Digory。
　　
　　〃What　people；　boy？〃　asked　the　Queen。
　　
　　〃All　the　ordinary　people；〃　said　Polly；　〃who'd　never　done　you　any　harm。　And　the　women；　and　the　children；　and　the　animals。〃
　　
　　〃Don't　you　understand？〃　said　the　Queen　（still　speaking　to　Digory）。　〃I　was　the　Queen。　They　were　all　my　people。　What　else　were　they　there　for　but　to　do　my　will？〃
　　
　　〃It　was　rather　hard　luck　on　them；　all　the　same；〃　said　he。
　　
　　〃I　had　forgotten　that　you　are　only　a　mon　boy。　How　should　you　understand　reasons　of　State？　You　must　learn；　child；　that　what　would　be　wrong　for　you　or　for　any　of　the　mon　people　is　not　wrong　in　a　great　Queen　such　as　I。　The　weight　of　the　world　is　on　our　shoulders。　We　must　be　freed　from　all　rules。　Ours　is　a　high　and　lonely　destiny。〃
　　
　　Digory　suddenly　remembered　that　Uncle　Andrew　had　used　exactly　the　same　words。　But　they　sounded　much　grander　when　Queen　Jadis　said　them；　perhaps　because　Uncle　Andrew　was　not　seven　feet　tall　and　dazzlingly　beautiful。
　　
　　〃And　what　did　you　do　then？〃　said　Digory。
　　
　　〃I　had　already　cast　strong　spells　on　the　hall　where　the　images　of　my　ancestors　sit。　And　the　force　of　those　spells　was　that　I　should　sleep　among　them；　like　an　image　myself；　and　need　neither　food　nor　fire；　though　it　were　a　thousand　years；　till　one　came　and　struck　the　bell　and　awoke　me。〃
　　
　　〃Was　it　the　Deplorable　Word　that　made　the　sun　like　that？〃　asked　Digory。
　　
　　〃Like　what？〃　said　Jadis
　　
　　〃So　big；　so　red；　and　so　cold。〃
　　
　　〃It　has　always　been　so；〃　said　Jadis。　〃At　least；　for　hundreds　of　thousands　of　years。　Have　you　a　different　sort　of　sun　in　your　world？〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　it's　smaller　and　yellower。　And　it　gives　a　good　deal　more　heat。〃
　　
　　The　Queen　gave　a　long　drawn　〃A…a…ah！〃　And　Digory　saw　on　her　face　that　same　hungry　and　greedy　look　which　he　had　lately　seen　on　Uncle　Andrew's。　〃So；〃　she　said；　〃yours　is　a　younger　world。〃
　　
　　She　paused　for　a　moment　to　look　once　more　at　the　deserted　city…and　if　she　was　sorry　for　all　the　evil　she　had　done　there；　she　certainly　didn't　show　it…and　then　said：　〃Now；　let　us　be　going。　It　is　cold　here　at　the　end　of　all　a　the　ages。〃
　　
　　〃Going　where？〃　asked　both　the　children。
　　
　　〃Where？〃　repeated　Jadis　in　surprise。　〃To　your　world；　of　course。〃
　　
　　Polly　and　Digory　looked　at　each　other；　aghast。　Polly　had　disliked　the　Queen　from　the　first；　and　even　Digory；　now　that　he　had　heard　the　story；　felt　that　he　had　seen　quite　as　much　of　her　as　he　wanted。　Certainly；　she　was　not　at　all　the　sort　of　person　one　would　like　to　take　home。　And　if　they　did　like；　they　didn't　know　how　they　could。　What　they　wanted　was　to　get　away　themselves：　but　Polly　couldn't　get　at　her　ring　and　of　course　Digory　couldn't　go　without　her。　Digory　got　very　red　in　the　face　and　stammered。
　　
　　〃Oh…oh…our　world。　I　d…didn't　know　you　wanted　to　go　there。〃
　　
　　〃What　else　were　you　sent　here　for　if　not　to　fetch　me？〃　asked　Jadis。
　　
　　〃I'm　sure　you　wouldn't　like　our　world　at　all；〃　said　Digory。　〃It's　not　her　sort　of　place；　is　it　Polly？　It's　very　dull；　not　worth　seeing；　really。〃
　　
　　〃It　will　soon　be　worth　seeing　when　I　rule　it；〃　answered　the　Queen。
　　
　　〃Oh；　but　you　can't；〃　said　Digory。　〃It's　not　like　that。　They　wouldn't　let　you；　you　know。〃
　　
　　The　Queen　gave　a　contemptuous　smile。　〃Many　great　kings；〃　she　said；　〃thought　they　could　stand　against　the　House　of　Charn。　But　they　all　fell；　and　their　very　names　are　forgotten。　Foolish　boy！　Do　you　think　that　I；　with　my　beauty　and　my　Magic；　will　not　have　your　whole　world　at　my　feet　before　a　year　has　passed？　Prepare　your　incantations　and　take　me　there　at　once。〃
　　
　　〃This　is　perfectly　frightful；〃　said　Digory　to　Polly。
　　
　　〃Perhaps　you　fear　for　this　Uncle　of　yours；〃　said　Jadis。　〃But　if　he　honours　me　duly；　he　shall　keep　his　life　and　his　throne。　I　am　not　ing　to　fight　against　him。　He　must　be　a　very　great　Magician；　if　he　has　found　how　to　send　you　here。　Is　he　King　of　your　whole　world　or　only　of　part？〃
　　
　　〃He　isn't　King　of　anywhere；〃　said　Digory。
　　
　　〃You　are　lying；〃　said　the　Queen。　〃Does　not　Magic　always　go　with　the　royal　blood？　Who　ever　heard　of　mon　people　being　Magicians？　I　can　see　the　truth　whether　you　speak　it　or　not。　Your　Uncle　is　the　great　King　and　the　great　Enchanter　of　your　world。　And　by　his　art　he　has　seen　the　shadow　of　my　face；　in　some　magic　mirror　or　some　enchanted　pool；　and　for　the　love　of　my　beauty　he　has　made　a　potent　spell　which　shook　your　world　to　its　foundations　and　sent　you　across　the　vast　gulf　between　world　and　world　to　ask　my　favour　and　to　bring　me　to　him。　Answer　me：　is　that　not　how　it　was？〃
　　
　　〃Well；　not　exactly；〃　said　Digory。
　　
　　〃Not　exactly；〃　shouted　Polly。　〃Why；　it's　absolute　bosh　from　beginning　to　end。〃
　　
　　〃Minions！〃　cried　the　Queen；　turning　in　rage　upon　Polly　and　seizing　her　hair；　at　the　very　top　of　her　head　where　it　hurts　most。　But　in　so　doing　she　let　go　of　both　the　children's　hands。　〃Now；〃　shouted　Digory；　and　〃Quick！　shouted　Polly。　They　plunged　their　left　hands　into　their　pockets。　They　did　not　even　need　to　put　the　rings　on。　The　moment　they　touched　them；　the　whole　of　that　dreary；　world　vanished　from　their　eyes。　They　were　rushing　upward　and　a　warm　green　light　was　growing　nearer　over　head。
　　
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　SIX
　　
　　THE　BEGINNING　OF　UNCLE　ANDREW'S　TROUBLES
　　
　　
　　〃LET　go！　Let　go！〃　screamed　Polly。
　　
　　〃I'm　not　touching　you！〃　said　Digory。
　　
　　Then　their　heads　came　out　of　the　pool　and；　once　more；　the　sunny　quietness　of　the　Wood　between　the　Worlds　was　all　about　them；　and　it　seemed　richer　and　warmer　and　more　peaceful　than　ever　after　the　staleness　and　ruin　of　the　place　they　had　just　left。　I　think　that；　if　they　had　been　given　the　chance；　they　would　again　have　forgotten　who　they　were　and　where　they　came　from　and　would　have　lain　down　and　enjoyed　themselves；　half　asleep；　listening　to　the　growing　of　the　trees。　But　this　time　there　was　something　that　kept　them　as　wide…awake　as　possible：　for　as　soon　as　they　had　got　out　on　to　the　grass；　they　found　that　they　were　not　alone。　The　Queen；　or　the　Witch　（whichever　you　like　to　call　her）　had　e　up　with　them；　holding　on　fast　by　Polly's　hair。　That　was　why　Polly　had　been　shouting　out　〃Let　go！〃
　　
　　This　proved；　by　the　way；　another　thing　about　the　rings　which　Uncle　Andrew　hadn't　told　Digory　because　he　didn't　know　it　himself。　In　order　to　jump　from　world　to　world　by　one　of　those　rings　you　don't　need　to　be　wearing　or　touching　it　yourself；　it　is　enough　if　you　are　touching　someone　who　is　touching　it。　In　that　way　they　work　like　a　magnet；　and　everyone　knows　that　if　you　pick　up　a　pin　with　a　magnet；　any　other　pin　which　is　touching　the　first　pin　will　e　too。
　　
　　Now　that　you　saw　her　in　the　wood；　Queen　Jadis　looked　different。　She　was　much　paler　than　she　had　been；　so　pale　that　hardly　any　of　her　beauty　was　left。　And　she　was　stooped　and　seemed　to　be　finding　it　hard　to　breathe；　as　if　the　air　of　that　place　stifled　her。　Neither　of　the　children　felt　in　the　least　afraid　of　her　now。
　　
　　〃Let　go！　Let　go　of　my　hair；〃　said　Polly。　〃What　do　you　mean　by　it？〃
　　
　　〃Here！　Let　go　of　her　hair。　At　once；〃　said　Digory。
　　
　　They　both　turned　and　struggled　with　her。　They　were　stronger　than　she　and　in　a　few　seconds　they　had　forced　her　to　let　go。　She　reeled　back；　panting；　and　there　was　a　look　of　terror　in　her　eyes。
　　
　　〃Quick；　Digory！〃　said　Polly。　〃Change　rings　and　into'　the　home　pool。〃
　　
　　〃Help！　Help！　Mercy！〃　cried　the　Witch　in　a　faint　voice；　staggering　after　them。　〃Take　me　with　you。　You　cannot。　mean　to　leave　me　in　this　horrible　place。　It　is　killing　me。〃
　　
　　〃It's　a　reason　of　State；〃　said　Polly　spitefully。　〃Like　when　you　killed　all　those　people　in　your　own　world。　Do　be　quick；　Digory。〃　They　had　put　on　their　green　rings；　but　Digory　said：
　　
　　〃Oh　bother！　What　are　we　to　do？〃　He　couldn't　help　feeling　a　little　sorry　for　the　Queen。
　　
　　〃Oh　don't　be　such　an　ass；〃　said　Polly。　〃Ten　to　one　she's　only　shamming。　Do　e　on。〃　And　then　both　children　plunged　into　the　home　pool。　〃It's　a　good　thing　we　made　that　mark；〃　thought　Polly。　But　as　they　jumped　Digory　felt　that　a　large　cold　finger　and　thumb　had　caught　him　by　the　ear