csl.themagiciansnephew-第9部分
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ar。 And as they sank down and the confused shapes of our own world began to appear； the grip of that finger and thumb grew stronger。 The Witch was apparently recovering her strength。 Digory struggled and kicked； but it was not of the least use。 In a moment they found themselves in Uncle Andrew's study； and there was Uncle Andrew himself； staring at the wonderful creature that Digory had brought back from beyond the world。
And well he might stare。 Digory and Polly stared too。 There was no doubt that the Witch had got over her faintness； and now that one saw her in our own world； with ordinary things around her； she fairly took one's breath away。 In Charn she had been alarming enough： in London； she was terrifying。 For one thing； they had not realized till now how very big she was。 〃Hardly human〃 was what Digory thought when he looked at her； and he may have been right； for some say there is giantish blood in the royal family of Charn。 But even her height was nothing pared with her beauty； her fierceness； and her wildness。 She looked ten times more alive than most of the people one meets in London。 Uncle Andrew was bowing and rubbing his hands and looking； to tell the truth； extremely frightened。 He seemed a little shrimp of a creature beside the Witch。 And yet； as Polly said after
wards； there was a sort of likeness between her face and his； something in the expression。 It was the look that all wicked Magicians have； the 〃Mark〃 which Jadis had said she could not find in Digory's face。 One good thing about seeing the two together was that you would never again be afraid of Uncle Andrew； any more than you'd be afraid of a worm after you had met a rattlesnake or afraid of a cow after you had met a mad bull。
〃Pooh！〃 thought Digory to himself。 〃Him a Magician！
Not much。 Now she's the real thing。〃
Uncle Andrew kept on rubbing his hands and bowing。 He was trying to say something very polite； but his mouth had gone all dry so that he could not speak。 His 〃experiment〃 with the rings； as he called it； was turning out more successful than he liked： for though he had dabbled in Magic for years he had always left all the dangers （as far as one can） to other people。 Nothing at all like this had ever happened to him before。
Then Jadis spoke； not very loud； but there was something in her voice that made the whole room quiver。
〃Where is the Magician who has called me into this world？〃
〃Ah…ah…Madam；〃 gasped Uncle Andrew； 〃I am most honoured…highly gratified…a most unexpected； pleasure…if only I had had the opportunity of making any preparations…I…I…〃
〃Where is the Magician； Fool？〃 said Jadis。
〃I…I am； 'Madam。 I hope you will excuse any…er…。 liberty these naughty children may have taken。 I assure you； there was no intention…〃
〃You？〃 said the Queen in a still more terrible voice。 Then； in one stride； she crossed the room； seized a great handful of Uncle Andrew's grey hair and pulled his head back so that his face looked up into hers。 Then she studied his face as she had studied Digory's face in the palace of Charn。 He blinked and licked his lips nervously all the time。 At last she let him go： so suddenly that he reeled back against the wall。
〃I see；〃 she said scornfully； 〃you are a Magician…of a sort。 Stand up； dog； and don't sprawl there as if you were speaking to your equals。 How do you e to know Magic？ You are not of royal blood； I'll swear。〃
〃Well…ah…not perhaps in the strict sense；〃 stammered Uncle Andrew。 〃Not exactly royal； Ma'am。 The Ketterleys are； however； a very old family。 An old Dorsetshire family； Ma'am。〃
〃Peace；〃 said the Witch。 〃I see what you are。 You are a little； peddling Magician who works by rules and books。 There is no real Magic in your blood and heart。 Your kind was made an end of in my world a thousand years ago。 But here I shall allow you to be my servant。〃
〃I should be most happy…delighted to be of any service…a p…pleasure； I assure you。〃
〃Peace！ You talk far too much。 Listen to your first task。 I see we are in a large city。 Procure for me at once a chariot or a flying carpet or a well…trained dragon； or whatever is usual for royal and noble persons in your land。 Then bring me to places where I can get clothes and jewels and slaves fit for my rank。 Tomorrow I will begin the conquest of the world。〃
〃I…I…I'll go and order a cab at once；〃 gasped Uncle Andrew。
〃Stop；〃 said the Witch； just as he reached the door。 〃Do not dream of treachery。 My eyes can see through walls and into the minds of men。 They will be on you wherever you go。 At the first sign of disobedience I will lay such spells on you that anything you sit down on will feel like red hot iron and whenever you lie in a bed there will be invisible blocks of ice at your feet。 Now go。〃
The old man went out； looking like a dog with its tail between its legs。
The children were now afraid that Jadis would have something to say to them about what had happened in the wood。 As it turned out； however； she never mentioned it either then or afterwards。 I think （and Digory thinks too） that her mind was of a sort which cannot remember that quiet place at all； and however often you took her there and however long you left her there； she would still know nothing about it。 Now that she was left alone with the children； she took no notice of either of them。 And that was like her too。 In Charn she had taken no notice of Pony （till the very end） because Digory was the one she wanted to make use of。 Now that she had Uncle Andrew； she took no notice of Digory。 I expect most witches are like that。 They are not interested in things or people unless they can use them； they are terribly practical。 So there was silence in the room for a minute or two。 But you could tell by the way Jadis tapped her foot on the floor that she was growing impatient。
Presently she said； as if to herself； 〃What is the old fool doing？ I should have brought a whip。〃 She stalked out of the room in pursuit of Uncle Andrew without one glance at the children。
〃Whew！〃 said Polly； letting out a long breath of relief。 〃And now I must get home。 It's frightfully late。 I shall catch it。〃
〃Well do； do e back as soon as you can；〃 said Digory。 〃This is simply ghastly； having her here。 We must make some sort of plan。〃
〃That's up to your Uncle now；〃 said Polly。 〃It was he who started all this messing about with Magic。〃
〃All the same； you will e back； won't you？ Hang it all； you can't leave me alone in a scrape like this。〃
〃I shall go home by the tunnel；〃 said Polly rather coldly。 〃That'll be the quickest way。 And if you want me to e back； hadn't you better say you're sorry？〃
〃Sorry？〃 exclaimed Digory。 〃Well now； if that isn't just like a girl！ What have I done？〃
〃Oh nothing of course；〃 said Polly sarcastically。 〃Only nearly screwed my wrist off in that room with all the waxworks； like a cowardly bully。 Only struck the bell with the hammer； like a silly idiot。 Only turned back in the wood so that she had time to catch hold of you before we jumped into our own pool。 That's all。〃
〃Oh；〃 said Digory； very surprised。 〃Well； alright； I'll say I'm sorry。 And I really am sorry about what happened in the waxworks room。 There： I've said I'm sorry。 And now； do be decent and e back。 I shall be in a frightful hole if you don't。〃
〃I don't see what's going to happen to you。 It's Mr Ketterley who's going to sit on red hot chairs and have ice in his bed； isn't it？〃
〃It isn't that sort of thing；〃 said Digory。 〃What I'm bothered about is Mother。 Suppose that creature went into her room。 She might frighten her to death。〃
〃Oh； I see；〃 said Polly in rather a different voice。 〃Alright。 We'll call it Pax。 I'll e back…if I can。 But I must go now。〃 And she crawled through the little door into the tunnel； and that dark place among the rafters which had seemed so exciting and adventurous a few hours ago； seemed quite tame and homely now。
We must now go back to Uncle Andrew。 His poor old heart went pit…a…pat as he staggered down the attic stairs and he kept on dabbing at his forehead with a handkerchief。 When he reached his bedroom； which was the floor below； he locked himself in。 And the very first thing he did was to grope in his wardrobe for a bottle and a wine…glass which he always kept hidden there where Aunt Letty could not find them。 He poured himself out a glassful of some nasty； grown…up drink and drank it off at one gulp。 Then he drew a deep breath。
〃Upon my word；〃 he said to himself。 〃I'm dreadfully shaken。 Most upsetting！ And at my time of life！〃
He poured out a second glass and drank it too； then he began to change his clothes。 You have never seen such clothes； but I can remember them。 He put on a very high； shiny； stiff collar of the sort that made you hold your chin up all the time。 He put on a white waistcoat with a pattern on it and arranged his gold watch chain across the front。 He put on his best frock…coat； the one he kept for weddings and funerals。 He got out his best tall hat and polished it up。 There was a vase of flowers （put there by Aunt Letty） on his dressing table； he took one and put it in his buttonhole。 He took a clean handkerchief （a lovely one such as you couldn't buy today） out of the little lefthand drawer and put a few drops of scent on it。 He took his eye…glass； with the thick black ribbon； and screwed it into his eye； then he looked at himself in the mirror。
Children have one kind of silliness； as you know； and grown…ups have another kind。 At this moment Uncle Andrew was beginning to be silly in a very grown…up way。 Now that the Witch was no longer in the same room with him he was quickly forgetting how she had frightened him and thinking more and more of her wonderful beauty。 He kept on saying to himself； 〃A dem fine woman； sir； a dem fine woman。 A superb creature。〃 He had also somehow managed to forget that it was the children who had got hold of this 〃superb creature〃： he felt as if he himself by his Magic had called her out of unknown worlds。
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