csl.thelionthewitchandthewardrobe-第12部分

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　　〃Didn't　I　tell　you；〃　answered　Mr　Beaver；　〃that　she'd　made　it　always　winter　and　never　Christmas？　Didn't　I　tell　you？　Well；　just　e　and　see！〃
　　
　　And　then　they　were　all　at　the　top　and　did　see。
　　
　　It　was　a　sledge；　and　it　was　reindeer　with　bells　on　their　harness。　But　they　were　far　bigger　than　the　Witch's　reindeer；　and　they　were　not　white　but　brown。　And　on　the　sledge　sat　a　person　whom　everyone　knew　the　moment　they　set　eyes　on　him。　He　was　a　huge　man。　in　a　bright　red　robe　（bright　as　hollyberries）　with　a　hood　that　had　fur　inside　it　and　a　great　white　beard；　that　fell　like　a　foamy　waterfall　over　his　chest。
　　
　　Everyone　knew　him　because；　though　you　see　people　of　his　sort　only　in　Narnia；　you　see　pictures　of　them　and　hear　them　talked　about　even　in　our　world…the　world　on　this　side　of　the　wardrobe　door。　But　when　you　really　see　them　in　Narnia　it　is　rather　different。　Some　of　the　pictures　of　Father　Christmas　in　our　world　make　him　look　only　funny　and　jolly。　But　now　that　the　children　actually　stood　looking　at　him　they　didn't　find　it　quite　like　that。　He　was　so　big；　and　so　glad；　and　so　real；　that　they　all　became　quite　still。　They　felt　very　glad；　but　also　solemn。
　　
　　〃I've　e　at　last；〃　said　he。　〃She　has　kept　me　out　for　a　long　time；　but　I　have　got　in　at　last。　Aslan　is　on　the　move。　The　Witch's　magic　is　weakening。〃
　　
　　And　Lucy　felt　running　through　her　that　deep　shiver　of　gladness　which　you　only　get　if　you　are　being　solemn　and　still。
　　
　　〃And　now；〃　said　Father　Christmas；　〃for　your　presents。　There　is　a　new　and　better　sewing　machine　for　you；　Mrs　Beaver。　I　will　drop　it　in　your　house　as；　I　pass。〃
　　
　　〃If　you　please；　sir；〃　said　Mrs　Beaver；　making　a　curtsey。　〃It's　locked　up。〃
　　
　　〃Locks　and　bolts　make　no　difference　to　me；〃　said　Father　Christmas。　〃And　as　for　you；　Mr　Beaver；　when　you　get　home　you　will　find　your　dam　finished　and　mended　and　all　the　leaks　stopped　and　a　new　sluicegate　fitted。〃
　　
　　Mr　Beaver　was　so　pleased　that　he　opened　his　mouth　very　wide　and　then　found　he　couldn't　say　anything　at　all。
　　
　　〃Peter；　Adam's　Son；〃　said　Father　Christmas。
　　
　　〃Here；　sir；〃　said　Peter。
　　
　　〃These　are　your　presents；〃　was　the　answer；　〃and　they　are　tools　not　toys。　The　time　to　use　them　is　perhaps　near　at　hand。　Bear　them　well。〃　With　these　words　he　handed　to　Peter　a　shield　and　a　sword。　The　shield　was　the　colour　of　silver　and　across　it　there　ramped　a　red　lion；　as　bright　as　a　ripe　strawberry　at　the　moment　when　you　pick　it。　The　hilt　of　the　sword　was　of　gold　and　it　had　a　sheath　and　a　sword　belt　and　everything　it　needed；　and　it　was　just　the　right　size　and　weight　for　Peter　to　use。　Peter　was　silent　and　solemn　as　he　received　these　gifts；　for　he　felt　they　were　a　very　serious　kind　of　present。
　　
　　〃Susan；　Eve's　Daughter；〃　said　Father　Christmas。　〃These　are　for　you；〃　and　he　handed　her　a　bow　and　a　quiver　full　of　arrows　and　a　little　ivory　horn。　〃You　must　use　the　bow　only　in　great　need；〃　he　said；　〃for　I　do　not　mean　you　to　fight　in　the　battle。　It　does　not　easily　miss。　And　when　you　put　this　horn　to　your　lips；　and　blow　it；　then；　wherever　you　are；　I　think　help　of　some　kind　will　e　to　you。〃
　　
　　Last　of　all　he　said；　〃Lucy；　Eve's　Daughter；〃　and　Lucy　came　forward。　He　gave　her　a　little　bottle　of　what　looked　like　glass　（but　people　said　afterwards　that　it　was　made　of　diamond）　and　a　small　dagger。　〃In　this　bottle；〃　he　said；　〃there　is　cordial　made　of　the　juice　of　one　of　the　fireflowers　that　grow　in　the　mountains　of　the　sun。　If　you　or　any　of　your　friends　is　hurt；　a　few　drops　of　this　restore　them。　And　the　dagger　is　to　defend　yourse　at　great　need。　For　you　also　are　not　to　be　in　battle。〃
　　
　　〃Why；　sir？〃　said　Lucy。　〃I　think…I　don't　know　but　I　think　I　could　be　brave　enough。〃
　　
　　〃That　is　not　the　point；〃　he　said。　〃But　battles　are　ugly　when　women　fight。　And　now〃…here　he　suddenly　looked　less　grave…〃here　is　something　for　the　moment　for　you　all！〃　and　he　brought　out　（I　suppose　from　the　big　bag　at　his　back；　but　nobody　quite　saw　him　do　it）　a　large　tray　containing　five　cups　and　saucers；　a　bowl　of　lump　sugar；　a　jug　of　cream；　and　a　great　big　teapot　all　sizzling　and　piping　hot。　Then　he　cried　out　〃Merry　Christmas！　Long　live　the　true　King！〃　and　cracked　his　whip；　and　he　and　the　reindeer　and　the　sledge　and　all　were　out　of　sight　before　anyone　realized　that　they　had　started。
　　
　　Peter　had　just　drawn　his　sword　out　of　its　sheath　and　was　showing　it　to　Mr　Beaver；　when　Mrs　Beaver　said：
　　
　　〃Now　then；　now　then！　Don't　stand　talking　there　till　the　tea's　got　cold。　Just　like　men。　e　and　help　to　carry　the　tray　down　and　we'll　have　breakfast。　What　a　mercy　I　thought　of　bringing　the　bread…knife。〃
　　
　　So　down　the　steep　bank　they　went　and　back　to　the　cave；　and　Mr　Beaver　cut　some　of　the　bread　and　ham　into　sandwiches　and　Mrs　Beaver　poured　out　the　tea　and　everyone　enjoyed　themselves。　But　long　before　they　had　finished　enjoying　themselves　Mr　Beaver　said；　〃Time　to　be　moving　on　now。〃
　　
　　
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　ELEVEN
　　
　　ASLAN　IS　NEARER
　　
　　EDMUND　meanwhile　had　been　having　a　most　disappointing　time。　When　the　dwarf　had　gone　to　get　the　sledge　ready　he　expected　that　the　Witch　would　start　being　nice　to　him；　as　she　had　been　at　their　last　meeting。　But　she　said　nothing　at　all。　And　when　at　last　Edmund　plucked　up　his　courage　to　say；　〃Please；　your　Majesty；　could　I　have　some　Turkish　Delight？　You…you…said…〃　she　answered；　〃Silence；　fool！〃　Then　she　appeared　to　change　her　mind　and　said；　as　if　to　herself；　a　〃And　yet　it　will　not　do　to　have　the　brat　fainting　on　the　way；〃　and　once　more　clapped　her　hands。　Another；　dwarf　appeared。
　　
　　〃Bring　the　human　creature　food　and　drink；〃　she　said。
　　
　　The　dwarf　went　away　and　presently　returned　bringing　an　iron　bowl　with　some　water　in　it　and　an　iron　plate　with　a　hunk　of　dry　bread　on　it。　He　grinned　in　a　repulsive　manner　as　he　set　them　down　on　the　floor　beside　Edmund　and　said：
　　
　　〃Turkish　Delight　for　the　little　Prince。　Ha！　Ha！　Ha！〃　
　　
　　〃Take　it　away；〃　said　Edmund　sulkily。　〃I　don't　want　dry　bread。〃　But　the　Witch　suddenly　turned　on　him　with　such　a　terrible　expression　on　her　face　that　he；　apologized　and　began　to　nibble　at　the　bread；　though；　it　was　so　stale　he　could　hardly　get　it　down。
　　
　　〃You　may　be　glad　enough　of　it　before　you　taste　bread　again；〃　said　the　Witch。
　　
　　While　he　was　still　chewing　away　the　first　dwarf　came　back　and　announced　that　the　sledge　was　ready。　The　White　Witch　rose　and　went　out；　ordering　Edmund　to　go　with　her。　The　snow　was　again　falling　as　they　came　into　the　courtyard；　but　she　took　no　notice　of　that　and　made　Edmund　sit　beside　her　on　the　sledge。　But　before　they　drove　off　she　called　Maugrim　and　he　came　bounding　like　an　enormous　dog　to　the　side　of　the　sledge。
　　
　　〃Take　with　you　the　swiftest　of　your　wolves　and　go　at　once　to　the　house　of　the　Beavers；〃　said　the　Witch；　〃and　kill　whatever　you　find　there。　If　they　are　already　gone；　then　make　all　speed　to　the　Stone　Table；　but　do　not　be　seen。　Wait　for　me　there　in　hiding。　I　meanwhile　must　go　many　miles　to　the　West　before　I　find　a　place　where　I　can　drive　across　the　river。　You　may　overtake　these　humans　before　they　reach　the　Stone　Table。　You　will　know　what　to　do　if　you　find　them！〃
　　
　　〃I　hear　and　obey；　O　Queen；〃　growled　the　Wolf；　and　immediately　he　shot　away　into　the　snow　and　darkness；　as　quickly　as　a　horse　can　gallop。　In　a　few　minutes　he　had　called　another　wolf　and　was　with　him　down　on　the　dam　sniffing　at　the　Beavers'　house。　But　of　course　they　found　it　empty。　It　would　have　been　a　dreadful　thing　for　the　Beavers　and　the　children　if　the　night　had　remained　fine；　for　the　wolves　would　then　have　been　able　to　follow　their　trail…and　ten　to　one　would　have　overtaken　them　before　they　had　got　to　the　cave。　But　now　that　the　snow　had　begun　again　the　scent　was　cold　and　even　the　footprints　were　covered　up。
　　
　　Meanwhile　the　dwarf　whipped　up　the　reindeer；　and　the　Witch　and　Edmund　drove　out　under　the　archway　and　on　and　away　into　the　darkness　and　the　cold。　This　was　a　terrible　journey　for　Edmund；　who　had　no　coat。　Before　they　had　been　going　quarter　of　an　hour　all　the　front　of　him　was　covered　with　snow…he　soon　stopped　trying　to　shake　it　off　because；　as　quickly　as　he　did　that；　a　new　lot　gathered；　and　he　was　so　tired。　Soon　he　was　wet　to　the　skin。　And　oh；　how　miserable　he　was！　It　didn't　look　now　as　if　the　Witch　intended　to　make　him　a　King。　All　the　things　he　had　said　to　make　himself　believe　that　she　was　good　and　kind　and　that　her　side　was　really　the　right　side　sounded　to　him　silly　now。　He　would　have　given　anything　to　meet　the　others　at　this　moment…even　Peter！　The　only　way　to　fort　himself　now　was　to　try　to　believe　that　the　whole　thing　was　a　dream　and　that　he　might　wake　up　at　any　moment。　And　as　they　went　on；　hour　after　hour；　it　did　e　to　seem　like　a　dream。
　　
　　This　lasted　longer　than　I　could　describe　even　if　I　wrote　pages　and　pages　about　it。　But　I　will　skip　on　to　the　time　when　the　snow　had　stopped　and　the　morning　had　e　and　they　were　racing　along　in　the　daylight。　And　still　they　went　on　and　on；　with　no　sound　but　the　everlasting　swish　of　the　snow　and　the　creaking　of　the　reindeer's　harness。　And　then　at　last　the　Witch　said；　〃What　have　we　here？　Stop！〃　and　they　did。
　　
　　How　Edmund　hoped　she　was　going　to　say　something　about　breakfast！　But　she　had　stopped　for　quite　a　different　reason。　A　little　way　off　at　the　foot　of　a　tree　sat　a　merry　party；　a　squirrel　and　his　wife　with　their　children　and　two　satyrs　and　a　dwarf　and　an　old　dogfox；　all　on　stools　round　a　table。　Edmund　couldn't　quite　see　what　they　were　eating；　but　it　smelled　lovely　and　there　seemed　to　be　decorations　of　holly　and　he　wasn't　at　all　sure　that　he　didn't　see　something　like　a　plum　pudding。　At　the　moment　when　the　sledge　stopped；　the　Fox；　who　was　obviously　the　oldest　person　present；　had　just　risen　to　its　feet；　holding　a　glass　in　its　right　paw　as　if　it　was　going　to　say　something。　But　when　the　whole　party　saw　the　sledge　stopping　and　who　was　in　it；　all　the　gaiety　went　out　of　their　faces。　The　father　squirrel　stopped　eating　with　his　fork　half…way　to　his　mouth　and　one　of　the　satyrs　stopped　with　its　fork　actually　in　its　mouth；　and　the　baby　squirrels　squeaked　with　terror。
　　
　　〃What　is　the　meaning　of　this？〃　asked　the　Witch　Queen。　Nobody　answered。