csl.thelionthewitchandthewardrobe-第15部分

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　going　to　happen　next　provided　they　would　let　him　lie　still。　He　was　too　tired　even　to　notice　how　hungry　and　thirsty　he　was。　The　Witch　and　the　dwarf　were　talking　close　beside　him　in　low　tones。
　　
　　〃No；〃　said　the　dwarf；　〃it　is　no　use　now；　O　Queen。　They　must　have　reached　the　Stone　Table　by　now。〃
　　
　　〃Perhaps　the　Wolf　will　smell　us　out　and　bring　us　news；〃　said　the　Witch。
　　
　　〃It　cannot　be　good　news　if　he　does；〃　said　the　dwarf。
　　
　　〃Four　thrones　in　Cair　Paravel；〃　said　the　Witch。　〃How　if　only　three　were　filled？　That　would　not　fulfil　the　prophecy。〃
　　
　　〃What　difference　would　that　make　now　that　He　is　here？〃　said　the　dwarf。　He　did　not　dare；　even　now；　to　mention　the　name　of　Aslan　to　his　mistress。
　　
　　〃He　may　not　stay　long。　And　then…we　would　fall　upon　the　three　at　Cair。〃
　　
　　〃Yet　it　might　be　better；〃　said　the　dwarf；　〃to　keep　this　one〃　（here　he　kicked　Edmund）　〃for　bargaining　with。〃
　　
　　
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　THIRTEEN
　　
　　DEEP　MAGIC　FROM　THE　DAWN　OF　TIME
　　
　　〃Yes！　and　have　him　rescued；〃　said　the　Witch　scornfully。
　　
　　〃Then；〃　said　the　dwarf；　〃we　had　better　do　what　we　have　to　do　at　once。〃
　　
　　〃I　would　like　to　have　it　done　on　the　Stone　Table　itself；〃　said　the　Witch。　〃That　is　the　proper　place。　That　is　where　it　has　always　been　done　before。〃
　　
　　〃It　will　be　a　long　time　now　before　the　Stone　Table　can　again　be　put　to　its　proper　use；〃　said　the　dwarf。
　　
　　〃True；〃　said　the　Witch；　and　then；　〃Well；　I　will　begin。〃
　　
　　At　that　moment　with　a　rush　and　a　snarl　a　Wolf　rushed　up　to　them。
　　
　　〃I　have　seen　them。　They　are　all　at　the　Stone　Table；　with　Him。　They　have　killed　my　captain；　Maugrim。　I　was　hidden　in　the　thickets　and　saw　it　all。　One　of　the　Sons　of　Adam　killed　him。　Fly！　Fly！〃
　　
　　〃No；〃　said　the　Witch。　〃There　need　be　no　flying。　Go　quickly。　Summon　all　our　people　to　meet　me　here　as　speedily　as　they　can。　Call　out　the　giants　and　the　werewolves　and　the　spirits　of　those　trees　who　are　on　our　side。　Call　the　Ghouls；　and　the　Boggles；　the　Ogres　and　the　Minotaurs。　Call　the　Cruels；　the　Hags；　the　Spectres；　and　the　people　of　the　Toadstools。　We　will　fight。　What？　Have　I　not　still　my　wand？　Will　not　their　ranks　turn　into　stone　even　as　they　e　on？　Be　off　quickly；　I　have　a　little　thing　to　finish　here　while　you　are　away。〃
　　
　　The　great　brute　bowed　its　head；　turned；　and　galloped　away。
　　
　　〃Now！〃　she　said；　〃we　have　no　table…let　me　see。　We　had　better　put　it　against　the　trunk　of　a　tree。〃
　　
　　Edmund　found　himself　being　roughly　forced　to　his　feet。　Then　the　dwarf　set　him　with　his　back　against　a　tree　and　bound　him　fast。　He　saw　the　Witch　take　off　her　outer　mantle。　Her　arms　were　bare　underneath　it　and　terribly　white。　Because　they　were　so　very　white　he　could　see　them；　but　he　could　not　see　much　else；　it　was　so　dark　in　this　valley　under　the　dark　trees。
　　
　　〃Prepare　the　victim；〃；　said　the　Witch。　And　the　dwarf　undid　Edmund's　collar　and　folded　back　his　shirt　at　the　neck。　Then　he　took　Edmund's　hair　and　pulled　his　head　back　so　that　he　had　to　raise　his　chin。　After　that　Edmund　heard　a　strange　noise…whizz　whizz…whizz。　For　a　moment　he　couldn't　think　what　it　was。　Then　he　realized。　It　was　the　sound　of　a　knife　being　sharpened。
　　
　　At　that　very　moment　he　heard　loud　shouts　from　every　direction…a　drumming　of　hoofs　and　a　beating　of　wings…a　scream　from　the　Witch…confusion　all　round　him。　And　then　he　found　he　was　being　untied。　Strong　arms　were　round　him　and　he　heard　big；　kind　voices　saying　things　like…
　　
　　〃Let　him　lie　down…give　him　some　wine…drink　this…steady　now…you'll　be　all　right　in　a　minute。〃
　　
　　Then　he　heard　the　voices　of　people　who　were　not　talking　to　him　but　to　one　another。　And　they　were　saying　things　like　〃Who's　got　the　Witch？〃　〃I　thought　you　had　her。〃　〃I　didn't　see　her　after　I　knocked　the　knife　out　of　her　hand…I　was　after　the　dwarf…do　you　mean　to　say　she's　escaped？〃　〃…A　chap　can't　mind　everything　at　once…what's　that？　Oh；　sorry；　it's　only　an　old　stump！〃　But　just　at　this　point　Edmund　went　off　in　a　dead　faint。
　　
　　Presently　the　centaurs　and　unicorns　and　deer　and　birds　（they　were　of　course　the　rescue　party　which　Aslan　had　sent　in　the　last　chapter）　all　set　off　to　go　back　to　the　Stone　Table；　carrying　Edmund　with　them。　But　if　they　could　have　seen　what　happened　in　that　valley　after　they　had　gone；　I　think　they　might　have　been　surprised。
　　
　　It　was　perfectly　still　and　presently　the　moon　grew　bright；　if　you　had　been　there　you　would　have　seen　the　moonlight　shining　on　an　old　tree…stump　and　on　a　fairsized　boulder。　But　if　you　had　gone　on　looking　you　would　gradually　have　begun　to　think　there　was　something　odd　about　both　the　stump　and　the　boulder。　And　next　you　would　have　thought　that　the　stump　did　look　really　remarkably　like　a　little　fat　man　crouching　on　the　ground。　And　if　you　had　watched　long　enough　you　would　have　seen　the　stump　walk　across　to　the　boulder　and　the　boulder　sit　up　and　begin　talking　to　the　stump；　for　in　reality　the　stump　and　the　boulder　were　simply　the　Witch　and　the　dwarf。　For　it　was　part　of　her　magic　that　she　could　make　things　look　like　what　they　aren't；　and　she　had　the　presence　of　mind　to　do　so　at　the　very　moment　when　the　knife　was　knocked　out　of　her　hand。　She　had　kept　hold　of　her　wand；　so　it　had　been　kept　safe；　too。
　　
　　When　the　other　children　woke　up　next　morning　（they　had　been　sleeping　on　piles　of　cushions　in　the　pavilion）　the　first　thing　they　heard…from　Mrs　Beaver…was　that　their　brother　had　been　rescued　and　brought　into　camp　late　last　night；　and　was　at　that　moment　with　Aslan。　As　soon　as　they　had　breakfasted4　they　all　went　out；　and　there　they　saw　Aslan　and　Edmund　walking　together　in　the　dewy　grass；　apart　from　the　rest　of　the　court。　There　is　no　need　to　tell　you　（and　no　one　ever　heard）　what　Aslan　was　saying；　but　it　was　a　conversation　which　Edmund　never　forgot。　As　the　others　drew　nearer　Aslan　turned　to　meet　them；　bringing　Edmund　with　him。
　　
　　〃Here　is　your　brother；〃　he　said；　〃and…there　is　no　need　to　talk　to　him　about　what　is　past。〃
　　
　　Edmund　shook　hands　with　each　of　the　others　and　said　to　each　of　them　in　turn；　〃I'm　sorry；〃　and　everyone　said；　〃That's　all　right。〃　And　then　everyone　wanted　very　hard　to　say　something　which　would　make　it　quite　clear　that　they　were　all　friends　with　him　again…something　ordinary　and　natural…and　of　course　no　one　could　think　of　anything　in　the　world　to　say。　But　before　they　had　time　to　feel　really　awkward　one　of　the　leopards　approached　Aslan　and　said；
　　
　　〃Sire；　there　is　a　messenger　from　the　enemy　who　craves　audience。〃
　　
　　〃Let　him　approach；〃　said　Aslan。
　　
　　The　leopard　went　away　and　soon　returned　leading　the　Witch's　dwarf。
　　
　　〃What　is　your　message；　Son　of　Earth？〃　asked　Aslan。
　　
　　〃The　Queen　of　Narnia　and　Empress　of　the　Lone　Islands　desires　a　safe　conduct　to　e　and　speak　with　you；〃　said　the　dwarf；　〃on　a　matter　which　is　as　much　to　your　advantage　as　to　hers。〃
　　
　　〃Queen　of　Narnia；　indeed！〃　said　Mr　Beaver。　〃Of　all　the　cheek…〃
　　
　　〃Peace；　Beaver；〃　said　Aslan。　〃All　names　will　soon　be　restored　to　their　proper　owners。　In　the　meantime　we　will　not　dispute　about　them。　Tell　your　mistress；　Son　of　Earth；　that　I　grant　her　safe　conduct　on　condition　that　she　leaves　her　wand　behind　her　at　that　great　oak。〃
　　
　　This　was　agreed　to　and　two　leopards　went　back　with　the　dwarf　to　see　that　the　conditions　were　properly　carried　out。　〃But　supposing　she　turns　the　two　leopards　into　stone？〃　whispered　Lucy　to　Peter。　I　think　the　same　idea　had　occurred　to　the　leopards　themselves；　at　any　rate；　as　they　walked　off　their　fur　was　all　standing　up　on　their　backs　and　their　tails　were　bristling…like　a　cat's　when　it　sees　a　strange　dog。
　　
　　〃It'll　be　all　right；〃　whispered　Peter　in　reply。　〃He　wouldn't　send　them　if　it　weren't。〃
　　
　　A　few　minutes　later　the　Witch　herself　walked　out　on　to　the　top　of　the　hill　and　came　straight　across　and　stood　before　Aslan。　The　three　children　who　had　not　seen　her　before　felt　shudders　running　down　their　backs　at　the　sight　of　her　face；　and　there　were　low　growls　among　all　the　animals　present。　Though　it　was　bright　sunshine　everyone　felt　suddenly　cold。　The　only　two　people　present　who　seemed　to　be　quite　at　their　ease　were　Aslan　and　the　Witch　herself。　It　was　the　oddest　thing　to　see　those　two　faces…the　golden　face　and　the　dead…white　face　so　close　together。　Not　that　the　Witch　looked　Aslan　exactly　in　his　eyes；　Mrs　Beaver　particularly　noticed　this。
　　
　　〃You　have　a　traitor　there；　Aslan；〃　said　the　Witch。　Of　course　everyone　present　knew　that　she　meant　Edmund。　But　Edmund　had　got　past　thinking　about　himself　after　all　he'd　been　through　and　after　the　talk　he'd　had　that　morning。　He　just　went　on　looking　at　Aslan。　It　didn't　seem　to　matter　what　the　Witch　said。
　　
　　〃Well；〃　said　Aslan。　〃His　offence　was　not　against　you。〃
　　
　　〃Have　you　forgotten　the　Deep　Magic？〃　asked　the　Witch。
　　
　　〃Let　us　say　I　have　forgotten　it；〃　answered　Aslan　gravely。　〃Tell　us　of　this　Deep　Magic。〃
　　
　　〃Tell　you？〃　said　the　Witch；　her　voice　growing　suddenly　shriller。　〃Tell　you　what　is　written　on　that　very　Table　of　Stone　which　stands　beside　us？　Tell　you　what　is　written　in　letters　deep　as　a　spear　is　long　on　the　firestones　on　the　Secret　Hill？　Tell　you　what　is　engraved　on　the　sceptre　of　the　Emperor…beyond…the…Sea？　You　at　least　know　the　Magic　which　the　Emperor　put　into　Narnia　at　the　very　beginning。　You　know　that　every　traitor　belongs　to　me　as　my　lawful　prey　and　that　for　every　treachery　I　have　a　right　to　a　kill。〃
　　
　　〃Oh；〃　said　Mr　Beaver。　〃So　that's　how　you　came　to　imagine　yourself　a　queen…because　you　were　the　Emperor's　hangman。　I　see。〃
　　
　　〃Peace；　Beaver；〃　said　Aslan；　with　a　very　low　growl。　〃And　so；〃　continued　the　Witch；　〃that　human　creature　is　mine。　His　life　is　forfeit　to　me。　His　blood　is　my　property。〃
　　
　　〃e　and　take　it　then；〃　said　the　Bull　with　the　man's　head　in　a　great　bellowing　voice。
　　
　　〃Fool；〃　said　the　Witch　with　a　savage　smile　that　was　almost　a　snarl；　〃do　you　really　think　your　master　can　rob　me　of　my　rights　by　mere　force？　He　knows　the　Deep　Magic　better　than　that。　He　knows　that　unless　I　have　blood　as　the　Law　says　all　Narnia　will　be　overturned　and　perish　in　fire　and　water。〃
　　
　　〃It　is　very　true；〃　said　Aslan；　〃I　do　not　deny　it。