The Last Battle-第24章

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　and　followed。　　〃but　what　ill　do　if　i　really　have　to　meet　aslan；　im　sure　i　dont　know；〃　he　added。

〃youll　find　it　will　be　all　right　when　you　really　do；〃　said　queen　lucy。

then　they　went　forward　together；　always　westward；　for　that　seemed　to　be　the　　direction　aslan　had　meant　when　he　cried　out；　〃further　up　and　futher　in。〃　many　other　　creatures　were　slowly　moving　the　same　way；　but　that　grassy　country　was　very　wide　and　　there　was　no　crowding。

it　still　seemed　to　be　early；　and　the　morning　freshness　was　in　the　air。　they　　kept　on　stopping　to　look　round　and　to　look　behind　them；　partly　because　it　was　so　　beautiful　but　partly　also　because　there　was　something　about　it　which　they　could　not　　understand。

〃peter；〃　said　lucy；　〃where　is　this；　do　you　suppose？”

〃i　dont　know；〃　said　the　high　king。　〃it　reminds　me　of　somewhere　but　i　cant　　give　it　a　name。　could　it　be　somewhere　we　once　stayed　for　a　holiday　when　we　were　very；　　very　small？”

〃it　would　have　to　have　been　a　jolly　good　holiday；〃　said　eustace。　〃i　bet　　there　isnt　a　country　like　this　anywhere　in　our　world。　look　at　the　colours！　you　couldnt　　get　a　blue　like　the　blue　on　those　mountains　in　our　world。”

〃is　it　not　aslans　country？〃　said　tirian。

〃not　like　aslans　country　on　top　of　that　mountain　beyond　the　eastern　end　of　　the　world；”

said　jill。　〃ive　been　there。”

〃if　you　ask　me；〃　said　edmund；　〃its　like　somewhere　in　the　narnian　world。　　look　at　those　mountains　ahead　…　and　the　big　ice…mountains　beyond　them。　surely　theyre　　rather　like　the　mountains　we　used　to　see　from　narnia；　the　ones　up　westward　beyond　the　　waterfall？”

〃yes；　so　they　are；〃　said　peter。　〃only　these　are　bigger。”

〃i　dont　think　those　ones　are　so　very　like　anything　in　narnia；〃　said　lucy。　　〃but　look　there。”

she　pointed　southward　to　their　left；　and　everyone　stopped　and　turned　to　　look。　〃those　　

hills；〃　said　lucy；　〃the　nice　woody　ones　and　the　blue　ones　behind　…　arent　　they　very　like　the　southern　border　of　narnia？”

〃like！〃　cried　edmund　after　a　moments　silence。　〃why；　theyre　exactly　like。　　look；　theres　mount　pire　with　his　forked　head；　and　theres　the　pass　into　archenland　and　　everything！”

〃and　yet　theyre　not　like；〃　said　lucy。　〃theyre　different。　they　have　more　　colours　on　them　and　they　look　further　away　than　i　remembered　and　theyre　more　。。　。　more　。　。　　。　oh；　i　dont　know。。。”

〃more　like　the　real　thing；〃　said　the　lord　digory　softly。

suddenly　farsight　the　eagle　spread　his　wings；　soared　thirty　or　forty　feet　　up　into　the　air；　circled　round　and　then　alighted　on　the　ground。

〃kings　and　queens；〃　he　cried；　〃we　have　all　been　blind。　we　are　only　　beginning　to　see　where　we　are。　from　up　there　i　have　seen　it　all　…　ettinsmuir；　beaversdam；　　the　great　river；　and　cair　paravel　still　shining　on　the　edge　of　the　eastern　sea。　narnia　is　　not　dead。　this　is　narnia。”

〃but　how　can　it　be？〃　said　peter。　〃for　aslan　told　us　older　ones　that　we　　should　never　return　to　narnia；　and　here　we　are。”

〃yes；〃　said　eustace。　〃and　we　saw　it　all　destroyed　and　the　sun　put　out。”

〃and　its　all　so　different；〃　said　lucy。

〃the　eagle　is　right；〃　said　the　lord　digory。　〃listen；　peter。　when　aslan　said　　you　could　never　go　back　to　narnia；　he　meant　the　narnia　you　were　thinking　of。　but　that　　was　not　the　real　narnia。　that　had　a　beginning　and　an　end。　it　was　only　a　shadow　or　a　　copy　of　the　real　narnia　which　has　always　been　here　and　always　will　be　here：　just　as　our　　world；　england　and　all；　is　only　a　shadow　or　copy　of　something　in　aslans　real　world。　you　　need　not　mourn　over　narnia；　lucy。　all　of　the　old　narnia　that　mattered；　all　the　dear　　creatures；　have　been　drawn　into　the　real　narnia　through　the　door。　and　of　course　it　is　different；　　as　different　as　a　real　thing　is　from　a　shadow　or　as　waking　life　is　from　a　dream。〃　his　voice　　stirred　everyone　like　a　trumpet　as　he　spoke　these　words：　but　when　he　added　under　　his　breath　〃its　all　in　plato；　all　in　plato：　bless　me；　what　do　they　teach　them　at　these　　schools！〃　the　older　ones　laughed。　it　was　so　exactly　like　the　sort　of　thing　they　had　heard　him　　say　long　ago　in　that　other　world　where　his　beard　was　grey　instead　of　golden。　he　knew　why　　they　were　laughing　and　joined　in　the　laugh　himself。　but　very　quickly　they　all　became　　grave　again：　for；　as　you　know；　there　is　a　kind　of　happiness　and　wonder　that　makes　you　　serious。　it　is　too　good　to　waste　on　jokes。

it　is　as　hard　to　explain　how　this　sunlit　land　was　different　from　the　old　　narnia　as　it　would　be　to　tell　you　how　the　fruits　of　that　country　taste。　perhaps　you　will　get　　some　idea　of　it　if　you　think　like　this。　you　may　have　been　in　a　room　in　which　there　was　a　　window　that　　

looked　out　on　a　lovely　bay　of　the　sea　or　a　green　valley　that　wound　away　　among　mountains。　and　in　the　wall　of　that　room　opposite　to　the　window　there　may　　have　been　a　lookingglass。　and　as　you　turned　away　from　the　window　you　suddenly　caught　　sight　of　that　sea　or　that　valley；　all　over　again；　in　the　looking　glass。　and　the　sea　in　　the　mirror；　or　the　valley　in　the　mirror；　were　in　one　sense　just　the　same　as　the　real　ones：　yet　　at　the　same　time　they　were　somehow　different　…　deeper；　more　wonderful；　more　like　places　in　a　　story：　in　a　story　you　have　never　heard　but　very　much　want　to　know。　the　difference　　between　the　old　narnia　and　the　new　narnia　was　like　that。　the　new　one　was　a　deeper　country：　　every　rock　and　flower　and　blade　of　grass　looked　as　if　it　meant　more。　i　cant　describe　　it　any　better　than　that：　if　ever　you　get　there　you　will　know　what　i　mean。

it　was　the　unicorn　who　summed　up　what　everyone　was　feeling。　he　stamped　his　　right　fore…hoof　on　the　ground　and　neighed；　and　then　cried：　　〃i　have　e　home　at　last！　this　is　my　real　country！　i　belong　here。　this　is　　the　land　i　have　been　looking　for　all　my　life；　though　i　never　knew　it　till　now。　the　reason　　why　we　loved　the　old　narnia　is　that　it　sometimes　looked　a　little　like　this。　bree…hee…　hee！　e　further　up；　e　further　in！”

he　shook　his　mane　and　sprang　forward　into　a　great　gallop　…　a　unicorns　　gallop；　which；　in　our　world；　would　have　carried　him　out　of　sight　in　a　few　moments。　but　now　a　　most　strange　thing　happened。　everyone　else　began　to　run；　and　they　found；　to　　their　astonishment；　that　they　could　keep　up　with　him：　not　only　the　dogs　and　the　　humans　but　even　fat　little　puzzle　and　short…legged　poggin　the　dwarf。　the　air　flew　in　　their　faces　as　if　they　were　driving　fast　in　a　car　without　a　windscreen。　the　country　flew　past　　as　if　they　were　seeing　it　from　the　windows　of　an　express　train。　faster　and　faster　they　　raced；　but　no　one　got　hot　or　tired　or　out　of　breath。





CHAPTER　SIXTEEN

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farewell　to　shadowlands　　　if　one　could　run　without　getting　tired；　i　dont　think　one　would　often　want　　to　do　anything　else。　but　there　might　be　special　reasons　for　stopping；　and　it　was　a　special　　reason　which　made　eustace　presently　shout：　　〃i　say！　steady！　look　what　were　ing　to！”

and　well　he　might。　for　now　they　saw　before　them　caldron　pool　and　beyond　the　　pool　the　high　unclimbable　cliffs　and；　pouring　down　the　cliffs；　thousands　of　tons　of　　water　every　second；　flashing　like　diamonds　in　some　places　and　dark；　glassy　green　in　　others；　the　great　waterfall；　and　already　the　thunder　of　it　was　in　their　ears。

〃dont　stop！　further　up　and　further　in；〃　called　farsight；　tilting　his　　flight　a　little　upwards。

〃its　all　very　well　for　him；〃　said　eustace；　but　jewel　also　cried　out：　　〃dont　stop。　further　up　and　further　in！　take　it　in　your　stride。”

his　voice　could　only　just　be　heard　above　the　roar　of　the　water　but　next　　moment　everyone　saw　that　he　had　plunged　into　the　pool。　and　helter…skelter　behind　him；　with　　splash　after　splash；　all　the　others　did　the　same。　the　water　was　not　biting　cold　as　all　　of　them　（and　especially　puzzle）　expected；　but　of　a　delicious　foamy　coolness。　they　all　　found　they　were　swimming　straight　for　the　waterfall　itself。

〃this　is　absolutely　crazy；〃　said　eustace　to　edmund。

〃i　know。　and　yet　…〃　said　edmund。

〃isnt　it　wonderful？〃　said　lucy。　〃have　you　noticed　one　cant　feel　afraid；　　even　if　one　wants　to？　try　it。”

〃by　jove；　neither　one　can；〃　said　eustace　after　he　had　tried。

jewel　reached　the　foot　of　the　waterfall　first；　but　tirian　was　only　just　　behind　him。　jill　was　last；　so　she　could　see　the　whole　thing　better　than　the　others。　she　saw　　something　white　moving　steadily　up　the　face　of　the　waterfall。　that　white　thing　was　the　　unicorn。　you　couldnt　tell　whether　he　was　swimming　or　climbing；　but　he　moved　on；　higher　　and　higher。

the　point　of　his　horn　divided　the　water　just　above　his　head；　and　it　　cascaded　out　in　two　rainbow…coloured　streams　all　round　his　shoulders。　just　behind　him　came　king　　tirian。　he　moved　his　legs　and　arms　as　if　he　were　swimming　but　he　moved　straight　　upwards：　as　if　one　could　swim　up　the　wall　of　a　house。

what　looked　funniest　was　the　dogs。　during　the　gallop　they　had　not　been　at　　all　out　of　breath；　but　now；　as　they　swarmed　and　wriggled　upwards；　there　was　plenty　of　　spluttering　and　sneezing　among　them；　that　was　because　they　would　keep　on　barking；　and　　every　time　they　barked　they　got　their　mouths　and　noses　full　of　water。　but　before　jill　　had　time　to　notice　all　these　things　fully；　she　was　going　up　the　waterfall　herself。　it　　was　the　sort　of　thing　that　would　have　been　quite　impossible　in　our　world。　even　if　you　　hadnt　been　drowned；　you　would　have　been　smashed　to　piec