THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER-第20章

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　be　ing　towards　her　out　of　the　page；　and　indeed　　she　never　was　quite　sure　afterwards　that　it　hadnt　really　moved　a　little。　at　any　rate　she　　knew　the　　

expression　on　his　face　quite　well。　he　was　growling　and　you　could　see　most　　of　his　teeth。

she　became　horribly　afraid　and　turned　over　the　page　at　once。

a　little　later　she　came　to　a　spell　which　would　let　you　know　what　your　　friends　thought　about　you。　now　lucy　had　wanted　very　badly　to　try　the　other　spell；　the　one　　that　made　you　beautiful　beyond　the　lot　of　mortals。　so　she　felt　that　to　make　up　for　not　　having　said　it；　she　really　would　say　this　one。　and　all　in　a　hurry；　for　fear　her　mind　would　　change；　she　said　the　words　（nothing　will　induce　me　to　tell　you　what　they　were）。　then　she　waited　　for　something　to　happen。

as　nothing　happened　she　began　looking　at　the　pictures。　and　all　at　once　she　　saw　the　very　last　thing　she　expected　…　a　picture　of　a　third…class　carriage　in　a　train；　　with　two　schoolgirls　sitting　in　it。　she　knew　them　at　once。　they　were　marjorie　preston　and　anne　　featherstone。

only　now　it　was　much　more　than　a　picture。　it　was　alive。　she　could　see　the　　telegraph　posts　flicking　past　outside　the　window。　then　gradually　（like　when　the　radio　is　　〃ing　on〃）

she　could　hear　what　they　were　saying。

〃shall　i　see　anything　of　you　this　term？〃　said　anne；　〃or　are　you　still　going　　to　be　all　taken　up　with　lucy　pevensie。　“

〃dont　know　what　you　mean　by　taken　up；〃　said　marjorie。

〃oh　yes；　you　do；〃　said　anne。　〃you　were　crazy　about　her　last　term。”

〃no；　i　wasnt；〃　said　marjorie。　〃ive　got　more　sense　than　that。　not　a　bad　　little　kid　in　her　way。　but　i　was　getting　pretty　tired　of　her　before　the　end　of　term。”

〃well；　you　jolly　well　wont　have　the　chance　any　other　term！〃　shouted　lucy。　　〃two…faced　little　beast。〃　but　the　sound　of　her　own　voice　at　once　reminded　her　that　she　　was　talking　to　a　picture　and　that　the　real　marjorie　was　far　away　in　another　world。

〃well；〃　said　lucy　to　herself；　〃i　did　think　better　of　her　than　that。　and　i　　did　all　sorts　of　things　for　her　last　term；　and　i　stuck　to　her　when　not　many　other　girls　　would。　and　she　knows　it　too。　and　to　anne　featherstone　of　all　people！　i　wonder　are　all　my　　friends　the　same？　there　are　lots　of　other　pictures。　no。　i　wont　look　at　any　more。　i　　wont；　i　wont　and　with　a　great　effort　she　turned　over　the　page；　but　not　before　a　large；　angry　　tear　had　splashed　on　it。

on　the　next　page　she　came　to　a　spell　〃for　the　refreshment　of　the　spirit。　　the　pictures　were　fewer　here　but　very　beautiful。　and　what　lucy　found　herself　reading　was　more　　like　a　story　than　a　spell。　it　went　on　for　three　pages　and　before　she　had　read　to　the　　bottom　of　the　page　she　had　forgotten　that　she　was　reading　at　all。　she　was　living　in　the　story　　as　if　it　were　real；　and　all　the　pictures　were　real　too。　when　she　had　got　to　the　third　page　and　　e　to　the　end；　she　said；　〃that　is　the　loveliest　story　ive　ever　read　or　ever　shall　　read　in　my　whole　life。　oh；　i　wish　i　could　have　gone　on　reading　it　for　ten　years。　at　least　　ill　read　it　over　again。”

but　here　part　of　the　magic　of　the　book　came　into　play。　you　couldnt　turn　　back。　the　right…hand　pages；　the　ones　ahead；　could　be　turned；　the　left…hand　pages　could　not。

〃oh；　what　a　shame！〃　said　lucy。　〃i　did　so　want　to　read　it　again。　well；　at　　least　i　must　remember　it。　lets　see　。　。　。　it　was　about　。　。　。　about　。　。　。　oh　dear；　its　　all　fading　away　again。

and　even　this　last　page　is　going　blank。　this　is　a　very　queer　book。　how　can　　i　have　forgotten？　it　was　about　a　cup　and　a　sword　and　a　tree　and　a　green　hill；　i　　know　that　much。

but　i　cant　remember　and　what　shall　i　do？”

and　she　never　could　remember；　and　ever　since　that　day　what　lucy　means　by　a　　good　story　is　a　story　which　reminds　her　of　the　forgotten　story　in　the　magicians　book。

she　turned　on　and　found　to　her　surprise　a　page　with　no　pictures　at　all；　but　　the　first　words　were　a　spell　to　make　hidden　things　visible。　she　read　it　through　to　make　　sure　of　all　the　hard　words　and　then　said　it　out　loud。　and　she　knew　at　once　that　it　was　　working　because　as　she　spoke　the　colours　came　into　the　capital　letters　at　the　top　of　the　　page　and　the　pictures　began　appearing　in　the　margins。　it　was　like　when　you　hold　to　the　　fire　something　written　in　invisible　ink　and　the　writing　gradually　shows　up；　only　instead　　of　the　dingy　colour　of　lemon　juice　（which　is　the　easiest　invisible　ink）　this　was　all　　gold　and　blue　and　scarlet。　they　were　odd　pictures　and　contained　many　figures　that　lucy　did　　not　much　like　the　look　of。　and　then　she　thought；　〃i　suppose　ive　made　everything　visible；　　and　not　only　the　thumpers。　there　might　be　lots　of　other　invisible　things　hanging　about　a　　place　like　this。　im　not　sure　that　i　want　to　see　them　all。”

at　that　moment　she　heard　soft；　heavy　footfalls　ing　along　the　corridor　　behind　her；　and　of　course　she　remembered　what　she　had　been　told　about　the　magician　walking　　in　his　bare　feet　and　making　no　more　noise　than　a　cat。　it　is　always　better　to　turn　round　　than　to　have　anything　creeping　up　behind　your　back。　lucy　did　so。

then　her　face　lit　up　till；　for　a　moment　（but　of　course　she　didnt　know　it）；　　she　looked　almost　as　beautiful　as　that　other　lucy　in　the　picture；　and　she　ran　forward　　with　a　little　cry　of　delight　and　with　her　arms　stretched　out。　for　what　stood　in　the　doorway　　was　aslan　himself；　the　lion；　the　highest　of　all　high　kings。　and　he　was　solid　and　real　　and　warm　and　he　let　her　kiss　him　and　bury　herself　in　his　shining　mane。　and　from　the　　low；　earthquake…like　sound　that　came　from　inside　him；　lucy　even　dared　to　think　　that　he　was　purring。

〃oh；　aslan；〃　said　she；　〃it　was　kind　of　you　to　e。”

〃i　have　been　here　all　the　time；〃　said　he；　〃but　you　have　just　made　me　　visible。”

〃aslan！〃　said　lucy　almost　a　little　reproachfully。　〃dont　make　fun　of　me。　as　　if　anything　1　could　do　would　make　you　visible！”

〃it　did；〃　said　aslan。　〃do　you　think　i　wouldnt　obey　my　own　rules？”

after　a　little　pause　he　spoke　again。

〃child；〃　he　said；　〃i　think　you　have　been　eavesdropping。”

〃eavesdropping？”

〃you　listened　to　what　your　two　schoolfellows　were　saying　about　you。”

〃oh　that？　i　never　thought　that　was　eavesdropping；　aslan。　wasnt　it　magic？”

〃spying　on　people　by　magic　is　the　same　as　spying　on　them　in　any　other　way。　　and　you　have　misjudged　your　friend。　she　is　weak；　but　she　loves　you。　she　was　afraid　　of　the　older　girl　and　said　what　she　does　not　mean。”

〃i　dont　think　id　ever　be　able　to　forget　what　i　heard　her　say。”

〃no；　you　wont。”

〃oh　dear；〃　said　lucy。　〃have　i　spoiled　everything？　do　you　mean　we　would　have　　gone　on　being　friends　if　it　hadnt　been　for　this　…　and　been　really　great　friends　…　　all　our　lives　perhaps…　and　now　we　never　shall。”

〃child；〃　said　aslan；　〃did　i　not　explain　to　you　once　before　that　no　one　is　　ever　told　what　would　have　happened？”

〃yes；　aslan；　you　did；〃　said　lucy。　〃im　sorry。　but　please　…”

〃speak　on；　dear　heart。”

〃shall　i　ever　be　able　to；　read　that　story　again；　the　one　i　couldnt　　remember？　will　you　tell　it　to　me；　aslan？　oh　do；　do；　do。”

〃indeed；　yes；　i　will　tell　it　to　you　for　years　and　years。　but　now；　e。　we　　must　meet　the　master　of　this　house。”

/d/



CHAPTER　ELEVEN

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the　dufflepuds　made　happy　　lucy　followed　the　great　lion　out　into　the　passage　and　at　once　she　saw　　ing　towards　them　an　old　man；　barefoot；　dressed　in　a　red　robe。　his　white　hair　was　　crowned　with　a　　

chaplet　of　oak　leaves；　his　beard　fell　to　his　girdle；　and　he　supported　　himself　with　a　curiously　carved　staff。　when　he　saw　aslan　he　bowed　low　and　said；　　〃wele；　sir；　to　the　least　of　your　houses。”

〃do　you　grow　weary；　coriakin；　of　ruling　such　foolish　subjects　as　i　have　　given　you　here？”

〃no；〃　said　the　magician；　〃they　are　very　stupid　but　there　is　no　real　harm　in　　them。　i　begin　to　grow　rather　fond　of　the　creatures。　sometimes；　perhaps；　i　am　a　little　　impatient；　waiting　for　the　day　when　they　can　be　governed　by　wisdom　instead　of　this　rough　　magic。”

〃all　in　good　time；　coriakin；〃　said　aslan。

〃yes；　all　in　very　good　time；　sir；〃　was　the　answer。　〃do　you　intend　to　show　　yourself　to　them？”

〃nay；〃　said　the　lion；　with　a　little　half…growl　that　meant　（lucy　thought）　　the　same　as　a　laugh。　〃i　should　frighten　them　out　of　their　senses。　many　stars　will　grow　　old　and　e　to　take　their　rest　in　islands　before　your　people　are　ripe　for　that。　and　today　　before　sunset　i　must　visit　trumpkin　the　dwarf　where　he　sits　in　the　castle　of　cair　paravel　　counting　the　days　till　his　master　caspian　es　home。　i　will　tell　him　all　your　story；　　lucy。　do　not　look　so　sad。　we　shall　meet　soon　again。”

〃please；　aslan；〃　said　lucy；　〃what　do　you　call　soon？”

〃i　call　all　times　soon；〃　said　aslan；　and　instantly　he　was　vanished　away　and　　lucy　was　alone　with　the　magician。

〃gone！〃　said　he；　〃and　you　and　i　quite　crestfallen。　its　always　like　that；　　you　cant　keep　him；　its　not　as　if　he　were　a　tame　lion。　and　how　did　you　enjoy　my　book？”

〃parts　of　it　very　much　indeed；〃　said　lucy。　〃did　you　know　i　was　there　all　　the　time？”

〃well；　of　course　i　knew　when　i　let　the　duffers　make　themselves　invisible　　that　you　would　be　ing　along　presently　to　take　the　spell　off。　i　wasnt　quite　sure　of　the　　exact　day。　and　i　wasnt　especially　on　the　watch　this　morning。　you　see　they　had　made　me　　invisible　too　and　being　invisible　always　makes　me　so　sleepy。　heigh…ho　…　ther