The Lion, the Witch and the War-第12章

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〃please；　im　only　repeating　what　they　said；〃　stammered　edmund。

but　the　queen；　who　was　no　longer　attending　to　him；　clapped　her　hands。　　instantly　the　same　dwarf　whom　edmund　had　seen　with　her　before　appeared。

〃make　ready　our　sledge；〃　ordered　the　witch；　〃and　use　the　harness　without　　bells。”





CHAPTER　TEN


the　spell　begins　to　break　　now　we　must　go　back　to　mr　and　mrs　beaver　and　the　three　other　children。　as　　soon　as　mr　beaver　said；　〃theres　no　time　to　lose；〃　everyone　began　bundling　themselves　　into　coats；　except　mrs　beaver；　who　started　picking　up　sacks　and　laying　them　on　the　　table　and　said：　〃now；　mr　beaver；　just　reach　down　that　ham。　and　heres　a　packet　of　tea；　and　　theres　sugar；　and　some　matches。　and　if　someone　will　get　two　or　three　loaves　out　of　the　　crock　over　there　in　the　corner。”

〃what　are　you　doing；　mrs　beaver？〃　exclaimed　susan。

〃packing　a　load　for　each　of　us；　dearie；〃　said　mrs　beaver　very　coolly。　〃you　　didnt　think　wed　set　out　on　a　journey　with　nothing　to　eat；　did　you？”

〃but　we　havent　time！〃　said　susan；　buttoning　the　collar　of　her　coat。　〃she　　may　be　here　any　minute。”

〃thats　what　i　say；〃　chimed　in　mr　beaver。

〃get　along　with　you　all；〃　said　his　wife。　〃think　it　over；　mr　beaver。　she　　cant　be　here　for　quarter　of　an　hour　at　least。”

〃but　dont　we　want　as　big　a　start　as　we　can　possibly　get；〃　said　peter；　〃if　　were　to　reach　the　stone　table　before　her？”

〃youve　got　to　remember　that；　mrs　beaver；〃　said　susan。　〃as　soon　as　she　has　　looked　in　here　and　finds　were　gone　shell　be　off　at　top　speed。”

〃that　she　will；〃　said　mrs　beaver。　〃but　we　cant　get　there　before　her　　whatever　we　do；　for　shell　be　on　a　sledge　and　well　be　walking。”

〃then　…　have　we　no　hope？〃　said　susan。

〃now　dont　you　get　fussing；　theres　a　dear；〃　said　mrs　beaver；　〃but　just　get　　half　a　dozen　clean　handkerchiefs　out　of　the　drawer。　course　weve　got　a　hope。　we　cant　　get　there　before　her　but　we　can　keep　under　cover　and　go　by　ways　she　wont　expect　and　　perhaps　well　get　through。”

〃thats　true　enough；　mrs　beaver；〃　said　her　husband。　〃but　its　time　we　were　　out　of　this。”

〃and　dont　you　start　fussing　either；　mr　beaver；〃　said　his　wife。　〃there。　　thats　better。

theres　five　loads　and　the　smallest　for　the　smallest　of　us：　thats　you；　my　　dear；〃　she　added；　looking　at　lucy。

〃oh；　do　please　e　on；〃　said　lucy。

〃well；　im　nearly　ready　now；〃　answered　mrs　beaver　at　last；　allowing　her　　husband　to　help　her　into；　her　snow…boots。　〃i　suppose　the　sewing　machines　took　heavy　to　　bring？”

〃yes。　it　is；〃　said　mr　beaver。　〃a　great　deal　too　heavy。　and　you　dont　think　　youll　be　able　to　use　it　while　were　on　the　run；　i　suppose？”

〃i　cant　abide　the　thought　of　that　witch　fiddling　with　it；〃　said　mrs　　beaver；　〃and　breaking　it　or　stealing　it；　as　likely　as　not。”

〃oh；　please；　please；　please；　do　hurry！〃　said　the　three　children。　and　so　at　　last　they　all　got　outside　and　mr　beaver　locked　the　door　（〃itll　delay　her　a　bit；〃　he　said）　　and　they　set　off；　all　carrying　their　loads　over　their　shoulders。

the　snow　had　stopped　and　the　moon　had　e　out　when　they　began　their　　journey。　they　went　in　single　file　…　first　mr　beaver；　then　lucy；　then　peter；　then　susan；　　and　mrs　beaver　last　of　all。　mr　beaver　led　them　across　the　dam　and　on　to　the　right　bank　of　　the　river　and　then　along　a　very　rough　sort　of　path　among　the　trees　right　down　by　the　　river…bank。　the　sides　of　the　valley；　shining　in　the　moonlight；　towered　up　far　above　them　on　　either　hand。

〃best　keep　down　here　as　much　as　possible；〃　he　said。　〃shell　have　to　keep　to　　the　top；　for　you　couldnt　bring　a　sledge　down　here。”

it　would　have　been　a　pretty　enough　scene　to　look　at　it　through　a　window　　from　a　fortable　armchair；　and　even　as　things　were；　lucy　enjoyed　it　at　first。　　but　as　they　went　on　walking　and　walking　…　and　walking　and　as　the　sack　she　was　carrying　felt　　heavier　and　heavier；　she　began　to　wonder　how　she　was　going　to　keep　up　at　all。　and　she　　stopped　looking　at　the　dazzling　brightness　of　the　frozen　river　with　all　its　　waterfalls　of　ice　and　at　the　white　masses　of　the　tree…tops　and　the　great　glaring　moon　and　the　　countless　stars　and　could　only　watch　the　little　short　legs　of　mr　beaver　going　pad…pad…pad…pad　　through　the　snow　in　front　of　her　as　if　they　were　never　going　to　stop。　then　the　moon　　disappeared　and　the　snow　began　to　fall　once　more。　and　at　last　lucy　was　so　tired　that　she　　was　almost　asleep　and　walking　at　the　same　time　when　suddenly　she　found　that　mr　beaver　　had　turned　away　from　the　river…bank　to　the　right　and　was　leading　them　steeply　uphill　　into　the　very　thickest　bushes。　and　then　as　she　came　fully　awake　she　found　that　mr　beaver　　was　just　vanishing　into　a　little　hole　in　the　bank　which　had　been　almost　hidden　under　　the　bushes　until　you　were　quite　on　top　of　it。　in　fact；　by　the　time　she　realized　what　　was　happening；　only　his　short　flat　tail　was　showing。

lucy　immediately　stooped　down　and　crawled　in　after　him。　then　she　heard　　noises　of　scrambling　and　puffing　and　panting　behind　her　and　in　a　moment　all　five　of　　them　were　inside。

〃wherever　is　this？〃　said　peters　voice；　sounding　tired　and　pale　in　the　　darkness。　（i　hope　you　know　what　i　mean　by　a　voice　sounding　pale。）　　〃its　an　old　hiding…place　for　beavers　in　bad　times；〃　said　mr　beaver；　〃and　a　　great　secret。

its　not　much　of　a　place　but　we　must　get　a　few　hours　sleep。”

〃if　you　hadnt　all　been　in　such　a　plaguey　fuss　when　we　were　starting；　id　　have　brought　some　pillows；〃　said　mrs　beaver。

it　wasnt　nearly　such　a　nice　cave　as　mr　tumnuss；　lucy　thought　…　just　a　　hole　in　the　ground　but　dry　and　earthy。　it　was　very　small　so　that　when　they　all　lay　down　they　　were　all　a　bundle　of　clothes　together；　and　what　with　that　and　being　warmed　up　by　their　　long　walk　they　were　really　rather　snug。　if　only　the　floor　of　the　cave　had　been　a　　little　smoother！　then　mrs　beaver　handed　round　in　the　dark　a　little　flask　out　of　which　everyone　　drank　something　…　it　made　one　cough　and　splutter　a　little　and　stung　the　throat；　　but　it　also　made　you　feel　deliciously　warm　after　youd　swallowed　it　and　everyone　went　　straight　to　sleep。

it　seemed　to　lucy　only　the　next　minute　（though　really　it　was　hours　and　　hours　later）　when　she　woke　up　feeling　a　little　cold　and　dreadfully　stiff　and　thinking　how　she　　would　like　a　hot　bath。　then　she　felt　a　set　of　long　whiskers　tickling　her　cheek　and　saw　　the　cold　daylight　ing　in　through　the　mouth　of　the　cave。　but　immediately　after　that　she　was　　very　wide　awake　indeed；　and　so　was　everyone　else。　in　fact　they　were　all　sitting　up　　with　their　mouths　and　eyes　wide　open　listening　to　a　sound　which　was　the　very　sound　theyd　all　　been　thinking　of　（and　sometimes　imagining　they　heard）　during　their　walk　last　　night。　it　was　a　sound　of　jingling　bells。

mr　beaver　was　out　of　the　cave　like　a　flash　the　moment　he　heard　it。　perhaps　　you　think；　as　lucy　thought　for　a　moment；　that　this　was　a　very　silly　thing　to　do？　but　it　　was　really　a　very　sensible　one。　he　knew　he　could　scramble　to　the　top　of　the　bank　among　bushes　　and　brambles　without　being　seen；　and　he　wanted　above　all　things　to　see　which　　way　the　witchs　sledge　went。　the　others　all　sat　in　the　cave　waiting　and　wondering。　　they　waited　nearly　five　minutes。　then　they　heard　something　that　frightened　them　very　　much。　they　heard　voices。　〃oh；〃　thought　lucy；　〃hes　been　seen。　shes　caught　him！”

great　was　their　surprise　when　a　little　later；　they　heard　mr　beavers　voice　　calling　to　them　from　just　outside　the　cave。

〃its　all　right；〃　he　was　shouting。　〃e　out；　mrs　beaver。　e　out；　sons　　and　daughters　of　adam。　its　all　right！　it　isnt　her！〃　this　was　bad　grammar　of　course；　but　　that　is　how　beavers　talk　when　they　are　excited；　i　mean；　in　narnia　…　in　our　world　they　　usually　dont　talk　at　all。

so　mrs　beaver　and　the　children　came　bundling　out　of　the　cave；　all　blinking　　in　the　daylight；　and　with　earth　all　over　them；　and　looking　very　frowsty　and　　unbrushed　and　unbed　and　with　the　sleep　in　their　eyes。

〃e　on！〃　cried　mr　beaver；　who　was　almost　dancing　with　delight。　〃e　and　　see！　this　is　a　nasty　knock　for　the　witch！　it　looks　as　if　her　power　is　already　　crumbling。”

〃what　do　you　mean；　mr　beaver？〃　panted　peter　as　they　all　scrambled　up　the　　steep　bank　of　the　valley　together。

〃didnt　i　tell　you；〃　answered　mr　beaver；　〃that　shed　made　it　always　winter　　and　never　christmas？　didnt　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　witchs　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　didnt　find　it　　quite　like　that。　he　was　so　big；　and　so　glad；　and　so　real；　that　they　all　became　quite　still。　　they　felt