The Lion, the Witch and the War-第15章

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nt　hurry　so　much　and　they　allowed　themselves　　more　rests　and　longer　ones。　they　were　pretty　tired　by　now　of　course；　but　not　what　id　call　　bitterly　tired　…　only　slow　and　feeling　very　dreamy　and　quiet　inside　as　one　does　when　one　is　　ing　to　the　end　of　a　long　day　in　the　open。　susan　had　a　slight　blister　on　one　heel。

they　had　left　the　course　of　the　big　river　some　time　ago；　for　one　had　to　　turn　a　little　to　the　right　（that　meant　a　little　to　the　south）　to　reach　the　place　of　the　stone　　table。　even　if　this　had　not　been　their　way　they　couldnt　have　kept　to　the　river　valley　once　the　　thaw　began；　for　with　all　that　melting　snow　the　river　was　soon　in　flood　…　a　wonderful；　　roaring；　thundering　yellow　flood　…　and　their　path　would　have　been　under　water。

and　now　the　sun　got　low　and　the　light　got　redder　and　the　shadows　got　longer　　and　the　flowers　began　to　think　about　closing。

〃not　long　now；〃　said　mr　beaver；　and　began　leading　them　uphill　across　some　　very　deep；　springy　moss　（it　felt　nice　under　their　tired　feet）　in　a　place　where　only　　tall　trees　grew；　very　wide　apart。　the　climb；　ing　at　the　end　of　the　long　day；　made　them　all　　pant　and　blow。

and　just　as　lucy　was　wondering　whether　she　could　really　get　to　the　top　　without　another　long　rest；　suddenly　they　were　at　the　top。　and　this　is　what　they　saw。

they　were　on　a　green　open　space　from　which　you　could　look　down　on　the　　forest　spreading　as　far　as　one　could　see　in　every　direction　…　except　right　ahead。　　there；　far　to　the　east；　was　something　twinkling　and　moving。　〃by　gum！〃　whispered　peter　to　　susan；　〃the　sea！〃　in　the　very　middle　of　this　open　hill…top　was　the　stone　table。　it　was　　a　great　grim　slab　of　grey　stone　supported　on　four　upright　stones。　it　looked　very　old；　and　it　　was　cut　all　over　with　strange　lines　and　figures　that　might　be　the　letters　of　an　unknown　　language。　they　gave　you　a　curious　feeling　when　you　looked　at　them。　the　next　thing　they　saw　　was　a　pavilion　pitched　on　one　side　of　the　open　place。　a　wonderful　pavilion　it　was　　…　and　especially　now　when　the　light　of　the　setting　sun　fell　upon　it　…　with　sides　　of　what　looked　like　yellow　silk　and　cords　of　crimson　and　tent…pegs　of　ivory；　and　high　　above　it　on　a　pole　a　banner　which　bore　a　red　rampant　lion　fluttering　in　the　breeze　which　was　　blowing　in　their　faces　from　the　far…off　sea。　while　they　were　looking　at　this　they　heard　a　　sound　of　music　on　their　right；　and　turning　in　that　direction　they　saw　what　they　had　e　to　　see。

aslan　stood　in　the　centre　of　a　crowd　of　creatures　who　had　grouped　　themselves　round　him　in　the　shape　of　a　half…moon。　there　were　tree…women　there　and　well…women　　（dryads　and　naiads　as　they　used　to　be　called　in　our　world）　who　had　stringed　　instruments；　it　was　they　who　had　made　the　music。　there　were　four　great　centaurs。　the　horse　part　　of　them　was　like　huge　english　farm　horses；　and　the　man　part　was　like　stern　but　　beautiful　giants。

there　was　also　a　unicorn；　and　a　bull　with　the　head　of　a　man；　and　a　pelican；　　and　an　eagle；　and　a　great　dog。　and　next　to　aslan　stood　two　leopards　of　whom　one　carried　　his　crown　and　the　other　his　standard。

but　as　for　aslan　himself；　the　beavers　and　the　children　didnt　know　what　to　　do　or　say　when　they　saw　him。　people　who　have　not　been　in　narnia　sometimes　think　that　　a　thing　cannot　be　good　and　terrible　at　the　same　time。　if　the　children　had　ever　　thought　so；　they　were　cured　of　it　now。　for　when　they　tried　to　look　at　aslans　face　they　just　　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　golden　mane　and　the　great；　royal；　solemn；　overwhelming　eyes；　　and　then　they　found　they　couldnt　look　at　him　and　went　all　trembly。

〃go　on；〃　whispered　mr　beaver。

〃no；〃　whispered　peter；　〃you　first。”

〃no；　sons　of　adam　before　animals；〃　whispered　mr　beaver　back　again。

〃susan；〃　whispered　peter；　〃what　about　you？　ladies　first。”

〃no；　youre　the　eldest；〃　whispered　susan。　and　of　course　the　longer　they　　went　on　doing　this　the　more　awkward　they　felt。　then　at　last　peter　realized　that　it　was　up　　to　him。　he　drew　his　sword　and　raised　it　to　the　salute　and　hastily　saying　to　the　others　　〃e　on。　pull　yourselves　together；〃　he　advanced　to　the　lion　and　said：　　〃we　have　e　…　aslan。”

〃wele；　peter；　son　of　adam；〃　said　aslan。　〃wele；　susan　and　lucy；　　daughters　of　eve。　wele　he…beaver　and　she…beaver。”

his　voice　was　deep　and　rich　and　somehow　took　the　fidgets　out　of　them。　they　　now　felt　glad　and　quiet　and　it　didnt　seem　awkward　to　them　to　stand　and　say　nothing。

〃but　where　is　the　fourth？〃　asked　aslan。

〃he　has　tried　to　betray　them　and　joined　the　white　witch；　o　aslan；〃　said　mr　　beaver。　and　then　something　made　peter　say；　　〃that　was　partly　my　fault；　aslan。　i　was　angry　with　him　and　i　think　that　　helped　him　to　go　wrong。”

and　aslan　said　nothing　either　to　excuse　peter　or　to　blame　him　but　merely　　stood　looking　at　him　with　his　great　unchanging　eyes。　and　it　seemed　to　all　of　them　that　　there　was　nothing　to　be　said。

〃please　…　aslan；〃　said　lucy；　〃can　anything　be　done　to　save　edmund？”

〃all　shall　be　done；〃　said　aslan。　〃but　it　may　be　harder　than　you　think。〃　and　　then　he　was　silent　again　for　some　time。　up　to　that　moment　lucy　had　been　thinking　how　　royal　and　strong　and　peaceful　his　face　looked；　now　it　suddenly　came　into　her　head　　that　he　looked　sad　as　well。　but　next　minute　that　expression　was　quite　gone。　the　lion　shook　　his　mane　and　clapped　his　paws　together　（〃terrible　paws；〃　thought　lucy；　〃if　he　didnt　　know　how　to　velvet　them！〃）　and　said；　　〃meanwhile；　let　the　feast　be　prepared。　ladies；　take　these　daughters　of　eve　　to　the　pavilion　and　minister　to　them。”

when　the　girls　had　gone　aslan　laid　his　paw　…　and　though　it　was　velveted　it　　was　very　heavy　…　on　peters　shoulder　and　said；　〃e；　son　of　adam；　and　i　will　show　　you　a　far…off　sight　of　the　castle　where　you　are　to　be　king。”

and　peter　with　his　sword　still　drawn　in　his　hand　went　with　the　lion　to　the　　eastern　edge　of　the　hilltop。　there　a　beautiful　sight　met　their　eyes。　the　sun　was　setting　　behind　their　backs。

that　meant　that　the　whole　country　below　them　lay　in　the　evening　light　…　　forest　and　hills　and　valleys　and；　winding　away　like　a　silver　snake；　the　lower　part　of　the　　great　river。　and　beyond　all　this；　miles　away；　was　the　sea；　and　beyond　the　sea　the　sky；　full　　of　clouds　which　were　just　turning　rose　colour　with　the　reflection　of　the　sunset。　but　just　　where　the　land　of　narnia　met　the　sea　…　in　fact；　at　the　mouth　of　the　great　river　…　there　was　　something　on　a　little　hill；　shining。　it　was　shining　because　it　was　a　castle　and　of　course　　the　sunlight　was　reflected　from　all　the　windows　which　looked　towards　peter　and　the　sunset；　　but　to　peter　it　looked　like　a　great　star　resting　on　the　seashore。

〃that；　o　man；〃　said　aslan；　〃is　cair　paravel　of　the　four　thrones；　in　one　of　　which　you　must　sit　as　king。　i　show　it　to　you　because　you　are　the　first…born　and　you　will　　be　high　king　over　all　the　rest。”

and　once　more　peter　said　nothing；　for　at　that　moment　a　strange　noise　woke　　the　silence　suddenly。　it　was　like　a　bugle；　but　richer。

〃it　is　your　sisters　horn；〃　said　aslan　to　peter　in　a　low　voice；　so　low　as　　to　be　almost　a　purr；　if　it　is　not　disrespectful　to　think　of　a　lion　purring。

for　a　moment　peter　did　not　understand。　then；　when　he　saw　all　the　other　　creatures　start　forward　and　heard　aslan　say　with　a　wave　of　his　paw；　〃back！　let　the　prince　　win　his　spurs；〃　he　did　understand；　and　set　off　running　as　hard　as　he　could　to　the　　pavilion。　and　there　he　saw　a　dreadful　sight。

the　naiads　and　dryads　were　scattering　in　every　direction。　lucy　was　running　　towards　him　as　fast　as　her　short　legs　would　carry　her　and　her　face　was　as　white　as　　paper。　then　he　saw　susan　make　a　dash　for　a　tree；　and　swing　herself　up；　followed　by　a　huge　grey　　beast。　at　first　peter　thought　it　was　a　bear。　then　he　saw　that　it　looked　like　an　　alsatian；　though　it　was　far　too　big　to　be　a　dog。　then　he　realized　that　it　was　a　wolf　…　a　wolf　　standing　on　its　hind　legs；　with　its　front　paws　against　the　tree…trunk；　snapping　and　snarling。　　all　the　hair　on　its　back　stood　up　on　end。　susan　had　not　been　able　to　get　higher　than　the　second　　big　branch。

one　of　her　legs　hung　down　so　that　her　foot　was　only　an　inch　or　two　above　　the　snapping　teeth。　peter　wondered　why　she　did　not　get　higher　or　at　least　take　a　better　　grip；　then　he　realized　that　she　was　just　going　to　faint　and　that　if　she　fainted　she　would　　fall　off。

peter　did　not　feel　very　brave；　indeed；　he　felt　he　was　going　to　be　sick。　but　　that　made　no　difference　to　what　he　had　to　do。　he　rushed　straight　up　to　the　monster　and　　aimed　a　slash　of　his　sword　at　its　side。　that　stroke　never　reached　the　wolf。　quick　as　　lightning　it　turned　round；　its　eyes　flaming；　and　its　mouth　wide　open　in　a　howl　of　anger。　if　it　　had　not　been　so　angry　that　it　simply　had　to　howl　it　would　have　got　him　by　the　throat　at　　once。　as　it　was　…　　

though　all　this　happened　too　quickly　for　peter　to　think　at　all　…　he　had　　just　time　to　duck　down　and　plunge　his　sword；　as　hard　as　he　could；　between　the　brutes　　forelegs　into　its　heart。　then　came　a　horrible；　confused　moment　like　something　in　a　nightmare。　　he　was　tugging　and　pulling　and　the　wolf　seemed　neither　alive　nor　dead；　and　its　　bared　teeth　knocked　against　his　forehead；　and　everything　was　blood　and　heat　and　hair。　a　　moment　later　he　found　that　the　monster　lay　dead　and　he　had　drawn　his　sword　out　of　　it　and　was　straightening　his　back　and