The Lion, the Witch and the War-第19章

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at　each　other　and　held　　each　others　hands　for　mere　loneliness　and　cried　again；　and　then　again　were　silent。　at　　last　lucy　said；　　〃i　cant　bear　to　look　at　that　horrible　muzzle。　i　wonder　could　we　take　if　　off？”

so　they　tried。　and　after　a　lot　of　working　at　it　（for　their　fingers　were　　cold　and　it　was　now　the　darkest　part　of　the　night）　they　succeeded。　and　when　they　saw　his　face　　without　it　they　burst　out　crying　again　and　kissed　it　and　fondled　it　and　wiped　away　the　　blood　and　the　foam　as　well　as　they　could。　and　it　was　all　more　lonely　and　hopeless　and　　horrid　than　i　know　how　to　describe。

〃i　wonder　could　we　untie　him　as　well？〃　said　susan　presently。　but　the　　enemies；　out　of　pure　spitefulness；　had　drawn　the　cords　so　tight　that　the　girls　could　make　　nothing　of　the　knots。

i　hope　no　one　who　reads　this　book　has　been　quite　as　miserable　as　susan　and　　lucy　were　that　night；　but　if　you　have　been　…　if　youve　been　up　all　night　and　cried　　till　you　have　no　more　tears　left　in　you　…　you　will　know　that　there　es　in　the　end　a　sort　　of　quietness。　you　feel　as　if　nothing　was　ever　going　to　happen　again。　at　any　rate　that　was　how　　it　felt　to　these　two。　hours　and　hours　seemed　to　go　by　in　this　dead　calm；　and　they　hardly　　noticed　that　they　were　getting　colder　and　colder。　but　at　last　lucy　noticed　two　other　　things。　one　was　that　the　sky　on　the　east　side　of　the　hill　was　a　little　less　dark　than　it　　had　been　an　hour　ago。

the　other　was　some　tiny　movement　going　on　in　the　grass　at　her　feet。　at　　first　she　took　no　interest　in　this。　what　did　it　matter？　nothing　mattered　now！　but　at　last　she　　saw　that　whatever…it…was　had　begun　to　move　up　the　upright　stones　of　the　stone　table。　　and　now　whatever…they…were　were　moving　about　on　aslans　body。　she　peered　closer。　　they　were　little　grey　things。

〃ugh！〃　said　susan　from　the　other　side　of　the　table。　〃how　beastly！　there　are　　horrid　little　mice　crawling　over　him。　go　away；　you　little　beasts。〃　and　she　raised　her　　hand　to　frighten　them　away。

〃wait！〃　said　lucy；　who　had　been　looking　at　them　more　closely　still。　〃can　　you　see　what　theyre　doing？”

both　girls　bent　down　and　stared。

〃i　do　believe　…〃　said　susan。　〃but　how　queer！　theyre　nibbling　away　at　the　　cords！”

〃thats　what　i　thought；〃　said　lucy。　〃i　think　theyre　friendly　mice。　poor　　little　things　…　they　dont　realize　hes　dead。　they　think　itll　do　some　good　untying　him。”

it　was　quite　definitely　lighter　by　now。　each　of　the　girls　noticed　for　the　　first　time　the　white　face　of　the　other。　they　could　see　the　mice　nibbling　away；　dozens　and　　dozens；　even　hundreds；　of　little　field　mice。　and　at　last；　one　by　one；　the　ropes　were　all　　gnawed　through。

the　sky　in　the　east　was　whitish　by　now　and　the　stars　were　getting　fainter　…　　all　except　one　very　big　one　low　down　on　the　eastern　horizon。　they　felt　colder　than　they　　had　been　all　night。　the　mice　crept　away　again。

the　girls　cleared　away　the　remains　of　the　gnawed　ropes。　aslan　looked　more　　like　himself　without　them。　every　moment　his　dead　face　looked　nobler；　as　the　light　grew　　and　they　could　see　it　better。

in　the　wood　behind　them　a　bird　gave　a　chuckling　sound。　it　had　been　so　still　　for　hours　and　hours　that　it　startled　them。　then　another　bird　answered　it。　soon　there　were　　birds　singing　all　over　the　place。

it　was　quite　definitely　early　morning　now；　not　late　night。

〃im　so　cold；〃　said　lucy。

〃so　am　i；〃　said　susan。　〃lets　walk　about　a　bit。”

they　walked　to　the　eastern　edge　of　the　hill　and　looked　down。　the　one　big　　star　had　almost　disappeared。　the　country　all　looked　dark　grey；　but　beyond；　at　the　very　end　　of　the　world；　the　sea　showed　pale。　the　sky　began　to　turn　red。　they　walked　to　ands　fro　　more　times　than　they　could　count　between　the　dead　aslan　and　the　eastern　ridge；　trying　to　　keep　warm；　and　oh；　how　tired　their　legs　felt。　then　at　last；　as　they　stood　for　a　moment　　looking　out　towards　they　sea　and　cair　paravel　（which　they　could　now　just　make　out）　the　red　　turned　to　gold　along　the　line　where　the　sea　and　the　sky　met　and　very　slowly　up　came　the　　edge　of　the　sun。

at　that　moment　they　heard　from　behind　them　a　loud　noise　…　a　great　cracking；　　deafening　noise　as　if　a　giant　had　broken　a　giants　plate。

〃whats　that？〃　said　lucy；　clutching　susans　arm。

〃i　…　i　feel　afraid　to　turn　round；〃　said　susan；　〃something　awful　is　　happening。”

〃theyre　doing　something　worse　to　him；〃　said　lucy。　〃e　on！〃　and　she　　turned；　pulling　susan　round　with　her。

the　rising　of　the　sun　had　made　everything　look　so　different　…　all　colours　　and　shadows　were　changed　that　for　a　moment　they　didnt　see　the　important　thing。　then　　they　did。　the　stone　table　was　broken　into　two　pieces　by　a　great　crack　that　ran　down　it　　from　end　to　end；　and　there　was　no　aslan。

〃oh；　oh；　oh！〃　cried　the　two　girls；　rushing　back　to　the　table。

〃oh；　its　too　bad；〃　sobbed　lucy；　〃they　might　have　left　the　body　alone。”

〃whos　done　it？〃　cried　susan。　〃what　does　it　mean？　is　it　magic？”

〃yes！〃　said　a　great　voice　behind　their　backs。　〃it　is　more　magic。〃　they　　looked　round。

there；　shining　in　the　sunrise；　larger　than　they　had　seen　him　before；　　shaking　his　mane　（for　it　had　apparently　grown　again）　stood　aslan　himself。

〃oh；　aslan！〃　cried　both　the　children；　staring　up　at　him；　almost　as　much　　frightened　as　they　were　glad。

〃arent　you　dead　then；　dear　aslan？〃　said　lucy。

〃not　now；〃　said　aslan。

〃youre　not　…　not　a　…　？〃　asked　susan　in　a　shaky　voice。　she　couldnt　bring　　herself　to　say　the　word　ghost。　aslan　stooped　his　golden　head　and　licked　her　forehead。　the　　warmth　of　his　breath　and　a　rich　sort　of　smell　that　seemed　to　hang　about　his　hair　came　all　　over　her。

〃do　i　look　it？〃　he　said。

〃oh；　youre　real；　youre　real！　oh；　aslan！〃　cried　lucy；　and　both　girls　flung　　themselves　upon　him　and　covered　him　with　kisses。

〃but　what　does　it　all　mean？〃　asked　susan　when　they　were　somewhat　calmer。

〃it　means；〃　said　aslan；　〃that　though　the　witch　knew　the　deep　magic；　there　　is　a　magic　deeper　still　which　she　did　not　know：　her　knowledge　goes　back　only　to　the　　dawn　of　time。

but　if　she　could　have　looked　a　little　further　back；　into　the　stillness　and　　the　darkness　before　time　dawned；　she　would　have　read　there　a　different　incantation。　she　　would　have　known　that　when　a　willing　victim　who　had　mitted　no　treachery　was　killed　　in　a　traitors　stead；　the　table　would　crack　and　death　itself　would　start　working　　backwards。

and　now　…”

〃oh　yes。　now？〃　said　lucy；　jumping　up　and　clapping　her　hands。

〃oh；　children；〃　said　the　lion；　〃i　feel　my　strength　ing　back　to　me。　oh；　　children；　catch　me　if　you　can！〃　he　stood　for　a　second；　his　eyes　very　bright；　his　limbs　　quivering；　lashing　himself　with　his　tail。　then　he　made　a　leap　high　over　their　heads　and　landed　　on　the　other　side　of　the　table。　laughing；　though　she　didnt　know　why；　lucy　scrambled　　over　it　to　reach　him。　aslan　leaped　again。　a　mad　chase　began。　round　and　round　the　hill　…top　he　led　them；　now　hopelessly　out　of　their　reach；　now　letting　them　almost　catch　his　　tail；　now　diving　between　them；　now　tossing　them　in　the　air　with　his　huge　and　　beautifully　velveted　paws　and　catching　them　again；　and　now　stopping　unexpectedly　so　that　all　　three　of　them　rolled　over　together　in　a　happy　laughing　heap　of　fur　and　arms　and　legs。　it　　was　such　a　romp　as　no　one　has　ever　had　except　in　narnia；　and　whether　it　was　more　like　　playing　with　　

a　thunderstorm　or　playing　with　a　kitten　lucy　could　never　make　up　her　mind。　　and　the　funny　thing　was　that　when　all　three　finally　lay　together　panting　in　the　sun　　the　girls　no　longer　felt　in　the　least　tired　or　hungry　or　thirsty。

〃and　now；〃　said　aslan　presently；　〃to　business。　i　feel　i　am　going　to　roar。　　you　had　better　put　your　fingers　in　your　ears。”

and　they　did。　and　aslan　stood　up　and　when　he　opened　his　mouth　to　roar　his　　face　became　so　terrible　that　they　did　not　dare　to　look　at　it。　and　they　saw　all　the　　trees　in　front　of　him　bend　before　the　blast　of　his　roaring　as　grass　bends　in　a　meadow　before　the　　wind。　then　he　said；　　〃we　have　a　long　journey　to　go。　you　must　ride　on　me。〃　and　he　crouched　down　　and　the　children　climbed　on　to　his　warm；　golden　back；　and　susan　sat　first；　holding　　on　tightly　to　his　mane　and　lucy　sat　behind　holding　on　tightly　to　susan。　and　with　a　great　　heave　he　rose　underneath　them　and　then　shot　off；　faster　than　any　horse　could　go；　down　　hill　and　into　the　thick　of　the　forest。

that　ride　was　perhaps　the　most　wonderful　thing　that　happened　to　them　in　　narnia。　have　you　ever　had　a　gallop　on　a　horse？　think　of　that；　and　then　take　away　the　　heavy　noise　of　the　hoofs　and　the　jingle　of　the　bits　and　imagine　instead　the　almost　　noiseless　padding　of　the　great　paws。　then　imagine　instead　of　the　black　or　grey　or　chestnut　back　　of　the　horse　the　soft　roughness　of　golden　fur；　and　the　mane　flying　back　in　the　wind。　and　　then　imagine　you　are　going　about　twice　as　fast　as　the　fastest　racehorse。　but　this　is　a　　mount　that　doesnt　need　to　be　guided　and　never　grows　tired。　he　rushes　on　and　on；　never　missing　　his　footing；　never　hesitating；　threading　his　way　with　perfect　skill　between　tree　trunks；　　jumping　over　bush　and　briar　and　the　smaller　streams；　wading　the　larger；　swimming　the　　largest　of　all。

and　you　are　riding　not　on　a　road　nor　in　a　park　nor　even　on　the　downs；　but　　right　across　narnia；　in　spring；　down　solemn　avenues　of　beech　and　across　sunny　glades　of　　oak；　through　wild　orchar