The Lion, the Witch and the War-第21章

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〃not　at　all。　not　at　all；〃　said　the　giant　politely。　〃never　met　a　nicer　　handkerchee。　so　fine；　so　handy。　so　…　i　dont　know　how　to　describe　it。”

〃what　a　nice　giant　he　is！〃　said　lucy　to　mr　tumnus。

〃oh　yes；〃　replied　the　faun。　〃all　the　buffins　always　were。　one　of　the　most　　respected　of　all　the　giant　families　in　narnia。　not　very　clever；　perhaps　（i　never　knew　a　　giant　that　was）；　but　an　old　family。　with　traditions；　you　know。　if　hed　been　the　other　sort　　shed　never　have　turned　him　into　stone。”

at　this　point　aslan　clapped　his　paws　together　and　called　for　silence。

〃our　days　work　is　not　yet　over；〃　he　said；　〃and　if　the　witch　is　to　be　　finally　defeated　before　bed…time　we　must　find　the　battle　at　once。”

〃and　join　in；　i　hope；　sir！〃　added　the　largest　of　the　centaurs。

〃of　course；〃　said　aslan。　〃and　now！　those　who　cant　keep　up　…　that　is；　　children；　dwarfs；　and　small　animals　…　must　ride　on　the　backs　of　those　who　can　…　that　is；　　lions；　centaurs；　unicorns；　horses；　giants　and　eagles。　those　who　are　good　with　their　noses　　must　e　in　front　with　us　lions　to　smell　out　where　the　battle　is。　look　lively　and　sort　　yourselves。”

and　with　a　great　deal　of　bustle　and　cheering　they　did。　the　most　pleased　of　　the　lot　was　the　other　lion　who　kept　running　about　everywhere　pretending　to　be　very　busy　but　　really　in　order　to　say　to　everyone　he　met。　〃did　you　hear　what　he　said？　us　lions。　that　　means　him　and　me。　us　lions。　thats　what　i　like　about　aslan。　no　side；　no　stand…off…　ishness。　us　lions。　that　meant　him　and　me。〃　at　least　he　went　on　saying　this　till　aslan　　had　loaded　him　up　with　three　dwarfs；　one　dryad；　two　rabbits；　and　a　hedgehog。　that　steadied　　him　a　bit。

when　all　were　ready　（it　was　a　big　sheep…dog　who　actually　helped　aslan　most　　in　getting　them　sorted　into　their　proper　order）　they　set　out　through　the　gap　in　the　　castle　wall。　at　first　the　lions　and　dogs　went　nosing　about　in　all　directions。　but　then　suddenly　　one　great　hound　picked　up　the　scent　and　gave　a　bay。　there　was　no　time　lost　after　that。　soon　　all　the　dogs　and　lions　and　wolves　and　other　hunting　animals　were　going　at　full　speed　　with　their　noses　to　the　ground；　and　all　the　others；　streaked　out　for　about　half　a　mile　　behind　them；　were　following　as　fast　as　they　could。　the　noise　was　like　an　english　fox…hunt　　only　better　because　every　now　and　then　with　the　music　of　the　hounds　was　mixed　the　roar　　of　the　other　lion　and　sometimes　the　far　deeper　and　more　awful　roar　of　aslan　himself。　　faster　and　faster　they　went　as　the　scent　became　easier　and　easier　to　follow。　and　then；　just　　as　they　came　to　the　last　curve　in　a　narrow；　winding　valley；　lucy　heard　above　all　these　　noises　another　noise　…　a　different　one；　which　gave　her　a　queer　feeling　inside。　it　was　a　　noise　of　shouts　and　shrieks　and　of　the　clashing　of　metal　against　metal。

then　they　came　out　of　the　narrow　valley　and　at　once　she　saw　the　reason。　　there　stood　peter　and　edmund　and　all　the　rest　of　aslans　army　fighting　desperately　　against　the　crowd　of　horrible　creatures　whom　she　had　seen　last　night；　only　now；　in　the　　daylight；　they　looked　even　stranger　and　more　evil　and　more　deformed。　there　also　seemed　to　be　far　　more　of　them。　peters　army　…　which　had　their　backs　to　her　looked　terribly　few。　and　　there　werestatues　dotted　all　over　the　battlefield；　so　apparently　the　witch　had　　been　using　her　wand。　but　she　did　not　seem　to　be　using　it　now。　she　was　fighting　with　her　　stone　knife。　it　　

was　peter　she　was　fightin　…　both　of　them　going　at　it　so　hard　that　lucy　　could　hardly　make　out　what　was　happening；　she　only　saw　the　stone　knife　and　peters　sword　　flashing　so　quickly　that　they　looked　like　three　knives　and　three　swords。　that　pair　were　　in　the　centre。

on　each　side　the　line　stretched　out。　horrible　things　were　happening　　wherever　she　looked。

〃off　my　back；　children；〃　shouted　aslan。　and　they　both　tumbled　off。　then　　with　a　roar　that　shook　all　narnia　from　the　western　lamp…post　to　the　shores　of　the　eastern　　sea　the　great　beast　flung　himself　upon　the　white　witch。　lucy　saw　her　face　lifted　towards　　him　for　one　second　with　an　expression　of　terror　and　amazement。　then　lion　and　witch　had　　rolled　over　together　but　with　the　witch　underneath；　and　at　the　same　moment　all　war…like　　creatures　whom　aslan　had　led　from　the　witchs　house　rushed　madly　on　the　enemy　lines；　　dwarfs　with　their　battleaxes；　dogs　with　teeth；　the　giant　with　his　club　（and　his　　feet　also　crushed　dozens　of　the　foe）；　unicorns　with　their　horns；　centaurs　with　swords　and　　hoofs。　and　peters　tired　army　cheered；　and　the　newers　roared；　and　the　enemy　squealed　and　　gibbered　till　the　wood　re…echoed　with　the　din　of　that　onset。

　。。　



CHAPTER　SEVENTEEN

　　
the　hunting　of　the　white　stag　　the　battle　was　all　over　a　few　minutes　after　their　arrival。　most　of　the　　enemy　had　been　killed　in　the　first　charge　of　aslan　and　his　…panions；　and　when　those　who　　were　still　living　saw　that　the　witch　was　dead　they　either　gave　themselves　up　or　took　　to　flight。　the　next　thing　that　lucy　knew　was　that　peter　and　aslan　were　shaking　hands。　it　　was　strange　to　her　to　see　peter　looking　as　he　looked　now　…　his　face　was　so　pale　and　stern　　and　he　seemed　so　much　older。

〃it　was　all　edmunds　doing；　aslan；〃　peter　was　saying。　〃wed　have　been　　beaten　if　it　hadnt　been　for　him。　the　witch　was　turning　our　troops　into　stone　right　and　left。　　but　nothing　would　stop　him。　he　fought　his　way　through　three　ogres　to　where　she　was　just　　turning　one　of　your　leopards　into　a　statue。　and　when　he　reached　her　he　had　sense　to　　bring　his　sword　smashing　down　on　her　wand　instead　of　trying　to　go　for　her　directly　and　　simply　getting　made　a　statue　himself　for　his　pains。　that　was　the　mistake　all　the　rest　were　　making。　once　her　wand　was　broken　we　began　to　have　some　chance　…　if　we　hadnt　lost　so　　many　already。

he　was　terribly　wounded。　we　must　go　and　see　him。”

they　found　edmund　in　charge　of　mrs　beaver　a　little　way　back　from　the　　fighting　line。　he　was　covered　with　blood；　his　mouth　was　open；　and　his　face　a　nasty　green　　colour。

〃quick；　lucy；〃　said　aslan。

and　then；　almost　for　the　first　time；　lucy　remembered　the　precious　cordial　　that　had　been　given　her　for　a　christmas　present。　her　hands　trembled　so　much　that　she　　could　hardly　　

undo　the　stopper；　but　she　managed　it　in　the　end　and　poured　a　few　drops　into　　her　brothers　mouth。

〃there　are　other　people　wounded；〃　said　aslan　while　she　was　still　looking　　eagerly　into　edmunds　pale　face　and　wondering　if　the　cordial　would　have　any　result。

〃yes；　i　know；〃　said　lucy　crossly。　〃wait　a　minute。”

〃daughter　of　eve；〃　said　aslan　in　a　graver　voice；　〃others　also　are　at　the　　point　of　death。

must　more　people　die　for　edmund？”

〃im　sorry；　aslan；〃　said　lucy；　getting　up　and　going　with　him。　and　for　the　　next　half…hour　they　were　busy　…　she　attending　to　the　wounded　while　he　restored　those　who　　had　been　turned　into　stone。　when　at　last　she　was　free　to　e　back　to　edmund　she　　found　him　standing　on　his　feet　and　not　only　healed　of　his　wounds　but　looking　better　　than　she　had　seen　him　look　…　oh；　for　ages；　in　fact　ever　since　his　first　term　at　that　　horrid　school　which　was　where　he　had　begun　to　go　wrong。　he　had　bee　his　real　old　self　again　　and　could　look　you　in　the　face。　and　there　on　the　field　of　battle　aslan　made　him　a　　knight。

〃does　he　know；〃　whispered　lucy　to　susan；　〃what　aslan　did　for　him？　does　he　　know　what　the　arrangement　with　the　witch　really　was？”

〃hush！　no。　of　course　not；〃　said　susan。

〃oughtnt　he　to　be　told？〃　said　lucy。

〃oh；　surely　not；〃　said　susan。　〃it　would　be　too　awful　for　him。　think　how　　youd　feel　if　you　were　he。”

〃all　the　same　i　think　he　ought　to　know；〃　said　lucy。　but　at　that　moment　they　　were　interrupted。

that　night　they　slept　where　they　were。　how　aslan　provided　food　for　them　all　　i　dont　know；　but　somehow　or　other　they　found　themselves　all　sitting　down　on　the　　grass　to　a　fine　high　tea　at　about　eight　oclock。　next　day　they　began　marching　eastward　down　　the　side　of　the　great　river。　and　the　next　day　after　that；　at　about　teatime；　they　　actually　reached　the　mouth。　the　castle　of　cair　paravel　on　its　little　hill　towered　up　above　them；　　before　them　were　the　sands；　with　rocks　and　little　pools　of　salt　water；　and　seaweed；　and　　the　smell　of　the　sea　and　long　miles　of　bluish…green　waves　breaking　for　ever　and　ever　on　the　　beach。　and　oh；　the　cry　of　the　sea…gulls！　have　you　heard　it？　can　you　remember？

that　evening　after　tea　the　four　children　all　managed　to　get　down　to　the　　beach　again　and　get　their　shoes　and　stockings　off　and　feel　the　sand　between　their　toes。　but　　next　day　was　more　solemn。　for　then；　in　the　great　hall　of　cair　paravel　…　that　wonderful　　hall　with　the　ivory　roof　and　the　west　wall　hung　with　peacocks　feathers　and　the　eastern　　door　which　looks　towards　the　sea；　in　the　presence　of　all　their　friends　and　to　the　　sound　of　trumpets；　　

aslan　solemnly　crowned　them　and　led　them　to　the　four　thrones　amid　deafening　　shouts　of；　〃long　live　king　peter！　long　live　queen　susan！　long　live　king　edmund！　long　　live　queen　lucy！”

〃once　a　king　or　queen　in　narnia；　always　a　king　or　queen。　bear　it　well；　sons　　of　adam！

bear　it　well；　daughters　of　eve！〃　said　aslan。

and　through　the　eastern　door；　which　was　wide　open；　came　the　voices　of　the　　mermen　and　the　mermaids　swimming　close　to　the　shore　and　singing　in　honour　of　their　new　　kings　and　queens。

so　the