The Lion, the Witch and the War-第22章

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new　　kings　and　queens。

so　the　children　sat　on　their　thrones　and　sceptres　were　put　into　their　hands　　and　they　gave　rewards　and　honours　to　all　their　friends；　to　tumnus　the　faun；　and　to　the　　beavers；　and　giant　rumblebuffin；　to　the　leopards；　and　the　good　centaurs；　and　the　good　　dwarfs；　and　to　the　lion。　and　that　night　there　was　a　great　feast　in　cair　paravel；　and　　revelry　and　dancing；　and　gold　flashed　and　wine　flowed；　and　answering　to　the　music　inside；　but　　stranger；　sweeter；　and　more　piercing；　came　the　music　of　the　sea　people。

but　amidst　all　these　rejoicings　aslan　himself　quietly　slipped　away。　and　　when　the　kings　and　queens　noticed　that　he　wasnt　there　they　said　nothing　about　it。　for　mr　　beaver　had　warned　them；　〃hell　be　ing　and　going；〃　he　had　said。　〃one　day　youll　see　　him　and　another　you　wont。　he　doesnt　like　being　tied　down　and　of　course　he　has　　other　countries　to　attend　to。　its　quite　all　right。　hell　often　drop　in。　only　you　mustnt　　press　him。　hes　wild；　you　know。　not　like　a　tame　lion。”

and　now；　as　you　see；　this　story　is　nearly　（but　not　quite）　at　an　end。　these　　two　kings　and　two　queens　governed　narnia　well；　and　long　and　happy　was　their　reign。　at　　first　much　of　their　time　was　spent　in　seeking　out　the　remnants　of　the　white　witchs　army　　and　destroying　them；　and　indeed　for　a　long　time　there　would　be　news　of　evil　　things　lurking　in　the　wilder　parts　of　the　forest　…　a　haunting　here　and　a　killing　there；　a　　glimpse　of　a　werewolf　one　month　and　a　rumour　of　a　hag　the　next。　but　in　the　end　all　that　foul　　brood　was　stamped　out。　and　they　made　good　laws　and　kept　the　peace　and　saved　good　trees　from　　being　unnecessarily　cut　down；　and　liberated　young　dwarfs　and　young　satyrs　from　　being　sent　to　school；　and　generally　stopped　busybodies　and　interferers　and　encouraged　　ordinary　people　who　wanted　to　live　and　let　live。　and　they　drove　back　the　fierce　giants　　（quite　a　different　sort　from　giant　rumblebuffin）　on　the　north　of　narnia　when　these　ventured　　across　the　frontier。　and　they　entered　into　friendship　and　alliance　with　countries　　beyond　the　sea　and　paid　them　visits　of　state　and　received　visits　of　state　from　them。　and　they　　themselves　grew　and　changed　as　the　years　passed　over　them。　and　peter　became　a　tall　and　　deep…chested　man　and　a　great　warrior；　and　he　was　called　king　peter　the　magnificent。　and　　susan　grew　into　a　tall　and　gracious　woman　with　black　hair　that　fell　almost　to　her　feet　　and　the　kings　of　the　countries　beyond　the　sea　began　to　send　ambassadors　asking　for　her　hand　　in　marriage。

and　she　was　called　susan　the　gentle。　edmund　was　a　graver　and　quieter　man　　than　peter；　and　great　in　council　and　judgement。　he　was　called　king　edmund　the　just。　but　　as　for　lucy；　she　was　always　gay　and　golden…haired；　and　all　princes　in　those　parts　　desired　her　to　be　their　queen；　and　her　own　people　called　her　queen　lucy　the　valiant。

so　they　lived　in　great　joy　and　if　ever　they　remembered　their　life　in　this　　world　it　was　only　as　one　remembers　a　dream。　and　one　year　it　fell　out　that　tumnus　（who　was　a　　middle…aged　faun　by　now　and　beginning　to　be　stout）　came　down　river　and　brought　them　　news　that　the　white　stag　had　once　more　appeared　in　his　parts　…　the　white　stag　who　would　　give　you　wishes　if　you　caught　him。　so　these　two　kings　and　two　queens　with　the　　principal　members　of　their　court；　rode　a…hunting　with　horns　and　hounds　in　the　western　　woods　to　follow　the　white　stag。　and　they　had　not　hunted　long　before　they　had　a　sight　　of　him。　and　he　led　them　a　great　pace　over　rough　and　smooth　and　through　thick　and　thin；　　till　the　horses　of　all　the　courtiers　were　tired　out　and　these　four　were　still　following。　　and　they　saw　the　stag　enter　into　a　thicket　where　their　horses　could　not　follow。　then　said　　king　peter　（for　they　talked　in　quite　a　different　style　now；　having　been　kings　and　queens　　for　so　long）；　〃fair　consorts；　let　us　now　alight　from　our　horses　and　follow　this　beast　　into　the　thicket；　for　in　all　my　days　i　never　hunted　a　nobler　quarry。”

〃sir；〃　said　the　others；　〃even　so　let　us　do。”

so　they　alighted　and　tied　their　horses　to　trees　and　went　on　into　the　thick　　wood　on　foot。

and　as　soon　as　they　had　entered　it　queen　susan　said；　　〃fair　friends；　here　is　a　great　marvel；　for　i　seem　to　see　a　tree　of　iron。”

〃madam；〃　said；king　edmund；　〃if　you　look　well　upon　it　you　shall　see　it　is　a　　pillar　of　iron　with　a　lantern　set　on　the　top　thereof。”

〃by　the　lions　mane；　a　strange　device；〃　said　king　peter；　〃to　set　a　lantern　　here　where　the　trees　cluster　so　thick　about　it　and　so　high　above　it　that　if　it　were　lit　it　　should　give　light　to　no　man！”

〃sir；〃　said　queen　lucy。　〃by　likelihood　when　this　post　and　this　lamp　were　　set　here　there　were　smaller　trees　in　the　place；　or　fewer；　or　none。　for　this　is　a　young　　wood　and　the　iron　post　is　old。〃　and　they　stood　looking　upon　it。　then　said　king　edmund；　　〃i　know　not　how　it　is；　but　this　lamp　on　the　post　worketh　upon　me　strangely。　　it　runs　in　my　mind　that　i　have　seen　the　like　before；　as　it　were　in　a　dream；　or　in　the　　dream　of　a　dream。”

〃sir；〃　answered　they　all；　〃it　is　even　so　with　us　also。”

〃and　more；〃　said　queen　lucy；　〃for　it　will　not　go　out　of　my　mind　that　if　we　　pass　this　post　and　lantern　either　we　shall　find　strange　adventures　or　else　some　great　　change　of　our　fortunes。”

〃madam；〃　said　king　edmund；　〃the　like　foreboding　stirreth　in　my　heart　also。”

〃and　in　mine；　fair　brother；〃　said　king　peter。

〃and　in　mine　too；〃　said　queen　susan。　〃wherefore　by　my　counsel　we　shall　　lightly　return　to　our　horses　and　follow　this　white　stag　no　further。”

〃madam；〃　said　king　peter；　〃therein　i　pray　thee　to　have　me　excused。　for　　never　since　we　four　were　kings　and　queens　in　narnia　have　we　set　our　hands　to　any　high　　matter；　as　battles；　quests；　feats　of　arms；　acts　of　justice；　and　the　like；　and　then　　given　over；　but　always　what　we　have　taken　in　hand；　the　same　we　have　achieved。”

〃sister；〃　said　queen　lucy；　〃my　royal　brother　speaks　rightly。　and　it　seems　　to　me　we　should　be　shamed　if　for　any　fearing　or　foreboding　we　turned　back　from　　following　so　noble　a　beast　as　now　we　have　in　chase。”

〃and　so　say　i；〃　said　king　edmund。　〃and　i　have　such　desire　to　find　the　　signification　of　this　thing　that　i　would　not　by　my　good　will　turn　back　for　the　richest　jewel　　in　all　narnia　and　all　the　islands。”

〃then　in　the　name　of　aslan；〃　said　queen　susan；　〃if　ye　will　all　have　it　so；　　let　us　go　on　and　take　the　adventure　that　shall　fall　to　us。”

so　these　kings　and　queens　entered　the　thicket；　and　before　they　had　gone　a　　score　of　paces　they　all　remembered　that　the　thing　they　had　seen　was　called　a　lamppost；　and　　before　they　had　gone　twenty　more　they　noticed　that　they　were。　making　their　way　not　　through　branches　but　through　coats。　and　next　moment　they　all　came　tumbling　out　of　a　　wardrobe　door　into　the　empty　room；　and　they　were　no　longer　kings　and　queens　in　their　　hunting　array　but　just　peter；　susan；　edmund　and　lucy　in　their　old　clothes。　it　was　　the　same　day　and　the　same　hour　of　the　day　on　which　they　had　all　gone　into　the　wardrobe　　to　hide。　mrs　macready　and　the　visitors　were　still　talking　in　the　passage；　but　luckily　　they　never　came　into　the　empty　room　and　so　the　children　werent　caught。

and　that　would　have　been　the　very　end　of　the　story　if　it　hadnt　been　that　　they　felt　they　really　must　explain　to　the　professor　why　four　of　the　coats　out　of　his　　wardrobe　were　missing。　and　the　professor；　who　was　a　very　remarkable　man；　didnt　tell　them　　not　to　be　silly　or　not　to　tell　lies；　but　believed　the　whole　story。　〃no；〃　he　said；　〃i　　dont　think　it　will　be　any　good　trying　to　go　back　through　the　wardrobe　door　to　get　the　coats。　you　　wont　get　into　narnia　again　by　that　route。　nor　would　the　coats　be　much　use　by　now　if　you　did！

eh？　whats　that？　yes；　of　course　youll　get　back　to　narnia　again　some　day。　once　a　king　in　narnia；　always　a　king　in　narnia。　but　dont　go　trying　to　use　the　same　route　twice。

indeed；　dont　try　to　get　there　at　all。　itll　happen　when　youre　not　looking　for　it。　and　dont　talk　too　much　about　it　even　among　yourselves。　and　dont　mention　it　to　anyone　else　unless　you　find　that　theyve　had　adventures　of　the　same　sort　themselves。　whats　that？　how　will　you　know？　oh；　youll　know　all　right。　odd　things　they　say　…　even　their　looks　…　will　let　the　secret　out。　keep　your　　

eyes　open。　bless　me；　what　do　they　teach　them　at　these　schools？

and　that　is　the　very　end　of　the　adventure　of　the　wardrobe。

but　if　the　professor　was　right　it　was　only　the　beginning　of　the　adventures　of　narnia。

　％％。

　　，