The Lion, the Witch and the War-第3章

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〃of　course　i　will；〃　said　the　faun。　〃of　course　ive　got　to。　i　see　that　now。　　i　hadnt　known　what　humans　were　like　before　i　met　you。　of　course　i　cant　give　you　up　to　　the　witch；　not　now　that　i　know　you。　but　we　must　be　off　at　once。　ill　see　you　back　to　the　　lamp…post。　i　suppose　you　can　find　your　own　way　from　there　back　to　spare　oom　and　war　　drobe？”

〃im　sure　i　can；〃　said　lucy。

〃we　must　go　as　quietly　as　we　can；〃　said　mr　tumnus。　〃the　whole　wood　is　full　　of　her　spies。　even　some　of　the　trees　are　on　her　side。”

they　both　got　up　and　left　the　tea　things　on　the　table；　and　mr　tumnus　once　　more　put　up　his　umbrella　and　gave　lucy　his　arm；　and　they　went　out　into　the　snow。　the　　journey　back　was　not　at　all　like　the　journey　to　the　fauns　cave；　they　stole　along　as　　quickly　as　they　could；　without　speaking　a　word；　and　mr　tumnus　kept　to　the　darkest　places。　　lucy　was　relieved　when　they　reached　the　lamp…post　again。

〃do　you　know　your　way　from　here；　daughter　o　eve？〃　said　tumnus。

lucy　looked　very　hard　between　the　trees　and　could　just　see　in　the　distance　　a　patch　of　light　that　looked　like　daylight。　〃yes；〃　she　said；　〃i　can　see　the　wardrobe　door。”

〃then　be　off　home　as　quick　as　you　can；〃　said　the　faun；　〃and　…　c…can　you　　ever　forgive　me　for　what　meant　to　do？”

〃why；　of　course　i　can；〃　said　lucy；　shaking　him　heartily　by　the　hand。　〃and　i　　do　hope　you　wont　get　into　dreadful　trouble　on　my　account。”

〃farewell；　daughter　of　eve；〃　said　he。　〃perhaps　i　may　keep　the　　handkerchief？”

〃rather！〃　said　lucy；　and　then　ran　towards　the　far　off　patch　of　daylight　as　　quickly　as　her　legs　would　carry　her。　and　presently　instead　of　rough　branch　brushing　past　　her　she　felt　coats；　and　instead　of　crunching　snow　under　her　feet　she　felt　wooden　board　　and　all　at　once　she　found　herself　jumping　out　of　the　wardrobe　into　the　same　empty　room　from　　which　the　　

whole　adventure　had　started。　she　shut　the　wardrobe　door　tightly　behind　her　　and　looked　around；　panting　for　breath。　it　was　still　raining　and　she　could　hear　the　　voices　of　the　others　in　the　passage。

〃im　here；〃　she　shouted。　〃im　here。　ive　e　back　im　all　right。”

　。。



CHAPTER　THREE

，＿
edmund　and　the　wardrobe　　lucy　ran　out　of　the　empty　room　into　the　passage　and　found　the　other　three。

〃its　all　right；〃　she　repeated；　〃ive　eback。”

〃what　on　earth　are　you　talking　about；　lucy？〃　asked　susan。

〃why？　said　lucy　in　amazement；　〃havent　you　all　been　wondering　where　i　was？”

〃so　youve　been　hiding；　have　you？〃　said　peter。　〃poor　old　lu；　hiding　and　　nobody　noticed！

youll　have　to　hide　longer　than　that　if　you　want　people　to　start　looking　　for　you。”

〃but　ive　been　away　for　hours　and　hours；〃　said　lucy。

the　others　all　stared　at　one　another。

〃batty！〃　said　edmund；　tapping　his　head。　〃quite　batty。”

〃what　do　you　mean；　lu？〃　asked　peter。

〃what　i　said；〃　answered　lucy。　〃it　was　just　after　breakfast　when　i　went　into　　the　wardrobe；　and　ive　been　away　for　hours　and　hours；　and　had　tea；　and　all　sorts　of　　things　have　happened。”

〃dont　be　silly；　lucy；〃　said　susan。　〃weve　only　just　e　out　of　that　room　　a　moment　ago；　and　you　were　there　then。”

〃shes　not　being　silly　at　all；〃　said　peter；　〃shes　just　making　up　a　story　　for　fun；　arent　you；　lu？　and　why　shouldnt　she？”

〃no；　peter；　im　not；〃　she　said。　〃its　…　its　a　magic　wardrobe。　theres　a　　wood　inside　it；　and　its　snowing；　and　theres　a　faun　and　a　witch　and　its　called　narnia；　e　　and　see。”

the　others　did　not　know　what　to　think；　but　lucy　was　so　excited　that　they　　all　went　back　with　her　into　the　room。　she　rushed　ahead　of　them；　flung　open　the　door　of　　the　wardrobe　and　cried；　〃now！　go　in　and　see　for　yourselves。”

〃why；　you　goose；〃　said　susan；　putting　her　head　inside　and　pulling　the　fur　　coats　apart；　〃its　just　an　ordinary　wardrobe；　look！　theres　the　back　of　it。”

then　everyone　looked　in　and　pulled　the　coats　apart；　and　they　all　saw　…　lucy　　herself　saw　…　a　perfectly　ordinary　wardrobe。　there　was　no　wood　and　no　snow；　only　the　back　　of　the　wardrobe；　with　hooks　on　it。　peter　went　in　and　rapped　his　knuckles　on　it　to　　make　sure　that　it　was　solid。

〃a　jolly　good　hoax；　lu；〃　he　said　as　he　came　out　again；　〃you　have　really　　taken　us　in；　i　must　admit。　we　half　believed　you。”

〃but　it　wasnt　a　hoax　at　all；〃　said　lucy；　〃really　and　truly。　it　was　all　　different　a　moment　ago。　honestly　it　was。　i　promise。”

〃e；　lu；〃　said　peter；　〃thats　going　a　bit　far。　youve　had　your　joke。　　hadnt　you　better　drop　it　now？”

lucy　grew　very　red　in　the　face　and　tried　to　say　something；　though　she　　hardly　knew　what　she　was　trying　to　say；　and　burst　into　tears。

for　the　next　few　days　she　was　very　miserable。　she　could　have　made　it　up　　with　the　others　quite　easily　at　any　moment　if　she　could　have　brought　herself　to　say　that　　the　whole　thing　was　only　a　story　made　up　for　fun。　but　lucy　was　a　very　truthful　girl　and　she　　knew　that　she　was　really　in　the　right；　and　she　could　not　bring　herself　to　say　this。　the　　others　who　thought　she　was　telling　a　lie；　and　a　silly　lie　too；　made　her　very　unhappy。　the　two　　elder　ones　did　this　without　meaning　to　do　it；　but　edmund　could　be　spiteful；　and　on　this　　occasion　he　was　spiteful。　he　sneered　and　jeered　at　lucy　and　kept　on　asking　her　if　shed　　found　any　other　new　countries　in　other　cupboards　all　over　the　house。　what　made　it　worse　was　　that　these　days　ought　to　have　been　delightful。　the　weather　was　fine　and　they　were　out　　of　doors　from　morning　to　night；　bathing；　fishing；　climbing　trees；　and　lying　in　the　　heather。　but　lucy　could　not　properly　enjoy　any　of　it。　and　so　things　went　on　until　the　　next　wet　day。

that　day；　when　it　came　to　the　afternoon　and　there　was　still　no　sign　of　a　　break　in　the　weather；　they　decided　to　play　hide…and…seek。　susan　was　〃it〃　and　as　soon　as　　the　others　scattered　to　hide；　lucy　went　to　the　room　where　the　wardrobe　was。　she　did　　not　mean　to　hide　in　the　wardrobe；　because　she　knew　that　would　only　set　the　others　　talking　again　about　the　whole　wretched　business。　but　she　did　want　to　have　one　more　look　inside　　it；　for　by　this　time　she　was　beginning　to　wonder　herself　whether　narnia　and　the　faun　had　　not　been　a　dream。　the　house　was　so　large　and　plicated　and　full　of　hiding…places　　that　she　thought　she　would　have　time　to　have　one　look　into　the　wardrobe　and　then　hide　　somewhere　else。

but　as　soon　as　she　reached　it　she　heard　steps　in　the　passage　outside；　and　　then　there　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　jump　into　the　wardrobe　and　hold　the　door　closed　　behind　her。　she　did　　

not　shut　it　properly　because　she　knew　that　it　is　very　silly　to　shut　oneself　　into　a　wardrobe；　even　if　it　is　not　a　magic　one。

now　the　steps　she　had　heard　were　those　of　edmund；　and　he　came　into　the　room　　just　in　time　to　see　lucy　vanishing　into　the　wardrobe。　he　at　once　decided　to　get　　into　it　himself　…　not　because　he　thought　it　a　particularly　good　place　to　hide　but　because　he　　wanted　to　go　on　teasing　her　about　her　imaginary　country。　he　opened　the　door。　there　were　the　　coats　hanging　up　as　usual；　and　a　smell　of　mothballs；　and　darkness　and　silence；　　and　no　sign　of　lucy。　〃she　thinks　im　susan　e　to　catch　her；〃　said　edmund　to　himself；　　〃and　so　shes　keeping　very　quiet　in　at　the　back。〃　he　jumped　in　and　shut　the　door；　　forgetting　what　a　very　foolish　thing　this　is　to　do。　then　he　began　feeling　about　for　lucy　in　the　　dark。　he　had　expected　to　find　her　in　a　few　seconds　and　was　very　surprised　when　he　did　　not。　he　decided　to　open　the　door　again　and　let　in　some　light。　but　he　could　not　find　the　　door　either。　he　didnt　like　this　at　all　and　began　groping　wildly　in　every　direction；　he　　even　shouted　out；　〃lucy！　lu！　where　are　you？　i　know　youre　here。”

there　was　no　answer　and　edmund　noticed　that　his　own　voice　had　a　curious　　sound　…　not　the　sound　you　expect　in　a　cupboard；　but　a　kind　of　open…air　sound。　he　also　　noticed　that　he　was　unexpectedly　cold；　and　then　he　saw　a　light。

〃thank　goodness；〃　said　edmund；　〃the　door　must　have　swung　open　of　its　own　　accord。〃　he　forgot　all　about　lucy　and　went　towards　the　light；　which　he　thought　was　the　　open　door　of　the　wardrobe。　but　instead　of　finding　himself　stepping　out　into　the　spare　　room　he　found　himself　stepping　out　from　the　shadow　of　some　thick　dark　fir　trees　into　an　　open　place　in　the　middle　of　a　wood。

there　was　crisp；　dry　snow　under　his　feet　and　more　snow　lying　on　the　　branches　of　the　trees。　overhead　there　was　pale　blue　sky；　the　sort　of　sky　one　sees　on　a　fine　　winter　day　in　the　morning。　straight　ahead　of　him　he　saw　between　the　tree…trunks　the　sun；　　just　rising；　very　red　and　clear。　everything　was　perfectly　still；　as　if　he　were　the　only　　living　creature　in　that　country。　there　was　not　even　a　robin　or　a　squirrel　among　the　trees；　and　　the　wood　stretched　as　far　as　he　could　see　in　every　direction。　he　shivered。

he　now　remembered　that　he　had　been　looking　for　lucy；　and　also　how　　unpleasant　he　had　been　to　her　about　her　〃imaginary　country〃　which　now　turned　out　not　to　have　　been　imaginary　at　all。　he　thought　that　she　must　be　somewhere　quite　close　and　so　　he　shouted；　〃lucy！　lucy！　im　here　too…edmund。”

there　was　no　answer。

〃shes　angry　about　all　the　things　ive　been　saying　lately；〃　thought　edmund。　　and　though　he　did　not　like　to　admit　that　he　had　been　wrong；　he　also　did　not　much　like　　being　alone　in　this　strange；　cold；　quiet　place；　so　he　shouted　again。

〃i　say；　lu！　im　sorry　i　didnt　believe　you。　i　see　now　y