The Lion, the Witch and the War-第6章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


is　not　true？”

〃oh；　but　…〃　began　susan；　and　then　stopped。　anyone　could　see　from　the　old　　mans　face　that　he　was　perfectly　serious。　then　susan　pulled　herself　together　and　said；　　〃but　edmund　said　they　had　only　been　pretending。”

〃that　is　a　point；〃　said　the　professor；　〃which　certainly　deserves　　consideration；　very　careful　consideration。　for　instance　…　if　you　will　excuse　me　for　asking　the　question　　…　does　your　experience　lead　you　to　regard　your　brother　or　your　sister　as　the　more　　reliable？　i　mean；　which　is　the　more　truthful？”

〃thats　just　the　funny　thing　about　it；　sir；〃　said　peter。　〃up　till　now；　id　　have　said　lucy　every　time。”

〃and　what　do　you　think；　my　dear？〃　said　the　professor；　turning　to　susan。

〃well；〃　said　susan；　〃in　general；　id　say　the　same　as　peter；　but　this　　couldnt　be　true　…　all　this　about　the　wood　and　the　faun。”

〃that　is　more　than　i　know；〃　said　the　professor；　〃and　a　charge　of　lying　　against　someone　whom　you　have　always　found　truthful　is　a　very　serious　thing；　a　very　serious　　thing　indeed。”

〃we　were　afraid　it　mightnt　even　be　lying；〃　said　susan；　〃we　thought　there　　might　be　something　wrong　with　lucy。”

〃madness；　you　mean？〃　said　the　professor　quite　coolly。　〃oh；　you　can　make　　your　minds　easy　about　that。　one　has　only　to　look　at　her　and　talk　to　her　to　see　that　　she　is　not　mad。”

〃but　then；〃　said　susan；　and　stopped。　she　had　never　dreamed　that　a　grown…up　　would　talk　like　the　professor　and　didnt　know　what　to　think。

〃logic！〃　said　the　professor　half　to　himself。　〃why　dont　they　teach　logic　at　　these　schools？

there　are　only　three　possibilities。　either　your　sister　is　telling　lies；　or　　she　is　mad；　or　she　is　telling　the　truth。　you　know　she　doesnt　tell　lies　and　it　is　obvious　that　　she　is　not　mad　for　the　moment　then　and　unless　any　further　evidence　turns　up；　we　must　assume　　that　she　is　telling　the　truth。”

susan　looked　at　him　very　hard　and　was　quite　sure　from　the　expression　on　his　　face　that　he　was　no　making　fun　of　them。

〃but　how　could　it　be　true；　sir？〃　said　peter。

〃why　do　you　say　that？〃　asked　the　professor。

〃well；　for　one　thing；〃　said　peter；　〃if　it　was　true　why　doesnt　everyone　　find　this　country　every　time　they　go　to　the　wardrobe？　i　mean；　there　was　nothing　there　when　we　　looked；　even　lucy　didnt　pretend　the　was。”

〃what　has　that　to　do　with　it？〃　said　the　professor。

〃well；　sir；　if　things　are　real；　theyre　there　all　the　time。”

〃are　they？〃　said　the　professor；　and　peter　didnt　know　quite　what　to　say。

〃but　there　was　no　time；〃　said　susan。　〃lucy　had　no　time　to　have　gone　　anywhere；　even　if　there　was　such　a　place。　she　came　running　after　us　the　very　moment　we　were　　out　of　the　room。　it　was　less　than　minute；　and　she　pretended　to　have　been　away　for　　hours。”

〃that　is　the　very　thing　that　makes　her　story　so　likely　to　be　true；〃　said　　the　professor。　〃if　there　really　a　door　in　this　house　that　leads　to　some　other　world　（and　i　　should　warn　you　that　this　is　a　very　strange　house；　and　even　i　know　very　little　about　it）　…　　if；　i　say；　she　had　got　into　another　world；　i　should　not　be　at　a　surprised　to　find　that　the　　other　world　had　a　separate　time　of　its　own；　so　that　however　long　you　stay　there　it　would　　never　take　up　any　of　our　time。　on　the　other　hand；　i　dont　think　many　girls　of　her　age　would　　invent　that　idea　for　themselves。　if　she　had　been　pretending；　she　would　have　hidden　for　a　　reasonable　time　before　ing　out　and　telling　her　story。”

〃but　do　you　really　mean；　sir；〃　said　peter；　〃that　there　could　be　other　　worlds　…　all　over　the　place；　just　round　the　corner　…　like　that？”

〃nothing　is　more　probable；〃　said　the　professor；　taking　off　his　spectacles　　and　beginning　to　polish　them；　while　he　muttered　to　himself；　〃i　wonder　what　they　do　teach　　them　at　these　schools。”

〃but　what　are　we　to　do？〃　said　susan。　she　felt　that　the　conversation　was　　beginning　to　get　off　the　point。

〃my　dear　young　lady；〃　said　the　professor；　suddenly　looking　up　with　a　very　　sharp　expression　at　both　of　them；　〃there　is　one　plan　which　no　one　has　yet　　suggested　and　which　is　well　worth　trying。”

〃whats　that？〃　said　susan。

〃we　might　all　try　minding　our　own　business；〃　said　he。　and　that　was　the　end　　of　that　conversation。

after　this　things　were　a　good　deal　better　for　lucy。　peter　saw　to　it　that　　edmund　stopped　jeering　at　her；　and　neither　she　nor　anyone　else　felt　inclined　to　talk　about　　the　wardrobe　at　all。　it　had　bee　a　rather　alarming　subject。　and　so　for　a　time　it　looked　　as　if　all　the　adventures　were　ing　to　an　end；　but　that　was　not　to　be。

this　house　of　the　professors　…　which　even　he　knew　so　little　about　…　was　so　　old　and　famous　that　people　from　all　over　england　used　to　e　and　ask　permission　to　　see　over　it。

it　was　the　sort　of　house　that　is　mentioned　in　guide　books　and　even　in　　histories；　and　well　it　might　be；　for　all　manner　of　stories　were　told　about　it；　some　of　them　even　　stranger　than　the　one　i　am　telling　you　now。　and　when　parties　of　sightseers　arrived　and　asked　　to　see　the　house；　the　professor　always　gave　them　permission；　and　mrs　macready；　the　　housekeeper；　showed　them　round；　telling　them　about　the　pictures　and　the　armour；　and　the　　rare　books　in　the　library。　mrs　macready　was　not　fond　of　children；　and　did　not　like　to　be　　interrupted　when　she　was　telling　visitors　all　the　things　she　knew。　she　had　said　to　　susan　and　peter　almost　on　the　first　morning　（along　with　a　good　many　other　instructions）；　　〃and　please　remember　youre　to　keep　out　of　the　way　whenever　im　taking　a　party　over　the　　house。”

〃just　as　if　any　of　us　would　want　to　waste　half　the　morning　trailing　round　　with　a　crowd　of　strange　grown…ups！〃　said　edmund；　and　the　other　three　thought　the　same。　that　　was　how　the　adventures　began　for　the　second　time。

a　few　mornings　later　peter　and　edmund　were　looking　at　the　suit　of　armour　　and　wondering　if　they　could　take　it　to　bits　when　the　two　girls　rushed　into　the　　room　and　said；　〃look　out！　here　es　the　macready　and　a　whole　gang　with　her。”

〃sharps　the　word；〃　said　peter；　and　all　four　made　off　through　the　door　at　　the　far　end　of　the　room。　but　when　they　had　got　out　into　the　green　room　and　beyond　it；　into　the　　library；　they　suddenly　heard　voices　ahead　of　them；　and　realized　that　mrs　macready　　must　be　bringing　her　party　of　sightseers　up　the　back　stairs　…　instead　of　up　the　　front　stairs　as　they　had　expected。　and　after　that　…　whether　it　was　that　they　lost　their　heads；　　or　that　mrs　macready　was　trying　to　catch　them；　or　that　some　magic　in　the　house　had　e　　to　life　and　was　chasing　them　into　narnia　they　seemed　to　find　themselves　being　followed　everywhere；　until　at　last　susan　said；　〃oh　bother　those　trippers！　here　…　　lets　get　into　the　　

wardrobe　room　till　theyve　passed。　no　one　will　follow　us　in　there。〃　but　the　　moment　they　were　inside　they　heard　the　voices　in　the　passage　…　and　then　someone　　fumbling　at　the　door　…　and　then　they　saw　the　handle　turning。

〃quick！〃　said　peter；　〃theres　nowhere　else；〃　and　flung　open　the　wardrobe。　　all　four　of　them　bundled　inside　it　and　sat　there；　panting；　in　the　dark。　peter　held　the　　door　closed　but　did　not　shut　it；　for；　of　course；　he　remembered；　as　every　sensible　person　　does；　that　you　should　never　never　shut　yourself　up　in　a　wardrobe。

　％％。



CHAPTER　SIX

小说
into　the　forest　　〃i　wish　the　macready　would　hurry　up　and　take　all　these　people　away；〃　said　　susan　presently；　〃im　getting　horribly　cramped。”

〃and　what　a　filthy　smell　of　camphor！〃　said　edmund。

〃i　expect　the　pockets　of　these　coats　are　full　of　it；〃　said　susan；　〃to　keep　　away　the　moths。”

〃theres　something　sticking　into　my　back；〃　said　peter。

〃and　isnt　it　cold？〃　said　susan。

〃now　that　you　mention　it；　it　is　cold；〃　said　peter；　〃and　hang　it　all；　its　　wet　too。　whats　the　matter　with　this　place？　im　sitting　on　something　wet。　its　getting　wetter　　every　minute。〃　he　struggled　to　his　feet。

〃lets　get　out；〃　said　edmund；　〃theyve　gone。”

〃o…o…oh！〃　said　susan　suddenly；　and　everyone　asked　her　what　was　the　matter。

〃im　sitting　against　a　tree；〃　said　susan；　〃and　look！　its　getting　light　…　　over　there。”

〃by　jove；　youre　right；〃　said　peter；　〃and　look　there　…　and　there。　its　　trees　all　round。　and　this　wet　stuff　is　snow。　why；　i　do　believe　weve　got　into　lucys　wood　after　　all。”

and　now　there　was　no　mistaking　it　and　all　four　children　stood　blinking　in　　the　daylight　of　a　winter　day。　behind　them　were　coats　hanging　on　pegs；　in　front　of　them　were　　snow…covered　trees。

peter　turned　at　once　to　lucy。

〃i　apologize　for　not　believing　you；〃　he　said；　〃im　sorry。　will　you　shake　　hands？”

〃of　course；〃　said　lucy；　and　did。

〃and　now；〃　said　susan；　〃what　do　we　do　next？”

〃do？〃　said　peter；　〃why；　go　and　explore　the　wood；　of　course。”

〃ugh！〃　said　susan；　stamping　her　feet；　〃its　pretty　cold。　what　about　putting　　on　some　of　these　coats？”

〃theyre　not　ours；〃　said　peter　doubtfully。

〃i　am　sure　nobody　would　mind；〃　said　susan；　〃it　isnt　as　if　we　wanted　to　　take　them　out　of　the　house；　we　shant　take　them　even　out　of　the　wardrobe。”

〃i　never　thought　of　that；　su；〃　said　peter。　〃of　course；　now　you　put　it　that　　way；　i　see。　no　one　could　say　you　had　bagged　a　coat　as　long　as　you　leave　it　in　the　wardrobe　　where　you　found　it。　and　i　suppose　this　whole　country　is　in　the　wardrobe。”

they　immediately　carried　out　susans　very　sensible　plan。　the　coats　were　　rather　too　big　for　them　so　that　they　c