The Lion, the Witch and the War-第8章

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〃whats　it　like？〃　said　lucy。

〃its　…　its　a　kind　of　animal；〃　said　susan；　and　then；　〃look！　look！　quick！　　there　it　is。”

they　all　saw　it　this　time；　a　whiskered　furry　face　which　had　looked　out　at　　them　from　behind　a　tree。　but　this　time　it　didnt　immediately　draw　back。　instead；　the　　animal　put　its　paw　against　its　mouth　just　as　humans　put　their　finger　on　their　lips　when　　they　are　signalling　to　you　to　be　quiet。　then　it　disappeared　again。　the　children；　all　　stood　holding　their　breath。

a　moment　later　the　stranger　came　out　from　behind　the　tree；　glanced　all　　round　as　if　it　were　afraid　someone　was　watching；　said　〃hush〃；　made　signs　to　them　to　join　it　in　　the　thicker　bit　of　wood　where　it　was　standing；　and　then　once　more　disappeared。

〃i　know　what　it　is；〃　said　peter；　〃its　a　beaver。　i　saw　the　tail。”

〃it　wants　us　to　go　to　it；〃　said　susan；　〃and　it　is　warning　us　not　to　make　a　　noise。”

〃i　know；〃　said　peter。　〃the　question　is；　are　we　to　go　to　it　or　not？　what　do　　you　think；　lu？”

〃i　think　its　a　nice　beaver；〃　said　lucy。

〃yes；　but　how　do　we　know？〃　said　edmund。

〃shant　we　have　to　risk　it？〃　said　susan。　〃i　mean；　its　no　good　just　　standing　here　and　i　feel　i　want　some　dinner。”

at　this　moment　the　beaver　again　popped　its　head　out　from　behind　the　tree　　and　beckoned　earnestly　to　them。

〃e　on；〃　said　peter；〃lets　give　it　a　try。　all　keep　close　together。　we　　ought　to　be　a　match　for　one　beaver　if　it　turns　out　to　be　an　enemy。”

so　the　children　all　got　close　together　and　walked　up　to　the　tree　and　in　　behind　it；　and　there；　sure　enough；　they　found　the　beaver；　but　it　still　drew　back；　saying　to　them　　in　a　hoarse　throaty　whisper；　〃further　in；　e　further　in。　right　in　here。　were　not　　safe　in　the　open！”

only　when　it　had　led　them　into　a　dark　spot　where　four　trees　grew　so　close　　together　that　their　boughs　met　and　the　brown　earth　and　pine　needles　could　be　seen　　underfoot　because　no　snow　had　been　able　to　fall　there；　did　it　begin　to　talk　to　them。

〃are　you　the　sons　of　adam　and　the　daughters　of　eve？〃　it　said。

〃were　some　of　them；〃　said　peter。

〃s…s…s…sh！〃　said　the　beaver；　〃not　so　loud　please。　were　not　safe　even　　here。”

〃why；　who　are　you　afraid　of？〃　said　peter。　〃theres　no　one　here　but　　ourselves。”

〃there　are　the　trees；〃　said　the　beaver。　〃theyre　always　listening。　most　of　　them　are　on　our　side；　but　there　are　trees　that　would　betray　us　to　her；　you　know　who　i　　mean；〃　and　it　nodded　its　head　several　times。

〃if　it　es　to　talking　about　sides；〃　said　edmund；　〃how　do　we　know　youre　a　　friend？”

〃not　meaning　to　be　rude；　mr　beaver；〃　added　peter；　〃but　you　see；　were　　strangers。”

〃quite　right；　quite　right；〃　said　the　beaver。　〃here　is　my　token。〃　with　these　　words　it　held　up　to　them　a　little　white　object。　they　all　looked　at　it　in　surprise；　till　　suddenly　lucy　said；　〃oh；　of　course。　its　my　handkerchief　…　the　one　i　gave　to　poor　mr　tumnus。”

〃thats　right；〃　said　the　beaver。　〃poor　fellow；　he　got　wind　of　the　arrest　　before　it　actually　happened　and　handed　this　over　to　me。　he　said　that　if　anything　happened　to　　him　i　must　meet　you　here　and　take　you　on　to　…〃　here　the　beavers　voice　sank　into　　silence　and　it　gave　　

one　or　two　very　mysterious　nods。　then　signalling　to　the　children　to　stand　　as　close　around　it　as　they　possibly　could；　so　that　their　faces　were　actually　tickled　by　its　　whiskers；　it　added　in　a　low　whisper　…　　〃they　say　aslan　is　on　the　move　…　perhaps　has　already　landed。”

and　now　a　very　curious　thing　happened。　none　of　the　children　knew　who　aslan　　was　any　more　than　you　do；　but　the　moment　the　beaver　had　spoken　these　words　everyone　　felt　quite　different。　perhaps　it　has　sometimes　happened　to　you　in　a　dream　that　someone　　says　something　which　you　dont　understand　but　in　the　dream　it　feels　as　if　it　had　　some　enormous　meaning　…　either　a　terrifying　one　which　turns　the　whole　dream　into　　a　nightmare　or　else　a　lovely　meaning　too　lovely　to　put　into　words；　which　makes　the　　dream　so　beautiful　that　you　remember　it　all　your　life　and　are　always　wishing　you　　could　get　into　that　dream　again。　it　was　like　that　now。　at　the　name　of　aslan　each　one　of　the　　children　felt　something　jump　in　its　inside。　edmund　felt　a　sensation　of　mysterious　horror。　　peter　felt　suddenly　brave　and　adventurous。　susan　felt　as　if　some　delicious　smell　or　　some　delightful　strain　of　music　had　just　floated　by　her。　and　lucy　got　the　feeling　you　have　　when　you　wake　up　in　the　morning　and　realize　that　it　is　the　beginning　of　the　holidays　　or　the　beginning　of　summer。

〃and　what　about　mr　tumnus；〃　said　lucy；　〃where　is　he？”

〃s…s…s…sh；〃　said　the　beaver；　〃not　here。　i　must　bring　you　where　we　can　have　　a　real　talk　and　also　dinner。”

no　one　except　edmund　felt　any　difficulty　about　trusting　the　beaver　now；　and　　everyone；　including　edmund；　was　very　glad　to　hear　the　word　〃dinner〃。

they　therefore　all　hurried　along　behind　their　new　friend　who　led　them　at　a　　surprisingly　quick　pace；　and　always　in　the　thickest　parts　of　the　forest；　for　over　an　　hour。　everyone　was　feeling　very　tired　and　very　hungry　when　suddenly　the　trees　began　to　get　　thinner　in　front　of　them　and　the　ground　to　fall　steeply　downhill。　a　minute　later　they　came　　out　under　the　open　sky　（the　sun　was　still　shining）　and　found　themselves　looking　down　on　a　　fine　sight。

they　were　standing　on　the　edge　of　a　steep；　narrow　valley　at　the　bottom　of　　which　ran　…　at　least　it　would　have　been　running　if　it　hadnt　been　frozen　…　a　fairly　large　　river。　just　below　them　a　dam　had　been　built　across　this　river；　and　when　they　saw　it　everyone　　suddenly　remembered　that　of　course　beavers　are　always　making　dams　and　felt　quite　　sure　that　mr　beaver　had　made　this　one。　they　also　noticed　that　he　now　had　a　sort　of　　modest　expression　on　his；　face　…　the　sort　of　look　people　have　when　you　are　visiting　a　garden　　theyve　made　or　reading　a　story　theyve　written。　so　it　was　only　mon　politeness　when　　susan　said；　〃what　a　lovely　dam！〃　and　mr　beaver　didnt　say　〃hush〃　this　time　but　〃merely　　a　trifle！

merely　a　trifle！　and　it　isnt　really　finished！”

above　the　dam　there　was　what　ought　to　have　been　a　deep　pool　but　was　now；　of　　course；　a　level　floor　of　dark　green　ice。　and　below　the　dam；　much　lower　down；　was　more　　ice；　but　　

instead　of　being　smooth　this　was　all　frozen　into　the　foamy　and　wavy　shapes　　in　which　the　water　had　been　rushing　along　at　the　very　moment　when　the　frost　came。　and　　where　the　water　had　been　trickling　over　and　spurting　through　the　dam　there　was　now　a　　glittering　wall　of　icicles；　as　if　the　side　of　the　dam　had　been　covered　all　over　with　　flowers　and　wreaths　and　festoons　of　the　purest　sugar。　and　out　in　the　middle；　and　partly　　on　top　of　the　dam　was　a　funny　little　house　shaped　rather　like　an　enormous　beehive　and　　from　a　hole　in　the　roof　smoke　was　going　up；　so　that　when　you　saw　it　｛especially　if　you　　were　hungry）　you　at　once　thought　of　cooking　and　became　hungrier　than　you　were　before。

that　was　what　the　others　chiefly　noticed；　but　edmund　noticed　something　　else。　a　little　lower　down　the　river　there　was　another　small　river　which　came　down　another　　small　valley　to　join　it。　and　looking　up　that　valley；　edmund　could　see　two　small　　hills；　and　he　was　almost　sure　they　were　the　two　hills　which　the　white　witch　had　pointed　　out　to　him　when　he　parted　from　her　at　the　lamp…post　that　other　day。　and　then　between　　them；　he　thought；　must　be　her　palace；　only　a　mile　off　or　less。　and　he　thought　about　　turkish　delight　and　about　being　a　king　（〃and　i　wonder　how　peter　will　like　that？〃　he　　asked　himself）　and　horrible　ideas　came　into　his　head。

〃here　we　are；〃　said　mr　beaver；　〃and　it　looks　as　if　mrs　beaver　is　expecting　　us。　ill　lead　the　way。　but　be　careful　and　dont　slip。”

the　top　of　the　dam　was　wide　enough　to　walk　on；　though　not　（for　humans）　a　　very　nice　place　to　walk　because　it　was　covered　with　ice；　and　though　the　frozen　pool　　was　level　with　it　on　one　side；　there　was　a　nasty　drop　to　the　lower　river　on　the　other。　　along　this　route　mr　beaver　led　them　in　single　file　right　out　to　the　middle　where　they　could　　look　a　long　way　up　the　river　and　a　long　way　down　it。　and　when　they　had　reached　the　middle　　they　were　at　the　door　of　the　house。

〃here　we　are；　mrs　beaver；〃　said　mr　beaver；　〃ive　found　them。　here　are　the　　sons　and　daughters　of　adam　and　eve…　and　they　all　went　in。

the　first　thing　lucy　noticed　as　she　went　in　was　a　burring　sound；　and　the　　first　thing　she　saw　was　a　kindlooking　old　she…beaver　sitting　in　the　corner　with　a　thread　in　　her　mouth　working　busily　at　her　sewing　machine；　and　it　was　from　it　that　the　sound　　came。　she　stopped　her　work　and　got　up　as　soon　as　the　children　came　in。

〃so　youve　e　at　last！〃　she　said；　holding　out　both　her　wrinkled　old　paws。　　〃at　last！　to　think　that　ever　i　should　live　to　see　this　day！　the　potatoes　are　on　boiling　　and　the　kettles　singing　and　i　daresay；　mr　beaver；　youll　get　us　some　fish。”

〃that　i　will；〃　said　mr　beaver；　and　he　went　out　of　the　house　（peter　went　　with　him）；　and　across　the　ice　of　the　deep　pool　to　where　he　had　a　little　hole　in　the　ice　　which　he　kept　open　every　day　with　his　hatchet。　they　took　a　pail　with　them。　mr　beaver　sat　down　　quietly　at　the　edge　of　the　hole　（he　didnt　seem　to　mind　it　being　so　chilly）；　looked　hard　　into　it；　then　suddenly　shot　in　his　paw；　and　before　you　could　say　jack　robinson　had　　whisked　out　a　beautiful　trout。　then　he　did　it　all　over　again　until　the