the lion, the witch and the war_c·s·刘易斯- 第21部分

〃now！〃　she　said；　〃we　have　no　table　…　let　me　see。　we　had　better　put　it　　against　the　trunk　of　a　tree。鈥�

edmund　found　himself　being　roughly　forced　to　his　feet。　then　the　dwarf　set　　him　with　his　back　against　a　tree　and　bound　him　fast。　he　saw　the　witch　take　off　her　outer　　mantle。　her　arms　were　bare　underneath　it　and　terribly　white。　because　they　were　so　very　　white　he　could　see　them；　but　he　could　not　see　much　else；　it　was　so　dark　in　this　　valley　under　the　dark　trees。

〃prepare　the　victim；〃；　said　the　witch。　and　the　dwarf　undid　edmunds　collar　　and　folded　back　his　shirt　at　the　neck。　then　he　took　edmunds　hair　and　pulled　his　head　　back　so　that　he　had　to　raise　his　chin。　after　that　edmund　heard　a　strange　noise　…　whizz　　whizz　…　whizz。　for　a　moment　he　couldnt　think　what　it　was。　then　he　realized。　it　was　the　sound　　of　a　knife　being　sharpened。

at　that　very　moment　he　heard　loud　shouts　from　every　direction　…　a　drumming　　of　hoofs　and　a　beating　of　wings　…　a　scream　from　the　witch　…　confusion　all　round　him。　　and　then　he　found　he　was　being　untied。　strong　arms　were　round　him　and　he　heard　big；　　kind　voices　saying　things　like　…　　〃let　him　lie　down　…　give　him　some　wine　…　drink　this　…　steady　now　…　youll　　be　all　right　in　a　minute。鈥�

then　he　heard　the　voices　of　people　who　were　not　talking　to　him　but　to　one　　another。　and　they　were　saying　things　like　〃whos　got　the　witch？〃　〃i　thought　you　had　　her。〃　〃i　didnt　see　her　after　i　knocked　the　knife　out　of　her　hand　…　i　was　after　the　dwarf　…　do　　you　mean　to　say　shes　escaped？〃　〃…　a　chap　cant　mind　everything　at　once　…　whats　that？　oh；　　sorry；　its　only　an　old　stump！〃　but　just　at　this　point　edmund　went　off　in　a　dead　faint。

presently　the　centaurs　and　unicorns　and　deer　and　birds　（they　were　of　course　　the　rescue　party　which　aslan　had　sent　in　the　last　chapter）　all　set　off　to　go　back　to　　the　stone　table；　carrying　edmund　with　them。　but　if　they　could　have　seen　what　happened　in　　that　valley　after　they　had　gone；　i　think　they　might　have　been　surprised。

it　was　perfectly　still　and　presently　the　moon　grew　bright；　if　you　had　been　　there　you　would　have　seen　the　moonlight　shining　on　an　old　tree…stump　and　on　a　fairsized　　boulder。　but　if　you　had　gone　on　looking　you　would　gradually　have　begun　to　think　there　was　　something　odd　about　both　the　stump　and　the　boulder。　and　next　you　would　have　thought　　that　the　stump　did　look　really　remarkably　like　a　little　fat　man　crouching　on　the　　ground。　and　if　you　had　watched　long　enough　you　would　have　seen　the　stump　walk　across　to　　the　boulder　and　the　boulder　sit　up　and　begin　talking　to　the　stump；　for　in　reality　the　　stump　and　the　boulder　were　simply　the　witch　and　the　dwarf。　for　it　was　part　of　her　magic　　that　she　could　make　things　look　like　what　they　arent；　and　she　had　the　presence　of　mind　to　　do　so　at　the　very　moment　when　the　knife　was　knocked　out　of　her　hand。　she　had　kept　hold　　of　her　wand；　so　it　had　been　kept　safe；　too。

when　the　other　children　woke　up　next　morning　（they　had　been　sleeping　on　　piles　of　cushions　in　the　pavilion）　the　first　thing　they　heard　…from　mrs　beaver　…　was　　that　their　brother　had　been　rescued　and　brought　into　camp　late　last　night；　and　was　at　　that　moment　with　aslan。　as　soon　as　they　had　breakfasted4　they　all　went　out；　and　there　　they　saw　aslan　and　edmund　walking　together　in　the　dewy　grass；　apart　from　the　rest　of　the　　court。　there　is　no　need　to　tell　you　（and　no　one　ever　heard）　what　aslan　was　saying；　but　it　　was　a　conversation　which　edmund　never　forgot。　as　the　others　drew　nearer　aslan　　turned　to　meet　them；　bringing　edmund　with　him。

〃here　is　your　brother；〃　he　said；　〃and　…　there　is　no　need　to　talk　to　him　　about　what　is　past。鈥�

edmund　shook　hands　with　each　of　the　others　and　said　to　each　of　them　in　　turn；　〃im　sorry；〃　and　everyone　said；　〃thats　all　right。〃　and　then　everyone　wanted　　very　hard　to　say　something　which　would　make　it　quite　clear　that　they　were　all　friends　with　　him　again　…something　ordinary　and　natural　…and　of　course　no　one　could　think　of　　anything　in　the　world　to　say。　but　before　they　had　time　to　feel　really　awkward　one　of　the　　leopards　approached　aslan　and　said；　　〃sire；　there　is　a　messenger　from　the　enemy　who　craves　audience。鈥�

〃let　him　approach；〃　said　aslan。

the　leopard　went　away　and　soon　returned　leading　the　witchs　dwarf。

〃what　is　your　message；　son　of　earth？〃　asked　aslan。

〃the　queen　of　narnia　and　empress　of　the　lone　islands　desires　a　safe　conduct　　to　e　and　speak　with　you；〃　said　the　dwarf；　〃on　a　matter　which　is　as　much　to　your　　advantage　as　to　hers。鈥�

〃queen　of　narnia；　indeed！〃　said　mr　beaver。　〃of　all　the　cheek　…鈥�

〃peace；　beaver；〃　said　aslan。　〃all　names　will　soon　be　restored　to　their　　proper　owners。　in　the　meantime　we　will　not　dispute　about　them。　tell　your　mistress；　son　of　　earth；　that　i　grant　her　safe　conduct　on　condition　that　she　leaves　her　wand　behind　her　at　　that　great　oak。鈥�

this　was　agreed　to　and　two　leopards　went　back　with　the　dwarf　to　see　that　　the　conditions　were　properly　carried　out。　〃but　supposing　she　turns　the　two　leopards　into　　stone？鈥�

whispered　lucy　to　peter。　i　think　the　same　idea　had　occurred　to　the　leopards　　themselves；　at　any　rate；　as　they　walked　off　their　fur　was　all　standing　up　on　their　　backs　and　their　tails　were　bristling　…　like　a　cats　when　it　sees　a　strange　dog。

〃itll　be　all　right；〃　whispered　peter　in　reply。　〃he　wouldnt　send　them　if　　it　werent。鈥�

a　few　minutes　later　the　witch　herself　walked　out　on　to　the　top　of　the　hill　　and　came　straight　across　and　stood　before　aslan。　the　three　children　who　had　not　seen　　her　before　　

felt　shudders　running　down　their　backs　at　the　sight　of　her　face；　and　there　　were　low　growls　among　all　the　animals　present。　though　it　was　bright　sunshine　everyone　felt　　suddenly　cold。　the　only　two　people　present　who　seemed　to　be　quite　at　their　ease　were　　aslan　and　the　witch　herself。　it　was　the　oddest　thing　to　see　those　two　faces　…　the　　golden　face　and　the　dead…white　face　so　close　together。　not　that　the　witch　looked　aslan　exactly　　in　his　eyes；　mrs　beaver　particularly　noticed　this。

〃you　have　a　traitor　there；　aslan；〃　said　the　witch。　of　course　everyone　　present　knew　that　she　meant　edmund。　but　edmund　had　got　past　thinking　about　himself　after　all　　hed　been　through　and　after　the　talk　hed　had　that　morning。　he　just　went　on　looking　　at　aslan。　it　didnt　seem　to　matter　what　the　witch　said。

〃well；〃　said　aslan。　〃his　offence　was　not　against　you。鈥�

〃have　you　forgotten　the　deep　magic？〃　asked　the　witch。

〃let　us　say　i　have　forgotten　it；〃　answered　aslan　gravely。　〃tell　us　of　this　　deep　magic。鈥�

〃tell　you？〃　said　the　witch；　her　voice　growing　suddenly　shriller。　〃tell　you　　what　is　written　on　that　very　table　of　stone　which　stands　beside　us？　tell　you　what　is　　written　in　letters　deep　as　a　spear　is　long　on　the　firestones　on　the　secret　hill？　tell　you　what　　is　engraved　on　the　sceptre　of　the　emperor…beyond…the…sea？　you　at　least　know　the　magic　　which　the　emperor　put　into　narnia　at　the　very　beginning。　you　know　that　every　traitor　　belongs　to　me　as　my　lawful　prey　and　that　for　every　treachery　i　have　a　right　to　a　kill。鈥�

〃oh；〃　said　mr　beaver。　〃so　thats　how　you　came　to　imagine　yourself　a　queen　…　　because　you　were　the　emperors　hangman。　i　see。鈥�

〃peace；　beaver；〃　said　aslan；　with　a　very　low　growl。　〃and　so；