ney； but edmund was saying to himself； 〃ill pay you all out for this； you pack of stuck…up； selfsatisfied prigs。鈥�
〃where are we going anyway？〃 said susan； chiefly for the sake of changing the subject。
〃i think lu ought to be the leader；〃 said peter； 〃goodness knows she deserves it。 where will you take us； lu？鈥�
〃what about going to see mr tumnus？〃 said lucy。 〃hes the nice faun i told you about。鈥�
everyone agreed to this and off they went walking briskly and stamping their feet。 lucy proved a good leader。 at first she wondered whether she would be able to find the way； but she recognized an oddlooking tree on one place and a stump in another and brought them on to where the ground became uneven and into the little valley and at last to the very door of mr tumnuss cave。 but there a terrible surprise awaited them。
the door had been wrenched off its hinges and broken to bits。 inside； the cave was dark and cold and had the damp feel and smell of a place that had not been lived in for several days。 snow had drifted in from the doorway and was heaped on the floor； mixed with something black； which turned out to be the charred sticks and ashes from the fire。
someone had apparently flung it about the room and then stamped it out。 the crockery lay smashed on the floor and the picture of the fauns father had been slashed into shreds with a knife。
〃this is a pretty good wash…out；〃 said edmund； 〃not much good ing here。鈥�
〃what is this？〃 said peter； stooping down。 he had just noticed a piece of paper which had been nailed through the carpet to the floor。
〃is there anything written on it？〃 asked susan。
〃yes； i think there is；〃 answered peter； 〃but i cant read it in this light。 lets get out into the open air。鈥�
they all went out in the daylight and crowded round peter as he read out the following words： the former occupant of these premises； the faun tumnus； is under arrest and awaiting his trial on a charge of high treason against her imperial majesty jadis； queen of narnia； chatelaine of cair paravel； empress of the lone islands； etc。； also of forting her said majestys enemies； harbouring spies and fraternizing with humans。
signed maugrim； captain of the secret police； long live the queen the children stared at each other。
〃i dont know that im going to like this place after all；〃 said susan。
〃who is this queen； lu？〃 said peter。 〃do you know anything about her？鈥�
〃she isnt a real queen at all；〃 answered lucy； 〃shes a horrible witch； the white witch。
everyone all the wood people … hate her。 she has made an enchantment over the whole country so that it is always winter here and never christmas。鈥�
〃i … i wonder if theres any point in going on；〃 said susan。 〃i mean； it doesnt seem particularly safe here and it looks as if it wont be much fun either。 and its getting colder every minute； and weve brought nothing to eat。 what about just going home？鈥�
〃oh； but we cant； we cant；〃 said lucy suddenly； 〃dont you see？ we cant just go home； not after this。 it is all on my account that the poor faun has got into this trouble。 he hid me from the witch and showed me the way back。 thats what it means by forting the queens enemies and fraternizing with humans。 we simply must try to rescue him。鈥�
〃a lot we could do！ said edmund； 〃when we havent even got anything to eat！鈥�
〃shut up … you！〃 said peter； who was still very angry with edmund。 〃what do you think； susan？鈥�
〃ive a horrid feeling that lu is right；〃 said susan。 〃i dont want to go a step further and i wish wed never e。 but i think we must try to do something for mr whatever…his…name is … i mean the faun。鈥�
〃thats what i feel too；〃 said peter。 〃im worried about having no food with us。 id vote for going back and getting something from the larder； only there doesnt seem to be any certainty of getting into this country again when once youve got out of it。 i think well have to go on。鈥�
〃so do i；〃 said both the girls。
〃if only we knew where the poor chap was imprisoned！〃 said peter。
they were all still wondering what to do next； when lucy said； 〃look！ theres a robin； with such a red breast。 its the first bird ive seen here。 i say！ … i wonder can birds talk in narnia？ it almost looks as if it wanted to say something to us。〃 then she turned to the robin and said； 〃please； can you tell us where tumnus the faun has been taken to？〃 as she said this she took a step towards the bird。 it at once flew away but only as far as to the next tree。 there it perched and looked at them very hard as if it understood all they had been saying。 almost without noticing that they had done so； the four children went a step or two nearer to it。 at this the robin flew away again to the next tree and once more looked at them very hard。 （you couldnt have found a robin with a redder chest or a brighter eye。） 〃do you know；〃 said lucy； 〃i really believe he means us to follow him。鈥�
〃ive an idea he does；〃 said susan。 〃what do you think； peter？鈥�
〃well； we might as well try it；〃 answered peter。
the robin appeared to understand the matter thoroughly。 it kept going from tree to tree； always a few yards ahead of them； but always so near that they could easily follow it。 in this way it led them on； slightly downhill。 wherever the robin alighted a little shower of snow would fall off the branch。 presently the clouds parted overhead and the winter sun came out and the snow all around them grew dazzlingly bright。 they had been travelling in this way for about half an hour； with the two girls in front； when edmund said to peter； 〃if youre not still too high and mighty to talk to me； ive something to say which youd better listen to。鈥�
〃what is it？〃 asked peter。
〃hush！ not so loud；〃 said edmund； 〃theres no good frightening the girls。 but have you realized what were doing？鈥�
〃what？〃 said peter； lowering his voice to a whisper。
〃were following a guide we know nothing about。 how do we know which side that bird is on？ why shouldnt it be leading us into a trap？鈥�
〃thats a nasty idea。 still … a robin； you know。 theyre good birds in all the stories ive ever read。 im sure a robin wouldnt be on the wrong side。鈥�
〃it if es to that； which is the right side？ how do we know that the fauns are in the right and the queen （yes； i know weve been told shes a witch） is in the wrong？ we dont really know anything about either。鈥�
〃the faun saved lucy。鈥�
〃he said he did。 but how do we know？ and theres another thing too。 has anyone the least idea of the way home from here？鈥�
〃great scott！〃 said peter； 〃i hadnt thought of that。鈥�
〃and no chance of dinner either；〃 said edmund。
w锛穡銆倄iaoshuo txt锛�
CHAPTER SEVEN
a day with the beavers
while the two boys were whispering behind； both the girls suddenly cried 〃oh！〃 and stopped。
〃the robin！〃 cried lucy； 〃the robin。 its flown away。〃 and so it had … right out of sight。
〃and now what are we to do？〃 said edmund； giving peter a look which was as much as to say 〃what did i tell you？鈥�
〃sh！ look！〃 said susan。
〃what？〃 said peter。
〃theres something moving among the trees over there to the left。鈥�
they all