The Lion, the Witch and the War- 第10部分

〃whats　that　to　do　with　it？〃　asked　peter。

〃because　of　another　prophecy；〃　said　mr　beaver。　〃down　at　cair　paravel　…　　thats　the　castle　on　the　sea　coast　down　at　the　mouth　of　this　river　which　ought　to　be　the　　capital　of　the　whole　country　if　all　was　as　it　should　be　…　down　at　cair　paravel　there　are　　four　thrones　and　its　a　saying　in　narnia　time　out　of　mind　that　when　two　sons　of　adam　and　two　　daughters　of　eve　sit　in　those　four　thrones；　then　it　will　be　the　end　not　only　of　the　　white　witchs　reign　but　of　her　life；　and　that　is　why　we　had　to　be　so　cautious　as　we　came　along；　　for　if　she　knew　about　you　four；　your　lives　wouldnt　be　worth　a　shake　of　my　whiskers！”

all　the　children　had　been　attending　so　hard　to　what　mr　beaver　was　telling　　them　that　they　had　noticed　nothing　else　for　a　long　time。　then　during　the　moment　of　silence　　that　followed　his　last　remark；　lucy　suddenly　said：　　〃i　say…wheres　edmund？”

there　was　a　dreadful　pause；　and　then　everyone　began　asking　〃who　saw　him　　last？　how　long　has　he　been　missing？　is　he　outside？　and　then　all　rushed　to　the　door　　and　looked　out。

the　snow　was　falling　thickly　and　steadily；　the　green　ice　of　the　pool　had　　vanished　under　a　thick　white　blanket；　and　from　where　the　little　house　stood　in　the　centre　of　　the　dam　you　could　hardly　see　either　bank。　out　they　went；　plunging　well　over　their　　ankles　into　the　soft　new　snow；　and　went　round　the　house　in　every　direction。　〃edmund！　edmund！〃　　they　called　till　they　were　hoarse。　but　the　silently　falling　snow　seemed　to　muffle　their　　voices　and　there　was　not　even　an　echo　in　answer。

〃how　perfectly　dreadful！〃　said　susan　as　they　at　last　came　back　in　despair。　　〃oh；　how　i　wish　wed　never　e。”

〃what　on　earth　are　we　to　do；　mr　beaver？〃　said　peter。

〃do？〃　said　mr　beaver；　who　was　already　putting　on　his　snow…boots；　〃do？　we　　must　be　off　at　once。　we　havent　a　moment　to　spare！”

〃wed　better　divide　into　four　search　parties；〃　said　peter；　〃and　all　go　in　　different　directions。　whoever　finds　him　must　e　back　here　at　once　and…”

〃search　parties；　son　of　adam？〃　said　mr　beaver；　〃what　for？”

〃why；　to　look　for　edmund；　of　course！”

〃theres　no　point　in　looking　for　him；〃　said　mr　beaver。

〃what　do　you　mean？〃　said　susan。　〃he　cant　be　far　away　yet。　and　weve　got　to　　find　him。

what　do　you　mean　when　you　say　theres　no　use　looking　for　him？”

〃the　reason　theres　no　use　looking；〃　said　mr　beaver；　〃is　that　we　know　　already　where　hes　gone！〃　everyone　stared　in　amazement。　〃dont　you　understand？〃　said　mr　　beaver。　〃hes　gone　to　her；　to　the　white　witch。　he　has　betrayed　us　all。”

〃oh；　surely…oh；　really！〃　said　susan；　〃he　cant　have　done　that。”

〃cant　he？〃　said　mr　beaver；　looking　very　hard　at　the　three　children；　and　　everything　they　wanted　to　say　died　on　their　lips；　for　each　felt　suddenly　quite　certain　　inside　that　this　was　exactly　what　edmund　had　done。

〃but　will　he　know　the　way？〃　said　peter。

〃has　he　been　in　this　country　before？〃　asked　mr　beaver。　〃has　he　ever　been　　here　alone？”

〃yes；〃　said　lucy；　almost　in　a　whisper。　〃im　afraid　he　has。”

〃and　did　he　tell　you　what　hed　done　or　who　hed　met？”

〃well；　no；　he　didnt；〃　said　lucy。

〃then　mark　my　words；〃　said　mr　beaver；　〃he　has　already　met　the　white　witch　　and　joined　her　side；　and　been　told　where　she　lives。　i　didnt　like　to　mention　it　before　　（he　being　your　brother　and　all）　but　the　moment　i　set　eyes　on　that　brother　of　yours　i　said　　to　myself　‘treacherous。　he　had　the　look　of　one　who　has　been　with　the　witch　and　eaten　　her　food。

you　can　always　tell　them　if　youve　lived　long　in　narnia；　something　about　　their　eyes。”

〃all　the　same；〃　said　peter　in　a　rather　choking　sort　of　voice；　〃well　still　　have　to　go　and　look　for　him。　he　is　our　brother　after　all；　even　if　he　is　rather　a　little　　beast。　and　hes　only　a　kid。”

〃go　to　the　witchs　house？〃　said　mrs　beaver。　〃dont　you　see　that　the　only　　chance　of　saving　either　him　or　yourselves　is　to　keep　away　from　her？”

〃how　do　you　mean？〃　said　lucy。

〃why；　all　she　wants　is　to　get　all　four　of　you　（shes　thinking　all　the　time　　of　those　four　thrones　at　cair　paravel）。　once　you　were　all　four　inside　her　house　her　job　　would　be　done　…　and　thered　be　four　new　statues　in　her　collection　before　youd　had　time　to　　speak。　but　shell　keep　him　alive　as　long　as　hes　the　only　one　shes　got；　because　shell　want　　to　use　him　as　a　decoy；　as　bait　to　catch　the　rest　of　you　with。”

〃oh；　can　no　one　help　us？〃　wailed　lucy。

〃only　aslan；〃　said　mr　beaver；　〃we　must　go　on　and　meet　him。　thats　our　only　　chance　now。”

〃it　seems　to　me；　my　dears；〃　said　mrs　beaver；　〃that　it　is　very　important　to　　know　just　when　he　slipped　away。　how　much　he　can　tell　her　depends　on　how　much　he　heard。　for　　instance；　had　we　started　talking　of　aslan　before　he　left？　if　not；　then　we　may　do　very　　well；　for　she　wont　know　that　aslan　has　e　to　narnia；　or　that　we　are　meeting　him；　and　　will　be　quite　off　her　guard　as　far　as　that　is　concerned。”

〃i　dont　remember　his　being　here　when　we　were　talking　about　aslan　…〃　began　　peter；　but　lucy　interrupted　him。

〃oh　yes；　he　was；〃　she　said　miserably；　〃dont　you　remember；　it　was　he　who　　asked　whether　the　witch　couldnt　turn　aslan　into　stone　too？”

〃so　he　did；　by　jove；〃　said　peter；　〃just　the　sort　of　thing　he　would　say；　　too！”

〃worse　and　worse；〃　said　mr　beaver；　〃and　the　next　thing　is　this。　was　he　　still　here　when　i　told　you　that　the　place　for　meeting　aslan　was　the　stone　table？”

and　of　course　no　one　knew　the　answer　to　this　question。

〃because；　if　he　was；〃　continued　mr　beaver；　〃then　shell　simply　sledge　down　　in　that　direction　and　get　between　us　and　the　stone　table　and　catch　us　on　our　way　　down。　in　fact　we　shall　be　cut　off　from　aslan。　“

〃but　that　isnt　what　shell　do　first；〃　said　mrs　beaver；　〃not　if　i　know　her。　　the　moment　that　edmund　tells　her　that　were　all　here　shell　set　out　to　catch　us　this　very　　night；　and　if　hes　been　gone　about　half　an　hour；　shell　be　here　in　about　another　twenty　　minutes。”

〃youre　right；　mrs　beaver；〃　said　her　husband；　〃we　must　all　get　away　from　　here。　theres　not　a　moment　to　lose。”

。。



CHAPTER　NINE

@小‘说〃网
in　the　witchs　house　　and　now　of　course　you　want　to　know　what　had　happened　to　edmund。　he　had　　eaten　his　share　of　the　dinner；　but　he　hadnt　really　enjoyed　it　because　he　was　　thinking　all　the　time　about　turkish　delight　…　and　theres　nothing　that　spoils　the　taste　of　good　　ordinary　food　half　so　much　as　the　memory　of　bad　magic　food。　and　he　had　heard　the　conversation；　　and　hadnt　enjoyed　it　much　either；　because　he　kept　on　thinking　that　the　others　　were　taking　no　notice　of　him　and　trying　to　give　him　the　cold　shoulder。　they　werent；　but　　he　imagined　it。

and　then　he　had　listened　until　mr　beaver　told　them　about　aslan　and　until　he　　had　heard　the　whole　arrangement　for　meeting　aslan　at　the　stone　table。　it　was　then　　that　he　began　very　quietly　to　edge　himself　under　the　curtain　which　hung　over　the　door。　　for　the　mention　　

of　aslan　gave　him　a　mysterious　and　horrible　feeling　just　as　it　gave　the　　others　a　mysterious　and　lovely　feeling。

just　as　mr　beaver　had　been　repeating　the　rhyme　about　adams　flesh　and　　adams　bone　edmund　had　been　very　quietly　turning　the　doorhandle；　and　just　before　mr　　beaver　had　begun　telling　them　that　the　white　witch　wasnt　really　human　at　all　but　half　　a　jinn　and　half　a　giantess；　edmund　had　got　outside　into　the　snow　and　cautiously　closed　　the　door　behind　him。

you　mustnt　think　that　even　now　edmund　was　quite　so　bad　that　he　actually　　wanted　his　brother　and　sisters　to　be　turned　into　stone。　he　did　want　turkish　delight　　and　to　be　a　prince　（and　later　a　king）　and　to　pay　peter　out　for　calling　him　a　beast。　as　for　　what　the　witch　would　do　with　the　others；　he　didnt　want　her　to　be　particularly　nice　to　　them　…　certainly　not　to　put　them　on　the　same　level　as　himself；　but　he　managed　to　believe；　or　to　　pretend　he　believed；　that　she　wouldnt　do　anything　very　bad　to　them；　〃because；〃　he　　said　to　himself；　〃all　these　people　who　say　nasty　things　about　her　are　her　enemies　and　　probably　half　of　it　isnt　true。　she　was　jolly　nice　to　me；　anyway；　much　nicer　than　they　are。　i　　expect　she　is　the　rightful　queen　really。　anyway；　shell　be　better　than　that　awful　aslan！〃　at　　least；　that　was　the　excuse　he　made　in　his　own　mind　for　what　he　was　doing。　it　wasnt　a　very　　good　excuse；　however；　for　deep　down　inside　him　he　really　knew　that　the　white　witch　was　　bad　and　cruel。

the　first　thing　he　realized　when　he　got　outside　and　found　the　snow　falling　　all　round　him；　was　that　he　had　left　his　coat　behind　in　the　beavers　house。　and　of　course　　there　was　no　chance　of　going　back　to　get　it　now。　the　next　thing　he　realized　was　that　the　　daylight　was　almost　gone；　for　it　had　been　nearly　three　oclock　when　they　sat　down　to　　dinner　and　the　winter　days　were　short。　he　hadnt　reckoned　on　this；　but　he　had　to　make　the　　best　of　it。　so　he　turned　up　his　collar　and　shuffled　across　the　top　of　the　dam　（luckily　it　　wasnt　so　slippery　since　the　snow　had　fallen）　to　the　far　side　of　the　river。

it　was　pretty　bad　when　he　reached　the　far　side。　it　was　growing　darker　every　　minute　and　what　with　that　and　the　snowflakes　swirling　all　round　him　he　could　hardly　　see　three　feet　ahead。　and　then　too　there　was　no　road。　he　kept　slipping　into　deep　drifts　of　　snow；　and　skidding　on　frozen　puddles；　and　tripping　over　fallen　tree…trunks；　and　　sliding　down　steep　banks；　and　barking　h