The Lion, the Witch and the War- 第4部分

〃i　say；　lu！　im　sorry　i　didnt　believe　you。　i　see　now　you　were　right　all　　along。　do　e　out。　make　it　pax。”

still　there　was　no　answer。

〃just　like　a　girl；〃　said　edmund　to　himself；　〃sulking　somewhere；　and　wont　　accept　an　apology。〃　he　looked　round　him　again　and　decided　he　did　not　much　like　this　　place；　and　had　almost　made　up　his　mind　to　go　home；　when　he　heard；　very　far　off　in　the　　wood；　a　sound　of　bells。　he　listened　and　the　sound　came　nearer　and　nearer　and　at　　last　there　swept　into　sight　a　sledge　drawn　by　two　reindeer。

the　reindeer　were　about　the　size　of　shetland　ponies　and　their　hair　was　so　　white　that　even　the　snow　hardly　looked　white　pared　with　them；　their　branching　horns　were　　gilded　and　shone　like　something　on　fire　when　the　sunrise　caught　them。　their　　harness　was　of　scarlet　leather　and　covered　with　bells。　on　the　sledge；　driving　the　　reindeer；　sat　a　fat　dwarf　who　would　have　been　about　three　feet　high　if　he　had　been　standing。　he　was　　dressed　in　polar　bears　fur　and　on　his　head　he　wore　a　red　hood　with　a　long　gold　tassel　　hanging　down　from　its　point；　his　huge　beard　covered　his　knees　and　served　him　instead　of　　a　rug。　but　behind　him；　on　a　much　higher　seat　in　the　middle　of　the　sledge　sat　a　very　　different　person　…　a　great　lady；　taller　than　any　woman　that　edmund　had　ever　seen。　she　also　was　　covered　in　white　fur　up　to　her　throat　and　held　a　long　straight　golden　wand　in　her　　right　hand　and　wore　a　golden　crown　on　her　head。　her　face　was　white　…　not　merely　pale；　but　white　　like　snow　or　paper　or　icing…sugar；　except　for　her　very　red　mouth。　it　was　a　beautiful　　face　in　other　respects；　but　proud　and　cold　and　stern。

the　sledge　was　a　fine　sight　as　it　came　sweeping　towards　edmund　with　the　　bells　jingling　and　the　dwarf　cracking　his　whip　and　the　snow　flying　up　on　each　side　of　it。

〃stop！〃　said　the　lady；　and　the　dwarf　pulled　the　reindeer　up　so　sharp　that　　they　almost　sat　down。　then　they　recovered　themselves　and　stood　champing　their　bits　and　　blowing。　in　the　frosty　air　the　breath　ing　out　of　their　nostrils　looked　like　smoke。

〃and　what；　pray；　are　you？〃　said　the　lady；　looking　hard　at　edmund。

〃im…im…my　names　edmund；〃　said　edmund　rather　awkwardly。　he　did　not　like　　the　way　she　looked　at　him。

the　lady　frowned；　〃is　that　how　you　address　a　queen？〃　she　asked；　looking　　sterner　than　ever。

〃i　beg　your　pardon；　your　majesty；　i　didnt　know；〃　said　edmund：　　〃not　know　the　queen　of　narnia？〃　cried　she。　〃ha！　you　shall　know　us　better　　hereafter。　but　i　repeat…what　are　you？”

〃please；　your　majesty；〃　said　edmund；　〃i　dont　know　what　you　mean。　im　at　　school　…　at　least　i　was　its　the　holidays　now。”

/d/



CHAPTER　FOUR

。^生。网
turkish　delight　　〃but　what　are　you？〃　said　the　queen　again。　〃are　you　a　great　overgrown　dwarf　　that　has　cut　off　its　beard？”

〃no；　your　majesty；〃　said　edmund；　〃i　never　had　a　beard；　im　a　boy。”

〃a　boy！〃　said　she。　〃do　you　mean　you　are　a　son　of　adam？”

edmund　stood　still；　saying　nothing。　he　was　too　confused　by　this　time　to　　understand　what　the　question　meant。

〃i　see　you　are　an　idiot；　whatever　else　you　may　be；〃　said　the　queen。　〃answer　　me；　once　and　for　all；　or　i　shall　lose　my　patience。　are　you　human？”

〃yes；　your　majesty；〃　said　edmund。

〃and　how；　pray；　did　you　e　to　enter　my　dominions？”

〃please；　your　majesty；　i　came　in　through　a　wardrobe。”

〃a　wardrobe？　what　do　you　mean？”

〃i　…　i　opened　a　door　and　just　found　myself　here；　your　majesty；〃　said　　edmund。

〃ha！〃　said　the　queen；　speaking　more　to　herself　than　to　him。　〃a　door。　a　door　　from　the　world　of　men！　i　have　heard　of　such　things。　this　may　wreck　all。　but　he　is　　only　one；　and　he　is　easily　dealt　with。〃　as　she　spoke　these　words　she　rose　from　her　seat　and　　looked　edmund　full　in　the　face；　her　eyes　flaming；　at　the　same　moment　she　raised　her　wand。　　edmund　felt　sure　that　she　was　going　to　do　something　dreadful　but　he　seemed　unable　to　　move。　then；　just　as　he　gave　himself　up　for　lost；　she　appeared　to　change　her　mind。

〃my　poor　child；〃　she　said　in　quite　a　different　voice；　〃how　cold　you　look！　　e　and　sit　with　me　here　on　the　sledge　and　i　will　put　my　mantle　round　you　and　we　will　　talk。”

edmund　did　not　like　this　arrangement　at　all　but　he　dared　not　disobey；　he　　stepped　on　to　the　sledge　and　sat　at　her　feet；　and　she　put　a　fold　of　her　fur　mantle　round　him　　and　tucked　it　well　in。

〃perhaps　something　hot　to　drink？〃　said　the　queen。　〃should　you　like　that？”

〃yes　please；　your　majesty；〃　said　edmund；　whose　teeth　were　chattering。

the　queen　took　from　somewhere　among　her　wrappings　a　very　small　bottle　which　　looked　as　if　it　were　made　of　copper。　then；　holding　out　her　arm；　she　let　one　drop　　fall　from　it　on　the　snow　beside　the　sledge。　edmund　saw　the　drop　for　a　second　in　mid…air；　　shining　like　a　diamond。　but　the　moment　it　touched　the　snow　there　was　a　hissing　sound　and　　there　stood　a　jewelled　cup　full　of　something　that　steamed。　the　dwarf　immediately　took　　this　and　handed　it　to　edmund　with　a　bow　and　a　smile；　not　a　very　nice　smile。　edmund　　felt　much　better　as　he　began　to　sip　the　hot　drink。　it　was　something　he　had　never　　tasted　before；　very　sweet　and　foamy　and　creamy；　and　it　warmed　him　right　down　to　his　toes。

〃it　is　dull；　son　of　adam；　to　drink　without　eating；〃　said　the　queen　　presently。　〃what　would　you　like　best　to　eat？”

〃turkish　delight；　please；　your　majesty；〃　said　edmund。

the　queen　let　another　drop　fall　from　her　bottle　on　to　the　snow；　and　　instantly　there　appeared　a　round　box；　tied　with　green　silk　ribbon；　which；　when　opened；　　turned　out　to　contain　several　pounds　of　the　best　turkish　delight。　each　piece　was　sweet　　and　light　to　the　very　centre　and　edmund　had　never　tasted　anything　more　delicious。　he　was　　quite　warm　now；　and　very　fortable。

while　he　was　eating　the　queen　kept　asking　him　questions。　at　first　edmund　　tried　to　remember　that　it　is　rude　to　speak　with　ones　mouth　full；　but　soon　he　forgot　　about　this　and　thought　only　of　trying　to　shovel　down　as　much　turkish　delight　as　he　could；　　and　the　more　he　ate　the　more　he　wanted　to　eat；　and　he　never　asked　himself　why　the　queen　　should　be　so　inquisitive。　she　got　him　to　tell　her　that　he　had　one　brother　and　two　　sisters；　and　that　one　of　his　sisters　had　already　been　in　narnia　and　had　met　a　faun　there；　and　that　　no　one　except　himself　and　his　brother　and　his　sisters　knew　anything　about　narnia。　she　　seemed　especially　interested　in　the　fact　that　there　were　four　of　them；　and　kept　on　　ing　back　to　it。　〃you　are　sure　there　are　just　four　of　you？〃　she　asked。　〃two　sons　of　adam　　and　two　daughters　of　eve；　neither　more　nor　less？〃　and　edmund；　with　his　mouth　full　　of　turkish　delight；　kept　on　saying；　〃yes；　i　told　you　that　before；〃　and　forgetting　to　　call　her　〃your　majesty〃；　but　she　didnt　seem　to　mind　now。

at　last　the　turkish　delight　was　all　finished　and　edmund　was　looking　very　　hard　at　the　empty　box　and　wishing　that　she　would　ask　him　whether　he　would　like　some　　more。

probably　the　queen　knew　quite　well　what　he　was　thinking；　for　she　knew；　　though　edmund　did　not；　that　this　was　enchanted　turkish　delight　and　that　anyone　who　had　　once　tasted　it　would　want　more　and　more　of　it；　and　would　even；　if　they　were　allowed；　go　on　　eating　it　till　they　killed　themselves。　but　she　did　not　offer　him　any　more。　instead；　　she　said　to　him；　　〃son　of　adam；　i　should　so　much　like　to　see　your　brother　and　your　two　　sisters。　will　you　bring　them　to　see　me？”

〃ill　try；〃　said　edmund；　still　looking　at　the　empty　box。

〃because；　if　you　did　e　again　…　bringing　them　with　you　of　course　…　id　be　　able　to　give　you　some　more　turkish　delight。　i　cant　do　it　now；　the　magic　will　only　work　　once。　in　my　own　house　it　would　be　another　matter。”

〃why　cant　we　go　to　your　house　now？〃　said　edmund。　when　he　had　first　got　on　　to　the　sledge　he　had　been　afraid　that　she　might　drive　away　with　him　to　some　　unknown　place　from　which　he　would　not　be　able　to　get　back；　but　he　had　forgotten　about　　that　fear　now。

〃it　is　a　lovely　place；　my　house；〃　said　the　queen。　〃i　am　sure　you　would　like　　it。　there　are　whole　rooms　full　of　turkish　delight；　and　whats　more；　i　have　no　children　of　　my　own。　i　want　a　nice　boy　whom　i　could　bring　up　as　a　prince　and　who　would　be　king　of　　narnia　when　i　am　gone。　while　he　was　prince　he　would　wear　a　gold　crown　and　eat　　turkish　delight　all　day　long；　and　you　are　much　the　cleverest　and　handsomest　young　　man　ive　ever　met。　i　think　i　would　like　to　make　you　the　prince　…　some　day；　when　you　bring　　the　others　to　visit　me。”

〃why　not　now？〃　said　edmund。　his　face　had　bee　very　red　and　his　mouth　and　　fingers　were　sticky。　he　did　not　look　either　clever　or　handsome；　whatever　the　queen　　might　say。

〃oh；　but　if　i　took　you　there　now；〃　said　she；　〃i　shouldnt　see　your　brother　　and　your　sisters。

i　very　much　want　to　know　your　charming　relations。　you　are　to　be　the　prince　　and　…　later　on　…　the　king；　that　is　understood。　but　you　must　have　courtiers　and　nobles。　　i　will　make　your　brother　a　duke　and　your　sisters　duchesses。”

〃theres　nothing　special　about　them；〃　said　edmund；　〃and；　anyway；　i　could　　always　bring　them　some　other　time。”

〃ah；　but　once　you　were　in　my　house；〃　said　the　queen；　〃you　might　forget　all　　about　thern。

you　would　be　enjoying　yourself　so　much　that　you　wouldnt　want　the　bother　of　　going　to　fetch　them。　no。　you　must　go　back　to　your　own　country　now　and　e　to　me　　another　day；　with　them；　you　understand。　it