csl.thelionthewitchandthewardrobe-第15部分

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　　〃Mind　your　own　business！〃　said　the　dwarf　when　he　saw　that　Edmund　had　turned　his　head　to　look　at　them；　and　he　gave　the　rope　a　vicious　jerk。
　　
　　But　of　course　this　didn't　prevent　Edmund　from　seeing。　Only　five　minutes　later　he　noticed　a　dozen　crocuses　growing　round　the　foot　of　an　old　tree…gold　and　purple　and　white。　Then　came　a　sound　even　more　delicious　than　the　sound　of　the　water。　Close　beside　the　path　they　were　following　a　bird　suddenly　chirped　from　the　branch　of　a　tree。　It　was　answered　by　the　chuckle　of　another　bird　a　little　further　off。　And　then；　as　if　that　had　been　a　signal；　there　was　chattering　and　chirruping　in　every　direction；　and　then　a　moment　of　full　song；　and　within　five　minutes　the　whole　wood　was　ringing　with　birds'　music；　and　wherever　Edmund's　eyes　turned　he　saw　birds　alighting　on　branches；　or　sailing　overhead　or　chasing　one　another　or　having　their　little　quarrels　or　tidying　up　their　feathers　with　their　beaks。
　　
　　〃Faster！　Faster！〃　said　the　Witch。
　　
　　There　was　no　trace　of　the　fog　now。　The　sky　became　bluer　and　bluer；　and　now　there　were　white　clouds　hurrying　across　it　from　time　to　time。　In　the　wide　glades　there　were　primroses。　A　light　breeze　sprang　up　which　scattered　drops　of　moisture　from　the　swaying　branches　and　carried　cool；　delicious　scents　against　the　faces　of　the　travellers。　The　trees　began　to　e　fully　alive。　The　larches　and　birches　were　covered　with　green；　the　laburnums　with　gold。　Soon　the　beech　trees　had　put　forth　their　delicate；　transparent　leaves。　As　the　travellers　walked　under　them　the　light　also　became　green。　A　bee　buzzed　across　their　path。
　　
　　〃This　is　no　thaw；〃　said　the　dwarf；　suddenly　stopping。　〃This　is　Spring。　What　are　we　to　do？　Your　winter　has　been　destroyed；　I　tell　you！　This　is　Aslan's　doing。〃
　　
　　〃If　either　of　you　mention　that　name　again；〃　said　the　Witch；　〃he　shall　instantly　be　killed。〃
　　
　　
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　TWELVE
　　
　　PETER'S　FIRST　BATTLE
　　
　　WHILE　the　dwarf　and　the　White　Witch　were　saying　this；　miles　away　the　Beavers　and　the　children　were　walking　on　hour　after　hour　into　what　seemed　a　delicious　dream。　Long　ago　they　had　left　the　coats　behind　them。　And　by　now　they　had　even　stopped　saying　to　one　another；　〃Look！　there's　a　kingfisher；〃　or　〃I　say；　bluebells！〃　or　〃What　was　that　lovely　smell？〃　or　〃Just　listen　to　that　thrush！〃　They　walked　on　in　silence　drinking　it　all　in；　passing　through　patches　of　warm　sunlight　into　cool；　green　thickets　and　out　again　into　wide　mossy　glades　where　tall　elms　raised　the　leafy　roof　far　overhead；　and　then　into　dense　masses　of　flowering　currant　and　among　hawthorn　bushes　where　the　sweet　smell　was　almost　overpowering。
　　
　　They　had　been　just　as　surprised　as　Edmund　when　they　saw　the　winter　vanishing　and　the　whole　wood　passing　in　a　few　hours　or　so　from　January　to　May。　They　hadn't　even　known　for　certain　（as　the　Witch　did）　that　this　was　what　would　happen　when　Aslan　came　to　Narnia。　But　they　all　knew　that　it　was　her　spells　which　had　produced　the　endless　winter；　and　therefore　they　all　knew　when　this　magic　spring　began　that　something　had　gone　wrong；　and　badly　wrong；　with　the　Witch's　schemes。　And　after　the　thaw　had　been　going　on　for　some　time　they　all　realized　that　the　Witch　would　no　longer　be　able　to　use　her　sledge。　After　that　they　didn't　hurry　so　much　and　they　allowed　themselves　more　rests　and　longer　ones。　They　were　pretty　tired　by　now　of　course；　but　not　what　I'd　call　bitterly　tired…only　slow　and　feeling　very　dreamy　and　quiet　inside　as　one　does　when　one　is　ing　to　the　end　of　a　long　day　in　the　open。　Susan　had　a　slight　blister　on　one　heel。
　　
　　They　had　left　the　course　of　the　big　river　some　time　ago；　for　one　had　to　turn　a　little　to　the　right　（that　meant　a　little　to　the　south）　to　reach　the　place　of　the　Stone　Table。　Even　if　this　had　not　been　their　way　they　couldn't　have　kept　to　the　river　valley　once　the　thaw　began；　for　with　all　that　melting　snow　the　river　was　soon　in　flood…a　wonderful；　roaring；　thundering　yellow　flood…and　their　path　would　have　been　under　water。
　　
　　And　now　the　sun　got　low　and　the　light　got　redder　and　the　shadows　got　longer　and　the　flowers　began　to　think　about　closing。
　　
　　〃Not　long　now；〃　said　Mr　Beaver；　and　began　leading　them　uphill　across　some　very　deep；　springy　moss　（it　felt　nice　under　their　tired　feet）　in　a　place　where　only　tall　trees　grew；　very　wide　apart。　The　climb；　ing　at　the　end　of　the　long　day；　made　them　all　pant　and　blow。　And　just　as　Lucy　was　wondering　whether　she　could　really　get　to　the　top　without　another　long　rest；　suddenly　they　were　at　the　top。　And　this　is　what　they　saw。
　　
　　They　were　on　a　green　open　space　from　which　you　could　look　down　on　the　forest　spreading　as　far　as　one　could　see　in　every　direction…except　right　ahead。　There；　far　to　the　East；　was　something　twinkling　and　moving。　〃By　gum！〃　whispered　Peter　to　Susan；　〃the　sea！〃　In　the　very　middle　of　this　open　hill…top　was　the　Stone　Table。　It　was　a　great　grim　slab　of　grey　stone　supported　on　four　upright　stones。　It　looked　very　old；　and　it　was　cut　all　over　with　strange　lines　and　figures　that　might　be　the　letters　of　an　unknown　language。　They　gave　you　a　curious　feeling　when　you　looked　at　them。　The　next　thing　they　saw　was　a　pavilion　pitched　on　one　side　of　the　open　place。　A　wonderful　pavilion　it　was…and　especially　now　when　the　light　of　the　setting　sun　fell　upon　it…with　sides　of　what　looked　like　yellow　silk　and　cords　of　crimson　and　tent…pegs　of　ivory；　and　high　above　it　on　a　pole　a　banner　which　bore　a　red　rampant　lion　fluttering　in　the　breeze　which　was　blowing　in　their　faces　from　the　far…off　sea。　While　they　were　looking　at　this　they　heard　a　sound　of　music　on　their　right；　and　turning　in　that　direction　they　saw　what　they　had　e　to　see。
　　
　　Aslan　stood　in　the　centre　of　a　crowd　of　creatures　who　had　grouped　themselves　round　him　in　the　shape　of　a　half…moon。　There　were　Tree…Women　there　and　Well…Women　（Dryads　and　Naiads　as　they　used　to　be　called　in　our　world）　who　had　stringed　instruments；　it　was　they　who　had　made　the　music。　There　were　four　great　centaurs。　The　horse　part　of　them　was　like　huge　English　farm　horses；　and　the　man　part　was　like　stern　but　beautiful　giants。　There　was　also　a　unicorn；　and　a　bull　with　the　head　of　a　man；　and　a　pelican；　and　an　eagle；　and　a　great　Dog。　And　next　to　Aslan　stood　two　leopards　of　whom　one　carried　his　crown　and　the　other　his　standard。
　　
　　But　as　for　Aslan　himself；　the　Beavers　and　the　children　didn't　know　what　to　do　or　say　when　they　saw　him。　People　who　have　not　been　in　Narnia　sometimes　think　that　a　thing　cannot　be　good　and　terrible　at　the　same　time。　If　the　children　had　ever　thought　so；　they　were　cured　of　it　now。　For　when　they　tried　to　look　at　Aslan's　face　they　just　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　golden　mane　and　the　great；　royal；　solemn；　overwhelming　eyes；　and　then　they　found　they　couldn't　look　at　him　and　went　all　trembly。
　　
　　〃Go　on；〃　whispered　Mr　Beaver。
　　
　　〃No；〃　whispered　Peter；　〃you　first。〃
　　
　　〃No；　Sons　of　Adam　before　animals；〃　whispered　Mr　Beaver　back　again。
　　
　　〃Susan；〃　whispered　Peter；　〃What　about　you？　Ladies　first。〃
　　
　　〃No；　you're　the　eldest；〃　whispered　Susan。　And　of　course　the　longer　they　went　on　doing　this　the　more　awkward　they　felt。　Then　at　last　Peter　realized　that　it　was　up　to　him。　He　drew　his　sword　and　raised　it　to　the　salute　and　hastily　saying　to　the　others　〃e　on。　Pull　yourselves　together；〃　he　advanced　to　the　Lion　and　said：
　　
　　〃We　have　e…Aslan。〃
　　
　　〃Wele；　Peter；　Son　of　Adam；〃　said　Aslan。　〃Wele；　Susan　and　Lucy；　Daughters　of　Eve。　Wele　He…Beaver　and　She…Beaver。〃
　　
　　His　voice　was　deep　and　rich　and　somehow　took　the　fidgets　out　of　them。　They　now　felt　glad　and　quiet　and　it　didn't　seem　awkward　to　them　to　stand　and　say　nothing。
　　
　　〃But　where　is　the　fourth？〃　asked　Aslan。
　　
　　〃He　has　tried　to　betray　them　and　joined　the　White　Witch；　O　Aslan；〃　said　Mr　Beaver。　And　then　something　made　Peter　say；
　　
　　〃That　was　partly　my　fault；　Aslan。　I　was　angry　with　him　and　I　think　that　helped　him　to　go　wrong。〃
　　
　　And　Aslan　said　nothing　either　to　excuse　Peter　or　to　blame　him　but　merely　stood　looking　at　him　with　his　great　unchanging　eyes。　And　it　seemed　to　all　of　them　that　there　was　nothing　to　be　said。
　　
　　〃Please…Aslan；〃　said　Lucy；　〃can　anything　be　done　to　save　Edmund？〃
　　
　　〃All　shall　be　done；〃　said　Aslan。　〃But　it　may　be　harder　than　you　think。〃　And　then　he　was　silent　again　for　some　time。　Up　to　that　moment　Lucy　had　been　thinking　how　royal　and　strong　and　peaceful　his　face　looked；　now　it　suddenly　came　into　her　head　that　he　looked　sad　as　well。　But　next　minute　that　expression　was　quite　gone。　The　Lion　shook　his　mane　and　clapped　his　paws　together　（〃Terrible　paws；〃　thought　Lucy；　〃if　he　didn't　know　how　to　velvet　them！〃）　and　said；
　　
　　〃Meanwhile；　let　the　feast　be　prepared。　Ladies；　take　these　Daughters　of　Eve　to　the　pavilion　and　minister　to　them。〃
　　
　　When　the　girls　had　gone　Aslan　laid　his　paw…and　though　it　was　velveted　it　was　very　heavy…on　Peter's　shoulder　and　said；　〃e；　Son　of　Adam；　and　I　will　show　you　a　far…off　sight　of　the　castle　where　you　are　to　be　King。〃
　　
　　And　Peter　with　his　sword　still　drawn　in　his　hand　went　with　the　Lion　to　the　eastern　edge　of　the　hilltop。　There　a　beautiful　sight　met　their　eyes。　The　sun　w