csl.thelionthewitchandthewardrobe-第19部分

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　　〃Oh；　how　can　they？〃　said　Lucy；　tears　streaming　down　her　cheeks。　〃The　brutes；　the　brutes！〃　for　now　that　the　first　shock　was　over　the　shorn　face　of　Aslan　looked　to　her　braver；　and　more　beautiful；　and　more　patient　than　ever。
　　
　　〃Muzzle　him！〃　said　the　Witch。　And　even　now；　as　they　worked　about　his　face　putting　on　the　muzzle；　one　bite　from　his　jaws　would　have　cost　two　or　three　of　them　their　hands。　But　he　never　moved。　And　this　seemed　to　enrage　all　that　rabble。　Everyone　was　at　him　now。　Those　who　had　been　afraid　to　e　near　him　even　after　he　was　bound　began　to　find　their　courage；　and　for　a　few　minutes　the　two　girls　could　not　even　see　him…so　thickly　was　he　surrounded　by　the　whole　crowd　of　creatures　kicking　him；　hitting　him；　spitting　on　him；　jeering　at　him。
　　
　　At　last　the　rabble　had　had　enough　of　this。　They　began　to　drag　the　bound　and　muzzled　Lion　to　the　Stone　Table；　some　pulling　and　some　pushing。　He　was　so　huge　that　even　when　they　got　him　there　it　took　all　their　efforts　to　hoist　him　on　to　the　surface　of　it。　Then　there　was　more　tying　and　tightening　of　cords。
　　
　　〃The　cowards！　The　cowards！〃　sobbed　Susan。　〃Are　they　still　afraid　of　him；　even　now？〃
　　
　　When　once　Aslan　had　been　tied　（and　tied　so　that　he　was　really　a　mass　of　cords）　on　the　flat　stone；　a　hush　fell　on　the　crowd。　Four　Hags；　holding　four　torches；　stood　at　the　corners　of　the　Table。　The　Witch　bared　her　arms　as　she　had　bared　them　the　previous　night　when　it　had　been　Edmund　instead　of　Aslan。　Then　she　began　to　whet　her　knife。　It　looked　to　the　children；　when　the　gleam　of　the　torchlight　fell　on　it；　as　if　the　knife　were　made　of　stone；　not　of　steel；　and　it　was　of　a　strange　and　evil　shape。
　　
　　As　last　she　drew　near。　She　stood　by　Aslan's　head。　Her　face　was　working　and　twitching　with　passion；　but　his　looked　up　at　the　sky；　still　quiet；　neither　angry　nor　afraid；　but　a　little　sad。　Then；　just　before　she　gave　the　blow；　she　stooped　down　and　said　in　a　quivering　voice；
　　
　　〃And　now；　who　has　won？　Fool；　did　you　think　that　by　all　this　you　would　save　the　human　traitor？　Now　I　will　kill　you　instead　of　him　as　our　pact　was　and　so　the　Deep　Magic　will　be　appeased。　But　when　you　are　dead　what　will　prevent　me　from　killing　him　as　well？　And　who　will　take　him　out　of　my　hand　then？　Understand　that　you　have　given　me　Narnia　forever；　you　have　lost　your　own　life　and　you　have　not　saved　his。　In　that　knowledge；　despair　and　die。〃
　　
　　The　children　did　not　see　the　actual　moment　of　the　killing。　They　couldn't　bear　to　look　and　had　covered　their　eyes。
　　
　　
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　FIFTEEN
　　
　　DEEPER　MAGIC　FROM　BEFORE　THE　DAWN　OF　TIME
　　
　　WHILE　the　two　girls　still　crouched　in　the　bushes　with　their　hands　over　their　faces；　they　heard　the　voice　of　the　Witch　calling　out；
　　
　　〃Now！　Follow　me　all　and　we　will　set　about　what　remains　of　this　war！　It　will　not　take　us　long　to　crush　the　human　vermin　and　the　traitors　now　that　the　great　Fool；　the　great　Cat；　lies　dead。〃
　　
　　At　this　moment　the　children　were　for　a　few　seconds　in　very　great　danger。　For　with　wild　cries　and　a　noise　of　skirling　pipes　and　shrill　horns　blowing；　the　whole　of　that　vile　rabble　came　sweeping　off　the　hill…top　and　down　the　slope　right　past　their　hiding…place。　They　felt　the　Spectres　go　by　them　like　a　cold　wind　and　they　felt　the　ground　shake　beneath　them　under　the　galloping　feet　of　the　Minotaurs；　and　overhead　there　went　a　flurry　of　foul　wings　and　a　blackness　of　vultures　and　giant　bats。　At　any　other　time　they　would　have　trembled　with　fear；　but　now　the　sadness　and　shame　and　horror　of　Aslan's　death　so　filled　their　minds　that　they　hardly　thought　of　it。
　　
　　As　soon　as　the　wood　was　silent　again　Susan　and　Lucy　crept　out　onto　the　open　hill…top。　The　moon　was　getting　low　and　thin　clouds　were　passing　across　her；　but　still　they　could　see　the　shape　of　the　Lion　lying　dead　in　his　bonds。　And　down　they　both　knelt　in　the　wet　grass　and　kissed　his　cold　face　and　stroked　his　beautiful　fur…what　was　left　of　it…and　cried　till　they　could　cry　no　more。　And　then　they　looked　at　each　other　and　held　each　other's　hands　for　mere　loneliness　and　cried　again；　and　then　again　were　silent。　At　last　Lucy　said；
　　
　　〃I　can't　bear　to　look　at　that　horrible　muzzle。　I　wonder　could　we　take　if　off？〃
　　
　　So　they　tried。　And　after　a　lot　of　working　at　it　（for　their　fingers　were　cold　and　it　was　now　the　darkest　part　of　the　night）　they　succeeded。　And　when　they　saw　his　face　without　it　they　burst　out　crying　again　and　kissed　it　and　fondled　it　and　wiped　away　the　blood　and　the　foam　as　well　as　they　could。　And　it　was　all　more　lonely　and　hopeless　and　horrid　than　I　know　how　to　describe。
　　
　　〃I　wonder　could　we　untie　him　as　well？〃　said　Susan　presently。　But　the　enemies；　out　of　pure　spitefulness；　had　drawn　the　cords　so　tight　that　the　girls　could　make　nothing　of　the　knots。
　　
　　I　hope　no　one　who　reads　this　book　has　been　quite　as　miserable　as　Susan　and　Lucy　were　that　night；　but　if　you　have　been…if　you've　been　up　all　night　and　cried　till　you　have　no　more　tears　left　in　you…you　will　know　that　there　es　in　the　end　a　sort　of　quietness。　You　feel　as　if　nothing　was　ever　going　to　happen　again。　At　any　rate　that　was　how　it　felt　to　these　two。　Hours　and　hours　seemed　to　go　by　in　this　dead　calm；　and　they　hardly　noticed　that　they　were　getting　colder　and　colder。　But　at　last　Lucy　noticed　two　other　things。　One　was　that　the　sky　on　the　east　side　of　the　hill　was　a　little　less　dark　than　it　had　been　an　hour　ago。　The　other　was　some　tiny　movement　going　on　in　the　grass　at　her　feet。　At　first　she　took　no　interest　in　this。　What　did　it　matter？　Nothing　mattered　now！　But　at　last　she　saw　that　whatever…it…was　had　begun　to　move　up　the　upright　stones　of　the　Stone　Table。　And　now　whatever…they…were　were　moving　about　on　Aslan's　body。　She　peered　closer。　They　were　little　grey　things。
　　
　　〃Ugh！〃　said　Susan　from　the　other　side　of　the　Table。　〃How　beastly！　There　are　horrid　little　mice　crawling　over　him。　Go　away；　you　little　beasts。〃　And　she　raised　her　hand　to　frighten　them　away。
　　
　　〃Wait！〃　said　Lucy；　who　had　been　looking　at　them　more　closely　still。　〃Can　you　see　what　they're　doing？〃
　　
　　Both　girls　bent　down　and　stared。
　　
　　〃I　do　believe…〃　said　Susan。　〃But　how　queer！　They're　nibbling　away　at　the　cords！〃
　　
　　〃That's　what　I　thought；〃　said　Lucy。　〃I　think　they're　friendly　mice。　Poor　little　things…they　don't　realize　he's　dead。　They　think　it'll　do　some　good　untying　him。〃
　　
　　It　was　quite　definitely　lighter　by　now。　Each　of　the　girls　noticed　for　the　first　time　the　white　face　of　the　other。　They　could　see　the　mice　nibbling　away；　dozens　and　dozens；　even　hundreds；　of　little　field　mice。　And　at　last；　one　by　one；　the　ropes　were　all　gnawed　through。
　　
　　The　sky　in　the　east　was　whitish　by　now　and　the　stars　were　getting　fainter…all　except　one　very　big　one　low　down　on　the　eastern　horizon。　They　felt　colder　than　they　had　been　all　night。　The　mice　crept　away　again。
　　
　　The　girls　cleared　away　the　remains　of　the　gnawed　ropes。　Aslan　looked　more　like　himself　without　them。　Every　moment　his　dead　face　looked　nobler；　as　the　light　grew　and　they　could　see　it　better。
　　
　　In　the　wood　behind　them　a　bird　gave　a　chuckling　sound。　It　had　been　so　still　for　hours　and　hours　that　it　startled　them。　Then　another　bird　answered　it。　Soon　there　were　birds　singing　all　over　the　place。
　　
　　It　was　quite　definitely　early　morning　now；　not　late　night。
　　
　　〃I'm　so　cold；〃　said　Lucy。
　　
　　〃So　am　I；〃　said　Susan。　〃Let's　walk　about　a　bit。〃
　　
　　They　walked　to　the　eastern　edge　of　the　hill　and　looked　down。　The　one　big　star　had　almost　disappeared。　The　country　all　looked　dark　grey；　but　beyond；　at　the　very　end　of　the　world；　the　sea　showed　pale。　The　sky　began　to　turn　red。　They　walked　to　ands　fro　more　times　than　they　could　count　between　the　dead　Aslan　and　the　eastern　ridge；　trying　to　keep　warm；　and　oh；　how　tired　their　legs　felt。　Then　at　last；　as　they　stood　for　a　moment　looking　out　towards　they　sea　and　Cair　Paravel　（which　they　could　now　just　make　out）　the　red　turned　to　gold　along　the　line　where　the　sea　and　the　sky　met　and　very　slowly　up　came　the　edge　of　the　sun。　At　that　moment　they　heard　from　behind　them　a　loud　noise…a　great　cracking；　deafening　noise　as　if　a　giant　had　broken　a　giant's　plate。
　　
　　〃What's　that？〃　said　Lucy；　clutching　Susan's　arm。
　　
　　〃I…I　feel　afraid　to　turn　round；〃　said　Susan；　〃something　awful　is　happening。〃
　　
　　〃They're　doing　something　worse　to　Him；〃　said　Lucy。　〃e　on！〃　And　she　turned；　pulling　Susan　round　with　her。
　　
　　The　rising　of　the　sun　had　made　everything　look　so　different…all　colours　and　shadows　were　changed　that　for　a　moment　they　didn't　see　the　important　thing。　Then　they　did。　The　Stone　Table　was　broken　into　two　pieces　by　a　great　crack　that　ran　down　it　from　end　to　end；　and　there　was　no　Aslan。
　　
　　〃Oh；　oh；　oh！〃　cried　the　two　girls；　rushing　back　to　the　Table。
　　
　　〃Oh；　it's　too　bad；〃　sobbed　Lucy；　〃they　might　have　left　the　body　alone。〃
　　
　　〃Who's　done　it？〃　cried　Susan。　〃What　does　it　mean？　Is　it　magic？〃
　　
　　〃Yes！〃　said　a　great　voice　behind　their　backs。　〃It　is　more　magic。〃　They　looked　round。　There；　shining　in　the　sunrise；　larger　than　they　had　seen　him　before；　shaking　his　mane　（for　it　had　apparently　gr