csl.thelionthewitchandthewardrobe-第20部分

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n　the　sunrise；　larger　than　they　had　seen　him　before；　shaking　his　mane　（for　it　had　apparently　grown　again）　stood　Aslan　himself。
　　
　　〃Oh；　Aslan！〃　cried　both　the　children；　staring　up　at　him；　almost　as　much　frightened　as　they　were　glad。
　　
　　〃Aren't　you　dead　then；　dear　Aslan？〃　said　Lucy。
　　
　　〃Not　now；〃　said　Aslan。
　　
　　〃You're　not…not　a…？〃　asked　Susan　in　a　shaky　voice。　She　couldn't　bring　herself　to　say　the　word　ghost。　Aslan　stooped　his　golden　head　and　licked　her　forehead。　The　warmth　of　his　breath　and　a　rich　sort　of　smell　that　seemed　to　hang　about　his　hair　came　all　over　her。
　　
　　〃Do　I　look　it？〃　he　said。
　　
　　〃Oh；　you're　real；　you're　real！　Oh；　Aslan！〃　cried　Lucy；　and　both　girls　flung　themselves　upon　him　and　covered　him　with　kisses。
　　
　　〃But　what　does　it　all　mean？〃　asked　Susan　when　they　were　somewhat　calmer。
　　
　　〃It　means；〃　said　Aslan；　〃that　though　the　Witch　knew　the　Deep　Magic；　there　is　a　magic　deeper　still　which　she　did　not　know：　Her　knowledge　goes　back　only　to　the　dawn　of　time。　But　if　she　could　have　looked　a　little　further　back；　into　the　stillness　and　the　darkness　before　Time　dawned；　she　would　have　read　there　a　different　incantation。　She　would　have　known　that　when　a　willing　victim　who　had　mitted　no　treachery　was　killed　in　a　traitor's　stead；　the　Table　would　crack　and　Death　itself　would　start　working　backwards。　And　now…〃
　　
　　〃Oh　yes。　Now？〃　said　Lucy；　jumping　up　and　clapping　her　hands。
　　
　　〃Oh；　children；〃　said　the　Lion；　〃I　feel　my　strength　ing　back　to　me。　Oh；　children；　catch　me　if　you　can！〃　He　stood　for　a　second；　his　eyes　very　bright；　his　limbs　quivering；　lashing　himself　with　his　tail。　Then　he　made　a　leap　high　over　their　heads　and　landed　on　the　other　side　of　the　Table。　Laughing；　though　she　didn't　know　why；　Lucy　scrambled　over　it　to　reach　him。　Aslan　leaped　again。　A　mad　chase　began。　Round　and　round　the　hill…top　he　led　them；　now　hopelessly　out　of　their　reach；　now　letting　them　almost　catch　his　tail；　now　diving　between　them；　now　tossing　them　in　the　air　with　his　huge　and　beautifully　velveted　paws　and　catching　them　again；　and　now　stopping　unexpectedly　so　that　all　three　of　them　rolled　over　together　in　a　happy　laughing　heap　of　fur　and　arms　and　legs。　It　was　such　a　romp　as　no　one　has　ever　had　except　in　Narnia；　and　whether　it　was　more　like　playing　with　a　thunderstorm　or　playing　with　a　kitten　Lucy　could　never　make　up　her　mind。　And　the　funny　thing　was　that　when　all　three　finally　lay　together　panting　in　the　sun　the　girls　no　longer　felt　in　the　least　tired　or　hungry　or　thirsty。
　　
　　〃And　now；〃　said　Aslan　presently；　〃to　business。　I　feel　I　am　going　to　roar。　You　had　better　put　your　fingers　in　your　ears。〃
　　
　　And　they　did。　And　Aslan　stood　up　and　when　he　opened　his　mouth　to　roar　his　face　became　so　terrible　that　they　did　not　dare　to　look　at　it。　And　they　saw　all　the　trees　in　front　of　him　bend　before　the　blast　of　his　roaring　as　grass　bends　in　a　meadow　before　the　wind。　Then　he　said；
　　
　　〃We　have　a　long　journey　to　go。　You　must　ride　on　me。〃　And　he　crouched　down　and　the　children　climbed　on　to　his　warm；　golden　back；　and　Susan　sat　first；　holding　on　tightly　to　his　mane　and　Lucy　sat　behind　holding　on　tightly　to　Susan。　And　with　a　great　heave　he　rose　underneath　them　and　then　shot　off；　faster　than　any　horse　could　go；　down　hill　and　into　the　thick　of　the　forest。
　　
　　That　ride　was　perhaps　the　most　wonderful　thing　that　happened　to　them　in　Narnia。　Have　you　ever　had　a　gallop　on　a　horse？　Think　of　that；　and　then　take　away　the　heavy　noise　of　the　hoofs　and　the　jingle　of　the　bits　and　imagine　instead　the　almost　noiseless　padding　of　the　great　paws。　Then　imagine　instead　of　the　black　or　grey　or　chestnut　back　of　the　horse　the　soft　roughness　of　golden　fur；　and　the　mane　flying　back　in　the　wind。　And　then　imagine　you　are　going　about　twice　as　fast　as　the　fastest　racehorse。　But　this　is　a　mount　that　doesn't　need　to　be　guided　and　never　grows　tired。　He　rushes　on　and　on；　never　missing　his　footing；　never　hesitating；　threading　his　way　with　perfect　skill　between　tree　trunks；　jumping　over　bush　and　briar　and　the　smaller　streams；　wading　the　larger；　swimming　the　largest　of　all。　And　you　are　riding　not　on　a　road　nor　in　a　park　nor　even　on　the　downs；　but　right　across　Narnia；　in　spring；　down　solemn　avenues　of　beech　and　across　sunny　glades　of　oak；　through　wild　orchards　of　snow…white　cherry　trees；　past　roaring　waterfalls　and　mossy　rocks　and　echoing　caverns；　up　windy　slopes　alight　with　gorse　bushes；　and　across　the　shoulders　of　heathery　mountains　and　along　giddy　ridges　and　down；　down；　down　again　into　wild　valleys　and　out　into　acres　of　blue　flowers。
　　
　　It　was　nearly　midday　when　they　found　themselves　looking　down　a　steep　hillside　at　a　castle…a　little　toy　castle　it　looked　from　where　they　stood…which　seemed　to　be　all　pointed　towers。　But　the　Lion　was　rushing　down　at　such　a　speed　that　it　grew　larger　every　moment　and　before　they　had　time　even　to　ask　themselves　what　it　was　they　were　already　on　a　level　with　it。　And　now　it　no　longer　looked　like　a　toy　castle　but　rose　frowning　in　front　of　them。　No　face　looked　over　the　battlements　and　the　gates　were　fast　shut。　And　Aslan；　not　at　all　slacking　his　pace；　rushed　straight　as　a　bullet　towards　it。
　　
　　〃The　Witch's　home！〃　he　cried。　〃Now；　children；　hold　tight。〃
　　
　　Next　moment　the　whole　world　seemed　to　turn　upside　down；　and　the　children　felt　as　if　they　had　left　their　insides　behind　them；　for　the　Lion　had　gathered　himself　together　for　a　greater　leap　than　any　he　had　yet　made　and　jumped…or　you　may　call　it　flying　rather　than　jumping…right　over　the　castle　wall。　The　two　girls；　breathless　but　unhurt；　found　themselves　tumbling　off　his　back　in　the　middle　of　a　wide　stone　courtyard　full　of　statues。
　　
　　
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　SIXTEEN
　　
　　WHAT　HAPPENED　ABOUT　THE　STATUES
　　
　　〃WHAT　an　extraordinary　place！〃　cried　Lucy。　〃All　those　stone　animals…and　people　too！　It's…it's　like　a　museum。〃
　　
　　〃Hush；〃　said　Susan；　〃Aslan's　doing　something。〃
　　
　　He　was　indeed。　He　had　bounded　up　to　the　stone　lion　and　breathed　on　him。　Then　without　waiting　a　moment　he　whisked　round…almost　as　if　he　had　been　a　cat　chasing　its　tail…and　breathed　also　on　the　stone　dwarf；　which　（as　you　remember）　was　standing　a　few　feet　from　the　lion　with　his　back　to　it。　Then　he　pounced　on　a　tall　stone　dryad　which　stood　beyond　the　dwarf；　turned　rapidly　aside　to　deal　with　a　stone　rabbit　on　his　right；　and　rushed　on　to　two　centaurs。　But　at　that　moment　Lucy　said；
　　
　　〃Oh；　Susan！　Look！　Look　at　the　lion。〃
　　
　　I　expect　you've　seen　someone　put　a　lighted　match　to　a　bit　of　newspaper　which　is　propped　up　in　a　grate　against　an　unlit　fire。　And　for　a　second　nothing　seems　to　have　happened；　and　then　you　notice　a　tiny　streak　of　flame　creeping　along　the　edge　of　the　newspaper。　It　was　like　that　now。　For　a　second　after　Aslan　had　breathed　upon　him　the　stone　lion　looked　just　the　same。　Then　a　tiny　streak　of　gold　began　to　run　along　his　white　marble　back　then　it　spread…then　the　colour　seemed　to　lick　all　over　him　as　the　flame　licks　all　over　a　bit　of　paper…then；　while　his　hindquarters　were　still　obviously　stone；　the　lion　shook　his　mane　and　all　the　heavy；　stone　folds　rippled　into　living　hair。　Then　he　opened　a　great　red　mouth；　warm　and　living；　and　gave　a　prodigious　yawn。　And　now　his　hind　legs　had　e　to　life。　He　lifted　one　of　them　and　scratched　himself。　Then；　having　caught　sight　of　Aslan；　he　went　bounding　after　him　and　frisking　round　him　whimpering　with　delight　and　jumping　up　to　lick　his　face。
　　
　　Of　course　the　children's　eyes　turned　to　follow　the　lion；　but　the　sight　they　saw　was　so　wonderful　that　they　soon　forgot　about　him。　Everywhere　the　statues　were　ing　to　life。　The　courtyard　looked　no　longer　like　a　museum；　it　looked　more　like　a　zoo。　Creatures　were　running　after　Aslan　and　dancing　round　him　till　he　was　almost　hidden　in　the　crowd。　Instead　of　all　that　deadly　white　the　courtyard　was　now　a　blaze　of　colours；　glossy　chestnut　sides　of　centaurs；　indigo　horns　of　unicorns；　dazzling　plumage　of　birds；　reddy…brown　of　foxes；　dogs　and　satyrs；　yellow　stockings　and　crimson　hoods　of　dwarfs；　and　the　birch…girls　in　silver；　and　the　beech…girls　in　fresh；　transparent　green；　and　the　larch…girls　in　green　so　bright　that　it　was　almost　yellow。　And　instead　of　the　deadly　silence　the　whole　place　rang　with　the　sound　of　happy　roarings；　brayings；　yelpings；　barkings；　squealings；　cooings；　neighings；　stampings；　shouts；　hurrahs；　songs　and　laughter。
　　
　　〃Oh！〃　said　Susan　in　a　different　tone。　〃Look！　I　wonder…I　mean；　is　it　safe？〃
　　
　　Lucy　looked　and　saw　that　Aslan　had　just　breathed　on　the　feet　of　the　stone　giant。
　　
　　〃It's　all　right！〃　shouted　Aslan　joyously。　〃Once　the　feet　are　put　right；　all　the　rest　of　him　will　follow。〃
　　
　　〃That　wasn't　exactly　what　I　meant；〃　whispered　Susan　to　Lucy。　But　it　was　too　late　to　do　anything　about　it　now　even　if　Aslan　would　have　listened　to　her。　The　change　was　already　creeping　up　the　Giant's　legs。　Now　he　was　moving　his　feet。　A　moment　later　he　lifted　his　club　off　his　shoulder；　rubbed　his　eyes　and　said；
　　
　　〃Bless　me！　I　must　have　been　asleep。　Now！　Where's　that　dratted　little　Witch　that　was　running　about　on　the　ground。　Somewhere　just　by　my　feet　it　was。〃　But　when　everyone　had　shouted　up　to　him　to　explai