csl.thelionthewitchandthewardrobe-第8部分

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　　〃That's　a　nasty　idea。　Still…a　robin；　you　know。　They're　good　birds　in　all　the　stories　I've　ever　read。　I'm　sure　a　robin　wouldn't　be　on　the　wrong　side。〃
　　
　　
　　〃It　if　es　to　that；　which　is　the　right　side？　How　do　we　know　that　the　Fauns　are　in　the　right　and　the　Queen　（yes；　I　know　we've　been　told　she's　a　witch）　is　in　the　wrong？　We　don't　really　know　anything　about　either。〃
　　
　　〃The　Faun　saved　Lucy。〃
　　
　　〃He　said　he　did。　But　how　do　we　know？　And　there's　another　thing　too。　Has　anyone　the　least　idea　of　the　way　home　from　here？〃
　　
　　〃Great　Scott！〃　said　Peter；　〃I　hadn't　thought　of　that。〃
　　
　　〃And　no　chance　of　dinner　either；〃　said　Edmund。
　　
　　
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　SEVEN
　　
　　A　DAY　WITH　THE　BEAVERS
　　
　　WHILE　the　two　boys　were　whispering　behind；　both　the　girls　suddenly　cried　〃Oh！〃　and　stopped。
　　
　　〃The　robin！〃　cried　Lucy；　〃the　robin。　It's　flown　away。〃　And　so　it　had…right　out　of　sight。
　　
　　〃And　now　what　are　we　to　do？〃　said　Edmund；　giving　Peter　a　look　which　was　as　much　as　to　say　〃What　did　I　tell　you？〃
　　
　　〃Sh！　Look！〃　said　Susan。
　　
　　〃What？〃　said　Peter。
　　
　　〃There's　something　moving　among　the　trees　over　there　to　the　left。〃
　　
　　They　all　stared　as　hard　as　they　could；　and　no　one　felt　very　fortable。
　　
　　〃There　it　goes　again；〃　said　Susan　presently。
　　
　　〃I　saw　it　that　time　too；〃　said　Peter。　〃It's　still　there。　It's　just　gone　behind　that　big　tree。〃
　　
　　〃What　is　it？〃　asked　Lucy；　trying　very　hard　not　to　sound　nervous。
　　
　　〃Whatever　it　is；〃　said　Peter；　〃it's　dodging　us。　It's　something　that　doesn't　want　to　be　seen。〃
　　
　　〃Let's　go　home；〃　said　Susan。　And　then；　though　nobody　said　it　out　loud；　everyone　suddenly　realized　the　same　fact　that　Edmund　had　whispered　to　Peter　at　the　end　of　the　last　chapter。　They　were　lost。
　　
　　〃What's　it　like？〃　said　Lucy。
　　
　　〃It's…it's　a　kind　of　animal；〃　said　Susan；　and　then；　〃Look！　Look！　Quick！　There　it　is。〃
　　
　　They　all　saw　it　this　time；　a　whiskered　furry　face　which　had　looked　out　at　them　from　behind　a　tree。　But　this　time　it　didn't　immediately　draw　back。　Instead；　the　animal　put　its　paw　against　its　mouth　just　as　humans　put　their　finger　on　their　lips　when　they　are　signalling　to　you　to　be　quiet。　Then　it　disappeared　again。　The　children；　all　stood　holding　their　breath。
　　
　　A　moment　later　the　stranger　came　out　from　behind　the　tree；　glanced　all　round　as　if　it　were　afraid　someone　was　watching；　said　〃Hush〃；　made　signs　to　them　to　join　it　in　the　thicker　bit　of　wood　where　it　was　standing；　and　then　once　more　disappeared。
　　
　　〃I　know　what　it　is；〃　said　Peter；　〃it's　a　beaver。　I　saw　the　tail。〃
　　
　　〃It　wants　us　to　go　to　it；〃　said　Susan；　〃and　it　is　warning　us　not　to　make　a　noise。〃
　　
　　〃I　know；〃　said　Peter。　〃The　question　is；　are　we　to　go　to　it　or　not？　What　do　you　think；　Lu？〃
　　
　　〃I　think　it's　a　nice　beaver；〃　said　Lucy。
　　
　　〃Yes；　but　how　do　we　know？〃　said　Edmund。
　　
　　〃Shan't　we　have　to　risk　it？〃　said　Susan。　〃I　mean；　it's　no　good　just　standing　here　and　I　feel　I　want　some　dinner。〃
　　
　　At　this　moment　the　Beaver　again　popped　its　head　out　from　behind　the　tree　and　beckoned　earnestly　to　them。
　　
　　〃e　on；〃　said　Peter；〃let's　give　it　a　try。　All　keep　close　together。　We　ought　to　be　a　match　for　one　beaver　if　it　turns　out　to　be　an　enemy。〃
　　
　　So　the　children　all　got　close　together　and　walked　up　to　the　tree　and　in　behind　it；　and　there；　sure　enough；　they　found　the　Beaver；　but　it　still　drew　back；　saying　to　them　in　a　hoarse　throaty　whisper；　〃Further　in；　e　further　in。　Right　in　here。　We're　not　safe　in　the　open！〃
　　
　　Only　when　it　had　led　them　into　a　dark　spot　where　four　trees　grew　so　close　together　that　their　boughs　met　and　the　brown　earth　and　pine　needles　could　be　seen　underfoot　because　no　snow　had　been　able　to　fall　there；　did　it　begin　to　talk　to　them。
　　
　　〃Are　you　the　Sons　of　Adam　and　the　Daughters　of　Eve？〃　it　said。
　　
　　〃We're　some　of　them；〃　said　Peter。
　　
　　〃S…s…s…sh！〃　said　the　Beaver；　〃not　so　loud　please。　We're　not　safe　even　here。〃
　　
　　〃Why；　who　are　you　afraid　of？〃　said　Peter。　〃There's　no　one　here　but　ourselves。〃
　　
　　〃There　are　the　trees；〃　said　the　Beaver。　〃They're　always　listening。　Most　of　them　are　on　our　side；　but　there　are　trees　that　would　betray　us　to　her；　you　know　who　I　mean；〃　and　it　nodded　its　head　several　times。
　　
　　〃If　it　es　to　talking　about　sides；〃　said　Edmund；　〃how　do　we　know　you're　a　friend？〃
　　
　　〃Not　meaning　to　be　rude；　Mr　Beaver；〃　added　Peter；　〃but　you　see；　we're　strangers。〃
　　
　　〃Quite　right；　quite　right；〃　said　the　Beaver。　〃Here　is　my　token。〃　With　these　words　it　held　up　to　them　a　little　white　object。　They　all　looked　at　it　in　surprise；　till　suddenly　Lucy　said；　〃Oh；　of　course。　It's　my　handkerchief…the　one　I　gave　to　poor　Mr　Tumnus。〃
　　
　　〃That's　right；〃　said　the　Beaver。　〃Poor　fellow；　he　got　wind　of　the　arrest　before　it　actually　happened　and　handed　this　over　to　me。　He　said　that　if　anything　happened　to　him　I　must　meet　you　here　and　take　you　on　to…〃　Here　the　Beaver's　voice　sank　into　silence　and　it　gave　one　or　two　very　mysterious　nods。　Then　signalling　to　the　children　to　stand　as　close　around　it　as　they　possibly　could；　so　that　their　faces　were　actually　tickled　by　its　whiskers；　it　added　in　a　low　whisper…
　　
　　〃They　say　Aslan　is　on　the　move…perhaps　has　already　landed。〃
　　
　　And　now　a　very　curious　thing　happened。　None　of　the　children　knew　who　Aslan　was　any　more　than　you　do；　but　the　moment　the　Beaver　had　spoken　these　words　everyone　felt　quite　different。　Perhaps　it　has　sometimes　happened　to　you　in　a　dream　that　someone　says　something　which　you　don't　understand　but　in　the　dream　it　feels　as　if　it　had　some　enormous　meaning…either　a　terrifying　one　which　turns　the　whole　dream　into　a　nightmare　or　else　a　lovely　meaning　too　lovely　to　put　into　words；　which　makes　the　dream　so　beautiful　that　you　remember　it　all　your　life　and　are　always　wishing　you　could　get　into　that　dream　again。　It　was　like　that　now。　At　the　name　of　Aslan　each　one　of　the　children　felt　something　jump　in　its　inside。　Edmund　felt　a　sensation　of　mysterious　horror。　Peter　felt　suddenly　brave　and　adventurous。　Susan　felt　as　if　some　delicious　smell　or　some　delightful　strain　of　music　had　just　floated　by　her。　And　Lucy　got　the　feeling　you　have　when　you　wake　up　in　the　morning　and　realize　that　it　is　the　beginning　of　the　holidays　or　the　beginning　of　summer。
　　
　　〃And　what　about　Mr　Tumnus；〃　said　Lucy；　〃where　is　he？〃
　　
　　〃S…s…s…sh；〃　said　the　Beaver；　〃not　here。　I　must　bring　you　where　we　can　have　a　real　talk　and　also　dinner。〃
　　
　　No　one　except　Edmund　felt　any　difficulty　about　trusting　the　beaver　now；　and　everyone；　including　Edmund；　was　very　glad　to　hear　the　word　〃dinner〃。
　　
　　They　therefore　all　hurried　along　behind　their　new　friend　who　led　them　at　a　surprisingly　quick　pace；　and　always　in　the　thickest　parts　of　the　forest；　for　over　an　hour。　Everyone　was　feeling　very　tired　and　very　hungry　when　suddenly　the　trees　began　to　get　thinner　in　front　of　them　and　the　ground　to　fall　steeply　downhill。　A　minute　later　they　came　out　under　the　open　sky　（the　sun　was　still　shining）　and　found　themselves　looking　down　on　a　fine　sight。
　　
　　They　were　standing　on　the　edge　of　a　steep；　narrow　valley　at　the　bottom　of　which　ran…at　least　it　would　have　been　running　if　it　hadn't　been　frozen…a　fairly　large　river。　Just　below　them　a　dam　had　been　built　across　this　river；　and　when　they　saw　it　everyone　suddenly　remembered　that　of　course　beavers　are　always　making　dams　and　felt　quite　sure　that　Mr　Beaver　had　made　this　one。　They　also　noticed　that　he　now　had　a　sort　of　modest　expression　on　his；　face…the　sort　of　look　people　have　when　you　are　visiting　a　garden　they've　made　or　reading　a　story　they've　written。　So　it　was　only　mon　politeness　when　Susan　said；　〃What　a　lovely　dam！〃　And　Mr　Beaver　didn't　say　〃Hush〃　this　time　but　〃Merely　a　trifle！　Merely　a　trifle！　And　it　isn't　really　finished！〃
　　
　　Above　the　dam　there　was　what　ought　to　have　been　a　deep　pool　but　was　now；　of　course；　a　level　floor　of　dark　green　ice。　And　below　the　dam；　much　lower　down；　was　more　ice；　but　instead　of　being　smooth　this　was　all　frozen　into　the　foamy　and　wavy　shapes　in　which　the　water　had　been　rushing　along　at　the　very　moment　when　the　frost　came。　And　where　the　water　had　been　trickling　over　and　spurting　through　the　dam　there　was　now　a　glittering　wall　of　icicles；　as　if　the　side　of　the　dam　had　been　covered　all　over　with　flowers　and　wreaths　and　festoons　of　the　purest　sugar。　And　out　in　the　middle；　and　partly　on　top　of　the　dam　was　a　funny　little　house　shaped　rather　like　an　enormous　beehive　and　from　a　hole　in　the　roof　smoke　was　going　up；　so　that　when　you　saw　it　｛especially　if　you　were　hungry）　you　at　once　thought　of　cooking　and　became　hungrier　than　you　were　before。
　　
　　That　was　what　the　others　chiefly　noticed；　but　Edmund　noticed　something　else。　A　little　lower　down　the　river　there　was　another　small　river　which　came　down　another　small　valley　to　join　it。　And　looking　up　that　valley；　Edmund　could　see　two　small　hills；　and　he　was　almost　sure　they　were　the　two　hills　which　the　White　Witch　had　pointed　out　to　him　when　he　parted　from　her　at　the　lamp…post　that　other　day。　And　then　between　them；