the lion, the witch and the war_c·s·刘易斯-第12部分

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〃these　are　your　presents；〃　was　the　answer；　〃and　they　are　tools　not　toys。　　the　time　to　use　them　is　perhaps　near　at　hand。　bear　them　well。〃　with　these　words　he　handed　　to　peter　a　shield　and　a　sword。　the　shield　was　the　colour　of　silver　and　across　it　there　　ramped　a　red　lion；　as　bright　as　a　ripe　strawberry　at　the　moment　when　you　pick　it。　the　　hilt　of　the　sword　　

was　of　gold　and　it　had　a　sheath　and　a　sword　belt　and　everything　it　needed；　　and　it　was　just　the　right　size　and　weight　for　peter　to　use。　peter　was　silent　and　solemn　as　　he　received　these　gifts；　for　he　felt　they　were　a　very　serious　kind　of　present。

〃susan；　eves　daughter；〃　said　father　christmas。　〃these　are　for　you；〃　and　he　　handed　her　a　bow　and　a　quiver　full　of　arrows　and　a　little　ivory　horn。　〃you　must　use　the　　bow　only　in　great　need；〃　he　said；　〃for　i　do　not　mean　you　to　fight　in　the　battle。　it　　does　not　easily　miss。

and　when　you　put　this　horn　to　your　lips；　and　blow　it；　then；　wherever　you　　are；　i　think　help　of　some　kind　will　e　to　you。鈥�

last　of　all　he　said；　〃lucy；　eves　daughter；〃　and　lucy　came　forward。　he　gave　　her　a　little　bottle　of　what　looked　like　glass　（but　people　said　afterwards　that　it　was　　made　of　diamond）　and　a　small　dagger。　〃in　this　bottle；〃　he　said；　〃there　is　cordial　made　of　　the　juice　of　one　of　the　fireflowers　that　grow　in　the　mountains　of　the　sun。　if　you　or　any　of　　your　friends　is　hurt；　a　few　drops　of　this　restore　them。　and　the　dagger　is　to　defend　yourse　at　　great　need。　for　you　also　are　not　to　be　in　battle。鈥�

〃why；　sir？〃　said　lucy。　〃i　think　…　i　dont　know　but　i　think　i　could　be　brave　　enough。鈥�

〃that　is　not　the　point；〃　he　said。　〃but　battles　are　ugly　when　women　fight。　　and　now〃　…　here　he　suddenly　looked　less　grave　…　〃here　is　something　for　the　moment　for　you　　all！〃　and　he　brought　out　（i　suppose　from　the　big　bag　at　his　back；　but　nobody　quite　saw　　him　do　it）　a　large　tray　containing　five　cups　and　saucers；　a　bowl　of　lump　sugar；　a　jug　of　　cream；　and　a　great　big　teapot　all　sizzling　and　piping　hot。　then　he　cried　out　〃merry　　christmas！　long　live　the　true　king！〃　and　cracked　his　whip；　and　he　and　the　reindeer　and　the　　sledge　and　all　were　out　of　sight　before　anyone　realized　that　they　had　started。

peter　had　just　drawn　his　sword　out　of　its　sheath　and　was　showing　it　to　mr　　beaver；　when　mrs　beaver　said：　　〃now　then；　now　then！　dont　stand　talking　there　till　the　teas　got　cold。　　just　like　men。　e　and　help　to　carry　the　tray　down　and　well　have　breakfast。　what　a　mercy　i　　thought　of　bringing　the　bread…knife。鈥�

so　down　the　steep　bank　they　went　and　back　to　the　cave；　and　mr　beaver　cut　　some　of　the　bread　and　ham　into　sandwiches　and　mrs　beaver　poured　out　the　tea　and　　everyone　enjoyed　themselves。　but　long　before　they　had　finished　enjoying　themselves　mr　beaver　　said；　〃time　to　be　moving　on　now。鈥�

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aslan　is　nearer　　　

edmund　meanwhile　had　been　having　a　most　disappointing　time。　when　the　dwarf　　had　gone　to　get　the　sledge　ready　he　expected　that　the　witch　would　start　being　　nice　to　him；　as　she　had　been　at　their　last　meeting。　but　she　said　nothing　at　all。　and　when　　at　last　edmund　plucked　up　his　courage　to　say；　〃please；　your　majesty；　could　i　have　some　　turkish　delight？

you　…　you　…　said　…〃　she　answered；　〃silence；　fool！〃　then　she　appeared　to　　change　her　mind　and　said；　as　if　to　herself；　a　〃and　yet　it　will　not　do　to　have　the　brat　　fainting　on　the　way；鈥�

and　once　more　clapped　her　hands。　another；　dwarf　appeared。

〃bring　the　human　creature　food　and　drink；〃　she　said。

the　dwarf　went　away　and　presently　returned　bringing　an　iron　bowl　with　some　　water　in　it　and　an　iron　plate　with　a　hunk　of　dry　bread　on　it。　he　grinned　in　a　repulsive　　manner　as　he　set　them　down　on　the　floor　beside　edmund　and　said：　　〃turkish　delight　for　the　little　prince。　ha！　ha！　ha！〃　　　〃take　it　away；〃　said　edmund　sulkily。　〃i　dont　want　dry　bread。〃　but　the　　witch　suddenly　turned　on　him　with　such　a　terrible　expression　on　her　face　that　he；　　apologized　and　began　to　nibble　at　the　bread；　though；　it　was　so　stale　he　could　hardly　get　it　down。

〃you　may　be　glad　enough　of　it　before　you　taste　bread　again；〃　said　the　　witch。

while　he　was　still　chewing　away　the　first　dwarf　came　back　and　announced　　that　the　sledge　was　ready。　the　white　witch　rose　and　went　out；　ordering　edmund　to　go　with　　her。　the　snow　was　again　falling　as　they　came　into　the　courtyard；　but　she　took　no　　notice　of　that　and　made　edmund　sit　beside　her　on　the　sledge。　but　before　they　drove　off　she　　called　maugrim　and　he　came　bounding　like　an　enormous　dog　to　the　side　of　the　sledge。

〃take　with　you　the　swiftest　of　your　wolves　and　go　at　once　to　the　house　of　　the　beavers；鈥�

said　the　witch；　〃and　kill　whatever　you　find　there。　if　they　are　already　　gone；　then　make　all　speed　to　the　stone　table；　but　do　not　be　seen。　wait　for　me　there　in　hiding。　　i　meanwhile　must　go　many　miles　to　the　west　before　i　find　a　place　where　i　can　drive　　across　the　river。

you　may　overtake　these　humans　before　they　reach　the　stone　table。　you　will　　know　what　to　do　if　you　find　them！鈥�

〃i　hear　and　obey；　o　queen；〃　growled　the　wolf；　and　immediately　he　shot　away　　into　the　snow　and　darkness；　as　quickly　as　a　horse　can　gallop。　in　a　few　minutes　he　　had　called　another　wolf　and　was　with　him　down　on　the　dam　sniffing　at　the　beavers　　house。　but　of　course　they　found　it　empty。　it　would　have　been　a　dreadful　thing　for　the　　beavers　and　the　children　if　the　night　had　remained　fine；　for　the　wolves　would　then　have　　been　able　to　follow　their　trail　…　and　ten　to　one　would　have　overtaken　them　before　they　　had　got　to　the　cave。　but　now　that　the　snow　had　begun　again　the　scent　was　cold　and　even　the　　footprints　were　covered　up。

meanwhile　the　dwarf　whipped　up　the　reindeer；　and　the　witch　and　edmund　drove　　out　under　the　archway　and　on　and　away　into　the　darkness　and　the　cold。　this　was　　a　terrible　　

journey　for　edmund；　who　had　no　coat。　before　they　had　been　going　quarter　of　　an　hour　all　the　front　of　him　was　covered　with　snow　…　he　soon　stopped　trying　to　shake　it　　off　because；　as　quickly　as　he　did　that；　a　new　lot　gathered；　and　he　was　so　tired。　soon　he　　was　wet　to　the　skin。　and　oh；　how　miserable　he　was！　it　didnt　look　now　as　if　the　witch　　intended　to　make　him　a　king。　all　the　things　he　had　said　to　make　himself　believe　that　she　was　　good　and　kind　and　that　her　side　was　really　the　right　side　sounded　to　him　silly　now。　　he　would　have　given　anything　to　meet　the　others　at　this　moment　…　even　peter！　the　only　way　　to　fort　himself　now　was　to　try　to　believe　that　the　whole　thing　was　a　dream　and　that　　he　might　wake　up　at　any　moment。　and　as　they　went　on；　hour　after　hour；　it　did　e　to　　seem　like　a　dream。

this　lasted　longer　than　i　could　describe　even　if　i　wrote　pages　and　pages　　about　it。　but　i　will　skip　on　to　the　time　when　the　snow　had　stopped　and　the　morning　had　e　　and　they　were　racing　along　in　the　daylight。　and　still　they　went　on　and　on；　with　no　　sound　but　the　everlasting　swish　of　the　snow　and　the　creaking　of　the　reindeers　harness。　　and　then　at　last　the　witch　said；　〃what　have　we　here？　stop！〃　and　they　did。

how　edmund　hoped　she　was　going　to　say　something　about　breakfast！　but　she　　had　stopped　for　quite　a　different　reason。　a　little　way　off　at　the　foot　of　a　　tree　sat　a　merry　party；　a　squirrel　and　his　wife　with　their　children　and　two　satyrs　and　a　dwarf　and　　an　old　dogfox；　all　on　stools　round　a　table。　edmund　couldnt　quite　see　what　they　were　　eating；　but　it　smelled　lovely　and　there　seemed　to　be　decorations　of　holly　and　he　wasnt　at　　all　sure　that　he　didnt　see　something　like　a　plum　pudding。　at　the　moment　when　the　sledge　　stopped；　the　fox；　who　was　obviously　the　oldest　person　present；　had　just　risen　to　its　　feet；　holding　a　glass　in　its　right　paw　as　if　it　was　going　to　say　something。　but　when　the　　whole　party　saw　the　sledge　stopping　and　who　was　in　it；　all　the　gaiety　went　out　of　their　　faces。　the　father　squirrel　stopped　eating　with　his　fork　half…way　to　his　mouth　and　one　of　the　　satyrs　stopped　with　its　fork　actually　in　its　mouth；　and　the　baby　squirrels　squeaked　with　　terror。

〃what　is　the　meaning　of　this？〃　asked　the　witch　queen。　nobody　answered。

〃speak；　vermin！〃　she　said　again。　〃or　do　you　want　my　dwarf　to　find　you　a　　tongue　with　his　whip？　what　is　the　meaning　of　all　this　gluttony；　this　waste；　this　　selfindulgence？　where　did　you　get　all　these　things？鈥�

〃please；　your　majesty；〃　said　the　fox；　〃we　were　given　them。　and　if　i　might　　make　so　bold　as　to　drink　your　majestys　very　good　health　…　鈥�

〃who　gave　them　to　you？〃　said　the　witch。

〃f…f…f…father　christmas；〃　stammered　the　fox。

〃what？〃　roared　the　witch；　springing　from　the　sledge　and　taking　a　few　　strides　nearer　to　the　terrified　animals。　〃he　has　not　been　here！　he　cannot　have　been　here！　how　　dare　you　…　but　no。　say　you　have　been　lying　and　you　shall　even　now　be　forgiven。鈥�

at　that　moment　one　of　the　young　squirrels　lost　its　head　pletely。

〃he　has　…　he　has　…　he　has！〃　it　squeaked；　beating　its　little　spoon　on　the　　table。　edmund　saw　the　witch　bite　her　lips　so　that　a　drop　of　blood　appeared　on　her　white　　cheek。　then　she　raised　her　wand。　〃oh；　dont；　dont；　please　dont；〃　shouted　edmund；　but　even　　while　he　was　shouting　she　had　waved　her　wand　and　instantly　where　the　merry　party　had　　been　there　were　only　statues　of　creatures　（one　with　its　stone　fork　fixed　forever　half　…way　to　its　stone　mouth）　seated　round　a　stone　table　on　which　there　were　stone　plates　and　a　　stone　plum　pudding。

〃as　for　you；〃　said　the　witch；　giving　edmund　a　stunning　blow　on　the　face　as　　she　re…mounted　the　sledge；　〃let　that　teach　you　to　ask　favour　for　spies　and　　traitors。　drive　on！鈥�

and　edmund　for　the　first　time　in　this　story　felt　sorry　for　someone　besides　　himself。　it　seemed　so　pitiful　to　think　of　those　little　stone　figures　sitting　there　all　　the　silent　days　and　all　the　dark　nights；　year　after　year；　till　the　moss　grew　on　them　and　at　　last　even　their　faces　crumbled　away。

now　they　were　steadily　racing　on　again。　and　soon　edmund　noticed　that　the　　snow　which　splashed　against　them　as　they　rushed　through　it　was　much　wetter　than　it　had　　been　all　last　night。　at　the　same　time　he　noticed　that　he　was　feeling　much　less　cold。　it　　was　also　being　foggy。　in　fact　every　minute　it　grew　foggier　and　warmer。　and　the　　sledge　was　not　running　nearly　as　well　as　it　had　been　running　up　till　now。　at　first