the lion, the witch and the war_c·s·刘易斯-第5部分

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a　dangerous　witch　　he　felt　even　more　unfortable。　but　he　still　wanted　to　taste　that　turkish　delight　again　　more　than　he　wanted　anything　else。

〃who　told　you　all　that　stuff　about　the　white　witch？〃　he　asked。

〃mr　tumnus；　the　faun；〃　said　lucy。

〃you　cant　always　believe　what　fauns　say；〃　said　edmund；　trying　to　sound　as　　if　he　knew　far　more　about　them　than　lucy。

〃who　said　so？〃　asked　lucy。

〃everyone　knows　it；〃　said　edmund；　〃ask　anybody　you　like。　but　its　pretty　　poor　sport　standing　here　in　the　snow。　lets　go　home。鈥�

〃yes；　lets；〃　said　lucy。　〃oh；　edmund；　i　am　glad　youve　got　in　too。　the　　others　will　have　to　believe　in　narnia　now　that　both　of　us　have　been　there。　what　fun　it　will　　be！鈥�

but　edmund　secretly　thought　that　it　would　not　be　as　good　fun　for　him　as　for　　her。　he　would　have　to　admit　that　lucy　had　been　right；　before　all　the　others；　and　he　　felt　sure　the　others　would　all　be　on　the　side　of　the　fauns　and　the　animals；　but　he　was　　already　more　than　half　on　the　side　of　the　witch。　he　did　not　know　what　he　would　say；　or　　how　he　would　keep　his　secret　once　they　were　all　talking　about　narnia。

by　this　time　they　had　walked　a　good　way。　then　suddenly　they　felt　coats　　around　them　instead　of　branches　and　next　moment　they　were　both　standing　outside　the　　wardrobe　in　the　empty　room。

〃i　say；〃　said　lucy；　〃you　do　look　awful；　edmund。　dont　you　feel　well？鈥�

〃im　all　right；〃　said　edmund；　but　this　was　not　true。　he　was　feeling　very　　sick。

〃e　on　then；〃　said　lucy；　〃lets　find　the　others。　what　a　lot　we　shall　have　　to　tell　them！

and　what　wonderful　adventures　we　shall　have　now　that　were　all　in　it　　together。鈥�

锛穡w。xiaosh锛祇txt。c锛痬



CHAPTER　FIVE

灏彛昏�矗籺锛寈t；澶�；鍫�
back　on　this　side　of　the　door　　because　the　game　of　hide…and…seek　was　still　going　on；　it　took　edmund　and　　lucy　some　time　to　find　the　others。　but　when　at　last　they　were　all　together　（which　　happened　in　the　long　room；　where　the　suit　of　armour　was）　lucy　burst　out：　　〃peter！　susan！　its　all　true。　edmund　has　seen　it　too。　there　is　a　country　　you　can　get　to　through　the　wardrobe。　edmund　and　i　both　got　in。　we　met　one　another　in　　there；　in　the　wood。　go　on；　edmund；　tell　them　all　about　it。鈥�

〃whats　all　this　about；　ed？〃　said　peter。

and　now　we　e　to　one　of　the　nastiest　things　in　this　story。　up　to　that　　moment　edmund　had　been　feeling　sick；　and　sulky；　and　annoyed　with　lucy　for　being　right；　　but　he　hadnt　made　up　his　mind　what　to　do。　when　peter　suddenly　asked　him　the　question　he　　decided　all　at　once　to　do　the　meanest　and　most　spiteful　thing　he　could　think　of。　he　　decided　to　let　lucy　down。

〃tell　us；　ed；〃　said　susan。

and　edmund　gave　a　very　superior　look　as　if　he　were　far　older　than　lucy　　（there　was　really　only　a　years　difference）　and　then　a　little　snigger　and　said；　〃oh；　yes；　　lucy　and　i　have　been　playing　…　pretending　that　all　her　story　about　a　country　in　the　wardrobe　is　　true。　just　for　fun；　of　course。　theres　nothing　there　really。鈥�

poor　lucy　gave　edmund　one　look　and　rushed　out　of　the　room。

edmund；　who　was　being　a　nastier　person　every　minute；　thought　that　he　had　　scored　a　great　success；　and　went　on　at　once　to　say；　〃there　she　goes　again。　whats　　the　matter　with　her？　thats　the　worst　of　young　kids；　they　always　…鈥�

〃look　here；〃　said　peter；　turning　on　him　savagely；　〃shut　up！　youve　been　　perfectly　beastly　to　lu　ever　since　she　started　this　nonsense　about　the　wardrobe；　and　now　you　　go　playing　games　with　her　about　it　and　setting　her　off　again。　i　believe　you　did　it　　simply　out　of　spite。鈥�

〃but　its　all　nonsense；〃　said　edmund；　very　taken　aback。

〃of　course　its　all　nonsense；〃　said　peter；　〃thats　just　the　point。　lu　was　　perfectly　all　right　when　we　left　home；　but　since　weve　been　down　here　she　seems　to　be　either　　going　queer　in　the　head　or　else　turning　into　a　most　frightful　liar。　but　whichever　it　is；　　what　good　do　you　think　youll　do　by　jeering　and　nagging　at　her　one　day　and　encouraging　her　　the　next？鈥�

〃i　thought　…　i　thought；〃　said　edmund；　but　he　couldnt　think　of　anything　to　　say。

〃you　didnt　think　anything　at　all；〃　said　peter；　〃its　just　spite。　youve　　always　liked　being　beastly　to　anyone　smaller　than　yourself；　weve　seen　that　at　school　before　　now。鈥�

〃do　stop　it；〃　said　susan；　〃it　wont　make　things　any　better　having　a　row　　between　you　two。

lets　go　and　find　lucy。鈥�

it　was　not　surprising　that　when　they　found　lucy；　a　good　deal　later；　　everyone　could　see　that　she　had　been　crying。　nothing　they　could　say　to　her　made　any　　difference。　she　stuck　to　her　story　and　said：　　　

〃i　dont　care　what　you　think；　and　i　dont　care　what　you　say。　you　can　tell　　the　professor　or　you　can　write　to　mother　or　you　can　do　anything　you　like。　i　know　ive　met　a　　faun　in　there　and　…　i　wish　id　stayed　there　and　you　are　all　beasts；　beasts。鈥�

it　was　an　unpleasant　evening。　lucy　was　miserable　and　edmund　was　beginning　　to　feel　that　his　plan　wasnt　working　as　well　as　he　had　expected。　the　two　older　ones　were　　really　beginning　to　think　that　lucy　was　out　of　her　mind。　they　stood　in　the　passage　　talking　about　it　in　whispers　long　after　she　had　gone　to　bed。

the　result　was　the　next　morning　they　decided　that　they　really　would　go　and　　tell　the　whole　thing　to　the　professor。　〃hell　write　to　father　if　he　thinks　there　is　really　　something　wrong　with　lu；〃　said　peter；　〃its　getting　beyond　us。〃　so　they　went　and　knocked　at　　the　study　door；　and　the　professor　said　〃e　in；〃　and　got　up　and　found　chairs　for　　them　and　said　he　was　quite　at　their　disposal。　then　he　sat　listening　to　them　with　the　tips　of　　his　fingers　pressed　together　and　never　interrupting；　till　they　had　finished　the　whole　　story。　after　that　he　said　nothing　for　quite　a　long　time。　then　he　cleared　his　throat　and　said　　the　last　thing　either　of　them　expected：　　〃how　do　you　know；〃　he　asked；　〃that　your　sisters　story　is　not　true？鈥�

〃oh；　but　…〃　began　susan；　and　then　stopped。　anyone　could　see　from　the　old　　mans　face　that　he　was　perfectly　serious。　then　susan　pulled　herself　together　and　said；　　〃but　edmund　said　they　had　only　been　pretending。鈥�

〃that　is　a　point；〃　said　the　professor；　〃which　certainly　deserves　　consideration；　very　careful　consideration。　for　instance　…　if　you　will　excuse　me　for　asking　the　question　　…　does　your　experience　lead　you　to　regard　your　brother　or　your　sister　as　the　more　　reliable？　i　mean；　which　is　the　more　truthful？鈥�

〃thats　just　the　funny　thing　about　it；　sir；〃　said　peter。　〃up　till　now；　id　　have　said　lucy　every　time。鈥�

〃and　what　do　you　think；　my　dear？〃　said　the　professor；　turning　to　susan。

〃well；〃　said　susan；　〃in　general；　id　say　the　same　as　peter；　but　this　　couldnt　be　true　…　all　this　about　the　wood　and　the　faun。鈥�

〃that　is　more　than　i　know；〃　said　the　professor；　〃and　a　charge　of　lying　　against　someone　whom　you　have　always　found　truthful　is　a　very　serious　thing；　a　very　serious　　thing　indeed。鈥�

〃we　were　afraid　it　mightnt　even　be　lying；〃　said　susan；　〃we　thought　there　　might　be　something　wrong　with　lucy。鈥�

〃madness；　you　mean？〃　said　the　professor　quite　coolly。　〃oh；　you　can　make　　your　minds　easy　about　that。　one　has　only　to　look　at　her　and　talk　to　her　to　see　that　　she　is　not　mad。鈥�

〃but　then；〃　said　susan；　and　stopped。　she　had　never　dreamed　that　a　grown…up　　would　talk　like　the　professor　and　didnt　know　what　to　think。

〃logic！〃　said　the　professor　half　to　himself。　〃why　dont　they　teach　logic　at　　these　schools？

there　are　only　three　possibilities。　either　your　sister　is　telling　lies；　or　　she　is　mad；　or　she　is　telling　the　truth。　you　know　she　doesnt　tell　lies　and　it　is　obvious　that　　she　is　not　mad　for　the　moment　then　and　unless　any　further　evidence　turns　up；　we　must　assume　　that　she　is　telling　the　truth。鈥�

susan　looked　at　him　very　hard　and　was　quite　sure　from　the　expression　on　his　　face　that　he　was　no　making　fun　of　them。

〃but　how　could　it　be　true；　sir？〃　said　peter。

〃why　do　you　say　that？〃　asked　the　professor。

〃well；　for　one　thing；〃　said　peter；　〃if　it　was　true　why　doesnt　everyone　　find　this　country　every　time　they　go　to　the　wardrobe？　i　mean；　there　was　nothing　there　when　we　　looked；　even　lucy　didnt　pretend　the　was。鈥�

〃what　has　that　to　do　with　it？〃　said　the　professor。

〃well；　sir；　if　things　are　real；　theyre　there　all　the　time。鈥�

〃are　they？〃　said　the　professor；　and　peter　didnt　know　quite　what　to　say。

〃but　there　was　no　time；〃　said　susan。　〃lucy　had　no　time　to　have　gone　　anywhere；　even　if　there　was　such　a　place。　she　came　running　after　us　the　very　moment　we　were　　out　of　the　room。　it　was　less　than　minute；　and　she　pretended　to　have　been　away　for　　hours。鈥�

〃that　is　the　very　thing　that　makes　her　story　so　likely　to　be　true；〃　said　　the　professor。　〃if　there　really　a　door　in　this　house　that　leads　to　some　other　world　（and　i　　should　warn　you　that　this　is　a　very　strange　house；　and　even　i　know　very　little　about　it）　…　　if；　i　say；　she　had　got　into　another　world；　i　should　not　be　at　a　surprised　to　find　that　the　　other　world　had　a　separate　time　of　its　own；　so　that　however　long　you　stay　there　it　would　　never　take　up　any　of　our　time。　on　the　other　hand；　i　dont　think　many　girls　of　her　age　would　　invent　that　idea　for　themselves。　if　she　had　been　pretending；　she　would　have　hidden　for　a　　reasonable　time　before　ing　out　and　telling　her　story。鈥�

〃but　do　you　really　mean；　sir；〃　said　peter；　〃that　there　could　be　other　　worlds　…　all　over　the　place；　just　round　the　corner　…　like　that？鈥�

〃nothing　is　more　probable；〃　said　the　professor；　taking　off　his　spectacles　　and　beginning　to　polish　them；　while　he　muttered　to　himself；　〃i　wonder　what　they　do　teach　　them　at　these　schools。鈥�

〃but　what　are　we　to　do？〃　said　susan。　she　felt　that　the　conversation　was　　beginning　to　get　off　the　point。

〃my　dear　young　lady；〃　said　the　professor；　suddenly　looking　up　with　a　very　　sharp　expression　at　both　of　them；　〃there　is　one　plan　which　no　one　has　yet　　suggested　and　which　is　well　worth　trying。鈥�

〃whats　that？〃　said　susan。

〃we　might　all　try　minding　our　own　business；〃　said　he。　and　that　was　the　end　　of　that　conversation。

after　this　things　were　a　good　deal　better　for　lucy。　peter　saw　to　it　that　　edmund　stopped　jeering　at　her；　and　neither　she　nor　anyone　else　felt　inclined　to　talk　about　　the　wardrobe　at　all。　it　had　bee　a　rather　alarming　subject。　and　so　for　a　time　it　looked　　as　if　all　the　adventures　were　ing　to　an　end；　but　that　was　not　to　be。

this　house　of　the　profes