友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!
合租小说网 返回本书目录 加入书签 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 『收藏到我的浏览器』

the lion, the witch and the war_c·s·刘易斯-第8部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完,想下次继续接着阅读,可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能!


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; he thought; must be her palace; only a mile off or less。 and he thought about  turkish delight and about being a king (〃and i wonder how peter will like that?〃 he  asked himself) and horrible ideas came into his head。

〃here we are;〃 said mr beaver; 〃and it looks as if mrs beaver is expecting  us。 ill lead the way。 but be careful and dont slip。鈥

the top of the dam was wide enough to walk on; though not (for humans) a  very nice place to walk because it was covered with ice; and though the frozen pool  was level with it on one side; there was a nasty drop to the lower river on the other。  along this route mr beaver led them in single file right out to the middle where they could  look a long way up the river and a long way down it。 and when they had reached the middle  they were at the door of the house。

〃here we are; mrs beaver;〃 said mr beaver; 〃ive found them。 here are the  sons and daughters of adam and eve… and they all went in。

the first thing lucy noticed as she went in was a burring sound; and the  first thing she saw was a kindlooking old she…beaver sitting in the corner with a thread in  her mouth working busily at her sewing machine; and it was from it that the sound  came。 she stopped her work and got up as soon as the children came in。

〃so youve e at last!〃 she said; holding out both her wrinkled old paws。  〃at last! to think that ever i should live to see this day! the potatoes are on boiling  and the kettles singing and i daresay; mr beaver; youll get us some fish。鈥

〃that i will;〃 said mr beaver; and he went out of the house (peter went  with him); and across the ice of the deep pool to where he had a little hole in the ice  which he kept open every day with his hatchet。 they took a pail with them。 mr beaver sat down  quietly at the edge of the hole (he didnt seem to mind it being so chilly); looked hard  into it; then suddenly shot in his paw; and before you could say jack robinson had  whisked out a beautiful trout。 then he did it all over again until they had a fine catch  of fish。

meanwhile the girls were helping mrs beaver to fill the kettle and lay the  table and cut the bread and put the plates in the oven to heat and draw a huge jug of  beer for mr beaver from a barrel which stood in one corner of the house; and to put on the  frying…pan and get the dripping hot。 lucy thought the beavers had a very snug little home  though it was not at all like mr tumnuss cave。 there were no books or pictures; and instead  of beds there were bunks; like on board ship; built into the wall。 and there were hams  and strings of onions hanging from the roof; and against the walls were gum boots and  oilskins and hatchets and pairs of shears and spades and trowels and things for carrying  mortar in and fishing…rods and fishing…nets and sacks。 and the cloth on the table; though  very clean; was very rough。

just as the frying…pan was nicely hissing peter and mr beaver came in with  the fish which mr beaver had already opened with his knife and cleaned out in the  open air。 you can think how good the new…caught fish smelled while they were frying and  how the hungry children longed for them to be done and how very much hungrier still  they had bee before mr beaver said; 〃now were nearly ready。〃 susan drained the  potatoes and then put them all back in the empty pot to dry on the side of the range  while lucy was helping mrs beaver to dish up the trout; so that in a very few minutes  everyone was drawing up their stools (it was all three…legged stools in the beavers  house except for mrs beavers own special rockingchair beside the fire) and preparing to  enjoy themselves。 there was a jug of creamy milk for the children (mr beaver  stuck to beer) and a great big lump of deep yellow butter in the middle of the table from  which everyone took as much as he wanted to go with his potatoes; and all the  children thought … and i agree with them … that theres nothing to beat good freshwater fish  if you eat it when it has been alive half an hour ago and has e out of the pan half a  minute ago。

and when they had finished the fish mrs beaver brought unexpectedly out of  the oven a great and gloriously sticky marmalade roll; steaming hot; and at the same  time moved the kettle on to the fire; so that when they had finished the marmalade roll  the tea was made and ready to be poured out。 and when each person had got his (or her) cup  of tea; each person shoved back his (or her) stool so as to be able to lean against the  wall and gave a long sigh of contentment。

〃and now;〃 said mr beaver; pushing away his empty beer mug and pulling his  cup of tea towards him; 〃if youll just wait till ive got my pipe lit up and going  nicely … why; now we can get to business。 its snowing again;〃 he added; cocking his eye at  the window。

〃thats all the better; because it means we shant have any visitors; and  if anyone should have been trying to follow you; why he wont find any tracks。鈥

www銆



CHAPTER EIGHT

灏彙‘t。xt。澶e爞
what happened after dinner   

〃and now;〃 said lucy; 〃do please tell us whats happened to mr tumnus。鈥

〃ah; thats bad;〃 said mr beaver; shaking his head。 〃thats a very; very  bad business。

theres no doubt he was taken off by the police。 i got that from a bird who  saw it done。鈥

〃but wheres he been taken to?〃 asked lucy。

〃well; they were heading northwards when they were last seen and we all  know what that means。鈥

〃no; we dont;〃 said susan。 mr beaver shook his head in a very gloomy  fashion。

〃im afraid it means they were taking him to her house;〃 he said。

〃but whatll they do to him; mr beaver?〃 gasped lucy。

〃well;〃 said mr beaver; 〃you cant exactly say for sure。 but theres not  many taken in there that ever es out again。 statues。 all full of statues they say it  is … in the courtyard and up the stairs and in the hall。 people shes turned〃 … (he paused and  shuddered) 〃turned into stone。鈥

〃but; mr beaver;〃 said lucy; 〃cant we … i mean we must do something to  save him。 its too dreadful and its all on my account。鈥

〃i dont doubt youd save him if you could; dearie;〃 said mrs beaver; 〃but  youve no chance of getting into that house against her will and ever ing out  alive。鈥

〃couldnt we have some stratagem?〃 said peter。 〃i mean couldnt we dress up  as something; or pretend to be … oh; pedlars or anything … or watch till she  was gone out … or… oh; hang it all; there must be some way。 this faun saved my sister at his  own risk; mr beaver。 we cant just leave him to be … to be … to have that done to him。鈥

〃its no good; son of adam;〃 said mr beaver; 〃no good your trying; of all  people。 but now that aslan is on the move…鈥

〃oh; yes! tell us about aslan!〃 said several voices at once; for once again  that strange feeling … like the first signs of spring; like good news; had e over  them。

〃who is aslan?〃 asked susan。

〃aslan?〃 said mr beaver。 〃why; dont you know? hes the king。 hes the lord  of the whole wood; but not often here; you understand。 never in my time or my  fathers time。

but the word has reached us that he has e back。 he is in narnia at this  moment。 hell settle the white queen all right。 it is he; not you; that will save mr  tumnus。鈥

〃she wont turn him into stone too?〃 said edmund。

〃lord love you; son of adam; what a simple thing to say!〃 answered mr  beaver with a great laugh。 〃turn him into stone? if she can stand on her two feet and  look him in the face itll be the most she can do and more than i expect of her。 no; no。  hell put all to rights as it says in an old rhyme in these parts:  wrong will be right; when aslan es in sight;  at the sound of his roar; sorrows will be no more;  when he bares his teeth; winter meets its death;  and when he shakes his mane; we shall have spring again。

youll understand when you see him。鈥

〃but shall we see him?〃 asked susan。

〃why; daughter of eve; thats what i brought you here for。 im to lead you  where you shall meet him;〃 said mr beaver。

〃is…is he a man?〃 asked lucy。

〃aslan a man!〃 said mr beaver sternly。 〃certainly not。 i tell you he is the  king of the wood and the son of the great emperor…beyond…the…sea。 dont you know who is  the king of beasts? aslan is a lion … the lion; the great lion。鈥

〃ooh!〃 said susan; 〃id thought he was a man。 is he … quite safe? i shall  feel rather nervous about meeting a lion。鈥

〃that you will; dearie; and no mistake;〃 said mrs beaver; 〃if theres  anyone who can appear before aslan without their knees knocking; theyre either braver  than most or else just silly。鈥

〃then he isnt safe?〃 said lucy。

〃safe?〃 said mr beaver; 〃dont you hear what mrs beaver tells you? who said  anything about safe? course he isnt safe。 but hes good。 hes the king; i tell  you。鈥

〃im longing to see him;〃 said peter; 〃even if i do feel frightened when it  es to the point。鈥

〃thats right; son of adam;〃 said mr beaver; bringing his paw down on the  table with a crash that made all the cups and saucers rattle。 〃and so you shall。 word  has been sent that you are to meet him; tomorrow if you can; at the stone table。   

〃wheres that?〃 said lucy。

〃ill show you;〃 said mr beaver。 〃its down the river; a good step from  here。 ill take you to it!鈥

〃but meanwhile what about poor mr tumnus?〃 said lucy。

〃the quickest way you can help him is by going to meet aslan;〃 said mr  beaver; 〃once hes with us; then we can begin doing things。 not that we dont need y
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0
快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!