csl.thelionthewitchandthewardrobe-第13部分

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ng　with　fear。　How　long　this　really　lasted　I　don't　know；　but　it　seemed　to　Edmund　to　last　for　hours。
　　
　　Then　at　last　he　began　to　wonder　why　the　lion　was　standing　so　still…for　it　hadn't　moved　one　inch　since　he　first　set　eyes　on　it。　Edmund　now　ventured　a　little　nearer；　still　keeping　in　the　shadow　of　the　arch　as　much　as　he　could。　He　now　saw　from　the　way　the　lion　was　standing　that　it　couldn't　have　been　looking　at　him　at　all。　（〃But　supposing　it　turns　its　head？〃　thought　Edmund。）　In　fact　it　was　staring　at　something　else　namely　a　little：　dwarf　who　stood　with　his　back　to　it　about　four　feet　away。　〃Aha！〃　thought　Edmund。　〃When　it　springs　at　the　dwarf　then　will　be　my　chance　to　escape。〃　But　still　the　lion　never　moved；　nor　did　the　dwarf。　And　now　at　last　Edmund　remembered　what　the　others　had　said　about　the　White　Witch　turning　people　into　stone。　Perhaps　this　was　only　a　stone　lion。　And　as　soon　as　he　had　thought　of　that　he　noticed　that　the　lion's　back　and　the　top　of　its　head　were　covered　with　snow。　Of　course　it　must　be　only　a　statue！　No　living　animal　would　have　let　itself　get　covered　with　snow。　Then　very　slowly　and　with　his　heart　beating　as　if　it　would　burst；　Edmund　ventured　to　go　up　to　the　lion。　Even　now　he　hardly　dared　to　touch　it；　but　at　last　he　put　out　his　hand；　very　quickly；　and　did。　It　was　cold　stone。　He　had　been　frightened　of　a　mere　statue！
　　
　　The　relief　which　Edmund　felt　was　so　great　that　in　spite　of　the　cold　he　suddenly　got　warm　all　over　right　down　to　his　toes；　and　at　the　same　time　there　came　into　his　head　what　seemed　a　perfectly　lovely　idea。　〃Probably；〃　he　thought；　〃this　is　the　great　Lion　Aslan　that　they　were　all　talking　about。　She's　caught　him　already　and　turned　him　into　stone。　So　that's　the　end　of　all　their　fine　ideas　about　him！　Pooh！　Who's　afraid　of　Aslan？〃
　　
　　And　he　stood　there　gloating　over　the　stone　lion；　and　presently　he　did　something　very　silly　and　childish。　He　took　a　stump　of　lead　pencil　out　of　his　pocket　and　scribbled　a　moustache　on　the　lion's　upper　lip　and　then　a　pair　of　spectacles　on　its　eyes。　Then　he　said；　〃Yah！　Silly　old　Aslan！　How　do　you　like　being　a　stone？　You　thought　yourself　mighty　fine；　didn't　you？〃　But　in　spite　of　the　scribbles　on　it　the　face　of　the　great　stone　beast　still　looked　so　terrible；　and　sad；　and　noble；　staring　up　in　the　moonlight；　that　Edmund　didn't　really　get　any　fun　out　of　jeering　at　it。　He　turned　away　and　began　to　cross　the　courtyard。
　　
　　As　he　got　into　the　middle　of　it　he　saw　that　there　were　dozens　of　statues　all　about…standing　here　and　there　rather　as　the　pieces　stand　on　a　chess…board　when　it　is　half…way　through　the　game。　There　were　stone　satyrs；　and　stone　wolves；　and　bears　and　foxes　and　cat…amountains　of　stone。　There　were　lovely　stone　shapes　that　looked　like　women　but　who　were　really　the　spirits　of　trees。　There　was　the　great　shape　of　a　centaur　and　a　winged　horse　and　a　long　lithe　creature　that　Edmund　took　to　be　a　dragon。　They　all　looked　so　strange　standing　there　perfectly　life…like　and　also　perfectly　still；　in　the　bright　cold　moonlight；　that　it　was　eerie　work　crossing　the　courtyard。　Right　in　the　very　middle　stood　a　huge　shape　like　a　man；　but　as　tall　as　a　tree；　with　a　fierce　face　and　a　shaggy　beard　and　a　great　club　in　its　right　hand。　Even　though　he　knew　that　it　was　only　a　stone　giant　and　not　a　live　one；　Edmund　did　not　like　going　past　it。
　　
　　He　now　saw　that　there　was　a　dim　light　showing　from　a　doorway　on　the　far　side　of　the　courtyard。　He　went　to　it；　there　was　a　flight　of　stone　steps　going　up　to　an　open　door。　Edmund　went　up　them。　Across　the　threshold　lay　a　great　wolf。
　　
　　〃It's　all　right；　it's　all　right；〃　he　kept　saying　to　himself；　〃it's　only　a　stone　wolf。　It　can't　hurt　me〃；　and　he　raised　his　leg　to　step　over　it。　Instantly　the　huge　creature　rose；　with　all　the　hair　bristling　along　its　back；　opened　a　great；　red　mouth　and　said　in　a　growling　voice：
　　
　　〃Who's　there？　Who's　there？　Stand　still；　stranger；　and　tell　me　who　you　are。〃
　　
　　〃If　you　please；　sir；〃　said　Edmund；　trembling　so　that　he　could　hardly　speak；　〃my　name　is　Edmund；　and　I'm　the　Son　of　Adam　that　Her　Majesty　met　in　the　wood　the　other　day　and　I've　e　to　bring　her　the　news　that　my　brother　and　sisters　are　now　in　Narnia…quite　close；　in　the　Beavers'　house。　She…she　wanted　to　see　them。〃
　　
　　〃I　will　tell　Her　Majesty；〃　said　the　Wolf。　〃Meanwhile；　stand　still　on　the　threshold；　as　you　value　your　life。〃　Then　it　vanished　into　the　house。
　　
　　Edmund　stood　and　waited；　his　fingers　aching　with　cold　and　his　heart　pounding　in　his　chest；　and　presently　the　grey　wolf；　Maugrim；　the　Chief　of　the　Witch's　Secret　Police；　came　bounding　back　and　said；　〃e　in！　e　in！　Fortunate　favourite　of　the　Queen…or　else　not　so　fortunate。〃
　　
　　And　Edmund　went　in；　taking　great　care　not　to　tread　on　the　Wolf's　paws。
　　
　　He　found　himself　in　a　long　gloomy　hall　with　many　pillars；　full；　as　the　courtyard　had　been；　of　statues。　The　one　nearest　the　door　was　a　little　faun　with　a　very　sad　expression　on　its　face；　and　Edmund　couldn't　help　wondering　if　this　might　be　Lucy's　friend。　The　only　light　came　from　a　single　lamp　and　close　beside　this　sat　the　White　Witch。
　　
　　〃I'm　e；　your　Majesty；〃　said　Edmund；　rushing　eagerly　forward。
　　
　　〃How　dare　you　e　alone？〃　said　the　Witch　in　a　terrible　voice。　〃Did　I　not　tell　you　to　bring　the　others　with　you？〃
　　
　　〃Please；　your　Majesty；〃　said　Edmund；　〃I've　done　the　best　I　can。　I've　brought　them　quite　close。　They're　in　the　little　house　on　top　of　the　dam　just　up　the　riverwith　Mr　and　Mrs　Beaver。〃
　　
　　A　slow　cruel　smile　came　over　the　Witch's　face。
　　
　　〃Is　this　all　your　news？〃　she　asked。
　　
　　〃No；　your　Majesty；〃　said　Edmund；　and　proceeded　to　tell　her　all　he　had　heard　before　leaving　the　Beavers'　house。
　　
　　〃What！　Aslan？〃　cried　the　Queen；　〃Aslan！　Is　this　true？　If　I　find　you　have　lied　to　me…〃
　　
　　〃Please；　I'm　only　repeating　what　they　said；〃　stammered　Edmund。
　　
　　But　the　Queen；　who　was　no　longer　attending　to　him；　clapped　her　hands。　Instantly　the　same　dwarf　whom　Edmund　had　seen　with　her　before　appeared。
　　
　　〃Make　ready　our　sledge；〃　ordered　the　Witch；　〃and　use　the　harness　without　bells。〃
　　
　　
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　TEN
　　
　　THE　SPELL　BEGINS　TO　BREAK
　　
　　Now　we　must　go　back　to　Mr　and　Mrs　Beaver　and　the　three　other　children。　As　soon　as　Mr　Beaver　said；　〃There's　no　time　to　lose；〃　everyone　began　bundling　themselves　into　coats；　except　Mrs　Beaver；　who　started　picking　up　sacks　and　laying　them　on　the　table　and　said：　〃Now；　Mr　Beaver；　just　reach　down　that　ham。　And　here's　a　packet　of　tea；　and　there's　sugar；　and　some　matches。　And　if　someone　will　get　two　or　three　loaves　out　of　the　crock　over　there　in　the　corner。〃
　　
　　〃What　are　you　doing；　Mrs　Beaver？〃　exclaimed　Susan。
　　
　　〃Packing　a　load　for　each　of　us；　dearie；〃　said　Mrs　Beaver　very　coolly。　〃You　didn't　think　we'd　set　out　on　a　journey　with　nothing　to　eat；　did　you？〃
　　
　　〃But　we　haven't　time！〃　said　Susan；　buttoning　the　collar　of　her　coat。　〃She　may　be　here　any　minute。〃
　　
　　〃That's　what　I　say；〃　chimed　in　Mr　Beaver。
　　
　　〃Get　along　with　you　all；〃　said　his　wife。　〃Think　it　over；　Mr　Beaver。　She　can't　be　here　for　quarter　of　an　hour　at　least。〃
　　
　　〃But　don't　we　want　as　big　a　start　as　we　can　possibly　get；〃　said　Peter；　〃if　we're　to　reach　the　Stone　Table　before　her？〃
　　
　　〃You've　got　to　remember　that；　Mrs　Beaver；〃　said　Susan。　〃As　soon　as　she　has　looked　in　here　and　finds　we're　gone　she'll　be　off　at　top　speed。〃
　　
　　〃That　she　will；〃　said　Mrs　Beaver。　〃But　we　can't　get　there　before　her　whatever　we　do；　for　she'll　be　on　a　sledge　and　we'll　be　walking。〃
　　
　　〃Then…have　we　no　hope？〃　said　Susan。
　　
　　〃Now　don't　you　get　fussing；　there's　a　dear；〃　said　Mrs　Beaver；　〃but　just　get　half　a　dozen　clean　handkerchiefs　out　of　the　drawer。　'Course　we've　got　a　hope。　We　can't　get　there　before　her　but　we　can　keep　under　cover　and　go　by　ways　she　won't　expect　and　perhaps　we'll　get　through。〃
　　
　　〃That's　true　enough；　Mrs　Beaver；〃　said　her　husband。　〃But　it's　time　we　were　out　of　this。〃
　　
　　〃And　don't　you　start　fussing　either；　Mr　Beaver；〃　said　his　wife。　〃There。　That's　better。　There's　five　loads　and　the　smallest　for　the　smallest　of　us：　that's　you；　my　dear；〃　she　added；　l