csl.thelionthewitchandthewardrobe-第16章

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　　〃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？〃
　　
　　〃Please；　your　Majesty；〃　said　the　Fox；　〃we　were　given　them。　And　if　I　might　make　so　bold　as　to　drink　your　Majesty's　very　good　health…〃
　　
　　〃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。〃
　　
　　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；　don't；　don't；　please　don't；〃　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！〃　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　he　thought　this　was　because　the　reindeer　were　tired；　but　soon　he　saw　that　that　couldn't　be　the　real　reason。　The　sledge　jerked；　and　skidded　and　kept　on　jolting　as　if　it　had　struck　against　stones。　And　however　the　dwarf　whipped　the　poor　reindeer　the　sledge　went　slower　and　slower。　There　also　seemed　to　be　a　curious　noise　all　round　them；　but　the　noise　of　their　driving　and　jolting　and　the　dwarf's　shouting　at　the　reindeer　prevented　Edmund　from　hearing　what　it　was；　until　suddenly　the　sledge　stuck　so　fast　that　it　wouldn't　go　on　at　all。　When　that　happened　there　was　a　moment's　silence。　And　in　that　silence　Edmund　could　at　last　listen　to　the　other　noise　properly。　A　strange；　sweet；　rustling；　chattering　noise…and　yet　not　so　strange；　for　he'd　heard　it　before…if　only　he　could　remember　where！　Then　all　at　once　he　did　remember。　It　was　the　noise　of　running　water。　All　round　them　though　out　of　sight；　there　were　streams；　chattering；　murmuring；　bubbling；　splashing　and　even　（in　the　distance）　roaring。　And　his　heart　gave　a　great　leap　（though　he　hardly　knew　why）　when　he　realized　that　the　frost　was　over。　And　much　nearer　there　was　a　drip…drip…drip　from　the　branches　of　all　the　trees。　And　then；　as　he　looked　at　one　tree　he　saw　a　great　load　of　snow　slide　off　it　and　for　the　first　time　since　he　had　entered　Narnia　he　saw　the　dark　green　of　a　fir　tree。　But　he　hadn't　time　to　listen　or　watch　any　longer；　for　the　Witch　said：
　　
　　〃Don't　sit　staring；　fool！　Get　out　and　help。〃
　　
　　And　of　course　Edmund　had　to　obey。　He　stepped　out　into　the　snow…but　it　was　really　only　slush　by　now…and　began　helping　the　dwarf　to　get　the　sledge　out　of　the　muddy　hole　it　had　got　into。　They　got　it　out　in　the　end；　and　by　being　very　cruel　to　the　reindeer　the　dwarf　managed　to　get　it　on　the　move　again；　and　they　drove　a　little　further。　And　now　the　snow　was　really　melting　in　earnest　and　patches　of　green　grass　were　beginning　to　appear　in　every　direction。　Unless　you　have　looked　at　a　world　of　snow　as　long　as　Edmund　had　been　looking　at　it；　you　will　hardly　be　able　to　imagine　what　a　relief　those　green　patches　were　after　the　endless　white。　Then　the　sledge　stopped　again。
　　
　　〃It's　no　good；　your　Majesty；〃　said　the　dwarf。　〃We　can't　sledge　in　this　thaw。〃
　　
　　〃Then　we　must　walk；〃　said　the　Witch。
　　
　　〃We　shall　never　overtake　them　walking；〃　growled　the　dwarf。　〃Not　with　the　start　they've　got。〃
　　
　　〃Are　you　my　councillor　or　my　slave？〃　said　the　Witch。　〃Do　as　you're　told。　Tie　the　hands　of　the　human　creature　behind　it　and　keep　hold　of　the　end　of　the　rope。　And　take　your　whip。　And　cut　the　harness　of　the　reindeer；　they'll　find　their　own　way　home。〃
　　
　　The　dwarf　obeyed；　and　in　a　few　minutes　Edmund　found　himself　being　forced　to　walk　as　fast　as　he　could　with　his　hands　tied　behind　him。　He　kept　on　slipping　in　the　slush　and　mud　and　wet　grass；　and　every　time　he　slipped　the　dwarf　gave　him　a　curse　and　sometimes　a　flick　with　the　whip。　The　Witch　walked　behind　the　dwarf　and　kept　on　saying；　〃Faster！　Faster！〃
　　
　　Every　moment　the　patches　of　green　grew　bigger　and　the　patches　of　spow　grew　smaller。　Every　moment　more　and　more　of　the　trees　shook　off　their　robes　of　snow。　Soon；　wherever　you　looked；　instead　of　white　shapes　you　saw　the　dark　green　of　firs　or　the　black　prickly　branches　of　bare　oaks　and　beeches　and　elms。　Then　the　mist　turned　from　white　to　gold　and　presently　cleared　away　altogether。　Shafts　of　delicious　sunlight　struck　down　on　to　the　forest　floor　and　overhead　you　could　see　a　blue　sky　between　the　tree　tops。
　　
　　Soon　there　were　more　wonderful　things　happening。　ing　suddenly　round　a　corner　into　a　glade　of　silver　birch　trees　Edmund　saw　the　ground　covered　in　all　directions　with　little　yellow　flowers…celandines。　The　noise　of　water　grew　louder。　Presently　they　actually　crossed　a　stream。　Beyond　it　they　found　snowdrops　growing。
　　
　　〃Mind　your　own　business！〃　said　the　dwarf　when　he　saw　that　Edmund　had　turned　his　head　to　look　at　them；　and　he　gave　the　rope　a　vicious　jerk。
　　
　　But　of　course　this　didn't　prevent　Edmund　from　seeing。　Only　five　minutes　later　he　noticed　a　dozen　crocuses　growing　round　the　foot　of　an　old　tree…gold　and　purple　and　white。　Then　came　a　sound　even　more　delicious　than　the　sound　of　the　water。　Close　beside　the　path　they　were　following　a　bird　suddenly　chirped　from　the　branch　of　a　tree。　It　was　answered　by　the　chuckle　of　another　bird　a　little　further　off。　And　then；　as　if　that　had　been　a　signal；　there　was　chattering　and　chirruping　in　every　direction；　and　then　a　moment　of　full　song；　and　within　five　minutes　the　whole　wood　was　ringing　with　birds'　music；　and　wherever　Edmund's　eyes　turned　he　saw　birds　alighting　on　branches；　or　sailing　overhead　or　chasing　one　another　or　having　their　little　quarrels　or　tidying　up　their　feathers　with　their　beaks。
　　
　　〃Faster！　Faster！〃　said　the　Witch。
　　
　　There　was　no　trace　of　the　fog　now。　The　sky　became　bluer　and　bluer；　and　now　there　were　white　clouds　hurrying　across　it　from　time　to　time。　In　the　wide　glades　there　were　primroses。　A　light　breeze　sprang　up　which　scattered　drops　of　moisture　from　the　swaying　branches　and　carried　cool；　delicious　scents　against　the　faces　of　the　travellers。　The　trees　began　to　e　fully　alive。　The　larches　and　birches　were　covered　with　green；　the　laburnums　with　gold。　Soon　the　beech　trees　had　put　forth　their　delicate；　transparent　leaves。　As　the　travellers　walked　under　them　the　light　also　became　green。　A　bee　buzzed　across　their　path。
　　
　　〃This　is　no　thaw；〃　said　the　dwarf；　suddenly　stopping。　〃This　is　Spring。　What　are　we　to　do？　Your　winter　has　been　destroyed；　I　tell　you！　This　is　Aslan's　doing。〃
　　
　　〃If　either　of　you　mention　that　name　again；〃　said　the　Witch；　〃he　shall　instantly　be　killed。〃
　　
　　
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　TWELVE
　　
　　PETER'S　FIRST　BATTLE
　　
　　WHILE　the　dwarf　and　the　White　Witch　were　saying　this；　miles　away　the　Beavers　and　the　children　were　walking　on　hour　after　hour　into　what　seemed　a　delicious　dream。　Lon