csl.thelionthewitchandthewardrobe-第20章

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er　and　louder；　and　the　Witch；　after　staring　for　a　moment　with　her　lips　wide　apart；　picked　up　her　skirts　and　fairly　ran　for　her　life。
　　
　　
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　FOURTEEN
　　
　　THE　TRIUMPH　OF　THE　WITCH
　　
　　As　soon　as　the　Witch　had　gone　Aslan　said；　〃We　must　move　from　this　place　at　once；　it　will　be　wanted　for　other　purposes。　We　shall　encamp　tonight　at　the　Fords　of　Beruna。
　　
　　Of　course　everyone　was　dying　to　ask　him　how　he　had　arranged　matters　with　the　witch；　but　his　face　was　stern　and　everyone's　ears　were　still　ringing　with　the　sound　of　his　roar　and　so　nobody　dared。
　　
　　After　a　meal；　which　was　taken　in　the　open　air　on　the　hill…top　（for　the　sun　had　got　strong　by　now　and　dried　the　grass）；　they　were　busy　for　a　while　taking　the　pavilion　down　and　packing　things　up。　Before　two　o'clock　they　were　on　the　march　and　set　off　in　a　northeasterly　direction；　walking　at　an　easy　pace　for　they　had　not　far　to　go。
　　
　　During　the　first　part　of　the　journey　Aslan　explained　to　Peter　his　plan　of　campaign。　〃As　soon　as　she　has　finished　her　business　in　these　parts；〃　he　said；　〃the　Witch　and　her　crew　will　almost　certainly　fall　back　to　her　House　and　prepare　for　a　siege。　You　may　or　may　not　be　able　to　cut　her　off　and　prevent　her　from　reaching　it。〃　　He　then　went　on　to　outline　two　plans　of　battle…one　for　fighting　the　Witch　and　her　people　in　the　wood　and　another　for　assaulting　her　castle。　And　all　the　time　he　was　advising　Peter　how　to　conduct　the　operations；　saying　things　like；　〃You　must　put　your　Centaurs　in　such　and　such　a　place〃　or　〃You　must　post　scouts　to　see　that　she　doesn't　do　so…and…so；〃　till　at　last　Peter　said；
　　
　　〃But　you　will　be　there　yourself；　Aslan。〃
　　
　　〃I　can　give　you　no　promise　of　that；〃　answered　the　Lion。　And　he　continued　giving　Peter　his　instructions。
　　
　　For　the　last　part　of　the　journey　it　was　Susan　and　Lucy　who　saw　most　of　him。　He　did　not　talk　very　much　and　seemed　to　them　to　be　sad。
　　
　　It　was　still　afternoon　when　they　came　down　to　a　place　where　the　river　valley　had　widened　out　and　the　river　was　broad　and　shallow。　This　was　the　Fords　of　Beruna　and　Aslan　gave　orders　to　halt　on　this　side　of　the　water。　But　Peter　said；
　　
　　〃Wouldn't　it　be　better　to　camp　on　the　far　side…for　fear　she　should　try　a　night　attack　or　anything？〃
　　
　　Aslan；　who　seemed　to　have　been　thinking　about　something　else；　roused　himself　with　a　shake　of　his　magnificent　mane　and　said；　〃Eh？　What's　that？〃　Peter　said　it　all　over　again。
　　
　　〃No；〃　said　Aslan　in　a　dull　voice；　as　if　it　didn't　matter。　〃No。　She　will　not　make　an　attack　to…night。〃　And　then　he　sighed　deeply。　But　presently　he　added；　〃All　the　same　it　was　well　thought　of。　That　is　how　a　soldier　ought　to　think。　But　it　doesn't　really　matter。〃　So　they　proceeded　to　pitch　their　camp。
　　
　　Aslan's　mood　affected　everyone　that　evening。　Peter　was　feeling　unfortable　too　at　the　idea　of　fighting　the　battle　on　his　own；　the　news　that　Aslan　might　not　be　there　had　e　as　a　great　shock　to　him。　Supper　that　evening　was　a　quiet　meal。　Everyone　felt　how　different　it　had　been　last　night　or　even　that　morning。　It　was　as　if　the　good　times；　having　just　begun；　were　already　drawing　to　their　end。
　　
　　This　feeling　affected　Susan　so　much　that　she　couldn't　get　to　sleep　when　she　went　to　bed。　And　after　she　had　lain　counting　sheep　and　turning　over　and　over　she　heard　Lucy　give　a　long　sigh　and　turn　over　just　beside　her　in　the　darkness。
　　
　　〃Can't　you　get　to　sleep　either？〃　said　Susan。
　　
　　〃No；〃　said　Lucy。　〃I　thought　you　were　asleep。　I　say；　Susan！〃
　　
　　〃What？〃
　　
　　〃I've　a　most　Horrible　feeling…as　if　something　were　hanging　over　us。〃
　　
　　〃Have　you？　Because；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　so　have　I。〃
　　
　　〃Something　about　Aslan；〃　said　Lucy。　〃Either　some　dreadful　thing　is　going　to　happen　to　him；　or　something　dreadful　that　he's　going　to　do。〃
　　
　　〃There's　been　something　wrong　with　him　all　afternoon；〃　said　Susan。　〃Lucy！　What　was　that　he　said　about　not　being　with　us　at　the　battle？　You　don't　think　he　could　be　stealing　away　and　leaving　us　tonight；　do　you？〃
　　
　　〃Where　is　he　now？〃　said　Lucy。　〃Is　he　here　in　the　pavilion？〃
　　
　　〃I　don't　think　so。〃
　　
　　〃Susan！　let's　go　outside　and　have　a　look　round。　We　might　see　him。〃
　　
　　〃All　right。　Let's；〃　said　Susan；　〃we　might　just　as　well　be　doing　that　as　lying　awake　here。〃
　　
　　Very　quietly　the　two　girls　groped　their　way　among　the　other　sleepers　and　crept　out　of　the　tent。　The　moonlight　was　bright　and　everything　was　quite　still　except　for　the　noise　of　the　river　chattering　over　the　stones。　Then　Susan　suddenly　caught　Lucy's　arm　and　said；　〃Look！〃　On　the　far　side　of　the　camping　ground；　just　where　the　trees　began；　they　saw　the　Lion　slowly　walking　away　from　them　into　the　wood。　Without　a　word　they　both　followed　him。
　　
　　He　led　them　up　the　steep　slope　out　of　the　river　valley　and　then　slightly　to　the　right…apparently　by　the　very　same　route　which　they　had　used　that　afternoon　in　ing　from　the　Hill　of　the　Stone　Table。　On　and　on　he　led　them；　into　dark　shadows　and　out　into　pale　moonlight；　getting　their　feet　wet　with　the　heavy　dew。　He　looked　somehow　different　from　the　Aslan　they　knew。　His　tail　and　his　head　hung　low　and　he　walked　slowly　as　if　he　were　very；　very　tired。　Then；　when　they　were　crossing　a　wide　open　place　where　there　where　no　shadows　for　them　to　hide　in；　he　stopped　and　looked　round。　It　was　no　good　trying　to　run　away　so　they　came　towards　him。　When　they　were　closer　he　said；
　　
　　〃Oh；　children；　children；　why　are　you　following　me？〃
　　
　　〃We　couldn't　sleep；〃　said　Lucy…and　then　felt　sure　that　she　need　say　no　more　and　that　Aslan　knew　all　they　had　been　thinking。
　　
　　〃Please；　may　we　e　with　you…wherever　you're　going？〃　asked　Susan。
　　
　　〃Well…〃　said　Aslan；　and　seemed　to　be　thinking。　Then　he　said；　〃I　should　be　glad　of　pany　tonight。　Yes；　you　may　e；　if　you　will　promise　to　stop　when　I　tell　you；　and　after　that　leave　me　to　go　on　alone。〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　thank　you；　thank　you。　And　we　will；〃　said　the　two　girls。
　　
　　Forward　they　went　again　and　one　of　the　girls　walked　on　each　side　of　the　Lion。　But　how　slowly　he　walked！　And　his　great；　royal　head　drooped　so　that　his　nose　nearly　touched　the　grass。　Presently　he　stumbled　and　gave　a　low　moan。
　　
　　〃Aslan！　Dear　Aslan！〃　said　Lucy；　〃what　is　wrong？　Can't　you　tell　us？〃
　　
　　〃Are　you　ill；　dear　Aslan？〃　asked　Susan。
　　
　　〃No；〃　said　Aslan。　〃I　am　sad　and　lonely。　Lay　your　hands　on　my　mane　so　that　I　can　feel　you　are　there　and　let　us　walk　like　that。〃
　　
　　And　so　the　girls　did　what　they　would　never　have　dared　to　do　without　his　permission；　but　what　they　had　longed　to　do　ever　since　they　first　saw　him　buried　their　cold　hands　in　the　beautiful　sea　of　fur　and　stroked　it　and；　so　doing；　walked　with　him。　And　presently　they　saw　that　they　were　going　with　him　up　the　slope　of　the　hill　on　which　the　Stone　Table　stood。　They　went　up　at　the　side　where　the　trees　came　furthest　up；　and　when　they　got　to　the　last　tree　（it　was　one　that　had　some　bushes　about　it）　Aslan　stopped　and　said；
　　
　　〃Oh；　children；　children。　Here　you　must　stop。　And　whatever　happens；　do　not　let　yourselves　be　seen。　Farewell。〃
　　
　　And　both　the　girls　cried　bitterly　（though　they　hardly　knew　why）　and　clung　to　the　Lion　and　kissed　his　mane　and　his　nose　and　his　paws　and　his　great；　sad　eyes。　Then　he　turned　from　them　and　walked　out　on　to　the　top　of　the　hill。　And　Lucy　and　Susan；　crouching　in　the　bushes；　looked　after　him；　and　this　is　what　they　saw。
　　
　　A　great　crowd　of　people　were　standing　all　round　the　Stone　Table　and　though　the　moon　was　shining　many　of　them　carried　torches　which　burned　with　evil…looking　red　flames　and　black　smoke。　But　such　people！　Ogres　with　monstrous　teeth；　and　wolves；　and　bull…headed　men；　spirits　of　evil　trees　and　poisonous　plants；　and　other　creatures　whom　I　won't　describe　because　if　I　did　the　grownups　would　probably　not　let　you　read　this　book…Cruels　and　Hags　and　Incubuses；　Wraiths；　Horrors；　Efreets；　Sprites；　Orknies；　Wooses；　and　Ettins。　In　fact　here　were　all　those　who　were　on　the　Witch's　side　and　whom　the　Wolf　had　summoned　at　her　mand。　And　right　in　the　middle；　standing　by　the　Table；　was　the　Witch　herself。
　　
　　A　howl　and　a　gibber　of　dismay　went　up　fr