csl.thelionthewitchandthewardrobe-第3章

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e　pay　of　the　White　Witch。〃
　　
　　〃The　White　Witch？　Who　is　she？〃
　　
　　〃Why；　it　is　she　that　has　got　all　Narnia　under　her　thumb。　It's　she　that　makes　it　always　winter。　Always　winter　and　never　Christmas；　think　of　that！〃
　　
　　〃How　awful！〃　said　Lucy。　〃But　what　does　she　pay　you　for？〃
　　
　　〃That's　the　worst　of　it；〃　said　Mr　Tumnus　with　a　deep　groan。　〃I'm　a　kidnapper　for　her；　that's　what　I　am。　Look　at　me；　Daughter　of　Eve。　Would　you　believe　that　I'm　the　sort　of　Faun　to　meet　a　poor　innocent　child　in　the　wood；　one　that　had　never　done　me　any　harm；　and　pretend　to　be　friendly　with　it；　and　invite　it　home　to　my　cave；　all　for　the　sake　of　lulling　it　asleep　and　then　handing　it　over　to　the　White　Witch？〃
　　
　　〃No；〃　said　Lucy。　〃I'm　sure　you　wouldn't　do　anything　of　the　sort。〃
　　
　　〃But　I　have；〃　said　the　Faun。
　　
　　〃Well；〃　said　Lucy　rather　slowly　（for　she　wanted　to　be　truthful　and　yet　not　be　too　hard　on　him）；　〃well；　that　was　pretty　bad。　But　you're　so　sorry　for　it　that　I'm　sure　you　will　never　do　it　again。〃
　　
　　〃Daughter　of　Eve；　don't　you　understand？〃　said　the　Faun。　〃It　isn't　something　I　have　done。　I'm　doing　it　now；　this　very　moment。〃
　　
　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　cried　Lucy；　turning　very　white。
　　
　　〃You　are　the　child；〃　said　Tumnus。　〃I　had　orders　from　the　White　Witch　that　if　ever　I　saw　a　Son　of　Adam　or　a　Daughter　of　Eve　in　the　wood；　I　was　to　catch　them　and　hand　them　over　to　her。　And　you　are　the　first　I've　ever　met。　And　I've　pretended　to　be　your　friend　an　asked　you　to　tea；　and　all　the　time　I've　been　meaning　to　wait　till　you　were　asleep　and　then　go　and　tell　Her。〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　but　you　won't；　Mr　Tumnus；〃　said　Lucy。　〃Yo　won't；　will　you？　Indeed；　indeed　you　really　mustn't。〃
　　
　　〃And　if　I　don't；〃　said　he；　beginning　to　cry　again　〃she's　sure　to　find　out。　And　she'll　have　my　tail　cut　off　and　my　horns　sawn　off；　and　my　beard　plucked　out；　and　she'll　wave　her　wand　over　my　beautiful　clove　hoofs　and　turn　them　into　horrid　solid　hoofs　like　wretched　horse's。　And　if　she　is　extra　and　specially　angry　she'll　turn　me　into　stone　and　I　shall　be　only　statue　of　a　Faun　in　her　horrible　house　until　the　four　thrones　at　Cair　Paravel　are　filled　and　goodness　knows　when　that　will　happen；　or　whether　it　will　ever　happen　at　all。〃
　　
　　〃I'm　very　sorry；　Mr　Tumnus；〃　said　Lucy。　〃But　please　let　me　go　home。〃
　　
　　〃Of　course　I　will；〃　said　the　Faun。　〃Of　course　I've　got　to。　I　see　that　now。　I　hadn't　known　what　Humans　were　like　before　I　met　you。　Of　course　I　can't　give　you　up　to　the　Witch；　not　now　that　I　know　you。　But　we　must　be　off　at　once。　I'll　see　you　back　to　the　lamp…post。　I　suppose　you　can　find　your　own　way　from　there　back　to　Spare　Oom　and　War　Drobe？〃
　　
　　〃I'm　sure　I　can；〃　said　Lucy。
　　
　　〃We　must　go　as　quietly　as　we　can；〃　said　Mr　Tumnus。　〃The　whole　wood　is　full　of　her　spies。　Even　some　of　the　trees　are　on　her　side。〃
　　
　　They　both　got　up　and　left　the　tea　things　on　the　table；　and　Mr　Tumnus　once　more　put　up　his　umbrella　and　gave　Lucy　his　arm；　and　they　went　out　into　the　snow。　The　journey　back　was　not　at　all　like　the　journey　to　the　Faun's　cave；　they　stole　along　as　quickly　as　they　could；　without　speaking　a　word；　and　Mr　Tumnus　kept　to　the　darkest　places。　Lucy　was　relieved　when　they　reached　the　lamp…post　again。
　　
　　〃Do　you　know　your　way　from　here；　Daughter　o　Eve？〃　said　Tumnus。
　　
　　Lucy　looked　very　hard　between　the　trees　and　could　just　see　in　the　distance　a　patch　of　light　that　looked　like　daylight。　〃Yes；〃　she　said；　〃I　can　see　the　wardrobe　door。〃
　　
　　〃Then　be　off　home　as　quick　as　you　can；〃　said　the　Faun；　〃and…c…can　you　ever　forgive　me　for　what　meant　to　do？〃
　　
　　〃Why；　of　course　I　can；〃　said　Lucy；　shaking　him　heartily　by　the　hand。　〃And　I　do　hope　you　won't　get　into　dreadful　trouble　on　my　account。〃
　　
　　〃Farewell；　Daughter　of　Eve；〃　said　he。　〃Perhaps　I　may　keep　the　handkerchief？〃
　　
　　〃Rather！〃　said　Lucy；　and　then　ran　towards　the　far　off　patch　of　daylight　as　quickly　as　her　legs　would　carry　her。　And　presently　instead　of　rough　branch　brushing　past　her　she　felt　coats；　and　instead　of　crunching　snow　under　her　feet　she　felt　wooden　board　and　all　at　once　she　found　herself　jumping　out　of　the　wardrobe　into　the　same　empty　room　from　which　the　whole　adventure　had　started。　She　shut　the　wardrobe　door　tightly　behind　her　and　looked　around；　panting　for　breath。　It　was　still　raining　and　she　could　hear　the　voices　of　the　others　in　the　passage。
　　
　　〃I'm　here；〃　she　shouted。　〃I'm　here。　I've　e　back　I'm　all　right。〃
　　
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　THREE
　　
　　EDMUND　AND　THE　WARDROBE
　　
　　Lucy　ran　out　of　the　empty　room　into　the　passage　and　found　the　other　three。
　　
　　〃It's　all　right；〃　she　repeated；　〃I've　eback。〃
　　
　　〃What　on　earth　are　you　talking　about；　Lucy？〃　asked　Susan。
　　
　　〃Why？　said　Lucy　in　amazement；　〃haven't　you　all　been　wondering　where　I　was？〃
　　
　　〃So　you've　been　hiding；　have　you？〃　said　Peter。　〃Poor　old　Lu；　hiding　and　nobody　noticed！　You'll　have　to　hide　longer　than　that　if　you　want　people　to　start　looking　for　you。〃
　　
　　〃But　I've　been　away　for　hours　and　hours；〃　said　Lucy。
　　
　　The　others　all　stared　at　one　another。
　　
　　〃Batty！〃　said　Edmund；　tapping　his　head。　〃Quite　batty。〃
　　
　　〃What　do　you　mean；　Lu？〃　asked　Peter。
　　
　　〃What　I　said；〃　answered　Lucy。　〃It　was　just　after　breakfast　when　I　went　into　the　wardrobe；　and　I've　been　away　for　hours　and　hours；　and　had　tea；　and　all　sorts　of　things　have　happened。〃
　　
　　〃Don't　be　silly；　Lucy；〃　said　Susan。　〃We've　only　just　e　out　of　that　room　a　moment　ago；　and　you　were　there　then。〃
　　
　　〃She's　not　being　silly　at　all；〃　said　Peter；　〃she's　just　making　up　a　story　for　fun；　aren't　you；　Lu？　And　why　shouldn't　she？〃
　　
　　〃No；　Peter；　I'm　not；〃　she　said。　〃It's…it's　a　magic　wardrobe。　There's　a　wood　inside　it；　and　it's　snowing；　and　there's　a　Faun　and　a　Witch　and　it's　called　Narnia；　e　and　see。〃
　　
　　The　others　did　not　know　what　to　think；　but　Lucy　was　so　excited　that　they　all　went　back　with　her　into　the　room。　She　rushed　ahead　of　them；　flung　open　the　door　of　the　wardrobe　and　cried；　〃Now！　go　in　and　see　for　yourselves。〃
　　
　　〃Why；　you　goose；〃　said　Susan；　putting　her　head　inside　and　pulling　the　fur　coats　apart；　〃it's　just　an　ordinary　wardrobe；　look！　there's　the　back　of　it。〃
　　
　　Then　everyone　looked　in　and　pulled　the　coats　apart；　and　they　all　saw…Lucy　herself　saw…a　perfectly　ordinary　wardrobe。　There　was　no　wood　and　no　snow；　only　the　back　of　the　wardrobe；　with　hooks　on　it。　Peter　went　in　and　rapped　his　knuckles　on　it　to　make　sure　that　it　was　solid。
　　
　　〃A　jolly　good　hoax；　Lu；〃　he　said　as　he　came　out　again；　〃you　have　really　taken　us　in；　I　must　admit。　We　half　believed　you。〃
　　
　　〃But　it　wasn't　a　hoax　at　all；〃　said　Lucy；　〃really　and　truly。　It　was　all　different　a　moment　ago。　Honestly　it　was。　I　promise。〃
　　
　　〃e；　Lu；〃　said　Peter；　〃that's　going　a　bit　far。　You've　had　your　joke。　Hadn't　you　better　drop　it　now？〃
　　
　　Lucy　grew　very　red　in　the　face　and　tried　to　say　something；　though　she　hardly　knew　what　she　was　trying　to　say；　and　burst　into　tears。
　　
　　For　the　next　few　days　she　was　very　miserable。　She　could　have　made　it　up　with　the　others　quite　easily　at　any　moment　if　she　could　have　brought　herself　to　say　that　the　whole　thing　was　only　a　story　made　up　for　fun。　But　Lucy　was　a　very　truthful　girl　and　she　knew　that　she　was　really　in　the　right；　and　she　could　not　bring　herself　to　say　this。　The　others　who　thought　she　was　telling　a　lie；　and　a　silly　lie　too；　made　her　very　unhappy。　The　two　elder　ones　did　this　without　meaning　to　do　it；　but　Edmund　could　be　spiteful；　and　on　this　occasion　he　was　spiteful。　He　sneered　and　jeered　at　Lucy　and　kept　on　asking　her　if　she'd　found　any　other　new　countries　in　other　cupboards　all　over　the　house。　What　made　it　worse　was　that　these　days　ought　to　have　been　delightful。　The　weather　was　fine　and　they　were　out　of　doors　from　morning　to　night；　bathing；　fishing；　climbing　trees；　and　lying　in　the　heather。　But　Lucy　could　not　properly　enjoy　any　of　it。　And　so　things　went　on　until　the　next　wet　day。
　　
　　That　day；　when　it　came　to　the　afternoon　and　there　was　still　no　sign　of　a　break　in　the　weather；　they　decided　to　play　hide…and…seek。　Susan　was　〃It〃　and　as　soon　a