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CHAPTER NINE

  ICHSHOUSEANDnowofcourseyouwanttoknowwhathadhappeoEdmund.Hehadeatenhisshareofthedinner,buthehadntreallyebecausehewasthinkingallthetimeaboutTurkishDelight-andtheresnothingthatspoilsthetasteofgoodordinaryfoodhalfsomuchasthememoryofbadmagicfood.Andhehadheardtheversation,andhadntemucheither,becausehekeptonthinkingthattheothersweretakingnonotiandtryingtogivehimthecoldshoulder.Theywerent,butheimagi.

  AndthenhehadlisteilMrBeavertoldthemaboutAslananduntilhehadheardthewhementformeetingAslanattheStoable.Itwasthenthathebeganveryquietlytoedgehimselfuhecurtainwhigoverthedoor.Forthemention

  ofAslangavehimamysteriousandhorriblefeelingjustasitgavetheothersamysteriousandlovelyfeeling.

  JustasMrBeaverhadbeeingtherhymeaboutAdamsfleshandAdamsboneEdmundhadbeenveryquietlyturningthedoorhandle;andjustbeforeMrBeaverhadbeguntellihattheWhiteWitchwasntreallyhumanatallbuthalfaJinnandhalfagiantess,Edmundhadgotoutsideintothesnowandcautiouslyclosedthedoorbehindhim.

  YoumustntthinkthatevennowEdmundwasquitesobadthatheactuallywantedhisbrotherandsisterstobeturostone.HedidwantTurkishDelightandtobeaPrindlateraKing)andtopayPeteroutforcallinghimabeast.AsforwhattheWitchwoulddowiththeothers,hedidntwaobeparticularlyhem-certainlynottoputthemonthesamelevelashimself;buthemaobelieve,ortopretendhebelieved,thatshewouldntdoanythingverybadtothem,"Because,"hesaidtohimself,"allthesepeoplewhosaynastythingsaboutherareherenemiesandprobablyhalfofitisnttrue.Shewasjollyome,anyway,muicerthantheyare.IexpectsheistherightfulQueenreally.Anyway,shellbebetterthanthatawfulAslan!"Atleast,thatwastheexcusehemadeinhisownmindforwhathewasdoing.Itwasntaverygoodexcuse,however,fordeepdowninsidehimhereallykhattheWhiteWitchwasbadandcruel.

  Thefirstthingherealizedwheoutsideandfoundthesnowfallingallroundhim,wasthathehadlefthiscoatbehindintheBeavershouse.Andofcoursetherewasnoceofgoingbacktogetitnow.Thehingherealizedwasthatthedaylightwasalmostgone,forithadbeennearlythreeoclockwhedowntodinneraerdayswereshort.Hehadntreedonthis;buthehadtomakethebestofit.Soheturneduphiscollarandshuffledacrossthetopofthedam(luckilyitwasntsoslipperysihesnowhadfallen)tothefarsideoftheriver.

  Itrettybadwhenhereachedthefarside.Itwasgrowingdarkereveryminuteandwhatwiththatandthesnowflakesswirlingallroundhimhecouldhardlyseethreefeetahead.Aootherewasnoroad.Hekeptslippingintodeepdriftsofsnow,andskiddingonfrozenpuddles,andtrippingoverfallerunks,andslidingdownsteepbanks,andbarkinghisshinsagainstrocks,tillhewaswetandcoldandbruisedallover.

  Thesilehelonelinessweredreadful.InfactIreallythinkhemighthavegivenupthewholeplanandgonebadownedupandmadefriendswiththeothers,ifhehadnthappeosaytohimself,"WhenImKingofNarniathefirstthingIshalldowillbetomakesomedetroads."AndofcoursethatsethimoffthinkingaboutbeingaKingandalltheotherthingshewoulddoandthischeeredhimupagooddeal.Hehadjustsettledinhismindwhatsortofpalacehewouldhaveandhowmanycarsandallabouthisprivateemaaheprincipalrailwayswouldrunandwhatlawshewouldmakeagainstbeaversanddamsanduttingthefinishingtouchestosomeschemesforkeepierinhisplace,wheherged.Firstthesnowstopped.Thenawindsprangupanditbecamefreezingcold.Finally,thecloudsrolled

  awayandthemoo.Itwasafullmoonand,shiningonallthatsnow,itmadeeverythingalmostasbrightasday-onlytheshadowswereratherfusing.

  HewouldneverhavefoundhiswayifthemoonhadnteoutbythetimehegottotheotherriveryourememberhehadseeheyfirstarrivedattheBeavers)asmallerriverflowingintothegreatonelowerdown.Henowreachedthisandturofollowitup.Butthelittlevalleydownwhichitcamewasmuchsteeperandrockierthantheonehehadjustleftandmuchrownwithbushes,sothathecouldnothavemaatallinthedark.Evenasitwas,hegotwetthroughforhehadtostoopunderbranchesaloadsofsnowcameslidingoffontohisbadeverytimethishappehoughtmoreandmorehoeter-justasifallthishadbeeersfault.

  Butatlasthecametoapartwhereitwasmorelevelandthevalleyope.Andthere,ohersideoftheriver,quiteclosetohim,inthemiddleofalittleplaiweentwohills,hesawwhatmustbetheWhiteWitchsHouse.AndthemoonwasshiningbrighterthaheHousewasreallyasmallcastle.Itseemedtobealltowers;littletowerswithlongpointedspiresonthem,sharpasneedles.Theylookedlikehugeduncescapsorsorcererscaps.Andtheyshohemoonlightandtheirlongshadowslookedstrahesnow.EdmuobeafraidoftheHouse.

  Butitwastoolatetothinkbaow.

  HecrossedtheriverontheidwalkeduptotheHouse.Therewasnothingstirring;nottheslightestsoundanywhere.Evenhisowmadenohedeepnewlyfallensnow.Hewalkedonandon,pasteraftereroftheHouse,andpastturretafterturrettofindthedoor.Hehadthtroundtothefarsidebeforehefoundit.Itwasahugearchbutthegreatirooodwideopen.

  Edmuuptotheardlookediothecourtyard,andtherehesawasightthatnearlymadehisheartstopbeating.Justihegate,withthemoonlightshiningonit,stoodanenormouslioncrouchedasifitwasreadyt.AndEdmundstoodintheshadowofthearch,afraidtogoonandafraidtogoback,withhiskneesknogtogether.Hestoodtheresolongthathisteethwouldhavebeenchatteringwithcoldeveniftheyhadnotbeenchatteringwithfear.HowlongthisreallylastedIdontknow,butitseemedtoEdmundtolastforhours.

  Thenatlasthebegantowonderwhythelionwasstandingsostill-forithadntmovedoneincehefirstseteyesonit.Edmunduredalittleillkeepingintheshadowofthearchasmuchashecould.Henowsawfromthewaythelionwasstandingthatitcouldnthavebeenlookingathimatall.("Butsupposingitturnsitshead?"thoughtEdmund.)Infactitwasstaringatsomethingelsenamelyalittle:dwarfwhostoodwithhisbacktoitaboutfourfeetaway."Aha!"thoughtEdmund."Whenitspringsatthedwarfthenwillbemycetoescape."Butstillthelionnevermoved,nordidthedwarf.AndnowatlastEdmundrememberedwhattheothershadsaidabouttheWhiteWitchturningpeopleintostone.Perhapsthiswasonlyastonelion.Andassoohoughtofthathenoticedthatthelionsbadthetopofitsheadwere

  coveredwithsnow.Ofcourseitmustbeonlyastatue!Nolivinganimalwouldhaveletitselfgetcoveredwithsnow.Thenveryslowlyandwithhisheartbeatingasifitwouldburst,Edmuuredtogouptothelion.Evennowhehardlydaredtotouchit,butatlastheputouthishand,veryquickly,anddid.Itwascoldstone.Hehadbeenfrightenedofamerestatue!

  ThereliefwhichEdmuwassogreatthatinspiteofthecoldhesuddenlygotwarmallhtdowntohistoes,andatthesametimetherecameintohisheadwhatseemedaperfectlylovelyidea."Probably,"hethought,"thisisthegreatLionAslanthattheywerealltalkingabout.Shescaughthimalreadyandturnedhimintostohatstheendofalltheirfineideasabouthim!Pooh!WhosafraidofAslan?”

  Aoodtheregloatihestonelion,alyhedidsomethingverysillyandchildish.Hetookastumpofleadpenciloutofhispocketandscribbledamoustathelionsupperlipandthenapairofspectaclesonitseyes.Thenhesaid,"Yah!SillyoldAslan!Howdoyoulikebeingastone?Youthoughtyourselfmightyfine,didntyou?"Butinspiteofthescribblesonitthefaceofthegreatstostilllookedsoterrible,andsad,andaringupinthemoonlight,thatEdmunddidntreallygetanyfunoutofjeeringatit.Heturnedawayaocrossthecourtyard.

  Ashegotintothemiddleofithesawthatthereweredozensofstatuesallabout-standinghereandthereratherasthepiecesstandonachess-boardwhenitishalf-waythroughthegame.Therewerestoyrs,andstonewolves,andbearsandfoxesandcat-amountainsofstoherewerelovelystoneshapesthatlookedlikewomenbutwhowerereallythespiritsoftrees.TherewasthegreatshapeofataurandawingedhorseandalonglithecreaturethatEdmundtooktobeadragon.Theyalllookedsestandingthereperfectlylife-likeandalsoperfectlystill,inthebrightoonlight,thatitwaseerieworkcrossingthecourtyard.Rightintheverymiddlestoodahugeshapelikeaman,butastallasatree,withafiercefadashaggybeardandagreatclubinitsrighthahoughhekhatitwasonlyastonegiantandnotaliveone,Edmunddidnotlikegoingpastit.

  Henowsawthattherewasadimlightshowingfromadoorwayonthefarsideofthecourtyard.Hewenttoit;therewasaflightofstoepsgoinguptoanopendoor.

  Edmuupthem.Acrossthethresholdlayagreatwolf.

  "Itsallright,itsallright,"hekeptsayingtohimself;"itsonlyastonewolf.Itthurtme",andheraisedhislegtostepoverit.Instantlythehugecreaturerose,withallthehairbristlingalongitsback,openedagreat,redmouthandsaidinagrowlingvoice:"Whosthere?Whosthere?Standstill,stranger,andtellmewhoyouare.”

  "Ifyouplease,sir,"saidEdmund,tremblingsothathecouldhardlyspeak,"mynameisEdmund,andImtheSonofAdamthatHerMajestymetinthewoodtheotherdayandIveetherthehatmybrotherandsistersarenowinNarnia-quiteclose,intheBeavershouse.She-shewaoseethem.”

  "IwilltellHerMajesty,"saidtheWolf."Meanwhile,standstillohreshold,asyouvalueyourlife."Thenitvaothehouse.

  Edmundstoodandwaited,hisfingersagwithcoldandhisheartpoundinginhischest,alythegreywolf,Maugrim,theChiefoftheWitchsSecretPolice,cameboundingbadsaid,"ein!ein!FortunatefavouriteoftheQueen-orelsenotsofortunate.”

  AndEdmuin,takiottotreadontheWolfspaws.

  Hefoundhimselfinalonggloomyhallwithmanypillars,full,asthecourtyardhadbeen,ofstatues.TheonehedoorwasalittlefaunwithaverysadexpressiononitsfadEdmundcouldnthelpwifthismightbeLucysfriend.TheonlylightcamefromasinglelampandclosebesidethissattheWhiteWitch.

  "Ime,yourMajesty,"saidEdmund,rushingeagerlyforward.

  "Howdareyouealone?"saidtheWitaterriblevoice."DidInottellyouttheotherswithyou?”

  "Please,yourMajesty,"saidEdmund,"IvedoI.Ivebroughtthemquiteclose.TheyreilehouseontopofthedamjustuptheriverwithMrandMrsBeaver.”

  AslowcruelsmilecameovertheWitchsface.

  "Isthisallyournews?"sheasked.

  "No,yourMajesty,"saidEdmund,andproceededtotellherallhehadheardbeforeleavingtheBeavershouse.

  "What!Aslan?"criedtheQueen,"Aslan!Isthistrue?IfIfindyouhaveliedtome-”

  "Please,Imoingwhattheysaid,"stammeredEdmund.

  ButtheQueen,whowasnoloendingtohim,clappedherhands.InstantlythesamedwarfwhomEdmundhadseenwithherbeforeappeared.

  "Makereadyoursledge,"orderedtheWitch,"aheharnesswithoutbells.”松语文学www.16sy.coM免费小说阅读