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CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  DEEPERMAGIBEFORETHEDAWNOFTIMEWHILEthetwogirlsstillcrouchedinthebusheswiththeirhandsovertheirfaces,theyheardthevoiceoftheWitchcallingout,"Now!Followmeallandwewillsetaboutwhatremainsofthiswar!ItwillnottakeuslongtocrushthehumanverminaraitorsnowthatthegreatFool,thegreatCat,liesdead.”

  Atthismomentthechildrenwereforafewsedsinverygreatdanger.Forwithwildcriesandanoiseofskirlingpipesandshrillhornsblowing,thewholeofthatvilerabblecamesweepingoffthehill-topanddowntheslhtpasttheirhiding-place.TheyfelttheSpectresgobythemlikeacoldwindandtheyfeltthegroundshakebehemuhegallopiheMinotaurs;andoverheadtherewentaflurryoffoulwingsandablaessofvulturesandgiantbats.Atanyothertimetheywouldhavetrembledwithfear;butnowthesadnessandshameandhorrorofAslahsofilledtheirmindsthattheyhardlythoughtofit.

  AssoonasthewoodwassilentagainSusanandLucycreptoutontotheopenhill-top.

  Themoonwasgettinglowandthincloudswerepassingacrossher,butstilltheycouldseetheshapeoftheLionlyingdeadinhisbonds.Anddowhkigrassandkissedhiscoldfadstrokedhisbeautifulfur-whatwasleftofit-andcriedtilltheycouldore.Aheylookedateachotherandheldeachothershandsformerelonelinessandcriedagain;andthenagainweresilent.AtlastLucysaid,"Itbeartolookatthathorriblemuzzle.Iwondercouldwetakeifoff?”

  Sotheytried.Andafteralotatit(fortheirfingerswerecoldanditwasnowthedarkestpartofthenight)theysucceeded.Aheysawhisfacewithoutittheyburstagainandkisseditandfoandwipedawaythebloodandthefoamaswellastheycould.AnditwasallmorelonelyandhopelessandhorridthanIknowhowtodescribe.

  "Iwondercouldweuntiehimaswell?"saidSusaly.Buttheenemies,outofpurespitefulness,haddrawnthecordssotightthatthegirlsakenothingoftheknots.

  IhopenoonewhoreadsthisbookhasbeenquiteasmiserableasSusanandLucywerethatnight;butifyouhavebeen-ifyouvebeenupallnightandcriedtillyouhavenomoretearsleftinyou-youwillknowthatthereesintheendasortofquietness.Youfeelasifnothingwasevergoingtohappenagain.Atanyratethatwashowitfelttothesetwo.Hoursandhoursseemedtogobyinthisdeadcalm,andtheyhardlynoticedthattheyweregettingcolderandcolder.ButatlastLuoticedtwootherthings.Ohattheskyosideofthehillwasalittlelessdarkthanithadbeenanho.

  Theotherwassometinymovementgoingoninthegrassatherfeet.Atfirstshetooknoiinthis.Whatdiditmatter?Nothingmatterednow!Butatlastshesawthatwhatever-it-washadbeguntomoveuptheuprightstoheStoable.Andnowwhatever-they-wereweremovingaboutonAslansbody.Shepeeredcloser.Theywerelittlegreythings.

  "Ugh!"saidSusanfromtheothersideoftheTable."Howbeastly!Therearehorridlittlemicecrawlingoverhim.Goaway,youlittlebeasts."Andsheraisedherhandthtenthemaway.

  "Wait!"saidLucy,whohadbeenlookingatthemmorecloselystill."youseewhattheyredoing?”

  Bothgirlsbentdownandstared.

  "Idobelieve-"saidSusan."Buthowqueer!Theyrenibblingawayatthecords!”

  "ThatswhatIthought,"saidLucy."Ithinktheyrefriendlymice.Poorlittlethings-theydontrealizehesdead.Theythinkitlldosomegooduntyinghim.”

  Itwasquitedefinitelylighterbynow.Eachofthegirlsnoticedforthefirsttimethewhitefaceoftheother.Theycouldseethemiibblingaway;dozensanddozens,evenhundreds,oflittlefieldmidatlast,onebyoheropeswereallghrough.

  Theskyiwaswhitishbynowaarsweregettingfainter-allexceptoneverybigonelowdownoernhorizon.Theyfeltcolderthantheyhadbeenallnight.Themicecreptawayagain.

  Thegirlsclearedawaytheremainsofthegnawedropes.Aslanlookedmorelikehimselfwithoutthem.Everymomenthisdeadfacelookednobler,asthelightgrewandtheycouldseeitbetter.

  Inthewoodbehindthemabirdgaveachugsound.Ithadbeensostillforhoursandhoursthatitstartledthem.Thenanotherbirdansweredit.Soontherewerebirdssingingallovertheplace.

  Itwasquitedefinitelyearlymnow,notlatenight.

  "Imsocold,"saidLucy.

  "SoamI,"saidSusan."Letswalkaboutabit.”

  Theywalkedtotheeasterhehillandlookeddown.Theonebigstarhadalmostdisappeared.Thetryalllookeddarkgrey,butbeyond,attheveryendoftheworld,theseashowedpale.TheskybegantoturheywalkedtoandsfromoretimesthantheycouldtbetweenthedeadAslanaernridge,tryingtokeepwarm;andoh,howtiredtheirlegsfelt.Thenatlast,astheystoodforamomentlookingouttowardstheyseaandCairParavel(whichtheycouldnowjustmakeout)theredturogoldalongtheliheseaandtheskymetandveryslowlyupcametheedgeofthesun.

  Atthatmomenttheyheardfrombehindthemaloudnoise-agreatcrag,deafeningnoiseasifagianthadbrokenagiantsplate.

  "Whatsthat?"saidLucy,clutgSusansarm.

  "I-Ifeelafraidtoturnround,"saidSusan;"somethingawfulishappening.”

  "TheyredoingsomethingworsetoHim,"saidLucy."eon!"Aurned,pullingSusanroundwithher.

  Therisingofthesunhadmadeeverythinglooksodifferent-allcoloursandshadowsweregedthatforamomenttheydidheimportantthing.Thentheydid.TheStoablewasbrokenintotwopiecesbyagreatcrackthatrandownitfromendtoend;andtherewasnoAslan.

  "Oh,oh,oh!"criedthetwogirls,rushingbacktotheTable.

  "Oh,itstoobad,"sobbedLucy;"theymighthaveleftthebodyalone.”

  "Whosdo?"criedSusan."Whatdoesitmean?Isitmagic?”

  "Yes!"saidagreatvoicebehindtheirbacks."Itismic."Theylookedround.

  There,shininginthesunrise,largerthantheyhadseenhimbefore,shakinghismane(forithadapparentlygrownagain)stoodAslanhimself.

  "Oh,Aslan!"criedboththechildren,staringupathim,almostasmuchfrighteheywereglad.

  "Arentyoudeadthen,dearAslan?"saidLucy.

  "Notnow,"saidAslan.

  "Yourenot-nota-?"askedSusaninashakyvoice.Shecouldntbringherselftosaythewhost.Aslanstoopedhisgoldenheadandlickedherforehead.Thewarmthofhisbreathandarichsortofsmellthatseemedtohangabouthishaircamealloverher.

  "DoIlookit?"hesaid.

  "Oh,yourereal,yourereal!Oh,Aslan!"criedLudbothgirlsflungthemselvesuponhimandcoveredhimwithkisses.

  "Butwhatdoesitallmean?"askedSusaheyweresomewhatcalmer.

  "Itmeans,"saidAslan,"thatthoughtheWitewtheDeepMagic,thereisamagicdeeperstillwhichshedidnotknow:Herknowledgegoesbalytothedawnoftime.

  ButifshecouldhavelookedalittlefurtherbatothestillnessandthedarknessbeforeTimedawned,shewouldhavereadthereadifferentintation.Shewouldhaveknownthatwhenawillingvictimwhohadittednotreacherywaskilledinatraitorsstead,theTablewouldcradDeathitselfwouldstartwbackwards.

  Andnow-”

  "Ohyes.Now?"saidLucy,jumpingupandclappingherhands.

  "Oh,children,"saidtheLion,"Ifeelmystrengthingbae.Oh,children,catchmeifyou!"Hestoodforased,hiseyesverybright,hislimbsquivering,lashinghimselfwithhistail.ThenhemadealeaphighovertheirheadsandlaheothersideoftheTable.Laughing,thoughshedidntknowwhy,Lucyscrambledoverittoreachhim.Aslanleapedagain.Amadchasebegan.Roundandroundthehill-topheledthem,nowhopelesslyoutoftheirreaowlettingthemalmostcatchhistail,nowdiviweenthem,nowtossiheairwithhishugeaifullyvelvetedpawsandcatgthemagain,andnowstoppinguedlysothatallthreeofthemrolledetherinahappylaughingheapoffurandarmsandlegs.ItwassupasnoonehaseverhadexceptinNarnia;aheritwasmorelikeplayingwith

  athuormorplayingwithakittenLucycouldnevermakeuphermind.Andthefunnythingwasthatwhenallthreefinallylaytogetherpantingihegirlsnolongerfeltintheleasttiredryorthirsty.

  "Andnow,"saidAslaly,"tobusiness.IfeelIamgoingtoroar.Youhadbetterputyersinyourears.”

  Andtheydid.AndAslanstoodupandwhenheopenedhismouthtoroarhisfacebecamesoterriblethattheydidnotdaretolookatit.Andtheysawallthetreesinfrontofhimbendbeforetheblastofhisrasgrassbendsinameadowbeforethewind.Thenhesaid,"Wehavealongjourogo.Youmustrideonme."Andhecroucheddownandthechildrenclimbedontohiswarm,goldenbadSusansatfirst,holdingontightlytohismaneandLucysatbehindholdingontightlytoSusan.Andwithagreatheaveheroseunderhemandthenshotoff,fasterthananyhorsecouldgo,downhillandintothethickoftheforest.

  ThatrideerhapsthemostwonderfulthingthathappeheminNarnia.Haveyoueverhadagalloponahorse?Thinkofthat;aakeawaytheheavyhehoofsandthejihebitsandimagieadthealmostnoiselesspaddingofthegreatpaws.Thenimagieadoftheblackreyorchestnutbackofthehorsetheshnessofgoldenfur,andthemaneflyingbathewind.Andthenimagineyoingabouttwiceasfastasthefastestracehorse.Butthisisamountthatdoesobeguidedandnevergrowstired.Herushesonandon,nevermissinghisfooting,neverhesitating,threadinghiswaywithperfectskillbetweerunks,jumpingoverbushandbriarandthesmallerstreams,wadingthelarger,swimmingthelargestofall.

  Andyouareridingnotonaroadnorinaparknorevenonthedowns,butrightacrossNarnia,inspring,downsolemnavenuesofbeedacrosssunnygladesofoak,throughwildorchardsofsnow-whitecherrytrees,pastrwaterfallsandmossyrodegcaverns,upwindyslopesalightwithgorsebushes,andacrosstheshouldersofheatherymountainsandalonggiddyridgesanddown,down,downagainintowildvalleysandoutintoacresofblueflowers.

  Itwasnearlymiddaywhentheyfoundthemselveslookingdownasteephillsideatacastle-alittletoycastleitlookedfromwheretheystood-whichseemedtobeallpoiowers.ButtheLionwasrushingdownatsuchaspeedthatitgrewlargereverymomentandbeforetheyhadtimeeventoaskthemselveswhatitwastheywerealreadyonalevelwithit.Andnowitnolongerlookedlikeatoycastlebutrosefrowninginfrontofthem.

  Nofacelookedoverthebattlementsaeswerefastshut.AndAslan,notatallslaghispace,rushedstraightasabullettowardsit.

  "TheWite!"hecried."Now,children,holdtight.”

  momentthewholeworldseemedtoturnupsidedown,andthechildreasiftheyhadlefttheirinsidesbehindthem;fortheLionhadgatheredhimselftogetherfora

  greaterleapthananyhehadyetmadeandjumped-oryoumaycallitflyingratherthanjumping-rightoverthecastlewall.Thetwogirls,breathlessbutunhurt,foundthemselvestumblingoffhisbathemiddleofawidestonecourtyardfullofstatues.松语文学www.16sy.coM免费小说阅读