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CHAPTER TWELVE

  PETERSFIRSTBATTLEWHILEthedwarfaeWitchweresayingthis,milesawaytheBeaversandthechildrenwerewalkingonhourafterhourintowhatseemedadeliciousdream.Longagotheyhadleftthecoatsbehindthem.Andbynowtheyhadevenstoppedsayingtooher,"Look!theresakingfisher,"or"Isay,bluebells!"or"Whatwasthatlovelysmell?"or"Justlistentothatthrush!"Theywalkedoninsilencedrinkingitallin,passingthroughpatchesofwarmsunlightintocool,greenthicketsandoutagainintowidemossygladeswheretallelmsraisedtheleafyrooffaroverhead,aodensemassesofflcurrantandamonghawthornbusheswherethesweetsmellwasalmostoverp.

  TheyhadbeenjustassurprisedasEdmuheysawthewintervanishingandthewholewoodpassinginafewhoursorsofromJanuarytoMay.Theyhadntevenknownforcertain(astheWitchdid)thatthisouldhappenwhenAslaoNarnia.Buttheyallkhatitwasherspellswhichhadproducedtheendlesswinter;andthereforetheyallknewwhenthismagicsprihatsomethinghadg,andbadlywrong,withtheWitchsschemes.AndafterthethawhadbeengoingonforsometimetheyallrealizedthattheWitchwouldnolongerbeabletousehersledge.Afterthattheydidnthurrysomudtheyallowedthemselvesmorerestsandlongeroheywereprettytiredbynowofcourse;butnotwhatIdcallbitterlytired-onlyslowandfeelingverydreamyandquietinsideasonedoeswhenoneisingtotheendofalongdayintheopen.Susanhadaslightblisterononeheel.

  Theyhadleftthecourseofthebigriversometimeago;forooturnalittletht(thatmeantalittletothesouth)toreachtheplaceoftheStoable.Evenifthishadheirwaytheycouldnthavekepttotherivervalleyohawbegan,forwithallthatmeltingsnowtheriverwassooninflood-awonderful,r,thunderingyellowflood-andtheirpathwouldhavebeeer.

  Andnowthesungotlowandthelightgotredderandtheshadowsgotlongerandtheflantothinkaboutclosing.

  "Notlongnow,"saidMrBeaver,andbeganleadingthemuphillacrosssomeverydeep,springymoss(itfeltnidertheirtiredfeet)inaplacewhereonlytalltreesgrew,veryart.Theclimb,ingattheendofthelongday,madethemallpantandblow.

  AndjustasLucywaswwhethershecouldreallygettothetopwithoutanrest,suddenlytheywereatthetop.Andthisiswhattheysaw.

  Theywereonagreenopenspawhichyoucouldlookdownontheforestspreadingasfarasonecouldseeineverydire-exceptrightahead.There,fartotheEast,wassomethingtwinklingandmoving."Bygum!"whisperedPetertoSusan,"thesea!"Intheverymiddleofthisopenhill-topwastheStoable.Itwasagreatgrimslabofgreystonesupportedonfouruprightstolookedveryold;anditwascutalloverwithstrangelinesandfiguresthatmightbethelettersofanunknownlanguage.Theygaveyouacuriousfeelingwhenyoulookedatthem.Thehingtheysaavilionpitchedononesideoftheopenplace.Awonderfulpavilionitwas-andespeciallynowwhenthelightofthesettingsunfelluponit-withsidesofwhatlookedlikeyellowsilkandcordsofcrimsona-pegsofivory;andhighaboveitonapoleabannerwhichborearedrampantlionflutteringinthebreezewhichwasblowingintheirfacesfromthefar-offsea.Whiletheywerelookingatthistheyheardasoundofmusitheirright;andturninginthatdiretheysawwhattheyhadetosee.

  Aslanstoodireofacrowdofcreatureswhohadgroupedthemselvesroundhimintheshapeofahalf-moon.TherewereTree-WomenthereandWell-Women(DryadsandNaiadsastheyusedtobecalledinourworld)whohadstringedinstruments;itwastheywhohadmadethemusic.Therewerefreattaurs.ThehorsepartofthemwaslikehugeEnglishfarmhorses,andthemanpartwaslikesternbutbeautifulgiants.

  Therewasalsoauni,andabullwiththeheadofaman,andapeli,andaneagle,andagreatDog.AoAslanstoodtwoleopardsofwhomonecarriedhisaherhisstandard.

  ButasforAslanhimself,theBeaversandthechildrendidntknowwhattodoorsaywhentheysawhim.PeoplewhohavenotbeeninNarniasometimesthinkthatathingotbegoodandterribleatthesametime.Ifthechildrehoughtso,theywerecuredofitnow.ForwheriedtolookatAslansfacetheyjustcaughtaglimpseofthegoldehegreat,royal,solemn,overwhelmingeyes;aheyfoundtheycouldntlookathimaalltrembly.

  "Goon,"whisperedMrBeaver.

  "No,"whisperedPeter,"youfirst.”

  "No,SonsofAdambeforeanimals,"whisperedMrBeaverbackagain.

  "Susan,"whisperedPeter,"Whataboutyou?Ladiesfirst.”

  "No,youretheeldest,"whisperedSusan.Andofcoursetheloheywentondoingthisthemoreawkwardtheyfelt.ThenatlastPeterrealizedthatittohim.Hedrewhisswordandraisedittothesaluteandhastilysayingtotheothers"eon.Pullyourselvestogether,"headvaheLionandsaid:"Wehavee-Aslan.”

  "Wele,Peter,SonofAdam,"saidAslan."Wele,SusanandLucy,DaughtersofEve.WeleHe-BeaverandShe-Beaver.”

  Hisvoicewasdeepandridsomehowtookthefidgetsoutofthem.Theygladandquietanditdidntseemawkwardtothemtostandandsaynothing.

  "Butwhereisthefourth?"askedAslan.

  "HehastriedtobetraythemandjoiheWhiteWitch,OAslan,"saidMrBeaver.AndthehingmadePetersay,"Thatartlymyfault,Aslan.IwasangrywithhimandIthinkthathelpedhimt.”

  AndAslansaidnothihertoexcusePeterortoblamehimbutmerelystoodlookingathimwithhisgreatungingeyes.Anditseemedtoallofthemthattherewasnothingtobesaid.

  "Please-Aslan,"saidLucy,"ythingbedoosaveEdmund?”

  "Allshallbedone,"saidAslan."Butitmaybeharderthanyouthink."Andthenhewassilentagainforsometime.UptothatmomentLucyhadbeenthinkinghowroyalandstrongandpeacefulhisfacelooked;nowitsuddenlycameintoherheadthathelookedsadaswell.ButmiexpressionwasquitegoheLionshookhismaneandclappedhispawstogether("Terriblepaws,"thoughtLucy,"ifhedidntknowhowtovelvetthem!")andsaid,"Meanwhile,letthefeastbeprepared.Ladies,taketheseDaughtersofEvetothepavilionandmihem.”

  WhenthegirlshadgoneAslanlaidhispaw-andthoughitwasvelveteditwasveryheavy-oersshoulderandsaid,"e,SonofAdam,andIwillshowyouafar-offsightofthecastlewhereyouaretobeKing.”

  AerwithhisswordstilldrawninhishawiththeLiontotheeasterhehilltop.Thereabeautifulsightmettheireyes.Thesunwassettingbehindtheirbacks.

  Thatmeantthatthewholetrybelowthemlayintheeveninglight-forestandhillsandvalleysand,windingawaylikeasilvershelowerpartofthegreatriver.Andbeyondallthis,milesaway,wasthesea,andbeyohesky,fullofcloudswhichwerejustturningrosecolourwiththerefleofthesu.ButjustwherethelandofNarhesea-infact,atthemouthofthegreatriver-therewassomethingonalittlehill,shining.Itwasshiningbecauseitwasacastleandofcoursethesunlightwasreflectedfromallthewindowswhichlookedtoeterandthesu;buttoPeteritlookedlikeagreatstarrestingontheseashore.

  "That,OMan,"saidAslan,"isCairParavelofthefourthrones,inoneofwhiustsitasKing.Ishowittoyoubecauseyouarethefirst-bornandyouwillbeHighKingoveralltherest.”

  AndoncemorePetersaidnothing,foratthatmomentastrangenoisewokethesilencesuddenly.Itwaslikeabugle,butricher.

  "Itisyoursistershorn,"saidAslaerinalowvoice;solowastobealmostapurr,ifitisnotdisrespectfultothinkofaLi.

  Foramomeerdidnotuand.Then,whenhesawalltheothercreaturesstartforwardandheardAslansaywithawaveofhispaw,"Back!LetthePrinhisspurs,"hediduand,aoffrunningashardashecouldtothepavilion.Andtherehesawadreadfulsight.

  TheNaiadsandDryadswerescatteringineverydire.Lucywasrunningtowardshimasfastashershswouldcarryherandherfacewasaswhiteaspaper.ThenhesawSusanmakeadashforatree,andswingherselfup,followedbyahugegreybeast.AtfirstPeterthoughtitwasabear.ThehatitlookedlikeanAlsatian,thoughitwasfartoobigtobeadog.Thenherealizedthatitwasawolf-awolfstandingonitshindlegs,withitsfrontpawsagainstthetree-trunk,snappingandsnarling.Allthehaironitsbackstooduponend.Susanhadnotbeeogethigherthanthesedbigbranch.

  Oneshungdownsothatherfootwasonlyaninchortwoabovethesnappih.Peterwonderedwhyshedidhigheroratleasttakeabettergrip;thenherealizedthatshewasjustgoingtofaintandthatifshefaintedshewouldfalloff.

  Peterdidnotfeelverybrave;indeed,hefelthewasgoingtobesick.Butthatmadenodiffereowhathehadtodo.Herushedstraightuptothemonsterandaimedaslashofhisswordatitsside.ThatstrokeneverreachedtheWolf.Quickaslightningitturnedround,itseyesflaming,anditsmouthwideopeninahowlofanger.Ifithadnotbeensoangrythatitsimplyhadtohowlitwouldhavegothimbythethroatatonce.Asitwas-

  thoughallthishappeooquicklyforPetertothinkatall-hehadjusttimetoduckdolungehissword,ashardashecould,betweeesfsintoitsheart.Thencameahorrible,fusedmomentlikesomethinginanightmare.HewastuggingandpullingandtheWolfseemedheralivenordead,anditsbaredteethknockedagainsthisforehead,ahingwasbloodaandhair.Amomentlaterhefoundthatthemonsterlaydeadandhehaddrawnhisswordoutofitandwasstraighteninghisbadrubbingthesweatoffhisfadoutofhiseyes.Hefelttiredallover.

  Then,afterabit,Susancamedowree.SheaerfeltprettyshakywheandIwontsaytherewasntkissingandgonbothsides.ButinNarniahinksanytheworseofyouforthat.

  "Quick!Quick!"shoutedthevoiceofAslan."taurs!Eagles!Iseeanotherwolfihickets.There-behindyou.Hehasjustdartedaway.Afterhim,allofyou.Hewillbegoingtohismistress.NowisyourcetofidrescuethefourthSonofAdam."Andinstantlywithathunderofhoofsaingofwingsadozenorsooftheswiftestcreaturesdisappearedintothegatheringdarkness.

  Peter,stilloutofbreath,turnedandsawAslancloseathand.

  "Youhavefottentoyoursword,"saidAslan.

  Itwastrue.PeterblushedwhenhelookedatthebrightbladeandsawitallsmearedwiththeWolfshairandblood.Hestoopeddownandwipeditquiteonthegrass,andthequitedryonhiscoat.

  "Handittomeandkneel,SonofAdam,"saidAslan.Aerhaddonesohestruckhimwiththeflatofthebladeandsaid,"Riseup,SirPeterWolfs-Bane.And,whateverhappens,neverfettowipeyoursword.”

  getbaund.Whenhehadbeeowalkfarfurtherthanhehadeverknownthatanybodycouldwalk,theWitchatlasthaltedinadarkvalleyallovershadowedwithfirtreesarees.Edmundsimplysankdownandlayonhisfacedoingnothingatallandnotevengwhatwasgoingtohappeprovidedtheywouldlethimliestill.Hewastootiredeventonoticehowhungryandthirstyhewas.TheWitdthedwarfweretalkingclosebesidehiminlowtones.

  "No,"saidthedwarf,"itisnousenow,OQueen.TheymusthavereachedtheStoablebynow.”

  "PerhapstheWolfwillsmellusoutandbringusnews,"saidtheWitch.

  "Itotbegoodnewsifhedoes,"saidthedwarf.

  "FourthronesinCairParavel,"saidtheWitch."Howifonlythreewerefilled?Thatwouldnotfulfiltheprophecy.”

  "WhatdifferencewouldthatmakenowthatHeishere?"saidthedwarf.Hedidnotdare,evennow,tomentionthenameofAslantohismistress.

  "Hemaynotstaylong.Andthen-wewouldfallupohreeatCair.”

  "Yetitmightbebetter,"saidthedwarf,"tokeepthisone"(herehekickedEdmund)"fainingwith.”松语文学www.16sy.coM免费小说阅读