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CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  THETRIUMPHOFTHEWITCHAssoonastheWitchhadgoneAslansaid,"Wemustmovefromthisplaceatowillbewantedforotherpurposes.WeshallencamptonightattheFordsofBeruna.

  Ofcourseeveryonewasdyingtoaskhimhowhehadarraterswiththewitch;buthisfacewassternandeveryonesearswerestillringingwiththesoundofhisroarandsonobodydared.

  Afterameal,whichwastakenintheopenaironthehill-top(forthesunhadgbynowanddriedthegrass),theywerebusyforawhiletakingthepaviliondownand

  pagthingsup.Beforetwooclocktheywereonthemardsetoffinanortheasterlydire,walkingataneasypacefortheyhadno.

  DuringthefirstpartofthejourneyAslanexplaioPeterhisplanofcampaign."Assoonasshehasfinishedherbusinessintheseparts,"hesaid,"theWitdhercrewwillalmostcertainlyfallbacktoherHouseandprepareforasiege.Youmayormaynotbeabletocutheroffaherfromreagit."Hetheontooutliwoplansofbattle-onefhtidherpeopleinthewoodandanotherforassaultinghercastle.Andallthetimehewasadvisierhowtoducttheoperations,sayingthingslike,"Youmustputyourtaursinsudsuchaplace"or"Youmustpostscoutstoseethatshedoesntdoso-and-so,"tillatlastPetersaid,"Butyouwillbethereyourself,Aslan.”

  "Igiveyounopromiseofthat,"aheLion.Ainuedgivierhisinstrus.

  ForthelastpartofthejourwasSusanandLuostofhim.Hedidnottalkverymudseemedtothemtobesad.

  Itwasstillafternooheycamedolacewheretherivervalleyhadwideandtheriverwasbroadandshallow.ThiswastheFordsofBerunaandAslangaveorderstohaltonthissideofthewater.ButPetersaid,"Wouldntitbebettertocamponthefarside-forfearsheshouldtryanightattackoranything?”

  Aslan,whoseemedtohavebeenthinkingaboutsomethingelse,rousedhimselfwithashakeofhismagnifitmaneandsaid,"Eh?Whatsthat?"Petersaiditallain.

  "No,"saidAslaninadullvoice,asifitdidntmatter."No.Shewillnotmakeanattackto-night."Andthenhesigheddeeply.Butpresentlyheadded,"Allthesameitwaswellthoughtof.Thatishowasoldieroughttothink.Butitdoesntreallymatter."Sotheyproceededtopitchtheircamp.

  Aslansmoodaffectedeveryoevenierwasfeelingunfortabletooattheideaoffightileonhisown;thehatAslanmightherehadeasagreatsho.Supperthateveningwasaquietmeal.Everyohowdifferentithadbeenlastnightoreventhatm.Itwasasifthegoodtimes,havingjustbegun,werealreadydrawingtotheirend.

  ThisfeelingaffectedSusansomuchthatshecouldosleepwhetobed.

  AndaftershehadlaintingsheepandturningoverandoversheheardLucygivealongsighandturnoverjustbesideherinthedarkness.

  "tyougettosleepeither?"saidSusan.

  "No,"saidLucy."Ithoughtyouwereasleep.Isay,Susan!”

  "What?”

  "IveamostHorriblefeeling-asifsomethingwerehangingoverus.”

  "Haveyou?Because,asamatteroffact,sohaveI.”

  "SomethingaboutAslan,"saidLucy."Eithersomedreadfulthingisgoingtohappentohim,orsomethingdreadfulthathesgoingtodo.”

  "Theresbeehingwrongwithhimallafternoon,"saidSusan."Lucy!Whatwasthathesaidaboutnotbeingwithusatthebattle?Youdontthinkhecouldbestealingawayandleavingustonight,doyou?”

  "Whereishenow?"saidLucy."Ishehereinthepavilion?”

  "Idontthinkso.”

  "Susasgooutsideandhavealookround.Wemightseehim.”

  "Allright.Lets,"saidSusan;"wemightjustaswellbedoingthataslyingawakehere.”

  Veryquietlythetwropedtheirwayamohersleepersaoutofthetent.ThemoonlightwasbrightahingwasquitestillexceptfortheheriverchatterihestohenSusansuddenlycaughtLucysarmandsaid,"Look!"Onthefarsideofthecampingground,justwherethetreesbegan,theysawtheLionslowlywalkingawayfromthemintothewood.Withoutawordtheybothfollowedhim.

  Heledthemupthesteepslopeoutoftherivervalleyandthenslightlytht-apparentlybytheverysameroutewhichtheyhadusedthatafternooniningfromtheHilloftheStoable.Onandohem,intodarkshadowsandoutintopalemoonlight,gettingtheirfeetwetwiththeheavydew.HelookedsomehowdifferentfromtheAslantheyknew.Histailandhisheadhunglowandhewalkedslowlyasifhewerevery,verytired.Theheywerecrossingawideopenplacewheretherewherenoshadowsforthemtohideioppedandlookedround.Itwasnogtorunawaysotheycametowardshim.Whentheywerecloserhesaid,"Oh,children,children,whyareyoufollowingme?”

  "Wecouldntsleep,"saidLudthesurethatsheneedsaynomoreandthatAslanknewalltheyhadbeenthinking.

  "Please,mayweewithyou-whereveryoing?"askedSusan.

  "Well-"saidAslan,aobethinking.Thenhesaid,"Ishouldbegladofpanytonight.Yes,youmaye,ifyouwillpromisetostopwhenItellyou,andafterthatleavemetogoonalone.”

  "Oh,thankyou,thankyou.Andwewill,"saidthetwogirls.

  ForwardtheywentagainahegirlswalkedoneachsideoftheLion.Buthowslowlyhewalked!Andhisgreat,royalheaddroopedsothathisnosenearlytouchedthegrass.Presentlyhestumbledandgavealowmoan.

  "Aslan!DearAslan!"saidLucy,"whatiswrong?tyoutellus?”

  "Areyouill,dearAslan?"askedSusan.

  "No,"saidAslan."Iamsadandlonely.LayyourhandsonmymahatIfeelyouarethereauswalklikethat.”

  Andsothegirlsdidwhattheywouldneverhavedaredtodowithouthispermission,butwhattheyhadloodoeversiheyfirstsawhimburiedtheircoldhandsinthebeautifulseaoffurandstrokeditand,sodoing,walkedwithhim.AlytheysawthattheyweregoingwithhimuptheslopeofthehillonwhichtheStoablestood.Theywentupatthesidewherethetreescamefurthestup,aheygottothelasttree(itwasohadsomebushesaboutit)Aslanstoppedandsaid,"Oh,children,children.Hereyoumuststop.Andwhateverhappens,doyourselvesbeseen.Farewell.”

  Andboththegirlscriedbitterly(thoughtheyhardlyknewwhy)andgtotheLionandkissedhismaneandhisnoseandhispawsandhisgreat,sadeyes.Theurnedfromthemandwalkedoutontothetopofthehill.AndLudSusan,crouginthebushes,lookedafterhim,andthisiswhattheysaw.

  Agreatcrowdofpeoplewerestandingallrouoableandthoughthemoonwasshiningmanyofthemcarriedtorcheswhichburhevil-lookingredflamesandblacksmoke.Butsuchpeople!Ogreswithmonstrousteeth,andwolves,andbull-headedmen;spiritsofeviltreesandpoisonousplants;andothercreatureswhomIwontdescribebecauseifIdidthegrownupswouldprobablyyoureadthisbook-CruelsandHagsandIncubuses,Wraiths,Horrors,Efreets,Sprites,Orknies,Wooses,ains.InfactherewereallthosewhowereochssideandwhomtheWolfhadsummoherand.Andrightinthemiddle,standingbytheTable,wastheWitchherself.

  AhowlandagibberofdismaywentupfromthecreatureswhentheyfirstsawthegreatLionpagtowardsthem,andforamomeheWitchseemedtobestruckwithfear.Thensherecoveredherselfandgaveawildfiercelaugh.

  "Thefool!"shecried."Thefoolhase.Bindhimfast.”

  LudSusaheirbreathswaitingforAslansroarandhisspringuponhisenemies.Butitnevercame.Fs,grinningandleerialso(atfirst)hangingbadhalfafraidofwhattheyhadtodo,hadapproachedhim."Bindhim,Isay!”

  repeatedtheWhiteWitch.TheHagsmadeadartathimandshriekedwithtriumphwhentheyfoundthathemadeaall.Thenothers-evildwarfsandapes-rushedihem,aweeheyrolledthehugeLionoveronhisbadtiedallhisfourpawstogether,shoutingandcheeringasiftheyhaddonesomethingbrave,though,hadtheLionchosehosepawscouldhavebeehofthemall.

  Buthemadenonoise,eveheerainingandtugging,pulledthecordssotightthattheytohisflesh.ThentheybeganthimtowardstheStoable.

  "Stop!"saidtheWitch."Lethimfirstbeshaved.”

  AnotherroarofmeanlaughterwentupfromherfollowersasahapairofshearscameforwardandsquatteddownbyAslanshead.Snip-snip-sheshearsandmassesgoldbegantofalltotheground.Thentheogrestoodbadthechildren,watgfromtheirhiding-place,couldseethefaceofAslanlookingallsmallanddifferentwithoutitsmaheenemiesalsosawthedifference.

  "Why,hesonlyagreatcatafterall!"criedone.

  "Isthatereafraidof?"saidanother.

  AndtheysurgedroundAslan,jeeringathim,sayingthingslike"Puss,Puss!PoorPussy,”

  and"Howmanymicehaveyoucaughttoday,Cat?"and"Wouldyoulikeasauilk,Pussums?”

  "Oh,howthey?"saidLucy,tearsstreamingdownhercheeks."Thebrutes,thebrutes!"fornowthatthefirstshockwasovertheshornfaceofAslanlookedtoherbraver,andmorebeautiful,andmorepatientthanever.

  "Muzzlehim!"saidtheWitdevennow,astheyworkedabouthisfaceputtingonthemuzzle,oefromhisjawswouldhavecosttwoorthreeofthemtheirhands.Buthenevermoved.Andthisseemedteallthatrabble.Everyonewasathimnow.

  Thosewhohadbeenafraidtoenearhimevenafterhewasbouofindtheirce,andforafewmihetwogirlscouldnotevenseehim-sothicklywashesurrouhewholecrowdofcreatureskighim,hittinghim,spittingonhim,jeeringathim.

  Atlasttherabblehadhadenoughofthis.TheybeganttheboundandmuzzledLiontotheStoable,somepullingandsomepushing.Hewassohugethateveheygothimthereittookalltheireffortstohoisthimontothesurfaceofit.Thentherewasmoretyingandtighteningofcords.

  "Thecowards!Thecowards!"sobbedSusan."Aretheystillafraidofhim,evennow?”

  WhenonceAslanhadbeentied(ahathewasreallyamassofcords)ostone,ahushfellonthecrowd.Fs,holdingfourtorches,stoodattheersoftheTable.TheWitchbaredherarmsasshehadbaredthemthepreviousnightwhenithadbeenEdmundinsteadofAslan.Thenshebegantowhetherklookedtothechildrehegleamofthetorchlightfellonit,asiftheknifeweremadeofstoofsteel,anditwasofastrangeandevilshape.

  Aslastshedrewnear.ShestoodbyAslanshead.Herfacewaswandtwitgwithpassion,buthislookedupatthesky,stillquiet,herangrynorafraid,butalittlesad.Then,justbeforeshegavetheblow,shestoopeddownandsaidinaquiveringvoice,"Andnow,whohaswon?Fool,didyouthinkthatbyallthisyouwouldsavethehumantraitor?NowIwillkillyouinsteadofhimasourpactwasandsotheDeepMagicwillbeappeased.Butwhenyouaredeadwhatwillpreventmefromkillinghimaswell?Andwhowilltakehimoutofmyhandthen?UandthatyouhavegivenmeNarniaforever,youhavelostyourownlifeandyouhavenotsavedhis.Inthatknowledge,despairanddie.”

  Thechildrendidheactualmomentofthekilling.Theycouldolookandhadcoveredtheireyes.松语文学www.16sy.coM免费小说阅读