CHAPTER TWELVE

  THEQUEENOFUNDERLANDTWOEarthmeered,butinsteadofadvangintotheroom,theyplacedthemselvesoneoneachsideofthedoor,andboweddeeply.Theywerefollowedimmediatelybythelastpersonwhomanyonehadexpectedorwishedtosee:theLadyoftheGreenKirtle,theQueenofUnderland.Shestooddeadstillinthedoorway,andtheycouldseehereyesmovingasshetookinthewholesituatiohreestrahesilverchairdestroyed,andthePrincefree,withhisswordinhishand.

  Sheturnedverywhite;butJillthoughtitwasthesortofwhitehatesoversomepeoplesfaotwhentheyarefrightewhentheyareangry.ForamomechfixedhereyesonthePrindtherewasmurderihensheseemedtogehermind.

  "Leaveus,"shesaidtothetwoEarthmen."AurbustillIcall,onpaih."Thegnomespaddedawayobediently,ach-queenshutandlockedthedoor.

  "Hownow,mylordPrince,"shesaid."Hasyhtlyfiteuponyou,orisitoversosoon?Whystandyouhereunbound?Whoarethesealiens?Andisittheywhohavedestroyedthechairwhichwasyouronlysafety?”

  PrinceRilianshiveredasshespoketohim.Andnowoisothrowoffinhalfanhouranentmentwhichhasmadeoneaslavefortenyears.Then,speakingwithagreateffort,hesaid:"Madam,therewillbenomorehatchair.Andyou,whohavetoldmeahuimeshowdeeplyyoupitiedmeforthesorceriesbywhichIwasbound,willdoubtlesshearwithjoythattheyarenowendedforever.Therewas,itseems,somesmallerrorinyourLadyshipswayoftreatihese,mytruefriends,havedeliveredme.Iamnowinmyrightmind,andtherearetwothingsIwillsaytoyou.First-asforyourLadyshipsdesignofputtiheheadofanarmyofEarthmensothatImaybreakoutintotheOverworldandthere,bymainforce,makemyselfkingoversomenationthatneverdidmewrong-murderingtheirnaturallordsandholdihroneasabloodyandfntyrant-nowthatIknowmyself,Idoutterlyabhorandrenouasplainvillainy.Andsed:IamtheKingssonofNarnia,Rilian,theonlychildofCaspiahofthatname,whomsomecallCaspiantheSeafarer.Therefore,Madam,itismypurpose,asitisalsomyduty,todepartsuddenlyfromyhnessscourtintomyowntry.Pleaseityoutograntmeandmyfriendssafedudaguidethroughyourdarkrealm.”

  NowtheWitchsaidnothingatall,butmovedgentlyacrosstheroom,alwayskeepingherfadeyesverysteadilytowardsthePrince.Whenshehadetoalittlearksetinthewallnotfarfromthefireplace,sheope,andtookoutfirstahandfulofagreenpowder.Thisshethrewonthefire.Itdidnotblazemuch,butaverysweetanddrowsysmellcamefromit.Andallthroughtheversationwhichfollowed,thatsmellgrewstronger,andfilledtheroom,andmadeithardertothink.Sedly,shetookoutamusistrumentratherlikeamandolin.Shebegantoplayitwithherfingers-asteady,monotonousthrummingthatyoudidntnoticeafterafewminutes.Butthelessyounoticedit,themotintoyourbrainandyourblood.Thisalsomadeithardtothink.Aftershehadthrummedforatime(andthesweetsmellwasn)shebeganspeakingi,quietvoice.

  "Narnia?"shesaid."Narnia?IhaveoftenheardyourLordshiputterthatnameinyourravings.DearPrince,youareverysick.ThereisnolandcalledNarnia.”

  "Yesthereis,though,Maam,"saidPuddleglum."Yousee,Ihappentohavelivedthereallmylife.”

  "Indeed,"saidtheWitch."Tellme,Iprayyou,wherethattryis?”

  "Upthere,"saidPuddleglum,stoutly,pointingoverhead."I-Idontklywhere.”

  "How?"saidtheQueen,withakind,soft,musicallaugh."Isthereatryupamoonesandmortaroftheroof?”

  "No,"saidPuddleglum,strugglingalittletogethisbreath."ItsinOverworld.”

  "Andwhat,orwhere,prayisthis...howdoyoucallit...Overworld?”

  "Oh,dontbesosilly,"saidScrubb,whowasfightinghardagainsttheentmentofthesweetsmellahrumming."Asifyoudidntknow!Itsupabove,upwhereyouseetheskyandthesunaars.Why,youvebeenthereyourself.Wemetyouthere.”

  "Iercy,littlebrother,"laughedtheWitch(youcouldnthaveheardalovelierlaugh)."Ihavenomemoryofthatmeeting.Butweofteourfriendsinstrangeplaceswhenwedream.Andunlessalldreamedalike,youmustnotaskthemtorememberit.”

  "Madam,"saidthePriernly,"IhavealreadytoldyracethatIamtheKingssonofNarnia.”

  "Andshaltbe,dearfriend,"saidtheWitasoothingvoice,asifshewashumachild,"shaltbekingofmanyimaginedlandsinthyfancies.”

  "Wevebeeoo,"snappedJill.Shewasveryangrybecauseshecouldfeelentmeingholdofhereverymoment.Butofcoursetheveryfactthatshecouldstillfeelit,showedthatithadfullyworked.

  "AndthouartQueenofNarniatoo,Idoubtnot,prettyone,"saidtheWitthesamecoaxing,half-mogtone.

  "Imnothingofthesort,"saidJill,stampingherfoot."Weefromanotherworld.”

  "Why,thisisaprettiergamethaher,"saidtheWitch."Tellus,littlemaid,whereisthisotherworld?Whatshipsandchariotsgobetweenitandours?”

  OfcoursealotofthingsdartedintoJillsheadatonce:ExperimentHouse,AdelaPennyfather,herownhome,radio-sets,emas,cars,aeroplanes,ration-books,queues.

  Buttheyseemeddimandfaraway.(Thrumthrum-thrum-weringsoftheWitstrument.)Jillcouldntrememberthehethingsinourworld.Andthistimeitdidnteintoherheadthatshewasbeingented,fornowthemagicwasinitsfullstrength;andofcourse,themoreentedyouget,themorecertainyoufeelthatyouarenotentedatall.Shefoundherselfsaying(andatthemomentitwasarelieftosay):"No.Isupposethatotherworldmustbealladream.”

  "Yes.Itisalladream,"saidtheWitch,alwaysthrumming.

  "Yes,alladream,"saidJill.

  "Thereneverwassuchaworld,"saidtheWitch.

  "No,"saidJillandScrubb,"neverwassuchaworld.”

  "Thereneverwasanyworldbutmine,"saidtheWitch.

  "Thereneverwasanyworldbutyours,"saidthey.

  Puddleglumwasstillfightinghard."Idontknhtlywhatyouallmeanbyaworld,”

  hesaid,talkinglikeamanwhohasntenoughair."Butyouplaythatfiddletillyersdropoff,andstillyouwontmakemefetNarnia;andthewholeOverworldtoo.Wellneverseeitagain,Ishouldntwonder.Youmayhaveblotteditoutandturdarklikethis,forallIknow.Nothingmorelikely.ButIknowIwasthereonce.Iveseentheskyfullofstars.Iveseenthesuningupoutoftheseaofamandsinkingbehindthemountainsatnight.AndIveseenhimupinthemiddayskywhenIcouldntlookathimfhtness.”

  Puddleglumswordshadaveryrousingeffect.Theotherthreeallbreathedagainandlookedatoherlikepeoplenewlyawaked.

  "Why,thereitis!"criedthePrince."Ofcourse!TheblessingofAslanuponthishoMarsh-wiggle.Wehaveallbeendreaming,theselastfewminutes.Howcouldwehavefottenit?Ofcourseweveallseenthesun.”

  "ByJove,sowehave!"saidScrubb."Goodforyou,Puddleglum!Youretheonlyoneofuswithanysense,Idobelieve.”

  TheheWitchsvoice,gsoftlylikethevoiceofawood-pigeonfromthehighelmsinanoldgardenatthreeoclothemiddleofasleepy,summerafternoon;anditsaid:"Whatisthissunthatyouallspeakof?Doyoumeananythingbytheword?”

  "Yes,wejollywelldo,"saidScrubb.

  "youtellmewhatitslike?"askedtheWitch(thrum,thrum,thrum,werings).

  "Pleaseityrace,"saidthePrince,verycoldlyandpolitely."Youseethatlamp.Itisroundandyellowandgiveslighttothewholeroom;andhahmoreoverfromtheroof.

  Nowthatthingwhichwecallthesunislikethelamp,onlyfargreaterandbrighter.ItgivethlighttothewholeOverworldandhahinthesky.”

  "Hahfromwhat,mylord?"askedtheWitdthen,whiletheywereallstillthinkinghowtoanswerher,sheadded,withanotherofhersoft,silverlaughs:"Yousee?

  Whenyoutrytothinkoutclearlywhatthissunmustbe,youottellme.Youlytellmeitislikethelamp.Yoursunisadream;andthereisnothinginthatdreamthatwasnotcopiedfromthelamp.Thelampistherealthing;thesunisbutatale,achildrensstory.”

  "Yes,Iseenow,"saidJillinaheavy,hopelesstone."Itmustbeso."Andwhileshesaidthis,itseemedtohertobeverygoodsense.

  SlowlyandgravelytheWitchrepeated,"Thereisnosun."Andtheyallsaidnothing.Sherepeated,inasofteranddeepervoice."Thereisnosun."Afterapause,andafterastruggleintheirminds,allfourofthemsaidtogether."Yht.Thereisnosun."Itwassucharelieftogiveinandsayit.

  "Thereneverwasasun,"saidtheWitch.

  "No.Thereneverwasasun,"saidthePrindtheMarsh-wiggle,andthechildren.

  ForthelastfewminutesJillhadbeenfeelingthattherewassomethirememberatallcosts.Andnowshedid.Butitwasdreadfullyhardtosayit.Shefeltasif

  hugeweightswerelaidonherlips.Atlast,withaneffortthatseemedtotakeallthegoodoutofher,shesaid:"TheresAslan.”

  "Aslan?"saidtheWitch,quiingeversoslightlythepaceofherthrumming."rettyname!Whatdoesitmean?”

  "HeisthegreatLionwhocalledusoutofourownworld,"saidScrubb,"ausintothistofindPrinceRilian.”

  "Whatisalion?"askedtheWitch.

  "Oh,hangitall!"saidScrubb."Dontyouknoedescribeittoher?Haveyoueverseenacat?”

  "Surely,"saidtheQueen."Ilovecats.”

  "Well,alionisalittlebit-onlyalittlebit,mindyoulikeahugecat-withamaleast,itsnotlikeahorsesmane,youknow,itsmorelikeajudgeswig.Anditsyellow.

  Andterrificallystrong.”

  TheWitchshookherhead."Isee,"shesaid,"thatweshoulddoerwithyourlion,asyoucallit,thanwedidwithyoursun.Youhaveseenlamps,andsoyouimaginedabiggeraerlampandcalleditthesun.Youveseencats,andnowyouwantabiggeraercat,anditstobecalledalioisaprettymakebelieve,though,tosaytruth,itwouldsuityouallbetterifyouwereyounger.Andlookhowyouputnothingintoyourmake-believewithoutcopyingitfromtherealworld,thisworldofmine,whichistheonlyworld.Butevenyouchildreoooldforsuchplay.Asforyou,mylordPrihatartamanfullgrown,fieuponyou!Areyounotashamedofsuchtoys?

  e,allofyou.Putawaythesechildishtricks.Ihaveworkforyouallintherealworld.

  ThereisnoNarnia,noOverworld,nosky,nosun,noAslan.Andnow,tobedall.Ausbeginawiserlifetomorrow.But,first,tobed;tosleep;deepsleep,softpillows,sleepwithoutfoolishdreams.”

  ThePrihetwochildreandingwiththeirheadshungdown,theircheeksflushed,theireyeshalfclosed;thestrengthallgonefromthem;theentmentalmostplete.ButPuddleglum,desperatelygatheringallhisstrength,walkedovertothefire.

  Thenhedidaverybravething.Hekwouldnthurthimquiteasmuchasitwouldhurtahuman;forhisfeet(whichwerebare)werewebbedandhardandcoldbloodedlikeaducks.Buthekwouldhurthimbadlyenough;andsoitdid.Withhisbarefoothestampedonthefire,grindingalargepartofitintoashesohearth.Andthreethingshappeonce.

  First,thesweetheavysmellgrewverymuchless.Forthoughthewholefirehadnotbeenputout,agoodbitofithad,andwhatremainedsmelledverylargelyofburntMarsh-

  wiggle,whiotatallanentihisinstantlymadeeveryonesbrainfarclearer.ThePrihechildrenhelduptheirheadsagainaheireyes.

  Sedly,theWitaloud,terriblevoice,utterlydifferentfromallthesweettonesshehadbeenusinguptillnow,calledout,"Whatareyoudoing?Daretotouchmyfireagain,mud-filth,andIllturnthebloodtofireinsideyourveins.”

  Thirdly,thepainitselfmadePuddleglumsheadforamomentperfectlyclearandheklywhathereallythought.Thereisnothinglikeagoodshockofpainfordissolviainkindsofmagic.

  "Oneword,Maam,"hesaid,ingbathefire;limping,becauseofthepain.

  "Oneword.Allyouvebeensayingisquiteright,Ishouldntwonder.ImachapwhoalwayslikedtoknowtheworstathebestfaceIit.SoIwontdenyanyofwhatyousaid.Buttheresohingmoretobesaid,evenso.Supposewehaveonlydreamed,ormadeup,allthosethings-treesandgrassandsunandmoonandstarsandAslanhimself.Supposewehave.ThenallIsayisthat,inthatcase,themade-upthingsseemagooddealmoreimportantthantherealones.Supposethisblackpitofakingdomofyoursistheonlyworld.Well,itstrikesmeasaprettypoorone.Andthatsafunnything,whenyouetothinkofit.Werejustbabiesmakingupagame,ifyht.Butfourbabiesplayingagamemakeaplayworldwhichlicksyourrealworldhollow.ThatswhyImgoingtostandbytheplay-world.ImonAslanssideevenifthereisntanyAsla.ImgoingtoliveaslikeaNarnianasIevenifthereisntanyNarnia.So,thankingyoukindlyforoursupper,ifthesetwogentlemenandtheyoungladyareready,wereleavingyourcourtatondsettingoutinthedarktospendourliveslookingforOverland.Notthatourliveswillbeverylong,Ishouldthink;butthatsasmalllossiftheworldsasdullaplaceasyousay.”

  "Oh,hurrah!GoodoldPuddleglum!"criedScrubbandJill.ButthePrinceshoutedsuddenly,"Ware!LooktotheWitch.”

  Whentheydidlooktheirhairnearlystoodonend.

  Theinstrumentdroppedfromherhands.Herarmsappearedtobefasteohersides.

  Herlegswereiwiheachother,andherfeethaddisappeared.Thelorainofherskirtthiedandgrewsolid,aobeallonepiecewiththewrithinggreenpillarofherinterlockedlegs.Andthatwrithinggreenpillarwascurvingandswayingasifithadnojoints,orelsewerealljoints.Herheadwasthrownfarbadwhilehernosegrewlongerandlonger,everyotherpartofherfaceseemedtodisappear,excepthereyes.Hugeflamiheywerenow,withoutbrowsorlashes.

  Allthistakestimetowritedown;ithappenedsoquicklythattherewasonlyjusttimetoseeit.Longbeforetherewastimetodoanything,thegewasplete,andthegreatserpentwhichtheWitchhadbee,greenaspoison,thickasJillswaist,hadflungtwoorthreecoilsofitsloathsomebodyroundthePrinceslegs.Quickaslightninganreatloopdartedround,intendingtopinionhissword-armtohisside.ButthePrincewas

  justintime.Heraisedhisarmsandgotthemclear:thelivingknotclosedonlyroundhischest-readytocrackhisribslikefirewoodwhenitdrewtight.

  ThePrincecaughtthecreaturesnehislefthand,tryingtosqueezeittillitchoked.

  Thishelditsface(ifyoucouldcallitaface)aboutfiveinchesfromhisown.Theforkedtongueflickeredhorriblyinandout,butcouldnotreachhim.Withhisrighthandhedrewbackhisswordforthestroblowhecouldgive.MeanwhileScrubbandPuddleglumhaddrawntheironsandrushedtohisaid.Allthreeblowsfellatonce:Scrubbs(whichdidnotevehescalesanddidnogood)onthebodyofthesnakebelowthePrinceshand,butthePrincesownblouddleglumsbothonitsneck.Eventhatdidnotquitekillit,thoughitbegantoloosenitsholdonRilianslegsa.Withrepeatedblowstheyhackedoffitshead.Thehorriblethioncoilingandmovinglikeabitofwirelongafterithaddied;andthefloor,asyoumayimagine,wasanastymess.

  ThePrince,whenhehadbreath,said,"Gentlemen,Ithankyou."Thehreequerorsstoodstaringatoherandpanting,withoutanotherword,foralongtime.Jillhadverywiselysatdownandwaskeepingquiet;shewassayingtoherself,"IdohopeIdontfaintorblub-ordoanythingidiotic.”

  "Myroyalmotherisavenged,"saidRilialy."ThisisundoubtedlythesamewormthatIpursuedinvainbythefountainintheforestofNarnia,somanyyearsago.

  AlltheseyearsIhavebeentheslaveofmymothersslayer.YetIamglad,gentlemen,thatthefoulWitchtooktoherserpentformatthelast.Itwouldnothavesuitedwelleitherwithmyheartorwithmyhonourtohaveslainawoman.Butlooktothelady."HemeantJill.

  "Imallright,thanks,"saidshe.

  "Damsel,"saidthePrince,bowingtoher."Youareofahighce,andtherefore,Idoubtnot,youeofanoblebloodinyourownworld.Bute,friends.Hereissomewi.Letusrefreshourselvesandeachpledgehisfellows.Afterthat,toourplans.”

  "Ajollygoodidea,Sir,"saidScrubb.松语文学www.16sy.coM免费小说阅读

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