《PRINCE CASPIAN》第23章

〃they　are　almost　awake；　not　quite；〃　said　lucy。　she　knew　she　herself　was wide　awake；　wider　than　anyone　usually　is。
she　went　fearlessly　in　among　them；　dancing　herself　as　she　leaped　this　way and　that　to　avoid　being　run　into　by　these　huge　partners。　but　she　was　only　half interested　in　them。　she　wanted　to　get　beyond　them　to　something　else；　it　was　from　beyond　them　that the　dear　voice　had　called。
she　soon　got　through　them　（half　wondering　whether　she　had　been　using　her arms　to　push　branches　aside；　or　to　take　hands　in　a　great　chain　with　big　dancers　who stooped　to　reach　her）　for　they　were　really　a　ring　of　trees　round　a　central　open　place。　she stepped　out　from　among　their　shifting　confusion　of　lovely　lights　and　shadows。
a　circle　of　grass；　smooth　as　a　lawn；　met　her　eyes；　with　dark　trees　dancing all　round　it。
and　then　…　oh　joy！　for　he　was　there：　the　huge　lion；　shining　white　in　the moonlight；　with　his　huge　black　shadow　underneath　him。
but　for　the　movement　of　his　tail　he　might　have　been　a　stone　lion；　but　lucy never　thought　of　that。　she　never　stopped　to　think　whether　he　was　a　friendly　lion　or　not。 she　rushed　to　him。　she　felt　her　heart　would　burst　if　she　lost　a　moment。　and　the　next thing　she　knew　was　that　she　was　kissing　him　and　putting　her　arms　as　far　round　his　neck　as she　could　and　burying　her　face　in　the　beautiful　rich　silkiness　of　his　mane。
〃aslan；　aslan。　dear　aslan；〃　sobbed　lucy。　〃at　last。”
the　great　beast　rolled　over　on　his　side　so　that　lucy　fell；　half　sitting　and half　lying　between　his　front　paws。　he　bent　forward　and　just　touched　her　nose　with　his tongue。　his　warm　breath　came　all　round　her。　she　gazed　up　into　the　large　wise　face。
〃wele；　child；〃　he　said。
〃aslan；〃　said　lucy；　〃youre　bigger。”
〃that　is　because　you　are　older；　little　one；〃　answered　he。
〃not　because　you　are？”
〃i　am　not。　but　every　year　you　grow；　you　will　find　me　bigger。”
for　a　time　she　was　so　happy　that　she　did　not　want　to　speak。　but　aslan spoke。
〃lucy；〃　he　said；　〃we　must　not　lie　here　for　long。　you　have　work　in　hand；　and much　time　has　been　lost　today。”
〃yes；　wasnt　it　a　shame？〃　said　lucy。　〃i　saw　you　all　right。　they　wouldnt believe　me。
theyre　all　so　…”
from　somewhere　deep　inside　aslans　body　there　came　the　faintest　suggestion of　a　growl。
〃im　sorry；〃　said　lucy；　who　understood　some　of　his　moods。　〃i　didnt　mean　to start　slanging　the　others。　but　it　wasnt　my　fault　anyway；　was　it？”
the　lion　looked　straight　into　her　eyes。
〃oh；　aslan；〃　said　lucy。　〃you　dont　mean　it　was？　how　could　i　…　i　couldnt have　left　the　others　and　e　up　to　you　alone；　how　could　i？　dont　look　at　me　like　that　。 。　。　oh　well；　i　suppose　i　could。　yes；　and　it　wouldnt　have　been　alone；　i　know；　not　if　i　was with　you。　but　what　would　have　been　the　good？”
aslan　said　nothing。
〃you　mean；〃　said　lucy　rather　faintly；　〃that　it　would　have　turned　out　all right　…　somehow？
but　how？　please；　aslan！　am　i　not　to　know？”
〃to　know　what　would　have　happened；　child？〃　said　aslan。　〃no。　nobody　is　ever told　that。”
〃oh　dear；〃　said　lucy。
〃but　anyone　can　find　out　what　will　happen；〃　said　aslan。　〃if　you　go　back　to the　others　now；　and　wake　them　up；　and　tell　them　you　have　seen　me　again；　and　that　you must　all　get　up　at　once　and　follow　me　…　what　will　happen？　there　is　only　one　way　of finding　out。”
〃do　you　mean　that　is　what　you　want　me　to　do？〃　gasped　lucy。
〃yes；　little　one；〃　said　aslan。
〃will　the　others　see　you　too？〃　asked　lucy。
〃certainly　not　at　first；〃　said　aslan。　〃later　on；　it　depends。”
〃but　they　wont　believe　me！〃　said　lucy。
〃it　doesnt　matter；〃　said　aslan。
〃oh　dear；　oh　dear；〃　said　lucy。　〃and　i　was　so　pleased　at　finding　you　again。 and　i　thought　youd　let　me　stay。　and　i　thought　youd　e　roaring　in　and　frighten　all　the enemies　away　…　like　last　time。　and　now　everything　is　going　to　be　horrid。”
〃it　is　hard　for　you；　little　one；〃　said　aslan。　〃but　things　never　happen　the same　way　twice。
it　has　been　hard　for　us　all　in　narnia　before　now。”
lucy　buried　her　head　in　his　mane　to　hide　from　his　face。　but　there　must　have been　magic　in　his　mane。　she　could　feel　lion…strength　going　into　her。　quite　suddenly she　sat　up。
〃im　sorry；　aslan；〃　she　said。　〃im　ready　now。”
〃now　you　are　a　lioness；〃　said　aslan。　〃and　now　all　narnia　will　be　renewed。 but　e。
we　have　no　time　to　lose。”
he　got　up　and　walked　with　stately；　noiseless　paces　back　to　the　belt　of dancing　trees　through　which　she　had　just　e：　and　lucy　went　with　him；　laying　a　rather tremulous　hand　on　his　mane。　the　trees　parted　to　let　them　through　and　for　one　second assumed　their　human　forms　pletely。　lucy　had　a　glimpse　of　tall　and　lovely　wood…gods　and wood…goddesses　all　bowing　to　the　lion；　next　moment　they　were　trees　again；　but still　bowing；　with　such　graceful　sweeps　of　branch　and　trunk　that　their　bowing　was　itself a　kind　of　dance。
〃now；　child；〃　said　aslan；　when　they　had　left　the　trees　behind　them；　〃i　will wait　here。　go　and　wake　the　others　and　tell　them　to　follow。　if　they　will　not；　then　you　at least　must　follow　me　alone。”
it　is　a　terrible　thing　to　have　to　wake　four　people；　all　older　than　yourself and　all　very　tired；　for　the　purpose　of　telling　them　something　they　probably　wont　believe　and making　them　do　something　they　certainly　wont　like。　〃i　mustnt　think　about　it；　i　must just　do　it；”
thought　lucy。
she　went　to　peter　first　and　shook　him。　〃peter；〃　she　whispered　in　his　ear； 〃wake　up。　quick。
aslan　is　here。　he　says　weve　got　to　follow　him　at　once。”
〃certainly；　lu。　whatever　you　like；〃　said　peter　unexpectedly。　this　was encouraging；　but　as　peter　instantly　rolled　round　and　went　to　sleep　again　it　wasnt　much　use。
then　she　tried　susan。　susan　did　really　wake　up；　but　only　to　say　in　her　most annoying　grown…up　voice；　〃youve　been　dreaming；　lucy。　go　to　sleep　again。”
she　tackled　edmund　next。　it　was　very　difficult　to　wake　him；　but　when　at last　she　had　done　it　he　was　really　awake　and　sat　up。
〃eh？〃　he　said　in　a　grumpy　voice。　〃what　are　you　talking　about？”
she　said　it　all　over　again。　this　was　one　of　the　worst　parts　of　her　job；　for each　time　she　said　it；　it　sounded　less　convincing。
〃aslan！〃　said　edmund；　jumping　up。　〃hurray！　where？”
lucy　turned　back　to　where　she