《The Lion, the Witch and the War》第10章

they　immediately　carried　out　susans　very　sensible　plan。　the　coats　were rather　too　big　for　them　so　that　they　came　down　to　their　heels　and　looked　more　like　royal robes　than　coats　when　they　had　put　them　on。　but　they　all　felt　a　good　deal　warmer　and each　thought　the　others　looked　better　in　their　new　get…up　and　more　suitable　to　the landscape。
〃we　can　pretend　we　are　arctic　explorers；〃　said　lucy。
〃this　is　going　to　be　exciting　enough　without　pretending；〃　said　peter；　as　he began　leading　the　way　forward　into　the　forest。　there　were　heavy　darkish　clouds　overhead and　it　looked　as　if　there　might　be　more　snow　before　night。
〃i　say；〃　began　edmund　presently；　〃oughtnt　we　to　be　bearing　a　bit　more　to the　left；　that　is；　if　we　are　aiming　for　the　lamp…post？〃　he　had　forgotten　for　the　moment　that he　must　pretend　never　to　have　been　in　the　wood　before。　the　moment　the　words　were out　of　his　mouth　he　realized　that　he　had　given　himself　away。　everyone　stopped； everyone　stared　at　him。　peter　whistled。
〃so　you　really　were　here；〃　he　said；　〃that　time　lu　said　shed　met　you　in here　…　and　you　made　out　she　was　telling　lies。”
there　was　a　dead　silence。　〃well；　of　all　the　poisonous　little　beasts　…〃　said peter；　and　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　said　no　more。　there　seemed；　indeed；　no　more　to say；　and　presently　the　four　resumed　their　journey；　but　edmund　was　saying　to　himself； 〃ill　pay　you　all　out　for　this；　you　pack　of　stuck…up；　selfsatisfied　prigs。”
〃where　are　we　going　anyway？〃　said　susan；　chiefly　for　the　sake　of　changing the　subject。
〃i　think　lu　ought　to　be　the　leader；〃　said　peter；　〃goodness　knows　she deserves　it。　where　will　you　take　us；　lu？”
〃what　about　going　to　see　mr　tumnus？〃　said　lucy。　〃hes　the　nice　faun　i　told you　about。”
everyone　agreed　to　this　and　off　they　went　walking　briskly　and　stamping their　feet。　lucy　proved　a　good　leader。　at　first　she　wondered　whether　she　would　be　able　to find　the　way；　but　she　recognized　an　oddlooking　tree　on　one　place　and　a　stump　in　another and　brought　them　on　to　where　the　ground　became　uneven　and　into　the　little　valley　and　at last　to　the　very　door　of　mr　tumnuss　cave。　but　there　a　terrible　surprise　awaited　them。
the　door　had　been　wrenched　off　its　hinges　and　broken　to　bits。　inside；　the cave　was　dark　and　cold　and　had　the　damp　feel　and　smell　of　a　place　that　had　not　been　lived in　for　several　days。　snow　had　drifted　in　from　the　doorway　and　was　heaped　on　the　floor； mixed　with　something　black；　which　turned　out　to　be　the　charred　sticks　and　ashes　from the　fire。
someone　had　apparently　flung　it　about　the　room　and　then　stamped　it　out。　the crockery　lay　smashed　on　the　floor　and　the　picture　of　the　fauns　father　had　been slashed　into　shreds　with　a　knife。
〃this　is　a　pretty　good　wash…out；〃　said　edmund；　〃not　much　good　ing　here。”
〃what　is　this？〃　said　peter；　stooping　down。　he　had　just　noticed　a　piece　of paper　which　had　been　nailed　through　the　carpet　to　the　floor。
〃is　there　anything　written　on　it？〃　asked　susan。
〃yes；　i　think　there　is；〃　answered　peter；　〃but　i　cant　read　it　in　this light。　lets　get　out　into　the　open　air。”
they　all　went　out　in　the　daylight　and　crowded　round　peter　as　he　read　out the　following　words： the　former　occupant　of　these　premises；　the　faun　tumnus；　is　under　arrest　and awaiting　his　trial　on　a　charge　of　high　treason　against　her　imperial　majesty　jadis； queen　of　narnia；　chatelaine　of　cair　paravel；　empress　of　the　lone　islands；　etc。；　also of　forting　her　said　majestys　enemies；　harbouring　spies　and　fraternizing　with　humans。
signed　maugrim；　captain　of　the　secret　police；　long　live　the　queen the　children　stared　at　each　other。
〃i　dont　know　that　im　going　to　like　this　place　after　all；〃　said　susan。
〃who　is　this　queen；　lu？〃　said　peter。　〃do　you　know　anything　about　her？”
〃she　isnt　a　real　queen　at　all；〃　answered　lucy；　〃shes　a　horrible　witch； the　white　witch。
everyone　all　the　wood　people　…　hate　her。　she　has　made　an　enchantment　over the　whole　country　so　that　it　is　always　winter　here　and　never　christmas。”
〃i　…　i　wonder　if　theres　any　point　in　going　on；〃　said　susan。　〃i　mean；　it doesnt　seem　particularly　safe　here　and　it　looks　as　if　it　wont　be　much　fun　either。　and its　getting　colder　every　minute；　and　weve　brought　nothing　to　eat。　what　about　just　going home？”
〃oh；　but　we　cant；　we　cant；〃　said　lucy　suddenly；　〃dont　you　see？　we　cant just　go　home；　not　after　this。　it　is　all　on　my　account　that　the　poor　faun　has　got　into this　trouble。　he　hid　me　from　the　witch　and　showed　me　the　way　back。　thats　what　it　means　by forting　the　queens　enemies　and　fraternizing　with　humans。　we　simply　must　try　to　rescue him。”
〃a　lot　we　could　do！　said　edmund；　〃when　we　havent　even　got　anything　to eat！”
〃shut　up　…　you！〃　said　peter；　who　was　still　very　angry　with　edmund。　〃what　do you　think；　susan？”
〃ive　a　horrid　feeling　that　lu　is　right；〃　said　susan。　〃i　dont　want　to　go　a step　further　and　i　wish　wed　never　e。　but　i　think　we　must　try　to　do　something　for　mr whatever…his…name　is　…　i　mean　the　faun。”
〃thats　what　i　feel　too；〃　said　peter。　〃im　worried　about　having　no　food with　us。　id　vote　for　going　back　and　getting　something　from　the　larder；　only　there　doesnt seem　to　be　any　certainty　of　getting　into　this　country　again　when　once　youve　got　out　of it。　i　think　well　have　to　go　on。”
〃so　do　i；〃　said　both　the　girls。
〃if　only　we　knew　where　the　poor　chap　was　imprisoned！〃　said　peter。
they　were　all　still　wondering　what　to　do　next；　when　lucy　said；　〃look！ theres　a　robin；　with　such　a　red　breast。　its　the　first　bird　ive　seen　here。　i　say！　…　i wonder　can　birds　talk　in　narnia？　it　almost　looks　as　if　it　wanted　to　say　something　to　us。〃　then　she turned　to　the　robin　and　said；　〃please；　can　you　tell　us　where　tumnus　the　faun　has　been taken　to？〃　as　she　said　this　she　took　a　step　towards　the　bird。　it　at　once　flew　away　but only　as　far　as　to　the　next　tree。　there　it　perched　and　looked　at　them　very　hard　as　if　it understood　all　they　had　been　saying。　almost　without　noticing　that　they　had　done　so；　the　four children　went　a　step　or　two　nearer　to　it。　at　this　the　robin　flew　away　again　to　the　next　tree　and once　more　looked　at　them　very　hard。　（you　couldnt　have　found　a　robin　with　a　redder chest　or　a　brighter　eye。）