《The Lion, the Witch and the War》第11章

them　very　hard。　（you　couldnt　have　found　a　robin　with　a　redder chest　or　a　brighter　eye。） 〃do　you　know；〃　said　lucy；　〃i　really　believe　he　means　us　to　follow　him。”
〃ive　an　idea　he　does；〃　said　susan。　〃what　do　you　think；　peter？”
〃well；　we　might　as　well　try　it；〃　answered　peter。
the　robin　appeared　to　understand　the　matter　thoroughly。　it　kept　going　from tree　to　tree；　always　a　few　yards　ahead　of　them；　but　always　so　near　that　they　could　easily follow　it。　in　this　way　it　led　them　on；　slightly　downhill。　wherever　the　robin　alighted　a little　shower　of　snow　would　fall　off　the　branch。　presently　the　clouds　parted　overhead　and the　winter　sun　came　out　and　the　snow　all　around　them　grew　dazzlingly　bright。　they　had　been travelling　in　this　way　for　about　half　an　hour；　with　the　two　girls　in　front；　when edmund　said　to　peter；　〃if　youre　not　still　too　high　and　mighty　to　talk　to　me；　ive　something　to say　which　youd　better　listen　to。”
〃what　is　it？〃　asked　peter。
〃hush！　not　so　loud；〃　said　edmund；　〃theres　no　good　frightening　the　girls。 but　have　you　realized　what　were　doing？”
〃what？〃　said　peter；　lowering　his　voice　to　a　whisper。
〃were　following　a　guide　we　know　nothing　about。　how　do　we　know　which　side that　bird　is　on？　why　shouldnt　it　be　leading　us　into　a　trap？”
〃thats　a　nasty　idea。　still　…　a　robin；　you　know。　theyre　good　birds　in　all the　stories　ive　ever　read。　im　sure　a　robin　wouldnt　be　on　the　wrong　side。”
〃it　if　es　to　that；　which　is　the　right　side？　how　do　we　know　that　the fauns　are　in　the　right　and　the　queen　（yes；　i　know　weve　been　told　shes　a　witch）　is　in　the wrong？　we　dont　really　know　anything　about　either。”
〃the　faun　saved　lucy。”
〃he　said　he　did。　but　how　do　we　know？　and　theres　another　thing　too。　has anyone　the　least　idea　of　the　way　home　from　here？”
〃great　scott！〃　said　peter；　〃i　hadnt　thought　of　that。”
〃and　no　chance　of　dinner　either；〃　said　edmund。
/d/
CHAPTER　SEVEN
gxiaoshuowang
a　day　with　the　beavers
while　the　two　boys　were　whispering　behind；　both　the　girls　suddenly　cried 〃oh！〃　and　stopped。
〃the　robin！〃　cried　lucy；　〃the　robin。　its　flown　away。〃　and　so　it　had　… right　out　of　sight。
〃and　now　what　are　we　to　do？〃　said　edmund；　giving　peter　a　look　which　was　as much　as　to　say　〃what　did　i　tell　you？”
〃sh！　look！〃　said　susan。
〃what？〃　said　peter。
〃theres　something　moving　among　the　trees　over　there　to　the　left。”
they　all　stared　as　hard　as　they　could；　and　no　one　felt　very　fortable。
〃there　it　goes　again；〃　said　susan　presently。
〃i　saw　it　that　time　too；〃　said　peter。　〃its　still　there。　its　just　gone behind　that　big　tree。”
〃what　is　it？〃　asked　lucy；　trying　very　hard　not　to　sound　nervous。
〃whatever　it　is；〃　said　peter；　〃its　dodging　us。　its　something　that　doesnt want　to　be　seen。”
〃lets　go　home；〃　said　susan。　and　then；　though　nobody　said　it　out　loud； everyone　suddenly　realized　the　same　fact　that　edmund　had　whispered　to　peter　at　the end　of　the　last　chapter。　they　were　lost。
〃whats　it　like？〃　said　lucy。
〃its　…　its　a　kind　of　animal；〃　said　susan；　and　then；　〃look！　look！　quick！ there　it　is。”
they　all　saw　it　this　time；　a　whiskered　furry　face　which　had　looked　out　at them　from　behind　a　tree。　but　this　time　it　didnt　immediately　draw　back。　instead；　the animal　put　its　paw　against　its　mouth　just　as　humans　put　their　finger　on　their　lips　when they　are　signalling　to　you　to　be　quiet。　then　it　disappeared　again。　the　children；　all stood　holding　their　breath。
a　moment　later　the　stranger　came　out　from　behind　the　tree；　glanced　all round　as　if　it　were　afraid　someone　was　watching；　said　〃hush〃；　made　signs　to　them　to　join　it　in the　thicker　bit　of　wood　where　it　was　standing；　and　then　once　more　disappeared。
〃i　know　what　it　is；〃　said　peter；　〃its　a　beaver。　i　saw　the　tail。”
〃it　wants　us　to　go　to　it；〃　said　susan；　〃and　it　is　warning　us　not　to　make　a noise。”
〃i　know；〃　said　peter。　〃the　question　is；　are　we　to　go　to　it　or　not？　what　do you　think；　lu？”
〃i　think　its　a　nice　beaver；〃　said　lucy。
〃yes；　but　how　do　we　know？〃　said　edmund。
〃shant　we　have　to　risk　it？〃　said　susan。　〃i　mean；　its　no　good　just standing　here　and　i　feel　i　want　some　dinner。”
at　this　moment　the　beaver　again　popped　its　head　out　from　behind　the　tree and　beckoned　earnestly　to　them。
〃e　on；〃　said　peter；〃lets　give　it　a　try。　all　keep　close　together。　we ought　to　be　a　match　for　one　beaver　if　it　turns　out　to　be　an　enemy。”
so　the　children　all　got　close　together　and　walked　up　to　the　tree　and　in behind　it；　and　there；　sure　enough；　they　found　the　beaver；　but　it　still　drew　back；　saying　to　them in　a　hoarse　throaty　whisper；　〃further　in；　e　further　in。　right　in　here。　were　not safe　in　the　open！”
only　when　it　had　led　them　into　a　dark　spot　where　four　trees　grew　so　close together　that　their　boughs　met　and　the　brown　earth　and　pine　needles　could　be　seen underfoot　because　no　snow　had　been　able　to　fall　there；　did　it　begin　to　talk　to　them。
〃are　you　the　sons　of　adam　and　the　daughters　of　eve？〃　it　said。
〃were　some　of　them；〃　said　peter。
〃s…s…s…sh！〃　said　the　beaver；　〃not　so　loud　please。　were　not　safe　even here。”
〃why；　who　are　you　afraid　of？〃　said　peter。　〃theres　no　one　here　but ourselves。”
〃there　are　the　trees；〃　said　the　beaver。　〃theyre　always　listening。　most　of them　are　on　our　side；　but　there　are　trees　that　would　betray　us　to　her；　you　know　who　i mean；〃　and　it　nodded　its　head　several　times。
〃if　it　es　to　talking　about　sides；〃　said　edmund；　〃how　do　we　know　youre　a friend？”
〃not　meaning　to　be　rude；　mr　beaver；〃　added　peter；　〃but　you　see；　were strangers。”
〃quite　right；　quite　right；〃　said　the　beaver。　〃here　is　my　token。〃　with　these words　it　held　up　to　them　a　little　white　object。　they　all　looked　at　it　in　surprise；　till suddenly　lucy　said；　〃oh；　of　course。　its　my　handkerchief　…　the　one　i　gave　to　poor　mr　tumnus。”
〃thats　right；〃　said　the　beaver。　〃poor　fellow；　he　got　wind　of　the　arrest before　it　actually　happened　and　handed　this　over　to　me。　he　said　that　if　anything　happened　to him　i　must　meet　you　here　and　take　you　on　to　…〃　here　the　beavers　voice　sank　into silence　and　it　gave
one　or　two　very　mysterious　nods。　then　signalling　to　the　children　to　stand as　close　around　it　as　they　pos