《The Lion, the Witch and the War》第14章

〃aslan　a　man！〃　said　mr　beaver　sternly。　〃certainly　not。　i　tell　you　he　is　the king　of　the　wood　and　the　son　of　the　great　emperor…beyond…the…sea。　dont　you　know　who　is the　king　of　beasts？　aslan　is　a　lion　…　the　lion；　the　great　lion。”
〃ooh！〃　said　susan；　〃id　thought　he　was　a　man。　is　he　…　quite　safe？　i　shall feel　rather　nervous　about　meeting　a　lion。”
〃that　you　will；　dearie；　and　no　mistake；〃　said　mrs　beaver；　〃if　theres anyone　who　can　appear　before　aslan　without　their　knees　knocking；　theyre　either　braver than　most　or　else　just　silly。”
〃then　he　isnt　safe？〃　said　lucy。
〃safe？〃　said　mr　beaver；　〃dont　you　hear　what　mrs　beaver　tells　you？　who　said anything　about　safe？　course　he　isnt　safe。　but　hes　good。　hes　the　king；　i　tell you。”
〃im　longing　to　see　him；〃　said　peter；　〃even　if　i　do　feel　frightened　when　it es　to　the　point。”
〃thats　right；　son　of　adam；〃　said　mr　beaver；　bringing　his　paw　down　on　the table　with　a　crash　that　made　all　the　cups　and　saucers　rattle。　〃and　so　you　shall。　word has　been　sent　that　you　are　to　meet　him；　tomorrow　if　you　can；　at　the　stone　table。
〃wheres　that？〃　said　lucy。
〃ill　show　you；〃　said　mr　beaver。　〃its　down　the　river；　a　good　step　from here。　ill　take　you　to　it！”
〃but　meanwhile　what　about　poor　mr　tumnus？〃　said　lucy。
〃the　quickest　way　you　can　help　him　is　by　going　to　meet　aslan；〃　said　mr beaver；　〃once　hes　with　us；　then　we　can　begin　doing　things。　not　that　we　dont　need　you too。　for　thats　another　of　the　old　rhymes： when　adams　flesh　and　adams　bone sits　at　cair　paravel　in　throne； the　evil　time　will　be　over　and　done。
so　things　must　be　drawing　near　their　end　now　hes　e　and　youve　e。 weve　heard　of　aslan　ing　into　these　parts　before　…　long　ago；　nobody　can　say　when。 but　theres　never　been　any　of　your　race　here　before。”
〃thats　what　i　dont　understand；　mr　beaver；〃　said　peter；　〃i　mean　isnt　the witch　herself　human？”
〃shed　like　us　to　believe　it；〃　said　mr　beaver；　〃and　its　on　that　that　she bases　her　claim　to　be　queen。　but　shes　no　daughter　of　eve。　she　es　of　your　father　adams〃　… （here　mr　beaver　bowed）　〃your　father　adams　first　wife；　her　they　called　lilith。　and she　was　one　of　the　jinn。　thats　what　she　es　from　on　one　side。　and　on　the　other　she es　of　the　giants。　no；　no；　there　isnt　a　drop　of　real　human　blood　in　the　witch。”
〃thats　why　shes　bad　all　through；　mr　beaver；〃　said　mrs　beaver。
〃true　enough；　mrs　beaver；〃　replied　he；　〃there　may　be　two　views　about　humans （meaning　no　offence　to　the　present　pany）。　but　theres　no　two　views　about　things that　look　like　humans　and　arent。”
〃ive　known　good　dwarfs；〃　said　mrs　beaver。
〃sove　i；　now　you　e　to　speak　of　it；〃　said　her　husband；　〃but　precious few；　and　they　were　the　ones　least　like　men。　but　in　general；　take　my　advice；　when　you　meet anything　thats　going　to　be　human　and　isnt　yet；　or　used　to　be　human　once　and　isnt now；　or　ought　to　be　human　and　isnt；　you　keep　your　eyes　on　it　and　feel　for　your　hatchet。 and　thats　why　the　witch　is　always　on　the　lookout　for　any　humans　in　narnia。　shes　been watching　for　you　this　many　a　year；　and　if　she　knew　there　were　four　of　you　shed　be　more dangerous　still。”
〃whats　that　to　do　with　it？〃　asked　peter。
〃because　of　another　prophecy；〃　said　mr　beaver。　〃down　at　cair　paravel　… thats　the　castle　on　the　sea　coast　down　at　the　mouth　of　this　river　which　ought　to　be　the capital　of　the　whole　country　if　all　was　as　it　should　be　…　down　at　cair　paravel　there　are four　thrones　and　its　a　saying　in　narnia　time　out　of　mind　that　when　two　sons　of　adam　and　two daughters　of　eve　sit　in　those　four　thrones；　then　it　will　be　the　end　not　only　of　the white　witchs　reign　but　of　her　life；　and　that　is　why　we　had　to　be　so　cautious　as　we　came　along； for　if　she　knew　about　you　four；　your　lives　wouldnt　be　worth　a　shake　of　my　whiskers！”
all　the　children　had　been　attending　so　hard　to　what　mr　beaver　was　telling them　that　they　had　noticed　nothing　else　for　a　long　time。　then　during　the　moment　of　silence that　followed　his　last　remark；　lucy　suddenly　said： 〃i　say…wheres　edmund？”
there　was　a　dreadful　pause；　and　then　everyone　began　asking　〃who　saw　him last？　how　long　has　he　been　missing？　is　he　outside？　and　then　all　rushed　to　the　door and　looked　out。
the　snow　was　falling　thickly　and　steadily；　the　green　ice　of　the　pool　had vanished　under　a　thick　white　blanket；　and　from　where　the　little　house　stood　in　the　centre　of the　dam　you　could　hardly　see　either　bank。　out　they　went；　plunging　well　over　their ankles　into　the　soft　new　snow；　and　went　round　the　house　in　every　direction。　〃edmund！　edmund！〃 they　called　till　they　were　hoarse。　but　the　silently　falling　snow　seemed　to　muffle　their voices　and　there　was　not　even　an　echo　in　answer。
〃how　perfectly　dreadful！〃　said　susan　as　they　at　last　came　back　in　despair。 〃oh；　how　i　wish　wed　never　e。”
〃what　on　earth　are　we　to　do；　mr　beaver？〃　said　peter。
〃do？〃　said　mr　beaver；　who　was　already　putting　on　his　snow…boots；　〃do？　we must　be　off　at　once。　we　havent　a　moment　to　spare！”
〃wed　better　divide　into　four　search　parties；〃　said　peter；　〃and　all　go　in different　directions。　whoever　finds　him　must　e　back　here　at　once　and…”
〃search　parties；　son　of　adam？〃　said　mr　beaver；　〃what　for？”
〃why；　to　look　for　edmund；　of　course！”
〃theres　no　point　in　looking　for　him；〃　said　mr　beaver。
〃what　do　you　mean？〃　said　susan。　〃he　cant　be　far　away　yet。　and　weve　got　to find　him。
what　do　you　mean　when　you　say　theres　no　use　looking　for　him？”
〃the　reason　theres　no　use　looking；〃　said　mr　beaver；　〃is　that　we　know already　where　hes　gone！〃　everyone　stared　in　amazement。　〃dont　you　understand？〃　said　mr beaver。　〃hes　gone　to　her；　to　the　white　witch。　he　has　betrayed　us　all。”
〃oh；　surely…oh；　really！〃　said　susan；　〃he　cant　have　done　that。”
〃cant　he？〃　said　mr　beaver；　looking　very　hard　at　the　three　children；　and everything　they　wanted　to　say　died　on　their　lips；　for　each　felt　suddenly　quite　certain inside　that　this　was　exactly　what　edmund　had　done。
〃but　will　he　know　the　way？〃　said　peter。
〃has　he　been　in　this　country　before？〃　asked　mr　beaver。　〃has　he　ever　been here　alone？”
〃yes；〃　said　lucy；　almost　in　a　whisper。　〃im　afraid　he　has。”
〃and　did　he　tell　you　what　hed　done　or　who　hed　met？”
〃well；　no；　he　di