《The Lion, the Witch and the War》第18章

the　snow　had　stopped　and　the　moon　had　e　out　when　they　began　their journey。　they　went　in　single　file　…　first　mr　beaver；　then　lucy；　then　peter；　then　susan； and　mrs　beaver　last　of　all。　mr　beaver　led　them　across　the　dam　and　on　to　the　right　bank　of the　river　and　then　along　a　very　rough　sort　of　path　among　the　trees　right　down　by　the river…bank。　the　sides　of　the　valley；　shining　in　the　moonlight；　towered　up　far　above　them　on either　hand。
〃best　keep　down　here　as　much　as　possible；〃　he　said。　〃shell　have　to　keep　to the　top；　for　you　couldnt　bring　a　sledge　down　here。”
it　would　have　been　a　pretty　enough　scene　to　look　at　it　through　a　window from　a　fortable　armchair；　and　even　as　things　were；　lucy　enjoyed　it　at　first。 but　as　they　went　on　walking　and　walking　…　and　walking　and　as　the　sack　she　was　carrying　felt heavier　and　heavier；　she　began　to　wonder　how　she　was　going　to　keep　up　at　all。　and　she stopped　looking　at　the　dazzling　brightness　of　the　frozen　river　with　all　its waterfalls　of　ice　and　at　the　white　masses　of　the　tree…tops　and　the　great　glaring　moon　and　the countless　stars　and　could　only　watch　the　little　short　legs　of　mr　beaver　going　pad…pad…pad…pad through　the　snow　in　front　of　her　as　if　they　were　never　going　to　stop。　then　the　moon disappeared　and　the　snow　began　to　fall　once　more。　and　at　last　lucy　was　so　tired　that　she was　almost　asleep　and　walking　at　the　same　time　when　suddenly　she　found　that　mr　beaver had　turned　away　from　the　river…bank　to　the　right　and　was　leading　them　steeply　uphill into　the　very　thickest　bushes。　and　then　as　she　came　fully　awake　she　found　that　mr　beaver was　just　vanishing　into　a　little　hole　in　the　bank　which　had　been　almost　hidden　under the　bushes　until　you　were　quite　on　top　of　it。　in　fact；　by　the　time　she　realized　what was　happening；　only　his　short　flat　tail　was　showing。
lucy　immediately　stooped　down　and　crawled　in　after　him。　then　she　heard noises　of　scrambling　and　puffing　and　panting　behind　her　and　in　a　moment　all　five　of them　were　inside。
〃wherever　is　this？〃　said　peters　voice；　sounding　tired　and　pale　in　the darkness。　（i　hope　you　know　what　i　mean　by　a　voice　sounding　pale。） 〃its　an　old　hiding…place　for　beavers　in　bad　times；〃　said　mr　beaver；　〃and　a great　secret。
its　not　much　of　a　place　but　we　must　get　a　few　hours　sleep。”
〃if　you　hadnt　all　been　in　such　a　plaguey　fuss　when　we　were　starting；　id have　brought　some　pillows；〃　said　mrs　beaver。
it　wasnt　nearly　such　a　nice　cave　as　mr　tumnuss；　lucy　thought　…　just　a hole　in　the　ground　but　dry　and　earthy。　it　was　very　small　so　that　when　they　all　lay　down　they were　all　a　bundle　of　clothes　together；　and　what　with　that　and　being　warmed　up　by　their long　walk　they　were　really　rather　snug。　if　only　the　floor　of　the　cave　had　been　a little　smoother！　then　mrs　beaver　handed　round　in　the　dark　a　little　flask　out　of　which　everyone drank　something　…　it　made　one　cough　and　splutter　a　little　and　stung　the　throat； but　it　also　made　you　feel　deliciously　warm　after　youd　swallowed　it　and　everyone　went straight　to　sleep。
it　seemed　to　lucy　only　the　next　minute　（though　really　it　was　hours　and hours　later）　when　she　woke　up　feeling　a　little　cold　and　dreadfully　stiff　and　thinking　how　she would　like　a　hot　bath。　then　she　felt　a　set　of　long　whiskers　tickling　her　cheek　and　saw the　cold　daylight　ing　in　through　the　mouth　of　the　cave。　but　immediately　after　that　she　was very　wide　awake　indeed；　and　so　was　everyone　else。　in　fact　they　were　all　sitting　up with　their　mouths　and　eyes　wide　open　listening　to　a　sound　which　was　the　very　sound　theyd　all been　thinking　of　（and　sometimes　imagining　they　heard）　during　their　walk　last night。　it　was　a　sound　of　jingling　bells。
mr　beaver　was　out　of　the　cave　like　a　flash　the　moment　he　heard　it。　perhaps you　think；　as　lucy　thought　for　a　moment；　that　this　was　a　very　silly　thing　to　do？　but　it was　really　a　very　sensible　one。　he　knew　he　could　scramble　to　the　top　of　the　bank　among　bushes and　brambles　without　being　seen；　and　he　wanted　above　all　things　to　see　which way　the　witchs　sledge　went。　the　others　all　sat　in　the　cave　waiting　and　wondering。 they　waited　nearly　five　minutes。　then　they　heard　something　that　frightened　them　very much。　they　heard　voices。　〃oh；〃　thought　lucy；　〃hes　been　seen。　shes　caught　him！”
great　was　their　surprise　when　a　little　later；　they　heard　mr　beavers　voice calling　to　them　from　just　outside　the　cave。
〃its　all　right；〃　he　was　shouting。　〃e　out；　mrs　beaver。　e　out；　sons and　daughters　of　adam。　its　all　right！　it　isnt　her！〃　this　was　bad　grammar　of　course；　but that　is　how　beavers　talk　when　they　are　excited；　i　mean；　in　narnia　…　in　our　world　they usually　dont　talk　at　all。
so　mrs　beaver　and　the　children　came　bundling　out　of　the　cave；　all　blinking in　the　daylight；　and　with　earth　all　over　them；　and　looking　very　frowsty　and unbrushed　and　unbed　and　with　the　sleep　in　their　eyes。
〃e　on！〃　cried　mr　beaver；　who　was　almost　dancing　with　delight。　〃e　and see！　this　is　a　nasty　knock　for　the　witch！　it　looks　as　if　her　power　is　already crumbling。”
〃what　do　you　mean；　mr　beaver？〃　panted　peter　as　they　all　scrambled　up　the steep　bank　of　the　valley　together。
〃didnt　i　tell　you；〃　answered　mr　beaver；　〃that　shed　made　it　always　winter and　never　christmas？　didnt　i　tell　you？　well；　just　e　and　see！”
and　then　they　were　all　at　the　top　and　did　see。
it　was　a　sledge；　and　it　was　reindeer　with　bells　on　their　harness。　but　they were　far　bigger　than　the　witchs　reindeer；　and　they　were　not　white　but　brown。　and　on　the sledge　sat　a　person　whom　everyone　knew　the　moment　they　set　eyes　on　him。　he　was　a　huge man。　in　a　bright　red　robe　（bright　as　hollyberries）　with　a　hood　that　had　fur　inside　it and　a　great　white　beard；　that　fell　like　a　foamy　waterfall　over　his　chest。
everyone　knew　him　because；　though　you　see　people　of　his　sort　only　in narnia；　you　see　pictures　of　them　and　hear　them　talked　about　even　in　our　world　…　the　world on　this　side　of　the　wardrobe　door。　but　when　you　really　see　them　in　narnia　it　is　rather different。　some　of　the　pictures　of　father　christmas　in　our　world　make　him　look　only　funny　and jolly。　but　now　that　the　children　actually　stood　looking　at　him　they　didnt　find　it quite　like　that。　he　was　so　big；　and　so