《The Lion, the Witch and the War》第24章

said　the　dwarf。
〃true；〃　said　the　witch；　and　then；　〃well；　i　will　begin。”
at　that　moment　with　a　rush　and　a　snarl　a　wolf　rushed　up　to　them。
〃i　have　seen　them。　they　are　all　at　the　stone　table；　with　him。　they　have killed　my　captain；　maugrim。　i　was　hidden　in　the　thickets　and　saw　it　all。　one　of　the sons　of　adam　killed　him。　fly！　fly！”
〃no；〃　said　the　witch。　〃there　need　be　no　flying。　go　quickly。　summon　all　our people　to　meet　me　here　as　speedily　as　they　can。　call　out　the　giants　and　the werewolves　and　the　spirits　of　those　trees　who　are　on　our　side。　call　the　ghouls；　and　the boggles；　the　ogres　and　the　minotaurs。　call　the　cruels；　the　hags；　the　spectres；　and　the　people　of the　toadstools。
we　will　fight。　what？　have　i　not　still　my　wand？　will　not　their　ranks　turn into　stone　even　as　they　e　on？　be　off　quickly；　i　have　a　little　thing　to　finish　here　while you　are　away。”
the　great　brute　bowed　its　head；　turned；　and　galloped　away。
〃now！〃　she　said；　〃we　have　no　table　…　let　me　see。　we　had　better　put　it against　the　trunk　of　a　tree。”
edmund　found　himself　being　roughly　forced　to　his　feet。　then　the　dwarf　set him　with　his　back　against　a　tree　and　bound　him　fast。　he　saw　the　witch　take　off　her　outer mantle。　her　arms　were　bare　underneath　it　and　terribly　white。　because　they　were　so　very white　he　could　see　them；　but　he　could　not　see　much　else；　it　was　so　dark　in　this valley　under　the　dark　trees。
〃prepare　the　victim；〃；　said　the　witch。　and　the　dwarf　undid　edmunds　collar and　folded　back　his　shirt　at　the　neck。　then　he　took　edmunds　hair　and　pulled　his　head back　so　that　he　had　to　raise　his　chin。　after　that　edmund　heard　a　strange　noise　…　whizz whizz　…　whizz。　for　a　moment　he　couldnt　think　what　it　was。　then　he　realized。　it　was　the　sound of　a　knife　being　sharpened。
at　that　very　moment　he　heard　loud　shouts　from　every　direction　…　a　drumming of　hoofs　and　a　beating　of　wings　…　a　scream　from　the　witch　…　confusion　all　round　him。 and　then　he　found　he　was　being　untied。　strong　arms　were　round　him　and　he　heard　big； kind　voices　saying　things　like　… 〃let　him　lie　down　…　give　him　some　wine　…　drink　this　…　steady　now　…　youll be　all　right　in　a　minute。”
then　he　heard　the　voices　of　people　who　were　not　talking　to　him　but　to　one another。　and　they　were　saying　things　like　〃whos　got　the　witch？〃　〃i　thought　you　had her。〃　〃i　didnt　see　her　after　i　knocked　the　knife　out　of　her　hand　…　i　was　after　the　dwarf　…　do you　mean　to　say　shes　escaped？〃　〃…　a　chap　cant　mind　everything　at　once　…　whats　that？　oh； sorry；　its　only　an　old　stump！〃　but　just　at　this　point　edmund　went　off　in　a　dead　faint。
presently　the　centaurs　and　unicorns　and　deer　and　birds　（they　were　of　course the　rescue　party　which　aslan　had　sent　in　the　last　chapter）　all　set　off　to　go　back　to the　stone　table；　carrying　edmund　with　them。　but　if　they　could　have　seen　what　happened　in that　valley　after　they　had　gone；　i　think　they　might　have　been　surprised。
it　was　perfectly　still　and　presently　the　moon　grew　bright；　if　you　had　been there　you　would　have　seen　the　moonlight　shining　on　an　old　tree…stump　and　on　a　fairsized boulder。　but　if　you　had　gone　on　looking　you　would　gradually　have　begun　to　think　there　was something　odd　about　both　the　stump　and　the　boulder。　and　next　you　would　have　thought that　the　stump　did　look　really　remarkably　like　a　little　fat　man　crouching　on　the ground。　and　if　you　had　watched　long　enough　you　would　have　seen　the　stump　walk　across　to the　boulder　and　the　boulder　sit　up　and　begin　talking　to　the　stump；　for　in　reality　the stump　and　the　boulder　were　simply　the　witch　and　the　dwarf。　for　it　was　part　of　her　magic that　she　could　make　things　look　like　what　they　arent；　and　she　had　the　presence　of　mind　to do　so　at　the　very　moment　when　the　knife　was　knocked　out　of　her　hand。　she　had　kept　hold of　her　wand；　so　it　had　been　kept　safe；　too。
when　the　other　children　woke　up　next　morning　（they　had　been　sleeping　on piles　of　cushions　in　the　pavilion）　the　first　thing　they　heard　…from　mrs　beaver　…　was that　their　brother　had　been　rescued　and　brought　into　camp　late　last　night；　and　was　at that　moment　with　aslan。　as　soon　as　they　had　breakfasted4　they　all　went　out；　and　there they　saw　aslan　and　edmund　walking　together　in　the　dewy　grass；　apart　from　the　rest　of　the court。　there　is　no　need　to　tell　you　（and　no　one　ever　heard）　what　aslan　was　saying；　but　it was　a　conversation　which　edmund　never　forgot。　as　the　others　drew　nearer　aslan turned　to　meet　them；　bringing　edmund　with　him。
〃here　is　your　brother；〃　he　said；　〃and　…　there　is　no　need　to　talk　to　him about　what　is　past。”
edmund　shook　hands　with　each　of　the　others　and　said　to　each　of　them　in turn；　〃im　sorry；〃　and　everyone　said；　〃thats　all　right。〃　and　then　everyone　wanted very　hard　to　say　something　which　would　make　it　quite　clear　that　they　were　all　friends　with him　again　…something　ordinary　and　natural　…and　of　course　no　one　could　think　of anything　in　the　world　to　say。　but　before　they　had　time　to　feel　really　awkward　one　of　the leopards　approached　aslan　and　said； 〃sire；　there　is　a　messenger　from　the　enemy　who　craves　audience。”
〃let　him　approach；〃　said　aslan。
the　leopard　went　away　and　soon　returned　leading　the　witchs　dwarf。
〃what　is　your　message；　son　of　earth？〃　asked　aslan。
〃the　queen　of　narnia　and　empress　of　the　lone　islands　desires　a　safe　conduct to　e　and　speak　with　you；〃　said　the　dwarf；　〃on　a　matter　which　is　as　much　to　your advantage　as　to　hers。”
〃queen　of　narnia；　indeed！〃　said　mr　beaver。　〃of　all　the　cheek　…”
〃peace；　beaver；〃　said　aslan。　〃all　names　will　soon　be　restored　to　their proper　owners。　in　the　meantime　we　will　not　dispute　about　them。　tell　your　mistress；　son　of earth；　that　i　grant　her　safe　conduct　on　condition　that　she　leaves　her　wand　behind　her　at that　great　oak。”
this　was　agreed　to　and　two　leopards　went　back　with　the　dwarf　to　see　that the　conditions　were　properly　carried　out。　〃but　supposing　she　turns　the　two　leopards　into stone？”
whispered　lucy　to　peter。　i　think　the　same　idea　had　occurred　to　the　leopards themselves；　at　any　rate；　as　they　walked　off　their　fur　was　all　standing　up　on　their backs　and　their　tails　were　bristling　…　like　a　cats　when　it　sees　a　strange　dog。
〃itll　be　all　right；