《The Lion, the Witch and the War》第25章

istling　…　like　a　cats　when　it　sees　a　strange　dog。
〃itll　be　all　right；〃　whispered　peter　in　reply。　〃he　wouldnt　send　them　if it　werent。”
a　few　minutes　later　the　witch　herself　walked　out　on　to　the　top　of　the　hill and　came　straight　across　and　stood　before　aslan。　the　three　children　who　had　not　seen her　before
felt　shudders　running　down　their　backs　at　the　sight　of　her　face；　and　there were　low　growls　among　all　the　animals　present。　though　it　was　bright　sunshine　everyone　felt suddenly　cold。　the　only　two　people　present　who　seemed　to　be　quite　at　their　ease　were aslan　and　the　witch　herself。　it　was　the　oddest　thing　to　see　those　two　faces　…　the golden　face　and　the　dead…white　face　so　close　together。　not　that　the　witch　looked　aslan　exactly in　his　eyes；　mrs　beaver　particularly　noticed　this。
〃you　have　a　traitor　there；　aslan；〃　said　the　witch。　of　course　everyone present　knew　that　she　meant　edmund。　but　edmund　had　got　past　thinking　about　himself　after　all hed　been　through　and　after　the　talk　hed　had　that　morning。　he　just　went　on　looking at　aslan。　it　didnt　seem　to　matter　what　the　witch　said。
〃well；〃　said　aslan。　〃his　offence　was　not　against　you。”
〃have　you　forgotten　the　deep　magic？〃　asked　the　witch。
〃let　us　say　i　have　forgotten　it；〃　answered　aslan　gravely。　〃tell　us　of　this deep　magic。”
〃tell　you？〃　said　the　witch；　her　voice　growing　suddenly　shriller。　〃tell　you what　is　written　on　that　very　table　of　stone　which　stands　beside　us？　tell　you　what　is written　in　letters　deep　as　a　spear　is　long　on　the　firestones　on　the　secret　hill？　tell　you　what is　engraved　on　the　sceptre　of　the　emperor…beyond…the…sea？　you　at　least　know　the　magic which　the　emperor　put　into　narnia　at　the　very　beginning。　you　know　that　every　traitor belongs　to　me　as　my　lawful　prey　and　that　for　every　treachery　i　have　a　right　to　a　kill。”
〃oh；〃　said　mr　beaver。　〃so　thats　how　you　came　to　imagine　yourself　a　queen　… because　you　were　the　emperors　hangman。　i　see。”
〃peace；　beaver；〃　said　aslan；　with　a　very　low　growl。　〃and　so；〃　continued　the witch；　〃that　human　creature　is　mine。　his　life　is　forfeit　to　me。　his　blood　is　my property。”
〃e　and　take　it　then；〃　said　the　bull　with　the　mans　head　in　a　great bellowing　voice。
〃fool；〃　said　the　witch　with　a　savage　smile　that　was　almost　a　snarl；　〃do　you really　think　your　master　can　rob　me　of　my　rights　by　mere　force？　he　knows　the　deep　magic better　than　that。　he　knows　that　unless　i　have　blood　as　the　law　says　all　narnia will　be　overturned　and　perish　in　fire　and　water。”
〃it　is　very　true；〃　said　aslan；　〃i　do　not　deny　it。”
〃oh；　aslan！〃　whispered　susan　in　the　lions　ear；　〃cant　we　…　i　mean；　you wont；　will　you？
cant　we　do　something　about　the　deep　magic？　isnt　there　something　you　can work　against　it？”
〃work　against　the　emperors　magic？〃　said　aslan；　turning　to　her　with something　like　a　frown　on　his　face。　and　nobody　ever　made　that　suggestion　to　him　again。
edmund　was　on　the　other　side　of　aslan；　looking　all　the　time　at　aslans face。　he　felt　a　choking　feeling　and　wondered　if　he　ought　to　say　something；　but　a　moment later　he　felt　that　he　was　not　expected　to　do　anything　except　to　wait；　and　do　what　he　was told。
〃fall　back；　all　of　you；〃　said　aslan；　〃and　i　will　talk　to　the　witch　alone。”
they　all　obeyed。　it　was　a　terrible　time　this　…　waiting　and　wondering　while the　lion　and　the　witch　talked　earnestly　together　in　low　voices。　lucy　said；　〃oh；　edmund！〃 and　began　to　cry。　peter　stood　with　his　back　to　the　others　looking　out　at　the　distant sea。　the　beavers　stood　holding　each　others　paws　with　their　heads　bowed。　the　centaurs stamped　uneasily　with　their　hoofs。　but　everyone　became　perfectly　still　in　the　end；　so　that you　noticed　even　small　sounds　like　a　bumble…bee　flying　past；　or　the　birds　in　the　forest　down below　them；　or　the　wind　rustling　the　leaves。　and　still　the　talk　between　aslan　and　the white　witch　went　on。
at　last　they　heard　aslans　voice；　〃you　can　all　e　back；〃　he　said。　〃i　have settled　the　matter。　she　has　renounced　the　claim　on　your　brothers　blood。〃　and　all　over the　hill　there　was　a　noise　as　if　everyone　had　been　holding　their　breath　and　had　now　begun breathing　again；　and　then　a　murmur　of　talk。
the　witch　was　just　turning　away　with　a　look　of　fierce　joy　on　her　face　when she　stopped　and　said； 〃but　how　do　i　know　this　promise　will　be　kept？”
〃haa…a…arrh！〃　roared　aslan；　half　rising　from　his　throne；　and　his　great mouth　opened　wider　and　wider　and　the　roar　grew　louder　and　louder；　and　the　witch；　after　staring for　a　moment　with　her　lips　wide　apart；　picked　up　her　skirts　and　fairly　ran　for　her　life。
．．
CHAPTER　FOURTEEN
～
the　triumph　of　the　witch as　soon　as　the　witch　had　gone　aslan　said；　〃we　must　move　from　this　place　at once；　it　will　be　wanted　for　other　purposes。　we　shall　encamp　tonight　at　the　fords　of beruna。
of　course　everyone　was　dying　to　ask　him　how　he　had　arranged　matters　with the　witch；　but　his　face　was　stern　and　everyones　ears　were　still　ringing　with　the sound　of　his　roar　and　so　nobody　dared。
after　a　meal；　which　was　taken　in　the　open　air　on　the　hill…top　（for　the　sun had　got　strong　by　now　and　dried　the　grass）；　they　were　busy　for　a　while　taking　the　pavilion down　and
packing　things　up。　before　two　oclock　they　were　on　the　march　and　set　off　in a　northeasterly　direction；　walking　at　an　easy　pace　for　they　had　not　far　to go。
during　the　first　part　of　the　journey　aslan　explained　to　peter　his　plan　of campaign。　〃as　soon　as　she　has　finished　her　business　in　these　parts；〃　he　said；　〃the　witch and　her　crew　will　almost　certainly　fall　back　to　her　house　and　prepare　for　a　siege。　you may　or　may　not　be　able　to　cut　her　off　and　prevent　her　from　reaching　it。〃 he　then　went　on to　outline　two　plans　of　battle　…　one　for　fighting　the　witch　and　her　people　in　the　wood　and another　for　assaulting　her　castle。　and　all　the　time　he　was　advising　peter　how　to conduct　the　operations；　saying　things　like；　〃you　must　put　your　centaurs　in　such　and such　a　place〃　or　〃you　must　post　scouts　to　see　that　she　doesnt　do　so…and…so；〃　till　at　last peter　said； 〃but　you　will　be　there　yourself；　aslan。”
〃i　can　give　you　no　promise　of　that；〃　answered　the　lion。　and　he　continued giving　peter　his　instructions。