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csl.themagiciansnephew-第18章

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  There was soon light enough for them to see one another's faces。 The Cabby and the two children had open mouths and shining eyes; they were drinking in the sound; and they looked as if it reminded them of something。 Uncle Andrew's mouth was open too; but not open with joy。 He looked more as if his chin had simply dropped away from the rest of his face。 His shoulders were stopped and his knees shook。 He was not liking the Voice。 If he could have got away from it by creeping into a rat's hole; he would have done so。 But the Witch looked as if; in a way; she understood the music better than any of them。 Her mouth was shut; her lips were pressed together; and her fists were clenched。 Ever since the song began she had felt that this whole world was filled with a Magic different from hers and stronger。 She hated it。 She would have smashed that whole world; or all worlds; to pieces; if it would only stop the singing。 The horse stood with its ears well forward; and twitching。 Every now and then it snorted and stamped the ground。 It no longer looked like a tired old cab…horse; you could now well believe that its father had been in battles。
  
  The eastern sky changed from white to pink and from pink to gold。 The Voice rose and rose; till all the air was shaking with it。 And just as it swelled to the mightiest and most glorious sound it had yet produced; the sun arose。
  
  Digory had never seen such a sun。 The sun above the ruins of Charn had looked older than ours: this looked younger。 You could imagine that it laughed for joy as it came up。 And as its beams shot across the land the travellers could see for the first time what sort of place they were in。 It was a valley through which a broad; swift river wound its way; flowing eastward towards the sun。 Southward there were mountains; northward there were lower hills。 But it was a valley of mere earth; rock and water; there was not a tree; not a bush; not a blade of grass to be seen。 The earth was of many colours: they were fresh; hot and vivid。 They made you feel excited; until you saw the Singer himself; and then you forgot everything else。
  
  It was a Lion。 Huge; shaggy; and bright; it stood facing the risen sun。 Its mouth was wide open in song and it was about three hundred yards away。
  
  〃This is a terrible world;〃 said the Witch。 〃We must fly at once。 Prepare the Magic。〃
  
  〃I quite agree with you; Madam;〃 said Uncle Andrew。 〃A most disagreeable place。 pletely uncivilized。 If only I were a younger man and had a gun…〃
  
  〃Garn!〃 said the Cabby。 〃You don't think you could shoot 'im; do you?〃
  
  〃And who would〃 said Polly。
  
  〃Prepare the Magic; old fool;〃 said Jadis。
  
  〃Certainly; Madam;〃 said Uncle Andrew cunningly。 〃I must have both the children touching me。 Put on your homeward ring at once; Digory。〃 He wanted to get away without the Witch。
  
  〃Oh; it's rings; is it?〃 cried Jadis。 She would have had her hands in Digory's pocket before you could say knife; but Digory grabbed Polly and shouted out:
  
  〃Take care。 If either of you e half an inch nearer; we two will vanish and you'll be left here for good。 Yes: I have a ring in my pocket that will take Polly and me home。 And look! My hand is just ready。 So keep your distance。 I'm sorry about you (he looked at the Cabby) and about the horse; but I can't help that。 As for you two (he looked at Uncle Andrew and the Queen); you're both magicians; so you ought to enjoy living together。〃
  
  〃'Old your noise; everyone;〃 said the Cabby。 〃I want to listen to the moosic。〃
  
  For the song had now changed。
  
  
  
   CHAPTER NINE
  
  THE FOUNDING OF NARNIA
  
  THE Lion was pacing to and fro about that empty land and singing his new song。 It was softer and more lilting than the song by which he had called up the stars and the sun; a gentle; rippling music。 And as he walked and sang the valley grew green with grass。 It spread out from the Lion like a pool。 It ran up the sides of the little hills like a wave。 In a few minutes it was creeping up the lower slopes of the distant mountains; making that young world every moment softer。 The light wind could now be heard ruffling the grass。 Soon there were other things besides grass。 The higher slopes grew dark with heather。 Patches of rougher and more bristling green appeared in the valley。 Digory did not know what they were until one began ing up quite close to him。 It was a little; spiky thing that threw out dozens of arms and covered these arms with green and grew larger at the rate of about an inch every two seconds。 There were dozens of these things all round him now。 When they were nearly as tall as himself he saw what they were。 〃Trees!〃 he exclaimed。
  
  The nuisance of it; as Polly said afterwards; was that you weren't left in peace to watch it all。 Just as Digory said 〃Trees!〃 he had to jump because Uncle Andrew had sidled up to him again and was going to pick his pocket。 It wouldn't have done Uncle Andrew much good if he had succeeded; for he was aiming at the right…hand pocket because he still thought the green rings were 〃homeward〃 rings。 But of course Digory didn't want to lose either。
  
  〃Stop!〃 cried the Witch。 〃Stand back。 No; further back。 If anyone goes within ten paces of either of the children; I will knock out his brains。〃 She was poising in her hand the iron bar that she had torn off the lamp…post; ready to throw it。 Somehow no one doubted that she would be a very good shot。
  
  〃So!〃…she said。 〃You would steal back to your own world with the boy and leave me here。〃
  
  Uncle Andrew's temper at last got the better of his fears。 〃Yes; Ma'am; I would;〃 he said。 〃Most undoubtedly I would。 I should be perfectly in my rights。 I have been most shamefully; most abominably treated。 I have done my best to show you such civilities as were in my power。 And what has been my reward? You have robbed…I must repeat the word robbed a highly respectable jeweller。 You have insisted on my entertaining you to an exceedingly expensive; not to say ostentatious; lunch; though I was obliged to pawn my watch and chain in order to do so (and let me tell you; Ma'am; that none of our family have been in the habit of frequenting pawnshops; except my cousin Edward; and he was in the Yeomanry)。 During that indigestible meal…I'm feeling the worse for it at this very moment…your behaviour and conversation attracted the unfavourable attention of everyone present。 I feel I have been publicly disgraced。 I shall never be able to show my face in that restaurant again。 You have assaulted the police。 You have stolen…〃
  
  〃Oh stow it; Guv'nor; do stow it;〃 said the Cabby。 〃Watchin' and listenin's the thing at present; not talking。〃
  
  There was certainly plenty to watch and to listen to。 The tree which Digory had noticed was now a full…grown beech whose branches swayed gently above his head。 They stood on cool; green grass; sprinkled with daisies and buttercups。 A little way off; along the river bank; willows were growing。 On the other side tangles of flowering currant; lilac; wild rose; and rhododendron closed them in。 The horse was tearing up de
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