按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
d here。 And that's a big consideration when a fellow has turned sixty。 I shouldn't be surprised if I never grew a day older in this country！ Stupendous！ The land of youth！〃
〃Oh！〃 cried Digory。 〃The land of youth！ Do you think it really is？〃 For of course he remembered what Aunt Letty had said to the lady who brought the grapes； and that sweet hope rushed back upon him。 〃Uncle Andrew〃； he said； 〃do you think there's anything here that would cure Mother？〃
〃What are you talking about？〃 said Uncle Andrew。 〃This isn't a chemist's shop。 But as I was saying…〃
〃You don't care twopence about her；〃 said Digory savagely。 〃I thought you might； after all； she's your sister as well as my Mother。 Well； no matter。 I'm jolly well going to ask the Lion himself if he can help me。〃 And he turned and walked briskly away。 Polly waited for a moment and then went after him。
〃Here！ Stop！ e back！ The boy's gone mad；〃 said Uncle Andrew。 He followed the children at a cautious distance behind； for he didn't want to get too far away from the green rings or too near the Lion。
In a few minutes Digory came to the edge of the wood and there he stopped。 The Lion was singing still。 But now the song had once more changed。 It was more like what we should call a tune； but it was also far wilder。 It made you want to run and jump and climb。 It made you want to shout。 It made you want to rush at other people and either hug them or fight them。 It made Digory hot and red in the face。 It had some effect on Uncle Andrew； for Digory could hear him saying； 〃A spirited gel； sir。 It's a pity about her temper； but a dem fine woman all the same； a dem fine woman。〃 But what the song did to the two humans was nothing pared with what it was doing to the country。
Can you imagine a stretch of grassy land bubbling like water in a pot？ For that is really the best description of what was happening。 In all directions it was swelling into humps。 They were of very different sizes； some no bigger than mole…hills； some as big as wheel…barrows； two the size of cottages。 And the humps moved and swelled till they burst； and the crumbled earth poured out of them； and from each hump there came out an animal。 The moles came out just as you might see a mole e out in England。 The dogs came out； barking the moment their heads were free； and struggling as you've seen them do when they are getting through a narrow hole in a hedge。 The stags were the queerest to watch； for of course the antlers came up a long time before the rest of them； so at first Digory thought they were trees。 The frogs； who all came up near the river； went straight into it with a plop…plop and a loud croaking。 The panthers； leopards and things of that sort； sat down at once to wash the loose earth off their hind quarters and then stood up against the trees to sharpen their front claws。 Showers of birds came out of the trees。 Butterflies fluttered。 Bees got to work on the flowers as if they hadn't a second to lose。 But the greatest moment of all was when the biggest hump broke like a small earthquake and out came the sloping back； the large； wise head； and the four baggy…trousered legs of an elephant。 And now you could hardly hear the song of the Lion； there was so much cawing； cooing； crowing； braying； neighing； baying； barking； lowing； bleating； and trumpeting。
But though Digory could no longer hear the Lion； he could see it。 It was so big and so bright that he could not take his eyes off it。 The other animals did not appear to be afraid of it。 Indeed； at that very moment； Digory heard the sound of hoofs from behind； a second later the old cab…horse trotted past him and joined the other beasts。 （The air had apparently suited him as well as it had suited Uncle Andrew。 He no longer looked like the poor； old slave he had been in London； he was picking up his feet and holding his head erect。） And now； for the first time； the Lion was quite silent。 He was going to and fro among the animals。 And every now and then he would go up to two of them （always two at a time） and touch their noses with his。 He would touch two beavers among all the beavers； two leopards among all the leopards； one stag and one deer among all the deer； and leave the rest。 Some sorts of animal he passed over altogether。 But the pairs which he had touched instantly left their own kinds and followed him。 At last he stood still and all the creatures whom he had touched came and stood in a wide circle around him。 The others whom he had not touched began to wander away。 Their noises faded gradually into the distance。 The chosen beasts who remained were now utterly silent； all with their eyes fixed intently upon the Lion。 The cat…like ones gave an occasional twitch of the tail but otherwise all were still。 For the first time that day there was plete silence； except for the noise of running water。 Digory's heart beat wildly； he knew something very solemn was going to be done。 He had not forgotten about his Mother； but he knew jolly well that； even for her； he couldn't interrupt a thing like this。
The Lion； whose eyes never blinked； stared at the animals as hard as if he was going to burn them up with his mere stare。 And gradually a change came over them。 The smaller ones…the rabbits； moles and such…like grew a good deal larger。 The very big ones…you noticed it most with the elephants…grew a little smaller。 Many animals sat up on their hind legs。 Most put their heads on one side as if they were trying very hard to understand。 The Lion opened his mouth； but no sound came from it； he was breathing out； a long； warm breath； it seemed to sway all the beasts as the wind sways a line of trees。 Far overhead from beyond the veil of blue sky which hid them the stars sang again； a pure； cold； difficult music。 Then there came a swift flash like fire （but it burnt nobody） either from the sky or from the Lion itself； and every drop of blood tingled in the children's bodies； and the deepest； wildest voice they had ever heard was saying：
〃Narnia； Narnia； Narnia； awake。 Love。 Think。 Speak。 Be walking trees。 Be talking beasts。 Be divine waters。〃
CHAPTER TEN
THE FIRST JOKE AND OTHER MATTERS
IT was of course the Lion's voice。 The children had long felt sure that he could speak： yet it was a lovely and terrible shock when he did。
Out of the trees wild people stepped forth； gods and goddesses of the wood； with them came Fauns and Satyrs and Dwarfs。 Out of the river rose the river god with his Naiad daughters。 And all these and all the beasts and birds in their different voices； low or high or thick or clear； replied：
〃Hail； Aslan。 We hear and obey。 We are awake。 We love。 We think。 We speak。 We know。〃
〃But please； we don't know very much yet；〃 said a nosey and snorty kind of voice。 And that really did make the children jump； for it was the cab…horse who had spoken。
〃Good old Strawberry；〃 said Polly。 〃I am glad he was one of the ones picked out to be a Talking Beast。〃 And the Cabby； who was now standing beside the children； said； 〃Strike me pink。 I always did say that 'oss 'ad a lot of sense； though。〃