迪文小说

chater eleven the l rar（第2页）

Inafewminutestheywereatthebottomandtheroaringofwaterfilledtheirears．Treadingdelicately，likeacat，Aslansteppedfromstonetostoneacrossthestream．Inthemiddlehestopped，bentdowntodrink，andasheraisedhisshaggyhead，drippingfromthewater，heturnedtofacethemagain．ThistimeEdmundsawhim．“Oh，Aslan！”hecried，dartingforward．ButtheLionwhiskedroundandbeganpaddinguptheslopeonthefarsideoftheRush．

“Peter，Peter，”criedEdmund．“Didyousee？”

“Isawsomething，”saidPeter．“Butit’ssotrickyinthismoonlight．Onwego，though，andthreecheersforLucy．Idon’tfeelhalfsotirednow，either．”

Aslanwithouthesitationledthemtotheirleft，fartherupthegorge．Thewholejourneywasoddanddream—liketheroaringstream，thewetgreygrass，theglimmeringcliffswhichtheywereapproaching，andalwaystheglorious，silentlypacingBeastahead．EveryoneexceptSusanandtheDwarfcouldseehimnow．

Presentlytheycametoanothersteeppath，upthefaceofthefartherprecipices．Thesewerefarhigherthantheonestheyhadjustdescended，andthejourneyupthemwasalongandtediouszig-zag．FortunatelytheMoonshonerightabovethegorgesothatneithersidewasinshadow．

LucywasnearlyblownwhenthetailandhindlegsofAslandisappearedoverthetop:butwithonelasteffortshescrambledafterhimandcameout，rathershaky-leggedandbreathless，onthehilltheyhadbeentryingtoreacheversincetheyleftGlasswater．Thelonggentleslope（heatherandgrassandafewverybigrocksthatshonewhiteinthemoonlight）stretcheduptowhereitvanishedinaglimmeroftreesabouthalfamileaway．Sheknewit．ItwasthehilloftheStoneTable:

Withajinglingofmailtheothersclimbedupbehindher．

Aslanglidedonbeforethemandtheywalkedafterhim．

“Lucy，”saidSusaninaverysmallvoice．

“Yes？”saidLucy．

“Iseehimnow．I’msorry．”

“That’sallright．”

“ButI’vebeenfarworsethanyouknow．Ireallybelieveditwashim—he，Imean—yesterday．Whenhewarnedusnottogodowntothefirwood．AndIreallybelieveditwashimtonight，whenyouwokeusup．Imean，deepdowninside．OrIcouldhave，ifI’dletmyself．ButIjustwantedtogetoutofthewoodsand—and—oh，Idon’tknow．AndwhateveramItosaytohim？”

“Perhapsyouwon’tneedtosaymuch，”suggestedLucy．

SoontheyreachedthetreesandthroughthemthechildrencouldseetheGreatMound，Aslan’sHow，whichhadbeenraisedovertheTablesincetheirdays．

“Oursidedon’tkeepverygoodwatch，”mutteredTrumpkin．“Weoughttohavebeenchallengedbeforenow—”

“Hush！”saidtheotherfour，fornowAslanhadstoppedandturnedandstoodfacingthem，lookingsomajesticthattheyfeltasgladasanyonecanwhofeelsafraid，andasafraidasanyonecanwhofeelsglad．Theboysstrodeforward:Lucymadewayforthem:SusanandtheDwarfshrankback．

“Oh，Aslan，”saidKingPeter，droppingononekneeandraisingtheLion’sheavypawtohisface，“I’msoglad．AndI’msosorry．I’vebeenleadingthemwrongeversincewestartedandespeciallyyesterdaymorning．”

“Mydearson，”saidAslan．

ThenheturnedandwelcomedEdmund．“Welldone，”werehiswords．

Then，afteranawfulpause，thedeepvoicesaid，“Susan．”Susanmadenoanswerbuttheothersthoughtshewascrying．“Youhavelistenedtofears，child，”saidAslan．“Come，letmebreatheonyou．Forgetthem．Areyoubraveagain？”

“Alittle，Aslan，”saidSusan．

“Andnow！”saidAslaninamuchloudervoicewithjustahintofroarinit，whilehistaillashedhisflanks．“Andnow，whereisthislittleDwarf，thisfamousswordsmanandarcher，whodoesn’tbelieveinlions？Comehere，sonofEarth，comeHERE！”—andthelastwordwasnolongerthehintofaroarbutalmosttherealthing。

“Wraithsandwreckage！”gaspedTrumpkinintheghostofavoice．Thechildren，whoknewAslanwellenoughtoseethathelikedtheDwarfverymuch，werenotdisturbed;butitwasquiteanotherthingforTrumpkin，whohadneverseenalionbefore，letalonethisLion．Hedidtheonlysensiblethinghecouldhavedone;thatis，insteadofbolting，hetotteredtowardAslan．

Aslanpounced．Haveyoueverseenaveryyoungkittenbeingcarriedinthemothercat’smouth？Itwaslikethat．TheDwarf，hunchedupinalittle，miserableball，hungfromAslan’smouth．TheLiongavehimoneshakeandallhisarmourrattledlikeatinker’spackandthen—heypresto—theDwarfflewupintheair．Hewasassafeasifhehadbeeninbed，thoughhedidnotfeelso．Ashecamedownthehugevelvetypawscaughthimasgentlyasamother’sarmsandsethim（rightwayup，too）ontheground．