“It’snogoodnow,youknow,”saidtheFaun,layingdownitsfluteandshakingitsheadatherverysorrowfully.
“Nogood?”saidLucy,jumpingupandfeelingratherfrightened.“Whatdoyoumean?I’vegottogohomeatonce。Theotherswillbewonderingwhathashappenedtome.”Butamomentlatersheasked,“Mr。Tumnus!Whateveristhematter?”fortheFaun’sbrowneyeshadfilledwithtearsandthenthetearsbegantricklingdownitscheeks,andsoontheywererunningofftheendofitsnose;andatlastitcovereditsfacewithitshandsandbegantohowl.
“Mr。Tumnus!Mr。Tumnus!”saidLucyingreatdistress。“Don’t!Don’t!Whatisthematter?Aren’youwell?DearMr。Tumnus,dotellmewhatiswrong。”ButtheFauncontinuedsobbingasifitsheartwouldbreak.AndevenwhenLucywentoverandputherarmsroundhimandlenthimherhandkerchief,hedidnotstop.Hemerelytookthehandkerchiefandkeptonusingit,wringingitoutwithbothhandswheneveritgottoowettobeanymoreuse,sothatpresentlyLucywasstandinginadamppatch。
“Mr。Tumnus!”bawledLucyinhisear,shakinghim.“Dostop.Stopitatonce!Yououghttobeashamedofyourself,agreatbigFaunlikeyou.Whatonearthareyoucryingabout?”
“Oh-oh-oh!”sobbedMr。Tumnus,“I’mcryingbecauseI’msuchabadFaun.”
“Idon’tthinkyou’reabadFaunatall,”saidLucy.“IthinkyouareaverygoodFaun.YouarethenicestFaunI’veevermet.”
“Oh-oh-youwouldn’tsaythatifyouknew,”repliedMr。Tumnusbetweenhissobs.“No,I’mabadFaun.Idon’tsupposethereeverwasaworseFaunsincethebeginningoftheworld.”
“Butwhathaveyoudone?”askedLucy.
“Myoldfather,now,”saidMr。Tumnus;“that’shispictureoverthemantelpiece.Hewouldneverhavedoneathinglikethis.”
“Athinglikewhat?”saidLucy.
“LikewhatI’vedone,”saidtheFaun.“TakenserviceundertheWhiteWitch.That’swhatIam.I’minthepayoftheWhiteWitch.”
“TheWhiteWitch?Whoisshe?”
“Why,itisshethathasgotallNarniaunderherthumb.It’sshethatmakesitalwayswinter.AlwayswinterandneverChristmas;thinkofthat!”
“Howawful!”saidLucy.“Butwhatdoesshepayyoufor?”
“That’stheworstofit,”saidMr。Tumnuswithadeepgroan.“I’makidnapperforher,that’swhatIam.Lookatme,DaughterofEve.WouldyoubelievethatI’mthesortofFauntomeetapoorinnocentchildinthewood,onethathadneverdonemeanyharm,andpretendtobefriendlywithit,andinviteithometomycave,allforthesakeoflullingitasleepandthenhandingitovertotheWhiteWitch?”
“No,”saidLucy.“I’msureyouwouldn’tdoanythingofthesort.”
“ButIhave,”saidtheFaun.
“Well,”saidLucyratherslowly(forshewantedtobetruthfulandyetnotbetoohardonhim),“well,thatwasprettybad.Butyou’resosorryforitthatI’msureyouwillneverdoitagain.”
“DaughterofEve,don’tyouunderstand?”saidtheFaun。“Itisn’tsomethingIhavedone.I’mdoingitnow,thisverymoment.”
“Whatdoyoumean?”criedLucy,turningverywhite.
“Youarethechild,”saidTumnus.“IhadordersfromtheWhiteWitchthatifeverIsawaSonofAdamoraDaughterofEveinthewood,Iwastocatchthemandhandthemovertoher.AndyouarethefirstI’veevermet.AndI’vepretendedtobeyourfriendanaskedyoutotea,andallthetimeI’vebeenmeaningtowaittillyouwereasleepandthengoandtellHer.”
“Oh,butyouwon’t,Mr。Tumnus,”saidLucy.“Yowon’t,willyou?Indeed,indeedyoureallymustn’t.”
“AndifIdon’t,”saidhe,beginningtocryagain“she’ssuretofindout.Andshe’llhavemytailcutoffandmyhornssawnoff,andmybeardpluckedout,andshe’llwaveherwandovermybeautifulclovehoofsandturnthemintohorridsolidhoofslikewretchedhorse’s.Andifsheisextraandspeciallyangryshe’llturnmeintostoneandIshallbeonlystatueofaFauninherhorriblehouseuntilthefourthronesatCairParavelarefilled——andgoodnessknowswhenthatwillhappen,orwhetheritwilleverhappenatall.”
“I’mverysorry,Mr。Tumnus,”saidLucy.“Butpleaseletmegohome.”
“OfcourseIwill,”saidtheFaun.“OfcourseI’vegotto。Iseethatnow.Ihadn’tknownwhatHumanswerelikebeforeImetyou。OfcourseIcan’tgiveyouuptotheWitch;notnowthatIknowyou.Butwemustbeoffatonce.I’llseeyoubacktothelamp-post.IsupposeyoucanfindyourownwayfromtherebacktoSpareOomandWarDrobe?”