669小说网

chater fifteen deeer agic fr befre the dawn f ti（第2页）

“I-Ifeelafraidtoturnround，”saidSusan；“somethingawfulishappening．”

“They’redoingsomethingworsetoHim，”saidLucy．“Comeon！”Andsheturned，pullingSusanroundwithher．

Therisingofthesunhadmadeeverythinglooksodifferent-allcoloursandshadowswerechanged——thatforamomenttheydidn’tseetheimportantthing．Thentheydid．TheStoneTablewasbrokenintotwopiecesbyagreatcrackthatrandownitfromendtoend；andtherewasnoAslan．

“Oh，oh，oh！”criedthetwogirls，rushingbacktotheTable。

“Oh，it’stoobad，”sobbedLucy；“theymighthaveleftthebodyalone．”

“Who’sdoneit？”criedSusan．“Whatdoesitmean？Isitmagic？”

“Yes！”saidagreatvoicebehindtheirbacks．“Itismoremagic。”Theylookedround．There，shininginthesunrise，largerthantheyhadseenhimbefore，shakinghismane（forithadapparentlygrownagain）stoodAslanhimself．

“Oh，Aslan！”criedboththechildren，staringupathim，almostasmuchfrightenedastheywereglad．

“Aren’tyoudeadthen，dearAslan？”saidLucy．

“Notnow，”saidAslan．

“You’renot-nota-？”askedSusaninashakyvoice．Shecouldn’tbringherselftosaythewordghost．Aslanstoopedhisgoldenheadandlickedherforehead．Thewarmthofhisbreathandarichsortofsmellthatseemedtohangabouthishaircamealloverher．

“DoIlookit？”hesaid．

“Oh，you’rereal，you’rereal！Oh，Aslan！”criedLucy，andbothgirlsflungthemselvesuponhimandcoveredhimwithkisses．

“Butwhatdoesitallmean？”askedSusanwhentheyweresomewhatcalmer．

“Itmeans，”saidAslan，“thatthoughtheWitchknewtheDeepMagic，thereisamagicdeeperstillwhichshedidnotknow：Herknowledgegoesbackonlytothedawnoftime．Butifshecouldhavelookedalittlefurtherback，intothestillnessandthedarknessbeforeTimedawned，shewouldhavereadthereadifferentincantation．Shewouldhaveknownthatwhenawillingvictimwhohadcommittednotreacherywaskilledinatraitor’sstead，theTablewouldcrackandDeathitselfwouldstartworkingbackwards。Andnow-”

“Ohyes．Now？”saidLucy，jumpingupandclappingherhands．

“Oh，children，”saidtheLion，“Ifeelmystrengthcomingbacktome．Oh，children，catchmeifyoucan！”Hestoodforasecond，hiseyesverybright，hislimbsquivering，lashinghimselfwithhistail．ThenhemadealeaphighovertheirheadsandlandedontheothersideoftheTable．Laughing，thoughshedidn’tknowwhy，Lucyscrambledoverittoreachhim．Aslanleapedagain．Amadchasebegan．Roundandroundthehilltopheledthem，nowhopelesslyoutoftheirreach，nowlettingthemalmostcatchhistail，nowdivingbetweenthem，nowtossingthemintheairwithhishugeandbeautifullyvelvetedpawsandcatchingthemagain，andnowstoppingunexpectedlysothatallthreeofthemrolledovertogetherinahappylaughingheapoffurandarmsandlegs．ItwassucharompasnoonehaseverhadexceptinNarnia；andwhetheritwasmorelikeplayingwithathunderstormorplayingwithakittenLucycouldnevermakeuphermind．Andthefunnythingwasthatwhenallthreefinallylaytogetherpantinginthesunthegirlsnolongerfeltintheleasttiredorhungryorthirsty．

“Andnow，”saidAslanpresently，“tobusiness．IfeelIamgoingtoroar．Youhadbetterputyourfingersinyourears．”

Andtheydid．AndAslanstoodupandwhenheopenedhismouthtoroarhisfacebecamesoterriblethattheydidnotdaretolookatit．Andtheysawallthetreesinfrontofhimbendbeforetheblastofhisroaringasgrassbendsinameadowbeforethewind。Thenhesaid，

“Wehavealongjourneytogo．Youmustrideonme．”Andhecroucheddownandthechildrenclimbedontohiswarm，goldenback，andSusansatfirst，holdingontightlytohismaneandLucysatbehindholdingontightlytoSusan．Andwithagreatheaveheroseunderneaththemandthenshotoff，fasterthananyhorsecouldgo，downhillandintothethickoftheforest．

ThatridewasperhapsthemostwonderfulthingthathappenedtotheminNarnia．Haveyoueverhadagalloponahorse？Thinkofthat；andthentakeawaytheheavynoiseofthehoofsandthejingleofthebitsandimagineinsteadthealmostnoiselesspaddingofthegreatpaws．Thenimagineinsteadoftheblackorgreyorchestnutbackofthehorsethesoftroughnessofgoldenfur，andthemaneflyingbackinthewind．Andthenimagineyouaregoingabouttwiceasfastasthefastestracehorse．Butthisisamountthatdoesn’tneedtobeguidedandnevergrowstired．Herushesonandon，nevermissinghisfooting，neverhesitating，threadinghiswaywithperfectskillbetweentreetrunks，jumpingoverbushandbriarandthesmallerstreams，wadingthelarger，swimmingthelargestofall．Andyouareridingnotonaroadnorinaparknorevenonthedowns，butrightacrossNarnia，inspring，downsolemnavenuesofbeechandacrosssunnygladesofoak，throughwildorchardsofsnow-whitecherrytrees，pastroaringwaterfallsandmossyrocksandechoingcaverns，upwindyslopesalightwithgorsebushes，andacrosstheshouldersofheatherymountainsandalonggiddyridgesanddown，down，downagainintowildvalleysandoutintoacresofblueflowers．