669小说网

chater ixteen what haened abut the tatue（第1页）

“WHATanextraordinaryplace！”criedLucy．“Allthosestoneanimals-andpeopletoo！It’s-it’slikeamuseum．”

“Hush，”saidSusan，“Aslan’sdoingsomething．”

Hewasindeed．Hehadboundeduptothestonelionandbreathedonhim．Thenwithoutwaitingamomenthewhiskedround-almostasifhehadbeenacatchasingitstail-andbreathedalsoonthestonedwarf，which（asyouremember）wasstandingafewfeetfromthelionwithhisbacktoit．Thenhepouncedonatallstonedryadwhichstoodbeyondthedwarf，turnedrapidlyasidetodealwithastonerabbitonhisright，andrushedontotwocentaurs．ButatthatmomentLucysaid，

“Oh，Susan！Look！Lookatthelion．”

Iexpectyou’veseensomeoneputalightedmatchtoabitofnewspaperwhichisproppedupinagrateagainstanunlitfire．Andforasecondnothingseemstohavehappened；andthenyounoticeatinystreakofflamecreepingalongtheedgeofthenewspaper．

Itwaslikethatnow．ForasecondafterAslanhadbreatheduponhimthestonelionlookedjustthesame．Thenatinystreakofgoldbegantorunalonghiswhitemarbleback——thenitspread-thenthecolourseemedtolickalloverhimastheflamelicksalloverabitofpaper-then，whilehishindquarterswerestillobviouslystone，thelionshookhismaneandalltheheavy，stonefoldsrippledintolivinghair．Thenheopenedagreatredmouth，warmandliving，andgaveaprodigiousyawn．Andnowhishindlegshadcometolife．Heliftedoneofthemandscratchedhimself．Then，havingcaughtsightofAslan，hewentboundingafterhimandfriskingroundhimwhimperingwithdelightandjumpinguptolickhisface。

Ofcoursethechildren’seyesturnedtofollowthelion；butthesighttheysawwassowonderfulthattheysoonforgotabouthim．Everywherethestatueswerecomingtolife．Thecourtyardlookednolongerlikeamuseum；itlookedmorelikeazoo．CreatureswererunningafterAslananddancingroundhimtillhewasalmosthiddeninthecrowd．Insteadofallthatdeadlywhitethecourtyardwasnowablazeofcolours；glossychestnutsidesofcentaurs，indigohornsofunicorns，dazzlingplumageofbirds，reddy-brownoffoxes，dogsandsatyrs，yellowstockingsandcrimsonhoodsofdwarfs；andthebirch-girlsinsilver，andthebeech-girlsinfresh，transparentgreen，andthelarch-girlsingreensobrightthatitwasalmostyellow．Andinsteadofthedeadlysilencethewholeplacerangwiththesoundofhappyroarings，brayings，yelpings，barkings，squealings，cooings，neighings，stampings，shouts，hurrahs，songsandlaughter．

“Oh！”saidSusaninadifferenttone．“Look！Iwonder-Imean，isitsafe？”

LucylookedandsawthatAslanhadjustbreathedonthefeetofthestonegiant．

“It’sallright！”shoutedAslanjoyously．“Oncethefeetareputright，alltherestofhimwillfollow．”

“Thatwasn’texactlywhatImeant，”whisperedSusantoLucy。ButitwastoolatetodoanythingaboutitnowevenifAslanwouldhavelistenedtoher．ThechangewasalreadycreepinguptheGiant’slegs．Nowhewasmovinghisfeet．Amomentlaterheliftedthecluboffhisshoulder，rubbedhiseyesandsaid，

“Blessme！Imusthavebeenasleep．Now！Where’sthatdrattedlittleWitchthatwasrunningaboutontheground．Somewherejustbymyfeetitwas．”Butwheneveryonehadshouteduptohimtoexplainwhathadreallyhappened，andwhentheGianthadputhishandtohisearandgotthemtorepeatitallagainsothatatlastheunderstood，thenheboweddowntillhisheadwasnofurtheroffthanthetopofahaystackandtouchedhiscaprepeatedlytoAslan，beamingalloverhishonestuglyface．（GiantsofanysortarenowsorareinEnglandandsofewgiantsaregood-temperedthattentooneyouhaveneverseenagiantwhenhisfaceisbeaming．It’sasightwellworthlookingat．）

“Nowfortheinsideofthishouse！”saidAslan．“Lookalive，everyone．Upstairsanddownstairsandinmylady’schamber！Leavenocornerunsearched．Youneverknowwheresomepoorprisonermaybeconcealed．”

Andintotheinteriortheyallrushedandforseveralminutesthewholeofthatdark，horrible，fustyoldcastleechoedwiththeopeningofwindowsandwitheveryone’svoicescryingoutatonce，“Don’tforgetthedungeons-Giveusahandwiththisdoor！——Here’sanotherlittlewindingstair-Oh！Isay．Here’sapoorkangaroo．CallAslan-Phew！Howitsmellsinhere-Lookoutfortrap-doors-Uphere！Thereareawholelotmoreonthelanding！”ButthebestofallwaswhenLucycamerushingupstairsshoutingout，

“Aslan！Aslan！I’vefoundMr。Tumnus．Oh，docomequick．”

AmomentlaterLucyandthelittleFaunwereholdingeachotherbybothhandsanddancingroundandroundforjoy．Thelittlechapwasnonetheworseforhavingbeenastatueandwasofcourseveryinterestedinallshehadtotellhim．

ButatlasttheransackingoftheWitch’sfortresswasended．Thewholecastlestoodemptywitheverydoorandwindowopenandthelightandthesweetspringairfloodingintoallthedarkandevilplaceswhichneededthemsobadly．Thewholecrowdofliberatedstatuessurgedbackintothecourtyard．Anditwasthenthatsomeone（Tumnus，Ithink）firstsaid，

“Buthowarewegoingtogetout？”forAslanhadgotinbyajumpandthegateswerestilllocked．

“That’llbeallright，”saidAslan；andthen，risingonhishind-legs，hebawledupattheGiant．“Hi！Youupthere，”heroared．“What’syourname？”

“GiantRumblebuffin，ifitpleaseyourhonour，”saidtheGiant，oncemoretouchinghiscap．

“Wellthen，GiantRumblebuffin，”saidAslan，“justletusoutofthis，willyou？”

“Certainly，yourhonour．Itwillbeapleasure，”saidGiantRumblebuffin．“Standwellawayfromthegates，allyoulittle，uns。”Thenhestrodetothegatehimselfandbang-bang-bang-wenthishugeclub．Thegatescreakedatthefirstblow，crackedatthesecond，andshiveredatthethird．Thenhetackledthetowersoneachsideofthemandafterafewminutesofcrashingandthuddingboththetowersandagoodbitofthewalloneachsidewentthunderingdowninamassofhopelessrubble；andwhenthedustcleareditwasodd，standinginthatdry，grim，stonyyard，toseethroughthegapallthegrassandwavingtreesandsparklingstreamsoftheforest，andthebluehillsbeyondthatandbeyondthemthesky．

“BlowedifIain’tallinamucksweat，”saidtheGiant，puffinglikethelargestrailwayengine．“Comesofbeingoutofcondition．Isupposeneitherofyouyoungladieshassuchathingasapocket-handkercheeaboutyou？”

“Yes，Ihave，”saidLucy，standingontip-toesandholdingherhandkerchiefupasfarasshecouldreach．

“Thankyou，Missie，”saidGiantRumblebuffin，stoopingdown．NextmomentLucygotratherafrightforshefoundherselfcaughtupinmid-airbetweentheGiant’sfingerandthumb．Butjustasshewasgettingnearhisfacehesuddenlystartedandthenputhergentlybackonthegroundmuttering，“Blessme！I’vepickedupthelittlegirlinstead．Ibegyourpardon，Missie，Ithoughtyouwasthehandkerchee！”

“No，no，”saidLucylaughing，“hereitis！”Thistimehemanagedtogetitbutitwasonlyaboutthesamesizetohimthatasaccharinetabletwouldbetoyou，sothatwhenshesawhimsolemnlyrubbingittoandfroacrosshisgreatredface，shesaid，“I’mafraidit’snotmuchusetoyou，Mr。Rumblebuffin．”

“Notatall．Notatall，”saidthegiantpolitely．“Nevermetanicerhandkerchee．Sofine，sohandy．So-Idon’tknowhowtodescribeit．”

“Whatanicegiantheis！”saidLucytoMr。Tumnus．

“Ohyes，”repliedtheFaun．“AlltheBuffinsalwayswere。OneofthemostrespectedofallthegiantfamiliesinNarnia．Notveryclever，perhaps（Ineverknewagiantthatwas），butanoldfamily．Withtraditions，youknow．Ifhe’dbeentheothersortshe’dneverhaveturnedhimintostone．”

AtthispointAslanclappedhispawstogetherandcalledforsilence。

“Ourday’sworkisnotyetover，”hesaid，“andiftheWitchistobefinallydefeatedbeforebed-timewemustfindthebattleatonce．”

“Andjoinin，Ihope，sir！”addedthelargestoftheCentaurs。

“Ofcourse，”saidAslan．“Andnow！Thosewhocan’tkeepup-thatis，children，dwarfs，andsmallanimals-mustrideonthebacksofthosewhocan-thatis，lions，centaurs，unicorns，horses，giantsandeagles．Thosewhoaregoodwiththeirnosesmustcomeinfrontwithuslionstosmelloutwherethebattleis．

Looklivelyandsortyourselves．”

Andwithagreatdealofbustleandcheeringtheydid．Themostpleasedofthelotwastheotherlionwhokeptrunningabouteverywherepretendingtobeverybusybutreallyinordertosaytoeveryonehemet．“Didyouhearwhathesaid？UsLions．Thatmeanshimandme．UsLions．That’swhatIlikeaboutAslan．Noside，nostand-off-ishness．UsLions．Thatmeanthimandme．”AtleasthewentonsayingthistillAslanhadloadedhimupwiththreedwarfs，onedryad，tworabbits，andahedgehog．Thatsteadiedhimabit．

Whenallwereready（itwasabigsheep-dogwhoactuallyhelpedAslanmostingettingthemsortedintotheirproperorder）theysetoutthroughthegapinthecastlewall．Atfirstthelionsanddogswentnosingaboutinalldirections．Butthensuddenlyonegreathoundpickedupthescentandgaveabay．Therewasnotimelostafterthat．Soonallthedogsandlionsandwolvesandotherhuntinganimalsweregoingatfullspeedwiththeirnosestotheground，andalltheothers，streakedoutforabouthalfamilebehindthem，werefollowingasfastastheycould．ThenoisewaslikeanEnglishfox-huntonlybetterbecauseeverynowandthenwiththemusicofthehoundswasmixedtheroaroftheotherlionandsometimesthefardeeperandmoreawfulroarofAslanhimself．Fasterandfastertheywentasthescentbecameeasierandeasiertofollow．Andthen，justastheycametothelastcurveinanarrow，windingvalley，Lucyheardaboveallthesenoisesanothernoise-adifferentone，whichgaveheraqueerfeelinginside．Itwasanoiseofshoutsandshrieksandoftheclashingofmetalagainstmetal．