“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.
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