友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!阅读过程发现任何错误请告诉我们,谢谢!! 报告错误
狗狗书籍 返回本书目录 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 进入书吧 加入书签

The Lion, the Witch and the War-第3章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



ch lucy thought must lead to mr tumnuss bedroom; and on one wall was a  shelf full of books。 lucy looked at these while he was setting out the tea things。  they had titles like the life and letters of silenus or nymphs and their ways or men; monks and gamekeepers; a study in popular legend or is man a myth?

〃now; daughter of eve!〃 said the faun。

and really it was a wonderful tea。 there was a nice brown egg; lightly  boiled; for each of them; and then sardines on toast; and then buttered toast; and then toast  with honey; and then a sugar…topped cake。 and when lucy was tired of eating the faun began  to talk。 he had wonderful tales to tell of life in the forest。 he told about the  midnight dances and how the nymphs who lived in the wells and the dryads who lived in the trees  came out to dance with the fauns; about long hunting parties after the milk…white stag  who could give you wishes if you caught him; about feasting and treasure…seeking with the  wild red dwarfs in deep mines and caverns far beneath the forest floor; and then  about summer when the woods were green and old silenus on his fat donkey would e to  visit them; and sometimes bacchus himself; and then the streams would run with wine  instead of water and the whole forest would give itself up to jollification for weeks  on end。 〃not that it isnt always winter now;〃 he added gloomily。 then to cheer himself  up he took out from its case on the dresser a strange little flute that looked as if it  were made of straw and began to play。 and the tune he played made lucy want to cry and laugh  and dance and go to sleep all at the same time。 it must have been hours later when  she shook herself and said:  〃oh; mr tumnus … im so sorry to stop you; and i do love that tune … but  really; i must go home。 i only meant to stay for a few minutes。”

〃its no good now; you know;〃 said the faun; laying down its flute and  shaking its head at her very sorrowfully。

〃no good?〃 said lucy; jumping up and feeling rather frightened。 〃what do  you mean?

ive got to go home at once。 the others will be wondering what has happened  to me。〃 but a moment later she asked; 〃mr tumnus! whatever is the matter?〃 for the  fauns brown eyes had filled with tears and then the tears began trickling down its  cheeks; and soon they were running off the end of its nose; and at last it covered its face  with its hands and began to howl。

〃mr tumnus! mr tumnus!〃 said lucy in great distress。 〃dont! dont! what is  the matter? aren you well? dear mr tumnus; do tell me what is wrong。〃 but the  faun continued sobbing as if its heart would break。 and even when lucy went over  and put her arms round him and lent him her hand kerchief; he did not stop。 he  merely took the handker chief and kept on using it; wringing it out with both hands  whenever it got too wet to be any more use; so that presently lucy was standing in a damp  patch。

〃mr tumnus!〃 bawled lucy in his ear; shaking him。 〃do stop。 stop it at  once! you ought to be ashamed of yourself; a great big faun like you。 what on earth are you  crying about?”

〃oh … oh … oh!〃 sobbed mr tumnus; 〃im crying because im such a bad faun。”

〃i dont think youre a bad faun at all;〃 said lucy。 〃i think you are a  very good faun。 you are the nicest faun ive ever met。”

〃oh … oh … you wouldnt say that if you knew;〃 replied mr tumnus between  his sobs。 〃no; im a bad faun。 i dont suppose there ever was a worse faun since the  beginning of the world。”

〃but what have you done?〃 asked lucy。

〃my old father; now;〃 said mr tumnus; 〃thats his picture over the  mantelpiece。 he would never have done a thing like this。”

〃a thing like what?〃 said lucy。

〃like what ive done;〃 said the faun。 〃taken service under the white witch。  thats what i am。 im in the pay of the white witch。”

〃the white witch? who is she?”

〃why; it is she that has got all narnia under her thumb。 its she that  makes it always winter。 always winter and never christmas; think of that!”

〃how awful!〃 said lucy。 〃but what does she pay you for?”

〃thats the worst of it;〃 said mr tumnus with a deep groan。 〃im a  kidnapper for her; thats what i am。 look at me; daughter of eve。 would you believe that im  the sort of faun to meet a poor innocent child in the wood; one that had never done me  any harm; and pretend to be friendly with it; and invite it home to my cave; all for  the sake of lulling it asleep and then handing it over to the white witch?”

〃no;〃 said lucy。 〃im sure you wouldnt do anything of the sort。”

〃but i have;〃 said the faun。

〃well;〃 said lucy rather slowly (for she wanted to be truthful and yet not  be too hard on him); 〃well; that was pretty bad。 but youre so sorry for it that im sure  you will never do it again。”

〃daughter of eve; dont you understand?〃 said the faun。 〃it isnt something  i have done。

im doing it now; this very moment。”

〃what do you mean?〃 cried lucy; turning very white。

〃you are the child;〃 said tumnus。 〃i had orders from the white witch that  if ever i saw a son of adam or a daughter of eve in the wood; i was to catch them and hand  them over to her。 and you are the first ive ever met。 and ive pretended to be your  friend an asked you to tea; and all the time ive been meaning to wait till you were asleep  and then go and tell her。”

〃oh; but you wont; mr tumnus;〃 said lucy。 〃yo wont; will you? indeed;  indeed you really mustnt。”

〃and if i dont;〃 said he; beginning to cry again 〃shes sure to find out。  and shell have my tail cut off and my horns sawn off; and my beard plucked out; and shell  wave her wand over my beautiful clove hoofs and turn them into horrid solid hoofs  like wretched horses。 and if she is extra and specially angry shell turn me into stone  and i shall be only statue of a faun in her horrible house until the four thrones at cair  paravel are filled and goodness knows when that will happen; or whether it will ever happen at  all。”

〃im very sorry; mr tumnus;〃 said lucy。 〃but please let me go home。”

〃of course i will;〃 said the faun。 〃of course ive got to。 i see that now。  i hadnt known what humans were like before i met you。 of course i cant give you up to  the witch; not now that i kno
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 1 0
未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!