Then, after a bit, Susan came down the tree. She and Peter felt pretty shaky (摇摇晃晃) when they met and I won't say there wasn't kissing and crying on both sides. But in Narnia no one thinks any the worse of you for that.
"Quick! Quick!" shouted the voice of Aslan. "Centaurs! Eagles! I see another wolf in the thickets (灌木丛). There - behind you. He has just darted away. After him, all of you. He will be going to his mistress (女主人). Now is your chance to find the Witch and rescue (营救) the fourth Son of Adam."
And instantly with a thunder of hoofs and beating of wings a dozen or so of the swiftest creatures disappeared into the gathering darkness.{1}
Peter, still out of breath, turned and saw Aslan close at hand.
"You have forgotten to clean your sword," said Aslan.
It was true. Peter blushed when he looked at the bright blade (剑) and saw it all smeared with (满是) the Wolf's hair and blood. He stooped down and wiped it quite clean on the grass, and then wiped it quite dry on his coat.
"Hand it to me and kneel, Son of Adam," said Aslan. And when Peter had done so he struck him with the flat of the blade and said, "Rise up, Sir Peter Wolf's-Bane. And, whatever happens, never forget to wipe your sword."
Now we must get back to Edmund. When he had been made to walk far further than he had ever known that anybody could walk, the Witch at last halted (停顿) in a dark valley all overshadowed (遮阴) with fir trees and yew (紫杉) trees.
Edmund simply sank down and lay on his face doing nothing at all and not even caring what was going to happen next provided (假如) they would let him lie still.{2} He was too tired even to notice how hungry and thirsty (口渴的) he was. The Witch and the dwarf were talking close beside him in low tones.
"No," said the dwarf, "it is no use now, O Queen. They must have reached the Stone Table by now."
"Perhaps the Wolf will smell us out and bring us news," said the Witch.
"It cannot be good news if he does," said the dwarf.
"Four thrones in Cair Paravel," said the Witch. "How if only three were filled? That would not fulfil the prophecy (预言)."
"What difference would that make now that He is here?" said the dwarf. He did not dare, even now, to mention the name of Aslan to his mistress.
"He may not stay long. And then - we would fall upon the three at Cair."
"Yet it might be better," said the dwarf, "to keep this one" (here he kicked Edmund) "for bargaining with."
"Yes! and have him rescued," said the Witch scornfully (轻蔑地).
"Then," said the dwarf, "we had better do what we have to do at once."
"I would like to have it done on the Stone Table itself," said the Witch. "This is the proper place. This is where it has always been done before."
"It will be a long time now before the Stone Table can again be put to its proper use," said the dwarf.
"True," said the Witch; and then, "Well, I will begin."
At that moment with a rush and a snarl a Wolf rushed up to them.
"I have seen them. They are all at the Stone Table, with Him. They have killed my captain, Maugrim. I was hidden in the thickets and saw it all. One of the Sons of Adam killed him. Fly! Fly!"
"No," said the Witch. "There need be no flying. Go quickly. Summon all our people to meet me here as speedily as they can. Call out the giants and the werewolves and the spirits of those trees who are on our side.
Call the Ghouls, and the Boggles, the Ogres and the Minotaurs. Call the Cruels, the Hags, the Spectres, and the people of the Toadstools. We will fight. What? Have I not still my wand? Will not their ranks turn into stone even as they come on? Be off quickly, I have a little thing to finish here while you are away."{3}
The great brute (畜生) bowed its head, turned, and galloped away.
"Now!" she said, "we have no table - let me see. We had better put it against the trunk of a tree."
Edmund found himself being roughly (粗暴地) forced to his feet. Then the dwarf set him with his back against a tree and bound him fast. He saw the Witch take off her outer mantle (披风).
Her arms were bare underneath (在…下面) it and terribly white. Because they were so very white he could see them, but he could not see much else, it was so dark in this valley under the dark trees.
"Prepare the victim (牺牲品)", said the Witch. And the dwarf undid (松开) Edmund's collar and folded back his shirt at the neck. Then he took Edmund's hair and pulled his head back so that he had to raise his chin (下巴).
After that Edmund heard a strange noise - whizz whizz - whizz. For a moment he couldn't think what it was. Then he realized. It was the sound of a knife being sharpened (使锋利).
At that very moment he heard loud shouts from every direction - a drumming (咚咚声) of hoofs (蹄子) and a beating of wings - a scream (尖叫) from the Witch - confusion (混乱) all round him. And then he found he was being untied. Strong arms were round him and he heard big, kind voices saying things like -
"Let him lie down - give him some wine - drink this - steady now - you'll be all right in a minute."
Then he heard the voices of people who were not talking to him but to one another. And they were saying things like "Who's got the Witch?" "I thought you had her." "I didn't see her after I knocked the knife out of her hand - I was after the dwarf - do you mean to say she's escaped?"
"- A chap (小伙子) can't mind everything at once - what's that? Oh, sorry, it's only an old stump (树桩)!" But just at this point Edmund went off in a dead faint.{4}
