Presently the centaurs and unicorns (独角兽) and deer and birds (they were of course the rescue party (团体) which Aslan had sent in the last chapter) all set off to go back to the Stone Table, carrying Edmund with them.
But if they could have seen what happened in that valley after they had gone, I think they might have been surprised.
It was perfectly still and presently the moon grew bright; if you had been there you would have seen the moonlight shining on an old tree-stump and on a fair-sized boulder (卵石). But if you had gone on looking you would gradually (逐渐地) have begun to think there was something odd (古怪的) about both the stump (树桩) and the boulder.
And next you would have thought that the stump did look really remarkably (非常地) like a little fat man crouching (蜷缩) on the ground. And if you had watched long enough you would have seen the stump walk across to the boulder and the boulder sit up and begin talking to the stump; for in reality the stump and the boulder were simply the Witch and the dwarf.
For it was part of her magic that she could make things look like what they aren't, and she had the presence of mind to do so at the very moment when the knife was knocked out of her hand. She had kept hold of her wand (魔杖), so it had been kept safe, too.{1}
When the other children woke up next morning (they had been sleeping on piles of cushions (垫子) in the pavilion) the first thing they heard -from Mrs. Beaver - was that their brother had been rescued and brought into camp late last night; and was at that moment with Aslan.
As soon as they had breakfasted they all went out, and there they saw Aslan and Edmund walking together in the dewy (带露水的) grass, apart from the rest of the court. There is no need to tell you (and no one ever heard) what Aslan was saying, but it was a conversation which Edmund never forgot. As the others drew nearer Aslan turned to meet them, bringing Edmund with him.
"Here is your brother," he said, "and - there is no need to talk to him about what is past."
Edmund shook hands with each of the others and said to each of them in turn, "I'm sorry," and everyone said, "that's all right." And then everyone wanted very hard to say something which would make it quite clear that they were all friends with him again something ordinary (寻常的) and natural -and of course no one could think of anything in the world to say.
But before they had time to feel really awkward one of the leopards (豹) approached (接近) Aslan and said, "Sire, there is a messenger (信使) from the enemy who craves (请求) audience (接见)."
"Let him approach," said Aslan.
The leopard went away and soon returned leading the Witch's dwarf.
"What is your message, Son of Earth?" asked Aslan.
"The Queen of Narnia and Empress of the Lone Islands desires a safe conduct to come and speak with you," said the dwarf, "on a matter which is as much to your advantage as to hers."
"Queen of Narnia, indeed!" said Mr. Beaver. "Of all the cheek -"{2}
"Peace, Beaver," said Aslan. "All names will soon be restored to their proper owners. In the meantime we will not dispute (争论) about them. Tell your mistress, Son of Earth, that I grant (授予) her safe conduct on condition that she leaves her wand behind her at that great oak."
This was agreed to and two leopards went back with the dwarf to see that the conditions were properly carried out. "But supposing she turns the two leopards into stone?" whispered Lucy to Peter.
I think the same idea had occurred to the leopards themselves; at any rate, as they walked off their fur was all standing up on their backs and their tails were bristling (竖立的)- like a cat's when it sees a strange dog.
"It'll be all right," whispered Peter in reply. "He wouldn't send them if it weren't."
A few minutes later the Witch herself walked out on to the top of the hill and came straight across and stood before Aslan. The three children who had not seen her before felt shudders (战栗) running down their backs at the sight of her face; and there were low growls (咆哮) among all the animals present.
Though it was bright sunshine everyone felt suddenly cold. The only two people present who seemed to be quite at their ease were Aslan and the Witch herself.
It was the oddest thing to see those two faces - the golden face and the dead-white face so close together. Not that the Witch looked Aslan exactly in his eyes; Mrs. Beaver particularly noticed this.{3}
"You have a traitor (叛徒) there, Aslan," said the Witch. Of course everyone present knew that she meant Edmund. But Edmund had got past thinking about himself after all he'd been through and after the talk he'd had that morning. He just went on looking at Aslan. It didn't seem to matter what the Witch said.
"Well," said Aslan. "His offence (过错) was not against you."
"Have you forgotten the Deep Magic?" asked the Witch.
"Let us say I have forgotten it," answered Aslan gravely (严肃地). "Tell us of this Deep Magic."
"Tell you?" said the Witch, her voice growing suddenly shriller (刺耳的). "Tell you what is written on that very Table of Stone which stands beside us? Tell you what is written in letters deep as a spear is long on the firestones on the Secret Hill?
Tell you what is engraved on the sceptre (权杖) of the Emperor-beyond-the-Sea? You at least know the Magic which the Emperor put into Narnia at the very beginning. You know that every traitor belongs to me as my lawful prey and that for every treachery (背叛) I have a right to a kill."{4}
"Oh," said Mr. Beaver. "So that's how you came to imagine yourself a queen - because you were the Emperor's hangman (刽子手). I see."
"Peace, Beaver," said Aslan, with a very low growl. "And so," continued the Witch, "that human creature is mine. His life is forfeit (被没收的) to me. His blood is my property (所有权)."
"Come and take it then," said the Bull with the man's head in a great bellowing (吼叫) voice.
