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CHAPTER TWELVE PETERS FIRST BATTLE（第1页）

CHAPTERTWELVEPETERSFIRSTBATTLE

&heDwarfaeWitchweresayingthis，milesawaytheBeaversandthewerewalkingonhourafterhourintowhatseemedadeli。Longagotheyhadleftthecoatsbehindthem。Andbynowtheyhadevenstoppedsayiher，“Look!there'sakingfisher，”or“Isay，bluebells!”or“Whatwasthatlovelysmell?”or“Justlistentothatthrush!”Theywalkedoninsilengitallin，passingthroughpatsunlightintocool，greesandoutagainintowidemossygladeswheretallelmsraisedtheleafyrooffaroverhead，aodensemassesdamonghawthorhesweetsmellwasalm。

TheyhadbeenjustassurprisedasEdmuheysawthewintervanishingandthewholewoodpassinginafewhoursorsofromJanuarytoMay。Theyhadn'tevenknowaichdid）thatthisouldhappenwhenAslaoNarnia。Buttheyallkellsrodudlesswihereforetheyallkhismagigbeganthatsomethinghadg，andbadlyitch'ssdafterthethawhadbeengoingoheyallrealizedthattheWitoloe。Afterthattheydidn'thurrysomudtheyallowedthemselvesmorerestsaheywereprettytiredbynowofcourse;butnotwhatI'dcallbitterlytired—onlyslowandfeelingverydreamyainsideasonedoeswhenoneisingtotheendofalongdayintheopen。Susanhadaslightblisterononeheel。

Theyhadleftthecourseofthebigriversometimeago;forourheright（thatmeantalittletothesouth）toreachtheplaceoftheStoable。Evenifthishadheirwaythey'thavekepttotherivervalleyohawbegan，forwithallthatmeltingsnowtheriverwassooninflood—awonderful，r，thunderingyellowflood—ahwouldhavebeeer。

Alowagotredderandtheshadowsgotloheflantothinkaboutg。

“Notlongnow，”saidMr。Beaver，andbegahemuphillaeverydeep，springymoss（itfeltiredfeet）inaplacewhereonlytalltreesgrew，veryart。Theihelongday，madethemallpantandblow。AndjustasLuderihershecettothetopwithoutanrest，suddethetop。Andthisiswhattheysaw。

Theyenspawhichyoucouldlookdowspreadingasfarasonecouldseeiioahead。There，fartotheEast，wassomethingtwinklingandmoving。“Bygum!”whisperedPetertoSusaheverymiddleofthisopenhilltopwastheStowasagreatgrimslabofgraystoedhtstolookedveryold;anditwascutalloverwithstrangelinesamightbethelettersofanunknowheygaveyouacuriousfeelingwhenyoulookedatthem。Thehingtheysaitesideoftheopenpladerfulpavilioniteowwheofthesettingsunfelluponit—withsidesofwhatlookedlikeyellowsilkandso-pegsofivory;andhighaboveitonapoleabannerwhichborearedrampantliinthebreezeingintheirfathefar-offsea。Whiletheywerelookingatthistheyheardasoundofmusitheirright;andturninginthatdiretheysawwhattheyhadetosee。

Aslanstoodierofacrowdofcreaturesedthemselvesroundhimintheshapeofahalf-mooree-WomenthereandWell-Women（DryadsandNaiadsastheyusedtobeourworld）whediwastheywhohadmadethemusic。Therewerefreattaurs。ThehorsepartofthemwaslikehugeEnglishfarmhorses，awaslikesterifulgiants。Therewasalsoaunidabullwiththeheadofaman，andapelidaneagle，aDog。AoAslanstoodtwoleopardsofwhomonecarriedhisdtheotherhisstandard。

ButasforAslaheBeaversandthedidn'tknowwhattodoorsaywhentheysawhim。PeoplewhohavenotbeeninNarhinkthatathingotbegoodathesametime。Ifthehadeverthoughtso，theywerecuredofitnow。ForwheolookatAslan'sfacetheyjustcaughtaglimpseofthegoldehegreat，royal，solemn，eyes;aheyfoundthey'tlookathimarembly。

“Goon，”whisperedMr。Beaver。

“No，”whisperedPeter，“youfirst。”

“No，SonsofAdambeforeanimals，”whisperedMr。Beaverba。

“Susan，”whisperedPeter，“Whataboutyou?Ladiesfirst。”

“No，you'retheeldest，”whisperedSusan。Andofcoursetheloondoingthisthemoreawkwardtheyfelt。ThenatlastPeterrealizedthatittohim。Hedrewhisswordahesaluteandhastilysayihers“eon。Pullyourselvestogether，”headvaheLionandsaid:“Wehavee—Aslan。”

“Wele，Peter，SonofAdam，”saidAslan。“Wele，SusanandLucy，DaughtersofEve。WeleHe-BeaverandShe-Beaver。”

Hisvoiceandriehowtookthefidgetsoutofthem。Theygladadidn'tseemawkwardtothemtostandandsaynothing。

“Butwhereisthefourth?”askedAslan。

&riedtobetraythemaheWhiteWitch，OAslan，”saidMr。Beaver。Ahiersay，

“Thatartlymyfault，Aslan。IwasangrywithhimandIthinkthathelpedhimt。”

AndAslansaidoexcusePeterortoblamehimbutmerelystoodlookingathimwithhisgreatungeyes。Aoallofthemthattherewasnothingtobesaid。

“Please—Aslan，”saidLuaosaveEdmund?”