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！
the result was the next morning they decided that they really would go and tell the whole thing to the professor。 〃hell write to father if he thinks there is really something wrong with lu；〃 said peter； 〃its getting beyond us。〃 so they went and knocked at the study door； and the professor said 〃e in；〃 and got up and found chairs for them and said he was quite at their disposal。 then he sat listening to them with the tips of his fingers pressed together and never interrupting； till they had finished the whole story。 after that he said nothing for quite a long time。 then he cleared his throat and said the last thing either of them expected： 〃how do you know；〃 he asked； 〃that your sisters story is not true？鈥�
〃oh； but …〃 began susan； and then stopped。 anyone could see from the old mans face that he was perfectly serious。 then susan pulled herself together and said； 〃but edmund said they had only been pretending。鈥�
〃that is a point；〃 said the professor； 〃which certainly deserves consideration； very careful consideration。 for instance … if you will excuse me for asking the question … does your experience lead you to regard your brother or your sister as the more reliable？ i mean； which is the more truthful？鈥�
〃thats just the funny thing about it； sir；〃 said peter。 〃up till now； id have said lucy every time。鈥�
〃and what do you think； my dear？〃 said the professor； turning to susan。
〃well；〃 said susan； 〃in general； id say the same as peter； but this couldnt be true … all this about the wood and the faun。鈥�
〃that is more than i know；〃 said the professor； 〃and a charge of lying against someone whom you have always found truthful is a very serious thing； a very serious thing indeed。鈥�
〃we were afraid it mightnt even be lying；〃 said susan； 〃we thought there might be something wrong with lucy。鈥�
〃madness； you mean？〃 said the professor quite coolly。 〃oh； you can make your minds easy about that。 one has only to look at her and talk to her to see that she is not mad。鈥�
〃but then；〃 said susan； and stopped。 she had never dreamed that a grown…up would talk like the professor and didnt know what to think。
〃logic！〃 said the professor half to himself。 〃why dont they teach logic at these schools？
there are only three possibilities。 either your sister is telling lies； or she is mad； or she is telling the truth。 you know she doesnt tell lies and it is obvious that she is not mad for the moment then and unless any further evidence turns up； we must assume that she is telling the truth。鈥�
susan looked at him very hard and was quite sure from the expression on his face that he was no making fun of them。
〃but how could it be true； sir？〃 said peter。
〃why do you say that？〃 asked the professor。
〃well； for one thing；〃 said peter； 〃if it was true why doesnt everyone find this country every time they go to the wardrobe？ i mean； there was nothing there when we looked； even lucy didnt pretend the was。鈥�
〃what has that to do with it？〃 said the professor。
〃well； sir； if things are real； theyre there all the time。鈥�
〃are they？〃 said the professor； and peter didnt know quite what to say。
〃but there was no time；〃 said susan。 〃lucy had no time to have gone anywhere； even if there was such a place。 she came running after us the very moment we were out of the room。 it was less than minute； and she pretended to have been away for hours。鈥�
〃that is the very thing that makes her story so likely to be true；〃 said the professor。 〃if there really a door in this house that leads to some other world （and i should warn you that this is a very strange house； and even i know very little about it） … if； i say； she had got into another world； i should not be at a surprised to find that the other world had a separate time of its own； so that however long you stay there it would never take up any of our time。 on the other hand； i dont think many girls of her age would invent that idea for themselves。 if she had been pretending； she would have hidden for a reasonable time before ing out and telling her story。鈥�
〃but do you really mean； sir；〃 said peter； 〃that there could be other worlds … all over the place； just round the corner … like that？鈥�
〃nothing is more probable；〃 said the professor； taking off his spectacles and beginning to polish them； while he muttered to himself； 〃i wonder what they do teach them at these schools。鈥�
〃but what are we to do？〃 said susan。 she felt that the conversation was beginning to get off the point。
〃my dear young lady；〃 said the professor； suddenly looking up with a very sharp expression at both of them； 〃there is one plan which no one has yet suggested and which is well worth trying。鈥�
〃whats that？〃 said susan。
〃we might all try minding our own business；〃 said he。 and that was the end of that conversation。
after this things were a good deal better for lucy。 peter saw to it that edmund stopped jeering at her； and neither she nor anyone else felt inclined to talk about the wardrobe at all。 it had bee a rather alarming subject。 and so for a time it looked as if all the adventures were ing to an end； but that was not to be。
this house of the professors … which even he knew so little about … was so old and famous that people from all over england used to e and ask permission to see over it。
it was the sort of house that is mentioned in guide books and even in histories； and well it might be； for all manner of stories were told about it； some of them even stranger than the one i am telling you now。 and when parties of sightseers arrived and asked to see the house； the professor always gave them permission； and mrs macready； the housekeeper； showed them round； telling them about the pictures and the armour； and the rare books in the library。 mrs macready was not fond of children； and did not like to be interrupted when she was telling visitors all the things she knew。 she had said to susan and peter almost on the first morning （along with a good many other instructions）； 〃and please remember youre to keep out of the way whenever im taking a party over the house。鈥�
〃just as if any of us would want to waste half the morning trailing round with a crowd of strange grown…ups！〃 said edmund； and the other three thought the same。 that was how the adventures began for the second time。
a few mornings later peter and edmund were looking at the suit of armour and wondering if they could take it to bits when the two girls rushed into the room and said； 〃look out！ here es the macready and a whole gang with her。鈥�
〃sharps the word；〃 said peter； and all four made off through the door at the far end of the room。 but when they had got out into the green room and beyond it； into the library； they suddenly heard voices ahead of them； and realized that mrs macready must be bringing her party of sightseers up the back stairs … instead of up the front stairs as they had expected。 and after that … whether it was that they lost their heads； or that mrs macready was trying to catch them； or that some magic in the house had e to life and was chasing them into narnia they seemed to find themselves being followed everywhere； until at last susan said； 〃oh bother those trippers！ here … lets get into the
wardrobe room till theyve passed。 no one will follow us in there。〃 but the moment they were inside they heard the voices in the passage … and then someone fumbling at the door … and then they saw the handle turning。
〃quick！〃 said peter； 〃theres nowhere else；〃 and flung open the wardrobe。 all four of them bundled inside it and sat there； panting； in the dark。 peter held the door closed but did not shut it； for； of course； he remembered； as every sensible person does； that you should never never shut yourself up in a wardrobe。
www//c o m
CHAPTER SIX
灏彙ｈ銆倀/x/t澶ｅ爞
into the forest 〃i wish the macready would hurry up and take all these people away；〃 said susan presently； 〃im getting horribly cramped。鈥�
〃and what a filthy smell of camphor！〃 said edmund。
〃i expect the pockets of these coats are full of it；〃 said susan； 〃to keep away the moths。鈥�
〃theres something sticking into my back；〃 said peter。
〃and isnt it cold？〃 said susan。
〃now that you mention it； it is cold；〃 said peter； 〃and hang it all； its wet too。 whats the matter with this place？ im sitting on something wet。 its getting wetter every minute。〃 he struggled to his feet。
〃lets get out；〃 said edmund； 〃theyve gone。鈥�
〃o…o…oh！〃 said susan suddenly； and everyone asked her what was the matter。
〃im sitting against a tree；〃 said susan； 〃and look！ its getting light … over there。鈥�
〃by jove； youre right；〃 said peter； 〃and look there … and there。 its trees all round。 and this wet stuff is snow。 why； i do believe weve got into lucys wood after all。鈥�
and now there was no mistaking it and all four children stood blinking in the daylight of a winter day。 behind them were coats hanging on pegs； in front of them were snow…covered trees。
peter turned at once to lucy。
〃i apologize for not believing you；〃 he said； 〃im sorry。 will you shake hands？鈥�
〃of course；〃 said lucy； and did。
〃and now；〃