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