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chater eleven the duffleud ade hay（第1页）

LucyfollowedthegreatLionoutintothepassageandatonceshesawcomingtowardsthemanoldman，barefoot，dressedinaredrobe．Hiswhitehairwascrownedwithachapletofoakleaves，hisbeardfelltohisgirdle，andhesupportedhimselfwithacuriouslycarvedstaff．WhenhesawAslanhebowedlowandsaid，

“Welcome，Sir，totheleastofyourhouses．”

“Doyougrowweary，Coriakin，ofrulingsuchfoolishsubjectsasIhavegivenyouhere？”

“No，”saidtheMagician，“theyareverystupidbutthereisnorealharminthem．Ibegintogrowratherfondofthecreatures．Sometimes，perhaps，Iamalittleimpatient，waitingforthedaywhentheycanbegovernedbywisdominsteadofthisroughmagic．”

“Allingoodtime，Coriakin，”saidAslan．

“Yes，allinverygoodtime，Sir，”wastheanswer．“Doyouintendtoshowyourselftothem？”

“Nay，”saidtheLion，withalittlehalf-growlthatmeant（Lucythought）thesameasalaugh．“Ishouldfrightenthemoutoftheirsenses．Manystarswillgrowoldandcometotaketheirrestinislandsbeforeyourpeopleareripeforthat．AndtodaybeforesunsetImustvisitTrumpkintheDwarfwherehesitsinthecastleofCairParavelcountingthedaystillhismasterCaspiancomeshome．Iwilltellhimallyourstory，Lucy．Donotlooksosad．Weshallmeetsoonagain．”

“Please，Aslan，”saidLucy，“whatdoyoucallsoon？”

“Icallalltimessoon，”saidAslan；andinstantlyhewasvanishedawayandLucywasalonewiththeMagician．

“Gone！”saidhe，“andyouandIquitecrestfallen．It’salwayslikethat，youcan’tkeephim；it’snotasifhewereatamelion．Andhowdidyouenjoymybook？”

“Partsofitverymuchindeed，”saidLucy．“DidyouknowIwasthereallthetime？”

“Well，ofcourseIknewwhenIlettheDuffersmakethemselvesinvisiblethatyouwouldbecomingalongpresentlytotakethespelloff．Iwasn’tquitesureoftheexactday．AndIwasn’tespeciallyonthewatchthismorning．Youseetheyhadmademeinvisibletooandbeinginvisiblealwaysmakesmesosleepy．Heigh-ho-thereI’myawningagain．Areyouhungry？”

“Well，perhapsIamalittle，”saidLucy．“I’venoideawhatthetimeis．”

“Come，”saidtheMagician．“AlltimesmaybesoontoAslan；butinmyhomeallhungrytimesareoneo’clock．”

Heledheralittlewaydownthepassageandopenedadoor．Passingin，Lucyfoundherselfinapleasantroomfullofsunlightandflowers．Thetablewasbarewhentheyentered，butitwasofcourseamagictable，andatawordfromtheoldmanthetablecloth，silver，plates，glassesandfoodappeared．

“Ihopethatis—whatyouwouldlike，”saidhe．“Ihavetriedtogiveyoufoodmorelikethefoodofyourownlandthanperhapsyouhavehadlately．”

“It’slovely，”saidLucy，andsoitwas；anomelette，pipinghot，coldlambandgreenpeas，astrawberryice，lemonsquashtodrinkwiththemealandacupofchocolatetofollow．Butthemagicianhimselfdrankonlywineandateonlybread．Therewasnothingalarmingabouthim，andLucyandheweresoonchattingawaylikeoldfriends．

“Whenwillthespellwork？”askedLucy．“WilltheDuffersbevisibleagainatonce？”

“Ohyes，they’revisiblenow．Butthey’reprobablyallasleepstill；theyalwaystakearestinthemiddleoftheday．”

“Andnowthatthey’revisible，areyougoingtoletthemoffbeingugly？Willyoumakethemastheywerebefore？”

“Well，that’sratheradelicatequestion，”saidtheMagician。“Yousee，it’sonlytheywhothinktheyweresonicetolookatbefore．Theysaythey’vebeenuglified，butthatisn’twhatIcalledit。Manypeoplemightsaythechangewasforthebetter．”

“Aretheyawfullyconceited？”

“Theyare．OratleasttheChiefDufferis，andhe’staughtalltheresttobe．Theyalwaysbelieveeverywordhesays．”

“We’dnoticedthat，”saidLucy．

“Yes-we’dgetonbetterwithouthim，inaway．OfcourseIcouldturnhimintosomethingelse，orevenputaspellonhimwhichwouldmakethemnotbelieveawordhesaid．ButIdon’tliketodothat．It’sbetterforthemtoadmirehimthantoadmirenobody．”