波波小说

chater five the delrable wrd（第1页）

THEchildrenwerefacingoneanotheracrossthepillarwherethebellhung，stilltrembling，thoughitnolongergaveoutanynote．Suddenlytheyheardasoftnoisefromtheendoftheroomwhichwasstillundamaged．Theyturnedquickaslightningtoseewhatitwas．Oneoftherobedfigures，thefurthest-offoneofall，thewomanwhomDigorythoughtsobeautiful，wasrisingfromitschair．Whenshestooduptheyrealizedthatshewaseventallerthantheyhadthought．Andyoucouldseeatonce，notonlyfromhercrownandrobes，butfromtheflashofhereyesandthecurveofherlips，thatshewasagreatqueen．Shelookedroundtheroomandsawthedamageandsawthechildren，butyoucouldnotguessfromherfacewhatshethoughtofeitherorwhethershewassurprised．Shecameforwardwithlong，swiftstrides．

“Whohasawakedme？Whohasbrokenthespell？”sheasked．

“Ithinkitmusthavebeenme，”saidDigory．

“You！”saidtheQueen，layingherhandonhisshoulder-awhite，beautifulhand，butDigorycouldfeelthatitwasstrongassteelpincers．“You？Butyouareonlyachild，acommonchild．Anyonecanseeataglancethatyouhavenodropofroyalornoblebloodinyourveins．Howdidsuchasyoudaretoenterthishouse？”

“We’vecomefromanotherworld；byMagic，”saidPolly，whothoughtitwashightimetheQueentooksomenoticeofheraswellasofDigory．

“Isthistrue？”saidtheQueen，stilllookingatDigoryandnotgivingPollyevenaglance．

“Yes，itis，”saidhe．

TheQueenputherotherhandunderhischinandforceditupsothatshecouldseehisfacebetter．Digorytriedtostarebackbuthesoonhadtolethiseyesdrop．Therewassomethingabouthersthatoverpoweredhim．Aftershehadstudiedhimforwelloveraminute，sheletgoofhischinandsaid：

“Youarenomagician．Themarkofitisnotonyou．Youmustbeonlytheservantofamagician．Itisonanother’sMagicthatyouhavetravelledhere．”

“ItwasmyUncleAndrew，”saidDigory．

Atthemoment，notintheroomitselfbutfromsomewhereveryclose，therecame，firstarumbling，thenacreaking，andthenaroaroffallingmasonry，andthefloorshook．

“Thereisgreatperilhere，”saidtheQueen．“Thewholepalaceisbreakingup．Ifwearenotoutofitinafewminutesweshallbeburiedundertheruin．”Shespokeascalmlyasifshehadbeenmerelymentioningthetimeofday．“Come，”sheadded，andheldoutahandtoeachofthechildren．Polly，whowasdislikingtheQueenandfeelingrathersulky，wouldnothaveletherhandbetakenifshecouldhavehelpedit．ButthoughtheQueenspokesocalmly，hermovementswereasquickasthought．BeforePollyknewwhatwashappeningherlefthandhadbeencaughtinahandsomuchlargerandstrongerthanherownthatshecoulddonothingaboutit．

“Thisisaterriblewoman，”thoughtPolly．“She’sstrongenoughtobreakmyarmwithonetwist．Andnowthatshe’sgotmylefthandIcan’tgetatmyyellowring．IfItriedtostretchacrossandgetmyrighthandintomyleftpocketImightn’tbeabletoreachit，beforesheaskedmewhatIwasdoing．Whateverhappenswemustn’tletherknowabouttherings．IdohopeDigoryhasthesensetokeephismouthshut．IwishIcouldgetawordwithhimalone．”

TheQueenledthemoutoftheHallofImagesintoalongcorridorandthenthroughawholemazeofhallsandstairsandcourtyards．Againandagaintheyheardpartsofthegreatpalacecollapsing，sometimesquiteclosetothem．Onceahugearchcamethunderingdownonlyamomentaftertheyhadpassedthroughit．TheQueenwaswalkingquickly-thechildrenhadtotrottokeepupwithher—butsheshowednosignoffear．Digorythought，“She’swonderfullybrave．Andstrong．She’swhatIcallaQueen！Idohopeshe’sgoingtotellusthestoryofthisplace．”

Shedidtellthemcertainthingsastheywentalong：“Thatisthedoortothedungeons，”shewouldsay，or“Thatpassageleadstotheprincipaltorturechambers，”or“Thiswastheoldbanquetinghallwheremygreat—grandfatherbadesevenhundrednoblestoafeastandkilledthemallbeforetheyhaddrunktheirfill．Theyhadhadrebelliousthoughts．”

Theycameatlastintoahalllargerandloftierthananytheyhadyetseen．Fromitssizeandfromthegreatdoorsatthefarend，Digorythoughtthatnowatlasttheymustbecomingtothemainentrance．Inthishewasquiteright．Thedoorsweredeadblack，eitherebonyorsomeblackmetalwhichisnotfoundinourworld．Theywerefastenedwithgreatbars，mostofthemtoohightoreachandalltooheavytolift．Hewonderedhowtheywouldgetout．

TheQueenletgoofhishandandraisedherarm．Shedrewherselfuptoherfullheightandstoodrigid．Thenshesaidsomethingwhichtheycouldn’tunderstand（butitsoundedhorrid）andmadeanactionasifshewerethrowingsomethingtowardsthedoors．Andthosehighandheavydoorstrembledforasecondasiftheyweremadeofsilkandthencrumbledawaytilltherewasnothingleftofthembutaheapofdustonthethreshold．

“Whew！”whistledDigory．

“Hasyourmastermagician，youruncle，powerlikemine？”askedtheQueen，firmlyseizingDigorg’shandagain．“ButIshallknowlater．Inthemeantime，rememberwhatyouhaveseen．Thisiswhathappenstothings，andtopeople，whostandinmyway．”

Muchmorelightthantheyhadyetseeninthatcountrywaspouringinthroughthenowemptydoorway，andwhentheQueenledthemoutthroughittheywerenotsurprisedtofindthemselvesintheopenair．Thewindthatblewintheirfaceswascold，yetsomehowstale．Theywerelookingfromahighterraceandtherewasagreatlandscapespreadoutbelowthem．

Lowdownandnearthehorizonhungagreat，redsun，farbiggerthanoursun．Digoryfeltatoncethatitwasalsoolderthanours：asunneartheendofitslife，wearyoflookingdownuponthatworld．Totheleftofthesun，andhigherup，therewasasinglestar，bigandbright．Thoseweretheonlytwothingstobeseeninthedarksky；theymadeadismalgroup．Andontheearth，ineverydirection，asfarastheeyecouldreach，therespreadavastcityinwhichtherewasnolivingthingtobeseen．Andallthetemples，towers，palaces，pyramids，andbridgescastlong，disastrous-lookingshadowsinthelightofthatwitheredsun．Onceagreatriverhadflowedthroughthecity，butthewaterhadlongsincevanished，anditwasnowonlyawideditchofgreydust．

“Lookwellonthatwhichnoeyeswilleverseeagain，”saidtheQueen．“SuchwasCharn，thatgreatcity，thecityoftheKingofKings，thewonderoftheworld，perhapsofallworlds．Doesyouruncleruleanycityasgreatasthis，boy？”

“No，”saidDigory．HewasgoingtoexplainthatUncleAndrewdidn’truleanycities，buttheQueenwenton：

“Itissilentnow．ButIhavestoodherewhenthewholeairwasfullofthenoisesofCharn；thetramplingoffeet，thecreakingofwheels，thecrackingofthewhipsandthegroaningofslaves，thethunderofchariots，andthesacrificialdrumsbeatinginthetemples．Ihavestoodhere（butthatwasneartheend）whentheroarofbattlewentupfromeverystreetandtheriverofCharnranred．”Shepausedandadded，“Allinonemomentonewomanblotteditoutforever．”

“Who？”saidDigoryinafaintvoice；buthehadalreadyguessedtheanswer．

“I，”saidtheQueen．“I，JadisthelastQueen，buttheQueenoftheWorld．”

Thetwochildrenstoodsilent，shiveringinthecoldwind．

“Itwasmysister’sfault，”saidtheQueen．“Shedrovemetoit．MaythecurseofallthePowersrestuponherforever！AtanymomentIwasreadytomakepeace-yesandtospareherlifetoo，ifonlyshewouldyieldmethethrone．Butshewouldnot．Herpridehasdestroyedthewholeworld．Evenafterthewarhadbegun，therewasasolemnpromisethatneithersidewoulduseMagic．Butwhenshebrokeherpromise，whatcouldIdo？Fool！AsifshedidnotknowthatIhadmoreMagicthanshe！SheevenknewthatIhadthesecretoftheDeplorableWord．Didshethink-shewasalwaysaweakling-thatIwouldnotuseit？”

“Whatwasit？”saidDigory．

“Thatwasthesecretofsecrets，”saidtheQueenJadis．“Ithadlongbeenknowntothegreatkingsofourracethattherewasawordwhich，ifspokenwiththeproperceremonies，woulddestroyalllivingthingsexcepttheonewhospokeit．Buttheancientkingswereweakandsoft—heartedandboundthemselvesandallwhoshouldcomeafterthemwithgreatoathsnevereventoseekaftertheknowledgeofthatword．ButIlearneditinasecretplaceandpaidaterriblepricetolearnit．Ididnotuseituntilsheforcedmetoit．Ifoughttoovercomeherbyeveryothermeans．Ipouredoutthebloodofmyarmieslikewater-”

“Beast！”mutteredPolly．

“Thelastgreatbattle，”saidtheQueen，“ragedforthreedayshereinCharnitself．ForthreedaysIlookeddownuponitfromthisveryspot．Ididnotusemypowertillthelastofmysoldiershadfallen，andtheaccursedwoman，mysister，attheheadofherrebelswashalfwayupthosegreatstairsthatleadupfromthecitytotheterrace．ThenIwaitedtillweweresoclosethatwecouldseeoneanother’sfaces．Sheflashedherhorrible，wickedeyesuponmeandsaid，‘Victory．’‘Yes，’saidI，‘Victory，butnotyours．’ThenIspoketheDeplorableWord．AmomentlaterIwastheonlylivingthingbeneaththesun．”

“Butthepeople？”gaspedDigory．

“Whatpeople，boy？”askedtheQueen．

“Alltheordinarypeople，”saidPolly，“who’dneverdoneyouanyharm．Andthewomen，andthechildren，andtheanimals．”

“Don’tyouunderstand？”saidtheQueen（stillspeakingtoDigory）．“IwastheQueen．Theywereallmypeople．Whatelseweretheythereforbuttodomywill？”

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