Chapter 14 Chapter Thirteen: Advanced Magic in Ancient Era

Now we have to go back to Edmund.He was compelled to walk and walk, farther and farther than any man, so far as he knew, stopped at last in a dark valley covered with firs and yews. .Edmund did nothing but throw himself on the ground, not caring what happened next if they left him lying still.He was so tired that he couldn't even care about how hungry and thirsty he was.The hag and the dwarf were whispering beside him. "No," said the Dwarf, "it is useless now, Queen. They must be at the Stone Table by now." "Perhaps the wolf will smell us and send us a message," said the witch.

"It may not be good news if it comes," said the dwarf. "Cair Paravel has four thrones," said the Hag, "and if only three are occupied? The prophecy will not be fulfilled." "What does it matter if it is here?" said the Dwarf.Even now, he still dare not mention Aslan's name in front of the mistress. "Maybe it won't last long. Then—we'll get Kyle's three." "Anyway, let's keep this one"—here said the little man kicking Edmund—"good deal." "Yes! Spare his life." The witch said dismissively.

"Then," said the Dwarf, "we'd better do what we have to do at once." "I'd rather do it at the Stone Table," said the Witch. "That's the best place. It's always been there before." "It will be a long time before the Stone Table can be used again," said the Dwarf. "That's right," said the Witch, and added, "Well, I'm going to begin." Just then a wolf rushed up to them, howling hastily. "I saw them. They were all at the Stone Table, with it. They killed my captain, Fenris Ulf. I saw them all from hiding in the bushes. One of Adam's sons killed It. Run away! Run away!"

"No," said the hag, "you don't have to run away. Go, gather everyone to join me here as soon as possible. Mobilize giants, werewolves, and dryads on our side. Mobilize ghouls, goblins, Man-eating devils, minotaurs. Mobilize grim faces, hags, ghosts, and toadstools. We're going to fight. What? Don't I still have my wand? Even if they come, won't they turn to stone? Let's go , while you're away, I still have some small things to do." The giant beast bowed, turned around, and sprinted away. "There!" she said, "we don't have a table—let me see. We'd better tie him to the trunk."

Edmund felt himself being roughly pulled up.Then the Dwarf leaned his back against a tree, and bound him tightly.He saw the witch took off her outer cloak, revealing her two bare arms, which were frighteningly white.Because the arm was so white, and it was so dark in this valley under the dark trees, he couldn't see anything else. "Get the sacrifice ready," said the witch.The dwarf unfastened Edmund's collar and folded it inward, exposing his neck.Then he grabbed Edmond's hair and pulled his head back so that he had to pick up his chin.Then Edmund heard a strange sound: whiz-wh-wh-he could not for a moment know what it was.It was only later that I realized that it was the sound of sharpening knives!

At this moment, he heard shouts from all directions—the sound of hooves, the flapping of wings—the scream of the witch—and confusion all around.Then he found that he was untied.Strong arms supported him, and only loud, kind voices were heard saying, "Let him lie down—give him some wine—drink this—hold your breath—you'll be all right in a minute." Then he He heard many voices again, not talking to him, but talking to each other.What they say "Who caught the witch?"—"I thought you caught her."—"I knocked the knife out of her hand and I didn't see her."—"I was chasing the little Dwarf."—"Do you mean she ran away?"—"One can't have everything."—"What's that? Oh, pity, it's just an old stump!" Hearing this, though, Edmund fainted and knew nothing.

Soon, those centaurs, unicorns, deer and birds (they were of course the rescuers sent by Aslan in the last chapter) set off with Edmund back to the stone table.But if they could see what happened in the valley after they left, I think they would be surprised. There was silence in the valley, and soon the moonlight was brighter, and if you were there you would see the moon shining on an old tree stump and a modest pebble.But if you keep watching, you start to think that there's something weird about the stump and the stone.The next step you will feel that the tree stump actually looks like a little fat man lying on the ground.If you watch long enough, you will see the stump come up to the stone, and the stone sits up and starts talking to the stump; for in fact the stump and the stone are the witch and the dwarf.Transfiguration, this is a trick in the witch's magic. The moment her knife was knocked down, she performed this trick calmly.She never left her wand, so it was fine.

The next morning, when the other three children awoke (they were sleeping on piles of mats in their tent), the first thing Mrs. Beaver told them was that their brother had been saved and had been brought back to camp late last night, It's at Aslan's place now.They went out together just after breakfast, and saw Aslan and Edmund, apart from the others present, walking together on the dew-covered grass.I don't need to tell you what Aslan said (nor did anyone hear it), but it was a conversation Edmund would never forget.As the three children approached, Aslan and Edmund turned to meet them.

"Here comes your brother," said it, "and there is no need to speak of the past to him." Edmund shook hands with everyone, said "I'm sorry" one by one, and everyone said "It's all right".Then they all tried to say something that would signify their renewed friendship with him--something common and natural--of course no one could think of anything to say.But before they could feel embarrassed, a leopard came up to Aslan and said: "Your Majesty, the enemy has sent a messenger to ask for an audience." "Let him in," said Aslan.

The leopard went away, and soon came back with the witch's dwarf. "What message do you bring, Son of the Earth?" asked Aslan. "Her Majesty the Queen of Narnia and Queen of the Lone Isle has asked for security and has come to confer with you," said the Dwarf, "to discuss matters of mutual interest." "Queen of Narnia, that's unreasonable!" said Mr Beaver, "with such impudence—" "Be quiet, Beaver," said Aslan, "the evil has a bad name, and the good has a good name, and soon all will be right. Let us not quarrel now either. Tell your mistress, I, Son of the Earth, to keep her safe , on condition that she leave her wand under the great oak."

The dwarf agreed to this point, and the two leopards went back with the dwarf to monitor whether the other party fulfilled the conditions. "But what if she turns the leopards into stone?" whispered Lucy to Peter.I think the leopards themselves have the same idea; in short, when they walk, all the hairs on their backs stand up one by one, and their tails are straightened up--like cats when they see a strange dog. "It's all right," Peter whispered back. "It won't send them if there is something to do." A few minutes later, the Witch herself went up to the top of the hill, walked up to it, and stood before Aslan.The three children, who had never seen her before, felt the hairs on their backs when they saw her face; all the animals present also growled under their breath.Although the sun was shining brightly at this time, everyone suddenly felt a chill.On the scene, only Aslan and the Witch seemed to be calm and composed.It was a strange thing to see a golden face and a pale face so close together.It was not so strange that the Witch should have looked Aslan in the eyes, Mrs Beaver was particularly aware of this. "You have a traitor with you, Aslan," said the witch.Of course everyone present knew that she was referring to Edmund.But Edmund had passed the incident, had had another conversation in the morning, and was no longer thinking of himself alone.He just kept looking at Aslan now.He didn't seem to care what the witch said. "Come," said Aslan, "he's not against you." "Have you forgotten the advanced magic?" asked the witch. "Even if I have forgotten," replied Aslan solemnly, "tell us about the high magic." "Tell you?" said the witch, her voice suddenly sharper. "Tell you what was written on that stone table beside us? Tell you what was written on the trunk of the king ash tree." Just engraved something? Tell you what is engraved on the scepter of the emperor overseas? At least you know the magic that the emperor first cast in Narnia. You know that every traitor is my rightful sacrifice I have the right to kill anyone who betrays me." "Oh," said Mr. Beaver, "that's how you think you're a queen—because you're the Emperor's executioner. I see." "Quiet, Beaver," said Aslan with a low growl. "So," continued the Witch, "that man is mine. His life is in my hands, and his blood is mine." "Then come and take a look." Remy Martin roared loudly. "Fool," said the Witch with a murderous smile, almost howling, "do you really think your master can take my rights from me by force alone? Get the blood according to the law, or Narnia will perish in fire and flood." "Exactly," said Aslan, "I don't deny that." "Oh, Aslan!" Susan whispered in the Lion's ear, "can we--I mean, can we--can we think of something about high magic? You have a way of dealing with high magic Magic?" "The magic against the emperor?" Aslan said with a displeased expression on his face.So no one ever made that suggestion to it again. Edmund stood on the other side of Aslan, and kept looking into Aslan's face.He had a feeling of being breathless, wondering if he should say something; but after a while he felt that there was nothing he could do but wait, and do as he was told. "Stand back, all of you," said Aslan, "I want to speak to the Witch alone." Everyone obeyed.It's been a rough time--everybody waits and waits, full of doubts, while the Lion and the Hag talk in whispers of sincerity.Lucy said "Oh, Edmund" and began to cry.Peter turned his back to everyone, looking at the sea in the distance.The beaver couple held each other's paws and stood with their heads bowed.The centaur stomped uneasily.But all were so still in the end that one could hear the faint sound of a wild bee flying by, or the movement of a bird in the woods below, or the rustling of the leaves in the wind.Aslan and the White Witch are still talking. At last they heard Aslan's voice. "You may all come back," he said, "I've settled this matter. She renounces her right to your brother's blood." At this moment there were voices all over the hill, as if everyone had been waiting with bated breath just now, and now Breathing began again; followed by a murmur of speech.They all began to come back to Aslan's throne. There was a look of ecstasy on the witch's face, and she was about to turn around, but stopped and said: "But how do I know you can keep your word?" "Ahh!" Aslan half body left the throne and roared angrily, and saw that its big mouth was getting bigger and bigger, and the roar was getting louder and louder, and the witch also opened her mouth wide, and after staring at the Lion King for a while, He pulled up his skirt and ran for his life honestly.