Lucyimmediatelystoopeddownandcrawledinafterhim.Thensheheardnoisesofscramblingandpuffingandpantingbehindherandinamomentallfiveofthemwereinside.
“Whereveristhis?”saidPeter’svoice,soundingtiredandpaleinthedarkness.(IhopeyouknowwhatImeanbyavoicesoundingpale.)
“It’sanoldhiding-placeforbeaversinbadtimes,”saidMr。Beaver,“andagreatsecret.It’snotmuchofaplacebutwemustgetafewhours’sleep.”
“Ifyouhadn’tallbeeninsuchaplagueyfusswhenwewerestarting,I’dhavebroughtsomepillows,”saidMrs。Beaver.
Itwasn’tnearlysuchanicecaveasMr。Tumnus’s,Lucythought-justaholeinthegroundbutdryandearthy.Itwasverysmallsothatwhentheyalllaydowntheywereallabundleofclothestogether,andwhatwiththatandbeingwarmedupbytheirlongwalktheywerereallyrathersnug.Ifonlythefloorofthecavehadbeenalittlesmoother!ThenMrs。Beaverhandedroundinthedarkalittleflaskoutofwhicheveryonedranksomething-itmadeonecoughandsplutteralittleandstungthethroat,butitalsomadeyoufeeldeliciouslywarmafteryou’dswalloweditandeveryonewentstraighttosleep.
ItseemedtoLucyonlythenextminute(thoughreallyitwashoursandhourslater)whenshewokeupfeelingalittlecoldanddreadfullystiffandthinkinghowshewouldlikeahotbath.Thenshefeltasetoflongwhiskersticklinghercheekandsawthecolddaylightcominginthroughthemouthofthecave.Butimmediatelyafterthatshewasverywideawakeindeed,andsowaseveryoneelse.Infacttheywereallsittingupwiththeirmouthsandeyeswideopenlisteningtoasoundwhichwastheverysoundthey’dallbeenthinkingof(andsometimesimaginingtheyheard)duringtheirwalklastnight.Itwasasoundofjinglingbells.
Mr。Beaverwasoutofthecavelikeaflashthemomentheheardit.Perhapsyouthink,asLucythoughtforamoment,thatthiswasaverysillythingtodo?Butitwasreallyaverysensibleone。Heknewhecouldscrambletothetopofthebankamongbushesandbrambleswithoutbeingseen;andhewantedaboveallthingstoseewhichwaytheWitch’ssledgewent.Theothersallsatinthecavewaitingandwondering.Theywaitednearlyfiveminutes.Thentheyheardsomethingthatfrightenedthemverymuch.Theyheardvoices.“Oh,”thoughtLucy,“he’sbeenseen.She’scaughthim!”
Greatwastheirsurprisewhenalittlelater,theyheardMr。Beaver’svoicecallingtothemfromjustoutsidethecave.
“It’sallright,”hewasshouting.“Comeout,Mrs。Beaver。Comeout,SonsandDaughtersofAdam.It’sallright!Itisn’tHer!”Thiswasbadgrammarofcourse,butthatishowbeaverstalkwhentheyareexcited;Imean,inNarnia-inourworldtheyusuallydon’ttalkatall.
SoMrs。Beaverandthechildrencamebundlingoutofthecave,allblinkinginthedaylight,andwithearthalloverthem,andlookingveryfrowstyandunbrushedanduncombedandwiththesleepintheireyes.
“Comeon!”criedMr。Beaver,whowasalmostdancingwithdelight.“Comeandsee!ThisisanastyknockfortheWitch!Itlooksasifherpowerisalreadycrumbling.”
“Whatdoyoumean,Mr。Beaver?”pantedPeterastheyallscrambledupthesteepbankofthevalleytogether.
“Didn’tItellyou,”answeredMr。Beaver,“thatshe’dmadeitalwayswinterandneverChristmas?Didn’tItellyou?Well,justcomeandsee!”
Andthentheywereallatthetopanddidsee.
Itwasasledge,anditwasreindeerwithbellsontheirharness。ButtheywerefarbiggerthantheWitch’sreindeer,andtheywerenotwhitebutbrown.Andonthesledgesatapersonwhomeveryoneknewthemomenttheyseteyesonhim.Hewasahugeman.inabrightredrobe(brightashollyberries)withahoodthathadfurinsideitandagreatwhitebeard,thatfelllikeafoamywaterfalloverhischest.
Everyoneknewhimbecause,thoughyouseepeopleofhissortonlyinNarnia,youseepicturesofthemandhearthemtalkedabouteveninourworld-theworldonthissideofthewardrobedoor。ButwhenyoureallyseetheminNarniaitisratherdifferent。SomeofthepicturesofFatherChristmasinourworldmakehimlookonlyfunnyandjolly.Butnowthatthechildrenactuallystoodlookingathimtheydidn’tfinditquitelikethat.Hewassobig,andsoglad,andsoreal,thattheyallbecamequitestill.Theyfeltveryglad,butalsosolemn.
“I’vecomeatlast,”saidhe.“Shehaskeptmeoutforalongtime,butIhavegotinatlast.Aslanisonthemove.TheWitch’smagicisweakening.”
AndLucyfeltrunningthroughherthatdeepshiverofgladnesswhichyouonlygetifyouarebeingsolemnandstill.
“Andnow,”saidFatherChristmas,“foryourpresents.Thereisanewandbettersewingmachineforyou,Mrs。Beaver.Iwilldropitinyourhouseas,Ipass.”
“Ifyouplease,sir,”saidMrs。Beaver,makingacurtsey.“It’slockedup.”
“Locksandboltsmakenodifferencetome,”saidFatherChristmas.“Andasforyou,Mr。Beaver,whenyougethomeyouwillfindyourdamfinishedandmendedandalltheleaksstoppedandanewsluicegatefitted.”
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