Thedoorhadbeenwrenchedoffitshingesandbrokentobits.Inside,thecavewasdarkandcoldandhadthedampfeelandsmellofaplacethathadnotbeenlivedinforseveraldays.Snowhaddriftedinfromthedoorwayandwasheapedonthefloor,mixedwithsomethingblack,whichturnedouttobethecharredsticksandashesfromthefire.Someonehadapparentlyflungitabouttheroomandthenstampeditout.ThecrockerylaysmashedonthefloorandthepictureoftheFaun’sfatherhadbeenslashedintoshredswithaknife.
“Thisisaprettygoodwashout,”saidEdmund;“notmuchgoodcominghere.”
“Whatisthis?”saidPeter,stoopingdown.Hehadjustnoticedapieceofpaperwhichhadbeennailedthroughthecarpettothefloor.
“Isthereanythingwrittenonit?”askedSusan.
“Yes,Ithinkthereis,”answeredPeter,“butIcan’treaditinthislight.Let’sgetoutintotheopenair.”
TheyallwentoutinthedaylightandcrowdedroundPeterashereadoutthefollowingwords:
Theformeroccupantofthesepremises,theFaunTumnus,isunderarrestandawaitinghistrialonachargeofHighTreasonagainstherImperialMajestyJadis,QueenofNarnia,ChatelaineofCairParavel,EmpressoftheLoneIslands,etc,alsoofcomfortinghersaidMajesty’senemies,harboringspiesandfraternizingwithHumans.
signedMAUGRIM,CaptainoftheSecretPolice,LONGLIVETHEQUEEN!
Thechildrenstaredateachother.
“Idon’tknowthatI’mgoingtolikethisplaceafterall,”saidSusan.
“WhoisthisQueen,Lu?”saidPeter.“Doyouknowanythingabouther?”
“Sheisn’tarealqueenatall,”answeredLucy;“she’sahorriblewitch,theWhiteWitch.Everyone—allthewoodpeople-hateher。ShehasmadeanenchantmentoverthewholecountrysothatitisalwayswinterhereandneverChristmas.”
“I-Iwonderifthere’sanypointingoingon,”saidSusan。“Imean,itdoesn’tseemparticularlysafehereanditlooksasifitwon’tbemuchfuneither.Andit’sgettingcoldereveryminute,andwe’vebroughtnothingtoeat.Whataboutjustgoinghome?”
“Oh,butwecan’t,wecan’t,”saidLucysuddenly;“don’tyousee?Wecan’tjustgohome,notafterthis.ItisallonmyaccountthatthepoorFaunhasgotintothistrouble.HehidmefromtheWitchandshowedmethewayback.That’swhatitmeansbycomfortingtheQueen’senemiesandfraternizingwithHumans。Wesimplymusttrytorescuehim.”
“Alotwecoulddo!saidEdmund,”whenwehaven’tevengotanythingtoeat!
“Shutup-you!”saidPeter,whowasstillveryangrywithEdmund.“Whatdoyouthink,Susan?”
“I’veahorridfeelingthatLuisright,”saidSusan.“Idon’twanttogoastepfurtherandIwishwe’dnevercome.ButIthinkwemusttrytodosomethingforMr。Whatever-his-name—is-ImeantheFaun.”
“That’swhatIfeeltoo,”saidPeter.“I’mworriedabouthavingnofoodwithus.I’dvoteforgoingbackandgettingsomethingfromthelarder,onlytheredoesn’tseemtobeanycertaintyofgettingintothiscountryagainwhenonceyou’vegotoutofit.Ithinkwe’llhavetogoon.”
“SodoI,”saidboththegirls.
“Ifonlyweknewwherethepoorchapwasimprisoned!”saidPeter。
Theywereallstillwonderingwhattodonext,whenLucysaid,“Look!There’sarobin,withsucharedbreast.It’sthefirstbirdI’veseenhere.Isay!-IwondercanbirdstalkinNarnia?Italmostlooksasifitwantedtosaysomethingtous。”ThensheturnedtotheRobinandsaid,“Please,canyoutelluswhereTumnustheFaunhasbeentakento?”Asshesaidthisshetookasteptowardsthebird.Itatonceflewawaybutonlyasfarastothenexttree.Thereitperchedandlookedatthemveryhardasifitunderstoodalltheyhadbeensaying.Almostwithoutnoticingthattheyhaddoneso,thefourchildrenwentasteportwonearertoit。AtthistheRobinflewawayagaintothenexttreeandoncemorelookedatthemveryhard。(Youcouldn’thavefoundarobinwitharedderchestorabrightereye.)
“Doyouknow,”saidLucy,“Ireallybelievehemeansustofollowhim.”
“I’veanideahedoes,”saidSusan.“Whatdoyouthink,Peter?”
“Well,wemightaswelltryit,”answeredPeter.
TheRobinappearedtounderstandthematterthoroughly.Itkeptgoingfromtreetotree,alwaysafewyardsaheadofthem,butalwayssonearthattheycouldeasilyfollowit.Inthiswayitledthemon,slightlydownhill.WherevertheRobinalightedalittleshowerofsnowwouldfalloffthebranch.Presentlythecloudspartedoverheadandthewintersuncameoutandthesnowallaroundthemgrewdazzlinglybright.Theyhadbeentravellinginthiswayforabouthalfanhour,withthetwogirlsinfront,whenEdmundsaidtoPeter,“ifyou’renotstilltoohighandmightytotalktome,I’vesomethingtosaywhichyou’dbetterlistento.”
“Whatisit?”askedPeter.
“Hush!Notsoloud,”saidEdmund;“there’snogoodfrighteningthegirls.Buthaveyourealizedwhatwe’redoing?”
“What?”saidPeter,loweringhisvoicetoawhisper.
“We’refollowingaguideweknownothingabout.Howdoweknowwhichsidethatbirdison?Whyshouldn’titbeleadingusintoatrap?”
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