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〃well； sir； if things are real； theyre there all the time。鈥�
〃are they？〃 said the professor； and peter didnt know quite what to say。
〃but there was no time；〃 said susan。 〃lucy had no time to have gone anywhere； even if there was such a place。 she came running after us the very moment we were out of the room。 it was less than minute； and she pretended to have been away for hours。鈥�
〃that is the very thing that makes her story so likely to be true；〃 said the professor。 〃if there really a door in this house that leads to some other world （and i should warn you that this is a very strange house； and even i know very little about it） … if； i say； she had got into another world； i should not be at a surprised to find that the other world had a separate time of its own； so that however long you stay there it would never take up any of our time。 on the other hand； i dont think many girls of her age would invent that idea for themselves。 if she had been pretending； she would have hidden for a reasonable time before ing out and telling her story。鈥�
〃but do you really mean； sir；〃 said peter； 〃that there could be other worlds … all over the place； just round the corner … like that？鈥�
〃nothing is more probable；〃 said the professor； taking off his spectacles and beginning to polish them； while he muttered to himself； 〃i wonder what they do teach them at these schools。鈥�
〃but what are we to do？〃 said susan。 she felt that the conversation was beginning to get off the point。
〃my dear young lady；〃 said the professor； suddenly looking up with a very sharp expression at both of them； 〃there is one plan which no one has yet suggested and which is well worth trying。鈥�
〃whats that？〃 said susan。
〃we might all try minding our own business；〃 said he。 and that was the end of that conversation。
after this things were a good deal better for lucy。 peter saw to it that edmund stopped jeering at her； and neither she nor anyone else felt inclined to talk about the wardrobe at all。 it had bee a rather alarming subject。 and so for a time it looked as if all the adventures were ing to an end； but that was not to be。
this house of the professors … which even he knew so little about … was so old and famous that people from all over england used to e and ask permission to see over it。
it was the sort of house that is mentioned in guide books and even in histories； and well it might be； for all manner of stories were told about it； some of them even stranger than the one i am telling you now。 and when parties of sightseers arrived and asked to see the house； the professor always gave them permission； and mrs macready； the housekeeper； showed them round； telling them about the pictures and the armour； and the rare books in the library。 mrs macready was not fond of children； and did not like to be interrupted when she was telling visitors all the things she knew。 she had said to susan and peter almost on the first morning （along with a good many other instructions）； 〃and please remember youre to keep out of the way whenever im taking a party over the house。鈥�
〃just as if any of us would want to waste half the morning trailing round with a crowd of strange grown…ups！〃 said edmund； and the other three thought the same。 that was how the adventures began for the second time。
a few mornings later peter and edmund were looking at the suit of armour and wondering if they could take it to bits when the two girls rushed into the room and said； 〃look out！ here es the macready and a whole gang with her。鈥�
〃sharps the word；〃 said peter； and all four made off through the door at the far end of the room。 but when they had got out into the green room and beyond it； into the library； they suddenly heard voices ahead of them； and realized that mrs macready must be bringing her party of sightseers up the back stairs … instead of up the front stairs as they had expected。 and after that … whether it was that they lost their heads； or that mrs macready was trying to catch them； or that some magic in the house had e to life and was chasing them into narnia they seemed to find themselves being followed everywhere； until at last susan said； 〃oh bother those trippers！ here … lets get into the
wardrobe room till theyve passed。 no one will follow us in there。〃 but the moment they were inside they heard the voices in the passage … and then someone fumbling at the door … and then they saw the handle turning。
〃quick！〃 said peter； 〃theres nowhere else；〃 and flung open the wardrobe。 all four of them bundled inside it and sat there； panting； in the dark。 peter held the door closed but did not shut it； for； of course； he remembered； as every sensible person does； that you should never never shut yourself up in a wardrobe。
www//c o m
CHAPTER SIX
灏彙ｈ銆倀/x/t澶ｅ爞
into the forest 〃i wish the macready would hurry up and take all these people away；〃 said susan presently； 〃im getting horribly cramped。鈥�
〃and what a filthy smell of camphor！〃 said edmund。
〃i expect the pockets of these coats are full of it；〃 said susan； 〃to keep away the moths。鈥�
〃theres something sticking into my back；〃 said peter。
〃and isnt it cold？〃 said susan。
〃now that you mention it； it is cold；〃 said peter； 〃and hang it all； its wet too。 whats the matter with this place？ im sitting on something wet。 its getting wetter every minute。〃 he struggled to his feet。
〃lets get out；〃 said edmund； 〃theyve gone。鈥�
〃o…o…oh！〃 said susan suddenly； and everyone asked her what was the matter。
〃im sitting against a tree；〃 said susan； 〃and look！ its getting light … over there。鈥�
〃by jove； youre right；〃 said peter； 〃and look there … and there。 its trees all round。 and this wet stuff is snow。 why； i do believe weve got into lucys wood after all。鈥�
and now there was no mistaking it and all four children stood blinking in the daylight of a winter day。 behind them were coats hanging on pegs； in front of them were snow…covered trees。
peter turned at once to lucy。
〃i apologize for not believing you；〃 he said； 〃im sorry。 will you shake hands？鈥�
〃of course；〃 said lucy； and did。
〃and now；〃 said susan； 〃what do we do next？鈥�
〃do？〃 said peter； 〃why； go and explore the wood； of course。鈥�
〃ugh！〃 said susan； stamping her feet； 〃its pretty cold。 what about putting on some of these coats？鈥�
〃theyre not ours；〃 said peter doubtfully。
〃i am sure nobody would mind；〃 said susan； 〃it isnt as if we wanted to take them out of the house； we shant take them even out of the wardrobe。鈥�
〃i never thought of that； su；〃 said peter。 〃of course； now you put it that way； i see。 no one could say you had bagged a coat as long as you leave it in the wardrobe where you found it。 and i suppose this whole country is in the wardrobe。鈥�
they immediately carried out susans very sensible plan。 the coats were rather too big for them so that they came down to their heels and looked more like royal robes than coats when they had put them on。 but they all felt a good deal warmer and each thought the others looked better in their new get…up and more suitable to the landscape。
〃we can pretend we are arctic explorers；〃 said lucy。
〃this is going to be exciting enough without pretending；〃 said peter； as he began leading the way forward into the forest。 there were heavy darkish clouds overhead and it looked as if there might be more snow before night。
〃i say；〃 began edmund presently； 〃oughtnt we to be bearing a bit more to the left； that is； if we are aiming for the lamp…post？〃 he had forgotten for the moment that he must pretend never to have been in the wood before。 the moment the words were out of his mouth he realized that he had given himself away。 everyone stopped； everyone stared at him。 peter whistled。
〃so you really were here；〃 he said； 〃that time lu said shed met you in here … and you made out she was telling lies。鈥�
there was a dead silence。 〃well； of all the poisonous little beasts …〃 said peter； and shrugged his shoulders and said no more。 there seemed； indeed； no more to say； and presently the four resumed their journey； but edmund was saying to himself； 〃ill pay you all out for this； you pack of stuck…up； selfsatisfied prigs。鈥�
〃where are we going anyway？〃 said susan； chiefly for the sake of changing the subject。
〃i think lu ought to be the leader；〃 said peter； 〃goodness knows she deserves it。 where will you take us； lu？鈥�
〃what about going to see mr tumnus？〃 said lucy。 〃hes the nice faun i told you about。鈥�
everyone agreed to this and off they went walking briskly and stamping their feet。 lucy proved a good leader。 at first she wondered whether she would be able to find the way； but she recognized an oddlooking tree on one place and a stump in another and brought them on to where the ground became uneven and into the little valley and at last to the very door of mr tumnuss cave。 but there a terrible surprise awaited them。
the door had been wrenched off its hinges and broken to bits。 inside； the cave was dark and cold and had the damp feel and smell of a place that had not been lived in for several days。 snow had drifted in from the doorway and was heaped on the floor； mixed with something black； which turned out to be the charred sticks and ashes from the fire。
someone had apparently flung it about the room and then stamped it out。 the crockery lay smashed on the floor and the picture of the fauns father had been slashed into shreds with a knife。
〃this is a pretty good wash…out；〃 said edmund； 〃not much good ing here。鈥�
〃what is this？〃 said peter； stooping down。 he had just noticed a piece of paper which had been nailed through the carpet to the floor。
〃is there anything written on it？〃 asked susan。
〃yes； i think there is；〃 answered peter； 〃but i cant read it in this light。 lets get out into the open air。鈥�
they all went out in the daylight and crowded round peter as he read out the following words： the former occupant of these premises； the faun tumnus； is under arrest and awaiting his trial on a charge of high treason against her imperial majesty jadis； queen of narnia； chatelaine of cair paravel； empress of the lone islands； etc。； also of forting her said majestys enemies； harbouring spies and fraternizing with humans。
signed maugrim； captain of the secret police； long live the queen the children stared at each other。
〃i dont know that im going to like this place after all；〃 said susan。
〃who is this queen； lu？〃 said peter。 〃do you know anything about her？鈥�
〃she isnt a real queen at all；〃 answered lucy； 〃shes a horrible witch； the white witch。
everyone all the wood people … hate her。 she has made an enchantment over the whole country so that it is always winter here and never christmas。鈥�
〃i … i wonder if theres any point in going on；〃 said susan。 〃i mean； it doesnt seem particularly safe here and it looks as if it wont be much fun either。 and its getting colder every minute； and weve brought nothing to eat。 what about just going home？鈥�
〃oh； but we cant； we cant；〃 said lucy suddenly； 〃dont you see？ we cant just go home； not after this。 it is all on my account that the poor faun has got into this trouble。 he hid me from the witch and showed me the way back。 thats what it means by forting the queens enemies and fraternizing with humans。 we simply must try to rescue him。鈥�
〃a lot we could do！ said edmund； 〃when we havent even got anything to eat！鈥�
〃shut up … you！〃 said peter； who was still very angry with edmund。 〃what do you think； susan？鈥�
〃ive a horrid feeling that lu is right；〃 said susan。 〃i dont want to go a step further and i wish wed never e。 but i think we must try to do something for mr whatever…his…name is … i mean the faun。鈥�
〃thats what i feel too；〃 said peter。 〃im worried about having no food with us。 id vote for going back and getting something from the larder； only there doesnt seem to be any certainty of getting into this country again when once youve got out of it。 i think well have to go on。鈥�
〃so do i；〃 said both the girls。
〃if only we knew where the poor chap was imprisoned！〃 said peter。
they were all still wondering what to do n