第三次物种大灭绝原因 《魔法师的外甥》第19期:灭绝咒(1)

《魔法师的外甥》第19期:灭绝咒(1)  

Chapter 5 The Deplorable Word
THE children were facing one another across the pillar where the bell hung
still trembling
though it no longer gave out any note. Suddenly they heard a soft noise from the end of the room which was still undamaged. They turned quick as lightning to see what it was. One of the robed figures
the furthest-off one of all
the woman whom Digory thought so beautiful
was rising from its chair. When she stood up they realized that she was even taller than they had thought. And you could see at once
not only from her crown and robes
but from the flash of her eyes and the curve of her lips
that she was a great queen. She looked round the room and saw the damage and saw the children
but you could not guess from her face what she thought of either or whether she was surprised. She came forward with long
swift strides.
"Who has awaked me? Who has broken the spell?" she asked.
"I think it must have been me
" said Digory.
"You!" said the Queen
laying her hand on his shoulder - a white
beautiful hand
but Digory could feel that it was strong as steel pincers. "You? But you are only a child
a mon child. Anyone can see at a glance that you have no drop of royal or noble blood in your veins. How did such as you dare to enter this house?"
"We've e from another world; by Magic
" said Polly
who thought it was high time the Queen took some notice of her as well as of Digory.
"Is this true?" said the Queen
still looking at Digory and not giving Polly even a glance.
"Yes
it is
" said he.
The Queen put her other hand under his chin and forced it up so that she could see his face better. Digory tried to stare back but he soon had to let his eyes drop. There was something about hers that overpowered him.
After she had studied him for well over a minute
she let go of his chin and said:
"You are no magician. The mark of it is not on you. You must be only the servant of a magician. It is on another's Magic that you have travelled here."
"It was my Uncle Andrew
" said Digory.
At the moment
not in the room itself but from somewhere very close
there came
first a rumbling
then a creaking
and then a roar of falling masonry
and the floor shook.
"There is great peril here
" said the Queen. "The whole palace is breaking up. If we are not out of it in a few minutes we shall be buried under the ruin." She spoke as calmly as if she had been merely mentioning the time of day. "Come
" she added
and held out a hand to each of the children. Polly
who was disliking the Queen and feeling rather sulky
would not have let her hand be taken if she could have helped it. But though the Queen spoke so calmly
her movements were as quick as thought. Before Polly knew what was happening her left hand had been caught in a hand so much larger and stronger than her own that she could do nothing about it.