《魔法師的外甥》第62期:不期而遇(1)

Chapter 13 An Unexpected Meeting

"Wake up, Digory, wake up, Fledge," came the voice of Polly. "It has turned into a toffee tree. And it's the loveliest morning."

The low early sunshine was streaming through the wood and the grass was grey with dew and the cobwebs were like silver. Just beside them was a little, very darkwooded tree, about the size of an apple tree. The leaves were whitish and rather papery, like the herb called honesty, and it was loaded with little brown fruits that looked rather like dates.

"Hurrah!" said Digory. "But I'm going to have a dip first." He rushed through a flowering thicket or two down to the river's edge. Have you ever bathed in a mountain river that is running in shallow cataracts over red and blue and yellow stones with the sun on it? It is as good as the sea: in some ways almost better. Of course, he had to dress again without drying but it was well worth it. When he came back, Polly went down and had her bathe; at least she said that was what she'd been doing, but we know she was not much of a swimmer and perhaps it is best not to ask too many questions. Fledge visited the river too but he only stood in midstream, stooping down for a long drink of water and then shaking his mane and neighing several times.

Polly and Digory got to work on the toffee-tree. The fruit was delicious; not exactly like toffee - softer for one thing, and juicy - but like fruit which reminded one of toffee. Fledge also made an excellent breakfast; he tried one of the toffee fruits and liked it but said he felt more like grass at that hour in the morning. Then with some difficulty the children got on his back and the second journey began.

It was even better than yesterday, partly because every one was feeling so fresh, and partly because the newly risen sun was at their backs and, of course, everything looks nicer when the light is behind you. It was a wonderful ride. The big snowy mountains rose above them in every direction. The valleys, far beneath them, were so green, and all the streams which tumbled down from the glaciers into the main river were so blue, that it was like flying over gigantic pieces of jewellery. They would have liked this part of the adventure to go on longer than it did. But quite soon they were all sniffing the air and saying "What is it?" and "Did you smell something?" and "Where's it coming from?" For a heavenly smell, warm and golden, as if from all the most delicious fruits and flowers of the world, was coming up to them from somewhere ahead.

"It's coming from that valley with the lake in it," said Fledge.

"So it is," said Digory. "And look! There's a green hill at the far end of the lake. And look how blue the water is."

"It must be the Place," said all three.

Fledge came lower and lower in wide circles. The icy peaks rose up higher and higher above. The air came up warmer and sweeter every moment, so sweet that it almost brought the tears to your eyes. Fledge was now gliding with his wings spread out motionless on each side, and his hoofs pawing for the ground. The steep green hill was rushing towards them. A moment later he alighted on its slope, a little awkwardly. The children rolled off, fell without hurting themselves on the warm, fine grass, and stood up panting a little.

第13章 不期而遇

“醒醒，迪格雷，醒醒，弗蘭奇，”波莉喊道，“太妃糖樹已經長成了。這是最美好的早晨。”

初升的朝陽照進樹林，草葉上蒙着一層灰白的露珠，蜘蛛網上銀光閃閃。就在他們身旁，長出了一棵與蘋果樹一樣大小的木色極暗的樹。白白的樹葉形似紙張，很像一種叫做緞花的草藥，上面掛着棗兒一樣的褐色小果實。"

“哈!”迪格雷說，“可我要先去洗個澡。”他迅速穿過幾叢開花的灌木到了河邊。陽光下，山裏的河水在紅、藍、黃三色石頭上形成許多小瀑布奔涌而來，你曾在這樣的河裏洗過澡嗎?跟在海里一樣美妙；某些方面還更好些。當然，他只好不擦乾身子就穿上衣服，但即使這樣也很值得。他回來後，波莉也去洗了一次澡；至少她自己說她洗了澡，但就我們所知，她游泳不行，也許最好不要問得太多。弗蘭奇也去了一次，但它只是站在河水中，俯身長長地吸了一口水，然後，甩甩鬃毛，長嘶幾聲。

波莉和迪格雷開始對太妃糖樹採取行動了。果實很好吃：跟太妃糖不完全相似，軟一些，而且多汁——是一種吃了便令人想到太妃糖的水果。弗蘭奇也美美地吃了一頓早餐：它試着嚐了一個太妃果，很喜歡，但又說，在早晨的那個時候，它覺得更喜歡吃草。然後，孩子們有點兒艱難地上了馬，第二天的旅行又開始了。

今天的情況稍好於昨天，因爲大家都感到神清氣爽，而初升的太陽又在他們背後，自然，周圍的景緻就比陽光從前面射來時顯得美麗一些。這是一段奇妙的飛行，四面八方都聳立着高大的雪山，底下的深谷裏一片蒼翠，從冰山上流下來注入那條大河的溪澗全部是藍色的。他們像飛行在巨大的寶石上，盼望着這段旅行能延續得更長些。然而，過了一會兒，他們便聞到一股味道。“是什麼?”“你聞到了嗎?”“這味道是從哪兒來的?”從前面飄來一股似乎從世上最美好的果實和花卉中提煉出的溫馨、濃郁的奇香。

“是從一個有湖的山谷裏飄來的。”弗蘭奇說。

“是的，”迪格雷說，“快看!湖那邊有座綠色的山。看，湖水多藍。”

“肯定就是這個地方。”三個聲音一齊說。

弗蘭奇繞着大圈，越飛越低，冰峯則越變越高。空氣每一秒鐘都更加暖和、甜美，幾乎使你熱淚盈眶。弗蘭奇一動不動地伸開它那巨大的雙翅滑行着，馬蹄隨時準備着陸。那座陡峭的綠色小山向他們迎面撲來。很快，弗蘭奇就稍微有點兒不熟練地落在了山坡上。孩子們翻身下馬，穩穩當當地站在溫暖柔軟的草地上，輕輕地喘着氣。