Хроники Нарнии
Deep magic from the down of time
Edmundfoundhimselfbeingroughlyforcedtohisfeet.Thenthedwarfsethimwithhisbackagainstatreeandboundhimfast.HesawtheWitchtakeoffheroutermantle.Herarmswerebareunderneathitandterriblywhite.Becausetheyweresoverywhitehecouldseethem,buthecouldnotseemuchelse,itwassodarkinthisvalleyunderthedarktrees.
"Preparethevictim,",saidtheWitch.AndthedwarfundidEdmund’scollarandfoldedbackhisshirtattheneck.ThenhetookEdmund’shairandpulledhisheadbacksothathehadtoraisehischin.AfterthatEdmundheardastrangenoise-whizzwhizz-whizz.Foramomenthecouldn’tthinkwhatitwas.Thenherealized.Itwasthesoundofaknifebeingsharpened.
Atthatverymomentheheardloudshoutsfromeverydirection-adrummingofhoofsandabeatingofwings-ascreamfromtheWitch-confusionallroundhim.Andthenhefoundhewasbeinguntied.Strongarmswereroundhimandheheardbig,kindvoicessayingthingslike-
"Lethimliedown-givehimsomewine-drinkthis-steadynow-you’llbeallrightinaminute."
Thenheheardthevoicesofpeoplewhowerenottalkingtohimbuttooneanother.Andtheyweresayingthingslike"Who’sgottheWitch?""Ithoughtyouhadher.""Ididn’tseeherafterIknockedtheknifeoutofherhand-Iwasafterthedwarf-doyoumeantosayshe’sescaped?""-Achapcan’tmindeverythingatonce-what’sthat?Oh,sorry,it’sonlyanoldstump!"ButjustatthispointEdmundwentoffinadeadfaint.
Presentlythecentaursandunicornsanddeerandbirds(theywereofcoursetherescuepartywhichAslanhadsentinthelastchapter)allsetofftogobacktotheStoneTable,carryingEdmundwiththem.Butiftheycouldhaveseenwhathappenedinthatvalleyaftertheyhadgone,Ithinktheymighthavebeensurprised.
