Хроники Нарнии
In the Witch’s house
Firstthesnowstopped.Thenawindsprangupanditbecamefreezingcold.Finally,thecloudsrolledawayandthemooncameout.Itwasafullmoonand,shiningonallthatsnow,itmadeeverythingalmostasbrightasday-onlytheshadowswereratherconfusing.
Hewouldneverhavefoundhiswayifthemoonhadn’tcomeoutbythetimehegottotheotherriveryourememberhehadseen(whentheyfirstarrivedattheBeavers’)asmallerriverflowingintothegreatonelowerdown.Henowreachedthisandturnedtofollowitup.Butthelittlevalleydownwhichitcamewasmuchsteeperandrockierthantheonehehadjustleftandmuchovergrownwithbushes,sothathecouldnothavemanageditatallinthedark.Evenasitwas,hegotwetthroughforhehadtostoopunderbranchesandgreatloadsofsnowcameslidingoffontohisback.AndeverytimethishappenedhethoughtmoreandmorehowhehatedPeter-justasifallthishadbeenPeter’sfault.
Butatlasthecametoapartwhereitwasmorelevelandthevalleyopenedout.Andthere,ontheothersideoftheriver,quiteclosetohim,inthemiddleofalittleplainbetweentwohills,hesawwhatmustbetheWhiteWitch’sHouse.Andthemoonwasshiningbrighterthanever.TheHousewasreallyasmallcastle.Itseemedtobealltowers;littletowerswithlongpointedspiresonthem,sharpasneedles.Theylookedlikehugedunce’scapsorsorcerer’scaps.Andtheyshoneinthemoonlightandtheirlongshadowslookedstrangeonthesnow.EdmundbegantobeafraidoftheHouse.
Butitwastoolatetothinkofturningbacknow.
HecrossedtheriverontheiceandwalkeduptotheHouse.Therewasnothingstirring;nottheslightestsoundanywhere.Evenhisownfeetmadenonoiseonthedeepnewlyfallensnow.
