Хроники Нарнии
Aslan is nearer
Nowtheyweresteadilyracingonagain.AndsoonEdmundnoticedthatthesnowwhichsplashedagainstthemastheyrushedthroughitwasmuchwetterthanithadbeenalllastnight.Atthesametimehenoticedthathewasfeelingmuchlesscold.Itwasalsobecomingfoggy.Infacteveryminuteitgrewfoggierandwarmer.Andthesledgewasnotrunningnearlyaswellasithadbeenrunninguptillnow.Atfirsthethoughtthiswasbecausethereindeerweretired,butsoonhesawthatthatcouldn’tbetherealreason.Thesledgejerked,andskiddedandkeptonjoltingasifithadstruckagainststones.Andhoweverthedwarfwhippedthepoorreindeerthesledgewentslowerandslower.Therealsoseemedtobeacuriousnoiseallroundthem,butthenoiseoftheirdrivingandjoltingandthedwarf’sshoutingatthereindeerpreventedEdmundfromhearingwhatitwas,untilsuddenlythesledgestucksofastthatitwouldn’tgoonatall.Whenthathappenedtherewasamoment’ssilence.AndinthatsilenceEdmundcouldatlastlistentotheothernoiseproperly.Astrange,sweet,rustling,chatteringnoise-andyetnotsostrange,forhe’dhearditbefore-ifonlyhecouldrememberwhere!Thenallatoncehedidremember.Itwasthenoiseofrunningwater.Allroundthemthoughoutofsight,therewerestreams,chattering,murmuring,bubbling,splashingandeven(inthedistance)roaring.Andhisheartgaveagreatleap(thoughhehardlyknewwhy)whenherealizedthatthefrostwasover.Andmuchnearertherewasadrip-drip-dripfromthebranchesofallthetrees.Andthen,ashelookedatonetreehesawagreatloadofsnowslideoffitandforthefirsttimesincehehadenteredNarniahesawthedarkgreenofafirtree.Buthehadn’ttimetolistenorwatchanylonger,fortheWitchsaid:
"Don’tsitstaring,fool!Getoutandhelp."
AndofcourseEdmundhadtoobey.Hesteppedoutintothesnow-butitwasreallyonlyslushbynow-andbeganhelpingthedwarftogetthesledgeoutofthemuddyholeithadgotinto.
