Хроники Нарнии
Aslan is nearer
Theygotitoutintheend,andbybeingverycrueltothereindeerthedwarfmanagedtogetitonthemoveagain,andtheydrovealittlefurther.Andnowthesnowwasreallymeltinginearnestandpatchesofgreengrasswerebeginningtoappearineverydirection.UnlessyouhavelookedataworldofsnowaslongasEdmundhadbeenlookingatit,youwillhardlybeabletoimaginewhatareliefthosegreenpatcheswereaftertheendlesswhite.Thenthesledgestoppedagain.
"It’snogood,yourMajesty,"saidthedwarf."Wecan’tsledgeinthisthaw."
"Thenwemustwalk,"saidtheWitch.
"Weshallneverovertakethemwalking,"growledthedwarf."Notwiththestartthey’vegot."
"Areyoumycouncillorormyslave?"saidtheWitch."Doasyou’retold.Tiethehandsofthehumancreaturebehinditandkeepholdoftheendoftherope.Andtakeyourwhip.Andcuttheharnessofthereindeer;they’llfindtheirownwayhome."
Thedwarfobeyed,andinafewminutesEdmundfoundhimselfbeingforcedtowalkasfastashecouldwithhishandstiedbehindhim.Hekeptonslippingintheslushandmudandwetgrass,andeverytimeheslippedthedwarfgavehimacurseandsometimesaflickwiththewhip.TheWitchwalkedbehindthedwarfandkeptonsaying,"Faster!Faster!"
Everymomentthepatchesofgreengrewbiggerandthepatchesofspowgrewsmaller.Everymomentmoreandmoreofthetreesshookofftheirrobesofsnow.Soon,whereveryoulooked,insteadofwhiteshapesyousawthedarkgreenoffirsortheblackpricklybranchesofbareoaksandbeechesandelms.
