《魔法師的外甥》第26期:安德魯舅舅的麻煩開始了(3)

Uncle Andrew kept on rubbing his hands and bowing. He was trying to say something very polite, but his mouth had gone all dry so that he could not speak. His "experiment" with the rings, as he called it, was turning out more successful than he liked: for though he had dabbled in Magic for years he had always left all the dangers (as far as one can) to other people. Nothing at all like this had ever happened to him before.

Then Jadis spoke; not very loud, but there was something in her voice that made the whole room quiver.

"Where is the Magician who has called me into this world?"

"Ah - ah - Madam," gasped Uncle Andrew, "I am most honoured - highly gratified - a most unexpected, pleasure - if only I had had the opportunity of making any preparations - I - I -"

"Where is the Magician, Fool?" said Jadis.

"I - I am, 'Madam. I hope you will excuse any - er -. liberty these naughty children may have taken. I assure you, there was no intention -"

"You?" said the Queen in a still more terrible voice. Then, in one stride, she crossed the room, seized a great handful of Uncle Andrew's grey hair and pulled his head back so that his face looked up into hers. Then she studied his face as she had studied Digory's face in the palace of Charn. He blinked and licked his lips nervously all the time. At last she let him go: so suddenly that he reeled back against the wall.

"I see," she said scornfully, "you are a Magician - of a sort. Stand up, dog, and don't sprawl there as if you were speaking to your equals. How do you come to know Magic? You are not of royal blood, I'll swear."

"Well - ah - not perhaps in the strict sense," stammered Uncle Andrew. "Not exactly royal, Ma'am. The Ketterleys are, however, a very old family. An old Dorsetshire family, Ma'am."

"Peace," said the Witch. "I see what you are. You are a little, peddling Magician who works by rules and books. There is no real Magic in your blood and heart. Your kind was made an end of in my world a thousand years ago. But here I shall allow you to be my servant."

"I should be most happy - delighted to be of any service - a p-pleasure, I assure you."

"Peace! You talk far too much. Listen to your first task. I see we are in a large city. Procure for me at once a chariot or a flying carpet or a well-trained dragon, or whatever is usual for royal and noble persons in your land. Then bring me to places where I can get clothes and jewels and slaves fit for my rank. Tomorrow I will begin the conquest of the world."

"I - I - I'll go and order a cab at once," gasped Uncle Andrew.

安德丟舅舅不斷地搓手鞠躬。他想說幾句客氣話，但他口乾得說不出來。他所謂的用戒指做的“實驗”，結果比他盼望的還要成功：因爲雖然他與魔法打了多年的交道，但他總是把危險留給他人。類似今天這樣的事還從未發生過。

這時，簡蒂絲開口了，聲音不大，卻使整個屋子戰慄起來。

“把我召到這個世界來的魔法師是誰？”

“啊——啊——夫人，”安德魯舅舅喘息着說，“我感到極大的榮幸——非常高興——最最意想不到的快樂——要是我有機會作些準備就好了——我——我——”

“魔法師在哪兒？蠢貨！”簡蒂絲問。

“就——就是我，夫人。我希望你能諒解——嗯——這些調皮的孩子對你的失禮。我向你保證，不是故意的——”

“你！”女王的聲青越加可怕。說着，她一步跨進屋子，一把抓住安德魯舅舅的灰髮，將他的頭朝後一擰，使他的臉對着自己。然後，她像在恰恩王宮早研究迪格雷的臉一樣仔細研究他的臉。他很緊張，不停地眨眼睛、舔嘴脣。最後，她鬆開手，他一下往後倒去，搖搖晃晃地撞在牆上。

“我知道了，”她輕蔑地說，“你是某一種類的魔法師。站起來，狗，別像跟你的同類說話一樣縮在那兒。你怎麼會魔法的？我敢發誓，你沒有皇族血統。”

“這——嗯——嚴格地講也許沒有，”安德魯舅舅結結巴巴地說，“不算地地道道的皇族。可是，夫人，凱特利家族是很古老的，是多塞特郡一個古老的家族。”

“肅靜！”女巫說，“我知道你是誰。你是一個離不開規則和書本的自我吹噓的小魔法師。你的血液和心臟裏沒有真正的魔力。像你這樣的魔法師一千年前就在我們的世界絕種了。但現在，我將允許你做我的僕人。”

“爲你服務我感到萬分榮幸——高興至極——真讓人愉快。我說的是實話。”

“住嘴，你說得太多了。聽清楚你的第一個任務。我看我們是在一個大城市裏。馬上設法給我弄一輛馬車或飛毯或一條訓練有案的龍，或者任何對你們這兒的皇家貴族有用的東西。然後，帶我去能搞到符合我身份的服裝、首飾和奴隸的地方。明天，我就要開始征服這個世界了。”

“我——我——我這就去叫一輛出租馬車。”安德告舅舅大口大口地喘着氣。