Adventure in NARNIA (44)

Adventure in NARNIA (44)

Then he sat listening to them with the tips of his fingers pressed together and never interrupting, till they had finished the whole story.

After that he said nothing for quite a long time.
Then he cleared his throat and said the last thing either of them expected:
" How do you know, "  he asked,  "  that your sister's story is not true ? "

" Oh, but ー " began Susan, and then stopped.

Anyone could see from the  old man's face that he was perfectly serious.

Then Susan pulled herself together and said, " But Edmund said they had only been pretending. "

" That is point, " said the Professor, " which certainly deserves consideration; very caeful consideration. For instance ー if you will excuse me for asking the question ー does your experience lead you to regard your brother or your sister as the more reliable ? I mean, which is the more truthful ? "

" That's just the funny thing about it, sir, " said Peter. " Up till now, I'd have said Lucy every time. "

" And what do you think ?. my dear ? " said the Professor, turning to Susan.

" Well, " said Susan, " in general, I'd say the same as Peter, but this couldn't be true ー all this about the wood and faun. "

" That is more than I know, " said the Professor, " and a charge of lying against someone whom you have always found truthful is a very serious thing; a very serious thing indeed. "

" We were afraid it mightn't even be lying, " said Susan; " we thought there might be something wrong with Lucy. "

" Madness, you mean ? " said the Professor quite coolly.
" Oh, you can make your minds easy about that. One has only to look at her and talk to her to see that she is not mad. "

" But then, " said Susan, and stopped. she had never dreamed that a grown-up would talk like the professor and didn't know what to think.

" Logic ! " said the Professor, half to himself.

" Why didn't they teach logic at these school ? There are only three possibilities. Either your sister is telling lies, or she is mad, or she is telling the truth. You know she didn't tell lies and it is obvious that she is not mad.   For the moment then and unless any further evidence turns up, we must assume that she is telling the truth. "

(44/50)