C.S.Lewis, The Silver Chair, 거짓과 미혹에 묶여 있던 그 의자를 깨뜨린다.

1. Are you not thirsty?

“Are you not thirsty?" said the Lion.
"I am dying of thirst," said Jill.
"Then drink," said the Lion.
"May I — could I — would you mind going away while I do?" said Jill.
The Lion answered this only by a look and a very low growl. And as Jill gazed at its motionless bulk, she realized that she might as well have asked the whole mountain to move aside for her convenience.
The delicious rippling noise of the stream was driving her nearly frantic.
"Will you promise not to — do anything to me, if I do come?" said Jill.
"I make no promise," said the Lion.
Jill was so thirsty now that, without noticing it, she had come a step nearer.
"Do you eat girls?" she said.
"I have swallowed up girls and boys, women and men, kings and emperors, cities and realms," said the Lion. It didn't say this as if it were boasting, nor as if it were sorry, nor as if it were angry. It just said it.
"I daren't come and drink," said Jill.
"Then you will die of thirst," said the Lion.
"Oh dear!" said Jill, coming another step nearer. "I suppose I must go and look for another stream then."
"There is no other stream," said the Lion.”

Aslan과 Jill의 대화. 하나님을 가까이 하는 것에 대한 비유를 담고 있다. 위험스러워 보이는 사자 앞에서 무방비 상태로 물가에 엎드려 고개를 숙이고 물을 마시는 것처럼. 하나님께 나아간다는 것은 위험을 무릅쓰는 신뢰를 요구한다. 이 사자는 과연 나를 해치지 않을 것인가. 하나님은 정말 존재하는, 내가 신뢰할 수 있는, 나를 사랑하는, 나를 끝까지 책임져 주시는 분인가. 타는듯한 갈증 앞에서 뭇 사람들이 내려야 할 선택이다. '너는 목마르지 않니? 그럼 와서 마셔라.' 사자를 물러서게 하는 요구처럼 우리는 하나님을 통제할 수 없다. '다른 시냇물은 없다.' 존재하지 않는 물을 찾아 돌아서 다시 방황을 계속할 것인가. 생명을 찾을 것인가. 

2. Do so no more. 

"Why were you so near the edge, Human Child?" "I was showing off, Sir." "That is a very good answers, Human Child. Do so no more. And now" (here for the first time the Lion's face became a little less stern) "the Boy is safe. I have blown him to Narnia. But your task will be the harder because of what you have done." "Please, what task, Sir?" said Jill. "The task for which I called you and him here out of your own world."

자신의 잘못을 정직하게 뉘우치는 것은 언제나 바른 대답이다. 

3. Remember the signs. Say them to yourself. 

"Perhaps you do not see quite as well as you think. But the first step is to remember. Repeat to me, in order, the four signs." 

"Stand still. In a moment I will blow. But first, remember, remember, remember the signs. Say them to yourself when you wake in the morning and when you lie down at night, and whoen you wake in the middle of the night. And whatever strange things may happen to you, let nothing turn your mind from following the signs,..." 

Jill이 Aslan으로부터 부여받은 임무를 계속 되뇌인다. 간단하지만. 그래서 계속해서 되뇌이며 잊지 말라는 것이 Aslan의 당부이다. 비록 첫 단추부터 잘못 꿰어지고 실패한 것 같지만, Eustace 와 Jill, 그리고 Puddleglum 이 그 Sign 을 따라서 모험을 떠나는 이야기는 마치 우리 소명과 그것을 성취해가는 우리 삶의 여정을 떠올리게 한다. 우리 삶의 여정을 인도하는 말씀. 계속해서 쉬지 않고 되뇌이고 체화시켜야 한다. 

4. The chair broke 

But as the chair broke, there came from it a bright flash, a sound like small thunder, and (for one moment) a loathsome smell. 

Rilian 왕자를 묶어두었던 은의자는 왕자가 휘두른 칼로 부서져 깨어진다. 거짓에 미혹되어 저주 아래 묶여 있었던 모든 사슬로부터 자유케 되는 순간이다. 그렇게 죄와 중독을 깨뜨린다. 

5. 

"...Your sun is a dream; and there is nothing in that dream that was not copied from the lamp. The lamp is the real thing; the sun is but a tale, a children's story."

For the last few minutes Jill had been feeling that there was something she must remember at all costs. And now she did. But it was dreadfully hard to say it. She felt if huge weights were laid on her lips. At last, with an effort that seemed to take all the good out of her, she said: "There's Aslan." "Aslan?" ...

우리가 믿는 하나님이 가상으로 꾸며낸 존재라는 논리에 대한 루이스의 논증이다. 그리고 많은 이들이 추종하는 논리가 사실은 실재를 부정하는 공허한 미혹에 불과함을 이야기를 통해서 보여준다. 그 미혹에 저항하는데 또 얼마나 힘겨운 싸움이 필요한가. 

6. 

“I'm on Aslan's side even if there isn't any Aslan to lead it. I'm going to live as like a Narnian as I can even if there isn't any Narnia.”

마녀가 말하고 있는 실재가 얼마나 초라한 것인지 Puddleglum 의 논증을 통해 세상이 약속하고 있는 실재의 결국을 보여준다. 하나님을 부정하는 논리 속에서 우리는 우리 삶의 의미를 어디에서 찾을 것인가. 인간의 존엄성의 이유를, 생명의 존재 이유를, 사랑의 이유를 어떻게 설명할 수 있는가. 

7.

“You would not have called to me unless I had been calling to you," said the Lion.”

8.

“Don't you mind," said Puddleglum. "There are no accidents. Our guide is Aslan; and he was there when the giant king caused the letters to be cut, and he knew already all things that would come of them; including this.”