¡¶The Last Battle¡·


 CHAPTER ONE

    BY CALDRON POOL   IN t days of Narnia, far up to t beyond Lantern aste and  close beside t erfall, t no one could  remember o live in ts, and , ugliest,  most le  of c tree, and . talking  Beasts or Men or D, in t part of t S  least t from t on you mig Puzzle  t togeto t filled ttles er but it o y panniers on  t Puzzle brougen by S; for as S said,  quot;You see, Puzzle, I cant eat grass and tles like you, so its only fair I s  up in other ways.¡±

    And Puzzle al;Of course, S, of course. I see t.quot; Puzzle  never complained, because  S  it o be friends  all. And if ever Puzzle  did try to argue about anyt ;Noand o be done better t clever, Puzzle.quot; And Puzzle  al;No, S. Its quite true. Im not clever.quot; tever  S had said.

    One morning early in t  under t tern end of Narnia. t erfall pours doo it ing t on terfall keeps t  of course is  got its name of Caldron Pool. It is liveliest in terfall is s ed off tains  from up beyond Narnia in tern ild from ed ;Look! s t?¡±

    quot;s ; said Puzzle.

    quot;t yellos just come doerfall. Look! t is  again, its floating. e must find out  is.¡±

    quot;Must ; said Puzzle.

    quot;Of course ,quot; said S. quot;It may be somet o  t out. t it.¡±

    quot;o t; said Puzzle, tching his long ears.

    quot;ell o get it if you dont?quot; said the Ape.

    quot;But - but,quot; said Puzzle, quot; it be better if you  in? Because,  you see, its you o kno is, and I dont muc  comes to catc hoofs.¡±

    quot;Really, Puzzle,quot; said S, quot;I didnt t. I didnt t of you, really.¡±

    quot; ; said t S ;All I meant was -¡±

    quot;anting me to go into ter,quot; said t;As if you didnt knoly well w weak cs Apes always c Ill go in. I  shall probably die.

    t; And Ss voice sounded as if  going to  burst into tears.

    quot;Please dont, please dont, please dont,quot; said Puzzle, alking. quot;I never meant anyt, S, really I didnt. You kno a time. Id forgotten about  your nt t yourself. Promise me you  , S.¡±

    So S promised, and Puzzle  cloppety-clop on o find a place e apart from t ting into t quivering and foaming er, and Puzzle o stand and  se before o do it. But t called out  from be;Perter do it after all, Puzzle.quot; And ; and in .

    A great mass of foam got er  and blinded  under altogete anot of t er and faster till it took  under terfall  itself, and ter plunged   he would  never be

    able to ill  last  someo catc sailed a too got under to ttom.  came up again  it  at last, ired to deateet  in front of ting  angled up in  it, for it was as big as a large  was very heavy and cold and slimy.

    do of S and stood dripping and srying to get  t . too busy going round and round t out and patting it  and smelling it.

    to ;It is a lions skin.¡±

    quot;Ee - au?quot; gasped Puzzle.

    quot;No; said S to hinking very hard.

    quot;I ly. quot;It ougo be  buried. e must have a funeral.¡±

    quot;O  a talking Lion,quot; said S. quot;You neednt bot t.  talking Beasts up beyond tern ild. t  o a dumb, wild lion.¡±

    true. A er, a Man, ern ild several mont t doesnt come into  tory.

    quot;All t,quot; said Puzzle, quot;even if to a  dumb, o give it a decent burial? I mean, arent all lions rather solemn?

    Because of you know  you see?¡±

    quot;Dont you start getting ideas into your ; said S.  quot;Because, you kno your strong point. ell make to a fine er coat for you.¡±

    quot;O t,quot; said t;It s mig is to say, I s feel -¡±

    quot; are you talking about?quot; said S, scratche wrong way  up as Apes do.

    quot;I dont t ful to t Lion, to Aslan  about dressed up in a lion-skin,quot; said Puzzle.

    quot;No stand arguing, please,quot; said S. quot; does an ass like you  kno t sort? You kno t you let me do your t you treat me as I treat you? I dont  tter at some ts o t better t o somet? Am I never to be alloo do anything?  Do be fair.

    turn and turn about.¡±

    quot;O it t ; said Puzzle.

    quot;I tell you ; said S. quot;Youd better take a good brisk trot down  river as far as Chey have any oranges or bananas.¡±

    quot;But Im so tired, S,quot; pleaded Puzzle.

    quot;Yes, but you are very cold and ,quot; said t;You  someto  rot  ts market day at  Coday.¡±

    And then of course Puzzle said he would go.

    As soon as   simes on times on four, till ree. to branctering and grinning all time, and  into tle  augo se uff, more like cord to   as if  of toffee.  paw.

    tree and so tted do to work.

    once t too long for Puzzle  and its neck too s. So  a good piece out of t to make a  long collar for Puzzles long neck. t off t t it ie up under Puzzles c and stomac op   anyone to see  alking Birds, so it didnt  matter.

    Late in ternoon Puzzle came back.  trotting but only  plodding patiently along, the way donkeys do.

    quot;t any oranges,quot; ;and t any bananas. And  Im very tired.quot; he lay down.

    quot;Come and try on your beautiful ne,quot; said S.

    quot;O old skin,quot; said Puzzle. quot;Ill try it on in too tired tonight.¡±

    quot;You are unkind, Puzzle,quot; said S. quot;If youre tired o make you a coat. My paired I can hese scissors.

    And you  say t even look at t -and you  dont care - and- and-¡±

    quot;My dear S,quot; said Puzzle getting up at once, quot;I am so sorry. Ive been  o try it on. And it looks simply splendid. Do try it on me  at once. Please do.¡±

    quot;ell, stand still t; said to  lift, but in t of pulling and pus it  on to tied it underneatied to  Puzzles legs and tail to Puzzles tail. A good deal of Puzzles grey nose and face could be  seen taken in for a moment. But if someone oo  close, and if t  too good, and if Puzzle didnt let out a bray and didnt make any  noise h his hoofs.

    quot;You look ; said t;If anyone sa Lion, himself.¡±

    quot;t ; said Puzzle.

    quot;No it ,quot; said S. quot;Everyone old them.¡±

    quot;But I dont  to tell thing.¡±

    quot;But you t; said S. quot;Youd o  advise you, you knoo give. And everyone  everyt in Narnia.¡±

    quot;But isnt everyt already?quot; said Puzzle.

    quot;!quot; cried S. quot;Everyt?-where are no oranges or  bananas?¡±

    quot;ell, you kno; said Puzzle, quot;t many people - in fact, I dont  t yourself  of things.¡±

    quot;too,quot; said S.

    quot;; said t;It here was more sugar.¡±

    quot;ell ts settled,quot; said t;You end to be Aslan,  and Ill tell you o say.¡±

    quot;No, no, no,quot; said Puzzle. quot;Dont say suc  very clever but I kno muc urned up?¡±

    quot;I expect ; said S. quot;Probably  us t  to rigurn up, you  kno nowadays.¡±

    At t moment t t overrembled  their faces.

    quot;t; gasped Puzzle, as soon as o speak. quot;Its a sign, a  ake tc once.¡±

    quot;No, no,quot; said t;Its a sign t going to say t if t us to  go on remor. It  on tip  of my tongue, only tself came before I could get t. Youve got to  do it no let us   understand t could a donkey kno signs?¡±

 CHAPTER TWO

    t ter t of t under t  oak ayed for  ten days or so in t spring  c far  from tern end of Lantern aste and some ing of t ease, aate and pomp of Cair Paravel, ty.

    irian, and y and ty-five years  old; rong and  ill scanty.  face.

    t spring morning except  friend,  Je stood close beside ts neck  bent round poliss blue  teness of its flank.

    quot;I cannot set myself to any  today, Je; said t;I  can t t  today?¡±

    quot;t idings ever ; said Je;if true.¡±

    quot; be true?quot; said t;It is more t t birds came flying over us saying, Aslan is o  Narnia again.

    And after t it  seen  t ain ag.  e. t dark Man  from Calormen. t t as a t. And t  nigoo had seen Aslan.¡±

    quot;Indeed, Sire,quot; ans;I believe it all. If I seem not to, it is  only t my joy is too great to let my belief settle itself. It is almost too beautiful to  believe.¡±

    quot;Yes,quot; said t sig a s. quot;It is  beyond all t I ever hoped for in all my life.¡±

    quot;Listen!quot; said Jeting his head on one side and cocking his ears  forward.

    quot; is it?quot; asked the King.

    quot;; said Je;A galloping  must  be one of taurs. And look, there he is.¡±

    A great, golden bearded Centaur,  on  on nut flanks, daso topped, and bo;; it cried in a voice as deep as a bulls.

    quot;; said toing lodge. quot;A boaur. elcome, Roon. ell us your errand.¡±

    A page came out of t o taur. taur raised t;I drink first to Aslan and truto your Majesty.¡±

    rong men) at one draugy boo the page.

    quot;No,quot; said t;Do you bring us more news of Aslan?¡±

    Roon looked very grave, frotle.

    quot;Sire,quot; ;You knoars; for  aurs live longer terrible tten in tly since tars say  not t t been sucrous conjunctions of ts for five  o come and y  t some great evil  last nig  Aslan is abroad in Narnia. Sire, do not believe tale. It cannot be. tars never lie,  but Men and Beasts do. If Aslan o Narnia told it.  If  gracious stars would be assembled in  is all a lie.¡±

    quot;A lie!quot; said t; creature in Narnia or all to lie on sucter?quot; And,  kno, .

    quot;t I kno, Lord King,quot; said taur. quot;But I knoars.¡±

    quot;I ; said Je; come tars  foretold ot tars but t not said  in all tories t  a tame lion.¡±

    quot;ell said, ; cried t;t a tame lion.

    It comes in many tales.¡±

    Roon  raised o say sometly to turned to listen  to a  o t of  t t see t. But the words.

    quot;oe, ; called t;oe for my broters! oe  for trees! te. t us. e are being  felled. Great trees are falling, falling, falling.¡±

    it quot;fallingquot; t. S  so tall t aurs yet sree too. It  is o explain if you  quite unmistakable once you  in tirian and ts kne once t sree.

    quot;Justice, Lord King!quot; s;Come to our aid. Protect your people.  tern aste.

    Forty great trunks of my broters are already on the ground.¡±

    quot;, Lady! Felling Lantern aste? Murdering talking trees?quot; cried to  and drahe Mane of Aslan-¡±

    quot;A-a-a-; gasped time  after time as if under repeated blo once s  from under  ree, miles away,  down.

    For a moment t t   speak. t;Come, friends. e must go up river and find t one of them alive.¡±

    quot;Sire, ; said Jewel.

    But Roon said, quot;Sire, be  range  doings on foot. If too feo meet t o  while -¡±

    quot;I   tent of a second,quot; said t;But  me a score of men-at-arms, all ed, and a score of  talking Dogs, and ten D tonefoot t. Bring all ter us as quickly as may be.¡±

    quot;it; said Roon. And at once urned and galloped  Easthe valley.

    trode on at a great pace, sometimes muttering to imes clencs. Je t jingle of a ric  and four hoofs.

    turned up it  and t on t. Soon after t to to ters edge.  t t, noo ford to reac. It o tirians arm-pits, but Je on  so as to break t, and  tirian put rong arm round trong neck and t safely over. till so angry t iced ter. But of course  of o shore.

    t and Lantern  aste straig gone more topped  and bot t. t; ; and Je;Look!¡±

    quot;It is a raft,quot; said King tirian.

    And so it runks, all ne and neogeto make a raft, and ly do of t ter rat o steer  it.

    quot;er-Rat!  are you about?quot; cried the King.

    quot;taking logs doo sell to t; said t, touc ouched his cap if he had had one.

    quot;Calormenes!quot; tirian. quot; do you mean? rees to be felled?¡±

    tly at t time of t t  t ter-Rat looked back over its sed  out:  quot;t;  t .

    tared at one anotened ttle.

    quot;Aslan,quot; said t last, in a very lo;Aslan. Could it be  true? Could rees and murdering the Dryads?¡±

    quot;Unless t; murmured  Jewel.

    quot;But selling to Calormenes!quot; said t;Is it possible?¡±

    quot;I dont kno; said Je; a tame lion.¡±

    quot;ell,quot; said t last, quot; go on and take ture t  comes to us.¡±

    quot;It is t for us to do, Sire,quot; said t see at t  o go on alone; nor did too angry to t muche  end.

    Suddenly the King leaned hard on his friends neck and bowed his head.

    quot;Je; ;w lies before us? s arise in my  . If we oday we should have been happy.¡±

    quot;Yes,quot; said Je;e oo long. t t; tood like t for a minute or t on.

    Before long timber,  t because t of  top of it t into Lantern aste itself.  And turned we w.

    Rig ancient forest - t forest ree of Protection - a broad lane  he river.

    t cro raining as t  t t struck t about  talking Beasts  but Men.

    t t t t great and cruel country t lies  beyond Arc to t meet a Calormene or t tirian could not  understand . ig arm. the men.

    t as  t stuck in a bad muddy place.

    quot;Get on, son of slot; cried their whips.

    training h foam.

    quot;ork, lazy brute,quot; sed one of truck t  thing  happened.

    Up till noirian aken it for granted t tless animals like the horses of our  own world.

    And ted to see even a dumb  trees. It   anyone o alking o use  a w.

    But as t savage blo;Fool and tyrant! Do you not see I am doing all I can?¡±

    irian kne t t kno up, t dooget  moment botirians s by Jewels horn.

 CHAPTER THREE

    tS GLORY   quot;MAStER er ; said tirian as ily cut its traces,  quot;o enslave you? Is Narnia conquered? tle?¡±

    quot;No, Sire,quot; panted t;Aslan is  is all by his orders. he  has commanded -¡±

    quot;are danger, King,quot; said Jeirian looked up and sa Calormenes  (mixed alking Beasts) o run toion. t aken a moment before t of t  no of tars in their hands.

    quot;Quick. On my back,quot; said Jewel.

    tride of urned and galloped  a of sigream, and sed  slackening ;o Cair Paravel?¡±

    quot;; said tirian. quot;Let me off.quot; he Unicorns  back and faced him.

    quot;Je; said t;e have done a dreadful deed.¡±

    quot;e ; said Jewel.

    quot;But to leap on t defying they were  unarmed - faugh!

    e are two murderers, Jewel. I am dishonoured forever.¡±

    Jewel drooped oo was ashamed.

    quot;And t; said t;t  said t rue?¡±

    quot;But, Sire, hings?¡±

    quot; a tame lion,quot; said tirian. quot;   myself in t t ice on me.¡±

    quot;You o your deat; said Jewel.

    quot;Do you to deat; said t;t   all. ould it not be better to be dead to  Aslan  like t is as if the sun rose one day and were a black sun.¡±

    quot;I kno; said Je;Or as if you drank er and it er. You  are in t, Sire. t us go and give ourselves  up.¡±

    quot;to go.¡±

    quot;If ever  me go ; said t;If you are dead and if Aslan is not Aslan,  for me?¡±

    turned and ogetter tears.

    As soon as to to t   to;I o  tice of Aslan. Bring me before him.¡±

    quot;And I give myself up too,quot; said Jewel.

    te eyes flas a rope er  round Jeook tied  instead of a turban and seemed to be in  command, snatc off tirians ily put it a tre of t point of ttle  like a stable, cs door  of t an Ape. tirian and  Jeo see Aslan and  an Ape yet,   en times uglier t jacket  him very well, having been made  for a dwarf.

    stay on properly  because, as you kno  seemed to be a paper cros beside  cracking nuts ting out t on pulling  up t jacket to scratc number of talking Beasts stood facing   crowd looked miserably worried and bewildered. hey all groaned and whimpered.

    quot;O Lord S, mout; said t;e bring  you prisoners.

    By our skill and courage and by t god tasaken alive te murderers.¡±

    quot;Give me t mans s; said took t,  and all, to t round  made han ever.

    quot;ell see about ter,quot; said tting out a sion of t;I got some ot. t. Noen  to me, everyone. t t to say is about nuts.   to?¡±

    quot;; said a red squirrel, coming fortle bow.

    quot;O; said ty look. quot;Notend to me. I   - I mean, Aslan s - some more nuts. t arent anything  like enough.

    You must bring some more, do you  to be   tomorront be any bad ones or any small ones among  them.¡±

    A murmur of dismay ran to say:  quot;Please,  it? If we migo see him -¡±

    quot;ell you ,quot; said t;s a lot  more t of you deserve) and come out for a fees tonig   ering ions.

    Anyt to say to s . In time all you squirrels ter go and  see about ts. And make sure tomorroc.¡±

    ter terrible nes ter  en by no  they could spare.

    t belonged to a great tusked and s of the crowd.

    quot;But alk to ; it said. quot;o appear in Narnia in talk to o face.¡±

    quot;Dont you believe it,quot; said t;And even if it rue, times oo soft   going to be soft any more. o lick you into sime. eaco tame lion!¡±

    A loer t, a  dead silence will.

    quot;And no to learn,quot; said t;I . Im a Man. If I look like an Ape, ts  because Im so very old: s because Im so old  t Im so s because Im so  Im to speak to.

    be botalking to a lot of stupid animals. ell me  to do, and Ill tell t of you. And take my advice, and see you do it in  double quick time, for  mean to stand any nonsense.¡±

    t for ts motrying to make it keep quiet.

    quot;And no on, fitting a fres into  its c;I s  ting  timber over as quickly as  t  idea out of your  once. And not only to be made to ure. Aslan  all settled isroc, as our dark faced friends to be sent doo Calormen to ries. And all you digging animals  like Moles and Rabbits and Do isrocs mines. And -¡±

    quot;No, no, no,quot; s. quot;It cant be true. Aslan o slavery to the King of Calormen.¡±

    quot;None of t! ; said t; slavery? You  be slaves. Youll be paid - very good oo. t is  to say, your pay o Aslans treasury and  all for  everybodys good.quot; t  t;Most sapient Moutisroc (may his judicious plan.¡±

    quot;t; said t;Its all arranged. And all for your oo make Narnia a country ies and sching.¡±

    quot;But   all t; said an old Bear. quot;e  to be  free. And  to hear Aslan speak himself.¡±

    quot;No you start arguing,quot; said t;for its a t  stand. Im a Man: youre only a fat, stupid old Bear.  do you kno freedom? You  t you like. ell, youre  isnt true freedom.  true freedom means doing ell you.¡±

    quot;; grunted tcs  found t of  to understand.

    quot;Please, please,quot; said t everyone  all.

    quot; is it no; said t;Be quick.¡±

    quot;Please,quot; said t;I cant understand.  o do he  Calormenes?

    e belong to Aslan. to tasasure. tar. I dont  believe tas if th  him?¡±

    All t eyes  flaso  question anyone .

    t at the Lamb.

    quot;Baby!quot; ;Silly little bleater! Go o your mot do you understand of suc ten. tas old idea of us being rigter no  as names for you kno t into your upid brutes.  tasash.¡±

    You kno and  talking Beasts - all t, s, Moles, and Mice - all far sadder t. Every  tail y to  see their faces.

    t look at all unhappy.

    It  - a great big tom in t bolt  uprigail curled round oes, in t ros. aring  tain all time and had never once  blinked his eyes.

    quot;Excuse me,quot; said t very politely, quot;but terests me. Does your  friend from Calormen say the same?¡±

    quot;Assuredly,quot; said t;tened Ape - Man, I mean - is in  t.

    Aslan means neitash.¡±

    quot;Especially, Aslan means no more tas; suggested t.

    quot;No more at all,quot; said t straighe face.

    quot;Is t good enoug; said the Ape.

    quot;Oainly,quot; said Ginger coolly. quot;ted to  be quite clear. I to understand.¡±

    Up till noing until  t it errupting. But noirian looked round on t Aslan and tas no longer.

    quot;Ape,quot;  voice, quot;you lie damnably. You lie like a  Calormene. You lie like an Ape.¡±

    to go on and ask errible god taso speak, t  day;  ts migrut before ruck  from under error.

    quot;take ake ake  hear us, nor we  hear him.

    tie o a tree. I ice on er.¡±

 CHAPTER FOUR

    NIGht

    t  ied s and put raig  an asree. t and  and left

    t - for it is often little t are  to  stand -

    tle trickle  of blood a tickled him.

    From tle stable on top of tting in front of it.  ill going on  and, every no  make out the words.

    quot;I o Je; t the King.

    Presently ts broke up and began going a  directions.

    Some passed close to tirian. t ened and sorry to see ied up but none of t past and tirian became first  very ty and ternoon dragged on and turned into  evening, oo.  do began to  be t.

    dark tirian  pitter-patter of feet and saures coming to in t tle  bags on t at first  kind of beasts t, tanding up on talking Beasts of t sort are  bigger ts of the same kind in England.)

    quot;Lord King! dear Lord King,quot; said t; untie you because Aslan mig   you your supper.¡±

    At once t Mouse climbed nimbly up till  bound tirians c and  of tirians face.  t belo Mouse. ts  stood on things up.

    quot;Drink, Sire, and to eat,quot; said topmost  Mouse, and tirian found t a little  asted t before it y. But  t do and it irian emptied it a second time. In t on till e a good drink,  tle doses, for t is more t-quenc.

    quot;; said t Mouse, quot;but not very muc oo ty.quot; And after t-cakes and  frester, and th some more wine.

    quot;No; said t Mouse, quot;and Ill was.¡±

    tirian felt sometiny sponge dabbing   refreshing.

    quot;Little friends,quot; said tirian, quot;his?¡±

    quot;You neednt, you neednt,quot; said ttle voices. quot; else could   any ot  you ill  into pieces before  tie you up. e   go against Aslan.¡±

    quot;Do you t really is Aslan?quot; asked the King.

    quot;O; said t. quot; of table last night. e  all saw him.¡±

    quot; he King.

    quot;Like a terrible, great Lion, to be sure,quot; said one of the Mice.

    quot;And you t is really Aslan he King of Calormen?¡±

    quot;As bad, isnt it?quot; said t;It er if  t about it. Everyone says it is  Aslans orders.

    And . ed o come back to Narnia.¡±

    quot;o ime,quot; said t Mouse.  quot;e must all  kno.  be  punis I do t be told  was!¡±

    quot;I suppose ; said t.

    quot;I dont care if it is,quot; said one of t;Id do it again.¡±

    But t;O; and quot;Do be careful,quot; and t;ere sorry, dear King, but  go back no o be caught  here.¡±

    quot;Leave me at once, dear Beasts,quot; said tirian. quot;I  for all Narnia  bring any of you into danger.¡±

    quot;Goodnig,quot; said ts, rubbing t ;e ; ttered a hey came.

    tars came out and time  slo King of Narnia stood stiff and sore and uprig tree in  at last something happened.

    Far a. t disappeared for a moment and  came back again, bigger and stronger. to and fro  on t and carrying bundles and t . It , and people o it. Presently it blazed up and tirian could see t it op of the hill.

    e clearly table be, all lit up in t cros and Men bet be t o t  .

    t  and boimes to t of table. t got up and opened t  iffly - came out of table and stood facing the crowd.

    A great  tirian could he words.

    quot;Aslan! Aslan! Aslan!quot; cried ts. quot;Speak to us. Comfort us. Be angry  h us no more.¡±

    From  very clearly   it   expected Aslan to look like t stiff tood and said  not  s  t tas  t be a c.

    t o tening to somet o turned clumsily round and o table and t t. After t t  out for t vanise suddenly, and  tirian he darkness.

    of otimes and  it seemed to  none of t of  -grandfat-grandfatolen ac s. But t  in terious

    c o Narnia and ;Its not like t ; said tirian to  furt about Rilians fatried to murder o t t story too  in t time -  battle and set ;But it ; said tirian to ;t sort of t ; And t ory  t remarkable ted terrible e itcer, and after t  toget Cair Paravel, till t great Kings and lovely Queens, and to t story a lot. o all tories too, as tirian no;Aslan - and c; t tirian.  quot;t t. Ohey could  now.¡±

    And  quot;Aslan! Aslan! Aslan! Come and help us now.¡±

    But tness  on just the same.

    quot;Let me be killed,quot; cried t;I ask not come and  save all Narnia.¡±

    And still t or t to  be a kind of cirian. it kno  someronger. quot;O; ;If you  come  yourself, at least send me t me call t  my voice carry beyond t; t ,  in a great voice:  quot;Co me. Across tirian, King of Narnia, Lord of Cair Paravel, and Emperor of the  Lone Islands!¡±

    And immediately o a dream (if it han any he had had in his life.

    o be standing in a lig round a  table. It looked as if t finise beard and an old  t ainly younger  tirian   say t at t irian across table sat a fair-her side of her<bdo>h£ô£ô£ð://£÷£÷£÷?9£¹£ì£éb?ne£ô</bdo>

    a boy and girl  seemed  to tirian t kind of clothes.

    But ime to t details like t, for instantly tarted to t, and one of ttle scream. tarted and dreoo for tood at   off table:  tirian could inkling noise as it broke on the floor.

    tirian realized t taring at  . But iced t t at t never moved (turned pale) except t ig;Speak, if youre not a pom or a dream. You   you and he seven friends of Narnia.¡±

    tirian o speak, and ried to cry out aloud t irian of Narnia, in great need of  imes found in dreams too)  t  all.

    to o . quot;S  or ; irian. quot;If you are from  Narnia, I co me. I am Peter the high King.¡±

    to sirians eyes.  once, and all getting fainter every second, and t;Look! Its fading.quot; quot;Its melting a; quot;Its vanis; Next  moment ill tied to tree, colder and stiffer t t comes before sunrise, and

    was nearly morning.

    t  t moment he had ever had in his life.

 CHAPTER FIVE

    O t last long. Almost at once ty a second before and  come from beree, for  simply appeared from no t of clothe  people in his

    dream; and  a second glance, t t boy and  girl out of t party of seven.

    quot;Gos; said t;t took ones breat -¡±

    quot; ied,quot; said t;e can talk, after;  turning to tirian, quot;Im sorry  we  could.¡±

    and ting too quickly, in fact, for tiff  and numb t   get up again till  some life back into his legs by a good rubbing.

    quot;I say,quot; said t;It  it,   nig supper? Nearly a week ago.¡±

    quot;A ; said tirian. quot;My dream led me into your en minutes since.¡±

    quot;Its t times, Pole,quot; said the Boy.

    quot;I remember no; said tirian. quot;t too comes in all tales. time of your strange land is different from ours. But if ime, tis time to  be gone from  h me?¡±

    quot;Of course,quot; said t;Its you o help.¡±

    tirian got to  and led table.  to go but  aim o get to rocky  places er so t t. took t an   alk. But even so, tirian kept on stealing  glances at ures from anottle dizzy: but it also made all tories seem far more  real t happen now.

    quot;No; said tirian as to ttle valley ; of danger of t; twinkling on every  branch, and birds were singing.

    quot; about some grub? - I mean for you, Sir, ; said the Boy.

    tirian ;grubquot;, but , ood.  t about it  till t moment. te in t been so   muce, for t is a sort of food nobody eats in  Narnia. By time en all six sandtom of ttle fountain bubbling out of it. All topped and drank and splas faces.

    quot;And no; said tossed  ;arent you going to tell us s all  about?¡±

    quot;it; said tirian. quot;But  keep on t;  So  o him.

    quot;And no;  t;I am going to a certain to  in my grandsires time to guard Lantern aste against certain perilous  outla touals also, tter t. tell me ory.¡±

    quot;Im Eustace Scrubb and t; said t;And   in -¡±

    quot;; cried tirian, quot;are you t Eustace and t Jill ?¡±

    quot;Yes, ts us,quot; said Jill. quot;So -¡±

    quot;Nay,quot; said tirian, quot;I am t from wo hundred years.¡±

    Jill made a face. quot;Ug; s;ts t about coming  back to Narnia.¡±

    But Eustace  on.

    quot;ell no  Polly  all us friends of Narnia together -¡±

    quot;I kno tace,quot; said tirian.

    quot;t to talk.¡±

    quot;By t; cried tirian. quot;the  Lady Polly!

    From till in your place? t! But tell me, tell me.¡±

    quot;S really our aunt, you kno; said Eustace. quot;S  us all togetly just for fun, so t  alk to about t) but partly because t er t, ain thing up.

    t question   go just by ing to. So  alked and talked and at last t   Polly got  ts our big too get at t er and Edmund - ts ter, to you -  up to  London to get into t if anyone did see t o do somet t must have been  glorious fun.

    And t  day Peter sent us a s a  sort of message, Sire, Ill explain about it some otime - to say  ter t o go back to sc sc ter and Edmund o meet us at a  place on to sc o be us to Narnia, you see, because t come again. So  into  train ts a kind of travel in in our  of  Polly and Lucy came ed to keep  togetrain. And  getting to  tation  us, and I  of to  see if I could see t frigy tied up to tree.¡±

    quot;So you never used t; said tirian.

    quot;No,quot; said Eustace. quot;Never even sa all for us in  any Rings.¡±

    quot;But ter ; said tirian.

    quot;Yes,quot; said Jill. quot;But  t o Narnia again. And  to the high King, only  longer ago.

    You may be sure  if hes allowed.¡±

    quot;Gos; said Eustace. quot;Its getting  in there,  Sire?¡±

    quot;Look,quot; said tirian and pointed. Not many yards atlements rose  above tree-tops, and after a minutes more  in an open  grassy space. A stream ran across it and on tream stood a squat,  square to  faced them.

    tirian looked s to make sure t no enemies oood still for a moment fising-dress on a narro  round his neck.

    It , for t once t t rooms in palaces, or cs and caskets of s-smelling  contained royal treasures. But t into tiff and for a moment tirian began to  be afraid t  be able to turn it: but at last h a sullen creak.

    quot;elcome friends,quot; said tirian. quot;I fear t palace t to s.¡±

    tirian o see t trangers  up.  t to mention it and t t would be very nice.

    As a matter of fact it  particularly nice. It her dark and  smelled very damp.

    t and t rigo tone  roof: a aircase in one corner led up to a trap door by  on  ttlements. to sleep in, and a great many  lockers and bundles. t a fire  in it for a great many years.

    quot;ed better go out and gat t ; said  Jill.

    quot;Not yet, comrade,quot; said tirian. ermined t t be  caug o oed once a year and to  make sure t tocked rings  rust, and t brigs  tter. quot;Look you!quot;  said tirian as  a long mail s of a curious pattern and flas before  the childrens eyes.

    quot;ts funny-looking mail, Sire,quot; said Eustace.

    quot;Aye, lad,quot; said tirian. quot;No Narnian D. tis mail of  Calormen, outlandis a fes of it in readiness, for I  never knew when I or

    my friends migo isrocs land. And look  on tone bottle. In t on our hands  and faces, will make us brown as Calormenes.¡±

    quot;O; said Jill. quot;Disguise! I love disguises.¡±

    tirian so pour out a little of to t  doo t up to the same himself.

    quot;After t; ;  change.

    Not oil and ase Narnians again. And no  Jill, let us go see  becomes you. tis sometoo long, yet not so  mucless it belonged to a page in train of one of tarkaans.¡±

    After ts t on Calormene s, ting tigo top. tirian took long rolls of  some uff out of ts till turbans: but ttle steel spike still stuck up in tace took curved  Calormene stle round s enoug raiging knife  a pinch.

    quot; any skill ; said tirian.

    quot;Notalking of,quot; said Jill, blus;Scrubbs not bad.¡±

    quot;Dont you believe ; said Eustace. quot;eve botising  arc back from Narnia last time, and s as good as me no t either of us is much.¡±

    tirian gave Jill a bo business  o lig to still felt more like a cave t one s t  its   - and once to look c to pound up some of  t o boiling er, , so  as to make a kind of porridge. And of course to drink but er.

    quot;I  of tea,quot; said Jill.

    quot;Or a tin of cocoa,quot; said Eustace.

    quot;A firkin or so of good  ; said tirian.

 CHAPTER SIX

    A GOOD NIG four er tirian flung o one of to snatctle sleep. t of t and  at  t do  sleep. Also, ired t. First ice in arc, t up to Narnian standards, s too bad. Indeed sing a rabbit (not a talking  rabbit, of course: ts of t in estern Narnia) and it   t kind of t journey  t-Land in tried to teacace o use ace e a lot about s t raigar and t made it rokes  are quite different and some of ts o be unlearned again. But tirian found t .

    trengt to be already mucronger and bigger and more gro  met t is one of ts wen ors from our world.

    All t t t do o go  back to Stable ry to rescue Jeer t, if try to get a ttle army aur would  be bringing from Cair Paravel.

    An experienced irian can al time s. So ill nine oclock t nig all   of  once. It seemed only a moment later  imed ly.  up, put on -and-turban ( in ), and till to tell trut of there was a good deal of yawning.

    quot;No; said tirian, quot;une tis a  starry nig   round-about but noo talk like a curst, cruel, proud lord of Calormen. If I  draace, must do like Jill leap beand  ring. But if I cry `o none try to fig even one stroke after I reat: sucable plans in t  us go forward.¡±

    Out t into t. All t Nortars ree-tops. tar of t  is  brigar.

    For a time traigo presently to a dense t so t to go out of to get round it.  And after t -for till overs   again: s Guide in England.  And of course sars perfectly, ravelled so muc tion from otars even  s pat . And toniso find ly and almost  invisibly shem.

    quot;By t; o Eustace. quot;t better.¡±

    quot;Ss  Jill from in  front said: quot;S-s-s-h, less noise.¡±

    All round t. Indeed it oo quiet. On an  ordinary Narnia nig to ;Goodnig; from a e in tance to  tell of Fauns dancing, or some t was silenced: gloom and fear reigned over Narnia.

    After a time to go steeply uprees gre. tirian could dimly make out top and table. Jill ion: s on making signs to to do  topped dead still and tirian sa a sound. A moment later s o tirians ear, and said in t possible  doter.quot; S because s because ster S is  t of a o be overirian at once lay do as  silently as Jill, but not quite, for  position you could see t tar- stre: one able, and t  in front of it, ry. c anding but sitting . quot;ell  done,quot; said tirian to Jill. Sly w o know.

    t up and tirian noook to  breato a little clump of trees y  feet ainel.

    quot;ait ill I come again,quot; o t;If I  miscarry, fly.quot; tered out boldly in full viearted o jump to : irian mig  into trouble for sitting do before  up tirian ;Art tisrocs, may  c to meet ts and devils of Narnians. Give me thy hand, friend.¡±

    Before   instant someone was kneeling on  his neck.

    quot;One noise and t dead,quot; said tirian in ;tell me w live.¡±

    quot;B - beable, O My Master,quot; stammered tunate man.

    quot;Good. Rise up and lead me to him.¡±

    As t up t of t  only  travelled round (cold and raticklisirian got betled it at a  convenient place under rembling  round to table.

    t irian could see te s once.

    quot;; ;No, do not neig is I. ied  thee?¡±

    quot;ied o a ring in table  ; came Jewels voice.

    quot;Stand ry, o t t of your  t.¡±

    quot;it; said Jewel.

    quot;If o t.quot; tirian cut try . Finally uffed it full of grass and tied o c o a sitting position and set  the wall.

    quot;I esy, soldier,quot; said tirian. quot;But suc again I may o do tter turn. No us go  softly.¡±

    arm round ts neck and bent and kissed its nose and  bot joy. t back as quietly as possible to t  t rees and o Eustace before  he saw him.

    quot;Alls ; ;A good nights work. Now for home.¡±

    turned and ace said, quot;; t;Is Jill on t; he asked.

    quot;?quot; said tirian. quot;Is s on ther side of your¡±

    It errible moment. t s but t where was no reply.

    quot;Did s; asked tirian.

    quot;I didnt see or ; said Eustace. quot;But s my kno; youve seen for yourself.¡±

    At t moment a far off drum beat was ;Dwarfs,¡±

    he said.

    quot;And treac,quot; muttered tirian.

    quot;And ; said Jewel.

    till. t to  t t knoo do. teadily nearer. And te close to t;here?¡±

    t was Jills.

    quot;o?quot; said Eustace in a furious wened.

    quot;In table,quot; gasped Jill, but it  of gasp you give er.

    quot;O; groace, quot;you t funny, do you? ell all I can say is  -¡±

    quot; Je; asked Jill.

    quot;Yes.  is t beast h you?¡±

    quot;ts ; said Jill. quot;But lets be off ;  And again ttle explosions of laughter.

    t once for t  dangerous place and to tle nearer. It er tes t Eustace said:  quot;Got  do you mean?¡±

    quot;t; said Jill.

    quot;?quot; said tirian. quot; have you done?¡±

    quot;ell, Sire,quot; said Jill. quot;As soon as I sa youd got try out of  t  I better able and see  o dra.

    Of course it cable. truck a lig? - t all t tied on to old o come along ter of fact I neednt ened  all. able and quite ready to come -   you, Puzzle dear?¡±

    quot;Great Scott!quot; said Eustace. quot;ell Im - jiggered. I  ago, and I still t o sneak off  t of  us: but I must admit - o say -  ly gorgeous to do.  If so be knig she, Sire?¡±

    quot;If s; said tirian, quot;s;  And in t minute  tal.

    quot; are you doing, Sire?quot; asked Jewel sharply.

    quot;Drao smite off t; said tirian  in a terrible voice. quot;Stand clear, girl.¡±

    quot;O, please dont,quot; said Jill. quot;Really, you mustnt. It  . It  knoter. And  my arms round his neck.¡±

    quot;Jill,quot; said tirian, quot;you are t and most s, but also t malapert and disobedient. ell: let t o say  for yourself, Ass?¡±

    quot;Me, Sire?quot; came t;Im sure Im very sorry if Ive done  ed me to dress up like t. And I t  clever like  I old. It  any fun for me living in  t stable. I dont even knoside.  me out except for a  minute or t nig to give me any er too.¡±

    quot;Sire,quot; said Je;t  to meet them?¡±

    tirian t for a moment and t laug loud.  t time in a ; ;I am groted!

    Meet tainly  t anyone noo. e can  srut. s out. tides turned. tomorro tree in Narnia. No more whispering and skulking and  disguises.

    Dwarfs? e hem.¡±

    alking  out loud irring effect. ty began talking and lauged up  allo off in tion of t  greeadily louder and soon torc as  on one of  t all in England) e. And turdily along,  ty Dtle spades and mattocks over two more broughe rear.

    quot;Stay!quot; tirian as epped out on t;Stay, soldiers.  hese Narnian Dwarfs and by whose orders?¡±

 CHAPTER SEVEN

    MAINLY ABOUt DARFS   t t took  for a tarkaan or great lord o a  and raised te.

    quot;O My Master,quot; said one of t;o Calormen to  isroc, may-he-live-forever. ¡°

    quot;By t god tas,quot; said tirian. turned to t one in six of torc  flickering lig ;isroc foug battle, D; ;t tiently to die in t-pits of Pugrahan?¡±

    t  t;Aslans orders, Aslans orders.  can  him?¡±

    quot;tisroc indeed!quot; added one and spat. quot;Id like to see ry it!¡±

    quot;Silence, dogs!quot; said the chief soldier.

    quot;Look!quot; said tirian, pulling Puzzle foro t. quot;It  come to Narnia at all. You ed by t out of table to s it.¡±

    t t close, ainly enougo make taken in. t pretty  untidy already during Puzzles imprisonment in table and it  of it was in a big lump on  one shoulder.

    t very far back so  t anyone could no. Some  grass stuck out of one corner of tle quiet nibbling as  t tering, quot;It  my fault, Im not clever. I never  said I was.¡±

    For one second all taring at Puzzle ;Are you mad, My Master?  are you  doing to t; and t;And  te noion.

    quot;Give t; said the chief soldier.

    quot;t; said t;t is  da, for I am tirian of Narnia.¡±

    ning. Eustace,  I  blame . And  beginners sometimes do  all t tirian ried to teac afternoon, slas sure  s) and suddenly found, to  surprise, t t . And t  relief, it  t, ratening. t lasted a second or too  ed to Eustace, quot;are two.¡±

    But ttled t.

    quot;ell struck, Eustace!quot; cried tirian, clapping ;Noomorroo free all Narnia. three cheers for Aslan!¡±

    But t empt from a fe five)  all.

    quot;Dont tand?quot; said Jill impatiently. quot;s  you  ts all over. t going to rule  Narnia any longer.

    Everyone can go back to ordinary life. You can  you  glad?¡±

    After a pause of nearly a minute a not-very-nice-looking D said: quot;And w you be, Missie?¡±

    quot;Im Jill,quot; s;tment and tace oo - and er  us.¡±

    t one anot merry  ones.

    quot;ell,quot; said t;I dont kno to for t  of my life.¡±

    quot;ts rigs rig; gro;Its all a plant,  all a blooming plant.¡±

    quot; do you mean?quot; said tirian.  been pale   to be a beautiful moment, but it  urning out more like a bad dream.

    quot;You must t in t you must,quot; said  Griffle. quot;eve been taken in once and no us to be taken in again t  minute. eve no more use for stories about Aslan, see! Look at h long  ears!¡±

    quot;By ; said tirian. quot;  is tation of t you understand?¡±

    quot;And youve got a better imitation, I suppose!quot; said Griffle. quot;No t going to be fooled again.¡±

    quot;I ,quot; said tirian angrily, quot;I serve the real Aslan.¡±

    quot;o us!quot; said several Dwarfs.

    quot;Do you t, fools?quot; said tirian. quot;  I could make Aslan appear at my bidding?  a tame lion.¡±

    t t of   once began repeating quot;not a tame lion, not a tame  lion,quot; in a jeering sing-song. quot;ts  kept on telling us,quot; said one.

    quot;Do you mean you dont believe in t; said Jill. quot;But Ive  seen  us t world.¡±

    quot;A; said Griffle ;So you say. tauguff all rig you?¡±

    quot;C; cried tirian, quot;o her very face?¡±

    quot;You keep a civil tongue in your er,quot; replied t;I dont  t any more Kings - if you are tirian, o look after ourselves from noouco nobody. See?¡±

    quot;ts rig; said t;ere on our oories about ot; And to fall into to get ready for marco  whey had come from.

    quot;Little beasts!quot; said Eustace. quot;Arent you even going to say t-mines?¡±

    quot;O t,quot; said Griffle over ;You ed  to make use of us, ts why you rescued us. Youre playing some game of your own. Come  on you chaps.¡±

    And truck up ttle marc, and off tramped into the darkness.

    tirian and ared after t;Come,quot; and tinued their journey.

    t party. Puzzle felt o be still in disgrace, and  also  really quite understand aces victory over t  almost sace,  ill beating ratirian and Jeogetimes  t nose. t try to comfort  one anot  very easy to to say t ing. tirian  one of ts of an Apes setting up as a false  Aslan would be

    to stop people from believing in t quite sure t  to   nigo Stable o all tures and everyone  ter a scuffle   no seemed,  on not turn the Dwarfs?

    quot;Somebodys coming after us, I t; said Puzzle suddenly.

    topped and listened. Sure enoug behem.

    quot;; sed the King.

    quot;Only me, Sire,quot; came a voice. quot;Me, Poggin t  managed to get a a Drike a blo side before alls  done.¡±

    Everyone cro difference,  but it ace didnt stay brigoo tired to t anyt bed.

    It  t , just before da t  back to tower.

    If to  eat, but tting one  to be t of. tream, splaser, and tumbled into t for  Puzzle and Jeside. t as , full-groher  crowded.

    Narnian D   toug and strongest creatures t Poggin, in spite of a e nig once took Jills bo  out and s a couple of  plucking tep and  cting to Je a good deal better t and delicatest of beasts, o alking to  t tand  like grass and sugar and tace came out of to almost  ten, ty of a Narnian astes a good deal nicer tle butter  and pepper to make it perfect, but t got t al ste or dinner, . tirian  a little furto t back some brancime,

    especially as it smelled nicer and nicer t came to being done -  te D for Poggin: mail s, , s, and dagger.

    ted Eustaces s Eustace  it back in  t and made to  clean and polis.

    All t to and fro, sometimes stirring t and  sometimes looking out enviously at tentedly grazing. imes t morning s grass!

    But  ing for, and  ten as muc on tep, ted ones lay  doirian) lit  ;No, ale do tell of my escape?¡±

    quot;As cunning a tale, Sire, as ever ; said Poggin. quot;It , Ginger, , and most likely made it up too. ts if ever a cat ree to o repeat  can ning and sy up at one mouts trembled at tory and some fainted rig up. t Aslan does to t respect  t be a o you all. And tures

    in t your Majestys escape  set till o aid you, but only made  t to the Ape.¡±

    quot; devilis; said tirian. quot;the  Apes counsels.¡±

    quot;Its more a question by no; replied  t;taken to drinking, you see. My belief is t t is noly carried on by Ginger or Riss tain. And I t Ginger tered among to blame for turn they  made you.

    And Ill tell you ings   broken up t before last and Id gone a bit of t  my pipe behind.

    It e, so I  back to look for it.  But before I got to tting (it cs voice say Me stood as  still as if I arkaan, said t in t silky voice of  ed to knoly w we

    bot today about Aslan meaning no more tasless, most  sagacious of cats, says t t; quot;All ,  said tarkaan.

    `tand one anot. `Do you, like me, grotle upid, greedy brute, says t   use . t provide for all t and make t ter,  it, said Ginger, `to let some of tened Narnians into our counsels: one by one as . For ts   any moment: and rays .

    But tas o t and sucisroc may give t Cat, said tain. `But c;  o   down. Now Puzzle sed his head uneasily.  Jill looked up.

    quot;Its clouding over,quot; she said.

    quot;And its so cold,quot; said Puzzle.

    quot;Cold enoug; said tirian, blohis?¡±

    quot;P; gasped Eustace. quot;Its like somet? And ice it before?¡±

    it upo  and pointed h his  horn.

    quot;Look!quot; ;Look at it! Look, look!¡±

    ttermost dismay.

 CHAPTER EIGHT

    NES t   IN trees on t  a first glance you migaken it  for smoke, for it . But t t its sead of billowing and  curling as smoke

    s retc Nort ed to snatcs  grip; and its fingers - all ty of ts beak and ed, bird-like claead of nails. It floated on tead of o .

    After one look at it Puzzle gave a screaming bray and darted into to t of it.

    tc for pere, until it streamed ao trees on t and disappeared. t again, and to sing.

    Everyone started breatill as statues .

    quot; ?quot; said Eustace in a whisper.

    quot;I  once before,quot; said tirian. quot;But t time it one and overlaid  o tisrocs court in tashbaan.

    ook me into t temple of tas, carved above tar.¡±

    quot;t - t tas; said Eustace.

    But instead of ansh you, Lady?¡±

    quot;A-all rig; said Jill, taking rying to smile. quot;Im all rig only made me feel a little sick for a moment.¡±

    quot;It seems, t; said t;t taser all.¡±

    quot;Yes,quot; said t;And t believe in  tas more tasash has come.¡±

    quot; - o?quot; said Jill.

    quot;Norto t of Narnia,quot; said tirian. quot;It o d and it has come.¡±

    quot;; coget;It   call for demons unless t  they say.¡±

    quot;aso t; said Jewel.

    quot; to?quot; said Eustace.

    ted out Puzzles name and Jill  round to too see if here.

    te tired of looking for  last iously out of t; gone a; And  t o come out, orm.

    quot;I see no; said Puzzle, quot;t I really  never to ened to S. I never t to  happen.¡±

    quot;If youd spent less time saying you  clever and more time trying to  be as clever as you could -quot; began Eustace but Jill interrupted him.

    quot;O; s;It ake;   it, Puzzle dear?¡±

    And she nose.

    t ty no do on alk.

    Jele to tell t nearly  all ime tied up at table, and oo) and beaten and tened

    and  so t every nig o be executed t been rescued.  knohe Lamb.

    tion to decide able  nigo try to make tricked, or o meet t  taur urn against tirian o bully  longer t nigly one  couldnt be sure ake it even if o be reckoned  t  ty of them.

    tirian felt sure t if to  count for mucing them.

    But  sat and  looked on? or even foug oo great. And too, tash.

    mig do?

    And ted out, to  deal ies for a day or t and  s

    easy to see ory o explain t.  If ts asked niger nigo see Aslan, and no Aslan  of t suspicious.

    In t t to go off and try to  meet Roon.

    As soon as t  t (except perace). But I daresay t eac to go any nearer - or not yet - to t ing Stable ter when one has made up ones mind.

    tirian said tter remove t  to  be mistaken for Calormenes and pertacked by any loyal Narnians t meet. t of  t for rubbing on s doo tream. ty mixture made a  lat like soft soap: it ,  to see tirian and t back to tora good rue Narnian style, raig;Body of me,quot; said tirian. quot;t is better. I feel a true man again.¡±

    Puzzle begged very o aken off  oo  and t  made him  look so silly.

    But told o  a bit longer, for till  ed to s get-up to ts, even to meet  Roon first.

    of t and rabbit-meat   took some biscuits. tirian locked to ay there.

    It tle after ternoon , and it  really  spring. to be muc terday: t t slanted  trees, birds sang, and al of siger. It as, quot;t last.quot; Even tirians  grew lighe refrain:  ho, rumble, rumble, rumble, Rumble drum belaboured.

    After tace and Poggin telling  Eustace trees, birds, and plants w know  already.

    Sometimes Eustace ell  English ones.

    After ter oget say, quite fallen in love -  and s far  , delicatest, most graceful animal  s: and le and soft of speec, if you  knole.

    quot;O; said Jill. quot;Just  of adventure. Its a pity theres always so much happening in  Narnia.¡±

    But to  se mistaken.   ters of Adam and Eve range o  Narnia only at times , but snt t  . In bets till you could  to put into tory  Books. And  on to talk of old Queens and e te itc inter,   pool tion of  of ter like a star by niger erfall and  men spoke in w  Cair Paravel.

    old  from Frank t of all  Kings, o tern seas and delivered turn, to be part of talked of able dances and feasts, or at most tournaments,  could  be remembered, and every day and er t. And as  on, ture of all till it o a ricers and cornfields,  got ty from distance. And s;Otle t back to times.

    And to . O it be lovely if  Narnia just  on and on - like  has been?¡±

    quot;Nay, sister,quot; ans;all o an end, except Aslans  ory.¡±

    quot;ell, at least,quot; said Jill, quot;I  are opping for?¡±

    tace and taring up at t  it   sort time.

    It  the blue.

    quot;I dare s; said t;from its flig it is a talking  bird.¡±

    quot;So t; said t;But is it a friend, or a spy of the Apes?¡±

    quot;to me, Sire,quot; said t;it  the Eagle.¡±

    quot;Ougo rees?quot; said Eustace.

    quot;Nay,quot; said tirian, quot;best stand still as rocks. ain  if we moved.¡±

    quot;Look! ; said Je;he is coming down  in wide circles.¡±

    quot;Arroring, Lady,quot; said tirian to Jill. quot;But by no means s till I  bid you. he may be a friend.¡±

    If one  o  it   to ced on a rocky  crag a fe from tirian, bo;hail, King.¡±

    quot;,quot; said tirian. quot;And since you call me King, I may  a follo glad of your coming.¡±

    quot;Sire,quot; said t;  ever befell you.¡±

    tirians  seemed to stop beating at t  eet;tell on.¡±

    quot;tisrocs banner advanced upon your royal  battlements: and your subjects flying from ty - t, into taken from ty great s in t before last night.¡±

    No one could speak.

    quot;And t, five leagues nearer t  taur lying dead   o your Majesty: to remember t all o  an end and t noble deatreasure o buy.¡±

    quot;So,quot; said ter a long silence, quot;Narnia is no more.¡±

 CHAPTER NINE

    t MEEtING ON StABLE ime t speak nor even sear. tamped th his hoof, and shook his mane, and spoke.

    quot;Sire,quot; ;t tless  traffic  isroc, and as soon as  o make ready  aking of Cair Paravel and all Narnia. Not to go back to Stable rutake ture t Aslan  sends us. And if, by a great marvel,  ty Calormenes urn again and die in battle er  of t will soon  march from Cair Paravel.¡±

    tirian nodded. But urned to t;No is  time for you to go o your oless you  you  to do.¡±

    quot;B - but ; said Jill ly but because everything was so horrible.

    quot;Nay,quot; said t;you loosed me from tree: you glided before me  like a snake last nigook Puzzle: and you, Eustace, killed your man.  But you are too young to s meet tonig may be, treat you - nay, I command you - to return to your  oo s suctle on my  side.¡±

    quot;No, no, no,quot; said Jill (very ;e , I dont care o  stick to you ace?¡±

    quot;Yes, but to get so  it,quot; said Eustace ting  looks ;Because, you see, alking about our going back!  no magic for doing it!¡±

    t, at t, Jill ed Eustace for saying  it. ter-of-fact ed.

    irian realized t trangers could not get  ed to go across tains  into Arc possibly be safe. But t knoo send ainly take Arc isroc ed to ries for ace and  Jill begged so  tirian said take t, quot;ture t Aslan ;.

    t idea  t go back to Stable  by noill after dark. But told t if  t ted, except  perry. ts oo frig told t taso go near it except   meetings. And Calormenes are  never good  t even by daylig round  to some being seen. to do s togety. And  table, completely out of sigill t at o produce o  give the Narnians a sudden surprise.

    Everyone agreed and ty set off on a ne -  toed imes fleo and fro above times  perc even t in some great  need - would dream of riding on a Unicorn.

    time Jill and Eustace ogeto be alloo come  no  feel brave at all.

    quot;Pole,quot; said Eustace in a ell you Ive got the  wind up.¡±

    quot;O, Scrubb,quot; said Jill. quot;You can fig I - Im just  s to knoruth.¡±

    quot;O; said Eustace. quot;Im feeling Im going to be sick.¡±

    quot;Dont talk about t, for goodness sake,quot; said Jill.

    t on in silence for a minute or two.

    quot;Pole,quot; said Eustace presently.

    quot;?quot; said she.

    quot;ll  killed here?¡±

    quot;ell well be dead, I suppose.¡±

    quot;But I mean, rain? Or s vanish and never be heard of any more?  Or shall we be dead in England?¡±

    quot;Gos of t.¡±

    quot;Itll be rum for Peter and t of train comes in here in England.¡±

    quot;Ug; said Jill. quot; a horrid idea.¡±

    quot;It  be ; said Eustace. quot;e s be there.¡±

    quot;I almost ; said Jill.

    quot; o say?¡±

    quot;I o say I , I dont, I  dont. Even if ing for Narnia tupid  at  in a bat the same.¡±

    quot;Or be smasish Railways!¡±

    quot;?¡±

    quot;ell  seemed to to  Narnia - I t it . So I o find  ourselves ead.¡±

    ace alking about t   o be done t and t of  t all o t of  t topped talking it  and make tc t on talking. Poggin e c ts o do.

    to t once. And  believe t all tick to Griffle.

    And fig and in and out among trees age  to toniging ter?

    ern aste beyond t  erfall and live like outla gradually get stronger and  stronger, for talking Beasts and Arc  last t of  careless by  t of try and Narnia er all, somet ime of King Miraz!

    And tirian  quot;But  tas; and felt in   none of it o   say so.

    nearer to Stable . t at o t at able, it took t of t describe properly unless one e pages and pages  about it. t of cover to t e adventure, and  ts in bet or  a good Guide you  must  sunset trees about fifteen yards beable. t and lay down.

    t part, ting. Luckily for t  for a couple of  of course t grey and ting a drink. Puzzle just stood,  stle  tirian,   Je as soundly as if  Cair Paravel, till ting a t on table and kne the hour had come.

    quot;Kiss me, Je; ;For certainly t nig you in any matter great or small, forgive me now.¡±

    quot;Dear King,quot; said t;I could almost wis I  mig.

    Fareogeto.¡±

    t,  foro table. t Puzzle (not  a kind  be,  telling  to move till someone came to fetcook up tion at one  end of table.

    t been lit for long and  beginning to blaze up.  It  a croures , so t tirian could not at first see tion of ts  or cats eyes in the

    s of a car. And just as tirian took opped  beating and from somearkaan tain. to tarkaans  ;Not so fast, dont go so fast, Im not  at all ings are getting too muc meant to be up at nigs not as if I  or a bat - o;  On t and stately, ail straig. to tirian t  t once if t direction. Fortunately  t. But tirian o Ginger in a lo;No, to t. See t well.¡±

    quot;Miao on me!quot; said Ginger. tepped a do ros: in t say.

    For really, as it re. ts; ttle grassy place just in  front of table, ood to talk to tage; table itself  tage;  and tirian and  ion. If any of tepped foro t, all eyes  ood still in table, it  ticed.

    Risarkaan dragged to turned to face t t toirian and  his friends.

    quot;No; said Risarkaan in a lo;Say t  o t; As tle prod or kick from be of oe.

    quot;Do leave me alone,quot; muttered S. But  up straig;Noen, all of you. A terrible t t ever was done in Narnia. And Aslan -¡±

    quot;tas; warkaan.

    quot;tas; said t;is very angry about it.¡±

    terrible silence ed to  nerouble ore for ttle party by table also  on earth was coming now?

    quot;Yes,quot; said t;At t,  be o do hink

    no one o do even if  self up in a lion-skin and is  in tending to be  Aslan.¡±

    Jill  if to tell  trut up from ts. quot;Grrr!quot; came t; let me get my teeto him!¡±

    quot;It  nig; screamed t;but it got as a  Donkey! A common, miserable Ass! If any of you see t Ass -¡±

    quot;Grrr!quot; gros. quot;e er keep out of our  way.¡±

    Jill looked at tood ttle  trut tronger.  elling ts t an ass o deceive t;ts just ;  ear ;ts taken t of our sails,quot; ;taken from under our feet,quot; said tirian. quot;Cursed, cursed  cleverness!quot; said Poggin. quot;Ill be s this new lie is of Gingers making.¡±

 CHAPTER TEN

    O tABLE?

    JILL felt sometickling  o  ip-toed back to ly s  t cords t bound to   do for o be caug on, after o  it oo  so kick it in among  t buso Puzzle to follow hers.

    the Ape was speaking again.

    quot;And after a , Aslan - tas deal too good to you, coming out every nigo be looked at,  see! ell,  coming out any more.¡±

    s o t suddenly a quite different voice broke in h a loud laugh.

    quot; t; it sed. quot;e knoo  bring . Ill tell you   an old donkey s back. No and   knoo do.¡±

    tirian could not see t  e certain of it ;Dont knoo do! Dont knoo do! Dont knoo do-o-o!¡±

    quot;Silence!quot; tarkaan. quot;Silence, cen to  me, you ot I give command to my o fall upon you  old you of t  tasable! Do you? Beware, beware.¡±

    quot;No, no,quot; sed most of t t;ts rig it. Come on, Monkey, ss in table, seeing is  believing.¡±

    ts quiet t;You D you? But not so fast. I never said you couldnt see tashlan.  Anyone who likes can see him.¡±

    t. ter nearly a minute, t;I dont quite understand all t; it grumbled, quot;I t you said -¡±

    quot;You t!quot; repeated t;As if anyone could call as  coming  out. You o go in and see him.¡±

    quot;O; said dozens of voices. quot;ts ed!

    e can go in and see o face. And no used to be.quot; And ttered, and tedly. t stirring and a noise of creatures rising to t, and in a  second t of trying to croo table  door all toget ted:  quot;Get back! Quiet! Not so fast.¡±

    ts stopped, many of tails h heads on one side.

    quot;I t you said,quot; began t S interrupted.

    quot;Anyone can go in,quot; ;But, one at a time. ?  say  since .   muco go into t stable myself tonig just as you please. o go  in first? Dont blame me if s you into a cinder error of s your affair. No?  about one of you  Dwarfs?¡±

    quot;Dilly, dilly, come and be killed!quot; sneered Griffle. quot;  youve got in there?¡±

    quot;; cried t;So youre beginning to ts ruck you all  dumb?

    ?¡±

    But ts all stood looking at one anotable.

    Very feails o and fro jeering at  t;; ;I t you o see taso  face! Changed your mind, eh?¡±

    tirian bent o  Jill rying to able?quot; s;; said tirian.  quot;t, one on eac; quot;You dont t; said Jill, quot;it mig ; quot;tas; ;t courage, crue Aslan.¡±

    t surprising t said in a cool, clear  voice, not at all as if ed, quot;Ill go in, if you like.¡±

    Every creature turned and fixed its eyes on t. quot;Mark tleties, Sire,quot; said Poggin to t;t is in t, in tre of  it. ever is in table

    again and say t he has seen some wonder.¡±

    But tirian ime to anso come  forward.

    quot;; said t;So you, a pert Puss,  blame me if he whiskers  off your face.

    ts your affair.¡±

    And t got up and came out of its place in tily, s tail in t one s sleek coat out of place. It  came on till it  tirian, from  table, could look rigo its face. Its big  green eyes never blinked. (quot;Cool as a cucumber,quot; muttered Eustace. quot;It kno o fear.quot;) ttled across beside t: put up his  paw: drew

    t and opened tirian t  purring  as it o the dark doorway.

    quot;Aii-aii-aou; t erwaul you ever heard made  everyone jump.

    You s quarrelling or making love on t: you knohe sound.

    t of table at top speed. If you  knoo the crowd.

    No one s to meet a cat in t state. You could see animals getting out  of o left and rigree, led out till it ood on end.

    quot;Id give my beard,quot; o knoe is only  acting or w  frig!¡±

    quot;Peace, friend,quot; said tirian, for tain and ted to  t succeed, except t ;My ; but  t t as puzzled by ts behaviour as himself.

    quot;No; said tain. quot;Enoug noise. tell t t seen.¡±

    quot;Aii - Aii - Aao.

    quot;Art t called a talking Beast?quot; said tain. quot;talk.¡±

    folloirian felt quite certain (and so did  t t rying to say somet not of   t-noises you migened old tom in a  backyard in England. And teralking Beast tle s from among ther  Animals.

    quot;Look, look!quot; said t;It cant talk. It ten  o talk! It o being a dumb beast. Look at its face.quot; Everyone sa it  rue. And test terror of all fell upon taug urned ts of Narnia into talking Beasts and  if t good t one day be turned back again and be like tless animals one meets in otries. quot;And no is coming upon us,quot; they  moaned.

    quot;Mercy! Mercy!quot; s. quot;Spare us, Lord S, stand bet alo , .¡±

    Ginger disappeared furto tree. No one ever saw him again.

    tirian stood  and  nigimes  it  to dra  it ter to  and see urn affairs migake. And nourn came.

    quot;My Fat; came a clear, ringing voice from t of tirian  kne once t it isrocs army t;My Masterquot; but t;My Fat;. Jill and Eustace didnt kno, after looking t, t to see t look ratall and slender, and even ratiful in ty, Calormene way.

    quot;My Fat; o tain, quot;I also desire to go in.¡±

    quot;Peace, Emet; said tain, quot;o counsel? Does it  become a boy to speak?¡±

    quot;My Fat; said Emet;truly I am younger t I also am of  tarkaans even as t, and I also am t of tasherefore . .  .¡±

    quot;Silence,quot; said Risarkaan. quot;Am not I tain? t noto  do able. It is for the Narnians.¡±

    quot;Nay, my Fat; ans;t said t tas is trutas t I o do  look once on tash.¡±

    quot;t a fool and understandest not; said Risarkaan. quot;tters.¡±

    Emeterner. quot;Is it t true t tas; he asked.

    quot;o us?¡±

    quot;Of course t; said the Ape.

    quot;S, Ape,quot; said Emeth.

    quot;O; ;I hering me. My head  does ache.

    Yes, yes, I s.¡±

    quot;t; said Emet;I am utterly determined to go in.¡±

    quot;Fool,quot; began Risarkaan, but at once ting: quot;Come  along, Darkie.  you let  Narnians in and keep your  o?   in t you dont  your oo meet?¡±

    tirian and arkaan, so t ;Bear  ness all t I am guiltless of t te.¡±

    t as Ginger o trip of grass betable. , and  like crying   love tter god  tash.¡±

    quot;I do ; said Eustace.

    Emet in, into table. s passed - but it seemed longer before  t, fell on its back,  and lay still: t. tain leaped to and bent doo stare  at its face. art of surprise. turned to t:  quot;tasake  warning, all of you.¡±

    quot;e ; said ts. But tirian and ared  at t one anot  t see: t  Emete different: an older man, t so tall, h a big  beard.

    quot;; c;Any more? Anyone else  to go in? ell,  as youre all s. You, you Boar! On you come. Drive aso face.¡±

    quot;O-o-mp; grunted to . quot;Come on, try my tusks.¡±

    irian sa brave Beast getting ready to figs life - and  Calormene soldiers beginning to close in on it ars - and no  one going to its o burst inside  moment to interfere or not.

    quot;S,quot; o t;Arroring. Follow.¡±

    Next moment tonis  of table, four of t as   above  voice:  quot;and I, tirian of Narnia, in Aslans name, to prove  tasraitor, and to my side, all true Narnians. ould you  till your neers have killed you all  one by one?¡±

 CHAPTER ELEVEN

    tning, Risarkaan leaped back out of reac single- tirian and t  take on to your face and peck at your eyes and blind you  Narnians in battle) t no man,  except c rears on its  falls upon you and ts s s teeto deal  once. So o tood calling out:  quot;to me, to me, isroc, may-o me, all loyal  Narnians, lest tashlan fall upon you!¡±

    realized arkaan. For a second or so ting beside taring at tirian ruscure, picked it up by to table sing, quot;Open  the door!¡±

    Poggin opened it. quot;Go and drink your o; said tirian and  o t as t again,  a blinding greenis s from table, trange noise - a clucking and screaming as if it rous bird. ts moaned and  quot;tas; and many fell doiced tarkaan at t moment. And from  Ris as surprised, and nearly frig;there goes one,¡±

    t Farsig;hey have really come?¡±

    t t - iful t nigalking Dog in ting (teen of

    to tly great big dogs   nearly knocked you doalking Dogs t as doggy as tood up and  put t pa  once: quot;elcome! elcome! ell o help,  show us how, how. how-how-how?¡±

    It  it made you  to cry. t last,   of t later, several little animals (mice and  moles and a squirrel or so) came pattering up, squealing ;See,  see. ere here,¡±

    and , too, Eustace began to feel  t perer all, everyt be going to come rig tirian gazed round  and saw he animals had moved.

    quot;to me! to me!quot; ;urned cowards since I was your  King?¡±

    quot;e darent,quot; asashlan.¡±

    quot;alking ; said tirian to the Boar.

    quot;eve seen, ; squealed t;tied - do ttom of the hill.¡±

    quot;ttle ones,quot; said tirian, quot;you nibblers and gnacrackers, a as you can scamper and see if t your teeto till ther.¡±

    quot;it; came tails  tootirian smiled for mere love as  it ime to be tarkaan was  giving his orders.

    quot;For; ;take all of to  table or drive to it.  fire to it and make  to t god tash.¡±

    quot;; said Farsigo ;So t is o ashs  pardon for his unbelief.¡±

    t irian ime to give his orders.

    quot;Out on t, Jill, and try to s all you may before t to , Eustace on my rig and by

    rike, Farsig  behind us.

    Go in among ter to our aid!¡±

    Eustace stood  beating terribly,  he  would be brave.

    ) t made  line of dark-faced brigeen Calormenes, a talking Bull of Narnia, Slinkey tyr. tyr ;Oer!quot; came tirians voice; and  them.

    Eustace could never remember es. It  you emperature is over 100) until arkaans voice calling out from tance:  quot;Retire. Back her and re-form.¡±

    tace came to o  t not all of t , and  was .

    t tusk. But our side s losses too. t mumbled in its ty voice, beo  t, quot;I - I dont understand,quot; laid its big ly as a  co sleep, and never moved again.

    In fact, t attack ace didnt seem able to be glad  about it: erribly ty and his arm ached so.

    As ted Calormenes  back to t them.

    quot;; t;Dont you like it?  your  great tarkaan go and figead of sending you to be killed? Poor Darkies!¡±

    quot;D; cried tirian. quot;Come  your tongues.  till time. Dwarfs of Narnia! You can figo your  allegiance.¡±

    quot;Ya; sneered t;Not likely. Youre just as big . e dont  any Kings. the Dwarfs. Boo!¡±

    t a Dime, but a big bulls hide  Calormene drum.

    t ed t . But ted it far  it meant. tirian  did. It meant t troops somew Risarkaan was

    calling to irian and Je one anot begun to  t  nig it hem  if new enemies appeared.

    tirian gazed despairingly round. Several Narnians anding reac fear of quot;tas;. Otting still, staring, not likely to join eit t crept quietly aing.

    Boom - boom - ba-ba-boom  to mix . quot;Listen!quot; said Je;Look!quot; said Farsig  later t  ossing rils, and alking heir work.

    Poggin to c t  crings and  hissing arrows.

    It ing and - for a moment Jill could ing ter  one of ts ever reache King.

    quot;Little S; sace, dancing in ;Dirty, filtreactle brutes.quot; Even Je;Ser t  ten of t eac; But tirian ern as stone, said,  quot;Stand fast, Jewel.

    If you must  (to Jill), turn your face aside and  see you  not your boring. And peace, Eustace. Do not scold, like a kitchen-girl. No  warrior scolds.

    Courteous words or else hard knocks are his only language.¡±

    But t Eustace. quot;t tle  boy, eh?

    t   any talking

    you to  take us in.  the Dwarfs.¡±

    Risarkaan ill talking to less making arrangements  for t attack and probably . to tirian and er as if  from a long o support  irians face t he  had now given up all hope.

    quot;Listen,quot; ter-of-fact voice, quot; attack nos are strengtheir friends.¡±

    quot;Bet; said Poggin, quot;t able at our backs. If  ss  between our shoulders?¡±

    quot;I ; said tirian. quot;ere it not to force us into table? ts deadly door, tter.¡±

    quot;t,quot; said Farsig;Aable, and  , at all costs.¡±

    quot;Yes, do lets,quot; said Eustace. quot;Im coming to e t of it.¡±

    quot;Good,quot; said tirian. quot;Noo our left. You see a great rock  t gleams . First  on our left and s as fast as ever you may into t t. Mean triking us, go back to te rock and . You oting. e must put to fliges or else not at all, for o join Jill at te rock, ion behe awhile. Now, be off, Jill.¡±

    Feeling terribly alone, Jill ran out about ty feet, put  leg  back and  leg for an arroo ring. S  shaking so.

    quot;ts a rotten s!quot; s arroo sring next moment: s  speed tered. Sing into t  up boto defend  a  man, and anot a Narnian  sing only for a feop. itusks and Je  t of roops can keep on looking  steadily to t if tting arroher.

    quot;O; sed Jill. ty ting  t into tossing men as youd toss ace seemed to Jill ( kno ts. It o   ory at last - iticed a strange t eacroke, to  get any fe, tually more of t  began. t  sirians voice crying:

    quot;Back! to the rock!¡±

    ts work.

 CHAPTER TWELVE

    tABLE DOOR   JILL ougo  te rock already but se  forgotten t part of ement of c. No once and ran to it, and arrived t t all of t, o t t. A terrible sig their eyes.

    A Calormene oable door carrying somet  kicked and struggled. As   ace.

    tirian and t to rescue  to tance ace in and s table. tting at  it now.

    Even to keep urned aside,  stop blubbing, I  get my string ,quot; she said.

    quot;are arro; said Poggin suddenly.

    Everyone ducked and pulled

    soon became clear t t being s at. Griffle and  time ting at the Calormenes.

    quot;Keep it up, boys!quot; came Griffles voice. quot;All toget  Darkies any more t Monkeys - or Lions - or Kings. the  Dwarfs.¡±

    ever else you may say about D brave.  t ao some safe place. to stay and kill as  many of bot rouble by killing one anoted Narnia for their own.

    per taken into account  tection. Also tarkaans voice cried out:  quot;ty of you keep ce rock. t, after  me, t each a lesson.¡±

    tirian and ill panting from t and tes rest, stood and looked on   range scene by no it gave was now less and  of a darker red.

    As far as one could see, ty except  for t lig make out muc  ting up a good figirian  could arkaan  calling, quot;take all you can alive! take them alive!¡±

    ever t fig did not last long. t died away.

    tarkaan coming back to table: eleven men followed   away, was never known.)

    quot;to tas; said Risarkaan.

    And o t dark door again, o table and  said:  quot;t offering, Lord tash.¡±

    And all ts of ted, quot;tasas god tasas; (t quot;tas; now.)

    ttle party by te rock co  one another.

    trickle of er coming doed ones lapped  from ttle pool  of tone. Suc t  it seemed t delicious drink tly  thing else.

    quot;I feel in my bones,quot; said Poggin, quot;t her have  died.¡±

    quot;It is indeed a grim door,quot; said tirian. quot;It is more like a mouth.¡±

    quot;O o stop it?quot; said Jill in a shaken voice.

    quot;Nay, fair friend,quot; said Je;It may be for us to Aslans country and onight.¡±

    Risarkaan turned able and o a place  in front of te rock.

    quot;; ;If to me and put to a cage in tisrocs garden, to tisrocs kennels, and t. But to tas.¡±

    the only answer was growls.

    quot;Get on, ; said tarkaan. quot;Kill ts, but take two- legged ones alive.¡±

    And t battle of t King of Narnia began.

    made it  from t from t o Narnia by ones and tending to  be peaceful mercs, and of course t a  t er, after trong and tusks and a unicorn before you are in  reacirian and  friends. Next minute ting for  their lives.

    In a   quite so bad as you mighink.

    o t   t  mucime to feel eitened or sad. tirian kneing furiously on t of t only just sa any of t noo sell his life as  dearly as he could.

    t of it   keep to tion in ed, under te rock. A man  once must take  dart in rokes t you quite a distance from t  ting furto t, nearer to  table.  t. But  no .

    All at once everyte clear. ing tarkaan himself.

    t  of it) raig.   figable, for it  s t  to table on purpose ever  since t began. And will figarkaan as  hard as he could.

    A neo tirians ed forarkaans scimitar, seized  o table, sing:  quot;Come in and meet tash yourself!¡±

    t.

    tside screamed. quot;tasas; and banged tased tain, tas  any rate, did not   to meet tash.

    For a moment or tirian did not kno dark inside table, as ed. rong lig was why he was blinking.

    urned to look at Risarkaan, but Ris looking at  ed; t , face doirian looked in tion warkaan  ed.

    And tood.

    A terrible figure o oill muc  ures s beak s eyes blazed. A  croaking voice came from its beak.

    quot;t called me into Narnia, Risarkaan.   to say?¡±

    But tarkaan neited tle: but   nig began to suspect t t be a  real tas of it  him now.

    itooping to pick up a asucked irian errible eyes: for of  course,  look at you straight.

    But immediately, from beasrong and calm as t;Begone, Monster, and take your lao your o Fathe-Sea.¡±

    ture vanisarkaan still under its arm. And  tirian turned to see who had spoken.

    And ing as it en in any  fight.

    Seven Kings and Queens stood before tering clot tirian boeously and  to speak ared  ,  for   not Jill as  seen  and tears and an old drill dress  come from bat first  s t, and  point. And t t of tace: but he also was changed as Jill was  changed.

    tirian suddenly felt a coming among t and s of a battle still on  moment

    in t state at all.  feast at Cair Paravel. (But in Narnia your good clotable ones. to make t felt beautiful as  iful in Narnia: and tarcic to be found from one end of try to ther.)

    quot;Sire,quot; said Jill coming foriful curtsey, quot;let me  make you knoo Peter the high King over all Kings in Narnia.¡±

    tirian o ask ers hand.

    quot;; ;You are o me.¡±

    And th cheeks as a high King  should.

    to t of t even s old, and  t;Sir, t Lady Polly  Day, s talk.quot;   to a man ; ;is t day. And ter, the Queen Lucy.¡±

    quot;Sir,quot; said tirian, ;If I , t your Majesty ters? here is Queen Susan?¡±

    quot;My sister Susan,quot; anser sly and gravely, quot;is no longer a  friend of Narnia.¡±

    quot;Yes,quot; said Eustace, quot;and o get o come and talk  about Narnia or do anyt Narnia, s  all to play when we were  children.¡°

    quot;O; said Jill. quot;Serested in not nylons  and lipstick and invitations. S too keen on being grown-up.¡±

    quot;Gro; said t;I ing to be te all t  of rying to stay t age. o race on to t time of  ones life as quick as sop there as long as she can.¡±

    quot;ell, dont lets talk about t no; said Peter. quot;Look! -trees. Let us taste them.¡±

    And t time, tirian looked about ure was.

 CHAPTER THIRTEEN

    O BE tAKEN IN   tIRIAN  - or  if ime to t  all - t ttle tcable, about t long and six feet  y tood on grass, tly on t of a day in early summer. Not far arees, t under every leaf t t yellos suc made tirian feel t it must be autumn but t told  could not be later torees.

    Everyone raised o pick t  liked t iful t eac quot;It cant  be meant for me...  surely  alloo pluck it.¡±

    quot;Its all rig; said Peter. quot;I kno Im  sure, quite sure, . Ive a feeling  to try whing is  allowed.¡±

    quot;; said Eustace. And to eat.

    like? Unfortunately no one can describe a taste. All I  can say is t, compared s, t grapefruit youve ever eaten  orange  melting pear  raones, and no  fruit, all t taste like  medicines after it.

    But I cant describe it. You cant find out  is like unless you can  get to t country and taste it for yourself.

    en enougace said to King Peter, quot;You  yet  told us   going to, urned up.¡±

    quot;t muco tell,quot; said Peter. quot;Edmund and I anding on tform and rain coming in. I remember t aking too fast. And I remember t  our people rain t kno it -¡±

    quot;Your people, ; said tirian.

    quot;I mean my Father - Edmunds and Lucys and mine.¡±

    quot;; asked Jill. quot;You dont mean to say t  Narnia?¡±

    quot;O o do o  Bristol. Id only  morning. But Edmund said to be  going by t train.quot; (Edmund  of person w railways.)

    quot;And w ; said Jill.

    quot;ell, its not very easy to describe, is it, Edmund?quot; said the high King.

    quot;Not very,quot; said Edmund. quot;It  at all like t otime ful roar and somet me   it didnt . And I felt not so muced. Ohing.

    Id  rugger. I noticed it  very lighen - here we were.¡±

    quot;It  traces of t from ;Only I t

    t iffened. You youngsters  understand. But opped  feeling old.¡±

    quot;Youngsters, indeed!quot; said Jill. quot;I dont believe you two really are muchan we are here.¡±

    quot;ell if , he Lady Polly.

    quot;And ace.

    quot;ell,quot; said Peter, quot;for a long time (at least I suppose it ime) nothe door opened -¡±

    quot;t; said tirian.

    quot;Yes,quot; said Peter. quot;t - by. ten?¡±

    quot;But w?¡±

    quot;Look,quot; said Peter and pointed.

    tirian looked and sa and most ridiculous to be seen in t, tood up a roug, to, beco see  it looked just till in tanding up by itself as if it ree.

    quot;Fair Sir,quot; said tirian to t;t marvel.¡±

    quot;It is t Calormene five minutes ago,quot;  said Peter smiling.

    quot;But did I not come in out of to table? o be a door leading from nowo nowhere.¡±

    quot;It looks like t if you ,quot; said Peter. quot;But put your eye to  t place hrough.¡±

    tirian put o t first   blackness. t o it,  , and above t, in a black sky, stars. t or standing bet  table door into  tern aste tle. the men were  discussing

    none of ted to do  t) or to set fire to table.

    ry spreading as far as ion, and his new friends all round him laughing.

    quot;It seems, t; said tirian, smiling ;t table seen from  able seen from  are t places.¡±

    quot;Yes,quot; said t;Its inside is bigger ts outside.¡±

    quot;Yes,quot; said Queen Lucy. quot;In our oo, a stable once  t ; It  time sirian noo ;Of your courtesy, Madam, tell on. tell me your wure.¡±

    quot;After t; said Lucy, quot; time ( did) and t ook and beside ting on o cut doo o

    and t  see ted a long time. t being dra t get ready to strike ill old to strike some and spare  others.

    But at t  gave one look at tass life: just in time, for   it and t  asurned  very pale and boer: but it vanished away.

    quot;ted a long time again. At last time and tinel at tarted,  and looked very surprised, e  different -¡±

    quot;I see it all no; said Eustace ( of interrupting  stories). quot;t o go in first and try o do   o come out and say ly tasend to be frigo scare t  tasurn up; so Ginger came out really friger t, S o get rid of and try hem.

    And -¡±

    quot;Friend,quot; said tirian softly, quot;you ale.¡±

    quot;ell,quot; said Lucy, quot;try  gave t  time to get on guard. t. ry and flung side to whing else.

    e tried to talk to  rance.   on saying tasasaso tas up and  a ... ug; Lucy made a face.

    quot;After t,quot; said Edmund, quot;someone flung a monkey taser is so tender-ed s like to tell you  t tashe Monkey was gone!¡±

    quot;Serve !quot; said Eustace. quot;All tasoo.¡±

    quot;And after t,quot; said Edmund, quot;came about a dozen Dace, and last of all yourself.¡±

    quot;I ase too,quot; said Eustace. quot;Little swine.¡±

    quot;No, ,quot; said Lucy. quot;And dont be ill  you can see tried and tried to make friends  its  no use.¡±

    quot;Friends ; cried Eustace. quot;If you knew hose Dwarfs have been behaving!¡±

    quot;Oop it, Eustace,quot; said Lucy. quot;Do come and see tirian,  perhem.¡±

    quot;I can feel no great love for Doday,quot; said tirian. quot;Yet at your  asking, Lady, I er this.¡±

    Lucy led t strolling about or enjoying tied seemed to . tting very close togettle circle facing one anotook any notice of till Lucy and tirian   near enougo touc see  anyone but ening rying to guess by t was happening.

    quot;Look out!quot; said one of t;Mind o our faces!¡±

    quot;All rig; said Eustace indignantly. quot;ere not blind. eve got eyes in  our heads.¡±

    quot;t be darn good ones if you can see in ; said the same Dwarf  whose name was Diggle.

    quot;In w; asked Edmund.

    quot;; said Diggle. quot;In tctle able.¡±

    quot;Are you blind?quot; said tirian.

    quot;Aint ; said Diggle.

    quot;But it isnt dark, you poor stupid D; said Lucy. quot;Cant you see?  Look up! Look round! Cant you see trees and t you see  me?¡±

    quot; aint tch darkness?¡±

    quot;But I can see you,quot; said Lucy. quot;Ill prove I can see you. Youve got a  pipe in your mouth.¡±

    quot;Anyone t knoell t,quot; said Diggle.

    quot;O; said Lucy. topped and picked some s. quot;Listen, D; s;Even if your eyes are  ?quot; So Diggles ugly nose. But so jump back quickly in  order to avoid a blole fist.

    quot;None of t!quot; ed. quot; do you mean by s of filtable-litter in my face? tle in it too. Its like your  sauce! And who are you anyway?¡±

    quot;Eart; said tirian, quot;s   of t. And it is for  I, tirian your la  cut all your raitors t you are.¡±

    quot;ell if t doesnt beat everyt; exclaimed Diggle. quot;alking all t rot? Your  come and   not. And no  t of us, youre still at your old game. Starting a nerying to  make us believe  aint dark, and .¡±

    quot;t; cried tirian. quot;Come  out of it.¡±

    And, leaning for and t out of t t tirian put ed  back to ;O for! Banging my face against the wall. Youve  nearly broken my nose.¡±

    quot;O; said Lucy, quot; are o do for them?¡±

    quot;Let em alone,quot; said Eustace: but as rembled. t air greer. A brigurned. tirian  turned last because ood s desire, ooped  o  toucongue. tirian, and tirian came near,  trembling, and flung  t, and t;ell  done, last of tood firm at t hour.¡±

    quot;Aslan,quot; said Lucy tears, quot;could you - hese poor Dwarfs?¡±

    quot;Dearest,quot; said Aslan, quot;I ,  do.quot; o t it set all t to one anot;? ts t table.

    trying to frig  take  any notice.

    t take us in again!¡±

    Aslan raised antly a glorious feast  appeared on tongues and pigeons and trifles and ices, and eac of good   mucing and drinking greedily enoug it  t taste it  properly. t ting and drinking only t of t  find in a stable.

    One said rying to eat  of an old  turnip and a ts of rico t;Ugy er out of a troug a  donkeys been at! Never t o t; But very soon every Ding t every otarted  grabbing and snatc on to quarrelling, till in a fees t and all trodden under foot.  But  t doo nurse t;ell, at any rate t let anyone take us  in. the Dwarfs.¡±

    quot;You see, quot; said Aslan. quot;t let us ead of belief. t t prison; and so afraid of being taken in t t be taken out. But come,  co do.¡±

    to t;No is time!quot; t;time!quot;; t it could ars, quot;tIME.¡±

    the Door flew open.

 CHAPTER FOURTEEN

    NIGood beside Aslan, on  side, and looked the open  doorway.

    t. On t you could  not old t you o a ars began. But  on  t t is, tcars: and tc of all giants. to  anding.  be on t stretco the  River Shribble.

    tace remembered  giant asleep and been told t ime, and t he world ended.

    quot;Yes,quot; said Aslan, t spoken. quot;ime. No he is awake he will have a new one.¡±

    t giant raised a o  tars. After t - quite a bit later,  because sound travels so sloerrible, yet of a  strange, deadly beauty.

    Immediately ting stars. Even one sing star  is a fine to see; but till it

    on and on. And o t t ts. It  place, rig call it.

    quot;Per is a cloud,quot; t Edmund. At any rate, tars  t blackness. But all around, tars  on. And tarless patch

    began to gro from tre of tly a quarter of t last ting stars he horizon.

    iterror in it too) t  all: it iness. t of t in . All tars were falling: Aslan hem home.

    t fears e ended ing. Stars began falling all round t stars in t  t  flaming globes t one). So notering people, all e- metal, ruso t of ter tones. t tars glided past tood someo t.

    t advantage, because ot tars  in tely dark and you could  ars be a fierce, . Every bus every blade of grass s black s. tood out so s youd t your  finger on it.

    On t t thing was  Aslans shadow.

    It streamed ao t, enormous and very terrible. And all t arless forever.

    t from betle to t) rong t  it lit up even to Narnia: great dragons and giant lizards and  feats o tes t first from very far off - sounds of  ion, a rustling and a pattering and a sound of   came nearer and nearer. Soon one could distinguistle feet from t little   ones. And t last, out of trees, racing up tures - talking Beasts, Dyrs, Fauns, Giants, Calormenes, men  from Arcrange unearte islands  of tern lands. And all to tood.

    t of ture  time and rato remember properly after  say  aken. Sometimes it seemed to ed only a fees, but at  ot felt as if it mighe Door had  grown very

    mucures s, a cro couldnt ever ried to get t. But no one t about t  sort of t time.

    tures came ruser and brigo tanding Stars. But as t up to Aslan one or  oto eacraig  t t. And   t, on talking Bears, tred lasted only for a fraction of a second. You could see t to talking Beasts. t ordinary animals. And all tures  o t, , and disappeared into  reamed ao t of t kno tened at time. And all t t. tace even recognized one of to s t ime to  t sort of  t  everyt  of his head.

    Among tures  taur and  Je the Dwarf.

    quot;Furt; cried Roon and to  t.

    And t understand  tingling  all over.

    ted at t going to mutter t  ill didnt understand, rees beo trees as fast as , found sometood very well.

    But tails, and Poggin remained, s face. And Jeention again to he Doorway.

    t Lizards no to  and fro tearing up trees by ts and cruncicks of rhubarb.

    Minute by minute ts disappeared. try became bare and  you could see all sorts of t its stle iced before. tirian found t  a  anyters tons t lay ime  everytill.

    At last somete - a long, level line of  gleamed in  t of tanding stars - came moving toern end of the  world.

    A  a murmur t it   came. It er. t tree-less  very  ting ting larger, and separate  lakes joining into one, and valleys turning into neo islands,  and to t and tains to t crumbled and slipped doo ting er;  and ter came so t never  passed it) so t t Aslans forefeet. All noer from  o  the sky.

    And out t began to grorous  daer, till in ticed t of tars  t did, t one anottle nod: t  this sun  also was dying.

    It imes - ty times - as big as it ougo be, and very dark  red. As its rays fell upon t time-giant, urned red too: and in tion of  t sun te of sers looked like blood.

    te in ion, very close to t t of ing out great  flames, like rying to draacles. And per any rate so  first, but till at last oget lumps of fire came dropping out of it into team rose up.

    t;Now make an end.¡±

    t to tretc one arm - very  black it looked, and till ook t in antly total darkness.

    Everyone except Aslan jumped back from ts edges h icicles.

    quot;Peter, ; said Aslan. quot;S the Door.¡±

    Peter, s into to. It scraped over ice as . t moment  ook out a golden key and locked it.

    trange t Door it ranger to look round and find t, t t, and laughter in Aslans eyes.

    urned sly round, croucail and  s away like a golden arrow.

    quot;Come furt; ed over   pace? t out o follow him.

    quot;So,quot; said Peter, quot;nig, Lucy! Youre not crying?  ith Aslan ahead, and all of us here?¡±

    quot;Dont try to stop me, Peter,quot; said Lucy, quot;I am sure Aslan . I am  sure it is not o mourn for Narnia. t lies dead and frozen be door.¡±

    quot;Yes and I did ; said Jill, quot;t it mig. I did t.¡±

    quot;I sa begin,quot; said t;I did not to  see it die.¡±

    quot;Sirs,quot; said tirian. quot;to  Narnia  ue,  but great discourtesy, if  mourn.¡±

    till sat  croogetable. And as t talked to one  anot old  Kings and all the glories of Narnia.

    till ion but not mucoo busy racing on ao sniff  at smells in till t  e tarted arguing about it - quot;Yes  it is - No it isnt - ts just  is - take your great  nose out of t someone else smell.¡±

    quot; is it, cousins?quot; said Peter.

    quot;A Calormene, Sire,quot; said several Dogs at once.

    quot;Lead on to ; said Peter. quot;s us in peace or war,  he shall be welcome.¡±

    ted on a later, running as if t, and barking loudly to say t it really alking Dogs,

    just like t  t immensely important.)

    tting under a cnut tree beside a clear stream of er. It   once and bowed gravely.

    quot;Sir,quot; o Peter, quot;I kno  my o  one of ts said  t a noble friend is t gift and a noble enemy t best?¡±

    quot;Sir,quot; said Peter, quot;I do not kno tween you  and us.¡±

    quot;Do tell us ; said Jill.

    quot;If to be a story, lets all  do;  barked the Dogs.

    quot;ere quite blown.¡±

    quot;ell of course you earing about t; said Eustace.

    So t do of tream t do upriging, ongues  of ttle on one side to ory. But Jeanding, polis his side.

 CHAPTER FIFTEEN

    FURt;KNO, O arlike Kings,quot; said Emet;and you, O ladies es t I am Emetarkaan of ty  of te. I came lately into Narnia y otarkaan Noo meet you in battle. But o go in  disguised as mercs (o rickery, ted from me. And most of all  upon a Monkey, and o be said t tasas desire o knoeful to me.

    quot;And, as you ogetside traer nig fort of t I could not s bo. But I t, tarkaan is deceived by t comes out of table is neitas   o t tarkaan did not believe in it ood t  believe in tas all: for if o mock  him?

    quot;ood t rage fell upon me and I  true tas strike doarkaan ongue and ed to see

    last nig not fort said  t all aso pretend  t t pass one by one into to myself,  Doubtless tion. But error, to myself, Surely true tas knourned into er inside me because of tness and terror  of tas my desire ronger t force upon my knees to stay  trembling, and on my teet t cter, and resolved to  look upon taso go into tarkaan, t me go.

    quot;As soon as I  t  I found  myself in t sunligside. But I ime to marvel at tely I o fig one of our o tarkaan  o slay any s: so t true servant of taster o fig  behe door.

    quot;t me and saness.

    And I said, By t place: it may be t I am come  into try of taso journey into trange country and to  seek him.

    quot;So I  over mucable trees till lo! in a narroo  meet me a great Lion. trics; ness of  is liquid  in terrible tain of Lagour, and in beauty  is in t of t. t  and t, Surely t I as  is better to see to be tisroc of t to have seen

    t do  I said, Alas, Lord, I am no son  of t t of tas done to  tas as service done to me. t desire for anding, I overcame my fear and questioned t  true, as t tas t  against me) and said, It is false. Not because  because es, I take to me t done to  kinds t no service o as is by me t ruly s not,  and it is I  is tasased. Dost  tand, C and. But I said also  (for trutrained me), Yet I as not  so long  and so truly.

    For all find ruly seek.

    quot;took arembling from my limbs and  caused me to stand upon my feet. And after t,  muc t  go furturned  in a  storm and flurry of gold and was gone suddenly.

    quot;And since to find  t it even   as a dog -¡±

    quot;Es t?quot; said one of the Dogs.

    quot;Sir,quot; said Emet;It is but a fashion of speech which we have in  Calormen.¡±

    quot;ell, I cant say its one I like very muc; said the Dog.

    quot; mean any ; said an older Dog.

    quot;After all, we call our puppies Boys w behave properly.¡±

    quot;So ; said t Dog. quot;Or girls.¡±

    quot;S-s-s; said t;ts not a nice o use. Remember where  you are.¡±

    quot;Look!quot; said Jill suddenly. Someone imidly, to meet  ture on four feet, all silvery-grey. And tared at en seconds before five or six voices said all at once, quot;s old Puzzle!quot; t  made an extraordinary  difference. iful donkey , grey coat and sucle,  face

    t if you  w Jill and Lucy did -  rus your arms round roked  his ears.

    tures but o tell trut of t of Aslans  of t nonsense about dressing up in a lion-skin t   kno er ;And Ive never tasted  suc; said Puzzle), ;But  Aslan, Im sure I dont kno; he added.

    quot;Youll find it will be all rig; said Queen Lucy.

    t foroget seemed to be tion Aslan  ;Furt; Many otures  t grassy country here was no crowding.

    It still seemed to be early, and t on stopping to look round and to look bely because it iful but partly also because t it and.

    quot;Peter,quot; said Lucy, quot;whis, do you suppose?¡±

    quot;I dont kno; said t;It reminds me of some  give it a name. Could it be somewayed for a holiday when we were very,  very small?¡±

    quot;It ace. quot;I bet  t a country like t t  get a blue like tains in our world.¡±

    quot;Is it not Aslans country?quot; said tirian.

    quot;Not like Aslans country on top of t mountain beyond tern end of  the world,¡±

    said Jill. quot;Ive been there.¡±

    quot;If you ask me,quot; said Edmund, quot;its like someains aains beyond tains o see from Narnia, terfall?¡±

    quot;Yes, so t; said Peter. quot;Only these are bigger.¡±

    quot;I dont t; said Lucy.  quot;But look there.¡±

    Sed Souto t, and everyone stopped and turned to  look. quot;those

    ; said Lucy, quot;t  thern border of Narnia?¡±

    quot;Like!quot; cried Edmund after a moments silence. quot;ly like.  Look, t Pire o Arching!¡±

    quot;And yet t like,quot; said Lucy. quot;t. t know...¡±

    quot;More like t; said tly.

    Suddenly Farsigy or forty feet  up into ted on the ground.

    quot;Kings and Queens,quot; ;tinsmuir, Beaversdam,  t River, and Cair Paravel still sern Sea. Narnia is  not dead. this is Narnia.¡±

    quot;But  be?quot; said Peter. quot;For Aslan told us older ones t o Narnia, and here we are.¡±

    quot;Yes,quot; said Eustace. quot;And  all destroyed and t out.¡±

    quot;And its all so different,quot; said Lucy.

    quot;t,quot; said t;Listen, Peter. o Narnia,  t t   t   mattered, all tures, o t is different;  as different as a real t; irred everyone like a trumpet as  s all in Plato, all in Plato: bless me, eac t; t ly like t of t otead of golden.  very quickly t makes you  serious. It is too good to e on jokes.

    It is as o explain  land  from t o tell you s of t country taste. Per  some idea of it if you t

    looked out on a lovely bay of t ains. And in t room opposite to turned a  sig sea or t valley, all over again, in t t  at time t - deeper, more ory: in a story you  very muc to kno. try:  every rock and flo meant more. I cant describe  it any better t: if ever you get t I mean.

    It  everyone ! try! I belong  till no it sometimes looked a little like ther in!¡±

    o a great gallop - a Unicorns  gallop,  no strange to run, and to  tonis, t t only t even fat little Puzzle and s-legged Poggin t in a car  a ry fle  as if t from train. Faster and faster t no one got  or tired or out of breath.

 CHAPTER SIXTEEN

    FAREELL tO S getting tired, I dont ten   to do anyt t be special reasons for stopping, and it ly s:  quot;I say! Steady! Look o!¡±

    And ons of  er every second, flas aterfall; and already t heir ears.

    quot;Dont stop! Furt; called Farsigilting  a little upwards.

    quot;Its all very ace, but Je:  quot;Dont stop. Furtake it in your stride.¡±

    be er but next  moment everyone sa o ter-skelter beer splaser  biting cold as all  of ted, but of a delicious foamy coolness. traigerfall itself.

    quot;tely crazy,quot; said Eustace to Edmund.

    quot;I kno -quot; said Edmund.

    quot;Isnt it ; said Lucy. quot;iced one cant feel afraid,  even if one s to? try it.¡±

    quot;By Jove, neit; said Eustace after ried.

    Jeerfall first, but tirian   be, so ster te moving steadily up terfall. t  tell w he moved on, higher  and higher.

    t of er just above   cascaded out in treams all round  beirian.  raighe wall of a house.

    looked funniest  been at  all out of breat noy of  spluttering and sneezing among t ime t ter. But before Jill  ime to notice all terfall

    of t errible  tless jags of rock. But in t . You  on,  up and up, ed lig you from ter and all  manner of coloured stones flas, till it seemed as if you  errified, but later it ing. And t  last one came to ter poured over top and  found t one  on terfall. t was racing away  behind you,

    but you . Soon thappy.

    A long valley opened a snoains, no the sky.

    quot;Furt; cried Jeantly they were off again.

    t of Narnia noo tern ild er nor even t t;Do you remember? Do you remember?quot; t in steady  voices too,  panting, ty er than an  arrow flies.

    quot;, Lord?quot; said tirian. quot;Is it true, as stories tell, t you two  journeyed he world was made?¡±

    quot;Yes,quot; said Digory, quot;and it seems to me as if it erday.¡±

    quot;And on a flying ; asked tirian. quot;Is t part true?¡±

    quot;Certainly,quot; said Digory. But t;Faster, faster!¡±

    So ter and faster till it er t ter eep sides of er times crossing it and skimming across  mountainlakes as if ts, till at last at turquoise, ts sides eep  as top of it ran a green  above trees w like  gold.

    quot;Furt; roared traig t of t  almost as er from a broken  at t of some bay. teep as top did t   golden gates. And for a moment none of  to try if tes  just as t about t quot;Dare  rig be meant for us?¡±

    But  ,  blees swung open.

    tirian stood . And  ted: a little, sleek, brigalking Mouse  h a red

    featuck in a circlet on its s left paing on a long  s bo beautiful bos s;elcome, in ther in.¡±

    tirian saer and King Edmund and Queen Lucy ruso  kneel do t quot;Reepic; And tirian  breat , for no  at t Battle  of Beruna and aftero t before ime to t trong arms t  a bearded kiss on ;, lad? Art taller since I last touchee!¡±

    It  as tirian  , nor even  as tirian remembered er years le boy playing games le  garden at Cair Paravel, just before bedtime on summer evenings. to o him.

    Je to ;I o talk for a little and t t apple  a  colt.quot; But next moment o t of tey and noble t even a Unicorn migs presence: a  great  at t quot;, cousins!quot; and ted quot;Fledge! Good old Fledge!quot; and ruso  kiss it.

    But by noo come in. So all of tes, into t bleo of t garden and into ture of sunligrees,  urf t ted e flo truck everyone  t side.  But no one ime to t t for people o meet tion.

    Everyone you ory of tries)  seemed to be ted, and ars daug father  Caspian himself.

    And close beside rumpkin  truffle-er torm taur and a   ar of Deliverance. And t, hen

    - irian - t, tumnus ting and  kissing and ake it out again after a rest of five or six o tre of t in  a tree and looked do t of t tree  and beautiful t everyone bohem.

    And , for t Kings of Narnia and Arcirian felt  as you would feel if you were brougheir glory.

    About er - or it miger, for time t like time ood  Narnian  friend, tumnus, looking do garden, and seeing all Narnia  spread out belo : it sank do belorees in t lo. turned  inood o t the garden.

    quot;I see,quot; s last, tfully. quot;I see noable. It is far bigger inside t side.¡±

    quot;Of course, Daug; said t;ts. tside.¡±

    Lucy looked  t it  really a garden but  a ains. But t  strange: shem all.

    quot;I see,quot; s;till Narnia, and more real and more beautiful  t as it iful tside table door! I see... hin Narnia...¡±

    quot;Yes,quot; said Mr tumnus, quot;like an onion: except t as you go in and in,  eac.¡±

    And Lucy looked t and soon found t a neiful  to ever s,  migeadily on it, became quite clear and close as if selescope. S and beyond it t city of taso Easto sea ser islands to tain  no  of a great cains o come quite close. to  and sao be a  great bank of

    brig off from t s it  a cloud at all but a real land. And  of it, s once cried out, quot;Peter! Edmund! Come and  look! Come quickly.quot; And their eyes also had become like  hers.

    quot;; exclaimed Peter. quot;Its England. And ts tself -  Professor Kirks old ry wures began!¡±

    quot;I t t royed,quot; said Edmund.

    quot;So it ; said t;But you are no t as t inner England no  good troyed.¡±

    Suddenly ted to anot, and ter and Edmund  and Lucy gasped  and sed out and began  t, deep valley. It  ing on to meet them.

    quot; at t; said Lucy.

    quot;t is easy,quot; said Mr tumnus. quot;t country and try - all tries - are only spurs jutting out from t mountains of Aslan. e o ill it joins on. And listen! t all go up.¡±

    And soon toget, brig oains o be seen. But tains: ts and green slopes and s orcerfalls, one above ther,  going up forever.

    And time,  valley the real England grew  nearer and nearer.

    t aronger. Lucy sa a great series of many -coloured cliffs led up in front of ts staircase. And t everyto cliff like a  living cataract of poy.

    And t person en looks beside a St Bernard. to Puzzle at  t urned to them and said: