atlasttherabblehadhadenoughofthis.theybegantodragtheboundandmuzzledliontothestonetable,somepullingandsomepushing.hewassohugethatevenwhentheygothimthereittookalltheireffortstohoisthimontothesurfaceofit.thentherewasmoretyingandtighteningofcords.

"thecowards!thecowards!"sobbedsusan."aretheystillafraidofhim,evennow?”

whenonceaslanhadbeentied(andtiedsothathewasreallyamassofcords)ontheflatstone,ahushfellonthecrowd.fourhags,holdingfourtorches,stoodatthecornersofthetable.thewitchbaredherarmsasshehadbaredthemthepreviousnightwhenithadbeenedmundinsteadofaslan.thenshebegantowhetherknife.itlookedtothechildren,whenthegleamofthetorchlightfellonit,asiftheknifeweremadeofstone,notofsteel,anditwasofastrangeandevilshape.

aslastshedrewnear.shestoodbyaslanshead.herfacewasworkingandtwitchingwithpassion,buthislookedupatthesky,stillquiet,neitherangrynorafraid,butalittlesad.then,justbeforeshegavetheblow,shestoopeddownandsaidinaquiveringvoice,"andnow,whohaswon?fool,didyouthinkthatbyallthisyouwouldsavethehumantraitor?nowiwillkillyouinsteadofhimasourpactwasandsothedeepmagicwillbeappeased.butwhenyouaredeadwhatwillpreventmefromkillinghimaswell?andwhowilltakehimoutofmyhandthen?understandthatyouhavegivenmenarniaforever,youhavelostyourownlifeandyouhavenotsavedhis.inthatknowledge,despairanddie.”

thechildrendidnotseetheactualmomentofthekilling.theycouldntbeartolookandhadcoveredtheireyes.

CHAPTERFIFTEEN

，

deepermagicfrombeforethedawnoftimewhilethetwogirlsstillcrouchedinthebusheswiththeirhandsovertheirfaces,theyheardthevoiceofthewitchcallingout,"now!followmeallandwewillsetaboutwhatremainsofthiswar!itwillnottakeuslongtocrushthehumanverminandthetraitorsnowthatthegreatfool,thegreatcat,liesdead.”

atthismomentthechildrenwereforafewsecondsinverygreatdanger.forwithwildcriesandanoiseofskirlingpipesandshrillhornsblowing,thewholeofthatvilerabblecamesweepingoffthehill-topanddownthesloperightpasttheirhiding-place.theyfeltthespectresgobythemlikeacoldwindandtheyfeltthegroundshakebeneaththemunderthegallopingfeetoftheminotaurs;andoverheadtherewentaflurryoffoulwingsandablacknessofvulturesandgiantbats.atanyothertimetheywouldhavetrembledwithfear;butnowthesadnessandshameandhorrorofaslansdeathsofilledtheirmindsthattheyhardlythoughtofit.

assoonasthewoodwassilentagainsusanandlucycreptoutontotheopenhill-top.

themoonwasgettinglowandthincloudswerepassingacrossher,butstilltheycouldseetheshapeofthelionlyingdeadinhisbonds.anddowntheybothkneltinthewetgrassandkissedhiscoldfaceandstrokedhisbeautifulfur-whatwasleftofit-andcriedtilltheycouldcrynomore.andthentheylookedateachotherandheldeachothershandsformerelonelinessandcriedagain;andthenagainweresilent.atlastlucysaid,"icantbeartolookatthathorriblemuzzle.iwondercouldwetakeifoff?”

sotheytried.andafteralotofworkingatit(fortheirfingerswerecoldanditwasnowthedarkestpartofthenight)theysucceeded.andwhentheysawhisfacewithoutittheyburstoutcryingagainandkisseditandfondleditandwipedawaythebloodandthefoamaswellastheycould.anditwasallmorelonelyandhopelessandhorridthaniknowhowtodescribe.

"iwondercouldweuntiehimaswell?"saidsusanpresently.buttheenemies,outofpurespitefulness,haddrawnthecordssotightthatthegirlscouldmakenothingoftheknots.

ihopenoonewhoreadsthisbookhasbeenquiteasmiserableassusanandlucywerethatnight;butifyouhavebeen-ifyouvebeenupallnightandcriedtillyouhavenomoretearsleftinyou-youwillknowthattherecomesintheendasortofquietness.youfeelasifnothingwasevergoingtohappenagain.atanyratethatwashowitfelttothesetwo.hoursandhoursseemedtogobyinthisdeadcalm,andtheyhardlynoticedthattheyweregettingcolderandcolder.butatlastlucynoticedtwootherthings.onewasthattheskyontheeastsideofthehillwasalittlelessdarkthanithadbeenanhourago.

theotherwassometinymovementgoingoninthegrassatherfeet.atfirstshetooknointerestinthis.whatdiditmatter?nothingmatterednow!butatlastshesawthatwhatever-it-washadbeguntomoveuptheuprightstonesofthestonetable.andnowwhatever-they-wereweremovingaboutonaslansbody.shepeeredcloser.theywerelittlegreythings.

"ugh!"saidsusanfromtheothersideofthetable."howbeastly!therearehorridlittlemicecrawlingoverhim.goaway,youlittlebeasts."andsheraisedherhandtofrightenthemaway.

"wait!"saidlucy,whohadbeenlookingatthemmorecloselystill."canyouseewhattheyredoing?”

bothgirlsbentdownandstared.

"idobelieve-"saidsusan."buthowqueer!theyrenibblingawayatthecords!”

"thatswhatithought,"saidlucy."ithinktheyrefriendlymice.poorlittlethings-theydontrealizehesdead.theythinkitlldosomegooduntyinghim.”

itwasquitedefinitelylighterbynow.eachofthegirlsnoticedforthefirsttimethewhitefaceoftheother.theycouldseethemicenibblingaway;dozensanddozens,evenhundreds,oflittlefieldmice.andatlast,onebyone,theropeswereallgnawedthrough.

theskyintheeastwaswhitishbynowandthestarsweregettingfainter-allexceptoneverybigonelowdownontheeasternhorizon.theyfeltcolderthantheyhadbeenallnight.themicecreptawayagain.

thegirlsclearedawaytheremainsofthegnawedropes.aslanlookedmorelikehimselfwithoutthem.everymomenthisdeadfacelookednobler,asthelightgrewandtheycouldseeitbetter.

inthewoodbehindthemabirdgaveachucklingsound.ithadbeensostillforhoursandhoursthatitstartledthem.thenanotherbirdansweredit.soontherewerebirdssingingallovertheplace.

itwasquitedefinitelyearlymorningnow,notlatenight.

"imsocold,"saidlucy.

"soami,"saidsusan."letswalkaboutabit.”

theywalkedtotheeasternedgeofthehillandlookeddown.theonebigstarhadalmostdisappeared.thecountryalllookeddarkgrey,butbeyond,attheveryendoftheworld,theseashowedpale.theskybegantoturnred.theywalkedtoandsfromoretimesthantheycouldcountbetweenthedeadaslanandtheeasternridge,tryingtokeepwarm;andoh,howtiredtheirlegsfelt.thenatlast,astheystoodforamomentlookingouttowardstheyseaandcairparavel(whichtheycouldnowjustmakeout)theredturnedtogoldalongthelinewheretheseaandtheskymetandveryslowlyupcametheedgeofthesun.

atthatmomenttheyheardfrombehindthemaloudnoise-agreatcracking,deafeningnoiseasifagianthadbrokenagiantsplate.

"whatsthat?"saidlucy,clutchingsusansarm.

"i-ifeelafraidtoturnround,"saidsusan;"somethingawfulishappening.”

"theyredoingsomethingworsetohim,"saidlucy."comeon!"andsheturned,pullingsusanroundwithher.

therisingofthesunhadmadeeverythinglooksodifferent-allcoloursandshadowswerechangedthatforamomenttheydidntseetheimportantthing.thentheydid.thestonetablewasbrokenintotwopiecesbyagreatcrackthatrandownitfromendtoend;andtherewasnoaslan.

"oh,oh,oh!"criedthetwogirls,rushingbacktothetable.

"oh,itstoobad,"sobbedlucy;"theymighthaveleftthebodyalone.”

"whosdoneit?"criedsusan."whatdoesitmean?isitmagic?”

"yes!"saidagreatvoicebehindtheirbacks."itismoremagic."theylookedround.

there,shininginthesunrise,largerthantheyhadseenhimbefore,shakinghismane(forithadapparentlygrownagain)stoodaslanhimself.

"oh,aslan!"criedboththechildren,staringupathim,almostasmuchfrightenedastheywereglad.

"arentyoudeadthen,dearaslan?"saidlucy.

"notnow,"saidaslan.

"yourenot-nota-?"askedsusaninashakyvoice.shecouldntbringherselftosaythewordghost.aslanstoopedhisgoldenheadandlickedherforehead.thewarmthofhisbreathandarichsortofsmellthatseemedtohangabouthishaircamealloverher.

"doilookit?"hesaid.

"oh,yourereal,yourereal!oh,aslan!"criedlucy,andbothgirlsflungthemselvesuponhimandcoveredhimwithkisses.

"butwhatdoesitallmean?"askedsusanwhentheyweresomewhatcalmer.

"itmeans,"saidaslan,"thatthoughthewitchknewthedeepmagic,thereisamagicdeeperstillwhichshedidnotknow:herknowledgegoesbackonlytothedawnoftime.

butifshecouldhavelookedalittlefurtherback,intothestillnessandthedarknessbeforetimedawned,shewouldhavereadthereadifferentincantation.shewouldhaveknownthatwhenawillingvictimwhohadcommittednotreacherywaskilledinatraitorsstead,thetablewouldcrackanddeathitselfwouldstartworkingbackwards.

andnow-”

"ohyes.now?"saidlucy,jumpingupandclappingherhands.

"oh,children,"saidthelion,"ifeelmystrengthcomingbacktome.oh,children,catchmeifyoucan!"hestoodforasecond,hiseyesverybright,hislimbsquivering,lashinghimselfwithhistail.thenhemadealeaphighovertheirheadsandlandedontheothersideofthetable.laughing,thoughshedidntknowwhy,lucyscrambledoverittoreachhim.aslanleapedagain.amadchasebegan.roundandroundthehill-topheledthem,nowhopelesslyoutoftheirreach,nowlettingthemalmostcatchhistail,nowdivingbetweenthem,nowtossingthemintheairwithhishugeandbeautifullyvelvetedpawsandcatchingthemagain,andnowstoppingunexpectedlysothatallthreeofthemrolledovertogetherinahappylaughingheapoffurandarmsandlegs.itwassucharompasnoonehaseverhadexceptinnarnia;andwhetheritwasmorelikeplayingwith

athunderstormorplayingwithakittenlucycouldnevermakeuphermind.andthefunnythingwasthatwhenallthreefinallylaytogetherpantinginthesunthegirlsnolongerfeltintheleasttiredorhungryorthirsty.

"andnow,"saidaslanpresently,"tobusiness.ifeeliamgoingtoroar.youhadbetterputyourfingersinyourears.”

andtheydid.andaslanstoodupandwhenheopenedhismouthtoroarhisfacebecamesoterriblethattheydidnotdaretolookatit.andtheysawallthetreesinfrontofhimbendbeforetheblastofhisroaringasgrassbendsinameadowbeforethewind.thenhesaid,"wehavealongjourneytogo.youmustrideonme."andhecroucheddownandthechildrenclimbedontohiswarm,goldenback,andsusansatfirst,holdingontightlytohismaneandlucysatbehindholdingontightlytosusan.andwithagreatheaveheroseunderneaththemandthenshotoff,fasterthananyhorsecouldgo,downhillandintothethickoftheforest.

thatridewasperhapsthemostwonderfulthingthathappenedtotheminnarnia.haveyoueverhadagalloponahorse?thinkofthat;andthentakeawaytheheavynoiseofthehoofsandthejingleofthebitsandimagineinsteadthealmostnoiselesspaddingofthegreatpaws.thenimagineinsteadoftheblackorgreyorchestnutbackofthehorsethesoftroughnessofgoldenfur,andthemaneflyingbackinthewind.andthenimagineyouaregoingabouttwiceasfastasthefastestracehorse.butthisisamountthatdoesntneedtobeguidedandnevergrowstired.herushesonandon,nevermissinghisfooting,neverhesitating,threadinghiswaywithperfectskillbetweentreetrunks,jumpingoverbushandbriarandthesmallerstreams,wadingthelarger,swimmingthelargestofall.