FORalongtimetheycouldnotspeaknorevenshedatear.ThentheUnicornstampedthegroundwithhishoof,andshookhismane,andspoke.
“Sire,”hesaid,“thereisnownoneedofcounsel.WeseethattheApe’splanswerelaiddeeperthanwedreamedof.DoubtlesshehasbeenlonginsecrettrafficwithTheTisroc,andassoonashehadfoundthelion-skinhesenthimwordtomakereadyhisnavyforthetakingofCairParavelandallNarnia.NothingnowremainsforussevenbuttogobacktoStableHill,proclaimthetruth,andtaketheadventurethatAslansendsus.Andif,byagreatmarvel,wedefeatthosethirtyCalormeneswhoarewiththeApe,thentoturnagainanddieinbattlewiththefargreaterhostofthemthatwillsoonmarchfromCairParavel.”
Tiriannodded.Butheturnedtothechildrenandsaid:“Now,friends,itistimeforyoutogohenceintoyourownworld.Doubtlessyouhavedoneallthatyouweresenttodo.”
“B-butwe’vedonenothing,”saidJillwhowasshivering,notwithfearexactlybutbecauseeverythingwassohorrible.
“Nay,”saidtheKing,“youloosedmefromthetree:youglidedbeforemelikeasnakelastnightinthewoodandtookPuzzle:andyou,Eustace,killedyourman.Butyouaretooyoungtoshareinsuchabloodyendasweothersmustmeettonightor,itmaybe,threedayshence.Ientreatyou-nay,Icommandyou-toreturntoyourownplace.IshouldbeputtoshameifIletsuchyoungwarriorsfallinbattleonmyside.”
“No,no,no,”saidJill(verywhitewhenshebeganspeakingandthensuddenlyveryredandthenwhiteagain.)“Wewon’t,Idon’tcarewhatyousay.We’regoingtostickwithyouwhateverhappens,aren’twe,Eustace?”
“Yes,butthere’snoneedtogetsoworkedupaboutit,”saidEustacewhohadstuckhishandsinhispockets(forgettinghowveryoddthatlookswhenyouarewearingamailshirt).“Because,yousee,wehaven’tanychoice.What’sthegoodoftalkingaboutourgoingback!How?We’vegotnomagicfordoingit!”
Thiswasverygoodsensebut,atthemoment,JillhatedEustaceforsayingit.Hewasfondofbeingdreadfullymatter-of-factwhenotherpeoplegotexcited.
WhenTirianrealizedthatthetwostrangerscouldnotgethome(unlessAslansuddenlywhiskedthemaway),henextwantedthemtogoacrosstheSouthernmountainsintoArchenlandwheretheymightpossiblybesafe.Buttheydidn’tknowtheirwayandtherewasnoonetosendwiththeAlso,asPogginsaid,oncetheCalormeneshadNarniatheywouldcertainlytakeArchenlandinthenextweekorso:TheTisrochadalwayswantedtohavetheseNortherncountriesforhisown.IntheendEustaceandJillbeggedsohardthatTiriansaidtheycouldcomewithhimandtaketheirchance-or,ashemuchmoresensiblycalledit,“theadventurethatAslanwouldsendthem”.
TheKing’sfirstideawasthattheyshouldnotgobacktoStableHill-theyweresickoftheverynameofitbynowtillafterdark.ButtheDwarftoldthemthatiftheyarrivedtherebydaylighttheywouldprobablyfindtheplacedeserted,exceptperhapsforaCalormenesentry.TheBeastswerefartoofrightenedbywhattheApe(andGinger)hadtoldthemaboutthisnewangryAslan-orTashlan-togonearitexceptwhentheywerecalledtogetherforthesehorriblemidnightmeetings.AndCalormenesarenevergoodwoodsmen.Pogginthoughtthatevenbydaylighttheycouldeasilygetroundtosomewherebehindthestablewithoutbeingseen.ThiswouldbemuchhardertodowhenthenighthadcomeandtheApemightbecallingtheBeaststogetherandalltheCalormeneswereonduty.AndwhenthemeetingdidbegintheycouldleavePuzzleatthebackofthestable,completelyoutofsight,tillthemomentatwhichtheywantedtoproducehiThiswasobviouslyagoodthing:fortheironlychancewastogivetheNarniansasuddensurprise.
Everyoneagreedandthewholepartysetoffonanewline-North-West-towardsthehatedHill.TheEaglesometimesflewtoandfroabovethem,sometimeshesatperchedonPuzzle’sback.Noone-noteventheKinghimselfexceptinsomegreatneed-car.AndjustasTiriantookhisplace,thegongstoppedbeatingandfromsomewhereonhisleftthreefiguresappeared.OnewasRishdaTarkaantheCalormeneCaptain.ThesecondwastheApe.HewasholdingontotheTarkaan’shandwithonepawandkeptwhimperingandmuttering,“Notsofast,don’tgosofast,I’mnotatallwell.Ohmypoorhead!Thesemidnightmeetingsaregettingtoomuchforme.Apesaren’tmeanttobeupatnight:It’snotasifIwasaratorabat-ohmypoorhead.”OntheothersideoftheApe,walkingverysoftandstately,withhistailstraightupintheair,cameGingertheCat.TheywereheadingforthebonfireandweresoclosetoTirianthattheywouldhaveseenhimatonceiftheyhadlookedintherightdirection.Fortunatelytheydidnot.ButTirianheardRishdasaytoGingerinalowvoice:
“Now,Cat,tothypost.Seethouplaythypartwell.”
“Miaow,miaow.Countonme!”saidGinger.ThenhesteppedawaybeyondthebonfireandsatdowninthefrontrowoftheassembledBeasts:intheaudience,asyoumightsay.
Forreally,asithappened,thewholethingwasratherlikeatheatre.ThecrowdofNarnianswerelikethepeopleintheseats;thelittlegrassyplacejustinfrontofthestable,wherethebonfireburnedandtheApeandtheCaptainstoodtotalktothecrowd,waslikethestage;thestableitselfwaslikethesceneryatthebackofthestage;andTirianandhisfriendswerelikepeoplepeeringroundfrombehindthescenery.Itwasasplendidposition.Ifanyofthemsteppedforwardintothefullfirelight,alleyeswouldbefixedonhimatonce:ontheotherhand,solongastheystoodstillintheshadowoftheend-wallofthestable,itwasahundredtooneagainsttheirbeingnoticed.
RishdaTarkaandraggedtheApeupclosetothefire.Thepairofthemturnedtofacethecrowd,andthisofcoursemeantthattheirbacksweretowardsTirianandhisfriends.
“Now,Monkey,”saidRishdaTarkaaninalowvoice.“Saythewordsthatwiserheadshaveputintothymouth.Andholdupthyhead.”AshespokehegavetheApealittleprodorkickfrombehindwiththepointofhistoe.
“Doleavemealone,”mutteredShift.Buthesatupstraighterandbegan,inaloudervoice-“Nowlisten,allofyou.Aterriblethinghashappened.Awickedthing.ThewickedestthingthateverwasdoneinNarnia.AndAslan-”
“Tashlan,fool,”whisperedRishdaTarkaan.
“TashlanImean,ofcourse,”saidtheApe,“isveryangryaboutit.”
TherewasaterriblesilencewhiletheBeastswaitedtohearwhatnewtroublewasinstorefortheThelittlepartybytheend-wallofthestablealsoheldtheirbreath.Whatonearthwascomingnow?
“Yes,”saidtheApe.“Atthisverymoment,whentheTerribleOnehimselfisamongus-thereinthestablejustbehindme-onewickedBeasthaschosentodowhatyou’dthinknoonewoulddaretodoevenifHewereathousandmilesaway.Ithasdresseditselfupinalion-skinandiswanderingaboutintheseverywoodspretendingtobeAslan.”
JillwonderedforamomentiftheApehadgonemad.Washegoingtotellthewholetruth?AroarofhorrorandragewentupfromtheBeasts.“Grrr!”camethegrowls.“Whoishe?Whereishe?Justletmegetmyteethintohim!”
“Itwasseenlastnight,”screamedtheApe,“butitgotaway.It’saDonkey!Acommon,miserableAss!IfanyofyouseethatAss-”
“Grrr!”growledtheBeasts.“Wewill,wewill.He’dbetterkeepoutofourway.”
JilllookedattheKing:hismouthwasopenandhisfacewasfullofhorror.Andthensheunderstoodthedevilishcunningoftheenemies’plan.Bymixingalittletruthwithittheyhadmadetheirliefarstronger.Whatwasthegood,now,oftellingtheBeaststhatanasshadbeendressedupasaliontodeceivethem?TheApewouldonlysay,“That’sjustwhatI’vesaid.”WhatwasthegoodofshowingthemPuzzleinhislion-skin?Theywouldonlytearhiminpieces.“That’stakenthewindoutofoursails,”whisperedEustace.“Thegroundistakenfromunderourfeet,”saidTirian.“Cursed,cursedcleverness!”saidPoggin.“I’llbeswornthatthisnewlieisofGinger’smaking.”
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