“Itiswellchosen,” saidAslan.“Andbecauseyouhavespokenfirst, .”
Theman, nowalittlepale, , leavinghimfreeaccesstotheemptydoorwayofthestakes.
“Gothroughit, myson,” saidAslan, bendingtowardhimandtouchingtheman''sbreathcameabouthim, anewlookcameintotheman'seyes—startled, butnotunhappy—.
Everyone', : then, inonesecond, hehadvanishedutterly.
FromtheotherendofthegladetheremainingTelmarinessetupawailing.“Ugh! What'shappenedtohim? Doyoumeantomurderus? Wewon'tgothatway.” AndthenoneofthecleverTelmarinessaid:“Wedon', whydoesn'toneofyougo? Allyourownfriendsarekeepingwellawayfromthesticks.”
InstantlyReepicheepstoodforwardandbowed.“Ifmyexamplecanbeofanyservice, Aslan,” hesaid, “Iwilltakeelevenmicethroughthatarchatyourbiddingwithoutamoment'sdelay.”
“Nay, littleone,” saidAslan, layinghisvelvetypaweversolightlyonReepicheep'shead.“.”
“Comeon,” saidPetersuddenlytoEdmundandLucy.“Ourtime'sup.”
“Whatdoyoumean?” saidEdmund.
“Thisway,” saidSusan, whoseemedtoknowallaboutit.“'vegottochange.”
“Changewhat?” askedLucy.
“Ourclothes, ofcourse,” saidSusan.“Nicefoolswe'dlookontheplatformofanEnglishstationinthese.”
“ButourotherthingsareatCaspian'scastle,” saidEdmund.
“No, they'renot,” saidPeter, stillleadingthewayintothethickestwood.“They''sallarranged.”
“WasthatwhatAslanwastalkingtoyouandSusanaboutthismorning?” askedLucy.
“Yes—thatandotherthings,” saidPeter, hisfaceverysolemn.“Ican''renotcomingbacktoNarnia.”
“Never?” criedEdmundandLucyindismay.
“Oh, youtwoare,” answeredPeter.“Atleast, fromwhathesaid, I''regettingtooold.”
“Oh, Peter,” saidLucy.“?”
“Well, IthinkIcan,” saidPeter.“It'', quick, hereareourthings.”
Itwasodd, andnotverynice, totakeofftheirroyalclothesandtocomebackintheirschoolthings (notveryfreshnow) , andQueenSusanoftheHorn, andKingEdmund, (onLucy'spart) tearfulfarewellswithalltheiroldfriends—animalkisses, andhugsfromBulgyBears, andhandswrungbyTrumpkin, andalasttickly, , wonderfullyandterribly, itwasfarewelltoAslanhimself, andPetertookhisplacewithSusan'shandsonhisshouldersandEdmund'sonhersandLucy'sonhisandthefirstoftheTelmarine'sonLucy's, , , , thefacesofDwarfsandBeasts, thedeepeyesofAslan, andthewhitepatchesontheBadger' (whichrapidlyswalloweduptheothertwo) wasthegray, gravellysurfaceofaplatforminacountrystation, andaseatwithluggageroundit, wheretheywereallsittingasiftheyhadnevermovedfromit—alittleflatanddrearyforamomentafteralltheyhadbeenthrough, butalso, unexpectedly, niceinitsownway, whatwiththefamiliarrailwaysmellandtheEnglishskyandthesummertermbeforethem.
“Well!” saidPeter.“Wehavehadatime.”
“Bother!” saidEdmund.“I'veleftmynewtorchinNarnia.”
