“Ohyes, yes, ” saidtheRabbit.“.”
“Whatwashelike? ” saidtheKing.
“Likeaterrible, greatLion, tobesure, ” saidoneoftheMice.
“AndyouthinkitisreallyAslanwhoiskillingtheWood-NymphsandmakingyouallslavestotheKingofCalormen? ”
“Ah, that'sbad, isn'tit? ” saidthesecondMouse.“Itwouldhavebeenbetterifwe''''', we—wewantedhimtocomebacktoNarnia.”
“Heseemstohavecomebackveryangrythistime, ” saidthefirstMouse.“! ”
“Isupposewhatwe'redoingnowmaybewrong, ” saidtheRabbit.
“Idon'tcareifitis, ” saidoneoftheMoles.“I'ddoitagain.”
Buttheotherssaid, “Ohhush, ” and “Dobecareful, ” andthentheyallsaid, “We'resorry, dearKing, .”
“Leavemeatonce, dearBeasts, ” saidTirian.“IwouldnotforallNarniabringanyofyouintodanger.”
“Goodnight, goodnight, ” saidtheBeasts, rubbingtheirnosesagainsthisknees.“Wewillcomeback—ifwecan.” Thentheyallpatteredawayandthewoodseemeddarkerandcolderandlonelierthanithadbeenbeforetheycame.
Thestarscameoutandtimewentslowlyon—imaginehowslowly—.
, , newlylit, , alllitupintheredglow, , hunchedupbesidethefire, , —somethingthatwalkedratherstiffly—cameoutofthestableandstoodfacingthecrowd.
Agreatwailingorhowlingwentup, soloudthatTiriancouldhearsomeofthewords.
“Aslan! Aslan! Aslan! ” criedtheBeasts.“.”
FromwhereTirianwashecouldnotmakeoutveryclearlywhatthethingwas; '? Foramomenthorriblethoughtswentthroughhismind:thenherememberedthenonsenseaboutTashandAslanbeingthesameandknewthatthewholethingmustbeacheat.
