ans mane outshone them all。 the rest of the old narnians stood down each side of the glade。 at the far end stood the telmarines。
the sun shone brightly and pennants fluttered in the light wind。
〃men of telmar；〃 said aslan； 〃you who seek a new land； hear my words。 i will send you all to your own country； which i know and you do not。”
〃we dont remember telmar。 we dont know where it is。 we dont know what it is like；”
grumbled the telmarines。
〃you came into narnia out of telmar；〃 said aslan。 〃but you came into telmar from another place。 you do not belong to this world at all。 you came hither； certain generations ago； out of that same world to which the high king peter belongs。”
at this； half the telmarines began whimpering； 〃there you are。 told you so。 hes going to kill us all； send us right out of the world；〃 and the other half began throwing out their chests and slapping one another on the back and whispering； 〃there you are。 might have guessed we didnt belong to this place with all its queer； nasty； unnatural creatures。 were of royal blood； youll see。〃 and even caspian and cornelius and the children turned to aslan with looks of amazement on their faces。
〃peace；〃 said aslan in the low voice which was nearest to his growl。 the earth seemed to shake a little and every living thing in the grove became still as stone。
〃you； sir caspian；〃 said aslan； 〃might have known that you could be no true king of narnia unless； like the kings of old； you were a son of adam and came from the world of adams sons。 and so you are。 many years ago in that world； in a deep sea of that world which is called the south sea； a shipload of pirates were driven by storm on an island。
and there they did as pirates would： killed the natives and took the native women for wives； and made palm wine； and drank and were drunk； and lay in the shade of the palm trees； and woke up and quarrelled； and sometimes killed one another。 and in one of these frays six were put to flight by the rest and fled with their women into the centre of the island and up a mountain； and went； as they thought； into a cave to hide。 but it was one of the magical places of that world； one of the chinks or chasms between chat world and this。 there were many chinks or chasms between worlds in old times； but they have grown rarer。 this was one of the last： i do not say the last。 and so they fell； or rose； or blundered； or dropped right through； and found themselves in this world； in the land of telmar which was then unpeopled。 but why it was unpeopled is a long story： i will not tell it now。 and in telmar their descendants lived and became a fierce and proud people； and after many generations there was a famine in telmar and they invaded narnia； which was then in some disorder （but that also would be a long story）； and conquered it and ruled it。 do you mark all this well； king caspian？”
〃i do indeed； sir；〃 said caspian。 〃i was wishing that i came of a more honourable lineage。”
〃you e of the lord adam and the lady eve；〃 said aslan。 〃and that is both honour enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar； and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth。 be content。”
caspian bowed。
〃and now；〃 said aslan； 〃you men and women of telmar； will you go back to that island in the world of men from which your fathers first came？ it is no bad place。 the race of those pirates who first found it has died out； and it is without inhabitants。 there are good wells of fresh water； and fruitful soil； and timber for building； and fish in the lagoons； and the other men of that world have not yet discovered it。 the chasm is open for your return； but this i must warn you； that once you have gone through； it will close behind you for ever。 there will be no more merce between the worlds by that door。”
there was silence for a moment。 then a burly； decent looking fellow among the telmarine soldiers pushed forward and said： 〃well； ill take the offer。”
〃it is well chosen；〃 said aslan。 〃and because you have spoken first； strong magic is upon you。 your future in that world shall be good。 e forth。”
the man； now a little pale； came forward。 aslan and his court drew aside； leaving him free access to the empty doorway of the stakes。
〃go through it； my son；〃 said aslan； bending towards him and touching the mans nose with his own。 as soon as the lions breath came about him； a new look came into the mans eyes … startled； but not unhappy … as if he were trying to remember something。 then he squared his shoulders and walked into the door。
everyones eyes were fixed on him。 they saw the three pieces of wood； and through them the trees and grass and sky of narnia。 they saw the man between the doorposts： then； in one second； he had vanished utterly。
from the other end of the glade the remaining telmarines set up a wailing。 〃ugh！ whats happened to him？ do you mean to murder us？ we wont go that way。〃 and then one of the clever telmarines said： 〃we dont see any other world through those sticks。 if you want us to believe in it； why doesnt one of you go？ all your own friends are keeping well away from the sticks。”
instantly reepicheep stood forward and bowed。 〃if my example can be of any service； aslan；〃 he said； 〃i will take eleven mice through that arch at your bidding without a moments delay。”
〃nay； little one；〃 said aslan； laying his velvety paw ever so lightly on reepicheeps head。
〃they would do dreadful things to you in that world。 they would show you at fairs。 it is others who must lead。”
〃e on；〃 said peter suddenly to edmund and lucy。 〃our times up。”
〃what do you mean？〃 said edmund。
〃this way；〃 said susan； who seemed to know all about it。 〃back into the trees。 weve got to change。”
〃change what？〃 asked lucy。
〃our clothes； of course；〃 said susan。 〃nice fools wed look on the platform of an english station in these。”
〃but our other things are at caspians castle；〃 said edmund。
〃no； theyre not；〃 said peter； still leading the way into the thickest wood。 〃theyre all here。 they were brought down in bundles this morning。 its all arranged。”
〃was that what aslan was talking to you and susan about this morning？〃 asked lucy。
〃yes … that and other things；〃 said peter； his face very solemn。 〃i cant tell it to you all。
there were things he wanted to say to su and me because were not ing back to narnia。”
〃never？〃 cried edmund and lucy in dismay。
〃oh； you two are；〃 answered peter。 〃at least； from what he said； im pretty sure he means you to get back some day。 but not su and me。 he says were getting too old。”
〃oh； peter；〃 said lucy。 〃what awful bad luck。 can you bear it？”
〃well； i think i can；〃 said peter。 〃its all rather different from what i thought。 youll understand when it es to your last time。 but； quick； here are our things。”
it was odd； and not very nice； to take off their royal clothes and to e back in their school things （not very fresh now） into that great assembly。 one or two of the nastier telmarines jeered。 but the other creatures all cheered and rose up in honour of peter the high king； and queen susan of the horn； and king edmund； and queen lucy。 there were affectionate and （on lucys part） tearful farewells with all their old friends … animal kisses； and hugs from bulgy bears； and hands wrung by trumpkin； and a last tickly； whiskerish embrace with trufflehunter。 and of course caspian offered the horn back to susan and of course susan told him to keep it。 and then； wonderfully and terribly； it was farewell to aslan himself； and peter took his place with susans hands on his shoulders and edmunds on hers and lucys on his and the first of the telmarines on lucys； and so in a long line they moved forward to the door。 after that came a moment which is hard to describe； for the children seemed to be seeing three things at once。 one was the mouth of a cave opening into the glaring green and blue of an island in the pacific； where all the telmarines would find themselves the moment they were through the door。 the second was a glade in narnia； the faces of dwarfs and beasts； the deep eyes of aslan； and the white patches on the badgers cheeks。 but the third （which rapidly swallowed up the
other two） was the grey； gravelly surface of a platform in a country station； and a seat with luggage round it； where they were all sitting as if they had never moved from it … a little flat and dreary for a moment after all they； had been through； but also； unexpectedly； nice in its own way； what with the familiar railway smell and the english sky and the summer term before them。
〃well！〃 said peter。 〃we have had a time。”
〃bother！〃 said edmund。 〃ive left my new torch in narnia。”
。。！
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