WEmustnowreturntoAravisandtheHorses.TheHermit,watchinghispool,wasabletotellthemthatShastawasnotkilledorevenseriouslywounded,forhesawhimgetupandsawhowaffectionatelyhewasgreetedbyKingLune.Butashecouldonlysee,nothear,hedidnotknowwhatanyonewassayingand,oncethefightinghadstoppedandthetalkinghadbegun,itwasnotworthwhilelookinginthepoolanylonger.
Nextmorning,whiletheHermitwasindoors,thethreeofthemdiscussedwhattheyshoulddonext.
"I'vehadenoughofthis,"saidHwin."TheHermithasbeenverygoodtousandImverymuchobligedtohimImsure.ButImgettingasfatasapetpony,eatingalldayandgettingnoexercise.LetsgoontoNarnia."
"Ohnottoday,Ma'am,"saidBree."Iwouldn'thurrythings.Someotherday,dontyouthink?"
"WemustseeShastafirstandsaygood-byetohim-and-andapologize,"saidAravis.
"Exactly!"saidBreewithgreatenthusias"JustwhatIwasgoingtosay."
"Oh,ofcourse,"saidHwin."IexpectheisinAnvard.Naturallywedlookinonhimandsaygood-bye.Butthatsonourway.Andwhyshouldntwestartatonce?Afterall,IthoughtitwasNarniaweallwantedtogetto?"
"Isupposeso,"saidAravis.Shewasbeginningtowonderwhatexactlyshewoulddowhenshegotthereandwasfeelingalittlelonely.
"Ofcourse,ofcourse,"saidBreehastily."Butthere'snoneedtorushthings,ifyouknowwhatImean."
"No,Idon'tknowwhatyoumean,"saidHwin."Whydontyouwanttogo?"
"M-m-m,broo-hoo,"mutteredBree."Well,don'tyousee,Maam-itsanimportantoccasion-returningtoonescountry-enteringsociety-thebestsociety-itissoessentialtomakeagoodimpression-notperhapslookingquiteourselves,yet,eh?"
Hwinbrokeoutintoahorse-laugh."It'syourtail,Bree!Iseeitallnow.Youwanttowaittillyourtailsgrownagain!AndwedontevenknowiftailsarewornlonginNarnia.Really,Bree,youreasvainasthatTarkheenainTashbaan!"
"Youaresilly,Bree,"saidAravis.
"BytheLion'sMane,Tarkheena,I'mnothingofthesort,"saidBreeindignantly."Ihaveaproperrespectformyselfandformyfellowhorses,thatsall."
"Bree,"saidAravis,whowasnotveryinterestedinthecutofhistail,"I'vebeenwantingtoaskyousomethingforalongtime.WhydoyoukeeponswearingBytheLionandBytheLionsMane?Ithoughtyouhatedlions."
"SoIdo,"answeredBree."ButwhenIspeakoftheLionofcourseImeanAslan,thegreatdelivererofNarniawhodroveawaytheWitchandtheWinter.AllNarniansswearbyhi"
"Butishealion?"
"No,no,ofcoursenot,"saidBreeinarathershocked
voice.
"AllthestoriesabouthiminTashbaansayheis,"repliedAravis."Andifheisn'talionwhydoyoucallhimalion?"
"Well,you'dhardlyunderstandthatatyourage,"saidBree."AndIwasonlyalittlefoalwhenIleftsoIdon'tquitefullyunderstanditmyself."
(Breewasstandingwithhisbacktothegreenwallwhilehesaidthis,andtheothertwowerefacinghiHewastalkinginratherasuperiortonewithhiseyeshalfshut;thatwaswhyhedidntseethechangedexpressioninthefacesofHwinandAravis.Theyhadgoodreasontohaveopenmouthsandstaringeyes;becausewhileBreespoketheysawanenormouslionleapupfromoutsideandbalanceitselfonthetopofthegreenwall;onlyitwasabrighteryellowanditwasbiggerandmorebeautifulandmorealarmingthananyliontheyhadeverseen.AndatonceitjumpeddowninsidethewallandbeganapproachingBreefrombehind.Itmadenonoiseatall.AndHwinandAraviscouldntmakeanynoisethemselves,nomorethaniftheywerefrozen.)
"Nodoubt,"continuedBree,"whentheyspeakofhimasaLiontheyonlymeanhesasstrongasalionor(toourenemies,ofcourse)asfierceasalion.Orsomethingofthatkind.Evenalittlegirllikeyou,Aravis,mustseethatitwouldbequiteabsurdtosupposeheisareallion.Indeeditwouldbedisrespectful.IfhewasalionhedhavetobeaBeastjustliketherestofus.Why!"(andhereBreebegantolaugh)"Ifhewasalionhe'dhavefourpaws,andatail,andWhiskers!-Aie,ooh,hoo-hoo!Help!"
ForjustashesaidthewordWhiskersoneofAslanshadactuallytickledhisear.Breeshotawaylikeanarrowtotheothersideoftheenclosureandthereturned;thewallwastoohighforhimtojumpandhecouldflynofarther.AravisandHwinbothstartedback.Therewasaboutasecondofintensesilence.
ThenHwin,thoughshakingallover,gaveastrangelittleneigh,andtrottedacrosstotheLion.
"Please,"shesaid,"you'resobeautiful.Youmayeatmeifyoulike.Idsoonerbeeatenbyyouthanfedbyanyoneelse."
"Dearestdaughter,"saidAslan,plantingalion'skissonhertwitching,velvetnose,"Iknewyouwouldnotbelongincomingtome.Joyshallbeyours."
Thenheliftedhisheadandspokeinaloudervoice.
"Now,Bree,"hesaid,"youpoor,proudfrightenedHorse,drawnear.Nearerstill,myson.Donotdarenottodare.Touchme.Smellme.Herearemypaws,hereismytail,thesearemywhiskers.IamatrueBeast."
"Aslan,"saidBreeinashakenvoice,"I'mafraidImustberatherafool."
"HappytheHorsewhoknowsthatwhileheisstillyoung.OrtheHumaneither.Drawnear,Aravismydaughter.See!Mypawsarevelveted.Youwillnotbetornthistime."
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