THEtwoCalormenesoldiersattheheadofthecolumn,seeingwhattheytookforaTarkaanorgreatlordwithtwoarmedpages,cametoahaltandraisedtheirspearsinsalute.
“OMyMaster,”saidoneofthem,“weleadthesemanikinstoCalormentoworkintheminesofTheTisroc,may-he-live-forever.”
“BythegreatgodTash,theyareveryobedient,”saidTirian.ThensuddenlyheturnedtotheDwarfsthemselves.Aboutoneinsixofthemcarriedatorchandbythatflickeringlighthecouldseetheirbeardedfacesalllookingathimwithgrimanddoggedexpressions.“HasTheTisrocfoughtagreatbattle,Dwarfs,andconqueredyourland?”heasked,“thatthusyougopatientlytodieinthesalt-pitsofPugrahan?”
ThetwosoldiersglaredathiminsurprisebuttheDwarfsallanswered,“Aslan’sorders,Aslan’sorders.He’ssoldus.Whatcanwedoagainsthim?”
“Tisrocindeed!”addedoneandspat.“I’dliketoseehimtryit!”
“Silence,dogs!”saidthechiefsoldier.
“Look!”saidTirian,pullingPuzzleforwardintothelight.“Ithasallbeenalie.AslanhasnotcometoNarniaatall.YouhavebeencheatedbytheApe.Thisisthethinghebroughtoutofthestabletoshowyou.Lookatit.”
WhattheDwarfssaw,nowthattheycouldseeitclose,wascertainlyenoughtomakethemwonderhowtheyhadeverbeentakenin.Thelion-skinhadgotprettyuntidyalreadyduringPuzzle’simprisonmentinthestableandithadbeenknockedcrookedduringhisjourneythroughthedarkwood.Mostofitwasinabiglumpononeshoulder.Thehead,besidesbeingpushedsideways,hadsomehowgotveryfarbacksothatanyonecouldnowseehissilly,gentle,donkeyishfacegazingoutofit.Somegrassstuckoutofonecornerofhismouth,forhe’dbeendoingalittlequietnibblingastheybroughthimalong.Andhewasmuttering,“Itwasn’tmyfault,I’mnotclever.IneversaidIwas.”
ForonesecondalltheDwarfswerestaringatPuzzlewithwideopenmouthsandthenoneofthesoldierssaidsharply,“Areyoumad,MyMaster?Whatareyoudoingtotheslaves?”andtheothersaid,“Andwhoareyou?”Neitheroftheirspearswasatthesalutenow-bothweredownandreadyforaction.
“Givethepassword,”saidthechiefsoldier.
“Thisismypassword,”saidtheKingashedrewhissword.“Thelightisdawning,theliebroken.Nowguardthee,miscreant,forIamTirianofNarnia.”
Heflewuponthechiefsoldierlikelightning.Eustace,whohaddrawnhisswordwhenhesawtheKingdrawhis,rushedattheotherone:hisfacewasdeadlypale,butIwouldn’tblamehimforthat.Andhehadtheluckthatbeginnerssometimesdohave.HeforgotallthatTirianhadtriedtoteachhimthatafternoon,slashedwildly(indeedI’mnotsurehiseyesweren’tshut)andsuddenlyfound,tohisowngreatsurprise,thattheCalormenelaydeadathisfeet.Andthoughthatwasagreatrelief,itwas,atthemoment,ratherfrightening.TheKing’sfightlastedasecondortwolonger:thenhetoohadkilledhismanandshoutedtoEustace,“‘Waretheothertwo.”
ButtheDwarfshadsettledthetworemainingCalormenes.Therewasnoenemyleft.
“Wellstruck,Eustace!”criedTirian,clappinghimontheback.“Now,Dwarfs,youarefree.TomorrowIwillleadyoutofreeallNarnia.ThreecheersforAslan!”
Buttheresultwhichfollowedwassimplywretched.TherewasafeebleattemptfromafewDwarfs(aboutfive)whichdiedawayallatonce:fromseveralothersthereweresulkygrowls.Manysaidnothingatall.
“Don’ttheyunderstand?”saidJillimpatiently.“What’swrongwithallyouDwarfs?Don’tyouhearwhattheKingsays?It’sallover.TheApeisn’tgoingtoruleNarniaanylonger.Everyonecangobacktoordinarylife.Youcanhavefunagain.Aren’tyouglad?”
Afterapauseofnearlyaminuteanot-very-nice-lookingDwarfwithhairandbeardasblackassootsaid:“Andwhomightyoube,Missie?”
“I’mJill,”shesaid.“ThesameJillwhorescuedKingRilianfromtheenchantment-andthisisEustacewhodidittoo-andwe’vecomebackfromanotherworldafterhundredsofyears.Aslansentus.”
TheDwarfsalllookedatoneanotherwithgrins;sneeringgrins,notmerryones.
“Well,”saidtheBlackDwarf(whosenamewasGriffle),“Idon’tknowhowallyouchapsfeel,butIfeelI’veheardasmuchaboutAslanasIwanttofortherestofmylife.”
“That’sright,that’sright,”growledtheotherDwarfs.“It’sallaplant,allabloomingplant.”
“Whatdoyoumean?”saidTirian.Hehadnotbeenpalewhenhewasfightingbuthewaspalenow.Hehadthoughtthiswasgoingtobeabeautifulmoment,butitwasturningoutmorelikeabaddream.
“Youmustthinkwe’rebloomingsoftinthehead,thatyoumust,”saidGriffle.“We’vebeentakeninonceandnowyouexpectustobetakeninagainthenextminute.We’venomoreuseforstoriesaboutAslan,see!Lookathim!Anoldmokewithlongears!”
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