Presentlythecentaursandunicornsanddeerandbirds(theywereofcoursetherescuepartywhichAslanhadsentinthelastchapter)allsetofftogobacktotheStoneTable,carryingEdmundwiththem.Butiftheycouldhaveseenwhathappenedinthatvalleyaftertheyhadgone,Ithinktheymighthavebeensurprised.
Itwasperfectlystillandpresentlythemoongrewbright;ifyouhadbeenthereyouwouldhaveseenthemoonlightshiningonanoldtree-stumpandonafair—sizedboulder.Butifyouhadgoneonlookingyouwouldgraduallyhavebeguntothinktherewassomethingoddaboutboththestumpandtheboulder.Andnextyouwouldhavethoughtthatthestumpdidlookreallyremarkablylikealittlefatmancrouchingontheground.Andifyouhadwatchedlongenoughyouwouldhaveseenthestumpwalkacrosstotheboulderandthebouldersitupandbegintalkingtothestump;forinrealitythestumpandtheboulderweresimplytheWitchandthedwarf.Foritwaspartofhermagicthatshecouldmakethingslooklikewhattheyaren’t,andshehadthepresenceofmindtodosoattheverymomentwhentheknifewasknockedoutofherhand.Shehadkeptholdofherwand,soithadbeenkeptsafe,too.
Whentheotherchildrenwokeupnextmorning(theyhadbeensleepingonpilesofcushionsinthepavilion)thefirstthingtheyheard-fromMrs。Beaver-wasthattheirbrotherhadbeenrescuedandbroughtintocamplatelastnight;andwasatthatmomentwithAslan.Assoonastheyhadbreakfasted4theyallwentout,andtheretheysawAslanandEdmundwalkingtogetherinthedewygrass,apartfromtherestofthecourt.Thereisnoneedtotellyou(andnooneeverheard)whatAslanwassaying,butitwasaconversationwhichEdmundneverforgot.AstheothersdrewnearerAslanturnedtomeetthem,bringingEdmundwithhim.
“Hereisyourbrother,”hesaid,“and-thereisnoneedtotalktohimaboutwhatispast.”
Edmundshookhandswitheachoftheothersandsaidtoeachoftheminturn,“I’msorry,”andeveryonesaid,“That’sallright。”Andtheneveryonewantedveryhardtosaysomethingwhichwouldmakeitquiteclearthattheywereallfriendswithhimagain-somethingordinaryandnatural-andofcoursenoonecouldthinkofanythingintheworldtosay.ButbeforetheyhadtimetofeelreallyawkwardoneoftheleopardsapproachedAslanandsaid,
“Sire,thereisamessengerfromtheenemywhocravesaudience.”
“Lethimapproach,”saidAslan.
TheleopardwentawayandsoonreturnedleadingtheWitch’sdwarf。
“Whatisyourmessage,SonofEarth?”askedAslan.
“TheQueenofNarniaandEmpressoftheLoneIslandsdesiresasafeconducttocomeandspeakwithyou,”saidthedwarf,“onamatterwhichisasmuchtoyouradvantageastohers.”
“QueenofNarnia,indeed!”saidMr。Beaver.“Ofallthecheek-”
“Peace,Beaver,”saidAslan.“Allnameswillsoonberestoredtotheirproperowners.Inthemeantimewewillnotdisputeaboutthem.Tellyourmistress,SonofEarth,thatIgranthersafeconductonconditionthatsheleavesherwandbehindheratthatgreatoak.”
Thiswasagreedtoandtwoleopardswentbackwiththedwarftoseethattheconditionswereproperlycarriedout.“Butsupposingsheturnsthetwoleopardsintostone?”whisperedLucytoPeter。Ithinkthesameideahadoccurredtotheleopardsthemselves;atanyrate,astheywalkedofftheirfurwasallstandingupontheirbacksandtheirtailswerebristling-likeacat’swhenitseesastrangedog。
“It’llbeallright,”whisperedPeterinreply.“Hewouldn’tsendthemifitweren’t.”
AfewminuteslatertheWitchherselfwalkedoutontothetopofthehillandcamestraightacrossandstoodbeforeAslan。Thethreechildrenwhohadnotseenherbeforefeltshuddersrunningdowntheirbacksatthesightofherface;andtherewerelowgrowlsamongalltheanimalspresent.Thoughitwasbrightsunshineeveryonefeltsuddenlycold.TheonlytwopeoplepresentwhoseemedtobequiteattheireasewereAslanandtheWitchherself.Itwastheoddestthingtoseethosetwofaces-thegoldenfaceandthedead-whiteface—soclosetogether.NotthattheWitchlookedAslanexactlyinhiseyes;Mrs。Beaverparticularlynoticedthis.
“Youhaveatraitorthere,Aslan,”saidtheWitch.OfcourseeveryonepresentknewthatshemeantEdmund.ButEdmundhadgotpastthinkingabouthimselfafterallhe’dbeenthroughandafterthetalkhe’dhadthatmorning.HejustwentonlookingatAslan.Itdidn’tseemtomatterwhattheWitchsaid.
“Well,”saidAslan.“Hisoffencewasnotagainstyou.”
“HaveyouforgottentheDeepMagic?”askedtheWitch.
“LetussayIhaveforgottenit,”answeredAslangravely.“TellusofthisDeepMagic.”
“Tellyou?”saidtheWitch,hervoicegrowingsuddenlyshriller.“TellyouwhatiswrittenonthatveryTableofStonewhichstandsbesideus?TellyouwhatiswritteninlettersdeepasaspearislongonthefirestonesontheSecretHill?TellyouwhatisengravedonthesceptreoftheEmperor-beyond-the-Sea?YouatleastknowtheMagicwhichtheEmperorputintoNarniaattheverybeginning.YouknowthateverytraitorbelongstomeasmylawfulpreyandthatforeverytreacheryIhavearighttoakill.”
“Oh,”saidMr。Beaver.“Sothat’showyoucametoimagineyourselfaqueen-becauseyouweretheEmperor’shangman.Isee.”
“Peace,Beaver,”saidAslan,withaverylowgrowl.“Andso,”continuedtheWitch,“thathumancreatureismine.Hislifeisforfeittome.Hisbloodismyproperty.”
“Comeandtakeitthen,”saidtheBullwiththeman’sheadinagreatbellowingvoice.
“Fool,”saidtheWitchwithasavagesmilethatwasalmostasnarl,“doyoureallythinkyourmastercanrobmeofmyrightsbymereforce?HeknowstheDeepMagicbetterthanthat.HeknowsthatunlessIhavebloodastheLawsaysallNarniawillbeoverturnedandperishinfireandwater.”