“I-Ifeelafraidtoturnround,”saidSusan;“somethingawfulishappening.”
“They’redoingsomethingworsetoHim,”saidLucy.“Comeon!”Andsheturned,pullingSusanroundwithher.
Therisingofthesunhadmadeeverythinglooksodifferent-allcoloursandshadowswerechanged——thatforamomenttheydidn’tseetheimportantthing.Thentheydid.TheStoneTablewasbrokenintotwopiecesbyagreatcrackthatrandownitfromendtoend;andtherewasnoAslan.
“Oh,oh,oh!”criedthetwogirls,rushingbacktotheTable。
“Oh,it’stoobad,”sobbedLucy;“theymighthaveleftthebodyalone.”
“Who’sdoneit?”criedSusan.“Whatdoesitmean?Isitmagic?”
“Yes!”saidagreatvoicebehindtheirbacks.“Itismoremagic。”Theylookedround.There,shininginthesunrise,largerthantheyhadseenhimbefore,shakinghismane(forithadapparentlygrownagain)stoodAslanhimself.
“Oh,Aslan!”criedboththechildren,staringupathim,almostasmuchfrightenedastheywereglad.
“Aren’tyoudeadthen,dearAslan?”saidLucy.
“Notnow,”saidAslan.
“You’renot-nota-?”askedSusaninashakyvoice.Shecouldn’tbringherselftosaythewordghost.Aslanstoopedhisgoldenheadandlickedherforehead.Thewarmthofhisbreathandarichsortofsmellthatseemedtohangabouthishaircamealloverher.
“DoIlookit?”hesaid.
“Oh,you’rereal,you’rereal!Oh,Aslan!”criedLucy,andbothgirlsflungthemselvesuponhimandcoveredhimwithkisses.
“Butwhatdoesitallmean?”askedSusanwhentheyweresomewhatcalmer.
“Itmeans,”saidAslan,“thatthoughtheWitchknewtheDeepMagic,thereisamagicdeeperstillwhichshedidnotknow:Herknowledgegoesbackonlytothedawnoftime.Butifshecouldhavelookedalittlefurtherback,intothestillnessandthedarknessbeforeTimedawned,shewouldhavereadthereadifferentincantation.Shewouldhaveknownthatwhenawillingvictimwhohadcommittednotreacherywaskilledinatraitor’sstead,theTablewouldcrackandDeathitselfwouldstartworkingbackwards。Andnow-”
“Ohyes.Now?”saidLucy,jumpingupandclappingherhands.
“Oh,children,”saidtheLion,“Ifeelmystrengthcomingbacktome.Oh,children,catchmeifyoucan!”Hestoodforasecond,hiseyesverybright,hislimbsquivering,lashinghimselfwithhistail.ThenhemadealeaphighovertheirheadsandlandedontheothersideoftheTable.Laughing,thoughshedidn’tknowwhy,Lucyscrambledoverittoreachhim.Aslanleapedagain.Amadchasebegan.Roundandroundthehilltopheledthem,nowhopelesslyoutoftheirreach,nowlettingthemalmostcatchhistail,nowdivingbetweenthem,nowtossingthemintheairwithhishugeandbeautifullyvelvetedpawsandcatchingthemagain,andnowstoppingunexpectedlysothatallthreeofthemrolledovertogetherinahappylaughingheapoffurandarmsandlegs.ItwassucharompasnoonehaseverhadexceptinNarnia;andwhetheritwasmorelikeplayingwithathunderstormorplayingwithakittenLucycouldnevermakeuphermind.Andthefunnythingwasthatwhenallthreefinallylaytogetherpantinginthesunthegirlsnolongerfeltintheleasttiredorhungryorthirsty.
“Andnow,”saidAslanpresently,“tobusiness.IfeelIamgoingtoroar.Youhadbetterputyourfingersinyourears.”
Andtheydid.AndAslanstoodupandwhenheopenedhismouthtoroarhisfacebecamesoterriblethattheydidnotdaretolookatit.Andtheysawallthetreesinfrontofhimbendbeforetheblastofhisroaringasgrassbendsinameadowbeforethewind。Thenhesaid,
“Wehavealongjourneytogo.Youmustrideonme.”Andhecroucheddownandthechildrenclimbedontohiswarm,goldenback,andSusansatfirst,holdingontightlytohismaneandLucysatbehindholdingontightlytoSusan.Andwithagreatheaveheroseunderneaththemandthenshotoff,fasterthananyhorsecouldgo,downhillandintothethickoftheforest.
ThatridewasperhapsthemostwonderfulthingthathappenedtotheminNarnia.Haveyoueverhadagalloponahorse?Thinkofthat;andthentakeawaytheheavynoiseofthehoofsandthejingleofthebitsandimagineinsteadthealmostnoiselesspaddingofthegreatpaws.Thenimagineinsteadoftheblackorgreyorchestnutbackofthehorsethesoftroughnessofgoldenfur,andthemaneflyingbackinthewind.Andthenimagineyouaregoingabouttwiceasfastasthefastestracehorse.Butthisisamountthatdoesn’tneedtobeguidedandnevergrowstired.Herushesonandon,nevermissinghisfooting,neverhesitating,threadinghiswaywithperfectskillbetweentreetrunks,jumpingoverbushandbriarandthesmallerstreams,wadingthelarger,swimmingthelargestofall.Andyouareridingnotonaroadnorinaparknorevenonthedowns,butrightacrossNarnia,inspring,downsolemnavenuesofbeechandacrosssunnygladesofoak,throughwildorchardsofsnow-whitecherrytrees,pastroaringwaterfallsandmossyrocksandechoingcaverns,upwindyslopesalightwithgorsebushes,andacrosstheshouldersofheatherymountainsandalonggiddyridgesanddown,down,downagainintowildvalleysandoutintoacresofblueflowers.
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