“KNOW,OWarlikeKings,”saidEmeth,“andyou,Oladieswhosebeautyilluminatestheuniverse,thatIamEmeththeseventhsonofHarphaTarkaanofthecityofTehishbaan,Westwardbeyondthedesert。IcamelatelyintoNarniawithnineandtwentyothersunderthecommandofRishdaTarkaanNowwhenIfirstheardthatweshouldmarchuponNarniaIrejoiced;forIhadheardmanythingsofyourLandanddesiredgreatlytomeetyouinbattle。ButwhenIfoundthatweweretogoindisguisedasmerchants(whichisashamefuldressforawarriorandthesonofaTarkaan)andtoworkbyliesandtrickery,thenmyjoydepartedfromme。AndmostofallwhenIfoundwemustwaituponaMonkey,andwhenitbegantobesaidthatTashandAslanwereone,thentheworldbecamedarkinmyeyes。ForalwayssinceIwasaboyIhaveservedTashandmygreatdesirewastoknowmoreofhim,ifitmightbe,tolookuponhisface。ButthenameofAslanwashatefultome.”
And,asyouhaveseen,wewerecalledtogetheroutsidethestraw-roofedhovel,nightafternight,andthefirewaskindled,andtheApebroughtforthoutofthehovelsomethinguponfourlegsthatIcouldnotwellsee。AndthepeopleandtheBeastsboweddownanddidhonourtoit。ButIthought,theTarkaanisdeceivedbytheApe:forthisthingthatcomesoutofthestableisneitherTashnoranyothergod。ButwhenIwatchedtheTarkaan’sface,andmarkedeverywordthathesaidtotheMonkey,thenIchangedmymind:forIsawthattheTarkaandidnotbelieveinithimself。AndthenIunderstoodthathedidnotbelieveinTashatall:forifhehad,howcouldhedaretomockhim?
“WhenIunderstoodthis,agreatragefelluponmeandIwonderedthatthetrueTashdidnotstrikedownboththeMonkeyandtheTarkaanwithfirefromheaven。NeverthelessIhidmyangerandheldmytongueandwaitedtoseehowitwouldend。Butlastnight,assomeofyouknow,theMonkeybroughtnotforththeyellowthingbutsaidthatallwhodesiredtolookuponTashlan-forsotheymixedthetwowordstopretendthattheywereallone-mustpassonebyoneintothehovel。AndIsaidtomyself,Doubtlessthisissomeotherdeception。ButwhentheCathadfollowedinandhadcomeoutagaininamadnessofterror,thenIsaidtomyself,SurelythetrueTash,whomtheycalledonwithoutknowledgeorbelief,hasnowcomeamongus,andwillavengehimself。AndthoughmyheartwasturnedintowaterinsidemebecauseofthegreatnessandterrorofTash,yetmydesirewasstrongerthanmyfear,andIputforceuponmykneestostaythemfromtrembling,andonmyteeththattheyshouldnotchatter,andresolvedtolookuponthefaceofTashthoughheshouldslayme。SoIofferedmyselftogointothehovel;andtheTarkaan,thoughunwillingly,letmego.”
AssoonasIhadgoneinatthedoor,thefirstwonderwasthatIfoundmyselfinthisgreatsunlight(asweallarenow)thoughtheinsideofthehovelhadlookeddarkfromoutside。ButIhadnotimetomarvelatthis,forimmediatelyIwasforcedtofightformyheadagainstoneofourownmen。AssoonasIsawhimIunderstoodthattheMonkeyandtheTarkaanhadsethimtheretoslayanywhocameinifhewerenotintheirsecrets:sothatthismanalsowasaliarandamockerandnotrueservantofTash。Ihadthebetterwilltofighthim;andhavingslainthevillain,Icasthimoutbehindmethroughthedoor.
“ThenIlookedaboutmeandsawtheskyandthewidelands,andsmelledthesweetness。AndIsaid,BytheGods,thisisapleasantplace:itmaybethatIamcomeintothecountryofTash。AndIbegantojourneyintothestrangecountryandtoseekhim.”
SoIwentovermuchgrassandmanyflowersandamongallkindsofwholesomeanddelectabletreestilllo!inanarrowplacebetweentworockstherecametomeetmeagreatLion。Thespeedofhimwasliketheostrich,andhissizewasanelephant’s;hishairwaslikepuregoldandthebrightnessofhiseyeslikegoldthatisliquidinthefurnace。HewasmoreterriblethantheFlamingMountainofLagour,andinbeautyhesurpassedallthatisintheworldevenastheroseinbloomsurpassesthedustofthedesert。ThenIfellathisfeetandthought,Surelythisisthehourofdeath,fortheLion(whoisworthyofallhonour)willknowthatIhaveservedTashallmydaysandnothim。Nevertheless,itisbettertoseetheLionanddiethantobeTisrocoftheworldandliveandnottohaveseenhim。ButtheGloriousOnebentdownhisgoldenheadandtouchedmyforeheadwithhistongueandsaid,Son,thouartwelcome。ButIsaid,Alas,Lord,IamnosonofthinebuttheservantofTash。Heanswered,Child,alltheservicethouhastdonetoTash,Iaccountasservicedonetome。Thenbyreasonsofmygreatdesireforwisdomandunderstanding,IovercamemyfearandquestionedtheGloriousOneandsaid,Lord,isitthentrue,astheApesaid,thatthouandTashareone?TheLiongrowledsothattheearthshook(buthiswrathwasnotagainstme)andsaid,Itisfalse。NotbecauseheandIareone,butbecauseweareopposites,Itaketometheserviceswhichthouhastdonetohim。ForIandheareofsuchdifferentkindsthatnoservicewhichisvilecanbedonetome,andnonewhichisnotvilecanbedonetohim。ThereforeifanymanswearbyTashandkeephisoathfortheoath’ssake,itisbymethathehastrulysworn,thoughheknowitnot,anditisIwhorewardhim。Andifanymandoacrueltyinmyname,then,thoughhesaysthenameAslan,itisTashwhomheservesandbyTashhisdeedisaccepted。Dostthouunderstand,Child?Isaid,Lord,thouknowesthowmuchIunderstand。ButIsaidalso(forthetruthconstrainedme),YetIhavebeenseekingTashallmydays。Beloved,saidtheGloriousOne,unlessthydesirehadbeenformethouwouldstnothavesoughtsolongandsotruly。Forallfindwhattheytrulyseek.
“Thenhebreatheduponmeandtookawaythetremblingfrommylimbsandcausedmetostanduponmyfeet。Andafterthat,hesaidnotmuch,butthatweshouldmeetagain,andImustgofurtherupandfurtherin。Thenheturnedhimaboutinastormandflurryofgoldandwasgonesuddenly.
“Andsincethen,OKingsandLadies,Ihavebeenwanderingtofindhimandmyhappinessissogreatthatitevenweakensmelikeawound。Andthisisthemarvelofmarvels,thathecalledmeBeloved,mewhoambutasadog-”
“Eh?What’sthat?”saidoneoftheDogs.
“Sir,”saidEmeth。“ItisbutafashionofspeechwhichwehaveinCalormen。”
“Well,Ican’tsayit’soneIlikeverymuch,”saidtheDog.
“Hedoesn’tmeananyharm,”saidanolderDog.
“Afterall,wecallourpuppiesBoyswhentheydon’tbehaveproperly。”
“Sowedo,”saidthefirstDog。“Orgirls。”
“S-s-sh!”saidtheOldDog。“That’snotanicewordtouse。Rememberwhereyouare。”
“Look!”saidJillsuddenly。Someonewascoming,rathertimidly,tomeetthem;agracefulcreatureonfourfeet,allsilvery-grey。Andtheystaredathimforawholetensecondsbeforefiveorsixvoicessaidallatonce,“Why,it’soldPuzzle!”Theyhadneverseenhimbydaylightwiththelion-skinoff,anditmadeanextraordinarydifference。Hewashimselfnow:abeautifuldonkeywithsuchasoft,greycoatandsuchagentle,honestfacethatifyouhadseenhimyouwouldhavedonejustwhatJillandLucydid-rushedforwardandputyourarmsroundhisneckandkissedhisnoseandstrokedhisears.
Whentheyaskedhimwherehehadbeenhesaidhehadcomeinatthedooralongwithalltheothercreaturesbuthehad-well,totellthetruth,hehadbeenkeepingoutoftheirwayasmuchashecould;andoutofAslan’sway。ForthesightoftherealLionhadmadehimsoashamedofallthatnonsenseaboutdressingupinalion-skinthathedidnotknowhowtolookanyoneintheface。ButwhenhesawthatallhisfriendsweregoingawayWestward,andafterhehadhadamouthfulorsoofgrass(“AndI’venevertastedsuchgoodgrassinmylife,”saidPuzzle),hepluckeduphiscourageandfollowed。“ButwhatI’lldoifIreallyhavetomeetAslan,I’msureIdon’tknow,”headded.
“You’llfinditwillbeallrightwhenyoureallydo,”saidQueenLucy.
Thentheyallwentforwardtogether,alwaysWestward,forthatseemedtobethedirectionAslanhadmeantwhenhecriedout,“Furtherupandfutherin。”Manyothercreatureswereslowlymovingthesameway,butthatgrassycountrywasverywideandtherewasnocrowding.
Itstillseemedtobeearly,andthemorningfreshnesswasintheair。Theykeptonstoppingtolookroundandtolookbehindthem,partlybecauseitwassobeautifulbutpartlyalsobecausetherewassomethingaboutitwhichtheycouldnotunderstand.
“Peter,”saidLucy,“whereisthis,doyousuppose?”
“Idon’tknow,”saidtheHighKing。“ItremindsmeofsomewherebutIcan’tgiveitaname。Coulditbesomewhereweoncestayedforaholidaywhenwewerevery,verysmall?”
“Itwouldhavetohavebeenajollygoodholiday,”saidEustace。“Ibetthereisn’tacountrylikethisanywhereinourworld。Lookatthecolours!Youcouldn’tgetablueliketheblueonthosemountainsinourworld。”
“IsitnotAslan’scountry?”saidTirian.
“NotlikeAslan’scountryontopofthatmountainbeyondtheEasternendoftheworld,”saidJill。“I’vebeenthere。”
“Ifyouaskme,”saidEdmund,“it’slikesomewhereintheNarnianworld。Lookatthosemountainsahead-andthebigice-mountainsbeyondthem。Surelythey’reratherlikethemountainsweusedtoseefromNarnia,theonesupWestwardbeyondtheWaterfall?”
“Yes,sotheyare,”saidPeter。“Onlythesearebigger。”
“Idon’tthinkthoseonesaresoverylikeanythinginNarnia,”saidLucy。“Butlookthere。”ShepointedSouthwardtotheirleft,andeveryonestoppedandturnedtolook。“Thosehills,”saidLucy,“thenicewoodyonesandtheblueonesbehind-aren’ttheyveryliketheSouthernborderofNarnia?”
“Like!”criedEdmundafteramoment’ssilence。“Why,they’reexactlylike。Look,there’sMountPirewithhisforkedhead,andthere’sthepassintoArchenlandandeverything!”
“Andyetthey’renotlike,”saidLucy。“They’redifferent。TheyhavemorecoloursonthemandtheylookfurtherawaythanIrememberedandthey’remore。。。more。。。oh,Idon’tknow。。。”
“Moreliketherealthing,”saidtheLordDigorysoftly.
SuddenlyFarsighttheEaglespreadhiswings,soaredthirtyorfortyfeetupintotheair,circledroundandthenalightedontheground.
“KingsandQueens,”hecried,“wehaveallbeenblind。Weareonlybeginningtoseewhereweare。FromupthereIhaveseenitall-Ettinsmuir,Beaversdam,theGreatRiver,andCairParavelstillshiningontheedgeoftheEasternSea。Narniaisnotdead。ThisisNarnia。”
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