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had been calling her name。 she thought at first it was her fathers voice； but that did not seem quite right。 then she thought it was peters voice； but that did not seem to fit either。 she did not want to get up； not because she was still tired … on the contrary she was wonderfully rested and all the aches had gone from her bones … but because she felt so extremely happy and fortable。 she was looking straight up at the narnian moon； which is larger than ours； and at the starry sky； for the place where they had bivouacked was paratively open。
〃lucy；〃 came the call again； neither her fathers voice nor peters。 she sat up； trembling with excitement but not with fear。 the moon was so bright that the whole forest landscape around her was almost as clear as day； though it looked wilder。 behind her was the fir wood； away to her right the jagged cliff…tops on the far side of the gorge； straight ahead； open grass to where a glade of trees began about a bow…shot away。 lucy looked very hard at the trees of that glade。
〃why； i do believe theyre moving；〃 she said to herself。 〃theyre walking about。鈥�
she got up； her heart beating wildly； and walked towards them。 there was certainly a noise in the glade； a noise such as trees make in a high wind； though there was no wind tonight。 yet it was not exactly an ordinary treenoise either。 lucy felt there was a tune in
it； but she could not catch the tune any more than she had been able to catch the words when the trees had so nearly talked to her the night before。 but there was； at least； a lilt； she felt her own feet wanting to dance as she got nearer。 and now there was no doubt that the trees were really moving moving in and out through one another as if in a plicated country dance。 （〃and i suppose；〃 thought lucy； 〃when trees dance； it must be a very； very country dance indeed。） she was almost among them now。
the first tree she looked at seemed at first glance to be not a tree at all but a huge man with a shaggy beard and great bushes of hair。 she was not frightened： she had seen such things before。 but when she looked again he was only a tree； though he was still moving。
you couldnt see whether he had feet or roots； of course； because when trees move they dont walk on the surface of the earth； they wade in it as we do in water。 the same thing happened with every tree she looked at。 at one moment they seemed to be the friendly； lovely giant and giantess forms which the tree…people put on when some good magic has called them into full life： next moment they all looked like trees again。 but when they looked like trees； it was like strangely human trees； and when they looked like people； it was like strangely branchy and leafy people … and all the time that queer lilting； rustling； cool； merry noise。
〃they are almost awake； not quite；〃 said lucy。 she knew she herself was wide awake； wider than anyone usually is。
she went fearlessly in among them； dancing herself as she leaped this way and that to avoid being run into by these huge partners。 but she was only half interested in them。 she wanted to get beyond them to something else； it was from beyond them that the dear voice had called。
she soon got through them （half wondering whether she had been using her arms to push branches aside； or to take hands in a great chain with big dancers who stooped to reach her） for they were really a ring of trees round a central open place。 she stepped out from among their shifting confusion of lovely lights and shadows。
a circle of grass； smooth as a lawn； met her eyes； with dark trees dancing all round it。
and then … oh joy！ for he was there： the huge lion； shining white in the moonlight； with his huge black shadow underneath him。
but for the movement of his tail he might have been a stone lion； but lucy never thought of that。 she never stopped to think whether he was a friendly lion or not。 she rushed to him。 she felt her heart would burst if she lost a moment。 and the next thing she knew was that she was kissing him and putting her arms as far round his neck as she could and burying her face in the beautiful rich silkiness of his mane。
〃aslan； aslan。 dear aslan；〃 sobbed lucy。 〃at last。鈥�
the great beast rolled over on his side so that lucy fell； half sitting and half lying between his front paws。 he bent forward and just touched her nose with his tongue。 his warm breath came all round her。 she gazed up into the large wise face。
〃wele； child；〃 he said。
〃aslan；〃 said lucy； 〃youre bigger。鈥�
〃that is because you are older； little one；〃 answered he。
〃not because you are？鈥�
〃i am not。 but every year you grow； you will find me bigger。鈥�
for a time she was so happy that she did not want to speak。 but aslan spoke。
〃lucy；〃 he said； 〃we must not lie here for long。 you have work in hand； and much time has been lost today。鈥�
〃yes； wasnt it a shame？〃 said lucy。 〃i saw you all right。 they wouldnt believe me。
theyre all so …鈥�
from somewhere deep inside aslans body there came the faintest suggestion of a growl。
〃im sorry；〃 said lucy； who understood some of his moods。 〃i didnt mean to start slanging the others。 but it wasnt my fault anyway； was it？鈥�
the lion looked straight into her eyes。
〃oh； aslan；〃 said lucy。 〃you dont mean it was？ how could i … i couldnt have left the others and e up to you alone； how could i？ dont look at me like that 。 。 。 oh well； i suppose i could。 yes； and it wouldnt have been alone； i know； not if i was with you。 but what would have been the good？鈥�
aslan said nothing。
〃you mean；〃 said lucy rather faintly； 〃that it would have turned out all right … somehow？
but how？ please； aslan！ am i not to know？鈥�
〃to know what would have happened； child？〃 said aslan。 〃no。 nobody is ever told that。鈥�
〃oh dear；〃 said lucy。
〃but anyone can find out what will happen；〃 said aslan。 〃if you go back to the others now； and wake them up； and tell them you have seen me again； and that you must all get up at once and follow me … what will happen？ there is only one way of finding out。鈥�
〃do you mean that is what you want me to do？〃 gasped lucy。
〃yes； little one；〃 said aslan。
〃will the others see you too？〃 asked lucy。
〃certainly not at first；〃 said aslan。 〃later on； it depends。鈥�
〃but they wont believe me！〃 said lucy。
〃it doesnt matter；〃 said aslan。
〃oh dear； oh dear；〃 said lucy。 〃and i was so pleased at finding you again。 and i thought youd let me stay。 and i thought youd e roaring in and frighten all the enemies away … like last time。 and now everything is going to be horrid。鈥�
〃it is hard for you； little one；〃 said aslan。 〃but things never happen the same way twice。
it has been hard for us all in narnia before now。鈥�
lucy buried her head in his mane to hide from his face。 but there must have been magic in his mane。 she could feel lion…strength going into her。 quite suddenly she sat up。
〃im sorry； aslan；〃 she said。 〃im ready now。鈥�
〃now you are a lioness；〃 said aslan。 〃and now all narnia will be renewed。 but e。
we have no time to lose。鈥�
he got up and walked with stately； noiseless paces back to the belt of dancing trees through which she had just e： and lucy went with him； laying a rather tremulous hand on his mane。 the trees parted to let them through and for one second assumed their human forms pletely。 lucy had a glimpse of tall and lovely wood…gods and wood…goddesses all bowing to the lion； next moment they were trees again； but still bowing； with such graceful sweeps of branch and trunk that their bowing was itself a kind of dance。
〃now； child；〃 said aslan； when they had left the trees behind them； 〃i will wait here。 go and wake the others and tell them to follow。 if they will not； then you at least must follow me alone。鈥�
it is a terrible thing to have to wake four people； all older than yourself and all very tired； for the purpose of telling them something they probably wont believe and making them do something they certainly wont like。 〃i mustnt think about it； i must just do it；鈥�
thought lucy。
she went to peter first and shook him。 〃peter；〃 she whispered in his ear； 〃wake up。 quick。
aslan is here。 he says weve got to follow him at once。鈥�
〃certainly； lu。 whatever you like；〃 said peter unexpectedly。 this was encouraging； but as peter instantly rolled round and went to sleep again it wasnt much use。
then she tried susan。 susan did really wake up； but only to say in her most annoying grown…up voice； 〃youve been dreaming； lucy。 go to sleep again。鈥�
she tackled edmund next。 it was very difficult to wake him； but when at last she had done it he was really awake and sat up。
〃eh？〃 he said in a grumpy voice。 〃what are you talking about？鈥�
she said it all over again。 this was one of the worst parts of her job； for each time she said it； it sounded less convincing。
〃aslan！〃 said edmund； jumping up。 〃hurray！ where？鈥�
lucy turned back to where she could see the lion waiting； his patient eyes fixed upon her。 〃there；〃 she said； pointing。
〃where？〃 asked edmund again。
〃there。 there。 dont you see？ just this side of the trees。鈥�
edmund stared hard for a while and then said； 〃no。 theres nothing there。 youve got dazzled and muddled with the moonlight。 one does； you know。 i thought i saw something for a moment myself。 its only an optical what…do…you…call…it。鈥�
〃i can see him all the time；〃 said lucy。 〃hes looking straight at us。鈥�
〃then why cant i see him？鈥�
〃he said you mightnt be able to。鈥�
〃why？鈥�
〃i dont know。 thats what he said。鈥�
〃oh； bother it all；〃 said edmund。 〃i do wish you wouldnt keep on seeing things。 but i suppose well have to wake the others。鈥�
ww銆�w。x锛゛oshuotxt。銆�
CHAPTER ELEVEN
銆�灏彙�/璇淬�倀xt澶╁爞
the lion roars when the whole party was finally awake lucy had to tell her story for the fourth time。
the blank silence which followed it was as discouraging as anything could be。
〃i cant see anything；〃 said peter after he had stared his eyes sore。 〃can you； susan？鈥�
〃no； of course i cant；〃 snapped susan。 〃because there isnt anything to see。 shes been dreaming。 do lie down and go to sleep； lucy。鈥�
〃and i do hope；〃 said lucy in a tremulous voice； 〃that you will all e with me。
because … because ill have to go with him whether anyone else does or not。鈥�
〃dont talk nonsense； lucy；〃 said susan。 〃of course you cant go off on your own。 dont let her； peter。 shes being downright naughty。鈥�
〃ill go with her； if she must go；〃 said edmund。 〃shes been right before。鈥�
〃i know she has；〃 said peter。 〃and she may have been right this morning。 we certainly had no luck going down the gorge。 still … at this hour of the night。 and why should aslan be invisible to us？ he never used to be。 its not like him。 what does the d。l。f。 say？鈥�
〃oh； i say nothing at all；〃 answered the dwarf。 〃if you all go； of course； ill go with you； and if your party splits up； ill go with the high king。 thats my duty to him and king caspian。 but； if you ask my private opinion； im a plain dwarf who doesnt think theres much chance of finding a road by night where you couldnt find one by day。 and i have no use for magic lions which are talking lions and dont talk； and friendly lions though they dont do us any good； and whopping big lions though nobody can see them。 its all bilge and beanstalks as far as i can see。鈥�
〃hes beating his paw on the ground for us to hurry；〃 said lucy。 〃we must go now。 at least i must。鈥�
〃youve no right to try to force the rest of us like that。 its four to one and youre the youngest；〃 said susan。
〃oh； e on；〃 growled edmund。 〃weve got to go。 therell be no peace till we do。〃 he fully intended to back lucy up； but he was annoyed at losing his nights sleep and was making up for it by doing everything as sulkily as possible。
〃on the march； then；〃 said peter； wearily fitting his arm into his shield… strap and putting his helmet on。 at any other time he would have said something nice to lucy； who was his favourite sister； for he knew how wretched she must be feeling； and he knew that；
whatever had happened； it was not her fault。 but he couldnt help being a little annoyed with her all the same。
susan was the worst。 〃supposing i started behaving like lucy；〃 she said。 〃i might threaten to stay here whether the rest of you went on or not。 i jolly well think i shall。鈥�
〃obey the high king； your majesty；〃 said trumpkin； 〃and lets be off。 if im not to be allowed to sleep； id as soon march as stand here talking。鈥�
and so at last they got on the move。 lucy went first； biting her lip and trying not to say all the things she thought of saying to susan。 but she forgot them when she fixed her eyes on aslan。 he turned and walked at a slow pace about thirty yards ahead of them。 the others had only lucys directions to guide them； for aslan was not only invisible to them but silent as well。 his big cat…like paws made no noise on the grass。
he led them to the right of the dancing trees … whether they were still dancing nobody knew； for lucy had her eyes on the lion and the rest had their eyes on lucy … and nearer the edge of the gorge。 〃cobbles and kettledrums！〃 though