Eustace. “But she could have gone without my knowing. She can be as quiet as a cat; you’ve seen for yourself.”
At that moment a far off drumbeat was heard. Jewel moved his ears forward. “Dwarfs,” he said.
“And treacherous Dwarfs, enemies, as likely as not,” muttered Tirian.
“And here comes something on hoofs, much nearer,” said Jewel.
The two humans and the Unicorn stood dead still. There were now so many different things to worry about that they didn’t know what to do. The noise of hoofs came steadily nearer. And then, quite close to them, a voice whispered:
“Hallo! Are you all there?”
Thank heaven, it was Jill’s.
“Where the devil have you been to?” said Eustace in a furious whisper, for he had been very frightened.
“In the stable,” gasped Jill, but it was the sort of gasp you give when you’re struggling with suppressed laughter.
“Oh,” growled Eustace, “you think it funny, do you? Well all I can say is—”
“Have you got Jewel, Sire?” asked Jill.
“Yes. Here he is. What is that beast with you?”
“That’s him ,” said Jill. “But let’s be off home before anyone wakes up.” And again there came little explosions of laughter.
The others obeyed at once for they had already lingered long enough in that dangerous place and the Dwarf drums seemed to have come a little nearer. It was only after they had been walking Southward for several minutes that Eustace said:
“Got him ? What do you mean?”
“The false Aslan,” said Jill.
“What?” said Tirian. “Where have you been? What have you done?”
“Well, Sire,” said Jill. “As soon as I saw that you’d got the sentry out of the way I thought hadn’t I better have a look inside the stable and see what really is there? So I crawled along. It was as easy as anything to draw the bolt. Of course itwas pitch black inside and smelled like any other stable. Then I struck a light and—would you believe it?—there was nothing at all there but this old donkey with a bundle of lion-skin tied onto his back. So I drew my knife and told him he’d have to come along with me. As a matter of fact I needn’t have threatened him with the knife at all. He was very fed up with the stable and quite ready to come—weren’t you, Puzzle dear?”
“Great Scott!” said Eustace. “Well I’m—jiggered. I was jolly angry with you a moment ago, and I still think it was mean of you to sneak off without the rest of us: but I must admit—well, I mean to say—well it was a perfectly gorgeous thing to do. If she was a boy she’d have to be knighted, wouldn’t she, Sire?”
“If she was a boy,” said Tirian, “she’d be whipped for disobeying orders.” And in the dark no one could see whether he said this with a frown or a smile. Next minute there was a sound of rasping metal.
“What are you doing, Sire?” asked Jewel sharply.
“Drawing my sword to smite off the head of the accursed Ass,” said Tirian in a terrible voice. “Stand clear, girl.”
“Oh don’t, please don’t,” said Jill. “Really, you mustn’t. It wasn’t his fault. It was all the Ape. He didn’t know any better. And he’s very sorry. He’s anice Donkey. His name’s Puzzle. And I’ve got my arms round his neck.”
“Jill,” said Tirian, “you are the bravest and most wood-wise of all my subjects, but also the most malapert and disobedient. Well: let the Ass live. What have you to say for yourself, Ass?”
“Me, Sire?” came the Donkey’s voice. “I’m sure I’m very sorry if I’ve done wrong. The Ape said Aslan wanted me to dress up like that. And I thought he’d know. I’m not clever like him. I only did what I was told. It wasn’t any fun for me living in that stable. I don’t even know what’s been going on outside. He never let me out except for a minute or two at night. Some days they forgot to give me any water too.”
“Sire,” said Jewel. “Those Dwarfs are coming nearer and nearer. Do we want to meet
At that moment a far off drumbeat was heard. Jewel moved his ears forward. “Dwarfs,” he said.
“And treacherous Dwarfs, enemies, as likely as not,” muttered Tirian.
“And here comes something on hoofs, much nearer,” said Jewel.
The two humans and the Unicorn stood dead still. There were now so many different things to worry about that they didn’t know what to do. The noise of hoofs came steadily nearer. And then, quite close to them, a voice whispered:
“Hallo! Are you all there?”
Thank heaven, it was Jill’s.
“Where the devil have you been to?” said Eustace in a furious whisper, for he had been very frightened.
“In the stable,” gasped Jill, but it was the sort of gasp you give when you’re struggling with suppressed laughter.
“Oh,” growled Eustace, “you think it funny, do you? Well all I can say is—”
“Have you got Jewel, Sire?” asked Jill.
“Yes. Here he is. What is that beast with you?”
“That’s him ,” said Jill. “But let’s be off home before anyone wakes up.” And again there came little explosions of laughter.
The others obeyed at once for they had already lingered long enough in that dangerous place and the Dwarf drums seemed to have come a little nearer. It was only after they had been walking Southward for several minutes that Eustace said:
“Got him ? What do you mean?”
“The false Aslan,” said Jill.
“What?” said Tirian. “Where have you been? What have you done?”
“Well, Sire,” said Jill. “As soon as I saw that you’d got the sentry out of the way I thought hadn’t I better have a look inside the stable and see what really is there? So I crawled along. It was as easy as anything to draw the bolt. Of course itwas pitch black inside and smelled like any other stable. Then I struck a light and—would you believe it?—there was nothing at all there but this old donkey with a bundle of lion-skin tied onto his back. So I drew my knife and told him he’d have to come along with me. As a matter of fact I needn’t have threatened him with the knife at all. He was very fed up with the stable and quite ready to come—weren’t you, Puzzle dear?”
“Great Scott!” said Eustace. “Well I’m—jiggered. I was jolly angry with you a moment ago, and I still think it was mean of you to sneak off without the rest of us: but I must admit—well, I mean to say—well it was a perfectly gorgeous thing to do. If she was a boy she’d have to be knighted, wouldn’t she, Sire?”
“If she was a boy,” said Tirian, “she’d be whipped for disobeying orders.” And in the dark no one could see whether he said this with a frown or a smile. Next minute there was a sound of rasping metal.
“What are you doing, Sire?” asked Jewel sharply.
“Drawing my sword to smite off the head of the accursed Ass,” said Tirian in a terrible voice. “Stand clear, girl.”
“Oh don’t, please don’t,” said Jill. “Really, you mustn’t. It wasn’t his fault. It was all the Ape. He didn’t know any better. And he’s very sorry. He’s anice Donkey. His name’s Puzzle. And I’ve got my arms round his neck.”
“Jill,” said Tirian, “you are the bravest and most wood-wise of all my subjects, but also the most malapert and disobedient. Well: let the Ass live. What have you to say for yourself, Ass?”
“Me, Sire?” came the Donkey’s voice. “I’m sure I’m very sorry if I’ve done wrong. The Ape said Aslan wanted me to dress up like that. And I thought he’d know. I’m not clever like him. I only did what I was told. It wasn’t any fun for me living in that stable. I don’t even know what’s been going on outside. He never let me out except for a minute or two at night. Some days they forgot to give me any water too.”
“Sire,” said Jewel. “Those Dwarfs are coming nearer and nearer. Do we want to meet
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