“ANDso,”saidTrumpkin(for,asyouhaverealized,itwashewhohadbeentellingallthisstorytothefourchildren,sittingonthegrassintheruinedhallofCairParavel)—“andsoIputacrustortwoinmypocket,leftbehindallweaponsbutmydagger,andtooktothewoodsinthegreyofthemorning.I’dbeenpluggingawayformanyhourswhentherecameasoundthatI’dneverheardthelikeofinmyborndays.Eh,Iwon’tforgetthat.Thewholeairwasfullofit,loudasthunderbutfarlonger,coolandsweetasmusicoverwater,butstrongenoughtoshakethewoods.AndIsaidtomyself,‘Ifthat’snottheHorn,callmearabbit.’AndamomentlaterIwonderedwhyhehadn’tblownitsooner—”
“Whattimewasit?”askedEdmund.
“Betweennineandtenoftheclock,”saidTrumpkin.
“Justwhenwewereattherailwaystation!”saidallthechildren,andlookedatoneanotherwithshiningeyes.
“Pleasegoon,”saidLucytotheDwarf.
Icouldpelt.Ikeptonallnight—andthen,whenitwashalflightthismorning,asifI’dnomoresensethanaGiant,Iriskedashortcutacrossopencountrytocutoffabigloopoftheriver,andwascaught.Notbythearmy,butbyapompousoldfoolwhohaschargeofalittlecastlewhichisMiraz’slaststrongholdtowardsthecoast.Ineedn’ttellyoutheygotnotruetaleoutofme,butIwasaDwarfandthatwasenough.But,lobstersandlollipops!itisagoodthingtheseneschalwasapompousfool.Anyoneelsewouldhaverunmethroughthereandthen.Butnothingwoulddoforhimshortofagrandexecution:sendingmedown‘totheghosts’inthefullceremonialway.Andthenthisyounglady”,(henoddedatSusan)“doesherbitofarchery—anditwasprettyshooting,letmetellyou—andhereweare.Andwithoutmyarmour,forofcoursetheytookthat.”Heknockedoutandrefilledhispipe.
“GreatScott!”saidPeter.“Soitwasthehorn—yourownhorn,Su—thatdraggedusalloffthatseatontheplatformyesterdaymorning!Icanhardlybelieveit;yetitallfitsin.”
“Idon’tknowwhyyoushouldn’tbelieveit,”saidLucy,“ifyoubelieveinmagicatall.Aren’ttherelotsofstoriesaboutmagicforcingpeopleoutofoneplace—outofoneworld—intoanother?Imean,whenamagicianinTheArabianNightscallsupaJinn,ithastocome.Wehadtocome,justlikethat.”
“Yes,”saidPeter,“Isupposewhatmakesitfeelsoqueeristhatinthestoriesit’salwayssomeoneinourworldwhodoesthecalling.Onedoesn’treallythinkaboutwheretheJinn’scomingfrom.”
“AndnowweknowwhatitfeelslikefortheJinn,”saidEdmundwithachuckle.“Golly!It’sabituncomfortabletoknowthatwecanbewhistledforlikethat.It’sworsethanwhatFathersaysaboutlivingatthemercyofthetelephone.”
“Butwewanttobehere,don’twe,”saidLucy,“ifAslanwantsus?”
“Meanwhile,”saidtheDwarf,“whatarewetodo?Isuppose
I’dbettergobacktoKingCaspianandtellhimnohelphascome.”
“Nohelp?”saidSusan.“Butithasworked.Andhereweare.”
“Um—um—yes,tobesure.Iseethat,”saidtheDwarf,whosepipeseemedtobeblocked(atanyratehemadehimselfverybusycleaningit).“But—well—Imean—”
“Butdon’tyouyetseewhoweare?”shoutedLucy.“Youarestupid.”
“Isupposeyouarethefourchildrenoutoftheoldstories,”saidTrumpkin.AndI’mverygladtomeetyouofcourse.Andit’sveryinteresting,nodoubt.But—nooffence?—andhehesitatedagain。
“Dogetonandsaywhateveryou’regoingtosay,”saidEdmund。
“Well,then—nooffence,”saidTrumpkin.“But,youknow,theKingandTrufflehunterandDoctorCorneliuswereexpecting—well,ifyouseewhatImean,help.Toputitinanotherway,Ithinkthey’dbeenimaginingyouasgreatwarriors.Asitis—we’reawfullyfondofchildrenandallthat,butjustatthemoment,inthemiddleofawar—butI’msureyouunderstand.”
“Youmeanyouthinkwe’renogood,”saidEdmund,gettingredintheface.
“Nowpraydon’tbeoffended,”interruptedtheDwarf.“Iassureyou,mydearlittlefriends—”
“Littlefromyouisreallyabittoomuch,”saidEdmund,jumpingup.“Isupposeyoudon’tbelievewewontheBattleofBeruna?Well,youcansaywhatyoulikeaboutmebecauseIknow—”
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