ready to e … werent you； puzzle dear？鈥�
〃great scott！〃 said eustace。 〃well im … 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 shed have to be knighted； wouldnt she； sire？鈥�
〃if she was a boy；〃 said tirian； 〃shed 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。鈥�
〃oh dont； please dont；〃 said jill。 〃really； you mustnt。 it wasnt his fault。 it was all the ape。 he didnt know any better。 and hes very sorry。 and hes a nice donkey。 his names puzzle。 and ive got my arms round his neck。鈥�
〃jill；〃 said tirian； 〃you are the bravest and most woodwise of all my subjects； but also the most malapert and disobedient。 well： let the ass live。 what have you to say for yourself； ass？鈥�
〃me； sire？〃 came the donkeys voice。 〃im sure im very sorry if ive done wrong。 the ape said aslan wanted me to dress up like that。 and i thought hed know。 im not clever like him。 i only did what i was told。 it wasnt any fun for me living in that stable。 i dont even know whats 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。鈥�
〃sire；〃 said jewel。 〃those dwarfs are ing nearer and nearer。 do we want to meet them？鈥�
tirian thought for a moment and then suddenly gave a great laugh out loud。 then he spoke； not this time in a whisper。 〃by the lion；〃 he said； 〃i am growing slow witted！
meet them？ certainly we will meet them。 we will meet anyone now。 we have this ass to show them。 let them see the thing they have feared and bowed to。 we can show them the truth of the apes vile plot。 his secrets out。 the tides turned。 tomorrow we shall hang that ape on the highest tree in narnia。 no more whispering and skulking and disguises。
where are these honest dwarfs？ we have good news for them。鈥�
when you have been whispering for hours the mere sound of anyone talking out loud has a wonderfully stirring effect。 the whole party began talking and laughing： even puzzle lifted up his head and gave a grand haw…hee…haw…hee…hee； a thing the ape hadnt allowed him to do for days。 then they set off in the direction of the drumming。 it grew steadily louder and soon they could see torchlight as well。 they came out on one of those rough roads （we should hardly call them roads at all in england） which ran through lantern waste。 and there； marching sturdily along； were about thirty dwarfs； all with their little spades and mattocks over their shoulders。 two armed calormenes led the column and two more brought up the rear。
〃stay！〃 thundered tirian as he stepped out on the road。 〃stay； soldiers。 whither do you lead these narnian dwarfs and by whose orders？鈥�
銆�ww銆�w銆�。銆�xia銆�oshu銆�otxt銆�m
CHAPTER SEVEN
锛诲皬。璇础。xt锛惧ぉ锛夊爞锛�
mainly about dwarfs the two calormene soldiers at the head of the column； seeing what they took for a tarkaan or great lord with two armed pages； came to a halt and raised their spears in salute。
〃o my master；〃 said one of them； 〃we lead these manikins to calormen to work in the mines of the tisroc； may…he…live…forever。 鈥�
〃by the great god tash； they are very obedient；〃 said tirian。 then suddenly he turned to the dwarfs themselves。 about one in six of them carried a torch and by that flickering light he could see their bearded faces all looking at him with grim and dogged expressions。 〃has the tisroc fought a great battle； dwarfs； and conquered your land？〃 he asked； 〃that thus you go patiently to die in the salt…pits of pugrahan？鈥�
the two soldiers glared at him in surprise but the dwarfs all answered； 〃aslans orders； aslans orders。 hes sold us。 what can we do against him？鈥�
〃tisroc indeed！〃 added one and spat。 〃id like to see him try it！鈥�
〃silence； dogs！〃 said the chief soldier。
〃look！〃 said tirian； pulling puzzle forward into the light。 〃it has all been a lie。 aslan has not e to narnia at all。 you have been cheated by the ape。 this is the thing he brought out of the stable to show you。 look at it。鈥�
what the dwarfs saw； now that they could see it close； was certainly enough to make them wonder how they had ever been taken in。 the lion…skin had got pretty untidy already during puzzles imprisonment in the stable and it had been knocked crooked during his journey through the dark wood。 most of it was in a big lump on one shoulder。
the head； besides being pushed sideways； had somehow got very far back so that anyone could now see his silly； gentle； donkeyish face gazing out of it。 some grass stuck out of one corner of his mouth； for hed been doing a little quiet nibbling as they brought him along。 and he was muttering； 〃it wasnt my fault； im not clever。 i never said i was。鈥�
for one second all the dwarfs were staring at puzzle with wide open mouths and then one of the soldiers said sharply； 〃are you mad； my master？ what are you doing to the slaves？〃 and the other said； 〃and who are you？〃 neither of their spears was at the salute now … both were down and ready for action。
〃give the password；〃 said the chief soldier。
〃this is my password；〃 said the king as he drew his sword。 〃the light is dawning； the lie broken。 now guard thee； miscreant； for i am tirian of narnia。鈥�
he flew upon the chief soldier like lightning。 eustace； who had drawn his sword when he saw the king draw his； rushed at the other one： his face was deadly pale； but i wouldnt blame him for that。 and he had the luck that beginners sometimes do have。 he forgot all that tirian had tried to teach him that afternoon； slashed wildly （indeed im not sure his eyes werent shut） and suddenly found； to his own great surprise； that the calormene lay dead at his feet。 and though that was a great relief； it was； at the moment； rather frightening。 the kings fight lasted a second or two longer： then he too had killed his man and shouted to eustace； 〃ware the other two。鈥�
but the dwarfs had settled the two remaining calormenes。 there was no enemy left。
〃well struck； eustace！〃 cried tirian； clapping him on the back。 〃now； dwarfs； you are free。 tomorrow i will lead you to free all narnia。 three cheers for aslan！鈥�
but the result which followed was simply wretched。 there was a feeble attempt from a few dwarfs （about five） which died away all at once： from several others there were sulky growls。 many said nothing at all。
〃dont they understand？〃 said jill impatiently。 〃whats wrong with all you dwarfs？ dont you hear what the king says？ its all over。 the ape isnt going to rule narnia any longer。
everyone can go back to ordinary life。 you can have fun again。 arent you glad？鈥�
after a pause of nearly a minute a not…very…nice…looking dwarf with hair and beard as black as soot said： 〃and who might you be； missie？鈥�
〃im jill；〃 she said。 〃the same jill who rescued king rilian from the enchantment and this is eustace who did it too … and weve e back from another world after hundreds of years。 aslan sent us。鈥�
the dwarfs all looked at one another with grins； sneering grins； not merry ones。
〃well；〃 said the black dwarf （whose name was griffle）； 〃i dont know how all you chaps feel； but i feel ive heard as much about aslan as i want to for the rest of my life。鈥�
〃thats right； thats right；〃 growled the other dwarfs。 〃its all a plant； all a blooming plant。鈥�
〃what do you mean？〃 said tirian。 he had not been pale when he was fighting but he was pale now。 he had thought this was going to be a beautiful moment； but it was turning out more like a bad dream。
〃you must think were blooming soft in the head； that you must；〃 said griffle。 〃weve been taken in once and now you expect us to be taken in again the next minute。 weve no more use for stories about aslan； see！ look at him！ an old moke with long ears！鈥�
〃by heaven； you make me mad；〃 said tirian。 〃which of us said that was aslan？ that is the apes imitation of the real aslan。 cant you understand？鈥�
〃and youve got a better imitation； i suppose！〃 said griffle。 〃no thanks。 weve been fooled once and were not going to be fooled again。鈥�
〃i have not；〃 said tirian angrily； 〃i serve the real aslan。鈥�
〃wheres he？ whos he？ show him to us！〃 said several dwarfs。
〃do you think i keep him in my wallet； fools？〃 said tirian。 〃who am i that i could make aslan appear at my bidding？ hes not a tame lion。鈥�
the moment those words were out of his mouth he realized that he had made a false move。 the dwarfs at once began repeating 〃not a tame lion； not a tame lion；〃 in a jeering sing…song。 〃thats what the other lot kept on telling us；〃 said one。
〃do you mean you dont believe in the real aslan？〃 said jill。 〃but ive seen him。 and he has sent us two here out of a different world。鈥�
〃ah；〃 said griffle with a broad smile。 〃so you say。 theyve taught you your stuff all right。 saying your lessons； aint you？鈥�
〃churl；〃 cried tirian； 〃will you give a lady the lie to her very face？鈥�
〃you keep a civil tongue in your head； mister；〃 replied the dwarf。 〃i dont think we want any more kings … if you are tirian； which you dont look like him … no more than we want any aslans。 were going to look after ourselves from now on and touch our caps to nobody。 see？鈥�
〃thats right；〃 said the other dwarfs。 〃were on our own now。 no more aslan； no more kings； no more silly stories about other worlds。 the dwarfs are for the dwarfs。〃 and they began to fall into their places and to get ready for marching back to wherever they had e from。
〃little beasts！〃 said eustace。 〃arent you even going to say thank you for being saved from the salt…mines？鈥�
〃oh； we know all about that；〃 said griffle over his shoulder。 〃you wanted to make use of us； thats why you rescued us。 youre playing some game of your own。 e on you chaps。鈥�
and the dwarfs struck up the queer l