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The_Complete_Chronicles_of_Narnia_(volumes_1-7,_in_order_of_publication)

The_Complete_Chronicles_of_Narnia_(volumes_1-7,_in_order_of_publication)

The_Complete_Chronicles_of_Narnia_(volumes_1-7,_in_order_of_publication)

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"No. It wasn't a dream," said Edmund.<br />

"Why not?"<br />

"Well, there are the clothes, for one th<strong>in</strong>g. And you have been - well, un-dragoned, for<br />

another."<br />

"What do you th<strong>in</strong>k it was, then?" asked Eustace.<br />

"I th<strong>in</strong>k you've seen Aslan," said Edmund.<br />

"Aslan!" said Eustace. "I've heard that name mentioned several times s<strong>in</strong>ce we jo<strong>in</strong>ed the<br />

Dawn Treader. And I felt - I don't know what - I hated it. But I was hat<strong>in</strong>g everyth<strong>in</strong>g<br />

then. And by the way, I'd like to apologize. I'm afraid I've been pretty beastly."<br />

"That's all right," said Edmund. "Between ourselves, you haven't been as bad as I was on<br />

my first trip to <strong>Narnia</strong>. You were only an ass, but I was a traitor."<br />

"Well, don't tell me about it, then," said Eustace. "But who is Aslan? Do you know him?"<br />

"Well - he knows me," said Edmund. "He is the great Lion, the son <strong>of</strong> the Emperorbeyond-the-Sea,<br />

who saved me and saved <strong>Narnia</strong>. We've all seen him. Lucy sees him<br />

most <strong>of</strong>ten. And it may be Aslan's country we are sail<strong>in</strong>g to."<br />

Neither said anyth<strong>in</strong>g for a while. <strong>The</strong> last bright star had vanished and though they could<br />

not see the sunrise because <strong>of</strong> the mounta<strong>in</strong>s on their right, they knew it was go<strong>in</strong>g on<br />

because the sky above them and the bay before them turned the colour <strong>of</strong> roses. <strong>The</strong>n<br />

some bird <strong>of</strong> the parrot k<strong>in</strong>d screamed <strong>in</strong> the wood beh<strong>in</strong>d them, they heard movements<br />

among the trees, and f<strong>in</strong>ally a blast on Caspian's horn. <strong>The</strong> camp was astir.<br />

Great was the rejoic<strong>in</strong>g when Edmund and the restored Eustace walked <strong>in</strong>to the breakfast<br />

circle round the camp fire. And now <strong>of</strong> course everyone heard the earlier part <strong>of</strong> his story.<br />

People wondered whether the other dragon had killed the Lord Octesian several years ago<br />

or whether Octesian himself had been the old dragon. <strong>The</strong> jewels with which Eustace had<br />

crammed his pockets <strong>in</strong> the cave had disappeared along with the clothes he had then been<br />

wear<strong>in</strong>g: but no one, least <strong>of</strong> all Eustace himself, felt any desire to go back to that valley<br />

for more treasure.<br />

In a few days now the Dawn Treader, remasted, re-pa<strong>in</strong>ted, and well stored, was ready to<br />

sail. Before they embarked Caspian caused to be cut on a smooth cliff fac<strong>in</strong>g the bay the<br />

words:<br />

Two narrow escapes

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