15.05.2015 Views

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)

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

"What, Lady! Fell<strong>in</strong>g Lantern Waste? Murder<strong>in</strong>g the talk<strong>in</strong>g trees?" cried the K<strong>in</strong>g,<br />

leap<strong>in</strong>g to his feet and draw<strong>in</strong>g his sword. "How dare they? And who dares it? Now by<br />

the Mane <strong>of</strong> Aslan-"<br />

"A-a-a-h," gasped the Dryad shudder<strong>in</strong>g as if <strong>in</strong> pa<strong>in</strong> - shudder<strong>in</strong>g time after time as if<br />

under repeated blows. <strong>The</strong>n all at once she fell sideways as suddenly as if both her feet<br />

had been cut from under her. For a second they saw her ly<strong>in</strong>g dead on the grass and then<br />

she vanished. <strong>The</strong>y knew what had happened. Her tree, miles away, had been cut down.<br />

For a moment the K<strong>in</strong>g's grief and anger were so great that he could not speak. <strong>The</strong>n he<br />

said:<br />

"Come, friends. We must go up river and f<strong>in</strong>d the villa<strong>in</strong>s who have done this, with all<br />

the speed we may. I will leave not one <strong>of</strong> them alive."<br />

"Sire, with a good will," said Jewel.<br />

But Roonwit said, "Sire, be wary <strong>in</strong> your just wrath. <strong>The</strong>re are strange do<strong>in</strong>gs on foot. If<br />

there should be rebels <strong>in</strong> arms further up the valley, we three are too few to meet them. If<br />

it would please you to wait while -"<br />

"I will not wait the tenth part <strong>of</strong> a second," said the K<strong>in</strong>g. "But while Jewel and I go<br />

forward, do you gallop as hard as you may to Cair Paravel. Here is my r<strong>in</strong>g for your<br />

token. Get me a score <strong>of</strong> men-at-arms, all well mounted, and a score <strong>of</strong> Talk<strong>in</strong>g Dogs,<br />

and ten Dwarfs (let them all be fell archers), and a Leopard or so, and Stonefoot the<br />

Giant. Br<strong>in</strong>g all these after us as quickly as may be."<br />

"With a good will, Sire," said Roonwit. And at once he turned and galloped Eastward<br />

down the valley.<br />

<strong>The</strong> K<strong>in</strong>g strode on at a great pace, sometimes mutter<strong>in</strong>g to himself and sometimes<br />

clench<strong>in</strong>g his fists. Jewel walked beside him, say<strong>in</strong>g noth<strong>in</strong>g; so there was no sound<br />

between them but the fa<strong>in</strong>t j<strong>in</strong>gle <strong>of</strong> a rich gold cha<strong>in</strong> that hung round the Unicorn's neck<br />

and the noise <strong>of</strong> two feet and four ho<strong>of</strong>s.<br />

<strong>The</strong>y soon reached the River and turned up it where there was a grassy road: they had the<br />

water on their left and the forest on their right. Soon after that they came to the place<br />

where the ground grew rougher and thick wood came down to the water's edge. <strong>The</strong> road,<br />

what there was <strong>of</strong> it, now ran on the Southern bank and they had to ford the River to<br />

reach it. It was up to Tirian's arm-pits, but Jewel (who had four legs and was therefore<br />

steadier) kept on his right so as to break the force <strong>of</strong> the current, and Tirian put his strong<br />

arm round the Unicorn's strong neck and they both got safely over. <strong>The</strong> K<strong>in</strong>g was still so<br />

angry that he hardly noticed the cold <strong>of</strong> the water. But <strong>of</strong> course he dried his sword very<br />

carefully on the shoulder <strong>of</strong> his cloak, which was the only dry part <strong>of</strong> him, as soon as they<br />

came to shore.

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!