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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)

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"Well struck, Eustace!" cried Tirian, clapp<strong>in</strong>g him on the back. "Now, Dwarfs, you are<br />

free. Tomorrow I will lead you to free all <strong>Narnia</strong>. Three cheers for Aslan!"<br />

But the result which followed was simply wretched. <strong>The</strong>re was a feeble attempt from a<br />

few Dwarfs (about five) which died away all at once: from several others there were<br />

sulky growls. Many said noth<strong>in</strong>g at all.<br />

"Don't they understand?" said Jill impatiently. "What's wrong with all you Dwarfs? Don't<br />

you hear what the K<strong>in</strong>g says? It's all over. <strong>The</strong> Ape isn't go<strong>in</strong>g to rule <strong>Narnia</strong> any longer.<br />

Everyone can go back to ord<strong>in</strong>ary life. You can have fun aga<strong>in</strong>. Aren't you glad?"<br />

After a pause <strong>of</strong> nearly a m<strong>in</strong>ute a not-very-nice-look<strong>in</strong>g Dwarf with hair and beard as<br />

black as soot said: "And who might you be, Missie?"<br />

"I'm Jill," she said. "<strong>The</strong> same Jill who rescued K<strong>in</strong>g Rilian from the enchantment and<br />

this is Eustace who did it too - and we've come back from another world after hundreds<br />

<strong>of</strong> years. Aslan sent us."<br />

<strong>The</strong> Dwarfs all looked at one another with gr<strong>in</strong>s; sneer<strong>in</strong>g gr<strong>in</strong>s, not merry ones.<br />

"Well," said the Black Dwarf (whose name was Griffle), "I don't know how all you chaps<br />

feel, but I feel I've heard as much about Aslan as I want to for the rest <strong>of</strong> my life."<br />

"That's right, that's right," growled the other Dwarfs. "It's all a plant, all a bloom<strong>in</strong>g<br />

plant."<br />

"What do you mean?" said Tirian. He had not been pale when he was fight<strong>in</strong>g but he was<br />

pale now. He had thought this was go<strong>in</strong>g to be a beautiful moment, but it was turn<strong>in</strong>g out<br />

more like a bad dream.<br />

"You must th<strong>in</strong>k we're bloom<strong>in</strong>g s<strong>of</strong>t <strong>in</strong> the head, that you must," said Griffle. "We've<br />

been taken <strong>in</strong> once and now you expect us to be taken <strong>in</strong> aga<strong>in</strong> the next m<strong>in</strong>ute. We've no<br />

more use for stories about Aslan, see! Look at him! An old moke with long ears!"<br />

"By heaven, you make me mad," said Tirian. "Which <strong>of</strong> us said that was Aslan? That is<br />

the Ape's imitation <strong>of</strong> the real Aslan. Can't you understand?"<br />

"And you've got a better imitation, I suppose!" said Griffle. "No thanks. We've been<br />

fooled once and we're not go<strong>in</strong>g to be fooled aga<strong>in</strong>."<br />

"I have not," said Tirian angrily, "I serve the real Aslan."<br />

"Where's he? Who's he? Show him to us!" said several Dwarfs.

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