CHAPTERFIVEPRIN
“MYdearsisterandverygoodLady，”saidKingEdmund，“youmustnowshe。ForItellyouplainlyweareinnosmalldanger。”
“Whatisit，EdmuheQueen。
“Itisthis，”saidEdmund。“IdonotthinkweshallfioleaveTashbaahePrincehadhopethatyouwouldtakehim，wewerehuests。ButbytheLion'sMahinkthatassoonashehasyourflatdenialweshallbehanprisoners。”
&heDwarfsgavealowwhistle。
“IwarnedyourMajesties，Iwarnedyou，”saidSallowpadtheRaven。“Easilyinbut，asthelobstersaidierpot!”
“Ihavebeehism，”uedEdmuleused（more'sthepity）tohavinghiswillcrossed。Andheisverychafedatydelaysanddoubtfulahismhepressedveryhardtoknowyourmind。Iputitaside-meaniimetodiminishhishopes—withsomelightowomen'sfandhihissuitwaslikelytobecryaherewasas，thoughstillveiledunderashowofcourtesy，ineverywordhespoke。”
“Yes，”saidTumnus。“AndwheheGranight，itwasthesame。HeaskedmehowIlikeTashbaan。AndI（forIottellhimIhatedeverystoandIwouldoldhimthatnow，whenhighsummerwasyheartturhecoolwoodsanddewyslopesaveasmilethatmeantnogoodandsaid，‘Thereisnothingtohinderyoufromdangthereagai;alrovidedyouleaveusinexgeabrideforourprince。'”
“Doyoumeanhewouldmakemehiswifebyforce?”exclaimedSusan。
“That'smyfear，Susan，”saidEdmund:“Wife:orslavewhichisworse。”
“Buthowhe?DoestheTisrokourbrhKingwouldsuffersue?”
“Sire，”saidPeridaheywouldnotbesomad。DotheythinktherearenosearsinNarnia?”
“Alas，”saidEdmund。“MyguessisthattheTisrochasverysmallfearofNarnia。Wearealittleland。Andlittlelandsonthebreatempirewerealwayshatefultothelordsofthegreatempire。Helongstoblotthemout，gobblethemup。WhenfirsthesufferedthePrioetoCairParavelasyourlover，sister，itmaybethathewasonlyseekinganoagainstus。MostlikelyhehopestomakeohfulofNarniaah。”
&ry，”saidthesedDwarf。“Atseaweareasbigasheis。Asusbylahedeserttocross。”
“True，friend，”saidEdmund。“ButisthedesertasuredefedoesSallo>
“Iknowthatdesertwell，”saidtheRaven。“ForIhaveflowfarandwideinmyyoungerdays，”（youmaybesurethatShastaprickeduphisearsatthispoint）。“Andthisis;thatiftheTisrocgoesbythegreatoasisheeverleadagreatarmyacrossitintoArd。Fhtheycouldreachtheoasisbytheeday'smarch，yetthespringstherewouldbetoolittleforthethirstofallthosesoldiersas。Butthereisanother
Shastalisteivelystill。
&wouldfindthatway，”saidtheRaven，“muststartfromtheTombsoftheAKingsahwestsothatthedoublepeakofMountPireisalwaysstraightaheadofhim。Andso，inaday&#oralittlemore，heshalletotheheadofastonyvalley，whiarrowthatamahinafurlongofitathousandtimesahatitwasthere。Andlookingdownthisvalleyhewillseehergrassnorwaternelsegood。ButifheridesondownithewilletoariverandridebythewaterallthewayintoArd。”
“AnddotheenesknowofthisWesternway?”askedtheQueen。
“Friends，friends，”saidEdmund，“whatistheuseofallthisdiscourse?WearenotaskiherNarniaorenararosebetweenthem。WeareaskinghowtosavethehonouroftheQueenandourowofthisdevilishcity。Fhmybrother，PetertheHighKiheTisroesover，yetlodayourthroatswouldbedtheQueen'sgracewouldbethewife，ormorelikely，theslave，ofthisprince。”
“Wehaveourons，King，”saidthefirstDwarf。“Andthisisareasonablydefensiblehouse。”
“Astothat，”saidtheKing，“IdonotdoubtthateveryoneofuswouldsellourlivesdearlyiheywouldheQueenbutoverourdeadbodies。Yetweshouldbemerelyratsfightinginatrapwhenall'ssaid。”
&rue，”croakedtheRaveandsinahousemakegoodstories，butnothingever。Aftertheirfirstfewrepulsestheenemyalwayssetthehouseonfire。”
“Iamthecauseofallthis，”saidSusan，burstingintotears。“Oh，ifonlyIhadCairParavel。Ourlasthappydaywasbeforethoseambassadorsen。TheMoleswereplantinganorchardforus。。。oh。。。oh。”
Andsheburiedherfaherhandsandsobbed。
“Ce，Su，ce，”saidEdmuwhatisthematterwithyou，MasterTumnus?”FortheFaunwasholdingbothhishornswithhishandsasifheweretryingtokeephisheadonbythemandwrithingtoandfroasifhehadapaininhisinside。
“Don'tspeaktome，don'tspeaktome，”saidTumnus。“I'mthinking。I'mthinkingsothatIhardlybreathe。ait。”
Therewasamoment'spuzzledsilehentheFaunlookedup，drewaloh，moppeditsforeheadandsaid:
“Theonlydifficultyishowtogetdowntoourship-withsomestores，too-withoutbeiopped。”
“Yes，”saidaDwarfdryly。“Justasthebeggar'sonlydifficultyabisthathehasnohorse。”
“Wait，wait，”saidMr。Tumnusimpatiently。“Allweneedissomepretextfdowntoourshiptodayandtakingstuffonboard。”
“Yes，”saidKingEdmunddoubtfully。
&hen，”saidtheFaun，“howwoulditbeifyourmajestiesbadethePrioagreatbaobeheldonballeon，theSpendourHyaliht?AhemessagebewraciouslyastheQueentrivewithoutpledgingherhonour:soastogivethePrisheisweakening。”
“Thisisverygoodsel，Sire，”croakedtheRaven。
“Aiumedly，“everyoustobegoingdowntotheshipallday，makiiuests。Asomeofusgotothebazaarsandspendeverymithefruiterersasellersandthewis，justasewerereallygivi。Ausidjugglersanddanggirlsandfluteplayers，alltobeonbht。”
“Isee，Isee，”saidKingEdmund，rubbinghishands。
“Andthen，”saidTumnus，“we'llallbeht。Andassoonasitisquitedark—”