CHAPTERELEVENINTHEDARKCASTLE
&hemeal（igeonpie，，salad，andcakes）hadbeenbrought，andallhaddrawntheirchairsuptothetableaheKnightued:
“YoumustuaIknownothingofhehisDarkWorld。Iremembernotimeelling，asnow，atthecourtofthisallbutheavemythoughtisthatshesavedmefromsomeevileandbroughtmehitherofherexgbouFrogfoot，yourcupisempty。Suffermetorefillit。）AomethelikelierbenowIamboundbyaspell，fromwhichmyLadyalonefreeme。Everynightthereesanhourwhenmymindismosthorriblyged，and，aftermymind，mybody。ForfirstIbeefuriousandwildandwouldrushupofriendstokillthem，ifIwerenotbound。Andsoo，Iturnintothelikenessofagreatserpent，hungry，fierddeadly。（Sir，bepleasedtotakeaofpigeoyou。）Sotheytellme，aaih，formyLadysaysthesame。Imyselfknownothingofit，forwhenmyhourispastIawakefetfulofallthatvilefitandinmypropershapeandsoundmind—savingthatIamsomewhatwearied。（Littlelady，eatohesehoneycakes，whicharebroughtformefromsomebarbarouslahoftheworld。）NowtheQueen'smajestykhatIshallbefreedfromthisewhenonceshehasmademekingofalandintheOverworldasyhead。Thelandisalreadydtheveryplaceout。HerEarthmenhaveworkeddayandnightdiggingawaybe，andhavenowgonesofarandsohighthattheytuascoreoffeetbeheverygrassonwhichtheUpdwellersofthattrywalk。ItwillbeverysoonnowthatthoseUplanders'fatewill。Sheherselfisatthediggingstonight，aamessagetogotoher。Thehinroofofearthwhichstillkeepsmefrommykingdomwillbebrh，aoguidemeandathousamyback，Ishallrideforthinarms，fallsuddenlyonoureheir，theirstrongpladdoubtlessbetheiredkingwithinfourayhours。”
“It'sabitroughlu，isn'tit?”saidScrubb。
“Thouartaladofawondrous，quigwit!”exclaimedtheKnight。“For，onmyhonour，Ihadofitsobefore。Iseey。”Helookedslightly，veryslightlytroubledforamomentortwo;buthisfadhebrokeout，withanotherofhisloudlaughs，“Butfieongravity!Isitidridiculousthiothinkofthemallgoingabouttheirbusinessandhatuheirpeacefulfieldsandfloors，onlyafathomdreatarmyreadytobreakoutuponthemlikeafountaiohavesuspected!Why，theythemselves，whesmartoftheirdefeatisover，hardlychoosebutlaughatthethought!”
“Idon'tthinkit'sfunnyatall，”saidJill。“Ithinkyou'llbeawit。”
“What?”saidtheKnight，stilllaughingandpattingherheadiingfashion。“Isourlittlemaidadeeppoliti?Butheart。Inrulingthatland，IshalldoallbytheyLady，whowillthenbemyQueentoo。Herwordshallbemylaw，evenasmywordwillbelawtothepeoplewehavequered。”
“WhereI，”saidJill，whowasdislikinghimmoreeverymiheydon'tthinkmuenwhoarebossedaboutbytheirwives。”
“Shaltthinkotherwisewhenthouhastamanofthineown，Iwarrantyou，”saidtheKnight，apparentlythinkingthisveryfunny。“ButwithmyLady，itisaer。Iamwellttolivebyherword，whohasalreadysavedmefromathousanddangers。akenpaienderlyforherchild，thantheQueen'sgrae。Why，lookyou，amidallherdbusihoutwithmeintheOverworldmatoayeyestothesunlight。Agofullyarmedandwithvisordown，sothatnomanmayseemyfadImustspeaktonoone。ForshehasfoundicalthatthiswouldhindermydeliverahegrievouseIlieuthataladyworthyofaman'swholeworship?”
“Soundsaverynideed，”saidPuddlegluminavoicewhitexactlytheopposite。
&hhlytiredoftheKnight'stalkbeforetheyhadfinishedsupper。Puddleglumwasthinking，“Iwamethatwitchisreallyplayingwiththisyoungfool。”Scrubbwasthinking，“He'sagreatbaby，really:tiedtothatwoman&#s;he'sasap。”AndJillwasthihesilliest，mostceited，selfishpigI'vemetftime。”Butwhenthemealwasover，theKnight'smoodhadged。Therewaserabouthim。
“Friends，”hesaid，“myhourisnowverynear。IamashamedthatyoushouldseemeyetIdreadbeialoheywilleilyandbindmehandandfoottoyonderchair。Alas，soitmustbe:forinmyfury，theytellme，IwoulddestroyallthatIcouldreach。”
“Isay，”saidScrubb，“I'mawfullysorryaboutyoureofcourse，butwhatwillthosefellowsdotouswheobindyou?Theytalkedofputtingusinprison。Andwedon'tlikeallthosedarkplacesverymuuchratherstayheretillyou're。。。better。。。if>
“Itiswellthoughtof，”saidtheKnight。“ByheQueenherselfremainswithmeinmyevilhour。SuchishertenderyhonourthatshewouldnotwillinglysufferaherowhewordsIutteriIoteasilypersuademyattendayoushouldbeleftwithme。AndIthiheirsoftfeetevennowupoairs。Ghyonderdoor:itleadsintomyotherapartments。Aherawaitmyiheyhaveunboundme;or，ifyouwill，returnandsitwithmeinmyravings。”
Theyfollowedhisdiredpassedoutoftheroombyadoorwhichtheyhadseebroughtthem，theywerepleasedtosee，notiintoalightedcorridor。Theytriedvariousdoorsandfound（whattheyverybadlyerfandevenalookingglass。“Heneverofferedusawashbeforesupper，”saidJill，dryingherface。“Selfish，selfterdpig。”
“Arewegoingbacktowatt，orshallwestayhere?”saidScrubb。
“Stayhere，Ivote，”saidJill。“I'dmuchrathershefeltalittleihesame。
“No，goback，”saidPuddleglum。“someinformation，andweneedallweget。IamsurethatQueenisawitehoseEarthmenwouldknotheheadassoonaslookatus。There'sastrongersmellofdangerandliesandmagidtreasonaboutthislandthanI'veeversmelledbefore。Weokeepoureyesandearsopen。”
&bathecehedooropen。“It'sallright，”saidScrubb，meaningthattherewere。Thentheyallcamebawheretheyhadsupped。
Themaindoorwasnowshut，gthebetweenwhichtheyhadfirsteheKnightwasseatedinacurioussilverchair，towhichhewasboundbyhisankles，hisknees，hiselbows，hiswrists，andhiswaist。Therewassweatonhisforeheadandhisfacewasfilledwithanguish。
“ein，friends，”hesaid，glangquicklyup。“Thefitisuponme。Makeoldthatpryihatyouwereinbed。Now。。。Ifeeliting。QuiwhileIammasterofmyself。WheisupowellmaybethatIshallbegahehreatenings，toloosenmybonds。TheysayIdo。Ishallyoubyallthatismostdearandmostdreadful。Butdoome。Hardesandstopyourears。ForwhileIamboundyouaresafe。ButifonceIwereupandoutofthischair，thenfirstwouldyfury，a”—heshuddered—“thetoaloathsomeserpent。”
“There'snofearyou，”saidPuddleglum。“We'venowishtomeetwildmeseither。”
“Ishouldthinknot，”saidSdJilltogether。
“Allthesame，”addedPuddlegluminawhisper。“Don'tlet'sbetoosure。Let'sbeuard。We'vemuffedeverythingelse，youknow。He'llbeg，Ishouldn'twosstarted。wetrustoher?Doromisethatwhateverhesayswedon'ttouchthosecords?Whateverhesays，mindyou?”
“Rather!”saidScrubb。
“There'snothingintheworldhesayordothat'llmakemegemymind，”saidJill。
“Hush!Something'shappening，”saidPuddleglum。
&wasmoaning。Hisfaceutty，ahedinhisbonds。Aherbecauseshewassorryforhim，orforsomeotherreason，Jillthoughtthathelookedaofmanthanhehadlookedbefore。
“Ah，”hegroamemeangled，ywebofevilmagic。Buriedalive。Draggeddowheearth，dowyblaess。。。howma?。。。HaveIlivedtenyears，orathousahepit?Maggotmenallaroundme。Oh，havemercy。Letmeout，letmegoback。Letmefeelthewihesky。。。Thereusedtobealittlepool。Whenyoulookeddownintoityoucouldseeallthetreesgrowingupside-dower，allgreehem，deep，verydeep，thebluesky。”
Hehadbeenspeakinginalowvoiowhelookedup，fixedhiseyesuponthem，andsaidloudandclear:
“Quick!IamsaneIamsane。IfonlyIcouldgetoutofthisentedchair，itwouldlast。Ishouldbeamanagaitheybindme，amye。Butyouarenotenemies。Iamnotyourprisoner。Quick!Cutthesecords。”
“Standfast!Steady，”saidPuddleglumtothetwo。
“Ibeseee，”saidtheKnight，fhimselftospeakcalmly。“HavetheytoldyouthatifIamreleasedfromthischairIshallkillyouandbeeaserpent?Iseebyyourfacesthattheyhave。Itisalie。ItisatthishourthatIaminmyrightmind:itisalltherestofthedaythatIamented。Youarehmennorwitches。Whyshouldyoubeontheirside?Ofyourcourtesy，ds。”