ThePrinlockedthedoorandtheyallwentdowhreeofthemords，andJillwithdrawendantshadvahegreatroomatthefootofthePrince'sstairsty。Thegray，dolefullampswerestillburningatheyhadnodiffipassiergalleryaairwayafterstairway。Thenoisesfromoutsidethecastlewerenotsoeasilyheardhereastheyhadbeenintheroomabove。Ihehouseallwasstillasdeath，awasastheyturnedatothegreathallonthegroundfloorthattheymettheirfirstEarthman—afat，whitishcreatureiglikefacewhowasgobblingupalltheremainsoffoodoables。Itsquealed（thesquealalsowasverylikeapig's）anddartedunderabench，whiskingitslongtailoutofPuddleglum'sreathenie。Thehroughthefardoortooquicklytobefollowed。
Fromthehalltheycameoutiyard。Jill，whowenttstheholidays，hadjusthesmellofastable（avery，homelysmellitistomeetinapladerlaacesaid，“GreatScott!Lookatthat!”Amaghadrisenfromsomewherebeyolewallsaogreenstars。
“Fireworks!”saidJillinapuzzledvoice。
“Yes，”saidEustace，“butyouagihpeoplelettingthemoffforfun!Itmustbeasignal。”
“Andmeansnogoodtous，I'llbebound，”saidPuddleglum。
“Friends，”saidthePrinonislaunsuadvehis，hemustbidfarewelltohopesaherwisedeathordeliverahetoolatetosavehishonourandhisreason。Ho，mybeauties”（heeabledoor）。“Heys!Steady，Coalblack!Softlynow，Snowflake!Youarenotten。”
Thehorseswerebhterasandthenoises。Jill，whohadbeensocowardlyaboutghablackholebetweeeher，wentinwithoutfearbetweeampingandss，ahePrihemsaddledandbridledies。Veryfiheylookedastheycameoutiyard，tossingtheirheads。JillmountedSnouddleglumgotupbehiacegotupbehindthePrinCoalblawithagreatechoofhoofs，theyrodeoutofthemaiothestreet。
“Notmugerofbeingburnt。That'sthebrightsideofit，”observedPuddleglum，pointi。There，hardlyahundredyardsaingagainstthewallsofthehouses，>
“Ce!”saidthePriheregoesdowwaterhaslyhalfupthegreatesthillimightesohefirsthalf-hourandehewo。Myfearismoreofthat—”aedwithhisswreattallEarthmanwithboar'stusks，followedbysixothersofassortedshapesandsizeswhohadjustdashedoutofasidestreetaheshadowofthehouseswherenoonecouldseethem。
ThePrihem，aimingalwaysiionoftheglhtbutalittletotheleftofit。Hisplanwastogetroundthefire（ifitwasafire）ontohighground，iheymightfiothenewdiggings。Uhree，heseemedtobealmostenjoyinghimself。Hewhistledasherode，andsangsnatoldsongaboutder-fistofArd。Thetruthis，hewassogladatbeingfreefromhislomentthatalldangersseemedagameinparisofounditaneeriejourney。
&hemwasthesoundofgaangledships，andtherumbleofgbuildings。OverheadwasthegreatpatchhtontheroofoftheUnderworld。Aheadwasthemysteriousglow，whitogrowahesamedireeaualhubbubofshouts，screams，cat-calls，laughter，squeals，andbellowings;andfireworksofallsortsroseinthedarkair。Noonecouldguesswhattheymeahem，thecityartlylitupbytheredgloartlybytheverydifferentlightnomelamps。Buttherelaceswhereheselightsfell，andthoseplaceswerejet-blaandoutofthoseplacestheshapesofEarthmeingandslippiime，alwayswiththeireyesfixedoravellers，alwaystryiofsightthemselves。Therewerebigfadlittlefaces，hugeeyeslikefishes'eyesandlittleeyeslikebears'。Therewerefeathersandbristles，hornsandtusks，noseslikewhipdssolongthattheylookedlikebeards。EverynowandthenagroupofthemwouldgettoobigoretoohePrincewouldbrandishhisswordandmakeashthem。Aures，withallmaings，squeakings，andgs，woulddiveawayintothedarkness。
Butwhentheyhadclimbedmasandwerefarawayfromtheflood，andalmostoutofthetownontheibegantobemoreserious。Theywereheredglowandnearlyo，thoughtheystillotseewhatitreallywas。Butbyitslighttheycouldseetheirenemiesmoreclearly。Hundreds—perhapsafewthousands—ofgnomeswereallmovingtowardit。Buttheyweredoingsoinshortrushes，aopped，theyturnedaravellers。
“Ifyhnessaskedme，”saidPuddleglum，“I'dsaythosefelltocutusoffinfront。”
“Thatwasmythoughttoo，Puddleglum，”saidthePrindweeverfightourwaythroughsomany。Harkyou!Letusrideforthclosebytheedgeofyonderhouse。Andeve，doyouslipoffintoitsshadow。TheLadyandIwillgoforaeofthesedevilswillfollowus，Idoubthidus。Doyou，whohavelongarms，takeonealiveifyoumay，asitpassesyourambush。Wemaygetatruetaleofitorlearnwhatistheirquarrelagainstus。”
“Butwon'ttheothersallerushingatustoresewecatch，”saidJillisosteadyasshetriedtomakeit。
“Then，Madam，”saidthePrince，“youshallseeusdiefightingaroundyou，andyoumusteheLion。Now，goodPuddleglum。”
TheMarsh-wiggleslippedoffintotheshadowasquicklyasacat。Theothers，forasigminuteorso，wentforwardatawalk。Thensuddenlyfrombehiherebrokeoutaseriesofblscreams，mixedwiththefamiliarvoiceofPuddleglum，saying，“Nowthen!Don'tcryoutbeforeyou'rehurt，oryouwillbehurt，see?Ahinkitigbeingkilled。”
“Thatwasgoodhunting，”exclaimedthePriurningCoalblaingbacktotheerofthehouse。“Eustace，”hesaid，“ofyourcourtesy，takeCoalblack'shead。”Theed，andallthreegazedinsilencewhilePuddleglumpulledhiscattothelight。Itwasamostmiserablelittlegnome，onlyaboutthreefeetlong。Ithadase，likeab（onlyhard），oopofitshead，littlepinkeyes，andamouthandseandroundthatitsfacelookedlikethatofapigmyhippopotamus。Iftheyhadnotbeeninsuchatightplace，theywouldhaveburstintolaughteratthesightofit。
“hman，”saidthePriaandholdinghisswordpoiheprisoner'sneck，“speak，up，likeagnome，andyoushallgofree。Playthekhus，aadeadEarthman。GoodPuddleglum，hoeakwhileyouholditsmouthtightshut?”
“No，andit'tbiteeither，”saidPuddleglum。“IfIhadthesillysofthandsthatyouhumanshave（savingyhness'sreverence）I'dhavebeenalloverbloodbyevenaMarsh-wigglegetstiredofbeingchewed。’
“Sirrah，”saidthePrihegeasmouthopen，Puddleglum。”
“Oo-ee-ee，”squealedtheEarthmamego。Itisn'tme。Ididn'tdoit。”
“Didn'tdouddleglum。
“WhateveryourHonourssayIdiddo，”ahecreature。
“Tellmeyourname，”saidthePrindwhatyouEarthmenareallabouttoday。”
“Ohplease，yourHonours，please，kilemen，”whimperedthegnome。“PromiseyouwillheQueen'sgragIsay。”
“TheQueen'sgrace，asyoucallher，”saidthePriernly，“isdead。Ikilledhermyself。”
“What!”criedthegsridiouthwiderao。“Dead?TheWitchdead?AndbyyourHonour'shand?”ItgaveahugesighofreliefahenyourHonourisafriend!”
ThePrihdrewhisswordaninchorso。Puddleglumletthecreaturesitup。Itlookedrouravellerswithitstwinkling，redeyes，chuceortwidbegan。