Forthefewdaysshewasverymiserable。Shecouldhavemadeitupwiththeothersquiteeasilyataifshecouldhavebroughtherselftosaythatthewholethingwasonlyastorymadeupforfun。ButLucywasaverytruthfulgirlashewasreallyi;andsheherselftosaythis。Theotherswhothoughtshewastellingalie，andasillylietoo，madeherveryunhappy。Thetwoelderohiswithoutmeaningtodoit，butEdmundcouldbespiteful，andonthisoheiteful。HesneeredaLudkeptonaskingherifshe'dfoundanyotherriesinothercupboardsalloverthehouse。Whatmadeitworsewasthatthesedaysoughttohavebeeful。Theweatherwasfiheywereoutofdoorsfrtonight，bathing，fishing，gtrees，andlyiher。ButLuotproperlyenjoyanyofit。Andsothiiltheday。
Thatday，wheheafternooillnosigheweather，theydecidedtoplayhide-and-seek。Susanwas“It”andassoohersscatteredtohide，Luwherethewardrobewas。Shedidohideinthewardrobe，becauseshekwouldoherstalkingagainaboutthewholewretess。Butshedidwanttohaveonemorelooki;forbythistimeshewasbeginningtowoherNarniaandtheFaunhadnotbeehehousewasseandplidfullofhidishethoughtshewouldhavetimetohaveoothewardrobeandthenhidesomewhereelse。Butassoonasshereacheditsheheardstepsinthepassageoutside，aherewasnothingforitbuttojumpintothewardrobeandholdthedoorclosedbehindher。Shedidnotshutitproperlybecauseshekisverysillytoshutooawardrobe，evenifitisnotamagie。
epsshehadheardwerethoseofEdmuotheroomjustioseeLuishingintothewardrobe。Heatointoithimself—notbecausehethoughtitaparticularlygoodplacetohidebutbecausehewaogoonteasiherimaginarytry。Heopeherewerethegingupasusual，ahballs，anddarknessandsilenosignofLucy。“ShethinksI'mSusachher，”saidEdmundtohimself，“andsoshe'skeepiinattheback。”Hejumpedinandshutthedwhataveryfoolishthingthisistodo。ThenhebeganfeelingaboutforLuthedark。Hehadexpectedtofindherinafewsedwasverysurprisedwhe。Hedecidedtoopenthedaii。Butheotfiher。Hedidn'tlikethisatallandbegangropingwildlyiioedout，“Lucy!Lu!Whereareyou?Iknowyou'rehere。”
Therewasnoansweraicedthathisownvoicehadacurioussound—notthesouinacupboard，butakindofopen-airsouicedthatheectedlydthenhesawalight。
“Thankgoodness，”saidEdmund，“thedoormusthaveswusownaccord。”HefotallaboutLuttht，whichhethoughtendoorofthewardrobe。Butinsteadoffindieppingoutintothespareroomhefoueppingoutfromtheshadowofsomethickdarkfirtreesintoanopehemiddleofawood。
There，drysnowunderhisfeetandmoresnowlyingonthebrahetrees。Overheadtherealebluesky，thesortofskyoneseesoerdayinthem。Straightaheadofhimhesawbetweehesun，justrising，veryredandclear。Everythilystill，asifheweretheonlyliviureinthattry。Therewasnotevenarobinthetrees，aretchedasfarashecouldseeiion。Heshivered。
HehathehadbeenlookingforLudalsohowuhehadbeeher“imaginarytry”whiowturtohavebeenimaginaryatall。Hethoughtthatshemustbesomewherequitedsoheshouted，“Lucy!Luheretoo—Edmund。”
There>
“She'sangryaboutallthethingsI'vebeensayihoughtEdmund。Andthoughhedidthathehadbeenwrong，healsodidnotmuchlikebeihisstrange，cold，quietplace;soheshoutedagain。
“Isay，Lu!I'msorryIdidn'tbelieveyou。Iseeallalong。DoakeitPax。”
Stillthere>
“Justlikeagirl，”saidEdmundtohimself，“sulkingsomewhere，andwon'taapology。”Helookedroundhimagainanddecidedhedidnotmuchlikethispladhadalmostmadeuphismindtogohome，whenheheard，veryfaroffinthewood，asoundofbells。Helistehesoundeareralasttheresweptintosightasledgedrawnbytworeindeer。
ThereihesizeofShetlaheirhairwassowhitethateventhesnowhardlylookedwhiteparedwiththem;theirbransweregildedandshohihesuhem。Theirharnesswasofscarletleatherahbells。Onthesledge，drivingthereiafatdouldhavebeenaboutthreefeethighifhehadbeenstanding。Hewasdressedinpolarbear'sfurandonhisheadheworearedhoodwithalonggoldtasselhangingdownfromitspoint;hishugebeardcoveredhiskneesandservedhiminstead。Butbehindhim，onamuchhigherseatinthemiddleofthesledgesataverydifferentpersolady，tallerthananywomanthatEdmundhadeverseen。Shealsowaswhitefuruptoherthroatandheldaloldenwahandandwoldenherhead。Herfacewaswhite—notmerelypale，butwhitelikesnoer-sugar，exceptforherveryredmouth。Itwasabeautifulfaotherrespects，butproudanddstern。
ThesledgewasafiasitcamesweepingtowardEdmundwiththebellsjinglingandthedwarfghiswhipandthesnowflyinguponeachsideofit。
“Stop!”saidtheLady，andthedulledthereindeerupsosharpthattheyalmostsatdowheyrecoveredthemselvesandstoodgtheirbitsandblowiyairthebreathingoutoftheirnostrilslookedlikesmoke。
“Andray，areyou?”saidtheLady，lookinghardatEdmund。
“I'm—I'm—myname'sEdmund，”saidEdmundratherawkwardly。Hedidhewayshelookedathim。
TheLadyfrowhathowyouaddressaQueen?”sheasked，lookihanever。
“Ibegyourpardon，yourMajesty，Ididn'tknow，”saidEdmund:
“NotknowtheQueenofNarnia?”criedshe。“Ha!Youshallkerhereafter。ButIrepeat—whatareyou?”
“Please，yourMajesty，”saidEdmund，“Idon'tknowwhatyoumean。I'matschool—atleastIwas—it'stheholidaysnow。”