CHAPTERFOURENIGHT
THEKingwasskhathehardlykeninguntiltheeiedhisuthisarmsstraightdownbyhissidesahhisbastaheyboundropesroundhisanklesandhiskneesandhiswaistaahere。Whatworriedhimworstatthemoment—foritisoftehatarehardesttostand—wasbleediheyhadhithimandhe'twipethelittletrickleofbloodawayalthoughittickledhim。
Fromwherehewashecouldstillseethelittlestableohehillainginfrontofit。HecouldjustheartheApe'svoicestillgoingonand，everynowandthen，someahecrowd，butheakeoutthewords。
“Iwohey'vedohoughttheKing。
&hecrowdofbeastsbrokeupandbegangoingawayiions。SomepassedclosetoTirian。Theylookedathimasiftheywerebhtenedandsorrytoseehimtiedupbuthemspoke。SoontheyhadallgoherewassilehenhoursandhourswentpastandTiriaverythirstyandthenveryhungry;aernedonaoevening，hebecamecoldtoo。Hisbackwasverysore。Thesudownaobetwilight。
&wasalmostdarkTirianheardalightpitter-patteroffeetandsawsomesmallcreatures。ThethreeowereMidtherewasaRabbitinthemiddle:htweretwoMoles。Boththesewereglittlebagsontheirbackswhichgavethemacuriouslookinthedarksothatatfirsthewokiheywere。Then，iheywereallstandingups，layingtheircoolpawsonhiskneesandgivinghiskneessnufflyanimalkisses。（TheycouldreaeesbeianTalkihatserthanthedumbbeastsofthesamekindinEngland。）
“L!dearL，”saidtheirshrillvoices，“wearesosorryforyou。Wedaren'tuntieyoubecauseAslanmightbeangrywithus。Butwe&#htyouyoursupper。”
AtoMouseimblyuptillheertheropethatboundTirian'sdwaswrinklinghisbluofTirian'sfathesebedupandhungohefirstMouse。Theotherbeastsstoodonthegroundandbeganhandingthingsup。
“Drihenyou'llfioeat，”saidthetopmostMouse，andTirianfoundthatalittlewoodencupwasbeiohislips。Itwasonlythesizeofaneggcupsothathehadhardlytastedthewibeforeitty。ButthentheMousepasseditdowhersrefilleditanditagainandTiriaasee。Inthiswaytheywentoeagooddrink，whichwasallthebetterfinlittledoses，forthatismorethirst-quenonelht。
“Hereischeese，Sire，”saidthefirstMouse，“butnotverymuch，forfearitwouldmakeyoutoothirsty。”Ahecheesetheyfedhimwithoat-dfreshbutter，ahsomemorewine。
“Nothewater，”saidthefirstMouse，“andI'llwashtheKing'sface。Thereisbloodonit。”
&iriahiinyspongedabbinghisfaditwasm。
“Littlefriends，”saidTirian，“howkyouforallthis?”
“You，you，”saidthelittlevoices。“Whatelsecouldwedo?Wedon'twantany。We'reyourpeople。IfitwasonlytheApeandtheeneswhainstyouwewouldhavefoughttillweweretopiecesbeforewe'dletthemtieyouup。ewouldiwe'tgoagainstAslan。”
“DoyouthinkitreallyisAslaheKing。
“Ohyes，yes，”saidtheRabbit。“Hecameoutofthestablelastnight。Weallsawhim。”
“Whatwashelike?”saidtheKing。
&errible，greatLion，tobesure，”saidoheMice。
“AndyouthinkitisreallyAslanwhoiskillingtheWood-NymphsandmakingyouallslavestotheKingofen?”
“Ah，that'sbad，isn'tit?”saidtheseouse。“Itwouldhavebeeerifwe'ddiedbeforeallthisbegan。Butthere'snodoubtaboutit。EveryoisAslan'sorders。Andwe'veseenhim。Wedidn'tthinkAslahat。aoebaia。”
&ohaveebagrythistime，”saidthefirstMouse。“Wemustallhavedohingdreadfullywrongwithoutknowibepunishingusforsomething。ButIdothibetold>
“Isupposewhatwe&#nowmaybewrong，”saidtheRabbit。