CHAPTERTWELVESORDSUDDENVENGEANCE
MEANwhilfTrumpkiwoboysarrivedatthedarklittlestonearchwaywhitotheiheMound，aihewhitepattheircheekswereallEdmundcouldseeofthem）leapedupwithbaredteethaheminsnarlingvoices，“Whogoesthere?”
“Trumpkin，”saidtheDwarf。“BringingtheHighKingofNarniaoutofthefarpast。”
Thebadgersheboys'hands。“Atlast，”theysaid。“Atlast。”
“Giveusalight，friends，”saidTrumpkin。
ThebadgersfoundatorsidetheardPeterlititarumpkin。“TheD。L。F。hadbetterlead，”hesaid。“Wedon'tknowourwayaboutthisplace。”
Trumpkiortaheadiuwasacold，black，mustyplace，withanoalbatflutteriht，ayofcobwebs。Theboys，whohadbeenmostlyintheopenairsimattherailwaystatioasiftheyweregoingintoatraporaprison。
“Isay，Peter，”whisperedEdmund。“Lookatthsonthewalls。Don'ttheylookold?Awe'reolderthanthat。erelasthere，theyhadn'tbeenmade。”
“Yes，”saidPeter。“Thatmakesohink。”
TheDwarfweheheright，aheleft，andthendowheagaitheysawalightahead—lightfromunderadoor。Andnowforthefirsttimetheyheardvoices，fortheyhadetothedoorofthetralchamber。ThevoisidewereangryoalkingsoloudlythattheapproachoftheboysandtheDwarfhadnotbeenheard。
“Don'tlikethesoundofthat，”whisperedTrumpki'slistenforamoment。”Allthreestoodperfectlystillosideofthedoor。
“Youknowwellenough，”saidavoice（“That'stheKing，”whisperedTrumpkin），“whytheHornwasnotblownatsuhism。HaveyottenthatMirazfelluponusalmostbeforeTrumpkinhadgone，aingforourlivesforthespaceofthreehoursandmore?IblewitwhenfirstIhadabreathingspace。”
“I'metit，”cametheangryvoimyDwarfsborethebruaeihemfell。”（“That'sNikabrik，”whisperedTrumpkin。）
“Forshame，Dwarf，”cameathickvoice（“Trufflehunter's，”saidTrumpkin）。“WealldidasmuchastheDwarfsahantheKing。”
&aleyourownwayforallIsweredNikabrik。“ButwhetheritwasthattheHornwasblowhertherewasnomagiohelphase。You，yougreatastermagi，youknow-all;areyoustillaskingustohangourhopesonAslanaeraofit?”
“Imustfess—Iyit—thatIamdeeplydisappoiheresultoftheoperatiohea'llbeDoelius，”saidTrumpkin。）
“Tospeakplainly，”saidNikabrik，“yourwallet'sempty，ysaddled，yourfishunisesbroken。Staheherswork。Andthatiswhy—”
“Thehelpwille，”saidTrufflehuandbyAslaies。Thehelpwillaybeevennowatthedoor。”
“Pah!”snarledNikabrik。“Youbadgerswouldhaveuswaittilltheskyfallsandweallcatchlarks。Itellyouwe'twait。Fshort;welosemorethanweaffordateveryenter;ourfolloinga>
“Andwhy?”askedTrufflehunter。“I'lltellyouwhy。BecauseitishemthatwehavetheKingsofoldandtheKingsofoldhavehelastwordsTrumpkinspokebeforehewelikely，tohisdeath）were，‘IfyoumustblowtheHorn，dohearmyknowwhyyoublowitorefromit。'Butthatsameeveningeveryooknow。”
“You'dbetterhaveshraysnoutis'，Badger，thaIamtheblab，”saidNikabrik。“Takeitback，or—”
“Oh，stopit，bothofyou，”saidKing。“IwanttoknowwhatitisthatNikabrikkeepsonhintingweshoulddo。Butbeforethat，Iwanttoknowwhothosetwersarewhomhehasbroughtintoourdwhostaheirearsopehsshut。”
“Theyarefriendsofmine，”saidNikabrik。“AerrighthaveyouyourselftobeherethanthatyouareafriendofTrumpkin'sandtheBadger's?Andwhatrighthasthatolddotardintheblatobehereexceptthatheisyourfriend?WhyamItobetheonlyonewho&#inhisfriends?”
“HisMajestyistheKingtowhomyouhaveswiarufflehuernly。
“amanners，”sneeredNikabrik。“Butinthisholelainly。YoukhatthisTelmarineboywillbekingofnowhereandnobodyinaweekunlesshimoutofthetrapis。”
“Perhaps，”saidelius，“yournewfriendswouldliketospeakforthemselves?Youthere，whoandwhatareyou?”
“WorshipfulMasterDoeathin，whiningvoice。“Sopleaseyou，I'monlyapooroldwoman，Iam，andveryobligedtohisWorshipfulDforhisfriendship，I'msure。HisMajesty，blesshishandsomefaoobeafraidofanoldwomanthat'snearlydoubledupwiththerheumatidhasn'ttwostickstoputule。Ihavesomepoorlittleskill—notlikeyours，MasterDoctor，ofsmallspellsandtripsthatI'dbegladtouseagainstourewasagreeabletoalled。ForIhate'em。Ohyes。esbetterthanme。”
“Thatisallmaisfactory，”saidDoelius。“IthinkInohatyouare，Madam。Perhapsyourotherfriend，Nikabrik，wouldgivesomeaself?”
Adull，grayvoiceatwhichPeter'sfleshcreptreplied，“I'mhunger。I'mthirst。WhereIbite，IholdtillIdie，aerdeaththeymustouthfulfrommyenemy'sbodyandburyitwithme。Ifastahundredyearsandnotdie。Ilieahusofreeze。Ikariverofbloodandnotburst。Showmeyourenemies。”