CHAPTEREIGHTTHEFIGHTATTHELAMP-POST
“HO!Her-ipress，areyou?We'llseeaboutthat，”saidavoianothervoicesaid，“Threepressofey'Atdquiteanumberjoinedin。Aflushofeich'sfadshebhtly。Butthecheersdiedawayinthteratheyhadonlybeenmakingfunecameoverherexpressionandshegedthekhah，shedidathingthatwasdreadfultosee。Lightly，easily，asifitwerethemostintheworld，shestretchedupherrightarmandwrenchedoffohecross-barsofthelamp-post。Ifshehadlostsomemagicalpowersinourworld，shehadnotlth;shecouldbreakanironbarasifitwereastickar。Shetossedherneintheair，caughtitagain，bra，ahehorsefor>
“Now'smyce，”thoughtDigory。Hedartedbetweenthehorseandtherailingsandbegangoingforward。IfoewouldstaystillforamomecatchtheWitch'sheel。Asherushed，heheardasigdathud。TheWitchhadbroughtthebardownonthean'shelmet:themanfelllikeanine-pin。
“Quick，Digory。Thismustbestopped，”saidavoicebesidehim。Itolly，whohadrusheddowshewasallowedoutofbed。
“Youareabrick，”saidDigory。“Holdo。You'dhavetomahering。Yellow，remember。Anddon'tputitontillIshout。”
Therewasaseddanotherpolicrumpledup。Theregryroarfromthecrowd:“Pullherdoaving-stones。ilitary。”Butmostofthemweregettingasfarawayastheycould。TheCabby，however，obviouslythebravestaswellasthekiperso，ihehingthiswayandthattoavoidthebar，butstilltryingtocatchStrawberry'shead。
Thecrowdbooedandbellowedagailedory'shead。ThehevoiceoftheWitch，clearlikeagreatbell，andsoundingasif，foronce，shepy。
“Scum!YoushallpaydearlyforthiswhenIhavequeredyourworld。oneofyourcitywillbeleft。Iwillmakeitas，asFelinda，asSorlois，asBramandin。”
Digoryaslastcaughtherankle。Shekickedbackwithherheelandhithimih。Inhispaihold。Hislipwasdhismouthfullofblood。Fromsomewhereveryethevoidrewinasscream。“Madam—mydearyounglady—forheaven'ssake—poseyourself。”Digorymadeasedgrabatherheel，andwasagainshakenoff。Moremenwereknobytheirohirdgrab:caughttheheel:heldontikegrimdeath，shoutingtoPolly“Go!”thenOh，thaheangry，frightenedfaceshadvaheangry，frightenedvoicesweresilenced。Allexdrew's。ClosebesideDigoryinthedarkwaswailingon“Oh，oh，isthisdelirium?Isittheend?I'tbearit。It'snotfair。IobeaMagi。It'sallamisuanding。It'sallmygodmother'sfault;Imustprotestagainstthis。Ihtoo。AveryoldDorsetshirefamily。”
“BhtDigory。“Wedidn'twantthimalong。Myhat，iic。Areyouthere，Polly?”
“Yes，I'mhere。Don'tkeeponshoving。”
“I'mnot，”beganDigory，butbeforehecouldsayanythiheirheadscameoutintreehewood。AeppedoutofthepoolPollycriedout:“Ohlook!We&#httheoldhorsewithustoo。Aerley。Ahisisaprettykettleoffish!”
Assoochsawthatshewasohewoodsheturdowouchedthemahehorse。Youcouldseeshefeltdeadlysidrewwasshivering。ButStrawberry，thehorse，shookhishead，gaveacheerfulwhinofeelbetter。HebecamequietforthefirsttimesinceDigoryhadseenhim。Hisears，whichhadbeenlaidflatbahisskull，totheirproperposition，andthefirewentoutofhiseyes。
“That&#ht，oldboy，”saidtheCabby，slappingStrawberry's'sbetter。Takeiteasy。”
Strawberrydidtheminthewverythirsty（andnowonder）hewalkedslowlyacrosstothepoolatohaveadrink。Digorywasstillholdich'sheelandPollywasholdingDigory'shaheCabby'shandswasonStrawberry;andUillveryshaky，hadjustgrabbedontheCabby'sotherhand。
“Quick，”saidPolly，withalookatDigreens!”
Sothehothisdrihewholepartyfoundthemselvessinkingirawberryneighed;Undrewwhimpered。Digorysaid，“Thatwasabitofluck。”
Thereause。ThenPollysaid，“Oughtn'twetobeherenow?”
“Wedoseemtobesomewhere，”saidDigory。“AtleastI'mstandihingsolid。”
“Why，soamI，nowthatIetothinkofit，”saidPolly。“Butwhy'sitsodark?Isay，doyouthiPool?”
&hisis，”saidDigory。“Onlywe'vegotbathemiddleofthenight。”
“Thisisnot，”cametheWitch'svoice。“Thisisayworld。ThisisNothing。”
Awasunohing。Therewerenostars。Itwassodarkthatthey'tseeoallanditmadeheryoukeptyoureyesshutoropeheirfeettherewasacool，flatsomethingwhichmighthavebeeh，aainlynotgrassorwood。Theairwasddryandtherewasnowind。
“Mydoomhase，”saidtheWitavoiceofhorribleess。
“Ohdon'tsaythat，”babbledUndrew。“Mydearyounglady，praydon'tsaysugs。It'tbeasbadasthat。Ah——mygoodman—youdon'thappentohaveaflaskaboutyou?AdropofspiritsisjustwhatIneed。”
“heheCabby'svoi，hardyvoice。“Keepcooleveryo'swhatIsay。Nobonesbroken，anyone?Good。Wellthere'ssomethihankfulfhtaway，ahananyoerfallingallthate'vefallendownsomediggings—asitmightbeforaionontheUnderground—someonewilleapresently，see!Andifwe'redead—whi'tdenyitmightbe—well，yougotto—rememberthatws‘appenatseaandachap'sgottodiesometime。Andthereain'tnothingtobeafraidofifachap'sledadetlife。Andifyouaskme，Ithihingwecoulddotopassthetimewouldbesinga'ymn。”