LucyfollowedthegreatLionoutintothepassageandatonceshesawcomingtowardsthemanoldman,barefoot,dressedinaredrobe.Hiswhitehairwascrownedwithachapletofoakleaves,hisbeardfelltohisgirdle,andhesupportedhimselfwithacuriouslycarvedstaff.WhenhesawAslanhebowedlowandsaid,
“Welcome,Sir,totheleastofyourhouses.”
“Doyougrowweary,Coriakin,ofrulingsuchfoolishsubjectsasIhavegivenyouhere?”
“No,”saidtheMagician,“theyareverystupidbutthereisnorealharminthem.Ibegintogrowratherfondofthecreatures.Sometimes,perhaps,Iamalittleimpatient,waitingforthedaywhentheycanbegovernedbywisdominsteadofthisroughmagic.”
“Allingoodtime,Coriakin,”saidAslan.
“Yes,allinverygoodtime,Sir,”wastheanswer.“Doyouintendtoshowyourselftothem?”
“Nay,”saidtheLion,withalittlehalf-growlthatmeant(Lucythought)thesameasalaugh.“Ishouldfrightenthemoutoftheirsenses.Manystarswillgrowoldandcometotaketheirrestinislandsbeforeyourpeopleareripeforthat.AndtodaybeforesunsetImustvisitTrumpkintheDwarfwherehesitsinthecastleofCairParavelcountingthedaystillhismasterCaspiancomeshome.Iwilltellhimallyourstory,Lucy.Donotlooksosad.Weshallmeetsoonagain.”
“Please,Aslan,”saidLucy,“whatdoyoucallsoon?”
“Icallalltimessoon,”saidAslan;andinstantlyhewasvanishedawayandLucywasalonewiththeMagician.
“Gone!”saidhe,“andyouandIquitecrestfallen.It’salwayslikethat,youcan’tkeephim;it’snotasifhewereatamelion.Andhowdidyouenjoymybook?”
“Partsofitverymuchindeed,”saidLucy.“DidyouknowIwasthereallthetime?”
“Well,ofcourseIknewwhenIlettheDuffersmakethemselvesinvisiblethatyouwouldbecomingalongpresentlytotakethespelloff.Iwasn’tquitesureoftheexactday.AndIwasn’tespeciallyonthewatchthismorning.Youseetheyhadmademeinvisibletooandbeinginvisiblealwaysmakesmesosleepy.Heigh-ho-thereI’myawningagain.Areyouhungry?”
“Well,perhapsIamalittle,”saidLucy.“I’venoideawhatthetimeis.”
“Come,”saidtheMagician.“AlltimesmaybesoontoAslan;butinmyhomeallhungrytimesareoneo’clock.”
Heledheralittlewaydownthepassageandopenedadoor.Passingin,Lucyfoundherselfinapleasantroomfullofsunlightandflowers.Thetablewasbarewhentheyentered,butitwasofcourseamagictable,andatawordfromtheoldmanthetablecloth,silver,plates,glassesandfoodappeared.
“Ihopethatis—whatyouwouldlike,”saidhe.“Ihavetriedtogiveyoufoodmorelikethefoodofyourownlandthanperhapsyouhavehadlately.”
“It’slovely,”saidLucy,andsoitwas;anomelette,pipinghot,coldlambandgreenpeas,astrawberryice,lemonsquashtodrinkwiththemealandacupofchocolatetofollow.Butthemagicianhimselfdrankonlywineandateonlybread.Therewasnothingalarmingabouthim,andLucyandheweresoonchattingawaylikeoldfriends.
“Whenwillthespellwork?”askedLucy.“WilltheDuffersbevisibleagainatonce?”
“Ohyes,they’revisiblenow.Butthey’reprobablyallasleepstill;theyalwaystakearestinthemiddleoftheday.”
“Andnowthatthey’revisible,areyougoingtoletthemoffbeingugly?Willyoumakethemastheywerebefore?”
“Well,that’sratheradelicatequestion,”saidtheMagician。“Yousee,it’sonlytheywhothinktheyweresonicetolookatbefore.Theysaythey’vebeenuglified,butthatisn’twhatIcalledit。Manypeoplemightsaythechangewasforthebetter.”
“Aretheyawfullyconceited?”
“Theyare.OratleasttheChiefDufferis,andhe’staughtalltheresttobe.Theyalwaysbelieveeverywordhesays.”
“We’dnoticedthat,”saidLucy.
“Yes-we’dgetonbetterwithouthim,inaway.OfcourseIcouldturnhimintosomethingelse,orevenputaspellonhimwhichwouldmakethemnotbelieveawordhesaid.ButIdon’tliketodothat.It’sbetterforthemtoadmirehimthantoadmirenobody.”
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