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rey； and the trees black。 there was a certain amount of wind … a hushing； ruffling sort of wind which meant that rain was ing soon。
the owl wheeled round so that the castle was now ahead of them。 very few of the windows showed lights。 they flew right over it； northwards； crossing the river： the air grew colder； and jill thought she could see the white reflection of the owl in the water beneath her。 but soon they were on the north bank of the river； flying above wooded country。
the owl snapped at something which jill couldnt see。
〃oh； dont； please！〃 said jill。 〃dont jerk like that。 you nearly threw me off。”
〃i beg your pardon；〃 said the owl。 〃i was just nabbing a bat。 theres nothing so sustaining； in a small way； as a nice plump little bat。 shall i catch you one？”
〃no； thanks；〃 said jill with a shudder。
he was flying a little lower now and a large； black looking object was looming up towards them。 jill had just time to see that it was a tower … a partly ruinous tower； with a lot of ivy on it； she thought … when she found herself ducking to avoid the archway of a window； as the owl squeezed with her through the ivied cobwebby opening； out of the fresh； grey night into a dark place inside the top of the tower。 it was rather fusty inside
and； the moment she slipped off the owls back； she knew （as one usually does somehow）
that it was quite crowded and when voices began saying out of the darkness from every direction 〃tuwhoo！ tu…whoo！〃 she knew it was crowded with owls。 she was rather relieved when a very different voice said： 〃is that you； pole？”
〃is that you； scrubb？〃 said jill。
〃now；〃 said glimfeather； 〃i think were all here。 let us hold a parliament of owls。”
〃tu…whoo； tu…whoo。 true for you。 thats the right thing to do；〃 said several voices。
〃half a moment；〃 said scrubbs voice。 〃theres something i want to say first。”
〃do； do； do；〃 said the owls； and jill said； 〃fire ahead。”
〃i suppose all you chaps…owls； i mean；〃 said scrubb； 〃i suppose you all know that king caspian the tenth； in his young days； sailed to the eastern end of the world。 well； i was with him on that journey： with him and reepicheep the mouse； and the lord drinian and all of them。 i know it sounds hard to believe； but people dont grow older in our world at the same speed as they do in yours。 and what i want to say is this； that im the kings man； and if this parliament of owls is any sort of plot against the king； im having nothing to do with it。”
〃tu…whoo； tu…whoo； were all the kings owls too；〃 said the owls。
〃whats it all about then？〃 said scrubb。
〃its only this；〃 said glimfeather。 〃that if the lord regent； the dwarf trumpkin； hears you are going to look for the lost prince； he wont let you start。 hed keep you under lock and key sooner。”
〃great scott！〃 said scrubb。 〃you dont mean that trumpkin is a traitor？ i used to hear a lot about him in the old days； at sea。 caspian … the king； i mean … trusted him absolutely。”
〃oh no；〃 said a voice。 〃trumpkins no traitor。 but more than thirty champions （knights； centaurs； good giants； and all sorts） have at one time or another set out to look for the lost prince； and none of them have ever e back。 and at last the king said he was not going to have all the bravest narnians destroyed in the search for his son。 and now nobody is allowed to go。”
〃but surely hed let us go；〃 said scrubb。 〃when he knew who i was and who had sent me。”
（〃sent both of us；〃 put in jill。）
〃yes；〃 said glimfeather； 〃i think； very likely； he would。 but the kings away。 and trumpkin will stick to the rules。 hes as true as steel； but hes deaf as a post and very peppery。 you could never make him see that this might be the time for making an exception to the rule。”
〃you might think hed take some notice of us； because were owls and everyone knows how wise owls are；〃 said someone else。 〃but hes so old now hed only say； ‘youre a mere chick。 i remember you when you were an egg。 dont e trying to teach me； sir。
crabs and crumpets！“
this owl imitated trumpkins voice rather well； and there were sounds of owlish laughter all round。 the children began to see that the narnians all felt about trumpkin as people feel at school about some crusty teacher； whom everyone is a little afraid of and everyone makes fun of and nobody really dislikes。
〃how long is the king going to be away？〃 asked scrubb。
〃if only we knew！〃 said glimfeather。 〃you see； there has been a rumour lately that aslan himself has been seen in the islands … in terebinthia； i think it was。 and the king said he would make one more attempt before he died to see aslan face to face again； and ask his advice about who is to be king after him。 but were all afraid that； if he doesnt meet aslan in terebinthia； hell go on east； to seven isles and lone islands … and on and on。 he never talks about it； but we all know he has never forgotten that voyage to the worlds end。 im sure in his heart of hearts he wants to go there again。”
〃then theres no good waiting for him to e back？〃 said jill。
〃no； no good；〃 said the owl。 〃oh； what a to…do！ if only you two had known and spoken to him at once！ hed have arranged everything … probably given you an army to go with you in search of the prince。”
jill kept quiet at this and hoped scrubb would be sporting enough not to tell all the owls why this hadnt happened。 he was； or very nearly。 that is； he only muttered under his breath； 〃well； it wasnt my fault；〃 before saying out loud： 〃very well。 well have to manage without it。 but theres just one thing more i want to know。 if this owls parliament； as you call it； is all fair and above board and means no mischief； why does it have to be so jolly secret… meeting in a ruin in dead of night； and all that？”
〃tu…whoo！ tu…whoo！〃 hooted several owls。 〃where should we meet？ when would anyone meet except at night？”
〃you see；〃 explained glimfeather； 〃most of the creatures in narnia have such unnatural habits。 they do things by day； in broad blazing sunlight （ugh！） when everyone ought to
be asleep。 and； as a result； at night theyre so blind and stupid that you cant get a wor