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e） she said： 〃but after all； whats the good？ were not there： were here。 and we jolly well cant get there。 or can we？”
〃thats what ive been wondering；〃 said eustace。 〃when we came back from that place； someone said that the two pevensie kids （thats my two cousins） could never go there again。 it was their third time； you see。 i suppose theyve had their share。 but he never said i couldnt。 surely he would have said so； unless he meant that i was to get back？ and i cant help wondering； can we … could we …？”
〃do you mean； do something to make it happen？”
eustace nodded。
〃you mean we might draw a circle on the ground … and write in queer letters in it … and stand inside it … and recite charms and spells？”
〃well；〃 said eustace after he had thought hard for a bit。 〃i believe that was the sort of thing i was thinking of； though i never did it。 but now that it es to the point； ive an idea that all those circles and things are rather rot。 i dont think hed like them。 it would look as if we thought we could make him do things。 but really； we can only ask him。”
〃who is this person you keep on talking about？”
〃they call him aslan in that place；〃 said eustace。
〃what a curious name！”
〃not half so curious as himself；〃 said eustace solemnly。 〃but lets get on。 it cant do any harm； just asking。 lets stand side by side； like this。 and well hold out our arms in front of us with the palms down： like they did in ramandus island …”
〃whose island？”
〃ill tell you about that another time。 and he might like us to face the east。 lets see； where is the east？”
〃i dont know；〃 said jill。
〃its an extraordinary thing about girls that they never know the points of the pass；”
said eustace。
〃you dont know either；〃 said jill indignantly。
〃yes i do； if only you didnt keep on interrupting。 ive got it now。 thats the east； facing up into the laurels。 now； will you say the words after me？ 〃what words？〃 asked jill。
〃the words im going to say； of course；〃 answered eustace。 〃now …”
and he began； 〃aslan； aslan； aslan！”
〃aslan； aslan； aslan；〃 repeated jill。
〃please let us two go into …”
at that moment a voice from the other side of the gym was heard shouting out； 〃pole？
yes。 i know where she is。 shes blubbing behind the gym。 shall i fetch her out？”
jill and eustace gave one glance at each other； dived under the laurels； and began scrambling up the steep； earthy slope of the shrubbery at a speed which did them great credit。 （owing to the curious methods of teaching at experiment house； one did not learn much french or maths or latin or things of that sort； but one did learn a lot about getting away quickly and quietly when they were looking for one。）
after about a minutes scramble they stopped to listen； and knew by the noises they heard that they were being followed。
〃if only the door was open again！〃 said scrubb as they went on； and jill nodded。 for at the top of the shrubbery was a high stone wall and in that wall a door by which you could get out on to open moor。 this door was nearly always locked。 but there had been times when people had found it open； or perhaps there had been only one time。 but you may imagine how the memory of even one time kept people hoping； and trying the door； for if it should happen to be unlocked it would be a splendid way of getting outside the school grounds without being seen。
jill and eustace； now both very hot and very grubby from going along bent almost double under the laurels； panted up to the wall。 and there was the door； shut as usual。
〃its sure to be no good；〃 said eustace with his hand on the handle； and then； 〃o…o…oh。 by gum！！〃 for the handle turned and the door opened。
a moment before； both of them had meant to get through that doorway in double quick time； if by any chance the door was not locked。 but when the door actually opened； they both stood stock still。 for what they saw was quite different from what they had expected。
they had expected to see the grey； heathery slope of the moor going up and up to join the dull autumn sky。 instead； a blaze of sunshine met them。 it poured through the doorway as the light of a june day pours into a garage when you open the door。 it made the drops of water on the grass glitter like beads and showed up the dirtiness of jills tear…stained face。
and the sunlight was ing from what certainly did look like a different world … what they could see of it。 they saw smooth turf； smoother and brighter than jill had ever seen before； and blue sky； and； darting to and fro； things so bright that they might have been jewels or huge butterflies。
although she had been longing for something like this； jill felt frightened。 she looked at scrubbs face and saw that he was frightened too。
〃e on； pole；〃 he said in a breathless voice。
〃can we get back？ is it safe？〃 asked jill。
at that moment a voice shouted from behind； a mean； spiteful little voice。 〃now then； pole；〃 it squeaked。 〃everyone knows youre there。 down you e。〃 it was the voice of edith jackle； not one of them herself but one of their hangers…on and tale …bearers。
〃quick！〃 said scrubb。 〃here。 hold hands。 we mustnt get separated。〃 and before she quite knew what was happening； he had grabbed her hand and pulled her through the door； out of the school grounds； out of england； out of our whole world into that place。
the sound of edith jackles voice stopped as suddenly as the voice on the radio when it is switched off。 instantly there was a quite different sound all about them。 it came from those bright things overhead； which now turned out to be birds。 they were making a riotous noise； but it was much more like music … rather advanced music which you dont quite take in at the first hearing … than birds songs ever are in our world。 yet； in spite of the singing； there was a sort of background of immense silence。 that silence； bined with the freshness of the air； made jill think they must be on the top of a very high mountain。
scrubb still had her by the hand and they were walking forward； staring about them on every side。 jill saw that huge trees； rather like cedars but bigger； grew