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ten while i am master of myself。 when the fit is upon me； it well may be that i shall beg and implore you； with entreaties and threatenings； to loosen my bonds。
they say i do。 i shall call upon you by all that is most dear and most dreadful。 but do not listen to me。 harden your hearts and stop your ears。 for while i am bound you are safe。
but if once i were up and out of this chair； then first would e my fury； and after that”
… he shuddered … 〃the change into a loathsome serpent。”
〃theres no fear of our loosing you；〃 said puddleglum。 〃weve no wish to meet wild men； or serpents either。”
〃i should think not；〃 said scrubb and jill together。
〃all the same；〃 added puddleglum in a whisper。 〃dont lets be too sure。 lets be on our guard。 weve muffed everything else； you know。 hell be cunning； i shouldnt wonder； once he gets started。 can we trust one another？ do we all promise that whatever he says we dont touch those cords？ whatever he says； mind you？”
〃rather！〃 said scrubb。
〃theres nothing in the world he can say or do thatll make me change my mind；〃 said jill。
〃hush！ somethings happening；〃 said puddleglum。
the knight was moaning。 his face was as pale as putty； and he writhed in his bonds。 and whether because she was sorry for him； or for some other reason； jill thought that he looked a nicer sort of man than he had looked before。
〃ah；〃 he groaned。 〃enchantments； enchantments 。 。 。 the heavy； tangled； cold； clammy web of evil magic。 buried alive。 dragged down under the earth； down into the sooty
blackness 。 。 。 how many years is it？ 。 。 。 have i lived ten years； or a thousand years； in the pit？ maggotmen all around me。 oh； have mercy。 let me out； let me go back。 let me feel the wind and see the sky 。 。 。 there used to be a little pool。 when you looked down into it you could see all the trees growing upside…down in the water； all green； and below them； deep； very deep； the blue sky。”
he had been speaking in a low voice； now he looked up； fixed his eyes upon them； and said loud and clear： 〃quick！ i am sane now。 every night i am sane。 if only i could get out of this enchanted chair； it would last。 i should be a man again。 but every night they bind me； and so every night my chance is gone。 but you are not enemies。 i am not your prisoner。 quick！ cut these cords。”
〃stand fast！ steady；〃 said puddleglum to the two children。
〃i beseech you to hear me；〃 said the knight； forcing himself to speak calmly。 〃have they told you that if i am released from this chair i shall kill you and bee a serpent？ i see by your faces that they have。 it is a lie。 it is at this hour that i am in my right mind： it is all the rest of the day that i am enchanted。 you are not earthmen nor witches。 why should you be on their side？ of your courtesy； cut my bonds。”
〃steady！ steady！ steady！〃 said the three travellers to one another。
〃oh； you have hearts of stone；〃 said the knight。 〃believe me； you look upon a wretch who has suffered almost more than any mortal can bear。 what wrong have i ever done you； that you should side with my enemies to keep me in such miseries？ and the minutes are slipping past。 now you can save me； when this hour has passed； i shall be witless again … the toy and lap…dog； nay； more likely the pawn and tool； of the most devilish sorceress that ever planned the woe of men。 and this night； of all nights； when she is away！ you take from me a chance that may never e again。”
〃this is dreadful。 i do wish wed stayed away till it was over；〃 said jill。
〃steady！〃 said puddleglum。
the prisoners voice was now rising into a shriek。 〃let me go； i say。 give me my sword。
my sword！ once i am free i shall take such revenge on earthmen that underland will talk of it for a thousand years！”
〃now the frenzy is beginning；〃 said scrubb。 〃i hope those knots are all right。”
〃yes；〃 said puddleglum。 〃hed have twice his natural strength if he got free now。 and im not clever with my sword。 hed get us both； i shouldnt wonder； and then pole on her own would be left to tackle the snake。”
the prisoner was now so straining at his bonds that they cut into his wrists and ankles。
〃beware；〃 he said。 〃beware。 one night i did break them。 but the witch was there that time。 you will not have her to help you tonight。 free me now； and i am your friend。 im your mortal enemy else。”
〃cunning； isnt he？〃 said puddleglum。
〃once and for all；〃 said the prisoner； 〃i adjure you to set me free。 by all fears and all loves； by the bright skies of overland； by the great lion； by aslan himself； i charge you …“
〃oh！〃 cried the three travellers as though they had been hurt。 〃its the sign；〃 said puddleglum。 〃it was the words of the sign；〃 said scrubb more cautiously。 〃oh； what are we to do？〃 said jill。
it was a dreadful question。 what had been the use of promising one another that they would not on any account set the knight free； if they were now to do so the first time he happened to call upon a name they really cared about？ on the other hand； what had been the use of learning the signs if they werent going to obey them？ yet could aslan have really meant them to unbind anyone even a lunatic … who asked it in his name？ could it be a mere accident？ or how if the queen of the underworld knew all about the signs and had made the knight learn this name simply in order to entrap them？ but then； supposing this was the real sign？ 。 。 。 they had muffed three already； they darent muff the fourth。
〃oh； if only we knew！〃 said jill。
〃i think we do know；〃 said puddleglum。
〃do you mean you think everything will e right if we do untie him？〃 said scrubb。
〃i dont know about that；〃 said puddleglum。 〃you see； aslan didnt tell pole what would happen。 he only told her what to do。 that fellow will be the death of us once hes up； i shouldnt wonder。 but that doesnt let us off following the sign。”
they all stood looking at one another with bright eyes。 it was a sickening moment。 〃all right！〃 said jill suddenly。 〃lets get it over。 good…bye； everyone 。。。！〃 they all shook hands。 the knight was screaming by now； there was foam on his cheeks。
〃e on； scrubb；〃 said pu