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said the dwarf。
〃true；〃 said the witch； and then； 〃well； i will begin。”
at that moment with a rush and a snarl a wolf rushed up to them。
〃i have seen them。 they are all at the stone table； with him。 they have killed my captain； maugrim。 i was hidden in the thickets and saw it all。 one of the sons of adam killed him。 fly！ fly！”
〃no；〃 said the witch。 〃there need be no flying。 go quickly。 summon all our people to meet me here as speedily as they can。 call out the giants and the werewolves and the spirits of those trees who are on our side。 call the ghouls； and the boggles； the ogres and the minotaurs。 call the cruels； the hags； the spectres； and the people of the toadstools。
we will fight。 what？ have i not still my wand？ will not their ranks turn into stone even as they e on？ be off quickly； i have a little thing to finish here while you are away。”
the great brute bowed its head； turned； and galloped away。
〃now！〃 she said； 〃we have no table … let me see。 we had better put it against the trunk of a tree。”
edmund found himself being roughly forced to his feet。 then the dwarf set him with his back against a tree and bound him fast。 he saw the witch take off her outer mantle。 her arms were bare underneath it and terribly white。 because they were so very white he could see them； but he could not see much else； it was so dark in this valley under the dark trees。
〃prepare the victim；〃； said the witch。 and the dwarf undid edmunds collar and folded back his shirt at the neck。 then he took edmunds hair and pulled his head back so that he had to raise his chin。 after that edmund heard a strange noise … whizz whizz … whizz。 for a moment he couldnt think what it was。 then he realized。 it was the sound of a knife being sharpened。
at that very moment he heard loud shouts from every direction … a drumming of hoofs and a beating of wings … a scream from the witch … confusion all round him。 and then he found he was being untied。 strong arms were round him and he heard big； kind voices saying things like … 〃let him lie down … give him some wine … drink this … steady now … youll be all right in a minute。”
then he heard the voices of people who were not talking to him but to one another。 and they were saying things like 〃whos got the witch？〃 〃i thought you had her。〃 〃i didnt see her after i knocked the knife out of her hand … i was after the dwarf … do you mean to say shes escaped？〃 〃… a chap cant mind everything at once … whats that？ oh； sorry； its only an old stump！〃 but just at this point edmund went off in a dead faint。
presently the centaurs and unicorns and deer and birds （they were of course the rescue party which aslan had sent in the last chapter） all set off to go back to the stone table； carrying edmund with them。 but if they could have seen what happened in that valley after they had gone； i think they might have been surprised。
it was perfectly still and presently the moon grew bright； if you had been there you would have seen the moonlight shining on an old tree…stump and on a fairsized boulder。 but if you had gone on looking you would gradually have begun to think there was something odd about both the stump and the boulder。 and next you would have thought that the stump did look really remarkably like a little fat man crouching on the ground。 and if you had watched long enough you would have seen the stump walk across to the boulder and the boulder sit up and begin talking to the stump； for in reality the stump and the boulder were simply the witch and the dwarf。 for it was part of her magic that she could make things look like what they arent； and she had the presence of mind to do so at the very moment when the knife was knocked out of her hand。 she had kept hold of her wand； so it had been kept safe； too。
when the other children woke up next morning （they had been sleeping on piles of cushions in the pavilion） the first thing they heard …from mrs beaver … was that their brother had been rescued and brought into camp late last night； and was at that moment with aslan。 as soon as they had breakfasted4 they all went out； and there they saw aslan and edmund walking together in the dewy grass； apart from the rest of the court。 there is no need to tell you （and no one ever heard） what aslan was saying； but it was a conversation which edmund never forgot。 as the others drew nearer aslan turned to meet them； bringing edmund with him。
〃here is your brother；〃 he said； 〃and … there is no need to talk to him about what is past。”
edmund shook hands with each of the others and said to each of them in turn； 〃im sorry；〃 and everyone said； 〃thats all right。〃 and then everyone wanted very hard to say something which would make it quite clear that they were all friends with him again …something ordinary and natural …and of course no one could think of anything in the world to say。 but before they had time to feel really awkward one of the leopards approached aslan and said； 〃sire； there is a messenger from the enemy who craves audience。”
〃let him approach；〃 said aslan。
the leopard went away and soon returned leading the witchs dwarf。
〃what is your message； son of earth？〃 asked aslan。
〃the queen of narnia and empress of the lone islands desires a safe conduct to e and speak with you；〃 said the dwarf； 〃on a matter which is as much to your advantage as to hers。”
〃queen of narnia； indeed！〃 said mr beaver。 〃of all the cheek …”
〃peace； beaver；〃 said aslan。 〃all names will soon be restored to their proper owners。 in the meantime we will not dispute about them。 tell your mistress； son of earth； that i grant her safe conduct on condition that she leaves her wand behind her at that great oak。”
this was agreed to and two leopards went back with the dwarf to see that the conditions were properly carried out。 〃but supposing she turns the two leopards into stone？”
whispered lucy to peter。 i think the same idea had occurred to the leopards themselves； at any rate； as they walked off their fur was all standing up on their backs and their tails were bristling … like a cats when it sees a strange dog。
〃itll be all right；