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undo the stopper； but she managed it in the end and poured a few drops into her brothers mouth。
〃there are other people wounded；〃 said aslan while she was still looking eagerly into edmunds pale face and wondering if the cordial would have any result。
〃yes； i know；〃 said lucy crossly。 〃wait a minute。”
〃daughter of eve；〃 said aslan in a graver voice； 〃others also are at the point of death。
must more people die for edmund？”
〃im sorry； aslan；〃 said lucy； getting up and going with him。 and for the next half…hour they were busy … she attending to the wounded while he restored those who had been turned into stone。 when at last she was free to e back to edmund she found him standing on his feet and not only healed of his wounds but looking better than she had seen him look … oh； for ages； in fact ever since his first term at that horrid school which was where he had begun to go wrong。 he had bee his real old self again and could look you in the face。 and there on the field of battle aslan made him a knight。
〃does he know；〃 whispered lucy to susan； 〃what aslan did for him？ does he know what the arrangement with the witch really was？”
〃hush！ no。 of course not；〃 said susan。
〃oughtnt he to be told？〃 said lucy。
〃oh； surely not；〃 said susan。 〃it would be too awful for him。 think how youd feel if you were he。”
〃all the same i think he ought to know；〃 said lucy。 but at that moment they were interrupted。
that night they slept where they were。 how aslan provided food for them all i dont know； but somehow or other they found themselves all sitting down on the grass to a fine high tea at about eight oclock。 next day they began marching eastward down the side of the great river。 and the next day after that； at about teatime； they actually reached the mouth。 the castle of cair paravel on its little hill towered up above them； before them were the sands； with rocks and little pools of salt water； and seaweed； and the smell of the sea and long miles of bluish…green waves breaking for ever and ever on the beach。 and oh； the cry of the sea…gulls！ have you heard it？ can you remember？
that evening after tea the four children all managed to get down to the beach again and get their shoes and stockings off and feel the sand between their toes。 but next day was more solemn。 for then； in the great hall of cair paravel … that wonderful hall with the ivory roof and the west wall hung with peacocks feathers and the eastern door which looks towards the sea； in the presence of all their friends and to the sound of trumpets；
aslan solemnly crowned them and led them to the four thrones amid deafening shouts of； 〃long live king peter！ long live queen susan！ long live king edmund！ long live queen lucy！”
〃once a king or queen in narnia； always a king or queen。 bear it well； sons of adam！
bear it well； daughters of eve！〃 said aslan。
and through the eastern door； which was wide open； came the voices of the mermen and the mermaids swimming close to the shore and singing in honour of their new kings and queens。
so the children sat on their thrones and sceptres were put into their hands and they gave rewards and honours to all their friends； to tumnus the faun； and to the beavers； and giant rumblebuffin； to the leopards； and the good centaurs； and the good dwarfs； and to the lion。 and that night there was a great feast in cair paravel； and revelry and dancing； and gold flashed and wine flowed； and answering to the music inside； but stranger； sweeter； and more piercing； came the music of the sea people。
but amidst all these rejoicings aslan himself quietly slipped away。 and when the kings and queens noticed that he wasnt there they said nothing about it。 for mr beaver had warned them； 〃hell be ing and going；〃 he had said。 〃one day youll see him and another you wont。 he doesnt like being tied down and of course he has other countries to attend to。 its quite all right。 hell often drop in。 only you mustnt press him。 hes wild； you know。 not like a tame lion。”
and now； as you see； this story is nearly （but not quite） at an end。 these two kings and two queens governed narnia well； and long and happy was their reign。 at first much of their time was spent in seeking out the remnants of the white witchs army and destroying them； and indeed for a long time there would be news of evil things lurking in the wilder parts of the forest … a haunting here and a killing there； a glimpse of a werewolf one month and a rumour of a hag the next。 but in the end all that foul brood was stamped out。 and they made good laws and kept the peace and saved good trees from being unnecessarily cut down； and liberated young dwarfs and young satyrs from being sent to school； and generally stopped busybodies and interferers and encouraged ordinary people who wanted to live and let live。 and they drove back the fierce giants （quite a different sort from giant rumblebuffin） on the north of narnia when these ventured across the frontier。 and they entered into friendship and alliance with countries beyond the sea and paid them visits of state and received visits of state from them。 and they themselves grew and changed as the years passed over them。 and peter became a tall and deep…chested man and a great warrior； and he was called king peter the magnificent。 and susan grew into a tall and gracious woman with black hair that fell almost to her feet and the kings of the countries beyond the sea began to send ambassadors asking for her hand in marriage。
and she was called susan the gentle。 edmund was a graver and quieter man than peter； and great in council and judgement。 he was called king edmund the just。 but as for lucy； she was always gay and golden…haired； and all princes in those parts desired her to be their queen； and her own people called her queen lucy the valiant。
so they lived in great joy and if ever they remembered their life in this world it was only as one remembers a dream。 and one year it fell out that tumnus （who was a middle…aged faun by now and beginning to be stout） came down river and brought them news that the white stag had once more appeared in his parts