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and edmund gave a very superior look as if he were far older than lucy （there was really only a years difference） and then a little snigger and said； 〃oh； yes； lucy and i have been playing … pretending that all her story about a country in the wardrobe is true。 just for fun； of course。 theres nothing there really。”
poor lucy gave edmund one look and rushed out of the room。
edmund； who was being a nastier person every minute； thought that he had scored a great success； and went on at once to say； 〃there she goes again。 whats the matter with her？ thats the worst of young kids； they always …”
〃look here；〃 said peter； turning on him savagely； 〃shut up！ youve been perfectly beastly to lu ever since she started this nonsense about the wardrobe； and now you go playing games with her about it and setting her off again。 i believe you did it simply out of spite。”
〃but its all nonsense；〃 said edmund； very taken aback。
〃of course its all nonsense；〃 said peter； 〃thats just the point。 lu was perfectly all right when we left home； but since weve been down here she seems to be either going queer in the head or else turning into a most frightful liar。 but whichever it is； what good do you think youll do by jeering and nagging at her one day and encouraging her the next？”
〃i thought … i thought；〃 said edmund； but he couldnt think of anything to say。
〃you didnt think anything at all；〃 said peter； 〃its just spite。 youve always liked being beastly to anyone smaller than yourself； weve seen that at school before now。”
〃do stop it；〃 said susan； 〃it wont make things any better having a row between you two。
lets go and find lucy。”
it was not surprising that when they found lucy； a good deal later； everyone could see that she had been crying。 nothing they could say to her made any difference。 she stuck to her story and said：
〃i dont care what you think； and i dont care what you say。 you can tell the professor or you can write to mother or you can do anything you like。 i know ive met a faun in there and … i wish id stayed there and you are all beasts； beasts。”
it was an unpleasant evening。 lucy was miserable and edmund was beginning to feel that his plan wasnt working as well as he had expected。 the two older ones were really beginning to think that lucy was out of her mind。 they stood in the passage talking about it in whispers long after she had gone to bed。
the result was the next morning they decided that they really would go and tell the whole thing to the professor。 〃hell write to father if he thinks there is really something wrong with lu；〃 said peter； 〃its getting beyond us。〃 so they went and knocked at the study door； and the professor said 〃e in；〃 and got up and found chairs for them and said he was quite at their disposal。 then he sat listening to them with the tips of his fingers pressed together and never interrupting； till they had finished the whole story。 after that he said nothing for quite a long time。 then he cleared his throat and said the last thing either of them expected： 〃how do you know；〃 he asked； 〃that your sisters story is not true？”
〃oh； but …〃 began susan； and then stopped。 anyone could see from the old mans face that he was perfectly serious。 then susan pulled herself together and said； 〃but edmund said they had only been pretending。”
〃that is a point；〃 said the professor； 〃which certainly deserves consideration； very careful consideration。 for instance … if you will excuse me for asking the question … does your experience lead you to regard your brother or your sister as the more reliable？ i mean； which is the more truthful？”
〃thats just the funny thing about it； sir；〃 said peter。 〃up till now； id have said lucy every time。”
〃and what do you think； my dear？〃 said the professor； turning to susan。
〃well；〃 said susan； 〃in general； id say the same as peter； but this couldnt be true … all this about the wood and the faun。”
〃that is more than i know；〃 said the professor； 〃and a charge of lying against someone whom you have always found truthful is a very serious thing； a very serious thing indeed。”
〃we were afraid it mightnt even be lying；〃 said susan； 〃we thought there might be something wrong with lucy。”
〃madness； you mean？〃 said the professor quite coolly。 〃oh； you can make your minds easy about that。 one has only to look at her and talk to her to see that she is not mad。”
〃but then；〃 said susan； and stopped。 she had never dreamed that a grown…up would talk like the professor and didnt know what to think。
〃logic！〃 said the professor half to himself。 〃why dont they teach logic at these schools？
there are only three possibilities。 either your sister is telling lies； or she is mad； or she is telling the truth。 you know she doesnt tell lies and it is obvious that she is not mad for the moment then and unless any further evidence turns up； we must assume that she is telling the truth。”
susan looked at him very hard and was quite sure from the expression on his face that he was no making fun of them。
〃but how could it be true； sir？〃 said peter。
〃why do you say that？〃 asked the professor。
〃well； for one thing；〃 said peter； 〃if it was true why doesnt everyone find this country every time they go to the wardrobe？ i mean； there was nothing there when we looked； even lucy didnt pretend the was。”
〃what has that to do with it？〃 said the professor。
〃well； sir； if things are real； theyre there all the time。”
〃are they？〃 said the professor； and peter didnt know quite what to say。
〃but there was no time；〃 said susan。 〃lucy had no time to have gone anywhere； even if there was such a place。 she came running after us the very moment we were out of the room。 it was less than minute； and she pretended to have been away for hours。”
〃that is the very thing that makes her story so likely to be true；〃 said the professor。 〃if there really a door in this house that leads to some other world （and i should warn you that this is a very strange house； and even i know very little about it） … if； i say； she had got into another world； i should not be at a surprised to find that the