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ere； still in her bed； though the bed was now in the open air； lay a little old woman who looked as if she had dwarf blood in her。 she was at deaths door； but when she opened her eyes and saw the bright； hairy head of the lion staring into her face； she did not scream or faint。 she said； 〃oh； aslan！ i knew it was true。 ive been waiting for this all my life。 have you e to take me away？鈥�
〃yes； dearest；〃 said aslan。 〃but not the long journey yet。〃 and as he spoke； like the flush creeping along the underside of a cloud at sunrise； the colour came back to her white face and her eyes grew bright and she sat up and said； 〃why； i do declare i feel that better。 i think i could take a little breakfast this morning。鈥�
〃here you are； mother；〃 said bacchus； dipping a pitcher in the cottage well and handing it to her。 but what was in it now was not water but the richest wine； red as red…currant jelly； smooth as oil； strong as beef； warming as tea； cool as dew。
〃eh； youve done something to our well；〃 said the old woman。 〃that makes a nice change； that does。〃 and she jumped out of bed。
〃ride on me；〃 said aslan； and added to susan and lucy； 〃you two queens will have to run now。鈥�
〃but wed like that just as well；〃 said susan。 and off they went again。
and so at last； with leaping and dancing and singing； with music and laughter and roaring and barking and neighing； they all came to the place where mirazs army stood flinging down their swords and holding up their hands； and peters army； still holding their weapons and breathing hard； stood round them with stern and glad faces。 and the first thing that happened was that the old woman slipped off aslans back and ran across to caspian and they embraced one another； for she was his old nurse。
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CHAPTER FIFTEEN
銆傚皬锛胯锛縯xt澶╁爞
aslan makes a door in the air at the sight of aslan the cheeks of the telmarine soldiers became the colour of cold gravy； their knees knocked together； and many fell on their faces。 they had not believed
in lions and this made their fear greater。 even the red dwarfs； who knew that he came as a friend； stood with open mouths and could not speak。 some of the black dwarfs； who had been of nikabriks party； began to edge away。 but all the talking beasts surged round the lion； with purrs and grunts and squeaks and whinneys of delight； fawning on him with their tails； rubbing against him； touching him reverently with their noses and going to and fro under his body and between his legs。 if you have ever seen a little cat loving a big dog whom it knows and trusts； you will have a pretty good picture of their behaviour。 then peter； leading caspian； forced his way through the crowd of animals。
〃this is caspian； sir；〃 he said。 and caspian knelt and kissed the lions paw。
〃wele； prince；〃 said aslan。 〃do you feel yourself sufficient to take up the kingship of narnia？鈥�
〃i … i dont think i do； sir；〃 said caspian。 〃im only a kid。鈥�
〃good；〃 said aslan。 〃if you had felt yourself sufficient； it would have been a proof that you were not。 therefore； under us and under the high king； you shall be king of narnia； lord of cair paravel； and emperor of the lone islands。 you and your heirs while your race lasts。 and your coronation … but what have we here？〃 for at that moment a curious little procession was approaching … eleven mice； six of whom carried between them something on a litter made of branches； but the litter was no bigger than a large atlas。 no one has ever seen mice more woebegone than these。 they were plastered with mud some with blood too … and their ears were down and their whiskers drooped and their tails dragged in the grass； and their leader piped on his slender pipe a melancholy tune。 on the litter lay what seemed little better than a damp heap of fur； all that was left of reepicheep。 he was still breathing； but more dead than alive； gashed with innumerable wounds； one paw crushed； and； where his tail had been； a bandaged stump。
〃now； lucy；〃 said aslan。
lucy had her diamond bottle out in a moment。 though only a drop was needed on each of reepicheeps wounds； the wounds were so many that there was a long and anxious silence before she had finished and the master mouse sprang from the litter。 his hand went at once to his sword hilt； with the other he twirled his whiskers。 he bowed。
〃hail； aslan！〃 came his shrill voice。 〃i have the honour …〃 but then he suddenly stopped。
the fact was that he still had no tail … whether that lucy had forgotten it or that her cordial； though it could heal wounds； could not make things grow again。 reepicheep became aware of his loss as he made his bow； perhaps it altered something in his balance。
he looked over his right shoulder。 failing to see his tail； he strained his neck further till he had to turn his shoulders and his whole body followed。 but by that time his hind…quarters had turned too and were out of sight。 then he strained his neck looking over his shoulder again； with the same result。 only after he had turned pletely round three times did he realize the dreadful truth。
〃i am confounded；〃 said reepicheep to aslan。 〃i am pletely out of countenance。 i must crave your indulgence for appearing in this unseemly fashion。鈥�
〃it bees you very well； small one；〃 said aslan。
〃all the same；〃 replied reepicheep； 〃if anything could be done。。。 perhaps her majesty？鈥�
and here he bowed to lucy。
〃but what do you want with a tail？〃 asked aslan。
〃sir；〃 said the mouse； 〃i can eat and sleep and die for my king without one。 but a tail is the honour and glory of a mouse。鈥�
〃i have sometimes wondered； friend；〃 said aslan； 〃whether you do not think too much about your honour。鈥�
〃highest of all high kings；〃 said reepicheep； 〃permit me to remind you that a very small size has been bestowed on us mice； and if we did not guard our dignity； some （who weigh worth by inches） would allow themselves very unsuitable pleasantries at our expense。 that is why i have been at some pains to make it known that no one who does not wish to feel this sword as near his heart as i can reach shall talk in my presence about traps or toasted cheese or candles： no； sir … not the tallest fool in narnia！〃 here he glared very fiercely up at wimbleweather； but the giant； who was always a stage behind everyone else； had not yet discovered what was being talked about down at his feet； and so missed the point。
〃why have your followers all drawn their swords； may i ask？〃 said aslan。
〃may it please your high majesty；〃 said the second mouse； whose name was peepiceek； 〃we are all waiting to cut off our own tails if our chief must go without his。 we will not bear the shame of wearing an honour which is denied to the high mouse。鈥�
〃ah！〃 roared aslan。 〃you have conquered me。 you have great hearts。 not for the sake of your dignity； reepicheep； but for the love that is between you and your people； and still more for the kindness your people showed me long ago when you ate away the cords that bound me on the stone table （and it was then； though you have long forgotten it； that you began to be talking mice）； you sha