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of swanwhite the queen who had lived before the days of the white witch and the great winter； who was so beautiful that when she looked into any forest pool the reflection of her face shone out of the water like a star by night for a year and a day afterwards。 he spoke of moonwood the hare who had such ears that he could sit by caldron pool under the thunder of the great waterfall and hear what men spoke in whispers at cair paravel。
he told how king gale； who was ninth in descent from frank the first of all kings； had sailed far away into the eastern seas and delivered the lone islanders from a dragon and how； in return； they had given him the lone islands to be part of the royal lands of narnia for ever。 he talked of whole centuries in which all narnia was so happy that notable dances and feasts； or at most tournaments； were the only things that could be remembered； and every day and week had been better than the last。 and as he went on； the picture of all those happy years； all the thousands of them； piled up in jills mind till it was rather like looking down from a high hill on to a rich； lovely plain full of woods and waters and cornfields； which spread away and away till it got thin and misty from distance。 and she said： 〃oh； i do hope we can soon settle the ape and get back to those good； ordinary times。
and then i hope theyll go on for ever and ever and ever。 our world is going to have an end some day。 perhaps this one wont。 oh jewel wouldnt it be lovely if narnia just went on and on … like what you said it has been？”
〃nay； sister；〃 answered jewel； 〃all worlds draw to an end； except aslans own country。”
〃well； at least；〃 said jill； 〃i hope the end of this one is millions of millions of millions of years away … hallo！ what are we stopping for？”
the king and eustace and the dwarf were all staring up at the sky。 jill shuddered； remembering what horrors they had seen already。 but it was nothing of that sort this time。
it was small； and looked black against the blue。
〃i dare swear；〃 said the unicorn； 〃from its flight； that it is a talking bird。”
〃so think i；〃 said the king。 〃but is it a friend； or a spy of the apes？”
〃to me； sire；〃 said the dwarf； 〃it has a look of far…sight the eagle。”
〃ought we to hide under the trees？〃 said eustace。
〃nay；〃 said tirian； 〃best stand still as rocks。 he would see us for certain if we moved。”
〃look！ he wheels； he has seen us already；〃 said jewel。 〃he is ing down in wide circles。”
〃arrow on string； lady；〃 said tirian to jill。 〃but by no means shoot till i bid you。 he may be a friend。”
if one had known what was going to happen next it would have been a treat to watch the grace and ease with which the huge bird glided down。 he alighted on a rocky crag a few feet from tirian； bowed his crested head； and said in his strange eagles… voice； 〃hail； king。”
〃hail； farsight；〃 said tirian。 〃and since you call me king； i may well believe you are not a follower of the ape and his false aslan。 i am right glad of your ing。”
〃sire；〃 said the eagle； 〃when you have heard my news you will be sorrier of my ing than of the greatest woe that ever befell you。”
tirians heart seemed to stop beating at these words； but he set his teeth and said； 〃tell on。”
〃two sights have i seen；〃 said farsight。 〃one was cair paravel filled with dead narnians and living calormenes： the tisrocs banner advanced upon your royal battlements： and your subjects flying from the city … this way and that； into the woods。 cair paravel was taken from the sea。 twenty great ships of calormen put in there in the dark of the night before last night。”
no one could speak。
〃and the other sight； five leagues nearer than cair paravel； was roonwit the centaur lying dead with a calormene arrow in his side。 i was with him in his last hour and he gave me this message to your majesty： to remember that all worlds draw to an end and that noble death is a treasure which no one is too poor to buy。”
〃so；〃 said the king； after a long silence； 〃narnia is no more。”
。。
CHAPTER NINE
the great meeting on stable hill fop； a long time they could not speak nor even shed a tear。 then the unicorn stamped the ground with his hoof； and shook his mane； and spoke。
〃sire；〃 he said； 〃there is now no need of counsel。 we see that the apes plans were laid deeper than we dreamed of。 doubtless he has been long in secret traffic with the tisroc； and as soon as he had found the lion…skin he sent him word to make ready his navy for the taking of cair paravel and all narnia。 nothing now remains for us seven but to go back to stable hill； proclaim the truth； and take the adventure that aslan sends us。 and if； by a great marvel； we defeat those thirty calormenes who are with the ape； then to turn again and die in battle with the far greater host of them that will soon march from cair paravel。”
tirian nodded。 but he turned to the children and said： 〃now； friends； it is time for you to go hence into your own world。 doubtless you have done all that you were sent to do。”
〃b … but weve done nothing；〃 said jill who was shivering； not with fear exactly but because everything was so horrible。
〃nay；〃 said the king； 〃you loosed me from the tree： you glided before me like a snake last night in the wood and took puzzle： and you； eustace； killed your man。 but you are too young to share in such a bloody end as we others must meet tonight or； it may be； three days hence。 i entreat you … nay； i mand you … to return to your own place。 i should be put to shame if i let such young warriors fall in battle on my side。”
〃no； no； no；〃 said jill （very white when she began speaking and then suddenly very red and then white again。） 〃we wont； i dont care what you say。 were going to stick to you whatever happens； arent we； eustace？”
〃yes； but theres no need to get so worked up about it；〃 said eustace who had stuck his hands in his pockets （forgetting how very odd that looks when you are wearing a mail shirt）。 〃because； you see； we havent any choice。 whats the good of talking about our going back！ how？ weve got no magic for doing it！”
this wa