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they turned and walked back together； shedding bitter tears。
as soon as they came to the place where the work was going on the calormenes raised a cry and came towards them with their weapons in hand。 but the king held out his sword with the hilt towards them and said： 〃i who was king of narnia and am now a dishonoured knight give myself up to the justice of aslan。 bring me before him。”
〃and i give myself up too；〃 said jewel。
then the dark men came round them in a thick crowd； smelling of garlic and onions； their white eyes flashing dreadfully in their brown faces。 they put a rope halter round jewels neck。 they took the kings sword away and tied his hands behind his back。 one of the calormenes； who had a helmet instead of a turban and seemed to be in mand； snatched the gold circlet off tirians head and hastily put it away somewhere among his clothes。 they led the two prisoners uphill to a place where there was a big clearing。 and this was what the prisoners saw。 at the centre of the clearing； which was also the highest point of the hill； there was a little hut like a stable； with a thatched roof。 its door was shut。 on the grass in front of the door there sat an ape。 tirian and jewel； who had been expecting to see aslan and had heard nothing about an ape yet； were very bewildered when they saw it。 the ape was of course shift himself； but he looked ten times uglier than when he lived by caldron pool； for he was now dress… ed up。 he was wearing a scarlet jacket which did not fit him very well； having been made for a dwarf。
he had jewelled slippers on his hind paws which would not stay on properly because； as you know； the hind paws of an ape are really like hands。 he wore what seemed to be a paper crown on his head。 there was a great pile of nuts beside him and he kept cracking nuts with his jaws and spitting out the shells。 and he also kept on pulling up the scarlet jacket to scratch himself。 a great number of talking beasts stood facing him； and nearly every face in that crowd looked miserably worried and bewildered。 when they saw who the prisoners were they all groaned and whimpered。
〃o lord shift； mouthpiece of aslan；〃 said the chief calormene。 〃we bring you prisoners。
by our skill and courage and by the permission of the great god tash we have taken alive these two desperate murderers。”
〃give me that mans sword；〃 said the ape。 so they took the kings sword and handed it； with the sword…belt and all； to the monkey。 and he hung it round his own neck： and it made him look sillier than ever。
〃well see about those two later；〃 said the ape； spitting out a shell in the direction of the two prisoners。 〃i got some other business first。 they can wait。 now listen to me； everyone。 the first thing i want to say is about nuts。 wheres that head squirrel got to？”
〃here； sir；〃 said a red squirrel； ing forward and making a nervous little bow。
〃oh you are； are you？〃 said the ape with a nasty look。 〃now attend to me。 i want … i mean； aslan wants … some more nuts。 these youve brought arent anything like enough。
you must bring some more； do you hear？ twice as many。 and theyve got to be here by sunset tomorrow； and there mustnt be any bad ones or any small ones among them。”
a murmur of dismay ran through the other squirrels； and the head squirrel plucked up courage to say： 〃please； would aslan himself speak to us about it？ if we might be allowed to see him …”
〃well you wont；〃 said the ape。 〃he may be very kind （though its a lot more than most of you deserve） and e out for a few minutes tonight。 then you can all have a look at him。 but he will not have you all crowding round him and pestering him with questions。
anything you want to say to him will be passed on through me： if i think its worth bothering him about。 in the meantime all you squirrels had better go and see about the nuts。 and make sure they are here by tomorrow evening or； my word！ youll catch it。”
the poor squirrels all scampered away as if a dog were after them。 this new order was terrible news for them。 the nuts they had carefully hoarded for the winter had nearly all been eaten by now； and of the few that were left they had already given the ape far more than they could spare。
then a deep voice … it belonged to a great tusked and shaggy boar … spoke from another part of the crowd。
〃but why cant we see aslan properly and talk to him？〃 it said。 〃when he used to appear in narnia in the old days everyone could talk to him face to face。”
〃dont you believe it；〃 said the ape。 〃and even if it was true； times have changed。 aslan says hes been far too soft with you before； do you see？ well； he isnt going to be soft any more。 hes going to lick you into shape this time。 hell teach you to think hes a tame lion！”
a low moaning and whimpering was heard among the beasts； and； after that； a dead silence which was more miserable still。
〃and now theres another thing you got to learn；〃 said the ape。 〃i hear some of you are saying im an ape。 well； im not。 im a man。 if i look like an ape； thats because im so very old： hundreds and hundreds of years old。 and its because im so old that im so wise。 and its because im so wise that im the only one aslan is ever going to speak to。
he cant be bothered talking to a lot of stupid animals。 hell tell me what youve got to do； and ill tell the rest of you。 and take my advice； and see you do it in double quick time； for he doesnt mean to stand any nonsense。”
there was a dead silence except for the noise of a very young badger crying and its mother trying to make it keep quiet。
〃and now heres another thing；〃 the ape went on； fitting a fresh nut into its cheek； 〃i hear some of the horses are saying； lets hurry up and get this job of carting timber over as quickly as we can； and then well be free again。 well； you can get that idea out of your heads at once。 and not only the horses either。 everybody who can work is going to be made to work in future。 aslan has it all settled with the king of calormen … the tisroc； as our dark faced friends the calormenes call him。 all you horses and bulls and donkeys are to be sent down into c