istling … like a cats when it sees a strange dog。
〃itll be all right；〃 whispered peter in reply。 〃he wouldnt send them if it werent。”
a few minutes later the witch herself walked out on to the top of the hill and came straight across and stood before aslan。 the three children who had not seen her before
felt shudders running down their backs at the sight of her face； and there were low growls among all the animals present。 though it was bright sunshine everyone felt suddenly cold。 the only two people present who seemed to be quite at their ease were aslan and the witch herself。 it was the oddest thing to see those two faces … the golden face and the dead…white face so close together。 not that the witch looked aslan exactly in his eyes； mrs beaver particularly noticed this。
〃you have a traitor there； aslan；〃 said the witch。 of course everyone present knew that she meant edmund。 but edmund had got past thinking about himself after all hed been through and after the talk hed had that morning。 he just went on looking at aslan。 it didnt seem to matter what the witch said。
〃well；〃 said aslan。 〃his offence was not against you。”
〃have you forgotten the deep magic？〃 asked the witch。
〃let us say i have forgotten it；〃 answered aslan gravely。 〃tell us of this deep magic。”
〃tell you？〃 said the witch； her voice growing suddenly shriller。 〃tell you what is written on that very table of stone which stands beside us？ tell you what is written in letters deep as a spear is long on the firestones on the secret hill？ tell you what is engraved on the sceptre of the emperor…beyond…the…sea？ you at least know the magic which the emperor put into narnia at the very beginning。 you know that every traitor belongs to me as my lawful prey and that for every treachery i have a right to a kill。”
〃oh；〃 said mr beaver。 〃so thats how you came to imagine yourself a queen … because you were the emperors hangman。 i see。”
〃peace； beaver；〃 said aslan； with a very low growl。 〃and so；〃 continued the witch； 〃that human creature is mine。 his life is forfeit to me。 his blood is my property。”
〃e and take it then；〃 said the bull with the mans head in a great bellowing voice。
〃fool；〃 said the witch with a savage smile that was almost a snarl； 〃do you really think your master can rob me of my rights by mere force？ he knows the deep magic better than that。 he knows that unless i have blood as the law says all narnia will be overturned and perish in fire and water。”
〃it is very true；〃 said aslan； 〃i do not deny it。”
〃oh； aslan！〃 whispered susan in the lions ear； 〃cant we … i mean； you wont； will you？
cant we do something about the deep magic？ isnt there something you can work against it？”
〃work against the emperors magic？〃 said aslan； turning to her with something like a frown on his face。 and nobody ever made that suggestion to him again。
edmund was on the other side of aslan； looking all the time at aslans face。 he felt a choking feeling and wondered if he ought to say something； but a moment later he felt that he was not expected to do anything except to wait； and do what he was told。
〃fall back； all of you；〃 said aslan； 〃and i will talk to the witch alone。”
they all obeyed。 it was a terrible time this … waiting and wondering while the lion and the witch talked earnestly together in low voices。 lucy said； 〃oh； edmund！〃 and began to cry。 peter stood with his back to the others looking out at the distant sea。 the beavers stood holding each others paws with their heads bowed。 the centaurs stamped uneasily with their hoofs。 but everyone became perfectly still in the end； so that you noticed even small sounds like a bumble…bee flying past； or the birds in the forest down below them； or the wind rustling the leaves。 and still the talk between aslan and the white witch went on。
at last they heard aslans voice； 〃you can all e back；〃 he said。 〃i have settled the matter。 she has renounced the claim on your brothers blood。〃 and all over the hill there was a noise as if everyone had been holding their breath and had now begun breathing again； and then a murmur of talk。
the witch was just turning away with a look of fierce joy on her face when she stopped and said； 〃but how do i know this promise will be kept？”
〃haa…a…arrh！〃 roared aslan； half rising from his throne； and his great mouth opened wider and wider and the roar grew louder and louder； and the witch； after staring for a moment with her lips wide apart； picked up her skirts and fairly ran for her life。
．．
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
～
the triumph of the witch as soon as the witch had gone aslan said； 〃we must move from this place at once； it will be wanted for other purposes。 we shall encamp tonight at the fords of beruna。
of course everyone was dying to ask him how he had arranged matters with the witch； but his face was stern and everyones ears were still ringing with the sound of his roar and so nobody dared。
after a meal； which was taken in the open air on the hill…top （for the sun had got strong by now and dried the grass）； they were busy for a while taking the pavilion down and
packing things up。 before two oclock they were on the march and set off in a northeasterly direction； walking at an easy pace for they had not far to go。
during the first part of the journey aslan explained to peter his plan of campaign。 〃as soon as she has finished her business in these parts；〃 he said； 〃the witch and her crew will almost certainly fall back to her house and prepare for a siege。 you may or may not be able to cut her off and prevent her from reaching it。〃 he then went on to outline two plans of battle … one for fighting the witch and her people in the wood and another for assaulting her castle。 and all the time he was advising peter how to conduct the operations； saying things like； 〃you must put your centaurs in such and such a place〃 or 〃you must post scouts to see that she doesnt do so…and…so；〃 till at last peter said； 〃but you will be there yourself； aslan。”
〃i can give you no promise of that；〃 answered the lion。 and he continued giving peter his instructions。
for the last part of the journey it was susan and lucy who saw most of him。 he did not talk very much and seemed to them to be sad。
it was still afternoon when they came down to a place where the river valley had widened out and the river was broad and shallow。 this was the fords of beruna and aslan gave orders to halt on this side of the water。 but peter said； 〃wouldnt it be better to camp on the far side … for fear she should try a night attack or anything？”
aslan； who seemed to have been thinking about something else； roused himself with a shake of his magnificent mane and said； 〃eh？ whats that？〃 peter said it all over again。
〃no；〃 said aslan in a dull voice； as if it didnt matter。 〃no。 she will not make an attack to…night。〃 and then he sighed deeply。 but presently he added； 〃all the same it was well thought of。 that is how a soldier ought to think。 but it doesnt really matter。〃 so they proceeded to pitch their camp。
aslans mood affected everyone that evening。 peter was feeling unfortable too at the idea of fighting the battle on his own； the news that aslan might not be there had e as a great shock to him。 supper that evening was a quiet meal。 everyone felt how different it had been last night or even that morning。 it was as if the good times； having just begun； were already drawing to their end。
this feeling affected susan so much that she couldnt get to sleep when she went to bed。
and after she had lain counting sheep and turning over and over she heard lucy give a long sigh and turn over just beside her in the darkness。
〃cant you get to sleep either？〃 said susan。
〃no；〃 said lucy。 〃i thought you were asleep。 i say； susan！”
〃what？”
〃ive a most horrible feeling … as if something were hanging over us。”
〃have you？ because； as a matter of fact； so have i。”
〃something about aslan；〃 said lucy。 〃either some dreadful thing is going to happen to him； or something dreadful that hes going to do。”
〃theres been something wrong with him all afternoon；〃 said susan。 〃lucy！ what was that he said about not being with us at the battle？ you dont think he could be stealing away and leaving us tonight； do you？”
〃where is he now？〃 said lucy。 〃is he here in the pavilion？”
〃i dont think so。”
〃susan！ lets go outside and have a look round。 we might see him。”
〃all right。 lets；〃 said susan； 〃we might just as well be doing that as lying awake here。”
very quietly the two girls groped their way among the other sleepers and crept out of the tent。 the moonlight was bright and everything was quite still except for the noise of the river chattering over the stones。 then susan suddenly caught lucys arm and said； 〃look！〃 on the far side of the camping ground； just where the trees began； they saw the lion slowly walking away from them into the wood。 without a word they both followed him。
he led them up the steep slope out of the river valley and then slightly to the right … apparently by the very same route which they had used that afternoon in ing from