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〃no；　of　course　not；〃　said　peter。　〃but　it　has　grown　up　to　the　gate　since。鈥�

〃and　for　another　thing；〃　said　edmund；　〃cair　paravel　wasnt　on　an　island。鈥�

〃yes；　ive　been　wondering　about　that。　but　it　was　a　what…do…you…call…it；　a　　peninsula。　jolly　nearly　an　island。　couldnt　it　have　been　made　an　island　since　our　time？　　somebody　has　dug　a　channel。鈥�

〃but　half　a　moment！〃　said　edmund。　〃you　keep　on　saying　since　our　time。　but　　its　only　a　year　ago　since　we　came　back　from　narnia。　and　you　want　to　make　out　that　in　　one　year　castles　have　fallen　down；　and　great　forests　have　grown　up；　and　little　trees　　we　saw　planted　ourselves　have　turned　into　a　big　old　orchard；　and　goodness　knows　what　else。　　its　all　impossible。鈥�

〃theres　one　thing；〃　said　lucy。　〃if　this　is　cair　paravel　there　ought　to　be　　a　door　at　this　end　of　the　dais。　in　fact　we　ought　to　be　sitting　with　our　backs　against　it　at　　this　moment。　you　know　…　the　door　that　led　down　to　the　treasure　chamber。鈥�

〃i　suppose　there　isnt　a　door；〃　said　peter；　getting　up。

the　wall　behind　them　was　a　mass　of　ivy。

〃we　can　soon　find　out；〃　said　edmund；　taking　up　one　of　the　sticks　that　they　　had　laid　ready　for　putting　on　the　fire。　he　began　beating　the　ivied　wall。　tap…tap　went　the　　stick　against　the　stone；　and　again；　tap…tap；　and　then；　all　at　once；　boomboom；　with　a　quite　　different　sound；　a　hollow；　wooden　sound。

〃great　scott！〃　said　edmund。

〃we　must　clear　this　ivy　away；〃　said　peter。

〃oh；　do　lets　leave　it　alone；〃　said　susan。　〃we　can　try　it　in　the　morning。　　if　weve　got　to　spend　the　night　here　i　dont　want　an　open　door　at　my　back　and　a　great　big　　black　hole　that　anything　might　e　out　of；　besides　the　draught　and　the　damp。　and　itll　　soon　be　dark。鈥�

〃susan！　how　can　you？〃　said　lucy　with　a　reproachful　glance。　but　both　the　　boys　were　too　much　excited　to　take　any　notice　of　susans　advice。　they　worked　at　the　ivy　　with　their　hands　and　with　peters　pocket…knife　till　the　knife　broke。　after　that　they　　used　edmunds。

soon　the　whole　place　where　they　had　been　sitting　was　covered　with　ivy；　and　　at　last　they　had　the　door　cleared。

〃locked；　of　course；〃　said　peter。

〃but　the　woods　all　rotten；〃　said　edmund。　〃we　can　pull　it　to　bits　in　no　　time；　and　it　will　make　extra　firewood。　e　on。鈥�

it　took　them　longer　than　they　expected　and；　before　they　had　done；　the　great　　hall　had　grown　dusky　and　the　first　star　or　two　had　e　out　overhead。　susan　was　not　　the　only　one　who　felt　a　slight　shudder　as　the　boys　stood　above　the　pile　of　splintered　　wood；　rubbing　the　dirt　off　their　hands　and　staring　into　the　cold；　dark　opening　they　had　made。

〃now　for　a　torch；〃　said　peter。

〃oh；　what　is　the　good？〃　said　susan。　〃and　as　edmund　said　…鈥�

〃im　not　saying　it　now；〃　edmund　interrupted。　〃i　still　dont　understand；　but　　we　can　settle　that　later。　i　suppose　youre　ing　down；　peter？鈥�

〃we　must；〃　said　peter。　〃cheer　up；　susan。　its　no　good　behaving　like　kids　　now　that　we　are　back　in　narnia。

youre　a　queen　here。　and　anyway　no　one　could　go　to　sleep　with　a　mystery　　like　this　on　their　minds。鈥�

they　tried　to　use　long　sticks　as　torches　but　this　was　not　a　success。　if　you　　held　them　with　the　lighted　end　up　they　went　out；　and　if　you　held　them　the　other　way　they　　scorched　your　hand　and　the　smoke　got　in　your　eyes。　in　the　end　they　had　to　use　edmunds　　electric　torch；　luckily　it　had　been　a　birthday　present　less　than　a　week　ago　and　the　battery　　was　almost　new。　he　went　first；　with　the　light。　then　came　lucy；　then　susan；　and　peter　　brought　up　the　rear。

〃ive　e　to　the　top　of　the　steps；〃　said　edmund。

〃count　them；〃　said　peter。

〃one　…　two　…　three；〃　said　edmund；　as　he　went　cautiously　down；　and　so　up　to　　sixteen。

〃and　this　is　the　bottom；〃　he　shouted　back。

〃then　it　really　must　be　cair　paravel；〃　said　lucy。　〃there　were　sixteen。〃　　nothing　more　was　said　till　all　four　were　standing　in　a　knot　together　at　the　foot　of　the　　stairway。　then　edmund　flashed　his　torch　slowly　round。

〃o　…　o　…　o　…　oh！！〃　said　all　the　children　at　once。

for　now　all　knew　that　it　was　indeed　the　ancient　treasure　chamber　of　cair　　paravel　where　they　had　once　reigned　as　kings　and　queens　of　narnia。　there　was　a　kind　of　　path　up　the　middle　（as　it　might　be　in　a　greenhouse）；　and　along　each　side　at　intervals　　stood　rich　suits　of　armour；　like　knights　guarding　the　treasures。　in　between　the　suits　of　　armour；　and　on　each　side　of　the　path；　were　shelves　covered　with　precious　things　…　　necklaces　and　arm　rings　and　finger　rings　and　golden　bowls　and　dishes　and　long　tusks　of　ivory；　　brooches　and　coronets　and　chains　of　gold；　and　heaps　of　unset　stones　lying　piled　anyhow　　as　if　they　were　marbles　or　potatoes　…　diamonds；　rubies；　carbuncles；　emeralds；　topazes；　and　　amethysts。

under　the　shelves　stood　great　chests　of　oak　strengthened　with　iron　bars　and　　heavily　padlocked。　and　it　was　bitterly　cold；　and　so　still　that　they　could　hear　　themselves　breathing；　and　the　treasures　were　so　covered　with　dust　that　unless　they　had　　realized　where　they　were　and　remembered　most　of　the　things；　they　would　hardly　have　known　　they　were　treasures。　there　was　something　sad　and　a　little　frightening　about　the　　place；　because　it　all　seemed　so　forsaken　and　long　ago。　that　was　why　nobody　said　anything　for　at　　least　a　minute。

then；　of　course；　they　began　walking　about　and　picking　things　up　to　look　at。　　it　was　like　meeting　very　old　friends。　if　you　had　been　there　you　would　have　heard　them　　saying　things　like；　〃oh　look！　our　coronation　rings　…　do　you　remember　first　wearing　this？　　…　why；　this　is　the　little　brooch　we　all　thought　was　lost　…　i　say；　isnt　that　the　armour　　you　wore　in　the　great　tournament　in　the　lone　islands？　…　do　you　remember　the　dwarf　making　that　for　　me？　…　do　you　remember　drinking　out　of　that　horn？　…　do　you　remember；　do　you　　remember？鈥�

but　suddenly　edmund　said；　〃look　here。　we　mustnt　waste　the　battery：　　goodness　knows　how　often　we　shall　need　it。　hadnt　we　better　take　what　we　want　and　get　out　　again？鈥�

〃we　must　take　the　gifts；〃　said　peter。　for　long　ago　at　a　christmas　in　narnia　　he　and　susan　and　lucy　had　been　given　certain　presents　which　they　valued　more　than　their　　whole　kingdom。　edmund　had　had　no　gift；　because　he　was　not　with　them　at　the　time。　　（this　was　his　own　fault；　and　you　can　read　about　it　in　the　other　book。）

they　all　agreed　with　peter　and　walked　up　the　path　to　the　wall　at　the　far　　end　of　the　treasure　chamber；　and　there；　sure　enough；　the　gifts　were　still　hanging。　　lucys　was　the　smallest　for　it　was　only　a　little　bottle。　but　the　bottle　was　made　of　　diamond　instead　of　glass；　and　it　was　still　more　than　half　full　of　the　magical　cordial　which　　would　heal　almost　every　wound　and　every　illness。　lucy　said　nothing　and　looked　very　solemn　as　　she　took　her　gift　down　from　its　place　and　slung　the　belt　over　her　shoulder　and　once　more　　felt　the　bottle　at　her　side　where　it　used　to　hang　in　the　old　days。　susans　gift　had　been　a　　bow　and　arrows　　

and　a　horn。　the　bow　was　still　there；　and　the　ivory　quiver；　full　of　　wellfeathered　arrows；　but　…　〃oh；　susan；〃　said　lucy。　〃wheres　the　horn？鈥�

〃oh　bother；　bother；　bother；〃　said　susan　after　she　had　thought　for　a　moment。　　〃i　remember　now。　i　took　it　with　me　the　last　day　of　all；　the　day　we　went　hunting　the　　white　stag。　it　must　have　got　lost　when　we　blundered　back　into　that　other　place　…　england；　i　　mean。鈥�

edmund　whistled。　it　was　indeed　a　shattering　loss；　for　this　was　an　enchanted　　horn　and；　whenever　you　blew　it；　help　was　certain　to　e　to　you；　wherever　you　were。

〃just　the　sort　of　thing　that　might　e　in　handy　in　a　place　like　this；〃　　said　edmund。

〃never　mind；〃　said　susan；　〃ive　still　got　the　bow。〃　and　she　took　it。

〃wont　the　string　be　perished；　su？〃　said　peter。

but　whether　by　some　magic　in　the　air　of　the　treasure　chamber　or　not；　the　　bow　was　still　in　working　order。　archery　and　swimming　were　the　things　susan　was　good　at。　in　a　　moment　she　had　bent　the　bow　and　then　she　gave　one　little　pluck　to　the　string。　it　　twanged：　a　chirruping　twang　that　vibrated　through　the　whole　room。　and　that　one　small　　noise　brought　back　the　old　days　to　the　childrens　minds　more　than　anything　that　had　　happened　yet。　all　the　battles　and　hunts　and　feasts　came　rushing　into　their　heads　together。

then　she　unstrung　the　bow　again　and　slung　the　quiver　at　her　side。

next；　peter　took　down　his　gift　…　the　shield　with　the　great　red　lion　on　it；　　and　the　royal　sword。　he　blew；　and　rapped　them　on　the　floor；　to　get　off　the　dust。　he　　fitted　the　shield　on　his　arm　and　slung　the　sword　by　his　side。　he　was　afraid　at　first　that　it　　might　be　rusty　and　stick　to　the　sheath。　but　it　was　not　so。　with　one　swift　motion　he　drew　it　　and　held　it　up；　shining　in　the　torchlight。

〃it　is　my　sword　rhindon；〃　he　said；　〃with　it　i　killed　the　wolf。〃　there　was　a　　new　tone　in　his　voice；　and　the　others　all　felt　that　he　was　really　peter　the　high　king　　again。　then；　after　a　little　pause；　everyone　remembered　that　they　must　save　the　battery。

they　climbed　the　stair　again　and　made　up　a　good　fire　and　lay　down　close　　together　for　warmth。　the　ground　was　very　hard　and　unfortable；　but　they　fell　asleep　in　　the　end。

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CHAPTER　THREE

銆�灏忥伎璇磘…x…t锛垮ぉ/鍫�
the　dwarf　　　

the　worst　of　sleeping　out　of　doors　is　that　you　wake　up　so　dreadfully　early。　　and　when　you　wake　you　have　to　get　up　because　the　ground　is　so　hard　that　you　are　　unfortable。

and　it　makes　matters　worse　if　there　is　nothing　but　apples　for　breakfast　and　　you　have　had　nothing　but　apples　for　supper　the　night　before。　when　lucy　had　said　…　truly　　enough　that　it　was　a　glorious　morning；　there　did　not　seem　to　be　anything　else　nice　to　be　　said。　edmund　said　what　everyone　was　feeling；　〃weve　simply　got　to　get　off　this　island。鈥�

when　they　had　drunk　from　the　well　and　splashed　their　faces　they　all　went　　down　the　stream　again　to　the　shore　and　stared　at　the　channel　which　divided　them　from　　the　mainland。

〃well　have　to　swim；〃　said　edmund。

〃it　would　be　all　right　for　su；〃　said　peter　（susan　had　won　prizes　for　　swimming　at　school）。

〃but　i　dont　know　about　the　rest　of　us。〃　by　〃the　rest　of　us〃　he　really　　meant　edmund　who　couldnt　yet　do　two　lengths　at　the　school　baths；　and　lucy；　who　could　hardly　　swim　at　all。

〃anyway；〃　said　susan；　〃there　may　be　currents。　father　says　its　never　wise　　to　bathe　in　a　place　you　dont　know。鈥�

〃but；　peter；〃　said　lucy；　〃look　here。　i　know　i　cant　swim　for　nuts　at　home