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out of the fire with a neat little pair of tongs； and lit a lamp。 〃now we shant be long；〃 he said； and immediately put a kettle on。
lucy thought she had never been in a nicer place。 it was a little； dry； clean cave of reddish stone with a carpet on the floor and two little chairs （〃one for me and one for a friend；〃 said mr tumnus） and a table and a dresser and a mantelpiece over the fire and above that a picture of an old faun with a grey beard。 in one corner there was a door which lucy thought must lead to mr tumnuss bedroom； and on one wall was a shelf full of books。 lucy looked at these while he was setting out the tea things。 they had titles like the life and letters of silenus or nymphs and their ways or men； monks and gamekeepers； a study in popular legend or is man a myth？
〃now； daughter of eve！〃 said the faun。
and really it was a wonderful tea。 there was a nice brown egg； lightly boiled； for each of them； and then sardines on toast； and then buttered toast； and then toast with honey； and then a sugar…topped cake。 and when lucy was tired of eating the faun began to talk。 he had wonderful tales to tell of life in the forest。 he told about the midnight dances and how the nymphs who lived in the wells and the dryads who lived in the trees came out to dance with the fauns； about long hunting parties after the milk…white stag who could give you wishes if you caught him； about feasting and treasure…seeking with the wild red dwarfs in deep mines and caverns far beneath the forest floor； and then about summer when the woods were green and old silenus on his fat donkey would e to visit them； and sometimes bacchus himself； and then the streams would run with wine instead of water and the whole forest would give itself up to jollification for weeks on end。 〃not that it isnt always winter now；〃 he added gloomily。 then to cheer himself up he took out from its case on the dresser a strange little flute that looked as if it were made of straw and began to play。 and the tune he played made lucy want to cry and laugh and dance and go to sleep all at the same time。 it must have been hours later when she shook herself and said： 〃oh； mr tumnus … im so sorry to stop you； and i do love that tune … but really； i must go home。 i only meant to stay for a few minutes。鈥�
〃its no good now； you know；〃 said the faun； laying down its flute and shaking its head at her very sorrowfully。
〃no good？〃 said lucy； jumping up and feeling rather frightened。 〃what do you mean？
ive got to go home at once。 the others will be wondering what has happened to me。〃 but a moment later she asked； 〃mr tumnus！ whatever is the matter？〃 for the fauns brown eyes had filled with tears and then the tears began trickling down its cheeks； and soon they were running off the end of its nose； and at last it covered its face with its hands and began to howl。
〃mr tumnus！ mr tumnus！〃 said lucy in great distress。 〃dont！ dont！ what is the matter？ aren you well？ dear mr tumnus； do tell me what is wrong。〃 but the faun continued sobbing as if its heart would break。 and even when lucy went over and put her arms round him and lent him her hand kerchief； he did not stop。 he merely took the handker chief and kept on using it； wringing it out with both hands whenever it got too wet to be any more use； so that presently lucy was standing in a damp patch。
〃mr tumnus！〃 bawled lucy in his ear； shaking him。 〃do stop。 stop it at once！ you ought to be ashamed of yourself； a great big faun like you。 what on earth are you crying about？鈥�
〃oh … oh … oh！〃 sobbed mr tumnus； 〃im crying because im such a bad faun。鈥�
〃i dont think youre a bad faun at all；〃 said lucy。 〃i think you are a very good faun。 you are the nicest faun ive ever met。鈥�
〃oh … oh … you wouldnt say that if you knew；〃 replied mr tumnus between his sobs。 〃no； im a bad faun。 i dont suppose there ever was a worse faun since the beginning of the world。鈥�
〃but what have you done？〃 asked lucy。
〃my old father； now；〃 said mr tumnus； 〃thats his picture over the mantelpiece。 he would never have done a thing like this。鈥�
〃a thing like what？〃 said lucy。
〃like what ive done；〃 said the faun。 〃taken service under the white witch。 thats what i am。 im in the pay of the white witch。鈥�
〃the white witch？ who is she？鈥�
〃why； it is she that has got all narnia under her thumb。 its she that makes it always winter。 always winter and never christmas； think of that！鈥�
〃how awful！〃 said lucy。 〃but what does she pay you for？鈥�
〃thats the worst of it；〃 said mr tumnus with a deep groan。 〃im a kidnapper for her； thats what i am。 look at me； daughter of eve。 would you believe that im the sort of faun to meet a poor innocent child in the wood； one that had never done me any harm； and pretend to be friendly with it； and invite it home to my cave； all for the sake of lulling it asleep and then handing it over to the white witch？鈥�
〃no；〃 said lucy。 〃im sure you wouldnt do anything of the sort。鈥�
〃but i have；〃 said the faun。
〃well；〃 said lucy rather slowly （for she wanted to be truthful and yet not be too hard on him）； 〃well； that was pretty bad。 but youre so sorry for it that im sure you will never do it again。鈥�
〃daughter of eve； dont you understand？〃 said the faun。 〃it isnt something i have done。
im doing it now； this very moment。鈥�
〃what do you mean？〃 cried lucy； turning very white。
〃you are the child；〃 said tumnus。 〃i had orders from the white witch that if ever i saw a son of adam or a daughter of eve in the wood； i was to catch them and hand them over to her。 and you are the first ive ever met。 and ive pretended to be your friend an asked you to tea； and all the time ive been meaning to wait till you were asleep and then go and tell her。鈥�
〃oh； but you wont； mr tumnus；〃 said lucy。 〃yo wont； will you？ indeed； indeed you really mustnt。鈥�
〃and if i dont；〃 said he； beginning to cry again 〃shes sure to find out。 and shell have my tail cut off and my horns sawn off； and my beard plucked out； and shell wave her wand over my beautiful clove hoofs and turn them into horrid solid hoofs like wretched horses。 and if she is extra and specially angry shell turn me into stone and i shall be only statue of a faun in her horrible house until the four thrones at cair paravel are filled and goodness knows when that will happen； or whether it will ever happen at all。鈥�
〃im very sorry； mr tumnus；〃 said lucy。 〃but please let me go home。鈥�
〃of course i will；〃 said the faun。 〃of course ive got to。 i see that now。 i hadnt known what humans were like before i met you。 of course i cant give you up to the witch； not now that i know you。 but we must be off at once。 ill see you back to the lamp…post。 i suppose you can find your own way from there back to spare oom and war drobe？鈥�
〃im sure i can；〃 said lucy。
〃we must go as quietly as we can；〃 said mr tumnus。 〃the whole wood is full of her spies。 even some of the trees are on her side。鈥�
they both got up and left the tea things on the table； and mr tumnus once more put up his umbrella and gave lucy his arm； and they went out into the snow。 the journey back was not at all like the journey to the fauns cave； they stole along as quickly as they could； without speaking a word； and mr tumnus kept to the darkest places。 lucy was relieved when they reached the lamp…post again。
〃do you know your way from here； daughter o eve？〃 said tumnus。
lucy looked very hard between the trees and could just see in the distance a patch of light that looked like daylight。 〃yes；〃 she said； 〃i can see the wardrobe door。鈥�
〃then be off home as quick as you can；〃 said the faun； 〃and … c…can you ever forgive me for what meant to do？鈥�
〃why； of course i can；〃 said lucy； shaking him heartily by the hand。 〃and i do hope you wont get into dreadful trouble on my account。鈥�
〃farewell； daughter of eve；〃 said he。 〃perhaps i may keep the handkerchief？鈥�
〃rather！〃 said lucy； and then ran towards the far off patch of daylight as quickly as her legs would carry her。 and presently instead of rough branch brushing past her she felt coats； and instead of crunching snow under her feet she felt wooden board and all at once she found herself jumping out of the wardrobe into the same empty room from which the
whole adventure had started。 she shut the wardrobe door tightly behind her and looked around； panting for breath。 it was still raining and she could hear the voices of the others in the passage。
〃im here；〃 she shouted。 〃im here。 ive e back im all right。鈥�
CHAPTER THREE
锛屽皬璇达伎t锛縳t澶╁爞
edmund and the wardrobe lucy ran out of the empty room into the passage and found the other three。
〃its all right；〃 she repeated； 〃ive eback。鈥�
〃what on earth are you talking about； lucy？〃 asked susan。
〃why？ said lucy in amazement； 〃havent you all been wondering where i was？鈥�
〃so youve been hiding； have you？〃 said peter。 〃poor old lu； hiding and nobody noticed！
youll have to hide longer than that if you want people to start looking for you。鈥�
〃but ive been away for hours and hours；〃 said lucy。
the others all stared at one another。
〃batty！〃 said edmund； tapping his head。 〃quite batty。鈥�
〃what do you mean； lu？〃 asked peter。
〃what i said；〃 answered lucy。 〃it was just after breakfast when i went into the wardrobe； and ive been away for hours and hours； and had tea； and all sorts of things have happened。鈥�
〃dont be silly； lucy；〃 said susan。 〃weve only just e out of that room a moment ago； and you were there then。鈥�
〃shes not being silly at all；〃 said peter； 〃shes just making up a story for fun； arent you； lu？ and why shouldnt she？鈥�
〃no； peter； im not；〃 she said。 〃its … its a magic wardrobe。 theres a wood inside it； and its snowing； and theres a faun and a witch and its called narnia； e and see。鈥�
the others did not know what to think； but lucy was so excited that they all went back with her into the room。 she rushed ahead of them； flung open the door of the wardrobe and cried； 〃now！ go in and see for yourselves。鈥�
〃why； you goose；〃 said susan； putting her head inside and pulling the fur coats apart； 〃its just an ordinary wardrobe； look！ theres the back of it。鈥�
then everyone looked in and pulled the coats apart； and they all saw … lucy herself saw … a perfectly ordinary wardrobe。 there was no wood and no snow； only the back of the wardrobe； with hooks on it。 peter went in and rapped his knuckles on it to make sure that it was solid。
〃a jolly good hoax； lu；〃 he said as he came out again； 〃you have really taken us in； i must admit。 we half believed you。鈥�
〃but it wasnt a hoax at all；〃 said lucy； 〃really and truly。 it was all different a moment ago。 honestly it was。 i promise。鈥�
〃e； lu；〃 said peter； 〃thats going a bit far。 youve had your joke。 hadnt you better drop it now？鈥�
lucy grew very red in the face and tried to say something； though she hardly knew what she was trying to say； and burst into tears。
for the next few days she was very miserable。 she could have made it up with the others quite easily at any moment if she could have brought herself to say that the whole thing was only a story made up for fun。 but lucy was a very truthful girl and she knew that she was really in the right； and she could not bring herself to say this。 the others who thought she was telling a lie； and a silly lie too； made her very unhappy。 the two elder ones did this without meaning to do it； but edmund could be spiteful； and on this occasion he was spiteful。 he sneered and jeered at lucy and kept on asking her if shed found any other new countries in other cupboards all over the house。 what made it worse was that these days ought to have been delightful。 the weather was fine and they were out of doors from morning to night； bathing； fishing； climbing trees； and lying in the heather。 but lucy could not properly enjoy any of it。 and so things went on until the next wet day。
that day； when it came to the afternoon and there was still no sign of a break in the weather； they decided to play hide…and…seek。 susan was 〃it〃 and as soon as the others scattered to hide； lucy went to the room where the wardro