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rk and got up as soon as the children came in。
〃so youve e at last！〃 she said； holding out both her wrinkled old paws。 〃at last！ to think that ever i should live to see this day！ the potatoes are on boiling and the kettles singing and i daresay； mr beaver； youll get us some fish。鈥�
〃that i will；〃 said mr beaver； and he went out of the house （peter went with him）； and across the ice of the deep pool to where he had a little hole in the ice which he kept open every day with his hatchet。 they took a pail with them。 mr beaver sat down quietly at the edge of the hole （he didnt seem to mind it being so chilly）； looked hard into it； then suddenly shot in his paw； and before you could say jack robinson had whisked out a beautiful trout。 then he did it all over again until they had a fine catch of fish。
meanwhile the girls were helping mrs beaver to fill the kettle and lay the table and cut the bread and put the plates in the oven to heat and draw a huge jug of beer for mr beaver from a barrel which stood in one corner of the house； and to put on the frying…pan and get the dripping hot。 lucy thought the beavers had a very snug little home though it was not at all like mr tumnuss cave。 there were no books or pictures； and instead of beds there were bunks； like on board ship； built into the wall。 and there were hams and strings of onions hanging from the roof； and against the walls were gum boots and oilskins and hatchets and pairs of shears and spades and trowels and things for carrying mortar in and fishing…rods and fishing…nets and sacks。 and the cloth on the table； though very clean； was very rough。
just as the frying…pan was nicely hissing peter and mr beaver came in with the fish which mr beaver had already opened with his knife and cleaned out in the open air。 you can think how good the new…caught fish smelled while they were frying and how the hungry children longed for them to be done and how very much hungrier still they had bee before mr beaver said； 〃now were nearly ready。〃 susan drained the potatoes and then put them all back in the empty pot to dry on the side of the range while lucy was helping mrs beaver to dish up the trout； so that in a very few minutes everyone was drawing up their stools （it was all three…legged stools in the beavers house except for mrs beavers own special rockingchair beside the fire） and preparing to enjoy themselves。 there was a jug of creamy milk for the children （mr beaver stuck to beer） and a great big lump of deep yellow butter in the middle of the table from which everyone took as much as he wanted to go with his potatoes； and all the children thought … and i agree with them … that theres nothing to beat good freshwater fish if you eat it when it has been alive half an hour ago and has e out of the pan half a minute ago。
and when they had finished the fish mrs beaver brought unexpectedly out of the oven a great and gloriously sticky marmalade roll； steaming hot； and at the same time moved the kettle on to the fire； so that when they had finished the marmalade roll the tea was made and ready to be poured out。 and when each person had got his （or her） cup of tea； each person shoved back his （or her） stool so as to be able to lean against the wall and gave a long sigh of contentment。
〃and now；〃 said mr beaver； pushing away his empty beer mug and pulling his cup of tea towards him； 〃if youll just wait till ive got my pipe lit up and going nicely … why； now we can get to business。 its snowing again；〃 he added； cocking his eye at the window。
〃thats all the better； because it means we shant have any visitors； and if anyone should have been trying to follow you； why he wont find any tracks。鈥�
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CHAPTER EIGHT
灏彙‘t。xt。澶ｅ爞
what happened after dinner
〃and now；〃 said lucy； 〃do please tell us whats happened to mr tumnus。鈥�
〃ah； thats bad；〃 said mr beaver； shaking his head。 〃thats a very； very bad business。
theres no doubt he was taken off by the police。 i got that from a bird who saw it done。鈥�
〃but wheres he been taken to？〃 asked lucy。
〃well； they were heading northwards when they were last seen and we all know what that means。鈥�
〃no； we dont；〃 said susan。 mr beaver shook his head in a very gloomy fashion。
〃im afraid it means they were taking him to her house；〃 he said。
〃but whatll they do to him； mr beaver？〃 gasped lucy。
〃well；〃 said mr beaver； 〃you cant exactly say for sure。 but theres not many taken in there that ever es out again。 statues。 all full of statues they say it is … in the courtyard and up the stairs and in the hall。 people shes turned〃 … （he paused and shuddered） 〃turned into stone。鈥�
〃but； mr beaver；〃 said lucy； 〃cant we … i mean we must do something to save him。 its too dreadful and its all on my account。鈥�
〃i dont doubt youd save him if you could； dearie；〃 said mrs beaver； 〃but youve no chance of getting into that house against her will and ever ing out alive。鈥�
〃couldnt we have some stratagem？〃 said peter。 〃i mean couldnt we dress up as something； or pretend to be … oh； pedlars or anything … or watch till she was gone out … or… oh； hang it all； there must be some way。 this faun saved my sister at his own risk； mr beaver。 we cant just leave him to be … to be … to have that done to him。鈥�
〃its no good； son of adam；〃 said mr beaver； 〃no good your trying； of all people。 but now that aslan is on the move…鈥�
〃oh； yes！ tell us about aslan！〃 said several voices at once； for once again that strange feeling … like the first signs of spring； like good news； had e over them。
〃who is aslan？〃 asked susan。
〃aslan？〃 said mr beaver。 〃why； dont you know？ hes the king。 hes the lord of the whole wood； but not often here； you understand。 never in my time or my fathers time。
but the word has reached us that he has e back。 he is in narnia at this moment。 hell settle the white queen all right。 it is he； not you； that will save mr tumnus。鈥�
〃she wont turn him into stone too？〃 said edmund。
〃lord love you； son of adam； what a simple thing to say！〃 answered mr beaver with a great laugh。 〃turn him into stone？ if she can stand on her two feet and look him in the face itll be the most she can do and more than i expect of her。 no； no。 hell put all to rights as it says in an old rhyme in these parts： wrong will be right； when aslan es in sight； at the sound of his roar； sorrows will be no more； when he bares his teeth； winter meets its death； and when he shakes his mane； we shall have spring again。
youll understand when you see him。鈥�
〃but shall we see him？〃 asked susan。
〃why； daughter of eve； thats what i brought you here for。 im to lead you where you shall meet him；〃 said mr beaver。
〃is…is he a man？〃 asked lucy。
〃aslan a man！〃 said mr beaver sternly。 〃certainly not。 i tell you he is the king of the wood and the son of the great emperor…beyond…the…sea。 dont you know who is the king of beasts？ aslan is a lion … the lion； the great lion。鈥�
〃ooh！〃 said susan； 〃id thought he was a man。 is he … quite safe？ i shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion。鈥�
〃that you will； dearie； and no mistake；〃 said mrs beaver； 〃if theres anyone who can appear before aslan without their knees knocking； theyre either braver than most or else just silly。鈥�
〃then he isnt safe？〃 said lucy。
〃safe？〃 said mr beaver； 〃dont you hear what mrs beaver tells you？ who said anything about safe？ course he isnt safe。 but hes good。 hes the king； i tell you。鈥�
〃im longing to see him；〃 said peter； 〃even if i do feel frightened when it es to the point。鈥�
〃thats right； son of adam；〃 said mr beaver； bringing his paw down on the table with a crash that made all the cups and saucers rattle。 〃and so you shall。 word has been sent that you are to meet him； tomorrow if you can； at the stone table。
〃wheres that？〃 said lucy。
〃ill show you；〃 said mr beaver。 〃its down the river； a good step from here。 ill take you to it！鈥�
〃but meanwhile what about poor mr tumnus？〃 said lucy。
〃the quickest way you can help him is by going to meet aslan；〃 said mr beaver； 〃once hes with us； then we can begin doing things。 not that we dont need you too。 for thats another of the old rhymes： when adams flesh and adams bone sits at cair paravel in throne； the evil time will be over and done。
so things must be drawing near their end now hes e and youve e。 weve heard of aslan ing into these parts before … long ago； nobody can say when。 but theres never been any of your race here before。鈥�
〃thats what i dont understand； mr beaver；〃 said peter； 〃i mean isnt the witch herself human？鈥�
〃shed like us to believe it；〃 said mr beaver； 〃and its on that that she bases her claim to be queen。 but shes no daughter of eve。 she es of your father adams〃 … （here mr beaver bowed） 〃your father adams first wife； her they called lilith。 and she was one of the jinn。 thats what she es from on one side。 and on the other she es of the giants。 no； no； there isnt a drop of real human blood in the witch。鈥�
〃thats why shes bad all through； mr beaver；〃 said mrs beaver。
〃true enough； mrs beaver；〃 replied he； 〃there may be two views about humans （meaning no offence to the present pany）。 but theres no two views about things that look like humans and arent。鈥�
〃ive known good dwarfs；〃 said mrs beaver。
〃sove i； now you e to speak of it；〃 said her husband； 〃but precious few； and they were the ones least like men。 but in general； take my advice； when you meet anything thats going to be human and isnt yet； or used to be human once and isnt now； or ought to be human and isnt； you keep your eyes on it and feel for your hatchet。 and thats why the witch is always on the lookout for any humans in narnia。 shes been watching for you this many a year； and if she knew there were four of you shed be more dangerous still。鈥�
〃whats that to do with it？〃 asked peter。
〃because of another prophecy；〃 said mr beaver。 〃down at cair paravel … thats the castle on the sea coast down at the mouth of this river which ought to be the capital of the whole country if all was as it should be … down at cair paravel there are four thrones and its a saying in narnia time out of mind that when two sons of adam and two daughters of eve sit in those four thrones； then it will be the end not only of the white witchs reign but of her life； and that is why we had to be so cautious as we came along； for if she knew about you four； your lives wouldnt be worth a shake of my whiskers！鈥�
all the children had been attending so hard to what mr beaver was telling them that they had noticed nothing else for a long time。 then during the moment of silence that followed his last remark； lucy suddenly said： 〃i say…wheres edmund？鈥�
there was a dreadful pause； and then everyone began asking 〃who saw him last？ how long has he been missing？ is he outside？ and then all rushed to the door and looked out。
the snow was falling thickly and steadily； the green ice of the pool had vanished under a thick white blanket； and from where the little house stood in the centre of the dam you could hardly see either bank。 out they went； plunging well over their ankles into the soft new snow； and went round the house in every direction。 〃edmund！ edmund！〃 they called till they were hoarse。 but the silently falling snow seemed to muffle their voices and there was not even an echo in answer。
〃how perfectly dreadful！〃 said susan as they at last came back in despair。 〃oh； how i wish wed never e。鈥�
〃what on earth are we to do； mr beaver？〃 said peter。
〃do？〃 said mr beaver； who was already putting on his snow…boots； 〃do？ we must be off at once。 we havent a moment to spare！鈥�
〃wed better divide into four search parties；〃 said peter； 〃and all go in different directions。 whoever finds him must e back here at once and…鈥�
〃search parties； son of adam？〃 said mr beaver； 〃what for？鈥�
〃why； to look for edmund； of course！鈥�
〃theres no point in looking for him；〃 said mr beaver。
〃what do you mean？〃 said susan。 〃he cant be far away yet。 and weve got to find him。
what do you mean when you say theres no use looking for him？鈥�
〃the reason theres no use looking；〃 said mr beaver； 〃is