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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 … in england； i mean。 but couldnt we all swim long ago … if it was long ago … when we were kings and queens in narnia？ we could ride then too； and do all sorts of things。 dont you think …？鈥�
〃ah； but we were sort of grown…up then；〃 said peter。
〃we reigned for years and years and learned to do things。 arent we just back at our proper ages again now？鈥�
〃oh！〃 said edmund in a voice which made everyone stop talking and listen to him。
〃ive just seen it all；〃 he said。
〃seen what？〃 asked peter。
〃why； the whole thing；〃 said edmund。 〃you know what we were puzzling about last night； that it was only a year ago since we left narnia but everything looks as if no one had lived in cair paravel for hundreds of years？ well； dont you see？ you know that； however long we seemed to have lived in narnia； when we got back through the wardrobe it seemed to have taken no time at all？鈥�
〃go on；〃 said susan。 〃i think im beginning to understand。鈥�
〃and that means；〃 continued edmund； 〃that； once youre out of narnia； you have no idea how narnian time is going。 why shouldnt hundreds of years have gone past in narnia while only one year has passed for us in england？鈥�
〃by jove； ed；〃 said peter。 〃i believe youve got it。 in that sense it really was hundreds of years ago that we lived in cair paravel。 and now were ing back to narnia just as if we were crusaders or anglo…saxons or ancient britons or someone ing back to modern england？鈥�
〃how excited theyll be to see us …〃 began lucy； but at the same moment everyone else said； 〃hush！〃 or 〃look！〃 for now something was happening。
there was a wooded point on the mainland a little to their right； and they all felt sure that just beyond that point must be the mouth of the river。 and now； round that point there came into sight a boat。 when it had cleared the point； it turned and began ing along the channel towards them。 there were two people on board； one rowing； the other sitting in the stern and holding a bundle that twitched and moved as if it were alive。 both these people seemed to be soldiers。 they had steel caps on their heads and light shirts of chain…mail。 their faces were bearded and hard。 the children drew back from the beach into the wood and watched without moving a finger。
〃thisll do；〃 said the soldier in the stern when the boat had e about opposite to them。
〃what about tying a stone to his feet； corporal？〃 said the other； resting on his oars。
〃garn！〃 growled the other。 〃we dont need that； and we havent brought one。 hell drown sure enough without a stone； as long as weve tied the cords right。〃 with these words he rose and lifted his bundle。 peter now saw that it was really alive and was in fact a dwarf； bound hand and foot but struggling as hard as he could。 next moment he heard a twang just beside his ear； and all at once the soldier threw up his arms； dropping the dwarf into the bottom of the boat； and fell over into the water。 he floundered away to the far bank and peter knew that susans arrow had struck on his helmet。 he turned and saw that she was very pale but was already fitting a second arrow to the string。 but it was never used。
as soon as he saw his panion fall； the other soldier； with a loud cry； jumped out of the boat on the far side； and lie also floundered through the water （which was apparently just in his depth） and disappeared into the woods of the mainland。
〃quick！ before she drifts！〃 shouted peter。 he and susan； fully dressed as they were； plunged in； and before the water was up to their shoulders their hands were on the side of the boat。 in a few seconds they had hauled her to the bank and lifted the dwarf out； and edmund was busily engaged in cutting his bonds with the pocket knife。 （peters sword would have been sharper； but a sword is very inconvenient for this sort of work because you cant hold it anywhere lower than the hilt。） when at last the dwarf was free； he sat up； rubbed his arms and legs； and exclaimed： 〃well； whatever they say； you dont feel like ghosts。鈥�
like most dwarfs he was very stocky and deep…chested。 he would have been about three feet high if he had been standing up； and an immense beard and whiskers of coarse red hair left little of his face to be seen except a beak…like nose and twinkling black eyes。
〃anyway；〃 he continued； 〃ghosts or not； youve saved my life and im extremely obliged to you。鈥�
〃but why should we be ghosts？〃 asked lucy。
〃ive been told all my life；〃 said the dwarf； 〃that these woods along the shore were as full of ghosts as they were of trees。 thats what the story is。 and thats why； when they want to get rid of anyone； they usually bring him down here （like they were doing with me）
and say theyll leave him to the ghosts。 but i always wondered if they didnt really drown em or cut their throats。 i never quite believed in the ghosts。 but those two cowards youve just shot believed all right。 they were more frightened of taking me to my death than i was of going！鈥�
〃oh；〃 said susan。 〃so thats why they both ran away。鈥�
〃eh？ whats that？〃 said the dwarf。
〃they got away；〃 sa