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d to work。 But then a guinea…pig can't tell you anything。 And you can't explain to it how to e back。〃
〃Look here； Uncle Andrew；〃 said Digory； 〃it really is dinner time and they'll be looking for us in a moment。 You must let us out。〃
〃Must？〃 said Uncle Andrew。
Digory and Polly glanced at one another。 They dared not say anything； but the glances meant 〃Isn't this dreadful？〃 and 〃We must humour him。〃
〃If you let us go for our dinner now；〃 said Polly； 〃we could e back after dinner。〃
〃Ah； but how do I know that you would？〃 said Uncle Andrew with a cunning smile。 Then he seemed to change his mind。
〃Well； well；〃 he said； 〃if you really must go； I suppose you must。 I can't expect two youngsters like you to find it much fun talking to an old buffer like me。〃 He sighed and went on。 〃You've no idea how lonely I sometimes am。 But no matter。 Go to your dinner。 But I must give you a present before you go。 It's not every day that I see a little girl in my dingy old study； especially； if I may say so； such a very attractive young lady as yourself。〃
Polly began to think he might not really be mad after all。
〃Wouldn't you like a ring； my dear？〃 said Uncle Andrew to Polly。
〃Do you mean one of those yellow or green ones？〃 said Polly。 〃How lovely！〃
〃Not a green one；〃 said Uncle Andrew。 〃I'm afraid I can't give the green ones away。 But I'd be delighted to give you any of the yellow ones： with my love。 e and try one on。〃
Polly had now quite got over her fright and felt sure that the old gentleman was not mad； and there was certainly something strangely attractive about those bright rings。 She moved over to the tray。
〃Why！ I declare；〃 she said。 〃That humming noise gets louder here。 It's almost as if the rings were making it。〃
〃What a funny fancy； my dear；〃 said Uncle Andrew with a laugh。 It sounded a very natural laugh； but Digory had seen an eager； almost a greedy； look on his face。
〃Polly！ Don't be a fool！〃 he shouted。 〃Don't touch them。〃
It was too late。 Exactly as he spoke； Polly's hand went out to touch one of the rings。 And immediately； without a flash or a noise or a warning of any sort； there was no Polly。 Digory and his Uncle were alone in the room。
CHAPTER TWO
DIGORY AND HIS UNCLE
IT was so sudden； and so horribly unlike anything that had ever happened to Digory even in a nightmare； that he let out a scream。 Instantly Uncle Andrew's hand was over his mouth。 〃None of that！〃 he hissed in Digory's ear。 〃If you start making a noise your Mother'll hear it。 And you know what a fright might do to her。〃
As Digory said afterwards； the horrible meanness of getting at a chap in that way； almost made him sick。 But of course he didn't scream again。
〃That's better；〃 said Uncle Andrew。 〃Perhaps you couldn't help it。 It is a shock when you first see someone vanish。 Why； it gave even me a turn when the guinea…pig did it the other night。〃
〃Was that when you yelled？〃 asked Digory。
〃Oh； you heard that； did you？ I hope you haven't been spying on me？〃
〃No； I haven't；〃 said Digory indignantly。 〃But what's happened to Polly？〃
〃Congratulate me； my dear boy；〃 said Uncle Andrew； rubbing his hands。 〃My experiment has succeeded。 The little girl's gone…vanished…right out of the world。〃
〃What have you done to her？〃
〃Sent her to…well…to another place。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 asked Digory。
Uncle Andrew sat down and said； 〃Well； I'll tell you all about it。 Have you ever heard of old Mrs Lefay？〃
〃Wasn't she a great…aunt or something？〃 said Digory。
〃Not exactly；〃 said Uncle Andrew。 〃She was my godmother。 That's her； there； on the wall。〃
Digory looked and saw a faded photograph： it showed the face of an old woman in a bonnet。 And he could now remember that he had once seen a photo of the same face in an old drawer； at home； in the country。 He had asked his Mother who it was and Mother had not seemed to want to talk about the subject much。 It was not at all a nice face； Digory thought； though of course with those early photographs one could never really tell。
〃Was there…wasn't there…something wrong about her； Uncle Andrew？〃 he asked。
〃Well；〃 said Uncle Andrew with a chuckle； 〃it depends what you call wrong。 People are so narrow…minded。 She certainly got very queer in later life。 Did very unwise things。 That was why they shut her up。〃
〃In an asylum； do you mean？〃
〃Oh no； no； no；〃 said Uncle Andrew in a shocked voice。 〃Nothing of that sort。 Only in prison。〃
〃I say！〃 said Digory。 〃What had she done？〃
〃Ah； poor woman；〃 said Uncle Andrew。 〃She had been very unwise。 There were a good many different things。 We needn't go into all that。 She was always very kind to me。〃
〃But look here； what has all this got to do with Polly？ I do wish you'd…〃
〃All in good time； my boy；〃 said Uncle Andrew。 〃They let old Mrs Lefay out before she died and I was one of the very few people whom she would allow to see her in her last illness。 She had got to dislike ordinary； ignorant people； you understand。 I do myself。 But she and I were interested in the same sort of things。 It was only a few days before her death that she told me to go to an old bureau in her house and open a secret drawer and bring her a little box that I would find there。 The moment I picked up that box I could tell by the pricking in my fingers that I held some great secret in my hands。 She gave it me and made me promise that as soon as she was dead I would burn it； unopened； with certain ceremonies。 That promise I did not keep。〃
〃Well； then； it was jolly rotten of you；〃 said Digory。
〃Rotten？〃 said Uncle Andrew with a puzzled look。
〃Oh； I see。 You mean that little boys ought to keep their promises。 Very true： most right and proper； I'm sure； and I'm very glad you have been taught to do it。 But of course you must understand that rules of that sort； however excellent they may be for little boys…and servants…and women…and even people in general； can't possibly be expected to apply to profound students and great thinkers and sages。 No； Digory。 Men like me； who possess hidden wisdom； are freed from mon rules just as we are cut off from mon pleasures。 Ours； my boy； is a high and lonely destiny。〃
As he said this he sighed and looked so grave and noble and mysterious that for a second Digory really thought he was saying something rather fine。 But then he remembered the ugly look he had seen on his Uncle's face the moment before Polly had vanished： and all at once he saw through Uncle Andrew's grand words。 〃All it means；〃 he said to himself； 〃Is that he thinks he can do anything he likes to get anything he wants。〃
〃Of course；〃 said Uncle Andrew； 〃I didn't dare to open the box for a long time； for I knew it might contain something highly dangerous。 For my godmother was a very remarkable woman。 The truth is； she was one of the last mortals in this country who had fairy