IFonecouldrunwithoutgettingtired,Idon’tthinkonewouldoftenwanttodoanythingelse.Buttheremightbespecialreasonsforstopping,anditwasaspecialreasonwhichmadeEustacepresentlyshout:
“Isay!Steady!Lookwhatwe’recomingto!”
Andwellhemight.FornowtheysawbeforethemCaldronPoolandbeyondthePoolthehighunclimbablecliffsand,pouringdownthecliffs,thousandsoftonsofwatereverysecond,flashinglikediamondsinsomeplacesanddark,glassygreeninothers,theGreatWaterfall;andalreadythethunderofitwasintheirears.
“Don’tstop!Furtherupandfurtherin,”calledFarsight,tiltinghisflightalittleupwards.
“It’sallverywellforhim,”saidEustace,butJewelalsocriedout:
“Don’tstop.Furtherupandfurtherin!Takeitinyourstride.”
HisvoicecouldonlyjustbeheardabovetheroarofthewaterbutnextmomenteveryonesawthathehadplungedintothePool.Andhelter-skelterbehindhim,withsplashaftersplash,alltheothersdidthesame.Thewaterwasnotbitinglycoldasallofthem(andespeciallyPuzzle)expected,butofadeliciousfoamycoolness.TheyallfoundtheywereswimmingstraightfortheWaterfallitself.
“Thisisabsolutelycrazy,”saidEustacetoEdmund.
“Iknow.Andyet-”saidEdmund.
“Isn’titwonderful?”saidLucy.“Haveyounoticedonecan’tfeelafraid,evenifonewantsto?Tryit.”
“ByJove,neitheronecan,”saidEustaceafterhehadtried.
JewelreachedthefootoftheWaterfallfirst,butTirianwasonlyjustbehindhiJillwaslast,soshecouldseethewholethingbetterthantheothers.ShesawsomethingwhitemovingsteadilyupthefaceoftheWaterfall.ThatwhitethingwastheUnicorn.Youcouldn’ttellwhetherhewasswimmingorclimbing,buthemovedon,higherandhigher.Thepointofhishorndividedthewaterjustabovehishead,anditcascadedoutintworainbow-colouredstreamsallroundhisshoulders.JustbehindhimcameKingTirian.Hemovedhislegsandarmsasifhewereswimmingbuthemovedstraightupwards:asifonecouldswimupthewallofahouse.
WhatlookedfunniestwastheDogs.Duringthegalloptheyhadnotbeenatalloutofbreath,butnow,astheyswarmedandwriggledupwards,therewasplentyofsplutteringandsneezingamongthem;thatwasbecausetheywouldkeeponbarking,andeverytimetheybarkedtheygottheirmouthsandnosesfullofwater.ButbeforeJillhadtimetonoticeallthesethingsfully,shewasgoinguptheWaterfallherself.Itwasthesortofthingthatwouldhavebeenquiteimpossibleinourworld.Evenifyouhadn’tbeendrowned,youwouldhavebeensmashedtopiecesbytheterribleweightofwateragainstthecountlessjagsofrock.Butinthatworldyoucoulddoit.Youwenton,upandup,withallkindsofreflectedlightsflashingatyoufromthewaterandallmannerofcolouredstonesflashingthroughit,tillitseemedasifyouwereclimbinguplightitself-andalwayshigherandhighertillthesenseofheightwouldhaveterrifiedyouifyoucouldbeterrified,butlateritwasonlygloriouslyexciting.Andthenatlastonecametothelovely,smoothgreencurveinwhichthewaterpouredoverthetopandfoundthatonewasoutonthelevelriverabovetheWaterfall.Thecurrentwasracingawaybehindyou,butyouweresuchawonderfulswimmerthatyoucouldmakeheadwayagainstit.Soontheywereallonthebank,drippingbuthappy.
Alongvalleyopenedaheadandgreatsnow-mountains,nowmuchnearer,stoodupagainstthesky.
“Furtherupandfurtherin,”criedJewelandinstantlytheywereoffagain.
TheywereoutofNarnianowandupintotheWesternWildwhichneitherTiriannorPeternoreventheEaglehadeverseenbefore.ButtheLordDigoryandtheLadyPollyhad.“Doyouremember?Doyouremember?”theysaid-andsaiditinsteadyvoicestoo,withoutpanting,thoughthewholepartywasnowrunningfasterthananarrowflies.
“What,Lord?”saidTirian.“Isitthentrue,asstoriestell,thatyoutwojourneyedhereontheverydaytheworldwasmade?”
“Yes,”saidDigory,“anditseemstomeasifitwereonlyyesterday.”
“Andonaflyinghorse?”askedTirian.“Isthatparttrue?”
“Certainly,”saidDigory.ButtheDogsbarked,“Faster,faster!”
Sotheyranfasterandfastertillitwasmorelikeflyingthanrunning,andeventheEagleoverheadwasgoingnofasterthanthey.Andtheywentthroughwindingvalleyafterwindingvalleyandupthesteepsidesofhillsand,fasterthanever,downtheotherside,followingtheriverandsometimescrossingitandskimmingacrossmountainlakesasiftheywerelivingspeed-boats,tillatlastatthefarendofonelonglakewhichlookedasblueasaturquoise,theysawasmoothgreenhill.Itssideswereassteepasthesidesofapyramidandroundtheverytopofitranagreenwall:butabovethewallrosethebranchesoftreeswhoseleaveslookedlikesilverandtheirfruitlikegold.
“Furtherupandfurtherin!”roaredtheUnicorn,andnooneheldback.Theychargedstraightatthefootofthehillandthenfoundthemselvesrunningupitalmostaswaterfromabrokenwaverunsuparockoutatthepointofsomebay.Thoughtheslopewasnearlyassteepastheroofofahouseandthegrasswassmoothasabowlinggreen,nooneslipped.Onlywhentheyhadreachedtheverytopdidtheyslowup;thatwasbecausetheyfoundthemselvesfacinggreatgoldengates.Andforamomentnoneofthemwasboldenoughtotryifthegateswouldopen.Theyallfeltjustastheyhadfeltaboutthefruit-“Darewe?Isitright?Canitbemeantforus?”
Butwhiletheywerestandingthusagreathorn,wonderfullyloudandsweet,blewfromsomewhereinsidethatwalledgardenandthegatesswungopen.
Tirianstoodholdinghisbreathandwonderingwhowouldcomeout.Andwhatcamewasthelastthinghehadexpected:alittle,sleek,bright-eyedTalkingMousewitharedfeatherstuckinacircletonitsheadanditsleftpawrestingonalongsword.Itbowed,amostbeautifulbow,andsaidinitsshrillvoice:
“Welcome,intheLion’sname.Comefurtherupandfurtherin.”
ThenTiriansawKingPeterandKingEdmundandQueenLucyrushforwardtokneeldownandgreettheMouseandtheyallcriedout“Reepicheep!”AndTirianbreathedfastwiththesheerwonderofit,fornowheknewthathewaslookingatoneofthegreatheroesofNarnia,ReepicheeptheMousewhohadfoughtatthegreatBattleofBerunaandafterwardssailedtotheWorld’sendwithKingCaspiantheSeafarer.Butbeforehehadhadmuchtimetothinkofthishefelttwostrongarmsthrownabouthimandfeltabeardedkissonhischeeksandheardawellrememberedvoicesaying:
“What,lad?ArtthickerandtallersinceIlasttouchedthee!”
Itwashisownfather,thegoodKingErlian:butnotasTirianhadseenhimlastwhentheybroughthimhomepaleandwoundedfromhisfightwiththegiant,norevenasTirianrememberedhiminhislateryearswhenhewasagrey-headedwarrior.Thiswashisfather,youngandmerry,ashecouldjustrememberhimfromveryearlydayswhenhehimselfhadbeenalittleboyplayinggameswithhisfatherinthecastlegardenatCairParavel,justbeforebedtimeonsummerevenings.Theverysmellofthebread-and-milkheusedtohaveforsuppercamebacktohim.
Jewelthoughttohimself,“IwillleavethemtotalkforalittleandthenIwillgoandgreetthegoodKingErlian.ManyabrightapplehashegivenmewhenIwasbutacolt.”Butnextmomenthehadsomethingelsetothinkof,foroutofthegatewaytherecameahorsesomightyandnoblethatevenaUnicornmightfeelshyinitspresence:agreatwingedhorse.ItlookedamomentattheLordDigoryandtheLadyPollyandneighedout“What,cousins!”andtheybothshouted“Fledge!GoodoldFledge!”andrushedtokissit.
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