“If you ask me —” began Puddleglum, when Scrubb interrupted.
“I say,” he asked, “what’s that noi?”
“I’ve been w that for some time！” said Jill.
They had all, in fact, been hearing the noi but it had begun and incread so gradually that they did not know when they had first noticed it. For a time it had been only a vague disquiet like gentle winds, or traffic very far away. Then it swelled to a murmur like the a.
Then came rumblings and rushings. Now there emed to be voices as well and also a steady r that was not voices.
“By the Lion,” said Prince Rilian, “it ems this silent land has found a to last.” He ro, walked to the window, and drew aside the curtains. The others crowded round him to look out.
The very first thing they noticed was a great red glow. Its refleade a red pat the roof of the Underworld thousands of feet above them, so that they could e a rocky ceiling which had perhaps been hidden in darkness ever sihe world was made. The glow itlf came from the far side of the city so that many buildings, grim and great, stood up blackly against it. But it also cast its light down many streets that ran from it towards the castle. And in tho streets something very strange was going on. The cloly-packed, silent crowds of Earthmen had vanished. Instead, there were figures darting about by ones, or twos, or threes. They behaved like people who do not want to be en：lurking in shadow behind buttress or in doorways, and then moving quickly across the open into fresh places of hiding. But the strahing of all, to anyone who khe gnomes, was the noi. Shouts and cries came from all dires. But from the harbour there came a low, rumbling roar which grew steadily louder and was already shaking the whole city.
“If you ask me —” began Puddleglum, when Scrubb interrupted.
“I say,” he asked, “what’s that noi?”
“I’ve been w that for some time！” said Jill.
They had all, in fact, been hearing the noi but it had begun and incread so gradually that they did not know when they had first noticed it. For a time it had been only a vague disquiet like gentle winds, or traffic very far away. Then it swelled to a murmur like the a.
Then came rumblings and rushings. Now there emed to be voices as well and also a steady r that was not voices.
“By the Lion,” said Prince Rilian, “it ems this silent land has found a to last.” He ro, walked to the window, and drew aside the curtains. The others crowded round him to look out.
The very first thing they noticed was a great red glow. Its refleade a red pat the roof of the Underworld thousands of feet above them, so that they could e a rocky ceiling which had perhaps been hidden in darkness ever sihe world was made. The glow itlf came from the far side of the city so that many buildings, grim and great, stood up blackly against it. But it also cast its light down many streets that ran from it towards the castle. And in tho streets something very strange was going on. The cloly-packed, silent crowds of Earthmen had vanished. Instead, there were figures darting about by ones, or twos, or threes. They behaved like people who do not want to be en：lurking in shadow behind buttress or in doorways, and then moving quickly across the open into fresh places of hiding. But the strahing of all, to anyone who khe gnomes, was the noi. Shouts and cries came from all dires. But from the harbour there came a low, rumbling roar which grew steadily louder and was already shaking the whole city.