“Dearest daughter,” said Aslan, planting a lion’s kiss owitg, velvet no, “I knew you would not be long in ing to me. Joy shall be yours.”
Then he lifted his head and spoke in a louder voice.
“Now, Bree,” he said, “you poor, proud frightened Hor, draw near. ill, my son. Do not dare not to dare. Touch me. Smell me. Here are my paws, here is my tail, the are my whiskers. I am a true Beast.”
“Aslan,” said Bree in a shaken voice, “I’m afraid I must be rather a fool.”
“Happy the Hor who knows that while he is still young. Or the Humaher. Draw near, Aravis my daughter. See！ My paws are velveted. You will not be torn this time.”
“This time, sir?” said Aravis.
“It was I who wounded you,” said Aslan. “I am the only lion you met in all your journeyings. Do you know why I tore you?”
“No, sir.”
“The scratches on your back, tear for tear, throb for throb, blood for blood, were equal to the stripes laid on the back of your stepmother’s slave becau of the drugged sleep you cast upon her. You o know what it felt like.”
“Yes, sir. Plea —”
“Ask on, my dear,” said Aslan.
“Will any more harm e to her by what I did?”
“Child,” said the Lion, “I am telling you your story, not hers. No one is told any story but their own.” Then he shook his head and spoke in a lighter voice.
“Be merry, little ones,” he said. “We shall meet soon again. But before that you will have another visitor.” Then in one bound he reached the top of the wall and vanished from their sight.
Strao say, they felt no ination to talk to one another about him after he had gohey all moved slowly away to different parts of the quiet grass and there paced to and fro, each alohinking.
About half an hour later the two Hors were summoo the back of the hou to eat something hat the Hermit had got ready for them and Aravis, still walking and thinking, was startled by the harsh sound of a trumpet outside the gate.
“Who is there?” asked Aravis.
“His Royal Highness Prince Cor of Arland,” said a voice from outside.
Aravis undid the door and ope, drawing back a little way to let the strangers in.