“Are you the Sons of Adam and the Daughters of Eve?”it said.
“We’re some of them,”said Peter.
“S-s-s-sh！”said the Beaver.“not so loud plea.We’re not safe even here.”
“Why, who are you afraid of?”said Peter.“There’s no one here but ourlves.”
“There are the trees,”said the Beaver.“They’re always listening.Most of them are on our side, but there are trees that would betray us to her; you know who I mean,”and it s head veral times.
“If it es to talking about sides,”said Edmund.“how do we know you’re a friend?”
“Not meaning to be rude, Mr.Beaver,”added Peter.“but you e, we’re strangers.”
“Quite right, quite right,”said the Beaver.“Here is my token.”With the words it held up to them a little white object.They all looked at it in surpri, till suddenly Lucy said.“Oh, of cour.It’s my handkerchief—the one I gave to poor Mr.Tumnus.”
“That’s right,”said the Beaver.“Poor fellow, he got wind of the arrest before it actually happened and hahis over to me.He said that if anything happeo him I must meet you here and take you on to—”Here the Beaver’s voice sank into silend it gave one or two very mysterious nods.Then signalling to the children to stand as clo around it as they possibly could, so that their faces were actually tickled by its whiskers, it added in a low whisper—
“They say Aslan is on the move—perhaps has already landed.”
And now a very curious thing happened.None of the children knew who Aslan was any more than you do; but the moment the Beaver had spoken the words everyo quite different.Perhaps it has sometimes happeo you in a dream that someone says something which you don’t uand but in the dream it feels as if it had some enormous meaniher a terrifying one which turns the whole dream into a nightmare or el a lovely meaning too lovely to put into words, which makes the dream so beautiful that you remember it all your life and are always wishing you could get into that dream again.It was like that now.At the name of Aslan eae of the childre something jump in its inside.Edmu a nsation of mysterious horror.Peter felt suddenly brave and adventurous.Susa as if some delicious smell or some delightful strain of music had just floated by her.And Lucy got the feeling you have when you wake up in the m and realize that it is the beginning of the holidays or the beginning of summer.