“Here is chee, Sire,”said the first Mou,“but not very much, for fear it would make you too thirsty.”And after the chee they fed him with oat-cakes and fresh butter, and then with some more wine.
“Now hand up the water,”said the first Mou,“and I’ll wash the King’s face.There is blood on it.”
Then Tiria something like a tiny sponge dabbing his face, and it was most refreshing.
“Little friends,”said Tirian,“how I thank you for all this?”
“You , you ,”said the little voices.“What el could we do?We don’t want any other King.We’re your people.If it was only the Ape and the enes whainst you we would have fought till we were cut into pieces before we’d let them tie you up.We would, we would indeed.But we ’t go against Aslan.”
“Do you think it really is Aslan?”asked the King.
“Oh yes, yes,”said the Rabbit.“He came out of the stable last night.We all saw him.”
“What was he like?”said the King.
“Like a terrible, great Lion, to be sure,”said one of the Mice.
“And you think it is really Aslan who is killing the Wood-Nymphs and making you all slaves to the King of en?”
“Ah, that’s bad, isn’t it?”said the ou.“It would have beeer if we’d died before all this began.But there’s no doubt about it.Everyone says it is Aslan’s orders.And we’ve en him.We didn’t think Aslan would be like that.Why, anted him to e back to Narnia.”
“He ems to have e back very angry this time,”said the first Mou.“We must all have done something dreadfully wrong without knowing it.He must be punishing us for something.But I do think we might be told what it was！”
“I suppo what we’re doing now may be wrong,”said the Rabbit.
“I don’t care if it is,”said one of the Moles.“I’d do it again.”
But the others said,“Oh hush,”and“Do be careful,”and then they all said,“We’re sorry, dear King, but we must go baow.It would never do for us to be caught here.”
“Leave me at once, dear Beasts,”said Tirian.“I would not for all Narnia bring any of you into danger.”
“Goodnight, goodnight,”said the Beasts, rubbing their nos against his knees.“We will e back if we .”Then they all pattered away and the wood emed darker and colder and lohan it had been before they came.