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〃sh！ look！〃 said susan。
〃what？〃 said peter。
〃theres something moving among the trees over there to the left。鈥�
they all stared as hard as they could； and no one felt very fortable。
〃there it goes again；〃 said susan presently。
〃i saw it that time too；〃 said peter。 〃its still there。 its just gone behind that big tree。鈥�
〃what is it？〃 asked lucy； trying very hard not to sound nervous。
〃whatever it is；〃 said peter； 〃its dodging us。 its something that doesnt want to be seen。鈥�
〃lets go home；〃 said susan。 and then； though nobody said it out loud； everyone suddenly realized the same fact that edmund had whispered to peter at the end of the last chapter。 they were lost。
〃whats it like？〃 said lucy。
〃its … its a kind of animal；〃 said susan； and then； 〃look！ look！ quick！ there it is。鈥�
they all saw it this time； a whiskered furry face which had looked out at them from behind a tree。 but this time it didnt immediately draw back。 instead； the animal put its paw against its mouth just as humans put their finger on their lips when they are signalling to you to be quiet。 then it disappeared again。 the children； all stood holding their breath。
a moment later the stranger came out from behind the tree； glanced all round as if it were afraid someone was watching； said 〃hush〃； made signs to them to join it in the thicker bit of wood where it was standing； and then once more disappeared。
〃i know what it is；〃 said peter； 〃its a beaver。 i saw the tail。鈥�
〃it wants us to go to it；〃 said susan； 〃and it is warning us not to make a noise。鈥�
〃i know；〃 said peter。 〃the question is； are we to go to it or not？ what do you think； lu？鈥�
〃i think its a nice beaver；〃 said lucy。
〃yes； but how do we know？〃 said edmund。
〃shant we have to risk it？〃 said susan。 〃i mean； its no good just standing here and i feel i want some dinner。鈥�
at this moment the beaver again popped its head out from behind the tree and beckoned earnestly to them。
〃e on；〃 said peter；〃lets give it a try。 all keep close together。 we ought to be a match for one beaver if it turns out to be an enemy。鈥�
so the children all got close together and walked up to the tree and in behind it； and there； sure enough； they found the beaver； but it still drew back； saying to them in a hoarse throaty whisper； 〃further in； e further in。 right in here。 were not safe in the open！鈥�
only when it had led them into a dark spot where four trees grew so close together that their boughs met and the brown earth and pine needles could be seen underfoot because no snow had been able to fall there； did it begin to talk to them。
〃are you the sons of adam and the daughters of eve？〃 it said。
〃were some of them；〃 said peter。
〃s…s…s…sh！〃 said the beaver； 〃not so loud please。 were not safe even here。鈥�
〃why； who are you afraid of？〃 said peter。 〃theres no one here but ourselves。鈥�
〃there are the trees；〃 said the beaver。 〃theyre 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 nodded its head several times。
〃if it es to talking about sides；〃 said edmund； 〃how do we know youre a friend？鈥�
〃not meaning to be rude； mr beaver；〃 added peter； 〃but you see； were strangers。鈥�
〃quite right； quite right；〃 said the beaver。 〃here is my token。〃 with these words it held up to them a little white object。 they all looked at it in surprise； till suddenly lucy said； 〃oh； of course。 its my handkerchief … the one i gave to poor mr tumnus。鈥�
〃thats right；〃 said the beaver。 〃poor fellow； he got wind of the arrest before it actually happened and handed this over to me。 he said that if anything happened to him i must meet you here and take you on to …〃 here the beavers voice sank into silence and it gave
one or two very mysterious nods。 then signalling to the children to stand as close 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。鈥�
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 these words everyone felt quite different。 perhaps it has sometimes happened to you in a dream that someone says something which you dont understand but in the dream it feels as if it had some enormous meaning … either a terrifying one which turns the whole dream into a nightmare or else 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 each one of the children felt something jump in its inside。 edmund felt a sensation of mysterious horror。 peter felt suddenly brave and adventurous。 susan felt 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 morning and realize that it is the beginning of the holidays or the beginning of summer。
〃and what about mr tumnus；〃 said lucy； 〃where is he？鈥�
〃s…s…s…sh；〃 said the beaver； 〃not here。 i must bring you where we can have a real talk and also dinner。鈥�
no one except edmund felt any difficulty about trusting the beaver now； and everyone； including edmund； was very glad to hear the word 〃dinner〃。
they therefore all hurried along behind their new friend who led them at a surprisingly quick pace； and always in the thickest parts of the forest； for over an hour。 everyone was feeling very tired and very hungry when suddenly the trees began to get thinner in front of them and the ground to fall steeply downhill。 a minute later they came out under the open sky （the sun was still shining） and found themselves looking down on a fine sight。
they were standing on the edge of a steep； narrow valley at the bottom of which ran … at least it would have been running if it hadnt been frozen … a fairly large river。 just below them a dam had been built across this river； and when they saw it everyone suddenly remembered that of course beavers are always making dams and felt quite sure that mr beaver had made this one。 they also noticed that he now had a sort of modest expression on his； face … the sort of look people have when you are visiting a garden theyve made or reading a story theyve written。 so it was only mon politeness when susan said； 〃what a lovely dam！〃 and mr beaver didnt say 〃hush〃 this time but 〃merely a trifle！
merely a trifle！ and it isnt really finished！鈥�
above the dam there was what ought to have been a deep pool but was now； of course； a level floor of dark green ice。 and below the dam； much lower down； was more ice； but
instead of being smooth this was all frozen into the foamy and wavy shapes in which the water had been rushing along at the very moment when the frost came。 and where the water had been trickling over and spurting through the dam there was now a glittering wall of icicles； as if the side of the dam had been covered all over with flowers and wreaths and festoons of the purest sugar。 and out in the middle； and partly on top of the dam was a funny little house shaped rather like an enormous beehive and from a hole in the roof smoke was going up； so that when you saw it ｛especially if you were hungry） you at once thought of cooking and became hungrier than you were before。
that was what the others chiefly noticed； but edmund noticed something else。 a little lower down the river there was another small river which came down another small valley to join it。 and looking up that valley； edmund could see two small hills； and he was almost sure they were the two hills which the white witch had pointed out to him when he parted from her at the lamp…post that other day。 and then between them； he thought； must be her palace； only a mile off or less。 and he thought about turkish delight and about being a king （〃and i wonder how peter will like that？〃 he asked himself） and horrible ideas came into his head。
〃here we are；〃 said mr beaver； 〃and it looks as if mrs beaver is expecting us。 ill lead the way。 but be careful and dont slip。鈥�
the top of the dam was wide enough to walk on； though not （for humans） a very nice place to walk because it was covered with ice； and though the frozen pool was level with it on one side； there was a nasty drop to the lower river on the other。 along this route mr beaver led them in single file right out to the middle where they could look a long way up the river and a long way down it。 and when they had reached the middle they were at the door of the house。
〃here we are； mrs beaver；〃 said mr beaver； 〃ive found them。 here are the sons and daughters of adam and eve… and they all went in。
the first thing lucy noticed as she went in was a burring sound； and the first thing she saw was a kindlooking old she…beaver sitting in the corner with a thread in her mouth working busily at her sewing machine； and it was from it that the sound came。 she stopped her work and got up as soon as the children came in。
〃so youve e at last