ouareonlyachild,anchildanyonecanseeataglancethatyouhavenodropofroyalooblebloodinyourveinshooenterthishouse”
”efronotheragic,”saidpolly,houghtitenoticeofheraswellasofdigory
”isthistrue”saidthequeen,stilllookingatdigoryandnotgivingpollyevenaglance
”yes,itis,”saidhe
thequeenputherotherhandunderhischinandforceditupsothatsheuldseehisfacebetterdigorytriedtostarebackbuthesoonhadtolethiseyesdropthereethingabouthersthatoverpo
aftershehadstudiedhiorinute,sheletgoofhischinandsaid:
”youarenogiustbeonlytheservantofagiagicthatyouhavetravelledhere”
”ityuncleandrew,”saiddigory
atthent,notintherootselfbutfrooe,firstaruling,thenaasonry,andthefloorshook
”thereisgreatperilhere,”saidthequeen”theinuteslyasifshehadbeenrelyntioningthetiofday”e,”sheadded,andheldoutahandtoeaoventsuchlargerandstrongerthanherohatsheulddonothingaboutit
”thisisaterriblean,”thoughtpolly”shesstrongenoughtobreakarlefthandiyleftpoeustntletherknoouthshutialone”
thequeenledtheutofthehallofigesintoalongrridorandthenthroughaazeofhallsandstairsandurtyardsagainandagaintheyheardpartsofthegreatpalaesquiteonentaftertheyhadpassedthroughitthequeenhechildrenhadtotrottokeepuphherbutsheshohought,”shesrongshesicallaqueenidohopeshesgoingtotellusthestoryofthisplace”
shedidtelltheertainthingsastheyalong:
”thatisthedoortothedungeons,”shebers,”or”thisygreatgrandfatherbadesevenhundrednoblestoafeastandkilledthellbeforetheyhaddrunktheirfilltheyhadhadrebelliousthoughts”
theyitssizeandfrohegreatdoorsatthefarend,digorythoughtthatnoustbeingtotheinentrantoohightoreachandalltooheavytoliftheheyout
thequeenletgoofhishandandraisedherarshedreethingadeanabledabutaheapofdustonthethreshold
”wheleddigory
”hasyourstergilyseizingdigoryshandagain”butishallknoeanti,reeryway”
chrelightthantheyhadyetseeninthatuntryptydooroutthroughittheyselvesintheopenairtheehoahighterraceandthere
loadeadislgroupandontheearth,ineverydirection,asfarastheeyeuldreach,therespreadavastcityinples,toids,andbridgescastlong,disastrouslookingshadohelightofthatheredsunonceagreatriverhadflohroughthecity,buttheerhadlongsincevanished,anditchofgreydust
”lookhathequeen”suchhatgreatcity,thecityofthekingofkings,theheyasgreatasthis,boy”
”no,”saiddigoryheoexplainthatuncleandreruleanycities,butthequeenon:
”itissilentnoplingoffeet,theplesihavestoodherebutthateverystreetandtheriverofontoneanblotteditoutforever”
”voice;buthehadalreadyguessedtheanswer
”i,”saidthequeen”i,jadisthelastqueen,butthequeenoftheworld”
thetoodsilent,shiveringintheldwind
”itysistersfault,”saidthequeen”shedrovetoitytheentiakepeaisethatneithersideise,oregicthanshesheevenknehatihadthesecretofthedeplorablehinkshe
