THE DUFFLEPUDS MADE HAPPY Lucy followed the great Lion out into the passage and at once she saw ing towards them an old man, barefoot, dressed in a red robe. His white hair was ed with a
chaplet of oak leaves, his beard fell to his girdle, and he supported himself with a curiously carved staff. When he saw Aslan he bowed low and said, "Wele, Sir, to the least of your houses.」
"Do you grow weary, Coriakin, of ruling such foolish subjects as I have given you here?」
"No," said the Magi, "they are very stupid but there is no real harm in them. I begin to grow rather fond of the creatures. Sometimes, perhaps, I am a little impatient, waiting for the day when they be governed by wisdom instead of this rough magic.」
"All in good time, Coriakin," said Aslan.
"Yes, all in very good time, Sir," was the answer. "Do you io show yourself to them?」
"Nay," said the Lion, with a little half-growl that meant (Lucy thought) the same as a laugh. "I should frighten them out of their senses. Many stars will grow old and e to take their rest in islands before your people are ripe for that. And today before su I must visit Trumpkin the Dwarf where he sits in the castle of Cair Paravel ting the days till his master Caspian es home. I will tell him all your story, Lucy. Do not look so sad. We shall meet soon again.」
"Please, Aslan," said Lucy, "what do you call soon?」
"I call all times soon," said Aslan; and instantly he was vanished away and Lucy was aloh the Magi.
"Gone!" said he, "and you and I quite crestfallen. Its always like that, you t keep him; its not as if he were a tame lion. And how did you enjoy my book?」
"Parts of it very mudeed," said Lucy. "Did you know I was there all the time?」
"Well, of course I knew when I let the Duffers make themselves invisible that you would be ing along presently to take the spell off. I wasnt quite sure of the exact day. And I wasnt especially och this m. You see they had made me invisible too and being invisible always makes me so sleepy. Heigh-ho - there Im yawning again. Are you hungry?」
"Well, perhaps I am a little," said Lucy. "Ive no idea what the time is.」
"e," said the Magi. "All times may be soon to Aslan; but in my home all hungry times are one oclock.」
He led her a little way down the passage and opened a door. Passing in, Lucy found herself in a pleasant room full of sunlight and flowers. The table was bare when they
entered, but it was of course a magic table, and at a word from the old man the tablecloth, silver, plates, glasses and food appeared.
"I hope that is-what you would like," said he. "I have tried to give you food more like the food of your own land than perhaps you have had lately.」
"Its lovely," said Lucy, and so it was; ae, piping hot, cold lamb and green peas, a strawberry ice, lemonsquash to drink with the meal and a cup of chocolate to follow.
But the magi himself drank only wine and ate only bread. There was nothing alarming about him, and Lud he were soon chatting away like old friends.
"When will the spell work?" asked Lucy. "Will the Duffers be visible again at once?」
"Oh yes, theyre visible now. But theyre probably all asleep still; they always take a rest in the middle of the day.」
"And now that theyre visible, are you going to let them off being ugly? Will you make them as they were before?」
"Well, thats rather a