UNCLEANDREWandhisstudyvanishedinstantly.Then,foramoment,everythingbecamemuddled.ThenextthingDigoryknewwasthattherewasasoftgreenlightcomingdownonhimfromabove,anddarknessbelow.Hedidn’tseemtobestandingonanything,orsitting,orlying.Nothingappearedtobetouchinghim.“IbelieveI’minwater,”saidDigory.“Orunderwater.”Thisfrightenedhimforasecond,butalmostatoncehecouldfeelthathewasrushingupwards.Thenhisheadsuddenlycameoutintotheairand,hefoundhimselfscramblingashore,outontosmoothgrassygroundattheedgeofapool.
Asherosetohisfeethenoticedthathewasneitherdrippingnorpantingforbreathasanyonewouldexpectafterbeingunderwater.Hisclotheswereperfectlydry.Hewasstandingbytheedgeofasmallpool-notmorethantenfeetfromsidetosideinawood.Thetreesgrewclosetogetherandweresoleafythathecouldgetnoglimpseofthesky.Allthelightwasgreenlightthatcamethroughtheleaves:buttheremusthavebeenaverystrongsunoverhead,forthisgreendaylightwasbrightandwarm.Itwasthequietestwoodyoucouldpossiblyimagine.Therewerenobirds,noinsects,noanimals,andnowind.Youcouldalmostfeelthetreesgrowing.Thepoolhehadjustgotoutofwasnottheonlypool.Thereweredozensofothers-apooleveryfewyardsasfarashiseyescouldreach.Youcouldalmostfeelthetreesdrinkingthewaterupwiththeirroots.Thiswoodwasverymuchalive.WhenhetriedtodescribeitafterwardsDigoryalwayssaid,“Itwasarichplace:asrichasplumcake.”
Thestrangestthingwasthat,almostbeforehehadlookedabouthim,Digoryhadhalfforgottenhowhehadcomethere.Atanyrate,hewascertainlynotthinkingaboutPolly,orUncleAndrew,orevenhisMother.Hewasnotintheleastfrightened,orexcited,orcurious.Ifanyonehadaskedhim“Wheredidyoucomefrom?”hewouldprobablyhavesaid,“I’vealwaysbeenhere.”Thatwaswhatitfeltlike—asifonehadalwaysbeeninthatplaceandneverbeenboredalthoughnothinghadeverhappened.Ashesaidlongafterwards,“It’snotthesortofplacewherethingshappen.Thetreesgoongrowing,that’sall.”
AfterDigoryhadlookedatthewoodforalongtimehenoticedthattherewasagirllyingonherbackatthefootofatreeafewyardsaway.Hereyeswerenearlyshutbutnotquite,asifshewerejustbetweensleepingandwaking.Sohelookedatherforalongtimeandsaidnothing.Andatlastsheopenedhereyesandlookedathimforalongtimeandshealsosaidnothing.Thenshespoke,inadreamy,contentedsortofvoice.
“IthinkI’veseenyoubefore,”shesaid.
“Iratherthinksotoo,”saidDigory.“Haveyoubeenherelong?”
“Oh,always,”saidthegirl.“Atleast-Idon’tknowaverylongtime.”
“SohaveI,”saidDigory.
“Noyouhaven’t,saidshe.“I’vejustseenyoucomeupoutofthatpool.”
“Yes,IsupposeIdid,”saidDigorywithapuzzledair,“I’dforgotten.”
Thenforquitealongtimeneithersaidanymore.
“Lookhere,”saidthegirlpresently,“Iwonderdidweeverreallymeetbefore?Ihadasortofidea-asortofpictureinmyhead-ofaboyandagirl,likeus-livingsomewherequitedifferent-anddoingallsortsofthings.Perhapsitwasonlyadream.”
“I’vehadthatsamedream,Ithink,”saidDigory.“Aboutaboyandagirl,livingnextdoor-andsomethingaboutcrawlingamongrafters.Irememberthegirlhadadirtyface.”
“Aren’tyougettingitmixed?Inmydreamitwastheboywhohadthedirtyface.”
“Ican’tremembertheboy’sface,”saidDigory:andthenadded,“Hullo!What’sthat?”
“Why!it’saguinea-pig,”saidthegirl.Anditwas-afatguinea-pig,nosingaboutinthegrass.Butroundthemiddleoftheguinea—pigthereranatape,and,tiedontoitbythetape,wasabrightyellowring.
“Look!Look,”criedDigory,“Thering!Andlook!You’vegotoneonyourfinger.AndsohaveI.”
Thegirlnowsatup,reallyinterestedatlast.Theystaredveryhardatoneanother,tryingtoremember.Andthen,atexactlythesamemoment,sheshoutedout“Mr。Ketterley”andheshoutedout“UncleAndrew”,andtheyknewwhotheywereandbegantorememberthewholestory.Afterafewminutesofhardtalkingtheyhadgotitstraight.DigoryexplainedhowbeastlyUncleAndrewhadbeen。
“Whatdowedonow?”saidPolly.“Taketheguinea—pigandgohome?”
“There’snohurry,”saidDigorywithahugeyawn.
“Ithinkthereis,”saidPolly.“Thisplaceistooquiet.It’sso-sodreamy.You’realmostasleep.Ifweoncegiveintoitweshalljustliedownanddrowseforeverandever.”
“It’sverynicehere,”saidDigory.
“Yes,itis,”saidPolly.
“Butwe’vegottogetback.”Shestoodupandbegantogocautiouslytowardstheguinea-pig.Butthenshechangedhermind.
“Wemightaswellleavetheguinea-pig,”shesaid.“It’sperfectlyhappyhere,andyourunclewillonlydosomethinghorridtoitifwetakeithome.”
“Ibethewould,”answeredDigory.“Lookatthewayhe’streatedus.Bytheway,howdowegethome?”
“Gobackintothepool,Iexpect.”
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