Free The Silver Chair by C. S. Lewis

children,” she said, “you have a wise, solemn old guide with you. I think none the worse of him for keeping his own counsel, but I’ll be free with mine. I have often heard the name of the giantish City Ruinous, but never met any who would tell me the way thither.This road leads to the burgh and castle of Harfang, where dwell the gentle giants. They are as mild, civil, prudent, and courteous as those of Ettinsmoor are foolish, fierce, savage, and given to all beastliness. And in Harfang you may or may not hear tidings of the City Ruinous, but certainly you shall find good lodgings and merry hosts. You would be wise to winter there, or, at the least, to tarry certain days for your ease and refreshment. There you shall have steaming baths, soft beds, and bright hearths; and the roast and the baked and the sweet and the strong will be on the table four times a day.”
    “I say!” exclaimed Scrubb. “That’s something like! Think of sleeping in a bed again.”
    “Yes, and having a hot bath,” said Jill. “Do you think they’ll ask us to stay? We don’t know them, you see.”
    “Only tell them,” answered the Lady, “that She of the Green Kirtle salutes them by you, and has sent them two fair Southern children for the Autumn Feast.”
    “Oh, thank you, thank you ever so much,” said Jill and Scrubb.
    “But have a care,” said the Lady. “On whatever day you reach Harfang, that you come not to the door too late. For they shut their gates a few hours after noon, and it is the custom of the castle that they open to none when once they have drawn thebolt, how hard so ever he knock.”
    The children thanked her again, with shining eyes, and the Lady waved to them. The Marsh-wiggle took off his steeple-hat and bowed very stiffly. Then the silent Knight and the Lady started walking their horses up the slope of the bridge with a great clatter of hoofs.
    “Well!” said Puddleglum. “I’d give a good deal to know where she’s coming from and where she’s going. Not the sort you expect to meet in the wilds of Giantland, is she? Up to no good, I’ll be bound.”
    “Oh rot!” said Scrubb. “I thought she was simply super. And think of hot meals and warm rooms. I do hope Harfang isn’t a long way off.”
    “Same here,” said Jill. “And hadn’t she a scrumptious dress. And the horse!”
    “All the same,” said Puddleglum, “I wish we knew a bit more about her.”
    “I was going to ask her all about herself,” said Jill. “But how could I when you wouldn’t tell her anything about us?”
    “Yes,” said Scrubb. “And why were you so stiff and unpleasant? Didn’t you like them?”
    “Them?” said the wiggle. “Who’s them ? I only saw one.”
    “Didn’t you see the Knight?” asked Jill.
    “I saw a suit of armor,” said Puddleglum. “Why didn’t he speak?”
    “I expect he was shy,” said Jill. “Or perhaps he just wants to look at her and listen to her lovely voice. I’m sure I would if I was him.”
    “I was wondering,” remarked Puddleglum, “what you’d really see if you lifted up the visor of that helmet and looked inside.”
    “Hang it all,” said Scrubb. “Think of the shape of the armor! What could be inside it except a man?”
    “How about a skeleton?” asked the Marsh-wiggle with ghastly cheerfulness. “Or perhaps,” he added as an afterthought, “nothing at all. I mean, nothing you could see. Someone invisible.”
    “Really, Puddleglum,” said Jill with a shudder, “you do have the most horrible ideas! How do you think of them all?”
    “Oh, bother his ideas!” said Scrubb. “He’s always expecting the worst, and he’s always wrong. Let’s think about those Gentle Giants and get on to Harfang as quickly as we can. I wish I knew how far it is.”
    And now they nearly had the first of those quarrels which Puddleglum had foretold: not that Jill and Scrubb hadn’t been sparring and snapping at each other a good deal before, but this was the first really