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e couldnt help tearing now and then； especially on hot nights。
about six days after they had landed on dragon island； edmund happened to wake up very early one morning。 it was just getting grey so that you could see the tree…trunks if they were between you and the bay but not in the other direction。 as he woke he thought he heard something moving； so he raised himself on one elbow and looked about him： and presently he thought he saw a dark figure moving on the seaward side of the wood。
the idea that at once occurred to his mind was； 〃are we so sure there are no natives on this island after all？〃 then he thought it was caspian … it was about the right size … but he knew that caspian had been sleeping next to him and could see that he hadnt moved。
edmund made sure that his sword was in its place and then rose to investigate。
he came down softly to the edge of the wood and the dark figure was still there。 he saw now that it was too small for caspian and too big for lucy。 it did not run away。 edmund drew his sword and was about to challenge the stranger when the stranger said in a low voice； 〃is that you； edmund？”
〃yes。 who are you？〃 said he。
〃dont you know me？〃 said the other。 〃its me eustace。”
〃by jove；〃 said edmund； 〃so it is。 my dear chap …”
〃hush；〃 said eustace and lurched as if he were going to fall。
〃hello！〃 said edmund； steadying him。 〃whats up？ are you ill？”
eustace was silent for so long that edmund thought he was fainting； but at last he said； 〃its been ghastly。 you dont know 。 。 。 but its all right now。 could we go and talk somewhere？ i dont want to meet the others just yet。”
〃yes； rather； anywhere you like；〃 said edmund。 〃we can go and sit on the rocks over there。 i say； i am glad to see you … er … looking yourself again。 you must have had a pretty beastly time。”
they went to the rocks and sat down looking out across the bay while the sky got paler and paler and the stars disappeared except for one very bright one low down and near the horizon。
〃i wont tell you how i became a … a dragon till i can tell the others and get it all over；”
said eustace。 〃by the way； i didnt even know it was a dragon till i heard you all using the word when i turned up here the other morning。 i want to tell you how i stopped being one。”
〃fire ahead；〃 said edmund。
〃well； last night i was more miserable than ever。 and that beastly arm…ring was hurting like anything…”
〃is that all right now？”
eustace laughed … a different laugh from any edmund had heard him give before … and slipped the bracelet easily off his arm。 〃there it is；〃 he said； 〃and anyone who likes can have it as far as im concerned。 well； as i say； i was lying awake and wondering what on earth would bee of me。 and then … but； mind you； it may have been all a dream。 i dont know。”
〃go on；〃 said edmund； with considerable patience。
〃well； anyway； i looked up and saw the very last thing i expected： a huge lion ing slowly towards me。 and one queer thing was that there was no moon last night； but there was moonlight where the lion was。 so it came nearer and nearer。 i was terribly afraid of it。 you may think that； being a dragon； i could have knocked any lion out easily enough。
but it wasnt that kind of fear。 i wasnt afraid of it eating me； i was just afraid of it … if you can understand。 well； it came close up to me and looked straight into my eyes。 and i shut my eyes tight。 but that wasnt any good because it told me to follow it。”
〃you mean it spoke？”
〃i dont know。 now that you mention it； i dont think it did。 but it told me all the same。
and i knew id have to do what it told me； so i got up and followed it。 and it led me a long way into the mountains。 and there was always this moonlight over and round the lion wherever we went。 so at last we came to the top of a mountain id never seen before and on the top of this mountain there was a garden … trees and fruit and everything。 in the middle of it there was a well。
〃i knew it was a well because you could see the water bubbling up from the bottom of it： but it was a lot bigger than most wells … like a very big； round bath with marble steps going down into it。 the water was as clear as anything and i thought if i could get in there and bathe it would ease the pain in my leg。 but the lion told me i must undress first。
mind you； i dont know if he said any words out loud or not。
〃i was just going to say that i couldnt undress because i hadnt any clothes on when i suddenly thought that dragons are snaky sort of things and snakes can cast their skins。
oh； of course； thought i； thats what the lion means。 so i started scratching myself and my scales began ing off all over the place。 and then i scratched a little deeper and； instead of just scales ing off here and there； my whole skin started peeling off beautifully； like it does after an illness； or as if i was a banana。 in a minute or two i just
stepped out of it。 i could see it lying there beside me； looking rather nasty。 it was a most lovely feeling。 so i started to go down into the well for my bathe。
〃but just as i was going to put my feet into the water i looked down and saw that they were all hard and rough and wrinkled and scaly just as they had been before。 oh； thats all right； said i； it only means i had another smaller suit on underneath the first one； and ill have to get out of it too。 so 1 scratched and tore again and this underskin peeled off beautifully and out i stepped and left it lying beside the other one and went down to the well for my bathe。
〃well； exactly the same thing happened again。 and i thought to myself； oh dear； how ever many skins have i got to take off？ for i was longing to bathe my leg。 so i scratched away for the third time and got off a third skin； just like the two others； and stepped out of it。 but as soon as i looked at myself in the water i knew it had been no good。
〃then the lion said … but i dont know if it spoke … 〃you will have to let me undress you。”
i was afraid of his claws； i can tell you； but i was pretty nearly desperate now。 so i just lay flat down on my back to let him do it。
〃the very first tear he made was so deep that i thought it had gone right into my heart。
and when he began pulling the skin off； it hurt worse than anything ive ever felt。 the only thing that made me able to bear it was just the pleasure of feeling the stuff peel off。
you know … if youve ever picked the scab off a sore place。 it hurts like billy…oh but it is such fun to see it ing away。”
〃i know exactly what you mean；〃 said edmund。
〃well； he peeled the beastly stuff right off … just as i thought id done it myself the other three times； only they hadnt hurt … and there it was lying on the grass： only ever so much thicker； and darker； and more knobbly…looking than the others had been。 and there was i as smooth and soft as a peeled switch and smaller than i had been。 then he caught hold of me … i didnt like that much for i was very tender underneath now that id no skin on … and threw me into the water。 it smarted like anything but only for a moment。 after that it became perfectly delici