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〃do you mean you were flying in the air？〃 eustace blurted out。
〃i was a long way above the air； my son；〃 replied the old man。 〃i am ramandu。 but i see that you stare at on another and have not heard this name。 and no wonder； for the days when i was a star had ceased long before any of you knew this world； and all the constellations have changed。”
〃golly；〃 said edmund under his breath。 〃hes a retired star。”
〃arent you a star any longer？〃 asked lucy。
〃i am a star at rest； my daughter；〃 answered ramandu 〃when i set for the last time； decrepit and old beyond all that you can reckon； i was carried to this island。 i am not so old now as i was then。 every morning a bird brings me a fire…berry from the valleys in the sun； and each fire…berry takes away a little of my age。
and when i have bee as young as the child that was born yesterday； then i shall take my rising again （for we are at earths eastern rim） and once more tread the great dance。”
〃in our world；〃 said eustace； 〃a star is a huge ball of flaming gas。”
〃even in your world； my son； that is not what a star is but only what it is made of。 and in this world you ave already met a star； for i think you have been with coriakin。”
〃is he a retired star； too？〃 said lucy。
〃well； not quite the same；〃 said ramandu。 〃it was not quite as a rest than he was set to govern the duffers。 you might call it a punishment。 he might have shone for thousands of years more in the southern winter sky if all had gone well。”
〃what did he do； sir？〃 asked caspian。
〃my son；〃 said ramandu； 〃it is not for you； a son of adam； to know what faults a star can mit。 but e； we waste time in such talk。 are you yet resolved？ will you sail further east and e again； leaving one to return no more； and so break the enchantment？ or will you sail westward？”
〃surely； sire；〃 said reepicheep； 〃there is no question about that？ it is very plainly part of our quest to rescue these three lords from enchantment。”
〃i think the same； reepicheep；〃 replied caspian。 〃and even if it were not so； it would break my heart not to go as near the worlds end as the dawn treader will take us。 but i am thinking of the crew。 they signed on to seek the seven lords； not to reach the rim of the earth。 if we sail east from here we sail to find the edge； the utter east。 and not one knows how far it is。 theyre brave fellows； but i set signs that some of them are weary of the voyage and long to have our prow pointing to narnia again。 i dont think should take them further without their knowledge an consent。 and then theres the poor lord rhoop。
hes broken man。”
〃my son；〃 said the star； 〃it would be no use； even though you wished it； to sail for the worlds end with men unwilling or men deceived。 that is not how great unenchantments are achieved。 they must know where they go and why。 but who is this broken man you speak of？”
caspian told ramandu the story of rhoop。
〃i can give him what he needs most；〃 said ramandu。 〃i this island there is sleep without stint or measure； and sleep in which no faintest footfall of a dream was ever heard。 let him sit beside these other three and drink oblivion till you return。”
〃oh； do lets do that； caspian；〃 said lucy。 〃im sure its just what he would love。”
at that moment they were interrupted by the sound of many feet and voices： drinian and the rest of the ship pany were approaching。 they halted in surprise whey they saw ramandu and his daughter； and then； because these were obviously great people； every man uncovered his head。 some sailors eyed the empty dishes and flagons on the table with regret。
〃my lord；〃 said the king to drinian； 〃pray send two men back to the dawn treader with a message to the lord rhoop。 tell him that the last of his old shipmates are here asleep … a sleep without dreams … and that he can share it。”
when this had been done； caspian told the rest to sit down and laid the whole situation before them。 when he had finished there was a long silence and some whispering until presently the master bowman got to his feet； and said： 〃what some of us have been wanting to ask for a long time； your majesty； is how were ever to get home when we do turn； whether we turn here or somewhere else。 its been west and north…west winds all the way； barring an occasional calm。 and if that doesnt change； id like to know what hopes we have of seeing narnia again。 theres not much chance of supplies lasting while we row all that way。
〃thats landsmans talk；〃 said drinian。 〃theres always a prevailing west wind in these seas all through the late summer； and it always changes after the new year。 well have plenty of wind for sailing westward； more than we shall like from all accounts。”
〃thats true； master；〃 said an old sailor who was a galmian by birth。 〃you get some ugly weather rolling up from the east in january and february。 and by your leave； sire； if i was in mand of this ship id say to winter here and begin the voyage home in march。”
〃whatd you eat while you were wintering here？〃 asked eustace。
〃this table；〃 said ramandu； 〃will be filled with a kings feast every day at sunset。”
〃now youre talking！〃 said several sailors。
〃your majesties and gentlemen and ladies all；〃 said rynelf； 〃theres just one thing i want to say。 theres not one of us chaps as was pressed on this journey。 were volunteers。 and theres some here chat are looking very hard at that table and thinking about kings feasts who were talking very loud about adventures on the day we sailed from cair paravel； and swearing they wouldnt e home till wed found the end of the world。 and there were some standing on the quay who would have given all they had to e with us。 it was thought a finer thing then to have a cabin…boys berth on the dawn treader than to wear a knights belt。 i dont know if you get the hang of what im saying。 but what i mean is that i think chaps who set out like us will look as silly as … as those dufflepuds … if we e home and say we got to the beginning of the worlds end and hadnt the heart to go further。”
some of the sailors cheered at this but some said that that was all very well。
〃this isnt going to be much fun；〃 whispered edmund to caspian。 〃what are we to do if half those fellows hang back？”
〃wait；〃 caspian whispered back。 〃ive still a card to play。”
〃arent you going to say anything； reep？〃 whispered lucy。
〃no。 why should your majesty expect it？〃 answered reepicheep in a voice that most people heard。 〃my owns plans are made。 while i can； i sail east in the dawn treader。
when she fails me； i paddle east in my coracle。 when she sinks； i shall swim east with my four paws。 and when i can swim no longer； if i have not reached aslans country； or shot over the edge of the world in some vast cataract； i shall sink with my nose to the sunrise and peepiceek will be head of the talking mice in narnia。”
〃hear； hear；〃 said a sailor； 〃ill say the same； barring the bit about the coracle； which wouldnt bear me。〃 he added in a lower voice； 〃im not going to be outdone by a mouse。”
at this point caspian jumped to his feet。 〃friends；〃 he said； 〃i think you have not quite underst