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at lunchtime something happened which made all three of them more anxious than ever to leave the castle of the gentle giants。 they had lunch in the great hall at a little table of their own； near the fireplace。 at a bigger table； about twenty yards away； half a dozen old giants were lunching。 their conversation was so noisy； and so high up in the air； that the children soon took no more notice of it than you would of hooters outside the window or traffic noises in the street。 they were eating cold venison； a kind of food which jill had never tasted before； and she was liking it。
suddenly puddleglum turned to them； and his face had gone so pale that you could see the paleness under the natural muddiness of his plexion。 he said：
〃dont eat another bite。”
〃whats wrong？〃 asked the other two in a whisper。
〃didnt you hear what those giants were saying？ ‘thats a nice tender haunch of venison； said one of them。 ‘then that stag was a liar； said another。 ‘why？ said the first one。 ‘oh； said the other。 ‘they say that when he was caught he said； dont kill me； im tough。 you wont like me。〃 for a moment jill did not realize the full meaning of this。 but she did when scrubbs eyes opened wide with horror and he said： 〃so weve been eating a talking stag。”
this discovery didnt have exactly the same effect on all of them。 jill； who was new to that world； was sorry for the poor stag and thought it rotten of the giants to have killed him。 scrubb； who had been in that world before and had at least one talking beast as his dear friend； felt horrified； as you might feel about a murder。 but puddleglum； who was narnian born； was sick and faint； and felt as you would feel if you found you had eaten a baby。
〃weve brought the anger of aslan on us；〃 he said。 〃thats what es of not attending to the signs。 were under a curse； i expect。 if it was allowed； it would be the best thing we could do； to take these knives and drive them into our own hearts。”
and gradually even jill came to see it from his point of view。 at any rate； none of them wanted any more lunch。 and as soon as they thought it safe they crept quietly out of the hall。
it was now drawing near to that time of the day on which their hopes of escape depended； and all became nervous。 they hung about in passages and waited for things to bee quiet。 the giants in the hall sat on a dreadfully long time after the meal was over。 the bald one was telling a story。 when that was over； the three travellers dawdled down to the kitchen。 but there were still plenty of giants there； or at least in the scullery； washing up and putting things away。 it was agonizing； waiting till these finished their jobs and； one by one； wiped their hands and went away。 at last only one old giantess was left in the room。 she pottered about； and pottered about； and at last the three travellers realized with horror that she did not intend to go away at all。
〃well； dearies；〃 she said to them。 〃that jobs about through。 lets put the kettle there。
thatll make a nice cup of tea presently。 now i can have a little bit of a rest。 just look into the scullery； like good poppets； and tell me if the back door is open。”
〃yes； it is；〃 said scrubb。
〃thats right。 i always leave it open so as puss can get in and out； the poor thing。”
then she sat down on one chair and put her feet up on another。
〃i dont know as i mightnt have forty winks；〃 said the giantess。 〃if only that blarney hunting party doesnt e back too soon。”
all their spirits leaped up when she mentioned forty winks； and flopped down again when she mentioned the return of the hunting party。
〃when do they usually eback？〃 asked jill。
〃you never can tell；〃 said the giantess。 〃but there； go and be quiet for a bit； my dearies。”
they retreated to the far end of the kitchen； and would have slipped out into the scullery there and then if the giantess had not sat up； opened her eyes； and brushed away a fly。
〃dont try it till were sure shes really asleep；〃 whispered scrubb。 〃or itll spoil everything。〃 so they all huddled at the kitchen end； waiting and watching。 the thought that the hunters might e back at any moment was terrible。 and the giantess was fidgety。 whenever they thought she had really gone to sleep； she moved。
〃i cant bear this；〃 thought jill。 to distract her mind； she began looking about her。 just in front of her was a clean wide table with two clean pie…dishes on it； and an open book。
they were giant pie…dishes of course。 jill thought that she could lie down just fortably in one of them。 then she climbed up on the bench beside the table to look at the book。 she read： mallard。 this delicious bird can be cooked in a variety of ways。
〃its a cookery book；〃 thought jill without much interest； and glanced over her shoulder。
the giantesss eyes were shut but she didnt look as if she were properly asleep。 jill glanced back at the book。 it was arranged alphabetically： and at the very next entry her heart seemed to stop beating； it ran man。 this elegant little biped has long been valued as a delicacy。 it forms a traditional part of the autumn feast； and is served between the fish and the joint。 each man。。。
but she could not bear to read any more。 she turned round。 the giantess had wakened up and was having a fit of coughing。 jill nudged the other two and pointed to the book。 they also mounted the bench and bent over the huge pages。 scrubb was still reading about how to cook men when puddleglum pointed to the next entry below it。 it was like this： marsh…wiggle。 some authorities reject this animal altogether as unfit for giants consumption because of its stringy consistency and muddy flavour。 the flavour can； however； be greatly reduced if… jill touched his feet； and scrubbs； gently。 all three looked back at the giantess。 her mouth was slightly open and from her nose there came a sound which at that moment was
more wele to them than any music； she snored。 and now it was a question of tiptoe work； not daring to go too fast； hardly daring to breathe； out through the scullery （giant sculleries smell horrid）； out at last into the pale sunlight of a winter afternoon。
they were at the top of a rough little path which ran steeply down。 and； thank heavens； on the right side of the castle； the city ruinous was in sight。 in a few minutes they were back on the broad； steep road which led down from the main gate of the castle。 they were also in full view from every single window on that side。 if it had been one； or two； or five windows thered be a reasonable chance that no one might be looking out。 but there were nearer fifty than five。 they now realized； too； that the road on which they were； and indeed all the ground between them and the city ruinous； didnt offer as much cover as would hide a fox； it was all coarse grass and pebbles and flat stones。 to make matters worse； they were now in the clothes that the giants had provided for them last night： except puddleglum； whom nothing would fit。 jill wore a vivid green robe； rather too long for her； and over that a scarlet mantle fringed with white fur。 scrubb had scarlet stockings； blue tunic and cloak； a g