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de of copper。 then； holding out her arm； she let one drop fall from it on the snow beside the sledge。 edmund saw the drop for a second in mid…air； shining like a diamond。 but the moment it touched the snow there was a hissing sound and there stood a jewelled cup full of something that steamed。 the dwarf immediately took this and handed it to edmund with a bow and a smile； not a very nice smile。 edmund felt much better as he began to sip the hot drink。 it was something he had never tasted before； very sweet and foamy and creamy； and it warmed him right down to his toes。
〃it is dull； son of adam； to drink without eating；〃 said the queen presently。 〃what would you like best to eat？鈥�
〃turkish delight； please； your majesty；〃 said edmund。
the queen let another drop fall from her bottle on to the snow； and instantly there appeared a round box； tied with green silk ribbon； which； when opened； turned out to contain several pounds of the best turkish delight。 each piece was sweet and light to the very centre and edmund had never tasted anything more delicious。 he was quite warm now； and very fortable。
while he was eating the queen kept asking him questions。 at first edmund tried to remember that it is rude to speak with ones mouth full； but soon he forgot about this and thought only of trying to shovel down as much turkish delight as he could； and the more he ate the more he wanted to eat； and he never asked himself why the queen should be so inquisitive。 she got him to tell her that he had one brother and two sisters； and that one of his sisters had already been in narnia and had met a faun there； and that no one except himself and his brother and his sisters knew anything about narnia。 she seemed especially interested in the fact that there were four of them； and kept on ing back to it。 〃you are sure there are just four of you？〃 she asked。 〃two sons of adam and two daughters of eve； neither more nor less？〃 and edmund； with his mouth full of turkish delight； kept on saying； 〃yes； i told you that before；〃 and forgetting to call her 〃your majesty〃； but she didnt seem to mind now。
at last the turkish delight was all finished and edmund was looking very hard at the empty box and wishing that she would ask him whether he would like some more。
probably the queen knew quite well what he was thinking； for she knew； though edmund did not； that this was enchanted turkish delight and that anyone who had once tasted it would want more and more of it； and would even； if they were allowed； go on eating it till they killed themselves。 but she did not offer him any more。 instead； she said to him； 〃son of adam； i should so much like to see your brother and your two sisters。 will you bring them to see me？鈥�
〃ill try；〃 said edmund； still looking at the empty box。
〃because； if you did e again … bringing them with you of course … id be able to give you some more turkish delight。 i cant do it now； the magic will only work once。 in my own house it would be another matter。鈥�
〃why cant we go to your house now？〃 said edmund。 when he had first got on to the sledge he had been afraid that she might drive away with him to some unknown place from which he would not be able to get back； but he had forgotten about that fear now。
〃it is a lovely place； my house；〃 said the queen。 〃i am sure you would like it。 there are whole rooms full of turkish delight； and whats more； i have no children of my own。 i want a nice boy whom i could bring up as a prince and who would be king of narnia when i am gone。 while he was prince he would wear a gold crown and eat turkish delight all day long； and you are much the cleverest and handsomest young man ive ever met。 i think i would like to make you the prince … some day； when you bring the others to visit me。鈥�
〃why not now？〃 said edmund。 his face had bee very red and his mouth and fingers were sticky。 he did not look either clever or handsome； whatever the queen might say。
〃oh； but if i took you there now；〃 said she； 〃i shouldnt see your brother and your sisters。
i very much want to know your charming relations。 you are to be the prince and … later on … the king； that is understood。 but you must have courtiers and nobles。 i will make your brother a duke and your sisters duchesses。鈥�
〃theres nothing special about them；〃 said edmund； 〃and； anyway； i could always bring them some other time。鈥�
〃ah； but once you were in my house；〃 said the queen； 〃you might forget all about thern。
you would be enjoying yourself so much that you wouldnt want the bother of going to fetch them。 no。 you must go back to your own country now and e to me another day； with them； you understand。 it is no good ing without them。鈥�
〃but i dont even know the way back to my own country；〃 pleaded edmund。 〃thats easy；〃 answered the queen。 〃do you see that lamp？〃 she pointed with her wand and edmund turned and saw the same lamp…post under which lucy had met the faun。
〃straight on； beyond that； is the way to the world of men。 and now look the other way… here she pointed in the opposite direction … 〃and tell me if you can see two little hills rising above the trees。鈥�
〃i think i can；〃 said edmund。
〃well； my house is between those two hills。 so next time you e you have only to find the lamp…post and look for those two hills and walk through the wood till you reach my house。 but remember … you must bring the others with you。 i might have to be very angry with you if you came alone。鈥�
〃ill do my best；〃 said edmund。
〃and； by the way；〃 said the queen； 〃you neednt tell them about me。 it would be fun to keep it a secret between us two； wouldnt it？ make it a surprise for them。 just bring them along to the two hills … a clever boy like you will easily think of some excuse for doing that … and when you e to my house you could just say 〃lets see who lives here〃 or something like that。 i am sure that would be best。 if your sister has met one of the fauns； she may have heard strange stories about me … nasty stories that might make her afraid to e to me。 fauns will say anything； you know； and now …鈥�
〃please； please；〃 said edmund suddenly； 〃please couldnt i have just one piece of turkish delight to eat on the way home？鈥�
〃no； no；〃 said the queen with a laugh； 〃you must wait till next time。〃 while she spoke； she signalled to the dwarf to drive on； but as the sledge swept away out of sight； the queen waved to edmund； calling out； 〃next time！ next time！ dont forget。 e soon。鈥�
edmund was still staring after the sledge when he heard someone calling his own name； and looking round he saw lucy ing towards him from another part of the wood。
〃oh； edmund！〃 she cried。 〃so youve got in too！ isnt it wonderful； and now…鈥�
〃all right；〃 said edmund； 〃i see you were right and it is a magic wardrobe after all。 ill say im sorry if you like。 but where on earth have you been all this time？ ive been looking for you everywhere。鈥�
〃if id known you had got in id have waited for you；〃 said lucy； who was too happy and excited to notice how snappishly edmund spoke or how flushed and strange his face was。
〃ive been having lunch with dear mr tumnus； the faun； and hes very well and the white witch has done nothing to him for letting me go； so he thinks she cant have found out and perhaps everything is going to be all right after all。鈥�
〃the white witch？〃 said edmund； 〃whos she？鈥�
〃she is a perfectly terrible person；〃 said lucy。 〃she calls herself the queen of narnia though she has no right to be queen at all； and all the fauns and dryads and naiads and dwarfs and animals … at least all the good ones … simply hate her。 and she can turn people into stone and do all kinds of horrible things。 and she has made a magic so that it is always winter in narnia … always winter； but it never gets to christmas。 and she drives about on a sledge； drawn by reindeer； with her wand in her hand and a crown on her head。鈥�
edmund was already feeling unfortable from having eaten too many sweets； and when he heard that the lady he had made friends with was a dangerous witch he felt even more unfortable。 but he still wanted to taste that turkish delight a