heheavy,tangled,cold,clammywebofevilmagic.Buriedalive.Draggeddowheearth,downintothesooty

    blaess...howmanyyearsisit?...HaveIlivedtenyears,orathousandyears,i?Maggotmenallaroundme.Oh,havemercy.Letmeout,letmegoback.Letmefeelthewindahesky...Thereusedtobealittlepool.Whenyoulookeddownintoityoucouldseeallthetreesgrowingupside-downier,allgreen,ahem,deep,verydeep,thebluesky.”

    Hehadbeenspeakinginalowvoiowhelookedup,fixedhiseyesuponthem,andsaidloudandclear:"Quick!Iamsanenow.EverynightIamsane.IfonlyIcouldgetoutofthisentedchair,itwouldlast.Ishouldbeamanagain.Buteverynighttheybindme,andshtmyceisgoyouarenotenemies.Iamnotyourprisoner.Quick!Cutthesecords.”

    "Standfast!Steady,"saidPuddleglumtothetwochildren.

    "Ibeseechyoutohearme,"saidtheKnight,fhimselftospeakcalmly."HavetheytoldyouthatifIamreleasedfromthischairIshallkillyouandbeeaserpent?Iseebyyourfacesthattheyhave.Itisalie.ItisatthishourthatIaminmyrightmind:itisalltherestofthedaythatIamented.Youarehmennorwitches.Whyshouldyoubeontheirside?Ofyourcourtesy,cutmybonds.”

    "Steady!Steady!Steady!"saidthethreetravellerstooher.

    "Oh,youhaveheartsofstone,"saidtheKnight."Believeme,youlookupochwhohassufferedalmostmorethananymortalbear.WhatwronghaveIeverdoneyou,thatyoushouldsidewithmyeokeepmeinsuchmiseries?Andtheminutesareslippingpast.Nowyousaveme;whenthishourhaspassed,Ishallbewitlessagaioyandlap-dog,nay,morelikelythepawnandtool,ofthemostdevilishsorceressthateverpl