eyhadall,infact,beenhearingtheithadbegunandincreasedsograduallythattheydidnotknowwhentheyhadfirstnoticedit.Foratimeithadbeenonlyavaguedisquietlikegentlewinds,ortrafficveryfaraway.Thenitswelledtoamurmurlikethesea.Thencamerumblingsandrushings.Nowthereseemedtobevoicesaswellandalsoasteadyrthatwasnotvoices.

    "BytheLion,"saidPrinceRilian,"itseemsthissilentlandhasfoundatolast."Herose,walkedtothewindow,anddrewasidethecurtains.Theotherscrowdedroundhimtolookout.

    Theveryfirstthiicedwasagreatredglow.ItsrefleadearedpattheroofoftheUnderworldthousandsoffeetabovethem,sothattheycouldseearockyceilingwhichhadperhapsbeenhiddenindarknesseversiheworldwasmade.Theglowitselfcamefromthefarsideofthecitysothatmanybuildings,grima,stoodupblacklyagainstit.Butitalsocastitslightdownmanystreetsthatranfromittowardsthecastle.Andinthosestreetssomethirangewasgoingon.Theclosely-packed,silentcrowdsofEarthmenhadvanished.Iherewerefiguresdartingaboutbyones,ortwos,orthrees.Theybehavedlikepeoplewhodonotwanttobeseen:lurkinginshadowbehindbuttressesorindoorways,andthenmovingquicklyacrosstheopenintofreshplacesofhiding.Butthestrahingofall,toanyonewho

    khegnomes,wasthenoise.Shoutsandcriescamefromalldires.Butfromtheharbourtherecamealow,rumblingroarwhichgrewsteadilylouderandwasalreadyshakingthewholecity.

    "WhatshappeheEarthmen?"saidScrubb."Isitthemshouting?”

    "Tishardlypossible,"saidthePrince."Ineverheardoherascalssomuchasspeakwithaloudvoiallthewea