CHAPTER FOURTEEN THE BOTTOM OF THE WORLD

“MY name is Golg,”said the gnome. “And I’ll tell your Honours all I know. About an hour ago we were all going about our work—her work，I should say—sad and silent，same as we’ve done any other day for years and years. Then there came a great crash and bang. As soon as they heard it，everyone says to himself，I haven’t had a song or a dance or let off a squib for a long time；why’s that ？ And everyone thinks to himself，Why， I must have been enchanted. And then everyone says to himself，I’m blessed if I know why I’m carrying this load，and I’m not going to carry it any farther：that’s that. And down we all throw our sacks and bundles and tools. Then everyone turns and sees the great red glow over yonder. And everyone says to himself，What’s that ？ and everyone answers himself and says，There’s a crack or chasm split open and a nice warm glow coming up through it from the Really Deep Land，a thousand fathom under us.”

“Great Scott,”exclaimed Eustace，“are there other lands still lower down ？”

“Oh yes，your Honour,”said Golg. “Lovely places；what we call the Land of Bism. This country where we are now，the Witch’s country，is what we call the Shallow Lands. It’s a good deal too near the surface to suit us. Ugh ！ You might almost as well be living outside，on the surface itself. You see，we’re all poor gnomes from Bism whom the Witch has called up here by magic to work for her. But we’d forgotten all about it till that crash came and the spell broke. We didn’t know who we were or where we belonged. We couldn’t do anything，or think anything，except what she put into our heads. And it was glum and gloomy things she put there all those years. I’ve nearly forgotten how to make a joke or dance a jig. But the moment the bang came and the chasm opened and the sea began rising，it all came back. And of course we all set off as quick as we could to get down the crack and home to our own place. And you can see them over there all letting off rockets and standing on their heads for joy. And I’ll be very obliged to your Honours if you’ll soon let me go and join in.”

“I think this is simply splendid,”said Jill. “I’m so glad we freed the gnomes as well as ourselves when we cut off the Witch’s head ！ And I’m so glad they aren’t really horrid and gloomy any more than the Prince really was—well，what he seemed like.”

“That’s all very well，Pole,”said Puddleglum cautiously. “But those gnomes didn’t look to me like chaps who were just running away. It looked more like military formations，if you ask me. Do you look me in the face，Mr Golg，and tell me you weren’preparing for battle ？”

“Of course we were，your Honour,”said Golg. “You see，we didn’t know the Witch was dead. We thought she’d be watching from the castle. We were trying to slip away without being seen. And then when you four came out with swords and horses，of course everyone says to himself，Here it comes：not knowing that his Honour wasn’t on the Witch’s side. And we were determined to fight like anything rather than give up the hope of going back to Bism.”

“I’ll be sworn’t is an honest gnome,”said the Prince. “Let go of it，friend Puddleglum. As for me，good Golg，I have been enchanted like you and your fellows，and have but newly remembered myself. And now，one question more. Do you know the way to those new diggings，by which the sorceress meant to lead out an army against Overland ？”

“Ee-ee-ee ！”squeaked Golg. “Yes，I know that terrible road. I will show you where it begins. But it is no manner of use your Honour asking me to go with you on it. I’ll die rather.”

“Why ？”asked Eustace anxiously. “What’s so dreadful about it ？”

“Too near the top，the outside,”said Golg，shuddering. “That was the worst thing the Witch did to us. We were going to be led out into the open—onto the outside of the world. They say there’s no roof at all there；only a horrible，great emptiness called the sky. And the diggings have gone so far that a few strokes of the pick would bring you out to it. I wouldn’t dare go near them.”