askedtheProfessor．
“Well，foronething，”
saidPeter，“ifitwastruewhydoesn’teveryonefindthiscountryeverytimetheygotothewardrobe？Imean，therewasnothingtherewhenwelooked；evenLucydidn’tpretendtherewas．”
“Whathasthattodowithit？”
saidtheProfessor．
“Well，sir，ifthingsarereal，they’rethereallthetime．”
“Arethey？”
saidtheProfessor；andPeterdid’ntknowquitewhattosay．
“Buttherewasnotime，”
saidSusan．“Lucyhadnotimetohavegoneanywhere，eveniftherewassuchaplace．Shecamerunningafterustheverymomentwewereoutoftheroom．Itwaslessthanminute，andshepretendedtohavebeenawayforhours．”
“Thatistheverythingthatmakesherstorysolikelytobetrue，”
saidtheProfessor．“Iftherereallyisadoorinthishousethatleadstosomeotherworld（andIshouldwarnyouthatthisisaverystrangehouse，andevenIknowverylittleaboutit）-if，Isay，shehadgotintoanotherworld，Ishouldnotbeatallsurprisedtofindthattheotherworldhadaseparatetimeofitsown；sothathoweverlongyoustayedthereitwouldnevertakeupanyofourtime.Ontheotherhand，Idon’tthinkmanygirlsofheragewouldinventthatideaforthemselves．Ifshehadbeenpretending，shewouldhavehiddenforareasonabletimebeforecomingoutandtellingherstory．”
“Butdoyoureallymean，sir，”
saidPeter，“thattherecouldbeotherworlds-allovertheplace，justroundthecorner-likethat？”
“Nothingismoreprobable，”
saidtheProfessor，takingoffhisspectaclesandbeginningtopolishthem，whilehemutteredtohimself，“Iwonderwhattheydoteachthemattheseschools．”
“Butwhatarewetodo？”
saidSusan．Shefeltthattheconversationwasbeginningtogetoffthepoint．
“Mydearyounglady，”
saidtheProfessor，suddenlylookingupwithaverysharpexpressionatbothofthem，“thereisoneplanwhichnoonehasyetsuggestedandwhichiswellworthtrying．”
“What’sthat？”
saidSusan．
“Wemightalltrymindingourownbusiness，”
saidhe．Andthatwastheendofthatconversation．
AfterthisthingswereagooddealbetterforLucy．PetersawtoitthatEdmundstoppedjeeringather，andneithershenoranyoneelsefeltinclinedtotalkaboutthewardrobeatall．Ithadbecomearatheralarmingsubject．Andsoforatimeitlookedasifalltheadventureswerecomingtoanend；butthatwasnottobe．
ThishouseoftheProfessor’s-whichevenheknewsolittleabout-wassooldandfamousthatpeoplefromalloverEnglandusedtocomeandaskpermissiontoseeoverit．Itwasthesortofhousethatismentionedinguidebooksandeveninhistories；andwellitmightbe，forallmannerofstoriesweretoldaboutit，someofthemevenstrangerthantheoneIamtellingyounow．Andwhenpartiesofsightseersarrivedandaskedtoseethehouse，theProfessoralwaysgavethempermission，andMrs.Macready，thehousekeeper，showedthemround，tellingthemaboutthepicturesandthearmour，andtherarebooksinthelibrary．Mrs.Macreadywasnotfondofchildren，anddidnotliketobeinterruptedwhenshewastellingvisitorsallthethingssheknew．ShehadsaidtoSusanandPeteralmostonthefirstmorning（alongwithagoodmanyotherinstructions），“Andpleaserememberyou’retokeepoutofthewaywheneverI’mtakingapartyoverthehouse．”
“Justasifanyofuswouldwanttowastehalfthemorningtrailingroundwithacrowdofstrangegrown-ups！”
saidEdmund，andtheotherthreethoughtthesame．Thatwashowtheadventuresbeganforthesecondtime．
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