saidSusan．“Butithasworked．Andhereweare．”
“Um—um—yes，tobesure．Iseethat，”
saidtheDwarf，whosepipeseemedtobeblocked（atanyratehemadehimselfverybusycleaningit）．“But—well—Imean—”
“Butdon’tyouyetseewhoweare？”
shoutedLucy．“Youarestupid．”
“Isupposeyouarethefourchildrenoutoftheoldstories，”
saidTrumpkin．AndI’mverygladtomeetyouofcourse．Andit’sveryinteresting，nodoubt．But—nooffence？—andhehesitatedagain.
“Dogetonandsaywhateveryou’regoingtosay，”
saidEdmund.
“Well，then—nooffence，”
saidTrumpkin．“But，youknow，theKingandTrufflehunterandDoctorCorneliuswereexpecting—well，ifyouseewhatImean，help．Toputitinanotherway，Ithinkthey’dbeenimaginingyouasgreatwarriors．Asitis—we’reawfullyfondofchildrenandallthat，butjustatthemoment，inthemiddleofawar—butI’msureyouunderstand．”
“Youmeanyouthinkwe’renogood，”
saidEdmund，gettingredintheface．
“Nowpraydon’tbeoffended，”
interruptedtheDwarf．“Iassureyou，mydearlittlefriends—”
“Littlefromyouisreallyabittoomuch，”
saidEdmund，jumpingup．“Isupposeyoudon’tbelievewewontheBattleofBeruna？Well，youcansaywhatyoulikeaboutmebecauseIknow—”
“There’snogoodlosingourtempers，”
saidPeter．“Let’sfithimoutwithfresharmourandfitourselvesoutfromthetreasurechamber，andhaveatalkafterthat．”
“Idon’tquiteseethepoint—”
beganEdmund，butLucywhisperedinhisear，“Hadn’twebetterdowhatPetersays？HeistheHighKing，youknow．AndIthinkhehasanidea．”
SoEdmundagreedandbytheaidofhistorchtheyall，includingTrumpkin，wentdownthestepsagainintothedarkcoldnessanddustysplendourofthetreasurehouse．
TheDwarf’seyesglistenedashesawthewealththatlayontheshelves（thoughhehadtostandontiptoestodoso）andhemutteredtohimself，“ItwouldneverdotoletNikabrikseethis;never．”
Theyfoundeasilyenoughamailshirtforhim，asword，ahelmet，ashield，abowandquiverfulofarrows，allofdwarfishsize．Thehelmetwasofcopper，setwithrubies，andtherewasgoldonthehiltofthesword:Trumpkinhadneverseen，muchlesscarried，somuchwealthinallhislife．Thechildrenalsoputonmailshirtsandhelmets;aswordandshieldwerefoundforEdmundandabowforLucy—PeterandSusanwereofcoursealreadycarryingtheirgifts．Astheycamebackupthestairway，jinglingintheirmail，andalreadylookingandfeelingmorelikeNarniansandlesslikeschoolchildren，thetwoboyswerebehind，apparentlymakingsomeplan．LucyheardEdmundsay，“No，letmedoit．ItwillbemoreofasucksforhimifIwin，andlessofalet-downforusallifIfail．”
“Allright，Ed，”
saidPeter．
WhentheycameoutintothedaylightEdmundturnedtotheDwarfverypolitelyandsaid，“I’vegotsomethingtoaskyou．Kidslikeusdon’toftenhavethechanceofmeetingagreatwarriorlikeyou．Wouldyouhavealittlefencingmatchwithme？Itwouldbefrightfullydecent．”
“But，lad，”
saidTrumpkin，“theseswordsaresharp．”
“Iknow，”
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