The Earthmen parted the curtains and stood aside. The three passed in. They were in a beautiful room， richly tapestried， with a bright fire on a clean hearth， and red wine and cut glass sparkling on the table. A young man with fair hair rose to greet them. He was handsome and looked both bold and kind， though there was something about his face that didn‘t seem quite right. He was dressed in black and altogether looked a little bit like Hamlet.
“Welcome， Overworlders，” he cried. “But stay a moment！ I cry you mercy！ I have seen you two fair children， and this， your strange governor， before. Was it not you three that met me by the bridge on the borders of Ettinsmoor when I rode there by my Lady’s side？”
“Oh . . . you were the black knight who never spoke？” exclaimed Jill.
“And was that lady the Queen of Underland？” asked Puddleglum， in no very friendly voice. And Scrubb， who was thinking the same， burst out， “Because if it was， I think she was jolly mean to send us off to a castle of giants who intended to eat us. What harm had we ever done her， I should like to know？”
