“Yes and I did hope，” said Jill， “that it might go on for ever. I knewour world couldn’t. I did think Narnia might.”
“I saw it begin，” said the Lord Digory. “I did not think I would live to see it die.”
“Sirs，” said Tirian. “The ladies do well to weep. See， I do so myself. I have seen my mother‘s death. What world but Narnia have I ever known？ It were no virtue， but great discourtesy， if we did not mourn.”
They walked away from the Door and away from the Dwarfs who still sat crowded together in their imaginary Stable. And as they went they talked to one another about old wars and old peace and ancient Kings and all the glories of Narnia.
The Dogs were still with them. They joined in the conversation but not much because they were too busy racing on ahead and racing back and rushing off to sniff at smells in the grass till they made themselves sneeze. Suddenly they picked up a scent which seemed to excite them very much. They all started arguing about it- “Yes it is-No it isn’t- That‘s just what I said-Anyone can smell what that is-Take your great nose out of the way and let someone else smell.”
“What is it， cousins？” said Peter.
“A Calormene， Sire，” said several Dogs at once.
“Lead on to him， then，” said Peter. “Whether he meets us in peace or war， he shall be welcome.”
The Dogs darted on ahead and came back a moment later， running as if their lives depended on it， and barking loudly to say that it really was a Calormene. （Talking Dogs， just like the common ones， behave as if they thought whatever they are doing at the moment immensely important.）
The others followed where the Dogs led them and found a young Calormene sitting under a chestnut tree beside a clear stream of water. It was Emeth. He rose at once and bowed gravely.
“Sir，” he said to Peter， “I know not whether you are my friend or my foe， but I should count it my honour to have you for either. Has notone of the poets said that a noble friend is the best gift and a noble enemy the next best？”
“Sir，” said Peter， “I do not know that there need be any war between you and us.”
“Do tell us who you are and what’s happened to you，” said Jill.
“If there‘s going to be a story， let’s all have a drink and sit down，” barked the Dogs. “We‘re quite blown.”
“Well of course you will be if you keep tearing about the way you have done，” said Eustace.
So the humans sat down on the grass. And when the Dogs had all had a very noisy drink out of the stream they all sat down， bolt upright， panting， with their tongues hanging out of their heads a little on one side to hear the story. But Jewel remained standing， polishing his horn against his side.
他们站在阿斯兰右边，透过敞开的门向外望去。篝火已经熄灭，黑暗笼罩着大地。实际上，如果你没有看到树木与群星交会的黑色轮廓，你根本不知道自己是在望着一座树林。阿斯兰再次吼叫的时候，他们看见自己左边出现了另外一个黑影。也就是说，他们看见了一块黑乎乎的地方，那里没有星星。那个黑色的影子越来越高，显露出人的形状，但比所有的巨人都要高大。他们对纳尼亚了如指掌，可以猜出他所站的地方。他一定是站在西里布尔河对岸向北绵延的那些荒原之上。
这时，吉尔和尤斯塔斯回想起来，很久以前，在那些荒原下面幽深的岩洞里，他们曾经看见一位正在酣睡的高大巨人。有人告诉他们，这个巨人名叫时间老人，他将在世界末日醒来。
“没错，”阿斯兰说，他似乎知道他们想要说些什么，“当他躺着做梦时，他的名字叫时间。现在他睡醒了，他将要有一个新的名字。”
只见那个高大的巨人把一支号角放到嘴边。他们能够看出来，是由于在星光的映衬下，他们能够识别出黑色身影的变化。在那之后，过了好一阵子——因为那个声音传播得相当缓慢——他们才听到号角声：高亢而威武，还带着几分奇特的凄美。
刹那间，天空中充满了流星。如果说，一颗流星值得驻足观看的话，那么几十颗、上百颗、几百上千颗流星，就更是一个奇观了。银色的流星雨不停地下了一会儿后，有一两个人开始注意到，另一个黑色的影子又出现在夜空之中。那个黑影位于他们的头顶之上，你也许会将其称之为苍穹。“说不定那是一朵云。”埃德蒙心中暗想。不管怎样，那里没有星星，有的只是一片黑暗。而在他们四周，流星雨还在一个劲儿地下着。紧接着，那片没有星星的黑影开始扩散，从穹顶向四外扩散开来。不大一会儿，四分之一的天空变暗了，紧接着一半的天空暗了下来，最后，只有靠近地平线的地方还有流星雨。
怀着一种惊奇的感觉（其中不乏惊恐之感），他们突然意识到发生了什么事情。那个扩散的黑暗并不是一朵乌云，而是一种虚无。天空的黑暗部分已经没有了星辰。所有的星星都在坠落，阿斯兰把它们召回家去了。
流星雨停止前的最后几秒钟格外令人激动。星星纷纷降落在他们四周。那个世界的星星与我们世界的星星不同，他们是人，而不是巨大的火球（埃德蒙和露西曾经遇到过一个星君）。于是，他们发现一大群闪亮的人从漆黑的夜空中迅速坠落，超过了陨石的速度。他们的长发像是燃烧的银丝，手中的长矛像是炽热的金属。他们落地时发出青草烧焦的哧哧声。这些星星从他们身边滑过，站到他们身后稍微偏右的地方。
这当然是件好事，因为天空中没有了星星，一切都在黑暗的笼罩之下，人们将会伸手不见五指。幸亏事实并非如此，他们身后的那一群星星发出了耀眼的光芒，似乎是在探照灯的照耀之下。他们看到纳尼亚的树林一英里又一英里地向前绵延。每一株灌木，每一棵小草的叶片，都拖着黑色的影子。叶片的边缘显得异常锋利，你觉得甚至能够划破你的手指。
前面的草地上也出现了他们自己的身影，而最奇妙的是阿斯兰的身影。他的影子朝他们左边延伸，看上去硕大无朋，令人敬畏。所有这一切，都发生在一个从此再也没有星星的夜空之下。
