THE children were facing one another across the pillar where the bell hung, still trembling, though it no longer gave out any note. Suddenly they heard a soft noise from the end of the room which was still undamaged. They turned quick as lightning to see what it was. One of the robed figures, the furthest-off one of all, the woman whom Digory thought so beautiful, was rising from its chair. When she stood up they realized that she was even taller than they had thought. And you could see at once, not only from her crown and robes, but from the flash of her eyes and the curve of her lips, that she was a great queen. She looked round the room and saw the damage and saw the children, but you could not guess from her face what she thought of either or whether she was surprised. She came forward with long, swift strides.
“Who has awaked me? Who has broken the spell? ” she asked.
“I think it must have been me, ” said Digory.
“You! ” said the Queen, laying her hand on his shoulder—a white, beautiful hand, but Digory could feel that it was strong as steel pincers.“You? But you are only a child, a common child. Anyone can see at a glance that you have no drop of royal or noble blood in your veins. How did such as you dare to enter this house? ”
“We've come from another world; by Magic, ” said Polly, who thought it was high time the Queen took some notice of her as well as of Digory.
“Is this true? ” said the Queen, still looking at Digory and not giving Polly even a glance.
“Yes, it is, ” said he.
The Queen put her other hand under his chin and forced it up so that she could see his face better. Digory tried to stare back but he soon had to let his eyes drop. There was something about hers that overpowered him.
After she had studied him for well over a minute, she let go of his chin and said:
“You are no magician. The mark of it is not on you. You must be only the servant of a magician. It is on another's Magic that you have travelled here.”