“I think it‘s a ruin，” said Lucy when they had got a good eal nearer， and her guess was the best so far. What they ow saw was a wide oblong space flagged with smooth ones and surrounded by grey pillars but unroofed. And om end to end of it ran a long table laid with a rich rimson cloth that came down nearly to the pavement. At ither side of it were many chairs of stone richly carved nd with silken cushions upon the seats. But on the table self there was set out such a banquet as had never been een， not even when Peter the High King kept his court at air Paravel. There were turkeys and geese and peacocks， here were boars’ heads and sides of venison， there were ies shaped like ships under full sail or like dragons and lephants， there were ice puddings and bright lobsters and leaming salmon， there were nuts and grapes， pineapples nd peaches， pomegranates and melons and tomatoes. here were flagons of gold and silver and curiouslywroughtglass； and the smell of the fruit and the wine blew towards them like a promise of all happiness.
“I say！” said Lucy.
They came nearer and nearer， all very quietly. “But where are the guests？” asked Eustace. “We can provide that， Sir，” said Rhince.
