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CHAPTER ONE

LUCY LOOKS INTO A WARDROBE

ONCE there were four children whose names were Peter, Susan, Ed that happened to the the war because of the air-raids They were sent to the house of an old Professor who lived in the heart of the country, ten miles from the nearest railway station and two miles from the nearest post office He had no wife and he lived in a very large house with a housekeeper called Mrs Macready and three servants (Their naaret and Betty, but they do not come into the story y white hair which grew over most of his face as well as on his head, and they liked hi when he ca that Lucy (as the youngest) was a little afraid of hih and had to keep on pretending he was blowing his nose to hide it

As soon as they had said good night to the Professor and gone upstairs on the first night, the boys cairls' room and they all talked it over

"We've fallen on our feet and noto be perfectly splendid That old chap will let us do anything we like"

"I think he's an old dear," said Susan

"Oh, co not to be tired, which alwayslike that"

"Like what?" said Susan; "and anyway, it's time you were in bed"

"Trying to talk like Mother," said Edo to bed? Go to bed yourself"

"Hadn't we all better go to bed?" said Lucy "There's sure to be a roe're heard talking here"

"No there won't," said Peter "I tell you this is the sort of house where no one's going to mind e do Anyway, they won't hear us It's about ten -rooes in between"

"What's that noise?" said Lucy suddenly It was a far larger house than she had ever been in before and the thought of all those long passages and rows of doors leading into e to make her feel a little creepy

"It's only a bird, silly," said Edmund

"It's an owl," said Peter "This is going to be a wonderful place for birds I shall go to bed now I say, let's go and explore to in a place like this Did you see those les There s There'll be hawks"

"Badgers!" said Lucy

"Foxes!" said Edmund

"Rabbits!" said Susan