CHAPTER23
CurdieandHisMotherCurdiewentupthemountainneitherwhistlingnorsinging，forhewasvexedwithIrenefortakinghimin，ashecalledit;andhewasvexedwithhimselfforhavingspokentohersoangrily。Hismothergaveacryofjoywhenshesawhim，andatoncesetaboutgettinghimsomethingtoeat，askinghimquestionsallthetime，whichhedidnotanswersocheerfullyasusual。Whenhismealwasready，shelefthimtoeatit，andhurriedtotheminetolethisfatherknowhewassafe。Whenshecameback，shefoundhimfastasleepuponherbed;nordidhewakeuntilhisfathercamehomeintheevening。
’Now，Curdie，’hismothersaid，astheysatatsupper，’tellusthewholestoryfrombeginningtoend，justasitallhappened。’
Curdieobeyed，andtoldeverythingtothepointwheretheycameoutuponthelawninthegardenoftheking’shouse。
’Andwhathappenedafterthat？’askedhismother。’Youhaven’ttoldusall。Yououghttobeveryhappyathavinggotawayfromthosedemons，andinsteadofthatIneversawyousogloomy。Theremustbesomethingmore。Besides，youdonotspeakofthatlovelychildasIshouldliketohearyou。Shesavedyourlifeattheriskofherown，andyetsomehowyoudon’tseemtothinkmuchofit。’