“There are lamps all the way，” said Golg. “Your Honour can see the beginning of the road on the far side of the chasm.”
“How long will the lamps burn for？” asked Puddleglum.
At that moment a hissing， scorching voice like the voice of fire itself （they wondered afterwards if it could have been a salamander’s） came whistling up out of the very depths of Bism.
“Quick！ Quick！ Quick！ To the cliffs， to the cliffs， to the cliffs！” it said. “The rift closes. It closes. It closes. Quick！ Quick！” And at the same time， with ear.shattering cracks and creaks， the rocks moved. Already， while they looked，he chasm was narrower. From every side belated gnomes ere rushing into it. They would not wait to climb down he rocks. They flung themselves headlong and， either ecause so strong a blast of hot air was beating up from he bottom， or for some other reason， they could be seen oating downwards like leaves. Thicker and thicker they oated， till their blackness almost blotted out the fiery river nd the groves of live gems.