Tumnus hustled Lucy along a dusty alleyway, through a courtyard, and down a flight of stairs, moving as if they were being watched, although Lucy saw few figures on the streets of this humid ramshackle city, and those only robed figures at a distance, who kept their heads down as they passed in silence.

At length they entered a dim room and Tumnus closed and latched the door behind him, being careful to close the shutters before striking a light to an odd old-fashioned looking oil lamp on a rickety table.

"First," he said in a whisper, "Tell me--did any cats see you?"