<h2>CHAPTER XXXII</h2>
<div class='chaptertitle'>THE LAST CHAPTER</div>
<div class='cap'>ALL the rest went up the mountain, and separated in
groups to the homes of the miners. Curdie and his
father and mother took Lootie with them. And the
whole way, a light, of which all but Lootie understood the
origin, shone upon their path. But when they looked round
they could see nothing of the silvery globe.</div>
<p>For days and days the water continued to rush from the
doors and windows of the king's house, and a few goblin bodies
were swept out into the road.</p>
<p>Curdie saw that something must be done. He spoke to his
father and the rest of the miners, and they at once proceeded
to make another outlet for the waters. By setting all hands
to the work, tunneling here and building there, they soon
succeeded; and having also made a little tunnel to drain the
water away from under the king's house, they were soon able
to get into the wine cellar, where they found a multitude of
dead goblins—among the rest the queen, with the skin-shoe
gone, and the stone one fast to her ankle—for the water had
swept away the barricade which prevented the men-at-arms
from following the goblins, and had greatly widened the passage.
They built it securely up, and then went back to their
labors in the mine.</p>
<p>A good many of the goblins with their creatures escaped
from the inundation out upon the mountain. But most of<span class='pagenum'><SPAN name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[203]</SPAN></span>
them soon left that part of the country, and most of those who
remained grew milder in character, and indeed became very
much like the Scotch Brownies. Their skulls became softer
as well as their hearts, and their feet grew harder, and by
degrees they became friendly with the inhabitants of the
mountain and even with the miners. But the latter were
merciless to any of the <i>cobs' creatures</i> that came their way, until
at length they all but disappeared. Still—</p>
<p><i>"But, Mr. Author, we would rather hear more about the Princess
and Curdie. We don't care about the goblins and their nasty
creatures. They frighten us—rather."</i></p>
<p><i>"But you know if you once get rid of the goblins there is no
fear of the princess or of Curdie."</i></p>
<p><i>"But we want to know more about them."</i></p>
<p><i>"Some day, perhaps, I may tell you the further history of both
of them; how Curdie came to visit Irene's grandmother, and
what she did for him; and how the princess and he met again after
they were older—and how—But there! I don't mean to go any
farther at present."</i></p>
<p><i>"Then you're leaving the story unfinished, Mr. Author!"</i></p>
<p><i>"Not more unfinished than a story ought to be, I hope. If you
ever knew a story finished, all I can say is, I never did. Somehow,
stories won't finish. I think I know why, but I won't say
that either, now."</i></p>
<div class='center'><br/><br/>THE END</div>
<hr style="width: 65%;" />
<div class='tnote'><h3>Transcriber's Notes:</h3>
<p>Obvious punctuation errors repaired.</p>
<p>The remaining corrections made are indicated by dotted lines under the corrections. Scroll the mouse over the word and the original text will <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'apprear'">appear</ins>.</p>
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