“Alas，” said Aslan， shaking his head. “It will. Things always work according to their nature. She has won her heart‘s desire； she has unwearying strength and endless days like a goddess. But length of days with an evil heart is only length of misery and already she begins to know it. All get what they want； they do not always like it.”
“I.I nearly ate one myself， Aslan，” said Digory. “Would I.”
“You would， child，” said Aslan. “For the fruit always works.it must work.but it does not work happily for any who pluck it at their own will. If any Narnian， unbidden， had stolen an apple and planted it here to protect Narnia， it would have protected Narnia. But it would have done so by making Narnia into another strong and cruel empire like Charn， not the kindly land I mean it to be. And the Witch tempted you to do another thing， my son， did she not？”
“Yes， Aslan. She wanted me to take an apple home to Mother.”
“Understand， then， that it would have healed her； but not to your joy or hers. The day would have come when both you and she would have looked back and said it would have been better to die in that illness.”
