the horse and his boy_c·s·刘易斯-第15部分

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。　even　then　the　tisroc　remained　seated　in　　silence　on　the　divan　till　aravis　almost　began　to　be　afraid　that　he　had　dropped　asleep。　but　　at　last　with　a　great　creaking　and　sighing　he　heaved　up　his　enormous　body；　signed　to　the　　slaves　to　precede　him　with　the　lights；　and　went　out。　the　door　closed　behind　him；　the　　room　was　once　more　totally　dark；　and　the　two　girls　could　breathe　freely　again。

w　w　w。x　iaoshu　otx　t。c　o　m



CHAPTER　NINE

灏弤璇磣t。xt‘澶﹡鍫�
across　the　desert　　〃hove　dreadful！　how　perfectly　dreadful！〃　whimpered　lasaraleen。　〃oh　darling；　　i　am　so　frightened。　im　shaking　all　over。　feel　me。鈥�

〃e　on；〃　said　aravis；　who　was　trembling　herself。　〃theyve　gone　back　to　　the　new　palace。　once　were　out　of　this　room　were　safe　enough。　but　its　wasted　a　　terrible　time。　get　me　down　to　that　water…gate　as　quick　as　you　can。鈥�

〃darling；　how　can　you？〃　squeaked　lasaraleen。　〃i　cant　do　anything　…　not　　now。　my　poor　nerves！　no：　we　must　just　lie　still　a　bit　and　then　go　back。鈥�

〃why　back？〃　asked　aravis。

〃oh；　you　dont　understand。　youre　so　unsympathetic；〃　said　lasaraleen；　　beginning　to　cry。

aravis　decided　it　was　no　occasion　for　mercy。

〃look　here！〃　she　said；　catching　lasaraleen　and　giving　her　a　good　shake。　〃if　　you　say　another　word　about　going　back；　and　if　you　dont　start　taking　me　to　that　　water…gate　at　once　　

…　do　you　know　what　ill　do？　ill　rush　out　into　that　passage　and　scream。　　then　well　both　be　caught。鈥�

〃but　we　shall　both　be　k…k…killed！〃　said　lasaraleen。　〃didnt　you　hear　what　　the　tisroc　（may　he　live　for　ever）　said？鈥�

〃yes；　and　id　sooner　be　killed　than　married　to　ahoshta。　so　e　on。鈥�

〃oh　you　are　unkind；〃　said　lasaraleen。　〃and　i　in　such　a　state！鈥�

but　in　the　end　she　had　to　give　in　to　aravis。　she　led　the　way　down　the　steps　　they　had　already　descended；　and　along　another　corridor　and　so　finally　out　into　the　　open　air。　they　were　now　in　the　palace　garden　which　sloped　down　in　terraces　to　the　city　　wall。　the　moon　shone　brightly。　one　of　the　drawbacks　about　adventures　is　that　when　you　e　　to　the　most　beautiful　places　you　are　often　too　anxious　and　hurried　to　appreciate　them；　　so　that　aravis　（though　she　remembered　them　years　later）　had　only　a　vague　impression　of　　grey　lawns；　quietly　bubbling　fountains；　and　the　long　black　shadows　of　cypress　trees。

when　they　re〃ached　the　very　bottom　and　the　wall　rose　frowning　above　them；　　lasaraleen　was　shaking　so　that　she　could　not　unbolt　the　gate。　aravis　did　it。　there；　at　　last；　was　the　river；　full　of　reflected　moonlight；　and　a　little　landing　stage　and　a　few　　pleasure　boats。

〃good…bye；〃　said　aravis；　〃and　thank　you。　im　sorry　if　ive　been　a　pig。　but　　think　what　im　flying　from！鈥�

〃oh　aravis　darling；〃　said　lasaraleen。　〃wont　you　change　your　mind？　now　that　　youve　seen　what　a　very　great　man　ahoshta　is！鈥�

〃great　man！〃　said　aravis。　〃a　hideous　grovelling　slave　who　flatters　when　　hes　kicked　but　treasures　it　all　up　and　hopes　to　get　his　own　back　by　egging　on　that　　horrible　tisroc　to　plot　his　sons　death。　faugh！　id　sooner　marry　my　fathers　scullion　than　a　　creature　like　that。鈥�

〃oh　aravis；　aravis！　how　can　you　say　such　dreadful　things；　and　about　the　　tisroc　（may　he　live　for　ever）　too。　it　must　be　right　if　hes　going　to　do　it！鈥�

〃good…bye；〃　said　aravis；　〃and　i　thought　your　dresses　lovely。　and　i　think　　your　house　is　lovely　too。　im　sure　youll　have　a　lovely　life　…　though　it　wouldnt　suit　　me。　close　the　door　softly　behind　me。鈥�

she　tore　herself　away　from　her　friends　affectionate　embraces；　stepped　into　　a　punt；　cast　off；　and　a　moment　later　was　out　in　midstream　with　a　huge　real　moon　overhead　　and　a　huge　reflected　moon　down；　deep　down；　in　the　river。　the　air　was　fresh　and　cool　　and　as　she　drew　near　the　farther　bank　she　heard　the　hooting　of　an　owl。　〃ah！　thats　better！〃　　thought　aravis。　she　had　always　lived　in　the　country　and　had　hated　every　minute　of　　her　time　in　tashbaan。

when　she　stepped　ashore　she　found　herself　in　darkness　for　the　rise　of　the　　ground；　and　the　trees；　cut　off　the　moonlight。　but　she　managed　to　find　the　same　road　that　　shasta　had　found；　and　came　just　as　he　had　done　to　the　end　of。　the　grass　and　the　　beginning　of　the　sand；　and　looked　（like　him）　to　her　left　and　saw　the　big；　black　tombs。　and　　now　at　last；　brave　girl　though　she　was；　her　heart　quailed。　supposing　the　others　werent　　there！

supposing　the　ghouls　were！　but　she　stuck　out　her　chin　（and　a　little　bit　of　　her　tongue　too）

and　went　straight　towards　them。

but　before　she　had　reached　them　she　saw　bree　and　hwin　and　the　groom。

〃you　can　go　back　to　your　mistress　now；〃　said　aravis　（quite　forgetting　that　　he　couldnt；　until　the　city　gates　opened　next　morning）。　〃here　is　money　for　your　pains。鈥�

〃to　hear　is　to　obey；〃　said　the　groom；　and　at　once　set　off　at　a　remarkable　　speed　in　the　direction　of　the　city。　there　was　no　need　to　tell　him　to　make　haste：　he　also　　had　been　thinking　a　good　deal　about　ghouls。

for　the　next　few　seconds　aravis　was　busy　kissing　the　noses　and　patting　the　　necks　of　hwin　and　bree　just　as　if　they　were　quite　ordinary　horses。

〃and　here　es　shasta！　thanks　be　to　the　lion！〃　said　bree。

aravis　looked　round；　and　there；　right　enough；　was　shasta　who　had　e　out　　of　hiding　the　moment　he　saw　the　groom　going　away。

〃and　now；〃　said　aravis。　〃theres　not　a　moment　to　lose。〃　and　in　hasty　words　　she　told　them　about　rshs　expedition。

〃treacherous　hounds！〃　said　bree；　shaking　his　mane　and　stamping　with　his　　hoof。　〃an　attack　in　time　of　peace；　without　defiance　sent！　but　well　grease　his　oats　　for　him。　well　be　there　before　he　is。鈥�

〃can　we？〃　said　aravis；　swinging　herself　into　hwins　saddle。　shasta　wished　　he　could　mount　like　that。

〃brooh…hoo！〃　snorted　bree。　〃up　you　get；　shasta。　can　we！　and　with　a　good　　start　too！鈥�

〃he　said　he　was　going　to　start　at　once；〃　said　aravis。

〃thats　how　humans　talk；〃　said　bree。　〃but　you　dont　get　a　pany　of　two　　hundred　horse　and　horsemen　watered　and　victualled　and　armed　and　saddled　and　started　all　　in　a　minute。

now：　whats　our　direction？　due　north？

〃no；〃　said　shasta。　〃i　know　about　that。　ive　drawn　a　line。　ill　explain　　later。　bear　a　bit　to　our　left；　both　you　horses。　ah　here　it　is！鈥�

〃now；〃　said　bree。　〃all　that　about　galloping　for　a　day　and　a　night；　like　in　　stories；　cant　really　be　done。　it　must　be　walk　and　trot：　but　brisk　trots　and　short　walks。　　and　whenever　we　walk　you　two　humans　can　slip　off　and　walk　too。　now。　are　you　ready；　hwin？　　off　we　go。　narnia　and　the　north！鈥�

at　first　it　was　delightful。　the　night　had　now　been　going　on　for　so　many　　hours　that　the　sand　had　almost　finished　giving　back　all　the　sun…heat　it　had　received　　during　the　day；　and　the　air　was　cool；　fresh；　and　clear。　under　the　moonlight　the　sand；　in　every　　direction　and　as　far　as　they　could　see；　gleamed　as　if　it　were　smooth　water　or　a　great　silver　　tray。　except　for　the　noise　of　brees　and　hwins　hoofs　there　was　not　a　sound　to　be　heard。　　shasta　would　nearly　have　fallen　asleep　if　he　had　not　had　to　dismount　and　walk　every　now　　and　then。

this　seemed　to　last　for　hours。　then　there　came　a　time　when　there　was　no　　longer　any　moon。　they　seemed　to　ride　in　the　dead　darkness　for　hours　and　hours。　and　　after　that　there　came　a　moment　when　shasta　noticed　that　he　could　see　brees　neck　and　head　in　　front　of　him　a　little　more　clearly　than　before；　and　slowly；　very　slowly；　he　began　to　　notice　the　vast　grey　flatness　on　every　side。　it　looked　absolutely　dead；　like　something　in　a　　dead　world；　and　shasta　felt　quite　terribly　tired　and　noticed　that　he　was　getting　cold　　and　that　his　lips　were　dry。　and　all　the　time　the　squeak　of　the　leather；　the　jingle　of　the　　bits；　and　the　noise　of　the　hoofs…not　propputtypropputty　as　it　would　be　on　a　hard　road；　but　　thubbudythubbudy　on　the　dry　sand。

at　last；　after　hours　of　riding；　far　away　on　his　right　there　came　a　single　　long　streak　of　paler　grey；　low　down　on　the　horizon。　then　a　streak　of　red。　it　was　the　morning　at　　last；　but　without　a　single　bird　to　sing　about　it。　he　was　glad　of　the　walking　bits　　now；　for　he　was　colder　than　ever。

then　suddenly　the　sun　rose　and　everything　changed　in　a　moment。　the　grey　　sand　turned　yellow　and　twinkled　as　if　it　was　strewn　with　diamonds。　on　their　left　the　　shadows　of　shasta　and　hwin　and　bree　and　aravis；　enormously　long；　raced　beside　them。　　the　double　peak　of　mount　pire；　far　ahead；　flashed　in　the　sunlight　and　shasta　saw　they　　were　a　little　out　of　the　course。　〃a　bit　left；　a　bit　left；〃　he　sang　out。　best　of　all；　when　　you　looked　back；　tashbaan　was　already　small　and　remote。　the　tombs　were　quite　invisible：　　swallowed　up　in　that　single；　jagged…edged　hump　which　was　the　city　of　the　tisroc。　　everyone　felt　better。

but　not　for　long。　though　tashbaan　looked　very　far　away　when　they　first　saw　　it；　it　refused　to　look　any　further　away　as　they　went　on。　shasta　gave　up　looking　back　at　　it；　for　it　only　gave　him　the　feeling　that　they　were　not　moving　at　all。　then　the　light　　became　a　nuisance。

the　glare　of　the　sand　made　his　eyes　ache：　but　he　knew　he　mustnt　shut　them。　　he　must　screw　them　up　and　keep　on　looking　ahead　at　mount　pire　and　shouting　out　　directions。

then　came　the　heat。　he　noticed　it　for　the　first　time　when　he　had　to　　dismount　and　walk：　as　he　slipped　down　to　the　sand　the　heat　from　it　struck　up　into　his　face　as　if　　from　the　opening　of　an　oven　door。　next　time　it　was　worse。　but　the　third　time；　as　his　bare　　feet　touched　the　sand　he　screamed　with　pain　and　got　one　foot　back　in　the　stirrup　and　the　　other　half　over　brees　back　before　you　could　have　said　knife。

〃sorry；　bree；〃　he　gasped。　〃i　cant　walk。　it　burns　my　feet。〃　〃of　course！〃　　panted　bree。

〃should　have　thought　of　that　myself。　stay　on。　cant　be　helped。鈥�

〃its　all　right　for　you；〃　said　shasta　to　aravis　who　was　walking　beside　　hwin。　〃youve　got　shoes　on。鈥�

aravis　said　nothing　and　looked　prim。　lets　hope　she　didnt　mean　to；　but　she　　did。

on　again；　trot　and　walk　and　trot；　jingle…jingle…jingle；　squeak…squeak…　squeak；　smell　of　hot　horse；　smell　of　hot　self；　blinding　glare；　headache。　and　nothing　at　all　　different　for　mile　after　mile。　tashbaan　would　never　look　any　further　away。　the　mountains　would　　never　look　any　nearer。　you　felt　this　had　been　going　on　for　always　…　jingle…　jingle…jingle；　squeaksqueak…squeak；　smell　of　hot　horse；　smell　of　hot　self。

of　course　one　tried　all　sorts　of　games　with　oneself　to　try　to　make　the　time　　pass：　and　of　cours