the horse and his boy_c·s·刘易斯-第24部分

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　ing　to　me。　joy　shall　be　yours。鈥�

then　he　lifted　his　head　and　spoke　in　a　louder　voice。

〃now；　bree；〃　he　said；　〃you　poor；　proud　frightened　horse；　draw　near。　nearer　　still；　my　son。

do　not　dare　not　to　dare。　touch　me。　smell　me。　here　are　my　paws；　here　is　my　　tail；　these　are　my　whiskers。　i　am　a　true　beast。鈥�

〃aslan；〃　said　bree　in　a　shaken　voice；　〃im　afraid　i　must　be　rather　a　fool。鈥�

〃happy　the　horse　who　knows　that　while　he　is　still　young。　or　the　human　　either。　draw　near；　aravis　my　daughter。　see！　my　paws　are　velveted。　you　will　not　be　torn　　this　time。鈥�

〃this　time；　sir？〃　said　aravis。

〃it　was　i　who　wounded　you；〃　said　aslan。　〃i　am　the　only　lion　you　met　in　all　　your　journeyings。　do　you　know　why　i　tore　you？鈥�

〃no；　sir。鈥�

〃the　scratches　on　your　back；　tear　for　tear；　throb　for　throb；　blood　for　　blood；　were　equal　to　the　stripes　laid　on　the　back　of　your　stepmothers　slave　because　of　the　　drugged　sleep　you　cast　upon　her。　you　needed　to　know　what　it　felt　like。鈥�

〃yes；　sir。　please…鈥�

〃ask　on；　my　dear；〃　said　aslan。

〃will　any　more　harm　e　to　her　by　what　i　did？鈥�

〃child；〃　said　the　lion；　〃i　am　telling　you　your　story；　not　hers。　no　one　is　　told　any　story　but　their　own。〃　then　he　shook　his　head　and　spoke　in　a　lighter　voice。

〃be　merry；　little　ones；〃　he　said。　〃we　shall　meet　soon　again。　but　before　　that　you　will　have　another　visitor。〃　then　in　one　bound　he　reached　the　top　of　the　wall　and　　vanished　from　their　sight。

strange　to　say；　they　felt　no　inclination　to　talk　to　one　another　about　him　　after　he　had　gone。

they　all　moved　slowly　away　to　different　parts　of　the　quiet　grass　and　there　　paced　to　and　fro；　each　alone；　thinking。

about　half　an　hour　later　the　two　horses　were　summoned　to　the　back　of　the　　house　to　eat　something　nice　that　the　hermit　had　got　ready　for　them　and　aravis；　still　　walking　and　thinking；　was　startled　by　the　harsh　sound　of　a　trumpet　outside　the　gate。

〃who　is　there？〃　asked　aravis。

〃his　royal　highness　prince　cor　of　archenland；〃　said　a　voice　from　outside。

aravis　undid　the　door　and　opened　it；　drawing　back　a　little　way　to　let　the　　strangers　in。

two　soldiers　with　halberds　came　first　and　took　their　stand　at　each　side　of　　the　entry。　then　followed　a　herald；　and　the　trumpeter。

〃his　royal　highness　prince　cor　of　archenland　desires　an　audience　of　the　　lady　aravis；鈥�

said　the　herald。　then　he　and　the　trumpeter　drew　aside　and　bowed　and　the　　soldiers　saluted　and　the　prince　himself　came　in。　all　his　attendants　withdrew　and　closed　the　　gate　behind　them。

the　prince　bowed；　and　a　very　clumsy　bow　for　a　prince　it　was。　aravis　　curtsied　in　the　calormene　style　（which　is　not　at　all　like　ours）　and　did　it　very　well　　because；　of　course；　she　had　been　taught　how。　then　she　looked　up　and　saw　what　sort　of　person　this　　prince　was。

she　saw　a　mere　boy。　he　was　bare…headed　and　his　fair　hair　was　encircled　with　　a　very　thin　band　of　gold；　hardly　thicker　than　a　wire。　his　upper　tunic　was　of　white　　cambric；　as　fine　as　a　handkerchief；　so　that　the　bright　red　tunic　beneath　it　showed　through。　his　　left　hand；　which　rested　on　his　enamelled　sword　hilt；　was　bandaged。

aravis　looked　twice　at　his　face　before　she　gasped　and　said；　〃why！　its　　shasta！鈥�

shasta　all　at　once　turned　very　red　and　began　speaking　very　quickly。　〃look　　here；　aravis；鈥�

he　said；　〃i　do　hope　you　wont　think　im　got　up　like　this　（and　the　trumpeter　　and　all）　to　try　to　impress　you　or　make　out　that　im　different　or　any　rot　of　that　sort。　　because　id　far　rather　have　e　in　my　old　clothes；　but　theyre　burnt　now；　and　my　father　said　…鈥�

〃your　father？〃　said　aravis。

〃apparently　king　lune　is　my　father；〃　said　shasta。　〃i　might　really　have　　guessed　it。　corin　being　so　like　me。　we　were　twins；　you　see。　oh；　and　my　name　isnt　shasta；　　its　cor。鈥�

〃cor　is　a　nicer　name　than　shasta；〃　said　aravis。

〃brothers　names　run　like　that　in　archenland；〃　said　shasta　（or　prince　cor　　as　we　must　now　call　him）。　〃like　dar　and　darrin；　cole　and　colin　and　so　on。鈥�

〃shasta　…　i　mean　cor；〃　said　aravis。　〃no；　shut　up。　theres　something　ive　　got　to　say　at　once。　im　sorry　ive　been　such　a　pig。　but　i　did　change　before　i　knew　you　　were　a　prince；　honestly　i　did：　when　you　went　back；　and　faced　the　lion。鈥�

〃it　wasnt　really　going　to　kill　you　at　all；　that　lion；〃　said　cor。

〃i　know；〃　said　aravis；　nodding。　both　were　still　and　solemn　for　a　moment　as　　each　saw　that　the　other　knew　about　aslan。

suddenly　aravis　remembered　cors　bandaged　hand。　〃i　say！〃　she　cried；　〃i　　forgot！　youve　been　in　a　battle。　is　that　a　wound？鈥�

〃a　mere　scratch；〃　said　cor；　using　for　the　first　time　a　rather　lordly　tone。　　but　a　moment　later　he　burst　out　laughing　and　said；　〃if　you　want　to　know　the　truth；　it　　isnt　a　proper　wound　at　all。　i　only　took　the　skin　off　my　knuckles　just　as　any　clumsy　fool　　might　do　without　going　near　a　battle。鈥�

〃still　you　were　in　the　battle；〃　said　aravis。　〃it　must　have　been　wonderful。鈥�

〃it　wasnt　at　all　like　what　i　thought；〃　said　cor。

〃but　sha　…　cor；　i　mean　…　you　havent　told　me　anything　yet　about　king　lune　　and　how　he　found　out　who　you　were。鈥�

〃well；　lets　sit　down；〃　said　cor。　〃for　its　rather　a　long　story。　and　by　the　　way；　fathers　an　absolute　brick。　id　be　just　as　pleased　…　or　very　nearly　…　at　finding　hes　　my　father　even　if　he　wasnt　a　king。　even　though　education　and　all　sorts　of　horrible　things　are　　going　to　happen　to　me。　but　you　want　the　story。　well；　corin　and　i　were　twins。　and　about　a　　week　after　we　were　both　born；　apparently；　they　took　us　to　a　wise　old　centaur　in　narnia　to　　be　blessed　or　something。　now　this　centaur　was　a　prophet　as　a　good　many　centaurs　are。　　perhaps　you　havent　seen　any　centaurs　yet？　there　were　some　in　the　battle　yesterday。　　most　remarkable　people；　but　i　cant　say　i　feel　quite　at　home　with　them　yet。　i　say；　aravis；　　there　are　going　to　be　a　lot　of　things　to　get　used　to　in　these　northern　countries。鈥�

〃yes；　there　are；〃　said　aravis。　〃but　get　on　with　the　story。鈥�

〃well；　as　soon　as　he　saw　corin　and　me；　it　seems　this　centaur　looked　at　me　　and　said；　a　day　will　e　when　that　boy　will　save　archenland　from　the　deadliest　danger　　in　which　ever　she　lay。　so　of　course　my　father　and　mother　were　very　pleased。　but　　there　was　someone　present　who　wasnt。　this　was　a　chap　called　the　lord　bar　who　had　　been　fathers　lord　chancellor。　and　apparently　hed　done　something　wrong　…　bezzling　or　　some　word　like　that　…　i　didnt　understand　that　part　very　well　…　and　father　had　had　to　　dismiss　him。　but　nothing　else　was　done　to　him　and　he　was　allowed　to　go　on　living　in　　archenland。　but　he　must　have　been　as　bad　as　he　could　be；　for　it　came　out　afterwards　he　had　　been　in　the　pay　of　the　tisroc　and　had　sent　a　lot　of　secret　information　to　tashbaan。　so　as　　soon　as　he　heard　i　was　going　to　save　archenland　from　a　great　danger　he　decided　i　must　be　put　　out　of　the　　

way。　well；　he　succeeded　in　kidnapping　me　（i　dont　exactly　know　how）　and　　rode　away　down　the　winding　arrow　to　the　coast。　hed　had　everything　prepared　and　there　　was　a　ship　manned　with　his　own　followers　lying　ready　for　him　and　he　put　out　to　sea　　with　me　on　board。　but　father　got　wind　of　it；　though　not　quite　in　time；　and　was　after　　him　as　quickly　as　he　could。　the　lord　bar　was　already　at　sea　when　father　reached　the　coast；　　but　not　out　of　sight。　and　father　was　embarked　in　one　of　his　own　warships　within　twenty　　minutes。

〃it　must　have　been　a　wonderful　chase。　they　were　six　days　following　bars　　galleon　and　brought　her　to　battle　on　the　seventh。　it　was　a　great　sea…fight　（i　heard　a　　lot　about　it　yesterday　evening）　from　ten　oclock　in　the　morning　till　sunset。　our　people　　took　the　ship　in　the　end。　but　i　wasnt　there。　the　lord　bar　himself　had　been　killed　in　the　　battle。　but　one　of　his　men　said　that；　early　that　morning；　as　soon　as　he　saw　he　was　certain　　to　be　overhauled；　bar　had　given　me　to　one　of　his　knights　and　sent　us　both　away　in　　the　ships　boat。　and　that　boat　was　never　seen　again。　but　of　course　that　was　the　same　　boat　that　aslan　（he　seems　to　be　at　the　back　of　all　the　stories）　pushed　ashore　at　the　right　　place　for　arsheesh　to　pick　me　up。　i　wish　i　knew　that　knights　name；　for　he　must　have　　kept　me　alive　and　starved　himself　to　do　it。鈥�

〃i　suppose　aslan　would　say　that　was　part　of　someone　elses　story；〃　said　　aravis。

〃i　was　forgetting　that；〃　said　cor。

〃and　i　wonder　how　the　prophecy　will　work　out；〃　said　aravis；　〃and　what　the　　great　danger　is　that　youre　to　save　archenland　from。鈥�

〃well；〃　said　cor　rather　awkwardly；　〃they　seem　to　think　ive　done　it　　already。鈥�

aravis　clapped　her　hands。　〃why；　of　course！〃　she　said。　〃how　stupid　i　am。　and　　how　wonderful！　archenland　can　never　be　in　much　greater　danger　than　it　was　when　　rsh　had　crossed　the　arrow　with　his　two　hundred　horse　and　you　hadnt　yet　got　　through　with　your　message。　dont　you　feel　proud？鈥�

〃i　think　i　feel　a　bit　scared；〃　said　cor。

〃and　youll　be　living　at　anvard　now；〃　said　aravis　rather　wistfully。

〃oh！〃　said　cor；　〃id　nearly　forgotten　what　i　came　about。　father　wants　you　　to　e　and　live　with　us。　he　says　theres　been　no　lady　in　the　court　（they　call　it　the　　court；　i　dont　know　why）　since　mother　died。　do；　aravis。　youll　like　father　…　and　corin。　theyre　　not　like　me；　theyve　been　properly　brought　up。　you　neednt　be　afraid　that　…鈥�

〃oh　stop　it；〃　said　aravis；　〃or　well　have　a　real　fight。　of　course　ill　　e。鈥�

〃now　lets　go　and　see　the　horses；〃　said　cor。

there　was　a　great　and　joyous　meeting　between　bree　and　cor；　and　bree；　who　　was　still　in　a　rather　subdued　frame　of　mind；　agreed　to　set　out　for　anvard　at　once：　he　and　　hwin　would　cross　into　narnia　on　the　following　day。　all　four　bade　an　affectionate　　farewell　to　the　hermit　and　promised　that　they　would　soon　visit　him　again。　by　about　the　　middle　of　the　morning　they　were　on　their　way。　the　horses　had　expected　that　aravis　and　cor　　would　ride；　but　cor　explained　that　except　in　war；　where　everyone　must　do　what　he　　can　do　best；　no　one　in　narnia　or　archenland　ever　dreamed　of　mounting　a　talking　horse。

this　reminded　poor　bree　again　of　how　little　he　knew　about　narnian　customs　　and　what　dreadful　mistakes　he　might　make。　so　while　hwin　strolled　along　in　a　happy　　dream；　bree　got　more　nervous　and　more　self…conscious　with　every　step　he　took。

〃buck　up；　bree；〃　said　cor。　〃its　far　worse　for　me　than　for　you。　you　arent　　going　to　be　educated。　i　shall　be　learning　reading　and　writing　and　heraldry　and　dancing