the horse and his boy_c·s·刘易斯-第6部分

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hwin　the　mare　was　rather　shy　before　a　great　war…horse　like　bree　and　said　　very　little。　and　aravis　never　spoke　to　shasta　at　all　if　she　could　help　it。

soon；　however；　they　had　more　important　things　to　think　of。　they　were　　getting　near　tashbaan。　there　were　more；　and　larger；　villages；　and　more　people　on　the　　roads。　they　now　did　nearly　all　their　travelling　by　night　and　hid　as　best　they　could　　during　the　day。　and　　

at　every　halt　they　argued　and　argued　about　what　they　were　to　do　when　they　　reached　tashbaan。　everyone　had　been　putting　off　this　difficulty；　but　now　it　could　　be　put　off　no　longer。　during　these　discussions　aravis　became　a　little；　a　very　little；　　less　unfriendly　to　shasta；　one　usually　gets　on　better　with　people　when　one　is　making　plans　　than　when　one　is　talking　about　nothing　in　particular。

bree　said　the　first　thing　now　to　do　was　to　fix　a　place　where　they　would　all　　promise　to　meet　on　the　far　side　of　tashbaan　even　if；　by　any　ill　luck；　they　got　　separated　in　passing　the　city。　he　said　the　best　place　would　be　the　tombs　of　the　ancient　kings　on　the　　very　edge　of　the　desert。　〃things　like　great　stone　bee…hives；〃　he　said；　〃you　cant　　possibly　miss　them。

and　the　best　of　it　is　that　none　of　the　calormenes　will　go　near　them　because　　they　think　the　place　is　haunted　by　ghouls　and　are　afraid　of　it。〃　aravis　asked　if　it　wasnt　　really　haunted　by　ghouls。　but　bree　said　he　was　a　free　narnian　horse　and　didnt　believe　in　　these　calormene　tales。　and　then　shasta　said　he　wasnt　a　calormene　either　and　didnt　care　a　　straw　about　these　old　stories　of　ghouls。　this　wasnt　quite　true。　but　it　rather　　impressed　aravis　（though　at　the　moment　it　annoyed　her　too）　and　of　course　she　said　she　didnt　mind　　any　number　of　ghouls　either。　so　it　was　settled　that　the　tombs　should　be　their　assembly　　place　on　the　other　side　of　tashbaan；　and　everyone　felt　they　were　getting　on　very　well　　till　hwin　humbly　pointed　out　that　the　real　problem　was　not　where　they　should　go　when　　they　had　got　through　tashbaan　but　how　they　were　to　get　through　it。

〃well　settle　that　tomorrow；　maam；〃　said　bree。　〃time　for　a　little　sleep　　now。鈥�

but　it　wasnt　easy　to　settle。　araviss　first　suggestion　was　that　they　　should　swim　across　the　river　below　the　city　during　the　night　and　not　go　into　tashbaan　at　all。　but　　bree　had　two　reasons　against　this。　one　was　that　the　river…mouth　was　very　wide　and　it　　would　be　far　too　long　a　swim　for　hwin　to　do；　especially　with　a　rider　on　her　back。　（he　　thought　it　would　be　too　long　for　himself　too；　but　he　said　much　less　about　that）。　the　other　was　　that　it　would　be　full　of　shipping　and　of　course　anyone　on　the　deck　of　a　ship　who　saw　two　　horses　swimming　past　would　be　almost　certain　to　be　inquisitive。

shasta　thought　they　should　go　up　the　river　above　tashbaan　and　cross　it　　where　it　was　narrower。　but　bree　explained　that　there　were　gardens　and　pleasure　houses　on　　both　banks　of　the　river　for　miles　and　that　there　would　be　tarkaans　and　tarkheenas　　living　in　them　and　riding　about　the　roads　and　having　water　parties　on　the　river。　in　fact　it　　would　be　the　most　likely　place　in　the　world　for　meeting　someone　who　would　recognize　aravis　or　　even　himself。

〃well　have　to　have　a　disguise；〃　said　shasta。

hwin　said　it　looked　to　her　as　if　the　safest　thing　was　to　go　right　through　　the　city　itself　from　gate　to　gate　because　one　was　less　likely　to　be　noticed　in　the　crowd。　but　　she　approved　of　the　idea　of　disguise　as　well。　she　said；　〃both　the　human　will　have　to　dress　　in　rags　and　look　like　peasants　or　slaves　and　all　araviss　armour　and　our　saddles　and　things　　must　be　made　into　bundles　and　put　on　our　backs；　and　the　children　must　pretend　to　drive　　us　and　people　will　think　were　on　pack…horses。鈥�

〃my　dear　hwin！〃　said　aravis　rather　scornfully。　〃as　anyone　could　mistake　　bree　for　anything　but　a　war…hors　however　you　disguised　him！鈥�

〃i　should　think　not；　indeed；〃　said　bree；　snorting　an　letting　his　ears　go　　ever　so　little　back。

〃i　know　its　not　a　very　good　plan；〃　said　hwin。　〃but　i　think　its　our　only　　chance。　and　we　havent　been　groomed　for　ages　and　were　not　looking　quite　ourselves　（at　　least；　im　sure　im　not）。　i　do　think　if　we　get　well　plastered　with　mud　and　go　along　with　　our　heads　down　as　if　were　tired　and　lazy　…and　dont　lift　our　hooves　hardly　at　all　…　we　　might　not　be　noticed。

and　our　tails　ought　to　be　cut　shorter：　not　neatly；　you　know；　but　all　　ragged。鈥�

〃my　dear　madam；〃　said　bree。　〃have　you　pictured　to　yourself　how　very　　disagreeable　it　would　be　to　arrive　in　narnia　in　that　condition？鈥�

〃well；〃　said　hwin　humbly　（she　was　a　very　sensible　mare）；　〃the　main　thing　is　　to　get　there。鈥�

though　nobody　much　liked　it；　it　was　hwins　plan　which　had　to　be　adopted　in　　the　end。　it　was　a　troublesome　one　and　involved　a　certain　amount　of　what　shasta　called　　stealing；　and　bree　called　〃raiding〃。　one　farm　lost　a　few　sacks　that　evening　and　another　　lost　a　coil　of　rope　the　next：　but　some　tattered　old　boys　clothes　for　aravis　to　wear　had　　to　be　fairly　bought　and　paid　for　in　a　village。　shasta　returned　with　them　in　triumph　just　　as　evening　was　closing　in。　the　others　were　waiting　for　him　among　the　trees　at　the　foot　of　　a　low　range　of　wooded　hills　which　lay　right　across　their　path。　everyone　was　feeling　　excited　because　this　was　the　last　hill；　when　they　reached　the　ridge　at　the　top　they　would　be　　looking　down　on　tashbaan。　〃i　do　wish　we　were　safely　past　it；〃　muttered　shasta　to　hwin。　〃oh　　i　do；　i　do；鈥�

said　hwin　fervently。

that　night　they　wound　their　way　through　the　woods　up　to　the　ridge　by　a　　wood…cutters　track。　and　when　they　came　out　of　the　woods　at　the　top　they　could　see　　thousands　of　lights　in　the　valley　down　below　them。　shasta　had　had　no　notion　of　what　a　great　　city　would　be　like　and　it　frightened　him。　they　had　their　supper　and　the　children　got　some　　sleep。　but　the　horses　woke　them　very　early　in　the　morning。

the　stars　were　still　out　and　the　grass　was　terribly　cold　and　wet；　but　　daybreak　was　just　beginning；　far　to　their　right　across　the　sea。　aravis　went　a　few　steps　away　　into　the　wood　and　came　back　looking　odd　in　her　new；　ragged　clothes　and　carrying　her　real　　ones　in　a　bundle。　these；　and　her　armour　and　shield　and　scimitar　and　the　two　saddles　　and　the　rest　of　the　horses　fine　furnishings　were　put　into　the　sacks。　bree　and　hwin　had　　already　got　themselves　as　dirty　and　bedraggled　as　they　could　and　it　remained　to　shorten　　their　tails。　as　the　only　tool　for　doing　this　was　araviss　scimitar；　one　of　the　packs　had　to　　be　undone　again　in　order　to　get　it　out。　it　was　a　longish　job　and　rather　hurt　the　　horses。

〃my　word！〃　said　bree；　〃if　i　wasnt　a　talking　horse　what　a　lovely　kick　in　　the　face　i　could　give　you！　i　thought　you　were　going　to　cut　it；　not　pull　it　out。　thats　what　　it　feels　like。鈥�

but　in　spite　of　semi…darkness　and　cold　fingers　all　was　done　in　the　end；　the　　big　packs　bound　on　the　horses；　the　rope　halters　（which　they　were　now　wearing　instead　　of　bridles　and　reins）　in　the　childrens　hands；　and　the　journey　began。

〃remember；〃　said　bree。　〃keep　together　if　we　possibly　can。　if　not；　meet　at　　the　tombs　of　the　ancient　kings；　and　whoever　gets　there　first　must　wait　for　the　others。鈥�

〃and　remember；〃　said　shasta。　〃dont　you　two　horses　forget　yourselves　and　　start　talking；　whatever　happens。鈥�

w锛穡銆倄iaoshuo　txt锛�



CHAPTER　FOUR

锛佸皬锛犺�达純txt锛勫ぉ锛惧爞锛�
shasta　falls　in　with　the　narnians　　at　first　shasta　could　see　nothing　in　the　valley　below　him　but　a　sea　of　mist　　with　a　few　domes　and　pinnacles　rising　from　it；　but　as　the　light　increased　and　the　mist　　cleared　away　he　saw　more　and　more。　a　broad　river　divided　itself　into　two　streams　and　on　　the　island　between　them　stood　the　city　of　tashbaan；　one　of　the　wonders　of　the　world。　　round　the　very　edge　of　the　island；　so　that　the　water　lapped　against　the　stone；　ran　　high　walls　strengthened　with　so　many　towers　that　he　soon　gave　up　trying　to　count　them。　　inside　the　walls　the　island　rose　in　a　hill　and　every　bit　of　that　hill；　up　to　the　　tisrocs　palace　and　the　great　temple　of　tash　at　the　top；　was　pletely　covered　with　buildings　…　　terrace　above　terrace；　street　above　street；　zigzag　roads　or　huge　flights　of　steps　　bordered　with　orange　trees　and　lemon　trees；　roofgardens；　balconies；　deep　archways；　pillared　　colonnades；　spires；　battlements；　minarets；　pinnacles。　and　when　at　last　the　sun　rose　out　of　the　　sea　and　the　great　silver…plated　dome　of　the　temple　flashed　back　its　light；　he　was　　almost　dazzled。

〃get　on；　shasta；〃　bree　kept　saying。

the　river　banks　on　each　side　of　the　valley　were　such　a　mass　of　gardens　that　　they　looked　at　first　like　forest；　until　you　got　closer　and　saw　the　white　walls　of　　innumerable　houses　peeping　out　from　beneath　the　trees。　soon　after　that；　shasta　noticed　a　　delicious　smell　of　flowers　and　fruit。　about　fifteen　minutes　later　they　were　down　among　them；　　plodding　on　a　level　road　with　white　walls　on　each　side　and　trees　bending　over　the　walls。

〃i　say；〃　said　shasta　in　an　awed　voice。　〃this　is　a　wonderful　place！鈥�

〃i　daresay；〃　said　bree。　〃but　i　wish　we　were　safely　through　it　and　out　at　　the　other　side。

narnia　and　the　north！鈥�

at　that　moment　a　low；　throbbing　noise　began　which　gradually　swelled　louder　　and　louder　till　the　whole　valley　seemed　to　be　swaying　with　it。　it　was　a　musical　noise；　　but　so　strong　and　solemn　as　to　be　a　little　frightening。

〃thats　the　horns　blowing　for　the　city　gates　to　be　open；〃　said　bree。　〃we　　shall　be　there　in　a　minute。　now；　aravis；　do　droop　your　shoulders　a　bit　and　step　heavier　and　try　　to　look　less　like　a　princess。　try　to　imagine　youve　been　kicked　and　cuffed　and　called　　names　all　your　life。鈥�

〃if　it　es　to　that；〃　said　aravis；　〃what　about　you　drooping　your　head　a　　bit　more　and　arching　your　neck　a　bit　less　and　trying　to　look　less　like　a　war…horse？鈥�

〃hush；〃　said　bree。　〃here　we　are。鈥�

and　they　were。　they　had　e　to　the　rivers　edge　and　the　road　ahead　of　them　　ran　along　a　many…arched　bridge。　the　water　danced　brightly　in　the　early　sunlight；　away　　to　the　right　nearer　the　rivers　mouth；　they　caught　a　glimpse　ships　masts。　several　other　　travellers　were　before　them　on　the　bridge；　mostly　peasants　driving　laden　donkeys　and　mules　　or　carrying　baskets　on　their　heads。　the　children　and　horses　joined　the　crowd。

〃is　anything　wrong？〃　whispered　shasta　to　aravis；　who　had　an　odd　look　on　her　　face。

〃oh　its　all　very　well