the horse and his boy_c·s·刘易斯-第7部分

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

〃oh　its　all　very　well　for　you；〃　whispered　aravis　rather　savagely。　〃what　　would　you　care　about　tashbaan？　but　i　ought　to　be　riding　in　on　a　litter　with　soldiers　　before　me　and　slaves　behind；　and　perhaps　going　to　a　feast　in　the　tisrocs　palace　（may　he　live　　for　ever）　…　not　sneaking　in　like　this。　its　different　for　you。鈥�

shasta　thought　all　this　very　silly。

at　the　far　end　of　the　bridge　the　walls　of　the　city　towered　high　above　them　　and　the　brazen　gates　stood　open　in　the　gateway　which　was　really　wide　but　looked　narrow　　because　it　was　so　very　high。　half　a　dozen　soldiers；　leaning　on　their　spears；　stood　on　each　　side。　aravis　couldnt　help　thinking；　〃theyd　all　jump　to　attention　and　salute　me　if　they　　knew　whose　daughter　i　am。〃　but　the　others　were　only　thinking　of　how　theyd　get　through　　and　hoping　the　soldiers　would　not　ask　any　questions。　fortunately　they　did　not。　but　one　　of　them　picked　a　carrot　out　of　a　peasants　basket　and　threw　it　at　shasta　with　a　　rough　laugh；　saying：　　〃hey！　horse…boy！　youll　catch　it　if　your　master　finds　youve　been　using　his　　saddle…horse　for　pack　work。鈥�

this　frightened　him　badly　for　of　course　it　showed　that　no　one　who　knew　　anything　about　horses　would　mistake　bree　for　anything　but　a　charger。

〃its　my　masters　orders；　so　there！〃　said　shasta。　but　it　would　have　been　　better　if　he　had　held　his　tongue　for　the　soldier　gave　him　a　box　on　the　side　of　his　face　that　　nearly　knocked　him　down　and　said；　〃take　that；　you　young　filth；　to　teach　you　how　to　talk　to　　freemen。〃　but　　

they　all　slunk　into　the　city　without　being　stopped。　shasta　cried　only　a　　very　little；　he　was　used　to　hard　knocks。

inside　the　gates　tashbaan　did　not　at　first　seem　so　splendid　as　it　had　　looked　from　a　distance。　the　first　street　was　narrow　and　there　were　hardly　any　windows　in　　the　walls　on　each　side。　it　was　much　more　crowded　than　shasta　had　expected：　crowded　　partly　by　the　peasants　（on　their　way　to　market）　who　had　e　in　with　them；　but　also　with　　watersellers；　sweetmeat　sellers；　porters；　soldiers；　beggars；　ragged　children；　hens；　stray　　dogs；　and　bare…footed　slaves。　what　you　would　chiefly　have　noticed　if　you　had　been　there　　was　the　smells；　which　came　from　unwashed　people；　unwashed　dogs；　scent；　garlic；　onions；　and　　the　piles　of　refuse　which　lay　everywhere。

shasta　was　pretending　to　lead　but　it　was　really　bree；　who　knew　the　way　and　　kept　guiding　him　by　little　nudges　with　his　nose。　they　soon　turned　to　the　left　and　began　　going　up　a　steep　hill。　it　was　much　fresher　and　pleasanter；　for　the　road　was　bordered　　by　trees　and　there　were　houses　only　on　the　right　side；　on　the　other　they　looked　out　over　　the　roofs　of　houses　in　the　lower　town　and　could　see　some　way　up　the　river。　then　they　　went　round　a　hairpin　bend　to　their　right　and　continued　rising。　they　were　zigzagging　up　　to　the　centre　of　tashbaan。　soon　they　came　to　finer　streets。　great　statues　of　the　gods　and　　heroes　of　calormen　…　who　are　mostly　impressive　rather　than　agreeable　to　look　at…　rose　　on　shining　pedestals。　palm　trees　and　pillared　arcades　cast　shadows　over　the　burning　　pavements。　and　through　the　arched　gateways　of　many　a　palace　shasta　caught　sight　of　green　　branches；　cool　fountains；　and　smooth　lawns。　it　must　be　nice　inside；　he　thought。

at　every　turn　shasta　hoped　they　were　getting　out　of　the　crowd；　but　they　　never　did。　this　made　their　progress　very　slow；　and　every　now　and　then　they　had　to　stop　　altogether。　this　usually　happened　because　a　loud　voice　shouted　out　〃way；　way；　way；　for　the　　tarkaan〃；　or　〃for　the　tarkheena〃；　or　〃for　the　fifteenth　vizier〃；　〃or　for　the　　ambassador〃；　and　everyone　in　the　crowd　would　crush　back　against　the　walls；　and　above　their　heads　　shasta　would　sometimes　see　the　great　lord　or　lady　for　whom　all　the　fuss　was　being　made；　　lolling　upon　a　litter　which　four　or　even　six　gigantic　slaves　carried　on　their　bare　　shoulders。　for　in　tashbaan　there　is　only　one　traffic　regulation；　which　is　that　everyone　who　　is　less　important　has　to　get　out　of　the　way　for　everyone　who　is　more　important；　　unless　you　want　a　cut　from　a　whip　or　punch　from　the　butt　end　of　a　spear。

it　was　in　a　splendid　street　very　near　the　top　of　the　city　（the　tisrocs　　palace　was　the　only　thing　above　it）　that　the　most　disastrous　of　these　stoppages　occurred。

〃way！　way！　way！〃　came　the　voice。　〃way　for　the　white　barbarian　king；　the　　guest　of　the　tisroc　（may　he　live　for　ever）！　way　for　the　narnian　lords。鈥�

shasta　tried　to　get　out　of　the　way　and　to　make　bree　go　back。　but　no　horse；　　not　even　a　talking　horse　from　narnia；　backs　easily。　and　a　woman　with　a　very　edgy　　basket　in　her　hands；　who　was　just　behind　shasta；　pushed　the　basket　hard　against　his　　shoulders；　and　said；　〃now　then！　who　are　you　shoving！〃　and　then　someone　else　jostled　him　　from　the　side　and　in　the　confusion　of　the　moment　he　lost　hold　of　bree。　and　then　the　　whole　crowd　　

behind　him　became　so　stiffened　and　packed　tight　that　he　couldnt　move　at　　all。　so　he　found　himself；　unintentionally；　in　the　first　row　and　had　a　fine　sight　of　the　　party　that　was　ing　down　the　street。

it　was　quite　unlike　any　other　party　they　had　seen　that　day。　the　crier　who　　went　before　it　shouting　〃way；　way！〃　was　the　only　calormene　in　it。　and　there　was　no　litter；　　everyone　was　on　foot。　there　were　about　half　a　dozen　men　and　shasta　had　never　seen　　anyone　like　them　before。　for　one　thing；　they　were　all　as　fair…skinned　as　himself；　and　　most　of　them　had　fair　hair。　and　they　were　not　dressed　like　men　of　calormen。　most　of　them　　had　legs　bare　to　the　kneee。　their　tunics　were　of　fine；　bright；　hardy　colours　…　　woodland　green；　or　gay　yellow；　or　fresh　blue。　instead　of　turbans　they　wore　steel　or　silver　　caps；　some　of　them　set　with　jewels；　and　one　with　little　wings　on　each　side　of　it。　a　few　were　　bare…headed。　the　swords　at　their　sides　were　long　and　straight；　not　curved　like　calormene　　scimitars。　and　instead　of　being　grave　and　mysterious　like　most　calormenes；　they　walked　　with　a　swing　and　let　their　arms　and　shoulders　free；　and　chatted　and　laughed。　one　was　　whistling。　you　could　see　that　they　were　ready　to　be　friends　with　anyone　who　was　friendly　　and　didnt　give　a　fig　for　anyone　who　wasnt。　shasta　thought　he　had　never　seen　anything　so　　lovely　in　his　life。

but　there　was　not　time　to　enjoy　it　for　at　once　a　really　dreadful　thing　　happened。　the　leader　of　the　fair…headed　men　suddenly　pointed　at　shasta；　cried　out；　〃there　he　is！　　theres　our　runaway！〃　and　seized　him　by　the　shoulder。　next　moment　he　gave　shasta　a　　smack　…　not　a　cruel　one　to　make　you　cry　but　a　sharp　one　to　let　you　know　you　are　in　　disgrace　and　added；　shaking：　　〃shame　on　you；　my　lord！　fie　for　shame！　queen　susans　eyes　are　red　with　　weeping　because　of　you。　what！　truant　for　a　whole　night！　where　have　you　been？鈥�

shasta　would　have　darted　under　brees　body　and　tried　to　make　himself　scarce　　in　the　crowd　if　he　had　had　the　least　chance；　but　the　fair…haired　men　were　all　　round　him　by　now　and　he　was　held　firm。

of　course　his　first　impulse　was　to　say　that　he　was　only　poor　arsheesh　the　　fishermans　son　and　that　the　foreign　lord　must　have　mistaken　him　for　someone　else。　but　　then；　the　very　last　thing　he　wanted　to　do　in　that　crowded　place　was　to　start　explaining　who　he　　was　and　what　he　was　doing。　if　he　started　on　that；　he　would　soon　be　asked　where　he　had　　got　his　horse　from；　and　who　aravis　was　…　and　then；　goodbye　to　any　chance　of　getting　　through　tashbaan。　his　next　impulse　was　to　look　at　bree　for　help。　but　bree　had　no　　intention　of　letting　all　the　crowd　know　that　he　could　talk；　and　stood　looking　just　as　　stupid　as　a　horse　can。　as　for　aravis；　shasta　did　not　even　dare　to　look　at　her　for　fear　of　　drawing　attention。

and　there　was　no　time　to　think；　for　the　leader　of　the　narnians　said　at　　once：　　〃take　one　of　his　little　lordships　hands；　peridan；　of　your　courtesy；　and　　ill　take　the　other。

and　now；　on。　our　royal　sisters　mind　will　be　greatly　eased　when　she　sees　　our　young　scapegrace　safe　in　our　lodging。鈥�

and　so；　before　they　were　half…way　through　tashbaan；　all　their　plans　were　　ruined；　and　without　even　a　chance　to　say　good…bye　to　the　others　shasta　found　himself　　being　marched　off　among　strangers　and　quite　unable　to　guess　what　might　be　going　to　happen　　next。　the　narnian　king　…　for　shasta　began　to　see　by　the　way　the　rest　spoke　to　him　　that　he　must　be　a　king　…　kept　on　asking　him　questions；　where　he　had　been；　how　he　had　got　out；　　what　he　had　done　with　his　clothes；　and　didnt　he　know　that　he　had　been　very　naughty。　　only　the　king　called　it　〃naught〃　instead　of　naughty。

and　shasta　said　nothing　in　answer；　because　he　couldnt　think　of　anything　to　　say　that　would　not　be　dangerous。

〃what！　all　mum？〃　asked　the　king。　〃i　must　plainly　tell　you；　prince；　that　　this　hangdog　silence　bees　one　of　your　blood　even　less　than　the　scape　itself。　to　run　　away　might　pass　for　a　boys　frolic　with　some　spirit　in　it。　but　the　kings　son　of　　archenland　should　avouch　his　deed；　not　hang　his　head　like　a　calormene　slave。鈥�

this　was　very　unpleasant；　for　shasta　felt　all　the　time　that　this　young　king　　was　the　very　nicest　kind　of　grown…up　and　would　have　liked　to　make　a　good　impression　on　　him。

the　strangers　led　him…held　tightly　by　both　hands…along　a　narrow　street　and　　down　a　flight　of　shallow　stairs　and　then　up　another　to　a　wide　doorway　in　a　white　wall　　with　two　tall；　dark　cypress　trees；　one　on　each　side　of　it。　once　through　the　arch；　shasta　　found　himself　in　a　courtyard　which　was　also　a　garden。　a　marble　basin　of　clear　water　in　the　　centre　was　kept　continually　rippling　by　the　fountain　that　fell　into　it。　orange　trees　grew　　round　it　out　of　smooth　grass；　and　the　four　white　walls　which　surrounded　the　lawn　were　　covered　with　climbing　roses。　the　noise　and　dust　and　crowding　of　the　streets　seemed　　suddenly　fad　away。　he　was　led　rapidly　across　the　garden　and　then　into　a　dark　doorway。　　the　crier　remained　outside。　after　that　they　took　him　along　a　corridor；　where　the　　stone　floor　felt　beautifully　cool　to　his　hot　feet；　and　up　some　stairs。　a　moment　later　he　　found　himself　blinking　in　the　light　of　a　big；　airy　room　with　wide　open　windows；　all　　looking　north　so　that　no　sun　came　in。　there　was　a　carpet　on　the　floor　more　wonderfully　　coloured　than　anything　he　had　ever　seen　and　his　feet　sank　down　into　it　as　if　he　were　　treading　in　thick　moss。　all　round　th