ARAVIS IN TASHBAAN
WHAT had really happened was this. When Aravis saw Shasta hurried away by the Narnians and found herself alone with two horses who (very wisely) wouldn't say a word, she never lost her head even for a moment. She grabbed Bree's halter and stood still, holding both the horses; and though her heart was beating as hard as a hammer, she did nothing to show it. As soon as the Narnian lords had passed she tried to move on again. But before she could take a step, another crier ("Bother all these people" thought Aravis) was heard shouting out, "Way, way, way! Way for the Tarkheena Lasaraleen!" and immediately, following the crier, came four armed slaves and then four bearers carrying a litter which was all a-flutter with silken curtains and all a-jingle with silver bells and which scented1 the whole street with perfumes and flowers. After the litter, female slaves in beautiful clothes, and then a few grooms3, runners, pages, and the like. And now Aravis made her first mistake.
She knew Lasaraleen quite well - almost as if they had been at school together - because they had often stayed in the same houses and been to the same parties. And Aravis couldn't help looking up to see what Lasaraleen looked like now that she was married and a very great person indeed.
It was fatal. The eyes of the two girls met. And immediately Lasaraleen sat up in the litter and burst out at the top of her voice.
"Aravis! What on earth are you doing here? Your father-"
There was not a moment to lose. Without a second's delay Aravis let go the Horses, caught the edge of the litter, swung herself up beside Lasaraleen and whispered furiously in her ear.
"Shut up! Do you hear! Shut up. You must hide me. Tell your people-"
"But darling-" began Lasaraleen in the same loud voice. (She didn't in the least mind making people stare; in fact she rather liked it.)
"Do what I tell you or I'll never speak to you again," hissed4 Aravis. "Please, please be quick, Las. It's frightfully important. Tell your people to bring those two horses along. Pull all the curtains of the litter and get away somewhere where I can't be found. And do hurry."
"All right, darling," said Lasaraleen in her lazy voice. "Here. Two of you take the Tarkheena's horses." (This was to the slaves.) "And now home. I say, darling, do you think we really want the curtains drawn5 on a day like this? I mean to say-"
But Aravis had already drawn the curtains, enclosing Lasaraleen and herself in a rich and scented, but rather stuffy6, kind of tent.
"I mustn't be seen," "she said. "My father doesn't know I'm here. I'm running away."
"My dear, how perfectly7 thrilling," said Lasaraleen. "I'm dying to hear all about it. Darling, you're sitting on my dress. Do you mind? That's better. It is a new one. Do you like it? I got it at-"
"Oh, Las, do be serious," said Aravis. "Where is my father?"
"Didn't you know?" said Lasaraleen. "He's here, of course. He came to town yesterday and is asking about you everywhere. And to think of you and me being here together and his not knowing anything about it! It's the funniest thing I ever heard." And she went off into giggles8. She always had been a terrible giggler9, as Aravis now remembered.
"It isn't funny at all," she said. "It's dreadfully serious. Where can you hide me?"
"No difficulty at all, my dear girl," said Lasaraleen. "I'll take you home. My husband's away and no one will see you. Phew! It's not much fun with the curtains drawn. I want to see people. There's no point in having a new dress on if one's to go about shut up like this."
"I hope no one heard you when you shouted out to me like that," said Aravis.
"No, no, of course, darling," said Lasaraleen absentmindedly. "But you haven't even told me yet what you think of the dress."
"Another thing," said Aravis. "You must tell your people to treat those two horses very respectfully. That's part of the secret. They're really Talking Horses from Narnia."
"Fancy!" said Lasaraleen. "How exciting! And oh, darling, have you seen the barbarian10 queen from Narnia? She's staying in Tashbaan at present. They say Prince Rabadash is madly in love with her. There have been the most wonderful parties and hunts and things all this last fortnight. I can't see that she's so very pretty myself. But some of the Narnian men are lovely. I was taken out on a river party the day before yesterday, and I was wearing my-"
"How shall we prevent your people telling everyone that you've got a visitor - dressed like a beggar's brat11 - in your house? It might so easily get round to my father."
"Now don't keep on fussing, there's a dear," said Lasaraleen. "We'll get you some proper clothes in a moment. And here we are!"
The bearers had stopped and the litter was being lowered. When the curtains had been drawn Aravis found that she was in a courtyard-garden very like the one that Shasta had been taken into a few minutes earlier in another part of the city. Lasaraleen would have gone indoors at once but Aravis reminded her in a frantic12 whisper to say something to the slaves about not telling anyone of their mistress's strange visitor.
"Sorry, darling, it had gone right out of my head," said Lasareleen. "Here. All of you. And you, doorkeeper. No one is to be let out of the house today. And anyone I catch talking about this young lady will be first beaten to death and then burned alive and after that be kept on bread and water for six weeks. There."
Although Lasaraleen had said she was dying to hear Aravis's story, she showed no sign of really wanting to hear it at all. She was, in fact, much better at talking than at listening. She insisted on Aravis having a long and luxurious13 bath (Calormene baths are famous) and then dressing14 her up in the finest clothes before she would let her explain anything. The fuss she made about choosing the dresses nearly drove Aravis mad. She remembered now that Lasaraleen had always been like that, interested in clothes and parties and gossip. Aravis had always been more interested in bows and arrows and horses and dogs and swimming. You will guess that each thought the other silly. But when at last they were both seated after a meal (it was chiefly of the whipped cream and jelly and fruit and ice sort) in a beautiful pillared room (which Aravis would have liked better if Lasaraleen's spoiled pet monkey hadn't been climbing about it all the time) Lasaraleen at last asked her why she was running away from home.
When Aravis had finished telling her story, Lasaraleen said, "But, darling, why don't you marry Ahoshta Tarkaan? Everyone's crazy about him. My husband says he is beginning to be one of the greatest men in Calormen. He has just been made Grand Vizier now old Axartha has died. Didn't you know?"
"I don't care. I can't stand the sight of him," said Aravis.
"But, darling, only think! Three palaces, and one of them that beautiful one down on the lake at Ilkeen. Positively15 ropes of pearls, I'm told. Baths of asses16' milk. And you'd see such a lot of me."
"He can keep his pearls and palaces as far as I'm concerned," said Aravis.
"You always were a queer girl, Aravis," said Lasaraleen. "What more do you want?"
In the end, however, Aravis managed to make her friend believe that she was in earnest and even to discuss plans. There would be no difficulty now about getting the two horses out of the North gate and then on to the Tombs. No one would stop or question a groom2 in fine clothes leading a war horse and a lady's saddle horse down to the river, and Lasaraleen had plenty of grooms to send. It wasn't so easy to decide what to do about Aravis herself. She suggested that she could be carried out in the litter with the curtains drawn. But Lasaraleen told her that litters were only used in the city and the sight of one going out through the gate would be certain to lead to questions.
When they had talked for a long time - and it was all the longer because Aravis found it hard to keep her friend to the point-at last Lasaraleen clapped her hands and said, "Oh, I have an idea. There is one way of getting out of the city without using the gates. The Tisroc's garden (may he live for ever!) runs right down to the water and there is a little water-door. Only for the palace people of course - but then you know, dear (here she tittered a little) we almost are palace people. I say, it is lucky for you that you came to me. The dear Tisroc (may he live for ever!) is so kind. We're asked to the palace almost every day and it is like a second home. I love all the dear princes and princesses and I positively adore Prince Rabadash. I might run in and see any of the palace ladies at any hour of the day or night. Why shouldn't I slip in withyou, after dark, and let you out by the water-door? There are always a few punts and things tied up outside it. And even if we were caught-"
"All would be lost," said Aravis.
"Oh darling, don't get so excited," said Lasaraleen. "I was going to say, even if we were caught everyone would only say it was one of my mad jokes. I'm getting quite well known for them. Only the other day- do listen, dear, this is frightfully funny-"
"I meant, all would be lost for me," said Aravis a little sharply.
"Oh - ah - yes - I do see what you mean, darling. Well, can you think of any better plan?"
Aravis couldn't, and answered, "No. We'll have to risk it. When can we start?"
"Oh, not tonight," said Lasaraleen. "Of course not tonight. There's a great feast on tonight (I must start getting my hair done for it in a few minutes) and the whole place will be a blaze of lights. And such a crowd too! It would have to be tomorrow night."
This was bad news for Aravis, but she had to make the best of it. The afternoon passed very slowly and it was a relief when Lasaraleen went out to the banquet, for Aravis was very tired of her giggling17 and her talk about dresses and parties, weddings and engagements and scandals. She went to bed early and that part she did enjoy: it was so nice to have pillows and sheets again.
But the next day passed very slowly. Lasaraleen wanted to go back on the whole arrangement and kept on telling Aravis that Narnia was a country of perpetual snow and ice inhabited by demons18 and sorcerers, and she was mad to think of going there. "And with a peasant boy, too!" said Lasaraleen. "Darling, think of it! It's not Nice." Aravis had thought of it a good deal, but she was so tired of Lasaraleen's silliness by now that, for the first time, she began to think that travelling with Shasta was really rather more fun than fashionable life in Tashbaan. So she only replied, "You forget that I'll be nobody, just like him, when we get to Narnia. And anyway, I promised."
"And to think," said Lasaraleen, almost crying, "that if only you had sense you could be the wife of a Grand Vizier!" Aravis went away to have a private word with the horses.
"You must go with a groom a little before sunset down to the Tombs," she said. "No more of those packs. You'll be saddled and bridled19 again. But there'll have to be food in Hwin's saddle-bags and a full water-skin behind yours, Bree. The man has orders to let you both have a good long drink at the far side of the bridge."
"And then, Narnia and the North!" whispered Bree. "But what if Shasta is not at the Tombs."
"Wait for him of course," said Aravis. "I hope you've been quite comfortable."
"Never better stabled in my life," said Bree. "But if the husband of that tittering Tarkheena friend of yours is paying his head groom to get the best oats, then I think the head groom is cheating him."
Aravis and Lasaraleen had supper in the pillared room.
About two hours later they were ready to start. Aravis was dressed to look like a superior slave-girl in a great house and wore a veil over her face. They had agreed that if any questions were asked Lasaraleen would pretend that Aravis was a slave she was taking as a present to one of the princesses.
The two girls went out on foot. A very few minutes brought them to the palace gates. Here there were of course soldiers on guard but the officer knew Lasaraleen quite well and called his men to attention and saluted20. They passed at once into the Hall of Black Marble. A fair number of courtiers, slaves and others were still moving about here but this only made the two girls less conspicuous21. They passed on into the Hall of Pillars and then into the Hall of Statues and down the colonnade22, passing the great beatencopper doors of the throne room. It was all magnificent beyond description; what they could see of it in the dim light of the lamps.
Presently they came out into the garden-court which sloped downhill in a number of terraces. On the far side of that they came to the Old Palace. It had already grown almost quite dark and they now found themselves in a maze23 of corridors lit only by occasional torches fixed24 in brackets to the walls. Lasaraleen halted at a place where you had to go either left or right.
"Go on, do go on," whispered Aravis, whose heart was beating terribly and who still felt that her father might run into them at any corner.
"I'm just wondering..." said Lasaraleen. "I'm not absolutely sure which way we go from here. I think it's the left. Yes, I'm almost sure it's the left. What fun this is!"
They took the left hand way and found themselves in a passage that was hardly lighted at all and which soon began going down steps.
"It's all right," said Lasaraleen. "I'm sure we're right now. I remember these steps." But at that moment a moving light appeared ahead. A second later there appeared from round a distant corner, the dark shapes of two men walking backwards25 and carrying tall candles. And of course it is only before royalties26 that people walk backwards. Aravis felt Lasaraleen grip her arm - that sort of sudden grip which is almost a pinch and which means that the person who is gripping you is very frightened indeed. Aravis thought it odd that Lasaraleen should be so afraid of the Tisroc if he were really such a friend of hers, but there was no time to go on thinking. Lasaraleen was hurrying her back to the top of the steps, on tiptoes, and groping wildly along the wall.
"Here's a door," she whispered. "Quick."
They went in, drew the door very softly behind them, and found themselves in pitch darkness. Aravis could hear by Lasaraleen's breathing that she was terrified.
"Tash preserve us!" whispered Lasaraleen. "What shall we do if he comes in here. Can we hide?"
There was a soft carpet under their feet. They groped forward into the room and blundered on to a sofa.
"Let's lie down behind it," whimpered Lasaraleen. "Oh, I do wish we hadn't come."
There was just room between the sofa and the curtained wall and the two girls got down. Lasaraleen managed to get the better position and was completely covered. The upper part of Aravis's face stuck out beyond the sofa, so that if anyone came into that room with a light and happened to look in exactly the right place they would see her. But of course, because she was wearing a veil, what they saw would not at once look like a forehead and a pair of eyes. Aravis shoved desperately27 to try to make Lasaraleen give her a little more room. But Lasaraleen, now quite selfish in her panic, fought back and pinched her feet. They gave it up and lay still, panting a little. Their own breath semed dreadfully noisy, but there was no other noise.
"Is it safe?" said Aravis at last in the tiniest possible whisper.
"I - I - think so," began Lasaraleen. "But my poor nerves -" and then came the most terrible noise they could have heard at that moment: the noise of the door opening. And then came light. And because Aravis couldn't get her head any further in behind the sofa, she saw everything.
First came the two slaves (deaf and dumb, as Aravis rightly guessed, and therefore used at the most secret councils) walking backwards and carrying the candles. They took up their stand one at each end of the sofa. This was a good thing, for of course it was now harder for anyone to see Aravis once a slave was in front of her and she was looking between his heels. Then came an old man, very fat, wearing a curious pointed28 cap by which she immediately knew that he was the Tisroc. The least of the jewels with which he was covered was worth more than all the clothes and weapons of the Narnian lords put together: but he was so fat and such a mass of frills and pleats and bobbles and buttons and tassels29 and talismans30 that Aravis couldn't help thinking the Narnian fashions (at any rate for men) looked nicer. After him came a tall young man with a feathered and jewelled turban on his head and an ivory-sheathed scimitar at his side. He seemed very excited and his eyes and teeth flashed fiercely in the candlelight. Last of all came a little hump-backed, wizened31 old man in whom she recognized with a shudder32 the new Grand Vizier and her own betrothed33 husband, Ahoshta Tarkaan himself.
As soon as all three had entered the room and the door was shut, the Tisroc seated himself on the divan34 with a sigh of contentment, the young man took his place, standing35 before him, and the Grand Vizier got down on his knees and elbows and laid his face flat on the carpet.
七、阿拉维斯在塔什班城
实际发生的事情是这样的。当阿拉维斯看见沙斯塔被纳尼亚人匆匆带走，发觉自己单独和(十分聪明地)不肯说人话的两匹马儿在一起时，她片刻也没有丧失理智。她抓住布里的缰绳，一动不动地站在那儿，控制着那两匹马儿，尽管她的心怦怦跳动像锤子敲打，她可没有露出声色来。纳尼亚国王们走过去了，她便试图重新前进。但她还没有迈步，却听另一个喝道的(“这些人真讨厌，”阿拉维斯心中想道)正在大声叫喊”闪开，闪开，闪开！给泰克希娜拉斯阿拉莉恩让路！”紧跟着那喝道的，立刻走过来四个武装奴隶，以及抬着一顶轿子的四个轿夫，轿子上四面飘扬着丝绸轿帘，银铃丁当，芳香和花气弥漫着整条街道。跟在轿子后面的，有四个穿华丽衣裳的女奴，几个侍从、跑腿的小厮、小听差等等。这当儿阿拉维斯犯了她的第一个错误。
她跟拉斯阿拉莉恩十分熟稔——几乎像是一起上过学似的——因为她们时常在同二家人家小住，参加同一个社交聚会。如今拉斯阿拉莉恩结婚了，事实上成了十分阔气的人物，所以阿拉维斯禁不住抬起头来，瞧瞧拉斯阿拉莉恩的模样。
这下可糟啦。两个少女的眼光碰到一起，拉斯阿拉莉恩立刻从轿子里坐了起来，拉开嗓门儿大声叫道。
“阿拉维斯！你究竟在这儿干什么呀?你父亲……”
片刻也放松不得。一秒钟也没有耽搁，阿拉维斯放开了马儿，抓住轿子的边缘，身体腾空，~窜到了拉斯阿拉莉恩的身边，愤怒地凑到她耳朵边低声说道
“别嚷嚷！你听到吗?别嚷嚷。你必须把我藏起来。嘱咐你的仆从……”
“可是宝贝……”拉斯阿拉莉恩用同先前一样响亮的声音说起话来。(这弄得路人目不转睛地瞧她，她可一点也
不介意；事实上，她倒是喜欢人家这样瞧她的。)
“照我嘱咐你的话办，不然我就永远不同你说话了。”阿拉维斯嘶嘶地说道，”请，请你赶快，拉斯。事情严重得可怕。叫你的侍从带着这两匹马儿，把你轿子上的所有帘子都放下来，跑到一个人家找不着我的地方。赶快！”
“行啊，宝贝儿，”拉斯阿拉莉恩用懒洋洋的声调答道，”喂，你们两个带着泰克希娜的马儿。”(这句话是对奴隶说的。)”现在，回家。听我说，宝贝儿，在这样晴朗的日子里，我们当真要把帘子都放下来吗?我的意思是说……”
但阿拉维斯已经把帘子放下来了，把拉斯阿拉莉恩和她自己封闭在一个富丽芳香却又相当闷热、类似篷帐的东西里了。
“我必须不让人看见，”她说道，”我的父亲不知道我在这儿。我正在逃跑啊。”
“啊，我的亲爱的，真够刺激的。”拉斯阿拉莉恩说道，”我真想听听全部故事。亲爱的，你坐在我的衣服上了，挪一挪，行吗?现在好多了。这是件新衣服，你喜欢吗?我买到它是在……”
“噢，拉斯，请你别开玩笑，”阿拉维斯说，”我父亲在什么地方?”
“你不知道吗。”拉斯阿拉莉恩说道，”他当然是在这儿啊。他昨天到城里来的，到处打听你的下落。你倒想想看，你和我一起在这儿，他却啥也不知道。这是我所听到的最可笑的事情了。”她的话变成了格格格的笑声。阿拉维斯现在记起来了，她始终是个令人可怕的格格笑个不停的女人。
“这压根儿不可笑，”她说，”这事严重得可怕。你能把我藏在什么地方啊?”
“这可毫无困难，我亲爱的姑娘，”拉斯阿拉莉恩说道，”我要带你到我家里去。我的丈夫出门了，没有人会看见你的。晴，轿帘都拉下来了，就没什么趣了。我要看看老百姓。如果一个人非要这样封闭起来上街不可，那么穿上新衣服也就毫无意思了。”
“我希望你这样拉大嗓门儿跟我说话时，没有人听见你的话。”阿拉维斯说。
“没有，没有人听见，当然啦。”拉斯阿拉莉恩心不在焉地说道，”但你觉得这件新衣服怎么样，你至今也还没有告诉我哩。
“还有一件事，”阿拉维斯说道，”你必须嘱咐你的仆从要恭而敬之地对待这两匹马儿。它们是这个秘密的一部分。它们确确实实是来自纳尼亚的说人话的马儿。”
“好不奇怪！”拉斯阿拉莉恩说道，”多么激动人心！喂，亲爱的，你看见过来自纳尼亚的野蛮的女王吗?现在她待在塔什班城里。据说王子拉巴达什疯狂地爱上了她。最近这两星期来，直都在举行最最豪华的社交盛会，打猎，以及其他活动。我自己可看不出她有多美。但有几个纳尼亚男子汉倒很漂亮。前天我被带去参加河滨舞会，我穿上了我的……”
“我们怎样才能阻止你的仆从告诉别人:有一个客人——穿得像个乞丐的小崽子——进了你的家。这消息说不定十分容易传到我父亲那儿。”
“别老是大惊小怪的，你要听话，才是乖宝宝哩。”拉斯阿拉莉恩说道，”我们一会儿就给你找些合适的衣服。我们到家了。”
轿夫停下步来，放下轿子。轿帘拉开时，阿拉维斯发现自己已在一个庭院里了，就跟几分钟前在城市的另一个地方沙斯塔被带进去的那个院子差不多。拉斯阿拉莉恩本来立刻就要走进门去，但阿拉维斯用疯疯癫癫的低语提醒她要对奴隶们嘱咐几句，别跟任何人提起女主人的怪客。
“对不起，宝贝儿，我完全忘记了。”拉斯阿拉莉恩说道，”听着，你们大家，还有你，门房。不论谁讲起这位年轻女士，如果被我逮住了，首先就要打得半死不活，其次就要活活焚烧，然后是接连六个星期不给面包吃，不给水喝。就这样。”
虽然拉斯阿拉莉恩说过，她很想听阿拉维斯的不幸故事，却压根儿没有表露出确实想听的迹象。事实上，听和说相比，她说起来要胜任愉快得多。她坚持要阿拉维斯洗个漫长而奢侈的澡(卡乐门的洗澡是世界闻名的)，用最好的衣服把她打扮起来，然后才容许她解释点儿什么事情。在选择衣服上的小题大做，几乎把阿拉维斯搞得恼火了。这时她记起来了，拉斯阿拉莉恩始终是这个样子的：对衣着打扮、社交聚会和闲谈聊天感兴趣。阿拉维斯始终对弓、箭、犬、马和游泳更感兴趣。但当她们吃过饭(主要是掼油、果子冻、冰水果之类)，两个人一起坐在美丽的圆柱房间里(如果被拉斯阿拉莉恩宠坏了的猴子不是始终在爬来爬去，阿拉维斯会更加喜欢这房间的)，拉斯阿拉莉恩终于问她为什么从家里逃出来了。
向拉维斯讲完她的故事，拉斯阿拉莉恩说道”可是，宝贝儿，你干吗不嫁给泰坎阿霍什塔呢?谁都在为他发疯着迷哩。我的丈夫说，他将成为卡乐门最伟大的人物。如今老阿克萨沙死了，他刚刚荣升首相，你知道吗?”
“我可不在乎。我看到他就受不了。”阿拉维斯说道。
“可是，宝贝儿，你倒考虑考虑！三个府邸，其中一个美丽极了，就在伊尔基茵的湖滨。我听人家说，确实是珍珠大串大串的。用驴乳洗澡。而且你可以经常遇见我。”
“他不妨留着他的珍珠和府邸吧，这些东西跟我可不相干。”阿拉维斯说。
“阿拉维斯，你始终是个古怪的姑娘，”拉斯阿拉莉恩说道，”你还要求什么东西呢?”
可是，说到后来，阿拉维斯还是设法使她的朋友相信她是认真的，甚至讨论起计划来了。现在两匹马儿要出北城城门赶到坟场去，是不会有什么困难的了。没有人会阻挡或盘问一个衣服华丽的侍从带着一匹战马和一位女士的坐骑到河滨去的，拉斯阿拉莉恩家有许多侍从可以随意差遣。不容易决定的事情是阿拉维斯本人该怎么办。她提议她可以坐在轿子里，拉下轿帘，让人抬出城去。但拉斯阿拉莉恩告诉她，轿子只在城里使用，看到一顶轿子出城门而去，一定会引起人们的疑问。
她们已经讨论了好长一段时间——阿拉维斯发觉很难使她的朋友不要离题太远，所以时间就拖得格外长了——拉斯阿拉莉恩终于拍手说道，”呀，我想到一个主意了。有一个办法可以不穿过城门而走出塔什班城去。蒂斯罗克(愿他万寿无疆！)的花园从山上绵延而下，直达河流，那儿有个水门。当然，仅仅供王宫里的人使用——不过，你要知道，亲爱的(说到这儿她哧哧地笑了一下)，我们几乎是王宫里的人物了。我说，你来找我，是你运道好。亲爱的蒂斯罗克(愿他万寿无疆！)是那么和蔼可亲，几乎每天都召我们进宫去，王宫就像是我们第二个家。我敬爱所有亲爱的王子和公主，我十分崇拜王子拉巴达什。不论白天黑夜，不论哪一个时辰，我都可以跑去见王宫里不论哪一位夫人。天黑以后，为什么我不带着你溜进宫去，然后从水门把你放出城去?水门外总是有些平底船之类系在那儿。而且，哪怕我们被逮住了，”
“那就一切都完了。”阿拉维斯说。
“宝贝儿，别那么激动啊，”拉斯阿拉莉恩说道，”我要说的是如果我们被逮住了，人人都会说，这不过是我开的一疯狂的玩笑罢了。我的开玩笑正在变得十分出名。就在几天之前——亲爱的，你听呀，真是有趣得可怕——”
“我的意思是说对我说来，就切都完了。”阿拉维斯有点生气地说道。
“唷——啊——是呀——我听明白你的意思了，宝贝儿。喂，你可想得出其他好计划吗?”
阿拉维斯想不出好办法，答道，”我没有办法。我们不得不冒险了。我们能在什么时候开始行动呢？”
“啊，今夜不行，”拉斯阿拉莉恩说道，”今夜当然不行。”
今夜要举行一个盛大宴会(我必须在几分钟之内做好头发去赴宴)，整个王宫将是一片灯火辉煌。而且还有那么一大群人。只好改到明天夜里了。”
对于阿拉维斯，这是个坏消息，但她不得不充分利用这个机会。那天下午过得很慢，而拉斯阿拉莉恩出去赴宴的时候倒是个解脱，因为阿拉维斯十分厌倦她那格格的笑声，她那关于服装、舞会、结婚、订婚和丑闻的闲谈。她很早就上床了，有一点她倒很欣赏重新睡在枕头和被单上毕竟是十分舒适的。
但第二天过得十分缓慢。拉斯阿拉莉恩想要取消原来的整个安排，不断地告诉阿拉维斯，纳尼亚是个永远下雪结冰的国家，住着恶魔和巫师，她要到那儿去简直是发疯。
“而且和一个乡下孩子同去！”拉斯阿拉莉恩说道，”宝贝儿，你倒考虑考虑！那可不妙。”阿拉维斯考虑过很多，但如今她对拉斯阿拉莉恩的糊涂无知实在感觉厌倦了，她第一次开始想到同沙斯塔一起旅行赶路，确实比塔什班城里时髦的上流社会生活要有趣得多。所以她只是答道”你忘记了一点：我们到达纳尼亚时，我便将是个无名小卒了，就像他一样。而且，无论如何，原是我答允了一起去的。”
“你倒想想看，”拉斯阿拉莉恩说，几乎是在嚷嚷了，”只要你自己有头脑，你就可以做大臣的妻子了！”阿拉维斯跑了出去，和两匹马儿说些悄悄话。
“你们必须跟一个侍从赶在日落之前的那会儿到达坟场，”她说，”不再背这些个驮包了。重新给你们配上鞍子和辔头。但赫温的鞍囊里得放些食品，布里，你背上得装满满一皮袋水。侍从奉命让你们在远离大桥的岸边花点时间美美地把水喝足。”
“喝足了水，直奔纳尼亚和北方！”布里低声说道，”但如果沙斯塔不在坟场里怎么办呢?”
“当然要等他啦，”阿拉维斯说，”我想你在这儿过得挺舒适吧。”
“我生平从来没待过比这更好的马底，”布里说道，”但你那位朋友，吃吃笑的泰克希娜，如果她的丈夫付给侍从头儿的是买最好的燕麦的钱，那么，我认为那侍从头儿是在欺骗主人了。”
阿拉维斯和拉斯阿拉莉恩在圆柱房间里吃晚饭。
两个钟头以后，她们准备出发了。阿拉维斯穿戴得像个大户人家的高级女奴，脸上还戴了一个面纱。她们已经商量妥当，如果有人问起，拉斯阿拉莉恩就装模作样地说：阿拉维斯是个女奴，她要把这女奴作为礼物献给某一位公主。
两个姑娘光着脚走出门去。没有几分钟就到了王宫大门口。门口当然有士兵警卫，但军官对拉斯阿拉莉恩十分熟稔，他叫他的士兵立正、敬礼。她们立刻走进了黑大理石大厅。好多廷臣、奴隶和其他人等仍在厅里走动，这倒使这两个姑娘更加不引人注目了。她们继续前行，进入圆柱大厅，然后又进入雕像大厅，沿着柱廊行去，经过了觐见室的铜箔大门。她们在朦胧灯光中所能见到的一切，全都是富丽堂皇，非言语所能形容。
不久她们就出了宫殿，进入御花园，花园依着山势经过许多台地迤逦而下。她们在花园另一边来到旧王宫。天色已经变得十分昏暗了，现在她们发觉自己置身于回廊的迷宫之中，墙上偶尔有个托架插着火炬照明。拉斯阿拉莉恩在一个岔路口停步不前了:非此即彼，你要么往左走，要么往右走。
“往前走啊，往前走啊。”阿拉维斯低声催促道，她的心怦怦地跳得可怕，她仍旧觉得她的父亲很可能在任何一个角落里撞见她们。
“我正在琢磨…”拉斯阿拉莉恩说道，”我们从这儿出去，该从哪一条路走，我没有绝对的把握。我想是左边那一条。是的，我几乎确信是左边那一条了。这多么有趣！”
她们走上了左边的那条路，发觉置身在一条压根儿没有什么亮光的通道里，这通道不久就变成了一级又一级向下延伸的台阶。
“对了，”拉斯阿拉莉恩说道，”我有把握我们现在是走对了。我记得这一级级的台阶。”但就在这当儿，前面出现一个移动的亮光。一秒钟后，从一个遥远的角落里出现了两个人的黑影，他们手执高大的蜡烛，正在往后倒退着走哩。当然啼，只有在国王和王族面前，人们才倒退着走的。阿拉维斯觉得拉斯阿拉莉恩抓住她的手臂——这种突然一抓，几乎是拧了把，意味着那伸手抓的人实际上十分惶恐。阿拉维斯认为这事很奇怪，拉斯阿拉莉恩竟会那么害怕蒂斯罗克，如果蒂斯罗克确实是她的朋友；但阿拉维斯也没有时间继续思考这个问题。拉斯阿拉莉恩正催促她赶紧返回台阶的顶上，发疯似的沿着墙垣摸索前进。
“这儿是门，”她悄悄说道，”快。”
她们走进门去，轻轻地把身后的门关上，发觉自己置身在一团漆黑之中。阿拉维斯能从拉斯阿拉莉恩的呼吸声里听出她是诚惶诚恐的。
“塔什神救命啊！”拉斯阿拉莉恩低声说道，”如果他走进这儿，我们怎么办呢?我们能躲藏起来吗?”
她们的脚下有一块地毯。她们摸索着进入房间，慌慌张张撞在一张沙发上。
“让我们在沙发背后躺下来，”拉斯阿拉莉恩呜呜咽咽地说道，”啊，我但愿我们没有来。”
沙发与幕墙之间恰好有地方给这两个姑娘躺下。拉斯阿拉莉恩设法占据较好的位置，把自己的身体完全遮住了。阿拉维斯上半个脸在沙发背后露了出来，所以，如果有什么人手中拿着个灯走进房间，碰巧朝这个角落一望，就会看见她了。当然，由于她戴着面纱，乍一看倒不会像是一个前额和一双眼睛。阿拉维斯拼命推操，竭力使拉斯阿拉莉恩腾一点儿地方给她。但拉斯阿拉莉恩如今在惊慌失措中十分自私，她把对方挤回去，还拧她的脚。她们绝望了，动也不动地躺着，稍微有点儿气喘。她们的呼吸似乎响得可怕，但室内没有其他声音。
“这儿安全吗?”阿拉维斯终于尽可能低声地说道。
“我——我——我想是安全的，”拉斯阿拉莉恩说道.
我那可怜的神经…”于是传来了此时此刻她们所能听到的最最可怕的声音。开门的声音。然后是灯光。因为阿拉维斯在沙发背后可以伸长脖子，她什么都看在眼里。
首先进来两个奴隶(又聋又哑，正如阿拉维斯所猜到的，以便开最秘密的会议)，手持蜡烛，倒退着走进来。他们站定在沙发的两头。这倒是件好事，因为一旦阿拉维斯的前面站了个奴隶，当然任何人就更难看到她了，而她却可以在奴隶的两个脚跟之间向外张望。接着进来的是一个老头儿，很胖，戴一顶稀奇古怪的尖顶帽子，凭着这帽子，她立刻知道他就是蒂斯罗克了。他浑身上下都是珠宝首饰，其价值至少也要超过纳尼亚王族所有衣服和武器加起来的总价值，但他是那么胖，还有那么一大堆饰边、皱裙、小羊毛球、纽扣、流苏、辟邪物，阿拉维斯禁不住想到纳尼亚的时装(无论如何是给人穿的)看上去要雅致得多了。蒂斯罗克之后，来了个高大的年轻人，头上裹着一个插羽毛、镶珠宝的头巾，身边佩一把象牙革肖的弯刀。他似乎很激动，他的眼睛和牙齿凶狠地在烛光里闪烁。最后，进来一个驼背、枯搞的小老头儿，她浑身不寒而栗，认出小老头儿就是新首相，自己新订婚的丈夫，泰坎阿霍什塔本人。
这三个人一进房间，门就关上了，蒂斯罗克在长沙发上落座，嘘了一口心满意足的气，年轻人也就了位，站在蒂斯罗克的面前，首相双膝跪了下来，两肘撑着，俯首把脸伏在地毯上。
收听单词发音 |
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scented
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| adj.有香味的；洒香水的；有气味的v.嗅到(scent的过去分词) | |
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groom
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| vt.给（马、狗等）梳毛，照料，使...整洁 | |
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grooms
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| n.新郎( groom的名词复数 )；马夫v.照料或梳洗（马等）( groom的第三人称单数 )；使做好准备；训练；（给动物）擦洗 | |
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hissed
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| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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stuffy
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| adj.不透气的，闷热的 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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giggles
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| n.咯咯的笑( giggle的名词复数 )；傻笑；玩笑；the giggles 止不住的格格笑v.咯咯地笑( giggle的第三人称单数 ) | |
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giggler
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barbarian
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| n.野蛮人；adj.野蛮(人)的；未开化的 | |
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brat
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| n.孩子；顽童 | |
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frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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luxurious
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| adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的 | |
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dressing
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| n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料 | |
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positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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asses
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| n. 驴，愚蠢的人，臀部 adv. (常用作后置)用于贬损或骂人 | |
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giggling
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| v.咯咯地笑( giggle的现在分词 ) | |
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demons
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| n.恶人( demon的名词复数 )；恶魔；精力过人的人；邪念 | |
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bridled
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| 给…套龙头( bridle的过去式和过去分词 )； 控制； 昂首表示轻蔑（或怨忿等）； 动怒，生气 | |
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saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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conspicuous
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| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
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colonnade
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| n.柱廊 | |
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maze
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| n.迷宫，八阵图，混乱，迷惑 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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royalties
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| 特许权使用费 | |
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desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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tassels
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| n.穗( tassel的名词复数 )；流苏状物；（植物的）穗；玉蜀黍的穗状雄花v.抽穗， （玉米）长穗须( tassel的第三人称单数 )；使抽穗， （为了使作物茁壮生长）摘去穗状雄花；用流苏装饰 | |
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talismans
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| n.护身符( talisman的名词复数 )；驱邪物；有不可思议的力量之物；法宝 | |
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wizened
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| adj.凋谢的；枯槁的 | |
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shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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betrothed
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| n. 已订婚者 动词betroth的过去式和过去分词 | |
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divan
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| n.长沙发；（波斯或其他东方诗人的）诗集 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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