ACROSS THE DESERT
"Hove dreadful! How perfectly1 dreadful!" whimpered Lasaraleen. "Oh darling, I am so frightened. I'm shaking all over. Feel me."
"Come on," said Aravis, who was trembling herself. "They've gone back to the new palace. Once we're out of this room we're safe enough. But it's wasted a terrible time. Get me down to that water-gate as quick as you can."
"Darling, how can you?" squeaked3 Lasaraleen. "I can't do anything - not now. My poor nerves! No: we must just lie still a bit and then go back."
"Why back?" asked Aravis.
"Oh, you don't understand. You're so unsympathetic," said Lasaraleen, beginning to cry. Aravis decided4 it was no occasion for mercy.
"Look here!" she said, catching5 Lasaraleen and giving her a good shake. "If you say another word about going back, and if you don't start taking me to that water-gate at once - do you know what I'll do? I'll rush out into that passage and scream. Then we'll both be caught."
"But we shall both be k-k-killed!" said Lasaraleen. "Didn't you hear what the Tisroc (may he live for ever) said?"
"Yes, and I'd sooner be killed than married to Ahoshta. So come on."
"Oh you are unkind," said Lasaraleen. "And I in such a state!"
But in the end she had to give in to Aravis. She led the way down the steps they had already descended6, 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 come 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 cypress7 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. I'm sorry if I've been a pig. But think what I'm flying from!"
"Oh Aravis darling," said Lasaraleen. "Won't you change your mind? Now that you've seen what a very great man Ahoshta is!"
"Great man!" said Aravis. "A hideous8 grovelling9 slave who flatters when he's kicked but treasures it all up and hopes to get his own back by egging on that horrible Tisroc to plot his son's death. Faugh! I'd sooner marry my father's scullion than a creature like that."
"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 he's going to do it!"
"Good-bye," said Aravis, "and I thought your dresses lovely. And I think your house is lovely too. I'm sure you'll have a lovely life - though it wouldn't suit me. Close the door softly behind me."
She tore herself away from her friend's 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 hooting10 of an owl11. "Ah! That's better!" thought Aravis. She had always lived in the country and had hated every minute of her time in Tashbaan.
When she stepped ashore12 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 quailed13. Supposing the others weren't 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 groom14.
"You can go back to your mistress now," said Aravis (quite forgetting that he couldn't, until the city gates opened next morning). "Here is money for your pains."
"To hear is to obey," said the groom, and at once set off at a remarkable15 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 comes Shasta! Thanks be to the Lion!" said Bree.
Aravis looked round, and there, right enough, was Shasta who had come out of hiding the moment he saw the groom going away.
"And now," said Aravis. "There's not a moment to lose." And in hasty words she told them about Rabadash's expedition.
"Treacherous16 hounds!" said Bree, shaking his mane and stamping with his hoof17. "An attack in time of peace, without defiance18 sent! But we'll grease his oats for him. We'll be there before he is."
"Can we?" said Aravis, swinging herself into Hwin's saddle. Shasta wished he could mount like that.
"Brooh-hoo!" snorted Bree. "Up you get, Shasta. Can we! And with a good start too!"
"He said he was going to start at once," said Aravis.
"That's how humans talk," said Bree. "But you don't get a company of two hundred horse and horsemen watered and victualled and armed and saddled and started all in a minute. Now: what's our direction? Due North?
"No," said Shasta. "I know about that. I've drawn19 a line. I'll explain later. Bear a bit to our left, both you horses. Ah here it is!"
"Now," said Bree. "All that about galloping20 for a day and a night, like in stories, can't really be done. It must be walk and trot21: but brisk trots22 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!"
At first it was delightful23. 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 Bree's and Hwin's hoofs24 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 Bree's 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 squeak2 of the leather, the jingle25 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 streak26 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 mustn't 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 Bree's back before you could have said knife.
"Sorry, Bree," he gasped27. "I can't walk. It burns my feet." "Of course!" panted Bree. "Should have thought of that myself. Stay on. Can't be helped."
"It's all right for you," said Shasta to Aravis who was walking beside Hwin. "You've got shoes on."
Aravis said nothing and looked prim28. Let's hope she didn't 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 course they were all no good. And one tried very hard not to think of drinks-iced sherbet in a palace in Tashbaan, clear spring water tinkling29 with a dark earthy sound, cold, smooth milk just creamy enough and not too creamy - and the harder you tried not to think, the more you thought.
At last there was something different - a mass of rock sticking up out of the sand about fifty yards long and thirty feet high. It did not cast much shadow, for the sun was now very high, but it cast a little. Into that shade they crowded. There they ate some food and drank a little water. It is not easy giving a horse a drink out of a skin bottle, but Bree and Hwin were clever with their lips. No one had anything like enough. No one spoke30. The Horses were flecked with foam31 and their breathing was noisy. The children were pale.
After a very short rest they went on again. Same noises, same smells, same glare, till at last their shadows began to fall on their right, and then got longer and longer till they seemed to stretch out to the Eastern end of the world. Very slowly the sun drew nearer to the Western horizon. And now at last he was down and, thank goodness, the merciless glare was gone, though the heat coming up from the sand was still as bad as ever. Four pairs of eyes were looking out eagerly for any sign of the valley that Sallowpad the Raven32 had spoken about. But, mile after mile, there was nothing but level sand. And now the day was quite definitely done, and most of the stars were out, and still the Horses thundered on and the children rose and sank in their saddles, miserable33 with thirst and weariness. Not till the moon had risen did Shasta - in the strange, barking voice of someone whose mouth is perfectly dry-shout out:
"There it is!"
There was no mistaking it now. Ahead, and a little to their right, there was at last a slope: a slope downward and hummocks34 of rock on each side. The Horses were far too tired to speak but they swung round towards it and in a minute or two they were entering the gully. At first it was worse in there than it had been out in the open desert, for there was a breathless stuffiness35 between the rocky walls and less moonlight. The slope continued steeply downwards36 and the rocks on either hand rose to the height of cliffs. Then they began to meet vegetation - prickly cactus-like plants and coarse grass of the kind that would prick37 your fingers. Soon the horse-hoofs were falling on pebbles38 and stones instead of sand. Round every bend of the valley - and it had many bends - they looked eagerly for water. The Horses were nearly at the end of their strength now, and Hwin, stumbling and panting; was lagging behind Bree. They were almost in despair before at last they came to a little muddiness and a tiny trickle39 of water through softer and better grass. And the trickle became a brook40, and the brook became a stream with bushes on each side, and the stream became a river and there came (after more disappointments than I could possibly describe) -a moment when Shasta, who had been in a kind of doze41, suddenly realized that Bree had stopped and found himself slipping off. Before them a little cataract42 of water poured into a broad pool: and both the Horses were already in the pool with their heads down, drinking, drinking, drinking. "O-o-oh," said Shasta and plunged43 in - it was about up to his knees - and stooped his head right into the cataract. It was perhaps the loveliest moment in his life.
It was about ten minutes later when all four of them (the two children wet nearly all over) came out and began to notice their surroundings. The moon was now high enough to peep down into the valley. There was soft grass on both sides of the river, and beyond the grass, trees and bushes sloped up to the bases of the cliffs. There must have been some wonderful flowering shrubs44 hidden in that shadowy undergrowth for the whole glade45 was full of the coolest and most delicious smells. And out of the darkest recess46 among the trees there came a sound Shasta had never heard beforea nightingale.
Everyone was much too tired to speak or to eat. The Horses, without waiting to be unsaddled, lay down at once. So did Aravis and Shasta.
About ten minutes later the careful Hwin said, "But we mustn't go to sleep. We've got to keep ahead of that Rabadash."
"No," said Bree very slowly. "Mustn't go sleep. Just a little rest."
Shasta knew (for a moment) that they would all go to sleep if he didn't get up and do something about it, and felt that he ought to. In fact he decided that he would get up and persuade them to go on. But presently; not yet: not just yet...
Very soon the moon shone and the nightingale sang over two horses and two human children, all fast asleep.
It was Aravis who awoke first. The sun was already high in the heavens and the cool morning hours were already wasted. "It's my fault," she said to herself furiously as she jumped up and began rousing the others. "One wouldn't expect Horses to keep awake after a day's work like that, even if they can talk. And of course that Boy wouldn't; he's had no decent training. But I ought to have known better."
The others were dazed and stupid with the heaviness of their sleep.
"Neigh-ho - broo-hoo," said Bree. "Been sleeping in my saddle, eh? I'll never do that again. Most uncomfortable-"
"Oh come on, come on," said Aravis. "We've lost half the morning already. There isn't a moment to spare."
"A fellow's got to have a mouthful of grass," said Bree.
I'm afraid we can't wait," said Aravis.
"What's the terrible hurry?" said Bree. "We've crossed the desert, haven't we?"
"But we're not in Archenland yet," said Aravis. "And we've got to get there before Rabadash."
"Oh, we must be miles ahead of him," said Bree. "Haven't we been coming a shorter way? Didn't that Raven friend of yours say this was a short cut, Shasta?"
"He didn't say anything about shorter," answered Shasta. "He only said better, because you got to a river this way. If the oasis47 is due North of Tashbaan, then I'm afraid this may be longer."
"Well I can't go on without a snack," said Bree. "Take my bridle48 off, Shasta."
"P-please," said Hwin, very shyly, "I feel just like Bree that I can't go on. But when Horses have humans (with spurs and things) on their backs, aren't they often made to go on when they're feeling like this? and then they find they can. I m-mean - oughtn't we to be able to do even more, now that we're free. It's all for Narnia."
"I think, Ma'am," said Bree very crushingly, "that I know a little more about campaigns and forced marches and what a horse can stand than you do."
To this Hwin made no answer, being, like most highly bred mares, a very nervous and gentle person who was easily put down. In reality she was quite right, and if Bree had had a Tarkaan on his back at that moment to make him go on, he would have found that he was good for several hours' hard going. But one of the worst results of being a slave and being forced to do things is that when there is no one to force you any more you find you have almost lost the power of forcing yourself.
So they had to wait while Bree had a snack and a drink, and of course Hwin and the children had a snack and a drink too. It must have been nearly eleven o'clock in the morning before they finally got going again. And even then Bree took things much more gently than yesterday. It was really Hwin, though she was the weaker and more tired of the two, who set the pace.
The valley itself, with its brown, cool river, and grass and moss49 and wild flowers and rhododendrons, was such a pleasant place that it made you want to ride slowly.
九、穿过大沙漠
“多么可怕啊！真是可怕之至啊！”拉斯阿拉莉恩呜呜咽咽地说道，”啊，宝贝儿，我真吓坏了。我浑身都在发抖。你摸摸我。”
“走吧，”阿拉维斯说，她自己也在发抖，”他们回到帝王宫去了。我们出了这个房间就安全了。但已经浪费了不少时间。你要尽你所能，赶快把我带到山下的水门去。”
“宝贝儿，你怎么能这样逼我呢?”拉斯阿拉莉恩尖声叫道，”我啥也干不了——现在不行。我那可怜的神经！不！我们必须静静地躺一会儿，然后回去。”
“为什么回去?”阿拉维斯问道。
“啊，你不了解。你那么缺少同情心。”拉斯阿拉莉恩说，而且开始哭起来了。阿拉维斯心中打定主意：这可不是怜悯同情的时刻和场合。
“你听着！”她抓住拉斯阿拉莉恩，猛烈摇动她的身体，说道”如果你再说一句要回去，如果你不立刻开始领我到水门去——你可知道我要干什么?我要跑到通道里去大叫大喊。这一叫，我们两个就都要给逮住了。”
“那我们两个就都要被杀死了啊！”拉斯阿拉莉恩说道，”你可听见蒂斯罗克(愿他万寿无疆！)说的话吗?”
“听见，与其嫁给阿霍什塔，我宁可早点被杀死。”
“啊，你是冷酷无情的，”拉斯阿拉莉恩说，”我竟落到 了这种处境！”
但最后她还是不得不向阿拉维斯屈服了。她带路走下她们刚才下去过的石级，沿着另一条通道走去，终于走到了空旷的地方。现在她们是在御花园里了，花园的一层层台地迤逦而下，直达城墙。月亮明朗地照耀着。冒险行动中的一大缺憾是：当你来到最美丽的地方时，你往往太焦急、太匆忙，无法欣赏当前美景，所以，阿拉维斯只有一个模模糊糊的印象(虽然几年后还记得很劳):银灰色的草地，安静的泪泪流动的泉水，以及柏树的长长的黑色阴影。
当她们到达山麓，墙垣颦眉蹙额地耸立在她们面前时，拉斯阿拉莉恩浑身发抖，无力打开水门上的门闩。阿拉维斯把门打开。最后终于看到了河流，河上到处反照着月光，还有一个小小的码头，几艘游艇。
“再会了，”阿拉维斯说道，”谢谢你了。我很抱歉，如果我曾经固执得像猪一样。可是，请想想我是在逃亡啊！”
“啊，阿拉维斯，宝贝儿，”拉斯阿拉莉恩说道，”你可否改变主意呢?现在你已经亲眼目睹阿霍什塔是个多么伟大的人物了！”
“好一个伟大人物！”阿拉维斯说道，”他是个骇人听闻的卑躬屈节的奴隶，人家踢他屁股时他还拍马阿谀，还把这件事珍藏在心里，怂恿可怕的蒂斯罗克设计置儿子于死地，希望借此给自己报仇雪恨。”
“啊，阿拉维斯，阿拉维斯l你怎么能说出如此可怕的话来，而且还牵涉到蒂斯罗克(愿他万寿无疆！)哩。如果他去干这件事，那就必定是正确的。”
“再会了，”阿拉维斯说，”我认为你的衣裳很美丽可爱，我认为你的住宅也很美丽可爱，我深信你将过一种美丽可爱的生活——尽管这种生活跟我不合适。轻轻地关上我背后的门吧。”
她从朋友的多情拥抱中挣脱出来，踏上一条方头平底船，用篙子把船撑离河岸，一会儿船就到了河中！司。头上是一轮巨大的真正的明月，河底深处是一个巨大明月的倒影。空气新鲜而凉爽，船靠近对岸时，她听到了一只猫头鹰的叫声。”啊！好极了。”她一直生活在乡村里，因此憎恨她住在塔什班城里的每一分钟。
她登上对岸时，由于地势上升，树木遮住了月光，她觉得自己置身于黑暗之中了。但她设法找到了沙斯塔发现的那条路，就像他一样走到了妻萎芳草的尽头和沙漠的开端，(像他一样)向左望去，瞧见了巨大的黑魁魁的坟场。尽管她是个勇敢的姑娘，现在她的心里终于害怕起来了。说不定其他人马不在那儿！说不定食尸鬼倒在那儿！她冒险伸出下巴颏儿(舌头也伸出了一点儿)，笔直地向坟场走去。
但她还没有走到校场就看到了布里、赫温和那个侍从。
“现在你可以回到你的女主人那儿去了，”阿拉维斯说道(完全忘了在第二天清晨打开城门之前那侍从是无法回去的)，”这儿是给你的酬劳。”
“听到命令，就遵命照办。”侍从说道，立刻以相当快的速度向塔什班城跑去。无需告诉他赶紧回去，他也已经对食尸鬼想得很多了。
接下来的几秒钟，阿拉维斯便忙于吻赫温和布里的鼻子，拍拍它们的脖子，倒像它们是普普通通的马儿似的。
“沙斯塔来了！感谢狮王！”布里说道。
阿拉维斯向周围打量，一点不错，沙斯塔看见侍从走了，便立刻从他躲藏的地方走了出来。
“注意啦，”阿拉维斯说道，”片刻时间也不能丧失。”她匆匆忙忙地讲了拉巴达什的出征阴谋。
“奸诈的狗东西，”布里挥动景毛，蹬着四蹄，说道，”在和平的时候进攻，连个挑战书也不送！不过我们会替他把燕麦拌上油的。我们会赶在他前面到达那儿的。”
“我们能吗?”阿拉维斯跳上赫温的马鞍子，问道。沙斯塔但愿他也能这样跳上马去。
“布罗赫一霍赫！”布里喷着鼻息，”你上来呀，沙斯塔。
我们能！而且还有一个良好的开端！”
“他说他立刻就出发。”阿拉维斯说道。
“人们就是这样夸口的，”布里说道，”然而，你要叫两百个人马的连队统统喝足水、吃饱饭、配备武器、上好鞍子，在一分钟内一齐出发，那可是办不到的。喂，我朝哪个方向走?正北吗?”
“不，”沙斯塔说，”我知道方向。我已经划了条沟。我以后讲给你听。你们两位都要稍微靠我们左边一点儿。啊，这就对了。”
“听我说，”布里说道，”像故事里那样飞驰一天一夜，事实上是无法办到的。必须是行走和小跑互相配合调剂轻快的小跑，短时间的行走。我们行走时，你们两个也可以下来散散步。喂，你们准备好了吗，赫温?我们走吧。奔向纳尼亚，奔向北方！”
开头是愉快的。黑夜已经持续了好几个小时，沙漠已经把它在白天吸收进去的太阳的热量差不多散发掉了，空气是凉快、新鲜和纯净的。四面八方极目可见的沙漠，在月光之下闪闪发亮，仿佛是一泓光滑平静的水，或是一只巨大银盆。除了布里和赫温的蹄声外，一点儿别的声音也听不见。沙斯塔几乎要沉沉入睡了，若不是他不得不时而爬下马来散步的话。
这种情况似乎持续了几个钟头。接下来一段时间，不再见到明月。他们仿佛是在死一般的黑暗中一个钟头又一个钟头地奔驰着。这之后，有一会儿，沙斯塔注意到他能看见前面布里的脖子和脑袋，比先前看得清楚一点儿；于是，慢慢地，十分缓慢地，他开始看到前后左右辽阔而平坦的灰茫茫的大漠。看上去绝对没有生命，像是阴间地府的什么东西似的；而沙斯塔感到疲倦得可怕，注意到自己在发冷，嘴唇是干燥的。自始至终，但听得皮带吱嘎作响，马嚼子丁丁当当，马蹄声不断——不是踩在坚硬道路上的唱唱声，而是踏在干燥沙子上的沙沙声。
骑马走了几个钟头以后，终于在他右边的远方出现了一道淡灰色，低低地镶在天边上。随后是一道红色。终于是早晨了，但没有一只鸟来歌唱早晨。现在他倒高兴散散步了，因为他比先前更觉得冷。
然后太阳突然升起来了，片刻之间一切都变了。灰色的沙漠变成黄色，闪闪烁烁，仿佛里边撒满了钻石。沙斯塔、赫温、布里、阿拉维斯的影子又长又大，在他们的左边竞逐。皮尔峰的双峰在前边儿的远方，在阳光中熠熠生辉。沙斯塔看出他们走得稍微有点儿偏。”靠左边一点儿，靠左边一点儿。”他叫道。最妙的是，当你回头望时，塔什班城已经又小又遥远了。坟场完全看不见了，被吞没在边缘参差不齐的驼峰里了，那驼峰就是蒂斯罗克的城市。大家都觉得比刚才好多了。"
然而好景不长。他们第一次回头望塔什班城时，虽然看上去已经距离很远了，可他们继续前进时，这城却不见得更远些。沙斯塔不再回头望，因为遥望之际，给了他压根儿滞留原地未动的感觉。于是光芒也变成了讨厌的东西。沙漠炫目的反光使他眼睛发痛，但他知道不能闭上眼睛。他必须使劲儿眯起眼睛，不断地瞅着前边的皮尔峰，大声喊出前进的方向来。随之而来的是炙热。他不得不下马散步时，第一次感觉到了炙热；他从马身上滑到沙地上，沙地上腾起的热气往他的脸上直冲过来，就像从炉灶门口冲出来的。第二次下马时更糟。第三次，他的光脚丫子刚碰到沙子就痛得叫喊起来，说时迟那时快，他一只脚缩回马镫上，另一只脚半己跨到了布里的脊背上。
“对不起，布里，”他气喘吁吁地说道，”我没法儿走路。沙子烫脚。”
“当然啰！”布里喘息着说道，”我自己应该想到这一层的。待在背上吧，没有法子。”
“你倒还行，”沙斯塔对正在赫温身旁步行的阿拉维斯说道，”你穿着鞋啊。”
阿拉维斯啥也不说，一本正经地绷着脸。让我们希望她不是故意的吧，但她确实有意如此。
重新赶路小跑、行走、小跑，丁当、丁当、丁当，吱嘎、吱嘎、吱嘎，马儿热得出汗的气味，炎热本身的气味，炫目的反光，头痛脑涨。一英里又一英里的老样子，压根儿没有什么不同。塔什班城看上去永远不会离得更远。大山大岭看上去永远不会变得更近。你觉得始终在周而复始——丁当、丁当、丁当，吱嘎、吱嘎、吱嘎，马儿热得出汗的气味，炎热本身的气味。
当然，人们会竭力用各种各样的游戏来消磨时间:当然，各种游戏都毫无用处。他们竭力不去想到饮料——在塔什班城一个王宫里唱的冰凉果汁，来自黑沉沉大地的津津清泉，乳酪丰富而不油不腻、冰凉柔和的牛奶——愈是竭力不要去想它，却愈是想得厉害啊。
最后终于出现了个有点儿不同的东西——沙土里隆起一大块石头，高三十英尺，长五十码光景。大石头并不投下多少阴影，因为此刻太阳升得高高的，只形成一点儿遮阴的地方。他们挤到遮阴之处，在那儿吃些食物，喝了一点儿水。盛在皮囊里的水是很难给马喝的，但布里和赫温都巧妙地运用了它们的嘴唇。谁也没有吃够喝够。谁也不说话。马儿浑身都是斑斑点点的汗渍，呼吸的声音很大。孩子们脸色苍白。
休息短短一会儿后又重新赶路了。同样的声音，同样的气味，同样的眩目的反光，终于，影子开始落在他们的右边，愈来愈长，仿佛要伸展到世界的尽头。太阳十分缓慢地挨近西边的地平线，现在太阳终于落山了，感谢老天爷，残酷的反射光芒消失了，尽管从沙漠里升腾起来的热气仍旧咄咄逼人。四对眼睛都在迫切地张望着山谷的踪影，萨罗帕德和渡鸦都提到过山谷的。然而，一英里一英里地走过去了，依旧只见一片平沙。如今白昼肯定是完全结束了，大部分的星星也都出来了，马儿仍旧嘚嘚前行，孩子们在马鞍上起伏不定，又渴又累，苦极了。月亮还没有升上来，沙斯塔用嘴里干到极点的人那种奇怪的粗糙声音喊道：
“前面就到了！”
现在可错不了啦。前边儿，稍稍偏右，终于出现了一个斜坡:一个迤逦而下的斜坡，两边都是石块垒成的小丘。马儿累得话也说不出来，只是摇摇晃晃地向前跑去，一两分钟后他们就进了隘谷。一开头，在隘谷里要比在空旷的沙漠上更不舒服，因为夹在石墙之间，闷热得气也透不过来，而且月光也少了。斜坡峻急地往下延伸，两边的岩石高耸成峭壁。接着，他们开始遇见植物了——仙人掌似的多刺植物，以及会扎痛手指的粗糙野草。不久，马蹄不复踏在沙上了，而是踏在卵石上了。他们在山谷的每一个转弯处——拐弯可多哩——迫不及待地寻找着水。马儿几乎到了筋疲力尽的地步，赫温脚步蹒跚、气喘吁吁，落在布里的后面。终于在他们几乎绝望时遇到了一点儿泥浆，和一条从茂盛柔软的青草之间渗过来的涓滴细流。细流变成了小溪，小溪变成了两岸灌木丛生的小河，小河又变成了大河。在经历了我无法形容的许多失望之后，竟出现了喜出望外的时刻：一直处于瞌睡状态的沙斯塔，突然发觉布里停步不走了，他自己也滑下马来了。他们面前有一道小瀑布泻入一个宽阔的水池:两匹马儿已经在水池里了，它们低着脑袋，喝啊，喝啊，喝啊。
“噢——噢——喔。”沙斯塔说，向池塘里跳了进去——池水漫到他的膝头上——他干脆把脑袋伸到小瀑布里去。也许这是他生平最轻松愉快的时刻了。
大约十分钟以后，他们四个(两个孩子几乎浑身上下都湿透了)才从池塘里出来，看看周围的环境。月亮现在升得高高的，足以照进山谷里来。大河的两边都长着柔嫩的青草，青草外，大树和灌木往上绵延到悬崖绝壁的底部。在那阴暗的灌木丛里必定隐藏着一些奇花香草，因为林中空地里弥漫着最清凉最芳香的气息。从树木间最幽暗的隐秘之地传来了一个声音——沙斯塔以前从未听见过的——夜莺的歌声。
大家都太疲倦了，懒得说话，也懒得吃东西。马儿不待解下鞍子便立刻躺下了。阿拉维斯和沙斯塔也躺下了。
大约十分钟后，谨慎小心的赫温说道”可是我们必须不要睡觉才好。我们要赶在拉巴达什的前面。”
“是啊，”布里慢吞吞地说道，”必须不睡。光是休息一会儿。”
沙斯塔明白(片刻之间):如果他不站起来，做点什么的话，他们大家都会沉沉入睡的，他觉得他应该做点什么。事实上，他下定决心自己要站起来，还要劝他们大家继续赶路。但不一会儿他又改变主意了；等一下，只不过稍微等一下……
不久，月亮便照到两匹马儿和两个孩子身上，夜莺的歌声也传到了两匹马儿和两个孩子的耳边，可他们大家都睡熟了。
首先醒来的是阿拉维斯。太阳已经升得高高的，清晨凉快的时光已经浪费掉了。”这是我的过错。”她愤愤地对自己说道，一面跳起身来，开始叫醒别人。”马儿像这样跑了一天的路，不该指望它们不睡觉的，即使它们是能说人话的马儿。当然也不该指望这男孩子不睡，他没有教养。但我应该更加懂事明理啊。”
其他人马都酣睡得迷迷糊糊，都睡傻了。
“嗨——嘀！——布罗——呵！”布里说，”不解鞍子就睡熟了，嗯?我再也不这么干了。最最不舒服的是……”
“走吧，走吧，”阿拉维斯说道，”我们已经损失了半个早晨。再也没有多余的时间了。”
“总得吃一口青草吧。”布里说。
“恐怕我们不能等待了。”阿拉维斯说。
“干吗这么可怕地急急忙忙呢?”布里说，”我们穿过了沙漠，不是吗?”
“可我们还没有进入阿钦兰，”阿拉维斯说，”我们得在拉巴达什之前赶到那儿。”
“噢，我们一定在他前面好几英里了，”布里说，”我们不是走了二条比较近的路吗?沙斯塔，你那渡鸦朋友不是说过这是条捷径吗?”
“它并没说比较近，”沙斯塔答道，”它只是说比较好，因为在这条路上你碰得到一条河流。如果绿洲是在塔什班城的正北方，那么我想那条路就可能要长些。”
“我不吃一顿，没法儿赶路，”布里说，”沙斯塔，替我解下鞍子。”
“对不起，”赫温十分腼腆地说道，”我的感觉跟布里一样，没法儿赶路了。但有人骑在马背上(还配上了马刺之类的东西)，马儿不是在感到饥饿时也往往被驱策着赶路吗?那时，马儿发觉它们能赶路。我的意思是说——现在我们既然自由了，那就应该能赶更多的路。这全是为了纳尼亚啊。”
“我想，女士，”布里以压倒对方的口气说道，”关于战争、急行军、马儿的承受力等等，我懂得要比你多一点儿。”
赫温对此未作答复，像出身高贵的马儿一样，秉性胆怯温和，是容易被吃瘪的。事实上，它的意见是十分正确的，如果此时此刻有个泰坎骑在布里的背上，布里是能拼命跑上好几个钟头的。但做着奴隶而又被迫干活的最坏结果是:没有人强迫你干活时，你发觉自己几乎已经丧失了强迫自己干活的力量。
所以，他们不得不等待布里吃东西唱水；当然，赫温和孩子们也跟着吃一点喝一点。他们最后重新赶路时，必定是上午靠近十一点钟光景了。而且即使到了这个时辰，布里干起活来也比昨天更加斯文了。虽然赫温是两匹马儿中比样弱小和更加疲乏的，真正领先的倒是赫温。
山谷本身以及山谷里棕色的清凉河流，青草、苍苔、野花和杜鹊花，是那么赏心悦目，使你很想放慢驰骋哟步
收听单词发音 |
1
perfectly
|
|
| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
squeak
|
|
| n.吱吱声，逃脱；v.（发出）吱吱叫，侥幸通过；（俚）告密 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
squeaked
|
|
| v.短促地尖叫( squeak的过去式和过去分词 )；吱吱叫；告密；充当告密者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
decided
|
|
| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
catching
|
|
| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
descended
|
|
| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
cypress
|
|
| n.柏树 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
hideous
|
|
| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
grovelling
|
|
| adj.卑下的，奴颜婢膝的v.卑躬屈节，奴颜婢膝( grovel的现在分词 )；趴 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
hooting
|
|
| （使）作汽笛声响，作汽车喇叭声( hoot的现在分词 )； 倒好儿； 倒彩 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
owl
|
|
| n.猫头鹰，枭 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
ashore
|
|
| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
quailed
|
|
| 害怕，发抖，畏缩( quail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
groom
|
|
| vt.给（马、狗等）梳毛，照料，使...整洁 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
remarkable
|
|
| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
treacherous
|
|
| adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
hoof
|
|
| n.(马，牛等的)蹄 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
defiance
|
|
| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
drawn
|
|
| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
galloping
|
|
| adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
trot
|
|
| n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
trots
|
|
| 小跑，急走( trot的名词复数 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
delightful
|
|
| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
hoofs
|
|
| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
jingle
|
|
| n.叮当声，韵律简单的诗句；v.使叮当作响，叮当响，押韵 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
streak
|
|
| n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
gasped
|
|
| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
prim
|
|
| adj.拘泥形式的，一本正经的；n.循规蹈矩，整洁；adv.循规蹈矩地，整洁地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
tinkling
|
|
| n.丁当作响声 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
spoke
|
|
| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
foam
|
|
| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
raven
|
|
| n.渡鸟，乌鸦；adj.乌亮的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
miserable
|
|
| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
hummocks
|
|
| n.小丘，岗( hummock的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
stuffiness
|
|
| n.不通风，闷热；不通气 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
downwards
|
|
| adj./adv.向下的（地），下行的（地） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
prick
|
|
| v.刺伤，刺痛，刺孔；n.刺伤，刺痛 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
pebbles
|
|
| [复数]鹅卵石； 沙砾； 卵石，小圆石( pebble的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
trickle
|
|
| vi.淌，滴，流出，慢慢移动，逐渐消散 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
brook
|
|
| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
doze
|
|
| v.打瞌睡；n.打盹，假寐 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
cataract
|
|
| n.大瀑布，奔流，洪水，白内障 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
plunged
|
|
| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
shrubs
|
|
| 灌木( shrub的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
glade
|
|
| n.林间空地，一片表面有草的沼泽低地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
recess
|
|
| n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
oasis
|
|
| n.（沙漠中的）绿洲，宜人的地方 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
bridle
|
|
| n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
moss
|
|
| n.苔，藓，地衣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |