Chapter 1
HOW SHASTA SET OUT ON HIS TRAVELS
THIS is the story of an adventure that happened in Narnia and Calormen and the lands between, in the Golden Age when Peter was High King in Narnia and his brother and his two sisters were King and Queens under him.
In those days, far south in Calormen on a little creek of the sea, there lived a poor fisherman called Arsheesh, and with him there lived a boy who called him Father. The boy's name was Shasta. On most days Arsheesh went out in his boat to fish in the morning, and in the afternoon he harnessed his donkey to a cart and loaded the cart with fish and went a mile or so southward to the village to sell it. If it had sold well he would come home in a moderately good temper and say nothing to Shasta, but if it had sold badly he would find fault with him and perhaps beat him. There was always something to find fault with for Shasta had plenty of work to do, mending and washing the nets, cooking the supper, and cleaning the cottage in which they both lived.
Shasta was not at all interested in anything that lay south of his home because he had once or twice been to the village with Arsheesh and he knew that there was nothing very interesting there. In the village he only met other men who were just like his father - men with long, dirty robes, and wooden shoes turned up at the toe, and turbans on their heads, and beards, talking to one another very slowly about things that sounded dull. But he was very interested in everything that lay to the North because no one ever went that way and he was never allowed to go there himself. When he was sitting out of doors mending the nets, and all alone, he would often look eagerly to the North. One could see nothing but a grassy slope running up to a level ridge and beyond that the sky with perhaps a few birds in it.
Sometimes if Arsheesh was there Shasta would say, "O my Father, what is there beyond that hill?" And then if the fisherman was in a bad temper he would box Shasta's ears and tell him to attend to his work. Or if he was in a peaceable mood he would say, "O my son, do not allow your mind to be distracted by idle questions. For one of the poets has said, `Application to business is the root of prosperity, but those who ask questions that do not concern them are steering the ship of folly towards the rock of indigence'."
Shasta thought that beyond the hill there must be some delightful secret which his father wished to hide from him. In reality, however, the fisherman talked like this because he didn't know what lay to the North. Neither did he care. He had a very practical mind.
One day there came from the South a stranger who was unlike any man that Shasta had seen before. He rode upon a strong dappled horse with flowing mane and tail and his stirrups and bridle were inlaid with silver. The spike of a helmet projected from the middle of his silken turban and he wore a shirt of chain mail. By his side hung a curving scimitar, a round shield studded with bosses of brass hung at his back, and his right hand grasped a lance. His face was dark, but this did not surprise Shasta because all the people of Calormen are like that; what did surprise him was the man's beard which was dyed crimson, and curled and gleaming with scented oil. But Arsheesh knew by the gold on the stranger's bare arm that he was a Tarkaan or great lord, and he bowed kneeling before him till his beard touched the earth and made signs to Shasta to kneel also.
The stranger demanded hospitality for the night which of course the fisherman dared not refuse. All the best they had was set before the Tarkaan for supper (and he didn't think much of it) and Shasta, as always happened when the fisherman had company, was given a hunk of bread and turned out of the cottage. On these occasions he usually slept with the donkey in its little thatched stable. But it was much too early to go to sleep yet, and Shasta, who had never learned that it is wrong to listen behind doors, sat down with his ear to a crack in the wooden wall of the cottage to hear what the grown-ups were talking about. And this is what he heard.
"And now, O my host," said the Tarkaan, "I have a mind to buy that boy of yours."
"O my master," replied the fisherman (and Shasta knew by the wheedling tone the greedy look that was probably coming into his face as he said it), "what price could induce your servant, poor though he is, to sell into slavery his only child and his own flesh? Has not one of the poets said, `Natural affection is stronger than soup and offspring more precious than carbuncles?"'
"It is even so," replied the guest dryly. "But another poet has likewise said, "He who attempts to deceive the judicious is already baring his own back for the scourge." Do not load your aged mouth with falsehoods. This boy is manifestly no son of yours, for your cheek is as dark as mine but the boy is fair and white like the accursed but beautiful barbarians who inhabit the remote North."
"How well it was said," answered the fisherman, "that Swords can be kept off with shields but the Eye of Wisdom pierces through every defence! Know then, O my formidable guest, that because of my extreme poverty I have never married and have no child. But in that same year in which the Tisroc (may he live for ever) began his august and beneficent reign, on a night when the moon was at her full, it pleased the gods to deprive me of my sleep. Therefore I arose from my bed in this hovel and went forth to the beach to refresh myself with looking upon the water and the moon and breathing the cool air. And presently I heard a noise as of oars coming to me across the water and then, as it were, a weak cry. And shortly after, the tide brought to the land a little boat in which there was nothing but a man lean with extreme hunger and thirst who seemed to have died but a few moments before (for he was still warm), and an empty water-skin, and a child, still living. "Doubtless," said I, "these unfortunates have escaped from the wreck of a great ship, but by the admirable designs of the gods, the elder has starved himself to keep the child alive and has perished in sight of land." Accordingly, remembering how the gods never fail to reward those who befriend the destitute, and being moved by compassion (for your servant is a man of tender heart) -"
"Leave out all these idle words in your own praise," interrupted the Tarkaan. "It is enough to know that you took the child - and have had ten times the worth of his daily bread out of him in labour, as anyone can see. And now tell me at once what price you put on him, for I am wearied with your loquacity."
"You yourself have wisely said," answered Arsheesh, "that the boy's labour has been to me of inestimable value. This must be taken into account in fixing the price. For if I sell the boy I must undoubtedly either buy or hire another to do his work."
"I'll give you fifteen crescents for him," said the Tarkaan.
"Fifteen!" cried Arsheesh in a voice that was something between a whine and a scream. "Fifteen! For the prop of my old age and the delight of my eyes! Do not mock my grey beard, Tarkaan though you be. My price is seventy."
At this point Shasta got up and tiptoed away. He had heard all he wanted, for he had open listened when men were bargaining in the village and knew how it was done. He was quite certain that Arsheesh would sell him in the end for something much more than fifteen crescents and much less than seventy, but that he and the Tarkaan would take hours in getting to an agreement.
You must not imagine that Shasta felt at all as you and I would feel if we had just overheard our parents talking about selling us for slaves. For one thing, his life was already little better than slavery; for all he knew, the lordly stranger on the great horse might be kinder to him than Arsheesh. For another, the story about his own discovery in the boat had filled him with excitement and with a sense of relief. He had often been uneasy because, try as he might, he had never been able to love the fisherman, and he knew that a boy ought to love his father. And now, apparently, he was no relation to Arsheesh at all. That took a great weight off his mind. "Why, I might be anyone!" he thought. "I might be the son of a Tarkaan myself - or the son of the Tisroc (may he live for ever) or of a god!"
He was standing out in the grassy place before the cottage while he thought these things. Twilight was coming on apace and a star or two was already out, but the remains of the sunset could still be seen in the west. Not far away the stranger's horse, loosely tied to an iron ring in the wall of the donkey's stable, was grazing. Shasta strolled over to it and patted its neck. It went on tearing up the grass and took no notice of him.
Then another thought came into Shasta's mind. "I wonder what sort of a man that Tarkaan is," he said out loud. "It would be splendid if he was kind. Some of the slaves in a great lord's house have next to nothing to do. They wear lovely clothes and eat meat every day. Perhaps he'd take me to the wars and I'd save his life in a battle and then he'd set me free and adopt me as his son and give me a palace and a chariot and a suit of armour. But then he might be a horrid cruel man. He might send me to work on the fields in chains. I wish I knew. How can I know? I bet this horse knows, if only he could tell me."
The Horse had lifted its head. Shasta stroked its smooth-as-satin nose and said, "I wish you could talk, old fellow."
And then for a second he thought he was dreaming, for quite distinctly, though in a low voice, the Horse said, "But I can."
Shasta stared into its great eyes and his own grew almost as big, with astonishment.
"How ever did you learn to talk?" he asked.
"Hush! Not so loud," replied the Horse. "Where I come from, nearly all the animals talk."
"Wherever is that?" asked Shasta.
"Narnia," answered the Horse. "The happy land of Narnia - Narnia of the heathery mountains and the thymy downs, Narnia of the many rivers, the plashing glens, the mossy caverns and the deep forests ringing with the hammers of the Dwarfs. Oh the sweet air of Narnia! An hour's life there is better than a thousand years in Calormen." It ended with a whinny that sounded very like a sigh.
"How did you get here?" said Shasta.
"Kidnapped," said the Horse. "Or stolen, or captured whichever you like to call it. I was only a foal at the time. My mother warned me not to range the Southern slopes, into Archenland and beyond, but I wouldn't heed her. And by the Lion's Mane I have paid for my folly. All these years I have been a slave to humans, hiding my true nature and pretending to be dumb and witless like their horses."
"Why didn't you tell them who you were?"
"Not such a fool, that's why. If they'd once found out I could talk they would have made a show of me at fairs and guarded me more carefully than ever. My last chance of escape would have been gone."
"And why -" began Shasta, but the Horse interrupted him.
"Now look," it said, "we mustn't waste time on idle questions. You want to know about my master the Tarkaan Anradin. Well, he's bad. Not too bad to me, for a war horse costs too much to be treated very badly. But you'd better be lying dead tonight than go to be a human slave in his house tomorrow."
"Then I'd better run away," said Shasta, turning very pale.
"Yes, you had," said the Horse. "But why not run away with me?"
"Are you going to run away too?" said Shasta.
"Yes, if you'll come with me," answered the Horse. "This is the chance for both of us. You see if I run away without a rider, everyone who sees me will say "Stray horse" and be after me as quick as he can. With a rider I've a chance to get through. That's where you can help me. On the other hand, you can't get very far on those two silly legs of yours (what absurd legs humans have!) without being overtaken. But on me you can outdistance any other horse in this country. That's where I can help you. By the way, I suppose you know how to ride?"
"Oh yes, of course," said Shasta. "At least, I've ridden the donkey."
"Ridden the what?" retorted the Horse with extreme contempt. (At least, that is what he meant. Actually it came out in a sort of neigh - "Ridden the wha-ha-ha-ha-ha." Talking horses always become more horsy in accent when they are angry.)
"In other words," it continued, "you can't ride. That's a drawback. I'll have to teach you as we go along. If you can't ride, can you fall?"
"I suppose anyone can fall," said Shasta.
"1 mean can you fall and get up again without crying and mount again and fall again and yet not be afraid of falling?"
"I - I'll try," said Shasta. "Poor little beast," said the Horse in a gentler tone. "I forget you're only a foal. We'll make a fine rider of you in time. And now - we mustn't start until those two in the but are asleep. Meantime we can make our plans. My Tarkaan is on his way North to the great city, to Tashbaan itself and the court of the Tisroc -"
"I say," put in Shasta in rather a shocked voice, "oughtn't you to say `May he live for ever'?"
"Why?" asked the Horse. "I'm a free Narnian. And why should I talk slaves' and fools' talk? I don't want him to live for ever, and I know that he's not going to live for ever whether I want him to or not. And I can see you're from the free North too. No more of this Southern jargon between you and me! And now, back to our plans. As I said, my human was on his way North to Tashbaan."
"Does that mean we'd better go to the South?"
"I think not," said the Horse. "You see, he thinks I'm dumb and witless like his other horses. Now if I really were, the moment I got loose I'd go back home to my stable and paddock; back to his palace which is two days' journey South. That's where he'll look for me. He'd never dream of my going on North on my own. And anyway he will probably think that someone in the last village who saw him ride through has followed us to here and stolen me."
"Oh hurrah!" said Shasta. "Then we'll go North. I've been longing to go to the North all my life."
"Of course you have," said the Horse. "That's because of the blood that's in you. I'm sure you're true Northern stock. But not too loud. I should think they'd be asleep soon now."
"I'd better creep back and see," suggested Shasta.
"That's a good idea," said the Horse. "But take care you're not caught."
It was a good deal darker now and very silent except for the sound of the waves on the beach, which Shasta hardly noticed because he had been hearing it day and night as long as he could remember. The cottage, as he approached it, showed no light. When he listened at the front there was no noise. When he went round to the only window, he could hear, after a second or two, the familiar noise of the old fisherman's squeaky snore. It was funny to think that if all went well he would never hear it again. Holding his breath and feeling a little bit sorry, but much less sorry than he was glad, Shasta glided away over the grass and went to the donkey's stable, groped along to a place he knew where the key was hidden, opened the door and found the Horse's saddle and bridle which had been locked up there for the night. He bent forward and kissed the donkey's nose. "I'm sorry we can't take you," he said.
"There you are at last," said the Horse when he got back to it. "I was beginning to wonder what had become of you."
"I was getting your things out of the stable," replied Shasta. "And now, can you tell me how to put them on?"
For the next few minutes Shasta was at work, very cautiously to avoid jingling, while the Horse said things like, "Get that girth a bit tighter," or "You'll find a buckle lower down," or "You'll need to shorten those stirrups a good bit." When all was finished it said:
"Now; we've got to have reins for the look of the thing, but you won't be using them. Tie them to the saddle-bow: very slack so that I can do what I like with my head. And, remember - you are not to touch them."
"What are they for, then?" asked Shasta.
"Ordinarily they are for directing me," replied the Horse. "But as I intend to do all the directing on this journey, you'll please keep your hands to yourself. And there's another thing. I'm not going to have you grabbing my mane."
"But I say," pleaded Shasta. "If I'm not to hold on by the reins or by your mane, what am I to hold on by?"
"You hold on with your knees," said the Horse. "That's the secret of good riding. Grip my body between your knees as hard as you like; sit straight up, straight as a poker; keep your elbows in. And by the way, what did you do with the spurs?"
"Put them on my heels, of course," said Shasta. "I do know that much."
"Then you can take them off and put them in the saddlebag. We may be able to sell them when we get to Tashbaan. Ready? And now I think you can get up."
"Ooh! You're a dreadful height," gasped Shasta after his first, and unsuccessful, attempt.
"I'm a horse, that's all," was the reply. "Anyone would think I was a haystack from the way you're trying to climb up me! There, that's better. Now sit up and remember what I told you about your knees. Funny to think of me who has led cavalry charges and won races having a potato-sack like you in the saddle! However, off we go." It chuckled, not unkindly.
And it certainly began their night journey with great caution. First of all it went just south of the fisherman's cottage to the little river which there ran into the sea, and took care to leave in the mud some very plain hoof-marks pointing South. But as soon as they were in the middle of the ford it turned upstream and waded till they were about a hundred yards farther inland than the cottage. Then it selected a nice gravelly bit of bank which would take no footprints and came out on the Northern side. Then, still at a walking pace, it went Northward till the cottage, the one tree, the donkey's stable, and the creek - everything, in fact, that Shasta had ever known - had sunk out of sight in the grey summer-night darkness. They had been going uphill and now were at the top of the ridge - that ridge which had always been the boundary of Shasta's known world. He could not see what was ahead except that it was all open and grassy. It looked endless: wild and lonely and free.
"I say!" observed the Horse. "What a place for a gallop, eh!"
"Oh don't let's," said Shasta. "Not yet. I don't know how to - please, Horse. I don't know your name."
"Breehy-hinny-brinny-hooky-hah," said the Horse.
"I'll never be able to say that," said Shasta. "Can I call you Bree?"
"Well, if it's the best you can do, I suppose you must," said the Horse. "And what shall I call you?"
"I'm called Shasta."
"H'm," said Bree. "Well, now, there's a name that's really hard to pronounce. But now about this gallop. It's a good deal easier than trotting if you only knew, because you don't have to rise and fall. Grip with your knees and keep your eyes straight ahead between my ears. Don't look at the ground. If you think you're going to fall just grip harder and sit up straighter. Ready? Now: for Narnia and the North."      这是个惊险故事，发生在黄金时代的纳尼亚王国和卡乐门王国，以及两国之间的地方。当年彼得是纳尼亚王国的至尊王，他的弟弟和两个妹妹，都是在他领导下的国王和女王。      在那些岁月里，在卡乐门王国遥远的南方，大海之滨的一个小港湾里，住着一个穷苦的渔夫叫做阿什伊什，有个孩子跟他一起住在那儿，管他叫爸爸。这孩子的名字叫沙斯塔。在大部分日子里，阿什伊什早晨坐船出去打鱼，下午把他的驴了安上一辆货车，把鱼装在车子里，走上一英里光景的路，到南边的村子里去出售。如果鱼卖得顺利，他回家时脾气就比较温和，对沙斯塔也不噜苏；然而，如果卖鱼的生意不好，他就会找沙斯塔的错儿，或者打他一顿。总是可以找到沙斯塔的错的，因为沙斯塔得干许许多多的活儿：修网洗网啰，做晚饭啰，打扫他们俩合住的房屋啰。      沙斯塔对他家南边的任何东西压根儿都不感兴趣，因为他跟阿什伊什到村子里去过一两次，知道那儿没什么有趣的事物。他在村子里只遇见跟他父亲一模一样的人们—穿着肮脏的长袍，脚蹬足尖翘起的木头鞋子，头戴缠头巾，满脸胡子，慢吞吞地讲些听起来单调乏味的话。但他对北边的一切东西都很感兴趣，因为没有人往北边去过，也从来不许他到北边去。他独自一人坐在屋子外补网时，时常充满渴望地朝北方眺望。望出去可只能见到一个青草茂盛的山坡，往上延伸到一个平坦的山脊，山脊外便是天空了，也许空中有几只飞鸟。       有时候，如果阿什伊什在他身边、沙斯塔会说：”我的父亲啊，小山外是什么地方?”如果渔夫心情不好，他就要打沙斯塔的耳光，叫他专心干好他的话儿。或者，如果他碰巧心平气和，他就会教诲他道：”我的儿子啊，别让不相干的问题分了你的心。有位诗人说道：心思用在生意上，乃是发财致富的根本；凡是打听与此无关的问题的人，便是正在把愚蠢的船向贫穷的礁石撞去。”      沙斯培认为：小山外必定有些令人愉快的秘密，他的爸爸却希望瞒过他，不让他知道。然而，事实上，渔夫之所以这样说，是因为他自己也不知道北方是什么地方。他并不关心这种问题。他的头脑是十分讲究实际的。       有一天，从南方来了一个陌生人，他跟沙斯塔以前见过的任何人都截然不同。他骑一匹强壮的花斑马，鬃毛和尾巴飘扬摇晃，马镫和马笼头都是镶银的。头盔的尖端从他那丝绸缠头巾中间突了出来，他上身穿一件锁子甲。他的身边挂一把弯弯的短刀，背后插一个圆圆的嵌着铜块的盾牌，右手握一柄长矛。他的脸是黧黑的，但沙斯塔对此并不感到奇怪、因为所有卡乐门王国的人都是这个样子的；使他诧异的是：那个人的胡子染得血红，拳曲而闪闪发光，还散发出阵阵油香。但阿什伊什凭着陌生人赤裸胳膊上的金环，认出他是个”泰坎”，或大王爷，他弯腰跪在泰坎的面前，直至胡子碰到了地面，他还作手势叫沙斯塔也跪下来。      陌生人要求招待他住一宿，渔夫当然不敢拒绝。他们把最好的食物都摆在泰坎面前，作为他的晚餐(他可都瞧不上眼)：至于沙斯塔呢，就像以往渔夫有客人时那样，给了他一大块面包就把他打发出屋子去了。遇到这种情况，沙斯塔总是跟驴子一起睡在它小小的茅草棚里。然而，睡觉还太早，沙斯塔坐下来，把耳朵凑在屋于木板墙的一条裂缝上，听大人们正在进行的谈话。沙斯塔从来不懂得，在门外窃听是错误的。下面便是他听到的谈话。"       “哦，我的主人啊，”泰坎说道，”我有意买下你那个孩子。”      “啊，我的王爷，”渔夫答道(沙斯塔从那阿谀媚的声调就想象得出他说话时可能在脸上露出来的贪婪神色)，”你的仆人尽管很穷，你出多大的价可以促使他把他的独生子、亲骨肉出卖为奴呢?不是有一位诗人说过吗：‘天生的慈爱比浓场强烈，子孙比红宝玉更有价值’?”      “尽管如此，”客人冷冰冰地答道，”另一位诗人说过这样的话：‘企图欺骗明智审慎者的人，已经暴露出他的背脊，快要挨鞭苔了。’你年迈的嘴巴可别谎话连篇。这孩子显然不是你的亲生儿子，因为你的面颊跟我的面颊一样漆黑、而这孩子的面颊生得漂亮雪白，就像住在遥远北方的、受到指责却很美丽的野蛮人一样。”       “有句话说得真好，”渔夫答道，”刀剑可以用盾牌抵挡，智慧的眼睛却洞穿一切防御。我的令人生畏的客人啊，因为我穷得厉害，我从来没有结过婚，更没有儿子。但就在蒂斯罗克(愿他万寿无疆)开始他威严而造福的统治那一年里，一天晚上，月亮圆圆的，众神一时高兴，使我睡不成觉。所以我就在这小屋里起了床，走出家门，到海滩上去，看看海水和月亮，呼吸呼吸凉快的空气，给自己提神醒脑。不一会儿我便听见一个声音，像是桨在水面上向我划过来的声音，接着，我又听见了一种仿佛是微弱的哭泣的声音。不久，湖水把一条小船冲上岸来，船里别无他物，只有一个因极端饥渴而瘦弱的男子(他似乎是几分钟以前才死去的，因为他的身体依旧是温暖的)，一只空空的贮水皮囊，以及一个还活着的孩了。‘毫无疑问，’我说，‘这两个不幸的人是从一艘失事大船中逃出来的，但出于神祗的令人钦佩的设计，年长的那一位自己不吃不喝，使孩子得以活了下来，他自己见到陆地时便死了。’所以。牢记着神祗从来不会不京嘉奖同赤贫者友好的人，受怜悯之心的推动(因为你的仆人是个软心肠的人)——”      “撇开你所有这些自我称赞的废话吧，”泰坎打断他的话，说道，”你收下了这个孩子，我知道这一点就足够了——随便什么人都看得出来，你从这孩子的劳动中获得的利益，其价值十倍于他日常吃的面包。你对这孩子要价多少，现在就立刻告诉我吧，我对你那滔滔不绝的说话，已经感到厌倦了。”       “你自己已经明智地说过了，”阿什伊什回答道，”这孩子的劳动对我有无法估计的价值。因为，如果我把这孩子卖掉，毫无疑问，我就得另外买一个或租一个孩子，来干他所干的活儿。”       “我愿意出十五个克利申买这孩子。”泰坎说。      “十五个！”阿什伊什叫了起来，那声调介于呜咽和尖叫之间。”十五个克利申！出这点钱就想弄走我老年的依靠和心中的喜悦！别嘲弄我这把白胡子了，尽管你是位泰坎。我定的价格是七十个克利申。”      沙斯塔听到这儿便站起身来，掂着脚走开了。他已经听见了他要听到的一切，因为他时常听见大人们在村子里讨价还价，知道交易是怎么做成的。他心里已经十分肯定，阿什伊什末了会以大大超过十五个克利申又大大低于七十个克利申的价格把他卖出去的，但阿什伊什和泰坎还要磨上好几个钟头才能达成协议哩。-       你可千万别认为，沙斯塔会像我们一样感到难过——如果我们偷听到我们的父母谈论把我们卖身为奴的话。他压根儿不难受。一则是他的生活已经比奴隶生活好不了多少，说不定那位骑着大马的王爷似的陌生人，会比阿什伊什待他仁慈一点也未可知哩；二则是那个说是在小船里发现了他的故事，使他心中十分激动，而且还有一种安慰之感。他曾经时常于心不安：无论他怎么努力，他可从来没有爱过这渔夫，而他心里是明白的，一个孩子应该爱他的父亲。可现在，事情明明白白，他压根儿跟阿什伊什毫无血缘关系。这就把他心上的沉重负担卸掉了。”呀，我可能是随便什么人！”他想，”我可能就是—个泰坎的亲生儿子——或者是蒂斯罗克(愿他万寿无疆)的儿子——或者是一个神抵的儿子！”       他心中想着这些事情时，正站在屋子外的草地上。暮色迅速降临，有—两颗星星已经出现了，而西方夕照的余霞依稀可见。不远处，陌生人的马儿正在吃草，它被松松地系在驴棚墙上的一个铁圈里。沙斯塔踅过去，拍拍马儿的颈子。马儿继续把青草拉起来咬嚼，没注意沙斯塔。      接着，沙斯塔又想到了一个念头。”我不知道这泰坎是哪一种人，”他大声说道，”如果他是仁慈和蔼的，那就好极了。在大王爷的王府里，有些奴隶几乎是不干什么活儿的。他们穿上漂亮的衣服，天天吃肉。也许他会带我去打仗，我又在一场战斗中救了他的命，他就会解除我的奴隶身份，收我做他的义子，赐给我一个王宫，一辆战车，一套盔甲。不过他也可能是个可怕的残酷的人。他会叫我戴上锁链到田里去干活，我希望我知道他是个怎样的人。我怎么才能知道呢，我敢打赌，这马儿是知道的，如果它能告诉我就好了。”       马儿抬起头来。沙斯塔抚摩着它那光滑得像缎子一样的鼻子，说道：”老人家，我但愿你能说话啊。”      接着，他一时间认为他是在做梦，因为，尽管声音低沉，马儿十分清晰地开口道：”我是能够说话的。”      沙斯塔盯住马儿的大眼睛直瞧，他自己的眼睛也惊讶得睁大了，几乎跟马眼一般大。      “你究竟怎么学会说话的呀?”他问。      “别嚷嚷！嗓门儿不用这么大，”马儿回答道，”我原来住的地方，几乎所有的动物都说话。”      “那个地方究竟在哪儿?”沙斯塔问。      “在纳尼亚，”马儿答道，”纳尼亚乐土——纳尼亚有着石南茂盛的山岭和百里香遍地的丘陵。纳尼亚河流众多，峡谷水声温湿，山洞长满苍苔，幽深的树林里响彻小矮人的锤声。纳尼亚的空气多么芬芳啊！纳尼亚生活一小时胜过在卡乐门生活一千年。”结尾是一声马嘶，听上去很像一声长叹。      “你怎么上这儿来的?”沙斯塔问。      “给绑架来的，”马儿说道，”也可以说是给偷来或俘虏来的——你爱怎么说都行。我那时不过是一头小马驹。我的母亲警告过我，叫我别逛到南边的山坡去，别闯进阿钦兰或阿钦兰之外的地方去，可是我不肯听它的话。天哪，我为我的愚蠢付出了代价。所有这些年月，我一直是人的奴隶，隐藏我真正的本性，假装哑巴，假装愚蠢，假装就像他们的马儿那样。”       “为什么你不告诉他们你是谁呢?”      “我才不是那种傻瓜呢。一旦他们发现了我是谁，他们就会送我到市场上去展览，比过去更加小心地看管我。我逃走的最后机会也就完蛋了。”      “那又为什么——”沙斯塔开始说道，可是马儿打断了他的话。      “注意啰，”马儿说，”我们千万不要把时间浪费在不相干的问题上了。你要打听我的主人泰坎安拉丁?哦，他是个坏人，他对待我可不太坏，因为过分亏待一匹战马，后果就太严重了。然而，你与其明天到他王府里去做一个奴隶，还不如今天夜里躺下去死掉的好。”       “那么我还是逃跑的好。”沙斯塔说道，脸色都急得煞白了。      “是的，你还是逃跑的好，”马儿说，”可你为什么不跟我一起逃跑呢?”      “你也要逃跑吗?。沙斯塔说。      “是的，如果你愿意跟我一起走的话。”马儿答道，”对咱们俩，这都是个机会。你瞧，如果我自己跑出去，却没有个骑马的人，每个看见我的人都会说我是一头‘走失的马’，就会拼命来追我了。有个骑马的人，我才能通行无阻。那就是你可以帮我忙的地方。另一方面，靠你那愚蠢可笑的两腿，(人的腿真是荒唐可笑！)你是没法儿走远的，总要被追上来逮住的。然而骑在我身上，你就可以把这个国家里其他任何马儿都远远地抛在后面。那就是我可以帮你忙的地方。顺便问一句，你大概懂得怎样骑马吧?”      “是啊，当然会骑的呀。”沙斯塔说，”至少我骑过驴子。”      “骑过什么?”马儿十分鄙夷地反唇相讥道。(至少，马儿是这个意思。实际上它发出了一种嘶鸣的声音：”骑过哇——哈——哈——哈。”会说话的马儿，当它们愤怒的时候，马腔马调就更加浓重了。      “换句话说，”马儿继续说道，”你不会骑马。那倒是个麻烦。一路上我得教你骑马。如果你不会骑马，你会跌跤吗?”      “我想谁都会跌跤的吧。”沙斯塔说。      “我的意思是，你有没有这个能耐：从马上摔下来了，就一声不吭地从地上爬起来，重新爬到马背上，再一次从马背上摔下来，然而依旧不害怕跌跤?”      “我——我试试吧。”沙斯塔说。      “可怜的小牲口，”马儿用比较温和的语调说道，”我忘了你不过是头小驹子。我要及时地把你训练成一个好骑手。眼下——屋子里那两个人睡熟之前，我们千万不要动身。在这段时间里，我们可以把计划商量好。我那泰坎是在往北到大城市去的途中，他要到塔什班城，要到蒂斯罗克的宫廷——”       “我说，”沙斯塔用吓了一跳的声音插嘴道，”你应该说‘愿他万寿无疆’吧?”      “为什么?”马儿问道、”我是头自由的纳尼亚马，为什么我该像奴隶和傻瓜一样说话?我并不要他万寿无疆，而且我也知道，不论我要不要，他是不会万寿无疆的。你和我之间别再说这种南方的屁话了I现在回到我们的计划上来吧。就像我说过的，我的那个人正往北方走，要到塔什班去。”       “你的意思是说，我们还是往南方去的好?”      “我不是这个意思。”马儿道，”你瞧，他认为我不会说话，毫不聪明，就跟他其他的马儿一样。这样的话，他认为我走散后会回到家里。走进我的马厩和围场。回他的王府要向南走两天的路程，他会在那儿寻找我。他做梦也想不到我会按照自己的意思往北走的。再说，他很可能认为有人看见他骑马走过最后一个村子时，钉上了我们的梢，到这儿便把我偷走了。”      “啊，好极了！”沙斯塔说道，”那么我们就决定往北走。我一生都渴望着要到北方去啊。”      “当然你曾经渴望过的，”马儿说，”那是由于你身体里的血统的缘故。我确信你是真正的北方种。可是说话别太响了。我倒认为现在他们快要睡熟了。”      “我还是爬回去瞧瞧的好。”沙斯塔建议。      “那是个好主意，”马儿说，”不过你要留神别给逮住。”      现在天黑得多了，也十分寂静，只听见海滩上的涛声；沙斯塔可毫不注意涛声，因为就他能记事的岁月以来，他日日夜夜听到的就是涛声。他走近时，屋子里没露出灯光来。他在前门侧耳静听，没有声音。他绕到惟一的一个窗子下面，过了一两秒钟，他能听到熟悉的老渔夫的呼呼鼾声了。想起来也好笑，如果一切顺利，他就会从此不再听到达鼾声了。他屏息静气，稍稍感到有点儿遗憾，但毕竟是快乐多于遗憾。沙斯塔悄悄走过草地，走到驴棚去。他摸索着走到一个他知道是藏钥匙的地方，打开门，找到了马鞍子和马笼头(那是搁在那儿过夜的)。他俯下身来吻吻驴子的鼻子。”我很抱歉，不能带你一起走。”他说。      “你终于来了，”他回去时马儿说道，”我正琢磨你到哪儿去了呢。”      “我从驴棚里把你的东西拿了出来，”沙斯塔答道，”你能告诉我怎样把它们放到你身上去吗?”      接下来的几分钟沙斯塔就忙着干活了，小心翼翼地避免发出丁丁当当的声音，马儿则说些类似这样的话：”把肚带收紧一点儿”，或是”再往下一点你就找到带扣了”，或是”你必须把马镫缩短一点才行。。当一切都装配好了，马儿说道：”好了，为了装门面，咱们得配上缰绳，但你可用不着经绳。缚在鞍子的前弯上好了；要缚得十分宽松，让我的脑袋可以自由活动。而且记住了——你可别去碰那缰绳。”       “那么缰绳有什么用处呢?”沙斯塔问道。      “寻常是用来给我指引方向的，”马儿道，”然而这次行我要由我自己来指引方向，所以就请你袖手旁观吧。还有一件事，我可不要你揪住我的鬃毛。”      “可是，请问，”沙斯塔恳求道，”如果我不抓住缰绳也不揪住你的鬃毛，我怎么能坐稳身体呢?”      “用你的双膝夹住我。”马儿道，”那才是骑马骑得高明的诀窍，用你的双膝把我的身体夹住，你爱夹多紧就夹多紧；你要坐得笔直，像根拔火棒，肘拐儿要收拢。顺便问一句，你怎么处理马刺呢?”      “当然装在我的脚后跟上啦，”沙斯塔说，”我就知道这么点儿。”      “那你不妨把马刺卸下来，搁在鞍囊里。我们到达塔什班时，也许能把马刺卖了。准备好了?那么我想现在你可以跳上来了。”      “啊！你高大得好可怕啊！”第一次试图跳上马去，却没有成功，他气喘吁吁地说道。      “我是一匹马，不过是一匹马罢了。”这是马儿的回答，”从你竭力爬到我背亡来的模样儿看来，随便什么人都会认为我是个高高的干草堆了。行，这回好多了。身体坐直，牢记我讲过的夹紧双膝的话。我当年在骑兵队冲锋时—马当先，在赛马时获得胜利，如今却在背上驮了个像袋土豆似的你，想想也觉得好笑！不管怎么样，咱们还是出发吧。”马儿并无恶意地偷偷暗笑。       马儿确实十分小心翼翼地开始了夜间跋涉。它首先朝渔夫屋子的南边走去，一直走到小河边，(小河在那儿奔流人海，)故意在泥沙上留下一些十分明显的往南而去的蹄痕。但当他们到了小河中可以涉水而过的地方时，便转过身来逆流而上，涉水走去，走得比渔夫的屋子还要深入内陆一百码光景，然后选定一小块适宜的、不会留下足迹的砾石河岸，登上了河流的北岸。接着、仍旧慢步向北走去，一直走到那渔夫的屋子，那一棵树，那驴棚，那河流—事实上，沙斯塔熟悉的一切——都融入夏夜苍茫的黑暗之中，看也看不见了。他们走的是上坡路，现在他们来到山脊的顶上了——就是这个山脊，曾经是沙斯塔所知道的世界的边界。沙斯培看不清前边是什么，只看见这地方十分开阔，青草萋萋。这地方一望无际；荒野、寂寞、自由自在。      马儿评论道，”好一个放马驰骋的地方！可不是吗？”      “啊，可别跑快了，”沙斯塔说，”还不能飞跑，我不知道怎样——请你告诉我，马儿，我不知道你的名字。”      “布里海一希尼一布林尼一霍海一哈。”马儿说。      “我永远说不了那么长长的名字，”沙斯塔说，”我能管你叫布里吗?”      “行，如果你竭尽全力也只能叫我布里的话。”马儿说，”那么我叫你什么呢?”      “我叫沙斯塔。”      “嗯，”布里说道，”啊，那倒是个真正难以发音的名字。可是，谈谈驰骋飞跑吧。那可比你所知道的小跑容易得多哩，因为你用不到起伏颠簸。你用双膝夹住，眼睛从我两耳之间笔直望着前方。别看地面。如果你觉得你快要摔下来了，你就夹得更紧、坐得更直。准备好了?现在直奔纳尼亚，直奔北方。
Chapter 2
A WAYSIDE ADVENTURE
IT was nearly noon on the following day when Shasta was wakened by something warm and soft moving over his face. He opened his eyes and found himself staring into the long face of a horse; its nose and lips were almost touching his. He remembered the exciting events of the previous night and sat up. But as he did so he groaned.
"Ow, Bree," he gasped. "I'm so sore. All over. I can hardly move."
"Good morning, small one," said Bree. "I was afraid you might feel a bit stiff. It can't be the falls. You didn't have more than a dozen or so, and it was all lovely, soft springy turf that must have been almost a pleasure to fall on. And the only one that might have been nasty was broken by that gorse bush. No: it's the riding itself that comes hard at first. What about breakfast? I've had mine."
"Oh bother breakfast. Bother everything," said Shasta. "I tell you I can't move." But the horse nuzzled at him with its nose and pawed him gently with a hoof till he had to get up. And then he looked about him and saw where they were. Behind them lay a little copse. Before them the turf, dotted with white flowers, sloped down to the brow of a cliff. Far below them, so that the sound of the breaking waves was very faint, lay the sea. Shasta had never seen it from such a height and never seen so much of it before, nor dreamed how many colours it had. On either hand the coast stretched away, headland after headland, and at the points you could see the white foam running up the rocks but making no noise because it was so far off. There were gulls flying overhead and the heat shivered on the ground; it was a blazing day. But what Shasta chiefly noticed was the air. He couldn't think what was missing, until at last he realized that there was no smell of fish in it. For of course, neither in the cottage nor among the nets, had he ever been away from that smell in his life. And this new air was so delicious, and all his old life seemed so far away, that he forgot for a moment about his bruises and his aching muscles and said:
"I say, Bree, didn't you say something about breakfast?"
"Yes, I did," answered Bree. "I think you'll find something in the saddle-bags. They're over there on that tree where you hung them up last night - or early this morning, rather."
They investigated the saddle-bags and the results were cheering- a meat pasty, only slightly stale, a lump of dried figs and another lump of green cheese, a little flask of wine, and some money; about forty crescents in all, which was more than Shasta had ever seen.
While Shasta sat down - painfully and cautiously - with his back against a tree and started on the pasty, Bree had a few more mouthfuls of grass to keep him company.
"Won't it be stealing to use the money?" asked Shasta.
"Oh," said the Horse, looking up with its mouth full of grass, "I never thought of that. A free horse and a talking horse mustn't steal, of course. But I think it's all right. We're prisoners and captives in enemy country. That money is booty, spoil. Besides, how are we to get any food for you without it? I suppose, like all humans, you won't eat natural food like grass and oats."
"I can't."
"Ever tried?"
"Yes, I have. I can't get it down at all. You couldn't either if you were me."
"You're rum little creatures, you humans," remarked Bree.
When Shasta had finished his breakfast (which was by far the nicest he had ever eaten), Bree said, "I think I'll have a nice roll before we put on that saddle again." And he proceeded to do so. "That's good. That's very good," he said, rubbing his back on the turf and waving all four legs in the air. "You ought to have one too, Shasta," he snorted. "It's most refreshing."
But Shasta burst out laughing and said,"You do look funny when you're on your back!"
"I look nothing of the sort," said Bree. But then suddenly he rolled round on his side, raised his head and looked hard at Shasta, blowing a little.
"Does it really look funny?" he asked in an anxious voice.
"Yes, it does," replied Shasta. "But what does it matter?"
"You don't think, do you," said Bree, "that it might be a thing talking horses never do - a silly, clownish trick I've learned from the dumb ones? It would be dreadful to find, when I get back to Narnia, that I've picked up a lot of low, bad habits. What do you think, Shasta? Honestly, now. Don't spare my feelings. Should you think the real, free horses - the talking kind - do roll?"
"How should I know? Anyway I don't think I should bother about it if I were you. We've got to get there first. Do you know the way?"
"I know my way to Tashbaan. After that comes the desert. Oh, we'll manage the desert somehow, never fear. Why, we'll be in sight of the Northern mountains then. Think of it! To Narnia and the North! Nothing will stop us then. But I'd be glad to be past Tashbaan. You and I are safer away from cities."
"Can't we avoid it?"
"Not without going along way inland, and that would take us into cultivated land and main roads; and I wouldn't know the way. No, we'll just have to creep along the coast. Up here on the downs we'll meet nothing but sheep and rabbits and gulls and a few shepherds. And by the way, what about starting?"
Shasta's legs ached terribly as he saddled Bree and climbed into the saddle, but the Horse was kindly to him and went at a soft pace all afternoon. When evening twilight came they dropped by steep tracks into a valley and found a village. Before they got into it Shasta dismounted and entered it on foot to buy a loaf and some onions and radishes. The Horse trotted round by the fields in the dusk and met Shasta at the far side. This became their regular plan every second night.
These were great days for Shasta, and every day better than the last as his muscles hardened and he fell less often. Even at the end of his training Bree still said he sat like a bag of flour in the saddle. "And even if it was safe, young 'un, I'd be ashamed to be seen with you on the main road." But in spite of his rude words Bree was a patient teacher. No one can teach riding so well as a horse. Shasta learned to trot, to canter, to jump, and to keep his seat even when Bree pulled up suddenly or swung unexpectedly to the left or the right - which, as Bree told him, was a thing you might have to do at any moment in a battle. And then of course Shasta begged to be told of the battles and wars in which Bree had carried the Tarkaan. And Bree would tell of forced marches and the fording of swift rivers, of charges and of fierce fights between cavalry and cavalry when the war horses fought as well as the men, being all fierce stallions, trained to bite and kick, and to rear at the right moment so that the horse's weight as well as the rider's would come down on a enemy's crest in the stroke of sword or battleaxe. But Bree did not want to talk about the wars as often as Shasta wanted to hear about them. "Don't speak of them, youngster," he would say. "They were only the Tisroc's wars and I fought in them as a slave and a dumb beast. Give me the Narnian wars where I shall fight as a free Horse among my own people! Those will be wars worth talking about. Narnia and the North! Bra-ha-ha! Broo hoo!"
Shasta soon learned, when he heard Bree talking like that, to prepare for a gallop.
After they had travelled on for weeks and weeks past more bays and headlands and rivers and villages than Shasta could remember, there came a moonlit night when they started their journey at evening, having slept during the day. They had left the downs behind them and were crossing a wide plain with a forest about half a mile away on their left. The sea, hidden by low sandhills, was about the same distance on their right. They had jogged along for about an hour, sometimes trotting and sometimes walking, when Bree suddenly stopped.
"What's up?" said Shasta.
"S-s-ssh!" said Bree, craning his neck round and twitching his ears. "Did you hear something? Listen."
"It sounds like another horse - between us and the wood," said Shasta after he had listened for about a minute.
"It is another horse," said Bree. "And that's what I don't like."
"Isn't it probably just a farmer riding home late?" said Shasta with a yawn.
"Don't tell me!" said Bree. "That's not a farmer's riding. Nor a farmer's horse either. Can't you tell by the sound? That's quality, that horse is. And it's being ridden by a real horseman. I tell you what it is, Shasta. There's a Tarkaan under the edge of that wood. Not on his war horse - it's too light for that. On a fine blood mare, I should say."
"Well, it's stopped now, whatever it is," said Shasta.
"You're right," said Bree. "And why should he stop just when we do? Shasta, my boy, I do believe there's someone shadowing us at last."
"What shall we do?" said Shasta in a lower whisper than before. "Do you think he can see us as well as hear us?"
"Not in this light so long as we stay quite still," answered Bree. "But look! There's a cloud coming up. I'll wait till that gets over the moon. Then we'll get off to our right as quietly as we can, down to the shore. We can hide among the sandhills if the worst comes to the worst."
They waited till the cloud covered the moon and then, first at a walking pace and afterwards at a gentle trot, made for the shore.
The cloud was bigger and thicker than it had looked at first and soon the night grew very dark. Just as Shasta was saying to himself, "We must be nearly at those sandhills by now," his heart leaped into his mouth because an appalling noise had suddenly risen up out of the darkness ahead; a long snarling roar, melancholy and utterly savage. Instantly Bree swerved round and began galloping inland again as fast as he could gallop.
"What is it?" gasped Shasta.
"Lions!" said Bree, without checking his pace or turning his head.
After that there was nothing but sheer galloping for some time. At last they splashed across a wide, shallow stream and Bree came to a stop on the far side. Shasta noticed that he was trembling and sweating all over.
"That water may have thrown the brute off our scent," panted Bree when he had partly got his breath again. "We can walk for a bit now."
As they walked Bree said, "Shasta, I'm ashamed of myself. I'm just as frightened as a common, dumb Calor mene horse. I am really. I don't feel like a Talking Horse at all. I don't mind swords and lances and arrows but I can't bear - those creatures. I think I'll trot for a bit."
About a minute later, however, he broke into a gallop again, and no wonder. For the roar broke out again, this time on their left from the direction of the forest.
"Two of them," moaned Bree.
When they had galloped for several minutes without any further noise from the lions Shasta said, "I say! That other horse is galloping beside us now. Only a stone's throw away."
"All the b-better," panted Bree. "Tarkaan on it - will have a sword - protect us all."
"But, Bree!" said Shasta. "We might just as well be killed by lions as caught. Or 1 might. They'll hang me for horsestealing." He was feeling less frightened of lions than Bree because he had never met a lion; Bree had.
Bree only snorted in answer but he did sheer away to his right. Oddly enough the other horse seemed also to be sheering away to the left, so that in a few seconds the space between them had widened a good deal. But as soon as it did so there came two more lions' roars, immediately after one another, one on the right and the other on the left, the horses began drawing nearer together. So, apparently, did the lions. The roaring of the brutes on each side was horribly close and they seemed to be keeping up with the galloping horses quite easily. Then the cloud rolled away. The moonlight, astonishingly bright, showed up everything almost as if it were broad day. The two horses and two riders were galloping neck to neck and knee to knee just as if they were in a race. Indeed Bree said (afterwards) that a finer race had never been seen in Calormen.
Shasta now gave himself up for lost and began to wonder whether lions killed you quickly or played with you as a cat plays with a mouse and how much it would hurt. At the same time (one sometimes does this at the most frightful moments) he noticed everything. He saw that the other rider was a very small, slender person, mail-clad (the moon shone on the mail) and riding magnificently. He had no beard.
Something flat and shining was spread out before them. Before Shasta had time even to guess what it was there was
a great splash and he found his mouth half full of salt water. The shining thing had been a long inlet of the sea. Both horses were swimming and the water was up to Shasta's knees. There was an angry roaring behind them and looking back Shasta saw a great, shaggy, and terrible shape crouched on the water's edge; but only one. "We must have shaken off the other lion," he thought.
The lion apparently did not think its prey worth a wetting; at any rate it made no attempt to take the water in pursuit. The two horses, side by side, were now well out into the middle of the creek and the opposite shore could be clearly seen. The Tarkaan had not yet spoken a word. "But he will," thought Shasta. "As soon as we have landed. What am I to say? I must begin thinking out a story."
Then, suddenly, two voices spoke at his side.
"Oh, I am so tired," said the one. "Hold your tongue, Hwin, and don't be a fool," said the other.
"I'm dreaming," thought Shasta. "I could have sworn that other horse spoke."
Soon the horses were no longer swimming but walking and soon with a great sound of water running off their sides and tails and with a great crunching of pebbles under eight hoofs, they came out on the farther beach of the inlet. The Tarkaan, to Shasta's surprise, showed no wish to ask questions. He did not even look at Shasta but seemed anxious to urge his horse straight on. Bree, however, at once shouldered himself in the other horse's way.
"Broo-hoo-hah!" he snorted. "Steady there! I heard you, I did. There's no good pretending, Ma'am. 1 heard you. You're a Talking Horse, a Narnian horse just like me."
"What's it got to do with you if she is?" said the strange rider fiercely, laying hand on sword-hilt. But the voice in which the words were spoken had already told Shasta something.
"Why, it's only a girl!" he exclaimed.
"And what business is it of yours if I am only a girl?" snapped the stranger. "You're probably only a boy: a rude, common little boy - a slave probably, who's stolen his master's horse."
"That's all you know," said Shasta.
"He's not a thief, little Tarkheena," said Bree. "At least, if there's been any stealing, you might just as well say I stole him. And as for its not being my business, you wouldn't expect me to pass a lady of my own race in this strange country without speaking to her? It's only natural I should."
"I think it's very natural too," said the mare.
"I wish you'd held your tongue, Hwin," said the girl. "Look at the trouble you've got us into."
"I don't know about trouble," said Shasta. "You can clear off as soon as you like. We shan't keep you."
"No, you shan't," said the girl.
"What quarrelsome creatures these humans are," said Bree to the mare. "They're as bad as mules. Let's try to talk a little sense. I take it, ma'am, your story is the same as mine? Captured in early youth - years of slavery among the Calormenes?"
"Too true, sir," said the mare with a melancholy whinny.
"And now, perhaps - escape?"
"Tell him to mind his own business, Hwin," said the girl.
"No, I won't, Aravis," said the mare putting her ears back. "This is my escape just as much as yours. And I'm sure a noble war-horse like this is not going to betray us. We are trying to escape, to get to Narnia."
"And so, of course, are we," said Bree. "Of course you guessed that at once. A little boy in rags riding (or trying to ride) a war-horse at dead of night couldn't mean anything but an escape of some sort. And, if I may say so, a highborn Tarkheena riding alone at night - dressed up in her brother's armour - and very anxious for everyone to mind their own business and ask her no questions - well, if that's not fishy, call me a cob!"
"All right then," said Aravis. "You've guessed it. Hwin and I are running away. We are trying to get to Narnia. And now, what about it?"
"Why, in that case, what is to prevent us all going together?" said Bree. "I trust, Madam Hwin, you will accept such assistance and protection as I may be able to give you on the journey?"
"Why do you keep talking to my horse instead of to me?" asked the girl.
"Excuse me, Tarkheena," said Bree (with just the slightest backward tilt of his ears), "but that's Calormene talk. We're free Narnians, Hwin and I, and I suppose, if you're running away to Narnia, you want to be one too. In that case Hwin isn't your horse any longer. One might just as well say you're her human."
The girl opened her mouth to speak and then stopped. Obviously she had not quite seen it in that light before.
"Still," she said after a moment's pause, "I don't know that there's so much point in all going together. Aren't we more likely to be noticed?"
"Less," said Bree; and the mare said, "Oh do let's. I should feel much more comfortable. We're not even certain of the way. I'm sure a great charger like this knows far more than we do."
"Oh come on, Bree," said Shasta, "and let them go their own way. Can't you see they don't want us?"
"We do," said Hwin.
"Look here," said the girl. "I don't mind going with you, Mr War-Horse, but what about this boy? How do I know he's not a spy?"
"Why don't you say at once that you think I'm not good enough for you?" said Shasta.
"Be quiet, Shasta," said Bree. "The Tarkheena's question is quite reasonable. I'll vouch for the boy, Tarkheena. He's been true to me and a good friend. And he's certainly either a Narnian or an Archenlander."
"All right, then. Let's go together." But she didn't say anything to Shasta and it was obvious that she wanted Bree, not him.
"Splendid!" said Bree. "And now that we've got the water between us and those dreadful animals, what about you two humans taking off our saddles and our all having a rest and hearing one another's stories."
Both the children unsaddled their horses and the horses had a little grass and Aravis produced rather nice things to eat from her saddle-bag?But Shasta sulked and said No thanks, and that he wasn't hungry. And he tried to put on what he thought very grand and stiff manners, but as a fisherman's but is not usually a good place for learning grand manners, the result was dreadful. And he half knew that it wasn't a success and then became sulkier and more awkward than ever. Meanwhile the two horses were getting on splendidly. They remembered the very same places in Narnia - "the grasslands up above Beaversdam" and found that they were some sort of second cousins once removed. This made things more and more uncomfortable for the humans until at last Bree said, "And now, Tarkheena, tell us your story. And don't hurry it - I'm feeling comfortable now."
Aravis immediately began, sitting quite still and using a rather different tone and style from her usual one. For in Calormen, story-telling (whether the stories are true or made up) is a thing you're taught, just as English boys and girls are taught essay-writing. The difference is that people want to hear the stories, whereas I never heard of anyone who wanted to read the essays.      二、道旁遇险      第二天靠近中午时分，沙斯塔被他脸蛋上方移动着的某种温暖而柔软的东西弄醒了。他睁开眼睛，发现自己正凝望着一张长长的马脸：马的鼻子和嘴唇几乎碰到了他的鼻子和嘴唇。他记起上一夜激动人心的事件，便坐了起来。但他坐起来时便呻吟开了       “唷，布里，”他气喘吁吁地说，”我痛得厉害。浑身疼痛。我动弹不了啦。”      “早上好，小家伙，”布里说，”我但心你会觉得有点儿手脚僵硬。不可能是跌跤跌的。你不过跌了十二三回罢了，全都是在美丽可爱、柔软而有弹性的草皮上，跌在这种草皮上几乎是种赏心乐事。只有一回可能是别扭的，被荆棘的尖刺划破了。不，首先是骑马本身把你累垮了。你早餐吃什么呢，我可已经吃过早餐了。”      “呀，讨厌的早餐，讨厌的切一切，”沙斯塔说，”我告诉你我动弹不了啦。”但马儿用它的鼻子擦他，用它的蹄子温柔地搔他，他终于只好起来了。接着他向四周瞧瞧，看看他们是在什么地方。他们的后边是一个小灌木林，他们的前面是缀着白花的草皮，往下绵延到一个悬崖的顶。在他们的下方远处，躺着大海，海涛的冲击声十分微弱。沙斯塔以前从来没有在那么高的地方看过大海，他既没有看到过那么辽阔的大海，连做梦也没梦见过大海竟有那么多色彩。海岸从两边伸展开去，海岬紧接着海岬，你看得见海岬尖端海浪冲在岩石上溅起的白色泡沫，声音可听不到了，因为距离太远了。海鸥在头上飞翔，热气在地上哆嗦，这是一个烈日炎炎的日子。但沙斯塔主要注意的是空气，他想不起来缺少点儿什么，最后才恍然大悟，空气中没有鱼腥味了。因为在他的生活里，不论待在房屋里还是待在渔网之间，当然都离不开鱼腥味儿。这儿清新的空气是那么美妙，他的一切旧生活便仿佛是那么遥远了，因而他暂时忘掉了他的伤痕和疼痛的肌肉。他说道：”喂，布里，你没提起过吃早餐的事吧？”       “是的，我提起过，”布里答道，”我想你在鞍囊里会找到东西的。鞍囊就在那边树上，你昨天夜里——还不如说是今儿早晨——挂上去的。”      他们查看了鞍囊，结果令人很是高兴一块肉馅饼，只是稍稍有点儿干瘪走味，一大堆无花果干，大块发绿的干酪，小瓶酒：还有一些钱，总共大约四十个克利申光景，沙斯塔迹从来没有见过这么多的钱呢。      沙斯塔痛苦而又小心翼翼地坐下来，背靠在树上，开始吃那肉馅饼，这时布里便吃几口青草陪伴着他。      “花掉这笔钱，岂不是偷窃行为吗？”沙斯塔问。      “噢，”马儿满口青草，抬起头来，”我从来没考虑这个问题。一匹自由的马，匹能说话的马，当然绝不应偷窃。但我认为我们花掉这钱也是对的。我们是在敌国做囚徒和俘虏。这笔钱是缴获品，战利品。再说呢，没有这笔钱，我们怎么去搞到你吃的东西呢7我想，你像所有的人一样，是不肯吃草和燕麦之类的天然食物的。”       “我吃不了。”      “从前试过吗？”      “是的，试过。我压根儿咽不下去。如果你是我，你也咽不下去的。”      “你们是离奇古怪的小动物，你们人类。”布里评论道。      沙斯塔吃完了他的早餐(这是他所吃过的早餐中最最精美的餐)，布里说道，”在重新装上马鞍子以前，我想我要美美地打个滚。”它说罢就开始打滚。”舒服，舒服极了。”      它说，一面在草皮上摩擦它的背脊，四脚朝天在空中晃动。      “你应该也来打个滚儿，沙斯塔，”它喷着鼻息，”这是最最振作精神的了。”      但沙斯塔哈哈大笑道，”你四脚朝天时，瞧上去可笑极了。”      “我看起来丝毫也不可笑。”布里说道。但这当儿它却突然翻身侧卧，抬起头来，紧瞅着沙斯塔，还稍稍有点儿气喘。      “真的看上去可笑吗？”它用急躁的声音问道。      “是的，可笑。”沙斯塔答道，”但那又有什么大不了呢？”      “你是否认为，”布里说，”说话的马儿可能从来不干这种事情，那是我跟哑巴马儿们学来的愚蠢粗鲁的把戏？回到纳尼亚时，如果发现我沾染了许多下贱的坏习惯，那就很可怕了。沙斯塔，你怎么想呢，老老实实说吧，别照顾我的感情。你究竟认为真正的自由的马儿——说话的那种马儿——打滚吗，”       “我怎么会知道呢？无论如何，假如我就是你，我想我是不会为此烦恼的。我们首先要到达纳尼亚。你认得路吗？”      “我认识到塔什班去的路。这之后就是大沙漠。啊，我们无论如何会想办法穿过沙漠的，别害怕。晤，然后我们就会望见北方的崇山峻岭。想想吧！到纳尼亚去，到北方去那时，什么也阻挡不了我们。但绕过塔什班我是高兴的。我和你远离城市都是比较安全的。”      “我们能避开城市吗？”      “那就非得朝内陆走一段路不可，那就要走进耕地走上大路而我不认识路。不，我们还是要沿着海岸悄悄走过去。从这儿往前走，在丘陵地带上我们碰不到什么，只会遇见羊、野兔、海鸥和几个牧羊入。顺便说句，咱们这就出发，好不好，”:       沙斯塔给马儿装上马鞍并攀上去时，两腿痛得厉害，但马儿对他很照顾，整个下午它走的都是种柔和的步子。当暮色降临时，他们经由陡峭的小道进入一个山谷，在那儿找到一个村庄。进山谷之前，沙斯塔先下了马，步行到村庄里去买个面包，买些洋葱和小萝卜。马儿在田地附近的黑暗中溜达，在远离村庄的一边和沙斯塔相会。这种办法变成了接下来几夜的定规。      对沙斯塔说来，这几天真是了不得的日子，而且一天好似一天，因为他的肌肉都比较结实了，摔下马来的次数也少了。甚至训练已经结束了，布里还是说他坐在马鞍子上像一袋面粉。”哪怕你是坐稳了，小家伙，在大路上被人看见你坐在我身上，我真是感到羞耻。”尽管布里言语粗鲁生硬，它还足个有耐心的教练。没有人教授骑马术能像一匹马儿那样教得地道了。沙斯塔学会了骑马小跑、骑马慢跑和骑马跳跃，即使布里突然停下或出乎意外地左右摇晃——布里告诉他，在一场战斗中，随时都可能非做出这种动作不可——他仍能稳如泰山地坐在鞍座上。当然啦，沙斯塔这就恳求布里讲讲那些它驮着泰坎所参加的战斗和战争。布里便讲起急行军、涉水强渡激流、骑兵和骑兵之间的冲锋与恶战，这当儿战马跟士兵样拼命战斗，它们都是凶猛的公马，训练得能咬善踢，并且在恰当的时刻用后腿站将起来，使得剑或斧向敌人猛砍过去时，马和骑兵的全部重量都压在对手的头盔上。但布里不肯像沙斯塔希望的那样时常讲起打仗的事。”别提那些了，小家伙。”它总是说，”那都是蒂斯罗克的战争，我只是作为一个奴隶和匹哑巴牲口参加战争的。让我参加纳尼亚的战争，我就将在我自己的人民中间，作为一匹自由的马儿去作战。这些才是值得谈论的战争。纳尼亚和北方布拉哈一晗I布鲁一胡}”      沙斯塔不久就明白了，他听到布早这杆呼叫时，就该准备驰骋了。      他们一个星期又一个星期地往前跋涉，经过的海湾、海岬、河流和村庄沙斯塔记也记不清。这之后的一个月夜，他们正赶路——他们是白天睡觉，黄昏时上路的。他们把丘陵地带甩在后面了，正在穿过一个辽阔的平原，平原左边半里之遥有个树林。大海在他们的右边差不多远，被低低的沙丘挡住了，他们已经慢吞吞地走了大约半个钟头光景，有时小跑，有时溜达。布里突然站住了。       “出了什么事？”沙斯塔问。      “嘘——嘘。”布里说道，它伸长着脖子张望，扇动着耳朵。”你可听到什么声音？仔细听听。”      “那像是另一匹马儿的声音——就在咱们和那树林之间。”沙斯塔静听了一会儿后说道。      “那是另外一匹马儿，”布里说，”那可是我不喜欢的局面。”      “说不定是个农民刚好骑马晚归。”沙斯塔打了个呵欠说道。      “不会吧！”布早说，”那可不是农民骑马的声音。也不是农民的马儿的脚步声。你能辨别声音吗？那马儿的脚步声挺帅，而且骑马的是个真正的骑手。我告诉你真相吧，沙斯塔。有个泰坎在树林边缘。他骑的不是战马——战马的脚步声重得多，这声音太轻飘了。他骑的是匹纯种好马，我敢说。”      “哦，现在它停步了，不管它是什么马儿。”沙斯塔说。      “你说得对，”布里说，”为什么我们刚停步它也就停步了呢？沙斯塔，我的孩子，我深信有人终于像影子一样盯上我们了。”       “我们怎么办呢？”沙斯塔低语道，声音比以前更低了，”你认为他能听见我们、看见我们吗？”      “在这种光线里，只要我们悄没声儿地待着，他就看不见我们。”布里答道，”瞧有大块云上来了。等到那块云遮住了月亮，我们就赶快逃到右边去，逃到下面的海岸上去。万一发生最糟糕的情况，我们就可以在沙丘之间藏身。”      他们等到那云遮住了月亮，就奔海岸而去，开头是不紧不慢的步子，后来就改为小跑了。      云块比最初看去时更大更厚实，夜晚很快就变得十分黑暗。正当沙斯塔在心里跟自己说”现在我们必定快要到达那些沙丘了”时，他的心跳到他的嘴巴挈来了，因为突然之间从前面的黑瞎中发出一个令人丧胆的声音，那是一声长长的咆哮，忧郁而又十分野蛮。布里立刻转过身来，开始重新向内陆奔驰，尽其所能地迅速奔驰。      “这是什么？”沙斯塔气喘吁吁地问道。      “狮子”布里说道，既不放慢脚步，也不转过头来。      这之后，就只有彻头彻尾的奔驰了，奔驰了好一阵子。      最后，他们水花四溅地横渡一条宽阔而不深的溪流，到了对岸布里这才站住了。沙斯塔注意到他自己浑身发抖，全身都在冒冷汗。      “那水，也许会使那野兽嗅不到我们的气味，”布里略微缓过气来时，喘息着说道，”现在我们可以放慢步子走会儿了。”      他们慢步行走时，布里说道：”沙斯塔，我为我自己感到羞耻。我竟吓得像匹卡乐门的平平常常的哑巴马儿样。我确实如此。我的感觉压根儿不像能说话的马儿。对于剑呀矛呀箭呀，我都满不存呼，但我受不了——这些动物。我想我又要小跑会儿了。”      然而，一分钟以后，它又开始奔驰起来了那也没有什么可奇怪的，因为咆哮声又响起来了，这回是从他们左边树林那个方向传来的。      “两头狮子哩。”布里哀叹道。      他们奔驰了好几分钟，不复有狮子的声音传来时，沙斯塔说道，”喂另一匹马儿现在在我们的旁边奔驰了。”      “那就更好了，”布里气喘吁吁地说道，”泰坎骑在马上——必定有把剑——保护我们大家。”      “可是，布里啊！”沙斯塔说，”我们若是被人逮住，倒不如被狮子杀死的好。要是被逮住，他们会把我吊起来绞死，因为我偷马。’他不像布里那么害怕狮子，因为他从来没有遇见过狮子布里可遇见过。      布里只是喷着气，没有回答，但它的确向右转了。很奇怪，另一匹马似平也向左转了。因此不会儿，它们之间的      距离就增大了。但就在这时，紧接着又传来两声狮吼，声在右声在左。两匹马开始靠拢。显然，狮子们也在靠拢。两边猛兽的吼声近得可怕，似乎它们很容易就可以赶上正飞驰的马儿。随后云散了，亮得出奇的月光把一切照得如同白昼。两匹马和两个骑手几乎是肩并肩腿碰腿地在飞驰，就好像他们是在比赛。布里后来的确说，在卡乐门从未见过这么好的比赛。*       沙斯塔此时不知所措，他开始想道，狮子是很快把你杀死呢，还是会像猫戏弄老鼠一样戏弄你，他还在想狮子伤起人来有多厉害。与此同时，他注意着一切(个人在极度恐惧时有时会这样)。他看见另一位骑手是个小而瘦削的人，穿着铠甲(月光照在铠甲上)，骑马的样子很威严。他没有胡子。       有个平坦发亮的东两铺开存他们两面前。沙斯塔还来不及想是什么，哗啦啦一阵子泼将过来，他发觉半个嘴巴里都是咸水了。原来这发亮的东西是大海的一个长长的港湾。两匹马儿都在游泳，海水漫到沙斯塔的膝盖上。他们的背后是阵愤怒的狮吼，沙斯塔回头一望，但见一个毛发蓬松的可怕的巨大形体蹲伏在水滨，然而只有一头狮子。”我们必定把另一头狮子甩掉了。”他心里想。       这狮子显然认为不值得涉水捕食猎物无论如何，它不想在追逐他们时喝几口成海水。两匹马儿并肩而行，现在已经进入港湾的中流，对岸已经清晰地看得见了。那泰坎声也没吭过。”但他必定会开口的，”沙斯塔心中想道，”我们一登上陆地他就要说话了。我该说什么呢？我必须开始编造一个故事。”       接着，突然之间，他身边两个声音说起话来了。      “啊，我真是疲倦极了。”一个声音说。      “住口，赫温，别做傻瓜。”另一个声音说道。      “我在做梦，”沙斯塔心中想道，”我能对天发誓，另一匹马儿在说话哩。”      两匹马儿不久就不再游泳，而是踏步行走起来。伴着海水从它们身体两侧和尾巴上哗啦哗啦泻将下来的声音，和八只蹄子踩在卵石上嘎啦嘎啦的声音，他们出了港湾，踏上了远在另一头的海滩。使沙斯塔惊异的是，那泰坎毫无想提出问题的表示。他甚至连瞧也不瞧沙斯塔，却仿佛急于要策马趱奔。然而，布里立刻用自己的肩胛挡住了另一匹马的路。      “布鲁——霍——哈”它喷着气，”慢着我听到了，我听到你说话了。女士，假装是没有好处的。我听到你说话了。你是一匹说话的马儿。一匹像我一样的纳尼亚马儿。”'       “如果它是纳尼亚马儿，跟你又有什么相干，”奇怪的骑手凶狠地说道，手都按在剑柄上了。但说出这些话的声音已经向沙斯塔泄露了一些真相。      “呀，她不过是个小姑娘”他大声嚷道。      “如果我足个小姑娘，跟你又有什么相干’”陌生人厉声说道，”你不过是个男孩子：一个粗鲁无礼、平平凡凡的小男孩儿——可能是个奴隶，偷了他主人的马儿。”      “你知道的就是这么一点儿。”沙斯塔说。      “他不是贼，小泰克希娜，”布里说道，”至少，如果有什么偷窃行为，你倒不妨说是我偷了他。但这事与我不相干。你总不会指望我在这个奇怪的国家里，遇到我自己种族的一位女士而不跟它说说话吧。我跟它说说话倒是十分自然的。”      “我也认为这是十分自然的。”母马说。      “我希望你闭嘴，赫温，”小姑娘说道，”瞧你替我们招来麻烦了。”      “我可不知道什么麻烦，”沙斯塔说，”你高兴快走就快走吧。我们不会留你。”      “不，你们留不住我。”小姑娘说。      “这些人类多么喜欢吵嘴。”布里对母马说，”他们糟糕得像驴子样。让我们谈点儿有道理的。女士，我认为你的身世大概跟我的身世是一个样儿的：少年时代被俘——在卡乐门人中间度过了多年的奴隶生活。”       “千真万确，先生。”母马用忧郁的嘶声说道。      “而现在呢，也许是——逃走？”      “赫温，叫他管他自己的事情，别管闲事。”小姑娘说。      “不，我不愿这样，阿拉维斯，”母马收拢耳朵，说道，”这是我的出逃，就跟你样。我深信匹像你这样高贵的战马是不会出卖我们的。我们都是在设法逃走，逃到纳尼亚去。”       “我们当然是这么一回事，’布里说，”你当然猜就猜到了。一个小男孩，穿得破破烂烂的，深更半夜，骑着——或者是勉强骑着匹战马，这种情况只能意味着是逃走之类。同时，如果我可以这么说，位出身高贵的泰克希娜，深夜里单人匹马，身穿她哥哥的盔甲——急于要人人只管他自己的事情，可别向她提什么问题——哦，如果不是其中有鬼，你们管我叫傻瓜蛋就是了。”      “行了，”阿拉维斯说，”你已经猜对了。赫温和我是在逃跑。我们试图到纳尼亚去。哦，这又怎么样？”      “呀，既然如此，咱们何妨一起走呢？”布里说，”赫温女士，我深信你会接受我在旅途中也许能为你提供的帮助和保护！”      “为什么你老是跟我的马儿说话，却不向我说话呢？”小姑娘问道。      “请原谅我，泰克希娜，”布里说(它把双耳稍稍向后翘起一点儿)，”不过那是卡乐门式的对话。赫温和我，我们是纳尼亚的自由的马儿，依我的猜想，如果你到了纳尼亚，你也想做个自由民的。在那种情况下，赫温就不再是属于你的马儿了。人家倒可能说你是属于它的人了。’       小姑娘要开口说话，却又闭嘴不说了。很明显，她过去从来没有用这种观点看问题。      “我还是不明白，”小姑娘沉默了一会儿又说道，”在大家起赶路这件事情上，竟有那么多的论点。咱们一起走，是否更可能招人注意？’      “更不可能招人注意。”布里说，而母马道：”噢，让我们一起走吧。我会感到更舒服。我们甚至对路径还没有把握。像它这样的一匹战马，懂得的东西远比我们多啊。”      “走吧，布里，”沙斯塔说道，”让她们走她们的路吧。你看不出她们不需要我们吗？      “我们需要你们。”赫温说。      “喂，”小姑娘说，”战马先生，我和你一起走倒并不介意，可是这孩子怎么办呢？我怎么知道他不是个密探呢？”      “你为什么不干干脆脆说我高攀不上你呢？”      “安静点儿，沙斯塔，”布里说道，”泰克希娜的问题是很合情理的。泰克希娜，我愿为这孩子担保。他对我一向忠诚，是个好朋友。他肯定不是纳尼亚人便是阿钦兰人。”      “那就行了，让咱们一起走吧。”但她什么话也没跟沙斯塔说。十分明显，她要的是布里，不是他。      “好极了！”布里说，”现在我们和那些可怕的野兽之间隔着片大水，你们两个人把我们的鞍子卸下来，我们大家休息一下，听听彼此的经历，可好？”      两个孩子都给马儿卸下了鞍子，两匹马儿吃了点青草，阿拉维斯从鞍囊里拿出颇为精美的食物来吃。但沙斯塔怄气，他说不，谢谢，他肚子不饿。他竭力要摆出他认为是十分崇高十分刚强的态度来，可渔夫的小屋往往不是学习崇高风度的好地方，其后果因而十分可怕。他半儿知道自己并未获得成功，这就变得比往常更加气恼更加尴尬。与此同时，两匹马儿倒相处得极好。它们记起了纳尼亚的同一个地方：”海狸水坝上边儿的大草地”，并且发现它们原来还是第二代的表兄妹哩。这就搞得两个人之间的关系越发不舒畅了，布里终于说道：”泰克希娜，现在把你的故事讲给我们听吧。可也不必匆匆忙忙——我现在正感觉轻松自在哩。”       阿拉维斯立刻讲起来了，她一动也不动地坐着，用的是跟下常截然不同的声调和风格。因为在卡乐门王国，讲故事(不论是真实的还是编造卅来的故事)是教出来的，就像英国男孩女孩写散文是教出来的一样。不同之处是：人们要听故事，而我从来没听说过有什么人要听散文哩。 
Chapter 3
AT THE GATES OF TASHBAAN
"Mr name," said the girl at once, "is Aravis Tarkheena and I am the only daughter of Kidrash Tarkaan, the son of Rishti Tarkaan, the son of Kidrash Tarkaan, the son of Ilsombreh Tisroc, the son of Ardeeb Tisroc who was descended in a right line from the god Tash. My father is the lord of the province of Calavar and is one who has the right of standing on his feet in his shoes before the face of Tisroc himself (may he live for ever). My mother (on whom be the peace of the gods) is dead and my father has married another wife. One of my brothers has fallen in battle against the rebels in the far west and the other is a child. Now it came to pass that my father's wife, my step-mother, hated me, and the sun appeared dark in her eyes as long as I lived in my father's house. And so she persuaded my father to promise me in marriage to Ahoshta Tarkaan. Now this Ahoshta is of base birth, though in these latter years he has won the favour of the Tisroc (may he live for ever) by flattery and evil counsels, and is now made a Tarkaan and the lord of many cities and is likely to be chosen as the Grand Vizier when the present Grand Vizier dies. Moreover he is at least sixty years old and has a hump on his back and his face resembles that of an ape. Nevertheless my father, because of the wealth and power of this Ahoshta, and being persuaded by his wife, sent messengers offering me in marriage, and the offer was favourably accepted and Ahoshta sent word that he would marry me this very year at the time of high summer.
"When this news was brought to me the sun appeared dark in my eyes and I laid myself on my bed and wept for a day. But on the second day I rose up and washed my face and caused my mare Hwin to be saddled and took with me a sharp dagger which my brother had carried in the western wars and rode out alone. And when my father's house was out of sight and I was come to a green open place in a certain wood where there were no dwellings of men, I dismounted from Hwin my mare and took out the dagger. Then I parted my clothes where I thought the readiest way lay to my heart and I prayed to all the gods that as soon as I was dead I might find myself with my brother. After that I shut my eyes and my teeth and prepared to drive the dagger into my heart. But before I had done so, this mare spoke with the voice of one of the daughters of men and said, "O my mistress, do not by any means destroy yourself, for if you live you may yet have good fortune but all the dead are dead alike."
"I didn't say it half so well as that," muttered the mare.
"Hush, Ma'am, hush," said Bree, who was thoroughly enjoying the story. "She's telling it in the grand Calormene manner and no story-teller in a Tisroc's court could do it better. Pray go on, Tarkheena."
"When I heard the language of men uttered by my mare," continued Aravis, "I said to myself, the fear of death has disordered my reason and subjected me to delusions. And I became full of shame for none of my lineage ought to fear death more than the biting of a gnat. Therefore I addressed myself a second time to the stabbing, but Hwin came near to me and put her head in between me and the dagger and discoursed to me most excellent reasons and rebuked me as a mother rebukes her daughter. And now my wonder was so great that I forgot about killing myself and about Ahoshta and said, `O my mare, how have you learned to speak like one of the daughters of men?' And Hwin told me what is known to all this company, that in Narnia there are beasts that talk, and how she herself was stolen from thence when she was a little foal. She told me also of the woods and waters of Narnia and the castles and the great ships, till I said, `In the name of Tash and Azaroth and Zardeenah Lady of the Night, I have a great wish to be in that country of Narnia.' `O my mistress,' answered the mare, `if you were in Narnia you would be happy, for in that land no maiden is forced to marry against her will.'
"And when we had talked together for a great time hope returned to me and I rejoiced that I had not killed myself. Moreover it was agreed between Hwin and me that we should steal ourselves away together and we planned it in this fashion. We returned to my father's house and I put on my gayest clothes and sang and danced before my father and pretended to be delighted with the marriage which he had prepared for me. Also I said to him, `O my father and O the delight of my eyes, give me your licence and permission to go with one of my maidens alone for three days into the woods to do secret sacrifices to Zardeenah, Lady of the Night and of Maidens, as is proper and customary for damsels when they must bid farewell to the service of Zardeenah and prepare themselves for marriage.' And he answered, `O my daughter and O the delight of my eyes, so shall it be.'
"But when I came out from the presence of my father I went immediately to the oldest of his slaves, his secretary, who had dandled me on his knees when I was a baby and loved me more than the air and the light. And I swore him to be secret and begged him to write a certain letter for me. And he wept and implored me to change my resolution but in the end he said, `To hear is to obey,' and did all my will. And I sealed the letter and hid it in my bosom."
"But what was in the letter?" asked Shasta.
"Be quiet, youngster," said Bree. "You're spoiling the story. She'll tell us all about the letter in the right place. Go on, Tarkheena."
"Then I called the maid who was to go with me to the woods and perform the rites of Zardeenah and told her to wake me very early in the morning. And I became merry with her and gave her wine to drink; but I had mixed such things in her cup that I knew she must sleep for a night and a day. As soon as the household of my father had committed themselves to sleep I arose and put on an armour of my brother's which I always kept in my chamber in his memory. I put into my girdle all the money I had and certain choice jewels and provided myself also with food, and saddled the mare with my own hands and rode away in the second watch of the night. I directed my course not to the woods where my father supposed that I would go but north and east to Tashbaan.
"Now for three days and more I knew that my father would not seek me, being deceived by the words I had said to him. And on the fourth day we arrived at the city of Azim Balda. Now Azim Balda stands at the meeting of many roads and from it the posts of the Tisroc (may he live for ever) ride on swift horses to every part of the empire: and it is one of the rights and privileges of the greater Tarkaans to send messages by them. I therefore went to the Chief of the Messengers in the House of Imperial Posts in Azim Balda and said, `O dispatcher of messages, here is a letter from my uncle Ahoshta Tarkaan to Kidrash Tarkaan lord of Calavar. Take now these five crescents and cause it to be sent to him.' And the Chief of the Messengers said, `To hear is to obey.'
"This letter was feigned to be written by Ahoshta and this was the signification of the writing: `Ahoshta Tarkaan to Kidrash Tarkaan, salutation and peace. In the name of Tash the irresistible, the inexorable. Be it known to you that as I made my journey towards your house to perform the contract of marriage between me and your daughter Aravis Tarkheena, it pleased fortune and the gods that I fell in with her in the forest when she had ended the rites and sacrifices of Zardeenah according to the custom of maidens. And when I learned who she was, being delighted with her beauty and discretion, I became inflamed with love and it appeared to me that the sun would be dark to me if I did not marry her at once. Accordingly I prepared the necessary sacrifices and married your daughter the same hour that I met her and have returned with her to my own house. And we both pray and charge you to come hither as speedily as you may that we may be delighted with your face and speech; and also that you may bring with you the dowry of my wife, which, by reason of my great charges and expenses, I require without delay. And because thou and I are brothers I assure myself that you will not be angered by the haste of my marriage which is wholly occasioned by the great love I bear your daughter. And I commit you to the care of all the gods.'
"As soon as I had done this I rode on in all haste from Azim Balda, fearing no pursuit and expecting that my father, having received such a letter, would send messages to Ahoshta or go to him himself, and that before the matter was discovered I should be beyond Tashbaan. And that is the pith of my story until this very night when I was chased by lions and met you at the swimming of the salt water."
"And what happened to the girl - the one you drugged?" asked Shasta.
"Doubtless she was beaten for sleeping late," said Aravis coolly. "But she was a tool and spy of my stepmother's. I am very glad they should beat her."
"I say, that was hardly fair," said Shasta.
"I did not do any of these things for the sake of pleasing you," said Aravis.
"And there's another thing I don't understand about that story," said Shasta. "You're not grown up, I don't believe you're any older than I am. I don't believe you're as old. How could you be getting married at your age?"
Aravis said nothing, but Bree at once said, "Shasta, don't display your ignorance. They're always married at that age in the great Tarkaan families."
Shasta turned very red (though it was hardly light enough for the others to see this) and felt snubbed. Aravis asked Bree for his story. Bree told it, and Shasta thought that he put in a great deal more than he needed about the falls and the bad riding. Bree obviously thought it very funny, but Aravis did not laugh. When Bree had finished they all went to sleep.
Next day all four of them, two horses and two humans, continued their journey together. Shasta thought it had been much pleasanter when he and Bree were on their own. For now it was Bree and Aravis who did nearly all the talking. Bree had lived a long time in Calormen and had always been among Tarkaans and Tarkaans' horses, and so of course he knew a great many of the same people and places that Aravis knew. She would always be saying things like, "But if you were at the fight of Zulindreh you would have seen my cousin Alimash," and Bree would answer, "Oh, yes, Alimash, he was only captain of the chariots, you know. I don't quite hold with chariots or the kind of horses who draw chariots. That's not real cavalry. But he is a worthy nobleman. He filled my nosebag with sugar after the taking of Teebeth." Or else Bree would say, "I was down at the lake of Mezreel that summer," and Aravis would say, "Oh, Mezreel! I had a friend there, Lasaraleen Tarkheena. What a delightful place it is. Those gardens, and the Valley of the Thousand Perfumes!" Bree was not in the least trying to leave Shasta out of things, though Shasta sometimes nearly thought he was. People who know a lot of the same things can hardly help talking about them, and if you're there you can hardly help feeling that you're out of it.
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 can't 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 wasn't really haunted by ghouls. But Bree said he was a free Narnian horse and didn't believe in these Calormene tales. And then Shasta said he wasn't a Calormene either and didn't care a straw about these old stories of ghouls. This wasn't quite true. But it rather impressed Aravis (though at the moment it annoyed her too) and of course she said she didn't 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.
"We'll settle that tomorrow, Ma'am," said Bree. "Time for a little sleep now."
But it wasn't easy to settle. Aravis's 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.
"We'll 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 Aravis's 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 we're on pack-horses."
"My dear Hwin!" said Aravis rather scornfully. "As anyone could mistake Bree for anything but a war-hors however you disguised him!"
"I should think not, indeed," said Bree, snorting an letting his ears go ever so little back.
"I know it's not a very good plan," said Hwin. "But I think it's our only chance. And we haven't been groomed for ages and we're not looking quite ourselves (at least, I'm sure I'm not). I do think if we get well plastered with mud and go along with our heads down as if we're tired and lazy -and don't 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."
"My dear Madam," said Bree. "Have you pictured to yourself how very disagreeable it would be to arrive in Narnia in that condition?"
"Well," said Hwin humbly (she was a very sensible mare), "the main thing is to get there."
Though nobody much liked it, it was Hwin's 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 boy's 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," said Hwin fervently.
That night they wound their way through the woods up to the ridge by a wood-cutter's 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 Aravis's 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 wasn't 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. That's what it feels like."
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 children's 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."
"And remember," said Shasta. "Don't you two horses forget yourselves and start talking, whatever happens."      三、在塔什班城门口      “我是泰克希娜阿拉维斯，”小姑娘立刻说道，”我是泰坎基特拉什的独生女儿。基特扣什是泰坎里什蒂的儿子，里什蒂是泰坎老基特拉什的儿子，老基特拉什是蒂斯罗克伊尔松布勒的儿子，伊尔松布勒是蒂斯罗克阿尔地布的儿子，都是从塔什神一脉相承地繁衍下来的。我的父亲是卡拉瓦尔省的省长，是个有权利穿着靴子站在蒂斯罗克(愿他万寿无疆)本人面前的官儿。被的母亲死了(愿众神赐给她平安)，我的父亲娶了另一个妻子。我的哥哥存遥远的两方讨伐叛乱的战争中牺牲了，我的弟弟还是个小娃娃。却说我父亲的妻子，我那位后母，憎恶我，只要我住在我父亲的家里，她就觉得太阳也变得黑暗了。所以她就劝我的父亲把我许给泰坎阿霍什塔为妻。而这位阿霍什塔出身贫贱，这几年他凭着谄媚阿谀和出坏主意，赢得了蒂斯罗克(愿他万寿无疆)的宠爱，现在被封为泰坎，做了好几个城市的父母官，将来现任大臣死了，他就很可能被选中为大臣。而且，他至少已有六十岁了，还是个驼背，胎长得像无尾猿。尽管如此，一则由于这位阿霍什塔有财有势，二则我后母竭力劝说，我的父亲便派媒人去说亲。一说即合，阿霍什塔叫人捎信来，说今年盛夏就要娶亲成婚。       “这个消息传到我耳朵里时，我心目中的太阳变得漆黑了，我躺在床上，哭了一天。但第二天我起了床，洗了脸，关照人给母马赫温上了鞍子，我随身带了把锋利的匕首(我哥哥在西部战争中带在身边的)，便独自骑马出去了。走得已经看不见我父亲的府邸时，我来到一个森林中的片绿色空地上，那儿没有人住家。我从母马赫温身上跨将下来，抽出匕首。我解开衣服，露出我认为最便于刺中心脐的地方，我向众砷祷告，但求我一死便可同我哥哥聚会。这之后，我就闭上眼睛，咬紧牙齿，准备把匕首剌进心脏。但我还没有刺下去，这马儿就用人类的女孩儿声音说道：”我的女主人啊，无论如何不要毁灭你自己，因为如果你活着，你还会有好运气，但死人同样都是死人。”      “我说得还没有这话一半巧妙啊。”母马喃喃自语。      “莫作声，女士，莫作声。”布里说道，它正在全身心地欣赏着这故事。”她正用卡乐门崇高的风格讲故事，蒂斯罗克宫廷早没有人能讲得比她更好的了。请你讲下去吧，泰克希娜。”      “当我听到我的母马口出人言，”阿拉维斯继续讲道，”我对我自己说：死的恐具已经使我理智混乱，受幻觉支配了。我变得十分羞愧，因为我的家族里没有一个人应该怕死超过怕被虫子咬的。于是我再一次举手要自杀，但赫温胞进来了，把它的脑袋挡在我和匕首之间，用最最透彻的道理同我谈话，像个母亲训斥她的女儿般训斥我。却说我心里奇怪极了，我忘了自杀，忘了阿霍什塔，问道我的母马啊，你怎样学会像人类的女儿样说话的々赫温恒把在座各位都知道的情况告诉我：在纳尼亚王国里有的是会说人话的野兽，而它自己还是匹小驹子时便被人从纳尼亚盗走了。已也跟我讲起纳尼亚王国的森林和河流、堡垒和大船，直讲得我这样起誓道：‘我以塔什神和阿扎罗斯神之名，以黑夜女神扎迪娜之名起誓，我有一个最大的愿望，就是要生活在纳尼亚王国里。’‘我的女主人啊，’母马答道，‘如果你生活在纳尼亚王国里，你就会十分幸福，因为存那个王国里，决不会强迫哪一个姑娘违背自己的心愿出嫁成亲的。      “我们起谈了好久，我重新看到了希望，我为没有自杀而庆幸。此外，我和赫温还秘密约定，我们要起偷偷逃跑，而且如此这般地定下了计划。我们回到我父亲的府邸里，我穿上我鲜艳的衣服，在我父亲面前唱歌跳舞，假装对他为我安排的婚姻很是乐意。我还跟父亲说：‘我的父亲啊，我心目中的快乐啊，给我发个许可证，允许我带上个姑娘独自到森林里去，向黑夜和处女之神扎迪娜做秘密献祭，当少女们必须告别对扎迪娜的侍奉、准备出嫁成亲时，做这样的献祭足恰当的，符合习俗的。’于是父亲答道，‘我的女儿，我心目中的快乐啊，你可以这么办。’       “我从父亲那儿出来以后，立刻就去找他的最老的奴隶，也就是他的秘书，在我足个婴儿的时候，他曾在他膝头上播弄我逗我，他爱我甚于爱空气和阳光。我叫他起誓保守秘密，并且求他替我写了封信。他哭泣，求我改变主意，但他最后终于说道，‘听到下令，就遵命照办。’并且按照我的一切愿望把事情办了。我封好了信，藏在怀中。”       “信里说些什么呢”沙斯塔问。      “别插嘴，小家伙，”布里说，”你打断了故事。她会在恰当的地方把信上的切都告诉我们的。讲下去吧，泰克希娜。”      “于是我叫唤那跟我起到森林里去献祭扎迪娜的丫头，关照她大清早就要叫醒我。我跟她谈得很开心，我给她酒唱但我在她的酒杯里掺了点儿东西，我知道她必定要睡上一夜再加一天。我父亲府邸里的人都上床睡觉后，我穿上了我哥哥的盔甲，那是我一直留在房间里做纪念的。我把我所有的钱和一些珠宝精品都放进我的腰带里，也给自己准备好了食物，我亲手给母马上了鞍子，二更时分，我就骑马出奔了。我走的路不是我父亲所料想的向森林而去，而是朝塔什班的东北方而去。      “我知道，父亲被我跟他所说的话欺骗了，三四天内是不会寻找我的。我在第四天到达了阿齐姆;巴尔达城。却说阿齐姆;巴尔达城坐落在许多道路的交汇处，蒂斯罗克(愿他万寿无疆)的邮差骑着快马奔向王国的四面八方，高级泰坎们有权利和特许，可以叫邮差们送信。所以我就到阿齐姆;巴尔达城的帝国邮政大慢去找邮政局长，说道：‘传递讯息的官儿啊，这儿是封信，是我伯父泰坎阿霍什塔寄给卡拉瓦尔省长泰坎是特拉什的。拿着这五个克利申，把这信给他送去吧。’邮政局长说道‘听到命令就遵命照办。’       “这封信冒充是阿霍什塔写的，它的大意是：泰坎阿霍什塔向泰坎基特拉什致敬问安。以不可抗拒的、不屈不挠的塔什神的名义，敬启者，我在去府上订定我和令嫒泰克希娜阿拉维斯的婚约的途中，托众神和命运的福，在森林里与她不期而遇，那时她已按照少女的习俗，完成了向扎迪娜献祭的仪式。当我获悉她是什么人时，由于欣赏她的美貌和慎重周到，我变得热情如焚，心里觉得如果我不立刻同她结婚成亲，太阳就会漆黑一团了。我相应地准备了必要的祭品，就在我遇到你女儿的时刻同她结了婚，而且带她回到我自己的家里来了。我俩都祈求和要求你尽可能赶紧到这儿来，让我们可以开心地见到你，听到你的谈笑，也指望你会带来我妻子的嫁妆，由于我巨大的开销花费，我要毫不耽误地得到嫁妆。因为你和我像兄弟一样，我确信你不会因我的匆促结婚而生气，我之所以如此，完全是由于我对你女儿的巨大爱情造成的。我求众神保佑你。      “我办完了这件事就急急忙忙骑马从阿齐姆;巴尔达赶出来了，我倒小怕被人追逐，而是希望我父亲接到这封佶，便会寄信给阿霍什塔，或者亲自到他那儿去，这样一来，及至事情被拆穿，我早已过了塔什班城了。在我被狮子追逐、在海水里游泳而遇到你们的那一夜之前，那一段便是我故事里最精彩的了。”      “那个丫头后来如何呢——你给她吃了蒙汗药的那个？”沙斯塔问。      “毫无疑问，她因为醒得太晚便挨打了。”阿拉维斯冷冷地答道，”不过，她是我后母的一个工具，一个密探。他们要是打了她，我才高兴哩。”      “我说，那可不大公平。”沙斯塔说。      “我做的这些事情，哪一件也不是为了取悦于你才做的。”阿拉维斯道。      “故事里还有件事情我不太明白，’沙斯塔说，”你还没有长大成人，我不相信你的年龄会比我大。我不相信你有我一般大。以你这种年龄，你怎么能结婚呢？”      阿拉维斯啥也不说，但布里立刻回答道，”沙斯塔，别卖弄你的愚蠢了。在大泰坎家族里，他们总是在这种年龄结婚的。”      沙斯塔脸变得通红通红(尽管光线太暗淡了，其他的人看不大见)，觉得自己被怠慢了。阿拉维斯请布里讲它的故事，布里讲了。沙斯塔认为它无需在跌跤和骑术拙劣方面添油加醋地说上一大堆。布里显然觉得这很有趣，但阿拉维斯并没有哈哈大笑。布里讲完故事，他们大家都去睡觉了。       第二天，他们四位，两匹马和两个人，一起继续赶路。沙斯塔认为光是他和布里一起走时要愉快得多，因为现在是布里和阿拉维斯几乎包揽了全部谈话。布里在卡乐门生活了好长段时间，而且总是同泰坎及他们的马儿在起，所以它当然知道阿拉维斯所知道的人和地方。她总是提起类似这样的事情：”如果你参加过齐尤林德雷之战，你就会看见过我的堂兄阿里马什了。”于是布里答道：”噢，是的，阿里马什，他是战车队惟一的上尉，不是吗？我不大赞成战车或是拉战车的那种马儿。那可不是真正的骑兵。不过阿里马什是一位可尊敬的贵族。攻克蒂贝思之后，他在我草料袋里放满了糖。”此外布里还会说”那年夏天我到了米兹里尔湖。”于是阿拉维斯便接口道，”噢，米兹里尔湖我在那儿有个朋友，泰克希娜拉沙扣里恩。好个赏心悦目的地方。那些花园，还有那千香幽谷！”布里决不想把沙斯塔丢在一边，尽管沙斯塔有时差不多认为自己是被丢在一边了。见识过许许多多同样的事物的人们，情不自禁地要讲起这些事物，如果你也在场，你就不由得感到自己被丢在一边了。      母马赫温在布里这样一匹了不得的战马面前怯生生的，它很少说话。而阿拉维斯呢，如果她能避免的话，她就压根儿不跟沙斯塔说话。      然而，不久他们就有更加重大的事情要考虑了。他们正在走近塔什班城，路上有更多更大的村庄，和为数更多的人们。如今他们差不多都是在夜间赶路，到了白天就尽可能地躲藏起来。每次暂时歇脚，他们总是再三讨论，到达塔什班时他们该怎么办？大家都把这个困难问题往下拖延，如今不能再拖下去了。在这些讨论中，阿拉维斯对待沙斯塔的不友好态度，倒是点儿点儿地减少了，人在商量计划时往往比闲谈聊天时相处得好些。       布里说，第一桩要办的事情就是先确定一个地方，要是运气不好，穿过城市时走散了，大家也要约定在塔什班城另一边集合起来。它说最好的地方是古代国王的坟场，就在大沙漠的边缘。”就像巨大的石头蜂房似的东西，”它说，”你不可能错过的。最大的优点是，没有一个卡乐门人会走近这古坟场，因为他们认为那个地方是食尸鬼出没之处，他们害怕它。”阿拉维斯问，是否真的有食尸鬼出没？布里说，它是匹自由的纳尼亚马儿，不相信这些卡乐门的传说。接着，沙斯塔说，他也不是个卡乐门人，对于这些个老掉了牙的食尸鬼传说，他可丝毫不怕。这话可并不十分确实，但这话给阿拉维斯的印象倒很深(虽然当时电很叫她恼火)。当然啦，她说，有多少食尸鬼她也不怕。所以，事情就这么决定下来了，古坟场应是他们在塔什班城那边集合的地点，大家都觉得他们的讨论进步很大，后来对由赫温谦逊地指出，真正的问题不在于他们穿过了塔什班城应该到什么地方去集合，而在于如何穿过塔什班城。      “女士，我们明天会安排好的，”布里说，”现在该睡一会儿了。”      然而，要安排好并不容易。阿拉维斯第一个建议是：他们应该在夜间游泳横渡城外的河流，而根本不进入塔什班城。但布里反对，理由有两条。一是河口很阔，赫温要游过去的话，路程可太长了，特别是它背上还骑着一个人。(它认为，对它自己说来，路程也太长，但对此它说得很少。)另一条理由是河上往来船只繁多，当然啰，坐在甲板上的任何人，看到两匹马儿游泳渡河，定会问长问短的。      沙斯塔主张到塔什班以北的上游去，那儿的河流比较狭窄，容易横渡。但布里解释道，那儿好几里长的河流两岸，都有花园和游乐场所，泰坎和泰克希娜们很可能就住在那儿的屋子里面，并且在大路上骑马，在河上举行社交聚会。事实上，这很可能是世界上最容易遇到熟人，把阿拉维斯或布里认出来的地方。       “我们只好乔装改扮了。”沙斯塔说。      赫温说，据它看来，最安全的办法是干脆从城门到城门直接穿过这个城市，因为在人群之中是比较不容易被人注意的。不过，它同时也赞成乔装改扮的办法。它说：”两个人都得穿上破烂衣衫，看上去像农民或奴隶。阿拉维斯的全部盔甲、我们的马鞋子以及其他东西，必须卷成捆，放在我们的背卜，孩子们必须假装鞭打我们，人们就会认为我们不过是两匹驮马罢了。”      “我亲爱的赫温”阿拉维斯鄙夷地说道，”不论你怎样把布里乔装改扮，别人也未必看不出它是匹战马啊。”      “确确实实，我也这么想。”布里说道，它喷着鼻息，让双耳稍稍往后靠拢。      “我知道这不是个很好的计划，”赫温说，”但我想这是我们惟一的机会了。而且我们已经好久好久没梳理修饰了，看上去不大像原来的样子了(至少，我确信我是不像从前的模样了)。我真的认为，如果我们身上恰到好处地涂上烂混，耷拉着脑袋一路走去，仿佛又疲倦又懒惰——压根儿难得抬起我们的马蹄来人家就可能不注意我们了。还有，我们的尾巴应该割得短一点儿：不足整洁光滑，而是毛发蓬乱。”       “我亲爱的女士啊，”布里说道，”你自己可曾设想过，弄成这副模样，我们回到纳尼亚时，将是多么别扭啊，”      “晤，”赫温谦和地说(它是一匹十分敏感的母马)，”可主要的问题是要到得了纳尼亚啊。”      虽然没有人喜欢赫温的计划，可来了儿大家不得不接受的，还是这个计划。这是个很麻烦的计划，而且包括一定数量的沙斯塔称之为”偷窃”、布里称之为”袭击”的事情。那天晚上，有个农场丢失了几只麻袋，第二大晚上另一个农场又丢失了一圈绳子；不过一些给阿拉维斯穿的、破破烂烂的男孩旧衣服，倒是在个村庄里用现金规规矩矩地买来的。暮色四合时，沙斯塔拿着旧衣服凯旋归来了。其他的人马正在小山脚下的树木之间等着他哩。小山坐落在他们要走的道路上。大家感到心情激动，因为这是最后的小山了；当他们到达山顶上时，他们就可以俯瞰塔什班城。”我但愿我们安全通过山脊。”沙斯塔对赫温说。”啊，我也但愿如此，但愿如此。”赫温热情地答道。      那天夜里他们经由伐木者的小径，曲曲折折穿过森林，到达山脊。当他们从山顶上森林里钻出来时，他们能望见下面山谷里千万点灯光。沙斯塔对大城市的风光毫无概念，眼前的光景叫他吓了一跳。他们吃了夜餐，孩子们睡了一些时候。但马儿们大清早就把孩子们叫醒了。-       繁星还没有隐去，青草冷得可怕，也湿得可怕，曙光刚开始出现向他们右边儿远远伸展开去，越过了大海。阿拉维斯走开几步，进人树林，回来时看上去挺古怪她穿着新买的破烂衣衫，还挟了卷她本来穿的衣服。这一卷衣服，再加上她的盔甲、盾牌、短弯刀，以及前副马鞍子和马儿的其余精美设备，都装在几只麻袋里。布里和赫温已经把它们自己弄脏，浑身都是污泥，只剩下尾巴尚待割短。要干这事，惟一的工具便是阿拉维斯的短弯刀。为了把刀取出来，其中一只麻袋只得重新打开。割尾巴的时间相当长久，对马儿伤害甚大。       “好家伙！”布里说，”如果我不是一匹说话的马，我会狠狠地踢你脸上脚我原以为你要割断它，而不是把它拔掉。我当时的感觉就是在硬拔。”      尽管天色昏暗、手指冰冷，终于一切都办妥了，大包大袋缚在马身上。缰绳(现在它们不用辔头和皮带，只用绳子)拿在孩子们手里，他们便开始踏上征程。      “记住了，”布里嘱咐道，”如果办得到，我们就要经常待在起。如果办不到，就在古代国王的坟场里集合，谁先到，必须等候其他的人马。”      “还要记住，”沙靳塔说，”不论发生什么事情，你们两个可别忘了自己的身份，说起人话来了。”
Chapter 4
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 Tisroc's palace and the great temple of Tash at the top, was completely 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!"
"I daresay," said Bree. "But I wish we were safely through it and out at the other side. Narnia and the North!"
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.
"That's 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 you've been kicked and cuffed and called names all your life."
"If it comes 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?"
"Hush," said Bree. "Here we are."
And they were. They had come to the river's 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 river's 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 it's 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 Tisroc's palace (may he live for ever) - not sneaking in like this. It's different for you."
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 couldn't help thinking, "They'd all jump to attention and salute me if they knew whose daughter I am." But the others were only thinking of how they'd 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 peasant's basket and threw it at Shasta with a rough laugh, saying:
"Hey! Horse-boy! You'll catch it if your master finds you've been using his saddle-horse for pack work."
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.
"It's my master's 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 come 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 Tisroc's 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."
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 couldn't move at all. So he found himself, unintentionally, in the first row and had a fine sight of the party that was coming 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 didn't give a fig for anyone who wasn't. 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! There's 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 Susan's eyes are red with weeping because of you. What! Truant for a whole night! Where have you been?"
Shasta would have darted under Bree's 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 fisherman's 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 lordship's hands, Peridan, of your courtesy, and I'll take the other. And now, on. Our royal sister's mind will be greatly eased when she sees our young scapegrace safe in our lodging."
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 didn't 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 couldn't 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 becomes one of your blood even less than the scape itself. To run away might pass for a boy's frolic with some spirit in it. But the king's son of Archenland should avouch his deed; not hang his head like a Calormene slave."
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 the walls there were low sofas with rich cushions on them, and the room seemed to be full of people; very queer people some of them, thought Shasta. But he had no time to think of that before the most beautiful lady he had ever seen rose from her place and threw her arms round him and kissed him, saying:
"Oh Corin, Corin, how could you? And thou and I such close friends ever since thy mother died. And what should I have said to thy royal father if I came home without thee? Would have been a cause almost of war between Archenland and Narnia which are friends time out of mind. It was naught, playmate, very naught of thee to use us so."
"Apparently," thought Shasta to himself, "I'm being mistaken for a prince of Archenland, wherever that is. And these must be the Narnians. I wonder where the real Corin is?" But these thoughts did not help him say anything out loud.
"Where hast been, Corin?" said the lady, her hands still on Shasta's shoulders.
"I- I don't know," stammered Shasta.
"There it is, Susan," said the King. "I could get no tale out of him, true or false."
"Your Majesties! Queen Susan! King Edmund!" said a voice: and when Shasta turned to look at the speaker he nearly jumped out of his skin with surprise. For this was one of these queer people whom he had noticed out of the corner of his eye when he first came into the room. He was about the same height as Shasta himself. From the waist upwards he was like a man, but his legs were hairy like a goat's, and shaped like a goat's and he had goat's hooves and a tail. His skin was rather red and he had curly hair and a short pointed beard and two little horns. He was in fact a Faun, which is a creature Shasta had never seen a picture of or even heard of. And if you've read a book called The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe you may like to know that this was the very same Faun, Tumnus by name, whom Queen Susan's sister Lucy had met on the very first day when she found her way into Narnia. But he was a good deal older now for by this time Peter and Susan and Edmund and Lucy had been Kings and Queens of Narnia for several years.
"Your Majesties," he was saying, "His little Highness has had a touch of the sun. Look at him! He is dazed. He does not know where he is."
Then of course everyone stopped scolding Shasta and asking him questions and he was made much of and laid on a sofa and cushions were put under his head and he was given iced sherbet in a golden cup to drink and told to keep very quiet.
Nothing like this had ever happened to Shasta in his life before. He had never even imagined lying on anything so comfortable as that sofa or drinking anything so delicious as that sherbet. He was still wondering what had happened to the others and how on earth he was going to escape and meet them at the Tombs, and what would happen when the real Corin turned up again. But none of these worries seemed so pressing now that he was comfortable. And perhaps, later on, there would be nice things to eat!
Meanwhile the people in that cool airy room were very interesting. Besides the Faun there were two Dwarfs (a kind of creature he had never seen before) and a very large Raven.
The rest were all humans; grown-ups, but young, and all of them, both men and women, had nicer faces and voices than most Calormenes. And soon Shasta found himself taking an interest in the conversation. "Now, Madam," the King was saying to Queen Susan (the lady who had kissed Shasta). "What think you? We have been in this city fully three weeks. Have you yet settled in your mind whether you will marry this dark-faced lover of yours, this Prince Rabadash, or no?"
The lady shook her head. "No, brother," she said, "not for all the jewels in Tashbaan." ("Hullo!" thought Shasta. "Although they're king and queen, they're brother and sister, not married to one another.")
"Truly, sister," said the King, "I should have loved you the less if you had taken him. And I tell you that at the first coming of the Tisroc's ambassadors into Narnia to treat of this marriage, and later when the Prince was our guest at Cair Paravel, it was a wonder to me that ever you could find it in your heart to show him so much favour."
"That was my folly, Edmund," said Queen Susan, "of which I cry you mercy. Yet when he was with us in Narnia, truly this Prince bore himself in another fashion than he does now in Tashbaan. For I take you all to witness what marvellous feats he did in that great tournament and hastilude which our brother the High King made for him, and how meekly and courteously he consorted with us the space of seven days. But here, in his own city, he has shown another face."
"Ah!" croaked the Raven. "It is an old saying: see the bear in his own den before you judge of his conditions."
"That's very true, Sallowpad," said one of the Dwarfs. "And another is, Come, live with me and you'll know me."
"Yes," said the King. "We have now seen him for what he is: that is, a most proud, bloody, luxurious, cruel, and selfpleasing tryant."
"Then in the name of Aslan," said Susan, "let us leave Tashbaan this very day."
"There's the rub, sister," said Edmund. "For now I must open to you all that has been growing in my mind these last two days and more. Peridan, of your courtesy look to the door and see that there is no spy upon us. All well? So. For now we must be secret."
Everyone had begun to look very serious. Queen Susan jumped up and ran to her brother. "Oh, Edmund," she cried. "What is it? There is something dreadful in your face."      四、沙斯塔碰上了纳尼亚人      起初，沙斯塔看不清下面山谷里的景物，但用个雾霭的海洋，从中矗出些圆屋顶和小尖塔，但光芒增强、雾霭廓清时，他看到的景物就越来越多了。一条宽阔的大河分成两条支流，支流之间的岛上耸立着塔什班城——世界上有名的奇观之一。环绕着岛屿的四周，筑有一系列高大的城墙，中间夹着许多堡垒塔楼，以资拱卫。流水拍打着石头城。堡垒又那么多，沙斯塔不久就不想去一一点清数目了。城墙里边，岛屿上降起个小山，山上每一块土地，从山麓直到山顶上蒂斯罗克的王宫和塔什神的庙宇，都布满了建筑物——重重叠叠，台地之上还有台地，街道之上还有街道，曲曲折折的路或是巨大的台阶，两边都种上了橘子树和柠檬树，处处是屋顶花园、阳台、深邃的拱廊、柱廊、塔尖、雉堞墙、寺院尖塔、哥特式建筑的尖顶。太阳终于从海上升起来时，寺院巨大的镀银圆屋顶把阳光反射出来，耀得他眼花缭乱。       “向前走，沙斯塔。”布里不断地说道。      山谷两边河岸上花园那么多，乍看简直就像个森林，直至走近了，看到树木下露出无数房屋的雪白墙垣，才明白了真相。不久以后，沙斯塔便觉得有阵阵芬芳的花果香气。大约十五分钟以后他们便到了花园之间，他们走在一条平坦的道路上，两边都是雪白的墙垣，下垂的花木枝条伸出墙来。       “啊。”沙斯塔用敬畏的声音说道，”这真是个了不得的好地方”      “敢情是这样。”布里说，”但我巴望我们安全穿过城市，在另头安全走出城去，直奔纳尼亚和北方！”      这时候，响起了一个低沉而颤动的声音，这声音逐渐响亮，仿佛整个山谷都被它震动了似的。这是一种乐声，但是强烈而庄严，因此有点儿令人害怕。      “这是打开城门的号角声，”布里说道，”咱们一会儿      就到那儿了。注意啰，阿拉维斯，你的肩膀要下垂一点儿，走路的步子要更加沉重一些，要竭力装得看上去不像个公主。你要尽量设想你一生挨过脚踢，挨过巴掌，还挨过臭骂。”       “说到这一点，”阿拉维斯说，”你要把脑袋再往下耷拉一点儿，脖子少拱起点儿，竭力装得看上去不像匹战马，好吗?”      “莫作声，”布里说，”咱们到了。”      他们是到了。他们来到了河边，他们前面的道路循着座多孔大桥延伸过去。河水在早晨的阳光里明晃晃地奔腾跳跃，在右边远处靠近河口的地方，他们望见一些帆船桅杆的影踪。有几个旅客在他们前边的大桥上，大部分都是农民，赶着驮运货物的驴子和骡子，再不然就是脑袋上顶着篮子。孩子们和马儿们便混到这伙人中去了。      “有什么不对劲吗7”沙斯塔低声问阿拉维斯，她的脸上有一种古怪的神色。      “啊，在你看来，一切都很好，”阿拉维斯粗暴无礼地低声说道，”你对塔什班有什么可计较的呢，我可是应该坐在轿子里前呼后拥地飞驰，前面是士兵，后面是奴隶，也许我是到蒂斯罗克(愿他万寿无疆)的王宫里去赴宴呢——而不是像现在这样偷偷摸摸地溜进城去。但对你就不一样了。”       沙斯塔认为这切全是十分愚蠢糊涂的。      大桥另一头的桥堍上，高高矗立着城墙，城门洞里的黄铜城门打开着，城门洞确实很大很阔，但冈为它很高，倒显得狭窄了。六个十兵，倚若长矛，站在城门洞的两边。阿拉维斯心中禁不住想道”如果他们知道我是谁的女儿，他们大家会跳起来立正，向我敬礼呢。”但其他的人马只是想着他们怎样穿过城门，并且希望士兵们不会盘问什么问题。幸亏士兵们并不盘问。但有一个士兵从农民的篮子里拿起一根胡萝卜，粗鲁地哈哈大笑着掷到了沙斯塔身上，他说：       “嗨！小马夫，如果你的主人发现你用他的坐骑来驮运货物，你就要吃苦头了。”      这事吓得他够呛，因为它当然表明了点：稍微懂得点儿马的人，是决不会把布里错当做其他什么乌，竟认不出它是匹战马的！      “我主人吩咐我这么办的，就是这么回事！”沙斯塔说。如果他闭口不说话，反倒好得多，因为那士兵在他的一边脸上给了他重重的一拳，几乎把他打下马来。”肮脏的小子，挨这一拳吧，教训教训你该怎样同自由人说话”但他们大家都溜进了城去，未受阻拦。沙斯塔只哭了一会儿，他对于挨揍已经习以为常了。       进了城门，塔什班就仿佛不像最初远远望去时那么富丽堂皇了。第条街是狭狭的，两边的墙上也没有什么窗子。街上远比沙斯塔想像的要拥挤得多，部分是由于挤满了跟他们一起进城、要到市场上去的农民，也由于到处是卖水的人、卖甜食的人、脚夫、士兵、乞丐、衣衫褴褛的儿童、母鸡、谜失的狗、赤脚的奴隶。如果你在那街上待过就知道，主要引起你注意的是那种乌七八糟的气味，它们来自没有洗过澡的人们、没有洗过澡的狗儿、牲畜的遗臭、大蒜、洋葱以及堆得到处都是的垃圾。"       沙斯塔假装在带路，其实直是由布早悄悄挪动鼻子来引导他的，布里才是认识道路的。他们不久就向左转弯，开始走上个陡峭的小山。这儿空气新鲜得多，也赏心悦目得多，因为大路两边种着树木，只有右边盖着房子；左边儿，他们的目光越过下边城镇的屋顶，能够望到河流的上游。接着，他们向右转了个U字形急弯，继续登山。他们正在曲曲折折地往上走向塔什班城的中心区。不久他们便踏上了较好的街道。神祗和卡乐门英雄的巨大雕像耸立在闪闪发光的基座上，大部分看起来令人印象深刻，却并不怎么悦人。棕榈树和圆柱连环拱廊的阴影投在发烫的人行道上。穿过许多王宫的拱形大门，沙斯塔看见苍翠的树枝、清凉的泉水和柔软的草坪。里边儿必定舒适漂亮极了，他想。       每次拐弯，沙斯塔都希望他们正在从拥挤的人群中走出去，但他们总是挤不出去。这就使他们的速度很慢，时不时还得停下步来。这种停顿往往是由于有个响亮的声音在喊道”闪开，闪开，闪开，给泰坎让路”，或是”给泰克希娜让路”，或是”给第十五代大臣让路”，或是”给大使让路”，于是人群中的每一个人都给逼到了墙脚边沙斯塔的目光越过人群的脑袋，有时看到大王爷或夫人懒洋洋地坐在轿子里，由四个甚或六个魁梧的奴隶抬在赤裸裸的肩膀上走过。因为在塔什班城，只有条交通规则，即：每个身份不及对方高贵的人，必须给对方让路，除非你想挨一下鞭子，或是被长矛柄戳下。      在离山顶很近的一条华丽的街上（惟一胜过这条街的，便是蒂斯罗克的王宫了)，慑倒霉的事发生了。      “闪开！闪开！闪开！”传来了喊声。”给白皮肤的外邦人国王，蒂斯罗克(愿他万寿无疆！)的贵宾让路，给纳尼亚君主们让路。”      沙斯塔想让开，叫布里退同去。但不论哪一匹马，哪怕是纳尼亚来的会说话的马，耍退回去可不容易。一个妇人手里拿着只尖角的篮子，正好站在沙斯塔的后面，把篮子死劲儿推到沙斯塔的肩膀上，说道：”喂你在推谁啊”接着又有人从旁边向他挤将过来，他在混乱中时撒手放开了布里。随后他背后的整个人群紧密地挤成一团，硬如磐石，弄得他压根儿无法挪动了。他终于发觉自己不由自主地给推到了最前列，清楚地看得见正从大街上走过来的那群人物。      这群人物可跟他们那天见到的其他人马截然不同。在前边喊着”闪开，闪开”的是其中惟一的卡乐门人。没有轿子，人人都在徒步行走。他们总共有五六个人，沙斯塔以前从来没有见过任何人跟他们相像的。第一，他们都像他一样皮肤雪白，而且大部分都是金色头发。他们也穿得不像卡乐门人。他们大多数膝盖以下都是光着的。他们的束腰外衣的色彩都是美丽、明亮、耐久的——或是林地的青翠，或是怡人的嫩黄，或足鲜明的蔚蓝。他们不褰头巾，却戴上钢帽或银帽，有些帽了还镶嵌着珠宝，讣有一顶帽子均边缀着小翅膀。少数人光着脑袋不戴帽子。他们佩在腰问的剑长长的笔直的，并不像卡乐门弯刀。他们也不像大部分卡乐门人那样庄严神秘，走路摇摇摆摆，双肩放松自在，且谈且笑。有个人还吹着口哨。你看得出来，他们准备同任何友好的人做朋友，对任何不友好的人也毫不介意。沙斯塔觉得他生平从没有见过这样可爱的场面。       然而，来不及欣赏了，因为立刻发生了一件确实可怕的事情。金发男子中的领袖突然指着沙斯塔喊了起来”他就在那儿！我们那逃跑的人就在那儿！”而且抓住了他的肩膀。接下来便给了他一巴掌——不是打得让你哭出来的狠狠一巴掌，而是响亮的巴掌，叫你明白你是丢脸出丑了——而且摇晃着他的身体说道：       “天哪，你好不羞耻！你真可耻！苏珊女王为你哭红了眼睛。还了得！闲荡了整整夜！你到哪儿去了？”      如果有点儿机会的话，沙斯塔真想蹿到布里的肚子底下，悄悄溜走，然而，现在金发男子们把他团团围住，他被他们牢牢地揪住了。      当然，他第一个冲动是想对他们申明：他不过是贫穷的渔夫阿什伊什的儿子，外国国王们必定是把他错认为别人了。然而，在这人头攒动的地方，他最不愿意做的事就是向大家解释，他是什么人，他正在干什么事情。如果他开始触及这个问题，人家就会问他他从哪儿搞到马儿的，阿拉维斯又是什么人——这样来，穿过塔什班城而去的任何机会就都完蛋了。他的第二个冲动是瞧瞧布里，向它求援。但布里无意让所有的人都知道它能说人话，它站在那儿，看上去愚蠢得像匹最愚蠢的马儿。至于阿拉维斯，沙斯塔甚至看也不敢看她，因为他怕引起注意。而且也没有时间思考了，因为纳尼亚人的领袖立刻说道：       “珀里丹，你要谦恭有礼地搀住小王爷的一只手，我来搀住他另一只手。现在走吧。我们的王妹看到年轻的淘气鬼安然无恙地落在我们的手里，她一定会大大的放心了。”       就这样，他们在塔什班城还没有走到一半路，所有的计划便全毁了，甚至连向其他人道别一声的机会也没有了。沙斯塔发觉自己被迫在陌生人之间大步走着，却毫无办法去猜测下一步会发生刊么事惰。纳尼亚国王——从其余的人跟他说话的方式看来，沙斯塔开始断定他僻定是个国王——问他许多问题：他到哪儿去了？他怎么跑出来的？他的衣服又弄到哪儿去了？他是否认识到他一直十分顽皮？只是国王不说他顽皮，只说他”皮”。       沙斯塔啥也没有回答，因为他想不出什么不会惹出祸殃的答案。      “怎么'装聋作哑吗？”国王问道，”我必须明明白白地告诉你，王子，这种卑鄙的沉默，对于你这种血统和地位的人，较之对于淘气捣蛋的家伙，叫是更加不相称不合适了。平白无故地溜掉，可以看做是一个孩子晕头晕脑地闹着玩儿。但阿钦兰国王的儿子应该公开承认事实，可不应耷拉着脑袋像个卡乐门国的奴隶啊。”      这话听起来十分不愉快，因为沙斯塔始终觉得这位年轻的国王是大人之中最和善的，他很想给对方个好印象。      陌生人带着他——紧紧地揪住他的双手——沿一条狭窄的街道走去，走下一列小台阶，再从另一列台阶向上走去，到了一道雪白墙垣单一个宽阔的大门口，大门左右两边各有一棵黑苍苍的高大柏树。踏进拱门，沙斯塔发觉自己进了一个院子，那也是个花园。中央是个人理石清水盆，泉水涓滴不绝地落入盆内。水盆周围，平整的草坪上长着橘子树。围着草坪的四垛雪白墙垣上爬满了蔷薇花。街道上的尘土和拥挤似乎突然消失了。他被人迅速地带过花园，然后进入个黑暗的门口。传呼员待在门外。这之后，他们带着他走过一道走廊(走廊里的石头地面使他感到股凉意舒适地直透他炎热的双足)，走上一道楼梯。不一会儿，他便在一个巨大、轩敞的房间的亮光里眨巴着眼睛了。房间里的窗子大开着，都是朝北的，所以没有阳光照进房间里来。地板上铺着一条地毯，色彩之艳丽，是他从来没有见过的，他的双脚窝进了地毯里去，仿佛踩在厚实的替苔上。绕着墙壁摆满了低矮的沙发，沙发上又摆了许多靠垫，房间里似乎都是人，沙斯塔觉得有几个人很古怪。但他无暇考虑这个问题，一位他从未见过的最最美丽的女士从座位上站了起来，伸出手臂抱住他，亲吻他，口中说道，      “啊，科林，科林，你怎么能这样呢？自从你的母亲去世以来，你和我是那么亲密的朋友。如果我回家时却没有带你回去，我怎么向你的父王交代呢？阿钦兰和纳尼亚自古以来就是友好邻邦，这件事会不会成为两国开战的原因？啊，一起玩儿的伙伴，你这样对待我们，真是太皮了，皮极了。”      “显而易见，”沙斯塔心中想道，”我被误认为阿钦兰的一个王子了，不论阿钦兰是在哪儿。这些人必定是纳尼亚人。我不知道那真正的科林在什么地方。”但这些想法也不能帮他大声作出任何回答来。      “你上哪儿去了，科林？”女士说道她的双手还按在沙斯塔的肩膀上。      “我——我不知道。”沙斯塔结结巴巴地说道。      “真是毫无办法，苏珊，”国工说，”真话也好，假话也好，我都没有办法叫他讲出来。”      “国王陛下！女王苏珊！国王爱德蒙！”有个声音说道；沙斯塔转过身来看那说话的人时，诧异得心惊肉跳。因为说这话的人，便是他刚走进房间时从眼角里瞅见的那些古怪人物之。他跟沙斯塔一般儿高，腰部以上像个人，但腿上多毛，像只羊，他还长着羊蹄和一条羊尾巴。他的皮肤相当红，他生着拳曲的头发，一把短而尖的胡子，两只羊角。事实上他是个羊怪，沙斯塔从未见过这样一个家伙的画像，甚至听也没听人讲起过。如果你读过本书，叫做《狮子、女巫和魔衣柜》，你倒会高兴地知道他就是那个叫图姆纳斯的羊怪，女王苏珊的妹妹露茜找到途径进入纳尼亚王国时，第一天碰到的就是他。不过，现在他比当初老得多了这时候彼得、苏珊、爱德蒙和露茜都已经做了好几年的纳尼亚国王和女王了。       “陛下，”羊怪说道，”小王爷有点儿中暑。你瞧瞧！他迷迷糊糊的。他不知道他是在什么地方。”      于是，大家当然不再责备他，也不再盘问他了，大家郑重其事地对待他，把他安置在沙发上，用靠枕垫在他的脑袋后面，用金杯盛了冰冻果汁给他唱，还嘱咐他要保持十分的安静。       沙斯塔以前的生活中从来不曾发生过这样的事。他甚至没有梦想过躺在像那样舒适的沙发上，没有梦想过喝那样美味的果汁哩。他仍旧在想另外三个碰到了什么事，他自己究竟要怎样脱身，到古老坟场上去和他们相会，以及如果真正的科林重新出现，情况又会怎样变化。但如今他是舒舒服服的，这些个焦虑似乎没有件是很迫切的了。也许，不久就会有好东西可吃呢       当时在那凉爽、轩敞的房间里的人，都是十分有趣的。在羊怪之外，还有两个小矮人(他以前从未见过的一种人物)，和一只很大的渡鸦。其余的都是人，成年人，可都很年轻，他们大家，不论男女，都比大部分卡乐门人面容漂亮、声音好听。沙斯塔不久就发现自己对他们的谈话很感兴趣。       “晤，女士，”国王对女王苏珊(就是亲吻沙斯塔的那一位)说道，”你怎么考虑的？我们在这城里呆了足足三个星期了。你心里还没有打定主意是否嫁给你的这位黑脸爱慕者，这位拉巴达什王子吗？”      女王摇摇头。”不，弟弟，”她说，”把塔什班城里所有的珠宝全给我，我也不嫁给他。”(“啊！”沙斯塔心中想道，”虽然他们是国王和女王，他们却是姐弟，并不是夫妻。”      “确确实实，姐姐，”国王说道，”如果你看中了他，我就会不怎么爱你了。我告诉你吧，蒂斯罗克的大使最初到纳尼亚来说台这门亲事时，以及后来王子在我们凯尔帕拉维尔做客时，你竟会从心早表露出那么多对他的宠爱，我真觉得奇怪。”      “那是由于我愚蠢无知，爱德蒙，”女王苏珊说道，”我为此求你宽容。然而，这位王子到纳尼亚来我们家做客时，跟他如今在塔什班城里作风确实是截然不同的。披请大家作证，在至尊王为他举行的骑马比武和长矛较量上，他表现了多么神奇的技艺，在做客七天之中，他又足多么温顺、多么彬彬有礼地陪伴着我们。然而，在这儿，在他自己的城市里，他已经露出另外副面目来了。”      “哇”渡鸦叫道，”古老的谚语说道：先看看熊在它自己窝里的情况，再对它的素质作出判断。”      “这谚语是千真万确的，萨罗帕德，”小矮人之一说道：”另一个谚语说：来吧，跟我一起生活，你就了解我了。”      “是的，”围王说道，”现在我们已经看到了他的真面目：一个最最骄傲、血腥、奢侈、残酷和自我欣赏的暴君”      “那么，以阿斯兰之名起誓，”苏珊说道，”让我们今天就离开塔什班城吧。”      “姐姐，难就难在这里。现在我必须把我在这最后两天多的时间里逐渐酝酿成熟的种种想法都告诉你。珀里丹，谢谢你留心门户，别让密探闯进来。一切都好？行。因为我们现在必须严守秘密。”       大家开始显得很严肃。女王苏珊跳起来，奔向她的弟弟。”啊，爱德蒙，”她喊道，”怎么一回事？你脸上有一种可怕的神情。”
Chapter 5
PRINCE CORIN
"MY dear sister and very good Lady," said King Edmund, "you must now show your courage. For I tell you plainly we are in no small danger."
"What is it, Edmund asked the Queen.
"It is this," said Edmund. "I do not think we shall find it easy to leave Tashbaan. While the Prince had hope that you would take him, we were honoured guests. But by the Lion's Mane, I think that as soon as he has your flat denial we shall be no better than prisoners."
One of the Dwarfs gave a low whistle.
"I warned your Majesties, I warned you," said Sallowpad the Raven. "Easily in but not easily out, as the lobster said in the lobster pot!"
"I have been with the Prince this morning," continued Edmund. "He is little used (more's the pity) to having his will crossed. And he is very chafed at your long delays and doubtful answers. This morning he pressed very hard to know your mind. I put it aside-meaning at the same time to diminish his hopes - with some light common jests about women's fancies, and hinted that his suit was likely to be cold. He grew angry and dangerous. There was a sort of threatening, though still veiled under a show of courtesy, in every word he spoke."
"Yes," said Tumnus. "And when I supped with the Grand Vizier last night, it was the same. He asked me how I like Tashbaan. And I (for I could not tell him I hated every stone of it and I would not lie) told him that now, when high summer was coming on, my heart turned to the cool woods and dewy slopes of Narnia. He gave a smile that meant no good and said, `There is nothing to hinder you from dancing there again, little goatfoot; always provided you leave us in exchange a bride for our prince.'"
"Do you mean he would make me his wife by force?" exclaimed Susan.
"That's my fear, Susan," said Edmund: "Wife: or slave which is worse."
"But how can he? Does the Tisroc think our brother the High King would suffer such an outrage?"
"Sire," said Peridan to the King. "They would not be so mad. Do they think there are no swords and spears in Narnia?"
"Alas," said Edmund. "My guess is that the Tisroc has very small fear of Narnia. We are a little land. And little lands on the borders of a great empire were always hateful to the lords of the great empire. He longs to blot them out, gobble them up. When first he suffered the Prince to come to Cair Paravel as your lover, sister, it may be that he was only seeking an occasion against us. Most likely he hopes to make one mouthful of Narnia and Archenland both."
"Let him try," said the second Dwarf. "At sea we are as big as he is. And if he assaults us by land, he has the desert to cross."
"True, friend," said Edmund. "But is the desert a sure defence? What does Sallowpad say?"
"I know that desert well," said the Raven. "For I have flown above it far and wide in my younger days," (you may be sure that Shasta pricked up his ears at this point). "And this is certain; that if the Tisroc goes by the great oasis he can never lead a great army across it into Archenland. For though they could reach the oasis by the end of their first day's march, yet the springs there would be too little for the thirst of all those soldiers and their beasts. But there is another way."
Shasta listened more attentively still.
"He that would find that way," said the Raven, "must start from the Tombs of the Ancient Kings and ride northwest so that the double peak of Mount Pire is always straight ahead of him. And so, in a day's riding or a little more, he shall come to the head of a stony valley, which is so narrow that a man might be within a furlong of it a thousand times and never know that it was there. And looking down this valley he will see neither grass nor water nor anything else good. But if he rides on down it he will come to a river and can ride by the water all the way into Archenland."
"And do the Calormenes know of this Western way?" asked the Queen.
"Friends, friends," said Edmund, "what is the use of all this discourse? We are not asking whether Narnia or Calormen would win if war arose between them. We are asking how to save the honour of the Queen and our own lives out of this devilish city. For though my brother, Peter the High King, defeated the Tisroc a dozen times over, yet long before that day our throats would be cut and the Queen's grace would be the wife, or more likely, the slave, of this prince."
"We have our weapons, King," said the first Dwarf. "And this is a reasonably defensible house."
"As to that," said the King, "I do not doubt that every one of us would sell our lives dearly in the gate and they would not come at the Queen but over our dead bodies. Yet we should be merely rats fighting in a trap when all's said."
"Very true," croaked the Raven. "These last stands in a house make good stories, but nothing ever came of them. After their first few repulses the enemy always set the house on fire."
"I am the cause of all this," said Susan, bursting into tears. "Oh, if only I had never left Cair Paravel. Our last happy day was before those ambassadors came from Calormen. The Moles were planting an orchard for us . . . oh . . . oh."
And she buried her face in her hands and sobbed.
"Courage, Su, courage," said Edmund. "Remember-but what is the matter with you, Master Tumnus?" For the Faun was holding both his horns with his hands as if he were trying to keep his head on by them and writhing to and fro as if he had a pain in his inside.
"Don't speak to me, don't speak to me," said Tumnus. "I'm thinking. I'm thinking so that I can hardly breathe. Wait, wait, do wait."
There was a moment's puzzled silence and then the Faun looked up, drew a long breath, mopped its forehead and said:
"The only difficulty is how to get down to our ship-with some stores, too-without being seen and stopped."
"Yes," said a Dwarf dryly. "Just as the beggar's only difficulty about riding is that he has no horse."
"Wait, wait," said Mr Tumnus impatiently. "All we need is some pretext for going down to our ship today and taking stuff on board."
"Yes," said King Edmund doubtfully.
"Well, then," said the Faun, "how would it be if your majesties bade the Prince to a great banquet to be held on board our own galleon, the Spendour Hyaline, tomorrow night? And let the message be worded as graciously as the Queen can contrive without pledging her honour: so as to give the Prince a hope that she is weakening."
"This is very good counsel, Sire," croaked the Raven.
"And then," continued Tumnus excitedly, "everyone will expect us to be going down to the ship all day, making preparations for our guests. And let some of us go to the bazaars and spend every minim we have at the fruiterers and the sweetmeat sellers and the wine merchants, just as we would if we were really giving a feast. And let us order magicians and jugglers and dancing girls and flute players, all to be on board tomorrow night."
"I see, I see," said King Edmund, rubbing his hands.
"And then," said Tumnus, "we'll all be on board tonight. And as soon as it is quite dark-"
"Up sails and out oars-!" said the King.
"And so to sea," cried Tumnus, leaping up and beginning to dance.
"And our nose Northward," said the first Dwarf.
"Running for home! Hurrah for Narnia and the North!" said the other.
"And the Prince waking next morning and finding his birds flown!" said Peridan, clapping his hands.
"Oh Master Tumnus, dear Master Tumnus," said the Queen, catching his hands and swinging with him as he danced. "You have saved us all."
"The Prince will chase us," said another lord, whose name Shasta had not heard.
"That's the least of my fears," said Edmund. "I have seen all the shipping in the river and there's no tall ship of war nor swift galley there. I wish he may chase us! For the Splendour Hyaline could sink anything he has to send after her - if we were overtaken at all."
"Sire," said the Raven. "You shall hear no better plot than the Faun's though we sat in council for seven days. And now, as we birds say, nests before eggs. Which is as much as to say, let us all take our food and then at once be about our business."
Everyone arose at this and the doors were opened and the lords and the creatures stood aside for the King and Queen to go out first. Shasta wondered what he ought to do, but Mr Tumnus said, "Lie there, your Highness, and I will bring you up a little feast to yourself in a few moments. There is no need for you to move until we are all ready to embark."
Shasta laid his head down again on the pillows and soon he was alone in the room.
"This is perfectly dreadful," thought Shasta. It never came into his head to tell these Narnians the whole truth and ask for their help. Having been brought up by a hard, closefisted man like Arsheesh, he had a fixed habit of never telling grown-ups anything if he could help it: he thought they would always spoil or stop whatever you were trying to do. And he thought that even if the Narnian King might be friendly to the two horses, because they were Talking Beasts of Narnia, he would hate Aravis, because she was a Calormene, and either sell her for a slave or send her back to her father. As for himself, "I simply dn't tell them I'm not Prince Corin now," thought Shasta. "I've heard all their plans. If they knew I wasn't one of themselves, they'd never let me out of this house alive. They'd be afraid I'd betray them to the Tisroc. They'd kill me. And if the real Corin turns up, it'll all come out, and they will!" He had, you see, no idea of how noble and free-born people behave.
"What am I to do? What am I to do?" he kept saying to himself. "What-hullo, here comes that goaty little creature again."
The Faun trotted in, half dancing, with a tray in its hands which was nearly as large as itself. This he set on an inlaid table beside Shasta's sofa, and sat down himself on the carpeted floor with his goaty legs crossed.
"Now, princeling," he said. "Make a good dinner. It will be your last meal in Tashbaan."
It was a fine meal after the Calormene fashion. I don't know whether you would have liked it or not, but Shasta did. There were lobsters, and salad, and snipe stuffed with almonds and truffles, and a complicated dish made of chickenlivers and rice and raisins and nuts, and there were cool melons and gooseberry fools and mulberry fools, and every kind of nice thing that can be made with ice. There was also a little flagon of the sort of wine that is called "white" though it is really yellow.
While Shasta was eating, the good little Faun, who thought he was still dazed with sunstroke, kept talking to him about the fine times he would have when they all got home; about his good old father King Lune of Archenland and the little castle where he lived on the southern slopes of the pass. "And don't forget," said Mr Tumnus, "that you are promised your first suit of armour and your first war horse on your next birthday. And then your Highness will begin to learn how to tilt and joust. And in a few years, if all goes well, King Peter has promised your royal father that he himself will make you Knight at Cair Paravel. And in the meantime there will be plenty of comings and goings between Narnia and Archenland across the neck of the mountains. And of course you remember you have promised to come for a whole week to stay with me for the Summer Festival, and there'll be bonfires and all-night dances of Fauns and Dryads in the heart of the woods and, who knows?-we might see Aslan himself!"
When the meal was over the Faun told Shasta to stay quietly where he was. "And it wouldn't do you any harm to have a little sleep," he added. "I'll call you in plenty of time to get on board. And then, Home. Narnia and the North!"
Shasta had so enjoyed his dinner and all the things Tumnus had been telling him that when he was left alone his thoughts took a different turn. He only hoped now that the real Prince Corin would not turn up until it was too late and that he would be taken away to Narnia by ship. I am afraid he did not think at all of what might happen to the real Corin when he was left behind in Tashbaan. He was a little worried about Aravis and Bree waiting for him at the Tombs. But then he said to himself, "Well, how can I help it?" and, "Anyway, that Aravis thinks she's too good to go about with me, so she can jolly well go alone," and at the same time he couldn't help feeling that it would be much nicer going to Narnia by sea than toiling across the desert.
When he had thought all this he did what I expect you would have done if you had been up very early and had a long walk and a great deal of excitement and then a very good meal, and were lying on a sofa in a cool room with no noise in it except when a bee came buzzing in through the wide open windows. He fell asleep.
What woke him was a loud crash. He jumped up off the sofa, staring. He saw at once from the mere look of the room - the lights and shadows all looked different - that he must have slept for several hours. He saw also what had made the crash: a costly porcelain vase which had been standing on the window-sill lay on -the floor broken into about thirty pieces. But he hardly noticed all these things. What he did notice was two hands gripping the window-sill from outside. They gripped harder and harder (getting white at the knuckles) and then up came a head and a pair of shoulders. A moment later there was a boy of Shasta's own age sitting astride the sill with one leg hanging down inside the room.
Shasta had never seen his own face in a looking-glass. Even if he had, he might not have realized that the other boy was (at ordinary times) almost exactly like himself. At the moment this boy was not particularly like anyone for he had the finest black eye you ever saw, and a tooth missing, and his clothes (which must have been splendid ones when he put them on) were torn and dirty, and there was both blood and mud on his face.
"Who are you?" said the boy in a whisper.
"Are you Prince Corin?" said Shasta.
"Yes, of course," said the other. "But who are you?"
"I'm nobody, nobody in particular, I mean," said Shasta. "King Edmund caught me in the street and mistook me for you. I suppose we must look like one another. Can I get out the way you've got in?"
"Yes, if you're any good at climbing," said Corin. "But why are you in such a hurry? I say: we ought to be able to get some fun out of this being mistaken for one another."
"No, no," said Shasta. "We must change places at once. It'll be simply frightful if Mr Tumnus comes back and finds us both here. I've had to pretend to be you. And you're starting tonight - secretly. And where were you all this time?"
"A boy in the street made a beastly joke about Queen Susan," said Prince Corin, "so I knocked him down. He ran howling into a house and his big brother came out. So I knocked the big brother down. Then they all followed me until we ran into three old men with spears who are called the Watch. So I fought the Watch and they knocked me down. It was getting dark by now. Then the Watch took me along to lock me up somewhere. So I asked them if they'd like a stoup of wine and they said they didn't mind if they did. Then I took them to a wine shop and got them some and they all sat down and drank till they feel asleep. I thought it was time for me to be off so I came out quietly and then I found the first boy - the one who had started all the trouble - still hanging about. So I knocked him down again. After that I climbed up a pipe on to the roof of a house and lay quiet till it began to get light this morning. Ever since that I've been finding my way back. I say, is there anything to drink?"
"No, I drank it," said Shasta. "And now, show me how you got in. There's not a minute to lose. You'd better lie down on the sofa and pretend-but I forgot. It'll be no good with all those bruises and black eye. You'll just have to tell them the truth, once I'm safely away."
"What else did you think I'd be telling them?" asked the Prince with a rather angry look. "And who are you?"
"There's no time," said Shasta in a frantic whisper. "I'm a Narnian, I believe; something Northern anyway. But I've been brought up all my life in Calormen. And I'm escaping: across the desert; with a talking Horse called Bree. And now, quick! How do I get away?"
"Look," said Corin. "Drop from this window on to the roof of the verandah. But you must do it lightly, on your toes, or someone will hear you. Then along to your left and you can get up to the top of that wall if you're any good at all as a climber. Then along the wall to the corner. Drop onto the rubbish heap you will find outside, and there you are."
"Thanks," said Shasta, who was already sitting on the sill. The two boys were looking into each other's faces and suddenly found that they were friends.
"Good-bye," said Corin. "And good luck. I do hope you get safe away."
"Good-bye," said Shasta. "I say, you have been having some adventures."
"Nothing to yours," said the Prince. "Now drop; lightlyI say," he added as Shasta dropped. "I hope we meet in Archenland. Go to my father King Lune and tell him you're a friend of mine. Look out! I hear someone coming."      五、科林王子      我亲爱的妹妹，十分善良的女士，”国王爱德蒙说道，”现在你必须拿出勇气来。因为，我要直率地告诉你:我们的处境十分危险。”      “究竟怎么回事，爱德蒙?”女王问道。      “事情是这样的，”爱德蒙说，”我并不认为离开塔什班城是轻而易举的。王子希望你会看中他时，我们是他的贵宾；然而，凭狮王的鬓毛起誓，一旦他遭到你干脆的拒绝，我想我们的处境就不会比囚徒好了。”      一个小矮人发出一声轻微的口哨。      “陛下，我警告你，警告你，”渡鸦萨罗帕德说道，”正如龙虾在捕虾篓里所说的一进来容易出去难啊！”      “今天上午我曾同王子在一起。尤为遗憾的是，”爱德蒙继续说道，”他是不习惯于自己的意愿受到拂逆的。对你的长期拖延和含糊其辞的答复，他是十分焦躁恼怒的。今天上午他咄咄逼人地要知道你的心意。我把这问题撇在一边——同时也想削弱他的希望——只说些关于女人的幻想之类轻松平常的笑话，暗示他的求婚大概要冷下来了。他就变得愤怒而有所威胁了。他说的每句话，尽管仍旧蒙着彬彬有礼的面纱，却都包含着恐吓的意味。”      “是的，”图姆纳斯说道，”昨夜我和大臣共进晚餐时，情况也差不多。他问我可喜欢塔什班城。而我(因为我无法告诉他我憎恨城里每一块石头，却又不肯说谎)告诉他，如今盛夏来，我的心便向往着纳尼亚的清凉树林和露珠晶莹的山坡。他不怀好意地微微一笑，说道，小小羊脚啊，没有东西会阻止你重新在纳尼亚跳舞；你永远可以那么做，作为交换条件，只要你给我们的王子留下一个新娘就行了。      “你的意思是说他会强迫我做他的妻子?”苏珊大声叫道。      “苏珊，我担心的是，”爱德蒙说，”不做妻子就得做奴隶，那就更糟了。”      “可是他怎么能这样呢?难道蒂斯罗克认为我们的哥哥至尊王会容忍这种凌辱人的暴行吗?”      “陛下，”珀里丹对国王说道，”他们不会那么疯狂。难道他们认为纳尼亚王国没有剑和长矛吗?”      “唉，”爱德蒙说，”我的猜想是蒂斯罗克对纳尼亚王国没有什么畏惧。我们的国土小。而小邦小国位于大帝国的边缘，对大帝国的君主总是憎恨的。蒂斯罗克一心要把它们抹掉，要把它们吞并掉。他最初让他的王子作为你的爱慕者到凯尔帕维尔来，也许只是想找个机会借端反对我们。很可能他指望一口就把纳尼亚和阿钦兰两个国家都吞并掉。”      “让他试试吧，”第二个小矮人说道，”我们在海上跟他一般儿强大。如果他从陆地进攻，他就得穿过大沙漠。”      “的确，朋友，”爱德蒙说，”但大沙漠是个可靠的屏障吗?萨罗帕德你怎么看?”      “我很了解这个大沙漠，”渡鸦说道，”在我年轻的岁月里，我曾在大沙漠上空飞翔得又远又广。”(你一定深信沙斯塔听到这里时竖起了耳朵。)”有一点是无可置疑的：如果蒂斯罗克从大绿洲进军，他永远不可能率领一支庞大的军队进入阿钦兰。因为，尽管他们在第一天急行军之后可以到达绿洲，但那儿的泉水太少了，不足以给所有的士兵和牲口解渴。但还有另外一条路径。”      沙斯塔一动也不动，更加注意地静听着。      “要找到这条路径的人，”渡鸦说道，”必须从古代国王的坟场出发，骑马朝西北驰去，皮尔峰的双峰便始终在他的正前方。如此骑马走上一天或稍稍再多一点儿时间，他就来到一个石头山谷的入口处，那个地方是那么狭窄，以致一个人可以上千次离它二百米光景，却不知道它就在那儿。向山谷里望下去，他既看不到青草或水，也看不到任何好东西。但如果他继续骑马前进，跑下山谷去，他就会来到一条河流边上，他可以沿着河流驰去，一路直达阿钦兰境内。”      “卡乐门人可知道这朝西去的路径?”女王问。      “朋友们，朋友们，”爱德蒙说，”这一切讨论有什么用处?我们不是在问如果纳尼亚王国和卡乐门王国之间发生战争，哪一个国家会获得胜利。我们要问的是:如何挽救女王的荣誉，以及如何从这魔鬼的城市里救出我们自己的生命?因为，就算我的哥哥至尊王彼得会把蒂斯罗克打败十多次，然而早在这一天之前，我们的脖子已经被砍断了，而女王却成了这位王子的妻子，或者更可能是成了他的奴隶。”       “国王，咱们有武器啊，”第一个小矮人说道，”而且这是幢完全可以防御的房屋。”      “至于这一点，”国王说，”我毫不怀疑，我们每一个人都会在门口拼命，叫敌人付出沉重的代价，除非从我们的尸体上跨过去，他们休想侵犯女王。然而我们毕竟不过是老鼠在陷阱里搏斗罢了。”       “千真万确，”渡鸦哇哇地说道，”在房子里坚守到最后的人，传为美谈，但一向毫无效果。在他开头几次打退敌人之后，敌人总是放火焚烧房屋的。”      “我是这一切的祸根，”苏珊说，她泪水都流下来了，”啊，如果我从未离开凯尔帕拉维尔就好了。卡乐门的大使到来之前，是我们最后的快乐日子。摩尔人正在为我们种植一个花园……啊……啊。”她双手掩着脸呜咽。      “勇气，苏，要有勇气，”爱德蒙说，”记住啰——可是图姆纳斯师傅，你怎么啦?”因为那羊怪正用双手握住他的两只角，仿佛要借此保住他的脑袋，而且左右扭动着身体，仿佛他五脏六腑在疼痛哩。      “别跟我说话，别跟我说话，”图姆纳斯说道，”我正在思索。我思索得气也透不过来了。等一下，等一下，请等一下。”      令人迷惑不解的缄默持续了一会儿，接着，那羊怪抬起头来，长长地吸了口气，抹抹前额，说道      “惟一的困难是要到我们的船上——还带些备用的东西——不被人看见，也不被人阻止。”      “是啊，”一个小矮人干巴巴地说道，”就像乞丐要骑马，惟一的困难是没有马儿。”      “等一下，等一下，”图姆纳斯先生不耐烦地说道，”我们所需要的只是找个借口今天就上船去，并且带些东西到船上去。”      “哦，哦。”国王爱德蒙怀疑地说道。      “啊，行了，”羊怪说，”不知这样好不好，陛下盼咐王子明天夜间出席我们的大帆船‘灿烂晶莹'号上的盛大篮席，而且这信息要传达得合情合理，以便给王子一个希望:女王的态度正在软化，而她也不必压上自己的荣誉就可以把事情对付过去了。”      “隆下，这是个很好的主意。”渡鸦嚷道。      “于是，”图姆纳斯兴奋地继续说道，”大家就会希望我们整天都呆在船上，准备迎接我们的客人。让我们派些人到市场上去，倾尽所有，买水果，买糖果，买酒，仿佛我们真的要开筵请客一样。让我们去约请魔术师、杂耍演员、跳舞姑娘和吹长笛的乐师，请他们明天夜间都到船上来。”      “我明白了，我明白了。”爱德蒙搓着双手，说道。      “接下来，”图姆纳斯说，”咱们大家今儿个夜里就上船。天色刚黑，就——”      “就扯起篷帆，划起桨来——”国王说。      “于是就到了海上。”图姆纳斯大声说道，蹦蹦跳跳的，开始跳起舞来了。      “我们的鼻子面向北方。”第一个小矮人说。      “奔往家园l万岁，奔往纳尼亚，奔往北方！”另一个小矮人说道。      “那王子第二天早晨醒来，却发现他的鸟儿全飞了。”珀里丹拍着双手说道。      “图姆纳斯师傅啊，亲爱的图姆纳斯师傅啊，”女王说道，搀住他的手，摇晃着身体，同他一起跳舞，”你救了我们大家了。”      “王子会追我们的。”另一个王爷说道，他的名字沙斯塔还没有听说过。      “那倒是我最不担心的事了，”爱德蒙说，”我观察过河上所有的船只，既没有一艘高大的战舰，也没有一条快速的大帆船。我但愿他追赶我们！因为‘灿烂晶莹'号有能力击沉追上来的船只——万一我们被追上的话。”       “陛下，”渡鸦说道，”我们虽然坐下来商量了七天，你不会听到比羊怪的计策更高明的了。唔，我们鸟儿说得好，先筑巢，后生蛋。这就是说：让我们大家先吃饭，然后立刻动手办事去。”      听到这话，每个人都站了起来，房门打开了，王爷和其他随从站在一边，让国王和女王先走出门去。沙斯塔不知道他该怎么办。但图姆纳斯先生说，”殿下，你躺在这儿，过一会儿我就替你送点儿佳肴来。在我们大家准备好要上船之前，你就无需行动了。”沙斯塔把脑袋重新搁在枕头上，不久就剩下他一个人在房间里了。      “这情况万分可怕。”沙斯塔心中想道。他脑子里从来没有想过要把全部真相告诉纳尼亚人，要求他们的帮助。他从小是由一个像阿什伊什那样心肠硬、拳头大的人带大的，养成了一个固定不变的习惯，如果他想得出办法，他就什么也不告诉成年人，他认为成年人总是破坏或阻挠他正在试图干的事情的。而且他认为：即使纳尼亚国王会友好对待两匹马儿，因为它们是纳尼亚的说人话的牲口，他也会憎恨阿拉维斯，因为她是个卡乐门人，他若不把她当做奴隶卖掉，也会把她送回她父亲那儿去。至于他自己呢，”我现在简直不敢告诉他们:我并不是王子科林。”沙斯塔想道，”我已经听到了他们的全部计划，如果他们知道我并不是纳尼亚王族一员，他们就决不会让我活着走出这个房间。他们会担心我把他们出卖给蒂斯罗克的。如果真正的科林出现了，事情就拆穿了，他们就一定会把我宰了！”你瞧，他对于高尚而天生自由的人们如何立身行事，脑子里是毫无概念的。      “我怎么办呢?我怎么办呢？”他不断地跟自己说道，”怎么——呀，羊一般的小家伙又来了。”:       羊怪半是跳着舞，小跑着走进房间，他双手捧着个盘子，几乎跟他的身体一般儿大。他把盘子放在沙斯塔沙发旁边一张镶嵌螺钿的桌子上。他自己交叉着羊腿坐在铺着地毯的地板上。      “喂，小王子，”他说，”好好地吃一顿正餐。这是你在塔什班吃的最后一餐了。”      这是一顿卡乐门风味的美餐。我不知道你喜不喜欢，可沙斯塔喜欢。有龙虾，有色拉，有肚子里塞了块菌和杏仁的鹊，有鸡肝、米粒、葡萄干、果仁等的炒什锦，还有冰凉的瓜、奶油醋栗、奶油桑葚以及一切能与米饭一起煮来吃的好东西。另有一小壶被称为”白酒”其实是黄色的酒。       沙斯塔吃饭时，善良的小羊怪认为他中暑尚未痊愈，便不断地讲给他听：他们大家一起回到家乡后，他就会过好日子了；讲起他的善良的老父亲，阿钦兰的国王伦恩，以及要隘南坡国王所住的堡垒。”你可别忘了，”图姆纳斯先生说道，”在你下次的生日里，会答应给你第一套盔甲和第一匹战马的。于是殿下就要开始学习骑马持矛冲刺和比武了。几年以后，如果一切顺利，国王彼得已经答允你的父王，他要亲自封你为凯尔帕拉维尔的骑士。在此期间，纳尼亚和阿钦兰穿过群山之间的侠士也会有许多来往。当然你记得你曾答允要来和我一起呆上一个星期，过盛夏节，那时会有大篝火，在森林的中心会有羊怪和树精的通宵跳舞，而且，谁知道呢?——说不定我们会看到阿斯兰本人呢！”      吃完饭，羊怪嘱咐沙斯塔静静地待在原来的地方休息。      “你稍稍睡一觉也无妨，”他补充道，”我要过好久才来叫你上船呢。上了船，就还乡。直奔纳尼亚和北方！”      正餐和图姆纳斯告诉他的一切事情，沙斯塔都十分欣赏，留下他一个人在房间里时，他的思想发生了截然不同的转向和变化。他现在只是希望真正的王子科林迟迟不会到来，这样他就可以坐在船上被带到纳尼亚去了。恐怕他压根儿没想一想：真正的科林给丢在塔什班城会碰到什么危险。他稍稍有点儿为在坟场上等候他的阿拉维斯和布里担心。但他接着又跟自己说道，”哎，我又有什么办法呢?“以及，”无论如何，那个阿拉维斯认为她跟我混在一起是太抬举我了，现在她可以高高兴兴地一个人走了。”同时，他又禁不住想道；辛辛苦苦穿过大沙漠，远不如从海上坐船到纳尼亚去舒服哩。+       沙斯塔想着这一切时，不觉睡着了。如果你曾大清旱起身，走了长长的路，经历了极大的紧张激动，然后又美美地吃了一顿饭，躺在凉快房间里的一张沙发上，四周寂静无声，只有一只从大开着的窗子里飞进来的蜜蜂嗡嗡叫着，你也会睡觉的。      响亮的啪啦一声把他惊醒了。他从沙发上跳起身来，瞪着眼睛直瞧。仅仅从房间里的情形——光和影截然不同了——看来，他立刻明白他必定已经睡了好几个钟头。他也弄明白了是什么弄出啪啦声来的：原来放在窗台上的一个珍贵瓷瓶，在地板上碎成了三十片光景。但他没注意这些事情。他注意的是两只从外边抓住窗台的手。双手愈抓愈紧(指关节都发白了)，接着就冒出来一个脑袋和一副肩膀。一会儿以后，便有一个年龄同沙斯塔相仿的孩子跨在窗台上了，一条腿已经伸在房间里面了。      沙斯塔从未在镜子里看见过他自己的脸。即使他看见过，他也看不出(在平常时候)这个孩子几乎长得跟他自己一模一样。而此时此刻，这孩子可并不特别像其他任何人，因为他长着你见过的最美丽的黑眼睛，掉了一个牙齿，而他的衣服(他穿上身时是挺华丽的)破破烂烂、肮肮脏脏，他脸上既有血又有污泥。       “你是什么人?”那孩子低声问道。      “你是王子科林吗?”沙斯塔说。      “是啊，当然是王子科林口罗！”那孩子说道，”可你是什么人呢?”      “我是小东西，我的意思是，我不过是个无名小卒。”沙斯塔说道，”国王爱德蒙在街上逮住了我，错把我当做你了。我猜想我们必定长得很相像。我可以从你进来的地方出去吗?”       “行，如果你会攀登的话，”科林说，”可你为什么那么急急忙忙的呢?你听我说，我们应该就人家把我们误认开点儿玩笑啊。”      “不，不，”沙斯塔说，”我们必须立刻调个位置。如果图姆纳斯回来，发现我们俩在这儿，那就简直叫人害怕了。我曾被迫假装是你。你今天夜里就得出发——秘密地。这段时间你上哪儿去了?”      “街上有个孩子拿女王苏珊开了个粗野的玩笑，”王子科林说道，”所以我就把他打倒在地。他号啕大哭着跑进了一幢房子，他的哥哥从房子里赶出来。我就把那哥哥也打倒在地。接着他们全来追我，直至我们撞见了三个叫做警卫的持矛老汉。我就和警卫搏斗，警卫把我打倒在地。这时天色暗了。警卫把我带走，要把我关在什么地方。所以我就问他们喝上一壶酒怎么样?他们说，喝喝也不妨。于是我带他们上了一家酒馆，给他们要了些酒，他们便都坐下来喝酒，一直唱到都睡熟了。我想，此时不走，更待何时?我悄悄地走出酒馆，我发现那第一个孩子——引起这场麻烦的小家伙——竟然仍在附近闲荡，所以我就再把他打倒在地。这之后，我攀着一个水管爬到了一幢房子的屋顶上，我在屋顶上静静地躺着，一直躺到今儿早晨天明的时候，早晨起我一直在找路回家。哦，可有什么喝的？”       “没酒，我把酒喝了。”沙斯塔说，”现在你告诉我，你是怎么进来的。一分钟也不能耽误了。你最好还是躺在沙发上，假装——可是我忘了，你脸上青一块紫一块的，眼眶都发黑了，假装是毫无用处的了。我安全离开以后，你就得把真相统统告诉他们。”      “你认为我会告诉他们别的什么吗?”王子带着相当愤怒的神色问道，”你究竟是什么人啊?“      “来不及讲了，”沙斯塔用激动得要发疯的低语说道，”我相信，我是个纳尼亚人，无论如何是在北方出生的。但我是在卡乐门长大的。我正在逃跑，要穿过大沙漠，跟一匹叫做布里的说人话的马儿一起走。呀，快！我怎样出去？”      “你瞧，”科林说，”从窗口下去，到游廊的屋顶上。但你必须轻轻地走，陆起脚尖走，要不别人就会听见的。然后一路向左走去，你就可以爬到墙头上去，如果你是个爬墙能手的话。然后沿着墙头走到角落里。你会看到墙外有堆垃圾，你就跳下去，这就成了。”'       “谢谢。”沙斯塔说。他已经坐在窗台上了。这两个孩子互相凝视着对方的脸，突然发觉他们成为好朋友了。      “再见了，”科林说，”祝你好运，我真希望你安全地走出去。”      “再见了，”沙斯塔说，”嗨，你已经历过危险，但危险还没有过去哩！”      “跟你的危险比起来，那就算不了什么。”王子说道，”现在往下跳吧，轻轻地跳——喂，”沙斯塔跳下去时，王子补充道，”我希望我们在阿钦兰见面。你去见我的父王伦恩，告诉他你是我的朋友。小心啊！我听到有人来了。”
Chapter 6
SHASTA AMONG THE TOMBS
SHASTA ran lightly along the roof on tiptoes. It felt hot to his bare feet. He was only a few seconds scrambling up the wall at the far end and when he got to the corner he found himself looking down into a narrow, smelly street, and there was a rubbish heap against the outside of the wall just as Corin had told him. Before jumping down he took a rapid glance round him to get his bearings. Apparently he had now come over the crown of the island-hill on which Tashbaan is built. Everything sloped away before him, flat roofs below flat roofs, down to the towers and battlements of the city's Northern wall. Beyond that was the river and beyond the river a short slope covered with gardens. But beyond that again there was something he had never seen the like of - a great yellowish-grey thing, flat as a calm sea, and stretching for miles. On the far side of it were huge blue things, lumpy but with jagged edges, and some of them with white tops. "The desert! the mountains!" thought Shasta.
He jumped down on to the rubbish and began trotting along downhill as fast as he could in the narrow lane, which soon brought him into a wider street where there were more people. No one bothered to look at a little ragged boy running along on bare feet. Still, he was anxious and uneasy till he turned a corner and there saw the city gate in front of him. Here he was pressed and jostled a bit, for a good many other people were also going out; and on the bridge beyond the gate the crowd became quite a slow procession, more like a queue than a crowd. Out there, with clear running water on each side, it was deliciously fresh after the smell and heat and noise of Tashbaan.
When once Shasta had reached the far end of the bridge he found the crowd melting away; everyone seemed to be going either to the left or right along the river bank. He went straight ahead up a road that did not appear to be much used, between gardens. In a few paces he was alone, and a few more brought him to the top of the slope. There he stood and stared. It was like coming to the end of the world for all the grass stopped quite suddenly a few feet before him and the sand began: endless level sand like on a sea shore but a bit rougher because it was never wet. The mountains, which now looked further off than before, loomed ahead. Greatly to his relief he saw, about five minutes' walk away on his left, what must certainly be the Tombs, just as Bree had described them; great masses of mouldering stone shaped like gigantic bee-hive, but a little narrower. They looked very black and grim, for the sun was now setting right behind them.
He turned his face West and trotted towards the Tombs. He could not help looking out very hard for any sign of his friends, though the setting sun shone in his face so that he could see hardly anything. "And anyway," he thought, "of course they'll be round on the far side of the farthest Tomb, not this side where anyone might see them from the city."
There were about twelve Tombs, each with a low arched doorway that opened into absolute blackness. They were dotted about in no kind of order, so that it took a long time, going round this one and going round that one, before you could be sure that you had looked round every side of every tomb. This was what Shasta had to do. There was nobody there.
It was very quiet here out on the edge of the desert; and now the sun had really set.
Suddenly from somewhere behind him there came a terrible sound. Shasta's heart gave a great jump and he had to bite his tongue to keep himself from screaming. Next moment he realized what it was: the horns of Tashbaan blowing for the closing of the gates. "Don't be a silly little coward," said Shasta to himself. "Why, it's only the same noise you heard this morning." But there is a great difference between a noise heard letting you in with your friends in the morning, and a noise heard alone at nightfall, shutting you out. And now that the gates were shut he knew there was no chance of the others joining him that evening. "Either they're shut up in Tashbaan for the night," thought Shasta, "or else they've gone on without me. It's just the sort of thing that Aravis would do. But Bree wouldn't. Oh, he wouldn't. - now, would he?"
In this idea about Aravis Shasta was once more quite wrong. She was proud and could be hard enough but she was as true as steel and would never have deserted a companion, whether she liked him or not.
Now that Shasta knew he would have to spend the night alone (it was getting darker every minute) he began to like the look of the place less and less. There was something very uncomfortable about those great, silent shapes of stone. He had been trying his hardest for a long time not to think of ghouls: but he couldn't keep it up any longer.
"Ow! Ow! Help!" he shouted suddenly, for at that very moment he felt something touch his leg. I don't think anyone can be blamed for shouting if something comes up from behind and touches him; not in such a place and at such a time, when he is frightened already. Shasta at any rate was too frightened to run. Anything would be better than being chased round and round the burial places of the Ancient Kings with something he dared not look at behind him. Instead, he did what was really the most sensible thing he could do. He looked round; and his heart almost burst with relief. What had touched him was only a cat.
The light was too bad now for Shasta to see much of the cat except that it was big and very solemn. It looked as if it might have lived for long, long years among the Tombs, alone. Its eyes made you think it knew secrets it would not tell.
"Puss, puss," said Shasta. "I suppose you're not a talking cat."
The cat stared at him harder than ever. Then it started walking away, and of course Shasta followed it. It led him right through the tombs and out on the desert side of them. There it sat down bolt upright with its tail curled round its feet and its face set towards the desert and towards Narnia and the North, as still as if it were watching for some enemy. Shasta lay down beside it with his back against the cat and his face towards the Tombs, because if one is nervous there's nothing like having your face towards the danger and having something warm and solid at your back. The sand wouldn't have seemed very comfortable to you, but Shasta had been sleeping on the ground for weeks and hardly noticed it. Very soon he fell asleep, though even in his dreams he went on wondering what had happened to Bree and Aravis and Hwin.
He was wakened suddenly by a noise he had never heard before. "Perhaps it was only a nightmare," said Shasta to himself. At the same moment he noticed that the cat had gone from his back, and he wished it hadn't. But he lay quite still without even opening his eyes because he felt sure he would be more frightened if he sat up and looked round at the Tombs and the loneliness: just as you or I might lie still with the clothes over our heads. But then the noise came again - a harsh, piercing cry from behind him out of the desert. Then of course he had to open his eyes and sit up.
The moon was shining brightly. The Tombs - far bigger and nearer than he had thought they would be - looked grey in the moonlight. In fact, they looked horribly like huge people, draped in grey robes that covered their heads and faces. They were not at all nice things to have near you when spending a night alone in a strange place. But the noise had come from the opposite side, from the desert. Shasta had to turn his back on the Tombs (he didn't like that much) and stare out across the level sand. The wild cry rang out again.
"I hope it's not more lions," thought Shasta. It was in fact not very like the lion's roars he had heard on the night when they met Hwin and Aravis, and was really the cry of a jackal. But of course Shasta did not know this. Even if he had known, he would not have wanted very much to meet a jackal.
The cries rang out again and again. "There's more than one of them, whatever they are," thought Shasta. "And they're coming nearer."
I suppose that if he had been an entirely sensible boy he would have gone back through the Tombs nearer to the river where there were houses, and wild beasts would be less likely to come. But then there were (or he thought there were) the ghouls. To go back through the Tombs would mean going past those dark openings in the Tombs; and what might come out of them? It may have been silly, but Shasta felt he would rather risk the wild beasts. Then, as the cries came nearer and nearer, he began to change his mind.
He was just going to run for it when suddenly, between him and the desert, a huge animal bounded into view. As the moon was behind it, it looked quite black, and Shasta did not know what it was, except that it had a very big, shaggy head and went on four legs. It did not seem to have noticed Shasta, for it suddenly stopped, turned its head towards the desert and let out a roar which re-echoed through the Tombs and seemed to shake the sand under Shasta's feet. The cries of the other creatures suddenly stoppd and he thought he could hear feet scampering away. Then the great beast turned to examine Shasta.
"It's a lion, I know it's a lion," thought Shasta. "I'm done. I wonder will it hurt much. I wish it was over. I wonder does anything happen to people after they're dead. O-o-oh! Here it comes!" And he shut his eyes and his teeth tight.
But instead of teeth and claws he only felt something warm lying down at his feet. And when he opened his eyes he said, "Why, it's not nearly as big as I thought! It's only half the size. No, it isn't even quarter the size. I do declare it's only the cat!! I must have dreamed all that about its being as big as a horse."
And whether he really had been dreaming or not, what was now lying at his feet, and staring him out of countenance with its big, green, unwinking eyes, was the cat; though certainly one of the largest cats he had ever seen.
"Oh, Puss," gasped Shasta. "I am so glad to see you again. I've been having such horrible dreams." And he at once lay down again, back to back with the cat as they had been at the beginning of the night. The warmth from it spread all over him.
"I'll never do anything nasty to a cat again as long as I live," said Shasta, half to the cat and half to himself. "I did once, you know. I threw stones at a half-starved mangy old stray. Hey! Stop that." For the cat had turned round and given him a scratch. "None of that," said Shasta. "It isn't as if you could understand what I'm saying." Then he dozed off.
Next morning when he woke, the cat was gone, the sun was already up, and the sand hot. Shasta, very thirsty, sat up and rubbed his eyes. The desert was blindingly white and, though there was a murmur of noises from the city behind him, where he sat everything was perfectly still. When he looked a little left and west, so that the sun was not in his eyes, he could see the mountains on the far side of the desert, so sharp and clear that they looked only a stone's throw away. He particularly noticed one blue height that divided into two peaks at the top and decided that it must be Mount Pire. "That's our direction, judging by what the Raven said," he thought, "so I'll just make sure of it, so as not to waste any time when the others turn up." So he made a good, deep straight furrow with his foot pointing exactly to Mount Pire.
The next job, clearly, was to get something to eat and drink. Shasta trotted back through the Tombs - they looked quite ordinary now and he wondered how he could ever have been afraid of them - and down into the cultivated land by the river's side. There were a few people about but not very many, for the city gates had been open several hours and the early morning crowds had already gone in. So he had no diffculty in doing a little "raiding" (as Bree called it). It involved a climb over a garden wall and the results were three oranges, a melon, a fig or two, and a pomegranate. After that, he went down to the river bank, but not too near the bridge, and had a drink. The water was so nice that he took off his hot, dirty clothes and had a dip; for of course Shasta, having lived on the shore all his life, had learned to swim almost as soon as he had learned to walk. When he came out he lay on the grass looking across the water at Tashbaan - all the splendour and strength and glory of it. But that made him remember the dangers of it too. He suddenly realized that the others might have reached the Tombs while he was bathing ("and gone on without me, as likely as not"), so he dressed in a fright and tore back at such a speed that he was all hot and thirsty when he arrived and so the good of his bathe was gone.
Like most days when you are alone and waiting for something this day seemed about a hundred hours long. He had plenty to think of, of course, but sitting alone, just thinking, is pretty slow. He thought a good deal about the Narnians and especially about Corin. He wondered what had happened when they discovered that the boy who had been lying on the sofa and hearing all their secret plans wasn't really Corin at all. It was very unpleasant to think of all those nice people imagining him a traitor.
But as the sun slowly, slowly climbed up to the top of the sky and then slowly, slowly began going downwards to the West, and no one came and nothing at all happened, he began to get more and more anxious. And of course he now realized that when they arranged to wait for one another at the Tombs no one had said anything about How Long. He couldn't wait here for the rest of his life! And soon it would be dark again, and he would have another night just like last night. A dozen different plans went through his head, all wretched ones, and at last he fixed on the worst plan of all. He decided to wait till it was dark and then go back to the river and steal as many melons as he could carry and set out for Mount Pire alone, trusting for his direction to the line he had drawn that morning in the sand. It was a crazy idea and if he had read as many books as you have about journeys over deserts he would never have dreamed of it. But Shasta had read no books at all.
Before the sun set something did happen. Shasta was sitting in the shadow of one of the Tombs when he looked up and saw two horses coming towards him. Then his heart gave a great leap, for he recognized them as Bree and Hwin. But the next moment his heart went down into his toes again. There was no sign of Aravis. The Horses were being led by a strange man, an armed man pretty handsomely dressed like an upper slave in a great family. Bree and Hwin were no longer got up like pack-horses, but saddled and bridled. And what could it all mean? "It's a trap," thought Shasta. "Somebody has caught Aravis and perhaps they've tortured her and she's given the whole thing away. They want me to jump out and run up and speak to Bree and then I'll be caught too! And yet if I don't, I may be losing my only chance to meet the others. Oh I do wish I knew what had happened." And he skulked behind the Tomb, looking out every few minutes, and wondering which was the least dangerous thing to do.      六、沙斯塔在坟场里      沙斯塔踮起脚尖沿着屋顶轻轻地跑去，觉得他的光脚丫子发烫。不到几秒钟他就爬到了墙垣的另一头，他到了墙角，俯瞰一条狭窄、发臭的小街，正如科林告诉他的，墙外有个垃圾堆。跳下去之前，他先向周围迅速地扫了一眼，以便认清方位。显而易见，他已经来到塔什班岛城的山顶上了。一切都在他面前迤逦而下，平坦屋顶下方又有平坦屋顶，一直接连到北城城墙及其塔楼和维蝶。城墙外是河流，河流外是一个遍布花园的短坡。再过去便是他从来没看见过有什么跟它类似的景象——灰黄色，平坦得像个平静的海，绵亘好多英里。它的遥远边缘上是大块大块蓝色，凹凹凸凸，参差不齐，有些顶上是雪白的。”大沙漠！大山大岭！！”沙斯塔心里想道。      他往下跳到了垃圾堆上。他开始在小巷里尽可能快地跑下山去小巷不久便把他带到了更加宽阔的街道上，那儿的行人就更多了。没有人留意一个衣衫谧楼的孩子光着脚丫子跑过，但他仍旧焦急不安，直至他在一个角落上转弯过去，看到了他面前的城门。城门口就有点儿推推操操的，因为好多人也在出城去；城门外大桥上的人群变成了一个慢慢前进的行列，与其说它是人群，倒更像是支队伍。经历了塔什班城的臭味、炎热和喧闹，来到城外，桥的两边清澈的流水奔腾，就觉得空气新鲜宜人了。      沙斯塔走到大桥桥堍，发觉人群分流疏散了；仿佛大家下了桥，不是向左便是向右，分别沿着河岸走去。他笔直地向前走上了一条大路，大路介于花园之间，看来不大有人马走过。他走了几步便只剩下他一个人了，再走几步便到了山坡的顶上。他站在坡顶上凝望。他仿佛来到了世界的尽头，因为所有的萋萋芳草突然在前面几步路的地方消失了，大片黄沙开始了，无穷无尽的平坦的黄沙，就像海滨沙滩一样，只是比较粗糙一些，因为它可是永远干燥的。大山大岭隐约出现在前方，现在看起来反而比先前更远了。使他大为宽慰的是:他看到左边儿，大约走上五分钟的路程，必定就是布里描绘过的那个古代国王的坟场。大块大块正在风化的石头，建成巨大蜂房似的形状，不过稍为狭了一点儿。看上去黑暗而冷森，因为太阳现在已经在坟墓后面落下去了。      沙斯塔把脸转向西方，朝坟场快步走去。他禁不住费力地东张西望，看看可有他的朋友们的踪迹，夕阳照在他的脸上，他什么也看不清楚。”无论如何，”他心中想道，”他们总会绕到坟场那一边去等候的，决不会在城里任何人都看得到他们的这一边等。”      坟场共计十二个墓，每个墓前有个低矮拱廊通向绝对的黑暗。坟墓星罗棋布，却不是井然有序，所以得花费很长时间，这儿绕一圈，那儿绕一圈，才能使你心中确信，你已经把每个墓的每一边都找遍了。这就是沙斯塔要办的事。坟场里一个人也没有。       这儿位于大沙漠的边缘，十分安静，现在太阳确实已经落山了。      突然从他的背后传来一个可怕的声音。沙斯塔的心猛烈地一跳，他咬住舌头才没有叫出声来。一会儿以后他明白这是什么声音了。这是塔什班城宣告关闭城门的号角声。      “别做一个愚蠢的小懦夫，”沙斯塔跟他自己说，”这不过是你今儿早晨听到过的同样的号角声啊。”但在早晨听到的、放你和你的朋友进城的号角声，跟在傍晚独自听到的、把你关在城外的号角声，是截然不同的。如今城门已经关闭，他知道今晚他们和他会合的机会是没有了。”或者是他们给关在塔什班城里过夜了，”沙斯塔想，”要不就是他们丢下我走掉了。这样的事情阿拉维斯是做得出来的，但布里是不会干的。啊，它不会干——哦，它会干吗？”      沙斯塔关于阿拉维斯的这个推想，又一次错了。她是骄傲的，也够厉害的，但她像钢铁一样忠诚，从不抛弃伙伴，不论她是否喜欢他。      沙斯塔既然知道他不得不独自过夜了(天色愈来愈黑)，他也就愈来愈不喜欢坟场的气氛。在那些缄默无声的各种形状的巨大石头里自有一种令人不舒畅的东西。他一直在竭尽全力不去想食尸鬼，但他没法儿再坚持下去。       “啊啃！啊啃！救命！”他突然叫喊了起来，因为就在这个时刻，他感觉有个东西碰了碰他的腿。随便什么人，如果有个东西从背后过来碰碰他，他因而叫喊了起来，我想谁也不会责备他的，特别是在这样的地方，在这样的时间里，在他本来已经很害怕的时候。沙斯塔无论如何是吓得不敢跑动了。被背后一个他不敢回头看的什么东西追逐着，绕着古代国王的坟墓兜圈子，那可是最糟糕的事情了。他没跑，他作出了确实是他能作出的最理智的举动。他向四周打量；他的心几乎宽慰得要跳出来了。原来碰他腿的不过是一只猫。      光线太糟，沙斯塔没看清楚那只猫，只看到它又大又严肃。看起来那猫独自在坟场里已经生活了好多好多年。它的眼睛使你觉得它知道许多秘密，可不愿告诉你。      “猫咪，猫咪，”沙斯塔说，”我猜你是一只说人话的猫。”      猫只是越发盯住他直瞧。接着，猫开始走动了，沙斯塔当然跟着它走。猫带着他穿过坟场，把他带到了坟场外大沙漠一边。猫在那儿笔挺地坐了下来，尾巴绕在脚上，脸向着大沙漠，向着纳尼亚和北方，身体一动也不动，仿佛在守望着什么敌人似的。沙斯塔在猫的身边躺下，他的背靠着猫，他的脸朝着坟场，因为如果心里紧张不安，最好还是脸朝着危险，背靠着温暖而结实的东西。你会觉得沙土不舒服，但沙斯塔在地上睡过好几个星期，对沙土没有在意。他不久就睡熟了，尽管他在睡梦中还在继续想着布里、阿拉维斯、赫温碰到了什么事情。      他突然被一个他从未听到过的声音吵醒了。”也许只是梦魔罢了。”沙斯塔跟自己说。就在这个时候，他发现猫已经从他背后走掉了，他但愿猫不曾走掉。但他仍旧十分安静地躺在那儿，连眼睛也不肯睁开，因为他深信，如果他坐起来，环顾坟场和孤寂，他就会更加害怕；他的情况，就像你或我宁可用衣服蒙着脑袋一动也不动地躺在那儿一样。然而，这时又传来了声音——从他背后的大沙漠里传来了粗糙刺耳的叫声。当然啦，他这就不得不睁开眼睛坐起来了。      明月雪亮地照耀着。坟墓——远比他想像中的还要大还要近——在月光中呈苍白色口事实上，坟墓看上去极为可怕，像是穿着遮住脑袋和脸蛋的苍白长袍的巨人。当你在一个奇怪的地方过夜时，它们近在你身边，压根儿不是什么好事。但叫声来自对面，来自大沙漠。沙斯塔不得不转过身子背朝着坟场(他可不大喜欢这样)，瞪着眼睛，越过平坦的沙漠望去。粗野的叫声重新响起来了。      “我希望不是又碰到狮子了。”沙斯塔想道。这叫声倒不大像遇到赫温和阿拉维斯那一夜听到的狮吼，实际上，这是一头胡狼的叫声。但沙斯塔当然不知道。即使他知道了，他也不情愿碰到一头胡狼。       叫声一阵阵地传来。”不论是什么野兽，可不止一头哩。”沙斯塔想，”野兽在逼近了。”      我想，如果沙斯塔是个完全有头脑的孩子，就会穿过坟场回到靠近河流的地方，那儿有房屋，野兽就不大可能来了。不过，那个地方会有(或者是他认为会有)食尸鬼。穿过坟场回去，就意味着要经过坟墓那些漆黑的洞穴，洞穴里说不定会冒出什么鬼怪来呢?这也许是愚蠢可笑的，但沙斯塔觉得他宁可冒野兽的风险。接下来，由于叫声愈来愈逼近，他才开始改变主意了。8       他正要逃跑时，突然，在他和沙漠之间，有一头巨兽跳进了视野。月光照在巨兽的后面，使它看上去浑身漆黑，沙斯塔不认得它是什么野兽，只见它长着一个毛发蓬松的很大的脑袋，用四条腿走路。它似乎没注意到沙斯塔，因为它突然停下步来，回头朝向大沙漠，发出一声怒吼，吼声在坟场里回荡，仿佛把沙斯塔脚下的沙地都震动了。其他动物的叫声随之突然停止，沙斯塔觉得他听见了惊惶奔跑的脚步声。然后，那巨兽转过身来仔细打量着沙斯塔。      “这是一头狮子，我知道这是一头狮子，”沙斯塔，心中想道，”我没命了。不知道是不是会痛得厉害。我但愿赶快完蛋。我不知道人死了以后还会发生什么事情?啊呀呀！它扑上来了！”于是他闭上眼睛咬紧牙齿。       然而，却没有牙齿和脚爪的抓咬，只觉得有个温暖的东西躺在他脚边。他睁开眼睛时说道”咦，它并不是同我所想的那般大！只不过一半儿大。不，甚至连四分之一还不到。我敢说它不过是只猫！什么它跟马儿一般大小，都是我做梦想出来的。”      不论沙斯塔是否确实做过梦，现在躺在他脚边，用它那大大的、绿绿的、毫不眨巴的眼睛，瞧得他局促不安的，是一只猫，尽管是他所见过的最大的猫。      “猫咪啊，”沙斯塔上气不接下气地说道，”重新看见你，我真是高兴。我一直在做着可怕的梦。”他立刻重新躺下，跟猫咪背靠背，就像黑夜初临时那样。猫身上的温暖传遍了他的全身。      “只要我活着，我今后决不再对猫儿做什么促狭的事情了。”沙斯塔一半儿对猫咪一半儿对自己说道，”我干过一次，你知道吗。我用石子掷过一只走失的、半饥半饱的、生病疮的老猫。嗨，住手。”因为那猫转过身来抓了他一下。”别来这一手，”沙斯塔说，”这就不像是你听得懂我说的话了。”接着他就打起瞌睡来了。       第二天早晨沙斯塔醒来时，猫走了，太阳已经出来了，沙土发烫了。沙斯塔十分口渴，坐起来擦擦眼睛。大沙漠白得令人目眩，虽然他背后传来隐隐约约的人声喧哗，但他所坐的地方，却是寂静无声的。当他稍稍向左向西看时，阳光并不直射他的眼睛，他便看得见大沙漠远处边缘上的大山大岭，轮廓分明，形象清晰，看上去似乎相距不过一箭之遥。他特别注意到一个蓝色高国，顶上分为两个山峰，便断定它必是皮尔峰无疑。”根据渡鸦所说的话看来，这就是我们要走的方向，”他心中想道，”所以我一定要把它搞个确实，以便别人来时就不必浪费时间了。”所以他用双脚在地上挖了一条笔直的深沟，确切地指向皮尔峰。      十分清楚，第二桩事情就是要搞点吃的喝的东西。沙斯塔小步穿过坟场跑回去——现在坟墓看上去平平常常，他想想、自己竟害怕它们也觉得奇怪——跑到河边的耕地里。附近有一些人，但不多，因为城门已经开了好几个钟头，大清早拥挤的人群已经进城去了。所以沙斯塔搞点儿(布里所说的)”袭击”毫无困难。这次”袭击”包括爬过一道墙头，收获是三只椅子、一个西瓜、一两个无花果和一只石榴。然后他走到河岸上，在离大桥不太近的地方，喝了点儿河水。水好极了，他脱掉又热又脏的衣服，下去洗了个澡；当然，因为沙斯塔一直住在水边，几乎在他刚学习走路时就学会了游泳。从河里出来，他躺在青草上，眼睛越过河流，眺望着塔什班城_城里的一切壮观、力量和光荣。但眺望也使他记起塔什班城的危险。他突然认识到，说不定正在他洗澡的时候，其他的人马已经到达坟场(“很可能不等我就走掉了”)，所以他惊惶地穿好衣服，用极大的速度赶回去，他到达坟场时又热又渴，洗澡后的凉快感觉完全没有了。      就像大部分独自等待什么事物的日子一样，这一天仿佛有百个钟头那么长。当然啦，他有许多事情要想，但独自坐在那儿，只是一个劲儿地想着，时间是过得够慢的。他想得很多的是纳尼亚人，特别是科林。他很想知道，当他们发现那躺在沙发上听到他们全部秘密计划的孩子压根儿不是科林时，会发生什么事情。想到这些个好人会把他当做奸细，心里十分不愉快。'       但当太阳慢慢地慢慢地升上中天，然后又慢慢地慢慢地向西方沉落下去的时候，沙斯塔心里愈来愈焦急不安了。当然，他现在明白了，当初他们互相约定在坟场等待，可谁也没说要等待多久。他可不能在那儿等待一辈子！不久天又要黑了，他又要像昨夜那样过一夜了！十多个不同的计划在他头脑里翻腾，全都是微不足道的计划，而他最后确定的，却是个最糟糕的计划。他决定等到天黑时跑到河边去偷西瓜，拿得了多少就偷多少，然后独自出发，凭着他早晨在沙上所挖的深沟的指示，向皮尔峰而去。这是个疯狂的主意，如果他像你一样读过沙漠旅行的书，决不会做这种梦想的。但沙斯塔压根儿没读过书。      可是，太阳落山之前，有件事情发生了。沙斯塔正坐在一个坟墓的阴影里，他抬起头来，看到两匹马正向他跑来。随后他的心猛地一跳，因为他认出这两匹马儿正是布里和赫温。但接下来的刹那间他的心又沉到脚指头上去了。没有阿拉维斯的踪影。马儿是由一个陌生人率领着的，一个衣服头当漂亮的军人，好像是一个高贵家庭里的一个高级奴隶。布里和赫温不再装扮得像是运货的驮马了，却配上了鞍座辔头，意味着什么呢?”这是个圈套，”沙斯塔心里想道，”有人逮住了阿拉维斯，也许他们折磨过她，她把整个儿事情都放弃了。他们要我跳出来，跑过去同布里说话，这就把我逮住！不过，如果我不跳出去，也许我就丧失了同其他人马聚首的惟一机会了。啊，我真希望我能知道已经发生了什么事情。”他偷偷地藏在坟墓背后，时时刻刻向外张望，心中琢磨着采取哪种行动危险最少。 
Chapter 7
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 scented the whole street with perfumes and flowers. After the litter, female slaves in beautiful clothes, and then a few grooms, 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," hissed 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 drawn 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 stuffy, 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 perfectly 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 giggles. She always had been a terrible giggler, 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 barbarian 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 brat - 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 frantic 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 luxurious bath (Calormene baths are famous) and then dressing 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. Positively ropes of pearls, I'm told. Baths of asses' 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 groom 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 giggling 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 demons 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 bridled 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 saluted. 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 conspicuous. They passed on into the Hall of Pillars and then into the Hall of Statues and down the colonnade, 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 maze of corridors lit only by occasional torches fixed 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 backwards and carrying tall candles. And of course it is only before royalties 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 desperately 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 pointed 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 tassels and talismans 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, wizened old man in whom she recognized with a shudder the new Grand Vizier and her own betrothed husband, Ahoshta Tarkaan himself.
As soon as all three had entered the room and the door was shut, the Tisroc seated himself on the divan with a sigh of contentment, the young man took his place, standing 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。
Chapter 8
IN THE HOUSE OF THE TISROC
"OH-my-father-and-oh-the-delight-of-my-eyes," began the young man, muttering the words very quickly and sulkily and not at all as if the Tisroc were the delight of his eyes. "May you live for ever, but you have utterly destroyed me. If you had given me the swiftest of the galleys at sunrise when I first saw that the ship of the accursed barbarians was gone from her place I would perhaps have overtaken them. But you persuaded me to send first and see if they had not merely moved round the point into better anchorage. And now the whole day has been wasted. And they are gone - gone - out of my reach! The false jade, the-" and here he added a great many descriptions of Queen Susan which would not look at all nice in print. For of course this young man was Prince Rabadash and of course the false jade was Susan of Narnia.
"Compose yourself, O my son," said the Tisroc. "For the departure of guests makes a wound that is easily healed in the heart of a judicious host."
"But I want her," cried the Prince. "I must have her. I shall die if I do not get her- false, proud, black-hearted daughter of a dog that she is! I cannot sleep and my food has no savour and my eyes are darkened because of her beauty. I must have the barbarian queen."
"How well it was said by a gifted poet," observed the Vizier, raising his face (in a somewhat dusty condition) from the carpet, "that deep draughts from the fountain of reason are desirable in order to extinguish the fire of youthful love."
This seemed to exasperate the Prince. "Dog," he shouted, directing a series of well-aimed kicks at the hindquarters of the Vizier, "do not dare to quote the poets to me. I have had maxims and verses flung at me all day and I can endure them no more." I am afraid Aravis did not feel at all sorry for the Vizier.
The Tisroc was apparently sunk in thought, but when, after a long pause, he noticed what was happening, he said tranquilly:
"My son, by all means desist from kicking the venerable and enlightened Vizier: for as a costly jewel retains its value even if hidden in a dung-hill, so old age and discretion are to be respected even in the vile persons of our subjects. Desist therefore, and tell us what you desire and propose."
"I desire and propose, O my father," said Rabadash, "that you immediately call out your invincible armies and invade the thrice-accursed land of Narnia and waste it with fire and sword and add it to your illimitable empire, killing their High King and all of his blood except the queen Susan. For I must have her as my wife, though she shall learn a sharp lesson first."
"Understand, O my son," said the Tisroc, "that no words you can speak will move me to open war against Narnia."
"If you were not my father, O ever-living Tisroc, " said the Prince, grinding his teeth, "I should say that was the word of a coward."
"And if you were not my son, O most inflammable Rabadash," replied his father, "your life would be short and your death slow when you had said it." (The cool, placid voice in which he spoke these words made Aravis's blood run cold.)
"But why, O my father," said the Prince - this time in a much more respectful voice, "why should we think twice about punishing Narnia any more than about hanging an idle slave or sending a worn-out horse to be made into dog'smeat? It is not the fourth size of one of your least provinces. A thousand spears could conquer it in five weeks. It is an unseemly blot on the skirts of your empire."
"Most undoubtedly," said the Tisroc. "These little barbarian countries that call themselves free (which is as much as to say, idle, disordered, and unprofitable) are hateful to the gods and to all persons of discernment."
"Then why have we suffered such a land as Narnia to remain thus long unsubdued?"
"Know, O enlightened Prince," said the Grand Vizier, "that until the year in which your exalted father began his salutary and unending reign, the land of Narnia was covered with ice and snow and was moreover ruled by a most powerful enchantress."
"This I know very well, O loquacious Vizier," answered the Prince. "But I know also that the enchantress is dead. And the ice and snow have vanished, so that Narnia is now wholesome, fruitful, and delicious."
"And this change, O most learned Prince, has doubtless been brought to pass by the powerful incantations of those wicked persons who now call themselves kings and queens of Narnia."
"I am rather of the opinion," said Rabadash, "that it has come about by the alteration of the stars and the operation of natural causes."
"All this," said the Tisroc, "is a question for the disputations of learned men. I will never believe that so great an alteration, and the killing of the old enchantress, were effected without the aid of strong magic. And such things are to be expected in that land, which is chiefly inhabited by demons in the shape of beasts that talk like men, and monsters that are half man and half beast. It is commonly reported that the High King of Narnia (whom may the gods utterly reject) is supported by a demon of hideous aspect and irresistible maleficence who appears in the shape of a Lion. Therefore the attacking of Narnia is a dark and doubtful enterprise, and I am determined not to put my hand out farther than I can draw it back."
"How blessed is Calormen," said the Vizier, popping up his face again, "on whose ruler the gods have been pleased to bestow prudence and circumspection! Yet as the irrefutable and sapient Tisroc has said it is very grievous to be constrained to keep our hands off such a dainty dish as Narnia. Gifted was that poet who said -" but at this point Ahoshta noticed an impatient movement of the Prince's toe and became suddenly silent.
"It is very grievous," said the Tisroc in his deep, quiet voice. "Every morning the sun is darkened in my eyes, and every night my sleep is the less refreshing, because I remember that Narnia is still free."
"O my father," said Rabadash. "How if I show you a way by which you can stretch out your arm to take Narnia and yet draw it back unharmed if the attempt prove unfortunate?"
"If you can show me that, O Rabadash," said the Tisroc, "you will be the best of sons."
"Hear then, 0 father. This very night and in this hour I will take but two hundred horse and ride across the desert. And it shall seem to all men that you know nothing of my going. On the second morning I shall be at the gates of King Lune's castle of Anvard in Archenland. They are at peace with us and unprepared and I shall take Anvard before they have bestirred themselves. Then I will ride through the pass above Anvard and down through Narnia to Cair Paravel. The High King will not be there; when I left them he was already preparing a raid against the giants on his northern border. I shall find Cair Paravel, most likely with open gates, and ride in. I shall exercise prudence and courtesy and spill as little Narnian blood as I can. And what then remains but to sit there till the Splendour Hyaline puts in, with Queen Susan on board, catch my strayed bird as she sets foot ashore, swing her into the saddle, and then, ride, ride, ride back to Anvard?"
"But is it not probable, O my son," said the Tisroc, "that at the taking of the woman either King Edmund or you will lose his life?"
"They will be a small company," said Rabadash, "and I will order ten of my men to disarm and bind him: restraining my vehement desire for his blood so that there shall be no deadly cause of war between you and the High King."
"And how if the Splendour Hyaline is at Cair Paravel before you?"
"I do not look for that with these winds, O my father."
"And lastly, O my resourceful son," said the Tisroc, "you have made clear how all this might give you the barbarian woman, but not how it helps me to the over-throwing of Narnia."
"O my father, can it have escaped you that though I and my horsemen will come and go through Narnia like an arrow from a bow, yet we shall have Anvard for ever? And when you hold Anvard you sit in the very gate of Narnia, and your garrison in Anvard can be increased by little and little till it is a great host."
"It is spoken with understanding and foresight. But how do I draw back my arm if all this miscarries?"
"You shall say that I, did it without your knowledge and against your will, and without your blessing, being constrained by the violence of my love and the impetuosity of youth."
"And how if the High King then demands that we send back the barbarian woman, his sister?"
"O my father, be assured that he will not. For though the fancy of a woman has rejected this marriage, the High King Peter is a man of prudence and understanding who will in no way wish to lose the high honour and advantage of being allied to our House and seeing his nephew and grand nephew on the throne of Calormen."
"He will not see that if I live for ever as is no doubt your wish," said the Tisroc in an even drier voice than usual.
"And also, O my father and O the delight of my eyes," said the Prince, after a moment of awkward silence, "we shall write letters as if from the Queen to say that she loves me and has no desire to return to Narnia. For it is well known that women are as changeable as weathercocks. And even if they do not wholly believe the letters, they will not dare to come to Tashbaan in arms to fetch her."
"O enlightened Vizier," said the Tisroc, "bestow your wisdom upon us concerning this strange proposal."
"O eternal Tisroc," answered Ahosta, "the strength of paternal affection is not unknown to me and I have often heard that sons are in the eyes of their fathers more precious than carbuncles. How then shall I dare freely to unfold to you my mind in a matter which may imperil the life of this exalted Prince?"
"Undoubtedly you will dare," replied the Tisroc.
"Because you will find that the dangers of not doing so are at least equally great."
"To hear is to obey," moaned the wretched man. "Know then, O most reasonable Tisroc, in the first place, that the danger of the Prince is not altogether so great as might appear. For the gods have withheld from the barbarians the light of discretion, as that their poetry is not, like ours, full of choice apophthegms and useful maxims, but is all of love and war. Therefore nothing will appear to them more noble and admirable than such a mad enterprise as this of ow!" For the Prince, at the word "mad", had kicked him again.
"Desist, O my son," said the Tisroc. "And you, estimable Vizier, whether he desists or not, by no means allow the flow of your eloquence to be interrupted. For nothing is more suitable to persons of gravity and decorum than to endure minor inconveniences with constancy."
"To hear is to obey," said the Vizier, wriggling himself round a little so as to get his hinder parts further away from Rabadash's toe. "Nothing, I say, will seem as pardonable, if not estimable, in their eyes as this - er - hazardous attempt, especially because it is undertaken for the love of a woman. Therefore, if the Prince by misfortune fell into their hands, they would assuredly not kill him. Nay, it may even be, that though he failed to carry off the queen, yet the sight of his great valour and of the extremity of his passion might incline her heart to him."
"That is a good point, old babbler," said Rabadash. "Very good, however it came into your ugly head."
"The praise of my masters is the light of my eyes," said Ahoshta. "And secondly, O Tisroc, whose reign must and shall be interminable, I think that with the aid of the gods it is very likely that Anvard will fall into the Prince's hands. And if so, we have Narnia by the throat."
There was a long pause and the room became so silent that the two girls hardly dared to breathe. At last the Tisroc spoke.
"Go, my son," he said. "And do as you have said. But expect no help nor countenance from me. I will not avenge you if you are killed and I will not deliver you if the barbarians cast you into prison. And if, either in success or failure, you shed a drop more than you need of Narnian noble blood and open war arises from it, my favour shall never fall upon you again and your next brother shall have your place in Calormen. Now go. Be swift, secret, and fortunate. May the strength of Tash the inexorable, the irresistible be in your sword and lance."
"To hear is to obey," cried Rabadash, and after kneeling for a moment to kiss his father's hands he rushed from the room. Greatly to the disappointment of Aravis, who was now horribly cramped, the Tisroc and Vizier remained.
"O Vizier," said the Tisroc, "is it certain that no living soul knows of this council we three have held here tonight?"
"O my master," said Ahoshta, "it is not possible that any should know. For that very reason I proposed, and you in your wisdom agreed, that we should meet here in the Old Palace where no council is ever held and none of the household has any occasion to come."
"It is well," said the Tisroc. "If any man knew, I would see to it that he died before an hour had passed. And do you also, O prudent Vizier, forget it. I sponge away from my own heart and from yours all knowledge of the Prince's plans. He is gone without my knowledge or my consent, I know not whither, because of his violence and the rash and disobedient disposition of youth. No man will be more astonished than you and I to hear that Anvard is in his hands."
"To hear is to obey," said Ahoshta.
"That is why you will never think even in your secret heart that I am the hardest hearted of fathers who thus send my first-born son on an errand so likely to be his death; pleasing as it must be to you who do not love the Prince. For 1 see into the bottom of your mind."
"O impeccable Tisroc," said the Vizier. "In comparison with you I love neither the Prince nor my own life nor bread nor water nor the light of the sun."
"Your sentiments," said the Tisroc, "are elevated and correct. I also love none of these things in comparison with the glory and strength of my throne. If the Prince succeeds, we have Archenland, and perhaps hereafter Narnia. If he fails - I have eighteen other sons and Rabadash, after the manner of the eldest sons of kings, was beginning to be dangerous. More than five Tisrocs in Tashbaan have died before their time because their eldest sons, enlightened princes, grew tired of waiting for their throne. He had better cool his blood abroad than boil it in inaction here. And now, O excellent Vizier, the excess of my paternal anxiety inclines me to sleep. Command the musicians to my chamber. But before you lie down, call back the pardon we wrote for the third cook. I feel within me the manifest prognostics of indigestion."
"To hear is to obey," said the Grand Vizier. He crawled backwards on all fours to the door, rose, bowed, and went out. Even then the Tisroc remained seated in silence on the divan till Aravis almost began to be afraid that he had dropped asleep. But at last with a great creaking and sighing he heaved up his enormous body, signed to the slaves to precede him with the lights, and went out. The door closed behind him, the room was once more totally dark, and the two girls could breathe freely again.八、在蒂斯罗克的密室里      “啊——我的父亲，我——眼睛——中——的——喜悦，”年轻人开言道，咕咕哝哝，吐字很快，很不开心，压根儿不像他所说的蒂斯罗克是他眼中的喜悦。”愿你万寿无疆，但你已经把我完全毁了。如果你在日出时给了我最快的单层甲板大帆船，如果我最初看见那该死的外邦人的船开出去时就追的话，说不定已经追上他们了。可是你劝我先送行，瞧瞧他们是否只是绕着海呻找个更好的碇泊所。如今整整一天已经浪费了。而他们走掉了——走掉了——走得我们追不上了！那个虚假的女人，那个……”他在这儿还加了许多对女王苏珊的形容词，如果印出来，就压根儿不雅观了。因为，这个年轻人当然是王子拉巴达什，那个虚假的女人当然是纳尼亚的苏珊。      “我的儿子啊，把你的情绪镇静下来，”蒂斯罗克说道，”因为，客人的离去所造成的创伤，在一个明智的主人的心里是容易治好的。”      “可是我要她，”王子大声嚷嚷道，”我必须占有她。如果我弄不到她，我就要死了。她是一只老狗的虚伪的、骄傲的、黑心肠的女儿。我没法睡觉，我吃东西不香，没有滋味，由于她的美丽，我的眼睛都发黑了。我一定要把这外邦的女王弄到手。”       “一位天才诗人说得好，”首相说道，从地毯上抬起他那满是灰尘的脸，”为了消灭年轻的爱情之火，从理智的泉水深饮几口是合乎需要的。”      这话似乎激怒了王子。”狗东西，”他吼道，一连几脚对准首相的展股踢去，”别对我放肆引证诗人的话。整天都有格言和诗句向我扔过来，我再也忍受不了啦！”我想，阿拉维斯恐怕压根儿不为大臣感到难过。      蒂斯罗克显然陷入了沉思，但过了半晌，当他注意到正发生什么事情时，他平静地答道：      “我的儿子，无论如何，别再踢年高德劭和博学开明的大臣了；正如昂贵的珠宝，即使藏在粪堆里，也仍旧保持它的价值，所以老年和谨慎都是该尊敬的，即使它们存在于我们臣民中微不足道的人身上。因此，别再踢了，把你的愿望和建议告诉我们吧。”      “我的父亲啊，我的愿望和建议是，”拉巴达什说，”你立刻召集你那战无不胜的军队，入侵纳尼亚这万分该死的土地，用火和剑扫荡这个国家，把它吞并到你无限的帝国里来，杀掉它的至尊王以及他的王族，只放过女王苏珊一人口因为我一定要娶她做我的妻子，尽管她得先领教一下辛辣的教训！。”       “我的儿子啊，明白了，”蒂斯罗克说道，”你说的话怂恿不了我公开同纳尼亚作战。”      “万寿无疆的蒂斯罗克啊，如果你不是我的父亲，”王子咬牙切齿地说道，”我就会说这是懦夫的言语。”      “最容易激动的拉巴达什啊，如果你不是我的儿子，”他的父亲答道，”当你说这话时，你就会短寿促命，而你的死亡将会是缓慢的。”(他说这些话时所用的冷冰冰的平静声调使阿拉维斯毛骨悚然。      “我的父亲啊，可是为什么，”王子说道，这回用的是尊敬得多的声调了，”为什么关于惩罚纳尼亚王国的事，我们要再三考虑呢?这件事跟绞死一个游手好闲的奴隶或是把筋疲力尽的老马送去充作狗食一样不必多加思考。这个国家还赶不上你最小的省四分之一的面积。上千枝长矛，不出五个星期，就能把它征服了。这是你帝国边境上的一个不相宜的污点。”      “毫无疑问之至，”蒂斯罗克说道，”这些个小小的外邦国家自称是自由的(这等于说，游手好闲，目无秩序，无利无益)，嫌恶神灵和一切明眼人。”      “那么我们为什么容忍像纳尼亚这样一个国家继续存在下去，长期不去征服它呢?”      “开明的王子啊，要知道，”首相说，”在你高贵的父亲开始他有效而永恒的统治那一年之前，纳尼亚的国土上到处都是冰雪，而且是由一个最强有力的女巫统治着的。”      “饶舌的首相啊，这个我知道得很清楚了，”王子答道，”可我也知道女巫死了，冰雪消失了，所以纳尼亚王国现在清新健康，水果遍地，美味可口。”      “最有学问的王子啊，这个变化，无疑是那些坏人强有力的魔法造成的，他们还自称为纳尼亚的国王和女王哩。”      “我倒是有这样的看法，”拉巴达什说道，”这种变化是由于星宿的改变和自然界的作用造成的。”      “这一切，”蒂斯罗克说道，”是个由有学问的人们来争论的问题。我永远不会相信，这样大的变化，杀死老女巫等等，没有强大魔法的帮助，就会马到成功。这样的魔术妖法，在那个国土上是可以指望得到的，那儿主要住着魔鬼(外形是野兽，却像人一样说话)，还有半人半兽的妖怪。通常的报告都说，纳尼亚的至尊王(愿众神都抛弃他)是由一个恶魔给他撑腰的。那恶魔外貌丑陋，其罪恶行径不可抗拒，出现时化身为一头狮子。因此，攻打纳尼亚是一种凶险而可疑的冒险举动，我决心不要弄到手伸了出去却缩不回来的地步。”       “卡乐门王国真是有福气，”首相重新抬起头来，说道，      “神灵乐于将谨慎小心和周密思虑赋予它的国王！然而，正如无可辩驳、足智多谋的蒂斯罗克已经说过的，被迫对纳尼亚这样的美餐迟迟不下手，倒是十分令人痛惜的。天才诗人说……”但讲到这儿时，阿霍什塔注意到了王子的脚趾不耐烦的动作，他就突然默不作声了。       “这是十分令人痛惜的，”蒂斯罗克用他那深沉而平静的声调说道，”每天早晨，太阳在我的眼睛里是发黑的，每天夜间，我的睡眠总是不大能使我醒来时神清气爽，因为我总是念念不忘纳尼亚王国仍旧是自由的。”       “我的父亲啊，”拉巴达什说道，”我给你想个办法怎么样?凭着这办法，你可以伸出手去攫取纳尼亚，万一不顺利，还可以不受伤害地把于缩回来。”      “啊，拉巴达什，如果能替我想出这个办法来，”蒂斯罗克说道，”你就是我最好的儿子了。”      “父亲啊，你听着。就在今天夜里，眼前这个时辰里，我要率领仅仅二百人马穿过沙漠。事情要做得大家都认为你压根儿不知道我的行动。第二天早晨，我就到了阿钦兰的安瓦德，国王伦恩的堡垒的大门口。他们是同我们和平共处的，也是毫无准备的，我在他们有所动作以前，就把安瓦德占领了。然后我要放马驰过安瓦德上边的关隘，长驱直入纳尼亚，到达凯尔帕拉维尔。至尊王不会在那儿；我离开他们时，他已经在准备袭击北方边界上的巨人。很可能我会看到凯尔帕拉维尔城门大开，我将纵马入城，我将谨慎从事，彬彬有礼，尽我所能叫纳尼亚人少流点儿血。剩下来的事只不过是坐待'灿烂晶莹'号进港了，而女王苏珊就在船上，当她的脚一踏上陆地，我就立刻逮住我那走失的鸟儿，把她甩到马鞍上，然后我就纵马奔驰，奔驰，奔回安瓦德。”       “然而，我的儿子啊，很有可能，”蒂斯罗克说，”在抢走这女人时，不是国王爱德蒙，便是你，要丢掉性命，不是吗?”      “他们是个小小连队，”拉巴达什说道，”我会命令我手下的十个士兵解除他的武装，把他捆绑起来我会克制暴烈的想叫他流血的欲望，这样，你和至尊王之间就不会有不共戴天的非战不可的因由了。”      “如果'灿烂晶莹'号比你先到达凯尔帕拉维尔，那又怎么办呢?”      “父亲啊，按照风的情况，我看这船早到不了。”      “我的足智多谋的儿子啊，最后一个问题是，”蒂斯罗克说”你已经讲清楚了，这一切行动将如何给你搞到那个女人，可如何帮助我战胜纳尼亚王国，你并没有讲清楚啊。      “我的父亲啊，这可逃不过你的眼睛:尽管我和我的入马，像一支从弓上射出的箭，在纳尼亚境内飞速来去，然而我们将永远占领安瓦德。占领了安瓦德，你就是稳坐在纳尼亚的大门口了，你的守卫部队可以逐渐增加，形成巨大的优势。”       “说得很有眼光和见地。然而，如果这一切都失算和失败了，我怎样缩回我那伸出去的手臂呢?”      “你可以说是我擅自干的，你毫不知情，也违背了你的心愿，并没有得到你的批准，是强烈的爱情和年少气盛把我逼到这个地步的。”      “如果至尊王那时要求我们把那个外邦女人，他的摘亲妹妹送回去，又怎么办呢?”      “我的父亲啊，管保他不会提这种要求的。虽然女人的幻想曾拒绝这桩婚姻，但至尊王彼得是个谨慎而又明白事理的人，他是无论如何不肯丧失同我们这种王室联姻的光荣和利益的，他还要看到他的外甥和外孙坐上卡乐门的王位哩。”       “如果我真的万寿无疆(正如你毫无疑问地愿望的那样)，他就看不到这种局面了。”蒂斯罗克用一种甚至比平常还要干巴巴的语调说道。      “我的父亲，我眼中的喜悦，还有，”经过了片刻尴尬的沉默以后，王子说道，”我们要写信去仿佛是女王说她爱我，不想回纳尼亚了。因为，大家都知道的，女人善变，像风信鸡随风变换方向一样。哪怕他们并不完全相信这些信件，他们也不敢武装来到塔什班城，夺她回去。”      “开明多智的首相啊，”蒂斯罗克说道，”对于这个新奇的建议，请发表高见指教吧。”      “蒂斯罗克万万岁，”阿霍什塔答道，”古氏镇情深的力量，我不是不知道的，我时常听说，儿子在父亲的眼睛里看来，比红宝石还要珍贵。对于这件也许会危害这位意气风发的王子的生命的大事，我怎么敢放肆地向你陈述我的愚见呢?”      “毫无疑问你会敢于陈述的，”蒂斯罗克答道，”因为，你会发现:不这么干危险至少是同样巨大的。”      “听到命令，就遵命照办。”为难的首相呜呜咽咽地说道，”最最通情达理的蒂斯罗克啊，那么，第一，须知王子的危险并不像看起来那么大。因为神灵没有赐给外邦人谨慎小心之光，他们的诗歌不像我们的诗歌那样充满精美的箴言和有用的格言，却全是讴歌爱情和战争的。因此，在他们看来，啥也不及像这样疯狂的冒险更加崇高更加令人钦佩的了——唷”因为王子听到疯狂两字时又踢他了。       “我的儿子啊，别踢，”蒂斯罗克说，”而你，值得尊重的首相，不论他踢不踢你，无论如何也不要中断你滔滔不绝的议论。因为，对于庄严而彬彬有礼的人，以坚定不变的态度忍受小小的不方便，是再合适也没有的了。”      “听到命令，就遵命照办。”首相说道；他扭动着，把自己的身体缩得圆一点儿，使屁股离拉巴达什的脚趾远一点儿。”像这样的冒险行动，特别是为了对一个女人的爱情而采取这样的行动，在他们的眼睛里看来，如果不是值得尊敬的，也似乎是可以原谅的。所以，如果王子不幸落到他们手里，管保他们不会杀死他的。不，说不定甚至会出现这种情况尽管他想抢走女王是失败了，然而看到了他伟大的英勇气概和登峰造极的热情，女王可能倾心于他。”      “这倒是个好观点，你这唠唠叨叨的老头儿，”拉巴达什说道，”十分高明的观点毕竟进入了你那丑陋的头脑。”      “明主的称赞就是眼睛里的光明，”阿霍什塔说道，”蒂斯罗克啊，你的统治是没有止境的，其次，得到众神的帮助，安瓦德落到王子手中是十分可能的。果然如此的话，我们就扼住了纳尼亚的咽喉。”       讨论出现了长时间的停顿，房间里变得那么寂静，以致两个姑娘都不敢呼吸了。最后蒂斯罗克终于说话了。      “去吧，我的儿子，”他说道，”按照你所说的计划去干吧。然而，别指望我给你支援和鼓励。如果你被杀害了，我不会替你报仇雪恨，如果外邦人把你关进监狱，我也不会营救你。而且，不论成败，如果你超过必要性而多流了一滴纳尼亚人的血，因此引起两国公开的战争，我的宠爱将永远不再落到你的身上，你的大弟弟将取代你在卡乐门的地位。现在你去吧。要干得迅速、秘密、顺利。愿坚定不屈、不可抗拒的塔什神的力量，附在你的刀剑和长矛上。”       “听到命令，就遵命照办。”拉巴达什大声说道，他跪下来吻一会儿他父亲的双手，之后便冲出房间去了。阿拉维斯现在是被可怕地束缚住了，使她大为失望的是，蒂斯罗克和大臣竟留下不走。      “大臣啊，”蒂斯罗克问道，”今夜我们三个人在这里举行的会议，你可以肯定没有一个活人知道吗?”      “我的圣上啊，”阿霍什塔答道，”不可能有什么人会知道的。出于这个理由，我建议，并且由一贯正确的圣上批准，我们应在老王宫这个房间里开会，以前这儿从未开过会，家庭里也没有任何人有什么机会来过这儿。”"       “这就妥了，”蒂斯罗克说，”如果有什么人知道了，务必叫他在一个钟头之内死去。谨慎的大臣啊，你也得把它忘掉。我从我的心里，也从你的心里，把我们所知道的王子的计划，统统消灭干净了。他去了，可我不知道，也没有得到我的同意，我也不知道他到哪儿去了，这都是由于他年少气盛，狂暴，鲁莽，不听话。至于听说安瓦德落到了他手里，没有人将比你和我更感到惊讶。”       “听到命令，就遵命照办。”阿霍什塔说道。      “那就是为什么你(即使在你最秘密的内心)也永远不会想到我是父亲中心肠最硬的，竟派我的长子去完成一个几乎等于叫他去送死的使命，我这么做必定使你感到高兴，你可并不爱王子啊。因为我看到了你的内心深处。”      “毫无瑕疵的蒂斯罗克啊，”大臣说道，”同圣上相比，我既不爱王子，也不爱我自己的生命，也不爱面包、水和阳光。”      “你的情操，”蒂斯罗克说道，”是高尚而正确的。同王位的光荣和威力相比，这些个东西我也一点儿不爱。如果王子成功了，我们就占领了阿钦兰，也许以后还要占领纳尼亚。如果他失败了，我还有十八个儿子；而拉巴达什呢，为人处世依照国王长子的老作风，正在开始变得危险起来了。塔什班城里有五个以上的蒂斯罗克，都已早死，未能享受他们的天年，因为他们的长子，开明的王子，都变得对王位迫不及待了。他在国外使自己的血液冷静下来，较之在国内无所事事而弄得血液沸腾要好得多。啊，杰出的首相，作为父亲，过分的焦虑使我累得想睡觉了。请嘱咐乐师们到我的寝宫里来吧。但躺下之前，要把我们写给第三个厨子的赦罪书追回来。我感觉到我肚子里有明显的消化不良症候。”       “听到命令，就遵命照办。”首相说道。他双手双足着地，倒退着爬行到房门口，这才站起身来，鞠躬如也，退出去了。即使在这个时候，蒂斯罗克也仍旧默默地坐在长沙发上，一直坐到阿拉维斯开始担心他说不定已经沉沉入睡。但最后，随着一阵吱吱嘎嘎的声音和一声叹息，他抬起他庞大的躯体，做手势叫奴隶掌着烛火走在他前面。然后他就走出去了。房门在他背后砰地关上，房间里再一次漆黑一团，两个姑娘倒能够重新自由呼吸了。
Chapter 9
ACROSS THE DESERT
"Hove dreadful! How perfectly 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?" squeaked 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 decided it was no occasion for mercy.
"Look here!" she said, catching 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 descended, 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 cypress 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 hideous grovelling 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 hooting of an owl. "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 ashore 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 quailed. 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 groom.
"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 remarkable 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.
"Treacherous hounds!" said Bree, shaking his mane and stamping with his hoof. "An attack in time of peace, without defiance 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 drawn 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 galloping for a day and a night, like in stories, can't really be done. It must be walk and trot: but brisk trots 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 delightful. 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 hoofs 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 squeak of the leather, the jingle 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 streak 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 gasped. "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 prim. 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 tinkling 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 spoke. The Horses were flecked with foam 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 Raven 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, miserable 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 hummocks 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 stuffiness between the rocky walls and less moonlight. The slope continued steeply downwards 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 prick your fingers. Soon the horse-hoofs were falling on pebbles 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 trickle of water through softer and better grass. And the trickle became a brook, 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 doze, suddenly realized that Bree had stopped and found himself slipping off. Before them a little cataract 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 plunged 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 shrubs hidden in that shadowy undergrowth for the whole glade was full of the coolest and most delicious smells. And out of the darkest recess 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 oasis 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 bridle 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 moss 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
Chapter 10
THE HERMIT OF THE SOUTHERN MARCH
AFTER they had ridden for several hours down the valley, it widened out and they could see what was ahead of them. The river which they had been following here joined a broader river, wide and turbulent, which flowed from their left to their right, towards the east. Beyond this new river a delightful country rose gently in low hills, ridge beyond ridge, to the Northern Mountains themselves. To the right there were rocky pinnacles, one or two of them with snow clinging to the ledges. To the left, pine-clad slopes, frowning cliffs, narrow gorges, and blue peaks stretched away as far as the eye could reach. He could no longer make out Mount Pire. Straight ahead the mountain range sank to a wooded saddle which of course must be the pass from Archenland into Narnia.
"Broo-hoo-hoo, the North, the green North!" neighed Bree: and certainly the lower hills looked greener and fresher than anything that Aravis and Shasta, with their southern-bred eyes, had ever imagined. Spirits rose as they clattered down to the water's-meet of the two rivers.
The eastern-flowing river, which was pouring from the higher mountains at the western end of the range, was far too swift and too broken with rapids for them to think of swimming it; but after some casting about, up and down the bank, they found a place shallow enough to wade. The roar and clatter of water, the great swirl against the horses' fetlocks, the cool, stirring air and the darting dragon-flies, filled Shasta with a strange excitement.
"Friends, we are in Archenland!" said Bree proudly as he splashed and churned his way out on the Northern bank. "I think that river we've just crossed is called the Winding Arrow."
"I hope we're in time," murmured Hwin.
Then they began going up, slowly and zigzagging a good deal, for the hills were steep. It was all open park-like country with no roads or houses in sight. Scattered trees, never thick enough to be a forest, were everywhere. Shasta, who had lived all his life in an almost tree-less grassland, had never seen so many or so many kinds. If you had been there you would probably have known (he didn't) that he was seeing oaks, beeches, silver birches, rowans, and sweet chestnuts. Rabbits scurried away in every direction as they advanced, and presently they saw a whole herd of fallow deer making off among the trees.
"Isn't it simply glorious!" said Aravis.
At the first ridge Shasta turned in the saddle and looked back. There was no sign of Tashbaan; the desert, unbroken except by the narrow green crack which they had travelled down, spread to the horizon.
"Hullo!" he said suddenly. "What's that!"
"What's what?" said Bree, turning round. Hwin and Aravis did the same.
"That," said Shasta, pointing. "It looks like smoke. Is it a fire?"
"Sand-storm, I should say," said Bree.
"Not much wind to raise it," said Aravis.
"Oh!" exclaimed Hwin. "Look! There are things flashing in it. Look! They're helmets - and armour. And it's moving: moving this way."
"By Tash!" said Aravis. "It's the army. It's Rabadash."
"Oh course it is," said Hwin. "Just what I was afraid of. Quick! We must get to Anvard before it." And without another word she whisked round and began galloping North. Bree tossed his head and did the same.
"Come on, Bree, come on," yelled Aravis over her shoulder.
The race was very gruelling for the Horses. As they topped each ridge they found another valley and another ridge beyond it; and though they knew they were going in more or less the right direction, no one knew how far it was to Anvard. From the top of the second ridge Shasta looked back again. Instead of a dust-cloud well out in the desert he now saw a black, moving mass, rather like ants, on the far bank of the Winding Arrow. They were doubtless looking for a ford.
"They're on the river!" he yelled wildly.
"Quick! Quick!" shouted Aravis. "We might as well not have come at all if we don't reach Anvard in time. Gallop, Bree, gallop. Remember you're a war-horse."
It was all Shasta could do to prevent himself from shouting out similar instructions; but he thought, "The poor chap's doing all he can already," and held his tongue. And certainly both Horses were doing, if not all they could, all they thought they could; which is not quite the same thing. Bree had caught up with Hwin and they thundered side by side over the turf. It didn't look as if Hwin could possibly keep it up much longer.
At that moment everyone's feelings were completely altered by a sound from behind. It was not the sound they had been expecting to hear - the noise of hoofs and jingling armour, mixed, perhaps, with Calormene battle-cries. Yet Shasta knew it at once. It was the same snarling roar he had heard that moonlit night when they first met Aravis and Hwin. Bree knew it too. His eyes gleamed red and his ears lay flat back on his skull. And Bree now discovered that he had not really been going as fast - not quite as fast - as he could. Shasta felt the change at once. Now they were really going all out. In a few seconds they were well ahead of Hwin.
"It's not fair," thought Shasta. "I did think we'd be safe from lions here!"
He looked over his shoulder. Everything was only too clear. A huge tawny creature, its body low to the ground, like a cat streaking across the lawn to a tree when a strange dog has got into the garden, was behind them. And it was nearer every second and half second.
He looked forward again and saw something which he did not take in, or even think about. Their way was barred by a smooth green wall about ten feet high. In the middle of that wall there was a gate, open. In the middle of the gateway stood a tall man dressed, down to his bare feet, in a robe coloured like autumn leaves, leaning on a straight staff. His beard fell almost to his knees.
Shasta saw all this in a glance and looked back again. The lion had almost got Hwin now. It was making snaps at her hind legs, and there was no hope now in her foamflecked, wide-eyed face.
"Stop," bellowed Shasta in Bree's ear. "Must go back. Must help!"
Bree always said afterwards that he never heard, or never understood this; and as he was in general a very truthful horse we must accept his word.
Shasta slipped his feet out of the stirrups, slid both his legs over the left side, hesitated for one hideous hundredth of a second, and jumped. It hurt horribly and nearly winded him; but before he knew how it hurt him he was staggering back to help Aravis. He had never done anything like this in his life before and hardly knew why he was doing it now.
One of the most terrible noises in the world, a horse's scream, broke from Hwin's lips. Aravis was stooping low over Hwin's neck and seemed to be trying to draw her sword. And now all three - Aravis, Hwin, and the lion were almost on top of Shasta. Before they reached him the lion rose on its hind legs, larger than you would have believed a lion could be, and jabbed at Aravis with its right paw. Shasta could see all the terrible claws extended. Aravis screamed and reeled in the saddle. The lion was tearing her shoulders. Shasta, half mad with horror, managed to lurch towards the brute. He had no weapon, not even a stick or a stone. He shouted out, idiotically, at the lion as one would at a dog. "Go home! Go home!" For a fraction of a second he was staring right into its wideopened, raging mouth. Then, to his utter astonishment, the lion, still on its hind legs, checked itself suddenly, turned head over heels, picked itself up, and rushed away.
Shasta did not for a moment suppose it had gone for good. He turned and raced for the gate in the green wall which, now for the first time, he remembered seeing. Hwin, stumbling and nearly fainting, was just entering the gate: Aravis still kept her seat but her back was covered with blood.
"Come in, my daughter, come in," the robed and bearded man was saying, and then "Come in, my son" as Shasta panted up to him. He heard the gate closed behind him; and the bearded stranger was already helping Aravis off her horse.
They were in a wide and perfectly circular enclosure, protected by a high wall of green turf. A pool of perfectly still water, so full that the water was almost exactly level with the ground, lay before him. At one end of the pool, completely overshadowing it with its branches, there grew the hugest and most beautiful tree that Shasta had ever seen. Beyond the pool was a little low house of stone roofed with deep and ancient thatch. There was a sound of bleating and over at the far side of the enclosure there were some goats. The level ground was completely covered with the finest grass.
"Are - are - are you," panted Shasta. "Are you King Lune of Archenland?"
The old man shook his head. "No," he replied in a quiet voice, "I am the Hermit of the Southern March. And now, my son, waste no time on questions, but obey. This damsel is wounded. Your horses are spent. Rabadash is at this moment finding a ford over the Winding Arrow. If you run now, without a moment's rest, you will still be in time to warn King Lune."
Shasta's heart fainted at these words for he felt he had no strength left. And he writhed inside at what seemed the cruelty and unfairness of the demand. He had not yet learned that if you do one good deed your reward usually is to be set to do another and harder and better one. But all he said out loud was:
"Where is the King?"
The Hermit turned and pointed with his staff. "Look," he said. "There is another gate, right opposite to the one you entered by. Open it and go straight ahead: always straight ahead, over level or steep, over smooth or rough, over dry or wet. I know by my art that you will find King Lune straight ahead. But run, run: always run."
Shasta nodded his head, ran to the northern gate and disappeared beyond it. Then the Hermit took Aravis, whom he had all this time been supporting with his left arm, and half led, half carried her into the house. After a long time he came out again.
"Now, cousins," he said to the Horses. "It is your turn."
Without waiting for an answer - and indeed they were too exhausted to speak - he took the bridles and saddles off both of them. Then he rubbed them both down, so well that a groom in a King's stable could not have done it better.
"There, cousins," he said, "dismiss it all from your minds and be comforted. Here is water and there is grass. You shall have a hot mash when I have milked my other cousins, the goats."
"Sir," said Hwin, finding her voice at last, "will the Tarkheena live? Has the lion killed her?"
"I who know many present things by my art," replied the Hermit with a smile, "have yet little knowledge of things future. Therefore I do not know whether any man or woman or beast in the whole world will be alive when the sun sets tonight. But be of good hope. The damsel is likely to live as long as any of her age."
When Aravis came to herself she found that she was lying on her face on a low bed of extraordinary softness in a cool, bare room with walls of undressed stone. She couldn't understand why she had been laid on her face; but when she tried to turn and felt the hot, burning pains all over her back, she remembered, and realized why. She couldn't understand what delightfully springy stuff the bed was made of, because it was made of heather (which is the best bedding) and heather was a thing she had never seen or heard of.
The door opened and the Hermit entered, carrying a large wooden bowl in his hand. After carefully setting this down, he came to the bedside, and asked:
"How do you find yourself, my daughter?"
"My back is very sore, father," said Aravis, "but there is nothing else wrong with me."
He knelt beside her, laid his hand on her forehead, and felt her pulse.
"There is no fever," he said. "You will do well. Indeed there is no reason why you should not get up tomorrow. But now, drink this."
He fetched the wooden bowl and held it to her lips. Aravis couldn't help making a face when she tasted it, for goats' milk is rather a shock when you are not used to it. But she was very thirsty and managed to drink it all and felt better when she had finished.
"Now, my daughter, you may sleep when you wish," said the Hermit. "For your wounds are washed and dressed and though they smart they are no more serious than if they had been the cuts of a whip. It must have been a very strange lion; for instead-of catching you out of the saddle and getting his teeth into you, he has only drawn his claws across your back. Ten scratches: sore, but not deep or dangerous."
"I say!" said Aravis. "I have had luck."
"Daughter," said the Hermit, "I have now lived a hundred and nine winters in this world and have never yet met any such thing as Luck. Them is something about all this that I do not understand: but if ever we need to know it, you may be sure that we shall."
"And what about Rabadash and his two hundred horse?" asked Aravis.
"They will not pass this way, I think," said the Hermit. "They must have found a ford by now well to the east of us. From there they will try to ride straight to Anvard."
"Poor Shasta!" said Aravis. "Has he far to go? Will he get there first?"
"There is good hope of it," said the old man.
Aravis lay down again (on her side this time) and said, "Have I been asleep for a long time? It seems to be getting dark."
The Hermit was looking out of the only window, which faced north. "This is not the darkness of night," he said presently. "The clouds are falling down from Stormness Head. Our foul weather always comes from there in these parts. There will be thick fog tonight."
Next day, except for her sore back, Aravis felt so well that after breakfast (which was porridge and cream) the Hermit said she could get up. And of course she at once went out to speak to the Horses. The weather had changed and the whole of that green enclosure was filled, like a great green cup, with sunlight. It was a very peaceful place, lonely and quiet.
Hwin at once trotted across to Aravis and gave her a horse-kiss.
"But where's Bree?" said Aravis when each had asked after the other's health and sleep.
"Over there," said Hwin, pointing with her nose to the far side of the circle. "And I wish you'd come and talk to him. There's something wrong, I can't get a word out of him."
They strolled across and found Bree lying with his face towards the wall, and though he must have heard them coming, he never turned his head or spoke a word.
"Good morning, Bree," said Aravis. "How are you this morning?"
Bree muttered something that no one could hear.
"The Hermit says that Shasta probably got to King Lune in time," continued Aravis, "so it looks as if all our troubles are over. Narnia, at last, Bree!"
"I shall never see Narnia," said Bree in a low voice.
"Aren't you well, Bree dear?" said Aravis.
Bree turned round at last, his face mournful as only a horse's can be.
"I shall go back to Calormen," he said.
"What?" said Aravis. "Back to slavery!"
"Yes," said Bree. "Slavery is all I'm fit for. How can I ever show my face among the free Horses of Narnia? - I who left a mare and a girl and a boy to be eaten by lions while I galloped all I could to save my own wretched skin!"
"We all ran as hard as we could," said Hwin.
"Shasta didn't!" snorted Bree. "At least he ran in the right direction: ran back. And that is what shames me most of all. I, who called myself a war-horse and boasted of a hundred fights, to be beaten by a little human boy - a child, a mere foal, who had never held a sword nor had any good nurture or example in his life!"
"I know," said Aravis. "I felt just the same. Shasta was marvellous. I'm just as bad as you, Bree. I've been snubbing him and looking down on him ever since you met us and now he turns out to be the best of us all. But I think it would be better to stay and say we're sorry than to go back to Calormen."
"It's all very well for you," said Bree. "You haven't disgraced yourself. But I've lost everything."
"My good Horse," said the Hermit, who had approached them unnoticed because his bare feet made so little noise on that sweet, dewy grass. "My good Horse, you've lost nothing but your self-conceit. No, no, cousin. Don't put back your ears and shake your mane at me. If you are really so humbled as you sounded a minute ago, you must learn to listen to sense. You're not quite the great Horse you had come to think, from living among poor dumb horses. Of course you were braver and cleverer than them. You could hardly help being that. It doesn't follow that you'll be anyone very special in Narnia. But as long as you know you're nobody special, you'll be a very decent sort of Horse, on the whole, and taking one thing with another. And now, if you and my other four-footed cousin will come round to the kitchen door we'll see about the other half of that mash."      十、南征隐士      他们在山谷里骑马驰骋了几个钟头之后，山谷豁然开阔，他们看得见前边的景物了。他们沿着它一路走过来的那条河流，在这儿跟一条更宽阔的汹涌大河相汇合，大河从他们的左边流向右边，往东奔腾而去。这新的大河后面，绵亘着一个美丽宜人的国度，山丘逐渐增高，山脊外还有山脊，直连接到北方群山。右边有几个塔状尖岩，其中两三个的突出部分还积着雪。左边是松树密布的山坡，颦眉蹙额的峭壁，狭窄的山谷，蔚蓝的山峰，一直伸展到极目可见之处。他们再也认不出皮尔峰了。在笔直的正前方，山脉凹了下去，形成一个林木森然的马鞍，这地方必定是由阿钦兰进入纳尼亚的关隘。      “布罗——嗬嗬，北方，绿色的北方。”布里嘶呜道。阿拉维斯和沙斯塔的眼睛都是在南方培养起来的，所以低矮小山显得比他们生平所想像的任何东西都更加苍翠、更加鲜嫩了。当他们哗啦哗啦走到两条河的交汇处时，他们来劲了。      向东流去的大河是从西端的高山上倾泻而下的，奔腾得太快，被湍滩打断之处太多，他们不敢游过去，在岸上来来回回几番焦急地寻找，终于找到一个浅浅的可以涉水而过的地方。哗啦哗啦的水声，冲在马蹄茸毛上的旋涡，清凉、动荡的空气，飞来飞去的蜻蜓，都使沙斯塔心里充满了新奇的激动之情。      “朋友们，咱们进入阿钦兰了！”布里溅泼着水、摇摇晃晃爬上北岸时，自豪地说道，”我想我们刚才渡过的河流叫做旋箭河。”      “我希望我们及时赶到了。”赫温喃喃说道。      于是他们开始攀登而上，走得很慢，曲曲折折，因为小山很陡。这是空旷的、公园似的乡野，看不见道路和房子。疏疏朗朗的树木到处都是，可总是没有密集到蔚然成林的。沙斯塔一向住在一个几乎没有树木的草原上，从未看见过这么多的树，这么多各种各样的树，如果你也在那儿，你就可能知道(他可不知道)，他正瞧见橡树、山毛棒、白桦、花楸、栗子树哩。他们前进时，野兔向四面八方乱窜，不久他们又看见一大群黄棕色黄占鹿从林木之间逃逸而去。       “这真是美丽极了！”阿拉维斯说。      走到第一个山脊上，沙斯塔在马鞍上转过身来回头望去，塔什班城已经无影无踪了；茫茫大沙漠一直绵延到天边上，惟一隔断沙漠的，就是刚才他们走过来的那狭狭的一道苍翠裂痕而已。      “喂！”他突然说道，”那是什么呀?”      “什么?”布里说道，它转过身来瞧瞧。赫温和阿拉维斯同样转过身来。      “那个，”沙斯塔用手指点着，说道，”它看上去像一团烟。是一场大火吗?”      “据我看来，是沙暴。”布里说。      “风不大，扬不起沙暴。”阿拉维斯说。      “啊！”赫温叫道，”瞧！其中有东西在闪闪发光。瞧！是钢盔——盔甲。而且它在运动向这边运动。”      “塔什神啊！”阿拉维斯说道，”这是军队。这是拉巴达什。”      “当然是拉巴达什的军队，”赫温说，”这正是我所担心的事。快！我们必须比军队先赶到安瓦德。”赫温二话不说，转过身来，开始向北驰骋。布里晃晃脑袋，同样向北奔驰而去。      “赶上来吧，布里，赶上来吧。”阿拉维斯回头叫唤道。      对马儿来说，这是一场极度紧张的竞赛。它们到每个山脊的顶上时，总是发现前面还有山谷或山脊，虽然它们知道自己走的是大致正确的方向，却不知道离安瓦德还有多远。沙斯塔在第二个山脊上回头望去，现在看到的不是从大沙漠里冒起来的一股尘烟，而是一团黑魁魁的东西，倒有点儿像蚂蚁，正在叫做”盘旋的箭”的河岸上蠕动。毫无疑问，他们是在寻找可以涉水而过的地方。      “他们到河边上了！”他疯狂地叫喊道。      “快！快！”阿拉维斯大声喊道，”如果我们不是及时赶到安瓦德，我们就等于压根儿没有来。快跑，布里，快跑。记住了，你是战马啊。”      沙斯塔能做的，只有克制自己，不要叫出类似的指示，他心里想”这可怜的家伙已经把它所有的力气都使出来了。”但他没有说出口来。而这两匹马儿，如果不是竭尽全力，也都自以为竭尽全力了——这两者可不是一回事。布里已经追上赫温，它们并驾齐驱地隆隆驰过草根土。看来赫温不可能这样坚持多久了。      就在这关键时刻，大家的感觉都被背后的吼声完全改变了。这不是他们意料中的声音——马蹄嘚嘚声和盔甲丁当声，或者还夹杂着卡乐门人挑战的呐喊声。然而沙斯塔立刻听出来这是什么声音了。他们在月明之夜第一次遇见阿拉维斯和赫温时，听到的是同样的咆哮声。布里也立刻明白了。它的眼睛发亮，它的两个耳往后平贴在脑袋上。布里这时才发现，它并未确确实实地尽最大的力量快跑——跑得并不太快。现在可真的使足劲儿飞跑了。不出几秒钟，它就超过赫温好多了。       “真是不顺利，”沙斯塔心中想道，”我还认为这儿比较安全、远离狮子哩！”      他转过头去瞧瞧。一切看得分明极了。一头黄褐色的大型动物，躯体低垂及地，正尾随在他们的后面，仿佛一只陌生的狗闯进花园时，一只猫飞跑过草地要蹿到树上去的模样。眨眼之间，那动物愈逼愈近了。       他向前看看，瞧到了他没注意甚至没想到的事情。他们前进的道路被一道十英尺高的平整的绿色墙垣挡住了。墙垣的中间有个大门，洞开着。门里站着一个身材高大的人，赤脚穿一件秋叶色长袍，身子斜靠在一根笔直的手杖上。他的胡须很长，几乎下垂到膝头。      沙斯塔一眼便看到了这一切，他重新回过头去望。狮子现在几乎要抓住赫温了。狮子正在向赫温的后腿扑呀扑的，此刻赫温汗迹斑斑、两眼圆睁的脸上已经露出绝望的神色。      “停步，”沙斯塔在布里的耳朵边大声叫嚷，”必须回去。必须救命去！”      布里事后老是说它从来没有听到这话，或是从来没有听懂这话；一般说来，它是匹十分忠实的马儿，我们必须相信它的话。      沙斯塔从马镫里抽出两只脚，犹豫了可怕的百分之一秒钟，便从左边跳下马来。他受了重伤，几乎闪了腰，但他还没弄明白受了什么伤，便蹒跚着走回去拯救阿拉维斯了。他生平从未做过类似的事，现在也不知道他为什么要这样做。      世界上最最可怕的声音，一匹马儿的哀鸣，从赫温的嘴里迸发出来了。阿拉维斯正俯下身来伏在赫温的脖子上，似乎企图拔出刀来。如今她们三个——阿拉维斯、赫温和狮子，几乎就在沙斯塔的头顶之上。她们尚未靠近他，那狮子便用后腿站了起来(它躯体之巨大，你简直没法儿相信)，伸出前腿的右爪，猛扑阿拉维斯。沙斯塔看得见那伸开来的所有爪子。阿拉维斯尖声叫喊，在马鞍上摇摇晃晃。狮子在扯她的肩膀。沙斯塔惊惶得半疯半癫，设法向那野兽扑过去。他没有武器，连一根木棒或一块石头也没有。他傻瓜似的向狮子大喊，仿佛人们冲狗儿叫喊一样。”回家去！回家去！”在一秒钟不到的时间里，他瞪眼望着那张得大大的、凶猛的狮子嘴巴。接着，却使他诧异之至，那仍旧用后腿站着的狮子，突然克制自己，变得俯首贴地了，它随即抬起身子，迅速跑掉了。       沙斯塔一时间还认为狮子不是真的跑掉了。他转过身来，向那绿色墙垣跑去，现在他是第一次记起他见过那墙垣。赫温，脚步蹒跚，快要昏过去了，刚进入大门；阿拉维斯仍旧坐在马鞍子上，但她的背上全是血。      “进来吧，我的女儿，进来吧。”穿袍子的长须老人说道。当沙斯塔上气不接下气地向他跑去时，他又说”进来吧，我的儿子。”沙斯塔听见他背后大门关上了，长须陌生人已经在帮助阿拉维斯下马。      他们是在一个宽大的圆形围场里，四周有一道草皮叠成的绿色高墙保护。他们的面前是一浊十分平静的池水，水面几乎同地面齐平。池水的另一头，生长着沙斯塔从未见过的、最大最美丽的树木，枝繁叶茂，遮蔽着池水。池塘后面是一间低矮的小石头房子，茅草屋顶又厚又陈旧。还传来咩咩的羊鸣声，有些山羊在围场远远的一边。平坦的地面上铺满了鲜美的青草。      “你是——”沙斯塔气喘吁吁地问道，”你是阿钦兰的伦恩国王吗？”      老人摇摇头。”不，”他答道，声音轻轻的，”我是南征隐士。听着，我的儿子，别浪费时间打听了，照我的话办吧。这位小姐受伤了。你们的马筋疲力尽了。拉巴达什此刻在旋箭河上已经找到了可以涉水而过的地点。如果你现在就飞跑而去，一刻也不休息，你将仍旧来得及向伦恩国王报警。”       沙斯塔听到这话心凉了半截，因为他觉得他的力气已经用尽了，一点也不剩了。他内心苦恼，觉得对他的要求似乎太冷酷、太不公平了。他还没有懂得如果你做了一桩好事情，给你的报酬往往是叫你去干另一桩更艰难更高尚的事情。但沙斯塔只是大声问道:+       “国王在哪儿？”      隐士转过身去，用他的手杖一指。”瞧，”他说，”还有一个门，正对着你们进来的这个大门。打开那个门，笔直往前走去。始终笔直往前走去，经过平坦的或是陡峭的地方，经过干燥或潮湿的地方。我凭我的法术推算得出你笔直往前走去，就会找到伦恩国王。可是你要飞跑，飞跑，始终飞跑。”      沙斯塔点点头，向北边的那个门跑去，在门外消失了。      隐士一直用左臂支撑着阿拉维斯，这时他就半搀半拉地把她送进了石屋。好久以后，他又从石屋里出来了。      “哦，伙计们，”他对马儿说道，”现在轮到你们了。”      也不等它们回答——事实上它们已疲乏得话都说不出来了——他就从它们身上卸下马勒和马鞍，用力按摩两匹      马儿的全身，即使是国王御厩里的侍从也不会按摩得那么好。      “听着，伙计们，”他说，”把这一切都忘了吧，宽宽心吧。这儿是水，那儿是青草。等我给我其他的伙计们——山羊们——挤过奶，你们就有热饲料可吃了。”       “先生，”赫温说道，它终于缓过气来了，”泰克希娜生命不危险吧?狮子杀了她吗?“      “我凭我的法术知道许多当前的事情，”隐士微微一笑，答道，”对于未来的事情，我还无从知道。今夜太阳落山时整个世界上任何男子、妇女或牲口是否会活下去，我可不知道。但是，你要抱有希望。小姐可能寿很长，可以终其天年。”       阿拉维斯苏醒过来时，发觉她正俯卧在一张特别柔软的床上，房间内什么陈设也没有，石头墙也是未经雕琢的、粗糙的。她不明白为什么安排她俯卧；但当她要想翻身而感觉到整个背部灼热发烫、十分疼痛时，她记起来了，明白了非得俯卧不可的缘故。她不明白这床是用什么舒适而有弹性的材料做的，因为这床是用石南荒原草(最好的垫褥)做成的，而她从未见过或听说过这种草。       门打开了，隐士进来了，手里拿着一只大木碗。小心翼翼地把碗放下后，他来到床边，问道:      “我的女儿，你自己觉得怎样？”      “父亲，我的背上很痛，”阿拉维斯说道，”但没有其他的毛病。”      他跪在床边，把手按在她的额上，还给她号脉。      “没有发烧，”他说，”你就会痊愈的。事实上，明儿个你就该起床了。但是现在要喝这个。”      他拿起木碗，送到她的唇边。她喝下去时不由得做了个鬼脸，因为羊奶还没有喝惯时总是叫人害怕的。她很口渴，设法把那碗羊奶都喝下去了，喝完时，觉得好多了。      “听着，女儿，你想睡时不妨睡睡，”隐士说道，”因为你的伤口洗过了，敷了药，包裹好了，伤口虽然疼痛，可不比鞭打后的伤痕严重。这必定是一头十分奇怪的狮子，它并没有用牙齿咬到你的肉里，把你从马鞍子上叼下来，只是用爪子在你背上挠了一下。十道伤痕，痛，可是不深，不危险。”      “嗨！”阿拉维斯说，”我运气好！”      “女儿啊，”隐士说道，”我在这个世界上活了一百零九个春秋了，可从来不曾碰到过什么类似运气的东西。在这一切里，有些东西我不理解，但如果我们确实需要弄明白的话，你不妨深信不疑，我们一定会弄明白的。”      “拉巴达什和他的二百人马情况怎么样了呢?”阿拉维斯问道。      “他们不会走这条路，我想。”隐士说，”此刻他们必定已经找到一个可以涉水而过的地方，远在我们的东边儿。他们将试图从那儿直奔安瓦德。”      “可怜的沙斯塔！”阿拉维斯说道，”他得跑很远的路吧?他会先到达安瓦德吗?”      “大有希望。”老人说道。      阿拉维斯重新躺下(这回是侧卧了)，她说”我睡了好长时间吗?天色好像在暗下来了。”      隐士从那惟一的窗子——朝北的窗子——望出去。”这不是夜间的黑暗，”他立刻说道，”云霾是从暴风雨峰汹涌而下的，我们这些个地方的恶劣天气都是从那儿发端的。今夜将有浓重的大雾了。”       第二天，除了背上疼痛外，阿拉维斯觉得身体很好，所以，早餐(吃的是粥和奶油)以后，隐士说她可以起床了。当然啰，她立刻就去和两匹马儿说话。天气转晴，整个围场像只苍翠的巨大杯子，里面盛满了阳光。这是个十分安宁的地方，寂寞而又宁静。      赫温立刻小跑着过来，给了她一个马儿的接吻。      互相问候过健康和睡得好不好后，阿拉维斯说道”可布里在哪儿呢?”      “在那一边。”赫温说，用它的鼻子指点着圆圆另一边，”我希望你来跟它说说话；它有点儿闹情绪，我没法从它嘴里挤出一言半语来。”      她们慢步走过去，发现布里面壁躺着，虽然它明明听见她们来了，却根本不回过头来或说句话儿。      “早晨好，布里，”阿拉维斯说，”今天早晨你身体可好?”      布里喃喃而语，可谁也听不清楚。      “隐士说，沙斯塔可能及时赶到了国王伦恩那儿，”阿拉维斯继续说道，”所以，看来咱们的一切困难都解决了。终于要到纳尼亚去了，布里！”      “我将永远见不到纳尼亚了。”布里用低沉的声音说道。      “你身体不好吗，我亲爱的布里？'阿拉维斯说。      布里终于转过身来，它一脸哀痛的神色，只有马儿才能这样。      “我要回卡乐门去。”它说。      “什么?”阿拉维斯说道，”回去做奴隶吗?”      “是的，”布里说，”我只配做奴隶。我有何面目去见纳尼亚的自由的马儿啊?我，丢下一匹母马，一个女孩，一个男孩，让他们去被狮子吃掉，自己却为了活命，使出浑身力气逃跑了！”      “我们大家都是拼命飞跑的啊。”赫温说。      “沙斯塔没有逃跑！”布里喷着鼻息，”至少他是按照正确的方向飞跑的他跑回去了。这是最使我感到羞愧的了。我，自称是一匹战马，夸口身经百战，却被一个乳臭小儿比下去了——一个孩子，不过是一头驹子，生平从没有拿过剑，也没有受过任何良好的教育或见过任何典范？”      “我明白，”阿拉维斯说，”我有同样的感想。沙斯塔是了不得的。我同你一样的糟糕，布里。自从你们遇到我们以来，我一直怠慢他，瞧不起他，如今他可一变而为我们之中最出色的人了。但我认为。还是待下来表示歉意，要比回到卡乐门去好得多。”      “这办法对你是挺好的，”布里说，”你没有给自己丢脸。      “我却把什么都丢光了。”      “我的好马儿，”隐士说道，大家没有察觉他的悄悄到来，因为他的光脚板踏在清香的沾露青草上是没有什么声音的，”我的好马儿，你除了自命不凡，没有丢失什么东西。不，不，我的老伙计。别对我把耳朵向后贴去，也别抖动你的崇毛。如果你确实像你一分钟以前所说的那样谦虚，那么你就应该听听理智的声音。你一直生活在可怜的哑巴马儿中间，便自以为是了不得的马儿；其实不然。当然，你比它们要勇敢、聪明些。你是不由自主地成了比它们高明的马儿的。但这种情况不能引伸为你将在纳尼亚成为什么特别出类拔萃的马儿。然而，只要你认识到你并不是出类拔萃的，那么，总的看来，你就基本上属于一种挺不错的马儿。现在，如果你和我的另一位四足老伙计愿意绕到厨房门口去，我们就将瞧瞧另外半份饲料了。”
Chapter 11
THE UNWELCOME FELLOW TRAVELLER
WHEN Shasta went through the gate he found a slope of grass and a little heather running up before him to some trees. He had nothing to think about now and no plans to make: he had only to run, and that was quite enough. His limbs were shaking, a terrible stitch was beginning in his side, and the sweat that kept dropping into his eyes blinded them and made them smart. He was unsteady on his feet too, and more than once he nearly turned his ankle on a loose stone.
The trees were thicker now than they had yet been and in the more open spaces there was bracken. The sun had gone in without making it any cooler. It had become one of those hot, grey days when there seem to be twice as many flies as usual. Shasta's face was covered with them; he didn't even try to shake them off - he had too much else to do.
Suddenly he heard a horn - not a great throbbing horn like the horns of Tashbaan but a merry call, Ti-ro-to-to-ho! Next moment he came out into a wide glade and found himself in a crowd of people.
At least, it looked a crowd to him. In reality there were about fifteen or twenty of them, all gentlemen in green huntingdress, with their horses; some in the saddle and some standing by their horses' heads. In the centre someone was holding the stirrup for a man to mount. And the man he was holding it for was the jolliest, fat, applecheeked, twinkling eyed King you could imagine.
As soon as Shasta came in sight this King forgot all about mounting his horse. He spread out his arms to Shasta, his face lit up, and he cried out in a great, deep voice that seemed to come from the bottom of his chest:
"Corin! My son! And on foot, and in rags! What-"
"No," panted Shasta, shaking his head. "Not Prince Corin. I - I - know I'm like him... saw his Highness in Tashbaan... sent his greetings."
The King was staring at Shasta with an extraordinary expression on his face.
"Are you K-King Lune?" gasped Shasta. And then, without waiting for an answer, "Lord King - fly - Anvard shut the gates - enemies upon you - Rabadash and two hundred horse."
"Have you assurance of this, boy?" asked one of the other gentlemen.
"My own eyes," said Shasta. "I've seen them. Raced them all the way from Tashbaan."
"On foot?" said the gentleman, raising his eyebrows a little.
Horses-with the Hermit," said Shasta.
"Question him no more; Darrin," said King Lune. "I see truth in his face. We must ride for it, gentlemen. A spare horse there, for the boy. You can ride fast, friend?"
For answer Shasta put his foot in the stirrup of the horse which had been led towards him and a moment later he was in the saddle. He had done it a hundred times with Bree in the last few weeks, and his mounting was very different now from what it had been on that first night when Bree had said that he climbed up a horse as if he were climbing a haystack.
He was pleased to hear the Lord Darrin say to the King, "The boy has a true horseman's seat, Sire. I'll warrant there's noble blood in him."
"His blood, aye, there's the point," said the King. And he stared hard at Shasta again with that curious expression, almost a hungry expression, in his steady, grey eyes.
But by now -the whole party was moving off at a brisk canter. Shasta's seat was excellent but he was sadly puzzled what to do with his reins, for he had never touched the reins while he was on Bree's back. But he looked very carefully out of the corners of his eyes to see what the others were doing (as some of us have done at parties when we weren't quite sure which knife or fork we were meant to use) and tried to get his fingers right. But he didn't dare to try really directing the horse; he trusted it would follow the rest. The horse was of course an ordinary horse, not a Talking Horse; but it had quite wits enough to realize that the strange boy on its back had no whip and no spurs and was not really master of the situation. That was why Shasta soon found himself at the tail end of the procession.
Even so, he was going pretty fast. There were no flies now and the air in his face was delicious. He had got his breath back too. And his errand had succeeded. For the first time since the arrival at Tashbaan (how long ago it seemed!) he was beginning to enjoy himself.
He looked up to see how much nearer the mountain tops had come. To his disappointment he could not see them at all: only a vague greyness, rolling down towards them. He had never been in mountain country before and was surprised. "It's a cloud," he said to himself, "a cloud coming down. I see. Up here in the hills one is really in the sky. I shall see what the inside of a cloud is like. What fun! I've often wondered." Far away on his left and a little behind him, the sun was getting ready to set.
They had come to a rough kind of road by now and were making very good speed. But Shasta's horse was still the last of the lot. Once or twice when the road made a bend (there was now continuous forest on each side of it) he lost sight of the others for a second or two.
Then they plunged into the fog, or else the fog rolled over them. The world became grey. Shasta had not realized how cold and wet the inside of a cloud would be; nor how dark. The grey turned to black with alarming speed.
Someone at the head of the column winded the horn every now and then, and each time the sound came from a little farther off. He couldn't see any of the others now, but of course he'd be able to as soon as he got round the next bend. But when he rounded it he still couldn't see them. In fact he could see nothing at all. His horse was walking now. "Get on, Horse, get on," said Shasta. Then came the horn, very faint. Bree had always told him that he must keep his heels well turned out, and Shasta had got the idea that something very terrible would happen if he dug his heels into a horse's sides. This seemed to him an occasion for trying it. "Look here, Horse," he said, "if you don't buck up, do you know what I'll do? I'll dig my heels into you. I really will." The horse, however, took no notice of this threat. So Shasta settled himself firmly in the saddle, gripped with his knees, clenched his teeth, and punched both the horse's sides with his heels as hard as he could.
The only result was that the horse broke into a kind of pretence of a trot for five or six paces and then subsided into a walk again. And now it was quite dark and they seemed to have given up blowing that horn. The only sound was a steady drip-drip from the branches of the trees.
"Well, I suppose even a walk will get us somewhere sometime," said Shasta to himself. "I only hope I shan't run into Rabadash and his people."
He went on for what seemed a long time, always at a walking pace. He began to hate that horse, and he was also beginning to feel very hungry.
Presently he came to a place where the road divided into two. He was just wondering which led to Anvard when he was startled by a noise from behind him. It was the noise of trotting horses. "Rabadash!" thought Shasta. He had no way of guessing which road Rabadash would take. "But if I take one," said Shasta to himself, "he may take the other: and if I stay at the cross-roads I'm sure to be caught." He dismounted and led his horse as quickly as he could along the right-hand road.
The sound of the cavalry grew rapidly nearer and in a minute or two Shasta realized that they were at the crossroads. He held his breath, waiting to see which way they would take.
There came a low word of command "Halt!" then a moment of horsey noises - nostrils blowing, hoofs pawing, bits being champed, necks being patted. Then a voice spoke.
"Attend, all of you," it said. "We are now within a furlong of the castle. Remember your orders. Once we are in Narnia, as we should be by sunrise, you are to kill as little as possible. On this venture you are to regard every drop of Narnian blood as more precious than a gallon of your own. On this venture, I say. The gods will send us a happier hour and then you must leave nothing alive between Cair Paravel and the Western Waste. But we are not yet in Narnia. Here in Archenland it is another thing. In the assault on this castle of King Lune's, nothing matters but speed. Show your mettle. It must be mine within an hour. And if it is, I give it all to you. I reserve no booty for myself. Kill me every barbarian male within its walls, down to the child that was born yesterday, and everything else is yours to divide as you please - the women, the gold, the jewels, the weapons, and the wine. The man that I see hanging back when we come to the gates shall be burned alive. In the name of Tash the irresistible, the inexorable forward!"
With a great cloppitty-clop the column began to move, and Shasta breathed again. They had taken the other road.
Shasta thought they took a long time going past, for though he had been talking and thinking about "two hundred horse" all day, he had not realized how many they really were. But at last the sound died away and once more he was alone amid the drip-drip from the trees.
He now knew the way to Anvard but of course he could not now go there: that would only mean running into the arms of Rabadash's troopers. "What on earth am I to do?" said Shasta to himself. But he remounted his horse and continued along the road he had chosen, in the faint hope of finding some cottage where he might ask for shelter and a meal. He had thought, of course, of going back to Aravis and Bree and Hwin at the hermitage, but he couldn't because by now he had not the least idea of the direction.
"After all," said Shasta, "this road is bound to get to somewhere."
But that all depends on what you mean by somewhere. The road kept on getting to somewhere in the sense that it got to more and more trees, all dark and dripping, and to colder and colder air. And strange, icy winds kept blowing the mist past him though they never blew it away. If he had been used to mountain country he would have realized that this meant he was now very high up - perhaps right at the top of the pass. But Shasta knew nothing about mountains.
"I do think," said Shasta, "that I must be the most unfortunate boy that ever lived in the whole world. Everything goes right for everyone except me. Those Narnian lords and ladies got safe away from Tashbaan; I was left behind. Aravis and Bree and Hwin are all as snug as anything with that old Hermit: of course I was the one who was sent on. King Lune and his people must have got safely into the castle and shut the gates long before Rabadash arrived, but I get left out."
And being very tired and having nothing inside him, he felt so sorry for himself that the tears rolled down his cheeks.
What put a stop to all this was a sudden fright. Shasta discovered that someone or somebody was walking beside him. It was pitch dark and he could see nothing. And the Thing (or Person) was going so quietly that he could hardly hear any footfalls. What he could hear was breathing. His invisible companion seemed to breathe on a very large scale, and Shasta got the impression that it was a very large creature. And he had come to notice this breathing so gradually that he had really no idea how long it had been there. It was a horrible shock.
It darted into his mind that he had heard long ago that there were giants in these Northern countries. He bit his lip in terror. But now that he really had something to cry about, he stopped crying.
The Thing (unless it was a Person) went on beside him so very quietly that Shasta began to hope he had only imagined it. But just as he was becoming quite sure of it, there suddenly came a deep, rich sigh out of the darkness beside him. That couldn't be imagination! Anyway, he had felt the hot breath of that sigh on his chilly left hand.
If the horse had been any good - or if he had known how to get any good out of the horse - he would have risked everything on a breakaway and a wild gallop. But he knew he couldn't make that horse gallop. So he went on at a walking pace and the unseen companion walked and breathed beside him. At last he could bear it no longer.
"Who are you?" he said, scarcely above a whisper.
"One who has waited long for you to speak," said the Thing. Its voice was not loud, but very large and deep.
"Are you- are you a giant?" asked Shasta.
"You might call me a giant," said the Large Voice. "But I am not like the creatures you call giants."
"I can't see you at all," said Shasta, after staring very hard. Then (for an even more terrible idea had come into his head) he said, almost in a scream, "You're not - not something dead, are you? Oh please - please do go away. What harm have I ever done you? Oh, I am the unluckiest person in the whole world!"
Once more he felt the warm breath of the Thing on his hand and face. "There," it said, "that is not the breath of a ghost. Tell me your sorrows."
Shasta was a little reassured by the breath: so he told how he had never known his real father or mother and had been brought up sternly by the fisherman. And then he told the story of his escape and how they were chased by lions and forced to swim for their lives; and of all their dangers in Tashbaan and about his night among the tombs and how the beasts howled at him out of the desert. And he told about the heat and thirst of their desert journey and how they were almost at their goal when another lion chased them and wounded Aravis. And also, how very long it was since he had had anything to eat.
"I do not call you unfortunate," said the Large Voice.
"Don't you think it was bad luck to meet so many lions?" said Shasta.
"There was only one lion," said the Voice.
"What on earth do you mean? I've just told you there were at least two the first night, and-"
"There was only one: but he was swift of foot."
"How do you know?"
"I was the lion." And as Shasta gaped with open mouth and said nothing, the Voice continued. "I was the lion who forced you to join with Aravis. I was the cat who comforted you among the houses of the dead. I was the lion who drove the jackals from you while you slept. I was the lion who gave the Horses the new strength of fear for the last mile so that you should reach King Lune in time. And I was the lion you do not remember who pushed the boat in which you lay, a child near death, so that it came to shore where a man sat, wakeful at midnight, to receive you."
"Then it was you who wounded Aravis?"
"It was I"
"But what for?"
"Child," said the Voice, "I am telling you your story, not hers. I tell no one any story but his own."
"Who are you?" asked Shasta.
"Myself," said the Voice, very deep and low so that the earth shook: and again "Myself", loud and clear and gay: and then the third time "Myself", whispered so softly you could hardly hear it, and yet it seemed to come from all round you as if the leaves rustled with it.
Shasta was no longer afraid that the Voice belonged to something that would eat him, nor that it was the voice of a ghost. But a new and different sort of trembling came over him. Yet he felt glad too.
The mist was turning from black to grey and from grey to white. This must have begun to happen some time ago, but while he had been talking to the Thing he had not been noticing anything else. Now, the whiteness around him became a shining whiteness; his eyes began to blink. Somewhere ahead he could hear birds singing. He knew the night was over at last. He could see the mane and ears and head of his horse quite easily now. A golden light fell on them from the left. He thought it was the sun.
He turned and saw, pacing beside him, taller than the horse, a Lion. The horse did not seem to be afraid of it or else could not see it. It was from the Lion that the light came. No one ever saw anything more terrible or beautiful.
Luckily Shasta had lived all his life too far south in Calormen to have heard the tales that were whispered in Tashbaan about a dreadful Narnian demon that appeared in the form of a lion. And of course he knew none of the true stories about Aslan, the great Lion, the son of the Emperor-over-the-sea, the King above all High Kings in Narnia. But after one glance at the Lion's face he slipped out of the saddle and fell at its feet. He couldn't say anything but then he didn't want to say anything, and he knew he needn't say anything.
The High King above all kings stooped towards him. Its mane, and some strange and solemn perfume that hung about the mane, was all round him. It touched his forehead with its tongue. He lifted his face and their eyes met. Then instantly the pale brightness of the mist and the fiery brightness of the Lion rolled themselves together into a swirling glory and gathered themselves up and disappeared. He was alone with the horse on a grassy hillside under a blue sky. And there were birds singing.      十一、不受欢迎的同路人      沙斯塔穿过门，但见面前一个青草妻萎的山坡，还有些石南往上蔓延到一些树木附近。如今他没有什么事情要考虑的，没有什么计划要制定的，他只要飞跑就是了；飞跑也够他受的。他的四肢战战兢兢，两肋开始剧痛，汗珠不断地滚进眼睛里，弄得两眼疼痛而又模糊不清。他的脚步也不稳了，不止一次，他的脚踝骨撞在零乱的石头上。      现在树木比刚才浓密了，更多的空地里长着欧洲膜。太阳已经落山，可并没使这个地方凉快些，却使它变得炎热而暗淡，苍蝇也比平常多了一倍。沙斯塔的脸上爬满了苍蝇，他甚至并不设法驱逐它们——他要干的其他事情实在太多了。       突然，他听到了号角的声音——不是像塔什班城那种震撼人心的响亮的号角，而是一种欢乐的呼唤，蒂——罗——托托——霍！不久他就走进一片宽阔的林间空地，发觉自己置身一大群人中间了。:       至少在他看来是一大群人。事实上，他们有十五个或二十个人光景，都是穿着绿色猎装的绅士，带着马儿，有的坐在马鞍子上，有的站在马儿脑袋边。在这群人的中央，有人拉着马镫以便另一个人跨上马去。那位人家侍候他上马的人，你可以想像得出，就是最最兴高采烈的、肥胖的、生着苹果脸和闪烁眼睛的国王。      沙斯塔一走进国王的视野之内，国王就把上马的事情完全忘了。他向沙斯塔伸出双臂，脸上容光焕发，用那仿佛来自胸腔深处的洪亮而深沉的声音叫了出来。      “科林l我的儿子！而且步行，衣衫槛楼！什么——”      “不，”沙斯塔摇晃着脑袋，气喘吁吁地说道，”不是科林王子。我——我——知道我长得跟他很像……我在塔什班看到过王子殿下……我带来王子的问候。”      国王目不转睛地瞧着沙斯塔，脸上露出异于寻常的神情。      “你是国——国王伦恩吗?”沙斯塔喘息着说道，也不等对方回答，便继续说下去了，”国王隆下——快跑——安瓦德——关上城门——敌人扑过来了——拉巴达什和二百人马。”       “孩子，你这话靠得住吗?”另一位绅士问道。      “我亲眼目睹的，”沙斯塔说，”我看到了他们。我从塔什班城一路上和他们赛跑过来的。”      “徒步行走吗?”那绅士稍稍掀了一下眉毛，说道。      “骑马——马儿在隐士家里。”沙斯塔说。      “别再问了，达兰，”国王伦恩说，”我从他脸上看到了真情实况。绅士们，我们必须快马加鞭。给这孩子匹备用的马。朋友，你能骑马快跑吗?”      马牵过来了。作为回答，沙斯塔把脚踏在马镫上，很快就坐到马鞍上了。在最近几个星期里，他由布里引导着，已经跨上马背一百多次了，他第一夜爬上马背时布里说他简直像爬上一个干草堆，现在的情况可大不相同了。       他很高兴地听到达兰爵士对国王说道”这孩子骑马的姿势有真正的骑士风度，陛下。我保证他身上有贵族血统。”      “他的血统，是呀，这就是关键。”国王说。他重新曰不转睛地瞧着沙斯塔，沉着的灰色眼睛里露出一种探询的神色，一种几乎如饥似渴的神色。      但现在这一群绅士以轻快的慢跑统统行动起来了。沙斯塔坐的马鞍子极好，但他苦恼地不知道怎样运用缰绳，因为他骑在布里背上时是从来不去碰那缰绳的。但他小心翼翼地从眼角里瞧着别人的动作(就像我们有些人在宴会上对于该用刀或叉没多大把握时那样)，竭力使自己的手指姿势正确。但他不敢真的利用缰绳去指挥马儿，他深信马儿会跟着其余的人马行动。这马儿当然是一匹普普通通的马儿，不是一匹会说人话的马儿；但它的智慧也足以认识到：这个骑在它背上的陌生孩子，既没有鞭子，又没有马刺，并非真正控制局面的主人。这就是为什么沙斯塔不久便发现自己落在整个队伍末尾的缘故。      即使如此，他跑得还挺快。现在没有苍蝇了，拂面的空气是清新的。他也恢复正常的呼吸了，而且他报信的使命已经完成。自从到达塔什班城以来(仿佛已经是很久很久以前的事情了！)，他第一次感到自得其乐。      他抬头仰望，瞧瞧已经离山顶多近了。使他失望的是，他压根儿看不到山顶，但见一大片模糊的灰色向他倾泻而下。以前他从未在山野待过，眼前的景色使他诧异。”这是一大片云，”他跟自己说道，”一片正在下降的云。待在这儿群山之中，人确实是在天空中了。我就要看到云里边是怎么样的了。多有趣！我曾时常想弄个明白。”在他左边的远方，稍稍在他背后一点儿的地方，太阳开始落山了。       现在他们来到崎岖的道路上，正在加快驰骋的速度。但沙斯塔的马儿仍旧落在最后。有一两次，逢到大路转弯时(现在大路两旁都是绵延不断的森林了)，有那么一两秒钟，他望不见前边的人马。       接着他们进入了大雾，或者说大雾滚滚，把他们吞没了。世界变成灰蒙蒙的。沙斯塔不曾认识到处在云雾之中竟会这么寒冷、这么潮湿，也不知道竟会那么黑暗。灰色以惊人的速度变成黑色了。      纵队的前头有人不时吹响号角，每次号角声传来时，都比上一次远了一点儿。现在他没法儿看到别的人马，但只要他再转过弯去，他就立刻可以看到他们。但当他转过弯来时，却仍旧看不见他们。事实上，他压根儿什么也看不见。现在他的马儿是在散步了。”赶上去，马儿，赶上去。”沙斯塔说。然后传来了号角声，可是十分轻微。布里总是嘱咐他，必须使脚跟朝着外边儿，沙斯塔由此养成一种概念如果他让脚跟戳到马儿的两胁上，就会发生可怕的事情。他觉得此刻倒可以试试。”听着，马儿，”他说，”如果你再不快跑，你可知道我要干什么?我要用脚跟戳到你的两胁里。我真的干得出来的。”然而，这马儿不理睬他的威胁。所以，沙斯塔便稳稳地坐牢在马鞍子上，牙齿咬紧，双膝夹紧，尽力用两个脚跟狠狠刺马儿的两胁。      惟一的效果是，那马儿爆发出一阵装模作样的小跑，才跑了五六步，又变成慢步了。现在天色已十分黑暗，他们似乎已经不再吹响号角了。惟一的声音是不断从树木的枝碰上往下滴水之声。      “哦，我想、哪怕它步行也会走到某个地方吧，”沙斯塔跟他自己说道，”我只是希望我不要碰到拉巴达什和他的人马。      他继续走了仿佛很长的时间，走的始终是那种慢步。他开始憎恨那马儿，也开始感觉十分饥饿。      不久他来到了一个岔路口。他正在琢磨哪一条路是通向安瓦德的，这时他背后一阵声音使他吃了惊。原来是马儿奔腾的声音。”拉巴达什！”少斯塔心中想道。他没法儿猜测拉巴达什会走哪条路。”但如果我走这一条，”沙斯塔跟自己说道，”他说不定会走那一条，如果我待在这岔路口，我一定会被他们逮住的。”他下了马，尽最大力量赶紧牵着马儿沿右边那条路走去。       骑兵的声音迅速地愈来愈近，一两分钟之内沙斯塔便觉察到他们已经在岔路口了。他屏息静气，等着看他们走哪条路。      传来一声低沉的命令”停止前进！”——接下来的片刻之间，都是马儿的声音——马鼻子里喷着鼻息，马蹄刨着地面，吧眩吧啦地咬着马嚼子，以及被轻轻拍着的马脖子等。然后，有个声音讲话了。       “你们大家注意啦，”这声音说道，”我们现在离城堡不到八分之一英里了。牢牢记住命令。一旦我们进入纳尼亚国境(应该在太阳出来时到达)，你们要尽可能少杀人。在此番冒险行动中，你们要把每一滴纳尼亚人的血看得比你们自己的每一加仑血还要重要。我说的是在此番冒险行动中。天神会赐给我好时辰的，那时你们在凯尔帕拉维尔和西部沙漠之间就不必留下任何活的东西了。但你们现在还没有进入纳尼亚境内。在这儿阿钦兰境内那就是另外一回事了。在攻击伦恩国王的城堡时，最要紧的是速度，其他都无足轻重。拿出你们的勇气来。必须在一个钟头之内把它拿下来。如果你们占领了它，我把一切都给你们。我什么战利品也不留给自己。替我把城墙里每一个野蛮的男子，直到昨天刚生的孩子，统统杀掉，其余的一切也归你们，你们高兴怎样分享就怎样分享——包括女人、金子、珠宝、武器和美酒。进到城门口而退缩的人，我要把他活活烧死。以不可抗拒、不可阻挡的塔什神的名义——前进！”      蹄声嘚嘚复嘚嘚，骑兵纵队开始移动了，沙斯塔缓过一口气来。他们走上了另一条大路。      沙斯塔认为骑兵纵队花了好长时间才开过去，尽管他整天讲着、想着”二百人马”，他可并未确悉他们究竟有多少人马。最后，骑兵纵队的声音终于消失了，他再次独自听着树木枝头滴水的声音。       现在他知道到安瓦德去的路了，但他此刻当然不能到那儿去，去的话只不过是意味着撞到拉巴达什军队的刀剑上去。”我究竟该干什么呢?”沙斯塔跟他自己说。他重新跨上了马，沿着他选定的道路继续前进，心里抱着微薄的希望，但愿能找到一间茅屋，在那儿求个栖身之所，弄到一顿饭吃。当然，他曾想回到隐士住处同阿拉维斯、布里、赫温相会，可是他办不到，因为如今他压根儿弄不清方向了。      “这条路，”沙斯塔想，”终归是要通往某个地方的。”      但那完全在于你所说的某个地方是什么意思。道路不断地向某个地方延伸，一路上树木愈来愈多，而且全都是黑沉沉的，滴滴答答地滴着水珠，空气愈来愈凛冽，奇怪而冰冷的风不断地把事睛从他身旁吹过，却从不把雾霭吹散掉。如果他习惯于山野风光的话，他就会明白，这意味着他现在攀登得很高了——也许正好在那关隘的顶上。但沙斯塔对山岭一无所知。       “我确实认为，”沙斯塔说，”我必定是活在世界上的最最不幸的孩子了。除了我，人人都是万事如意。那些纳尼亚王公和小姐都安全离开了塔什班城，我却被留在后面。阿拉维斯、布里、赫温跟老隐士在一起，要多舒适就有多舒适：当然只派我出来奔波。伦恩国王和他的随从必定已经安全进入城堡，早在拉巴达什到达之前把城门关上了，唯独我被丢在外边了。”       他身体十分疲倦，肚子里又空空如也，他为自己感到十分伤心，泪珠流过面颊滚下来了。      结束这一切伤感的时候一种突如其来的惶恐。沙斯塔发现有个人或动物正在他身边行走。周围漆黑一团，他什么也看不见。而这个动物（或人）行路那么安静，他听不见什么脚步声。他听得见的是呼吸的声音。他的隐身同伴的呼吸似乎规模很大，沙斯塔得到的印象是：它是个庞然大物。他是逐渐注意到这种呼吸声的，因而他确实不知道它已经存在多久了。这是个可怕的震惊。       他脑子里忽然想起：很久以前他就听说过，北方各国有巨人。他惶恐地咬着嘴唇。如今他确实有事情要号啕大哭，他倒停止哭泣了。      那个庞然大物（除非它是个人）继续在他身边走着，可是十分文静，因而沙斯塔开始希望这只不过是他的幻觉罢了。但正当他变得确信是幻觉时，突然从他身边的黑暗之中传来一声深沉的长叹。不可能是幻觉了！无论如何，他感觉到那长叹中的一股热气冲到了他冰冷的左手上。.       如果这马儿有点儿用处——或者他如果知道怎样使马儿发挥点作用的话——他会冒险脱逃、疯狂驰骋的。但他明白他无法使马儿驰骋。所以他慢步前行，而那看不见的伙伴就在他身边走着，就在他身边呼吸。最后，他再也不能忍受下去了。       “你是谁啊？”他说，声音比窃窃私语高不了多少。      “我等你说话好久了。”那个家伙说。他的说话不响亮，但嗓门儿很大，很深沉。      “你是——你是巨人吗？”      “你不妨称我为巨人，”大嗓门说道，”但我跟你称之为巨人的动物并不像。”      “我压根儿无法瞧见你。”沙斯塔瞪大眼睛瞧了半天后说道。接着（一个甚至更加可怕的想法跳上他的心头），他几乎是叫喊着说道：”你不是——不是什么已经死掉的东西吧，是不是？——请走开吧。我可没做什么伤害你的事啊！咳，我是世界上最倒霉的人了。”      他再一次感到对方的一股热烘烘的气息冲到了他的手上和脸上。”听着，”庞然大物说，”这可不是鬼魂的气息。把你的烦恼告诉我吧。”      沙斯塔对那气息稍稍有点儿放心了，所以他就告诉对方：他从来不知道他真正的父亲或母亲，他是由一个渔夫严厉地抚养大的。然后他又讲了他逃跑的故事，以及他们怎样被狮子追逐，被迫泅水逃命等；他讲到了他们在塔什班城所经历的一切危险，他在坟场里过夜以及沙漠里的也受对他的咆哮。他讲到了沙漠旅途中的炎热和口渴，以及他们快要到达目的地时另一头狮子怎样追逐他们，并且抓伤了阿拉维斯。他也讲了从那时起他好久没吃过任何东西。      “我并不认为你是不幸的。”大嗓门说。      “遇到这么多狮子，你还不认为是倒霉吗？”      “只有一头狮子。”那声音说道。      “你这话究竟是什么意思？我刚才就告诉过你，至少第一夜有两头狮子，还有……”      “只有一头狮子，但那头狮子跑得极快。”      “你怎么知道呢？”      “我就是那头狮子。”由于沙斯塔紧张得张大了嘴巴却说不出话来，庞然大物继续说到，”我就是逼你与阿拉维斯同行的那头狮子。我就是在坟场这死人之家里安慰你的那只猫咪。我就是在你睡熟时替你驱逐豺狼的那头狮子。我就是使马儿们在恐惧中获得新的力量、奔驰最后一段路程，以便你及时见到伦恩国王的那头狮子。而且我还是你当年并不记得的那头狮子，当年你奄奄一息躺在一条小船里，是我把船推动，使它漂到一个海滩上，有个渔夫坐在那儿，午夜未睡，收留了你。”      “那么，抓伤阿拉维斯的，也是你吗？”      “是我。”      “干吗要抓伤她呢？”      “孩子，”那声音说道，”我在把你的故事告诉你，不是她的。我只对一个人讲他本人的故事，不讲别的。”      “你是谁呢？”沙斯塔问道。      “我自己。”那声音说道，又低又深沉，大地为之震动；接着是第二遍，”我自己。”响亮、清晰、愉快；然后是第三遍，”我自己。”那可是柔和的低声细语，你几乎听不大见，然而它又从四面八方向你传来，仿佛树叶儿也随之簌簌有声。      沙斯塔不再害怕这声音来自要吞吃他的大虫了，不再害怕这是鬼魂的声音了。但一种崭新的截然不同的战战兢兢之情，传遍了他的身心。而且他觉得非常愉快。.       雾霭由墨黑变为浅灰，再有浅灰转为雪白。这个变化必定是好些时候以前就已经开始的。但在他和庞然大物交谈之际，他一直未留意其他任何东西。现在，他周围的一片白色，变成一种熠熠生光的白色了。他开始眨巴着眼睛。他听得见前边儿什么地方鸟儿在啁啾。他知道黑夜终于过去了。现在他能十分容易地瞧见马儿的脑袋、耳朵和鬃毛了。一道金光从左边落在他们身上。他以为这是太阳。       他转过头来，看见在身旁行走着一头狮子，比马儿还大。马儿似乎并不怕它，要不就是看不见它。原来金光发自狮子身上。没有人看到过比这更可怕或更美丽的东西了。       幸亏沙斯塔一直生活在卡乐门南方边远地区，没听到过塔什班城里窃窃私语的传闻：一个可怕的纳尼亚魔鬼化身为一头狮子。关于阿斯兰的真正故事，关于伟大的狮子，海外皇帝之子、纳尼亚国诸大国王之最高国王的真正的故事，沙斯塔当然是一点儿也不知道的。但他对狮子的脸儿瞧了一眼以后，就翻身下马，跪倒在狮子的脚边。他说不出什么话来，但那是他也不想说什么话，而且他心里明白他无需说什么话。       诸大国王之最高国王向他俯下头来。他的鬃毛散发出奇怪而庄严的香气，下垂在沙斯塔的周围。他用舌头舔舐他的前额。他仰起脸来。他们相对而视。接着，雾霭的苍白光芒和狮子如火的光芒立刻混在一起，化作一片光华的漩涡，集拢收缩，终于消失无存了。沙斯塔独自在蓝天下芳草萋萋的山坡上。鸟儿在鸣唱。
Chapter 12
SHASTA IN NARNIA
"WAS it all a dream?" wondered Shasta. But it couldn't have been a dream for there in the grass before him he saw the deep, large print of the Lion's front right paw. It took one's breath away to think of the weight that could make a footprint like that. But there was something more remarkable than the size about it. As he looked at it, water had already filled the bottom of it. Soon it was full to the brim, and then overflowing, and a little stream was running downhill, past him, over the grass.
Shasta stooped and drank - a very long drink - and then dipped his face in and splashed his head. It was extremely cold, and clear as glass, and refreshed him very much. After that he stood up, shaking the water out of his ears and flinging the wet hair back from his forehead, and began to take stock of his surroundings.
Apparently it was still very early morning. The sun had only just risen, and it had risen out of the forests which he saw low down and far away on his right. The country j which he was looking at was absolutely new to him. It was t a green valley-land dotted with trees through which he caught the gleam of a river that wound away roughly to the North-West. On the far side of the valley there were high and even rocky hills, but they were lower than the mountains he had seen yesterday. Then he began to guess where he was. He turned and looked behind him and saw that the slope on which he was standing belonged to a range of far higher mountains.
"I see," said Shasta to himself. "Those are the big mountains between Archenland and Narnia. I was on the? other side of them yesterday. I must have come through the pass in the night. What luck that I hit it! - at least it wasn't luck at all really, it was Him. And now I'm in Narnia."
He turned and unsaddled his horse and took off its bridle - "Though you are a perfectly horrid horse," he said. It took no notice of this remark and immediately began eating grass. That horse had a very low opinion of Shasta.
"I wish I could eat grass!" thought Shasta. "It's no good going back to Anvard, it'll all be besieged. I'd better get lower down into the valley and see if I can get anything to eat."
So he went on downhill (the thick dew was cruelly cold to his bare feet) till he came into a wood. There was a kind of track running through it and he had not followed this for many minutes when he heard a thick and rather wheezy voice saying to him.
"Good morning, neighbour."
Shasta looked round eagerly to find the speaker and presently saw a small, prickly person with a dark face who had just come out from among the trees. At least, it was small for a person but very big indeed for a hedgehog, which was what it was.
"Good morning," said Shasta. "But I'm not a neighbour. In fact I'm a stranger in these parts."
"Ah?" said the Hedgehog inquiringly.
"I've come over the mountains - from Archenland, you know."
"Ha, Archenland," said the Hedgehog. "That's a terrible long way. Never been there myself."
"And I think, perhaps," said Shasta, "someone ought to be told that there's an army of savage Calormenes attacking Anvard at this very moment."
"You don't say so!" answered the Hedgehog. "Well, think of that. And they do say that Calormen is hundreds and thousands of miles away, right at the world's end, across a great sea of sand."
"It's not nearly as far as you think," said Shasta. "And oughtn't something to be done about this attack on Anvard? Oughtn't your High King to be told?"
"Certain sure, something ought to be done about it," said the Hedgehog. "But you see I'm just on my way to bed for a good day's sleep. Hullo, neighbour!"
The last words were addressed to an immense biscuitcoloured rabbit whose head had just popped up from somewhere beside the path. The Hedgehog immediately told the Rabbit what it had just learned from Shasta. The Rabbit agreed that this was very remarkable news and that somebody ought to tell someone about it with a view to doing something.
And so it went on. Every few minutes they were joined by other creatures, some from the branches overhead and some from little underground houses at their feet, till the party consisted of five rabbits, a squirrel, two magpies, a goat-foot faun, and a mouse, who all talked at the same time and all agreed with the Hedgehog. For the truth was that in that golden age when the Witch and the Winter had gone and Peter the High King ruled at Cair Paravel, the smaller woodland people of Narnia were so safe and happy that they were getting a little careless.
Presently, however, two more practical people arrived in the little wood. One was a Red Dwarf whose name appeared to be Duffle. The other was a stag, a beautiful lordly creature with wide liquid eyes, dappled flanks and legs so thin and graceful that they looked as if you could break them with two fingers.
"Lion alive!" roared the Dwarf as soon as he had heard the news. "And if that's so, why are we all standing still, chattering? Enemies at Anvard! News must be sent to Cair Paravel at once. The army must be called out. Narnia must go to the aid of King Lune."
"Ah!" said the Hedgehog. "But you won't find the High King at the Cair. He's away to the North trouncing those giants. And talking of giants, neighbours, that puts me in mind -"
"Who'll take our message?" interrupted the Dwarf. "Anyone here got more speed than me?"
"I've got speed," said the Stag. "What's my message? How many Calormenes?"
"Two hundred: under Prince Rabadash. And -" But the Stag was already away - all four legs off the ground at once, and in a moment its white stern had disappeared among the remoter trees.
"Wonder where he's going," said a Rabbit. "He won't find the High King at Cair Paravel, you know."
"He'll find Queen Lucy," said Duffle. "And then hullo! What's wrong with the Human? It looks pretty green. Why, I do believe it's quite faint. Perhaps it's mortal hungry. When did you last have a meal, youngster?"
"Yesterday morning," said Shasta weakly.
"Come on, then, come on," said the Dwarf, at once throwing his thick little arms round Shasta's waist to support him. "Why, neighbours, we ought all to be ashamed of ourselves! You come with me, lad. Breakfast! Better than talking."
With a great deal' of bustle, muttering reproaches to itself, the Dwarf half led and half supported Shasta at a great speed further into the wood and a little downhill. It was a longer walk than Shasta wanted at that moment and his legs had begun to feel very shaky before they came out from the trees on to bare hillside. There they found a little house with a smoking chimney and an open door, and as they came to the doorway Duffle called out,
"Hey, brothers! A visitor for breakfast."
And immediately, mixed with a sizzling sound, there came to Shasta a simply delightful smell. It was one he had never smelled in his life before, but I hope you have. It was, in fact, the smell of bacon and eggs and mushrooms all frying in a pan.
"Mind your head, lad," said Duffle a moment too late, for Shasta had already bashed his forehead against the low lintel of the door. "Now," continued the Dwarf, "sit you down. The table's a bit low for you, but then the stool's low too. That's right. And here's porridge - and here's a jug of cream - and here's a spoon."
By the time Shasta had finished his porridge, the Dwarf's two brothers (whose names were Rogin and Bricklethumb) were putting the dish of bacon and eggs and mushrooms, and the coffee pot and the hot milk, and the toast, on the table.
It was all new and wonderful to Shasta for Calormene food is quite different. He didn't even know what the slices of brown stuff were, for he had never seen toast before. He didn't know what the yellow soft thing they smeared on the toast was, because in Calormen you nearly always get oil instead of butter. And the house itself was quite different from the dark, frowsty, fish-smelling but of Arsheesh and from the pillared and carpeted halls in the palaces of Tashbaan. The roof was very low, and everything was made of wood, and there was a cuckoo-clock and a red-and-white checked table-cloth and a bowl of wild flowers and little curtains on the thick-paned windows. It was also rather troublesome having to use dwarf cups and plates and knives and forks. This meant that helpings were very small, but then there were a great many helpings, so that Shasta's plate or cup was being filled every moment, and every moment the Dwarfs themselves were saying, "Butter please", or "Another cup of coffee," or "I'd like a few more mushrooms," or "What about frying another egg or so?" And when at last they had all eaten as much as they possibly could the three Dwarfs drew lots for who would do the washing-up, and Rogin was the unlucky one. Then Duffle and Bricklethumb took Shasta outside to a bench which ran against the cottage wall, and they all stretched out their legs and gave a great sigh of contentment and the two Dwarfs lit their pipes. The dew was off the grass now and the sun was warm; indeed, if there hadn't been a light breeze, it would have been too hot.
"Now, Stranger," said Duffle, "I'll show you the lie of the land. You can see nearly all South Narnia from here, and we're rather proud of the view. Right away on your left, beyond those near hills, you can just see the Western Mountains. And that round hill away on your right is called the Hill of the Stone Table. Just beyond -"
But at that moment he was interrupted by a snore from Shasta who, what with his night's journey and his excellent breakfast, had gone fast asleep. The kindly Dwarfs, as soon as they noticed this, began making signs to each other not to wake him, and indeed did so much whispering and nodding and getting up and -tiptoeing away that they certainly would have waked him if he had been less tired.
He slept pretty well -nearly all day but woke up in time for supper. The beds in that house were all too small for him but they made him a fine bed of heather on the floor, and he never stirred nor dreamed all night. Next morning they had just finished breakfast when they heard a shrill, exciting sound from outside.
"Trumpets!" said all the Dwarfs, as they and Shasta all came running out.
The trumpets sounded again: a new noise to Shasta, not huge and solemn like the horns of Tashbaan nor gay and merry like King Lune's hunting horn, but clear and sharp and valiant. The noise was coming from the woods to the East, and soon there was a noise of horse-hoofs mixed with it. A moment later the head of the column came into sight.
First came the Lord Peridan on a bay horse carrying the great banner of Narnia - a red lion on a green ground. Shasta knew him at once. Then came three people riding abreast, two on great chargers and one on a pony. The two on the chargers were King Edmund and a fair-haired lady with a very merry face who wore a helmet and a mail shirt and carried a bow across her shoulder and a quiver full of arrows at her side. ("The Queen Lucy," whispered Duffle.) But the one on the pony was Corin. After that came the main body of the army: men on ordinary horses, men on Talking Horses (who didn't mind being ridden on proper occasions, as when Narnia went to war), centaurs, stern, hard-bitten bears, great Talking Dogs, and last of all six giants. For there are good giants in Narnia. But though he knew they were on the right side Shasta at first could hardly bear to look at them; there are some things that take a lot of getting used to.
Just as the King and Queen reached the cottage and the Dwarfs began making low bows to them, King Edmund called out,
"Now, friends! Time for a halt and a morsel!" and at once there was a great bustle of people dismounting and haversacks being opened and conversation beginning when Corm came running up to Shasta and seized both his hands and cried,
"What! You here! So you got through all right? I am glad. Now we shall have some sport. And isn't it luck! We only got into harbour at Cair Paravel yesterday morning and the very first person who met us was Chervy the Stag with all this news of an attack on Anvard. Don't you think -"
"Who is your Highness's friend?" said King Edmund who had just got off his horse.
"Don't you see, Sire?" said Corin. "It's my double: the boy you mistook me for at Tashbaan."
"Why, so he is your double," exclaimed Queen Lucy. "As like as two twins. This is a marvellous thing."
"Please, your Majesty," said Shasta to King Edmund, "I was no traitor, really I wasn't. And I couldn't help hearing your plans. But I'd never have dreamed of telling them to your enemies."
"I know now that you were no traitor, boy," said King Edmund, laying his hand on Shasta's head. "But if you would not be taken for one, another time try not to hear what's meant for other ears. But all's well."
After that there was so much bustle and talk and coming and going that Shasta for a few minutes lost sight of Corin and Edmund and Lucy. But Corin was the sort of boy whom one is sure to hear of pretty soon and it wasn't very long before Shasta heard King Edmund saying in a loud voice:
"By the Lion's Mane, prince, this is too much! Will your Highness never be better? You are more of a heart's-scald than our whole army together! I'd as lief have a regiment of hornets in my command as you."
Shasta wormed his way through the crowd and there saw Edmund, looking very angry indeed, Corin looking a little ashamed of himself, and a strange Dwarf sitting on the ground making faces. A couple of fauns had apparently just been helping it out of its armour.
"If I had but my cordial with me," Queen Lucy was saying, "I could soon mend this. But the High King has so strictly charged me not to carry it commonly to the wars and to keep it only for great extremities!"
What had happened was this. As soon as Corin had spoken to Shasta, Corin's elbow had been plucked by a Dwarf in the army called Thornbut.
"What is it, Thornbut?" Corin had said.
"Your Royal Highness," said Thornbut, drawing him aside, "our march today will bring us through the pass and right to your royal father's castle. We may be in battle before night."
"I know," said Corin. "Isn't it splendid!"
"Splendid or not," said Thornbut, "I have the strictest orders from King Edmund to see to it that your Highness is not in the fight. You will be allowed to see it, and that's treat enough for your Highness's little years."
"Oh what nonsense!" Corin burst out. "Of course I'm going to fight. Why, the Queen Lucy's going to be with the archers."
"The Queen's grace will do as she pleases," said Thornbut. "But you are in my charge. Either I must have your solemn and princely word that you'll keep your pony beside mine - not half a neck ahead - till I give your Highness leave to depart: or else - it is his Majesty's word - we must go with our wrists tied together like two prisoners."
"I'll knock you down if you try to bind me," said Corm.
"I'd like to see your Highness do it," said the Dwarf.
That was quite enough for a boy like Corin and in a second he and the Dwarf were at it hammer and tongs. It would have been an even match for, though Corin had longer arms and more height, the Dwarf was older and tougher. But it was never fought out (that's the worst of fights on a rough hillside) for by very bad luck Thornbut trod on a loose stone, came flat down on his nose, and found when he tried to get up that he had sprained his ankle: a real excruciating sprain which would keep him from walking or riding for at least a fortnight.
"See what your Highness has done," said King Edmund. "Deprived us of a proved warrior on the very edge of battle."
"I'll take his place, Sire," said Corin.
"Pshaw," said Edmund. "No one doubts your courage. But a boy in battle is a danger only to his own side."
At that moment the King was called away to attend to something else, and Corin, after apologizing handsomely to the Dwarf, rushed up to Shasta and whispered,
"Quick. There's a spare pony now, and the Dwarf's armour. Put it on before anyone notices."
"What for?" said Shasta.
"Why, so that you and I can fight in the battle of course! Don't you want to?"
"Oh - ah, yes, of course," said Shasta. But he hadn't been thinking of doing so at all, and began to get a most uncomfortable prickly feeling in his spine.
"That's right," said Corin. "Over your head. Now the sword-belt. But we must ride near the tail of the column and keep as quiet as mice. Once the battle begins everyone will be far too busy to notice us."      十二、沙斯塔在纳尼亚     “这一切是个梦?”沙斯塔心中疑惑。但这不可能是个梦，因为他看到前面草地上有个狮子右前蹄的又深又大的印子，能造成这样的蹄印的重量，想想也叫人透不过气来。但还有比蹄印大小深浅更令人奇怪的事哩。当他瞧着那蹄印时，水已经铺满它的底部了。不多一会儿，水就漫到边上来了，往外溢出来了，一条小小溪水，流过青草，经过他的身边，奔流下山去了。      沙斯塔俯下身去喝水——喝了好久——然后把脸浸在水里，把水泼在头上。水极冷，清澄如玻璃，他喝了神清气爽。这之后，他站起身来，把耳朵里的水甩掉，把潮湿的头发从前额上撩到后面去，开始观察周围环境。      显然还是挺早的清晨。太阳不过刚刚升起，他望见右首山下远方有许多森林，太阳就是从森林那儿冒出来的。他正遥望的国土，对他说来是绝对新鲜的。这是一片苍翠的溪谷之地，树木星罗棋布，他瞥见树木之间有一条河流闪闪生光，这河拐了个弯，向大致是西北方向奔腾而去。溪谷对岸是高高的石头小山，但它们比他昨天看到的山岭要低。于是他开始琢磨，他如今身在何处。他转过身来，向后瞧瞧，看到他所站立的山坡是处在更多更高的崇山峻岭之中。       “我明白了，”沙斯塔跟他自己说道，”这些就是介乎阿钦兰和纳尼亚之间的大山大岭。我昨天是在大山的那一边。我必定是在夜间穿过山隘的。我碰巧走对了，运道真好！——实际上，这压根儿不是运道好，这是它帮了大忙。现在我是在纳尼亚境内了。”       他再转过身去，给马儿卸下了鞍子，取下了马勒——”尽管你是一匹完全令人厌恶的马儿。”他说道。马儿不理会他的批评，立刻开始吃起青草来了。那马儿对沙斯塔的评价不高。      “我但愿我能吃草啊！”沙斯塔心中想道，”回到安瓦德去毫无用处，这城将被团团围攻。我还不如到下边儿的山谷里去，瞧瞧能否弄到点儿东西吃。”      所以他就走下山去(浓重的露水，让他的光脚丫子冷极了)，一直走进一个树林。有一条踏出来的小路贯穿树林，他沿着这小路走了没有几分钟，就听到一个沙哑而呼哧呼哧的声音同他说话。       “早安，邻居。”      沙斯塔热切地向四周打量，想要找到说话的人，他立刻看见了刚从树林里出来的一个身材短小、黑脸多刺的人。至少，作为一个人，它是太小了，但作为一只刺猬，却是很大的了：它就是一只刺猬。       “早安，”沙斯塔说道，”但我不是你的邻居。事实上，我是这地方的一个陌生人。”      “啊?”刺猬询问地说道。      “我越过大山而来——你要知道，我是从阿钦兰来的。”      “呀，阿钦兰，”刺猬说道，”离这儿远得可怕。我自己从没去过。”      “而且我认为，”沙斯塔说道，”也许应该告诉人们：此时此刻，有一支野蛮的卡乐门军队正在进攻安瓦德城。”      “不会这样吧！”刺猬答道，”哦，想想吧。不是据说卡乐门在几百、几千里之外，在世界的尽头，跟这儿还隔着一个大沙漠吗?”      “不像你所想像的那么遥远，”沙斯塔说道，”关于这次对安瓦德的进攻，总该做点儿事吧。总该禀告你们的至尊王吧?”      “确实如此，总该为此干点儿事情。”刺猬说道，”但，你瞧，我正要到床上去，美美地睡它一个白昼啊。哈啰，邻居！”      最后一句话是对一只巨大的淡褐色兔子说的，兔子的脑袋刚从小径旁的地底下突然冒出来。刺猬立刻把它从沙斯塔那里听来的事情告诉兔子。兔子同意这是个惊人的消息，应该有人去告诉别人，以便为此干点儿事。       于是就这样纷纷传开去了。每隔几分钟，就有别的生物参加进来，有的来自头上的树枝，有的来自脚下的地底小屋：这一帮子，终于包含了五只兔子、一只松鼠、两只喜鹊、一个羊脚怪物以及一只耗子，它们大家同时说着话儿，大家都同意刺猬的意见。因为，事情的真相是：在那黄金时代里，女巫和冬天已经被赶走，至尊王彼得治理着凯尔帕拉维尔，纳尼亚较小林地里的居民们是那么安宁和幸福，所以它们有点儿麻痹大意了。      不过，又有两个小树林里比较实际的居民来了。一个是红色小矮人，名叫德夫尔。另一个是一头牡鹿，一只美丽华贵的生物，眼睛大大的水汪汪的，两胁斑斑点点，两腿又纤细又雅致，看上去仿佛用两个手指就能把那腿折断似的。      “狮子还活着！”小矮人听到消息就大声嚷嚷，”如果真是这么一回事，咱们大家为什么仍旧站着闲谈呢?敌人猛攻安瓦德！必须立刻把消息送到凯尔帕拉维尔去。必须把军队动员起来。纳尼亚必须去支援国王伦恩。”       “啊！”刺猬说，”可是你在凯尔帕拉维尔找不到至尊王。他正北上讨伐巨人们。讲到巨人们，邻居们，使我想起了——”      “我们谁去送信?”小矮人说，”有谁跑得比我还快吗?”      “我跑得快，”牡鹿说，”我怎么说?有多少卡乐门人?”      “二百人马，由王子拉巴达什统率，还有……”但牡鹿已经跑掉了——立刻四脚腾空地飞跑，片刻之间，它的白色臀部便在遥远的树木之间消失了。      “不明白它跑到什么地方去，”一只兔子说道，”要知道，它在凯尔帕拉维尔是找不到至尊王的。”      “它可以找到露茜女王，”德夫尔说道，”然后……喂！喂！这个人有什么毛病呀?他的脸色发青。咳，我相信他要昏过去了。说不定这就是人的饥饿。小家伙，你最后一顿饭是什么时候吃的?”       “昨天早晨。”沙斯塔虚弱无力地说道。      “来吧，那么，来吧。”小矮人说道，立刻用他胖胖的小手臂抱住沙斯塔的腰，扶着他。”喂！邻居，我们大家都应该为自己感到羞耻。孩子，你跟我来巴。早餐！吃早餐比谈话好。”      小矮人大大的一阵忙乱，喃喃地责备着自己，半搀半扶地赶快把沙斯塔带进树林，稍稍走下山去一点儿。走的这段路比沙斯塔此刻所愿意走的要长得多，他们还没有走出树林，还没有到达光秃秃的山坡上，他已经开始感觉到两腿在发抖了。他们在山坡上找到一个小屋子，烟囱里在冒烟，门户洞开，当他们来到门口时，德夫尔喊道：       “嗨，兄弟们！有位客人来吃早饭了。”      伴随着咝咝的油炸之声，立刻向沙斯塔飘来了令人垂涎欲滴的香味。这是一种他生平从未闻到过的香味，但我希望你是闻到过的。事实上，这是咸猪肉、鸡蛋和蘑菇在锅里油炸的香味。       “留神你的脑袋，孩子。”德夫尔说得晚了一点儿，因为沙斯塔的前额已经撞在低低的门楣上了。”现在，”小矮人继续说道，”你坐下吧。对于你，桌子是低了一点儿，凳子也低了一点儿。这就行了。这儿是粥——这儿是壶奶油——这儿是个调羹。”       沙斯塔喝完粥时，小矮人的两个兄弟(他们叫罗金和布里克尔森姆)正在把咸猪肉、鸡蛋和蘑菇，以及咖啡壶、热牛奶和吐司放到桌子上。      对沙斯塔来说，这顿早餐全然是新奇的、了不起的，因为卡乐门的食物是完全不同的。他甚至不知道这一片片棕色的东西是什么玩意儿，因为他以前从未见过吐司。他不知道涂在吐司上的黄色柔软的东西是什么玩意儿，因为在卡乐门几乎总是用油来代替白脱的。而这屋子本身也跟阿什伊什黑暗、霉臭、鱼腥的小屋不同，跟塔什班城王宫里圆柱耸立、毯子铺地的大厅截然不同。屋顶很低，一切都是木头做的，有一只以杜鹃叫声报时的钟，一块红白格子台布，一碗野花，厚玻璃窗上还挂着小小的白色窗帘。不得不用小矮人的杯子、盘子、刀叉，也是很麻烦的事。这意味着每份食品都很少，却又有许多份，所以沙斯塔的盘子或是杯子，时时刻刻都在重新添盛，而小矮人们自己也时时刻刻在说：”请来点儿白脱”，”再来一杯咖啡”，或是”我再要些蘑菇”，或是”再来一份煎鸡蛋好吗?”最后，当大家尽量吃饱以后，三个小矮人便拈阄决定由谁洗盘子，结果是罗金倒霉。于是德夫尔和布里克尔森姆便领沙斯塔到屋子外的一条长凳上坐下，那长凳靠着小屋的墙垣；于是他们大家都伸直了腿，心满意足地吁出一口气来，两个小矮人还点上了烟斗。现在青草上的露水不见了，太阳是温暖的，确实，如果没有一阵阵清风的话，天气就会显得太热了。"       “陌生人啊，”德夫尔说，”我来把地形地势指给你看。你从这儿几乎可以看见整个儿南部纳尼亚，我们是很以这景色自豪的。向你的左边望过去，越过那些附近的小山，你正好能望见西部群山。在你右边那个圆圆的小山，叫做石桌山。就在它外边儿……”      但这时候他被沙斯塔的鼾声打断了，沙斯塔经过一夜奔波，吃了一顿美美的早餐，很快就睡熟了。好心的小矮人们一发现他睡着了，就立刻互相做手势：不要去惊醒他：事实上，他们彼此窃窃私语，点头会意，站起身来，踮着脚尖走动，好不热闹，若不是沙斯塔十分困倦，他倒是一定会被惊醒的。       沙斯塔几乎睡了整整一天，醒来时刚赶上吃晚饭。屋子里的床给他睡是太小了，但他们在地上给他铺了一个极好的石南床，他睡在那床上，整夜没有动弹，整夜没有做梦。第二天早晨他们刚吃完早餐，便听到从屋子外传来一个尖锐而激动的声音。      “喇叭声！，”小矮人们一齐说道，这时他们和沙斯塔都跑出门外去了。      喇叭声又响起来了：对沙斯塔说来，的确是个崭新的声音，既不像塔什班城的号角那么洪亮庄重，又不像国王伦恩的狩猎号角那么轻快欢乐，却清晰、尖厉、豪迈。喇叭声是从树林传到东边来的，不久又有马蹄嘚嘚声同喇叭声混合在一起。一会儿之后，纵队的先锋就看得见了。      走在第一个的是珀里丹勋爵，骑一匹栗色马，手执纳尼亚大旗——青绿底色上一头红狮子。沙斯塔立刻认出他来了。接着是三个并驾齐驱的人，两个人跨着战马，一个人骑着马驹子。骑在战马上的一个是爱德蒙国王，另一个是金发女郎，满脸兴高采烈的神色，头戴头盔，身穿锁子甲，肩上背着一只弓，身边挂着装满箭的箭袋。(“露茜女王。”德夫尔低声说道。)骑在马驹子上的是科林。这三人之后，是军队的主体：骑在寻常马儿身上的士卒、骑在会说人话的马儿身上的军人(遇到正当情况，例如纳尼亚要作战时，这种马儿并不在意被人骑)、人头马、咬起来凶狠的板着脸的熊、了不得的会说人话的狗，最后是六个巨人。然而，尽管他知道他们是站在正义一边的，沙斯塔开头还是不大敢看他们：有些事情要经过很多时间才能看得惯哩。       正当国王和女王到达小屋门前、小矮人们开始向他们鞠躬时，国王爱德蒙大声喊道：      “朋友们！该歇一歇、吃一口东西了。”于是立刻出现了一阵忙乱，人们纷纷跳下马来，打开干粮袋，开始交谈起来，这时科林向沙斯塔跑过来，抓住他的双手，叫喊道：      “啊！你在这儿！那么你是一路平安地过来了?我很高兴。如今我们将参加游戏了，这岂不是好运道！我们在凯尔帕拉维尔刚进港，第一个遇见我们的是牡鹿彻耳，它带来了敌人进攻安瓦德的全部消息。你可认为……”      “殿下的朋友是谁呀?”刚下马的国王爱德蒙问道。      “陛下，你可看出来了?”科林说道，”他就是跟我极相似的人：你在塔什班城错把他当做我了。”      “呀，他就是跟你极相似的人，”露茜女王叫道，”跟孪生兄弟一样相像。真是件不可思议的事情。”      “禀告陛下，”沙斯塔对国王爱德蒙说道，”我不是奸细，我确实不是。我不由自主地听到了你们的计划。但我做梦也想不到把这计划告诉你的敌人。”      “孩子，我现在知道你并不是奸细，”国王爱德蒙的手按在沙斯塔的头上，说道，”但如果你不愿意被当做奸细，下次就要竭力不去听那原是要讲给别的耳朵听的话。但一切很顺利。”       这之后，又有许多忙乱，许多谈话，许多来来往往，不到几分钟，沙斯塔就看不见科林、爱德蒙和露茜了。但科林是不久就会让人听到有关他的消息的那种孩子；过不了多久，沙斯塔果然就听到国王爱德蒙大声说道：      “凭着狮王的鬃毛，王子，这是太过分了。殿下永远不会长进吗?我们整个军队加在一起也不及你那么让人火烧火燎的！指挥你，我宁愿指挥一个团的大黄蜂。”"       沙斯塔在人群中钻过去，终于看到了国王爱德蒙，他看上去确实十分愤怒，科林呢，看上去有点儿不好意思，还有一个奇怪的小矮人正坐在地上做鬼脸。显而易见，两个羊怪刚帮助那小矮人卸下盔甲。      “如果我把药酒带来的话，”露茜女王说，”我很快就能替他治愈的。但至尊王严格地要求我别稀松平常地把它带到战场上来，要留待非常危险时使用！”      事情原来是这样的。科林刚同沙斯塔说过话，他的肘拐儿便被一个小矮人抓住了。军队里管这个小矮人叫”刺儿头”。      “你这是干什么，刺儿头?”科林说。      “王子殿下，”刺儿头把他拉到一边说，”我们今天的行军会带我们穿过关隘，直接开到你父王的城堡。黑夜以前我们也许就要参加战斗了。”      “我知道，”科林说，”战争不是很壮观吗?”      “壮观也好，不壮观也好，”刺儿头说，”我可奉到国王爱德蒙最最严厉的命令，要我留神不让你殿下参加战斗。可以容许你在旁观战；以殿下的年龄，这种待遇已经够意思的了。”       “真是胡说八道！”科林发作道，”当然我要去打仗的。为什么露茜女王带着她的弓箭手一同去打仗呢?”      “女王通情达理，可以随心所欲，”刺儿头说，”但你是由我看管的。要么，我必须得到你王子的庄严诺言：你得使你的马驹子在我的马儿旁边并驾齐驱，超前半个脖子也不行，直至我同意你离开为止；要么——这是陛下亲口说的——咱俩必须把咱们的手腕缚在一起，像囚徒一样。”      “如果你想缚我，我就把你打倒在地。”科林说。      “我倒很想瞧瞧殿下动手打人。”小矮人说道。      这句话就足够把科林这样的孩子惹恼了，他和小矮人立刻激烈地打起来了。这本来是一场势均力敌的搏斗，因为虽然科林身高手长，小矮人却比较年长、健壮。但这场搏斗没有能一决雌雄(这是崎岖山坡上最糟糕的一次打架)，因为刺儿头大倒其霉，踩在一块活动的石头上，鼻子朝地跌了下去，竭力站起来时发觉踝关节扭伤了：一种造成剧烈疼痛的扭伤，至少两个星期不能走路或骑马。      “瞧瞧殿下的所作所为吧，”国王爱德蒙说道，”马上就要打仗了，你却剥夺了我们一个久经考验的战士。”      “我一定代替他作战，陛下。”科林说。      “呸！”爱德蒙说，”没有人怀疑你的勇气。但战斗中的孩子，只不过是他自己那一方的一个危险而已。”      就在这当儿，国王被请去安排别的事情了，而科林呢，漂亮地向小矮人道歉以后，便跑到沙斯塔身边，悄悄说道：      “赶快。现在有一匹备用的马驹子，还有小矮人的那副盔甲。趁着还没有人注意，你就穿上吧。”      “穿上干吗?”沙斯塔说。      “呀，当然是为了你和我能参加打仗啊！你可愿意去打仗吗?”      “啊——啊，是的，当然愿意啰。”沙斯塔说。但他压根儿没想到去打仗，而且脊骨里开始有种极不舒服的刺痛之感。      “这就对了，”科林说，”套在你脑袋上。再把剑带束在腰间。但我们必须骑马走在纵队的尾巴附近，而且不声不响，像老鼠一样。一旦战斗打响，大家就忙碌极了，不会注意我们了。”
Chapter 13
THE FIGHT AT ANVARD
By about eleven o'clock the whole company was once more on the march, riding westward with the mountains on their left. Corin and Shasta rode right at the rear with the Giants immediately in front of them. Lucy and Edmund and Peridan were busy with their plans for the battle and though Lucy once said, "But where is his goosecap Highness?" Edmund only replied, "Not in the front, and that's good news enough. Leave well alone."
Shasta told Corin most of his adventures and explained that he had learned all his riding from a horse and didn't really know how to use the reins. Corin instructed him in this, besides telling him all about their secret sailing from Tashbaan.
"And where is the Queen Susan?"
"At Cair Paravel," said Corin. "She's not like Lucy, you know, who's as good as a man, or at any rate as good as a boy. Queen Susan is more like an ordinary grown-up lady. She doesn't ride to the wars, though she is an excellent archer."
The hillside path which they were following became narrower all the time and the drop on their right hand became steeper. At last they were going in single file along the edge of a precipice and Shasta shuddered to think that he had done the same last night without knowing it. "But of course," he thought, "I was quite safe. That is why the Lion kept on my left. He was between me and the edge all the time."
Then the path went left and south away from the cliff and there were thick woods on both sides of it and they went steeply up and up into the pass. There would have been a splendid view from the top if it were open ground but among all those trees you could see nothing - only, every now and then, some huge pinnacle of rock above the tree-tops, and an eagle or two wheeling high up in the blue air.
"They smell battle," said Corin, pointing at the birds. "They know we're preparing a feed for them."
Shasta didn't like this at all.
When they had crossed the neck of the pass and come a good deal lower they reached more open ground and from here Shasta could see all Archenland, blue and hazy, spread out below him and even (he thought) a hint of the desert beyond it. But the sun, which had perhaps two hours or so to go before it set, was in his eyes and he couldn't make things out distinctly.
Here the army halted and spread out in a line, and there was a great deal of rearranging. A whole detachment of very dangerous-looking Talking Beasts whom Shasta had not noticed before and who were mostly of the cat kind (leopards, panthers, and the like) went padding and growling to take up their positions on the left. The giants were ordered to the right, and before going there they all took off something they had been carrying on their backs and sat down for a moment. Then Shasta saw that what they had been carrying and were now putting on were pairs of boots: horrid, heavy, spiked boots which came up to their knees. Then they sloped their huge clubs over their shoulders and marched to their battle position. The archers, with Queen Lucy, fell to the rear and you could first see them bending their bows and then hear the twangtwang as they tested the strings. And wherever you looked you could see people tightening girths, putting on helmets, drawing swords, and throwing cloaks to the ground. There was hardly any talking now. It was very solemn and very dreadful. "I'm in for it now - I really am in for it now," thought Shasta. Then there came noises far ahead: the sound of many men shouting and a steady thud-thud-thud
"Battering ram," whispered Corin. "They're battering the gate."
Even Corin looked quite serious now.
"Why doesn't King Edmund get on?" he said. "I can' stand this waiting about. Chilly too."
Shasta nodded: hoping he didn't look as frightened as felt.
The trumpet at last! On the move now - now trotting the banner streaming out in the wind. They had topped low ridge now, and below them the whole scene sudden opened out; a little, many-towered castle with its gate towards them. No moat, unfortunately, but of course the gate shut and the portcullis down. On the walls they could see, like little white dots, the faces of the defenders. Down below, about fifty of the Calormenes, dismounted, were steadily swinging a great tree trunk against the gate. But at once the scene changed. The main bulk of Rabadash's men had been on foot ready to assault the gate. But now he had seen the Narnians sweeping down from the ridge. There is no doubt those Calormenes are wonderfully trained. It seemed to Shasta only a second before a whole line of the enemy were on horseback again, wheeling round to meet them, swinging towards them.
And now a gallop. The ground between the two armies grew less every moment. Faster, faster. All swords out now, all shields up to the nose, all prayers said, all teeth clenched. Shasta was dreadfully frightened. But it suddenly came into his head, "If you funk this, you'll funk every battle all your life. Now or never."
But when at last the two lines met he had really very littler idea of what happened. There was a frightful confusion`; and an appalling noise. His sword was knocked clean out of his hand pretty soon. And he'd got the reins tangled somehow. Then he found himself slipping. Then a spear came straight at him and as he ducked to avoid it he rolled right off his horse, bashed his left knuckles terribly against someone else's armour, and then - But it is no use trying to describe the battle from Shasta's point of view; he understood too little of the fight in general and even of his own part in it. The best way I can tell you what really happened is to take you some miles away to where the Hermit of the Southern March sat gazing into the smooth pool beneath the spreading tree, with Bree and Hwin and Aravis beside him.
For it was in this pool that the Hermit looked when he wanted to know what was going on in the world outside the green walls of his hermitage. There, as in a mirror, he could see, at certain times, what was going on in the streets of cities far farther south than Tashbaan, or what ships were putting into Redhaven in the remote Seven Isles, or what robbers or wild beasts stirred in the great Western forests between Lantern Waste and Telmar. And all this day he had hardly left his pool, even to eat or drink, for he knew that great events were on foot in Archenland. Aravis and the Horses gazed into it too. They could see it was a magic pool: instead of reflecting the tree and the sky it revealed cloudy and coloured shapes moving, always moving, in its depths. But they could see nothing clearly. The Hermit could and from time to time he told them what he saw. A little while before Shasta rode into his first battle, the Hermit had begun speaking like this:
"I see one - two - three eagles wheeling in the gap by Stormness Head. One is the oldest of all the eagles. He would not be out unless battle was at hand. I see him wheel to and fro, peering down sometimes at Anvard and sometimes to the east, behind Stormness. Ah - I see now what Rabadash and his men have been so busy at all day. They have felled and lopped a great tree and they are now coming out of the woods carrying it as a ram. They have learned something from the failure of last night's assult. He would have been wiser if he had set his men to making ladders: but it takes too long and he is impatient. Fool that he is! He ought to have ridden back to Tashbaan as soon as the first attack failed, for his whole plan depended on speed and surprise. Now they are bringing their ram into position. King Lune's men are shooting hard from the walls. Five Calormenes have fallen: but not many will. They have their shields above their heads. Rabadash is giving his orders now. With him are his most trusted lords, fierce Tarkaans from the eastern provinces. I can see their faces. There is Corradin of Castle Tormunt, and Azrooh, and Chlamash, and Ilgamuth of the twisted lip, and a tall Tarkaan with a crimson beard -"
"By the Mane, my old master Anradin!" said Bree.
"S-s-sly" said Aravis.
"Now the ram has started. If I could hear as well as see, what a noise that would make! Stroke after stroke: and no gate can stand it for ever. But wait! Something up by Stormness has scared the birds. They're coming out in masses. And wait again . . . I can't see yet . . . ah! Now I can. The whole ridge, up on the east, is black with horsemen. If only the wind would catch that standard and spread it out. They're over the ridge now, whoever they are. Aha! I've seen the banner now. Narnia, Narnia! It's the red lion. They're in full career down the hill now. I can see King Edmund. There's a woman behind among the archers. Oh! -"
"What is it?" asked Hwin breathlessly.
"All his Cats are dashing out from the left of the line."
"Cats?" said Aravis.
"Great cats, leopards and such," said the Hermit impatiently. "I see, I see. The Cats are coming round in a circle to get at the horses of the dismounted men. A good stroke. The Calormene horses are mad with terror already. Now the Cats are in among them. But Rabadash has reformed his line and has a hundred men in the saddle. They're riding to meet the Narnians. There's only a hundred yards between the two lines now. Only fifty. I can see King Edmund, I can see the Lord Peridan. There are two mere children in the Narnian line. What can the King be about to let them into battle? Only ten yards - the lines have met. The Giants on the Narnian right are doing wonders . . . but one's down . . . shot through the eye, I suppose. The centre's all in a muddle. I can see more on the left. There are the two boys again. Lion alive! one is Prince Corm. The other, like him as two peas. It's your little Shasta. Corm is fighting like a man. He's killed a Calormene. I 'can see a bit of the centre now. Rabadash and Edmund almost met then, but the press has separated them -"
"What about Shasta?" said Aravis.
"Oh the fool!" groaned the Hermit. "Poor, brave little fool. He knows nothing about this work. He's making no use at all of his shield. His whole side's exposed. He hasn't the faintest idea what to do with his sword. Oh, he's remembered it now. He's waving it wildly about . . . nearly cut his own pony's head off, and he will in a moment if he's not careful. It's been knocked out of his hand now. It's mere murder sending a child into the battle; he can't live five minutes. Duck you fool - oh, he's down."
"Killed?" asked three voices breathlessly.
"How can I tell?" said the Hermit. "The Cats have done their work. All the riderless horses are dead or escaped now: no retreat for the Calormenes on them. Now the Cats are turning back into the main battle. They're leaping on the rams-men. The ram is down. Oh, good! good! The gates are opening from the inside: there's going to be a sortie. The first three are out. It's King Lune in the middle: the brothers Dar and Darrin on each side of him. Behind them are Tran and Shar and Cole with his brother Colin. There are ten - twenty - nearly thirty of them out by now. The Calormen line is being forced back upon them. King Edmund is dealing marvellous strokes. He's just slashed Corradin's head off. Lots of Calormenes have thrown down their arms and are running for the woods. Those that remain are hard pressed. The Giants are closing in on the right - Cats on the left - King Lune from their rear. The Calormenes are a little knot now, fighting back to back. Your Tarkaan's down, Bree. Lune and Azrooh are fighting hand to hand; the King looks like winning - the King is keeping it up well - the King has won. Azrooh's down. King Edmund's down - no, he's up again: he's at it with Rabadash. They're fighting in the very gate of the castle. Several Calormenes have surrendered. Darrin has killed Ilgamuth. I can't see what's happened to Rabadash. I think he's dead, leaning against the castle wall, but I don't know. Chlamash and King Edmund are still fighting but the battle is over everywhere else. Chlamash has surrendered. The battle is over. The Calormenes are utterly defeated."
When Shasta fell off his horse he gave himself up for lost. But horses, even in battle, tread on human beings very much less than you would suppose. After a very horrible ten minutes or so Shasta realized suddenly that there were no longer any horses stamping about in the immediate neighbourhood and that the noise (for there were still a good many noises going on) was no longer that of a battle. He sat up and stared about him. Even he, little as he knew of battles, could soon see that the Archenlanders and Narnians had won. The only living Calormenes he could see were prisoners, the castle gates were wide open, and King Lune and King Edmund were shaking hands across the battering ram. From the circle of lords and warriors around them there arose a sound of breathless and excited, but obviously cheerful conversation. And then, suddenly, it all united and swelled into a great roar of laughter.
Shasta. picked himself up, feeling uncommonly stiff, and ran towards the sound to see what the joke was. A very curious sight met his eyes. The unfortunate Rabadash appeared to be suspended from the castle walls. His feet, which were about two feet from the ground, were kicking wildly. His chain-shirt was somehow hitched up so that it was horribly tight under the arms and came half way over his face. In fact he looked just as a man looks if you catch him in the very act of getting into a stiff shirt that is a little too small for him. As far as could be made out afterwards (and you may be sure the story was well talked over for many a day) what happened was something like this. Early in the battle one of the Giants had made an unsuccessful stamp at Rabadash with his spiked boot: unsuccessful because it didn't crush Rabadash, which was what the Giant had intended, but not quite useless because one of the spikes tore the chain mail, just as you or I might tear an ordinary shirt. So Rabadash, by the time he encountered Edmund at the gate, had a hole in the back of his hauberk. And when Edmund pressed him back nearer and nearer to the wall, he jumped up on a mounting block and stood there raining down blows on Edmund from above. But then, finding that this position, by raising him above the heads of everyone else, made him a mark for every arrow from the Narnian bows, he decided to jump down again. And he meant to look and sound - no doubt for a moment he did look and sound - very grand and very dreadful as he jumped, crying, "The bolt of Tash falls from above." But he had to jump sideways because the crowd in front of him left him no landing place in that direction. And then, in the neatest way you could wish, the tear in the back of his hauberk caught on a hook in the wall. (Ages ago this hook had had a ring in it for tying horses to.) And there he found himself, like a piece of washing hung up to dry, with everyone laughing at him.
"Let me down, Edmund," howled Rabadash. "Let me down and fight me like a king and a man; or if you are too great a coward to do that, kill me at once."
"Certainly," began King Edmund, but King Lune interrupted.
"By your Majesty's good leave," said King Lune to Edmund. "Not so." Then turning to Rabadash he said, "Your royal Highness, if you had given that challenge a week ago, I'll answer for it there was no one in King Edmund's dominion, from the High King down to the smallest Talking Mouse, who would have refused it. But by attacking our castle of Anvard in time of peace without defiance sent, you have proved yourself no knight, but a traitor, and one rather to be whipped by the hangman than to be suffered to cross swords with any person of honour. Take him down, bind him, and carry him within till our pleasure is further known."
Strong hands wrenched Rabadash's sword from him and he was carried away into the castle, shouting, threatening, cursing, and even crying. For though he could have faced torture he couldn't bear being made ridiculous. In Tashbaan everyone had always taken him seriously.
At that moment Corin ran up to Shasta, seized his hand and started dragging him towards King Lune. "Here he is, Father, here he is," cried Corin.
"Aye, and here thou art, at last," said the King in a very gruff voice. "And bast been in the battle, clean contrary to your obedience. A boy to break a father's heart! At your age a rod to your breech were fitter than a sword in your fist, ha!" But everyone, including Corin, could see that the King was very proud of him.
"Chide him no more, Sire, if it please you," said Lord Darrin. "His Highness would not be your son if he did not inherit your conditions. It would grieve your Majesty more if he had to be reproved for the opposite fault."
"Well, well," grumbled the King. "We'll pass it over for this time. And now -" '
What came next surprised Shasta as much as anything that had ever happened to him in his life. He found himself suddenly embraced inn bear-like hug by King Lune and kissed on both cheeks. Then the King set him down again and said, "Stand here together, boys, and let all the court see you. Hold up your heads. Now, gentlemen, look on them both. Has any man any doubts?"
And still Shasta could not understand why everyone stared at him and at Corin nor what all the cheering was about.      十三、安瓦德之战      十一点钟光景，整个部队重新行军，向西飞驰而去，大山在他们的左边。科林和沙斯塔骑马殿后，巨人们在他们的前边儿。露茜、爱德蒙和珀里丹忙于商量作战计划；虽然露茜说过：”可鹅帽殿下在哪儿啊?”爱德蒙只是答道，”不在先头部队里，那就真是好消息了。随他去吧。”      沙斯塔把他大部分惊险经历告诉了科林，并且解释道：他是跟一匹马儿学习骑马的，因此他确实不知道怎样使用缰绳。科林便教他，还把他们从塔什班城秘密出航的经过告诉了他。       “那么苏珊女王在哪儿呢?”      “在凯尔帕拉维尔，”科林说，”她不像露茜，你要知道，她像男子汉一样，或者，无论如何也像男孩子一样。苏珊女王更像一位长大成人的普通小姐。她并不骑着马去作战，尽管她是个射箭好手。”       他们正在走的山径愈来愈狭窄，右首的山坡也更加陡了。最后，他们改成单行沿着悬崖的边缘走去；沙斯塔不寒而栗地想到上一夜他是不知不觉地在这悬崖边上走过去的。”然而，当然啦，”他心中想道，”我是十分安全的。那就是为什么狮子始终走在我左边的缘故。狮子自始至终是走在我和悬崖之间啊。”      接着，山径向左首延伸，背离悬崖向南而去，这时两旁都是密密的树林，山径险峻陡急，他们不断地往上、往上登高，终于进入关隘。如果关隘是片开阔地带，从顶上俯瞰，准是一片好风景，可是如今置身这许多树木之中，你就什么也看不见了——只是育时看见一些巨大的石峰矗立在树顶的上方，一两只鹰在高高的蓝天里盘旋飞翔。      “鹰嗅到战争的气息了，”科林指点着鸟儿说道，”它们知道我们在为它们准备美餐哩。”      沙斯塔压根儿不喜欢这种俏皮话。      当他们经过了隘口，又往下走了好多路，便来到比较开阔的地带，沙斯塔从这儿能看见全部阿钦兰国土，蓝悠悠，雾蒙蒙，展现在他的脚下，(他认为，)他甚至望见了阿钦兰背后隐隐约约的大沙漠。然而，也许再过两个钟点就要下山的太阳，光芒直射他的眼睛，他眼花缭乱，没法儿把景物看个清清楚楚。      军队在这儿止步了，展开成为一条战线，而且做了许多新的安排。整整一队是外貌狰狞的说人话的野兽，沙斯塔以前不曾注意它们；它们大部分都属于猫科(花豹、黑豹，诸如此类)，咆哮着大踏步走到左边去进入阵地。巨人们奉命开拔到右边去，开拔之前，他们都从背上卸下他们所背的东西，并且在地上坐了～会儿。于是沙斯塔看到巨人们刚才背着的、现在正穿上脚去的，乃是一双双的靴子：可怕的、沉重的、底部有尖钉的、长及膝头的靴子。巨人们接着就掮着大棒进入他们的阵地。弓箭手以及露茜女王调到了后边儿，你能首先看见他们弯弓，其次听到他们试拉弓弦的嘣嘣声。不论你朝哪儿看，你处处看得见人们在收紧肚带，戴上头盔，抽出刀剑，把大氅丢在地上。现在没有什么人谈话了。十分庄严，十分可怕。”现在我已经不能中途退回了——现在我确确实实不能中途退回了。”沙斯塔心中想道。       从前边儿远远地传来嘈杂喧闹的声音：许多人在大叫大嚷，还有一种稳定不变的砰砰声。      “攻城槌，”科林低声说道，”敌人正在猛撞城门。”      现在甚至科林也神情严肃。      “爱德蒙国王为什么不出击呢?”他说，”我受不了这种等待。也冷得很。”      沙斯塔点点头：希望他外表上不像他心里所感觉到的那么害怕。      喇叭声终于响了！现在部队行动起来了——现在马儿小跑着——旗帜在风中飘扬翻动着。现在他们爬上一个低低的山脊，山下整个景色突然展开在他们的面前。一个多塔楼小城堡，城门正对着他们。不幸没有护城河：城门当然是关上的，吊闸放下来了。他们望得见城墙上保卫者的脸，像小小的白点子。城下，大约五十个卡乐门人下了马，正稳稳地晃动着一根大树干撞击城门。但这景象立刻就发生变化      了。拉巴达什的主力部队一直是下马步行准备攻击城门的，现在他们看到纳尼亚军队从山脊上奔腾而下。毫无疑问，这些卡乐门部队训练有素。沙斯塔觉得敌人在一秒钟内都上了马，形成整齐的一列队伍，拨转马头，向他们迎过来。"       现在是一阵小跑，两军之间的距离时时刻刻都在缩短。跑得愈来愈快，愈来愈快。所有的刀都出鞘了，所有的盾牌都举到鼻子跟前了，所有的祷告都做过了，所有的牙齿都咬紧了。沙斯塔惊惶得厉害。但他脑子里突然想到：”这次你如果畏缩害怕，那么，你这一生，每打一次仗，都要畏缩害怕了。千载难逢，机不可失！”       然而，最后两军相遇时，他确实对于现场发生的事情一点也不清楚。可怕的混乱和骇人听闻的呐喊。他手中的刀不久就干脆被打掉了。他手中的缰绳不知怎么也搞丢了。他发觉自己正在滑下马来。一枝长矛笔直地向他刺过来，他低头避开时从马上滚了下来，左膝关节猛烈地撞在别人的盔甲上，于是…….       但试图从沙斯塔的观点去描写战争是毫无用处的；他对一般战斗懂得太少，连他自己在战斗中所扮演的角色他也不明白。把战役实际情况告诉你，最好的办法就是带你到几英里之外的南征隐士家里去，他正在大树的树阴下向平静的池水里目不转睛地凝视，布里、赫温和阿拉维斯都在他身边。       隐士想知道他隐居的绿墙之外的世界上正在发生的事情时，他就朝这池水里张望。在池水里，正如在镜子里一样，他能看得见在某一个特定的时间里，远在塔什班南方的城市里街道上正在发生的事情，或是什么船在遥远的七群岛驶进了红港，或是什么强盗或野兽在灯柱野林和台尔马之间的西部大森林里骚扰。这一天隐士一整天没有离开池塘，哪怕吃饭喝水也不离开，因为他知道有重大事件正在阿钦兰发生着。阿拉维斯和两匹马儿也在朝池塘里张望。她们看得出，这是一池魔水。水中不反映绿树蓝天，却在深处反映出那始终在活动着的、云雾似的彩色形象。但她们什么都看不清楚。隐士看得清，他时常把他所见到的告诉她们。沙斯塔骑马进入他初次作战的战场之前一会儿，隐士便这样讲道：       “我看见一只——两只——三只鹰在暴风雨峰的豁口里盘旋。有一只鹰是年纪最大的。除非战斗迫在眉睫，它是不会飞出来的。我看见它来回盘旋，有时俯瞰安瓦德，有时俯瞰暴风雨峰背后的东方。啊——现在我看到拉巴达什和他的部队整天在忙些什么了。他们伐倒一棵大树，锯了一大段树干，现在掮着树干从树林里出来了，要把树干当做攻城槌用。他们昨夜的攻击失败了，从失败中学到了一点儿东西。如果他叫他的部队制造云梯，他就更聪明了：但做云梯更费时间，他不耐烦，等不及。他真是个傻瓜！初战失败，他应该立刻骑马奔回塔什班去，因为他的整个作战计划，靠的是速度和出人意外。现在他们把攻城槌部署好了。伦恩国王的士兵从城上往下拼命射箭。五个卡乐门兵倒下了；但不会有许多人倒下的，他们的头上有盾牌挡着。现在拉巴达什发布命令了。跟他一起的，有他最信赖的王公大人，从东部各省来的凶猛的泰坎们。我看得见他们的脸。有托芒城堡的科拉丁、阿兹鲁、奇拉马什，歪嘴伊尔加默思，还有一个红胡子的泰坎——”      “天哪，我的老东家安拉丁啊！”布里说。      “嘶——嘘。”阿拉维斯说。      “现在攻城槌开始撞击了。如果我看得见也听得见就好了，那玩意儿会发出好大好大的声音啊！一槌又一槌的！没有一个城门能永远顶得住受得了的。且慢！暴风雨峰附近有什么东西惊动了飞鸟。鸟儿大群大群地飞出来了。再等一下……我还看不出……啊！现在我看得见了。东边儿高处，整个山脊上黑压压的全是骑兵。但愿风吹在军旗上把旗子展开就好了。不管他们是谁，现在他们越过山脊了。啊哈！我现在看到旗子了。纳尼亚，纳尼亚啊！是红狮旗。他们现在全速冲下山来了。我看见国王爱德蒙。殿后的弓箭手中有个女人。唷！——”       “那些是什么东西啊?”赫温屏息静气地问道。      “全部猫科野兽都从左边队伍里冲出来了。”      “猫科吗?”阿拉维斯说。      “猫科大野兽，豹子和豹子之类的野兽。”隐士不耐烦地说道，”我明白了，我明白了。猫科野兽要围成一圈，去逮住那些已经无人乘坐的马儿。好高明的一着棋。卡乐门的马儿已经害怕得发疯。现在猫科野兽又冲进这些马儿中间去了。但拉巴达什重新调整了他的队伍，有百来个骑兵坐上马鞍了。他们纵马迎战纳尼亚人。现在双方队伍相距不过一百码光景。不过五十码了。我看得见国王爱德蒙，我看得见珀里丹勋爵。纳尼亚队伍里有两个人，都不过是孩子。国王怎么能让孩子参加战斗呢?双方相距只有十码了——双方队伍接触了。纳尼亚一方，右边儿的巨人正在创造奇迹般的功勋……但有个巨人倒下了……给射中了眼睛，我猜想。中心是一场混战。左边儿我倒看到更多。又是那两个孩子。天哪，一个是科林王子。另一个很像科林，两人像两只梨一样相似。这另一个，就是你们的小沙斯塔。科林像个男子汉似的在作战。他杀死了一个卡乐门人。现在我看得见一点儿中心的情况了。这时拉巴达什和爱德蒙几乎撞上了，但被蜂拥上前的人群把他们分开了——”       “沙斯塔怎么样了?”阿拉维斯问。      “这傻瓜啊！”隐士叹息着说道，”可怜的、勇敢的小傻瓜。他对打仗啥也不知道。他压根儿没有使用他的盾牌。他的两胁都暴露在外面。他一点儿也不懂得怎样使用他的剑啊，现在他想起来要用剑了。他疯狂地挥舞着剑……几乎把他自己的马驹子的脑袋砍了下来。现在他手里的剑被人打落了。把孩子送上战场，只不过是谋杀罢了；他活不到五分钟了。你这傻瓜，低下脑袋呀——啊，他从马上跌下来了。”       “给杀死了吗?”三个声音屏息问道。      “我怎么知道呢?”隐士说道，”猫科野兽完成了它们的战斗任务，无人骑的马儿不是死了就是逃散了：骑这些马儿的卡乐门人无生还的希望了。现在猫科野兽回转身来投入主要的战斗。它们扑到使用攻城槌的人们身上。攻城槌掉到地上了。啊，妙！妙！城门正在从里边儿打开：就要有一番突围出击了。开头出来三个人。国王伦恩在中间，达尔和达兰两兄弟在他的左右两边。他们的后面是特兰、沙尔、科尔和科临兄弟。现在他们出来了十个——二十个——三十个光景的将士。卡乐门队伍被迫后退了。国王爱德蒙正东砍西杀，发挥不可思议的威力。他刚把科拉丁的脑袋砍了下来。许多卡乐门士卒丢下武器，向树林里逃跑。留下的那些人被狠狠地紧逼着，巨人从右边，猫科野兽从左边，国王伦恩从他们的后面，一起进逼过来。现在卡乐门人腹背受敌，有点儿慌乱紧张，他们背靠背地应战。布里，你的那位泰坎倒下了。伦恩国王和阿兹鲁正徒手作战；国王看上去要赢了——国王保持着优势——国王已经赢了。阿兹鲁倒下了。国王爱德蒙倒下了——不，他重新站起来了：他是在和拉巴达什交手。他们就在城堡的大门口作战。好几个卡乐门人都投降了。达兰杀了伊尔加默思。我看不见拉巴达什出了什么事。我认为他是死了，身体靠在城墙上，不过我弄不明白。奇拉马什和国王爱德蒙仍在作战，但其他地方的战斗都结束了。奇拉马什投降了。战争结束了。卡乐门人完全被打败了。”       沙斯塔从马上跌下来时，他认为自己没有命了。但马儿踩人踏人，即使在战场上，也远比你料想的要少得多。非常恐怖的十分钟过去以后，沙斯塔突然发现：在邻近的地方不再有什么马儿在跺脚了，而喧闹的声音(因为仍旧有许许多多持续的喧闹声)不再是战争的声音了。他坐了起来，瞪眼打量着周围。虽然他对战争什么也不知道，但连他也很快就看出来了：阿钦兰人和纳尼亚人已经胜利了。他所看见的活着的卡乐门人便是俘虏。城堡的大门大开着，伦恩国王和爱德蒙国王正越过攻城槌彼此握手。在他们周围的一圈王公大人和战士们中间，响起了一阵激动不已但显然很愉快的谈话。接着，谈话声突然联结起来，扩展成为轰然大笑的声音。-       沙斯塔爬起身来，觉得四肢异乎寻常地不灵活，他朝着哄笑声跑过去，去看看闹的是什么笑话。他所见到的，是一幅十分奇怪的景象。倒霉的拉巴达什看来被悬挂在城堡的墙上。他的脚离地两英尺光景，正疯狂地乱踢着。他的锁子甲有点儿被吊了起来，腋下紧得可怕，中间遮住了半个脸。事实上，他看上去就像一个人正把一件尺寸太小的硬衬衫穿上身去时的模样儿。就后来尽可能收集到的材料看来(你可以确信无疑，这个故事被人们反复讲了好多天)，事情的经过大致是这样的：刚开仗时，有个巨人用他的尖钉大靴子不成功地踩了拉巴达什一脚；不成功，是指他未能如愿以偿地把拉巴达什踩个稀巴烂；但也不是毫无作用，因为靴子上的尖钉刺破了锁子甲，就像你或我可能撕破一件普通的衬衫一样。所以，拉巴达什正和爱德蒙在城门口交手搏斗时，他那锁子甲的背后有个窟窿。当爱德蒙逼得他愈来愈靠近城墙时，他跳上了一个高台，他站在台上，手中的剑雨点般向爱德蒙攻击。但接着他就觉得这个地位既使他高出于众人之上，又使他成为纳尼亚弓箭手的众矢之的，他决定重新跳下台来。他有意要观察风色，试探试探——毫无疑问，他确实观察试探了一会儿——他跳得十分庄严十分可怕，口中大声喊道：”塔什神的雷霆从天上打下来了。”但他不得不朝旁边跳，因为他前边儿的人群很挤，正前方已没有他插足的地方。接着，用你可以期望的最简洁的方式来说，他背部锁子甲上的窟窿，被墙上一个钩子钩住了(几百年前，这钩子曾经是个系马的铁圈)。他发现自己像是一件洗好的、挂在那儿晾干的衣服，人人都在嘲笑他哩。       “爱德蒙，放我下来，”拉巴达什号叫道，”放我下来，像个国王和男子汉那样同我作战；如果你是个大懦夫，不敢放我下来，就立刻杀了我。”      “当然可以。”国王爱德蒙开始说话了，但伦恩国王打断了他的话。      “请陛下允许我插一句，”国王伦恩对爱德蒙说道，”不要这样。”然后，他转过来对拉巴达什说道：”殿下，如果你曾在一个星期前提出挑战书，我就会保证：在国王爱德蒙的国土内，上至至尊王，下至最小的会说人话的耗子，谁也不会拒绝你的请求。然而，你在和平时期，挑战书也不送一份，就进攻我们的安瓦德城堡，你的行为证明你自己不是什么真正的武士，而是个奸贼，是个只配由刽子手来鞭打的家伙，不配由任何高贵的人持刀与之交锋。把他带下去，把他绑起来，带他到城里去，等我们公布了我们欢乐的大喜事以后再说。”      强壮的手从拉巴达什手里夺走了他的剑，他被带进城堡里去了，他叫喊着，威吓着，咒骂着，甚至大号大哭着。因为，尽管他能面对严刑拷打，却受不了人们的嘲弄耻笑。在塔什班城，人人都是严肃认真地对待他的。       就在这个时候，科林向沙斯塔跑来，抓住他的手，开始拖着他向国王走去。”他在这儿了，父亲，他在这儿了。”科林大声说道。      “呀，你还是到这儿来了，”国王用一种十分粗暴的声音说道，”而且压根不听话，竟参加了战斗。一个叫父亲担忧心碎的孩子啊。以你这般年纪，屁股后插根棍棒要比手中拿把剑合适得多。哈哈！”但包括科林在内，人人都看得出国王十分以沙斯塔自豪。      “陛下，对不起，别再责备他了，”达兰勋爵说道，”如果他不继承你的英雄气概的话，殿下就不可能是你的儿子了。如果他应该为相反的错误而受责备的话，那就会使陛下更加伤心了。”       “行了，行了，”国王咕咕哝哝地说道，”我们这一回就放过他吧。现在……”      继之而来的事情使沙斯塔感到的惊讶，丝毫不亚于他生平遭遇到的任何事情。他发觉国王伦恩突然像熊一样把他紧紧抱住，亲吻他的双颊。然后国王把他重新放下，说道：”孩子们一起站在这儿吧，让朝廷上的人都来看看你们。昂起你们的头来。现在，先生们，瞧瞧他们两个人吧。还有什么人会有什么怀疑吗?”       而沙斯塔依旧不明白：为什么人人都目不转晴地瞧着他和科林?这一切欢呼又是怎么一回事呢?
Chapter 14
HOW BREE BECAME A WISER HORSE
WE must now return to Aravis and the Horses. The Hermit, watching his pool, was able to tell them that Shasta was not killed or even seriously wounded, for he saw him get up and saw how affectionately he was greeted by King Lune. But as he could only see, not hear, he did not know what anyone was saying and, once the fighting had stopped and the talking had begun, it was not worth while looking in the pool any longer.
Next morning, while the Hermit was indoors, the three of them discussed what they should do next.
"I've had enough of this," said Hwin. "The Hermit has been very good to us and I'm very much obliged to him I'm sure. But I'm getting as fat as a pet pony, eating all day and getting no exercise. Let's go on to Narnia."
"Oh not today, Ma'am," said Bree. "I wouldn't hurry things. Some other day, don't you think?"
"We must see Shasta first and say good-bye to him - and - and apologize," said Aravis.
"Exactly!" said Bree with great enthusiasm. "Just what I was going to say."
"Oh, of course," said Hwin. "I expect he is in Anvard. Naturally we'd look in on him and say good-bye. But that's on our way. And why shouldn't we start at once? After all, I thought it was Narnia we all wanted to get to?"
"I suppose so," said Aravis. She was beginning to wonder what exactly she would do when she got there and was feeling a little lonely.
"Of course, of course," said Bree hastily. "But there's no need to rush things, if you know what I mean."
"No, I don't know what you mean," said Hwin. "Why don't you want to go?"
"M-m-m, broo-hoo," muttered Bree. "Well, don't you see, Ma'am - it's an important occasion - returning to one's country - entering society - the best society - it is so essential to make a good impression - not perhaps looking quite ourselves, yet, eh?"
Hwin broke out into a horse-laugh. "It's your tail, Bree! I see it all now. You want to wait till your tail's grown again! And we don't even know if tails are worn long in Narnia. Really, Bree, you're as vain as that Tarkheena in Tashbaan!"
"You are silly, Bree," said Aravis.
"By the Lion's Mane, Tarkheena, I'm nothing of the sort," said Bree indignantly. "I have a proper respect for myself and for my fellow horses, that's all."
"Bree," said Aravis, who was not very interested in the cut of his tail, "I've been wanting to ask you something for a long time. Why do you keep on swearing By the Lion and By the Lion's Mane? I thought you hated lions."
"So I do," answered Bree. "But when I speak of the Lion of course I mean Aslan, the great deliverer of Narnia who drove away the Witch and the Winter. All Narnians swear by him."
"But is he a lion?"
"No, no, of course not," said Bree in a rather shocked voice.
"All the stories about him in Tashbaan say he is," replied Aravis. "And if he isn't a lion why do you call him a lion?"
"Well, you'd hardly understand that at your age," said Bree. "And I was only a little foal when I left so I don't quite fully understand it myself."
(Bree was standing with his back to the green wall while he said this, and the other two were facing him. He was talking in rather a superior tone with his eyes half shut; that was why he didn't see the changed expression in the faces of Hwin and Aravis. They had good reason to have open mouths and staring eyes; because while Bree spoke they saw an enormous lion leap up from outside and balance itself on the top of the green wall; only it was a brighter yellow and it was bigger and more beautiful and more alarming than any lion they had ever seen. And at once it jumped down inside the wall and began approaching Bree from behind. It made no noise at all. And Hwin and Aravis couldn't make any noise themselves, no more than if they were frozen.)
"No doubt," continued Bree, "when they speak of him as a Lion they only mean he's as strong as a lion or (to our enemies, of course) as fierce as a lion. Or something of that kind. Even a little girl like you, Aravis, must see that it would be quite absurd to suppose he is a real lion. Indeed it would be disrespectful. If he was a lion he'd have to be a Beast just like the rest of us. Why!" (and here Bree began to laugh) "If he was a lion he'd have four paws, and a tail, and Whiskers! . . . Aie, ooh, hoo-hoo! Help!"
For just as he said the word Whiskers one of Aslan's had actually tickled his ear. Bree shot away like an arrow to the other side of the enclosure and there turned; the wall was too high for him to jump and he could fly no farther. Aravis and Hwin both started back. There was about a second of intense silence.
Then Hwin, though shaking all over, gave a strange little neigh, and trotted across to the Lion.
"Please," she said, "you're so beautiful. You may eat me if you like. I'd sooner be eaten by you than fed by anyone else."
"Dearest daughter," said Aslan, planting a lion's kiss on her twitching, velvet nose, "I knew you would not be long in coming to me. Joy shall be yours."
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."
"Aslan," said Bree in a shaken voice, "I'm afraid I must be rather a fool."
"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."
"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?"
"No, sir."
"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 stepmother's slave because of the drugged sleep you cast upon her. You needed to know what it felt like."
"Yes, sir. Please-"
"Ask on, my dear," said Aslan.
"Will any more harm come to her by what I did?"
"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," 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! It's Shasta!"
Shasta all at once turned very red and began speaking very quickly. "Look here, Aravis," he said, "I do hope you won't think I'm got up like this (and the trumpeter and all) to try to impress you or make out that I'm different or any rot of that sort. Because I'd far rather have come in my old clothes, but they're burnt now, and my father said -"
"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 isn't Shasta, it's Cor."
"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."
"Shasta - I mean Cor," said Aravis. "No, shut up. There's something I've got to say at once. I'm sorry I've 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."
"It wasn't 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 Cor's bandaged hand. "I say!" she cried, "I forgot! You've been in a battle. Is that a wound?"
"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 isn't 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."
"Still you were in the battle," said Aravis. "It must have been wonderful."
"It wasn't at all like what I thought," said Cor.
"But Sha - Cor, I mean - you haven't told me anything yet about King Lune and how he found out who you were."
"Well, let's sit down," said Cor. "For it's rather a long story. And by the way, Father's an absolute brick. I'd be just as pleased - or very nearly - at finding he's my father even if he wasn't 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 haven't seen any Centaurs yet? There were some in the battle yesterday. Most remarkable people, but I can't 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."
"Yes, there are," said Aravis. "But get on with the story."
"Well, as soon as he saw Corin and me, it seems this Centaur looked at me and said, A day will come 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 wasn't. This was a chap called the Lord Bar who had been Father's Lord Chancellor. And apparently he'd done something wrong - bezzling or some word like that - I didn't 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 don't exactly know how) and rode away down the Winding Arrow to the coast. He'd 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 Bar's 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 o'clock in the morning till sunset. Our people took the ship in the end. But I wasn't 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 ship's 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 knight's name, for he must have kept me alive and starved himself to do it."
"I suppose Aslan would say that was part of someone else's 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 you're to save Archenland from."
"Well," said Cor rather awkwardly, "they seem to think I've done it already."
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 Rabadash had crossed the Arrow with his two hundred horse and you hadn't yet got through with your message. Don't you feel proud?"
"I think I feel a bit scared," said Cor.
"And you'll be living at Anvard now," said Aravis rather wistfully.
"Oh!" said Cor, "I'd nearly forgotten what I came about. Father wants you to come and live with us. He says there's been no lady in the court (they call it the court, I don't know why) since Mother died. Do, Aravis. You'll like Father - and Corin. They're not like me; they've been properly brought up. You needn't be afraid that -"
"Oh stop it," said Aravis, "or we'll have a real fight. Of course I'll come."
"Now let's 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. "It's far worse for me than for you. You aren't going to be educated. I shall be learning reading and writing and heraldry and dancing and history and music while you'll be galloping and rolling on the hills of Narnia to your heart's content."
"But that's just the point," groaned Bree. "Do Talking Horses roll? Supposing they don't? I can't bear to give it up. What do you think, Hwin?"
"I'm going to roll anyway," said Hwin. "I don't suppose any of them will care two lumps of sugar whether you roll or not."
"Are we near that castle?" said Bree to Cor.
"Round the next bend," said the Prince.
"Well," said Bree, "I'm going to have a good one now: it may be the last. Wait for me a minute."
It was five minutes before he rose again, blowing hard and covered with bits of bracken.
"Now I'm ready," he said in a voice of profound gloom. "Lead on, Prince Cor, Narnia and the North."
But he looked more like a horse going to a funeral than a long-lost captive returning to home and freedom.      十四、布里怎样变成一匹聪明的马儿      现在我们必须回过来说说阿拉维斯和马儿们了。隐士注视着他的池水，能够告诉她们沙斯塔并没给杀死，或是甚至没受重伤，因为他看见他站了起来，看见他受到国王伦恩慈爱的接待。但因为他只能看，却听不见，他就不知道什么人正在说些什么话，而且，一旦战斗停止，谈话开始，也就不值得再往池水里张望了。       第二天早晨，隐士还在屋子里时，她们三个讨论起下一步该怎么办来了。      “这种生活，我觉得已经过够了，”赫温说，”隐士待我们很好，我自问确实十分感激他。但我整天吃呀吃的，一点运动也没有，正在胖得像匹供玩赏的小马驹了。让我们继续向纳尼亚前进吧。”       “啊，今天不走，女士，”布里说道，”我不喜欢匆匆忙忙的。再过几天，你看怎么样?”      “我必须首先看到沙斯塔，跟他告别——而且——而且向他道歉。”阿拉维斯说。      “确实应该如此！”布里十分热情地说道，”这正是我要说的意思。”      “啊，当然啦，”赫温说，”我料想他是在安瓦德，自然我们要去看看他，同他道别。但那是我们顺路就可以办到的。我们干吗不立刻就走呢?总而言之，我认为我们大家都想去的地方就是纳尼亚。”       “我看是这样。”阿拉维斯说道。她正开始考虑她到达纳尼亚时究竟要做什么事情，同时感到有点儿寂寞。      “当然，当然，”布里急忙说道，”然而无需急急忙忙的啊，如果你了解我心里的意思的话。”      “不，我不了解你的意思，”赫温说，”为什么你不想走呢?”      “呣——呣——呣，布罗——呼，”布里含含糊糊地说道，”呀，你不明白吗，女士——这是个重要时机——回到自己的祖国——进入社交界——最高尚的社交界——给人一个好印象，是非常重要的——然而我们看上去还没恢复本来面目，是不是?”      赫温爆发出一阵马儿的哈哈大笑。”布里，你考虑的是你的尾巴！现在我完全明白了。你想等到你的尾巴重新长出来！而我们甚至并不知道，在纳尼亚马儿是否留长尾巴呢。布里啊，确确实实，你虚荣心很强，就跟那位塔什班城里的泰克希娜一模一样。”       “你真憨，布里。”阿拉维斯说。      “凭狮王的鬃毛起誓，我丝毫不是泰克希娜那种人物，”布里愤愤地说道，”我对我自己，对我的马儿伙伴，我抱有一种恰如其分的尊重，如此而已。”      “布里，”阿拉维斯说，她对割短尾巴的事不太感兴趣，”我好久以来一直想问你一些事情。为什么你不断地‘凭狮子’、‘凭狮子的鬃毛’起誓赌咒?我竟以为你憎恨狮子哩。”      “我是憎恨狮子的，”布里答道，”但我说起狮子时，当然是指阿斯兰，纳尼亚的伟大救星，是它把女巫和冬天驱逐的。所有纳尼亚人都是以阿斯兰起誓的。”      “然而，它是头狮子吗?”      “不，不，当然不是。”布里用颇为惊惶的声调说道。      “在塔什班，所有的故事都说它是狮子。”阿拉维斯说道，”如果它不是一头狮子，你又干吗称它为狮子呢?”      “以你这般年龄，是很难搞明白的，”布里说，”我离开纳尼亚时，只不过是匹未满一岁的小驹子，所以我自己也搞不大明白。”      布里说这话时是背对着绿色墙垣的，其他两位则面对着布里。布里半闭着眼睛，以一种长辈的口气说着话儿，所以它没看见赫温和阿拉维斯脸上表情的变化。她们张大嘴巴、睁大眼睛，是大有理由的，因为布里说话时，她们看见一头巨大的狮子从墙外蹿起来，稳稳地落在绿色墙头上：跟她们见过的任何狮子比起来，它只是颜色黄得更加发亮发光，躯体更加粗壮，更加美丽，也更加令人害怕。它立刻跳进墙里，开始从背后走近布里。它压根儿没有弄出什么声音来。赫温和阿拉维斯吓得什么声音也发不出来了，仿佛冻僵了似的。      “毫无疑问，”布里继续说道，”人家把它当做一头狮子讲起它时，他们的意思不过是指它强壮如一头狮子，或者(当然是对我们的敌人而言)凶猛如一头狮子；或者是诸如此类的意思。阿拉维斯，哪怕是像你这样的一个小姑娘，也必须留神啊，你若认为它是头真正的狮子，那就是荒谬绝伦了。确实会失礼失敬哩。如果它是头狮子，那么，它就同我们其他的马儿一样，非得是兽类不可了。呃！”(说到这儿，布里开始哈哈大笑。)”如果它是头狮子，它就得生着四只脚爪，一条尾巴，还有胡子！……阿艾伊，呜，嗬——嗬！救命呀！”      因为恰巧在布里说到”胡子”两字时，阿斯兰的一根胡子竟然痒痒地触到了它的耳朵。布里像枝箭似的蹿到了围墙的另一边，然后转过身来：可是墙太高，它跳不过去，它没法儿逃得更远了。阿拉维斯和赫温都吓得往后退缩。大约有一秒钟光景，紧张得寂静无声。      接着，赫温虽然浑身发抖，却发出一声奇怪的低低的嘶鸣，跨着小步向狮子走过去。      “对不起，”赫温说，”你是那么美丽。你不妨把我吃掉，如果你想吃的话。我宁可早点被你吃掉，而不愿由别的什么人来喂我。”      “亲爱的女儿，”阿斯兰说道，在它那翕动的天鹅绒般的鼻子上印了个狮子的亲吻，”我知道你不久就会来到我身边的。欢乐必将归你所有。”1 o5 [4 w!       然后它抬起头来，用更响亮的声音说话。      “布里啊，”它说，”你这可怜巴巴、骄傲自大、大吃一惊的马儿，靠拢我吧。再靠拢一点，我的儿子。不该胆大的，不要胆大妄为。你摸摸我。闻闻我。这儿是我的脚爪，这儿是我的尾巴，这些是我的胡子。我是一头真正的野兽。”       “阿斯兰，”布里用一种颤抖的声调说道，”我担心我必定是个地道的傻瓜。”      “马儿在仍然年轻时明白这个道理，是幸福的。人也一样。靠拢来吧，我的女儿阿拉维斯，瞧！我的脚爪像天鹅绒一般。这一次你不会被抓伤的。”      “先生，这一次吗?”阿拉维斯说道。      “上一次抓伤你的，就是我，”阿斯兰说，”我是你在整个旅途中碰到的惟一一头狮子。你可知道，为什么我抓伤你?”      “不知道，先生。”      “你背上的伤痕，皮破对皮破，疼痛对疼痛，血痕对血痕，跟你后母女奴背上的鞭痕是相对应的，因为你叫她吃了蒙汗药沉睡，害她挨打。”      “是的，先生。对不起——”      “再问吧，我亲爱的。”阿斯兰说。      “因为我捉弄得她睡熟了，她还会受到其他伤害吗?”      “孩子，”狮子说道，”我要告诉你的，是你自己的故事，不是那女奴的。我对哪一个人都是只讲他自己的故事。”然后它就摇摇头，改用比较轻快的声调说话。      “小家伙，高兴起来吧，”它说，”我们不久会重新见面的。然而，在此之前，你将有另一个客人来访。”于是它一跳便蹿上墙头，消失了，她们看不见它了。       说也奇怪，阿斯兰走了以后，她们都无意在背后互相谈论它。她们大家都慢慢地走开去了，走到宁静的草地上不同的角落里去了，独自在那儿蹀躞，沉思又沉思。      半个钟头以后，两匹马儿被叫到屋子后面去吃些隐士为它们准备好的好东西，而阿拉维斯仍在散步、思索，大门外一阵喇叭声吓了她一跳。      “门外是谁啊?”阿拉维斯说。      “阿钦兰的王子科奥殿下。”有个声音在门外说道。      阿拉维斯拔掉门闩，打开大门，稍稍退后一点儿，让陌生人进来。      两个持戟士卒先走进门来，在入口处的两旁站岗。跟着进来的是个传令官，还有号手。      “阿钦兰的王子科奥殿下要接见阿拉维斯女士。”传令官说道。然后他和号手退到一边，鞠躬，兵士敬礼，王子本人进门来了。他所有的随从都退了出去，随手把大门关上。       王子鞠躬，就一位王子而言，这是个笨拙的鞠躬。阿拉维斯按照卡乐门的方式行礼(压根儿跟我们的屈膝礼不一样)，当然，她行的礼中规中矩、像模像样，因为父母教过她怎样行礼。然后她抬起头来，瞧瞧这位王子是何等样人。,       她看到他不过是个毛孩子。他没戴帽子，漂亮的金发上裹了一条薄薄的黄金带子，不过一根铁丝那么厚。他的紧身短外衣是白麻布做的，细洁得像手绢儿一样，所以明显地映出了里边儿鲜亮的红色内衣。他那按在宝剑珐琅柄上的左手外面裹着绷带。      阿拉维斯再次凝视着他的脸，这才吁出一口气，说道：”呀！你是沙斯塔啊！”       沙斯塔立刻涨得满脸通红，赶快说道，”你听我说，阿拉维斯，我真希望你不要认为我这副打扮(以及号手等等的这种排场)是为了使你印象深刻，或是显得我与众不同，或诸如此类的摆阔炫耀。因为我倒宁可穿着我的旧衣服来见你，但旧衣服现在已经被烧掉了，而且我的父亲说——”      “你的父亲?”阿拉维斯说。      “国王伦恩显然是我的父亲，”沙斯塔说道，”我确实应该猜得到的。科林是那么像我。你瞧，我们是孪生兄弟。啊，我的名字不叫沙斯塔，我叫科奥。”      “科奥这名字，比沙斯塔好。”阿拉维斯说。      “在阿钦兰，兄弟们的名字是这样的，”沙斯塔(或者是王子科奥，现在我们必须这样称呼他了)说道，”例如达尔和达兰，科尔和科临，依此类推。”      “沙斯塔——我心里想说的是科奥，”阿拉维斯说道，”不，你别说话。有些事情我得立刻说出来。我很抱歉，我曾经是一头蠢猪。但在知道你是王子之前，我已经改变了，说老实话：你跑回来对抗狮子时，我真的改变了。”      “那狮子，压根儿不是真的要杀死你。”科奥说。      “我知道，”阿拉维斯点点头说道。彼此都看出对方了解阿斯兰时，有好一会儿，两个人变得沉默无言、严肃庄重。      阿拉维斯突然记起科奥裹着绷带的手。”啊呀！，”她大声叫道，”我竟忘记了！你参加了战斗。这是受的伤吗?”      “不过擦破一点皮。”科奥说道，第一次用了王公大臣的口气。但一会儿后他哈哈大笑着说道，”如果你想知道真相，那就压根儿不算是正式受伤。我只不过是在指关节上擦掉了皮，没有接近过战场的任何笨拙的傻瓜，都会这样受伤的。”      “可你毕竟是参加了战斗，”阿拉维斯说，”这必定是了不得、不得了的。”      “压根儿不像我原先想像的那样。”科奥说。      “但沙——我本来想说科奥——关于国王伦恩和他怎样发现你是谁的事，你还一点儿也没有跟我谈起呢。”      “好吧，让我们坐下来谈，”科奥说，”因为这是很长的故事。顺便说一句，父亲是个绝对的好心人。发现他是我的父亲，哪怕他不是个国王，我也会同样高兴的；尽管教育和其他种种可怕的事情都要逼到我头上来了。但你要听的是故事。哦，原来科林和我是孪生兄弟。很明显，我们俩出生后一个星期，他们就把我们带到纳尼亚一个年迈聪明的人头马家里，去接受祝福什么的。却说这怪物是个预言家，就像许多优秀的人头马那样。昨天的战斗中也有几个人头马，确是最最杰出的人物：但我跟它们在一起还不能感到十分自在。我说，阿拉维斯，在这些北方国家里，我们有许多东西必须习惯起来才好。”      “是的，有好多哩，”阿拉维斯说道，”可你把故事讲下去啊！”      “哦，一看见科林和我，这怪物似乎瞧着我说道：有朝一日，这孩子将把阿钦兰从它从未遇到过的致命危险中拯救出来。所以，我的父亲和母亲当然十分高兴。然而，有个在场的人并不高兴。这是个叫做巴尔勋爵的家伙，他曾经做过我父亲手下的大法官。显然他犯了些错误——贪污渎职或者类似这样的词儿——这段情节我不大明白——父亲不得不解除他的职务，但没有对他作其他惩罚，仍旧允许他继续生活在阿钦兰。但他必定是尽可能为非作歹，因为后来查明，他曾经接受蒂斯罗克的收买，把许多秘密情报送到了塔什班城。所以，他一听见我将把阿钦兰从极大的危险中拯救出来，就下定决心必须把我除掉。接着，他成功地绑架了我(我不知道究竟怎样绑架的)，骑马沿着旋箭河跑往海滩。他把一切都准备好了，有一条由他的随从们控制的船在那儿等他，他带着我上船出海去了。但我父亲风闻其事，虽然不太及时，还是尽力地追赶。父亲到达海滩时，巴尔勋爵已经出海，但还望得见。父亲在二十分钟之内便跳上了他的一艘战舰。      “这必定是一场了不得的跟踪追击。他们追赶巴尔的大帆船六天六夜，第七天逼得他交战。这是一次伟大的海战(昨儿晚上我听到人家讲了许许多多)，从上午十点钟一直打到日落西山。我们的士卒终于占领了那条大帆船。但我不在那船上。巴尔勋爵本人在战斗中给杀死了。但他手下的一个人说，那天大清早，他刚发觉他必将被追上时，便把我交给了一个武士，用一只小艇把我们两人送走了。那小艇永远没有人再见到过。但是，当然啰，阿斯兰(看来一切故事的背后都有阿斯兰在安排哩)把它推到海滩上恰当的地方，以便阿什伊什把我捡起来的，便是这只小艇。我希望我能知道这位武士的姓名，因为他为保住我的生命，自己忍饥挨饿，把一切留给我吃。”;       “我想，阿斯兰会说，这一部分是另一个人的故事了。”阿拉维斯说。      “我倒忘了这一点了。”科奥说。      “我很想知道这预言是怎样成为事实的，”阿拉维斯说道，”阿钦兰碰到的究竟是什么大危险，需要你去把它拯救出来?”      “哦，哦，”科奥相当尴尬地说道，”他们好像认为我已经救了阿钦兰了。”      阿拉维斯双手鼓掌。”噢，当然啦！”她说道，”我多么愚蠢。你多么了不起啊！拉巴达什带着他的二百人马渡过旋箭河，而你还没有把讯息送到，那时候阿钦兰的危险大到了极点。你不觉得自豪吗?”       “我认为我觉得有点儿惶恐。”科奥说。      “现在你将在安瓦德生活下去了。”阿拉维斯若有所思地说道。      “啊！”科奥说道，”我几乎把我上这儿来的使命忘了。父亲要你来和我们住在一起。他说他宫廷里(他们都管它叫宫廷，我不知道为什么)自从母亲去世以来，一直没有女士。来吧，阿拉维斯。你会喜欢父亲——和科林的。他们不像我：他们都是合乎体统地培养大的。你无需害怕……”      “噢，别说了，”阿拉维斯说，”不然我们真要打架了。当然我会来的。”      “现在让我们去看看马儿。”科奥说。      布里和科奥的相见，十分了得，也十分快乐，布里仍处于压抑状态，但它同意立刻向安瓦德出发：它同赫温将在翌日经由安瓦德进入纳尼亚境内。四个人马一齐跟隐士依依告别，答应不久再来拜望他。上午过了一半，他们就上路了。马儿们料想阿拉维斯和科奥会乘马走的，但科奥解释道，除非遇到人人必须尽其所能地贡献最大力量的战争，不论在纳尼亚或阿钦兰，没有一个人会梦想骑那会说人话的马儿代步的。      这事再次提醒布里：它对纳尼亚的风俗习惯知道得那么少，很可能犯可怕的错误。所以，赫温做着好梦一路走去时，布里变得每走一步便越发忐忑不安和忸怩不自然了。      “布里，振作起来吧，”科奥说道，”我的处境远比你难熬哩。我要去接受教育，我要去学习读书、写字、纹章、跳舞、历史、音乐等等，而你可以在纳尼亚的小山上驰骋、打滚，玩个心满意足啊。”       “但这正好是个问题，”布里咕哝道，”说人话的马儿打滚吗?如果它们不打滚呢?要放弃打滚，我可受不了。赫温，你怎么想呢?”      “我无论如何要打滚的，”赫温说道，”你是否打滚，我看它们随便哪一个都不会介意的。”      “我们走近城堡了吗?”布里对科奥说道。      “转过下一个弯就是了。”王子道。”      “好吧，”布里说，”现在我要好好地打一个滚儿，也许这是最后一次打滚了。请等我一会儿。”      五分钟后，布里打过滚从地上站起来了，剧烈地喷着鼻息，浑身都是斑斑点点的羊齿植物。      “现在我准备好了，”布里用一种深沉的愁闷声调说道，”科奥王子，带路吧。走向纳尼亚和北方。”      然而，布里的神情，与其说是一个长期流落他乡的俘虏回到了它的家乡和自由天地，不如说是一匹马儿走向它的殡葬地。
Chapter 15
RABADASH THE RIDICULOUS
THE next turn of the road- brought them out from among the trees and there, across green lawns, sheltered from the north wind by the high wooded ridge at its back, they saw the castle of Anvard. It was very old and built of a warm, reddish-brown stone.
Before they had reached the gate King Lune came out to meet them, not looking at all like Aravis's idea of a king and wearing the oldest of old clothes; for he had just come from making a round of the kennels with his Huntsman and had only stopped for a moment to wash his doggy hands. But the bow with which he greeted Aravis as he took her hand would have been stately enough for an Emperor.
"Little lady," he said, "we bid you very heartily welcome. If my dear wife were still alive we could make you better cheer but could not do it with a better will. And I am sorry that you have had misfortunes and been driven from your father's house, which cannot but be a grief to you. My son Cor has told me about your adventures together and all your valour."
"It was he who did all that, Sir," said Aravis. "Why, he rushed at a lion to save me."
"Eh, what's that?" said King Lune, his face brightening. "I haven't heard that part of the story."
Then Aravis told it. And Cor, who had very much wanted the story to be known, though he felt he couldn't tell it himself, didn't enjoy it so much as he had expected, and indeed felt rather foolish. But his father enjoyed it very much indeed and in the course of the next few weeks told it to so many people that Cor wished it had never happened.
Then the King turned to Hwin and Bree and was just as polite to them as to Aravis, and asked them a lot of questions about their families and where they had lived in Narnia before they had been captured. The Horses were rather tongue-tied for they weren't yet used to being talked to as equals by Humans grown-up Humans, that is. They didn't mind Aravis and Cor.
Presently Queen Lucy came out from the castle and joined them and King Lune said to Aravis, "My dear, here is a loving friend of our house, and she has been seeing that your apartments are put to rights for you better than I could have done it."
"You'd like to come and see them, wouldn't you?" said Lucy, kissing Aravis. They liked each other at once and soon went away together to talk about Aravis's bedroom and Aravis's boudoir and about getting clothes for her, and all the sort of things girls do talk about on such an occasion.
After lunch, which they had on the terrace (it was cold birds and cold game pie and wine and bread and cheese), King Lune ruffled up his brow and heaved a sigh and said, "Heigh-ho! We have still that sorry creature Rabadash on our hands, my friends, and must needs resolve what to do with him."
Lucy was sitting on the King's right and Aravis on his left. King Edmund sat at one end of the table and the Lord Darrin faced him at the other. Dar and Peridan and Cor and Corin were on the same side as the King.
"Your Majesty would have a perfect right to strike off his head," said Peridan. "Such an assault as he made puts him on a level with assassins."
"It is very true," said Edmund. "But even a traitor may mend. I have known one that did." And he looked very thoughtful.
"To kill this Rabadash would go near to raising war with the Tisroc," said Darrin.
"A fig for the Tisroc," said King Lune. "His strength is in numbers and numbers will never cross the desert. But I have no stomach for killing men (even traitors) in cold blood. To have cut his throat in the battle would have eased my heart mightily, but this is a different thing."
"By my counsel," said Lucy, "your Majesty shall give him another trial. Let him go free on strait promise of fair dealing in the future. It may be that he will keep his word."
"Maybe Apes will grow honest, Sister," said Edmund. "But, by the Lion, if he breaks it again, may it be in such time and place that any of us could swap off his head in clean battle."
"It shall be tried," said the King: and then to one of the attendants, "Send for the prisoner, friend."
Rabadash was brought before them in chains. To look at him anyone would have supposed that he had passed the night in a noisome dungeon without food or water; but in reality he had been shut up in quite a comfortable room and provided with an excellent supper. But as he was sulking far too furiously to touch the supper and had spent the whole night stamping and roaring and cursing, he naturally did not now look his best.
"Your royal Highness needs not to be told," said King Lune, "that by the law of nations as well as by all reasons of prudent policy, we have as good right to your head as ever one mortal man had against another. Nevertheless, in consideration of your youth and the ill nurture, devoid of all gentilesse and courtesy, which you have doubtless had in the land of slaves and tyrants, we are disposed to set you free, unharmed, on these conditions: first, that-"
"Curse you for a barbarian dog!" spluttered Rabadash. "Do you think I will even hear your conditions? Faugh! You talk very largely of nurture and I know not what. It's easy, to a man in chains, ha! Take off these vile bonds, give me a sword, and let any of you who dares then debate with me."
Nearly all the lords sprang to their feet, and Corin shouted:
"Father! Can I box him? Please."
"Peace! Your Majesties! My Lords!" said King Lune. "Have we no more gravity among us than to be so chafed by the taunt of a pajock? Sit down, Corin, or shaft leave the table. I ask your Highness again, to hear our conditions."
"I hear no conditions from barbarians and sorcerers," said Rabadash. "Not one of you dare touch a hair of my head. Every insult you have heaped on me shall be paid with oceans of Narnian and Archenlandish blood. Terrible shall the vengeance of the Tisroc be: even now. But kill me, and the burnings and torturings in these northern lands shall become a tale to frighten the world a thousand years hence. Beware! Beware! Beware! The bolt of Tash falls from above!"
"Does it ever get caught on a hook half-way?" asked Corin.
"Shame, Corin," said the King. "Never taunt a man save when he is stronger than you: then, as you please."
"Oh you foolish Rabadash," sighed Lucy.
Next moment Cor wondered why everyone at the table had risen and was standing perfectly still. Of course he did the same himself. And then he saw the reason. Aslan was among them though no one had seen him coming. Rabadash started as the immense shape of the Lion paced softly in between him and his accusers.
"Rabadash," said Aslan. "Take heed. Your doom is very near, but you may still avoid it. Forget your pride (what have you to be proud of?) and your anger (who has done you wrong?) and accept the mercy of these good kings."
Then Rabadash rolled his eyes and spread out his mouth into a horrible, long mirthless grin like a shark, and wagged his ears up and down (anyone can learn how to do this if they take the trouble). He had always found this very effective in Calormen. The bravest had trembled when he made these faces, and ordinary people had fallen to the floor, and sensitive people had often fainted. But what Rabadash hadn't realized is that it is very easy to frighten people who know you can have them boiled alive the moment you give the word. The grimaces didn't look at all alarming in Archenland; indeed Lucy only thought Rabadash was going to be sick.
"Demon! Demon! Demon!" shrieked the Prince. "I know you. You are the foul fiend of Narnia. You are the enemy of the gods. Learn who I am, horrible phantasm. I am descended from Tash, the inexorable, the irresistible. the curse of Tash is upon you. Lightning in the shape of scorpions shall be rained on you. The mountains of Narnia shall be ground into dust. The-"
"Have a care, Rabadash," said Aslan quietly. "The doom is nearer now: it is at the door: it has lifted the latch."
"Let the skies fall," shrieked Rabadash. "Let the earth gape! Let blood and fire obliterate the world! But be sure I will never desist till I have dragged to my palace by her hair the barbarian queen, the daughter of dogs, the -"
"The hour has struck," said Aslan: and Rabadash saw, to his supreme horror, that everyone had begun to laugh.
They couldn't help it. Rabadash had been wagging his ears all the time and as soon as Aslan said, "The hour has struck!" the ears began to change. They grew longer and more pointed and soon were covered with grey hair. And while everyone was wondering where they had seen ears like that before, Rabadash's face began to change too. It grew longer, and thicker at the top and larger eyed, and the nose sank back into the face (or else the face swelled out and became all nose) and there was hair all over it. And his arms grew longer and came down in front of him till his hands were resting on the ground: only they weren't hands, now, they were hoofs. And he was standing on all fours, and his clothes disappeared, and everyone laughed louder and louder (because they couldn't help it) for now what had been Rabadash was, simply and unmistakably, a donkey. The terrible thing was that his human speech lasted just a moment longer than his human shape, so that when he realized the change that was coming over him, he screamed out:
"Oh, not a Donkey! Mercy! If it were even a horse - e'en - a hor - eeh - auh, eeh-auh." And so the words died away into a donkey's bray.
"Now hear me, Rabadash," said Aslan. "Justice shall be mixed with mercy. You shall not always be an Ass."
At this of course the Donkey twitched its ears forward and that also was so funny that everybody laughed all the more. They tried not to, but they tried in vain.
"You have appealed to Tash," said Aslan. "And in the temple of Tash you shall be healed. You must stand before the altar of Tash in Tashbaan at the great Autumn Feast this year and there, in the sight of all Tashbaan, your ass's shape will fall from you and all men will know you for Prince Rabadash. But as long as you live, if ever you go more than ten miles away from the great temple in Tashbaan you shall instantly become again as you now are. And from that second change there will be no return."
There was a short silence and then they all stirred and looked at one another as if they were waking from sleep. Aslan was gone. But there was a brightness in the air and on the grass, and a joy in their hearts, which assured them that he had been no dream: and anyway, there was the donkey in front of them.
King Lune was the kindest-hearted of men and on seeing his enemy in this regrettable condition he forgot all his anger.
"Your royal Highness," he said. "I am most truly sorry that things have come to this extremity. Your Highness will bear witness that it was none of our doing. And of course we shall be delighted to provide your Highness with shipping back to Tashbaan for the - er - treatment which Aslan has prescribed. You shall have every comfort which your Highness's situation allows: the best of the cattleboats - the freshest carrots and thistles -"
But a deafening bray from the Donkey and a well-aimed kick at one of the guards made it clear that these kindly offers were ungratefully received.
And here, to get him out of the way, I'd better finish off the story of Rabadash. He (or it) was duly sent back by boat to Tashbaan and brought into the temple of Tash at the great Autumn Festival, and then he became a man again. But of course four or five thousand people had seen the transformation and the affair could not possibly be hushed up. And after the old Tisroc's death when Rabadash became Tisroc in his place he turned out the most peaceable Tisroc Calormen had ever known. This was because, not daring to go more than ten miles from Tashbaan, he could never go on a war himself: and he didn't want his Tarkaans to win fame in the wars at his expense, for that is the way Tisrocs get overthrown. But though his reasons were selfish, it made things much more comfortable for all the smaller countries round Calormen. His own people never forgot that he had been a donkey. During his reign, and to his face, he was called Rabadash the Peacemaker, but after his death and behind his back he was called Rabadash the Ridiculous, and if you look him up in a good History of Calormen (try the local library) you will find him under that name. And to this day in Calormene schools, if you do anything unusually stupid, you are very likely to be called "a second Rabadash".
Meanwhile at Anvard everyone was very glad that he had been disposed of before the real fun began, which was a grand feast held that evening on the lawn before the castle, with dozens of lanterns to help the moonlight. And the wine flowed and tales were told and jokes were cracked, and then silence was made and the King's poet with two fiddlers stepped out into the middle of the circle. Aravis and Cor prepared themselves to be bored, for the only poetry they knew was the Calormene kind, and you know now what that was like. But at the very first scrape of the fiddles a rocket seemed to go up inside their heads, and the poet sang the great old lay of Fair Olvin and how he fought the Giant Pire and turned him into stone (and that is the origin of Mount Pire - it was a two-headed Giant) and won the Lady Liln for his bride; and when it was over they wished it was going to begin again. And though Bree couldn't sing he told the story of the fight at Zalindreh. And Lucy told again (they had all, except Aravis and Cor, heard it many times but they all wanted it again) the tale of the Wardrobe and how she and King Edmund and Queen Susan and Peter the High King had first come into Narnia.
And presently, as was certain to happen sooner or later, King Lune said if was time for young people to be in bed. "And tomorrow, Cor," he added, "shalt come over all the castle with me and see the estres and mark all its strength and weakness: for it will be thine to guard when I'm gone."
"But Corin will be the King then, Father," said Cor.
"Nay, lad," said King Lune, "thou art my heir. The crown comes to thee."
"But I don't want it," said Cor. "I'd far rather-"
"'Tis no question what thou wantest, Cor, nor I either. 'Tis in the course of law."
"But if we're twins we must be the same age."
"Nay," said the King with a laugh. "One must come first. Art Corin's elder by full twenty minutes. And his better too, let's hope, though that's no great mastery." And he looked at Corin with a twinkle in his eyes.
"But, Father, couldn't you make whichever you like to be the next King?"
"No. The king's under the law, for it's the law makes him a king. Hast no more power to start away from thy crown than any sentry from his post."
"Oh dear," said Cor. "I don't want to at all. And Corin - I am most dreadfully sorry. I never dreamed my turning up was going to chisel you out of your kingdom."
"Hurrah! Hurrah!" said Corin. "I shan't have to be King. I shan't have to be King. I'll always be a prince. It's princes have all the fun."
"And that's truer than thy brother knows, Cor," said King Lune. "For this is what it means to be a king: to be first in every desperate attack and last in every desperate retreat, and when there's hunger in the land (as must be now and then in bad years) to wear finer clothes and laugh louder over a scantier meal than any man in your land."
When the two boys were going upstairs to bed Cor again asked Corin if nothing could be done about it. And Corin said:
"If you say another word about it, I'll - I'll knock you down."
It would be nice to end the story by saying that after that the two brothers never disagreed about anything again, but I am afraid it would not be true. In reality they quarrelled and fought just about as often as any other two boys would, and all their fights ended (if they didn't begin) with Cor getting knocked down. For though, when they had both grown up and become swordsmen, Cor was the more dangerous man in battle, neither he nor anyone else in the North Countries could ever equal Corin as a boxer. That was how he got his name of Corin Thunder-Fist; and how he performed his great exploit against the Lapsed Bear of Stormness, which was really a Talking Bear but had gone back to Wild Bear habits. Corm climbed up to its lair on the Narnian side of Stormness one winter day when the snow was on the hills and boxed it without a time-keeper for thirty-three rounds. And at the end it couldn't see out of its eyes and became a reformed character.
Aravis also had many quarrels (and, I'm afraid, even fights) with Cor, but they always made it up again: so that years later, when they were grown up, they were so used to quarrelling and making it up again that they got married so as to go on doing it more conveniently. And after King Lune's death they made a good King and Queen of Archenland and Ram the Great, the most famous of all the kings of Archenland, was their son. Bree and Hwin lived happily to a great age in Narnia and both got married but not to one another. And there weren't many months in which one or both of them didn't come trotting over the pass to visit their friends at Anvard.      十五、可笑的拉巴达什      道路再转一个弯，他们便出了树林；越过苍翠的连片草地，就望得见安瓦德的城堡了。城堡的背后是高高的、林木森森的山脊，给它挡住了北风。城堡很古老，用暖红棕色石头砌成。      他们还没有走到城门口，国王伦恩就出来迎接他们了，看上去压根儿不像阿拉维斯心目中的国王，竟穿着旧衣服中最旧的衣服哩；因为他刚带着他的猎人们巡视他的养狗场回来，才歇一歇洗洗他那碰过狗儿的手。但他搀着阿拉维斯的手向她鞠躬致意时，其风度之庄严堂皇，就足以表明他是个皇帝了。       “小姐，”他说，”我们由衷地欢迎你。如果我亲爱的妻子还健在，我们能让你更加兴高采烈，但现在是心有余而力不足了。我感到惋惜：你遭到了不幸，被令尊逐出家庭，这对你必然是件伤心事。我的儿子科奥跟我讲过你们一起经历的惊险事件和你的种种勇敢的行为。”       “一切勇敢的行为都是他干出来的，陛下，”阿拉维斯说道，”他还冲到一头狮子跟前去救我哩。”      “啊，那是怎么一回事?”国王伦恩说，面露喜色，”那段故事我没听他说过呀。”      于是阿拉维斯便讲了这段故事。科奥原是很想让人知道这故事的，尽管他觉得不好意思由他自己讲出来；听她讲时，他却并不像原来期待的那样欣赏这件事了，倒觉得愚蠢可笑。可他的父亲确实十分欣赏，在接连几个星期里一直讲给许多人听，弄得科奥但愿这件事从来没有发生过。      国王随即转向赫温和布里，对待它们像对待阿拉维斯一样客气，问起它们许多问题：它们的家庭，被俘之前住在纳尼亚的什么地方。马儿们张口结舌，说不出话来，因为它们还不习惯于人们平等地跟它们说话——当然是指大人们。对阿拉维斯和科奥这样的孩子，它们倒不拘束。       露茜女王不久从城堡里出来，跟他们待在一起，国王伦恩对阿拉维斯说，”我亲爱的，我们家的一位可爱的朋友来了，她已经在关心你那居室的安排；由她经管，要比由我来办好得多。”       “你愿意来看看吗?”露茜亲吻阿拉维斯，说道。她们立刻互相喜欢起对方来了，不久就一同走开去，谈起阿拉维斯的寝室和梳妆室，谈起要给阿拉维斯穿的衣服，以及姑娘们在这种场合总要谈起的诸如此类的事情。      他们在阳台上吃午饭(冷盘杂鸟、冷盘野味馅饼、酒、面包、干酪)，饭后，国王伦恩皱皱眉头，叹了一口气，说道：”嗨！我的朋友们，我们手里还有个丑角拉巴达什，必须决定如何处理他才好。”       露茜正坐在国王的右边，阿拉维斯坐在他的左边。国王爱德蒙坐在桌子的一头，达兰勋爵坐在面对他的另一头。达尔、珀里丹、科奥、科林都坐在国王的同一边。       “陛下完全有权利砍掉他的脑袋，”珀里丹说，”他进行这样的突然袭击，就把他自己放到跟刺客相同的地位上了。”      “这是十分确实的，”爱德蒙说，”但即使是奸细也可以改过。我就认识一个改邪归正的奸细。”他显得深思熟虑。"       “杀掉拉巴达什就接近于向蒂斯罗克挑动战争。”达兰说道。      “蒂斯罗克算什么，”国王伦恩说道，”他的力量在于人多势众，而人多就永远穿越不了大沙漠。但我没有冷酷地杀人的心肠，哪怕他是个奸细。在战场上砍断他的喉管我倒十分心安理得：但这是截然不同的。”      “我的建议是，”露茜说，”陛下再给他一次考验。可以放他自由回去，如果他作出严格的承诺，保证将来光明磊落，公平待人。说不定他会信守诺言的。”      “妹妹，也许无尾猿会变得诚实的吧。”爱德蒙说，”不过，凭狮子起誓，如果他再破坏诺言，那么到那时，我们任何人都可以在干净利落的战争中砍掉他的脑袋。”      “试试看吧，”国王说，然后吩咐侍从道，”朋友，把俘虏带上来。”      戴着铁链的拉巴达什给带了上来。瞧瞧他的模样，任何人都会猜想他是在一个喧闹的地牢里过了一夜，既没有食物，又没有水喝；事实上他却是给关在一个十分舒服的房间里，供他吃的伙食也十分精美。但因为他生气得非常厉害，晚饭一点也不肯吃，又整夜顿足、吼叫、咒骂，现在看上去自然不是他最好的模样儿了。       “无需多说，殿下也知道，”国王伦恩说道，”根据国家的法律，根据审慎的政策的种种理由，我们有权要求砍掉你的脑袋，正如一个人有权处置另一个不共戴天的敌人一样。然而，考虑到你年纪还轻，天性粗暴，缺少各种教养和礼貌，凡此无疑都是在一个暴君和奴隶的国度里沾染上的恶习，我们倾向于不加害于你，释放你回家，条件是：第一……”       “我咒骂你这野蛮的狗东西！“拉巴达什唾沫四溅地嚷嚷道，”你以为我会听你的条件吗?呸！你大谈天性和其他不知所云的话。对一个用链条束缚着的人说这种话是容易的，哼！解开这些该死的链条，给我一把剑，那时，你们哪一个敢来和我辩论！”      几乎所有的王子贵族都跳了起来，科林大声叫道：      “父王！我能揍他吗?行吗?”      “安静下来！陛下，各位王子贵族！”国王伦恩说道，”难道我们没有涵养到如此地步，一个混蛋的辱骂就把我们激怒了?坐下，科林，不然你就离开桌子吧。我再次要求殿下仔细听听我们的条件。”       “我不听外邦人和术士提出的条件，”拉巴达什说道，”你们没有一个人敢碰我脑袋上的一根头发，你们对我的种种侮辱，将要用纳尼亚人和阿钦兰人的血海来偿还，蒂斯罗克的报复是可怕的，哪怕现在也是可怕的。如果杀了我，那么，在北方土地上的焚烧和折磨之灾，将成为今后一千年震惊世界的故事。小心！小心！小心！小心塔什神的雷霆从天上打下来！”       “雷霆会中途在钩子上钩住吗?”科林问道。      “你太不像话了，科林，”国王说，”永远别取笑奚落人，除非对方比你强大；对方比你强时，那就悉听尊便了。”      “你这愚蠢的拉巴达什啊。”露茜叹息道。      接下来的刹那间，科奥心中纳罕：为什么坐在桌子旁的所有人都站起来了，而且都一动也不动地站在那儿。当然，他自己也站起来了。这时他才明白了其中的缘故。阿斯兰跟他们在一起，虽然没有一个人看见它进来。狮子巨大的躯体在拉巴达什和谴责他的人们之间轻轻地来回踱步时，拉巴达什吃了一惊。       “拉巴达尔，”阿斯兰说道，”别掉以轻心了。你的厄运近在眼前，但你仍旧可以避免厄运的。忘掉你的骄傲(你有什么可骄傲的?)，忘掉你的愤怒(有谁损害你来着?)，接受这些善良的国王们的怜悯慈悲吧。”      拉巴达什这时转动眼珠，张开嘴巴，像鲨鱼似的发出可怕而沉闷的露齿狞笑，上下摆动着耳朵(如果肯费工夫，任何人都能学会的)。从前在卡乐门他这一套总是很奏效的。他做这鬼脸时，最勇敢的人发抖，普普通通的人倒在地上，神经过敏的人往往昏厥过去。然而拉巴达什不曾认识到的事实是：老百姓知道，你只要下个命令便可立刻把他们活活煮死，要吓唬他们自然是容易的。在阿钦兰，扮鬼脸看来压根儿不惊人；事实上，露茜只觉得拉巴达什大概快要生病了。      “魔鬼！魔鬼！魔鬼！”王子尖声叫道，”我知道你。你是纳尼亚的邪恶的魔王。你是众神的仇敌。可怕的幽灵，叫你知道我是谁吧。我是毫不宽容、不可抗拒的塔什神的后裔。塔什神的诅咒落在你头上。蝎子形的闪电将像雨点般打在你身上。纳尼亚的火山将化为尘土……”       “留点儿神，拉巴达什，”阿斯兰平静地说道，”厄运如今更逼近了，厄运就在门外，厄运拔掉门闩了。”      “让天塌下来吧，”拉巴达什尖声叫道，”让地裂开来吧！让血与火湮没这世界吧！但是我管保决不断念、罢休，我一定要揪住那狗东西的女儿，揪住那外邦女王的头发，把她拖到我的王宫里去……”       “时辰到了。”阿斯兰说道，拉巴达什看到人人都开始哈哈大笑，心里惶恐之至。      他们没法儿不笑。拉巴达什一直在上下摆动着耳朵，阿斯兰刚说”时辰到了”，那双耳朵便开始变化。耳朵愈变愈长、愈尖，不久耳朵上又长满了灰色的毛。大伙正琢磨着以前在什么地方见过这样的耳朵时，拉巴达什的脸也开始变化了。脸变得长了，顶上变厚了，眼睛变大了，鼻子陷进脸蛋里去了(不然的话，就是脸鼓出来了，变成全是鼻子了)，脸上到处都是毛。他的胳膊变长，在前边儿垂了下来，直至双手碰到地面：不过现在不是手了，而是蹄子了。他四脚落地站在那儿，他身上的衣服也消失了，人人哈哈大笑，愈笑愈响(他们不由自主地要笑)，因为当初的拉巴达什如今干干脆脆地变成一头驴子。可怕的是，他那人的语言比他那人的形体仅仅多保留了一会儿时间，当他认识到他身上所发生的变化时，他叫喊道：      “啊，不要变成一头驴子！可怜可怜吧。哪怕是变成一匹马——哪怕是——匹马——嗯—啊—霍—伊赫—奥赫，伊赫—奥赫。”语言便消失在驴叫声里了。     “拉巴达什，你听着。”阿斯兰说道，”公正的审判里将包含着大慈大悲。你将来不会永远是头驴子的。”      阿斯兰说这话的过程中，驴子把它的耳朵向前扭过来静听——这副形状也十分可笑，大家越发哈哈大笑了。他们竭力克制，可是克制不了。      “你曾诉之于塔什神，”阿斯兰说道，”你将在塔什神的神庙里得到康复。今年伟大的秋节里，你必须站在塔什班城塔什神的祭台跟前，当着全部塔什班人的面，你那驴子的形体将从你身上脱落，大家都将认出你就是王子拉巴达什。然而，在你活着的时候，如果你走到离塔什班城伟大神庙十英里之外的地方，你就会立刻重新变成你现在那副模样。若你第二次变成驴子，那就万劫不复了。”       短短的一阵寂静，然后他们都动弹起来了，你看我我看你，倒像刚从睡梦中醒来似的。阿斯兰走了。但空中草上留有一道光华，他们的心里留有一股欢欣，凡此都向他们保证阿斯兰可不是梦幻；而且，无论如何，他们眼前就有一头驴子。      国王伦恩是男子汉中最为慈悲心肠的，眼见他的敌人处于这种懊悔不迭的境地，他把愤怒全都忘记了。      “殿下，”他说道，”事情弄到这般极端的地步，我确实深感遗憾。殿下亲眼目睹，这一点儿也不是我们搞出来的。我们当然乐于提供船只，送殿下回塔什班去，按照阿斯兰的处方，求得康复。殿下将得到眼前你的处境所容许的各种舒舒服服的招待：最好的装载牲口的船——最新鲜的胡萝卜和野蓟……”       但震耳欲聋的一声驴叫，以及瞄准警卫的狠狠一脚，清清楚楚地证明：这些好心的优待，对方可毫不领情。’      这儿，为了不再提到他，我还是把拉巴达什的故事讲完为好。他(或是它)被及时用船送回塔什班城，并在伟大的秋节被送进塔什神的神庙，于是重新变成了一个人。当然有四五千人亲眼目睹了他的这一变化，这件事就没法儿秘而不宣了。老蒂斯罗克去世了，拉巴达什便代替他做了蒂斯罗克，他变成了有史以来卡乐门最和平的蒂斯罗克。这是因为他不敢跑到离塔什班城十英里以外的地方；他就没法儿亲自参加战争，而他又不愿意让他手下的泰坎们在损害他权势的条件下从战争中获得声誉，因为蒂斯罗克们都是这样被推翻的。但尽管他的动机是自私自利的，却使卡乐门周围的小国家日子过得舒服多了。他自己的老百姓可从来没有忘记他曾经是一头驴子。在他统治期间，当着他的面，人们称他为”和平缔造者”，但在他死后以及在他背后，人们称他为”可笑的拉巴达什”，如果你在一本优秀的《卡乐门史》里(不妨到地方图书馆去找一下)查找他的事迹，你就会发现他是被列在”可笑的拉巴达什”那个条目下的。直到今天，在卡乐门的学校里，如果你做了什么异乎寻常地愚蠢的事情，你就很可能被称为”第二个拉巴达什”。      在此期间，在安瓦德城里人人都十分高兴，拉巴达什已经遣送回去了，城里真正的赏心乐事便开始了。那是个盛大的宴会，当天晚上在城堡前的草坪上举行，张着几十盏灯，灯光同月光互相映辉。酒像水一样流淌。人们讲着故事，说着笑话，然后是一片寂静，国王的诗人带着两个提琴手走进人们围成的圈子中央。阿拉维斯和科奥原是准备忍受沉闷无聊的，因为他们懂得的诗篇不过是卡乐门的那种诗歌，而现在才知道诗歌是什么玩艺儿了。但提琴刚演奏开头的曲调，就仿佛有个火箭飞进了他们的头脑里，诗人唱着伟大的古老歌谣，关于漂亮的奥尔文的歌谣，关于他怎样和巨人皮尔作战，把巨人变成了石头(这就是皮尔峰的来历——一个生着两个脑袋的巨人)，并且赢得莉尔恩小姐做他的新娘。歌谣唱完时，他们真希望诗人重新再唱一遍。布里虽然不会唱，却讲了扎林德雷之战的故事。露茜又讲了大衣柜以及她和国王爱德蒙、女王苏珊以及至尊王彼得最初进入纳尼亚的故事。除开阿拉维斯和科奥，他们大家都听她讲过好几遍了，但他们都想再听一遍。       不久，国王伦恩说话了，他迟早总要说的：该是年轻人上床睡觉的时候了。”明天，科奥，”他补充道，”你要同我一起去视察所有的城堡，瞧瞧城堡的状况，判明它的一切力量和弱点：因为我离开人世的时候，城堡就属于你、由你来保卫了。”      “但父王，那时科林就是国王了。”      “不，孩子，”国王伦恩说道，”你是我的继承人。王冠要传给你的。”      “但我不要王冠，”科奥说，”我倒宁可……”      “这不是你要不要的问题，科奥，也不是我要不要的问题。这是法律所规定的。”      “但如果我们是孪生兄弟，我们必定是同年的啊。”      “不然，”国王哈哈笑着说道，”必定有一个先生出来的。你是科林的哥哥，比他早生足足三十分钟。你也比他好，让我们希望如此，尽管那也不是什么了不得的优势。”他瞧着科林，眼睛里闪闪发亮。      “但父王，你不能让你所喜欢的儿子做下一任国王吗?”      “不能。国王是受法律制约的，因为规定他做国王的是法律。国王无权脱离王冠，正如哨兵无权脱离岗位一样。”      “天啊，”科奥说，”我压根儿不要做国王。科林呀——我万分诚惶诚恐地感到抱歉，我做梦也没有想到我的出现，会把你从你的王国里排挤出去啊。”      “乌拉！乌拉！，”科林说道，”我不用做国王了，我不用做国王了。我将永远做个王子。做王子最开心最好玩。”      “科奥啊，你兄弟只知道玩儿，更正确的道理是，”国王伦恩说，”做一个国王，就是意味着在每次拼命的战斗中身先士卒，在每次亡命的退却中沉着殿后，国土上出现饥馑的时候(歉收的年头必定时常要闹饥荒的)，倒要衣服穿得好一点，对着不够吃饱的饭食，也要比你国土上任何人笑得更响亮。”       两个孩子到楼上去睡觉时，科奥又问科林，这事是否就这么定了，就毫无办法可想了。科林说：      “如果你再提到这件事，我就——我就把你打倒在地。”      故事结束时最好交代一下：从此以后，两兄弟之间就永远再也没有什么意见分歧了；但我担心这样讲是不确实的。事实上他们俩时常吵架打架，就像任何两个孩子一样，而他俩的打架(如果真的打起来了)，结果总是科奥被打倒在地。他们俩长大成人时，都成了武士，虽然科奥在战斗中是更加凶猛的，然而，作为拳击手，科奥也好，北方各国里的任何英雄好汉也好，都不能同科林媲美。他便是如此这般获得了”霹雳拳击手科林”的美名的，便是如此这般压倒了暴风雨峰”堕落的熊”，建立了巨大功勋的。它原来确实是头会说人话的熊，后来却倒退到野熊的习性和习惯中去了。在山中积雪的一个冬日里，科林攀登暴风雨峰纳尼亚一侧，走到熊窝那儿，计时器也不带，挥拳猛击那熊三十三个回合。打到后来，那熊眼睛发黑，看也没法儿看了，是那熊又被改变过来了。       阿拉维斯和科奥也吵了许多架(我担心甚至打过架哩)，但他们总是又言归于好。好几年以后，他们都长大成人了，他们还是习惯于吵架又重新和好，所以他们干脆就结了婚，以求吵了又和好起来更加方便。国王伦恩去世后，他们便成了阿钦兰优秀的国王和王后；他俩所生的儿子伟大的拉姆，是阿钦兰历代国王中最著名的。布里和赫温都在纳尼亚幸福地活到了高龄，都结婚了，但它们并未结为夫妇。往往隔不了几个月，它们之中的一个或它们两个，总要小跑着经过关隘，来拜访它们的在安瓦德的老朋友.