the horse and his boy_c·s·刘易斯-第14章

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e　raven　said；〃　he　thought；　〃so　ill　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　rivers　　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　wasnt　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　couldnt　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　ing　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？　〃its　a　trap；〃　thought　shasta。　〃somebody　has　　caught　aravis　and　perhaps　theyve　tortured　her　and　shes　given　the　whole　thing　away。　they　　want　me　to　jump　out　and　run　up　and　speak　to　bree　and　then　ill　be　caught　too！　and　yet　　if　i　dont；　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。

w　w　w/xiao　shu　otx　t



CHAPTER　SEVEN

澶А�‘瀛Αㄧ敓：灏彙！ｈ�础＄綉
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）　wouldnt　　say　a　word；　she　never　lost　her　head　even　for　a　moment。　she　grabbed　brees　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　couldnt　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…鈥�

there　was　not　a　moment　to　lose。　without　a　seconds　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…鈥�

〃but　darling…〃　began　lasaraleen　in　the　same　loud　voice。　（she　didnt　in　the　　least　mind　making　people　stare；　in　fact　she　rather　liked　it。）

〃do　what　i　tell　you　or　ill　never　speak　to　you　again；〃　hissed　aravis。　　〃please；　please　be　quick；　las。　its　frightfully　important。　tell　your　people　to　bring　those　two　　horses　along。

pull　all　the　curtains　of　the　litter　and　get　away　somewhere　where　i　cant　be　　found。　and　do　hurry。鈥�

〃all　right；　darling；〃　said　lasaraleen　in　her　lazy　voice。　〃here。　two　of　you　　take　the　tarkheenas　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…鈥�

but　aravis　had　already　drawn　the　curtains；　enclosing　lasaraleen　and　herself　　in　a　rich　and　scented；　but　rather　stuffy；　kind　of　tent。

〃i　mustnt　be　seen；〃　〃she　said。　〃my　father　doesnt　know　im　here。　im　　running　away。鈥�

〃my　dear；　how　perfectly　thrilling；〃　said　lasaraleen。　〃im　dying　to　hear　all　　about　it。

darling；　youre　sitting　on　my　dress。　do　you　mind？　thats　better。　it　is　a　　new　one。　do　you　like　it？　i　got　it　at…鈥�

〃oh；　las；　do　be　serious；〃　said　aravis。　〃where　is　my　father？鈥�

〃didnt　you　know？〃　said　lasaraleen。　〃hes　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！　its　the　funniest　thing　i　ever　heard。〃　　and　she　went　off　into　giggles。　she　always　had　been　a　terrible　giggler；　as　aravis　now　　remembered。

〃it　isnt　funny　at　all；〃　she　said。　〃its　dreadfully　serious。　where　can　you　　hide　me？鈥�

〃no　difficulty　at　all；　my　dear　girl；〃　said　lasaraleen。　〃ill　take　you　home。　　my　husbands　away　and　no　one　will　see　you。　phew！　its　not　much　fun　with　the　curtains　　drawn。　i　want　to　see　people。　theres　no　point　in　having　a　new　dress　on　if　ones　to　go　about　　shut　up　like　this。鈥�

〃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　　havent　even　told　me　yet　what　you　think　of　the　dress。鈥�

〃another　thing；〃　said　aravis。　〃you　must　tell　your　people　to　treat　those　two　　horses　very　respectfully。　thats　part　of　the　secret。　theyre　really　talking　horses　from　　narnia。鈥�

〃fancy！〃　said　lasaraleen。　〃how　exciting！　and　oh；　darling；　have　you　seen　the　　barbarian　queen　from　narnia？　shes　staying　in　tashbaan　at　p