the horse and his boy_c·s·刘易斯-第29章

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　to　your　obedience。　a　boy　to　break　a　fathers　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。鈥�

〃well；　well；〃　grumbled　the　king。　〃well　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？鈥�

and　still　shasta　could　not　understand　why　everyone　stared　at　him　and　at　　corin　nor　what　all　the　cheering　was　about。

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CHAPTER　FOURTEEN

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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。

〃ive　had　enough　of　this；〃　said　hwin。　〃the　hermit　has　been　very　good　to　us　　and　im　very　much　obliged　to　him　im　sure。　but　im　getting　as　fat　as　a　pet　pony；　eating　　all　day　and　getting　no　exercise。　lets　go　on　to　narnia。鈥�

〃oh　not　today；　maam；〃　said　bree。　〃i　wouldnt　hurry　things。　some　other　day；　　dont　you　think？鈥�

〃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。鈥�

〃oh；　of　course；〃　said　hwin。　〃i　expect　he　is　in　anvard。　naturally　wed　look　　in　on　him　and　say　good…bye。　but　thats　on　our　way。　and　why　shouldnt　we　start　at　once？　　after　all；　i　thought　it　was　narnia　we　all　wanted　to　get　to？鈥�

〃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　theres　no　need　to　rush　　things；　if　you　know　what　i　mean。鈥�

〃no；　i　dont　know　what　you　mean；〃　said　hwin。　〃why　dont　you　want　to　go？鈥�

〃m…m…m；　broo…hoo；〃　muttered　bree。　〃well；　dont　you　see；　maam　…　its　an　　important　occasion　…　returning　to　ones　country　…　entering　society　…　the　best　society　　…　it　is　so　essential　to　make　a　good　impression　…　not　perhaps　looking　quite　ourselves；　yet；　eh？鈥�

hwin　broke　out　into　a　horse…laugh。　〃its　your　tail；　bree！　i　see　it　all　now。　　you　want　to　wait　till　your　tails　grown　again！　and　we　dont　even　know　if　tails　are　worn　long　　in　narnia。

really；　bree；　youre　as　vain　as　that　tarkheena　in　tashbaan！鈥�

〃you　are　silly；　bree；〃　said　aravis。

〃by　the　lions　mane；　tarkheena；　im　nothing　of　the　sort；〃　said　bree　　indignantly。　〃i　have　a　proper　respect　for　myself　and　for　my　fellow　horses；　thats　all。鈥�

〃bree；〃　said　aravis；　who　was　not　very　interested　in　the　cut　of　his　tail；　　〃ive　been　wanting　to　ask　you　something　for　a　long　time。　why　do　you　keep　on　swearing　by　the　　lion　and　by　the　lions　mane？　i　thought　you　hated　lions。鈥�

〃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。鈥�

〃but　is　he　a　lion？鈥�

〃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　isnt　a　lion　why　do　you　call　him　a　lion？鈥�

〃well；　youd　hardly　understand　that　at　your　age；〃　said　bree。　〃and　i　was　　only　a　little　foal　when　i　left　so　i　dont　quite　fully　understand　it　myself。鈥�

（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　didnt　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　　couldnt　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　hes　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　hed　　have　to　be　a　beast　just　like　the　rest　of　us。　why！〃　（and　here　bree　began　to　laugh）　〃if　he　was　a　　lion　hed　have　four　paws；　and　a　tail；　and　whiskers！　。　。　。　aie；　ooh；　hoo…hoo！　help！鈥�

for　just　as　he　said　the　word　whiskers　one　of　aslans　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；　〃youre　so　beautiful。　you　may　eat　me　if　you　like。　id　　sooner　be　eaten　by　you　than　fed　by　anyone　else。鈥�

〃dearest　daughter；〃　said　aslan；　planting　a　lions　kiss　on　her　twitching；　　velvet　nose；　〃i　knew　you　would　not　be　long　in　ing　to　me。　joy　shall　be　yours。鈥�

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。鈥�

〃aslan；〃　said　bree　in　a　shaken　voice；　〃im　afraid　i　must　be　rather　a　fool。鈥�

〃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。鈥�

〃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？鈥�

〃no；　sir。鈥�

〃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　stepmothers　slave　because　of　the　　drugged　sleep　you　cast　upon　her。　you　needed　to　know　what　it　felt　like。鈥�

〃yes；　sir。　please…鈥�

〃ask　on；　my　dear；〃　said　aslan。

〃will　any　more　harm　e　to　her　by　what　i　did？鈥�

〃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　halberd