The Horse and His Boy-第1章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　，



CHAPTER　ONE

，小，说，网
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　boys　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　e　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　　shastas　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　didnt　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　mans　beard　which　　was　dyed　crimson；　and　curled　and　gleaming　with　scented　oil。　but　arsheesh　knew　by　the　　gold　on　the　strangers　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　　didnt　think　much　of　it）　and　shasta；　as　always　happened　when　the　fisherman　had　pany；　　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　ing　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　ing　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　passion　（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　boys　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。”

〃ill　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　ing　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　strangers　horse；　　loosely　tied　to　an　iron　ring　in　the　wall　of　the　donkeys　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　shastas　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　lords　house　have　next　to　nothing　to　do。　they　wear　lovely　clothes　and　eat　　meat　every　day。

perhaps　hed　take　me　to　the　wars　and　id　save　his　life　in　a　battle　and　th