The Horse and His Boy-第11章

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it　was　getting　dark　by　now。　then　the　watch　took　me　along　to　lock　me　up　　somewhere。　so　i　asked　them　if　theyd　like　a　stoup　of　wine　and　they　said　they　didnt　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　ive　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。　theres　　not　a　minute　to　lose。　youd　better　lie　down　on　the　sofa　and　pretend…but　i　forgot。　itll　be　　no　good　with　all　those　bruises　and　black　eye。　youll　just　have　to　tell　them　the　truth；　once　　im　safely　away。”

〃what　else　did　you　think　id　be　telling　them？〃　asked　the　prince　with　a　　rather　angry　look。

〃and　who　are　you？”

〃theres　no　time；〃　said　shasta　in　a　frantic　whisper。　〃im　a　narnian；　i　　believe；　something　northern　anyway。　but　ive　been　brought　up　all　my　life　in　calormen。　and　im　　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　youre　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　others　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　youre　a　friend　of　mine。　look　out！　i　hear　someone　ing。”

/d/



CHAPTER　SIX

！小＄说＾网＆
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　e　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　citys　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　ing　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　theyll　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。　shastas　　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。

〃dont　be　a　silly　little　coward；〃　said　shasta　to　himself。　〃why；　its　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　theyre　shut　up　in　tashbaan　for　the　night；〃　thought　　shasta；　〃or　else　theyve　gone　on　without　me。　its　just　the　sort　of　thing　that　aravis　would　　do。　but　bree　wouldnt。　oh；　he　wouldnt。　…　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　　panion；　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　unfortable　about　those　great；　silent　shapes　of　stone。　he　had　been　　trying　his　hardest　for　a　long　time　not　to　think　of　ghouls：　but　he　couldnt　keep　it　up　　any　longer。

〃ow！　ow！　help！〃　he　shouted　suddenly；　for　at　that　very　moment　he　felt　　something　touch　his　leg。　i　dont　think　anyone　can　be　blamed　for　shouting　if　something　es　　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　youre　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　theres　nothing　like　having　your　face　towards　the　danger　　and　having　something　warm　and　solid　at　your　back。　the　sand　wouldnt　have　seemed　very　fortable　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　hadnt。　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