The Horse and His Boy-第12章

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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　e　from　the　opposite　side；　from　the　desert。　shasta　had　to　turn　his　back　　on　the　tombs　（he　didnt　like　that　much）　and　stare　out　across　the　level　sand。　the　wild　　cry　rang　out　again。

〃i　hope　its　not　more　lions；〃　thought　shasta。　it　was　in　fact　not　very　like　　the　lions　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。　〃theres　more　than　one　of　them；　　whatever　they　are；”

thought　shasta。　〃and　theyre　ing　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　e。　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　e　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　shastas　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。

〃its　a　lion；　i　know　its　a　lion；〃　thought　shasta。　〃im　done。　i　wonder　will　　it　hurt　much。　i　wish　it　was　over。　i　wonder　does　anything　happen　to　people　after　theyre　　dead。　o…o…oh！

here　it　es！〃　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；　its　not　nearly　as　big　as　i　thought！　　its　only　half　the　size。　no；　it　isnt　even　quarter　the　size。　i　do　declare　its　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。　ive　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。

〃ill　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　isnt　as　if　you　could　understand　what　im　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　stones　throw　away。　he　particularly　noticed　one　blue　height　　that　divided　into　two　peaks　at　the　top　and　decided　that　it　must　be　mount　pire。　〃thats　　our　direction；　judging　by　what　the　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。

。。



CHAPTER　SEVEN

：
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