The Horse and His Boy-第14章

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aravis　was　very　tired　of　her　giggling　and　her　talk　about　dresses　and　parties；　weddings　　and　engagements　and　scandals。　she　went　to　bed　early　and　that　part　she　did　　enjoy：　it　was　so　nice　to　have　pillows　and　sheets　again。

but　the　next　day　passed　very　slowly。　lasaraleen　wanted　to　go　back　on　the　　whole　arrangement　and　kept　on　telling　aravis　that　narnia　was　a　country　of　　perpetual　snow　and　ice　inhabited　by　demons　and　sorcerers；　and　she　was　mad　to　think　of　going　　there。　〃and　with　a　peasant　boy；　too！〃　said　lasaraleen。　〃darling；　think　of　it！　its　not　　nice。〃　aravis　had　thought　of　it　a　good　deal；　but　she　was　so　tired　of　lasaraleens　silliness　　by　now　that；　for　the　first　time；　she　began　to　think　that　travelling　with　shasta　was　really　　rather　more　fun　than　fashionable　life　in　tashbaan。　so　she　only　replied；　〃you　forget　that　　ill　be　nobody；　just　like　him；　when　we　get　to　narnia。　and　anyway；　i　promised。”

〃and　to　think；〃　said　lasaraleen；　almost　crying；　〃that　if　only　you　had　sense　　you　could　be　the　wife　of　a　grand　vizier！〃　aravis　went　away　to　have　a　private　word　with　　the　horses。

〃you　must　go　with　a　groom　a　little　before　sunset　down　to　the　tombs；〃　she　　said。　〃no　more　of　those　packs。　youll　be　saddled　and　bridled　again。　but　therell　have　　to　be　food　in　hwins　saddle…bags　and　a　full　water…skin　behind　yours；　bree。　the　man　has　　orders　to　let　you　both　have　a　good　long　drink　at　the　far　side　of　the　bridge。”

〃and　then；　narnia　and　the　north！〃　whispered　bree。　〃but　what　if　shasta　is　　not　at　the　tombs。”

〃wait　for　him　of　course；〃　said　aravis。　〃i　hope　youve　been　quite　　fortable。”

〃never　better　stabled　in　my　life；〃　said　bree。　〃but　if　the　husband　of　that　　tittering　tarkheena　friend　of　yours　is　paying　his　head　groom　to　get　the　best　oats；　　then　i　think　the　head　groom　is　cheating　him。”

aravis　and　lasaraleen　had　supper　in　the　pillared　room。

about　two　hours　later　they　were　ready　to　start。　aravis　was　dressed　to　look　　like　a　superior　slave…girl　in　a　great　house　and　wore　a　veil　over　her　face。　they　had　agreed　　that　if　any　questions　were　asked　lasaraleen　would　pretend　that　aravis　was　a　slave　she　　was　taking　as　a　present　to　one　of　the　princesses。

the　two　girls　went　out　on　foot。　a　very　few　minutes　brought　them　to　the　　palace　gates。

here　there　were　of　course　soldiers　on　guard　but　the　officer　knew　lasaraleen　　quite　well　and　called　his　men　to　attention　and　saluted。　they　passed　at　once　into　the　　hall　of　black　marble。　a　fair　number　of　courtiers；　slaves　and　others　were　still　moving　　about　here　but　this　only　made　the　two　girls　less　conspicuous。　they　passed　on　into　the　hall　　of　pillars　and　then　into　the　hall　of　statues　and　down　the　colonnade；　passing　the　great　　beatencopper　　

doors　of　the　throne　room。　it　was　all　magnificent　beyond　description；　what　　they　could　see　of　it　in　the　dim　light　of　the　lamps。

presently　they　came　out　into　the　garden…court　which　sloped　downhill　in　a　　number　of　terraces。　on　the　far　side　of　that　they　came　to　the　old　palace。　it　had　　already　grown　almost　quite　dark　and　they　now　found　themselves　in　a　maze　of　corridors　lit　only　by　　occasional　torches　fixed　in　brackets　to　the　walls。　lasaraleen　halted　at　a　place　where　　you　had　to　go　either　left　or　right。

〃go　on；　do　go　on；〃　whispered　aravis；　whose　heart　was　beating　terribly　and　　who　still　felt　that　her　father　might　run　into　them　at　any　corner。

〃im　just　wondering。。。〃　said　lasaraleen。　〃im　not　absolutely　sure　which　way　　we　go　from　here。　i　think　its　the　left。　yes；　im　almost　sure　its　the　left。　what　fun　　this　is！”

they　took　the　left　hand　way　and　found　themselves　in　a　passage　that　was　　hardly　lighted　at　all　and　which　soon　began　going　down　steps。

〃its　all　right；〃　said　lasaraleen。　〃im　sure　were　right　now。　i　remember　　these　steps。〃　but　at　that　moment　a　moving　light　appeared　ahead。　a　second　later　there　appeared　　from　round　a　distant　corner；　the　dark　shapes　of　two　men　walking　backwards　and　carrying　　tall　candles。

and　of　course　it　is　only　before　royalties　that　people　walk　backwards。　　aravis　felt　lasaraleen　grip　her　arm　…　that　sort　of　sudden　grip　which　is　almost　a　pinch　　and　which　means　that　the　person　who　is　gripping　you　is　very　frightened　indeed。　aravis　　thought　it　odd　that　lasaraleen　should　be　so　afraid　of　the　tisroc　if　he　were　really　　such　a　friend　of　hers；　but　there　was　no　time　to　go　on　thinking。　lasaraleen　was　hurrying　her　　back　to　the　top　of　the　steps；　on　tiptoes；　and　groping　wildly　along　the　wall。

〃heres　a　door；〃　she　whispered。　〃quick。”

they　went　in；　drew　the　door　very　softly　behind　them；　and　found　themselves　　in　pitch　darkness。　aravis　could　hear　by　lasaraleens　breathing　that　she　was　　terrified。

〃tash　preserve　us！〃　whispered　lasaraleen。　〃what　shall　we　do　if　he　es　in　　here。　can　we　hide？”

there　was　a　soft　carpet　under　their　feet。　they　groped　forward　into　the　room　　and　blundered　on　to　a　sofa。

〃lets　lie　down　behind　it；〃　whimpered　lasaraleen。　〃oh；　i　do　wish　we　hadnt　　e。”

there　was　just　room　between　the　sofa　and　the　curtained　wall　and　the　two　　girls　got　down。

lasaraleen　managed　to　get　the　better　position　and　was　pletely　covered。　　the　upper　part　of　araviss　face　stuck　out　beyond　the　sofa；　so　that　if　anyone　came　　into　that　room　with　a　light　and　happened　to　look　in　exactly　the　right　place　they　would　see　her。　　but　of　course；　because　she　was　wearing　a　veil；　what　they　saw　would　not　at　once　look　like　a　　forehead　and　　

a　pair　of　eyes。　aravis　shoved　desperately　to　try　to　make　lasaraleen　give　　her　a　little　more　room。　but　lasaraleen；　now　quite　selfish　in　her　panic；　fought　back　and　　pinched　her　feet。

they　gave　it　up　and　lay　still；　panting　a　little。　their　own　breath　semed　　dreadfully　noisy；　but　there　was　no　other　noise。

〃is　it　safe？〃　said　aravis　at　last　in　the　tiniest　possible　whisper。

〃i　…　i　…　think　so；〃　began　lasaraleen。　〃but　my　poor　nerves　…〃　and　then　came　　the　most　terrible　noise　they　could　have　heard　at　that　moment：　the　noise　of　the　door　　opening。　and　then　came　light。　and　because　aravis　couldnt　get　her　head　any　further　in　　behind　the　sofa；　she　saw　everything。

first　came　the　two　slaves　（deaf　and　dumb；　as　aravis　rightly　guessed；　and　　therefore　used　at　the　most　secret　councils）　walking　backwards　and　carrying　the　candles。　　they　took　up　their　stand　one　at　each　end　of　the　sofa。　this　was　a　good　thing；　for　of　　course　it　was　now　harder　for　anyone　to　see　aravis　once　a　slave　was　in　front　of　her　and　she　　was　looking　between　his　heels。　then　came　an　old　man；　very　fat；　wearing　a　curious　　pointed　cap　by　which　she　immediately　knew　that　he　was　the　tisroc。　the　least　of　the　jewels　　with　which　he　was　covered　was　worth　more　than　all　the　clothes　and　weapons　of　the　　narnian　lords　put　together：　but　he　was　so　fat　and　such　a　mass　of　frills　and　pleats　and　　bobbles　and　buttons　and　tassels　and　talismans　that　aravis　couldnt　help　thinking　the　narnian　　fashions　（at　any　rate　for　men）　looked　nicer。　after　him　came　a　tall　young　man　with　a　　feathered　and　jewelled　turban　on　his　head　and　an　ivory…sheathed　scimitar　at　his　side。　he　　seemed　very　excited　and　his　eyes　and　teeth　flashed　fiercely　in　the　candlelight。　last　of　　all　came　a　little　hump…backed；　wizened　old　man　in　whom　she　recognized　with　a　shudder　the　new　　grand　vizier　and　her　own　betrothed　husband；　ahoshta　tarkaan　himself。

as　soon　as　all　three　had　entered　the　room　and　the　door　was　shut；　the　tisroc　　seated　himself　on　the　divan　with　a　sigh　of　contentment；　the　young　man　took　his　　place；　standing　before　him；　and　the　grand　vizier　got　down　on　his　knees　and　elbows　and　laid　　his　face　flat　on　the　carpet。

。d　　。



CHAPTER　EIGHT

。^生。网
in　the　house　of　the　tisroc　　〃oh…my…father…and…oh…the…delight…of…my…eyes；〃　began　the　young　man；　　muttering　the　words　very　quickly　and　sulkily　and　not　at　all　as　if　the　tisroc　were　the　　delight　of　his　eyes。

〃may　you　live　for　ever；　but　you　have　utterly　destroyed　me。　if　you　had　given　　me　the　swiftest　of　the　galleys　at　sunrise　when　i　first　saw　that　the　ship　of　the　　accursed　barbarians　was　gone　from　her　place　i　would　perhaps　have　overtaken　them。　but　you　　persuaded　me　to　send　first　and　see　if　they　had　not　merely　moved　round　the　point　into　better　　anchorage。

and　now　the　whole　day　has　been　wasted。　and　they　are　gone　…　gone　…　out　of　my　　reach！

the　false　jade；　the…〃　and　here　he　added　a　great　many　descriptions　of　queen　　susan　which　would　not　look　at　all　nice　in　print。　for　of　course　this　young　man　was　　prince　rabadash　and　of　course　the　false　jade　was　susan　of　narnia。

〃pose　yourself；　o　my　son；〃　said　the　tisroc。　〃for　the　departure　of　guests　　makes　a　wound　that　is　easily　healed　in　the　heart　of　a　judicious　host。”

〃but　i　want　her；〃　cried　the　prince。　〃i　must　have　her。　i　shall　die　if　i　do　　not　get　her…　false；　proud；　black…hearted　daughter　of　a　dog　that　she　is！　i　cannot　sleep　and　my　　food　has　no　savour　and　my　eyes　are　darkened　because　of　her　beauty。　i　must　have　the　　barbarian　queen。”

〃how　well　it　was　said　by　a　gifted　poet；〃　observed　the　vizier；　raising　his　　face　（in　a　somewhat　dusty　condition）　from　the　carpet；　〃that　deep　draughts　from　the　　fountain　of　reason　are　desirable　in　order　to　extinguish　the　fire　of　youthful　love。”

this　seemed　to　exasperate　the　prince。　〃dog；〃　he　shouted；　directing　a　series　　of　well…aimed　kicks　at　the　hindquarters　of　the　vizier；　〃do　not　dare　to　quote　the　poets　to　　me。　i　have　had　maxi