The Horse and His Boy-第24章

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ta　rode　right　at　　the　rear　with　the　giants　immediately　in　front　of　them。　lucy　and　edmund　and　peridan　were　busy　　with　their　plans　for　the　battle　and　though　lucy　once　said；　〃but　where　is　his　goosecap　　highness？”

edmund　only　replied；　〃not　in　the　front；　and　thats　good　news　enough。　leave　　well　alone。”

shasta　told　corin　most　of　his　adventures　and　explained　that　he　had　learned　　all　his　riding　from　a　horse　and　didnt　really　know　how　to　use　the　reins。　corin　instructed　　him　in　this；　besides　telling　him　all　about　their　secret　sailing　from　tashbaan。

〃and　where　is　the　queen　susan？”

〃at　cair　paravel；〃　said　corin。　〃shes　not　like　lucy；　you　know；　whos　as　　good　as　a　man；　or　at　any　rate　as　good　as　a　boy。　queen　susan　is　more　like　an　ordinary　grown…up　　lady。　she　doesnt　ride　to　the　wars；　though　she　is　an　excellent　archer。”

the　hillside　path　which　they　were　following　became　narrower　all　the　time　　and　the　drop　on　their　right　hand　became　steeper。　at　last　they　were　going　in　single　file　　along　the　edge　of　a　precipice　and　shasta　shuddered　to　think　that　he　had　done　the　same　last　　night　without　knowing　it。　〃but　of　course；〃　he　thought；　〃i　was　quite　safe。　that　is　why　the　　lion　kept　on　my　left。　he　was　between　me　and　the　edge　all　the　time。”

then　the　path　went　left　and　south　away　from　the　cliff　and　there　were　thick　　woods　on　both　sides　of　it　and　they　went　steeply　up　and　up　into　the　pass。　there　would　have　　been　a　splendid　view　from　the　top　if　it　were　open　ground　but　among　all　those　trees　　you　could　see　nothing　…　only；　every　now　and　then；　some　huge　pinnacle　of　rock　above　the　　tree…tops；　and　an　eagle　or　two　wheeling　high　up　in　the　blue　air。

〃they　smell　battle；〃　said　corin；　pointing　at　the　birds。　〃they　know　were　　preparing　a　feed　for　them。”

shasta　didnt　like　this　at　all。

when　they　had　crossed　the　neck　of　the　pass　and　e　a　good　deal　lower　they　　reached　more　open　ground　and　from　here　shasta　could　see　all　archenland；　blue　and　　hazy；　spread　　

out　below　him　and　even　（he　thought）　a　hint　of　the　desert　beyond　it。　but　the　　sun；　which　had　perhaps　two　hours　or　so　to　go　before　it　set；　was　in　his　eyes　and　he　　couldnt　make　things　out　distinctly。

here　the　army　halted　and　spread　out　in　a　line；　and　there　was　a　great　deal　　of　rearranging。　a　whole　detachment　of　very　dangerous…looking　talking　beasts　whom　shasta　had　　not　noticed　before　and　who　were　mostly　of　the　cat　kind　（leopards；　panthers；　and　　the　like）

went　padding　and　growling　to　take　up　their　positions　on　the　left。　the　　giants　were　ordered　to　the　right；　and　before　going　there　they　all　took　off　something　they　had　　been　carrying　on　their　backs　and　sat　down　for　a　moment。　then　shasta　saw　that　what　they　had　　been　carrying　and　were　now　putting　on　were　pairs　of　boots：　horrid；　heavy；　spiked　　boots　which　came　up　to　their　knees。　then　they　sloped　their　huge　clubs　over　their　　shoulders　and　marched　to　their　battle　position。　the　archers；　with　queen　lucy；　fell　to　the　　rear　and　you　could　first　see　them　bending　their　bows　and　then　hear　the　twangtwang　as　　they　tested　the　strings。　and　wherever　you　looked　you　could　see　people　tightening　girths；　　putting　on　helmets；　drawing　swords；　and　throwing　cloaks　to　the　ground。　there　was　　hardly　any　talking　now。　it　was　very　solemn　and　very　dreadful。　〃im　in　for　it　now　…　i　　really　am　in　for　it　now；〃　thought　shasta。　then　there　came　noises　far　ahead：　the　sound　of　many　　men　shouting　and　a　steady　thud…thud…thud　　〃battering　ram；〃　whispered　corin。　〃theyre　battering　the　gate。”

even　corin　looked　quite　serious　now。

〃why　doesnt　king　edmund　get　on？〃　he　said。　〃i　can　stand　this　waiting　　about。　chilly　too。”

shasta　nodded：　hoping　he　didnt　look　as　frightened　as　felt。

the　trumpet　at　last！　on　the　move　now　…　now　trotting　the　banner　streaming　　out　in　the　wind。　they　had　topped　low　ridge　now；　and　below　them　the　whole　scene　sudden　　opened　out；　a　little；　many…towered　castle　with　its　gate　towards　them。　no　moat；　　unfortunately；　but　of　course　the　gate　shut　and　the　portcullis　down。　on　the　walls　they　could　　see；　like　little　white　dots；　the　faces　of　the　defenders。　down　below；　about　fifty　of　the　　calormenes；　dismounted；　were　steadily　swinging　a　great　tree　trunk　against　the　gate。　but　　at　once　the　scene　changed。　the　main　bulk　of　rabadashs　men　had　been　on　foot　ready　to　　assault　the　gate。　but　now　he　had　seen　the　narnians　sweeping　down　from　the　ridge。　there　　is　no　doubt　those　calormenes　are　wonderfully　trained。　it　seemed　to　shasta　only　a　second　　before　a　whole　line　of　the　enemy　were　on　horseback　again；　wheeling　round　to　meet　　them；　swinging　towards　them。

and　now　a　gallop。　the　ground　between　the　two　armies　grew　less　every　moment。　　faster；　faster。　all　swords　out　now；　all　shields　up　to　the　nose；　all　prayers　said；　　all　teeth　clenched。

shasta　was　dreadfully　frightened。　but　it　suddenly　came　into　his　head；　〃if　　you　funk　this；　youll　funk　every　battle　all　your　life。　now　or　never。”

but　when　at　last　the　two　lines　met　he　had　really　very　littler　idea　of　what　　happened。　there　was　a　frightful　confusion‘；　and　an　appalling　noise。　his　sword　was　knocked　　clean　out　of　his　hand　pretty　soon。　and　hed　got　the　reins　tangled　somehow。　then　he　found　　himself　slipping。　then　a　spear　came　straight　at　him　and　as　he　ducked　to　avoid　it　he　　rolled　right　off　his　horse；　bashed　his　left　knuckles　terribly　against　someone　elses　armour；　　and　then　…　but　it　is　no　use　trying　to　describe　the　battle　from　shastas　point　of　view；　he　　understood　too　little　of　the　fight　in　general　and　even　of　his　own　part　in　it。　the　best　way　　i　can　tell　you　what　really　happened　is　to　take　you　some　miles　away　to　where　the　hermit　of　　the　southern　march　sat　gazing　into　the　smooth　pool　beneath　the　spreading　tree；　with　bree　　and　hwin　and　aravis　beside　him。

for　it　was　in　this　pool　that　the　hermit　looked　when　he　wanted　to　know　what　　was　going　on　in　the　world　outside　the　green　walls　of　his　hermitage。　there；　as　in　a　　mirror；　he　could　see；　at　certain　times；　what　was　going　on　in　the　streets　of　cities　far　　farther　south　than　tashbaan；　or　what　ships　were　putting　into　redhaven　in　the　remote　seven　　isles；　or　what　robbers　or　wild　beasts　stirred　in　the　great　western　forests　between　lantern　　waste　and　telmar。　and　all　this　day　he　had　hardly　left　his　pool；　even　to　eat　or　drink；　　for　he　knew　that　great　events　were　on　foot　in　archenland。　aravis　and　the　horses　gazed　into　　it　too。　they　could　see　it　was　a　magic　pool：　instead　of　reflecting　the　tree　and　the　sky　　it　revealed　cloudy　and　coloured　shapes　moving；　always　moving；　in　its　depths。　but　they　could　　see　nothing　clearly。　the　hermit　could　and　from　time　to　time　he　told　them　what　he　saw。　a　　little　while　before　shasta　rode　into　his　first　battle；　the　hermit　had　begun　speaking　　like　this：　　〃i　see　one　…　two　…　three　eagles　wheeling　in　the　gap　by　stormness　head。　one　　is　the　oldest　of　all　the　eagles。　he　would　not　be　out　unless　battle　was　at　hand。　i　see　him　　wheel　to　and　fro；　peering　down　sometimes　at　anvard　and　sometimes　to　the　east；　behind　　stormness。　ah　…　i　see　now　what　rabadash　and　his　men　have　been　so　busy　at　all　day。　they　　have　felled　and　lopped　a　great　tree　and　they　are　now　ing　out　of　the　woods　carrying　　it　as　a　ram。

they　have　learned　something　from　the　failure　of　last　nights　assult。　he　　would　have　been　wiser　if　he　had　set　his　men　to　making　ladders：　but　it　takes　too　long　and　he　　is　impatient。

fool　that　he　is！　he　ought　to　have　ridden　back　to　tashbaan　as　soon　as　the　　first　attack　failed；　for　his　whole　plan　depended　on　speed　and　surprise。　now　they　are　　bringing　their　ram　into　position。　king　lunes　men　are　shooting　hard　from　the　walls。　five　　calormenes　have　fallen：　but　not　many　will。　they　have　their　shields　above　their　heads。　　rabadash　is　giving　his　orders　now。　with　him　are　his　most　trusted　lords；　fierce　tarkaans　　from　the　eastern　provinces。　i　can　see　their　faces。　there　is　corradin　of　castle　　tormunt；　and　azrooh；　and　chlamash；　and　ilgamuth　of　the　twisted　lip；　and　a　tall　tarkaan　with　a　　crimson　beard　…”

〃by　the　mane；　my　old　master　anradin！〃　said　bree。

〃s…s…sly〃　said　aravis。

〃now　the　ram　has　started。　if　i　could　hear　as　well　as　see；　what　a　noise　that　　would　make！

stroke　after　stroke：　and　no　gate　can　stand　it　for　ever。　but　wait！　something　　up　by　stormness　has　scared　the　birds。　theyre　ing　out　in　masses。　and　wait　　again　。　。　。　i　cant　see　yet　。　。　。　ah！　now　i　can。　the　whole　ridge；　up　on　the　east；　is　black　with　　horsemen。　if　　

only　the　wind　would　catch　that　standard　and　spread　it　out。　theyre　over　the　　ridge　now；　whoever　they　are。　aha！　ive　seen　the　banner　now。　narnia；　narnia！　its　the　　red　lion。

theyre　in　full　career　down　the　hill　now。　i　can　see　king　edmund。　theres　a　　woman　behind　among　the　archers。　oh！　…”

〃what　is　it？〃　asked　hwin　breathlessly。

〃all　his　cats　are　dashing　out　from　the　left　of　the　line。”

〃cats？〃　said　aravis。

〃great　cats；　leopards　and　such；〃　said　the　hermit　impatiently。　〃i　see；　i　　see。　the　cats　are　ing　round　in　a　circle　to　get　at　the　horses　of　the　dismounted　men。　a　good　　stroke。　the　calormene　horses　are　mad　with　terror　already。　now　the　cats　are　in　among　　them。　but　rabadash　has　reformed　his　line　and　has　a　hundred　men　in　the　saddle。　theyre　　riding　to　meet　the　narnians。　theres　only　a　hundred　yards　between　the　two　lines　now。　　only　fifty。　i　can　see　king　edmund；　i　can　see　the　lord　peridan。　there　are　two　mere　　c