The Horse and His Boy-第25章

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two　lines　now。　　only　fifty。　i　can　see　king　edmund；　i　can　see　the　lord　peridan。　there　are　two　mere　　children　in　the　narnian　line。　what　can　the　king　be　about　to　let　them　into　battle？　only　ten　　yards　…　the　lines　have　met。　the　giants　on　the　narnian　right　are　doing　wonders　。　。　。　but　　ones　down　。　。　。

shot　through　the　eye；　i　suppose。　the　centres　all　in　a　muddle。　i　can　see　　more　on　the　left。

there　are　the　two　boys　again。　lion　alive！　one　is　prince　corm。　the　other；　　like　him　as　two　peas。　its　your　little　shasta。　corm　is　fighting　like　a　man。　hes　killed　a　　calormene。　i　can　see　a　bit　of　the　centre　now。　rabadash　and　edmund　almost　met　then；　but　the　　press　has　separated　them　…”

〃what　about　shasta？〃　said　aravis。

〃oh　the　fool！〃　groaned　the　hermit。　〃poor；　brave　little　fool。　he　knows　　nothing　about　this　work。　hes　making　no　use　at　all　of　his　shield。　his　whole　sides　exposed。　he　　hasnt　the　faintest　idea　what　to　do　with　his　sword。　oh；　hes　remembered　it　now。　hes　　waving　it　wildly　about　。　。　。　nearly　cut　his　own　ponys　head　off；　and　he　will　in　a　　moment　if　hes　not　careful。　its　been　knocked　out　of　his　hand　now。　its　mere　murder　sending　a　　child　into　the　battle；　he　cant　live　five　minutes。　duck　you　fool　…　oh；　hes　down。”

〃killed？〃　asked　three　voices　breathlessly。

〃how　can　i　tell？〃　said　the　hermit。　〃the　cats　have　done　their　work。　all　the　　riderless　horses　are　dead　or　escaped　now：　no　retreat　for　the　calormenes　on　them。　now　　the　cats　are　turning　back　into　the　main　battle。　theyre　leaping　on　the　rams…men。　the　ram　　is　down。　oh；　good！　good！　the　gates　are　opening　from　the　inside：　theres　going　to　be　a　　sortie。　the　first　three　are　out。　its　king　lune　in　the　middle：　the　brothers　dar　and　darrin　on　　each　side　of　him。　behind　them　are　tran　and　shar　and　cole　with　his　brother　colin。　there　　are　ten　…　twenty　…　nearly　thirty　of　them　out　by　now。　the　calormen　line　is　being　　forced　back　upon　them。　king　edmund　is　dealing　marvellous　strokes。　hes　just　slashed　　corradins　head　off。

lots　of　calormenes　have　thrown　down　their　arms　and　are　running　for　the　　woods。　those　that　remain　are　hard　pressed。　the　giants　are　closing　in　on　the　right　…　cats　　on　the　left　…　　

king　lune　from　their　rear。　the　calormenes　are　a　little　knot　now；　fighting　　back　to　back。

your　tarkaans　down；　bree。　lune　and　azrooh　are　fighting　hand　to　hand；　the　　king　looks　like　winning　…　the　king　is　keeping　it　up　well　…　the　king　has　won。　azroohs　　down。　king　edmunds　down　…　no；　hes　up　again：　hes　at　it　with　rabadash。　theyre　　fighting　in　the　very　gate　of　the　castle。　several　calormenes　have　surrendered。　darrin　has　killed　　ilgamuth。　i　cant　see　whats　happened　to　rabadash。　i　think　hes　dead；　leaning　against　　the　castle　wall；　but　i　dont　know。　chlamash　and　king　edmund　are　still　fighting　but　the　　battle　is　over　everywhere　else。　chlamash　has　surrendered。　the　battle　is　over。　the　　calormenes　are　utterly　defeated。”

when　shasta　fell　off　his　horse　he　gave　himself　up　for　lost。　but　horses；　　even　in　battle；　tread　on　human　beings　very　much　less　than　you　would　suppose。　after　a　very　　horrible　ten　minutes　or　so　shasta　realized　suddenly　that　there　were　no　longer　any　horses　　stamping　about　in　the　immediate　neighbourhood　and　that　the　noise　（for　there　were　　still　a　good　many　noises　going　on）　was　no　longer　that　of　a　battle。　he　sat　up　and　stared　　about　him。

even　he；　little　as　he　knew　of　battles；　could　soon　see　that　the　　archenlanders　and　narnians　had　won。　the　only　living　calormenes　he　could　see　were　prisoners；　the　castle　　gates　were　wide　open；　and　king　lune　and　king　edmund　were　shaking　hands　across　the　　battering　ram。　from　the　circle　of　lords　and　warriors　around　them　there　arose　a　sound　　of　breathless　and　excited；　but　obviously　cheerful　conversation。　and　then；　suddenly；　it　　all　united　and　swelled　into　a　great　roar　of　laughter。

shasta。　picked　himself　up；　feeling　unmonly　stiff；　and　ran　towards　the　　sound　to　see　what　the　joke　was。　a　very　curious　sight　met　his　eyes。　the　unfortunate　　rabadash　appeared　to　be　suspended　from　the　castle　walls。　his　feet；　which　were　about　two　feet　　from　the　ground；　were　kicking　wildly。　his　chain…shirt　was　somehow　hitched　up　so　that　　it　was　horribly　tight　under　the　arms　and　came　half　way　over　his　face。　in　fact　he　　looked　just　as　a　man　looks　if　you　catch　him　in　the　very　act　of　getting　into　a　stiff　shirt　　that　is　a　little　too　small　for　him。　as　far　as　could　be　made　out　afterwards　（and　you　may　be　sure　　the　story　was　well　talked　over　for　many　a　day）　what　happened　was　something　like　this。　　early　in　the　battle　one　of　the　giants　had　made　an　unsuccessful　stamp　at　rabadash　with　　his　spiked　boot：　unsuccessful　because　it　didnt　crush　rabadash；　which　was　what　the　　giant　had　intended；　but　not　quite　useless　because　one　of　the　spikes　tore　the　chain　　mail；　just　as　you　or　i　might　tear　an　ordinary　shirt。　so　rabadash；　by　the　time　he　encountered　　edmund　at　the　gate；　had　a　hole　in　the　back　of　his　hauberk。　and　when　edmund　pressed　him　　back　nearer　and　nearer　to　the　wall；　he　jumped　up　on　a　mounting　block　and　stood　there　　raining　down　blows　on　edmund　from　above。　but　then；　finding　that　this　position；　by　　raising　him　above　the　heads　of　everyone　else；　made　him　a　mark　for　every　arrow　from　the　　narnian　bows；　he　decided　to　jump　down　again。　and　he　meant　to　look　and　sound　…　no　doubt　for　a　　moment　he　did　look　and　sound　…　very　grand　and　very　dreadful　as　he　jumped；　crying；　　〃the　bolt　of　tash　falls　from　above。〃　but　he　had　to　jump　sideways　because　the　crowd　in　　front　of　him　left　him　no　landing　place　in　that　direction。　and　then；　in　the　neatest　way　　you　could　wish；　the　tear　in　the　back　of　his　hauberk　caught　on　a　hook　in　the　wall。　（ages　ago　　this　hook　had　had　a　ring　in　it　for　tying　horses　to。）　and　there　he　found　himself；　like　a　　piece　of　washing　hung　up　to　dry；　with　everyone　laughing　at　him。

〃let　me　down；　edmund；〃　howled　rabadash。　〃let　me　down　and　fight　me　like　a　　king　and　a　man；　or　if　you　are　too　great　a　coward　to　do　that；　kill　me　at　once。”

〃certainly；〃　began　king　edmund；　but　king　lune　interrupted。

〃by　your　majestys　good　leave；〃　said　king　lune　to　edmund。　〃not　so。〃　then　　turning　to　rabadash　he　said；　〃your　royal　highness；　if　you　had　given　that　challenge　a　　week　ago；　ill　answer　for　it　there　was　no　one　in　king　edmunds　dominion；　from　the　high　　king　down　to　the　smallest　talking　mouse；　who　would　have　refused　it。　but　by　attacking　our　　castle　of　anvard　in　time　of　peace　without　defiance　sent；　you　have　proved　yourself　no　　knight；　but　a　traitor；　and　one　rather　to　be　whipped　by　the　hangman　than　to　be　suffered　to　　cross　swords　with　any　person　of　honour。　take　him　down；　bind　him；　and　carry　him　within　　till　our　pleasure　is　further　known。”

strong　hands　wrenched　rabadashs　sword　from　him　and　he　was　carried　away　　into　the　castle；　shouting；　threatening；　cursing；　and　even　crying。　for　though　he　　could　have　faced　torture　he　couldnt　bear　being　made　ridiculous。　in　tashbaan　everyone　had　　always　taken　him　seriously。

at　that　moment　corin　ran　up　to　shasta；　seized　his　hand　and　started　dragging　　him　towards　king　lune。　〃here　he　is；　father；　here　he　is；〃　cried　corin。

〃aye；　and　here　thou　art；　at　last；〃　said　the　king　in　a　very　gruff　voice。　　〃and　bast　been　in　the　battle；　clean　contrary　to　your　obedience。　a　boy　to　break　a　fathers　heart！　　at　your　age　a　rod　to　your　breech　were　fitter　than　a　sword　in　your　fist；　ha！〃　but　everyone；　　including　corin；　could　see　that　the　king　was　very　proud　of　him。

〃chide　him　no　more；　sire；　if　it　please　you；〃　said　lord　darrin。　〃his　　highness　would　not　be　your　son　if　he　did　not　inherit　your　conditions。　it　would　grieve　your　　majesty　more　if　he　had　to　be　reproved　for　the　opposite　fault。”

〃well；　well；〃　grumbled　the　king。　〃well　pass　it　over　for　this　time。　and　now　　…〃　　　what　came　next　surprised　shasta　as　much　as　anything　that　had　ever　happened　　to　him　in　his　life。　he　found　himself　suddenly　embraced　inn　bear…like　hug　by　king　lune　　and　kissed　on　both　cheeks。　then　the　king　set　him　down　again　and　said；　〃stand　here　　together；　boys；　and　let　all　the　court　see　you。　hold　up　your　heads。　now；　gentlemen；　look　on　　them　both。

has　any　man　any　doubts？”

and　still　shasta　could　not　understand　why　everyone　stared　at　him　and　at　　corin　nor　what　all　the　cheering　was　about。

。d　xs　



CHAPTER　FOURTEEN


how　bree　became　a　wiser　horse　　we　must　now　return　to　aravis　and　the　horses。　the　hermit；　watching　his　pool；　　was　able　to　tell　them　that　shasta　was　not　killed　or　even　seriously　wounded；　for　he　　saw　him　get　up　and　saw　how　affectionately　he　was　greeted　by　king　lune。　but　as　he　could　　only　see；　not　hear；　he　did　not　know　what　anyone　was　saying　and；　once　the　fighting　had　　stopped　and　the　talking　had　begun；　it　was　not　worth　while　looking　in　the　pool　any　longer。

next　morning；　while　the　hermit　was　indoors；　the　three　of　them　discussed　　what　they　should　do　next。

〃ive　had　enough　of　this；〃　said　hwin。　〃the　hermit　has　been　very　good　to　us　　and　im　very　much　obliged　to　him　im　sure。　but　im　getting　as　fat　as　a　pet　pony；　eating　　all　day　and　getting　no　exercise。　lets　go　on　to　narnia。”

〃oh　not　today；　maam；〃　said　bree。　〃i　wouldnt　hurry　things。　some　other　day；　　dont　you　think？”

〃we　must　see　shasta　first　and　say　good…bye　to　him　…　and　…　and　apologize；〃　　said　aravis。

〃exactly！〃　said　bree　with　great　enthusiasm。　〃just　what　i　was　going　to　say。”

〃oh；　of　course；〃　said　hwin