The Horse and His Boy-第27章

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k。　id　be　just　as　pleased　…　or　very　nearly　…　at　finding　hes　　my　father　even　if　he　wasnt　a　king。　even　though　education　and　all　sorts　of　horrible　things　are　　going　to　happen　to　me。　but　you　want　the　story。　well；　corin　and　i　were　twins。　and　about　a　　week　after　we　were　both　born；　apparently；　they　took　us　to　a　wise　old　centaur　in　narnia　to　　be　blessed　or　something。　now　this　centaur　was　a　prophet　as　a　good　many　centaurs　are。　　perhaps　you　havent　seen　any　centaurs　yet？　there　were　some　in　the　battle　yesterday。　　most　remarkable　people；　but　i　cant　say　i　feel　quite　at　home　with　them　yet。　i　say；　aravis；　　there　are　going　to　be　a　lot　of　things　to　get　used　to　in　these　northern　countries。”

〃yes；　there　are；〃　said　aravis。　〃but　get　on　with　the　story。”

〃well；　as　soon　as　he　saw　corin　and　me；　it　seems　this　centaur　looked　at　me　　and　said；　a　day　will　e　when　that　boy　will　save　archenland　from　the　deadliest　danger　　in　which　ever　she　lay。　so　of　course　my　father　and　mother　were　very　pleased。　but　　there　was　someone　present　who　wasnt。　this　was　a　chap　called　the　lord　bar　who　had　　been　fathers　lord　chancellor。　and　apparently　hed　done　something　wrong　…　bezzling　or　　some　word　like　that　…　i　didnt　understand　that　part　very　well　…　and　father　had　had　to　　dismiss　him。　but　nothing　else　was　done　to　him　and　he　was　allowed　to　go　on　living　in　　archenland。　but　he　must　have　been　as　bad　as　he　could　be；　for　it　came　out　afterwards　he　had　　been　in　the　pay　of　the　tisroc　and　had　sent　a　lot　of　secret　information　to　tashbaan。　so　as　　soon　as　he　heard　i　was　going　to　save　archenland　from　a　great　danger　he　decided　i　must　be　put　　out　of　the　　

way。　well；　he　succeeded　in　kidnapping　me　（i　dont　exactly　know　how）　and　　rode　away　down　the　winding　arrow　to　the　coast。　hed　had　everything　prepared　and　there　　was　a　ship　manned　with　his　own　followers　lying　ready　for　him　and　he　put　out　to　sea　　with　me　on　board。　but　father　got　wind　of　it；　though　not　quite　in　time；　and　was　after　　him　as　quickly　as　he　could。　the　lord　bar　was　already　at　sea　when　father　reached　the　coast；　　but　not　out　of　sight。　and　father　was　embarked　in　one　of　his　own　warships　within　twenty　　minutes。

〃it　must　have　been　a　wonderful　chase。　they　were　six　days　following　bars　　galleon　and　brought　her　to　battle　on　the　seventh。　it　was　a　great　sea…fight　（i　heard　a　　lot　about　it　yesterday　evening）　from　ten　oclock　in　the　morning　till　sunset。　our　people　　took　the　ship　in　the　end。　but　i　wasnt　there。　the　lord　bar　himself　had　been　killed　in　the　　battle。　but　one　of　his　men　said　that；　early　that　morning；　as　soon　as　he　saw　he　was　certain　　to　be　overhauled；　bar　had　given　me　to　one　of　his　knights　and　sent　us　both　away　in　　the　ships　boat。　and　that　boat　was　never　seen　again。　but　of　course　that　was　the　same　　boat　that　aslan　（he　seems　to　be　at　the　back　of　all　the　stories）　pushed　ashore　at　the　right　　place　for　arsheesh　to　pick　me　up。　i　wish　i　knew　that　knights　name；　for　he　must　have　　kept　me　alive　and　starved　himself　to　do　it。”

〃i　suppose　aslan　would　say　that　was　part　of　someone　elses　story；〃　said　　aravis。

〃i　was　forgetting　that；〃　said　cor。

〃and　i　wonder　how　the　prophecy　will　work　out；〃　said　aravis；　〃and　what　the　　great　danger　is　that　youre　to　save　archenland　from。”

〃well；〃　said　cor　rather　awkwardly；　〃they　seem　to　think　ive　done　it　　already。”

aravis　clapped　her　hands。　〃why；　of　course！〃　she　said。　〃how　stupid　i　am。　and　　how　wonderful！　archenland　can　never　be　in　much　greater　danger　than　it　was　when　　rabadash　had　crossed　the　arrow　with　his　two　hundred　horse　and　you　hadnt　yet　got　　through　with　your　message。　dont　you　feel　proud？”

〃i　think　i　feel　a　bit　scared；〃　said　cor。

〃and　youll　be　living　at　anvard　now；〃　said　aravis　rather　wistfully。

〃oh！〃　said　cor；　〃id　nearly　forgotten　what　i　came　about。　father　wants　you　　to　e　and　live　with　us。　he　says　theres　been　no　lady　in　the　court　（they　call　it　the　　court；　i　dont　know　why）　since　mother　died。　do；　aravis。　youll　like　father　…　and　corin。　theyre　　not　like　me；　theyve　been　properly　brought　up。　you　neednt　be　afraid　that　…”

〃oh　stop　it；〃　said　aravis；　〃or　well　have　a　real　fight。　of　course　ill　　e。”

〃now　lets　go　and　see　the　horses；〃　said　cor。

there　was　a　great　and　joyous　meeting　between　bree　and　cor；　and　bree；　who　　was　still　in　a　rather　subdued　frame　of　mind；　agreed　to　set　out　for　anvard　at　once：　he　and　　hwin　would　cross　into　narnia　on　the　following　day。　all　four　bade　an　affectionate　　farewell　to　the　hermit　and　promised　that　they　would　soon　visit　him　again。　by　about　the　　middle　of　the　morning　they　were　on　their　way。　the　horses　had　expected　that　aravis　and　cor　　would　ride；　but　cor　explained　that　except　in　war；　where　everyone　must　do　what　he　　can　do　best；　no　one　in　narnia　or　archenland　ever　dreamed　of　mounting　a　talking　horse。

this　reminded　poor　bree　again　of　how　little　he　knew　about　narnian　customs　　and　what　dreadful　mistakes　he　might　make。　so　while　hwin　strolled　along　in　a　happy　　dream；　bree　got　more　nervous　and　more　self…conscious　with　every　step　he　took。

〃buck　up；　bree；〃　said　cor。　〃its　far　worse　for　me　than　for　you。　you　arent　　going　to　be　educated。　i　shall　be　learning　reading　and　writing　and　heraldry　and　dancing　　and　history　and　music　while　youll　be　galloping　and　rolling　on　the　hills　of　narnia　to　　your　hearts　content。”

〃but　thats　just　the　point；〃　groaned　bree。　〃do　talking　horses　roll？　　supposing　they　dont？

i　cant　bear　to　give　it　up。　what　do　you　think；　hwin？”

〃im　going　to　roll　anyway；〃　said　hwin。　〃i　dont　suppose　any　of　them　will　　care　two　lumps　of　sugar　whether　you　roll　or　not。”

〃are　we　near　that　castle？〃　said　bree　to　cor。

〃round　the　next　bend；〃　said　the　prince。

〃well；〃　said　bree；　〃im　going　to　have　a　good　one　now：　it　may　be　the　last。　　wait　for　me　a　minute。”

it　was　five　minutes　before　he　rose　again；　blowing　hard　and　covered　with　　bits　of　bracken。

〃now　im　ready；〃　he　said　in　a　voice　of　profound　gloom。　〃lead　on；　prince　　cor；　narnia　and　the　north。”

but　he　looked　more　like　a　horse　going　to　a　funeral　than　a　long…lost　captive　　returning　to　home　and　freedom。

。d　　。



CHAPTER　FIFTEEN

，＿
rabadash　the　ridiculous　　　

the　next　turn　of　the　road…　brought　them　out　from　among　the　trees　and　there；　　across　green　lawns；　sheltered　from　the　north　wind　by　the　high　wooded　ridge　at　its　　back；　they　saw　the　castle　of　anvard。　it　was　very　old　and　built　of　a　warm；　reddish…brown　　stone。

before　they　had　reached　the　gate　king　lune　came　out　to　meet　them；　not　　looking　at　all　like　araviss　idea　of　a　king　and　wearing　the　oldest　of　old　clothes；　for　he　　had　just　e　from　making　a　round　of　the　kennels　with　his　huntsman　and　had　only　stopped　　for　a　moment　to　wash　his　doggy　hands。　but　the　bow　with　which　he　greeted　aravis　as　　he　took　her　hand　would　have　been　stately　enough　for　an　emperor。

〃little　lady；〃　he　said；　〃we　bid　you　very　heartily　wele。　if　my　dear　wife　　were　still　alive　we　could　make　you　better　cheer　but　could　not　do　it　with　a　better　will。　and　　i　am　sorry　that　you　have　had　misfortunes　and　been　driven　from　your　fathers　house；　which　　cannot　but　be　a　grief　to　you。　my　son　cor　has　told　me　about　your　adventures　together　and　　all　your　valour。”

〃it　was　he　who　did　all　that；　sir；〃　said　aravis。　〃why；　he　rushed　at　a　lion　　to　save　me。”

〃eh；　whats　that？〃　said　king　lune；　his　face　brightening。　〃i　havent　heard　　that　part　of　the　story。”

then　aravis　told　it。　and　cor；　who　had　very　much　wanted　the　story　to　be　　known；　though　he　felt　he　couldnt　tell　it　himself；　didnt　enjoy　it　so　much　as　he　had　　expected；　and　indeed　felt　rather　foolish。　but　his　father　enjoyed　it　very　much　indeed　and　in　the　　course　of　the　next　few　weeks　told　it　to　so　many　people　that　cor　wished　it　had　never　　happened。

then　the　king　turned　to　hwin　and　bree　and　was　just　as　polite　to　them　as　to　　aravis；　and　asked　them　a　lot　of　questions　about　their　families　and　where　they　had　lived　　in　narnia　before　they　had　been　captured。　the　horses　were　rather　tongue…tied　for　they　　werent　yet　used　to　being　talked　to　as　equals　by　humans　grown…up　humans；　that　is。　they　　didnt　mind　aravis　and　cor。

presently　queen　lucy　came　out　from　the　castle　and　joined　them　and　king　lune　　said　to　aravis；　〃my　dear；　here　is　a　loving　friend　of　our　house；　and　she　has　been　　seeing　that　your　apartments　are　put　to　rights　for　you　better　than　i　could　have　done　it。”

〃youd　like　to　e　and　see　them；　wouldnt　you？〃　said　lucy；　kissing　aravis。　　they　liked　each　other　at　once　and　soon　went　away　together　to　talk　about　araviss　　bedroom　and　araviss　boudoir　and　about　getting　clothes　for　her；　and　all　the　sort　of　　things　girls　do　talk　about　on　such　an　occasion。

after　lunch；　which　they　had　on　the　terrace　（it　was　cold　birds　and　cold　game　　pie　and　wine　and　bread　and　cheese）；　king　lune　ruffled　up　his　brow　and　heaved　a　sigh　and　　said；　〃heigh…ho！　we　have　still　that　sorry　creature　rabadash　on　our　hands；　my　　friends；　and　must　needs　resolve　what　to　do　with　him。”

lucy　was　sitting　on　the　kings　right　and　aravis　on　his　left。　king　edmund　　sat　at　one　end　of　the　table　and　the　lord　darrin　faced　him　at　the　other。　dar　and　peridan　　and　cor　and　corin　were　on　the　same　side　as　the　king。

〃your　majesty　would　have　a　perfect　right　to　strike　off　his　head；〃　said　　peridan。　〃such　an　assault　as　he　made　puts　him　on　a　level　with　assassins。”

〃it　is　very　true；〃　said　edmund。　〃but　even　a　traitor　may　men