The Horse and His Boy-第8章

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　and　above　their　heads　　shasta　would　sometimes　see　the　great　lord　or　lady　for　whom　all　the　fuss　was　being　made；　　lolling　upon　a　litter　which　four　or　even　six　gigantic　slaves　carried　on　their　bare　　shoulders。　for　in　tashbaan　there　is　only　one　traffic　regulation；　which　is　that　everyone　who　　is　less　important　has　to　get　out　of　the　way　for　everyone　who　is　more　important；　　unless　you　want　a　cut　from　a　whip　or　punch　from　the　butt　end　of　a　spear。

it　was　in　a　splendid　street　very　near　the　top　of　the　city　（the　tisrocs　　palace　was　the　only　thing　above　it）　that　the　most　disastrous　of　these　stoppages　occurred。

〃way！　way！　way！〃　came　the　voice。　〃way　for　the　white　barbarian　king；　the　　guest　of　the　tisroc　（may　he　live　for　ever）！　way　for　the　narnian　lords。”

shasta　tried　to　get　out　of　the　way　and　to　make　bree　go　back。　but　no　horse；　　not　even　a　talking　horse　from　narnia；　backs　easily。　and　a　woman　with　a　very　edgy　　basket　in　her　hands；　who　was　just　behind　shasta；　pushed　the　basket　hard　against　his　　shoulders；　and　said；　〃now　then！　who　are　you　shoving！〃　and　then　someone　else　jostled　him　　from　the　side　and　in　the　confusion　of　the　moment　he　lost　hold　of　bree。　and　then　the　　whole　crowd　　

behind　him　became　so　stiffened　and　packed　tight　that　he　couldnt　move　at　　all。　so　he　found　himself；　unintentionally；　in　the　first　row　and　had　a　fine　sight　of　the　　party　that　was　ing　down　the　street。

it　was　quite　unlike　any　other　party　they　had　seen　that　day。　the　crier　who　　went　before　it　shouting　〃way；　way！〃　was　the　only　calormene　in　it。　and　there　was　no　litter；　　everyone　was　on　foot。　there　were　about　half　a　dozen　men　and　shasta　had　never　seen　　anyone　like　them　before。　for　one　thing；　they　were　all　as　fair…skinned　as　himself；　and　　most　of　them　had　fair　hair。　and　they　were　not　dressed　like　men　of　calormen。　most　of　them　　had　legs　bare　to　the　kneee。　their　tunics　were　of　fine；　bright；　hardy　colours　…　　woodland　green；　or　gay　yellow；　or　fresh　blue。　instead　of　turbans　they　wore　steel　or　silver　　caps；　some　of　them　set　with　jewels；　and　one　with　little　wings　on　each　side　of　it。　a　few　were　　bare…headed。　the　swords　at　their　sides　were　long　and　straight；　not　curved　like　calormene　　scimitars。　and　instead　of　being　grave　and　mysterious　like　most　calormenes；　they　walked　　with　a　swing　and　let　their　arms　and　shoulders　free；　and　chatted　and　laughed。　one　was　　whistling。　you　could　see　that　they　were　ready　to　be　friends　with　anyone　who　was　friendly　　and　didnt　give　a　fig　for　anyone　who　wasnt。　shasta　thought　he　had　never　seen　anything　so　　lovely　in　his　life。

but　there　was　not　time　to　enjoy　it　for　at　once　a　really　dreadful　thing　　happened。　the　leader　of　the　fair…headed　men　suddenly　pointed　at　shasta；　cried　out；　〃there　he　is！　　theres　our　runaway！〃　and　seized　him　by　the　shoulder。　next　moment　he　gave　shasta　a　　smack　…　not　a　cruel　one　to　make　you　cry　but　a　sharp　one　to　let　you　know　you　are　in　　disgrace　and　added；　shaking：　　〃shame　on　you；　my　lord！　fie　for　shame！　queen　susans　eyes　are　red　with　　weeping　because　of　you。　what！　truant　for　a　whole　night！　where　have　you　been？”

shasta　would　have　darted　under　brees　body　and　tried　to　make　himself　scarce　　in　the　crowd　if　he　had　had　the　least　chance；　but　the　fair…haired　men　were　all　　round　him　by　now　and　he　was　held　firm。

of　course　his　first　impulse　was　to　say　that　he　was　only　poor　arsheesh　the　　fishermans　son　and　that　the　foreign　lord　must　have　mistaken　him　for　someone　else。　but　　then；　the　very　last　thing　he　wanted　to　do　in　that　crowded　place　was　to　start　explaining　who　he　　was　and　what　he　was　doing。　if　he　started　on　that；　he　would　soon　be　asked　where　he　had　　got　his　horse　from；　and　who　aravis　was　…　and　then；　goodbye　to　any　chance　of　getting　　through　tashbaan。　his　next　impulse　was　to　look　at　bree　for　help。　but　bree　had　no　　intention　of　letting　all　the　crowd　know　that　he　could　talk；　and　stood　looking　just　as　　stupid　as　a　horse　can。　as　for　aravis；　shasta　did　not　even　dare　to　look　at　her　for　fear　of　　drawing　attention。

and　there　was　no　time　to　think；　for　the　leader　of　the　narnians　said　at　　once：　　〃take　one　of　his　little　lordships　hands；　peridan；　of　your　courtesy；　and　　ill　take　the　other。

and　now；　on。　our　royal　sisters　mind　will　be　greatly　eased　when　she　sees　　our　young　scapegrace　safe　in　our　lodging。”

and　so；　before　they　were　half…way　through　tashbaan；　all　their　plans　were　　ruined；　and　without　even　a　chance　to　say　good…bye　to　the　others　shasta　found　himself　　being　marched　off　among　strangers　and　quite　unable　to　guess　what　might　be　going　to　happen　　next。　the　narnian　king　…　for　shasta　began　to　see　by　the　way　the　rest　spoke　to　him　　that　he　must　be　a　king　…　kept　on　asking　him　questions；　where　he　had　been；　how　he　had　got　out；　　what　he　had　done　with　his　clothes；　and　didnt　he　know　that　he　had　been　very　naughty。　　only　the　king　called　it　〃naught〃　instead　of　naughty。

and　shasta　said　nothing　in　answer；　because　he　couldnt　think　of　anything　to　　say　that　would　not　be　dangerous。

〃what！　all　mum？〃　asked　the　king。　〃i　must　plainly　tell　you；　prince；　that　　this　hangdog　silence　bees　one　of　your　blood　even　less　than　the　scape　itself。　to　run　　away　might　pass　for　a　boys　frolic　with　some　spirit　in　it。　but　the　kings　son　of　　archenland　should　avouch　his　deed；　not　hang　his　head　like　a　calormene　slave。”

this　was　very　unpleasant；　for　shasta　felt　all　the　time　that　this　young　king　　was　the　very　nicest　kind　of　grown…up　and　would　have　liked　to　make　a　good　impression　on　　him。

the　strangers　led　him…held　tightly　by　both　hands…along　a　narrow　street　and　　down　a　flight　of　shallow　stairs　and　then　up　another　to　a　wide　doorway　in　a　white　wall　　with　two　tall；　dark　cypress　trees；　one　on　each　side　of　it。　once　through　the　arch；　shasta　　found　himself　in　a　courtyard　which　was　also　a　garden。　a　marble　basin　of　clear　water　in　the　　centre　was　kept　continually　rippling　by　the　fountain　that　fell　into　it。　orange　trees　grew　　round　it　out　of　smooth　grass；　and　the　four　white　walls　which　surrounded　the　lawn　were　　covered　with　climbing　roses。　the　noise　and　dust　and　crowding　of　the　streets　seemed　　suddenly　fad　away。　he　was　led　rapidly　across　the　garden　and　then　into　a　dark　doorway。　　the　crier　remained　outside。　after　that　they　took　him　along　a　corridor；　where　the　　stone　floor　felt　beautifully　cool　to　his　hot　feet；　and　up　some　stairs。　a　moment　later　he　　found　himself　blinking　in　the　light　of　a　big；　airy　room　with　wide　open　windows；　all　　looking　north　so　that　no　sun　came　in。　there　was　a　carpet　on　the　floor　more　wonderfully　　coloured　than　anything　he　had　ever　seen　and　his　feet　sank　down　into　it　as　if　he　were　　treading　in　thick　moss。　all　round　the　walls　there　were　low　sofas　with　rich　cushions　on　them；　　and　the　room　seemed　to　be　full　of　people；　very　queer　people　some　of　them；　thought　　shasta。　but　he　had　no　time　to　think　of　that　before　the　most　beautiful　lady　he　had　ever　seen　　rose　from　her　place　and　threw　her　arms　round　him　and　kissed　him；　saying：　　〃oh　corin；　corin；　how　could　you？　and　thou　and　i　such　close　friends　ever　　since　thy　mother　died。　and　what　should　i　have　said　to　thy　royal　father　if　i　came　home　　without　thee？　would　have　been　a　cause　almost　of　war　between　archenland　and　narnia　　which　are　friends　time　out　of　mind。　it　was　naught；　playmate；　very　naught　of　thee　to　　use　us　so。”

〃apparently；〃　thought　shasta　to　himself；　〃im　being　mistaken　for　a　prince　　of　archenland；　wherever　that　is。　and　these　must　be　the　narnians。　i　wonder　where　the　real　　corin　is？〃　but　these　thoughts　did　not　help　him　say　anything　out　loud。

〃where　hast　been；　corin？〃　said　the　lady；　her　hands　still　on　shastas　　shoulders。

〃i…　i　dont　know；〃　stammered　shasta。

〃there　it　is；　susan；〃　said　the　king。　〃i　could　get　no　tale　out　of　him；　true　　or　false。”

〃your　majesties！　queen　susan！　king　edmund！〃　said　a　voice：　and　when　shasta　　turned　to　look　at　the　speaker　he　nearly　jumped　out　of　his　skin　with　surprise。　for　　this　was　one　of　these　queer　people　whom　he　had　noticed　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye　when　he　　first　came　into　the　room。　he　was　about　the　same　height　as　shasta　himself。　from　the　　waist　upwards　he　was　like　a　man；　but　his　legs　were　hairy　like　a　goats；　and　shaped　like　a　　goats　and　he　had　goats　hooves　and　a　tail。　his　skin　was　rather　red　and　he　had　curly　hair　　and　a　short　pointed　beard　and　two　little　horns。　he　was　in　fact　a　faun；　which　is　a　　creature　shasta　had　never　seen　a　picture　of　or　even　heard　of。　and　if　youve　read　a　book　called　　the　lion；　the　witch　and　the　wardrobe　you　may　like　to　know　that　this　was　the　very　same　　faun；　tumnus　by　name；　whom　queen　susans　sister　lucy　had　met　on　the　very　first　day　when　　she　found　her　way　into　narnia。　but　he　was　a　good　deal　older　now　for　by　this　time　　peter　and　susan　and　edmund　and　lucy　had　been　kings　and　queens　of　narnia　for　several　years。

〃your　majesties；〃　he　was　saying；　〃his　little　highness　has　had　a　touch　of　　the　sun。　look　at　him！　he　is　dazed。　he　does　not　know　where　he　is。”

then　of　course　everyone　stopped　scolding　shasta　and　asking　him　questions　　and　he　was　made　much　of　and　laid　on　a　sofa　and　cushions　were　put　under　his　head　and　he　　was　given　iced　sherbet　in　a　golden　cup　to　drink　and　told　to　keep　very　quiet。

nothing　like　this　had　ever　happened　to　shasta　in　his　life　before。　he　had　　never　even　imagined　lying　on　anything　so　fortable　as　that　sofa　or　drinking　anything　　so　deliciou