e suitable to persons of gravity and decorum than to endure minor inconveniences with constancy。”
〃to hear is to obey；〃 said the vizier； wriggling himself round a little so as to get his hinder parts further away from rabadashs toe。 〃nothing； i say； will seem as pardonable； if not estimable； in their eyes as this … er … hazardous attempt； especially because it is undertaken for the love of a woman。 therefore； if the prince by misfortune fell into their hands； they would assuredly not kill him。 nay； it may even be； that though he failed to
carry off the queen； yet the sight of his great valour and of the extremity of his passion might incline her heart to him。”
〃that is a good point； old babbler；〃 said rabadash。 〃very good； however it came into your ugly head。”
〃the praise of my masters is the light of my eyes；〃 said ahoshta。 〃and secondly； o tisroc； whose reign must and shall be interminable； i think that with the aid of the gods it is very likely that anvard will fall into the princes hands。 and if so； we have narnia by the throat。”
there was a long pause and the room became so silent that the two girls hardly dared to breathe。 at last the tisroc spoke。
〃go； my son；〃 he said。 〃and do as you have said。 but expect no help nor countenance from me。 i will not avenge you if you are killed and i will not deliver you if the barbarians cast you into prison。 and if； either in success or failure； you shed a drop more than you need of narnian noble blood and open war arises from it； my favour shall never fall upon you again and your next brother shall have your place in calormen。 now go。 be swift； secret； and fortunate。 may the strength of tash the inexorable； the irresistible be in your sword and lance。”
〃to hear is to obey；〃 cried rabadash； and after kneeling for a moment to kiss his fathers hands he rushed from the room。 greatly to the disappointment of aravis； who was now horribly cramped； the tisroc and vizier remained。
〃o vizier；〃 said the tisroc； 〃is it certain that no living soul knows of this council we three have held here tonight？”
〃o my master；〃 said ahoshta； 〃it is not possible that any should know。 for that very reason i proposed； and you in your wisdom agreed； that we should meet here in the old palace where no council is ever held and none of the household has any occasion to e。”
〃it is well；〃 said the tisroc。 〃if any man knew； i would see to it that he died before an hour had passed。 and do you also； o prudent vizier； forget it。 i sponge away from my own heart and from yours all knowledge of the princes plans。 he is gone without my knowledge or my consent； i know not whither； because of his violence and the rash and disobedient disposition of youth。 no man will be more astonished than you and i to hear that anvard is in his hands。”
〃to hear is to obey；〃 said ahoshta。
〃that is why you will never think even in your secret heart that i am the hardest hearted of fathers who thus send my first…born son on an errand so likely to be his death； pleasing as it must be to you who do not love the prince。 for 1 see into the bottom of your mind。”
〃o impeccable tisroc；〃 said the vizier。 〃in parison with you i love neither the prince nor my own life nor bread nor water nor the light of the sun。”
〃your sentiments；〃 said the tisroc； 〃are elevated and correct。 i also love none of these things in parison with the glory and strength of my throne。 if the prince succeeds； we have archenland； and perhaps hereafter narnia。 if he fails … i have eighteen other sons and rabadash； after the manner of the eldest sons of kings； was beginning to be dangerous。 more than five tisrocs in tashbaan have died before their time because their eldest sons； enlightened princes； grew tired of waiting for their throne。 he had better cool his blood abroad than boil it in inaction here。 and now； o excellent vizier； the excess of my paternal anxiety inclines me to sleep。 mand the musicians to my chamber。 but before you lie down； call back the pardon we wrote for the third cook。 i feel within me the manifest prognostics of indigestion。”
〃to hear is to obey；〃 said the grand vizier。 he crawled backwards on all fours to the door； rose； bowed； and went out。 even then the tisroc remained seated in silence on the divan till aravis almost began to be afraid that he had dropped asleep。 but at last with a great creaking and sighing he heaved up his enormous body； signed to the slaves to precede him with the lights； and went out。 the door closed behind him； the room was once more totally dark； and the two girls could breathe freely again。
。d 。
CHAPTER NINE
across the desert 〃hove dreadful！ how perfectly dreadful！〃 whimpered lasaraleen。 〃oh darling； i am so frightened。 im shaking all over。 feel me。”
〃e on；〃 said aravis； who was trembling herself。 〃theyve gone back to the new palace。 once were out of this room were safe enough。 but its wasted a terrible time。 get me down to that water…gate as quick as you can。”
〃darling； how can you？〃 squeaked lasaraleen。 〃i cant do anything … not now。 my poor nerves！ no： we must just lie still a bit and then go back。”
〃why back？〃 asked aravis。
〃oh； you dont understand。 youre so unsympathetic；〃 said lasaraleen； beginning to cry。
aravis decided it was no occasion for mercy。
〃look here！〃 she said； catching lasaraleen and giving her a good shake。 〃if you say another word about going back； and if you dont start taking me to that water…gate at once
… do you know what ill do？ ill rush out into that passage and scream。 then well both be caught。”
〃but we shall both be k…k…killed！〃 said lasaraleen。 〃didnt you hear what the tisroc （may he live for ever） said？”
〃yes； and id sooner be killed than married to ahoshta。 so e on。”
〃oh you are unkind；〃 said lasaraleen。 〃and i in such a state！”
but in the end she had to give in to aravis。 she led the way down the steps they had already descended； and along another corridor and so finally out into the open air。 they were now in the palace garden which sloped down in terraces to the city wall。 the moon shone brightly。 one of the drawbacks about adventures is that when you e to the most beautiful places you are often too anxious and hurried to appreciate them； so that aravis （though she remembered them years later） had only a vague impression of grey lawns； quietly bubbling fountains； and the long black shadows of cypress trees。
when they re〃ached the very bottom and the wall rose frowning above them； lasaraleen was shaking so that she could not unbolt the gate。 aravis did it。 there； at last； was the river； full of reflected moonlight； and a little landing stage and a few pleasure boats。
〃good…bye；〃 said aravis； 〃and thank you。 im sorry if ive been a pig。 but think what im flying from！”
〃oh aravis darling；〃 said lasaraleen。 〃wont you change your mind？ now that youve seen what a very great man ahoshta is！”
〃great man！〃 said aravis。 〃a hideous grovelling slave who flatters when hes kicked but treasures it all up and hopes to get his own back by egging on that horrible tisroc to plot his sons death。 faugh！ id sooner marry my fathers scullion than a creature like that。”
〃oh aravis； aravis！ how can you say such dreadful things； and about the tisroc （may he live for ever） too。 it must be right if hes going to do it！”
〃good…bye；〃 said aravis； 〃and i thought your dresses lovely。 and i think your house is lovely too。 im sure youll have a lovely life … though it wouldnt suit me。 close the door softly behind me。”
she tore herself away from her friends affectionate embraces； stepped into a punt； cast off； and a moment later was out in midstream with a huge real moon overhead and a huge reflected moon down； deep down； in the river。 the air was fresh and cool and as she drew near the farther bank she heard the hooting of an owl。 〃ah！ thats better！〃 thought aravis。 she had always lived in the country and had hated every minute of her time in tashbaan。
when she stepped ashore she found herself in darkness for the rise of the ground； and the trees； cut off the moonlight。 but she managed to find the same road that shasta had found； and came just as he had done to the end of。 the grass and the beginning of the sand； and looked （like him） to her left and saw the big； black tombs。 and now at last； brave girl though she was； her heart quailed。 supposing the others werent there！
supposing the ghouls were！ but she stuck out her chin （and a little bit of her tongue too）
and went straight towards them。
but before she had reached them she saw bree and hwin and the groom。
〃you can go back to your mistress now；〃 said aravis （quite forgetting that he couldnt； until the city gates opened next morning）。 〃here is money for your pains。”
〃to hear is to obey；〃 said the groom； and at once set off at a remarkable speed in the direction of the city。 there was no need to tell him to make haste： he also had been thinking a good deal about ghouls。
for the next few seconds aravis was busy kissing the noses and patting the necks of hwin and bree just as if they were quite ordinary horses。
〃and here es shasta！ thanks be