The Horse and His Boy- 第19部分

he　looked　over　his　shoulder。　everything　was　only　too　clear。　a　huge　tawny　　creature；　its　body　low　to　the　ground；　like　a　cat　streaking　across　the　lawn　to　a　tree　when　　a　strange　dog　has　got　into　the　garden；　was　behind　them。　and　it　was　nearer　every　second　　and　half　second。

he　looked　forward　again　and　saw　something　which　he　did　not　take　in；　or　even　　think　about。　their　way　was　barred　by　a　smooth　green　wall　about　ten　feet　high。　in　　the　middle　of　that　wall　there　was　a　gate；　open。　in　the　middle　of　the　gateway　stood　a　tall　　man　dressed；　down　to　his　bare　feet；　in　a　robe　coloured　like　autumn　leaves；　leaning　on　a　　straight　staff。

his　beard　fell　almost　to　his　knees。

shasta　saw　all　this　in　a　glance　and　looked　back　again。　the　lion　had　almost　　got　hwin　now。

it　was　making　snaps　at　her　hind　legs；　and　there　was　no　hope　now　in　her　　foamflecked；　wide…eyed　face。

〃stop；〃　bellowed　shasta　in　brees　ear。　〃must　go　back。　must　help！”

bree　always　said　afterwards　that　he　never　heard；　or　never　understood　this；　　and　as　he　was　in　general　a　very　truthful　horse　we　must　accept　his　word。

shasta　slipped　his　feet　out　of　the　stirrups；　slid　both　his　legs　over　the　　left　side；　hesitated　for　one　hideous　hundredth　of　a　second；　and　jumped。　it　hurt　horribly　and　nearly　　winded　him；　but　before　he　knew　how　it　hurt　him　he　was　staggering　back　to　help　aravis。　　he　had　never　done　anything　like　this　in　his　life　before　and　hardly　knew　why　he　was　doing　　it　now。

one　of　the　most　terrible　noises　in　the　world；　a　horses　scream；　broke　from　　hwins　lips。

aravis　was　stooping　low　over　hwins　neck　and　seemed　to　be　trying　to　draw　　her　sword。

and　now　all　three　…　aravis；　hwin；　and　the　lion　were　almost　on　top　of　　shasta。　before　they　reached　him　the　lion　rose　on　its　hind　legs；　larger　than　you　would　have　　believed　a　lion　could　be；　and　jabbed　at　aravis　with　its　right　paw。　shasta　could　see　all　the　　terrible　claws　extended。　aravis　screamed　and　reeled　in　the　saddle。　the　lion　was　tearing　　her　shoulders。

shasta；　half　mad　with　horror；　managed　to　lurch　towards　the　brute。　he　had　no　　weapon；　not　even　a　stick　or　a　stone。　he　shouted　out；　idiotically；　at　the　lion　as　one　　would　at　a　dog。　〃go　home！　go　home！〃　for　a　fraction　of　a　second　he　was　staring　right　into　its　　wideopened；　　

raging　mouth。　then；　to　his　utter　astonishment；　the　lion；　still　on　its　hind　　legs；　checked　itself　suddenly；　turned　head　over　heels；　picked　itself　up；　and　rushed　away。

shasta　did　not　for　a　moment　suppose　it　had　gone　for　good。　he　turned　and　　raced　for　the　gate　in　the　green　wall　which；　now　for　the　first　time；　he　remembered　seeing。　　hwin；　stumbling　and　nearly　fainting；　was　just　entering　the　gate：　aravis　still　　kept　her　seat　but　her　back　was　covered　with　blood。

〃e　in；　my　daughter；　e　in；〃　the　robed　and　bearded　man　was　saying；　and　　then　〃e　in；　my　son〃　as　shasta　panted　up　to　him。　he　heard　the　gate　closed　　behind　him；　and　the　bearded　stranger　was　already　helping　aravis　off　her　horse。

they　were　in　a　wide　and　perfectly　circular　enclosure；　protected　by　a　high　　wall　of　green　turf。　a　pool　of　perfectly　still　water；　so　full　that　the　water　was　almost　　exactly　level　with　the　ground；　lay　before　him。　at　one　end　of　the　pool；　pletely　　overshadowing　it　with　its　branches；　there　grew　the　hugest　and　most　beautiful　tree　that　shasta　had　　ever　seen。　beyond　the　pool　was　a　little　low　house　of　stone　roofed　with　deep　and　ancient　　thatch。　there　was　a　sound　of　bleating　and　over　at　the　far　side　of　the　enclosure　there　were　some　　goats。　the　level　ground　was　pletely　covered　with　the　finest　grass。

〃are　…　are　…　are　you；〃　panted　shasta。　〃are　you　king　lune　of　archenland？”

the　old　man　shook　his　head。　〃no；〃　he　replied　in　a　quiet　voice；　〃i　am　the　　hermit　of　the　southern　march。　and　now；　my　son；　waste　no　time　on　questions；　but　obey。　this　　damsel　is　wounded。　your　horses　are　spent。　rabadash　is　at　this　moment　finding　a　ford　　over　the　winding　arrow。　if　you　run　now；　without　a　moments　rest；　you　will　still　be　　in　time　to　warn　king　lune。”

shastas　heart　fainted　at　these　words　for　he　felt　he　had　no　strength　left。　　and　he　writhed　inside　at　what　seemed　the　cruelty　and　unfairness　of　the　demand。　he　had　not　　yet　learned　that　if　you　do　one　good　deed　your　reward　usually　is　to　be　set　to　do　another　　and　harder　and　better　one。　but　all　he　said　out　loud　was：　　〃where　is　the　king？”

the　hermit　turned　and　pointed　with　his　staff。　〃look；〃　he　said。　〃there　is　　another　gate；　right　opposite　to　the　one　you　entered　by。　open　it　and　go　straight　ahead：　　always　straight　ahead；　over　level　or　steep；　over　smooth　or　rough；　over　dry　or　wet。　i　know　　by　my　art　that　you　will　find　king　lune　straight　ahead。　but　run；　run：　always　run。”

shasta　nodded　his　head；　ran　to　the　northern　gate　and　disappeared　beyond　it。　　then　the　hermit　took　aravis；　whom　he　had　all　this　time　been　supporting　with　his　left　　arm；　and　half　led；　half　carried　her　into　the　house。　after　a　long　time　he　came　out　again。

〃now；　cousins；〃　he　said　to　the　horses。　〃it　is　your　turn。”

without　waiting　for　an　answer　…　and　indeed　they　were　too　exhausted　to　speak　　…　he　took　the　bridles　and　saddles　off　both　of　them。　then　he　rubbed　them　both　down；　so　　well　that　a　groom　in　a　kings　stable　could　not　have　done　it　better。

〃there；　cousins；〃　he　said；　〃dismiss　it　all　from　your　minds　and　be　　forted。　here　is　water　and　there　is　grass。　you　shall　have　a　hot　mash　when　i　have　milked　my　other　　cousins；　the　goats。”

〃sir；〃　said　hwin；　finding　her　voice　at　last；　〃will　the　tarkheena　live？　has　　the　lion　killed　her？”

〃i　who　know　many　present　things　by　my　art；〃　replied　the　hermit　with　a　　smile；　〃have　yet　little　knowledge　of　things　future。　therefore　i　do　not　know　whether　any　man　　or　woman　or　beast　in　the　whole　world　will　be　alive　when　the　sun　sets　tonight。　but　be　of　　good　hope。

the　damsel　is　likely　to　live　as　long　as　any　of　her　age。”

when　aravis　came　to　herself　she　found　that　she　was　lying　on　her　face　on　a　　low　bed　of　extraordinary　softness　in　a　cool；　bare　room　with　walls　of　undressed　stone。　　she　couldnt　understand　why　she　had　been　laid　on　her　face；　but　when　she　tried　to　turn　　and　felt　the　hot；　burning　pains　all　over　her　back；　she　remembered；　and　realized　why。　she　　couldnt　understand　what　delightfully　springy　stuff　the　bed　was　made　of；　because　it　　was　made　of　heather　（which　is　the　best　bedding）　and　heather　was　a　thing　she　had　never　　seen　or　heard　of。

the　door　opened　and　the　hermit　entered；　carrying　a　large　wooden　bowl　in　his　　hand。　after　carefully　setting　this　down；　he　came　to　the　bedside；　and　asked：　　〃how　do　you　find　yourself；　my　daughter？”

〃my　back　is　very　sore；　father；〃　said　aravis；　〃but　there　is　nothing　else　　wrong　with　me。”

he　knelt　beside　her；　laid　his　hand　on　her　forehead；　and　felt　her　pulse。

〃there　is　no　fever；〃　he　said。　〃you　will　do　well。　indeed　there　is　no　reason　　why　you　should　not　get　up　tomorrow。　but　now；　drink　this。”

he　fetched　the　wooden　bowl　and　held　it　to　her　lips。　aravis　couldnt　help　　making　a　face　when　she　tasted　it；　for　goats　milk　is　rather　a　shock　when　you　are　not　used　　to　it。　but　she　was　very　thirsty　and　managed　to　drink　it　all　and　felt　better　when　she　had　　finished。

〃now；　my　daughter；　you　may　sleep　when　you　wish；〃　said　the　hermit。　〃for　your　　wounds　are　washed　and　dressed　and　though　they　smart　they　are　no　more　serious　than　　if　they　had　been　the　cuts　of　a　whip。　it　must　have　been　a　very　strange　lion；　for　　instead…of　catching　you　out　of　the　saddle　and　getting　his　teeth　into　you；　he　has　only　drawn　his　　claws　across　your　back。　ten　scratches：　sore；　but　not　deep　or　dangerous。”

〃i　say！〃　said　aravis。　〃i　have　had　luck。”

〃daughter；〃　said　the　hermit；　〃i　have　now　lived　a　hundred　and　nine　winters　　in　this　world　and　have　never　yet　met　any　such　thing　as　luck。　them　is　something　about　all　　this　that　i　do　not　understand：　but　if　ever　we　need　to　know　it；　you　may　be　sure　that　we　　shall。”

〃and　what　about　rabadash　and　his　two　hundred　horse？〃　asked　aravis。

〃they　will　not　pass　this　way；　i　think；〃　said　the　hermit。　〃they　must　have　　found　a　ford　by　now　well　to　the　east　of　us。　from　there　they　will　try　to　ride　straight　to　　anvard。”

〃poor　shasta！〃　said　aravis。　〃has　he　far　to　go？　will　he　get　there　first？”

〃there　is　good　hope　of　it；〃　said　the　old　man。

aravis　lay　down　again　（on　her　side　this　time）　and　said；　〃have　i　been　asleep　　for　a　long　time？　it　seems　to　be　getting　dark。”

the　hermit　was　looking　out　of　the　only　window；　which　faced　north。　〃this　is　　not　the　darkness　of　night；〃　he　said　presently。　〃the　clouds　are　falling　down　from　　stormness　head。

our　foul　weather　always　es　from　there　in　these　parts。　there　will　be　　thick　fog　tonight。”

next　day；　except　for　her　sore　back；　aravis　felt　so　well　that　after　　breakfast　（which　was　porridge　and　cream）　the　hermit　said　she　could　get　up。　and　of　course　she　at　　once　went　out　to　speak　to　the　horses。　the　weather　had　changed　and　the　whole　of　that　green　　enclosure　was　filled；　like　a　great　green　cup；　with　sunlight。　it　was　a　very　peaceful　　place；　lonely　and　quiet。

hwin　at　once　trotted　across　to　aravis　and　gave　her　a　horse…kiss。

〃but　wheres　bree？〃　said　aravis　when　each　had　asked　after　the　others　　health　and　sleep。

〃over　there；〃　said　hwin；　pointing　with　her　nose　to　the　far　side　of　the　　circle。　〃and　i　wish　youd　e　and　talk　to　him。　theres　something　wrong；　i　cant　g