The Horse and His Boy- 第7部分

though　nobody　much　liked　it；　it　was　hwins　plan　which　had　to　be　adopted　in　　the　end。　it　was　a　troublesome　one　and　involved　a　certain　amount　of　what　shasta　called　　stealing；　and　bree　called　〃raiding〃。　one　farm　lost　a　few　sacks　that　evening　and　another　　lost　a　coil　of　rope　the　next：　but　some　tattered　old　boys　clothes　for　aravis　to　wear　had　　to　be　fairly　bought　and　paid　for　in　a　village。　shasta　returned　with　them　in　triumph　just　　as　evening　was　closing　in。　the　others　were　waiting　for　him　among　the　trees　at　the　foot　of　　a　low　range　of　wooded　hills　which　lay　right　across　their　path。　everyone　was　feeling　　excited　because　this　was　the　last　hill；　when　they　reached　the　ridge　at　the　top　they　would　be　　looking　down　on　tashbaan。　〃i　do　wish　we　were　safely　past　it；〃　muttered　shasta　to　hwin。　〃oh　　i　do；　i　do；”

said　hwin　fervently。

that　night　they　wound　their　way　through　the　woods　up　to　the　ridge　by　a　　wood…cutters　track。　and　when　they　came　out　of　the　woods　at　the　top　they　could　see　　thousands　of　lights　in　the　valley　down　below　them。　shasta　had　had　no　notion　of　what　a　great　　city　would　be　like　and　it　frightened　him。　they　had　their　supper　and　the　children　got　some　　sleep。　but　the　horses　woke　them　very　early　in　the　morning。

the　stars　were　still　out　and　the　grass　was　terribly　cold　and　wet；　but　　daybreak　was　just　beginning；　far　to　their　right　across　the　sea。　aravis　went　a　few　steps　away　　into　the　wood　and　came　back　looking　odd　in　her　new；　ragged　clothes　and　carrying　her　real　　ones　in　a　bundle。　these；　and　her　armour　and　shield　and　scimitar　and　the　two　saddles　　and　the　rest　of　the　horses　fine　furnishings　were　put　into　the　sacks。　bree　and　hwin　had　　already　got　themselves　as　dirty　and　bedraggled　as　they　could　and　it　remained　to　shorten　　their　tails。　as　the　only　tool　for　doing　this　was　araviss　scimitar；　one　of　the　packs　had　to　　be　undone　again　in　order　to　get　it　out。　it　was　a　longish　job　and　rather　hurt　the　　horses。

〃my　word！〃　said　bree；　〃if　i　wasnt　a　talking　horse　what　a　lovely　kick　in　　the　face　i　could　give　you！　i　thought　you　were　going　to　cut　it；　not　pull　it　out。　thats　what　　it　feels　like。”

but　in　spite　of　semi…darkness　and　cold　fingers　all　was　done　in　the　end；　the　　big　packs　bound　on　the　horses；　the　rope　halters　（which　they　were　now　wearing　instead　　of　bridles　and　reins）　in　the　childrens　hands；　and　the　journey　began。

〃remember；〃　said　bree。　〃keep　together　if　we　possibly　can。　if　not；　meet　at　　the　tombs　of　the　ancient　kings；　and　whoever　gets　there　first　must　wait　for　the　others。”

〃and　remember；〃　said　shasta。　〃dont　you　two　horses　forget　yourselves　and　　start　talking；　whatever　happens。”

/d/



CHAPTER　FOUR

（小//说；网/
shasta　falls　in　with　the　narnians　　at　first　shasta　could　see　nothing　in　the　valley　below　him　but　a　sea　of　mist　　with　a　few　domes　and　pinnacles　rising　from　it；　but　as　the　light　increased　and　the　mist　　cleared　away　he　saw　more　and　more。　a　broad　river　divided　itself　into　two　streams　and　on　　the　island　between　them　stood　the　city　of　tashbaan；　one　of　the　wonders　of　the　world。　　round　the　very　edge　of　the　island；　so　that　the　water　lapped　against　the　stone；　ran　　high　walls　strengthened　with　so　many　towers　that　he　soon　gave　up　trying　to　count　them。　　inside　the　walls　the　island　rose　in　a　hill　and　every　bit　of　that　hill；　up　to　the　　tisrocs　palace　and　the　great　temple　of　tash　at　the　top；　was　pletely　covered　with　buildings　…　　terrace　above　terrace；　street　above　street；　zigzag　roads　or　huge　flights　of　steps　　bordered　with　orange　trees　and　lemon　trees；　roofgardens；　balconies；　deep　archways；　pillared　　colonnades；　spires；　battlements；　minarets；　pinnacles。　and　when　at　last　the　sun　rose　out　of　the　　sea　and　the　great　silver…plated　dome　of　the　temple　flashed　back　its　light；　he　was　　almost　dazzled。

〃get　on；　shasta；〃　bree　kept　saying。

the　river　banks　on　each　side　of　the　valley　were　such　a　mass　of　gardens　that　　they　looked　at　first　like　forest；　until　you　got　closer　and　saw　the　white　walls　of　　innumerable　houses　peeping　out　from　beneath　the　trees。　soon　after　that；　shasta　noticed　a　　delicious　smell　of　flowers　and　fruit。　about　fifteen　minutes　later　they　were　down　among　them；　　plodding　on　a　level　road　with　white　walls　on　each　side　and　trees　bending　over　the　walls。

〃i　say；〃　said　shasta　in　an　awed　voice。　〃this　is　a　wonderful　place！”

〃i　daresay；〃　said　bree。　〃but　i　wish　we　were　safely　through　it　and　out　at　　the　other　side。

narnia　and　the　north！”

at　that　moment　a　low；　throbbing　noise　began　which　gradually　swelled　louder　　and　louder　till　the　whole　valley　seemed　to　be　swaying　with　it。　it　was　a　musical　noise；　　but　so　strong　and　solemn　as　to　be　a　little　frightening。

〃thats　the　horns　blowing　for　the　city　gates　to　be　open；〃　said　bree。　〃we　　shall　be　there　in　a　minute。　now；　aravis；　do　droop　your　shoulders　a　bit　and　step　heavier　and　try　　to　look　less　like　a　princess。　try　to　imagine　youve　been　kicked　and　cuffed　and　called　　names　all　your　life。”

〃if　it　es　to　that；〃　said　aravis；　〃what　about　you　drooping　your　head　a　　bit　more　and　arching　your　neck　a　bit　less　and　trying　to　look　less　like　a　war…horse？”

〃hush；〃　said　bree。　〃here　we　are。”

and　they　were。　they　had　e　to　the　rivers　edge　and　the　road　ahead　of　them　　ran　along　a　many…arched　bridge。　the　water　danced　brightly　in　the　early　sunlight；　away　　to　the　right　nearer　the　rivers　mouth；　they　caught　a　glimpse　ships　masts。　several　other　　travellers　were　before　them　on　the　bridge；　mostly　peasants　driving　laden　donkeys　and　mules　　or　carrying　baskets　on　their　heads。　the　children　and　horses　joined　the　crowd。

〃is　anything　wrong？〃　whispered　shasta　to　aravis；　who　had　an　odd　look　on　her　　face。

〃oh　its　all　very　well　for　you；〃　whispered　aravis　rather　savagely。　〃what　　would　you　care　about　tashbaan？　but　i　ought　to　be　riding　in　on　a　litter　with　soldiers　　before　me　and　slaves　behind；　and　perhaps　going　to　a　feast　in　the　tisrocs　palace　（may　he　live　　for　ever）　…　not　sneaking　in　like　this。　its　different　for　you。”

shasta　thought　all　this　very　silly。

at　the　far　end　of　the　bridge　the　walls　of　the　city　towered　high　above　them　　and　the　brazen　gates　stood　open　in　the　gateway　which　was　really　wide　but　looked　narrow　　because　it　was　so　very　high。　half　a　dozen　soldiers；　leaning　on　their　spears；　stood　on　each　　side。　aravis　couldnt　help　thinking；　〃theyd　all　jump　to　attention　and　salute　me　if　they　　knew　whose　daughter　i　am。〃　but　the　others　were　only　thinking　of　how　theyd　get　through　　and　hoping　the　soldiers　would　not　ask　any　questions。　fortunately　they　did　not。　but　one　　of　them　picked　a　carrot　out　of　a　peasants　basket　and　threw　it　at　shasta　with　a　　rough　laugh；　saying：　　〃hey！　horse…boy！　youll　catch　it　if　your　master　finds　youve　been　using　his　　saddle…horse　for　pack　work。”

this　frightened　him　badly　for　of　course　it　showed　that　no　one　who　knew　　anything　about　horses　would　mistake　bree　for　anything　but　a　charger。

〃its　my　masters　orders；　so　there！〃　said　shasta。　but　it　would　have　been　　better　if　he　had　held　his　tongue　for　the　soldier　gave　him　a　box　on　the　side　of　his　face　that　　nearly　knocked　him　down　and　said；　〃take　that；　you　young　filth；　to　teach　you　how　to　talk　to　　freemen。〃　but　　

they　all　slunk　into　the　city　without　being　stopped。　shasta　cried　only　a　　very　little；　he　was　used　to　hard　knocks。

inside　the　gates　tashbaan　did　not　at　first　seem　so　splendid　as　it　had　　looked　from　a　distance。　the　first　street　was　narrow　and　there　were　hardly　any　windows　in　　the　walls　on　each　side。　it　was　much　more　crowded　than　shasta　had　expected：　crowded　　partly　by　the　peasants　（on　their　way　to　market）　who　had　e　in　with　them；　but　also　with　　watersellers；　sweetmeat　sellers；　porters；　soldiers；　beggars；　ragged　children；　hens；　stray　　dogs；　and　bare…footed　slaves。　what　you　would　chiefly　have　noticed　if　you　had　been　there　　was　the　smells；　which　came　from　unwashed　people；　unwashed　dogs；　scent；　garlic；　onions；　and　　the　piles　of　refuse　which　lay　everywhere。

shasta　was　pretending　to　lead　but　it　was　really　bree；　who　knew　the　way　and　　kept　guiding　him　by　little　nudges　with　his　nose。　they　soon　turned　to　the　left　and　began　　going　up　a　steep　hill。　it　was　much　fresher　and　pleasanter；　for　the　road　was　bordered　　by　trees　and　there　were　houses　only　on　the　right　side；　on　the　other　they　looked　out　over　　the　roofs　of　houses　in　the　lower　town　and　could　see　some　way　up　the　river。　then　they　　went　round　a　hairpin　bend　to　their　right　and　continued　rising。　they　were　zigzagging　up　　to　the　centre　of　tashbaan。　soon　they　came　to　finer　streets。　great　statues　of　the　gods　and　　heroes　of　calormen　…　who　are　mostly　impressive　rather　than　agreeable　to　look　at…　rose　　on　shining　pedestals。　palm　trees　and　pillared　arcades　cast　shadows　over　the　burning　　pavements。　and　through　the　arched　gateways　of　many　a　palace　shasta　caught　sight　of　green　　branches；　cool　fountains；　and　smooth　lawns。　it　must　be　nice　inside；　he　thought。

at　every　turn　shasta　hoped　they　were　getting　out　of　the　crowd；　but　they　　never　did。　this　made　their　progress　very　slow；　and　every　now　and　then　they　had　to　stop　　altogether。　this　usually　happened　because　a　loud　voice　shouted　out　〃way；　way；　way；　for　the　　tarkaan〃；　or　〃for　the　tarkheena〃；　or　〃for　the　fifteenth　vizier〃；　〃or　for　the　　ambassador〃；　and　everyone　in　the　crowd　would　crush　back　against　the　walls；　and　above　their　heads　　shasta　woul