The Horse and His Boy 第12部分

"andalso,omyfatherandothedelightofmyeyes,"saidtheprince,afteramomentofawkwardsilence,"weshallwritelettersasiffromthequeentosaythatshelovesmeandhasnodesiretoreturntonarnia.foritiswellknownthatwomenareaschangeableasweathercocks.andeveniftheydonotwhollybelievetheletters,theywillnotdaretocometotashbaaninarmstofetchher.”

"oenlightenedvizier,"saidthetisroc,"bestowyourwisdomuponusconcerningthisstrangeproposal.”

"oeternaltisroc,"answeredahosta,"thestrengthofpaternalaffectionisnotunknowntomeandihaveoftenheardthatsonsareintheeyesoftheirfathersmorepreciousthancarbuncles.howthenshallidarefreelytounfoldtoyoumymindinamatterwhichmayimperilthelifeofthisexaltedprince?”

"undoubtedlyyouwilldare,"repliedthetisroc.

"becauseyouwillfindthatthedangersofnotdoingsoareatleastequallygreat.”

"tohearistoobey,"moanedthewretchedman."knowthen,omostreasonabletisroc,inthefirstplace,thatthedangeroftheprinceisnotaltogethersogreatasmightappear.

forthegodshavewithheldfromthebarbariansthelightofdiscretion,asthattheirpoetryisnot,likeours,fullofchoiceapophthegmsandusefulmaxims,butisallofloveandwar.thereforenothingwillappeartothemmorenobleandadmirablethansuchamadenterpriseasthisofow!"fortheprince,attheword"mad",hadkickedhimagain.

"desist,omyson,"saidthetisroc."andyou,estimablevizier,whetherhedesistsornot,bynomeansallowtheflowofyoureloquencetobeinterrupted.fornothingismoresuitabletopersonsofgravityanddecorumthantoendureminorinconvenienceswithconstancy.”

"tohearistoobey,"saidthevizier,wrigglinghimselfroundalittlesoastogethishinderpartsfurtherawayfromrabadashstoe."nothing,isay,willseemaspardonable,ifnotestimable,intheireyesasthis-er-hazardousattempt,especiallybecauseitisundertakenfortheloveofawoman.therefore,iftheprincebymisfortunefellintotheirhands,theywouldassuredlynotkillhim.nay,itmayevenbe,thatthoughhefailedto

carryoffthequeen,yetthesightofhisgreatvalourandoftheextremityofhispassionmightinclineherhearttohim.”

"thatisagoodpoint,oldbabbler,"saidrabadash."verygood,howeveritcameintoyouruglyhead.”

"thepraiseofmymastersisthelightofmyeyes,"saidahoshta."andsecondly,otisroc,whosereignmustandshallbeinterminable,ithinkthatwiththeaidofthegodsitisverylikelythatanvardwillfallintotheprinceshands.andifso,wehavenarniabythethroat.”

therewasalongpauseandtheroombecamesosilentthatthetwogirlshardlydaredtobreathe.atlastthetisrocspoke.

"go,myson,"hesaid."anddoasyouhavesaid.butexpectnohelpnorcountenancefromme.iwillnotavengeyouifyouarekilledandiwillnotdeliveryouifthebarbarianscastyouintoprison.andif,eitherinsuccessorfailure,youshedadropmorethanyouneedofnarniannoblebloodandopenwararisesfromit,myfavourshallneverfalluponyouagainandyournextbrothershallhaveyourplaceincalormen.nowgo.beswift,secret,andfortunate.maythestrengthoftashtheinexorable,theirresistiblebeinyourswordandlance.”

"tohearistoobey,"criedrabadash,andafterkneelingforamomenttokisshisfathershandsherushedfromtheroom.greatlytothedisappointmentofaravis,whowasnowhorriblycramped,thetisrocandvizierremained.

"ovizier,"saidthetisroc,"isitcertainthatnolivingsoulknowsofthiscouncilwethreehaveheldheretonight?”

"omymaster,"saidahoshta,"itisnotpossiblethatanyshouldknow.forthatveryreasoniproposed,andyouinyourwisdomagreed,thatweshouldmeethereintheoldpalacewherenocounciliseverheldandnoneofthehouseholdhasanyoccasiontocome.”

"itiswell,"saidthetisroc."ifanymanknew,iwouldseetoitthathediedbeforeanhourhadpassed.anddoyoualso,oprudentvizier,forgetit.ispongeawayfrommyownheartandfromyoursallknowledgeoftheprincesplans.heisgonewithoutmyknowledgeormyconsent,iknownotwhither,becauseofhisviolenceandtherashanddisobedientdispositionofyouth.nomanwillbemoreastonishedthanyouanditohearthatanvardisinhishands.”

"tohearistoobey,"saidahoshta.

"thatiswhyyouwillneverthinkeveninyoursecretheartthatiamthehardestheartedoffatherswhothussendmyfirst-bornsononanerrandsolikelytobehisdeath;pleasingasitmustbetoyouwhodonotlovetheprince.for1seeintothebottomofyourmind.”

"oimpeccabletisroc,"saidthevizier."incomparisonwithyouiloveneithertheprincenormyownlifenorbreadnorwaternorthelightofthesun.”

"yoursentiments,"saidthetisroc,"areelevatedandcorrect.ialsolovenoneofthesethingsincomparisonwiththegloryandstrengthofmythrone.iftheprincesucceeds,wehavearchenland,andperhapshereafternarnia.ifhefails-ihaveeighteenothersonsandrabadash,afterthemanneroftheeldestsonsofkings,wasbeginningtobedangerous.morethanfivetisrocsintashbaanhavediedbeforetheirtimebecausetheireldestsons,enlightenedprinces,grewtiredofwaitingfortheirthrone.hehadbettercoolhisbloodabroadthanboilitininactionhere.andnow,oexcellentvizier,theexcessofmypaternalanxietyinclinesmetosleep.commandthemusicianstomychamber.butbeforeyouliedown,callbackthepardonwewroteforthethirdcook.ifeelwithinmethemanifestprognosticsofindigestion.”

"tohearistoobey,"saidthegrandvizier.hecrawledbackwardsonallfourstothedoor,rose,bowed,andwentout.eventhenthetisrocremainedseatedinsilenceonthedivantillaravisalmostbegantobeafraidthathehaddroppedasleep.butatlastwithagreatcreakingandsighingheheaveduphisenormousbody,signedtotheslavestoprecedehimwiththelights,andwentout.thedoorclosedbehindhim,theroomwasoncemoretotallydark,andthetwogirlscouldbreathefreelyagain.

CHAPTERNINE

acrossthedesert"hovedreadful!howperfectlydreadful!"whimperedlasaraleen."ohdarling,iamsofrightened.imshakingallover.feelme.”

"comeon,"saidaravis,whowastremblingherself."theyvegonebacktothenewpalace.oncewereoutofthisroomweresafeenough.butitswastedaterribletime.getmedowntothatwater-gateasquickasyoucan.”

"darling,howcanyou?"squeakedlasaraleen."icantdoanything-notnow.mypoornerves!no:wemustjustliestillabitandthengoback.”

"whyback?"askedaravis.

"oh,youdontunderstand.youresounsympathetic,"saidlasaraleen,beginningtocry.

aravisdecideditwasnooccasionformercy.

"lookhere!"shesaid,catchinglasaraleenandgivingheragoodshake."ifyousayanotherwordaboutgoingback,andifyoudontstarttakingmetothatwater-gateatonce

-doyouknowwhatilldo?illrushoutintothatpassageandscream.thenwellbothbecaught.”

"butweshallbothbek-k-killed!"saidlasaraleen."didntyouhearwhatthetisroc(mayheliveforever)said?”

"yes,andidsoonerbekilledthanmarriedtoahoshta.socomeon.”

"ohyouareunkind,"saidlasaraleen."andiinsuchastate!”

butintheendshehadtogiveintoaravis.sheledthewaydownthestepstheyhadalreadydescended,andalonganothercorridorandsofinallyoutintotheopenair.theywerenowinthepalacegardenwhichslopeddowninterracestothecitywall.themoonshonebrightly.oneofthedrawbacksaboutadventuresisthatwhenyoucometothemostbeautifulplacesyouareoftentooanxiousandhurriedtoappreciatethem;sothataravis(thoughsherememberedthemyearslater)hadonlyavagueimpressionofgreylawns,quietlybubblingfountains,andthelongblackshadowsofcypresstrees.

whentheyre"achedtheverybottomandthewallrosefrowningabovethem,lasaraleenwasshakingsothatshecouldnotunboltthegate.aravisdidit.there,atlast,wastheriver,fullofreflectedmoonlight,andalittlelandingstageandafewpleasureboats.

"good-bye,"saidaravis,"andthankyou.imsorryifivebeenapig.butthinkwhatimflyingfrom!”

"oharavisdarling,"saidlasaraleen."wontyouchangeyourmind?nowthatyouveseenwhataverygreatmanahoshtais!”

"greatman!"saidaravis."ahideousgrovellingslavewhoflatterswhenheskickedbuttreasuresitallupandhopestogethisownbackbyeggingonthathorribletisroctoplothissonsdeath.faugh!idsoonermarrymyfathersscullionthanacreaturelikethat.”

"oharavis,aravis!howcanyousaysuchdreadfulthings;andaboutthetisroc(mayheliveforever)too.itmustberightifhesgoingtodoit!”

"good-bye,"saidaravis,"andithoughtyourdresseslovely.andithinkyourhouseislovelytoo.imsureyoullhavealovelylife-thoughitwouldntsuitme.closethedoorsoftlybehindme.”

shetoreherselfawayfromherfriendsaffectionateembraces,steppedintoapunt,castoff,andamomentlaterwasoutinmidstreamwithahugerealmoonoverheadandahugereflectedmoondown,deepdown,intheriver.theairwasfreshandcoolandasshedrewnearthefartherbanksheheardthehootingofanowl."ah!thatsbetter!"thoughtaravis.shehadalwayslivedinthecountryandhadhatedeveryminuteofhertimeintashbaan.

whenshesteppedashoreshefoundherselfindarknessfortheriseoftheground,andthetrees,cutoffthemoonlight.butshemanagedtofindthesameroadthatshastahadfound,andcamejustashehaddonetotheendof.thegrassandthebeginningofthesand,andlooked(likehim)toherleftandsawthebig,blacktombs.andnowatlast,bravegirlthoughshewas,herheartquailed.supposingtheotherswerentthere!

supposingtheghoulswere!butshestuckoutherchin(andalittlebitofhertonguetoo)

andwentstraighttowardsthem.

butbeforeshehadreachedthemshesawbreeandhwinandthegroom.

"youcangobacktoyourmistressnow,"saidaravis(quiteforgettingthathecouldnt,untilthecitygatesopenednextmorning)."hereismoneyforyourpains.”

"tohearistoobey,"saidthegroom,andatoncesetoffataremarkablespeedinthedirectionofthecity.therewasnoneedtotellhimtomakehaste:healsohadbeenthinkingagooddealaboutghouls.

forthenextfewsecondsaraviswasbusykissingthenosesandpattingthenecksofhwinandbreejustasiftheywerequiteordinaryhorses.

"andherecomesshasta!thanksbetothelion!"saidbree.

aravislookedround,andthere,rightenough,wasshastawhohadcomeoutofhidingthemomenthesawthegroomgoingaway.

"andnow,"saidaravis."theresnotamomenttolose."andinhastywordsshetoldthemaboutrabadashsexpedition.

"treacheroushounds!"saidbree,shakinghismaneandstampingwithhishoof."anattackintimeofpeace,withoutdefiancesent!butwellgreasehisoatsforhim.wellbetherebeforeheis.”

"canwe?"saidaravis,swingingherselfintohwinssaddle.shastawishedhecouldmountlikethat.

"brooh-hoo!"snortedbree."upyouget,shasta.canwe!andwithagoodstarttoo!”

"hesaidhewasgoingtostartatonce,"saidaravis.

"thatshowhumanstalk,"saidbree."butyoudontgetacompanyoftwohundredhorseandhorsemenwateredandvictualledandarmedandsaddledandstartedallinaminute.

now:whatsourdirection?duenorth?

"no,"saidshasta."iknowaboutthat.ivedrawnaline.illexplainlater.bearabittoourleft,bothyouhorses.ahhereitis!”

"now,"saidbree."allthataboutgallopingforadayandanight,likeinstories,cantreallybedone.itmustbewalkandtrot:butbrisktrotsandshortwalks.andwheneverwewalkyoutwohumanscanslipoffandwalktoo.now.areyouready,hwin?offwego.narniaandthenorth!”