the horse and his boy_c·s·刘易斯-第15部分

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〃fancy！〃　said　lasaraleen。　〃how　exciting！　and　oh；　darling；　have　you　seen　the　　barbarian　queen　from　narnia？　shes　staying　in　tashbaan　at　present。　they　say　prince　　rsh　is　madly　in　love　with　her。　there　have　been　the　most　wonderful　parties　and　　hunts　and　things　all　this　last　fortnight。　i　cant　see　that　shes　so　very　pretty　myself。　but　　some　of　the　narnian　men　are　lovely。　i　was　taken　out　on　a　river　party　the　day　before　yesterday；　　and　i　was　wearing　my…鈥�

〃how　shall　we　prevent　your　people　telling　everyone　that　youve　got　a　　visitor　…　dressed　like　a　beggars　brat　…　in　your　house？　it　might　so　easily　get　round　to　my　　father。鈥�

〃now　dont　keep　on　fussing；　theres　a　dear；〃　said　lasaraleen。　〃well　get　　you　some　proper　clothes　in　a　moment。　and　here　we　are！鈥�

the　bearers　had　stopped　and　the　litter　was　being　lowered。　when　the　curtains　　had　been　drawn　aravis　found　that　she　was　in　a　courtyard…garden　very　like　the　one　　that　shasta　had　been　taken　into　a　few　minutes　earlier　in　another　part　of　the　city。　　lasaraleen　would　have　gone　indoors　at　once　but　aravis　reminded　her　in　a　frantic　whisper　to　say　　something　to　the　slaves　about　not　telling　anyone　of　their　mistresss　strange　visitor。

〃sorry；　darling；　it　had　gone　right　out　of　my　head；〃　said　lasareleen。　〃here。　　all　of　you。

and　you；　doorkeeper。　no　one　is　to　be　let　out　of　the　house　today。　and　anyone　　i　catch　talking　about　this　young　lady　will　be　first　beaten　to　death　and　then　burned　　alive　and　after　that　be　kept　on　bread　and　water　for　six　weeks。　there。鈥�

although　lasaraleen　had　said　she　was　dying　to　hear　araviss　story；　she　　showed　no　sign　of　really　wanting　to　hear　it　at　all。　she　was；　in　fact；　much　better　at　talking　　than　at　listening。

she　insisted　on　aravis　having　a　long　and　luxurious　bath　（calormene　baths　　are　famous）

and　then　dressing　her　up　in　the　finest　clothes　before　she　would　let　her　　explain　anything。

the　fuss　she　made　about　choosing　the　dresses　nearly　drove　aravis　mad。　she　　remembered　now　that　lasaraleen　had　always　been　like　that；　interested　in　clothes　and　　parties　and　gossip。　aravis　had　always　been　more　interested　in　bows　and　arrows　and　　horses　and　dogs　and　swimming。　you　will　guess　that　each　thought　the　other　silly。　but　when　at　　last　they　were　both　seated　after　a　meal　（it　was　chiefly　of　the　whipped　cream　and　　jelly　and　fruit　and　ice　sort）　in　a　beautiful　pillared　room　（which　aravis　would　have　liked　　better　if　lasaraleens　spoiled　pet　monkey　hadnt　been　climbing　about　it　all　the　time）　　lasaraleen　at　last　asked　her　why　she　was　running　away　from　home。

when　aravis　had　finished　telling　her　story；　lasaraleen　said；　〃but；　darling；　　why　dont　you　marry　ahoshta　tarkaan？　everyones　crazy　about　him。　my　husband　says　he　is　　beginning　to　be　one　of　the　greatest　men　in　calormen。　he　has　just　been　made　grand　　vizier　now　old　axartha　has　died。　didnt　you　know？鈥�

〃i　dont　care。　i　cant　stand　the　sight　of　him；〃　said　aravis。

〃but；　darling；　only　think！　three　palaces；　and　one　of　them　that　beautiful　　one　down　on　the　lake　at　ilkeen。　positively　ropes　of　pearls；　im　told。　baths　of　asses　milk。　　and　youd　see　such　a　lot　of　me。鈥�

〃he　can　keep　his　pearls　and　palaces　as　far　as　im　concerned；〃　said　aravis。

〃you　always　were　a　queer　girl；　aravis；〃　said　lasaraleen。　〃what　more　do　you　　want？鈥�

in　the　end；　however；　aravis　managed　to　make　her　friend　believe　that　she　was　　in　earnest　and　even　to　discuss　plans。　there　would　be　no　difficulty　now　about　getting　　the　two　horses　out　of　the　north　gate　and　then　on　to　the　tombs。　no　one　would　stop　or　　question　a　groom　in　fine　clothes　leading　a　war　horse　and　a　ladys　saddle　horse　down　to　the　　river；　and　lasaraleen　had　plenty　of　grooms　to　send。　it　wasnt　so　easy　to　decide　what　　to　do　about　aravis　herself。　she　suggested　that　she　could　be　carried　out　in　the　litter　　with　the　curtains　drawn。　but　lasaraleen　told　her　that　litters　were　only　used　in　the　city　and　　the　sight　of　one　going　out　through　the　gate　would　be　certain　to　lead　to　questions。

when　they　had　talked　for　a　long　time　…　and　it　was　all　the　longer　because　　aravis　found　it　hard　to　keep　her　friend　to　the　point…at　last　lasaraleen　clapped　her　hands　　and　said；　〃oh；　i　have　an　idea。　there　is　one　way　of　getting　out　of　the　city　without　using　the　　gates。　the　tisrocs　garden　（may　he　live　for　ever！）　runs　right　down　to　the　water　and　　there　is　a　little　water…door。　only　for　the　palace　people　of　course　…　but　then　you　know；　dear　　（here　she　tittered　a　little）　we　almost　are　palace　people。　i　say；　it　is　lucky　for　you　　that　you　came　to　me。　the　dear　tisroc　（may　he　live　for　ever！）　is　so　kind。　were　asked　to　the　　palace　almost　every　day　and　it　is　like　a　second　home。　i　love　all　the　dear　princes　and　　princesses　and　i　positively　adore　prince　rsh。　i　might　run　in　and　see　any　of　the　palace　　ladies　at　any　hour　of　the　day　or　night。　why　shouldnt　i　slip　in　withyou；　after　dark；　and　　let　you　out　by　the　water…door？　there　are　always　a　few　punts　and　things　tied　up　outside　it。　　and　even　if　we　were　caught…鈥�

〃all　would　be　lost；〃　said　aravis。

〃oh　darling；　dont　get　so　excited；〃　said　lasaraleen。　〃i　was　going　to　say；　　even　if　we　were　caught　everyone　would　only　say　it　was　one　of　my　mad　jokes。　im　getting　　quite　well　known　for　them。　only　the　other　day…　do　listen；　dear；　this　is　frightfully　　funny…鈥�

〃i　meant；　all　would　be　lost　for　me；〃　said　aravis　a　little　sharply。

〃oh　…　ah　…　yes　…　i　do　see　what　you　mean；　darling。　well；　can　you　think　of　　any　better　plan？鈥�

aravis　couldnt；　and　answered；　〃no。　well　have　to　risk　it。　when　can　we　　start？鈥�

〃oh；　not　tonight；〃　said　lasaraleen。　〃of　course　not　tonight。　theres　a　great　　feast　on　tonight　（i　must　start　getting　my　hair　done　for　it　in　a　few　minutes）　and　the　whole　　place　will　be　a　blaze　of　lights。　and　such　a　crowd　too！　it　would　have　to　be　tomorrow　night。鈥�

this　was　bad　news　for　aravis；　but　she　had　to　make　the　best　of　it。　the　　afternoon　passed　very　slowly　and　it　was　a　relief　when　lasaraleen　went　out　to　the　banquet；　　for　aravis　was　very　tired　of　her　giggling　and　her　talk　about　dresses　and　parties；　weddings　　and　engagements　and　scandals。　she　went　to　bed　early　and　that　part　she　did　　enjoy：　it　was　so　nice　to　have　pillows　and　sheets　again。

but　the　next　day　passed　very　slowly。　lasaraleen　wanted　to　go　back　on　the　　whole　arrangement　and　kept　on　telling　aravis　that　narnia　was　a　country　of　　perpetual　snow　and　ice　inhabited　by　demons　and　sorcerers；　and　she　was　mad　to　think　of　going　　there。　〃and　with　a　peasant　boy；　too！〃　said　lasaraleen。　〃darling；　think　of　it！　its　not　　nice。〃　aravis　had　thought　of　it　a　good　deal；　but　she　was　so　tired　of　lasaraleens　silliness　　by　now　that；　for　the　first　time；　she　began　to　think　that　travelling　with　shasta　was　really　　rather　more　fun　than　fashionable　life　in　tashbaan。　so　she　only　replied；　〃you　forget　that　　ill　be　nobody；　just　like　him；　when　we　get　to　narnia。　and　anyway；　i　promised。鈥�

〃and　to　think；〃　said　lasaraleen；　almost　crying；　〃that　if　only　you　had　sense　　you　could　be　the　wife　of　a　grand　vizier！〃　aravis　went　away　to　have　a　private　word　with　　the　horses。

〃you　must　go　with　a　groom　a　little　before　sunset　down　to　the　tombs；〃　she　　said。　〃no　more　of　those　packs。　youll　be　saddled　and　bridled　again。　but　therell　have　　to　be　food　in　hwins　saddle…bags　and　a　full　water…skin　behind　yours；　bree。　the　man　has　　orders　to　let　you　both　have　a　good　long　drink　at　the　far　side　of　the　bridge。鈥�

〃and　then；　narnia　and　the　north！〃　whispered　bree。　〃but　what　if　shasta　is　　not　at　the　tombs。鈥�

〃wait　for　him　of　course；〃　said　aravis。　〃i　hope　youve　been　quite　　fortable。鈥�

〃never　better　stabled　in　my　life；〃　said　bree。　〃but　if　the　husband　of　that　　tittering　tarkheena　friend　of　yours　is　paying　his　head　groom　to　get　the　best　oats；　　then　i　think　the　head　groom　is　cheating　him。鈥�

aravis　and　lasaraleen　had　supper　in　the　pillared　room。

about　two　hours　later　they　were　ready　to　start。　aravis　was　dressed　to　look　　like　a　superior　slave…girl　in　a　great　house　and　wore　a　veil　over　her　face。　they　had　agreed　　that　if　any　questions　were　asked　lasaraleen　would　pretend　that　aravis　was　a　slave　she　　was　taking　as　a　present　to　one　of　the　princesses。

the　two　girls　went　out　on　foot。　a　very　few　minutes　brought　them　to　the　　palace　gates。

here　there　were　of　course　soldiers　on　guard　but　the　officer　knew　lasaraleen　　qu