《The Horse and His Boy》第4章

s　known　world。　he could　not　see　what　was　ahead　except　that　it　was　all　open　and　grassy。　it　looked endless：　wild　and　lonely　and　free。
〃i　say！〃　observed　the　horse。　〃what　a　place　for　a　gallop；　eh！”
〃oh　dont　lets；〃　said　shasta。　〃not　yet。　i　dont　know　how　to　…　please； horse。　i　dont　know　your　name。”
〃breehy…hinny…brinny…hooky…hah；〃　said　the　horse。
〃ill　never　be　able　to　say　that；〃　said　shasta。　〃can　i　call　you　bree？”
〃well；　if　its　the　best　you　can　do；　i　suppose　you　must；〃　said　the　horse。 〃and　what　shall　i　call　you？”
〃im　called　shasta。”
〃hm；〃　said　bree。　〃well；　now；　theres　a　name　thats　really　hard　to pronounce。　but　now　about　this　gallop。　its　a　good　deal　easier　than　trotting　if　you　only　knew； because　you　dont　have　to　rise　and　fall。　grip　with　your　knees　and　keep　your　eyes　straight ahead　between　my　ears。　dont　look　at　the　ground。　if　you　think　youre　going　to　fall　just　grip harder　and　sit　up　straighter。　ready？　now：　for　narnia　and　the　north。”
．co
CHAPTER　TWO
［。小＾说）网）
a　wayside　adventure it　was　nearly　noon　on　the　following　day　when　shasta　was　wakened　by something　warm　and　soft　moving　over　his　face。　he　opened　his　eyes　and　found　himself　staring into　the　long　face　of　a　horse；　its　nose　and　lips　were　almost　touching　his。　he　remembered the　exciting　events　of　the　previous　night　and　sat　up。　but　as　he　did　so　he　groaned。
〃ow；　bree；〃　he　gasped。　〃im　so　sore。　all　over。　i　can　hardly　move。”
〃good　morning；　small　one；〃　said　bree。　〃i　was　afraid　you　might　feel　a　bit stiff。　it　cant　be　the　falls。　you　didnt　have　more　than　a　dozen　or　so；　and　it　was　all　lovely； soft　springy　turf　that　must　have　been　almost　a　pleasure　to　fall　on。　and　the　only　one　that might　have　been　nasty　was　broken　by　that　gorse　bush。　no：　its　the　riding　itself　that　es hard　at　first。
what　about　breakfast？　ive　had　mine。”
〃oh　bother　breakfast。　bother　everything；〃　said　shasta。　〃i　tell　you　i　cant move。〃　but　the　horse　nuzzled　at　him　with　its　nose　and　pawed　him　gently　with　a　hoof　till　he had　to　get　up。
and　then　he　looked　about　him　and　saw　where　they　were。　behind　them　lay　a little　copse。
before　them　the　turf；　dotted　with　white　flowers；　sloped　down　to　the　brow　of a　cliff。　far　below　them；　so　that　the　sound　of　the　breaking　waves　was　very　faint；　lay　the sea。　shasta　had　never　seen　it　from　such　a　height　and　never　seen　so　much　of　it　before； nor　dreamed　how　many　colours　it　had。　on　either　hand　the　coast　stretched　away；　headland after　headland；　and　at　the　points　you　could　see　the　white　foam　running　up　the rocks　but　making　no　noise　because　it　was　so　far　off。　there　were　gulls　flying　overhead　and the　heat　shivered　on　the　ground；　it　was　a　blazing　day。　but　what　shasta　chiefly　noticed　was the　air。　he　couldnt　think　what　was　missing；　until　at　last　he　realized　that　there　was no　smell　of　fish　in　it。　for　of　course；　neither　in　the　cottage　nor　among　the　nets；　had　he　ever been　away　from
that　smell　in　his　life。　and　this　new　air　was　so　delicious；　and　all　his　old life　seemed　so　far　away；　that　he　forgot　for　a　moment　about　his　bruises　and　his　aching　muscles and　said： 〃i　say；　bree；　didnt　you　say　something　about　breakfast？”
〃yes；　i　did；〃　answered　bree。　〃i　think　youll　find　something　in　the　saddle…　bags。　theyre　over　there　on　that　tree　where　you　hung　them　up　last　night　…　or　early　this morning；　rather。”
they　investigated　the　saddle…bags　and　the　results　were　cheering…　a　meat pasty；　only　slightly　stale；　a　lump　of　dried　figs　and　another　lump　of　green　cheese；　a little　flask　of　wine；　and　some　money；　about　forty　crescents　in　all；　which　was　more　than　shasta had　ever　seen。
while　shasta　sat　down　…　painfully　and　cautiously　…　with　his　back　against　a tree　and　started　on　the　pasty；　bree　had　a　few　more　mouthfuls　of　grass　to　keep　him　pany。
〃wont　it　be　stealing　to　use　the　money？〃　asked　shasta。
〃oh；〃　said　the　horse；　looking　up　with　its　mouth　full　of　grass；　〃i　never thought　of　that。　a　free　horse　and　a　talking　horse　mustnt　steal；　of　course。　but　i　think　its all　right。　were　prisoners　and　captives　in　enemy　country。　that　money　is　booty；　spoil。 besides；　how　are　we　to　get　any　food　for　you　without　it？　i　suppose；　like　all　humans；　you wont　eat　natural　food　like　grass　and　oats。”
〃i　cant。”
〃ever　tried？”
〃yes；　i　have。　i　cant　get　it　down　at　all。　you　couldnt　either　if　you　were me。”
〃youre　rum　little　creatures；　you　humans；〃　remarked　bree。
when　shasta　had　finished　his　breakfast　（which　was　by　far　the　nicest　he　had ever　eaten）；　bree　said；　〃i　think　ill　have　a　nice　roll　before　we　put　on　that　saddle again。〃　and　he　proceeded　to　do　so。　〃thats　good。　thats　very　good；〃　he　said；　rubbing　his back　on　the　turf　and　waving　all　four　legs　in　the　air。　〃you　ought　to　have　one　too；　shasta；〃 he　snorted。　〃its　most　refreshing。”
but　shasta　burst　out　laughing　and　said；〃you　do　look　funny　when　youre　on your　back！”
〃i　look　nothing　of　the　sort；〃　said　bree。　but　then　suddenly　he　rolled　round on　his　side；　raised　his　head　and　looked　hard　at　shasta；　blowing　a　little。
〃does　it　really　look　funny？〃　he　asked　in　an　anxious　voice。
〃yes；　it　does；〃　replied　shasta。　〃but　what　does　it　matter？”
〃you　dont　think；　do　you；〃　said　bree；　〃that　it　might　be　a　thing　talking horses　never　do　…　a　silly；　clownish　trick　ive　learned　from　the　dumb　ones？　it　would　be　dreadful to　find；　when　i　get　back　to　narnia；　that　ive　picked　up　a　lot　of　low；　bad　habits。　what　do you　think；　shasta？　honestly；　now。　dont　spare　my　feelings。　should　you　think　the　real； free　horses　…　the　talking　kind　…　do　roll？”
〃how　should　i　know？　anyway　i　dont　think　i　should　bother　about　it　if　i　were you。　weve　got　to　get　there　first。　do　you　know　the　way？”
〃i　know　my　way　to　tashbaan。　after　that　es　the　desert。　oh；　well　manage the　desert　somehow；　never　fear。　why；　well　be　in　sight　of　the　northern　mountains　then。 think　of　it！
to　narnia　and　the　north！　nothing　will　stop　us　then。　but　id　be　glad　to　be past　tashbaan。
you　and　i　are　safer　away　from　cities。”
〃cant　we　avoid　it？”
〃not　without　going　along　way　inland；　and　that　would　take　us　into　cultivated land　and　main　roads；　and　i　wouldnt　know　the　way。　no；　well　just　have　to　creep　along the　coast。　up　here　on　the　downs　well　meet　nothing　but　sheep