《The Horse and His Boy》第7章

〃still；〃　she　said　after　a　moments　pause；　〃i　dont　know　that　theres　so much　point　in　all　going　together。　arent　we　more　likely　to　be　noticed？”
〃less；〃　said　bree；　and　the　mare　said；　〃oh　do　lets。　i　should　feel　much　more fortable。
were　not　even　certain　of　the　way。　im　sure　a　great　charger　like　this　knows far　more　than　we　do。”
〃oh　e　on；　bree；〃　said　shasta；　〃and　let　them　go　their　own　way。　cant　you see　they　dont　want　us？”
〃we　do；〃　said　hwin。
〃look　here；〃　said　the　girl。　〃i　dont　mind　going　with　you；　mr　war…horse；　but what　about　this　boy？　how　do　i　know　hes　not　a　spy？”
〃why　dont　you　say　at　once　that　you　think　im　not　good　enough　for　you？〃 said　shasta。
〃be　quiet；　shasta；〃　said　bree。　〃the　tarkheenas　question　is　quite reasonable。　ill　vouch　for　the　boy；　tarkheena。　hes　been　true　to　me　and　a　good　friend。　and　hes certainly　either　a　narnian　or　an　archenlander。”
〃all　right；　then。　lets　go　together。〃　but　she　didnt　say　anything　to　shasta and　it　was　obvious　that　she　wanted　bree；　not　him。
〃splendid！〃　said　bree。　〃and　now　that　weve　got　the　water　between　us　and those　dreadful　animals；　what　about　you　two　humans　taking　off　our　saddles　and　our　all having　a　rest　and　hearing　one　anothers　stories。”
both　the　children　unsaddled　their　horses　and　the　horses　had　a　little　grass and　aravis　produced　rather　nice　things　to　eat　from　her　saddle…bag？　but　shasta　sulked and　said　no　thanks；　and　that　he　wasnt　hungry。　and　he　tried　to　put　on　what　he　thought very　grand　and　stiff　manners；　but　as　a　fishermans　but　is　not　usually　a　good　place　for learning　grand
manners；　the　result　was　dreadful。　and　he　half　knew　that　it　wasnt　a　success and　then　became　sulkier　and　more　awkward　than　ever。　meanwhile　the　two　horses　were getting　on　splendidly。　they　remembered　the　very　same　places　in　narnia　…　〃the grasslands　up　above　beaversdam〃　and　found　that　they　were　some　sort　of　second　cousins　once removed。　this　made　things　more　and　more　unfortable　for　the　humans　until　at　last　bree said；　〃and　now；　tarkheena；　tell　us　your　story。　and　dont　hurry　it　…　im　feeling fortable　now。”
aravis　immediately　began；　sitting　quite　still　and　using　a　rather　different tone　and　style　from　her　usual　one。　for　in　calormen；　story…telling　（whether　the　stories　are true　or　made　up）　is　a　thing　youre　taught；　just　as　english　boys　and　girls　are　taught essay…writing。　the　difference　is　that　people　want　to　hear　the　stories；　whereas　i　never　heard of　anyone　who　wanted　to　read　the　essays。
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CHAPTER　THREE
，小，说"网
at　the　gates　of　tashbaan 〃mr　name；〃　said　the　girl　at　once；　〃is　aravis　tarkheena　and　i　am　the　only daughter　of　kidrash　tarkaan；　the　son　of　rishti　tarkaan；　the　son　of　kidrash　tarkaan；　the son　of　ilsombreh　tisroc；　the　son　of　ardeeb　tisroc　who　was　descended　in　a　right line　from　the　god　tash。　my　father　is　the　lord　of　the　province　of　calavar　and　is　one　who has　the　right　of　standing　on　his　feet　in　his　shoes　before　the　face　of　tisroc　himself　（may　he live　for　ever）。
my　mother　（on　whom　be　the　peace　of　the　gods）　is　dead　and　my　father　has married　another　wife。　one　of　my　brothers　has　fallen　in　battle　against　the　rebels　in the　far　west　and　the　other　is　a　child。　now　it　came　to　pass　that　my　fathers　wife；　my　step…　mother；　hated　me；　and　the　sun　appeared　dark　in　her　eyes　as　long　as　i　lived　in　my　fathers house。　and　so　she　persuaded　my　father　to　promise　me　in　marriage　to　ahoshta　tarkaan。　now　this ahoshta　is　of　base　birth；　though　in　these　latter　years　he　has　won　the　favour　of　the tisroc　（may　he　live　for　ever）　by　flattery　and　evil　counsels；　and　is　now　made　a　tarkaan　and　the lord　of　many　cities　and　is　likely　to　be　chosen　as　the　grand　vizier　when　the　present grand　vizier　dies。
moreover　he　is　at　least　sixty　years　old　and　has　a　hump　on　his　back　and　his face　resembles　that　of　an　ape。　nevertheless　my　father；　because　of　the　wealth　and　power　of this　ahoshta；　and　being　persuaded　by　his　wife；　sent　messengers　offering　me　in　marriage； and　the　offer　was　favourably　accepted　and　ahoshta　sent　word　that　he　would　marry　me　this very　year　at　the　time　of　high　summer。
〃when　this　news　was　brought　to　me　the　sun　appeared　dark　in　my　eyes　and　i laid　myself　on　my　bed　and　wept　for　a　day。　but　on　the　second　day　i　rose　up　and　washed　my face　and　caused　my　mare　hwin　to　be　saddled　and　took　with　me　a　sharp　dagger　which　my brother　had　carried　in　the　western　wars　and　rode　out　alone。　and　when　my　fathers house　was　out　of　sight　and　i　was　e　to　a　green　open　place　in　a　certain　wood　where　there were　no　dwellings　of　men；　i　dismounted　from　hwin　my　mare　and　took　out　the　dagger。 then　i　parted　my　clothes　where　i　thought　the　readiest　way　lay　to　my　heart　and　i prayed　to　all　the
gods　that　as　soon　as　i　was　dead　i　might　find　myself　with　my　brother。　after that　i　shut　my　eyes　and　my　teeth　and　prepared　to　drive　the　dagger　into　my　heart。　but before　i　had　done　so；　this　mare　spoke　with　the　voice　of　one　of　the　daughters　of　men　and　said； 〃o　my　mistress；　do　not　by　any　means　destroy　yourself；　for　if　you　live　you　may　yet have　good　fortune　but　all　the　dead　are　dead　alike。”
〃i　didnt　say　it　half　so　well　as　that；〃　muttered　the　mare。
〃hush；　maam；　hush；〃　said　bree；　who　was　thoroughly　enjoying　the　story。 〃shes　telling　it　in　the　grand　calormene　manner　and　no　story…teller　in　a　tisrocs　court　could do　it　better。
pray　go　on；　tarkheena。”
〃when　i　heard　the　language　of　men　uttered　by　my　mare；〃　continued　aravis；　〃i said　to　myself；　the　fear　of　death　has　disordered　my　reason　and　subjected　me　to delusions。　and　i　became　full　of　shame　for　none　of　my　lineage　ought　to　fear　death　more　than the　biting　of　a　gnat。　therefore　i　addressed　myself　a　second　time　to　the　stabbing；　but　hwin came　near　to　me　and　put　her　head　in　between　me　and　the　dagger　and　discoursed　to　me　most excellent　reasons　and　rebuked　me　as　a　mother　rebukes　her　daughter。　and　now　my　wonder was　so　great　that　i　forgot　about　killing　myself　and　about　ahoshta　and　said；　‘o　my mare；　how　have　you　learned　to　speak　like　one　of　the　daughters　of　men？　and　hwin　told me　what　is　known　to　all　this　pany；　that　in　narnia　there　are　beasts　that　talk；　and how　she　herself　was　stolen　from　thence　when　she　was　a　little　foal。　she　told　me　also　of　the woods　and　w