《The Horse and His Boy》第8章

o　of　the woods　and　waters　of　narnia　and　the　castles　and　the　great　ships；　till　i　said；　‘in　the name　of　tash　and　azaroth　and　zardeenah　lady　of　the　night；　i　have　a　great　wish　to　be　in　that country　of　narnia。　‘o　my　mistress；　answered　the　mare；　‘if　you　were　in　narnia　you would　be　happy；　for　in　that　land　no　maiden　is　forced　to　marry　against　her　will。 〃and　when　we　had　talked　together　for　a　great　time　hope　returned　to　me　and　i rejoiced　that　i　had　not　killed　myself。　moreover　it　was　agreed　between　hwin　and　me that　we　should　steal　ourselves　away　together　and　we　planned　it　in　this　fashion。　we returned　to　my　fathers　house　and　i　put　on　my　gayest　clothes　and　sang　and　danced　before　my father　and　pretended　to　be　delighted　with　the　marriage　which　he　had　prepared　for　me。 also　i　said　to　him；　‘o　my　father　and　o　the　delight　of　my　eyes；　give　me　your　licence　and permission　to　go　with　one　of　my　maidens　alone　for　three　days　into　the　woods　to　do　secret sacrifices　to　zardeenah；　lady　of　the　night　and　of　maidens；　as　is　proper　and　customary　for damsels　when　they　must　bid　farewell　to　the　service　of　zardeenah　and　prepare themselves　for　marriage。　and　he　answered；　‘o　my　daughter　and　o　the　delight　of　my　eyes；　so shall　it　be。 〃but　when　i　came　out　from　the　presence　of　my　father　i　went　immediately　to the　oldest　of　his　slaves；　his　secretary；　who　had　dandled　me　on　his　knees　when　i　was　a baby　and　loved　me　more　than　the　air　and　the　light。　and　i　swore　him　to　be　secret　and　begged him　to　write　a　certain　letter　for　me。　and　he　wept　and　implored　me　to　change　my resolution　but　in　the　end　he　said；　‘to　hear　is　to　obey；　and　did　all　my　will。　and　i　sealed　the letter　and　hid　it　in　my　bosom。”
〃but　what　was　in　the　letter？〃　asked　shasta。
〃be　quiet；　youngster；〃　said　bree。　〃youre　spoiling　the　story。　shell　tell us　all　about　the　letter　in　the　right　place。　go　on；　tarkheena。”
〃then　i　called　the　maid　who　was　to　go　with　me　to　the　woods　and　perform　the rites　of　zardeenah　and　told　her　to　wake　me　very　early　in　the　morning。　and　i　became merry　with　her　and　gave　her　wine　to　drink；　but　i　had　mixed　such　things　in　her　cup　that i　knew　she　must　sleep　for　a　night　and　a　day。　as　soon　as　the　household　of　my　father　had mitted　themselves　to　sleep　i　arose　and　put　on　an　armour　of　my　brothers　which　i always　kept　in　my　chamber　in　his　memory。　i　put　into　my　girdle　all　the　money　i　had　and certain　choice　jewels　and　provided　myself　also　with　food；　and　saddled　the　mare　with　my　own hands　and　rode　away　in　the　second　watch　of　the　night。　i　directed　my　course　not　to　the woods　where　my　father　supposed　that　i　would　go　but　north　and　east　to　tashbaan。
〃now　for　three　days　and　more　i　knew　that　my　father　would　not　seek　me；　being deceived　by　the　words　i　had　said　to　him。　and　on　the　fourth　day　we　arrived　at　the city　of　azim　balda。　now　azim　balda　stands　at　the　meeting　of　many　roads　and　from　it　the posts　of　the　tisroc　（may　he　live　for　ever）　ride　on　swift　horses　to　every　part　of　the empire：　and　it　is　one　of　the　rights　and　privileges　of　the　greater　tarkaans　to　send　messages　by them。　i　therefore　went　to　the　chief　of　the　messengers　in　the　house　of　imperial　posts　in　azim balda　and　said；　‘o　dispatcher　of　messages；　here　is　a　letter　from　my　uncle　ahoshta tarkaan　to　kidrash　tarkaan　lord　of　calavar。　take　now　these　five　crescents　and　cause　it to　be　sent　to　him。　and　the　chief　of　the　messengers　said；　‘to　hear　is　to　obey。 〃this　letter　was　feigned　to　be　written　by　ahoshta　and　this　was　the signification　of　the　writing：　‘ahoshta　tarkaan　to　kidrash　tarkaan；　salutation　and　peace。　in　the name　of　tash　the　irresistible；　the　inexorable。　be　it　known　to　you　that　as　i　made　my journey　towards　your　house　to　perform　the　contract　of　marriage　between　me　and　your　daughter aravis　tarkheena；　it　pleased　fortune　and　the　gods　that　i　fell　in　with　her　in　the forest　when　she　had　ended　the　rites　and　sacrifices　of　zardeenah　according　to　the　custom　of maidens。　and　when　i　learned　who　she　was；　being　delighted　with　her　beauty　and　discretion； i　became　inflamed　with　love　and　it　appeared　to　me　that　the　sun　would　be　dark　to　me if　i　did　not　marry　her　at　once。　accordingly　i　prepared　the　necessary　sacrifices　and married　your　daughter　the　same　hour　that　i　met　her　and　have　returned　with　her　to　my　own house。　and　we　both　pray　and　charge　you　to　e　hither　as　speedily　as　you　may　that　we may　be　delighted　with　your　face　and　speech；　and　also　that　you　may　bring　with　you the　dowry　of　my　wife；　which；　by　reason　of　my　great　charges　and　expenses；　i　require without　delay。
and　because　thou　and　i　are　brothers　i　assure　myself　that　you　will　not　be angered　by　the　haste　of　my　marriage　which　is　wholly　occasioned　by　the　great　love　i　bear your　daughter。
and　i　mit　you　to　the　care　of　all　the　gods。 〃as　soon　as　i　had　done　this　i　rode　on　in　all　haste　from　azim　balda；　fearing no　pursuit　and　expecting　that　my　father；　having　received　such　a　letter；　would　send messages　to　ahoshta　or　go　to　him　himself；　and　that　before　the　matter　was　discovered　i　should　be beyond　tashbaan。　and　that　is　the　pith　of　my　story　until　this　very　night　when　i　was chased　by　lions　and　met　you　at　the　swimming　of　the　salt　water。”
〃and　what　happened　to　the　girl　…　the　one　you　drugged？〃　asked　shasta。
〃doubtless　she　was　beaten　for　sleeping　late；〃　said　aravis　coolly。　〃but　she was　a　tool　and　spy　of　my　stepmothers。　i　am　very　glad　they　should　beat　her。”
〃i　say；　that　was　hardly　fair；〃　said　shasta。
〃i　did　not　do　any　of　these　things　for　the　sake　of　pleasing　you；〃　said aravis。
〃and　theres　another　thing　i　dont　understand　about　that　story；〃　said shasta。　〃youre　not　grown　up；　i　dont　believe　youre　any　older　than　i　am。　i　dont　believe youre　as　old。　how　could　you　be　getting　married　at　your　age？”
aravis　said　nothing；　but　bree　at　once　said；　〃shasta；　dont　display　your ignorance。　theyre　always　married　at　that　age　in　the　great　tarkaan　families。”
shasta　turned　very　red　（though　it　was　hardly　light　enough　for　the　others　to see　this）　and　felt　snubbed。　aravis　asked　bree　for　his　story。　bree　told　it；　and　shasta thought　that　he　put　in　a　great　deal　more　than　he　needed　about　the　falls　and　the　bad　riding。 bree　obviously　thought　it　very　funny；　but　aravis　did　not　laugh。　when　bree　h