《The Horse and His Boy》第13章

nothing　like　this　had　ever　happened　to　shasta　in　his　life　before。　he　had never　even　imagined　lying　on　anything　so　fortable　as　that　sofa　or　drinking　anything so　delicious　as　that　sherbet。　he　was　still　wondering　what　had　happened　to　the　others　and how　on　earth　he　was　going　to　escape　and　meet　them　at　the　tombs；　and　what　would　happen when　the　real　corin　turned　up　again。　but　none　of　these　worries　seemed　so　pressing now　that　he　was　fortable。　and　perhaps；　later　on；　there　would　be　nice　things　to　eat！
meanwhile　the　people　in　that　cool　airy　room　were　very　interesting。　besides the　faun　there　were　two　dwarfs　（a　kind　of　creature　he　had　never　seen　before）　and　a very　large　raven。
the　rest　were　all　humans；　grown…ups；　but　young；　and　all　of　them；　both　men and　women；　had　nicer　faces　and　voices　than　most　calormenes。　and　soon　shasta　found himself　taking　an　interest　in　the　conversation。　〃now；　madam；〃　the　king　was　saying　to　queen susan　（the　lady　who　had　kissed　shasta）。　〃what　think　you？　we　have　been　in　this　city fully　three　weeks。　have　you　yet　settled　in　your　mind　whether　you　will　marry　this　dark…　faced　lover　of　yours；　this　prince　rabadash；　or　no？”
the　lady　shook　her　head。　〃no；　brother；〃　she　said；　〃not　for　all　the　jewels in　tashbaan。”
（〃hullo！〃　thought　shasta。　〃although　theyre　king　and　queen；　theyre　brother and　sister；　not　married　to　one　another。〃）
〃truly；　sister；〃　said　the　king；　〃i　should　have　loved　you　the　less　if　you had　taken　him。　and　i　tell　you　that　at　the　first　ing　of　the　tisrocs　ambassadors　into　narnia to　treat　of　this　marriage；　and　later　when　the　prince　was　our　guest　at　cair　paravel；　it　was　a wonder　to　me　that　ever　you　could　find　it　in　your　heart　to　show　him　so　much　favour。”
〃that　was　my　folly；　edmund；〃　said　queen　susan；　〃of　which　i　cry　you　mercy。 yet　when　he　was　with　us　in　narnia；　truly　this　prince　bore　himself　in　another　fashion than　he　does　now　in　tashbaan。　for　i　take　you　all　to　witness　what　marvellous　feats　he　did in　that　great　tournament　and　hastilude　which　our　brother　the　high　king　made　for　him；　and how　meekly　and　courteously　he　consorted　with　us　the　space　of　seven　days。　but here；　in　his　own　city；　he　has　shown　another　face。”
〃ah！〃　croaked　the　raven。　〃it　is　an　old　saying：　see　the　bear　in　his　own　den before　you　judge　of　his　conditions。”
〃thats　very　true；　sallowpad；〃　said　one　of　the　dwarfs。　〃and　another　is； e；　live　with　me　and　youll　know　me。”
〃yes；〃　said　the　king。　〃we　have　now　seen　him　for　what　he　is：　that　is；　a　most proud；　bloody；　luxurious；　cruel；　and　selfpleasing　tryant。”
〃then　in　the　name　of　aslan；〃　said　susan；　〃let　us　leave　tashbaan　this　very day。”
〃theres　the　rub；　sister；〃　said　edmund。　〃for　now　i　must　open　to　you　all that　has　been　growing　in　my　mind　these　last　two　days　and　more。　peridan；　of　your　courtesy look　to　the　door　and　see　that　there　is　no　spy　upon　us。　all　well？　so。　for　now　we　must　be secret。”
everyone　had　begun　to　look　very　serious。　queen　susan　jumped　up　and　ran　to her　brother。
〃oh；　edmund；〃　she　cried。　〃what　is　it？　there　is　something　dreadful　in　your face。”
。。。！
CHAPTER　FIVE
，小，说，网
prince　corin 〃my　dear　sister　and　very　good　lady；〃　said　king　edmund；　〃you　must　now　show your　courage。　for　i　tell　you　plainly　we　are　in　no　small　danger。”
〃what　is　it；　edmund　asked　the　queen。
〃it　is　this；〃　said　edmund。　〃i　do　not　think　we　shall　find　it　easy　to　leave tashbaan。　while　the　prince　had　hope　that　you　would　take　him；　we　were　honoured　guests。　but by　the　lions　mane；　i　think　that　as　soon　as　he　has　your　flat　denial　we　shall　be　no　better than　prisoners。”
one　of　the　dwarfs　gave　a　low　whistle。
〃i　warned　your　majesties；　i　warned　you；〃　said　sallowpad　the　raven。　〃easily in　but　not　easily　out；　as　the　lobster　said　in　the　lobster　pot！”
〃i　have　been　with　the　prince　this　morning；〃　continued　edmund。　〃he　is　little used　（mores　the　pity）　to　having　his　will　crossed。　and　he　is　very　chafed　at　your　long delays　and　doubtful　answers。　this　morning　he　pressed　very　hard　to　know　your　mind。　i put　it　aside…meaning　at　the　same　time　to　diminish　his　hopes　…　with　some　light　mon jests　about　womens　fancies；　and　hinted　that　his　suit　was　likely　to　be　cold。　he　grew angry　and　dangerous。　there　was　a　sort　of　threatening；　though　still　veiled　under　a show　of　courtesy；　in　every　word　he　spoke。”
〃yes；〃　said　tumnus。　〃and　when　i　supped　with　the　grand　vizier　last　night；　it was　the　same。　he　asked　me　how　i　like　tashbaan。　and　i　（for　i　could　not　tell　him　i hated　every　stone　of　it　and　i　would　not　lie）　told　him　that　now；　when　high　summer　was ing　on；　my　heart　turned　to　the　cool　woods　and　dewy　slopes　of　narnia。　he　gave　a　smile that　meant　no　good　and　said；　‘there　is　nothing　to　hinder　you　from　dancing　there　again； little　goatfoot；　always　provided　you　leave　us　in　exchange　a　bride　for　our　prince。“
〃do　you　mean　he　would　make　me　his　wife　by　force？〃　exclaimed　susan。
〃thats　my　fear；　susan；〃　said　edmund：　〃wife：　or　slave　which　is　worse。”
〃but　how　can　he？　does　the　tisroc　think　our　brother　the　high　king　would suffer　such　an　outrage？”
〃sire；〃　said　peridan　to　the　king。　〃they　would　not　be　so　mad。　do　they　think there　are　no　swords　and　spears　in　narnia？”
〃alas；〃　said　edmund。　〃my　guess　is　that　the　tisroc　has　very　small　fear　of narnia。　we　are　a　little　land。　and　little　lands　on　the　borders　of　a　great　empire　were always　hateful　to　the　lords　of　the　great　empire。　he　longs　to　blot　them　out；　gobble　them　up。　when first　he　suffered　the　prince　to　e　to　cair　paravel　as　your　lover；　sister；　it　may be　that　he　was　only　seeking　an　occasion　against　us。　most　likely　he　hopes　to　make　one mouthful　of　narnia　and　archenland　both。”
〃let　him　try；〃　said　the　second　dwarf。　〃at　sea　we　are　as　big　as　he　is。　and if　he　assaults　us　by　land；　he　has　the　desert　to　cross。”
〃true；　friend；〃　said　edmund。　〃but　is　the　desert　a　sure　defence？　what　does sallowpad　say？”
〃i　know　that　desert　well；〃　said　the　raven。　〃for　i　have　flown　above　it　far and　wide　in　my　younger　days；〃　（you　may　be　sure　that　shasta　pricked　up　his　ears　at　this point）。　〃and　this　is　certain；　that　if　the　tisroc　goes　by　the　great　oasis　he　can　never　lead　a great　army　across　it　into　archenland。　for　though　they　could　reach　t