《The Horse and His Boy》第19章

ins　and　all　a…jingle　with silver　bells　and　which　scented　the　whole　street　with　perfumes　and　flowers。　after　the　litter； female　slaves　in　beautiful　clothes；　and　then　a　few　grooms；　runners；　pages；　and　the　like。 and　now　aravis　made　her　first　mistake。
she　knew　lasaraleen　quite　well　…　almost　as　if　they　had　been　at　school together　…　because　they　had　often　stayed　in　the　same　houses　and　been　to　the　same　parties。　and aravis　couldnt　help　looking　up　to　see　what　lasaraleen　looked　like　now　that　she was　married　and　a　very　great　person　indeed。
it　was　fatal。　the　eyes　of　the　two　girls　met。　and　immediately　lasaraleen　sat up　in　the　litter　and　burst　out　at　the　top　of　her　voice。
〃aravis！　what　on　earth　are　you　doing　here？　your　father…”
there　was　not　a　moment　to　lose。　without　a　seconds　delay　aravis　let　go　the horses；　caught　the　edge　of　the　litter；　swung　herself　up　beside　lasaraleen　and whispered　furiously　in　her　ear。
〃shut　up！　do　you　hear！　shut　up。　you　must　hide　me。　tell　your　people…”
〃but　darling…〃　began　lasaraleen　in　the　same　loud　voice。　（she　didnt　in　the least　mind　making　people　stare；　in　fact　she　rather　liked　it。）
〃do　what　i　tell　you　or　ill　never　speak　to　you　again；〃　hissed　aravis。 〃please；　please　be　quick；　las。　its　frightfully　important。　tell　your　people　to　bring　those　two horses　along。
pull　all　the　curtains　of　the　litter　and　get　away　somewhere　where　i　cant　be found。　and　do　hurry。”
〃all　right；　darling；〃　said　lasaraleen　in　her　lazy　voice。　〃here。　two　of　you take　the　tarkheenas　horses。〃　（this　was　to　the　slaves。）　〃and　now　home。　i　say； darling；　do　you　think　we　really　want　the　curtains　drawn　on　a　day　like　this？　i　mean　to　say…”
but　aravis　had　already　drawn　the　curtains；　enclosing　lasaraleen　and　herself in　a　rich　and　scented；　but　rather　stuffy；　kind　of　tent。
〃i　mustnt　be　seen；〃　〃she　said。　〃my　father　doesnt　know　im　here。　im running　away。”
〃my　dear；　how　perfectly　thrilling；〃　said　lasaraleen。　〃im　dying　to　hear　all about　it。
darling；　youre　sitting　on　my　dress。　do　you　mind？　thats　better。　it　is　a new　one。　do　you　like　it？　i　got　it　at…”
〃oh；　las；　do　be　serious；〃　said　aravis。　〃where　is　my　father？”
〃didnt　you　know？〃　said　lasaraleen。　〃hes　here；　of　course。　he　came　to　town yesterday　and　is　asking　about　you　everywhere。　and　to　think　of　you　and　me　being　here together　and　his　not　knowing　anything　about　it！　its　the　funniest　thing　i　ever　heard。〃 and　she　went　off　into　giggles。　she　always　had　been　a　terrible　giggler；　as　aravis　now remembered。
〃it　isnt　funny　at　all；〃　she　said。　〃its　dreadfully　serious。　where　can　you hide　me？”
〃no　difficulty　at　all；　my　dear　girl；〃　said　lasaraleen。　〃ill　take　you　home。 my　husbands　away　and　no　one　will　see　you。　phew！　its　not　much　fun　with　the　curtains drawn。　i　want　to　see　people。　theres　no　point　in　having　a　new　dress　on　if　ones　to　go　about shut　up　like　this。”
〃i　hope　no　one　heard　you　when　you　shouted　out　to　me　like　that；〃　said aravis。
〃no；　no；　of　course；　darling；〃　said　lasaraleen　absentmindedly。　〃but　you havent　even　told　me　yet　what　you　think　of　the　dress。”
〃another　thing；〃　said　aravis。　〃you　must　tell　your　people　to　treat　those　two horses　very　respectfully。　thats　part　of　the　secret。　theyre　really　talking　horses　from narnia。”
〃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 rabadash　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…”
〃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。”
〃now　dont　keep　on　fussing；　theres　a　dear；〃　said　lasaraleen。　〃well　get you　some　proper　clothes　in　a　moment。　and　here　we　are！”
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。”
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？”
〃i　dont　care。　i　cant　stand　the　sight　of　him；〃　said　aravis。
〃but；　darling；　only　think！　three　palaces；　and　one　of　them　that　bea