《The Horse and His Boy》第20章

〃i　dont　care。　i　cant　stand　the　sight　of　him；〃　said　aravis。
〃but；　darling；　only　think！　three　palaces；　and　one　of　them　that　beautiful one　down　on　the　lake　at　ilkeen。　positively　ropes　of　pearls；　im　told。　baths　of　asses　milk。 and　youd　see　such　a　lot　of　me。”
〃he　can　keep　his　pearls　and　palaces　as　far　as　im　concerned；〃　said　aravis。
〃you　always　were　a　queer　girl；　aravis；〃　said　lasaraleen。　〃what　more　do　you want？”
in　the　end；　however；　aravis　managed　to　make　her　friend　believe　that　she　was in　earnest　and　even　to　discuss　plans。　there　would　be　no　difficulty　now　about　getting the　two　horses　out　of　the　north　gate　and　then　on　to　the　tombs。　no　one　would　stop　or question　a　groom　in　fine　clothes　leading　a　war　horse　and　a　ladys　saddle　horse　down　to　the river；　and　lasaraleen　had　plenty　of　grooms　to　send。　it　wasnt　so　easy　to　decide　what to　do　about　aravis　herself。　she　suggested　that　she　could　be　carried　out　in　the　litter with　the　curtains　drawn。　but　lasaraleen　told　her　that　litters　were　only　used　in　the　city　and the　sight　of　one　going　out　through　the　gate　would　be　certain　to　lead　to　questions。
when　they　had　talked　for　a　long　time　…　and　it　was　all　the　longer　because aravis　found　it　hard　to　keep　her　friend　to　the　point…at　last　lasaraleen　clapped　her　hands and　said；　〃oh；　i　have　an　idea。　there　is　one　way　of　getting　out　of　the　city　without　using　the gates。　the　tisrocs　garden　（may　he　live　for　ever！）　runs　right　down　to　the　water　and there　is　a　little　water…door。　only　for　the　palace　people　of　course　…　but　then　you　know；　dear （here　she　tittered　a　little）　we　almost　are　palace　people。　i　say；　it　is　lucky　for　you that　you　came　to　me。　the　dear　tisroc　（may　he　live　for　ever！）　is　so　kind。　were　asked　to　the palace　almost　every　day　and　it　is　like　a　second　home。　i　love　all　the　dear　princes　and princesses　and　i　positively　adore　prince　rabadash。　i　might　run　in　and　see　any　of　the　palace ladies　at　any　hour　of　the　day　or　night。　why　shouldnt　i　slip　in　withyou；　after　dark；　and let　you　out　by　the　water…door？　there　are　always　a　few　punts　and　things　tied　up　outside　it。 and　even　if　we　were　caught…”
〃all　would　be　lost；〃　said　aravis。
〃oh　darling；　dont　get　so　excited；〃　said　lasaraleen。　〃i　was　going　to　say； even　if　we　were　caught　everyone　would　only　say　it　was　one　of　my　mad　jokes。　im　getting quite　well　known　for　them。　only　the　other　day…　do　listen；　dear；　this　is　frightfully funny…”
〃i　meant；　all　would　be　lost　for　me；〃　said　aravis　a　little　sharply。
〃oh　…　ah　…　yes　…　i　do　see　what　you　mean；　darling。　well；　can　you　think　of any　better　plan？”
aravis　couldnt；　and　answered；　〃no。　well　have　to　risk　it。　when　can　we start？”
〃oh；　not　tonight；〃　said　lasaraleen。　〃of　course　not　tonight。　theres　a　great feast　on　tonight　（i　must　start　getting　my　hair　done　for　it　in　a　few　minutes）　and　the　whole place　will　be　a　blaze　of　lights。　and　such　a　crowd　too！　it　would　have　to　be　tomorrow　night。”
this　was　bad　news　for　aravis；　but　she　had　to　make　the　best　of　it。　the afternoon　passed　very　slowly　and　it　was　a　relief　when　lasaraleen　went　out　to　the　banquet； for　aravis　was　very　tired　of　her　giggling　and　her　talk　about　dresses　and　parties；　weddings and　engagements　and　scandals。　she　went　to　bed　early　and　that　part　she　did enjoy：　it　was　so　nice　to　have　pillows　and　sheets　again。
but　the　next　day　passed　very　slowly。　lasaraleen　wanted　to　go　back　on　the whole　arrangement　and　kept　on　telling　aravis　that　narnia　was　a　country　of perpetual　snow　and　ice　inhabited　by　demons　and　sorcerers；　and　she　was　mad　to　think　of　going there。　〃and　with　a　peasant　boy；　too！〃　said　lasaraleen。　〃darling；　think　of　it！　its　not nice。〃　aravis　had　thought　of　it　a　good　deal；　but　she　was　so　tired　of　lasaraleens　silliness by　now　that；　for　the　first　time；　she　began　to　think　that　travelling　with　shasta　was　really rather　more　fun　than　fashionable　life　in　tashbaan。　so　she　only　replied；　〃you　forget　that ill　be　nobody；　just　like　him；　when　we　get　to　narnia。　and　anyway；　i　promised。”
〃and　to　think；〃　said　lasaraleen；　almost　crying；　〃that　if　only　you　had　sense you　could　be　the　wife　of　a　grand　vizier！〃　aravis　went　away　to　have　a　private　word　with the　horses。
〃you　must　go　with　a　groom　a　little　before　sunset　down　to　the　tombs；〃　she said。　〃no　more　of　those　packs。　youll　be　saddled　and　bridled　again。　but　therell　have to　be　food　in　hwins　saddle…bags　and　a　full　water…skin　behind　yours；　bree。　the　man　has orders　to　let　you　both　have　a　good　long　drink　at　the　far　side　of　the　bridge。”
〃and　then；　narnia　and　the　north！〃　whispered　bree。　〃but　what　if　shasta　is not　at　the　tombs。”
〃wait　for　him　of　course；〃　said　aravis。　〃i　hope　youve　been　quite fortable。”
〃never　better　stabled　in　my　life；〃　said　bree。　〃but　if　the　husband　of　that tittering　tarkheena　friend　of　yours　is　paying　his　head　groom　to　get　the　best　oats； then　i　think　the　head　groom　is　cheating　him。”
aravis　and　lasaraleen　had　supper　in　the　pillared　room。
about　two　hours　later　they　were　ready　to　start。　aravis　was　dressed　to　look like　a　superior　slave…girl　in　a　great　house　and　wore　a　veil　over　her　face。　they　had　agreed that　if　any　questions　were　asked　lasaraleen　would　pretend　that　aravis　was　a　slave　she was　taking　as　a　present　to　one　of　the　princesses。
the　two　girls　went　out　on　foot。　a　very　few　minutes　brought　them　to　the palace　gates。
here　there　were　of　course　soldiers　on　guard　but　the　officer　knew　lasaraleen quite　well　and　called　his　men　to　attention　and　saluted。　they　passed　at　once　into　the hall　of　black　marble。　a　fair　number　of　courtiers；　slaves　and　others　were　still　moving about　here　but　this　only　made　the　two　girls　less　conspicuous。　they　passed　on　into　the　hall of　pillars　and　then　into　the　hall　of　statues　and　down　the　colonnade；　passing　the　great beatencopper
doors　of　the　throne　room。　it　was　all　magnificent　beyond　description；　what they　could　see　of　it　in　the　dim　light　of　the　lamps。
presently　they　came　out　into　the　garden…court　which　sloped　downhill　in　a number　of　terraces。　on　the　far　side　of　that　they　came　to　the　old　palace。　it　had already　grown　almost　quite　dark　and　they　now　found　themselves　in　a　maze　of　corridors　lit　only　by occasional　torches　fixed　in　brackets　to　the　walls。　lasa