《The Horse and His Boy》第21章

s　lit　only　by occasional　torches　fixed　in　brackets　to　the　walls。　lasaraleen　halted　at　a　place　where you　had　to　go　either　left　or　right。
〃go　on；　do　go　on；〃　whispered　aravis；　whose　heart　was　beating　terribly　and who　still　felt　that　her　father　might　run　into　them　at　any　corner。
〃im　just　wondering。。。〃　said　lasaraleen。　〃im　not　absolutely　sure　which　way we　go　from　here。　i　think　its　the　left。　yes；　im　almost　sure　its　the　left。　what　fun this　is！”
they　took　the　left　hand　way　and　found　themselves　in　a　passage　that　was hardly　lighted　at　all　and　which　soon　began　going　down　steps。
〃its　all　right；〃　said　lasaraleen。　〃im　sure　were　right　now。　i　remember these　steps。〃　but　at　that　moment　a　moving　light　appeared　ahead。　a　second　later　there　appeared from　round　a　distant　corner；　the　dark　shapes　of　two　men　walking　backwards　and　carrying tall　candles。
and　of　course　it　is　only　before　royalties　that　people　walk　backwards。 aravis　felt　lasaraleen　grip　her　arm　…　that　sort　of　sudden　grip　which　is　almost　a　pinch and　which　means　that　the　person　who　is　gripping　you　is　very　frightened　indeed。　aravis thought　it　odd　that　lasaraleen　should　be　so　afraid　of　the　tisroc　if　he　were　really such　a　friend　of　hers；　but　there　was　no　time　to　go　on　thinking。　lasaraleen　was　hurrying　her back　to　the　top　of　the　steps；　on　tiptoes；　and　groping　wildly　along　the　wall。
〃heres　a　door；〃　she　whispered。　〃quick。”
they　went　in；　drew　the　door　very　softly　behind　them；　and　found　themselves in　pitch　darkness。　aravis　could　hear　by　lasaraleens　breathing　that　she　was terrified。
〃tash　preserve　us！〃　whispered　lasaraleen。　〃what　shall　we　do　if　he　es　in here。　can　we　hide？”
there　was　a　soft　carpet　under　their　feet。　they　groped　forward　into　the　room and　blundered　on　to　a　sofa。
〃lets　lie　down　behind　it；〃　whimpered　lasaraleen。　〃oh；　i　do　wish　we　hadnt e。”
there　was　just　room　between　the　sofa　and　the　curtained　wall　and　the　two girls　got　down。
lasaraleen　managed　to　get　the　better　position　and　was　pletely　covered。 the　upper　part　of　araviss　face　stuck　out　beyond　the　sofa；　so　that　if　anyone　came into　that　room　with　a　light　and　happened　to　look　in　exactly　the　right　place　they　would　see　her。 but　of　course；　because　she　was　wearing　a　veil；　what　they　saw　would　not　at　once　look　like　a forehead　and
a　pair　of　eyes。　aravis　shoved　desperately　to　try　to　make　lasaraleen　give her　a　little　more　room。　but　lasaraleen；　now　quite　selfish　in　her　panic；　fought　back　and pinched　her　feet。
they　gave　it　up　and　lay　still；　panting　a　little。　their　own　breath　semed dreadfully　noisy；　but　there　was　no　other　noise。
〃is　it　safe？〃　said　aravis　at　last　in　the　tiniest　possible　whisper。
〃i　…　i　…　think　so；〃　began　lasaraleen。　〃but　my　poor　nerves　…〃　and　then　came the　most　terrible　noise　they　could　have　heard　at　that　moment：　the　noise　of　the　door opening。　and　then　came　light。　and　because　aravis　couldnt　get　her　head　any　further　in behind　the　sofa；　she　saw　everything。
first　came　the　two　slaves　（deaf　and　dumb；　as　aravis　rightly　guessed；　and therefore　used　at　the　most　secret　councils）　walking　backwards　and　carrying　the　candles。 they　took　up　their　stand　one　at　each　end　of　the　sofa。　this　was　a　good　thing；　for　of course　it　was　now　harder　for　anyone　to　see　aravis　once　a　slave　was　in　front　of　her　and　she was　looking　between　his　heels。　then　came　an　old　man；　very　fat；　wearing　a　curious pointed　cap　by　which　she　immediately　knew　that　he　was　the　tisroc。　the　least　of　the　jewels with　which　he　was　covered　was　worth　more　than　all　the　clothes　and　weapons　of　the narnian　lords　put　together：　but　he　was　so　fat　and　such　a　mass　of　frills　and　pleats　and bobbles　and　buttons　and　tassels　and　talismans　that　aravis　couldnt　help　thinking　the　narnian fashions　（at　any　rate　for　men）　looked　nicer。　after　him　came　a　tall　young　man　with　a feathered　and　jewelled　turban　on　his　head　and　an　ivory…sheathed　scimitar　at　his　side。　he seemed　very　excited　and　his　eyes　and　teeth　flashed　fiercely　in　the　candlelight。　last　of all　came　a　little　hump…backed；　wizened　old　man　in　whom　she　recognized　with　a　shudder　the　new grand　vizier　and　her　own　betrothed　husband；　ahoshta　tarkaan　himself。
as　soon　as　all　three　had　entered　the　room　and　the　door　was　shut；　the　tisroc seated　himself　on　the　divan　with　a　sigh　of　contentment；　the　young　man　took　his place；　standing　before　him；　and　the　grand　vizier　got　down　on　his　knees　and　elbows　and　laid his　face　flat　on　the　carpet。
。d 。
CHAPTER　EIGHT
。^生。网
in　the　house　of　the　tisroc 〃oh…my…father…and…oh…the…delight…of…my…eyes；〃　began　the　young　man； muttering　the　words　very　quickly　and　sulkily　and　not　at　all　as　if　the　tisroc　were　the delight　of　his　eyes。
〃may　you　live　for　ever；　but　you　have　utterly　destroyed　me。　if　you　had　given me　the　swiftest　of　the　galleys　at　sunrise　when　i　first　saw　that　the　ship　of　the accursed　barbarians　was　gone　from　her　place　i　would　perhaps　have　overtaken　them。　but　you persuaded　me　to　send　first　and　see　if　they　had　not　merely　moved　round　the　point　into　better anchorage。
and　now　the　whole　day　has　been　wasted。　and　they　are　gone　…　gone　…　out　of　my reach！
the　false　jade；　the…〃　and　here　he　added　a　great　many　descriptions　of　queen susan　which　would　not　look　at　all　nice　in　print。　for　of　course　this　young　man　was prince　rabadash　and　of　course　the　false　jade　was　susan　of　narnia。
〃pose　yourself；　o　my　son；〃　said　the　tisroc。　〃for　the　departure　of　guests makes　a　wound　that　is　easily　healed　in　the　heart　of　a　judicious　host。”
〃but　i　want　her；〃　cried　the　prince。　〃i　must　have　her。　i　shall　die　if　i　do not　get　her…　false；　proud；　black…hearted　daughter　of　a　dog　that　she　is！　i　cannot　sleep　and　my food　has　no　savour　and　my　eyes　are　darkened　because　of　her　beauty。　i　must　have　the barbarian　queen。”
〃how　well　it　was　said　by　a　gifted　poet；〃　observed　the　vizier；　raising　his face　（in　a　somewhat　dusty　condition）　from　the　carpet；　〃that　deep　draughts　from　the fountain　of　reason　are　desirable　in　order　to　extinguish　the　fire　of　youthful　love。”
this　seemed　to　exasperate　the　prince。　〃dog；〃　he　shouted；　directing　a　series of　well…aimed　kicks　at　the　hindquarters　of　the　vizier；　〃do　not　dare　to　quote　the　poets　to me。　i　have　had　maxi