《The Horse and His Boy》第23章

〃and　how　if　the　splendour　hyaline　is　at　cair　paravel　before　you？”
〃i　do　not　look　for　that　with　these　winds；　o　my　father。”
〃and　lastly；　o　my　resourceful　son；〃　said　the　tisroc；　〃you　have　made　clear how　all　this　might　give　you　the　barbarian　woman；　but　not　how　it　helps　me　to　the　over…　throwing　of　narnia。”
〃o　my　father；　can　it　have　escaped　you　that　though　i　and　my　horsemen　will e　and　go　through　narnia　like　an　arrow　from　a　bow；　yet　we　shall　have　anvard　for　ever？ and　when　you　hold　anvard　you　sit　in　the　very　gate　of　narnia；　and　your　garrison　in anvard　can　be　increased　by　little　and　little　till　it　is　a　great　host。”
〃it　is　spoken　with　understanding　and　foresight。　but　how　do　i　draw　back　my arm　if　all　this　miscarries？”
〃you　shall　say　that　i；　did　it　without　your　knowledge　and　against　your　will； and　without　your　blessing；　being　constrained　by　the　violence　of　my　love　and　the impetuosity　of　youth。”
〃and　how　if　the　high　king　then　demands　that　we　send　back　the　barbarian woman；　his　sister？”
〃o　my　father；　be　assured　that　he　will　not。　for　though　the　fancy　of　a　woman has　rejected　this　marriage；　the　high　king　peter　is　a　man　of　prudence　and　understanding who　will　in　no　way　wish　to　lose　the　high　honour　and　advantage　of　being　allied　to　our house　and　seeing　his　nephew　and　grand　nephew　on　the　throne　of　calormen。”
〃he　will　not　see　that　if　i　live　for　ever　as　is　no　doubt　your　wish；〃　said the　tisroc　in　an　even　drier　voice　than　usual。
〃and　also；　o　my　father　and　o　the　delight　of　my　eyes；〃　said　the　prince； after　a　moment　of　awkward　silence；　〃we　shall　write　letters　as　if　from　the　queen　to　say　that she　loves　me　and　has　no　desire　to　return　to　narnia。　for　it　is　well　known　that　women　are　as changeable　as　weathercocks。　and　even　if　they　do　not　wholly　believe　the　letters；　they　will not　dare　to　e　to　tashbaan　in　arms　to　fetch　her。”
〃o　enlightened　vizier；〃　said　the　tisroc；　〃bestow　your　wisdom　upon　us concerning　this　strange　proposal。”
〃o　eternal　tisroc；〃　answered　ahosta；　〃the　strength　of　paternal　affection　is not　unknown　to　me　and　i　have　often　heard　that　sons　are　in　the　eyes　of　their　fathers more　precious　than　carbuncles。　how　then　shall　i　dare　freely　to　unfold　to　you　my　mind　in　a matter　which　may　imperil　the　life　of　this　exalted　prince？”
〃undoubtedly　you　will　dare；〃　replied　the　tisroc。
〃because　you　will　find　that　the　dangers　of　not　doing　so　are　at　least equally　great。”
〃to　hear　is　to　obey；〃　moaned　the　wretched　man。　〃know　then；　o　most reasonable　tisroc；　in　the　first　place；　that　the　danger　of　the　prince　is　not　altogether　so great　as　might　appear。
for　the　gods　have　withheld　from　the　barbarians　the　light　of　discretion；　as that　their　poetry　is　not；　like　ours；　full　of　choice　apophthegms　and　useful　maxims；　but　is　all of　love　and　war。　therefore　nothing　will　appear　to　them　more　noble　and　admirable　than such　a　mad　enterprise　as　this　of　ow！〃　for　the　prince；　at　the　word　〃mad〃；　had　kicked him　again。
〃desist；　o　my　son；〃　said　the　tisroc。　〃and　you；　estimable　vizier；　whether　he desists　or　not；　by　no　means　allow　the　flow　of　your　eloquence　to　be　interrupted。　for nothing　is　more　suitable　to　persons　of　gravity　and　decorum　than　to　endure　minor inconveniences　with　constancy。”
〃to　hear　is　to　obey；〃　said　the　vizier；　wriggling　himself　round　a　little　so as　to　get　his　hinder　parts　further　away　from　rabadashs　toe。　〃nothing；　i　say；　will　seem as　pardonable；　if　not　estimable；　in　their　eyes　as　this　…　er　…　hazardous　attempt； especially　because　it　is　undertaken　for　the　love　of　a　woman。　therefore；　if　the　prince　by　misfortune fell　into　their　hands；　they　would　assuredly　not　kill　him。　nay；　it　may　even　be；　that　though he　failed　to
carry　off　the　queen；　yet　the　sight　of　his　great　valour　and　of　the　extremity of　his　passion　might　incline　her　heart　to　him。”
〃that　is　a　good　point；　old　babbler；〃　said　rabadash。　〃very　good；　however　it came　into　your　ugly　head。”
〃the　praise　of　my　masters　is　the　light　of　my　eyes；〃　said　ahoshta。　〃and secondly；　o　tisroc；　whose　reign　must　and　shall　be　interminable；　i　think　that　with　the aid　of　the　gods　it　is　very　likely　that　anvard　will　fall　into　the　princes　hands。　and　if　so；　we have　narnia　by　the　throat。”
there　was　a　long　pause　and　the　room　became　so　silent　that　the　two　girls hardly　dared　to　breathe。　at　last　the　tisroc　spoke。
〃go；　my　son；〃　he　said。　〃and　do　as　you　have　said。　but　expect　no　help　nor countenance　from　me。　i　will　not　avenge　you　if　you　are　killed　and　i　will　not　deliver　you if　the　barbarians　cast　you　into　prison。　and　if；　either　in　success　or　failure；　you shed　a　drop　more　than　you　need　of　narnian　noble　blood　and　open　war　arises　from　it；　my　favour shall　never　fall　upon　you　again　and　your　next　brother　shall　have　your　place　in calormen。　now　go。　be　swift；　secret；　and　fortunate。　may　the　strength　of　tash　the　inexorable；　the irresistible　be　in　your　sword　and　lance。”
〃to　hear　is　to　obey；〃　cried　rabadash；　and　after　kneeling　for　a　moment　to kiss　his　fathers　hands　he　rushed　from　the　room。　greatly　to　the　disappointment　of　aravis；　who was　now　horribly　cramped；　the　tisroc　and　vizier　remained。
〃o　vizier；〃　said　the　tisroc；　〃is　it　certain　that　no　living　soul　knows　of this　council　we　three　have　held　here　tonight？”
〃o　my　master；〃　said　ahoshta；　〃it　is　not　possible　that　any　should　know。　for that　very　reason　i　proposed；　and　you　in　your　wisdom　agreed；　that　we　should　meet　here in　the　old　palace　where　no　council　is　ever　held　and　none　of　the　household　has　any occasion　to　e。”
〃it　is　well；〃　said　the　tisroc。　〃if　any　man　knew；　i　would　see　to　it　that　he died　before　an　hour　had　passed。　and　do　you　also；　o　prudent　vizier；　forget　it。　i　sponge away　from　my　own　heart　and　from　yours　all　knowledge　of　the　princes　plans。　he　is　gone without　my　knowledge　or　my　consent；　i　know　not　whither；　because　of　his　violence　and the　rash　and　disobedient　disposition　of　youth。　no　man　will　be　more　astonished　than　you and　i　to　hear　that　anvard　is　in　his　hands。”
〃to　hear　is　to　obey；〃　said　ahoshta。
〃that　is　why　you　will　never　think　even　in　your　secret　heart　that　i　am　the hardest　hearted　of　fathers　who　thus　send　my　first…born　son　on　an　errand　so　likely　to　be　his death；　pleasing　a