《The Horse and His Boy》第24章

h；　pleasing　as　it　must　be　to　you　who　do　not　love　the　prince。　for　1　see　into　the　bottom of　your　mind。”
〃o　impeccable　tisroc；〃　said　the　vizier。　〃in　parison　with　you　i　love neither　the　prince　nor　my　own　life　nor　bread　nor　water　nor　the　light　of　the　sun。”
〃your　sentiments；〃　said　the　tisroc；　〃are　elevated　and　correct。　i　also　love none　of　these　things　in　parison　with　the　glory　and　strength　of　my　throne。　if　the prince　succeeds；　we　have　archenland；　and　perhaps　hereafter　narnia。　if　he　fails　…　i　have eighteen　other　sons　and　rabadash；　after　the　manner　of　the　eldest　sons　of　kings；　was　beginning to　be　dangerous。　more　than　five　tisrocs　in　tashbaan　have　died　before　their　time because　their　eldest　sons；　enlightened　princes；　grew　tired　of　waiting　for　their　throne。 he　had　better　cool　his　blood　abroad　than　boil　it　in　inaction　here。　and　now；　o　excellent vizier；　the　excess　of　my　paternal　anxiety　inclines　me　to　sleep。　mand　the　musicians　to　my chamber。　but　before　you　lie　down；　call　back　the　pardon　we　wrote　for　the　third　cook。　i feel　within　me　the　manifest　prognostics　of　indigestion。”
〃to　hear　is　to　obey；〃　said　the　grand　vizier。　he　crawled　backwards　on　all fours　to　the　door；　rose；　bowed；　and　went　out。　even　then　the　tisroc　remained　seated　in silence　on　the　divan　till　aravis　almost　began　to　be　afraid　that　he　had　dropped　asleep。　but at　last　with　a　great　creaking　and　sighing　he　heaved　up　his　enormous　body；　signed　to　the slaves　to　precede　him　with　the　lights；　and　went　out。　the　door　closed　behind　him；　the room　was　once　more　totally　dark；　and　the　two　girls　could　breathe　freely　again。
。d 。
CHAPTER　NINE
across　the　desert 〃hove　dreadful！　how　perfectly　dreadful！〃　whimpered　lasaraleen。　〃oh　darling； i　am　so　frightened。　im　shaking　all　over。　feel　me。”
〃e　on；〃　said　aravis；　who　was　trembling　herself。　〃theyve　gone　back　to the　new　palace。　once　were　out　of　this　room　were　safe　enough。　but　its　wasted　a terrible　time。　get　me　down　to　that　water…gate　as　quick　as　you　can。”
〃darling；　how　can　you？〃　squeaked　lasaraleen。　〃i　cant　do　anything　…　not now。　my　poor　nerves！　no：　we　must　just　lie　still　a　bit　and　then　go　back。”
〃why　back？〃　asked　aravis。
〃oh；　you　dont　understand。　youre　so　unsympathetic；〃　said　lasaraleen； beginning　to　cry。
aravis　decided　it　was　no　occasion　for　mercy。
〃look　here！〃　she　said；　catching　lasaraleen　and　giving　her　a　good　shake。　〃if you　say　another　word　about　going　back；　and　if　you　dont　start　taking　me　to　that water…gate　at　once
…　do　you　know　what　ill　do？　ill　rush　out　into　that　passage　and　scream。 then　well　both　be　caught。”
〃but　we　shall　both　be　k…k…killed！〃　said　lasaraleen。　〃didnt　you　hear　what the　tisroc　（may　he　live　for　ever）　said？”
〃yes；　and　id　sooner　be　killed　than　married　to　ahoshta。　so　e　on。”
〃oh　you　are　unkind；〃　said　lasaraleen。　〃and　i　in　such　a　state！”
but　in　the　end　she　had　to　give　in　to　aravis。　she　led　the　way　down　the　steps they　had　already　descended；　and　along　another　corridor　and　so　finally　out　into　the open　air。　they　were　now　in　the　palace　garden　which　sloped　down　in　terraces　to　the　city wall。　the　moon　shone　brightly。　one　of　the　drawbacks　about　adventures　is　that　when　you　e to　the　most　beautiful　places　you　are　often　too　anxious　and　hurried　to　appreciate　them； so　that　aravis　（though　she　remembered　them　years　later）　had　only　a　vague　impression　of grey　lawns；　quietly　bubbling　fountains；　and　the　long　black　shadows　of　cypress　trees。
when　they　re〃ached　the　very　bottom　and　the　wall　rose　frowning　above　them； lasaraleen　was　shaking　so　that　she　could　not　unbolt　the　gate。　aravis　did　it。　there；　at last；　was　the　river；　full　of　reflected　moonlight；　and　a　little　landing　stage　and　a　few pleasure　boats。
〃good…bye；〃　said　aravis；　〃and　thank　you。　im　sorry　if　ive　been　a　pig。　but think　what　im　flying　from！”
〃oh　aravis　darling；〃　said　lasaraleen。　〃wont　you　change　your　mind？　now　that youve　seen　what　a　very　great　man　ahoshta　is！”
〃great　man！〃　said　aravis。　〃a　hideous　grovelling　slave　who　flatters　when hes　kicked　but　treasures　it　all　up　and　hopes　to　get　his　own　back　by　egging　on　that horrible　tisroc　to　plot　his　sons　death。　faugh！　id　sooner　marry　my　fathers　scullion　than　a creature　like　that。”
〃oh　aravis；　aravis！　how　can　you　say　such　dreadful　things；　and　about　the tisroc　（may　he　live　for　ever）　too。　it　must　be　right　if　hes　going　to　do　it！”
〃good…bye；〃　said　aravis；　〃and　i　thought　your　dresses　lovely。　and　i　think your　house　is　lovely　too。　im　sure　youll　have　a　lovely　life　…　though　it　wouldnt　suit me。　close　the　door　softly　behind　me。”
she　tore　herself　away　from　her　friends　affectionate　embraces；　stepped　into a　punt；　cast　off；　and　a　moment　later　was　out　in　midstream　with　a　huge　real　moon　overhead and　a　huge　reflected　moon　down；　deep　down；　in　the　river。　the　air　was　fresh　and　cool and　as　she　drew　near　the　farther　bank　she　heard　the　hooting　of　an　owl。　〃ah！　thats　better！〃 thought　aravis。　she　had　always　lived　in　the　country　and　had　hated　every　minute　of her　time　in　tashbaan。
when　she　stepped　ashore　she　found　herself　in　darkness　for　the　rise　of　the ground；　and　the　trees；　cut　off　the　moonlight。　but　she　managed　to　find　the　same　road　that shasta　had　found；　and　came　just　as　he　had　done　to　the　end　of。　the　grass　and　the beginning　of　the　sand；　and　looked　（like　him）　to　her　left　and　saw　the　big；　black　tombs。　and now　at　last；　brave　girl　though　she　was；　her　heart　quailed。　supposing　the　others　werent there！
supposing　the　ghouls　were！　but　she　stuck　out　her　chin　（and　a　little　bit　of her　tongue　too）
and　went　straight　towards　them。
but　before　she　had　reached　them　she　saw　bree　and　hwin　and　the　groom。
〃you　can　go　back　to　your　mistress　now；〃　said　aravis　（quite　forgetting　that he　couldnt；　until　the　city　gates　opened　next　morning）。　〃here　is　money　for　your　pains。”
〃to　hear　is　to　obey；〃　said　the　groom；　and　at　once　set　off　at　a　remarkable speed　in　the　direction　of　the　city。　there　was　no　need　to　tell　him　to　make　haste：　he　also had　been　thinking　a　good　deal　about　ghouls。
for　the　next　few　seconds　aravis　was　busy　kissing　the　noses　and　patting　the necks　of　hwin　and　bree　just　as　if　they　were　quite　ordinary　horses。
〃and　here　es　shasta！　thanks　be