《The Horse and His Boy》第26章

reathing　was　noisy。　the　children were　pale。
after　a　very　short　rest　they　went　on　again。　same　noises；　same　smells；　same glare；　till　at　last　their　shadows　began　to　fall　on　their　right；　and　then　got　longer　and longer　till　they　seemed　to　stretch　out　to　the　eastern　end　of　the　world。　very　slowly　the　sun drew　nearer　to　the　western　horizon。　and　now　at　last　he　was　down　and；　thank　goodness；　the merciless　glare　was　gone；　though　the　heat　ing　up　from　the　sand　was　still　as　bad　as ever。　four　pairs　of　eyes　were　looking　out　eagerly　for　any　sign　of　the　valley　that sallowpad　the　raven　had　spoken　about。　but；　mile　after　mile；　there　was　nothing　but　level sand。　and　now　the　day　was　quite　definitely　done；　and　most　of　the　stars　were　out；　and still　the　horses　thundered　on　and　the　children　rose　and　sank　in　their　saddles；　miserable with　thirst　and　weariness。　not　till　the　moon　had　risen　did　shasta　…　in　the　strange；　barking voice　of　someone　whose　mouth　is　perfectly　dry…shout　out： 〃there　it　is！”
there　was　no　mistaking　it　now。　ahead；　and　a　little　to　their　right；　there was　at　last　a　slope：　a　slope　downward　and　hummocks　of　rock　on　each　side。　the　horses　were　far　too tired　to　speak　but　they　swung　round　towards　it　and　in　a　minute　or　two　they　were entering　the　gully。　at　first　it　was　worse　in　there　than　it　had　been　out　in　the　open desert；　for　there　was　a　breathless　stuffiness　between　the　rocky　walls　and　less　moonlight。　the　slope continued
steeply　downwards　and　the　rocks　on　either　hand　rose　to　the　height　of cliffs。　then　they　began　to　meet　vegetation　…　prickly　cactus…like　plants　and　coarse　grass　of the　kind　that　would　prick　your　fingers。　soon　the　horse…hoofs　were　falling　on　pebbles　and stones　instead　of　sand。　round　every　bend　of　the　valley　…　and　it　had　many　bends　… they　looked　eagerly　for　water。　the　horses　were　nearly　at　the　end　of　their　strength　now； and　hwin；　stumbling　and　panting；　was　lagging　behind　bree。　they　were　almost　in　despair before　at　last　they　came　to　a　little　muddiness　and　a　tiny　trickle　of　water　through softer　and　better　grass。　and　the　trickle　became　a　brook；　and　the　brook　became　a　stream　with bushes　on　each　side；　and　the　stream　became　a　river　and　there　came　（after　more disappointments　than　i　could　possibly　describe）　…a　moment　when　shasta；　who　had　been　in　a　kind　of doze；　suddenly　realized　that　bree　had　stopped　and　found　himself　slipping　off。 before　them　a　little　cataract　of　water　poured　into　a　broad　pool：　and　both　the　horses　were already　in　the　pool　with　their　heads　down；　drinking；　drinking；　drinking。　〃o…o…oh；〃　said shasta　and　plunged　in　…　it　was　about　up　to　his　knees　…　and　stooped　his　head　right　into the　cataract。　it　was　perhaps　the　loveliest　moment　in　his　life。
it　was　about　ten　minutes　later　when　all　four　of　them　（the　two　children　wet nearly　all　over）
came　out　and　began　to　notice　their　surroundings。　the　moon　was　now　high enough　to　peep　down　into　the　valley。　there　was　soft　grass　on　both　sides　of　the　river；　and beyond　the　grass；　trees　and　bushes　sloped　up　to　the　bases　of　the　cliffs。　there　must have　been　some　wonderful　flowering　shrubs　hidden　in　that　shadowy　undergrowth　for　the　whole glade　was　full　of　the　coolest　and　most　delicious　smells。　and　out　of　the　darkest recess　among　the　trees　there　came　a　sound　shasta　had　never　heard　beforea　nightingale。
everyone　was　much　too　tired　to　speak　or　to　eat。　the　horses；　without　waiting to　be　unsaddled；　lay　down　at　once。　so　did　aravis　and　shasta。
about　ten　minutes　later　the　careful　hwin　said；　〃but　we　mustnt　go　to　sleep。 weve　got　to　keep　ahead　of　that　rabadash。”
〃no；〃　said　bree　very　slowly。　〃mustnt　go　sleep。　just　a　little　rest。”
shasta　knew　（for　a　moment）　that　they　would　all　go　to　sleep　if　he　didnt　get up　and　do　something　about　it；　and　felt　that　he　ought　to。　in　fact　he　decided　that　he would　get　up　and　persuade　them　to　go　on。　but　presently；　not　yet：　not　just　yet。。。
very　soon　the　moon　shone　and　the　nightingale　sang　over　two　horses　and　two human　children；　all　fast　asleep。
it　was　aravis　who　awoke　first。　the　sun　was　already　high　in　the　heavens　and the　cool　morning　hours　were　already　wasted。　〃its　my　fault；〃　she　said　to　herself furiously　as　she　jumped　up　and　began　rousing　the　others。　〃one　wouldnt　expect　horses　to　keep awake　after　a　days　work　like　that；　even　if　they　can　talk。　and　of　course　that　boy wouldnt；　hes　had　no　decent　training。　but　i　ought　to　have　known　better。”
the　others　were　dazed　and　stupid　with　the　heaviness　of　their　sleep。
〃neigh…ho　…　broo…hoo；〃　said　bree。　〃been　sleeping　in　my　saddle；　eh？　ill never　do　that　again。　most　unfortable…”
〃oh　e　on；　e　on；〃　said　aravis。　〃weve　lost　half　the　morning　already。 there　isnt　a　moment　to　spare。”
〃a　fellows　got　to　have　a　mouthful　of　grass；〃　said　bree。
im　afraid　we　cant　wait；〃　said　aravis。
〃whats　the　terrible　hurry？〃　said　bree。　〃weve　crossed　the　desert；　havent we？”
〃but　were　not　in　archenland　yet；〃　said　aravis。　〃and　weve　got　to　get　there before　rabadash。”
〃oh；　we　must　be　miles　ahead　of　him；〃　said　bree。　〃havent　we　been　ing　a shorter　way？　didnt　that　raven　friend　of　yours　say　this　was　a　short　cut；　shasta？”
〃he　didnt　say　anything　about　shorter；〃　answered　shasta。　〃he　only　said better；　because　you　got　to　a　river　this　way。　if　the　oasis　is　due　north　of　tashbaan；　then im　afraid　this　may　be　longer。”
〃well　i　cant　go　on　without　a　snack；〃　said　bree。　〃take　my　bridle　off； shasta。”
〃p…please；〃　said　hwin；　very　shyly；　〃i　feel　just　like　bree　that　i　cant　go on。　but　when　horses　have　humans　（with　spurs　and　things）　on　their　backs；　arent　they often　made　to　go　on　when　theyre　feeling　like　this？　and　then　they　find　they　can。　i　m…mean　… oughtnt　we　to　be　able　to　do　even　more；　now　that　were　free。　its　all　for　narnia。”
〃i　think；　maam；〃　said　bree　very　crushingly；　〃that　i　know　a　little　more about　campaigns　and　forced　marches　and　what　a　horse　can　stand　than　you　do。”
to　this　hwin　made　no　answer；　being；　like　most　highly　bred　mares；　a　very nervous　and　gentle　person　who　was　easily　put　down。　in　reality　she　was　quite　right；　and if　bree　had　had　a　tarkaan　on　his　back　at　that　moment　to　make　him　go　on；　he　would　have　found that　he　was　good　for　several　hours　hard　going。　but　one　of　the　wors