《The Horse and His Boy》第27章

e　him　go　on；　he　would　have　found that　he　was　good　for　several　hours　hard　going。　but　one　of　the　worst　results　of being　a　slave　and　being　forced　to　do　things　is　that　when　there　is　no　one　to　force　you　any more　you　find　you　have　almost　lost　the　power　of　forcing　yourself。
so　they　had　to　wait　while　bree　had　a　snack　and　a　drink；　and　of　course　hwin and　the　children　had　a　snack　and　a　drink　too。　it　must　have　been　nearly　eleven oclock　in　the　morning　before　they　finally　got　going　again。　and　even　then　bree　took　things much　more　gently　than　yesterday。　it　was　really　hwin；　though　she　was　the　weaker　and more　tired　of　the　two；　who　set　the　pace。
the　valley　itself；　with　its　brown；　cool　river；　and　grass　and　moss　and　wild flowers　and　rhododendrons；　was　such　a　pleasant　place　that　it　made　you　want　to　ride slowly。
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CHAPTER　TEN
小说
the　hermit　of　the　southern　march after　they　had　ridden　for　several　hours　down　the　valley；　it　widened　out　and they　could　see　what　was　ahead　of　them。　the　river　which　they　had　been　following　here joined　a　broader　river；　wide　and　turbulent；　which　flowed　from　their　left　to　their right；　towards　the　east。　beyond　this　new　river　a　delightful　country　rose　gently　in　low　hills； ridge　beyond　ridge；　to　the　northern　mountains　themselves。　to　the　right　there　were　rocky pinnacles；　one　or　two　of　them　with　snow　clinging　to　the　ledges。　to　the　left；　pine…clad slopes；　frowning　cliffs；　narrow　gorges；　and　blue　peaks　stretched　away　as　far　as　the eye　could　reach。　he　could　no　longer　make　out　mount　pire。　straight　ahead　the　mountain range　sank　to　a　wooded　saddle　which　of　course　must　be　the　pass　from　archenland　into narnia。
〃broo…hoo…hoo；　the　north；　the　green　north！〃　neighed　bree：　and　certainly　the lower　hills　looked　greener　and　fresher　than　anything　that　aravis　and　shasta；　with　their southern…bred　eyes；　had　ever　imagined。　spirits　rose　as　they　clattered　down　to　the waters…meet　of　the　two　rivers。
the　eastern…flowing　river；　which　was　pouring　from　the　higher　mountains　at the　western　end　of　the　range；　was　far　too　swift　and　too　broken　with　rapids　for　them　to think　of　swimming　it；　but　after　some　casting　about；　up　and　down　the　bank；　they　found a　place　shallow　enough　to　wade。　the　roar　and　clatter　of　water；　the　great　swirl against　the　horses　fetlocks；　the　cool；　stirring　air　and　the　darting　dragon…flies；　filled shasta　with　a　strange　excitement。
〃friends；　we　are　in　archenland！〃　said　bree　proudly　as　he　splashed　and churned　his　way　out　on　the　northern　bank。　〃i　think　that　river　weve　just　crossed　is　called the　winding　arrow。”
〃i　hope　were　in　time；〃　murmured　hwin。
then　they　began　going　up；　slowly　and　zigzagging　a　good　deal；　for　the　hills were　steep。　it　was　all　open　park…like　country　with　no　roads　or　houses　in　sight。　scattered trees；　never　thick　enough　to　be　a　forest；　were　everywhere。　shasta；　who　had　lived　all　his life　in　an　almost　tree…less　grassland；　had　never　seen　so　many　or　so　many　kinds。　if　you had　been　there　you　would　probably　have　known　（he　didnt）　that　he　was　seeing　oaks； beeches；　silver　birches；　rowans；　and　sweet　chestnuts。　rabbits　scurried　away　in　every direction　as　they　advanced；　and　presently　they　saw　a　whole　herd　of　fallow　deer　making　off among　the　trees。
〃isnt　it　simply　glorious！〃　said　aravis。
at　the　first　ridge　shasta　turned　in　the　saddle　and　looked　back。　there　was no　sign　of　tashbaan；　the　desert；　unbroken　except　by　the　narrow　green　crack　which　they had　travelled　down；　spread　to　the　horizon。
〃hullo！〃　he　said　suddenly。　〃whats　that！”
〃whats　what？〃　said　bree；　turning　round。　hwin　and　aravis　did　the　same。
〃that；〃　said　shasta；　pointing。　〃it　looks　like　smoke。　is　it　a　fire？”
〃sand…storm；　i　should　say；〃　said　bree。
〃not　much　wind　to　raise　it；〃　said　aravis。
〃oh！〃　exclaimed　hwin。　〃look！　there　are　things　flashing　in　it。　look！　theyre helmets　…　and　armour。　and　its　moving：　moving　this　way。”
〃by　tash！〃　said　aravis。　〃its　the　army。　its　rabadash。”
〃oh　course　it　is；〃　said　hwin。　〃just　what　i　was　afraid　of。　quick！　we　must get　to　anvard　before　it。〃　and　without　another　word　she　whisked　round　and　began　galloping north。　bree　tossed　his　head　and　did　the　same。
〃e　on；　bree；　e　on；〃　yelled　aravis　over　her　shoulder。
the　race　was　very　gruelling　for　the　horses。　as　they　topped　each　ridge　they found　another　valley　and　another　ridge　beyond　it；　and　though　they　knew　they　were　going　in more　or　less　the　right　direction；　no　one　knew　how　far　it　was　to　anvard。　from　the　top　of the　second　ridge　shasta　looked　back　again。　instead　of　a　dust…cloud　well　out　in　the desert　he　now　saw　a　black；　moving　mass；　rather　like　ants；　on　the　far　bank　of　the　winding arrow。　they　were　doubtless　looking　for　a　ford。
〃theyre　on　the　river！〃　he　yelled　wildly。
〃quick！　quick！〃　shouted　aravis。　〃we　might　as　well　not　have　e　at　all　if we　dont　reach　anvard　in　time。　gallop；　bree；　gallop。　remember　youre　a　war…horse。”
it　was　all　shasta　could　do　to　prevent　himself　from　shouting　out　similar instructions；　but　he　thought；　〃the　poor　chaps　doing　all　he　can　already；〃　and　held　his tongue。　and　certainly　both　horses　were　doing；　if　not　all　they　could；　all　they　thought　they　could； which　is　not　quite　the　same　thing。　bree　had　caught　up　with　hwin　and　they　thundered　side by　side　over　the　turf。　it　didnt　look　as　if　hwin　could　possibly　keep　it　up　much　longer。
at　that　moment　everyones　feelings　were　pletely　altered　by　a　sound　from behind。　it　was　not　the　sound　they　had　been　expecting　to　hear　…　the　noise　of　hoofs　and jingling　armour；　mixed；　perhaps；　with　calormene　battle…cries。　yet　shasta　knew　it　at once。　it　was　the　same　snarling　roar　he　had　heard　that　moonlit　night　when　they　first　met aravis　and　hwin。　bree　knew　it　too。　his　eyes　gleamed　red　and　his　ears　lay　flat　back　on his　skull。　and　bree　now　discovered　that　he　had　not　really　been　going　as　fast　…　not　quite as　fast　…　as　he　could。　shasta　felt　the　change　at　once。　now　they　were　really　going　all　out。 in　a　few　seconds　they　were　well　ahead　of　hwin。
〃its　not　fair；〃　thought　shasta。　〃i　did　think　wed　be　safe　from　lions here！”
he　looked　over　his　shoulder。　everything　was　only　too　clear。　a　huge　tawny creature；　its　body　low　to　the　ground；　like　a　cat　streaking　across　t