《The Horse and His Boy》第29章

nt　understand　what　delightfully　springy　stuff　the　bed　was　made　of；　because　it was　made　of　heather　（which　is　the　best　bedding）　and　heather　was　a　thing　she　had　never seen　or　heard　of。
the　door　opened　and　the　hermit　entered；　carrying　a　large　wooden　bowl　in　his hand。　after　carefully　setting　this　down；　he　came　to　the　bedside；　and　asked： 〃how　do　you　find　yourself；　my　daughter？”
〃my　back　is　very　sore；　father；〃　said　aravis；　〃but　there　is　nothing　else wrong　with　me。”
he　knelt　beside　her；　laid　his　hand　on　her　forehead；　and　felt　her　pulse。
〃there　is　no　fever；〃　he　said。　〃you　will　do　well。　indeed　there　is　no　reason why　you　should　not　get　up　tomorrow。　but　now；　drink　this。”
he　fetched　the　wooden　bowl　and　held　it　to　her　lips。　aravis　couldnt　help making　a　face　when　she　tasted　it；　for　goats　milk　is　rather　a　shock　when　you　are　not　used to　it。　but　she　was　very　thirsty　and　managed　to　drink　it　all　and　felt　better　when　she　had finished。
〃now；　my　daughter；　you　may　sleep　when　you　wish；〃　said　the　hermit。　〃for　your wounds　are　washed　and　dressed　and　though　they　smart　they　are　no　more　serious　than if　they　had　been　the　cuts　of　a　whip。　it　must　have　been　a　very　strange　lion；　for instead…of　catching　you　out　of　the　saddle　and　getting　his　teeth　into　you；　he　has　only　drawn　his claws　across　your　back。　ten　scratches：　sore；　but　not　deep　or　dangerous。”
〃i　say！〃　said　aravis。　〃i　have　had　luck。”
〃daughter；〃　said　the　hermit；　〃i　have　now　lived　a　hundred　and　nine　winters in　this　world　and　have　never　yet　met　any　such　thing　as　luck。　them　is　something　about　all this　that　i　do　not　understand：　but　if　ever　we　need　to　know　it；　you　may　be　sure　that　we shall。”
〃and　what　about　rabadash　and　his　two　hundred　horse？〃　asked　aravis。
〃they　will　not　pass　this　way；　i　think；〃　said　the　hermit。　〃they　must　have found　a　ford　by　now　well　to　the　east　of　us。　from　there　they　will　try　to　ride　straight　to anvard。”
〃poor　shasta！〃　said　aravis。　〃has　he　far　to　go？　will　he　get　there　first？”
〃there　is　good　hope　of　it；〃　said　the　old　man。
aravis　lay　down　again　（on　her　side　this　time）　and　said；　〃have　i　been　asleep for　a　long　time？　it　seems　to　be　getting　dark。”
the　hermit　was　looking　out　of　the　only　window；　which　faced　north。　〃this　is not　the　darkness　of　night；〃　he　said　presently。　〃the　clouds　are　falling　down　from stormness　head。
our　foul　weather　always　es　from　there　in　these　parts。　there　will　be thick　fog　tonight。”
next　day；　except　for　her　sore　back；　aravis　felt　so　well　that　after breakfast　（which　was　porridge　and　cream）　the　hermit　said　she　could　get　up。　and　of　course　she　at once　went　out　to　speak　to　the　horses。　the　weather　had　changed　and　the　whole　of　that　green enclosure　was　filled；　like　a　great　green　cup；　with　sunlight。　it　was　a　very　peaceful place；　lonely　and　quiet。
hwin　at　once　trotted　across　to　aravis　and　gave　her　a　horse…kiss。
〃but　wheres　bree？〃　said　aravis　when　each　had　asked　after　the　others health　and　sleep。
〃over　there；〃　said　hwin；　pointing　with　her　nose　to　the　far　side　of　the circle。　〃and　i　wish　youd　e　and　talk　to　him。　theres　something　wrong；　i　cant　get　a　word　out of　him。”
they　strolled　across　and　found　bree　lying　with　his　face　towards　the　wall； and　though　he　must　have　heard　them　ing；　he　never　turned　his　head　or　spoke　a　word。
〃good　morning；　bree；〃　said　aravis。　〃how　are　you　this　morning？”
bree　muttered　something　that　no　one　could　hear。
〃the　hermit　says　that　shasta　probably　got　to　king　lune　in　time；〃　continued aravis；　〃so　it　looks　as　if　all　our　troubles　are　over。　narnia；　at　last；　bree！”
〃i　shall　never　see　narnia；〃　said　bree　in　a　low　voice。
〃arent　you　well；　bree　dear？〃　said　aravis。
bree　turned　round　at　last；　his　face　mournful　as　only　a　horses　can　be。
〃i　shall　go　back　to　calormen；〃　he　said。
〃what？〃　said　aravis。　〃back　to　slavery！”
〃yes；〃　said　bree。　〃slavery　is　all　im　fit　for。　how　can　i　ever　show　my　face among　the　free　horses　of　narnia？　…　i　who　left　a　mare　and　a　girl　and　a　boy　to　be　eaten　by lions　while　i　galloped　all　i　could　to　save　my　own　wretched　skin！”
〃we　all　ran　as　hard　as　we　could；〃　said　hwin。
〃shasta　didnt！〃　snorted　bree。　〃at　least　he　ran　in　the　right　direction：　ran back。　and　that　is　what　shames　me　most　of　all。　i；　who　called　myself　a　war…horse　and　boasted　of a　hundred　fights；　to　be　beaten　by　a　little　human　boy　…　a　child；　a　mere　foal；　who　had never　held　a　sword　nor　had　any　good　nurture　or　example　in　his　life！”
〃i　know；〃　said　aravis。　〃i　felt　just　the　same。　shasta　was　marvellous。　im just　as　bad　as　you；　bree。　ive　been　snubbing　him　and　looking　down　on　him　ever　since　you　met　us and　now　he　turns　out　to　be　the　best　of　us　all。　but　i　think　it　would　be　better　to stay　and　say　were　sorry　than　to　go　back　to　calormen。”
〃its　all　very　well　for　you；〃　said　bree。　〃you　havent　disgraced　yourself。 but　ive　lost　everything。”
〃my　good　horse；〃　said　the　hermit；　who　had　approached　them　unnoticed　because his　bare　feet　made　so　little　noise　on　that　sweet；　dewy　grass。　〃my　good　horse；　youve lost　nothing　but　your　self…conceit。　no；　no；　cousin。　dont　put　back　your　ears　and　shake your　mane　at　me。　if　you　are　really　so　humbled　as　you　sounded　a　minute　ago；　you　must learn　to　listen　to　sense。　youre　not　quite　the　great　horse　you　had　e　to　think；　from　living among　poor　dumb　horses。　of　course　you　were　braver　and　cleverer　than　them。　you　could hardly　help　being　that。　it　doesnt　follow　that　youll　be　anyone　very　special　in　narnia。 but　as　long　as　you　know　youre　nobody　special；　youll　be　a　very　decent　sort　of　horse；　on the　whole；　and　taking　one　thing　with　another。　and　now；　if　you　and　my　other　four…footed cousin　will　e　round　to　the　kitchen　door　well　see　about　the　other　half　of　that mash。”
。d　xs　
CHAPTER　ELEVEN
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the　unwele　fellow　traveller
when　shasta　went　through　the　gate　he　found　a　slope　of　grass　and　a　little heather　running　up　before　him　to　some　trees。　he　had　nothing　to　think　about　now　and no　plans　to　make：　he　had　only　to　run；　and　that　was　quite　enough。　his　limbs　were shaking；　a　terrible　stitch　was　beginning　in　his　side；　and　the　sweat　that　kept　dropping　into　his eyes　blinded　them　and　made　them　smart。　he　was　unsteady　on　his　feet　too；　and　more　than once　he　nea