《The Horse and His Boy》第38章

hat　challenge　a week　ago；　ill　answer　for　it　there　was　no　one　in　king　edmunds　dominion；　from　the　high king　down　to　the　smallest　talking　mouse；　who　would　have　refused　it。　but　by　attacking　our castle　of　anvard　in　time　of　peace　without　defiance　sent；　you　have　proved　yourself　no knight；　but　a　traitor；　and　one　rather　to　be　whipped　by　the　hangman　than　to　be　suffered　to cross　swords　with　any　person　of　honour。　take　him　down；　bind　him；　and　carry　him　within till　our　pleasure　is　further　known。”
strong　hands　wrenched　rabadashs　sword　from　him　and　he　was　carried　away into　the　castle；　shouting；　threatening；　cursing；　and　even　crying。　for　though　he could　have　faced　torture　he　couldnt　bear　being　made　ridiculous。　in　tashbaan　everyone　had always　taken　him　seriously。
at　that　moment　corin　ran　up　to　shasta；　seized　his　hand　and　started　dragging him　towards　king　lune。　〃here　he　is；　father；　here　he　is；〃　cried　corin。
〃aye；　and　here　thou　art；　at　last；〃　said　the　king　in　a　very　gruff　voice。 〃and　bast　been　in　the　battle；　clean　contrary　to　your　obedience。　a　boy　to　break　a　fathers　heart！ at　your　age　a　rod　to　your　breech　were　fitter　than　a　sword　in　your　fist；　ha！〃　but　everyone； including　corin；　could　see　that　the　king　was　very　proud　of　him。
〃chide　him　no　more；　sire；　if　it　please　you；〃　said　lord　darrin。　〃his highness　would　not　be　your　son　if　he　did　not　inherit　your　conditions。　it　would　grieve　your majesty　more　if　he　had　to　be　reproved　for　the　opposite　fault。”
〃well；　well；〃　grumbled　the　king。　〃well　pass　it　over　for　this　time。　and　now …〃 what　came　next　surprised　shasta　as　much　as　anything　that　had　ever　happened to　him　in　his　life。　he　found　himself　suddenly　embraced　inn　bear…like　hug　by　king　lune and　kissed　on　both　cheeks。　then　the　king　set　him　down　again　and　said；　〃stand　here together；　boys；　and　let　all　the　court　see　you。　hold　up　your　heads。　now；　gentlemen；　look　on them　both。
has　any　man　any　doubts？”
and　still　shasta　could　not　understand　why　everyone　stared　at　him　and　at corin　nor　what　all　the　cheering　was　about。
。d　xs　
CHAPTER　FOURTEEN
how　bree　became　a　wiser　horse we　must　now　return　to　aravis　and　the　horses。　the　hermit；　watching　his　pool； was　able　to　tell　them　that　shasta　was　not　killed　or　even　seriously　wounded；　for　he saw　him　get　up　and　saw　how　affectionately　he　was　greeted　by　king　lune。　but　as　he　could only　see；　not　hear；　he　did　not　know　what　anyone　was　saying　and；　once　the　fighting　had stopped　and　the　talking　had　begun；　it　was　not　worth　while　looking　in　the　pool　any　longer。
next　morning；　while　the　hermit　was　indoors；　the　three　of　them　discussed what　they　should　do　next。
〃ive　had　enough　of　this；〃　said　hwin。　〃the　hermit　has　been　very　good　to　us and　im　very　much　obliged　to　him　im　sure。　but　im　getting　as　fat　as　a　pet　pony；　eating all　day　and　getting　no　exercise。　lets　go　on　to　narnia。”
〃oh　not　today；　maam；〃　said　bree。　〃i　wouldnt　hurry　things。　some　other　day； dont　you　think？”
〃we　must　see　shasta　first　and　say　good…bye　to　him　…　and　…　and　apologize；〃 said　aravis。
〃exactly！〃　said　bree　with　great　enthusiasm。　〃just　what　i　was　going　to　say。”
〃oh；　of　course；〃　said　hwin。　〃i　expect　he　is　in　anvard。　naturally　wed　look in　on　him　and　say　good…bye。　but　thats　on　our　way。　and　why　shouldnt　we　start　at　once？ after　all；　i　thought　it　was　narnia　we　all　wanted　to　get　to？”
〃i　suppose　so；〃　said　aravis。　she　was　beginning　to　wonder　what　exactly　she would　do　when　she　got　there　and　was　feeling　a　little　lonely。
〃of　course；　of　course；〃　said　bree　hastily。　〃but　theres　no　need　to　rush things；　if　you　know　what　i　mean。”
〃no；　i　dont　know　what　you　mean；〃　said　hwin。　〃why　dont　you　want　to　go？”
〃m…m…m；　broo…hoo；〃　muttered　bree。　〃well；　dont　you　see；　maam　…　its　an important　occasion　…　returning　to　ones　country　…　entering　society　…　the　best　society …　it　is　so　essential　to　make　a　good　impression　…　not　perhaps　looking　quite　ourselves；　yet；　eh？”
hwin　broke　out　into　a　horse…laugh。　〃its　your　tail；　bree！　i　see　it　all　now。 you　want　to　wait　till　your　tails　grown　again！　and　we　dont　even　know　if　tails　are　worn　long in　narnia。
really；　bree；　youre　as　vain　as　that　tarkheena　in　tashbaan！”
〃you　are　silly；　bree；〃　said　aravis。
〃by　the　lions　mane；　tarkheena；　im　nothing　of　the　sort；〃　said　bree indignantly。　〃i　have　a　proper　respect　for　myself　and　for　my　fellow　horses；　thats　all。”
〃bree；〃　said　aravis；　who　was　not　very　interested　in　the　cut　of　his　tail； 〃ive　been　wanting　to　ask　you　something　for　a　long　time。　why　do　you　keep　on　swearing　by　the lion　and　by　the　lions　mane？　i　thought　you　hated　lions。”
〃so　i　do；〃　answered　bree。　〃but　when　i　speak　of　the　lion　of　course　i　mean aslan；　the　great　deliverer　of　narnia　who　drove　away　the　witch　and　the　winter。　all narnians　swear　by　him。”
〃but　is　he　a　lion？”
〃no；　no；　of　course　not；〃　said　bree　in　a　rather　shocked　voice。
〃all　the　stories　about　him　in　tashbaan　say　he　is；〃　replied　aravis。　〃and　if he　isnt　a　lion　why　do　you　call　him　a　lion？”
〃well；　youd　hardly　understand　that　at　your　age；〃　said　bree。　〃and　i　was only　a　little　foal　when　i　left　so　i　dont　quite　fully　understand　it　myself。”
（bree　was　standing　with　his　back　to　the　green　wall　while　he　said　this；　and the　other　two　were　facing　him。　he　was　talking　in　rather　a　superior　tone　with　his　eyes half　shut；　that　was　why　he　didnt　see　the　changed　expression　in　the　faces　of　hwin　and　aravis。 they　had　good　reason　to　have　open　mouths　and　staring　eyes；　because　while　bree　spoke　they saw　an　enormous　lion　leap　up　from　outside　and　balance　itself　on　the　top　of　the green　wall；　only　it　was　a　brighter　yellow　and　it　was　bigger　and　more　beautiful　and　more alarming　than　any　lion　they　had　ever　seen。　and　at　once　it　jumped　down　inside　the　wall　and began　approaching　bree　from　behind。　it　made　no　noise　at　all。　and　hwin　and　aravis couldnt　make　any　noise　themselves；　no　more　than　if　they　were　frozen。）
〃no　doubt；〃　continued　bree；　〃when　they　speak　of　him　as　a　lion　they　only mean　hes　as　strong　as　a　lion　or　（to　our　enemies；　of　course）　as　fierce　as　a　lion。　or something　of　that　kind。　even　a　little　girl　like　you；　aravis；　must　see　that　it　would　be　quite absurd　to　suppose　he　is　a　real　lion。　indeed　it　would　be　dis