《The Horse and His Boy》第41章

CHAPTER　FIFTEEN
，＿
rabadash　the　ridiculous
the　next　turn　of　the　road…　brought　them　out　from　among　the　trees　and　there； across　green　lawns；　sheltered　from　the　north　wind　by　the　high　wooded　ridge　at　its back；　they　saw　the　castle　of　anvard。　it　was　very　old　and　built　of　a　warm；　reddish…brown stone。
before　they　had　reached　the　gate　king　lune　came　out　to　meet　them；　not looking　at　all　like　araviss　idea　of　a　king　and　wearing　the　oldest　of　old　clothes；　for　he had　just　e　from　making　a　round　of　the　kennels　with　his　huntsman　and　had　only　stopped for　a　moment　to　wash　his　doggy　hands。　but　the　bow　with　which　he　greeted　aravis　as he　took　her　hand　would　have　been　stately　enough　for　an　emperor。
〃little　lady；〃　he　said；　〃we　bid　you　very　heartily　wele。　if　my　dear　wife were　still　alive　we　could　make　you　better　cheer　but　could　not　do　it　with　a　better　will。　and i　am　sorry　that　you　have　had　misfortunes　and　been　driven　from　your　fathers　house；　which cannot　but　be　a　grief　to　you。　my　son　cor　has　told　me　about　your　adventures　together　and all　your　valour。”
〃it　was　he　who　did　all　that；　sir；〃　said　aravis。　〃why；　he　rushed　at　a　lion to　save　me。”
〃eh；　whats　that？〃　said　king　lune；　his　face　brightening。　〃i　havent　heard that　part　of　the　story。”
then　aravis　told　it。　and　cor；　who　had　very　much　wanted　the　story　to　be known；　though　he　felt　he　couldnt　tell　it　himself；　didnt　enjoy　it　so　much　as　he　had expected；　and　indeed　felt　rather　foolish。　but　his　father　enjoyed　it　very　much　indeed　and　in　the course　of　the　next　few　weeks　told　it　to　so　many　people　that　cor　wished　it　had　never happened。
then　the　king　turned　to　hwin　and　bree　and　was　just　as　polite　to　them　as　to aravis；　and　asked　them　a　lot　of　questions　about　their　families　and　where　they　had　lived in　narnia　before　they　had　been　captured。　the　horses　were　rather　tongue…tied　for　they werent　yet　used　to　being　talked　to　as　equals　by　humans　grown…up　humans；　that　is。　they didnt　mind　aravis　and　cor。
presently　queen　lucy　came　out　from　the　castle　and　joined　them　and　king　lune said　to　aravis；　〃my　dear；　here　is　a　loving　friend　of　our　house；　and　she　has　been seeing　that　your　apartments　are　put　to　rights　for　you　better　than　i　could　have　done　it。”
〃youd　like　to　e　and　see　them；　wouldnt　you？〃　said　lucy；　kissing　aravis。 they　liked　each　other　at　once　and　soon　went　away　together　to　talk　about　araviss bedroom　and　araviss　boudoir　and　about　getting　clothes　for　her；　and　all　the　sort　of things　girls　do　talk　about　on　such　an　occasion。
after　lunch；　which　they　had　on　the　terrace　（it　was　cold　birds　and　cold　game pie　and　wine　and　bread　and　cheese）；　king　lune　ruffled　up　his　brow　and　heaved　a　sigh　and said；　〃heigh…ho！　we　have　still　that　sorry　creature　rabadash　on　our　hands；　my friends；　and　must　needs　resolve　what　to　do　with　him。”
lucy　was　sitting　on　the　kings　right　and　aravis　on　his　left。　king　edmund sat　at　one　end　of　the　table　and　the　lord　darrin　faced　him　at　the　other。　dar　and　peridan and　cor　and　corin　were　on　the　same　side　as　the　king。
〃your　majesty　would　have　a　perfect　right　to　strike　off　his　head；〃　said peridan。　〃such　an　assault　as　he　made　puts　him　on　a　level　with　assassins。”
〃it　is　very　true；〃　said　edmund。　〃but　even　a　traitor　may　mend。　i　have　known one　that　did。”
and　he　looked　very　thoughtful。
〃to　kill　this　rabadash　would　go　near　to　raising　war　with　the　tisroc；〃　said darrin。
〃a　fig　for　the　tisroc；〃　said　king　lune。　〃his　strength　is　in　numbers　and numbers　will　never　cross　the　desert。　but　i　have　no　stomach　for　killing　men　（even traitors）　in　cold　blood。　to　have　cut　his　throat　in　the　battle　would　have　eased　my　heart mightily；　but　this　is　a　different　thing。”
〃by　my　counsel；〃　said　lucy；　〃your　majesty　shall　give　him　another　trial。　let him　go　free　on　strait　promise　of　fair　dealing　in　the　future。　it　may　be　that　he　will keep　his　word。”
〃maybe　apes　will　grow　honest；　sister；〃　said　edmund。　〃but；　by　the　lion；　if he　breaks　it　again；　may　it　be　in　such　time　and　place　that　any　of　us　could　swap　off　his head　in　clean　battle。”
〃it　shall　be　tried；〃　said　the　king：　and　then　to　one　of　the　attendants； 〃send　for　the　prisoner；　friend。”
rabadash　was　brought　before　them　in　chains。　to　look　at　him　anyone　would have　supposed　that　he　had　passed　the　night　in　a　noisome　dungeon　without　food　or water；　but　in　reality　he　had　been　shut　up　in　quite　a　fortable　room　and　provided　with an　excellent　supper。　but　as　he　was　sulking　far　too　furiously　to　touch　the　supper　and　had spent　the　whole　night　stamping　and　roaring　and　cursing；　he　naturally　did　not　now　look his　best。
〃your　royal　highness　needs　not　to　be　told；〃　said　king　lune；　〃that　by　the law　of　nations　as　well　as　by　all　reasons　of　prudent　policy；　we　have　as　good　right　to　your head　as　ever　one　mortal　man　had　against　another。　nevertheless；　in　consideration　of　your youth　and　the　ill　nurture；　devoid　of　all　gentilesse　and　courtesy；　which　you　have doubtless　had　in　the　land　of　slaves　and　tyrants；　we　are　disposed　to　set　you　free；　unharmed；　on these　conditions：　first；　that…”
〃curse　you　for　a　barbarian　dog！〃　spluttered　rabadash。　〃do　you　think　i　will even　hear　your　conditions？　faugh！　you　talk　very　largely　of　nurture　and　i　know　not what。　its　easy；　to　a　man　in　chains；　ha！　take　off　these　vile　bonds；　give　me　a　sword；　and　let any　of　you　who　dares　then　debate　with　me。”
nearly　all　the　lords　sprang　to　their　feet；　and　corin　shouted：
〃father！　can　i　box　him？　please。”
〃peace！　your　majesties！　my　lords！〃　said　king　lune。　〃have　we　no　more　gravity among　us　than　to　be　so　chafed　by　the　taunt　of　a　pajock？　sit　down；　corin；　or　shaft leave　the　table。
i　ask　your　highness　again；　to　hear　our　conditions。”
〃i　hear　no　conditions　from　barbarians　and　sorcerers；〃　said　rabadash。　〃not one　of　you　dare　touch　a　hair　of　my　head。　every　insult　you　have　heaped　on　me　shall　be paid　with　oceans　of　narnian　and　archenlandish　blood。　terrible　shall　the　vengeance　of the　tisroc　be：　even　now。　but　kill　me；　and　the　burnings　and　torturings　in　these northern　lands　shall　bee　a　tale　to　frighten　the　world　a　thousand　years　hence。　beware！　beware！ beware！
the　bolt　of　tash　falls　from　above！”
〃does　it　ever　get　caught　on　a　hook　half…w