The Horse and His Boy-第21章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　they　seemed　to　have　given　up　blowing　that　horn。　the　only　sound　was　a　steady　drip…drip　from　　the　branches　of　the　trees。

〃well；　i　suppose　even　a　walk　will　get　us　somewhere　sometime；〃　said　shasta　　to　himself。　〃i　only　hope　i　shant　run　into　rabadash　and　his　people。”

he　went　on　for　what　seemed　a　long　time；　always　at　a　walking　pace。　he　began　　to　hate　that　horse；　and　he　was　also　beginning　to　feel　very　hungry。

presently　he　came　to　a　place　where　the　road　divided　into　two。　he　was　just　　wondering　which　led　to　anvard　when　he　was　startled　by　a　noise　from　behind　him。　it　was　　the　noise　of　trotting　horses。　〃rabadash！〃　thought　shasta。　he　had　no　way　of　guessing　　which　road　rabadash　would　take。　〃but　if　i　take　one；〃　said　shasta　to　himself；　〃he　may　　take　the　other：　and　if　i　stay　at　the　cross…roads　im　sure　to　be　caught。〃　he　dismounted　and　　led　his　horse　as　quickly　as　he　could　along　the　right…hand　road。

the　sound　of　the　cavalry　grew　rapidly　nearer　and　in　a　minute　or　two　shasta　　realized　that　they　were　at　the　crossroads。　he　held　his　breath；　waiting　to　see　which　way　　they　would　take。

there　came　a　low　word　of　mand　〃halt！〃　then　a　moment　of　horsey　noises　…　　nostrils　blowing；　hoofs　pawing；　bits　being　champed；　necks　being　patted。　then　a　voice　　spoke。

〃attend；　all　of　you；〃　it　said。　〃we　are　now　within　a　furlong　of　the　castle。　　remember　your　orders。　once　we　are　in　narnia；　as　we　should　be　by　sunrise；　you　are　to　kill　　as　little　as　possible。　on　this　venture　you　are　to　regard　every　drop　of　narnian　blood　as　　more　precious　than　a　gallon　of　your　own。　on　this　venture；　i　say。　the　gods　will　send　us　a　　happier　hour　and　then　you　must　leave　nothing　alive　between　cair　paravel　and　the　western　　waste。　but　we　are　not　yet　in　narnia。　here　in　archenland　it　is　another　thing。　in　the　　assault　on　this　castle　of　king　lunes；　nothing　matters　but　speed。　show　your　mettle。　it　must　　be　mine　　

within　an　hour。　and　if　it　is；　i　give　it　all　to　you。　i　reserve　no　booty　for　　myself。　kill　me　every　barbarian　male　within　its　walls；　down　to　the　child　that　was　born　　yesterday；　and　everything　else　is　yours　to　divide　as　you　please　…　the　women；　the　gold；　the　　jewels；　the　weapons；　and　the　wine。　the　man　that　i　see　hanging　back　when　we　e　to　the　　gates　shall　be　burned　alive。　in　the　name　of　tash　the　irresistible；　the　inexorable　　forward！”

with　a　great　cloppitty…clop　the　column　began　to　move；　and　shasta　breathed　　again。　they　had　taken　the　other　road。

shasta　thought　they　took　a　long　time　going　past；　for　though　he　had　been　　talking　and　thinking　about　〃two　hundred　horse〃　all　day；　he　had　not　realized　how　many　　they　really　were。　but　at　last　the　sound　died　away　and　once　more　he　was　alone　amid　the　　drip…drip　from　the　trees。

he　now　knew　the　way　to　anvard　but　of　course　he　could　not　now　go　there：　that　　would　only　mean　running　into　the　arms　of　rabadashs　troopers。　〃what　on　earth　am　i　　to　do？〃　said　shasta　to　himself。　but　he　remounted　his　horse　and　continued　along　the　road　　he　had　chosen；　in　the　faint　hope　of　finding　some　cottage　where　he　might　ask　for　　shelter　and　a　meal。　he　had　thought；　of　course；　of　going　back　to　aravis　and　bree　and　hwin　　at　the　hermitage；　but　he　couldnt　because　by　now　he　had　not　the　least　idea　of　the　　direction。

〃after　all；〃　said　shasta；　〃this　road　is　bound　to　get　to　somewhere。”

but　that　all　depends　on　what　you　mean　by　somewhere。　the　road　kept　on　　getting　to　somewhere　in　the　sense　that　it　got　to　more　and　more　trees；　all　dark　and　　dripping；　and　to　colder　and　colder　air。　and　strange；　icy　winds　kept　blowing　the　mist　past　　him　though　they　never　blew　it　away。　if　he　had　been　used　to　mountain　country　he　would　have　　realized　that　this　meant　he　was　now　very　high　up　…　perhaps　right　at　the　top　of　the　pass。　　but　shasta　knew　nothing　about　mountains。

〃i　do　think；〃　said　shasta；　〃that　i　must　be　the　most　unfortunate　boy　that　　ever　lived　in　the　whole　world。　everything　goes　right　for　everyone　except　me。　those　narnian　　lords　and　ladies　got　safe　away　from　tashbaan；　i　was　left　behind。　aravis　and　bree　and　　hwin　are　all　as　snug　as　anything　with　that　old　hermit：　of　course　i　was　the　one　who　was　　sent　on。　king　lune　and　his　people　must　have　got　safely　into　the　castle　and　shut　the　gates　　long　before　rabadash　arrived；　but　i　get　left　out。”

and　being　very　tired　and　having　nothing　inside　him；　he　felt　so　sorry　for　　himself　that　the　tears　rolled　down　his　cheeks。

what　put　a　stop　to　all　this　was　a　sudden　fright。　shasta　discovered　that　　someone　or　somebody　was　walking　beside　him。　it　was　pitch　dark　and　he　could　see　　nothing。　and　the　thing　（or　person）　was　going　so　quietly　that　he　could　hardly　hear　any　　footfalls。　what　he　could　hear　was　breathing。　his　invisible　panion　seemed　to　breathe　on　a　　very　large　scale；　and　shasta　got　the　impression　that　it　was　a　very　large　creature。　and　　he　had　e　to　　

notice　this　breathing　so　gradually　that　he　had　really　no　idea　how　long　it　　had　been　there。　it　was　a　horrible　shock。

it　darted　into　his　mind　that　he　had　heard　long　ago　that　there　were　giants　　in　these　northern　countries。　he　bit　his　lip　in　terror。　but　now　that　he　really　had　something　　to　cry　about；　he　stopped　crying。

the　thing　（unless　it　was　a　person）　went　on　beside　him　so　very　quietly　that　　shasta　began　to　hope　he　had　only　imagined　it。　but　just　as　he　was　being　quite　sure　of　　it；　there　suddenly　came　a　deep；　rich　sigh　out　of　the　darkness　beside　him。　that　　couldnt　be　imagination！　anyway；　he　had　felt　the　hot　breath　of　that　sigh　on　his　chilly　　left　hand。

if　the　horse　had　been　any　good　…　or　if　he　had　known　how　to　get　any　good　out　　of　the　horse　…　he　would　have　risked　everything　on　a　breakaway　and　a　wild　gallop。　but　he　　knew　he　couldnt　make　that　horse　gallop。　so　he　went　on　at　a　walking　pace　and　the　　unseen　panion　walked　and　breathed　beside　him。　at　last　he　could　bear　it　no　　longer。

〃who　are　you？〃　he　said；　scarcely　above　a　whisper。

〃one　who　has　waited　long　for　you　to　speak；〃　said　the　thing。　its　voice　was　　not　loud；　but　very　large　and　deep。

〃are　you…　are　you　a　giant？〃　asked　shasta。

〃you　might　call　me　a　giant；〃　said　the　large　voice。　〃but　i　am　not　like　the　　creatures　you　call　giants。”

〃i　cant　see　you　at　all；〃　said　shasta；　after　staring　very　hard。　then　（for　　an　even　more　terrible　idea　had　e　into　his　head）　he　said；　almost　in　a　scream；　〃youre　　not　…　not　something　dead；　are　you？　oh　please　…　please　do　go　away。　what　harm　have　i　　ever　done　you？　oh；　i　am　the　unluckiest　person　in　the　whole　world！”

once　more　he　felt　the　warm　breath　of　the　thing　on　his　hand　and　face。　　〃there；〃　it　said；　〃that　is　not　the　breath　of　a　ghost。　tell　me　your　sorrows。”

shasta　was　a　little　reassured　by　the　breath：　so　he　told　how　he　had　never　　known　his　real　father　or　mother　and　had　been　brought　up　sternly　by　the　fisherman。　and　then　　he　told　the　story　of　his　escape　and　how　they　were　chased　by　lions　and　forced　to　swim　　for　their　lives；　and　of　all　their　dangers　in　tashbaan　and　about　his　night　among　the　tombs　　and　how　the　beasts　howled　at　him　out　of　the　desert。　and　he　told　about　the　heat　and　　thirst　of　their　desert　journey　and　how　they　were　almost　at　their　goal　when　another　lion　　chased　them　and　wounded　aravis。　and　also；　how　very　long　it　was　since　he　had　had　anything　to　　eat。

〃i　do　not　call　you　unfortunate；〃　said　the　large　voice。

〃dont　you　think　it　was　bad　luck　to　meet　so　many　lions？〃　said　shasta。

〃there　was　only　one　lion；〃　said　the　voice。

〃what　on　earth　do　you　mean？　ive　just　told　you　there　were　at　least　two　the　　first　night；　and…”

〃there　was　only　one：　but　he　was　swift　of　foot。”

〃how　do　you　know？”

〃i　was　the　lion。〃　and　as　shasta　gaped　with　open　mouth　and　said　nothing；　the　　voice　continued。　〃i　was　the　lion　who　forced　you　to　join　with　aravis。　i　was　the　　cat　who　forted　you　among　the　houses　of　the　dead。　i　was　the　lion　who　drove　the　　jackals　from　you　while　you　slept。　i　was　the　lion　who　gave　the　horses　the　new　strength　of　　fear　for　the　last　mile　so　that　you　should　reach　king　lune　in　time。　and　i　was　the　lion　　you　do　not　remember　who　pushed　the　boat　in　which　you　lay；　a　child　near　death；　so　that　　it　came　to　shore　where　a　man　sat；　wakeful　at　midnight；　to　receive　you。”

〃then　it　was　you　who　wounded　aravis？”

〃it　was　i”

〃but　what　for？”

〃child；〃　said　the　voice；　〃i　am　telling　you　your　story；　not　hers。　i　tell　no　　one　any　story　but　his　own。”

〃who　are　you？〃　asked　shasta。

〃myself；〃　said　the　voice；　very　deep　and　low　so　that　the　earth　shook：　and　　again　〃myself〃；　loud　and　clear　and　gay：　and　then　the　third　time　〃myself〃；　whispered　so　　softly　you　could　hardly　hear　it；　and　yet　it　seemed　to　e　from　all　round　you　as　if　the　　leaves　rustled　with　it。

shasta　was　no　longer　afraid　that　the　voice　belonged　to　something　that　would　　eat　him；　nor　that　it　was　the　voice　of　a　ghost。　but　a　new　and　different　sort　of　trembling　　came　over　him。

yet　he　felt　glad　too。

the　mist　was　turning　from　black　to　grey　and　from　grey　to　white。　this　must　　have　begun　to　happen　some　time　ago；　but　while　he　had　been　talking　to　the　thing　he　had　not　　been　noticing　anything　else。　now；　the　whiteness　around　him　became　a　shining　　whiteness；　his　eyes　began　to　blink。　somewhere　ahead　he　could　hear　birds　singing。　he　knew　　the　night　was　over　at　last。　he　could　see　the　mane　and　ears　and　head　of　his　horse　　quite　easily　now。

a　golden　light　fell　on　them　from　the　le