the horse and his boy_c·s·刘易斯-第4章

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ossing　a　wide　plain　with　a　forest　about　half　a　mile　away　on　　their　left。

the　sea；　hidden　by　low　sandhills；　was　about　the　same　distance　on　their　　right。　they　had　jogged　along　for　about　an　hour；　sometimes　trotting　and　sometimes　walking；　　when　bree　suddenly　stopped。

〃whats　up？〃　said　shasta。

〃s…s…ssh！〃　said　bree；　craning　his　neck　round　and　twitching　his　ears。　〃did　　you　hear　something？　listen。鈥�

〃it　sounds　like　another　horse　…　between　us　and　the　wood；〃　said　shasta　after　　he　had　listened　for　about　a　minute。

〃it　is　another　horse；〃　said　bree。　〃and　thats　what　i　dont　like。鈥�

〃isnt　it　probably　just　a　farmer　riding　home　late？〃　said　shasta　with　a　　yawn。

〃dont　tell　me！〃　said　bree。　〃thats　not　a　farmers　riding。　nor　a　farmers　　horse　either。　cant　you　tell　by　the　sound？　thats　quality；　that　horse　is。　and　its　being　ridden　　by　a　real　horseman。　i　tell　you　what　it　is；　shasta。　theres　a　tarkaan　under　the　edge　　of　that　wood。

not　on　his　war　horse　…　its　too　light　for　that。　on　a　fine　blood　mare；　i　　should　say。鈥�

〃well；　its　stopped　now；　whatever　it　is；〃　said　shasta。

〃youre　right；〃　said　bree。　〃and　why　should　he　stop　just　when　we　do？　shasta；　　my　boy；　i　do　believe　theres　someone　shadowing　us　at　last。鈥�

〃what　shall　we　do？〃　said　shasta　in　a　lower　whisper　than　before。　〃do　you　　think　he　can　see　us　as　well　as　hear　us？鈥�

〃not　in　this　light　so　long　as　we　stay　quite　still；〃　answered　bree。　〃but　　look！　theres　a　cloud　ing　up。　ill　wait　till　that　gets　over　the　moon。　then　well　get　off　　to　our　right　as　quietly　as　we　can；　down　to　the　shore。　we　can　hide　among　the　sandhills　if　　the　worst　es　to　the　worst。鈥�

they　waited　till　the　cloud　covered　the　moon　and　then；　first　at　a　walking　　pace　and　afterwards　at　a　gentle　trot；　made　for　the　shore。

the　cloud　was　bigger　and　thicker　than　it　had　looked　at　first　and　soon　the　　night　grew　very　dark。　just　as　shasta　was　saying　to　himself；　〃we　must　be　nearly　at　those　　sandhills　by　　

now；〃　his　heart　leaped　into　his　mouth　because　an　appalling　noise　had　　suddenly　risen　up　out　of　the　darkness　ahead；　a　long　snarling　roar；　melancholy　and　utterly　　savage。　instantly　bree　swerved　round　and　began　galloping　inland　again　as　fast　as　he　could　　gallop。

〃what　is　it？〃　gasped　shasta。

〃lions！〃　said　bree；　without　checking　his　pace　or　turning　his　head。

after　that　there　was　nothing　but　sheer　galloping　for　some　time。　at　last　　they　splashed　across　a　wide；　shallow　stream　and　bree　came　to　a　stop　on　the　far　side。　　shasta　noticed　that　he　was　trembling　and　sweating　all　over。

〃that　water　may　have　thrown　the　brute　off　our　scent；〃　panted　bree　when　he　　had　partly　got　his　breath　again。　〃we　can　walk　for　a　bit　now。鈥�

as　they　walked　bree　said；　〃shasta；　im　ashamed　of　myself。　im　just　as　　frightened　as　a　mon；　dumb　calor　mene　horse。　i　am　really。　i　dont　feel　like　a　talking　　horse　at　all。　i　dont　mind　swords　and　lances　and　arrows　but　i　cant　bear　…　those　creatures。　　i　think　ill　trot　for　a　bit。鈥�

about　a　minute　later；　however；　he　broke　into　a　gallop　again；　and　no　wonder。　　for　the　roar　broke　out　again；　this　time　on　their　left　from　the　direction　of　the　forest。

〃two　of　them；〃　moaned　bree。

when　they　had　galloped　for　several　minutes　without　any　further　noise　from　　the　lions　shasta　said；　〃i　say！　that　other　horse　is　galloping　beside　us　now。　only　a　　stones　throw　away。鈥�

〃all　the　b…better；〃　panted　bree。　〃tarkaan　on　it　…　will　have　a　sword　…　　protect　us　all。鈥�

〃but；　bree！〃　said　shasta。　〃we　might　just　as　well　be　killed　by　lions　as　　caught。　or　1　might。

theyll　hang　me　for　horsestealing。〃　he　was　feeling　less　frightened　of　lions　　than　bree　because　he　had　never　met　a　lion；　bree　had。

bree　only　snorted　in　answer　but　he　did　sheer　away　to　his　right。　oddly　　enough　the　other　horse　seemed　also　to　be　sheering　away　to　the　left；　so　that　in　a　few　seconds　　the　space　between　them　had　widened　a　good　deal。　but　as　soon　as　it　did　so　there　came　　two　more　lions　roars；　immediately　after　one　another；　one　on　the　right　and　the　other　　on　the　left；　the　horses　began　drawing　nearer　together。　so；　apparently；　did　the　lions。　the　　roaring　of　the　brutes　on　each　side　was　horribly　close　and　they　seemed　to　be　keeping　up　　with　the　galloping　horses　quite　easily。　then　the　cloud　rolled　away。　the　moonlight；　　astonishingly　bright；　showed　up　everything　almost　as　if　it　were　broad　day。　the　two　horses　　and　two　riders　were　galloping　neck　to　neck　and　knee　to　knee　just　as　if　they　were　in　　a　race。　indeed　bree　said　（afterwards）　that　a　finer　race　had　never　been　seen　in　calormen。

shasta　now　gave　himself　up　for　lost　and　began　to　wonder　whether　lions　　killed　you　quickly　or　played　with　you　as　a　cat　plays　with　a　mouse　and　how　much　it　　would　hurt。　at　the　same　time　（one　sometimes　does　this　at　the　most　frightful　moments）　he　　noticed　everything。　he　saw　that　the　other　rider　was　a　very　small；　slender　person；　　mail…clad　（the　moon　shone　on　the　mail）　and　riding　magnificently。　he　had　no　beard。

something　flat　and　shining　was　spread　out　before　them。　before　shasta　had　　time　even　to　guess　what　it　was　there　was　　a　great　splash　and　he　found　his　mouth　half　full　of　salt　water。　the　shining　　thing　had　been　a　long　inlet　of　the　sea。　both　horses　were　swimming　and　the　water　was　up　to　　shastas　knees。

there　was　an　angry　roaring　behind　them　and　looking　back　shasta　saw　a　great；　　shaggy；　and　terrible　shape　crouched　on　the　waters　edge；　but　only　one。　〃we　must　　have　shaken　off　the　other　lion；〃　he　thought。

the　lion　apparently　did　not　think　its　prey　worth　a　wetting；　at　any　rate　it　　made　no　attempt　to　take　the　water　in　pursuit。　the　two　horses；　side　by　side；　were　now　well　　out　into　the　middle　of　the　creek　and　the　opposite　shore　could　be　clearly　seen。　the　　tarkaan　had　not　yet　spoken　a　word。　〃but　he　will；〃　thought　shasta。　〃as　soon　as　we　have　landed。　　what　am　i　to　say？　i　must　begin　thinking　out　a　story。鈥�

then；　suddenly；　two　voices　spoke　at　his　side。

〃oh；　i　am　so　tired；〃　said　the　one。　〃hold　your　tongue；　hwin；　and　dont　be　a　　fool；〃　said　the　other。

〃im　dreaming；〃　thought　shasta。　〃i　could　have　sworn　that　other　horse　　spoke。鈥�

soon　the　horses　were　no　longer　swimming　but　walking　and　soon　with　a　great　　sound　of　water　running　off　their　sides　and　tails　and　with　a　great　crunching　of　　pebbles　under　eight　hoofs；　they　came　out　on　the　farther　beach　of　the　inlet。　the　tarkaan；　to　　shastas　surprise；　showed　no　wish　to　ask　questions。　he　did　not　even　look　at　shasta　but　seemed　　anxious　to　urge　his　horse　straight　on。　bree；　however；　at　once　shouldered　himself　in　　the　other　horses　way。

〃broo…hoo…hah！〃　he　snorted。　〃steady　there！　i　heard　you；　i　did。　theres　no　　good　pretending；　maam。　1　heard　you。　youre　a　talking　horse；　a　narnian　horse　　just　like　me。鈥�

〃whats　it　got　to　do　with　you　if　she　is？〃　said　the　strange　rider　fiercely；　　laying　hand　on　sword…hilt。　but　the　voice　in　which　the　words　were　spoken　had　already　told　　shasta　something。

〃why；　its　only　a　girl！〃　he　exclaimed。

〃and　what　business　is　it　of　yours　if　i　am　only　a　girl？〃　snapped　the　　stranger。　〃youre　probably　only　a　boy：　a　rude；　mon　little　boy　…　a　slave　probably；　whos　　stolen　his　masters　horse。鈥�

〃thats　all　you　know；〃　said　shasta。

〃hes　not　a　thief；　little　tarkheena；〃　said　bree。　〃at　least；　if　theres　been　　any　stealing；　you　might　just　as　well　say　i　stole　him。　and　as　for　its　not　being　my　business；　　you　wouldnt　expect　me　to　pass　a　lady　of　my　own　race　in　this　strange　country　without　　speaking　to　her？

its　only　natural　i　should。鈥�

〃i　think　its　very　natural　too；〃　said　the　mare。

〃i　wish　youd　held　your　tongue；　hwin；〃　said　the　girl。　〃look　at　the　trouble　　youve　got　us　into。鈥�

〃i　dont　know　about　trouble；〃　said　shasta。　〃you　can　clear　off　as　soon　as　　you　like。　we　shant　keep　you。鈥�

〃no；　you　shant；〃　said　the　girl。

〃what　quarrelsome　creatures　these　humans　are；〃　said　bree　to　the　mare。　　〃theyre　as　bad　as　mules。　lets　try　to　talk　a　little　sense。　i　take　it；　maam；　your　story　is　　the　same　as　mine？

captured　in　early　youth　…　years　of　slavery　among　the　calormenes？鈥�

〃too　true；　sir；〃　said　the　mare　with　a　melancholy　whinny。

〃and　now；　perhaps　…　escape？鈥�

〃tell　him　to　mind　his　own　business；　hwin；〃　said　the　girl。

〃no；　i　wont；　aravis；〃　said　the　mare　putting　her　ears　back。　〃this　is　my　　escape　just　as　much　as　yours。　and　im　sure　a　noble　war…horse　like　this　is　not　going　to　　betray　us。　we　are　trying　to　escape；　to　get　to　narnia。鈥�

〃and　so；　of　course；　are　we；〃　said　bree。　〃of　course　you　guessed　that　at　　once。　a　little　boy　in　rags　riding　（or　trying　to　ride）　a　war…horse　at　dead　of　night　couldnt　　mean　anything　but　an　escape　of　some　sort。　and；　if　i　may　say　so；　a　highborn　tarkheena　riding　　alone　at　night　…　dressed　up　in　her　brothers　armour　…　and　very　anxious　for　everyone　to　mind　　their　own　business　and　ask　her　no　questions　…　well；　if　thats　not　fishy；　call　me　a　　cob！鈥�

〃all　right　then；〃　said　aravis。　〃youve　guessed　it。　hwin　and　i　are　running　　away。　we　are　trying　to　get　to　narnia。　and　now；　what　about　it？鈥�

〃why；　in　that　case；　what　is　to　prevent　us　all　going　together？〃　said　bree。　　〃i　trust；　madam　hwin；　you　will　accept　such　assistance　and　protection　as　i　may　be　able　to　　give　you　on　the　journey？鈥�

〃why　do　you　keep　talking　to　my　horse　instead　of　to　me？〃　asked　the　girl。

〃excuse　me；　tarkheena；〃　said　bree　（with　just　the　slightest　backward　tilt　of　　his　ear