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ins and all a…jingle with silver bells and which scented the whole street with perfumes and flowers。 after the litter； female slaves in beautiful clothes； and then a few grooms； runners； pages； and the like。 and now aravis made her first mistake。
she knew lasaraleen quite well … almost as if they had been at school together … because they had often stayed in the same houses and been to the same parties。 and aravis couldnt help looking up to see what lasaraleen looked like now that she was married and a very great person indeed。
it was fatal。 the eyes of the two girls met。 and immediately lasaraleen sat up in the litter and burst out at the top of her voice。
〃aravis！ what on earth are you doing here？ your father…”
there was not a moment to lose。 without a seconds delay aravis let go the horses； caught the edge of the litter； swung herself up beside lasaraleen and whispered furiously in her ear。
〃shut up！ do you hear！ shut up。 you must hide me。 tell your people…”
〃but darling…〃 began lasaraleen in the same loud voice。 （she didnt in the least mind making people stare； in fact she rather liked it。）
〃do what i tell you or ill never speak to you again；〃 hissed aravis。 〃please； please be quick； las。 its frightfully important。 tell your people to bring those two horses along。
pull all the curtains of the litter and get away somewhere where i cant be found。 and do hurry。”
〃all right； darling；〃 said lasaraleen in her lazy voice。 〃here。 two of you take the tarkheenas horses。〃 （this was to the slaves。） 〃and now home。 i say； darling； do you think we really want the curtains drawn on a day like this？ i mean to say…”
but aravis had already drawn the curtains； enclosing lasaraleen and herself in a rich and scented； but rather stuffy； kind of tent。
〃i mustnt be seen；〃 〃she said。 〃my father doesnt know im here。 im running away。”
〃my dear； how perfectly thrilling；〃 said lasaraleen。 〃im dying to hear all about it。
darling； youre sitting on my dress。 do you mind？ thats better。 it is a new one。 do you like it？ i got it at…”
〃oh； las； do be serious；〃 said aravis。 〃where is my father？”
〃didnt you know？〃 said lasaraleen。 〃hes here； of course。 he came to town yesterday and is asking about you everywhere。 and to think of you and me being here together and his not knowing anything about it！ its the funniest thing i ever heard。〃 and she went off into giggles。 she always had been a terrible giggler； as aravis now remembered。
〃it isnt funny at all；〃 she said。 〃its dreadfully serious。 where can you hide me？”
〃no difficulty at all； my dear girl；〃 said lasaraleen。 〃ill take you home。 my husbands away and no one will see you。 phew！ its not much fun with the curtains drawn。 i want to see people。 theres no point in having a new dress on if ones to go about shut up like this。”
〃i hope no one heard you when you shouted out to me like that；〃 said aravis。
〃no； no； of course； darling；〃 said lasaraleen absentmindedly。 〃but you havent even told me yet what you think of the dress。”
〃another thing；〃 said aravis。 〃you must tell your people to treat those two horses very respectfully。 thats part of the secret。 theyre really talking horses from narnia。”
〃fancy！〃 said lasaraleen。 〃how exciting！ and oh； darling； have you seen the barbarian queen from narnia？ shes staying in tashbaan at present。 they say prince rabadash is madly in love with her。 there have been the most wonderful parties and hunts and things all this last fortnight。 i cant see that shes so very pretty myself。 but some of the narnian men are lovely。 i was taken out on a river party the day before yesterday； and i was wearing my…”
〃how shall we prevent your people telling everyone that youve got a visitor … dressed like a beggars brat … in your house？ it might so easily get round to my father。”
〃now dont keep on fussing； theres a dear；〃 said lasaraleen。 〃well get you some proper clothes in a moment。 and here we are！”
the bearers had stopped and the litter was being lowered。 when the curtains had been drawn aravis found that she was in a courtyard…garden very like the one that shasta had been taken into a few minutes earlier in another part of the city。 lasaraleen would have gone indoors at once but aravis reminded her in a frantic whisper to say something to the slaves about not telling anyone of their mistresss strange visitor。
〃sorry； darling； it had gone right out of my head；〃 said lasareleen。 〃here。 all of you。
and you； doorkeeper。 no one is to be let out of the house today。 and anyone i catch talking about this young lady will be first beaten to death and then burned alive and after that be kept on bread and water for six weeks。 there。”
although lasaraleen had said she was dying to hear araviss story； she showed no sign of really wanting to hear it at all。 she was； in fact； much better at talking than at listening。
she insisted on aravis having a long and luxurious bath （calormene baths are famous）
and then dressing her up in the finest clothes before she would let her explain anything。
the fuss she made about choosing the dresses nearly drove aravis mad。 she remembered now that lasaraleen had always been like that； interested in clothes and parties and gossip。 aravis had always been more interested in bows and arrows and horses and dogs and swimming。 you will guess that each thought the other silly。 but when at last they were both seated after a meal （it was chiefly of the whipped cream and jelly and fruit and ice sort） in a beautiful pillared room （which aravis would have liked better if lasaraleens spoiled pet monkey hadnt been climbing about it all the time） lasaraleen at last asked her why she was running away from home。
when aravis had finished telling her story； lasaraleen said； 〃but； darling； why dont you marry ahoshta tarkaan？ everyones crazy about him。 my husband says he is beginning to be one of the greatest men in calormen。 he has just been made grand vizier now old axartha has died。 didnt you know？”
〃i dont care。 i cant stand the sight of him；〃 said aravis。
〃but； darling； only think！ three palaces； and one of them that bea