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The Horse and His Boy-第20章

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〃i dont care。 i cant stand the sight of him;〃 said aravis。

〃but; darling; only think! three palaces; and one of them that beautiful  one down on the lake at ilkeen。 positively ropes of pearls; im told。 baths of asses milk。  and youd see such a lot of me。”

〃he can keep his pearls and palaces as far as im concerned;〃 said aravis。

〃you always were a queer girl; aravis;〃 said lasaraleen。 〃what more do you  want?”

in the end; however; aravis managed to make her friend believe that she was  in earnest and even to discuss plans。 there would be no difficulty now about getting  the two horses out of the north gate and then on to the tombs。 no one would stop or  question a groom in fine clothes leading a war horse and a ladys saddle horse down to the  river; and lasaraleen had plenty of grooms to send。 it wasnt so easy to decide what  to do about aravis herself。 she suggested that she could be carried out in the litter  with the curtains drawn。 but lasaraleen told her that litters were only used in the city and  the sight of one going out through the gate would be certain to lead to questions。

when they had talked for a long time … and it was all the longer because  aravis found it hard to keep her friend to the point…at last lasaraleen clapped her hands  and said; 〃oh; i have an idea。 there is one way of getting out of the city without using the  gates。 the tisrocs garden (may he live for ever!) runs right down to the water and  there is a little water…door。 only for the palace people of course … but then you know; dear  (here she tittered a little) we almost are palace people。 i say; it is lucky for you  that you came to me。 the dear tisroc (may he live for ever!) is so kind。 were asked to the  palace almost every day and it is like a second home。 i love all the dear princes and  princesses and i positively adore prince rabadash。 i might run in and see any of the palace  ladies at any hour of the day or night。 why shouldnt i slip in withyou; after dark; and  let you out by the water…door? there are always a few punts and things tied up outside it。  and even if we were caught…”

〃all would be lost;〃 said aravis。

〃oh darling; dont get so excited;〃 said lasaraleen。 〃i was going to say;  even if we were caught everyone would only say it was one of my mad jokes。 im getting  quite well known for them。 only the other day… do listen; dear; this is frightfully  funny…”

〃i meant; all would be lost for me;〃 said aravis a little sharply。

〃oh … ah … yes … i do see what you mean; darling。 well; can you think of  any better plan?”

aravis couldnt; and answered; 〃no。 well have to risk it。 when can we  start?”

〃oh; not tonight;〃 said lasaraleen。 〃of course not tonight。 theres a great  feast on tonight (i must start getting my hair done for it in a few minutes) and the whole  place will be a blaze of lights。 and such a crowd too! it would have to be tomorrow night。”

this was bad news for aravis; but she had to make the best of it。 the  afternoon passed very slowly and it was a relief when lasaraleen went out to the banquet;  for aravis was very tired of her giggling and her talk about dresses and parties; weddings  and engagements and scandals。 she went to bed early and that part she did  enjoy: it was so nice to have pillows and sheets again。

but the next day passed very slowly。 lasaraleen wanted to go back on the  whole arrangement and kept on telling aravis that narnia was a country of  perpetual snow and ice inhabited by demons and sorcerers; and she was mad to think of going  there。 〃and with a peasant boy; too!〃 said lasaraleen。 〃darling; think of it! its not  nice。〃 aravis had thought of it a good deal; but she was so tired of lasaraleens silliness  by now that; for the first time; she began to think that travelling with shasta was really  rather more fun than fashionable life in tashbaan。 so she only replied; 〃you forget that  ill be nobody; just like him; when we get to narnia。 and anyway; i promised。”

〃and to think;〃 said lasaraleen; almost crying; 〃that if only you had sense  you could be the wife of a grand vizier!〃 aravis went away to have a private word with  the horses。

〃you must go with a groom a little before sunset down to the tombs;〃 she  said。 〃no more of those packs。 youll be saddled and bridled again。 but therell have  to be food in hwins saddle…bags and a full water…skin behind yours; bree。 the man has  orders to let you both have a good long drink at the far side of the bridge。”

〃and then; narnia and the north!〃 whispered bree。 〃but what if shasta is  not at the tombs。”

〃wait for him of course;〃 said aravis。 〃i hope youve been quite  fortable。”

〃never better stabled in my life;〃 said bree。 〃but if the husband of that  tittering tarkheena friend of yours is paying his head groom to get the best oats;  then i think the head groom is cheating him。”

aravis and lasaraleen had supper in the pillared room。

about two hours later they were ready to start。 aravis was dressed to look  like a superior slave…girl in a great house and wore a veil over her face。 they had agreed  that if any questions were asked lasaraleen would pretend that aravis was a slave she  was taking as a present to one of the princesses。

the two girls went out on foot。 a very few minutes brought them to the  palace gates。

here there were of course soldiers on guard but the officer knew lasaraleen  quite well and called his men to attention and saluted。 they passed at once into the  hall of black marble。 a fair number of courtiers; slaves and others were still moving  about here but this only made the two girls less conspicuous。 they passed on into the hall  of pillars and then into the hall of statues and down the colonnade; passing the great  beatencopper  

doors of the throne room。 it was all magnificent beyond description; what  they could see of it in the dim light of the lamps。

presently they came out into the garden…court which sloped downhill in a  number of terraces。 on the far side of that they came to the old palace。 it had  already grown almost quite dark and they now found themselves in a maze of corridors lit only by  occasional torches fixed in brackets to the walls。 lasa
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