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s lit only by occasional torches fixed in brackets to the walls。 lasaraleen halted at a place where you had to go either left or right。
〃go on； do go on；〃 whispered aravis； whose heart was beating terribly and who still felt that her father might run into them at any corner。
〃im just wondering。。。〃 said lasaraleen。 〃im not absolutely sure which way we go from here。 i think its the left。 yes； im almost sure its the left。 what fun this is！”
they took the left hand way and found themselves in a passage that was hardly lighted at all and which soon began going down steps。
〃its all right；〃 said lasaraleen。 〃im sure were right now。 i remember these steps。〃 but at that moment a moving light appeared ahead。 a second later there appeared from round a distant corner； the dark shapes of two men walking backwards and carrying tall candles。
and of course it is only before royalties that people walk backwards。 aravis felt lasaraleen grip her arm … that sort of sudden grip which is almost a pinch and which means that the person who is gripping you is very frightened indeed。 aravis thought it odd that lasaraleen should be so afraid of the tisroc if he were really such a friend of hers； but there was no time to go on thinking。 lasaraleen was hurrying her back to the top of the steps； on tiptoes； and groping wildly along the wall。
〃heres a door；〃 she whispered。 〃quick。”
they went in； drew the door very softly behind them； and found themselves in pitch darkness。 aravis could hear by lasaraleens breathing that she was terrified。
〃tash preserve us！〃 whispered lasaraleen。 〃what shall we do if he es in here。 can we hide？”
there was a soft carpet under their feet。 they groped forward into the room and blundered on to a sofa。
〃lets lie down behind it；〃 whimpered lasaraleen。 〃oh； i do wish we hadnt e。”
there was just room between the sofa and the curtained wall and the two girls got down。
lasaraleen managed to get the better position and was pletely covered。 the upper part of araviss face stuck out beyond the sofa； so that if anyone came into that room with a light and happened to look in exactly the right place they would see her。 but of course； because she was wearing a veil； what they saw would not at once look like a forehead and
a pair of eyes。 aravis shoved desperately to try to make lasaraleen give her a little more room。 but lasaraleen； now quite selfish in her panic； fought back and pinched her feet。
they gave it up and lay still； panting a little。 their own breath semed dreadfully noisy； but there was no other noise。
〃is it safe？〃 said aravis at last in the tiniest possible whisper。
〃i … i … think so；〃 began lasaraleen。 〃but my poor nerves …〃 and then came the most terrible noise they could have heard at that moment： the noise of the door opening。 and then came light。 and because aravis couldnt get her head any further in behind the sofa； she saw everything。
first came the two slaves （deaf and dumb； as aravis rightly guessed； and therefore used at the most secret councils） walking backwards and carrying the candles。 they took up their stand one at each end of the sofa。 this was a good thing； for of course it was now harder for anyone to see aravis once a slave was in front of her and she was looking between his heels。 then came an old man； very fat； wearing a curious pointed cap by which she immediately knew that he was the tisroc。 the least of the jewels with which he was covered was worth more than all the clothes and weapons of the narnian lords put together： but he was so fat and such a mass of frills and pleats and bobbles and buttons and tassels and talismans that aravis couldnt help thinking the narnian fashions （at any rate for men） looked nicer。 after him came a tall young man with a feathered and jewelled turban on his head and an ivory…sheathed scimitar at his side。 he seemed very excited and his eyes and teeth flashed fiercely in the candlelight。 last of all came a little hump…backed； wizened old man in whom she recognized with a shudder the new grand vizier and her own betrothed husband； ahoshta tarkaan himself。
as soon as all three had entered the room and the door was shut； the tisroc seated himself on the divan with a sigh of contentment； the young man took his place； standing before him； and the grand vizier got down on his knees and elbows and laid his face flat on the carpet。
。d 。
CHAPTER EIGHT
。^生。网
in the house of the tisroc 〃oh…my…father…and…oh…the…delight…of…my…eyes；〃 began the young man； muttering the words very quickly and sulkily and not at all as if the tisroc were the delight of his eyes。
〃may you live for ever； but you have utterly destroyed me。 if you had given me the swiftest of the galleys at sunrise when i first saw that the ship of the accursed barbarians was gone from her place i would perhaps have overtaken them。 but you persuaded me to send first and see if they had not merely moved round the point into better anchorage。
and now the whole day has been wasted。 and they are gone … gone … out of my reach！
the false jade； the…〃 and here he added a great many descriptions of queen susan which would not look at all nice in print。 for of course this young man was prince rabadash and of course the false jade was susan of narnia。
〃pose yourself； o my son；〃 said the tisroc。 〃for the departure of guests makes a wound that is easily healed in the heart of a judicious host。”
〃but i want her；〃 cried the prince。 〃i must have her。 i shall die if i do not get her… false； proud； black…hearted daughter of a dog that she is！ i cannot sleep and my food has no savour and my eyes are darkened because of her beauty。 i must have the barbarian queen。”
〃how well it was said by a gifted poet；〃 observed the vizier； raising his face （in a somewhat dusty condition） from the carpet； 〃that deep draughts from the fountain of reason are desirable in order to extinguish the fire of youthful love。”
this seemed to exasperate the prince。 〃dog；〃 he shouted； directing a series of well…aimed kicks at the hindquarters of the vizier； 〃do not dare to quote the poets to me。 i have had maxi