第 18 节
作者:天净沙      更新:2021-04-26 11:51      字数:9367
  ver and there came (after more  disappointments than i could possibly describe) …a moment when shasta; who had been in a kind of  doze; suddenly realized that bree had stopped and found himself slipping off。  before them a little cataract of water poured into a broad pool: and both the horses were  already in the pool with their heads down; drinking; drinking; drinking。 〃o…o…oh;〃 said  shasta and plunged in … it was about up to his knees … and stooped his head right into  the cataract。 it was perhaps the loveliest moment in his life。
  it was about ten minutes later when all four of them (the two children wet  nearly all over)
  came out and began to notice their surroundings。 the moon was now high  enough to peep down into the valley。 there was soft grass on both sides of the river; and  beyond the grass; trees and bushes sloped up to the bases of the cliffs。 there must  have been some wonderful flowering shrubs hidden in that shadowy undergrowth for the whole  glade was full of the coolest and most delicious smells。 and out of the darkest  recess among the trees there came a sound shasta had never heard beforea nightingale。
  everyone was much too tired to speak or to eat。 the horses; without waiting  to be unsaddled; lay down at once。 so did aravis and shasta。
  about ten minutes later the careful hwin said; 〃but we mustnt go to sleep。  weve got to keep ahead of that rsh。鈥?br />
  〃no;〃 said bree very slowly。 〃mustnt go sleep。 just a little rest。鈥?br />
  shasta knew (for a moment) that they would all go to sleep if he didnt get  up and do something about it; and felt that he ought to。 in fact he decided that he  would get up and persuade them to go on。 but presently; not yet: not just yet。。。
  very soon the moon shone and the nightingale sang over two horses and two  human children; all fast asleep。
  it was aravis who awoke first。 the sun was already high in the heavens and  the cool morning hours were already wasted。 〃its my fault;〃 she said to herself  furiously as she jumped up and began rousing the others。 〃one wouldnt expect horses to keep  awake after a days work like that; even if they can talk。 and of course that boy  wouldnt; hes had no decent training。 but i ought to have known better。鈥?br />
  the others were dazed and stupid with the heaviness of their sleep。
  〃neigh…ho … broo…hoo;〃 said bree。 〃been sleeping in my saddle; eh? ill  never do that again。 most unfortable…鈥?br />
  〃oh e on; e on;〃 said aravis。 〃weve lost half the morning already。  there isnt a moment to spare。鈥?br />
  〃a fellows got to have a mouthful of grass;〃 said bree。
  im afraid we cant wait;〃 said aravis。
  〃whats the terrible hurry?〃 said bree。 〃weve crossed the desert; havent  we?鈥?br />
  〃but were not in archenland yet;〃 said aravis。 〃and weve got to get there  before rsh。鈥?br />
  〃oh; we must be miles ahead of him;〃 said bree。 〃havent we been ing a  shorter way? didnt that raven friend of yours say this was a short cut; shasta?鈥?br />
  〃he didnt say anything about shorter;〃 answered shasta。 〃he only said  better; because you got to a river this way。 if the oasis is due north of tashbaan; then  im afraid this may be longer。鈥?br />
  〃well i cant go on without a snack;〃 said bree。 〃take my bridle off;  shasta。鈥?br />
  〃p…please;〃 said hwin; very shyly; 〃i feel just like bree that i cant go  on。 but when horses have humans (with spurs and things) on their backs; arent they  often made to go on when theyre feeling like this? and then they find they can。 i m…mean …  oughtnt we to be able to do even more; now that were free。 its all for narnia。鈥?br />
  〃i think; maam;〃 said bree very crushingly; 〃that i know a little more  about campaigns and forced marches and what a horse can stand than you do。鈥?br />
  to this hwin made no answer; being; like most highly bred mares; a very  nervous and gentle person who was easily put down。 in reality she was quite right; and  if bree had had a tarkaan on his back at that moment to make him go on; he would have found  that he was good for several hours hard going。 but one of the worst results of  being a slave and being forced to do things is that when there is no one to force you any  more you find you have almost lost the power of forcing yourself。
  so they had to wait while bree had a snack and a drink; and of course hwin  and the children had a snack and a drink too。 it must have been nearly eleven  oclock in the morning before they finally got going again。 and even then bree took things  much more gently than yesterday。 it was really hwin; though she was the weaker and  more tired of the two; who set the pace。
  the valley itself; with its brown; cool river; and grass and moss and wild  flowers and rhododendrons; was such a pleasant place that it made you want to ride  slowly。
  CHAPTER TEN
  銆€灏彙?璇淬€倀xt澶╁爞
  the hermit of the southern march  after they had ridden for several hours down the valley; it widened out and  they could see what was ahead of them。 the river which they had been following here  joined a broader river; wide and turbulent; which flowed from their left to their  right; towards the east。 beyond this new river a delightful country rose gently in low hills;  ridge beyond ridge; to the northern mountains themselves。 to the right there were rocky  pinnacles; one or two of them with snow clinging to the ledges。 to the left; pine…clad  slopes; frowning cliffs; narrow gorges; and blue peaks stretched away as far as the  eye could reach。 he could no longer make out mount pire。 straight ahead the mountain  range sank to a wooded saddle which of course must be the pass from archenland into  narnia。
  〃broo…hoo…hoo; the north; the green north!〃 neighed bree: and certainly the  lower hills looked greener and fresher than anything that aravis and shasta; with their  southern…bred eyes; had ever imagined。 spirits rose as they clattered down to the  waters…meet of the two rivers。
  the eastern…flowing river; which was pouring from the higher mountains at  the western end of the range; was far too swift and too broken with rapids for them to  think of swimming it; but after some casting about; up and down the bank; they found  a place shallow enough to wade。 the roar and clatter of water; the great swirl  against the horses fetlocks; the cool; stirring air and the darting dragon…flies; filled  shasta with a strange excitement。
  〃friends; we are in archenland!〃 said bree proudly as he splashed and  churned his way out on the northern bank。 〃i think that river weve just crossed is called  the winding arrow。鈥?br />
  〃i hope were in time;〃 murmured hwin。
  then they began going up; slowly and zigzagging a good deal; for the hills  were steep。 it was all open park…like country with no roads or houses in sight。 scattered  trees; never thick enough to be a forest; were everywhere。 shasta; who had lived all his  life in an almost tree…less grassland; had never seen so many or so many kinds。 if you  had been there you would probably have known (he didnt) that he was seeing oaks;  beeches; silver birches; rowans; and sweet chestnuts。 rabbits scurried away in every  direction as they advanced; and presently they saw a whole herd of fallow deer making off  among the trees。
  〃isnt it simply glorious!〃 said aravis。
  at the first ridge shasta turned in the saddle and looked back。 there was  no sign of tashbaan; the desert; unbroken except by the narrow green crack which they  had travelled down; spread to the horizon。
  〃hullo!〃 he said suddenly。 〃whats that!鈥?br />
  〃whats what?〃 said bree; turning round。 hwin and aravis did the same。
  〃that;〃 said shasta; pointing。 〃it looks like smoke。 is it a fire?鈥?br />
  〃sand…storm; i should say;〃 said bree。
  〃not much wind to raise it;〃 said aravis。
  〃oh!〃 exclaimed hwin。 〃look! there are things flashing in it。 look! theyre  helmets … and armour。 and its moving: moving this way。鈥?br />
  〃by tash!〃 said aravis。 〃its the army。 its rsh。鈥?br />
  〃oh course it is;〃 said hwin。 〃just what i was afraid of。 quick! we must  get to anvard before it。〃 and without another word she whisked round and began galloping  north。 bree tossed his head and did the same。
  〃e on; bree; e on;〃 yelled aravis over her shoulder。
  the race was very gruelling for the horses。 as they topped each ridge they  found another valley and another ridge beyond it; and though they knew they were going in  more or less the right direction; no one knew how far it was to anvard。 from the top of  the second ridge shasta looked back again。 instead of a dust…cloud well out in the  desert he now saw a black; moving mass; rather like ants; on the far bank of the winding  arrow。 they were doubtless looking for a ford。
  〃theyre on the river!〃 he yelled wildly。
  〃quick! quick!〃 shouted aravis。 〃we might as well not have e at all if  we dont reach anvard in time。 gallop; bree; gallop。 remember youre a war…horse。鈥?br />
  it was all shasta could do to prevent himself from shouting out similar  instructions; but he thought; 〃the poor chaps doing all he can already;〃 and held his  tongue。 and certainly both horses were doing; if not all they could; all they thought they could;  which is not quite the same thing。 bree had caught up with hwin and they thundered side  by side over the turf。 it didnt look as if hwin could possib