迪文小说>纳尼亚传奇讲故事 > chater fur hata fall with the narnian（第1页）
chater fur hata fall with the narnian（第1页）
ATfirstShastacouldseenothinginthevalleybelowhimbutaseaofmistwithafewdomesandpinnaclesrisingfromit;butasthelightincreasedandthemistclearedawayhesawmoreandmore。AbroadriverdivideditselfintotwostreamsandontheislandbetweenthemstoodthecityofTashbaan，oneofthewondersoftheworld。Roundtheveryedgeoftheisland，sothatthewaterlappedagainstthestone，ranhighwallsstrengthenedwithsomanytowersthathesoongaveuptryingtocountthem。Insidethewallstheislandroseinahillandeverybitofthathill，uptotheTisroc'spalaceandthegreattempleofTashatthetop，wascompletelycoveredwithbuildings-terraceaboveterrace，streetabovestreet，zigzagroadsorhugeflightsofstepsborderedwithorangetreesandlemontrees，roof-gardens，balconies，deeparchways，pillaredcolonnades，spires，battlements，minarets，pinnacles。Andwhenatlastthesunroseoutoftheseaandthegreatsilver-plateddomeofthetempleflashedbackitslight，hewasalmostdazzled。
"Geton，Shasta，"Breekeptsaying。
Theriverbanksoneachsideofthevalleyweresuchamassofgardensthattheylookedatfirstlikeforest，untilyougotcloserandsawthewhitewallsofinnumerablehousespeepingoutfrombeneaththetrees。Soonafterthat，Shastanoticedadelicioussmellofflowersandfruit。Aboutfifteenminuteslatertheyweredownamongthem，ploddingonalevelroadwithwhitewallsoneachsideandtreesbendingoverthewalls。
"Isay，"saidShastainanawedvoice。，Thisisawonderfulplace!"
"Idaresay，"saidBree。，ButIwishweweresafelythroughitandoutattheotherside。NarniaandtheNorth!"
Atthatmomentalow，throbbingnoisebeganwhichgraduallyswelledlouderandloudertillthewholevalleyseemedtobeswayingwithit。Itwasamusicalnoise，butsostrongandsolemnastobealittlefrightening。
"That'sthehornsblowingforthecitygatestobeopen，"saidBree。，Weshallbethereinaminute。Now，Aravis，dodroopyourshouldersabitandstepheavierandtrytolooklesslikeaprincess。Trytoimagineyou'vebeenkickedandcuffedandcallednamesallyourlife。"
"Ifitcomestothat，"saidAravis，，whataboutyoudroopingyourheadabitmoreandarchingyourneckabitlessandtryingtolooklesslikeawarhorse?"
"Hush，"saidBree。Hereweare。"
Andtheywere。Theyhadcometotheriver'sedgeandtheroadaheadofthemranalongamany—archedbridge。Thewaterdancedbrightlyintheearlysunlight;awaytotherightnearertheriver'smouth，theycaughtaglimpseships'masts。Severalothertravellerswerebeforethemonthebridge，mostlypeasantsdrivingladendonkeysandmulesorcarryingbasketsontheirheads。Thechildrenandhorsesjoinedthecrowd。
"Isanythingwrong?"whisperedShastatoAravis，whohadanoddlookonherface。
"Ohit'sallverywellforyou，"whisperedAravisrathersavagely。，WhatwouldyoucareaboutTashbaan?ButIoughttoberidinginonalitterwithsoldiersbeforemeandslavesbehind，andperhapsgoingtoafeastintheTisroc'spalace（mayheliveforever）—notsneakinginlikethis。It'sdifferentforyou。"
Shastathoughtallthisverysilly。
Atthefarendofthebridgethewallsofthecitytoweredhighabovethemandthebrazengatesstoodopeninthegatewaywhichwasreallywidebutlookednarrowbecauseitwassoveryhigh。Halfadozensoldiers，leaningontheirspears，stoodoneachside。Araviscouldn'thelpthinking，，They'dalljumptoattentionandsalutemeiftheyknewwhosedaughterIam。"Buttheotherswereonlythinkingofhowthey'dgetthroughandhopingthesoldierswouldnotaskanyquestions。Fortunatelytheydidnot。Butoneofthempickedacarrotoutofapeasant'sbasketandthrewitatShastawitharoughlaugh，saying:"Hey!Horse-boy!You'llcatchitifyourmasterfindsyou'vebeenusinghissaddle-horseforpackwork。"
ThisfrightenedhimbadlyforofcourseitshowedthatnoonewhoknewanythingabouthorseswouldmistakeBreeforanythingbutacharger。
"It'smymaster'sorders，sothere!"saidShasta。Butitwouldhavebeenbetterifhehadheldhistongueforthesoldiergavehimaboxonthesideofhisfacethatnearlyknockedhimdownandsaid，，Takethat，youyoungfilth，toteachyouhowtotalktofreemen。"Buttheyallslunkintothecitywithoutbeingstopped。Shastacriedonlyaverylittle;hewasusedtohardknocks。
InsidethegatesTashbaandidnotatfirstseemsosplendidasithadlookedfromadistance。Thefirststreetwasnarrowandtherewerehardlyanywindowsinthewallsoneachside。ItwasmuchmorecrowdedthanShastahadexpected:crowdedpartlybythepeasants（ontheirwaytomarket）whohadcomeinwiththem，butalsowithwatersellers，sweetmeatsellers，porters，soldiers，beggars，raggedchildren，hens，straydogs，andbare-footedslaves。Whatyouwouldchieflyhavenoticedifyouhadbeentherewasthesmells，whichcamefromunwashedpeople，unwasheddogs，scent，garlic，onions，andthepilesofrefusewhichlayeverywhere。
ShastawaspretendingtoleadbutitwasreallyBree，whoknewthewayandkeptguidinghimbylittlenudgeswithhisnose。Theysoonturnedtotheleftandbegangoingupasteephill。Itwasmuchfresherandpleasanter，fortheroadwasborderedbytreesandtherewerehousesonlyontherightside;ontheothertheylookedoutovertheroofsofhousesinthelowertownandcouldseesomewayuptheriver。Thentheywentroundahairpinbendtotheirrightandcontinuedrising。TheywerezigzagginguptothecentreofTashbaan。Soontheycametofinerstreets。GreatstatuesofthegodsandheroesofCalormen—whoaremostlyimpressiveratherthanagreeabletolookat—roseonshiningpedestals。Palmtreesandpillaredarcadescastshadowsovertheburningpavements。AndthroughthearchedgatewaysofmanyapalaceShastacaughtsightofgreenbranches，coolfountains，andsmoothlawns。Itmustbeniceinside，hethought。
AteveryturnShastahopedtheyweregettingoutofthecrowd，buttheyneverdid。Thismadetheirprogressveryslow，andeverynowandthentheyhadtostopaltogether。Thisusuallyhappenedbecausealoudvoiceshoutedout，Way，way，way，fortheTarkaan"，or，fortheTarkheena"，or，forthefifteenthVizier"，，orfortheAmbassador"，andeveryoneinthecrowdwouldcrushbackagainstthewalls;andabovetheirheadsShastawouldsometimesseethegreatlordorladyforwhomallthefusswasbeingmade，lollinguponalitterwhichfourorevensixgiganticslavescarriedontheirbareshoulders。ForinTashbaanthereisonlyonetrafficregulation，whichisthateveryonewhoislessimportanthastogetoutofthewayforeveryonewhoismoreimportant;unlessyouwantacutfromawhiporpunchfromthebuttendofaspear。
Itwasinasplendidstreetverynearthetopofthecity（theTisroc'spalacewastheonlythingaboveit）thatthemostdisastrousofthesestoppagesoccurred。
Way!Way!Way!"camethevoice。，WayfortheWhiteBarbarianKing，theguestoftheTisroc（mayheliveforever）!WayfortheNarnianlords。"
ShastatriedtogetoutofthewayandtomakeBreegoback。Butnohorse，notevenaTalkingHorsefromNarnia，backseasily。Andawomanwithaveryedgybasketinherhands，whowasjustbehindShasta，pushedthebaskethardagainsthisshoulders，andsaid，，Nowthen!Whoareyoushoving!"AndthensomeoneelsejostledhimfromthesideandintheconfusionofthemomenthelostholdofBree。Andthenthewholecrowdbehindhimbecamesostiffenedandpackedtightthathecouldn'tmoveatall。Sohefoundhimself，unintentionally，inthefirstrowandhadafinesightofthepartythatwascomingdownthestreet。
Itwasquiteunlikeanyotherpartytheyhadseenthatday。Thecrierwhowentbeforeitshouting，Way，way!"wastheonlyCalormeneinit。Andtherewasnolitter;everyonewasonfoot。TherewereabouthalfadozenmenandShastahadneverseenanyonelikethembefore。Foronething，theywereallasfair-skinnedashimself，andmostofthemhadfairhair。AndtheywerenotdressedlikemenofCalormen。Mostofthemhadlegsbaretothekneee。Theirtunicswereoffine，bright，hardycolours—woodlandgreen，orgayyellow，orfreshblue。Insteadofturbanstheyworesteelorsilvercaps，someofthemsetwithjewels，andonewithlittlewingsoneachsideofit。Afewwerebare-headed。Theswordsattheirsideswerelongandstraight，notcurvedlikeCalormenescimitars。AndinsteadofbeinggraveandmysteriouslikemostCalormenes，theywalkedwithaswingandlettheirarmsandshouldersfree，andchattedandlaughed。Onewaswhistling。Youcouldseethattheywerereadytobefriendswithanyonewhowasfriendlyanddidn'tgiveafigforanyonewhowasn't。Shastathoughthehadneverseenanythingsolovelyinhislife。
Buttherewasnottimetoenjoyitforatonceareallydreadfulthinghappened。Theleaderofthefair-headedmensuddenlypointedatShasta，criedout，，Thereheis!There'sourrunaway!"andseizedhimbytheshoulder。NextmomenthegaveShastaasmack-notacruelonetomakeyoucrybutasharponetoletyouknowyouareindisgraceandadded，shaking:
"Shameonyou，mylord!Fieforshame!QueenSusan'seyesareredwithweepingbecauseofyou。What!Truantforawholenight!Wherehaveyoubeen?"
ShastawouldhavedartedunderBree'sbodyandtriedtomakehimselfscarceinthecrowdifhehadhadtheleastchance;butthefair-hairedmenwereallroundhimbynowandhewasheldfirm。
OfcoursehisfirstimpulsewastosaythathewasonlypoorArsheeshthefisherman'ssonandthattheforeignlordmusthavemistakenhimforsomeoneelse。Butthen，theverylastthinghewantedtodointhatcrowdedplacewastostartexplainingwhohewasandwhathewasdoing。Ifhestartedonthat，hewouldsoonbeaskedwherehehadgothishorsefrom，andwhoAraviswas—andthen，goodbyetoanychanceofgettingthroughTashbaan。HisnextimpulsewastolookatBreeforhelp。ButBreehadnointentionoflettingallthecrowdknowthathecouldtalk，andstoodlookingjustasstupidasahorsecan。AsforAravis，Shastadidnotevendaretolookatherforfearofdrawingattention。Andtherewasnotimetothink，fortheleaderoftheNarnianssaidatonce:
