迪文小说

chater fifteen rabadah the ridicu（第1页）

THEnextturnoftheroad-broughtthemoutfromamongthetreesandthere，acrossgreenlawns，shelteredfromthenorthwindbythehighwoodedridgeatitsback，theysawthecastleofAnvard。Itwasveryoldandbuiltofawarm，reddish-brownstone。

BeforetheyhadreachedthegateKingLunecameouttomeetthem，notlookingatalllikeAravissideaofakingandwearingtheoldestofoldclothes;forhehadjustcomefrommakingaroundofthekennelswithhisHuntsmanandhadonlystoppedforamomenttowashhisdoggyhands。ButthebowwithwhichhegreetedAravisashetookherhandwouldhavebeenstatelyenoughforanEmperor。

"Littlelady，"hesaid，"webidyouveryheartilywelcome。Ifmydearwifewerestillalivewecouldmakeyoubettercheerbutcouldnotdoitwithabetterwill。AndIamsorrythatyouhavehadmisfortunesandbeendrivenfromyourfathershouse，whichcannotbutbeagrieftoyou。MysonCorhastoldmeaboutyouradventurestogetherandallyourvalor。"

"Itwashewhodidallthat，Sir，"saidAravis。"Why，herushedataliontosaveme。"

"Eh，what'sthat?"saidKingLune，hisfacebrightening。"Ihaven'theardthatpartofthestory。"

ThenAravistoldit。AndCor，whohadverymuchwantedthestorytobeknown，thoughhefelthecouldn'ttellithimself，didn'tenjoyitsomuchashehadexpected，andindeedfeltratherfoolish。ButhisfatherenjoyeditverymuchindeedandinthecourseofthenextfewweekstoldittosomanypeoplethatCorwishedithadneverhappened。

ThentheKingturnedtoHwinandBreeandwasjustaspolitetothemastoAravis，andaskedthemalotofquestionsabouttheirfamiliesandwheretheyhadlivedinNarniabeforetheyhadbeencaptured。TheHorseswererathertongue-tiedfortheyweren'tyetusedtobeingtalkedtoasequalsbyHumansgrown-upHumans，thatis。Theydidn'tmindAravisandCor。

PresentlyQueenLucycameoutfromthecastleandjoinedthemandKingLunesaidtoAravis，"Mydear，hereisalovingfriendofourhouse，andshehasbeenseeingthatyourapartmentsareputtorightsforyoubetterthanIcouldhavedoneit。"

"You'dliketocomeandseethem，wouldn'tyou?"saidLucy，kissingAravis。TheylikedeachotheratonceandsoonwentawaytogethertotalkaboutAravis'sbedroomandAravis'sboudoirandaboutgettingclothesforher，andallthesortofthingsgirlsdotalkaboutonsuchanoccasion。

Afterlunch，whichtheyhadontheterrace（itwascoldbirdsandcoldgamepieandwineandbreadandcheese），KingLuneruffleduphisbrowandheavedasighandsaid，"Heigh-ho!WehavestillthatsorrycreatureRabadashonourhands，myfriends，andmustneedsresolvewhattodowithhim。"

LucywassittingontheKing'srightandAravisonhisleft。KingEdmundsatatoneendofthetableandtheLordDarrinfacedhimattheother。DarandPeridanandCorandCorinwereonthesamesideastheKing。

"YourMajestywouldhaveaperfectrighttostrikeoffhishead，"saidPeridan。"Suchanassaultashemadeputshimonalevelwithassassins。"

"Itisverytrue，"saidEdmund。"Butevenatraitormaymend。Ihaveknownonethatdid。"Andhelookedverythoughtful。

"TokillthisRabadashwouldgoneartoraisingwarwiththeTisroc，"saidDarrin。

"AfigfortheTisroc，"saidKingLune。"Hisstrengthisinnumbersandnumberswillnevercrossthedesert。ButIhavenostomachforkillingmen（eventraitors）incoldblood。Tohavecuthisthroatinthebattlewouldhaveeasedmyheartmightily，butthisisadifferentthing。"

"Bymycounsel，"saidLucy，"yourMajestyshallgivehimanothertrial。Lethimgofreeonstraitpromiseoffairdealinginthefuture。Itmaybethathewillkeephisword。"

"MaybeApeswillgrowhonest，Sister，"saidEdmund。"But，bytheLion，ifhebreaksitagain，mayitbeinsuchtimeandplacethatanyofuscouldswapoffhisheadincleanbattle。"

"Itshallbetried，"saidtheKing:andthentooneoftheattendants，"Sendfortheprisoner，friend。"

Rabadashwasbroughtbeforetheminchains。Tolookathimanyonewouldhavesupposedthathehadpassedthenightinanoisomedungeonwithoutfoodorwater;butinrealityhehadbeenshutupinquiteacomfortableroomandprovidedwithanexcellentsupper。Butashewassulkingfartoofuriouslytotouchthesupperandhadspentthewholenightstampingandroaringandcursing，henaturallydidnotnowlookhisbest。

"YourroyalHighnessneedsnottobetold，"saidKingLune，"thatbythelawofnationsaswellasbyallreasonsofprudentpolicy，wehaveasgoodrighttoyourheadaseveronemortalmanhadagainstanother。Nevertheless，inconsiderationofyouryouthandtheillnurture，devoidofallgentilesseandcourtesy，whichyouhavedoubtlesshadinthelandofslavesandtyrants，wearedisposedtosetyoufree，unharmed，ontheseconditions:first，that—"

"Curseyouforabarbariandog!"splutteredRabadash。"DoyouthinkIwillevenhearyourconditions?Faugh!YoutalkverylargelyofnurtureandIknownotwhat。Itseasy，toamaninchains，ha!Takeoffthesevilebonds，givemeasword，andletanyofyouwhodaresthendebatewithme。"

Nearlyallthelordssprangtotheirfeet，andCorinshouted:

"Father!CanIboxhim?Please。"

"Peace!YourMajesties!MyLords!"saidKingLune。"Havewenomoregravityamongusthantobesochafedbythetauntofapajock?Sitdown，Corin，orshaftleavethetable。IaskyourHighnessagain，tohearourconditions。"

"Ihearnoconditionsfrombarbariansandsorcerers，"saidRabadash。"Notoneofyoudaretouchahairofmyhead。EveryinsultyouhaveheapedonmeshallbepaidwithoceansofNarnianandArchenlandishblood。TerribleshallthevengeanceoftheTisrocbe:evennow。Butkillme，andtheburningsandtorturingsinthesenorthernlandsshallbecomeataletofrightentheworldathousandyearshence。Beware!Beware!Beware!TheboltofTashfallsfromabove!"

"Doesitevergetcaughtonahookhalf-way?"askedCorin。

"Shame，Corin，"saidtheKing。"Nevertauntamansavewhenheisstrongerthanyou:then，asyouplease。"

"OhyoufoolishRabadash，"sighedLucy。NextmomentCorwonderedwhyeveryoneatthetablehadrisenandwasstandingperfectlystill。Ofcoursehedidthesamehimself。Andthenhesawthereason。Aslanwasamongthemthoughnoonehadseenhimcoming。RabadashstartedastheimmenseshapeoftheLionpacedsoftlyinbetweenhimandhisaccusers。

"Rabadash，"saidAslan。"Takeheed。Yourdoomisverynear，butyoumaystillavoidit。Forgetyourpride（whathaveyoutobeproudof?）andyouranger（whohasdoneyouwrong?）andacceptthemercyofthesegoodkings。"

ThenRabadashrolledhiseyesandspreadouthismouthintoahorrible，longmirthlessgrinlikeashark，andwaggedhisearsupanddown（anyonecanlearnhowtodothisiftheytakethetrouble）。HehadalwaysfoundthisveryeffectiveinCalormen。Thebravesthadtrembledwhenhemadethesefaces，andordinarypeoplehadfallentothefloor，andsensitivepeoplehadoftenfainted。ButwhatRabadashhadn'trealizedisthatitisveryeasytofrightenpeoplewhoknowyoucanhavethemboiledalivethemomentyougivetheword。Thegrimacesdidn'tlookatallalarminginArchenland;indeedLucyonlythoughtRabadashwasgoingtobesick。

"Demon!Demon!Demon!"shriekedthePrince。"Iknowyou。YouarethefoulfiendofNarnia。Youaretheenemyofthegods。LearnwhoIam，horriblephantasm。IamdescendedfromTash，theinexorable，theirresistible。thecurseofTashisuponyou。Lightningintheshapeofscorpionsshallberainedonyou。ThemountainsofNarniashallbegroundintodust。The—"