迪文小说

chater three at the gate f tahbaan（第1页）

"MYname，"saidthegirlatonce，"isAravisTarkheenaandIamtheonlydaughterofKidrashTarkaan，thesonofRishtiTarkaan，thesonofKidrashTarkaan，thesonofIlsombrehTisroc，thesonofArdeebTisrocwhowasdescendedinarightlinefromthegodTash。MyfatheristhelordoftheprovinceofCalavarandisonewhohastherightofstandingonhisfeetinhisshoesbeforethefaceofTisrochimself（mayheliveforever）。Mymother（onwhombethepeaceofthegods）isdeadandmyfatherhasmarriedanotherwife。Oneofmybrothershasfalleninbattleagainsttherebelsinthefarwestandtheotherisachild。Nowitcametopassthatmyfather'swife，mystepmother，hatedme，andthesunappeareddarkinhereyesaslongasIlivedinmyfather'shouse。AndsoshepersuadedmyfathertopromisemeinmarriagetoAhoshtaTarkaan。NowthisAhoshtaisofbasebirth，thoughintheselatteryearshehaswonthefavouroftheTisroc（mayheliveforever）byflatteryandevilcounsels，andisnowmadeaTarkaanandthelordofmanycitiesandislikelytobechosenastheGrandVizierwhenthepresentGrandVizierdies。Moreoverheisatleastsixtyyearsoldandhasahumponhisbackandhisfaceresemblesthatofanape。Neverthelessmyfather，becauseofthewealthandpowerofthisAhoshta，andbeingpersuadedbyhiswife，sentmessengersofferingmeinmarriage，andtheofferwasfavourablyacceptedandAhoshtasentwordthathewouldmarrymethisveryyearatthetimeofhighsummer。

"WhenthisnewswasbroughttomethesunappeareddarkinmyeyesandIlaidmyselfonmybedandweptforaday。ButontheseconddayIroseupandwashedmyfaceandcausedmymareHwintobesaddledandtookwithmeasharpdaggerwhichmybrotherhadcarriedinthewesternwarsandrodeoutalone。Andwhenmyfather'shousewasoutofsightandIwascometoagreenopenplaceinacertainwoodwheretherewerenodwellingsofmen，IdismountedfromHwinmymareandtookoutthedagger。ThenIpartedmyclotheswhereIthoughtthereadiestwaylaytomyheartandIprayedtoallthegodsthatassoonasIwasdeadImightfindmyselfwithmybrother。AfterthatIshutmyeyesandmyteethandpreparedtodrivethedaggerintomyheart。ButbeforeIhaddoneso，thismarespokewiththevoiceofoneofthedaughtersofmenandsaid，"Omymistress，donotbyanymeansdestroyyourself，forifyouliveyoumayyethavegoodfortunebutallthedeadaredeadalike。"

"Ididn'tsayithalfsowellasthat，"mutteredthemare。

"Hush，Ma'am，hush，"saidBree，whowasthoroughlyenjoyingthestory。"She'stellingitinthegrandCalormenemannerandnostory-tellerinaTisroc'scourtcoulddoitbetter。Praygoon，Tarkheena。"

"WhenIheardthelanguageofmenutteredbymymare，"continuedAravis，"Isaidtomyselfthefearofdeathhasdisorderedmyreasonandsubjectedmetodelusions。AndIbecamefullofshamefornoneofmylineageoughttofeardeathmorethanthebitingofagnat。ThereforeIaddressedmyselfasecondtimetothestabbing，butHwincameneartomeandputherheadinbetweenmeandthedaggeranddiscoursedtomemostexcellentreasonsandrebukedmeasamotherrebukesherdaughter。AndnowmywonderwassogreatthatIforgotaboutkillingmyselfandaboutAhoshtaandsaid，'Omymare，howhaveyoulearnedtospeaklikeoneofthedaughtersofmen?'AndHwintoldmewhatisknowntoallthiscompany，thatinNarniatherearebeaststhattalk，andhowsheherselfwasstolenfromthencewhenshewasalittlefoal。ShetoldmealsoofthewoodsandwatersofNarniaandthecastlesandthegreatships，tillIsaid，'InthenameofTashandAzarothandZardeenahLadyoftheNight，IhaveagreatwishtobeinthatcountryofNarnia。'Omymistress，'answeredthemare，'ifyouwereinNarniayouwouldbehappy，forinthatlandnomaidenisforcedtomarryagainstherwill。

"AndwhenwehadtalkedtogetherforagreattimehopereturnedtomeandIrejoicedthatIhadnotkilledmyself。MoreoveritwasagreedbetweenHwinandmethatweshouldstealourselvesawaytogetherandweplanneditinthisfashion。WereturnedtomyfathershouseandIputonmygayestclothesandsanganddancedbeforemyfatherandpretendedtobedelightedwiththemarriagewhichhehadpreparedforme。AlsoIsaidtohim，'OmyfatherandOthedelightofmyeyes，givemeyourlicenceandpermissiontogowithoneofmymaidensaloneforthreedaysintothewoodstodosecretsacrificestoZardeenah，LadyoftheNightandofMaidens，asisproperandcustomaryfordamselswhentheymustbidfarewelltotheserviceofZardeenahandpreparethemselvesformarriage。'Andheanswered，'OmydaughterandOthedelightofmyeyes，soshallitbe。

"ButwhenIcameoutfromthepresenceofmyfatherIwentimmediatelytotheoldestofhisslaves，hissecretary，whohaddandledmeonhiskneeswhenIwasababyandlovedmemorethantheairandthelight。AndIsworehimtobesecretandbeggedhimtowriteacertainletterforme。Andheweptandimploredmetochangemyresolutionbutintheendhesaid，'Tohearistoobey，'anddidallmywill。AndIsealedtheletterandhiditinmybosom。"

"Butwhatwasintheletter?"askedShasta。

"Bequiet，youngster，"saidBree。"You'respoilingthestory。She'lltellusallabouttheletterintherightplace。Goon，Tarkheena。"

"ThenIcalledthemaidwhowastogowithmetothewoodsandperformtheritesofZardeenahandtoldhertowakemeveryearlyinthemorning。AndIbecamemerrywithherandgaveherwinetodrink;butIhadmixedsuchthingsinhercupthatIknew

shemustsleepforanightandaday。AssoonasthehouseholdofmyfatherhadcommittedthemselvestosleepIaroseandputonanarmourofmybrotherswhichIalwayskeptinmychamberinhismemory。IputintomygirdleallthemoneyIhadandcertainchoicejewelsandprovidedmyselfalsowithfood，andsaddledthemarewithmyownhandsandrodeawayinthesecondwatchofthenight。IdirectedmycoursenottothewoodswheremyfathersupposedthatIwouldgobutnorthandeasttoTashbaan。

"NowforthreedaysandmoreIknewthatmyfatherwouldnotseekme，beingdeceivedbythewordsIhadsaidtohim。AndonthefourthdaywearrivedatthecityofAzimBalda。NowAzimBaldastandsatthemeetingofmanyroadsandfromitthepostsoftheTisroc（mayheliveforever）rideonswifthorsestoeverypartoftheempire:anditisoneoftherightsandprivilegesofthegreaterTarkaanstosendmessagesbythem。IthereforewenttotheChiefoftheMessengersintheHouseofImperialPostsinAzimBaldaandsaid，'Odispatcherofmessages，hereisaletterfrommyuncleAhoshtaTarkaantoKidrashTarkaanlordofCalavar。Takenowthesefivecrescentsandcauseittobesenttohim。'AndtheChiefoftheMessengerssaid，'Tohearistoobey。

"ThisletterwasfeignedtobewrittenbyAhoshtaandthiswasthesignificationofthewriting:'AhoshtaTarkaantoKidrashTarkaan，salutationandpeace。InthenameofTashtheirresistible，theinexorable。BeitknowntoyouthatasImademyjourneytowardsyourhousetoperformthecontractofmarriagebetweenmeandyourdaughterAravisTarkheena，itpleased

fortuneandthegodsthatIfellinwithherintheforestwhenshehadendedtheritesandsacrificesofZardeenahaccordingtothecustomofmaidens。AndwhenIlearnedwhoshewas，beingdelightedwithherbeautyanddiscretion，IbecameinflamedwithloveanditappearedtomethatthesunwouldbedarktomeifIdidnotmarryheratonce。AccordinglyIpreparedthenecessarysacrificesandmarriedyourdaughterthesamehourthatImetherandhavereturnedwithhertomyownhouse。Andwebothprayandchargeyoutocomehitherasspeedilyasyoumaythatwemaybedelightedwithyourfaceandspeech;andalsothatyoumaybringwithyouthedowryofmywife，which，byreasonofmygreatchargesandexpenses，Irequirewithoutdelay。AndbecausethouandIarebrothersIassuremyselfthatyouwillnotbeangeredbythehasteofmymarriagewhichiswhollyoccasionedbythegreatloveIbearyourdaughter。AndIcommityoutothecareofallthegods。'

"AssoonasIhaddonethisIrodeoninallhastefromAzimBalda，fearingnopursuitandexpectingthatmyfather，havingreceivedsuchaletter，wouldsendmessagestoAhoshtaorgotohimhimself，andthatbeforethematterwasdiscoveredIshouldbebeyondTashbaan。AndthatisthepithofmystoryuntilthisverynightwhenIwaschasedbylionsandmetyouattheswimmingofthesaltwater。

"Andwhathappenedtothegirl—theoneyoudrugged?"askedShasta。

"Doubtlessshewasbeatenforsleepinglate，"saidAraviscoolly。"Butshewasatoolandspyofmystepmother's。Iamverygladtheyshouldbeather。"

"Isay，thatwashardlyfair，"saidShasta。

"Ididnotdoanyofthesethingsforthesakeofpleasingyou，"saidAravis。

"Andthere'sanotherthingIdon'tunderstandaboutthatstory，"saidShasta。"You'renotgrownup，Idon'tbelieveyou'reanyolderthanIam。Idon'tbelieveyou'reasold。Howcouldyoubegettingmarriedatyourage?"

Aravissaidnothing，butBreeatoncesaid，"Shasta，don'tdisplayyourignorance。They'realwaysmarriedatthatageinthegreatTarkaanfamilies。"

Shastaturnedveryred（thoughitwashardlylightenoughfortheotherstoseethis）andfeltsnubbed。AravisaskedBreeforhisstory。Breetoldit，andShastathoughtthatheputinagreatdealmorethanheneededaboutthefallsandthebadriding。Breeobviouslythoughtitveryfunny，butAravisdidnotlaugh。WhenBreehadfinishedtheyallwenttosleep。

Nextdayallfourofthem，twohorsesandtwohumans，continuedtheirjourneytogether。ShastathoughtithadbeenmuchpleasanterwhenheandBreewereontheirown。FornowitwasBreeandAraviswhodidnearlyallthetalking。BreehadlivedalongtimeinCalormenandhadalwaysbeenamongTarkaansandTarkaans'horses，andsoofcourseheknewagreatmanyofthesamepeopleandplacesthatAravisknew。Shewouldalwaysbesayingthingslike，"ButifyouwereatthefightofZulindrehyouwouldhaveseenmycousinAlimash，"andBreewouldanswer，