《能言馬與男孩》第49期:穿過大沙漠(3)

For the next few seconds Aravis was busy kissing the noses and patting the necks of Hwin and Bree just as if they were quite ordinary horses.

"And here comes Shasta! Thanks be to the Lion!" said Bree.

Aravis looked round, and there, right enough, was Shasta who had come out of hiding the moment he saw the groom going away.

"And now," said Aravis. "There's not a moment to lose." And in hasty words she told them about Rabadash's expedition.

"Treacherous hounds!" said Bree, shaking his mane and stamping with his hoof. "An attack in time of peace, without defiance sent! But we'll grease his oats for him. We'll be there before he is."

"Can we?" said Aravis, swinging herself into Hwin's saddle. Shasta wished he could mount like that.

"Brooh-hoo!" snorted Bree. "Up you get, Shasta. Can we! And with a good start too!"

"He said he was going to start at once," said Aravis.

"That's how humans talk," said Bree. "But you don't get a company of two hundred horse and horsemen watered and victualled and armed and saddled and started all in a minute. Now: what's our direction? Due North?

"No," said Shasta. "I know about that. I've drawn a line. I'll explain later. Bear a bit to our left, both you horses. Ah here it is!"

"Now," said Bree. "All that about galloping for a day and a night, like in stories, can't really be done. It must be walk and trot: but brisk trots and short walks. And whenever we walk you two humans can slip off and walk too. Now. Are you ready, Hwin? Off we go. Narnia and the North!"

At first it was delightful. The night had now been going on for so many hours that the sand had almost finished giving back all the sun-heat it had received during the day, and the air was cool, fresh, and clear. Under the moonlight the sand, in every direction and as far as they could see, gleamed as if it were smooth water or a great silver tray. Except for the noise of Bree's and Hwin's hoofs there was not a sound to be heard. Shasta would nearly have fallen asleep if he had not had to dismount and walk every now and then.

接下來的幾秒鐘，阿拉維斯便忙於吻赫溫和布里的鼻子，拍拍它們的脖子，倒像它們是普普通通的馬兒似的。

“沙斯塔來了！感謝獅王！”布里說道。

阿拉維斯向周圍打量，一點不錯，沙斯塔看見侍從走了，便立刻從他躲藏的地方走了出來。

“注意啦，”阿拉維斯說道，”片刻時間也不能喪失。”她匆匆忙忙地講了拉巴達什的出征陰謀。

“奸詐的狗東西，”布里揮動景毛，蹬着四蹄，說道，”在和平的時候進攻，連個挑戰書也不送！不過我們會替他把燕麥拌上油的。我們會趕在他前面到達那兒的。”

“我們能嗎?”阿拉維斯跳上赫溫的馬鞍子，問道。沙斯塔但願他也能這樣跳上馬去。

“布羅赫一霍赫！”布里噴着鼻息，”你上來呀，沙斯塔。 我們能！而且還有一個良好的開端！”

“他說他立刻就出發。”阿拉維斯說道。

“人們就是這樣誇口的，”布里說道，”然而，你要叫兩百個人馬的連隊統統喝足水、吃飽飯、配備武器、上好鞍子，在一分鐘內一齊出發，那可是辦不到的。喂，我朝哪個方向走?正北嗎?”

“不，”沙斯塔說，”我知道方向。我已經劃了條溝。我以後講給你聽。你們兩位都要稍微靠我們左邊一點兒。啊，這就對了。”

“聽我說，”布里說道，”像故事裏那樣飛馳一天一夜，事實上是無法辦到的。必須是行走和小跑互相配合調劑輕快的小跑，短時間的行走。我們行走時，你們兩個也可以下來散散步。喂，你們準備好了嗎，赫溫?我們走吧。奔向納尼亞，奔向北方！”

開頭是愉快的。黑夜已經持續了好幾個小時，沙漠已經把它在白天吸收進去的太陽的熱量差不多散發掉了，空氣是涼快、新鮮和純淨的。四面八方極目可見的沙漠，在月光之下閃閃發亮，彷彿是一泓光滑平靜的水，或是一隻巨大銀盆。除了布里和赫溫的蹄聲外，一點兒別的聲音也聽不見。沙斯塔幾乎要沉沉入睡了，若不是他不得不時而爬下馬來散步的話。