《能言馬與男孩》第35期:阿拉維斯在塔什班城(1)

Chapter 7 Aravis in Tashbaan

What had really happened was this. When Aravis saw Shasta hurried away by the Narnians and found herself alone with two horses who (very wisely) wouldn't say a word, she never lost her head even for a moment. She grabbed Bree's halter and stood still, holding both the horses; and though her heart was beating as hard as a hammer, she did nothing to show it. As soon as the Narnian lords had passed she tried to move on again. But before she could take a step, another crier ("Bother all these people" thought Aravis) was heard shouting out, "Way, way, way! Way for the Tarkheena Lasaraleen!" and immediately, following the crier, came four armed slaves and then four bearers carrying a litter which was all a-flutter with silken curtains and all a-jingle with silver bells and which scented the whole street with perfumes and flowers. After the litter, female slaves in beautiful clothes, and then a few grooms, runners, pages, and the like. And now Aravis made her first mistake.

She knew Lasaraleen quite well - almost as if they had been at school together - because they had often stayed in the same houses and been to the same parties. And Aravis couldn't help looking up to see what Lasaraleen looked like now that she was married and a very great person indeed.

It was fatal. The eyes of the two girls met. And immediately Lasaraleen sat up in the litter and burst out at the top of her voice.

"Aravis! What on earth are you doing here? Your father-"

There was not a moment to lose. Without a second's delay Aravis let go the Horses, caught the edge of the litter, swung herself up beside Lasaraleen and whispered furiously in her ear.

"Shut up! Do you hear! Shut up. You must hide me. Tell your people-"

"But darling-" began Lasaraleen in the same loud voice. (She didn't in the least mind making people stare; in fact she rather liked it.)

"Do what I tell you or I'll never speak to you again," hissed Aravis. "Please, please be quick, Las. It's frightfully important. Tell your people to bring those two horses along. Pull all the curtains of the litter and get away somewhere where I can't be found. And do hurry."

"All right, darling," said Lasaraleen in her lazy voice. "Here. Two of you take the Tarkheena's horses." (This was to the slaves.) "And now home. I say, darling, do you think we really want the curtains drawn on a day like this? I mean to say-"

第7章 阿拉維斯在塔什班城

實際發生的事情是這樣的。當阿拉維斯看見沙斯塔被納尼亞人匆匆帶走，發覺自己單獨和（十分聰明地）不肯說人話的兩匹馬兒在一起時，她片刻也沒有喪失理智。她抓住布里的繮繩，一動不動地站在那兒，控制着那兩匹馬兒，儘管她的心怦怦跳動像錘子敲打，她可沒有露出聲色來。納尼亞國王們走過去了，她便試圖重新前進。但她還沒有邁步，卻聽另一個喝道的（“這些人真討厭，”阿拉維斯心中想道）正在大聲叫喊”閃開，閃開，閃開！給泰克希娜拉斯阿拉莉恩讓路！”緊跟着那喝道的，立刻走過來四個武裝奴隸，以及擡着一頂轎子的四個轎伕，轎子上四面飄揚着絲綢轎簾，銀鈴丁當，芳香和花氣瀰漫着整條街道。跟在轎子後面的，有四個穿華麗衣裳的女奴，幾個侍從、跑腿的小廝、小聽差等等。這當兒阿拉維斯犯了她的第一個錯誤。

她跟拉斯阿拉莉恩十分熟稔——幾乎像是一起上過學似的——因爲她們時常在同二家人家小住，參加同一個社交聚會。如今拉斯阿拉莉恩結婚了，事實上成了十分闊氣的人物，所以阿拉維斯禁不住擡起頭來，瞧瞧拉斯阿拉莉恩的模樣。

這下可糟啦。兩個少女的眼光碰到一起，拉斯阿拉莉恩立刻從轎子裏坐了起來，拉開嗓門兒大聲叫道。

“阿拉維斯！你究竟在這兒幹什麼呀?你父親……”

片刻也放鬆不得。一秒鐘也沒有耽擱，阿拉維斯放開了馬兒，抓住轎子的邊緣，身體騰空，~竄到了拉斯阿拉莉恩的身邊，憤怒地湊到她耳朵邊低聲說道。

“別嚷嚷！你聽到嗎?別嚷嚷。你必須把我藏起來。囑咐你的僕從……”

“可是寶貝……”拉斯阿拉莉恩用同先前一樣響亮的聲音說起話來。（這弄得路人目不轉睛地瞧她，她可一點也不介意；事實上，她倒是喜歡人家這樣瞧她的。）

“照我囑咐你的話辦，不然我就永遠不同你說話了。”阿拉維斯嘶嘶地說道，”請，請你趕快，拉斯。事情嚴重得可怕。叫你的侍從帶着這兩匹馬兒，把你轎子上的所有簾子都放下來，跑到一個人家找不着我的地方。趕快！”

“行啊，寶貝兒，”拉斯阿拉莉恩用懶洋洋的聲調答道，”喂，你們兩個帶着泰克希娜的馬兒。”（這句話是對奴隸說的。）”現在，回家。聽我說，寶貝兒，在這樣晴朗的日子裏，我們當真要把簾子都放下來嗎?我的意思是說……”