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here there were of course soldiers on guard but the officer knew lasaraleen quite well and called his men to attention and saluted。 they passed at once into the hall of black marble。 a fair number of courtiers； slaves and others were still moving about here but this only made the two girls less conspicuous。 they passed on into the hall of pillars and then into the hall of statues and down the colonnade； passing the great beatencopper
doors of the throne room。 it was all magnificent beyond description； what they could see of it in the dim light of the lamps。
presently they came out into the garden…court which sloped downhill in a number of terraces。 on the far side of that they came to the old palace。 it had already grown almost quite dark and they now found themselves in a maze of corridors lit only by occasional torches fixed in brackets to the walls。 lasaraleen halted at a place where you had to go either left or right。
〃go on； do go on；〃 whispered aravis； whose heart was beating terribly and who still felt that her father might run into them at any corner。
〃im just wondering。。。〃 said lasaraleen。 〃im not absolutely sure which way we go from here。 i think its the left。 yes； im almost sure its the left。 what fun this is！鈥�
they took the left hand way and found themselves in a passage that was hardly lighted at all and which soon began going down steps。
〃its all right；〃 said lasaraleen。 〃im sure were right now。 i remember these steps。〃 but at that moment a moving light appeared ahead。 a second later there appeared from round a distant corner； the dark shapes of two men walking backwards and carrying tall candles。
and of course it is only before royalties that people walk backwards。 aravis felt lasaraleen grip her arm … that sort of sudden grip which is almost a pinch and which means that the person who is gripping you is very frightened indeed。 aravis thought it odd that lasaraleen should be so afraid of the tisroc if he were really such a friend of hers； but there was no time to go on thinking。 lasaraleen was hurrying her back to the top of the steps； on tiptoes； and groping wildly along the wall。
〃heres a door；〃 she whispered。 〃quick。鈥�
they went in； drew the door very softly behind them； and found themselves in pitch darkness。 aravis could hear by lasaraleens breathing that she was terrified。
〃tash preserve us！〃 whispered lasaraleen。 〃what shall we do if he es in here。 can we hide？鈥�
there was a soft carpet under their feet。 they groped forward into the room and blundered on to a sofa。
〃lets lie down behind it；〃 whimpered lasaraleen。 〃oh； i do wish we hadnt e。鈥�
there was just room between the sofa and the curtained wall and the two girls got down。
lasaraleen managed to get the better position and was pletely covered。 the upper part of araviss face stuck out beyond the sofa； so that if anyone came into that room with a light and happened to look in exactly the right place they would see her。 but of course； because she was wearing a veil； what they saw would not at once look like a forehead and
a pair of eyes。 aravis shoved desperately to try to make lasaraleen give her a little more room。 but lasaraleen； now quite selfish in her panic； fought back and pinched her feet。
they gave it up and lay still； panting a little。 their own breath semed dreadfully noisy； but there was no other noise。
〃is it safe？〃 said aravis at last in the tiniest possible whisper。
〃i … i … think so；〃 began lasaraleen。 〃but my poor nerves …〃 and then came the most terrible noise they could have heard at that moment： the noise of the door opening。 and then came light。 and because aravis couldnt get her head any further in behind the sofa； she saw everything。
first came the two slaves （deaf and dumb； as aravis rightly guessed； and therefore used at the most secret councils） walking backwards and carrying the candles。 they took up their stand one at each end of the sofa。 this was a good thing； for of course it was now harder for anyone to see aravis once a slave was in front of her and she was looking between his heels。 then came an old man； very fat； wearing a curious pointed cap by which she immediately knew that he was the tisroc。 the least of the jewels with which he was covered was worth more than all the clothes and weapons of the narnian lords put together： but he was so fat and such a mass of frills and pleats and bobbles and buttons and tassels and talismans that aravis couldnt help thinking the narnian fashions （at any rate for men） looked nicer。 after him came a tall young man with a feathered and jewelled turban on his head and an ivory…sheathed scimitar at his side。 he seemed very excited and his eyes and teeth flashed fiercely in the candlelight。 last of all came a little hump…backed； wizened old man in whom she recognized with a shudder the new grand vizier and her own betrothed husband； ahoshta tarkaan himself。
as soon as all three had entered the room and the door was shut； the tisroc seated himself on the divan with a sigh of contentment； the young man took his place； standing before him； and the grand vizier got down on his knees and elbows and laid his face flat on the carpet。
w w w。x iaoshu otx t。c o m
CHAPTER EIGHT
銆傚皬％璇碸t*xt…澶ｅ爞
in the house of the tisroc 〃oh…my…father…and…oh…the…delight…of…my…eyes；〃 began the young man； muttering the words very quickly and sulkily and not at all as if the tisroc were the delight of his eyes。
〃may you live for ever； but you have utterly destroyed me。 if you had given me the swiftest of the galleys at sunrise when i first saw that the ship of the accursed barbarians was gone from her place i would perhaps have overtaken them。 but you persuaded me to send first and see if they had not merely moved round the point into better anchorage。
and now the whole day has been wasted。 and they are gone … gone … out of my reach！
the false jade； the…〃 and here he added a great many descriptions of queen susan which would not look at all nice in print。 for of course this young man was prince rsh and of course the false jade was susan of narnia。
〃pose yourself； o my son；〃 said the tisroc。 〃for the departure of guests makes a wound that is easily healed in the heart of a judicious host。鈥�
〃but i want her；〃 cried the prince。 〃i must have her。 i shall die if i do not get her… false； proud； black…hearted daughter of a dog that she is！ i cannot sleep and my food has no savour and my eyes are darkened because of her beauty。 i must have the barbarian queen。鈥�
〃how well it was said by a gifted poet；〃 observed the vizier； raising his face （in a somewhat dusty condition） from the carpet； 〃that deep draughts from the fountain of reason are desirable in order to extinguish the fire of youthful love。鈥�
this seemed to exasperate the prince。 〃dog；〃 he shouted； directing a series of well…aimed kicks at the hindquarters of the vizier； 〃do not dare to quote the poets to me。 i have had maxims and verses flung at me all day and i can endure them no more。〃 i am afraid aravis did not feel at all sorry for the vizier。
the tisroc was apparently sunk in thought； but when； after a long pause； he noticed what was happening； he said tranquilly： 〃my son； by all means desist from kicking the venerable and enlightened vizier： for as a costly jewel retains its value even if hidden in a dung…hill； so old age and discretion are to be respected even in the vile persons of our subjects。 desist therefore； and tell us what you desire and propose。鈥�
〃i desire and propose； o my father；〃 said rsh； 〃that you immediately call out your invincible armies and invade the thrice…accursed land of narnia and waste it with fire and sword and add it to your illimitable empire； killing their high king and all of his blood except the queen susan。 for i must have her as my wife； though she shall learn a sharp lesson first。鈥�
〃understand； o my son；〃 said the tisroc； 〃that no words you can speak will move me to open war against narnia。鈥�
〃if you were not my father； o ever…living tisroc； 〃 said the prince； grinding his teeth； 〃i should say that was the word of a coward。鈥�
〃and if you were not my son； o most inflammable rsh；〃 replied his father； 〃your life would be short and your death slow when you had said it。〃 （the cool； placid voice in which he spoke these words made araviss blood run cold。）
〃but why； o my father；〃 said the prince … this time in a much more respectful voice； 〃why should we think twice about punishing narnia any more than about hanging an idle slave or sending a worn…out horse to be made into dogsmeat？ it is not the fourth size of one of your least provinces。 a thousand spears could conquer it in five weeks。 it is an unseemly blot on the skirts of your empire。鈥�
〃most undoubtedly；〃 said the tisroc。 〃these little barbarian countries that call themselves free （which is as much as to say； idle； disordered； and unprofitable） are hateful to the gods and to all persons of discernment。鈥�
〃then why have we suffered such a land as narnia to remain thus long unsubdued？鈥�
〃know； o enlightened prince；〃 said the grand vizier； 〃that until the year in which your exalted father began his salutary and unending reign； the land of narnia was covered with ice and snow and was moreover ruled by a most powerful enchantress。鈥�
〃this i know very well； o loquacious vizier；〃 answered the prince。 〃but i know also that the enchantress is dead。 and the ice and snow have vanished； so that narnia is now wholesome； fruitful； and delicious。鈥�
〃and this change； o most learned prince； has doubtless been brought to pass by the powerful incantations of those wicked persons who now call themselves kings and queens of narnia。鈥�
〃i am rather of the opinion；〃 said rsh； 〃that it has e about by the alteration of the stars and the operation of natural causes。鈥�
〃all this；〃 said the tisroc； 〃is a question for the disputations of learned men。 i will never believe that so great an alteration； and the killing of the old enchantress； were effected without the aid of strong magic。 and such things are to be expected in that land； which is chiefly inhabited by demons in the shape of beasts that talk like men； and monsters that are half man and half beast。 it is monly reported that the high king of narnia （whom may the gods utterly reject） is supported by a demon of hideous aspect and irresistible maleficence who appears in the shape of a lion。 therefore the attacking of narnia is a dark and doubtful enterprise； and i am determined not to put my hand out farther than i can draw it back。鈥�
〃how blessed is calormen；〃 said the vizier； popping up his face again； 〃on whose ruler the gods have been pleased to bestow prudence and circumspection！ yet as the irrefutable and sapient tisroc has said it is very grievous to be constrained to keep our hands off such a dainty dish as narnia。 gifted was that poet who said …〃 but at this point ahoshta noticed an impatient movement of the princes toe and became suddenly silent。
〃it is very grievous；〃 said the tisroc in his deep； quiet voice。 〃every morning the sun is darkened in my eyes； and every night my sleep is the less refreshing； because i remember that narnia is still free。鈥�
〃o my father；〃 said rsh。 〃how if i show you a way by which you can stretch out your arm to take narnia and yet draw it back unharmed if the attempt prove unfortunate？鈥�
〃if you can show me that； o rsh；〃 said the tisroc； 〃you will be the best of sons。鈥�
〃hear then； 0 father。 this very night and in this hour i will take but two hundred horse and ride across the desert。 and it shall seem to all men that you know nothing of my going。 on the second morning i shall be at the gates of king lunes castle of anvard in archenland。 they are at peace with us and unprepared and i shall take anvard before they have bestirred themselves。 then i will ride through the pass above anvard and down through narnia to cair paravel。 the high king will not be there； when i left them he was already preparing a raid against the giants on his northern border。 i shall find cair paravel； most likely with open gates； and ride in。 i shall exercise