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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.AndIsealedtheletterandhiditinmyboso"

"Butwhatwasintheletter?"askedShasta.

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

"ThenIcalledthemaidwhowastogowithmetothewoodsandperformtheritesofZardeenahandtoldhertowakemeveryearlyinthemorning.AndIbecamemerrywithherandgaveherwinetodrink;butIhadmixedsuchthingsinhercupthatIknew

shemustsleepforanightandaday.AssoonasthehouseholdofmyfatherhadcommittedthemselvestosleepIaroseandputonanarmourofmybrotherswhichIalwayskeptinmychamberinhismemory.IputintomygirdleallthemoneyIhadandcertainchoicejewelsandprovidedmyselfalsowithfood，andsaddledthemarewithmyownhandsandrodeawayinthesecondwatchofthenight.IdirectedmycoursenottothewoodswheremyfathersupposedthatIwouldgobutnorthandeasttoTashbaan.

"NowforthreedaysandmoreIknewthatmyfatherwouldnotseekme，beingdeceivedbythewordsIhadsaidtohiAndonthefourthdaywearrivedatthecityofAzimBalda.NowAzimBaldastandsatthemeetingofmanyroadsandfromitthepostsoftheTisroc（mayheliveforever）rideonswifthorsestoeverypartoftheempire:anditisoneoftherightsandprivilegesofthegreaterTarkaanstosendmessagesbytheIthereforewenttotheChiefoftheMessengersintheHouseofImperialPostsinAzimBaldaandsaid，'Odispatcherofmessages，hereisaletterfrommyuncleAhoshtaTarkaantoKidrashTarkaanlordofCalavar.Takenowthesefivecrescentsandcauseittobesenttohi'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'reanyolderthanIaIdon'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，

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