小说园

chater ne hw hata et ut n hi travel（第1页）

THISisthestoryofanadventurethathappenedinNarniaandCalormenandthelandsbetween，intheGoldenAgewhenPeterwasHighKinginNarniaandhisbrotherandhistwosisterswereKingandQueensunderhim．

Inthosedays，farsouthinCalormenonalittlecreekofthesea，therelivedapoorfishermancalledArsheesh，andwithhimtherelivedaboywhocalledhimFather。Theboy’snamewasShasta。OnmostdaysArsheeshwentoutinhisboattofishinthemorning，andintheafternoonheharnessedhisdonkeytoacartandloadedthecartwithfishandwentamileorsosouthwardtothevillagetosellit．IfithadsoldwellhewouldcomehomeinamoderatelygoodtemperandsaynothingtoShasta，butifithadsoldbadlyhewouldfindfaultwithhimandperhapsbeathim。TherewasalwayssomethingtofindfaultwithforShastahadplentyofworktodo，mendingandwashingthenets，cookingthesupper，andcleaningthecottageinwhichtheybothlived．

ShastawasnotatallinterestedinanythingthatlaysouthofhishomebecausehehadonceortwicebeentothevillagewithArsheeshandheknewthattherewasnothingveryinterestingthere。Inthevillageheonlymetothermenwhowerejustlikehisfather—menwithlong，dirtyrobes，andwoodenshoesturnedupatthetoe，andturbansontheirheads，andbeards，talkingtooneanotherveryslowlyaboutthingsthatsoundeddull。ButhewasveryinterestedineverythingthatlaytotheNorthbecausenooneeverwentthatwayandhewasneverallowedtogotherehimself。Whenhewassittingoutofdoorsmendingthenets，andallalone，hewouldoftenlookeagerlytotheNorth。Onecouldseenothingbutagrassysloperunninguptoalevelridgeandbeyondthattheskywithperhapsafewbirdsinit。

SometimesifArsheeshwasthereShastawouldsay，"OmyFather，whatistherebeyondthathill?"AndthenifthefishermanwasinabadtemperhewouldboxShasta'searsandtellhimtoattendtohiswork。Orifhewasinapeaceablemoodhewouldsay，"Omyson，donotallowyourmindtobedistractedbyidlequestions。Foroneofthepoetshassaid，'Applicationtobusinessistherootofprosperity，butthosewhoaskquestionsthatdonotconcernthemaresteeringtheshipoffollytowardstherockofindigence'。"

Shastathoughtthatbeyondthehilltheremustbesomedelightfulsecretwhichhisfatherwishedtohidefromhim。Inreality，however，thefishermantalkedlikethisbecausehedidn'tknowwhatlaytotheNorth。Neitherdidhecare。Hehadaverypracticalmind。

OnedaytherecamefromtheSouthastrangerwhowasunlikeanymanthatShastahadseenbefore。Herodeuponastrongdappledhorsewithflowingmaneandtailandhisstirrupsandbridlewereinlaidwithsilver。Thespikeofahelmetprojectedfromthemiddleofhissilkenturbanandheworeashirtofchainmail。Byhissidehungacurvingscimitar，aroundshieldstuddedwithbossesofbrasshungathisback，andhisrighthandgraspedalance。Hisfacewasdark，butthisdidnotsurpriseShastabecauseallthepeopleofCalormenarelikethat;whatdidsurprisehimwastheman'sbeardwhichwasdyedcrimson，andcurledandgleamingwithscentedoil。ButArsheeshknewbythegoldonthestranger'sbarearmthathewasaTarkaanorgreatlord，andhebowedkneelingbeforehimtillhisbeardtouchedtheearthandmadesignstoShastatokneelalso。

Thestrangerdemandedhospitalityforthenightwhichofcoursethefishermandarednotrefuse。AllthebesttheyhadwassetbeforetheTarkaanforsupper（andhedidn'tthinkmuchofit）andShasta，asalwayshappenedwhenthefishermanhadcompany，wasgivenahunkofbreadandturnedoutofthecottage。Ontheseoccasionsheusuallysleptwiththedonkeyinitslittlethatchedstable。Butitwasmuchtooearlytogotosleepyet，andShasta，whohadneverlearnedthatitiswrongtolistenbehinddoors，satdownwithhiseartoacrackinthewoodenwallofthecottagetohearwhatthegrown-upsweretalkingabout。Andthisiswhatheheard。

"Andnow，Omyhost，"saidtheTarkaan，"Ihaveamindtobuythatboyofyours。"

"Omymaster'repliedthefisherman（andShastaknewbythewheedlingtonethegreedylookthatwasprobablycomingintohisfaceashesaidit），"whatpricecouldinduceyourservant，poorthoughheis，tosellintoslaveryhisonlychildandhisownflesh?Hasnotoneofthepoetssaid，'Naturalaffectionisstrongerthansoupandoffspringmorepreciousthancarbuncles?'

"Itisevenso，"repliedtheguestdryly。"Butanotherpoethaslikewisesaid，"Hewhoattemptstodeceivethejudiciousisalreadybaringhisownbackforthescourge。"Donotloadyouragedmouthwithfalsehoods。Thisboyismanifestlynosonofyours，foryourcheekisasdarkasminebuttheboyisfairandwhiteliketheaccursedbutbeautifulbarbarianswhoinhabittheremoteNorth。"

"Howwellitwassaid，"answeredthefisherman，"thatSwordscanbekeptoffwithshieldsbuttheEyeofWisdompiercesthrougheverydefence!Knowthen，Omyformidableguest，thatbecauseofmyextremepovertyIhavenevermarriedandhavenochild。ButinthatsameyearinwhichtheTisroc（mayheliveforever）beganhisaugustandbeneficentreign，onanightwhenthemoonwasatherfull，itpleasedthegodstodeprivemeofmysleep。ThereforeIarosefrommybedinthishovelandwentforthtothebeachtorefreshmyselfwithlookinguponthewaterandthemoonandbreathingthecoolair。AndpresentlyIheardanoiseasofoarscomingtomeacrossthewaterandthen，asitwere，aweakcry。Andshortlyafter，thetidebroughttothelandalittleboatinwhichtherewasnothingbutamanleanwithextremehungerandthirstwhoseemedtohavediedbutafewmomentsbefore（forhewasstillwarm），andanemptywater-skin，andachild，stillliving。"Doubtless，"saidI，"theseunfortunateshaveescapedfromthewreckofagreatship，butbytheadmirabledesignsofthegods，theelderhasstarvedhimselftokeepthechildaliveandhasperishedinsightofland。"Accordingly，rememberinghowthegodsneverfailtorewardthosewhobefriendthedestitute，andbeingmovedbycompassion（foryourservantisamanoftenderheart）—"

"Leaveoutalltheseidlewordsinyourownpraise，"interruptedtheTarkaan。"Itisenoughtoknowthatyoutookthechild—andhavehadtentimestheworthofhisdailybreadoutofhiminlabour，asanyonecansee。Andnowtellmeatoncewhatpriceyouputonhim，forIamweariedwithyourloquacity。"

"Youyourselfhavewiselysaid，"answeredArsheesh，"thattheboy'slabourhasbeentomeofinestimablevalue。Thismustbetakenintoaccountinfixingtheprice。ForifIselltheboyImustundoubtedlyeitherbuyorhireanothertodohiswork。"

"I'llgiveyoufifteencrescentsforhim，"saidtheTarkaan。

"Fifteen!"criedArsheeshinavoicethatwassomethingbetweenawhineandascream。"Fifteen!Forthepropofmyoldageandthedelightofmyeyes!Donotmockmygreybeard，Tarkaanthoughyoube。Mypriceisseventy。"

AtthispointShastagotupandtiptoedaway。Hehadheardallhewanted，forhehadopenlistenedwhenmenwerebargaininginthevillageandknewhowitwasdone。HewasquitecertainthatArsheeshwouldsellhimintheendforsomethingmuchmorethanfifteencrescentsandmuchlessthanseventy，butthatheandtheTarkaanwouldtakehoursingettingtoanagreement。

YoumustnotimaginethatShastafeltatallasyouandIwouldfeelifwehadjustoverheardourparentstalkingaboutsellingusforslaves。Foronething，hislifewasalreadylittlebetterthanslavery;forallheknew，thelordlystrangeronthegreathorsemightbekindertohimthanArsheesh。Foranother，thestoryabouthisowndiscoveryintheboathadfilledhimwithexcitementandwithasenseofrelief。Hehadoftenbeenuneasybecause，tryashemight，hehadneverbeenabletolovethefisherman，andheknewthataboyoughttolovehisfather。Andnow，apparently，hewasnorelationtoArsheeshatall。Thattookagreatweightoffhismind。"Why，Imightbeanyone!"hethought。'!mightbethesonofaTarkaanmyself—orthesonoftheTisroc（mayheliveforever）orofagod!"

Hewasstandingoutinthegrassyplacebeforethecottagewhilehethoughtthesethings。Twilightwascomingonapaceandastarortwowasalreadyout，buttheremainsofthesunsetcouldstillbeseeninthewest。Notfarawaythestranger'shorse，looselytiedtoanironringinthewallofthedonkey'sstable，wasgrazing。Shastastrolledovertoitandpatteditsneck。Itwentontearingupthegrassandtooknonoticeofhim。

ThenanotherthoughtcameintoShasta'smind。"IwonderwhatsortofamanthatTarkaanis，"hesaidoutloud。"Itwouldbesplendidifhewaskind。Someoftheslavesinagreatlord'shousehavenexttonothingtodo。Theywearlovelyclothesandeatmeateveryday。Perhapshe'dtakemetothewarsandI'dsavehislifeinabattleandthenhe'dsetmefreeandadoptmeashissonandgivemeapalaceandachariotandasuitofarmour。Butthenhemightbeahorridcruelman。Hemightsendmetoworkonthefieldsinchains。IwishIknew。HowcanIknow?Ibetthishorseknows，ifonlyhecouldtellme。"

TheHorsehadlifteditshead。Shastastrokeditssmooth—as—satinnoseandsaid，"Iwishyoucouldtalk，oldfellow。"

Andthenforasecondhethoughthewasdreaming，forquitedistinctly，thoughinalowvoice，theHorsesaid，"ButIcan。"

Shastastaredintoitsgreateyesandhisowngrewalmostasbig，withastonishment。

"Howeverdidyoulearntotalk?"heasked。

"Hush!Notsoloud，"repliedtheHorse。"WhereIcomefrom，nearlyalltheanimalstalk。"

"Whereveristhat?"askedShasta。

"Narnia，"answeredtheHorse。"ThehappylandofNarnia—Narniaoftheheatherymountainsandthethymydowns，Narniaofthemanyrivers，theplashingglens，themossycavernsandthedeepforestsringingwiththehammersoftheDwarfs。OhthesweetairofNarnia!Anhour'slifethereisbetterthanathousandyearsinCalormen。"Itendedwithawhinnythatsoundedverylikeasigh。

"Howdidyougethere?"saidShasta。

"Kidnapped，"saidtheHorse。"Orstolen，orcapturedwhicheveryouliketocallit。Iwasonlyafoalatthetime。MymotherwarnedmenottorangetheSouthernslopes，intoArchenlandandbeyond，butIwouldn'theedher。AndbytheLion'sManeIhavepaidformyfolly。AlltheseyearsIhavebeenaslavetohumans，hidingmytruenatureandpretendingtobedumbandwitlessliketheirhorses。"

"Whydidn'tyoutellthemwhoyouwere?"

"Notsuchafool，that'swhy。Ifthey'doncefoundoutIcouldtalktheywouldhavemadeashowofmeatfairsandguardedmemorecarefullythanever。Mylastchanceofescapewouldhavebeengone。"

"Andwhy—"beganShasta，buttheHorseinterruptedhim。

"Nowlook，"itsaid，"wemustn'twastetimeonidlequestions。YouwanttoknowaboutmymastertheTarkaanAnradin。Well，he'sbad。Nottoobadtome，forawarhorsecoststoomuchtobetreatedverybadly。Butyou'dbetterbelyingdeadtonightthangotobeahumanslaveinhishousetomorrow。"