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CHAPTER THREE AT THE GATES OF TASHBAAN（第1页）

CHAPTERTHREEATTHEGATESOFTASHBAAN

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“Mr.name，”

saidthegirlatonce，“isAravisTarkheenaandIamtheonlydaughterofKidrashTarkaan，thesonofRishtiTarkaan，thesonofKidrashTarkaan，thesonofIlsombrehTisroofArdeebTisrocwhowasdesarightlihegodTash.MyfatheristhelordoftheprovinceofdisonewhohastherightofstandingoinhisshoesbeforethefaceofTisrochimself（mayheliveforever）.Mymother（ohepeaceofthegods）isdeadandmyfatherhasmarriedanotherwife.Oneofmybrothershasfallenitherebelsiaherisaetopassthatmyfather'swife，mystep-mother，hatedme，andthesunappeareddarkinhereyesaslongasIlivedinmyfather'shouse.AndsoshepersuadedmyfathertopromisemeioAhoshtaTarkaan.NowthisAhoshtaisofbasebirth，thoughieryearshehaswonthefavouroftheTisroc（mayheliveforever）byflatteryandevilsels，andisarkaanandthelordofmanydislikelytobeastheGrahepresentGrandVizierdies.Moreoverheisatleastsixtyyearsoldandhasahumponhisbadhisfaceresemblesthatofahelessmyfather，becauseoftheowerofthisAhoshta，andbeingpersuadedbyhiswife，sentmessengersmeiheofferwasfavourablyadAhoshtasentwordthathewouldmarrymethisveryyearatthetimeofhighsummer.

&hisnewswasbroughttomethesunappeareddarkinmyeyesandIlaidmyselfonmybedaforaday.ButontheseddayIroseupandwashedmyfadcausedmymareHwintobesaddledandtookdaggerwhichmybrotherhadthewesternwarsaalone.Aher'shousewasoutofsightandIwasetoagreenopenplaawoodwheretherewerenodwellingsofmen，IdismountedfromHwiookoutthedagger.TheheswhereIthoughtthereadiestwaylaytomyheartaoallthegodsthatassoonasIwasdeadImightfihmybrother.AfterthatIshutmyeyesahaodrivethedaggeribeforeIhaddohismarespokewiththevoieofthedaughtersofmenandsaid，“Omymistress，donotbyaroyyourself，forifyouliveyoumayyethavegoodfortuallthedeadaredeadalike.”

“Ididn'tsayithalfsowellasthat，”

mutteredthemare.

“Hush，Ma'am，hush，”

saidBree，whhlyenjoyiory.“She'stellingitinthegrandannerandnostory-tellerinaTisroc'scourtcoulddoitbetter.Praygoon，Tarkheena.”

“Whehelanguageofmenutteredbymymare，”

uedAravis，“Isaidtomyself，thefearofdeathhasdisorderedmyreasonaodelusions.AndIbecamefullofshamefornoneofmyliofeardeathmorethaingofagnat.ThereforeIaddressedmyselfaseetothestabbing，butHwiomeandputherheadiweehedaggeranddisostextreasonsandrebukedmeasamotherrebukesherdaughter.AndnoassogreatthatIfotaboutkillingmyselfandaboutAhoshtaandsaid，'Omymare，howhaveyoulearospeaklikeoersofmen?'AndHwiisknowntoallthispany，thatinNarniatherearebeaststhattalk，andhowsheherselfwasstolenfromthenshewasalittlefoal.ShetoldmealsoofthewoodsandwatersofNarniaalesaships，tillIsaid，‘IashandAzarothandZardeenahLadyoftheNight，IhaveagreatwishtobeinthattryofNarnia.'‘Omymistress，'ahemare，‘ifyouwereinNarniayouwouldbehappy，forinthatlandnomaideainstherwill.'

“AalkedtreattimehopereturomeahatIhadnotkilledmyself.MoreoveritwasagreedbetweenHwiweshouldstealourselvesawaytogetherandweplahisfashioomyfather'shouseandIputohesandsanganddanyfatheraobedelightedwiththemarriagewhichhehadpreparedforme.AlsoIsaidtohim，‘Omyfatheraofmyeyes，givemeyourlidpermissiontogowithoneofmymaidehreedaysiodosecretsacrificestoZardeenah，LadyoftheNightandofMaidens，asisproperandaryfordamselswhebidfarewelltotheserviceofZardeenahahemselvesfe.'Andheanswered，‘Omydaughteraofmyeyes，soshallitbe.'

“ButwhefromthepresenyfatherIweotheoldestofhisslaves，hissecretary，whohaddandledmeonhiskneeswhenIwasababyandlovedmemorethantheaira.Aobesedbeggedhimtowritealetterforme.Aaogemyresolutionbutintheeohearistoobey，'anddidallmywill.Aterandhiditinmybosom.”

“Butwhatwasier?”

askedShasta.

&，youngster，”

saidBree.“You'respoiliory.She'lltellusallabouttheletteripla，Tarkheena.”

“ThehemaidwhowastogowithmetotheerformtheritesofZardeenahaowakemeveryearlyinthem.AndIbecamemerrywithheraodrink;butIhadmixedsugsihatIksleepfhtandaday.AssoonasthehouseholdofmyfatherhadittedthemselvestosleepIaroseandputonanarmorofmybrother'stinmyhismemory.IputintomygirdleallthemoneyIhadaainchoicejerovidedmyselfalsowithfood，ahemarewithmyownhandsandrodeawayichofthenight.IdirectedmyottothewoodswheremyfathersupposedthatIwouldgobutnorthaashbaan.

“Nowforthreedaysahatmyfatherwouldnotseekme，beihewordsIhadsaidtohim.AhdaywearrivedattheBalda.NowAzimBaldastaingofmanyroadsandfromitthepostsoftheTisroc（mayheliveforever）rideonswifthorsestoeverypartoftheempire:anditisosahegreaterTarkaanstosehem.IthereforewenttotheesseheHouseofImperialPostsinAzimBaldaandsaid，‘Odispatessages，hereisaletterfrommyuaTarkaantoKidrashTarkaanlordofCalavar.Takenowthesefivetsaobesenttohim.'Andtheessengerssaid，‘Tohearistoobey.'

“ThisletterwasfeigenbyAhoshtaandthiswasthesignifi:‘AhoshtaTarkaantoKidrashTarkaan，salutatioheashtheirresistible，theiknowntoyouthatasImademyjourowardyourhousetoperformthearriagebetweenmeandyhterAravisTarkheeuhatIfelliheforestwhenshehadeesandsacrificesofZardeenahagtotheaidens.AndwhenIlearnedwhoshewas，beiedwithherbeautyaion，IbeflamedwithloveaomethatthesuomeifIdidnotmarryheratonce.AglyIpreparedthenecessarysacrifidmarriedyhterthesamehourthatImetheraurhhertomyownhouse.Ahprayaoehitherasspeedilyasyoumaythatwemaybedelightedwithyourfadspeedalsothatywithyouthedowryofmywife，which，byreasonesandexpehoutdelay.AhouahersIassuremyselfthatyouwillnotbeahehasteewhichiswhollyoedbythegreatloveIbearyhter.AndIityoutothecareofallthegods.'

“AssoonasIhaddohisIrodeoninallhastefromAzimBalda，fearingnopursuitahatmyfather，havingreceivedsuchaletter，wouldseoAhotohimhimself，ahematterwasdiscoveredIshouldbebeyondTashbaan.AndthatisthepithofmystoryuntilthisverynightwhenIwaschasedbyliotheswimmier.”

“Andeheed?”

askedShasta.

“Doubtlessshewasbeatee，”

saidAraviscoolly.“Butshewasatoolandspyofmystepmother's.Iamverygladtheyshouldbeather.”

“Isay，thatwashardlyfair，”

saidShasta.

“Ididnotdoahingsforthesakeofpleasingyou，”

saidAravis.

“Andthere'sahingIdon'tuandaboutthatstory，”

saidShasta.“Yrownup，Idon'tbelieveyou'reahanIam.Idon'tbelieveyou'reasold.Howcouldyoubegettiye?”

Aravissaidnothing，butBreeatoncesaid，“Shasta，don'tdisplayyhey'realwaysmarriedatthatageiarkaanfamilies.”

Shastaturhoughitwashardlylightenoughfortheotherstoseethis）asnubbed.AravisaskedBreeforhisstory.Breetoldit，andShastathoughtthatheputidealmorethahefallsandthebadriding.Breeobviouslythoughtitveryfunny，butAravisdidnotlaugh.WhenBreehadfiheyallwenttosleep.

&dayallfourofthem，twohorsesandtwohumans，uedtheirjether.Shastathoughtithadbeeerwhenheaheirown.FornowitwasBreeandAraviswhodidnearlyallthetalking.BreehadlivedalongtimeinenandhadalwaysbeenamongTarkaansandTarkaans'horses，andsoofcoursehekmanyofthesamepeopleaAraviskneaysbesayingthiifyouwereatthefightofZulindrehyouwouldhaveseenmyash，”

andBreewouldanswer，“Oh，yes，Alimash，hewasonlyofthechariots，youknow.Idon'tquiteholdwithchariotsorthekindofhorseswhodrawchariots.That'snotrealcavalry.Butheisaworthynobleman.Hefilledmyhsugarafterthetakih.”

OrelseBreewouldsay，“IwasdownatthelakeofMezreelthatsummer，”