第一胎女宝特别像男孩 《能言马与男孩》第13期:在塔什班城门口(2)

《能言马与男孩》第13期:在塔什班城门口(2)  

"When I heard the language of men uttered by my mare
" continued Aravis
"I said to myself
the fear of death has disordered my reason and subjected me to delusions. And I became full of shame for none of my lineage ought to fear death more than the biting of a gnat. Therefore I addressed myself a second time to the stabbing
but Hwin came near to me and put her head in beeen me and the dagger and discoursed to me most excellent reasons and rebuked me as a mother rebukes her daughter. And now my wonder was so great that I fot about killing myself and about Ahoshta and said
'O my mare
how have you learned to speak like one of the daughters of men?' And Hwin told me what is known to all this pany
that in Narnia there are beasts that talk
and how she herself was stolen from thence when she was a little foal. She told me also of the woods and waters of Narnia and the castles and the great ships
till I said
'In the name of Tash and Azaroth and Zardeenah Lady of the Night
I have a great wish to be in that country of Narnia.' 'O my mistress
' answered the mare
'if you were in Narnia you would be happy
for in that land no maiden is forced to marry against her will.'
"And when we had talked together for a great time hope returned to me and I rejoiced that I had not killed myself. Moreover it was agreed beeen Hwin and me that we should steal ourselves away together and we planned it in this fashion. We returned to my father's house and I put on my gayest clothes and sang and danced before my father and pretended to be delighted with the marriage which he had prepared for me. Also I said to him
'O my father and O the delight of my eyes
give me your licence and permission to go with one of my maidens alone for three days into the woods to do secret sacrifices to Zardeenah
Lady of the Night and of Maidens
as is proper and customary for damsels when they must bid farewell to the service of Zardeenah and prepare themselves for marriage.' And he answered
'O my daughter and O the delight of my eyes
so shall it be.'
"But when I came out from the presence of my father I went immediately to the oldest of his slaves
his secretary
who had dandled me on his knees when I was a baby and loved me more than the air and the light. And I swore him to be secret and begged him to write a certain letter for me. And he wept and implored me to change my resolution but in the end he said
'To hear is to obey
' and did all my will. And I sealed the letter and hid it in my bosom."
“我从父亲那儿出来以后，立刻就去找他的最老的奴隶，也就是他的祕书，在我足个婴儿的时候，他曾在他膝头上播弄我逗我，他爱我甚于爱空气和阳光。我叫他起誓保守祕密，并且求他替我写了封信。他哭泣，求我改变主意，但他最后终于说道，‘听到下令，就遵命照办。’并且按照我的一切愿望把事情办了。我封好了信，藏在怀中。”
"But what was in the letter?" asked Shasta.
"Be quiet
youngster
" said Bree. "You're spoiling the story. She'll tell us all about the letter in the right place. Go on
Tarkheena."