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

CHAPTERTHREEATTHEGATESOFTASHBAAN

“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。