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〃fancy！〃 said lasaraleen。 〃how exciting！ and oh； darling； have you seen the barbarian queen from narnia？ shes staying in tashbaan at present。 they say prince rsh is madly in love with her。 there have been the most wonderful parties and hunts and things all this last fortnight。 i cant see that shes so very pretty myself。 but some of the narnian men are lovely。 i was taken out on a river party the day before yesterday； and i was wearing my…鈥�
〃how shall we prevent your people telling everyone that youve got a visitor … dressed like a beggars brat … in your house？ it might so easily get round to my father。鈥�
〃now dont keep on fussing； theres a dear；〃 said lasaraleen。 〃well get you some proper clothes in a moment。 and here we are！鈥�
the bearers had stopped and the litter was being lowered。 when the curtains had been drawn aravis found that she was in a courtyard…garden very like the one that shasta had been taken into a few minutes earlier in another part of the city。 lasaraleen would have gone indoors at once but aravis reminded her in a frantic whisper to say something to the slaves about not telling anyone of their mistresss strange visitor。
〃sorry； darling； it had gone right out of my head；〃 said lasareleen。 〃here。 all of you。
and you； doorkeeper。 no one is to be let out of the house today。 and anyone i catch talking about this young lady will be first beaten to death and then burned alive and after that be kept on bread and water for six weeks。 there。鈥�
although lasaraleen had said she was dying to hear araviss story； she showed no sign of really wanting to hear it at all。 she was； in fact； much better at talking than at listening。
she insisted on aravis having a long and luxurious bath （calormene baths are famous）
and then dressing her up in the finest clothes before she would let her explain anything。
the fuss she made about choosing the dresses nearly drove aravis mad。 she remembered now that lasaraleen had always been like that； interested in clothes and parties and gossip。 aravis had always been more interested in bows and arrows and horses and dogs and swimming。 you will guess that each thought the other silly。 but when at last they were both seated after a meal （it was chiefly of the whipped cream and jelly and fruit and ice sort） in a beautiful pillared room （which aravis would have liked better if lasaraleens spoiled pet monkey hadnt been climbing about it all the time） lasaraleen at last asked her why she was running away from home。
when aravis had finished telling her story； lasaraleen said； 〃but； darling； why dont you marry ahoshta tarkaan？ everyones crazy about him。 my husband says he is beginning to be one of the greatest men in calormen。 he has just been made grand vizier now old axartha has died。 didnt you know？鈥�
〃i dont care。 i cant stand the sight of him；〃 said aravis。
〃but； darling； only think！ three palaces； and one of them that beautiful one down on the lake at ilkeen。 positively ropes of pearls； im told。 baths of asses milk。 and youd see such a lot of me。鈥�
〃he can keep his pearls and palaces as far as im concerned；〃 said aravis。
〃you always were a queer girl； aravis；〃 said lasaraleen。 〃what more do you want？鈥�
in the end； however； aravis managed to make her friend believe that she was in earnest and even to discuss plans。 there would be no difficulty now about getting the two horses out of the north gate and then on to the tombs。 no one would stop or question a groom in fine clothes leading a war horse and a ladys saddle horse down to the river； and lasaraleen had plenty of grooms to send。 it wasnt so easy to decide what to do about aravis herself。 she suggested that she could be carried out in the litter with the curtains drawn。 but lasaraleen told her that litters were only used in the city and the sight of one going out through the gate would be certain to lead to questions。
when they had talked for a long time … and it was all the longer because aravis found it hard to keep her friend to the point…at last lasaraleen clapped her hands and said； 〃oh； i have an idea。 there is one way of getting out of the city without using the gates。 the tisrocs garden （may he live for ever！） runs right down to the water and there is a little water…door。 only for the palace people of course … but then you know； dear （here she tittered a little） we almost are palace people。 i say； it is lucky for you that you came to me。 the dear tisroc （may he live for ever！） is so kind。 were asked to the palace almost every day and it is like a second home。 i love all the dear princes and princesses and i positively adore prince rsh。 i might run in and see any of the palace ladies at any hour of the day or night。 why shouldnt i slip in withyou； after dark； and let you out by the water…door？ there are always a few punts and things tied up outside it。 and even if we were caught…鈥�
〃all would be lost；〃 said aravis。
〃oh darling； dont get so excited；〃 said lasaraleen。 〃i was going to say； even if we were caught everyone would only say it was one of my mad jokes。 im getting quite well known for them。 only the other day… do listen； dear； this is frightfully funny…鈥�
〃i meant； all would be lost for me；〃 said aravis a little sharply。
〃oh … ah … yes … i do see what you mean； darling。 well； can you think of any better plan？鈥�
aravis couldnt； and answered； 〃no。 well have to risk it。 when can we start？鈥�
〃oh； not tonight；〃 said lasaraleen。 〃of course not tonight。 theres a great feast on tonight （i must start getting my hair done for it in a few minutes） and the whole place will be a blaze of lights。 and such a crowd too！ it would have to be tomorrow night。鈥�
this was bad news for aravis； but she had to make the best of it。 the afternoon passed very slowly and it was a relief when lasaraleen went out to the banquet； for aravis was very tired of her giggling and her talk about dresses and parties； weddings and engagements and scandals。 she went to bed early and that part she did enjoy： it was so nice to have pillows and sheets again。
but the next day passed very slowly。 lasaraleen wanted to go back on the whole arrangement and kept on telling aravis that narnia was a country of perpetual snow and ice inhabited by demons and sorcerers； and she was mad to think of going there。 〃and with a peasant boy； too！〃 said lasaraleen。 〃darling； think of it！ its not nice。〃 aravis had thought of it a good deal； but she was so tired of lasaraleens silliness by now that； for the first time； she began to think that travelling with shasta was really rather more fun than fashionable life in tashbaan。 so she only replied； 〃you forget that ill be nobody； just like him； when we get to narnia。 and anyway； i promised。鈥�
〃and to think；〃 said lasaraleen； almost crying； 〃that if only you had sense you could be the wife of a grand vizier！〃 aravis went away to have a private word with the horses。
〃you must go with a groom a little before sunset down to the tombs；〃 she said。 〃no more of those packs。 youll be saddled and bridled again。 but therell have to be food in hwins saddle…bags and a full water…skin behind yours； b