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。 even then the tisroc remained seated in silence on the divan till aravis almost began to be afraid that he had dropped asleep。 but at last with a great creaking and sighing he heaved up his enormous body； signed to the slaves to precede him with the lights； and went out。 the door closed behind him； the room was once more totally dark； and the two girls could breathe freely again。
w w w。x iaoshu otx t。c o m
CHAPTER NINE
灏弤璇磣t。xt‘澶﹡鍫�
across the desert 〃hove dreadful！ how perfectly dreadful！〃 whimpered lasaraleen。 〃oh darling； i am so frightened。 im shaking all over。 feel me。鈥�
〃e on；〃 said aravis； who was trembling herself。 〃theyve gone back to the new palace。 once were out of this room were safe enough。 but its wasted a terrible time。 get me down to that water…gate as quick as you can。鈥�
〃darling； how can you？〃 squeaked lasaraleen。 〃i cant do anything … not now。 my poor nerves！ no： we must just lie still a bit and then go back。鈥�
〃why back？〃 asked aravis。
〃oh； you dont understand。 youre so unsympathetic；〃 said lasaraleen； beginning to cry。
aravis decided it was no occasion for mercy。
〃look here！〃 she said； catching lasaraleen and giving her a good shake。 〃if you say another word about going back； and if you dont start taking me to that water…gate at once
… do you know what ill do？ ill rush out into that passage and scream。 then well both be caught。鈥�
〃but we shall both be k…k…killed！〃 said lasaraleen。 〃didnt you hear what the tisroc （may he live for ever） said？鈥�
〃yes； and id sooner be killed than married to ahoshta。 so e on。鈥�
〃oh you are unkind；〃 said lasaraleen。 〃and i in such a state！鈥�
but in the end she had to give in to aravis。 she led the way down the steps they had already descended； and along another corridor and so finally out into the open air。 they were now in the palace garden which sloped down in terraces to the city wall。 the moon shone brightly。 one of the drawbacks about adventures is that when you e to the most beautiful places you are often too anxious and hurried to appreciate them； so that aravis （though she remembered them years later） had only a vague impression of grey lawns； quietly bubbling fountains； and the long black shadows of cypress trees。
when they re〃ached the very bottom and the wall rose frowning above them； lasaraleen was shaking so that she could not unbolt the gate。 aravis did it。 there； at last； was the river； full of reflected moonlight； and a little landing stage and a few pleasure boats。
〃good…bye；〃 said aravis； 〃and thank you。 im sorry if ive been a pig。 but think what im flying from！鈥�
〃oh aravis darling；〃 said lasaraleen。 〃wont you change your mind？ now that youve seen what a very great man ahoshta is！鈥�
〃great man！〃 said aravis。 〃a hideous grovelling slave who flatters when hes kicked but treasures it all up and hopes to get his own back by egging on that horrible tisroc to plot his sons death。 faugh！ id sooner marry my fathers scullion than a creature like that。鈥�
〃oh aravis； aravis！ how can you say such dreadful things； and about the tisroc （may he live for ever） too。 it must be right if hes going to do it！鈥�
〃good…bye；〃 said aravis； 〃and i thought your dresses lovely。 and i think your house is lovely too。 im sure youll have a lovely life … though it wouldnt suit me。 close the door softly behind me。鈥�
she tore herself away from her friends affectionate embraces； stepped into a punt； cast off； and a moment later was out in midstream with a huge real moon overhead and a huge reflected moon down； deep down； in the river。 the air was fresh and cool and as she drew near the farther bank she heard the hooting of an owl。 〃ah！ thats better！〃 thought aravis。 she had always lived in the country and had hated every minute of her time in tashbaan。
when she stepped ashore she found herself in darkness for the rise of the ground； and the trees； cut off the moonlight。 but she managed to find the same road that shasta had found； and came just as he had done to the end of。 the grass and the beginning of the sand； and looked （like him） to her left and saw the big； black tombs。 and now at last； brave girl though she was； her heart quailed。 supposing the others werent there！
supposing the ghouls were！ but she stuck out her chin （and a little bit of her tongue too）
and went straight towards them。
but before she had reached them she saw bree and hwin and the groom。
〃you can go back to your mistress now；〃 said aravis （quite forgetting that he couldnt； until the city gates opened next morning）。 〃here is money for your pains。鈥�
〃to hear is to obey；〃 said the groom； and at once set off at a remarkable speed in the direction of the city。 there was no need to tell him to make haste： he also had been thinking a good deal about ghouls。
for the next few seconds aravis was busy kissing the noses and patting the necks of hwin and bree just as if they were quite ordinary horses。
〃and here es shasta！ thanks be to the lion！〃 said bree。
aravis looked round； and there； right enough； was shasta who had e out of hiding the moment he saw the groom going away。
〃and now；〃 said aravis。 〃theres not a moment to lose。〃 and in hasty words she told them about rshs expedition。
〃treacherous hounds！〃 said bree； shaking his mane and stamping with his hoof。 〃an attack in time of peace； without defiance sent！ but well grease his oats for him。 well be there before he is。鈥�
〃can we？〃 said aravis； swinging herself into hwins saddle。 shasta wished he could mount like that。
〃brooh…hoo！〃 snorted bree。 〃up you get； shasta。 can we！ and with a good start too！鈥�
〃he said he was going to start at once；〃 said aravis。
〃thats how humans talk；〃 said bree。 〃but you dont get a pany of two hundred horse and horsemen watered and victualled and armed and saddled and started all in a minute。
now： whats our direction？ due north？
〃no；〃 said shasta。 〃i know about that。 ive drawn a line。 ill explain later。 bear a bit to our left； both you horses。 ah here it is！鈥�
〃now；〃 said bree。 〃all that about galloping for a day and a night； like in stories； cant really be done。 it must be walk and trot： but brisk trots and short walks。 and whenever we walk you two humans can slip off and walk too。 now。 are you ready； hwin？ off we go。 narnia and the north！鈥�
at first it was delightful。 the night had now been going on for so many hours that the sand had almost finished giving back all the sun…heat it had received during the day； and the air was cool； fresh； and clear。 under the moonlight the sand； in every direction and as far as they could see； gleamed as if it were smooth water or a great silver tray。 except for the noise of brees and hwins hoofs there was not a sound to be heard。 shasta would nearly have fallen asleep if he had not had to dismount and walk every now and then。
this seemed to last for hours。 then there came a time when there was no longer any moon。 they seemed to ride in the dead darkness for hours and hours。 and after that there came a moment when shasta noticed that he could see brees neck and head in front of him a little more clearly