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chater three at the gate f tahbaan（第1页）

"

MYname，"

saidthegirlatonce，"

isAravisTarkheenaandIamtheonlydaughterofKidrashTarkaan，thesonofRishtiTarkaan，thesonofKidrashTarkaan，thesonofIlsombrehTisroc，thesonofArdeebTisrocwhowasdescendedinarightlinefromthegodTash.MyfatheristhelordoftheprovinceofCalavarandisonewhohastherightofstandingonhisfeetinhisshoesbeforethefaceofTisrochimself（mayheliveforever）.Mymother（onwhombethepeaceofthegods）isdeadandmyfatherhasmarriedanotherwife.Oneofmybrothershasfalleninbattleagainsttherebelsinthefarwestandtheotherisachild.Nowitcametopassthatmyfather'swife，mystepmother，hatedme，andthesunappeareddarkinhereyesaslongasIlivedinmyfather'shouse.AndsoshepersuadedmyfathertopromisemeinmarriagetoAhoshtaTarkaan.NowthisAhoshtaisofbasebirth，thoughintheselatteryearshehaswonthefavouroftheTisroc（mayheliveforever）byflatteryandevilcounsels，andisnowmadeaTarkaanandthelordofmanycitiesandislikelytobechosenastheGrandVizierwhenthepresentGrandVizierdies.Moreoverheisatleastsixtyyearsoldandhasahumponhisbackandhisfaceresemblesthatofanape.Neverthelessmyfather，becauseofthewealthandpowerofthisAhoshta，andbeingpersuadedbyhiswife，sentmessengersofferingmeinmarriage，andtheofferwasfavourablyacceptedandAhoshtasentwordthathewouldmarrymethisveryyearatthetimeofhighsummer.

"

WhenthisnewswasbroughttomethesunappeareddarkinmyeyesandIlaidmyselfonmybedandweptforaday.ButontheseconddayIroseupandwashedmyfaceandcausedmymareHwintobesaddledandtookwithmeasharpdaggerwhichmybrotherhadcarriedinthewesternwarsandrodeoutalone.Andwhenmyfather'shousewasoutofsightandIwascometoagreenopenplaceinacertainwoodwheretherewerenodwellingsofmen，IdismountedfromHwinmymareandtookoutthedagger.ThenIpartedmyclotheswhereIthoughtthereadiestwaylaytomyheartandIprayedtoallthegodsthatassoonasIwasdeadImightfindmyselfwithmybrother.AfterthatIshutmyeyesandmyteethandpreparedtodrivethedaggerintomyheart.ButbeforeIhaddoneso，thismarespokewiththevoiceofoneofthedaughtersofmenandsaid，"

Omymistress，donotbyanymeansdestroyyourself，forifyouliveyoumayyethavegoodfortunebutallthedeadaredeadalike."

"

Ididn'tsayithalfsowellasthat，"

mutteredthemare.

"

Hush，Ma'am，hush，"

saidBree，whowasthoroughlyenjoyingthestory."

She'stellingitinthegrandCalormenemannerandnostory-tellerinaTisroc'scourtcoulddoitbetter.Praygoon，Tarkheena."

"

WhenIheardthelanguageofmenutteredbymymare，"

continuedAravis，"

Isaidtomyselfthefearofdeathhasdisorderedmyreasonandsubjectedmetodelusions.AndIbecamefullofshamefornoneofmylineageoughttofeardeathmorethanthebitingofagnat.ThereforeIaddressedmyselfasecondtimetothestabbing，butHwincameneartomeandputherheadinbetweenmeandthedaggeranddiscoursedtomemostexcellentreasonsandrebukedmeasamotherrebukesherdaughter.AndnowmywonderwassogreatthatIforgotaboutkillingmyselfandaboutAhoshtaandsaid，'Omymare，howhaveyoulearnedtospeaklikeoneofthedaughtersofmen?'AndHwintoldmewhatisknowntoallthiscompany，thatinNarniatherearebeaststhattalk，andhowsheherselfwasstolenfromthencewhenshewasalittlefoal.ShetoldmealsoofthewoodsandwatersofNarniaandthecastlesandthegreatships，tillIsaid，'InthenameofTashandAzarothandZardeenahLadyoftheNight，IhaveagreatwishtobeinthatcountryofNarnia.'Omymistress，'answeredthemare，'ifyouwereinNarniayouwouldbehappy，forinthatlandnomaidenisforcedtomarryagainstherwill.

"

AndwhenwehadtalkedtogetherforagreattimehopereturnedtomeandIrejoicedthatIhadnotkilledmyself.MoreoveritwasagreedbetweenHwinandmethatweshouldstealourselvesawaytogetherandweplanneditinthisfashion.WereturnedtomyfathershouseandIputonmygayestclothesandsanganddancedbeforemyfatherandpretendedtobedelightedwiththemarriagewhichhehadpreparedforme.AlsoIsaidtohim，'OmyfatherandOthedelightofmyeyes，givemeyourlicenceandpermissiontogowithoneofmymaidensaloneforthreedaysintothewoodstodosecretsacrificestoZardeenah，LadyoftheNightandofMaidens，asisproperandcustomaryfordamselswhentheymustbidfarewelltotheserviceofZardeenahandpreparethemselvesformarriage.'Andheanswered，'OmydaughterandOthedelightofmyeyes，soshallitbe.

"

ButwhenIcameoutfromthepresenceofmyfatherIwentimmediatelytotheoldestofhisslaves，hissecretary，whohaddandledmeonhiskneeswhenIwasababyandlovedmemorethantheairandthelight.AndIsworehimtobesecretandbeggedhimtowriteacertainletterforme.Andheweptandimploredmetochangemyresolutionbutintheendhesaid，'Tohearistoobey，'anddidallmywill.AndIsealedtheletterandhiditinmybosom."

"

Butwhatwasintheletter?"

askedShasta.

"

Bequiet，youngster，"

saidBree."

You'respoilingthestory.She'lltellusallabouttheletterintherightplace.Goon，Tarkheena."

"

ThenIcalledthemaidwhowastogowithmetothewoodsandperformtheritesofZardeenahandtoldhertowakemeveryearlyinthemorning.AndIbecamemerrywithherandgaveherwinetodrink;butIhadmixedsuchthingsinhercupthatIknew