左叶小说网

手机浏览器扫描二维码访问

chater ten the herit f the uthern arch（第1页）

AFTERtheyhadriddenforseveralhoursdownthevalley，itwidenedoutandtheycouldseewhatwasaheadofthem.Theriverwhichtheyhadbeenfollowingherejoinedabroaderriver，wideandturbulent，whichflowedfromtheirlefttotheirright，towardstheeast.Beyondthisnewriveradelightfulcountryrosegentlyinlowhills，ridgebeyondridge，totheNorthernMountainsthemselves.Totherighttherewererockypinnacles，oneortwoofthemwithsnowclingingtotheledges.Totheleft，pine-cladslopes，frowningcliffs，narrowgorges，andbluepeaksstretchedawayasfarastheeyecouldreach.HecouldnolongermakeoutMountPire.StraightaheadthemountainrangesanktoawoodedsaddlewhichofcoursemustbethepassfromArchenlandintoNarnia.

"

Broo-hoo-hoo，theNorth，thegreenNorth!"

neighedBree:andcertainlythelowerhillslookedgreenerandfresherthananythingthatAravisandShasta，withtheirsouthern-bredeyes，hadeverimagined.Spiritsroseastheyclattereddowntothewater's-meetofthetworivers.

Theeastern-flowingriver，whichwaspouringfromthehighermountainsatthewesternendoftherange，wasfartooswiftandtoobrokenwithrapidsforthemtothinkofswimmingit;butaftersomecastingabout，upanddownthebank，theyfoundaplaceshallowenoughtowade.Theroarandclatterofwater，thegreatswirlagainstthehorses'fetlocks，thecool，stirringairandthedartingdragon-flies，filledShastawithastrangeexcitement.

"

Friends，weareinArchenland!"

saidBreeproudlyashesplashedandchurnedhiswayoutontheNorthernbank."

Ithinkthatriverwe'vejustcrossediscalledtheWindingArrow."

"

Ihopewe'reintime，"

murmuredHwin.

Thentheybegangoingup，slowlyandzigzaggingagooddeal，forthehillsweresteep.Itwasallopenpark-likecountrywithnoroadsorhousesinsight.Scatteredtrees，neverthickenoughtobeaforest，wereeverywhere.Shasta，whohadlivedallhislifeinanalmosttree-lessgrassland，hadneverseensomanyorsomanykinds.Ifyouhadbeenthereyouwouldprobablyhaveknown（hedidn't）thathewasseeingoaks，beeches，silverbirches，rowans，andsweetchestnuts.Rabbitsscurriedawayineverydirectionastheyadvanced，andpresentlytheysawawholeherdoffallowdeermakingoffamongthetrees."

Isn'titsimplyglorious!"

saidAravis.

AtthefirstridgeShastaturnedinthesaddleandlookedback.TherewasnosignofTashbaan;thedesert，unbrokenexceptbythenarrowgreencrackwhichtheyhadtravelleddown，spreadtothehorizon.

"

Hullo!"

hesaidsuddenly."

What'sthat!"

"

What'swhat?"

saidBree，turninground.HwinandAravisdidthesame.

"

That，"

saidShasta，pointing..Itlookslikesmoke.Isitafire?"

"

Sand-storm，Ishouldsay，"

saidBree.

"

Notmuchwindtoraiseit，"

saidAravis.

"