《能言馬與男孩》第47期:穿過大沙漠(1)
Chapter 9 Across the Desert
"Hove dreadful! How perfectly dreadful!" whimpered Lasaraleen. "Oh darling, I am so frightened. I'm shaking all over. Feel me."
"Come on," said Aravis, who was trembling herself. "They've gone back to the new palace. Once we're out of this room we're safe enough. But it's wasted a terrible time. Get me down to that water-gate as quick as you can."
"Darling, how can you?" squeaked Lasaraleen. "I can't do anything - not now. My poor nerves! No: we must just lie still a bit and then go back."
"Why back?" asked Aravis.
"Oh, you don't understand. You're 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 don't start taking me to that water-gate at once - do you know what I'll do? I'll rush out into that passage and scream. Then we'll both be caught."
"But we shall both be k-k-killed!" said Lasaraleen. "Didn't you hear what the Tisroc (may he live for ever) said?"
"Yes, and I'd sooner be killed than married to Ahoshta. So come on."
"Oh you are unkind," said Lasaraleen. "And I in such a state!"
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 come 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.
第9章 穿過大沙漠
“多麼可怕啊！真是可怕之至啊！”拉斯阿拉莉恩嗚嗚咽咽地說道，”啊，寶貝兒，我真嚇壞了。我渾身都在發抖。你摸摸我。”
“走吧，”阿拉維斯說，她自己也在發抖，”他們回到帝王宮去了。我們出了這個房間就安全了。但已經浪費了不少時間。你要盡你所能，趕快把我帶到山下的水門去。”
“寶貝兒，你怎麼能這樣逼我呢?”拉斯阿拉莉恩尖聲叫道，”我啥也幹不了——現在不行。我那可憐的神經！不！我們必須靜靜地躺一會兒，然後回去。”
“爲什麼回去?”阿拉維斯問道。
“啊，你不瞭解。你那麼缺少同情心。”拉斯阿拉莉恩說，而且開始哭起來了。阿拉維斯心中打定主意：這可不是憐憫同情的時刻和場合。
“你聽着！”她抓住拉斯阿拉莉恩，猛烈搖動她的身體，說道”如果你再說一句要回去，如果你不立刻開始領我到水門去——你可知道我要幹什麼?我要跑到通道里去大叫大喊。這一叫，我們兩個就都要給逮住了。”
“那我們兩個就都要被殺死了啊！”拉斯阿拉莉恩說道，”你可聽見蒂斯羅克(願他萬壽無疆！)說的話嗎?”
“聽見，與其嫁給阿霍什塔，我寧可早點被殺死。”
“啊，你是冷酷無情的，”拉斯阿拉莉恩說，”我竟落到 了這種處境！”
但最後她還是不得不向阿拉維斯屈服了。她帶路走下她們剛纔下去過的石級，沿着另一條通道走去，終於走到了空曠的地方。現在她們是在御花園裏了，花園的一層層臺地迤邐而下，直達城牆。月亮明朗地照耀着。冒險行動中的一大缺憾是：當你來到最美麗的地方時，你往往太焦急、太匆忙，無法欣賞當前美景，所以，阿拉維斯只有一個模模糊糊的印象(雖然幾年後還記得很勞):銀灰色的草地，安靜的淚淚流動的泉水，以及柏樹的長長的黑色陰影。
