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to your obedience。 a boy to break a fathers heart！ at your age a rod to your breech were fitter than a sword in your fist； ha！〃 but everyone； including corin； could see that the king was very proud of him。
〃chide him no more； sire； if it please you；〃 said lord darrin。 〃his highness would not be your son if he did not inherit your conditions。 it would grieve your majesty more if he had to be reproved for the opposite fault。鈥�
〃well； well；〃 grumbled the king。 〃well pass it over for this time。 and now …〃 what came next surprised shasta as much as anything that had ever happened to him in his life。 he found himself suddenly embraced inn bear…like hug by king lune and kissed on both cheeks。 then the king set him down again and said； 〃stand here together； boys； and let all the court see you。 hold up your heads。 now； gentlemen； look on them both。
has any man any doubts？鈥�
and still shasta could not understand why everyone stared at him and at corin nor what all the cheering was about。
xi锛shuotx锛础锛辑
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
灏�*璇�**t*xt**澶�*鍫�
how bree became a wiser horse we must now return to aravis and the horses。 the hermit； watching his pool； was able to tell them that shasta was not killed or even seriously wounded； for he saw him get up and saw how affectionately he was greeted by king lune。 but as he could only see； not hear； he did not know what anyone was saying and； once the fighting had stopped and the talking had begun； it was not worth while looking in the pool any longer。
next morning； while the hermit was indoors； the three of them discussed what they should do next。
〃ive had enough of this；〃 said hwin。 〃the hermit has been very good to us and im very much obliged to him im sure。 but im getting as fat as a pet pony； eating all day and getting no exercise。 lets go on to narnia。鈥�
〃oh not today； maam；〃 said bree。 〃i wouldnt hurry things。 some other day； dont you think？鈥�
〃we must see shasta first and say good…bye to him … and … and apologize；〃 said aravis。
〃exactly！〃 said bree with great enthusiasm。 〃just what i was going to say。鈥�
〃oh； of course；〃 said hwin。 〃i expect he is in anvard。 naturally wed look in on him and say good…bye。 but thats on our way。 and why shouldnt we start at once？ after all； i thought it was narnia we all wanted to get to？鈥�
〃i suppose so；〃 said aravis。 she was beginning to wonder what exactly she would do when she got there and was feeling a little lonely。
〃of course； of course；〃 said bree hastily。 〃but theres no need to rush things； if you know what i mean。鈥�
〃no； i dont know what you mean；〃 said hwin。 〃why dont you want to go？鈥�
〃m…m…m； broo…hoo；〃 muttered bree。 〃well； dont you see； maam … its an important occasion … returning to ones country … entering society … the best society … it is so essential to make a good impression … not perhaps looking quite ourselves； yet； eh？鈥�
hwin broke out into a horse…laugh。 〃its your tail； bree！ i see it all now。 you want to wait till your tails grown again！ and we dont even know if tails are worn long in narnia。
really； bree； youre as vain as that tarkheena in tashbaan！鈥�
〃you are silly； bree；〃 said aravis。
〃by the lions mane； tarkheena； im nothing of the sort；〃 said bree indignantly。 〃i have a proper respect for myself and for my fellow horses； thats all。鈥�
〃bree；〃 said aravis； who was not very interested in the cut of his tail； 〃ive been wanting to ask you something for a long time。 why do you keep on swearing by the lion and by the lions mane？ i thought you hated lions。鈥�
〃so i do；〃 answered bree。 〃but when i speak of the lion of course i mean aslan； the great deliverer of narnia who drove away the witch and the winter。 all narnians swear by him。鈥�
〃but is he a lion？鈥�
〃no； no； of course not；〃 said bree in a rather shocked voice。
〃all the stories about him in tashbaan say he is；〃 replied aravis。 〃and if he isnt a lion why do you call him a lion？鈥�
〃well； youd hardly understand that at your age；〃 said bree。 〃and i was only a little foal when i left so i dont quite fully understand it myself。鈥�
（bree was standing with his back to the green wall while he said this； and the other two were facing him。 he was talking in rather a superior tone with his eyes half shut； that was why he didnt see the changed expression in the faces of hwin and aravis。 they had good reason to have open mouths and staring eyes； because while bree spoke they saw an enormous lion leap up from outside and balance itself on the top of the green wall； only it was a brighter yellow and it was bigger and more beautiful and more alarming than any lion they had ever seen。 and at once it jumped down inside the wall and began approaching bree from behind。 it made no noise at all。 and hwin and aravis couldnt make any noise themselves； no more than if they were frozen。）
〃no doubt；〃 continued bree； 〃when they speak of him as a lion they only mean hes as strong as a lion or （to our enemies； of course） as fierce as a lion。 or something of that kind。 even a little girl like you； aravis； must see that it would be quite absurd to suppose he is a real lion。 indeed it would be disrespectful。 if he was a lion hed have to be a beast just like the rest of us。 why！〃 （and here bree began to laugh） 〃if he was a lion hed have four paws； and a tail； and whiskers！ 。 。 。 aie； ooh； hoo…hoo！ help！鈥�
for just as he said the word whiskers one of aslans had actually tickled his ear。 bree shot away like an arrow to the other side of the enclosure and there turned； the wall was too high for him to jump and he could fly no farther。 aravis and hwin both started back。
there was about a second of intense silence。
then hwin； though shaking all over； gave a strange little neigh； and trotted across to the lion。
〃please；〃 she said； 〃youre so beautiful。 you may eat me if you like。 id sooner be eaten by you than fed by anyone else。鈥�
〃dearest daughter；〃 said aslan； planting a lions kiss on her twitching； velvet nose； 〃i knew you would not be long in ing to me。 joy shall be yours。鈥�
then he lifted his head and spoke in a louder voice。
〃now； bree；〃 he said； 〃you poor； proud frightened horse； draw near。 nearer still； my son。
do not dare not to dare。 touch me。 smell me。 here are my paws； here is my tail； these are my whiskers。 i am a true beast。鈥�
〃aslan；〃 said bree in a shaken voice； 〃im afraid i must be rather a fool。鈥�
〃happy the horse who knows that while he is still young。 or the human either。 draw near； aravis my daughter。 see！ my paws are velveted。 you will not be torn this time。鈥�
〃this time； sir？〃 said aravis。
〃it was i who wounded you；〃 said aslan。 〃i am the only lion you met in all your journeyings。 do you know why i tore you？鈥�
〃no； sir。鈥�
〃the scratches on your back； tear for tear； throb for throb； blood for blood； were equal to the stripes laid on the back of your stepmothers slave because of the drugged sleep you cast upon her。 you needed to know what it felt like。鈥�
〃yes； sir。 please…鈥�
〃ask on； my dear；〃 said aslan。
〃will any more harm e to her by what i did？鈥�
〃child；〃 said the lion； 〃i am telling you your story； not hers。 no one is told any story but their own。〃 then he shook his head and spoke in a lighter voice。
〃be merry； little ones；〃 he said。 〃we shall meet soon again。 but before that you will have another visitor。〃 then in one bound he reached the top of the wall and vanished from their sight。
strange to say； they felt no inclination to talk to one another about him after he had gone。
they all moved slowly away to different parts of the quiet grass and there paced to and fro； each alone； thinking。
about half an hour later the two horses were summoned to the back of the house to eat something nice that the hermit had got ready for them and aravis； still walking and thinking； was startled by the harsh sound of a trumpet outside the gate。
〃who is there？〃 asked aravis。
〃his royal highness prince cor of archenland；〃 said a voice from outside。
aravis undid the door and opened it； drawing back a little way to let the strangers in。
two soldiers with halberd