CHAPTER NINE ACROSS THE DESERT（第4/5页）

It was about ten minutes later when all four of them (the two children wet nearly all over) came out and began to notice their surroundings. The moon was now high enough to peep down into the valley. There was soft grass on both sides of the river, and beyond the grass, trees and bushes sloped up to the bases of the cliffs. There must have been some wonderful flowering shrubs hidden in that shadowy undergrowth for the whole glade was full of the coolest and most delicious smells. And out of the darkest recess among the trees there came a sound Shasta had never heard beforea nightingale.

Everyone was much too tired to speak or to eat. The Horses, without waiting to be unsaddled,lay down at once.So did Aravis and Shasta.

About ten minutes later the careful Hwin said, "But we mustn't go to sleep.We've got to keep ahead of that Rabadash. "

"No," said Bree very slowly. "Mustn't go sleep. Just a little rest."

Shasta knew (for a moment) that they would all go to sleep if he didn' t get up and do something about it, and felt that he ought to. In fact he decided that he would get up and persuade them to go on.But presently;not yet: not just yet"

Very soon the moon shone and the nightingale sang over two horses and two human children,all fast asleep.

It was Aravis who awoke first. The sun was already high in the heavens and the cool morning hours were already wasted. "It's my fault,"she said to herself furiously as she jumped up and began rousing the others. "One wouldn't expect Horses to keep awake after a day' s work like that, even if they can talk. And of course that Boy wouldn' t;he' s had no decent training. But I ought to have known better."

The others were dazed and stupid with the heaviness of their sleep.

"Neigh-ho-broo-hoo," said Bree. "Been sleeping in my saddle, eh ? I' ll never do that again.Most uncomfortable—"

"Oh come on, come on," said Aravis. "We've lost half the morning already.There isn' t a moment to spare."

"A fellow's got to have a mouthful of grass," said Bree.

"I'm afraid we can't wait," said Aravis.

"What's the terrible hurry ?" said Bree. "We've crossed the desert, haven' t we ?"

"But we're not in Archenland yet," said Aravis. "And we' ve got to get there before Rabadash."

"Oh, we must be miles ahead of him, "said Bree. "Haven't we been coming a shorter way ? Didn' t that Raven friend of yours say this was a short cut,Shasta ?"

"He didn' t say anything about shorter,"answered Shasta. .He only said better,because you got to a river this way.If the oasis is due North of Tashbaan,then I'm afraid this may be longer."

"Well I can' t go on without a snack,"said Bree..Take my bridle off, Shasta."

"P-please,"said Hwin, very shyly,.I feel just like Bree that I can' t go on. But when Horses have humans (with spurs and things) on their backs, aren' t they often made to go on when they' re feeling like this ? and then they find they can. I m-mean-oughtn' t we to be able to do even more, now that we' re free.It' s all for Narnia."

"I think, Ma' am,"said Bree very crushingly,.that I know a little more about campaigns and forced marches and what a horse can stand than you do."

To this Hwin made no answer, being, like most highly bred mares, a very nervous and gentle person who was easily put down. In reality she was quite right, and if Bree had had a Tarkaan on his back at that moment to make him go on, he would have found that he was good for several hours' hard going. But one of the worst results of being a slave and being forced to do things is that when there is no one to force you any more you find you have almost lost the power of forcing yourself.

So they had to wait while Bree had a snack and a drink, and of course Hwin and the children had a snack and a drink too. It must have been nearly eleven o' clock in the morning before they finally got going again. And even then Bree took things much more gently than yesterday. It was really Hwin, though she was the weaker and more tired of the two,who set the pace.