CHAPTER FOURTEEN HOW BREE BECAME A WISER HORSE(第2/4页)

"No doubt," continued Bree,"when they speak of him as a Lion they only mean he s 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 he d have to be a Beast just like the rest of us. Why !" (and here Bree began to laugh) "If he was a lion he'd have four paws,and a tail,and Whiskers!-Aie,ooh, hoo-hoo !Help !"

For just as he said the word Whiskers one of Aslan s 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,"you're so beautiful. You may eat me if you like. I d sooner be eaten by you than fed by anyone else."

"Dearest daughter," said Aslan, planting a lion's kiss on her twitching, velvet nose,"I knew you would not be long in coming to me.Joy shall be yours."

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."

"Aslan," said Bree in a shaken voice,"I'm afraid I must be rather a fool."

"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."

"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 ?"

No, sir.

"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 stepmother s slave because of the drugged sleep you cast upon her.You needed to know what it felt like."

"Yes,sir.Please—"

"Ask on, my dear," said Aslan.

"Will any more harm come to her by what I did ?"

"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.