ous 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 mustnt go to sleep。 weve got to keep ahead of that rsh。鈥�
〃no；〃 said bree very slowly。 〃mustnt go sleep。 just a little rest。鈥�
shasta knew （for a moment） that they would all go to sleep if he didnt 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。 〃its my fault；〃 she said to herself furiously as she jumped up and began rousing the others。 〃one wouldnt expect horses to keep awake after a days work like that； even if they can talk。 and of course that boy wouldnt； hes had no decent training。 but i ought to have known better。鈥�
the others were dazed and stupid with the heaviness of their sleep。
〃neigh…ho … broo…hoo；〃 said bree。 〃been sleeping in my saddle； eh？ ill never do that again。 most unfortable…鈥�
〃oh e on； e on；〃 said aravis。 〃weve lost half the morning already。 there isnt a moment to spare。鈥�
〃a fellows got to have a mouthful of grass；〃 said bree。
im afraid we cant wait；〃 said aravis。
〃whats the terrible hurry？〃 said bree。 〃weve crossed the desert； havent we？鈥�
〃but were not in archenland yet；〃 said aravis。 〃and weve got to get there before rsh。鈥�
〃oh； we must be miles ahead of him；〃 said bree。 〃havent we been ing a shorter way？ didnt that raven friend of yours say this was a short cut； shasta？鈥�
〃he didnt 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 im afraid this may be longer。鈥�
〃well i cant go on without a snack；〃 said bree。 〃take my bridle off； shasta。鈥�
〃p…please；〃 said hwin； very shyly； 〃i feel just like bree that i cant go on。 but when horses have humans （with spurs and things） on their backs； arent they often made to go on when theyre feeling like this？ and then they find they can。 i m…mean … oughtnt we to be able to do even more； now that were free。 its all for narnia。鈥�
〃i think； maam；〃 said bree very crushingly； 〃that i know a little more about campaigns and forced marches and what a horse can stand than you do。鈥�
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 oclock 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。
the valley itself； with its brown； cool river； and grass and moss and wild flowers and rhododendrons； was such a pleasant place that it made you want to ride slowly。
CHAPTER TEN
銆�灏彙�/璇淬�倀xt澶╁爞
the hermit of the southern march after they had ridden for several hours down the valley； it widened out and they could see what was ahead of them。 the river which they had been following here joined a broader river； wide and turbulent； which flowed from their left to their right； towards the east。 beyond this new river a delightful country rose gently in low hills； ridge beyond ridge； to the northern mountains themselves。 to the right there were rocky pinnacles； one or two of them with snow clinging to the ledges。 to the left； pine…clad slopes； frowning cliffs； narrow gorges； and blue peaks stretched away as far as the eye could reach。 he could no longer make out mount pire。 straight ahead the mountain range sank to a wooded saddle which of course must be the pass from archenland into narnia。
〃broo…hoo…hoo； the north； the green north！〃 neighed bree： and certainly the lower hills looked greener and fresher than anything that aravis and shasta； with their southern…bred eyes； had ever imagined。 spirits rose as they clattered down to the waters…meet of the two rivers。
the eastern…flowing river； which was pouring from the higher mountains at the western end of the range； was far too swift and too broken with rapids for them to think of swimming it； but after some casting about； up and down the bank； they found a place shallow enough to wade。 the roar and clatter of water； the great swirl against the horses fetlocks； the cool； stirring air and the darting dragon…flies； filled shasta with a strange excitement。
〃friends； we are in archenland！〃 said bree proudly as he splashed and churned his way out on the northern bank。 〃i think that river weve just crossed is called the winding arrow。鈥�
〃i hope were in time；〃 murmured hwin。
then they began going up； slowly and zigzagging a good deal； for the hills were steep。 it was all open park…like country with no roads or houses in sight。 scattered trees； never thick enough to be a forest； were everywhere。 shasta； who had lived all his life in an almost tree…less grassland； had never seen so many or so many kinds。 if you had been there you would probably have known （he didnt） that he was seeing oaks； beeches； silver birches； rowans； and sweet chestnuts。 rabbits scurried away in every direction as they advanced； and presently they saw a whole herd of fallow deer making off among the trees。
〃isnt it simply glorious！〃 said aravis。
at the first ridge shasta turned in the saddle and looked back。 there was no sign of tashbaan； the desert； unbroken except by the narrow green crack which they had travelled down； spread to the horizon。
〃hullo！〃 he said suddenly。 〃whats that！鈥�
〃whats what？〃 said bree； turning round。 hwin and aravis did the same。
〃that；〃 said shasta； pointing。 〃it looks like smoke。 is it a fire？鈥�
〃sand…storm； i should say；〃 said bree。
〃not much wind to raise it；〃 said aravis。
〃oh！〃 exclaimed hwin。 〃look！ there are things flashing in it。 look！ theyre helmets … and armour。 and its moving： moving this way。鈥�
〃by tash！〃 said aravis。 〃its the army。 its rsh。鈥�
〃oh course it is；〃 said hwin。 〃just what i was afraid of。 quick！ we must get to anvard before it。〃 and without another word she whisked round and began galloping north。 bree tossed his head and did the same。
〃e on； bree； e on；〃 yelled aravis over her shoulder。
the race was very gruelling for the horses。 as they topped each ridge they found another valley and another ridge beyond it； and though they knew they were going in more or less the right direction； no one knew how far it was to anvard。 from the top of the second ridge shasta looked back again。 instead of a dust…cloud well out in the desert he now saw a black； moving mass； rather like ants； on the far bank of the winding arrow。 they were doubtless looking for a ford。
〃theyre on the river！〃 he yelled wildly。
〃quick！ quick！〃 shouted aravis。 〃we might as well not have e at all if we dont reach anvard in time。 gallop； bree； gallop。 remember youre a war…horse。鈥�
it was all shasta could do to prevent himself from shouting out similar instructions； but he thought； 〃the poor chaps doing all he can already；〃 and held his tongue。 and certainly both horses were doing； if not all they could； all they thought they could； which is not quite the same thing。 bree had caught up with hwin and they thundered side by side over the turf。 it didnt look as if hwin could possibly keep it up much longer。
at that moment everyones feelings were pletely altered by a sound from behind。 it was not the sound they had been expecting to hear … the noise of hoofs and jingling armour； mixed； perhaps； with calormene battle…cries。 yet shasta knew it at once。 it was the same snarling roar he had heard that moonlit night when they first met aravis and hwin。 bree knew it too。 his eyes gleamed red and his ears lay flat back on his skull。 and bree now discovered that he had not really been going as fast … not quite as fast … as he could。 shasta felt the change at once。 now they were really going all out。 in a few seconds they were well ahead of hwin。
〃its not fair；〃 thought shasta。 〃i did think wed be safe from lions here！鈥�
he looked over his shoulder。 everything was only too clear。 a huge tawny creature； its body low to the ground； like a cat streaking across the lawn to a tree when a strange dog has got into the garden； was behind them。 and it was nearer every second and half second。
he looked forward again and saw something which he did not take in； or even think about。 their way was barred by a smooth green wall about ten feet high。 in the middle of that wall there was a gate； open。 in the middle of the gateway stood a tall man dressed； down to his bare feet； in a robe coloured like autumn leaves； leaning on a straight staff。
his beard fell almost to his knees。
shasta saw all this in a glance and looked back again。 the lion had almost got hwin now。
it was making snaps at her hind legs； and there was no hope now in her foamflecked； wide…eyed face。
〃stop；〃 bellowed shasta in brees ear。 〃must go back。 must help！鈥�
bree always said afterwards that he never heard； or never understood this； and as he was in general a very truthful horse we must accept his word。
shasta slipped his feet out of the stirrups； slid both his legs over the left side； hesitated for one hideous hundredth of a second； and jumped。 it hurt horribly and nearly winded him； but before he knew how it hurt him he was staggering back to help aravis。 he had never done anything like this in his life before and hardly knew why he was doing it now。
one of the most terrible noises in the world； a horses scream； broke from hwins lips。
aravis was stooping low over hwins neck and seemed to be trying to draw her sword。
and now all three … aravis； hwin； and the lion were almost on top of shasta。 before they reached him the lion rose on its hind legs； larger than you would have believed a lion could be； and jabbed at aravis with its right paw。 shasta could see all the terrible claws extended。 aravis screamed and reeled in the saddle。 the lion was tearing her shoulders。
shasta； half mad with horror； managed to lurch towards the brute。 he had no weapon； not even a stick or a stone。 he shouted out； idiotically； at the lion as one would at a dog。 〃go home！ go home！〃 for a fraction of a second he was staring right into its wideopened；
raging mouth。 then； to his utter astonishment