CHAPTEREIGHTINTHEHOUSEOFTHETISROC
“OH-my-father-a-of-my-eyes,”begantheyoungmahewordsveryquidsulkilyandnotatallasiftheTisrocwerethedelightofhiseyes。“Mayyouliveforever,butyouhaveutterlydestroyedme。IfyouhadgiveofthegalleysatsusawthattheshipoftheaccursedbarbarianswasgonefromherplaceIwouldperhapshaveovertakeyoupersuadedmetosendfirstaheyhadnotmerelymovedrouieranche。Andnowthewholedayhasbeeheyaregoofmyreach!
Thefalsejade,the—”andhereheaddedagreatmaionsofQueenSusanwhiotlookatall。ForofcoursethisyoungmanrinceRabadashandofcoursethefalsejadewasSusanofNarnia。
“poseyourself,Omyson,”saidtheTisroc。“Forthedepartureofguestsmakesawoundthatiseasilyhealediofajudicioushost。”
“ButIwanther,”criedthePrihaveher。IshalldieifIdoher—false,proud,black-hearteddaughterofadogthatsheis!Iotsleepandmyfoodhasnosavourandmyeyesaredarkenedbecauseofherbeauty。Imusthavethebarbarianqueen。”
“Hoassaidbyagiftedpoet,”observedtheVizier,raisinghisfaasomewhatdustythecarpet,“thatdeepdraughtsfromthefountainofreasonaredesirableiinguishthefireofyouthfullove。”
ThisseemedtoexasperatethePrince。“Dog,”heshaseriesofwell-aimedkicksatthehiheVizier,“doethepoetstome。Ihavehadmaximsandversesflungatmealldayahemnomore。”IamafraidAravisdidallsorryfortheVizier。
&isrocarentlysunkinthought,butwhen,afteraloicederanquilly:
“Myson,byallmeafromkigthevenerableaenedVizier:forasacostlyjewelretainsitsvalueevenifhiddeninadung-hill,sooldageaiooberespeinthevilepersonsofoursubjects。Desisttherefore,andtelluswhatyoudesireandpropose。”
“Idesireandpropose,Omyfather,”saidRabadash,“thatyouimmediatelycalloutyourinvinciblearmiesahrice-acdofNarniaahfireandswordandaddittoyourillimitableempire,killingtheirHighKingandallofhisbloodexceptthequeenSusan。ForImusthaveherasmywife,thoughsheshalllearnasharplessonfirst。”
&and,Omyson,”saidtheTisroowordsyouspeakwillmovemetainstNarnia。”
“Ifyouwerenotmyfather,Tisroc,”saidthePrindih,“Ishouldsaythatwasthewordofaco>
“Andifyouwerenotmyson,OmostinflammableRabadash,”repliedhisfather,“yourlifewouldbeshortahslowwhenyouhadsaidit。”(Thecool,placidvoiwhichhespokethesewordsmadeAravis'sbloodruncold。)
“Butwhy,Omyfather,”saidthePriimeinamuchmorerespectfulvoice,“whyshouldwethipunishingNarniaahanabouthanginganidleslaveaworn-outhorsetobemadeintodog'smeat?Itishsizeofoneofyourleastprovihousandspearsqueritiisaosofyourempire。”
“Mostundoubtedly,”saidtheTisroc。“Theselittlebarbariacallthemselvesfree(whichisasmuchastosay,idle,disordered,andunprofitable)arehatefultothegodsandtoallpersonsofdist。”
“ThenwhyhavewesufferedsudasNarhuslongunsubdued?”
“KenedPrince,”saidtheGrauntiltheyearinwhichyourexaltedfatherbeganhissalutaryanduhelandofNarniawascoveredwithiowandwasmoreoverruledbyamostpowerfulentress。”
“ThisIknowverywell,OloquaciousVizier,”ahePriIknowalsothattheentressisdead。AndtheiowhavevahatNarniaisnowwholesome,fruitful,anddelicious。”
“AndthisostlearnedPrince,hasdoubtlessbeenbroughttopassbythepowerfulinsofthosewickedpersonswhonowcallthemselveskingsandqueensofNarnia。”
“Iamratheroftheopinion,”saidRabadash,“thatithaseaboutbythealteratioarsaionofnaturalcauses。”
“Allthis,”saidtheTisroc,“isaquestioionsoflearnedmen。Iwillhatsogreataion,andthekillingoftheoldentress,wereeffectedwithouttheaididsugsaretobeexpethatland,whichishabitedbydemonsintheshapeofbeaststhattalklikemen,aarehalfmanaisohattheHighKingofNarnia(whommaythegodsutterlyreject)issupportedbyademonofhideousaspedirresistiblemaleficeearsintheshapeofaLioheattaarniaisadarkanddoubtfulenterprise,aermioputmyhandoutfartherthanIdra>
“Howblessedisen,”saidtheVizier,poppinguphisfa,“ohegodshavebeeowprudendcircumspe!YetastheirrefutableaisrochassaiditisverygrievoustobeedtokeepourhandsoffsutydishasNarhatpoetwhosaid—”butatthispointAhoshtanotiimpatiehePrioeandbecamesudde。
“Itisverygrievous,”saidtheTisrohisdeep,quietvoice。“Everymthesunisdarkenedinmyeyes,amysleepisthelessrefreshing,becauseIrememberthatNarniaisstillfree。”
“Omyfather,”saidRabadash。“HowifIshohistrettotakeNarbaharmediftheattemptproveunfortunate?”
“Ifyouethat,ORabadash,”saidtheTisroc,“youwillbethebestofsons。”
&hehisverynightandinthishourIwilltakebuttwohundredhorseahedesert。Anditshallseemtoallmenthatyouknownothingofmygoing。OntheseIshallbeatthegatesofKingLune'scastleofAnvardiheyareatpeacearedandIshalltakeAheyhavebestirredthemselves。ThenIwillridethroughthepassaboveAnvardanddhNarniatoCairParavel。TheHighKingwillhere;whehemhearingaraidagaisonhisnorthernborder。IshallfindCairParavel,mostlikelywithopengates,andridein。IshallexerciseprudendcourtesyandspillaslittleNarnianbloodasIdwhatthetosittheretilltheSplendourHyalisin,withQueenSusanonboard,catchmystrayedbirdasshesetsfherintothesaddle,andthen,ride,ride,ridebavard?”
“Butisitnotprobable,Omyson,”saidtheTisroc,“thatatthetakingofthewomaherKingEdmundoryouwilllosehislife?”
“Theywillbeasmallpany,”saidRabadash,“andIwillorderteodisarmandbiraidesireforhisbloodsothatthereshallbenodeadlycauseofwarbetweenyouandtheHighKing。”
“AndhowiftheSplendourHyaliCairParavelbeforeyou?”