prince caspian_c·s·刘易斯-第26部分

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at　name。　wherefore　we　most　heartily　provoke；　　challenge；　and　defy　your　lordship　to　the　said　bat　and　monomachy；　and　have　sent　these　　letters　by　the　hand　of　our　well　beloved　and　royal　brother　edmund；　sometime　king　under　us　　in　narnia；　duke　of　lantern　waste　and　count　of　the　western　march；　knight　of　the　noble　　order　of　the　table；　to　whom　we　have　given　full　power　of　determining　with　your　　lordship　all　the　conditions　of　the　said　battle。　given　at　our　lodging　in　aslans　how　this　xii　　day　of　the　month　greenroof　in　the　first　year　of　caspian　tenth　of　narnia。

〃that　ought　to　do；〃　said　peter；　drawing　a　deep　breath。

〃and　now　we　must　send　two　others　with　king　edmund。　i　think　the　giant　ought　　to　be　one。鈥�

〃hes　…　hes　not　very　clever；　you　know；〃　said　caspian。

〃of　course　not；〃　said　peter。　〃but　any　giant　looks　impressive　if　only　he　　will　keep　quiet。

and　it　will　cheer　him　up。　but　who　for　the　other？鈥�

〃upon　my　word；〃　said　trumpkin；　〃if　you　want　someone　who　can　kill　with　　looks；　reepicheep　would　be　the　best。鈥�

〃he　would　indeed；　from　all　i　hear；〃　said　peter　with　a　laugh。　〃if　only　he　　wasnt　so　small。

they　wouldnt　even　see　him　till　he　was　close！鈥�

〃send　glenstorm；　sire；〃　said　trufflehunter。　〃no　one　ever　laughed　at　a　　centaur。鈥�

an　hour　later　two　great　lords　in　the　army　of　miraz；　the　lord　glozelle　and　　the　lord　sopespian；　strolling　along　their　lines　and　picking　their　teeth　after　　breakfast；　looked　up　and　saw　ing　down　to　them　from　the　wood　the　centaur　and　giant　　wimbleweather；　whom　they　had　seen　before　in　battle；　and　between　them　a　figure　they　could　　not　recognize。

nor　indeed　would　the　other　boys　at　edmunds　school　have　recognized　him　if　　they　could　have　seen　him　at　that　moment。　for　aslan　had　breathed　on　him　at　their　　meeting　and　a　kind　of　greatness　hung　about　him。

〃whats　to　do？〃　said　the　lord　glozelle。　〃an　attack？鈥�

〃a　parley；　rather；〃　said　sopespian。　〃see；　they　carry　green　branches。　they　　are　ing　to　surrender　most　likely。鈥�

〃he　that　is　walking　between　the　centaur　and　the　giant　has　no　look　of　　surrender　in　his　face；〃　said　glozelle。　〃who　can　he　be？　it　is　not　the　boy　caspian。鈥�

〃no　indeed；〃　said　sopespian。　〃this　is　a　fell　warrior；　i　warrant　you；　　wherever　the　rebels　have　got　him　from。　he　is　（in　your　lordships　private　ear）　a　kinglier　man　　than　ever　miraz　was。　and　what　mail　he　wears！　none　of　our　smiths　can　make　the　like。鈥�

〃ill　wager　my　dappled　pomely　he　brings　a　challenge；　not　a　surrender；〃　said　　glozelle。

〃how　then？〃　said　sopespian。　〃we　hold　the　enemy　in　our　fist　here。　miraz　　would　never　be　so　hair…brained　as　to　throw　away　his　advantage　on　a　bat。鈥�

〃he　might　be　brought　to　it；〃　said　glozelle　in　a　much　lower　voice。

〃softly；〃　said　sopespian。　〃step　a　little　aside　here　out　of　earshot　of　those　　sentries。　now。

have　i　taken　your　lordships　meaning　aright？鈥�

〃if　the　king　undertook　wager　of　battle；〃　whispered　glozelle；　〃why；　either　　he　would　kill　or　be　killed。鈥�

〃so；〃　said　sopespian；　nodding　his　head。

〃and　if　he　killed　we　should　have　won　this　war。鈥�

〃certainly。　and　if　not？鈥�

〃why；　if　not；　we　should　be　as　able　to　win　it　without　the　kings　grace　as　　with　him。　for　i　need　not　tell　your　lordship　that　miraz　is　no　very　great　captain。　and　after　　that；　we　should　be　both　victorious　and　kingless。鈥�

〃and　it　is　your　meaning；　my　lord；　that　you　and　i　could　hold　this　land　quite　　as　conveniently　without　a　king　as　with　one？鈥�

glozelles　face　grew　ugly。　〃not　forgetting；〃　said　he；　〃that　it　was　we　who　　first　put　him　on　the　throne。　and　in　all　the　years　that　he　has　enjoyed　it；　what　fruits　have　　e　our　way？

what　gratitude　has　he　shown　us？鈥�

〃say　no　more；〃　answered　sopespian。　〃but　look　…　herd　es　one　to　fetch　us　　to　the　kings　tent。〃　　‘　　when　they　reached　mirazs　tent　they　saw　edmund　and　his　two　panions　　seated　outside　it　and　being　entertained　with　cakes　and　wine；　having　already　delivered　the　　challenge；　and　withdrawn　while　the　king　was　considering　it。　when　they　saw　them　thus　at　　close　quarters　the　two　telmarine　lords　thought　all　three　of　them　very　alarming。

inside；　they　found　miraz；　unarmed　and　finishing　his　breakfast。　his　face　was　　flushed　and　there　was　a　scowl　on　his　brow。

〃there！〃　he　growled；　flinging　the　parchment　across　the　table　to　them。　〃see　　what　a　pack　of　nursery　tales　our　jackanapes　of　a　nephew　has　sent　us。鈥�

〃by　your　leave；　sire；〃　said　glozelle。　〃if　the　young　warrior　whom　we　have　　just　seen　outside　is　the　king　edmund　mentioned　in　the　writing；　then　i　would　not　call　　him　a　nursery　tale　but　a　very　dangerous　knight。鈥�

〃king　edmund；　pah！〃　said　miraz。　〃does　your　lordship　believe　those　old　　wives　fables　about　peter　and　edmund　and　the　rest？鈥�

〃i　believe　my　eyes；　your　majesty；〃　said　glozelle。

〃well；　this　is　to　no　purpose；〃　said　miraz；　〃but　as　touching　the　challenge；　　i　suppose　there　is　only　one　opinion　between　us？鈥�

〃i　suppose　so；　indeed；　sire；〃　said　glozelle。

〃and　what　is　that？〃　asked　the　king。

〃most　infallibly　to　refuse　it；〃　said　glozelle。　〃for　though　i　have　never　　been　called　a　coward；　i　must　plainly　say　that　to　meet　that　young　man　in　battle　is　more　　than　my　heart　would　serve　me　for。　and　if　（as　is　likely）　his　brother；　the　high　king；　is　　more　dangerous　than　he　why；　on　your　life；　my　lord　king；　have　nothing　to　do　with　him。鈥�

〃plague　on　you！〃　cried　miraz。　〃it　was　not　that　sort　of　council　i　wanted。　do　　you　think　i　am　asking　you　if　i　should　be　afraid　to　meet　this　peter　（if　there　is　such　a　　man）？　do　you　think　i　fear　him？　i　wanted　your　counsel　on　the　policy　of　the　matter；　whether　we；　　having　the　advantage；　should　hazard　it　on　a　wager　of　battle。鈥�

〃to　which　i　can　only　answer；　your　majesty；〃　said　glozelle；　〃that　for　all　　reasons　the　challenge　should　be　refused。　there　is　death　in　the　strange　knights　face。鈥�

〃there　you　are　again！〃　said　miraz；　now　thoroughly　angry。　〃are　you　trying；　　to　make　it　appear　that　i　am　as　great　a　coward　as　your　lordship？鈥�

〃your　majesty　may　say　your　pleasure；〃　said　glozelle　sulkily。

〃you　talk　like　an　old　woman；　glozelle；〃　said　the　king。　〃what　say　you；　my　　lord　sopespian？鈥�

〃do　not　touch　it；　sire；〃　was　the　reply。　〃and　what　your　majesty　says　of　the　　policy　of　the　thing　es　in　very　happily。　it　gives　your　majesty　excellent　grounds　for　a　　refusal　without　any　cause　for　questioning　your　majestys　honour　or　courage。鈥�

〃great　heaven！〃　exclaimed　miraz；　jumping　to　his　feet。　〃are　you　also　　bewitched　today？

do　you　think　i　am　looking　for　grounds　to　refuse　it？　you　might　as　well　call　　me　coward　to　my　face。鈥�

the　conversation　was　going　exactly　as　the　two　lords　wished；　so　they　said　　nothing。

〃i　see　what　it　is；〃　said　miraz；　after　staring　at　them　as　if　his　eyes　would　　start　out　of　his　head；　〃you　are　as　lilylivered　as　hares　yourselves　and　have　the　effrontery　　to　imagine　my　heart　after　the　likeness　of　yours！　grounds　for　a　refusal；　indeed！　excuses　　for　not　fighting！

are　you　soldiers？　are　you　telmarines？　are　you　men？　and　if　i　dog　refuse　it　　（as　ail　good　reasons　of　captaincy　and　martial　policy　urge　me　to　do）　you　will　think；　and　　teach　others　tan　think；　i　was　afraid。　is　it　not　so？鈥�

〃no　man　of　your　majestys　age；〃　said　glozelle；　〃would　be　called　coward　by　　any　wise　soldier　for　refusing　the　bat　with　a　great　warrior　in　the　flower　of　his　　yo