prince caspian_c·s·刘易斯-第27部分

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〃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　　youth。鈥�

〃so　im　to　be　a　dotard　with　one　foot　in　the　grave；　as　well　as　a　dastard；〃　　roared　miraz。　〃ill　tell　you　what　it　is；　my　lords。　with　your　womanish　counsels　（ever　shying　　from　the　true　point；　which　is　one　of　policy）　you　have　done　the　very　opposite　of　your　　intent。　i　had　meant　to　refuse　it。　but　ill　accept　it。　do　you　hear；　accept　it！　ill　not　be　　shamed　because　some　witchcraft　or　treason　has　frozen　both　your　bloods。鈥�

〃we　beseech　your　majesty　…〃　said　glozelle；　but　miraz　had　flung　out　of　the　　tent　and　they　could　hear　him　bawling　out　his　acceptance　to　edmund。

the　two　lords　looked　at　one　another　and　chuckled　quietly。

〃i　knew　hed　do　it　if　he　were　properly　chafed；〃　said　glozelle。　〃but　ill　　not　forget　he　called　me　coward。　it　shall　be　paid　for。鈥�

there　was　a　great　stirring　at　aslans　how　when　the　news　came　back　and　was　municated　to　the　various　creatures。　edmund；　with　one　of　mirazs　　captains；　had　already　marked　out　the　place　for　the　bat；　and　ropes　and　stakes　had　been　　put　round　it。

two　telmarines　were　to　stand　at　two　of　the　corners；　and　one　in　the　middle　　of　one　side；　as　marshals　of　the　lists。　three　marshals　for　the　other　two　corners　and　the　　other　side　were　to　be　furnished　by　the　high　king。　peter　was　just　explaining　to　caspian　that　he　　could　not　be　one；　because　his　right　to　the　throne　was　what　they　were　fighting　about；　　when　suddenly　a　thick；　sleepy　voice　said；　〃your　majesty；　please。〃　peter　turned　and　there　　stood　the　eldest　of　the　bulgy　bears。

〃if　you　please；　your　majesty；〃　he　said；　〃im　a　bear；　i　am。鈥�

〃to　be　sure；　so　you　are；　and　a　good　bear　too；　i　dont　doubt；〃　said　peter。

〃yes；〃　said　the　bear。　〃but　it　was　always　a　right　of　the；　bears　to　supply　　one　marshal　of　the　lists。鈥�

〃dont　let　him；〃　whispered　trumpkin　to　peter。　〃hes　a　good　creature；　but　　hell　shame　us　all。　hell　go　to　sleep　and　he　will　suck　his　paws。　in　front　of　the　enemy　　too。鈥�

〃i　cant　help　that；〃　said　peter。　〃because　hes　quite　right。　the　bears　had　　that　privilege。　i　cant　imagine　how　it　has　been　remembered　all　these　years；　when　so　many　　other　things　have　been　forgotten。鈥�

〃please；　your　majesty；〃　said　the　bear。

〃it　is　your　right；〃　said　peter。　〃and　you　shall　be　one　of　the　marshals。　but　　you　must　remember　not　to　suck　your　paws。鈥�

〃of　course　not；〃　said　the　bear　in　a　very　shocked　voice。

〃why；　youre　doing　it　this　minute！〃　bellowed　trumpkin。

the　bear　whipped　his　paw　out　of　his　mouth　and　pretended　he　hadnt　heard。

〃sire！〃　came　a　shrill　voice　from　near　the　ground。

〃ah　…　reepicheep！〃　said　peter　after　looking　up　and　down　and　round　as　people　　usually　did　when　addressed　by　the　mouse。

〃sire；〃　said　reepicheep。　〃my　life　is　ever　at　your　mand；　but　my　honour　is　　my　own。

sire；　i　have　among　my　people　the　only　trumpeter　in　your　majestys　army。　i　　had　thought；　　

perhaps；　we　might　have　been　sent　with　the　challenge。　sire；　my　people　are　　grieved。

perhaps　if　it　were　your　pleasure　that　i　should　be　a　marshal　of　the　lists；　　it　would　content　them。鈥�

a　noise　not　unlike　thunder　broke　out　from　somewhere　overhead　at　this　point；　　as　giant　wimbleweather　burst　into　one　of　those　not　very　intelligent　laughs　to　which　　the　nicer　sorts　of　giant　are　so　liable。　he　checked　himself　at　once　and　looked　as　grave　as　a　　turnip　by　the　time　reepicheep　discovered　where　the　noise　came　from。

〃i　am　afraid　it　would　not　do；〃　said　peter　very　gravely。　〃some　humans　are　　afraid　of　mice　…鈥�

〃i　had　observed　it；　sire；〃　said　reepicheep。

〃and　it　would　not　be　quite　fair　to　miraz；〃　peter　continued；　〃to　have　in　　sight　anything　that　might　abate　the　edge　of　his　courage。鈥�

〃your　majesty　is　the　mirror　of　honour；〃　said　the　mouse　with　one　of　his　　admirable　bows。

〃and　on　this　matter　we　have　but　a　single　mind。。。　i　thought　i　heard　someone　　laughing　just　now。　if　anyone　present　wishes　to　make　me　the　subject　of　his　wit；　i　am　very　　much　at　his　service　…　with　my　sword　…　whenever　he　has　leisure。鈥�

an　awful　silence　followed　this　remark；　which　was　broken　by　peter　saying；　　〃giant　wimbleweather　and　the　bear　and　the　centaur　glenstorm　shall　be　our　marshals。　　the　bat　will　be　at　two　hours　after　noon。　dinner　at　noon　precisely。鈥�

〃i　say；〃　said　edmund　as　they　walked　away；　〃i　suppose　it　is　all　right。　i　　mean；　i　suppose　you　can　beat　him？鈥�

〃thats　what　im　fighting　him　to　find　out；〃　said　peter。

。；



CHAPTER　FOURTEEN

锛屽皬璇达伎t锛縳t澶╁爞
how　all　were　very　busy　　a　little　before　two　oclock　trumpkin　and　the　badger　sat　with　the　rest　of　　the　creatures　at　the　woods　edge　looking　across　at　the　gleaming　line　of　mirazs　army　　which　was　about　two　arrow…shots　away。　in　between；　a　square　space　of　level　grass　had　been　　staked　for　the　bat。　at　the　two　far　corners　stood　glozelle　and　sopespian　with　drawn　　swords。　at　the　near　corners　were　giant　wimbleweather　and　the　bulgy　bear；　who　in　spite　of　　all　their　warnings　was　sucking　his　paws　and　looking；　to　tell　the　truth；　unmonly　　silly。　to　make　up　for　this；　glenstorm　on　the　right　of　the　lists；　stock…still　except　when　　he　stamped　a　hind　hoof　occasionally　on　the　turf；　looked　much　more　imposing　than　the　telmarine　　baron　who　　

faced　him　on　the　left。　peter　had　just　shaken　hands　with　edmund　and　the　　doctor；　and　was　now　walking　down　to　the　bat。　it　was　like　the　moment　before　the　pistol　　goes　at　an　important　race；　but　very　much　worse。

〃i　wish　aslan　had　turned　up　before　it　came　to　this；〃　said　trumpkin。

〃so　do　i；〃　said　trufflehunter。　〃but　look　behind　you。鈥�

〃crows　and　crockery！〃　muttered　the　dwarf　as　soon　as　he　had　done　so。　〃what　　are　they？

huge　people　…　beautiful　people　…　like　gods　and　goddesses　and　giants。　　hundreds　and　thousands　of　them；　closing　in　behind　us。　what　are　they？鈥�

〃its　the　dryads　and　hamadryads　and　silvans；〃　said　trufflehunter。　〃aslan　　has　waked　them。鈥�

〃humph！〃　said　the　dwarf。　〃thatll　be　very　useful　if　the　enemy　try　any　　treachery。　but　it　wont　help　the　high　king　very　much　if　miraz　proves　handier　with　his　sword。鈥�

the　badger　said　nothing；　for　now　peter　and　miraz　were　entering　the　lists　　from　opposite　ends；　both　on　foot；　both　in　chain　shirts；　with　helmets　and　shields。　they　　advanced　till　they　were　close　together。　both　bowed　and　seemed　to　speak；；　but　it　was　impossible　　to　hear　what　they　said。　next　moment；　the　two　swords　flashed　in　the　sunlight。　for　a　　second　the　clash　could　be　heard　but　it　was　immediately　drowned　because　both　armies　　began　shouting　like　crowds　at　a　football　match。

〃well　done；　peter；　oh；　well　done！〃　shouted　edmund　as　he　saw　miraz　reel　back　　a　whole　pace　and　a　half。　〃follow　it　up；　quick！〃　and　peter　did；　and　for　a　few　　seconds　it　looked　as　if　the　fight　might　be　won。　but　then　miraz　pulled　himself　together　…　began　　to　make　real　use　of　his　height　and　weight　〃miraz！　miraz！　the　king！　the　king！〃　came　the　　roar　of　the　telmarines。　caspian　and　edmund　grew　white　with　sickening　anxiety。

〃peter　is　taking　some　dreadful　knocks；〃　said　edmund。

〃hullo！〃　said　caspian。　〃whats　happening　now？鈥�

〃both　falling　apart；〃　said　edmund。　〃a　bit　blown；　expect。　watch。　ah；　now　　theyre　beginning　again；　more　scientifically　this　time。　circling　round　and　round；　　f