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d in； peter had a glimpse of a horrible； grey； gaunt creature； half man and half wolf； in the very act of leaping upon a boy about his own age； and edmund saw a badger and a dwarf rolling on the floor in a sort of cat fight。 trumpkin found himself face to face with the hag。 her nose and chin stuck out like a pair of nut…crackers； her dirty grey hair was flying about her face and she had just got doctor cornelius by the throat。 at one slash of trumpkins sword her head rolled on the floor。
then the light was knocked over and it was all swords； teeth； claws； fists； and boots for about sixty seconds。 then silence。
〃are you all right； ed？鈥�
〃i … i think so；〃 panted edmund。 〃ive got that brute nikabrik； but hes still alive。鈥�
〃weights and water…bottles！〃 came an angry voice。 〃its me youre sitting on。 get off。
youre like a young elephant。鈥�
〃sorry； d。l。f。；〃 said edmund。 〃is that better？鈥�
〃ow！ no！〃 bellowed trumpkin。 〃youre putting your boot in my mouth。 go away。〃 ‘ 〃is king caspian anywhere？〃 asked peter。
〃im here；〃 said a rather faint voice。 〃something bit me。鈥�
they all heard the noise of someone striking a match。 it was edmund。 the little flame showed his face； looking pale and dirty。 he blundered about for a little； found the candle （they were no longer using the lamp； for they had run out of oil）； set it on the table； and lit
it。 when the flame rose clear； several people scrambled to their feet。 six faces blinked at one another in the candlelight。
〃we dont seem to have any enemies left；〃 said peter。 〃theres the hag； dead。〃 （he turned his eyes quickly away from her。） 〃and nikabrik； dead too。 and i suppose this thing is a werewolf。 its so long since ive seen one。 wolfs head and mans body。 that means he was just turning from man into wolf at the moment he was killed。 and you； i suppose； are king caspian？鈥�
〃yes；〃 said the other boy。 〃but ive no idea who you are。鈥�
〃its the high king； king peter；〃 said trumpkin。
〃your majesty is very wele；〃 said caspian。
〃and so is your majesty；〃 said peter。 〃i havent e to take your place； you know； but to put you into it。〃 ； 〃your majesty；〃 said another voice at peters elbow。 he turned and found himself face to face with the badger。
peter leaned forward； put his arms round the beast and kissed the furry head： it wasnt a girlish thing for him to do； because he was the high king。
〃best of badgers；〃 he said。 〃you never doubted us all through。鈥�
〃no credit to me； your majesty；〃 said trufflehunter。 〃1m a beast and we dont change。
im a badger； whats more； and we hold on。鈥�
〃i am sorry for nikabrik；〃 said caspian； 〃though he hated me from the first moment he saw me。 he had gone sour inside from long suffering and hating。 if we had won quickly he might have bee a good dwarf in the days of peace。 i dont know which of us killed him。 im glad of that。鈥�
〃youre bleeding；〃 said peter。
〃yes； im bitten；〃 said caspian。 〃it was that … that wolf thing。〃 cleaning and bandaging the wound took a long time； and when it was done trumpkin said； 〃now。 before everything else we want some breakfast。鈥�
〃but not here；〃 said peter。
〃no；〃 said caspian with a shudder。 〃and we must send someone to take away the bodies。鈥�
〃let the vermin be flung into a pit；〃 said peter。 〃but the dwarf we will give to his people to be buried in their own fashion。鈥�
they breakfasted at last in another of the dark cellars of aslans how。 it was not such a breakfast as they would have chosen； for caspian and cornelius were thinking of venison pasties； and peter and edmund of buttered eggs and hot coffee； but what everyone got was a little bit of cold bear…meat （out of the boys pockets）； a lump of hard cheese； an onion； and a mug of water。 but； from the way they fell to； anyone would have supposed it was delicious。
w锛穡锛氾紵
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
锝涘皬锝濓經璇达綕锝泃锝濓經xt锝濓經澶╋綕锝涘爞
the high king in mand 〃now；〃 said peter； as they finished their meal； 〃aslan and the girls （thats queen susan and queen lucy； caspian） are somewhere close。 we dont know when he will act。 in his time； no doubt； not ours。 in the meantime he would like us to do what we can on our own。
you say； caspian； we are not strong enough to meet miraz in pitched battle？鈥�
〃im afraid not； high king；〃 said caspian。 he was liking peter very much； but was rather tongue…tied。 it was much stranger for him to meet the great kings out of the old stories than it was for them to meet him。
〃very well； then；〃 said peter； 〃ill send him a challenge to single bat。〃 no one had thought of this before。
〃please；〃 said caspian； 〃could it not be me？ i want to avenge my father。鈥�
〃youre wounded；〃 said peter。 〃and anyway； wouldnt he just laugh at a challenge from you？ i mean； we have seen that you are a king and a warrior but he thinks of you as a kid。鈥�
〃but； sire；〃 said the badger； who sat very close to peter and never took his eyes off him。
〃will he accept a 。 challenge even from you？ he knows he has the stronger 。 army。鈥�
〃very likely he wont；〃 said peter； 〃but theres always the chance。 and even if he doesnt； we shall spend the best part of the day sending heralds to and fro and all that。 by then aslan may have done something。 and at least i can inspect the army and strengthen the position。 i will send the challenge。 in fact i will write it at once。 have you pen and ink； master doctor？鈥�
〃a scholar is never without them； your majesty；〃 answered doctor cornelius。
〃very well； i will dictate；〃 said peter。 and while the doctor spread out a parchment and opened his ink…horn and sharpened his pen； peter leant back with half… closed eyes and recalled to his mind the language in which he had written such things long ago in narnias golden age。
〃right；〃 he said at last。 〃and now； if you are ready； doctor？鈥�
doctor cornelius dipped his pen and waited。 peter dictated as follows： 〃peter； by the gift of aslan； by election； by prescription； and by conquest； high king over all kings in narnia； emperor of the lone islands and lord of cair paravel； knight of the most noble order of the lion； to miraz； son of caspian the eighth； sometime lord protector of narnia and now styling himself king of narnia； greeting。 have you got that？鈥�
〃narnia； ma； greeting；〃 muttered the doctor。 〃yes； sire。鈥�
〃then begin a new paragraph；〃 said peter。 〃for to prevent the effusion of blood； and for the avoiding all other inconveniences likely to grow from the wars now levied in our realm of narnia； it is our pleasure to adventure our royal person on behalf of our trusty and well…beloved caspian in clean wager of battle to prove upon your lordships body that the said caspian is lawful king under us in narnia both by our gift and by the laws of the telmarines； and your lordship twice guilty of treachery both in withholding the dominion of narnia from the said caspian and in the most abhominable； … dont forget to spell it with an h； doctor … bloody； and unnatural murder of your kindly lord and brother king caspian ninth of that name。 wherefore we most heartily provoke； challenge； and defy your lordship to the said bat and