按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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