prince caspian_c·s·刘易斯-第18部分

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〃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　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