《PRINCE CASPIAN》第31章

ly。　it　gives　your　majesty　excellent　grounds　for　a refusal　without　any　cause　for　questioning　your　majestys　honour　or　courage。”
〃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。”
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？”
〃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。”
〃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。”
〃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。”
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。”
〃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。”
〃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。”
〃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。”
〃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。”
〃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。”
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　…“
〃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。”
〃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。”
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。”
〃i　say；〃　said　edmund　as　they　walked　away；　〃i　suppose　it　is　all　right。　i mean；　i　suppose　you　can　beat　him？”
〃thats　what　im　fighting　him　to　find　out；〃　said　peter。
。。
CHAPTER　FOURTEEN
，＿
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