《PRINCE CASPIAN》第32章

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。”
〃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？”
〃its　the　dryads　and　hamadryads　and　silvans；〃　said　trufflehunter。　〃aslan has　waked　them。”
〃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。”
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？”
〃both　falling　apart；〃　said　edmund。　〃a　bit　blown；　expect。　watch。　ah；　now theyre　beginning　again；　more　scientifically　this　time。　circling　round　and　round； feeling　each　others　defences。”
〃im　afraid　this　miraz　knows　his　work；〃　muttered　the　doctor。　but　hardly　had he　said　this　when　there　was　such　a　clapping　and　baying　and　throwing　up　of　hoods　among the　old　narnians　that　it　was　nearly　deafening。
〃what　was　it？　what　was　it？〃　asked　the　doctor。　〃my　old　eyes　missed　it。”
〃the　high　king　has　pricked　him　in　the　arm…pit；〃　said　caspian；　still clapping。　〃just　where　the　arm…hole　of　the　hauberk　let　the　point　through。　first　blood。 〃its　looking　ugly　again　now；　though；〃　said　edmund。　〃peters　not　using　his shield　properly。　he　must　be　hurt　in　the　left　arm。”
it　was　only　too　true。　everyone　could　see　that　peters　shield　hung　limp。　the shouting　of　the　telmarines　redoubled。
〃youve　seen　more　battles　than　i；〃　said　caspian。　〃is　there　any　chance　now？”
〃precious　little；〃　said　edmund。　〃i　suppose　he　might　just　do　it。　with　luck。”
〃oh；　why　did　we　let　it　happen　at　all？〃　said　caspian。
suddenly　all　the　shouting　on　both　sides　died　down。　edmund　was　puzzled　for　a moment。
then　he　said；　〃oh；　i　see。　theyve　both　agreed　to　a　rest。　e　on；　doctor。 you　and　i　may　be　able　to　do　something　for　the　high　king。　they　ran　down　to　the　lists　and peter　came　outside　the　ropes　to　meet　them；　his　face　red　and　sweaty；　his　chest　heaving。
〃is　your　left　arm　wounded？〃　asked　edmund。
〃its　not　exactly　a　wound；〃　peter　said。　〃i　got　the　weight　of　his　shoulder on　my　shield　…　like　a　load　of　bricks　and　the　rim　of　the　shield　drove　into　my　wrist。　i　dont think　its　broken；　but　it　might　be　a　sprain。　if　you　could　tie　it　up　very　tight　i　think　i　could manage。”
while　they　were　doing　this；　edmund　asked　anxiously。　〃what　do　you　think　of him；　peter？”
〃tough；〃　said　peter。　〃very　tough。　i　have　a　chance　if　can　keep　him　on　the hop　till　his　weight　and　short　wind　e　against　him　…　in　this　hot　sun　too。　to　tell　the truth；　i　havent　much　chance　else。　give　my　love　to　…　to　everyone　at　home；　ed；　if　he　gets　me。 here　he　es　into　the　lists　again so　long；　old　chap。　good…bye；　doctor。　and　i　say；　ed；　say　something　specially nice　to　trumpkin。　hes　been　a　brick。”
edmund　couldnt　speak。　he　walked　back　with　the　doctor　to　his　own　lines　with a　sick　feeling　in　his　stomach。
but　the　new　bout　went　well。　peter　now　seemed　to　be　able　to　make　some　use　of his　shield；　and　he　certainly　made　good　use　of　his　feet。　he　was　almost　playing　tig　with miraz　now；　keeping　out　of　range；　shifting　his　ground；　making　the　enemy　work。
〃coward！〃　booed　the　telmarines。　〃why　dont　you　stand　up　to　him？　dont　you like　it；　eh？
thought　youd　e　to　fight；　not　dance。　yah！”
〃oh；　i　do　hope　he　wont　listen　to　them；〃　said　caspian。
〃not　he；〃　said　edmund。　〃you　dont　know　him　…　oh！〃　for　miraz　had　got　in　a blow　at　last；　on　peters　helmet。　peter　staggered；　slipped　sideways；　and　fell　on　one　knee。 the　roar　of　the　telmarines　rose　like　the　noise　of　the　sea。　〃now；　miraz；〃　they　yelled。　〃now。 quick！
quick！　kill　him。〃　but　indeed　there　was　no　need　to　egg　the　usurper　on。　he was　on　top　of　peter　already。　edmund　bit　his　lips　till　the　blood　came；　as　the　sword flashed　down　on　peter。　it　looked　as　if　it　would　slash　off　his　head。　thank　heavens！　it　had glanced　down　his　right　shoulder。　the　dwarf…wrought　mail　was　sound　and　did　not　break。
〃great　scott！〃　cried　edmund。　〃hes　up　again。　peter；　go　it；　peter。”
〃i　couldnt　see　what　happened；〃　said　the　doctor。　〃how　did　he　do　it？”
〃grabbed　mirazs　arm　as　it　came　down；〃　said　trumpkin；　dancing　with　delight。 〃theres　a　man　for　you！　uses　his　enemys　arm　as　a　ladder。　the　high　king！　the　high king！　up；　old　narnia！”
〃look；〃　said　trufflehunter。　〃miraz　is　angry。　it　is　good。〃　they　were certainly　at　it　hammer　and　tongs　now：　such　a　flurry　of　blows　that　it　seemed　impossible　for　either not　to　be　killed。
as　the　excitement　grew；　the　shouting　almost　died　away。　the　spectators　were holding　their　breath。　it　was　most　horrible　and　most　magnificent。
a　great　shout　arose　from　the　old　narnians。　miraz　was　a　down　…　not　struck　by peter；　but　face　downwards；　having　tripped　on　a　tussock。　peter　stepped　back；　waiting for　him　to　rise。
〃oh　bother；　bother；　bother；〃　said　edmund　to　himself。　〃need　he　be　as gentlemanly　as　all　that？　i　suppose　he　must。　es　of　being　a　knight　and　a　high　king。　i　suppose it　is　w