《凱斯賓王子》第13章:決鬥
"Now," said Peter, as they finished their meal, "Aslan and the girls (that's Queen Susan and Queen Lucy, Caspian) are somewhere close. We don't 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?"
"I'm 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, "I'll send him a challenge to single combat." No one had thought of this before.
"Please," said Caspian, "could it not be me? I want to avenge my father."
"You're wounded," said Peter. "And anyway, wouldn't 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."
"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."
"Very likely he won't," said Peter, "but there's always the chance. And even if he doesn't, 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?"
"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 Narnia's golden age.
"Right," he said at last. "And now, if you are ready, Doctor?"
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?"
"Narnia, comma, greeting," muttered the Doctor. "Yes, Sire."
"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 Lordship's 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, - don't 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 combat 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 Aslan's 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."
"He's - he's 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?"
"Upon my word," said Trumpkin, "if you want someone who can kill with looks, Reepicheep would be the best."
"He would indeed, from all I hear," said Peter with a laugh. "If only he wasn't so small. They wouldn't even see him till he was close!"
"Send Glenstorm, Sire," said Trufflehunter. "No one ever laughed at a Centaur."
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 coming 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 Edmund's 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.
"What's to do?" said the Lord Glozelle. "An attack?"
"A parley, rather," said Sopespian. "See, they carry green branches. They are coming to surrender most likely."
"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."
"No indeed," said Sopespian. "This is a fell warrior, I warrant you, wherever the rebels have got him from. He is (in your Lordship's private ear) a kinglier man than ever Miraz was. And what mail he wears! None of our smiths can make the like."
"I'll 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 combat."
"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 Lordship's meaning aright?"
"If the King undertook wager of battle," whispered Glozelle, "why, either he would kill or be killed."
"So," said Sopespian, nodding his head.
"And if he killed we should have won this war."
"Certainly. And if not?"
"Why, if not, we should be as able to win it without the King's 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."
"And it is your meaning, my Lord, that you and I could hold this land quite as conveniently without a King as with one?"
Glozelle's 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 come our way? What gratitude has he shown us?"
"Say no more," answered Sopespian. "But look - herd comes one to fetch us to the King's tent." `
When they reached Miraz's tent they saw Edmund and his two companions 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."
"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."
"King Edmund, pah!" said Miraz. "Does your Lordship believe those old wives' fables about Peter and Edmund and the rest?"
"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?"
"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."
"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."
"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 knight's face."
"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?"
"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?"
"Do not touch it, Sire," was the reply. "And what your Majesty says of the policy of the thing comes in very happily. It gives your Majesty excellent grounds for a refusal without any cause for questioning your Majesty's 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 Majesty's age," said Glozelle, "would be called coward by any wise soldier for refusing the combat with a great warrior in the flower of his youth."
"So I'm to be a dotard with one foot in the grave, as well as a dastard," roared Miraz. "I'll 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 I'll accept it. Do you hear, accept it! I'll 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 he'd do it if he were properly chafed," said Glozelle. "But I'll not forget he called me coward. It shall be paid for."
There was a great stirring at Aslan's How when the news came back and was communicated to the various creatures. Edmund, with one of Miraz's captains, had already marked out the place for the combat, 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, "I'm a bear, I am."
"To be sure, so you are, and a good bear too, I don't doubt," said Peter.
"Yes," said the Bear. "But it was always a right of the, bears to supply one marshal of the lists."
"Don't let him," whispered Trumpkin to Peter. "He's a good creature, but he'll shame us all. He'll go to sleep and he will suck his paws. In front of the enemy too."
"I can't help that," said Peter. "Because he's quite right. The Bears had that privilege. I can't 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, you're doing it this minute!" bellowed Trumpkin.
The Bear whipped his paw out of his mouth and pretended he hadn't 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 command, but my honour is my own. Sire, I have among my people the only trumpeter in your Majesty's 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 combat 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?"
"That's what I'm fighting him to find out," said Peter.
“恐怕我們的力量不夠，陛下。”凱斯賓答道。他非常喜歡彼得，可與他在一起時，又總覺得自己笨嘴拙舌。兩個年代相差很遠的國王坐在一起，凱斯賓尤其感到陌生和新奇。
“那麼好吧，我向他挑戰，一對一與他較量。”彼得從容地說。這主意，在場各位還沒有人想到過。
“讓我來吧，”凱斯賓說，“我要爲父親報仇。”
“不行，你負傷了。再說，他不會介意你的挑戰，或者他會嘲笑你的。我的意思是說，我們大家都親眼目睹了你作爲國王和勇士的丰采。可是在他的眼裏，你不過是個孩子而已。”
“可是陛下，他會接受你的挑戰嗎?他很清楚自己擁有一支強大的軍隊。”說話的是獾，它緊挨彼得坐着，一直默默地注視着他。
“是的，他很可能拒絕我。但可能性還是有的，即便他真的拒絕應戰，我們也將照樣派出使臣與他周旋，這時阿斯蘭就會不失時機，給敵人以致命的打擊。我們也可乘這個時機檢查部隊，加固工事。我一定要發出挑戰，我這就寫。博士先生，你這裏有沒有紙筆?”
“一個學者從來不缺這類東西，陛下。”克奈爾斯博士答道。
“好極了，我來口述。”
博士忙着鋪開紙，削尖了筆。與此同時，彼得靠在椅子上，微閉雙眼，回想着在遙遠過去納尼亞的黃金時代，他下令寫這類戰書的措詞
“就這樣寫。”他終於睜開眼睛，轉向克奈爾斯，“你準備好了沒有，博士?”
博士提起筆，俯身在紙上，默默地一字一句記下了彼得口述的戰書：
“彼得，憑着阿斯蘭的賦予，憑着人民的選舉，憑着古老的傳統，憑着赫赫的戰功，謹以如下名義——納尼亞的至尊王，孤獨島與凱爾帕拉維爾的統治者，阿斯蘭帳下的無畏騎士，向凱斯賓八世之子，一度爲納尼亞的護國公，現自封爲納尼亞國王的彌若茲閣下，致意。博士，你記下來沒有?”
“彌若茲閣下，逗號，致意，”博士口中喃喃地重複着，一邊揮筆疾書，“好了，陛下。”
“下面另起一段。”彼得吩咐道，“我受衆人愛戴的阿斯蘭的派遣，遊歷到此，現已證實：第一，凱斯賓王子是納尼亞王位的法定繼承人。第二，閣下犯有雙重大罪——謀殺親兄凱斯賓九世，篡奪王位並實行恐怖統治。爲此，我代表納尼亞的正義勢力向閣下宣戰。爲了避免不必要的流血，爲了避免這場戰爭可能引起的太多傷亡及種種不幸，我本人向閣下發出挑戰。如閣下願意同我刀槍相見、一決雌雄，本人將不勝榮幸。
“遞交戰書者是我尊敬的兄弟愛德蒙，納尼亞歷史上的國王，石桌大騎士。對閣下就決鬥所提出的各種條件，他有權代表我作出全部決定。此戰書寫於阿斯蘭堡壘，凱斯賓十世元年元月十二日。”
“這樣就行了，”彼得長長地吐了一口氣，“現在，我們要挑選兩名衛士與愛德蒙同行。我想巨人可以算一個。”
“他?你知道，他並不十分聰明。”凱斯賓說。
“那倒是，”彼得說，“可是任何一個巨人，只要閉上嘴巴保持沉默別人就得注意他。再說，委之以重任，會增加他的榮譽感和責任感。另一個派誰去?”
“依我的看法，”杜魯普金說，“假如要找一個用目光就能殺人的勇士，那麼老鼠將軍雷佩契普最合適不過了。”
“從有關它的那些故事來判斷，它的確能做到這一點。”彼得說着笑了一笑，“要是它身材再高大一點兒就好了，敵人還沒有走到它眼前就得完蛋了。”
“派人頭馬格蘭斯托姆去，”特魯佛漢特建議說，“從來沒有誰取笑過它。”
一個小時之後，在敵人的防線上，彌若茲的兩個貴族軍官哥洛和索皮正在陣前，一邊溜達，一邊用火柴棍兒剔着牙齒，看來早餐吃得十分愜意。他們無意中擡起頭來，一眼發現人頭馬和巨人從樹林裏向他們走來，不由吃了一驚。戰鬥中他們早已領教過這兩個龐然大物的厲害，可走在中間的那個人是誰，卻一時難以分辨。的確，愛德蒙在與阿斯蘭相會並受它仙氣點化之後，從外表到氣質都變了許多，變得更加成熟，更加英俊，渾身洋溢出一股活力，一股凜然正氣。就是他的同學們此時見到他，恐怕也不能一下子認出他來。
“他們幹什麼來了?”哥洛說，“想搞突然襲擊?”
“我看像是使節，”索皮揣度着，“你看，他們手持綠色的樹枝，很可能是來投降的。”
“走在巨人和人頭馬中間的那人臉上，看不出要投降的意思。他是誰?不像是凱斯賓那孩子。”
“當然不是他，”索皮說，“我敢說，那是個兇猛的鬥土。不知叛賊們從哪兒把他找來的。咱哥兒倆在這兒說說，這人比彌若茲可氣派多了。瞧他那身盔甲!咱們的鐵匠哪有這個手藝!”
“我敢打賭，他是來下戰書的，絕不可能是來投降的。”哥洛說。
“怎麼?”索皮大惑不解，“我們已經把敵軍攥在手心裏了，彌若茲不會愚蠢地放棄我們的優勢，去和一個不知底細的人決鬥。”
或許是他們引誘他，或者迫使他這麼做。”哥洛壓低了聲音說。
“小聲點，”索皮警覺地四下望了一望，“咱們往一邊挪挪，別讓那些放哨的聽見……現在，你能不能把話說得更明白些?”
“假如國王接受挑戰，和敵人首領單獨決鬥，結果會怎樣?”
哥洛向同伴耳語道，“要麼他把對方殺掉，要麼被對方所殺，對不對?”
“不錯。”索皮點點頭。
“如果他幹掉了對手，我們就打贏了這場戰爭。”
“那當然。可是如果……”
“如果國王被幹掉了，沒有他咱們照樣可以戰勝敵人。這就不必多說了，大家心裏都清楚，彌若茲並非一個頂天立地的英明君主。到那個時候，我們打了勝仗，卻沒有了國王……”
“閣下的意思是說，沒有國王，我們可以更方便地統治這片國土?”
哥洛的面孔變得十分醜惡起來。“別忘了，把他推上國王寶座的正是我們。這麼多年來，他享盡榮華富貴，而我們得到了什麼好處?他向我們表示過多少感激之情?”
“別往下說了，”索皮打斷他的話，“你瞧，有人來傳我們到國王的帳篷裏去。”
他們兩人來到國王帳前，看見愛德蒙和兩個衛士正坐在帳篷的外面享用由奴僕們端上來的美酒糕點。顯然，他們已經把戰書遞了上去，國王正在考慮如何答覆。這兩個貴族軍官在這麼近的距離細細打量對手，不由感到一陣心悸。
在帳篷裏他們當然也看見了彌若茲。只見他眉頭緊鎖，臉色通紅，顯然動怒了。
“喏!看看這是什麼!”他咬牙切齒地說，一邊從桌子的另一端向他們扔過那份戰書來。“看看我的寶貝侄兒給我送來了什麼!”
“啓稟王上，”哥洛說，“假如我們在帳外見到的那個青年就是信中提到的愛德蒙國王的話，我認爲這是個危險的騎士，萬萬不可輕視。”
“愛德蒙國王?呸!閣下是否也相信老太婆嘴裏那些有關彼得、愛德蒙之類的無稽之談?”
“我只相信自己的眼睛，陛下。”哥洛回答道。
“哼，你這話毫無意義，”彌若茲不滿地說，“至於如何答覆這個挑戰，或許我們持有相同的意見?”
“我的確認爲是這樣，陛下。”
“你說說看。”
“斷然拒絕。我想這是最爲明智之舉，”哥洛說，“因爲儘管從來沒有人稱我作懦夫，但坦白地講，在一場生死搏鬥中與那樣一個青年人交手，我的內心是不會平靜的。假如，而且十分可能，他的哥哥，那個至尊王，比他更加勇猛危險，那麼，爲了您寶貴的性命，還是別惹他爲妙。”
“放肆!”彌若茲叫了起來，“這不是我想聽到的忠告，不是的!你以爲我在問你，我是不是應該懼怕這個叫彼得的人(而且有沒有這麼個人還很難說)?你以爲我怕他?我不過想聽聽你們的意見，在目前我們處於優勢的情況下有沒有決鬥的必要。”
“陛下，我惟一的忠告，便是拒絕挑戰，”哥洛說，“那陌生騎士的臉上有一股殺氣。”
“你又來了!”這時，彌若茲已完全被激怒了，“你是不是想讓我表現出與你同樣的怯懦?”
“任憑陛下怎麼說。”哥洛謙卑地退在一邊。
“哥洛，你講話簡直像個沒見識的鄉下老太太!”彌若茲說着把身子轉向索皮，“愛臣索皮，對這件事你有何高見?我們該如何答覆這封戰書?”
“不予答覆，陛下。”一直默默地站在一邊的索皮開口了，“這就是最好的策略，不予答覆!既然陛下沒有明確拒絕敵人的挑戰，別人也不會對陛下的榮譽和勇氣表示任何懷疑。”
“活見鬼!，”彌若茲一邊大聲叫嚷，一邊從椅子上跳了起來，“你今天也中了邪嗎?你以爲我在爲拒絕挑戰而尋找藉口嗎?你還不如當面叫我懦夫。”
眼看達到了目的，兩個大臣裝做恭恭敬敬的樣子，不再吭聲了。
“我明白了，”瞪着眼盯了他們半晌，彌若茲終於說道，“你們是兩個膽小如鼠的傢伙，卻把我也當成與你們一樣無用的東西!找拒絕的理由，找不戰的藉口。好畦，你們還是不是軍人?你們還是不是臺爾馬人的子孫?你們還算是男子漢嗎?假如我拒絕挑戰(儘管我有充分的理由這麼做，而且我的經驗、我的感覺都告訴我應該這麼做)，你們就會認爲，並且使別人相信，我是由於膽怯才拒絕挑戰，對不對?”
“以陛下這般年紀，拒絕一個血氣方剛的青年鬥士的挑戰，沒有人會稱之爲怯懦的。”
“這麼說，我已經半截入土、行將就木了，是嗎?”彌若茲咆哮起來，“我要讓你們親眼看一看，我的閣下!你們這種婆娘式的勸告，結果適得其反!我原打算拒絕這挑戰，可現在我宣佈，我正式接受它。你們聽清楚沒有，我接受了!應該感到羞恥的是你們!”
“我們爲陛下的安全深表……”哥洛的話還沒有說完，彌若茲早已疾步走出帳篷。他們聽到他大聲對愛德蒙宣佈應戰的決定，互相擠擠眼睛，無聲地笑了起來。.
“我知道，只要把他激怒起來，他就準會接受挑戰。”哥洛說，“可是我不會忘記，他把我叫做懦夫!他將爲此付出代價的!”
使者帶回的消息不脛而走，在阿斯蘭堡壘引起一陣激動。愛德蒙和彌若茲手下的一個隊長共同劃出了決斗的場地，並打下界樁，用繩子圈了起來。雙方將各派三個人站立在決鬥場的兩端，作爲決鬥的助手和公證人。這時候，彼得正忙着給凱斯賓鼓氣，使他相信自己絕非孤軍作戰，因爲他們進行的是一場正義的戰爭。突然，他們身邊響起了一個帶點兒睡意的粗嗓子：“陛下，能聽我說一句話嗎?”彼得轉過身來，看清那是一隻年長的大棕熊。“陛下，是我大棕熊，陛下。”
“我認得你，而且知道你是好樣兒的，對此我深信不疑。”彼得友好地對它說。
“不錯，我是一隻善良的熊，”大棕熊頓了一下，繼續說，“我想提醒陛下，決鬥的助手向來是由我們家族來擔任的，想必你早有安排了吧?”
“別派它去當助手，”杜魯普金小聲對彼得說，“不錯，它秉性善良，但是派去當公證人，它會給我們丟臉的。它會在決鬥還沒有結束的時候呼呼睡大覺。它還會吮它的爪子——當着敵人的面這麼做!”
“哈!真沒辦法，”彼得說，“可是它的話一點兒不錯——熊家族是有這個特權。也不知道爲什麼，我對此印象很深，而對過去其他許多事情早都記不得了。”
“請陛下恩准。”棕熊又說。
“這是你們的權利，”彼得說，“就委任你做助手吧。不過你要記住，不可以在那種場合吮爪子。”
“當然不。”棕熊美滋滋地答應着走開了。
“瞧，它又吮上了!”杜魯普金指着棕熊的背影對彼得說。棕熊趕忙把爪子從嘴裏抽出來，裝出一副若無其事的樣子，去看它在決鬥場上的位置。
“陛下!”一個尖尖的聲音從附近什麼地方傳來。彼得四下看了半天，才發現地上仰頭站着鼠將軍。
“啊——是雷佩契普，有事嗎?”
“陛下，我的生命可以隨你支配，但我的榮譽只屬於我自己。”雷佩契普講到這裏，眼裏流露出一絲憂傷。“陛下，我的部下中有我們大軍惟一的吹鼓手。本來我以爲會被挑選去下戰書的，結果我失望了，我的部隊也因此而士氣大落。如果這次你能選我做決鬥的助手，我的部下想必會安下心來。”
這時，在他們上方突然響起一陣雷鳴般的聲音，這是巨人韋姆布威熱那傻乎乎的笑聲。直到雷佩契普狠狠地瞪了他一眼，他才意識到自己的失態，立即閉上嘴，憋出一臉苦相。彼得皺着眉頭回答鼠將軍說：
“這恐怕不行，有些人害怕老鼠……”“這我注意到了，陛下。”
“這樣對彌若茲不大公平，”彼得繼續說，“我們不能在決鬥場上故意安排一名可能影響他情緒和勇氣的助手。”
“陛下真是誠實的化身。”鼠將軍姿勢優美地鞠了一躬，“在這件事情上，我的考慮有欠周全……剛纔我聽到有人在笑。假如在場諸位中有誰想拿我開心，那麼我隨時恭候——我這把劍可不是吃素的。”
雷佩契普這充滿火藥味的宣言，帶來了一陣沉默。最後，還是彼得先開口：“巨人韋姆布威熱、棕熊和人頭馬格蘭斯托姆將作爲助手隨我參加決鬥。決鬥下午兩點開始，十二點準時開飯。”
