“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 veryintelligent 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 byPeter saying， “Giant Wimble-weather 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.
中文阅读
“现在，”饭后彼得说，“阿斯兰和女孩子们（卡斯宾，我说的是苏珊女王和露西女王）就在附近。我们不知道他什么时候开始行动。毫无疑问，要按照他的时间表，而不是我们的。与此同时，他希望我们做些力所能及的事情。卡斯宾，你说，我们与米拉兹大战一场是不是兵力不足？”
“恐怕是这样，大帝，”卡斯宾说。他非常喜欢彼得，但多少有些窘迫，不知道该说些什么才好。见到古老传说中的伟大帝王是件新奇事儿，因此他非常激动。
“很好，那样，”彼得说，“我要向他下战书，要求与他单打独斗。”在此之前，还没有人想到过这种打法。
“请问，”卡斯宾说，“能不能让我来？我想替父亲报仇雪恨。”“你受伤了，”彼得说，“再说，他会不会嘲笑你下的战书？我是说，我们都亲眼看到了，你不仅是个国王，还是个勇士。但他依然认为你是个毛孩子。”
“但是，陛下，”獾说，它紧挨着彼得坐在那里，目不转睛地看着他，“他会不会接受你的挑战呢？他知道自己的军队更加强大。”
“很可能他不会接受，”彼得说，“但总还有一定的机会。即便他不接受，我们也把大半天时间用在打发使者往返等事情上了。到那个时候，说不定阿斯兰已经采取行动。至少我可以巡视一下队伍，加固我们的阵地。我这就派人去下战书。事实上，我现在就来写。你有没有笔和墨水，博士先生？”
“一个学者是不会缺少笔墨的，陛下。”科尼利亚斯博士回答。“很好，我来口述。”彼得说。只见博士摊开一张羊皮纸，打开墨盒，削尖了笔。彼得半闭着眼睛，背靠在墙上，追忆在古老纳尼亚的黄金时代，自己撰写此类文件时是如何遣词造句的。
“行啦，”他终于说道。“现在，你准备好了吗，博士？”科尼利亚斯博士拿笔蘸了一下墨水，准备记录。彼得口述了以下的内容：
“彼得，由于阿斯兰的恩赐，通过选举，通过法规，通过征战，成为位于纳尼亚诸王之上的大帝，孤独岛的君主，凯尔帕拉维尔的主人，高贵的狮子骑士团的成员，向卡斯宾八世的儿子，曾任纳尼亚摄政大臣，现在自封为纳尼亚王的米拉兹，致敬。你都记下了吗？”
“米拉兹，逗号，致敬，”博士嘴里咕哝着，“是的，阁下。”“另起一段，”彼得说，“为了避免不必要的流血，避免由于战争可能给纳尼亚领土带来的种种灾难，本人有幸以自己的帝王之躯，为了我们所信任和爱戴的卡斯宾，提议以与尊驾决斗的方式来决定卡斯宾是否纳尼亚合法的国王，一方面出于我们的恩准，另一方面是根据提尔玛的律法。尊驾曾两次犯下篡逆大罪，从卡斯宾王子手中篡夺了王位，以极其令人不齿的、--博士，拼写令人不齿这个词时别忘了有个H，--血腥的、违背人性的方式谋杀了你仁慈的君主和兄长卡斯宾九世。因此我们诚挚地向尊驾发出挑战，并差派我钟爱的御弟，在我之下的另一位纳尼亚国王，灯柱旷野公爵，西马尔什伯爵，高贵的圣桌骑士团成员埃德蒙，前去亲手递交战书，我们赋予他全权与尊驾商讨有关决斗的所有事宜。此战书写于阿斯兰的山洞我方驻地，纳尼亚卡斯宾十世第一年绿房顶月第十二日。
“这应该可以了，”彼得说着，深深地吐出一口气来，“现在我们必须派两个人与埃德蒙王一起去。我想，巨人可以算一个。”
“他--他不是太聪明，你知道的。”卡斯宾说。“当然知道，”彼得说，“如果他能闭口不言，巨人往往给人留下深刻的印象。再说，这会使他振作起来。另一个派谁好呢？”“说实话，”特伦普金说，“如果你想找一个能够用目光杀人的使者，雷匹奇普是最佳人选。”“根据我所听到的传闻，它的确够格，”彼得笑着说，“它的个头再大点儿就好了。否则不走到跟前，他们几乎看不见它。”
“阁下，让葛冷斯托姆去，”特路弗汉特说，“没有人敢取笑一位半人马。”