ALITTLEbeforetwoo’clockTrumpkinandtheBadgersatwiththerestofthecreaturesatthewoodsedgelookingacrossatthegleaminglineofMiraz’sarmywhichwasabouttwoarrow-shotsaway.Inbetween,asquarespaceoflevelgrasshadbeenstakedforthecombat.AtthetwofarcornersstoodGlozelleandSopespianwithdrawnswords.AtthenearcornerswereGiantWimbleweatherandtheBulgyBear,whoinspiteofalltheirwarningswassuckinghispawsandlooking,totellthetruth,uncommonlysilly.Tomakeupforthis,Glenstormontherightofthelists,stock-stillexceptwhenhestampedahindhoofoccasionallyontheturf,lookedmuchmoreimposingthantheTelmarinebaronwhofacedhimontheleft.PeterhadjustshakenhandswithEdmundandtheDoctor,andwasnowwalkingdowntothecombat.Itwaslikethemomentbeforethepistolgoesatanimportantrace,butverymuchworse.
“IwishAslanhadturnedupbeforeitcametothis,”saidCaspianTrumpkin.
“SodoI,”saidTrufflehunter.“Butlookbehindyou.”
“Crowsandcrockery!”mutteredtheDwarfassoonashehaddoneso.“Whatarethey?Hugepeople—beautifulpeople—likegodsandgoddessesandgiants.Hundredsandthousandsofthem,closinginbehindus.Whatarethey?”
“It’stheDryadsandHamadryadsandSilvans,”saidTrufflehunter.“Aslanhaswakedthem.”
“Humph!”saidtheDwarf.“That’llbeveryusefuliftheenemytryanytreachery.Butitwon’thelptheHighKingverymuchifMirazproveshandierwithhissword.”
TheBadgersaidnothing,fornowPeterandMirazwereenteringthelistsfromoppositeends,bothonfoot,bothinchainshirts,withhelmetsandshields.Theyadvancedtilltheywereclosetogether.Bothbowedandseemedtospeak,butitwasimpossibletohearwhattheysaid.Nextmoment,thetwoswordsflashedinthesunlight.Forasecondtheclashcouldbeheardbutitwasimmediatelydrownedbecausebotharmiesbeganshoutinglikecrowdsatafootballmatch.
“Welldone,Peter,oh,welldone!”shoutedEdmundashesawMirazreelbackawholepaceandahalf.“Followitup,quick!”AndPeterdid,andforafewsecondsitlookedasifthefightmightbewon.ButthenMirazpulledhimselftogether—begantomakerealuseofhisheightandweight“Miraz!Miraz!TheKing!TheKing!”cametheroaroftheTelmarines.CaspianandEdmundgrewwhitewithsickeninganxiety.
“Peteristakingsomedreadfulknocks,”saidEdmund.
“Hullo!”saidCaspian.“What’shappeningnow?”
“Bothfallingapart,”saidEdmund.“Abitblown,Iexpect。Watch.Ah,nowthey’rebeginningagain,morescientificallythistime.Circlingroundandround,feelingeachother’sdefences.”
“I’mafraidthisMirazknowshiswork,”mutteredtheDoctor.ButhardlyhadhesaidthiswhentherewassuchaclappingandbayingandthrowingupofhoodsamongtheOldNarniansthatitwasnearlydeafening.
“Whatwasit?Whatwasit?”askedtheDoctor.“Myoldeyesmissedit.”
“TheHighKinghasprickedhiminthearm-pit,”saidCaspian,stillclapping。“Justwherethearm-holeofthehauberkletthepointthrough.Firstblood.”
“It’slookinguglyagainnow,though,”saidEdmund.“Peter’snotusinghisshieldproperly.Hemustbehurtintheleftarm.”
Itwasonlytootrue.EveryonecouldseethatPeter’sshieldhunglimp.TheshoutingoftheTelmarinesredoubled.
“You’veseenmorebattlesthanI,”saidCaspian.“Isthereanychancenow?”
“Preciouslittle,”saidEdmund.“Isupposehemightjustdoit。Withluck.”
“Oh,whydidweletithappenatall?”saidCaspian.
Suddenlyalltheshoutingonbothsidesdieddown.Edmundwaspuzzledforamoment.Thenhesaid,Oh,Isee.They’vebothagreedtoarest.Comeon,Doctor.YouandImaybeabletodosomethingfortheHighKing.TheyrandowntothelistsandPetercameoutsidetheropestomeetthem,hisfaceredandsweaty,hischestheaving.
“Isyourleftarmwounded?”askedEdmund.