“Howthen?”saidSopespiaheenemyinourfisthere。Mirazwouldneverbesohair-braihrowawayhisadvantageonabat。”
&bebroughttoit，”saidGlozelleinamuchlowervoice。
“Softly，”saidSopespialeasidehereoutofearshotofthosesentries。akenyourLordship'smeaningaright?”
“IftheKiookwagerofbattle，”whisperedGlozelle，“why，eitherhewouldkillorbekilled。”
“So，”saidSopespian，noddinghishead。
“Andifhekilledweshouldhavewonthis>
&ainly。Andifnot?”
“Why，ifnot，weshouldbeasabletowinitwithouttheKing'sgraceaswithhim。ForIellyourLordshipthatMirazis。A，weshouldbebothvictoriousandkingless。”
“Anditisy，myLord，thatyouandIcouldholdthislandquiteastlywithoutaKingaswithone?”
Glozelle'sfacegrewugly。“ing，”saidhe，“thatithofirstputhimohrone。Andihathehase，whatfruitshaveeourway?Whatgratitudehasheshownus?”
“Saynomore，”answeredSopespian。“Butlook—herdesootheKing'stent。”’
&heyreachedMiraz'stenttheysawEdmundandhistwopasideitaaihdwine，havingalreadydeliveredthege，andhiletheKingwasgit。WhehemthusatclosequartersthetwoTelmarihoughtallthreeofthemveryalarming。
IheyfoundMiraz，unarmedandfinishi。Hisfacewasflushedandtherewasashisbrow。
“There!”hegrowled，flingingthepartacrossthetabletothem。“Seeaurserytalesourjaapesofanephewhassentus。”
“Byyourleave，Sire，”saidGlozelle。“IftheyoungehavejustseeheKingEdmuioing，thenIwouldnotcallhimaalebutaverydangerousknight。”
“KingEdmund，pah!”saidMiraz。“DoesyourLordshipbelievethoseoldwives'fablesaboutPeterandEdmu?”
“Ibelievemyeyes，yourMajesty，”saidGlozelle。
&hisistonopurpose，”saidMiraz，“butastougthege，Isupposethereisonlyoneopiweenus?”
“Isupposeso，indeed，Sire，”saidGlozelle。
“Andwhatisthat?”askedtheKing。
“Mostinfalliblytorefuseit，”saidGlozelle。“FhIhaveneverbeencalledaustplainlysaythattomeetthatyoungmaninbattleismorethawouldservemefor。Andif（asislikely）hisbrhKing，ismerousthanhewhy，onyourlife，myL，havenothingtodowithhim。”
“Plagueonyou!”criedMiraz。“Itwasnotthatsortofted。DoyouthinkIamaskingyouifIshouldbeafraidtomeetthisPeter（ifthereissu）?DoyouthinkIfearhim?Iwantedyourthepoliatter;whetherwe，haviage，shouldhazarditole。”
“Towhionlyanswer，yourMajesty，”saidGlozelle，“thatforallreasonsthegeshouldberefused。Thereisdeathira'sface。”
“Thereyain!”saidMiraz，nhlyarying，tomakeitappearthatIamasgreatacowardasyourLordship?”
“YourMajestymaysayyourpleasure，”saidGlozellesulkily。
“Youtalklikeanoldwoman，Glozelle，”saidtheKing。“Whatsayyou，myLordSopespian?”
“Donottouchit，Sire，”ly。“AndwhatyourMajestysaysofthepolicyofthethingesinveryhappily。ItgivesyourMajestyextgroundsforarefusalwithoutanycauseforquestioningyourMajesty'she。”
&Heaven!”exclaimedMiraz，jumpingtohisfeet。“Areyoualsobewitchedtoday?DoyouthinkIamlrou?Youmightaswellyface。”
Theversationwasgoilyasthetwolordswished，sotheysaidnothing。