maid marian-第3节

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ered　of　recommending　himself　to　King　Henry's　favour　by　manifesting　his　zeal　in　his　service；　undertook　the　charge：　and　how　he　succeeded　we　have　seen。

Sir　Ralph's　curiosity　was　strongly　excited　by　the　friar's　description　of　the　young　lady　of　Arlingford；　and　he　prepared　in　the　morning　to　visit　the　castle；　under　the　very　plausible　pretext　of　giving　the　baron　an　explanation　of　his　intervention　at　the　nuptials。　Brother　Michael　and　the　little　fat　friar　proposed　to　be　his　guides。　The　proposal　was　courteously　accepted；　and　they　set　out　together；　leaving　Sir　Ralph's　followers　at　the　abbey。　　The　knight　was　mounted　on　a　spirited　charger；　brother　Michael　on　a　large　heavy…trotting　horse；　and　the　little　fat　friar　on　a　plump　soft…paced　galloway；　so　correspondent　with　himself　in　size；　rotundity；　and　sleekness；　that　if　they　had　been　amalgamated　into　a　centaur；　there　would　have　been　nothing　to　alter　in　their　proportions。

〃Do　you　know；〃　said　the　little　friar；　as　they　wound　along　the　banks　of　the　stream；　〃the　reason　why　lake…trout　is　better　than　river…trout；　and　shyer　withal？〃

〃I　was　not　aware　of　the　fact；〃　said　Sir　Ralph。

〃A　most　heterodox　remark；〃　said　brother　Michael：　　〃know　you　not；　that　in　all　nice　matters　you　should　take　the　implication　for　absolute；　and；　without　looking　into　the　FACT　WHETHER；　seek　only　the　reason　why？　But　the　fact　is　so；　on　the　word　of　a　friar；　which　what　layman　will　venture　to　gainsay　who　prefers　a　down　bed　to　a　gridiron？〃

〃The　fact　being　so；〃　said　the　knight；　〃I　am　still　at　a　loss　for　the　reason；　nor　would　I　undertake　to　opine　in　a　matter　of　that　magnitude：　　since；　in　all　that　appertains　to　the　good　things　either　of　this　world　or　the　next；　my　reverend　spiritual　guides　are　kind　enough　to　take　the　trouble　of　thinking　off　my　hands。〃

〃Spoken；〃　said　brother　Michael；　〃with　a　sound　Catholic　conscience。　My　little　brother　here　is　most　profound　in　the　matter　of　trout。　He　has　marked；　learned；　and　inwardly　digested　the　subject；　twice　a　week　at　least　for　five…and…thirty　years。　　I　yield　to　him　in　this。　My　strong　points　are　venison　and　canary。〃

〃The　good　qualities　of　a　trout；〃　said　the　little　friar；　〃are　firmness　and　redness：　　the　redness；　indeed；　being　the　visible　sign　of　all　other　virtues。〃

〃Whence；〃　said　brother　Michael；　〃we　choose　our　abbot　by　his　nose：

　The　rose　on　the　nose　doth　all　virtues　disclose：　　For　the　outward　grace　shows　　That　the　inward　overflows；　　When　it　glows　in　the　rose　of　a　red；　red　nose。〃


〃Now；〃　said　the　little　friar；　〃as　is　the　firmness　so　is　the　redness；　and　as　is　the　redness　so　is　the　shyness。〃

〃Marry　why？〃　said　brother　Michael。　　〃The　solution　is　not　physical…natural；　but　physical…historical；　or　natural…superinductive。　And　thereby　hangs　a　tale；　which　may　be　either　said　or　sung：

　The　damsel　stood　to　watch　the　fight　　　　　　By　the　banks　of　Kingslea　Mere；　　And　they　brought　to　her　feet　her　own　true　knight　　　　　　Sore…wounded　on　a　bier。

　She　knelt　by　him　his　wounds　to　bind；　　　　　　She　washed　them　with　many　a　tear：　　And　shouts　rose　fast　upon　the　wind；　　　　　　Which　told　that　the　foe　was　near。

　〃Oh！　let　not；〃　he　said；　〃while　yet　I　live；　　　　　　The　cruel　foe　me　take：　　But　with　thy　sweet　lips　a　last　kiss　give；　　　　　　And　cast　me　in　the　lake。〃

　Around　his　neck　she　wound　her　arms；　　　　　　And　she　kissed　his　lips　so　pale：　　And　evermore　the　war's　alarms　　　　　　Came　louder　up　the　vale。

　She　drew　him　to　the　lake's　steep　side；　　　　　　Where　the　red　heath　fringed　the　shore；　　She　plunged　with　him　beneath　the　tide；　　　　　　And　they　were　seen　no　more。

　Their　true　blood　mingled　in　Kingslea　Mere；　　　　　　That　to　mingle　on　earth　was　fain：　　And　the　trout　that　swims　in　that　crystal　clear　　　　　　Is　tinged　with　the　crimson　stain。


〃Thus　you　see　how　good　comes　of　evil；　and　how　a　holy　friar　may　fare　better　on　fast…day　for　the　violent　death　of　two　lovers　two　hundred　years　ago。　　The　inference　is　most　consecutive；　that　wherever　you　catch　a　red…fleshed　trout；　love　lies　bleeding　under　the　water：　an　occult　quality；　which　can　only　act　in　the　stationary　waters　of　a　lake；　being　neutralised　by　the　rapid　transition　of　those　of　a　stream。〃

〃And　why　is　the　trout　shyer　for　that？〃　asked　Sir　Ralph。

〃Do　you　not　see？〃　said　brother　Michael。　　〃The　virtues　of　both　lovers　diffuse　themselves　through　the　lake。　　The　infusion　of　masculine　valour　makes　the　fish　active　and　sanguineous：　the　infusion　of　maiden　modesty　makes　him　coy　and　hard　to　win：　and　you　shall　find　through　life；　the　fish　which　is　most　easily　hooked　is　not　the　best　worth　dishing。　　But　yonder　are　the　towers　of　Arlingford。〃

The　little　friar　stopped。　　He　seemed　suddenly　struck　with　an　awful　thought；　which　caused　a　momentary　pallescence　in　his　rosy　complexion；　and　after　a　brief　hesitation；　he　turned　his　galloway；　and　told　his　companions　he　should　give　them　good　day。

〃Why；　what　is　in　the　wind　now；　brother　Peter？〃　said　Friar　Michael。

〃The　lady　Matilda；〃　said　the　little　friar；　〃can　draw　the　long…bow。　She　must　bear　no　goodwill　to　Sir　Ralph；　and　if　she　should　espy　him　from　her　tower；　she　may　testify　her　recognition　with　a　cloth…yard　shaft。　She　is　not　so　infallible　a　markswoman；　but　that　she　might　shoot　at　a　crow　and　kill　a　pigeon。　　She　might　peradventure　miss　the　knight；　and　hit　me；　who　never　did　her　any　harm。〃

〃Tut；　tut；　man；〃　said　brother　Michael；　〃there　is　no　such　fear。〃

〃Mass；〃　said　the　little　friar；　〃but　there　is　such　a　fear；　and　very　strong　too。　　You　who　have　it　not　may　keep　your　way；　and　I　who　have　it　shall　take　mine。　　I　am　not　just　now　in　the　vein　for　being　picked　off　at　a　long　shot。〃　　And　saying　these　words；　he　spurred　up　his　four…footed　better　half；　and　galloped　off　as　nimbly　as　if　he　had　had　an　arrow　singing　behind　him。

〃Is　this　lady　Matilda；　then；　so　very　terrible　a　damsel？〃　said　Sir　Ralph　to　brother　Michael。

〃By　no　means；〃　said　the　friar。　　〃She　has　certainly　a　high　spirit；　but　it　is　the　wing　of　the　eagle；　without　his　beak　or　his　claw。　She　is　as　gentle　as　magnanimous；　but　it　is　the　gentleness　of　the　summer　wind；　which；　however　lightly　it　wave　the　tuft　of　the　pine；　carries　with　it　the　intimation　of　a　power；　that；　if　roused　to　its　extremity；　could　make　it　bend　to　the　dust。〃

〃From　the　warmth　of　your　panegyric；　ghostly　father；〃　said　the　knight；　〃I　should　almost　suspect　you　were　in　love　with　the　damsel。〃

〃So　I　am；〃　said　the　friar；　〃and　I　care　not　who　knows　it；　but　all　in　the　way　of　honesty；　master　soldier。　　I　am；　as　it　were；　her　spiritual　lover；　and　were　she　a　damsel　errant；　I　would　be　her　ghostly　esquire；　her　friar　militant。　I　would　buckle　me　in　armour　of　proof；　and　the　devil　might　thresh　me　black　with　an　iron　flail；　before　I　would　knock　under　in　her　cause。　Though　they　be　not　yet　one　canonically；　thanks　to　your　soldiership；　the　earl　is　her　liege　lord；　and　she　is　his　liege　lady。　I　am　her　father　confessor　and　ghostly　director：　I　have　taken　on　me　to　show　her　the　way　to　the　next　world；　and　how　can　I　do　that　if　I　lose　sight　of　her　in　this？　seeing　that　this　is　but　the　road　to　the　other；　and　has　so　many　circumvolutions　and　ramifications　of　byeways　and　beaten　paths　（all　more　thickly　set　than　the　true　one　with　finger…posts　and　milestones；　not　one　of　which　tells　truth）；　that　a　traveller　has　need　of　some　one　who　knows　the　way；　or　the　odds　go　hard　against　him　that　he　will　ever　see　the　face　of　Saint　Peter。〃

〃But　there　must　surely　be　some　reason；〃　said　Sir　Ralph；　〃for　father　Peter's　apprehension。〃

〃None；〃　said　brother　Michael；　〃but　the　apprehension　itself；　fear　being　its　own　father；　and　most　prolific　in　self…propagation。　The　lady　did；　it　is　true；　once　signalize　her　displeasure　against　our　little　brother；　for　reprimanding　her　in　that　she　would　go　hunting　a…mornings　instead　of　attending　matins。　　She　cut　short　the　thread　of　his　eloquence　by　sportively　drawing　her　bow…string　and　loosing　an　arrow　over　his　head；　he　waddled　off　with　singular　speed；　and　was　in　much　awe　of　her　for　many　months。　　I　thought　he　had　forgotten　it：　　but　let　that　pass。　In　truth；　she　would　have　had　little　of　her　lover's　company；　if　she　had　liked　the　chaunt　of　the　choristers　better　than　the　cry　of　the　hounds：　yet　I　know　not；　for　they　were　companions　from　the　cradle；　and　reciprocally　fashioned　each　other　to　the　love　of　the　fern　and　the　foxglove。　Had　either　been　less　sylvan；　the　other　might　have　been　more　saintly；　but　they　will　now　never　hear　matins　but　those　of　the　lark；　nor　reverence　vaulted　aisle　but　that　of　the　greenwood　canopy。　They　are　twin　plants　of　the　forest；　and　are　identified　with　its　growth。

　For　the　slender　beech　and　the　sapling　oak；　　　　　　That　grow　by　the　shadowy　rill；　　You　may　cut　down　both　at　a　single　stroke；　　　　　　You　may　cut　down　which　you　will。

　But　this　you　must　know；　that　as　long　as　they　grow　　　　　　Whatever　change　may　be；　　You　never　can　teach　either　oak　or　beech　　　　　　To　be　aught　but　a　greenwood　tree。〃





CHAPTER　III

Inflamed　wrath　in　glowing　breast。BUTLER。


The　knight　and　the　friar　arriving　at　Arlingford　Castle；　and　leaving　their　horses　in　the　care　of　lady　Matilda's　groom；　with　whom　the　friar　was　in　great　favour；　were　ushered　into　a　stately　apartment；　where　they　found　the　baron　alone；　flourishing　an　enormous　carving…knife　over　a　brother　baronof　beef　with　as　much　vehemence　of　action　as　if　he　were　cutting　down　an　enemy。　The　baron　was　a　gentleman　of　a　fierce　and　choler