maid marian(女孩马丽安)-第8节
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confiscation； and philotheoparoptesism；＇1＇ he was not sorry to encourage
his daughter's choice of her confessor in brother Michael； who had more
jollity and less hypocrisy than any of his fraternity； and was very little
anxious to disguise his love of the good things of this world under the
semblance of a sanctified exterior。 The friar and Matilda had often sung
duets together； and had been accustomed to the baron's chiming in with a
stormy capriccio； which was usually charmed into silence by some sudden
turn in the witching melodies of Matilda。 They had therefore naturally
calculated； as far as their wild spirits calculated at all； on the same effects
from the same causes。 But the circumstances of the preceding day had
made an essential alteration in the case。 The baron knew well； from the
intelligence he had received； that the earl's offence was past remission：
which would have been of less moment but for the awful fact of his castle
being in the possession of the king's forces； and in those days possession
was considerably more than eleven points of the law。 The baron was
therefore convinced that the earl's outlawry was infallible； and that
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Matilda must either renounce her lover； or become with him an outlaw and
a fugitive。 In proportion； therefore； to the baron's knowledge of the
strength and duration of her attachment； was his fear of the difficulty of its
ever being overcome： her love of the forest and the chase； which he had
never before discouraged； now presented itself to him as matter of serious
alarm； and if her cheerfulness gave him hope on the one hand by
indicating a spirit superior to all disappointments； it was suspicious to him
on the other； as arising from some latent certainty of being soon united to
the earl。 All these circumstances concurred to render their songs of the
vanished deer and greenwood archery and Yoicks and Harkaway；
extremely mal…a…propos； and to make his anger boil and bubble in the
cauldron of his spirit； till its more than ordinary excitement burst forth
with sudden impulse into active manifestation。
＇1＇ Roasting by a slow fire for the love of God。
But as it sometimes happens； from the might Of rage in
minds that can no farther go； As high as they have mounted in despite
In their remission do they sink as low； To our bold baron did it happen
so。＇2＇
＇2＇ Of these lines all that is not in italics belongs to Mr。 Wordsworth：
Resolution and Independence。
For his discobolic exploit proved the climax of his rage； and was
succeeded by an immediate sense that he had passed the bounds of
legitimate passion； and he sunk immediately from the very pinnacle of
opposition to the level of implicit acquiescence。 The friar's spirits were not
to be marred by such a little incident。 He was half…inclined； at first； to
return the baron's compliment； but his love of Matilda checked him； and
when the baron held out his hand； the friar seized it cordially； and they
drowned all recollection of the affair by pledging each other in a cup of
canary。
The friar； having stayed long enough to see every thing replaced on a
friendly footing； rose； and moved to take his leave。 Matilda told him he
must come again on the morrow； for she had a very long confession to
make to him。 This the friar promised to do； and departed with the knight。
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Sir Ralph； on reaching the abbey； drew his followers together； and led
them to Locksley Castle； which he found in the possession of his
lieutenant； whom he again left there with a sufficient force to hold it in
safe keeping in the king's name； and proceeded to London to report the
results of his enterprise。
Now Henry our royal king was very wroth at the earl's evasion； and
swore by Saint Thomas…a…Becket （whom he had himself translated into a
saint by having him knocked on the head）； that he would give the castle
and lands of Locksley to the man who should bring in the earl。 Hereupon
ensued a process of thought in the mind of the knight。 The eyes of the
fair huntress of Arlingford had left a wound in his heart which only she
who gave could heal。 He had seen that the baron was no longer very
partial to the outlawed earl； but that he still retained his old affection for
the lands and castle of Locksley。 Now the lands and castle were very fair
things in themselves； and would be pretty appurtenances to an adventurous
knight； but they would be doubly valuable as certain passports to the
father's favour； which was one step towards that of the daughter； or at least
towards obtaining possession of her either quietly or perforce； for the
knight was not so nice in his love as to consider the lady's free grace a sine
qua non： and to think of being； by any means whatever； the lord of
Locksley and Arlingford； and the husband of the bewitching Matilda； was
to cut in the shades of futurity a vista very tempting to a soldier of fortune。
He set out in high spirits with a chosen band of followers； and beat up all
the country far and wide around both the Ouse and the Trent； but fortune
did not seem disposed to second his diligence； for no vestige whatever
could he trace of the earl。 His followers； who were only paid with the
wages of hope； began to murmur and fall off； for； as those unenlightened
days were ignorant of the happy invention of paper machinery； by which
one promise to pay is satisfactorily paid with another promise to pay； and
that again with another in infinite series； they would not； as their wiser
posterity has done； take those tenders for true pay which were not sterling；
so that； one fine morning； the knight found himself sitting on a pleasant
bank of the Trent； with only a solitary squire； who still clung to the
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shadow of preferment； because he did not see at the moment any better
chance of the substance。
The knight did not despair because of the desertion of his followers： he
was well aware that he could easily raise recruits if he could once find
trace of his game； he； therefore； rode about indefatigably over hill and dale；
to the great sharpening of his own appetite and that of his squire； living
gallantly from inn to inn when his purse was full； and quartering himself
in the king's name on the nearest ghostly brotherhood when it happened to
be empty。 An autumn and a winter had passed away； when the course of
his perlustations brought him one evening into a beautiful sylvan valley；
where he found a number of young women weaving garlands of flowers；
and singing over their pleasant occupation。 He approached them； and
courteously inquired the way to the nearest town。
〃There is no town within several miles；〃 was the answer。
〃A village； then； if it be but large enough to furnish an inn？〃 〃There
is Gamwell just by； but there is no inn nearer than the nearest town。〃
〃An abbey； then？〃
〃There is no abbey nearer than the nearest inn。〃
〃A house then； or a cottage； where I may obtain hospitality for the
night？〃
〃Hospitality！〃 said one of the young women； 〃you have not far to seek
for that。 Do you not know that you are in the neighbourhood of
Gamwell…Hall？〃
〃So far from it；〃 said the knight； 〃that I never heard the name of
Gamwell…Hall before。〃
〃Never heard of Gamwell…Hall？〃 exclaimed all the young women
together； who could as soon have dreamed of his never having heard of the
sky。
〃Indeed； no；〃 said Sir Ralph； 〃but I shall be very happy to get rid of
my ignorance。〃
