太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > the lady of the lake >

第30节

the lady of the lake-第30节

小说: the lady of the lake 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



ember; in the bloody battle of Homildon…hill; near Wooler; where he himself lost an eye; and was made prisoner by Hotspur。  He was no less unfortunate when allied with Percy; being wounded and taken at the battle of Shrewsbury。  He was so unsuccessful in an attempt to beseige Roxburgh Castle; that it was called the 'Foul Raid;' or disgraceful expedition。  His ill fortune left him indeed at the battle of Beauge; in France; but it was only to return with double emphasis at the subsequent action of Vernoil; the last and most unlucky of his encounters; in which he fell; with the flower of the Scottish chivalry; then serving as auxiliaries in France; and about two thousand common soldiers; A。D。 1424〃 (Scott)。


307。  What time; etc。  That is; at the time when Douglas allied himself with Percy in the rebellion against Henry IV。 of England。 See Shakespeare; 1 Hen。 IV。


309。  Did; self unscabbarded; etc。  Scott says here: 〃The ancient warriors; whose hope and confidence rested chiefly in their blades; were accustomed to deduce omens from them; especially from such as were supposed to have been fabricated by enchanted skill; of which we have various instances in the romances and legends of the time。 The wonderful sword Skofnung; wielded by the celebrated Hrolf Kraka; was of this description。  It was deposited in the tomb of the monarch at his death; and taken from thence by Skeggo; a celebrated pirate; who bestowed it upon his son…in…law; Kormak; with the following curious directions: '〃The manner of using it will appear strange to you。  A small bag is attached to it; which take heed not to violate。  Let not the rays of the sun touch the upper part of the handle; nor unsheathe it; unless thou art ready for battle。 But when thou comest to the place of fight; go aside from the rest; grasp and extend the sword; and breathe upon it。  Then a small worm will creep out of the handle; lower the handle; that he may more easily return into it。〃  Kormak; after having received the sword; returned home to his mother。  He showed the sword; and attempted to draw it; as unnecessarily as ineffectually; for he could not pluck it out of the sheath。  His mother; Dalla; exclaimed; 〃Do not despise the counsel given to thee; my son。〃  Kormak; however; repeating his efforts; pressed down the handle with his feet; and tore off the bag; when Skofung emitted a hollow groan; but still he could not unsheathe the sword。  Kormak then went out with Bessus; whom he had challenged to fight with him; and drew apart at the place of combat。 He sat down upon the ground; and ungirding the sword; which he bore above his vestments; did not remember to shield the hilt from the rays of the sun。  In vain he endeavored to draw it; till he placed his foot against the hilt; then the worm issued from it。  But Kormak did not rightly handle the weapon; in consequence whereof good fortune deserted it。  As he unsheathed Skofnung; it emitted a hollow murmur' (Bartholini de Causis Contemptae a Danis adhuc Gentilibus Mortis; Libri Tres。  Hafniae; 1689; 4to; p。 574)。

〃To the history of this sentient and prescient weapon; I beg leave to add; from memory; the following legend; for which I cannot produce any better authority。  A young nobleman; of high hopes and fortune; chanced to lose his way in the town which he inhabited; the capital; if I mistake not; of a German province。  He had accidentally involved himself among the narrow and winding streets of a suburb; inhabited by the lowest order of the people; and an approaching thunder…shower determined him to ask a short refuge in the most decent habitation that was near him。  He knocked at the door; which was opened by a tall man; of a grisly and ferocious aspect; and sordid dress。  The stranger was readily ushered to a chamber; where swords; scourges; and machines; which seemed to be implements of torture; were suspended on the wall。  One of these swords dropped from its scabbard; as the nobleman; after a moment's hesitation; crossed the threshold。  His host immediately stared at him with such a marked expression; that the young man could not help demanding his name and business; and the meaning of his looking at him so fixedly。  'I am;' answered the man; 'the public executioner of this city; and the incident you have observed is a sure augury that I shall; in discharge of my duty; one day cut off your head with the weapon which has just now spontaneously unsheathed itself。' The nobleman lost no time in leaving his place of refuge; but; engaging in some of the plots of the period; was shortly after decapitated by that very man and instrument。

〃Lord Lovat is said; by the author of the Letters from Scotland (vol。 ii。 p。 214); to have affirmed that a number of swords that hung up in the hall of the mansion…house; leaped of themselves out of the scabbard at the instant he was born。  The story passed current among his clan; but; like that of the story I have just quoted; proved an unfortunate omen。〃


311。  If courtly spy hath; etc。  The 1st ed。 has 〃If courtly spy; and harbored;〃 etc。  The ed。 of 1821 reads 〃had harbored。〃


319。  Beltane。  The first of May; when there was a Celtic festival in honor of the sun。  Beltane = Beal…tein; or the fire of Beal; a Gaelic name for the sun。  It was celebrated by kindling fires on the hill…tops at night; and other ceremonies; followed by dances; and merry…making。  Cf。 410 below。  See also The Lord of the Isles; i。 8: 〃The shepherd lights his belane… fire;〃 and Glenfinlas:

    〃But o'er his hills; in festal day;      How blazed Lord Ronald's beltane…tree!〃


323。  But hark! etc。  〃The moving picturethe effect of the sounds and the wild character and strong peculiar nationality of the whole procession; are given with inimitable spirit and power of expression〃 (Jeffrey)。


327。  The canna's hoary beard。  The down of the canna; or cotton… grass。


335。  Glengyle。  A valley at the northern end of Lock Katrine。


337。  Brianchoil。  A promontory on the northern shore of the lake。


342。  Spears; pikes; and axes。  The 1st ed。 and that of 1821 have Spears; but all the recent ones misprint 〃Spear。〃  The 〃Globe〃 ed。 has 〃Spear; spikes;〃 etc。


343。  Tartans。  The checkered woollen cloth so much worn in Scotland。  Curiously enough; the name is not Gaelic but French。 See Jamieson or Wb。

Brave。  Fine; beautiful; the same word as the Scottish braw。 Cf。 Shakespeare; Sonn。 12。 2: 〃And see the brave day sunk in hideous night;〃 Ham。 ii。 2。 312: 〃This brave o'erhanging firmament;〃 etc。 It is often used of dress; as also is bravery (= finery); as in T。 of S。 iv。 3。 57: 〃With scarfs and fans and double change of bravery。〃  See also Spenser; Mother Hubberds Tale; 858: 〃Which oft maintain'd his masters braverie〃 (that is; dressed as well as his master)。


351。  Chanters。  The pipes of the bagpipes; to which long ribbons were attached。


357。  The sounds。  Misprinted 〃the sound〃 in the ed。 of 1821; and all the more recent eds。 that we have seen。  Cf。 363 below。


363。  Those thrilling sounds; etc。  Scott says here: 〃The connoisseurs in pipe…music affect to discover in a well…composed pibroch; the imitative sounds of march; conflict; flight; pursuit; and all the 'current of a heady fight。'  To this opinion Dr。 Beattie has given his suffrage; in that following elegant passage:'A pibroch is a species of tune; peculiar; I think; to the Highlands and Western Isles of Scotland。  It is performed on a bagpipe; and differs totally from all other music。 Its rhythm is so irregular; and its notes; especially in the quick movement; so mixed and huddled together; that a stranger finds it impossible to reconcile his ear to it; so as to perceive its modulation。  Some of these pibrochs; being intended to represent a battle; begin with a grave motion; resembling a march; then gradually quicken into the onset; run off with noisy confusion; and turbulent rapidity; to imitate the conflict and pursuit; then swell into a few flourishes of triumphant joy; and perhaps close with the wild and slow wailings of a funeral procession' (Essay on Laughter and Ludicrious Composition; chap。 iii。 note)。〃


367。  Hurrying。  Referring to their; or rather to the them implied in that word。


392。  The burden bore。  That is; sustained the burden; or chorus; of the song。  Cf。 Shakespeare; Temp。 i。 2。 381: 〃And; sweet sprites; the burden bear。〃


399。  Hail to the Chief; etc。  The metre of the song is dactylic; the accents being on the 1st; 4th; 7th; and 10th syllables。  It is little used in English。  Tennyson's Charge of the Light Brigade and Longfellow's Skeleton in Armor are familiar examples of it。


405。  Bourgeon。  Bud。  Cf。 Fairfax; Tasso; vii。 76: When first on trees bourgeon the blossoms soft;〃 and Tennyson; In Memoriam; 115:

    〃Now burgeons every maze of quick      About the flowering squares;〃 etc。


408。  Roderigh Vich Alpine dhu。  〃Besides his ordinary name and surname; which were chiefly used in the intercourse with the Lowlands; every Highland chief had an epithet expressive of his patriarchal dignity as head of the clan; and which was common to all his predecessors and successors; as Pharaoh to the kings of Egypt; or Arsaces to those of Parthia。  This name was usually a patronymic; expressive of hi

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的