the lady of the lake-第30节

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