the two captains-第1节

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The　Two　Captains

by　Friedrich　Heinrich　Karl；　Freiherr　de　La　Motte…Fouque






CHAPTER　I。



A　Mild　summer　evening　was　resting　on　the　shores　of　Malaga；　awakening
the　guitar　of　many　a　merry　singer　among　the　ships　in　the　harbor；　and
in　the　city　houses；　and　in　many　an　ornamental　garden　villa。
Emulating　the　voices　of　the　birds；　the　melodious　tones　greeted　the
refreshing　coolness；　and　floated　like　perfumed　exhalations　from
meadow　and　water；　over　the　enchanting　region。　　Some　troops　of
infantry　who　were　on　the　shore；　and　who　purposed　to　spend　the　night
there；　that　they　might　be　ready　for　embarkation　early　on　the
following　morning；　forgot　amid　the　charms　of　the　pleasant　eventide
that　they　ought　to　devote　these　last　few　hours　on　European　soil　to
ease　and　slumber；　they　began　to　sing　military　songs；　to　drink　to　each
other　with　their　flasks　filled　to　the　brim　with　the　rich　wine　of
Xeres；　toasting　to　the　long　life　of　the　mighty　Emperor　Charles　V。；
who　was　now　besieging　the　pirate…nest　Tunis；　and　to　whose　assistance
they　were　about　to　sail。　　The　merry　soldiers　were　not　all　of　one
race。　　Only　two　companies　consisted　of　Spaniards；　the　third　was
formed　of　pure　Germans；　and　now　and　then　among　the　various　fellow…
combatants　the　difference　of　manners　and　language　had　given　rise　to
much　bantering。　　Now；　however；　the　fellowship　of　the　approaching　sea…
voyage　and　of　the　glorious　perils　to　be　shared；　as　well　as　the
refreshing　feeling　which　the　soft　southern　evening　poured　over　soul
and　sense；　united　the　band　of　comrades　in　perfect　and　undisturbed
harmony。　　The　Germans　tried　to　speak　Castilian；　and　the　Spaniards　to
speak　German；　without　its　occurring　to　any　one　to　make　a　fuss　about
the　mistakes　and　confusions　that　happened。　　They　mutually　helped　each
other；　thinking　of　nothing　else　but　the　good…will　of　their
companions；　each　drawing　near　to　his　fellow　by　means　of　his　own
language。

Somewhat　apart　from　the　merry　tumult；　a　young　German　captain；　Sir
Heimbert　of　Waldhausen；　was　reclining　under　a　cork…tree；　gazing
earnestly　up　at　the　stars；　apparently　in　a　very　different　mood　to　the
fresh；　merry　sociability　which　his　comrades　knew　and　loved　in　him。
Presently　the　Spanish　captain；　Don　Fadrique　Mendez；　approached　him；
he　was　a　youth　like　the　other；　and　was　equally　skilled　in　martial
exercises；　but　he　was　generally　as　austere　and　thoughtful　as　Heimbert
was　cheerful　and　gentle。　　〃Pardon；　Senor；〃　began　the　solemn　Spaniard；
〃if　I　disturb　you　in　your　meditations。　　But　as　I　have　had　the　honor
of　often　seeing　you　as　a　courageous　warrior　and　faithful　brother　in
amrs　in　many　a　hot　encounter；　I　would　gladly　solicit　you　above　all
others　to　do　me　a　knightly　service；　if　it　does　not　interfere　with
your　own　plans　and　projects　for　this　night。〃　　〃Dear　sir；〃　returned
Heimbert　courteously；　〃I　have　certainly　an　affair　of　importance　to
attend　to　before　sunrise；　but　till　midnight　I　am　perfectly　free；　and
ready　to　render　you　any　assistance　as　a　brother　in　aims。〃　　〃Enough；〃
said　Fadrique；　〃for　at　midnight　the　tones　must　long　have　ceased　with
which　I　shall　have　taken　farewell　of　the　dearest　being　I　have　ever
known　in　this　my　native　city。　　But　that　you　may　be　as　fully
acquainted　with　the　whole　affair　as　behoves　a　noble　companion；　listen
to　me　attentively　for　a　few　moments。

〃Some　time　before　I　left　Malaga　to　join　the　army　of　our　great　emperor
and　to　aid　in　spreading　the　glory　of　his　arms　through　Italy；　I　was
devoted；　after　the　fashion　of　young　knights；　to　the　service　of　a
beautiful　girl　in　this　city；　named　Lucila。　　She　had　at　that　time
scarcely　reached　the　period　which　separates　childhood　from　ripe
maidenhood；　and　as　Ia　boy　only　just　capable　of　bearing　arms
offered　my　homage　with　a　childlike；　friendly　feeling；　it　was　also
received　by　my　young　mistress　in　a　similar　childlike　manner。　　I
marched　at　length　to　Italy；　and　as　you　yourself　know；　for　we　have
been　companions　since　then；　I　was　in　many　a　hot　fight　and　in　many　an
enchantingly　alluring　region　in　that　luxurious　land。　　Amid　all　our
changes；　I　held　unalterably　within　me　the　image　of　my　gentle
mistress；　never　pausing　in　the　honorable　service　I　had　vowed　to　her；
although　I　cannot　conceal　from　you　that　in　so　doing　it　was　rather　to
fulfil　the　word　I　had　pledged　at　my　departure　than　from　any　impelling
and　immoderately　ardent　feeling　in　my　heart。　　When　we　returned　to　my
native　city　from　our　foreign　wanderings；　a　few　weeks　ago；　I　found　my
mistress　married　to　a　rich　and　noble　knight　residing　here。　　Fiercer
far　than　love　had　been　was　the　jealousythat　almost　almighty　child
of　heaven　and　hellwhich　now　spurred　me　on　to　follow　Lucila's　steps；
from　her　home　to　the　church；　from　thence　to　the　house　of　a　friend；
from　thence　again　to　her　home　or　to　some　noble　circle　of　knights　and
ladies；　and　all　this　as　unweariedly　and　as　closely　as　was　possible。
When　I　had　at　length　assured　myself　that　no　other　young　knight
attended　her；　and　that　she　devoted　herself　entirely　to　the　husband
chosen　for　her　by　her　parents　rather　than　desired　by　herself；　I　felt
perfectly　satisfied；　and　I　should　not　have　troubled　you　at　this
moment　had　not　Lucila　approached　me　the　day　before　yesterday　and
whispered　in　my　ear　that　I　must　not　provoke　her　husband；　for　he　was
very　passionate　and　bold；　that　not　the　slightest　danger　threatened
her　in　the　matter；　because　he　loved　and　honored　her　above　everything；
but　that　his　wrath　would　vent　itself　all　the　more　furiously　upon　me。
You　can　readily　understand；　my　noble　comrade；　that　I　could　not　help
proving　my　contempt　of　all　personal　danger　by　following　Lucila　more
closely　than　ever；　and　singing　nightly　serenades　beneath　her　flower…
decked　windows　till　the　morning　star　began　to　be　reflected　in　the
sea。　　This　very　night　Lucila's　husband　sets　out　at　midnight　for
Madrid；　and　from　that　hour　I　will　in　every　way　avoid　the　street　in
which　they　live；　until　then；　however；　as　soon　as　it　is　sufficiently
dark　to　be　suitable　for　a　serenade；　I　will　have　love…romances
unceasingly　sang　before　his　house。　　It　is　true　I　have　information
that　not　only　he　but　Lucila's　brothers　are　really　to　enter　upon　a
quarrel　with　me；　and　it　is　for　this　reason；　Senor；　that　I　have
requested　you　to　bear　me　company　with　your　good　sword　in　this　short
expedition。〃

Heimbert　seized　the　Spaniard's　hand　as　a　pledge　of　his　readiness；
saying　as　he　did　so；　〃To　show　you；　dear　sir；　how　gladly　I　will　do
what　you　desire　of　me；　I　will　requite　your　confidence　with
confidence；　and　will　relate　a　little　incident　which　occurred　to　me　in
this　city；　and　will　beg　you　after　midnight　also　to　render　me　a　small
service。　　My　story　is　short；　and　will　not　detain　us　longer　than　we
must　wait　before　the　twilight　has　become　deeper　and　more　gloomy。

〃On　the　day　after　we　arrived　here　I　amused　myself　with　walking　in　the
beautiful　gardens　with　which　the　place　abounds。　　I　have　now　been　long
in　these　southern　lands；　but　I　cannot　but　believe　that　the　dreams
which　transport　me　nightly　back　to　my　German　home　are　the　cause　for
my　feeling　everything　here　so　strange　and　astonishing。　　At　all
events；　every　morning　when　I　wake　I　wonder　anew；　as　if　I　were　only
just　arrived。　　So　I　was　walking　then；　like　one　infatuated；　among　the
aloe　trees；　which　were　scattered　among　the　laurels　and　oleanders。
Suddenly　a　cry　sounded　near　me；　and　a　slender　girl；　dressed　in　white；
fled　into　my　arms；　fainting；　while　her　companions　dispersed　past　us
in　every　direction。　　A　soldier　can　always　tolerably　soon　gather　his
senses　together；　and　I　speedily　perceived　a　furious　bull　was　pursuing
the　beautiful　maiden。　　I　threw　her　quickly　over　a　thickly　planted
hedge；　and　followed　her　myself；　upon　which　the　beast；　blind　with
rage；　passed　us　by；　and　I　have　heard　no　more　of　it　since；　except　that
some　young　knights　in　an　adjacent　courtyard　had　been　making　a　trial
with　it　previous　to　a　bull…fight；　and　that　it　was　on　this　account
that　it　had　broken　so　furiously　through　the　gardens。

〃I　was　now　standing　quite　alone；　with　the　fainting　lady　in　my　arms；
and　she　was　so　wonderfully　beautiful　to　look　at　that　I　have　never　in
my　life　felt　happier　than　I　then　did；　and　also　never　sadder。　　At　last
I　laid　her　down　on　the　turf；　and　sprinkled　her　angelic　brow；　with
water　from　a　neighboring　little　fountain。　　And　so　she　came　to　herself
again；　and　when　she　opened　her　bright　and　lovely　eyes　I　thought　I
could　imagine　how　the　glorified　spirits　must　feel　in　heaven。

〃She　thanked　me　with　graceful　and　courteous　words；　and　called　me　her
knight；　but　in　my　state　of　enchantment　I　could　not　utter　a　syllable；
and　she　must　have　almost　thought　me　dumb。　　At　length　my　speech
returned；　and　the　prayer　at　once　was　breathed　forth　from　my　heart；
that　the　sweet　lady　would　often　again　allow　me　to　see　her　in　this
garden；　for　that　in　a　few　weeks　the　service　of　the　emperor　would
drive　me　into　the　burning　land　of　Africa；　and　that　until　then　she
should　vouchsafe　me　the　happiness　of　beholding　her。　　She　looked　at　me
half　smiling；　half　sadly；　and　said；　'Yes。'　　And　she　has　kept　her　word
and　has　appeared　almost　daily；　without　our　having　yet　spoken　much　to
each　other。　　　For　although　she　has　been　sometimes　quite　alone；　I
could　never　begin　any　other　topic　but　that　of　the　h