volume01-第24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！


te　of　his　malady；　and　dressed　himself　with　all　speed。　　I　fastened　one　of　the　Sheets　round　his　arms；　and　lowered　him　from　the　Window。　　He　flew　to　the　Stable；　took　Claude's　Horse；　and　hastened　to　Strasbourg。　　Had　He　been　accosted　by　the　Banditti；　He　was　to　have　declared　himself　sent　upon　a　message　by　Baptiste；　but　fortunately　He　reached　the　Town　without　meeting　any　obstacle。　　Immediately　upon　his　arrival　at　Strasbourg；　He　entreated　assistance　from　the　Magistrature：　　His　Story　passed　from　mouth　to　mouth；　and　at　length　came　to　the　knowledge　of　my　Lord　the　Baron。　　Anxious　for　the　safety　of　his　Lady；　whom　He　knew　would　be　upon　the　road　that　Evening；　it　struck　him　that　She　might　have　fallen　into　the　power　of　the　Robbers。　　He　accompanied　Theodore　who　guided　the　Soldiers　towards　the　Cottage；　and　arrived　just　in　time　to　save　us　from　falling　once　more　into　the　hands　of　our　Enemies。'

Here　I　interrupted　Marguerite　to　enquire　why　the　sleepy　potion　had　been　presented　to　me。　　She　said　that　Baptiste　supposed　me　to　have　arms　about　me；　and　wished　to　incapacitate　me　from　making　resistance：　　It　was　a　precaution　which　He　always　took；　since　as　the　Travellers　had　no　hopes　of　escaping；　Despair　would　have　incited　them　to　sell　their　lives　dearly。

The　Baron　then　desired　Marguerite　to　inform　him；　what　were　her　present　plans。　　I　joined　him　in　declaring　my　readiness　to　show　my　gratitude　to　her　for　the　preservation　of　my　life。

'Disgusted　with　a　world；'　She　replied；　'in　which　I　have　met　with　nothing　but　misfortunes；　my　only　wish　is　to　retire　into　a　Convent。　　But　first　I　must　provide　for　my　Children。　　I　find　that　my　Mother　is　no　more；　probably　driven　to　an　untimely　grave　by　my　desertion！　　My　Father　is　still　living；　He　is　not　an　hard　Man；　Perhaps；　Gentlemen；　in　spite　of　my　ingratitude　and　imprudence；　your　intercessions　may　induce　him　to　forgive　me；　and　to　take　charge　of　his　unfortunate　Grand…sons。　　If　you　obtain　this　boon　for　me；　you　will　repay　my　services　a　thousand…fold！'

Both　the　Baron　and　myself　assured　Marguerite；　that　we　would　spare　no　pains　to　obtain　her　pardon：　and　that　even　should　her　Father　be　inflexible；　She　need　be　under　no　apprehensions　respecting　the　fate　of　her　Children。　　I　engaged　myself　to　provide　for　Theodore；　and　the　Baron　promised　to　take　the　youngest　under　his　protection。

The　grateful　Mother　thanked　us　with　tears　for　what　She　called　generosity；　but　which　in　fact　was　no　more　than　a　proper　sense　of　our　obligations　to　her。　　She　then　left　the　room　to　put　her　little　Boy　to　bed；　whom　fatigue　and　sleep　had　compleatly　overpowered。

The　Baroness；　on　recovering　and　being　informed　from　what　dangers　I　had　rescued　her；　set　no　bounds　to　the　expressions　of　her　gratitude。　　She　was　joined　so　warmly　by　her　Husband　in　pressing　me　to　accompany　them　to　their　Castle　in　Bavaria；　that　I　found　it　impossible　to　resist　their　entreaties。　　During　a　week　which　we　passed　at　Strasbourg；　the　interests　of　Marguerite　were　not　forgotten：　In　our　application　to　her　Father　we　succeeded　as　amply　as　we　could　wish。　　The　good　old　Man　had　lost　his　Wife：　　He　had　no　Children　but　this　unfortunate　Daughter；　of　whom　He　had　received　no　news　for　almost　fourteen　years。　　He　was　surrounded　by　distant　Relations；　who　waited　with　impatience　for　his　decease　in　order　to　get　possession　of　his　money。　　When　therefore　Marguerite　appeared　again　so　unexpectedly；　He　considered　her　as　a　gift　from　heaven：　　He　received　her　and　her　Children　with　open　arms；　and　insisted　upon　their　establishing　themselves　in　his　House　without　delay。　　The　disappointed　Cousins　were　obliged　to　give　place。　　The　old　Man　would　not　hear　of　his　Daughter's　retiring　into　a　Convent：　He　said　that　She　was　too　necessary　to　his　happiness；　and　She　was　easily　persuaded　to　relinquish　her　design。　　But　no　persuasions　could　induce　Theodore　to　give　up　the　plan　which　I　had　at　first　marked　out　for　him。　　He　had　attached　himself　to　me　most　sincerely　during　my　stay　at　Strasbourg；　and　when　I　was　on　the　point　of　leaving　it；　He　besought　me　with　tears　to　take　him　into　my　service：　He　set　forth　all　his　little　talents　in　the　most　favourable　colours；　and　tried　to　convince　me　that　I　should　find　him　of　infinite　use　to　me　upon　the　road。　　I　was　unwilling　to　charge　myself　with　a　Lad　but　scarcely　turned　of　thirteen；　whom　I　knew　could　only　be　a　burthen　to　me：　　However；　I　could　not　resist　the　entreaties　of　this　affectionate　Youth；　who　in　fact　possessed　a　thousand　estimable　qualities。　　With　some　difficulty　He　persuaded　his　relations　to　let　him　follow　me；　and　that　permission　once　obtained；　He　was　dubbed　with　the　title　of　my　Page。　　Having　passed　a　week　at　Strasbourg；　Theodore　and　myself　set　out　for　Bavaria　in　company　with　the　Baron　and　his　Lady。　　These　Latter　as　well　as　myself　had　forced　Marguerite　to　accept　several　presents　of　value；　both　for　herself；　and　her　youngest　Son：　　On　leaving　her；　I　promised　his　Mother　faithfully　that　I　would　restore　Theodore　to　her　within　the　year。

I　have　related　this　adventure　at　length；　Lorenzo；　that　you　might　understand　the　means　by　which　'The　Adventurer；　Alphonso　d'Alvarada　got　introduced　into　the　Castle　of　Lindenberg。'　　Judge　from　this　specimen　how　much　faith　should　be　given　to　your　Aunt's　assertions！