appendix-1-第5节

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masters！　the　noble　beast　is　here　yet；　and；　thank　the　saints；　we　have
enough　of　hounds。''

　　The　cover　being　now　thoroughly　beat　by　the　attendants；　the　stag　was
compelled　to　abandon　it；　and　trust　to　his　speed　for　his　safety。　Three
greyhounds　were　slipped　upon　him；　whom　he　threw　out；　after　running　a
couple　of　miles；　by　entering　an　extensive　furzy　brake；　which　extended
along　the　side　of　a　hill。　The　horsemen　soon　came　up；　and　casting　off　a
sufficient　number　of　slow…hounds；　sent　them　with　the　prickers　into　the
cover；　in　order　to　drive　the　game　from　his　strength。　This　object　being
accomplished；　afforded　another　severe　chase　of　several　miles；　in　a　direction
almost　circular；　during　which　the　poor　animal　tried　every　wile　to　get　rid
of　his　persecutors。　He　crossed　and　traversed　all　such　dusty　paths　as　were
likely　to　retain　the　least　scent　of　his　footsteps；　he　laid　himself　close　to
the　ground；　drawing　his　feet　under　his　belly；　and　clapping　his　nose　close
to　the　earth；　lest　he　should　be　betrayed　to　the　hounds　by　his　breath
and　hoofs。　When　all　was　in　vain；　and　he　found　the　hounds　coming　fast
in　upon　him；　his　own　strength　failing；　his　mouth　embossed　with　foam；
and　the　tears　dropping　from　his　eyes；　he　turned　in　despair　upon　his
pursuers；　who　then　stood　at　gaze；　making　an　hideous　clamour；　and
awaiting　their　two…footed　auxiliaries。　Of　these；　it　chanced　that　the　Lady
Eleanor；　taking　more　pleasure　in　the　sport　than　Matilda；　and　being　a　less
burden　to　her　palfrey　than　the　Lord　Boteler；　was　the　first　who　arrived　at
spot；　and　taking　a　cross…bow　from　an　attendant；　discharged　a　bolt　at　the
stag。　When　the　infuriated　animal　felt　himself　wounded；　he　pushed　franticly
towards　her　from　whom　he　had　received　the　shaft；　and　Lady　Eleanor　might
have　had　occasion　to　repent　of　her　enterprise；　had　not　young　Fitzallen；
who　had　kept　near　her　during　the　whole　day；　at　that　instant　galloped
briskly　in；　and　ere　the　stag　could　change　his　object　of　assault；　dispatched
him　with　his　short　hunting　sword。

　　Albert　Drawslot；　who　had　just　come　up　in　terror　for　the　young　lady's
safety；　broke　out　into　loud　encomiums　upon　Fitzallen's　strength　and
gallantry。　‘‘By'r　Lady；''　said　he；　taking　off　his　cap；　and　wiping　his　sunburnt
face　with　his　sleeve；　‘‘well　struck；　and　in　good　time！…But　now；
boys；　doff　your　bonnets；　and　sound　the　mort。''

　　The　sportsmen　then　sounded　a　treble　mort；　and　set　up　a　general　whoop；
which；　mingled　with　the　yelping　of　the　dogs；　made　the　welkin　ring　again。
The　huntsman　then　offered　his　knife　to　Lord　Boteler；　that　he　might　take
the　say　of　the　deer；　but　the　Baron　courteously　insisted　upon　Fitzallen
going　through　that　ceremony。　The　Lady　Matilda　was　now　come　up；　with
most　of　the　attendants；　and　the　interest　of　the　chase　being　ended；　it
excited　some　surprise；　that　neither　St。　Clere　nor　his　sister　made　their
appearance。　The　Lord　Boteler　commanded　the　horns　again　to　sound　the
recheat；　in　hopes　to　call　in　the　stragglers；　and　said　to　Fitzallen；　‘‘Methinks
St。　Clere；　so　distinguished　for　service　in　war；　should　have　been　more
forward　in　the　chase。''

　　‘‘I　trow；''　said　Peter　Lanaret；　‘‘I　know　the　reason　of　the　noble　lord's
absence；　for　when　that　mooncalf；　Gregory；　hallooed　the　dogs　upon　the
knobbler；　and　galloped　like　a　green　hilding；　as　he　is；　after　them；　I　saw　the
Lady　Emma's　palfrey　follow　apace　after　that　varlet；　who　should　be　trashed
for　over…running；　and　I　think　her　noble　brother　has　followed　her；　lest　she
should　come　to　harm…But　here；　by　the　rood；　is　Gregory；　to　answer　for
himself。　''

　　At　this　moment　Gregory　entered　the　circle　which　had　been　formed　round
the　deer；　out　of　breath；　and　his　face　covered　with　blood。　He　kept　for
some　time　uttering　inarticulate　cries　of　‘‘Harrow！''　and　‘‘Well…away！''
and　other　exclamations　of　distress　and　terror；　pointing　all　the　while　to　a
thicket　at　some　distance　from　the　spot　where　the　deer　had　been　killed。

　　‘‘By　my　honour；''　said　the　Baron；　‘‘I　would　gladly　know　who　has　dared
to　array　the　poor　knave　thus；　and　I　trust　he　should　dearly　abye　his　outrecuidance；
were　he　the　best；　save　one；　in　England。''

　　Gregory；　who　had　now　found　more　breath；　cried；　‘‘Help！　an'　ye　be
men！　Save　Lady　Emmna　and　her　brother；　whom　they　are　murdering　in
Brockenhurst　thicket。''

　　This　put　all　in　motion。　Lord　Boteler　hastily　commanded　a　small　party
of　his　men　to　abide　for　the　defence　of　the　ladies；　while　he　himself；　Fitzallen；
and　the　rest；　made　what　speed　they　could　towards　the　thicket；　guided　by
Gregory；　who　for　that　purpose　was　mounted　behind　Fabian。　Pushing
through　a　narrow　path；　the　first　object　they　encountered　was　a　man　of
small　stature　lying；　on　the　ground；　mastered　and　almost　strangled　by　two
dogs；　which　were　instantly　recognised　to　be　those　that　had　accompanied
Gregory。　A　little　farther　was　an　open　space；　where　lay　three　bodies　of
dead　or　wounded　men；　beside　these；　was　Lady　Emma；　apparently　lifeless；
her　brother　and　a　young　forester　bending　over　and　endeavouring　to　recover
her。　By　using　the　usual　remedies；　this　was　soon　accomplished；　while
Lord　Boteler；　astonished　at　such　a　scene；　anxiously　inquired　at　St。　Clere
the　meaning　of　what　he　saw；　and　whether　more　danger　was　to　be　expected？

　　‘‘For　the　present；　I　trust　not；''　said　the　young　warrior；　who　they　now
observed　was　slightly　wounded；　‘‘but　I　pray　you；　of　your　nobleness；　let
the　woods　here　be　searched；　for　we　were　assailed　by　four　of　these　base
assassins；　and　I　see　three　only　on　the　sward。''

　　The　attendants　now　brough　forward　the　person　whom　they　had　rescued
from　the　dogs；　and　Henry；　with　disgust；　shame；　and　astonishment；　recognised
his　kinsman；　Gaston　St。　Clere。　This　discovery　he　communicated　in
a　whisper　to　Lord　Boteler；　who　commanded　the　prisoner　to　be　conveyed　to
Queenhoo…Hall；　and　closely　guarded；　meanwhile　he　anxiously　inquired　of
young　St。　Clere　about　his　wound。

　　‘‘A　scratch；　a　trifle！''　cried　Henry；　‘‘I　am　in　less　haste　to　bind　it　than
to　introduce　to　you　one；　without　whose　aid　that　of　the　leech　would　have
come　too　late…Where　is　he？　where　is　my　brave　deliverer？''

　　‘‘Here；　most　noble　lord；''　said　Gregory；　sliding　from　his　palfrey；　and
stepping　forward；　‘‘ready　to　receive　the　guerdon　which　your　bounty　would
heap　on　him。''

　　‘‘Truly；　friend　Gregory；''　answered　the　young　warrior；　‘‘thou　shalt　not
be　forgotten；　for　thou　didst　run　speedily；　and　roar　manfully　for　aid；　without
which；　I　think　verily；　we　had　not　received　it…But　the　brave　forester；
who　came　to　my　rescue　when　these　three　ruffians　had　nigh　overpowered
me；　where　is　he？''

　　Every　one　looked　around；　but　though　all　had　seen　him　on　entering　the
thicket；　he　was　not　now　to　be　found。　They　could　only　conjecture　that　he
had　retired　during　the　confusion　occasioned　by　the　detention　of　Gaston。

　　‘‘Seek　not　for　him；''　said　the　Lady　Emma；　who　had　now　in　some　degree
recovered　her　composure；　‘‘he　will　not　be　found　of　mortal；　unless　at　his
own　season。''

　　The　Baron；　convinced　from　this　answer　that　her　terror　had；　for　the　time；
somewhat　disturbed　her　reason；　forbore　to　question　her；　and　Matilda　and
Eleanor；　to　forlorn　a　message　had　been　despatched　with　the　result　of　this
strange　adventure；　arriving；　they　took　the　Lady　Emma　between　them；　and
all　in　a　body　returned　to　the　castle。

　　The　distance　was；　however；　considerable；　and；　before　reaching　it；　they
had　another　alarm。　The　prickers；　who　rode　foremost　in　the　troop；　halted；
and　announced　to　the　Lord　Boteler　that　they　perceived　advancing　towards
them　a　body　of　armed　men。　The　followers　of　the　Baron　were　numerous；
but　they　were　arrayed　for　the　chase；　not　for　battle；　and　it　was　with　great
pleasure　that　he　discerned；　on　the　pennon　of　the　advancing　body　of　men…at…arms；
instead　of　the　cognizance　of　Gaston；　as　he　had　some　reason　to
expect；　the　friendly　bearings　of　Fitzosborne　of　Diggswell；　the　same　young
lord　who　was　present　at　the　May…games　with　Fitzallen　of　Marden。　The
knight　himself　advanced；　sheathed　in　armour；　and；　without　raising　his
visor；　informed　Lord　Boteler；　that；　having　heard　of　a　base　attempt　made
upon　a　part　of　his　train　by　ruffianly　assassins；　he　had　mounted　and　armed
a　small　party　of　his　retainers；　to　escort　them　to　Queenhoo…Hall。　Having
received　and　accepted　an　invitation　to　attend　them　thither；　they　prosecuted
their　journey　in　confidence　and　security；　and　arrived　safe　at　home　without
any　further　accident。


CHAPTER　FIFTH。

INVESTIGATION　OF　THE　ADVENTURE　OF　THE　HUNTING…A　DISCOVERY…
GREGORY'S　MANHOOD…FATE　OF　GASTON　ST。　CLERE…CONCLUSION。


　　So　soon　as　they　arrived　at　the　princely　mansion　of　Boteler；　the　Lady
Emma　craved　permission　to　retire　to　her　chamber　that　she　might　compose
her　spirits　after　the　terror　she　had　undergone。　Henry　St。　Clere；　in　a　few
words；　proceeded　to　explain　the　adventure　to　the　curious　audience。　‘‘I
had　no　sooner　seen　my　sister's　palfrey；　in　spite　of　her　endeavours　to　the
contrary；　entering　with　spirit　into　the　chase　set　on　foot　by　the　worshipful
Gregory；　than　I　rode　after　to　give　her　assistance。　So　long　was　the　chase；
that　when　the　greyhounds　pulled　down　the　knobbler；　we　were　out　of　hearing
of　your　bugles；　and　having　rewarded　and　coupled　the　dogs；　I　gave
them　to　be　led　by　the　jester；　and　we　wandered　in　quest　of　our　com