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staff；　he　found　me　sitting　on　it。



〃Look　at　Gahagan；〃　said　his　lordship。　　〃Gentlemen；　did　I　not　tell

you　we　should　be　sure　to　find　him　AT　HIS　POST？〃



The　gallant　old　nobleman　rode　on：　and　this　was　the　famous　BATTLE　OF

FURRUCKABAD；　OR　SURPRISE　OF　FUTTYGHUR；　fought　on　the　17th　of

November；　1804。



　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。



About　a　month　afterwards；　the　following　announcement　appeared　in

the　Boggleywollah　Hurkaru　and　other　Indian　papers：〃Married；　on

the　25th　of　December；　at　Futtyghur；　by　the　Rev。　Dr。　Snorter；

Captain　Goliah　O'Grady　Gahagan；　Commanding　Irregular　Horse；

Abmednuggar；　to　Belinda；　second　daughter　of　Major…General　Bulcher；

C。B。　　His　Excellency　the　Commander…in…Chief　gave　away　the　bride；

and　after　a　splendid　dejeune；　the　happy　pair　set　off　to　pass　the

Mango　season　at　Hurrygurrybang。　　Venus　must　recollect；　however；

that　Mars　must　not　ALWAYS　be　at　her　side。　　The　Irregulars　are

nothing　without　their　leader。〃



Such　was　the　paragraphsuch　the　eventthe　happiest　in　the

existence　of



G。　O'G。　G。；　M。　H。　E。　I。　C。　S。；　C。　I。　H。　A。









A　LEGEND　OF　THE　RHINE。





CHAPTER　I。



SIR　LUDWIG　OF　HOMBOURG。





It　was　in　the　good　old　days　of　chivalry；　when　every　mountain　that

bathes　its　shadow　in　the　Rhine　had　its　castle：　not　inhabited；　as

now；　by　a　few　rats　and　owls；　nor　covered　with　moss　and　wallflowers；

and　funguses；　and　creeping　ivy。　　No；　no！　where　the　ivy　now　clusters

there　grew　strong　portcullis　and　bars　of　steel；　where　the

wallflower　now　quivers　in　the　rampart　there　were　silken　banners

embroidered　with　wonderful　heraldry；　men…at…arms　marched　where　now

you　shall　only　see　a　bank　of　moss　or　a　hideous　black　champignon；

and　in　place　of　the　rats　and　owlets；　I　warrant　me　there　were　ladies

and　knights　to　revel　in　the　great　halls；　and　to　feast；　and　to

dance；　and　to　make　love　there。　　They　are　passed　away：those　old

knights　and　ladies：　their　golden　hair　first　changed　to　silver；　and

then　the　silver　dropped　off　and　disappeared　for　ever；　their　elegant

legs；　so　slim　and　active　in　the　dance；　became　swollen　and　gouty；

and　then；　from　being　swollen　and　gouty；　dwindled　down　to　bare　bone…

shanks；　the　roses　left　their　cheeks；　and　then　their　cheeks

disappeared；　and　left　their　skulls；　and　then　their　skulls　powdered

into　dust；　and　all　sign　of　them　was　gone。　　And　as　it　was　with　them；

so　shall　it　be　with　us。　　Ho；　seneschal！　fill　me　a　cup　of　liquor！

put　sugar　in　it；　good　fellowyea；　and　a　little　hot　water；　a　very

little；　for　my　soul　is　sad；　as　I　think　of　those　days　and　knights　of


old。



They；　too；　have　revelled　and　feasted；　and　where　are　they？gone？

nay；　not　altogether　gone；　for　doth　not　the　eye　catch　glimpses　of

them　as　they　walk　yonder　in　the　gray　limbo　of　romance；　shining

faintly　in　their　coats　of　steel；　wandering　by　the　side　of　long…

haired　ladies；　with　long…tailed　gowns　that　little　pages　carry？

Yes！　one　sees　them：　the　poet　sees　them　still　in　the　far…off

Cloudland；　and　hears　the　ring　of　their　clarions　as　they　hasten　to

battle　or　tourneyand　the　dim　echoes　of　their　lutes　chanting　of

love　and　fair　ladies！　　Gracious　privilege　of　poesy！　　It　is　as　the

Dervish's　collyrium　to　the　eyes；　and　causes　them　to　see　treasures

that　to　the　sight　of　donkeys　are　invisible。　　Blessed　treasures　of

fancy！　　I　would　not　change　yeno；　not　for　many　donkey…loads　of

gold。　。　。　。　　Fill　again；　jolly　seneschal；　thou　brave　wag；　chalk　me

up　the　produce　on　the　hostel　doorsurely　the　spirits　of　old　are

mixed　up　in　the　wondrous　liquor；　and　gentle　visions　of　bygone

princes　and　princesses　look　blandly　down　on　us　from　the　cloudy

perfume　of　the　pipe。　　Do　you　know　in　what　year　the　fairies　left　the

Rhine？long　before　Murray's　〃Guide…Book〃　was　wrotelong　before

squat　steamboats；　with　snorting　funnels；　came　paddling　down　the

stream。　　Do　you　not　know　that　once　upon　a　time　the　appearance　of

eleven　thousand　British　virgins　was　considered　at　Cologne　as　a

wonder？　　Now　there　come　twenty　thousand　such　annually；　accompanied

by　their　ladies'…maids。　　But　of　them　we　will　say　no　morelet　us

back　to　those　who　went　before　them。



Many；　many　hundred　thousand　years　ago；　and　at　the　exact　period　when

chivalry　was　in　full　bloom；　there　occurred　a　little　history　upon

the　banks　of　the　Rhine；　which　has　been　already　written　in　a　book；

and　hence　must　be　positively　true。　　'Tis　a　story　of　knights　and

ladiesof　love　and　battle；　and　virtue　rewarded；　a　story　of　princes

and　noble　lords；　moreover：　the　best　of　company。　　Gentles；　an　ye

will；　ye　shall　hear　it。　　Fair　dames　and　damsels；　may　your　loves　be

as　happy　as　those　of　the　heroine　of　this　romaunt。



On　the　cold　and　rainy　evening　of　Thursday；　the　26th　of　October；　in

the　year　previously　indicated；　such　travellers　as　might　have

chanced　to　be　abroad　in　that　bitter　night；　might　have　remarked　a

fellow…wayfarer　journeying　on　the　road　from　Oberwinter　to

Godesberg。　　He　was　a　man　not　tall　in　stature；　but　of　the　most

athletic　proportions；　and　Time；　which　had　browned　and　furrowed　his

cheek　and　sprinkled　his　locks　with　gray；　declared　pretty　clearly

that　He　must　have　been　acquainted　with　the　warrior　for　some　fifty

good　years。　　He　was　armed　in　mail；　and　rode　a　powerful　and　active

battle…horse；　which　（though　the　way　the　pair　had　come　that　day　was

long　and　weary　indeed；）　yet　supported　the　warrior；　his　armor　and

luggage；　with　seeming　ease。　　As　it　was　in　a　friend's　country；　the

knight　did　not　think　fit　to　wear　his　heavy　destrier；　or　helmet；

which　hung　at　his　saddlebow　over　his　portmanteau。　　Both　were　marked

with　the　coronet　of　a　count；　and　from　the　crown　which　surmounted

the　helmet；　rose　the　crest　of　his　knightly　race；　an　arm　proper

lifting　a　naked　sword。



At　his　right　hand；　and　convenient　to　the　warrior's　grasp；　hung　his

mangonel　or　macea　terrific　weapon　which　had　shattered　the　brains

of　many　a　turbaned　soldan；　while　over　his　broad　and　ample　chest

there　fell　the　triangular　shield　of　the　period；　whereon　were

emblazoned　his　armsargent；　a　gules　wavy；　on　a　saltire　reversed　of

the　second：　the　latter　device　was　awarded　for　a　daring　exploit

before　Ascalon；　by　the　Emperor　Maximilian；　and　a　reference　to　the

German　Peerage　of　that　day；　or　a　knowledge　of　high　families　which

every　gentleman　then　possessed；　would　have　sufficed　to　show　at　once

that　the　rider　we　have　described　was　of　the　noble　house　of

Hombourg。　　It　was；　in　fact；　the　gallant　knight　Sir　Ludwig　of

Hombourg：　his　rank　as　a　count；　and　chamberlain　of　the　Emperor　of

Austria；　was　marked　by　the　cap　of　maintenance　with　the　peacock's

feather　which　he　wore　（when　not　armed　for　battle）；　and　his　princely

blood　was　denoted　by　the　oiled　silk　umbrella　which　he　carried　（a

very　meet　protection　against　the　pitiless　storm）；　and　which；　as　it

is　known；　in　the　middle　ages；　none　but　princes　were　justified　in

using。　　A　bag；　fastened　with　a　brazen　padlock；　and　made　of　the

costly　produce　of　the　Persian　looms　（then　extremely　rare　in

Europe）；　told　that　he　had　travelled　in　Eastern　climes。　　This；　too；

was　evident　from　the　inscription　writ　on　card　or　parchment；　and

sewed　on　the　bag。　　It　first　ran　〃Count　Ludwig　de　Hombourg；

Jerusalem；〃　but　the　name　of　the　Holy　City　had　been　dashed　out　with

the　pen；　and　that　of　〃Godesberg〃　substituted。　　So　far　indeed　had

the　cavalier　travelled！and　it　is　needless　to　state　that　the　bag

in　question　contained　such　remaining　articles　of　the　toilet　as　the

high…born　noble　deemed　unnecessary　to　place　in　his　valise。



〃By　Saint　Bugo　of　Katzenellenbogen！〃　said　the　good　knight；

shivering；　〃'tis　colder　here　than　at　Damascus！　　Marry；　I　am　so

hungry　I　could　eat　one　of　Saladin's　camels。　　Shall　I　be　at

Godesberg　in　time　for　dinner？〃　　And　taking　out　his　horologe　（which

hung　in　a　small　side…pocket　of　his　embroidered　surcoat）；　the

crusader　consoled　himself　by　finding　that　it　was　but　seven　of　the

night；　and　that　he　would　reach　Godesberg　ere　the　warder　had　sounded

the　second　gong。



His　opinion　was　borne　out　by　the　result。　　His　good　steed；　which

could　trot　at　a　pinch　fourteen　leagues　in　the　hour；　brought　him　to

this　famous　castle；　just　as　the　warder　was　giving　the　first　welcome

signal　which　told　that　the　princely　family　of　Count　Karl；　Margrave

of　Godesberg；　were　about　to　prepare　for　their　usual　repast　at　eight

o'clock。　　Crowds　of　pages　and　horse…keepers　were　in　the　court；

when；　the　portcullis　being　raised；　and　amidst　the　respectful

salutes　of　the　sentinels；　the　most　ancient　friend　of　the　house　of

Godesberg　entered　into　its　castle…yard。　　The　under…butler　stepped

forward　to　take　his　bridle…rein。　　〃Welcome；　Sir　Count；　from　the

Holy　Land！〃　exclaimed　the　faithful　old　man。　　〃Welcome；　Sir　Count；

from　the　Holy　Land！〃　cried　the　rest　of　the　servants　in　the　hall。　　A

stable　was　speedily　found　for　the　Count's　horse；　Streithengst；　and

it　was　not　before　the　gallant　soldier　had　seen　that　true　animal

well　cared　for；　that　he　entered　the　castle　itself；　and　was

conducted　to　his　chamber。　　Wax…candles　burning