burlesques-第55节
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〃You shall know all soon； dear Ludwig；〃 said the Margrave； with a
heart…rending look。 〃You marked Gottfried； who left the room
anon？〃
〃I did。〃
〃You look incredulous concerning his worth； but I tell thee；
Ludwig； that yonder Gottfried is a good fellow； and my fast friend。
Why should he not be！ He is my near relation； heir to my property：
should I〃 （here the Margrave's countenance assumed its former
expression of excruciating agony）；〃SHOULD I HAVE NO SON。〃
〃But I never saw the boy in better health；〃 replied Sir Ludwig。
〃Nevertheless；ha！ ha！it may chance that I shall soon have no
son。〃
The Margrave had crushed many a cup of wine during dinner； and Sir
Ludwig thought naturally that his gallant friend had drunken rather
deeply。 He proceeded in this respect to imitate him； for the stern
soldier of those days neither shrunk before the Paynim nor the
punch…bowl： and many a rousing night had our crusader enjoyed in
Syria with lion…hearted Richard； with his coadjutor； Godfrey of
Bouillon； nay； with the dauntless Saladin himself。
〃You knew Gottfried in Palestine？〃 asked the Margrave。
〃I did。〃
〃Why did ye not greet him then； as ancient comrades should； with
the warm grasp of friendship？ It is not because Sir Gottfried is
poor？ You know well that he is of race as noble as thine own； my
early friend！〃
〃I care not for his race nor for his poverty；〃 replied the blunt
crusader。 〃What says the Minnesinger？ 'Marry； that the rank is
but the stamp of the guinea； the man is the gold。' And I tell
thee； Karl of Godesberg； that yonder Gottfried is base metal。〃
〃By Saint Buffo； thou beliest him； dear Ludwig。〃
〃By Saint Bugo； dear Karl； I say sooth。 The fellow was known i'
the camp of the crusadersdisreputably known。 Ere he joined us in
Palestine； he had sojourned in Constantinople； and learned the arts
of the Greek。 He is a cogger of dice； I tell theea chanter of
horseflesh。 He won five thousand marks from bluff Richard of
England the night before the storming of Ascalon； and I caught him
with false trumps in his pocket。 He warranted a bay mare to Conrad
of Mont Serrat； and the rogue had fired her。〃
〃Ha！ mean ye that Sir Gottfried is a LEG？〃 cried Sir Karl； knitting
his brows。 〃Now； by my blessed patron； Saint Buffo of Bonn； had
any other but Ludwig of Hombourg so said； I would have cloven him
from skull to chine。〃
〃By Saint Bugo of Katzenellenbogen； I will prove my words on Sir
Gottfried's bodynot on thine； old brother…in…arms。 And to do the
knave justice； he is a good lance。 Holy Bugo！ but he did good
service at Acre！ But his character was such that； spite of his
bravery； he was dismissed the army； nor even allowed to sell his
captain's commission。〃
〃I have heard of it；〃 said the Margrave； 〃Gottfried hath told me of
it。 'Twas about some silly quarrel over the wine…cupa mere silly
jape； believe me。 Hugo de Brodenel would have no black bottle on
the board。 Gottfried was wroth； and to say sooth； flung the black
bottle at the county's head。 Hence his dismission and abrupt
return。 But you know not；〃 continued the Margrave； with a heavy
sigh； 〃of what use that worthy Gottfried has been to me。 He has
uncloaked a traitor to me。〃
〃Not YET；〃 answered Hombourg； satirically。
〃By Saint Buffo！ a deep…dyed dastard！ a dangerous； damnable
traitor！a nest of traitors。 Hildebranndt is a traitorOtto is a
traitorand Theodora （O heaven！） sheshe is ANOTHER。〃 The old
Prince burst into tears at the word； and was almost choked with
emotion。
〃What means this passion； dear friend？〃 cried Sir Ludwig； seriously
alarmed。
〃Mark； Ludwig！ mark Hildebrandt and Theodora together： mark
Hildebrandt and OTTO together。 Like； like I tell thee as two peas。
O holy saints； that I should be born to suffer this！to have all
my affections wrenched out of my bosom； and to be left alone in my
old age！ But； hark！ the guests are arriving。 An ye will not empty
another flask of claret； let us join the ladyes i' the withdrawing
chamber。 When there； mark HILDEBRANDT AND OTTO！〃
CHAPTER III。
THE FESTIVAL。
The festival was indeed begun。 Coming on horseback； or in their
caroches； knights and ladies of the highest rank were assembled in
the grand saloon of Godesberg； which was splendidly illuminated to
receive them。 Servitors； in rich liveries； （they were attired in
doublets of the sky…blue broadcloth of Ypres； and hose of the
richest yellow sammitthe colors of the house of Godesberg；） bore
about various refreshments on trays of silvercakes； baked in the
oven； and swimming in melted butter； manchets of bread； smeared
with the same delicious condiment； and carved so thin that you
might have expected them to take wing and fly to the ceiling；
coffee； introduced by Peter the Hermit； after his excursion into
Arabia； and tea such as only Bohemia could produce； circulated
amidst the festive throng； and were eagerly devoured by the guests。
The Margrave's gloom was unheeded by themhow little indeed is the
smiling crowd aware of the pangs that are lurking in the breasts of
those who bid them to the feast！ The Margravine was pale； but
woman knows how to deceive； she was more than ordinarily courteous
to her friends； and laughed； though the laugh was hollow； and
talked； though the talk was loathsome to her。
〃The two are together；〃 said the Margrave； clutching his friend's
shoulder。 〃NOW LOOK！〃
Sir Ludwig turned towards a quadrille； and there； sure enough； were
Sir Hildebrandt and young Otto standing side by side in the dance。
Two eggs were not more like！ The reason of the Margrave's horrid
suspicion at once flashed across his friend's mind。
〃'Tis clear as the staff of a pike；〃 said the poor Margrave；
mournfully。 〃Come； brother； away from the scene； let us go play a
game at cribbage！〃 and retiring to the Margravine's boudoir； the
two warriors sat down to the game。
But though 'tis an interesting one； and though the Margrave won；
yet he could not keep his attention on the cards： so agitated was
his mind by the dreadful secret which weighed upon it。 In the
midst of their play； the obsequious Gottfried came to whisper a
word in his patron's ear； which threw the latter into such a fury；
that apoplexy was apprehended by the two lookers…on。 But the
Margrave mastered his emotion。 〃AT WHAT TIME； did you say？〃 said
he to Gottfried。
〃At daybreak； at the outer gate。〃
〃I will be there。〃
〃AND SO WILL I TOO；〃 thought Count Ludwig； the good Knight of
Hombourg。
CHAPTER IV。
THE FLIGHT。
How often does man； proud man； make calculations for the future；
and think he can bend stern fate to his will！ Alas； we are but
creatures in its hands！ How many a slip between the lip and the
lifted wine…cup！ How often； though seemingly with a choice of
couches to repose upon； do we find ourselves dashed to earth； and
then we are fain to say the grapes are sour； because we cannot
attain them； or worse； to yield to anger in consequence of our own
fault。 Sir Ludwig； the Hombourger； was NOT AT THE OUTER GATE at
daybreak。
He slept until ten of the clock。 The previous night's potations
had been heavy； the day's journey had been long and rough。 The
knight slept as a soldier would； to whom a featherbed is a rarity；
and who wakes not till he hears the blast of the reveille。
He looked up as he woke。 At his bedside sat the Margrave。 He had
been there for hours watching his slumbering comrade。 Watching？
no； not watching； but awake by his side； brooding over thoughts
unutterably bitterover feelings inexpressibly wretched。
〃What's o'clock？〃 was the first natural exclamation of the
Hombourger。
〃I believe it is five o'clock；〃 said his friend。 It was ten。 It
might have been twelve； two； half…past four； twenty minutes to six；
the Margrave would still have said； 〃I BELIEVE IT IS FIVE O'CLOCK。〃
The wretched take no count of time： it flies with unequal pinions；
indeed； for THEM。
〃Is breakfast over？〃 inquired the crusader。
〃Ask the butler；〃 said the Margrave； nodding his head wildly；
rolling his eyes wildly； smiling wildly。
〃Gracious Bugo！〃 said the Knight of Hombourg； 〃what has ailed thee；
my friend？ It is ten o'clock by my horologe。 Your regular hour is
nine。 You are notno； by heavens！ you are not shaved！ You wear
the tights and silken hose of last evening's banquet。 Your collar
is all rumpled'tis that of yesterday。 YOU HAVE NOT BEEN TO BED！
What has chanced； brother of mine： what has chanced？〃
〃A common chance； Louis of Hombourg；〃 said the Margrave： 〃one that
chances every day。 A false woman； a false friend； a broken heart。
THIS has chanced。 I have not been to bed。〃
〃What mean ye？〃 cried Count Ludwig； deeply affected。 〃A false
friend？ I am not a false friend。 A false woman？ Surely the
lovely Theodo
