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第56节

burlesques-第56节

小说: burlesques 字数: 每页4000字

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〃What mean ye?〃 cried Count Ludwig; deeply affected。  〃A false

friend?  I am not a false friend。  A false woman?  Surely the

lovely Theodora; your wife〃



〃I have no wife; Louis; now; I have no wife and no son。〃



        。        。        。        。        。        。



In accents broken by grief; the Margrave explained what had

occurred。  Gottfried's information was but too correct。  There was

a CAUSE for the likeness between Otto and Sir Hildebrandt: a fatal

cause!  Hildebrandt and Theodora had met at dawn at the outer gate。

The Margrave had seen them。  They walked long together; they

embraced。  Ah! how the husband's; the father's; feelings were

harrowed at that embrace!  They parted; and then the Margrave;

coming forward; coldly signified to his lady that she was to retire

to a convent for life; and gave orders that the boy should be sent

too; to take the vows at a monastery。



Both sentences had been executed。  Otto; in a boat; and guarded by

a company of his father's men…at…arms; was on the river going

towards Cologne; to the monastery of Saint Buffo there。  The Lady

Theodora; under the guard of Sir Gottfried and an attendant; were

on their way to the convent of Nonnenwerth; which many of our

readers have seenthe beautiful Green Island Convent; laved by the

bright waters of the Rhine!



〃What road did Gottfried take?〃 asked the Knight of Hombourg;

grinding his teeth。



〃You cannot overtake him;〃 said the Margrave。  〃My good Gottfried;

he is my only comfort now: he is my kinsman; and shall be my heir。

He will be back anon。〃



〃Will he so?〃 thought Sir Ludwig。  〃I will ask him a few questions

ere he return。〃  And springing from his couch; he began forthwith

to put on his usual morning dress of complete armor; and; after a

hasty ablution; donned; not his cap of maintenance; but his helmet

of battle。  He rang the bell violently。



〃A cup of coffee; straight;〃 said he; to the servitor who answered

the summons; 〃bid the cook pack me a sausage and bread in paper;

and the groom saddle Streithengst; we have far to ride。〃



The various orders were obeyed。  The horse was brought; the

refreshments disposed of; the clattering steps of the departing

steed were heard in the court…yard; but the Margrave took no notice

of his friend; and sat; plunged in silent grief; quite motionless

by the empty bedside。





CHAPTER V。



THE TRAITOR'S DOOM。





The Hombourger led his horse down the winding path which conducts

from the hill and castle of Godesberg into the beautiful green

plain below。  Who has not seen that lovely plain; and who that has

seen it has not loved it?  A thousand sunny vineyards and

cornfields stretch around in peaceful luxuriance; the mighty Rhine

floats by it in silver magnificence; and on the opposite bank rise

the seven mountains robed in majestic purple; the monarchs of the

royal scene。



A pleasing poet; Lord Byron; in describing this very scene; has

mentioned that 〃peasant girls; with dark blue eyes; and hands that

offer cake and wine;〃 are perpetually crowding round the traveller

in this delicious district; and proffering to him their rustic

presents。  This was no doubt the case in former days; when the

noble bard wrote his elegant poemsin the happy ancient days! when

maidens were as yet generous; and men kindly!  Now the degenerate

peasantry of the district are much more inclined to ask than to

give; and their blue eyes seem to have disappeared with their

generosity。



But as it was a long time ago that the events of our story

occurred; 'tis probable that the good Knight Ludwig of Hombourg was

greeted upon his path by this fascinating peasantry; though we know

not how he accepted their welcome。  He continued his ride across

the flat green country until he came to Rolandseck; whence he could

command the Island of Nonnenwerth (that lies in the Rhine opposite

that place); and all who went to it or passed from it。



Over the entrance of a little cavern in one of the rocks hanging

above the Rhine…stream at Rolandseck; and covered with odoriferous

cactuses and silvery magnolias; the traveller of the present day

may perceive a rude broken image of a saint: that image represented

the venerable Saint Buffo of Bonn; the patron of the Margrave; and

Sir Ludwig; kneeling on the greensward; and reciting a censer; an

ave; and a couple of acolytes before it; felt encouraged to think

that the deed he meditated was about to be performed under the very

eyes of his friend's sanctified patron。  His devotion done (and the

knight of those days was as pious as he was brave); Sir Ludwig; the

gallant Hombourger; exclaimed with a loud voice:



〃Ho! hermit! holy hermit; art thou in thy cell?〃



〃Who calls the poor servant of heaven and Saint Buffo?〃 exclaimed a

voice from the cavern; and presently; from beneath the wreaths of

geranium and magnolia; appeared an intensely venerable; ancient;

and majestic head'twas that; we need not say; of Saint Buffo's

solitary。  A silver beard hanging to his knees gave his person an

appearance of great respectability; his body was robed in simple

brown serge; and girt with a knotted cord: his ancient feet were

only defended from the prickles and stones by the rudest sandals;

and his bald and polished head was bare。



〃Holy hermit;〃 said the knight; in a grave voice; 〃make ready thy

ministry; for there is some one about to die。〃



〃Where; son?〃



〃Here; father。〃



〃Is he here; now?〃



〃Perhaps;〃 said the stout warrior; crossing himself; 〃but not so if

right prevail。〃  At this moment he caught sight of a ferry…boat

putting off from Nonnenwerth; with a knight on board。  Ludwig knew

at once; by the sinople reversed and the truncated gules on his

surcoat; that it was Sir Gottfried of Godesberg。



〃Be ready; father;〃 said the good knight; pointing towards the

advancing boat; and waving his hand by way of respect to the

reverend hermit; without a further word; he vaulted into his

saddle; and rode back for a few score of paces; when he wheeled

round; and remained steady。  His great lance and pennon rose in the

air。  His armor glistened in the sun; the chest and head of his

battle…horse were similarly covered with steel。  As Sir Gottfried;

likewise armed and mounted (for his horse had been left at the

ferry hard by); advanced up the road; he almost started at the

figure before hima glistening tower of steel。



〃Are you the lord of this pass; Sir Knight?〃 said Sir Gottfried;

haughtily; 〃or do you hold it against all comers; in honor of your

lady…love?〃



〃I am not the lord of this pass。  I do not hold it against all

comers。  I hold it but against one; and he is a liar and a

traitor。〃



〃As the matter concerns me not; I pray you let me pass;〃 said

Gottfried。



〃The matter DOES concern thee; Gottfried of Godesberg。  Liar and

traitor! art thou coward; too?〃



〃Holy Saint Buffo! 'tis a fight!〃 exclaimed the old hermit (who;

too; had been a gallant warrior in his day); and like the old war…

horse that hears the trumpet's sound; and spite of his clerical

profession; he prepared to look on at the combat with no ordinary

eagerness; and sat down on the overhanging ledge of the rock;

lighting his pipe; and affecting unconcern; but in reality most

deeply interested in the event which was about to ensue。



As soon as the word 〃coward〃 had been pronounced by Sir Ludwig; his

opponent; uttering a curse far too horrible to be inscribed here;

had wheeled back his powerful piebald; and brought his lance to the

rest。



〃Ha! Beauseant!〃 cried he。  〃Allah humdillah!〃  'Twas the battle…

cry in Palestine of the irresistible Knights Hospitallers。  〃Look

to thyself; Sir Knight; and for mercy from heaven!  I will give

thee none。〃



〃A Bugo for Katzenellenbogen!〃 exclaimed Sir Ludwig; piously: that;

too; was the well…known war…cry of his princely race。



〃I will give the signal;〃 said the old hermit; waving his pipe。

〃Knights; are you ready?  One; two; three。  LOS!〃 (let go。)



At the signal; the two steeds tore up the ground like whirlwinds;

the two knights; two flashing perpendicular masses of steel;

rapidly converged; the two lances met upon the two shields of

either; and shivered; splintered; shattered into ten hundred

thousand pieces; which whirled through the air here and there;

among the rocks; or in the trees; or in the river。  The two horses

fell back trembling on their haunches; where they remained for half

a minute or so。



〃Holy Buffo! a brave stroke!〃 said the old hermit。  〃Marry; but a

splinter wellnigh took off my nose!〃  The honest hermit waved his

pipe in delight; not perceiving that one of the splinters had

carried off the head of it; and rendered his favorite amusement

impossible。  〃Ha! they are to it again!  O my! how they go to with

their great swords!  Well stricken; gray!  Well parried; piebald!

Ha; that was a slicer

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