burlesques-第58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！



you　called　me　by　the　most　vile；　abominable　name；　which　heaven

forbid　I　should　repeat！　　You　dismissed　me　from　your　house　under　a

false　accusation。　　You　sent　me　to　this　odious　convent　to　be　immured

for　life。　　Be　it　so！　I　will　not　come　back；　because；　forsooth；　you

relent。　　Anything　is　better　than　a　residence　with　a　wicked；　coarse；

violent；　intoxicated；　brutal　monster　like　yourself。　　I　remain　here

for　ever　and　blush　to　be　obliged　to　sign　myself



〃THEODORA　VON　GODESBERG。



〃P。S。I　hope　you　do　not　intend　to　keep　all　my　best　gowns；　jewels；

and　wearing…apparel；　and　make　no　doubt　you　dismissed　me　from　your

house　in　order　to　make　way　for　some　vile　hussy；　whose　eyes　I　would

like　to　tear　out。　　T。　V。　G。〃





CHAPTER　VII。



THE　SENTENCE。





This　singular　document；　illustrative　of　the　passions　of　women　at

all　times；　and　particularly　of　the　manners　of　the　early　ages；

struck　dismay　into　the　heart　of　the　Margrave。



〃Are　her　ladyship's　insinuations　correct？〃　asked　the　hermit；　in　a

severe　tone。　　〃To　correct　a　wife　with　a　cane　is　a　venial；　I　may　say

a　justifiable　practice；　but　to　fling　a　bottle　at　her　is　ruin　both

to　the　liquor　and　to　her。〃



〃But　she　sent　a　carving…knife　at　me　first；〃　said　the　heartbroken

husband。　　〃O　jealousy；　cursed　jealousy；　why；　why　did　I　ever　listen

to　thy　green　and　yellow　tongue？〃



〃They　quarrelled；　but　they　loved　each　other　sincerely；〃　whispered

Sir　Ludwig　to　the　hermit：　who　began　to　deliver　forthwith　a　lecture

upon　family　discord　and　marital　authority；　which　would　have　sent

his　two　hearers　to　sleep；　but　for　the　arrival　of　the　second

messenger；　whom　the　Margrave　had　despatched　to　Cologne　for　his　son。

This　herald　wore　a　still　longer　face　than　that　of　his　comrade　who

preceded　him。



〃Where　is　my　darling？〃　roared　the　agonized　parent。　　〃Have　ye

brought　him　with　ye？〃



〃Nno；〃　said　the　man；　hesitating。



〃I　will　flog　the　knave　soundly　when　he　comes；〃　cried　the　father；

vainly　endeavoring；　under　an　appearance　of　sternness；　to　hide　his

inward　emotion　and　tenderness。



〃Please；　your　Highness；〃　said　the　messenger；　making　a　desperate

effort；　〃Count　Otto　is　not　at　the　convent。〃



〃Know　ye；　knave；　where　he　is？〃



The　swain　solemnly　said；　〃I　do。　　He　is　THERE。〃　　He　pointed　as　he

spake　to　the　broad　Rhine；　that　was　seen　from　the　casement；　lighted

up　by　the　magnificent　hues　of　sunset。



〃THERE！　　How　mean　ye　THERE？〃　gasped　the　Margrave；　wrought　to　a

pitch　of　nervous　fury。



〃Alas！　my　good　lord；　when　he　was　in　the　boat　which　was　to　conduct

him　to　the　convent；　hehe　jumped　suddenly　from　it；　and　is

drdrowned。〃



〃Carry　that　knave　out　and　hang　him！〃　said　the　Margrave；　with　a

calmness　more　dreadful　than　any　outburst　of　rage。　　〃Let　every　man

of　the　boat's　crew　be　blown　from　the　mouth　of　the　cannon　on　the

towerexcept　the　coxswain；　and　let　him　be〃



What　was　to　be　done　with　the　coxswain；　no　one　knows；　for　at　that

moment；　and　overcome　by　his　emotion；　the　Margrave　sank　down

lifeless　on　the　floor。





CHAPTER　VIII。



THE　CHILDE　OF　GODESBERG。





It　must　be　clear　to　the　dullest　intellect　（if　amongst　our　readers

we　dare　venture　to　presume　that　a　dull　intellect　should　be　found）

that　the　cause　of　the　Margrave's　fainting…fit；　described　in　the

last　chapter；　was　a　groundless　apprehension　on　the　part　of　that　too

solicitous　and　credulous　nobleman　regarding　the　fate　of　his　beloved

child。　　No；　young　Otto　was　NOT　drowned。　　Was　ever　hero　of　romantic

story　done　to　death　so　early　in　the　tale？　　Young　Otto　was　NOT

drowned。　　Had　such　been　the　case；　the　Lord　Margrave　would

infallibly　have　died　at　the　close　of　the　last　chapter；　and　a　few

gloomy　sentences　at　its　close　would　have　denoted　how　the　lovely

Lady　Theodora　became　insane　in　the　convent；　and　how　Sir　Ludwig

determined；　upon　the　demise　of　the　old　hermit　（consequent　upon　the

shock　of　hearing　the　news）；　to　retire　to　the　vacant　hermitage；　and

assume　the　robe；　the　beard；　the　mortifications　of　the　late

venerable　and　solitary　ecclesiastic。　　Otto　was　NOT　drowned；　and　all

those　personages　of　our　history　are　consequently　alive　and　well。



The　boat　containing　the　amazed　young　Countfor　he　knew　not　the

cause　of　his　father's　anger；　and　hence　rebelled　against　the　unjust

sentence　which　the　Margrave　had　utteredhad　not　rowed　many　miles；

when　the　gallant　boy　rallied　from　his　temporary　surprise　and

despondency；　and　determined　not　to　be　a　slave　in　any　convent　of　any

order：　determined　to　make　a　desperate　effort　for　escape。　　At　a

moment　when　the　men　were　pulling　hard　against　the　tide；　and　Kuno；

the　coxswain；　was　looking　carefully　to　steer　the　barge　between　some

dangerous　rocks　and　quicksands　which　are　frequently　met　with　in　the

majestic　though　dangerous　river；　Otto　gave　a　sudden　spring　from　the

boat；　and　with　one　single　flounce　was　in　the　boiling；　frothing；

swirling　eddy　of　the　stream。



Fancy　the　agony　of　the　crew　at　the　disappearance　of　their　young

lord！　　All　loved　him；　all　would　have　given　their　lives　for　him；　but

as　they　did　not　know　how　to　swim；　of　course　they　declined　to　make

any　useless　plunges　in　search　of　him；　and　stood　on　their　oars　in

mute　wonder　and　grief。　　ONCE；　his　fair　head　and　golden　ringlets

were　seen　to　arise　from　the　water；　TWICE；　puffing　and　panting；　it

appeared　for　an　instant　again；　THRICE；　it　rose　but　for　one　single

moment：　it　was　the　last　chance；　and　it　sunk；　sunk；　sunk。　　Knowing

the　reception　they　would　meet　with　from　their　liege　lord；　the　men

naturally　did　not　go　home　to　Godesberg；　but　putting　in　at　the

first　creek　on　the　opposite　bank；　fled　into　the　Duke　of　Nassau's

territory；　where；　as　they　have　little　to　do　with　our　tale；　we　will

leave　them。



But　they　little　knew　how　expert　a　swimmer　was　young　Otto。　　He　had

disappeared；　it　is　true；　but　why？　because　he　HAD　DIVED。　　He

calculated　that　his　conductors　would　consider　him　drowned；　and　the

desire　of　liberty　lending　him　wings；　（or　we　had　rather　say　FINS；　in

this　instance；）　the　gallant　boy　swam　on　beneath　the　water；　never

lifting　his　head　for　a　single　moment　between　Godesberg　and　Cologne

the　distance　being　twenty…five　or　thirty　miles。



Escaping　from　observation；　he　landed　on　the　Deutz　side　of　the

river；　repaired　to　a　comfortable　and　quiet　hostel　there；　saying　he

had　had　an　accident　from　a　boat；　and　thus　accounting　for　the

moisture　of　his　habiliments；　and　while　these　were　drying　before　a

fire　in　his　chamber；　went　snugly　to　bed；　where　he　mused；　not

without　amaze；　on　the　strange　events　of　the　day。　　〃This　morning；〃

thought　he；　〃a　noble；　and　heir　to　a　princely　estatethis　evening

an　outcast；　with　but　a　few　bank…notes　which　my　mamma　luckily　gave

me　on　my　birthday。　　What　a　strange　entry　into　life　is　this　for　a

young　man　of　my　family！　　Well；　I　have　courage　and　resolution：　my

first　attempt　in　life　has　been　a　gallant　and　successful　one；　other

dangers　will　be　conquered　by　similar　bravery。〃　　And　recommending

himself；　his　unhappy　mother；　and　his　mistaken　father　to　the　care　of

their　patron　saint；　Saint　Buffo；　the　gallant…hearted　boy　fell

presently　into　such　a　sleep　as　only　the　young；　the　healthy；　the

innocent；　and　the　extremely　fatigued　can　enjoy。



The　fatigues　of　the　day　（and　very　few　men　but　would　be　fatigued

after　swimming　wellnigh　thirty　miles　under　water）　caused　young　Otto

to　sleep　so　profoundly；　that　he　did　not　remark　how；　after　Friday's

sunset；　as　a　natural　consequence；　Saturday's　Phoebus　illumined　the

world；　ay；　and　sunk　at　his　appointed　hour。　　The　serving…maidens　of

the　hostel；　peeping　in；　marked　him　sleeping；　and　blessing　him　for　a

pretty　youth；　tripped　lightly　from　the　chamber；　the　boots　tried

haply　twice　or　thrice　to　call　him　（as　boots　will　fain）；　but　the

lovely　boy；　giving　another　snore；　turned　on　his　side；　and　was　quite

unconscious　of　the　interruption。　　In　a　word；　the　youth　slept　for

six…and…thirty　hours　at　an　elongation；　and　the　Sunday　sun　was

shining　and　the　bells　of　the　hundred　churches　of　Cologne　were

clinking　and　tolling　in　pious　festivity；　and　the　burghers　and

burgheresses　of　the　town　were　trooping　to　vespers　and　morning

service　when　Otto　awoke。



As　he　donned　his　clothes　of　the　richest　Genoa　velvet；　the

astonished　boy　could　not　at　first　account　for　his　difficulty　in

putting　them　on。　　〃Marry；〃　said　he；　〃these　breeches　that　my　blessed

mother〃　（tears　filled　his　fine　eyes　as　he　thought　of　her）〃that　my

blessed　mother　had　made　long　on　purpose；　are　now　ten　inches　too

short　for　me。　　Whir…r…r！　my　coat　cracks　i'　the　back；　as　in　vain　I

try　to　buckle　it　round　me；　and　the　sleeves　reach　no　farther　than　my

elbows！　　What　is　this　mystery？　　Am　I　grown　fat　and　tall　in　a　single

night？　　Ah！　ah！　ah！　ah！　I　have　it。〃



The　young　and　good…humored　Childe　laughed　merrily。　　He　bethought

him　of　the　reason　of　his　mistake：　his　garments　had　shrunk　from

being　five…and…twenty　miles　under　water。



But　one　remedy　presented　itself　to　his　mind；　and　that　we　need　not

say　was　to　purchase　new　ones。　　Inquiring