burlesques-第64节

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〃We　must　have　those　ringlets　of　thine　cut；　good　fellow；〃　said　the

Duke　of　Cleves　good…naturedly；　but　wishing　to　spare　the　feelings　of

his　gallant　recruit。　　〃'Tis　against　the　regulation　cut　of　my　archer

guard。〃



〃Cut　off　my　hair！〃　cried　Otto；　agonized。



〃Ay；　and　thine　ears　with　it；　yokel；〃　roared　Donnerblitz。



〃Peace；　noble　Eulenschreckenstein；〃　said　the　Duke　with　dignity：

〃let　the　Duke　of　Cleves　deal　as　he　will　with　his　own　men…at…arms。

And　you；　young　sir；　unloose　the　grip　of　thy　dagger。〃



Otto；　indeed；　had　convulsively　grasped　his　snickersnee；　with　intent

to　plunge　it　into　the　heart　of　the　Rowski；　but　his　politer　feelings

overcame　him。　　〃The　count　need　not　fear；　my　lord；〃　said　he：　〃a　lady

is　present。〃　　And　he　took　off　his　orange…tawny　cap　and　bowed　low。

Ah！　what　a　pang　shot　through　the　heart　of　Helen；　as　she　thought

that　those　lovely　ringlets　must　be　shorn　from　that　beautiful　head！



Otto's　mind　was；　too；　in　commotion。　　His　feelings　as　a　gentleman

let　us　add；　his　pride　as　a　manfor　who　is　not；　let　us　ask；　proud

of　a　good　head　of　hair？waged　war　within　his　soul。　　He

expostulated　with　the　Prince。　　〃It　was　never　in　my　contemplation；〃

he　said；　〃on　taking　service；　to　undergo　the　operation　of　hair…

cutting。〃



〃Thou　art　free　to　go　or　stay；　Sir　Archer；〃　said　the　Prince

pettishly。　　〃I　will　have　no　churls　imitating　noblemen　in　my

service：　I　will　bandy　no　conditions　with　archers　of　my　guard。〃



〃My　resolve　is　taken；〃　said　Otto；　irritated　too　in　his　turn。　　〃I

will　。　。　。　。　〃



〃What？〃　cried　Helen；　breathless　with　intense　agitation。



〃I　will　STAY；〃　answered　Otto。　　The　poor　girl　almost　fainted　with

joy。　　The　Rowski　frowned　with　demoniac　fury；　and　grinding　his　teeth

and　cursing　in　the　horrible　German　jargon；　stalked　away。　　〃So　be

it；〃　said　the　Prince　of　Cleves；　taking　his　daughter's　arm〃and

here　comes　Snipwitz；　my　barber；　who　shall　do　the　business　for　you。〃

With　this　the　Prince　too　moved　on；　feeling　in　his　heart　not　a

little　compassion　for　the　lad；　for　Adolf　of　Cleves　had　been

handsome　in　his　youth；　and　distinguished　for　the　ornament　of　which

he　was　now　depriving　his　archer。



Snipwitz　led　the　poor　lad　into　a　side…room；　and　therein　a　word

operated　upon　him。　　The　golden　curlsfair　curls　that　his　mother

had　so　often　played　with！fell　under　the　shears　and　round　the

lad's　knees；　until　he　looked　as　if　he　was　sitting　in　a　bath　of

sunbeams。



When　the　frightful　act　had　been　performed；　Otto；　who　entered　the

little　chamber　in　the　tower　ringleted　like　Apollo；　issued　from　it

as　cropped　as　a　charity…boy。



See　how　melancholy　he　looks；　now　that　the　operation　is　over！And

no　wonder。　　He　was　thinking　what　would　be　Helen's　opinion　of　him；

now　that　one　of　his　chief　personal　ornaments　was　gone。　　〃Will　she

know　me？〃　thought　he；　〃will　she　love　me　after　this　hideous

mutilation？〃



Yielding　to　these　gloomy　thoughts；　and；　indeed；　rather　unwilling　to

be　seen　by　his　comrades；　now　that　he　was　so　disfigured；　the　young

gentleman　had　hidden　himself　behind　one　of　the　buttresses　of　the

wall；　a　prey　to　natural　despondency；　when　he　saw　something　which

instantly　restored　him　to　good　spirits。　　He　saw　the　lovely　Helen

coming　towards　the　chamber　where　the　odious　barber　had　performed

upon　him；coming　forward　timidly；　looking　round　her　anxiously；

blushing　with　delightful　agitation；and　presently　seeing；　as　she

thought；　the　coast　clear；　she　entered　the　apartment。　　She　stooped

down；　and　ah！　what　was　Otto's　joy　when　he　saw　her　pick　up　a

beautiful　golden　lock　of　his　hair；　press　it　to　her　lips；　and　then

hide　it　in　her　bosom！　　No　carnation　ever　blushed　so　redly　as　Helen

did　when　she　came　out　after　performing　this　feat。　　Then　she　hurried

straightway　to　her　own　apartments　in　the　castle；　and　Otto；　whose

first　impulse　was　to　come　out　from　his　hiding…place；　and；　falling

at　her　feet；　call　heaven　and　earth　to　witness　to　his　passion；　with

difficulty　restrained　his　feelings　and　let　her　pass：　but　the　love…

stricken　young　hero　was　so　delighted　with　this　evident　proof　of

reciprocated　attachment；　that　all　regret　at　losing　his　ringlets　at

once　left　him；　and　he　vowed　he　would　sacrifice　not　only　his　hair；

but　his　head；　if　need　were；　to　do　her　service。



That　very　afternoon；　no　small　bustle　and　conversation　took　place　in

the　castle；　on　account　of　the　sudden　departure　of　the　Rowski　of

Eulenschreckenstein；　with　all　his　train　and　equipage。　　He　went　away

in　the　greatest　wrath；　it　was　said；　after　a　long　and　loud

conversation　with　the　Prince。　　As　that　potentate　conducted　his

guest　to　the　gate；　walking　rather　demurely　and　shamefacedly　by　his

side；　as　he　gathered　his　attendants　in　the　court；　and　there　mounted

his　charger；　the　Rowski　ordered　his　trumpets　to　sound；　and

scornfully　flung　a　largesse　of　gold　among　the　servitors　and　men…at…

arms　of　the　House　of　Cleves；　who　were　marshalled　in　the　court。

〃Farewell；　Sir　Prince；〃　said　he　to　his　host：　〃I　quit　you　now

suddenly；　but　remember；　it　is　not　my　last　visit　to　the　Castle　of

Cleves。〃　　And　ordering　his　band　to　play　〃See　the　Conquering　Hero

comes；〃　he　clattered　away　through　the　drawbridge。　　The　Princess

Helen　was　not　present　at　his　departure；　and　the　venerable　Prince　of

Cleves　looked　rather　moody　and　chap…fallen　when　his　guest　left　him。

He　visited　all　the　castle　defences　pretty　accurately　that　night；

and　inquired　of　his　officers　the　state　of　the　ammunition；

provisions；　&c。　　He　said　nothing；　but　the　Princess　Helen's　maid

did：　and　everybody　knew　that　the　Rowski　had　made　his　proposals；　had

been　rejected；　and；　getting　up　in　a　violent　fury；　had　called　for

his　people；　and　sworn　by　his　great　gods　that　he　would　not　enter　the

castle　again　until　he　rode　over　the　breach；　lance　in　hand；　the

conqueror　of　Cleves　and　all　belonging　to　it。



No　little　consternation　was　spread　through　the　garrison　at　the

news：　for　everybody　knew　the　Rowski　to　be　one　of　the　most　intrepid

and　powerful　soldiers　in　all　Germany；one　of　the　most　skilful

generals。　　Generous　to　extravagance　to　his　own　followers；　he　was

ruthless　to　the　enemy：　a　hundred　stories　were　told　of　the　dreadful

barbarities　exercised　by　him　in　several　towns　and　castles　which　he

had　captured　and　sacked。　　And　poor　Helen　had　the　pain　of　thinking；

that　in　consequence　of　her　refusal　she　was　dooming　all　the　men；

women；　and　children　of　the　principality　to　indiscriminate　and

horrible　slaughter。



The　dreadful　surmises　regarding　a　war　received　in　a　few　days

dreadful　confirmation。　　It　was　noon；　and　the　worthy　Prince　of

Cleves　was　taking　his　dinner　（though　the　honest　warrior　had　had

little　appetite　for　that　meal　for　some　time　past）；　when　trumpets

were　heard　at　the　gate；　and　presently　the　herald　of　the　Rowski　of

Donnerblitz；　clad　in　a　tabard　on　which　the　arms　of　the　Count　were

blazoned；　entered　the　dining…hall。　　A　page　bore　a　steel　gauntlet　on

a　cushion；　Bleu　Sanglier　had　his　hat　on　his　head。　　The　Prince　of

Cleves　put　on　his　own；　as　the　herald　came　up　to　the　chair　of　state

where　the　sovereign　sat。



〃Silence　for　Bleu　Sanglier；〃　cried　the　Prince；　gravely。　　〃Say　your

say；　Sir　Herald。〃



〃In　the　name　of　the　high　and　mighty　Rowski；　Prince　of　Donnerblitz；

Margrave　of　Eulenschreckenstein；　Count　of　Krotenwald；　Schnauzestadt；

and　Galgenhugel；　Hereditary　Grand　Corkscrew　of　the　Holy　Roman

Empireto　you；　Adolf　the　Twenty…third；　Prince　of　Cleves；　I；　Bleu

Sanglier；　bring　war　and　defiance。　　Alone；　and　lance　to　lance；　or

twenty　to　twenty　in　field　or　in　fort；　on　plain　or　on　mountain；　the

noble　Rowski　defies　you。　　Here；　or　wherever　he　shall　meet　you；　he

proclaims　war　to　the　death　between　you　and　him。　　In　token　whereof；

here　is　his　glove。〃　　And　taking　the　steel　glove　from　the　page；　Bleu

Boar　flung　it　clanging　on　the　marble　floor。



The　Princess　Helen　turned　deadly　pale：　but　the　Prince；　with　a　good

assurance；　flung　down　his　own　glove；　calling　upon　some　one　to　raise

the　Rowski's；　which　Otto　accordingly　took　up　and　presented　to　him；

on　his　knee。



〃Boteler；　fill　my　goblet；〃　said　the　Prince　to　that　functionary；

who；　clothed　in　tight　black　hose；　with　a　white　kerchief；　and　a

napkin　on　his　dexter　arm；　stood　obsequiously　by　his　master's　chair。

The　goblet　was　filled　with　Malvoisie：　it　held　about　three　quarts；　a

precious　golden　hanap　carved　by　the　cunning　artificer；　Benvenuto

the　Florentine。



〃Drink；　Bleu　Sanglier；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃and　put　the　goblet　in　thy

bosom。　　Wear　this　chain；　furthermore；　for　my　sake。〃　　And　so　saying；

Prince　Adolf　flung　a　precious　chain　of　emeralds　round　the　herald's

neck。　　〃An　invitation　to　battle　was　ever　a　welcome　call　to　Adolf　of

Cleves。〃　　So　saying；　and　bidding　his　people　take　good　care　of　Bleu

Sanglier's　retinue；　the　Prince　left　the　hall　with　his　daughter。

All　were　marvelling　at　his　dignity；　courage；　and　generosity。



But；　though　affecting　unconcern；　the　mind　of　Prince　Adolf　was　far

from　tranquil。　　He　was　no　longer　the　stalwart　knight　who；　in　the

reign　of　Stanislaus　Augustus；　had；　with　his