the tapestried chamber(挂花毯的房间)-第5节
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confess； my dear Browne； that your arrival yesterday； agreeable to me for
a thousand reasons besides； seemed the most favourable opportunity of
removing the unpleasant rumours which attached to the room； since your
courage was indubitable； and your mind free of any preoccupation on the
subject。 I could not； therefore； have chosen a more fitting subject for my
experiment。〃
〃Upon my life；〃 said General Browne； somewhat hastily； 〃I am
infinitely obliged to your lordshipvery particularly indebted indeed。 I
am likely to remember for some time the consequences of the experiment；
as your lordship is pleased to call it。〃
〃Nay； now you are unjust； my dear friend；〃 said Lord Woodville。 〃You
have only to reflect for a single moment； in order to be convinced that I
could not augur the possibility of the pain to which you have been so
unhappily exposed。 I was yesterday morning a complete sceptic on the
subject of supernatural appearances。 Nay； I am sure that； had I told you
what was said about that room； those very reports would have induced you；
by your own choice； to select it for your accommodation。 It was my
misfortune； perhaps my error； but really cannot be termed my fault； that
you have been afflicted so strangely。〃
〃Strangely indeed！〃 said the General； resuming his good temper；
〃and I acknowledge that I have no right to be offended with your lordship
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for treating me like what I used to think myselfa man of some firmness
and courage。 But I see my post horses are arrived； and I must not detain
your lordship from your amusement。〃
〃Nay； my old friend；〃 said Lord Woodville； 〃since you cannot stay
with us another daywhich； indeed； I can no longer urgegive me at least
half an hour more。 You used to love pictures； and I have a gallery of
portraits； some of them by Vandyke； representing ancestry to whom this
property and castle formerly belonged。 I think that several of them will
strike you as possessing merit。〃
General Browne accepted the invitation； though somewhat unwillingly。
It was evident he was not to breathe freely or at ease till he left Woodville
Castle far behind him。 He could not refuse his friend's invitation；
however； and the less so； that he was a little ashamed of the peevishness
which he had displayed towards his well…meaning entertainer。
The General； therefore； followed Lord Woodville through several
rooms into a long gallery hung with pictures； which the latter pointed out
to his guest； telling the names； and giving some account of the personages
whose portraits presented themselves in progression。 General Browne
was but little interested in the details which these accounts conveyed to
him。 They were； indeed； of the kind which are usually found in an old
family gallery。 Here was a Cavalier who had ruined the estate in the royal
cause； there a fine lady who had reinstated it by contracting a match with a
wealthy Roundhead。 There hung a gallant who had been in danger for
corresponding with the exiled Court at Saint Germain's； here one who had
taken arms for William at the Revolution； and there a third that had thrown
his weight alternately into the scale of Whig and Tory。
While lord Woodville was cramming these words into his guest's ear；
〃against the stomach of his sense；〃 they gained the middle of the gallery；
when he beheld General Browne suddenly start； and assume an attitude of
the utmost surprise； not unmixed with fear； as his eyes were suddenly
caught and riveted by a portrait of an old lady in a sacque； the fashionable
dress of the end of the seventeenth century。
〃There she is！〃 he exclaimed〃there she is； in form and features；
though Inferior in demoniac expression to the accursed hag who visited
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me last night！〃
〃If that be the case；〃 said the young nobleman； 〃there can remain no
longer any doubt of the horrible reality of your apparition。 That is the
picture of a wretched ancestress of mine； of whose crimes a black and
fearful catalogue is recorded in a family history in my charter…chest。 The
recital of them would be too horrible； it is enough to say； that in yon fatal
apartment incest and unnatural murder were committed。 I will restore it
to the solitude to which the better judgment of those who preceded me had
consigned it； and never shall any one； so long as I can prevent it； be
exposed to a repetition of the supernatural horrors which could shake such
courage as yours。〃
Thus the friends； who had met with such glee； parted in a very
different moodLord Woodville to command the Tapestried Chamber to
be unmantled； and the door built up； and General Browne to seek in some
less beautiful country； and with some less dignified friend； forgetfulness of
the painful night which he had passed in Woodville Castle。
END OF THE TAPESTRIED CHAMBER。
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DEATH OF THE LAIRD'S JOCK
by Sir Walter Scott。
TO THE EDITOR OF THE KEEPSAKE。
You have asked me； sir； to point out a subject for the pencil； and I feel
the difficulty of complying with your request； although I am not certainly
unaccustomed to literary composition； or a total stranger to the stores of
history and tradition； which afford the best copies for the painter's art。
But although SICUT PICTURA POESIS is an ancient and undisputed
axiomalthough poetry and painting both address themselves to the same
object of exciting the human imagination； by presenting to it pleasing or
sublime images of ideal scenesyet the one conveying itself through the
ears to the understanding； and the other applying itself only to the eyes；
the subjects which are best suited to the bard or tale…teller are often totally
unfit for painting； where the artist must present in a single glance all that
his art has power to tell us。 The artist can neither recapitulate the past
nor intimate the future。 The single NOW is all which he can present； and
hence； unquestionably； many subjects which delight us in poetry or in
narrative； whether real or fictitious； cannot with advantage be transferred
to the canvas。
Being in some degree aware of these difficulties； though doubtless
unacquainted both with their extent and the means by which they may be
modified or surmounted； I have； nevertheless； ventured to draw up the
following traditional narrative as a story in which； when the general details
are known； the interest is so much concentrated in one strong moment of
agonizing passion； that it can be understood and sympathized with at a
single glance。 I therefore presume that it may be acceptable as a hint to
some one among the numerous artists who have of late years distinguished
themselves as rearing up and supporting the British school。
Enough has been said and sung about
〃The well…contested ground； The warlike Border…land；〃
to render the habits of the tribes who inhabited it before the union of
England and Scotland familiar to most of your readers。 The rougher and
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sterner features of their character were softened by their attachment to the
fine arts； from which has arisen the saying that on the frontiers every dale
had its battle； and every river its song。 A rude species of chivalry was in
constant use； and single combats were practised as the amusement of the
few intervals of truce which suspended the exercise of war。 The
inveteracy of this custom may be inferred from the following incident：
Bernard Gilpin； the apostle of the north； the first who undertook to
preach the Protestant doctrines to the Border dalesmen； was surprised； on
entering one of their churches； to see a
