burlesques-第12章

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which　our　travellers　trod；　blushed　with　the　last　tints　of　the

fading　sunlight；　the　valley　below　was　gray　and　darkling；　and　the

hard　and　devious　course　was　sombre　in　twilight。　　A　few　goats；

hardly　visible　among　the　peaks；　were　cropping　the　scanty　herbage

here　and　there。　　The　pipes　of　shepherds；　calling　in　their　flocks

as　they　trooped　homewards　to　their　mountain　villages；　sent　up

plaintive　echoes　which　moaned　through　those　rocky　and　lonely

steeps；　the　stars　began　to　glimmer　in　the　purple　heavens　spread

serenely　overhead　and　the　faint　crescent　of　the　moon；　which　had

peered　for　some　time　scarce　visible　in　the　azure；　gleamed　out　more

brilliantly　at　every　moment；　until　it　blazed　as　if　in　triumph　at

the　sun's　retreat。　　'Tis　a　fair　land　that　of　France；　a　gentle；　a

green；　and　a　beautiful；　the　home　of　arts　and　arms；　of　chivalry　and

romance；　and　（however　sadly　stained　by　the　excesses　of　modern

times）　'twas　the　unbought　grace　of　nations　once；　and　the　seat　of

ancient　renown　and　disciplined　valor。



And　of　all　that　fair　land　of　France；　whose　beauty　is　so　bright　and

bravery　is　so　famous；　there　is　no　spot　greener　or　fairer　than　that

one　over　which　our　travellers　wended；　and　which　stretches　between

the　good　towns　of　Vendemiaire　and　Nivose。　　'Tis　common　now　to　a

hundred　thousand　voyagers：　the　English　tourist；　with　his　chariot

and　his　Harvey's　Sauce；　and　his　imperials；　the　bustling　commis…

voyageur　on　the　roof　of　the　rumbling　diligence；　the　rapid　malle…

poste　thundering　over　the　chaussee　at　twelve　miles　an　hourpass

the　ground　hourly　and　daily　now：　'twas　lonely　and　unfrequented　at

the　end　of　that　seventeenth　century　with　which　our　story　commences。



Along　the　darkening　mountain…paths　the　two　gentlemen　（for　such

their　outward　bearing　proclaimed　them）　caracoled　together。　　The

one；　seemingly　the　younger　of　the　twain；　wore　a　flaunting　feather

in　his　barret…cap；　and　managed　a　prancing　Andalusian　palfrey　that

bounded　and　curveted　gayly。　　A　surcoat　of　peach…colored　samite　and

a　purfled　doublet　of　vair　bespoke　him　noble；　as　did　his　brilliant

eye；　his　exquisitely　chiselled　nose；　and　his　curling　chestnut

ringlets。



Youth　was　on　his　brow；　his　eyes　were　dark　and　dewy；　like　spring…

violets；　and　spring…roses　bloomed　upon　his　cheekroses；　alas！　that

bloom　and　die　with　life's　spring！　　Now　bounding　over　a　rock；　now

playfully　whisking　off　with　his　riding　rod　a　floweret　in　his　path；

Philibert　de　Coquelicot　rode　by　his　darker　companion。



His　comrade　was　mounted　upon　a　destriere　of　the　true　Norman　breed；

that　had　first　champed　grass　on　the　green　pastures　of　Aquitaine。

Thence　through　Berry；　Picardy；　and　the　Limousin；　halting　at　many　a

city　and　commune；　holding　joust　and　tourney　in　many　a　castle　and

manor　of　Navarre；　Poitou；　and　St。　Germain　l'Auxerrois；　the　warrior

and　his　charger　reached　the　lonely　spot　where　now　we　find　them。



The　warrior　who　bestrode　the　noble　beast　was　in　sooth　worthy　of　the

steed　which　bore　him。　　Both　were　caparisoned　in　the　fullest

trappings　of　feudal　war。　　The　arblast；　the　mangonel；　the

demiculverin；　and　the　cuissart　of　the　period；　glittered　upon　the

neck　and　chest　of　the　war…steed；　while　the　rider；　with　chamfron　and

catapult；　with　ban　and　arriere…ban；　morion　and　tumbrel；　battle…axe

and　rifflard；　and　the　other　appurtenances　of　ancient　chivalry；　rode

stately　on　his　steel…clad　charger；　himself　a　tower　of　steel。　　This

mighty　horseman　was　carried　by　his　steed　as　lightly　as　the　young

springald　by　his　Andalusian　hackney。



〃'Twas　well　done　of　thee；　Philibert；〃　said　he　of　the　proof…armor；

〃to　ride　forth　so　far　to　welcome　thy　cousin　and　companion　in　arms。〃



〃Companion　in　battledore　and　shuttlecock；　Romane　de　Clos…Vougeot！〃

replied　the　younger　Cavalier。　　〃When　I　was　yet　a　page；　thou　wert　a

belted　knight；　and　thou　wert　away　to　the　Crusades　ere　ever　my　beard

grew。〃



〃I　stood　by　Richard　of　England　at　the　gates　of　Ascalon；　and　drew

the　spear　from　sainted　King　Louis　in　the　tents　of　Damietta；〃　the

individual　addressed　as　Romane　replied。　　〃Well…a…day！　since　thy

beard　grew；　boy；　（and　marry　'tis　yet　a　thin　one；）　I　have　broken　a

lance　with　Solyman　at　Rhodes；　and　smoked　a　chibouque　with　Saladin

at　Acre。　　But　enough　of　this。　　Tell　me　of　homeof　our　native

valleyof　my　hearth；　and　my　lady…mother；　and　my　good　chaplain

tell　me　of　HER；　Philibert；〃　said　the　knight；　executing　a　demivolt；

in　order　to　hide　his　emotion。



Philibert　seemed　uneasy；　and　to　strive　as　though　he　would　parry　the

question。　　〃The　castle　stands　on　the　rock；〃　he　said；　〃and　the

swallows　still　build　in　the　battlements。　　The　good　chaplain　still

chants　his　vespers　at　morn；　and　snuffles　his　matins　at　even…song。

The　lady…mother　still　distributeth　tracts；　and　knitteth　Berlin

linsey…woolsey。　　The　tenants　pay　no　better；　and　the　lawyers　dun　as

sorely；　kinsman　mine；〃　he　added　with　an　arch　look。



〃But　Fatima；　Fatima；　how　fares　she？〃　Romane　continued。　　〃Since

Lammas　was　a　twelvemonth；　I　hear　nought　of　her；　my　letters　are

unanswered。　　The　postman　hath　traversed　our　camp　every　day；　and

never　brought　me　a　billet。　　How　is　Fatima；　Philibert　de　Coquelicot？〃



〃She　iswell；〃　Philibert　replied；　〃her　sister　Anne　is　the　fairest

of　the　twain；　though。〃



〃Her　sister　Anne　was　a　baby　when　I　embarked　for　Egypt。　　A　plague　on

sister　Anne！　　Speak　of　Fatima；　Philibertmy　blue…eyed　Fatima！〃



〃I　say　she　iswell；〃　answered　his　comrade　gloomily。



〃Is　she　dead？　　Is　she　ill？　　Hath　she　the　measles？　　Nay；　hath　she

had　the　small…pox；　and　lost　her　beauty？　　Speak；　speak；　boy！〃　cried

the　knight；　wrought　to　agony。



〃Her　cheek　is　as　red　as　her　mother's；　though　the　old　Countess

paints　hers　every　day。　　Her　foot　is　as　light　as　a　sparrow's；　and

her　voice　as　sweet　as　a　minstrel's　dulcimer；　but　give　me　nathless

the　Lady　Anne；〃　cried　Philibert；　〃give　me　the　peerless　Lady　Anne！

As　soon　as　ever　I　have　won　spurs；　I　will　ride　all　Christendom

through；　and　proclaim　her　the　Queen　of　Beauty。　　Ho；　Lady　Anne！

Lady　Anne！〃　and　so　sayingbut　evidently　wishing　to　disguise　some

emotion；　or　conceal　some　tale　his　friend　could　ill　brook　to　hear

the　reckless　damoiseau　galloped　wildly　forward。



But　swift　as　was　his　courser's　pace；　that　of　his　companion's

enormous　charger　was　swifter。　　〃Boy；〃　said　the　elder；　〃thou　hast

ill　tidings。　　I　know　it　by　thy　glance。　　Speak：　shall　he　who　hath

bearded　grim　Death　in　a　thousand　fields　shame　to　face　truth　from　a

friend？　　Speak；　in　the　name　of　heaven　and　good　Saint　Botibol。

Romane　de　Clos…Vougeot　will　bear　your　tidings　like　a　man！〃



〃Fatima　is　well；〃　answered　Philibert　once　again；　〃she　hath　had　no

measles：　she　lives　and　is　still　fair。〃



〃Fair；　ay；　peerless　fair；　but　what　more；　Philibert？　　Not　false？　　By

Saint　Botibol；　say　not　false；〃　groaned　the　elder　warrior。



〃A　month　syne；〃　Philibert　replied；　〃she　married　the　Baron　de

Barbazure。〃



With　that　scream　which　is　so　terrible　in　a　strong　man　in　agony；　the

brave　knight　Romane　de　Clos…Vougeot　sank　back　at　the　words；　and

fell　from　his　charger　to　the　ground；　a　lifeless　mass　of　steel。





II。





Like　many　another　fabric　of　feudal　war　and　splendor；　the　once　vast

and　magnificent　Castle　of　Barbazure　is　now　a　moss…grown　ruin。　　The

traveller　of　the　present　day；　who　wanders　by　the　banks　of　the

silvery　Loire；　and　climbs　the　steep　on　which　the　magnificent

edifice　stood；　can　scarcely　trace；　among　the　shattered　masses　of

ivy…covered　masonry　which　lie　among　the　lonely　crags；　even　the

skeleton　of　the　proud　and　majestic　palace　stronghold　of　the　Barons

of　Barbazure。



In　the　days　of　our　tale　its　turrets　and　pinnacles　rose　as　stately；

and　seemed　（to　the　pride　of　sinful　man！）　as　strong　as　the　eternal

rocks　on　which　they　stood。　　The　three　mullets　on　a　gules　wavy

reversed；　surmounted　by　the　sinople　couchant　Or；　the　well…known

cognizance　of　the　house；　blazed　in　gorgeous　heraldry　on　a　hundred

banners；　surmounting　as　many　towers。　　The　long　lines　of

battlemented　walls　spread　down　the　mountain　to