burlesques-第59章

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the　faithfulhe　goes　to　bear　the　punishment　of　his　crimes。〃　　We

came　to　the　fatal　plain：　it　was　the　very　spot　whence　I　had　borne

away　the　elephant；　and　in　full　sight　of　the　fort。　　I　looked　towards

it。　　Thank　heaven！　King　George's　banner　waved　on　it　stilla　crowd

were　gathered　on　the　wallsthe　men；　the　dastards　who　had　deserted

meand　women；　too。　　Among　the　latter　I　thought　I　distinguished　ONE

whoO　gods！　the　thought　turned　me　sickI　trembled　and　looked　pale

for　the　first　time。



〃He　trembles！　he　turns　pale；〃　shouted　out　Bobbachy　Bahawder；

ferociously　exulting　over　his　conquered　enemy。



〃Dog！〃　shouted　I（I　was　sitting　with　my　head　to　the　donkey's　tail；

and　so　looked　the　Bobbachy　full　in　the　face）〃not　so　pale　as　you

looked　when　I　felled　you　with　this　armnot　so　pale　as　your　women

looked　when　I　entered　your　harem！〃　　Completely　chop…fallen；　the

Indian　ruffian　was　silent：　at　any　rate；　I　had　done　for　HIM。



We　arrived　at　the　place　of　execution。　　A　stake；　a　couple　of　feet

thick　and　eight　high；　was　driven　in　the　grass：　round　the　stake；

about　seven　feet　from　the　ground；　was　an　iron　ring；　to　which　were

attached　two　fetters；　in　these　my　wrists　were　placed。　　Two　or　three

executioners　stood　near；　with　strange…looking　instruments：　others

were　blowing　at　a　fire；　over　which　was　a　caldron；　and　in　the　embers

were　stuck　other　prongs　and　instruments　of　iron。



The　crier　came　forward　and　read　my　sentence。　　It　was　the　same　in

effect　as　that　which　had　been　hinted　to　me　the　day　previous　by　the

Grand　Vizier。　　I　confess　I　was　too　agitated　to　catch　every　word

that　was　spoken。



Holkar　himself；　on　a　tall　dromedary；　was　at　a　little　distance。　　The

Grand　Vizier　came　up　to　meit　was　his　duty　to　stand　by；　and　see

the　punishment　performed。　　〃It　is　yet　time！〃　said　he。



I　nodded　my　head；　but　did　not　answer。



The　Vizier　cast　up　to　heaven　a　look　of　inexpressible　anguish；　and

with　a　voice　choking　with　emotion；　said；　〃EXECUTIONERDOYOUR

DUTY！〃



The　horrid　man　advancedhe　whispered　sulkily　in　the　ears　of　the

Grand　Vizier；　〃Guggly　ka　ghee；　hum　khedgeree；〃　said　he；　〃the　oil

does　not　boil　yetwait　one　minute。〃　　The　assistants　blew；　the　fire

blazed；　the　oil　was　heated。　　The　Vizier　drew　a　few　feet　aside：

taking　a　large　ladle　full　of　the　boiling　liquid；　he　advanced



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〃Whish！　bang；　bang！　pop！〃　the　executioner　was　dead　at　my　feet；　shot

through　the　head；　the　ladle　of　scalding　oil　had　been　dashed　in　the

face　of　the　unhappy　Grand　Vizier；　who　lay　on　the　plain；　howling。

〃Whish！　bang！　pop！　　Hurrah！charge！forwards！cut　them　down！no

quarter！〃



I　sawyes；　no；　yes；　no；　yes！I　saw　regiment　upon　regiment　of

galloping　British　horsemen　riding　over　the　ranks　of　the　flying

natives。　　First　of　the　host；　I　recognized；　O　heaven！　my　AHMEDNUGGAR

IRREGULARS！　　On　came　the　gallant　line　of　black　steeds　and　horsemen；

swift；　swift　before　them　rode　my　officers　in　yellowGlogger；

Pappendick；　and　Stuffle；　their　sabres　gleamed　in　the　sun；　their

voices　rung　in　the　air。　　〃D…　them！〃　they　cried；　〃give　it　them；

boys！〃　　A　strength　supernatural　thrilled　through　my　veins　at　that

delicious　music：　by　one　tremendous　effort；　I　wrested　the　post　from

its　foundation；　five　feet　in　the　ground。　　I　could　not　release　my

hands　from　the　fetters；　it　is　true；　but；　grasping　the　beam　tightly；

I　sprung　forwardwith　one　blow　I　levelled　the　five　executioners　in

the　midst　of　the　fire；　their　fall　upsetting　the　scalding　oil…can；

with　the　next；　I　swept　the　bearers　of　Bobbachy's　palanquin　off

their　legs；　with　the　third；　I　caught　that　chief　himself　in　the

small　of　the　back；　and　sent　him　flying　on　to　the　sabres　of　my

advancing　soldiers！



The　next　minute；　Glogger　and　Stuffle　were　in　my　arms；　Pappendick

leading　on　the　Irregulars。　　Friend　and　foe　in　that　wild　chase　had

swept　far　away。　　We　were　alone；　I　was　freed　from　my　immense　bar；

and　ten　minutes　afterwards；　when　Lord　Lake　trotted　up　with　his

staff；　he　found　me　sitting　on　it。



〃Look　at　Gahagan；〃　said　his　lordship。　　〃Gentlemen；　did　I　not　tell

you　we　should　be　sure　to　find　him　AT　HIS　POST？〃



The　gallant　old　nobleman　rode　on：　and　this　was　the　famous　BATTLE　OF

FURRUCKABAD；　OR　SURPRISE　OF　FUTTYGHUR；　fought　on　the　17th　of

November；　1804。



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About　a　month　afterwards；　the　following　announcement　appeared　in

the　Boggleywollah　Hurkaru　and　other　Indian　papers：〃Married；　on

the　25th　of　December；　at　Futtyghur；　by　the　Rev。　Dr。　Snorter；

Captain　Goliah　O'Grady　Gahagan；　Commanding　Irregular　Horse；

Abmednuggar；　to　Belinda；　second　daughter　of　Major…General　Bulcher；

C。B。　　His　Excellency　the　Commander…in…Chief　gave　away　the　bride；

and　after　a　splendid　dejeune；　the　happy　pair　set　off　to　pass　the

Mango　season　at　Hurrygurrybang。　　Venus　must　recollect；　however；

that　Mars　must　not　ALWAYS　be　at　her　side。　　The　Irregulars　are

nothing　without　their　leader。〃



Such　was　the　paragraphsuch　the　eventthe　happiest　in　the

existence　of



G。　O'G。　G。；　M。　H。　E。　I。　C。　S。；　C。　I。　H。　A。









A　LEGEND　OF　THE　RHINE。





CHAPTER　I。



SIR　LUDWIG　OF　HOMBOURG。





It　was　in　the　good　old　days　of　chivalry；　when　every　mountain　that

bathes　its　shadow　in　the　Rhine　had　its　castle：　not　inhabited；　as

now；　by　a　few　rats　and　owls；　nor　covered　with　moss　and　wallflowers；

and　funguses；　and　creeping　ivy。　　No；　no！　where　the　ivy　now　clusters

there　grew　strong　portcullis　and　bars　of　steel；　where　the

wallflower　now　quivers　in　the　rampart　there　were　silken　banners

embroidered　with　wonderful　heraldry；　men…at…arms　marched　where　now

you　shall　only　see　a　bank　of　moss　or　a　hideous　black　champignon；

and　in　place　of　the　rats　and　owlets；　I　warrant　me　there　were　ladies

and　knights　to　revel　in　the　great　halls；　and　to　feast；　and　to

dance；　and　to　make　love　there。　　They　are　passed　away：those　old

knights　and　ladies：　their　golden　hair　first　changed　to　silver；　and

then　the　silver　dropped　off　and　disappeared　for　ever；　their　elegant

legs；　so　slim　and　active　in　the　dance；　became　swollen　and　gouty；

and　then；　from　being　swollen　and　gouty；　dwindled　down　to　bare　bone…

shanks；　the　roses　left　their　cheeks；　and　then　their　cheeks

disappeared；　and　left　their　skulls；　and　then　their　skulls　powdered

into　dust；　and　all　sign　of　them　was　gone。　　And　as　it　was　with　them；

so　shall　it　be　with　us。　　Ho；　seneschal！　fill　me　a　cup　of　liquor！

put　sugar　in　it；　good　fellowyea；　and　a　little　hot　water；　a　very

little；　for　my　soul　is　sad；　as　I　think　of　those　days　and　knights　of


old。



They；　too；　have　revelled　and　feasted；　and　where　are　they？gone？

nay；　not　altogether　gone；　for　doth　not　the　eye　catch　glimpses　of

them　as　they　walk　yonder　in　the　gray　limbo　of　romance；　shining

faintly　in　their　coats　of　steel；　wandering　by　the　side　of　long…

haired　ladies；　with　long…tailed　gowns　that　little　pages　carry？

Yes！　one　sees　them：　the　poet　sees　them　still　in　the　far…off

Cloudland；　and　hears　the　ring　of　their　clarions　as　they　hasten　to

battle　or　tourneyand　the　dim　echoes　of　their　lutes　chanting　of

love　and　fair　ladies！　　Gracious　privilege　of　poesy！　　It　is　as　the

Dervish's　collyrium　to　the　eyes；　and　causes　them　to　see　treasures

that　to　the　sight　of　donkeys　are　invisible。　　Blessed　treasures　of

fancy！　　I　would　not　change　yeno；　not　for　many　donkey…loads　of

gold。　。　。　。　　Fill　again；　jolly　seneschal；　thou　brave　wag；　chalk　me

up　the　produce　on　the　hostel　doorsurely　the　spirits　of　old　are

mixed　up　in　the　wondrous　liquor；　and　gentle　visions　of　bygone

princes　and　princesses　look　blandly　down　on　us　from　the　cloudy

perfume　of　the　pipe。　　Do　you　know　in　what　year　the　fairies　left　the

Rhine？long　before　Murray's　〃Guide…Book〃　was　wrotelong　before

squat　steamboats；　with　snorting　funnels；　came　paddling　down　the

stream。　　Do　you　not　know　that　once　upon　a　time　the　appearance　of

eleven　thousand　British　virgins　was　considered　at　Cologne　as　a

wonder？　　Now　there　come　twenty　thousand　such　annually；　accompanied

b