burlesques-第60章

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wonder？　　Now　there　come　twenty　thousand　such　annually；　accompanied

by　their　ladies'…maids。　　But　of　them　we　will　say　no　morelet　us

back　to　those　who　went　before　them。



Many；　many　hundred　thousand　years　ago；　and　at　the　exact　period　when

chivalry　was　in　full　bloom；　there　occurred　a　little　history　upon

the　banks　of　the　Rhine；　which　has　been　already　written　in　a　book；

and　hence　must　be　positively　true。　　'Tis　a　story　of　knights　and

ladiesof　love　and　battle；　and　virtue　rewarded；　a　story　of　princes

and　noble　lords；　moreover：　the　best　of　company。　　Gentles；　an　ye

will；　ye　shall　hear　it。　　Fair　dames　and　damsels；　may　your　loves　be

as　happy　as　those　of　the　heroine　of　this　romaunt。



On　the　cold　and　rainy　evening　of　Thursday；　the　26th　of　October；　in

the　year　previously　indicated；　such　travellers　as　might　have

chanced　to　be　abroad　in　that　bitter　night；　might　have　remarked　a

fellow…wayfarer　journeying　on　the　road　from　Oberwinter　to

Godesberg。　　He　was　a　man　not　tall　in　stature；　but　of　the　most

athletic　proportions；　and　Time；　which　had　browned　and　furrowed　his

cheek　and　sprinkled　his　locks　with　gray；　declared　pretty　clearly

that　He　must　have　been　acquainted　with　the　warrior　for　some　fifty

good　years。　　He　was　armed　in　mail；　and　rode　a　powerful　and　active

battle…horse；　which　（though　the　way　the　pair　had　come　that　day　was

long　and　weary　indeed；）　yet　supported　the　warrior；　his　armor　and

luggage；　with　seeming　ease。　　As　it　was　in　a　friend's　country；　the

knight　did　not　think　fit　to　wear　his　heavy　destrier；　or　helmet；

which　hung　at　his　saddlebow　over　his　portmanteau。　　Both　were　marked

with　the　coronet　of　a　count；　and　from　the　crown　which　surmounted

the　helmet；　rose　the　crest　of　his　knightly　race；　an　arm　proper

lifting　a　naked　sword。



At　his　right　hand；　and　convenient　to　the　warrior's　grasp；　hung　his

mangonel　or　macea　terrific　weapon　which　had　shattered　the　brains

of　many　a　turbaned　soldan；　while　over　his　broad　and　ample　chest

there　fell　the　triangular　shield　of　the　period；　whereon　were

emblazoned　his　armsargent；　a　gules　wavy；　on　a　saltire　reversed　of

the　second：　the　latter　device　was　awarded　for　a　daring　exploit

before　Ascalon；　by　the　Emperor　Maximilian；　and　a　reference　to　the

German　Peerage　of　that　day；　or　a　knowledge　of　high　families　which

every　gentleman　then　possessed；　would　have　sufficed　to　show　at　once

that　the　rider　we　have　described　was　of　the　noble　house　of

Hombourg。　　It　was；　in　fact；　the　gallant　knight　Sir　Ludwig　of

Hombourg：　his　rank　as　a　count；　and　chamberlain　of　the　Emperor　of

Austria；　was　marked　by　the　cap　of　maintenance　with　the　peacock's

feather　which　he　wore　（when　not　armed　for　battle）；　and　his　princely

blood　was　denoted　by　the　oiled　silk　umbrella　which　he　carried　（a

very　meet　protection　against　the　pitiless　storm）；　and　which；　as　it

is　known；　in　the　middle　ages；　none　but　princes　were　justified　in

using。　　A　bag；　fastened　with　a　brazen　padlock；　and　made　of　the

costly　produce　of　the　Persian　looms　（then　extremely　rare　in

Europe）；　told　that　he　had　travelled　in　Eastern　climes。　　This；　too；

was　evident　from　the　inscription　writ　on　card　or　parchment；　and

sewed　on　the　bag。　　It　first　ran　〃Count　Ludwig　de　Hombourg；

Jerusalem；〃　but　the　name　of　the　Holy　City　had　been　dashed　out　with

the　pen；　and　that　of　〃Godesberg〃　substituted。　　So　far　indeed　had

the　cavalier　travelled！and　it　is　needless　to　state　that　the　bag

in　question　contained　such　remaining　articles　of　the　toilet　as　the

high…born　noble　deemed　unnecessary　to　place　in　his　valise。



〃By　Saint　Bugo　of　Katzenellenbogen！〃　said　the　good　knight；

shivering；　〃'tis　colder　here　than　at　Damascus！　　Marry；　I　am　so

hungry　I　could　eat　one　of　Saladin's　camels。　　Shall　I　be　at

Godesberg　in　time　for　dinner？〃　　And　taking　out　his　horologe　（which

hung　in　a　small　side…pocket　of　his　embroidered　surcoat）；　the

crusader　consoled　himself　by　finding　that　it　was　but　seven　of　the

night；　and　that　he　would　reach　Godesberg　ere　the　warder　had　sounded

the　second　gong。



His　opinion　was　borne　out　by　the　result。　　His　good　steed；　which

could　trot　at　a　pinch　fourteen　leagues　in　the　hour；　brought　him　to

this　famous　castle；　just　as　the　warder　was　giving　the　first　welcome

signal　which　told　that　the　princely　family　of　Count　Karl；　Margrave

of　Godesberg；　were　about　to　prepare　for　their　usual　repast　at　eight

o'clock。　　Crowds　of　pages　and　horse…keepers　were　in　the　court；

when；　the　portcullis　being　raised；　and　amidst　the　respectful

salutes　of　the　sentinels；　the　most　ancient　friend　of　the　house　of

Godesberg　entered　into　its　castle…yard。　　The　under…butler　stepped

forward　to　take　his　bridle…rein。　　〃Welcome；　Sir　Count；　from　the

Holy　Land！〃　exclaimed　the　faithful　old　man。　　〃Welcome；　Sir　Count；

from　the　Holy　Land！〃　cried　the　rest　of　the　servants　in　the　hall。　　A

stable　was　speedily　found　for　the　Count's　horse；　Streithengst；　and

it　was　not　before　the　gallant　soldier　had　seen　that　true　animal

well　cared　for；　that　he　entered　the　castle　itself；　and　was

conducted　to　his　chamber。　　Wax…candles　burning　bright　on　the

mantel；　flowers　in　china　vases；　every　variety　of　soap；　and　a　flask

of　the　precious　essence　manufactured　at　the　neighboring　city　of

Cologne；　were　displayed　on　his　toilet…table；　a　cheering　fire

〃crackled　on　the　hearth；〃　and　showed　that　the　good　knight's　coming

had　been　looked　and　cared　for。　　The　serving…maidens；　bringing　him

hot　water　for　his　ablutions；　smiling　asked；　〃Would　he　have　his

couch　warmed　at　eve？〃　　One　might　have　been　sure　from　their　blushes

that　the　tough　old　soldier　made　an　arch　reply。　　The　family　tonsor

came　to　know　whether　the　noble　Count　had　need　of　his　skill。　　〃By

Saint　Bugo；〃　said　the　knight；　as　seated　in　an　easy　settle　by　the

fire；　the　tonsor　rid　his　chin　of　its　stubby　growth；　and　lightly

passed　the　tongs　and　pomatum　through　〃the　sable　silver〃　of　his

hair；〃By　Saint　Bugo；　this　is　better　than　my　dungeon　at　Grand

Cairo。　　How　is　my　godson　Otto；　master　barber；　and　the　lady

countess；　his　mother；　and　the　noble　Count　Karl；　my　dear　brother…

in…arms？〃



〃They　are　well；〃　said　the　tonsor；　with　a　sigh。



〃By　Saint　Bugo；　I'm　glad　on't；　but　why　that　sigh？〃



〃Things　are　not　as　they　have　been　with　my　good　lord；〃　answered　the

hairdresser；　〃ever　since　Count　Gottfried's　arrival。〃



〃He　here！〃　roared　Sir　Ludwig。　　〃Good　never　came　where　Gottfried

was！〃　and　the　while　he　donned　a　pair　of　silken　hose；　that　showed

admirably　the　proportions　of　his　lower　limbs；　and　exchanged　his

coat　of　mail　for　the　spotless　vest　and　black　surcoat　collared　with

velvet　of　Genoa；　which　was　the　fitting　costume　for　〃knight　in

ladye's　bower；〃　the　knight　entered　into　a　conversation　with　the

barber；　who　explained　to　him；　with　the　usual　garrulousness　of　his

tribe；　what　was　the　present　position　of　the　noble　family　of

Godesberg。



This　will　be　narrated　in　the　next　chapter。





CHAPTER　II。



THE　GODESBERGERS。





'Tis　needless　to　state　that　the　gallant　warrior　Ludwig　of　Hombourg

found　in　the　bosom　of　his　friend's　family　a　cordial　welcome。　　The

brother…in…arms　of　the　Margrave　Karl；　he　was　the　esteemed　friend　of

the　Margravine；　the　exalted　and　beautiful　Theodora　of　Boppum；　and

（albeit　no　theologian；　and　although　the　first　princes　of

Christendom　coveted　such　an　honor；）　he　was　selected　to　stand　as

sponsor　for　the　Margrave's　son　Otto；　the　only　child　of　his　house。



It　was　now　seventeen　years　since　the　Count　and　Countess　had　been

united：　and　although　heaven　had　not　blessed　their　couch　with　more

than　one　child；　it　may　be　said　of　that　one　that　it　was　a　prize；　and

that　surely　never　lighted　on　the　earth　a　more　delightful　vision。

When　Count　Ludwig；　hastening　to　the　holy　wars；　had　quitted　his

beloved　godchild；　he　had　left　him　a　boy；　he　now　found　him；　as　the

latter　rushed　into　his　arms；　grown　to　be　one　of　the　finest　young

men　in　Germany：　tall　and　excessively　graceful　in　proportion；　with

the　blush　of　health　mantling　upon　his　cheek；　that　was　likewise

adorned　with　the　first　down　of　manhood；　and　with