burlesques-第64章

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their　great　swords！　　Well　stricken；　gray！　　Well　parried；　piebald！

Ha；　that　was　a　slicer！　　Go　it；　piebald！　go　it；　gray！go　it；　gray！

go　it；　pie　　Peccavi！　peccavi！〃　said　the　old　man；　here　suddenly

closing　his　eyes；　and　falling　down　on　his　knees。　　〃I　forgot　I　was　a

man　of　peace。〃　　And　the　next　moment；　muttering　a　hasty　matin；　he

sprung　down　the　ledge　of　rock；　and　was　by　the　side　of　the

combatants。



The　battle　was　over。　　Good　knight　as　Sir　Gottfried　was；　his

strength　and　skill　had　not　been　able　to　overcome　Sir　Ludwig　the

Hombourger；　with　RIGHT　on　his　side。　　He　was　bleeding　at　every　point

of　his　armor：　he　had　been　run　through　the　body　several　times；　and　a

cut　in　tierce；　delivered　with　tremendous　dexterity；　had　cloven　the

crown　of　his　helmet　of　Damascus　steel；　and　passing　through　the

cerebellum　and　sensorium；　had　split　his　nose　almost　in　twain。



His　mouth　foaminghis　face　almost　greenhis　eyes　full　of　blood

his　brains　spattered　over　his　forehead；　and　several　of　his　teeth

knocked　out；the　discomfited　warrior　presented　a　ghastly

spectacle；　as；　reeling　under　the　effects　of　the　last　tremendous

blow　which　the　Knight　of　Hombourg　dealt；　Sir　Gottfried　fell　heavily

from　the　saddle　of　his　piebald　charger；　the　frightened　animal

whisked　his　tail　wildly　with　a　shriek　and　a　snort；　plunged　out　his

hind　legs；　trampling　for　one　moment　upon　the　feet　of　the　prostrate

Gottfried；　thereby　causing　him　to　shriek　with　agony；　and　then

galloped　away　riderless。



Away！　ay；　away！away　amid　the　green　vineyards　and　golden

cornfields；　away　up　the　steep　mountains；　where　he　frightened　the

eagles　in　their　eyries；　away　down　the　clattering　ravines；　where　the

flashing　cataracts　tumble；　away　through　the　dark　pine…forests；

where　the　hungry　wolves　are　howling　away　over　the　dreary　wolds；

where　the　wild　wind　walks　alone；　away　through　the　plashing

quagmires；　where　the　will…o'…the…wisp　slunk　frightened　among　the

reeds；　away　through　light　and　darkness；　storm　and　sunshine；　away　by

tower　and　town；　high…road　and　hamlet。　　Once　a　turnpike…man　would

have　detained　him；　but；　ha！　ha！　he　charged　the　pike；　and　cleared　it

at　a　bound。　　Once　the　Cologne　Diligence　stopped　the　way：　he　charged

the　Diligence；　he　knocked　off　the　cap　of　the　conductor　on　the　roof；

and　yet　galloped　wildly；　madly；　furiously；　irresistibly　on！　　Brave

horse！　gallant　steed！　snorting　child　of　Araby！　　On　went　the　horse；

over　mountains；　rivers；　turnpikes；　apple…women；　and　never　stopped

until　he　reached　a　livery…stable　in　Cologne　where　his　master　was

accustomed　to　put　him　up。





CHAPTER　VI。



THE　CONFESSION。





But　we　have　forgotten；　meanwhile；　that　prostrate　individual。

Having　examined　the　wounds　in　his　side；　legs；　head；　and　throat；　the

old　hermit　（a　skilful　leech）　knelt　down　by　the　side　of　the

vanquished　one　and　said；　〃Sir　Knight；　it　is　my　painful　duty　to

state　to　you　that　you　are　in　an　exceedingly　dangerous　condition；

and　will　not　probably　survive。〃



〃Say　you　so；　Sir　Priest？　then　'tis　time　I　make　my　confession。

Hearken　you；　Priest；　and　you；　Sir　Knight；　whoever　you　be。〃



Sir　Ludwig　（who；　much　affected　by　the　scene；　had　been　tying　his

horse　up　to　a　tree）；　lifted　his　visor　and　said；　〃Gottfried　of

Godesberg！　　I　am　the　friend　of　thy　kinsman；　Margrave　Karl；　whose

happiness　thou　hast　ruined；　I　am　the　friend　of　his　chaste　and

virtuous　lady；　whose　fair　fame　thou　hast　belied；　I　am　the　godfather

of　young　Count　Otto；　whose　heritage　thou　wouldst　have　appropriated。

Therefore　I　met　thee　in　deadly　fight；　and　overcame　thee；　and　have

wellnigh　finished　thee。　　Speak　on。〃



〃I　have　done　all　this；〃　said　the　dying　man；　〃and　here；　in　my　last

hour；　repent　me。　　The　Lady　Theodora　is　a　spotless　lady；　the

youthful　Otto　the　true　son　of　his　fatherSir　Hildebrandt　is　not

his　father；　but　his　UNCLE。〃



〃Gracious　Buffo！〃　　〃Celestial　Bugo！〃　here　said　the　hermit　and　the

Knight　of　Hombourg　simultaneously；　clasping　their　hands。



〃Yes；　his　uncle；　but　with　the　BAR…SINISTER　in　his　scutcheon。　　Hence

he　could　never　be　acknowledged　by　the　family；　hence；　too；　the　Lady

Theodora's　spotless　purity　（though　the　young　people　had　been

brought　up　together）　could　never　be　brought　to　own　the　relationship。〃



〃May　I　repeat　your　confession？〃　asked　the　hermit。



〃With　the　greatest　pleasure　in　life：　carry　my　confession　to　the

Margrave；　and　pray　him　give　me　pardon。　　Were　therea　notary…public

present；〃　slowly　gasped　the　knight；　the　film　of　dissolution　glazing

over　his　eyes；　〃I　would　askyoutwogentlemen　to　witness　it。　　I

would　gladlysign　the　depositionthat　is；　if　I　could　wr…wr…wr…wr…

ite！〃　　A　faint　shuddering　smilea　quiver；　a　gasp；　a　gurglethe

blood　gushed　from　his　mouth　in　black　volumes　。　。　。　。



〃He　will　never　sin　more；〃　said　the　hermit；　solemnly。



〃May　heaven　assoilzie　him！〃　said　Sir　Ludwig。　　〃Hermit；　he　was　a

gallant　knight。　　He　died　with　harness　on　his　back　and　with　truth　on

his　lips：　Ludwig　of　Hombourg　would　ask　no　other　death。　。　。　。　。〃



An　hour　afterwards　the　principal　servants　at　the　Castle　of

Godesberg　were　rather　surprised　to　see　the　noble　Lord　Louis　trot

into　the　court…yard　of　the　castle；　with　a　companion　on　the　crupper

of　his　saddle。　　'Twas　the　venerable　hermit　of　Rolandseck；　who；　for

the　sake　of　greater　celerity；　had　adopted　this　undignified

conveyance；　and　whose　appearance　and　little　dumpy　legs　might　well

create　hilarity　among　the　〃pampered　menials〃　who　are　always　found

lounging　about　the　houses　of　the　great。　　He　skipped　off　the　saddle

with　considerable　lightness　however；　and　Sir　Ludwig；　taking　the

reverend　man　by　the　arm　and　frowning　the　jeering　servitors　into

awe；　bade　one　of　them　lead　him　to　the　presence　of　his　Highness　the

Margrave。



〃What　has　chanced？〃　said　the　inquisitive　servitor。　　〃The　riderless

horse　of　Sir　Gottfried　was　seen　to　gallop　by　the　outer　wall　anon。

The　Margrave's　Grace　has　never　quitted　your　lordship's　chamber；　and

sits　as　one　distraught。〃



〃Hold　thy　prate；　knave；　and　lead　us　on！〃　　And　so　saying；　the　Knight

and　his　Reverence　moved　into　the　well…known　apartment；　where；

according　to　the　servitor's　description；　the　wretched　Margrave　sat

like　a　stone。



Ludwig　took　one　of　the　kind　broken…hearted　man's　hands；　the　hermit

seized　the　other；　and　began　（but　on　account　of　his　great　age；　with

a　prolixity　which　we　shall　not　endeavor　to　imitate）　to　narrate　the

events　which　we　have　already　described。　　Let　the　dear　reader　fancy；

while　his　Reverence　speaks；　the　glazed　eyes　of　the　Margrave

gradually　lighting　up　with　attention；　the　flush　of　joy　which

mantles　in　his　countenancethe　startthe　throbthe　almost

delirious　outburst　of　hysteric　exultation　with　which；　when　the

whole　truth　was　made　known；　he　clasped　the　two　messengers　of　glad

tidings　to　his　breast；　with　an　energy　that　almost　choked　the　aged

recluse！　　〃Ride；　ride　this　instant　to　the　Margravinesay　I　have

wronged　her；　that　it　is　all　right；　that　she　may　come　backthat　I

forgive　herthat　I　apologize　if　you　will〃and　a　secretary

forthwith　despatched　a　note　to　that　effect；　which　was　carried　off

by　a　fleet　messenger。



〃Now　write　to　the　Superior　of　the　monastery　at　Cologne；　and　bid　him

send　me　back　my　boy；　my　darling；　my　Ottomy　Otto　of　roses！〃　said

the　fond　father；　making　the　first　play　upon　words　he　had　ever

attempted　in　his　life。　　But　what　will　not　paternal　love　effect？

The　secretary　（smiling　at　the　joke）　wrote　another　letter；　and

another　fleet　messenger　was　despatched　on　another　horse。



〃And　now；〃　said　Sir　Ludwig；　playfully；　〃let　us　to　lunch。　　Holy

hermit；　are　you　for　a　snack？〃



The　hermit　could　not　say　nay　on　an　occasion　so　festive；　and　the

three　gentles　seated　themselves　to　a　plenteous　repast；　for　which

the　remains　of　the　feast　of　yesterday　offered；　it　need　not　be　said；

ample　means。



〃They　will　be　home　by　dinner…time；〃　said　the　exulting　father。

〃Ludwig！　reverend　hermit！　we　will　carry　on　till　then。〃　　And　the　cup

passed　gayly　round；　and　the　laugh　and　jest　circulated；　while　the

three　hap