burlesques-第68章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



gradations　of　snoring；　told　how　profoundly　they　slept；　spite　of

their　lack　of　supper。



'Tis　needless　to　say　what　were　the　thoughts　of　the　noble　Childe　as

he　performed　his　two　hours'　watch；　what　gushing　memories　poured

into　his　full　soul；　what　〃sweet　and　bitter〃　recollections　of　home

inspired　his　throbbing　heart；　and　what　manly　aspirations　after　fame

buoyed　him　up。　　〃Youth　is　ever　confident；〃　says　the　bard。　　Happy；

happy　season！　　The　moonlit　hours　passed　by　on　silver　wings；　the

twinkling　stars　looked　friendly　down　upon　him。　　Confiding　in　their

youthful　sentinel；　sound　slept　the　valorous　toxophilites；　as　up　and

down；　and　there　and　back　again；　marched　on　the　noble　Childe。　　At

length　his　repeater　told　him；　much　to　his　satisfaction；　that　it　was

half…past　eleven；　the　hour　when　his　watch　was　to　cease；　and　so；

giving　a　playful　kick　to　the　slumbering　Wolfgang；　that　good…humored

fellow　sprung　up　from　his　lair；　and；　drawing　his　sword；　proceeded

to　relieve　Otto。



The　latter　laid　him　down　for　warmth's　sake　on　the　very　spot　which

his　comrade　had　left；　and　for　some　time　could　not　sleep。　　Realities

and　visions　then　began　to　mingle　in　his　mind；　till　he　scarce　knew

which　was　which。　　He　dozed　for　a　minute；　then　he　woke　with　a　start；

then　he　went　off　again；　then　woke　up　again。　　In　one　of　these　half…

sleeping　moments　he　thought　he　saw　a　figure；　as　of　a　woman　in

white；　gliding　into　the　room；　and　beckoning　Wolfgang　from　it。　　He

looked　again。　　Wolfgang　was　gone。　　At　that　moment　twelve　o'clock

clanged　from　the　town；　and　Otto　started　up。





CHAPTER　IX。



THE　LADY　OF　WINDECK。





As　the　bell　with　iron　tongue　called　midnight；　Wolfgang　the　Archer；

pacing　on　his　watch；　beheld　before　him　a　pale　female　figure。　　He

did　not　know　whence　she　came：　but　there　suddenly　she　stood　close　to

him。　　Her　blue；　clear；　glassy　eyes　were　fixed　upon　him。　　Her　form

was　of　faultless　beauty；　her　face　pale　as　the　marble　of　the　fairy

statue；　ere　yet　the　sculptor's　love　had　given　it　life。　　A　smile

played　upon　her　features；　but　it　was　no　warmer　than　the　reflection

of　a　moonbeam　on　a　lake；　and　yet　it　was　wondrous　beautiful。　　A

fascination　stole　over　the　senses　of　young　Wolfgang。　　He　stared　at

the　lovely　apparition　with　fixed　eyes　and　distended　jaws。　　She

looked　at　him　with　ineffable　archness。　　She　lifted　one　beautifully

rounded　alabaster　arm；　and　made　a　sign　as　if　to　beckon　him　towards

her。　　Did　Wolfgangthe　young　and　lusty　Wolfgangfollow？　　Ask　the

iron　whether　it　follows　the　magnet？ask　the　pointer　whether　it

pursues　the　partridge　through　the　stubble？ask　the　youth　whether

the　lollipop…shop　does　not　attract　him？　　Wolfgang　DID　follow。　　An

antique　door　opened；　as　if　by　magic。　　There　was　no　light；　and　yet

they　saw　quite　plain；　they　passed　through　the　innumerable　ancient

chambers；　and　yet　they　did　not　wake　any　of　the　owls　and　bats

roosting　there。　　We　know　not　through　how　many　apartments　the　young

couple　passed；　but　at　last　they　came　to　one　where　a　feast　was

prepared：　and　on　an　antique　table；　covered　with　massive　silver；

covers　were　laid　for　two。　　The　lady　took　her　place　at　one　end　of

the　table；　and　with　her　sweetest　nod　beckoned　Wolfgang　to　the　other

seat。　　He　took　it。　　The　table　was　small；　and　their　knees　met。　　He

felt　as　cold　in　his　legs　as　if　he　were　kneeling　against　an　ice…well。



〃Gallant　archer；〃　said　she；　〃you　must　be　hungry　after　your　day's

march。　　What　supper　will　you　have？　　Shall　it　be　a　delicate　lobster…

salad？　or　a　dish　of　elegant　tripe　and　onions？　or　a　slice　of　boar's…

head　and　truffles？　or　a　Welsh　rabbit　a　la　cave　au　cidre？　or　a

beefsteak　and　shallot？　or　a　couple　of　rognons　a　la　brochette？

Speak；　brave　bowyer：　you　have　but　to　order。〃



As　there　was　nothing　on　the　table　but　a　covered　silver　dish；

Wolfgang　thought　that　the　lady　who　proposed　such　a　multiplicity　of

delicacies　to　him　was　only　laughing　at　him；　so　he　determined　to　try

her　with　something　extremely　rare。



〃Fair　princess；〃　he　said；　〃I　should　like　very　much　a　pork…chop　and

some　mashed　potatoes。〃



She　lifted　the　cover：　there　was　such　a　pork…chop　as　Simpson　never

served；　with　a　dish　of　mashed　potatoes　that　would　have　formed　at

least　six　portions　in　our　degenerate　days　in　Rupert　Street。



When　he　had　helped　himself　to　these　delicacies；　the　lady　put　the

cover　on　the　dish　again；　and　watched　him　eating　with　interest。　　He

was　for　some　time　too　much　occupied　with　his　own　food　to　remark

that　his　companion　did　not　eat　a　morsel；　but　big　as　it　was；　his

chop　was　soon　gone；　the　shining　silver　of　his　plate　was　scraped

quite　clean　with　his　knife；　and；　heaving　a　great　sigh；　he　confessed

a　humble　desire　for　something　to　drink。



〃Call　for　what　you　like；　sweet　sir；〃　said　the　lady；　lifting　up　a

silver　filigree　bottle；　with　an　india…rubber　cork；　ornamented　with

gold。



〃Then；〃　said　Master　Wolfgangfor　the　fellow's　tastes　were；　in

sooth；　very　humble〃I　call　for　half…and…half。〃　　According　to　his

wish；　a　pint　of　that　delicious　beverage　was　poured　from　the　bottle；

foaming；　into　his　beaker。



Having　emptied　this　at　a　draught；　and　declared　that　on　his

conscience　it　was　the　best　tap　he　ever　knew　in　his　life；　the　young

man　felt　his　appetite　renewed；　and　it　is　impossible　to　say　how　many

different　dishes　he　called　for。　　Only　enchantment；　he　was

afterwards　heard　to　declare　（though　none　of　his　friends　believed

him）；　could　have　given　him　the　appetite　he　possessed　on　that

extraordinary　night。　　He　called　for　another　pork…chop　and　potatoes；

then　for　pickled　salmon；　then　he　thought　he　would　try　a　devilled

turkey…wing。　　〃I　adore　the　devil；〃　said　he。



〃So　do　I；〃　said　the　pale　lady；　with　unwonted　animation；　and　the

dish　was　served　straightway。　　It　was　succeeded　by　black…puddings；

tripe；　toasted　cheese；　andwhat　was　most　remarkableevery　one　of

the　dishes　which　he　desired　came　from　under　the　same　silver　cover：

which　circumstance；　when　he　had　partaken　of　about　fourteen

different　articles；　he　began　to　find　rather　mysterious。



〃Oh；〃　said　the　pale　lady；　with　a　smile；　〃the　mystery　is　easily

accounted　for：　the　servants　hear　you；　and　the　kitchen　is　BELOW。〃

But　this　did　not　account　for　the　manner　in　which　more　half…and…

half；　bitter　ale；　punch　（both　gin　and　rum）；　and　even　oil　and

vinegar；　which　he　took　with　cucumber　to　his　salmon；　came　out　of　the

self…same　bottle　from　which　the　lady　had　first　poured　out　his　pint

of　half…and…half。



〃There　are　more　things　in　heaven　and　earth；　Voracio；〃　said　his　arch

entertainer；　when　he　put　this　question　to　her；　〃than　are　dreamt　of

in　your　philosophy：〃　and；　sooth　to　say；　the　archer　was　by　this　time

in　such　a　state；　that　he　did　not　find　anything　wonderful　more。



〃Are　you　happy；　dear　youth？〃　said　the　lady；　as；　after　his

collation；　he　sank　back　in　his　chair。



〃Oh；　miss；　ain't　I？〃　was　his　interrogative　and　yet　affirmative

reply。



〃Should　you　like　such　a　supper　every　night；　Wolfgang？〃　continued

the　pale　one。



〃Why；　no；〃　said　he；　〃no；　not　exactly；　not　EVERY　night：　SOME　nights

I　should　like　oysters。〃



〃Dear　youth；〃　said　she；　〃be　but　mine；　and　you　may　have　them　all　the

year　round！〃　　The　unhappy　boy　was　too　far　gone　to　suspect　anything；

otherwise　this　extraordinary　speech　would　have　told　him　that　he　was

in　suspicious　company。　　A　person　who　can　offer　oysters　all　the　year

round　can　live　to　no　good　purpose。



〃Shall　I　sing　you　a　song；　dear　archer？〃　said　the　lady。



〃Sweet　love！〃　said　he；　now　much　excited；　〃strike　up；　and　I　will

join　the　chorus。〃



She　took　down　her　mandolin；　and　commenced　a　ditty。　　'Twas　a　sweet

and　wild　one。　　It　told　how　a　lady　of　high　lineage　cast　her　eyes　on

a　peasant　page；　it　told　how　nought　could　her　love　assuage；　her

suitor's　wealth　and　her　father's　rage：　it　told　how　the　youth　did

his　foes　engage；　and　at　length　they　went　off　in　the　Gretna　stage；

the　high…born　dame　and　the　peasant　page。　　Wolfgang　beat　time；

waggled　his　head；　sung　wofully　out　of　tune　as　the　song　proceeded；

and　if　he　had　not