burlesques-第69章

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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　been　too　intoxicated　with　love　and　other

excitement；　he　would　have　remarked　how　the　pictures　on　the　wall；　as

the　lady　sung；　began　to　waggle　their　heads　too；　and　nod　and　grin　to

the　music。　　The　song　ended。　　〃I　am　the　lady　of　high　lineage：

Archer；　will　you　be　the　peasant　page？〃



〃I'll　follow　you　to　the　devil！〃　said　Wolfgang。



〃Come；〃　replied　the　lady；　glaring　wildly　on　him；　〃come　to　the

chapel；　we'll　be　married　this　minute！〃



She　held　out　her　handWolfgang　took　it。　　It　was　cold；　damp；

deadly　cold；　and　on　they　went　to　the　chapel。



As　they　passed　out；　the　two　pictures　over　the　wall；　of　a　gentleman

and　lady；　tripped　lightly　out　of　their　frames；　skipped　noiselessly

down　to　the　ground；　and　making　the　retreating　couple　a　profound

curtsy　and　bow；　took　the　places　which　they　had　left　at　the　table。



Meanwhile　the　young　couple　passed　on　towards　the　chapel；　threading

innumerable　passages；　and　passing　through　chambers　of　great　extent。

As　they　came　along；　all　the　portraits　on　the　wall　stepped　out　of

their　frames　to　follow　them。　　One　ancestor；　of　whom　there　was　only

a　bust；　frowned　in　the　greatest　rage；　because；　having　no　legs；　his

pedestal　would　not　move；　and　several　sticking…plaster　profiles　of

the　former　Lords　of　Windeck　looked　quite　black　at　being；　for

similar　reasons；　compelled　to　keep　their　places。　　However；　there

was　a　goodly　procession　formed　behind　Wolfgang　and　his　bride；　and

by　the　time　they　reached　the　church；　they　had　near　a　hundred

followers。



The　church　was　splendidly　illuminated；　the　old　banners　of　the　old

knights　glittered　as　they　do　at　Drury　Lane。　　The　organ　set　up　of

itself　to　play　the　〃Bridesmaid's　Chorus。〃　　The　choir…chairs　were

filled　with　people　in　black。



〃Come；　love；〃　said　the　pale　lady。



〃I　don't　see　the　parson；〃　exclaimed　Wolfgang；　spite　of　himself

rather　alarmed。



〃Oh；　the　parson！　that's　the　easiest　thing　in　the　world！　　I　say；

bishop！〃　said　the　lady；　stooping　down。



Stooping　downand　to　what？　　Why；　upon　my　word　and　honor；　to　a

great　brass　plate　on　the　floor；　over　which　they　were　passing；　and

on　which　was　engraven　the　figure　of　a　bishopand　a　very　ugly

bishop；　toowith　crosier　and　mitre；　and　lifted　finger；　on　which

sparkled　the　episcopal　ring。　　〃Do；　my　dear　lord；　come　and　marry

us；〃　said　the　lady；　with　a　levity　which　shocked　the　feelings　of　her

bridegroom。



The　bishop　got　up；　and　directly　he　rose；　a　dean；　who　was　sleeping

under　a　large　slate　near　him；　came　bowing　and　cringing　up　to　him；

while　a　canon　of　the　cathedral　（whose　name　was　Schidnischmidt）

began　grinning　and　making　fun　at　the　pair。　　The　ceremony　was　begun；

and　。　。　。　。





As　the　clock　struck　twelve；　young　Otto　bounded　up；　and　remarked　the

absence　of　his　companion　Wolfgang。　　The　idea　he　had　had；　that　his

friend　disappeared　in　company　with　a　white…robed　female；　struck　him

more　and　more。　　〃I　will　follow　them；〃　said　he；　and；　calling　to　the

next　on　the　watch　（old　Snozo；　who　was　right　unwilling　to　forego　his

sleep）；　he　rushed　away　by　the　door　through　which　he　had　seen

Wolfgang　and　his　temptress　take　their　way。



That　he　did　not　find　them　was　not　his　fault。　　The　castle　was　vast；

the　chamber　dark。　　There　were　a　thousand　doors；　and　what　wonder

that；　after　he　had　once　lost　sight　of　them；　the　intrepid　Childe

should　not　be　able　to　follow　in　their　steps？　　As　might　be　expected；

he　took　the　wrong　door；　and　wandered　for　at　least　three　hours　about

the　dark　enormous　solitary　castle；　calling　out　Wolfgang's　name　to

the　careless　and　indifferent　echoes；　knocking　his　young　shins

against　the　ruins　scattered　in　the　darkness；　but　still　with　a

spirit　entirely　undaunted；　and　a　firm　resolution　to　aid　his　absent

comrade。　　Brave　Otto！　thy　exertions　were　rewarded　at　last！



For　he　lighted　at　length　upon　the　very　apartment　where　Wolfgang　had

partaken　of　supper；　and　where　the　old　couple　who　had　been　in　the

picture…frames；　and　turned　out　to　be　the　lady's　father　and　mother；

were　now　sitting　at　the　table。



〃Well；　Bertha　has　got　a　husband　at　last；〃　said　the　lady。



〃After　waiting　four　hundred　and　fifty…three　years　for　one；　it　was

quite　time；〃　said　the　gentleman。　　（He　was　dressed　in　powder　and　a

pigtail；　quite　in　the　old　fashion。）



〃The　husband　is　no　great　things；〃　continued　the　lady；　taking　snuff。

〃A　low　fellow；　my　dear；　a　butcher's　son；　I　believe。　　Did　you　see

how　the　wretch　ate　at　supper？　　To　think　my　daughter　should　have　to

marry　an　archer！〃



〃There　are　archers　and　archers；〃　said　the　old　man。　　〃Some　archers

are　snobs；　as　your　ladyship　states；　some；　on　the　contrary；　are

gentlemen　by　birth；　at　least；　though　not　by　breeding。　　Witness

young　Otto；　the　Landgrave　of　Godesberg's　son；　who　is　listening　at

the　door　like　a　lackey；　and　whom　I　intend　to　run　through　the〃



〃Law；　Baron！〃　said　the　lady。



〃I　will；　though；〃　replied　the　Baron；　drawing　an　immense　sword；　and

glaring　round　at　Otto：　but　though　at　the　sight　of　that　sword　and

that　scowl　a　less　valorous　youth　would　have　taken　to　his　heels；　the

undaunted　Childe　advanced　at　once　into　the　apartment。　　He　wore

round　his　neck　a　relic　of　St。　Buffo　（the　tip　of　the　saint's　ear；

which　had　been　cut　off　at　Constantinople）。　　〃Fiends！　　I　command　you

to　retreat！〃　said　he；　holding　up　this　sacred　charm；　which　his　mamma

had　fastened　on　him；　and　at　the　sight　of　it；　with　an　unearthly　yell

the　ghosts　of　the　Baron　and　the　Baroness　sprung　back　into　their

picture…frames；　as　clowns　go　through　a　clock　in　a　pantomime。



He　rushed　through　the　open　door　by　which　the　unlucky　Wolfgang　had

passed　with　his　demoniacal　bride；　and　went　on　and　on　through　the

vast　gloomy　chambers　lighted　by　the　ghastly　moonshine：　the　noise　of

the　organ　in　the　chapel；　the　lights　in　the　kaleidoscopic　windows；

directed　him　towards　that　edifice。　　He　rushed　to　the　door：　'twas

barred！　　He　knocked：　the　beadles　were　deaf。　　He　applied　his

inestimable　relic　to　the　lock；　andwhiz！　crash！　clang！　bang！

whang！the　gate　flew　open！　the　organ　went　off　in　a　fuguethe

lights　quivered　over　the　tapers；　and　then　went　off　towards　the

ceilingthe　ghosts　assembled　rushed　away　with　a　skurry　and　a

screamthe　bride　howled；　and　vanishedthe　fat　bishop　waddled　back

under　his　brass　platethe　dean　flounced　down　into　his　family

vaultand　the　canon　Schidnischmidt；　who　was　making　a　joke；　as

usual；　on　the　bishop；　was　obliged　to　stop　at　the　very　point　of　his

epigram；　and　to　disappear　into　the　void　whence　he　came。



Otto　fell　fainting　at　the　porch；　while　Wolfgang　tumbled　lifeless

down　at　the　altar…steps；　and　in　this　situation　the　archers；　when

they　arrived；　found　the　two　youths。　　They　were　resuscitated；　as　we

scarce　need　say；　but　when；　in　incoherent　accents；　they　came　to　tell

their　wondrous　tale；　some　sceptics　among　the　archers　said〃Pooh！

they　were　intoxicated！〃　while　others；　nodding　their　older　heads；

exclaimed〃THEY　HAVE　SEEN　THE　LADY　OF　WINDECK！〃　and　recalled　the

stories　of　many　other　young　men；　who；　inveigled　by　her　devilish

arts；　had　not　been　so　lucky　as　Wolfgang；　and　had　disappearedfor

ever！



This　adventure　bound　Wolfgang　heart　and　soul　to　his　gallant

preserver；　and　the　archersit　being　now　morning；　and　the　cocks

crowing　lustily　round　aboutpursued　their　way　without　further

delay　to　the　castle　of　the　noble　patron　of　toxophilites；　the

gallant　Duke　of　Cleves。





CHAPTER　X。



THE　BATTLE　OF　THE　BOWMEN。





Although　there　lay　an　immense　number　of　castles　and　abbeys　between

Windeck　and　Cleves；　for　every　one　of　which　the　guide…books　have　a

legend　and　a　ghost；　who　might；　with　the　commonest　stretch　of

ingenuity；　be　made　to　waylay　our　adventurers　on　the　road；　yet；　as

the　journey　would　be　thus　almost　interminable；　let　us　cut　it　short

by　saying　that　the　travellers　reached　Cleves　without　any　further

accident；　and　found　the　place　thronged　with　visitors　for　the

meeting　n