burlesques-第71章

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of　her　secret　heart　was　likely　to　be　overcome；　and　as　Squintoff；

pocketing　the　Rowski's　money；　turned　to　the　noble　boy　of　Godesberg。



〃Has　anybody　got　a　pea？〃　asked　the　lad。　　Everybody　laughed　at　his

droll　request；　and　an　old　woman；　who　was　selling　porridge　in　the

crowd；　handed　him　the　vegetable　which　he　demanded。　　It　was　a　dry

and　yellow　pea。　　Otto；　stepping　up　to　the　target；　caused　Squintoff

to　extract　his　arrow　from　the　bull's…eye；　and　placed　in　the　orifice

made　by　the　steel　point　of　the　shaft；　the　pea　which　he　had　received

from　the　old　woman。　　He　then　came　back　to　his　place。　　As　he

prepared　to　shoot；　Helen　was　so　overcome　by　emotion；　that　'twas

thought　she　would　have　fainted。　　Never；　never　had　she　seen　a　being

so　beautiful　as　the　young　hero　now　before　her。



He　looked　almost　divine。　　He　flung　back　his　long　clusters　of　hair

from　his　bright　eyes　and　tall　forehead；　the　blush　of　health　mantled

on　his　cheek；　from　which　the　barber's　weapon　had　never　shorn　the

down。　　He　took　his　bow；　and　one　of　his　most　elegant　arrows；　and

poising　himself　lightly　on　his　right　leg；　he　flung　himself　forward；

raising　his　left　leg　on　a　level　with　his　ear。　　He　looked　like

Apollo；　as　he　stood　balancing　himself　there。　　He　discharged　his

dart　from　the　thrumming　bowstring：　it　clove　the　blue　airwhiz！



〃HE　HAS　SPLIT　THE　PEA！〃　said　the　Princess；　and　fainted。　　The

Rowski；　with　one　eye；　hurled　an　indignant　look　at　the　boy；　while

with　the　other　he　levelled　（if　aught　so　crooked　can　be　said　to

level　anything）　a　furious　glance　at　his　archer。



The　archer　swore　a　sulky　oath。　　〃He　is　the　better　man！〃　said　he。

〃I　suppose；　young　chap；　you　take　the　gold　chain？〃



〃The　gold　chain？〃　said　Otto。　　〃Prefer　a　gold　chain　to　a　cap　worked

by　that　august　hand？　　Never！〃　　And　advancing　to　the　balcony　where

the　Princess；　who　now　came　to　herself；　was　sitting；　he　kneeled　down

before　her；　and　received　the　velvet　cap；　which；　blushing　as　scarlet

as　the　cap　itself；　the　Princess　Helen　placed　on　his　golden

ringlets。　　Once　more　their　eyes　mettheir　hearts　thrilled。　　They

had　never　spoken；　but　they　knew　they　loved　each　other　for　ever。



〃Wilt　thou　take　service　with　the　Rowski　of　Donnerblitz？〃　said　that

individual　to　the　youth。　　〃Thou　shalt　be　captain　of　my　archers　in

place　of　yon　blundering　nincompoop；　whom　thou　hast　overcome。〃



〃Yon　blundering　nincompoop　is　a　skilful　and　gallant　archer；〃

replied　Otto；　haughtily；　〃and　I　will　NOT　take　service　with　the

Rowski　of　Donnerblitz。〃



〃Wilt　thou　enter　the　household　of　the　Prince　of　Cleves？〃　said　the

father　of　Helen；　laughing；　and　not　a　little　amused　at　the

haughtiness　of　the　humble　archer。



〃I　would　die　for　the　Duke　of　Cleves　and　HIS　FAMILY；〃　said　Otto；

bowing　low。　　He　laid　a　particular　and　a　tender　emphasis　on　the　word

family。　　Helen　knew　what　he　meant。　　SHE　was　the　family。　　In　fact

her　mother　was　no　more；　and　her　papa　had　no　other　offspring。



〃What　is　thy　name；　good　fellow；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃that　my　steward

may　enroll　thee？〃



〃Sir；〃　said　Otto；　again　blushing；　〃I　am　OTTO　THE　ARCHER。〃





CHAPTER　XI。



THE　MARTYR　OF　LOVE。





The　archers　who　had　travelled　in　company　with　young　Otto　gave　a

handsome　dinner　in　compliment　to　the　success　of　our　hero；　at　which

his　friend　distinguished　himself　as　usual　in　the　eating　and

drinking　department。　　Squintoff；　the　Rowski　bowman；　declined　to

attend；　so　great　was　the　envy　of　the　brute　at　the　youthful　hero's

superiority。　　As　for　Otto　himself；　he　sat　on　the　right　hand　of　the

chairman；　but　it　was　remarked　that　he　could　not　eat。　　Gentle　reader

of　my　page！　thou　knowest　why　full　well。　　He　was　too　much　in　love　to

have　any　appetite；　for　though　I　myself　when　laboring　under　that

passion；　never　found　my　consumption　of　victuals　diminish；　yet

remember　our　Otto　was　a　hero　of　romance；　and　they　NEVER　are　hungry

when　they're　in　love。



The　next　day；　the　young　gentleman　proceeded　to　enroll　himself　in

the　corps　of　Archers　of　the　Prince　of　Cleves；　and　with　him　came　his

attached　squire；　who　vowed　he　never　would　leave　him。　　As　Otto　threw

aside　his　own　elegant　dress；　and　donned　the　livery　of　the　House　of

Cleves；　the　noble　Childe　sighed　not　a　little。　　'Twas　a　splendid

uniform　'tis　true；　but　still　it　WAS　a　livery；　and　one　of　his　proud

spirit　ill　bears　another's　cognizances。　　〃They　are　the　colors　of

the　Princess；　however；〃　said　he；　consoling　himself；　〃and　what

suffering　would　I　not　undergo　for　HER？〃　　As　for　Wolfgang；　the

squire；　it　may　well　be　supposed　that　the　good…natured；　low…born

fellow　had　no　such　scruples；　but　he　was　glad　enough　to　exchange　for

the　pink　hose；　the　yellow　jacket；　the　pea…green　cloak；　and　orange…

tawny　hat；　with　which　the　Duke's　steward　supplied　him；　the　homely

patched　doublet　of　green　which　he　had　worn　for　years　past。



〃Look　at　you　two　archers；〃　said　the　Prince　of　Cleves　to　his　guest；

the　Rowski　of　Donnerblitz；　as　they　were　strolling　on　the

battlements　after　dinner；　smoking　their　cigars　as　usual。　　His

Highness　pointed　to　our　two　young　friends；　who　were　mounting　guard

for　the　first　time。　　〃See　yon　two　bowmenmark　their　bearing！　　One

is　the　youth　who　beat　thy　Squintoff；　and　t'other；　an　I　mistake　not；

won　the　third　prize　at　the　butts。　　Both　wear　the　same　uniformthe

colors　of　my　houseyet　wouldst　not　swear　that　the　one　was　but　a

churl；　and　the　other　a　noble　gentleman？〃



〃Which　looks　like　the　nobleman？〃　said　the　Rowski；　as　black　as

thunder。



〃WHICH？　why；　young　Otto；　to　be　sure；〃　said　the　Princess　Helen；

eagerly。　　The　young　lady　was　following　the　pair；　but　under　pretence

of　disliking　the　odor　of　the　cigar；　she　had　refused　the　Rowski's

proffered　arm；　and　was　loitering　behind　with　her　parasol。



Her　interposition　in　favor　of　her　young　protege　only　made　the　black

and　jealous　Rowski　more　ill…humored。　　〃How　long　is　it；　Sir　Prince

of　Cleves；〃　said　he；　〃that　the　churls　who　wear　your　livery　permit

themselves　to　wear　the　ornaments　of　noble　knights？　　Who　but　a　noble

dare　wear　ringlets　such　as　yon　springald's？　　Ho；　archer！〃　roared

he；　〃come；　hither；　fellow。〃　　And　Otto　stood　before　him。　　As　he

came；　and　presenting　arms　stood　respectfully　before　the　Prince　and

his　savage　guest；　he　looked　for　one　moment　at　the　lovely　Helen

their　eyes　met；　their　hearts　beat　simultaneously：　and；　quick；　two

little　blushes　appeared　in　the　cheek　of　either。　　I　have　seen　one

ship　at　sea　answering　another's　signal　so。



While　they　are　so　regarding　each　other；　let　us　just　remind　our

readers　of　the　great　estimation　in　which　the　hair　was　held　in　the

North。　　Only　nobles　were　permitted　to　wear　it　long。　　When　a　man

disgraced　himself；　a　shaving　was　sure　to　follow。　　Penalties　were

inflicted　upon　villains　or　vassals　who　sported　ringlets。　　See　the

works　of　Aurelius　Tonsor；　Hirsutus　de　Nobilitate　Capillari；

Rolandus　de　Oleo　Macassari；　Schnurrbart；　Fresirische　Alterthumskunde；

&c。



〃We　must　have　those　ringlets　of　thine　cut；　good　fellow；〃　said　the

Duke　of　Cleves　good…naturedly；　but　wishing　to　spare　the　feelings　of

his　gallant　recruit。　　〃'Tis　against　the　regulation　cut　of　my　archer

guard。〃



〃Cut　off　my　hair！〃　cried　Otto；　agonized。



〃Ay；　and　thine　ears　with　it；　yokel；〃　roared　Donnerblitz。



〃Peace；　noble　Eulenschreckenstein；〃　said　the　Duke　with　dignity：

〃let　the　Duke　of　Cleves　deal　as　he　will　with　his　own　men…at…arms。

And　you；　young　sir；　unloose　the　grip　of　thy　dagger。〃



Otto；　indeed；　had　convulsively　grasped　his　snickersnee；　with　intent

to　plunge　it　into　the　heart　of　the　Rowski；　but　his　politer　feelings

overcame　him。　　〃The　count　need　not　fear；　my　lord；〃　said　he：　〃a　lady

is　present。〃　　And　he　took　off　his　orange…tawny　cap　and　bowed　low。

Ah！　what　a　pang　shot　through　the　heart　of　Helen；　as　she　thought

that　those　lovely　ringlets　must　be　shorn　from　that　beautiful　head！



Otto's　mind　was；　too；　in　commotion。　　His　feelings　as　a　gentleman

let　us　add；　his　pride　as　a　manfor　who　is　not；　let　us　ask；　proud

of　a　good　head　of　hair？waged　war　within　his　soul。　　He