burlesques-第75章

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and　galloped　back　into　the　forest；　whence　he　had　issued　an　hour

before　sunset。





CHAPTER　XIII。



THE　MARRIAGE。





The　consternation　which　ensued　on　the　death　of　the　Rowski；　speedily

sent　all　his　camp…followers；　army；　&c。　to　the　right…about。　　They

struck　their　tents　at　the　first　news　of　his　discomfiture；　and　each

man　laying　hold　of　what　he　could；　the　whole　of　the　gallant　force

which　had　marched　under　his　banner　in　the　morning　had　disappeared

ere　the　sun　rose。



On　that　night；　as　it　may　be　imagined；　the　gates　of　the　Castle　of

Cleves　were　not　shut。　　Everybody　was　free　to　come　in。　　Wine…butts

were　broached　in　all　the　courts；　the　pickled　meat　prepared　in　such

lots　for　the　siege　was　distributed　among　the　people；　who　crowded　to

congratulate　their　beloved　sovereign　on　his　victory；　and　the

Prince；　as　was　customary　with　that　good　man；　who　never　lost　an

opportunity　of　giving　a　dinner…party；　had　a　splendid　entertainment

made　ready　for　the　upper　classes；　the　whole　concluding　with　a

tasteful　display　of　fireworks。



In　the　midst　of　these　entertainments；　our　old　friend　the　Count　of

Hombourg　arrived　at　the　castle。　　The　stalwart　old　warrior　swore　by

Saint　Bugo　that　he　was　grieved　the　killing　of　the　Rowski　had　been

taken　out　of　his　hand。　　The　laughing　Cleves　vowed　by　Saint　Bendigo；

Hombourg　could　never　have　finished　off　his　enemy　so　satisfactorily

as　the　unknown　knight　had　just　done。



But　who　was　he？　was　the　question　which　now　agitated　the　bosom　of

these　two　old　nobles。　　How　to　find　himhow　to　reward　the　champion

and　restorer　of　the　honor　and　happiness　of　Cleves？　　They　agreed

over　supper　that　he　should　be　sought　for　everywhere。　　Beadles　were

sent　round　the　principal　cities　within　fifty　miles；　and　the

description　of　the　knight　advertised；　in　the　Journal　de　Francfort

and　the　Allgemeine　Zeitung。　　The　hand　of　the　Princess　Helen　was

solemnly　offered　to　him　in　these　advertisements；　with　the　reversion

of　the　Prince　of　Cleves's　splendid　though　somewhat　dilapidated

property。



〃But　we　don't　know　him；　my　dear　papa；〃　faintly　ejaculated　that

young　lady。　　〃Some　impostor　may　come　in　a　suit　of　plain　armor；　and

pretend　that　he　was　the　champion　who　overcame　the　Rowski　（a　prince

who　had　his　faults　certainly；　but　whose　attachment　for　me　I　can

never　forget）；　and　how　are　you　to　say　whether　he　is　the　real　knight

or　not？　　There　are　so　many　deceivers　in　this　world；〃　added　the

Princess；　in　tears；　〃that　one　can't　be　too　cautious　now。〃　　The　fact

is；　that　she　was　thinking　of　the　desertion　of　Otto　in　the　morning；

by　which　instance　of　faithlessness　her　heart　was　wellnigh　broken。



As　for　that　youth　and　his　comrade　Wolfgang；　to　the　astonishment　of

everybody　at　their　impudence；　they　came　to　the　archers'　mess　that

night；　as　if　nothing　had　happened；　got　their　supper；　partaking　both

of　meat　and　drink　most　plentifully；　fell　asleep　when　their　comrades

began　to　describe　the　events　of　the　day；　and　the　admirable

achievements　of　the　unknown　warrior；　and　turning　into　their

hammocks；　did　not　appear　on　parade　in　the　morning　until　twenty

minutes　after　the　names　were　called。



When　the　Prince　of　Cleves　heard　of　the　return　of　these　deserters　he

was　in　a　towering　passion。　　〃Where　were　you；　fellows；〃　shouted　he；

〃during　the　time　my　castle　was　at　its　utmost　need？〃



Otto　replied；　〃We　were　out　on　particular　business。〃



〃Does　a　soldier　leave　his　post　on　the　day　of　battle；　sir？〃

exclaimed　the　Prince。　　〃You　know　the　reward　of　suchDeath！　and

death　you　merit。　　But　you　are　a　soldier　only　of　yesterday；　and

yesterday's　victory　has　made　me　merciful。　　Hanged　you　shall　not　be；

as　you　meritonly　flogged；　both　of　you。　　Parade　the　men；　Colonel

Tickelstern；　after　breakfast；　and　give　these　scoundrels　five

hundred　apiece。〃



You　should　have　seen　how　young　Otto　bounded；　when　this　information

was　thus　abruptly　conveyed　to　him。　　〃Flog　ME！〃　cried　he。　　〃Flog

Otto　of〃



〃Not　so；　my　father；〃　said　the　Princess　Helen；　who　had　been　standing

by　during　the　conversation；　and　who　had　looked　at　Otto　all　the

while　with　the　most　ineffable　scorn。　　〃Not　so：　although　these

PERSONS　have　forgotten　their　duty〃　（she　laid　a　particularly

sarcastic　emphasis　on　the　word　persons）；　〃we　have　had　no　need　of

their　services；　and　have　luckily　found　OTHERS　more　faithful。　　You

promised　your　daughter　a　boon；　papa；　it　is　the　pardon　of　these　two

PERSONS。　　Let　them　go；　and　quit　a　service　they　have　disgraced；　a

mistressthat　is；　a　masterthey　have　deceived。〃



〃Drum　'em　out　of　the　castle；　Ticklestern；　strip　their　uniforms　from

their　backs；　and　never　let　me　hear　of　the　scoundrels　again。〃　　So

saying；　the　old　Prince　angrily　turned　on　his　heel　to　breakfast；

leaving　the　two　young　men　to　the　fun　and　derision　of　their

surrounding　comrades。



The　noble　Count　of　Hombourg；　who　was　taking　his　usual　airing　on　the

ramparts　before　breakfast；　came　up　at　this　juncture；　and　asked　what

was　the　row？　　Otto　blushed　when　he　saw　him　and　turned　away　rapidly；

but　the　Count；　too；　catching　a　glimpse　of　him；　with　a　hundred

exclamations　of　joyful　surprise　seized　upon　the　lad；　hugged　him　to

his　manly　breast；　kissed　him　most　affectionately；　and　almost　burst

into　tears　as　he　embraced　him。　　For；　in　sooth；　the　good　Count　had

thought　his　godson　long　ere　this　at　the　bottom　of　the　silver　Rhine。



The　Prince　of　Cleves；　who　had　come　to　the　breakfast…parlor　window；

（to　invite　his　guest　to　enter；　as　the　tea　was　made；）　beheld　this

strange　scene　from　the　window；　as　did　the　lovely　tea…maker

likewise；　with　breathless　and　beautiful　agitation。　　The　old　Count

and　the　archer　strolled　up　and　down　the　battlements　in　deep

conversation。　　By　the　gestures　of　surprise　and　delight　exhibited　by

the　former；　'twas　easy　to　see　the　young　archer　was　conveying　some

very　strange　and　pleasing　news　to　him；　though　the　nature　of　the

conversation　was　not　allowed　to　transpire。



〃A　godson　of　mine；〃　said　the　noble　Count；　when　interrogated　over

his　muffins。　　〃I　know　his　family；　worthy　people；　sad　scapegrace；

ran　away；　parents　longing　for　him；　glad　you　did　not　flog　him；　devil

to　pay；〃　and　so　forth。　　The　Count　was　a　man　of　few　words；　and　told

his　tale　in　this　brief；　artless　manner。　　But　why；　at　its

conclusion；　did　the　gentle　Helen　leave　the　room；　her　eyes　filled

with　tears？　　She　left　the　room　once　more　to　kiss　a　certain　lock　of

yellow　hair　she　had　pilfered。　　A　dazzling；　delicious　thought；　a

strange　wild　hope；　arose　in　her　soul！



When　she　appeared　again；　she　made　some　side…handed　inquiries

regarding　Otto　（with　that　gentle　artifice　oft　employed　by　women）；

but　he　was　gone。　　He　and　his　companion　were　gone。　　The　Count　of

Hombourg　had　likewise　taken　his　departure；　under　pretext　of

particular　business。　　How　lonely　the　vast　castle　seemed　to　Helen；

now　that　HE　was　no　longer　there。　　The　transactions　of　the　last　few

days；　the　beautiful　archer…boy；　the　offer　from　the　Rowski　（always

an　event　in　a　young　lady's　life）；　the　siege　of　the　castle；　the

death　of　her　truculent　admirer：　all　seemed　like　a　fevered　dream　to

her：　all　was　passed　away；　and　had　left　no　trace　behind。　　No　trace？

yes！　one：　a　little　insignificant　lock　of　golden　hair；　over　which

the　young　creature　wept　so　much　that　she　put　it　out　of　curl；

passing　hours　and　hours　in　the　summer…house；　where　the　operation

had　been　performed。



On　the　second　day　（it　is　my　belief　she　would　have　gone　into　a

consumption　and　died　of　languor；　if　the　event　had　been　delayed　a

day　longer；）　a　messenger；　with　a　trumpet；　brought　a　letter　in　haste

to　the　Prince　of　Cleves；　who　was；　as　usual；　taking　refreshment。

〃To　the　High　and　Mighty　Prince；〃　&c。　the　letter　ran。　　〃The　Champion

who　had　the　honor　of　engaging　on　Wednesday　last　with　his　late

Excellency　the　Rowski　of　Donnerblitz；　presents　his　compliments　to

H。　S。　H。　the　Prince　of　Cleves。　　Through　the　medium　of　the　public

prints　the　C。　has　been　made　acquainted　with　the　flattering　proposal

of　His　Serene　Highness　relative　to　a　union　between　himself　（th