the two captains-第12章

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name。〃　　〃Retire　I　will　not；〃　replied　the　stranger；　〃but　my　name　I
will　gladly　tell　you。　　I　am　the　Duke　of　Alba。〃　　And　as　he　spoke；　by　a
movement　of　his　charger　a　bright　moonbeam　fell　upon　his　pale　thin
face；　the　dwelling…place　of　all　that　was　grand　and　worthy　and
terrible。　　The　two　captains　bowed　low　and　dropped　their　weapons。

〃I　ought　to　know　you；〃　continued　Alba；　looking　at　them　with　his
sparkling　eyes。　　〃Yes；　truly；　I　know　you　well；　you　are　the　two　young
heroes　at　the　battle　of　Tunis。　　God　be　praised　that　two　such　brave
warriors；　whom　I　had　given　up　for　lost；　are　still　alive；　but　tell　me；
what　is　this　affair　of　honor　that　has　turned　your　good　swords　against
each　other？　　For　I　hope　you　will　not　hesitate　to　declare　to　me　the
cause　of　your　knightly　contest。〃

They　complied　with　the　great　duke's　behest。　　Both　the　noble　youths
related　the　whole　circumstances；　from　the　evening　previous　to　their
embarkation　up　to　the　present　moment；　while　Alba　remained　between
them；　in　silent　thought；　almost　motionless；　like　some　equestrian
statue。




CHAPTER　XIX。



The　Captains　had　already　long　finished　their　story；　and　the　duke
still　remained　silent　and　motionless；　in　deep　reflection。　　At　last　he
began　to　speak；　and　addressed　them　as　follows：

〃May　God　and　his　holy　word　help　me；　my　young　knights；　when　I　say　that
I　consider；　after　my　best　and　most　conscientious　belief；　that　this
affair　of　yours　is　now　honorably　at　an　end。　　Twice　have　you　met　each
other　in　contest　on　account　of　those　irritating　words　which　escaped
the　lips　of　Don　Fadrique　Mendez　and　if　indeed　the　slight　wounds　you
have　hitherto　received　are　not　sufficient　compensation　for　the　angry
expression；　there　is　still　your　common　fight　before　Tunis；　and　the
rescue　in　the　desert　afforded　by　Sir　Heimbert　of　Waldhausen　to　Don
Fadrique　Mendez；　after　he　had　gained　his　bride　for　him。　　From　all
this；　I　consider　that　the　Knight　of　Waldhausen　is　entitled　to　pardon
any　offence　of　an　adversary　to　whom　he　has　shown　himself　so　well
inclined。　　Old　Roman　history　tells　us　of　two　captains　of　the　great
Julius　Caesar　who　settled　a　dispute　and　cemented　a　hearty　friendship
with　each　other　when　engaged　in　the　same　bold　fight；　delivering　each
other　in　the　midst　of　a　Gallic　army。　　I　affirm；　however；　that　you　two
have　done　more　for　each　other：　and　therefore　I　declare　your　affair　of
honor　to　be　settled；　and　at　an　end。　　Sheathe　your　swords；　and　embrace
each　other　in　my　presence。〃

Obedient　to　the　command　of　their　general；　the　young　knights　for　the
present　sheathed　their　weapons；　but　anxious　lest　the　slightest
possible　shadow　should　fall　on　their　honor　they　yet　delayed　the
reconciling　embrace。

The　great　Alba　looked　at　them　with　somewhat　of　an　indignant　air；　and
said；　〃Do　you　then　suppose；　young　knights；　that　I　could　wish　to　save
the　lives　of　two　heroes　at　the　expense　of　their　honor？　　I　would
rather　at　once　have　struck　you　dead；　both　of　you　at　once。　　But　I　see
plainly　that　with　such　obstinate　minds　one　must　have　recourse　to
other　measures。〃

And；　dismounting　from　his　horse；　he　fastened　it　to　a　tree；　and　then
stepped　forward　between　the　two　captains　with　a　drawn　sword　in　his
right　hand；　crying　out；　〃Whoever　will　deny　in　any　wise　that　the
quarrel　between　Sir　Heimbert　of　Waldhausen　and　Don　Fadrique　Mendez　is
honorably　and　gloriously　settled　must　settle　the　matter　at　the　peril
of　his　life　with　the　Duke　of　Alba；　and　should　the　present　knights
have　any　objection　to　raise　to　this；　let　them　declare　it。　　I　stand
here　as　champion　for　my　own　conviction。〃

The　youths　bowed　submissively　before　the　great　umpire；　and　fell　into
each　other's　arms。　　The　duke；　however；　embraced　them　both　with　hearty
affection；　which　appeared　all　the　more　charming　and　refreshing　as　it
rarely　burst　forth　from　this　stern　character。　　Then　he　led　the
reconciled　friends　back　to　their　betrothed；　and　when　these；　after　the
first　joyful　surprise　was　over　at　the　presence　of　the　honored
general；　started　back　at　seeing　drops　of　blood　on　the　garments　of　the
youths；　the　duke　said；　smiling；　〃Oh；　ye　brides　elect　of　soldiers；　you
must　not　shrink　from　such　jewels　of　honor。　　Your　lovers　could　bring
you　no　fairer　wedding　gift。〃

The　great　Alba　was　not　not　be　deprived　of　the　pleasure　of　enacting
the　office　of　father　to　the　two　happy　brides；　and　the　festival　of
their　union　was　fixed　for　the　following　day。　　From　that　time　forth
they　lived　in　undisturbed　and　joyful　concord；　and　though　the　Knight
Heimbert　was　recalled　soon　afterward　with　his　lovely　consort　to　the
bosom　of　his　German　Fatherland；　he　and　Fadrique　kept　up　the　link
between　them　by　letters　and　messages；　and　even　in　after　times　the
descendants　of　the　lord　of　Waldhausen　boasted　of　their　connection
with　the　noble　house　of　Mendez；　while　the　latter　have　ever　sacredly
preserved　the　tradition　of　the　brave　and　magnanimous　Heimbert。







End