appendix-1-第5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！


niggardly　as　that　of　their　churlish　kinsman　at　Gay　Bowers；　who　sent　his
father's　jester　to　the　hospital；　sold　the　poor　sot's　bells　for　hawk…jesses；　and
made　a　nightcap　of　his　long…eared　bonnet。　And；　sirrah；　let　me　see　thee
fool　handsomely…speak　squibs　and　crackers　instead　of　that　dry；　barren；
musty；　gibing　which　thou　hast　used　of　late；　or；　by　the　bones！　the　porter
shall　have　thee　to　his　lodge；　and　cob　thee　with　thine　own　wooden　sword；
till　thy　skin　is　as　motley　as　thy　doublet。''

　　To　this　stern　injunction　Gregory　made　no　reply；　any　more　than　to　the
courteous　offer　of　old　Albert　Drawslot；　the　chief　park…keeper；　who　proposed
to　blow　vinegar　in　his　nose　to　sharpen　his　wit；　as　he　had　done　that　blessed
morning　to　Bragger；　the　old　hound；　whose　scent　was　failing。　There　was
indeed　little　time　for　reply；　for　the　bugles；　after　a　lively　flourish；　were　now
silent；　and　Peretto；　with　his　two　attendant　minstrels；　stepping　beneath　the
windows　of　the　strangers'　apartments；　joined　in　the　following　roundelay；
the　deep　voices　of　the　rangers　and　falconers　making　up　a　chorus　that
caused　the　very　battlements　to　ring　again。

Waken；　lords　and　ladies　gay！
On　the　mountain　dawns　the　day；
All　the　jolly　chase　is　here；
With　hawk　and　horse；　and　hunting　spear；
Rounds　are　in　their　couples　yelling；
Hawks　are　whistling；　horns　are　knelling；
Merrily；　Merrily；　mingle　they；
‘‘Waken；　lords　and　ladies　gay！''

Waken；　lords　and　ladies　gay！
The　mist　has　left　the　mountain　grey：
Springlets　in　the　dawn　are　streaming；
Diamonds　on　the　brake　are　gleaming；
And　foresters　have　busy　been
To　track　the　buck　in　thicket　green；
Now　we　come　to　chant　our　lay；
‘‘Waken；　lords　and　ladies　gay！''

Waken；　lords　and　ladies　gay！
To　the　green…wood　haste　away
We　can　show　you　where　he　lies；
Fleet　of　foot；　and　tall　of　size；
We　can　show　the　marks　he　made；
When　'gainst　the　oak　his　antlers　frayed；
You　shall　see　him　brought　to　bay；
‘‘Waken；　lords　and　ladies　gay！''

Louder；　louder；　chant　the　lay；
Waken；　lords　and　ladies　gay！
Tell　them；　youth；　and　mirth；　and　glee；
Run　a　course　as　well　as　we；
Time；　stern　huntsman！　who　can　baulk；
Staunch　as　hound；　and　fleet　as　hawk？
Think　of　this；　and　rise　with　day；
Gentle　lords　and　ladies　gay！


　　By　the　time　this　lay　was　finished；　Lord　Boteler；　with　his　daughter　and
kinsman；　Fitzallen　of　Marden；　and　other　noble　guests；　had　mounted　their
palfreys；　and　the　hunt　set　forward　in　due　order。　The　huntsman；　having
carefully　observed　the　traces　of　a　large　stag　on　the　preceding　evening；　were
able；　without　loss　of　time；　to　conduct　the　company；　by　the　marks　which
they　had　made　upon　the　trees；　to　the　side　of　the　thicket　in　which；　by　the
report　of　Drawslot；　he　had　harboured　all　night。　The　horsemen；　spreading
themselves　along　the　side　of　the　cover；　waited　until　the　keeper　entered；
leading　his　ban…dog；　a　large　blood…hound；　tied　in　a　leam　or　band；　from
which　he　takes　his　name。

　　But　it　befell　thus。　A　hart　of　the　second　year；　which　was　in　the　same
cover　with　the　proper　object　of　their　pursuit；　chanced　to　be　unharboured
first；　and　broke　cover　very　near　where　the　Lady　Emma　and　her　brother
were　stationed。　An　inexperienced　varlet；　who　was　nearer　to　them；
instantly　unloosed　two　tall　greyhounds；　who　sprung　after　the　fugitive　with
all　the　fleetness　of　the　north　wind。　Gregory；　restored　a　little　to　spirits　by
the　enlivening　scene　around　him；　followed；　encouraging　the　hounds　with　a
loud　tayout；　for　which　he　had　the　hearty　curses　of　the　huntsman；　as　well

*　_Tailliers…hors；_　in　modern　phrase；　Tally…ho！

as　of　the　Baron；　who　entered　into　the　spirit　of　the　chase　with　all　the
juvenile　ardour　of　twenty。　‘‘May　the　fould　fiend；　booted　and　spurred；　ride
down　his　bawling　throat；　with　a　scythe　at　his　girdle！''　quoth　Albert
Drawslot；　‘‘here　have　I　been　telling　him；　that　all　the　marks　were　those
of　a　buck　of　the　first　head；　and　he　has　halloed　the　hounds　upon　a　velvet…headed
knobbler！　By　Saint　Hubert；　if　I　break　not　his　pate　with　my
cross…bow；　may　I　never　cast　off　hound　more！　But；　to　it；　my　lords　and
masters！　the　noble　beast　is　here　yet；　and；　thank　the　saints；　we　have
enough　of　hounds。''

　　The　cover　being　now　thoroughly　beat　by　the　attendants；　the　stag　was
compelled　to　abandon　it；　and　trust　to　his　speed　for　his　safety。　Three
greyhounds　were　slipped　upon　him；　whom　he　threw　out；　after　running　a
couple　of　miles；　by　entering　an　extensive　furzy　brake；　which　extended
along　the　side　of　a　hill。　The　horsemen　soon　came　up；　and　casting　off　a
sufficient　number　of　slow…hounds；　sent　them　with　the　prickers　into　the
cover；　in　order　to　drive　the　game　from　his　strength。　This　object　being
accomplished；　afforded　another　severe　chase　of　several　miles；　in　a　direction
almost　circular；　during　which　the　poor　animal　tried　every　wile　to　get　rid
of　his　persecutors。　He　crossed　and　traversed　all　such　dusty　paths　as　were
likely　to　retain　the　least　scent　of　his　footsteps；　he　laid　himself　close　to
the　ground；　drawing　his　feet　under　his　belly；　and　clapping　his　nose　close
to　the　earth；　lest　he　should　be　betrayed　to　the　hounds　by　his　breath
and　hoofs。　When　all　was　in　vain；　and　he　found　the　hounds　coming　fast
in　upon　him；　his　own　strength　failing；　his　mouth　embossed　with　foam；
and　the　tears　dropping　from　his　eyes；　he　turned　in　despair　upon　his
pursuers；　who　then　stood　at　gaze；　making　an　hideous　clamour；　and
awaiting　their　two…footed　auxiliaries。　Of　these；　it　chanced　that　the　Lady
Eleanor；　taking　more　pleasure　in　the　sport　than　Matilda；　and　being　a　less
burden　to　her　palfrey　than　the　Lord　Boteler；　was　the　first　who　arrived　at
spot；　and　taking　a　cross…bow　from　an　attendant；　discharged　a　bolt　at　the
stag。　When　the　infuriated　animal　felt　himself　wounded；　he　pushed　franticly
towards　her　from　whom　he　had　received　the　shaft；　and　Lady　Eleanor　might
have　had　occasion　to　repent　of　her　enterprise；　had　not　young　Fitzallen；
who　had　kept　near　her　during　the　whole　day；　at　that　instant　galloped
briskly　in；　and　ere　the　stag　could　change　his　object　of　assault；　dispatched
him　with　his　short　hunting　sword。

　　Albert　Drawslot；　who　had　just　come　up　in　terror　for　the　young　lady's
safety；　broke　out　into　loud　encomiums　upon　Fitzallen's　strength　and
gallantry。　‘‘By'r　Lady；''　said　he；　taking　off　his　cap；　and　wiping　his　sunburnt
face　with　his　sleeve；　‘‘well　struck；　and　in　good　time！…But　now；
boys；　doff　your　bonnets；　and　sound　the　mort。''

　　The　sportsmen　then　sounded　a　treble　mort；　and　set　up　a　general　whoop；
which；　mingled　with　the　yelping　of　the　dogs；　made　the　welkin　ring　again。
The　huntsman　then　offered　his　knife　to　Lord　Boteler；　that　he　might　take
the　say　of　the　deer；　but　the　Baron　courteously　insisted　upon　Fitzallen
going　through　that　ceremony。　The　Lady　Matilda　was　now　come　up；　with
most　of　the　attendants；　and　the　interest　of　the　chase　being　ended；　it
excited　some　surprise；　that　neither　St。　Clere　nor　his　sister　made　their
appearance。　The　Lord　Boteler　commanded　the　horns　again　to　sound　the
recheat；　in　hopes　to　call　in　the　stragglers；　and　said　to　Fitzallen；　‘‘Methinks
St。　Clere；　so　distinguished　for　service　in　war；　should　have　been　more
forward　in　the　chase。''

　　‘‘I　trow；''　said　Peter　Lanaret；　‘‘I　know　the　reason　of　the　noble　lord's
absence；　for　when　that　mooncalf；　Gregory；　hallooed　the　dogs　upon　the
knobbler；　and　galloped　like　a　green　hilding；　as　he　is；　after　them；　I　saw　the
Lady　Emma's　palfrey　follow　apace　after　that　varlet；　who　should　be　trashed
for　over…running；　and　I　think　her　noble　brother　has　followed　her；　lest　she
should　come　to　harm…But　here；　by　the　rood；　is　Gregory；　to　answer　for
himself。　''

　　At　this　moment　Gregory　entered　the　circle　which　had　been　formed　round
the　deer；　out　of　breath；　and　his　face　covered　with　blood。　He　kept　for
some　time　uttering　inarticulate　cries　of　‘‘Harrow！''　and　‘‘Well…away！''
and　other　exclamations　of　distress　and　terror；　pointing　all　the　while　to　a
thicket　at　some　distance　from　the　spot　where　the　deer　had　been　killed。

　　‘‘By　my　honour；''　said　the　Baron；　‘‘I　would　gladly　know　who　has　dared
to　array　the　poor　knave　thus；　and　I　trust　he　should　dearly　abye　his　outrecuidance；
were　he　the　best；　save　one；　in　England。''

　　Gregory；　who　had　now　found　more　breath；　cri