appendix-1-第7章

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his　armour；　at　the　sight　of　whom　the　Lady　Emma　changed　colour；　and　exclaiming；
‘‘It　is　the　same！''　sunk　senseless　into　the　arms　of　Matilda。

　　‘‘She　is　bewildered　by　the　terrors　of　the　day；''　said　Eleanor；　‘‘and　we
have　done　ill　in　obliging　her　to　descend。''

　　‘‘And　I；''　said　Fitzosborne；　‘‘have　done　madly　in　presenting　before　her
one；　whose　presence　must　recall　moments　the　most　alarming　in　her　life。''

　　While　the　ladies　supported　Emma　from　the　hall；　Lord　Boteler　and　St。
Clere　requested　an　explanation　from　Fitzosborne　of　the　words　he　had　used。

　　‘‘Trust　me；　gentle　lords；''　said　the　Baron　of　Diggswell；　‘‘ye　shall　have
what　ye　demand；　when　I　learn　that　Lady　Emma　Darcy　has　not　suffered
from　my　imprudence。''

　　At　this　moment　Lady　Matilda　returning；　said　that　her　fair　friend；　on
her　recovery；　had　calmly　and　deliberately　insisted　that　she　had　seen　Fitzosborne
before；　in　the　most　dangerous　crisis　of　her　life。

　　‘‘I　dread；''　said　she；　‘‘her　disordered　mind　connects　all　that　her　eye
beholds　with　the　terrible　passages　that　she　has　witnessed。''

　　‘‘Nay；''　said　Fitzosborne；　‘‘if　noble　St。　Clere　can　pardon　the　unauthorised
interest　which；　with　the　purest　and　most　honourable　intentions；　I　have
taken　in　his　sister's　fate；　it　is　easy　for　me　to　explain　this　mysterious　impression。''

　　He　proceeded　to　say；　that；　happening　to　be　in　the　hostelry　called　the
Griffin；　near　Baddow；　while　upon　a　journey　in　that　country；　he　had　met
with　the　old　nurse　of　the　Lady　Emma　Darcy；　who；　being　just　expelled　from
Gay　Bowers；　was　in　the　height　of　her　grief　and　indignation；　and　made　loud
and　public　proclamation　of　Lady　Emma's　wrongs。　From　the　description
she　gave　of　the　beauty　of　her　foster…child；　as　well　as　from　the　spirit　of
chivalry；　Fitzosborne　became　interested　in　her　fate。　This　interest　was
deeply　enhanced；　when；　by　a　bribe　to　old　Gaunt　the　Reve；　he　procured　a
view　of　the　Lady　Emma　as　she　walked　near　the　castle　of　Gay　Bowers。　The
aged　churl　refused　to　give　him　access　to　the　castle；　yet　dropped　some
hints；　as　if　he　thought　the　lady　in　danger；　and　wished　she　were　well　out
of　it。　His　master；　he　said；　had　heard　she　had　a　brother　in　life；　and　since
that　deprived　him　of　all　chance　of　gaining　her　domains　by　purchase；　he
　in　short；　Gaunt　wished　they　were　safely　separated。　‘‘If　any　injury；''
quoth　he；　‘‘should　happen　to　the　damsel　here；　it　were　ill　for　us　all。　I　tried；
by　an　innocent　stratagem；　to　frighten　her　from　the　castle；　by　introducing
a　figure　through　a　trap…door；　and　warning　her；　as　if　by　a　voice　from　the
dead；　to　retreat　from　thence；　but　the　giglet　is　wilful；　and　is　running　upon
her　fate。''

　　Finding　Gaunt；　although　covetous　and　communicative；　too　faithful　a
servant　to　his　wicked　master　to　take　any　active　steps　against　his　commands；
Fitzosborne　applied　himself　to　old　Ursely；　whom　he　found　more　tractable。
Through　her　he　learned　the　dreadful　plot　Gaston　had　laid　to　rid　himself　of　his
kinswoman；　and　resolved　to　effect　her　deliverance。　But　aware　of　the　delicacy
of　Emma's　situation；　he　charged　Ursely　to　conceal　from　her　the　interest　he
took　in　her　distress；　resolving　to　watch　over　her　in　disguise　until　he　saw
her　in　a　place　of　safety。　Hence　the　appearance　he　made　before　her　in
various　dresses　during　her　journey；　in　the　course　of　which　he　was　never　far
distant；　and　he　had　always　four　stout　yeomen　within　hearing　of　his　bugle；
had　assistance　been　necessary。　When　she　was　placed　in　safety　at　the
lodge；　it　was　Fitzosborne's　intention　to　have　prevailed　upon　his　sisters　to
visit；　and　take　her　under　their　protection；　but　he　found　them　absent　from
Diggswell；　having　gone　to　attend　an　aged　relation　who　lay　dangerously　ill
in　a　distant　county。　They　did　not　return　until　the　day　before　the　May…games；
and　the　other　events　followed　too　rapidly　to　permit　Fitzosborne　to
lay　any　plan　for　introducing　them　to　Lady　Emma　Darcy。　On　the　day　of
the　chase　he　resolved　to　preserve　his　romantic　disguise；　and　attend　the
Lady　Emma　as　a　forester；　partly　to　have　the　pleasure　of　being　near　her；
and　partly　to　judge　whether；　according　to　an　idle　report　in　the　country；
she　favoured　his　friend　and　comrade　Fitzallen　of　Marden。　This　last　motive；
it　may　easily　be　believed；　he　did　not　declare　to　the　company。　After　the
skirmish　with　the　ruffians；　he　waited　till　the　Baron　and　the　hunters　arrived；
and　then；　still　doubting　the　farther　designs　of　Gaston；　hastened　to　his　castle；
to　arm　the　band　which　had　escorted　them　to　Queenhoo…Hall。

　　Fitzosborne's　story　being　finished；　he　received　the　thanks　of　all　the　company；
particularly　of　St。　Clere；　who　felt　deeply　the　respectful　delicacy　with
which　he　had　conducted　himself　towards　his　sister。　The　lady　was　carefully
informed　of　her　obligations　to　him；　and　it　is　left　to　the　well…judging　reader；
whether　even　the　raillery　of　Lady　Eleanor　made　her　regret　that　Heaven　had
only　employed　natural　means　for　her　security；　and　that　the　guardian　angel
was　converted　into　a　handsome；　gallant；　and　enamoured　knight。

　　The　joy　of　the　company　in　the　hall　extended　itself　to　the　buttery；　where
Gregory　the　jester　narrated　such　feats　of　arms　done　by　himself　in　the　fray
of　the　morning　as　might　have　shamed　Bevis　and　Guy　of　Warwick。　He
was；　according　to　his　narrative；　singled　out　for　destruction　by　the　gigantic
Baron　himself；　while　he　abandoned　to　meaner　hands　the　destruction　of　St。
Clere　and　Fitzosborne。

　　‘‘But　certes；''　said　he；　‘‘the　foul　paynim　met　his　match；　for；　ever　as　he
foined　at　me　with　his　brand；　I　parried　his　blows　with　my　bauble；　and　closing
with　him　upon　the　third　veny；　threw　him　to　the　ground；　and　made　him
cry　recreant　to　an　unarmed　man。''

　　‘‘Tush；　man。''　said　Drawslot；　‘‘thou　forgettest　thy　best　auxiliaries；　the
good　greyhounds；　Help　and　Holdfast！　I　warrant　thee；　that　when　the
humpbacked　Baron　caught　thee　by　the　cowl；　which　he　hath　almost　torn
of；　thou　hadst　been　in　a　fair　plight　had　they　not　remembered　an　old　friend；
and　come　in　to　the　rescue。　Why；　man；　I　found　them　fastened　on　him
myself；　and　there　was　odd　staying　and　suckling　to　make　them　‘ware
haunch！'　Their　mouths　were　full　of　the　flex；　for　I　pulled　a　piece　of　the
garment　from　their　jaws。　I　warrant　thee；　that　when　they　brought　him　to
the　ground；　thou　fled'st　like　a　frighted　pricket。''

　　‘‘And　as　for　Gregory's　gigantic　paynim；''　said　Fabian；　‘‘why；　he　lies
yonder　in　the　guard…room；　the　very　size；　shape；　and　colour　of　a　spider　in　a
yew…hedge。''

　　‘‘It　is　false；''　said　Gregory；　‘‘Colbrand　the　Dane　was　a　dwarf　to　him。''

　　‘‘It　is　as　true；''　returned　Fabian；　‘‘as　that　the　Tasker　is　to　be　married；
on　Tuesday；　to　Pretty　Margery。　Gregory；　thy　sheet　hath　brought　them
between　a　pair　of　blankets。''

　　‘‘I　care　no　more　for　such　a　gillflirt；''　said　the　Jester；　‘‘than　I　do　for　thy
leasings。　Marry；　thou　hop…o'…my…thumb；　happy　wouldst　thou　be　could　thy
head　reach　the　captive　Baron's　girdle。''

　　‘‘By　the　mass；''　said　Peter　Lanaret；　‘‘I　will　have　one　peep　at　this　burly
gallant；''　and　leaving　the　buttery；　he　went　to　the　guard…room　where　Gaston
St。　Clere　was　confined。　A　man…at…arms；　who　kept　sentinel　on　the　strong
studded　door　of　the　apartment；　said　he　believed　he　slept；　for　that　after
raging；　stamping；　and　uttering　the　most　horrid　imprecations；　he　had　been
of　late　perfectly　still。　The　Falconer　gently　drew　back　a　sliding　board；　of
a　foot　square；　towards　the　top　of　the　door；　which　covered　a　hole　of　the
same　size；　strongly　latticed；　through　which　the　warder；　without　opening　the
door；　could　look　in　upon　his　prisoner。　From　this　aperture　he　beheld　the
wretched　Gaston　suspended　by　the　neck；　by　his　own　girdle；　to　an　iron　ring
in　the　side　of　his　prison。　He　had　clambered　to　it　by　means　of　the　table
on　which　his　food　had　been　placed；　and　in　the　agonies　of　shame　and　disappointed
malice；　had　adopted　this　mode　of　ridding　himself　of　a　wretched
life。　He　was　found　yet　warm；　but　totally　lifeless。　A　proper　account　of
the　manner　of　his　death　was　drawn　up　and　certified。　He　was　buried　that
evening　in　the　chapel　of　the　castle；　out　of　respect　to　his　high　birth；　and
the　chaplain　of　Fitzallen　of　Marden；　who　said　the　service　upon　the　occasion；
preached；　the　next　Sunday；　an　excellent　sermon　upon　the　text；　_Radix　malorum
est　cupid