maid marian-第6部分

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　therefore　naturally　calculated；　as　far　as　their　wild　spirits　calculated　at　all；　on　the　same　effects　from　the　same　causes。　　But　the　circumstances　of　the　preceding　day　had　made　an　essential　alteration　in　the　case。　The　baron　knew　well；　from　the　intelligence　he　had　received；　that　the　earl's　offence　was　past　remission：　　which　would　have　been　of　less　moment　but　for　the　awful　fact　of　his　castle　being　in　the　possession　of　the　king's　forces；　and　in　those　days　possession　was　considerably　more　than　eleven　points　of　the　law。　The　baron　was　therefore　convinced　that　the　earl's　outlawry　was　infallible；　and　that　Matilda　must　either　renounce　her　lover；　or　become　with　him　an　outlaw　and　a　fugitive。　In　proportion；　therefore；　to　the　baron's　knowledge　of　the　strength　and　duration　of　her　attachment；　was　his　fear　of　the　difficulty　of　its　ever　being　overcome：　　her　love　of　the　forest　and　the　chase；　which　he　had　never　before　discouraged；　now　presented　itself　to　him　as　matter　of　serious　alarm；　and　if　her　cheerfulness　gave　him　hope　on　the　one　hand　by　indicating　a　spirit　superior　to　all　disappointments；　it　was　suspicious　to　him　on　the　other；　as　arising　from　some　latent　certainty　of　being　soon　united　to　the　earl。　　All　these　circumstances　concurred　to　render　their　songs　of　the　vanished　deer　and　greenwood　archery　and　Yoicks　and　Harkaway；　extremely　mal…a…propos；　and　to　make　his　anger　boil　and　bubble　in　the　cauldron　of　his　spirit；　till　its　more　than　ordinary　excitement　burst　forth　with　sudden　impulse　into　active　manifestation。

＇1＇　Roasting　by　a　slow　fire　for　the　love　of　God。


　But　as　it　sometimes　happens；　from　the　might　　　　　　Of　rage　in　minds　that　can　no　farther　go；　　As　high　as　they　have　mounted　in　despite　　　　　　In　their　remission　do　they　sink　as　low；　　To　our　bold　baron　did　it　happen　so。＇2＇


＇2＇　Of　these　lines　all　that　is　not　in　italics　belongs　to　Mr。　Wordsworth：　　Resolution　and　Independence。


For　his　discobolic　exploit　proved　the　climax　of　his　rage；　and　was　succeeded　by　an　immediate　sense　that　he　had　passed　the　bounds　of　legitimate　passion；　and　he　sunk　immediately　from　the　very　pinnacle　of　opposition　to　the　level　of　implicit　acquiescence。　The　friar's　spirits　were　not　to　be　marred　by　such　a　little　incident。　He　was　half…inclined；　at　first；　to　return　the　baron's　compliment；　but　his　love　of　Matilda　checked　him；　and　when　the　baron　held　out　his　hand；　the　friar　seized　it　cordially；　and　they　drowned　all　recollection　of　the　affair　by　pledging　each　other　in　a　cup　of　canary。

The　friar；　having　stayed　long　enough　to　see　every　thing　replaced　on　a　friendly　footing；　rose；　and　moved　to　take　his　leave。　Matilda　told　him　he　must　come　again　on　the　morrow；　for　she　had　a　very　long　confession　to　make　to　him。　　This　the　friar　promised　to　do；　and　departed　with　the　knight。

Sir　Ralph；　on　reaching　the　abbey；　drew　his　followers　together；　and　led　them　to　Locksley　Castle；　which　he　found　in　the　possession　of　his　lieutenant；　whom　he　again　left　there　with　a　sufficient　force　to　hold　it　in　safe　keeping　in　the　king's　name；　and　proceeded　to　London　to　report　the　results　of　his　enterprise。

Now　Henry　our　royal　king　was　very　wroth　at　the　earl's　evasion；　and　swore　by　Saint　Thomas…a…Becket　（whom　he　had　himself　translated　into　a　saint　by　having　him　knocked　on　the　head）；　that　he　would　give　the　castle　and　lands　of　Locksley　to　the　man　who　should　bring　in　the　earl。　　Hereupon　ensued　a　process　of　thought　in　the　mind　of　the　knight。　　The　eyes　of　the　fair　huntress　of　Arlingford　had　left　a　wound　in　his　heart　which　only　she　who　gave　could　heal。　He　had　seen　that　the　baron　was　no　longer　very　partial　to　the　outlawed　earl；　but　that　he　still　retained　his　old　affection　for　the　lands　and　castle　of　Locksley。　　Now　the　lands　and　castle　were　very　fair　things　in　themselves；　and　would　be　pretty　appurtenances　to　an　adventurous　knight；　but　they　would　be　doubly　valuable　as　certain　passports　to　the　father's　favour；　which　was　one　step　towards　that　of　the　daughter；　or　at　least　towards　obtaining　possession　of　her　either　quietly　or　perforce；　for　the　knight　was　not　so　nice　in　his　love　as　to　consider　the　lady's　free　grace　a　sine　qua　non：　　and　to　think　of　being；　by　any　means　whatever；　the　lord　of　Locksley　and　Arlingford；　and　the　husband　of　the　bewitching　Matilda；　was　to　cut　in　the　shades　of　futurity　a　vista　very　tempting　to　a　soldier　of　fortune。　He　set　out　in　high　spirits　with　a　chosen　band　of　followers；　and　beat　up　all　the　country　far　and　wide　around　both　the　Ouse　and　the　Trent；　but　fortune　did　not　seem　disposed　to　second　his　diligence；　for　no　vestige　whatever　could　he　trace　of　the　earl。　His　followers；　who　were　only　paid　with　the　wages　of　hope；　began　to　murmur　and　fall　off；　for；　as　those　unenlightened　days　were　ignorant　of　the　happy　invention　of　paper　machinery；　by　which　one　promise　to　pay　is　satisfactorily　paid　with　another　promise　to　pay；　and　that　again　with　another　in　infinite　series；　they　would　not；　as　their　wiser　posterity　has　done；　take　those　tenders　for　true　pay　which　were　not　sterling；　so　that；　one　fine　morning；　the　knight　found　himself　sitting　on　a　pleasant　bank　of　the　Trent；　with　only　a　solitary　squire；　who　still　clung　to　the　shadow　of　preferment；　because　he　did　not　see　at　the　moment　any　better　chance　of　the　substance。

The　knight　did　not　despair　because　of　the　desertion　of　his　followers：　he　was　well　aware　that　he　could　easily　raise　recruits　if　he　could　once　find　trace　of　his　game；　he；　therefore；　rode　about　indefatigably　over　hill　and　dale；　to　the　great　sharpening　of　his　own　appetite　and　that　of　his　squire；　living　gallantly　from　inn　to　inn　when　his　purse　was　full；　and　quartering　himself　in　the　king's　name　on　the　nearest　ghostly　brotherhood　when　it　happened　to　be　empty。　An　autumn　and　a　winter　had　passed　away；　when　the　course　of　his　perlustations　brought　him　one　evening　into　a　beautiful　sylvan　valley；　where　he　found　a　number　of　young　women　weaving　garlands　of　flowers；　and　singing　over　their　pleasant　occupation。　　He　approached　them；　and　courteously　inquired　the　way　to　the　nearest　town。

〃There　is　no　town　within　several　miles；〃　was　the　answer。

〃A　village；　then；　if　it　be　but　large　enough　to　furnish　an　inn？〃

〃There　is　Gamwell　just　by；　but　there　is　no　inn　nearer　than　the　nearest　town。〃

〃An　abbey；　then？〃

〃There　is　no　abbey　nearer　than　the　nearest　inn。〃

〃A　house　then；　or　a　cottage；　where　I　may　obtain　hospitality　for　the　night？〃

〃Hospitality！〃　said　one　of　the　young　women；　〃you　have　not　far　to　seek　for　that。　　Do　you　not　know　that　you　are　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Gamwell…Hall？〃

〃So　far　from　it；〃　said　the　knight；　〃that　I　never　heard　the　name　of　Gamwell…Hall　before。〃

〃Never　heard　of　Gamwell…Hall？〃　exclaimed　all　the　young　women　together；　who　could　as　soon　have　dreamed　of　his　never　having　heard　of　the　sky。

〃Indeed；　no；〃　said　Sir　Ralph；　〃but　I　shall　be　very　happy　to　get　rid　of　my　ignorance。〃

〃And　so　shall　I；〃　said　his　squire；　〃for　it　seems　that　in　this　case　knowledge　will　for　once　be　a　cure　for　hunger；　wherewith　I　am　grievously　afflicted。〃

〃And　why　are　you　so　busy；　my　pretty　damsels；　weaving　these　garlands？〃　said　the　knight。

〃Why；　do　you　not　know；　sir；〃　said　one　of　the　young　women；　〃that　to…morrow　is　Gamwell　feast？〃

The　knight　was　again　obliged；　with　all　humility；　to　confess　his　ignorance。

〃Oh！　sir；〃　said　his　informant；　〃then　you　will　have　something　to　see；　that　I　can　tell　you；　for　we　shall　choose　a　Queen　of　the　May；　and　we　shall　crown　her　with　flowers；　and　place　her　in　a　chariot　of　flowers；　and　draw　it　with　lines　of　flowers；　and　we　shall　hang　all　the　trees　with　flowers；　and　we　shall　strew　all　the　ground　with　flowers；　and　we　shall　dance　with　flowers；　and　in　flowers；　and　on　flowers；　and　we　shall　be　all　flowers。〃

〃That　you　will；〃　said　the　knight；　〃and　the　sweetest　and　brightest　of　all　the　flowers　of　the　May；　my　pretty　damsels。〃　On　which　all　the　pretty　damsels　smiled　at　him　and　each　other。

〃And　there　will　be　all　sorts　of　May…games；　and　there　will　be　prizes　for　archery；　and　there　will　be　the　knight's　ale；　and　the　foresters'　venison；　and　there　will　be　Kit　Scrapesqueak　with　his　fiddle；　and　little　Tom　Whistlerap　with　his　fife　and　tabor；　and　Sam　Trumtwang　with　his　harp；　and　Peter　Muggledrone　with　his　bagpipe；　and　how　I　shall　dance　with　Will　Whitethorn！〃　added　the　girl；　clapping　her　hands　as　she　spoke；　and　bounding　from　the　ground　with　the　pleasure　of　the　anticipation。

A　tall　athletic　young　man　approached；　to　whom　the　rustic　maidens　courtesied　with　great　respect；　and　one　of　them　informed　Sir　Ralph　that　it　was　young　Master　William　Gamwell。　　The　young　gentleman　invited　and　conducted　the　knight　to　the　hall；　where　he　introduced　him　to　the　old　knight　his　father；　and　to　the　old　lady　his　mother；　and　to　the　young　lady　his　sister；　and　to　a　number　of　bold　yeomen；　who　were　laying　siege　to　beef；　brawn；　and　plum　pie　around　a　ponderous　table；　and　taking　copious　draughts　of　old　October。　　A　motto　was　inscribed　over　the　interior　door；

EAT；　DRINK；　AND　BE　MERRY：

an　injunction　which　Sir　Ralph　and　his　squire　showed　remarkable　alacrity　in　obeying。　　Old　Sir　Guy　of　Gamwell　gave　Sir　Ralph　a　very　cordial　welcome；　and　entertained　him　during　supper　with　several　of　his　best　stories；　enforced　with　an　occasional　slap　on　the　back；　and　pointed　with　a　peg　in　the　ribs；　a　species　of　vivacious　eloquence　in　which　the；　old　gentleman　excelled；　and　which　is　supposed　by　many　of　that　pleasant　variety　of　the　human　spectes；　known　by　the　name　of　choice　fellows　and　comical　dogs；　to　be　the　genuine　tangible　shape　of　the　cream　of　a　good　joke。




CHAPTER　VI

What！　shall　we　have　incision？　shall　we　embrew？　　Henry　IV。


Old　Sir　Guy　of　Gamwell；　and　young　William　Gamwell；　and　fair　Alice　Gamwell；　and　Sir　Ralph　Montfaucon　and　his　squire；　rode　together　the　next　morning　to　the　scene　of　the　feast。　They　arrived　on　a　village　green；　surrounded　with　cottages　peeping　from　among　the　trees　by　which　the　green　was　completely　encircled。　The　whole　circle　was　hung　round　with　one　continuous　garland　of　flowers；　depending　in　irregular　festoons　from　the　branches。　In　the　centre　of　the　green　was　a　May…pole　hidden　in　boughs　and　garlands；　and　a　multitude　of　round…faced　bumpkins　and　cherry…checked　lasses　were　dancing　around　it；　to　the　quadruple　melody　of　Scrapesqueak；　Whistlerap；　Trumtwang；　and　Muggledrone：　harmony　we　must　not　call　it；　for；　though　they　had　agr