appendix-1-第4部分
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Robins; all meetly arrayed in Kendal green; with bugles and short hangers
by their sides; and quarterstaffs in their hands; led the slow…hounds or
brachets; by which the deer were to be put up。 Ten brace of gallant
greyhounds; each of which was fit to pluck down; singly; the tallest red
deer; were led in leashes by as many of Lord Boteler's foresters。 The
pages; squires; and other attendants of feudal splendour; well attired in
their best hunting…gear; upon horseback or foot; according to their rank;
with their boar…spears; long…bows; and cross…bows; were in seemly waiting。
A numerous train of yeomen; called in the language of the times retainers;
who yearly received a livery coat and a small pension for their attendance
on such solemn occasions; appeared in cassocks of blue; bearing upon their
arms the cognizance of the house of Boteler; as a badge of their adherence。
They were the tallest men of their hands that the neighbouring villages
could supply; with every man his good buckler on his shoulder; and a
bright burnished broadsword dangling from his leathern belt。 On this
occasion they acted as rangers for beating up the thickets; and rousing the
game。 These attendants filled up the court of the castle; spacious as it
was。
On the green without; you might have seen the motley assemblage of
peasantry; convened by report of the splendid hunting; including most of
our old acquaintances from Tewin; as well as the jolly partakers of good
cheer at Hob Filcher's。 Gregory the jester; it may well be guessed; had
no great mind to exhibit himself in public after his recent disaster; but
Oswald the steward; a great formalist in whatever concerned the public
exhibition of his master's household state; had positively enjoined his
attendance。 ‘‘What!'' quoth he; ‘‘shall the house of the brave Lord
Boteler; on such a brave day as this; be without a fool? Certes; the good
Lord St。 Clere; and his fair lady sister; might think our housekeeping as
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; cried; ‘‘Help! an' ye be
men! Save Lady Emmna and