appendix-1-第5部分

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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　her　brother；　whom　they　are　murdering　in
Brockenhurst　thicket。''

　　This　put　all　in　motion。　Lord　Boteler　hastily　commanded　a　small　party
of　his　men　to　abide　for　the　defence　of　the　ladies；　while　he　himself；　Fitzallen；
and　the　rest；　made　what　speed　they　could　towards　the　thicket；　guided　by
Gregory；　who　for　that　purpose　was　mounted　behind　Fabian。　Pushing
through　a　narrow　path；　the　first　object　they　encountered　was　a　man　of
small　stature　lying；　on　the　ground；　mastered　and　almost　strangled　by　two
dogs；　which　were　instantly　recognised　to　be　those　that　had　accompanied
Gregory。　A　little　farther　was　an　open　space；　where　lay　three　bodies　of
dead　or　wounded　men；　beside　these；　was　Lady　Emma；　apparently　lifeless；
her　brother　and　a　young　forester　bending　over　and　endeavouring　to　recover
her。　By　using　the　usual　remedies；　this　was　soon　accomplished；　while
Lord　Boteler；　astonished　at　such　a　scene；　anxiously　inquired　at　St。　Clere
the　meaning　of　what　he　saw；　and　whether　more　danger　was　to　be　expected？

　　‘‘For　the　present；　I　trust　not；''　said　the　young　warrior；　who　they　now
observed　was　slightly　wounded；　‘‘but　I　pray　you；　of　your　nobleness；　let
the　woods　here　be　searched；　for　we　were　assailed　by　four　of　these　base
assassins；　and　I　see　three　only　on　the　sward。''

　　The　attendants　now　brough　forward　the　person　whom　they　had　rescued
from　the　dogs；　and　Henry；　with　disgust；　shame；　and　astonishment；　recognised
his　kinsman；　Gaston　St。　Clere。　This　discovery　he　communicated　in
a　whisper　to　Lord　Boteler；　who　commanded　the　prisoner　to　be　conveyed　to
Queenhoo…Hall；　and　closely　guarded；　meanwhile　he　anxiously　inquired　of
young　St。　Clere　about　his　wound。

　　‘‘A　scratch；　a　trifle！''　cried　Henry；　‘‘I　am　in　less　haste　to　bind　it　than
to　introduce　to　you　one；　without　whose　aid　that　of　the　leech　would　have
come　too　late…Where　is　he？　where　is　my　brave　deliverer？''

　　‘‘Here；　most　noble　lord；''　said　Gregory；　sliding　from　his　palfrey；　and
stepping　forward；　‘‘ready　to　receive　the　guerdon　which　your　bounty　would
heap　on　him。''

　　‘‘Truly；　friend　Gregory；''　answered　the　young　warrior；　‘‘thou　shalt　not
be　forgotten；　for　thou　didst　run　speedily；　and　roar　manfully　for　aid；　without
which；　I　think　verily；　we　had　not　received　it…But　the　brave　forester；
who　came　to　my　rescue　when　these　three　ruffians　had　nigh　overpowered
me；　where　is　he？''

　　Every　one　looked　around；　but　though　all　had　seen　him　on　entering　the
thicket；　he　was　not　now　to　be　found。　They　could　only　conjecture　that　he
had　retired　during　the　confusion　occasioned　by　the　detention　of　Gaston。

　　‘‘Seek　not　for　him；''　said　the　Lady　Emma；　who　had　now　in　some　degree
recovered　her　composure；　‘‘he　will　not　be　found　of　mortal；　unless　at　his
own　season。''

　　The　Baron；　convinced　from　this　answer　that　her　terror　had；　for　the　time；
somewhat　disturbed　her　reason；　forbore　to　question　her；　and　Matilda　and
Eleanor；　to　forlorn　a　message　had　been　despatched　with　the　result　of　this
strange　adventure；　arriving；　they　took　the　Lady　Emma　between　them；　and
all　in　a　body　returned　to　the　castle。

　　The　distance　was；　however；　considerable；　and；　before　reaching　it；　they
had　another　alarm。　The　prickers；　who　rode　foremost　in　the　troop；　halted；
and　announced　to　the　Lord　Boteler　that　they　perceived　advancing　towards
them　a　body　of　armed　men。　The　followers　of　the　Baron　were　numerous；
but　they　were　arrayed　for　the　chase；　not　for　battle；　and　it　was　with　great
pleasure　that　he　discerned；　on　the　pennon　of　the　advancing　body　of　men…at…arms；
instead　of　the　cognizance　of　Gaston；　as　he　had　some　reason　to
expect；　the　friendly　bearings　of　Fitzosborne　of　Diggswell；　the　same　young
lord　who　was　present　at　the　May…games　with　Fitzallen　of　Marden。　The
knight　himself　advanced；　sheathed　in　armour；　and；　without　raising　his
visor；　informed　Lord　Boteler；　that；　having　heard　of　a　base　attempt　made
upon　a　part　of　his　train　by　ruffianly　assassins；　he　had　mounted　and　armed
a　small　party　of　his　retainers；　to　escort　them　to　Queenhoo…Hall。　Having
received　and　accepted　an　invitation　to　attend　them　thither；　they　prosecuted
their　journey　in　confidence　and　security；　and　arrived　safe　at　home　without
any　further　accident。


CHAPTER　FIFTH。

INVESTIGATION　OF　THE　ADVENTURE　OF　THE　HUNTING…A　DISCOVERY…
GREGORY'S　MANHOOD…FATE　OF　GASTON　ST。　CLERE…CONCLUSION。


　　So　soon　as　they　arrived　at　the　princely　mansion　of　Boteler；　the　Lady
Emma　craved　permission　to　retire　to　her　chamber　that　she　might　compose
her　spirits　after　the　terror　she　had　undergone。　Henry　St。　Clere；　in　a　few
words；　proceeded　to　explain　the　adventure　to　the　curious　audience。　‘‘I
had　no　sooner　seen　my　sister's　palfrey；　in　spite　of　her　endeavours　to　the
contrary；　entering　with　spirit　into　the　chase　set　on　foot　by　the　worshipful
Gregory；　than　I　rode　after　to　give　her　assistance。　So　long　was　the　chase；
that　when　the　greyhounds　pulled　down　the　knobbler；　we　were　out　of　hearing
of　your　bugles；　and　having　rewarded　and　coupled　the　dogs；　I　gave
them　to　be　led　by　the　jester；　and　we　wandered　in　quest　of　our　company；
whom　it　would　seem　the　sport　had　led　in　a　different　direction。　At　length；
passing　through　the　thicket　where　you　found　us；　I　was　surprised　by　a
cross…bow　bolt　whizzing　past　mine　head。　I　drew　my　sword；　and　rushed
into　the　thicket；　but　was　instantly　assailed　by　two　ruffians；　while　other
two　made　towards　my　sister　and　Gregory。　The　poor　knave　fled；　crying
for　help；　pursued　by　my　false　kinsman；　now　your　prisoner；　and　the　designs
of　the　other　on　my　poor　Emma　（murderous；　no　doubt）　were　prevented　by
the　sudden　apparition　of　a　brave　woodsman；　who；　after　a　short　encounter；
stretched　the　miscreant　at　his　feet；　and　came　to　my　assistance。　I　was
already　slightly　wounded；　and　nearly　overlaid　with　odds。　The　combat
lasted　some　time；　for　the　caitiffs　were　both　well　armed；　strong；　and　desperate；
at　length；　however；　we　had　each　mastered　our　antagonist；　when
your　retinue；　my　Lord　Boteler；　arrived　to　my　relief。　So　ends　my　story；
but；　by　my　knighthood；　I　would　give　an　earl's　ransom　for　an　opportunity
of　thanking　the　gallant　forester　by　whose　aid　I　live　to　tell　it。''

　　‘‘Fear　not；''　said　Lord　Boteler；　‘‘he　shall　be　found；　if　this　or　the　four
adjacent　counties　hold　him…And　now　Lord　Fitzosborne　will　be　pleased　to
doff　the　armour　he　has　so　kindly　assumed　for　our　sakes；　and　we　will　all
bowne　ourselves　for　the　banquet。''

　　When　the　hour　of　dinner　approached；　the　Lady　Matilda　and　her　cousin
visited　the　chamber　of　the　fair　Darcy。　They　found　her　in　a　composed　but
melancholy　posture。　She　turned　the　discourse　upon　the　misfortunes　of
her　life；　and　hinted；　that　having　recovered　her　brother；　and　seeing　him　look
forward　to　the　society　of　one　who　would　amply　repay　to　him　the　loss　of
hers；　she　had　thoughts　of　dedicating　her　remaining　life　to　Heaven；　by　whose
providential　interference　it　had　been　so　often　preserved。

　　Matilda　coloured　deeply　at　something　in　this　speech；　and　her　cousin　inveighed
loudly　against　Emma's　resolution。　‘‘Ah；　my　dear　Lady　Eleanor；''
replied　she；　‘‘I　have　to…day　witnessed　what　I　cannot　but　judge　a　super…natural
visitation；　and　to　what　end　can　it　call　me　but　to　give　myself　to　the
altar？　That　peasant　who　guided　me　to　Baddow　through　the　Park　of　Danbury；
the　same　who　appeared　before　me　at　different　times；　and　in　different
forms；　during　that　eventful　journey…that　youth；　whose　features　are　imprinted
on　my　memory；　is　the　very　individual　forester　who　this　day　rescued
us　in　the　forest。　I　cannot　be　mistaken；　and　connecting　these　marvellous
appearances　with　the　spectre　which　I　saw　while　at　Gay　Bowers；　I　cannot
resist　the　conviction　that　Heaven　has　permitted　my　guardian　angel　to
assume　mortal　shape　for　my　relief　and　protection。''

　　The　fair　cousins；　after　exchanging　looks　which　implied　a　fear　that　her
mind　was　wandering；　answered　her　in　soothing　terms；　and　finally　prevailed
upon　her　to　accompany　them　to　the　banqueting…hall。　Here　the　first　person
they　encountered　was　the　Baron　Fitzosborne　of　Diggswell；　now　divested　of
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