appendix-1-第6部分

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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　cupiditas；）　which　we　have　here　transcribed。

* * * * * * *

　　＇Here　the　manuscript；　from　which　we　have　painfully　transcribed；　and
frequently；　as　it　were；　translated　this　tale；　for　the　reader's　edification；　is　so
indistinct　and　defaced；　that；　excepting　certain　howbeits；　nathlesses；　lo　ye's！
etc。；　we　can　pick　out　little　that　is　intelligible；　saving　that　avarice　is　defined
‘‘a　likourishness　of　heart　after　earthly　things。''　A　little　farther；　there
seems　to　have　been　a　gay　account　of　Margery's　wedding　with　Ralph　the
Tasker；　the　running　at　the　quintain；　and　other　rural　games　practised　on
the　occasion。　There　are　also　fragments　of　a　mock　sermon　preached　by
Gregory　upon　that　occasion；　as；　for　example：…

　　‘‘My　dear　cursed　caitiffs；　there　was　once　a　king；　and　he　wedded　a　young
old　queen；　and　she　had　a　child；　and　this　child　was　sent　to　Solomon　the
Sage；　praying　he　would　give　it　the　same　blessing　which　he　got　from　the
witch　of　Endor　when　she　bit　him　by　the　heel。　Hereof　speaks　the　worthy
Dr。　Radigundus　Potator；　why　should　not　mass　be　said　for　all　the　roasted
shoe　souls　served　up　in　the　king's　dish　on　Saturday；　for　true　it　is；　that
St。　Peter　asked　father　Adam；　as　they　journeyed　to　Camelot；　an　high；　great；
and　doubtful　question；　‘Adam；　Adam；　why　eatedst　thou　the　apple　without
paring？'　''

*　　　This　tirade　of　gibberish　is　literally　taken　or　selected　from　a　mock　discourse
*　pronounced　by　a　professed　jester；　which　occurs　in　an　ancient　manuscript　in　the
*　Advocates'　Library；　the　same　from　which　the　late　ingenious　Mr。　Weber　published
*　the　curious　comic　romance　of　the　Hunting　of　the　Hare。　It　was　introduced　in
*　compliance　with　Mr。　Strutt's　plan　of　rendering　his　tale　an　illustration　of　ancient
*　manners。　A　similar　burlesque　sermon　is　pronounced　by　the　Fool　in　Sir　David
*　Lindesay's　satire　of　the　Three　Estates。　The　nonsense　and　vulgar　burlesque　of　that
*　composition　illustrate　the　ground　of　Sir　Andrew　Aguecheek's　eulogy　on　the　exploits
*　of　the　jester　in　Twelfth　Night；　who；　reserving　his　sharper　jests　for　Sir　Toby；　had
*　doubtless　enough　of　the　jargon　of　his　calling　to　captivate　the　imbecility　of　his
*　brother　knight；　who　is　made　to　exclaim…‘‘In　sooth　thou　wast　in　very　gracious
*　fooling　last　night；　when　thou　spokest　of　Pigrogremitus；　and　of　the　vapours　passing
*　the　equinoctials　of　Quenbus；　'twas　very　good；　i'　faith！''　It　is　entertaining　to　find
*　commentators　seeking　to　discover　some　meaning　in　the　professional　jargon　of　such
*　a　passage　as　this。


　　With　much　goodly　gibberish　to　the　same　effect；　which　display　of　Gregory's
ready　wit　not　only　threw　the　whole　company　into　convulsions　of
laughter；　but　made　such　an　impression　on　Rose；　the　Potter's　daughter；
that　it　was　thought　it　would　be　the　Jester's　own　fault　if　Jack　was　long
without　his　Jill。　Much　pithy　matter；　concerning　the　bringing　the　bride　to
bed；　the　loosing　the　bridegroom's　points；　the　scramble　which　ensued　for
them；　and　the　casting　of　the　stocking；　is　also　omitted　from　its　obscurity。

　　The　following　song；　which　has　been　since　borrowed　by　the　worshipful
author　of　the　famous　‘‘History　of　Fryar　Bacon；''　has　been　with　difficulty
deciphered。　It　seems　to　have　been　sung　on　occasion　of　carrying　home　the
bride。

BRIDAL　SONG。

_To　the　tune　of…‘‘I　have　been　a　Fiddler；''　etc。_

And　did　you　not　hear　of　a　mirth　befell
　　　　The　morrow　after　a　wedding　day；
And　carrying　a　bride　at　home　to　dwell？
　　　　And　away　to　Tewin；　away；　away！

The　quintain　was　set；　and　the　garlands　were　made；…
　　　　'Tis　pity　old　customs　should　ever　decay；
And　wo　be　to　him　that　was　horsed　on　a　jade；
　　　　For　he　carried　no　credit　away；　away。

We　met　a　concert　of　fiddle…de…dees；
　　　　We　set　them　a　cockhorse；　and　made　them　play
The　winning　of　Bullen；　and　Upsey…frees；
　　　　And　away　to　Tewin；　away；　away！

There　was　ne'er　a　lad　in　all　the　parish
　　　　That　would　go　to　the　plough　that　day；
But　on　his　fore…horse　his　wench　he　carries；
　　　　And　away　to　Tewin；　away；　away！

The　butler　was　quick；　and　the　ale　he　did　tap：
　　　　The　maidens　did　make　the　cha