burlesques-第51部分

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and　majestic　head'twas　that；　we　need　not　say；　of　Saint　Buffo's

solitary。　　A　silver　beard　hanging　to　his　knees　gave　his　person　an

appearance　of　great　respectability；　his　body　was　robed　in　simple

brown　serge；　and　girt　with　a　knotted　cord：　his　ancient　feet　were

only　defended　from　the　prickles　and　stones　by　the　rudest　sandals；

and　his　bald　and　polished　head　was　bare。



〃Holy　hermit；〃　said　the　knight；　in　a　grave　voice；　〃make　ready　thy

ministry；　for　there　is　some　one　about　to　die。〃



〃Where；　son？〃



〃Here；　father。〃



〃Is　he　here；　now？〃



〃Perhaps；〃　said　the　stout　warrior；　crossing　himself；　〃but　not　so　if

right　prevail。〃　　At　this　moment　he　caught　sight　of　a　ferry…boat

putting　off　from　Nonnenwerth；　with　a　knight　on　board。　　Ludwig　knew

at　once；　by　the　sinople　reversed　and　the　truncated　gules　on　his

surcoat；　that　it　was　Sir　Gottfried　of　Godesberg。



〃Be　ready；　father；〃　said　the　good　knight；　pointing　towards　the

advancing　boat；　and　waving　his　hand　by　way　of　respect　to　the

reverend　hermit；　without　a　further　word；　he　vaulted　into　his

saddle；　and　rode　back　for　a　few　score　of　paces；　when　he　wheeled

round；　and　remained　steady。　　His　great　lance　and　pennon　rose　in　the

air。　　His　armor　glistened　in　the　sun；　the　chest　and　head　of　his

battle…horse　were　similarly　covered　with　steel。　　As　Sir　Gottfried；

likewise　armed　and　mounted　（for　his　horse　had　been　left　at　the

ferry　hard　by）；　advanced　up　the　road；　he　almost　started　at　the

figure　before　hima　glistening　tower　of　steel。



〃Are　you　the　lord　of　this　pass；　Sir　Knight？〃　said　Sir　Gottfried；

haughtily；　〃or　do　you　hold　it　against　all　comers；　in　honor　of　your

lady…love？〃



〃I　am　not　the　lord　of　this　pass。　　I　do　not　hold　it　against　all

comers。　　I　hold　it　but　against　one；　and　he　is　a　liar　and　a

traitor。〃



〃As　the　matter　concerns　me　not；　I　pray　you　let　me　pass；〃　said

Gottfried。



〃The　matter　DOES　concern　thee；　Gottfried　of　Godesberg。　　Liar　and

traitor！　art　thou　coward；　too？〃



〃Holy　Saint　Buffo！　'tis　a　fight！〃　exclaimed　the　old　hermit　（who；

too；　had　been　a　gallant　warrior　in　his　day）；　and　like　the　old　war…

horse　that　hears　the　trumpet's　sound；　and　spite　of　his　clerical

profession；　he　prepared　to　look　on　at　the　combat　with　no　ordinary

eagerness；　and　sat　down　on　the　overhanging　ledge　of　the　rock；

lighting　his　pipe；　and　affecting　unconcern；　but　in　reality　most

deeply　interested　in　the　event　which　was　about　to　ensue。



As　soon　as　the　word　〃coward〃　had　been　pronounced　by　Sir　Ludwig；　his

opponent；　uttering　a　curse　far　too　horrible　to　be　inscribed　here；

had　wheeled　back　his　powerful　piebald；　and　brought　his　lance　to　the

rest。



〃Ha！　Beauseant！〃　cried　he。　　〃Allah　humdillah！〃　　'Twas　the　battle…

cry　in　Palestine　of　the　irresistible　Knights　Hospitallers。　　〃Look

to　thyself；　Sir　Knight；　and　for　mercy　from　heaven！　　I　will　give

thee　none。〃



〃A　Bugo　for　Katzenellenbogen！〃　exclaimed　Sir　Ludwig；　piously：　that；

too；　was　the　well…known　war…cry　of　his　princely　race。



〃I　will　give　the　signal；〃　said　the　old　hermit；　waving　his　pipe。

〃Knights；　are　you　ready？　　One；　two；　three。　　LOS！〃　（let　go。）



At　the　signal；　the　two　steeds　tore　up　the　ground　like　whirlwinds；

the　two　knights；　two　flashing　perpendicular　masses　of　steel；

rapidly　converged；　the　two　lances　met　upon　the　two　shields　of

either；　and　shivered；　splintered；　shattered　into　ten　hundred

thousand　pieces；　which　whirled　through　the　air　here　and　there；

among　the　rocks；　or　in　the　trees；　or　in　the　river。　　The　two　horses

fell　back　trembling　on　their　haunches；　where　they　remained　for　half

a　minute　or　so。



〃Holy　Buffo！　a　brave　stroke！〃　said　the　old　hermit。　　〃Marry；　but　a

splinter　wellnigh　took　off　my　nose！〃　　The　honest　hermit　waved　his

pipe　in　delight；　not　perceiving　that　one　of　the　splinters　had

carried　off　the　head　of　it；　and　rendered　his　favorite　amusement

impossible。　　〃Ha！　they　are　to　it　again！　　O　my！　how　they　go　to　with

their　great　swords！　　Well　stricken；　gray！　　Well　parried；　piebald！

Ha；　that　was　a　slicer！　　Go　it；　piebald！　go　it；　gray！go　it；　gray！

go　it；　pie　　Peccavi！　peccavi！〃　said　the　old　man；　here　suddenly

closing　his　eyes；　and　falling　down　on　his　knees。　　〃I　forgot　I　was　a

man　of　peace。〃　　And　the　next　moment；　muttering　a　hasty　matin；　he

sprung　down　the　ledge　of　rock；　and　was　by　the　side　of　the

combatants。



The　battle　was　over。　　Good　knight　as　Sir　Gottfried　was；　his

strength　and　skill　had　not　been　able　to　overcome　Sir　Ludwig　the

Hombourger；　with　RIGHT　on　his　side。　　He　was　bleeding　at　every　point

of　his　armor：　he　had　been　run　through　the　body　several　times；　and　a

cut　in　tierce；　delivered　with　tremendous　dexterity；　had　cloven　the

crown　of　his　helmet　of　Damascus　steel；　and　passing　through　the

cerebellum　and　sensorium；　had　split　his　nose　almost　in　twain。



His　mouth　foaminghis　face　almost　greenhis　eyes　full　of　blood

his　brains　spattered　over　his　forehead；　and　several　of　his　teeth

knocked　out；the　discomfited　warrior　presented　a　ghastly

spectacle；　as；　reeling　under　the　effects　of　the　last　tremendous

blow　which　the　Knight　of　Hombourg　dealt；　Sir　Gottfried　fell　heavily

from　the　saddle　of　his　piebald　charger；　the　frightened　animal

whisked　his　tail　wildly　with　a　shriek　and　a　snort；　plunged　out　his

hind　legs；　trampling　for　one　moment　upon　the　feet　of　the　prostrate

Gottfried；　thereby　causing　him　to　shriek　with　agony；　and　then

galloped　away　riderless。



Away！　ay；　away！away　amid　the　green　vineyards　and　golden

cornfields；　away　up　the　steep　mountains；　where　he　frightened　the

eagles　in　their　eyries；　away　down　the　clattering　ravines；　where　the

flashing　cataracts　tumble；　away　through　the　dark　pine…forests；

where　the　hungry　wolves　are　howling　away　over　the　dreary　wolds；

where　the　wild　wind　walks　alone；　away　through　the　plashing

quagmires；　where　the　will…o'…the…wisp　slunk　frightened　among　the

reeds；　away　through　light　and　darkness；　storm　and　sunshine；　away　by

tower　and　town；　high…road　and　hamlet。　　Once　a　turnpike…man　would

have　detained　him；　but；　ha！　ha！　he　charged　the　pike；　and　cleared　it

at　a　bound。　　Once　the　Cologne　Diligence　stopped　the　way：　he　charged

the　Diligence；　he　knocked　off　the　cap　of　the　conductor　on　the　roof；

and　yet　galloped　wildly；　madly；　furiously；　irresistibly　on！　　Brave

horse！　gallant　steed！　snorting　child　of　Araby！　　On　went　the　horse；

over　mountains；　rivers；　turnpikes；　apple…women；　and　never　stopped

until　he　reached　a　livery…stable　in　Cologne　where　his　master　was

accustomed　to　put　him　up。





CHAPTER　VI。



THE　CONFESSION。





But　we　have　forgotten；　meanwhile；　that　prostrate　individual。

Having　examined　the　wounds　in　his　side；　legs；　head；　and　throat；　the

old　hermit　（a　skilful　leech）　knelt　down　by　the　side　of　the

vanquished　one　and　said；　〃Sir　Knight；　it　is　my　painful　duty　to

state　to　you　that　you　are　in　an　exceedingly　dangerous　condition；

and　will　not　probably　survive。〃



〃Say　you　so；　Sir　Priest？　then　'tis　time　I　make　my　confession。

Hearken　you；　Priest；　and　you；　Sir　Knight；　whoever　you　be。〃



Sir　Ludwig　（who；　much　affected　by　the　scene；　had　been　tying　his

horse　up　to　a　tree）；　lifted　his　visor　and　said；　〃Gottfried　of

Godesberg！　　I　am　the　friend　of　thy　kinsman；　Margrave　Karl；　whose

happiness　thou　hast　ruined；　I　am　the　friend　of　his　chaste　and

virtuous　lady；　whose　fair　fame　thou　hast　belied；　I　am　the　godfather

of　young　Count　Otto；　whose　heritage　thou　wouldst　have　appropriated。

Therefore　I　met　thee　in　deadly　fight；　and　overcame　thee；　and　have

wellnigh　finished　thee。　　Speak　on。〃



〃I　have　done　all　this；〃　said　the　dying　man；　〃and　here；　in　my　last

hour；　repent　me。　　The　Lady　Theodora　is　a　spotless　lady；　the

youthful　Otto　the　true　son　of　his　fatherSir　Hildebrandt　is　not

his　father；　but　his　UNCLE。〃



〃Gracious　Buffo！〃　　〃Celestial　Bugo！〃　here　said　the　hermit　and　the

Knight　of　Hombourg　simultaneously；　clasping　their　hands。



〃Yes；　his　uncle；　but　with　the　BAR…SINISTER　in　his　scutcheon。　　Hence

he　could　never　be　acknowledged　by　the　family；　hence；　too；　the　Lady

Theodora's　spotless　purity　（though　the　young　people　had　been

brought　up　together）　could　never　be　brought　to　own　the　relationship。〃



〃May　I　repeat　your　confession？〃　asked　the　hermit。



〃With　the　greatest　pleasure　in　life：　carry　my　confession　to　the

Margrave；　and　pray　him　give　me　pardon。　　Were　therea　notary…public

present；〃　slowly　gasped　the　knight；　the　film　of　dissolution　glazing

over　his　eyes；　〃I　would　askyoutwogentlemen　to　witness　it。　　I

would　gladlysign　the　depositionthat　is；　if　I　could　wr…wr…wr…wr…

ite！〃　　A　faint　shuddering　smilea　quiver；　a　gasp；　a　gurglethe

blood　gushed　from　his　mouth　in　black　volumes　。　。　。　。



〃He　will　never　sin　more；〃　said　the　hermit；　solemnly。



〃May　heaven　assoilzie　him！〃　said　Sir　Ludwig。　　〃Hermit；　he　was　a

gallant　knight。　　He　died　with　harness　on　his　back　and　with　truth　on

his　lips：　Ludwig　of　Hombourg　would　ask　no　other　death。　。　。　。　。〃



An　hour　afterwards　the　principal　servants　at　the　Castle　of

Godesberg　were　rather　surprised　to　see　the　noble　Lord　Louis　trot

into　the　court…yard　of　the　castle；　with　a　companion　on　the　crupper

of　his　saddle。　　'Twas　the　venerable　hermit　of　Rolandseck；　who；　for

the　sake　of　greater　celerity；　had　adopted　this　undignified

conveyance；　and　whose　appearance　and　little　dumpy　legs　might　well

create　hilarity　among　the　〃pampered　menials〃　who　are　always　found

lounging　about　the　houses　of　the　great。　　He　skipped　off　the　saddle

with　considerable　lightness　however；　and　Sir　Ludwig；　taking　the

reverend　man　by　the　arm　and　frowning　the　jeering　servitors　into

awe；　bade　one　of　them　lead　him　to　the　presence　of　his　Highness　the

Margrave。



〃What　has　chanced？〃　said　the　inquisitive　servitor。　　〃The　riderless

horse　of　Sir　Gottfried　was　seen　to　gallop　by　the　outer　wall　anon。

The　Margrave's　Grace　has　never　quitted　your　lordship's　chamber；　and

sits　as　one　distraught。〃



〃Hold　thy　prate；　knave；　and　lead　us　on！〃　　And　so　saying；　the　Knight

and　his　Reverence　moved　into　th