burlesques-第66部分

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〃'With　his　wondrous　skill　in　healing　ne'er　a　doctor　can　compete；

Loathsome　lepers；　if　he　touch　them；　start　up　clean　upon　their　feet；

Surely　he　could　raise　the　dead　up；　did　his　Highness　think　it　meet。



〃'Did　not　once　the　Jewish　captain　stay　the　sun　upon　the　hill；

And；　the　while　he　slew　the　foemen；　bid　the　silver　moon　stand　still？

So；　no　doubt；　could　gracious　Canute；　if　it　were　his　sacred　will。'



〃'Might　I　stay　the　sun　above　us；　good　Sir　Bishop？'　Canute　cried；

'Could　I　bid　the　silver　moon　to　pause　upon　her　heavenly　ride？

If　the　moon　obeys　my　orders；　sure　I　can　command　the　tide。



〃'Will　the　advancing　waves　obey　me；　Bishop；　if　I　make　the　sign？'

Said　the　Bishop；　bowing　lowly；　'Land　and　sea；　my　lord；　are　thine。'

Canute　turned　towards　the　ocean'Back！'　he　said；　'thou　foaming

　　brine



〃'From　the　sacred　shore　I　stand　on；　I　command　thee　to　retreat；

Venture　not；　thou　stormy　rebel；　to　approach　thy　master's　seat：

Ocean；　be　thou　still！　I　bid　thee　come　not　nearer　to　my　feet！'



〃But　the　sullen　ocean　answered　with　a　louder；　deeper　roar；

And　the　rapid　waves　drew　nearer；　falling　sounding　on　the　shore；

Back　the　Keeper　and　the　Bishop；　back　the　King　and　courtiers　bore。



〃And　he　sternly　bade　them　never　more　to　kneel　to　human　clay；

But　alone　to　praise　and　worship　That　which　earth　and　seas　obey：

And　his　golden　crown　of　empire　never　wore　he　from　that　day。

King　Canute　is　dead　and　gone：　Parasites　exist　alway。〃





At　this　ballad；　which；　to　be　sure；　was　awfully　long；　and　as　grave　as

a　sermon；　some　of　the　courtiers　tittered；　some　yawned；　and　some

affected　to　be　asleep　and　snore　outright。　　But　Roger　de　Backbite

thinking　to　curry　favor　with　the　King　by　this　piece　of　vulgarity；

his　Majesty　fetched　him　a　knock　on　the　nose　and　a　buffet　on　the　ear；

which；　I　warrant　me；　wakened　Master　Roger；　to　whom　the　King　said；

〃Listen　and　be　civil；　slave；　Wilfrid　is　singing　about　thee。

Wilfrid；　thy　ballad　is　long；　but　it　is　to　the　purpose；　and　I　have

grown　cool　during　thy　homily。　　Give　me　thy　hand；　honest　friend。

Ladies；　good　night。　　Gentlemen；　we　give　the　grand　assault　to…morrow；

when　I　promise　thee；　Wilfrid；　thy　banner　shall　not　be　before　mine。〃

And　the　King；　giving　his　arm　to　her　Majesty；　retired　into　the

private　pavilion。





CHAPTER　III。



ST。　GEORGE　FOR　ENGLAND。





Whilst　the　royal　Richard　and　his　court　were　feasting　in　the　camp

outside　the　walls　of　Chalus；　they　of　the　castle　were　in　the　most

miserable　plight　that　may　be　conceived。　　Hunger；　as　well　as　the

fierce　assaults　of　the　besiegers；　had　made　dire　ravages　in　the

place。　　The　garrison's　provisions　of　corn　and　cattle；　their　very

horses；　dogs；　and　donkeys　had　been　eaten　upso　that　it　might　well

be　said　by　Wamba　〃that　famine；　as　well　as　slaughter；　had　THINNED

the　garrison。〃　　When　the　men　of　Chalus　came　on　the　walls　to　defend

it　against　the　scaling…parties　of　King　Richard；　they　were　like　so

many　skeletons　in　armor；　they　could　hardly　pull　their　bowstrings　at

last；　or　pitch　down　stones　on　the　heads　of　his　Majesty's　party；　so

weak　had　their　arms　become；　and　the　gigantic　Count　of　Chalusa

warrior　as　redoubtable　for　his　size　and　strength　as　Richard

Plantagenet　himselfwas　scarcely　able　to　lift　up　his　battle…axe

upon　the　day　of　that　last　assault；　when　Sir　Wilfrid　of　Ivanhoe　ran

him　through　thebut　we　are　advancing　matters。



What　should　prevent　me　from　describing　the　agonies　of　hunger　which

the　Count　（a　man　of　large　appetite）　suffered　in　company　with　his

heroic　sons　and　garrison？Nothing；　but　that　Dante　has　already　done

the　business　in　the　notorious　history　of　Count　Ugolino；　so　that　my

efforts　might　be　considered　as　mere　imitations。　　Why　should　I　not；

if　I　were　minded　to　revel　in　horrifying　details；　show　you　how　the

famished　garrison　drew　lots；　and　ate　themselves　during　the　siege；

and　how　the　unlucky　lot　falling　upon　the　Countess　of　Chalus；　that

heroic　woman；　taking　an　affectionate　leave　of　her　family；　caused

her　large　caldron　in　the　castle　kitchen　to　be　set　a…boiling；　had

onions；　carrots　and　herbs；　pepper　and　salt　made　ready；　to　make　a

savory　soup；　as　the　French　like　it；　and　when　all　things　were　quite

completed；　kissed　her　children；　jumped　into　the　caldron　from　off　a

kitchen　stool；　and　so　was　stewed　down　in　her　flannel　bed…gown？

Dear　friends；　it　is　not　from　want　of　imagination；　or　from　having　no

turn　for　the　terrible　or　pathetic；　that　I　spare　you　these　details。

I　could　give　you　some　description　that　would　spoil　your　dinner　and

night's　rest；　and　make　your　hair　stand　on　end。　　But　why　harrow　your

feelings？　　Fancy　all　the　tortures　and　horrors　that　possibly　can

occur　in　a　beleaguered　and　famished　castle：　fancy　the　feelings　of

men　who　know　that　no　more　quarter　will　be　given　them　than　they

would　get　if　they　were　peaceful　Hungarian　citizens　kidnapped　and

brought　to　trial　by　his　Majesty　the　Emperor　of　Austria；　and　then

let　us　rush　on　to　the　breach　and　prepare　once　more　to　meet　the

assault　of　dreadful　King　Richard　and　his　men。



On　the　29th　of　March　in　the　year　1199；　the　good　King；　having

copiously　partaken　of　breakfast；　caused　his　trumpets　to　blow；　and

advanced　with　his　host　upon　the　breach　of　the　castle　of　Chalus。

Arthur　de　Pendennis　bore　his　banner；　Wilfrid　of　Ivanhoe　fought　on

the　King's　right　hand。　　Molyneux；　Bishop　of　Bullocksmithy；　doffed

crosier　and　mitre　for　that　day；　and　though　fat　and　pursy；　panted　up

the　breach　with　the　most　resolute　spirit；　roaring　out　war…cries　and

curses；　and　wielding　a　prodigious　mace　of　iron；　with　which　he　did

good　execution。　　Roger　de　Backbite　was　forced　to　come　in　attendance

upon　the　sovereign；　but　took　care　to　keep　in　the　rear　of　his　august

master；　and　to　shelter　behind　his　huge　triangular　shield　as　much　as

possible。　　Many　lords　of　note　followed　the　King　and　bore　the

ladders；　and　as　they　were　placed　against　the　wall；　the　air　was

perfectly　dark　with　the　shower　of　arrows　which　the　French　archers

poured　out　at　the　besiegers；　and　the　cataract　of　stones；　kettles；

bootjacks；　chests　of　drawers；　crockery；　umbrellas；　congreve…

rockets；　bombshells；　bolts　and　arrows　and　other　missiles　which　the

desperate　garrison　flung　out　on　the　storming…party。　　The　King

received　a　copper　coal…scuttle　right　over　his　eyes；　and　a　mahogany

wardrobe　was　discharged　at　his　morion；　which　would　have　felled　an

ox；　and　would　have　done　for　the　King　had　not　Ivanhoe　warded　it　off

skilfully。　　Still　they　advanced；　the　warriors　falling　around　them

like　grass　beneath　the　scythe　of　the　mower。



The　ladders　were　placed　in　spite　of　the　hail　of　death　raining

round：　the　King　and　Ivanhoe　were；　of　course；　the　first　to　mount

them。　　Chalus　stood　in　the　breach；　borrowing　strength　from　despair；

and　roaring　out；　〃Ha！　Plantagenet；　St。　Barbacue　for　Chalus！〃　he

dealt　the　King　a　crack　across　the　helmet　with　his　battle…axe；　which

shore　off　the　gilt　lion　and　crown　that　surmounted　the　steel　cap。

The　King　bent　and　reeled　back；　the　besiegers　were　dismayed；　the

garrison　and　the　Count　of　Chalus　set　up　a　shout　of　triumph：　but　it

was　premature。



As　quick　as　thought　Ivanhoe　was　into　the　Count　with　a　thrust　in

tierce；　which　took　him　just　at　the　joint　of　the　armor；　and　ran　him

through　as　clean　as　a　spit　does　a　partridge。　　Uttering　a　horrid

shriek；　he　fell　back　writhing；　the　King　recovering　staggered　up　the

parapet；　the　rush　of　knights　followed；　and　the　union…jack　was

planted　triumphantly　on　the　walls；　just　as　Ivanhoe；but　we　must

leave　him　for　a　moment。



〃Ha；　St。　Richard！ha；　St。　George！〃　the　tremendous　voice　of　the

Lion…king　was　heard　over　the　loudest　roar　of　the　onset。　　At　every

sweep　of　his　blade　a　severed　head　flew　over　the　parapet；　a　spouting

trunk　tumbled；　bleeding；　on　the　flags　of　the　bartizan。　　The　world

hath　never　seen　a　warrior　equal　to　that　Lion…hearted　Plantagenet；

as　he　raged　over　the　keep；　his　eyes　flashing　fire　through　the　bars

of　his　morion；　snorting　and　chafing　with　the　hot　lust　of　battle。

One　by　one　les　enfans　de　Chalus　had　fallen；　there　was　only　one　left

at　last　of　all　the　brave　race　that　had　fought　round　the　gallant

Count：only　one；　and　but　a　boy；　a　fair…haired　boy；　a　blue…eyed

boy！　he　had　been　gathering　pansies　in　the　fields　but　yesterdayit

was　but　a　few　years；　and　he　was　a　baby　in　his　mother's　arms！　　What

could　his　puny　sword　do　against　the　most　redoubted　blade　in

Christendom？and　yet　Bohemond　faced　the　great　champion　of　England；

and　met　him　foot　to　foot！　　Turn　away；　turn　away；　my　dear　young

friends　and　kind…hearted　ladies！　　Do　not　look　at　that　ill…fated

poor　boy！　his　blade　is　crushed　into　splinters　under　the　axe　of　the

conqueror；　and　the　poor　child　is　beaten　to　his　knee！　。　。　。



〃Now；　by　St。　Barbacue　of　Limoges；〃　said　Bertrand　de　Gourdon；　〃the

butcher　will　never　strike　down　yonder　lambling！　　Hold　thy　hand；　Sir

King；　or；　by　St。　Barbacue〃



Swift　as　thought　the　veteran　archer　raised　his　arblast　to　his

shoulder；　the　whizzing　bolt　fled　from　the　ringing　string；　and　the

next　moment　crashed　quivering　into　the　corselet　of　Plantagenet。



'Twas　a　luckless　shot；　Bertrand　of　Gourdon！　　Maddened　by　the　pain

of　the　wound；　the　brute　nature　of　Richard　was　aroused：　his　fiendish

appetite　for　blood　rose　to　madness；　and　grinding　his　teeth；　and

with　a　curse　too　horrible　to　mention；　the　flashing　axe　of　the　royal

butcher　fell　down　on　the　blond　ringlets　of　the　child；　and　the

children　of　Chalus　were　no　more！　。　。　。





I　just　throw　this　off　by　way　of　description；　and　to　show　what　MIGHT

be　done　if　I　chose　to　indulge　in　this　style　of　composition；　but　as

in　the　battles　which　are　described　by　the　kindly　chronicler；　of　one

of　whose　works　this　present　masterpiece　is　professedly　a

continuation；　everything　passes　off　agreeablythe　people　are

slain；　but　without　any　unpleasant　sensation　to　the　reader；　nay；

some　of　the　most　savage　and　blood…stained　characters　of　history；

such　is　the　indomitable　good…humor　of　the　great　novelist；　become

amiable；　jovial　companions；　for　whom　one　has　a　hearty　symp