burlesques-第49章

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people　at　the　most　interesting　moment；　directly　an　adventure　is

necessary　for　them；　that　adventure　occurs：　and　I；　for　my　part；　have

often　wondered　with　delight　（and　never　could　penetrate　the　mystery

of　the　subject）　at　the　way　in　which　that　humblest　of　romance

heroes；　Signor　Clown；　when　he　wants　anything　in　the　Pantomime；

straightway　finds　it　to　his　hand。　　How　is　it　that；suppose　he

wishes　to　dress　himself　up　like　a　woman　for　instance；　that　minute　a

coalheaver　walks　in　with　a　shovel…hat　that　answers　for　a　bonnet；　at

the　very　next　instant　a　butcher's　lad　passing　with　a　string　of

sausages　and　a　bundle　of　bladders　unconsciously　helps　Master　Clown

to　a　necklace　and　a　tournure；　and　so　on　through　the　whole　toilet？

Depend　upon　it　there　is　something　we　do　not　wot　of　in　that

mysterious　overcoming　of　circumstances　by　great　individuals：　that

apt　and　wondrous　conjuncture　of　THE　HOUR　AND　THE　MAN；　and　so；　for

my　part；　when　I　heard　the　above　remark　of　one　of　the　archers；　that

Otto　had　never　a　feather　in　his　bonnet；　I　felt　sure　that　a　heron

would　spring　up　in　the　next　sentence　to　supply　him　with　an

aigrette。



And　such　indeed　was　the　fact：　rising　out　of　a　morass　by　which　the

archers　were　passing；　a　gallant　heron；　arching　his　neck；　swelling

his　crest；　placing　his　legs　behind　him；　and　his　beak　and　red　eyes

against　the　wind；　rose　slowly；　and　offered　the　fairest　mark　in　the

world。



〃Shoot；　Otto；〃　said　one　of　the　archers。　　〃You　would　not　shoot　just

now　at　a　crow　because　it　was　a　foul　bird；　nor　at　a　hawk　because　it

was　a　noble　bird；　bring　us　down　yon　heron：　it　flies　slowly。〃



But　Otto　was　busy　that　moment　tying　his　shoestring；　and　Rudolf；　the

third　best　of　the　archers；　shot　at　the　bird　and　missed　it。



〃Shoot；　Otto；〃　said　Wolfgang；　a　youth　who　had　taken　a　liking　to　the

young　archer：　〃the　bird　is　getting　further　and　further。〃



But　Otto　was　busy　that　moment　whittling　a　willow…twig　he　had　just

cut。　　Max；　the　second　best　archer；　shot　and　missed。



〃Then；〃　said　Wolfgang；　〃I　must　try　myself：　a　plague　on　you；　young

springald；　you　have　lost　a　noble　chance！〃



Wolfgang　prepared　himself　with　all　his　care；　and　shot　at　the　bird。

〃It　is　out　of　distance；〃　said　he；　〃and　a　murrain　on　the　bird！〃



Otto；　who　by　this　time　had　done　whittling　his　willow…stick　（having

carved　a　capital　caricature　of　Wolfgang　upon　it）；　flung　the　twig

down　and　said　carelessly；　〃Out　of　distance！　　Pshaw！　　We　have　two

minutes　yet；〃　and　fell　to　asking　riddles　and　cutting　jokes；　to　the

which　none　of　the　archers　listened；　as　they　were　all　engaged；　their

noses　in　air；　watching　the　retreating　bird。



〃Where　shall　I　hit　him？〃　said　Otto。



〃Go　to；〃　said　Rudolf；　〃thou　canst　see　no　limb　of　him：　he　is　no

bigger　than　a　flea。〃



〃Here　goes　for　his　right　eye！〃　said　Otto；　and　stepping　forward　in

the　English　manner　（which　his　godfather　having　learnt　in　Palestine；

had　taught　him）；　he　brought　his　bowstring　to　his　ear；　took　a　good

aim；　allowing　for　the　wind　and　calculating　the　parabola　to　a

nicety。　　Whiz！　his　arrow　went　off。



He　took　up　the　willow…twig　again　and　began　carving　a　head　of　Rudolf

at　the　other　end；　chatting　and　laughing；　and　singing　a　ballad　the

while。



The　archers；　after　standing　a　long　time　looking　skywards　with　their

noses　in　the　air；　at　last　brought　them　down　from　the　perpendicular

to　the　horizontal　position；　and　said；　〃Pooh；　this　lad　is　a　humbug！

The　arrow's　lost；　let's　go！〃



〃HEADS！〃　cried　Otto；　laughing。　　A　speck　was　seen　rapidly　descending

from　the　heavens；　it　grew　to　be　as　big　as　a　crown…piece；　then　as　a

partridge；　then　as　a　tea…kettle；　and　flop！　down　fell　a　magnificent

heron　to　the　ground；　flooring　poor　Max　in　its　fall。



〃Take　the　arrow　out　of　his　eye；　Wolfgang；〃　said　Otto；　without

looking　at　the　bird：　〃wipe　it　and　put　it　back　into　my　quiver。〃



The　arrow　indeed　was　there；　having　penetrated　right　through　the

pupil。



〃Are　you　in　league　with　Der　Freischutz？〃　said　Rudolf；　quite　amazed。



Otto　laughingly　whistled　the　〃Huntsman's　Chorus；〃　and　said；　〃No；　my

friend。　　It　was　a　lucky　shot：　only　a　lucky　shot。　　I　was　taught

shooting；　look　you；　in　the　fashion　of　merry　England；　where　the

archers　are　archers　indeed。〃



And　so　he　cut　off　the　heron's　wing　for　a　plume　for　his　hat；　and　the

archers　walked　on；　much　amazed；　and　saying；　〃What　a　wonderful

country　that　merry　England　must　be！〃



Far　from　feeling　any　envy　at　their　comrade's　success；　the　jolly

archers　recognized　his　superiority　with　pleasure；　and　Wolfgang　and

Rudolf　especially　held　out　their　hands　to　the　younker；　and　besought

the　honor　of　his　friendship。　　They　continued　their　walk　all　day；

and　when　night　fell　made　choice　of　a　good　hostel　you　may　be　sure；

where　over　beer；　punch；　champagne；　and　every　luxury；　they　drank　to

the　health　of　the　Duke　of　Cleves；　and　indeed　each　other's　healths

all　round。　　Next　day　they　resumed　their　march；　and　continued　it

without　interruption；　except　to　take　in　a　supply　of　victuals　here

and　there　（and　it　was　found　on　these　occasions　that　Otto；　young　as

he　was；　could　eat　four　times　as　much　as　the　oldest　archer　present；

and　drink　to　correspond）；　and　these　continued　refreshments　having

given　them　more　than　ordinary　strength；　they　determined　on　making

rather　a　long　march　of　it；　and　did　not　halt　till　after　nightfall　at

the　gates　of　the　little　town　of　Windeck。



What　was　to　be　done？　the　town…gates　were　shut。　　〃Is　there　no

hostel；　no　castle　where　we　can　sleep？〃　asked　Otto　of　the　sentinel

at　the　gate。　　〃I　am　so　hungry　that　in　lack　of　better　food　I　think　I

could　eat　my　grandmamma。〃



The　sentinel　laughed　at　this　hyperbolical　expression　of　hunger；　and

said；　〃You　had　best　go　sleep　at　the　Castle　of　Windeck　yonder；〃

adding　with　a　peculiarly　knowing　look；　〃Nobody　will　disturb　you

there。〃



At　that　moment　the　moon　broke　out　from　a　cloud；　and　showed　on　a

hill　hard　by　a　castle　indeedbut　the　skeleton　of　a　castle。　　The

roof　was　gone；　the　windows　were　dismantled；　the　towers　were

tumbling；　and　the　cold　moonlight　pierced　it　through　and　through。

One　end　of　the　building　was；　however；　still　covered　in；　and　stood

looking　still　more　frowning；　vast；　and　gloomy；　even　than　the　other

part　of　the　edifice。



〃There　is　a　lodging；　certainly；〃　said　Otto　to　the　sentinel；　who

pointed　towards　the　castle　with　his　bartizan；　〃but　tell　me；　good

fellow；　what　are　we　to　do　for　a　supper？〃



〃Oh；　the　castellan　of　Windeck　will　entertain　you；〃　said　the　man…at…

arms　with　a　grin；　and　marched　up　the　embrasure；　the　while　the

archers；　taking　counsel　among　themselves；　debated　whether　or　not

they　should　take　up　their　quarters　in　the　gloomy　and　deserted

edifice。



〃We　shall　get　nothing　but　an　owl　for　supper　there；〃　said　young

Otto。　　〃Marry；　lads；　let　us　storm　the　town；　we　are　thirty　gallant

fellows；　and　I　have　heard　the　garrison　is　not　more　than　three

hundred。〃　　But　the　rest　of　the　party　thought　such　a　way　of　getting

supper　was　not　a　very　cheap　one；　and；　grovelling　knaves；　preferred

rather　to　sleep　ignobly　and　without　victuals；　than　dare　the　assault

with　Otto；　and　die；　or　conquer　something　comfortable。



One　and　all　then　made　their　way　towards　the　castle。　　They　entered

its　vast　and　silent　halls；　frightening　the　owls　and　bats　that　fled

before　them　with　hideous　hootings　and　flappings　of　wings；　and

passing　by　a　multiplicity　of　mouldy　stairs；　dank　reeking　roofs；　and

rickety　corridors；　at　last　came　to　an　apartment　which；　dismal　and

dismantled　as　it　was；　appeared　to　be　in　rather　better　condition

than　the　neighboring　chambers；　and　they　therefore　selected　it　as

their　place　of　rest　for　the　night。　　They　then　tossed　up　which

should　mount　guard。　　The　first　two　hours　of　watch　fell　to　Otto；　who

was　to　be　succeeded　by　his　young　though　humble　friend　Wolfgang；

and；　accordingly；　the　Childe　of　Godesberg；　drawing　his　dirk；　began

to　pace　upon　his　weary　round；　while　his　comrades；　by　various

gradations　of　snoring；　told　how　profoundly　they　slept；　spite　of

their　lack　of　supper。



'Tis　needless　to　say　what　were　the　thoughts　of　the　noble　Childe　as

he　performed　his　two　hours'　watch；　what　gushing　memories　poured

into　his　full　soul；　what　〃sweet　and　bitter〃　recollections　of　home

inspired　his　throbbing　heart；　and　what　manly　aspirations　after　fame

buoyed　him　up。　　〃Youth　is　ever　confident；〃　says　the　bard。　　Happy；

happy　season！　　The　moonlit　hours　passed　by　on　silver　wings；　the

twinkling　stars　looked　friendly　down　upon　him。　　Confiding　in　their

youthful　sentinel；　sound　slept　the　valorous　toxophilites；　as　up　and

down；　and　there　and　back　again；　marched　on　the　noble　Childe。　　At

length　his　repeater　told　him；　much　to　his　satisfaction；　that　it　was

half…past　eleven；　the　hour　when　his　watch　was　to　cease；　and　so；

giving　a　playful　kick　to　the　slumbering　Wolfgang；　that　good…humored

fellow　sprung　up　from　his　lair；　and；　drawing　his　sword；　proceeded

to　relieve　Otto。



The　latter　laid　him　down　for　warmth's　sake　on　the　very　spot　which

his　comrade　had　left；　and　for　some　time　could　not　sleep。　　Realities

and　visions　then　began　to　mingle　in　his　mind；　till　he　scarce　knew

which　was　which。　　He　dozed　for　a　minute；　then　he　woke　with　a　start；

then　he　went　off　again；　then　woke　up　again。　　In　one　of　these　half…

sleeping　moments　he　thought　he　saw　a　figure；　as　of　a　woman　in

white；　gliding　into　the　room；　and　beckoning　Wolfgang　from　it。　　He

looked　again。　　Wolfgang　was　gone。　　At　that　moment　twelve　o'clock

clanged　from　the　town；　and　Otto　started　up。





CHAPTER　IX。



THE　LADY　OF　WINDECK。





As　the　bell　with　iron　tongue　called　midnight；　Wolfgang　the　Archer；

pacing　on　his　watch；　beheld　before　him　a　pale　female　figure。　　He

did　not　know　whence　she　came：　but　there　suddenly　she　stood　close　to

him。　　Her　blue；　clear；　glassy　eyes　were　fixed　upon　him。　　Her　form

was　of　faultless　beauty；　her　face　pale　as　the　marble　of　the　fairy

statue；　ere　yet　the　sculptor's　love　had　given　it　life。　　A　smile

played　upon　her　features；　but　it　was　no　warmer　than　the　reflection

of　a　moonbeam　on　a　lake；　and　yet　it　was　wondrous　beautiful。　　A

fascination　stole　over　the　senses　of　young　Wolfgang。　　He　stared　at

the　lovely　apparition　with　fixed　eyes　and　distended　jaws。　　She

looked　at　him　with　ineffable　archness。　　She　lifted　one　beautifully

rounded　alabaster　arm；　and　made　a　sign　as　if　to　beckon　him　towards

her。　　Did　Wolfgangthe　young　and　lusty　Wolfgangfollow？　　Ask　the

iron　whether　it　follows　the　magnet？ask　the　pointer　whether　it

pursues　the　partridge　through　the　stubble？ask　the　youth　whether

the　lollipop…shop　does　not　attract　him？　　Wolfgang　DID　follow。　　An

antique　door　opened；　as　if　by　magic。　　There　was　no　light；　and　yet

they　saw　quite　plain；　they　passed　through　the　innumerable　ancient

chambers；　and　yet　they　did　not　wake　any　of　the　owls　and　bats

roosting　there。　　We　know　not　through　how　many　apartments　the　young

couple　passed；　but　at　last　they　came　to　one　where　a　feast　was

prepared：　and　on　an　antique　table；　cover