burlesques-第79章

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and　stay　at　Rotherwood　occasionally；　and　egayer　the　general　dulness

of　that　castle。　　But　her　ladyship　said　that　Rowena　gave　herself

such　airs；　and　bored　her　so　intolerably　with　stories　of　King　Edward

the　Confessor；　that　she　preferred　any　place　rather　than　Rotherwood；

which　was　as　dull　as　if　it　had　been　at　the　top　of　Mount　Athos。



The　only　person　who　visited　it　was　Athelstane。　　〃His　Royal　Highness

the　Prince〃　Rowena　of　course　called　him；　whom　the　lady　received

with　royal　honors。　　She　had　the　guns　fired；　and　the　footmen　turned

out　with　presented　arms　when　he　arrived；　helped　him　to　all

Ivanhoe's　favorite　cuts　of　the　mutton　or　the　turkey；　and　forced　her

poor　husband　to　light　him　to　the　state　bedroom；　walking　backwards；

holding　a　pair　of　wax…candles。　　At　this　hour　of　bedtime　the　Thane

used　to　be　in　such　a　condition；　that　he　saw　two　pair　of　candles　and

two　Ivanhoes　reeling　before　him。　　Let　us　hope　it　was　not　Ivanhoe

that　was　reeling；　but　only　his　kinsman's　brains　muddled　with　the

quantities　of　drink　which　it　was　his　daily　custom　to　consume。

Rowena　said　it　was　the　crack　which　the　wicked　Bois　Guilbert；　〃the

Jewess's　OTHER　lover；　Wilfrid　my　dear；〃　gave　him　on　his　royal

skull；　which　caused　the　Prince　to　be　disturbed　so　easily；　but

added；　that　drinking　became　a　person　of　royal　blood；　and　was　but

one　of　the　duties　of　his　station。



Sir　Wilfrid　of　Ivanhoe　saw　it　would　be　of　no　avail　to　ask　this　man

to　bear　him　company　on　his　projected　tour　abroad；　but　still　he

himself　was　every　day　more　and　more　bent　upon　going；　and　he　long

cast　about　for　some　means　of　breaking　to　his　Rowena　his　firm

resolution　to　join　the　King。　　He　thought　she　would　certainty　fall

ill　if　he　communicated　the　news　too　abruptly　to　her：　he　would

pretend　a　journey　to　York　to　attend　a　grand　jury；　then　a　call　to

London　on　law　business　or　to　buy　stock；　then　he　would　slip　over　to

Calais　by　the　packet；　by　degrees　as　it　were；　and　so　be　with　the

King　before　his　wife　knew　that　he　was　out　of　sight　of　Westminster

Hall。



〃Suppose　your　honor　says　you　are　going　as　your　honor　would　say　Bo！

to　a　goose；　plump；　short；　and　to　the　point；〃　said　Wamba　the　Jester

who　was　Sir　Wilfrid's　chief　counsellor　and　attendant〃depend　on't

her　Highness　would　bear　the　news　like　a　Christian　woman。〃



〃Tush；　malapert！　I　will　give　thee　the　strap；〃　said　Sir　Wilfrid；　in

a　fine　tone　of　high…tragedy　indignation。　　〃Thou　knowest　not　the

delicacy　of　the　nerves　of　high…born　ladies。　　An　she　faint　not；

write　me　down　Hollander。〃



〃I　will　wager　my　bauble　against　an　Irish　billet　of　exchange　that

she　will　let　your　honor　go　off　readily：　that　is；　if　you　press　not

the　matter　too　strongly；〃　Wamba　answered；　knowingly。　　And　this

Ivanhoe　found　to　his　discomfiture：　for　one　morning　at　breakfast；

adopting　a　degage　air；　as　he　sipped　his　tea；　he　said；　〃My　love；　I

was　thinking　of　going　over　to　pay　his　Majesty　a　visit　in　Normandy。〃

Upon　which；　laying　down　her　muffin；　（which；　since　the　royal　Alfred

baked　those　cakes；　had　been　the　chosen　breakfast　cate　of　noble

Anglo…Saxons；　and　which　a　kneeling　page　tendered　to　her　on　a

salver；　chased　by　the　Florentine；　Benvenuto　Cellini；）〃When　do　you

think　of　going；　Wilfrid　my　dear？〃　the　lady　said；　and　the　moment　the

tea…things　were　removed；　and　the　tables　and　their　trestles　put

away；　she　set　about　mending　his　linen；　and　getting　ready　his

carpet…bag。



So　Sir　Wilfrid　was　as　disgusted　at　her　readiness　to　part　with　him

as　he　had　been　weary　of　staying　at　home；　which　caused　Wamba　the

Fool　to　say；　〃Marry；　gossip；　thou　art　like　the　man　on　ship…board；

who；　when　the　boatswain　flogged　him；　did　cry　out　'Oh！'　wherever　the

rope's…end　fell　on　him：　which　caused　Master　Boatswain　to　say；

'Plague　on　thee；　fellow；　and　a　pize　on　thee；　knave；　wherever　I　hit

thee　there　is　no　pleasing　thee。'〃



〃And　truly　there　are　some　backs　which　Fortune　is　always　belaboring；〃

thought　Sir　Wilfrid　with　a　groan；　〃and　mine　is　one　that　is　ever

sore。〃



So；　with　a　moderate　retinue；　whereof　the　knave　Wamba　made　one；　and

a　large　woollen　comforter　round　his　neck；　which　his　wife's　own

white　fingers　had　woven；　Sir　Wilfrid　of　Ivanhoe　left　home　to　join

the　King　his　master。　　Rowena；　standing　on　the　steps；　poured　out　a

series　of　prayers　and　blessings；　most　edifying　to　hear；　as　her　lord

mounted　his　charger；　which　his　squires　led　to　the　door。　　〃It　was

the　duty　of　the　British　female　of　rank；〃　she　said；　〃to　suffer　all

ALL　in　the　cause　of　her　sovereign。　　SHE　would　not　fear　loneliness

during　the　campaign：　she　would　bear　up　against　widowhood；

desertion；　and　an　unprotected　situation。〃



〃My　cousin　Athelstane　will　protect　thee；〃　said　Ivanhoe；　with

profound　emotion；　as　the　tears　trickled　down　his　basenet；　and

bestowing　a　chaste　salute　upon　the　steel…clad　warrior；　Rowena

modestly　said　〃she　hoped　his　Highness　would　be　so　kind。〃



Then　Ivanhoe's　trumpet　blew：　then　Rowena　waved　her　pocket…

handkerchief：　then　the　household　gave　a　shout：　then　the　pursuivant

of　the　good　Knight；　Sir　Wilfrid　the　Crusader；　flung　out　his　banner

（which　was　argent；　a　gules　cramoisy　with　three　Moors　impaled

sable）：　then　Wamba　gave　a　lash　on　his　mule's　haunch；　and　Ivanhoe；

heaving　a　great　sigh；　turned　the　tail　of　his　war…horse　upon　the

castle　of　his　fathers。



As　they　rode　along　the　forest；　they　met　Athelstane　the　Thane

powdering　along　the　road　in　the　direction　of　Rotherwood　on　his

great　dray…horse　of　a　charger。　　〃Good…by；　good　luck　to　you；　old

brick；〃　cried　the　Prince；　using　the　vernacular　Saxon。　　〃Pitch　into

those　Frenchmen；　give　it　'em　over　the　face　and　eyes；　and　I'll　stop

at　home　and　take　care　of　Mrs。　I。〃



〃Thank　you；　kinsman；〃　said　Ivanhoelooking；　however；　not

particularly　well　pleased；　and　the　chiefs　shaking　hands；　the　train

of　each　took　its　different　wayAthelstane's　to　Rotherwood；

Ivanhoe's　towards　his　place　of　embarkation。



The　poor　knight　had　his　wish；　and　yet　his　face　was　a　yard　long　and

as　yellow　as　a　lawyer's　parchment；　and　having　longed　to　quit　home

any　time　these　three　years　past；　he　found　himself　envying

Athelstane；　because；　forsooth；　he　was　going　to　Rotherwood：　which

symptoms　of　discontent　being　observed　by　the　witless　Wamba；　caused

that　absurd　madman　to　bring　his　rebeck　over　his　shoulder　from　his

back；　and　to　sing





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃ATRA　CURA。



　　　　　〃Before　I　lost　my　five　poor　wits；

　　　　　　I　mind　me　of　a　Romish　clerk；

　　　　　　Who　sang　how　Care；　the　phantom　dark；

　　　　　　Beside　the　belted　horseman　sits。

　　　　　　Methought　I　saw　the　griesly　sprite

　　　　　　Jump　up　but　now　behind　my　Knight。〃





〃Perhaps　thou　didst；　knave；〃　said　Ivanhoe；　looking　over　his

shoulder；　and　the　knave　went　on　with　his　jingle：





　　　　　〃And　though　he　gallop　as　he　may；

　　　　　　I　mark　that　cursed　monster　black

　　　　　　Still　sits　behind　his　honor's　back；

　　　　　　Tight　squeezing　of　his　heart　alway。

　　　　　　Like　two　black　Templars　sit　they　there；

　　　　　　Beside　one　crupper；　Knight　and　Care。



　　　　　〃No　knight　am　I　with　pennoned　spear；

　　　　　　To　prance　upon　a　bold　destrere：

　　　　　　I　will　not　have　black　Care　prevail

　　　　　　Upon　my　long…eared　charger's　tail；

　　　　　　For　lo；　I　am　a　witless　fool；

　　　　　　And　laugh　at　Grief　and　ride　a　mule。〃





And　his　bells　rattled　as　he　kicked　his　mule's　sides。



〃Silence；　fool！〃　said　Sir　Wilfrid　of　Ivanhoe；　in　a　voice　both

majestic　and　wrathful。　　〃If　thou　knowest　not　care　and　grief；　it　is

because　thou　knowest　not　love；　whereof　they　are　the　companions。

Who　can　love　without　an　anxious　heart？　　How　shall　there　be　joy　at

meeting；　without　tears　at　parting？〃　　（〃I　did　not　see　that　his　honor

or　my　lady　shed　many　anon；〃　thought　Wamba　the　Fool；　but　he　was　only

a　zany；　and　his　mind　was　not　right。）　　〃I　would　not　exchange　my　very

sorrows　for　thine　indifference；〃　the　knight　continued。　　〃Where

there　is　a　sun；　there　must　be　a　shadow。　　If　the　shadow　offend　me；

shall　I　put　out　my　eyes　and　live　in　the　dark？　　No！　　I　am　content

with　my　fate；　even　such　as　it　is。　　The　Care　of　which　thou　speakes