惊婚记 英文版 Quentin Durward
瓦尔特.司各特 Sir Walter Scott
CHAPTER XXVII: THE EXPLOSION Page 2
"Alas! my lord!" said the Count, "I have it from an eyewitness, anarcher of the King of France's Scottish Guard, who was in the hallwhen the murder was committed by William de la Marck's order."
"And who was doubtless aiding and abetting in the horriblesacrilege," said the Duke, starting up and stamping with his footwith such fury that he dashed in pieces the footstool which wasplaced before him. "Bar the doors of this hall, gentlemen -- securethe windows -- let no stranger stir from his seat, upon pain ofinstant death! -- Gentlemen of my chamber, draw your swords."
And turning upon Louis, he advanced his own hand slowly and deliberatelyto the hilt of his weapon, while the King, without either showingfear or assuming a defensive posture, only said -- "These news,fair cousin, have staggered your reason."
"No!" replied the Duke, in a terrible tone, "but they have awakeneda just resentment, which I have too long suffered to be stifled bytrivial considerations of circumstance and place. Murderer of thybrother! -- rebel against thy parent -- tyrant over thy subjects!-- treacherous ally! -- perjured King! -- dishonoured gentleman!-- thou art in my power, and I thank God for it."
lightened with allthe fire of a gallant who is about to dare .
"Rather thank my folly," said the King; "for when we met on equalterms at Montl'hery, methinks you wished yourself farther from methan we are now."
The Duke still held his hand on the hilt of his sword, but refrainedto draw his weapon or to strike a foe who offered no sort ofresistance which could in any wise provoke violence.
"Sir Duke, you have forgotten that you are a vassal of France, andthat we, your guests, are Frenchmen. If you lift a hand againstour Monarch, prepare to sustain the utmost effects of our despair;for, credit me, we shall feast as high with the blood of Burgundyas we have done with its wine. -- Courage, my Lord of Orleans --and you, gentlemen of France, form yourselves round Dunois, and doas he does."
It was in that moment when a King might see upon what tempers hecould certainly rely. The few independent nobles and knights whoattended Louis, most of whom had only received from him frowns ordiscountenance, unappalled by the display of infinitely superiorforce, and the certainty of destruction in case they came to blows,hastened to array themselves around Dunois, and, led by him, topress towards the head of the table where the contending Princeswere seated.
methan we are now."of my road, Crevecoeur," answered the Duke, "and let my vengeancepass! -- Out of my path! The wrath.
On the contrary, the tools and agents whom Louis had dragged forwardout of their fitting and natural places into importance which wasnot due to them, showed cowardice and cold heart, and, remainingstill in their seats, seemed resolved not to provoke their fate byintermeddling, whatever might become of their benefactor.
The first of the more generous party was the venerable Lord Crawford,who, with an agility which no one would have expected at his years,forced his way through all opposition (which was the less violent,as many of the Burgundians, either from a point of honour, ora secret inclination to prevent Louis's impending fate, gave wayto him), and threw himself boldly between the King and the Duke.He then placed his bonnet, from which his white hair escaped indishevelled tresses, upon one side of his head -- his pale cheekand withered brow coloured, and his aged eye lightened with allthe fire of a gallant who is about to dare some desperate action.His cloak was flung over one shoulder, and his action intimatedhis readiness to wrap it about his left arm, while he unsheathedhis sword with his right.
enmity at the King, and rushed out of the apartment.theywere liberated from restraint at the Castle of Loches,
"I have fought for his father and his grandsire," that was all hesaid, "and by Saint Andrew, end the matter as it will, I will notfail him at this pinch."
What has taken some time to narrate, happened, in fact, with thespeed of light; for so soon as the Duke assumed his threateningposture, Crawford had thrown himself betwixt him and the object ofhis vengeance; and the French gentlemen, drawing together as fastas they could, were crowding to the same point.
The Duke of Burgundy still remained with his hand on his sword, andseemed in the act of giving the signal for a general onset, whichmust necessarily have ended in the massacre of the weaker party,when Crevecoeur rushed forward, and exclaimed in a voice like atrumpet, "My liege Lord of Burgundy, beware what you do! This isyour hall -- you are the King's vassal -- do not spill the bloodof your guest on your hearth, the blood of your Sovereign on thethrone you have erected for him, and to which he came under yoursafeguard. For the sake of your house's honour, do not attempt torevenge one horrid murder by another yet worse!"
"Out of my road, Crevecoeur," answered the Duke, "and let my vengeancepass! -- Out of my path! The wrath of kings is to be dreaded likethat of Heaven."
"Only when, like that of Heaven, it is just," answered Crevecoeurfirmly. "Let me pray of you, my lord, to rein the violence ofyour temper, however justly offended. -- And for you, my Lords ofFrance, where resistance is unavailing, let me recommend you toforbear whatever may lead towards bloodshed."
"He is right," said Louis, whose coolness forsook him not in thatdreadful moment, and who easily foresaw that if a brawl shouldcommence, more violence would be dared and done in the heat ofblood than was likely to be attempted if peace were preserved.
"My cousin Orleans -- kind Dunois -- and you, my trusty Crawford-- bring not on ruin and bloodshed by taking offence too hastily.Our cousin the Duke is chafed at the tidings of the death of a nearand loving friend, the venerable Bishop of Liege, whose slaughterwe lament as he does. Ancient, and, unhappily, recent subjects ofjealousy lead him to suspect us of having abetted a crime whichour bosom abhors. Should our host murder us on this spot -- us,his King and his kinsman, under a false impression of our beingaccessory to this unhappy accident, our fate will be little lightened,but, on the contrary, greatly aggravated, by your stirring. --Therefore stand back, Crawford. -- Were it my last word, I speak asa King to his officer, and demand obedience. -- Stand back, and,if it is required, yield up your sword. I command you to do so,and your oath obliges you to obey."
"True, true, my lord," said Crawford, stepping back, and returningto the sheath the blade he had half drawn. -- "It may be all verytrue; but, by my honour, if I were at the head of threescore andten of my brave fellows, instead of being loaded with more than thelike number of years, I would try whether I could have some reasonout of these fine gallants, with their golden chains and looped upbonnets, with braw warld dyes (gaudy colors) and devices on them."
The Duke stood with his eyes fixed on the ground for a considerablespace, and then said, with bitter irony, "Crevecoeur, you saywell; and it concerns our honour that our obligations to this greatKing, our honoured and loving guest, be not so hastily adjusted, asin our hasty anger we had at first proposed. We will so act thatall Europe shall acknowledge the justice of our proceedings. --Gentlemen of France, you must render up your arms to my officers!Your master has broken the truce, and has no title to take fartherbenefit of it. In compassion, however, to your sentiments ofhonour, and in respect to the rank which he hath disgraced, and therace from which he hath degenerated, we ask not our cousin Louis'ssword."
"Not one of us," said Dunois, "will resign our weapon, or quit thishall, unless we are assured of at least our King's safety, in lifeand limb."
"Nor will a man of the Scottish Guard," exclaimed Crawford, "laydown his arms, save at the command of the King of France, or hisHigh Constable."
"Brave Dunois," said Louis, "and you, my trusty Crawford, your zealwill do me injury instead of benefit. -- I trust," he added withdignity, "in my rightful cause, more than in a vain resistance,which would but cost the lives of my best and bravest. Give upyour swords. -- The noble Burgundians, who accept such honourablepledges, will be more able than you are to protect both you andme. -- Give up your swords. -- It is I who command you."
It was thus that, in this dreadful emergency, Louis showed thepromptitude of decision and clearness of judgment which alone couldhave saved his life. He was aware that, until actual blows wereexchanged, he should have the assistance of most of the noblespresent to moderate the fury of their Prince; but that, were a meleeonce commenced, he himself and his few adherents must be instantlymurdered. At the same time, his worst enemies confessed thathis demeanour had in it nothing either of meanness or cowardice.He shunned to aggravate into frenzy the wrath of the Duke; but heneither deprecated nor seemed to fear it, and continued to look onhim with the calm and fixed attention with which a brave man eyesthe menacing gestures of a lunatic, whilst conscious that his ownsteadiness and composure operate as an insensible and powerfulcheck on the rage even of insanity.
Crawford, at the King's command, threw his sword to Crevecoeur,saying, "Take it! and the devil give you joy of it. -- It is nodishonour to the rightful owner who yields it, for we have had nofair play."
"Hold, gentlemen," said the Duke in a broken voice, as one whompassion had almost deprived of utterance, "retain your swords; it issufficient you promise not to use them. And you, Louis of Valois,must regard yourself as my prisoner, until you are cleared of havingabetted sacrilege and murder. Have him to the Castle. -- Have himto Earl Herbert's Tower. Let him have six gentlemen of his train toattend him, such as he shall choose. -- My Lord of Crawford, yourguard must leave the Castle, and shall be honourably quarteredelsewhere. Up with every drawbridge, and down with every portcullis. --Let the gates of the town be trebly guarded. -- Draw the floatingbridge to the right hand side of the river. -- Bring roundthe Castle my band of Black Walloons (regiments of Dutch troops,wearing black armour), and treble the sentinels on every post! --You, D'Hymbercourt, look that patrols of horse and foot make theround of the town every half hour during the night and every hourduring the next day -- if indeed such ward shall be necessary afterdaybreak, for it is like we may be sudden in this matter. -- Lookto the person of Louis, as you love your life."
He started from the table in fierce and moody haste, darted a glanceof mortal enmity at the King, and rushed out of the apartment.
"Sirs," said the King, looking with dignity around him, "grief forthe death of his ally hath made your Prince frantic. I trust youknow better your duty, as knights and noblemen, than to abet himin his treasonable violence against the person of his liege Lord."
At this moment was heard in the streets the sound of drums beating,and horns blowing, to call out the soldiery in every direction.
"We are," said Crevecoeur, who acted as the Marshal of the Duke'shousehold, "subjects of Burgundy, and must do our duty as such. Ourhopes and prayers, and our efforts, will not be wanting to bringabout peace and union between your Majesty and our liege Lord.Meantime, we must obey his commands. These other lords and knightswill be proud to contribute to the convenience of the illustriousDuke of Orleans, of the brave Dunois, and the stout Lord Crawford.I myself must be your Majesty's chamberlain, and bring you to yourapartments in other guise than would be my desire, remembering thehospitality of Plessis. You have only to choose your attendants,whom the Duke's commands limit to six."
"Then," said the King, looking around him, and thinking for a moment-- "I desire the attendance of Oliver le Dain, of a private of myLife Guard called Balafre, who may be unarmed if you will -- ofTristan l'Hermite, with two of his people -- and my right royaland trusty philosopher, Martius Galeotti."
"Your Majesty's will shall be complied with in all points," saidthe Count de Crevecoeur. "Galeotti," he added, after a moment'sinquiry, "is, I understand, at present supping in some buxomcompany, but he shall instantly be sent for; the others will obeyyour Majesty's command upon the instant."
"Forward, then, to the new abode, which the hospitality of ourcousin provides for us," said the King. "We know it is strong, andhave only to hope it may be in a corresponding degree safe."
"Surely, my merry gossip," replied the Count. "What hast thou toobject to them?"
"Nothing, nothing -- only they are a rare election! -- A panderlybarber -- a Scottish hired cutthroat -- a chief hangman and his twoassistants, and a thieving charlatan. -- I will along with you,Crevecoeur, and take a lesson in the degrees of roguery, fromobserving your skill in marshalling them. The devil himself couldscarce have summoned such a synod, or have been a better presidentamongst them."
Accordingly, the all licensed jester, seizing the Count's armfamiliarly, began to march along with him, while, under a strongguard, yet forgetting no semblance of respect, he conducted theKing towards his new apartment.
(The historical facts attending this celebrated interview areexpounded and enlarged upon in this chapter. Agents sent by Louishad tempted the people of Liege to rebel against their superior,Duke Charles, and persecute and murder their Bishop. But Louis wasnot prepared for their acting with such promptitude. They flew toarms with the temerity of a fickle rabble, took the Bishop prisoner,menaced and insulted him, and tore to pieces one or two of hiscanons. This news was sent to the Duke of Burgundy at the momentwhen Louis had so unguardedly placed himself in his power; andthe consequence was that Charles placed guards on the Castle ofPeronne, and, deeply resenting the treachery of the king of Francein exciting sedition in his dominions, while he pretended the mostintimate friendship, he deliberated whether he should not put Louisto death. Three days Louis was detained in this very precarioussituation, and it was only his profuse liberality amongst Charles'sfavourites and courtiers which finally ensured him from death ordeposition. Comines, who was the Duke of Burgundy's chamberlain atthe time, and slept in his apartment, says Charles neither undressednor slept, but flung himself from time to time on the bed, and,at other times, wildly traversed the apartment. It was long beforehis violent temper became in any degree tractable. At length he onlyagreed to give Louis his liberty, on condition of his accompanyinghim in person against, and employing his troops in subduing, themutineers whom his intrigues had instigated to arms. This was abitter and degrading alternative. But Louis, seeing no other modeof compounding for the effects of his rashness, not only submittedto this discreditable condition, but swore to it upon a crucifixsaid to have belonged to Charlemagne. These particulars are fromComines. There is a succinct epitome of them in Sir NathanielWraxall's History of France, vol. i. -- S.)