惊婚记 英文版 Quentin Durward
瓦尔特.司各特 Sir Walter Scott
CHAPTER XXXIII: THE HERALD
Ariel. -- Hark! they roar.Prospero. Let them be hunted soundly.
THE TEMPEST
There was room made in the assembly, and no small curiosity evincedby those present to see the herald whom the insurgent Liegeois hadventured to send to so haughty a Prince as the Duke of Burgundy, whilein such high indignation against them. For it must be rememberedthat at this period heralds were only dispatched from sovereignprinces to each other upon solemn occasions; and that the inferiornobility employed pursuivants, a lower rank of officers at arms. Itmay be also noticed, in passing, that Louis XI, an habitual deriderof whatever did not promise real power or substantial advantage,was in especial a professed contemner of heralds and heraldry, "red,blue, and green, with all their trumpery," to which the pride ofhis rival Charles, which was of a very different kind, attached nosmall degree of ceremonious importance.
The herald, who was now introduced into the presence of the monarchs,was dressed in a tabard, or coat, embroidered with the arms of hismaster, in which the Boar's Head made a distinguished appearance,in blazonry, which in the opinion of the skilful was more showythan accurate. The rest of his dress -- a dress always sufficientlytawdry -- was overcharged with lace, embroidery, and ornament ofevery kind, and the plume of feathers which he wore was so high,as if intended to sweep the roof of the hall. In short, the usualgaudy splendour of the heraldic attire was caricatured and overdone.The Boar's Head was not only repeated on every part of his dress,but even his bonnet was formed into that shape, and it was representedwith gory tongue and bloody tusks, or in proper language, langedand dentated gules, and there was something in the man's appearancewhich seemed to imply a mixture of boldness and apprehension, likeone who has undertaken a dangerous commission, and is sensible thataudacity alone can carry him through it with safety. Something ofthe same mixture of fear and effrontery was visible in the mannerin which he paid his respects, and he showed also a grotesqueawkwardness, not usual amongst those who were accustomed to bereceived in the presence of princes.
"Who art thou, in the devil's name?" was the greeting with whichCharles the Bold received this singular envoy.
"I am Rouge Sanglier," answered the herald, "the officer at armsof William de la Marck, by the grace of God, and the election ofthe Chapter, Prince Bishop of Liege."
"Ha!" exclaimed Charles, but, as if subduing his own passion, hemade a sign to him to proceed.
"And, in right of his wife, the Honourable Countess Hameline ofCroye, Count of Croye, and Lord of Bracquemont."
The utter astonishment of Duke Charles at the extremity of boldnesswith which these titles were announced in his presence seemed tostrike him dumb; and the herald conceiving, doubtless, that he hadmade a suitable impression by the annunciation of his character,proceeded to state his errand.
"Annuncio vobis gaudium magnum (I announce to you a great joy),"he said; "I let you, Charles of Burgundy and Earl of Flanders,to know, in my master's name, that under favour of a dispensationof our Holy Father of Rome, presently expected, and appointinga fitting substitute ad sacra (to the sacred office), he proposesto exercise at once the office of Prince Bishop, and maintain therights of Count of Croye."
The Duke of Burgundy, at this and other pauses in the herald'sspeech, only ejaculated, "Ha!" or some similar interjection, withoutmaking any answer; and the tone of exclamation was that of one who,though surprised and moved, is willing to hear all that is to besaid ere he commits himself by making an answer. To the furtherastonishment of all who were present, he forbore from his usualabrupt and violent gesticulations, remaining with the nail of histhumb pressed against his teeth, which was his favourite attitudewhen giving attention, and keeping his eyes bent on the ground, asif unwilling to betray the passion which might gleam in them.
The envoy, therefore, proceeded boldly and unabashed in the deliveryof his message. "In the name, therefore, of the Prince Bishop ofLiege, and Count of Croye, I am to require of you, Duke Charles,to desist from those pretensions and encroachments which you havemade on the free and imperial city of Liege, by connivance withthe late Louis of Bourbon, unworthy Bishop thereof."
"Ha," again exclaimed the Duke.
"Also to restore the banners of the community, which you tookviolently from the town, to the number of six and thirty -- torebuild the breaches in their walls, and restore the fortificationswhich you tyrannically dismantled -- and to acknowledge my master,William de la Marck, as Prince Bishop, lawfully elected in a freeChapter of Canons, of which behold the proces verbal."
"Have you finished?" said the Duke.
"Not yet," replied the envoy. "I am farther to require your Grace,on the part of the said right noble and venerable Prince, Bishop,and Count, that you do presently withdraw the garrison from theCastle of Bracquemont, and other places of strength, belonging tothe Earldom of Croye, which have been placed there, whether in yourown most gracious name, or in that of Isabelle, calling herselfCountess of Croye, or any other, until it shall be decided by theImperial Diet whether the fiefs in question shall not pertain to thesister of the late Count, my most gracious Lady Hameline, ratherthan to his daughter, in respect of the jus emphyteusis (a permanenttenure of land upon condition of cultivating it properly, and payinga stipulated rent; a sort of fee farm or copyhold)."
"Your master is most learned," replied the Duke.
"Yet," continued the herald, "the noble and venerable Prince andCount will be disposed, all other disputes betwixt Burgundy andLiege being settled, to fix upon the Lady Isabelle such an appanageas may become her quality."
"He is generous and considerate," said the Duke, in the same tone.
"Now, by a poor fool's conscience," said Le Glorieux apart to theCount of Crevecoeur, "I would rather be in the worst cow's hidethat ever died of the murrain than in that fellow's painted coat!The poor man goes on like drunkards, who only look to the ether pot,and not to the score which mine host chalks up behind the lattice."
"Have you yet done?" said the Duke to the herald.
"One word more," answered Rouge Sanglier, "from my noble andvenerable lord aforesaid, respecting his worthy and trusty ally,the most Christian King."
"Ha!" exclaimed the Duke, starting, and in a fiercer tone than hehad yet used; but checking himself, he instantly composed himselfagain to attention.
"Which most Christian King's royal person it is rumoured that you,Charles of Burgundy, have placed under restraint contrary to yourduty as a vassal of the Crown of France, and to the faith observedamong Christian Sovereigns. For which reason, my said noble andvenerable master, by my mouth, charges you to put his royal andmost Christian ally forthwith at freedom, or to receive the defiancewhich I am authorized to pronounce to you."
"Have you yet done?" said the Duke.
"I have," answered the herald, "and await your Grace's answer,trusting it may be such as will save the effusion of Christianblood."
"Now, by Saint George of Burgundy!" said the Duke, but ere he couldproceed farther, Louis arose, and struck in with a tone of so muchdignity and authority that Charles could not interrupt him.
"Under your favour, fair cousin of Burgundy," said the King, "weourselves crave priority of voice in replying to this insolentfellow. -- Sirrah herald, or whatever thou art, carry back noticeto the perjured outlaw and murderer, William de la Marck, thatthe King of France will be presently before Liege, for the purposeof punishing the sacrilegious murderer of his late beloved kinsman,Louis of Bourbon; and that he proposes to gibbet De la Marckalive, for the insolence of terming himself his ally, and puttinghis royal name into the mouth of one of his own base messengers."
"Add whatever else on my part," said Charles, "which it may notmisbecome a prince to send to a common thief and murderer. -- Andbegone! -- Yet stay. -- Never herald went from the Court of Burgundywithout having cause to cry, Largesse! -- Let him be scourged tillthe bones are laid bare."
"Nay, but if it please your Grace," said Crevecoeur and D'Hymbercourttogether, "he is a herald, and so far privileged."
the same tone.," answered Louis in the same tone, "dead men tell notales." title.
"It is you, Messires," replied the Duke, "who are such owls asto think that the tabard makes the herald. I see by that fellow'sblazoning he is a mere impostor. Let Toison d'Or step forward, andquestion him in your presence."
In spite of his natural effrontery, the envoy of the Wild Boar ofArdennes now became pale; and that notwithstanding some touches ofpaint with which he had adorned his countenance. Toison d'Or, thechief herald, as we have elsewhere said, of the Duke, and King atarms within his dominions, stepped forward with the solemnity ofone who knew what was due to his office, and asked his supposedbrother in what college he had studied the science which he professed.
"I was bred a pursuivant at the Heraldic College of Ratisbon,"answered Rouge Sanglier, "and received the diploma of Ehrenhold (aherald) from that same learned fraternity."
"You could not derive it from a source more worthy," answeredToison d'Or, bowing still lower than he had done before; "and if Ipresume to confer with you on the mysteries of our sublime science,in obedience to the orders of the most gracious Duke, it is not inhopes of giving, but of receiving knowledge."
"Go to," said the Duke impatiently. "Leave off ceremony, and askhim some question that may try his skill."
"I understand one sort of blazonry as well as another," answeredRouge Sanglier boldly, "but it may be we have not the same termsin Germany which you have here in Flanders."
"Alas, that you will say so!" replied Toison d'Or. "our noblescience, which is indeed the very banner of nobleness and glory ofgenerosity, being the same in all Christian countries, nay, knownand acknowledged even by the Saracens and Moors. I would, therefore,pray of you to describe what coat you will after the celestialfashion, that is, by the planets."
Croye's wedding with the Duke ofOrleans?"as an ape is made to.
"Blazon it yourself as you will," said Rouge Sanglier; "I will dono such apish tricks upon commandment, as an ape is made to comealoft."
"Show him a coat and let him blazon it his own way," said the Duke;"and if he fails, I promise him that his back shall be gules, azure,and sable."
"Here," said the herald of Burgundy, taking from his pouch a pieceof parchment, "is a scroll in which certain considerations led meto prick down, after my own poor fashion, an ancient coat. I willpray my brother, if indeed he belong to the honourable College ofArms at Ratisbon, to decipher it in fitting language."
Le Glorieux, who seemed to take great pleasure in this discussion,had by this time bustled himself close up to the two heralds."I will help thee, good fellow," said he to Rouge Sanglier, as helooked hopelessly upon the scroll. "This, my lords and masters,represents the cat looking out at the dairy window."
This sally occasioned a laugh, which was something to the advantageof Rouge Sanglier, as it led Toison d'Or, indignant at themisconstruction of his drawing, to explain it as the coat of armsassumed by Childebert, King of France, after he had taken prisonerGandemar, King of Burgundy; representing an ounce, or tiger cat,the emblem of the captive prince, behind a grating, or, as Toisond'Or technically defined it, "Sable, a musion (a tiger cat; a termof heraldry) passant Or, oppressed with a trellis gules, cloue ofthe second."
"By my bauble," said Le Glorieux, "if the cat resemble Burgundy,she has the right side of the grating nowadays."
"True, good fellow," said Louis, laughing, while the rest of thepresence, and even Charles himself, seemed disconcerted at so broada jest.
"I owe thee a piece of gold for turning some thing that looked likesad earnest into the merry game, which I trust it will end in."
"Silence, Le Glorieux," said the Duke; "and you, Toison d'Or, whoare too learned to be intelligible, stand back -- and bring thatrascal forward, some of you. -- Hark ye, villain," he said in hisharshest tone, "do you know the difference between argent and or,except in the shape of coined money?"
"For pity's sake, your Grace, be good unto me! -- Noble King Louis,speak for me!"
"Speak for thyself," said the Duke. "In a word, art thou herald ornot?"
"Only for this occasion!" acknowledged the detected official.
"Now, by Saint George!" said the Duke, eyeing Louis askance, "we knowno king -- no gentleman -- save one, who would have so prostitutedthe noble science on which royalty and gentry rest, save that Kingwho sent to Edward of England a serving man disguised as a herald."
(The heralds of the middle ages were regarded almost as sacredcharacters. It was treasonable to strike a herald, or to counterfeitthe character of one. Yet Louis "did not hesitate to practise suchan imposition when he wished to enter into communication with EdwardIV of England. . . . He selected, as an agentfit for his purpose,a simple valet. This man . . . he disguised as a herald, with allthe insignia of his office, and sent him in that capacity to opena communication with the English army. The stratagem, though of sofraudulent a nature, does not seem to have been necessarily calledfor, since all that King Louis could gain by it would be that hedid not commit himself by sending a more responsible messenger.. . . Ferne . . . imputes this intrusion on their rights in somedegree to necessity. 'I have heard some,' he says, '. . . allowof the action of Louis XI who had so unknightly a regard both ofhis own honour, and also of armes, that he seldom had about hiscourt any officer at armes. And therefore, at such time as EdwardIV, King of England, . . . lay before the town of Saint Quentin,the same French King, for want of a herald to carry his mind tothe English King, was constrained to suborn a vadelict, or commonserving man, with a trumpet banner, having a hole made through themiddest for this preposterous herauld to put his head through, andto cast it over his shoulders instead of a better coat armour ofFrance. And thus came this hastily arrayed courier as a counterfeitofficer at armes, with instructions from his sovereign's mouth tooffer peace to our King.' Ferne's Blazen of Gentry, 1586, p.161. -- S.)
"Such a stratagem," said Louis, laughing, or affecting to laugh,"could only be justified at a Court where no herald were at thetime, and when the emergency was urgent. But, though it might havepassed on the blunt and thick witted islander, no one with brainsa whit better than those of a wild boar would have thought ofpassing such a trick upon the accomplished Court of Burgundy."
"Send him who will," said the Duke fiercely, "he shall return ontheir hands in poor case. -- Here! -- drag him to the market place!-- slash him with bridle reins and dog whips until the tabard hangabout him in tatters! -- Upon the Rouge Sanglier! -- ca, ca! --Haloo, haloo!"
Four or five large hounds, such as are painted in the hunting piecesupon which Rubens and Schneiders laboured in conjunction, caughtthe well known notes with which the Duke concluded, and began toyell and bay as if the boar were just roused from his lair.
(Rubens (1577-1640): a great Flemish artist whose works were soughtby kings and princes. He painted the history of Marie de Medicis inthe series of colossal pictures now in the Louvre. He was knightedby Philip IV of Spain and Charles I of England.)
(Schneiders, or Snyders: a Flemish painter of the seventeenthcentury.)
"By the rood!" said King Louis, observant to catch the vein ofhis dangerous cousin, "since the ass has put on the boar's hide,I would set the dogs on him to bait him out of it!"
"Right! right!" exclaimed Duke Charles, the fancy exactly chimingin with his humour at the moment -- "it shall be done! -- Uncouplethe hounds! -- Hyke a Talbot! (a hunter's cry to his dog. See DameBerner's Boke of Hawking and Hunting.) hyke a Beaumont! -- We willcourse him from the door of the Castle to the east gate!"
"I trust your Grace will treat me as a beast of chase," said thefellow, putting the best face he could upon the matter, "and allowme fair law?"
"Thou art but vermin," said the Duke, "and entitled to no law, bythe letter of the book of hunting; nevertheless, thou shalt havesixty yards in advance, were it but for the sake of thy unparalleledimpudence. -- Away, away, sirs! -- we will see this sport."
And the council breaking up tumultuously, all hurried, none fasterthan the two Princes, to enjoy the humane pastime which King Louishad suggested.
The Rouge Sanglier showed excellent sport; for, winged with terror,and having half a score of fierce boar hounds hard at his haunches,encouraged by the blowing of horns and the woodland cheer of thehunters, he flew like the very wind, and had he not been encumberedwith his herald's coat (the worst possible habit for a runner), hemight fairly have escaped dog free; he also doubled once or twice,in a manner much approved of by the spectators. None of these,nay, not even Charles himself, was so delighted with the sport asKing Louis, who, partly from political considerations, and partlyas being naturally pleased with the sight of human suffering whenludicrously exhibited, laughed till the tears ran from his eyes,and in his ecstasies of rapture caught hold of the Duke's erminecloak, as if to support himself; whilst the Duke, no less delighted,flung his arm around the King's shoulder, making thus an exhibitionof confidential sympathy and familiarity, very much at variancewith the terms on which they had so lately stood together. At lengththe speed of the pseudo herald could save him no longer from thefangs of his pursuers; they seized him, pulled him down, and wouldprobably soon have throttled him, had not the Duke called out, "Staveand tail! -- stave and tail! (to strike the bear with a staff, andpull off the dogs by the tail, to separate them.) -- Take them offhim! -- He hath shown so good a course, that, though he has madeno sport at bay, we will not have him dispatched."
Several officers accordingly busied themselves in taking off thedogs; and they were soon seen coupling some up, and pursuing otherswhich ran through the streets, shaking in sport and triumph thetattered fragments of painted cloth and embroidery rent from thetabard, which the unfortunate wearer had put on in an unlucky hour.
At this moment, and while the Duke was too much engaged with whatpassed before him to mind what was said behind him, Oliver leDain, gliding behind King Louis, whispered into his ear, "It is theBohemian, Hayraddin Maugrabin. -- It were not well he should cometo speech of the Duke."
"He must die," answered Louis in the same tone, "dead men tell notales."
One instant afterwards, Tristan l'Hermite, to whom Oliver had giventhe hint, stepped forward before the King and the Duke, and said,in his blunt manner, "So please your Majesty and your Grace, thispiece of game is mine, and I claim him -- he is marked with mystamp -- the fleur de lis is branded on his shoulder, as all men maysee. -- He is a known villain, and hath slain the King's subjects,robbed churches, deflowered virgins, slain deer in the royal parks--"
"Enough, enough," said Duke Charles, "he is my royal cousin'sproperty by many a good title. What will your Majesty do with him?"
"If he is left to my disposal," said the King, "I will at leastgive him one lesson in the science of heraldry, in which he is soignorant -- only explain to him practically the meaning of a crosspotence, with a noose dangling proper."
helooked hopelessly upon the scroll. "This.
"Not as to be by him borne, but as to bear him. -- Let him takethe degrees under your gossip Tristan -- he is a deep professor insuch mysteries."
Thus answered the Duke, with a burst of discordant laughter at hisown wit, which was so cordially chorused by Louis that his rivalcould not help looking kindly at him, while he said, "Ah, Louis,Louis! would to God thou wert as faithful a monarch as thou art amerry companion! -- I cannot but think often on the jovial time weused to spend together."
"You may bring it back when you will," said Louis; "I will grantyou as fair terms as for very shame's sake you ought to ask in mypresent condition, without making yourself the fable of Christendom;and I will swear to observe them upon the holy relique which Ihave ever the grace to bear about my person, being a fragment ofthe true cross."
Here he took a small golden reliquary, which was suspended fromhis neck next to his shirt by a chain of the same metal, and havingkissed it devoutly, continued -- "Never was false oath sworn onthis most sacred relique, but it was avenged within the year."
"Yet," said the Duke, "it was the same on which you swore amity tome when you left Burgundy, and shortly after sent the Bastard ofRubempre to murder or kidnap me."
"Nay, gracious cousin, now you are ripping up ancient grievances,"said the King. "I promise you, that you were deceived in thatmatter. -- Moreover, it was not upon this relique which I thenswore, but upon another fragment of the true cross which I got fromthe Grand Seignior, weakened in virtue, doubtless, by sojourningwith infidels. Besides, did not the war of the Public Good breakout within the year; and was not a Burgundian army encamped atSaint Denis, backed by all the great feudatories of France; and wasI not obliged to yield up Normandy to my brother? -- O God, shieldus from perjury on such a warrant as this!"
"Well, cousin," answered the Duke, "I do believe thou hadst a lessonto keep faith another time. -- And now for once, without finesseand doubling, will you make good your promise, and go with me topunish this murdering La Marck and the Liegeois?"
"I will march against them," said Louis, "with the Ban and ArriereBan of France (the military force called out by the sovereign inearly feudal times, together with their vassals, equipment, andthree months' provision), and the Oriflamme displayed."
"Nay, nay," said the Duke, "that is more than is needful, or maybe advisable. The presence of your Scottish Guard, and two hundredchoice lances, will serve to show that you are a free agent. Alarge army might --"
"Make me so in effect, you would say, my fair cousin?" said theKing. "Well, you shall dictate the number of my attendants."
"And to put this fair cause of mischief out of the way, you willagree to the Countess Isabelle of Croye's wedding with the Duke ofOrleans?"
"My council will talk to your Majesty of these," said Charles, "Imyself have less at heart the acquisition of territory than theredress of injuries. You have tampered with my vassals, and yourroyal pleasure must needs dispose of the hand of a ward of Burgundy.Your Majesty must bestow it within the pale of your own royal family,since you have meddled with it -- otherwise our conference breaksoff."
"Were I to say I did this willingly," said the King, "no one wouldbelieve me, therefore do you, my fair cousin, judge of the extentof my wish to oblige you, when I say most reluctantly, that theparties consenting, and a dispensation from the Pope being obtained,my own objections shall be no bar to this match which you purpose."
"All besides can be easily settled by our ministers," said theDuke, "and we are once more cousins and friends."
"May Heaven be praised!" said Louis, "who, holding in his handthe hearts of princes, doth mercifully incline them to peace andclemency, and prevent the effusion of human blood.
"Oliver," he added apart to that favourite, who ever waited aroundhim like the familiar beside a sorcerer, "hark thee -- tell Tristanto be speedy in dealing with yonder runagate Bohemian."