burlesques-第74部分

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forgive　herthat　I　apologize　if　you　will〃and　a　secretary

forthwith　despatched　a　note　to　that　effect；　which　was　carried　off

by　a　fleet　messenger。



〃Now　write　to　the　Superior　of　the　monastery　at　Cologne；　and　bid　him

send　me　back　my　boy；　my　darling；　my　Ottomy　Otto　of　roses！〃　said

the　fond　father；　making　the　first　play　upon　words　he　had　ever

attempted　in　his　life。　　But　what　will　not　paternal　love　effect？

The　secretary　（smiling　at　the　joke）　wrote　another　letter；　and

another　fleet　messenger　was　despatched　on　another　horse。



〃And　now；〃　said　Sir　Ludwig；　playfully；　〃let　us　to　lunch。　　Holy

hermit；　are　you　for　a　snack？〃



The　hermit　could　not　say　nay　on　an　occasion　so　festive；　and　the

three　gentles　seated　themselves　to　a　plenteous　repast；　for　which

the　remains　of　the　feast　of　yesterday　offered；　it　need　not　be　said；

ample　means。



〃They　will　be　home　by　dinner…time；〃　said　the　exulting　father。

〃Ludwig！　reverend　hermit！　we　will　carry　on　till　then。〃　　And　the　cup

passed　gayly　round；　and　the　laugh　and　jest　circulated；　while　the

three　happy　friends　sat　confidentially　awaiting　the　return　of　the

Margravine　and　her　son。



But　alas！　said　we　not　rightly　at　the　commencement　of　a　former

chapter；　that　betwixt　the　lip　and　the　raised　wine…cup　there　is

often　many　a　spill？　that　our　hopes　are　high；　and　often；　too　often；

vain？　　About　three　hours　after　the　departure　of　the　first

messenger；　he　returned；　and　with　an　exceedingly　long　face　knelt

down　and　presented　to　the　Margrave　a　billet　to　the　following

effect：





〃CONVENT　OF　NONNENWERTH；　Friday　Afternoon。



〃SIRI　have　submitted　too　long　to　your　ill…usage；　and　am　disposed

to　bear　it　no　more。　　I　will　no　longer　be　made　the　butt　of　your

ribald　satire；　and　the　object　of　your　coarse　abuse。　　Last　week　you

threatened　me　with　your　cane！　　On　Tuesday　last　you　threw　a　wine…

decanter　at　me；　which　hit　the　butler；　it　is　true；　but　the　intention

was　evident。　　This　morning；　in　the　presence　of　all　the　servants；

you　called　me　by　the　most　vile；　abominable　name；　which　heaven

forbid　I　should　repeat！　　You　dismissed　me　from　your　house　under　a

false　accusation。　　You　sent　me　to　this　odious　convent　to　be　immured

for　life。　　Be　it　so！　I　will　not　come　back；　because；　forsooth；　you

relent。　　Anything　is　better　than　a　residence　with　a　wicked；　coarse；

violent；　intoxicated；　brutal　monster　like　yourself。　　I　remain　here

for　ever　and　blush　to　be　obliged　to　sign　myself



〃THEODORA　VON　GODESBERG。



〃P。S。I　hope　you　do　not　intend　to　keep　all　my　best　gowns；　jewels；

and　wearing…apparel；　and　make　no　doubt　you　dismissed　me　from　your

house　in　order　to　make　way　for　some　vile　hussy；　whose　eyes　I　would

like　to　tear　out。　　T。　V。　G。〃





CHAPTER　VII。



THE　SENTENCE。





This　singular　document；　illustrative　of　the　passions　of　women　at

all　times；　and　particularly　of　the　manners　of　the　early　ages；

struck　dismay　into　the　heart　of　the　Margrave。



〃Are　her　ladyship's　insinuations　correct？〃　asked　the　hermit；　in　a

severe　tone。　　〃To　correct　a　wife　with　a　cane　is　a　venial；　I　may　say

a　justifiable　practice；　but　to　fling　a　bottle　at　her　is　ruin　both

to　the　liquor　and　to　her。〃



〃But　she　sent　a　carving…knife　at　me　first；〃　said　the　heartbroken

husband。　　〃O　jealousy；　cursed　jealousy；　why；　why　did　I　ever　listen

to　thy　green　and　yellow　tongue？〃



〃They　quarrelled；　but　they　loved　each　other　sincerely；〃　whispered

Sir　Ludwig　to　the　hermit：　who　began　to　deliver　forthwith　a　lecture

upon　family　discord　and　marital　authority；　which　would　have　sent

his　two　hearers　to　sleep；　but　for　the　arrival　of　the　second

messenger；　whom　the　Margrave　had　despatched　to　Cologne　for　his　son。

This　herald　wore　a　still　longer　face　than　that　of　his　comrade　who

preceded　him。



〃Where　is　my　darling？〃　roared　the　agonized　parent。　　〃Have　ye

brought　him　with　ye？〃



〃Nno；〃　said　the　man；　hesitating。



〃I　will　flog　the　knave　soundly　when　he　comes；〃　cried　the　father；

vainly　endeavoring；　under　an　appearance　of　sternness；　to　hide　his

inward　emotion　and　tenderness。



〃Please；　your　Highness；〃　said　the　messenger；　making　a　desperate

effort；　〃Count　Otto　is　not　at　the　convent。〃



〃Know　ye；　knave；　where　he　is？〃



The　swain　solemnly　said；　〃I　do。　　He　is　THERE。〃　　He　pointed　as　he

spake　to　the　broad　Rhine；　that　was　seen　from　the　casement；　lighted

up　by　the　magnificent　hues　of　sunset。



〃THERE！　　How　mean　ye　THERE？〃　gasped　the　Margrave；　wrought　to　a

pitch　of　nervous　fury。



〃Alas！　my　good　lord；　when　he　was　in　the　boat　which　was　to　conduct

him　to　the　convent；　hehe　jumped　suddenly　from　it；　and　is

drdrowned。〃



〃Carry　that　knave　out　and　hang　him！〃　said　the　Margrave；　with　a

calmness　more　dreadful　than　any　outburst　of　rage。　　〃Let　every　man

of　the　boat's　crew　be　blown　from　the　mouth　of　the　cannon　on　the

towerexcept　the　coxswain；　and　let　him　be〃



What　was　to　be　done　with　the　coxswain；　no　one　knows；　for　at　that

moment；　and　overcome　by　his　emotion；　the　Margrave　sank　down

lifeless　on　the　floor。





CHAPTER　VIII。



THE　CHILDE　OF　GODESBERG。





It　must　be　clear　to　the　dullest　intellect　（if　amongst　our　readers

we　dare　venture　to　presume　that　a　dull　intellect　should　be　found）

that　the　cause　of　the　Margrave's　fainting…fit；　described　in　the

last　chapter；　was　a　groundless　apprehension　on　the　part　of　that　too

solicitous　and　credulous　nobleman　regarding　the　fate　of　his　beloved

child。　　No；　young　Otto　was　NOT　drowned。　　Was　ever　hero　of　romantic

story　done　to　death　so　early　in　the　tale？　　Young　Otto　was　NOT

drowned。　　Had　such　been　the　case；　the　Lord　Margrave　would

infallibly　have　died　at　the　close　of　the　last　chapter；　and　a　few

gloomy　sentences　at　its　close　would　have　denoted　how　the　lovely

Lady　Theodora　became　insane　in　the　convent；　and　how　Sir　Ludwig

determined；　upon　the　demise　of　the　old　hermit　（consequent　upon　the

shock　of　hearing　the　news）；　to　retire　to　the　vacant　hermitage；　and

assume　the　robe；　the　beard；　the　mortifications　of　the　late

venerable　and　solitary　ecclesiastic。　　Otto　was　NOT　drowned；　and　all

those　personages　of　our　history　are　consequently　alive　and　well。



The　boat　containing　the　amazed　young　Countfor　he　knew　not　the

cause　of　his　father's　anger；　and　hence　rebelled　against　the　unjust

sentence　which　the　Margrave　had　utteredhad　not　rowed　many　miles；

when　the　gallant　boy　rallied　from　his　temporary　surprise　and

despondency；　and　determined　not　to　be　a　slave　in　any　convent　of　any

order：　determined　to　make　a　desperate　effort　for　escape。　　At　a

moment　when　the　men　were　pulling　hard　against　the　tide；　and　Kuno；

the　coxswain；　was　looking　carefully　to　steer　the　barge　between　some

dangerous　rocks　and　quicksands　which　are　frequently　met　with　in　the

majestic　though　dangerous　river；　Otto　gave　a　sudden　spring　from　the

boat；　and　with　one　single　flounce　was　in　the　boiling；　frothing；

swirling　eddy　of　the　stream。



Fancy　the　agony　of　the　crew　at　the　disappearance　of　their　young

lord！　　All　loved　him；　all　would　have　given　their　lives　for　him；