burlesques-第76部分

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himself　with　a　bow。　　This　he　speedily　purchased　at　the　most

fashionable　bowyer's；　and　of　the　best　material　and　make。　　It　was　of

ivory；　trimmed　with　pink　ribbon；　and　the　cord　of　silk。　　An　elegant

quiver；　beautifully　painted　and　embroidered；　was　slung　across　his

back；　with　a　dozen　of　the　finest　arrows；　tipped　with　steel　of

Damascus；　formed　of　the　branches　of　the　famous　Upas…tree　of　Java；

and　feathered　with　the　wings　of　the　ortolan。　　These　purchases　being

completed　（together　with　that　of　a　knapsack；　dressing…case；　change；

&c。）；　our　young　adventurer　asked　where　was　the　hostel　at　which　the

archers　were　wont　to　assemble？　and　being　informed　that　it　was

at　the　sign　of　the　〃Golden　Stag；〃　hied　him　to　that　house　of

entertainment；　where；　by　calling　for　quantities　of　liquor　and　beer；

he　speedily　made　the　acquaintance　and　acquired　the　good　will　of　a

company　of　his　future　comrades；　who　happened　to　be　sitting　in　the

coffee…room。



After　they　had　eaten　and　drunken　for　all；　Otto　said；　addressing

them；　〃When　go　ye　forth；　gentles？　　I　am　a　stranger　here；　bound　as

you　to　the　archery　meeting　of　Duke　Adolf。　　An　ye　will　admit　a　youth

into　your　company　'twill　gladden　me　upon　my　lonely　way？〃



The　archers　replied；　〃You　seem　so　young　and　jolly；　and　you　spend

your　gold　so　very　like　a　gentleman；　that　we'll　receive　you　in　our

band　with　pleasure。　　Be　ready；　for　we　start　at　half…past　two！〃　　At

that　hour　accordingly　the　whole　joyous　company　prepared　to　move；

and　Otto　not　a　little　increased　his　popularity　among　them　by

stepping　out　and　having　a　conference　with　the　landlord；　which

caused　the　latter　to　come　into　the　room　where　the　archers　were

assembled　previous　to　departure；　and　to　say；　〃Gentlemen；　the　bill

is　settled！〃words　never　ungrateful　to　an　archer　yet：　no；　marry；

nor　to　a　man　of　any　other　calling　that　I　wot　of。



They　marched　joyously　for　several　leagues；　singing　and　joking；　and

telling　of　a　thousand　feats　of　love　and　chase　and　war。　　While　thus

engaged；　some　one　remarked　to　Otto；　that　he　was　not　dressed　in　the

regular　uniform；　having　no　feathers　in　his　hat。



〃I　dare　say　I　will　find　a　feather；〃　said　the　lad；　smiling。



Then　another　gibed　because　his　bow　was　new。



〃See　that　you　can　use　your　old　one　as　well；　Master　Wolfgang；〃　said

the　undisturbed　youth。　　His　answers；　his　bearing；　his　generosity；

his　beauty；　and　his　wit；　inspired　all　his　new　toxophilite　friends

with　interest　and　curiosity；　and　they　longed　to　see　whether　his

skill　with　the　bow　corresponded　with　their　secret　sympathies　for

him。



An　occasion　for　manifesting　this　skill　did　not　fail　to　present

itself　soonas　indeed　it　seldom　does　to　such　a　hero　of　romance　as

young　Otto　was。　　Fate　seems　to　watch　over　such：　events　occur　to

them　just　in　the　nick　of　time；　they　rescue　virgins　just　as　ogres

are　on　the　point　of　devouring　them；　they　manage　to　be　present　at

court　and　interesting　ceremonies；　and　to　see　the　most　interesting

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。