burlesques-第78部分

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couple　passed；　but　at　last　they　came　to　one　where　a　feast　was

prepared：　and　on　an　antique　table；　covered　with　massive　silver；

covers　were　laid　for　two。　　The　lady　took　her　place　at　one　end　of

the　table；　and　with　her　sweetest　nod　beckoned　Wolfgang　to　the　other

seat。　　He　took　it。　　The　table　was　small；　and　their　knees　met。　　He

felt　as　cold　in　his　legs　as　if　he　were　kneeling　against　an　ice…well。



〃Gallant　archer；〃　said　she；　〃you　must　be　hungry　after　your　day's

march。　　What　supper　will　you　have？　　Shall　it　be　a　delicate　lobster…

salad？　or　a　dish　of　elegant　tripe　and　onions？　or　a　slice　of　boar's…

head　and　truffles？　or　a　Welsh　rabbit　a　la　cave　au　cidre？　or　a

beefsteak　and　shallot？　or　a　couple　of　rognons　a　la　brochette？

Speak；　brave　bowyer：　you　have　but　to　order。〃



As　there　was　nothing　on　the　table　but　a　covered　silver　dish；

Wolfgang　thought　that　the　lady　who　proposed　such　a　multiplicity　of

delicacies　to　him　was　only　laughing　at　him；　so　he　determined　to　try

her　with　something　extremely　rare。



〃Fair　princess；〃　he　said；　〃I　should　like　very　much　a　pork…chop　and

some　mashed　potatoes。〃



She　lifted　the　cover：　there　was　such　a　pork…chop　as　Simpson　never

served；　with　a　dish　of　mashed　potatoes　that　would　have　formed　at

least　six　portions　in　our　degenerate　days　in　Rupert　Street。



When　he　had　helped　himself　to　these　delicacies；　the　lady　put　the

cover　on　the　dish　again；　and　watched　him　eating　with　interest。　　He

was　for　some　time　too　much　occupied　with　his　own　food　to　remark

that　his　companion　did　not　eat　a　morsel；　but　big　as　it　was；　his

chop　was　soon　gone；　the　shining　silver　of　his　plate　was　scraped

quite　clean　with　his　knife；　and；　heaving　a　great　sigh；　he　confessed

a　humble　desire　for　something　to　drink。



〃Call　for　what　you　like；　sweet　sir；〃　said　the　lady；　lifting　up　a

silver　filigree　bottle；　with　an　india…rubber　cork；　ornamented　with

gold。



〃Then；〃　said　Master　Wolfgangfor　the　fellow's　tastes　were；　in

sooth；　very　humble〃I　call　for　half…and…half。〃　　According　to　his

wish；　a　pint　of　that　delicious　beverage　was　poured　from　the　bottle；

foaming；　into　his　beaker。



Having　emptied　this　at　a　draught；　and　declared　that　on　his

conscience　it　was　the　best　tap　he　ever　knew　in　his　life；　the　young

man　felt　his　appetite　renewed；　and　it　is　impossible　to　say　how　many

different　dishes　he　called　for。　　Only　enchantment；　he　was

afterwards　heard　to　declare　（though　none　of　his　friends　believed

him）；　could　have　given　him　the　appetite　he　possessed　on　that

extraordinary　night。　　He　called　for　another　pork…chop　and　potatoes；

then　for　pickled　salmon；　then　he　thought　he　would　try　a　devilled

turkey…wing。　　〃I　adore　the　devil；〃　said　he。



〃So　do　I；〃　said　the　pale　lady；　with　unwonted　animation；　and　the

dish　was　served　straightway。　　It　was　succeeded　by　black…puddings；

tripe；　toasted　cheese；　andwhat　was　most　remarkableevery　one　of

the　dishes　which　he　desired　came　from　under　the　same　silver　cover：

which　circumstance；　when　he　had　partaken　of　about　fourteen

different　articles；　he　began　to　find　rather　mysterious。



〃Oh；〃　said　the　pale　lady；　with　a　smile；　〃the　mystery　is　easily

accounted　for：　the　servants　hear　you；　and　the　kitchen　is　BELOW。〃

But　this　did　not　account　for　the　manner　in　which　more　half…and…

half；　bitter　ale；　punch　（both　gin　and　rum）；　and　even　oil　and

vinegar；　which　he　took　with　cucumber　to　his　salmon；　came　out　of　the

self…same　bottle　from　which　the　lady　had　first　poured　out　his　pint

of　half…and…half。



〃There　are　more　things　in　heaven　and　earth；　Voracio；〃　said　his　arch

entertainer；　when　he　put　this　question　to　her；　〃than　are　dreamt　of

in　your　philosophy：〃　and；　sooth　to　say；　the　archer　was　by　this　time

in　such　a　state；　that　he　did　not　find　anything　wonderful　more。



〃Are　you　happy；　dear　youth？〃　said　the　lady；　as；　after　his

collation；　he　sank　back　in　his　chair。



〃Oh；　miss；　ain't　I？〃　was　his　interrogative　and　yet　affirmative

reply。



〃Should　you　like　such　a　supper　every　night；　Wolfgang？〃　continued

the　pale　one。



〃Why；　no；〃　said　he；　〃no；　not　exactly；　not　EVERY　night：　SOME　nights

I　should　like　oysters。〃



〃Dear　youth；〃　said　she；　〃be　but　mine；　and　you　may　have　them　all　the

year　round！〃　　The　unhappy　boy　was　too　far　gone　to　suspect　anything；

otherwise　this　extraordinary　speech　would　have　told　him　that　he　was

in　suspicious　company。　　A　person　who　can　offer　oysters　all　the　year

round　can　live　to　no　good　purpose。



〃Shall　I　sing　you　a　song；　dear　archer？〃　said　the　lady。



〃Sweet　love！〃　said　he；　now　much　excited；　〃strike　up；　and　I　will

join　the　chorus。〃



She　took　down　her　mandolin；　and　commenced　a　ditty。　　'Twas　a　sweet

and　wild　one。　　It　told　how　a　lady　of　high　lineage　cast　her　eyes　on

a　peasant　page；　it　told　how　nought　could　her　love　assuage；　her

suitor's　wealth　and　her　father's　rage：　it　told　how　the　youth　did

his　foes　engage；　and　at　length　they　went　off　in　the　Gretna　stage；

the　high…born　dame　and　the　peasant　page。　　Wolfgang　beat　time；

waggled　his　head；　sung　wofully　out　of　tune　as　the　song　proceeded；

and　if　he　had　not　been　too　intoxicated　with　love　and　other

excitement；　he　would　have　remarked　how　the　pictures　on　the　wall；　as

the　lady　sung；　began　to　waggle　their　heads　too；　and　nod　and　grin　to

the　music。　　The　song　ended。　　〃I　am　the　lady　of　high　lineage：

Archer；　will　you　be　the　peasant　page？〃



〃I'll　follow　you　to　the　devil！〃　said　Wolfgang。



〃Come；〃　replied　the　lady；　glaring　wildly　on　him；　〃come　to　the

chapel；　we'll　be　married　this　minute！〃



She　held　out　her　handWolfgang　took　it。　　It　was　cold；　damp；

deadly　cold；　and　on　they　went　to　the　chapel。



As　they　passed　out；　the　two　pictures　over　the　wall；　of　a　gentleman

and　lady；　tripped　lightly　out　of　their　frames；　skipped　noiselessly

down　to　the　ground；　and　making　the　retreating　couple　a　profound

curtsy　and　bow；　took　the　places　which　they　had　left　at　the　table。



Meanwhile　the　young　couple　passed　on　towards　the　chapel；　threading

innumerable　passages；　and　passing　through　chambers　of　great　extent。

As　they　came　along；　all　the　portraits　on　the　wall　stepped　out　of

their　frames　to　follow　them。　　One　ancestor；　of　whom　there　was　only

a　bust；　frowned　in　the　greatest　rage；　because；　having　no　legs；　his

pedestal　would　not　move；　and　several　sticking…plaster　profiles　of

the　former　Lords　of　Windeck　looked　quite　black　at　being；　for

similar　reasons；　compelled　to　keep　their　places。　　However；　there

was　a　goodly　procession　formed　behind　Wolfgang　and　his　bride；　and

by　the　time　they　reached　the　church；　they　had　near　a　hundred

followers。



The　church　was　splendidly　illuminated；　the　old　banners　of　the　old

knights　glittered　as　they　do　at　Drury　Lane。　　The　organ　set　up　of

itself　to　play　the　〃Bridesmaid's　Chorus。〃　　The　choir…chairs　were

filled　with　people　in　black。



〃Come；　love；〃　said　the　pale　lady。



〃I　don't　see　the　parson；〃　exclaimed　Wolfgang；　spite　of　himself

rather　alarmed。



〃Oh；　the　parson！　that's　the　easiest　thing　in　the　world！　　I　say；

bishop！〃　said　the　lady；