burlesques-第85部分

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the　lance　aimed　at　the　Rowski's　helmet　bore　off　the　coronet；　the

horns；　the　helmet　itself；　and　hurled　them　to　an　incredible

distance：　a　piece　of　the　Rowski's　left　ear　was　carried　off　on　the

point　of　the　nameless　warrior's　weapon。　　How　had　he　fared？　　His

adversary's　weapon　had　glanced　harmless　along　the　blank　surface　of

his　polished　buckler；　and　the　victory　so　far　was　with　him。



The　expression　of　the　Rowski's　face；　as；　bareheaded；　he　glared　on

his　enemy　with　fierce　bloodshot　eyeballs；　was　one　worthy　of　a

demon。　　The　imprecatory　expressions　which　he　made　use　of　can　never

be　copied　by　a　feminine　pen。



His　opponent　magnanimously　declined　to　take　advantage　of　the

opportunity　thus　offered　him　of　finishing　the　combat　by　splitting

his　opponent's　skull　with　his　curtal…axe；　and；　riding　back　to　his

starting…place；　bent　his　lance's　point　to　the　ground；　in　token　that

he　would　wait　until　the　Count　of　Eulenschreckenstein　was　helmeted

afresh。



〃Blessed　Bendigo！〃　cried　the　Prince；　〃thou　art　a　gallant　lance：　but

why　didst　not　rap　the　Schelm's　brain　out？〃



〃Bring　me　a　fresh　helmet！〃　yelled　the　Rowski。　　Another　casque　was

brought　to　him　by　his　trembling　squire。



As　soon　as　he　had　braced　it；　he　drew　his　great　flashing　sword　from

his　side；　and　rushed　at　his　enemy；　roaring　hoarsely　his　cry　of

battle。　　The　unknown　knight's　sword　was　unsheathed　in　a　moment；　and

at　the　next　the　two　blades　were　clanking　together　the　dreadful

music　of　the　combat！



The　Donnerblitz　wielded　his　with　his　usual　savageness　and　activity。

It　whirled　round　his　adversary's　head　with　frightful　rapidity。　　Now

it　carried　away　a　feather　of　his　plume；　now　it　shore　off　a　leaf　of

his　coronet。　　The　flail　of　the　thrasher　does　not　fall　more　swiftly

upon　the　corn。　　For　many　minutes　it　was　the　Unknown's　only　task　to

defend　himself　from　the　tremendous　activity　of　the　enemy。



But　even　the　Rowski's　strength　would　slacken　after　exertion。　　The

blows　began　to　fall　less　thick　anon；　and　the　point　of　the　unknown

knight　began　to　make　dreadful　play。　　It　found　and　penetrated　every

joint　of　the　Donnerblitz's　armor。　　Now　it　nicked　him　in　the

shoulder　where　the　vambrace　was　buckled　to　the　corselet；　now　it

bored　a　shrewd　hole　under　the　light　brissart；　and　blood　followed；

now；　with　fatal　dexterity；　it　darted　through　the　visor；　and　came

back　to　the　recover　deeply　tinged　with　blood。　　A　scream　of　rage

followed　the　last　thrust；　and　no　wonder：it　had　penetrated　the

Rowski's　left　eye。



His　blood　was　trickling　through　a　dozen　orifices；　he　was　almost

choking　in　his　helmet　with　loss　of　breath；　and　loss　of　blood；　and

rage。　　Gasping　with　fury；　he　drew　back　his　horse；　flung　his　great

sword　at　his　opponent's　head；　and　once　more　plunged　at　him；

wielding　his　curtal…axe。



Then　you　should　have　seen　the　unknown　knight　employing　the　same

dreadful　weapon！　　Hitherto　he　had　been　on　his　defence；　now　he　began

the　attack；　and　the　gleaming　axe　whirred　in　his　hand　like　a　reed；

but　descended　like　a　thunderbolt！　　〃Yield！　yield！　Sir　Rowski；〃

shouted　he；　in　a　calm；　clear　voice。



A　blow　dealt　madly　at　his　head　was　the　reply。　　'Twas　the　last　blow

that　the　Count　of　Eulenschreckenstein　ever　struck　in　battle！　　The

curse　was　on　his　lips　as　the　crushing　steel　descended　into　his

brain；　and　split　it　in　two。　　He　rolled　like　a　log　from　his　horse：

his　enemy's　knee　was　in　a　moment　on　his　chest；　and　the　dagger　of

mercy　at　his　throat；　as　the　knight　once　more　called　upon　him　to

yield。



But　there　was　no　answer　from　within　the　helmet。　　When　it　was

withdrawn；　the　teeth　were　crunched　together；　the　mouth　that　should

have　spoken；　grinned　a　ghastly　silence：　one　eye　still　glared　with

hate　and　fury；　but　it　was　glazed　with　the　film　of　death！



The　red　orb　of　the　sun　was　just　then　dipping　into　the　Rhine。　　The

unknown　knight；　vaulting　once　more　into　his　saddle；　made　a　graceful

obeisance　to　the　Prince　of　Cleves　and　his　daughter；　without　a　word；

and　galloped　back　into　the　forest；　whence　he　had　issued　an　hour

before　sunset。





CHAPTER　XIII。



THE　MARRIAGE。





The　consternation　which　ensued　on　the　death　of　the　Rowski；　speedily

sent　all　his　camp…followers；　army；　&c。　to　the　right…about。　　They

struck　their　tents　at　the　first　news　of　his　discomfiture；　and　each

man　laying　hold　of　what　he　could；　the　whole　of　the　gallant　force

which　had　marched　under　his　banner　in　the　morning　had　disappeared

ere　the　sun　rose。



On　that　night；　as　it　may　be　imagined；　the　gates　of　the　Castle　of

Cleves　were　not　shut。　　Everybody　was　free　to　come　in。　　Wine…butts

were　broached　in　all　the　courts；　the　pickled　meat　prepared　in　such

lots　for　the　siege　was　distributed　among　the　people；　who　crowded　to

congratulate　their　beloved　sovereign　on　his　victory；　and　the

Prince；　as　was　customary　with　that　good　man；　who　never　lost　an

opportunity　of　giving　a　dinner…party；　had　a　splendid　entertainment

made　ready　for　the　upper　classes；　the　whole　concluding　with　a

tasteful　display　of　fireworks。



In　the　midst　of　these　entertainments；　our　old　friend　the　Count　of

Hombourg　arrived　at　the　castle。　　The　stalwart　old　warrior　swore　by

Saint　Bugo　that　he　was　grieved　the　killing　of　the　Rowski　had　been

taken　out　of　his　hand。　　The　laughing　Cleves　vowed　by　Saint　Bendigo；

Hombourg　could　never　have　finished　off　his　enemy　so　satisfactorily

as　the　unknown　knight　had　just　done。



But　who　was　he？　was　the　question　which　now　agitated　the　bosom　of

these　two　old　nobles。　　How　to　find　himhow　to　reward　the　champion

and　restorer　of　the　honor　and　happiness　of　Cleves？　　They　agreed

over　supper　that　he　should　be　sought　for　everywhere。　　Beadles　were

sent　round　the　principal　cities　within　fifty　miles；　and　the

description　of　the　knight　advertised；　in　the　Journal　de　Francfort

and　the　Allgemeine　Zeitung。　　The　hand　of　the　Princess　Helen　was

solemnly　offered　to　him　in　these　advertisements；　with　the　reversion

of　the　Prince　of　Cleves's　splendid　though　somewhat　dilapidated

property。



〃But　we　don't　know　him；　my　dear　papa；〃　faintly　ejaculated　that

young　lady。　　〃Some　impostor　may　come　in　a　suit　of　plain　armor；　and

pretend　that　he　was　the　champion　who　overcame　the　Rowski　（a　prince

who　had　his　faults　certainly；　but　whose　attachment　for　me　I　can

never　forget）；　and　how　are　you　to　say　whether　he　is　the　real　knight

or　not？　　There　are　so　many　deceivers　in　this　world；〃　added　the

Princess；　in　tears；　〃that　one　can't　be　too　cautious　now。〃　　The　fact

is；　that　she　was　thinking　of　the　desertion　of　Otto　in　the　morning；

by　which　instance　of　faithlessness　her　heart　was　wellnigh　broken。



As　for　that　youth　and　his　comrade　Wolfgang；　to　the　astonishment　of

everybody　at　their　impudence；　they　came　to　the　archers'　mess　that

night；　as　if　nothing　had　happened；　got　their　supper；　partaking　both

of　meat　and　drink　most　plentifully；　fell　asleep　when　their　comrades

began　to　describe　the　events　of　the　day；　and　the　admirable

achievements　of　the　unknown　warrior；　and　turning　into　their

hammocks；　did　not　appe