We have said how it happened that none of the Usurper’s troops came out to oppose this Army of Fidelity7: it pottered along as nimbly as the gout of the principal commanders allowed: it consisted of twice as many officers as soldiers: and at length passed near the estates of one of the most powerful noblemen of the country, who had not declared for the Queen, but of whom her party had hopes, as he was always quarrelling with King Padella.
When they came close to his park gates, this nobleman sent to say he would wait upon her Majesty: he was a most powerful warrior8, and his name was Count Hogginarmo, whose helmet it took two strong negroes to carry. He knelt down before her and said, “Madam and liege lady! it becomes the great nobles of the Crimean realm to show every outward sign of respect to the wearer of the Crown, whoever that may be. We testify to our own nobility in acknowledging yours. The bold Hogginarmo bends the knee to the first of the aristocracy of his country.”
Rosalba said the bold Count of Hogginarmo was uncommonly10 kind; but she felt afraid of him, even while he was kneeling, and his eyes scowled11 at her from between his whiskers, which grew up to them.
“The first Count of the Empire, madam,” he went on, “salutes the Sovereign. The Prince addresses himself to the not more noble lady! Madam, my hand is free, and I offer it, and my heart and my sword to your service! My three wives lie buried in my ancestral vaults12. The third perished but a year since; and this heart pines for a consort13! Deign14 to be mine, and I swear to bring to your bridal table the head of King Padella, the eyes and nose of his son Prince Bulbo, the right hand and ears of the usurping15 Sovereign of Paflagonia, which country shall thenceforth be an appanage to your — to OUR Crown! Say yes; Hogginarmo is not accustomed to be denied. Indeed I cannot contemplate16 the possibility of a refusal; for frightful17 will be the result; dreadful the murders; furious the devastations; horrible the tyranny; tremendous the tortures, misery18, taxation19, which the people of this realm will endure, if Hogginarmo’s wrath20 be aroused! I see consent in Your Majesty’s lovely eyes — their glances fill my soul with rapture21!”
“Oh, sir!” Rosalba said, withdrawing her hand in great fright. “Your Lordship is exceedingly kind; but I am sorry to tell you that I have a prior attachment22 to a young gentleman by the name of — Prince Giglio — and never — never can marry any one but him.”
Who can describe Hogginarmo’s wrath at this remark? Rising up from the ground, he ground his teeth so that fire flashed out of his mouth, from which at the same time issued remarks and language, so LOUD, VIOLENT, AND IMPROPER23, that this pen shall never repeat them! “R-r-r-r-r-r — Rejected! Fiends and perdition! The bold Hogginarmo rejected! All the world shall hear of my rage; and you, madam, you above all shall rue24 it!” And kicking the two negroes before him, he rushed away, his whiskers streaming in the wind.
Her Majesty’s Privy25 Council was in a dreadful panic when they saw Hogginarmo issue from the royal presence in such a towering rage, making footballs of the poor negroes — a panic which the events justified26. They marched off from Hogginarmo’s park very crest-fallen; and in another half-hour they were met by that rapacious27 chieftain with a few of his followers, who cut, slashed28, charged, whacked29, banged, and pommelled amongst them, took the Queen prisoner, and drove the Army of Fidelity to I don’t know where.
Poor Queen! Hogginarmo, her conqueror30, would not condescend31 to see her. “Get a horse-van!” he said to his grooms32, “clap the hussy into it, and send her, with my compliments, to his Majesty King Padella.”
Along with his lovely prisoner, Hogginarmo sent a letter full of servile compliments and loathsome33 flatteries to King Padella, for whose life, and that of his royal family, the HYPOCRITICAL HUMBUG34 pretended to offer the most fulsome35 prayers. And Hogginarmo promised speedily to pay his humble36 homage37 at his august master’s throne, of which he begged leave to be counted the most loyal and constant defender38. Such a WARY39 old BIRD as King Padella was not to be caught by Master Hogginarmo’s CHAFF40 and we shall hear presently how the tyrant41 treated his upstart vassal42. No, no; depend on’t, two such rogues43 do not trust one another.
So this poor Queen was laid in the straw like Margery Daw, and driven along in the dark ever so many miles to the Court, where King Padella had now arrived, having vanquished44 all his enemies, murdered most of them, and brought some of the richest into captivity45 with him for the purpose of torturing them and finding out where they had hidden their money.
Rosalba heard their shrieks46 and groans47 in the dungeon48 in which she was thrust; a most awful black hole, full of bats, rats, mice, toads49, frogs, mosquitoes, bugs50, fleas51, serpents, and every kind of horror. No light was let into it, otherwise the gaolers might have seen her and fallen in love with her, as an owl9 that lived up in the roof of the tower did, and a cat, you know, who can see in the dark, and having set its green eyes on Rosalba, never would be got to go back to the turnkey’s wife to whom it belonged. And the toads in the dungeon came and kissed her feet, and the vipers52 wound round her neck and arms, and never hurt her, so charming was this poor Princess in the midst of her misfortunes.
At last, after she had been kept in this place EVER SO LONG, the door of the dungeon opened, and the terrible KING PADELLA came in.
But what he said and did must be reserved for another chapter, as we must now back to Prince Giglio.
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1
majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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2
followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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3
knights
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| 骑士； （中古时代的）武士( knight的名词复数 )； 骑士； 爵士； （国际象棋中）马 | |
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4
pumpkin
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| n.南瓜 | |
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5
gilt
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| adj.镀金的；n.金边证券 | |
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6
velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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7
fidelity
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| n.忠诚，忠实；精确 | |
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warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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owl
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| n.猫头鹰，枭 | |
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10
uncommonly
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| adv. 稀罕(极，非常) | |
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scowled
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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12
vaults
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| n.拱顶( vault的名词复数 )；地下室；撑物跳高；墓穴 | |
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13
consort
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| v.相伴；结交 | |
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14
deign
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| v. 屈尊, 惠允 ( 做某事) | |
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15
usurping
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| 篡夺，霸占( usurp的现在分词 )； 盗用； 篡夺，篡权 | |
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16
contemplate
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| vt.盘算，计议；周密考虑；注视，凝视 | |
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17
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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18
misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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19
taxation
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| n.征税，税收，税金 | |
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20
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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21
rapture
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| n.狂喜；全神贯注；着迷；v.使狂喜 | |
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22
attachment
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| n.附属物，附件；依恋；依附 | |
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23
improper
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| adj.不适当的，不合适的，不正确的，不合礼仪的 | |
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24
rue
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| n.懊悔，芸香，后悔；v.后悔，悲伤，懊悔 | |
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25
privy
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| adj.私用的；隐密的 | |
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26
justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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27
rapacious
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| adj.贪婪的，强夺的 | |
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28
slashed
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| v.挥砍( slash的过去式和过去分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减 | |
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29
whacked
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| a.精疲力尽的 | |
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conqueror
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| n.征服者，胜利者 | |
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31
condescend
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| v.俯就，屈尊；堕落，丢丑 | |
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32
grooms
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| n.新郎( groom的名词复数 )；马夫v.照料或梳洗（马等）( groom的第三人称单数 )；使做好准备；训练；（给动物）擦洗 | |
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33
loathsome
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| adj.讨厌的，令人厌恶的 | |
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34
humbug
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| n.花招，谎话，欺骗 | |
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35
fulsome
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| adj.可恶的，虚伪的，过分恭维的 | |
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36
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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37
homage
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| n.尊敬，敬意，崇敬 | |
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38
defender
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| n.保卫者，拥护者，辩护人 | |
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39
wary
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| adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的 | |
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40
chaff
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| v.取笑，嘲笑；n.谷壳 | |
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41
tyrant
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| n.暴君，专制的君主，残暴的人 | |
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42
vassal
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| n.附庸的；属下；adj.奴仆的 | |
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43
rogues
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| n.流氓( rogue的名词复数 )；无赖；调皮捣蛋的人；离群的野兽 | |
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44
vanquished
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| v.征服( vanquish的过去式和过去分词 )；战胜；克服；抑制 | |
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45
captivity
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| n.囚禁；被俘；束缚 | |
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46
shrieks
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| n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 ) | |
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47
groans
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| n.呻吟，叹息( groan的名词复数 )；呻吟般的声音v.呻吟( groan的第三人称单数 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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48
dungeon
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| n.地牢，土牢 | |
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49
toads
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| n.蟾蜍，癞蛤蟆( toad的名词复数 ) | |
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50
bugs
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| adj.疯狂的，发疯的n.窃听器( bug的名词复数 )；病菌；虫子；[计算机]（制作软件程序所产生的意料不到的）错误 | |
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51
fleas
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| n.跳蚤( flea的名词复数 )；爱财如命；没好气地（拒绝某人的要求） | |
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52
vipers
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| n.蝰蛇( viper的名词复数 )；毒蛇；阴险恶毒的人；奸诈者 | |
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