The countess strained her eyes in a natural curiosity to discover what manner of man the forest was sending her as a guest. He was too far below for her to be able to distinguish his features, although he rode with beaver8 up; but she could appreciate the fact that he sat his horse, a superb chestnut9 stallion, with the ease and grace of one thoroughly10 bred to knightly11 customs. He was a man of commanding stature12, overtopping the squire who rode close behind him, and dwarfing13 the men-at-arms by contrast. His armor, she was able to perceive as he rode up the hill and thus came somewhat nearer, was of the richest, and the flash of jewels on his bridle-rein caught her eye as he rode into the sunlight.
So striking was the mien14 of the stranger knight that Erna suddenly found herself affected15 with a strange kindness for him, and unconsciously sighed as the thought flitted through her mind that whoever he might be, he was probably merely a traveller who sought rest and refreshment16 in the castle to-day, to vanish to-morrow into the unknown world from which he had come. Then she smiled at her own folly17 in thus grieving at the departure of a perfect stranger before she had even met him to welcome his arrival; and as he drew near the castle gate, and the squire for the third time blew a merry blast on the horn, she drew back from the window. As she did so, she fancied that the unknown cast a sudden glance up to her casement18; and far away as he was, she seemed to catch a glimpse of eyes dark and full of fire.
Full of curiosity, Erna waited to be summoned as chatelaine of the castle, to go through the formality of according the hospitalities of the house to the guest. It was the generous custom of the Von Rittenbergs to receive all who came, although the Lady Adelaide was continually predicting evil results from a hospitality so unguarded and so unusual in a fortress19 where the head of the family was an unmarried woman. The countess took pride in keeping up the family traditions, but she was even more moved to this course by a genuine religious charity. It seemed to her tender heart monstrous20 to deny food and shelter to any when it was possible to give them; and if her course had been shaped rather by the sentiments of her confessor, Father Christopher, than by ordinary considerations of prudence21, there had at least no harm befallen from her custom thus far.
When Erna descended22 to the great hall to meet the new-comer, she found him conversing23 with Father Christopher, whom he overtopped by nearly a head. She was astonished by the stranger's wonderful beauty. His face was of a mould as powerful as his figure. A heavy chestnut beard, curling and glossy24, but barely descending25 to his collar, covered the lower part of his countenance26. His head was firmly poised27, and carried with the air of one accustomed to absolute mastery. His brow, displayed by the removal of his helmet, was wide and high.
But what most impressed Erna in the appearance of the stranger knight were his magnificent eyes, which were like no others she had ever seen. They were brown and liquid, with that glance at once appealing and defiant28, pathetic and fierce, which one sees in the eyes of a stag that proudly leads the herd29. One perceived that they could upon occasion kindle30 into splendid rage, although they were capable of looks of such wistful tenderness, such longing31, such melting desire. As Erna advanced down the rush-strewn hall to meet the guest, it almost seemed to her that his glance drew her on, so strongly was she impressed; and yet when he spoke32, his voice to her was more strangely sweet than even his wonderful eyes.
Father Christopher announced the new-comer as Baron33 Albrecht von Waldstein; and he added, with a touch of the gossip, that the knight's home lay in the Neiderwasser valley, to the northward34.
The baron himself explained his presence at the castle.
"One of my retainers," he said, "was this morning, as we were riding toward the south, smitten35 with a strange illness. I feared that we should leave his bones to bleach36 in the forest for lack of a leech37; and he himself had either small courage or strength to ride on. Fortunately his fellow knew that we were near Rittenberg, and I have ventured to bring him here, in the hope that we might for a little find shelter and the aid of a leech."
"He shall be looked to," Erna answered with a gentle gravity which became her well. "Our leech is not unskilful, and his best is at thy service."
"I thank thee," the baron responded, bowing profoundly. "It were a matter of much inconvenience to be left with but one man-at-arms thus far from home."
"Thou must, too, be concerned at the suffering of the poor man," the countess returned. "I am always unhappy if one of my people is ill. They seem so much like animals in their pain, and as if they could not understand what had happened to them. It is very pitiful."
The baron regarded her with a look of inquiry38 on his handsome face.
"Of course one cares for his servants," he assented39, "since he can so ill get on without them."
Had her cousin, Count Stephen, the beat of whose horse's hoofs40 had so lately died upon the air, said these words, Erna would doubtless have regarded them as shockingly heartless; but now so strongly had the appearance of this stranger won upon her, that she only smiled and shook her head.
"Of a truth they have not our feelings," she said; "but after all, they are yet human beings. Wert thou in the forest through the night?" she added. "Thou canst not have come far this morning, especially riding with one who was ill."
"We were in the forest all night," the baron responded. "We made shift to shelter us in a cave that we chanced upon. It was the sickness of the man which prevented that we rode further yester-e'en, till we had found lodgings41."
"But hadst thou no fear of the wood-sprites?" Erna asked.
"Nay," replied Baron Albrecht, "they troubled us not; though we were aware of them as they passed us by," he added, smiling.
"Thou art a bold knight," she murmured beneath her breath.
"Truly thou art favored of heaven," Father Christopher said, "if the wood-sprites can do thee no harm."
The countess looked at the stranger with admiration42 and astonishment43. Bold as were the knights44 who had made the name of her family respected far and near, they had not been free from the fear of the wild folk of the wood, and it was with a thrill that she looked at the stranger knight as he avowed45 his fearlessness.
"At least now," she said, "we will do what is in our power for thee, whether it be to protect thee against the dangers of the forest or to offer thee rest and refreshment."
She gave the necessary orders, and passed down the hall again the way she had come. As she ascended46 the winding stair which led up toward her chamber47, she turned and looked backward. The Baron von Waldstein stood where she had left him, and his eyes were fixed48 upon her retreating figure with a gaze which made her thrill with mingled49 confusion and pleasure. She turned away her face with a blush which she could not repress, and hastened on.
In her chamber Erna found her great-aunt, all alive with eager curiosity.
"Who is he?" Lady Adelaide demanded. "Elsa says he is the handsomest man alive, and that his jewels are wonderful. Is it so? Didst thou notice them?"
"He is certainly handsome," Erna answered. "As for his jewels, I do not think I noticed them; but now that thou speakest of it, I do remember that there was a splendid red fiery50 gem51 on the front of his corselet. It shone so that it caught my eye from the top of the stair as I went down."
"It must be a carbuncle," the old lady responded. "He must be a knight of much consequence; and yet I cannot remember that I ever heard of the Von Waldsteins in my life. I wonder if I have ever seen any of the family. How does he look?"
"He looks," replied her niece absently, "like a woodland god."
Her eyes, as she spoke, fell on the scroll52 she had been reading earlier in the morning. The place had been the passage in which Saint Cuthbert warns against the snares54 of appearances. She sighed and turned away from the eager questioning of her companion to take again the pious55 scroll; but when the Lady Adelaide, grumbling56 that her curiosity could not be gratified, had left the chamber, the parchment slipped unheeded to the floor, and the countess looked out over the undulating waves of the pine forest with eyes that saw not, so deeply was she absorbed in reverie. The sage53 words of Saint Cuthbert were forgotten, and she dreamed of the splendid knight of whom she knew nothing but what was to be learned from those appearances against the deceitfulness of which the page she had been reading admonished57 in vain.
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1
winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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ascent
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| n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高 | |
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jocund
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| adj.快乐的，高兴的 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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5
heralded
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| v.预示( herald的过去式和过去分词 )；宣布（好或重要） | |
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knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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7
squire
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| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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8
beaver
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| n.海狸，河狸 | |
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chestnut
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| n.栗树，栗子 | |
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10
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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11
knightly
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| adj. 骑士般的 adv. 骑士般地 | |
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stature
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| n.（高度）水平，（高度）境界，身高，身材 | |
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dwarfing
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| n.矮化病 | |
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14
mien
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| n.风采；态度 | |
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affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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16
refreshment
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| n.恢复，精神爽快，提神之事物；（复数）refreshments:点心，茶点 | |
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17
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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18
casement
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| n.竖铰链窗；窗扉 | |
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fortress
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| n.堡垒，防御工事 | |
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20
monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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21
prudence
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| n.谨慎，精明，节俭 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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23
conversing
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 ) | |
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24
glossy
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| adj.平滑的；有光泽的 | |
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descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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poised
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| a.摆好姿势不动的 | |
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defiant
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| adj.无礼的，挑战的 | |
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herd
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| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
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30
kindle
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| v.点燃，着火 | |
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longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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32
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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33
baron
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| n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王 | |
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34
northward
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| adv.向北；n.北方的地区 | |
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35
smitten
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| 猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去分词 ) | |
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36
bleach
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| vt.使漂白；vi.变白；n.漂白剂 | |
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37
leech
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| n.水蛭，吸血鬼，榨取他人利益的人；vt.以水蛭吸血；vi.依附于别人 | |
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38
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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39
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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40
hoofs
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| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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41
lodgings
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| n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍 | |
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42
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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43
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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44
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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45
avowed
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| adj.公开声明的，承认的v.公开声明，承认( avow的过去式和过去分词) | |
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46
ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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47
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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48
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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49
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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50
fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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51
gem
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| n.宝石，珠宝；受爱戴的人 [同]jewel | |
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52
scroll
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| n.卷轴，纸卷；(石刻上的)漩涡 | |
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53
sage
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| n.圣人，哲人；adj.贤明的，明智的 | |
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54
snares
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| n.陷阱( snare的名词复数 )；圈套；诱人遭受失败（丢脸、损失等）的东西；诱惑物v.用罗网捕捉，诱陷，陷害( snare的第三人称单数 ) | |
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55
pious
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| adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的 | |
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56
grumbling
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| adj. 喃喃鸣不平的, 出怨言的 | |
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57
admonished
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| v.劝告( admonish的过去式和过去分词 )；训诫；（温和地）责备；轻责 | |
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