One day the countess sat at her embroidery5 in the hall, with her guest near her, and Father Christopher not far away. Without, a wild tempest of wind and rain shook the castle towers, and swept over forest and hill. From the casements6 one looked out upon a sea of mist that rolled above the tree-tops, beaten and torn by the wind, and lashing7 the hills in angry, mimic8 waves. All the weird9 voices of the Schwarzwald, melancholy10 or fierce, raged and wailed12 in the troubled air. It was a day when the unholy powers of the forest held high festival, and it was with inward shudders13 that Erna heard afar their hoarse14 tones, calling and yelling to one another in the storm.
Sitting at her embroidery frame without her damsels, who were scattered15 about the castle upon one mission or another, Erna talked with the baron and the priest, now and then thinking with dread16 of the night which was not far away, and hearing in her fancy already the roaring of the blast about the towers, the shrill17 cry of the Wild Huntsman, and the shrieks18 of his elfin train. When she looked up at the splendid form of her guest, however, her fears vanished in a breath, and she smiled that she should have found it possible to fear while he was at her side. In the warmth of his glance the tempest and all the dread dwellers19 in the forest were forgotten, and she was conscious only of the joy of his presence.
The knight20 had been asking concerning the armor of Erna's father, which hung in the hall; and from this the talk easily drifted to the Great Emperor, his noble deeds, his splendid army, and the brilliant court which he had gathered about him.
"How much I should like to see it all," the maiden21 said dreamily, as she looked earnestly at Albrecht; "the tourneys, the feasts, the processions, and all the beautiful court life."
Father Christopher regarded her in some amazement22.
"Is it thou," he asked, "who sayest this? Thou who hast always been so thankful that thou wert spared the temptations and the worldliness of the court? Didst thou not refuse to go to Mayence when Charlemagne was there with his train, because thou didst not wish to fill thy mind with frivolous23 images?"
"So I did, Father, but mayhap my aunt was not wholly in the wrong when she called me a fool for my refusal," Erna answered, smiling.
"The court would ill suit me," Albrecht remarked, while the good priest remained sunk in astonishment24 at the change which the words of Erna indicated. "My choice is for the forest, for the hunt and the chase. The only thing at court that would attract me would be the tourney."
"Would that I might see thee in the lists!" Erna half murmured, leaning a little toward him.
"Mayhap that thou shalt," he replied. "Stranger things than this have come to pass. If thou dost, thou wilt25 see me break a lance in thy behalf right gladly."
"And thou no longer thinkest," Father Christopher interposed gravely, "that it is wrong for knights26 to risk their lives in mere27 wanton pastime?"
"Oh, there may be some danger," she returned with a slight air of impatience28, "but why must one be forever troubling to examine too closely? Is there to be no pleasure in life lest harm should come after it, forsooth?"
Father Christopher left his seat, to stand for a moment looking at the countess as if in bewilderment. He did not in truth know what to make of his mistress in such a mood as this, so different was it from all that she had ever been before. He seemed minded to speak, and then, as if reflecting that her words did not after all contain aught which he was called upon to regard with severity, and perhaps that in any case what he might wish to say to her would be delivered better privately29, he sighed deeply, and moved away without further speech. Erna looked after him as he slowly passed down the hall, the edge of his robe here and there catching30 upon one of the rushes with which the floor was strewn.
"Poor Father Christopher!" she said with a low, sweet laugh, "I have grieved him. It is a pity to make him unhappy. I never used to do that."
She regarded her gay-colored embroidery a moment absently, as if she did not see it; then suddenly she dropped the hand which held her needle and leaned toward her companion.
"What hast thou done to me?" she demanded. "Hast thou bewitched me, that all the things that I loved have become dull to me, and all the things which I wished not for are now in my thoughts with longing31?"
A roaring blast shook the castle windows, and it was as if the spirits of the storm, sweeping32 up from the bosom33 of the wild and mighty34 Schwarzwald, shouted in mocking laughter outside; but neither Erna nor Albrecht regarded.
"I have done nothing to thee," the knight answered, in his turn bending forward; "but what hast thou done to me, that I linger here day after day, and that I consider now the pain of the beast that dies by my spear, or of the bird that my falcon35 strikes?"
"Nothing have I done to thee," Erna answered; but her voice faltered36, and her glance fell.
Albrecht reached out his big brown hand, and took her milk-white fingers in his.
"Only," he said, "I love thee."
Erna rose to her feet, and cast a swift glance around the hall, as if she were minded to escape; then she turned toward him, and he sprang to her to clasp her in his arms. The knight kissed her glowingly upon her red lips.
"Now thou art mine," he said, "and all the world shall not wrest37 thee from me."
He had scarcely spoken when in the darkening afternoon a mighty blast seemed to throw itself against the tower; a yell of elfin laughter resounded38 in the hollow chimney, and the hound which had lain at Erna's feet crouched39 flat on the rushes, whining40 with deadly fear. Frighted, yet too full of her love to heed41 the cry of wild sprite or the fierceness of the tempest, Erna clung closely to the knight, and thus together did the Lady Adelaide, coming unexpectedly into the hall, surprise them.
"Body of Saint Fridolin!" she cried.
The lovers started, but although they released each other from the embrace in which they had been wound, they still stood together, and the arm of the knight was about Erna's waist. She clung to his hand in maidenly42 agitation43, not wholly unmixed with the fear which the sudden vehemence44 of the tempest had aroused, yet she smiled bravely upon her aunt, with eyes which shone with the firmness and the joy of the troth she had just plighted45.
The Lady Adelaide, whose nerves were already upset by the storm and by the weird sounds which were heard about the castle, was doubly overwhelmed with emotion by the sight before her. It was a shock from which it was not easy for her to recover, to see her niece in the arms of any man. She had so long looked upon Countess Erna as cold and devoid46 of all warm human passion, that she could scarcely believe the evidence of her own senses now that she beheld47 the countess with her lips pressed to those of a lover. She had so long cherished, moreover, the hope that by a marriage with Count Stephen Erna might still bear the Von Rittenberg name, that it could not but be with a keen pang48 of disappointment that she saw all these schemes swept away.
Most of all things, however, did Lady Adelaide desire to see her niece married, and since it could not be to Count Stephen, she was not averse49 to the choice that Erna had made. She had been like everybody else in the castle, and had fallen an easy conquest to the fascination50 of Baron Albrecht. His joyous51, winning manner, his persuasive52 presence, had captivated the ancient dame53 completely; and now when Erna was prepared for the gravest disapproval54, she met, to her great surprise, only smiles.
"Be not angry, Lady," the baron said, looking the old duenna frankly55 in the face, "but we were plighting56 our troth."
The cheeks of Erna were like a late rose amid untimely snow, but her eyes did not flinch57 from the regard of Lady Adelaide.
"Give us thy blessing58," she pleaded; "the castle of Rittenberg is to have at last the lord which thou hast so long wished for it."
The old dame laughed and came forward.
"The time has gone by," she said, "when elders were asked to advise in the love affairs of young folk, but mayhap all goes not wrong for that. Thou wilt have thy own way in this matter, so why should I cumber59 myself to frown and chide60 at what cannot be helped by me?"
"Now, nay61, Aunt Adelaide," Erna responded, smiling at the manner in which the other accepted the situation, "that is but a curt62 and unkind way in which to give greeting to me on my betrothal63; and thou alone of all my house left to wish me joy!"
The great-aunt put up her shrivelled lips and kissed the girl, patting her hand kindly64.
"Nay, nay," she said, the tears coming into her aged11 eyes, "I wish thee well, and thou shalt not lack for my blessing, though the Von Rittenberg name vanish from the earth when I am laid away. I wish thee joy; and, Sir Baron, I give thee my greeting. It is much that thou askest, when thou wouldst claim the last of our house, but there is that about thee that speaks the brave man, and one who will defend her in these troublous times."
The sight of a pair of lovers in their first joy will move even hearts which are encased in triple coats of worldliness and pride; and the Lady Adelaide, who of all folk was least likely to be touched by sentiment, when she had clasped the hands of Erna and Albrecht, had wet eyes as she went slowly down the hall again as she had come, leaving them alone.
And thus were the Countess von Rittenberg and the stranger knight betrothed65.
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1
slaying
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| 杀戮。 | |
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baron
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| n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王 | |
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impersonal
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| adj.无个人感情的，与个人无关的，非人称的 | |
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confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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embroidery
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| n.绣花，刺绣；绣制品 | |
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casements
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| n.窗扉( casement的名词复数 ) | |
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lashing
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| n.鞭打；痛斥；大量；许多v.鞭打( lash的现在分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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mimic
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| v.模仿，戏弄；n.模仿他人言行的人 | |
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weird
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| adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的 | |
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melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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wailed
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13
shudders
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| n.颤动，打颤，战栗( shudder的名词复数 )v.战栗( shudder的第三人称单数 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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14
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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17
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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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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dwellers
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| n.居民，居住者( dweller的名词复数 ) | |
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knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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frivolous
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| adj.轻薄的；轻率的 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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wilt
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| v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎；(指人)疲倦，衰弱 | |
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26
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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27
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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28
impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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29
privately
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| adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地 | |
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30
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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31
longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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33
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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35
falcon
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| n.隼，猎鹰 | |
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36
faltered
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| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
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37
wrest
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| n.扭，拧，猛夺；v.夺取，猛扭，歪曲 | |
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38
resounded
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| v.（指声音等）回荡于某处( resound的过去式和过去分词 )；产生回响；（指某处）回荡着声音 | |
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39
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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40
whining
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| n. 抱怨，牢骚 v. 哭诉，发牢骚 | |
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41
heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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42
maidenly
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| adj. 像处女的, 谨慎的, 稳静的 | |
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43
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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44
vehemence
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| n.热切；激烈；愤怒 | |
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45
plighted
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| vt.保证，约定（plight的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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46
devoid
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| adj.全无的，缺乏的 | |
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47
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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48
pang
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| n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷 | |
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49
averse
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| adj.厌恶的；反对的，不乐意的 | |
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50
fascination
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| n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋 | |
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51
joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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52
persuasive
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| adj.有说服力的，能说得使人相信的 | |
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53
dame
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| n.女士 | |
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54
disapproval
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| n.反对，不赞成 | |
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55
frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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56
plighting
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| vt.保证，约定（plight的现在分词形式） | |
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57
flinch
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| v.畏缩，退缩 | |
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58
blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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59
cumber
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| v.拖累，妨碍；n.妨害；拖累 | |
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60
chide
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| v.叱责；谴责 | |
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61
nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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62
curt
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| adj.简短的，草率的 | |
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63
betrothal
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| n. 婚约, 订婚 | |
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64
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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65
betrothed
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| n. 已订婚者 动词betroth的过去式和过去分词 | |
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