The cheeks of the knight14 burned with a fever which the wind of the autumn afternoon, cool though it was and loaded with refreshing15 balsamic scents16, could not allay17. His heart beat hotly with rage and love and hatred18 and jealousy19, until its fierce throbbing20 seemed wellnigh to choke him. Through a rift21 in the trees he caught a glimpse of the towers of Rittenberg; and he recalled the sight of them which he had when he first came hither, and how Herr Frederich had pointed22 them out to him, saying with his smile which now Albrecht so loathed23:
"Now I will ride homeward, and await tidings of the speeding of your wooing. Yonder is the castle, and there shall you find both bride and soul!"
The memory surged over the mind of Albrecht like a bitter wave of the northern sea, black and stinging with its icy cold. He struck his clenched24 hand against his breast, and a groan25 escaped from his lips.
"It were better never to have had a soul!" he murmured.
A hollow laugh from unseen lips answered him. He looked around, suddenly checking his horse with a wrench27 of the bridle28 which wellnigh threw the good steed upon its haunches. He was silent an instant, as if he waited for some one to call out in mockery. There was no sound save the panting of his steed, the murmur26 of the soft wind in the tree-tops, and the distant hoarse29 cry of a heron scared by the fowler and fleeing toward the deeper recesses30 of the forest.
Albrecht put his hand upon his forehead like a man who awakens31.
"I know ye, kobold crew!" he cried. "Ye shall not conquer. I defy ye, for I have a soul."
Then again he struck the spurs into the horse's flanks and flew onward32 toward Rittenberg. The dread33 that Erna might indeed be lost forever beset34 him like a flame, and he did not pause even on the steep below the castle gate. As if urged on by the furies he flew up the hill, and dashed into the courtyard spattered with foam35 from his horse's bridle.
He threw his rein36 to a servitor, and hastened to his chamber37. He dashed his cap, its heron-plume torn and ragged38 from his wild ride through the wood, upon the rush-strewn floor, and with great strides he began to pace to and fro. He was confused by the emotions with which he struggled. Never in the months since he became a man had so fierce a rush of contending passions swept through his mind, and he was dizzied by their force. Below in the courtyard he heard light laughter, and a snatch of song which one of his men-at-arms had taught some serving-wench; and the sounds carried him back to the wild, free life of the forest. For a moment it seemed to him that he would gladly give up all that he had won could he but be once more the gay, soulless Albrecht who had come to Rittenberg; so strong was the rush of the old memory, the desire for the old lawless, jocund39 kobold life, that he was ready to curse the day that brought him to the castle and gave him a human bride. Yet the thought of Erna and the passionate40 love for her which filled his heart were too strong to be overcome, even by the swelling41 disquiet42 of his soul. He could not yet think first of the high spiritual blessings43 which the gift of a soul made possible to him, since ever the image of his bride rose before his mind as the chief desire of his life.
So long did Albrecht wrestle44 with the temptations which raged within him like ravening45 wolves, that the dusk began to rise from the forest to the height where the castle stood, as a night-mist rises from beneath. He thought of the wood-creatures who had mocked at his pain, and full well did he know how fain were they to do his bidding did he charge them to waylay46 Count Stephen in the forest and do him harm. Were it not madness to let all the instincts of his whole life go because of the fetters47 which were laid upon him by this thing which was so wondrously48 within him, and which had changed him from the most blithe49 and most bold of all the kobolds of the forest to the tame thing that dared not avenge50 himself upon the knight who would steal from him the love of his wife? The rushes were crushed and ground into dust beneath his heel as he strode to and fro, and the great drops stood upon his forehead.
Suddenly in the gathering51 dusk he stood still, as does a knight who turns at last upon his enemies and stands at bay, bidding them defiance52. All the might of his soul did he call up to aid him in the conflict with the passions and temptations which beset him. There came into his splendid face a look of boldness, of confidence, yet too of horror, as of one who at last sees his foes53 for what they in truth are. A moment he stood motionless; then with firm step and resolute54 mien55 he went down the long corridor, which echoed to his tread, and descended56 the private stairway which led to the castle chapel57. There before the altar he bowed himself in prayer.
Half an hour later, as Albrecht, calm and firm once more, was returning to his chamber, he encountered Erna in the corridor. She had been to his chamber to seek him, on her return from the hunt. The attendants had stared open-mouthed when she rode into the courtyard unattended, but she had given them no heed4. She longed to fling herself into the arms of her husband, that he might shield her from the danger and the temptation which lay about her; but when she found his chamber vacant, suddenly she recalled seeing Albrecht in the forest, riding with Herr von Zimmern like an evil spirit behind him, and the thought brought with it a great fear of what he might have seen. At that moment she heard his step in the corridor approaching her. Her first impulse was to hide like a guilty thing; then she remembered that she was not guilty. She saw Albrecht standing59 on the threshold as if he were an angel of light. His splendid strength seemed to her that of a god. She ran to him and flung herself, sobbing60 wildly, into his arms.
It had seemed to Albrecht in the cool and holy quiet of the chapel, that he had conquered passion and come to desire spiritual good even above the love of this beautiful woman who now flung herself into his embrace, weeping so sore; but now that he held her fast he thought again of the folk in the wood, and how speedily they would rid him of his rival did he but bid them. Even were they in league with Herr Frederich, as well might be, they would obey him and do his will. He strained Erna to his bosom61 in a strong and jealous clasp; then, as a wave returns that has swept down the sea-beach, came again his will to conquer evil and to beat down this temptation. When in a moment he spoke62 there was in his voice no trace of the feelings which stormed within him.
"What hath affrighted thee, sweetheart?" he said, kissing her fondly.
She had clung to him, hiding her face, and feeling that his strong arms could protect her from the world; that now was all harm put away and all evil trodden down. Then when he spoke, it seemed to her, all unwrought and excited as she was, that his voice, though soothing63 and compassionate64, was that of one who is no more cumbered by troubles such as hers. He was to her like one who is removed from passion, and the turmoil65 of a strife66 such as that which tossed her spirit, by the width of half the wide sky. He was so calm, so kind; he soothed67 her like a tired child when, forsooth, her soul hungered and thirsted to be comforted with the apples and flagons of love. She knew not for what she yearned68, but she did not find it in his embrace, albeit69 he was full tender and fond.
Albrecht saw that she strove with herself that she might recover her calmness. She freed herself from his embrace, and stood wiping her tears, and calming herself in woman's wise.
"It is only that thou hast wed58 a foolish and timorous70 wife," she answered him; "I lost the hunt and rode home alone. Methought I heard voices in the forest, and it hath unnerved me."
Albrecht changed color. What peril71 from the wood-folk might not Erna have escaped! He started forward to take her again in his arms, but she turned away with a smile.
"Belike it was nothing but my own wild fancy," she said. "Indeed, now that once again I am safe at Rittenberg I know not if I heard aught. I cannot have left the hunt more than half an hour agone. I did but turn aside in the beech wood near the ford72 to follow a bird-cry for a little, and I lost my way thereby73."
She cast down her eyes, for in truth as she thus put by his question with a feigned74 excuse she could not meet his gaze; and Albrecht, remembering what had been said to him in the forest concerning the estrangement75 of her affections, thrilled with a keen pang76. She left him, and passed down the corridor toward her chamber; and he stood and watched her like one who seeth his dearest hope flee away before his face.
点击收听单词发音
1 mighty | |
adj.强有力的;巨大的 | |
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2 thither | |
adv.向那里;adj.在那边的,对岸的 | |
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3 behooved | |
v.适宜( behoove的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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4 heed | |
v.注意,留意;n.注意,留心 | |
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5 heeded | |
v.听某人的劝告,听从( heed的过去式和过去分词 );变平,使(某物)变平( flatten的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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6 beech | |
n.山毛榉;adj.山毛榉的 | |
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7 rustled | |
v.发出沙沙的声音( rustle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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8 cones | |
n.(人眼)圆锥细胞;圆锥体( cone的名词复数 );球果;圆锥形东西;(盛冰淇淋的)锥形蛋卷筒 | |
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9 glistening | |
adj.闪耀的,反光的v.湿物闪耀,闪亮( glisten的现在分词 ) | |
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10 unctuous | |
adj.油腔滑调的,大胆的 | |
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11 chattered | |
(人)喋喋不休( chatter的过去式 ); 唠叨; (牙齿)打战; (机器)震颤 | |
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12 domain | |
n.(活动等)领域,范围;领地,势力范围 | |
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13 thicket | |
n.灌木丛,树林 | |
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14 knight | |
n.骑士,武士;爵士 | |
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15 refreshing | |
adj.使精神振作的,使人清爽的,使人喜欢的 | |
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16 scents | |
n.香水( scent的名词复数 );气味;(动物的)臭迹;(尤指狗的)嗅觉 | |
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17 allay | |
v.消除,减轻(恐惧、怀疑等) | |
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18 hatred | |
n.憎恶,憎恨,仇恨 | |
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19 jealousy | |
n.妒忌,嫉妒,猜忌 | |
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20 throbbing | |
a. 跳动的,悸动的 | |
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21 rift | |
n.裂口,隙缝,切口;v.裂开,割开,渗入 | |
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22 pointed | |
adj.尖的,直截了当的 | |
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23 loathed | |
v.憎恨,厌恶( loathe的过去式和过去分词 );极不喜欢 | |
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24 clenched | |
v.紧握,抓紧,咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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25 groan | |
vi./n.呻吟,抱怨;(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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26 murmur | |
n.低语,低声的怨言;v.低语,低声而言 | |
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27 wrench | |
v.猛拧;挣脱;使扭伤;n.扳手;痛苦,难受 | |
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28 bridle | |
n.笼头,束缚;vt.抑制,约束;动怒 | |
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29 hoarse | |
adj.嘶哑的,沙哑的 | |
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30 recesses | |
n.壁凹( recess的名词复数 );(工作或业务活动的)中止或暂停期间;学校的课间休息;某物内部的凹形空间v.把某物放在墙壁的凹处( recess的第三人称单数 );将(墙)做成凹形,在(墙)上做壁龛;休息,休会,休庭 | |
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31 awakens | |
v.(使)醒( awaken的第三人称单数 );(使)觉醒;弄醒;(使)意识到 | |
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32 onward | |
adj.向前的,前进的;adv.向前,前进,在先 | |
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33 dread | |
vt.担忧,忧虑;惧怕,不敢;n.担忧,畏惧 | |
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34 beset | |
v.镶嵌;困扰,包围 | |
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35 foam | |
v./n.泡沫,起泡沫 | |
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36 rein | |
n.疆绳,统治,支配;vt.以僵绳控制,统治 | |
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37 chamber | |
n.房间,寝室;会议厅;议院;会所 | |
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38 ragged | |
adj.衣衫褴褛的,粗糙的,刺耳的 | |
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39 jocund | |
adj.快乐的,高兴的 | |
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40 passionate | |
adj.热情的,热烈的,激昂的,易动情的,易怒的,性情暴躁的 | |
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41 swelling | |
n.肿胀 | |
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42 disquiet | |
n.担心,焦虑 | |
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43 blessings | |
n.(上帝的)祝福( blessing的名词复数 );好事;福分;因祸得福 | |
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44 wrestle | |
vi.摔跤,角力;搏斗;全力对付 | |
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45 ravening | |
a.贪婪而饥饿的 | |
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46 waylay | |
v.埋伏,伏击 | |
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47 fetters | |
n.脚镣( fetter的名词复数 );束缚v.给…上脚镣,束缚( fetter的第三人称单数 ) | |
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48 wondrously | |
adv.惊奇地,非常,极其 | |
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49 blithe | |
adj.快乐的,无忧无虑的 | |
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50 avenge | |
v.为...复仇,为...报仇 | |
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51 gathering | |
n.集会,聚会,聚集 | |
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52 defiance | |
n.挑战,挑衅,蔑视,违抗 | |
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53 foes | |
敌人,仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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54 resolute | |
adj.坚决的,果敢的 | |
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55 mien | |
n.风采;态度 | |
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56 descended | |
a.为...后裔的,出身于...的 | |
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57 chapel | |
n.小教堂,殡仪馆 | |
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58 wed | |
v.娶,嫁,与…结婚 | |
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59 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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60 sobbing | |
<主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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61 bosom | |
n.胸,胸部;胸怀;内心;adj.亲密的 | |
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62 spoke | |
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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63 soothing | |
adj.慰藉的;使人宽心的;镇静的 | |
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64 compassionate | |
adj.有同情心的,表示同情的 | |
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65 turmoil | |
n.骚乱,混乱,动乱 | |
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66 strife | |
n.争吵,冲突,倾轧,竞争 | |
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67 soothed | |
v.安慰( soothe的过去式和过去分词 );抚慰;使舒服;减轻痛苦 | |
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68 yearned | |
渴望,切盼,向往( yearn的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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69 albeit | |
conj.即使;纵使;虽然 | |
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70 timorous | |
adj.胆怯的,胆小的 | |
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71 peril | |
n.(严重的)危险;危险的事物 | |
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72 Ford | |
n.浅滩,水浅可涉处;v.涉水,涉过 | |
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73 thereby | |
adv.因此,从而 | |
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74 feigned | |
a.假装的,不真诚的 | |
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75 estrangement | |
n.疏远,失和,不和 | |
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76 pang | |
n.剧痛,悲痛,苦闷 | |
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