CHAPTER-HOUSE.
It was on the stroke of midnight that Osbert Clinton, muffled1 in a long black cloak, and armed with rapier and dagger2, arrived at the place of rendezvous3 appointed by De Noailles. The night was bright and beautiful, and the moon, nearly at the full, and hanging above the north side of the noble Gothic fane, silvered its hoary5 battlements and buttresses6, and glittered upon the tinted7 panes8 of the great pointed4 windows.
Passing through an arched doorway9, he entered the cloisters10, and marched slowly along the south ambulatory. No one was there. Having thus tracked one side of the square, and glanced down the alley11 on the left, he stood still and listened, but no sound reached his ears, until shortly afterwards the deep bell of the abbey tolled12 forth13 the hour of midnight. Then all again relapsed into solemn silence, and had there been even a light footfall on the pavement, Osbert must have heard it.
Again he moved slowly on. His thoughts were too much occupied with the business he had on hand, or he might have noted14 the vaulted15 and richly-ornamented ceiling overhead, or the pillared openings at the side, through which the moonlight streamed upon the pavement, but though he was not wholly unconscious of these architectural beauties, 309they produced little effect upon him, neither did the serene17 loveliness of the night, or the hushed tranquility of the spot, soothe18 his perturbed19 spirits.
He had reached another angle of the cloisters, and was proceeding20 along the alley, which was here plunged21 in gloom, when he fancied he discerned a dark figure advancing towards him, upon which he quickened his steps, and soon reached the person, who, on seeing him, remained stationary23. It was De Noailles. Like Osbert he was muffled in a cloak, and his broad-leaved hat was pulled over his brows.
“You have not changed your mind, I perceive,” observed De Noailles, “but are resolved to go on with the enterprise.”
“I am,” replied Osbert.
“Follow me, then,” rejoined the French ambassador, “and I will introduce you to those in league with us.”
Marching quickly but noiselessly along, he conducted Osbert towards the chapter-house. On reaching it, they descended24 a flight of stone steps which seemed to lead to a vault16, but further progress was arrested by a door, against which De Noailles tapped gently. At this summons the door was cautiously opened by a man, who appeared to be well-armed, and they were admitted into a large subterranean25 chamber26.
This crypt, for such it was, was dimly illumined by an iron lamp fixen to a pillar standing27 in the centre of the vault. The stone walls were of great solidity, in order to sustain the weight of the chapter-house, and the roof, which likewise formed the floor of the superstructure, was of stone, ribbed, and groined, and supported by the pillar to which the lamp was fixed28.
In this crypt were assembled some eight or nine young men, all of good condition, judging from their attire29 and deportment As De Noailles and Osbert entered the vault, a tall, richly-dressed man detached himself from the group with whom he was conversing30, and advanced to meet them. As he advanced, Osbert instantly knew him to be Thomas Stafford, second son to Lord Stafford, and grandson of the Duke of Buckingham, a disaffected31 personage who had been engaged in Wyat’s rebellion, but had escaped owing to want of proof of his complicity in the affair.
310“Your excellency is welcome,” said Stafford to the ambassador. “I am glad to find you bring us a recruit. What! Osbert Clinton, is it you?” he added, as the young man unmuffled his countenance32. “You are, indeed, an important accession to our ranks. But you must take the oath of fidelity33. Our object is to deliver our country from the tyranny of Spain, to depose34 Mary, to place Elizabeth on the throne and wed35 her to Courtenay, and to restore the Protestant faith.”
“I will be true to you to the death,” replied Osbert emphatically, “and will aid you to the utmost of my power—this I solemnly swear.”
“Enough,” replied Stafford; “and now I will present you to my associates in this great and holy cause. Some of them you know.”
“I know Sir Henry Dudley, Sir Anthony Kingston, and Sir Nicholas Throckmorton,” replied Osbert, saluting36 the three persons he named, “but the rest are strangers to me.”
“This is honest Master Udal, and this bold Master Staunton, both good Protestants, and hearty37 haters of the Spaniard and Popish idolatry,” said Sir Henry Dudley. And after salutations had passed by Osbert and the persons indicated, he went on: “These gentlemen,” bringing forward two others, “are Masters Peckham and Werne. You have heard of them, I make no doubt?”
“Ay, marry have I, oftentimes,” replied Osbert. “They are officers to the Princess Elizabeth. I am glad to see them here.”
“They bring us messages from the Princess approving of our design,” said Dudley. “Her Highness will not write, after the danger she incurred38 from her intercepted39 correspondence with Wyat.”
“Her Grace is very favourable40 to your cause, as I have already stated, Sir Henry,” observed Peckham, “and wishes it all possible success.”
“She has need to do,” said Sir Anthony Kingston. “If we succeed, we shall place the crown upon her head.”
“There is yet another gentleman whom you have not made known to me, Sir Henry,” said Osbert, indicating a dark, sinister-looking personage, in a philemot-coloured mantle41 and doublet, who stood aloof42 from the others.
311“Ha! this is a very useful person,” replied Dudley. “This is M. de Freitville, a secret agent of the King of France, who promises to aid our enterprise with men and money.”
“I hope he will fulfil his promises better than those made by him to Wyat,” remarked Osbert, regarding Freitville distrustfully.
“Had Wyat held out a few days longer, he would not have lacked support,” rejoined Freitville. “My royal master afforded an asylum43 and gave pensions to all those implicated44 in the rebellion who fled to France. His Excellency M. de Noailles will tell you that his Majesty45 has ever been hostile to this Spanish alliance, and that, failing in preventing it, he is now determined47 to drive the Queen and her husband from the throne, and set up the Princess Elizabeth in their stead.”
“Has he no other views?” said Osbert.
“None averse48 to this country,” said De Noailles, “that I can declare emphatically. It would be idle to assert that my royal master is influenced by the same motives49 that you are; but the end is the same. You both seek the dissolution of this marriage and the overthrow50 of Philip—he as the avowed51 enemy of Spain, you as suffering from the tyranny of Philip, and anxious to restore the Reformed religion. Our interests, therefore, are identical, and we make common cause together against the foe52. For my own part, I have a personal antipathy53 to Philip. He has done me a grievous injury, and I will never rest till I requite54 him. Some day or other his life will be in my hands and then he shall feel my vengeance55.”
“My wrongs are greater than yours,” cried Osbert. “I have thrown off all allegiance to him, and am henceforth his deadly foe. He has stepped between me and her whom I love dearer than life, and has sought to sacrifice her to his unhallowed desires. He is unworthy to be the Queen’s consort—unworthy to govern Englishmen. I will shed my heart’s blood in the attempt to drive him from the throne.”
“Why not plunge22 a dagger in his breast,” said Freitville, “and so rid the country of a tyrant56?”
“I am no assassin,” replied Osbert. “Deeply as I hate him, I would not slay57 him save in fair fight. No, we must rouse our countrymen to a sense of their danger, and rise in 312arms against him, and put him justly to death, or drive him from the country.”
“His design is to subjugate58 England, and reduce us to the condition of Flanders and Burgundy,” cried Stafford. “If he is allowed to remain on the throne for another year, he will become absolute master of our liberties. The twelve strongest fortresses59 in England—the Tower itself included—are to be delivered up to him by the misguided and unworthy Queen, and garrisoned60 by twenty thousand Spaniards.”
“I can scarce think the Queen would be thus false to her country,” said Osbert.
“It is so, Sir, and I will tell you more,” pursued Stafford. “Alva is to be governor of the Tower, and ere he has been there many months more noble English blood will drench61 the scaffold than ever dyed it in King Harry’s days. The Inquisition, also, is to be established.”
“It is already established among us,” cried Sir Henry Dudley. “We had our auto-da-fé in Smithfield yesterday.”
“The Queen is so infatuated by her love for the King,” pursued Stafford, “that she can deny him nothing. You, Sir,” he added to Osbert, “who have been in attendance upon him, must know how shamefully62 he abuses her regard, and the scandalous infidelities he practises.”
“It is true,” replied Osbert. “It is true, also, that her Majesty can refuse him nothing. He has incited63 her to settle her crown upon him by her will in the event of her decease during her time of travail64.”
“Can she be so blind as not to perceive that by making such a will she ensures her own death by poison?” observed De Noailles. “But her senseless passion deprives her of all judgment65.”
“Now is the time to strike,” cried Stafford. “Men’s minds are so excited that a single spark will set the whole city of London in a flame. All the Protestants are ripe for outbreak. Let us raise the standard of revolt in Smithfield, on the very spot where Rogers was martyred, proclaim the Princess Elizabeth Queen, the deposition66 of Philip and Mary, and restoration of the Reformed religion. We can only number a handful of men at first, but what matters that? Thousands will soon rally round us, and ere night we shall be masters of the City.”
313“The enterprise is desperate,” said Osbert, “but the moment is propitious67. I am with you.”
“So are we all!” cried the others.
“Our cry shall be, ‘Down with Philip and Mary! Down with the mass and idolatry! Long live Queen Elizabeth, the head and defender68 of the Protestant Church!’” said Stafford. “Every Protestant will respond to the call.”
“If we fail, we throw away our lives in a righteous cause,” rejoined Osbert.
“We shall not fail,” cried Sir Henry Dudley. “I was at Smithfield yesterday, and spoke69 with hundreds, who are ready for an outbreak.”
“So did I,” added Sir Anthony Kingston. “I can vouch70 for the detestation with which the King is regarded. Let not the attempt be delayed.”
“It shall be made to-morrow,” said Stafford. “I can muster71 fifty well armed men.”
“And I half that number,” said Dudley.
“And I twenty,” said Kingston.
“I can bring no one with me,” said Osbert. “But I will gain a thousand followers72 before the day is over.”
“At what hour shall we meet to-morrow?” said Dudley.
“At noon,” replied Stafford. “Give me your hand upon it, Osbert Clinton.”
“Readily,” rejoined the other, grasping the hand stretched out to him.
At this moment the lamp was suddenly thrown down, and the crypt plunged in darkness.
“Traitors, before to-morrow you shall be all clapped in the Tower!” cried a voice.
“’Tis the King!” mentally ejaculated Osbert Clinton. And he sprang towards the door.
“Perdition! we have a spy among us,” cried Stafford. “Seize him and put him to death!”
And, as he spoke, swords were drawn73 by the conspirators74.
“Let no one go forth, but let each man answer for himself. Where is Osbert Clinton?”
“Here,” he replied, from the door.
“Where is Sir Henry Dudley?”
314“Here,” answered the person designated.
While Stafford was pursuing these inquiries75, Osbert heard some one approaching, and stepped a little aside. It was well he did so, as otherwise a rapier would have transfixed him. As it was, the point of the weapon merely pierced the side of his doublet, without doing him any injury. But at the same moment Osbert seized the arm that had dealt the blow. After vainly struggling to free himself from the iron grasp in which he was held, the King (for it was he) whispered, “Release me, Sir, I command you.”
“Your commands are of no weight here, Sire,” replied Osbert. “But I will not see you assassinated76. Save yourself!”
And letting go his hold as he spoke, the King instantly passed through the door, and made good his retreat.
At the noise occasioned by his exit, all was confusion and alarm among the conspirators. Amid fierce shouts and exclamations77 a general rush was made to the door, and had they not reached it quickly, the whole party would have been made prisoners without the possibility of escape, for some one was trying to lock them in.
Made aware of their approach by the noise, this person fled, without having accomplished78 his purpose, but, while hastily mounting the steps, he became entangled79 in his gown—for his garments were those of a monk80—and fell. The first of the conspirators to issue from the crypt, were Stafford and Dudley, and on catching81 sight of the monk, who was getting up as quickly as he could, they recognised Father Alfonso de Castro.
“By Heaven! it is the King’s confessor who has been playing the spy upon us,” exclaimed Stafford.
“He shall not escape to tell the tale,” roared Dudley. “My sword shall stop his preaching in future.”
And they dashed up the steps. Ere they could reach him, however, Father Alfonso had regained82 his feet, and speeded across the court, shouting lustily for help.
His object was to gain a small tower, then standing near the cloisters, on the summit of which tower, under a wooden pent-house, hung the alarm-bell. As Father Alfonso was aware, the door of this building was always left open, and if he could only reach it, he would be safe. Fear lent him 315wings, and he had passed through the door, shut it, and barred it inside before his pursuers came up.
While they were venting46 their disappointment in maledictions, he ran up a narrow spiral stone staircase, and, reaching a small chamber, seized a rope that dangled83 from a hole in the ceiling, and began to ring the alarm-bell.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
muffled
|
|
| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
dagger
|
|
| n.匕首，短剑，剑号 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
rendezvous
|
|
| n.约会，约会地点，汇合点；vi.汇合，集合；vt.使汇合，使在汇合地点相遇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
pointed
|
|
| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
hoary
|
|
| adj.古老的；鬓发斑白的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
buttresses
|
|
| n.扶壁，扶垛( buttress的名词复数 )v.用扶壁支撑，加固( buttress的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
tinted
|
|
| adj. 带色彩的 动词tint的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
panes
|
|
| 窗玻璃( pane的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
doorway
|
|
| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
cloisters
|
|
| n.（学院、修道院、教堂等建筑的）走廊( cloister的名词复数 )；回廊；修道院的生活；隐居v.隐退，使与世隔绝( cloister的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
alley
|
|
| n.小巷，胡同；小径，小路 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
tolled
|
|
| 鸣钟（toll的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
forth
|
|
| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
noted
|
|
| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
vaulted
|
|
| adj.拱状的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
vault
|
|
| n.拱形圆顶，地窖，地下室 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
serene
|
|
| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
soothe
|
|
| v.安慰；使平静；使减轻；缓和；奉承 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
perturbed
|
|
| adj.烦燥不安的v.使（某人）烦恼，不安( perturb的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
proceeding
|
|
| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
plunged
|
|
| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
plunge
|
|
| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
stationary
|
|
| adj.固定的，静止不动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
descended
|
|
| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
subterranean
|
|
| adj.地下的，地表下的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
chamber
|
|
| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
fixed
|
|
| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
attire
|
|
| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
conversing
|
|
| v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
disaffected
|
|
| adj.（政治上）不满的，叛离的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
countenance
|
|
| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
fidelity
|
|
| n.忠诚，忠实；精确 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
depose
|
|
| vt.免职；宣誓作证 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
wed
|
|
| v.娶，嫁，与…结婚 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
saluting
|
|
| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的现在分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
hearty
|
|
| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
incurred
|
|
| [医]招致的，遭受的； incur的过去式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
intercepted
|
|
| 拦截( intercept的过去式和过去分词 )； 截住； 截击； 拦阻 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
favourable
|
|
| adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
mantle
|
|
| n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
aloof
|
|
| adj.远离的；冷淡的，漠不关心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
asylum
|
|
| n.避难所，庇护所，避难 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
implicated
|
|
| adj.密切关联的；牵涉其中的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
majesty
|
|
| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
venting
|
|
| 消除； 泄去； 排去； 通风 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
determined
|
|
| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
averse
|
|
| adj.厌恶的；反对的，不乐意的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
motives
|
|
| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
overthrow
|
|
| v.推翻，打倒，颠覆；n.推翻，瓦解，颠覆 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
avowed
|
|
| 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) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
foe
|
|
| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
antipathy
|
|
| n.憎恶；反感，引起反感的人或事物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
requite
|
|
| v.报酬，报答 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
vengeance
|
|
| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
tyrant
|
|
| n.暴君，专制的君主，残暴的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
slay
|
|
| v.杀死，宰杀，杀戮 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
subjugate
|
|
| v.征服；抑制 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
fortresses
|
|
| 堡垒，要塞( fortress的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
garrisoned
|
|
| 卫戍部队守备( garrison的过去式和过去分词 )； 派部队驻防 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
drench
|
|
| v.使淋透，使湿透 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
shamefully
|
|
| 可耻地； 丢脸地； 不体面地； 羞耻地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
incited
|
|
| 刺激，激励，煽动( incite的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
travail
|
|
| n.阵痛；努力 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
judgment
|
|
| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
deposition
|
|
| n.免职，罢官；作证；沉淀；沉淀物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
propitious
|
|
| adj.吉利的；顺利的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
defender
|
|
| n.保卫者，拥护者，辩护人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
vouch
|
|
| v.担保；断定；n.被担保者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
muster
|
|
| v.集合，收集，鼓起，激起；n.集合，检阅，集合人员，点名册 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
followers
|
|
| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
drawn
|
|
| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
conspirators
|
|
| n.共谋者，阴谋家( conspirator的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
inquiries
|
|
| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
76
assassinated
|
|
| v.暗杀( assassinate的过去式和过去分词 )；中伤；诋毁；破坏 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
77
exclamations
|
|
| n.呼喊( exclamation的名词复数 )；感叹；感叹语；感叹词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
78
accomplished
|
|
| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
79
entangled
|
|
| adj.卷入的；陷入的；被缠住的；缠在一起的v.使某人（某物/自己）缠绕，纠缠于（某物中），使某人（自己）陷入（困难或复杂的环境中）( entangle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
80
monk
|
|
| n.和尚，僧侣，修道士 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
81
catching
|
|
| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
82
regained
|
|
| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
83
dangled
|
|
| 悬吊着( dangle的过去式和过去分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |