Next morning, about the hour of prime, two men-at-arms accompanied a fettered6 Demetrios into the presence of King Theodoret. Perion of the Forest preceded them. He pardonably swaggered, in spite of his underlying7 uneasiness, for this last feat8, as he could not ignore, was a performance which Christendom united to applaud.
They came thus into a spacious9 chamber10, very inadequately11 lighted. The walls were unhewn stone. There was but one window, of uncoloured glass; and it was guarded by iron bars. The floor was bare of rushes. On one side was a bed with tattered12 hangings of green, which were adorned13 with rampant14 lions worked in silver thread much tarnished15; to the right hand stood a prie-dieu. Between these isolated16 articles of furniture, and behind an unpainted table sat, in a high-backed chair, a wizen and shabbily-clad old man. This was Theodoret, most pious17 and penurious18 of monarchs19. In attendance upon him were Fra Battista, prior of the Grey Monks21, and Melicent's near kinsman22, once the Bishop23, now the Cardinal24, de Montors, who, as was widely known, was the actual monarch20 of this realm. The latter was smartly habited as a cavalier and showed in nothing like a churchman.
The infirm King arose and came to meet the champion who had performed what many generals of Christendom had vainly striven to achieve. He embraced the conqueror of Demetrios as one does an equal.
Said Theodoret:
"Hail, my fair friend! you who have lopped the right arm of heathenry! To-day, I know, the saints hold festival in heaven. I cannot recompense you, since God alone is omnipotent25. Yet ask now what you will, short of my crown, and it is yours." The old man kissed the chief of all his treasures, a bit of the True Cross, which hung upon his breast supported by a chain of gold.
"The King has spoken," Perion returned. "I ask the life of Demetrios."
Theodoret recoiled27, like a small flame which is fluttered by its kindler's breath. He cackled thinly, saying:
"A jest or so is privileged in this high hour. Yet we ought not to make a jest of matters which concern the Church. Am I not right, Ayrart? Oh, no, this merciless Demetrios is assuredly that very Antichrist whose coming was foretold28. I must relinquish29 him to Mother Church, in order that he may be equitably30 tried, and be baptised—since even he may have a soul—and afterward31 be burned in the market-place."
"The King has spoken," Perion replied. "I too have spoken."
There was a pause of horror upon the part of King Theodoret. He was at first in a mere32 whirl. Theodoret said:
"You ask, in earnest, for the life of this Demetrios, this arch-foe of our Redeemer, this spawn33 of Satan, who has sacked more of my towns than I have fingers on this wasted hand! Now, now that God has singularly favoured me—!" Theodoret snarled34 and gibbered like a frenzied35 ape, and had no longer the ability to articulate.
"Beau sire, I fought the man because he infamously36 held Dame37 Melicent, whom I serve in this world without any reservation, and trust to serve in Paradise. His person, and this alone, will ransom38 Melicent."
"You plan to loose this fiend!" the old King cried. "To stir up all this butchery again!"
"Sire, pray recall how long I have loved Melicent. Reflect that if you slay39 Demetrios, Dame Melicent will be left destitute40 in heathenry. Remember that she will be murdered through the hatred41 of this man's other wives whom her inestimable beauty has supplanted42." Thus Perion entreated43.
All this while the cardinal and the proconsul had been appraising44 each other. It was as though they two had been the only persons in the dimly-lit apartment. They had not met before. "Here is my match," thought each of these two; "here, if the world affords it, is my peer in cunning and bravery."
In consequence they stinted47 pity for Theodoret, who unfeignedly believed that whether he kept or broke his recent oath damnation was inevitable48. "You have been ill-advised—" he stammered49. "I do not dare release Demetrios—My soul would answer that enormity—But it was sworn upon the Cross—Oh, ruin either way! Come now, my gallant50 captain," the King barked. "I have gold, lands, and jewels—"
"Beau sire, I have loved this my dearest lady since the time when both of us were little more than children, and each day of the year my love for her has been doubled. What would it avail me to live in however lofty estate when I cannot daily see the treasure of my life?"
Now the Cardinal de Montors interrupted, and his voice was to the ear as silk is to the fingers.
"Beau sire," said Ayrart de Montors, "I speak in all appropriate respect. But you have sworn an oath which no man living may presume to violate."
"Oh, true, Ayrart!" the fluttered King assented51. "This blusterer52 holds me as in a vise." He turned to Perion again, fierce, tense and fragile, like an angered cat. "Choose now! I will make you the wealthiest person in my realm—My son, I warn you that since Adam's time women have been the devil's peculiar53 bait. See now, I am not angry. Heh, I remember, too, how beautiful she was. I was once tempted54 much as you are tempted. So I pardon you. I will give you my daughter Ermengarde in marriage, I will make you my heir, I will give you half my kingdom—" His voice rose, quavering; and it died now, for he foreread the damnation of Theodoret's soul while he fawned55 before this impassive Perion.
"Since Love has taken up his abode56 within my heart," said Perion, "there has not ever been a vacancy57 therein for any other thought. How may I help it if Love recompenses my hospitality by afflicting58 me with a desire which can neither subdue59 the world nor be subdued60 by it?"
"—Else I must keep my oath. In that event you may depart with this unbeliever. I will accord you twenty-four hours wherein to accomplish this. But, oh, if I lay hands upon either of you within the twenty-fifth hour I will not kill my prisoner at once. For first I must devise unheard-of torments—"
The King's face was not agreeable to look upon.
"I promise worse. The Book will be cast down, the bells be tolled62, and all the candles snuffed—ah, very soon!" Battista licked his lips, gingerly, just as a cat does.
Then Perion was moved, since excommunication is more terrible than death to any of the Church's loyal children, and he was now more frightened than the King. And so Perion thought of Melicent a while before he spoke.
Said Perion:
"I choose. I choose hell fire in place of riches and honour, and I demand the freedom of Demetrios."
"Go!" the King said. "Go hence, blasphemer. Hah, you will weep for this in hell. I pray that I may hear you then, and laugh as I do now—"
He went away, and was followed by Battista, who whispered of a makeshift. The cardinal remained and saw to it that the chains were taken from Demetrios.
"In consequence of Messire de la Forêt's—as I must term it—most unchristian decision," said the cardinal, "it is not impossible, Messire the Proconsul, that I may head the next assault upon your territory—"
Demetrios laughed. He said:
"I had hoped for as much," the cardinal returned; and he too laughed.
To do him justice, he did not know of Battista's makeshift.
The cardinal remained when they had gone. Seated in a king's chair, Ayrart de Montors meditated64 rather wistfully upon that old time when he, also, had loved Melicent whole-heartedly. It seemed a great while ago, made him aware of his maturity65.
He had put love out of his life, in common with all other weaknesses which might conceivably hinder the advancement66 of Ayrart de Montors. In consequence, he had climbed far. He was not dissatisfied. It was a man's business to make his way in the world, and he had done this.
"My cousin is a brave girl, though," he said aloud, "I must certainly do what I can to effect her rescue as soon as it is convenient to send another expedition against Demetrios."
Then the cardinal set about concoction67 of a moving sonnet68 in praise of Monna Vittoria de' Pazzi. Desperation loaned him extraordinary eloquence69 (as he complacently70 reflected) in addressing this obdurate71 woman, who had held out against his love-making for six weeks now.
点击收听单词发音
1 ablaze | |
adj.着火的,燃烧的;闪耀的,灯火辉煌的 | |
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2 trudged | |
vt.& vi.跋涉,吃力地走(trudge的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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3 sullenly | |
不高兴地,绷着脸,忧郁地 | |
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4 conqueror | |
n.征服者,胜利者 | |
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5 relish | |
n.滋味,享受,爱好,调味品;vt.加调味料,享受,品味;vi.有滋味 | |
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6 fettered | |
v.给…上脚镣,束缚( fetter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7 underlying | |
adj.在下面的,含蓄的,潜在的 | |
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8 feat | |
n.功绩;武艺,技艺;adj.灵巧的,漂亮的,合适的 | |
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9 spacious | |
adj.广阔的,宽敞的 | |
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10 chamber | |
n.房间,寝室;会议厅;议院;会所 | |
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11 inadequately | |
ad.不够地;不够好地 | |
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12 tattered | |
adj.破旧的,衣衫破的 | |
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13 adorned | |
[计]被修饰的 | |
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14 rampant | |
adj.(植物)蔓生的;狂暴的,无约束的 | |
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15 tarnished | |
(通常指金属)(使)失去光泽,(使)变灰暗( tarnish的过去式和过去分词 ); 玷污,败坏 | |
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16 isolated | |
adj.与世隔绝的 | |
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17 pious | |
adj.虔诚的;道貌岸然的 | |
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18 penurious | |
adj.贫困的 | |
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19 monarchs | |
君主,帝王( monarch的名词复数 ) | |
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20 monarch | |
n.帝王,君主,最高统治者 | |
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21 monks | |
n.修道士,僧侣( monk的名词复数 ) | |
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22 kinsman | |
n.男亲属 | |
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23 bishop | |
n.主教,(国际象棋)象 | |
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24 cardinal | |
n.(天主教的)红衣主教;adj.首要的,基本的 | |
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25 omnipotent | |
adj.全能的,万能的 | |
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26 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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27 recoiled | |
v.畏缩( recoil的过去式和过去分词 );退缩;报应;返回 | |
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28 foretold | |
v.预言,预示( foretell的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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29 relinquish | |
v.放弃,撤回,让与,放手 | |
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30 equitably | |
公平地 | |
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31 afterward | |
adv.后来;以后 | |
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32 mere | |
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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33 spawn | |
n.卵,产物,后代,结果;vt.产卵,种菌丝于,产生,造成;vi.产卵,大量生产 | |
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34 snarled | |
v.(指狗)吠,嗥叫, (人)咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 );咆哮着说,厉声地说 | |
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35 frenzied | |
a.激怒的;疯狂的 | |
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36 infamously | |
不名誉地 | |
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37 dame | |
n.女士 | |
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38 ransom | |
n.赎金,赎身;v.赎回,解救 | |
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39 slay | |
v.杀死,宰杀,杀戮 | |
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40 destitute | |
adj.缺乏的;穷困的 | |
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41 hatred | |
n.憎恶,憎恨,仇恨 | |
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42 supplanted | |
把…排挤掉,取代( supplant的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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43 entreated | |
恳求,乞求( entreat的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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44 appraising | |
v.估价( appraise的现在分词 );估计;估量;评价 | |
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45 lusted | |
贪求(lust的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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46 mutual | |
adj.相互的,彼此的;共同的,共有的 | |
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47 stinted | |
v.限制,节省(stint的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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48 inevitable | |
adj.不可避免的,必然发生的 | |
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49 stammered | |
v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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50 gallant | |
adj.英勇的,豪侠的;(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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51 assented | |
同意,赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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52 blusterer | |
n.咆哮的人,吓唬人的人 | |
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53 peculiar | |
adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的 | |
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54 tempted | |
v.怂恿(某人)干不正当的事;冒…的险(tempt的过去分词) | |
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55 fawned | |
v.(尤指狗等)跳过来往人身上蹭以示亲热( fawn的过去式和过去分词 );巴结;讨好 | |
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56 abode | |
n.住处,住所 | |
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57 vacancy | |
n.(旅馆的)空位,空房,(职务的)空缺 | |
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58 afflicting | |
痛苦的 | |
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59 subdue | |
vt.制服,使顺从,征服;抑制,克制 | |
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60 subdued | |
adj. 屈服的,柔和的,减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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61 rustle | |
v.沙沙作响;偷盗(牛、马等);n.沙沙声声 | |
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62 tolled | |
鸣钟(toll的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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63 eminence | |
n.卓越,显赫;高地,高处;名家 | |
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64 meditated | |
深思,沉思,冥想( meditate的过去式和过去分词 ); 内心策划,考虑 | |
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65 maturity | |
n.成熟;完成;(支票、债券等)到期 | |
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66 advancement | |
n.前进,促进,提升 | |
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67 concoction | |
n.调配(物);谎言 | |
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68 sonnet | |
n.十四行诗 | |
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69 eloquence | |
n.雄辩;口才,修辞 | |
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70 complacently | |
adv. 满足地, 自满地, 沾沾自喜地 | |
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71 obdurate | |
adj.固执的,顽固的 | |
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