Ogier returned covered with glory to the court of Charlemagne, and the Emperor, touched with this proof of his attachment18, loaded him with caresses19, and treated him almost as an equal.
We pass in silence the adventures of Ogier for several ensuing years, in which the fairy-gifts of his infancy20 showed their force in making him successful in all enterprises, both of love and war. He married the charming Belicene, and became the father of young Baldwin, a youth who seemed to inherit in full measure the strength and courage of his father and the beauty of his mother. When the lad was old enough to be separated from his mother, Ogier took him to court and presented him to Charlemagne, who embraced him and took him into his service. It seemed to Duke Namo, and all the elder knights, as if they saw in him Ogier himself, as he was when a youth; and this resemblance won for the lad their kind regards. Even Charlot at first seemed to be fond of him, though after a while the resemblance to Ogier which he noticed had the effect to excite his hatred21.
Baldwin was attentive22 to Charlot, and lost no occasion to be serviceable. The Prince loved to play chess, and Baldwin, who played well, often made a party with him.
One day Chariot was nettled23 at losing two pieces in succession; he thought he could, by taking a piece from Baldwin, get some amends24 for his loss; but Baldwin, seeing him fall into a trap which he had set for him, could not help a slight laugh, as he said, “Check-mate.” Charlot rose in a fury, seized the rich and heavy chessboard, and dashed it with all his strength on the head of Baldwin, who fell, and died where he fell.
Frightened at his own crime, and fearing the vengeance25 of the terrible Ogier, Charlot concealed26 himself in the interior of the palace. A young companion of Baldwin hastened and informed Ogier of the event. He ran to the chamber27, and beheld28 the body of his child bathed in blood, and it could not be concealed from him that Charlot gave the blow. Transported with rage, Ogier sought Charlot through the palace, and Charlot, feeling safe nowhere else, took refuge in the hall of Charlemagne, where he seated himself at table with Duke Namo and Salomon, Duke of Brittany. Ogier, with sword drawn29, followed him to the very table of the Emperor. When a cupbearer attempted to bar his way he struck the cup from his hand and dashed the contents in the Emperor’s face. Charles rose in a passion, seized a knife, and would have plunged31 it into his breast, had not Salomon and another baron32 thrown themselves between, while Namo, who had retained his ancient influence over Ogier, drew him out of the room. Foreseeing the consequence of this violence, pitying Ogier, and in his heart excusing him, Namo hurried him away before the guards of the palace could arrest him, made him mount his horse, and leave Paris.
Charlemagne called together his peers, and made them take an oath to do all in their power to arrest Ogier, and bring him to condign33 punishment. Ogier on his part sent messages to the Emperor, offering to give himself up on condition that Charlot should be punished for his atrocious crime. The Emperor would listen to no conditions, and went in pursuit of Ogier at the head of a large body of soldiers. Ogier, on the other hand, was warmly supported by many knights, who pledged themselves in his defence. The contest raged long, with no decisive results. Ogier more than once had the Emperor in his power, but declined to avail himself of his advantage, and released him without conditions. He even implored34 pardon for himself, but demanded at the same time the punishment of Charlot. But Charlemagne was too blindly fond of his unworthy son to subject him to punishment for the sake of conciliating one who had been so deeply injured.
At length, distressed35 at the blood which his friends had lost in his cause, Ogier dismissed his little army, and slipping away from those who wished to attend him, took his course to rejoin the Duke Guyon, his brother. On his way, having reached the forest of Ardennes, weary with long travel, the freshness of a retired36 valley tempted30 him to lie down to take some repose37. He unsaddled Beiffror, relieved himself of his helmet, lay down on the turf, rested his head on his shield, and slept.
It so happened that Turpin, who occasionally recalled to mind that he was Archbishop of Rheins, was at that time in the vicinity, making a pastoral visit to the churches under his jurisdiction38. But his dignity of peer of France, and his martial39 spirit, which caused him to be reckoned among the “preux chevaliers” of his time, forbade him to travel without as large a retinue40 of knights as he had of clergymen. One of these was thirsty, and knowing the fountain on the borders of which Ogier was reposing41, he rode to it, and was struck by the sight of a knight10 stretched on the ground. He hastened back, and let the Archbishop know, who approached the fountain, and recognized Ogier.
The first impulse of the good and generous Turpin was to save his friend, for whom he felt the warmest attachment; but his archdeacons and knights, who also recognized Ogier, reminded the Archbishop of the oath which the Emperor had exacted of them all. Turpin could not be false to his oath; but it was not without a groan42 that he permitted his followers43 to bind44 the sleeping knight. The Archbishop’s attendants secured the horse and arms of Ogier, and conducted their prisoner to the Emperor at Soissons.
The Emperor had become so much embittered45 by Ogier’s obstinate46 resistance, added to his original fault, that he was disposed to order him to instant death. But Turpin, seconded by the good Dukes Namo and Salomon, prayed so hard for him that Charlemagne consented to remit47 a violent death, but sentenced him to close imprisonment48, under the charge of the Archbishop, strictly49 limiting his food to one quarter of a loaf of bread per day, with one piece of meat, and a quarter of a cup of wine. In this way he hoped to quickly put an end to his life without bringing on himself the hostility50 of the King of Denmark, and other powerful friends of Ogier. He exacted a new oath of Turpin to obey his order strictly.
The good Archbishop loved Ogier too well not to cast about for some means of saving his life, which he foresaw he would soon lose if subjected to such scanty51 fare, for Ogier was seven feet tall, and had an appetite in proportion. Turpin remembered, moreover, that Ogier was a true son of the Church, always zealous52 to propagate the faith and subdue53 unbelievers; so he felt justified54 in practising on this occasion what in later times has been entitled “mental reservation,” without swerving55 from the letter of the oath which he had taken. This is the method he hit upon.
Every morning he had his prisoner supplied with a quarter of a loaf of bread, made of two bushels of flour, to this he added a quarter of a sheep or a fat calf56, and he had a cup made which held forty pints57 of wine, and allowed Ogier a quarter of it daily.
Ogier’s imprisonment lasted long; Charlemagne was astonished to hear, from time to time, that he still held out; and when he inquired more particularly of Turpin, the good Archbishop, relying on his own understanding of the words, did not hesitate to affirm positively58 that he allowed his prisoner no more than the permitted ration59.
We forgot to say that, when Ogier was led prisoner to Soissons, the Abbot of Saint Faron, observing the fine horse Beiffror, and not having at the time any other favor to ask of Charlemagne, begged the Emperor to give him the horse, and had him taken to his abbey. He was impatient to try his new acquisition, and when he had arrived in his litter at the foot of the mountain where the horse had been brought to meet him mounted him and rode onward60. The horse, accustomed to bear the enormous weight of Ogier in his armor, when he perceived nothing on his back but the light weight of the Abbot, whose long robes fluttered against his sides, ran away, making prodigious61 leaps over the steep acclivities of the mountain till he reached the convent of Jouaire, where, in sight of the Abbess and her nuns62, he threw the Abbot, already half dead with fright, to the ground. The Abbot, bruised63 and mortified64, revenged himself on poor Beiffror, whom he condemned65, in his wrath66, to be given to the workmen to drag stones for a chapel67 that he was building near the abbey. Thus, ill-fed, hard-worked, and often beaten, the noble horse Beiffror passed the time while his master’s imprisonment lasted.
That imprisonment would have been as long as his life if it had not been for some important events which forced the Emperor to set Ogier at liberty.
The Emperor learned at the same time that Carahue, King of Mauritania, was assembling an army to come and demand the liberation of Ogier; that Guyon, King of Denmark, was prepared to second the enterprise with all his forces; and, worse than all, that the Saracens, under Bruhier, Sultan of Arabia, had landed in Gascony, taken Bordeaux, and were marching with all speed for Paris.
Charlemagne now felt how necessary the aid of Ogier was to him. But, in spite of the representations of Turpin, Namo, and Salomon, he could not bring himself to consent to surrender Charlot to such punishment as Ogier should see fit to impose. Besides, he believed that Ogier was without strength and vigor68, weakened by imprisonment and long abstinence.
At this crisis he received a message from Bruhier, proposing to put the issue upon the result of a combat between himself and the Emperor or his champion: promising69, if defeated, to withdraw his army. Charlemagne would willingly have accepted the challenge, but his counsellors all opposed it. The herald70 was therefore told that the Emperor would take time to consider his proposition, and give his answer the next day.
It was during this interval71 that the three Dukes succeeded in prevailing72 upon Charlemagne to pardon Ogier, and to send for him to combat the puissant73 enemy who now defied him; but it was no easy task to persuade Ogier. The idea of his long imprisonment and the recollection of his son, bleeding and dying in his arms by the blow of the ferocious74 Charlot, made him long resist the urgency of his friends. Though glory called him to encounter Bruhier, and the safety of Christendom demanded the destruction of this proud enemy of the faith, Ogier only yielded at last on condition that Charlot should be delivered into his hands to be dealt with as he should see fit.
The terms were hard, but the danger was pressing, and Charlemagne, with a returning sense of justice, and a strong confidence in the generous though passionate75 soul of Ogier, at last consented to them.
Ogier was led into the presence of Charlemagne by the three peers. The Emperor, faithful to his word, had caused Charlot to be brought into the hall where the high barons76 were assembled, his hands tied, and his head uncovered. When the Emperor saw Ogier approach he took Charlot by the arm, led him towards Ogier, and said these words: “I surrender the criminal; do with him as you think fit.” Ogier, without replying, seized Charlot by the hair, forced him on his knees, and lifted with the other hand his irresistible77 sword. Charlemagne, who expected to see the head of his son rolling at his feet, shut his eyes and uttered a cry of horror.
Ogier had done enough. The next moment he raised Charlot, cut his bonds, kissed him on the mouth, and hastened to throw himself at the feet of the Emperor.
Nothing can exceed the surprise and joy of Charlemagne at seeing his son unharmed and Ogier kneeling at his feet. He folded him in his arms, bathed him with tears, and exclaimed to his barons, “I feel at this moment that Ogier is greater than I.” As for Charlot, his base soul felt nothing but the joy of having escaped death; he remained such as he had been, and it was not till some years afterwards he received the punishment he deserved, from the hands of Huon of Bordeaux, as we have seen in a former chapter.
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1
withholding
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| 扣缴税款 | |
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homage
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| n.尊敬，敬意，崇敬 | |
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submission
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| n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出 | |
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craving
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| n.渴望,热望 | |
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invaders
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| 入侵者，侵略者，侵入物( invader的名词复数 ) | |
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repel
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| v.击退，抵制，拒绝，排斥 | |
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captivity
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| n.囚禁；被俘；束缚 | |
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helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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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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knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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succor
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| n.援助，帮助；v.给予帮助 | |
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repelled
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| v.击退( repel的过去式和过去分词 )；使厌恶；排斥；推开 | |
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vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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knell
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| n.丧钟声；v.敲丧钟 | |
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celestial
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| adj.天体的；天上的 | |
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saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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attachment
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| n.附属物，附件；依恋；依附 | |
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caresses
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| 爱抚，抚摸( caress的名词复数 ) | |
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infancy
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| n.婴儿期；幼年期；初期 | |
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hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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attentive
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| adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的 | |
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nettled
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| v.拿荨麻打，拿荨麻刺（nettle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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amends
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| n. 赔偿 | |
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vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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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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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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baron
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| n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王 | |
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condign
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| adj.应得的，相当的 | |
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implored
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| 恳求或乞求（某人）( implore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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jurisdiction
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| n.司法权，审判权，管辖权，控制权 | |
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martial
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| adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的 | |
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retinue
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| n.侍从；随员 | |
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reposing
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| v.将（手臂等）靠在某人（某物）上( repose的现在分词 ) | |
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groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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bind
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| vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬 | |
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45
embittered
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| v.使怨恨，激怒( embitter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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obstinate
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| adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的 | |
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47
remit
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| v.汇款，汇寄；豁免（债务），免除（处罚等） | |
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48
imprisonment
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| n.关押，监禁，坐牢 | |
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49
strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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50
hostility
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| n.敌对，敌意；抵制［pl.］交战，战争 | |
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51
scanty
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| adj.缺乏的，仅有的，节省的，狭小的，不够的 | |
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52
zealous
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| adj.狂热的，热心的 | |
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53
subdue
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| vt.制服，使顺从，征服；抑制，克制 | |
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54
justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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55
swerving
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| v.（使）改变方向，改变目的( swerve的现在分词 ) | |
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56
calf
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| n.小牛，犊，幼仔，小牛皮 | |
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57
pints
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| n.品脱( pint的名词复数 )；一品脱啤酒 | |
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positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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ration
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| n.定量(pl.)给养，口粮；vt.定量供应 | |
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onward
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| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
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prodigious
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| adj.惊人的，奇妙的；异常的；巨大的；庞大的 | |
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nuns
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| n.（通常指基督教的）修女， （佛教的）尼姑( nun的名词复数 ) | |
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63
bruised
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| [医]青肿的，瘀紫的 | |
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64
mortified
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| v.使受辱( mortify的过去式和过去分词 )；伤害（人的感情）；克制；抑制（肉体、情感等） | |
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65
condemned
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| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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vigor
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| n.活力，精力，元气 | |
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promising
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| adj.有希望的，有前途的 | |
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herald
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| vt.预示...的来临，预告，宣布，欢迎 | |
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interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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prevailing
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| adj.盛行的；占优势的；主要的 | |
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puissant
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| adj.强有力的 | |
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ferocious
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| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
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passionate
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| 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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barons
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| 男爵( baron的名词复数 )； 巨头； 大王； 大亨 | |
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irresistible
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| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
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