"The swallows were but just beginning to stir and twitter in their nests under the eaves when I heard the horses' hoofs6 a-clatter on the high road," said Dame7 Watt8 to her neighbour as they stood in close confab in her small front garden. "Lord's mercy! though I have lain down expecting it every night for a week, the heart of me leapt up in my throat and I jounced Gregory with a thump9 in his back to wake him from his snoring. 'Gregory,' cries I, ''tis sure begun. God be kind to her young Grace this day. There goes a messenger clattering10 over the road. Hearken to his horse's feet.'"
Dame Bush, her neighbour, being the good mother of fourteen stalwart boys and girls, heaved a lusty sigh, the sound of which was a thing suggesting much experience and fellow-feeling even with noble ladies at such times.
"There is not a woman's heart in Camylott village," said she, "which doth not beat for her to-day—and for his Grace and the heir or heiress that will come of these hours of hers. God bless all three!"
"Lord, how the tiny thing hath been loved and waited for!" said Dame Watt. "'Tis somewhat to be born a great Duke's child! And how its mother hath been cherished and kept like a young saint in a shrine11!"
"If 'tis not a great child and a beauteous one 'twill be a wondrous12 thing, its parents being both beautiful and happy, and both deep in love," quoth motherly Bush.
"Ay, it beginneth well; it beginneth well," said Dame Watt—"a being born to wealth and state. What with chaplains and governors of virtue13 and learning, there seemeth no way for it to go astray in life or grow to aught but holy greatness. It should be the finest duke or duchess in all England some day, surely."
"Heaven ordains14 a fair life for some new-born things, 'twould seem," said Bush, "and a black one for others; and the good can no more be escaped than the bad. There goes my Matthew in his ploughboy's smock across the fields. 'Tis a good lad and a handsome. Why was he not a great lord's son?"
Neighbour Watt laughed.
"Because thou wert an honest woman and not a beauty," quoth she.
The small black eyes set deep in Bush's broad red face twinkled somewhat at the rough jest, but not in hearty15 mirth. She rubbed her hand across her mouth with an awkward gesture.
"Ay," answered she, "but 'twas not that I meant. I thought of all this child is born to—love and wealth and learning—and that others are born to naught16 but ill."
"Lawk! let us not even speak of ill on such a day," said her neighbour. "Look at the sky's blueness and the spring bursting forth17 in every branch and clod—and the very skylarks singing hard as if for joy."
"Ay," said Joan Bush, "and look up village street to the Plough Horse, and see thy Gregory and my Will and their mates pouring down ale to drink a health to it—and to her Grace and to my lord Duke, and to the fine Court doctors, and to the nurses, and to the Chaplain, and to old Rowe who waits about to be ready to ring a peal18 on the church bells. They'll find toasts enough, I warrant."
"That will they," said Dame Watt, but she chuckled19 good-naturedly, as if she held no grudge20 against ale drinking for this one day at least.
'Twas true the men found toasts enough and were willing to drink them as they would have been to drink even such as were less popular. These, in sooth, were near their hearts; and there was reason they should be, no nobleman being more just and kindly21 to his tenants22 than his Grace of Osmonde, and no lady more deservedly beloved and looked up to with admiring awe23 than his young Duchess, now being tenderly watched over at Camylott Tower by one of Queen Catherine's own physicians and a score of assistants, nurses, and underlings.
Even at this moment, William Bush was holding forth to the company gathered about the door of the Plough Horse, he having risen from the oaken bench at its threshold to have his pewter tankard filled again.
"'Tis not alone Duke he will be," quoth he, "but with titles and estates enough to make a man feel like King Charles himself. 'Tis thus he will be writ24 down in history, as his Grace his father hath been before him: Duke of Osmonde—Marquess of Roxholm—Earl of Osmonde—Earl of Marlowell—Baron25 Dorlocke of Paulyn, and Baron Mertoun of Charleroy."
"Can a man then be six men at once?" said Gregory Watt.
"Ay, and each of him be master of a great house and rich estate. 'Tis so with this one. 'Tis said the Court itself waits to hear the news."
"'Tis not often the Court waits," says he, "to hear news so honest. At Camylott Tower lies one Duchess whom King Charles did not make, thank God, but was made one by her husband."
"She had but once appeared at Whitehall when his Grace met her and fell deep in love that hour," he said.
"Was't not rumoured," said Tom Comfort, somewhat lowering his voice, "that He cast glances her way as he casts them on every young beauty brought before him, and that his Grace could scarce hold his tongue—King or no King?"
"Ay," said Will Bush, sharply, "his royal glance fell on her, and he made a jest on what a man's joy would be whose fortune it was to see her violet eyes melt in love—and his Grace went to her mother, the Lady Elspeth, and besought28 her to let him proffer29 his vows30 to the young lady; and she was his Duchess in ten months' time—and Madame Carwell had come from France, and in a year was made Duchess of Portsmouth."
"Heard you not that she too—some three weeks past—?" quoth Comfort, who was as fond of gossip as an old woman.
"Seventeen days gone," put in Bush; "and 'twas dead, by Heaven's mercy, poor brat31. They say she loses her looks, and that his Majesty32 tires of her, and looks already toward other quarters." And so they sat over their ale and gossiped, they being supplied with anecdote33 by his Grace's gentleman's gentleman, who was fond of Court life and found the country tiresome34, and whose habit it was to spend an occasional evening at the Plough Horse for the pleasure of having even an audience of yokels36; liking37 it the better since, being yokels, they would listen open-mouthed and staring by the hour to his swagger and stories of Whitehall and Hampton Court, and the many beauties who surrounded the sacred person of his most gracious Majesty, King Charles the Second. Every yokel35 in the country had heard rumours38 of these ladies, but Mr. Mount gave those at Camylott village details which were often true and always picturesque39.
"What could be expected," he would say, "of a man who had lived in gay exile through his first years, and then of a sudden was made a King, and had all the beauties of England kneeling before him—and he with a squat40, black, long-toothed Portugee fastened to him for a wife? And Mistress Barbara Palmer at him from his first landing on English soil to be restored—she that was made my Lady Castlemaine."
And then he would relate stories of this beauteous fury, and her tempestuous41 quarrels with the King, and of how 'twas known his ease and pleasure-loving nature stood in terror of her violence and gave way before it with bribes42 and promises through sheer weariness.
"'Tis not that he loves her best," said Mr. Mount, snuff-taking in graceful43 Court fashion, "for he hath loved a dozen since; but she is a shrew, and can rave44 and bluster45 at him till he would hang her with jewels, and give her his crown itself to quieten her furies. 'Tis the pretty orange wench and actor woman Nell Gwynne who will please him longest, for she is a good-humoured baggage and witty46, and gives him rest."
'Twas not alone Charles who was pleased with Nell Gwynne. All England liked her, and the lower orders best of all, because she was merry and kind of heart and her jokes and open-handedness pleased them. They were deep in the midst of a story of a poor gentleman in orders whom she had rescued from the debtors47' prison, when old Rowe, who had been watching the road leading from the park gates, pricked48 up his ears and left his seat, trembling with excitement.
"'Tis a horse galloping," he cried; and as they all turned to look he flung his cap in the air. "'Tis the messenger," he burst forth, "and he waves his hat in his hand as if he had gone mad with joy. Off go I to the church tower as fast as legs will carry me."
And off he hobbled, and the messenger galloped49 onward50, flourishing his hat as he rode, and giving it no rest till he drew rein51 before the Plough Horse door, and all gathered about him to hear his news.
"An heir—an heir!" he cried. "'Tis an heir, and as lusty as a young lion. Gerald Walter John Percy Mertoun, next Duke of Osmonde! Hurrah52, hurrah, hurrah!"
And at the words all the men shouted and flung up their hats, the landlord with his wife and children ran forth, women rushed out of their cottages and cried for joy—and the bells in the old church's grey tower swung and rang such a peal of gladness as sounded as if they had gone wild in their ecstacy of welcome to the new-born thing.
In all England there was no nobleman's estate adorned53 by a house more beautiful than was the Tower of Camylott. Through the centuries in which it had stood upon the fair hill which was its site, there had passed no reign54 in which a king or queen had not been guest there, and no pair of royal eyes had looked from its window quite without envy, upon the richly timbered, far reaching park and the broad lovely land rolling away to the sea. There was no palace with such lands spread before it, and there were few kings' houses as stately and beauteous in their proportions as was this one.
The fairest room in the fair house had ever been the one known as her Grace's White Chamber55. 'Twas a spacious56 room with white panelled walls and large mullioned windows looking forth over green hill and vale and purple woodland melting into the blue horizon. The ivy57 grew thick about the windows, and birds nested therein and twittered tenderly in their little homes. The Duchess greatly loved the sound, as she did the fragrance58 of flowers with which the air of the White Chamber was ever sweet, and which was wafted59 up to it by each wandering breeze from the flower-beds blooming on the terrace below.
In this room—as the bells in the church tower rang their joyous60 peal—her young Grace lay in her great bed, her new-born child on her arm and her lord seated close to her pillow, holding her little hand to his lips, his lashes61 somewhat moist as he hung over his treasures.
"You scarce can believe that he is here," the Duchess whispered with a touching62 softness. "Indeed, I scarce believe it myself. 'Twas not fair of him to keep us waiting five years when we so greatly yearned63 for his coming. Perhaps he waited, knowing that we expected so much from him—such beauty and such wisdom and such strength. Let us look at him together, love. The physician will order you away from me soon, but let us see first how handsome he is."
She thrust the covering aside and the two heads—one golden and one brown—pressed closer together that they might the better behold64 the infant charms which were such joy to them.
"I would not let them bind65 his little limbs and head as is their way," she said. "From the first hour I spoke66 with his chief nurse, I gave her my command that he should be left free to grow and to kick his pretty legs as soon as he was strong enough. See, John, he stirs them a little now. They say he is of wondrous size and long and finely made, and indeed he seems so to me—and 'tis not only because I am so proud, is it?"
"I know but little of their looks when they are so young, sweet," her lord answered, his voice and eyes as tender as her own; for in sooth he felt himself moved as he had been at no other hour in his life before, though he was a man of a nature as gentle as 'twas strong. "I will own that I had ever thought of them as strange, unbeauteous red things a man almost held in fear, and whose ugliness a woman but loved because she was near angel; but this one—" and he drew nearer still with a grave countenance—"surely it looks not like the rest. 'Tis not so red and crumple-visaged—its tiny face hath a sort of comeliness67. It hath a broad brow, and its eyes will sure be large and well set."
The Duchess slipped her fair arm about his neck—he was so near to her 'twas easy done—and her smile trembled into sweet tears which were half laughter.
"Ah, we love him so," she cried, "how could we think him like any other? We love him so and are so happy and so proud."
And for a moment they remained silent, their cheeks pressed together, the scent68 of the spring flowers wafting69 up to them from the terrace, the church bells pealing70 out through the radiant air.
"He was born of love," his mother whispered at last. "He will live amid love and see only honour and nobleness."
"He will grow to be a noble gentleman," said my lord Duke. "And some day he will love a noble lady, and they will be as we have been—as we have been, beloved."
And their faces turned towards each other as if some law of nature drew them, and their lips met—and their child stirred softly in its first sleep.
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1
hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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expectancy
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| n.期望，预期，（根据概率统计求得）预期数额 | |
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boisterous
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| adj.喧闹的，欢闹的 | |
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bustling
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| adj.喧闹的 | |
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modulating
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| 调整( modulate的现在分词 )； （对波幅、频率的）调制； 转调； 调整或改变（嗓音）的音调 | |
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6
hoofs
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| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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dame
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| n.女士 | |
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watt
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| n.瓦，瓦特 | |
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thump
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| v.重击，砰然地响；n.重击，重击声 | |
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clattering
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| 发出咔哒声（clatter的现在分词形式） | |
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shrine
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| n.圣地，神龛，庙；v.将...置于神龛内，把...奉为神圣 | |
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12
wondrous
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| adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地 | |
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13
virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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ordains
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| v.任命（某人）为牧师( ordain的第三人称单数 )；授予（某人）圣职；（上帝、法律等）命令；判定 | |
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15
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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16
naught
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| n.无，零 [=nought] | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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peal
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| n.钟声；v.鸣响 | |
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19
chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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grudge
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| n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做 | |
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21
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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tenants
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| n.房客( tenant的名词复数 )；佃户；占用者；占有者 | |
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23
awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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writ
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| n.命令状，书面命令 | |
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baron
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| n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王 | |
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smack
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| vt.拍，打，掴；咂嘴；vi.含有…意味；n.拍 | |
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28
besought
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| v.恳求，乞求（某事物）( beseech的过去式和过去分词 )；(beseech的过去式与过去分词) | |
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proffer
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| v.献出，赠送；n.提议，建议 | |
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vows
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| 誓言( vow的名词复数 )； 郑重宣布，许愿 | |
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brat
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| n.孩子；顽童 | |
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majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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anecdote
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| n.轶事，趣闻，短故事 | |
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tiresome
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| adj.令人疲劳的，令人厌倦的 | |
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yokel
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| n.乡下人；农夫 | |
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yokels
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| n.乡下佬，土包子( yokel的名词复数 ) | |
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liking
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| n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢 | |
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rumours
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| n.传闻( rumour的名词复数 )；风闻；谣言；谣传 | |
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39
picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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40
squat
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| v.蹲坐，蹲下；n.蹲下；adj.矮胖的，粗矮的 | |
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41
tempestuous
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| adj.狂暴的 | |
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42
bribes
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| n.贿赂( bribe的名词复数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂v.贿赂( bribe的第三人称单数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂 | |
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43
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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44
rave
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| vi.胡言乱语；热衷谈论；n.热情赞扬 | |
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45
bluster
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| v.猛刮；怒冲冲的说；n.吓唬，怒号；狂风声 | |
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46
witty
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| adj.机智的，风趣的 | |
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47
debtors
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| n.债务人，借方( debtor的名词复数 ) | |
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48
pricked
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| 刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛 | |
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49
galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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50
onward
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| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
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51
rein
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| n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治 | |
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52
hurrah
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| int.好哇，万岁，乌拉 | |
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53
adorned
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| [计]被修饰的 | |
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54
reign
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| n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势 | |
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55
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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56
spacious
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| adj.广阔的，宽敞的 | |
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57
ivy
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| n.常青藤，常春藤 | |
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58
fragrance
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| n.芬芳，香味，香气 | |
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59
wafted
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| v.吹送，飘送，（使）浮动( waft的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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60
joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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61
lashes
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| n.鞭挞( lash的名词复数 )；鞭子；突然猛烈的一击；急速挥动v.鞭打( lash的第三人称单数 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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62
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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63
yearned
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| 渴望，切盼，向往( yearn的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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64
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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65
bind
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| vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬 | |
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66
spoke
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| 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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67
comeliness
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| n. 清秀, 美丽, 合宜 | |
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68
scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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69
wafting
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| v.吹送，飘送，（使）浮动( waft的现在分词 ) | |
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70
pealing
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| v.（使）（钟等）鸣响，（雷等）发出隆隆声( peal的现在分词 ) | |
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