He is Initiated1 in a Military Life, and has the Good Fortune to Acquire a Generous Patron.
While she wearied Heaven with these petitions, the flame of war broke out betwixt the houses of Ottoman and Austria, and the Emperor sent forth2 an army into Hungary, under the auspices3 of the renowned4 Prince Eugene. On account of this expedition, the mother of our hero gave up housekeeping, and cheerfully followed her customers and husband into the field; having first provided herself with store of those commodities in which she had formerly5 merchandised. Although the hope of profit might in some measure affect her determination, one of the chief motives6 for her visiting the frontiers of Turkey, was the desire of initiating7 her son in the rudiments8 of his education, which she now thought high time to inculcate, he being, at this period, in the sixth year of his age; he was accordingly conducted to the camp, which she considered as the most consummate9 school of life, and proposed for the scene of his instruction; and in this academy he had not continued many weeks, when he was an eye-witness of that famous victory, which, with sixty thousand men, the Imperial general obtained over an army of one hundred and fifty thousand Turks.
His father-in-law was engaged, and his mother would not be idle on this occasion. She was a perfect mistress of all the camp qualifications, and thought it a duty incumbent10 on her to contribute all that lay in her power towards distressing12 the enemy. With these sentiments she hovered13 about the skirts of the army, and the troops were no sooner employed in the pursuit, than she began to traverse the field of battle with a poignard and a bag, in order to consult her own interest, annoy the foe14, and exercise her humanity at the same time. In short, she had, with amazing prowess, delivered some fifty or threescore disabled Mussulmen of the pain under which they groaned15, and made a comfortable booty of the spoils of the slain16, when her eyes were attracted by the rich attire17 of an Imperial officer, who lay bleeding on the plain, to all appearance in the agonies of death.
She could not in her heart refuse that favour to a friend and Christian18 she had so compassionately19 bestowed20 upon so many enemies and infidels, and therefore drew near with the sovereign remedy, which she had already administered with such success. As she approached this deplorable object of pity, her ears were surprised with an ejaculation in the English tongue, which he fervently21 pronounced, though with a weak and languid voice, recommending his soul to God, and his family to the protection of Heaven. Our Amazon’s purpose was staggered by this providential incident; the sound of her native language, so unexpectedly heard, and so pathetically delivered, had a surprising effect upon her imagination; and the faculty22 of reflection did not forsake23 her in such emergency. Though she could not recollect24 the features of this unhappy officer, she concluded, from his appearance, that he was some person of distinction in the service, and foresaw greater advantage to herself in attempting to preserve his life, than she could possibly reap from the execution of her first resolve. “If,” said she to herself, “I can find means of conveying him to his tent alive, he cannot but in conscience acknowledge my humanity with some considerable recompense; and, should he chance to survive his wounds, I have everything to expect from his gratitude25 and power.”
Fraught26 with these prudential suggestions, she drew near the unfortunate stranger, and, in a softened27 accent of pity and condolence, questioned him concerning his name, condition, and the nature of his mischance, at the same time making a gentle tender of her service. Agreeably surprised to hear himself accosted28 in such a manner, by a person whose equipage seemed to promise far other designs, he thanked her in the most grateful terms for her humanity, with the appellation29 of kind countrywoman; gave her to understand that he was colonel of a regiment30 of horse; that he had fallen in consequence of a shot he received in his breast at the beginning of the action; and, finally, entreated31 her to procure32 some carriage on which he might be removed to his tent. Perceiving him faint and exhausted33 with loss of blood, she raised up his head, and treated him with that cordial which was her constant companion. At that instant, espying34 a small body of hussars returning to the camp with the plunder35 they had taken, she invoked36 their assistance, and they forthwith carried the officer to his own quarters, where his wound was dressed, and his preserver carefully tended him until his recovery was completed.
In return for these good offices, this gentleman, who was originally of Scotland, rewarded her for the present with great liberality, assured her of his influence in promoting her husband, and took upon himself the charge of young Ferdinand’s education; the boy was immediately taken into his protection, and entered as a trooper in his own regiment; but his good intentions towards his father-in-law were frustrated37 by the death of the German, who, in a few days after this disposition38, was shot in the trenches39 before Temiswaer.
This event, over and above the conjugal40 affliction with which it invaded the lady’s quiet, would have involved her in infinite difficulty and distress11, with regard to her temporal concerns, by leaving her unprotected in the midst of strangers, had not she been thus providentially supplied with an effectual patron in the colonel, who was known by the appellation of Count Melvil. He no sooner saw her, by the death of her husband, detached from all personal connexions with a military life, than he proposed that she should quit her occupation in the camp, and retire to his habitation in the city of Presburg, where she would be entertained in ease and plenty during the remaining part of her natural life. With all due acknowledgments of his generosity41, she begged to be excused from embracing his proposal, alleging42 she was so much accustomed to her present way of life, and so much devoted43 to the service of the soldiery, that she should never be happy in retirement44, while the troops of any prince in Christendom kept the field.
The Count, finding her determined45 to prosecute46 her scheme, repeated his promise of befriending her upon all occasions; and in the meantime admitted Ferdinand into the number of his domestics, resolving that he should be brought up in attendance upon his own son, who was a boy of the same age. He kept him, however, in his tent, until he should have an opportunity of revisiting his family in person; and, before that occasion offered, two whole years elapsed, during which the illustrious Prince Eugene gained the celebrated47 battle of Belgrade, and afterwards made himself master of that important frontier.
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initiated
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| n. 创始人 adj. 新加入的 vt. 开始，创始，启蒙，介绍加入 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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auspices
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| n.资助，赞助 | |
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renowned
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| adj.著名的，有名望的，声誉鹊起的 | |
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formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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motives
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| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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initiating
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| v.开始( initiate的现在分词 )；传授；发起；接纳新成员 | |
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rudiments
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| n.基础知识，入门 | |
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consummate
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| adj.完美的；v.成婚；使完美 [反]baffle | |
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incumbent
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| adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的 | |
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distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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distressing
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| a.使人痛苦的 | |
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hovered
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| 鸟( hover的过去式和过去分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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attire
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| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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compassionately
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| adv.表示怜悯地，有同情心地 | |
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bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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fervently
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| adv.热烈地，热情地，强烈地 | |
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faculty
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| n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员 | |
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forsake
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| vt.遗弃，抛弃；舍弃，放弃 | |
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recollect
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| v.回忆，想起，记起，忆起，记得 | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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fraught
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| adj.充满…的，伴有(危险等)的；忧虑的 | |
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softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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accosted
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| v.走过去跟…讲话( accost的过去式和过去分词 )；跟…搭讪；（乞丐等）上前向…乞讨；（妓女等）勾搭 | |
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appellation
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| n.名称，称呼 | |
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regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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entreated
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| 恳求，乞求( entreat的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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espying
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| v.看到( espy的现在分词 ) | |
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plunder
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| vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠 | |
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invoked
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| v.援引( invoke的过去式和过去分词 )；行使（权利等）；祈求救助；恳求 | |
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frustrated
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| adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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trenches
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| 深沟，地沟( trench的名词复数 )； 战壕 | |
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40
conjugal
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| adj.婚姻的，婚姻性的 | |
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41
generosity
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| n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为 | |
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42
alleging
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| 断言，宣称，辩解( allege的现在分词 ) | |
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43
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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44
retirement
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| n.退休，退职 | |
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45
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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46
prosecute
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| vt.告发；进行；vi.告发，起诉，作检察官 | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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