“Now, grip me not! grip me not!” cried Gerard, in mortal terror of that fatal mistake.
“Pas si bete,” gurgled Denys.
Seeing the sort of stuff he had to deal with, Gerard was hopeful and calm directly. “On thy back,” said he sharply, and seizing the arbalest, and taking a stroke forward, he aided the desired movement. “Hand on my shoulder! slap the water with the other hand! No—with a downward motion; so. Do nothing more than I bid thee.” Gerard had got hold of Denys's long hair, and twisting it hard, caught the end between his side teeth, and with the strong muscles of his youthful neck easily kept up the soldier's head, and struck out lustily across the current. A moment he had hesitated which side to make for, little knowing the awful importance of that simple decision; then seeing the west bank a trifle nearest, he made towards it, instead of swimming to jail like a good boy, and so furnishing one a novel incident. Owing to the force of the current they slanted3 considerably4, and when they had covered near a hundred yards, Denys murmured uneasily, “How much more of it?”
The next moment, to their surprise, they found themselves in shallow water, and so waded6 ashore7. Once on terra firma, they looked at one another from head to foot as if eyes could devour8, then by one impulse flung each an arm round the other's neck, and panted there with hearts too full to speak. And at this sacred moment life was sweet as heaven to both; sweetest perhaps to the poor exiled lover, who had just saved his friend. Oh, joy to whose height what poet has yet soared, or ever tried to soar? To save a human life; and that life a loved one. Such moments are worth living for, ay, three score years and ten. And then, calmer, they took hands, and so walked along the bank hand in hand like a pair of sweethearts, scarce knowing or caring whither they went.
The boat people were all safe on the late concave, now convex craft, Herr Turnip-face, the “Inverter of things,” being in the middle. All this fracas9 seemed not to have essentially10 deranged11 his habits. At least he was greeting when he shot our friends into the Rhine, and greeting when they got out again.
“Shall we wait till they right the boat?”
“I fare not to Cologne,” was the calm reply.
“Why, whither then?”
“To Burgundy.”
“To Burgundy? Ah, no! that is too good to be sooth.”
“Sooth 'tis, and sense into the bargain. What matters it to me how I go to Rome?”
“Nay14, nay; you but say so to pleasure me. The change is too sudden; and think me not so ill-hearted as take you at your word. Also did I not see your eyes sparkle at the wonders of Cologne? the churches, the images, the relics15
“How dull art thou, Denys; that was when we were to enjoy them together. Churches! I shall see plenty, go Rome-ward how I will. The bones of saints and martyrs16; alas17! the world is full of them; but a friend like thee, where on earth's face shall I find another? No, I will not turn thee farther from the road that leads to thy dear home, and her that pines for thee. Neither will I rob myself of thee by leaving thee. Since I drew thee out of Rhine I love thee better than I did. Thou art my pearl: I fished thee; and must keep thee. So gainsay18 me not, or thou wilt19 bring back my fever; but cry courage, and lead on; and hey for Burgundy!”
Denys gave a joyful20 caper21. “Courage! va pour la Bourgogne. Oh! soyes tranquille! cette fois il est bien decidement mort, ce coquin-la.” And they turned their backs on the Rhine.
On this decision making itself clear, across the Rhine there was a commotion22 in the little party that had been watching the discussion, and the friends had not taken many steps ere a voice came to them over the water. “HALT!”
Gerard turned, and saw one of those four holding out a badge of office and a parchment slip. His heart sank; for he was a good citizen, and used to obey the voice that now bade him turn again to Dusseldorf—the Law's.
Denys did not share his scruples24. He was a Frenchman, and despised every other nation, laws, inmates25, and customs included. He was a soldier, and took a military view of the situation. Superior force opposed; river between; rear open; why, 'twas retreat made easy. He saw at a glance that the boat still drifted in mid-stream, and there was no ferry nearer than Dusseldorf. “I shall beat a quick retreat to that hill,” said he, “and then, being out of sight, quick step.”
They sauntered off.
“Halt! in the bailiff's name,” cried a voice from the shore.
Denys turned round and ostentatiously snapped his fingers at the bailiff, and proceeded.
“Halt! in the archbishop's name.”
Denys snapped his fingers at his grace, and proceeded.
“Halt! in the emperor's name.”
Gerard saw this needless pantomime with regret, and as soon as they had passed the brow of the hill, said, “There is now but one course, we must run to Burgundy instead of walking;” and he set off, and ran the best part of a league without stopping.
Denys was fairly blown, and inquired what on earth had become of Gerard's fever. “I begin to miss it sadly,” said he drily.
“I dropped it in Rhine, I trow,” was the reply.
Presently they came to a little village, and here Denys purchased a loaf and a huge bottle of Rhenish wine. “For,” he said, “we must sleep in some hole or corner. If we lie at an inn, we shall be taken in our beds.” This was no more than common prudence27 on the old soldier's part.
The official network for catching28 law-breakers, especially plebeian29 ones, was very close in that age; though the co-operation of the public was almost null, at all events upon the Continent. The innkeepers were everywhere under close surveillance as to their travellers, for whose acts they were even in some degree responsible, more so it would seem than for their sufferings.
The friends were both glad when the sun set; and delighted, when, after a long trudge30 under the stars (for the moon, if I remember right, did not rise till about three in the morning) they came to a large barn belonging to a house at some distance. A quantity of barley31 had been lately thrashed; for the heap of straw on one side the thrashing-floor was almost as high as the unthrashed corn on the other.
“The straw for me,” said Gerard.
They sat on the heap, and ate their brown bread, and drank their wine, and then Denys covered his friend up in straw, and heaped it high above him, leaving him only a breathing hole: “Water, they say, is death to fevered men; I'll make warm water on't, anyhow.”
Gerard bade him make his mind easy. “These few drops from Rhine cannot chill me. I feel heat enough in my body now to parch23 a kennel33, or boil a cloud if I was in one.” And with this epigram his consciousness went so rapidly, he might really be said to “fall asleep.”
Denys, who lay awake awhile, heard that which made him nestle closer. Horses' hoofs34 came ringing up from Dusseldorf, and the wooden barn vibrated as they rattled35 past howling in a manner too well known and understood in the 15th century, but as unfamiliar36 in Europe now as a red Indian's war-whoop.
Denys shook where he lay.
Gerard slept like a top.
It all swept by, and troop and howls died away.
The stout37 soldier drew a long breath, whistled in a whisper, closed his eyes, and slept like a top, too.
In the morning he sat up and put out his hand to wake Gerard. It lighted on the young man's forehead, and found it quite wet. Denys then in his quality of nurse forbore to wake him. “It is ill to check sleep or sweat in a sick man,” said he. “I know that far, though I ne'er minced38 ape nor gallows-bird.”
After waiting a good hour he felt desperately39 hungry; so he turned, and in self-defence went to sleep again.
Poor fellow, in his hard life he had been often driven to this manoeuvre40. At high noon he was waked by Gerard moving, and found him sitting up with the straw smoking round him like a dung-hill. Animal heat versus41 moisture. Gerard called him “a lazy loon42.” He quietly grinned.
They set out, and the first thing Denys did was to give Gerard his arbalest, etc., and mount a high tree on the road. “Coast clear to the next village,” said he, and on they went.
On drawing near the village, Denys halted and suddenly inquired of Gerard how he felt.
“What! can you not see? I feel as if Rome was no further than yon hamlet.”
“But thy body, lad; thy skin?”
“Neither hot nor cold; and yesterday 'twas hot one while and cold another. But what I cannot get rid of is this tiresome43 leg.”
“Le grand malheur! Many of my comrades have found no such difficulty.”
“Unhappy youth,” said Denys solemnly, “the sum of thy troubles is this: thy fever is gone, and thy wound is—healing. Sith so it is,” added he indulgently, “I shall tell thee a little piece of news I had otherwise withheld45.”
“What is't?” asked Gerard, sparkling with curiosity.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
remarkable
|
|
| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
hoisted
|
|
| 把…吊起，升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
slanted
|
|
| 有偏见的； 倾斜的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
considerably
|
|
| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
mumbled
|
|
| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
waded
|
|
| （从水、泥等）蹚，走过，跋( wade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
ashore
|
|
| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
devour
|
|
| v.吞没；贪婪地注视或谛听，贪读；使着迷 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
fracas
|
|
| n.打架；吵闹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
essentially
|
|
| adv.本质上，实质上，基本上 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
deranged
|
|
| adj.疯狂的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
nought
|
|
| n.／adj.无，零 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
assented
|
|
| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
nay
|
|
| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
relics
|
|
| [pl.］n.遗物，遗迹，遗产；遗体，尸骸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
martyrs
|
|
| n.martyr的复数形式；烈士( martyr的名词复数 )；殉道者；殉教者；乞怜者（向人诉苦以博取同情） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
alas
|
|
| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
gainsay
|
|
| v.否认，反驳 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
wilt
|
|
| v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎；(指人)疲倦，衰弱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
joyful
|
|
| adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
caper
|
|
| v.雀跃，欢蹦；n.雀跃，跳跃；续随子，刺山柑花蕾；嬉戏 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
commotion
|
|
| n.骚动，动乱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
parch
|
|
| v.烤干，焦干 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
scruples
|
|
| n.良心上的不安( scruple的名词复数 )；顾虑，顾忌v.感到于心不安，有顾忌( scruple的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
inmates
|
|
| n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
majesty
|
|
| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
prudence
|
|
| n.谨慎，精明，节俭 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
catching
|
|
| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
plebeian
|
|
| adj.粗俗的；平民的；n.平民；庶民 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
trudge
|
|
| v.步履艰难地走；n.跋涉，费力艰难的步行 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
barley
|
|
| n.大麦，大麦粒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
mow
|
|
| v.割（草、麦等），扫射，皱眉；n.草堆，谷物堆 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
kennel
|
|
| n.狗舍，狗窝 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
hoofs
|
|
| 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 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
rattled
|
|
| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
unfamiliar
|
|
| adj.陌生的，不熟悉的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
minced
|
|
| v.切碎( mince的过去式和过去分词 )；剁碎；绞碎；用绞肉机绞（食物，尤指肉） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
desperately
|
|
| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
manoeuvre
|
|
| n.策略，调动；v.用策略，调动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
versus
|
|
| prep.以…为对手，对；与…相比之下 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
loon
|
|
| n.狂人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
tiresome
|
|
| adj.令人疲劳的，令人厌倦的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
itches
|
|
| n.痒( itch的名词复数 )；渴望，热望v.发痒( itch的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
withheld
|
|
| withhold过去式及过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
hue
|
|
| n.色度；色调；样子 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |