sible of the high honour, which the Queen was conferring on him, and all the pride and satisfaction which became so glorious a moment. Yet, though neither eye nor feature betrayed ought but feelings 1) which suited the occasion, some of the Earl's personal attendants remarked, that he was unusually pale, and they expressed to each other their fear that he was taking more fatigue than consisted with his health. Varney followed close behind his master, as the principal esquire in waiting 2), and had charge3) of his lordship's black velvet bonnet, garnished with a clasp of diamonds, and surmounted) by a white plume. He kept his eye constantly on his master; and for reasons with which the reader is not unacquainted, was, among Leicester's numerous dependants, he who was most anxious that his lord's strength and resolution should carry him successfully through a day so agitating. For though Varney was one of the few the very few moral monsters, who contrive 5) to lull to sleep the remorse of their own bosoms, and are drugged 6) into moral insensibility by atheism, as men in extreme agony are lulled by opium, yet he knew that in the breast of his patron there was already awakened the fire that is never quenched, and that his lord felt, amid all the pomp and magnificence we have described, the gnawing of the worm that dieth not. Still, however, assured 7) as Lord Leicester stood, by Varney's own intelligence 8) that his Countess laboured 9) under an indisposition which formed an unanswerable apology to the Queen for her not appearing at Kenilworth, there was little danger, his wily 10) retainer thought11), that a man so ambitious would betray himself by giving way 12) to any external weakness. the The train, male and female 13), who attended immediately upon the Queen's person, were of course of the bravest and the fairest, highest born nobles, and the wisest counsellors, of that distinguished reign, to repeat 14) whose names were but to weary the reader. Behind came a long crowd of knights and gentlemen whose rank and birth, however 15) distinguished, were thrown into shade 16), as their persons into the rear of a procession, whose front was of such august majesty. Thus marshalled, the cavalcade approached the Gallerytower, which formed, as we have often observed, the extreme barrier of the Castle. It was now the part 17) of the huge porter to step forward; but the lubbard 18) was so overwhelmed with confusion of spirit, the contents of one immense black jack 19) of double ale, which he had just drank to quicken his memory, having at the same time treacherously confused the brain it was intended to clear, that he only groaned 20) piteously, and remained sitting on his stone 21) seat; and the Queen would have passed on without greeting, had not the gigantic warder's 22) secret ally, Flibbertigibbet 23), who lay perdue 24) behind him, thrust a pin into the rear of the short femoral garment which we elsewhere described. The porter uttered a sort of a yell, which came not amiss into his part, started up with his club, and dealt, a sound douse or two on each side of him; and then, like a coach-horse pricked by the spur, started off at once into the full career of his address 25), and by dint of active prompting on the part of Dickie Sludge, delivered, in sounds of gigantic intonation, a speech which may be thus abridged; the reader being to 1) Ought but feelings, irgend etwas Anderes als Gefühl. 2) Dienstthuend. 3) Trug. 4) Beseßt. 5) Mittel finden. 6) Künstlich hineingebracht, verseßt. 7) (334). 6) Bericht, Benachrichtigung. ) Litt. 9) 10) Schlau. 11) (248). 12) Nachgebend, fich hingebend. 13) (132). 14) (158). 15) Wie sehr auch. 16) In Schatten gestellt. 17) Aufgabe, Rolle. 18) Schlingel. 19) Kanne. 20) Erbärmlich stöhnte. 21) (121). 22) Des gigantischen Wächters geheimer Verbündeter. 23) Name des Teufels. 24) Unbemerkt. 25) Anrede. suppose that the first lines were addressed to the throng who approached the gateway; the conclusion, at the approach of the Queen, upon sight of whom, as struck by some heavenly vision, the gigantic warder dropped his club, resigned his keys, and gave open way to the goddess of the night, and all her magnificent train: «What stir, what turmoil, have we for the nones? My voice keeps order, and my club gives law. Yet soft My club, my key, my knee, my homage take. Beshrew) the gate that opens not wide at such a sight as this!»> Elizabeth received most graciously the homage of the herculean porter, and, bending her head to him in requital, passed through his guarded tower, from the top of which was poured a clamorous blast of warlike music, which was replied to by other bands of minstrelsy placed at different points on the Castle walls, and by others again stationed in the Chace; while the tones of the one, as they yet vibrated on the echoes, were caught up and answered by new harmony from different quarters. Amidst these bursts of music, which, as if the work of enchantment, seemed now close at hand, now softened by distant space, now wailing so low and sweet, as if that distance was gradually prolonged, until only the last lingering strains alone could reach the ear, Queen Elizabeth crossed the Gallery-tower, and came upon the long bridge, which extended from thence to Mortimer's Tower, and which was already as light as day, so many torches had been fastened to the palisades on either side. Most of the nobles here alighted, and sent their horses to the neighbouring village of Kenilworth, following the Queen on foot, as did the gentlemen who had stood in array to receive her at the Gallery - tower. On this occasion, at different times during the evening, Raleigh addressed himself to Tressilian, and was not a little surprised at his vague and unsatisfactory answers; which, joined 4) to his leaving his apartment without any assigned reason, appearing in an undress when it was likely to be offensive to the Queen, and some other symptoms of irregularity which he thought he discovered, led 3) him to doubt whether his friend did not labour under some temporary derangement. Meanwhile, the Queen had no sooner stepped on the bridge than a new spectacle was provided; for as soon as the music gave signal that she was so far advanced, a raft, so disposed as to resemble a small floating island, illuminated by a great variety of torches, and surrounded by floating pageants formed to represent sea-horses, on which sat Tritons, Nereids, and other fabulous deities of the seas and rivers, made its appearance upon the lake, and issuing from behind a small heronry 6) where it had been concealed, floated gently towards the farther end of the bridge. On the islet appeared a beautiful woman, clad in a watchetcoloured") silken mantle, bound with a broad girdle, inscribed with characters, like 1) Is this. 2) Unvergleichliche. 3) Verwünscht, verflucht sei. 4) Verbunden mit. ) Ihn zweifeln ließ. 6) Reiherhütte. 7) Lichtblau. the phylacteries of the Hebrews. Her feet and arms were bare, but her wrists and ancles were adorned with gold bracelets of uncommon size. Amidst her long silky black hair, she wore a crown or chaplet 1) of artificial misletoe 2), and bore in her hand a rod of ebony, tipped with silver. Two Nymphs attended on her, dressed in the same antique and mystical guise. The pageant was so well managed, that this Lady of the Floating Island, having performed her voyage with much picturesque effect, landed at Mortimer's tower with her two attendants, just as Elizabeth presented herself before that out-work. The stranger then, in a well-penned 3) speech announced herself as that famous Lady of the Lake, renowned in the stories of King Arthur, who had nursed the youth of the redoubted 4) Sir Lanzelot, and whose beauty had proved too powerful both for the wisdom and the spells of the mighty Merlin. Since that early period she had remained possessed of her crystal dominions, she said, despite 5) the various men of fame and might, by whom Kenilworth had been successively tenanted. The Saxons, the Danes, the Normans, the Saintlowes, the Clintons, the Mountforts, the Mortimers, the Plantagenets, great though they were in arms and magnificence, had never, she said, caused her to raise her head from the waters which hid her crystal palace. But a greater than all these great names had now appeared, and she came in homage and duty to welcome the peerless Elizabeth to all sport, which the Castle and its environs, which lake or land could afford. The Queen received this address also with great courtesy, and made answer in raillery, «We thought this lake had belonged to our own dominions, fair dame; but since so famed a Lady claims it for hers, we will be glad at some other time to have further communing with you touching our joint interests. >> With this gracious answer the Lady of the Lake vanished, and Arion, who was amongst the maritime deities, appeared upon his dolphin. But Lambourne, who had taken upon him the part in the absence of Wayland, being chilled with remaining immersed in an element to which he was not friendly, having never got his speech by heart, and not having, like the porter, the advantage of a prompter, paid it off with impudence, tearing off his vizard, and swearing, «Cogs bones! he was none of Arion or Orion either, but honest Mike Lambourne, that had been drinking her Majesty's health from morning till midnight and was come to bid her heartily welcome to Kenilworth Castle. >> This unpremeditated buffoonery 6) answered the purpose probably better than the set speech would have done. The Queen laughed heartily and swore, in her turn 7) that he had made the best speech she had heard that day. Lambourne who instantly saw his jest had saved his bones, jumped on shore, gave his dolphin a kick, and declared he would never meddle with fish again, except at dinner. At the same time that the Queen was about to enter the Castle, that memorable discharge of fireworks by water and land took place, which Master Laneham has strained all his eloquence to describe. << Such,» says the Clerk of the Council-chamber door, «was the blaze of burning darts, the gleams of stars coruscant, the streams and hail of fiery sparks, lightnings of wild-fire, and flight-shots of thunder-bolts, with continuance, terror, and vehemency, that the heavens thundered, the waters surged, and the earth shook; and for my part, hardy as I am, it made me very vengeably afraid. >> 1) Kranz. 2) Mistel. 3) Gut stylisirt. ) Furchtbar. 5) Troß. 6) (84). 7) Ihrerseits. 4. A Fragment. (By Lord Byron.) June 17th. 1816. In the year 17—, having for some time determined on a journey through countries not hitherto much frequented by travellers, I set out, accompanied by a friend, whom I shall designate by the name of Augustus Darvell. He was a few years my elder 1), and a man of considerable fortune and ancient family — advantages which 2) an extensive capacity prevented him alike from undervaluing or overrating. Some peculiar circumstances in his private history had rendered him to me an object of attention, of interest, and even of regard, which neither the reserve of his manners, nor occasional indications of an inquietude, at times nearly approaching to alienation of mind, could extinguish. I was yet young in life, which 3) I had begun early; but my intimacy with him was of a recent date: we had been educated at the same schools and university; but his progress through these had preceded mine, and he had been deeply initiated into what is called the world, while I was yet in my noviciate. While thus engaged, I had heard much) both of his past and present life, and although in these accounts there were many and irreconcileable contradictions, I could still gather from the whole that he was a being of no common order, and one who, whatever) pains he might take to avoid remark, would still be remarkable. I had cultivated his acquaintance subsequently, and endeavoured to obtain his friendship, but this last appeared to be unattainable; whatever affections he might have possessed seemed now, some to have been extinguished, and others to be concentred: that this feelings were acute, I had sufficient opportunities of observing; for, although he could control), he could not altogether disguise them: still he had a power of giving to one passion the appearance of another in such a manner that it was difficult to define the nature of what 7) was working within him; and the expressions of his features would vary so rapidly, though slightly, that it was useless to trace them to their sources. It is evident that he was a prey to some cureless disquiet; but whether) it arose from ambition, love, remorse, grief, from one or all of these, or merely from a morbid temperament akin9) to disease, I could not discover: there were circumstances alledged, which might have justified the application to each of these causes; but, as I have before said, these were so contradictory and contradicted, that none could be fixed upon with accuracy. Where there is mystery, it is generally supposed that there must also be evil: I know not how this may be, but in him there certainly was the one, though I could not ascertain the extent of the other and felt loth 10), as far as regarded himself, to believe in its existence. My advances were received with sufficient coldness; but I was young and not easily discouraged and at length succeeded in obtaining, to a certain degree, that common-place 11) intercourse and moderate confidence of common and every day concerns, created and cemented by similarity of pursuit and frequency of meeting, which is called intimacy, or friendship, according to the ideas of him 12) who uses those words to express them. Darvell had already travelled extensively; and to him I had applied for information with regard to the conduct of my intended journey. It 1) (331). 2) (337). 3) (351). 4) (164). 5) (332). 6) (336). 7) (337). 8) (325). 9) Gewissermaßen verwandt. 1o) Es war mir zuwider. 11) (77. 121). 13) (329). was my secret wish that he might be prevailed on to accompany me: it was also a probable hope founded upon the shadowy 1) restlessness which I had observed in him, and to which the animation which he appeared to feel on such subjects, and his apparent indifference to all by which he was more immediately surrounded, gave fresh strength. This wish I first hinted, and then expressed: his answer, though I had partly expected it, gave me all the pleasure of surprise, he consented; and after the requisite arrangements, we commenced our voyages. After journeying through various countries of the south of Europe, our attention was turned towards the East, according to our original destination; and it was in my progress through those regions that the incident occurred upon which will turn what I may have to relate. The constitution of Darvell, which must from his appearance have been in early life more than usually robust, had been for some time gradually giving way, without the intervention of any apparent disease: he had neither cough nor hectic, yet he became daily more enfeebled: his habits were temperate, and he neither declined nor complained of fatigue, yet he was evidently wasting away 2): he became more and more silent and sleepless, and at length so seriously altered, that my alarm grew proportionate to what I conceived to be 3) his danger. He had determined, on our arrival at Smyrna, on an excursion to the ruins of Ephesus and Sardis, from which I endeavoured to dissuade him in his present state of indisposition but in vain there appeared to be an oppression on his mind, and a solemnity in his manner, which ill corresponded with his eagerness to proceed on what I regarded as a mere party of pleasure, little suited to a valetudinarian 1); but I opposed him no longer and in a few days we set off together, accompanied only by a serrugee) and a single janizary. We had passed halfway towards the remains of Ephesus, leaving behind us the more fertile environs of Smyrna, and were entering upon that wild and tenantless track through the marshes and defiles which lead to the few huts yet lingering over the broken columns of Diana the roofless walls of expelled christianity, and the still more recent but complete desolation of abandoned mosques when the sudden and rapid illness of my companion obliged us to halt at a Turkish cemetery, the turbaned tombstones of which were the sole indication that human life had ever been a sojourner) in this wilderness. The only caravansera we had seen, was left some hours behind us, not a vestige of a town or even cottage was within sight or hope, and this «city of the dead» appeared to be the sole refuge for my unfortunate friend, who seemed on the verge of becoming the last of its inhabitants. In this situation, I looked round for a place where he might most conveniently repose: contrary to the usual aspect of Mahometan burial-grounds, the cypresses were in this few in number, and these thinly scattered over its extent: the tombstones were mostly fallen, and worn with age: upon one of the most considerable of these and beneath one of the most spreading trees, Darvel supported himself, in a half reclining posture, with great difficulty. He asked for water. I had some doubts of our being able to find any 7), and prepared to go in search of it with hesitating despondency but he desired me to remain; and turning to Suleiman, our janizary, who stood by us smoking with great tranquillity, he said, «Suleiman, verbana su,» (i. e. bring some water), and went on describing the spot where it was to be found with great minuteness ), at a small well for camels, a few hundred yards to the 1) Trübe, düster. 2) Hinschwinden, abfallen. 3) (251). 4) (89). 5) (90) Führer, Fourier. 6) (80). 7) (166). 3) (84). |