the lady of the lake-第39部分

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er　thick　plates　of　yron　that　are　sowed　to　the　same。〃　　Scott；　in　the　Eve　of　St。　John；　speaks　of　〃his　plate…jack。〃　　For　spear　the　1st　ed。　has　〃lance。〃


267。　　One　valiant　hand。　　The　MS。　has　〃one　brave　man's　hand。〃


268。　　Lay。　　Were　staked。


270。　　I　only　meant；　etc。　　Scott　says：　〃This　incident；　like　some　other　passages　in　the　poem；　illustrative　of　the　character　of　the　ancient　Gael；　is　not　imaginary；　but　borrowed　from　fact。　The　Highlanders；　with　the　inconsistency　of　most　nations　in　the　same　state；　were　alternately　capable　of　great　exertions　of　generosity　and　of　cruel　revenge　and　perfidy。　　The　following　story　I　can　only　quote　from　tradition；　but　with　such　an　assurance　from　those　by　whom　it　was　communicated　as　permits　me　little　doubt　of　its　authenticity。　　Early　in　the　last　century；　John　Gunn；　a　noted　Cateran；　or　Highland　robber；　infested　Inverness…shire；　and　levied　black…mail　up　to　the　walls　of　the　provincial　capital。　　A　garrison　was　then　maintained　in　the　castle　of　that　town；　and　their　pay　（country　banks　being　unknown）　was　usually　transmitted　in　specie　under　the　guard　of　a　small　escort。　It　chanced　that　the　officer　who　commanded　this　little　party　was　unexpectedly　obliged　to　halt；　about　thirty　miles　from　Inverness；　at　a　miserable　inn。　　About　nightfall；　a　stranger　in　the　Highland　dress；　and　of　very　prepossessing　appearance；　entered　the　same　house。　Separate　accommodations　being　impossible；　the　Englishman　offered　the　newly…arrived　guest　a　part　of　his　supper；　which　was　accepted　with　reluctance。　　By　the　conversation　he　found　his　new　acquaintance　knew　well　all　the　passes　of　the　country；　which　induced　him　eagerly　to　request　his　company　on　the　ensuing　morning。　　He　neither　disguised　his　business　and　charge；　nor　his　apprehensions　of　that　celebrated　freebooter；　John　Gunn。　　The　Highlander　hesitated　a　moment；　and　then　frankly　consented　to　be　his　guide。　　Forth　they　set　in　the　morning；　and　in　travelling　through　a　solitary　and　dreary　glen；　the　discourse　again　turned　on　John　Gunn。　　'Would　you　like　to　see　him？'　said　the　guide；　and　without　waiting　an　answer　to　this　alarming　question；　he　whistled；　and　the　English　officer；　with　his　small　party；　were　surrounded　by　a　body　of　Highlanders；　whose　numbers　put　resistance　out　of　question；　and　who　were　all　well　armed。　　'Stranger；'　resumed　the　guide；　'I　am　that　very　John　Gunn　by　whom　you　feared　to　be　intercepted；　and　not　without　cause；　for　I　came　to　the　inn　last　night　with　the　express　purpose　of　learning　your　route；　that　I　and　my　followers　might　ease　you　of　your　charge　by　the　road。　　But　I　am　incapable　of　betraying　the　trust　you　reposed　in　me；　and　having　convinced　you　that　you　were　in　my　power；　I　can　only　dismiss　you　unplundered　and　uninjured。'　　He　then　gave　the　officer　directions　for　his　journey；　and　disappeared　with　his　party　as　suddenly　as　they　had　presented　themselves。〃


277。　　Flood。　　Flow；　used　for　the　sake　of　the　rhyme；　like　drew　just　below。　　Wont　=　wonted。


286。　　And　still；　etc。　　The　MS。　reads：

　　　　〃And　still；　from　copse　and　heather　bush；　　　　　　Fancy　saw　spear　and　broadsword　ruch。〃


298。　　Three　mighty　lakes。　　Katrine；　Achray；　and　Vennachar。　Scott　says：　〃The　torrent　which　discharges　itself　from　Loch　Vennachar；　the　lowest　and　eastmost　of　the　three　lakes　which　form　the　scenery　adjoining　to　the　Trosachs；　sweeps　through　a　flat　and　extensive　moor；　called　Bochastle。　　Upon　a　small　eminence　called　the　Dun　of　Bochastle；　and　indeed　on　the　plain　itself；　are　some　intrenchments　which　have　been　thought　Roman。　　There　is　adjacent　to　Callander　a　sweet　villa；　the　residence　of　Captain　Fairfoul；　entitled　the　Roman　Camp。〃


301。　　Mouldering。　　The　MS。　has　〃martial。〃


309。　　This　murderous　Chief；　etc。　　Cf。　106　above。


315。　　All　vantageless；　etc。　　Scott　says：　〃The　duellists　of　former　times　did　not　always　stand　upon　those　punctilios　respecting　equality　of　arms；　which　are　not　judged　essential　to　fair　combat。　　It　is　true　that　in　formal　combats　in　the　lists　the　parties　were；　by　the　judges　of　the　field；　put　as　nearly　as　possible　in　the　same　circumstances。　But　in　private　duel　it　was　often　otherwise。　　In　that　desperate　combat　which　was　fought　between　Quelus；　a　minion　of　Henry　III。　of　France；　and　Antraguet；　with　two　seconds　on　each　side；　from　which　only　two　persons　escaped　alive；　Quelus　complained　that　his　antagonist　had　over　him　the　advantage　of　a　poniard　which　he　used　in　parrying；　while　his　left　hand；　which　he　was　forced　to　employ　for　the　same　purpose；　was　cruelly　mangled。　　When　he　charged　Antraguet　with　this　odds；　'Thou　hast　done　wrong；'　answered　he；　'to　forget　thy　dagger　at　home。　　We　are　here　to　fight；　and　not　to　settle　punctilios　of　arms。'　　In　a　similar　duel；　however；　a　young　brother　of　the　house　of　Aubayne；　in　Angoulesme；　behaved　more　generously　on　the　like　occasion；　and　at　once　threw　away　his　dagger　when　his　enemy　challenged　it　as　an　undue　advantage。　　But　at　this　time　hardly　anything　can　be　conceived　more　horridly　brutal　and　savage　than　the　mode　in　which　private　quarrels　were　conducted　in　France。　　Those　who　were　most　jealous　of　the　point　of　honor；　and　acquired　the　title　of　Ruffines；　did　not　scruple　to　take　advantage　of　strength；　numbers；　surprise；　and　arms；　to　accomplish　their　revenge。〃


329。　　By　prophet　bred；　etc。　　See　iii。　91　fol。　above；　and　for　the　expression　cf。　iv。　124。


347。　　Dark　lightning；　etc。　　The　MS。　has　〃In　lightning　flashed　the　Chief's　dark　eye；〃　which　might　serve　as　a　comment　on　Dark　lightning。


349。　　Kern。　　See　on　iv。　73　above。


351。　　He　yields　not；　etc。　　The　MS。　has　〃He　stoops　not；　he；　to　James　nor　Fate。〃


356。　　Carpet　knight。　　Cf。　Shakespeare；　T。　N。　iii。　4。　257：　〃He　is　knight；　dubbed　with　unhatched　rapier　and　on　carpet　consideration。〃


364。　　Ruth。　　Pity；　obsolete；　though　we　still　have　ruthless。　　Cf。　Spenser；　F。　Q。　i。　1。　50：

　　　　　　　　　〃to　stirre　up　gentle　ruth　　　　　Both　for　her　noble　blood；　and　for　her　tender　youth；〃

Milton；　Lycidas；　163：　〃Look　homeward；　Angel；　now；　and　melt　with　ruth；〃　etc。


380。　　His　targe。　　Scott　says：　〃A　round　target　of　light　wood；　covered　with　strong　leather　and　studded　with　brass　or　iron；　was　a　necessary　part　of　a　Highlander's　equipment。　　In　charging　regular　troops　they　received　the　thrust　of　the　bayonet　in　this　buckler；　twisted　it　aside；　and　used　the　broadsword　against　the　encumbered　soldier。　In　the　civil　war　of　1745　most　of　the　front　rank　of　the　clans　were　thus　armed；　and　Captain　Grose　（Military　Antiquities；　vol。　i。　p。　164）　informs　us　that　in　1747　the　privates　of　the　42d　regiment；　then　in　Flanders；　were　for　the　most　part　permitted　to　carry　targets。　A　person　thus　armed　had　a　considerable　advantage　in　private　fray。　Among　verses　between　Swift　and　Sheridan；　lately　published　by　Dr。　Barrett；　there　is　an　account　of　such　an　encounter；　in　which　the　circumstances；　and　consequently　the　relative　superiority　of　the　combatants；　are　precisely　the　reverse　of　those　in　the　text：

　　　　'A　Highlander　once　fought　a　Frenchman　at　Margate；　　　　　　The　weapons；　a　rapier；　a　backsword；　and　target；　　　　　　Brisk　Monsieur　advanced　as　fast　as　he　could；　　　　　　But　all　his　fine　pushes　were　caught　in　the　wood；　　　　　　And　Sawny；　with　backsword；　did　slash　him　and　nick　him；　　　　　　While　t'other；　enraged　that　he　could　not　once　prick　him；　　　　　　Cried；　〃Sirrah；　you　rascal；　you　son　of　a　whore；　　　　　　Me　will　fight　you；　be　gar！　if　you'll　come　from　your　door。〃'〃


383。　　Trained　abroad。　　That　is；　in　France。　　See　on　i。　163　above。　Scott　says　here：　〃The　use　of　defensive　armor；　and　particularly　of　the　buckler；　or　target；　was　general　in　Queen　Elizabeth's　time；　although　that　of　the　single　rapier　seems　to　have　been　occasionally　practised　much　earlier　（see　Douce's　Illustrations　of　Shakespeare；　vol。　ii。　p。　61）。　　Rowland　Yorke；　however；　who　betrayed　the　fort　of　Zutphen　to　the　Spaniards；　for　which　good　service　he　was　afterwards　poisoned　by　them；　is　said　to　have　been　the　first　who　brought　the　rapier…fight　into　general　use。　　Fuller；　speaking　of　the　swash…bucklers；　or　bullies；　of　Queen　Elizabeth's　time；　says；　'West　Smithfield　was　formerly　called　Ruffian's　Hall；　where　such　men　usually　met；　casually　or　otherwise；　to　try　masteries　with　sword　or　buckler。　　More　were　frightened　than　hurt；　more　hurt　than　killed　therewith；　it　being　accounted　unmanly　to　strike　beneath　the　knee。　But　since　that　desperate　traitor　Rowland　Yorke　first　introduced　thrusting　with　rapiers；　sword　and　buckler　are　disused。'　　In　The　Two　Angry　Women　of　Abingdon；　a　comedy；　printed　in　1599；　we　have　a　pathetic　complaint：　'Sword　and　buckler　fight　begins　to　grow　out　of　use。　　I　am　sorry　for　it；　I　shall　never　see　good　manhood　again。　If　it　be　once　gone；　this　poking　fight　of　rapier　and　dagger　will　come　up；　then　a　tall　man　and　a　good　sword　and　buckler　man　will　be　spitted　like　a　cat　or　rabbit。'　　But　the　rapier　had　upon　the　Continent　long　superseded；　in　private　duel；　the　use　of　sword　and　shield。　The　masters　of　the　noble　science　of　defence　were　chiefly　Italians。　They　made　great　mystery　of　their　art　and　mode　of　instruction；　never　suffered　any　person　to　be　present　but　the　scholar　who　was　to　be　taught；　and　even　examined　closets；　beds；　and　other　places　of　possible　concealment。　　Their　lessons　often　gave　the　most　treacherous　advantages；　for　the　challenged；　having　the　right　to　choose　his　weapons；　frequently　selected　some　strange；　unusual；　and　inconvenient　kind　of　arms；　the　use　of　which　he　practised　under　these　instructors；　and　thus　killed　at　his　ease　his　antagonist；　to　whom　it　was　presented　for　the　first　time　on　the　field　of　battle。　　See　Brantome's　Discourse　on　Duels；　and　the　work　on　the　same　subject；　'si　gentement　ecrit；'　by　the　venerable　Dr。　Paris　de　Puteo。　　The　Highlanders　continued　to　use　broadsword　and　target　until　disarmed　after　the　affair　of　1745…6。〃


385。　　Ward。　　Posture　of　defence；　a　technical　term　in　fencing。　　Cf。　Falstaff's　〃Thou　knowest　my　old　ward〃　（1　Hen。　IV。　ii。　4。　215）；　etc。


387。　　While　less　expert；　etc。　　The　MS。　reads：

　　　　〃Not　Roderick　thus；　though　stronger　far；　　　　　　More　tall；　and　more　inured　to　war。〃


401；　402。　　And　backward；　etc。　　This　couplet　is　not　in　the　MS。；　and　the　same　is　true　of　405；　406。


406。　　Let　recreant　yield；　etc。　　The　MS。　has　〃Yield　they　alone　who　fear　to　die。〃　　Scott　says：　〃I　have　not　ventured　to　render　this　duel　so　savagely　desperate　as　that　of　the　celebrated　Sir　Ewan　of　Lochiel；　chief　of　the　clan　Cameron；　called