国王马上站起来，回过头帮达威特。他一刀刺穿了野猪的喉咙。他没对昆丁讲一句话，只是先用脚步，又用脚量量这动物庞大的身躯。然后他擦掉额上的汗和手上的血，再脱掉他的猎人帽，把它挂在树权上，开始对帽子上铅制的小圣母像作虔诚的祷告。最后他才望望达威特，对他说：“是你啊？我年轻的苏格兰人。你头一回打猎，就马到成功。皮埃尔老爷得像他在百合花旅店招待你那样再好好招待你。你干吗不说话呢？我想你是在宫廷里失掉了你的冲劲和火气。而别人却和你相反。”
昆丁是苏格兰的凉风曾告诫过要清醒谨慎的最精明的年轻人。他对这危险的主人的畏惧胜过对他的信任，所以他十分聪明地拒不接受国王似乎诱使他利用的、以平辈相待的许诺。他以经过精心选择的很少几句话回答说，如果他敢于向国王有所请求，那只是恳求国王原谅他在不知道他高贵的身份时所表现出的鲁莽的乡巴佬气。
“别这么说！年轻人，”国王讲道，“为了你的勇敢和精明，我原谅你的鲁莽和调皮。我真佩服你把我那老伙计特里斯顿的职业猜得那么准。据我所知，你差点尝到了他的拿手好戏。我得嘱咐你小心他这个人。他是个做粗手镯和紧项链生意的商人。扶我上马吧。我很喜欢你，将会给你带来好处。你必须只信赖我给你的恩宠，别信赖别人的恩宠——包括你舅舅和克劳福德的在内。千万别对人说在杀野猪这件事情上你给了我及时的援助。要是一个人吹嘘说他在这种紧急关头救了国王，那么他就只能以吹嘘的乐趣作为惟一的报偿了。”
这时国王吹起了号角，召来了杜诺瓦和几个随从。他欣然接受了为杀死这一贵重动物对他说的赞扬话，毫无愧疚地把实际不属于他的大部分功劳归于自己。他只是轻描淡写地提到达威特的援助，就像有身份的猎人吹嘘他捕获了许多鸟儿时，并不屑提到猎物看守人的存在和帮助一样。他嘱咐杜诺瓦派人把杀死的野猪送给图尔的圣马丁修道院的修士们，好让他们在节日改善一下伙食，使他们在祷告时也为国王祈祷几句。
“嘿，”路易说道，“你们有谁看见红衣主教大人吗？要是我们把他留在森林里，又无马可骑，那将是对神圣教会不礼貌的冷漠表现。”
“陛下，要是您不介意的话，”看到大家都不做声，昆丁开口说道，“我倒看见有人给了红衣主教一匹马。他已经骑着它离开了森林。”
“老天爷会照管他自己的人。”国王说道，“我的大臣们，回城堡去吧。今早我们不再打猎了。请你，扈从先生，”他对昆丁说道，“把我的猎刀递给我——这脱鞘的刀掉在野猪身边。杜诺瓦，你骑着走吧，我马上跟上来。”
路易最微不足道的行动也往往表现出极具策略。他就这样获得了一个私下询问昆丁的机会：“我健美的苏格兰人，我看你眼光很敏锐。你能告诉我，谁帮助红衣主教找到马骑的吗？我想是某个陌生人吧，因为，只要我走过去时没停下来理睬他，我的朝臣们是不会急忙给他这个及时帮助的。”
“陛下，我只不过很快瞅了一眼，看见有人在帮助红衣主教，”昆丁说道，“但那只是匆匆的一瞥，因为我不巧掉了队，正迅速地骑马赶回我原来的位置上去。不过，我想帮助主教的是勃艮第的特使和他的随从。”
“哈！”路易说道，“好吧，就这样吧——法国总有一天会对付他们的。”
没有再发生别的重要事情；国王和随从们回到了城堡。
Chapter 10 The Sentinel
Where should this music be? i' the air or the earth?
THE TEMPEST
I was all ear, And took in strains that might create a soul Under the ribs of death.
COMUS
Quentin had hardly reached his little cabin, in order to make some necessary changes in his dress, when his worthy relation required to know the full particulars of all that had befallen him at the hunt.
The youth, who could not help thinking that his uncle's hand was probably more powerful than his understanding, took care, in his reply, to leave the King in full possession of the victory which he had seemed desirous to appropriate. Le Balafre's reply was a boast of how much better he himself would have behaved in the like circumstances, and it was mixed with a gentle censure of his nephew's slackness in not making in to the King's assistance, when he might be in imminent peril. The youth had prudence, in answer, to abstain from all farther indication of his own conduct, except that, according to the rules of woodcraft, he held it ungentle to interfere with the game attacked by another hunter, unless he was specially called upon for his assistance. The discussion was scarcely ended, when occasion was afforded Quentin to congratulate himself for observing some reserve towards his kinsman. A low tap at the door announced a visitor -- it was presently opened, and Oliver Dain, or Mauvais, or Diable, for by all these names he was known, entered the apartment.
This able but most unprincipled man has been already described in so far as his exterior is concerned. The aptest resemblance of his motions and manners might perhaps be to those of a domestic cat, which, while couching in seeming slumber, or gliding through the apartment with slow, stealthy, and timid steps, is now engaged in watching the hole of some unfortunate mouse, now in rubbing herself with apparent confidence and fondness against those by whom she desires to be caressed, and, presently after, is flying upon her prey, or scratching, perhaps, the very object of her former cajolements.
He entered with stooping shoulders, a humble and modest look, and threw such a degree of civility into his address to the Seignior Balafre, that no one who saw the interview could have avoided concluding that he came to ask a boon of the Scottish Archer. He congratulated Lesly on the excellent conduct of his young kinsman in the chase that day, which, he observed, had attracted the King's particular attention. He here paused for a reply; and, with his eyes fixed on the ground, save just when once or twice they stole upwards to take a side glance at Quentin, he heard Balafre observe that his Majesty had been unlucky in not having himself by his side instead of his nephew, as he would questionless have made in, and speared the brute, a matter which he understood Quentin had left upon his Majesty's royal hands, so far as he could learn the story.
"But it will be a lesson to his Majesty," he said, "while he lives, to mount a man of my inches on a better horse; for how could my great hill of a Flemish dray horse keep up with his Majesty's Norman runner? I am sure I spurred till his sides were furrowed. It is ill considered, Master Oliver, and you must represent it to his Majesty."
Master Oliver only replied to this observation by turning towards the bold, bluff speaker one of those slow, dubious glances which, accompanied by a slight motion of the hand, and a gentle depression of the head to one side, may be either interpreted as a mute assent to what is said, or as a cautious deprecation of farther prosecution of the subject. It was a keener, more scrutinizing glance, which he bent on the youth, as he said, with an ambiguous smile, "So, young man, is it the wont of Scotland to suffer your Princes to be endangered for the lack of aid in such emergencies as this of today?"
"It is our custom," answered Quentin, determined to throw no farther light on the subject, "not to encumber them with assistance in honourable pastimes, when they can aid themselves without it. We hold that a Prince in a hunting field must take his chance with others, and that he comes there for the very purpose. What were woodcraft without fatigue and without danger?"
"You hear the silly boy," said his uncle; "that is always the way with him; he hath an answer or a reason ready to be rendered to every one. I wonder whence he hath caught the gift; I never could give a reason for anything I have ever done in my life, except for eating when I was a-hungry, calling the muster roll, and such points of duty as the like."
"And pray, worthy Seignior," said the royal tonsor, looking at him from under his eyelids, "what might your reason be for calling the muster roll on such occasions?"
"Because the Captain commanded me," said Le Balafre. "By Saint Giles (patron saint of lepers, beggars, and cripples. He has been especially venerated in England and Scotland), I know no other reason! If he had commanded Tyrie or Cunningham, they must have done the same."
"A most military final cause!" said Oliver. "But, Seignior Le Balafre, you will be glad, doubtless, to learn that his Majesty is so far from being displeased with your nephew's conduct, that he hath selected him to execute a piece of duty this afternoon."
"Selected him?" said Balafre in great surprise -- "selected me, I suppose you mean?"
"I mean precisely as I speak," replied the barber, in a mild but decided tone; "the King hath a commission with which to intrust your nephew."
"Why, wherefore, and for what reason?" said Balafre. "Why doth he choose the boy, and not me?"
"I can go no farther back than your own ultimate cause, Seignior Le Balafre, such are his Majesty's commands. But," said he, "if I might use the presumption to form a conjecture, it may be his Majesty hath work to do, fitter for a youth like your nephew, than for an experienced warrior like yourself, Seignior Balafre. -- Wherefore, young gentleman, get your weapons and follow me. Bring with you a harquebuss, for you are to mount sentinel."
"Sentinel!" said the uncle. "Are you sure you are right, Master Oliver? The inner guards of the Castle have ever been mounted by those only who have (like me) served twelve years in our honourable body."
"I am quite certain of his Majesty's pleasure," said Oliver, "and must no longer delay executing it."
"But," said Le Balafre, "my nephew is not even a free Archer, being only an Esquire, serving under my lance."
"Pardon me," answered Oliver; "the King sent for the register not half an hour since, and enrolled him among the Guard. Have the goodness to assist to put your nephew in order for the service."
Balafre, who had no ill nature, or even much jealousy in his disposition, hastily set about adjusting his nephew's dress, and giving him directions for his conduct under arms, but was unable to refrain from larding them with interjections of surprise at such luck's chancing to fall upon the young man so early.
It had never taken place before in the Scottish Guard, he said, not even in his own instance. But doubtless his service must be to mount guard over the popinjays and Indian peacocks, which the Venetian ambassador had lately presented to the King -- it could be nothing else; and such duty being only fit for a beardless boy (here he twirled his own grim mustaches), he was glad the lot had fallen on his fair nephew.
Quick and sharp of wit, as well as ardent in fancy, Quentin saw visions of higher importance in this early summons to the royal presence, and his heart beat high at the anticipation of rising into speedy distinction. He determined carefully to watch the manners and language of his conductor, which he suspected must, in some cases at least, be interpreted by contraries, as soothsayers are said to discover the interpretation of dreams. He could not but hug himself on having observed strict secrecy on the events of the chase, and then formed a resolution, which, for so young a person, had much prudence in it, that while he breathed the air of this secluded and mysterious Court, he would keep his thoughts locked in his bosom, and his tongue under the most careful regulation.
His equipment was soon complete, and, with his harquebuss on his shoulder (for though they retained the name of Archers, the Scottish Guard very early substituted firearms for the long bow, in the use of which their nation never excelled), he followed Master Oliver out of the barrack.
His uncle looked long after him, with a countenance in which wonder was blended with curiosity; and though neither envy nor the malignant feelings which it engenders entered into his honest meditations, there was yet a sense of wounded or diminished self importance, which mingled with the pleasure excited by his nephew's favourable commencement of service.
He shook his head gravely, opened a privy cupboard, took out a large bottrine of stout old wine, shook it to examine how low the contents had ebbed, filled and drank a hearty cup; then took his seat, half reclining, on the great oaken settle; and having once again slowly shaken his head, received so much apparent benefit from the oscillation, that, like the toy called a mandarin, he continued the motion until he dropped into a slumber, from which he was first roused by the signal to dinner.
When Quentin Durward left his uncle to these sublime meditations, he followed his conductor, Master Oliver, who, without crossing any of the principal courts, led him, partly through private passages exposed to the open air, but chiefly through a maze of stairs, vaults, and galleries, communicating with each other by secret doors and at unexpected points, into a large and spacious latticed gallery, which, from its breadth, might have been almost termed a hall, hung with tapestry more ancient than beautiful, and with a very few of the hard, cold, ghastly looking pictures, belonging to the first dawn of the arts which preceded their splendid sunrise. These were designed to represent the Paladins of Charlemagne, who made such a distinguished figure in the romantic history of France; and as this gigantic form of the celebrated Orlando constituted the most prominent figure, the apartment acquired from him the title of Rolando's Hall, or Roland's Gallery.
(Charlemagne . . . was accounted a saint during the dark ages: and Louis XI, as one of his successors, honoured his shrine with peculiar observance. S.)
(Orlando: also called Roland. His history may be read in the Chanson de Roland.)
"You will keep watch here," said Oliver, in a low whisper, as if the hard delineations of monarchs and warriors around could have been offended at the elevation of his voice, or as if he had feared to awaken the echoes that lurked among the groined vaults and Gothic drop work on the ceiling of this huge and dreary apartment.
"What are the orders and signs of my watch?" answered Quentin, in the same suppressed tone.
"Is your harquebuss loaded?" replied Oliver, without answering his query.
"That," answered Quentin, "is soon done;" and proceeded to charge his weapon, and to light the slow match (by which when necessary it was discharged) at the embers of a wood fire, which was expiring in the huge hall chimney -- a chimney itself so large that it might have been called a Gothic closet or chapel appertaining to the hall.
When this was performed, Oliver told him that he was ignorant of one of the high privileges of his own corps, which only received orders from the King in person, or the High Constable of France, in lieu of their own officers. "You are placed here by his Majesty's command, young man," added Oliver, "and you will not be long here without knowing wherefore you are summoned. Meantime your walk extends along this gallery. You are permitted to stand still while you list, but on no account to sit down, or quit your weapon. You are not to sing aloud, or whistle, upon any account; but you may, if you list, mutter some of the church's prayers, or what else you list that has no offence in it, in a low voice. Farewell, and keep good watch."
"Good watch!" thought the youthful soldier as his guide stole away from him with that noiseless gliding step which was peculiar to him, and vanished through a side door behind the arras.
"Good watch! but upon whom and against whom? -- for what, save bats or rats, are there here to contend with, unless these grim old representatives of humanity should start into life for the disturbance of my guard? Well, it is my duty, I suppose, and I must perform it."
With the vigorous purpose of discharging his duty, even to the very rigour, he tried to while away the time with some of the pious hymns which he had learned in the convent in which he had found shelter after the death of his father -- allowing in his own mind, that, but for the change of a novice's frock for the rich military dress which he now wore, his soldierly walk in the royal gallery of France resembled greatly those of which he had tired excessively in the cloistered seclusion of Aberbrothick.
Presently, as if to convince himself he now belonged not to the cell but to the world, he chanted to himself, but in such tone as not to exceed the license given to him, some of the ancient rude ballads which the old family harper had taught him, of the defeat of the Danes at Aberlemno and Forres, the murder of King Duffus at Forfar, and other pithy sonnets and lays which appertained to the history of his distant native country, and particularly of the district to which he belonged. This wore away a considerable space of time, and it was now more than two hours past noon when Quentin was reminded by his appetite that the good fathers of Aberbrothick, however strict in demanding his attendance upon the hours of devotion, were no less punctual in summoning him to those of refection; whereas here, in the interior of a royal palace, after a morning spent in exercise, and a noon exhausted in duty, no man seemed to consider it as a natural consequence that he must be impatient for his dinner.
