He said that the people of Liege were wealthy burghers, who, like Jeshurun (a designation for Israel) of old, had waxed fat and kicked -- that they were uplifted in heart because of their wealth and their privileges -- that they had divers disputes with the Duke of Burgundy, their liege lord, upon the subject of imports and immunities and that they had repeatedly broken out into open mutiny, whereat the Duke was so much incensed, as being a man of a hot and fiery nature, that he had sworn, by Saint George, on the next provocation, he would make the city of Liege like to the desolation of Babylon and the downfall of Tyre, a hissing and a reproach to the whole territory of Flanders.
(Babylon: taken by Cyrus in 538 B. C. See Revelation xviii, 21: "A mighty angel took up a stone . . . and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more.")
(Tyre: conquered by Alexander the Great in 332 B. C. "I will make thee a terror, and thou shalt be no more . . . yet shalt thou never be found again, saith the Lord God." Ezekiel xxvi, 21.)
"And he is a prince by all report likely to keep such a vow," said Quentin, "so the men of Liege will probably beware how they give him occasion."
"It were to be so hoped," said the Prior, "and such are the prayers of the godly in the land, who would not that the blood of the citizens were poured forth like water, and that they should perish, even as utter castaways, ere they make their peace with Heaven. Also the good Bishop labours night and day to preserve peace, as well becometh a servant of the altar, for it is written in Holy Scripture, Beati pacifici. But" -- Here the good Prior stopped, with a deep sigh.
Quentin modestly urged the great importance of which it was to the ladies whom he attended, to have some assured information respecting the internal state of the country, and what an act of Christian charity it would be, if the worthy and reverend Father would enlighten them upon that subject.
"It is one," said the Prior, "on which no man speaks with willingness, for those who speak evil of the powerful, etiam in cubiculo (even in the bed chamber), may find that a winged thing shall carry the matter to his ears. Nevertheless, to render you, who seem an ingenuous youth, and your ladies, who are devout votaresses accomplishing a holy pilgrimage, the little service that is in my power, I will be plain with you."
He then looked cautiously round and lowered his voice, as if afraid of being overheard.
"The people of Liege," he said, "are privily instigated to their frequent mutinies by men of Belial (in the Bible this term is used as an appellative of Satan), who pretend, but, as I hope, falsely, to have commission to that effect from our most Christian King, whom, however, I hold to deserve that term better than were consistent with his thus disturbing the peace of a neighbouring state. Yet so it is, that his name is freely used by those who uphold and inflame the discontents at Liege. There is, moreover, in the land, a nobleman of good descent, and fame in warlike affairs, but otherwise, so to speak, Lapis offensionis et petra scandali -- and a stumbling block of offence to the countries of Burgundy and Flanders. His name is William de la Marck."
"Called William with the Beard," said the young Scot, "or the Wild Boar of Ardennes?"
"And rightly so called, my son," said the Prior, "because he is as the wild boar of the forest, which treadeth down with his hoofs and rendeth with his tusks. And he hath formed to himself a band of more than a thousand men, all, like himself, contemners of civil and ecclesiastical authority, and holds himself independent of the Duke of Burgundy, and maintains himself and his followers by rapine and wrong, wrought without distinction upon churchmen and laymen. Imposuit manus in Christos Domini -- he hath stretched forth his hand upon the anointed of the Lord, regardless of what is written, 'Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no wrong.' -- Even to our poor house did he send for sums of gold and sums of silver, as a ransom for our lives, and those of our brethren, to which we returned a Latin supplication, stating our inability to answer his demand, and exhorting him in the words of the preacher, Ne moliaris amico tuo malum, cum habet in te fiduciam (devise not evil against thy neighbour who dwelleth by thee in security). Nevertheless, this Guilielmus Barbatus, this William de la Marck, as completely ignorant of humane letters as of humanity itself, replied, in his ridiculous jargon, Si non payatis, brulabo monasterium vestrum (if you do not pay, I will burn your monastery. A similar story is told of the Duke of Vendome, who answered in this sort of macaronic Latin the classical expostulations of a German convent against the imposition of a contribution. S.)."
"Of which rude Latin, however, you, my good father," said the youth, "were at no loss to conceive the meaning?"
"Alas! my son," said the Prior, "Fear and Necessity are shrewd interpreters, and we were obliged to melt down the silver vessels of our altar to satisfy the rapacity of this cruel chief. May Heaven requite it to him seven fold! Pereat improbus -- Amen, amen, anathema esto! (let the wicked perish. Let him be anathema! 'In pronouncing an anathema against a person, the church excludes him from her communion; and he must, if he continue obstinate, perish eternally.' Cent. Dict.)"
"I marvel," said Quentin, "that the Duke of Burgundy, who is so strong and powerful, doth not bait this boar to purpose, of whose ravages I have already heard so much."
"Alas! my son," said the Prior, "the Duke Charles is now at Peronne, assembling his captains of hundreds and his captains of thousands, to make war against France, and thus, while Heaven hath set discord between the hearts of those great princes, the country is misused by such subordinate oppressors. But it is in evil time that the Duke neglects the cure of these internal gangrenes, for this William de la Marck hath of late entertained open communication with Rouslaer and Pavillon, the chiefs of the discontented at Liege, and it is to be feared he will soon stir them up to some desperate enterprise."
"But the Bishop of Liege," said Quentin, "he hath still power enough to subdue this disquieted and turbulent spirit -- hath he not, good father? Your answer to this question concerns me much."
"The Bishop, my child," replied the Prior, "hath the sword of Saint Peter, as well as the keys. He hath power as a secular prince, and he hath the protection of the mighty House of Burgundy, he hath also spiritual authority as a prelate, and he supports both with a reasonable force -- of good soldiers and men at arms. This William de la Marck was bred in his household, and bound to him by many benefits. But he gave vent, even in the court of the Bishop, to his fierce and bloodthirsty temper, and was expelled thence for a homicide committed on one of the Bishop's chief domestics. From thenceforward, being banished from the good Prelate's presence, he hath been his constant and unrelenting foe, and now, I grieve to say, he hath girded his loins, and strengthened his horn against him."
"You consider, then, the situation of the worthy Prelate as being dangerous?" said Quentin, very, anxiously.
"Alas! my son," said the good Franciscan, "what or who is there in this weary wilderness, whom we may not hold as in danger? But Heaven forefend I should speak of the reverend Prelate as one whose peril is imminent. He has much treasure, true counsellors, and brave soldiers, and, moreover, a messenger who passed hither to the eastward yesterday saith that the Duke of Burgundy hath dispatched, upon the Bishop's request, an hundred men at arms to his assistance. This reinforcement, with the retinue belonging to each lance, are enough to deal with William de la Marck, on whose name be sorrow! -- Amen."
At this crisis their conversation was interrupted by the Sacristan, who, in a voice almost inarticulate with anger, accused the Bohemian of having practised the most abominable arts of delusion among the younger brethren. He had added to their nightly meal cups of a heady and intoxicating cordial, of ten times the strength of the most powerful wine, under which several of the fraternity had succumbed, and indeed, although the Sacristan had been strong to resist its influence, they might yet see, from his inflamed countenance and thick speech, that even he, the accuser himself, was in some degree affected by this unhallowed potation. Moreover, the Bohemian had sung songs of worldly vanity and impure pleasures, he had derided the cord of Saint Francis, made jest of his miracles, and termed his votaries fools and lazy knaves. Lastly, he had practised palmistry, and foretold to the young Father Cherubin that he was helped by a beautiful lady, who should make him father to a thriving boy.
The Father Prior listened to these complaints for some time in silence, as struck with mute horror by their enormous atrocity. When the Sacristan had concluded, he rose up, descended to the court of the convent, and ordered the lay brethren, on pain of the worst consequences of spiritual disobedience, to beat Hayraddin out of the sacred precincts with their broom staves and cart whips.
This sentence was executed accordingly, in the presence of Quentin Durward, who, however vexed at the occurrence, easily saw that his interference would be of no avail.
The discipline inflicted upon the delinquent, notwithstanding the exhortations of the Superior, was more ludicrous than formidable. The Bohemian ran hither and thither through the court, amongst the clamour of voices, and noise of blows, some of which reached him not because purposely misaimed, others, sincerely designed for his person, were eluded by his activity, and the few that fell upon his back and shoulders he took without either complaint or reply. The noise and riot was the greater, that the inexperienced cudgel players, among whom Hayraddin ran the gauntlet, hit each other more frequently than they did him, till at length, desirous of ending a scene which was more scandalous than edifying, the Prior commanded the wicket to be flung open, and the Bohemian, darting through it with the speed of lightning, fled forth into the moonlight. During this scene, a suspicion which Durward had formerly entertained, recurred with additional strength. Hayraddin had, that very morning, promised to him more modest and discreet behaviour than he was wont to exhibit, when they rested in a convent on their journey, yet he had broken his engagement, and had been even more offensively obstreperous than usual. Something probably lurked under this, for whatever were the Bohemian's deficiencies, he lacked neither sense, nor, when he pleased, self command, and might it not be probable that he wished to hold some communication, either with, his own horde or some one else, from which he was debarred in the course of the day by the vigilance with which he was watched by Quentin, and had recourse to this stratagem in order to get himself turned out of the convent?
No sooner did this suspicion dart once more through Quentin's mind, than, alert as he always was in his motions, he resolved to follow his cudgelled guide, and observe (secretly if possible) how he disposed of himself. Accordingly, when the Bohemian fled, as already mentioned, out at the gate of the convent, Quentin, hastily explaining to the Prior the necessity of keeping sight of his guide, followed in pursuit of him.
我像自然之神初创人类时那样自由，
那时，卑劣的奴役制度尚未露头，
高贵的野人在森林里飞奔，
该是多么的无拘无束。
《格林纳达的征服》
昆丁与两位仕女进行简短的谈话，使她们相信刚参加他们行列的这位不寻常的人物正是国王给他们派来的向导。与此同时，他注意到（正像那波希米亚人非常注意他的行动一样，他对这陌生人的行动也十分警觉），那人不但尽量回过头来看他们，而且以人所没有的猴子般的敏捷在马鞍上将整个身子扭了过来，几乎横着骑在马上，似乎是为了能方便自如地注意观察他们的动态。
昆丁对他这一手颇感不悦，便骑到这波希米亚人跟前，趁他突然坐正的时候对他说：“朋友，假如你盯着马尾巴而不是马耳朵，我想你会变成一个盲目的向导。”
“要是我真是个瞎子，”波希米亚人回答说，“我也照样能带领你们穿过法国这个地区及其邻近的地区。”
“你不是一个土生土长的法国人。”苏格兰人说。
“我不是。”向导回答道。
“那么你是哪国人呢？”昆丁问道。
“哪国也不是。”向导回答说。
“怎么！哪国也不是？”苏格兰人又追问道。
“是的，”波希米亚人回答说，“我是吉卜赛人、波希米亚人、埃及人，或者按欧洲人用他们不同的语言对我们的民族称呼的那样，一个别的什么人。不过我没有祖国。”
“你是个基督徒吗？”苏格兰人问道。
波希米亚人摇摇头。
“狗东西！”昆丁喊道（因为当时天主教很缺乏宽容精神），“你崇拜穆罕默德吗？”
“不。”向导冷漠而干脆地回答说。对这年轻人的粗暴态度他好像既不见怪也不惊奇。
“那么你是个异教徒？你究竟是个什么？”
“我不信宗教。”波希米亚人回答说。
达威特惊奇得倒退了一步，因为尽管他听说过撒拉森人和偶像崇拜者，但他从没想到过，也没相信过，竟有人不崇拜任何神灵而能生存下去。待他从惊奇中恢复平静之后，他问那向导，通常他住在什么地方。
“住在我碰巧停留的地方，”波希米亚人说，“我没有家。”
“那你如何保护你的财产？”
“除开穿的衣裳、骑的马儿以外别无财产。”
“但你穿得很漂亮，马也骑得很潇洒。”达威特说，“你是靠什么来维持生活呢？”
“我饿了就吃，渴了就喝，除了命运给我提供的生计以外别无谋生之道。’哪流浪汉回答说。
“你服从谁家的法律？”
“除开适合我口味或需要的以外，谁家的法律我也不服从。”波希米亚人说道。
“指挥你的头头是谁？”
“我们部族的酋长——假如我高兴服从他的话，”向导说，“否则我就没有头头可言。”
“这么说，把人们维系起来的一切对你都不存在，”那好奇的询问者又说，“你既不要法律，也不要领导；既无固定生计，也无家室可言。老天爷可怜你，你也没有祖国——愿老大爷开导你，饶恕你，你竟不要上帝！要是你一无政府领导，二无家庭幸福，三无宗教信仰，那你还剩有什么呢？”
“我有自由，”波希米亚人说，“我对谁也不卑躬屈膝；我谁也不服从，谁也不放在眼里——我喜欢到哪儿就到哪儿，能怎样谋生就怎样谋生，该死的时候就死。”
“但只要法官高兴，他不是可以马上处死你吗？”
“就让他处死我好了，”波希米亚人回答说，“我大不了早点进坟墓。”
“他也可以把你关进监狱，”苏格兰人又说，“那么，哪里谈得上你所吹嘘的自由呢？”
“我的自由是在我的思想里，”波希米亚人说，“而这是脚镣手铐拴不住的。尽管你的身体是自由的，但你的思想却受到你的法律、迷信、你所幻想的乡土感情、你所妄想的文明政治的束缚。像我这种人精神是自由的，而肉体被束缚，而你们是心灵被监禁，肉体很自由。”
“然而，你们的思想自由减轻不了脚镣手铐的沉重压力。”苏格兰人回答说。
“我们可以短时期忍受其桎梏。”那流浪汉回答说，“如果在短时期无法脱身，我的伙伴们也无法救我，我总可以一死了之，而死是一切当中最完美的自由。”
一时两人都无话可说，最后还是昆丁又开始提问才打破了沉默。
“你们的部族是所有欧洲国家都不了解的一个流浪民族——你们的祖先是谁？”
“我不能告诉你。”波希米亚人说。
“什么时候你们才能回到你们原来的国土，而使这个国家不必再留你们居住？”
“要等我们完成了我们的命运历程的那一天。”那充当向导的流浪汉说道。
“你们是不是起源于被俘虏到幼发拉底河彼岸去当奴隶的以色列人部落？”昆丁问道；这说明他还没有忘记人们在阿伯布罗迪克寺院教给他的历史知识。
“要真是这样的话，”波希米亚人回答道，“我们就会信仰他们的宗教，奉行他们的礼规了。”
“你的名字叫什么？”达威特问道。
“只有我的弟兄们才知道我的真名——住在我们帐篷以外的人管我叫海拉丁•毛格拉宾，是非洲摩尔人海拉丁的意思。”
“你话讲得很好，不像一个经常生活在你们那种龌龊部落里的野人。”
“我已了解有关这个国家的一些知识，”海拉丁说道，“我小的时候我们部落遭到捕人的猎手们的追击。我母亲头部中箭死于非命。我被裹在她肩上扛着的毯子里，被这些猎手们掳去。有位牧师把我从军法监督的射手队那儿要去抚养，教了我两三年的法国话。”
“你是怎么离开他的呢？”达威特问道。
“我偷了他的钱——甚至偷了他所崇拜的上帝的钱，”海拉丁满不在乎地说，“他发现了，打了我——我捅了他一刀，逃进了森林，又和我们自己人团聚在一起。”
“你这恶棍！”达威特说，“竟然杀害你的恩人！”
“他干吗要拿他的小思小惠来麻烦我呢？吉卜赛儿郎又不是家里养的狗，为了点残羹剩饭跟在主人屁股后面转，畏缩着怕挨他的揍。他是一条被锁住的狼崽子，一有机会就要挣脱锁链，撕死主人，重返荒野的。”
又是一阵沉默。接着那年轻的苏格兰人为了继续弄清这位可疑的向导的性格和意图，又开始对他提问：“你们的人既然愚昧无知，难道真自以为具有连文明社会的贤哲和圣人都没有的预卜未来的知识？”
“我们自认具有这种知识，”海拉丁说道，“而且有充分的理由。”
“这样高的一种天赋怎么会被授予如此卑下的种族呢？”
“我能够向你说清楚这个道理吗？”海拉丁对答道，“是的，我能够。不过你得给我解释为什么狗能跟踪人的足迹，而人这更高贵的动物却无法跟踪狗的足迹。这些能力在你们看来十分神奇，对我们的种族来说却是一种本能。凡是找我们看相的人，我们都能根据他们脸上和手上的纹路预卜他们的未来，正像你们能根据春天树上开的花知道秋天会结什么果一样准确无误。”
“我怀疑你们这种知识。我倒要看看你能不能证明给我看。”
“扈从先生，你别激我了，”海拉丁•毛格拉宾说，”我可以告诉你，不管你怎么谈论你的宗教，你崇拜的女神可正骑着马，走在这伙人当中。”
“住嘴！”昆丁惊奇地说道，“当心你的狗命。不许你再多说，只许你回答我的问话。你能做一个忠实可靠的人吗？”
“我能够——谁都能够。”波希米亚人说。
“不过，你愿做一个忠实可靠的人吗？”
“难道我一发誓，你就会更相信我不成？”毛格拉宾带着嘲弄的表情回答说。
“要晓得，你的命掌握在我手里。”年轻的苏格兰人说。
“那就请你要打就打，要杀就杀，看我怕不怕死吧！”那波希米亚人回答说。
“能用金钱使你成为可靠的向导吗？”达威特问道。
“如果我没钱时不可靠，那么给我钱也不能使我可靠。”那异教徒回答说。
“那么什么能约束你呢？”苏格兰人问道。
