"Right, Peter, very right," said the Syndic "it is our old Low Dutch fashion, ein wort, ein man (a man of his word), and now let us to this gear. We must take leave of this William de la Marck, and yet I know not, my mind misgives me when I think of him, and were it a ceremony which could be waived, I have no stomach to go through it."
"Were you not better, since you have a force together, to make for the gate and force the guard?" said Quentin.
But with united voice, Pavillon and his adviser exclaimed against the propriety of such an attack upon their ally's soldiers, with some hints concerning its rashness, which satisfied Quentin that it was not a risk to be hazarded with such associates.
They resolved, therefore, to repair boldly to the great hall of the castle, where, as they understood, the Wild Boar of Ardennes held his feast, and demand free egress for the Syndic of Liege and his company, a request too reasonable, as it seemed, to be denied. Still the good burgomaster groaned when he looked on his companions, and exclaimed to his faithful Peter, "See what it is to have too bold and too tender a heart! Alas! Peterkin, how much have courage and humanity cost me! and how much may I yet have to pay for my virtues, before Heaven makes us free of this damned Castle of Schonwaldt!"
As they crossed the courts, still strewed with the dying and dead, Quentin, while he supported Isabelle through the scene of horrors, whispered to her courage and comfort, and reminded her that her safety depended entirely on her firmness and presence of mind.
"Not on mine -- not on mine," she said, "but on yours -- on yours only. Oh, if I but escape this fearful night, never shall I forget him who saved me! One favour more only, let me implore at your hand, and I conjure you to grant it, by your mother's fame and your father's honour!"
"What is it you can ask that I could refuse?" said Quentin, in a whisper.
"Plunge your dagger in my heart," said she, "rather than leave me captive in the hands of these monsters."
Quentin's only answer was a pressure of the young Countess's hand, which seemed as if, but for terror, it would have returned the caress. And, leaning on her youthful protector, she entered the fearful hall, preceded by Pavillon and his lieutenant, and followed by a dozen of the Kurschenschaft, or skinner's trade, who attended as a guard of honour on the Syndic.
As they approached the hall, the yells of acclamation and bursts of wild laughter which proceeded from it, seemed rather to announce the revel of festive demons, rejoicing after some accomplished triumph over the human race, than of mortal beings who had succeeded in a bold design. An emphatic tone of mind, which despair alone could have inspired, supported the assumed courage of the Countess Isabelle, undaunted spirits, which rose with the extremity, maintained that of Durward, while Pavillon and his lieutenant made a virtue of necessity, and faced their fate like bears bound to a stake, which must necessarily stand the dangers of the course.
怜悯的大门将被完全关闭，
铁石心肠的粗暴士兵将挥舞血腥的手，
像在地狱一般疯狂肆虐。
《亨利五世》
索恩瓦尔德城堡的卫队虽因遭到偷袭而惊恐万状，还是成功地对入侵者进行了一段时间的抵抗。但从列日城蜂拥而至的攻城人群使他们寡不敌众，士气一落千丈。
在守军当中即使没出现叛变，但也出现了不忠之徒。有些人喊投降，有些人从墙上跳进护城河企图逃出城堡。许多未被淹死者则扔掉徽章和标记，混在杂乱的攻城人群中以图保全性命。只有忠于主教的少数人员聚集在他的周围，继续保卫他赖以避难的主楼。另一些人由于担心敌人不会饶他们，正凭着垂死挣扎的勇气，固守着这宽阔的城堡内一些孤立的堡垒和塔楼。但攻城者已占领了庭院和主楼的底层，正忙于追击败退的敌人，搜寻战利品。这时却有一人似乎在追求他人都在逃避的死亡，竭力闯出一条路向那骚乱和恐怖的现场冲过去，因为他头脑中所想象的恐怖要远远胜过他所看到的、所感到的真实恐怖。凡是在那恐怖之夜见到昆丁•达威特而不知其用意的人定会把他当作一个发狂的疯子，但凡是能赞赏其动机的人则会认为他不亚于浪漫诗里的传奇英雄。
这年轻人顺着原路回到索恩瓦尔德的途中碰到几个人正朝树林里逃去。他们自然想躲开他，因为他走的方向与他们走的正好相反。当他走近时，他听得见也模糊地看得见有人从花园围墙上跳进护城河，另一些人则像是被追兵所逼而从城谍上跳下来的。但他的勇气丝毫未减。至于那条小船，即使这时还有可能使用，他也来不及寻找；而那花园的旁门则已堵满了逃跑的人；他们在过门时屡屡遭到后面的推挤，掉进了他们无法渡过的护城河。
昆丁避开这个地点，来到城堡小门的附近，那里有个还没放下来的吊桥。他从这儿纵身跳下了护城河。他好不容易摆脱了几个行将没顶的可怜人死命的揪抓，游到那吊桥跟前，抓住一根吊下来的铁链，使尽全身力气，挣出水面，够着了悬吊桥的平台。正当他用手和膝部拚命往上爬的时候，一个德国长矛手手握沾满鲜血的长刀向他跑来，举起刀就要劈头砍下，打发他回老家。
“怎么了，伙计！”昆丁带着威严的口气说，“你就这样帮助一个伙伴吗？拉我一把吧。”
那长矛手颇为犹豫地默默把手伸给他，帮他爬上平台。那苏格兰人不让他有思索余地，继续以命令式的语调说：“想发财去西边那个塔楼——主教的财宝都藏在西边那个塔楼！”
顿时到处都传遍了这两句话：“去西边的塔楼——财宝都藏在西边的塔楼！”听见这呼喊的散兵游勇就像一群发疯的野狼似的朝着那个方向奔去，而昆丁则不顾生死坚决朝着与其相反的方向走去。
他装出一副征服者（而不是被征服者）的神气闯出一条道路走进花园，比原来估计的更顺利地匆匆走了过去。因为那“去西边的塔楼”的呼声引走了一批进攻者，而另一股则被喊杀声和号声召唤，去帮助挫败主楼的保卫者打算带着主教拚死突围、杀出城堡的尝试。因此昆丁怀着忐忑不安的心情急忙走过花园。他把自己托给曾保护他战胜了无数生命危险的神力，并因为已下定不成功便成仁的决心而感到浑身是胆。他还没来得及到达目的地，便有三个人横持长矛狂呼“列日！列日！”向他冲了过来。
他先摆出防御的样子，并不主动进攻，然后回答说：“法兰西！法兰西！列日的朋友！”
“法兰西万岁！”列日市民喊道，接着走了过去。这同一句话也像法宝似的使他避开了原在花园里窜动，见他来便喊着“Sanglier！”向他扑过来的四五个德拉马克匪徒的袭击。
总之，昆丁已感到有希望以路易王这个列日叛乱的暗中怂恿者和威廉•德拉马克的暗中支持者的堂堂特使的身份，侥幸度过这个恐怖之夜。
赶到塔楼时，他惊恐地发现已经有好几具尸体堵住了玛尔松和哈梅琳女士不久前和他相会的那道小旁门。
他急忙把两具尸体拖到一边，正想跨过第三具尸体进门去，不料他原以为死了的这个人却抓住他的斗篷，哀求他站住，帮他站起来。昆丁打算使用粗暴的办法挣脱这个不合时宜的阻挠，但那躺在地上的人继续喊道：“我是被我自己的铠甲窒息得快死了！我是列日的行会主席巴维翁！如果你是我们这边的，我可以使你发财，如果你是那边的，我可以给你保护。但千万别——千万别让我像头猪一样被憋死在这儿！”
昆丁在这混乱的厮杀中还保持着冷静的头脑。他马上想起这位重要人物也许有能力保护他们撤退，于是他扶他起来，并问他是否受了伤。
“没受伤——至少我以为没受伤，”那市民回答道，“就是气喘不过来。”
“那么你坐在这块石头上松口气吧，”昆丁说道，“我马上回来。”
“你是那一边的？”那市民仍拦住他问道。
“我是法国这边的——法国这边的。”昆丁回答道，一边考虑如何把他摆脱掉。
“什么！你就是我碰到过的那位年轻射手？”尊敬的行会主席说道，“假如我命该在这个恐怖的夜晚碰到一位朋友，我向你担保，我是不会离开你的。不管你去哪儿我都会跟着你。要是我能把我们行会的几个棒小伙子叫拢来，我也许还能反过来帮帮你哩。但他们都像豌豆那样撒了出去。啊，这真是个可怕的夜晚！”
这时他紧紧地跟在昆丁后面吃力地走着。由于意识到取得这样一个有影响的人物的保护所具有的重要性，昆丁放慢了脚步来帮助他，虽然内心里暗自咒骂这个累赘。
楼梯的顶部是个前室。里面的一些箱子和盒子像是被搜查过，因为地板上零乱地放着从箱子里倒出来的东西。烟囱里的一盏行将熄灭的油灯发出一丝微光，照着一个横卧在壁炉上的死人或失去知觉的人。
昆丁像一头摆脱了猎人套索的猎犬，猛然从巴维翁身边跳开，险些把他撞翻在地。他穿过第二间房来到第三间房——克罗伊埃仕女可能住过的卧室。这两间房都看不见一个活人。他呼叫着伊莎贝尔小姐的名字，先是轻轻喊，继而大声叫，再就是拚命喊都没有回答。他搓着手，撕扯着头发，痛心得捶胸顿足。最后他看见这卧室一个阴暗角落里的墙裙上面有条裂缝，从缝里射出一线微弱的灯光。这说明在挂毯后面还有个暗室。昆丁急忙跑去探察。他发现那儿的确有道暗门，但在匆忙中使劲推也推不开。他不顾身体可能受到的损害，用尽全身力气，拼上全身重量来撞门。碰到这种介乎希望和绝望的拼死努力带来的凶猛气势，即使比这坚固得多的堡垒也未尝不能冲破。
拼命冲撞的结果使他一头闯进了一间小祈祷室。原来跪在圣像前痛苦祈祷的妇女，由于逼近的骚动给她带来了新的恐惧，终于昏倒在地板上。他急忙把她扶起来。啊，太幸福了！这正是他要救的少女——伊莎贝尔伯爵小姐。他把她搂在怀里，唤她醒来，求她振作起精神——因为一个既有心灵也有力量来为她抵挡千军万马的男人在保护着她。
“达威特！”她终于神态清醒地说道，“真是你吗？那么还有点希望。我原以为所有活着和死去的朋友都离开了我，任命运摆布我哩。可别再抛弃我了！”
“决不会——决不会！”达威特说道，“不管发生什么情况，碰到什么危险，我都和你共命运，直至看到你得到幸福。否则愿上苍剥夺我一切幸福。”
“多悲怆动人啊，真的，”后面一个粗声粗气的哮喘般的声音说道，“我看这是个男女恋爱的事。我从心底可怜这柔弱的姑娘，仿佛她就是我自己的女儿特鲁德珍。”
“您应当不只是可怜我们，”昆丁转过身来对他说道，“巴维翁阁下，您应当设法保护我们。您可以相信，这位小姐是你们的盟友法王路易特意交给我照顾的。如果你们不帮我保护她不受暴力侵害，你们的列日城就会失去路易王的恩宠。首先您必须使她别落在威廉•德拉马克手上。”
“这可困难，”巴维翁说道，“因为这些长矛手都是些搜索和掳掠少女的魔鬼。不过我会尽力而为。我们到那间房里去，让我考虑考虑该怎么办吧。这楼梯很窄，你可以拿着梭镖守住门。我将从窗口向外看，设法把几个列日制革行会的勇敢小伙子纠集拢来。你知道，他们就像他们系的腰刀一样忠实可靠。不过，得请你先给我解开这些铁扣——自从圣特隆战役以后我就没穿过这身铠甲。如果荷兰制的秤准的话，我的确比当时重了三英石。”
解开铁扣之后，那老实人大大松了口气。想必他穿上铠甲时考虑得更多的是他对列日事业的忠诚，而没有怎么考虑他打仗的本事。后来人们才知道，这位首领仿佛是不由自主地被攻城的人流冲着走。在被这人流抬过城墙之后，便随着攻守两方潮水涨落四处飘落，进而失去了开口讲话的能力。最后，就像海水顺着最先碰到的一个河沟把浮木抛上海岸一样，这股人流终于把我们的巴维翁大人扔到了克罗伊埃仕女卧房的人口处。他自己那身铠甲已很笨重，再加上人口处有两人被杀，倒在他身上，给他增加了压力；要不是遇到达威特及时解救，他可能就会久久地呆在那里了。
赫尔曼•巴维前热情的性格固然使得他成为一个莽撞而激进的政治狂热分于，但更可喜的是，这也使得他在私生活中成为一个性格和蔼、心地善良的好人。除了有时受到虚荣心的蒙蔽以外，他始终善意而仁慈地对待别人。他嘱咐昆丁要特别关照这可怜的娇美少女。说了这番多余的话之后，他便从窗口向外面喊：“列日，列日，英勇的制革行会会员们！”
一听到这声召唤，他手下的一两个直接追随者便聚集拢来，而随着这召唤发出的特殊口哨声（每个行业都有他们自己的暗号），很快便有更多的人应召而来，在他们首领喊叫着的窗子底下形成了一支卫队。
战事似乎在逐渐平息。抵抗已全部结束。各参战派别的首领们正在采取措施防止乱兵洗劫，并通过敲钟召集一次军事会议。那大钟向列日市民宣告叛乱者已胜利占领了索恩瓦尔德堡，市内钟声齐鸣作为呼应。那遥远而响亮的钟声像在呼喊胜利万岁！要是巴维翁阁下此刻从他的堡垒中冲将下来，那也不足为怪。但为了照顾在他保护下的两个人，或为了更好地保证他自己的安全，他只限于派去一个又一个的传令兵，吩咐他的副官彼得金•盖斯勒尔立即前来和他共商要事。
看到彼得金终于应命赶来，他感到松了一大口气，因为不管是在军事、政治或商业的紧要场合，这人都是巴维翁最信赖的心腹。他个子矮墩墩的，方方正正的面孔，粗黑的眉毛，说明他这人喜欢争论，固执已见——颇像个参谋的样子。他穿着黄牛皮上衣，腰间系着宽皮带和弯刀，手里握着一根长朝。
“彼得金，我亲爱的副官，”司令说道，“今天真了不起——嗯，应该说今晚真了不起。我想这回你总算满意了吧？”
“看到你满意我自然也很满意，”那勇敢的副官说道，“不过，如果你称其为胜利，我可没想到你会躲在这个阁楼上欢庆这个胜利。他们正通知你去开会哩。”
“要我去开会？”那行会主席说道。
“是的。你有可能去维护我们列日人比以往遭到更大危险的权利。”那副官回答道。
“得了吧，彼得金，”头头对他说，“你这个家伙老是有满腹牢骚。”
“满腹牢骚？我才不哩，”彼得金说，“别人满意的我也满意。不过我只希望我们没像圣兰伯特教堂的牧师经常读给我们听的伊索寓言里面说的那样，赶走了圆木王来了个鹳王。”
“彼得金，我真不懂你是什么意思。”行会主席说道。
“那我就告诉你吧，巴维翁师傅。这个叫野猪或狗熊的家伙有意把索思瓦尔德变成他的窝。像他这样一个列日城的邻居，很可能和老主教一样糟糕，甚至比他更糟糕。他已经抢走了全部胜利果实，只是在犹豫，应该自封为王子哩，还是自封为主教？再说，他们那么虐待那个老人也真造孽。”
“彼得金，我绝不能允许这样做。”巴维翁说道，一边准备立即采取行动，“我不喜欢主教戴的冠冕，但并不是不喜欢那戴冠冕的脑袋。彼得金，我们和他们的人数是十比一。我们得制止这种事。”
“不错，总的讲是十比一，但在城堡里却是一比一。再说，屠宰业的尼克尔•布洛克和郊区的游民也都和威廉•德拉马克站在一起，一方面是因为有酒喝（因为那家伙已命令打开全部酒桶），一方面是因为嫉妒我们这些享有权利的匠人。”
“彼得，”巴维翁说，“让我们马上回城里去。我不想在索恩瓦尔德再呆下去了。”
“老爷，城堡的桥都吊了起来，过不去，”盖斯勒尔说道，“城门都上了锁，由那些德国长矛手把守。如果我们硬要冲出去，那些以打仗为职业的家伙就会把我们这些以打仗为副业的人打得落花流水。”
“他们干吗要把守城门呢？”巴维翁不安地说道，“他们要把老实人抓来当俘虏干什么呢？”
“我也不知道为什么，”彼得说道，“传说两位克罗伊埃仕女趁攻城的机会逃跑了。这使得那大胡子先是气得要命，现在又醉得要死。”
那市长不安地望望昆丁，似乎不知如何决定才好。达威特一直在仔细倾听他们的谈话，感到十分惊惶。但他也看到他自己保持镇定并使巴维翁鼓起勇气乃是他们的安全所系。他感到他有必要在这个问题上发表他的意见，便大胆地参与他们的谈话。“巴维翁阁下，”他说，“看到你碰到这样一个场合竟然犹豫不决，束手无策，我真为你感到惭愧。你尽管大胆地去找威廉•德拉马克，要求他让你与你的副官、你的扈从和你的女儿自由离开城堡。他没有任何理由把你扣留下来当俘虏。”
“我和我的副官——那就是指我本人和彼得？好——但谁是我的扈从呢？”
“我就是。我暂时当你的扈从。”那无畏的苏格兰人回答道。
“你！”巴维翁为难地说，“你不是法王路易的特使吗？”
“不错。不过我的密信是写给列日的知事们的——也只有在列日我才会交出来。要是我在威廉•德拉马克面前承认了我的身份，我岂不会被迫和他打交道？是的，还有可能被他扣押。所以你必须把我当作你的扈从秘密送出城堡。”
“行——我的扈从。不过你还谈到我的女儿。我想我女儿平安地呆在我列日的家里——我真是衷心希望她的父亲也和她一样，此刻呆在家里。”
“这位小姐，”达威特说道，“在此地逗留期间可以称你作父亲。”
“今后我一辈子也会称您作父亲，”伯爵小姐跪倒在这位市民的脚下，搂着他的膝头说道，“只要您帮助我渡过这个无望的绝境，我将像女儿对待父亲那样每天每日都敬您，爱您，为您祷告——啊，千万别那么狠心！想想看吧，您自己的女儿也有可能跪在一个陌生人面前，求他保护她的生命和尊严——请想想这个，给予我您希望她也能获得的那种保护吧！”
“说实在的，彼得，”那深为少女悲怆的恳求所感动的善良市民说道，“我觉得这俊俏的少女是有点像我那长得可爱的特鲁德珍。一开头我就有这种感觉。而这个好出主意的活跃的年轻人也有点像特鲁德珍的未婚夫。彼得，我敢打赌，这是真诚的恋爱，不助它一臂之力简直是一种罪过。”
“既是耻辱又是罪过。”彼得用皮上衣的衣袖擦着眼泪说道。凭心而论，这弗兰德人虽然有些自以为是，但心地善良。
“权且把她当作我的女儿吧，”巴维翁说，“她得好好蒙上黑面纱。既然她是行会主席的女儿，要是没有足够多的忠实制革匠来保护她，那他们就没脸再扯牛皮了。不过得注意，我必须回答他们的问题——要是他们问我，在攻城这种时候，我女儿跑来干什么，我怎么回答好呢？”
“请问，列日一半的妇女跟随我们进城堡来，又为了什么呢？”彼得说道，“除开说这正是这世界上她们本不应该来的地方，别的还能说什么呢？我们的特鲁德珍小姐比别人走得稍远一点——如此而已。”
“答得真妙。”昆丁说道，“尊贵的巴维翁阁下，您就鼓足勇气，照这位绅士的好主意去干吧。这将是查理曼大帝以来最有价值的一个功德，而您又不致给自己带来麻烦。亲爱的小姐，用这条面纱把你的脸紧紧蒙起来（房间里零乱地摆着许多妇女服装用品）。只要有信心，几分钟之内你就可以获得自由和安全。尊贵的先生，”他对着巴维翁说道，“您领头走吧。”
“等——等——等一下，”巴维翁说，“我还是放心不下！这个德拉马克是个狂人，一个名符其实的野猪。要是这个少女就是克罗伊埃小姐那怎么得了？要是让他发现了，大发雷霆那怎么得了？”
“假如我真是这个不幸的少女，”伊莎贝尔说道，看去又想向他下跪，“您能够在这绝望的时刻抛弃我吗？啊，但愿我真是您的女儿，一位最贫穷的市民的女儿！”
“小姐，我们不算穷——也不算很穷——我们还过得去。”那市民说道。
“请原谅我，高贵的先生。”不幸的少女又说道。
“不算高贵，也不是什么先生，”那行会主席说道，“只是个能用现款偿付票据的普通列日市民。不过这有点文不对题。好吧，你就说你是伯爵小姐，我也照样会保护你。”
“即使她是伯爵小姐，你也有义务保护她，”彼得说，“因为你已经作了许诺。”
“说得对，彼得，说得很对，”那行会主席又说道，“这是我们低地荷兰人的作风：一言既出，驷马难追。现在让我们谈正事吧——我们得向这个威廉•德拉马克打个招呼才能走。不知怎么回事，我一想起他就心绪不宁。但愿这是个可以摆脱的礼节，我实在没有心思去走过场。”
“既然你有支队伍，冲到城门跟前强迫卫兵开门不是更好吗？”昆丁说道。
巴维翁和他的参谋异口同声地表示不赞成对自己的盟军进行这种袭击，并暗示这样做未免轻率。昆丁晓得让这样的同伙冒这种危险是办不到的。他们了解到“阿登内斯野猪”正在举行祝捷盛宴，便决定进入城堡大厅，为列日的行会主席及其一行人要求获得出城的权利——看来这要求十分合理，很难予以拒绝。但那好心的市长还是望着他的伙伴们唉声叹气，并对忠实的彼得说：“你瞧，胆子太大、心肠太软会带来什么样的好处！唉呀，彼得金，你知道仁慈和勇敢让我吃了多少亏！在老天爷让我们离开这倒霉的索恩瓦尔德堡以前，我还不知要为我的善良品德付出多大的代价哩！”
当他们走过仍然躺满了垂死的伤者和死者的庭院时，昆丁扶着伊莎贝尔走过这恐怖的屠场，轻声安慰她，给她鼓气，并提醒她：她的安危完全取决于她的坚定和镇静。
“不是取决于我，”她说，“而是取决于你——取决于你一个人的坚定和镇静。啊，要是我能熬过这个恐怖的夜晚而脱险，我决不会忘了救我的人！我想哀求你再给我一个恩惠，求你看在你父母亲的荣誉和尊严的分上，一定答应我！”
“你的要求我怎能拒绝呢？”昆丁轻声说道。
“宁可用匕首捅开我的胸膛，”她说，“也不要让我落在这些禽兽手上当囚徒。”
昆丁惟一的回答是握住伯爵小姐的手。要不是因为这恐怖的情景，看来她本会回答这一爱抚的表示。在巴维翁及其副官打先锋，十多个制革匠组成的行会主席的仪仗队跟随下，伊莎贝尔依偎着她年轻的保镖走进了那杀气腾腾的大厅。
当他们走近大厅时，里面传出来的鼓掌欢呼声、一阵阵粗野的狂笑声似乎说明这是群魔在欢庆对人类取得的胜利而开怀畅饮，并不是凡人在为他们的冒险计划获得成功而干杯。这时，促使伊莎贝尔小姐鼓起勇气的是一种惟有绝望才能激发出来的倔强心理，而促使达威特鼓起勇气的则是在山穷水尽时更为昂扬的大无畏精神。至于巴维翁和他的副官则像被捆在柱子上不得不面对危险的大熊，只好硬着头皮来面对自己的命运。
Chapter 22 The Revellers
Cade. -- Where's Dick, the butcher of Ashford? Dick. -- Here, sir. Cade. -- They fell before thee like sheep and oxen, and thou behavedst thyself as if thou hadst been in thine own slaughter house.
SECOND PART OF KING HENRY V.
There could hardly exist a more strange and horrible change than had taken place in the castle hall of Schonwaldt since Quentin had partaken of the noontide meal there, and it was indeed one which painted, in the extremity of their dreadful features, the miseries of war -- more especially when waged by those most relentless of all agents, the mercenary soldiers of a barbarous age -- men who, by habit and profession, had become familiarized with all that was cruel and bloody in the art of war, while they were devoid alike of patriotism and of the romantic spirit of chivalry.
Instead of the orderly, decent, and somewhat formal meal, at which civil and ecclesiastical officers had, a few hours before, sat mingled in the same apartment, where a light jest could only be uttered in a whisper, and where, even amid superfluity of feasting and of wine, there reigned a decorum which almost amounted to hypocrisy, there was now such a scene of wild and roaring debauchery as Satan himself, had he taken the chair as founder of the feast, could scarcely have improved.
At the head of the table sat, in the Bishop's throne and state, which had been hastily brought thither from his great council chamber, the redoubted Boar of Ardennes himself, well deserving that dreaded name in which he affected to delight, and which he did as much as he could think of to deserve.
His head was unhelmeted, but he wore the rest of his ponderous and bright armour, which indeed he rarely laid aside. Over his shoulders hung a strong surcoat, made of the dressed skin of a huge wild boar, the hoofs being of solid silver and the tusks of the same. The skin of the head was so arranged, that, drawn over the casque, when the Baron was armed, or over his bare head in the fashion of a hood, as he often affected when the helmet was laid aside, and as he now wore it, the effect was that of a grinning, ghastly monster, and yet the countenance which it overshadowed scarce required such horrors to improve those which were natural to its ordinary expression.
The upper part of De la Marck's face, as Nature had formed it, almost gave the lie to his character, for though his hair, when uncovered, resembled the rude and wild bristles of the hood he had drawn over it, yet an open, high, and manly forehead, broad ruddy cheeks, large, sparkling, light coloured eyes, and a nose which looked like the beak of the eagle, promised something valiant and generous. But the effect of these more favourable traits was entirely overpowered by his habits of violence and insolence, which, joined to debauchery and intemperance, had stamped upon the features a character inconsistent with the rough gallantry which they would otherwise have exhibited. The former had, from habitual indulgence, swollen the muscles of the cheeks and those around the eyes, in particular the latter; evil practices and habits had dimmed the eyes themselves, reddened the part of them that should have been white, and given the whole face a hideous likeness of the monster which it was the terrible Baron's pleasure to resemble. But from an odd sort of contradiction, De la March, while he assumed in other respects the appearance of the Wild Boar, and even seemed pleased with the name, yet endeavoured, by the length and growth of his beard, to conceal the circumstance that had originally procured him that denomination. This was an unusual thickness and projection of the mouth and upper jaw, which, with the huge projecting side teeth, gave that resemblance to the bestial creation, which, joined to the delight that De la Marck had in hunting the forest so called, originally procured for him the name of the Boar of Ardennes. The beard, broad, grisly, and uncombed, neither concealed the natural horrors of the countenance, nor dignified its brutal expression.
The soldiers and officers sat around the table, intermixed with the men of Liege, some of them of the very lowest description, among whom Nikkel Blok the butcher, placed near De la Marck himself, was distinguished by his tucked up sleeves, which displayed arms smeared to the elbows with blood, as was the cleaver which lay on the table before him. The soldiers wore, most of them, their beards long and grisly, in imitation of their leader, had their hair plaited and turned upwards, in the manner that ought best improve the natural ferocity of their appearance, and intoxicated, as many of them seemed to be, partly with the sense of triumph, and partly with the long libations of wine which they had been quaffing, presented a spectacle at once hideous and disgusting. The language which they held, and the songs which they sang, without even pretending to pay each other the compliment of listening, were so full of license and blasphemy, that Quentin blessed God that the extremity of the noise prevented them from being intelligible to his companion.
