大厅里呈现出一阵忙乱活跃的气氛。巴维翁退出了给他的上席，坐在餐桌的下首。他的随从们则紧紧站在他后面，此刻就像一群羊见到一只陌生的狗，赶忙聚在带头羊的后面，因为带头羊的职务和权威使得别的羊都认为它要比它们自己更为勇敢。他们附近坐着一个英俊的小伙子，据说是凶恶的德拉马克的私生子。有时他显得很喜欢这个儿子，甚至表现出某种疼爱，因为这孩子的母亲原是德拉马克的一个美丽的情妇，由于这凶狠的首领大发酒疯或大发醋意而被他活活打死。她的悲惨命运使得这残暴的丈夫感到了他所能感到的某些悔恨。他对这个活着的孤儿怀有的感情可能有一部分正是出于这种原因。昆丁曾从年老的牧师那儿了解到这个情况。此刻他尽力挨近这小伙子，决心在别的防卫措施不解决问题时，通过某种方式抓住他当人质或给自己当盾牌。
正当人们全都急切地等着，看这暴君发出的命令如何执行时，一个巴维翁的随从对彼得耳语道：“我们老爷不是把那姑娘称作他女儿么？嘿，她不可能是我们的特鲁德珍。这高个子的姑娘要比她高两英寸。面纱底下还露出一束黑头发。市场的圣米林在上，这等于是把一张黑公牛皮叫作白母牛皮！”
“住嘴！住嘴！”彼得镇静地说道，“万一是老爷想瞒住太太，从主教的花园里偷走一头小母鹿呢？难道你我该告他的密吗？”
“老兄，我才不会哩，”那人说道，“但我可没想到在他这把年纪还会偷小母鹿。好家伙——瞧她是个多害羞的美人！她蹲下来坐在那张椅子上，躲在别人背后，想逃避德拉马克这帮人射向她的目光。瞧，瞧他们打算怎样对付那可怜的老主教！”
正当他这么说着的时候，列日主教——波旁•路易被一伙野蛮的匪兵拽进了他自己宫廷的大厅。乱七八糟的头发、胡须和长袍，说明他遭受了虐待。那匆忙给他披上的僧袍似乎是为了故意嘲弄他的身份而硬套在他身上的。昆丁不能不想到，幸好伊莎贝尔小姐所在的位置听不见，也看不见将要发生的情况，否则，看到她那善良的保护人遭到不幸而流露出的感情可能会暴露她的秘密，危及她的安全。达威特体贴地挡在她前面，好让她看不见别的人，也让别人看不见她。
紧接着出现了一个短暂而恐怖的情景。不幸的主教被带到那野蛮的首领的脚凳跟前。从前人们只知道他平易近人，和蔼可亲，但在这个危急关头他还表现出与其高贵的血统十分相称的尊严感和优越感。他从容不迫。在把他拽向前去的粗暴匪徒松开手时，他的态度既高贵，又显得泰然自若，看起来既有些像封建贵族，又有些像基督教殉道者。这位阶下国的仪态如此坚定，甚至使德拉马克也大吃一惊。这时他又回想起他早年给他的一些恩惠，于是显得有些犹豫不决，把头低了下来。他把一大杯酒一饮而尽，最后才恢复他那傲慢无礼的态度和表情，面对那不幸的囚徒讲了起来：“波旁•路易！”凶恶的匪首例抽口气，握紧拳头，咬紧牙关，并通过他所能使用的别的机械动作来刺激和保持他那天生的残暴性格。他往下继续说道：“过去我争取过你的友谊，而你拒绝了我的友谊。现在情况不同了，你该怎么办？尼克尔，准备好。”
那屠夫站起来，拿起屠刀，悄悄走到德拉马克的椅子后面，卷起袖子，露出他那肌腱发达的胳膊，然后高举屠刀站着待命。
“波旁•路易，你瞧这个人，”德拉马克继续说道，“你想提出什么条件以避免这危险的时刻到来呢？”
主教向那准备好随时执行暴君命令的凶恶奴才忧伤而坚定地看了一眼，然后毫不动摇地说道：“威廉•德拉马克，你听我说。所有善良的人们（如果在场的人有谁不愧这个称呼的话），也请听我讲讲我能给这个暴徒什么样的条件。威廉•德拉马克，你煽动一个君主管辖的城市起来叛乱，攻占了神圣德意志帝国一个王子的宫廷，杀了他的人，抢了他的财产，对他进行了人身侮辱——仅此你就罪该受到帝国的通缉，被宣布为不受法律保护的化外之民，被剥夺田产和权利。当然，你所干的远远不止这些。你所破坏的不仅是人类的法律——你该受到的也不仅是人类的报复和惩罚。你闯进了上帝的圣坛，以暴力对待教会的神父，以杀戮和抢劫来玷污上帝的神殿，与一个亵渎神明的强盗毫无区别——”
“你还没个完吗？’德拉马克狠狠打断他，顿足说道。
“还没说完，”主教说，“我还没说出你要求我告诉你的条件。”
“继续讲吧，’德拉马克说道，“你得把你的条件讲得比你在开场白里讲的更叫我满意一些，否则当心你的花白的脑袋！”他咬牙切齿地说完了，往椅背上一倒，唇间渗着白沫——颇像他取其名。披其毛皮的野猪从獠牙里吐出的白沫。
“既然你的罪行如此，”主教宁静而果决地说道，“那你就听我的条件吧。我是作为一个慈善的王子、基督教会的主教，不计个人恩怨，不计一切具体损失，宽宏大量地提出的条件：扔掉你的‘王笏’，放弃你的指挥权，释放你的俘虏，交回你的赃物。把你抢来的其他财物用来救济你一手制造出来的孤儿寡妇；披着表示忏悔的麻布衣，拿着香客的根杖，赤着脚去罗马朝圣，这样，我将向雷根斯堡的帝国法庭为你的生命求情，向神圣的教皇为你可悲的灵魂求情。”
波旁•路易以一种坚决的口吻提出这些条件，俨然他自己仍然占据着主教的宝座，而篡位者正跪在他脚下求饶。但这时暴君已从椅子上慢慢站了起来，原先所感到的惊异已逐渐代之以愤怒。当主教话一停，他便转身对着尼克尔•布洛克，默默地举起一个指头。那暴徒就像在普通屠宰场干活计似的砍了一刀，被杀害的主教便无声无息地倒在他自己的宝座跟前。列日市民对这恐怖的灾祸事前毫无心理准备，原先还指望最后达成某种妥协，这时都不约而同地跳了起来，大声咒骂，并发出要为主教复仇的怒吼声。
威廉•德拉马克提起他的大嗓门压过这一片喧哗声，伸开手，挥着拳头大声吼道：“列日城的猪崽子们，在马埃斯河的淤泥里打滚的家伙！你们竟敢和‘阿登内斯野猪’争个高低？站起来，我的野猪秽！”（这是他自己和别的人称他部下的一种叫法）“让这些弗兰德阉猪看看你们的獠牙！”
一听见这声命令，每个匪兵都刷地站了起来。他们既然和先前的盟友错开坐着，自然早已为这种突然行动作好了准备。顷刻之间各人都抓住旁边一个列日人的衣领，右手则挥动着一把被月光映照得明晃晃的匕首。他们都高抬着手臂，但没有人真动手，因为受威胁的对方都惊恐得不敢稍有反抗。而德拉马克的目的，也可能只是想对他的市民盟友进行一番恫吓而已。
然而，迅速果断远远超过其年龄的昆丁•达威特，在足以激励他固有的聪明和魄力的各种因素影响下，此刻勇气倍增，突然扭转了整个局面。他仿效德拉马克手下人的做法，跳起来抓住了匪首的儿子卡尔•艾伯森，轻易地制服了他。他把匕首对准这小伙子的喉咙，一边吼道：“你要玩这套把戏，那我也不客气。”
“住手！住手！”德拉马克喊道，“这是开的玩笑——开的玩笑。你以为我真会伤害我列日城的好盟友吗？士兵们，快松手，坐下来。把这尸首（说着用脚踢踢主教的尸体）——把这在朋友之间制造不和的尸首抬出去。让我们再痛快地喝吧，用酒来洗刷这场争吵。”
所有的野猪秒都松了手。市民和匪兵面面相觑地站着，他们似乎给搞糊涂了，不明白究竟是敌是友。昆丁•达威特抓住了这个时机。
“听我说，”他讲道，“威廉•德拉马克和各位列日市民，你们都听我说说——你这年轻的先生，也请你乖乖站住，”什尔正企图摆脱他的控制）“除非再开那么个厉害的玩笑，否则你用不着害怕。”
“看在魔鬼的分上，你说说你究竟是谁，”德拉马克惊奇地说道，“竟敢跑到太岁头上动土，跑到我们窝里来抓我们的人质，和我们谈判？要知道，我们是只抓别人的人质而从来没有让别人抓我们的人质。”
“我是法国路易王的臣仆，”昆丁大胆地说道，“正如我的口音和服装能部分说明的那样是个苏格兰近卫军射手。我是来观察并了解你们的所作所为的。我惊奇地看到，你们表演的是异教徒的行径，而不是基督徒的行径——是疯子的行径而不是有理性的人的行径。勃艮第•查尔斯的大军马上就会开来对付你们。如果你们指望得到法国的援助，你们就必须改弦易辙。列日市民们，我建议你们马上回城里去。有谁胆敢阻挠你们离开，我就指控进行阻挠的人是我的主人——最仁慈的法王陛下的敌人。”
“法兰西——列日！法兰西——列日！”巴维翁的部下及其他几个市民齐声喊道，因为他们听到昆丁的大胆陈词已逐渐鼓起勇气。
“法兰西——列日！英勇的射手万岁！我们愿与他同生死共患难！”
威廉•德拉马克的眼睛炯炯发光，他握紧匕首，像要朝那不畏强暴的年轻人的胸口投掷过去。但他用眼睛向周围一扫，看出在他自己部下的表情当中也有某种甚至连他也不得不考虑的东西。他们当中有许多法国人，他们也全都知道威廉在人力和财力方面得到了法国的暗中支持。再说，某些部下对刚犯下的亵渎神明的暴行也颇感吃惊。勃艮第•查尔斯的大名具有使他们惊惶不安的威力，而这位公爵对今晚的事件可能极为愤怒。在同一时间内既和列日市民闹翻，又惹怒法国国王这种极不策略的做法，尽管这帮人思想糊涂，也不能不在他们心中产生可怕的印象。总之，德拉马克已看出，要是他想立刻再采取任何暴力行动，连他自己的部下也不会给他支持。于是他一展他那阴森恐怖的眉毛说：“我丝毫没有意思加害我列日城的好朋友。你们全都可以自由自在地离开索恩瓦尔德堡。不过，我原指望你们至少和我畅饮一个通宵来庆祝我们的胜利。”他还比往常更心平气和地补充说：“我准备在明天，或你们所希望的尽快的一个时间，就分享战利品和组织共同防御的问题马上进行磋商。不过，我希望这位苏格兰绅士能在城堡里过夜，给我的宴会赏个光。”
年轻的苏格兰人推辞说，他必须按照巴维翁的行动来决定自己的行动，因为路易王指示他要特别和他保持接触，不过他肯定下次会光临骁勇的威廉•德拉马克的营部，去看望他。
“如果你按我的行动来决定你的行动，”巴维翁赶忙大声说道，“那你得毫不迟延地马上离开索恩瓦尔德，而如果你要在我的陪伴下才肯回到这里来，那你就休想在短期内再回来。”
这诚实的市民说后半句话时压低了嗓门，因为他害怕大声会流露自己的感情而带来严重后果，但他又无法完全抑制住自己的愤怒。
“制革业的健儿们，紧紧跟着我，”他对他的保镖们说道，“我们将尽快离开这个土匪窝。”
出身高贵的大多数列日人似乎和这行会主席抱有相同的看法。他们在攻占索恩瓦尔德时感到的快乐未必能超过此刻看到有可能安全离开的前景时所产生的快乐。最后匪徒们终于让他们顺利地离开了城堡。当那阴森可怕的城墙被远远抛在身后时，昆丁由衷地感到喜悦。
从他们进入那恐怖的大厅的那一刻起，昆丁第一次有了机会问伯爵小姐感觉如何。
“好，好，”她急忙回答道，“非常好。别停下来问我了。别浪费时间讲话——让我们快逃——快逃！”
她边说边加快步伐。但这一努力收效甚微。要不是达威特扶住她，她肯定会精疲力竭地倒在地上。年轻的苏格兰人怀着一种使婴儿渡过了危险期的慈母所感到的柔情把这受他保护的、无限珍爱的少女抱在怀里。她用一只手搂着他的脖子，脑子里只有一个逃跑的念头。既然事情以这样一个结局告终，想必这年轻人并不后悔今晚所冒的种种危险。
诚实的市长本人则由他忠诚的参谋彼得及另外一个僚属半搀半扶半拽着往前走，一口气赶到了河岸。他们碰到一群群游荡的市民急切地向他们打听围城的经过以及他们听说到的征服者发生内让的真实情况。
他们尽量回避人们好奇的询问。彼得和几个同伴费了一番功夫终于找到了一条船供大伙使用。有了船也有了休息的机会。这对那仍然静静地躺在救命恩人怀里的伊莎贝尔和那可敬的市长真是再美不过。市长对达威特说了一连串感激的话，但年轻人此刻思绪万千，顾不上回答。他便转过身来对彼得发表长篇议论，评述他自己的勇敢和仁慈以及在很多场合下这些美德给他带来的危险。
“彼得，彼得，”他又重弹起前晚自我抱怨的老调说了起来，“要不是我这人胆子太大，我肯定不会在别人都愿交二十文市政税时，还硬顶住拒绝交纳。另外，要是我这人意志不那么坚强，我也不至于参加那场圣特隆战役，结果被一个埃洛武士用长矛把我捅进了一条稀泥沟，直到战事结束以前，无论是我的意志还是我的手劲都无法使我从沟里爬出来。还有，彼得，今晚又是我的勇气诱使我穿上了一件过分紧身的铠甲，差点把我活活憋死，多亏这位勇敢的年轻绅士救了我。他是来吃打仗这碗饭的，我衷心祝他走运。至于说我的好心肠，那么，它已经——应该说它本有可能——把我搞成一个穷光蛋。好在在这个罪恶的世界上我日子也还温得过去。不过，假如老要对付一些仕女、伯爵小姐和一些保守秘密的鬼事，天知道还会给我带来多少麻烦；我敢担保，准会报销掉我一半的财产，外加我的脑袋！”
昆丁无法再沉默下去，只好安慰他说，不管他为了保护这位年轻少女承担何种损失和风险，他将来都会得到感激，并会得到不少的报酬。
“谢谢你，年轻的射手扈从先生，谢谢你，”那列日市民回答说，“不过，谁告诉你，就因为我尽了一个老实人的义务指望得到你的报酬呢？我只是遗憾地说，我可能失去这失去那。我想我有权对我的副官这么说说，而并不意味着抱怨我受到的损失或危险。”
昆丁只好断定，他现在这位朋友也是一个喜欢通过发发牢骚来取得行善报酬的好人。这些好人为数众多。他们无非是想抱怨几句来稍稍抬高使得他们蒙受损失的功德所具有的价值。所以他决定审慎地保持缄默，让这位行会主席继续对他的副官唠叨，诉说他热心为公众谋福利，无私为别人效劳使他蒙受到的危险和损失；他这样说着来到了他家的门口。
事情原来是这样的：这诚实的市民看到自己不得不让一个年轻的外乡人在索恩瓦尔德城堡的大厅里扮演处理危机的主角，感到有失身份。尽管他对达威特当时的干预十分满意，但想想还是觉得这贬损了他的重要地位，所以他竭力想获得一些补偿；办法就是吹嘘吹嘘他对整个国家，特别是对他的朋友，尤其是对克罗伊埃伯爵小姐及其年轻的保护人给予的好处，夸大一下人们对他感恩图报的必要性。
然而，当小船停在他家的花园后面，彼得把他扶上岸，他一碰到他家门槛的时候，他那因自尊心受到伤害而嫉妒别人的情绪便仿佛顿时烟消云散，并使一个心怀忿懑的失意政客一下子变成了诚实、和善、好客、友好的主人。他大声呼唤特鲁德珍。那姑娘马上走了过来，因为那天晚上列日城里的人都很焦急害怕，很少有人睡得着觉。他爹嘱咐她好好照料那半昏迷的美丽的女客人。特鲁德珍姑娘既赞赏客人的美丽，又同情她的不幸，所以她怀着姊妹般的热情和爱心来尽地主之谊。
尽管时间已经很晚，行会主席也显得很疲乏，昆丁仍很难回避主人敬上的一瓶历史有阿津古尔战役那么悠久的名贵陈年老酒。要不是巴维翁大声要酒窖钥匙把女主人从卧室里叫了出来，昆丁本会感到盛情难却，不得不喝上几口。女主人是个圆滚滚的开心的小妇人，年轻时也曾长得很漂亮，但近几年来构成她主要特点的却是尖尖的红鼻子、尖尖的声音，以及要好好管住这位行会主席的决心——尽管他在外面掌有权力，但必须乖乖地服从必要的家规。
当她一明白是她丈夫争着要客人喝酒时，便毫不客气地告诉她丈夫，他不是酒喝得不够而是已经喝得太多。她不但不拿出那用银链子挂在腰上的一大串钥匙打开酒窖来进一步满足他的要求，而且不客气地转过身来，对他不予理睬。她立即把昆丁引到留他过夜的那间整洁舒适的卧室。室内那些供人休憩的陈设也许昆丁从没见过，因为论讲究家庭生活的舒适，那些富有的弗兰德人不但远远超过了贫穷原始的苏格兰人，就连法国人也望尘莫及。
Chapter 23 The Flight
Now bid me run, And I will strive with things impossible; Yea, get the better of them.
Set on your foot; And, with a heart new fired, I follow you, To do I know not what.
JULIUS CAESAR
In spite of a mixture of joy and fear, doubt, anxiety, and other agitating passions, the exhausting fatigues of the preceding day were powerful enough to throw the young Scot into a deep and profound repose, which lasted until late on the day following, when his worthy host entered the apartment with looks of care on his brow.
He seated himself by his guest's bedside, and began a long and complicated discourse upon the domestic duties of a married life, and especially upon the awful power and right supremacy which it became married men to sustain in all differences of opinion with their wives. Quentin listened with some anxiety. He knew that husbands, like other belligerent powers, were sometimes disposed to sing Te Deum (Te Deum laudamus: We praise Thee, O God; the first words of an ancient hymn, sung in the morning service of the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches), rather to conceal a defeat than to celebrate a victory, and he hastened to probe the matter more closely, by hoping their arrival had been attended with no inconvenience to the good lady of the household.
"Inconvenience! -- no," answered the Burgomaster. -- "No woman can be less taken unawares than Mother Mabel -- always happy to see her friends -- always a clean lodging and a handsome meal ready for them, with God's blessing on bed and board. -- No woman on earth so hospitable -- only 'tis pity her temper is something particular."
"Our residence here is disagreeable to her, in short?" said the Scot, starting out of bed, and beginning to dress himself hastily. "Were I but sure the Lady Isabelle were fit for travel after the horrors of the last night, we would not increase the offence by remaining here an instant longer."
"Nay," said Pavillon, "that is just what the young lady herself said to Mother Mabel, and truly I wish you saw the colour that came to her face as she said it -- a milkmaid that has skated five miles to market against the frost wind is a lily compared to it -- I do not wonder Mother Mabel may be a little jealous, poor dear soul."
"Has the Lady Isabelle then left her apartment?" said the youth, continuing his toilette operations with more dispatch than before.
"Yes," replied Pavillon, "and she expects your approach with much impatience, to determine which way you shall go since you are both determined on going. But I trust you will tarry breakfast?"
"Why did you not tell me this sooner?" said Durward, impatiently.
"Softly -- softly," said the Syndic, "I have told it you too soon, I think, if it puts you into such a hasty fluster. Now I have some more matter for your ear, if I saw you had some patience to listen to me."
"Speak it, worthy sir, as soon and as fast as you can -- I listen devoutly."
"Well," resumed the Burgomaster, "I have but one word to say, and that is that Trudchen, who is as sorry to part with yonder pretty lady as if she had been some sister of hers, wants you to take some other disguise, for there is word in the town that the Ladies of Croye travel the country in pilgrim's dresses, attended by a French life guardsman of the Scottish Archers, and it is said one of them was brought into Schonwaldt last night by a Bohemian after we had left it, and it was said still farther, that this same Bohemian had assured William de la Marck that you were charged with no message either to him or to the good people of Liege, and that you had stolen away the young Countess, and travelled with her as her paramour. And all this news hath come from Schonwaldt this morning, and it has been told to us and the other councillors, who know not well what to advise, for though our own opinion is that William de la Marck has been a thought too rough both with the Bishop and with ourselves, yet there is a great belief that he is a good natured soul at bottom -- that is, when he is sober -- and that he is the only leader in the world to command us against the Duke of Burgundy, and, in truth, as matters stand, it is partly my own mind that we must keep fair with him, for we have gone too far to draw back."
"Your daughter advises well," said Quentin Durward, abstaining from reproaches or exhortations, which he saw would be alike unavailing to sway a resolution which had been adopted by the worthy magistrate in compliance at once with the prejudices of his party and the inclination of his wife.
"Your daughter counsels well. -- We must part in disguise, and that instantly. We may, I trust, rely upon you for the necessary secrecy, and for the means of escape?"
"With all my heart -- with all my heart," said the honest citizen, who, not much satisfied with the dignity of his own conduct, was eager to find some mode of atonement. "I cannot but remember that I owed you my life last night, both for unclasping that accursed steel doublet, and helping me through the other scrape, which was worse, for yonder Boar and his brood look more like devils than men. So I will be true to you as blade to haft, as our cutlers say, who are the best in the whole world. Nay, now you are ready, come this way -- you shall see how far I can trust you."
The Syndic led him from the chamber in which he had slept to his own counting room, in which he transacted his affairs of business, and after bolting the door, and casting a piercing and careful eye around him, he opened a concealed and vaulted closet behind the tapestry, in which stood more than one iron chest. He proceeded to open one which was full of guilders, and placed it at Quentin's discretion to take whatever sum he might think necessary for his companion's expenses and his own.
As the money with which Quentin was furnished on leaving Plessis was now nearly expended, he hesitated not to accept the sum of two hundred guilders, and by doing so took a great weight from the mind of Pavillon, who considered the desperate transaction in which he thus voluntarily became the creditor as an atonement for the breach of hospitality which various considerations in a great measure compelled him to commit.
Having carefully locked his treasure chamber, the wealthy Fleming next conveyed his guest to the parlour, where, in full possession of her activity of mind and body, though pale from the scenes of the preceding night, he found the Countess attired in the fashion of a Flemish maiden of the middling class. No other was present excepting Trudchen, who was sedulously employed in completing the Countess's dress, and instructing her how to bear herself. She extended her hand to him, which, when he had reverently kissed, she said to him, "Seignior Quentin, we must leave our friends here unless I would bring on them a part of the misery which has pursued me ever since my father's death. You must change your dress and go with me, unless you also are tired of befriending a being so unfortunate."
"I! -- I tired of being your attendant! -- To the end of the earth will I guard you! But you -- you yourself -- are you equal to the task you undertake! -- Can you, after the terrors of last night"
"Do not recall them to my memory," answered the Countess, "I remember but the confusion of a horrid dream. -- Has the excellent Bishop escaped?"
"I trust he is in freedom," said Quentin, making a sign to Pavillon, who seemed about to enter on the dreadful narrative, to be silent.
"Is it possible for us to rejoin him? -- Hath he gathered any power?" said the lady.
"His only hopes are in Heaven," said the Scot, "but wherever you wish to go, I stand by your side, a determined guide and guard."
"We will consider," said Isabelle, and after a moment's pause, she added, "A convent would be my choice, but that I fear it would prove a weak defence against those who pursue me."
"Hem! hem!" said the Syndic, "I could not well recommend a convent within the district of Liege, because the Boar of Ardennes, though in the main a brave leader, a trusty confederate, and a well wisher to our city, has, nevertheless, rough humours, and payeth, on the whole, little regard to cloisters, convents, nunneries, and the like. Men say that there are a score of nuns -- that is, such as were nuns -- who march always with his company."
"Get yourself in readiness hastily, Seignior Durward," said Isabelle, interrupting this detail, "since to your faith I must needs commit myself."
