The Dol
The Dol (第2/3页)
;Barbaraasked.Shehadturnedtofacehim.
"Ihaventgotatitleyet,"Edgarsaid."Okay,thisisthebeginning."Hebegantoreadaloud."InthetownofA——,inthedistrictofY——,therelivedacertainMadameA——,wifeofthatBaronA——whowasintheserviceoftheyoungFriedrichIIofPrussia.TheBaron,amanofuncommonability,ischieflyrememberedforhisnotoriousandinexplic?ableblunderattheBattleofKolin:bywithdrawingthecolumnunderhiscommandatacrucialmo?mentinthefighting,heearnedforhimselfthegreatestpartoftheblameforFriedrichsdefeat,whichresultedinaloss,onthePrussianside,of13,000outof33,000men.Nowasithappened,thechateauinwhichMadameA——wasshelteringlaynotfarfromthebattlefield;infact,theremovalofherhusbandscorpsplacedthechateauitselfinthegravestdanger;andatthemomentMadameA——learned,fromaCaptainOrsini,ofherhus?bandsdeathbyhisownhand,shewasalsotoldthatadetachmentofpandours,thebrutalandmuch-fearedHungarianlightirregularcavalry,washam?meringatthechateaugates."
Edgarpausedtobreathe.
Barblookedathiminsomesurprise."Thebe?ginningturnsmeon,"shesaid."Morethanusual,Imean."Shebegantohavesomefainthope,andsatdownonthesofabed.
"Thankyou,"Edgarsaid."Doyouwantmetoreadyouthedevelopment?"
"Goahead."
Edgardranksomewaterfromaglassneartohand.
"Themanwhobroughtthisterriblenewsen?joyedapeculiarstatusinregardtothelady;hewasherlover,andhewasnot.GiacomoOrsini,secondsonofanoblefamilyofSiena,hadasayoungmanareligiousvocation.Hehadbecomeapriest,notthegrandersortofpriestwhomakesacareerinRomeandingreathouses,butamodestvillagepriestinthenorthofhiscountry.Herebe?fellhimasingularmisfortune.ItwasthepleasureofFriedrichWilhelmI,fatherofthepresentruler,toassemble,asiswellknown,thefinestarmyinEurope.TinyPrussiawasunabletosupplymeninsufficientnumberstosatisfythisambition;hisre?cruitersrangedoverthewholeofEurope,andthosewhomtheycouldnotpersuade,withprom?isesofliberalbounties,intothekingsservice,theykidnapped.NowFriedrichwasaboveallelsefondofverytallmen,andhadcreated,forhispersonalguard,aregimentofgiants,muchmockedatthetime,butnhelessabraveandformidablesight.ItwasthebadluckofthepriestOrsinitobeaverytallman,andofimpressivemienandbearingwithal;hewasabductedstraightfromthealtar,ashewassayingmass,theHostinhishands——"
"Thisisveryexciting,"Barbbrokein,hereyesshowinggenuinepleasureandenthusiasm.
"Thankyou,"Edgarsaid,andcontinuedhisread?ing.
"——andservedtenyearsintheregimentofgiants.OnthedeathofFriedrichWilhelm,theregimentwasdisbanded,amongothereconomies;buttheformerpriest,bynowhabituatedtomilitarylife,andevenzestfulforit,enlistedunderthenewyoungking,withtherankofcaptain."
"Isthishistoricallyaccurate?"Barbaraasked.
"Itdoesnotcontradictwhatisknown,"Edgarassuredher.
"AssignedtothestaffofBaronA——,andmuchinthetattershouseinconsequence,hewasthrowninwiththelovelyInge,MadameA——,awomanmuchyoungerthanherhusband,andpossessedofmanyexcellentqualities.Adeepsympathyestab?lisheditselfbetweenthem,withthisidiosyncrasy,thatitwasneverpressedtoaconclusion,onhispart,oracknowledgedinanyway,onhers.Butbothwereawarethatitexisted,anddrewsecretnourishmentfromit,andtookmuchdelightinthenearness,otheother.Butthispleasantstateofaffairsalsohadamelancholyaspect,forOrsini,althoughexercisingthegreatestrestraintinthematter,neverthelessconsideredthathehad,inevenadmittingtohimselfthathewasinlovewithMadameA——,damagedhispatrontheBaron,whomheknewtobeajustandhonorableman,andonewhohad,moreover,donehimmanykind?nesses.InthishumorOrsinisawhimselfasasonofjackalskulkingabouttheperipheryofhisbene?factorsdomesticlife,whichhadbeenharmoniousandwhole,butwasnow,inwhatsoeverslightde?gree,compromised."
Rose,thechild,stoodinherwhitebathrobe
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