Chapter 23 Chapter Twenty-Three

Well, if my gentle words Can't touch your heart, I have to go against your will like a soldier, Forced you to accept my love by force. "Two Gentlemen of Verona" [Note: Shakespeare's Comedy. 】 Miss Rowena was taken into a room, poorly furnished, but still more luxurious and luxurious than the other rooms, where she was placed, and it may be considered that she had received a special respect from the other prisoners.It was originally furnished for the wife of the General Buffalo, but she died early, and some of the ornaments, which had been set to her liking, were old and ruined by neglect.Tapestries had hung from the walls in many places, some dull and faded by the sun, others torn and rotted by time.Yet, for all its dismal appearance, the house was judged most suitable for a Saxon heiress; and here she now sits alone, contemplating her fate, and waiting for the actors who play the various parts in this sinister drama. Come on stage.This has been agreed upon by General Bullface, De Blasey, and the Templars. In the meeting, after a long and heated debate, they agreed on the special interests that should be obtained by each of them in this lawless operation. Presented his opinion, and finally decided the fate of those unfortunate captives.

Thus, around noon, De Blasey, who had first conceived the operation, came to Miss Rowena to carry out his plan of marrying her and thereby obtaining her property. During this period, apart from plotting with his party, he had found time to re-dress himself according to the standards of the dandies of the time.His green coat and mask are now thrown aside.His long, thick hair was braided into beautiful locks and hung over a luxurious leather coat.His beard was shaved, his doublet reached to the crooks of his legs, and around his waist was a gilded embroidered sash from which hung a heavy, heavy sword.We have already talked about the fashionable style of boots in this period, Maurice.De Blasey's footwear is the pinnacle of the luxury race, with its cocked high, no more than a pair of ram's horns.This was the attire of a handsome man at that time. On this occasion, the wearer's beautiful figure and graceful manners made him even more unusual, making this man suave and suave, with the luxurious temperament of a minister and the hearty demeanor of a soldier .

As soon as he saw Rowena, he took off his velvet hat; it was adorned with a gold brooch representing St. Michael. 】The graphic that tramples the devil under his feet.Holding his hat, he beckoned the young lady to sit down with a gentle gesture; and as she was still standing, the knight took off his right glove, and intended to help her there and take her seat.But Rowena rejected his courtesies with gestures, and replied: If it were my Jailer Knight standing before me, and circumstances would not allow me to think otherwise, then it would be better for his prisoner to stand and hear her sentence .

Alas!Beautiful Rowena, answered De Blasey, it is not your jailer who stands before you, but your prisoner; See your verdict on De Blasey in those beautiful eyes. I don't know you, sir, said the lady, straightening up, expressing the inviolable pride of her position and beauty, I don't know you; what you speak to me in the vulgar language of a vagabond is only yours. Disrespect and presumptuousness do not excuse the bandit's brutality. Beautiful lady, De Blasey replied, still in the tone just now, it is your beauty, which made me deviate from the lack of respect for the queen and the North Star in my mind.

I repeat to you, Mr. Cavalier, I do not know you; and no man with armor and spurs on his feet ought to rush into the presence of an unprotected woman and pester her. It is indeed my misfortune that you do not know me, said De Blasey, but I am sure that De Blasy's name was not unsung by troubadours and ceremonial officers, both in the tournament and in the field of battle. . Then let the troubadours or ceremonials sing your praises, sir knight, replied Rowena, which is more fitting in their mouths than your own.Well, I ask you, the unforgettable raid last night, the raid of an old man and a few cowardly servants, and the result of this raid, the fact that an unfortunate girl was forcibly kidnapped in a robber's castle, should be given by the troubadour. Included in poetry, or recorded by the ceremonial officer in the files of the tournament?

You are not fair, Miss Rowena, said the knight, biting his lips in embarrassment, and speaking in a more natural voice, not as soft and affectionate as at first, and you yourself are as cold as ice, and you deny the existence of other people's love. Right, though it's only caused by your good looks. Excuse me, Mr. Knight, Rowena said, please be more dignified, and don't use the clichés of charlatans, which are not suitable for knights or nobles.Indeed, you made me sit down, because you told me this nonsense, which is what every buffoon can tell from now until Christmas. You are a haughty woman, said De Blasey, annoyed to find that his attentions had only been humiliated, and to a haughty woman one must deal with her with haughtiness.Let me tell you now, I have a way to make you marry me, and this way is the most suitable for you.From your temper, it will be more effective to court you with bow and sword than with common words and gentle language.

When polite language is used to cover coarse behavior, Rowena said, it only puts the knight's girdle on the scumbag.So no wonder you feel restrained and unnatural; you might as well be honest and keep the clothes and language of the robber, and don't have to cover up the robber's deeds with pretentious words and manners. Your advice is very good, madam, and the Normans say that only bold words can be justified and can explain bold actions. Then I tell you, you will never leave this castle unless you become Maurice.De Blasey's wife.No one can stop what I am going to do, and since a Norman nobleman has made up his mind to marry a Saxon woman, it is flattering her, and there is no need to humbly explain the reason.You are proud, Rowena, and that makes you an even better wife for me.Excuse me, besides marrying me, is there any other way for you to climb to such an honorable and noble position?Can escape the cramped world of your country estate?You Saxons live among the pigs, and the pigs are your property. Only by marrying me can you enjoy the riches and honor, and you can enter among all the ladies and nobles in England. Isn't that clear?

Mr. Knight, Rowena replied, the country farm that you despise is the place where I lived since I was a child. I can tell you that if I really want to leave it one day, then the person who takes me away from it must never despise me. That environment and that kind of life. I see what you mean, madam, said De Blasey, and though you may think it very obscure, I shall not guess.But don't imagine that Richard the Lionheart will make a comeback, let alone that his confidant, Wilfred of Ivanhoe, will take you to kowtow to him, and he will welcome you like the bride of his favorite.The other suitors might feel jealous when approached by this question, but I am determined not to take such a child's play and hopeless romance to heart.Tell you, lady, this rival is now in my hands. It is up to me whether I will reveal his secrets in the castle to General Buffalo. You know, General Buffalo is a more terrible enemy than me.

Wilfred is here!Rowena said in a contemptuous tone, yes, it's as true as the bull-faced general is his enemy! De Blasey stared at her for a while, you really don't know about this?He said, Don't you know that Wilfred of Ivanhoe travels in a Jewish pack?A crusader lying in such a vehicle, and pompous, wants to take back the Holy Sepulcher by his arm!He let out a derisive laugh. Even if he were here, Rowena forced herself to say indifferently, despite her anxiety and her pain, how could he be the enemy of General Buffalo?As long as he pays a fair ransom in accordance with the rules of the knight system, he can be released. What does he need to worry about?

Rowena, said de Blasey, it is a woman's opinion, and your common mistake; and is there nothing that can cause hatred among men but your beauty?Did you know that besides fighting for love, there are also power and wealth struggles in the world?Our master, General Buffalo, in order to retain his claim to the fertile land of Ivanhoe, will not hesitate, be desperate, and use any means to remove any stumbling block that stands in the way of his intentions, just like fighting over a blue-eyed woman Same.But, miss, as long as you agree to my request, that wounded warrior needn't be afraid of the bull-faced general killing him, and you needn't worry about him falling into the hands of this enemy who has never known sympathy.

For good God's sake, save him!cried Rowena, her resolve shaken at the threat of her lover's fate. I could and would have done so, and it was my intention, said de Blasey, because after Rowena agreed to be de Blassey's bride, who would dare to lay a rough hand on her relatives, her guardian's son? , her boyhood companion?But you must buy his protection with your love.I'm not a romantic fool to help a person who might be a barrier between me and my demands get his way and be successful.If you will use your influence over me for him, he will be saved; if you refuse to do so, Wilfred will die, and you yourself will be farther and farther from freedom. Your words seem indifferent and arrogant, Rowena replied, which I think cannot be reconciled with the criminal intent it expresses.I don't believe your intentions are so sinister, or your power so great. So do what you want, says De Blasey, and time will prove you wrong.Your lover is wounded, lying in this castle he is your sweetheart.But he is also an obstacle between General Niu Mian and his fief. In the eyes of General Niu Mian, this fief is more important than power and beautiful women.It didn't take much trouble, just a knife or a shot, and it could be solved forever, so that he would no longer be a hindrance.Assuming the bull-faced general dares not do so openly, let the doctor administer poison to the sick man, and the housekeeper or his maid, remove his pillow, so that Wilfred, in his present state, will not have to Shed a drop of blood, and he would die immediately.and cedric And Cedric Rowena added, my noble and generous guardian!I only remember his son, but forget him, and I deserve it! Cedric's fate is also up to you, De Blasey said, it's all up to you. Before this, Rowena had always maintained courage without flinching in difficult situations, but that was because she did not expect the danger to be so serious and unstoppable.Her temperament was originally the kind of tenderness, shyness, and elegance that Mr. Physician thinks that fair and tender skin should be; but after being influenced by the environment, she appeared a little bit strong.She was used to seeing everyone's will, even Cedric's own, though he was rather arbitrary to others, yielding to her demands, and she acquired that courage and self-confidence, which is the circle we live in. The respect that is often given to us is caused.It was hard for her to imagine that her wish would be rejected, and it was absolutely impossible to ignore it at all. Her arrogance and dominance were therefore only a figment of character, a skin over her nature, when she opened her eyes and saw the danger to herself, and to her lover and guardian. When it is deep, the false appearance will disappear.She found that her will, which would have been respected and cared for by a slight expression, was now being resisted by a strong, cruel, and determined man who had seized upon her advantage and was determined to use it to his own advantage. The purpose, so she flinched from him. She raised her head and looked around, as if she wanted to seek help, but could not find it, so after a few intermittent sighs, she raised her hands and wept bitterly in the uncontrollable trouble and melancholy.It was impossible to have no sympathy for such a beautiful being plunged into such despair, and De Blasey was not indifferent, though he was more bewildered than moved.It was true that he had gone too far to retreat, but in Rowena's present state neither persuasion nor threats would do her any good.He paced up and down the room, now giving a few words of vain advice to the frightened girl, now thinking and hesitating about the course he should take. If I am moved by the tears and misery of this morose woman, he thought, then I shall not give up all my efforts, but put aside the good hopes I have risked so much to gain, and put up with Prince John and his drunken friends Are you laughing at me?Yet, he said to himself, I don't think I was born to play this kind of role.I could not see such a pretty face become so sad, such eyes drowned in tears.I'd rather she keep her domineering face, or I can have a ruthless heart like the bull-faced general! These thoughts disturbed him, and he could only ask Rowena not to be too sad, and he assured her that she was not so completely hopeless that she need not be so discouraged.But these comforts of de Blassy were interrupted by the sound of the trumpet, the same earth-shattering and heroic sound that the rest of the castle heard, interrupting all their greedy and absurd plans.Of all these, perhaps, De Blasey welcomed its arrival the most, for he could neither advance nor give up on his plans, and his negotiations with Miss Rowena had reached a dead end. Having said that, we believe that, apart from these unsubstantiated stories in the book, we must provide some better proofs for the tragic performance of the times that readers have just seen.It is an unfortunate fact that, though the liberties of England were enforced by some heroic nobles who fought against the king, they were themselves monstrous oppressors, whose tyrannical practices not only violated the laws of England, but It is also unacceptable by the laws of nature and humanity.Yes!We just have to start with hard-working Henry [Note: Refers to Huntington's Henry. ]’s book, extracting a paragraph from the countless records collected by historians at that time is enough to prove that the description of the novel is still far behind the dark and terrifying reality at that time. The account of the author of the "Saxon Chronicle" provides strong evidence for the atrocities of the great nobles and bureaucrats during the reign of King Stephen; these people are all Normans, and they can do anything when they are angry. oppress the poor people.After the castles were built, they were handed over to people who did all kinds of crimes and were on par with the devil. Anyone who these people thought had a little money, regardless of gender, was arrested in the castle, locked in prison, tortured, and even exceeded Torture used on martyrs.Some were suffocated by being thrown in the mud, others were hung by the feet, heads, or thumbs, and a fire was set beneath them.Some had their heads strangled with knotted ropes until their brains burst, and others were thrown into pits filled with all kinds of poisonous snakes and reptiles.But it would be cruel to make the reader read such an account, so the rest has to be omitted. One more example, perhaps the most striking, of the unfortunate consequences of the Norman conquest of England, is that of Queen Matilda, who, though daughter of the King of Scotland, later became The queen of England and the queen of the Holy Roman Empire, but this person who has been the king's daughter, wife and queen mother had to wear a veil and pretend to be a nun when she stayed in England in her early years to avoid the Normans. The teasing and insulting of the nobility.This expedient measure, which she had presented to the English Synod, was the only reason for her adoption of ecclesiastical dress.The unanimous opinion of the clergy present that her reason was sufficient, and the circumstances upon which it was based, were well known; degree.It was, they said, an accepted fact: that after King William's conquest of England, his Norman subjects, intoxicated with great victory, recognized no laws, but subordinated everything to their pleasure; they not only plundered the conquered Saxons lands and possessions, and disregarded the honor of their wives and daughters, and abused them wantonly, so that the veil was common at that time for the matrons and daughters of noble families, and they lived in the monastery, not for the worship of God, but only The reason is only to maintain their chastity, to avoid the unscrupulous ravages of men. 【Note】Matilda is the daughter of King Malcolm III of Scotland. She married King Henry I of England in 1100 as queen, but she has never been queen of the Holy Roman Empire.Her daughter was born in 1102, also named Matilda, and she married Holy Roman Emperor Henry V in her early years. After Henry V died, she returned to England and competed with King Stephen for the throne. Later, the two reached an agreement , succeeded to the throne by her son Henry, Henry II.The author may have confused the two Matildas here. It was, indeed, an age of indiscretion, as was unanimously acknowledged by those clergymen who attended the meeting, and their words have been confirmed by Edmer. ] For the record, we need not go any further, relying on the unreliable Vaudur Manuscript to prove the truth of what we have described, and are about to describe.