Small Catechism 第12章

TheLordofMontfauconlookedwithastonishmentathisstrangefoe;andashegazedonhimmoreandmore，recollectionsaroseinhismindofthatnorthernracefromwhomhewasdescended，andwithwhomhehadalwaysmaintainedfriendlyrelations.Agoldenbearsclaw，withwhichSintramscloakwasfastened，atlengthmadeallcleartohi

"Haveyounot，"saidhe，"avaliantandfar-famedkinsman，calledtheSea-kingArinbiorn，whocarriesonhishelmetgoldenvulture-wings?

AndisnotyourfathertheknightBiorn?Forsurelythebearsclawonyourmantlemustbethecognisanceofyourhouse."Sintramassentedtoallthis，indeepandhumbleshame.

TheKnightofMontfauconraisedhimfromtheground，andsaidgravely，yetgently，"Weare，then，ofkintheonetotheother;butIcouldneverhavebelievedthatanyoneofournoblehousewouldattackapeacefulmanwithoutprovocation，andthat，too，withoutgivingwarning.""Slaymeatonce，"answeredSintram，"ifindeedIamworthytodiebysonoblehands.Icannolongerendurethelightofday.""Becauseyouhavebeenovercome?"askedMontfaucon.Sintramshookhishead.

"Orisit，rather，becauseyouhavecommittedanunknightlyaction?"Theglowofshamethatoverspreadtheyouthscountenancesaidyestothis.

"Butyoushouldnotonthataccountwishtodie，"continuedMontfaucon."Youshouldratherwishtolive，thatyoumayproveyourrepentance，andmakeyournameillustriousbymanynobledeeds;foryouareendowedwithaboldspiritandwithstrengthoflimb，andalsowiththeeagle-glanceofachieftain.Ishouldhavemadeyouaknightthisveryhour，ifyouhadborneyourselfasbravelyinagoodcauseasyouhavejustnowinabad.Seetoit，thatImaydoitsoon.Youmayyetbecomeavesselofhighhonour."Ajoyoussoundofshawmsandsilverrebecksinterruptedhisdiscourse.TheladyGabrielle，brightasthemorning，hadnowcomedownfromtheship，surroundedbyhermaidens;and，instructedinafewwordsbyFolkowhowashislatefoe，shetookthecombatassomemeretrialofarms，saying，"Youmustnotbecastdown，nobleyouth，becausemyweddedlordhaswontheprize;forbeitknowntoyou，thatinthewholeworldthereisbutoneknightwhocanboastofnothavingbeenovercomebytheBaronofMontfaucon.Andwhocansay，"continuedshe，sportively，"whethereventhatwouldhavehappened，hadhenotsethimselftowinbackthemagicringfromme，hislady-love，destinedtohim，aswellbythechoiceofmyownheartasbythewillofHeaven!"Folko，smiling，benthisheadoverthesnow-whitehandofhislady;andthenbadetheyouthconductthemtohisfatherscastle.

Rolftookuponhimselftoseetothedisembarkingofthehorsesandvaluablesofthestrangers，filledwithjoyatthethoughtthatanangelinwomansformhadappearedtosoftenhisbelovedyoungmaster，andperhapseventofreehimfromthatearlycurse.

Sintramsentmessengersinalldirectionstoseekforhisfather，andtoannouncetohimthearrivalofhisnobleguests.Theythereforefoundtheoldknightinhiscastle，witheverythingpreparedfortheirreception.Gabriellecouldnotenterthevastdark-lookingbuildingwithoutaslightshudder，whichwasincreasedwhenshesawtherollingfieryeyesofitslord;eventhepale，dark-hairedSintramseemedtoherveryfearful;andshesighedtoherself，"Oh!

whatanawfulabodehaveyoubroughtmetovisit，myknight!WouldthatwewereonceagaininmysunnyGascony，orinyourknightlyNormandy!"Butthegraveyetcourteousreception，thedeeprespectpaidtohergraceandbeauty，andtothehighfameofFolko，helpedtore-assureher;andsoonherbird-likepleasureinnoveltieswasawakenedthroughthestrangesignificantappearanceofthisnewworld.Andbesides，itcouldonlybeforapassingmomentthatanywomanlyfearsfoundaplaceinherbreastwhenherlordwasnearathand，forwelldidsheknowwhateffectualprotectionthatbraveBaronwaseverreadytoaffordtoallthosewhoweredeartohim，orcommittedtohischarge.

SoonafterwardsRolfpassedthroughthegreathallinwhichBiornandhisguestswereseated，conductingtheirattendants，whohadchargeofthebaggage，totheirrooms.Gabriellecaughtsightofherfavouritelute，anddesiredapagetobringittoher，thatshemightseeifthepreciousinstrumenthadbeeninjuredbythesea-voyage.