Burlesques William Makepeace Thackeray

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allow of her witnessing that disagreeable operation,) the lovely Helen, with the assistance
of her maidens, carefully salted and pickled. Corn was brought in in great quantities, the
Prince paying for the same when he had money, giving bills when he could get credit, or
occasionally, marry, sending out a few stout men-at-arms to forage, who brought in wheat
without money or credit either. The charming Princess, amidst the intervals of her labors,
went about encouraging the garrison, who vowed to a man they would die for a single
sweet smile of hers; and in order to make their inevitable sufferings as easy as possible to
the gallant fellows, she and the apothecaries got ready a plenty of efficacious simples, and
scraped a vast quantity of lint to bind their warriors' wounds withal. All the fortifications
were strengthened; the fosses carefully filled with spikes and water; large stones placed
over the gates, convenient to tumble on the heads of the assaulting parties; and caldrons
prepared, with furnaces to melt up pitch, brimstone, boiling oil, &c., wherewith hospitably
to receive them. Having the keenest eye in the whole garrison, young Otto was placed on
the topmost tower, to watch for the expected coming of the beleaguering host.
They were seen only too soon. Long ranks of shining spears were seen glittering in the
distance, and the army of the Rowski soon made its appearance in battle's magnificently
stern array. The tents of the renowned chief and his numerous warriors were pitched out of
arrow-shot of the castle, but in fearful proximity; and when his army had taken up its
position, an officer with a flag of truce and a trumpet was seen advancing to the castle gate.
It was the same herald who had previously borne his master's defiance to the Prince of
Cleves. He came once more to the castle gate, and there proclaimed that the noble Count of
Eulenschreckenstein was in arms without, ready to do battle with the Prince of Cleves, or
his champion; that he would remain in arms for three days, ready for combat. If no man met
him at the end of that period, he would deliver an assault, and would give quarter to no
single soul in the garrison. So saying, the herald nailed his lord's gauntlet on the castle gate.
As before, the Prince flung him over another glove from the wall; though how he was to
defend himself from such a warrior, or get a champion, or resist the pitiless assault that
must follow, the troubled old nobleman knew not in the least.
The Princess Helen passed the night in the chapel, vowing tons of wax-candles to all the
patron saints of the House of Cleves, if they would raise her up a defender.
But how did the noble girl's heart sink—how were her notions of the purity of man shaken
within her gentle bosom, by the dread intelligence which reached her the next morning,
after the defiance of the Rowski! At roll-call it was discovered that he on whom she
principally relied—he whom her fond heart had singled out as her champion, had proved
faithless! Otto, the degenerate Otto, had fled! His comrade, Wolfgang, had gone with him.
A rope was found dangling from the casement of their chamber, and they must have swum
the moat and passed over to the enemy in the darkness of the previous night. "A pretty lad
was this fair-spoken archer of thine!" said the Prince her father to her; "and a pretty kettle