Not far advanced was morning day，

When Marmion did his troop array

To Surrey's camp to ride；

He had safe conduct for his band，

Beneath the royal seal and hand，

And Douglas gave a guide.

The train from out the castle drew，

But Marmion stopped to bid adieu:

“Though something I might plain，”he said，

“Of cold respect to stranger guest，

Sent hither by your king's behest，

While in Tantallon's towers I staid，

Part we in friendship from your land，

And，noble Earl，receive my hand.”

But Douglas round him drew his cloak，

Folded his arms，and thus he spoke:

“My manors，halls，and bowers shall still

Be open，at my sovereign's will，

To each one whom he lists，howe'er

Unmeet to be the owner's peer.

My castles are my king's alone，

From turret to foundation stone；

The hand of Douglas is his own；

And never shall，in friendly grasp，

The hand of such as Marmion clasp.”

Burned Marmion's swarthy cheek like fire，

And shook his very frame for ire；

And——“This to me！”he said，——

“An 't were not for thy hoary beard，

Such hand as Marmion's had not spared

To cleave the Douglas' head！

And，first，I tell thee，haughty peer，

He who does England's message here，

Although the meanest in her state，

May well，proud Angus，be thy mate:

And，Douglas，more，I tell thee here，

Even in thy pitch of pride，

Here，in thy hold，thy vassals near，

I tell thee，thou'rt defied！

And if thou said'st I am not peer

To any lord in Scotland here，

Lowland or Highland，far or near，

Lord Angus，thou hast lied！”

On the Earl's cheek the flush of rage

O'ercame the ashen hue of age.

Fierce he broke forth，——“And dar'st thou then

To beard the lion in his den，

The Douglas in his hall？

And hop'st thou hence unscathed to go？

No，by Saint Bride of Bothwell，no！

Up drawbridge，grooms，——what，warder，ho！

Let the portcullis fall.”

Lord Marmion turned，——well was his need，——

And dashed the rowels in his steed，

Like arrow through the archway sprung；

The ponderous gate behind him rung:

To pass there was such scanty room，

The bars，descending，razed his plume.

The steed along the drawbridge flies，

Just as it trembled on the rise；

Nor lighter does the swallow skim

Along the smooth lake's level brim:

And when Lord Marmion reached his band

He halts，and turns with clenched hand，

And shout of loud defiance pours，

And shook his gauntlet at the towers.

“Horse！horse！”the Douglas cried，“and chase！”

But soon he reined his fury's pace:

“A royal messenger he came，

Though most unworthy of the name.

Saint Mary mend my fiery mood！

Old age ne'er cools the Douglas' blood；

I thought to slay him where he stood.

'Tis pity of him，too，”he cried；

“Bold he can speak，and fairly ride；

I warrant him a warrior tried.”

With this his mandate he recalls，

And slowly seeks his castle halls.

譯文　TRANSLATION

天剛蒙蒙亮，

瑪密安把營(yíng)盤(pán)扎在薩里。

他安排妥當(dāng)，

就帶著王家的印信，

隨道格拉斯的向?qū)нM(jìn)了城。

一隊(duì)人從城堡出來(lái)，

瑪密安停下告別：

“盡管我可能”他說(shuō)，

“在坦特倫慢待了

國(guó)王派來(lái)的客人，

但今天且讓我們友好地道別，

高貴的伯爵，請(qǐng)接收我的致意。”

瑪密安伸出來(lái)手，可道格拉斯拉了拉披風(fēng)，

雙臂疊在胸前如是說(shuō)：

“我的莊園、廳堂、館閣

都將聽(tīng)?wèi){王上的意愿向他選定的人敞開(kāi)，

然而，那人卻不配與我平起平坐。

我的城堡從角樓到地基

都屬于我王；但道格拉斯的手為他自己所有。

斷不會(huì)與瑪密安友好地握手。”

瑪密安直氣得渾身顫，

黝黑的臉膛燒得像火，

“這樣對(duì)我，”他說(shuō)，

“若不看在你花白的胡須，

我定劈開(kāi)你的腦袋！

首先，我告你，驕妄的同儕，

他既然來(lái)到英格蘭做信使，

哪怕他在祖國(guó)微不足道，

他也與你平起平坐。

還有，道格拉斯，我告訴你，

甚至就以你那種傲慢語(yǔ)調(diào)，

在這兒，在你的地盤(pán)，附近都是手下，

我告訴你，我蔑視你。

如果你說(shuō)我不配做蘇格蘭的王公，

無(wú)論遠(yuǎn)近、無(wú)論高地與低地，

那你是在說(shuō)謊！”

伯爵的臉涌上憤怒的紅潮，

掩去了歲月的青灰。

他勃然大怒：“你竟敢虎口拔牙，

在道格拉斯的廳堂里撒野？

你還想安然離開(kāi)嗎？

絕不可能！我以博斯威爾圣徒新娘的名義發(fā)誓，絕不可能！

兒郎們，拉起吊橋；守衛(wèi)，落下千斤閘！”

瑪密安爵爺扭轉(zhuǎn)身，——?jiǎng)倓偤谩?/p>

打馬向前，箭一般躍上拱道；

只聽(tīng)身后重門(mén)咿呀響，當(dāng)他從門(mén)隙里沖出，

落下的門(mén)閘削平了羽冠。

駿馬飛過(guò)正在升起的吊橋，

比那燕子掠過(guò)平靜的湖面更輕靈。

當(dāng)瑪密安爵爺和自己的人馬會(huì)合，

他勒住馬，轉(zhuǎn)回身，輕蔑地怒吼，

向塔樓揮著長(zhǎng)手套。

“帶馬！帶馬！”道格拉斯叫道，“追！”

但他很快停住暴怒的腳步：

“他以王家信使身份到來(lái)，

雖然他不配這樣的令名。

可圣瑪麗平復(fù)了我的怒氣！

年紀(jì)從未冷卻道格拉斯的熱血；

我方才想就地宰了他。

可又有些憐惜他，他那么放言無(wú)忌，

騎術(shù)又那般精良，

我擔(dān)保他是個(gè)身經(jīng)百戰(zhàn)的勇士?！?/p>

于是，他收回了命令，

慢慢走回城堡的廳堂。