DOI Artikel:
D'Arcy, Ella: The pleasure-pilgrim
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21806#0042
38 The Pleasure-Pilgrim
“and we’re going to remain right along now, until we go home
in the spring. Just imagine living in a house with a real moat,
and a drawbridge, and a Rittersaal, and suits of armour that have
been actually worn in battle ! And oh, that delightful iron collar
and chain! You remember it, Mr. Campbell? It hangs right
close to the gateway on the court-yard side. And you know, in
old days, the Ritterhausens used it for the punishment of their
serfs. There are horrible stories connected with it. Mr. Mayne
can teil you them. But just think of being chained up there like
a dog ! So wonderfully picturesque.”
“For the spectator perhaps,” said Campbell, smiling. “I
doubt if the victim appreciated the picturesque aspect of the
case.”
With this Lulie disagreed. “ Oh, I think he must have been
interested,” she said. “ It must have made him feel so absolutely
part and parcel of the Middle Ages. I persuaded Mr. Mayne to
fix the collar round my neck the other day ; and though it was
very uncomfortable, and I had to stand on tiptoe, it seemed to me
that all at once the court-yard was filled with knights in armour,
and crusaders, and palmers, and things ; and there were flags flying
and trumpets sounding ; and all the dead and gone Ritterhausens
had come down from their picture-frames, and were walking
about in brocaded gowns and lace ruflies.”
“ It seemed to require a good deal of persuasion to get Mr.
Mayne to unfix the collar again,” said the little sister. “ How at
last did you manage it ? ”
But Lulie replied irrelevantly: “And the Ritterhausens are
such perfectly lovely people, aren’t they, Mr. Campbell ? The
old Baron is a perfect dear. He has such a grand manner. When
he kisses my hand I feel nothing less than a princess. And the
Baroness is such a funny, busy, delicious little round ball of a
thing.
“and we’re going to remain right along now, until we go home
in the spring. Just imagine living in a house with a real moat,
and a drawbridge, and a Rittersaal, and suits of armour that have
been actually worn in battle ! And oh, that delightful iron collar
and chain! You remember it, Mr. Campbell? It hangs right
close to the gateway on the court-yard side. And you know, in
old days, the Ritterhausens used it for the punishment of their
serfs. There are horrible stories connected with it. Mr. Mayne
can teil you them. But just think of being chained up there like
a dog ! So wonderfully picturesque.”
“For the spectator perhaps,” said Campbell, smiling. “I
doubt if the victim appreciated the picturesque aspect of the
case.”
With this Lulie disagreed. “ Oh, I think he must have been
interested,” she said. “ It must have made him feel so absolutely
part and parcel of the Middle Ages. I persuaded Mr. Mayne to
fix the collar round my neck the other day ; and though it was
very uncomfortable, and I had to stand on tiptoe, it seemed to me
that all at once the court-yard was filled with knights in armour,
and crusaders, and palmers, and things ; and there were flags flying
and trumpets sounding ; and all the dead and gone Ritterhausens
had come down from their picture-frames, and were walking
about in brocaded gowns and lace ruflies.”
“ It seemed to require a good deal of persuasion to get Mr.
Mayne to unfix the collar again,” said the little sister. “ How at
last did you manage it ? ”
But Lulie replied irrelevantly: “And the Ritterhausens are
such perfectly lovely people, aren’t they, Mr. Campbell ? The
old Baron is a perfect dear. He has such a grand manner. When
he kisses my hand I feel nothing less than a princess. And the
Baroness is such a funny, busy, delicious little round ball of a
thing.