my kinsman-第3章

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strength；　he　entered　a　street　of　mean　appearance；　on　either　side

of　which　a　row　of　ill…built　houses　was　straggling　towards　the

harbor。　The　moonlight　fell　upon　no　passenger　along　the　whole

extent；　but　in　the　third　domicile　which　Robin　passed　there　was　a

half…opened　door；　and　his　keen　glance　detected　a　woman's　garment

within。



〃My　luck　may　be　better　here；〃　said　he　to　himself。



Accordingly；　he　approached　the　doors　and　beheld　it　shut　closer　as

he　did　so；　yet　an　open　space　remained；　sufficing　for　the　fair

occupant　to　observe　the　stranger；　without　a　corresponding　display

on　her　part。　All　that　Robin　could　discern　was　a　strip　of　scarlet

petticoat；　and　the　occasional　sparkle　of　an　eye；　as　if　the

moonbeams　were　trembling　on　some　bright　thing。



〃Pretty　mistress；〃　for　I　may　call　her　so　with　a　good　conscience

thought　the　shrewd　youth；　since　I　know　nothing　to　the

contrary；〃my　sweet　pretty　mistress；　will　you　be　kind　enough　to

tell　me　whereabouts　I　must　seek　the　dwelling　of　my　kinsman；　Major

Molineux？〃



Robin's　voice　was　plaintive　and　winning；　and　the　female；　seeing

nothing　to　be　shunned　in　the　handsome　country　youth；　thrust　open

the　door；　and　came　forth　into　the　moonlight。　She　was　a　dainty

little　figure　with　a　white　neck；　round　arms；　and　a　slender　waist；

at　the　extremity　of　which　her　scarlet　petticoat　jutted　out　over　a

hoop；　as　if　she　were　standing　in　a　balloon。　Moreover；　her　face

was　oval　and　pretty；　her　hair　dark　beneath　the　little　cap；　and

her　bright　eyes　possessed　a　sly　freedom；　which　triumphed　over

those　of　Robin。



〃Major　Molineux　dwells　here；〃　said　this　fair　woman。



Now；　her　voice　was　the　sweetest　Robin　had　heard　that　night；　yet

he　could　not　help　doubting　whether　that　sweet　voice　spoke　Gospel

truth。　He　looked　up　and　down　the　mean　street；　and　then　surveyed

the　house　before　which　they　stood。　It　was　a　small；　dark　edifice

of　two　stories；　the　second　of　which　projected　over　the　lower

floor；　and　the　front　apartment　had　the　aspect　of　a　shop　for　petty

commodities。



〃Now；　truly；　I　am　in　luck；〃　replied　Robin；　cunningly；　〃and　so

indeed　is　my　kinsman；　the　Major；　in　having　so　pretty　a

housekeeper。　But　I　prithee　trouble　him　to　step　to　the　door；　I

will　deliver　him　a　message　from　his　friends　in　the　country；　and

then　go　back　to　my　lodgings　at　the　inn。〃



〃Nay；　the　Major　has　been　abed　this　hour　or　more；〃　said　the　lady

of　the　scarlet　petticoat；　〃and　it　would　be　to　little　purpose　to

disturb　him　to…night；　seeing　his　evening　draught　was　of　the

strongest。　But　he　is　a　kind…hearted　man；　and　it　would　be　as　much

as　my　life's　worth　to　let　a　kinsman　of　his　turn　away　from　the

door。　You　are　the　good　old　gentleman's　very　picture；　and　I　could

swear　that　was　his　rainy…weather　hat。　Also　he　has　garments　very

much　resembling　those　leather　small…clothes。　But　come　in；　I　pray；

for　I　bid　you　hearty　welcome　in　his　name。〃



So　saying；　the　fair　and　hospitable　dame　took　our　hero　by　the

hand；　and　the　touch　was　light；　and　the　force　was　gentleness；　and

though　Robin　read　in　her　eyes　what　he　did　not　hear　in　her　words；

yet　the　slender…waisted　woman　in　the　scarlet　petticoat　proved

stronger　than　the　athletic　country　youth。　She　had　drawn　his

half…willing　footsteps　nearly　to　the　threshold；　when　the　opening

of　a　door　in　the　neighborhood　startled　the　Major's　housekeeper；

and；　leaving　the　Major's　kinsman；　she　vanished　speedily　into　her

own　domicile。　A　heavy　yawn　preceded　the　appearance　of　a　man；　who；

like　the　Moonshine　of　Pyramus　and　Thisbe；　carried　a　lantern；

needlessly　aiding　his　sister　luminary　in　the　heavens。　As　he

walked　sleepily　up　the　street；　he　turned　his　broad；　dull　face　on

Robin；　and　displayed　a　long　staff；　spiked　at　the　end。



〃Home；　vagabond；　home！〃　said　the　watchman；　in　accents　that　seemed

to　fall　asleep　as　soon　as　they　were　uttered。　〃Home；　or　we'll　set

you　in　the　stocks　by　peep　of　day！〃



〃This　is　the　second　hint　of　the　kind；〃　thought　Robin。　〃I　wish

they　would　end　my　difficulties；　by　setting　me　there　to…night。〃



Nevertheless；　the　youth　felt　an　instinctive　antipathy　towards　the

guardian　of　midnight　order；　which　at　first　prevented　him　from

asking　his　usual　question。　But　just　when　the　man　was　about　to

vanish　behind　the　corner；　Robin　resolved　not　to　lose　the

opportunity；　and　shouted　lustily　after　him；　〃I　say；　friend！　will

you　guide　me　to　the　house　of　my　kinsman；　Major　Molineux？〃



The　watchman　made　no　reply；　but　turned　the　corner　and　was　gone；

yet　Robin　seemed　to　hear　the　sound　of　drowsy　laughter　stealing

along　the　solitary　street。　At　that　moment；　also；　a　pleasant

titter　saluted　him　from　the　open　window　above　his　head；　he　looked

up；　and　caught　the　sparkle　of　a　saucy　eye；　a　round　arm　beckoned

to　him；　and　next　he　heard　light　footsteps　descending　the

staircase　within。　But　Robin；　being　of　the　household　of　a　New

England　clergyman；　was　a　good　youth；　as　well　as　a　shrewd　one；　so

he　resisted　temptation；　and　fled　away。



He　now　roamed　desperately；　and　at　random；　through　the　town；

almost　ready　to　believe　that　a　spell　was　on　him；　like　that　by

which　a　wizard　of　his　country　had　once　kept　three　pursuers

wandering；　a　whole　winter　night；　within　twenty　paces　of　the

cottage　which　they　sought。　The　streets　lay　before　him；　strange

and　desolate；　and　the　lights　were　extinguished　in　almost　every

house。　Twice；　however；　little　parties　of　men；　among　whom　Robin

distinguished　individuals　in　outlandish　attire；　came　hurrying

along；　but；　though　on　both　occasions；　they　paused　to　address　him

such　intercourse　did　not　at　all　enlighten　his　perplexity。　They

did　but　utter　a　few　words　in　some　language　of　which　Robin　knew

nothing；　and　perceiving　his　inability　to　answer；　bestowed　a　curse

upon　him　in　plain　English　and　hastened　away。　Finally；　the　lad

determined　to　knock　at　the　door　of　every　mansion　that　might

appear　worthy　to　be　occupied　by　his　kinsman；　trusting　that

perseverance　would　overcome　the　fatality　that　had　hitherto

thwarted　him。　Firm　in　this　resolve；　he　was　passing　beneath　the

walls　of　a　church；　which　formed　the　corner　of　two　streets；　when；

as　he　turned　into　the　shade　of　its　steeple；　he　encountered　a

bulky　stranger　muffled　in　a　cloak。　The　man　was　proceeding　with

the　speed　of　earnest　business；　but　Robin　planted　himself　full

before　him；　holding　the　oak　cudgel　with　both　hands　across　his

body　as　a　bar　to　further　passage



〃Halt；　honest　man；　and　answer　me　a　question；〃　said　he；　very

resolutely。　〃Tell　me；　this　instant；　whereabouts　is　the　dwelling

of　my　kinsman；　Major　Molineux！〃



〃Keep　your　tongue　between　your　teeth；　fool；　and　let　me　pass！〃

said　a　deep；　gruff　voice；　which　Robin　partly　remembered。　〃Let　me

pass；　or　I'll　strike　you　to　the　earth！〃



〃No；　no；　neighbor！〃　cried　Robin；　flourishing　his　cudgel；　and　then

thrusting　its　larger　end　close　to　the　man's　muffled　face。　〃No；

no；　I'm　not　the　fool　you　take　me　for；　nor　do　you　pass　till　I　have

an　answer　to　my　question。　Whereabouts　is　the　dwelling　of　my

kinsman；　Major　Molineux？〃　The　stranger；　instead　of　attempting　to

force　his　passage；　stepped　back　into　the　moonlight；　unmuffled　his

face；　and　stared　full　into　that　of　Robin。



〃Watch　here　an　hour；　and　Major　Molineux　will　pass　by；〃　said　he。



Robin　gazed　with　dismay　and　astonishment　on　the　unprecedented

physiognomy　of　the　speaker。　The　forehead　with　its　double

prominence　the　broad　hooked　nose；　the　shaggy　eyebrows；　and　fiery

eyes　were　those　which　he　had　noticed　at　the　inn；　but　the　man's

complexion　had　undergone　a　singular；　or；　more　properly；　a　twofold

change。　One　side　of　the　face　blazed　an　intense　red；　while　the

other　was　black　as　midnight；　the　division　line　being　in　the　broad

bridge　of　the　nose；　and　a　mouth　which　seemed　to　extend　from　ear

to　ear　was　black　or　red；　in　contrast　to　the　color　of　the　cheek。

The　effect　was　as　if　two　individual　devils；　a　fiend　of　fire　and　a

fiend　of　darkness；　had　united　themselves　to　form　this　infernal

visage。　The　stranger　grinned　in　Robin's　face；　muffled　his

party…colored　features；　and