kenilworth-第12章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


whole　work；　rather　than　divide　the　reward。　　But　be　not　over…
greedy；　Anthonycovetousness　bursts　the　sack　and　spills　the
grain。　　Look　you；　when　the　huntsman　goes　to　kill　a　stag；　he　takes
with　him　more　dogs　than　one。　　He　has　the　stanch　lyme…hound　to
track　the　wounded　buck　over　hill　and　dale；　but　he　hath　also　the
fleet　gaze…hound　to　kill　him　at　view。　　Thou　art　the　lyme…hound；　I
am　the　gaze…hound；　and　thy　patron　will　need　the　aid　of　both；　and
can　well　afford　to　requite　it。　　Thou　hast　deep　sagacityan
unrelenting　purposea　steady；　long…breathed　malignity　of　nature；
that　surpasses　mine。　　But　then；　I　am　the　bolder；　the　quicker；　the
more　ready；　both　at　action　and　expedient。　　Separate；　our
properties　are　not　so　perfect；　but　unite　them；　and　we　drive　the
world　before　us。　　How　sayest　thoushall　we　hunt　in　couples？〃

〃It　is　a　currish　proposalthus　to　thrust　thyself　upon　my　private
matters；〃　replied　Foster；　〃but　thou　wert　ever　an　ill…nurtured
whelp。〃

〃You　shall　have　no　cause　to　say　so；　unless　you　spurn　my
courtesy；〃　said　Michael　Lambourne；　〃but　if　so；　keep　thee　well
from　me；　Sir　Knight；　as　the　romance　has　it。　　I　will　either　share
your　counsels　or　traverse　them；　for　I　have　come　here　to　be　busy；
either　with　thee　or　against　thee。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Anthony　Foster；　〃since　thou　dost　leave　me　so　fair　a
choice；　I　will　rather　be　thy　friend　than　thine　enemy。　　Thou　art
right；　I　CAN　prefer　thee　to　the　service　of　a　patron　who　has
enough　of　means　to　make　us　both；　and　an　hundred　more。　　And；　to
say　truth；　thou　art　well　qualified　for　his　service。　　Boldness　and
dexterity　he　demandsthe　justice…books　bear　witness　in　thy
favour；　no　starting　at　scruples　in　his　service　why；　who　ever
suspected　thee　of　a　conscience？　　an　assurance　he　must　have　who
would　follow　a　courtierand　thy　brow　is　as　impenetrable　as　a
Milan　visor。　　There　is　but　one　thing　I　would　fain　see　amended　in
thee。〃

〃And　what　is　that；　my　most　precious　friend　Anthony？〃　　replied
Lambourne；　〃for　I　swear　by　the　pillow　of　the　Seven　Sleepers　I
will　not　be　slothful　in　amending　it。〃

〃Why；　you　gave　a　sample　of　it　even　now；〃　said　Foster。　　〃Your
speech　twangs　too　much　of　the　old　stamp；　and　you　garnish　it　ever
and　anon　with　singular　oaths；　that　savour　of　Papistrie。　　Besides；
your　exterior　man　is　altogether　too　deboshed　and　irregular　to
become　one　of　his　lordship's　followers；　since　he　has　a　reputation
to　keep　up　in　the　eye　of　the　world。　　You　must　somewhat　reform
your　dress；　upon　a　more　grave　and　composed　fashion；　wear　your
cloak　on　both　shoulders；　and　your　falling　band　unrumpled　and　well
starched。　　You　must　enlarge　the　brim　of　your　beaver；　and　diminish
the　superfluity　of　your　trunk…hose；　go　to　church；　or；　which　will
be　better；　to　meeting；　at　least　once　a　month；　protest　only　upon
your　faith　and　conscience；　lay　aside　your　swashing　look；　and
never　touch　the　hilt　of　your　sword　but　when　you　would　draw　the
carnal　weapon　in　good　earnest。〃

〃By　this　light；　Anthony；　thou　art　mad；〃　answered　Lambourne；　〃and
hast　described　rather　the　gentleman…usher　to　a　puritan's　wife；
than　the　follower　of　an　ambitious　courtier！　　Yes；　such　a　thing　as
thou　wouldst　make　of　me　should　wear　a　book　at　his　girdle　instead
of　a　poniard；　and　might　just　be　suspected　of　manhood　enough　to
squire　a　proud　dame…citizen　to　the　lecture　at　Saint　Antonlin's；
and　quarrel　in　her　cause　with　any　flat…capped　threadmaker　that
would　take　the　wall　of　her。　　He　must　ruffle　it　in　another　sort
that　would　walk　to　court　in　a　nobleman's　train。〃

〃Oh；　content　you；　sir；〃　replied　Foster；　〃there　is　a　change　since
you　knew　the　English　world；　and　there　are　those　who　can　hold
their　way　through　the　boldest　courses；　and　the　most　secret；　and
yet　never　a　swaggering　word；　or　an　oath；　or　a　profane　word　in
their　conversation。〃

〃That　is　to　say；〃　replied　Lambourne；　〃they　are　in　a　trading
copartnery；　to　do　the　devil's　business　without　mentioning　his
name　in　the　firm？　　Well；　I　will　do　my　best　to　counterfeit；　rather
than　lose　ground　in　this　new　world；　since　thou　sayest　it　is　grown
so　precise。　　But；　Anthony；　what　is　the　name　of　this　nobleman；　in
whose　service　I　am　to　turn　hypocrite？〃

〃Aha！　　Master　Michael；　are　you　there　with　your　bears？〃　　said
Foster；　with　a　grim　smile；　〃and　is　this　the　knowledge　you　pretend
of　my　concernments？　　How　know　you　now　there　is　such　a　person　IN
RERUM　NATURA；　and　that　I　have　not　been　putting　a　jape　upon　you
all　this　time？〃

〃Thou　put　a　jape　on　me；　thou　sodden…brained　gull？〃　　answered
Lambourne；　nothing　daunted。　　〃Why；　dark　and　muddy　as　thou
think'st　thyself；　I　would　engage　in　a　day's　space　to　sec　as　clear
through　thee　and　thy　concernments；　as　thou　callest　them；　as
through　the　filthy　horn　of　an　old　stable　lantern。〃

At　this　moment　their　conversation　was　interrupted　by　a　scream
from　the　next　apartment。

〃By　the　holy　Cross　of　Abingdon；〃　exclaimed　Anthony　Foster；
forgetting　his　Protestantism　in　his　alarm；　〃I　am　a　ruined　man！〃

So　saying；　he　rushed　into　the　apartment　whence　the　scream　issued；
followed　by　Michael　Lambourne。　　But　to　account　for　the　sounds
which　interrupted　their　conversation；　it　is　necessary　to　recede　a
little　way　in　our　narrative。

It　has　been　already　observed；　that　when　Lambourne　accompanied
Foster　into　the　library；　they　left　Tressilian　alone　in　the
ancient　parlour。　　His　dark　eye　followed　them　forth　of　the
apartment　with　a　glance　of　contempt；　a　part　of　which　his　mind
instantly　transferred　to　himself；　for　having　stooped　to　be　even
for　a　moment　their　familiar　companion。　　〃These　are　the
associates；　Amy〃it　was　thus　he　communed　with　himself〃to　which
thy　cruel　levitythine　unthinking　and　most　unmerited　falsehood；
has　condemned　him　of　whom　his　friends　once　hoped　far　other
things；　and　who　now　scorns　himself；　as　he　will　be　scorned　by
others；　for　the　baseness　he　stoops　to　for　the　love　of　thee！　　But
I　will　not　leave　the　pursuit　of　thee；　once　the　object　of　my
purest　and　most　devoted　affection；　though　to　me　thou　canst
henceforth　be　nothing　but　a　thing　to　weep　over。　　I　will　save　thee
from　thy　betrayer；　and　from　thyself；　I　will　restore　thee　to　thy
parentto　thy　God。　　I　cannot　bid　the　bright　star　again　sparkle
in　the　sphere　it　has　shot　from；　but〃

A　slight　noise　in　the　apartment　interrupted　his　reverie。　　He
looked　round；　and　in　the　beautiful　and　richly…attired　female　who
entered　at　that　instant　by　a　side…door　he　recognized　the　object
of　his　search。　　The　first　impulse　arising　from　this　discovery
urged　him　to　conceal　his　face　with　the　collar　of　his　cloak；　until
he　should　find　a　favourable　moment　of　making　himself　known。　　But
his　purpose　was　disconcerted　by　the　young　lady　（she　was　not　above
eighteen　years　old）；　who　ran　joyfully　towards　him；　and；　pulling
him　by　the　cloak；　said　playfully；　〃Nay；　my　sweet　friend；　after　I
have　waited　for　you　so　long；　you　come　not　to　my　bower　to　play　the
masquer。　　You　are　arraigned　of　treason　to　true　love　and　fond
affection；　and　you　must　stand　up　at　the　bar　and　answer　it　with
face　uncoveredhow　say　you；　guilty　or　not？〃

〃Alas；　Amy！〃　　said　Tressilian；　in　a　low　and　melancholy　tone；　as
he　suffered　her　to　draw　the　mantle　from　his　face。　　The　sound　of
his　voice；　and　still　more　the　unexpected　sight　of　his　face；
changed　in　an　instant　the　lady's　playful　mood。　　She　staggered
back；　turned　as　pale　as　death；　and　put　her　hands　before　her　face。
Tressilian　was　himself　for　a　moment　much　overcome；　but　seeming
suddenly　to　remember　the　necessity　of　using　an　opportunity　which
might　not　again　occur；　he　said　in　a　low　tone；　〃Amy；　fear　me　not。〃

〃Why　should　I　fear　you？〃　　said　the　lady；　withdrawing　her　hands
from　her　beautiful　face；　which　was　now　covered　with　crimson；…
…〃Why　should　I　fear　you；　Master　Tressilian？or　wherefore　have
you　intruded　yourself　into　my　dwelling；　uninvited；　sir；　and
unwished　for？〃

〃Your　dwelling；　Amy！〃　　said　Tressilian。　　〃Alas！　　is　a　prison　your
dwelling？a　prison　guarded　by　one　of　the　most　sordid　of　men；　but
not　a　greater　wretch　than　his　employer！〃

〃This　house　is　mine；〃　said　Amy〃mine　while　I　choose　to　inhabit
it。　　If　it　is　my　pleasure　to　live　in　seclusion；　who　shall　gainsay
me？〃

〃Your　father；　maiden；〃　answered　Tressilian；　〃your　broken…hearted
father；　who　dispatched　me　in　quest　of　you　with　that　authority
which　he