kenilworth-第13章

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father；　who　dispatched　me　in　quest　of　you　with　that　authority
which　he　cannot　exert　in　person。　　Here　is　his　letter；　written
while　he　blessed　his　pain　of　body　which　somewhat　stunned　the
agony　of　his　mind。〃

〃The　pain！　　Is　my　father　then　ill？〃　　said　the　lady。

〃So　ill；〃　answered　Tressilian；　〃that　even　your　utmost　haste　may
not　restore　him　to　health；　but　all　shall　be　instantly　prepared
for　your　departure；　the　instant　you　yourself　will　give　consent。〃

〃Tressilian；〃　answered　the　lady；　〃I　cannot；　I　must　not；　I　dare
not　leave　this　place。　　Go　back　to　my　fathertell　him　I　will
obtain　leave　to　see　him　within　twelve　hours　from　hence。　　Go　back；
Tressiliantell　him　I　am　well；　I　am　happyhappy　could　I　think
he　was　so；　tell　him　not　to　fear　that　I　will　come；　and　in　such　a
manner　that　all　the　grief　Amy　has　given　him　shall　be　forgotten
the　poor　Amy　is　now　greater　than　she　dare　name。　　Go；　good
TressilianI　have　injured　thee　too；　but　believe　me　I　have　power
to　heal　the　wounds　I　have　caused。　　I　robbed　you　of　a　childish
heart；　which　was　not　worthy　of　you；　and　I　can　repay　the　loss　with
honours　and　advancement。〃

〃Do　you　say　this　to　me；　Amy？do　you　offer　me　pageants　of　idle
ambition；　for　the　quiet　peace　you　have　robbed　me　of！But　be　it
so　I　came　not　to　upbraid；　but　to　serve　and　to　free　you。　　You
cannot　disguise　it　from　meyou　are　a　prisoner。　　Otherwise　your
kind　heartfor　it　was　once　a　kind　heartwould　have　been　already
at　your　father's　bedside。Come；　poor；　deceived；　unhappy　maiden！
all　shall　be　forgotall　shall　be　forgiven。　　Fear　not　my
importunity　for　what　regarded　our　contractit　was　a　dream；　and　I
have　awaked。　　But　comeyour　father　yet　livescome；　and　one　word
of　affection；　one　tear　of　penitence；　will　efface　the　memory　of
all　that　has　passed。〃

〃Have　I　not　already　said；　Tressilian；〃　replied　she；　〃that　I　will
surely　come　to　my　father；　and　that　without　further　delay　than　is
necessary　to　discharge　other　and　equally　binding　duties？Go；
carry　him　the　news；　I　come　as　sure　as　there　is　light　in　heaven
that　is；　when　I　obtain　permission。〃

〃Permission！permission　to　visit　your　father　on　his　sick…bed；
perhaps　on　his　death…bed！〃　　repeated　Tressilian；　impatiently；
〃and　permission　from　whom？　　From　the　villain；　who；　under　disguise
of　friendship；　abused　every　duty　of　hospitality；　and　stole　thee
from　thy　father's　roof！〃

〃Do　him　no　slander；　Tressilian！　　He　whom　thou　speakest　of　wears　a
sword　as　sharp　as　thinesharper；　vain　man；　for　the　best　deeds
thou　hast　ever　done　in　peace　or　war　were　as　unworthy　to　be　named
with　his；　as　thy　obscure　rank　to　match　itself　with　the　sphere　he
moves　in。Leave　me！　　Go；　do　mine　errand　to　my　father；　and　when
he　next　sends　to　me；　let　him　choose　a　more　welcome　messenger。〃

〃Amy；〃　replied　Tressilian　calmly；　〃thou　canst　not　move　me　by　thy
reproaches。　　Tell　me　one　thing；　that　I　may　bear　at　least　one　ray
of　comfort　to　my　aged　friend：this　rank　of　his　which　thou　dost
boastdost　thou　share　it　with　him；　Amy？does　he　claim　a
husband's　right　to　control　thy　motions？〃

〃Stop　thy　base；　unmannered　tongue！〃　　said　the　lady；　〃to　no
question　that　derogates　from　my　honour　do　I　deign　an　answer。〃

〃You　have　said　enough　in　refusing　to　reply；〃　answered　Tressilian；
〃and　mark　me；　unhappy　as　thou　art；　I　am　armed　with　thy　father's
full　authority　to　command　thy　obedience；　and　I　will　save　thee
from　the　slavery　of　sin　and　of　sorrow；　even　despite　of　thyself；
Amy。〃

〃Menace　no　violence　here！〃　　exclaimed　the　lady；　drawing　back　from
him；　and　alarmed　at　the　determination　expressed　in　his　look　and
manner；　〃threaten　me　not；　Tressilian；　for　I　have　means　to　repel
force。〃

〃But　not；　I　trust；　the　wish　to　use　them　in　so　evil　a　cause？〃
said　Tressilian。　　〃With　thy　willthine　uninfluenced；　free；　and
natural　will；　Amy；　thou　canst　not　choose　this　state　of　slavery
and　dishonour。　　Thou　hast　been　bound　by　some　spellentrapped　by
some　deceitart　now　detained　by　some　compelled　vow。　　But　thus　I
break　the　charmAmy；　in　the　name　of　thine　excellent；　thy　broken…
hearted　father；　I　command　thee　to　follow　me！〃

As　he　spoke　he　advanced　and　extended　his　arm；　as　with　the　purpose
of　laying　hold　upon　her。　　But　she　shrunk　back　from　his　grasp；　and
uttered　the　scream　which；　as　we　before　noticed；　brought　into　the
apartment　Lambourne　and　Foster。

The　latter　exclaimed；　as　soon　as　he　entered；　〃Fire　and　fagot！
what　have　we　here？〃　　Then　addressing　the　lady；　in　a　tone　betwixt
entreaty　and　command；　he　added；　〃Uds　precious！　　madam；　what　make
you　here　out　of　bounds？　　Retireretirethere　is　life　and　death
in　this　matter。And　you；　friend；　whoever　you　may　be；　leave　this
houseout　with　you；　before　my　dagger's　hilt　and　your　costard
become　acquainted。Draw；　Mike；　and　rid　us　of　the　knave！〃

〃Not　I；　on　my　soul；〃　replied　Lambourne；　〃he　came　hither　in　my
company；　and　he　is　safe　from　me　by　cutter's　law；　at　least　till　we
meet　again。But　hark　ye；　my　Cornish　comrade；　you　have　brought　a
Cornish　flaw　of　wind　with　you　hither；　a　hurricanoe　as　they　call
it　in　the　Indies。　　Make　yourself　scarcedepartvanishor　we'll
have　you　summoned　before　the　Mayor　of　Halgaver；　and　that　before
Dudman　and　Ramhead　meet。〃　　＇Two　headlands　on　the　Cornish　coast。
The　expressions　are　proverbial。＇

〃Away；　base　groom！〃　　said　Tressilian。〃And　you；　madam；　fare　you
wellwhat　life　lingers　in　your　father's　bosom　will　leave　him　at
the　news　I　have　to　tell。〃

He　departed；　the　lady　saying　faintly　as　he　left　the　room；
〃Tressilian；　be　not　rashsay　no　scandal　of　me。〃

〃Here　is　proper　gear；〃　said　Foster。　　〃I　pray　you　go　to　your
chamber；　my　lady；　and　let　us　consider　how　this　is　to　be　answered
nay；　tarry　not。〃

〃I　move　not　at　your　command；　sir；〃　answered　the　lady。

〃Nay；　but　you　must；　fair　lady；〃　replied　Foster；　〃excuse　my
freedom；　but；　by　blood　and　nails；　this　is　no　time　to　strain
courtesiesyou　MUST　go　to　your　chamber。Mike；　follow　that
meddling　coxcomb；　and；　as　you　desire　to　thrive；　see　him　safely
clear　of　the　premises；　while　I　bring　this　headstrong　lady　to
reason。　　Draw　thy　tool；　man；　and　after　him。〃

〃I'll　follow　him；〃　said　Michael　Lambourne；　〃and　see　him　fairly
out　of　Flanders；　but　for　hurting　a　man　I　have　drunk　my　morning's
draught　withal；　'tis　clean　against　my　conscience。〃　　So　saying；　he
left　the　apartment。

Tressilian；　meanwhile；　with　hasty　steps；　pursued　the　first　path
which　promised　to　conduct　him　through　the　wild　and　overgrown　park
in　which　the　mansion　of　Foster　was　situated。　　Haste　and　distress
of　mind　led　his　steps　astray；　and　instead　of　taking　the　avenue
which　led　towards　the　village；　he　chose　another；　which；　after　he
had　pursued　it　for　some　time　with　a　hasty　and　reckless　step；
conducted　him　to　the　other　side　of　the　demesne；　where　a　postern
door　opened　through　the　wall；　and　led　into　the　open　country。

Tressilian　paused　an　instant。　　It　was　indifferent　to　him　by　what
road　he　left　a　spot　now　so　odious　to　his　recollections；　but　it
was　probable　that　the　postern　door　was　locked；　and　his　retreat　by
that　pass　rendered　impossible。

〃I　must　make　the　attempt；　however；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃the　only
means　of　reclaiming　this　lostthis　miserablethis　still　most
lovely　and　most　unhappy　girl；　must　rest　in　her　father's　appeal　to
the　broken　laws　of　his　country。　　I　must　haste　to　apprise　him　of
this　heartrending　intelligence。〃

As　Tressilian；　thus　conversing　with　himself；　approached　to　try
some　means　of　opening　the　door；　or　climbing　over　it；　he　perceived
there　was　a　key　put　into　the　lock　from　the　outside。　　It　turned
round；　the　bolt　revolved；　and　a　cavalier；　who　entered；　muffled　in
his　riding…cloak；　and　wearing　a　slouched　hat　with　a　drooping
feather；　stood　at　once　within　four　yards　of　him　who　was　desirous
of　going　out。　　They　exclaimed　at　once；　in　tones　of　resentment　and
surprise；　the　one　〃Varney！〃　　the　other　〃Tressilian！〃

〃What　make　you　here？〃　　was　the　stern　question　put　by　the　stranger
to　Tressilian；　when　the　moment　of　surprise　was　past〃what　make
you　here；　where　your　presence　is　neither　expected　nor　desired？〃

〃Nay；　Varney；〃　replied　Tressilian；　〃what　make　you　here？　　Are　you
come　to　triumph　over　the　innocence　you　have　destroyed；　as　the
vulture　or　carrion…crow　comes　to　batten　on　the　lamb　whose　eyes　it
has　first　plucked　out？　　Or　are　you　come　to　encounter　the　merite