kenilworth-第130章

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building　where　Amy　had　never　been；　and　conducted　her　up　a　stair
of　great　height；　preceded　by　one　of　the　old　women　with　a　lamp。
At　the　head　of　the　stair；　which　seemed　of　almost　immeasurable
height；　they　crossed　a　short　wooden　gallery；　formed　of　black　oak；
and　very　narrow；　at　the　farther　end　of　which　was　a　strong　oaken
door；　which　opened　and　admitted　them　into　the　miser's　apartment；
homely　in　its　accommodations　in　the　very　last　degree；　and；　except
in　name；　little　different　from　a　prison…room。

Foster　stopped　at　the　door；　and　gave　the　lamp　to　the　Countess；
without　either　offering　or　permitting　the　attendance　of　the　old
woman　who　had　carried　it。　　The　lady　stood　not　on　ceremony；　but
taking　it　hastily；　barred　the　door；　and　secured　it　with　the　ample
means　provided　on　the　inside　for　that　purpose。

Varney；　meanwhile；　had　lurked　behind　on　the　stairs；　but　hearing
the　door　barred；　he　now　came　up　on　tiptoe；　and　Foster；　winking　to
him；　pointed　with　self…complacence　to　a　piece　of　concealed
machinery　in　the　wall；　which；　playing　with　much　ease　and　little
noise；　dropped　a　part　of　the　wooden　gallery；　after　the　manner　of
a　drawbridge；　so　as　to　cut　off　all　communication　between　the　door
of　the　bedroom；　which　he　usually　inhabited；　and　the　landing…place
of　the　high；　winding　stair　which　ascended　to　it。　　The　rope　by
which　this　machinery　was　wrought　was　generally　carried　within　the
bedchamber；　it　being　Foster's　object　to　provide　against　invasion
from　without；　but　now　that　it　was　intended　to　secure　the　prisoner
within；　the　cord　had　been　brought　over　to　the　landing…place；　and
was　there　made　fast；　when　Foster　with　much　complacency　had
dropped　the　unsuspected　trap…door。

Varney　looked　with　great　attention　at　the　machinery；　and　peeped
more　than　once　down　the　abyss　which　was　opened　by　the　fall　of　the
trap…door。　　It　was　dark　as　pitch；　and　seemed　profoundly　deep；
going；　as　Foster　informed　his　confederate　in　a　whisper；　nigh　to
the　lowest　vault　of　the　Castle。　　Varney　cast　once　more　a　fixed
and　long　look　down　into　this　sable　gulf；　and　then　followed　Foster
to　the　part　of　the　manor…house　most　usually　inhabited。

When　they　arrived　in　the　parlour　which　we　have　mentioned；　Varney
requested　Foster　to　get　them　supper；　and　some　of　the　choicest
wine。　　〃I　will　seek　Alasco；〃　he　added；　〃we　have　work　for　him　to
do；　and　we　must　put　him　in　good　heart。〃

Foster　groaned　at　this　intimation；　but　made　no　remonstrance。　　The
old　woman　assured　Varney　that　Alasco　had　scarce　eaten　or　drunken
since　her　master's　departure；　living　perpetually　shut　up　in　the
laboratory；　and　talking　as　if　the　world's　continuance　depended　on
what　he　was　doing　there。

〃I　will　teach　him　that　the　world　hath　other　claims　on　him；〃　said
Varney；　seizing　a　light；　and　going　in　quest　of　the　alchemist。　　He
returned；　after　a　considerable　absence；　very　pale；　but　yet　with
his　habitual　sneer　on　his　cheek　and　nostril。　　〃Our　friend；〃　he
said；　〃has　exhaled。〃

〃How！what　mean　you？〃　　said　Foster〃run　awayfled　with　my
forty　pounds；　that　should　have　been　multiplied　a　thousand…fold？
I　will　have　Hue　and　Cry！〃

〃I　will　tell　thee　a　surer　way；〃　said　Varney。

〃How！which　way？〃　　exclaimed　Foster；　〃I　will　have　back　my　forty
poundsI　deemed　them　as　surely　a　thousand　times　multipliedI
will　have　back　my　in…put；　at　the　least。〃

〃Go　hang　thyself；　then；　and　sue　Alasco　in　the　Devil's　Court　of
Chancery；　for　thither　he　has　carried　the　cause。〃

〃How！what　dost　thou　mean　is　he　dead？〃

〃Ay；　truly　is　he；〃　said　Varney；　〃and　properly　swollen　already　in
the　face　and　body。　　He　had　been　mixing　some　of　his　devil's
medicines；　and　the　glass　mask　which　he　used　constantly　had　fallen
from　his　face；　so　that　the　subtle　poison　entered　the　brain；　and
did　its　work。〃

〃SANCTA　MARIA！〃　　said　Foster〃I　mean；　God　in　His　mercy　preserve
us　from　covetousness　and　deadly　sin！Had　he　not　had　projection；
think　you？　　Saw　you　no　ingots　in　the　crucibles？〃

〃Nay；　I　looked　not　but　at　the　dead　carrion；〃　answered　Varney；　〃an
ugly　spectaclehe　was　swollen　like　a　corpse　three　days　exposed
on　the　wheel。　　Pah！　　give　me　a　cup　of　wine。〃

〃I　will　go；〃　said　Foster；　〃I　will　examine　myself〃　He　took　the
lamp；　and　hastened　to　the　door；　but　there　hesitated　and　paused。
〃Will　you　not　go　with　me？〃　　said　he　to　Varney。

〃To　what　purpose？〃　　said　Varney；　〃I　have　seen　and　smelled　enough
to　spoil　my　appetite。　　I　broke　the　window；　however；　and　let　in
the　air；　it　reeked　of　sulphur；　and　such　like　suffocating　steams；
as　if　the　very　devil　had　been　there。〃

〃And　might　it　not　be　the　act　of　the　demon　himself？〃　　said　Foster；
still　hesitating；　〃I　have　heard　he　is　powerful　at　such　times；　and
with　such　people。〃

〃Still；　if　it　were　that　Satan　of　thine；〃　answered　Varney；　〃who
thus　jades　thy　imagination；　thou　art　in　perfect　safety；　unless　he
is　a　most　unconscionable　devil　indeed。　　He　hath　had　two　good　sops
of　late。〃

〃How　TWO　sopswhat　mean　you？〃　　said　Foster〃what　mean　you？〃

〃You　will　know　in　time；〃　said　Varney；〃and　then　this　other
banquetbut　thou　wilt　esteem　Her　too　choice　a　morsel　for　the
fiend's　toothshe　must　have　her　psalms；　and　harps；　and　seraphs。〃

Anthony　Foster　heard；　and　came　slowly　back　to　the　table。　　〃God！
Sir　Richard；　and　must　that　then　be　done？〃

〃Ay；　in　very　truth；　Anthony；　or　there　comes　no　copyhold　in　thy
way；〃　replied　his　inflexible　associate。

〃I　always　foresaw　it　would　land　there！〃　　said　Foster。　　〃But　how；
Sir　Richard；　how？for　not　to　win　the　world　would　I　put　hands　on
her。〃

〃I　cannot　blame　thee；〃　said　Varney；　〃I　should　be　reluctant　to　do
that　myself。　　We　miss　Alasco　and　his　manna　sorelyay；　and　the
dog　Lambourne。〃

〃Why；　where　tarries　Lambourne？〃　　said　Anthony。

〃Ask　no　questions；〃　said　Varney；　〃thou　wilt　see　him　one　day　if
thy　creed　is　true。　　But　to　our　graver　matter。　　I　will　teach　thee
a　spring；　Tony；　to　catch　a　pewit。　　Yonder　trap…dooryonder
gimcrack　of　thine；　will　remain　secure　in　appearance；　will　it　not；
though　the　supports　are　withdrawn　beneath？〃

〃Ay；　marry；　will　it；〃　said　Foster；　〃so　long　as　it　is　not　trodden
on。〃

〃But　were　the　lady　to　attempt　an　escape　over　it；〃　replied　Varney；
〃her　weight　would　carry　it　down？〃

〃A　mouse's　weight　would　do　it；〃　said　Foster。

〃Why；　then；　she　dies　in　attempting　her　escape；　and　what　could　you
or　I　help　it；　honest　Tony？　　Let　us　to　bed；　we　will　adjust　our
project　to…morrow。〃

On　the　next　day；　when　evening　approached；　Varney　summoned　Foster
to　the　execution　of　their　plan。　　Tider　and　Foster's　old　man…
servant　were　sent　on　a　feigned　errand　down　to　the　village；　and
Anthony　himself；　as　if　anxious　to　see　that　the　Countess　suffered
no　want　of　accommodation；　visited　her　place　of　confinement。　　He
was　so　much　staggered　at　the　mildness　and　patience　with　which　she
seemed　to　endure　her　confinement；　that　he　could　not　help
earnestly　recommending　to　her　not　to　cross　the　threshold　of　her
room　on　any　account　whatever；　until　Lord　Leicester　should　come；
〃which；〃　he　added；　〃I　trust　in　God；　will　be　very　soon。〃　　Amy
patiently　promised　that　she　would　resign　herself　to　her　fate。
and　Foster　returned　to　his　hardened　companion　with　his　conscience
half…eased　of　the　perilous　load　that　weighed　on　it。　　〃I　have
warned　her；〃　he　said；　〃surely　in　vain　is　the　snare　set　in　the
sight　of　any　bird！〃

He　left；　therefore；　the　Countess's　door　unsecured　on　the　outside；
and；　under　the　eye　of　Varney；　withdrew　the　supports　which
sustained　the　falling　trap；　which；　therefore；　kept　its　level
position　merely　by　a　slight　adhesion。　　They　withdrew　to　wait　the
issue　on　the　ground…floor　adjoining；　but　they　waited　long　in
vain。　　At　length　Varney；　after　walking　long　to　and　fro；　with　his
face　muffled　in　his　cloak；　threw　it　suddenly　back　and　exclaimed；
〃Surely　never　was　a　woman　fool　enough　to　neglect　so　fair　an
opportunity　of　escape！〃

〃Perhaps　she　is　resolved；〃　said　Foster；　〃to　await　her　husband's
return；〃

〃True！most　true！〃　　said　Varney；　rushing　out；　〃I　had　not　thought
of　that　before。〃

In　less　than　two　minutes；　Foster；　who　remained　behind；　heard　the
tread　of　a　horse　in　the　courtyard；　and　then　a　whistle　similar　to
that　which　was　the　Earl's　usual　signal。　　The　instant　after　the
door　of　the　Countess's　chamber　opened；　and　in　the　same　moment　the
trap…door　gave　way。　　There