kenilworth-第16章

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in　temper。〃

They　parted　and　at　the　hour　of　noon；　which　was　then　that　of
dinner；　they　again　met　at　their　meal；　Varney　gaily　dressed　like　a
courtier　of　the　time；　and　even　Anthony　Foster　improved　in
appearance；　as　far　as　dress　could　amend　an　exterior　so
unfavourable。

This　alteration　did　not　escape　Varney。　　Then　the　meal　was
finished；　the　cloth　removed；　and　they　were　left　to　their　private
discourse〃Thou　art　gay　as　a　goldfinch；　Anthony；〃　said　Varney；
looking　at　his　host；　〃methinks；　thou　wilt　whistle　a　jig　anon。
But　I　crave　your　pardon；　that　would　secure　your　ejection　from　the
congregation　of　the　zealous　botchers；　the　pure…hearted　weavers；
and　the　sanctified　bakers　of　Abingdon；　who　let　their　ovens　cool
while　their　brains　get　heated。〃

〃To　answer　you　in　the　spirit；　Master　Varney；〃　said　Foster；　〃were
excuse　the　parableto　fling　sacred　and　precious　things　before
swine。　　So　I　will　speak　to　thee　in　the　language　of　the　world；
which　he　who　is　king　of　the　world；　hath　taught　thee；　to
understand；　and　to　profit　by　in　no　common　measure。〃

〃Say　what　thou　wilt；　honest　Tony；〃　replied　Varney；　〃for　be　it
according　to　thine　absurd　faith；　or　according　to　thy　most
villainous　practice；　it　cannot　choose　but　be　rare　matter　to
qualify　this　cup　of　Alicant。　　Thy　conversation　is　relishing　and
poignant；　and　beats　caviare；　dried　neat's…tongue；　and　all　other
provocatives　that　give　savour　to　good　liquor。〃

〃Well；　then；　tell　me；〃　said　Anthony　Foster；　〃is　not　our　good　lord
and　master's　turn　better　served；　and　his　antechamber　more
suitably　filled；　with　decent；　God…fearing　men；　who　will　work　his
will　and　their　own　profit　quietly；　and　without　worldly　scandal；
than　that　he　should　be　manned；　and　attended；　and　followed　by　such
open　debauchers　and　ruffianly　swordsmen　as　Tidesly；　Killigrew；
this　fellow　Lambourne；　whom　you　have　put　me　to　seek　out　for　you；
and　other　such；　who　bear　the　gallows　in　their　face　and　murder　in
their　right　handwho　are　a　terror　to　peaceable　men；　and　a
scandal　to　my　lord's　service？〃

〃Oh；　content　you；　good　Master　Anthony　Foster；〃　answered　Varney；
〃he　that　flies　at　all　manner　of　game　must　keep　all　kinds　of
hawks；　both　short　and　long…winged。　　The　course　my　lord　holds　is
no　easy　one；　and　he　must　stand　provided　at　all　points　with　trusty
retainers　to　meet　each　sort　of　service。　　He　must　have　his　gay
courtier；　like　myself；　to　ruffle　it　in　the　presence…chamber；　and
to　lay　hand　on　hilt　when　any　speaks　in　disparagement　of　my　lord's
honour〃

〃Ay；〃　said　Foster；　〃and　to　whisper　a　word　for　him　into　a　fair
lady's　ear；　when　he　may　not　approach　her　himself。〃

〃Then；〃　said　Varney；　going　on　without　appearing　to　notice　the
interruption；　〃he　must　have　his　lawyersdeep；　subtle　pioneers
to　draw　his　contracts；　his　pre…contracts；　and　his　post…
contracts；　and　to　find　the　way　to　make　the　most　of　grants　of
church…lands；　and　commons；　and　licenses　for　monopoly。　　And　he
must　have　physicians　who　can　spice　a　cup　or　a　caudle。　　And　he
must　have　his　cabalists；　like　Dec　and　Allan；　for　conjuring　up　the
devil。　　And　he　must　have　ruffling　swordsmen；　who　would　fight　the
devil　when　he　is　raised　and　at　the　wildest。　　And　above　all；
without　prejudice　to　others；　he　must　have　such　godly；　innocent；
puritanic　souls　as　thou；　honest　Anthony；　who　defy　Satan；　and　do
his　work　at　the　same　time。〃

〃You　would　not　say；　Master　Varney；〃　said　Foster；　〃that　our　good
lord　and　master；　whom　I　hold　to　be　fulfilled　in　all　nobleness；
would　use　such　base　and　sinful　means　to　rise；　as　thy　speech
points　at？〃

〃Tush；　man；〃　said　Varney；　〃never　look　at　me　with　so　sad　a　brow。
You　trap　me　notnor　am　I　in　your　power；　as　your　weak　brain　may
imagine；　because　I　name　to　you　freely　the　engines；　the　springs；
the　screws；　the　tackle；　and　braces；　by　which　great　men　rise　in
stirring　times。　　Sayest　thou　our　good　lord　is　fulfilled　of　all
nobleness？　　Amen；　and　so　be　ithe　has　the　more　need　to　have
those　about　him　who　are　unscrupulous　in　his　service；　and　who；
because　they　know　that　his　fall　will　overwhelm　and　crush　them；
must　wager　both　blood　and　brain；　soul　and　body；　in　order　to　keep
him　aloft；　and　this　I　tell　thee；　because　I　care　not　who　knows
it。〃

〃You　speak　truth；　Master　Varney；〃　said　Anthony　Foster。　　〃He　that
is　head　of　a　party　is　but　a　boat　on　a　wave；　that　raises　not
itself；　but　is　moved　upward　by　the　billow　which　it　floats　upon。〃

〃Thou　art　metaphorical；　honest　Anthony；〃　replied　Varney；　〃that
velvet　doublet　hath　made　an　oracle　of　thee。　　We　will　have　thee　to
Oxford　to　take　the　degrees　in　the　arts。　　And；　in　the　meantime；
hast　thou　arranged　all　the　matters　which　were　sent　from　London；
and　put　the　western　chambers　into　such　fashion　as　may　answer　my
lord's　humour？〃

〃They　may　serve　a　king　on　his　bridal…day；〃　said　Anthony；　〃and　I
promise　you　that　Dame　Amy　sits　in　them　yonder　as　proud　and　gay　as
if　she　were　the　Queen　of　Sheba。〃

〃'Tis　the　better；　good　Anthony；〃　answered　Varney；　〃we　must　found
our　future　fortunes　on　her　good　liking。〃

〃We　build　on　sand　then；〃　said　Anthony　Foster；　〃for　supposing　that
she　sails　away　to　court　in　all　her　lord's　dignity　and　authority；
how　is　she　to　look　back　upon　me；　who　am　her　jailor　as　it　were；　to
detain　her　here　against　her　will；　keeping　her　a　caterpillar　on　an
old　wall；　when　she　would　fain　be　a　painted　butterfly　in　a　court
garden？〃

〃Fear　not　her　displeasure；　man；〃　said　Varney。　　〃I　will　show　her
all　thou　hast　done　in　this　matter　was　good　service；　both　to　my
lord　and　her；　and　when　she　chips　the　egg…shell　and　walks　alone；
she　shall　own　we　have　hatched　her　greatness。〃

〃Look　to　yourself；　Master　Varney；〃　said　Foster；　〃you　may
misreckon　foully　in　this　matter。　　She　gave　you　but　a　frosty
reception　this　morning；　and；　I　think；　looks　on　you；　as　well　as
me；　with　an　evil　eye。〃

〃You　mistake　her；　Fosteryou　mistake　her　utterly。　　To　me　she　is
bound　by　all　the　ties　which　can　secure　her　to　one　who　has　been
the　means　of　gratifying　both　her　love　and　ambition。　　Who　was　it
that　took　the　obscure　Amy　Robsart；　the　daughter　of　an
impoverished　and　dotard　knightthe　destined　bride　of　a
moonstruck；　moping　enthusiast；　like　Edmund　Tressilian；　from　her
lowly　fates；　and　held　out　to　her　in　prospect　the　brightest
fortune　in　England；　or　perchance　in　Europe？　　Why；　man；　it　was　I
as　I　have　often　told　theethat　found　opportunity　for　their
secret　meetings。　　It　was　I　who　watched　the　wood　while　he　beat　for
the　deer。　　It　was　I　who；　to　this　day；　am　blamed　by　her　family　as
the　companion　of　her　flight；　and　were　I　in　their　neighbourhood；
would　be　fain　to　wear　a　shirt　of　better　stuff　than　Holland　linen；
lest　my　ribs　should　be　acquainted　with　Spanish　steel。　　Who
carried　their　letters？I。　　Who　amused　the　old　knight　and
Tressilian？I。　　Who　planned　her　escape？it　was　I。　　It　was　I；　in
short；　Dick　Varney；　who　pulled　this　pretty　little　daisy　from　its
lowly　nook；　and　placed　it　in　the　proudest　bonnet　in　Britain。〃

〃Ay；　Master　Varney；〃　said　Foster；　〃but　it　may　be　she　thinks　that
had　the　matter　remained　with　you；　the　flower　had　been　stuck　so
slightly　into　the　cap；　that　the　first　breath　of　a　changeable
breeze　of　passion　had　blown　the　poor　daisy　to　the　common。〃

〃She　should　consider；〃　said　Varney；　smiling；　〃the　true　faith　I
owed　my　lord　and　master　prevented　me　at　first　from　counselling
marriage；　and　yet　I　did　counsel　marriage　when　I　saw　she　would　not
be　satisfied　without　thethe　sacrament；　or　the　ceremonywhich
callest　thou　it；　Anthony？〃

〃Still　she　has　you　at　feud　on　another　score；〃　said　Foster；　〃and　I
tell　it　you　that　you　may　look　to　yourself　in　time。　　She　would　not
hide　her　splendour　in　this　dark　lantern　of　an　old　monastic　house；
but　would　fain　shine　a　countess　amongst　countesses。〃

〃Very　natural；　very　right；〃　answered　Varney；　〃but　what　have　I　to
do　with　that？she　may　shine　through　horn　or　through　crystal　at
my　lord's　pleasure；　I　have　nought　to　say　against　it。〃

〃She　deems　that　you　have　an　oar　upon　that　side　of　the　boat；
Master　Varney；〃　replied　Foster；　〃and　that　you　can　pull　it　or　no；
at　your　good　pleasure。　　In　a　word；　she　ascribes　the　secrecy　and
obscurity　in　which　she　is　kept　to　your　secret　counsel　to　my　lord；
and　to　my　strict　agency；　and　so　she　loves　us　both　as　a　sentenced
man　loves　his　judge　and　his　jailor。〃

〃She　must