kenilworth-第17章

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and　to　my　strict　agency；　and　so　she　loves　us　both　as　a　sentenced
man　loves　his　judge　and　his　jailor。〃

〃She　must　love　us　better　ere　she　leave　this　place；　Anthony；〃
answered　Varney。　　〃If　I　have　counselled　for　weighty　reasons　that
she　remain　here　for　a　season；　I　can　also　advise　her　being　brought
forth　in　the　full　blow　of　her　dignity。　　But　I　were　mad　to　do　so；
holding　so　near　a　place　to　my　lord's　person；　were　she　mine　enemy。
Bear　this　truth　in　upon　her　as　occasion　offers；　Anthony；　and　let
me　alone　for　extolling　you　in　her　ear；　and　exalting　you　in　her
opinionKA　ME；　KA　THEEit　is　a　proverb　all　over　the　world。　　The
lady　must　know　her　friends；　and　be　made　to　judge　of　the　power
they　have　of　being　her　enemies；　meanwhile；　watch　her　strictly；
but　with　all　the　outward　observance　that　thy　rough　nature　will
permit。　　'Tis　an　excellent　thing　that　sullen　look　and　bull…dog
humour　of　thine；　thou　shouldst　thank　God　for　it；　and　so　should　my
lord；　for　when　there　is　aught　harsh　or　hard…natured　to　be　done；
thou　dost　it　as　if　it　flowed　from　thine　own　natural　doggedness；
and　not　from　orders；　and　so　my　lord　escapes　the　scandal。But；
harksome　one　knocks　at　the　gate。　　Look　out　at　the　windowlet
no　one　enterthis　were　an　ill　night　to　be　interrupted。〃

〃It　is　he　whom　we　spoke　of　before　dinner；〃　said　Foster；　as　he
looked　through　the　casement；　〃it　is　Michael　Lambourne。〃

〃Oh；　admit　him；　by　all　means；〃　said　the　courtier；　〃he　comes　to
give　some　account　of　his　guest；　it　imports　us　much　to　know　the
movements　of　Edmund　Tressilian。Admit　him；　I　say；　but　bring　him
not　hither；　I　will　come　to　you　presently　in　the　Abbot's　library。〃

Foster　left　the　room；　and　the　courtier；　who　remained　behind；
paced　the　parlour　more　than　once　in　deep　thought；　his　arms　folded
on　his　bosom；　until　at　length　he　gave　vent　to　his　meditations　in
broken　words；　which　we　have　somewhat　enlarged　and　connected；　that
his　soliloquy　may　be　intelligible　to　the　reader。

〃'Tis　true；〃　he　said；　suddenly　stopping；　and　resting　his　right
hand　on　the　table　at　which　they　had　been　sitting；　〃this　base
churl　hath　fathomed　the　very　depth　of　my　fear；　and　I　have　been
unable　to　disguise　it　from　him。　　She　loves　me　notI　would　it
were　as　true　that　I　loved　not　her！　　Idiot　that　I　was；　to　move　her
in　my　own　behalf；　when　wisdom　bade　me　be　a　true　broker　to　my
lord！　　And　this　fatal　error　has　placed　me　more　at　her　discretion
than　a　wise　man　would　willingly　be　at　that　of　the　best　piece　of
painted　Eve's　flesh　of　them　all。　　Since　the　hour　that　my　policy
made　so　perilous　a　slip；　I　cannot　look　at　her　without　fear；　and
hate；　and　fondness；　so　strangely　mingled；　that　I　know　not
whether；　were　it　at　my　choice；　I　would　rather　possess　or　ruin
her。　　But　she　must　not　leave　this　retreat　until　I　am　assured　on
what　terms　we　are　to　stand。　　My　lord's　interestand　so　far　it　is
mine　own；　for　if　he　sinks　I　fall　in　his　traindemands
concealment　of　this　obscure　marriage；　and　besides；　I　will　not
lend　her　my　arm　to　climb　to　her　chair　of　state；　that　she　may　set
her　foot　on　my　neck　when　she　is　fairly　seated。　　I　must　work　an
interest　in　her；　either　through　love　or　through　fear；　and　who
knows　but　I　may　yet　reap　the　sweetest　and　best　revenge　for　her
former　scorn？that　were　indeed　a　masterpiece　of　courtlike　art！
Let　me　but　once　be　her　counsel…keeperlet　her　confide　to　me　a
secret；　did　it　but　concern　the　robbery　of　a　linnet's　nest；　and；
fair　Countess；　thou　art　mine　own！〃　　He　again　paced　the　room　in
silence；　stopped；　filled　and　drank　a　cup　of　wine；　as　if　to
compose　the　agitation　of　his　mind；　and　muttering；　〃Now　for　a
close　heart　and　an　open　and　unruffled　brow；〃　he　left　the
apartment。



CHAPTER　VI。

　　The　dews　of　summer　night　did　fall；
　　　　The　moon；　sweet　regent　of　the　sky；
　　Silver'd　the　walls　of　Cumnor　Hall；
　　　　And　many　an　oak　that　grew　thereby。　　　　　MICKLE。

＇This　verse　is　the　commencement　of　the　ballad　already　quoted；　as
what　suggested　the　novel。＇

Four　apartments；　which；　occupied　the　western　side　of　the　old
quadrangle　at　Cumnor　Place；　had　been　fitted　up　with　extraordinary
splendour。　　This　had　been　the　work　of　several　days　prior　to　that
on　which　our　story　opened。　　Workmen　sent　from　London；　and　not
permitted　to　leave　the　premises　until　the　work　was　finished；　had
converted　the　apartments　in　that　side　of　the　building　from　the
dilapidated　appearance　of　a　dissolved　monastic　house　into　the
semblance　of　a　royal　palace。　　A　mystery　was　observed　in　all　these
arrangements：　　the　workmen　came　thither　and　returned　by　night；
and　all　measures　were　taken　to　prevent　the　prying　curiosity　of
the　villagers　from　observing　or　speculating　upon　the　changes
which　were　taking　place　in　the　mansion　of　their　once　indigent　but
now　wealthy　neighbour；　Anthony　Foster。　　Accordingly；　the　secrecy
desired　was　so　far　preserved；　that　nothing　got　abroad　but　vague
and　uncertain　reports；　which　were　received　and　repeated；　but
without　much　credit　being　attached　to　them。

On　the　evening　of　which　we　treat；　the　new　and　highly…decorated
suite　of　rooms　were；　for　the　first　time；　illuminated；　and　that
with　a　brilliancy　which　might　have　been　visible　half…a…dozen
miles　off；　had　not　oaken　shutters；　carefully　secured　with　bolt
and　padlock；　and　mantled　with　long　curtains　of　silk　and　of
velvet；　deeply　fringed　with　gold；　prevented　the　slightest　gleam
of　radiance　front　being　seen　without。

The　principal　apartments；　as　we　have　seen；　were　four　in　number；
each　opening　into　the　other。　　Access　was　given　to　them　by　a　large
scale　staircase；　as　they　were　then　called；　of　unusual　length　and
height；　which　had　its　landing…place　at　the　door　of　an
antechamber；　shaped　somewhat　like　a　gallery。　　This　apartment　the
abbot　had　used　as　an　occasional　council…room；　but　it　was　now
beautifully　wainscoted　with　dark；　foreign　wood　of　a　brown　colour；
and　bearing　a　high　polish；　said　to　have　been　brought　from　the
Western　Indies；　and　to　have　been　wrought　in　London　with　infinite
difficulty　and　much　damage　to　the　tools　of　the　workmen。　　The　dark
colour　of　this　finishing　was　relieved　by　the　number　of　lights　in
silver　sconces　which　hung　against　the　walls；　and　by　six　large　and
richly…framed　pictures；　by　the　first　masters　of　the　age。　　A　massy
oaken　table；　placed　at　the　lower　end　of　the　apartment；　served　to
accommodate　such　as　chose　to　play　at　the　then　fashionable　game　of
shovel…board；　and　there　was　at　the　other　end　an　elevated　gallery
for　the　musicians　or　minstrels；　who　might　be　summoned　to　increase
the　festivity　of　the　evening。

From　this　antechamber　opened　a　banqueting…room　of　moderate　size；
but　brilliant　enough　to　dazzle　the　eyes　of　the　spectator　with　the
richness　of　its　furniture。　　The　walls；　lately　so　bare　and
ghastly；　were　now　clothed　with　hangings　of　sky…blue　velvet　and
silver；　the　chairs　were　of　ebony；　richly　carved；　with　cushions
corresponding　to　the　hangings；　and　the　place　of　the　silver
sconces　which　enlightened　the　ante…chamber　was　supplied　by　a　huge
chandelier　of　the　same　precious　metal。　　The　floor　was　covered
with　a　Spanish　foot…cloth；　or　carpet；　on　which　flowers　and　fruits
were　represented　in　such　glowing　and　natural　colours；　that　you
hesitated　to　place　the　foot　on　such　exquisite　workmanship。　　The
table；　of　old　English　oak；　stood　ready　covered　with　the　finest
linen；　and　a　large　portable　court…cupboard　was　placed　with　the
leaves　of　its　embossed　folding…doors　displayed；　showing　the
shelves　within；　decorated　with　a　full　display　of　plate　and
porcelain。　　In　the　midst　of　the　table　stood　a　salt…cellar　of
Italian　workmanshipa　beautiful　and　splendid　piece　of　plate
about　two　feet　high；　moulded　into　a　representation　of　the　giant
Briareus；　whose　hundred　hands　of　silver　presented　to　the　guests
various　sorts　of　spices；　or　condiments；　to　season　their　food
withal。

The　third　apartment　was　called　the　withdrawing…room。　　It　was　hung
with　the　finest　tapestry；　representing　the　fall　of　Phaeton；　for
the　looms　of　Flanders　were　now　much　occupied　on　classical
subjects。　　The　principal　seat　of　this　apartment　was　a　chair　of
state；　raised　a　step　or　two　from　the　floor；　and　large　enough　to
contain　two　persons。　　It　was　surmounted　by　a　canopy；　which；　as
well　as　the　cushions；　side…curtains；　and　the　very　footcloth；　was
composed　of　crimson　velvet；