kenilworth-第25章

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remembrance　for　thy　faithful　service。　　See　here！　　a　purse　of　as
good　gold　as　ever　chinked　under　a　miser's　thumb　and　fore…finger。
Ay；　count　them；　lad；〃　said　he；　as　Foster　received　the　gold　with　a
grim　smile；　〃and　add　to　them　the　goodly　remembrance　he　gave　last
night　to　Janet。〃

〃How's　this？　　how's　this？〃　　said　Anthony　Foster　hastily；　〃gave　he
gold　to　Janet？〃

〃Ay；　man；　wherefore　not？does　not　her　service　to　his　fair　lady
require　guerdon？〃

〃She　shall　have　none　on't；〃　said　Foster；　〃she　shall　return　it。　　I
know　his　dotage　on　one　face　is　as　brief　as　it　is　deep。　　His
affections　are　as　fickle　as　the　moon。〃

〃Why；　Foster；　thou　art　madthou　dost　not　hope　for　such　good
fortune　as　that　my　lord　should　cast　an　eye　on　Janet？　　Who；　in　the
fiend's　name；　would　listen　to　the　thrush　while　the　nightingale　is
singing？〃

〃Thrush　or　nightingale；　all　is　one　to　the　fowler；　and；　Master
Varney；　you　can　sound　the　quail…pipe　most　daintily　to　wile
wantons　into　his　nets。　　I　desire　no　such　devil's　preferment　for
Janet　as　you　have　brought　many　a　poor　maiden　to。　　Dost　thou
laugh？　　I　will　keep　one　limb　of　my　family；　at　least；　from　Satan's
clutches；　that　thou　mayest　rely　on。　　She　shall　restore　the　gold。〃

〃Ay；　or　give　it　to　thy　keeping；　Tony；　which　will　serve　as　well；〃
answered　Varney；　〃but　I　have　that　to　say　which　is　more　serious。
Our　lord　is　returning　to　court　in　an　evil　humour　for　us。〃

〃How　meanest　thou？〃　　said　Foster。　　〃Is　he　tired　already　of　his
pretty　toyhis　plaything　yonder？　　He　has　purchased　her　at　a
monarch's　ransom；　and　I　warrant　me　he　rues　his　bargain。〃

〃Not　a　whit；　Tony；〃　answered　the　master　of　the　horse；　〃he　dotes
on　her；　and　will　forsake　the　court　for　her。　　Then　down　go　hopes；
possessions；　and　safetychurch…lands　are　resumed；　Tony；　and　well
if　the　holders　be　not　called　to　account　in　Exchequer。〃

〃That　were　ruin；〃　said　Foster；　his　brow　darkening　with
apprehensions；　〃and　all　this　for　a　woman！　　Had　it　been　for　his
soul's　sake；　it　were　something；　and　I　sometimes　wish　I　myself
could　fling　away　the　world　that　cleaves　to　me；　and　be　as　one　of
the　poorest　of　our　church。〃

〃Thou　art　like　enough　to　be　so；　Tony；〃　answered　Varney；　〃but　I
think　the　devil　will　give　thee　little　credit　for　thy　compelled
poverty；　and　so　thou　losest　on　all　hands。　　But　follow　my　counsel；
and　Cumnor　Place　shall　be　thy　copyhold　yet。　　Say　nothing　of　this
Tressilian's　visitnot　a　word　until　I　give　thee　notice。〃

〃And　wherefore；　I　pray　you？〃　　asked　Foster；　suspiciously。

〃Dull　beast！〃　　replied　Varney。　　〃In　my　lord's　present　humour　it
were　the　ready　way　to　confirm　him　in　his　resolution　of
retirement；　should　he　know　that　his　lady　was　haunted　with　such　a
spectre　in　his　absence。　　He　would　be　for　playing　the　dragon
himself　over　his　golden　fruit；　and　then；　Tony；　thy　occupation　is
ended。　　A　word　to　the　wise。　　Farewell！　　I　must　follow　him。〃

He　turned　his　horse；　struck　him　with　the　spurs；　and　rode　off
under　the　archway　in　pursuit　of　his　lord。

〃Would　thy　occupation　were　ended；　or　thy　neck　broken；　damned
pander！〃　　said　Anthony　Foster。　　〃But　I　must　follow　his　beck；　for
his　interest　and　mine　are　the　same；　and　he　can　wind　the　proud
Earl　to　his　will。　　Janet　shall　give　me　those　pieces　though；　they
shall　be　laid　out　in　some　way　for　God's　service；　and　I　will　keep
them　separate　in　my　strong　chest；　till　I　can　fall　upon　a　fitting
employment　for　them。　　No　contagious　vapour　shall　breathe　on
Janetshe　shall　remain　pure　as　a　blessed　spirit；　were　it　but　to
pray　God　for　her　father。　　I　need　her　prayers；　for　I　am　at　a　hard
pass。　　Strange　reports　are　abroad　concerning　my　way　of　life。　　The
congregation　look　cold　on　me；　and　when　Master　Holdforth　spoke　of
hypocrites　being　like　a　whited　sepulchre；　which　within　was　full
of　dead　men's　bones；　methought　he　looked　full　at　me。　　The　Romish
was　a　comfortable　faith；　Lambourne　spoke　true　in　that。　　A　man　had
but　to　follow　his　thrift　by　such　ways　as　offeredtell　his　beads；
hear　a　mass；　confess；　and　be　absolved。　　These　Puritans　tread　a
harder　and　a　rougher　path；　but　I　will　tryI　will　read　my　Bible
for　an　hour　ere　I　again　open　mine　iron　chest。〃

Varney；　meantime；　spurred　after　his　lord；　whom　he　found　waiting
for　him　at　the　postern　gate　of　the　park。

〃You　waste　time；　Varney；〃　said　the　Earl；　〃and　it　presses。　　I　must
be　at　Woodstock　before　I　can　safely　lay　aside　my　disguise；　and
till　then　I　journey　in　some　peril。〃

〃It　is　but　two　hours'　brisk　riding；　my　lord；〃　said　Varney。　　〃For
me；　I　only　stopped　to　enforce　your　commands　of　care　and　secrecy
on　yonder　Foster；　and　to　inquire　about　the　abode　of　the　gentleman
whom　I　would　promote　to　your　lordship's　train；　in　the　room　of
Trevors。〃

〃Is　he　fit　for　the　meridian　of　the　antechamber；　think'st　thou？〃
said　the　Earl。

〃He　promises　well；　my　lord；〃　replied　Varney　；　〃but　if　your
lordship　were　pleased　to　ride　on；　I　could　go　back　to　Cumnor；　and
bring　him　to　your　lordship　at　Woodstock　before　you　are　out　of
bed。〃

〃Why；　I　am　asleep　there；　thou　knowest；　at　this　moment；〃　said　the
Earl；　〃and　I　pray　you　not　to　spare　horse…flesh；　that　you　may　be
with　me　at　my　levee。〃

So　saying；　he　gave　his　horse　the　spur；　and　proceeded　on　his
journey；　while　Varney　rode　back　to　Cumnor　by　the　public　road；
avoiding　the　park。　　The　latter　alighted　at　the　door　of　the　bonny
Black　Bear；　and　desired　to　speak　with　Master　Michael　Lambourne；
That　respectable　character　was　not　long　of　appearing　before　his
new　patron；　but　it　was　with　downcast　looks。

〃Thou　hast　lost　the　scent；〃　said　Varney；　〃of　thy　comrade
Tressilian。　　I　know　it　by　thy　bang…dog　visage。　　Is　this　thy
alacrity；　thou　impudent　knave？〃

〃Cogswounds！〃　　said　Lambourne；　〃there　was　never　a　trail　so　finely
hunted。　　I　saw　him　to　earth　at　mine　uncle's　herestuck　to　him
like　bees'…waxsaw　him　at　supperwatched　him　to　his　chamber；
and；　presto！　　he　is　gone　next　morning；　the　very　hostler　knows　not
where。〃

〃This　sounds　like　practice　upon　me；　sir；〃　replied　Varney；　〃and　if
it　proves　so；　by　my　soul　you　shall　repent　it！〃

〃Sir；　the　best　hound　will　be　sometimes　at　fault；〃　answered
Lambourne；　〃how　should　it　serve　me　that　this　fellow　should　have
thus　evanished？　　You　may　ask　mine　host；　Giles　Goslingask　the
tapster　and　hostlerask　Cicely；　and　the　whole　household；　how　I
kept　eyes　on　Tressilian　while　he　was　on　foot。　　On　my　soul；　I
could　not　be　expected　to　watch　him　like　a　sick　nurse；　when　I　had
seen　him　fairly　a…bed　in　his　chamber。　　That　will　be　allowed　me；
surely。〃

Varney　did；　in　fact；　make　some　inquiry　among　the　household；　which
confirmed　the　truth　of　Lambourne's　statement。　　Tressilian；　it　was
unanimously　agreed；　had　departed　suddenly　and　unexpectedly；
betwixt　night　and　morning。

〃But　I　will　wrong　no　one；〃　said　mine　host；　〃he　left　on　the　table
in　his　lodging　the　full　value　of　his　reckoning；　with　some
allowance　to　the　servants　of　the　house；　which　was　the　less
necessary　that　he　saddled　his　own　gelding；　as　it　seems；　without
the　hostler's　assistance。〃

Thus　satisfied　of　the　rectitude　of　Lambourne's　conduct；　Varney
began　to　talk　to　him　upon　his　future　prospects；　and　the　mode　in
which　he　meant　to　bestow　himself；　intimating　that　he　understood
from　Foster　he　was　not　disinclined　to　enter　into　the　household　of
a　nobleman。

〃Have　you；〃　said　he；　〃ever　been　at　court？〃

〃No；〃　replied　Lambourne；　〃but　ever　since　I　was　ten　years　old；　I
have　dreamt　once　a　week　that　I　was　there；　and　made　my　fortune。〃

〃It　may　be　your　own　fault　if　your　dream　comes　not　true；〃　said
Varney。　　〃Are　you　needy？〃

〃Um！〃　　replied　Lambourne；　〃I　love　pleasure。〃

〃That　is　a　sufficient　answer；　and　an　honest　one；〃　said　Varney。
〃Know　you　aught　of　the　requisites　expected　from　the　retainer　of　a
rising　courtier？〃

〃I　have　imagined　them　to　myself；　sir；〃　answered　Lambourne；　〃as；
for　example；　a　quick　eye；　a　close　mouth；　a　ready　and　bold　hand；　a
sharp　wit；　and　a　blunt　conscience。〃

〃And　thine；　I　suppose；〃　said　Varney；　〃has　had　its　edge　blunted
long　since？〃

〃I　cannot　remember；　sir；　that　its　edge　was　ever　over…keen；〃
replied　Lambourne。　　〃When　I　was　a　youth；　I　had　some　few　whimsies；
but　I　rubbed　them　partly　out　of　my　recollection　on　the　rough
grindstone　of　the　wars；　and　what　remained　I　washed　out　in　the
broad　waves　of　the　Atlantic。〃

〃Thou　hast