kenilworth-第26章

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grindstone　of　the　wars；　and　what　remained　I　washed　out　in　the
broad　waves　of　the　Atlantic。〃

〃Thou　hast　served；　then；　in　the　Indies？〃

〃In　both　East　and　West；〃　answered　the　candidate　for　court
service；　〃by　both　sea　and　land。　　I　have　served　both　the　Portugal
and　the　Spaniard；　both　the　Dutchman　and　the　Frenchman；　and　have
made　war　on　our　own　account　with　a　crew　of　jolly　fellows；　who
held　there　was　no　peace　beyond　the　Line。〃　　＇Sir　Francis　Drake；
Morgan；　and　many　a　bold　buccaneer　of　those　days；　were；　in　fact；
little　better　than　pirates。＇

〃Thou　mayest　do　me；　and　my　lord；　and　thyself；　good　service；〃　said
Varney；　after　a　pause。　　〃But　observe；　I　know　the　worldand
answer　me　truly；　canst　thou　be　faithful？〃

〃Did　you　not　know　the　world；〃　answered　Lambourne；　〃it　were　my
duty　to　say　ay；　without　further　circumstance；　and　to　swear　to　it
with　life　and　honour；　and　so　forth。　　But　as　it　seems　to　me　that
your　worship　is　one　who　desires　rather　honest　truth　than　politic
falsehood；　I　reply　to　you；　that　I　can　be　faithful　to　the　gallows'
foot；　ay；　to　the　loop　that　dangles　from　it；　if　I　am　well　used　and
well　recompensednot　otherwise。〃

〃To　thy　other　virtues　thou　canst　add；　no　doubt；〃　said　Varney；　in
a　jeering　tone；　〃the　knack　of　seeming　serious　and　religious；　when
the　moment　demands　it？〃

〃It　would　cost　me　nothing；〃　said　Lambourne；　〃to　say　yes；　but；　to
speak　on　the　square；　I　must　needs　say　no。　　If　you　want　a
hypocrite；　you　may　take　Anthony　Foster；　who；　from　his　childhood；
had　some　sort　of　phantom　haunting　him；　which　he　called　religion；
though　it　was　that　sort　of　godliness　which　always　ended　in　being
great　gain。　　But　I　have　no　such　knack　of　it。〃

〃Well；〃　replied　Varney；　〃if　thou　hast　no　hypocrisy；　hast　thou　not
a　nag　here　in　the　stable？〃

〃Ay；　sir；〃　said　Lambourne；　〃that　shall　take　hedge　and　ditch　with
my　Lord　Duke's　best　hunters。　　Then　I　made　a　little　mistake　on
Shooter's　Hill；　and　stopped　an　ancient　grazier　whose　pouches　were
better　lined　than　his　brain…pan；　the　bonny　bay　nag　carried　me
sheer　off　in　spite　of　the　whole　hue　and　cry。〃

〃Saddle　him　then　instantly；　and　attend　me；〃　said　Varney。　　〃Leave
thy　clothes　and　baggage　under　charge　of　mine　host；　and　I　will
conduct　thee　to　a　service；　in　which；　if　thou　do　not　better
thyself；　the　fault　shall　not　be　fortune's；　but　thine　own。〃

〃Brave　and　hearty！〃　　said　Lambourne；　〃and　I　am　mounted　in　an
instant。Knave；　hostler；　saddle　my　nag　without　the　loss　of　one
second；　as　thou　dost　value　the　safety　of　thy　noddle。Pretty
Cicely；　take　half　this　purse　to　comfort　thee　for　my　sudden
departure。〃

〃Gogsnouns！〃　　replied　the　father；　〃Cicely　wants　no　such　token
from　thee。　　Go　away；　Mike；　and　gather　grace　if　thou　canst；　though
I　think　thou　goest　not　to　the　land　where　it　grows。〃

〃Let　me　look　at　this　Cicely　of　thine；　mine　host；〃　said　Varney；　〃I
have　heard　much　talk　of　her　beauty。〃

〃It　is　a　sunburnt　beauty；〃　said　mine　host；　〃well　qualified　to
stand　out　rain　and　wind；　but　little　calculated　to　please　such
critical　gallants　as　yourself。　　She　keeps　her　chamber；　and　cannot
encounter　the　glance　of　such　sunny…day　courtiers　as　my　noble
guest。〃

〃Well；　peace　be　with　her；　my　good　host；〃　answered　Varney；　〃our
horses　are　impatientwe　bid　you　good　day。〃

〃Does　my　nephew　go　with　you；　so　please　you？〃　　said　Gosling。

〃Ay；　such　is　his　purpose；〃　answered　Richard　Varney。

〃You　are　rightfully　right；〃　replied　mine　host〃you　are；　I　say；
fully　right；　my　kinsman。　　Thou　hast　got　a　gay　horse；　see　thou
light　not　unaware　upon　a　halteror；　if　thou　wilt　needs　be　made
immortal　by　means　of　a　rope；　which　thy　purpose　of　following　this
gentleman　renders　not　unlikely；　I　charge　thee　to　find　a　gallows
as　far　from　Cumnor　as　thou　conveniently　mayest。　　And　so　I　commend
you　to　your　saddle。〃

The　master　of　the　horse　and　his　new　retainer　mounted　accordingly；
leaving　the　landlord　to　conclude　his　ill…omened　farewell；　to
himself　and　at　leisure；　and　set　off　together　at　a　rapid　pace；
which　prevented　conversation　until　the　ascent　of　a　steep　sandy
hill　permitted　them　to　resume　it。

〃You　are　contented；　then；〃　said　Varney　to　his　companion；　〃to　take
court　service？〃

〃Ay；　worshipful　sir；　if　you　like　my　terms　as　well　as　I　like
yours。〃

〃And　what　are　your　terms？〃　　demanded　Varney。

〃If　I　am　to　have　a　quick　eye　for　my　patron's　interest；　he　must
have　a　dull　one　towards　my　faults；〃　said　Lambourne。

〃Ay；〃　said　Varney；　〃so　they　lie　not　so　grossly　open　that　he　must
needs　break　his　shins　over　them。〃

〃Agreed；〃　said　Lambourne。　　〃Next；　if　I　run　down　game；　I　must　have
the　picking　of　the　bones。〃

〃That　is　but　reason；〃　replied　Varney；　〃so　that　your　betters　are
served　before　you。〃

〃Good；〃　said　Lambourne；　〃and　it　only　remains　to　be　said；　that　if
the　law　and　I　quarrel；　my　patron　must　bear　me　out；　for　that　is　a
chief　point。〃

〃Reason　again；〃　said　Varney；　〃if　the　quarrel　hath　happened　in
your　master's　service。〃

〃For　the　wage　and　so　forth；　I　say　nothing；〃　proceeded　Lambourne；
〃it　is　the　secret　guerdon　that　I　must　live　by。〃

〃Never　fear；〃　said　Varney；　〃thou　shalt　have　clothes　and　spending
money　to　ruffle　it　with　the　best　of　thy　degree；　for　thou　goest　to
a　household　where　you　have　gold；　as　they　say；　by　the　eye。〃

〃That　jumps　all　with　my　humour；〃　replied　Michael　Lambourne；　〃and
it　only　remains　that　you　tell　me　my　master's　name。〃

〃My　name　is　Master　Richard　Varney；〃　answered　his　companion。

〃But　I　mean；〃　said　Lambourne；　〃the　name　of　the　noble　lord　to
whose　service　you　are　to　prefer　me。〃

〃How；　knave；　art　thou　too　good　to　call　me　master？〃　　said　Varney
hastily；　〃I　would　have　thee　bold　to　others；　but　not　saucy　to　me。〃

〃I　crave　your　worship's　pardon；〃　said　Lambourne；　〃but　you　seemed
familiar　with　Anthony　Foster；　now　I　am　familiar　with　Anthony
myself。〃

〃Thou　art　a　shrewd　knave；　I　see；〃　replied　Varney。　　〃Mark　meI　do
indeed　propose　to　introduce　thee　into　a　nobleman's　household；　but
it　is　upon　my　person　thou　wilt　chiefly　wait；　and　upon　my
countenance　that　thou　wilt　depend。　　I　am　his　master　of　horse。
Thou　wilt　soon　know　his　nameit　is　one　that　shakes　the　council
and　wields　the　state。〃

〃By　this　light；　a　brave　spell　to　conjure　with；〃　said　Lambourne；
〃if　a　man　would　discover　hidden　treasures！〃

〃Used　with　discretion；　it　may　prove　so；〃　replied　Varney；　〃but
markif　thou　conjure　with　it　at　thine　own　hand；　it　may　raise　a
devil　who　will　tear　thee　in　fragments。〃

〃Enough　said；〃　replied　Lambourne；　〃I　will　not　exceed　my　limits。〃

The　travellers　then　resumed　the　rapid　rate　of　travelling　which
their　discourse　had　interrupted；　and　soon　arrived　at　the　Royal
Park　of　Woodstock。　　This　ancient　possession　of　the　crown　of
England　was　then　very　different　from　what　it　had　been　when　it　was
the　residence　of　the　fair　Rosamond；　and　the　scene　of　Henry　the
Second's　secret　and　illicit　amours；　and　yet　more　unlike　to　the
scene　which　it　exhibits　in　the　present　day；　when　Blenheim　House
commemorates　the　victory　of　Marlborough；　and　no　less　the　genius
of　Vanbrugh；　though　decried　in　his　own　time　by　persons　of　taste
far　inferior　to　his　own。　　It　was；　in　Elizabeth's　time；　an　ancient
mansion　in　bad　repair；　which　had　long　ceased　to　be　honoured　with
the　royal　residence；　to　the　great　impoverishment　of　the　adjacent
village。　　The　inhabitants；　however；　had　made　several　petitions　to
the　Queen　to　have　the　favour　of　the　sovereign's　countenance
occasionally　bestowed　upon　them；　and　upon　this　very　business；
ostensibly　at　least；　was　the　noble　lord；　whom　we　have　already
introduced　to　our　readers；　a　visitor　at　Woodstock。

Varney　and　Lambourne　galloped　without　ceremony　into　the　courtyard
of　the　ancient　and　dilapidated　mansion；　which　presented　on　that
morning　a　scene　of　bustle　which　it　had　not　exhibited　for　two
reigns。　　Officers　of　the　Earl's　household；　liverymen　and
retainers；　went　and　came　with　all　the　insolent　fracas　which
attaches　to　their　profession。　　The　neigh　of　horses　and　the　baying
of　hounds　were　heard；　for　my　lord；　in　his　occupation　of
inspecting　and　surveying　the　manor　and　demesne；　was　of　course
provided　with　the　means　of　following　his　pleasure　in　the　chase　or
park；　said　to　have　been　the　earliest　that　was　enclosed　in
England；　and　which　was　well　stocked　with　deer　that　had　long
roamed　there　u