kenilworth-第27章

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England；　and　which　was　well　stocked　with　deer　that　had　long
roamed　there　unmolested。　　Several　of　the　inhabitants　of　the
village；　in　anxious　hope　of　a　favourable　result　from　this
unwonted　visit；　loitered　about　the　courtyard；　and　awaited　the
great　man's　coming　forth。　　Their　attention　was　excited　by　the
hasty　arrival　of　Varney；　and　a　murmur　ran　amongst　them；　〃The
Earl's　master　of　the　horse！〃　　while　they　hurried　to　bespeak
favour　by　hastily　unbonneting；　and　proffering　to　hold　the　bridle
and　stirrup　of　the　favoured　retainer　and　his　attendant。

〃Stand　somewhat　aloof；　my　masters！〃　　said　Varney　haughtily；　〃and
let　the　domestics　do　their　office。〃

The　mortified　citizens　and　peasants　fell　back　at　the　signal；
while　Lambourne；　who　had　his　eye　upon　his　superior's　deportment；
repelled　the　services　of　those　who　offered　to　assist　him；　with
yet　more　discourtesy〃Stand　back；　Jack　peasant；　with　a　murrain
to　you；　and　let　these　knave　footmen　do　their　duty！〃

While　they　gave　their　nags　to　the　attendants　of　the　household；
and　walked　into　the　mansion　with　an　air　of　superiority　which　long
practice　and　consciousness　of　birth　rendered　natural　to　Varney；
and　which　Lambourne　endeavoured　to　imitate　as　well　as　he　could；
the　poor　inhabitants　of　Woodstock　whispered　to　each　other；　〃Well…
a…day！　　God　save　us　from　all　such　misproud　princoxes！　　An　the
master　be　like　the　men；　why；　the　fiend　may　take　all；　and　yet　have
no　more　than　his　due。〃

〃Silence；　good　neighbours！〃　　said　the　bailiff；　〃keep　tongue
betwixt　teeth；　we　shall　know　more　by…and…by。　　But　never　will　a
lord　come　to　Woodstock　so　welcome　as　bluff　old　King　Harry！　　He
would　horsewhip　a　fellow　one　day　with　his　own　royal　hand；　and
then　fling　him　an　handful　of　silver　groats；　with　his　own　broad
face　on　them；　to　'noint　the　sore　withal。〃

〃Ay；　rest　be　with　him！〃　　echoed　the　auditors；　〃it　will　be　long
ere　this　Lady　Elizabeth　horsewhip　any　of　us。〃

〃There　is　no　saying；〃　answered　the　bailiff。　　〃Meanwhile；
patience；　good　neighbours；　and　let　us　comfort　ourselves　by
thinking　that　we　deserve　such　notice　at　her　Grace's　hands。〃

Meanwhile；　Varney；　closely　followed　by　his　new　dependant；　made
his　way　to　the　hall；　where　men　of　more　note　and　consequence　than
those　left　in　the　courtyard　awaited　the　appearance　of　the　Earl；
who　as　yet　kept　his　chamber。　　All　paid　court　to　Varney；　with　more
or　less　deference；　as　suited　their　own　rank；　or　the　urgency　of
the　business　which　brought　them　to　his　lord's　levee。　　To　the
general　question　of；　〃When　comes　my　lord　forth；　Master　Varney？〃
he　gave　brief　answers；　as；　〃See　you　not　my　boots？　　I　am　but　just
returned　from　Oxford；　and　know　nothing　of　it；〃　and　the　like；
until　the　same　query　was　put　in　a　higher　tone　by　a　personage　of
more　importance。　　〃I　will　inquire　of　the　chamberlain；　Sir　Thomas
Copely；〃　was　the　reply。　　The　chamberlain；　distinguished　by　his
silver　key；　answered　that　the　Earl　only　awaited　Master　Varney's
return　to　come　down；　but　that　he　would　first　speak　with　him　in
his　private　chamber。　　Varney；　therefore；　bowed　to　the　company；
and　took　leave；　to　enter　his　lord's　apartment。

There　was　a　murmur　of　expectation　which　lasted　a　few　minutes；　and
was　at　length　hushed　by　the　opening　of　the　folding…doors　at　the
upper　end　or　the　apartment；　through　which　the　Earl　made　his
entrance；　marshalled　by　his　chamberlain　and　the　steward　of　his
family；　and　followed　by　Richard　Varney。　　In　his　noble　mien　and
princely　features；　men　read　nothing　of　that　insolence　which　was
practised　by　his　dependants。　　His　courtesies　were；　indeed；
measured　by　the　rank　of　those　to　whom　they　were　addressed；　but
even　the　meanest　person　present　had　a　share　of　his　gracious
notice。　　The　inquiries　which　he　made　respecting　the　condition　of
the　manor；　of　the　Queen's　rights　there；　and　of　the　advantages　and
disadvantages　which　might　attend　her　occasional　residence　at　the
royal　seat　of　Woodstock；　seemed　to　show　that　he　had　most
earnestly　investigated　the　matter　of　the　petition　of　the
inhabitants；　and　with　a　desire　to　forward　the　interest　of　the
place。

〃Now　the　Lord　love　his　noble　countenance！〃　　said　the　bailiff；　who
had　thrust　himself　into　the　presence…chamber；　〃he　looks　somewhat
pale。　　I　warrant　him　he　hath　spent　the　whole　night　in　perusing
our　memorial。　　Master　Toughyarn；　who　took　six　months　to　draw　it
up；　said　it　would　take　a　week　to　understand　it；　and　see　if　the
Earl　hath　not　knocked　the　marrow　out　of　it　in　twenty…four　hours！〃

The　Earl　then　acquainted　them　that　he　should　move　their　sovereign
to　honour　Woodstock　occasionally　with　her　residence　during　her
royal　progresses；　that　the　town　and　its　vicinity　might　derive；
from　her　countenance　and　favour；　the　same　advantages　as　from
those　of　her　predecessors。　　Meanwhile；　he　rejoiced　to　be　the
expounder　of　her　gracious　pleasure；　in　assuring　them　that；　for
the　increase　of　trade　and　encouragement　of　the　worthy　burgesses
of　Woodstock；　her　Majesty　was　minded　to　erect　the　town　into　a
Staple　for　wool。

This　joyful　intelligence　was　received　with　the　acclamations　not
only　of　the　better　sort　who　were　admitted　to　the　audience…
chamber；　but　of　the　commons　who　awaited　without。

The　freedom　of　the　corporation　was　presented　to　the　Earl　upon
knee　by　the　magistrates　of　the　place；　together　with　a　purse　of
gold　pieces；　which　the　Earl　handed　to　Varney；　who；　on　his　part；
gave　a　share　to　Lambourne；　as　the　most　acceptable　earnest　of　his
new　service。

The　Earl　and　his　retinue　took　horse　soon　after　to　return　to
court；　accompanied　by　the　shouts　of　the　inhabitants　of　Woodstock；
who　made　the　old　oaks　ring　with　re…echoing；　〃Long　live　Queen
Elizabeth；　and　the　noble　Earl　of　Leicester！〃　　The　urbanity　and
courtesy　of　the　Earl　even　threw　a　gleam　of　popularity　over　his
attendants；　as　their　haughty　deportment　had　formerly　obscured
that　of　their　master；　and　men　shouted；　〃Long　life　to　the　Earl；
and　to　his　gallant　followers！〃　　as　Varney　and　Lambourne；　each　in
his　rank；　rode　proudly　through　the　streets　of　Woodstock。



CHAPTER　VIII。

　　HOST。　　I　will　hear　you；　Master　Fenton；　and　I　will；　at　the
　　least；　keep　your　counsel。MERRY　WIVES　OF　WINDSOR。

It　becomes　necessary　to　return　to　the　detail　of　those
circumstances　which　accompanied；　and　indeed　occasioned；　the
sudden　disappearance　of　Tressilian　from　the　sign　of　the　Black
Bear　at　Cumnor。　　It　will　be　recollected　that　this　gentleman；
after　his　rencounter　with　Varney；　had　returned　to　Giles　Gosling's
caravansary；　where　he　shut　himself　up　in　his　own　chamber；
demanded　pen；　ink；　and　paper；　and　announced　his　purpose　to　remain
private　for　the　day。　　In　the　evening　he　appeared　again　in　the
public　room；　where　Michael　Lambourne；　who　had　been　on　the　watch
for　him；　agreeably　to　his　engagement　to　Varney；　endeavoured　to
renew　his　acquaintance　with　him；　and　hoped　he　retained　no
unfriendly　recollection　of　the　part　he　had　taken　in　the　morning's
scuffle。

But　Tressilian　repelled　his　advances　firmly；　though　with
civility。　　〃Master　Lambourne；〃　said　he；　〃I　trust　I　have
recompensed　to　your　pleasure　the　time　you　have　wasted　on　me。
Under　the　show　of　wild　bluntness　which　you　exhibit；　I　know　you
have　sense　enough　to　understand　me；　when　I　say　frankly　that　the
object　of　our　temporary　acquaintance　having　been　accomplished；　we
must　be　strangers　to　each　other　in　future。〃

〃VOTO！〃　　said　Lambourne；　twirling　his　whiskers　with　one　hand；　and
grasping　the　hilt　of　his　weapon　with　the　other；　〃if　I　thought
that　this　usage　was　meant　to　insult　me〃

〃You　would　bear　it　with　discretion；　doubtless；〃　interrupted
Tressilian；　〃as　you　must　do　at　any　rate。　　You　know　too　well　the
distance　that　is　betwixt　us；　to　require　me　to　explain　myself
further。　　Good　evening。〃

So　saying；　he　turned　his　back　upon　his　former　companion；　and
entered　into　discourse　with　the　landlord。　　Michael　Lambourne　felt
strongly　disposed　to　bully；　but　his　wrath　died　away　in　a　few
incoherent　oaths　and　ejaculations；　and　he　sank　unresistingly
under　the　ascendency　which　superior　spirits　possess　over　persons
of　his　habits　and　description。　　He　remained　moody　and　silent　in　a
corner　of　the　apartment；　paying　the　most　marked　attention　to
every　motion　of　his　late　companion；　against　whom　he　began　now　to
nourish　a　quarrel　on　his　own　accou