kenilworth-第29章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


desperately　at　Stoke；　where　most　of　the　leaders　of　that　unhappy
army　were　slain　in　their　harness。　　The　good　knight　to　whom　he
rendered　himself；　Sir　Roger　Robsart；　protected　him　from　the
immediate　vengeance　of　the　king；　and　dismissed　him　without
ransom。　　But　he　was　unable　to　guard　him　from　other　penalties　of
his　rashness；　being　the　heavy　fines　by　which　he　was　impoverished；
according　to　Henry's　mode　of　weakening　his　enemies。　　The　good
knight　did　what　he　might　to　mitigate　the　distresses　of　my
ancestor；　and　their　friendship　became　so　strict；　that　my　father
was　bred　up　as　the　sworn　brother　and　intimate　of　the　present　Sir
Hugh　Robsart；　the　only　son　of　Sir　Roger；　and　the　heir　of　his
honest；　and　generous；　and　hospitable　temper；　though　not　equal　to
him　in　martial　achievements。〃

〃I　have　heard　of　good　Sir　Hugh　Robsart；〃　interrupted　the　host；
〃many　a　time　and　oft；　his　huntsman　and　sworn　servant；　Will
Badger；　hath　spoken　of　him　an　hundred　times　in　this　very　house。
A　jovial　knight　he　is；　and　hath　loved　hospitality　and　open
housekeeping　more　than　the　present　fashion；　which　lays　as　much
gold　lace　on　the　seams　of　a　doublet　as　would　feed　a　dozen　of　tall
fellows　with　beef　and　ale　for　a　twelvemonth；　and　let　them　have
their　evening　at　the　alehouse　once　a　week；　to　do　good　to　the
publican。〃

〃If　you　have　seen　Will　Badger；　mine　host；〃　said　Tressilian；　〃you
have　heard　enough　of　Sir　Hugh　Robsart；　and　therefore　I　will　but
say；　that　the　hospitality　you　boast　of　hath　proved　somewhat
detrimental　to　the　estate　of　his　family；　which　is　perhaps　of　the
less　consequence；　as　he　has　but　one　daughter　to　whom　to　bequeath
it。　　And　here　begins　my　share　in　the　tale。　　Upon　my　father's
death；　now　several　years　since；　the　good　Sir　Hugh　would　willingly
have　made　me　his　constant　companion。　　There　was　a　time；　however；
at　which　I　felt　the　kind　knight's　excessive　love　for　field…sports
detained　me　from　studies；　by　which　I　might　have　profited　more；
but　I　ceased　to　regret　the　leisure　which　gratitude　and　hereditary
friendship　compelled　me　to　bestow　on　these　rural　avocations。　　The
exquisite　beauty　of　Mistress　Amy　Robsart；　as　she　grew　up　from
childhood　to　woman；　could　not　escape　one　whom　circumstances
obliged　to　be　so　constantly　in　her　companyI　loved　her；　in
short；　mine　host；　and　her　father　saw　it。〃

〃And　crossed　your　true　loves；　no　doubt？〃　　said　mine　host。　　〃It　is
the　way　in　all　such　cases；　and　I　judge　it　must　have　been　so　in
your　instance；　from　the　heavy　sigh　you　uttered　even　now。〃

〃The　case　was　different；　mine　host。　　My　suit　was　highly　approved
by　the　generous　Sir　Hugh　Robsart；　it　was　his　daughter　who　was
cold　to　my　passion。〃

〃She　was　the　more　dangerous　enemy　of　the　two；〃　said　the
innkeeper。　　〃I　fear　me　your　suit　proved　a　cold　one。〃

〃She　yielded　me　her　esteem；〃　said　Tressilian；　〃and　seemed　not
unwilling　that　I　should　hope　it　might　ripen　into　a　warmer
passion。　　There　was　a　contract　of　future　marriage　executed
betwixt　us；　upon　her　father's　intercession；　but　to　comply　with
her　anxious　request；　the　execution　was　deferred　for　a
twelvemonth。　　During　this　period；　Richard　Varney　appeared　in　the
country；　and；　availing　himself　of　some　distant　family　connection
with　Sir　Hugh　Robsart；　spent　much　of　his　time　in　his　company；
until；　at　length；　he　almost　lived　in　the　family。〃

〃That　could　bode　no　good　to　the　place　he　honoured　with　his
residence；〃　said　Gosling。

〃No；　by　the　rood！〃　　replied　Tressilian。　　〃Misunderstanding　and
misery　followed　his　presence；　yet　so　strangely　that　I　am　at　this
moment　at　a　loss　to　trace　the　gradations　of　their　encroachment
upon　a　family　which　had；　till　then；　been　so　happy。　　For　a　time
Amy　Robsart　received　the　attentions　of　this　man　Varney　with　the
indifference　attached　to　common　courtesies；　then　followed　a
period　in　which　she　seemed　to　regard　him　with　dislike；　and　even
with　disgust；　and　then　an　extraordinary　species　of　connection
appeared　to　grow　up　betwixt　them。　　Varney　dropped　those　airs　of
pretension　and　gallantry　which　had　marked　his　former　approaches；
and　Amy；　on　the　other　hand；　seemed　to　renounce　the　ill…disguised
disgust　with　which　she　had　regarded　them。　　They　seemed　to　have
more　of　privacy　and　confidence　together　than　I　fully　liked；　and　I
suspected　that　they　met　in　private；　where　there　was　less
restraint　than　in　our　presence。　　Many　circumstances；　which　I
noticed　but　little　at　the　timefor　I　deemed　her　heart　as　open　as
her　angelic　countenancehave　since　arisen　on　my　memory；　to
convince　me　of　their　private　understanding。　　But　I　need　not
detail　themthe　fact　speaks　for　itself。　　She　vanished　from　her
father's　house；　Varney　disappeared　at　the　same　time；　and　this
very　day　I　have　seen　her　in　the　character　of　his　paramour；　living
in　the　house　of　his　sordid　dependant　Foster；　and　visited　by　him；
muffled；　and　by　a　secret　entrance。〃

〃And　this；　then；　is　the　cause　of　your　quarrel？　　Methinks；　you
should　have　been　sure　that　the　fair　lady　either　desired　or
deserved　your　interference。〃

〃Mine　host；〃　answered　Tressilian；　〃my　fathersuch　I　must　ever
consider　Sir　Hugh　Robsartsits　at　home　struggling　with　his
grief；　or；　if　so　far　recovered；　vainly　attempting　to　drown；　in
the　practice　of　his　field…sports；　the　recollection　that　he　had
once　a　daughtera　recollection　which　ever　and　anon　breaks　from
him　under　circumstances　the　most　pathetic。　　I　could　not　brook　the
idea　that　he　should　live　in　misery；　and　Amy　in　guilt；　and　I
endeavoured　to…seek　her　out；　with　the　hope　of　inducing　her　to
return　to　her　family。　　I　have　found　her；　and　when　I　have　either
succeeded　in　my　attempt；　or　have　found　it　altogether　unavailing；
it　is　my　purpose　to　embark　for　the　Virginia　voyage。〃

〃Be　not　so　rash；　good　sir；〃　replied　Giles　Gosling；　〃and　cast　not
yourself　away　because　a　womanto　be　briefIS　a　woman；　and
changes　her　lovers　like　her　suit　of　ribands；　with　no　better
reason　than　mere　fantasy。　　And　ere　we　probe　this　matter　further；
let　me　ask　you　what　circumstances　of　suspicion　directed　you　so
truly　to　this　lady's　residence；　or　rather　to　her　place　of
concealment？〃

〃The　last　is　the　better　chosen　word；　mine　host；〃　answered
Tressilian；　〃and　touching　your　question；　the　knowledge　that
Varney　held　large　grants　of　the　demesnes　formerly　belonging　to
the　monks　of　Abingdon　directed　me　to　this　neighbourhood；　and　your
nephew's　visit　to　his　old　comrade　Foster　gave　me　the　means　of
conviction　on　the　subject。〃

〃And　what　is　now　your　purpose；　worthy　sir？excuse　my　freedom　in
asking　the　question　so　broadly。〃

〃I　purpose；　mine　host；〃　said　Tressilian；　〃to　renew　my　visit　to
the　place　of　her　residence　to…morrow；　and　to　seek　a　more　detailed
communication　with　her　than　I　have　had　to…day。　　She　must　indeed
be　widely　changed　from　what　she　once　was；　if　my　words　make　no
impression　upon　her。〃

〃Under　your　favour；　Master　Tressilian；〃　said　the　landlord；　〃you
can　follow　no　such　course。　　The　lady；　if　I　understand　you；　has
already　rejected　your　interference　in　the　matter。〃

〃It　is　but　too　true；〃　said　Tressilian；　〃I　cannot　deny　it。〃

〃Then；　marry；　by　what　right　or　interest　do　you　process　a
compulsory　interference　with　her　inclination；　disgraceful　as　it
may　be　to　herself　and　to　her　parents？　　Unless　my　judgment　gulls
me；　those　under　whose　protection　she　has　thrown　herself　would
have　small　hesitation　to　reject　your　interference；　even　if　it
were　that　of　a　father　or　brother；　but　as　a　discarded　lover；　you
expose　yourself　to　be　repelled　with　the　strong　hand；　as　well　as
with　scorn。　　You　can　apply　to　no　magistrate　for　aid　or
countenance；　and　you　are　hunting；　therefore；　a　shadow　in　water；
and　will　only　（excuse　my　plainness）　come　by　ducking　and　danger　in
attempting　to　catch　it。〃

〃I　will　appeal　to　the　Earl　of　Leicester；〃　said　Tressilian；
〃against　the　infamy　of　his　favourite。　　He　courts　the　severe　and
strict　sect　of　Puritans。　　He　dare　not；　for　the　sake　of　his　own
character；　refuse　my　appeal；　even　although　he　were　destitute　of
the　principles　of　honour　and　nobleness　with　which　fame　invests
him。　　Or　I　will　appeal　to　the　Queen　herself。〃

〃Should　Leicester；〃　said　the　landlord；　〃be　disposed　to　protect
his　dependant　（as　indeed　he　is　said　to　be　very　confidential　with
Varney）；　the　appeal　to　the　Queen　may　bring　them　both　to　reas